What is the ruling on building a structure over graves?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Building over graves is haraam and was forbidden by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) because of what it involves of venerating the occupants of the graves and because it is a means that leads to worshipping these graves and taking them as gods besides Allah, as is the case with many of the buildings that were erected over graves; the people began to associate the occupants of these grave with Allah and to call upon them along with Allah, many He be exalted.
Praying to the occupants of the graves and seeking their help to relieve distress is major shirk and constitutes apostasy from Islam. And Allah is the One Whose help we seek. End quote.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah, p. 26
Sunday, December 27, 2009
French Muslims agrees to LIGHT
MARSEILLE, France — The minaret of the new Grand Mosque of Marseille, whose cornerstone will be laid here in April, will be silent — no muezzin, live or recorded, will disturb the neighborhood with the call to prayer. Instead, the minaret will flash a beam of light for a couple of minutes, five times a day.
One rendering of the Grand Mosque of Marseille had a taller minaret than the one now planned.
Normally, the light would be green, for the color of Islam. But Marseille is a port, and green is reserved for signals to ships at sea. Red? No, the firefighters have reserved red.
Instead, said Noureddine Cheikh, the head of the Marseille Mosque Association, the light will almost surely be purple — a rather nightclubby look for such an elegant building.
So is this assimilation? Mr. Cheikh laughs. “I suppose it is,” he said. “It’s a good symbol of assimilation.”
But as Western Europe is plunged into a new bout of anxiety over the impact of post-colonial Muslim immigration — reeling in varying ways from the implications of a recent Swiss vote to ban minarets altogether — some scholars see a destructive dynamic, with assimilation feeding a reaction that, in turn, spawns resentment, particularly among young Muslims.
Vincent Geisser, a scholar of Islam and immigration at the French National Center for Scientific Research, believes that the more Europe’s Muslims establish themselves as a permanent part of the national scene, the more they frighten some who believe that their national identity could be altered forever.
“Today in Europe the fear of Islam crystallizes all other fears,” Mr. Geisser said. “In Switzerland, it’s minarets. In France, it’s the veil, the burqa and the beard.”
The large new mosque, which its builders call “the symbol of Marseillais Islam,” is a source of pride here in France’s second-largest city, which is at least 25 percent Muslim. But it is also cause for alarm, Mr. Geisser said, embodying the paradox that visible signs of integration set off xenophobic anxiety. “All these symbols reveal a deeper, more lasting presence of Islam,” he said. “It’s the passage of something temporary to something that is implanted and takes root.”
The change has been significant over the last five years, Mr. Geisser said. “Now we’re at a crossroads,” he said, of a complicated European anxiety that stems from economic crisis; the fear of globalization; the perceived increase in immigration as European birthrates fall; and the subsuming of national states into an enlarged Europe.
“There is an angst over identity in Europe,” he said. “There’s a feeling that Europe is becoming smaller and less important. Europe is like an old lady, who whenever she hears a noise thinks it’s a burglary.” This generalized anxiety and fear is translated into a specific one, he argues: Islam, “a box in which everyone expresses their fears.”
The European Union is believed to have more than 15 million Muslims and perhaps as many as 20 million. France has five million to six million Muslims, the most in Western Europe.
In general, relations between Muslims and other Europeans have been good. But the terrorism associated with attacks in France in 1995 and 2001 in the United States has resonated through the years, reinforced by the Madrid train bombings in 2004; the killing that year of the Dutch film director Theo van Gogh, a critic of conservative Muslims; the London bombings of 2005; and the controversy over Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published the same year.
In 2004, France banned the head scarf (and other signs of religious affiliation) in public schools. It is now debating a ban on the burqa, by which the government seems to mean any full facial covering, including the niqab, which shows the eyes. That controversial measure is caught up in a government-sponsored debate over national identity, led by the ministry that also handles immigration.
Both measures have been widely criticized as political maneuvers by President Nicolas Sarkozy, capitalizing on social fears to unite the center-right and co-opt the far-right National Front before regional elections in March. He has tried to play down the religious element in the debate, but he has also urged Muslims to show “humble discretion” and avoid “ostentation and provocation”; a junior minister, Nadine Morano, said young Muslims should dress better, find jobs and stop using slang and wearing baseball caps backward.
The far-right and anti-immigrant parties did comparatively well in last June’s European elections, which had a low turnout. For the first time, Britain’s far-right party won two seats, and the Dutch Freedom Party secured 17 percent of the vote.
This year, the Danes and the Swiss have brought a new focus to mosques and minarets. Plans for Copenhagen’s first two large mosques have met with strong opposition from the right. The Swiss vote brought widespread condemnation of fear-mongering and racism, including from Switzerland’s own government.
Youcef Mammeri, a writer on Islam in France and member of the Joint Council of Muslims of Marseille, says that the debates over minarets, burqas and national identity have angered many French-born Muslims and brought them together in a defensive circle.
One rendering of the Grand Mosque of Marseille had a taller minaret than the one now planned.
Normally, the light would be green, for the color of Islam. But Marseille is a port, and green is reserved for signals to ships at sea. Red? No, the firefighters have reserved red.
Instead, said Noureddine Cheikh, the head of the Marseille Mosque Association, the light will almost surely be purple — a rather nightclubby look for such an elegant building.
So is this assimilation? Mr. Cheikh laughs. “I suppose it is,” he said. “It’s a good symbol of assimilation.”
But as Western Europe is plunged into a new bout of anxiety over the impact of post-colonial Muslim immigration — reeling in varying ways from the implications of a recent Swiss vote to ban minarets altogether — some scholars see a destructive dynamic, with assimilation feeding a reaction that, in turn, spawns resentment, particularly among young Muslims.
Vincent Geisser, a scholar of Islam and immigration at the French National Center for Scientific Research, believes that the more Europe’s Muslims establish themselves as a permanent part of the national scene, the more they frighten some who believe that their national identity could be altered forever.
“Today in Europe the fear of Islam crystallizes all other fears,” Mr. Geisser said. “In Switzerland, it’s minarets. In France, it’s the veil, the burqa and the beard.”
The large new mosque, which its builders call “the symbol of Marseillais Islam,” is a source of pride here in France’s second-largest city, which is at least 25 percent Muslim. But it is also cause for alarm, Mr. Geisser said, embodying the paradox that visible signs of integration set off xenophobic anxiety. “All these symbols reveal a deeper, more lasting presence of Islam,” he said. “It’s the passage of something temporary to something that is implanted and takes root.”
The change has been significant over the last five years, Mr. Geisser said. “Now we’re at a crossroads,” he said, of a complicated European anxiety that stems from economic crisis; the fear of globalization; the perceived increase in immigration as European birthrates fall; and the subsuming of national states into an enlarged Europe.
“There is an angst over identity in Europe,” he said. “There’s a feeling that Europe is becoming smaller and less important. Europe is like an old lady, who whenever she hears a noise thinks it’s a burglary.” This generalized anxiety and fear is translated into a specific one, he argues: Islam, “a box in which everyone expresses their fears.”
The European Union is believed to have more than 15 million Muslims and perhaps as many as 20 million. France has five million to six million Muslims, the most in Western Europe.
In general, relations between Muslims and other Europeans have been good. But the terrorism associated with attacks in France in 1995 and 2001 in the United States has resonated through the years, reinforced by the Madrid train bombings in 2004; the killing that year of the Dutch film director Theo van Gogh, a critic of conservative Muslims; the London bombings of 2005; and the controversy over Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published the same year.
In 2004, France banned the head scarf (and other signs of religious affiliation) in public schools. It is now debating a ban on the burqa, by which the government seems to mean any full facial covering, including the niqab, which shows the eyes. That controversial measure is caught up in a government-sponsored debate over national identity, led by the ministry that also handles immigration.
Both measures have been widely criticized as political maneuvers by President Nicolas Sarkozy, capitalizing on social fears to unite the center-right and co-opt the far-right National Front before regional elections in March. He has tried to play down the religious element in the debate, but he has also urged Muslims to show “humble discretion” and avoid “ostentation and provocation”; a junior minister, Nadine Morano, said young Muslims should dress better, find jobs and stop using slang and wearing baseball caps backward.
The far-right and anti-immigrant parties did comparatively well in last June’s European elections, which had a low turnout. For the first time, Britain’s far-right party won two seats, and the Dutch Freedom Party secured 17 percent of the vote.
This year, the Danes and the Swiss have brought a new focus to mosques and minarets. Plans for Copenhagen’s first two large mosques have met with strong opposition from the right. The Swiss vote brought widespread condemnation of fear-mongering and racism, including from Switzerland’s own government.
Youcef Mammeri, a writer on Islam in France and member of the Joint Council of Muslims of Marseille, says that the debates over minarets, burqas and national identity have angered many French-born Muslims and brought them together in a defensive circle.
The logic behind the prohibition of Alcohol,Drugs,Zina and Immoral Pictures and Videos
www.sunnipath.com
Bismillahir rahmanir rahim.
The assignment was given to me in the Sunnipath, Essentials of Islam (Hanafi) course and it was to ponder on the logic behind the prohibition of certain things to mankind by Almighty Allah.
Firstly I would like to state that as Muslims we do not even need to ponder why Allah has made something lawful or unlawful for us, if we are Muslims we should enter Islam completely.
If we gain knowledge of a new law in Sharia we have to obey it immediately without questioning it.
When the phrobition of alcohol was revealed to the Muslims,, the streets of Madina al-Munawwara were flooded with wine, because of the level of Iman that the Sahaba r.a had, they heard the new revelation and they threw out all the wine they had in their houses, they did not question the order and neither should we.
In the next section I’m going to analyze the prohibitions of zina,alcohol,drugs and the looking of immoral pictures and videos. It will insha Allah become quite clear that even though these sins might be separate on surface they are linked in one way or another.
1.Alcohol:
Even though this substance is in a different category it could be in the category of drugs, since it is a poison that effects the nerve system and is lethal if taken excessively.
I live in a country where alcohol could be seen as a plague that is effecting the population.
People start drinking at the age of 14 and continue to do so until their death, which can come sooner than expected because of the intake of the substance.
Lets look at some facts about alcohol use,
In my country, Finland about 80% of all crimes are alcohol related and 4% of the population are addicted to drinking, not to forget the 500.000 people who are in a so called ”risk group”.
In the UK 70% of all admissions to hospital accident and emergency departments are linked to alcohol misuse.
In the EU 10% of ”premature” deaths are caused by alcohol.
Just looking at the facts wont give you the whole picture of the situation, specially if you live in a country where alcohol is banned you can not completely understand what kind of problems alcohol brings with it.
It increases the risk for zina which is in itself a disgusting sin.
Not only does alcohol affect a society on a personal level but it also effects the state itself. A lot of people say that it is actually good for the state to sell alcohol but infact that is not true, the state of Finland loses about 5 billion Euros each year because of the medical care and other damage related to alcohol use.
2.Drugs
The definition of drugs differ from country to country with for example the Netherlands having a ”liberal” policy on so called ”soft drugs” like Cannabis. In Islam the prohibition stands very clear, banning the use of any intoxicants, whether it be Cannabis, Alcohol or Heroin.
Drugs affect the human beings in very different ways, Cannabis which is considered a ”soft drug” makes the person passive and hence he is not a beneficial member of the society, he does not study nor work at his full capacity.
Then there are the very lethal drugs like Heroin.
Not only is it highly addictive and poisonous, it can lead to the spread of HIV through the re-usage of needles between Heroin addicts, which leads to the death of many. The virus might be spread further because of some addicts that are forced by someone or by their financial status into prostitution to get money for their addiction, hence spreading the HIV to the ones visiting the prostitutes.
Crime rates also rise because of drug usage, in U S in the year 2004, 17% of the inmates were convicted because of crimes committed in order to get money for drugs.
Drugs can effectively cripple a whole nations economy .For example in Afghanistan many farmers preferred to grow poppys instead of wheat or other beneficial plants because they would get 20 times more income from the poppys, hence making the individual farmers rich but affecting the states financial status negatively when not paying taxes.
3. Immoral pictures and movies.
With modern technology such as satellite disks and Internet the spread of immoral pictures and movies has been rapid all over the world, specially with the internet enablling the accessing websites from all over the planet.
Alhamdulillah some of the Muslim countries have tried restricting the access to the material by placing filters to block the citizens from accessing such websites and material.
However where the material is accessable it has led to some problems, namely that women are not respected as they should be, most of the immoral material shows women as some kind of objects that not really are human beings , rather some objects that you can use as you please.
In the west this phenomenon is so common that even shops that are specialized in this kind of material have been set up and people can visit them casually like it were a grocery store, the shops are not even hidden, but out on display for everyone to see and find them.
It has effectively corrupted the mentality of the people and a lot of women have eating disorders and are obsessed with the way they look so they can attract attention from men. This has also made the youth to become ”sexually active” in a much younger age.
4.Zina
You may have noticed that the sections before all lead into zina and this is a very serious sin but unfortunately a lot of the non-Muslims and even Muslims do not understand the logic behind prohibihiting it.
In 1996 the World Health Organization stated that about 1 million people are infected with a sexually transmitted disease daily, 352 million infected people per year, and 60% of those infected are below the age of 25.
There are a number of different sexually transmitted diseases that and they vary from each other a lot, some of the diseases will go away with time and some of the more serious ones will eventually lead to the death of the infected person.
The most common sexually transmitted disease is Chlamydia which apparently 25% of the global population has had and in 2007 HIV had infected 33.2 million people and killed 2.1 million.
The sexually transmitted diseases are not the only problem that zina brings, another problem is teenage pregnancy, specially the babies that are born outside the wedlock. In U S 55.6 girls out of 1000 will become pregnant during their teenage and 30.2 out of 1000 will have an abortion.
The ones who abort the baby will have that on their conscience during their whole lifetime and this can be very traumatic.
The ones who decide to have the baby often become single mothers since the man does not want to take responsibility and abandons the new mother.
I would like to conclude with saying that everything that Allah has deemed unlawful for us has a logic behind it, it might not be clear for us in this day and age, but the thing we have to remember is that Allah has created us and he knows his creation the best.
We hear and we obey.
-Fredrik ”Fady” Lundström
Bismillahir rahmanir rahim.
The assignment was given to me in the Sunnipath, Essentials of Islam (Hanafi) course and it was to ponder on the logic behind the prohibition of certain things to mankind by Almighty Allah.
Firstly I would like to state that as Muslims we do not even need to ponder why Allah has made something lawful or unlawful for us, if we are Muslims we should enter Islam completely.
If we gain knowledge of a new law in Sharia we have to obey it immediately without questioning it.
When the phrobition of alcohol was revealed to the Muslims,, the streets of Madina al-Munawwara were flooded with wine, because of the level of Iman that the Sahaba r.a had, they heard the new revelation and they threw out all the wine they had in their houses, they did not question the order and neither should we.
In the next section I’m going to analyze the prohibitions of zina,alcohol,drugs and the looking of immoral pictures and videos. It will insha Allah become quite clear that even though these sins might be separate on surface they are linked in one way or another.
1.Alcohol:
Even though this substance is in a different category it could be in the category of drugs, since it is a poison that effects the nerve system and is lethal if taken excessively.
I live in a country where alcohol could be seen as a plague that is effecting the population.
People start drinking at the age of 14 and continue to do so until their death, which can come sooner than expected because of the intake of the substance.
Lets look at some facts about alcohol use,
In my country, Finland about 80% of all crimes are alcohol related and 4% of the population are addicted to drinking, not to forget the 500.000 people who are in a so called ”risk group”.
In the UK 70% of all admissions to hospital accident and emergency departments are linked to alcohol misuse.
In the EU 10% of ”premature” deaths are caused by alcohol.
Just looking at the facts wont give you the whole picture of the situation, specially if you live in a country where alcohol is banned you can not completely understand what kind of problems alcohol brings with it.
It increases the risk for zina which is in itself a disgusting sin.
Not only does alcohol affect a society on a personal level but it also effects the state itself. A lot of people say that it is actually good for the state to sell alcohol but infact that is not true, the state of Finland loses about 5 billion Euros each year because of the medical care and other damage related to alcohol use.
2.Drugs
The definition of drugs differ from country to country with for example the Netherlands having a ”liberal” policy on so called ”soft drugs” like Cannabis. In Islam the prohibition stands very clear, banning the use of any intoxicants, whether it be Cannabis, Alcohol or Heroin.
Drugs affect the human beings in very different ways, Cannabis which is considered a ”soft drug” makes the person passive and hence he is not a beneficial member of the society, he does not study nor work at his full capacity.
Then there are the very lethal drugs like Heroin.
Not only is it highly addictive and poisonous, it can lead to the spread of HIV through the re-usage of needles between Heroin addicts, which leads to the death of many. The virus might be spread further because of some addicts that are forced by someone or by their financial status into prostitution to get money for their addiction, hence spreading the HIV to the ones visiting the prostitutes.
Crime rates also rise because of drug usage, in U S in the year 2004, 17% of the inmates were convicted because of crimes committed in order to get money for drugs.
Drugs can effectively cripple a whole nations economy .For example in Afghanistan many farmers preferred to grow poppys instead of wheat or other beneficial plants because they would get 20 times more income from the poppys, hence making the individual farmers rich but affecting the states financial status negatively when not paying taxes.
3. Immoral pictures and movies.
With modern technology such as satellite disks and Internet the spread of immoral pictures and movies has been rapid all over the world, specially with the internet enablling the accessing websites from all over the planet.
Alhamdulillah some of the Muslim countries have tried restricting the access to the material by placing filters to block the citizens from accessing such websites and material.
However where the material is accessable it has led to some problems, namely that women are not respected as they should be, most of the immoral material shows women as some kind of objects that not really are human beings , rather some objects that you can use as you please.
In the west this phenomenon is so common that even shops that are specialized in this kind of material have been set up and people can visit them casually like it were a grocery store, the shops are not even hidden, but out on display for everyone to see and find them.
It has effectively corrupted the mentality of the people and a lot of women have eating disorders and are obsessed with the way they look so they can attract attention from men. This has also made the youth to become ”sexually active” in a much younger age.
4.Zina
You may have noticed that the sections before all lead into zina and this is a very serious sin but unfortunately a lot of the non-Muslims and even Muslims do not understand the logic behind prohibihiting it.
In 1996 the World Health Organization stated that about 1 million people are infected with a sexually transmitted disease daily, 352 million infected people per year, and 60% of those infected are below the age of 25.
There are a number of different sexually transmitted diseases that and they vary from each other a lot, some of the diseases will go away with time and some of the more serious ones will eventually lead to the death of the infected person.
The most common sexually transmitted disease is Chlamydia which apparently 25% of the global population has had and in 2007 HIV had infected 33.2 million people and killed 2.1 million.
The sexually transmitted diseases are not the only problem that zina brings, another problem is teenage pregnancy, specially the babies that are born outside the wedlock. In U S 55.6 girls out of 1000 will become pregnant during their teenage and 30.2 out of 1000 will have an abortion.
The ones who abort the baby will have that on their conscience during their whole lifetime and this can be very traumatic.
The ones who decide to have the baby often become single mothers since the man does not want to take responsibility and abandons the new mother.
I would like to conclude with saying that everything that Allah has deemed unlawful for us has a logic behind it, it might not be clear for us in this day and age, but the thing we have to remember is that Allah has created us and he knows his creation the best.
We hear and we obey.
-Fredrik ”Fady” Lundström
Saturday, December 26, 2009
WHAT IS THE QURAN?
Posted in Dawah, For Non Muslims, Islam, Teachings of Islam with tags Allah, bible, Dawah, God, Islam, Leicester, Muslim, Quran on December 11, 2009 by Dawud
Do they not then meditate on the Quran? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.
(Quran Translation, verse 82, Chapter An-Nisa)
The Quran, literally means the recitation and was given to the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) by Allah, through the angel Gabriel, a few verses at a time who would recite it to Muhammad and ask him to recite it back to make sure there were no errors.
Later Muhammad would then recite the new verses that Gabriel had delivered and his followers would memorise these and a few would write them down also.
Today approximately one in eighty Muslims has memorised the whole Quran, So the Quran is not just a written book but is also protected by having millions of people hold it in their memory and who then teach it to others.
Over the 1400 years since its revelation the Quran has remained unchanged, protected from corruption and deliberate distortion as has happened to other scriptures.
Every scientific text book must every few years bring out a new revised edition to put in the latest research and ideas, the bible has been changed constantly throughout history.
You should ask yourself why this book has remained timeless and useful throughout history and think about reading it for yourself.
WHAT IS THE PROOF FOR THE QURAN?
You are probably asking yourself, what is so different about the Quran? Is this book which claims to be the word of God, like many other books do, really that different from them?
The difference is, the Quran doesn’t just say it is the word of God and then expects people to believe in it blindly. No, God in the Quran gives certain proofs to show the Quran to the true and from him.
One of these is where God says in the Quran, chapter 2, verse 23,
And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed (the Quran) to Our worshiper, then produce a chapter like it, (English translation of the Quran)
This means in its perfect Arabic grammar and wording, but still thousands of Arab Christians, Jews, Atheists and Pagans have tried and failed over the past fourteen hundred years to produce a chapter like it, even though the shortest chapter of the Quran is only three lines long!
A challenge accessible to the English readers would be where God says in chapter four, verse 82.
Do they not then meditate on the Quran? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.
(English translation of the Quran)
So if you can find one genuine contradiction in the Quran, it would prove Islam false, but if you cannot then you must admit it is a proof of the divine origin of the Quran and that it was not authored by man but by God so a book you should follow yourself.
WHAT IS THE ‘SUNNAH’?
You may have heard some muslims, when referring to the evidences for their beliefs and practices quoting ‘Quran and Sunnah.’
We have already explained what is the Quran and the proofs for it, but what is the ‘sunnah’ and what is the importance of it and proof for following it for the Muslims?
The Sunnah is everything authentically reported about the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and includes what he said, what he did, right down to the smallest detail such as how he used the bathroom.
Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah to you all – (the messenger of) Him unto Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no God save Him. He brings to life and causes to die. So believe in Allah and His messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) you may be guided.”
(Quran Translation, verse 158, Chapter Al-Araf)
This is one of a number of verses in the Quran where almighty God commands the Muslims to follow not just his words, i.e the Quran but also those of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
This is not an optional extra for Muslims, if God says do something we do it, and this includes following and obeying his prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Just as the Quran is timeless, in its guidance so is the Sunnah in its explanation of the Quran. The two together give guidance of every aspect of a Muslims life and beliefs, from morning to night and from the cradle to the grave.
Why the people should follow the teachings of Islam
Many religions claim to be from God, some of them like the Jews and Christians have previous Prophets to follow and have received previous scriptures from God but still Muslim believe Islam is the only path acceptable to God, why is this?
“May parable with the other prophets is like a man who built a house, which was perfect except for one missing brick. People would go around the house, staring in awe of its perfection and saying: “Had it not been for this space!” I am that brick. I am the last of the Prophets.”
Prophet Muhammad (recorded in Bukhari).
The perfection of the way of worshiping and following God is the religion of Islam, a way of life, a law and guidance not just for a particular people or time but for all people for all time. All of those who consider themselves to be believers in God should examine this claim of the Muslims and if they find it to be true, follow it with all their heart and enter into Islam if they are true to our lord and creator.
Want to learn more about Islam?
If you have a question or comment for us or you want to learn more about the teachings of Islam then you can talk to us emailing us on…
askaboutislam.leicester@hotmail.co.uk
Or you can comment here on our blog where we will try our best to answer your questions or find someone who can.
We also have several Islamic information stalls in Leicester City centre for those local to Leicester.
Do they not then meditate on the Quran? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.
(Quran Translation, verse 82, Chapter An-Nisa)
The Quran, literally means the recitation and was given to the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) by Allah, through the angel Gabriel, a few verses at a time who would recite it to Muhammad and ask him to recite it back to make sure there were no errors.
Later Muhammad would then recite the new verses that Gabriel had delivered and his followers would memorise these and a few would write them down also.
Today approximately one in eighty Muslims has memorised the whole Quran, So the Quran is not just a written book but is also protected by having millions of people hold it in their memory and who then teach it to others.
Over the 1400 years since its revelation the Quran has remained unchanged, protected from corruption and deliberate distortion as has happened to other scriptures.
Every scientific text book must every few years bring out a new revised edition to put in the latest research and ideas, the bible has been changed constantly throughout history.
You should ask yourself why this book has remained timeless and useful throughout history and think about reading it for yourself.
WHAT IS THE PROOF FOR THE QURAN?
You are probably asking yourself, what is so different about the Quran? Is this book which claims to be the word of God, like many other books do, really that different from them?
The difference is, the Quran doesn’t just say it is the word of God and then expects people to believe in it blindly. No, God in the Quran gives certain proofs to show the Quran to the true and from him.
One of these is where God says in the Quran, chapter 2, verse 23,
And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed (the Quran) to Our worshiper, then produce a chapter like it, (English translation of the Quran)
This means in its perfect Arabic grammar and wording, but still thousands of Arab Christians, Jews, Atheists and Pagans have tried and failed over the past fourteen hundred years to produce a chapter like it, even though the shortest chapter of the Quran is only three lines long!
A challenge accessible to the English readers would be where God says in chapter four, verse 82.
Do they not then meditate on the Quran? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.
(English translation of the Quran)
So if you can find one genuine contradiction in the Quran, it would prove Islam false, but if you cannot then you must admit it is a proof of the divine origin of the Quran and that it was not authored by man but by God so a book you should follow yourself.
WHAT IS THE ‘SUNNAH’?
You may have heard some muslims, when referring to the evidences for their beliefs and practices quoting ‘Quran and Sunnah.’
We have already explained what is the Quran and the proofs for it, but what is the ‘sunnah’ and what is the importance of it and proof for following it for the Muslims?
The Sunnah is everything authentically reported about the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and includes what he said, what he did, right down to the smallest detail such as how he used the bathroom.
Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah to you all – (the messenger of) Him unto Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no God save Him. He brings to life and causes to die. So believe in Allah and His messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) you may be guided.”
(Quran Translation, verse 158, Chapter Al-Araf)
This is one of a number of verses in the Quran where almighty God commands the Muslims to follow not just his words, i.e the Quran but also those of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
This is not an optional extra for Muslims, if God says do something we do it, and this includes following and obeying his prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Just as the Quran is timeless, in its guidance so is the Sunnah in its explanation of the Quran. The two together give guidance of every aspect of a Muslims life and beliefs, from morning to night and from the cradle to the grave.
Why the people should follow the teachings of Islam
Many religions claim to be from God, some of them like the Jews and Christians have previous Prophets to follow and have received previous scriptures from God but still Muslim believe Islam is the only path acceptable to God, why is this?
“May parable with the other prophets is like a man who built a house, which was perfect except for one missing brick. People would go around the house, staring in awe of its perfection and saying: “Had it not been for this space!” I am that brick. I am the last of the Prophets.”
Prophet Muhammad (recorded in Bukhari).
The perfection of the way of worshiping and following God is the religion of Islam, a way of life, a law and guidance not just for a particular people or time but for all people for all time. All of those who consider themselves to be believers in God should examine this claim of the Muslims and if they find it to be true, follow it with all their heart and enter into Islam if they are true to our lord and creator.
Want to learn more about Islam?
If you have a question or comment for us or you want to learn more about the teachings of Islam then you can talk to us emailing us on…
askaboutislam.leicester@hotmail.co.uk
Or you can comment here on our blog where we will try our best to answer your questions or find someone who can.
We also have several Islamic information stalls in Leicester City centre for those local to Leicester.
Christmas, an Islamic Perspective
Millions of people across Britain, including some misguided Muslims celebrate Christmas so where does idea of celebrating the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him) come from?
Unfortunately most people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike are unaware of the origins of this pagan celebration and either don’t know or don’t care about the view of our almighty creator on this matter.
Origins of Christmas
All Muslims respect and love Jesus Christ but no date is mentioned for the when Jesus was born, and he never taught his followers to celebrate his birth.
The early Christian’s trying to bring the Pagan’s of the Roman empire to Christianity simply hijacked one of their major festivals and began to celebrate the birth of Jesus on this day.
Such innovations, though born out of a good intention go against the nature of revealed scripture based faith, which are based upon sticking to the teachings of the prophet’s rigidly – inwardly in matters of the heart and outwardly in matters of actions and speech.
This is why Muslims believe faith is not just in the heart but also in the speech and actions of an individual. The early and righteous generations of the Muslims, the Salaf us Saalih used to say…
“Imaan is in the heart, on the tongue and the limbs.”
As such, a Muslim who celebrated Christmas negates their belief, their imaan and in principle is outside the fold of Islam.
The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim said that to even congratulate a disbeliever on their day of worship is an act of disbelief as it showns a person is pleased with their disbelief through their speech and actions, so how much worse to actually take part in their celebrations?
Non-Muslims who read this, especially Christians should reflect and see who is really following the teaching of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him).
Don’t believe the misguidance passed down to you by people who have changed every aspect of your religion away from that revealed to Jesus and corrupted the Bible.
“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.”
[Translation of Quran,
Chapter ali-Imran 3:85].
Unfortunately most people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike are unaware of the origins of this pagan celebration and either don’t know or don’t care about the view of our almighty creator on this matter.
Origins of Christmas
All Muslims respect and love Jesus Christ but no date is mentioned for the when Jesus was born, and he never taught his followers to celebrate his birth.
The early Christian’s trying to bring the Pagan’s of the Roman empire to Christianity simply hijacked one of their major festivals and began to celebrate the birth of Jesus on this day.
Such innovations, though born out of a good intention go against the nature of revealed scripture based faith, which are based upon sticking to the teachings of the prophet’s rigidly – inwardly in matters of the heart and outwardly in matters of actions and speech.
This is why Muslims believe faith is not just in the heart but also in the speech and actions of an individual. The early and righteous generations of the Muslims, the Salaf us Saalih used to say…
“Imaan is in the heart, on the tongue and the limbs.”
As such, a Muslim who celebrated Christmas negates their belief, their imaan and in principle is outside the fold of Islam.
The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim said that to even congratulate a disbeliever on their day of worship is an act of disbelief as it showns a person is pleased with their disbelief through their speech and actions, so how much worse to actually take part in their celebrations?
Non-Muslims who read this, especially Christians should reflect and see who is really following the teaching of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him).
Don’t believe the misguidance passed down to you by people who have changed every aspect of your religion away from that revealed to Jesus and corrupted the Bible.
“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.”
[Translation of Quran,
Chapter ali-Imran 3:85].
Friday, December 25, 2009
A Christian woman saw in her dream that she was in the mosque and she saw the Qur'aan lighting the way
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. I decided to write this letter to you in the hope that you can help me to understand this dream I saw. First of all, I want to say that I am a Roman Catholic and I do not know much about Islam. Two months ago I saw in my dream that I was in the mosque, but I was not in the place of prayer or in the place for wudoo'; rather I was in a special place inside the mosque.
Then a man came to me who was aged between 35 and 40. He was wearing black. He was not very tall neither was he short, and his hair was curly. He was wearing distinctive black clothing, and I have never seen anything like this clothing before. He was approximately 185 cm tall and he was an Arab. He was followed by two boys, one of whom was 17 years old and the other was 20 years old. The younger one was wearing a black coat and holding in his hands a book that was shining, and I knew that this book might be the Qur'aan, but he had a black patch over his eye and the book was lighting the way for him and guiding him. Then the man who had entered in the beginning, who was the oldest of them, began to speak about Makkah and Rome and Vienna and about light and darkness, day and night and about the beginning of creation. In an instant everything became clear to me but I cannot define exactly what he was talking about because I forgot some of it but I cannot forget this dream.
What does this dream mean? What do I have to do? I hope that you can help me. Thank you.
I am waiting for your reply.
Praise be to Allaah.
And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. We were filled with joy when you asked us about this amazing dream. We may have taken a little while to reply to you, but we take this dream very seriously and we waited until we could ask more than one person who knows about dream interpretation. Not one of them differed concerning the importance of this dream for you, which may be a turning point in your life.
It should be noted first of all that a good dream is a kind of glad tidings that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, may send to whomever He will among His slaves. Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us: “There is nothing left of Prophethood except glad tidings.” They [his Companions] said: What are glad tidings? He said: “Good dreams.”
Hence we do not doubt that this dream is a good dream, in sha Allah (if Allah wills); indeed it is the greatest glad tidings for you in your life.
We will not hide our joy at your dream and the fact that we regard it as glad tidings, and wish that we could invite you to this religion from the first moment. But you have asked us for an interpretation of this dream, and dream interpretation is a branch of knowledge in which it is not appropriate to be hasty, even if the intention is good and even if the aim is to call you to Islam. We should not interpret your dream in a manner different to what it indicates.
Al-Baaji (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
No one should interpret dreams except one who is good at doing so. If a person has no knowledge of that or does not do it well, then he should refrain from doing that.
Maalik was asked about a man who interpreted dreams for everyone. He said: Is he playing with Prophethood? It was said to him: Should he interpret it in a good way even though he thinks it signifies something bad, because of the saying: The dream is according to how it is interpreted? He said: No; dreams are one of the parts of Prophethood; is he playing with something that is one of the matters of Prophethood? End quote.
Al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’, 7/276
Because of that, and because of our belief that this dream is important for you, we told a number of dream interpreters, from a number of different countries, about your dream and they did not differ as to its essential meaning and the glad tidings of good that there is in it for you!
The mosque in this dream is a sign of Islam and an affirmation of the Oneness of the Lord of the World. The mosque is a symbol of Islam, and Allah tells us that the mosque is only established to affirm the Oneness of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. In the Holy Qur'aan it says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah” [al-Jinn 72:18].
Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) – who was one of the scholars of tafseer or Qur’aanic exegesis – said: The Jews and Christians, when they entered their churches and synagogues, associated others with Allah, so Allah commanded our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to affirm His Oneness. End quote.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/244
It is quite clear that you entered the mosque (in your dream), which is a sign and symbol of Islam, and you felt an attachment to this religion, but this alone is not sufficient for your salvation. Hence you remained inside the mosque, far away from the place of purification, because you have not as yet given up your previous religion and you have not done the action of purification. This is what Allah tells us in the Holy Qur'aan. He, many He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe (in Allaah’s Oneness and in His Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in the Message of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al‑Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) after this year” [al-Tawbah 9:28]. Once a person enters Islam, he becomes pure for ever, in life and in death, so long as he remains a Muslim. Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The Muslim does not become impure.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (283) and Muslim (372).
The mere fact that you were inside the mosque is not sufficient on its own, unless you pray, because the mosque is only built for prayer and to establish the remembrance of Allah. Your praying will not benefit you unless your heart is purified of your previous religion and you are physically purified by means of ghusl (major ablution) and wudoo’ (minor ablution).
A situation occurred in real life -- not in the imagination or in a dream -- from which you can learn a great deal, as it was an experience that is close to your experience, but it happened with Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him):
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent some cavalry towards Najd, and they brought a man of Banu Haneefah who was called Thumaamah ibn Uthaal, the leader of the people of Yamaamah. They tied him to one of the pillars of the mosque, then the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to him and said: “What do you have to say, O Thumaamah?” He said: O Muhammad, I shall say something good. If you kill me, you will kill one who has shed blood, and if you show me kindness, you will be showing kindness to one who is grateful, and if you want money, then ask, and you will be given whatever you want. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left him alone until the next day, then he said: “What do you have to say, O Thumaamah?” He said: What I said to you: If you show me kindness, you will be showing kindness to one who is grateful, and if you kill me, you will kill one who has shed blood, and if you want money, then ask, and you will be given whatever you want. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left him alone until the next day, then he said: “What do you have to say, O Thumaamah?” He said: I say what I already said to you: If you show me kindness, you will be showing kindness to one who is grateful, and if you kill me, you will kill one who has shed blood, and if you want money, then ask, and you will be given whatever you want. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Let Thumaamah go.” So he went to some date palms that were near the mosque, and washed himself (ghusl), then he entered the mosque and said: I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. O Muhammad, by Allaah, there was no face on earth that was more hateful to me than your face, but now your face has become the dearest of all faces to me. By Allaah, there was no religion on earth that was more hateful to me than your religion, but now your religion has become the dearest of all religions to me. By Allaah, there was no city on earth that was more hateful to me than your city, but now your city has become the dearest of all cities to me. Your cavalry seized me when I was intending to do ‘Umrah. What do you think? The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave him glad tidings and told him to do ‘Umrah.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4372) and Muslim (1764).
Do you see? This man stayed in the mosque for three days but he -- like you -- did not do wudoo’ or pray there, until the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) let him go and pardoned him, then he did what you have to do now. He went and did ghusl (full ablution), then he came back to the mosque, but this time he came as a Muslim and a believer in the Oneness of Allah, bearing witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Your notion that the book which appeared in the dream was the Qur'aan is appropriate. This is in fact a description of the Qur'aan and this is how Allah describes it in many verses. It is because of that that Allah called everyone who believes in Judaism or Christianity or any other religion and called them to follow the light of this Qur'aan. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and pass over (i.e. leaving out without explaining) much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allaah a light (Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and a plain Book (this Qur’aan).
16. Wherewith Allaah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to the Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism)”
[al-Maa’idah 5:15-16].
With regard to the words about light and darkness, day and night, Makkah and Rome, this is the story of the conflict between truth and falsehood from the beginning of creation, and the story of the conflict that has begun in your heart: between light and day and Makkah which is the land of Islam and the symbol of Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) from which the light of Islam began and filled the world with light on the one hand, and (on the other hand) Rome and Vienna, and the night and darkness which filled your heart, before the light of the new faith entered upon you.
Allah says in the Holy Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning): “Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and Faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby he can walk amongst men — like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out? Thus it is made fair‑seeming to the disbelievers that which they used to do” [al-An’am 6:122].
Perhaps there were other details in the dream which we cannot state definitively. The young Arab man may have been a sign of the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whose mission began when he was in his 40s according to the Hijri calendar. At the beginning of his mission, as it says in some saheeh (sound) hadeeths, there were two men with him, as ‘Amr ibn ‘Absah (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned in the story of how he became Muslim:
During the Jaahiliyyah [time of ignorance before Islam], I used to think that the people were misguided and not following anything real when they worshipped idols. I heard of a man in Makkah who was telling stories, so I sat on my mount and went to find him. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in hiding and his people were persecuting him. I kept a low profile until I managed to enter upon him in Makkah. I said to him: Who are you? He said: “I am a Prophet.” I said: What is a Prophet? He said: “I have been sent by Allaah.” I said: With what has He sent you? He said: “He has sent me to uphold the ties of kinship, to break the idols and to proclaim the Oneness of Allaah and not associate anything with Him.” I said to him: Who do you have with you? He said: “A free man and a slave” – at that time he had Abu Bakr and Bilaal with him among those who believed in him
Narrated by Muslim (832).
Or this may have been have been a sign of this Arabic website to which you sent your letter, or it may indicate a real Arab man whom you will meet or marry some day, but these other details do not affect the essential meaning of the dream or change its general significance.
Do you know what you have to do now?
Have you seen what that man in the story that we told you in our answer did, after he had stayed in the mosque for three days, without doing wudoo’(minor ablution) or praying?
He went and did ghusl (major ablution), then he entered Islam so that he could pray in the mosque after that as the Muslims pray.
Your Lord has called you in this blessed dream, so come to pray in the mosque that you have seen, and to come to prosperity. Beware of closing your eyes to this light that has come to you from the Lord of the Worlds.
We ask Allah to help you, open your heart to Islam and guide your heart.
We will be happy to hear this good news of your entering into Islam and we will also be happy to answer any questions that may help you to learn more about your new religion.
And Allah knows best.
Then a man came to me who was aged between 35 and 40. He was wearing black. He was not very tall neither was he short, and his hair was curly. He was wearing distinctive black clothing, and I have never seen anything like this clothing before. He was approximately 185 cm tall and he was an Arab. He was followed by two boys, one of whom was 17 years old and the other was 20 years old. The younger one was wearing a black coat and holding in his hands a book that was shining, and I knew that this book might be the Qur'aan, but he had a black patch over his eye and the book was lighting the way for him and guiding him. Then the man who had entered in the beginning, who was the oldest of them, began to speak about Makkah and Rome and Vienna and about light and darkness, day and night and about the beginning of creation. In an instant everything became clear to me but I cannot define exactly what he was talking about because I forgot some of it but I cannot forget this dream.
What does this dream mean? What do I have to do? I hope that you can help me. Thank you.
I am waiting for your reply.
Praise be to Allaah.
And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. We were filled with joy when you asked us about this amazing dream. We may have taken a little while to reply to you, but we take this dream very seriously and we waited until we could ask more than one person who knows about dream interpretation. Not one of them differed concerning the importance of this dream for you, which may be a turning point in your life.
It should be noted first of all that a good dream is a kind of glad tidings that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, may send to whomever He will among His slaves. Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us: “There is nothing left of Prophethood except glad tidings.” They [his Companions] said: What are glad tidings? He said: “Good dreams.”
Hence we do not doubt that this dream is a good dream, in sha Allah (if Allah wills); indeed it is the greatest glad tidings for you in your life.
We will not hide our joy at your dream and the fact that we regard it as glad tidings, and wish that we could invite you to this religion from the first moment. But you have asked us for an interpretation of this dream, and dream interpretation is a branch of knowledge in which it is not appropriate to be hasty, even if the intention is good and even if the aim is to call you to Islam. We should not interpret your dream in a manner different to what it indicates.
Al-Baaji (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
No one should interpret dreams except one who is good at doing so. If a person has no knowledge of that or does not do it well, then he should refrain from doing that.
Maalik was asked about a man who interpreted dreams for everyone. He said: Is he playing with Prophethood? It was said to him: Should he interpret it in a good way even though he thinks it signifies something bad, because of the saying: The dream is according to how it is interpreted? He said: No; dreams are one of the parts of Prophethood; is he playing with something that is one of the matters of Prophethood? End quote.
Al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’, 7/276
Because of that, and because of our belief that this dream is important for you, we told a number of dream interpreters, from a number of different countries, about your dream and they did not differ as to its essential meaning and the glad tidings of good that there is in it for you!
The mosque in this dream is a sign of Islam and an affirmation of the Oneness of the Lord of the World. The mosque is a symbol of Islam, and Allah tells us that the mosque is only established to affirm the Oneness of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. In the Holy Qur'aan it says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah” [al-Jinn 72:18].
Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) – who was one of the scholars of tafseer or Qur’aanic exegesis – said: The Jews and Christians, when they entered their churches and synagogues, associated others with Allah, so Allah commanded our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to affirm His Oneness. End quote.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/244
It is quite clear that you entered the mosque (in your dream), which is a sign and symbol of Islam, and you felt an attachment to this religion, but this alone is not sufficient for your salvation. Hence you remained inside the mosque, far away from the place of purification, because you have not as yet given up your previous religion and you have not done the action of purification. This is what Allah tells us in the Holy Qur'aan. He, many He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe (in Allaah’s Oneness and in His Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in the Message of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al‑Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) after this year” [al-Tawbah 9:28]. Once a person enters Islam, he becomes pure for ever, in life and in death, so long as he remains a Muslim. Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The Muslim does not become impure.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (283) and Muslim (372).
The mere fact that you were inside the mosque is not sufficient on its own, unless you pray, because the mosque is only built for prayer and to establish the remembrance of Allah. Your praying will not benefit you unless your heart is purified of your previous religion and you are physically purified by means of ghusl (major ablution) and wudoo’ (minor ablution).
A situation occurred in real life -- not in the imagination or in a dream -- from which you can learn a great deal, as it was an experience that is close to your experience, but it happened with Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him):
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent some cavalry towards Najd, and they brought a man of Banu Haneefah who was called Thumaamah ibn Uthaal, the leader of the people of Yamaamah. They tied him to one of the pillars of the mosque, then the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to him and said: “What do you have to say, O Thumaamah?” He said: O Muhammad, I shall say something good. If you kill me, you will kill one who has shed blood, and if you show me kindness, you will be showing kindness to one who is grateful, and if you want money, then ask, and you will be given whatever you want. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left him alone until the next day, then he said: “What do you have to say, O Thumaamah?” He said: What I said to you: If you show me kindness, you will be showing kindness to one who is grateful, and if you kill me, you will kill one who has shed blood, and if you want money, then ask, and you will be given whatever you want. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left him alone until the next day, then he said: “What do you have to say, O Thumaamah?” He said: I say what I already said to you: If you show me kindness, you will be showing kindness to one who is grateful, and if you kill me, you will kill one who has shed blood, and if you want money, then ask, and you will be given whatever you want. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Let Thumaamah go.” So he went to some date palms that were near the mosque, and washed himself (ghusl), then he entered the mosque and said: I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. O Muhammad, by Allaah, there was no face on earth that was more hateful to me than your face, but now your face has become the dearest of all faces to me. By Allaah, there was no religion on earth that was more hateful to me than your religion, but now your religion has become the dearest of all religions to me. By Allaah, there was no city on earth that was more hateful to me than your city, but now your city has become the dearest of all cities to me. Your cavalry seized me when I was intending to do ‘Umrah. What do you think? The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave him glad tidings and told him to do ‘Umrah.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4372) and Muslim (1764).
Do you see? This man stayed in the mosque for three days but he -- like you -- did not do wudoo’ or pray there, until the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) let him go and pardoned him, then he did what you have to do now. He went and did ghusl (full ablution), then he came back to the mosque, but this time he came as a Muslim and a believer in the Oneness of Allah, bearing witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Your notion that the book which appeared in the dream was the Qur'aan is appropriate. This is in fact a description of the Qur'aan and this is how Allah describes it in many verses. It is because of that that Allah called everyone who believes in Judaism or Christianity or any other religion and called them to follow the light of this Qur'aan. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and pass over (i.e. leaving out without explaining) much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allaah a light (Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and a plain Book (this Qur’aan).
16. Wherewith Allaah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to the Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism)”
[al-Maa’idah 5:15-16].
With regard to the words about light and darkness, day and night, Makkah and Rome, this is the story of the conflict between truth and falsehood from the beginning of creation, and the story of the conflict that has begun in your heart: between light and day and Makkah which is the land of Islam and the symbol of Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) from which the light of Islam began and filled the world with light on the one hand, and (on the other hand) Rome and Vienna, and the night and darkness which filled your heart, before the light of the new faith entered upon you.
Allah says in the Holy Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning): “Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and Faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby he can walk amongst men — like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out? Thus it is made fair‑seeming to the disbelievers that which they used to do” [al-An’am 6:122].
Perhaps there were other details in the dream which we cannot state definitively. The young Arab man may have been a sign of the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whose mission began when he was in his 40s according to the Hijri calendar. At the beginning of his mission, as it says in some saheeh (sound) hadeeths, there were two men with him, as ‘Amr ibn ‘Absah (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned in the story of how he became Muslim:
During the Jaahiliyyah [time of ignorance before Islam], I used to think that the people were misguided and not following anything real when they worshipped idols. I heard of a man in Makkah who was telling stories, so I sat on my mount and went to find him. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in hiding and his people were persecuting him. I kept a low profile until I managed to enter upon him in Makkah. I said to him: Who are you? He said: “I am a Prophet.” I said: What is a Prophet? He said: “I have been sent by Allaah.” I said: With what has He sent you? He said: “He has sent me to uphold the ties of kinship, to break the idols and to proclaim the Oneness of Allaah and not associate anything with Him.” I said to him: Who do you have with you? He said: “A free man and a slave” – at that time he had Abu Bakr and Bilaal with him among those who believed in him
Narrated by Muslim (832).
Or this may have been have been a sign of this Arabic website to which you sent your letter, or it may indicate a real Arab man whom you will meet or marry some day, but these other details do not affect the essential meaning of the dream or change its general significance.
Do you know what you have to do now?
Have you seen what that man in the story that we told you in our answer did, after he had stayed in the mosque for three days, without doing wudoo’(minor ablution) or praying?
He went and did ghusl (major ablution), then he entered Islam so that he could pray in the mosque after that as the Muslims pray.
Your Lord has called you in this blessed dream, so come to pray in the mosque that you have seen, and to come to prosperity. Beware of closing your eyes to this light that has come to you from the Lord of the Worlds.
We ask Allah to help you, open your heart to Islam and guide your heart.
We will be happy to hear this good news of your entering into Islam and we will also be happy to answer any questions that may help you to learn more about your new religion.
And Allah knows best.
The right side of the row for NAMAZ is better than the left
Which is better, to pray on the right side of the imam or on his left? Which is better, the right side of the row or the left?.
Praise be to Allah.
If only one man is praying with the imam, then he should stand to the imam’s right, and not on his left, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abaas (may Allah be pleased with him), who stayed overnight with his maternal aunt Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her); the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) got up to pray qiyaam al-layl, and Ibn ‘Abbas stood on his left, and he reached behind him and made him stand on his right. This indicates that if only one person is praying behind the imam, he should stand on the right and not on the left.
But if more than one person is praying behind the imam, then they should stand behind him, and the right side of the row is better than the left. This applies if the two sides of the row are similar, but if the right side of the row is clearly stretching further than the left, then being on the left and closer to the imam is better.
Based on this, the people praying behind the imam should not all be on the imam’s right to the extent that there is no one on his left except one or two men. That is because what is prescribed in the case of three men is that the imam should be between them, with one man on his right and one on his left; they should not all be on his right. This indicates that the imam should be in the middle of the row or thereabouts.
To sum up: the right is better if the sides are equal or close to that. But if the right hand side stretches further, then the left is better, because it is closer to the imam.
Praise be to Allah.
If only one man is praying with the imam, then he should stand to the imam’s right, and not on his left, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abaas (may Allah be pleased with him), who stayed overnight with his maternal aunt Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her); the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) got up to pray qiyaam al-layl, and Ibn ‘Abbas stood on his left, and he reached behind him and made him stand on his right. This indicates that if only one person is praying behind the imam, he should stand on the right and not on the left.
But if more than one person is praying behind the imam, then they should stand behind him, and the right side of the row is better than the left. This applies if the two sides of the row are similar, but if the right side of the row is clearly stretching further than the left, then being on the left and closer to the imam is better.
Based on this, the people praying behind the imam should not all be on the imam’s right to the extent that there is no one on his left except one or two men. That is because what is prescribed in the case of three men is that the imam should be between them, with one man on his right and one on his left; they should not all be on his right. This indicates that the imam should be in the middle of the row or thereabouts.
To sum up: the right is better if the sides are equal or close to that. But if the right hand side stretches further, then the left is better, because it is closer to the imam.
The virtue of fasting on the occasion of ‘Ashoora’
I heard that fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ expiates for the past year, is this true?
Does it expiate for everything, even major sins? What is the reason for venerating this day?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ does expiate for the past year, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting the day of ‘Arafah I hope Allaah will expiate thereby for the year before it and the year after it, and fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ I hope Allaah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it.” Narrated by Muslim, 1162. This is by the bounty that Allaah bestows upon us, whereby fasting one day expiates for the sins of a whole year. And Allaah is the Owner of great bounty.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to be very keen to make sure he fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora’ because of its great status. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I never saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) so keen to make sure he fasted any day and preferring it over another except this day, the day of ‘Ashoora’, and this month – meaning Ramadaan. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1867.
What is meant by being keen to make sure he fasted it is so as to earn its reward.
Secondly:
With regard to the reason why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora’ and urged the people to do likewise is mentioned in the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (1865) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of ‘Ashoora’. He said, “What is this?” They said, “This is a good day, this is the day when Allaah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Moosa fasted on this day.” He said, “We have closer to Moosa than you.” So he fasted on this day and told the people to fast.
The words “this is a good day” – according to a version narrated by Muslim, “This is a great day when Allaah saved Moosa and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people.”
The words “so Moosa fasted on this day” – Muslim added in his report: “In gratitude to Allaah, so that is we fast on this day.”
According to another version narrated by al-Bukhaari, “So we fast it out of respect for it.”
The words “and told the people to fast” – according to another version narrated by al-Bukhaari, “He said to his companions, ‘You are closer to Moosa than them, so fast this day.”
Thirdly:
The expiation of sins that is achieved by fasting ‘Ashoora’ refers to minor sins; with regard to major sins, they need separate repentance.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Fasting the day of ‘Arafaah expiates for all minor sins, in othr words this brings forgiveness for all sins except for major sins.
Then he said:
Fasting the day of ‘Arafaah is an expiation for two years, and the day of ‘Ashoora is an expiation for one year, and if a person’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven… Each of the things mentioned may bring expiation. If he does something that expiates for minor sins he will be expiated, and if there are no minor or major sins, it will be recorded for him as good deeds and he will rise in status thereby… If there is one or more major sins and no minor sins, we hope that it will reduce his major sins. Al-Majmoo’ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, part 6.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The expiation of purification, prayer, and fasting Ramadaan, ‘Arafah and ‘Ashoora’ applies to minor sins only. Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 5.
Does it expiate for everything, even major sins? What is the reason for venerating this day?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ does expiate for the past year, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting the day of ‘Arafah I hope Allaah will expiate thereby for the year before it and the year after it, and fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ I hope Allaah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it.” Narrated by Muslim, 1162. This is by the bounty that Allaah bestows upon us, whereby fasting one day expiates for the sins of a whole year. And Allaah is the Owner of great bounty.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to be very keen to make sure he fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora’ because of its great status. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I never saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) so keen to make sure he fasted any day and preferring it over another except this day, the day of ‘Ashoora’, and this month – meaning Ramadaan. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1867.
What is meant by being keen to make sure he fasted it is so as to earn its reward.
Secondly:
With regard to the reason why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora’ and urged the people to do likewise is mentioned in the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (1865) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of ‘Ashoora’. He said, “What is this?” They said, “This is a good day, this is the day when Allaah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Moosa fasted on this day.” He said, “We have closer to Moosa than you.” So he fasted on this day and told the people to fast.
The words “this is a good day” – according to a version narrated by Muslim, “This is a great day when Allaah saved Moosa and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people.”
The words “so Moosa fasted on this day” – Muslim added in his report: “In gratitude to Allaah, so that is we fast on this day.”
According to another version narrated by al-Bukhaari, “So we fast it out of respect for it.”
The words “and told the people to fast” – according to another version narrated by al-Bukhaari, “He said to his companions, ‘You are closer to Moosa than them, so fast this day.”
Thirdly:
The expiation of sins that is achieved by fasting ‘Ashoora’ refers to minor sins; with regard to major sins, they need separate repentance.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Fasting the day of ‘Arafaah expiates for all minor sins, in othr words this brings forgiveness for all sins except for major sins.
Then he said:
Fasting the day of ‘Arafaah is an expiation for two years, and the day of ‘Ashoora is an expiation for one year, and if a person’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven… Each of the things mentioned may bring expiation. If he does something that expiates for minor sins he will be expiated, and if there are no minor or major sins, it will be recorded for him as good deeds and he will rise in status thereby… If there is one or more major sins and no minor sins, we hope that it will reduce his major sins. Al-Majmoo’ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, part 6.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The expiation of purification, prayer, and fasting Ramadaan, ‘Arafah and ‘Ashoora’ applies to minor sins only. Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 5.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Guidelines on the type of imitation of the mushrikeen that is haraam
I heard some people say that wearing pants and suits is haraam because it is an imitation of the kuffaar. Is this true?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has forbidden the Muslim to imitate the disbelievers, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) spoke very sternly concerning that, as he said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4031) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood.
The prohibition on imitating the kuffaar applies only to that which is exclusively theirs and which is not common to them and the Muslims.
What explains the meaning of exclusivity is that if the person who does that action is seen it would be said of him that he belongs to the group which we are forbidden to imitate. This can only apply to actions which are not done by anyone but that group. As for actions which are common to them and the Muslims, it is not correct to say that doing this is regarded as the forbidden type of imitation, because this action is not exclusive to them.
Based on that, the rulings on things that are only forbidden because they are imitation of the mushrikeen vary according to time and place, and according to different traditions and customs.
If that kind of clothing in a particular country is worn only by the kuffaar, then it is haraam for the Muslim to wear it in that country, but if in another country it is worn by both Muslims and kaafirs, then it is permissible to wear it in that country. Nowadays, wearing pants or suits is not exclusive to the kaafirs; rather they are worn by Muslims in most countries and they do not think that wearing it is imitation of the kaafirs, because it is not exclusively theirs.
Based on this, wearing it is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it.
We have previously quoted a fatwa of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas which says that it is permissible to wear pants and suits, and it is not imitation of the kuffaar. See the answer to question number 105412 and 105413.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the guideline on the issue of imitating the kuffaar?
He replied:
Imitation of the kuffaar may be in appearance, clothing, food and other things because it is a general word which refers to a person doing something that is done exclusively by the kuffaar, in such a way that whoever sees him would think that he is one of the kuffaar. This is the guideline. But if the thing has become widespread among both Muslims and kaafirs, then this imitation is permissible, even if it was originally taken from the kuffaar, so long as it is not haraam in and of itself, such as wearing silk. End quote.
Majmoo’ Duroos wa Fataawa al-Haram al-Makki (3/367).
He was also asked: what is the definition of imitating the kuffaar?
He replied:
The definition of imitating (the kuffaar) is when the imitator does something that is exclusive to the one being imitated. So imitation of the kuffaar means that a Muslim does something that is exclusively theirs. But with regard to that which has become widespread among the Muslims and is not a distinguishing characteristic of the kuffaar, this is not imitation, and it is not haraam on the grounds of imitation, unless it is haraam for some other reason. What we have said is the implication of these words. Something similar was stated by the author of al-Fath [Ibn Hajr], when he said (10/272): Some of the salaf regarded it as makrooh to wear the burnoose, because it was the clothing of monks. Maalik was asked about that and he said: There is nothing wrong with it. It was said: But it is the clothing of the Christians. He said: It was worn here. End quote.
Ibn [Ibn ‘Uthaymeen] said: If Maalik hadquoted as evidence the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) when he was asked what should the pilgrim in ihram wear? and he said: “He should not wear a shirt or a turban or pants or a burnoose…”, that would have been better.
In al-Fath (1/307) it also says: If we say that it is forbidden (i.e., purple saddle pads) because it is imitation of the non-Arabs, that is for a religious reason. But that was one of their unique characteristics at that time, when they were kuffaar. But now that it is no longer one of their unique characteristics, this meaning no longer applies, so it is no longer makrooh. And Allaah knows best. End quote.
Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah (. 245).
The purple saddle pad was a kind of thick blanket that the rider put beneath him on the horse. For more information please see the question number 21694.
And Allaah knows best.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has forbidden the Muslim to imitate the disbelievers, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) spoke very sternly concerning that, as he said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4031) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood.
The prohibition on imitating the kuffaar applies only to that which is exclusively theirs and which is not common to them and the Muslims.
What explains the meaning of exclusivity is that if the person who does that action is seen it would be said of him that he belongs to the group which we are forbidden to imitate. This can only apply to actions which are not done by anyone but that group. As for actions which are common to them and the Muslims, it is not correct to say that doing this is regarded as the forbidden type of imitation, because this action is not exclusive to them.
Based on that, the rulings on things that are only forbidden because they are imitation of the mushrikeen vary according to time and place, and according to different traditions and customs.
If that kind of clothing in a particular country is worn only by the kuffaar, then it is haraam for the Muslim to wear it in that country, but if in another country it is worn by both Muslims and kaafirs, then it is permissible to wear it in that country. Nowadays, wearing pants or suits is not exclusive to the kaafirs; rather they are worn by Muslims in most countries and they do not think that wearing it is imitation of the kaafirs, because it is not exclusively theirs.
Based on this, wearing it is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it.
We have previously quoted a fatwa of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas which says that it is permissible to wear pants and suits, and it is not imitation of the kuffaar. See the answer to question number 105412 and 105413.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the guideline on the issue of imitating the kuffaar?
He replied:
Imitation of the kuffaar may be in appearance, clothing, food and other things because it is a general word which refers to a person doing something that is done exclusively by the kuffaar, in such a way that whoever sees him would think that he is one of the kuffaar. This is the guideline. But if the thing has become widespread among both Muslims and kaafirs, then this imitation is permissible, even if it was originally taken from the kuffaar, so long as it is not haraam in and of itself, such as wearing silk. End quote.
Majmoo’ Duroos wa Fataawa al-Haram al-Makki (3/367).
He was also asked: what is the definition of imitating the kuffaar?
He replied:
The definition of imitating (the kuffaar) is when the imitator does something that is exclusive to the one being imitated. So imitation of the kuffaar means that a Muslim does something that is exclusively theirs. But with regard to that which has become widespread among the Muslims and is not a distinguishing characteristic of the kuffaar, this is not imitation, and it is not haraam on the grounds of imitation, unless it is haraam for some other reason. What we have said is the implication of these words. Something similar was stated by the author of al-Fath [Ibn Hajr], when he said (10/272): Some of the salaf regarded it as makrooh to wear the burnoose, because it was the clothing of monks. Maalik was asked about that and he said: There is nothing wrong with it. It was said: But it is the clothing of the Christians. He said: It was worn here. End quote.
Ibn [Ibn ‘Uthaymeen] said: If Maalik hadquoted as evidence the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) when he was asked what should the pilgrim in ihram wear? and he said: “He should not wear a shirt or a turban or pants or a burnoose…”, that would have been better.
In al-Fath (1/307) it also says: If we say that it is forbidden (i.e., purple saddle pads) because it is imitation of the non-Arabs, that is for a religious reason. But that was one of their unique characteristics at that time, when they were kuffaar. But now that it is no longer one of their unique characteristics, this meaning no longer applies, so it is no longer makrooh. And Allaah knows best. End quote.
Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah (. 245).
The purple saddle pad was a kind of thick blanket that the rider put beneath him on the horse. For more information please see the question number 21694.
And Allaah knows best.
Eating food prepared for a Christian / Other festivals
What is the ruling on eating food prepared for a Christian festival? What is the ruling on accepting their invitation to their celebrations of the birth of the Messiah (peace be upon him) [i.e., Christmas celebrations]?
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible to celebrate innovated festivals such as the Christmas of the Christians, or Nowrooz (Persian New Year) or Mahrajaan (Persian festival), or festivals that have been innovated by Muslims such as the Prophet’s birthday in Rabee’ al-Awwal or the Israa’ in Rajab and so on. It is not permissible to eat from that food which the Christians or Mushrikeen prepare on the occasion of their festivals. It is also not permissible to accept their invitations to join them in their celebrations of those festivals, because this encourages them and is tantamount to approving of their bid’ah, which gives the wrong idea to ignorant people and makes them think that there is nothing wrong with that. And Allaah knows best.
From Al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen min Fataawaa Ibn Jibreen, p. 27.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible to celebrate innovated festivals such as the Christmas of the Christians, or Nowrooz (Persian New Year) or Mahrajaan (Persian festival), or festivals that have been innovated by Muslims such as the Prophet’s birthday in Rabee’ al-Awwal or the Israa’ in Rajab and so on. It is not permissible to eat from that food which the Christians or Mushrikeen prepare on the occasion of their festivals. It is also not permissible to accept their invitations to join them in their celebrations of those festivals, because this encourages them and is tantamount to approving of their bid’ah, which gives the wrong idea to ignorant people and makes them think that there is nothing wrong with that. And Allaah knows best.
From Al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen min Fataawaa Ibn Jibreen, p. 27.
Islam and Other Religions
[Say: We believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another.] (Aal `Imran 3:84)
As is borne out by this command of God in the Qur’an, Muslims must believe in all the prophets of God previously sent to humanity. This means that they are not permitted to show any disrespect to any prophet or to the religion he taught to his followers. To a Muslim, religious belief must come out of a person’s free choice, as God has also commanded not to use any kind of coercion in the matter of religion:
[Let there be no compulsion in religion, truth stands out clear from error.] (Al-Baqarah 2:256)
It is the conviction of a religion’s adherents, not the compulsion they can impose on others, that establishes its moral force on earth. This was a principle evident in the life and practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) as well as the Constitution of Madinah which he drew up with the multi-religious community of Madinah.
This document guaranteed the freedom of worship to all religious communities. This was the spirit of the Qur’an that shines into the hearts of all its perceptive readers: the spirit of tolerance and understanding. Allah says in the Qur’an that He has made people into nations and tribes so that they can know and deal with each other in an equal temper of kindness and generosity:
[O humankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know and deal with each other in kindness (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God (is he who is) the most righteous of you, and God is Knower, Aware.] (Al-Hujurat 49:13)
The above verse emphasizes the point that in Islam there is no place for intolerance, prejudice, or bigotry based on color, race, nationality or any such considerations. This all-encompassing tolerance of Islam applies to all elements of life and all affairs of Muslims.
The Muslim's acceptance of the Jews and Christians (referred to in the Qur'an as People of the Book) as authentic religious communities is made clear:
[And dispute not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong and injury. ] (Al-`Ankabut 29:46).
This verse tells Muslims that they should take all measures to avoid dispute, anger or other negative feelings between themselves and others.
A Historical Context
In his book, More in Common Than You Think: Bridge Between Islam and Christianity, Dr. William Baker explains how Muslims view the Torah and the New Testament as inspired revelations of God and how Islam neither targeted the Jews nor Judaism.
In his article "The Prophet of Islam and the Jews: Basis of Conduct, Acceptance, Respect and Cooperation", Fysal Burhan quotes Dr. Baker: "It is a fact of history that when the Jews were being persecuted in Europe during the middle ages they found peace, harmony, and acceptance among the Muslim people of Spain. In fact, this was the era of Jewish history that they themselves refer to as "the golden age."
Marmaduke Pickthall, whose translation of the meanings of the Qur'an remains one of the most popular today, also commented on the subject:
In Spain under the Umayyads and in Baghdad under the Abbasid Khalifas, Christians and Jews, equally with Muslims, were admitted to the Schools and universities - not only that, but were boarded and lodged in hostels at the cost of the state. When the Moors were driven out of Spain, the Christian conquerors held a terrific persecution of the Jews. Those who were fortunate enough to escape fled, some of them to Morocco and many hundreds to the Turkish empire, where their descendants still live in separate communities, and still speak among themselves an antiquated form of Spanish. The Muslim empire was a refuge for all those who fled from persecution by the Inquisition.
The Western Christians, till the arrival of the Encyclopaedists in the eighteenth century, did not know and did not care to know, what the Muslim believed, nor did the Western Christian seek to know the views of Eastern Christians with regard to them. The Christian Church was already split in two, and in the end, it came to such a pass that the Eastern Christians, as Gibbon shows, preferred Muslim rule, which allowed them to practice their own form of religion and adhere to their peculiar dogmas, to the rule of fellow Christians who would have made them Roman Catholics or wiped them out…
If Europe had known as much of Islam, as Muslims knew of Christendom, in those days, those mad, adventurous, occasionally chivalrous and heroic, but utterly fanatical outbreak known as the Crusades could not have taken place, for they were based on a complete misapprehension…
It was not until the Western nations broke away from their religious law that they became more tolerant; and it was only when the Muslims fell away from their religious law that they declined in tolerance and other evidences of the highest culture. Before the coming of Islam it had never been preached as an essential part of religion.” (Madras Lectures on Islam)
The Prophet's Pluralistic Constitution
The Qur’an never claimed to teach a new religion. It consistently contextualized the Prophet Muhammad as being the final messenger in a long line of messengers from Allah confirming the truth of all earlier scriptures. This continuity is clear in the respect the Prophet showed to people of other religions.
Muhammad's mission was to restore the pure religion of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. The Islamic view of earlier religions is clear from the following verses of the Qur’an:
[The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah--which We have sent by inspiration to thee (O Muhammad)--and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus… Call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded, follow not thou their vain desires; but say: "I believe in whatever Book Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord: for us (is the responsibility for) our deeds, and for you for your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (our) final goal.] (Ash-Shura 42:13 & 15)
It was in the year 622 CE that the Prophet came to Madinah after a period of thirteen years of preaching Islam to the Quraish tribe in Makkah. In Madinah he found many who were ready to receive him and help him in his mission. At that time, the city of Madinah and its surrounding area was home to many Jewish and Arab tribes. There were also people of various racial and national origins including Romans, Persians and Ethiopians living in Madinah.
Taking into consideration the hopes and aspirations of this community of multi-religious background, the Prophet Muhammad drew up the basic principles of a pluralistic constitution. In addition, it established the rights and equality of every citizen before the law, as well as freedom of religion, trade and speech. The constitution spelled out the political rights and duties of both the Jews and Muslims to protect each other from every threat to their security and to uphold moral conduct and fair dealing.
Part of the constitution reads as follows:
The Jews of Banu `Awf are one nation with the Muslims; the Jews have their religion and the Muslims have theirs, their freedmen and their persons shall be protected except those who behave unjustly or sinfully, for they hurt but themselves and their families. The same applies to the Jews of Banu an-Najjar, Banu al-Harith, Banu Sa'idah, Banu Jusham, Banu al-Aws, Banu Tha'labah, and the Jafnah, clan of the Tha'labah and Banu al-Shua'ibah. Doing good deeds is a protection against sinfulness. …….There is no responsibility except for one's own deeds….This document shall not constitute any protection for the unjust or the wrongdoers. Whoever goes out to fight or stays at home is safe in the city, unless he has committed an injustice or a crime. God is the protector of whoever honors his commitment to this document, and is God-fearing and so is Muhammad, the Messenger of God. (Ibn Hisham)
The Constitution of Madinah was a historical document authored and dictated by Prophet Muhammad as the law of a land inhabited by different ethnic groups and nationalities. The document secured and promoted cooperation and fraternity among all people of any creed, color, ethnicity, and lineage, and set down the criterion of righteousness as the base of distinction.
A Human Soul
In addition to the legislation that the Prophet laid down in Madinah, he also practiced the spirit of acceptance and respect for those who were different in his daily life. The Prophet used to visit the sick people among the Jews as well as the Muslims; and when on one occasion the funeral procession of a Jew passed before him, he stood up as a sign of respect for the deceased. “Why did you stand up for a Jewish funeral?” he was asked. The Prophet replied: "Is it not a human soul?" (Al-Bukhari)
In this age of racial profiling and targeted killings directed at Muslims this attitude of the Prophet may sound other-worldly.
As is borne out by this command of God in the Qur’an, Muslims must believe in all the prophets of God previously sent to humanity. This means that they are not permitted to show any disrespect to any prophet or to the religion he taught to his followers. To a Muslim, religious belief must come out of a person’s free choice, as God has also commanded not to use any kind of coercion in the matter of religion:
[Let there be no compulsion in religion, truth stands out clear from error.] (Al-Baqarah 2:256)
It is the conviction of a religion’s adherents, not the compulsion they can impose on others, that establishes its moral force on earth. This was a principle evident in the life and practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) as well as the Constitution of Madinah which he drew up with the multi-religious community of Madinah.
This document guaranteed the freedom of worship to all religious communities. This was the spirit of the Qur’an that shines into the hearts of all its perceptive readers: the spirit of tolerance and understanding. Allah says in the Qur’an that He has made people into nations and tribes so that they can know and deal with each other in an equal temper of kindness and generosity:
[O humankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know and deal with each other in kindness (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God (is he who is) the most righteous of you, and God is Knower, Aware.] (Al-Hujurat 49:13)
The above verse emphasizes the point that in Islam there is no place for intolerance, prejudice, or bigotry based on color, race, nationality or any such considerations. This all-encompassing tolerance of Islam applies to all elements of life and all affairs of Muslims.
The Muslim's acceptance of the Jews and Christians (referred to in the Qur'an as People of the Book) as authentic religious communities is made clear:
[And dispute not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong and injury. ] (Al-`Ankabut 29:46).
This verse tells Muslims that they should take all measures to avoid dispute, anger or other negative feelings between themselves and others.
A Historical Context
In his book, More in Common Than You Think: Bridge Between Islam and Christianity, Dr. William Baker explains how Muslims view the Torah and the New Testament as inspired revelations of God and how Islam neither targeted the Jews nor Judaism.
In his article "The Prophet of Islam and the Jews: Basis of Conduct, Acceptance, Respect and Cooperation", Fysal Burhan quotes Dr. Baker: "It is a fact of history that when the Jews were being persecuted in Europe during the middle ages they found peace, harmony, and acceptance among the Muslim people of Spain. In fact, this was the era of Jewish history that they themselves refer to as "the golden age."
Marmaduke Pickthall, whose translation of the meanings of the Qur'an remains one of the most popular today, also commented on the subject:
In Spain under the Umayyads and in Baghdad under the Abbasid Khalifas, Christians and Jews, equally with Muslims, were admitted to the Schools and universities - not only that, but were boarded and lodged in hostels at the cost of the state. When the Moors were driven out of Spain, the Christian conquerors held a terrific persecution of the Jews. Those who were fortunate enough to escape fled, some of them to Morocco and many hundreds to the Turkish empire, where their descendants still live in separate communities, and still speak among themselves an antiquated form of Spanish. The Muslim empire was a refuge for all those who fled from persecution by the Inquisition.
The Western Christians, till the arrival of the Encyclopaedists in the eighteenth century, did not know and did not care to know, what the Muslim believed, nor did the Western Christian seek to know the views of Eastern Christians with regard to them. The Christian Church was already split in two, and in the end, it came to such a pass that the Eastern Christians, as Gibbon shows, preferred Muslim rule, which allowed them to practice their own form of religion and adhere to their peculiar dogmas, to the rule of fellow Christians who would have made them Roman Catholics or wiped them out…
If Europe had known as much of Islam, as Muslims knew of Christendom, in those days, those mad, adventurous, occasionally chivalrous and heroic, but utterly fanatical outbreak known as the Crusades could not have taken place, for they were based on a complete misapprehension…
It was not until the Western nations broke away from their religious law that they became more tolerant; and it was only when the Muslims fell away from their religious law that they declined in tolerance and other evidences of the highest culture. Before the coming of Islam it had never been preached as an essential part of religion.” (Madras Lectures on Islam)
The Prophet's Pluralistic Constitution
The Qur’an never claimed to teach a new religion. It consistently contextualized the Prophet Muhammad as being the final messenger in a long line of messengers from Allah confirming the truth of all earlier scriptures. This continuity is clear in the respect the Prophet showed to people of other religions.
Muhammad's mission was to restore the pure religion of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. The Islamic view of earlier religions is clear from the following verses of the Qur’an:
[The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah--which We have sent by inspiration to thee (O Muhammad)--and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus… Call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded, follow not thou their vain desires; but say: "I believe in whatever Book Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord: for us (is the responsibility for) our deeds, and for you for your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (our) final goal.] (Ash-Shura 42:13 & 15)
It was in the year 622 CE that the Prophet came to Madinah after a period of thirteen years of preaching Islam to the Quraish tribe in Makkah. In Madinah he found many who were ready to receive him and help him in his mission. At that time, the city of Madinah and its surrounding area was home to many Jewish and Arab tribes. There were also people of various racial and national origins including Romans, Persians and Ethiopians living in Madinah.
Taking into consideration the hopes and aspirations of this community of multi-religious background, the Prophet Muhammad drew up the basic principles of a pluralistic constitution. In addition, it established the rights and equality of every citizen before the law, as well as freedom of religion, trade and speech. The constitution spelled out the political rights and duties of both the Jews and Muslims to protect each other from every threat to their security and to uphold moral conduct and fair dealing.
Part of the constitution reads as follows:
The Jews of Banu `Awf are one nation with the Muslims; the Jews have their religion and the Muslims have theirs, their freedmen and their persons shall be protected except those who behave unjustly or sinfully, for they hurt but themselves and their families. The same applies to the Jews of Banu an-Najjar, Banu al-Harith, Banu Sa'idah, Banu Jusham, Banu al-Aws, Banu Tha'labah, and the Jafnah, clan of the Tha'labah and Banu al-Shua'ibah. Doing good deeds is a protection against sinfulness. …….There is no responsibility except for one's own deeds….This document shall not constitute any protection for the unjust or the wrongdoers. Whoever goes out to fight or stays at home is safe in the city, unless he has committed an injustice or a crime. God is the protector of whoever honors his commitment to this document, and is God-fearing and so is Muhammad, the Messenger of God. (Ibn Hisham)
The Constitution of Madinah was a historical document authored and dictated by Prophet Muhammad as the law of a land inhabited by different ethnic groups and nationalities. The document secured and promoted cooperation and fraternity among all people of any creed, color, ethnicity, and lineage, and set down the criterion of righteousness as the base of distinction.
A Human Soul
In addition to the legislation that the Prophet laid down in Madinah, he also practiced the spirit of acceptance and respect for those who were different in his daily life. The Prophet used to visit the sick people among the Jews as well as the Muslims; and when on one occasion the funeral procession of a Jew passed before him, he stood up as a sign of respect for the deceased. “Why did you stand up for a Jewish funeral?” he was asked. The Prophet replied: "Is it not a human soul?" (Al-Bukhari)
In this age of racial profiling and targeted killings directed at Muslims this attitude of the Prophet may sound other-worldly.
Islam’s effect on our lives is a very wide issue; we will try to highlight how Islam affects, directs, and forms our lives.
The word Islam is derived from word istislam, which means “surrender,” that is, surrender to God’s laws. The word is also derived from the word salam, “peace,” for if we follow God’s laws we will achieve peace—be it peace of soul, peace of mind, peace between nations, peace between people, and so on.
Islam a Religion of Nature
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not leave anything bad that he did not forbid us from, and likely he did not leave anything good that he did not order us to perform. I will present some hadiths that show that Islam is a call for purity and peace and it does not contradict with one’s own nature.
By nature Man is not to hurt others but to be kind to others; otherwise hatred will prevail and life will be distorted. We find Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) directs us to this behavior. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I asked Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) which [believer] in Islam is more excellent. Upon this he remarked, “One from whose tongue and hand Muslims are safe” (Muslim).
There are many hadiths of the Prophet that call on the Muslims to perform charity and to be good and kind to the poor and to everyone, and we find this concern for the poor to be innate in Muslims’ hearts and souls. One of these hadiths is this: “There is a (compulsory) sadaqah (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) everyday the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as sadaqah; and to help a man concerning his riding animal, by helping him to mount it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as sadaqah; and (saying) a good word is also sadaqah; and every step taken on one's way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is also sadaqah; and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also sadaqah” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said, “Giving charity is obligatory upon each Muslim.” It was asked, “What do you say of him who does not find (the means) to do so?” He said, “Let him do manual work, thus doing benefit to himself and give charity.” It was asked, “What about one who does not have (the means) to do so?” He said, “Then let him assist the needy, the aggrieved.” It was asked, “What do you say of one who cannot even do this?” He said, “Then he should enjoin what is reputable or what is good.” He was asked, “What if he cannot do that?” He (the Prophet) said, “He should then abstain from evil, for verily that is charity on his behalf” (Muslim).
Another hadith, narrated by `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), shows the importance of having compassion for poor people. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked which merit is superior in Islam, he replied, “That you provide food and extend greetings to one whom you know and whom you do not know” (Muslim).
Following God’s Rules and Prophet’s Teachings
Allah says in the Qur’an what means:
*{Say: “If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Say: “Obey Allah and His Messenger,” but if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject faith}* (Aal `Imran 3:31-32).
Islam draws a framework for Muslims, whereby all can act freely as long as they are within this framework; if they go astray, they will have to repent and go back to Islam’s true path or else they will get punished. Let’s ask ourselves why God has created us. The reply comes from the Qur’an when it says what means:
*{I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me}* (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56).
Thus all Muslims’ lives are for achieving this end result—to worship God, which includes studying, working, marrying, having children, interacting with others, and so on.
Muslims have to study hard, as they are ordered to increase their knowledge. The Qur’an says what means:
*{…O my Lord! advance me in knowledge}*
(Ta-Ha 20:114).
Muslims also have to work hard and not cheat. The Qur’an says what means:
*{Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due…}* (An-Nisaa’ 4:58).
While choosing a wife, a Muslim is directed to choose a woman for her piety and not to choose her for wealth or ancestry. In raising children, Muslims are ordered to teach them part of Qur’an and to do good for them. In interacting with others, Muslims are directed to be fair, not to cheat, and to be kind and forgiving.
If all people have to work to live, have to marry to have social life, and have to study to get higher posts and to be knowledgeable, Muslims can do all these things and have thawab (reward) by having the intention to please Allah by these actions.
`Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “[The value of] an action depends on the intention behind it. A man will be rewarded only for what he intended. The emigration of one who emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger is for the sake of Allah and His Messenger; and the emigration of one who emigrates for gaining a worldly advantage or for marrying a woman is for what he has emigrated” (Muslim).
If we let ourselves to our instincts, chaos will take place; we will find all kinds of offenses taking place between human beings; all will strive to achieve their welfare regardless of hurting or wronging others. Thus, we find atheist communities tailor earthly rules to preserve peace and make regulations to judge between people. God has given us these rules summed up in Islam: it is not only a book to read or rituals to perform, but answers to all your questions, a religion of life.
I hope this helps to show how Islam forms our lives and how all our actions emerge from the teachings of Islam.
Thank you and please keep in touch.
Salam.
Islam a Religion of Nature
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not leave anything bad that he did not forbid us from, and likely he did not leave anything good that he did not order us to perform. I will present some hadiths that show that Islam is a call for purity and peace and it does not contradict with one’s own nature.
By nature Man is not to hurt others but to be kind to others; otherwise hatred will prevail and life will be distorted. We find Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) directs us to this behavior. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I asked Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) which [believer] in Islam is more excellent. Upon this he remarked, “One from whose tongue and hand Muslims are safe” (Muslim).
There are many hadiths of the Prophet that call on the Muslims to perform charity and to be good and kind to the poor and to everyone, and we find this concern for the poor to be innate in Muslims’ hearts and souls. One of these hadiths is this: “There is a (compulsory) sadaqah (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) everyday the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as sadaqah; and to help a man concerning his riding animal, by helping him to mount it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as sadaqah; and (saying) a good word is also sadaqah; and every step taken on one's way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is also sadaqah; and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also sadaqah” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said, “Giving charity is obligatory upon each Muslim.” It was asked, “What do you say of him who does not find (the means) to do so?” He said, “Let him do manual work, thus doing benefit to himself and give charity.” It was asked, “What about one who does not have (the means) to do so?” He said, “Then let him assist the needy, the aggrieved.” It was asked, “What do you say of one who cannot even do this?” He said, “Then he should enjoin what is reputable or what is good.” He was asked, “What if he cannot do that?” He (the Prophet) said, “He should then abstain from evil, for verily that is charity on his behalf” (Muslim).
Another hadith, narrated by `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), shows the importance of having compassion for poor people. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked which merit is superior in Islam, he replied, “That you provide food and extend greetings to one whom you know and whom you do not know” (Muslim).
Following God’s Rules and Prophet’s Teachings
Allah says in the Qur’an what means:
*{Say: “If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Say: “Obey Allah and His Messenger,” but if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject faith}* (Aal `Imran 3:31-32).
Islam draws a framework for Muslims, whereby all can act freely as long as they are within this framework; if they go astray, they will have to repent and go back to Islam’s true path or else they will get punished. Let’s ask ourselves why God has created us. The reply comes from the Qur’an when it says what means:
*{I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me}* (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56).
Thus all Muslims’ lives are for achieving this end result—to worship God, which includes studying, working, marrying, having children, interacting with others, and so on.
Muslims have to study hard, as they are ordered to increase their knowledge. The Qur’an says what means:
*{…O my Lord! advance me in knowledge}*
(Ta-Ha 20:114).
Muslims also have to work hard and not cheat. The Qur’an says what means:
*{Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due…}* (An-Nisaa’ 4:58).
While choosing a wife, a Muslim is directed to choose a woman for her piety and not to choose her for wealth or ancestry. In raising children, Muslims are ordered to teach them part of Qur’an and to do good for them. In interacting with others, Muslims are directed to be fair, not to cheat, and to be kind and forgiving.
If all people have to work to live, have to marry to have social life, and have to study to get higher posts and to be knowledgeable, Muslims can do all these things and have thawab (reward) by having the intention to please Allah by these actions.
`Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “[The value of] an action depends on the intention behind it. A man will be rewarded only for what he intended. The emigration of one who emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger is for the sake of Allah and His Messenger; and the emigration of one who emigrates for gaining a worldly advantage or for marrying a woman is for what he has emigrated” (Muslim).
If we let ourselves to our instincts, chaos will take place; we will find all kinds of offenses taking place between human beings; all will strive to achieve their welfare regardless of hurting or wronging others. Thus, we find atheist communities tailor earthly rules to preserve peace and make regulations to judge between people. God has given us these rules summed up in Islam: it is not only a book to read or rituals to perform, but answers to all your questions, a religion of life.
I hope this helps to show how Islam forms our lives and how all our actions emerge from the teachings of Islam.
Thank you and please keep in touch.
Salam.
New Islamic Year 1431
Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters,
Asalaam O Alaikum,
Happy New Islamic Year 1431 to all Muslims around the world. This is an auspicious and blessed occasion for us, beginning of a new year, a new dawn and a new prospect for the Muslim Ummah. Celebration of new Islamic year allow us to reflect our past performances, character and achievements. What key events have shaped our life and direction? What Muslims as an Ummah have achieved? What are the new challenges for Islam and the Muslim Ummah? Where we stand among other religions and nations?
Today, we can promise ourselves to become true Muslim and pray to Allah, “O Allah guide us... Unite us... O Allah reduce the suffering of people of Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kashmir...reduce the suffering and hardship of every Muslim... O Allah give us knowledge and wisdom...give us strength and character... O Allah make us obedient to your Commands and the Sunnah of our Holy Prophet (pbuh) and guide our Ummah to success in this world and in the hereafter.”
Aameen,
Summa Aameen.
Asalaam O Alaikum,
Happy New Islamic Year 1431 to all Muslims around the world. This is an auspicious and blessed occasion for us, beginning of a new year, a new dawn and a new prospect for the Muslim Ummah. Celebration of new Islamic year allow us to reflect our past performances, character and achievements. What key events have shaped our life and direction? What Muslims as an Ummah have achieved? What are the new challenges for Islam and the Muslim Ummah? Where we stand among other religions and nations?
Today, we can promise ourselves to become true Muslim and pray to Allah, “O Allah guide us... Unite us... O Allah reduce the suffering of people of Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kashmir...reduce the suffering and hardship of every Muslim... O Allah give us knowledge and wisdom...give us strength and character... O Allah make us obedient to your Commands and the Sunnah of our Holy Prophet (pbuh) and guide our Ummah to success in this world and in the hereafter.”
Aameen,
Summa Aameen.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Ruqyas of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] are as follows
1. It has been reported by Hadhrat Aisha [radhiallaahu anha] that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, If anyone of us complained about any pain, Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] used to pass his hand over that part which had pain and used to say, idhabil ba-as rabbinnaas, washfi antas shaafiy laa shifaa-un illaa shifaa-uka, shifaa-un laa yughaadir saqaman. (Trans: O Allah, remove all harm, O Lord of the people, cure him for You are the Curer. There is no one that gives cure except You, cure that leaves no sickness at all.
2. Hadhrat Aaisha [radhiallaahu anhua] also reports that when anyone of us got any sickness, boil or injury, Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] used his mubaarak finger and read the following on those places of sickness:Bismillaahi tawbatan aradhnaa wa reeqatan baadhinaa yasfiy saqamanaa bi idhn rabbinaa (Trans: With the name of Allah, the of our Lord, with the spit of one of us, with the will of our Lord, our sick man should get well.
3. Hadhrat Aaisha [radhiallaahu anha] narrates that if any of the household of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] got sick, he [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] used to recite the two Quls (Surah Falaq and Surah Naas) and blow on them.
4. Hadhrat Uthmaan ibn Abil Aas [radhiallaahu anhu] complained to Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] about the pain in his body. Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, Put your hand on that place of pain and recite 7 times aoodhu bi-izzatillaahi wa qudratihi min sharri maa ajidu wa uhaadhiru. (Trans: I seek refuge in the honour of Allah and his power against the mischief of that pain which I feel and fear. Hadhrat Uthmaan ibn Abil Aas [radhiallaahu anhum] says, I did as was commanded and Allah removed the pain. (Muslim)
5. Hadhrat Saeed al-Khudriy [radhiallaahu anhum] reports that once Hadhrat Jibreel [alayhis salaam] came to Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and said, O Muhammad, are you suffering from pain? Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, Yes. Jibreel [alayhis salaam] then recited the following:
Bismillaah arqeeka min kulli shay-in yu-udhiyka wa min sharri kulli shay-in aw ayn haasidillaahi shafiyka, bismillaahi arqeka (Trans: I blow on you in the name of Allah so as to drive away all (your sickness).
May Allah grant you cure from the mischief of every jealous when his jealousy becomes active and from every evil eye.
6. Hadhrat ibn Abbaas says that Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] used to read the following duaa on his grandsons, Hadhrat Hasan and Husain [radhiallaahu anhum], aoodhu bikalimaatillaahit taammaati min kulli shaytwaan wa haammat wa min kulli ayn laammat.(Trans: I seek the protection of Allah?s perfect word against every Shaytaan and venomous creature and from every evil eye which cause harm. Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said that your father Hadhrat Ismaail and Hadhrat Ishaaq [alayhis salaam]
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
2. Hadhrat Aaisha [radhiallaahu anhua] also reports that when anyone of us got any sickness, boil or injury, Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] used his mubaarak finger and read the following on those places of sickness:Bismillaahi tawbatan aradhnaa wa reeqatan baadhinaa yasfiy saqamanaa bi idhn rabbinaa (Trans: With the name of Allah, the of our Lord, with the spit of one of us, with the will of our Lord, our sick man should get well.
3. Hadhrat Aaisha [radhiallaahu anha] narrates that if any of the household of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] got sick, he [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] used to recite the two Quls (Surah Falaq and Surah Naas) and blow on them.
4. Hadhrat Uthmaan ibn Abil Aas [radhiallaahu anhu] complained to Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] about the pain in his body. Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, Put your hand on that place of pain and recite 7 times aoodhu bi-izzatillaahi wa qudratihi min sharri maa ajidu wa uhaadhiru. (Trans: I seek refuge in the honour of Allah and his power against the mischief of that pain which I feel and fear. Hadhrat Uthmaan ibn Abil Aas [radhiallaahu anhum] says, I did as was commanded and Allah removed the pain. (Muslim)
5. Hadhrat Saeed al-Khudriy [radhiallaahu anhum] reports that once Hadhrat Jibreel [alayhis salaam] came to Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and said, O Muhammad, are you suffering from pain? Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, Yes. Jibreel [alayhis salaam] then recited the following:
Bismillaah arqeeka min kulli shay-in yu-udhiyka wa min sharri kulli shay-in aw ayn haasidillaahi shafiyka, bismillaahi arqeka (Trans: I blow on you in the name of Allah so as to drive away all (your sickness).
May Allah grant you cure from the mischief of every jealous when his jealousy becomes active and from every evil eye.
6. Hadhrat ibn Abbaas says that Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] used to read the following duaa on his grandsons, Hadhrat Hasan and Husain [radhiallaahu anhum], aoodhu bikalimaatillaahit taammaati min kulli shaytwaan wa haammat wa min kulli ayn laammat.(Trans: I seek the protection of Allah?s perfect word against every Shaytaan and venomous creature and from every evil eye which cause harm. Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said that your father Hadhrat Ismaail and Hadhrat Ishaaq [alayhis salaam]
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Religious Affiliation of History's 100 Most Influential People according to Mr Michael Hart.
Rank Name Religious Affiliation Influence
1Muhammad Islam :Prophet of Islam; conqueror of Arabia; Hart recognized that ranking Muhammad first might be controversial, but felt that, from a secular historian's perspective, this was the correct choice because Muhammad is the only man to have been both a founder of a major world religion and a major military/political leader. More
2 Isaac Newton Anglican (rejected Trinitarianism, i.e.,
Athanasianism; believed in the Arianism
of the Primitive Church) physicist; theory of universal gravitation; laws of motion
3 Jesus Christ * Judaism; Christianity founder of Christianity
4 Buddha Hinduism; Buddhism founder of Buddhism
5 Confucius Confucianism founder of Confucianism
6 St. Paul Judaism; Christianity proselytizer of Christianity
7 Ts'ai Lun Chinese traditional religion inventor of paper
8 Johann Gutenberg Catholic developed movable type; printed Bibles
9 Christopher Columbus Catholic explorer; led Europe to Americas
10 Albert Einstein Jewish physicist; relativity; Einsteinian physics
11 Louis Pasteur Catholic scientist; pasteurization
12 Galileo Galilei Catholic astronomer; accurately described heliocentric solar system
13 Aristotle Platonism / Greek philosophy influential Greek philosopher
14 Euclid Platonism / Greek philosophy mathematician; Euclidian geometry
15 Moses Judaism major prophet of Judaism
16 Charles Darwin Anglican (nominal); Unitarian biologist; described
Darwinian evolution, which had theological impact on many religions
17 Shih Huang Ti Chinese traditional religion Chinese emperor
18 Augustus Caesar Roman state paganism ruler
19 Nicolaus Copernicus Catholic (priest) astronomer; taught heliocentricity
20 Antoine Laurent Lavoisier Catholic father of modern chemistry; philosopher; economist
21 Constantine the Great Roman state paganism; Christianity Roman emperor who completely legalized Christianity, leading to its status as state religion. Convened the First Council of Nicaea that produced the Nicene Creed, which rejected Arianism (one of two major strains of Christian thought) and established Athanasianism (Trinitarianism, the other strain) as "official doctrine."
22 James Watt Presbyterian (lapsed) developed steam engine
23 Michael Faraday Sandemanian physicist; chemist; discovery of magneto-electricity
24 James Clerk Maxwell Presbyterian; Anglican; Baptist physicist; electromagnetic spectrum
25 Martin Luther Catholic; Lutheran founder of Protestantism and Lutheranism
26 George Washington Episcopalian first president of United States
27 Karl Marx Jewish; Lutheran;
Atheist; Marxism/Communism founder of Marxism, Marxist Communism
28 Orville and Wilbur Wright United Brethren inventors of airplane
29 Genghis Khan Mongolian shamanism Mongol conqueror
30 Adam Smith Liberal Protestant economist; philosopher; expositor of capitalism; author: The Theory of Moral Sentiments
31 Edward de Vere
a.k.a. William Shakespeare Catholic; Anglican literature; also wrote 6 volumes about philosophy and religion
32 John Dalton Quaker chemist; physicist; atomic theory; law of partial pressures (Dalton's law)
33 Alexander the Great Greek state paganism conqueror
34 Napoleon Bonaparte Catholic (nominal) French conqueror
35 Thomas Edison Congregationalist; agnostic inventor of light bulb, phonograph, etc.
36 Antony van Leeuwenhoek Dutch Reformed microscopes; studied microscopic life
37 William T.G. Morton ?? pioneer in anesthesiology
38 Guglielmo Marconi Catholic and Anglican inventor of radio
39 Adolf Hitler Nazism; born/raised in, but rejected Catholicism conqueror; led Axis Powers in WWII
40 Plato Platonism / Greek philosophy founder of Platonism
41 Oliver Cromwell Puritan (Protestant) British political and military leader
42 Alexander Graham Bell Unitarian/Universalist inventor of telephone *
43 Alexander Fleming Catholic penicillin; advances in bacteriology, immunology and chemotherapy
44 John Locke raised Puritan (Anglican);
Liberal Christian philosopher and liberal theologian
45 Ludwig van Beethoven Catholic composer
46 Werner Heisenberg Lutheran a founder of quantum mechanics; discovered principle of uncertainty; head of Nazi Germany's nuclear program
47 Louis Daguerre ?? an inventor/pioneer of photography
48 Simon Bolivar Catholic (nominal); Atheist National hero of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
49 Rene Descartes Catholic Rationalist philosopher and mathematician
50 Michelangelo Catholic painter; sculptor; architect
51 Pope Urban II Catholic called for First Crusade
52 'Umar ibn al-Khattab Islam Second Caliph; expanded Muslim empire
53 Asoka Buddhism king of India who converted to and spread Buddhism
54 St. Augustine Greek state paganism; Manicheanism; Catholic Early Christian theologian
55 William Harvey Anglican (nominal) described the circulation of blood; wrote Essays on the Generation of Animals, the basis for modern embryology
56 Ernest Rutherford ?? physicist; pioneer of subatomic physics
57 John Calvin Protestant; Calvinism Protestant reformer; founder of Calvinism
58 Gregor Mendel Catholic (Augustinian monk) Mendelian genetics
59 Max Planck Protestant physicist; thermodynamics
60 Joseph Lister Quaker principal discoverer of antiseptics which greatly reduced surgical mortality
61. Nikolaus August Otto ?? built first four-stroke internal combustion engine
62.Francisco Pizarro Catholic Spanish conqueror in South America; defeated Incas
63 Hernando Cortes Catholic conquered Mexico for Spain; through war and introduction of new diseases he largely destroyed Aztec civilization
64 Thomas Jefferson Episcopalian; Deist 3rd president of United States
65 Queen Isabella I Catholic Spanish ruler
66 Joseph Stalin Russian Orthodox; Atheist; Marxism revolutionary and ruler of USSR
67Julius Caesar Roman state paganism Roman emperor
68William the Conqueror Catholic laid foundation of modern England
69 Sigmund Freud Jewish; atheist; Freudian psychology/psychoanalysis founded Freudian school of psychology/psychoanalysis (i.e., the "religion of Freudianism")
70 Edward Jenner Anglican discoverer of the vaccination for smallpox
71 Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen ?? discovered X-rays
72 Johann Sebastian Bach Lutheran; Catholic composer
73 Lao Tzu Taoism founder of Taoism
74 Voltaire raised in Jansenism;
later Deist writer and philosopher; wrote Candide
75 Johannes Kepler Lutheran astronomer; planetary motions
76 Enrico Fermi Catholic initiated the atomic age; father of atom bomb
77 Leonhard Euler Calvinist physicist; mathematician; differential and integral calculus and algebra
78 Jean-Jacques Rousseau born Protestant;
converted as a teen to Catholic;
later Deist French deistic philosopher and author
79 Nicoli Machiavelli Catholic wrote The Prince (influential political treatise)
80 Thomas Malthus Anglican (cleric) economist; wrote Essay on the Principle of Population
81 John F. Kennedy Catholic U.S. President who led first successful effort by humans to travel to another "planet"
82 Gregory Pincus Jewish endocrinologist; developed birth-control pill
83 Mani Manicheanism founder of Manicheanism, once a world religion which rivaled Christianity in strength
84 Lenin Russian Orthodox;
Atheist; Marxism/Communism Russian ruler
85 Sui Wen Ti Chinese traditional religion unified China
86 Vasco da Gama Catholic navigator; discovered route from Europe to India around Cape Hood
87 Cyrus the Great Zoroastrianism founder of Persian empire
88 Peter the Great Russian Orthodox forged Russia into a great European nation
89 Mao Zedong Atheist; Communism; Maoism founder of Maoism, Chinese form of Communism
90 Francis Bacon Anglican philosopher; delineated inductive scientific method
91 Henry Ford Protestant developed automobile; achievement in manufacturing and assembly
92 Mencius Confucianism philosopher; founder of a school of Confucianism
93 Zoroaster Zoroastrianism founder of Zoroastrianism
94 Queen Elizabeth I Anglican British monarch; restored Church of England to power after Queen Mary
95 Mikhail Gorbachev Russian Orthodox Russian premier who helped end Communism in USSR
96 Menes Egyptian paganism unified Upper and Lower Egypt
97 Charlemagne Catholic Holy Roman Empire created with his baptism in 800 AD
98 Homer Greek paganism epic poet
99 Justinian I Catholic Roman emperor; reconquered Mediterranean empire; accelerated Catholic-Monophysite schism
100 Mahavira Hinduism; Jainism founder of Jainism
Source of list of names: Hart, Michael H. The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, Revised and Updated for the Nineties. New York: Carol Publishing Group/Citadel Press; first published in 1978, reprinted with minor revisions (reflected above) in 1992.
1Muhammad Islam :Prophet of Islam; conqueror of Arabia; Hart recognized that ranking Muhammad first might be controversial, but felt that, from a secular historian's perspective, this was the correct choice because Muhammad is the only man to have been both a founder of a major world religion and a major military/political leader. More
2 Isaac Newton Anglican (rejected Trinitarianism, i.e.,
Athanasianism; believed in the Arianism
of the Primitive Church) physicist; theory of universal gravitation; laws of motion
3 Jesus Christ * Judaism; Christianity founder of Christianity
4 Buddha Hinduism; Buddhism founder of Buddhism
5 Confucius Confucianism founder of Confucianism
6 St. Paul Judaism; Christianity proselytizer of Christianity
7 Ts'ai Lun Chinese traditional religion inventor of paper
8 Johann Gutenberg Catholic developed movable type; printed Bibles
9 Christopher Columbus Catholic explorer; led Europe to Americas
10 Albert Einstein Jewish physicist; relativity; Einsteinian physics
11 Louis Pasteur Catholic scientist; pasteurization
12 Galileo Galilei Catholic astronomer; accurately described heliocentric solar system
13 Aristotle Platonism / Greek philosophy influential Greek philosopher
14 Euclid Platonism / Greek philosophy mathematician; Euclidian geometry
15 Moses Judaism major prophet of Judaism
16 Charles Darwin Anglican (nominal); Unitarian biologist; described
Darwinian evolution, which had theological impact on many religions
17 Shih Huang Ti Chinese traditional religion Chinese emperor
18 Augustus Caesar Roman state paganism ruler
19 Nicolaus Copernicus Catholic (priest) astronomer; taught heliocentricity
20 Antoine Laurent Lavoisier Catholic father of modern chemistry; philosopher; economist
21 Constantine the Great Roman state paganism; Christianity Roman emperor who completely legalized Christianity, leading to its status as state religion. Convened the First Council of Nicaea that produced the Nicene Creed, which rejected Arianism (one of two major strains of Christian thought) and established Athanasianism (Trinitarianism, the other strain) as "official doctrine."
22 James Watt Presbyterian (lapsed) developed steam engine
23 Michael Faraday Sandemanian physicist; chemist; discovery of magneto-electricity
24 James Clerk Maxwell Presbyterian; Anglican; Baptist physicist; electromagnetic spectrum
25 Martin Luther Catholic; Lutheran founder of Protestantism and Lutheranism
26 George Washington Episcopalian first president of United States
27 Karl Marx Jewish; Lutheran;
Atheist; Marxism/Communism founder of Marxism, Marxist Communism
28 Orville and Wilbur Wright United Brethren inventors of airplane
29 Genghis Khan Mongolian shamanism Mongol conqueror
30 Adam Smith Liberal Protestant economist; philosopher; expositor of capitalism; author: The Theory of Moral Sentiments
31 Edward de Vere
a.k.a. William Shakespeare Catholic; Anglican literature; also wrote 6 volumes about philosophy and religion
32 John Dalton Quaker chemist; physicist; atomic theory; law of partial pressures (Dalton's law)
33 Alexander the Great Greek state paganism conqueror
34 Napoleon Bonaparte Catholic (nominal) French conqueror
35 Thomas Edison Congregationalist; agnostic inventor of light bulb, phonograph, etc.
36 Antony van Leeuwenhoek Dutch Reformed microscopes; studied microscopic life
37 William T.G. Morton ?? pioneer in anesthesiology
38 Guglielmo Marconi Catholic and Anglican inventor of radio
39 Adolf Hitler Nazism; born/raised in, but rejected Catholicism conqueror; led Axis Powers in WWII
40 Plato Platonism / Greek philosophy founder of Platonism
41 Oliver Cromwell Puritan (Protestant) British political and military leader
42 Alexander Graham Bell Unitarian/Universalist inventor of telephone *
43 Alexander Fleming Catholic penicillin; advances in bacteriology, immunology and chemotherapy
44 John Locke raised Puritan (Anglican);
Liberal Christian philosopher and liberal theologian
45 Ludwig van Beethoven Catholic composer
46 Werner Heisenberg Lutheran a founder of quantum mechanics; discovered principle of uncertainty; head of Nazi Germany's nuclear program
47 Louis Daguerre ?? an inventor/pioneer of photography
48 Simon Bolivar Catholic (nominal); Atheist National hero of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
49 Rene Descartes Catholic Rationalist philosopher and mathematician
50 Michelangelo Catholic painter; sculptor; architect
51 Pope Urban II Catholic called for First Crusade
52 'Umar ibn al-Khattab Islam Second Caliph; expanded Muslim empire
53 Asoka Buddhism king of India who converted to and spread Buddhism
54 St. Augustine Greek state paganism; Manicheanism; Catholic Early Christian theologian
55 William Harvey Anglican (nominal) described the circulation of blood; wrote Essays on the Generation of Animals, the basis for modern embryology
56 Ernest Rutherford ?? physicist; pioneer of subatomic physics
57 John Calvin Protestant; Calvinism Protestant reformer; founder of Calvinism
58 Gregor Mendel Catholic (Augustinian monk) Mendelian genetics
59 Max Planck Protestant physicist; thermodynamics
60 Joseph Lister Quaker principal discoverer of antiseptics which greatly reduced surgical mortality
61. Nikolaus August Otto ?? built first four-stroke internal combustion engine
62.Francisco Pizarro Catholic Spanish conqueror in South America; defeated Incas
63 Hernando Cortes Catholic conquered Mexico for Spain; through war and introduction of new diseases he largely destroyed Aztec civilization
64 Thomas Jefferson Episcopalian; Deist 3rd president of United States
65 Queen Isabella I Catholic Spanish ruler
66 Joseph Stalin Russian Orthodox; Atheist; Marxism revolutionary and ruler of USSR
67Julius Caesar Roman state paganism Roman emperor
68William the Conqueror Catholic laid foundation of modern England
69 Sigmund Freud Jewish; atheist; Freudian psychology/psychoanalysis founded Freudian school of psychology/psychoanalysis (i.e., the "religion of Freudianism")
70 Edward Jenner Anglican discoverer of the vaccination for smallpox
71 Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen ?? discovered X-rays
72 Johann Sebastian Bach Lutheran; Catholic composer
73 Lao Tzu Taoism founder of Taoism
74 Voltaire raised in Jansenism;
later Deist writer and philosopher; wrote Candide
75 Johannes Kepler Lutheran astronomer; planetary motions
76 Enrico Fermi Catholic initiated the atomic age; father of atom bomb
77 Leonhard Euler Calvinist physicist; mathematician; differential and integral calculus and algebra
78 Jean-Jacques Rousseau born Protestant;
converted as a teen to Catholic;
later Deist French deistic philosopher and author
79 Nicoli Machiavelli Catholic wrote The Prince (influential political treatise)
80 Thomas Malthus Anglican (cleric) economist; wrote Essay on the Principle of Population
81 John F. Kennedy Catholic U.S. President who led first successful effort by humans to travel to another "planet"
82 Gregory Pincus Jewish endocrinologist; developed birth-control pill
83 Mani Manicheanism founder of Manicheanism, once a world religion which rivaled Christianity in strength
84 Lenin Russian Orthodox;
Atheist; Marxism/Communism Russian ruler
85 Sui Wen Ti Chinese traditional religion unified China
86 Vasco da Gama Catholic navigator; discovered route from Europe to India around Cape Hood
87 Cyrus the Great Zoroastrianism founder of Persian empire
88 Peter the Great Russian Orthodox forged Russia into a great European nation
89 Mao Zedong Atheist; Communism; Maoism founder of Maoism, Chinese form of Communism
90 Francis Bacon Anglican philosopher; delineated inductive scientific method
91 Henry Ford Protestant developed automobile; achievement in manufacturing and assembly
92 Mencius Confucianism philosopher; founder of a school of Confucianism
93 Zoroaster Zoroastrianism founder of Zoroastrianism
94 Queen Elizabeth I Anglican British monarch; restored Church of England to power after Queen Mary
95 Mikhail Gorbachev Russian Orthodox Russian premier who helped end Communism in USSR
96 Menes Egyptian paganism unified Upper and Lower Egypt
97 Charlemagne Catholic Holy Roman Empire created with his baptism in 800 AD
98 Homer Greek paganism epic poet
99 Justinian I Catholic Roman emperor; reconquered Mediterranean empire; accelerated Catholic-Monophysite schism
100 Mahavira Hinduism; Jainism founder of Jainism
Source of list of names: Hart, Michael H. The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, Revised and Updated for the Nineties. New York: Carol Publishing Group/Citadel Press; first published in 1978, reprinted with minor revisions (reflected above) in 1992.
Muhummed (PBUH) the Greatest
To every Muslim on this planet, irrespective of cultural, geographical and political differences, Muhummed (PBUH), is Allah's greatest creation and was sent as a mercy for all mankind. A thousand million Muslims however, do not require any surveys, lists or research to arrive at this conclusion. It is a non-negotiable article of faith that Muhummed (PBUH) is the greatest.
BUT WHAT OF THE NON-MUSLIMS?
Surprisingly, over the centuries many an eminent non-Muslim has rated Muhummed (PBUH) most highly and given due recognition to his greatness.
Michael H. Hart, a Christian American, astronomer, mathematician, lawyer, chessmaster and scientist, after extensive research, published an incisive biography of the 100 most influential people of all time.
The biographical rankings with explanations describes the careers of religious and political leaders, inventors, writers, philosophers, scientists and artists.
From this research, which included illustrious personalities such as Jesus Christ, Moses, Caesar, the Wright brothers, Napoleon, Shakespeare, Columbus and Michelangelo; Michael Hart rated Muhummed (PBUH), as number one. He concluded the biography with the words "It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhummed to be considered the most influential single figure in human history."
In an era when the world was awash in rivers of blind prejudices and nonsensical ignorance's, the Prophets (PBUH) divine message and glorious teachings became the purging torrents of spiritual enlightenment. The farewell sermon is an embodiment of the dynamics of Islam.
May Allah SWT grant complete success in this World and the hereafter to the followers of Muhummed (PBUH), his family, his companions and all the believers. Insha-Allah!
For Ranking MUHAMMAD (PHUH) #1, Mr Michael H. Hart Says, that My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.
Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world's great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive.
The majority of the persons in this book had the advantage of being born and raised in centers of civilization, highly cultured or politically pivotal nations. Muhammad, however, was born in the year 570, in the city of Mecca, in southern Arabia, at that time a backward area of the world, far from the centers of trade, art, and learning. Orphaned at age six, he was reared in modest surroundings. Islamic tradition tells us that he was illiterate.
His economic position improved when, at age twenty-five, he married a wealthy widow. Nevertheless, as he approached forty, there was little outward indication that he was a remarkable person.
Most Arabs at that time were pagans, who believed in many gods. There were, however, in Mecca, a small number of Jews and Christians; it was from them no doubt that Muhammad first learned of a single, omnipotent God who ruled the entire universe. When he was forty years old, Muhammad became convinced that this one true God (Allah) was speaking to him, and had chosen him to spread the true faith.
For three years, Muhammad preached only to close friends and associates. Then, about 613, he began preaching in public. As he slowly gained converts, the Meccan authorities came to consider him a dangerous nuisance. In 622, fearing for his safety, Muhammad migrated to Medina (a city some 200 miles north of Mecca), where he had been offered a position of considerable political power.
This migration, called the Hijarat, was the turning point of the Prophet's life. In Mecca, he had had few followers. In Medina, he had many more, and he soon acquired an influence that made him a virtual ruler.
During the next few years, while Muhammad’s following grew rapidly, a series of battles were fought between the inhabitants of Medina and Mecca. This was ended in 630 with Muhammad's triumphant return to Mecca as conqueror.
The remaining two and one-half years of his life witnessed the rapid conversion of the Arab tribes to the new religion. When Muhammad died, in 632, he was the effective ruler of all of southern Arabia.
The Bedouin tribesmen of Arabia had a reputation as fierce warriors. But their number was small; and plagued by disunity and internecine warfare, they had been no match for the larger armies of the kingdoms in the settled agricultural areas to the north. However, unified by Muhammad for the first time in history, and inspired by their fervent belief in the one true God, these small Arab armies now embarked upon one of the most astonishing series of conquests in human history.
To the northeast of Arabia lay the large Neo-Persian Empire of the Sassanids; to the northwest lay the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople. Numerically, the Arabs were no match for their opponents. On the field of battle, though, the inspired Arabs rapidly conquered all of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine. By 642, Egypt had been wrested from the Byzantine Empire, while the Persian armies had been crushed at the key battles of Qadisiya in 637, and Nehavend in 642.
But even these enormous conquests-which were made under the leadership of Muhammad's close friends and immediate successors, Abu Bakr and 'Umar ibn al-Khattab -did not mark the end of the Arab advance.
By 711, the Arab armies had swept completely across North Africa to the Atlantic Ocean There they turned north and, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, overwhelmed the Visigothic kingdom in Spain.
For a while, it must have seemed that the Moslems would overwhelm all of Christian Europe. However, in 732, at the famous Battle of Tours, a Moslem army, which had advanced into the center of France, was at last defeated by the Franks.
Nevertheless, in a scant century of fighting, these Bedouin tribesmen, inspired by the word of the Prophet, had carved out an empire stretching from the borders of India to the Atlantic Ocean-the largest empire that the world had yet seen. And everywhere that the armies conquered, large-scale conversion to the new faith eventually followed.
Now, not all of these conquests proved permanent. The Persians, though they have remained faithful to the religion of the Prophet, have since regained their independence from the Arabs. And in Spain, more than seven centuries of warfare finally resulted in the Christians re-conquering the entire peninsula. However, Mesopotamia and Egypt, the two cradles of ancient civilization, have remained Arab, as has the entire coast of North Africa.
The new religion, of course, continued to spread, in the intervening centuries, far beyond the borders of the original Moslem conquests. Currently it has tens of millions of adherents in Africa and Central Asia and even more in Pakistan and northern India, and in Indonesia. In Indonesia, the new faith has been a unifying factor. In the Indian subcontinent, however, the conflict between Moslems and Hindus is still a major obstacle to unity.
How, then, is one to assess the overall impact of Muhammad on human history? Like all religions, Islam exerts an enormous influence upon the lives of its followers. It is for this reason that the founders of the world's great religions all figure prominently in this book .
Since there are roughly twice as many Christians as Moslems in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision. First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity.
Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.
Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam.
Moreover, he is the author of the Moslem holy scriptures, the Koran, a collection of certain of Muhammad's insights that he believed had been directly revealed to him by Allah. Most of these utterances were copied more or less faithfully during Muhammad's lifetime and were collected together in authoritative form not long after his death.
The Koran therefore, closely represents Muhammad's ideas and teachings and to a considerable extent his exact words. No such detailed compilation of the teachings of Christ has survived. Since the Koran is at least as important to Moslems as the Bible is to Christians, the influence of Muhammed through the medium of the Koran has been enormous It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. On the purely religious level, then, it seems likely that Muhammad has been as influential in human history as Jesus.
Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as well as a religious leader. In fact, as the driving force behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most influential political leader of all time.
Of many important historical events, one might say that they were inevitable and would have occurred even without the particular political leader who guided them. For example, the South American colonies would probably have won their independence from Spain even if Simon Bolivar had never lived. But this cannot be said of the Arab conquests.
Nothing similar had occurred before Muhammad, and there is no reason to believe that the conquests would have been achieved without him. The only comparable conquests in human history are those of the Mongols in the thirteenth century, which were primarily due to the influence of Genghis Khan.
These conquests, however, though more extensive than those of the Arabs, did not prove permanent, and today the only areas occupied by the Mongols are those that they held prior to the time of Genghis Khan.
It is far different with the conquests of the Arabs. From Iraq to Morocco, there extends a whole chain of Arab nations united not merely by their faith in Islam, but also by their Arabic language, history, and culture.
The centrality of the Koran in the Moslem religion and the fact that it is written in Arabic have probably prevented the Arab language from breaking up into mutually unintelligible dialects, which might otherwise have occurred in the intervening thirteen centuries.
Differences and divisions between these Arab states exist, of course, and they are considerable, but the partial disunity should not blind us to the important elements of unity that have continued to exist. For instance, neither Iran nor Indonesia, both oil-producing states and both Islamic in religion, joined in the oil embargo of the winter of 1973-74. It is no coincidence that all of the Arab states, and only the Arab states, participated in the embargo.
We see, then, that the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.
BUT WHAT OF THE NON-MUSLIMS?
Surprisingly, over the centuries many an eminent non-Muslim has rated Muhummed (PBUH) most highly and given due recognition to his greatness.
Michael H. Hart, a Christian American, astronomer, mathematician, lawyer, chessmaster and scientist, after extensive research, published an incisive biography of the 100 most influential people of all time.
The biographical rankings with explanations describes the careers of religious and political leaders, inventors, writers, philosophers, scientists and artists.
From this research, which included illustrious personalities such as Jesus Christ, Moses, Caesar, the Wright brothers, Napoleon, Shakespeare, Columbus and Michelangelo; Michael Hart rated Muhummed (PBUH), as number one. He concluded the biography with the words "It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhummed to be considered the most influential single figure in human history."
In an era when the world was awash in rivers of blind prejudices and nonsensical ignorance's, the Prophets (PBUH) divine message and glorious teachings became the purging torrents of spiritual enlightenment. The farewell sermon is an embodiment of the dynamics of Islam.
May Allah SWT grant complete success in this World and the hereafter to the followers of Muhummed (PBUH), his family, his companions and all the believers. Insha-Allah!
For Ranking MUHAMMAD (PHUH) #1, Mr Michael H. Hart Says, that My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.
Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world's great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive.
The majority of the persons in this book had the advantage of being born and raised in centers of civilization, highly cultured or politically pivotal nations. Muhammad, however, was born in the year 570, in the city of Mecca, in southern Arabia, at that time a backward area of the world, far from the centers of trade, art, and learning. Orphaned at age six, he was reared in modest surroundings. Islamic tradition tells us that he was illiterate.
His economic position improved when, at age twenty-five, he married a wealthy widow. Nevertheless, as he approached forty, there was little outward indication that he was a remarkable person.
Most Arabs at that time were pagans, who believed in many gods. There were, however, in Mecca, a small number of Jews and Christians; it was from them no doubt that Muhammad first learned of a single, omnipotent God who ruled the entire universe. When he was forty years old, Muhammad became convinced that this one true God (Allah) was speaking to him, and had chosen him to spread the true faith.
For three years, Muhammad preached only to close friends and associates. Then, about 613, he began preaching in public. As he slowly gained converts, the Meccan authorities came to consider him a dangerous nuisance. In 622, fearing for his safety, Muhammad migrated to Medina (a city some 200 miles north of Mecca), where he had been offered a position of considerable political power.
This migration, called the Hijarat, was the turning point of the Prophet's life. In Mecca, he had had few followers. In Medina, he had many more, and he soon acquired an influence that made him a virtual ruler.
During the next few years, while Muhammad’s following grew rapidly, a series of battles were fought between the inhabitants of Medina and Mecca. This was ended in 630 with Muhammad's triumphant return to Mecca as conqueror.
The remaining two and one-half years of his life witnessed the rapid conversion of the Arab tribes to the new religion. When Muhammad died, in 632, he was the effective ruler of all of southern Arabia.
The Bedouin tribesmen of Arabia had a reputation as fierce warriors. But their number was small; and plagued by disunity and internecine warfare, they had been no match for the larger armies of the kingdoms in the settled agricultural areas to the north. However, unified by Muhammad for the first time in history, and inspired by their fervent belief in the one true God, these small Arab armies now embarked upon one of the most astonishing series of conquests in human history.
To the northeast of Arabia lay the large Neo-Persian Empire of the Sassanids; to the northwest lay the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople. Numerically, the Arabs were no match for their opponents. On the field of battle, though, the inspired Arabs rapidly conquered all of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine. By 642, Egypt had been wrested from the Byzantine Empire, while the Persian armies had been crushed at the key battles of Qadisiya in 637, and Nehavend in 642.
But even these enormous conquests-which were made under the leadership of Muhammad's close friends and immediate successors, Abu Bakr and 'Umar ibn al-Khattab -did not mark the end of the Arab advance.
By 711, the Arab armies had swept completely across North Africa to the Atlantic Ocean There they turned north and, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, overwhelmed the Visigothic kingdom in Spain.
For a while, it must have seemed that the Moslems would overwhelm all of Christian Europe. However, in 732, at the famous Battle of Tours, a Moslem army, which had advanced into the center of France, was at last defeated by the Franks.
Nevertheless, in a scant century of fighting, these Bedouin tribesmen, inspired by the word of the Prophet, had carved out an empire stretching from the borders of India to the Atlantic Ocean-the largest empire that the world had yet seen. And everywhere that the armies conquered, large-scale conversion to the new faith eventually followed.
Now, not all of these conquests proved permanent. The Persians, though they have remained faithful to the religion of the Prophet, have since regained their independence from the Arabs. And in Spain, more than seven centuries of warfare finally resulted in the Christians re-conquering the entire peninsula. However, Mesopotamia and Egypt, the two cradles of ancient civilization, have remained Arab, as has the entire coast of North Africa.
The new religion, of course, continued to spread, in the intervening centuries, far beyond the borders of the original Moslem conquests. Currently it has tens of millions of adherents in Africa and Central Asia and even more in Pakistan and northern India, and in Indonesia. In Indonesia, the new faith has been a unifying factor. In the Indian subcontinent, however, the conflict between Moslems and Hindus is still a major obstacle to unity.
How, then, is one to assess the overall impact of Muhammad on human history? Like all religions, Islam exerts an enormous influence upon the lives of its followers. It is for this reason that the founders of the world's great religions all figure prominently in this book .
Since there are roughly twice as many Christians as Moslems in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision. First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity.
Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.
Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam.
Moreover, he is the author of the Moslem holy scriptures, the Koran, a collection of certain of Muhammad's insights that he believed had been directly revealed to him by Allah. Most of these utterances were copied more or less faithfully during Muhammad's lifetime and were collected together in authoritative form not long after his death.
The Koran therefore, closely represents Muhammad's ideas and teachings and to a considerable extent his exact words. No such detailed compilation of the teachings of Christ has survived. Since the Koran is at least as important to Moslems as the Bible is to Christians, the influence of Muhammed through the medium of the Koran has been enormous It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. On the purely religious level, then, it seems likely that Muhammad has been as influential in human history as Jesus.
Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as well as a religious leader. In fact, as the driving force behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most influential political leader of all time.
Of many important historical events, one might say that they were inevitable and would have occurred even without the particular political leader who guided them. For example, the South American colonies would probably have won their independence from Spain even if Simon Bolivar had never lived. But this cannot be said of the Arab conquests.
Nothing similar had occurred before Muhammad, and there is no reason to believe that the conquests would have been achieved without him. The only comparable conquests in human history are those of the Mongols in the thirteenth century, which were primarily due to the influence of Genghis Khan.
These conquests, however, though more extensive than those of the Arabs, did not prove permanent, and today the only areas occupied by the Mongols are those that they held prior to the time of Genghis Khan.
It is far different with the conquests of the Arabs. From Iraq to Morocco, there extends a whole chain of Arab nations united not merely by their faith in Islam, but also by their Arabic language, history, and culture.
The centrality of the Koran in the Moslem religion and the fact that it is written in Arabic have probably prevented the Arab language from breaking up into mutually unintelligible dialects, which might otherwise have occurred in the intervening thirteen centuries.
Differences and divisions between these Arab states exist, of course, and they are considerable, but the partial disunity should not blind us to the important elements of unity that have continued to exist. For instance, neither Iran nor Indonesia, both oil-producing states and both Islamic in religion, joined in the oil embargo of the winter of 1973-74. It is no coincidence that all of the Arab states, and only the Arab states, participated in the embargo.
We see, then, that the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Developing Humility in Prayer, By Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, translated by Sameh Strauch
You should know - may Allah have mercy upon you - that when the slave [of Allah] leaves his house to go to the mosque, that he is going to face Allah, the Irresistible, the One, the Omnipotent, the Exalted in Might, the Oft-forgiving, in the knowledge that nothing is hidden from Allah, wherever it might be, and that nothing is hidden from Allah and that even something as small as a mustard seed is not concealed from Him, nor even something smaller, nor larger - in the seven earths or the seven heavens, in the seven seas or the lofty mountains, fixed and firm.
And verily, the mosque to which he comes is one of the Houses of Allah. He desires only Allah and he sets out to one of Allah's Houses, which:
"Allah has permitted to be raised to honour, for the celebration in them of His Name: In them He is glorified in the mornings and the evenings [over and over] by men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the practice of regular charity: Their [only] fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed." [Qur'an 24:36-37]
So when anyone from amongst you sets out from his house (for the mosque) he should say quietly to himself words of remembrance [of Allah] - words unconnected with the affairs and business of this world.
He should set out calmly, somberly, for this is what the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, ordered us to do; he should set out with (his heart full of) longing and desire [for Allah's pleasure] and fear and apprehension [of Allah's anger] and with humility and meekness towards Allah. For the more humble, the more meek, the more submissive he is to Allah, the more virtuous and righteous does he become in Salah and the greater becomes his reward, and the more noble and nearer to Allah becomes the worshipper. But should he be filled with pride, Allah will destroy him and will reject his deeds, for the deeds of the proud are never accepted.
It has been narrated in a hadith concerning Prophet Ibrahim, `alaihis salam, Allah's Khalil, that he spent the night in worship and remembrance of Allah, and in the morning, he was pleased with the night's worship and he said: "How Good is the Rabb (Lord), and how good is the slave, Ibrahim (`alaihis salam)." On the following day, finding none to share his food with him - and he loved to share his food - he took his food outside to the road and sat, waiting for any passerby to eat with him. Then two angels descended from the heavens and approached him. So he invited them to eat with him and they accepted.
Then Ibrahim, `alaihis salam, suggested that they approach a nearby garden which contained a fresh water spring. They agreed to this and approached the garden, only to find that the spring had run underground, so there was no water.
This was a severe blow to Ibrahim, `alaihis salam, and he was embarrassed by what he had said (because there was no spring in evidence) and so the angels said to him: "Ask your Rabb to return the spring." He did so, but the spring did not appear, and this was a great blow to him and so he said to the angels: "You ask Allah." So one of them asked Him, and behold! The water returned, then the other supplicated Allah and the water flowed near to them. Then they informed him that his being impressed by his own standing in prayer the previous night had caused his supplication to be rejected.
So beware - may Allah have mercy on you - of pride, for no deed will be accepted if it is accompanied by pride. Be humble in your Salah. Should any of you stand in Salah before his Rabb, he should know Allah, in his heart by the great blessings which He bestows upon him and the abundant favour which He grants him, for Allah has honoured him with great goodness, but he has saddled himself with sins. Therefore it is incumbent upon him to be excessive in his humility and meekness towards Allah.
It is reported from Abu ad-Darda that he said, "That may face be covered in dust for my Rabb (is most loved by me), - for that is the best kind of worship for Allah." So let none of you fear the dust, nor find it distasteful to make sujud in it, for there is no doubt that every one of you comes from it (i.e. mankind was created from dust). Nor should any of you fear an excess of it, for verily, it is by this means that one attempts to attain freedom from slavery and salvation from the Hellfire - a fire before which the fixed lofty mountains which were placed as pegs (holding the earth) could not stand, nor the seven strong heavens, built one above another, which are placed as a well graded canopy over us, nor the earth, which was placed as a dwelling for us, nor the seven seas, of which none knows their depths or their size except the One Who created them. Then what about us, with our feeble bodies, our delicate bones, our flimsy skin? We seek refuge with Allah from the Fire!
So should any of you stand in Salah - may Allah have mercy on you - then let him be as if he sees Allah before him, for though he may not see Allah, verily, Allah sees him. It is narrated in a hadith that Allah's Messenger, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, advised a man,
saying:
"Fear Allah as though you see Him, for verily, though you may not see Him, He sees you." [Something similar to this wording is quoted in the hadith in which the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, spoke to Jibril, `alaihis salam, informing him about the meaning of ihsan, as reported by Bukhari and Muslim.]
This then, is the advice of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, to the slave in all his affairs, so what about when he performs Salah, when he stands before Allah, in a particular place, a sacred place, desiring Allah and turning his face towards Him? Does not his standing, his situation in Salah merit the same ihsan as all his affairs?
It says in a hadith:
"Verily, the slave, when he starts his Salah, should turn his face to Allah, and he should not turn it away from Him until he leaves or turns to right and left." [That is, when he makes taslim at the end of the prayer.] (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i.)
It is also narrated in a hadith:
"Verily, the slave, as long as he is in Salah, possesses three qualities: Blessings are showered upon his head from the heavens above, the angels sit around him, from his feet to the heavens and a caller says: 'If the slave knew the One Who hears his whispered utterances, he would never leave his Salah.'" [This narration was mentioned by Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Mirwazi in Kitab as-Salah from the hadith of Al-Hasan Al-Basri in a mursal form (an incomplete chain of narrations, in which no Companion is mentioned).
Allah showers His Mercy upon the worshipper who approaches prayer in a state of humility and meekness towards Allah, in fear and supplicating Him with desire (for His Pleasure), and in hope (of His Mercy), making Salah to his Rabb, his most important consideration, dedicating his whispered utterances to Him and his standing erect in worship and his ruku` and his sujud, pouring out his heart and his feelings and struggling to perfect his acts of worship, for he knows not whether he will perform another prayer after it, or whether he will be overtaken (by death) before he can perform Salah again.
He stands before his Rabb, earnestly, with deep feelings, hoping for its acceptance and fearing its rejection, for verily, its acceptance is a cause for joy, while its rejection is a cause for misery and wretchedness. Nothing could be more important to you - O my brother - in this Salah, or indeed in any of your actions [i.e. that Allah should accept them].
What is more deserving of your distress and misery, your fear - indeed your terror - you know not whether your Salah will find favour with Allah at all, nor whether any of your good deeds will be accepted.
Do you know if your sins will be forgiven at all? After all this, you have no assurance that you will be spared from it (i.e. the punishment of the Hellfire). So who is more deserving of your tears and sadness [than Allah] - that He may accept from you (your deeds)? In addition to this, you know not whether or not you will awaken in the morning, nor if you will still be here in the evening - will you be given the good news of Paradise, or the bad news of the Hellfire?
I only desire to warn you - O my brother - of this terrible danger. It is not fitting that you should be happy because of your family, your wealth or your children. It is a most amazing thing that you should continue to be unmindful, chasing after vain desires, wasting your time in disregard of this most important matter, for you are being driven at a fierce pace (towards death) day and night, hour by hour, like the blink of an eye. You should expect - O my brother - that your time may come at any moment and do not be unmindful of this great danger which may visit you.
Most assuredly, you must (eventually) taste death. Your time may come in the morning or in the evening. You will be separated from all that you possessed - either (to be rewarded with) Paradise or (to be punished in) the Hellfire. Descriptions and stories of them (have become) superfluous.
Have you not heard - O my brother the words of the pious slave: "I am amazed concerning the Hellfire - how does the one who could flee from it sleep? And I am amazed concerning the Jannah - how does the one who desires it sleep? For by Allah! If you neither desire Paradise, nor fear the Hellfire, then you are destroyed and grievous will be your sorrow, interminable your sadness and without limit your tears; you will be amongst the wretched, the punished ones.
So if you claim that you are amongst those who seek refuge from the Fire and desire Paradise, then strive for that which you seek and do not be misled by your worldly desires."
And verily, the mosque to which he comes is one of the Houses of Allah. He desires only Allah and he sets out to one of Allah's Houses, which:
"Allah has permitted to be raised to honour, for the celebration in them of His Name: In them He is glorified in the mornings and the evenings [over and over] by men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the practice of regular charity: Their [only] fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed." [Qur'an 24:36-37]
So when anyone from amongst you sets out from his house (for the mosque) he should say quietly to himself words of remembrance [of Allah] - words unconnected with the affairs and business of this world.
He should set out calmly, somberly, for this is what the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, ordered us to do; he should set out with (his heart full of) longing and desire [for Allah's pleasure] and fear and apprehension [of Allah's anger] and with humility and meekness towards Allah. For the more humble, the more meek, the more submissive he is to Allah, the more virtuous and righteous does he become in Salah and the greater becomes his reward, and the more noble and nearer to Allah becomes the worshipper. But should he be filled with pride, Allah will destroy him and will reject his deeds, for the deeds of the proud are never accepted.
It has been narrated in a hadith concerning Prophet Ibrahim, `alaihis salam, Allah's Khalil, that he spent the night in worship and remembrance of Allah, and in the morning, he was pleased with the night's worship and he said: "How Good is the Rabb (Lord), and how good is the slave, Ibrahim (`alaihis salam)." On the following day, finding none to share his food with him - and he loved to share his food - he took his food outside to the road and sat, waiting for any passerby to eat with him. Then two angels descended from the heavens and approached him. So he invited them to eat with him and they accepted.
Then Ibrahim, `alaihis salam, suggested that they approach a nearby garden which contained a fresh water spring. They agreed to this and approached the garden, only to find that the spring had run underground, so there was no water.
This was a severe blow to Ibrahim, `alaihis salam, and he was embarrassed by what he had said (because there was no spring in evidence) and so the angels said to him: "Ask your Rabb to return the spring." He did so, but the spring did not appear, and this was a great blow to him and so he said to the angels: "You ask Allah." So one of them asked Him, and behold! The water returned, then the other supplicated Allah and the water flowed near to them. Then they informed him that his being impressed by his own standing in prayer the previous night had caused his supplication to be rejected.
So beware - may Allah have mercy on you - of pride, for no deed will be accepted if it is accompanied by pride. Be humble in your Salah. Should any of you stand in Salah before his Rabb, he should know Allah, in his heart by the great blessings which He bestows upon him and the abundant favour which He grants him, for Allah has honoured him with great goodness, but he has saddled himself with sins. Therefore it is incumbent upon him to be excessive in his humility and meekness towards Allah.
It is reported from Abu ad-Darda that he said, "That may face be covered in dust for my Rabb (is most loved by me), - for that is the best kind of worship for Allah." So let none of you fear the dust, nor find it distasteful to make sujud in it, for there is no doubt that every one of you comes from it (i.e. mankind was created from dust). Nor should any of you fear an excess of it, for verily, it is by this means that one attempts to attain freedom from slavery and salvation from the Hellfire - a fire before which the fixed lofty mountains which were placed as pegs (holding the earth) could not stand, nor the seven strong heavens, built one above another, which are placed as a well graded canopy over us, nor the earth, which was placed as a dwelling for us, nor the seven seas, of which none knows their depths or their size except the One Who created them. Then what about us, with our feeble bodies, our delicate bones, our flimsy skin? We seek refuge with Allah from the Fire!
So should any of you stand in Salah - may Allah have mercy on you - then let him be as if he sees Allah before him, for though he may not see Allah, verily, Allah sees him. It is narrated in a hadith that Allah's Messenger, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, advised a man,
saying:
"Fear Allah as though you see Him, for verily, though you may not see Him, He sees you." [Something similar to this wording is quoted in the hadith in which the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, spoke to Jibril, `alaihis salam, informing him about the meaning of ihsan, as reported by Bukhari and Muslim.]
This then, is the advice of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, to the slave in all his affairs, so what about when he performs Salah, when he stands before Allah, in a particular place, a sacred place, desiring Allah and turning his face towards Him? Does not his standing, his situation in Salah merit the same ihsan as all his affairs?
It says in a hadith:
"Verily, the slave, when he starts his Salah, should turn his face to Allah, and he should not turn it away from Him until he leaves or turns to right and left." [That is, when he makes taslim at the end of the prayer.] (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i.)
It is also narrated in a hadith:
"Verily, the slave, as long as he is in Salah, possesses three qualities: Blessings are showered upon his head from the heavens above, the angels sit around him, from his feet to the heavens and a caller says: 'If the slave knew the One Who hears his whispered utterances, he would never leave his Salah.'" [This narration was mentioned by Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Mirwazi in Kitab as-Salah from the hadith of Al-Hasan Al-Basri in a mursal form (an incomplete chain of narrations, in which no Companion is mentioned).
Allah showers His Mercy upon the worshipper who approaches prayer in a state of humility and meekness towards Allah, in fear and supplicating Him with desire (for His Pleasure), and in hope (of His Mercy), making Salah to his Rabb, his most important consideration, dedicating his whispered utterances to Him and his standing erect in worship and his ruku` and his sujud, pouring out his heart and his feelings and struggling to perfect his acts of worship, for he knows not whether he will perform another prayer after it, or whether he will be overtaken (by death) before he can perform Salah again.
He stands before his Rabb, earnestly, with deep feelings, hoping for its acceptance and fearing its rejection, for verily, its acceptance is a cause for joy, while its rejection is a cause for misery and wretchedness. Nothing could be more important to you - O my brother - in this Salah, or indeed in any of your actions [i.e. that Allah should accept them].
What is more deserving of your distress and misery, your fear - indeed your terror - you know not whether your Salah will find favour with Allah at all, nor whether any of your good deeds will be accepted.
Do you know if your sins will be forgiven at all? After all this, you have no assurance that you will be spared from it (i.e. the punishment of the Hellfire). So who is more deserving of your tears and sadness [than Allah] - that He may accept from you (your deeds)? In addition to this, you know not whether or not you will awaken in the morning, nor if you will still be here in the evening - will you be given the good news of Paradise, or the bad news of the Hellfire?
I only desire to warn you - O my brother - of this terrible danger. It is not fitting that you should be happy because of your family, your wealth or your children. It is a most amazing thing that you should continue to be unmindful, chasing after vain desires, wasting your time in disregard of this most important matter, for you are being driven at a fierce pace (towards death) day and night, hour by hour, like the blink of an eye. You should expect - O my brother - that your time may come at any moment and do not be unmindful of this great danger which may visit you.
Most assuredly, you must (eventually) taste death. Your time may come in the morning or in the evening. You will be separated from all that you possessed - either (to be rewarded with) Paradise or (to be punished in) the Hellfire. Descriptions and stories of them (have become) superfluous.
Have you not heard - O my brother the words of the pious slave: "I am amazed concerning the Hellfire - how does the one who could flee from it sleep? And I am amazed concerning the Jannah - how does the one who desires it sleep? For by Allah! If you neither desire Paradise, nor fear the Hellfire, then you are destroyed and grievous will be your sorrow, interminable your sadness and without limit your tears; you will be amongst the wretched, the punished ones.
So if you claim that you are amongst those who seek refuge from the Fire and desire Paradise, then strive for that which you seek and do not be misled by your worldly desires."
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