Daily Islamic News

Why Muslims Love the Month of Ramadan

2017-01-03T03:42:00.001-08:00

Islam uses a lunar calendar—that is, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon, therefore because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar, Islamic months “move” each year. This year (2008) the Islamic month of Ramadan coincides almost exactly with the month of September. For Muslims the coming of Ramadan is a source of joy and celebration; however, we celebrate in a way that may seem strange to people unfamiliar with the tenets of Islam. Ramadan is not a month of parties and socialising, it is a month of worship. To fast the month of Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam.

Muslims express gratitude and love for the One True God by obeying and worshipping Him. We worship according to His guidance revealed in the Quran and through the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad. Ramadan is special. It is a month of fasting, reading and coming to understand Quran and special extra prayers. The mosques come alive at night when Muslims gather to break their fast together and pray. The smooth rich sound of Quran recitation is heard throughout the long nights as Muslims stand shoulder-to-shoulder praying and praising God.

Muslims all over the world love the month of Ramadan and look forward to it with mounting excitement. In the weeks preceding Ramadan lives are scrutinised, and plans are made for a month of serious worship and supplication. The countdown begins and conversations start with how many weeks it is until the blessed month arrives. Perhaps non-Muslims wonder why we look forward to fasting days and sleepless nights. Ramadan offers the chance of redemption and great rewards. It is a month like no other. A month of spiritual reflection and prayer. Hearts are directed away from worldly activities and towards God.

In the month Ramadan, all physically mature and healthy Muslims are required to fast: to abstain from all food, drink, gum chewing, any kind of tobacco use and any kind of sexual contact between dawn and sunset. Nevertheless, this is only the physical aspect there are also the spiritual characteristics, which include refraining from gossiping, lying, slandering and all traits of bad character. All obscene and impious sights and sounds are avoided as a way of purifying thoughts and actions. Fasting is also a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate and learning thankfulness and appreciation for all of God's bounties.

God said,

“O you who believe! Observing the fast is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious.” (Quran 2:183)

The Prophet Muhammad also reminded us that fasting is not just abstaining from food and drink but there is a further dimension. He said, “He who does not desist from obscene language and acting obscenely (during the period of fasting), God has no need that he didn’t eat or drink.”

Ramadan is also the month when Muslims try to establish or re establish a relationship with the Quran. Although this may sound like a strange thing to say, the words of God are a guiding light and a mercy. Nobody reads Quran except that it changes his or her life in some way. The Quran was sent down in this month of Ramadan. The two, Ramadan and Quran are inextricably entwined. Being with the Quran, reading, memorising, reciting it or pondering its meanings is spiritually uplifting comforting and a source of strength. Recitation in the night is particularly beneficial, the distractions of the day have faded away and closeness of God is palpable in the stillness of the night. Special evening prayers are conducted during which portions of the Qur'an are recited. These prayers are known as Taraweeh. One thirtieth of the Qur'an is read on successive evenings, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur'an has been completed.

One of the last few odd-numbered nights of the month is Laylat ul-Qadr, the “Night of Power” or “Night of Destiny.” It is the holiest night of the holiest month; it is believed to be the night on which God first began revealing the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. This is a time for especially fervent and devoted prayer, and the rewards and blessings associated with such are many. Muslims are told in the Qur'an that praying throughout this one night is better than a thousand months of prayer. No one knows exactly which night it is; it is one of God's mysteries.

Ramadan is also the month of good deeds and charity. Muslims try to give generously and increase their good deeds. Charity can be as simple as a smile; there is no need for lavish displays. Charity given quietly is better for the recipient and one who gives. The Prophet Muhammad was always a generous person, never owning more than just enough to cover his immediate needs. Any extra, he gave generously to those around him, however he was most generous in Ramadan.

You may be beginning to wonder if these are not qualities and virtues a Muslim truly devoted to God, should display in any month, and you would be correct. They most certainly are. However, as human beings we all fall short, commit sins and make mistakes. Sometimes the nature of life causes us to forget our real purpose. Our purpose is to worship God and God in his infinite wisdom and mercy has given us Ramadan. It is a month, which if used wisely, can recharge our spiritual and physical batteries. It is a month full of mercy and forgiveness when God makes it easy for us to overcome our shortcomings, when He rewards us in abundance. He is our Creator, who understands that we are far from perfect. When we walk towards God, he meets us running, when we hold out our hand He reaches for us and bestows his forgiveness on us. Muslims love Ramadan, it is a lifeline. They stand shoulder to shoulder and bow their heads in submission. Ramadan spreads across the world as Muslims begin and break their fast together, one body, one people, and one nation. Ramadan arrives softly and her deeds ascend gently towards God. Far from being a trial of deprivation, the month of Ramadan is a joy and a gift beyond compare. Even before the month is finished Muslims begin to mourn the passing of this blessed month and try to extend the time by being with the Quran and worshipping God in the best way possible.

The Status of Parents in Islam

2016-12-28T01:09:00.003-08:00

All religions and all societies have given parents an honorable status. From a purely material viewpoint, we find ourselves indebted to our parents, particularly our mother. She not only nourished us in her womb, but went through pain and suffering. She loved us even before we were born. She toiled when we were totally helpless infants. She spent sleepless nights caring for us. Our parents as a team provided for all our needs: physical, educational, psychological, and in many instances, religious, moral, and spiritual. Our indebtedness to our parents is so immense that it is not possible to repay it fully. In lieu of this, it becomes obligatory for us to show the utmost kindness, respect, and obedience to our parents. The position of parents, and the mutual obligations and responsibilities, have been addressed in Islam in great detail. The Qur'anic commandments, as well as the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (sawaws) guide us in this matter. The parent-child code of behavior in Islam is unique, since rules were laid down by Divine command.

References to parents have been made at least 15 times in the Holy Qur'an. There are numerous traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on this subject. I will first quote some of the Qur'anic verses here:

"And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents. In travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in two years was his weaning. Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is thy final goal." (Chapter31: verse14)

According to the above verse, gratitude to Allah (swt) and to parents go hand in hand. Gratitude to Allah (swt) is incomplete without showing gratitude to one's parents. Since being grateful to Allah (swt) is a form of ibadah (worship) which earns heavenly rewards, it can therefore be said that being grateful to one's parents also earns heavenly rewards.

"Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or more attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them,but address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say, "my Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy, even as they cherished me in childhood." (17: 23,24)

"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth." (46:15)

Thus, Allah (swt) has enjoined on us to show kindness, respect, and humility to our parents. We are commanded to do this, even though they may have injured us. The only exception to the above command is made in the following verse:

"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; but if they strive (to force) thee to join with Me anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not." (29:8)

Some of the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and of the learned members of his family, about our responsibilities toward our parents are quoted here:

"Paradise lies under the feet of the mother."
"Allah's pleasure is in the pleasure of the father, and Allah's displeasure is in the displeasure of the father."
"He who wishes to enter Paradise through its best door must please his parents."
"It is a pity that some people may not attain Paradise, on account of not serving their old parents."
"If a person looks with love at his parents, Allah writes in his favor the reward equal to the performance of one Hajj." [Someone asked, "will this promise be good if one looks at his parents one hundred times a day?" The Holy Prophet (pbuh) replied, "even if one does so a hundred thousand times a day, Allah gives the reward accordingly."]
"A man or woman is bound to be good to his or her parents, even though they may have injured him or her."

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A.S.), the great-great-grandson of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have quoted Imam 'Ali (A.S.) that, "disobedience to parents is a major sin." He also stated that, "if a person looks at the face of his or her parents with wrathful eyes, despite the fact that injustice was done to him or her by the parents, his or her salah (prayer) will not be accepted by Allah."

According to one of the Hadith-e-Qudsi, the following is reported about the status of parents:

"Allah has commanded that if anybody prays equal to the invocations performed by the prophets, such prayers will do no good if that person has been cursed by his or her parents."

It has also been related that the very first words which have been written on the Lauh-e-Mahfuz (The Heavenly Preserved Tablet) are:

"I am Allah, and there is no deity except Me. I am pleased with those with whom their parents are pleased, and I am displeased with those with whom their parents are displeased."

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: "On the Day of Judgment, my person will not be seen by those who drank liquor, those who on hearing my name did not invoke the blessings of Allah on me, or those who were cursed and disowned by their parents."

'Ali ibn al-Husain (A.S.) is reported to have said: "The right of your mother on you is that you should know that nobody could endure the trouble and the conditions under which she protected you and nourished you with the juice of her life, and tried with her heart and soul to satisfy all your needs in relation to hunger, thirst, dress, etc. She passed sleepless nights, suffering anxieties. She provided you with shelter against heat and cold, and protected you from ailments. It is not possible for you to compensate her, or thank her enough for all the services, except that Allah may give you guidance for that. The right of your father on you is that you should know that it is he who brought you into existence, and you are a branch of the tree of his life."

According to a reliable tradition, it is related that a man came to the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and asked him to whom he should render kindness. The prophet told him to be kind to his mother. Three times he put the same question to the prophet, and three times he got the same answer. When he asked the question the fourth time, he was told to be kind to his father, indicating that the mother's right took precedence over that of the father.

Parents' duties: Islam has assigned certain duties to parents that they must fulfill. If they fail in those, they will be questioned about it. Besides providing the basic necessities of life, Islam requires that the parents teach their children about the Oneness of Allah (swt), the Quranic commandments, values, the Prophets and their teachings, and the moral code of Islam as according to the Quran and the Sunnah (teachings) of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Let us pray to Allah (swt) that He guide us to be respectful, kind, and obedient to our parents, and that we continue to show them humility regardless of the power, position, wealth, and influence we may possess. Let us also pray that we be patient, kind, thoughtful, and friendly with our children, as we guide them through their lives, and that we discharge our responsibilities towards them as required by our religion, so that Allah (swt) may be pleased with us, and may He Bless and reward us, both in this world and in the Hereafter; Ameen.

References:

- Holy Qur'an, Abdullah Yusuf 'Ali's Translation

- Bedtime Stories, by Peermohammed Ebrahim Trust

Aqeeqah

2016-12-20T02:29:00.003-08:00

Children are a precious gift from God to the family and whole of mankind. Arrival of a new baby is a special time in a person's life, as well as a time of great change. Children are heralds of a promise: the renewal of the world in and through the family. Our children, the springtime of the family and society, are always a sign of hope for the world.

Joseph Smith founder of the Mormon Church said, "The richest of all my earthly joys is in my precious children," he said. "Thank God!"
Children have the ability to bring the most wonderful sense of joy into our lives as well as the most overwhelming feelings of exasperation.

Life is a wonderful thing. Parenting is hard, but the rewards far, far outweigh the work. Bearing children--especially sons--was the greatest thing a woman could hope for, and represented her greatest fulfillment. These days, many women have found other ways to fulfill themselves, and although we still value our children highly, the negative sides of motherhood get much more press than they used to. Further, there is a distinct sense in today's society that if a woman is "just a mother," she has somehow fallen short of her potential as a human being.

Still, bearing children remains a desirable and even crucial goal for many millions of women in our society. Women, who want children but are unable to have them, for whatever reason, continue to feel the age-old pain of the childless woman. And women who have gone through the pain of labor continue to feel the joy-the joy that a child is born into the world. Both the pain and the joy are real.

In the Islamic tradition the Muslims introduce the new arrival to the family, friends and the community by performing the Aqeeqah.

Definition of Aqeeqah

Aqeeqah is an Arabic word originally derived from the key word 'aq' which means to cut and shred. To cut or shave the hair of the child.

The occasion is associated with 'cutting' because the child's head is shaven on the 7th day after birth. One scholar's opinion is that 'aqeeqah' designates the child's hair itself at the time of birth. A child is a gift of God. Child is adored and cherished. We give thanks to Allah (SWT). Aqeeqah is an expression of Thanks and gratitude to Allah for the gift. This pleasure is shared with the family, friends and community.

Hadeeth: Whoever has a child born to him and wishes to offer a sacrifice, then let him sacrifice......

The aqeeqah is a sunnah (the traditions or way or practices of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)). When a child is born to a family, the father is strongly recommended by the Prophet to slaughter one or two sheep and to invite relatives and neighbors to a meal, in order to allow the community to share in the happy event.

If the Aqeeqah is made a general invitation - then it should not be restricted to the well-off to the exclusion of the poor, since this was forbidden by our Prophet Muhammad The aqeeqah is recommended to be carried out shortly after the birth of a baby, preferably on the seventh day of his/her birth. It may be delayed for a week or two or perhaps a little longer. However, when it is delayed for a long time, the very purpose of it is lost.

Aqeeqah: Is it obligatory?

The aqeeqah refers to a sacrifice given by a family on the occasion of the birth of a son or a daughter. One sheep is adequate for the aqeeqah for either a girl or a boy. The meat is distributed as follows: One third to charity and the remaining two thirds to be distributed amongst friends and relatives. It should be eaten, fed to people and given in charity"

It is optional as to whether the meat is distributed raw or cooked.

Relatives and neighbors are invited, because this is a joyous occasion to be shared with the immediate community. As cited earlier, the aqeeqah is a Sunnah, which means that it is strongly recommended. When we say it is strongly recommended, this means that it is not obligatory.

If a family cannot afford to sacrifice a sheep, then no blame is attached to it for failing to do so. "God does not charge a soul with more than it can reasonably undertake." This is the translation of a Qur'anic statement. A poor family that finds it difficult to make both ends meet is not expected to observe the aqeeqah. The child will not be affected in any way for his/her parents' failure to observe a Sunnah, even when they can afford it.

The Act of Aqeeqah

It is clearly evident from numerous ahaadeeth that aqeeqah should be performed 7 days after a child is born. Or later if circumstances do not permit.

The sacrifice for the child is required from the father - since he is the one addressed by the prophetic ahaadeeth. However, it is also correct if done by someone else. So it is permissible for a near and beloved relative - such as the grandfather, uncle and brother to take on the responsibility of the 'Aqeeqa and donate it. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as a Maternal Grand Father, gave the 'Aqeeqah of his two grandsons, Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husain - and their father was present. Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas has reported, "The Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam sacrificed two camels at the aqeeqah occasion of Hadhrat Hasan (RA.) and Hussain (RA.)."

The Prophet (pbuh) mentioned the sacrifice without assigning a particular person to do it.

TO GIVE CHARITY, EQUWALENT TO THE WEIGHT OF A CHILD'S HAIR

The child's hair should be shaven, weighed and the equivalent amount of silver given to charity.

On the birth occasion of Hadhrat Hasan (R. A.), the Noble Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa sallam) instructed Hadhrat Fatima (R. A.) to donate the equivalent amount to charity. The Prophet (Sallalahu alaihi Wasallam) also donated the equivalent amount to the weight of Hadhrat Fatima's hair to charity.

Hadhrat Imam Mohammad Baqir (R.A.) narrates, "Hadhrat Fatima (R.A.) gave the amount equivalent to her daughter Zainab's (R.A.), Umme Kulthum's (R.A.), and her sons Hasan's (RA.) and Hussain's (RA.) hair to charity."(Mu'atta Imam Mohammad pg. 286).

The above narrations show that to offer the equivalent amount of the weight of a child's hair in silver is Sunnah. But if one were to give the charity in gold, then it would not harm anyone, if one can afford to. That giving silver in charity is easily managed by any person - as opposed to gold, which is more expensive.

Is Charity to be given in Gold or Silver?

What is established in the authentic ahaadeeth is that it is to be silver, it is confirmed in the authentic Sunnah - that charity be given with the weight of the child's hair in silver. But if one were to give the charity in gold, then it would not harm since it is reported from a group of the Salaf. But silver is better for two reasons:

(i) It is what is established in the many authentic ahaadeeth as has preceded.

(ii) That giving silver in charity is easily managed by any person - as opposed to gold, which is more expensive.

What we should do is to work out the value of the appropriate amount of silver in modern currency. That is done by weighing the hair in grams then finding out the current value of that amount of silver. The result will then be the amount of charity that is to be given.

An example: For hair, which weighs 2.5 grams, i.e. approximately one dirham. We multiply this by the price of a gram of silver - which is not fixed - let us say that it is $0.16 per gram. Then the amount of charity to be given will be 2.5 x0.16 = 40 cents and this is an amount of charity, which will be easy for every Muslim - rich or poor.

However, if this were measured in gold, it would be harder since a gram of gold may cost about $10.00 or more, - so upon our example the amount of charity to be given if it were given in gold would be 2.5 x $10.00 = $25.00.

When a child was born Hadhrat Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz (RA.) would recite the adhaan in the child's right ear and the iqaamah in the left."

The Martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.S.)

2016-12-19T01:46:00.000-08:00

The month of Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar year. An important and tragic event took place on the tenth of Muharram that shook the Muslim world. It was the murder of Imam Husain (A.S.), his family members, and his close friends by the army of Yazid. Yazid was at that time the despotic ruler of the Muslim world, who came to power as the self-proclaimed “sixth caliph of Islam” after the death of his father, Mu’awiya. Yazid gave himself the title of ameer-ul-mu’mineen, meaning “commander of the faithful.”

Husain was one of the two grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.A.W.), and the younger of the two sons of Hazrat Fatima (A.S.), the daughter of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet loved his two grandsons, Hasan and Husain, dearly, and since he had no surviving sons of his own, he used to call them his “sons,” out of affection.

There are numerous traditions, recorded by many historians, which indicate the great love and respect the Holy Prophet had for his grandsons. According to one tradition, the Holy Prophet declared that Hasan and Husain were the “Princes of the Youth of Paradise.” Prophet Muhammad (S.A.A.W.) took his grandsons with him, along with his daughter Fatima and son-in-law Imam ‘Ali (A.S.), to face the challenge of the Christian delegation from Najrain, which had come to dispute with the Holy Prophet about his divine mission. The Christians were awe-struck at the sight of the Holy Prophet and his family, and withdrew the challenge. This event became known as Mubahila, and is recorded in the Holy Qur’an in chapter 3 verse 61.

Historical Background

During the caliphate of Imam ‘Ali, Mu’awiya declared himself the governor of Syria. After the assassination of ‘Ali by a Kharijite, ‘Ali’s elder son, Imam Hasan, succeeded him, being judged as the most qualified and deserving by the people. By this time, however, Mu’awiya had amassed enough support in and around Syria to unilaterally declare himself caliph of whole Islamic world. In order to avoid bloodshed, preserve unity, and in fact to save the religion of Islam from destruction, Imam Hasan signed a peace treaty with Mu’awiya. The treaty included these terms: (1) Mu’awiya would be the temporal political head of the Muslim empire; (2) Mu’awiya would not appoint his own successor, but would leave the caliphate to the will of the majority (which favored Imam Husain); and, (3) Mu’awiya would allow the Muslims to live in peace, free from oppression, especially those belonging to the Hashimite tribe (the tribe of the Holy Prophet and his family).

Mu’awiya violated the terms of this treaty and, near his death, designated his son Yazid as his successor. Yazid was an immoral and ruthless man with no sense of justice. He employed bribery and coercion to win support. Imam Husain, as the protector and guardian of the religion established by his noble grandfather, Prophet Muhammad (S.A.A.W.), refused to swear allegiance to him. Yazid realized that he could never legitimize and consolidate his rule without the allegiance of Imam Husain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet. Consequently, he decided that he would either force the Imam to submit to his rule, or else he would have him killed.

In the 61st year after Hijra (680 AD), Imam Husain, while performing the pilgrimage in Mecca, received the news that assassins had been sent by Yazid to kill him. Desiring to protect the sanctity of the Holy City, he interrupted his pilgrimage and headed towards Kufa, in modern-day Iraq on invitation of the people there to come and teach them about Islam. He took with him his family members and close friends, including his six-month-old infant son, Ali Asghar. His journey to Kufa was intercepted by a detachment of Yazid’s army, led by a commander named Hur. Hur had orders to re-direct the Imam to camp in the desert plains of Karbala, on the banks of the River Euphrates. In order to avoid bloodshed, Imam Husain chose not to resist, and followed Hur’s directions. He and his companions were forced to camp at a great distance from the river, which was the only source of water in the area.

On the seventh day of Muharram, Ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, ordered that food and water supplies were to be blocked from reaching Imam Husain’s camp. In the meantime, the ranks of Yazid’s army were increasing by the thousands. The blistering sun scorched the desert sand, and the thirst was becoming unbearable in Husain’s camp. The children especially were becoming dehydrated and weak, and Imam Husain pleaded with Yazid’s army to supply water at least to those children, but to no avail.

On the tenth day of Muharram, Yazid’s army was ready to attack the small band of defenders in Imam Husain’s camp. One by one, his friends and relatives took permission to go out and fight and each one laid down his life in the defense of Islam. Two of his nephews, who were only ten years old, were among the brave soldiers who died fighting. The commander of Husain’s forces was Abbas, his brother, who had inherited his chivalry from his father ‘Ali, the Lion of Allah. Abbas asked Husain’s permission to go and fight his way through to the river and bring back some water for Sakina, Husain’s four-year-old daughter, and the other children. The Imam reluctantly gave him permission to go and fetch water. Abbas took an empty flask, charged into Yazid’s army, cut through the ranks, and arrived at the river. While he filled the pitcher with water, he himself did not drink a drop, for he reasoned that he could not do so while Imam Husain, Sakina, and the others were still thirsty. Abbas did not make it back to the camp, however. The whole army of Yazid converged upon him. He died defending the precious pitcher of water.

Imam Husain’s six-month-old son, Ali Asghar, was on the verge of death from dehydration. Husain brought him out of the tent to show his pitiful condition to the soldiers in Yazid’s army, pleading for at least enough water to save the infant’s life. The enemy denied his request. A heartless archer from the enemy army shot an arrow that struck the infant, killing him in his father’s own arms.

Soon, Imam Husain was left alone to face Yazid’s army, since all the able-bodied male members of his camp had died fighting one by one. He made a final plea to the army of Yazid, reminding them of his kinship with the Holy Prophet of Islam, the love and respect which the Holy Prophet had used to show him, and the numerous traditions in which the Holy Prophet had warned the Muslims not to disobey or injure him. He reminded them of his desire to uphold the truth and his status as one of the true protectors of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. He asked to be allowed to leave the Muslim kingdom, so that Yazid would not perceive him as a threat to his power. Finally, he clearly warned them that by shedding his blood, they would be subjected to the wrath of Allah (S.W.T.) and they would lose any hope of the intercession of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.A.W.). The commanders of the opposing army were unmoved, and reiterated their desire to kill Imam Husain unless he chose to submit to the authority of Yazid. Husain was left with no choice but to take a firm and final stand against falsehood, and to fight for the preservation of Islam. He fought bravely, and in the end he achieved martyrdom.

The Significance of Imam Husain’s Martyrdom

Immediate outcome of Imam Husain’s actions: Muslims and non-Muslims alike have acknowledged that Imam Husain saved Islam from destruction by sacrificing his life. Yazid had been successful in winning over the allegiance of the great majority of Muslims, and the rest of the Muslim world was in a state of moral slumber. The principles of Islam were being plundered, the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet was being tampered with, and phony traditions were being concocted to justify the rule of Yazid. It was the singular sacrifice of Imam Husain and his faithful followers that shook the Islamic world out of its slumber. The Muslims were forced to ask themselves why the beloved grandson of the Holy Prophet had been murdered so brutally. It then dawned upon the people what the true nature of Yazid and his supporters was.

Long term outcome of Imam Husain’s actions: Imam Husain, by challenging Yazid and in the process laying down his life, changed the world and re-shaped human destiny forever. Yazid, and indeed all future despots, were put on notice that they would not be tolerated, and that truth and justice would be upheld and would ultimately succeed, regardless of the costs. The Iranian revolution that uprooted and overthrew an unjust government, and the liberation of Lebanon from foreign occupation are two of the more recent exemplars of these principles laid down by Imam Husain.

Imam Husain’s Philosophy:

Professor Syed Jafar Raza Bilgirami beautifully describes Imam Husain’s philosophy. He states that at Karbala, Imam Husain came to rebuild a system of life. He gave a practical embodiment to the rational concept of justice. He successfully placed the spirit (savage, war-making qualities in man) and the appetite (greed for material things and lust for power) under the command of reason (‘Aql). In Karbala, he formulated a new code of life to safeguard the peace and security of human society for all times to come.

Imam Husain’s Foresight and Planning for the Battle of Karbala:

Imam Husain chose not to flee or hide from Yazid, because that would not have exposed Yazid’s corruption of Islam and would have served to legitimize his unjust rule. He knew that by rejecting Yazid’s demands, he would most likely be killed. However, he also did not want to die like any other martyr. He wanted his death to serve as a starting point for a revolution that would strengthen justice and oppose tyranny for all times to come. This type of stance needed planning and wisdom. As pointed out by scholars, Imam Husain’s planning encompassed three factors:

1. The choice of location;

2. The choice of companions; and,

3. Foolproof arrangements for passing on the event to the annals of history.

The Choice of Location:

Imam Husain chose not to stay in Mecca because he did not want his blood to desecrate the Holy Precincts. Besides, if he were to be killed by hired assassins, then the killers’ motives would not be clear and his death would fade away on the pages of history. So he chose to travel to Iraq (the den of the tyrant himself), where his mission would receive the maximum publicity, and where Yazid’s evil would be best exposed. The events of history proved that Imam Husain was right.

The Choice of Companions:

Hujjatul-Islam Maulana Ali Naqvi has written that in Karbala, the largest number of true Muslims gathered in the entire history of Islam. Imam Husain was not seeking the best fighters, since his goal was not to fight to win a physical war. He was looking for men of principle, true Muslims, firm and patient, who would go through the utmost hardships successfully.

His companions included men of different tribes, coming from different parts of Arabia and beyond. They included, among others, an elderly companion of the Holy Prophet, some liberated slaves, and a young newlywed Christian couple. The age of his supporters ranged from six months to a ripe old age of over 90.

The heterogeneity of Imam Husain’s supporting group indicates that he did not want the confrontation with Yazid to be misrepresented as a struggle between two clans, or a campaign for gaining power.

Preserving His Sacrifice in the Annals of History:

Imam Husain took women, children, and all of his family members with him. This strategy ensured that after his death, his message would be spread through his family members, and that Yazid would not be able to suppress the truth or falsify Imam Husain’s motives. History proves that it was a brilliant move. His sister Zainab (A.S.), through her scholarly and bold speeches, and with no fear of the tyrant Yazid, eloquently proclaimed the truth and exposed the falsehood of Yazid in his own court. He was speechless and humiliated before her. His court was full of dignitaries, both local and from other nation-states, and his own supporters. They were shocked to hear the truth put forth so forcefully, and many were brought to tears. The same scene was repeated in the bazaars and marketplaces of the country, all along the travel route of the surviving captives. Husain had laid the foundation of the revolution with his blood. His sister Zainab stirred the revolution with her oratory. That revolution changed the world forever.

Statements of Historians and World Leaders:

This unique historical sacrifice of Imam Husain and his small band of 71 male supporters has caught the attention of historians, scholars, and writers throughout the world, in all periods of history. Some of the more notable quotes and insights are given below:

“Of that gallant band, male and female knew that the enemy forces around were implacable, and were not only ready to fight, but to kill. Denied even water for the children, they remained parched under the burning sun and scorching sands, yet not one faltered for a moment. Husain marched with his little company, not to glory, not to power of wealth, but to a supreme sacrifice, and every member bravely faced the greatest odds without flinching.” - Dr. K. Sheldrake

“If Husain had fought to quench his worldly desires, as alleged by certain Christian critics, then I do not understand why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for Islam.” - Charles Dickens

“The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Cerebella is that Husain and his companions were rigid believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority does not count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Husain, despite his minority, marvels me!” - Thomas Carlyle

“In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Husain will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.” - Edward Gibbon

“The tragedy of Karbala decided not only the fate of the Caliphate, but also of Mohammadan kingdoms long after the Caliphate had waned and disappeared.” - William Muir

“Imam Husain uprooted despotism forever, till the Day of Resurrection. He watered the dry gardens of freedom with a surging wave of his blood, and indeed he awakened the sleeping Muslim nation. If Imam Husain had aimed at acquiring the worldly empire, he would not have traveled the way he did. Husain weltered in blood and dust for the sake of truth. Verily, therefore, he becomes the foundation of the Muslim creed ‘La Ilaha Il-lallah,’ meaning, there is no deity but Allah (God).” - Sir Mohammad Iqbal

“A reminder of that blood-stained field of Karbala, where the grandson of the Apostle of God fell, at length, tortured by thirst, and surround by the bodies of his murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then, sufficient to evoke, even in the most lukewarm and the heedless, the deepest emotion, the most frantic grief, and an exaltation of spirit before which pain, danger, and death shrink to unconsidered trifles.” - Browne’s History of Persia

References:

The Martyrdom of Imam Husain by Yousef N. Laljee

The Spirit of Islam by Ameer Ali

Imam Husain and Planning of the Incident of Karbala by S.G. Haider

Imam Husain and His System of Life by Syed Jafar Raza Bilgirami

The Political System in Islam - Islam a Total Way of Life

2016-12-15T23:19:00.000-08:00

The West makes a natural mistake in their understanding of Islamic tradition, assuming that religion means the same for Muslims as it has meant for most other religious adherents ever since the industrial revolution, and for some societies, even before that; that is: a section of life reserved for certain matters, and separate from other sections of life. This is not the Islamic world view. It never has been in the past, and modern attempts of making it so are seen as an aberration.

Islam: A Total Way of Life

Islam is a “total way of life.” It has provided guidance in every sphere of life, from individual cleanliness, rules of trade, to the structure and politics of the society. Islam can never be separated from social, political, or economic life, since religion provides moral guidance for every action that a person takes. The primary act of faith is to strive to implement God's will in both private and public life. Muslims see that they, themselves, as well as the world around them, must be in total submission to God and his Will. Moreover, they know that this concept of His rule must be established on earth in order to create a just society. Like Jews and Christians before them, Muslims have been called into a covenant relationship with God, making them a community of believers who must serve as an example to other nations by creating a moral social order. God tells the Muslim global nation:

“You are the best community raised for mankind, enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong…” (Quran 3:110)

Throughout history, being a Muslim has meant not only belonging to a religious community of fellow believers but also living under the Islamic Law. For Islamic Law is believed to be an extension of God’s absolute sovereignty.

God is the Only Sovereign

God is the absolute sovereign in Islam, and is therefore the only Lord of heaven and earth. Just as He is the Lord of the physical universe, to the true Muslim believers, God is the Lawgiver for every area of human life. Just as He is the Master of the physical world, God is the Ruler of the affairs of men in Islamic doctrine. Thus God is the supreme Lawgiver[1], the Absolute Judge, and the Legislator Who distinguishes right from wrong. Just like the physical world inevitably submits to its Lord by following the ‘natural’ laws of the universe, human beings must submit to the moral and religious teaching of their Lord, the One Who sets right apart from wrong for them. In other words, God alone has the authority to make laws, determine acts of worship, decide morals, and set standards of human interaction and behavior. This is because,

“His is the Creation and Command.” (Quran 7:54)

The Separation of Institutional Religion & the State
As we have mentioned, in Islam God is acknowledged the sole sovereign of human affairs, so there has never been a distinction between religious and state authority. In Christendom, the distinction between the two authorities are said to be based upon records in the New Testament of Jesus, asking his followers to render unto Caesar what was his and unto God what was His. Therefore throughout Christian history until the present times, there have always been two authorities: ‘God and Caesar’, or ‘the church and state.’ Each had its own laws and jurisdictions, each its own structure and hierarchy. In the pre-westernized Islamic world there were never two powers, and the question of separation never arose. The distinction so deeply rooted in Christendom between church and state has never existed in Islam.

The Vision of an Islamic State

The vision of an Islamic state and the purpose of its political authority is to implement the divine law. Thus, the ideal Islamic state is a community governed by the Law revealed by God. This does not entail that such a state is necessarily a theocracy under direct rule of the learned men of religion, nor is it an autocracy that vests absolute power in the ruler. The function of the Islamic state is to provide security and order so that Muslims can carry out both their religious and worldly duties. The Caliph[2] is the guardian of faith and the community. His role is not so much checked by the ulama (religious scholars), but enhanced by them because they provide him religious and legal counsel. He also appoints judges who resolve disputes in accordance with Islamic Law. There is a certain level of flexibility in regards to the system of governance and its establishment in Islam, however, religion must be implemented fully into state and society.

The Fourth Caliph, Ali (656-661 A.C.)

2016-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Ali's Election

After Uthman's martyrdom, the office of the caliphate remained unfilled for two or three days. Many people insisted that Ali should take up the office, but he was embarrassed by the fact that the people who pressed him hardest were the rebels, and he therefore declined at first. When the notable Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) urged him, however, he finally agreed.

Muhammad Ibnu Al- Hanafiah (Ali's son) said: I have been with my father (Ali) when Uthman was killed, the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) came to Ali and said: This man was killed (they mean Uthman) and the people should have an Imam, we do not find anyone who deserves this position more than you... Ali said: Do not do it (giving the bay'ah) I am better as a wazeer (minister) than as an Amir. They said we are not leaving until we give you the bay'ah. He said: Then it should be in the mosque, my bay'ah should not be hidden and it should be after the consent of the Muslims. (see Tareekh Al-Tabari, vol. 3, page 450, see also Al-Bay'ah Fi Al-fikr Al- Siasi Al-Islami, "The bay'ah in the Islamic political thinking", by Mahmoud Al-Khalidi, page 107-108).

According to Muslim chronicles, Ali was a trusted advisor of the first three caliphs on legal matters; however, with regard to administrative and political matters, Ali disagreed vehemently with his predecessors, and during Uthman's reign (644-656) he aligned himself with the opposition. His failure to punish Uthman's murderers after his accession in 656 provoked outrage.

Ali's Life

The fourth caliph (655-661) and Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law. Ali converted to Islam shortly after Muhammad's wife, Khadija; he was at that time a boy of eleven years old. When Muhammad emigrated to Medina in 622, Ali was chosen to stay behind and occupy his bed in order to thwart an attempt on Muhammad's life. More than that, he had grown up in the Prophet's own household, later married his youngest daughter, Fatima, and remained in closest association with him for nearly thirty years.

Ali was ten years old when the Divine Message came to Muhammad (peace be on him). One night he saw the Prophet and his wife Khadijah bowing and prostrating. He asked the Prophet about the meaning of their actions. The Prophet told him that they were praying to God Most High and that Ali too should accept Islam. Ali said that he would first like to ask his father about it. He spent a sleepless night, and in the morning he went to the Prophet and said, "When God created me He did not consult my father, so why should I consult my father in order to serve God?" and he accepted the truth of Muhammad's message.

When the Divine command came, "And warn thy nearest relatives" [26:214], Muhammad (peace be on him) invited his relatives for a meal. After it was finished, he addressed them and asked, "Who will join me in the cause of God?" There was utter silence for a while, and then Ali stood up. "I am the youngest of all present here," he said, "My eyes trouble me because they are sore and my legs are thin and weak, but I shall join you and help you in whatever way I can." The assembly broke up in derisive laughter. But during the difficult wars in Mecca, Ali stood by these words and faced all the hardships to which the Muslims were subjected. He slept in the bed of the Prophet when the Quraish planned to murder Muhammad. It was he to whom the Prophet entrusted, when he left Mecca, the valuables which had been given to him for safekeeping, to be returned to their owners.

Apart from the expedition of Tabuk, Ali fought in all the early battles of Islam with great distinction, particularly in the expedition of Khaybar. It is said that in the Battle of Uhud he received more than sixteen wounds.

The Prophet (peace be on him) loved Ali dearly and called him by many fond names. Once the Prophet found him sleeping in the dust. He brushed off Ali's clothes and said fondly, "Wake up, Abu Turab (Father of Dust)." The Prophet also gave him the title of 'Asadullah' ('Lion of God').

Ali's humility, austerity, piety, deep knowledge of the Qur'an and his sagacity gave him great distinction among the Prophet's Companions. Abu Bakr, 'Umar and Uthman consulted him frequently during their caliphates. Many times 'Umar had made him his vice-regent at Medina when he was away. Ali was also a great scholar of Arabic literature and pioneered in the field of grammar and rhetoric. His speeches, sermons and letters served for generations afterward as models of literary expression. Many of his wise and epigrammatic sayings have been preserved. Ali thus had a rich and versatile personality. In spite of these attainments he remained a modest and humble man. Once during his caliphate when he was going about the marketplace, a man stood up in respect and followed him. "Do not do it," said Ali. "Such manners are a temptation for a ruler and a disgrace for the ruled."

Ali and his household lived extremely simple and austere lives. Sometimes they even went hungry themselves because of Ali's great generosity, and none who asked for help was ever turned away from his door. His plain, austere style of living did not change even when he was ruler over a vast domain.

Ali's Caliphate

As mentioned previously, Ali accepted the caliphate very reluctantly. Uthman's murder and the events surrounding it were a symptom, and also became a cause, of civil strife on a large scale. Ali felt that the tragic situation was mainly due to inept governors. He therefore dismissed all the governors who had been appointed by Uthman and appointed new ones. All the governors excepting Muawiya, the governor of Syria, submitted to his orders. Muawiya declined to obey until Uthman's blood was avenged. The Prophet's widow Aisha also took the position that Ali should first bring the murderers to trial. Due to the chaotic conditions during the last days of Uthman it was very difficult to establish the identity of the murderers, and Ali refused to punish anyone whose guilt was not lawfully proved. Thus a battle between the army of Ali and the supporters of Aisha took place. Aisha later realized her error of judgment and never forgave herself for it.

The situation in Hijaz (thc part of Arabia in which Mecca and Medina are located) became so troubled that Ali moved his capital to Iraq. Muawiya now openly rebelled against Ali and a fierce battle was fought between their armies. This battle was inconclusive, and Ali had to accept the de facto government of Muawiya in Syria.

However, even though the era of Ali's caliphate was marred by civil strife, he nevertheless introduced a number of reforms, particularly in the levying and collecting of revenues.

The Death of Ali

It was the fortieth year of Hijra. A fanatical group called Kharijites, consisting of people who had broken away from Ali due to his compromise with Muawiya, claimed that neither Ali, the Caliph, nor Muawiya, the ruler of Syria, nor Amr bin al-Aas, the ruler of Egypt, were worthy of rule. In fact, they went so far as to say that the true caliphate came to an end with 'Umar and that Muslims should live without any ruler over them except God. They vowed to kill all three rulers, and assassins were dispatched in three directions.

The assassins who were deputed to kill Muawiya and Amr did not succeed and were captured and executed, but Ibn-e-Muljim, the assassin who was commissioned to kill Ali, accomplished his task. One morning when Ali was absorbed in prayer in a mosque, Ibn-e-Muljim stabbed him with a poisoned sword. On the 20th of Ramadan, 40 A.H., died the last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs of Islam. May God Most High be pleased with them and grant to them His eternal reward.

The detailed study of the bay'ah of the first four Khulafah gives us the outline for a method to choose the Khalifah in our contemporary times. First of all no one can become Khalifah without the bay'ah (pledge) of the people. This bay'ah is valid if it taken without any force. The matter of bay'ah proceeds after debate to establish suitable candidates, then one of them is elected as a Khalifah, then the bay'ah is taken for him from the people. Although this matter was evident in the consultations made for Abu Bakr, it is very clear in the case of the bay'ah given to Uthman as discussed in the previous message. In the case of Uthman the nominees for the Khilafah were limited to the group named by Umar after the Muslims had asked him to do so. Abdul Rahman ibn Auf, after he withdrew himself from the nomination to the Khilafah, took the opinion of the Muslims about who would be the Khalif. He then announced the name of the person who the Muslims wanted after consulting with them. After he announced the name of the person who the people wanted, the bay'ah was given to him and he became Khalif by this bay'ah.

Therefore the Hukm shari'i (Sharia rule) concerning the appointment of the Khalifah is to limit the nominees for the Khilafah by those who represent the opinion of the majority of the Muslims. Then their names are displayed to the Muslims and they are asked to select one of the nominees to be Khalifah for all. Then it is determined whom the majority of the Muslims have chosen, and the bay'ah from all Muslims is taken for him, whether each person had specifically chosen him or not. This is the method because of the Ijma' of the Sahabah (consensus of the Sahabah) about Umar limiting the nominees for the Khilafah to specific number of persons (in that case it is six, but the exact number is not important) and the consensus of the Sahabah that Abdul Rahman takes the opinion of all the Muslims about who will be the Khalif for them, and the consensus to give the bay'ah to the one who Abdul Rahman announced as the person elected by the Muslims as a Khalif is clear when he said "I viewed the matter of the people and did not see them compare anyone with Uthman." All these points clarify the Hukum shari'i concerning the appointment of the Khalif.

Conclusion

With the death of Ali, the first and most notable phase in the history of Muslim peoples came to an end. All through this period it had been the Book of God and the practices of His Messenger - that is, thc Qur'an and the Sunnah - which had guided the leaders and the led, set the standards of their moral conduct and inspired their actions. It was the time when the ruler and the ruled, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, were uniformly subject to the Divine Law. It was an epoch of freedom and equality, of God-consciousness and humility, of social justice which recognized no privileges, and of an impartial law which accepted no pressure groups or vested interests.

After Ali, Muawiya assumed the caliphate and thereafter the caliphate became hereditary, passing from one king to another.

The Third Caliph, Uthman (644-656 A.C.)

2016-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Uthman's Election

When Umar was stabbed,the Muslims asked him to appoint a successor for him but he refused. They insisted, so he mentioned six of the Sahabah. After his death, the nominees appointed one of them as a representative who was Abdul Rahman Ibn Auf. He referred to the opinion of the Muslims and consulted them. Then he declared the bay'ah to Uthman. The Muslims stood up and gave their pledge to Uthman, and their by he became a Khalif by the pledge of the Muslims and not by the announcement of Abdul Rahman. In the following two Hadiths Umar first does not appoint anyone and in the next Hadith Umar mentioned the name of the six people. In Muslim he reported the same thing in a different Hadith. But from both, Al-Bukhari and Muslim, we find that Umar appointed the six people after the Sahabah insisted on him to do so.

Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: It was said to 'Umar, "Will you appoint your successor?" Umar said, "If I appoint a Caliph (as my successor) it is true that somebody who was better than I (i.e., Abu Bakr) did so, and if I leave the matter undecided, it is true that somebody who was better than I (i.e., Allah's Apostle) did so." On this, the people praised him. 'Umar said, "People are of two kinds: Either one who is keen to take over the Caliphate or one who is afraid of assuming such a responsibility. I wish I could be free from its responsibility in that I would receive neither reward nor retribution I won't bear the burden of the caliphate in my death as I do in my life."

Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Amr bin Maimun when Umar was stabbed to death: "The people realized that he would die... The people said (to 'Umar), "O chief of the believers! Appoint a successor." Umar said, "I do not find anyone more suitable for the job than the following persons or group whom Allah's Apostle had been pleased with before he died." Then 'Umar mentioned 'Ali, 'Uthman AzZubair, Talha, Sad and 'Abdur-Rahman (bin Auf) and said,"Abdullah bin 'Umar will be a witness to you, but he will have no share in the rule.

His being a witness will compensate him for not sharing the right of ruling. If Sad becomes the ruler, it will be alright: otherwise, whoever becomes the ruler should seek his help, as I have not dismissed him because of disability or dishonesty." 'Umar added, "I recommend that my successor takes care of the early emigrants; to know their rights and protect their honour and sacred things. I also recommend that he be kind to the Ansar who had lived in Medina before the emigrants and Belief had entered their hearts before them.

I recommend that the (ruler) should accept the good of the righteous among them and excuse their wrong-doers, and I recommend that he should do good to all the people of the towns (Al-Ansar), as they are the protectors of Islam and the source of wealth and the source of annoyance to the enemy. I also recommend that nothing be taken from them except from their surplus with their consent. I also recommend that he do good to the 'Arab bedouin, as they are the origin of the 'Arabs and the material of Islam.

He should take from what is inferior, amongst their properties and distribute that to the poor amongst them. I also recommend him concerning Allah's and His Apostle's protectees (i.e. Dhimmis) to fulfil their contracts and to fight for them and not to overburden them with what is beyond their ability." So when 'Umar expired, we carried him out and set out walking. 'Abdullah bin 'Umar greeted ('Aisha) and said,"'Umar bin Al-Khattab asks for the permission." 'Aisha said, "Bring him in." He was brought in and buried beside his two companions.

When he was buried, the group (recommended by 'Umar) held a meeting. Then 'Abdur-Rahman said, "Reduce the candidates for rulership to three of you." Az-Zubair said, "I give up my right to Ali." Talha said, "I give up my right to 'Uthman," Sad, 'I give up my right to 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf." Abdur-Rahman thensaid (to 'Uthman and 'Ali), "Now which of you is willing to give up his right of candidacy to that he may choose the better of the (remaining) two, bearing in mind that Allah and Islam will be his witnesses." So both the sheiks (i.e. 'Uthman and 'Ali) kept silent.

'Abdur-Rahman said, "Will you both leave this matter to me, and I take Allah as my Witness that I will not choose but the better of you?" They said, "Yes." So 'Abdur-Rahman took the hand of one of them (i.e. 'Ali) and said, "You are related to Allah's Apostle and one of the earliest Muslims as you know well. So I ask you by Allah to promise that if I select you as a ruler you will do justice, and if I select 'Uthman as a ruler you will listen to him and obey him." Then he took the other (i.e. 'Uthman) aside and said the same to him. When 'Abdur-Rahman secured (their agreement to) this covenant, he said, "O 'Uthman! Raise your hand." So he (i.e. 'Abdur-Rahman) gave him (i.e. 'Uthman) the solemn pledge, and then 'Ali gave him the pledge of allegiance and then all the (Medina) people gave him the pledge of allegiance.

The details of what Abdul Rahman did is clear in the next narration. Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Al-Miswar bin Makhrama: The group of people whom 'Umar had selected as candidatesfor the Caliphate gathered and consulted each other. Abdur-Rahman said to them, "I am not going to compete with you in this matter, but if you wish, I would select for you a caliph from among you."

So all of them agreed to let 'Abdur-Rahman decide the case. So when the candidates placed the case in the hands of 'Abdur-Rahman, the people went towards him and nobody followed the rest of the group nor obeyed any after him. So the people followed 'Abdur-Rahman and consulted him all those nights till there came the night we gave the oath of allegiance to 'Uthman. Al-Miswar (bin Makhrama) added: 'Abdur-Rahman called on me after a portion of the night had passed and knocked on my door till I got up, and he said to me, "I see you have been sleeping! By Allah, during the last three nights I have not slept enough.

Go and call Az-Zubair and Sa'd.' So I called them for him and he consulted them and then called me saying, 'Call 'Ali for me." I called 'Ali and he held a private talk with him till very late at night, and then 'Al, got up to leave having had much hope (to be chosen as a Caliph) but 'Abdur-Rahman was afraid of something concerning 'Ali. 'Abdur-Rahman then said to me, "Call 'Uthman for me."

I called him and he kept on speaking to him privately till the Mu'adhdhin put an end to their talk by announcing the Adhan for the Fajr prayer. When the people finished their morning prayer and that (six men) group gathered near the pulpit, 'Abdur-Rahman sent for all the Muhajirin (emigrants) and the Ansar present there and sent for the army chief who had performed the Hajj with 'Umar that year. When all of them had gathered, 'Abdur-Rahman said, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah," and added, "Now then, O 'Ali, I have looked at the people's tendencies and noticed that they do not consider anyboy equal to 'Uthman, so you should not incur blame (by disagreeing). "Then 'Abdur-Rahman said (to 'Uthman), "I gave the oath of allegiance to you on condition that you will follow Allah's Laws and the traditions of Allah's Apostle and the traditions of the two Caliphs after him." So 'Abdur-Rahman gave the oath of allegiance to him, and so did the peopleincluding the Muhajirin (emigrants) and the Ansar and the chiefs of the army staff and all the Muslims.

Uthman's Life

Uthman bin Affan was born seven years after the Holy Prophet (peace be on him). He belonged to the Omayyad branch of the Quraish tribe. He learned to read and write at an early age, and as a Islam Uthman had been noted for his truthfulness and integrity. He and Abu Bakr were close friends, and it was Abu Bakr who brought him to Islam when he was thirty-four years of age. Some years later he married the Prophet's second daughter, Ruqayya. In spite of his wealth and position, his relatives subjected him to torture because he had embraced Islam, and he was forced to emigrate to Abyssinia. Some time later he returned to Mecca but soon migrated to Medina with the other Muslims. In Medina his business again began to flourish and he regained his former prosperity. Uthman's generosity had no limits. On various occasions he spent a great portion of his wealth for the welfare of the Muslims, for charity and for equipping the Muslim armies. That is why he came to be known as 'Ghani' meaning 'Generous.'

Uthman's wife, Ruqayya was seriously ill just before the Battle of Badr and he was excused by the Prophet (peace be on him) from participating in the battle. The illness Ruqayya proved fatal, leaving Uthman deeply grieved. The Prophet was moved and offered Uthman the hand of another of his daughters, Kulthum. Because he had the high privilege of having two daughters of the Prophet as wives Uthman was known as 'The Possessor of the Two Lights. '

Uthman participated in the Battles of Uhud and the Trench. After the encounter of the Trench, the Prophet (peace be on him) determined to perform Hajj and sent Uthman as his emissary to the Quraish in Mecca, who detained him. The episode ended in a treaty with the Meccans known as the Treaty of Hudaibiya.

The portrait we have of Uthman is of an unassuming, honest, mild, generous and very kindly man, noted especially for his modesty and his piety. He often spent part of the night in prayer, fasted every second or third day, performed hajj every year, and looked after the needy of the whole community. In spite of his wealth, he lived very simply and slept on bare sand in the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque. Uthman knew the Qur'an from memory and had an intimate knowledge of the context and circumstances relating to each verse.

Uthman's Caliphate

During Uthman's rule the characteristics of Abu Bakr's and Umar's caliphates - impartial justice for all, mild and humane policies, striving in the path of Allah, and the expansion of Islam - continued. Uthman's realm extended in the west to Morocco, in the east to Afghanistan, and in the north to Armenia and Azerbaijan. During his caliphate a navy was organized, administrative divisions of the state were revised, and many public projects were expanded and completed. Uthman sent prominent Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) as his personal deputies to various provinces to scrutinize the conduct of officials and the condition of the people.

Uthman's most notable contribution to the religion of Allah was the compilation of a complete and authoritative text of the Qur'an. A large number of copies of this text were made and distributed all over the Muslim world.

Uthman ruled for twelve years. The first six years were marked by internal peace and tranquility, but during the second half of his caliphate a rebellion arose. The Jews and the Magians, taking advantage of dissatisfaction among the people, began conspiring against Uthman, and by publicly airing their complaints and grievances, gained so much sympathy that it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe.

It may seem surprising that a ruler of such vast territories, whose armies were matchless, was unable to deal with these rebels. If Uthman had wished, the rebellion could have been crushed at the very moment it began. But he was reluctant to be the first to shed the blood of Muslims, however rebellious they might be. He preferred to reason with them, to persuade them with kindness and generosity. He well remembered hearing the Prophet (peace be on him) say, "Once the sword is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day."

The rebels demanded that he abdicate and some of the Companions advised him to do so. He would gladly have followed this course of action, but again he was bound by a solemn pledge he had given to the Prophet. "Perhaps Allah will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman" the Prophet had told him once, "and if the people want you to take it off, do not take it off for them." Uthman said to a well-wisher on a day when his house was surrounded by the rebels, "Allah's Messenger made a covenant with me and I shall show endurance in adhering to it."

After a long siege, the rebels broke into Uthman's house and murdered him. When the first assassin's sword struck Uthman, he was reciting the verse, "Verily, Allah sufficeth thee; He is the All-Hearing,the All-Knowing" [Qur'an 2:137]

Uthman breathed his last on the afternoon of Friday, 17 Dhul Hijja, 35 A.H. (June. (656 A.C.). He was eighty-four years old. The power of tHe rebels was so great that Uthman's body lay unburied until Saturday night when he was buried in his blood-stained clothes, the shroud which befits all martyrs in the cause of Allah.

The Second Caliph, Umar (634-644 A.C.)

2016-12-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

The appointment to be Khalifah

When Abu Bakr felt that his illness was fatal he called upon the Muslims to consult them about who would become the next Khalif. He nominated Umar and Ali. Then the Muslims through three months during the life of Abu Bakr, chose Umar by their majority. Based on the consultation and the Muslims' choice he announced to them that Umar would be the Khalif after him. After the death of Abu Bakr the Muslims came to the mosque and gave the bay'ah of Khilafah to Umar so he became Khalif by this bay'ah and not by the consultations nor by the announcement of Abu Bakr. What is surprising is the claim that Abu Bakr chose Umar against the well of the Muslims. As was reported by several historians Abu Bakr consulted Uthman, Abdur-Rahman bin Auf, Ali, Usaid Ibnu Hudhair, Sai'd Ibnu Zaid and many people from Muhajireen and Ansar (see The Islamic History "Al-Tarikh Al-Islami" volume 3 by Mahmoud Shakir, page 100-104, and History of Islam "Tarikh Al- Islam", volume 1, by Hassan Ibrahim Hassan, page 173-174 and the references therein).

What was attributed on this list to Talha that he opposed appointing Umar is baseless. In the references mentioned above it is reported that a man opposed the nomination of Umar (this is used when the person is not known). Moreover, it is an opinion of one person (regardless if it is Talha or not) who opposed appointing Umar while the majority of the Muslims accepted that. How can someone then claim that appointing Umar was against the well of the Muslims just because one person opposed it. What an honest reading of the history?

It is narrated that when Abu Bakr knew the opinion of theMuslims and he wanted to announce the result of his consultations he said: O people... I have nominated a successor would you accept it. Upon that Ali said: We would not accept but Umar. (see Al-Bay'ah Fi Al-Fikr Al-Siasi Al-Islami, Mahmoud Al-Khaldi, page 165).

'Umar's Life

Umar began as an enemy to the nascent Muslim movement. According to Muslim tradition, he converted when he overheard the recitation of the Quran in his sister's house. There after, he was a staunch supporter of Muhammad and the Islamic cause.

During the lifetime of Muhammad, he participated in military expeditions and was one of Muhammad's most trusted advisors. At least three Quranic revelations are attributed to his initiative. Upon Muhammad's death in 622, it was Umar who compelled Abu Bakr to accept the caliphate.

Umar was born into a respected Quraish family thirteen years after the birth of Muhammad (peace be on him). Umar's family was known for its extensive knowledge of genealogy. When he grew up, 'Umar was proficient in this branch of knowledge as well as in swordsmanship, wrestling and the art of speaking. He also learned to read and write while still a child, a very rare thing in Mecca at that time. 'Umar earned his living as a merchant. His trade took him to many foreign lands and he met all kinds of people. This experience gave him an insight into the affairs and problems of men. Umar's personality was dynamic, self-assertive, frank and straight forward. He always spoke whatever was in his mind even if it displeased others.

'Umar was twenty-seven when the Prophet (peace be on him) proclaimed his mission. The ideas Muhammad was preaching enraged him as much as they did the other notables of Mecca. He was just as bitter against anyone accepting Islam as others among the Quraish. When his slave-girl accepted Islam he beat her until he himself was exhausted and told her, "I have stopped because I am tired, not out of pity for you." The story of his embracing Islam is an interesting one. One day, full of anger against the Prophet, he drew his sword and set out to kill him. A friend met him on the way. When 'Umar told him what he planned to do, his friend informed him that 'Umar's own sister, Fatima, and her husband had also accepted Islam. 'Umar went straight to his sister's house where he found her reading from pages of the Qur'an. He fell upon her and beat her mercilessly. Bruised and bleeding, she told her brother, "Umar, you can do what you like, but you cannot turn our hearts away from Islam." These words produced a strange effect upon 'Umar. What was this faith that made even weak women so strong of heart? He asked his sister to show him what she had been reading; he was at once moved to the core by the words of the Qur'an and immediately grasped their truth. He went straight to the house where the Prophet was staying and vowed allegiance to him.

Umar made no secret of his acceptance of Islam. He gathered the Muslims and offered prayers at the Ka'aba. This boldness and devotion of an influential citizen of Mecca raised the morale of the small community of Muslims. Nonetheless 'Umar was also subjected to privations, and when permission for emigration to Medina came, he also left Mecca. The soundness of 'Umar's judgment, his devotion to the Prophet (peace be on him), his outspokenness and uprightness won for him a trust and confidence from the Prophet which was second only to that given to Abu Bakr. The Prophet gave him the title 'Farooq' which means the 'Separator of Truth from False hood.' During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, 'Umar was his closest assistant and adviser. When Abu Bakr died, all the people of Medina swore allegiance to 'Umar, and on 23 Jamadi-al-Akhir, 13 A.H., he was proclaimed Caliph.

'Umar's Caliphate

After taking charge of his office, 'Umar spoke to the Muslims of Medina:

"...O people, you have some rights on me which you can always claim. One of your rights is that if anyone of you comes to me with a claim, he should leave satisfied. Another of your rights is that you can demand that I take nothing unjustly from the revenues of the State. You can also demand that... I fortify your frontiers and do not put you into danger. It is also your right that if you go to battle I should look after your families as a father would while you are away. "O people, remain conscious of Allah, forgive me my faults and help me in my task. Assist me in enforcing what is good and forbidding what is evil. Advise me regarding the obligations that have been imposed upon me by Allah..."

The most notable feature of 'Umar's caliphate was the vast expansion of Islam. Apart from Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine and Iran also came under the protection of the Islamic government. But the greatness of 'Umar himself lies in the quality of his rule. He gave a practical meaning to the Qur'anic injunction:

"O you who believe, stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it concerns rich or poor, for Allah can best protect both." [Qur'an 4:135]

Once a woman brought a claim against the Caliph 'Umar. When 'Umar appeared on trial before the judge, the judge stood up as a sign of respect toward him. 'Umar reprimanded him, saying, "This is the first act of injustice you did to this woman!"

He insisted that his appointed governors live simple lives, keep no guard at their doors and be accessible to the people at all times, and he himself set the example for them. Many times foreign envoys and messengers sent to him by his generals found him resting under a palm tree or praying in the mosque among the people, and it was difficult for them to distinguish which man was the Caliph. He spent many a watchful night going about the streets of Medina to see whether anyone needed help or assistance. The general social and moral tone of the Muslim society at that time is well-illustrated by the words of an Egyptian who was sent to spy on the Muslims during their Egyptian campaign. He reported:

"I have seen a people, every one of whom loves death more than he loves life. They cultivate humility rather than pride. None is given to material ambitions. Their mode of living is simple... Their commander is their equal. They make no distinction between superior and inferior, between master and slave. When the time of prayer approaches, none remains behind..."

'Umar gave his government an administrative structure. Departments of treasury, army and public revenues were established. Regular salaries were set up for soldiers. A popuation census was held. Elaborate land surveys were conducted to assess equitable taxes. New cities were founded. The areas which came under his rule were divided into provinces and governors were appointed. New roads were laid, canals were lug and wayside hotels were built. Provision was made for he support of the poor and the needy from public funds. He defined, by precept and by example, the rights and privileges of non-Muslims, an example of which is the following contract with the Christians of Jerusalem:

"This is the protection which the servant of Allah, 'Umar, the Ruler of the Believers has granted to the people of Eiliya [Jerusalem]. The protection is for their lives and properties, their churches and crosses, their sick and healthy and for all their coreligionists. Their churches shall not be used for habitation, nor shall they be demolished, nor shall any injury be done to them or to their compounds, or to their crosses, nor shall their properties be injured in any way. There shall be no compulsion for these people in the matter of religion, nor shall any of them suffer any injury on account of religion... Whatever is written herein is under the covenant of Allah and the responsibility of His Messenger, of the Caliphs and of the believers, and shall hold good as long as they pay Jizya [the tax for their defense] imposed on them."

Those non-Muslims who took part in defense together with the Muslims were exempted from paying Jizya, and when the Muslims had to retreat from a city whose non-Muslim citizens had paid this tax for their defense, the tax was returned to the non-Muslims. The old, the poor and the disabled of Muslims and non-Muslims alike were provided for from the public treasury and from the Zakat funds.

'Umar's Death

In 23 A.H., when Umar returned to Medina from Hajj;, he raised his hands and prayed,

"O Allah! I am advanced in years, my bones are weary, my powers are declining, and the people for whom I am responsible have spread far and wide. Summon me back to Thyself, my lord!" Some time later, when 'Umar went to the mosque to lead a prayer, a Magian named Abu Lulu Feroze, who had a grudge against 'Umar on a personal matter, attacked him with a dagger and stabbed him several times. Umar reeled and fell to the ground. When he learned that the assassin was a Magian, he sid, "Thank Allah he is not a Muslim." 'Umar died in the first week of Muharram, 24 A.H., and was buried by the side of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him).

Meet the Prophet Muhammad

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"I began to look at him and at the moon, he was wearing a red mantle, and he appeared to be more beautiful than the moon to me." (Al-Tirmidhi)

This is how Jabir ibn Samura described the Last of the Prophets, the Chief of the Pious, the Prince of the Believers, the Chosen One of the Most Merciful – Muhammad, the Messenger of God.

He had a pleasant face that was round, white, and fair. His hair fell to his ear lobes. His beard was thick and black. When he was pleased, his face would light up. His laugh was no more than smiling. His eyes were blackish, and his eyelashes were long. His long eyebrows were curved. When the eyes of Abdullah ibn Salam, the chief rabbi of Medina, fell on his face, he declared that such a noble face could not be the face of a liar!

He was of medium height, neither tall nor short. He walked inclining forward. He wore tanned leather sandals. His pants would reach to the middle of his shin or sometimes just above his ankles.

On his back, towards the left shoulder was the ‘Seal of Prophethood’. It was the size of a pigeon’s egg with spots like moles on it. His palms were described to be softer than the brocade of silk.

He was recognized by his fragrance when he approached from a distance. Drops of his perspiration were described to be like pearls. His companions collected his sweat to mix with their perfumes which made them even more fragrant!

Islamic doctrine holds if someone has been blessed with the vision of the Prophet in a dream as described, then indeed they have seen him.

He would keep silent for long periods of time and was the most dignified when silent.

When he spoke, he uttered nothing but the truth in a voice pleasing to the ears. He did not speak rapidly as many people do today; rather he spoke in a clear speech so that those who sat with him could remember it. His speech was described to be such that anyone who wished to count his words could have done so easily. His companions described him to be neither vulgar nor indecent. He neither cursed people, nor abused them. He merely reprimanded by saying:

"What is the matter with such and such people" (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The most hateful conduct to him was lying. Sometimes he used to repeat himself twice or even thrice to enable the listeners to understand him well. He would give short sermons. While delivering the sermons his eyes would become red, his voice would rise, and his emotions become visible as if he were warning of an imminent assault from an enemy.

He led a simple life without any extravagance or lavishness. He put the worldly life behind his back and turned away from it. He considered it to be a prison, not Paradise! Had he wished, he could have had anything he desired, for the keys of its treasures were presented to him, but he refused to accept them. He did not exchange his share of the life to come with the worldly life. He knew that it is a corridor, not a permanent residence. He understood fully well that it is a transit station, not a leisure park. He took it for its real worth - a summer cloud that would soon disperse.

Yet God says He enriched him from poverty:

"Did He not find you poor and enrich you?" (Quran 93:8)

Aisha, his wife, said:

"A month would pass while the family of Muhammad would not light fire in their homes. They subsisted on two things - dates and water. Some residents of Medina who were his neighbors would send milk from their sheep, which he would drink and then give to his family." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

She said the family of Muhammad never ate wheat bread to their satisfaction for three consecutive days from the time of his arrival at Medina until he passed away, about 10 years!

With all this, he would stand up in the middle of the night to offer his gratitude to his Lord in prayer. He would pray for so long that his feet would swell! When his wives would ask why he worshipped God so much, his only response would be:

"Shall I not be a thankful servant of God?" (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Omar, one of his companions, remembering the days he passed in hunger said that sometimes the Prophet did not even have rotten dates to satisfy his hunger!

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, another companion and eye-witness, says that once, when Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, awoke from sleep, the marks of the mat made out of date palm leaves on which he used to sleep were etched on his body. Abdullah complained:

"My father and mother be ransomed for you! Why did you not let us prepare something (softer) for you from which you could protect yourself?"

He replied:

"I have nothing to do with this world. I am in this world like a rider who stops under the shade of the tree for a short time and, after taking rest, he resumes his journey again, leaving the tree behind." (Al-Tirmidhi)

Various conquerors in the annals of history are known for spilling rivers of blood and erecting pyramids of skulls. Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is known for his forgiveness. He never took revenge from anyone who wronged him to the point that he never struck anybody with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant, unless he was fighting in battle. His forgiveness could be seen on the day he entered Mecca as a conqueror after eight years of exile.

He forgave those who persecuted him, and forced him and his family in exile for three years in rugged mountains, who had accused him of being a lunatic, a poet, or one possessed. He pardoned Abu Sufyan, one of the most evil of people who plotted to persecute him day and night, along with his wife, Hind, who mutilated the dead body of the Prophet’s Muslim uncle and ate the raw liver after ordering Wahshi, a fierce slave known for his fighting skills, to kill him, which later led them to accept Islam. Who else could be on such an exalted standard of character but the noblest and most truthful Messenger of God?

Wahshi, who used to live in Mecca, won his freedom from Hind for the service of killing the uncle of the Prophet. When Islam gained dominance in Mecca, Wahshi ran away from Mecca to Taif. Eventually Taif also succumbed to the Muslims. He was told Muhammad would forgive anyone who accepted Islam. Even though the crime was so great, Wahshi gathered his courage and came to the Prophet of Mercy and announced his Islam, and Muhammad forgave him.

His forgiveness even extended to Habbar ibn Aswad. When Zaynab, the Prophet’s daughter, was migrating from Mecca to Medina, the Meccans tried to stop her, Habbar was one of them. He made the Prophet’s pregnant daughter fall from her camel. As a result, she lost her baby. Running away from the guilt of his crime, Habbar fled to Iran, but God turned his heart towards the Prophet. So he came to the Prophet’s court, acknowledged his guilt, bore the testimony of faith, and was forgiven by the Prophet!

Muhammad performed physical miracles with God’s permission. He split the moon into two halves by merely pointing his finger at it. In a mystical journey known as Mi’raaj, he traveled in one night from Mecca to Jerusalem on a heavenly mount, al-Buraq, led all the Prophets in prayer, and then ascended beyond the seven heavens to meet his Lord. He cured the sick and the blind; demons would leave the possessed by his command, water flowed from his fingers, and his food would glorify God.

Yet he was the most humble of men. He sat on the ground, ate on the ground, and slept on the ground. A companion narrated that if a stranger were to enter a gathering where he was present, he would not be able to differentiate the Prophet from his companions due to his humbleness. Anas, his servant, swore that in his nine years of service, the noble Prophet never chastised him or blamed him for anything. Those around him described Muhammad to be so humble that even a little girl could hold his hand and take him wherever she wished. He used to come to the weak among the Muslims in order to visit the sick and attend their funeral processions. He used to stay at the back of the caravan to aid the weak and pray for them. He would not hesitate to walk with a widow or a poor person until he had accomplished for them what they needed. He responded to the invitation of even slaves, eating nothing more than barley bread with them.

He was the best of men to his wives. Aisha, his wife, described how humble he was:

"He used to remain busy serving and helping his household, and when the time for prayer came he would perform ablution and go for prayer. He would patch his own sandals and sew his own garments. He was an ordinary human being, searching his clothes for lice, milking his sheep, and doing his own chores." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Indeed he was the best of all people to his family. His personality was such that people were not driven away from him!

Such was the noble Prophet of God who we must love more than our own selves and whom God has described as:

"Indeed in the Messenger of God you have a good example to follow…" (Quran 33:21)

Seven Common Questions About Islam

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1. What is Islam?

Islam is the name of the religion, or more properly the ‘way of life’, which God (Allah) has revealed and which was practiced by all of the Prophets and Messengers of God that He sent to mankind. Even the name stands out unique among other religions in that it means a state of being; it does not refer to any particular person, such as Christianity, Buddhism or Zoroastrianism; a tribe like Judaism; or a nation like Hinduism. The root Arabic word from which Islam is derived implies peace, safety, salutation, protection, blamelessness, wholesomeness, submission, acceptance, surrender, and salvation. Islam specifically means being in the state of submission to God, worshipping Him Alone, and reverently accepting and obeying His Law. Through this submission, the peace, security, and wholesome well-being implied in its literal meaning is achieved. Hence, a Muslim or Muslimah is a person (male or female) in that state of submission. A person’s Islam weakens through sins, ignorance, and wrong-doing, and becomes nullified in totality by associating partners with God or disbelieving in Him.

2. What are Muslims?

The Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who is in a state of Islam (submission to the will and law of God)”. The message of Islam is meant for the entire world, and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. In actuality, over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities. Islam has always been a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed teachings and laws of God the Exalted. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts basing his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the past, even though you do not see it as much today, the word “Mohammedans” was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a misnomer, and is the result of either willful distortion or sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true, since one is not considered a Muslim if he worships anyone or anything besides God the Exalted.

3. Who is Allah?

Often one hears the Arabic word “Allah” being used in discussions regarding Islam. The word “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. As a matter of fact, the word Allah was in use far before the word God ever came into existence, since English is a relatively new language. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word “Allah” being use where the word “God” is used in English. For instance, Arabic speaking Christians say that Jesus is, according to their canon belief, the Son of Allah. In addition, the Arabic word for Almighty God, “Allah”, is quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic languages. For example, the Hebrew word for God is “Elah”. For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus. This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islam calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all the other prophets, peace be upon them.

4. Who is Muhammad?

The last and final prophet whom God sent to humanity was the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. At the age of forty, he received the revelation from God. He then spent the remaining portion of his life explaining, and living the teachings of Islam, the religion that God revealed to him. The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but primarily because he was chosen by God to be the last prophet - whose mission to guide humanity would continue until the Last Day - and because he has been sent as a mercy to all of mankind. The result of his mission has brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet. Since the beginning of time, God sent prophets to the earth, each one to his own specific nation. The Prophet Muhammad, however, was sent as the final Messenger to all of humanity.

Even though other religious communities have claimed to believe in One God, over time, some corrupted ideas entered into their beliefs and practices leading them away from the pure sincere monotheism of the prophets. Some took their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some even believed that their prophets were the manifestations of God, or “God Incarnate” or the “Son of God”. All of these misconceptions lead to the worship of created beings instead of the Creator, and contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God may be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad always emphasized that he was only a human-being with the mission of preaching and obeying God's message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as “the Messenger of God and His Slave”. Through his life and teachings, God made Muhammad the perfect example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbor, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history, and all his sayings and acts were meticulously recorded and collected. Muslims don't need to have mere ‘faith’ that he existed, or that his teachings are preserved - they know it to be a fact. God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad from distortion or from being forgotten or lost. This was necessary because God promised that Muhammad was to be the final Messenger to mankind. All of God's Messengers preached the message of Islam - i.e. submission to the law of God and the worship of God alone – but Muhammad is the last prophet of Islam who brought the final and complete message which was never to be changed until the Last Day.

5. What are the Teachings of Islam?

The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in absolute Monotheism (the Oneness of God). This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Him. Truly, believing in the Oneness of God means much more than simply believing that there is “One God” - as opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that claim belief in “One God” and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, but true monotheism is to believe that only the One True Deity is to be worshipped in accordance to the revelation He sent to His Messenger. Islam also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone. Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful.

A common misconception is the claim that God cannot forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasizing the burden and penalty of sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive humans directly, people often despair of the Mercy of God. Once they become convinced that they cannot approach God directly, they turn to false gods for help, such as heroes, political leaders, saviors, saints, and angels. We often find that the people who worship, pray to, or seek intercession from these false deities, do not consider them to be a ‘god’. They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God only to get closer to Him. In Islam, there is a clear distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no ambiguity or mystery in issues of divinity: anything that is created does not deserve to be worshipped; only Allah, the Creator, is worthy of being worshipped. Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to reach their Creator.

Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and Exalted beyond speculative comprehension, He definitely has no partners, associates, peers, antagonists or offspring. According to Muslim belief, Allah “neither begets, nor was He begotten” - neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or metaphysically. He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why Allah is also called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Allah has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the Oneness of Allah is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic belief that affects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of practical life. As a logical corollary to the Islamic belief in the Oneness of Allah, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.

6. What is the Quran?

The Quran is the final revelation of Allah to all of mankind, which was spoken by Allah the Exalted Himself and conveyed through the Arch-Angel Gabriel in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad, in sound, word and meaning. The Quran, (sometimes incorrectly spelled Koran), was then relayed to the Prophet's companions, and they diligently memorized it verbatim and meticulously complied it into written form. The Holy Quran has been continually recited by the companions of the Prophet and their successors until the present day. In short, the Quran is the revealed book of Divine scripture from Allah to all humanity for their guidance and salvation.

Today the Quran is still memorized and taught by millions of people. The language of the Quran, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people. Unlike the scriptures of some other religions, the Quran is still read in its original language by countless millions of people. The Quran is a living miracle in the Arabic language, and it is known to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact, as well as the unique knowledge that it contains. The Quran was revealed in a series of revelations to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. In contrast to many other religious books, the Quran was always believed to be the exact Word of Allah. The Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and thereafter. The entire Quran was also completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed. The Quran was always in the hands of the common believers: it was always thought to be God's word; and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved. Never was any part of it altered or decreed by any religious council. The teachings of the Quran comprise a universal scripture addressed to all of mankind and not to any particular tribe or ‘chosen people’. The message that it brings is nothing new but the same message of all of the prophets: 'submit to Allah the One God and worship Him alone and follow Allah's Messengers for success in this life and salvation in the hereafter'. As such, Allah's revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of Allah, and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent, which is articulated in the Islamic Law. The Quran contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon all of them, as well as commands and prohibitions from God. In our modern times, in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and social and political alienation, the Quranic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.

7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?

In the Holy Quran, Allah teaches human beings that they were created in order to glorify and worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. All of Allah's creatures worship him naturally and only the humans have the free will to worship Allah their Creator or to reject Him. This is a great test, but also a great honor. Since the teachings of Islam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Scripture and Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals, and for this reason it is more properly known as ‘way of life’ than a religion. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and qualities such as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness.

The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced in that human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil; it is their choice. Islam teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is their deeds and actions. However, since human beings have also been created innately weak and regularly fall into sin, they are in need of continually seeking guidance and repentance, which is, in itself , also a form of worship loved by Allah. The nature of the human being as created by God in His Majesty and Wisdom, is not inherently ‘corrupt’ or in need of repair. The avenue of repentance is always open to all. Almighty God knew that humans were going to make mistakes, so the real test is whether they seek repentance for their sins and try to avoid them, or if they prefer a life of heedlessness and sin, knowing well that it is not pleasing to God. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of Allah's rightful punishment for crimes and sins, as well as a sincere belief that Allah, in His infinite Mercy, takes pleasure in bestowing His reward for our good deeds and sincere worship to Him. A life without fear of Allah leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In the light of this fact, Islam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord, and only wicked criminals are devoid of the fear of Allah their Creator and Judge. The Holy Quran as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, also contains a great deal of teachings about life in the hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by Allah, the Absolute Sovereign King and Judge, for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Allah the Exalted will be both Absolutely Just, by only punishing the truly guilty and rebellious unrepentant criminals, and Absolutely Merciful for those people who He, in His wisdom, judges worthy of mercy. None will be judged for that which was beyond their capacity, or for that which they did not actually do. It is sufficient to say that Islam teaches that life is a test designed by Allah, the Creator, Almighty and Most Wise; and that all human beings will be accountable before Allah for what they did with their lives. A sincere belief in the life of the hereafter is the key to leading a well-balanced and moral life. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes people to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral by their blind pursuit of pleasure even at the expense of reason and ethics.

Why Islam

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Let’s talk frankly. Almost never do non-Muslims study Islam until they have first exhausted the religions of their exposure. Only after they have grown dissatisfied with the religions familiar to them, meaning Judaism, Christianity and all the fashionable “-isms”—Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism (and, as my young daughter once added, “tourism”)—do they consider Islam.

Perhaps other religions do not answer the big questions of life, such as “Who made us?” and “Why are we here?” Perhaps other religions do not reconcile the injustices of life with a fair and just Creator. Perhaps we find hypocrisy in the clergy, untenable tenets of faith in the canon, or corruption in the scripture. Whatever the reason, we perceive shortcomings in the religions of our exposure, and look elsewhere. And the ultimate “elsewhere” is Islam.

Now, Muslims would not like to hear me say that Islam is the “ultimate elsewhere.” But it is. Despite the fact that Muslims comprise one-fourth to one-fifth of the world’s population, non-Muslim media smears Islam with such horrible slanders that few non-Muslims view the religion in a positive light. Hence, it is normally the last religion seekers investigate.

Another problem is that by the time non-Muslims examine Islam, other religions have typically heightened their skepticism: If every “God-given” scripture we have ever seen is corrupt, how can the Islamic scripture be different? If charlatans have manipulated religions to suit their desires, how can we imagine the same not to have happened with Islam?

The answer can be given in a few lines, but takes books to explain. The short answer is this: There is a God. He is fair and just, and He wants us to achieve the reward of paradise. However, God has placed us in this worldly life as a test, to weed out the worthy from the unworthy. And we will be lost if left to our own devices. Why? Because we don’t know what He wants from us. We can’t navigate the twists and turns of this life without His guidance, and hence, He has given us guidance in the form of revelation.

Sure, previous religions have been corrupted, and that is one of the reasons why we have a chain of revelation. Ask yourself: wouldn’t God send another revelation if the preceding scriptures were impure? If preceding scriptures were corrupted, humans would need another revelation, to keep upon the straight path of His design.

So we should expect preceding scriptures to be corrupted, and we should expect the final revelation to be pure and unadulterated,for we cannot imagine a loving God leaving us astray. What we can imagine is God giving us a scripture, and men corrupting it; God giving us another scripture, and men corrupting it again … and again, and again. Until God sends a final revelation He promises to preserve until the end of time.

Muslims consider this final revelation to be the Holy Quran. You consider it … worth looking into. So let us return to the title of this article: Why Islam? Why should we believe that Islam is the religion of truth, the religion that possesses the pure and final revelation?

“Oh, just trust me.”

Now, how many times have you heard that line? A famous comedian used to joke that people of different cities cuss one another out in different ways. In Chicago, they cuss a person out this way, in Los Angeles they cuss a person out that way, but in New York they just say, “Trust me.”

So don’t trust me—trust our Creator. Read the Quran, read books and study good websites. But whatever you do, get started, take it seriously, and pray for our Creator to guide you.

Your life may not depend on it, but your soul most definitely does.

The Prophecies of the Quran

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The Quran contains many prophecies that have been fulfilled, but in this discussion, we will limit ourselves to only five. The first two prophecies are noteworthy: unlike any other world scripture, the Quran prophesizes its own preservation under divine care, and we will demonstrate how it actually occurred.

The Protection of the Quran from Corruption

The Quran makes a claim no other religious text makes, that God Himself will keep its text safe from alteration. God says:

"Behold, it is We Ourselves who have gradually revealed this reminder, and, behold, it is We who shall truly guard it [from all corruption]." (Quran 15:9)

The Ease of Memorizing the Quran

God has made the Quran easy to memorize:

"And in truth We have made the Quran easy to remember; who, then, is willing to take it to heart?" (Quran 54:17)

The ease with which Quran is memorized is inimitable. There is not a single scripture or religious text in the world that is as easy to memorize; even non-Arabs and children commit it to memory easily. The entire Quran is memorized by almost every Islamic scholar and hundreds of thousands of ordinary Muslims, generation after generation. Almost every Muslim has some portion of the Quran memorized to read in his prayers.

The Twofold Prophecy

Before the rise of Islam, the Romans and the Persians were two competing superpowers. Romans were led by Heraclius (610–641 CE), a Christian Emperor, whereas the Persians were Zoroastrians led by Khosrow Parviz (reigned 590–628 CE), under whom the empire achieved its greatest expansion.

In 614, the Persians conquered Syria and Palestine, taking Jerusalem, destroying the Holy Sepulcher and the ‘True Cross’ carried to Ctesiphon. Then, in 619, they occupied Egypt and Libya. Heraclius met them at Thracian Heraclea (617 or 619), but they sought to capture him, and he rode madly back to Constantinople, hotly pursued.

The Muslims were grieved by the Roman defeat as they felt spiritually closer to Christian Rome than Zoroastrian Persia, but the Meccans were naturally buoyed up by the victory of pagan Persia. To Meccans, the Roman humiliation was a sinister omen of the defeat of the Muslims at pagan hands. At the time God’s prophecy comforted the faithful:

"The Romans have been defeated - in a land close by; but they, (even) after (this) defeat of theirs, will soon be victorious- within ten years. With God is the Decision, in the past and in the future: on that Day shall the believers rejoice with the help of God. He helps whom He will, and He is the Mighty, the Most-Merciful." (Quran 30:2-4)

The Quran made a prophecy of two victories:

(i) The future Roman victory within ten years over Persians, something unimaginable at the time

(ii) The joy of the faithful on a victory over the pagans

Both of these prophecies actually occured.

In 622, Heraclius left Constantinople as prayers rose from its many sanctuaries for victory over the Persian Zoroastrians and the reconquest of Jerusalem. He devoted the next two years to campaigns in Armenia. In 627, he met the Persians near Nineveh. There, he killed three Persian generals in single combat, killed the Persian commander, and scattered the Persian host. A month later, Heraclius entered Dastagird with its stupendous treasure. Khosrow was overthrown by his son, who made peace with Heraclius. Returning to Constantinople in triumph, Heraclius was hailed as a hero.

Also, in the year 624 AH, Muslims defeated the Meccans in the first and decisive Battle at Badr.

In the words of an Indian scholar:

"…a single line of prophecy was related to four nations and the fate of two great empires. All this proves the Holy Quran to be the Book of God."

The Prophecy of Pagan Defeat

The Quran predicted the defeat of unbelievers in Mecca while Prophet Muhammad and his followers were still being persecuted by them:

"Or do they (the Meccan disbelievers) say: ‘We are a great multitude, and we shall be victorious?’ Their multitude will be defeated, , and they shall turn their backs [in flight]!" (Quran 54:45)

The prophecy was revealed in Mecca, but was fulfilled at the Battle of Badr, two years after the Prophet’s migration to the city of Medina.

The Fate of Specific Individuals

Waleed ibn Mugheera was a staunch enemy who openly ridiculed the Quran:

"Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old; this is nothing but the word of a mortal!" (Quran 74:24-25)

The Quran prophesized he will never accept Islam:

"Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire! And what will explain to thee what Hell-Fire is? It leaves naught nor does it spare aught." (Quran 74:26-28)

Waleed died in a state of disbelief as prophesized by the Quran.

Also, concerning Abu Lahab, a fiery opponent of Islam, the Quran foretold he will die opposing the religion of God:

"May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, and [indeed] he has perished. His wealth and gains will not profit him. He will be plunged in flaming Fire." (Quran 111:1-3)

Specifically, three prophecies were made about Abu Lahab:

(i) The conspiracies of Abu Lahab against the Prophet would not succeed.

(ii) His wealth and children would not benefit him.

(iii) He would die opposing God’s religion and enter the Fire.

Abu Lahab also died in a state of disbelief as prophesized by the Quran. Had Waleed or Abu Lahab accepted Islam even outwardly, they would have disproved its prophecies and thus its heavenly source!

In addition, Abu Lahab had four sons, two of whom died at a young age during his lifetime. The other two sons and a daughter embraced Islam and frustrated his hopes! Finally, he died of a plague; people would not touch his body out of fear of contamination and dumped mud and stones on him where he died to make it his grave.

A key foundation to believing that a scripture is actually a revelation of God is internal truth, whether it be in regards to occurrences in the past, to come in the future, or in contemporary ages. As one can see, there are many prophecies mentioned in that which is to come, some of which were fulfilled in the Prophet’s lifetime, or have been fulfilled since his death, while others are yet to appear.

An Unmet Challenge

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Initially, the Meccan unbelievers said Muhammad is the author of the Quran. God responded to them:

"Or do they say, ‘He himself has composed this [message]’? No, but they are not willing to believe! But then, [if they deem it the work of a mere mortal,] let them produce another discourse like it - if what they say be true! [Or do they deny the existence of God implicitly by denying the fact of His revelation?] Have they themselves been created without anything - or were they, perchance, their own creators?" (Quran 52:33-35)

First, God challenged them to produce ten chapters like the Quran:

"Or they may say, ‘He forged it,’ Say, ‘Bring ye then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than God! - If you speak the truth!’ If then they answer not your (call), know you that this revelation is sent down with the knowledge of God, and that there is no god but He! Will you then submit (to Islam)?" (Quran 11:13-14)

But, when they were unable to meet the challenge of ten chapters, God reduced it to a single chapter:

"And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down on Our slave, then produce a surah thereof and call upon your witnesses other than God, if you should be truthful. But if you do not – and you will never be able to – then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers." (Quran 2:23-24)

Finally, God foretold their eternal failure to meet the divine challenge:

"Say: ‘If all mankind and all jinn would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce its like even though they were to exert all their strength in aiding one another!’" (Quran 17:88)

The Prophet of Islam said:

"Every Prophet was given ‘signs’ because of which people believed in him. Indeed, I have been given the Divine Revelation that God has revealed to me. So, I hope to have the most followers of all the prophets on the Day of Resurrection." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The physical miracles performed by the prophets were time-specific, valid only for those who witnessed them, whereas the like of the continuing miracle of our Prophet, the Noble Quran, was not granted to any other prophet. Its linguistic superiority, style, clarity of message, strength of argument, quality of rhetoric, and the human inability to match even its shortest chapter till the end of time grant it an exquisite uniqueness. Those who witnessed the revelation and those who came after, all can drink from its fountain of wisdom. That is why the Prophet of Mercy hoped he will have the most followers of all the prophets, and prophesized that he would at a time when Muslims were few, but then they began to embrace Islam in floods. Thus, this prophecy came true.

Explanation of Quran’s Inimitability

State of the Prophet Muhammad

He was an ordinary human being.

He was illiterate. He could neither read nor write.

He was more than forty years old when he received the first revelation. Until then he was not known to be an orator, poet, or a man of letters; he was just a merchant. He did not compose a single poem or deliver even one sermon before he was chosen to be a prophet.

He brought a book attributing it to God, and all Arabs of his time were in agreement it was inimitable.

The Challenge of the Quran

The Quran puts a challenge out to anyone who opposes the Prophet. The challenge is to produce a chapter (surah) similar to it, even if it were to be a cooperative effort. A person may summon all the help he can from the physical and spiritual realms.

Why this Challenge?

First, Arabs were poets. Poetry was their supreme ornament and their most representative form of discourse. Arabic poetry was rooted in the oral; it was a voice before it acquired an alphabet. Poets could compose intricate poems spontaneously and commit thousands of lines to memory. Arabs had a complex system of evaluating a poet and the poetry to meet rigid standards. Annual competition selected the ‘idols’ of poetry, and they were engraved in gold and hung inside the Kaaba, alongside their idols of worship. The most skilled served as judges. Poets could ignite wars and bring truce between warring tribes. They described women, wine, and war like no one else.

Second, the opponents of the Prophet Muhammad were strongly determined to quash his mission in any way possible. God gave them a non-violent approach to disprove Muhammad.

Inability to Meet the Challenge and its Consequences

History is a witness that the pre-Islamic Arabs could not produce a single chapter to meet the challenge of the Quran. Instead of meeting the challenge, they chose violence and waged war against him. They, of all people, had the ability and the motive to meet the Quranic challenge, but could not do so. Had they done so, the Quran would have proven false, and the man who brought it would have been exposed as a false prophet. The fact that the ancient Arabs did not and could not meet this challenge is proof of Quran’s inimitability. Their example is of a thirsty man next to a well, the only reason he dies of thirst is if he was unable to reach the water!

Furthermore, the inability of previous Arabs to meet the challenge of the Quran implies later Arabs are less competent to meet the challenge, due to their lack the mastery of classical Arabic that the previous, ‘classical’ Arabs had. According to linguists of the Arabic language, the Arabs before and during the time of the Prophet, in exclusion to subsequent generations, had the most complete mastery of the Arabic language, its rules, meters, and rhymes. Later Arabs did not match the mastery of classical Arabs.

Lastly, the challenge is for Arabs and non-Arabs alike. If the Arabs cannot meet the challenge, the non-speakers of Arabic cannot claim to meet the challenge either. Hence, the inimitability of the Quran is established for non-Arabs as well.

What if someone were to say: ‘perhaps the challenge of the Quran was met by someone in the time of the Prophet, but the pages of history did not preserve it.’?

Since the beginning, people have reported important events to their succeeding generations, especially in that which captures attention or what people are looking out for. The Quranic challenge was well spread and well known, and had someone met it, it would have been impossible for it not to have reached us. If it has been lost in the annals of history, then, for the sake of argument, it is also possible that there was more than one Moses, more than one Jesus, and more than one Muhammad; perhaps many scriptures were also revealed to these imaginary prophets, and it is possible the world knows nothing about it! Just like these suppositions are unfounded historically, it is also unreasonable to imagine that the Quranic challenge was met without it reaching us.

Second, had they met the challenge, the Arabs would have discredited the Prophet. It would have been their biggest propaganda tool against him. Nothing like this happened, instead, they chose war.

The fact that no effort of the non-Muslim has succeeded in ‘producing a verse’ like a verse of the Quran means that either no-one has taken the Quran seriously enough to make the effort, or that they made the effort, but were not successful. This shows the inimitability of the Quran, a unique and everlasting message. The uniqueness of the Quran combined with the divine message it brings to mankind is a sure indication of the truth of Islam. In the face of this, every person is faced with one of the two choices. He either openly accepts the Quran is God’s Word . In doing so he must also accept that Muhammad was sent by God and was His Messenger. Or else he secretly knows the Quran is true, but he chooses in his heart to refuse it. If the seeker is honest in his seeking, he need but explore this question of its inimitability to nurture the inner certainty that he has really found the final truth in the religion it predicates.

Righteousness is Good Character

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An-Nawwas ibn Sam’aan reported that Prophet Muhammad said:

"Righteousness is good character, and sin is whatever bothers you and you do not want people to know." (Saheeh Muslim)

An-Nawwas ibn Sam’aan is a famous companion of Prophet Muhammad. He belonged to the Arab tribe of Kelaab and settled in Syria after the death of the Prophet.

His report is collected by a scholar of hadeeth named Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj, who was born in 817 CE in the city of Naishapur, in north-eastern Iran, and died there at the age of 58, in 875 CE. Muslim began studying the science of Prophetic hadeeth at the age of 15 and traveled to Iraq, Hijaz (Western Saudi Arabia), Syria, and Egypt to study under great hadeeth masters like al-Bukhari, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and others. He compiled a book containing some 9,200 hadeeths which is known as Saheeh Muslim. Muslim scholars consider it to be the most authentic compilation of Prophetic hadeeths after Saheeh al-Bukhari.

This narration is important in that it sheds light on some of the more subtle aspects of righteousness and sin, helping to define them both. Since Islam gives so much importance to the belief in and worship of One God, one may incorrectly think that this alone is enough to be righteous. This hadeeth, however, shows that one of the main consequences of correct and true belief is good character, and that it is an intrinsic aspect of the meaning of righteousness. It emphasizes some of the meanings found in the saying of God which mentions that righteousness, as well as a being a combination of correct belief and prescribed worship, is also proper conduct in human relations:

"Righteousness is not that you turn your faces to the east and the west [in prayer]. But righteous is the one who believes in God, the Last Day, the Angels, the Scripture and the Prophets; who gives his wealth in spite of love for it to kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the wayfarer, to those who ask and to set slaves free. And (righteous are) those who pray, pay alms, honor their agreements, and are patient in (times of) poverty, ailment and during conflict. Such are the people of truth. And they are the God-Fearing." (Quran 2:177)

Rather than being an end in itself, one of the main purposes of worship is to bring about traits beneficial to the self and society. God says about the salah (prayer):

"Surely, the salah prevents lewd acts and bad deeds…" (Quran 29:45)

Hence one can say without any qualms that Islam as a whole came to perfect good manners, as did the Prophet himself:

"Indeed I was only sent to complete the most noble character traits." (Saheeh Muslim)

As Islam is not a mere religion but a complete way of life, incorporating all of its various facets and aspects, good manners is actually regarded as a means of worship by which one may achieve the same reward of doing other more obvious voluntary acts of worship. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, stated:

"Through his manners and good conduct, the believer can attain the status of a person who frequently fasts and prays at night." (Abu Dawud)

Rather, the Prophet even stated it to be one of the best forms of worship, second to none but the obligatory mandates of Islam:

"On the Day of Resurrection, nothing will be heavier in the scale (of good deeds) of the believer than good conduct. God hates the one who swears and hurls obscenities." (Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi)

Through maintaining good conduct, one becomes one of the beloved servants of God. The Prophet said:

"The most beloved slaves of God to God are those who have the best manners." (Al-Hakim)

When one realizes the importance of good character and its essentiality in defining righteousness, an aspect which is the goal of Islam, this exhorts Muslims to fulfill this aspect of faith as well, since one can not become "righteous" through mere belief and devotion to God in themselves without good character.

But what is regarded as good character? We find that the Quran and Sunnah in various texts define it to be any trait that is beneficial to humans, both to oneself as well as to others, at the same time not being generally or specifically prohibited by Islam. For example, God says:

"Those who suppress their anger, and forgive other people – assuredly, God loves those who do good." (Quran 3:134)

Righteousness is dealing fairly, justly and politely with one’s family. The Prophet said:

"The believers with the most perfect faith are those with the most perfect conduct and manners. And the best ones amongst you are those who are best to their families." (Al-Tirmidhi)

Truthfulness is an essential aspect of good character which leads to Paradise. The Prophet said:

"Indeed truthfulness is righteousness, and indeed righteousness leads to Paradise." (Saheeh Muslim)

These are but a few examples of the numerous texts which define and exhort Muslims to excel in their character and manner. Although righteousness is those deeds which are naturally pleasing to the conscience of humans, religion plays a vital role in defining what it is. For example, anything of which its harm is greater than its good cannot be defined as righteousness, even if it may be otherwise regarded as goodness and righteousness. The Prophet said:

"It is not righteousness that you fast during travel." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Although fasting is one of the most meritorious of deeds, here it is not considered righteousness due to the harm it may incur to the individual and his comrades during a journey. Also, to steal from the rich in order to give to the poor may not be regarded as righteousness, as stealing has been specifically prohibited in the religion.

At the same time, a deed which may sometimes be seen as harsh may also be considered good character at times, such as striking a child at a certain age as a means of education. The Prophet said:

"Command your children to pray when they are seven, and strike them [if they do not] when they are ten…" (Abu Dawud)

For this reason, we look to divine guidance in order to define for us good manners and character, exemplified by the Prophet, as God said:

"Surely, you (O Muhammad) are upon a high standard of moral character." (Quran 68:4)

God also said:

"Indeed in the Messenger of God you have a beautiful example of conduct to follow…" (Quran 33:21)

Aisha, the wife of the noble Prophet, was asked about his character. She replied:

"His character was that of the Quran." (Saheeh Muslim, Abu Dawud) Righteousness is Good Character

The Common Origin of Humanity

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"O mankind! Be conscious of your Lord, who has created you from one soul (Adam), and out of it created its mate (Eve), and out of the two spread many men and women. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand [your rights] from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you!" (Quran 4:1)

God addresses entire humanity and asks them to be conscious of Him, to be aware of His presence. God reminds people of a forgotten reality: their earthly origins. All human beings have One God, their Creator, one father – Adam – and one mother, Eve. The plight of modernity could begin to heal if human beings remember their origins.

Human beings did not appear on this earth by their own will. Rather, someone else willed that human beings inhabit earth. Someone else willed their existence and prepared the earth and sun in perfect balance to make life possible. If people were to recall this simple fact, they would proceed in the right direction. The One who willed human existence has perfect knowledge of humanity and their strengths and their weaknesses. If humans recognized this, they would obey the One they owe their existence to.

Just like human beings have come into existence by the will of the One, human beings also trace back to the same parents. If people were to realize this, racism, ethnic superiority, and exploitation would end. Siblings would stop fighting and taking each other’s life. Siblings would realize their common Creator and be conscious of Him, and give their "kin" their due rights. Human beings would not divide themselves into casts and classes. Human beings would not let race, skin color, or national origin determine superiority.

If human beings were to realize that another soul was created from the original single soul to be its mate and to spread both men and women throughout the world, they would respect women more. Women would not have to go through centuries of oppression, and their humanity would not have been denied for centuries. Unfortunately, when human beings tried to correct one wrong, they fell into another one. They forgot that a soul was created for a soul, that a woman makes a man complete. Men and women are not engaged in an eternal battle of genders; rather, they have been created to complement and complete each other.

God lays out the social fabric of human society, which lies in the family. God could have created multiple families instead of Adam and Eve in the beginning, but He chose to create Adam and Eve, and spread humanity from their seed. Islamic ethics considers the family to be the natural basis and cornerstone of a moral society. A family consists of a human couple and their (legal) children where both the man and woman have each essential roles to play in keeping the family happy and intact.

In the latter portion of the verse is a reminder to be conscious of God, to do what is right and to stay away from wrongdoing in whose Name people take oaths, swear allegiances, and ask favors.

Lastly, the verse ends with a reminder that God is ever watchful over everything, big or small; nothing escapes His knowledge and sight. The knowledge that God is watching helps one be conscious of Him.

The Pleasure of Paradise

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The reality of Paradise is something which people will never be able to understand until they actually enter it, but God has shown us glimpses of it in the Quran. He has described it as a place essentially different to the life of this world, both in the very nature and purpose of life, as well as the types of delights which people will enjoy therein. The Quran tells people about Paradise, which God offers to them, describes its great blessings, and proclaims its beauties to everyone. It informs people that Paradise is one of two ways of life prepared for them in the afterworld, and that every good thing will be theirs in Paradise to a degree that surpasses our present ability to imagine. It also shows that Paradise is a place where all blessings have been created perfectly and where people will be offered everything their souls and hearts will desire, and that people will be far removed from want and need, anxiety or sadness, sorrow and regret. Every kind of beauty and blessing exists in Paradise and will be revealed with a perfection never seen or known before. God has prepared such blessings there as a gift, and these will be offered only to people with whom He is pleased.

But what is the nature of these delights in Paradise, and how will it be different from the delights of this world? We will try to highlight a few of these differences.

Pure delight without pain and suffering

While people in this world experience some delight, they also face much toil and suffering. If one was to scrutinize the life which they live, they will find that the amount of hardship they face is much more than the ease and comfort. As for the life of the Hereafter, there will be neither hardship nor suffering in it, and people will live therein in pure joy and delight. All the causes of sorrow, pain and suffering which people experience in this life will be absent in the Hereafter. Let’s take a look at some of these causes.

Wealth

When one thinks of success in this life, they usually conjure the image of big houses, fine jewelry and clothing, and expensive cars; financial stability is seen to be the key to a happy life. To most people, success is inseparably related to wealth, even though this is the furthest from the truth. How many times have we seen the wealthiest of people living such miserable lives, that it sometimes even leads them to commit suicide! Wealth is something which humans in their very nature desire at any cost, and this desire has been created for a great and wise purpose. When this desire is not satiated, it causes some extent of grief in a person. For this reason, God has promised the inhabitants of Paradise that they will have all that they imagined as far as wealth and belongings are concerned, both for those who were extremely poor, experiencing even hunger and thirst, to those well-to-do but who desired even more. God gives us a glimpse of this when he says:

“... there will be there all that the souls could desire, all that the eyes could delight in …” (Quran 43:71)

“Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent forth (good deeds) in days past!” (Quran 69:24)

“… They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good [is] the recompense! How beautiful a couch [is there] to recline on!” (Quran 18:31)

Disease and Death

Another cause of pain and suffering in this life is the death of a loved one or disease, which are both non-existent in Paradise. None will feel any sickness or pain in Paradise. The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said about the people of Paradise:

“They will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

None will die in Paradise. All shall live eternally enjoying the pleasures therein. The Prophet Muhammad said that a caller will call out in Paradise when people enter it:

“Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again, may you live and never die again, may you be young and never grow feeble again, may you enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Social Relationships

As for the remorse felt due to a rift in personal relationships, people will never hear any evil or hurting comments or speech in Paradise. They will only hear good words and words of peace. God says:

“They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin. But only the saying of: Peace! Peace!” (Quran 56:25-26)

There will be no enmity between people nor ill-feelings:

“And We shall remove from their breasts any (mutual) hatred or sense of injury (which they had, if at all, in the life of this world)…” (Quran 7:43)

The Prophet said:

“There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify God, morning and evening.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

People will have the best of companions in the Hereafter, who were also the best people in the world:

“And whoever obeys God and the Messenger – those will be with the ones upon whom God has bestowed favor – of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions!” (Quran 4:69)

The hearts of the people of Paradise will be pure, their speech will be good, their deeds righteous. There will be no hurtful, upsetting, offensive or provocative talk there, for Paradise is free of all worthless words and deeds. If we were to discuss all the causes for anguish in this life, we would surely find its absence or opposite to be true in Paradise.

A History of the HAJJ

2016-11-25T02:19:00.000-08:00

Hajj literally means ‘to set out for a place’. Islamicly, however, it refers to the annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to Makkah with the intention of performing certain religious rites in accordance with the method prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

Hajj and its rites were first ordained by God in the time of the Prophet Abraham and he was the one who was entrusted by God to build the Kaaba - the House of God - along with his son Ishmael at Makkah. God described the Kaaba and its building as follows:

“And remember when We showed Abraham the site of the [Sacred] House [saying]: Associate not anything [in worship with Me and purify My House for those who circumambulate it [i.e. perform Tawaaf] and those who stand up for prayer and those who bow down and make prostration [in prayer etc.].” (Quran 22:26)

After building the Kaaba, Abraham would come to Makkah to perform Hajj every year, and after his death, this practice was continued by his son. However, gradually with the passage of time, both the form and the goal of the Hajj rites were changed. As idolatry spread throughout Arabia, the Kaaba lost its purity and idols were placed inside it. Its walls became covered with poems and paintings, including one of Jesus and his mother Maryand. Eventually over 360 idols came to be placed around the Kaaba.

During the Hajj period itself, the atmosphere around the sacred precincts of the Kaaba was like a circus. Men and women would go round the Kaaba naked, arguing that they should present themselves before God in the same condition they were born. Their prayer became devoid of all sincere remembrance of God and was instead reduced to a series of hand clapping, whistling and the blowing of horns. Even the Hajj call was distorted by them with the following additions: “No one is Your partner except one who is permitted by you. You are his Master and the Master of what he possesses.”

Sacrifices were also made in the name of God. However, the blood of the sacrificed animals was poured onto the walls of the Kaaba and the flesh was hung from pillars around the Kaaba, in the belief that God demanded the flesh and blood of these animals.

Singing, drinking, adultery and other acts of immorality was rife amongst the pilgrims and the poetry competitions, which were held, were a major part of the whole Hajj event. In these competitions, poets would praise the bravery and splendor of their own tribesmen and tell exaggerated tales of the cowardice and miserliness of other tribes. Competitions in generosity were also staged where the chief of each tribe would set up huge cauldrons and feed the pilgrims, only so that they could become well-known for their extreme generosity.

Thus the people had totally abandoned the teachings of their forefather and leader Abraham. The House that he had made pure for the worship of God alone, had been totally desecrated by the pagans and the rites which he had established were completely distorted by them. This sad state of affairs continued for nearly two and a half thousand years. But then after this long period, the time came for the supplication of Abraham to be answered:

“Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite unto them your verses and instruct them in the book and the Wisdom and sanctify them. Verily you are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (Quran 2:129)

Sure enough, a man by the name of Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullaah was born in the very city that Abraham had made this supplication centuries earlier. For twenty-three years, the Prophet Muhammad spread the message of monotheism - the same message that Abraham and all the other Prophets came with - and established the law of God upon the land. He expended every effort into making the word of God supreme and his victory over falsehood culminated in the smashing of the idols inside the Kaaba which once again became the universal centre for the worshippers of the one True God.

Not only did the Prophet rid the Kaaba of all its impurities, but he also reinstated all the rites of Hajj which were established by God’s Permission, in the time of Abraham. Specific injunctions in the Quran were revealed in order to eliminate all the false rites which had become rampant in the pre-Islamic period. All indecent and shameful acts were strictly banned in God’s statement:

“There is to be no lewdness nor wrangles during Hajj.” (Quran 2:197)

Competitions among poets in the exaltations of their forefathers and their tribesmen’s’ achievements were all stopped. Instead, God told them:

“And when you have completed your rites [of Hajj] then remember God as you remember your forefathers; nay with a more vigorous remembrance.” (Quran 2:200)

Competitions in generosity were also prohibited. Of course, the feeding of the poor pilgrims was still encouraged as this was done in the time of Abraham, but God commanded that the slaughtering of the animals which was done for this purpose should be done seeking the pleasure of God rather than fame and the praise of the people. He said:

“So mention the name of God over these animals when they are drawn up in lines. Then, when they are drawn on their sides [after the slaughter], eat thereof and feed the beggar who does not ask, and the beggar who asks.” (Quran 22:36)

As for the deplorable practice of spattering blood of the sacrificed animals on the walls of the Kaaba and hanging their flesh on altars, then God clearly informed them that:

“It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God, but it is Taqwaa (piety) from you that reaches Him.” (Quran 22:37)

The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, also put a stop to the practice of circling the Kaaba in a state of nudity and the argument that the pagans put forward to justify this ritual was sharply rebutted in God’s question:

“Say: Who has forbidden the adornment [i.e. clothes] given by God which He has produced for His Slaves?” (Quran 7:32)

Another custom which was prohibited through the Quran was that of setting off for Hajj without taking any provisions for the journey. In the pre-Islamic period, some people who claimed righteousness, having total dependency on God, would travel to perform Hajj begging food the whole journey. They considered this form of behavior a sign of piety and an indication of how much faith they had in God. However God told mankind that to have sufficient provisions for the journey was one of the preconditions for making Hajj. He said:

“And take a provision [with you] for the journey, but the best provision is piety.” (Quran 2:197)

In this way, all the pre-Islamic practices, which were based in ignorance, were abolished and Hajj was once more made a model of piety, fear of God, purity, simplicity and austerity. Now, when the pilgrims reached the Kaaba, they no longer found the carnivals and the frolic and frivolity that had once occupied the minds of the pilgrims there before. Now, there was the remembrance of God at every step and every action and every sacrifice was devoted to Him alone. It was this kind of Hajj that was worthy of the reward of paradise, as the Prophet said:

“The reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing less than paradise.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Backbiting – One of the major sins in Islam

2016-11-20T05:26:00.000-08:00

oday we’re going to ask you to do something difficult. Very difficult. Some might say impossible….

In fact we’re fairly sure 90% of people reading this won’t be able to do this. Hopefully we’re wrong. And Allah knows best.

Backbiting is a MAJOR sin and every single person reading this message has probably at some point in their life backbitten someone, so firstly let’s quickly address the definition of backbiting from the greatest source we have.

Abu Dharr once asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): O Messenger of Allah, what is gheebah? He replied: It is to mention about your brother that which he detests. Abu Dharr said: O Messenger of Allah, what if that which is mentioned of him should actually be in him? He replied: Know that when you mention that which is in him, you have committed his gheebah, and when you mention that which is not in him, then you have slandered him.

Even listening to backbiting is a sin

Prophet Muhammad (s) once said to Imam Ali: O Ali! When someone hears the backbiting of his Muslim brother committed in his presence, yet he does not rally to his assistance despite being capable of doing so, God shall humiliate him in the world and in the Hereafter

So now we’ve addressed the definition let us add a few more important points.

Did you know backbiting is more of a sin than adultery. You know why? When you commit adultery you can ask Allah for forgiveness and Allah can forgive you but when you backbite someone Allah cannot forgive you unless the person you spoke ill of forgives you first.

The Prophet once gave counsel to Abu Dharr, saying: O Abu Dharr! Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is graver than adultery. Abu Dharr (r) said: Why is that so, O Messenger of Allah? He (s) replied: That is because when a man commits adultery and then repents to God, God accepts his repentance. However, backbiting is not forgiven until forgiven by its victim.

So what shall we do? The choice is actually simple but very difficult. It’s a real battle of confronting our ego and pride and showing humility.

We need to start asking people for forgiveness. We need to approach people with humility, whether it’s a phone call, a text message, an email but ideally should be a direct communication between you and the person you want to approach. Yes it’s difficult but not impossible. Ask for their forgiveness and when they forgive you, you’ll feel lighter, more relieved. If you think this is beyond you, you’re wrong. You can do it.

Imagine the alternative? You’re now standing in front of Allah and your account is about to begin. You look to your right and you feel happy looking at all your good deeds. Suddenly your good deeds start vanishing and you’re panicking. The good deeds are going to all the people you have backbitten against, your father, brother, sister, mother, wife, friend, cousin, work colleague.

So start now, have a plan. Speak to 1 person a week and ask for their forgiveness. Maybe they will also ask for your forgiveness. You may look small in their eyes but you’ll look BIG in Allah’s

You can do it.

What are the virtues of the Day of Arafah?

2016-11-19T05:19:00.000-08:00

Yawm Al-Arafah (Day of Arafah) is the on which pilgrims gather on the mountain plain of ‘Arafah, praying and supplicating to the Lord.

It is a significant day that surpasses other days in virtue and merit, for both pilgrims and non-pilgrims, and is the day that precedes Eid Ul-Adha.

The day of Arafah is the day on which the religion of Islam was perfected and Allah’s Favour was completed…

Narrated Tariq bin Shihab:

A Jew said to `Umar رضي الله عنه‎, “O Chief of the Believers, if this verse:
‘This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favors upon you, and have chosen for you, Islam as your religion.’ (Surah Al-Ma’idah, Verse 3) had been revealed upon us, we would have taken that day as an `Id (festival) day.”
`Umar رضي الله عنه‎ said, “I know definitely on what day this Verse was revealed; it was revealed on the day of `Arafat, on a Friday.”
[Sahih Bukhari: Book 96, Hadith 1]

It is also the day of forgiveness and freedom from the fire…

‘A’isha رضي الله عنها reported Allah’s Messenger ﷺ as saying:

There is no day when God sets free more servants from Hell than the Day of ‘Arafa. He draws near, then praises them to the angels, saying: What do these want?
[Sahih Muslim: Book 15, Hadith 492]

It is highly recommended to fast, for those who are not pilgrims to Hajj…

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafa (9th of Dhu’I-Hijjah), whereupon he ﷺ said:
‘It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year.’
[Extract from Sahih Muslim: Book 13, Hadith 253]

May Allah forgive us for our sins, and continue to forgive us, and may He also protect us from the temtations of Shaytaan

Ayatul Kursi / Surat Al-Baqarah 2:255

2016-11-18T04:52:00.000-08:00

Reading the Holy Quran is a great way to overcome turmoil, anxiety and distress, and to relieve us. There is one particular Ayah in particular that Prophet Muhammad salallahu alaihi wasallam spoke of, that is said to give its reader great benefits in this life and the afterlife – Ayatul Kursi (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:255), also known as the Verse of the Throne.

The narrations (hadith) that speak of the virtues, and benefits, of Ayatul Kursi are numerous.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Prophet Muhammad salallahu alaihi wasallam ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramadan. Then somebody came to me and started stealing of the foodstuff. I caught him and said, “I will take you to Allah’s Apostle!” Then Abu Huraira described the whole narration and said: That person said (to me), “Please don’t take me to Allah’s Apostle and I will tell you a few words by which Allah will benefit you. When you go to your bed, recite Ayatul Kursi, (2.255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn.” When the Prophet heard the story he said (to me), “He (who came to you at night) told you the truth although he is a liar; and it was Satan.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari – Book 61 Hadith 530

Narrated by Ayfa’ ibn Abdul Kila’i

Ayfa’ told of a man who asked Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) which surah of the Qur’an was greatest and was told that it was “Say, He is Allah, One.” He asked which verse of the Qur’an was greatest and was told that it was the Throne Verse, “Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal.” He asked Allah’s Prophet which verse he would like to bring good to him and his people and was told, “The end of Surat Al-Baqarah, for it is one of the treasures of Allah’s mercy from under His throne, which He gave to these people, and there is no good in this world and the next, which it does not include.”
Al-Tirmidhi – Hadith 2169

Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “If anyone recites in the morning Ha-Mim al-Mu’min to ‘to Him is the final goal, and the Throne Verse, he will be guarded by them till the evening, and if anyone recites them in the evening he will be guarded by them till the morning.”
Al-Tirmidhi – Hadith 2144

May Allah protect us and give us success. Ameen.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَىُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُ‌ۚ

لَا تَأۡخُذُهُ ۥ سِنَةٌ۬ وَلَا نَوۡمٌ۬‌ۚ لَّهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۗ

مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦ‌ۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡ‌ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦۤ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ‌ۚ

وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ‌ۖ

وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُ ۥ حِفۡظُهُمَا‌ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِىُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ -٢٥٥

English Translation – Sahih International

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Why Muslims are backward?

2016-11-17T01:16:00.001-08:00

Allah says that Muslims are the best people or nation? Are we now?

Muslims are backward educationally, socially, and economically and in world power politically. Need to make a self-critical study: Nobel Prize winners, Olympic Gold Medal winners. Number of Books published, number of Articles published. Number of scientists per 100,000 population.

The Qur'an and Hadith exhort the Muslims to read and excel in education- both men and women. In this Masjid people leave free literature. How many of the worshippers pick them and read them and take action?

Look at the literacy rate in the Muslim Ummah. Muslim countries like, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, etc. Now Afghanistan is in a hopeless situation with civil wars. Sisters who constitute 50% of the population are not allowed to go pursue education.

Rabbi Zidni Ilma, 20: 114 (Ta Ha) Oh Lord enrich me with knowledge.

Pakistan's average literacy rate is 26% for all the population-male and female. Contrast this with India's which has an average literacy rate of 52 %. Pakistan is the most advanced country in Science and Technology. It is the only Muslim Nuclear Power country. What is the GDP for Education and for Defense? How much is wasted through corruption.

The average literary rate of the whole Muslim Ummah is around 35 %. For our sisters it is about one half. In rural areas only it is only about 2 to 5 %. In United States a woman gets 12.4 years of school education. In Bangladesh she gets only 0.9 year of school education and in Yemen she gets only 0.2 years of school education.

Knowledge is power. The U.S. is the only Super Power. Why? Because it has knowledge in every field of human endeavor. Most of the Immigrant Muslims came here for higher education. Go to any developing country and ask a student where do you want to go for higher education. The answer invariably will be United States. US is a super power and power corrupts and absolutely corrupts absolutely. No doubt the US Foreign Policy is not even handed and commits wrong to some Muslim countries because of the lobbyists. Then how do Muslims correct the situation? Most of us are Immigrants and many are US Citizens. Our children and grand children are growing here. With violence we cannot correct the situation which is not Islamic when it is targeted towards the innocent civilians. I have seen many brothers call the Westerners as "Kuffar", but what I know is they are called the Ahl-e-Kitab- people of the Book. We can change the situation thro' Ilm and Aml plus Sabr. We need to be organized. First we need to be united. We can learn many lessons from other communities how they correct their situations and shortcomings.

Thousand years ago, our ancestors were masters in Astronomy, like Al-Biruni, Battani, etc. Today our knowledge of Astronomy is weak. The built astronomical observatories created calendars, astrolabes, etc. Day before yesterday (Wednesday) was the new moon. The solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the sun and the earth and when they are all in conjunction or in a straight line. It happens on the new moon day. On a new moon day the Hilal is not visible anywhere in the world. It is visible the next day. The Hilal was seen yesterday (Thursday) and hence today is the first day of Jumada ul Awwal. Some Muslim countries declared yesterday was the first day of Jumada ul Awwal. No wonder why Muslims celebrate Ids on three different days in the same town. It happened here in the United States. It is just ignorance. We do not have sound Deeni Talim nor of the Duniya.

30 years ago man landed on the moon. Many Muslims consider moon as a sacred celestial clock. The devout Muslims refused to believe that man had landed on the moon.

1,000 years ago Muslims were in the forefront in every field of knowledge. The students from the West came to Muslim Spain, Sicily, Cairo, and Baghdad to study the sciences.

Take the example of Abu Rayhan al-Biruni. He was 26 years old, 1,000 years ago today. Sultan Mahmood of Ghazna in Afghanistan conquered his native place Khev and brought him to his capitol. Sultan Mahmood was not only a conqueror but also a scholar who gathered eminent scholars like Firdousi who is famous for Shah Nama and Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni. Sultan Mahood took Al-Biruni with him to India. In India al-Biruni stayed for 20 years studying from Pandits their sciences, mathematics, philosophy, etc. He learnt Sanskrit and translated Snakhya and Patanjali into Arabic. He measured the radius and diameter of the earth to within + or _ 20 km and 200 km respectively. He showed the earth rotates on its axis. He explained how the solar and lunar eclipses occur. He saved the life of a traveler who told the Sultan that in a land the Sun never sets. The land of the midnight sun. The Sultan decreed a death sentence to the traveler for blasphemy. However al-Biruni explained that the tilt of the earth towards the sun in the summer causes the phenomenon of the midnight sun.

Like our ancestors Muslims should take the lead in scientific study, exploration and knowledge. INTELLECTUAL REVIVAL OF MUSLIMS is the need of the hour.

The greatest pleasure for a father or mother is when their son or daughter achieves or rather excels in education, profession, power, wealth, etc. The most important is education. If I am a middle school graduate, then it is my responsibility to make my children high-school graduates or college graduates. If I am a high school graduate, then I should make my children college graduates or postgraduates. If I am a college graduate, then I should make my children obtain doctoral degrees. May Allah (SWT) give us the Tawfeek to understand His Deen and follow His Guidance.

Respect the things associated with Prophet

2016-10-28T05:06:00.003-07:00

Another element of the reverence and esteem for Beloved Prophet Muhammad Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is found in all things and places connected to him in Makkah al-Mukarrama, Madinah al-Munawwarah and elsewhere.

Hadrat Saffiyah bint Najda Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha tells us that Abu Madhura Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had a long lock of hair on his forehead that touched the ground when he sat down. When he was asked why he did not cut it he replied,

لم أكن بالذي أحلفها ، و قد مسها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم بيده
"I will not cut off something that the hand of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him touched." [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 62]

The Sword of Islam, Hadrat Sayyiduna Khalid Ibn Waleed Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had some strands of the Prophet's of hair that he placed inside his cap. During one of the battles the cap fell off whereupon he fought zealously to retrieve it. He told his companions that,

لم أفعلها بسبب القلنسوة ، بل لما تضمنه من شعره صلى الله عليه و سلم لئلا أسلب بركتها و تقع في أيدي المشركين
I didn't fight for the sake of the cap, rather I fought to retrieve the strands of the Prophet's hair that were tucked within it so that I would not be deprived of their blessing, and also to avoid them falling into the hands of the unbelievers. [Majma' az-Zawaid, Vol. 9, Page 349 – Mustadrik, Vol. 3, Page 239]

Ibn al-Sakan narrated through Safwan ibn Hubayra from the latter's father: Thabit al-Bunani said: Anas ibn Malik said to me (on his death-bed):

هذه شعرة من شعر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فضعها تحت لساني فوضعتها تحت لسانه فدفن وهي تحت لسانه
"This is one of the hairs of Allah's Messenger, Allah's blessings and peace upon him. I want you to place it under my tongue." Thabit continued: I placed it under his tongue, and he was buried with it under his tongue." [al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-Sahaba (Calcutta - 1853), Vol. 1, Page 72]

Imam al-Bayhaqi records in his Dalail al-Nabuwwah and Imam Qadi Iyad al-Maliki states in his Ash-Shifa:

رئي ابن عمر واضعاً يده على مقعد النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم من المنبر ، ثم وضعها على وجهه
Hadrat Sayyiduna Ibn Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho was seen placing his hand on the seat of the Beloved Prophet's pulpit and then wipe it over his face. [Dalail an-Nabuwwah lil Bayhaqi, Vol. 6, Page 249]

Abu Abd ar-RaHman Salma Alaihir raHma narrated from Ahmad Ibn Fadlwiya Zahid Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho that he was a famous archer in Battles. He says:

ما مسست القوس بيدي إلا على طهارة منذ بلغني أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أخذ القوس بيده
I never touched my bow without Ablution from the time Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him) took it in his Blessed Hands. [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]

It was on account of the esteem Imam Malik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had for the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him that we would not ride a mount in Madinah al-Munawwarah. He would say,

أستحي من الله أن أطأ تربة فيها رسول الله بحافر دابة
"I am too shy before Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala to trample with the hoof of an animal upon the earth in which the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is buried." [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]

Someone in Madinah al-Munawwarah said, "The soil of Madinah al-Munawwarah is bad." (May Allah Forbid) This outrageous statement caused Imam Malik to pronounce the judgement against him that he should be beaten and jailed. The man had connections to the hierarchy of Madinah al-Munawwarah but Imam Malik did not retract his judgement and said,

تربة دفن فيها النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يزعم أنها غير طيبة
"He claims the soil in which the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is buried is not good!" [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]

Of Madinah al-Munawwarah, the Beloved Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him said,

من أحدث فيها حدثاً أو آوى محدثاً فعليه لعنة الله و الملائكة و الناس أجمعين ، لا يقبل الله منه صرفاً و لا عدلاً
"The curse of Allah, the angels and all mankind falls upon whosoever innovates something (against the spirit of Islam) in it or shelters an innovator (of something against the spirit of Islam) therein." [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]

Imam Qadi Iyad al-Maliki Alaihir raHmah records in Ash-Shifa bi Ta'rifi Huqooqil Mustafa:

أن جهجاها الغفاري أخذ قضيب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم من يد عثمان رضي الله عنه ، و تناول ليكسره على ركبته ، فصاح به الناس ، فأخذته الأكله في ركبته فقطعها ، و مات قبل الحول
Jihjah al-Ghifari snatched hold of the Beloved Prophet's staff from Sayyiduna Uthman's hand and proceeded to try and break it across his knee. Upon seeing this, the people shouted at him. Thereafter he was stricken by an itching disease in his knee and despite its amputation he died within the year. [Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]

The Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him said,

من حلف على منبري كاذباً فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
"Whosoever swears to a lie on my pulpit will have a seat in the Fire." [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 63

Abu Fadl al-Jowhari Alaihir raHma was blessed to visit the City of Madinah al-Munawwarah and as he approached he recited:

رفع الحجاب لنا فلاح لناظر ـــ قمر تقطع دونه الأوهام
و إذا المطي بنا بلغن محمداً ـــ فظهورهن على الرجال حرام
قربننا من يخر من وطيء الثرى ـــ و لها علينا حرمة و ذمام
"The veil has been lifted from us and a moon shines; out to those who look on, banishing all illusions.
As our mounts reach Muhammad; it is forbidden for us to be found in our saddles.
We are drawing near to the best man to have ever walked upon the earth; so it is with respect and honor that we hold this ground." [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 64]

When a pious Shaykh went on pilgrimage, he went on foot. When asked why he had done so, he replied,

العبد الآبق لا يأتي إلى بيت مولاه راكباً ! لو قدرت أن أمشي على رأسي ما مشيت على قدمي
"What, an offending worshiper going to the home of his master riding! Had I been able to walk upon my head, I would not have walked upon my feet!" [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 64]

Reverence and respect for the places in which the Revelation were received and which the angels Jibra'il and Mika'il visited, as well as places where the angels descended, also places that heard the sounds of worship and exaltation, and the blessed soil that surrounds the body of the Master of all mankind Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him and places from which the religion of Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and the prophetic quotations of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him were spread are necessities.

One must also revere and respect the places where verses of the Holy Qur'an were studied, the mosques in which the prayer was offered, places where virtues and good deeds were witnessed, places that saw proofs and miracles, places associated with the rites of the religion and the stations of the pilgrimage and the way marks of the Master of all the messengers of Allah, praise and peace be upon them. The places where the Seal of the Prophets Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him lived and from which the prophecy gushed and where its waves overflowed. The places that witnessed the message, and the first earth that the skin of the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him touched after his death – its fragrance should be inhaled, its residence and walls kissed.

يا دار خير المرسلين و من به ـــ هدي الأنام و خص بالآيات
عندي لأجلك لوعة و صبابة ـــ و تشوق متوقد الجمرات
و علي عهد إن ملأت محاجري ـــ من تكلم الجدران و العرصات
لاعفرن مصون شيبي بينها ـــ من كثرة التقبيل و الرشفات
لولا العوادي ، و الأعادي زرتها ـــ أبدا و لو سحباً على الوزجنات
لكن سأهدي من حفيل تحيتي ـــ لقطين تلك الدار و الحجرات
أزكى من المسك المفتق نفحةً ـــ تغشاه بالآصال و البكرات
و تخصه بزواكي الصلوات ـــ و نوامي التلسيم و البركات

"O abode of the best of all Messengers; the one by whom people are guided
and he who was chosen to receive the verses. For you I have intense, passionate love,
and a yearning which kindles the embers of my heart. I have a vow – if I fill my eyes with those walls
and the places where you walked, then my turbaned Gray head will be covered with dust from so much kissing.
Had it not been for obstacles and enemies, I would always visit them, even if I were to be dragged upon my feet.
But I will be guided in my eagerness to greet the inhabitants of those houses and rooms.
By a scent purer than the most splendid musk which covers him each morning and evening.
Pure and ever increasing blessings are bestowed upon him through the prayers for Peace and Blessings upon Him." 

Allah is The Only Creator of Life

2016-10-27T04:28:00.001-07:00

The evidence that Allah is the only Creator of life may be found in many places in the Qur’an and Sunnah. For example:

"Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things, Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed, and He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving." [al-Mulk 67:1-2]

"Is, then, He Who creates as one who creates not?" [al-Nahl 16:17]

"Yet they have taken besides Him other gods that created nothing but are themselves created..." [al-Furqaan 25:3]

Allah challenged all of mankind to create even the most insignificant creature, i.e. a fly, but no one could do that and no one ever will. Allah says:

"O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): verily! Those on whom you call besides Allah cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatched away a thing from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought." [al-Hajj 22:73]

Imam al-Bukhari reported in his Saheeh from Abu Sa‘eed (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: "There is no created being but Allah created it." In Arabic, the word "khalaqa" means to make out of nothing, which is something that only Allah can do; it is impossible for anyone except Allah to do this. It also carries the meaning of decreeing or foreordaining.

The Religion of Allah (Islam) is proud and cannot be defeated by the kaafirs’ arrogance about the knowledge they possess. Allah says:

"...(they) are deceived by the life of this world..." [al-An‘aam 6:70]

"They know only the outside appearance of the life of this world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter." [al-Rum 30:7]

We ask Allah to help us to be steadfast in our adherence to His Religion, and to make our end good. And Allah knows best.

Some of the Scientific Miracles in Brief

2016-10-26T07:17:00.002-07:00

Ever since the dawn of mankind, we have sought to understand nature and our place in it. In this quest for the purpose of life many people have turned to religion. Most religions are based on books claimed by their followers to be divinely inspired, without any proof. Islam is different because it is based upon reason and proof.

There are clear signs that the book of Islam, the Quran, is the word of God and we have many reasons to support this claim:

There are scientific and historical facts found in the Quran which were unknown to the people at the time, and have only been discovered recently by contemporary science.

The Quran is in a unique style of language that cannot be replicated, this is known as the "Inimitability of the Quran."

There are prophecies made in the Quran and by the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, which have come to be pass.

This article lays out and explains the scientific facts that are found in the Quran, centuries before they were "discovered" in contemporary science. It is important to note that the Quran is not a book of science but a book of "signs". These signs are there for people to recognise God"s existence and affirm His revelation. As we know, science sometimes takes a "U-turn" where what once scientifically correct is false a few years later. In this article only established scientific facts are considered, not just theories or hypothesis.

Scientific Facts in the Quran

The Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century.

Science at the time was primitive, there were no telescopes, microscopes or anything even close to the technology we have today. People believed that the sun orbited the earth and that the sky was held up by big pillars at the corners of a flat earth. Within this backdrop the Quran was revealed, and it contains many scientific facts on topics ranging from astronomy to biology, geology to sociology.

Some people may claim that the Quran was changed as new scientific facts were discovered but this cannot be the case because it is a historically documented fact that the Quran is preserved in its original language. The Quran was written down and memorised by people during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad. One of the copies of the Quran which was written a few years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad is preserved in a museum in Uzbekistan. This copy is over 1400 years old and is exactly the same as the Arabic Quran that we have today.

The following are nine scientific facts found in the Quran:

1. Origin of Life

Water is essential for all living things. We all know that water is vital to life but the Quran makes a very unusual claim:

We made every living thing from water? Will they not believe? (Quran 21:30)

In this verse water is pointed out as the origin of all life. All living things are made of cells. We now know that cells are mostly made up of water. For example, 80% of the cytoplasm (basic cell material) of a standard animal cell is described as water in biology textbooks.

The fact that living things consist mostly of water was discovered only after the invention of the microscope. In the deserts of Arabia, the last thing someone would have guessed is that all life came from water.

2. Iron

Iron is not natural to the earth. It did not form on the earth but came down to earth from outer space. This may sound strange but it’s true. Scientists have found that billions of years ago the earth was stuck by meteorites. These meteorites were carrying Iron from distant stars which had exploded[4].

The Quran says the following on the origin of Iron:

“We sent down Iron with its great inherent strength and its many benefits for humankind.” (Quran 57:25)

God uses the words ‘sent down’ for Iron. It is clear from the verse that Iron is not an earthly material, but was sent down for the benefit of humanity. The fact that Iron came down to earth from outer space is something which could not be known by the primitive science of the 7th century.

3. Sky’s Protection

The sky plays a crucial role in protecting the earth. The sky protects the earth from the lethal rays of the sun. If the sky did not exist then the sun’s radiation would have killed off all life on earth. It also acts like a blanket wrapped around the earth, to protect it from the freezing cold of space. The temperature just above the sky is approximately -270oC. If this temperature was to reach earth then the planet would freeze over instantly. The sky also protects life on earth by warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between day and night. These are some of the many protective functions of the sky.

The Quran asks us to consider the sky in the following verse:

“We made the sky a protective ceiling. And yet they are turning away from Our signs!” (Quran 21:32)

The Quran points to the sky’s protection as a sign of God. The protective properties of the sky were discovered by scientific research conducted in the 20th century.

4. Mountains

The Quran draws our attention to a very important characteristic of mountains:

“Did We not make the earth a resting place? And the mountains as stakes?” (Quran 78:6-7)

The Quran indicates that mountains have deep roots by using the word stakes to describe them. In fact mountains do have deep roots, and the word stakes is an accurate description for them. A book titled ‘Earth’ by Geophysicist Frank Press explains that mountains are like stakes, and are buried deep under the surface of the earth. Mount Everest (pictured below), the height of which is approximately 9 km above ground, has a root deeper than 125 km.

The fact that mountains have deep ‘stake’ like roots was not known, until after the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the beginning of the 20th century.

5. Expansion of the Universe

At a time when the science of Astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described in Quran:

“And it is We who have built the Universe with [Our creative] power and keep expanding it.” (Quran 51:47)

The fact that the universe is expanding was discovered in the last century. The physicist Stephen Hawking in his book ‘A Brief History of Time’ writes, “The discovery that the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century.”.

The Quran mentioned the expansion of the universe even before the invention of the telescope!

6. Sun’s Orbit

In 1512 the astronomer Nicholas Copernicus put forward his theory that the Sun is motionless at the centre of the solar system, and that the planets revolve around it. The belief that the Sun is stationary was widespread amongst astronomers until the 20th century. It is now a well-established scientific fact that the Sun is not stationary, but is moving in an orbit around the centre of our Milky Way galaxy.

The Quran mentions the orbit of the Sun:

“It is He who created night and day, the Sun and the Moon, each floating in its orbit.” (Quran 21:33)

The Quran would have been wrong according to astronomers just a couple of decades ago. But we now know that the Quranic account of the Sun’s motion is consistent with modern Astronomy.

7. The Ocean

The Quran uses imagery to covey its deep meanings, here it describes the state of the unbelievers as:

“Darkness out in a deep ocean which is covered by waves, above which are waves, above which are clouds, layers of darkness, one upon the other. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. Those God gives no light to, they have no light.” (Quran 24:40)

It is commonly thought that waves only occur on the surface of the ocean. However oceanographers have discovered that there are internal waves that take place below the surface of the ocean. These waves are invisible to the human eye, and can only be detected by specialist equipment. The Quran mentions darkness in a deep ocean above which are waves, above which are waves, then clouds above that. This description is not only remarkable because it describes the internal waves in the ocean, but also because it describes darkness deep in the ocean. A human being can dive no more than 70 metres without breathing equipment. Light is present at that depth, but if we go down 1000 metres it is completely dark. 1400 years ago there were no submarines or specialist equipment to discover internal waves or the darkness deep inside the oceans.

8. Lying and Movement

There was a cruel oppressive tribal leader named Abu Jahl who lived during the time of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. God revealed a verse of the Quran to warn him:

“No Indeed! If he does not stop, We will seize him by the forehead, his lying, sinful forehead.” (Quran 96:15-16)

God does not call this person a liar, but calls his forehead (the front part of the brain) ‘lying’ and ‘sinful’, and warns him to stop.

This verse is significant for two reasons. The first is that the front part of our brain is responsible for voluntary movement.This is known as the frontal lobe. A book titled ‘Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology’ which includes the results of research on the functions of this area states: The motivation and the foresight to plan and initiate movements occur in the anterior portion of the frontal lobes, the prefrontal area. The part of the brain that is responsible for movement is said to be seized if the man does not stop.

Secondly, numerous studies have shown that this same region (frontal lobe) is responsible for the lying function of the brain. One such study at the University of Pennsylvania in which volunteers were asked questions during a computerized interrogation, it was found that when the volunteers were lying there was significantly increased activity in the prefrontal and premotor cortices (frontal lobe region).

The front part of the brain is responsible for movement and lying. The Quran links movement and lying to this area. These functions of the frontal lobe were discovered with medical imaging equipment which was developed in the 20th century.

9. Pain Receptors

For a long time it was thought that the sense of feeling and pain was dependent on the brain. However it has been discovered that there are pain receptors present in the skin[14]. Without these pain receptors, a person would not be able to feel pain.

Consider the following verse on pain:

“We shall send those who reject Our revelations to the (Hell) Fire. When their skins have been burned away, We shall replace them with new ones so that they may continue to feel the pain: God is Almighty, All-Wise.” (Quran 4:56)

God tells the people who reject his message that when they are in Hell and their skins are burnt off (so they can’t feel any pain), he will give them new skins so that they continue to feel the pain.

The Quran makes it clear that pain is dependent upon on the skin. The discovery of pain receptors in the skin is a fairly recent discovery for Biology.

Conclusion

These are just some of the many scientific facts found in the Quran. It is important to note that the Quran is not a book of science, but that it is consistent with science. To claim that scientific facts in the Quran are due to coincidence would be irrational. The best explanation is that God revealed this knowledge to the Prophet Muhammad.

Just like the Quran contains knowledge about the natural world, it also contains information about the inner dimensions of our souls. It relates to our feelings, wants and needs. The Quran informs us that we have a purpose in life, and that following God’s guidance will lead us to inner peace in this life, and Paradise in the hereafter. And that rejection of his message will lead to depression in this life and Hellfire after death.

“We shall show them Our signs in the Universe and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is the witness of all things?” (Quran 41:53)

Raising your Child to be a Muslim

2016-10-26T06:20:00.001-07:00

It is true that the first learning center for a child is the mother’s lap. The mannerisms of the parents are reflected in the children.

The story of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani is famous: When he was traveling with a caravan, a gang of thieves robbed the caravan, when it came time to check Abdul Qadir Jeelani (Rahmatullahi Alaih), an eighteen year old young man, the thieves inquired if he had any valuables to which told them about money which had been sewn in his clothes by his mother. The thieves asked out of curiosity as to why he let them know of the sewn money to which he told them that his mother had advised him before leaving ‘to never lie’ upon which the thieves become ashamed and repented to Allah.

It is the duty of the parents to be an example to their children and advise them. Allah (Subhanahu Ta’ala) tells us of the advise that Luqman Hakeem gave to his son, “Behold, Luqman said To his son by way of instruction: “O my son! Join not others with Allah; association with Allah is indeed the highest wrong-doing.”

Then after some ayaat, the advise continues,

O my son! If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth; for Allah knows the finest mysteries, (and) is well-acquainted (with them).

O my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is Just, and forbid what is wrong; and bear with patient constancy whatever befalls thee; these are affairs of determination.

And swell not thy check (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; For Allah loveth not Any arrogant boaster.

And be moderate in thy pace, and lower they voice; for the harshest of sounds without doubt is the braying of an ass.

(Surah Luqman)

We can recall not to long ago in our Muslim culture that all the grown-ups in the community would take the role of guiders for the youth. No child dared acting up in front of elders in any gathering. All the elders held enough authority that they could discipline the child without having to face the wrath of the parents as is the case today. As a result, children tend to misbehave and disrespect elders because they no longer have fear discipline from anyone besides that parents and that too is seen little.

Parents find out too late that what they thought was giving ‘freedom’ to their children was really digging a hole for them. Being affectionate to your child is one thing but to let them free to do anything is not affection rather it is hurting the child. Ah, this is all a result of the parents forgetting the duty of teaching the child. More often the television takes the place of the parent and it is from here the child gains much of his/her ill-mannerisms. Today, I ask you to take my words to be a reminder and a word of caution.

When the child is able to speak a little, teach them the name of Allah. Before, mothers would put their children to sleep by chanting Allah Allah, but now it is by playing the music on the radio.

When children are mature do not do anything in front them which will ruin their mannerisms because they tend to copy these acts, they do whatever they see their parents doing. Never argue with your spouse in front of them because this leaves puts a lot of stress on the child and causes them to think that they are the cause of the argument. Never curse your children.

Pray Salah in front of them, recite Quran, take them to the Masjid with you, and tell them stories of our pious predecessors, they like to listen to stories very much. Hearing stories with lessons and morals will increase their good habits. When they are a little older, teach them the five Kalimat, Imane Mujmal, Imane Mufassal, and then teach them Salah.

Put them in under the teaching of an Allah-fearing, Mutaqee Saheehul Aqeeda Hafiz or Maulvi of to learn Quran Majeed and knowledge of the deen so they can learn of the beautiful religion to which they belong. Teach them the masail of gusul, wudu, and salah.

If Allah gives you taufeeq, make atleast on your children Alim or Alimah or Hafiz or Hafiza. A Hafiz will get three generations forgiven and Alim will get seven generations forgiven [on the Day of Judgement]. It is baseless to think that an Alim has no source of earning bread for his family. Know that one does not get more than destined by learning uloom of the dunya; one will get what Razzaq has written for him.

Teach your children simplicity and do not expose them to materialism. Teach them the value of doing thier own work. Send them to college, make them judges, make them doctors or any successful and halal career in this world but make them such that they take on these professions as honest Muslims who know their religion.