Dha'wa

The Three Questions - An islamic Story

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 07:35:00 +0000

There was a young man who went overseas to study for a quite a long time. When he returned, his asked his parents to find him a religious scholar or any expert who could answer his 3 questions. Finally his parents were able to find a Muslim scholar.

Young man: Who are you? Can you answer my questions?

Muslim Scholar: I am one of Allah's (SWT) slaves and Insha Allah (God willing) I will be able to answer your questions.

Young man: Are you sure? A lot of Professors and Experts were not able to answer my questions.

Muslim Scholar: I will try my best with the help of Allah (SWT).

Young man: I have 3 questions.

Questions 1 - Does God Exist? If so, show me his shape?

Questions 2 - What is Taqleed (Fate)?

Questions 3 - If Shaitan (Devil) was created from the fire, why at the end he will be thrown to hell that is also created from fire. It certainly will not hurt him at all, since Shaitan & the hell were created from fire. Did God think of this far?

Suddenly, the Scholar slapped the young man's face very hard.

Young man (felt pain): Why do you get angry at me?

Muslim Scholar: I am not angry. The slap is my answer to your questions.

Young man: I really don't understand.

Muslim Scholar: How do you feel after I slapped you?

Young man: Of course, I felt pain.

Muslim Scholar: So do you believe that pain exists?

Young man: Yes.

Muslim Scholar: Show me the shape of the pain?

Young man: I cannot.

Muslim Scholar: That is my first answer. All of us feel God's existence without being able to see His shape. Last night, did you dream that you will be slapped by me?

Young man: No.

Muslim Scholar: Did you ever think that you will get slap from
me today?

Young man: No.

Muslim Scholar: That is Taqleed (fate). My second answer. My hand that I used to slap you, what is it created from?

Young man: It is created from flesh.

Muslim Scholar: How about your face what is it created from?

Young man: Flesh.

Muslim Scholar: How do you feel after slapped you?

Young man: In pain.

Muslim Scholar: That's it. This is my third answer, even though Shaitan and also the hell were created from the fire. If Allah wants, the hell will become a very painful place for Shaitan.

Do you know who is that Scholar?

The Great Imam "Imam ul Ahzam" Abu Hanifa Radiyallahu Anhu.

Feel Free Post your comments

Qur’aan plugin for MS Word

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 May 2013 05:22:00 +0000

Assalamu’alykum.

Did you know that you can easily get any verse or soora from Qur’an in beautiful Arabic text and paste it in to your word document ? There is a fantastic plugin for Microsoft Word (almost any latest version ) by brother Mohamad Taufiq from Indonesia, that will let you chose any Aayah and it’s translation and paste it in your document. Moreover it’s giving you a chance to paste it in Unicode or non-unicode characters. Which means, you can paste it in a Blog or Forum or any web related areas too.

Available English translations: Muhsin Khan & Yusuf Ali (lot of other translations available as separate add-ons)

Go grab it from here:

http://myquran.org/msword/

Jazakallah.

The Wisdom Beyond The Gradual Phases of Revelation of The Qur’an

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Al Qur’an (The Qur’an), was not revealed all at once to the messenger of Allah -Shallallaahu’alayh wa Sallam (may blessings and peace be upon him), but gradually revealed, soorah to soorah, verses to verses, according to the event occurred at that time. So, what was the wisdom beyond it? Wisdoms, or purposes of such revelation were:

To strengthen the heart of Prophet Muhammad -may blessings and peace be upon him-. Allah decreed: “And those who disbelieve say, “Why was the Qur’an not revealed to him all at once?” Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly (recited it with distinct recitation).” (Al Furqaan/The Criterian: 32)

According to Abu Syamah, the verse explained that Allah did not revealed the Qur’an all at once in purpose, unlike the previous book of Him descended upon previous messengers. If so, then what was His purpose, and secret behind it? It was to strengthen the heart of Prophet Muhammad -may blessings and peace be upon him- . Because by the gradual revelation, which was appropriating the event, condition, and situation occurred at that time, it will be strongly recorded in mind and heart, and leave a deeper impression for one who received it (Muhammad).

The coming of the angel to him will also be more frequently, thus psychologically renew his spirits in carrying out the teaching he was obliged to. He (Muhammad -may blessings and peace be upon him-) must be very happy by the visits, which was hard to expressed. And because of this, the best moment in the month of Ramadan, is due to his reunion with the angel Gabriel.

2. To challenge the disbelievers who refused to believe in Qur’an, since they thought that it was curious for a Holy Book to be revealed gradually. Hence, Allah challenged them to create just a single soorah that comparable to it. In fact, the weren’t able to create even a single soorah that comparable to Qur’an, moreover a whole book of it.

3. To make it easier to be understood and memorized. It was true that, by the gradual revelation of the Qur’an, mankind was easier to memorize it, and to understand it’s meaning, particularly for illiterate people as the Arabs at that time. The gradual pattern of revelation was surely help them in memorizing and understanding it’s meaning. And once the verses of Qur’an revealed, they was directly memorized, understood, and practiced by the companions in their daily life. That is why, Umar Ibn Khattab once said,

“Learn the Qur’an five verses to five verses. Because (angel) Gabriel used to bring down the Qur’an to the Prophet -may blessings and peace be upon him-, five verses to five verses.” (Collected by Baihaqi)

4. To make the muslims enthusiast in receiving the teaching of Qur’an, and to make them zealous in practicing it. By gradual revelation, muslims at that time were always expecting it, and missing the time of revelation of The verses. Particularly at the time they most need of it, such as the verses told about the false accusations from the hypocrites to the mother of the believers, Aisha, and verses explained about li’an.

5. To accompany to events happened among muslims at that time, and to gradually establish the rulings for specific matters. The Qur’an started to be revealed gradually: from the most important matters, followed by the lower priorities in urgency. Since the most essential matter in Islam is faith, then the first thing prioritized to be explained and revealed through Qur’an were about the faith in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Hour, the resurrection, and the heaven and the hellfire. Those were supported by rational arguments (daleel) aimed to vanish the beliefs of paganism which were deeply trusted by the disbelievers, to be replaced by the seeds of righteous faith in Islam.

After the Islamic beliefs grew and rooted strongly inside their hearts, that was the time Allah sent down the verses urged them to perform noble deeds, and prevented them from doing evil and wicked actions, to extinct the evildoings and damages to their roots. Also the verses explained about the legal and illegal in foods, beverages, properties, honors, blood/murders, etc. Thus, the Qur’an was revealed properly according to the events surrounded muslims life, along with their long and historical strives to establish the religion of Allah on His earth. And the verses were endlessly supporting and motivating them through their struggles.

Let us take a look carefully at the examples below:

Soorah Al An’am (The Cattle) is termed soorah makkiya, because it was revealed while the prophet was still in Mecca. The contents explained much upon faith, beliefs,tawheed (oneness of Allah), the danger of shirk, and the legal or illegal ones.

As Allah decreed:

“Say, “Come, I will explain what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with him, and to parents, good treatment, and do not kill your children out of poverty; We will provide for you and them.” (Al An’am,/The Cattle: 152)

After that, the verses detailed about the rulings came in Medina, such as verser about the prohibition of usury and the legal state of trading. About adultery, was also prohibited in Mecca, in the verse of:

“And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as away.” (Al Isra’/The night journey:32)

But the verses explained the details of punishment for the adulteress came in Medina afterward.

2. Upon the prohibition of khamr (alcoholic drugs). The first verse to come was the verse of:

“And from fruits of the palm trees and the grapevines you take an intoxicant and good provisions…” (An Nahl/The Bee: 67)

After that, came the verse of:

“They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.” (Al Baqara/The Cow: 219)

In that verse, it was stated that the wine has some temporary benefits for mankind, but it’s danger is larger in effects toward their body; it could deteriorate their minds, it was a waste for their wealth, and could lead to various problems of crime and evil among society. After that verse, came the strict verse prohibited the drunk from performing prayers.

“O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying.” (An Nisaa’/The Women: 43)

After they acknowledged and recognized that drunk while praying was prohibited, then the stricter verse was revealed:

“O you who have believed, indeed intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah] and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.” (Al Maida/The Table Spread: 90)

To make it clearer about the gradual pattern of revelation of the Qur’an, let’s take a look at what had been said by the mother of the believers, Aisha, below:

“Indeed, the first soorah to be revealed were soorahs from the soorahs mufashal which were explained in it about the heaven and the hellfire, thus if mankind have embraced Islam, then the more detail soorah explained about the legal and illegal ones were revealed. If only the first verses to be revealed were about prohibition of drinking the wine, it is a must that they will say: we will never leave our habits of drinking the wine forever. And if only the first verses to be revealed were about the prohibition of adultery, they surely will have replied: we will never leave our habits of practicing adultery forever.” (Collected by Bukhari)

(Reference: “Understanding the Qur’an”, Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Jamil Zaynu. Publisher: Gema Risalah Press, Bandung; First edition: September, 1997, page no. 47-51)

Author: Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Jamil Zaynu

A beautiful story of Those Who Aren’t Fooled by The World

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:54:00 +0000

Muhammad Ibn Sirin [1] is one of the imam of Ahl Sunnah/Sunni, who was very famous for his toughness in clinging to the guidance of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, and he is very trustworthy in narrating it. But do you know, O Brother, that he too, was attributed by the scholars of his time as a very cautious man regarding legal and illegal affairs, and very devoted man in worshipping.

Imam Adz Dzahabi cited from Abu ‘Awanah Al Yasykuri, he said, “I saw Muhammad Ibn Sirin on the market, and no one saw him but would remember Allah [2].”

Subhanallah, how noble his character was. He was very devoted in worshipping and remembering Allah the Holy and Exalted thus when he was trading on the market, that quality of him was seen by others.

Isn’t it normal for one to see a man who prayed in a mosque, and that sight caused him to remember Allah, the Holy and Exalted? But to see a man who was busily trading in a hectic market, and his attitudes reminded us of Allah, the Holy and Exalted? Isn’t it show to us that the pious men are always busying themselves with remembrances and prayers to Allah, wherever they are?

It is true, the saying of the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, “The devoted men to Allah are those, whom, if being saw, are reminding people of Allah.” [3]

Our next example is Imam Ibrahim Ibn Maimun Ash Shaigh, a Sunni Imam, from the generation of the students of tabeen. Imam Ibn Hajar al ‘Asqalani cited from his biography that his was a blacksmith, but when he heard the calling of prayer (adhan), even if he had lifted his hammer, he wouldn’t be able to use it and he would immediately left his work to pray. [4]

Look how great the fear and glorification of the pious men to Allah the Holy and Exalted, hence any kind of activities they did, never made them neglected the calling to pray to Allah.

Allah the Holy and Exalted decreed:

{ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ}

“Such is the fact. And whoso venerates the sanctity of all that have been ordained as symbols of Allah surely does so because it is part of the true piety of the hearts.” (QS. Al-Hajj/The Pilgrimage: 32).

Several wisdoms to take from the stories above are:

- A pious believer is one who are not neglecting prayers and remembrance of Allah the Holy and Exalted due to his business and activities. And Allah The Holy and Exalted praised this quality in His decree:

{رِجَالٌ لَا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ}

“people whom neither commerce nor striving after profit diverts them from remembering Allah, from establishing Prayer, and from paying Zakat; people who dread the Day on which all hearts will be overturned and eyes will be petrified;” (QS. An-Nuur/The Light: 37).

Imam Ibn Katsir said, “Those are people who are not being fooled by riches and wordly adornments, and joys of trading and obtaining great profits, (being neglected from) remembering (praying to) their Lord (Allah the Holy and Exalted) Who is The Creator and The Bestower of their sustenances, and they are people who know (believe) that (the reward) from Allah the Holy and Exalted is better and more excellent than their possessions, since whatever they possess will be gone whereas the rewards of Allah are eternal. [5]”

- Working and trading places are very potential in neglecting people from remembering Allah the Holy and Exalted, thus, mentioning and remembering Allah the Holy and Exalted on such places are of great excellence in the side of Allah the Holy and Exalted.

Imam Ath Thiibi said, “Whoever remembering Allah (when he was) in the market, then he is among the men of whom Allah the Holy and Exalted declared about their excellence (in the verse above) [6].”

- Taking good examples from the stories of the past time scholars is one of the best way to motivate oneself to increase his devotion to Allah the Holy and Exalted. It is because man’s soul is easier to take example from the real story and (it will) causes him to be more enthusiast in performing righteous deeds and being haste in doing goodness [7].

Therefore, Allah the Holy and Exalted declared to His messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- :

وَكُلًّا نَّقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَجَاءَكَ فِي هَٰذِهِ الْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“(O Muhammad), We narrate these anecdotes of Messengers to you that We may strengthen your heart through them. In these anecdotes come to you the Truth, and an Exhortation, and a Reminder for the believers.” (QS. Hud: 120).

Imam Abu Hanifah said, “I am more fond of the stories (of exemplary) of the scholars and sit together in their forum, than most of the jurisprudence (affairs), since the stories contain their manners and attitudes (to emulate)[8].”

وصلى الله وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه أجمعين، وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين

Peace and prayer of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all of his companions. And the end of our prayer (is that) all prayers be to Allah, Lord of universe.

City of Kendari, 1 Rabi’ul akhir 1432 H.

Footnotes:
[1] He is a great Imam from generation of tabe’en (a generation after the generation if the Prophet and his companion, -ed), very trustworthy, and scrupulous in narrating hadith of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him (died in year of 110 H). His biography is in book titled ‘Tahdzibul Kamal’ (25/344), and ‘Siyaru A’laamin Nubala’ (4/606).
[2] See: ‘Siyaru A’laamin Nubalaa’ (4/610).
[3] Narrated by Ath Thabrani in his work ‘Al-Mu’jamul Kabiir’ (no. 12325), by Dhiya’uddin Al-Maqdisi in ‘Al-Ahaaditsul Mukhtaarah’ (2/212) and others. Al Albani said that it is a good hadith in his work ‘Ash-Shahiihah’ (no. 1733) because it is narrated from various chains that are supporting one another.
[4] See: ‘Tahdziibut Tahdziib’ (1/150).
[5] See: ‘Tafseer Ibn Katsir’ (3/390).
[6] Cited by Al Mubarakfuri in his book ‘Tuhfatul Ahwadzi’, (9/273).
[7] See an explanation of Sheikh Abdurrahman As Sa’di in his book (a tafseer/Qur’an interpretation) , page 271.
[8] Cited with narration by Imam Ibn ‘Abdil Barr in his book ‘Jaami’u Bayaanil ‘Ilmi wa Fadhlihi’ (no. 595).

Explanations Regarding The Ignorance, Wicked, Astray, and Apostasy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:36:00 +0000

Ignorance is the condition of the Arabs before the rise of Islam. They didn’t know about the real meaning of Allah and His messenger, and they were proud of their ancestral. The usage of term ignorance for them, was due to their lack of knowledge or unwillingness to follow the truth, as said by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya: “They who didn’t understand the truth, were called unknowing (jahl al basith) but if they believed in something false, then they were called jahl al murakkab (who didn’t know but being ostentatious). If he said something false, while he knew the truth, or if he didn’t know it, then he was also named as someone not knowing. (jahl)”

Hence, it is clear that mankind were indulged in their ignorance before the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- (due to their foolishness). Because their words and deeds were created by the not knowing, and done also by not knowing. Likewise, each that contradicted everything brought by Allah’s messengers, from the Jew or the Christian; they also belonged to the ignorants in general.

As for what happened after the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, then the ignorance might afflicted a country but not others, as occurred in the countries of disbeliever. The attribute or character of ignorance might also afflicted some people, as one who has not embraced Islam : he is still dubbed as an ignorant, even though he lived in Islamic country.

If the meaning of the ignorance here is the general type, then there is no more of it after the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- , since after the apostolate, there will always be a group of his followers who enjoin the truth until the Last Day. But if what meant by ignorance here is a limited one, then it is true that there are some of muslim countries that are still afflicted with ignorance, as well as some muslims. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- :

” There are four things among the matters of ignorance that occurred to my followers.” (Narrated by Muslim)

Also his words to Abu Dharr:

“Indeed, you still have a character of an ignorant within you.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).

And many other of his sayings that indicated it.

The conclusion is that the definition of the ignorance itself was related to the void of knowledge (of the truth). Such ignorance was further divided into two categories:

The general ignorance: that is, what had happened before the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, and it ended with the apostolate of the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.
The particular or limited ignorance: that is what happened to some countries and persons. Such ignorance will still occur until the Last Day.

Therefore, it is evident that people who claimed that this era is the era of ignorance in general, the ignorance of this century, etc, were mistaken. The truth is that there are traces of ignorance in some men of this century, or most men of this century. As for claiming it as time of general ignorance, it is a wrong and forbidden notion, since the apostolate of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- had vanished such general ignorance.

Al Fusuq (Wickedness, evil doing)

The meaning of wickedness by language is : out or getting out; while according to shari’a, wickedness means disobeying Allah. This definition includes absolute disobedience, as what occurred to the infidels, and typical disobedience to some orders; the latter is given to a believer who committed major sins.

Hence, wickedness are divided into two categories:

- A wickedness that outed one from Islam, which means he was to be an infidel. Therefore, the infidel or disbeliever was also termed as wicked, as Allah mentioned in The Qur’an about iblis:

“And recall when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Adam”; all of them fell prostrate, except Iblis. He was of the jinn and so disobeyed the command of his Lord. Will you, then, take him and his progeny as your guardians rather than Me although they are your open enemies? What an evil substitute are these wrong-doers taking!” (QS. Al-Kahfi/The Cave: 50)

Such wickedness or disobedience resembled infidelity. As His verse:

“As for the evil-doers, their refuge shall be the Fire. Every time they want to escape from it they shall be driven back and shall be told: “Taste the chastisement of the Fire which you used to reject as a lie.” (QS. As-Sajdah/The Prostration: 20)

The following verse indicated that the evil-doers are disbeliever:

But sometimes, muslim who committed wrongdoing was also dubbed as evil-doers, but that didn’t out him from Islam. It is as Allah’s decree:

“Those who accuse honorable women (of unchastity) but do not produce four witnesses, flog them with eighty lashes, and do not admit their testimony ever after. They are indeed transgressors,” (QS. An-Nur/The Light: 4)

And His verse:

“Whoever intends to perform Pilgrimage in these months shall abstain from sensual indulgence, wicked conduct and quarreling;”(QS. Al-Baqarah/The Cow: 197)

The scholarly interpretation of the word ‘wicked conduct’ here was wrongdoing.

Dhalal (Astray)

The meaning of astray, or going astray, is deviating from the straight path. It is the opposite of guidance. Allah decreed, which can be translated as:

“He who follows the Right Way shall do so to his own advantage; and he who strays shall incur his own loss. No one shall bear another’s burden. And never do We punish any people until We send a Messenger (to make the Truth distinct from falsehood).”(QS. Al-Isra’/The Night Journey: 15)

Generally, the word astray has several meanings, among those are:

Sometimes it means Infidelity, as in His decree, which can be translated as:

“Truly it is only associating others with Allah in His Divinity that Allah does not forgive, and forgives anything besides that to whomsoever He wills. Whoever associates others with Allah in His Divinity has indeed strayed far away.” (QS. An-Nisa/The Women: 116)

2. Sometimes it means shirk, as in His decree, which can be translated as:

“Whoever associates others with Allah in His Divinity has indeed strayed far away”(QS. An-Nisa/The Women: 116)

3. Sometimes it means something that deviates from the path of truth, or contradicts it, but not yet categorized as infidelity, as the term of “The astray groups”; it means the deviating groups.

4. Sometimes it means a non intended mistake, as what done by Prophet Moses :

“Moses replied: “I committed that act erringly.” (QS. Asy-Syu’ara/The Poets: 20)

5. Sometimes it means to forget, as in His decree, which can be translated as,

“so that if one of the two women should fail to remember, the other might remind her.” (QS. Al-Baqarah/The Cow: 282)

6. And sometimes astray means lost or unseen, as in the meaning of “Dholatul ibil”, that is, the camel is lost. (See: ar-Raghib in al-Mufradat (Vocabularies): page 297-298)

Riddah (Apostasy)

The meaning of apostasy in etymological course is turning back, as in the verse of Allah the Holy and Exalted, which can be translated as,

“My people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you; and do not turn back for then you will turn about losers.” (QS. Al-maidah/The Table Spread: 21)

As for the definition of apostasy according to jurisprudence terminology is: turning back to infidelity after believed (embraced Islam, -ed). Allah declared, which can be translated as,

“(So remember well) that whoever from amongst you turns away from his religion and dies in the state of unbelief their work will go to waste in this world and in the Next. They are destined for the Fire and it is there that they will abide.” (QS Al-Baqarah/The Cow: 217)

The Classification of Apostasy

One who plunged himself in one or more of the nullifiers of Islam, might as well considered as an apostate. While there are actually many of the nullifiers of Islam that caused the apostasy,the main of it could further classified into four classifications:

1. Apostasy caused by words, such as people who mocked Allah, or His messenger, or His angel, or one of His messengers. Included in it a person who admitted to know the unseen, or claimed him or herself as a prophet, or those who affirmed such claim, or those who prayed to other than Allah, seeking aid to be relieved from calamity from it, and seeking refuge of things which none would be able to master it but Allah.

2. Apostasy caused by deeds, such as prostrated before the idols, or tree, or stone, or grave, or slaughtered for it. Included in pervert deeds are dumping the Qur’an to the dirty places, practicing magic, learning and teaching it, also included in it, ruling with any other rules and laws but what Allah has sent down through His messenger, and believed that such action is alright.

3. Apostasy caused by beliefs, such as people who believed that there is partner next to Allah, or considered that adultery and alcoholic drinks are lawful, or considered that bread is forbidden, or believed that the compulsory prayers are not compulsory, or other things which lawful or unlawful or compulsory states had been agreed in certainty, or likewise that already known.

4. Apostasy caused by doubt, over the matters already mentioned above, such as people who doubted over the forbidden state of alcoholic drinks, adultery, and shirk, or doubted over the lawful state of bread, or over the treatise of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- or doubt over the treatise of other prophets, or their honesty, or over Islam itself, or the suitability of Islamic teaching over times.

Hence, if one committed one or more of the causes above, fully aware and knowledgeable of it’s consequence, then the laws regarding this apostate would be as follows:

1. The apostate was asked to repent; if he repented and embraced Islam back in around a three days period, then his repentance was accepted and he should be freed.

2. If he was reluctant to repent, then he deserved of death penalty, as the Prophet said;

” Kill whoever replaced his religion.” (Narrated by Bukhari)

3. An apostate was not allowed to spend any of his wealth during the period of which he was asked to repent; if he went back to embrace Islam, then the wealth should be his again, but if he refused to repent, then the wealth should be considered as spoilt of war (fa’i) and bequeathed to the Bait al Mal at the time of his death (or be killed) while he was still in his apostasy

4. The right of inheritance between he and his kith and kin broke, and he was not allowed to inherit anything from his kith and kin, nor they from him.

5. If he died as an apostate, or killed due to his apostasy, he should not be bathed, nor a janaza prayer should be done for him, nor be buried at muslim cemetery. He must be buried at the infidel cemetery or anywhere but the muslim cemetery.

Reference: The Basic Principles of Ahl Sunnah wal Jama’ah

The Splendor of Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:21:00 +0000

The Splendor of Paradise – All praises be to Allah, Lord of the universe, peace and prayer of Allah be upon His messenger, his family, his companions, and those who follow him until the Last Day.

The following is a summary of the splendor and magnificence and pleasures of Paradise, according to Allah’s Book and the valid or good (in status) saying of Allah’s messenger. Inshaa Allah.

Paradise and Hell

Paradise is a place prepared only for the God-fearing of men and women, whereas the Hell is place that Allah prepared for the disbelievers and sinners -but those who are blessed by Allah the Exalted-. Both are eternal creatures of Allah, and already created now. Paradise stands on a very high place (‘Illiyin), and Hell is on a very low place (Sijjin).

The Splendor of Paradise

In Paradise, there are things which have neither been seen by an eye, nor heard by an ear, nor (even) imagined by a human being. Whoever asks Allah for Paradise three times, Paradise says: ‘O Allâh, admit him into Paradise,’ and whoever seeks refuge from the Fire three times, the Fire says: ‘O Allâh, save him from the Fire.’” [1]

There will be no death in Paradise nor in Hell, since Death will be brought on the Day of Resurrection like a black and white ram and it will be slaughtered between Paradise and the Fire, and it will be said: “O people of Paradise, it is eternal, and there will be no death. O people of the Fire, it is eternal and there will be no death.”[2], Then the joy of the people of Paradise will increase, and the sorrow of the people of the Fire will increase. Also it will be said to the people of Paradise, “Indeed, you’ll stay healthy and forever wont be sick, you’ll stay alive and forever wont be dead, you’ll stay young and forever wont get old, you’ll be please and forever wont suffer. ” [3].

In Paradise there are sea of milk, sea of water which taste doesn’t change, sea of honey, and sea of wine, from which the rivers of Paradise flow. [4] The Paradise has eight doors, and people who recited the two testimonies after performing ablution will be able to enter from whichever door he wishes [5].

Whoever accustomed to perform prayer in this world, will be called from the door of prayer. Whoever accustomed to engage in Holy wars will be called from the door of Holy War (Jihad). Whoever accustomed to fast, will be called from the door of Rayyan and whoever accustomed to spend in Allah’s cause will be called from the door of charity[6], and the door of Rayyan is special for the fasting ones. [7]

The first one to enter the Paradise is Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- [8], the faces of the first group to enter it are like the (brilliance of, -translator) full moon, and the second group are like the twinkling stars on the sky, they do not urinate nor defecate, do not snot nor remove phlegm nor spit, their combs are from gold and their sweats are musk, their perfumes are woods of uluwwa (incense), their wives are beautiful-eyed virgins [9], their bodies are like their father’s, Prophet Adam -peace be upon him- whose height was 60 cubits [10]. The people of Paradise are inspired to recite tasbeeh and tahmeed as they were inspired to breath in this world [11], and they recite tasbeeh in the morning and evening [12].

Their prayer is “Subhaanakallahumma” (Most Holy are Thou, O Allah), their honor is greeting, and the closing of their prayer is, “Al Hamdulillahi rabbil ‘aalamiin”[13]. There are 100 levels in Paradise, which Allah has prepared to those who fought in His cause, the distance of one another is as the distance between the sky and the earth.

This, we ask Allah to give is the highest of Paradise, the Firdaus, which is the middle and highest of Paradise, above it the Great Throne of Allah, and from which the rivers of Paradise flow[14].

Inside it, a believer will be given 100 strength to eat, drink, and to sleep with his wives [15]. In Paradise there is a tent made from a hollowed-out pearl, sixty miles wide. In each corner of it there is a wife who cannot see the others, and the believer will go around to them [16].

Allah the Holy and Exalted has put a sense of pleasure ‘to them and will not be angry forever [17]. The people of Paradise will see those who live in rooms above them as they see the stars in the sky [18]. There they will be adorned with bracelets of gold, will be arrayed in green garments of silk and rich brocade, and will recline on raised couches [18], immortal youths shall go about them [20] when you see them, you would think that they are scattered pearls [21]. they and their spouses shall be reclining on their couches in shady groves, therein there will be all kinds of fruits to eat, and they shall have all that they desire [22].

Verily the God-fearing shall be in a secure place amidst gardens and springs. Attired in silk and brocade, they shall be arrayed face to face. Thus shall it be: and We shall espouse them to fair [23]and there shall be wide-eyed maidens, beautiful as pearls hidden in their shells [24] and wherein there shall be with them well-matched, bashful mates [25]. If a woman of Paradise show themselves to the earth dwellers, she’d surely light between the earth and Paradise and the earth would be filled with perfumes, indeed, her head cover is better than the world and whatever within it[26]. Therein they shall hear no idle talk, nor any falsehood [27] but All talk will be sound and upright [28].

And inside their chests will be purged out of all traces of rancor; and they shall be seated on couches facing one another as brothers.They shall face no fatigue in it, nor shall they ever be driven out of it [29]. In Paradise there is a market to which they will come every Friday. Then the north wind will blow and will blow on their faces and garments, and increase them in beauty and elegance. Then they will return to their families having increased in beauty and elegance and their families will say to them: ‘By Allah, you have increased in beauty and elegance,’ and they will say: ‘By Allah, you too have increased in beauty and elegance.’ [30]. The people most to be the hosts of heaven are the people of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, where half of the inhabitants of Paradise are his people [31].

The Last Man to Enter The Paradise

Occupant of the lowest level of heaven will be a man who will come after the people of Paradise are admitted to Paradise, and it will be said to him: “Enter Paradise.” He will say: “O Lord, how, when the people have taken their places and have taken what they have taken?” It will be said to him: “Would it please you if you had the like of what one of the kings of the world had?” He will say: “I would be pleased, O Lord.” He will say: “You will have that, and as much again, and as much again, and as much again, and as much again.” The fifth time, he will say: “I am pleased, O Lord.” He will say: “You will have that and ten times as much, and you will have what your heart desires, and what will delight your eyes.” He will say: “I am pleased, O Lord.” [32]

O Allah, put us into Thy heaven and save us from hell.

Author: Marwan Ibn Musa

Article of www.WhatIsQuran.com

–
References:

“Tafseer Ibn Katsir” by Imam Ibn Katsir
“The Splendor of Paradise and the Terrors of Hell” (Sheikh Ali Hasan; a translation)
“After Death Obstacles” by Zainal Abidin,
“Shahihul Jami’, etc.

—
Note:
[1] Narrated by Tirmidhi etc, see: Shahihul Jami’ no. 6275.
[2] Narrated by Muslim.
[3] Narrated by Muslim.
[4] Narrated by Tirmidhi, see: Shahihul Jaami’ no. 2122.
[5] Narrated by Muslim.
[6] Narrated by Bukhari.
[7] Narrated by Bukhari.
[8] Narrated by Ahmad, see: Shahihul Jaami’ no. 1.
[9] In another narration of Muslim it is said that each of them will have two wives whose marrow of thighs can be seen beneath their flesh due to their beauty. .
[10] Narrated by Muslim.
[11] Narrated by Muslim.
[12] Narrated by Muslim.
[13] see chapter Yunus: 10
[14] Narrated by Bukhari.
[15] Narrated by Thabrani, see: Shahihul Jaami’ no. 1627.
[16] Narrated by Muslim.
[17] Narrated by Muslim
[18] Narrated by Muslim.
[19] See: chapter Al Kahfi/The Cave: 30-31.
[20] See: chapter Al Waaqi’ah/The Inevitable: 17-18.
[21] See: chapter Al Insan/The Man: 19
[22] See: chapter Yaasin: 56-57.
[23] See: chapter Ad Dukhan/The Smoke: 51-54.
[24] See: chapter Al Waaqi’ah/The Inevitable : 22-23.
[25] See: chapter Shaad/The Letted Shaad: 52.
[26] Narrated by Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, etc, See: Shahihul Jami’ no. 5116.
[27] See: chapter An Naba’/The Tidings: 35
[28] See: Al Waaqi’ah/The Inevitable: 26.
[29] See: Al Hijr/The Rocky Track: 47-48.
[30] Narrated by Muslim.
[31] Narrated by Bukhari.
[32] Narrated by Muslim

The Tafseer (Interpretation of the Qur’an)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:55:00 +0000

What is the tafseer of the Qur’an?

Etymologically, the word ‘tafseer‘ comes from the word ‘al fasru’, which means unveil something closed. In terminology, tafseer means an explanation of the meanings of Qur’anic verses and everything it contains, from creed matters, laws, wisdoms, advices, social interactions, and so on.

Ruling regarding learning the tafseer

It is compulsory for every one to learn about tafseer, since each is obliged to contemplate over the contents of the Qur’an according to his or her capability. Allah decreed,

كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

“This is the Blessed Book that We have revealed to you, (O Muhammad), that people with understanding may reflect over its verses and those with understanding derive a lesson.” (QS. Shad/The Letter Shad: 29)
Allah mentioned that the aim of Qur’an revelation is to be reflected over, and to be taken lessons from, because there is no way to perform the laws of the Qur’an but after understanding it’s meaning first.
The contrary, which is by turning away from any efforts to reflect over and understand it, means neglecting the wisdoms of The Qur’an revelation. Hence, Allah mocked every one who refuses to think about the contents of the Qur’an. Allah decreed,

أَفَلا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا

“Do they, then, not reflect on the Qur’an? Or are there locks on their hearts?” (QS. Muhammad: 24)
In this verse, Allah mocked every one who does not reflect the Qur’an over, by calling them as “the locked hearts”, who do not get the goodness brought by the Qur’an. This is one of reason why the companions were paying close attention to the meanings of the Qur’an.
Abu Abdirrahman As Sulami told that, “The companions like Uthman Ibn Affan, Ibn Mas’ud, and others told us that in the past, if they were learning ten verses from the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, they wouldn’t ask for more until they understood the lessons and deeds contained in those verses. They said, ‘The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- taught us the Qur’an, by explaining both the knowledge and deeds contained in it.” (See: “Tafseer Ath-Thabari”, 1:80)

The Obligation of Those who Interpret the Qur’an

Every one who tries to interpret the Qur’an must be aware that he is interpreting the Qur’an, the words of Allah, The Exalted. Thus, he must be very cautious to avoid interpreting Allah’s decree without knowledge and firm basis, since he’ll be questioned and he must be responsible of it in front of Allah on the Last Day.
Allah mocked those who are taking this interpretation work lightly, such as interpreting the Qur’an without using the foundation already set by shari’a, or merely interpret it using his intelligence and logical thinking. Allah includes such action in speaking of Him without knowledge. Allah decreed:

قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْأِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ

وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَاناً وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لا تَعْلَمُونَ

“Tell them (O Muhammad): “My Lord has only forbidden indecent acts, whether overt or hidden; all manner of sin; wrongful transgression; and (He has forbidden) that you associate with Allah in His Divinity that for which He has sent down no sanction; and that you ascribe to Allah things of which you have no sure knowledge that they are from Him.” (QS. Al-A’raf/The Height: 33)
Thus, every time one wishes to interpret the Qur’an, he must understand all knowledges needed in interpreting it, including the science of hadith, narrations of the companions, arabic language, and others. And he is not allowed to use merely his logic in interpreting it.

References in Tafseer

The references used in tafseer if the Qur’an are the followings:
First: Allah’s decree. The Qur’an is interpreted using it too. It is the highest reference in tafseer/interpreting the Qur’an, since He is the most comprehend of His Own decree. Below are several examples of interpreting the Qur’an by Qur’an:
1. Allah decreed,

أَلا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“Surely the friends of Allah have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve -” (QS. Yunus/Jonah :62)
About who is the friends of Allah, is not mentioned in this verse. But in the next verse, Allah explained it’s meaning:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

“the ones who believe and are God-fearing.” (QS. Yunus/Jonah:63)
2. Allah decreed,

وَالأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَاهَا

“and thereafter spread out the earth,” (QS. An-Nazi’at:30)
Allah explained about how He spread out the the earth in the next verse,

أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَاءَهَا وَمَرْعَاهَا (*) وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَاهَا

“and brought out of it its water and its pasture, and firmly fixed in it mountains;” (QS. An-Nazi’at:31–32)
And there are still examples of this interpretation. In this field, a scholar named Sheikh Muhammad Amin Asy Syinqithi had written a tafseer book containing verses that are interpreted by other verses of the Qur’an itself. The book is titled “Adwa`ul Bayan fi Idhahil Qur’an bil Qur’an.”
Second: Interpreting Qur’an using the sayings of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him.
Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- is the messenger who deliver Allah’s treatise to the world, hence he is the most knowledgeable man of the meaning of Allah’s decrees. Among the examples of Qur’an interpretation using the saying/hadith of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- are the followings:
1. Allah declared,

لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ

“For those who do good there is good reward and more besides;” (QS. Yunus/ Jonah:26)
The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- interpreted the words ‘more besides’ with ‘seeing Allah’s face.’ From Shuhaib Ibn Sinan, from the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, regarding Allah’s decree (chapter Jonah:26), he said, ” When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, a caller shall call out: `Indeed you have a promise from Allah.’ They will say: `Did He not whiten our faces, save us from the Fire, and admit us into Paradise?’ They will say: `Indeed.’ Then the Veil shall be lifted.” He said: “So, by Allah, He did not grant them anything more beloved to them than looking at Him.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi, in hadith no. 2552, and classed sahih by Al Albani).
2. Allah’s decree,

وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ

“Make ready for an encounter against them all the forces and well-readied horses you can muster “ (QS. Al-Anfal/The Spoils of War:60)
The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- interpreted the word ‘forces’ in that verse, through his saying: From Uqba Ibn Amir -may Allah be pleased with him-, he heard the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- preached on the pulpit and read Allah’s decree (chapter Al Anfal/The Spoils of War: 60), and then said, “Know that the forces here means archery.” He repeated it several times. (Narrated by Muslim in hadith no. 1917)
Third: Using the words of the Companions
The Qur’an was revealed during the time of the companions, with their daily language. Beside that, they were the most truthful people after Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, and they were the purest in intention from any lusts, and also the farthest from lying in the name of Allah. They’d got noble and pious characters combined within them.
Hence, their saying, interpreting the Allah’s decrees, should be put forward before others’ sayings, particularly the interpretations of companions who were considered as the experts in tafseer, and their scholars as well, such as the four caliphs after the Prophet, Ibn Mas’ud, Abdurrahman Ibn Auf, Ibn Abbas, Sa’ad Ibn Abi Waqqas, and some other companions.
Among the interpretation of the companions are:

وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ

” If you are either ill or traveling or have satisfied a want of nature or have had contact with women..” (QS. An-Nisa’/The Women : 43)
There is a valid narration from Ibn Abbas which stated that the meaning of ‘having had contact with women’ is sexual intercourse. (See: ‘Ushul Tafseer’)
Fourth: Using the words of the student of companions who took the interpretation from the companions
Generation of tabeen (generation after the companions) is the best generation after the companions. During their time, arabic language hasn’t endured many changes. Thus, their comments about the interpretation of the Qur’an should be put forward before the sayings of generations after them.
Among the example of Qur’an interpretation using the words of tabeen is,

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

“There are some who say: “We believe in Allah and in the Last Day,” while in fact they do not believe.” (QS. Al-Baqarah/The Cow:8)
Qatada Ibn Di’amah, a tabeen, explained the meaning of people who said the words in that verse, saying that the verse is talking about the hypocrites.
Fifth: Using the meaning of the words in Arabic language, or it’s meaning in shari’a, according to the context of the sentence
There are many indications that confirm that the Qur’an was revealed in Arabic language. Among those indications are:
Allah’s decree,

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآناً عَرَبِيّاً لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

“verily We have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you may understand. “ (QS. Az-Zukhruf/The Gold Ornaments:3)
2. Allah’s decree,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ

“Never have We sent a Messenger but he has addressed his people in their language that he may fully expound his Message to them. (And after the Message is expounded), Allah lets go astray whomsoever He wills, and guides to the Right Way whomsoever He wills. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (QS. Ibrahim:4)
3. Allah’s decree,

وَكَذَلِكَ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّا

“And it is with the same directive that We revealed to you this Arabic Writ. Were you indeed to follow the vain desires of people after the true knowledge has come to you, none will be your supporter against Allah, and none will have the power to shield you from His punishment.” (QS. Ar-Ra’d/The Thunder: 37)
4. Allah’s decree,

وَكَذَلِكَ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا وَصَرَّفْنَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْوَعِيدِ لَعَلَّهُمْ

“(O Muhammad), thus have We revealed this as an Arabic Qur’an and have expounded in it warning in diverse ways so that they may avoid evil or become heedful.” (QS. Thaha/Ta ha:113)
If there is a difference between the meaning in shari’a and in the language, then the meaning in shari’a should be used before the language, since the Qur’an was revealed to explain shar’i meanings and not the language, unless there are clues that indicate that the language meaning is stronger than shar’i. In this exception, the language meaning is considered more correct than shar’i meaning.
The example of the difference between the shar’i and language meaning, and the more correct meaning is the shar’i, is Allah’s decree,

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ

“for those who believe in the existence of that which is beyond the reach of perception, who establish Prayer…” (QS. Al-Baqarah/The Cow: 3)
In language terms, prayer means ‘supplicating or invoking’, while in shari’a, prayer is a discrete type of worship performed with certain ways, begun with takbiratul ihram and ended with salam. The meaning of ‘establish prayer’ in that verse is the prayer according to shari’a, because one is considered to perform a prayer if he performs it the way the shari’a rules.
Whereas example of a difference between shar’i and language meanings, and the more correct one is the meaning in language, is Allah’s decree,

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِمْ بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ

“(O Prophet)! “Take alms out of their riches and thereby cleanse them and bring about their growth (in righteousness), and pray for them. Indeed your prayer is a source of tranquillity for them.” Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (QS. At-Taubah/The Repentance : 103)
References:

“Jami’ Al-Bayan fi Ta’wil Al-Qur’an” –also known as “Tafseer Ath-Thabari”– Author: Abu Ja’far Ath-Thabari. Published by Muassasah Ar-Risalah, Saudi Arabia Kingdom. 1420 H.
“Ushul fi Tafsir”. Author: Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Shaleh Al Uthaymeen.
“Shahih Muslim”. Author: Muslim Ibn Al-Hajjaj An-Naisaburi. Published by Dar Ihya’ At-Turats. Beirut. Without year.
“Al-Jami’ Ash-Shahih” –which is known as “Sunan At-Tirmidhi”–. Author: Muhammad Ibn Isa At-Tirmidhi. Published by Dar Ihya’ At-Turats. Beirut. Without year .

Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:19:00 +0000

Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was a cousin of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Mother of the Believers, may God be pleased with her. His father was Qays ibn Said and his mother was Aatikah bint Abdullah. She was called Umm Maktum (Mother of the Concealed One) because she gave birth to a blind child.
Abdullah witnessed the rise of Islam in Makkah. He was amongst the first to accept Islam. He lived through the persecution of the Muslims and suffered what the other companions of the Prophet experienced. His attitude, like theirs, was one of firmness, staunch resistance and sacrifice. Neither his dedication nor his faith weakened against the violence of the Quraysh onslaught. In fact, all this only increased his determination to hold on to the religion of God and his devotion to His messenger.
Abdullah was devoted to the noble Prophet and he was so eager to memorize the Quran that he would not miss any opportunity to achieve his hearts desire. Indeed, his sense of urgency and his insistence could sometimes have been irritating as he, unintentionally, sought to monopolize the attention of the Prophet.
In this period, the Prophet, peace be upon him, was concentrating on the Quraysh notables and was eager that they should become Muslims. On one particular day, he met Utbah ibn Rabiah and his brother Shaybah, Amr ibn Hisham better known as Abu Jahl, Umayyah ibn Khalaf and Walid ibn Mughirah, the father of Khalid ibn Walid who was later to be known as Sayf Allah or 'the sword of God'. He had begun talking and negotiating with them and telling them about Islam. He so much wished that they would respond positively to him and accept Islam or at least call off their persecution of his companions.
While he was thus engaged, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum came up and asked him to read a verse from the Quran. "O messenger of God," he said, "teach me from what God has taught you."
The Prophet frowned and turned away from him. He turned his attention instead to the prestigious group of Quraysh, hoping that they would become Muslims and that by their acceptance of Islam they would bring greatness to the religion of God and strengthen his mission. As soon as he had finished speaking to them and had left their company. he suddenly felt partially blinded and his head began to throb violently. At this point the following revelation came to him:
"He frowned and turned away when the blind man approached him ! Yet for all you knew, (O Muhammad), he might perhaps have grown in purity or have been reminded of the Truth, and helped by this reminder. Now as for him who believes himself to be self-sufficient, to him you gave your whole attention, although you are not accountable for his failure to attain to purity. But as for him who came unto you full of eagerness and in awe of God, him did you disregard.
Nay, verily, this is but a reminder and so, whoever is willing may remember Him in the light of His revelations blest with dignity, lofty and pure, borne by the hands of messengers, noble and most virtuous.' (Surah Abasa 8O: 116).
These are the sixteen verses which were revealed to the noble Prophet about Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, sixteen verses that have continued to be recited from that time till today and shall continue to be recited.
From that day the Prophet did not cease to be generous to Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. to ask him about his affairs, to fulfill his needs and take him into his council whenever he approached. This is not strange. Was he not censured by God in a most severe manner on Abdullah's account? In fact, in later years, he often greeted Ibn Umm Maktum with these words of humility:
"Welcome unto him on whose account my Sustainer has rebuked me." When the Quraysh intensified their persecution of the Prophet and those who believed with him, God gave them permission to emigrate. Abdullahs response was prompt. He and Musab ibn Umayr were the first of the Companions to reach Madinah.
As soon as they reached Yathrib, he and Musab began discussing with the people, reading the Quran to them and teaching them the religion of God. When the Prophet, upon whom be peace, arrived in Madinah, he appointed Abdullah and Bilal ibn Rabah to be muadh-dhins for the Muslims, proclaiming the Oneness of God five times a day, calling man to the best of actions and summoning them to success .
Bilal would call the adhan and Abdullah would pronounce the iqamah for the Prayer. Sometimes they would reverse the process. During Ramadan, they adopted a special routine. One of them would call the adhan to wake people up to eat before the fast began. The other would call the adhan to announce the beginning of dawn and the fast. It was Bilal who would awaken the people and Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum who would announce the beginning of dawn.
One of the responsibilities that the Prophet placed on Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was to put him in charge of Madinah in his absence. This was done more than ten times, one of them being when he left for the liberation of Makkah.
Soon after the battle of Badr, the Prophet received a revelation from God raising the status of the mujahideen and preferring them over the qaideen (those who remain inactive at home). This was in order to encourage the mujahid even further and to spur the qaid to give up his inactivity. This revelation affected ibn Umm Maktum deeply. It pained him to be thus barred from the higher status and he said:
O messenger of God. If I could go on jihad, I would certainly do." He then earnestly asked God to send down a revelation about his particular case and those like him who were prevented because of their disabilities from going on military campaigns.
His prayer was answered. An additional phrase was revealed to the Prophet exempting those with disabilities from the import of the original verse. The full ayah became:
"Not equal are those who remain seated among the believers, except those who possess disabilities, and those who strive and fight in the way of God with their wealth and their persons . . ." (Surah an-Nisaa, 4: 95).
In spite of thus being excused from jihad, the soul of Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum refused to be content with staying among those who remained at home when an expedition was in progress. Great souls are not content with remaining detached from affairs of great moment. He determined that no campaign should by-pass him. He fixed a role for himself on the battle field. He would say: "Place me between two rows and give me the standard. I will carry it for you and protect it, for I am blind and cannot run away. "
In the fourteenth year after the hijrah, Umar resolved to mount a major assault against the Persians to bring down their State and open the way for the Muslim forces. So he wrote to his governors:
"Send anyone with a weapon or a horse or who can offer any form of help to me. And make haste."
Crowds of Muslims from every direction responded to Umar's call and converged on Madinah. Among all these was the blind mujahid Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. Umar appointed Saud ibn Abi Waqqas commander over the army, gave him instructions and bade him farewell. When the army reached Qadisiyyah, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was prominent, wearing a coat of armor and fully prepared. He had vowed to carry and protect the standard of the Muslims or be killed in the process.
The forces met and engaged in battle for three days. The fighting was among the most fierce and bitter in the history of the Muslim conquests. On the third day, the Muslims achieved a mighty victory as one of the greatest empires in the world collapsed and one of the most secure thrones fell. The standard of Tawhid was raised in an idolatrous land. The price of this clear victory was hundreds of martyrs. Among them was Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. He was found dead on the battlefield clutching the flag of the Muslims.

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:41:00 +0000

In the Waddan valley which connects Makkah with the outside world, lived the tribe of Ghifar. The Ghifar existed on the meagre offerings of the trade caravans of the Quraysh which plied between Syria and Makkah. It is likely that they also lived by raiding these caravans when they were not given enough to satisfy their needs. Jundub ibn Junadah, nicknamed Abu Dharr, was a member of this tribe.
He was known for his courage, his calmness and his far sightedness and also for the repugnance he felt against the idols which his people worshipped. He rejected the silly religious beliefs and the religious corruption in which the Arabs were engaged.
While he was in the Waddan desert, news reached Abu Dharr that a new Prophet had appeared in Makkah. He really hoped that his appearance would help to change the hearts and minds of people and lead them away from the darkness of superstition. Without wasting much time, he called his brother, Anis, and said to him:
"Go to Makkah and get whatever news you can of this man who claims that he is a Prophet and that revelation comes to him from the heavens. Listen to some of his sayings and come back and recite them to me."
Anis went to Makkah and met the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him. He listened to what he had to say and returned to the Waddan desert. Abu Dharr met him and anxiously asked for news of the Prophet.
"I have seen a man," reported Anis, 'who calls people to
noble qualities and there is no mere poetry in what he says."
"What do people say about him?" asked Abu Dharr.
"They say he is a magician, a soothsayer and a poet."
"My curiosity is not satisfied. I am not finished with this matter. Will you look after my family while I go out and examine this prophet's mission myself?"
"Yes. But beware of the Makkans."
On his arrival at Makkah, Abu Dharr immediately felt very apprehensive and he decided to exercise great caution. The Quraysh were noticeably angry over the denunciation of their gods. Abu Dharr heard of the terrible violence they were meting out to the followers of the Prophet but this was what he expected. He therefore refrained from asking anyone about Muhammad not knowing whether that person might be a follower or an enemy.
At nightfall, he lay down in the Sacred Mosque. Ali ibn Abi Talib passed by him and, realizing that he was a stranger, asked him to come to his house. Abu Dharr spent the night with him and in the morning took his water pouch and his bag containing provisions and returned to the Mosque. He had asked no questions and no questions were asked of him.
Abu Dharr spent the following day without getting to know the Prophet. At evening he went to the Mosque to sleep and Ali again passed by him and said:
"Isn't it time that a man knows his house?"
Abu Dharr accompanied him and stayed at his house a second night. Again no one asked the other about anything.
On the third night, however, Ali asked him, "Aren't you going to tell me why you came to Makkah?"
"Only if you will give me an undertaking that you will guide me to what I seek." Ali agreed and Abu Dharr said: "I came to Makkah from a distant place seeking a meeting with the new Prophet and to listen to some of what he has to say."
Ali's face lit up with happiness as he said, "By God, he is really the Messenger of God," and he went on telling Abu Dharr more about the Prophet and his teaching. Finally, he said:
"When we get up in the morning, follow me wherever I go. If I see anything which I am afraid of for your sake, I would stop as if to pass water. If I continue, follow me until you enter where I enter."
Abu Dharr did not sleep a wink the rest of that night because of his intense longing to see the Prophet and listen to the words of revelation. In the morning, he followed closely in Ali's footsteps until they were in the presence of the Prophet.
As-salaamu Alayka Yaa Rasulullah, (Peace be on you, O Messenger of God)," greeted Abu Dharr.
Wa Alayka salaamullahi wa rahmatuhu wa barakaatuhu (And on you be the peace of God, His mercy and His blessings)," replied the Prophet.
Abu Dharr was thus the first person to greet the Prophet with the greeting of Islam. After that, the greeting spread and came into general use.
The Prophet, peace be on him, welcomed Abu Dharr and invited him to Islam. He recited some of the Quran for him. Before long, Abu Dharr pronounced the Shahadah thus entering the new religion (without even leaving his place). He was among the first persons to accept Islam.
Let us leave Abu Dharr to continue his own story...
After that I stayed with the Prophet in Makkah and he taught me Islam and taught me to read the Quran. Then he said to me, 'Don't tell anyone in Makkah about your acceptance of Islam. I fear that they will kill you."
"By Him in whose hands is my soul, I shall not leave Makkah until I go to the Sacred Mosque and proclaim the call of Truth in the midst of the Quraysh," vowed Abu Dharr.
The Prophet remained silent. I went to the Mosque. The Quraysh were sitting and talking. I went in their midst and called out at the top of my voice, "O people of Quraysh, I testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."
My words had an immediate effect on them. They jumped up and said, 'Get this one who has left his religion." They pounced on me and began to beat me mercilessly. They clearly meant to kill me. But Abbas ibn Abdulmuttalib, the uncle of the Prophet, recognized me. He bent over and protected me from them. He told them:
"Woe to you! Would you kill a man from the Ghifar tribe and your caravans must pass through their territory?" They then released me.
I went back to the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and when he saw my condition, he said, "Didn't I tell you not to announce your acceptance of Islam?" "O Messenger of God," I said, "It was a need I felt in my soul and I fulfilled it." "Go to your people," he commanded, "and tell them what you have seen and heard. Invite them to God. Maybe God will bring them good through you and reward you through them. And when you hear that I have come out in the open, then come to me."
I left and went back to my people. My brother came up to me and asked, "What have you done?" I told him that I had become a Muslim and that I believed in the truth of Muhammad's teachings.
"I am not averse to your religion. In fact, I am also now a Muslim and a believer," he said.
We both went to our mother then and invited her to Islam .
"I do not have any dislike from your religion. I accept Islam also," she said.
From that day this family of believers went out tirelessly inviting the Ghifar to God and did not flinch from their purpose. Eventually a large number became Muslims and the congregational Prayer was instituted among them.
Abu Dharr remained in his desert abode until after the Prophet had gone to Madinah and the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq had been fought. At Madinah at last, he asked the Prophet to be in his personal service. The Prophet agreed and was pleased with his companionship and service. He sometimes showed preference to Abu Dharr above others and whenever he met him he would pat him and smile and show his happiness.
After the death of the Prophet, Abu Dharr could not bear to stay in Madinah because of grief and the knowledge that there was to be no more of his guiding company. So he left for the Syrian desert and stayed there during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar.
During the caliphate of Uthman, he stayed in Damascus and saw the Muslims concern for the world and their consuming desire for luxury. He was saddened and repelled by this. So Uthman asked him to come to Madinah. At Madinah he was also critical of the people's pursuit of worldly goods and pleasures and they were critical in turn of his reviling them. Uthman therefore ordered that he should go to Rubdhah, a small village near Madinah. There he stayed far away from people, renouncing their preoccupation with worldly goods and holding on to the legacy of the Prophet and his companions in seeking the everlasting abode of the Hereafter in preference to this transitory world.
Once a man visited him and began looking at the contents of his house but found it quite bare. He asked Abu Dharr: "Where are your possessions?" "We have a house yonder (meaning the Hereafter)," said Abu Dharr, "to which we send the best of our possessions." The man understood what he meant and said: "But you must have some possessions so long as you are in this abode." "The owner of this abode will not leave us in it," replied Abu Dharr.
Abu Dharr persisted in his simple and frugal life to the end. Once the amir of Syria sent three hundred diners to Abu Dharr to meet his needs. He returned the money saying, "Does not the amir of Syria find a servant more deserving of it than I?"
In the year 32 AH. the self-denying Abu Dharr passed away. The Prophet, peace be upon him, had said of him: "The earth does not carry nor the heavens cover a man more true and faithful than Abu Dharr."

At-Tufayl ibn Amr ad-Dawsi

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:39:00 +0000

At-Tufayl ibn Amr was the chief of the Daws tribe in preQuranic times and a distinguished Arab notable known for his manly virtues and good works.
He fed the hungry, comforted those in distress and granted asylum to refugees. He was also keenly interested in literature and was himself a sharp and sensitive poet capable of expressing the most delicate emotions.
Tufayl left the hearths of his village in Tihama in the south of the Arabian peninsula and set out for Makkah. The struggle between the noble Prophet and the disbelieving Quraysh was already at its height. Each wanted to gain support for his cause and recruit helpers. The Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him, sought help from his Lord. His weapons were faith and truth. The disbelieving Quraysh resisted his message with every weapon, and attempted to keep people away from it by all the means at their disposal.
Tufayl found himself entering this battle without any preparation or warning. He did not come to Makkah to get involved in it. Indeed he was not aware of the struggle that was taking place.
Let Tufayl himself take up the story from this point:
I approached Makkah. As soon as the Quraysh leaders saw me, they came up to me and gave me a most hearty welcome and accommodated me in a grand house. Their leaders and notables then gathered and said:
"O Tufayl, you have come to our town. This man who claims that he is a Prophet has ruined our authority and shattered our community. We are afraid that he would succeed in undermining you and your authority among your people just as he has done with us. Don't speak to the man. On no account listen to anything he has to say. He has the speech of a wizard, causing division between father and son, between brother and brother and between husband and wife."
They went on telling me the most fantastic stories and scared me by recounting tales of his incredible deeds. I made up my mind then not to approach this man, or speak to him or listen to anything he had to say.
The following morning I went to the Sacred Mosque to make tawaf around the Kabah as an act of worship to the idols that we made pilgrimage to and glorified. I inserted a piece of cotton in my ears out of fear that something of the speech of Muhammad would reach my hearing. As soon as I entered the Mosque, I saw him standing near the Kabah. He was praying in a fashion which was different from our prayer. His whole manner of worship was different. The scene captivated me. His worship made me tremble and I felt drawn to him, despite myself, until I was quite close to him.
Not withstanding the precaution I had taken, God willed that some of what he was saying should reach my hearing and I heard a speech that was so beautiful that I said to myself, "What are you doing, Tufayl? You are a perceptive poet. You can distinguish between the good and the bad in poetry. What prevents you from listening to what this man is saying? If what comes from him is good, accept it, and if it is bad, reject it."
I remained there until the Prophet left for his home. I followed him as he entered his house, and I entered also and said, "O Muhammad, your people have said certain things to me about you. By God, they kept on frightening me away from your message so that I even blocked my ears to keep out your words. Despite this, God caused me to hear something of it and I found it good. So tell me more about your mission."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, did and recited to me Surah Al-Iklaas and Surah Al-Falaq. I swear by God, I had never heard such beautiful words before. Neither was a more noble or just mission ever described to me. Thereupon, I stretched out my hand to him in allegiance and testified that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. This is how I entered Islam.
I stayed on for some time in Makkah learning the teachings of Islam memorizing parts of the Quran. When I decided to return to my people, I said, "O Rasulullah. I am a man who is obeyed in his tribe. I am going back to them and I shall invite them to Islam . . ."
When I returned to my people, my father, who was quite old then, came up to me and I said, 'O Father, let me relate my news to you. I am no longer from you and you are not of me.''
"Why so, my son?" he asked.
"I have accepted Islam and now follow the religion of Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him," I replied.
"My son," he said, "your religion is my religion."
''Go and wash your sell and cleanse your clothes," I said. "Then come that I may teach you what I have learnt."
This the old man did and I explained Islam to him and he became a Muslim.
"Then came my wife and I said, "Let me relate my news to you. I am no longer of you and you are not of me."
"Good heavens! Why so?" she exclaimed.
"Islam has separated us," I explained. "I have become a Muslim and follow the religion of Muhammad."
"Your religion is my religion," she replied.
'Then go and purify yourself, not with the water of Dhu Shara, the idol of the Daws, but with pure water from the mountain. "
"Good gracious! Do you fear anything from Dhu Shara?"
"Damn Dhu Shari. I told you, go and wash there, far away from people. I guarantee you that this dumb stone won't do a thing to you."
She went and washed and I explained Islam to her and she became a Muslim. I then invited the Daws as a whole to become Muslims. They were all slow in responding, except Abu Hurayrah. He was the quickest to respond to the invitation of Islam.
The next time I went to Makkah, Abu Hurayrah was with me.
"What have you left behind?' the Prophet asked me.
"Hearts with veils over them obscuring the Truth, and firm disbelief. Sin and disobedience have won over the Daws."
The Prophet thereupon stood up, made wudu and prayed with his hands raised to the heavens. Abu Hurayrah remarked, "When I saw the Prophet like this, I was afraid that he was praying against my people and that they would be destroyed."
But the Prophet, upon whom be peace, prayed, "O Lord, guide the Daws, guide the Daws, guide the Daws." Then he turned to me and said:
"Go back to your people, befriend them, treat them gently and invite them to Islam."
I stayed in the land of the Daws inviting them to Islam until after the hijrah of the Prophet to Madinah and after the battle of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq had taken place. Then I went to the Prophet. With me were eighty families who had become Muslims and who were strong in their faith. The Prophet was pleased with us and he gave us a portion of the booty after the battle of Khaybar. We said to him, "O Rasulullah, make us the right wing of your army in every battle and make our efforts acceptable."
Tufayl stayed with the Prophet until the liberation of Makkah. After the destruction of the idols there, Tufayl asked the Prophet to send him to put an end to the worship of Dhu-l Kafayn, the chief idol of his people. The Prophet gave him permission.
Back in Tihama among the Daws, men, women and children of the tribe had gathered and were agitated that the idol was going to be burnt. They were waiting to see if any evil would befall Tufayl should he harm Dhu-l Kafayn. Tufayl approached the idols with the worshipers around it. As he set fire to it, he proclaimed:
"O Dhu-l Kafayn, of your worshipers I certainly am not.
Fire have I inserted into your heart."
Whatever shirk remained in the Daws tribe went up in the flames that burnt the idol. The whole tribe became Muslims.
Tufayl remained a lieutenant of the Prophet until the noble messenger passed away. Tufayl then placed himself in the service of the Khalifah Abu Bakr, the successor of the Prophet. During the Riddah wars, he led a contingent of his people against the impostor Musaylamah.
In the battle of al-Yamamah that followed, the dear companion of the Prophet, Tufayl ibn Amr fought hard but eventually fell as a martyr on the battlefield.

Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:33:00 +0000

His appearance was striking. He was slim and tall. His face was bright and he had a sparse beard. It was pleasing to look at him and refreshing to meet him. He was extremely courteous and humble and quite shy. Yet in a tough situation he would become strikingly serious and alert, resembling the flashing blade of a sword in his severity and sharpness.
He was described as the Amin or Custodian of Muhammad's community. His full name was Aamir ibn Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah. He was known as Abu Ubaydah. Of him Abdullah ibn Umar, one of the companions of the Prophet, said:
"Three persons in the tribe of Quraysh were most prominent, had the best character and were the most modest. If they spoke to you, they would not deceive you and if you spoke to them, they would not accuse you of Lying: Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Uthman ibn Affan and Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah."
Abu Ubaydah was one of the first persons to accept Islam. He became a Muslim one day after Abu Bakr. In fact, it was through Abu Bakr that he became a Muslim. Abu Bakr took him, Abdur Rahman ibn Aut, Uthman ibn Mazun and al-Arqam ibn Abu al Arqam to the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and together they declared their acceptance of the Truth. They were thus the first pillars on which the great edifice of Islam was built.
Abu Ubaydah lived through the harsh experience, which the Muslims went through in Makkah, from beginning to end. With the early Muslims, he endured the insults and the violence, the pain and the sorrow of that experience. In every trial and test he remained firm and constant in his belief in God and His prophet. One of the most harrowing experiences he had to go through however, was at the battle of Badr.
Abu Ubaydah was in the vanguard of the Muslim forces, fighting with might and main and as someone who was not at all afraid of death. The Quraysh cavalry were extremely wary of him and avoided coming face to face with him. One man in particular, however, kept on pursuing Abu Ubaydah wherever he turned and Abu Ubaydah tried his best to keep out of his way and avoid an encounter with him.
The man plunged into the attack. Abu Ubaydah tried desperately to avoid him. Eventually the man succeeded in blocking Abu Ubaydah's path and stood as a barrier between him and the Quraysh. I hey were now face to face with each other. Abu Ubaydah could not contain himself any longer. He struck one blow to the man's head. The man fell to the ground and died instantly.
Do not try to guess who this man was It was, as stated earlier, one of the most harrowing experiences that Abu Ubaydah had to go through, how harrowing, it is almost impossible to imagine. The man in Fact was Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah, the father of Abu Ubaydah!
Abu Ubaydah obviously did not want to kill his father but in the actual battle between faith in God and polytheism, the choice open to him was profoundly disturbing but clear. In a way it could be said that he did not kill his father--he only killed the polytheism in the person of his father.
It is concerning this event that God revealed the following verses of the Quran:
"You will not find a people believing in God and the Last Day making friends with those who oppose God and His messenger even if these were their fathers, their sons, their brothers or their clan. God has placed faith in their hearts and strengthened them with a spirit from Him. He will cause them to enter gardens beneath which streams flow that they may dwell therein. God is well pleased with them and they well pleased with Him. They are the party of God. Is not the party of God the successful ones?" (Surah al-Mujactilah 58:22)
The response of Abu Ubaydah at Badr when confronted by his father was not unexpected. He had attained a strength of faith in God, devotion to His religion and a level of concern for the ummah of Muhammad to which many aspired.
It is related by Muhammad ibn Jafar, a Companion of the Prophet, that a Christian delegation came to the Prophet and said, 'O Abu-l Qasim, send one of your companions with us, one in whom you are well pleased, to judge between us on some questions of property about which we disagree among ourselves. We have a high regard for you Muslim people."
"Come back to me this evening," replied the Prophet, "and I will send with you one who is strong and trustworthy."
Umar ibn al-Khattab heard the Prophet saying this and later said: "I went to the Zuhr (midday) Prayer early hoping to be the one who would fit the description of the Prophet. When the Prophet had finished the Prayer, he began looking to his right and his left and I raised myself so that he could see me. But he continued looking among us until he spotted Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah. He called him and said, 'Go with them and judge among them with truth about that which they are in disagreement." And so Abu Ubaydah got the appointment."
Abu Ubaydah was not only trustworthy. He displayed a great deal of strength in the discharge of his trust. This strength was shown on several occasions.
One day the Prophet dispatched a group of his Sahabah to meet a Quraysh caravan. He appointed Abu Ubaydah as amir (leader) of the group and gave them a bag of dates and nothing else as provisions. Abu Ubaydah gave to each man under his command only one date every day. He would suck this date just as a child would suck at the breast of its mother. He would then drink some water and this would suffice him for the whole day.
On the day of Uhud when the Muslims were being routed, one of the mushrikeen started to shout, "Show me Muhammad, show me Muhammad." Abu Ubaydah was one of a group of ten Muslims who had encircled the Prophet to protect him against the spears of the Mushrikeen.
When the battle was over, it was found that one of the Prophet's molar teeth was broken, his forehead was bashed in and two discs from his shield had penetrated into his cheeks. Abu Bakr went forward with the intention of extracting these discs but Abu Ubaydah said, "Please leave that to me."
Abu Ubaydah was afraid that he would cause the Prophet pain if he took out the discs with his hand. He bit hard into one of the discs. It was extracted but one of his incisor teeth fell to the ground in the process. With his other incisor, he extracted the other disc but lost that tooth also. Abu Bakr remarked, "Abu Ubaydah is the best of men at breaking incisor teeth!"
Abu Ubaydah continued to be fully involved in all the momentous events during the Prophet's lifetime. After the beloved Prophet had passed away, the companions gathered to choose a successor at the Saqifah or meeting place of Banu Saaadah. The day is known in history as the Day of Saqifah. On this day, Umar ibn al-Khattab said to Abu Ubaydah, "Stretch forth your hand and I will swear allegiance to you for I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him say, 'Every ummah has an amin (custodian) and you are the amin of this ummah.' "
"I would not," declared Abu Ubaydah, "put myself forward in the presence of a man whom the Prophet, upon whom be peace, commanded to lead us in Prayer and who led us right until the Prophet's death." He then gave bayah (the oath of allegiance) to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. He continued to be a close adviser to Abu Bakr and his strong supporter in the cause of truth and goodness. Then came the caliphate of Umar and Abu Ubaydah also gave him his support and obedience. He did not disobey him in any matter, except one.
The incident happened when Abu Ubaydah was in Syria leading the Muslim forces from one victory to another until the whole of Syria was under Muslim control. The River Euphrates lay to his right and Asia Minor to his left.
It was then that a plague hit the land of Syria, the like of which people had never experienced before. It devastated the population. Umar dispatched a messenger to Abu Ubaydah with a letter saying:
"I am in urgent need of you. If my letter reaches you at night I strongly urge you to leave before dawn. If this letter reaches you during the day, I strongly urge you to leave before evening and hasten to me.
When Abu Ubaydah received Umar's letter, he said, "I know why the Amir al-Mumineen needs me. He wants to secure the survival of someone who, however, is not eternal." So he wrote to Umar:
"I know that you need me. But I am in an army of Muslims and I have no desire to save myself from what is afflicting them. I do not want to separate from them until God wills. So, when this letter reaches you, release me from your command and permit me to stay on.''
When Umar read this letter tears filled his eyes and those who were with him asked, "Has Abu Ubaydah died, O Amir al-Mumineen?"
"No," said he, "But death is near to him."
Umar's intuition was not wrong. Before long, Abu Ubaydah became afflicted with the plague. As death hung over him, he spoke to his army:
"Let me give you some advice which will cause you to be on the path of goodness always. "Establish Prayer. Fast the month of Ramadan. Give Sadaqah. Perform the Hajj and Umrah. Remain united and support one another. Be sincere to your commanders and do not conceal anything from them. Don't let the world destroy you for even if man were to live a thousand years he would still end up with this state that you see me in.
Peace be upon you and the mercy of God."
Abu Ubaydah then turned to Muadh ibn Jabal and said, "O Muadh, perform the prayer with the people (be their leader)." At this, his pure soul departed. Muadh got up and said:
"O people, you are stricken by the death of a man. By God, I don't know whether I have seen a man who had a more righteous heart, who was further from all evil and who was more sincere to people than he. Ask God to shower His mercy on him and God will be merciful to you. "

Said ibn Aamir al-Jumahi

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:31:00 +0000

Said ibn Aamir al-Jumahi was one of thousands who left for the region of Tanim on the outskirts of Makkah at the invitation of the Quraysh leaders to witness the killing of Khubayb ibn Adiy, one of the companions of Muhammad whom they had captured treacherously.
With his exuberant youthfulness and strength, Said jostled through the crowd until he caught up with the Quraysh leaders, men like Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. and Safwan ibn Umayyah, who were leading the procession.
Now he could see the prisoner of the Quraysh shackled in his chains, the women and children pushing him to the place set for his death. Khubayb's death was to be in revenge for Quraysh losses in the battle of Badr.
When the assembled throng arrived with its prisoner at the appointed place, Said ibn Aamir took up his position at a point directly overlooking Khubayb as he approached the wooden cross. From there he heard Khubayb's firm but quiet voice amid the shouting of women and children.
"If you would, leave me to pray two rakaats before my death." This the Quraysh allowed.
Said looked at Khubayb as he faced the Kabah and prayed. How beautiful and how composed those two rakaats seemed! Then he saw Khubayb facing the Quraysh leaders.
"By God, if you thought that I asked to pray out of fear of death, I would think the prayer not worth the trouble," he said.
Said then saw his people set about dismembering Khubayb's body while he was yet alive and taunting him in the process.
"Would you like Muhammad to be in your place while you go free?"
With his blood flowing, he replied. "By God, I would not want to be safe and secure among my family while even a thorn hurts Muhammad." People shook their fists in the air and the shouting increased. "Kill him. Kill him!"
Said watched Khubayb lifting his eyes to the heavens above the wooden cross. "Count them all, O Lord," he said. "Destroy them and let not a single one escape."
Thereafter Said could not count the number of swords and spears which cut through Khubayb's body.
The Quraysh returned to Makkah and in the eventful days that followed forgot Khubayb and his death. But Khubayb was never absent from the thoughts of Said, now approaching manhood. Said would see him in his dreams while asleep and he would picture Khubayb in front of him praying his two rakaats calm and contented, before the wooden cross. And he would hear the reverberation of Khubayb's voice as he prayed for the punishment of the Quraysh. He would become afraid that a thunderbolt from the sky or some calamity would strike him.
Khubayb, by his death, had taught Said what he did not realize before--that real life was faith and conviction and struggle in the path of faith, even until death. He taught him also that faith which is deeply ingrained in a person works wonders and performs miracles. He taught him something else too, that the man who is loved by his companions with such a love as Khubayb's could only be a prophet with Divine support.
Thus was Said's heart opened to Islam. He stood up in the assembly of the Quraysh and announced that he was Rex from their sins and burdens. He renounced their idols and their superstitions and proclaimed his entry into the religion of God.
Said ibn Aamir migrated to Madinah and attached himself to the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him. He took part with the Prophet in the battle of Khaybar and other engagements thereafter. After the Prophet passed away to the protection of his Lord, Said continued active service under his two successors, Abu Bakr and Umar. He lived the unique and exemplary life of the believer who has purchased the Hereafter with this world. He sought the pleasure and blessings of God above selfish desires and bodily pleasures.
Both Abu Bakr an(l Umar knew Said well for his honesty and piety. They would listen to whatever he had to say and follow his advice. Said once came to Umar at the beginning of his caliphate and said.
"I advise you to fear God in dealing with people and do not fear people in your relationship with God. Let not your actions deviate from your words for the best of speech is that which it confirmed by action. Consider those who have been appointed over the affairs of Muslims, far and near. Like for them what you like for yourself and your family and dislike for them what you would dislike for yourself and your family. Surmount any obstacles to attain the truth and do not tear the criticisms of those who criticize in matters prescribed by God.
"Who can measure up to this, Said?" asked Umar. "A man like yourself from among those whom God has appointed over the affairs of the Ummah of Muhammad and who feels responsible to God alone," replied Said.
"Said," he said, "I appoint you to be governor of Homs (in Syria)." "Umar," pleaded Said, "I entreat you by God, do not cause me to go astray by making me concerned with worldly affairs."
Umar became angry and said, "You have placed the responsibility of the caliphate on me and now you forsake me." "By God. I shall not forsake you," Said quickly responded.
Umar appointed him as governor of Homs and offered him a gratuity. "What shall I do with it, O Amir al Mumineen?" asked Said. "The stipend from the have al-mal will be more than enough for my needs." With this, he proceeded to Homs.
Not long afterwards, a delegation from Homs made up of people in whom Umar had confidence came to visit him in Madinah. He requested them to write the names of the poor among them so he could relieve their needs. They prepared a list from him in which the name Said ibn Aamir appeared.
"Who is this Said ibn Aamir?" asked Umar
"Our amir" they replied.
"Your amir is poor?" said Umar, puzzled.
"Yes," they affirmed, "By God, several days go by without a fire being lit in his house."
Umar was greatly moved and wept. He got a thousand diners, put it in a purse and said, "Convey my greetings to him and tell him that the Amir al Mumineen has sent this money to help him look after his needs."
The delegation came to Said with the purse. When he found that it contained money, he began to push it away from him, saying, "From God we are and to Him we shall certainly return."
He said it in such a way as if some misfortune had descended on him. His alarmed wife hurried to him and asked, "What's the matter, Said? Has the Khalifah died~"
"Something greater than that."
"Have the Muslims been defeated in a battle?"
"Something greater than that. The world has come upon me to corrupt my hereafter and create disorder in my house. "
"Then get rid of it," said she, not knowing anything about the diners.
"Will you help me in this?" he asked.
She agreed. He took the diners, put them in bags and distributed them to the Muslim poor.
Not long afterwards, Umar ibn al-Khattab went to Syria to examine conditions there. When he arrived at Homs which was called little Kufah because, like Kufah, its inhabitants complained a lot about their leaders, he asked what they thought of their Amir. They complained about him mentioning four of his actions each one more serious than the other.
"I shall bring you and him together," Umar promised. "And I pray to God that my opinion about him would not be damaged. I used to have great confidence in him."
When the meeting was convened, Umar asked what complaints they had against him.
"He only comes out to us when the sun is already high," they said.
"What do you have to say to that, Said?" asked Umar.
Said was silent for a moment, then said, "By God, I really didn't want to say this but there seems to be no way out. My family does not have a home help so I get up every morning and prepare dough for bread. I wait a little until it rises and then bake for them. I then make wudu and go out to the people."
"What's your other complaint?" asked Umar.
"He does not answer anyone at night," they said.
To this Said reluctantly said, "By God, I really wouldn't have liked to disclose this also. but I have left the day for them and the night for God, Great and Sublime is He."
"And what's your other complaint about him?" asked Umar.
"He does not come out to us from one day in every month," they said.
To this Said replied, "I do not have a home help, O Amir al-Mumineen and I do not have any clothes except what's on me. This I wash once a month and I wait for it to dry. Then I go out in the later part of the day."
"Any other complaint about him?" asked Umar.
"From time to time, he blacks out in meetings," they said.
To this Said replied, "I witnessed the killing of Khubayb ibn Adiy when I was a mushrik. I saw the Quraysh cutting him and saying, "Would you like Muhammad to be in your place?" to which Khubayb replied, "I would not wish to be safe and secure among my family while a thorn hurts Muhammad." By God, whenever I remember that day and how I failed to come to his aid, I only think that God would not forgive me and I black out."
Thereupon Umar said, "Praise be to God. My impression of him has not been tainted." He later sent a thousand diners to Said to help him out. When his wife saw the amount she said. "Praise be to God Who has enriched us out of your service. Buy some provisions for us and get us a home help."
"Is there any way of spending it better?" asked Said. "Let us spend it on whoever comes to us and we would get something better for it by thus dedicating it to God." "That will be better," she agreed.
He put the diners into small bags and said to a member of his family, "Take this to the widow of so and so, and the orphans of that person, to the needy in that family and to the indigent of the family of that person."
Said ibn Aamir al-Jumahi was indeed one of those who deny themselves even when they are afflicted with severe poverty.

Umm Salamah

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:29:00 +0000

Umm Salamah! What an eventful life she had! Her real name was Hind. She was the daughter of one of the notables in the Makhzum clan nicknamed "Zad ar-Rakib" because he was well known for his generosity particularly to travelers. Umm Salamah's husband was Abdullah ibn Abdulasad and they both were among the first persons to accept Islam. Only Abu Bakr and a few others, who could be counted on the fingers of one hand, became Muslims before them.

As soon as the news of their becoming Muslims spread, the Quraysh reacted with frenzied anger. They began hounding and persecuting Umm Salamah and her husband. But the couple did not waver or despair and remained steadfast in their new faith.

The persecution became more and more intense. Life in Makkah became unbearable for many of the new Muslims. The Prophet, peace be upon him, then gave permission for them to emigrate to Abyssinia. Umm Salamah and her husband were in the forefront of these muhajirun, seekers of refuge in a strange land. For Umm Salamah it meant abandoning her spacious home and giving up the traditional ties of lineage and honor for something new, hope in the pleasure and reward of Allah.

Despite the protection Umm Salamah and her companions received from the Abyssinian ruler, the desire to return to Makkah, to be near the Prophet and the source of revelation and guidance persisted.
News eventually reached the muhajirun that the number of Muslims in Makkah had increased. Among them were Hamzah ibn Abdulmuttalib and Umar ibn al-Khattab. Their faith had greatly strengthened the community and the Quraysh they heard, had eased the persecution somewhat. Thus a group of the muhajirun, urged on by a deep longing in their hearts, decided to return to Makkah.

The easing of the persecution was but brief as the returnees soon found out. The dramatic increase in the number of Muslims following the acceptance of Islam by Hamzah and Umar only infuriated the Quraysh even more. They intensified their persecution and torture to a pitch and intensity not known before. So the Prophet gave permission to his companions to emigrate to Madinah. Umm Salamah and her husband were among the first to leave.

The hijrah of Umm Salamah and her husband though was not as easy as they had imagined. In fact, it was a bitter and painful experience and a particularly harrowing one for her.
Let us leave the story now for Umm Salamah herself to tell...

When Abu Salamah (my husband) decided to leave for Madinah, he prepared a camel from me, hoisted me on it and placed our son Salamah on my lap. My husband then took the lead end went on without stopping or waiting for anything. Before we were out of Makkah however some men from my clan stopped us and said to my husband:

"Though you are free to do what you like with yourself, you have no power over your wife. She is our daughter. Do you expect us to allow you to take her away from us?"
They then pounced on him end snatched me away from him. My husbands clan, Banu Abdulasad, saw them taking both me and my child. They became hot with rage.

"No! By Allah," they shouted, "we shall not abandon the boy. He is our son and we have a first claim over him." They took him by the hand and pulled him away from me. Suddenly in the space of a few moments, I found myself alone and lonely. My husband headed for Madinah by himself and his clan had snatched my son away from me. My own clan, Banu Makhzum, overpowered me and forced me to stay with them.

From the day when my husband and my son were separated from me, I went out at noon every day to that valley and sat in the spot where this tragedy occurred. I would recall those terrible moments and weep until night fell on me.

I continued like this for a year or so until one day a man from the Banu Umayyah passed by and saw my condition. He went back to my clan and said: "Why don't you free this poor woman? You have caused her husband and her son to be taken away from her." He went on trying to soften their hearts and play on their emotions. At last they said to me. 'Go and join your husband if you wish."

But how could I join my husband in Madinah and leave my son, a piece of my own flesh and blood, in Makkah among the Banu Abdulasad? How could I be free from anguish and my eyes be free from tears were I to reach the place of hijrah not knowing anything of my little son left behind in Makkah?
Some realized what I was going through and their hearts went out to me. They petitioned the Banu Abdulasad on my behalf and moved them to return my son. I did not now even want to linger in Makkah till I found someone to travel with me and I was afraid that something might happen that would delay or prevent me from reaching my husband. So I promptly got my camel ready, placed my son on my lap and left in the direction of Madinah .

I had just about reached Tanim (about three miles from Makkah) when I met Uthman ibn Talhah. (He was a keeper of the Kabah in pre-lslamic times and was not yet a Muslim.)
"Where are you going, Bint Zad ar-Rakib?" he asked.

"I am going to my husband in Madinah."
"And there isn't anyone with you?"
"No, by Allah. Except Allah and my little boy here."
"By Allah. I shall never abandon you until you reach Madinah," he vowed.
He then took the reins of my camel and led us on. I have, by Allah, never met an Arab more generous and noble than he. When we reached a resting place, he would make my camel kneel down, wait until I dismounted, lead the camel to a tree and tether it. He would then go to the shade of another tree. When we had rested he would get the camel ready and lead us on.

This he did every day until we reached Madinah. When we got to the village near Quba (about two miles from Madinah) belonging to Banu Amr ibn Awf, he said, "Your husband is in this village. Enter it with the blessings of God. "

He turned back and headed for Makkah. Their roads finally met after the long separation. Umm Salamah was overjoyed to see her husband and he was delighted to see his wife and son.

Great and momentous events followed one after the other. There was the battle of Badr in which Abu Salamah fought. The Muslims returned victorious and strengthened. Then there was the battle of Uhud in which the Muslims were sorely tested. Abu Salamah came out of this wounded very badly. He appeared at first to respond well to treatment, but his wounds never healed completely and he remained bedridden.

Once while Umm Salamah was nursing him, he said to her: "I heard the Messenger of God saying. Whenever a calamity afflicts anyone he should say, "Surely from Allah we are and to Him we shall certainly return." And he would pray, 'O Lord, give me in return something good from it which only You Exalted and Mighty, can give."

Abu Salamah remained sick in bed for several days. One morning the Prophet came to see him. The visit was longer than usual. While the Prophet was still at his bedside Abu Salamah passed away. With his blessed hands, the Prophet closed the eyes of his dead companion. He then raised these hands to the heavens and prayed:

"O Lord, grant forgiveness to Abu Salamah. Elevate him among those who are near to You. Take charge of his family at all times. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the Worlds. Widen his grave and make it light for him."

Umm Salamah remembered the prayer her husband had quoted on his deathbed from the Prophet and began repeating it, "O Lord, with you I leave this my plight for consideration . . ." But she could not bring herself to continue . . . "O Lord give me something good from it", because she kept asking herself, "Who could be better than Abu Salamah?" But it did not take long before she completed the supplication.
The Muslims were greatly saddened by the plight of Umm Salamah. She became known as "Ayyin al-Arab"-- the one who had lost her husband. She had no one in Madinah of her own except her small children, like a hen without feathers.

Both the Muhajirun and Ansar felt they had a duty to Umm Salamah. When she had completed the Iddah (three months and ten days), Abu Bakr proposed marriage to her but she refused. Then Umar asked to marry her but she also declined the proposal. The Prophet then approached her and she replied:
"O Messenger of Allah, I have three characteristics. I am a woman who is extremely jealous and I am afraid that you will see in me something that will anger you and cause Allah to punish me. I am a woman who is already advanced in age and I am a woman who has a young family."

The Prophet replied: "Regarding the jealousy you mentioned, I pray to Allah the Almighty to let it go away from you. Regarding the question of age you have mentioned. I am afflicted with the same problem as you. Regarding the dependent family you have mentioned, your family is my family."
They were married and so it was that Allah answered the prayer of Umm Salamah and gave her better than Abu Salamah. From that day on Hind al Makhzumiyah was no longer the mother of Salamah alone but became the mother of all believers, Umm al-Mumineen.

Salman al-Farsi

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:24:00 +0000

This is a story of a seeker of Truth, the story of Salman the Persian, gleaned, to begin with, from his own words:
I grew up in the town of Isfahan in Persia in the village of Jayyan. My father was the Dihqan or chief of the village. He was the richest person there and had the biggest house.
Since I was a child my father loved me, more than he loved any other. As time went by his love for me became so strong and overpowering that he feared to lose me or have anything happen to me. So he kept me at home, a veritable prisoner, in the same way that young girls were kept.
I became devoted to the Magian religion so much so that I attained the position of custodian of the fire which we worshipped. My duty was to see that the flames of the fire remained burning and that it did not go out for a single hour, day or night.
My father had a vast estate which yielded an abundant supply of crops. He himself looked after the estate and the harvest. One day he was very busy with his duties as dihqan in the village and he said to me:
"My son, as you see, I am too busy to go out to the estate now. Go and look after matters there for me today."
On my way to the estate, I passed a Christian church and the voices at prayer attracted my attention. I did not know anything about Christianity or about the followers of any other religion throughout the time my father kept me in the house away from people. When I heard the voices of the Christians I entered the church to see what they were doing. I was impressed by their manner of praying and felt drawn to their religion. "By God," I said, "this is better than ours. I shall not leave them until the sun sets."
I asked and was told that the Christian religion originated in Ash-Sham (Greater Syria). I did not go to my father's estate that day and at night, I returned home. My father met me and asked what I had done. I told him about my meeting with the Christians and how I was impressed by their religion. He was dismayed and said:
"My son, there is nothing good in that religion. Your religion and the religion of your forefathers is better."
"No, their religion is better than ours," I insisted.
My father became upset and afraid that I would leave our religion. So he kept me locked up in the house and put a chain on my feet. I managed however to send a message to the Christians asking them to inform me of any caravan going to Syria. Before long they got in touch with me and told me that a caravan was headed for Syria. I managed to unfetter myself and in disguise accompanied the caravan to Syria. There, I asked who was the leading person in the Christian religion and was directed to the bishop of the church. I went up to him and said:
"I want to become a Christian and would like to attach myself to your service, learn from you and pray with you."
The bishop agreed and I entered the church in his service. I soon found out, however, that the man was corrupt. He would order his followers to give money in charity while holding out the promise of blessings to them. When they gave anything to spend in the way of God, however, he would hoard it for himself and not give anything to the poor or needy. In this way he amassed a vast quantity of gold. When the bishop died and the Christians gathered to bury him, I told them of his corrupt practices and, at their request, showed them where he kept their donations. When they saw the large jars filled with gold and silver they said.
"By God, we shall not bury him." They nailed him on a cross and threw stones at him. I continued in the service of the person who replaced him. The new bishop was an ascetic who longed for the Hereafter and engaged in worship day and night. I was greatly devoted to him and spent a long time in his company.
(After his death, Salman attached himself to various Christian religious figures, in Mosul, Nisibis and elsewhere. The last one had told him about the appearance of a Prophet in the land of the Arabs who would have a reputation for strict honesty, one who would accept a gift but would never consume charity (sadaqah) for himself. Salman continues his story.)
A group of Arab leaders from the Kalb tribe passed through Ammuriyah and I asked them to take me with them to the land of the Arabs in return for whatever money I had. They agreed and I paid them. When we reached Wadi al-Qura (a place between Madinah and Syria), they broke their agreement and sold me to a Jew. I worked as a servant for him but eventually he sold me to a nephew of his belonging to the tribe of Banu Qurayzah. This nephew took me with him to Yathrib, the city of palm groves, which is how the Christian at Ammuriyah had described it.
At that time the Prophet was inviting his people in Makkah to Islam but I did not hear anything about him then because of the harsh duties which slavery imposed upon me.
When the Prophet reached Yathrib after his hijrah from Makkah, I was in fact at the top of a palm tree belonging to my master doing some work. My master was sitting under the tree. A nephew of his came up and said:
"May God declare war on the Aws and the Khazraj (the two main Arab tribes of Yathrib). By God, they are now gathering at Quba to meet a man who has today come from Makkah and who claims he is a Prophet."
I felt hot flushes as soon as I heard these words and I began to shiver so violently that I was afraid that I might fall on my master. I quickly got down from the tree and spoke to my master's nephew.
"What did you say? Repeat the news for me."
My master was very angry and gave me a terrible blow. "What does this matter to you'? Go back to what you were doing," he shouted.
That evening, I took some dates that I had gathered and went to the place where the Prophet had alighted. I went up to him and said:
"I have heard that you are a righteous man and that you have companions with you who are strangers and are in need. Here is something from me as sadaqah. I see that you are more deserving of it than others."
The Prophet ordered his companions to eat but he himself did not eat of it. I gathered some more dates and when the Prophet left Quba for Madinah I went to him and said: "I noticed that you did not eat of the sadaqah I gave. This however is a gift for you." Of this gift of dates, both he and his companions ate.
The strict honesty of the Prophet was one of the characteristics that led Salman to believe in him and accept Islam .
Salman was released from slavery by the Prophet who paid his Jewish slave-owner a stipulated price and who himself planted an agreed number of date palms to secure his manumission. After accepting Islam, Salman would say when asked whose son he was:
"I am Salman, the son of Islam from the children of Adam."
Salman was to play an important role in the struggles of the growing Muslim state. At the battle of Khandaq, he proved to be an innovator in military strategy. He suggested digging a ditch or khandaq around Madinah to keep the Quraysh army at bay. When Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Makkans, saw the ditch, he said, "This stratagem has not been employed by the Arabs before."
Salman became known as "Salman the Good". He was a scholar who lived a rough and ascetic life. He had one cloak which he wore and on which he slept. He would not seek the shelter of a roof but stayed under a tree or against a wall. A man once said to him:
"Shall I not build you a house in which to live?" "I have no need of a house," he replied. The man persisted and said, "I know the type of house that would suit you." "Describe it to me," said Salman. "I shall build you a house which if you stand up in it, its roof will hurt your head and if you stretch your legs the wall will hurt them."
Later, as a governor of al-Madain (Ctesiphon) near Baghdad, Salman received a stipend of five thousand dirhams. This he would distribute as sadaqah. He lived from the work of his own hands. When some people came to Madain and saw him working in the palm groves, they said, "You are the amir here and your sustenance is guaranteed and you do this work!"
"I like to eat from the work of my own hands," he replied. Salman however was not extreme in his asceticism. It is related that he once visited Abu ad-Dardaa with whom the Prophet had joined him in brotherhood. He found Abu ad-Dardaas wife in a miserable state and he asked, "What is the matter with you."
"Your brother has no need of anything in this world," she replied.
When Abu ad-Dardaa came, he welcomed Salman and gave him food. Salman told him to eat but Abu ad-Dardaa said, "I am fasting."
"I swear to you that I shall not eat until you eat also."
Salman spent the night there as well. During the night, Abu ad-Dardaa got up but Salman got hold of him and said:
"O Abu ad-Dardaa, your Lord has a right over you. Your family has a right over you and your body has a right over you. Give to each its due."
In the morning, they prayed together and then went out to meet the Prophet, peace be upon him. The Prophet supported Salman in what he had said.
As a scholar, Salman was noted for his vast knowledge and wisdom. Ali said of him that he was like Luqman the Wise. And Kab al-Ahbar said: "Salman is stuffed with knowledge and wisdom--an ocean that does not dry up." Salman had a knowledge of both the Christian scriptures and the Quran in addition to his earlier knowledge of the Zoroastrian religion. Salman in fact translated parts of the Quran into Persian during the life-time of the Prophet. He was thus the first person to translate the Quran into a foreign language.
Salman, because of the influential household in which he grew up, might easily have been a major figure in the sprawling Persian Empire of his time. His search for truth however led him, even before the Prophet had appeared, to renounce a comfortable and affluent life and even to suffer the indignities of slavery. According to the most reliable account, he died in the year thirty five after the hijrah, during the caliphate of Uthman, at Ctesiphon.

Khabbab ibn al-Aratt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:10:00 +0000

A woman named Umm Anmaar who belonged to the Khuza-a tribe in Makkah went to the slave market in the city. She wanted to buy herself a youth for her domestic chores and to exploit his labor for economic gains. As she scrutinized the faces of those who were displayed for sale, her eyes fell ON a boy who was obviously not yet in his teens. She saw that he was strong and healthy and that there were clear signs of intelligence on his face. She needed no further incentive to purchase him. She paid and walked away with her new acquisition.

On the way home, Umm Anmaar turned to the boy and said:
"What's your name, boy?''
"Khabbah."
"And what's your father's name'?''
"Al-Aratt. "
"Where do you come from?"
"From Najd."
"Then you are an Arab!"
"Yes, from the Banu Tamim."
"How then did you come into the hands of the slave dealers in Makkah?"
"One of the Arab tribes raided our territory. They took our cattle and captured women and children. I was among the youths captured. I passed from one hand to another until I ended up in Makkah . . ."
Umm Anmaar placed the youth as an apprentice to one of the blacksmiths in Makkah to learn the art of making swords. The youth learnt quickly and was soon an expert at the profession. When he was strong enough, Umm Anmaar set up a workshop for him with all the necessary tools and equipment from making swords. Before long he was quite famous in Makkah for his excellent craftsmanship. People also liked dealing with him because of his honesty and integrity. Umm Anmaar gained much profit through him and exploited his talents to the full.

In spite of his youthfulness, Khabbab displayed unique intelligence and wisdom. Often, when he had finished work and was left to himself, he would reflect deeply on the state of Arabian society which was so steeped in corruption. He was appalled at the aimless wandering, the ignorance and the tyranny which he saw. He was one of the victims of this tyranny and he would say to himself:
"After this night of darkness, there must be a dawn." And he hoped that he would live long enough to see the darkness dissipate with the steady glow and brightness of new light.

Khabbab did not have to wait long. He was privileged to be in Makkah when the first rays of the light of Islam penetrated the city. It emanated from the lips of Muhammad ibn Abdullah as he announced that none deserves to be worshipped or adored except the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He called for an end to injustice and oppression and sharply criticized the practices of the rich in accumulating wealth at the expense of the poor and the outcast. He denounced aristocratic privileges and attitudes and called for a new order based on respect for human dignity and compassion for the underprivileged including orphans, wayfarers and the needy.

To Khabbab, the teachings of Muhammad were like a powerful light dispelling the darkness of ignorance. He went and listened to these teachings directly from him. Without any hesitation he stretched out his hand to the Prophet in allegiance and testified that "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and His messenger." He was among the first ten persons to accept Islam .
Khabbab did not hide his acceptance of Islam from anyone. When the news of his becoming a Muslim reached Umm Anmaar, she became incensed with anger. She went to her brother Sibaa ibn Abd al-Uzza who gathered a gang of youths from the Khuzaa tribe and together they made their way to Khabbab. They found him completely engrossed in his work. Sibaa went up to him and said:

"We have heard some news from you which we don't believe."
"What is it?" asked Khabbab.
"We have been told that you have given up your religion and that you now follow that man from the Banu Ha shim ."
"I have not given up my religion" replied Khabbab calmly. "I only believe in One God Who has no partner. I reject your idols and I believe that Muhammad is the servant of God and His messenger."

No sooner had Khabbab spoken these words than Sibaa and his gang set upon him. They beat him with their fists and with iron bars and they kicked him until he fell unconscious to the ground, with blood streaming from the wounds he received.
The news of what happened between Khabbab and his slave mistress spread throughout Makkah like wild-fire. People were astonished at Khabbab's daring. They had not yet heard of anyone who followed Muhammad and who had the audacity to announce the fact with such frankness and deviant confidence.
The Khabbab affair shook the leaders of the Quraysh. They did not expect that a blacksmith, such as belonged to Umm Anmaar and who had no clan in Makkah to protect him and no asabiyyah to prevent him from injury, would be bold enough to go outside her authority, denounce her gods and reject the religion of her forefathers. They realized that this was only the beginning . . .
The Quraysh were not wrong in their expectations. Khabbab's courage impressed many of his friends and encouraged them to announce their acceptance of Islam. One after another, they began to proclaim publicly the message of truth.

In the precincts of the Haram, near the Kabah, the Quraysh leaders gathered to discuss the problem of Muhammad. Among them were Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, al Walid ibn al-Mughira and Abu Jahl ibn Hisham. They noted that Muhammad was getting stronger and that his following was increasing day by day, indeed hour by hour. To them this was like a terrible disease and they made up their minds to stop it before it got out of control. They decided that each tribe should get hold of any follower of Muhammad among them and punish him until he either recants his faith or dies.
On Sibaa ibn Abd al-Uzza and his people fell the task of punishing Khabbab even further. Regularly they began taking him to all open area in the city when the sun was at its zenith and the ground was scorching hot. They would take off his clothes and dress him in iron armor and lay him on the ground. In the intense heat his skin would be seared and hit body would become inert. When it appeared that all strength had let him, they would come up and challenge him:

"What do you say about Muhammad'?"
"He is the servant of God and His messenger. He has come with the religion of guidance and truth, to lead us from darkness into light."
They would become more furious and intensify their beating. They would ask about al-Laat and al-Uzza and he would reply firmly:
"Two idols, deaf and dumb, that cannot cause harm or bring any benefit..."

This enraged them even more and they would take a big hot stone and place it on his back. Khabbab's pain and anguish would be excruciating but he did not recant.
The inhumanity of Umm Anmaar towards Khabbab was not less than that of her brother. Once she saw the Prophet speaking to Khabbab at his workshop and she flew into a blind rage. Every day after that, for several days, she went to Khabbab's workshop and punished him by placing a red hot iron from the furnace on his head. The agony was unbearable and he often fainted.

Khabbab suffered long and his only recourse was to prayer. He prayed for the punishment of Umm Anmaar and her brother. His release from pain and suffering only came when the Prophet, peace be upon him, gave permission to his companions to emigrate to Madinah. Umm Anmaar by then could not prevent him from going. She herself became afflicted with a terrible illness which no one had heard of before. She behaved as if she had suffered a rabid attack. The headaches she had were especially nerve-racking. Her children sought everywhere for medical help until finally they were told that the only cure was to cauterize her head. This was done. The treatment, with a ret hot iron, was more terrible than all the headaches she suffered.

At Madinah, among the generous and hospitable Ansar, Khabbab experienced a state of ease and restfulness which he had not known for a long time. He was delighted to be near the Prophet, peace be upon him, with no one to molest him or disturb his happiness.
He fought alongside the noble Prophet at the battle of Badr. He participated in the battle of Uhud where he had the satisfaction of seeing Sibaa ibn Abd al-Uzza meet his end at the hands of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet.

Khabbab lived long enough to witness the great expansion of Islam under the four Khulafaa arRashidun--Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. He once visited Umar during his caliphate. Umar stood up--he was in a meeting--and greeted Khabbab with the words:
"No one is more deserving than you to be in this assembly other than Bilal." He asked Khabbab about the torture and the persecution he had received at the hands of the mushrikeen. Khabbab described this in some detail since it was still very vivid in his mind. He then exposed his back and even Umar was aghast at what he saw.

In the last phase of his life, Khabbab was blessed with wealth such as he had never before dreamed of. He was, however, well-known for his generosity. It is even said that he placed his dirhams and his diners in a part of his house that was known to the poor and the needy. He did not secure this money in any way and those in need would come and take what they needed without seeking any permission or asking any questions.

In spite of this, he was always afraid of his accountability to God for the way he disposed of this wealth. A group of companions related that they visited Khabbab when he was sick and he said:
"In this place there are eighty thousand dirhams. By God, I have never secured it any way and I have not barred anyone in need from it."
He wept and they asked why he was weeping.

"I weep," he said, "because my companions have passed away and they did not obtain any such reward in this world. I have lived on and have acquired this wealth and I fear that this will be the only reward for my deeds."

Soon after he passed away. The Khalifah Ali ibn Abu Talib, may God be pleased with him, stood at his grave and said:
"May God have mercy on Khabbab. He accepted Islam wholeheartedly. He performed hijrah willingly. He lived as a mujahid and God shall not withhold the reward of one who has done good."

Amr ibn al-Jamuh

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:05:00 +0000

Amr ibn al-Jamuh was one of the leading men in Yathrib in the days of Jahiliyyah. He was the chief of the Banu Salamah and was known to be one of the most generous and valiant persons in the city.
One of the privileges of the city's leaders was having an idol to himself in his house. It was hoped that this idol would bless the leader in whatever he did. He was expected to offer sacrifices to it on special occasions and seek its help at times of distress. The idol of Amr was called Manat. He had made it from the most priceless wood. He spent a great deal of time, money and attention looking after it and he anointed it with the most exquisite perfumes.
Amr was almost sixty years old when the first rays of the light of Islam began to penetrate the houses of Yathrib. House after house was introduced to the new faith at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr, the first missionary sent out to Yathrib before the hijrah. It was through him that Amr's three sons--Muawwadh, Muadh and Khallad--became Muslims. One of their contemporaries was the famous Muadh ibn Jabal. Amr's wife, Hind, also accepted Islam with her three sons but Amr himself knew nothing of all this .
Hind saw that the people of Yathrib were being won over to Islam and that not one of the leaders of the city remained in shirk except her husband and a few individuals. She loved her husband dearly and was proud of him but she was concerned that he should die in a state of kufr and end up in hell-fire.
During this time, Amr himself began to tell uneasy. He was afraid that his sons would give up the religion of their forefathers and follow the teaching of Musab ibn Umayr who, within a short space of time, had caused many to turn away from idolatry and enter the religion of Muhammad. To his wife, Amr therefore said:
"Be careful that your children do not come into contact with this man (meaning Musab ibn Umayr) before we pronounce an opinion on him."
"To hear is to obey," she replied. "But would you like to hear from your son Muadh what he relates from this man?" "Woe to you! Has Muadh turned away from his religion without my knowing?" The good woman felt pity from the old man and said: "Not at all. But he has attended some of the meetings of this missionary and memorized some of the things he teaches." "Tell him to come here," he said. When Muadh come, he ordered: "Let me hear an example of what this man preaches." Muadh recited the lalihah (the Opening Chapter of the Quran):
"In the name of God, the most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace. All praise is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds, The most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace. Lord of the Day of Judgment!
You alone do we worship and to You alone do we turn for help. Guide us on the straight way, the way of those upon whom you have bestowed Your blessings, not of those who have been condemned by You, nor of those who go astray."
"How perfect are these words, and how beautiful!" exclaimed the father. "Is everything he says like this?"
"Yes indeed, father. Do you wish to swear allegiance to him? All your people have already done so" urged Muadh.
The old man remained silent from a while and then said, "I shall not do so until I consult Manat and see what he says." "What indeed would Manat say, Father? It is only a piece of wood. It can neither think nor speak." The old man retorted sharply, "I told you, I shall not do anything without him."
Later that day, Amr went before Manat. It was the custom of the idolators then to place an old woman behind the idol when they wished to speak to it. She would reply on behalf of the idol, articulating, so they thought, what the idol had inspired her to say. Amr stood before the idol in great awe and addressed profuse praises to it. Then he said:
"O Manat no doubt you know that this propagandist who was delegated to come to us from Makkah does not wish evil on anyone but you. He has come only to stop us worshipping you. I do not want to swear allegiance to him in spite of the beautiful words I have heard from him. I have thus come to get your advice. So please advise me."
There was no reply from Manat. Amr continued:
"Perhaps your are angry. But up till now, I have done nothing to harm you... Never mind, I shall leave you for a few days to let your anger go away."
Amr's sons knew the extent of their father's dependence on Manat and how with time he had become almost a part of it. They realized however that the idol's place in his heart was being shaken and that they had to help him get rid of Manat. That must be his path to faith in God.
One night Amr's sons went with their friend Muadh ibn Jabal to Manat, took the idol From its place and threw it in a cess pit belonging to the Banu Salamah. They returned to their homes with no one knowing anything about what they had done. When Amr woke up the following morning, he went in quiet reverence to pay his respects to his idol but did not find it.
"Woe to you all," he shouted. "Who has attacked our god last night" There was no reply from anyone. He began to search for the idol, fuming with rage and threatening the perpetrators of the crime. Eventually he found the idol turned upside down on its head in the pit. He washed and perfumed it and returned it to its usual place saying.
"If I find out who did this to you, I will humiliate him." The following night the boys did the same to the idol. The old man recovered it, washed and perfumed it as he had done before and returned it to its place. This happened several times until one night Amr put a sword around the idol's neck and said to it: "O Manat, I don't know who is doing this to you. If you have any power of good in you, defend yourself against this evil. Here is a sword for you."
The youths waited until Amr was fast asleep. They took the sword from the idol's neck and threw it into the pit. Amr found the idol Lying face down in the pit with the sword nowhere in sight. At last he was convinced that the idol had no power at all and did not deserve to be worshipped. It was not long before he entered the religion of Islam.
Amr soon tasted the sweetness of Iman or faith in the One True God. At the same time he felt great pain and anguish within himself at the thought of every moment he had spent in shirk. His acceptance of the new religion was total and he placed himself, his wealth and his children in the service of God and His Prophet.
The extent of his devotion was shown during the time of the battle of Uhud. Amr saw his three sons preparing for the battle. He looked at the three determined young men fired by the desire to gain martyrdom, success and the pleasure of God. The scene had a great effect on him and he resolved to go out with them to wage jihad under the banner of the messenger of God. The youths, however, were all against their father carrying out his resolve. He was already quite old and was extremely weak.
"Father," they said, "surely God has excused you. So why do you take this burden on yourself?"
The old man became quite angry and went straight away to the Prophet to complain about his sons: "O Rasulullah! My sons here want to keep me away from this source of goodness arguing that I am old and decrepit. By God, I long to attain Paradise this way even though I am old and infirm."
"Let him," said the Prophet to his sons. "Perhaps God, the Mighty and the Great, will grant him martyrdom."
Soon it was time to go out to battle. Amr bade farewell to his wife, turned to the qiblah and prayed: "O Lord, grant me martyrdom and don't send me back to my family with my hopes dashed." He set out in the company of his three sons and a large contingent from his tribe, the Banu Salamah.
As the battle raged, Amr could be seen moving in the front ranks, jumping on his good leg (his other leg was partially lame), and shouting, "I desire Paradise, I desire Paradise."
His son Khallad remained closely behind him and they both fought courageously in defense of the Prophet while many other Muslims deserted in pursuit of booty. Father and son fell on the battlefield and died within moments of each other.

Al-Fathiha (The Opener) - سورة الفاتحة

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:07:00 +0000

1:1
to top

Sahih International
In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Tamil
அனைத்துப்புகழும்,அகிலங்கள் எல்லாவற்றையும் படைத்து வளர்த்துப் பரிபக்குவப்படுத்தும் (நாயனான) அல்லாஹ்வுக்கே ஆகும்.

1:2
to top

Sahih International
[All] praise is [due] to Allah , Lord of the worlds -
Tamil
(அவன்) அளவற்ற அருளாளன், நிகரற்ற அன்புடையோன்.

1:3
to top

Sahih International
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,
Tamil
(அவனே நியாயத்) தீர்ப்பு நாளின் அதிபதி(யும் ஆவான்).

1:4
to top

Sahih International
Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.
Tamil
(இறைவா!) உன்னையே நாங்கள் வணங்குகிறோம், உன்னிடமே நாங்கள் உதவியும் தேடுகிறோம்.

1:5
to top

Sahih International
It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
Tamil
நீ எங்களை நேர் வழியில் நடத்துவாயாக!

1:6
to top

Sahih International
Guide us to the straight path -
Tamil
(அது) நீ எவர்களுக்கு அருள் புரிந்தாயோ அவ்வழி.

1:7
to top

Sahih International
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
Tamil
(அது) உன் கோபத்துக்கு ஆளானோர் வழியுமல்ல, நெறி தவறியோர் வழியுமல்ல.

Quran miracle, Talking ants, Scientific discovery in 2009, proof that quran is from God

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:35:00 +0000

Why Do We Read Quran, Even If We Can’t Understand A Single Arabic Word?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:55:00 +0000

It’s a sad fact that most Muslims of Sri Lanka can’t understand Arabic even though 90% of them can read the Arabic of the Quran every day. In such a situation someone can wonder what is the use of reading the Quran if you don’t understand.

I got a interesting email with a good point of view about reading Quran even when one can’t understand it. Before I tell you that story, I’d also like to point out that there is a well known Hadeeth Saying from our beloved Prophet Muhammad about this matter. I think the hadeeth says there is merit and you get good deeds to your name if you read Quran even if you don’t understand it. However, this is not an excuse to neglect trying to understand the Quran and Arabic. If you can read this blog post I’m writing in English then you have spent years to learn and study English. Then if you are a serious Muslim there is no reason or excuse to niglect the studying the language and words of Almightly Allah.

Here is that beautiful story now.

An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Quran. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, ‘Grandpa! I try to read the Quran just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Qur’an do?’

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied,
‘Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.’

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, ‘You’ll have to move a little faster next time,’ and sent him back to the river with the basket
to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket
instead.

The old man said, ‘I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water.

You’re just not trying hard enough,’ and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into
river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, ‘See Grandpa, it’s useless!’

‘So you think it is useless?’ The old man said, ‘Look at the basket.’

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and
was now clean, inside and out.

‘Son, that’s what happens when you read the Qur’an. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah in our lives.’

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh & his family) says: *’The one who guides to good will be rewarded equally’*

JazaaK’Allah

Five Ways to Control Your Tongue

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:59:00 +0000

1. Think

The phrases “think before you speak” and “if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all” seem clichéd, but hold a lot of weight in the life of Muslims. It has sadly become common to be irritable when we are fasting, so we tend to snap quicker and say things we don’t really mean. In order to combat this, think about what you are about to say before you open your mouth. It sounds simple, but we have become so accustomed to speaking without thinking that words just seem to fly out of our mouths before we know it.

Tip: Try to take a couple moments before you speak to evaluate whether what you are about to say is beneficial or necessary. Use your hunger, weakness, tiredness (whatever it is that you’re feeling) to prevent you from opening your mouth unnecessarily!). Spend more time doing dhikr, or thinking, or contemplating than wasting time on unnecessary speech, which is not beneficial and potentially harmful.

2. Apologize

Hard as it may be, if we do happen to say something that is hurtful to someone, just simply apologize. Whether it was what you said or how you said it, remind yourself to apologize for your misbehavior if you feel like you stepped out of line (regardless of whether or not the other person shows that they feel hurt or upset). This can have nothing but positive effects. Many of us have trouble apologizing to people and accepting our mistakes so it will both humble us and also ensure that we are more careful next time, because it can be pretty uncomfortable to accept your mistake and verbalize it. Secondly, it can help better your relationship with the other person, because you are showing that you are aware of their feelings and that you care about them.

3. Environment

If you are going to be with people, surround yourself with good company. It takes two to gossip. Most people who engage in backbiting and slandering will not do it all the time and with all people, in fact they may have a select group of friends who share this habit. If you find that certain people make it easier for you to engage in this, steer clear of this crowd! If you tend to be the person who begins it, find new friends or keep to yourself. Ramadan is the time to resolve these issues and improve control of your tongue, not just from eating!

4. Remind

Backbiting and lying are big sins, and forbidden in the Quran and as mentioned in various ahadith. Research and learn the punishment for backbiting – one of the punishments is in the grave, so you can keep away from this sin by trying to visualise and sense how that would feel. If it’s swearing or cursing you want to leave behind, it is helpful to remind ourselves of the angels who write down all that we utter. Do we really want to make the angels record profanity? Do we want such vile words to be our last if the angel of death were to take our soul in that moment?

5. Reinforce

Lastly, a means of keeping ourselves on track is the old jar trick used by parents in past generations. The idea is essentially to keep a jar in the house in which you are required to drop a certain amount of money per failure to control your tongue, for example every time you swear or gossip. The amount of money should be significant enough to make you feel bad and regret your speech – it costs more in the Hereafter! At the end of ramadan you can donate the money to charity, but the real purpose is to give you a physical representation of how serious it is and how much you need to improve. It helps to ask someone to hold you to your promise and remind you if you slip up.

Often we do not realize how many negative things we say in a day, but this blessed month is an opportunity to improve our character which can extend into the rest of our lives.

VIDEO : Media Conference on HALAL Certification - 11 Mar 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:54:00 +0000

Ash Sheikh M.I.M. Rizwe Mufti (Bin Noori) - (English)

Ven. Bellanvila Wimalarathana Thero Addressing On Halal Certification. (English - Sinhala)

Dua From Al-Qur'an

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:10:00 +0000

Confirmation of Iman

قُلْ أَتُحَاجُّ ونَنَا فِي اللَّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُم ْ وَلَنَا أَعْمَالُن َا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُك ُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُخْلِصُون َ

2.139

Say: Will ye dispute with us about Allah seeing that He is our Lord and your Lord; that we are responsible for our doings and ye for yours; and that we are sincere (in our faith) in Him?

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْ نَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْن َا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِ ينَ

3.53

"Our Lord! we believe in what thou hast revealed and we follow the Apostle; then write us down among those who bear witness."

قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَائِدَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًا لِأَوَّلِن َا وَآخِرِنَا وَآيَةً مِنْكَ ۖ وَارْزُقْن َا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِ ينَ

5.114

Said Jesus the son of Mary: "O Allah our Lord! send us from heaven a table set (with viands) that there may be for us for the first and the last of us a solemn festival and a sign from Thee; and provide for our sustenance for Thou art the best Sustainer (of our needs). 826 827

قُلْ هَٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ ي ۖ وَسُبْحَان َ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِك ِينَ

12.108

Say thou: "This my way: I do invite unto Allah on evidence clear as the seeing with one's eyes I and whoever follows me: Glory to Allah! and never will I join gods with Allah!" 1792

وَرَبَطْنَ ا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم ْ إِذْ قَامُوا فَقَالُوا رَبُّنَا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَ اتِ وَالْأَرْض ِ لَنْ نَدْعُوَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلَٰهًا ۖ لَقَدْ قُلْنَا إِذًا شَطَطًا

18.14

We gave strength to their hearts: Behold they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did; we should indeed have uttered an enormity!" 2343 2344

قُلْ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ

39.11

وَأُمِرْتُ لِأَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ الْمُسْلِم ِينَ

39.12

39.11

Say: "Verily I am commanded to serve Allah with sincere devotion;

39.12

"And I am commanded to be the first of those who bow to Allah in Islam." 4262

Menstrual Periods

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:03:00 +0000

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 293 :
Narrated by Al-Qasim

'Aisha said, "We set out with the sole intention of performing Hajj and when we reached Sarif, (a place six miles from Mecca) I got my menses. Allah's Apostle came to me while I was weeping. He said 'What is the matter with you? Have you got your menses?' I replied, 'Yes.' He said, 'This is a thing which Allah has ordained for the daughters of Adam. So do what all the pilgrims do with the exception of the Taw-af (Circumambulation) round the Ka'ba." 'Aisha added, "Allah's Apostle sacrificed cows on behalf of his wives."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 294 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

While in menses, I used to comb the hair of Allah's Apostle.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 295 :
Narrated by 'Urwa

A person asked me, "Can a woman in menses serve me? And can a Junub woman come close to me?" I replied, "All this is easy for me. All of them can serve me, and there is no harm for any other person to do the same. 'Aisha told me that she used to comb the hair of Allah's Apostle while she was in her menses, and he was in Itikaf (in the mosque). He would bring his head near her in her room and she would comb his hair, while she used to be in her menses."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 296 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

The Prophet used to lean on my lap and recite Qur'an while I was in menses.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 297 :
Narrated by Um Salama

While I was laying with the Prophet under a single woolen sheet, I got the menses. I slipped away and put on the clothes for menses. He said, "Have you got "Nifas" (menses)?" I replied, "Yes." He then called me and made me lie with him under the same sheet.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 298 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

The Prophet and I used to take a bath from a single pot while we were Junub. During the menses, he used to order me to put on an Izar (dress worn below the waist) and used to fondle me. While in Itikaf, he used to bring his head near me and I would wash it while I used to be in my periods (menses).

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 299 :
Narrated by 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad

(on the authority of his father) 'Aisha said: "Whenever Allah's Apostle wanted to fondle anyone of us during her periods (menses), he used to order her to put on an Izar and start fondling her." 'Aisha added, "None of you could control his sexual desires as the Prophet could."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 300 :
Narrated by Maimuna

When ever Allah's Apostle wanted to fondle any of his wives during the periods (menses), he used to ask her to wear an Izar.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 301 :
Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri

Once Allah's Apostle went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) o 'Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)." They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Apostle ?" He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" The women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 302 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

We set out with the Prophet for Hajj and when we reached Sarif I got my menses. When the Prophet came to me, I was weeping. He asked, "Why are you weeping?" I said, "I wish if I had not performed Hajj this year." He asked, "May be that you got your menses?" I replied, "Yes." He then said, "This is the thing which Allah has ordained for all the daughters of Adam. So do what all the pilgrims do except that you do not perform the Tawaf round the Ka'ba till you are clean."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 303 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Fatima bint Abi Hubaish said to Allah's Apostle, "O Allah's Apostle! I do not become clean (from bleeding). Shall I give up my prayers?" Allah's Apostle replied: "No, because it is from a blood vessel and not the menses. So when the real menses begins give up your prayers and when it (the period) has finished wash the blood off your body (take a bath) and offer your prayers."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 304 :
Narrated by Asma' bint Abi Bakr

A woman asked Allah's Apostle, "O Allah's Apostle! What should we do, if the blood of menses falls on our clothes?" Allah's Apostle replied, "If the blood of menses falls on the garment of anyone of you, she must take hold of the blood spot, rub it, and wash it with water and then pray in (with it)."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 305 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Whenever anyone of us got her menses, she, on becoming clean, used to take hold of the blood spot and rub the blood off her garment, and pour water over it and wash that portion thoroughly and sprinkle water over the rest of the garment. After that she would pray in (with) it.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 306 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Once one of the wives of the Prophet did Itikaf along with him and she was getting bleeding in between her periods. She used to see the blood (from her private parts) and she would perhaps put a dish under her for the blood. (The sub-narrator 'Ikrima added, 'Aisha once saw the liquid of safflower and said, "It looks like what so and so used to have.")

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 307 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

"One of the wives of Allah's Apostle joined him in l'tikaf and she noticed blood and yellowish discharge (from her private parts) and put a dish under her when she prayed."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 308 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

One of the mothers of the faithful believers (i.e. the wives of the Prophet ) did l'tikaf while she was having bleeding in between her periods.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 309 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

None of us had more than a single garment and we used to have our menses while wearing it. Whenever it got soiled with blood of menses we used to apply saliva to the blood spot and rub off the blood with our nails.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 310 :
Narrated by Um-'Atiya

We were forbidden to mourn for a dead person for more than three days except in the case of a husband for whom mourning was allowed for four months and ten days. (During that time) we were not allowed to put ko,hl (Antimony eye power) in our eyes or to use perfumes or to put on colored clothes except a dress made of 'Asb (a kind of Yemen cloth, very coarse and rough). We were allowed very light perfumes at the time of taking a bath after menses and also we were forbidden to go with the funeral procession.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 311 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

A woman asked the Prophet about the bath which is take after finishing from the menses. The Prophet told her what to do and said, "Purify yourself with a piece of cloth scented with musk." The woman asked, "How shall I purify myself with it" He said, "Subhan Allah! Purify yourself (with it)." I pulled her to myself and said, "Rub the place soiled with blood with it."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 312 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

An Ansari woman asked the Prophet how to take a bath after finishing from the menses. He replied, "Take a piece a cloth perfumed with musk and clean the private parts with it thrice." The Prophet felt shy and turned his face. So pulled her to me and told her what the Prophet meant.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 313 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

In the last Hajj of Allah's Apostle I assume the Ihram for Hajj along with Allah Apostle. I was one of those who intended Tamattu' (to perform Hajj an 'Umra) and did not take the Hadi (animal for sacrifice) with me. I got my menses and was not clean till the night of 'Arafa I said, "O Allah's Apostle! It is the night of the day of 'Arafat and I intended to perform the Hajj Tamattu' with 'Umra Allah's Apostle told me to undo my hair and comb it and to postpone the 'Umra. I did the same and completed the Hajj. On the night of Al-Hasba (i.e. place outside Mecca where the pilgrims go after finishing all the ceremonies Hajj at Mina) he (the Prophet ordered 'Abdur Rahman ('Aisha's brother) to take me to At-Tan'im to assume the lhram for'Umra in lieu of that of Hajj-atTamattu' which I had intended to perform.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 314 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

On the 1st of Dhul-Hijja we set out with the intention of performing Hajj. Allah's Apostle said, "Any one who likes to assume the Ihram for 'Umra he can do so. Had I not brought the Hadi with me, I would have assumed the Ihram for 'Umra. "Some of us assumed the Ihram for 'Umra while the others assumed the Ihram for Hajj. I was one of those who assumed the Ihram for 'Umra. I got menses and kept on menstruating until the day of 'Arafat and complained of that to the Prophet . He told me to postpone my 'Umra, undo and comb my hair, and to assure the Ihram of Hajj and I did so. On the right of Hasba, he sent my brother 'Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr with me to At-Tah'im, where I assumed the Ihram for'Umra in lieu of the previous one. Hisham said, "For that ('Umra) no Hadi, fasting or alms were required.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 315 :
Narrated by Anas bin Malik

The Prophet said, "At every womb Allah appoints an angel who says, 'O Lord! A drop of semen, O Lord! A clot. O Lord! A little lump of flesh." Then if Allah wishes (to complete) its creation, the angel asks, (O Lord!) Will it be a male or female, a wretched or a blessed, and how much will his provision be? And what will his age be?' So all that is written while the child is still in the mother's womb."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 316 :
Narrated by 'Urwa

'Aisha said, "We set out with the Prophet in his last Hajj. Some of us intended to perform 'Umra while others Hajj. When we reached Mecca, Allah's Apostle said, 'Those who had assumed the lhram for'Umra and had not brought the Hadi should finish his lhram and whoever had assumed the Ihram for 'Umra and brought the Hadi should not finish the Ihram till he has slaughtered his Hadi and whoever had assumed the lhram for Hajj should complete his Hajj." 'Aisha further said, "I got my periods (menses) and kept on menstruating till the day of 'Arafat, and I had assumed the Ihram for 'Umra only (Tamattu'). The Prophet ordered me to undo and comb my head hair and assume the lhram for Hajj only and leave the 'Umra. I did the same till I completed the Hajj. Then the Prophet sent 'Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr with me and ordered me to perform 'Umra from At-Tan'im in lieu of the missed 'Umra."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 317 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Fatima bint Abi Hubaish used to have bleeding in between the periods, so she asked the Prophet about it . He replied, "The bleeding is from a blood vessel and not the menses. So give up the prayers when the (real) menses begin and when it has finished, take a bath and start praying."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 318 :
Narrated by Mu'adha

A woman asked 'Aisha, "Should I offer the prayers that which I did not offer because of menses" 'Aisha said, "Are you from the Huraura' (a town in Iraq?) We were with the Prophet and used to get our periods but he never ordered us to offer them (the Prayers missed during menses)." 'Aisha perhaps said, "We did not offer them."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 319 :
Narrated by Zainab bint Abi Salama

Um-Salama said, "I got my menses while I was lying with the Prophet under a woolen sheet. So I slipped away, took the clothes for menses and put them on. Allah's Apostle said, 'Have you got your menses?' I replied, 'Yes.' Then he called me and took me with him under the woolen sheet." Um Salama further said, "The Prophet used to kiss me while he was fasting. The Prophet and I used to take the bath of Janaba from a single pot."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 320 :
Narrated by Um Salama

While I was lying with the Prophet under a woolen sheet, I got my menses. I slipped away and put on the clothes for menses. The Prophet said, "Have you got your menses?" I replied, "Yes." He called me and I slept with him under the woolen sheet.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 321 :
Narrated by Aiyub

Hafsa said, 'We used to forbid our young women to go out for the two 'Id prayers. A woman came and stayed at the palace of Bani Khalaf and she narrated about her sister whose husband took part in twelve holy battles along with the Prophet and her sister was with her husband in six (out of these twelve). She (the woman's sister) said, "We used to treat the wounded, look after the patients and once I asked the Prophet, 'Is there any harm for any of us to stay at home if she doesn't have a veil?' He said, 'She should cover herself with the veil of her companion and should participate in the good deeds and in the religious gathering of the Muslims.' When Um 'Atiya came I asked her whether she had heard it from the Prophet. She replied, "Yes. May my father be sacrificed for him (the Prophet)! (Whenever she mentioned the Prophet she used to say, 'May my father be sacrificed for him) I have heard the Prophet saying, 'The unmarried young virgins and the mature girl who stay often screened or the young unmarried virgins who often stay screened and the menstruating women should come out and participate in the good deeds as well as the religious gathering of the faithful believers but the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla (praying place).' " Hafsa asked Um 'Atiya surprisingly, "Do you say the menstruating women?" She replied, "Doesn't a menstruating woman attend 'Arafat (Hajj) and such and such (other deeds)?"

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 322 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Fatima bint Abi Hubaish asked the Prophet, "I got persistent bleeding (in between the periods) and do not become clean. Shall I give up prayers?" He replied, "No, this is from a blood vessel. Give up the prayers only for the days on which you usually get the menses and then take a bath and offer your prayers."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 323 :
Narrated by Um 'Atiya

We never considered yellowish discharge as a thing of importance (as menses).

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 324 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

(the wife of the Prophet) Um Habiba got bleeding in between the periods for seven years. She asked Allah's Apostle about it. He ordered her to take a bath (after the termination of actual periods) and added that it was (from) a blood vessel. So she used to take a bath for every prayer.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 325 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

(the wife of the Prophet) I told Allah's Apostle that Safiya bint Huyai had got her menses. He said, "She will probably delay us. Did she perform Tawaf (Al-Ifada) with you?" We replied, "Yes." On that the Prophet told her to depart.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 326 :
Narrated by Ibn 'Abbas

A woman is al lowed to leave (go back home) if she gets menses (after Tawaf-AlIfada). Ibn 'Umar formerly used to say that she should not leave but later on I heard him saying, "She may leave, since Allah's Apostle gave them the permission to leave (after Tawaf-AlIfada."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 327 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

The Prophet said to me, "Give up the prayer when your menses begin and when it has finished, wash the blood off your body (take a bath) and start praying."

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 328 :
Narrated by Samura bin Jundab

The Prophet offered the funeral prayer for the dead body of a woman who died of (during) delivery (i.e. child birth) and he stood by the middle of her body.

Volume 1, Book 6, Number 329 :
Narrated by Maimuna

(the wife of the Prophet) During my menses, I never prayed, but used to sit on the mat beside the mosque of Allah's Apostle. He used to offer the prayer on his sheet and in prostration some of his clothes used to touch me."

‘Ali Ibn Abi Thalib

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 05:23:00 +0000

‘Ali Ibn Abi Thalib

He is the son of the Prophet’s uncle -peace and prayer of Allah be upon His prophet-, and the husband of the Prophet’s daughter, Fatima -may Allah be pleased with her. ‘Ali is among the relatives of the Prophet who embraced Islam at the dawn of it’s period. His nickname is Abu Hasan or Abu Turab.

He was born about 10 years before the prophetic time and he was taken care by the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him. He joined every battle, but the battle of Tabuk, and often assigned to bring the flag of troops. He has many excellences that do not belong to other people.

‘Ali was famous for his bravery, smartness, and vast knowledge. Hence, during the time of ‘Umar -may Allah be pleased with him – as caliph, he was appointed as the private advisor of the caliph. ‘Umar always needed his advices in every problems they faced, and even worried if he stumbled upon a problem while ‘Ali wasn’t there to counsel him. His role was so important, that some experts in nahwu (a branch of knowledge in Arabic language) dubbed a difficult problem to solve with “قَضِيَّةٌ وَ لَا أَبَا حَسَن لَهَا” (a problem without any explanation from Abu Hasan [Ali]).

It is narrated that ‘Ali once said, “Ask me, O people. By Allah, you do not ask me a thing but I’ll answer it. Ask me about the Book of Allah. By Allah, there is no single verse but I know whether it was descended during the night time or day time, on the lowland or the mountain.” Ibn Abbas -may Allah be pleased with him- said, “If there is an explanation from ‘Ali, we will not leave it.” In another narration, Ibn Abbas said, “Whatever tafseer of the Qur’an that I take, it came from ‘Ali Ibn Abi Thalib.”

He was sworn as the fourth caliph after the death of The Third caliph, Uthman Ibn Affan -may Allah be pleased with him. During his reign, two extreme, perverted groups emerged.

Bathing (Ghusl)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 04:04:00 +0000

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 248 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Whenever the Prophet took a bath after Janaba he started by washing his hands and then performed ablution like that for the prayer. After that he would put his fingers in water and move the roots of his hair with them, and then pour three handfuls of water over his head and then pour water all over his body.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 249 :
Narrated by Maimuna

(the wife of the Prophet) Allah's Apostle performed ablution like that for the prayer but did not wash his feet. He washed off the discharge from his private parts and then poured water over his body. He withdrew his feet from that place (the place where he took the bath) and then washed them. And that was his way of taking the bath of Janaba.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 250 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

The Prophet and I used to take a bath from a single pot called 'Faraq'.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 251 :
Narrated by Abu Salama

'Aisha's brother and I went to 'Aisha and he asked her about the bath of the Prophet. She brought a pot containing about a Sa' of water and took a bath and poured it over her head and at what time there was a screen between her and us.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 252 :
Narrated by Abu Ja'far

While I and my father were with Jabir bin 'Abdullah, some People asked him about taking a bath He replied, "A Sa' of water is sufficient for you." A man said, "A Sa' is not sufficient for me." Jabir said, "A Sa was sufficient for one who had more hair than you and was better than you (meaning the Prophet)." And then Jabir (put on) his garment and led the prayer.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 253 :
Narrated by Ibn 'Abbas

The Prophet and Maimuna used to take a bath from a single pot.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 254 :
Narrated by Jubair bin Mutim

Allah's Apostle said, "As for me, I pour water three times on my head." And he pointed with both his hands.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 255 :
Narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah

The Prophet used to pour water three times on his head.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 256 :
Narrated by Abu Ja'far

Jabir bin Abdullah said to me, "Your cousin (Hasan bin Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiya) came to me and asked about the bath of Janaba. I replied, 'The Prophet uses to take three handfuls of water, pour them on his head and then pour more water over his body.' Al-Hasan said to me, 'I am a hairy man.' I replied, 'The Prophet had more hair than you'. "

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 257 :
Narrated by Maimuna

I placed water for the bath of the Prophet. He washed his hands twice or thrice and then poured water on his left hand and washed his private parts. He rubbed his hands over the earth (and cleaned them), rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and blowing it out, washed his face and both forearms and then poured water over his body. Then he withdrew from that place and washed his feet.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 258 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Whenever the Prophet took the bath of Janaba (sexual relation or wet dream) he asked for the Hilab or some other scent. He used to take it in his hand, rub it first over the right side of his head and then over the left and then rub the middle of his head with both hands.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 259 :
Narrated by Maimuna

I placed water for the bath of the Prophet and he poured water with his right hand on his left and washed them. Then he washed his private parts and rubbed his hands on the ground, washed them with water, rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and blowing it out, washed his face and poured water on his head. He withdrew from that place and washed his feet. A piece of cloth (towel) was given to him but he did not use it.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 260 :
Narrated by Maimuna

The Prophet took the bath of Janaba. (sexual relation or wet dream). He first cleaned his private parts with his hand, and then rubbed it(that hand) on the wall (earth) and washed it. Then he performed ablution like that for the prayer, and after the bath he washed his feet.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 261 :
Narrated by Aisha

The Prophet and I used to take a bath from a single pot of water and our hands used to go in the pot after each other in turn.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 262 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Whenever Allah's Apostle took a bath of Janaba, he washed his hands first.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 263 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

The Prophet and I used to take a bath from a single pot of water after Janaba.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 264 :
Narrated by Anas bin Malik

The Prophet and one of his wives used to take a bath from a single pot of water. (Shu'ba added to Anas's Statement "After the Janaba")

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 265 :
Narrated by Maimuna

I placed water for the bath of Allah's Apostle and he poured water over his hands and washed them twice or thrice; then he poured water with his right hand over his left and washed his private parts (with his left hand). He rubbed his hand over the earth and rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and blowing it out. After that he washed his face, both fore arms and head thrice and then poured water over his body. He withdrew from that place and washed his feet.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 266 :
Narrated by Maimuna bint Al-Harith

I placed water for the bath of Allah's Apostle and put a screen. He poured water over his hands, and washed them once or twice. (The subnarrator added that he did not remember if she had said thrice or not). Then he poured water with his right hand over his left one and washed his private parts. He rubbed his hand over the earth or the wall and washed it. He rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and blowing it out. He washed his face, forearms and head. He poured water over his body and then withdrew from that place and washed his feet. I presented him a piece of cloth (towel) and he pointed with his hand (that he does not want it) and did not take it.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 267 :
Narrated by Muhammad bin Al-Muntathir

On the authority of his father that he had asked 'Aisha (about the Hadith of Ibn 'Umar). She said, "May Allah be Merciful to Abu 'Abdur-Rahman. I used to put scent on Allah's Apostle and he used to go round his wives, and in the morning he assumed the Ihram, and the fragrance of scent was still coming out from his body."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 268 :
Narrated by Qatada

Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night and they were eleven in number." I asked Anas, "Had the Prophet the strength for it?" Anas replied, "We used to say that the Prophet was given the strength of thirty (men)." And Sa'id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven).

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 269 :
Narrated by 'Ali

I used to get emotional urethral discharge frequently. Being the son-in-law of the Prophet I requested a man to ask him about it. So the man asked the Prophet about it. The Prophet replied, "Perform ablution after washing your organ (penis)."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 270 :
Narrated by Muhammad bin Al-Muntathir

On the authority of his father that he had asked 'Aisha about the saying of Ibn 'Umar(i.e. he did not like to be a Muhrim while the smell of scent was still coming from his body). 'Aisha said, "I scented Allah's Apostle and he went round (had sexual intercourse with) all his wives, and in the morning he was Muhrim (after taking a bath)."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 271 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

It is as if I am just looking at the glitter of scent in the parting of the Prophet's head hair while he was a Muhrim.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 272 :
Narrated by Hisham bin 'Urwa

(on the authority of his father) 'Aisha said, "Whenever Allah's Apostle took the bath of Janaba, he cleaned his hands and performed ablution like that for prayer and then took a bath and rubbed his hair, till he felt that the whole skin of the head had become wet, then he would pour water thrice and wash the rest of the body." 'Aisha further said, "I and Allah's Apostle used to take a bath from a single water container, from which we took water simultaneously."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 273 :
Narrated by Maimuna

Water was placed for the ablution of Allah's Apostle after Janaba. He poured water with his right hand over his left twice or thrice and then washed his private parts and rubbed his hand on the earth or on a wall twice or thrice and then rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out arid then washed his face and forearms and poured water over his head and washed his body. Then he shifted from that place and washed his feet. I brought a piece of cloth, but he did not take it and removed the traces of water from his body with his hand."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 274 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira

Once the call (Iqama) for the prayer was announced and the rows were straightened. Allah's Apostle came out; and when he stood up at his Musalla, he remembered that he was Junub. Then he ordered us to stay at our places and went to take a bath and then returned with water dropping from his head. He said, "Allahu-Akbar", and we all offered the prayer with him.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 275 :
Narrated by Maimuna

I placed water for the bath of the Prophet and screened him with a garment. He poured water over his hands and washed them. After that he poured water with his right hand over his left and washed his private parts, rubbed his hands with earth and washed them, rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out and then washed his face and forearms. He poured water over his head and body. He then shifted from that place and washed his feet. I gave him a piece of cloth but he did not take it and came out removing the water (from his body) with both his hands.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 276 :
Narrated by Aisha

Whenever any one of us was Junub, she poured water over her head thrice with both her hands and then rubbed the right side of her head with one hand and rubbed the left side of the head with the other hand.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 277 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, 'The (people of) Bani Israel used to take bath naked (all together) looking at each other. The Prophet Moses used to take a bath alone. They said, 'By Allah! Nothing prevents Moses from taking a bath with us except that he has a scrotal hernia.' So once Moses went out to take a bath and put his clothes over a stone and then that stone ran away with his clothes. Moses followed that stone saying, "My clothes, O stone! My clothes, O stone! till the people of Bani Israel saw him and said, 'By Allah, Moses has got no defect in his body. Moses took his clothes and began to beat the stone." Abu Huraira added, "By Allah! There are still six or seven marks present on the stone from that excessive beating." Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "When the Prophet Job (Aiyub) was taking a bath naked, golden locusts began to fall on him. Job started collecting them in his clothes. His Lord addressed him, 'O Job! Haven't I given you enough so that you are not in need of them.' Job replied, 'Yes!' By Your Honor (power)! But I cannot dispense with Your Blessings.' "

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 278 :
Narrated by Um Hani bint Abi Talib

I went to Allah's Apostle in the year of the conquest of Mecca and found him taking a bath while Fatima was screening him. The Prophet asked, "Who is it?" I replied, "I am Um-Hani."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 279 :
Narrated by Maimuna

I screened the Prophet while he was taking a bath of Janaba. He washed his hands, poured water from his right hand over his left and washed his private parts. Then he rubbed his hand over a wall or the earth, and performed ablution similar to that for the prayer but did not wash his feet. Then he poured water over his body, shifted from that place, and washed his feet.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 280 :
Narrated by Um-Salama

(the mother of the believers) Um Sulaim, the wife of Abu Talha, came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Verily Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth. Is it necessary for a woman to take a bath after she has a wet dream (nocturnal sexual discharge)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "Yes, if she notices a discharge."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 281 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet came across me in one of the streets of Medina and at that time I was Junub. So I slipped away from him and went to take a bath. On my return the Prophet said, "O Abu Huraira! Where have you been?" I replied, "I was Junub, so I disliked to sit in your company." The Prophet said, "Subhan Allah! A believer never becomes impure."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 282 :
Narrated by Anas bin Malik

The Prophet used to visit all his wives in one night and he had nine wives at that time.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 283 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah's Apostle came across me and I was Junub He took my hand and I went along with him till he sat down I slipped away, went home and took a bath. When I came back. he was still sitting there. He then said to me, "O AbuHuraira! Where have you been?' I told him about it The Prophet said, "Subhan Allah! O Abu Huraira! A believer never becomes impure."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 284 :
Narrated by Abu Salama

I asked 'Aisha "Did the Prophet use to sleep while he was Junub?" She replied, "Yes, but he used to perform ablution (before going to bed).

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 285 :
Narrated by 'Umar bin Al-Khattab

I asked Allah's Apostle "Can any one of us sleep while he is Junub?" He replied, "Yes, if he performs ablution, he can sleep while he is Junub."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 286 :
Narrated by 'Aisha

Whenever the Prophet intended to sleep while he was Junub, he used to wash his private parts and perform ablution like that for the prayer.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 287 :
Narrated by 'Abdullah

'Umar asked the Prophet "Can anyone of us sleep while he is Junub?" He replied, "Yes, if he performs ablution."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 288 :
Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Umar

Umar bin Al-Khattab told Allah's Apostle, "I became Junub at night." Allah's Apostle replied, "Perform ablution after washing your private parts and then sleep."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 289 :
Narrated by Hisham

as the following Hadith 290.

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 290 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, "When a man sits in between the four parts of a woman and did the sexual intercourse with her, bath becomes compulsory."

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 291 :
Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid AjJuhani

I asked 'Uthman bin 'Affan about a man who engaged in the sexual intercourse with his wife but did not discharge. 'Uthman replied, "He should perform ablution like that for the prayer after washing his private parts." 'Uthman added, "I heard that from Allah's Apostle." I asked 'Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam, Talha bin 'Ubaidullah and Ubai bin Ka'b and a gave the same reply. (Abu Aiylub said that he had heard that from Allah's Apostle ) (This order was cancelled later on so one has to take a bath. See, Hadith No. 180).

Volume 1, Book 5, Number 292 :
Narrated by Ubai bin Ka'b

I asked Allah's Apostle about a man who engages in sexual intercourse with his wife but does not discharge. He replied, "He should wash the parts which comes in contact with the private parts of the woman, perform ablution and then pray." (Abu 'Abdullah said, "Taking a bath is safer and is the last order.")