Scholars Of Islam

hindsight 20/20 Terrorism creates terrorism-sheikh Yasir qadhi

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 23:08:08 PDT

Shaykh Yasir Qadhi is the Dean of Academic Affairs at AlMaghrib Institute, the man behind the curriculum and other academically intensive programs like IlmSummit. Shaykh Yasir is known among his students as "GQ" and for his excellent Tajweed in the English language (i.e. his perfect annunciation of every letter). Give him any old and dry subject and Shaykh Yasir can rehash it, spice it up, and hand it back to you an exciting and intriguing topic of discussion. We dare you!

He was born in Houston, Texas and completed his primary and secondary education in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston, after which he was accepted as a student at the Islamic University of Madinah. After completing a diploma in Arabic, he graduated with a B.A. from the College of Hadith and Islamic Sciences. Thereafter, he completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology from the College of Dawah. He is in the final stages of completing his PhD in Religious Studies from Yale University.

His published works include Riya'a: The Hidden Shirk, Du'aa: The Weapon of the Believer, An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur'an, and many others. He is also active on a number of Islamic Satellite stations around the world including Islam Channel, Al-Huda Channel, and PeaceTV.

Shaykh Yasir Qadhi lives in Memphis, Tennessee where he serves as a resident Scholar of Memphis Islamic Center.

The Universal Message of Islam - Yusuf Estes

noreply@blogger.com (Imam) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:01:23 PDT

what is islam

noreply@blogger.com (Imam) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:58:20 PDT

A medical doctor by professional training, Dr. Zakir Naik is renowed as a dynamic international orator on Islam and Comparative Religion. Dr. Zakir Naik clarifies Islamic viewpoints and clears misconceptions about Islam, using the Qur'an, authentic Hadith and other religious Scriptures as a basis, in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts. He is 41 years old.

Dr. Zakir is popular for his critical analysis and convincing answers to challenging questions posed by audiences after his public talks. In the last 6 years (by the year 2002), Dr. Zakir Naik has delivered more than 600 public talks in the U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, South Africa, Mauritius, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand, Guyana (South America) and many other countries, in addition to numerous public talks in India.

He has successfully participated in several symposia and dialogues with prominent personalities of other faiths. His public dialogue with Dr. William Campbell (of USA), on the topic, "The Qur'an and the Bible in the light of Science" held in city of Chicago, U.S.A., on April 1, 2000 was a resounding success.

Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and Comparative Religion, who had called Dr. Zakir, "Deedat plus" in 1994, presented a plaque in May 2000 awarded to Dr. Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Da'wah and the study of Comparative Religion with the engraving "Son what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhamdullilah."

Dr. Zakir Naik appears regularly on many international T.V. Channels in more than 100 countries of the world. He is regularly invited for T.V. and Radio interviews. More than a hundred of his talks, dialogues, debates and symposia are available on video cassettes, video CDs and audio cassettes. He has authored books on Islam and Comparative Religion

For My Sisters in Islam - Muslim Women in Islam - Scholars, Roles, Contributions - Islamic Lectures

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:26:55 PST

Muslim Scientists, Scholars, Polymaths and Renaissance Men: Islam Exposed

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:27:44 PST

During the Islamic Golden Age, usually dated from the middle of the 8th century to the middle of the 13th century, scholars and engineers of the Islamic world contributed enormously to the arts, literature, philosophy, sciences, and technology, both by preserving and building upon earlier traditions and by adding their own inventions and innovations.

Muslim philosophers and poets, artists and scientists, princes and laborers, created a unique culture that has influenced societies on every continent. Scientific and intellectual achievements blossomed during the Islamic Golden Age.

The Islamic Golden Age was inaugurated by the ascension of the Abbassid Caliphate and the transfer of the capital from Damascus to Baghdad. The Abbassids were influenced by the Quranic injunctions and hadith such as "the ink of scientists is equal to the blood of martyrs" stressing the value of knowledge. During this period the Muslim world became the unrivaled intellectual center for science, philosophy, medicine and education as the Abbasids championed the cause of knowledge and established a "House of Wisdom" in Baghdad; where both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars sought to translate and gather all the world's knowledge into Arabic.

Many classic works of antiquity that would otherwise have been lost were translated into Arabic and later in turn translated into Turkish, Persian, Hebrew and Latin. During this period the Muslim world was a cauldron of cultures which collected, synthesized and advanced the works collected from the Chinese, Persian, Egyptian, North African, Greek, Spanish, Sicilian and Byzantine civilizations.

Many vicious allegations have been made against Islam as being a violent and barbaric way of life.

Insha'Allah I hope that my video can act as part rebuttal to those who have amnesia or ignorance towards what Muslims and the Islamic way of life have done for the world.

(My First Video)

Saracen Production Presents:

"A Diverse Snapshot of Muslim Discovery and Achievements"

Starring...

Abu Musa Jābir ibn Hayyān (d. 815)
"Geber - Father of Chemistry"

Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī (d. 850)
"Father of Algebra"

Yaqūb ibn Ishāq al-Kindī (d. 873)
"Al Kindi"

Abū Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakarīya al-Rāzi (d. 925)
"Al-Razi - Rhazes"

Abū Nasr Muhammad al-Fārābi (d. 951)
"Al-Farabi"

Abu al-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas Al-Zahrawi (d. 1013)
"Abulcasis - Father of Modern Surgery"

Abū Alī al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham (d. 1039)
"Al-Haytham - Father of Optics"

Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī (d. 1111)
"Al-Ghazali"

Abu Abd Allah Muhammad al-Idrisi (d. 1166)
"Al-Idrisi"

Ibn Rushd (d. 1198)
"Averroes"

Ibn Ismail Ibn al-Razzaz Al-Jazari (d. 1206)
"Al-Jazari - Father of Modern Day Engineering and Robotics"

Ala-al-din abu Al-Hassan Ali ibn Abi-Hazm al-Qarshi al-Dimashqi (d. 1288)
"Ibn Al-Nafis"

Abū Zayd 'Abdu r-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Khaldūn al-Hadramī (d. 1406)
"Ibn Khaldun"

So many of the early Islamic contribution have been greatly overlooked by most education centers to the western public. These are historic facts or great thinkers and contributers to the future generations and it's only right that we give credit where it's due..

All praise is to Allah and peace be with you all

Media And Islam - War Or Peace Dr. Zakir Naik

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:27:12 PDT

Media And Islam - War Or Peace Dr. Zakir Naik Part 1 of 3 from FAZRIN NIRZAF on Vimeo.

Media And Islam - War Or Peace Dr. Zakir Naik Part 2 of 3 from FAZRIN NIRZAF on Vimeo.

Media And Islam - War Or Peace Dr. Zakir Naik Part 3 of 3 from FAZRIN NIRZAF on Vimeo.

Tolerance in the Qur’an

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:35:00 PDT

Forgive and show indulgence to them!
(Qur’an, 2:109)
Among various prolific misconceptions concerning the religion of Islam, one cannot miss the oft-quoted “Kill them wherever you find them,” characterization of religious intolerance in the Qur’an. This bloodthirsty depiction of Islam is far, far from the truth. Yet, with so much media attention shone on “Muslim terrorists”, contradictory Islamic ideals of religious tolerance might be difficult for Western audiences to believe.
The best solution is to read the Qur’an. Verses granting permission to fight in war, when attacked, can then be read in context. Ideological mud slinging on the internet is rife with quotes like, “Kill them wherever you find them.” If that is the first phrase you read from the Qur’an, of course it sounds like a horrible, unholy book. Yet its beginning is this:“In the name of God, The Beneficent, The Merciful” (1:1).
In the following sections, I will attempt to express the Qur’anic attitude toward religious tolerance. To dispel myths surrounding “kill them wherever you find them”, I first address religious tolerance under conditions of war. Then, what is hopefully the usual state of affairs, part 2 presents a few points from the Qur’an promoting religious tolerance during periods of peace.
Part 1: Conditions of War
“Fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! God loveth not aggressors.”
(Qur’an, 2:190)
Contrary to popular misconception, the Qur’anic verse stating, “Kill them wherever you encounter them” (2:191) does not categorically permit (let alone promote!) killing of Non-Muslims. Rather, this verse was revealed in relation to a specific stage of persecutory war against Muslims in the history of Islam; and its ordinance is obviously confined to warfare. The fourteen-hundred-year heritage of Islamic rule in Arabia and beyond testifies to religious tolerance exhorted by the Qur’an.
And why—if there is any explanation other than deliberate mischaracterization and slander—why can’t critics who use this verse read other general decrees that place strict limits on warfare? For instance, the verse just before it, which says, “But begin not hostilities. Lo! God loveth not aggressors” (2:190). Or the verses just after it, stating, “But if they desist, then lo! God is Forgiving, Merciful” (2:192).
Scenarios under which taking a life is permissible according to the Qur’an are extremely limited. The Qur’an permits between-group killing, or “collateral damage”, during warfare in hand-to-hand combat with male, combatant enemy soldiers. In domestic affairs, Islamic law permits execution by judicial sentence in cases of premeditated manslaughter [1]; a tooth for a tooth whether Muslim or Non-Muslim.
In Islam, it is never permissible to attack or kill non-combatant enemy citizens, children, elderly, or women. Non-Muslims not waging war against Muslims possess Islamic state’s protection of their right to life, according to the Qur’an. In fact, the Qur’an enjoins forgiveness, indulgence, tolerance, and kindness toward Non-Muslims.

Part 2: Conditions of Peace

“Help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty.”

(Qur’an, 5:2)

Tolerance in the Qur’an

What some great intellectuals have said about Islam, the Bible, and the Holy Quran

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:33:18 PDT

Our civilization is standing at dangerous crossroads. The Bible cannot provide workable foundations for the survival of mankind. (Lord Snell, The New World.

For the redemption of humanity we will have to look toward the owner [Mohammad] of the Qur'an not toward Chrisitianity. (Lewis Mumford, Faith for Living.

The Bible cannot lead us to an international religion, nor can it unify all mankind. (Ehrich Fromm, The Sane Society.

The teachings of Islam can fail under no circumstances. No human mind can go beyond the Qur'an. (Johann Goethe - Letters to Eckermann, Sir Henry Elliott’s Collection) 2.

The code of permanent values can only come through Revelation to chosen personalities (messengers) of God.
(Albert Einstein 1879-1955 - Out of My Later Days)

The word of Mohammad is a voice, direct from nature's own heart . . . all else is wind in comparison.
(Thomas Carlyle - On Heroes and Hero Worship)

If the society is not conducive to the growth of human personality, people would remain slaves even if such a society were perceived to be free.
(Nicholes Berdyeau - Destiny of Man)

For the development of SELF I need a society where others' benefit feels like my own.
(Hastings Rashdall - Theory of Good and Evil)

The development of the human personality [NAFS] can take place only collectively with other members of the society.
(Robert Briffault - The Making of Humanity)

The purpose of life is the development of humanity in a collective social order. (Prof A.N.
Whitehead, British author teaching at Harvard in 1920s - Adventure of Ideas)

Development of the self [self-actualization] can take place only in an equitable social system.
(Robert Briffault, The Making of Humanity)

International order for all mankind is the time's foremost demand.
(John Reves - Politics in Future)

The world needs not only for its development but also for its very survival a universal "way of life" in which economic, social, and moral values are uniform for all.
(Frederick Hertz - Nationality, History and Politics)

The purpose of life is development of the person and thereby, of all humanity en mass. (Prof A. N.
Whitehead - Adventure of Ideas)

The real progress entails development of an international social order in which every individual can grow to one’s full potential.
(Hastings Rashdall - The Theory of Good and Evil)

Islam offers a beautiful collective system which says Yes to Life.
(Nicholes Berdyeau - The Divine and the Human)

A complete way of life which would be universal is neither present in human instinct nor can we devise it through intellect. It can only come through Revelation.
(Prof Alfred Cobban - The Crisis of Civilization)

We need a religion that can transcend nationalism and make the world one Nation.
(Robert Murray - The Individual and the State)

Only Islam can transcend the boundaries of nationalism.
(Arnold Toynbee, The World and the West)

In order to make true progress, man must exercise his free will in accordance with the Divine guidance. Man must do this, not to put God under any obligation, but for the evolution of his own SELF. (British astronomer, Sir Arthur S.
Eddington 1882-1944 - Science and the Unseen World)

The time for nations has already passed. The era of mankind as one community is about to dawn. (W. Chardin - Building of the Earth) 19. The solution to humanity's problems lies not in internationalism. It rests in the Qur'anic teaching of universal brotherhood of all men.
(Neveres Emery - The Anatomy of Peace)

The world will shortly see a single government without borders in which the affairs of human beings will be a matter of counsel.
(Gummer Murdael - Beyond the Welfare State)

No tangible forces, no intangible powers, can stop Islam from becoming the universal faith. This is because only Islam can march along with the evolution of human civilization.
(German born, American psychoanalyst, 1900-1980, Erich Fromm - The Sane Society)

It is the sacred duty of our civilization that we revive the true human brotherhood which existed at the beginning of life and after which people divided.
(Professor Hugh Miller - Country and State)

The ideal society will be one where the wellness of others will feel like my own wellness.
(German philosopher, Immanuel Kant 1724-1804 - Critique of Practical Reason)

The teachings of Islam can fail under no circumstances. With all our systems of culture and civilization, we cannot go beyond Islam and, as a matter of fact, no human mind can go beyond the Qur'an. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the celebrated German poet and thinker, in his letters to J. Eckermann and Sir Henry Elliot)) In fact, Islam is so scientific that the noted Russian thinker, P.D. Ouspensky, stated that any science that collides with the Qur'an will turn out to be false.
(Tertium organum)

What some great intellectuals have said about Islam, the Bible, and the Holy Quran

Why Suicide Bombings Violate Islam

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:08:54 PDT

The Holy Qur’an says it in very clear, without any ambiguity:

“Do not kill yourselves, for truly God is merciful. And if any do that in rancor and injustice, soon shall We cast them in the Fire. ” (Surah 4:29-30)

The Qur’an makes it clear that there are rules to human conflict and limits that must be followed:

“And fight in the way of God against those who fight you. But do not transgress the limits. Truly God does not love transgressors.” (Surah 2:190)

As I discuss in my new novel Mother of the Believers, traditional Islamic law established very clear rules of war based on the practice of Prophet Muhammad and his early followers: Do not kill civilians. Do not kill women and children. Do not harm priests of of other religions. Do not destroy the environment.

Abu Bakr, the first leader of Islam after Prophet Muhammad, gave these commandments when Muslims were fighting the forces of the Byzantine Empire, which had sought to destroy the new religion and killed the Prophet’s ambassador:

“Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules to keep by heart: Do not commit treachery, nor depart from the right path. You must not mutilate, neither kill a child or aged man or woman. Do not destroy a palm tree, nor burn it with fire and do not cut any fruitful tree. You must not slay any of the flock or herds or the camels, save for your subsistence. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them to that to which they have devoted their lives. You are likely, likewise, to find people who will present to you meals of many kinds. You may eat; but do no forget to mention the name of God.”

Muslims always took great pride in the fact that they acted honorably, even in war. They looked with contempt upon the warriors of Europe, who slaughtered civilians mercilessly during the Crusades. When Saladin defeated the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem and took the holy city, he spared its Christian populace and pointedly said: “We will not do to you what you did to us.”

Why Suicide Bombings Violate Islam

Quran's number 19 Unveiling the Secret of an Allegory

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:20:51 PDT

I want to join the discussions around the Quran’s number 19 with my own interpretation. Surely, this is, eventually, an “interpretation”. My purpose is to show those, suggesting an argument about 19 to which no one else believes, that other dimensions of the matter which they could not conceive may exist. My argument may, just like theirs, be erroneous, but, I accept this in advance and believe that common sense of Moslims will find the truth (even though this may not be my argument) with the help of time. One of the reasons why I put forward this argument is that it can be inferred from the statements in the Quran that the fact about 19 will be understood in this world. However, some people put forward such arguments in this matter that the Moslim people became afraid of even approaching this matter. From this perspective, I think that new approaches should be developed with courage but without losing equanimity.

My argument related to 19 is briefly as follows: “By establishing a direct relationship between the number 19 and the hell and defining 19 as a mischief and stating that the doubt of believers and people of the book will disappear upon reveal of the fact related to the number 19, the Quran miraculously notifies us that atheism will begin to rise and the mischief of “Theory of Evolution” will emerge in the 19th century. (Only Allah (c.c.) (God) knows the most accurate).

In this case, if we add my argument related to the number 19, currently three interpretations exists:

Conventional opinion in the interpretations related to “19”
The Code 19 exists in the Koran.
There is a relationship between 19 and the hell, i.e. between atheism and 19th century.
Related Verses of Chapter “Muddesir”

The meaning of number 19 is not made clear in Quran. Quran mentions about number 19 in surah “Muddesir”, verses from 27 to 31. Obviously the meaning of these verses is a secret of Quran. From this point of view, all three claims stay in an equal distance to the real meaning of number 19. We have to look at the Quran to evaluate the claims. Although Quran does not make clear the meaning of 19, it gives some hints about it. So, here are 2 translations of those verses, Muddesir/27-31 by Yusuf Ali and M. H. Shakir :

Muddesir/27-31 (A. Yusuf Ali)And what will explain to thee what Hell-Fire is? Naught doth it permit to endure, and naught doth it leave alone!- Darkening and changing the color of man! Over it are Nineteen. “And We have set none but angels as Guardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers,- in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase in Faith,- and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the Unbelievers may say, "What doth Allah intend by this ?" Thus doth Allah leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the forces of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a reminder to mankind.”

Muddesir/27-31 (M.H. Shakir)And what will make you realize what hell is? It leaves naught nor does it spare aught. It scorches the mortal. Over it are nineteen. “And We have not made the wardens of the fire others than angels, and We have not made their number but as a trial for those who disbelieve, that those who have been given the book may be certain and those who believe may increase in faith, and those who have been given the book and the believers may not doubt, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the unbelievers may say: What does Allah mean by this parable? Thus does Allah make err whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases, and none knows the hosts of your Lord but He Himself; and this is naught but a reminder to the mortals.”

In these verses, unique function of 19 is defined and results which are stated to follow are given.

Conventional Opinion about 19

I will try to clarify the traditional interpretation of Quran’s number 19 by using well-known Quran tafsirs. (Tafsir means Quranic exegesis). So here are 2 traditional interpretations of Quran’s number 19:

“And We have appointed only angels as wardens of the Fire, in other words, and so they cannot be withstood as these [disbelievers are wont to] imagine; and We have made their number, so, only as a stumbling-block, a cause for error, for those who disbelieve, when they then say, 'Why are there nineteen of them?', so that those who were given the Scripture, namely, the Jews, may be certain, of the sincerity of the Prophet (s) in [saying that] they are nineteen, for this concords with what is in their Scripture; and that those who believe, from among the People of the Scripture, may increase in faith, in affirmation of the truth, given that what the Prophet (s) has said concords with what is in their Scripture, and that those given the Scripture and the believers, [those] other than these [Jews], may not be in doubt, concerning the number of [these] angels, and that those in whose hearts there is a sickness, an uncertainty, [those] in Medina, and the disbelievers, in Mecca, may say, 'What did God mean by this, number [as a], similitude?' (mathalan: they referred to it thus [as a mathal] on account of it being a curious matter; in terms of syntax, it [mathalan] is a circumstantial qualifier). Thus, that is, just as the one who rejects this number is led astray and the one who affirms the truth of it is guided, God leads astray whom He will and guides whom He will. And none knows the hosts of your Lord, namely, the angels, [none knows them] in terms of their strength and their assistants, except Him. And it, that is, Saqar, is nothing but a reminder for humans.” – Tafsir Al-Jalalayn (source: www.altafsir.com)

“(We have appointed) We set on the dwellers of the Fire (only angels) the keepers of the Fire (to be wardens of the Fire, and their number have We made) and We have not mentioned the fewness of the keepers of the Fire save (to be a stumbling block) except in order to be a calamity (for those who disbelieve) the disbelievers of Mecca: Abu'l-Ashadd Ibn Usayd Ibn Kildah who said: “I will take care of seventeen angels, nine on my back and eight on my chest; therefore you should take care of the other two”; (that those to whom the scripture) the Torah, i.e. 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers, for it is written in the Torah that the number of the keepers of the Fire is nineteen (hath been given may have certainty, and that believers may increase in faith) when they know that what is in their Scripture is similar to that which is in the Torah; (and that those to whom the Scripture hath been given) 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers, when they see that there is no difference between what is in the Qur'an and that which is in the Torah (and believers) also for the same reason (may not doubt; and that those in whose hears there is disease) doubt and hypocrisy, (and disbelievers) the Jews and Christians; and it is said: the disbelievers of Mecca, (may say: What meaneth Allah by this similitude) when he mentioned the small number of angels who are in charge of the Fire? (Thus Allah sendeth astray) through this similitude (whom He will) whoever deserves it, (and whom He will) and whoever deserves (He guideth) by means of this similitude. (None knoweth the hosts of your Lord) among the angels (save Him. This is) i.e. Saqar, the fourth gate of the Fire (naught else than a Reminder unto mortals) an admonition to people in order to warn them.” - Tafsir Ibn Abbas (source: www.altafsir.com)

Opinion about “19” given in these interpretations can be summarized as follows: “19” is the number of angels of the hell and it is turned to a matter of “test” for unbelievers. This matter of “test” is explained with the fact that unbelievers continuously struggle with this figure and words of disbelievers of Mecca regarding 19 angels are conveyed. The main theme is their continuous struggle with “19”. In my opinion, the case God presented as example in the above verses is also this. However, conventional opinion explains the results given in the verse with a different characteristic of 19. According to interpretations, the figure of 19 which is notified as the number of angels of the hell is given in the same manner as 19 in the book (Torah) of the people of the book (Jews). Based upon this, interpreters argued that the results given in the verse will be derived with this accordance. According to them, by realising that the same number of angels of the hell is given also in the Quran, people of the book will understand that the Quran is also inspired by the God, thus, reach the definite information and recognise the dignity of the Prophet. The problem here is that there is no reference in the verse regarding this function of accordance of 19. The conventional interpretation has more significant problems. We will discuss them below.

Code 19

Assuming that the readers already know what the Code 19 is, I will not dive into the details of this argument. Those who want detailed information can use the internet. However, I will try to explain briefly what the Code 19 has done indeed.

According to the Code 19 argument, the figure “19” is both a “trial” for unbelievers and (at the same time) a mathematical miracle to ensure faith in god of believers and people of the book. Indeed, what Code 19 does is the same with that done by the conventional interpretation. Supporters of Code 19 argument distinguish the figure “19” and its nature of “being a mischief for unbelievers” and associate a meaning bearing a new function they impute to the figure “19” with the results explained to be derived in the verse. The problem here is that there is no reference in the verse as 19 is a code and even worse, there is also no rational way and reason of distinguishing 19 and its nature of being a mischief for unbelievers. Of course if you do not aim at imputing to the figure 19 a meaning with a new function.

The Word “Fitneten”

In the verse, original Arabic translation of the word “test” given in the English translations is the word “fitneten”. It can be seen upon a search to be made within the Quran about this word of “fitne” denoted in the verse that the word “fitne” is used in the Quran with the following meanings: trial; persecution; mischief; confusion; temptation; hardship; punishment; or forcibly keeping away a man from pursuing the right path, or misleading a man into false pursuits or into deviation from truth. The word is often used in the Qur'an in conjunction with the word Fasad which means corruption and disruption and signifies social disorder and tyranny.

The word “Meselen” and Exemplification

One of the most interesting points in the verse Muddesir/31 is the use of the word “meselen” toward the end of the verse. This word means “example” and/or “parable”. Accordingly, Y. Nuri Öztürk translated that part of the verse as “let them say what God desires to exemplify with that”.

The use of this word denotes that an exemplification is made in the verse. Thus, in the following verse of the Koran it is told that unbelievers will say/said “What God intended to say with this example” regarding the examples given by God:

Bakara/26 (Shakir)
Surely Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable-- (that of) a gnat or any thing above that; then as for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord, and as for those who disbelieve, they say: What is it that Allah means by this parable: He causes many to err by it and many He leads aright by it! but He does not cause to err by it (any) except the transgressors,

The case of mischief given as example

As I mentioned while discussing about the conventional interpretation above, the case used by the lofty God in Muddesir/31 as an example depicts the stand of disbelievers of Mecca regarding the number of angels. However, as highlighted toward the ending sections of Muddesir/31, with this case, God merely desired to exemplify another fact. You will read this below in more detail. Here, a question may come to mind: “Is such a fiddling case used as an example?” The best answer to this question is the verse Bakara/26 which is given above. In this verse, the God particularly emphasized that [God] does not refrain from giving as example the things which seem fiddling. Don’t you think that the verse Bakara/26 seems inspired to particularly to clarify the verse Muddesir/31?

Analysis of the Verses

First of all, a clear and irrefutable association is established in the verse between “19” and the hell. This is contrary to both conventional interpretation and the Code 19 argument, since both claims impute a favorable meaning to 19. The Code 19 argument presents this figure as a miraculous coding system, and conventional interpretation emphasizes the accordance between the Quran and the Torah. On the other hand, my argument emphasizes that 19 has an unfavorable meaning and from this perspective, the relationship of 19 and the hell is fully compliant with my argument.

When we closely review the verse, we realize that it is emphasized by underlining that the figure “19” has a single function. The verse also expresses “we rendered their numbers solely a means of mischief for unbelievers”. Here, the use of the word “solely” is interesting. It is stated that the figure “19” – whatever it stands for as a figure - shall solely have the feature of mischief for unbelievers. This word of “solely” causes us believe that the single function of the figure “19” is being a mischief and 19, as a figure itself, has no direct relationship with believers. From this perspective, only my argument survives. Because, both Code 19 argument and the conventional interpretation defend that 19 has a function other than being a mischief for unbelievers. However, this argument completely conflicts with the expression “we did not do anything else” in the verse.

Let us examine this part of the verse a bit more carefully: “We have not made their number but as a trial for those who disbelieve, that those who have been given the book may be certain and those who believe may increase in faith…” The affix “that” here is also very interesting! The affix “that” serves the function of connecting the previous sentence to the next one… The meaning in the previous sentence is “wholly” connected to the next one... Namely, a cause-effect relationship is established between whole event that “19, which is the number of angels, is a means of mischief for unbelievers” and the results following in the verse, not only with the figure 19! The verse describes the results to be derived thanks to “making the figure 19, which is the number of angels, a mischief”. In other words, the verse clearly associates the derivation of results with “making 19 a mischief” . Certainly, what is done in the verse is merely an exemplification. Therefore, the results described in the verse are to be derived by understanding the reality indicated with the example given and realising the relationship between the example and that is exemplified, not by the example itself. However, defenders of “Code 19” and conventional interpretation distinguish the wordings “19” and “making it a mischief” and associate the results stated to be derived with the meanings of the figure “19” which have a new function by no means stated in the verse. But, there is no rational way of making the inference they made from the expression in the verse. On the contrary, the verse clearly tied the results described to “making number 19 a mischief”.

The verse emphasizes that the fact exemplified by the manner of expression as “We have not made their number but…” should have a unique and single characteristic. “A 19 which is a mischief for unbelievers”… In addition, the verse completely ties the results to be derived to this unique and single characteristic. So, the fact exemplified by the verse should be a figure 19 which has no other characteristic than being a “mischief”. The thing which will influence people of the book and believers is that this fact is pointed out through the exemplification made in the verse. Code 19 argument and conventional interpretation are problematic from this perspective. Because, both of them associate the results to be derived with characteristics other than being a “mischief”.

In short, the thing which will enhance the faith of believers and people of the book is the understanding of what the exemplification made in the verse by “making 19, which is the number of angels, a mischief for unbelievers” actually points out. However, this fact should solely be “a 19 which is a mischief for unbelievers” as given in the verse and the results to be derived should also be ensured through common characteristics (being a mischief for unbelievers, being 19) and accordance of both the example given and the fact exemplified.

My argument of “19th century” is fully compliant with the verse from this point of view. Because, my claim does not ascribe to 19 a meaning which is new and has a function not included in the verse. The point my argument emphasized is that understanding of the fact that “19th century will be a century of mischief for unbelievers” through exemplification made in the verse will bring the results given in the verse. In other words, there is no new function my argument ascribed to 19 other than the mischief which is unique and single function assigned to 19 in the verse. Some people may criticize that all these inferences made based upon a word of “solely” and a conjunction of “that” in an interpretation of Quran. However, the same word is also used and the same meaning is imputed with a similar conjunction in all English interpretations.

Also, original Arabic wording of the Quran is “ve ma ce’alna ‘ıddetehum illa fitneten lilleziyne keferu …” This wording can be translated into English as Yusuf Ali or Shakir did. In other words, the same structure and meaning exist in the original Arabic version of the verse…

Analysis of the Results given in the Verse

According to the verse Muddesir/31, the fact related to 19 will bring the following results:

Ensure certainty in (the faith of) people of the book,
Enhance the faith of believers,
Eliminate the doubt of people of the book and believers.
Let us examine all of these 3 arguments from the point of results given.

Conventional interpretation makes a childish impression from the point of producing the results given. It is nothing more than optimism to think that the fact that the number of angels of the hell given in the Quran is exactly the same with the number in the Torah would bring all these conclusions. I cannot imagine any Jewish or Christian who would believe that the Quran is from God based upon this match of numbers. On the contrary, this causes them believe that the Quran is only a blueprint. However, the main problem of the conventional interpretation is that it goes out of the single and unique function of 19 expressed in the verse by associating the results to be derived with exactly the same use of 19 in the Quran and the Torah. In other words, conventional interpretation adds to the figure 19 another function of compliance with the Torah in addition to being “a mischief for unbelievers”.

The argument of Code 19 seems to meet all the results. A mathematically structured book may attract attention of some people and create the results given in the verse. However, the problem is that such type of mathematical “miracles” (or statistical coincidences) may exist in many books. Thus, when I searched, I found people who claim that such type of numerical codes exist in the Christian Bible and even in the American Declaration of Independence. Therefore, it is again nothing but a kind of optimism to claim that such type of statistical coincidences are well beyond chance and to think that books including these alleged codes are of divine origin. However, the basic problem of the Code 19, as in the case for conventional interpretation, is that it associates the results described in the verse to a new meaning which includes a function apart from the unique function of 19 given in the verse.

19th century argument has also potential to produce all the results. Our argument that the issue that 19th century will be a mischief for unbelievers is stated in the Quran is a miracle from the perspective that the Quran foretells and so important that it will enhance the faith of believers and ensure certainty of faith of people of the book.

The greatest mischief of the 19th century is surely “The Theory of Evolution”. In this respect, words of the famous atheist Richard Dawkins are important: “Darwin made it possible to be an intelectually fullfilled atheist”. Charles Darwin published his theory which forms basis for atheism in 1859 (in the 19th century).

When we look back to the history of human being, it can be seen that the only fact which coincides with the words “19” and “mischief” is 19th century and “Theory of Evolution”.

Additionally, the use of the word “doubt” for both people of the book and believers strengthen our 19th century argument. Ask yourself: “What is the greatest and common source of “doubt” of people of the book and believers today?” This situation shows parallelism with an important characteristic borne by the 19th century argument and not exists in the other two claims. In this argument, the source of “doubt” of people of the book and believers is the same with the thing which is a mischief for unbelievers: “19th century”. I think this characteristic is of vital importance, since believers and people of the book are required not to fall in doubt through expression in the verse that “19 is nothing but a mischief for unbelievers”. This expression implies that such doubt of people of the book and believers is somewhat related with “19”. When considered from this point of view, only the argument of 19th century passes the test.

Another important issue is that “people of the book” and “believers” are separately mentioned in the verse... In other words, this miracle (whatever it is) must be –necessarily- approved by “people of the book”. However, it is certain that the community defined as “people of the book” is not the same with “believers of the Quran”. Namely, this miracle must be meaningful even for the “people of the book” although they do not “believe in the Quran”. It is obvious that those putting forward the claim of “code 19” do not meet this requirement. However, the claim of “19th century” will be –necessarily- meaningful for the “people of the book”.

The point that the name of the sura Muddesir is “the hidden thing” perfectly matches with the 19th century argument. Because, denial (atheism) has been a hidden phenomenon until 19th century, has never established an intellectual basis, however, this situation changed in the 19th century.

Another aspect against the claimants of the Code 19 argument is as follows: “Surely, something included in the Quran may be difficult to find, however, it should be easy to understand when it is expressed”. In the end, the Koran addresses to all human being. From this perspective, claimants of the Code 19 argument are in trouble, since their claim can even not be “tested” by many people. Even the method used by them in counting words and letters is controversial. For example, very robust critics are raised even against the claims that the number of figures in the recite “Bismillah” is 19. However, the argument of 19th century is a claim easy to understand when explained and bears similar characteristics with the former Quran miracles from this perspective.

PS: In this article, the term "evolution" refers to "random evolution", not to "directed evolution" or "front-loaded evolution".

Internet Sources

Below is a list of quotations I found on the net about the relation between 19th century and atheism:

Some of the great philosophers of the nineteenth century, such as Karl Marx, not only thought that no evidence existed to support the belief in a god, but also believed that religion was a creation of society. They thought that society created religion in order to supress man's desire to seek a good life by promising him a better after-life.(7) Others, like Sigmund Freud, believed that religion was something that comforted people and kept them somewhat in order. (8) With the endorsement of some of the greatest minds of the century, atheism became a notable philosophy of life for the first time in the nineteenth century. http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/atheism.html
Until the nineteenth century, atheism was widely thought to be not just false but impossible or crazy. By the early twentieth century, however, all that had changed. Indeed, according to some of our most influential culture-heroes - for example, Marx, Nietzsche and Freud - it is religion that is pathological and it is atheism that distinguishes our culture from those of the past. Yet despite the importance of atheism (for unbelievers and believers), its history has not been the object of much scholarly study. http://www.amazon.com/Atheism-Britain-David-Berman/dp/185506474X
Almost everyone who has studied human history, particularly its philosophical and social aspects, will agree that the nineteenth century was an important period, for it was during those years that the first steps were taken toward the future spiritual collapse. Its most important characteristic was the growth of atheism (i.e., rejecting God's Existence) as opposed to theistic beliefs and religion, which had been generally dominant in the world until then. ….. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, atheists formulated a worldview that "explained" everything: The universe had not been created, for it had no beginning and had existed forever. They claimed that it had no purpose, that its order and balance were the result of chance, and that Darwin's theory of evolution explained how human beings and other living things came into being. They believed that Marx and Durkheim had explained history and sociology, and that Freud had explained psychology on the basis of atheist assumptions. http://www.riseofislam.com/rise_of_faith_01.html
19th CENTURY
The French Revolution (1789-1799) shocked the world in its violence and marked the end of another era. Religion began to reform and tried to blame the deists and other movements for the social turmoil that resulted. This reform is evident in the image of God, which is now shown as a loving, humanist deity. Rationalism, and later on Freethinking, organizes itself and starts to bring about social reform. In 1841, Ludwig Feuerbach wrote a book called "The Essence of Christianity", which was one of the first German atheistic influences. The book theorized that God was man's projection of himself. A year later, George Jacob Holyoake (1817-1906) was arrested for blasphemy. An English freethought organizer, he coined the term "secular". In 1859, Charles Darwin publishes his famous book "Origin of Species", which gave atheists their first natural explanation of animal and human life. The freethinking movement definitely began to take root with the incredible action of two men, Charles Bradlaugh, and most importantly, Robert Ingersoll. http://www.objectivethought.com/atheism/history.html
In the latter half of the 19th century, atheism rose to prominence under the influence of rationalistic and freethinking philosophers. Many prominent German philosophers of this era denied the existence of deities and were critical of religion, including Ludwig Feuerbach, Arthur Schopenhauer, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche.[68] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism
In 1859, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life, which described evolution by means of natural selection. As we stated at the beginning, one of the main supports for the rise of atheism to its zenith in the 19th century was Darwin’s theory of evolution. http://www.harunyahya.com/articles/70the_fall_of_atheism_sci34.php
The most influential publication of the nineteenth century was Charles Darwin 's Origin of Species. Published in 1859, described evolution by natural selection over millions of years and confirmed what many had suspected, that the Genesis creation story was not literally true. Many people became agnostics when they learnt how life on earth evolved and realised that there was no need for a god to have created it and that Earth and all the life forms on it were not created in six days, though others continued to prefer the biblical account. Scientists like Pierre and Marie Curie were not religious and motivated by the desire to know more and to improve the human condition. http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/contentviewarticle.asp?article=1220
It was when the conflict between science and religion arose in the nineteenth century, largely because of Darwinism's inconsistency with a fundamentalist reading of the Bible, that humanism acquired its modern association with atheism or agnosticism. http://www.srcf.ucam.org/hmmsoc/
He realised that ideas have consequences and that the rise of atheism during the 19th century would in due course subvert the institutions created and sustained by the Judaeo-Christian faith. http://www.christianheritageuk.org.uk/Mobile/default.aspx?group_id=32432&article_id=43921

About the Calendar

The question “Why a Christian Calendar” may come to minds of some people. Firstly, it should be mentioned that source of all these 19th century mischiefs is European lands, not Islam! During those times, Islam was living the 13th Moslem century, whereas Europe was living the 19th century. The key point here is that what is a mischief for unbelievers is the 19th of Europe, not 13th of Islam. To sum up, it would be meaningless to expect association of a problem not stemming from Islam with the Moslem calendar. Secondly, it is obviously stated in the verse that this fact related to the figure 19 will also be “meaningful” for not only Muslims but also people of the book. Finally, I would like to remind that the generally accepted calendar in today’s world is Christian one. Even most Moslem countries (excluding gulf countries) use the Christian calendar and refer to the Moslem calendar only for religious matters.

Look at the following quotation from a web site:

“The Islamic calendar is the official calendar in countries around the Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia. But other Muslim countries use the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes and only turn to the Islamic calendar for religious purposes.” http://webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-islamic.html

Conclusion

The idea advocated in this article can be said to be “ir-rational” and “lack of a solid ground”. However, if the parable about number 19 in Quran is seen as a riddle (puzzle), then the situation changes. The riddle is simply this: “Which 19 is a mischief for disbelievers?”. The answer is left to you! Solving riddles requires ingenuity and thinking out of the box. For example, let’s look at another one: “Why is six afraid of seven?”. Here is the answer: “Because seven ate (eight) nine”. Is it possible to solve this puzzle by means of thinking "rational"? Or does it require an extra-ordinary way of thinking?

In addition, it should be kept in mind that Quran's number 19 is a parable. A parable is a short allegory and an allegory is a figurative mode of representation conveying a meaning other than the literal and appeals to "imagination" rather than "reason" and "logic". (Source: Allegory Item in Wikipedia)

Surely, some people claim that these inferences are not a proof and the verse may well stand for a different meaning. In the end, the expression “19th century will be a mischief for disbelievers” is not clearly denoted in the verse. I would like to ask this question to those people: Do you know everything based upon proof? For example, do you know the face of your grandma based upon proving or is the process your brain performs something different than proving? Let us give the answer: The key to this is hidden in the word “RECOGNITION”. Proof is the longest and most demanding way of cognition. It is also worthless in most cases. However, recognition is totally different. When it comes to recognition, there is no difference between a professor and a herdsman (from the point of superiority). If some shows you only ¼ of Mona Lisa, the famous portrait of Da Vinci, you know it is Mona Lisa, anyway. Please ask yourself how your brain processes it? The answer is, again, “RECOGNITION”. For my part, this is sufficiently obvious... When I looked at it, I find myself looking at something familiar as if I am looking at Mona Lisa.

Because of its relevance with the topic, I would like to give a verse from the Quran which is claimed to be written by a desert man:

“And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: they pray: "Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses.” Quran, Chapter Maide, Verse 83
A desert man (!) describes the secret that some people cannot comprehend even today, the way of knowing the reality: “Recognizing the Truth”! Nevertheless, some people will not be willing to accept the case exemplified in this verse. I want to give an answer to them with another verse which is included in the same sura with these verses:

“Forsooth, each one of them wants to be given scrolls (of revelation) spread out!” Quran, Chapter Muddesir, Verse 52
As a person born after Darwin’s time, I always felt myself incurred to divine injustice regarding religion. I have always envied those lived before Darwin due to their natural and unhesitant faith. However, I eventually understood that it is the best thing to leave the last word in this issue to the Quran. We end the paper with a verse:

“The Word of thy Lord doth find its fulfillment in truth and in justice: None can change His Words: for He is the One who heareth and knoweth all.” Quran, Chapter Enam, verse 115

Quran's number 19

10,000 SAINTS WITH GOD'S LAW

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:16:02 PDT

Nearly twenty centuries before the birth of prophet Muhammad and a short while before his own death, prophet Moses speaking on the subject of the Holy One from mount Paran, said to his people:

And he said, The Lord came from Sinai,
and rose up from Seir unto them;
he shined forth from mount Paran,
and he came with ten thousands of saints:
from his right hand {went} a fiery law for them.
Yea, he loved the people;
all his saints {are} in Thy hand:
and they sat down at Thy feet;
{every one} shall receive of Thy words.
(KJV) Deut 33:2
Notes:
1. "Sinai" The holy mountain where upon Moses spoke with God.
2. "Seir" The mountainous region between the Dead Sea and the Gulf
of Aqaba, where Moses spoke with God. See Deut. 2:1.

3. "ten thousandsof saints" Please read the next section.

4. "a fiery law" The only "Law" from the Almighty God that has come
to Paran (Arabia) in its history, which judges between the wicked and
benevolent, the evil and good, the immoral and moral,
the corrupt and virtuous, is "the Criterion" (Ar. al-Furqan),
a synonym for the'Holy Qur'an'.

5. "Thy words" The Holy Qur'an is the collection of "God's Words"
revealed to the prophet.

6. "(KJV)" I have reproduced the text from the King James Version
because it very precisely speaks of the "ten thousands of saint".

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'A BIOGRAPHY OF THE PROPHET'

Karen Armstrong was a Roman Catholic nun for seven years. Since 1982 she has been a TV broadcaster and a writer. Her prestigious work and the best seller, 'History of God' has earned her an envious reputation. In her most recent publication, 'Muhammad, A Biography Of The Prophet', she writes:

At the end of 628 A.D., the Meccans broke the Treaty of Hudaybiyah....
On 10 Ramadan, January 630, Muhammad set out at the head of the largest army every to leave Madina. Nearly all the men in the umma had volunteered and along the road their Bedouin allies joined the expedition bringing the number up to 10,000 men.
(On Thursday, 20 Ramadan Hijri 8 (11 January 630) Muslim army entered the city of Mekkah. The army was offered practically no resistance. Only a handful of Mekkan offered resistance. The rest stayed indoor.)
Muhammad had come to Mekkah not to persecute the Quraysh but to abolish the religion which had failed them. ...he rode round the Ka'aba seven times, touching the black stone each time and crying 'al-Llahu Akbar!' The shout was taken up by his
10,000 soldiers and soon the whole city resounded with words
that symbolished the final victory of Islam.
Next Muhammad turned his attention to the 360 idols around the shrine; crowded on to their roofs and balconies, the Quraysh watched him smash each idol while he recited the verse:
"the truth has come, and falsehood has vanished away;
surely falsehood is certain to vanish." (Sura 17:82)
This expedition of prophet Muhammad with 10,000 Holy Ones, crushed the head of the wicked house, laying it bare from foundation to roof. That was the end of the idol worshipping, the termination of the age of ignorance and the cessation of the wicked and immoral acts based upon superstitions, in Paran.
From a *historical* point of view, one can say that upon the success or failure of this historical expedition depended the future of prophet's mission and the establishment of Islam as a Nation.Almost all the biographers of the prophet have recorded the details of the above historical expedition. And, the figure of 10,000 dedicated followers
(the Holy Saints), who had joined the prophet in this expedition, is mentioned by the majority of them. Listed below are just a few biographers and their works:

1. The eminent French Orientalist Maxime Rodinson, in his book
'Mohammed' writes on page 259:

At last he (Muhammad) set out with what was usual in Arabia
at that time, and immense army: ten thousand men.
2. Biographer Martin Ling's work, (life of) 'Muhammad' is based on Arabic sources of the eighth and ninth centuries. Martin had a degree in Arabic and was a keeper of Oriental Manuscripts at the British Museum. On page 293, he writes:
The Bedouin faithfully responded; and when the appointed day came the army was the largest that had ever set out from Medina. No able-bodied Muslim stayed behind. The Emigrants were seven hundred, with three hundred horses; the Helpers were four thousand, with five hundred horses; and the tribes, including those who joined them on the way, brought the total numbers up to nearly ten thousand men.
3. Sir John Glubb had spent most of his adult life in Arabia. He was fluent in Arabic. His work; 'The Life and Times of Muhammad' is considered to be sound, comprehensive and popular work in English on prophet's life and people of the Prophet. He writes on page 305:
...no sooner had Abu Sofian left, than the Apostle gave orders for all to prepare for the march on Mecca. Ten thousand men are said to have answered his call. When we remember that, only two years before, he had been followed to Hudaibiya by only one thousand four hundred Muslims, the extent of the revolution in his favour in those two years can be readily appreciated.

More at Source : http://www.mostmerciful.com/prophecy2.htm

Islam: The Religion Of Truth by Abdur Raheem Green

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:30:50 PST

How do we know Islam is the religion from Allah? How do we know Islam is the truth (haqq)? Over fourteen hundred years ago a man came and called people towards the pure and beautiful religion of Islam. He was Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Aali-hi Wa Sallam) the last and final messenger sent by Allah to guide mankind.

Today, many people claim to act upon the deen of Islam, yet how many people act upon it with certainty?

Born in Dar-es-salaam in Tanzania to British parents, Green's father (born in England), Gavin Green, was a colonial administrator in the then extant British Empire. At an early age he moved back to the UK with his parents. His mother is of original Polish origin.

At the age of 10 he attended a Roman Catholic Monastic boarding school at Gilling Castle and then went onto Ampleforth College and went on to study history in the London University. However, he left his education unfinished in an effort to devote himself to Islamic works.

He became dissatisfied with Christianity at the age of 8, with it not making sense to him.

Green researched and practiced many religions, including Buddhism (for 3 years) before embracing Islam.

Whilst in Britain his father got a job in 1976 working for Barclays Bank International and was subsequently sent to Cairo, Egypt, to set up a branch of the Bank there.

His study of the Noble Qur'an immediately attracted him to Islam and he embraced Islam in 1988. He has been a Daw'ah practitioner in Britain since then.

Green now works in the London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre as the Visits and English Dawa Co-ordinator.

Green is seen akin to lecturers such as Dr. Zakir Naik, Dr. Bilal Philips, Khalid Yasin and Yvonne Ridley, doing many lectures on Islam worldwide and also in London's famous Hyde Park, Speakers Corner.

Shaykh Khalid Yasin Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:36:18 PST

Very intresting reason to convert to Islam.

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:21:09 PDT

A man became ill n was admitted for 3days &on de 4th day de attendant nurse said, "Marry me".He asked, "Y?! I’m a Muslim, u & I cant become companions".She said, "I’ll become Muslim"."Why?!" he asked.
She said, "In all my time dat I hv served in hospitals, except u, I hv never seen a man lower his gaze in front of a woman.In my life, u r de 1st person who lowers his gaze while seeing a woman.When I came, u close ur eyes.Such great modesty can be taught by none other than a True religion".

The protection of one's gaze entered Islam in her, MAASHAA ALLAAH. She testified to the Oneness of ALLAAH n became a Muslim.They both got married. By now, de same woman was n is de means of bringing so many other girls and women into Islam.

Prophet Muhammad(s) is reported as having said: "N de eyes commit zina(adultery). Their zina is gazing."

"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! ALLAAH is Aware of what they do"(Qur'an 24:30)

Who created the angels ??

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:15:38 PDT

People everywhere are asking the questions; "Who created the angels?" and "Why are we here?" You might be amazed to learn, that the Quran is providing clear and concise answers for these questions. Muslims believe the Holy Quran is the Final Revelation from Almighty GOD. The Holy Quran was revealed in Arabic to Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) in 610 A.D. Follow along with english Translation of the Holy Quran and see how GOD speaks to Humanity in his Final Revelation. If there is such a thing as the Old Testament and the New Testament, then there must be a Final Testament (The Holy Quran)

MUHUMMED THE NATURAL SUCCESSOR TO CHRIST

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Sat, 16 May 2009 12:28:15 PDT

To the sincere seekers of Truth it is obvious that Muhummed (pbuh) is the promised Paraclete or Comforter, alternatively called Helper, Advocate, Counsellor, etc of the prophecies of Jesus (pbuh) in the Gospel of St. John. There are millions of Christians — men and women like our good lady at the Cairo Airport who are hungry for this simple straight-forward Message. But alas, we can only weep with Jesus (pbuh) for our utter ineptitude —
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the workers are few.
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 9: 57
LANGUAGE OF JESUS (PBUH)
In the Holy Qur’ân God Almighty puts the name “Ahmed” which is another name for Muhummed (pbuh) in the mouth of Jesus (pbuh). The Christian controversialist, Bible-thumper, Hot-Gospeller flippantly scoffs at the suggestion. The Christian missionary does not deny that Jesus (pbuh) did make a prophecy about someone coming after him. But “Ahmed” to him seems too far-fetched.
The most commonly accepted name by Christendom is “Comforter” It does not really matter Comforter or any other equivalent term will do. We will settle for Comforter as used in the most popular Bible Translation the “King James Version.”
Ask your adversary, your disputant whether Jesus (pbuh) spoke the English language? “Most definitely not!” any Christian will say. If you are sharing this with an Arab Christian then you can ask him whether his “lord” used the word “MOOUZZI?” Surely not, because Arabic was not his language. Did Jesus (pbuh) prophesy “uMthokozisi?” (Comforter in Zulu) or “Trooster” from the Afrikaans Bible? The answer again is a definite NO!”
The Christians are rightfully boasting that they now have translated the complete Bible into hundreds of different languages, and the New Testament (in which this prophecy abounds) into more than two thousand different languages and dialects. So the Christian genius has invented more than 2000 different names in 2000 different languages for this one candidate — Comforter!
PNEUMA: GHOST OR SPIRIT?
The Church fathers had developed a sickness by translating names of people, for which they had no right to do. For example like Esau to Jesus, Messiah to Christ, Cephas1 to Peter and so on.
1. See “What is His Name?” for a better clarification on this point.
The closest one can ever get to the original utterance of Jesus (pbuh) in the Christian Scriptures is the Greek word “Para-cletos” which also has to be rejected because the Master did not speak Greek! But let’s not be difficult for the purpose of this discussion and accept the Greek word Paracletos and its English equivalent Comforter.
Ask any learned Christian man as to who the Comforter is? You will unmistakingly hear – “The Comforter is the HOLY GHOST!” from John 14: 26. This sentence is only part of verse twenty six. We will deal with the verse fully in due course. But first we must educate the Christian mind with regards to this misnomer — “Holy Ghost.” “Pneuma” is the Greek root word for SPIRIT. There is no separate word for GHOST in the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, and the Christians now boast 24,000 different manuscripts in their possession of which no two are identical!
The editors of the KJV (The King James Version) alternatively called AV (The Authorised Version) and the DOUAY (The Roman Catholic Version) of the Bibles gave preference to the word “GHOST’ instead of the word SPIRIT when translating “pneuma”
The revisers of the RSV (Revised Standard Version) 1 the most up-to-date version of the Bible, are going back, as claimed, to the Most Ancient manuscripts. These revisers, described as “thirty-two scholars of the highest eminence, backed by fifty co-operating denominations” who courageously re-placed the shady word “ghost” with the word “spirit” Hence from now on you will read in all modem translations — “The Comforter which is the Holy SPIRIT”! However, the Christian crusaders and the televangelists stubbornly cling to the spooky (”ghost”-ly) past They will not opt for the Newer Versions. It’s better fishing with the old bait – the KJV and the RCV (Roman Catholic Version).
1. For greater detail on the RSV see “Is the Bible God’s Word?”
With the new change in spirit, the verse under scrutiny will read:
But the Comforter, Which is The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Emphasis added).

(HOLY BIBLE) John 14: 26
You do not have to be a Bible scholar of any calibre to sense that the expression “which is the Holy Spirit” is actually an interpolation. It ought to be in parenthesis, in brackets, like my words which have been interpolated in the quotation, i.e. “(emphasis added).” Although the editors of the RSV have expunged dozens of interpolations from their boasted Revised Standard Version, they have retained this jarring phrase which contradicts other explicit predictions of Jesus (pbuh) on the subject of the Comforter itself.
“HOLY SPIRIT” IS HOLY PROPHET
(i) It may be noted that no Biblical scholar of any standing has ever equated the “paracletos” of John in the original Greek with the Holy Ghost. Now we can say with one breath that if the Comforter is the “Holy Spirit” then that Holy Spirit is the Holy Prophet!
As Muslims we acknowledge that every true prophet of God is Holy and without sin. But whenever the expression “The Holy Prophet” is used among Muslims it is universally accepted as referring to the Holy Prophet Muhummed (pbuh). So even if we accept the above incongruous saying — “the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit,” as Gospel truth, even then this prophecy will fit Muhummed (pbuh) like a glove, without any stretching of its meaning.
The same John, who is supposed to have authored the Gospel bearing his name, also penned three more Epistles which are also part of the Christian Bible. Amazingly he has used the same terminology of “Holy Spirit” for “Holy Prophet.”
Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they
are of God; because many false Prophets are gone out into the World. Read full Chapter

What do Muslims believe about Allah?

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:35:51 PDT

What do Muslims believe about Allah?

1. He is the one God, Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our hearts.

These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of God:

1. Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy - 'The Living' and then say that He is without life. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what is being described (referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like human speech, etc.
6. Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and thus may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are in accordance with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are acceptable.

This is the work by our MuslimBrothers

Who created God/Allah and why does God/Allah allow injustice?

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:26:41 PDT

Two Questions about God/Allah
News Type: Other — Thu Apr 3, 2008 9:24 AM EDT
islam, god, allah, creation, questions,
IslamicScholars

Question 1

Who created God/Allah ?

Well this question i can tell everyone that no one has the answer to, not man nor woman can answer this question and the only one who can answer this question is god alone, therefore that question must be asked to god, not humanity, because humanity as smart as they are ,are another creation and are limited on knowledge.

If that isn't satisfying for anyone and think that god was created, then who ever created that god, then there must be another god that created that one, and there for there must be another god that created that one and we can clearly see that this would be an endless discussion which will continue and continue and no answer is reached. Unless off course there is only ONE God.

Either way to be realistic as possible, Only at death one would find out, and in no attempt to have one fear his death, because believe me your better of in gods hands then mans. but to remember that we are here for a purpose, we are not part of any accident and creation, beginning whatever put us here is proof for rational minds that believe things just don't randomly happen for example hurricane rips through new york city and leaves it looking like Dubai in Emirates,haha , might as well say that your birth process wasn't actually done by specific and particular actions from the beginning till the end ,and that was just accidents the for some random coincidences that made the sperm reach the egg. Did you know that the female egg only sends one signal and the sperm only understands one signal.. Hmm another coincidence as well. not possible , this complicity is every where around us, its too common, all the work is masterfully done.

All im saying here is God is far beyond my comprehension, your comprehension, every ones comprehension, mankind is given a set of gifts and tools they can use, such as the 5 senses and the endless worldly bless that is around us . oh yea and Soul, Life, Energy force, whatever name you wish to call it , its the same thing in all of us.

What else does man have power over then the worldly things and his own self ??

God exists based soley on the facts we see around us based on design and supported by life which goes around us everyday, what we are aware of and what we are not. Its Important to remember that we build our own personal relationship with our creator, and from that point we can start connecting with each other on a much higher scale of unity, under humanity's name, which one day will end all that we struggle with everyday on a global scale.

Question 2

If God is so powerful why does god allow so much injustice in the world ?

This is why i posted this article and i wanna try to explain why god does not take much actions against injustice and war ect .

Well this question always troubled me sense i believe that god is all powerful and all mighty which creation proof that to me, now why would god allow those things to happen then ???

Well after much, much thought about this issue i remember one day, i washed up, picked up the Quran and started reading, not looking for anything in particular , just reading for wisdom, so ive read a few suras ( chapters ) then put the book down and tried to get some shut eye, but my mind was still carrying the question in my head and i was still thinking about it , trying to find the answer from all angles and just like a qust of strong wind that would knock us down and get our attention, it hit me

God doesn't allow this to happen , Its us who allow this to happen . lol i know what many are thinking but wait and listen to me about this, why i came to the conclusion that its our own fault and that god doesn't take action on our behalf because ???

well the answer was so simple its really shocking and here we go with the explanation on why this is so.

God gave us everything to stop it from happening,In all seriousness the main hold on humanity is the financial hold,other then that we have everything we need, over 6 billion human beings and 90% of them live in poverty and that's gods fault that we let the rich get richer and get away with it ??? on top of that the prophets get blamed and picked on even though they always preached against wealth and worldly gain, that actions of charity are the best of actions.

We are all human beings, we have all the tools and gadgets and wisdom to stop it ,We need to join forces against the true oppressors the ones who earn of your hard sweat which is against all true values of religion.

We are moving at a very slow pace and we need to pick up the slack, comparing to humanity size very few put up a strong effort to stop it ,
yes my good people its mainly on us to stop injustice, that's why god gave us all we need, so that we handle our own affairs with decency and justice,to stop injustice,

I do believe that god interferes with our affairs, but very little, to a certain few who might not have anyone else to help them but God, other wise God leaves it up to the good people here on earth to stop the evil people here on earth, does that make sense to anyone but me ???
for example this verse in the Quran kinda made me laugh

Its talking about those who are cunning and trying to deceive God and people

The verse said they sit and plot against God, but they don't realize that God is the master of all plotters.

That's when God interferes when he wants them to fail , and they will miserably one day, the day of reckoning .

That's why their is a heaven and hell, and why we are here on earth, because those who fight for the weak and stop injustice will get there rewards in the after life, in heavens where they are served all day all the time. if God took control all the time and fixed our mistakes all the time, then what is God gonna reward us on ???

The 99 mentioned names of OUR CREATOR

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:15:20 PDT

The 99 names of OUR CREATOR

1 Allah (الله) TheGod.
2 Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) The All-Compassionate
3 Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) The All-Merciful
4 Al-Malik (الملك) The Absolute Ruler
5 Al-Quddus (القدوس) The Pure One
6 As-Salam (السلام) The Source of Peace
7 Al-Mu'min (المؤمن) The Inspirer of Faith
8 Al-Muhaymin (المهيمن) The Guardian
9 Al-Aziz (العزيز) The Victorious
10 Al-Jabbar (الجبار) The Compeller
11 Al-Mutakabbir (المتكبر) The Greatest
12 Al-Khaliq (الخالق) The Creator
13 Al-Bari' (البارئ) The Maker of Order
14 Al-Musawwir (المصور) The Shaper of Beauty
15 Al-Ghaffar (الغفار) The Forgiving
16 Al-Qahhar (القهار) The Subduer
17 Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) The Giver of All
18 Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق) The Sustainer
19 Al-Fattah (الفتاح) The Opener
20 Al-`Alim (العليم) The Knower of All
21 Al-Qabid (القابض) The Constrictor
22 Al-Basit (الباسط) The Reliever
23 Al-Khafid (الخافض) The Abaser
24 Ar-Rafi (الرافع) The Exalter
25 Al-Mu'izz (المعز) The Bestower of Honors
26 Al-Mudhill (المذل) The Humiliator
27 As-Sami (السميع) The Hearer of All
28 Al-Basir (البصير) The Seer of All
29 Al-Hakam (الحكم) The Judge
30 Al-`Adl (العدل) The Just
31 Al-Latif (اللطيف) The Subtle One
32 Al-Khabir (الخبير) The All-Aware
33 Al-Halim (الحليم) The Forbearing
34 Al-Azim (العظيم) The Magnificent
35 Al-Ghafur (الغفور) The Forgiver and Hider of Faults
36 Ash-Shakur (الشكور) The Rewarder of Thankfulness
37 Al-Ali (العلى) The Highest
38 Al-Kabir (الكبير) The Greatest
39 Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) The Preserver
40 Al-Muqit (المقيت) The Nourisher
41 Al-Hasib (الحسيب) The Accounter
42 Al-Jalil (الجليل) The Mighty
43 Al-Karim (الكريم) The Generous
44 Ar-Raqib (الرقيب) The Watchful One
45 Al-Mujib (المجيب) The Responder to Prayer
46 Al-Wasi (الواسع) The All-Comprehending
47 Al-Hakim (الحكيم) The Perfectly Wise
48 Al-Wadud (الودود) The Loving One
49 Al-Majid (المجيد) The Majestic One
50 Al-Ba'ith (الباعث) The Resurrector
51 Ash-Shahid (الشهيد) The Witness
52 Al-Haqq (الحق) The Truth
53 Al-Wakil (الوكيل) The Trustee
54 Al-Qawiyy (القوى) The Possessor of All Strength
55 Al-Matin (المتين) The Forceful One
56 Al-Waliyy (الولى) The Governor
57 Al-Hamid (الحميد) The Praised One
58 Al-Muhsi (المحصى) The Appraiser
59 Al-Mubdi' (المبدئ) The Originator
60 Al-Mu'id (المعيد) The Restorer
61 Al-Muhyi (المحيى) The Giver of Life
62 Al-Mumit (المميت) The Taker of Life
63 Al-Hayy (الحي) The Ever Living One
64 Al-Qayyum (القيوم) The Self-Existing One 65 Al-Wajid (الواجد) The Finder
66 Al-Majid (الماجد) The Glorious
67 Al-Wahid (الواحد) The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible
68 As-Samad (الصمد) The Satisfier of All Needs
69 Al-Qadir (القادر) The All Powerful
70 Al-Muqtadir (المقتدر) The Creator of All Power
71 Al-Muqaddim (المقدم) The Expediter
72 Al-Mu'akhkhir (المؤخر) The Delayer
73 Al-Awwal (الأول) The First
74 Al-Akhir (الأخر) The Last
75 Az-Zahir (الظاهر) The Manifest One
76 Al-Batin (الباطن) The Hidden One
77 Al-Wali (الوالي) The Protecting Friend
78 Al-Muta'ali (المتعالي) The Supreme One
79 Al-Barr (البر) The Doer of Good
80 At-Tawwab (التواب) The Guide to Repentance
81 Al-Muntaqim (المنتقم) The Avenger
82 Al-'Afuww (العفو) The Forgiver
83 Ar-Ra'uf (الرؤوف) The Clement
84 Malik-al-Mulk (مالك الملك) The Owner of All
85 Dhu-al-Jalal wa-al-Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام) The Lord of Majesty and Bounty
86 Al-Muqsit (المقسط) The Equitable One
87 Al-Jami' (الجامع) The Gatherer
88 Al-Ghani (الغنى) The Rich One
89 Al-Mughni (المغنى) The Enricher
90 Al-Mani'(المانع) The Preventer of Harm
91 Ad-Darr (الضار) The Creator of The Harmful
92 An-Nafi' (النافع) The Creator of Good
93 An-Nur (النور) The Light
94 Al-Hadi (الهادي) The Guide
95 Al-Badi (البديع) The Originator
96 Al-Baqi (الباقي) The Everlasting One
97 Al-Warith (الوارث) The Inheritor of All
98 Ar-Rashid (الرشيد) The Righteous Teacher
99 As-Sabur (الصبور) The Patient One

Halaal Earnings

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:57:59 PDT

Each morning the Allah showers His mercy upon us, even before the rays of sunlight reach our eyes. It is only through His mercy that we awaken from death itself. Each night, our souls leave our bodies only to be returned to us by the mercy and will of Allah Ta'ala. A process each and everyone of us go through everyday yet we fail to realise the power of the being who is behind this process.

It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Maalik al-Haarith bin al-Haarith al-Ash'aree Radhi Allahu Anhu that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:

"...Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or causing its ruin."
[Saheeh al-Muslim]

This Hadeeth informs us that every morning we are made responsible for the abode and actions of our souls. It is our personal choice which will either grant our souls freedom from the punishment of Allah and from the fire of Hell, or we could cause its ruin by following Shaytaan and his desires.

Allah Ta'ala has stated that if He is the buyer of the soul of a believer then in return for him shall be paradise:

"Verily, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be Paradise"
[at-Tawbah 9:111]

Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of man, to steer his soul in either direction. His actions and intentions will make his abode either Paradise or Hell. So each morning, while man has been classified as being the "vendor" of his soul, he goes out to seek his sustenance and livelihood. It is his option to either sell his soul, or to free it, to earn this livelihood.

Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Mas'ood Radhi Allahu Anhu has narrated that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:

"The seeking of a permissible (Halaal) livelihood is an obligation after the obligatory acts (Faraa'idh)"
[Bayhaqi]

On the authority of Hadhrat Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu), He Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam is reported to have also said:

"If you placed your trust in Allah, in the manner in which He should be trusted, then He would arrange sustenance for you just as He provides for the birds; they leave in the morning with their stomachs empty and return with their stomachs filled in the evening."
[Sunan ut-Tirmidhi]

These two Ahadeeth outline the manner in which man should seek his sustenance. A manner in which earning a livelihood will not cause him to destroy his soul.

The seeking of sustenance is an obligatory act just as Salaah, Sawn, Zakaah etc are, yet earning one's sustenance should be done whilst placing trust and belief in Allah Ta'ala. We should convince our hearts to believe that no matter what efforts we put into earning sustenance, at the end of the day, it is Allah Ta'ala's will and decision as to how much we earn and what we shall receive. No effort of man can change the the amount that Allah Ta'ala has written for us.

Hadhrat Jaabir ibn Abdullah has narrated the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam as saying:

Verily a person does not acquire death until he receives his sustenance"
[Sunan ibn Majah]

On another occasion, Hadhrat Abu Dardaa Radhi Allahu Anhu reports the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam as saying:

"Verily sustenance seeks the servant (of Allah) more than the manner in which death seeks him"
[Jaami' us-Sageer]

From the above Ahadeeth we can deduce that no matter how much effort a person puts into acquiring his sustenance he will only receive that which Allah Ta'ala has written for him. But, at the same time, it is important to note that every man has to make an effort to earn what has written for him. In brief, we learn that every person has to make an effort to earn his livelihood. However, in order to earn his sustenance, he should not break the Laws of Allah Ta'ala instead he should have complete faith in Allah Ta'ala that it is He who will feed us and even if we were to break His Shari'ah to earn our sustenance we would never acquire more than that which is written for us.

Similarly, just as how death seeks out a man at one time or another, and is certainly to occur, just in the same manner, sustenance seeks the person and he receives the sustenance that is written for him without any doubt. The person who strives to earn his living by breaking the Shari'ah of Allah Ta'ala; whilst sinning and overlooking the requirements of Shari'ah seems to have this belief in his mind that he has, through using using every means possible, acquired a large amount of money, which would not have been possible if he had chosen to stay within the boundaries of Shari'ah.

However, this is far from the truth. A person, in reality, denies himself of the sustenance that was written for him by committing sins and breaking the Islamic Law. Primarily, he is denied from all the Barakah (blessings) that Allah places in the wealth of those who earn their money in accordance to Allah's pleasure and additionally, his the wealth the was written for him decreases due to his sins.

On the authority of Hadhrat Thaubaan Radhi Allahu Anhu, it has been narrated that the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:

"Verily a man makes forbidden upon him the sustenance (that was written for him) due to the sins which he commits"
[Sunan ibn Majah]

All the above Ahadeeth enlighten the believer to the reality of placing trust in Allah in attaining sustenance. It shows the believer that the giver of wealth and food is Allah Ta'ala alone and that we should concentrate of acquiring livelihood in the manner in which the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has shown us, for indeed sustenance is going to reach us no matter what happens, and our sins will actually will be the cause for our sustenance to decrease.

It is vital to note that the earning of Halaal livelihood. is directly connected to the eating of Halaal. Many people are in falsely deluded to think that Halaal and Haraam consumption is limited to the ingredients of a product. However, the chain of Halaal and Haraam begins from the earnings of person. Furthermore, the earnings of a person does not become Haraam only by a person selling alcohol or other forbidden products, but earnings will also have an indication of impermissibility is a person seeks that earning by neglecting his Salaah or any other Fardh (obligatory) activity. Similarly, if a person does not rightfully return money belonging to someone, or acquires money by cheating someone, then that money will also be regarded as Haraam.

May Allah Ta'ala save us all from the harms and punishments of Haraam earnings. May He give us the strength, ability, inclination and means to acquire sustenance that is totally Halaal so that we can make the nourishment our body receives from it can be a cause for good deeds. Aameen.

Insha-Allah, the following post on Halaal Sustenance will contain some verses and Ahadeeth on merits of eating Halaal and the punishments and harms of eating Haraam.

Take Five before Five -Important lesson of the prophet

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:56:09 PDT

The Prophet Mohammad-pbuh has said:

"

Take benefit of five before five:

Your YOUTH before your OLD AGE,

Your HEALTH before your SICKNESS,

Your WEALTH before your POVERTY,

Your FREE-TIME before you are PREOCCUPIED,

& Your LIFE before your DEATH.

"

Surely, this Hadeeth is few in words but holds a great meaning for those who understand and ponder.

In this narration by ibn Abbas we are asked to take the benefit of five things before the occurrence of five things.

May Allah give us the ability to understand the value of time and take benefit of this moment that we have before it is taken away from us. Aameen

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Allah’s Messenger to the Whole Mankind

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:02:09 PDT

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) (Salallahu ‘alayhi wa salam, meaning: May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was Allah's great Prophet and Messenger,like Jesus, the Son of Mary. The Prophet's mission, however, is universal. Allah (S.W.T.) (Subhanahu wa ta’ala, meaning: the Exalted, Most Glorious) tells mankind that Prophet Muhammad is no more than a Messenger (Qur’an 3: 144), the unlettered Prophet who believes in Him and His Words (Qur’an 7: 158). He is the Seal of the Prophets and the true universal Messenger of Allâh to the whole mankind (Qur’an 33: 40). Allah (S.W.T.), the All-Mighty, makes this very clear:

"We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a universal (Messenger) to men giving them glad tidings and warning them (against sin) but most men understand not." (Qurân 34: 28)

The Messenger (s.a.w.s.) possesses an exalted (standard of) character (Qur’an 68:4) and an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah (S.W.T.) and the Final Day, and who remembers Allah (S.W.T.) much (Qur’an 33: 21). Allah (S.W.T.) endowed him with exalted standard of character for us to follow. Every aspect of his life has been fully dealt with, providing complete guidance to the whole mankind. For our guidance, Allah (S.W.T.), the All-Mighty commands us to believe and obey His Messenger (s.a.w.s.):

"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ªn and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Say (O Muhammad): “Obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad).” But if they turn away, then Allâh does not like the disbelievers." (Qur’an 3: 31)

"O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad) with the truth from your Rabb (Sustainer). So believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allâh is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise." (Qurân 4: 170)

"O you who believe! Obey Allâh, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad) and render not vain your deeds." (Qurân 47: 33)

It is a must that we obey Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). Allah (S.W.T.) tells us that he who obeys His Messenger (s.a.w.s.) obeys Him:

"He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad) has indeed obeyed Allâh, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (Muhammad) as a watcher over them." (Qurân 4: 80)

Allah (S.W.T.) sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to make it prevail over all religions. He (I) says:

"It is He (Allah) Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans may detest (it)." (Qurân 61: 9)

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) being the True Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) not only sincerely believes and testifies to the Oneness of Allâh, the Only True God, Who Alone deserves all praises and true worship, but also teaches the same universal message. In one of his teachings we learn how he teaches us to glorify and testify Allah (S.W.T.) as True:

“Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) narrated that when the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud (midnight) prayer, he used to say: “O Allâh! All the praises are for you. You are the Holder of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You have the possession of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You. You are the King of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You. You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, and to meet You is true. Your Word is the truth and Paradise is true, Hell is true, all the Prophets are true, Muhammad is true, and the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allâh! I surrender (my will) to You. I believe in You and depend on You, repent to You, and with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers). And I take You as a Judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous and future sins; and whatever I concealed or revealed. And You are the One Who makes (some people) forward and (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but You.” (Bukhari 2/221, 9/482 and 534)

If you are among those who have read some of the countless distortions written against Islâm and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), time has come that you believe in him as the true Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) to all humanity. Verily, Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is the true universal Messenger and the final Prophet of Allâh. In fact, he is known as the As-Sadiq and Al-’Amin (the Truthful and the Trustworthy). Many non-Muslims who knew and listened to him during his time, embraced Islâm because of his truthfulness. Indeed, Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is true and he teaches nothing but the Truth. Above all, he teaches us the worship of the One True God, which is the very essence of the true religion, Islâm. For your salvation, believe in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) as the true, final Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) and believe in the Message with which he was sent. Believe in Islâm as the true religion from Allah (S.W.T.). Take admonition from the following authentic Hâdîth:

“Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) said, “By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, he amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me; but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent (i.e., Islâm) and dies in his state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.” (Muslim 1/ 284).

This Article was wrote by Dr. Norlin

Women Scholars of Hadith

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:26:36 PDT

Women Scholars of Hadith
Dr. Muhammad Zubayr Siddiqi

History records few scholarly enterprises, at least before modern times, in which women have played an important and active role side by side with men. The science of hadith forms an outstanding exception in this respect.

Islam, as a religion which (unlike Christianity) refused to attribute gender to the Godhead,1 and never appointed a male priestly elite to serve as an intermediary between creature and Creator, started life with the assurance that while men and women are equipped by nature for complementary rather than identical roles, no spiritual superiority inheres in the masculine principle.2 As a result, the Muslim community was happy to entrust matters of equal worth in God's sight. Only this can explain why, uniquely among the classical Western religions, Islam produced a large number of outstanding female scholars, on whose testimony and sound judgment much of the edifice of Islam depends.

Since Islam's earliest days, women had been taking a prominent part in the preservation and cultivation of hadith, and this function continued down the centuries. At every period in Muslim history, there lived numerous eminent women-traditionists, treated by their brethren with reverence and respect. Biographical notices on very large numbers of them are to be found in the biographical dictionaries.

During the lifetime of the Prophet, many women had been not only the instance for the evolution of many traditions, but had also been their transmitters to their sisters and brethren in faith.3 After the Prophet's death, many women Companions, particularly his wives, were looked upon as vital custodians of knowledge, and were approached for instruction by the other Companions, to whom they readily dispensed the rich store which they had gathered in the Prophet's company. The names of Hafsa, Umm Habiba, Maymuna, Umm Salama, and A'isha, are familiar to every student of hadith as being among its earliest and most distinguished transmitters.4 In particular, A'isha is one of the most important figures in the whole history of hadith literature - not only as one of the earliest reporters of the largest number of hadith, but also as one of their most careful interpreters.

In the period of the Successors, too, women held important positions as traditionists. Hafsa, the daughter of Ibn Sirin,5 Umm al-Darda the Younger (d.81/700), and 'Amra bin 'Abd al-Rahman, are only a few of the key women traditionists of this period. Umm al-Darda' was held by Iyas ibn Mu'awiya, an important traditionist of the time and a judge of undisputed ability and merit, to be superior to all the other traditionists of the period, including the celebrated masters of hadith like al-Hasan al-Basri and Ibn Sirin.6 'Amra was considered a great authority on traditions related by A'isha. Among her students, Abu Bakr ibn Hazm, the celebrated judge of Medina, was ordered by the caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz to write down all the traditions known on her authority.7

After them, 'Abida al-Madaniyya, 'Abda bin Bishr, Umm Umar al-Thaqafiyya, Zaynab the granddaughter of Ali ibn Abd Allah ibn Abbas, Nafisa bint al-Hasan ibn Ziyad, Khadija Umm Muhammad, 'Abda bint Abd al-Rahman, and many other members of the fair sex excelled in delivering public lectures on hadith. These devout women came from the most diverse backgrounds, indicating that neither class nor gender were obstacles to rising through the ranks of Islamic scholarship. For example, Abida, who started life as a slave owned by Muhammad ibn Yazid, learnt a large number of hadiths with the teachers in Median. She was given by her master to Habib Dahhun, the great traditionist of Spain, when he visited the holy city on this way to the Hajj. Dahhun was so impressed by her learning that he freed her, married her, and brought her to Andalusia. It is said that she related ten thousand traditions on the authority of her Medinan teachers.8

Zaynab bint Sulayman (d. 142/759), by contrast, was princess by birth. Her father was a cousin of al-Saffah, the founder of the Abbasid dynasty, and had been a governor of Basra, Oman and Bahrayn during the caliphate of al-Mansur.9 Zaynab, who received a fine education, acquired a mastery of hadith, gained a reputation as one of the most distinguished women traditionists of the time, and counted many important men among her pupils.10

This partnership of women with men in the cultivation of the Prophetic Tradition continued in the period when the great anthologies of hadith were compiled. A survey of the texts reveals that all the important compilers of traditions from the earliest period received many of them from women shuyukh: every major collection gives the names of many women as the immediate authorities of the author. And when these works had been compiled, the women traditionists themselves mastered them, and delivered lectures to large classes of pupils, to whom they would issue their own ijazas.

In the fourth century, we find Fatima bint Abd al-Rahman (d. 312/924), known as al-Sufiyya on account of her great piety; Fatima (granddaughter of Abu Daud of Sunan fame); Amat al-Wahid (d. 377/987), the daughter of distinguished jurist al-Muhamili; Umm al-Fath Amat as-Salam (d. 390/999), the daughter of the judge Abu Bakr Ahmad (d.350/961); Jumua bint Ahmad, and many other women, whose classes were always attended by reverential audiences.11

The Islamic tradition of female hadith scholarship continued in the fifth and sixth centuries of hijra. Fatima bin al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn al-Daqqaq al-Qushayri, was celebrated not only for her piety and her mastery of calligraphy, but also for her knowledge of hadith and the quality of the isnads she knew.12 Even more distinguished was Karima al-Marwaziyya (d.463/1070), who was considered the best authority on the Sahih of al-Bukhari in her own time. Abu Dharr of Herat, one of the leading scholars of the period, attached such great importance to her authority that he advised his students to study the Sahih under no one else, because of the quality of her scholarship. She thus figures as a central point in the transmission of this seminal text of Islam.13 As a matter of fact, writes Godziher, 'her name occurs with extraordinary frequency of the ijazas for narrating the text of this book.'14 Among her students were al-Khatib al-Baghdadi15 and al-Humaydi (428/1036-488/1095).16

Aside from Karima, a number of other women traditionists 'occupy an eminent place in the history of the transmission of the text of the Sahih.'17 Among these, one might mention in particular Fatima bint Muhammad (d.539/1144; Shuhda 'the Writer' (d.574/1178), and Sitt al-Wuzara bint Umar (d.716/1316).18 Fatima narrated the book on the authority of the great traditionist Said al-Ayyar; she received from the hadith specialists the proud tittle of Musnida Isfahan (the great hadith authority of Isfahan). Shuhda was a famous calligrapher and a traditionist of great repute; the biographers describe her as 'the calligrapher, the great authority on hadith, and the pride of womanhood.' Her great-grandfather had been a dealer in needles, and thus acquired the sobriquet 'al-Ibri'. But her father, Abu Nasr (d. 506/1112) had acquired a passion for hadith, and managed to study it with several masters of the subject.19 In obedience to the sunna, he gave his daughter a sound academic education, ensuring that she studied under many traditionists of accepted reputation.

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Dr Zakir Discusses the Question on "If Allah is so merciful, why did Allah Create Hell"

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:04:01 PDT

Know why Allah (The God) created hell even though He is Most Merciful, also know the reason behind this life.

Dr Zakir Discusses the Question on "If Allah is so merciful, why did Allah Create Hell"

Reply to Critics

noreply@blogger.com (Muslim) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:23:54 PDT

Allaah describes the believers in His Noble Book as making the following du’aa, “Our Lord, do not place in our hearts hatred toward the believers.” (59:10) Yet some of our brothers have been doing just the opposite: placing enmity in the hearts of the people against the believers. It is sad that conferences, which used to be gatherings of learning, imparting beneficial knowledge, spreading the Sunnah, and increasing our eemaan, have been turned into gatherings of character assassination and maligning scholars, students of knowledge, and du‘aat. So much so that the hearts of those who attend these conferences have become hardened with hatred toward many students of knowledge, who have dedicated their lives to spreading the correct ‘aqeedah and Sunnah, and who should in fact be loved for the sake of Allaah. Rather, we should advise one another and try to guide our brothers if we see them make mistakes or see them straying from the correct manhaj. We should not rejoice nor feel triumphant when we see our brothers fall or err; so as not be like those whom Allaah describes saying, “If some good comes to you it grieves them, while if some evil befalls you they rejoice at it.” (3:120) We should give one another the benefit of the doubt: Perhaps he has a shubhah (doubt or point of confusion) about such and such an issue, perhaps he does not know the proofs regarding such and such an issue, perhaps this mistake, in his view, was based on what he held to be knowledge, but rather it was statements of scholars taken out of context, etc. Allaah describes the believers as being harsh to the disbelievers, and merciful with the believers. (48:29) Now, it has been reversed. Some of these brothers in a recent lecture in the United States went so far as to say about me that I am worse than the Jews and Christians! May Allaah protect us from that which they ascribe us to. This state of random labeling and boycotting has become among the greatest fitnahs of our time, where Satan creates fitnah cloaked in an Islaamic garb. He disguised this fitnah under an honorable name, under the name of Truth, under the name of Salafiyyah. While the noble Salafee manhaj, the only way to attain success, is innocent of such behavior. The path of true guidance, i.e. Salafiyyah, was never intended to be an exclusive club, in which certain individuals can grant membership and confiscate it from whomsoever they please. This attitude is similar to the very hizbiyyah (factionalism) which our brothers are trying to fight.

I advise these brothers of ours to spend their time beneficially, learning the basics, studying Arabic, tajweed, the classic works of ‘aqeedah, such as al-‘Itisaam, al-Usool ath-Thalaathah, Kitaab at-Tawheed, al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah, al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, etc. under scholars in the original Arabic. And, rather than trying to take some quotes here and there from great scholars like Shaykhs Nasirud-Deen al-Albaanee, Bin Baaz, ‘Uthaymeen, and Muqbil, may Allaah have mercy on them all, I recommend that they actually listen to and study their tapes. Al-hamdulillah, there are many commentaries of Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen on the various books of ‘aqeedah, and tafseers, etc and Silsilat al-Hudaa wan-Noor, the tapes of Shaykh al-Albaanee, rahimahullaah, are available in the hundreds for them to actually listen to from beginning to end.

Finally, I sincerely advise all my brothers and sisters to remember that we are all going to stand for account before Allaah and answer for every word we said (or wrote); and we should remember that injustice is a great sin indeed. Let us all (myself included) never forget that the source of guidance and light is Allaah, the Most Exalted, so we should sincerely pray to Him to guide us to the Truth, and regularly make the du’aa: allaahumma arinal haqqa haqqan warzuq nattibaa’u wa arinal baatila baatilan warzuq najtinaabuh O Allaah, show as the Truth as truth, and grant us the blessing of following it, and show as falsehood as falsehood, and grant us the blessing of staying away from it.

We should beg for Allaah’s divine guidance with our hearts free from diseases, such as envy, hatred, fear of not being accepted by people, or a desire to maintain a good reputation amongst some. I ask Allaah to expose the reality to those who sincerely desire the Truth.

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