ISLAM

Back to Buddha Basics

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:55:00 +0000

Are these monks praying, and does it matter?

When filling in a census form, under the section 'Religion', I write 'Buddhism.' This may not, to the general reader, be much of a surprise, considering the fact that I am a Buddhist, and yet, many Buddhists would themselves feel uncomfortable with classifying Buddhism as a religion. Why? Well, if we take a typical dictionary definition of religion, we usually come up with something like the following (taken from the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, in this case): 'the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods/a particular system of faith and worship.' If we examine this description of what religion is, and then compare it to our own understanding of Buddhism, do we find that the former sums up the latter or not?

First of all, is Buddhism 'the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power?' If we define the law of karma as such, then the 'superhuman controlling power' bit works, albeit loosely. However, look at those two words 'faith' and 'worship' - is Buddhism primarily a form of faith and worship? I've certainly never read of Buddhists having faith in or worshiping karma! However, for many Buddhists around the world, of whatever sect, faith in the Buddha, his disciples, the Teachings, gurus and teachers is an important aspect of Buddhism, expressed in acts of worship. And yet, others - in my opinion a small minority - would balk at the suggestion that they either have faith in the Buddha or worship him, let alone any of the other aforementioned objects of devotion.

This minority does appear to be predominant amongst Western Buddhists, not surprisingly given their rejection of faith-based religions such as Christianity and Judaism, along with the anti-superstitious feeling that the sciences promote in the Occident. In the Orient, where Buddhism has been practiced for the past two-and-a-half thousand years, such rejection of faith and worship is much rarer, although it is widely documented, due to the high-profile academic positions held by many of its proponents. In Japan, for example, the famous writer on Zen Buddhism D. T. Suzuki presented Buddhism as a fusion of spirituality and psychology, whilst his compatriots in the 'Kyoto School' of philosophy, including Nishida Kitaro and Nishitani Keiji, also described Buddhism in rationalistic and scientific ways.

But what of the second part of that Dictionary entry on religion above? It defined 'superhuman controlling power' not as the Buddhist notion of karma, but as 'especially a personal God or gods.' Even if we allow for faith and worship to be considered 'genuine' Buddhist practice, surely neither a god nor gods would be the object of such devotion? Well, again, the way that Amitabha Buddha is viewed and worshiped seems little different to a god, and even in the Pali Canon we find the Buddha acknowledging the existence, and sometimes the contemplation, of gods (although not the adoration of them). Again, modern-minded Buddhists might interpret the various non-historical buddhas, bodhisattvas, gods, and spirits described in traditional Buddhist circles in mythological or psychological ways, but for most Buddhists such beings are believed in literally, making their experience of Buddhism very much a religion, not a philosophy or 'way of life.'

In the last part of the dictionary definition of religion cited above, we find 'a particular system of faith and worship.' We've already examined the use of the words 'faith' and 'worship' in relation to Buddhism, but what of the idea of it being a system? Well, this would appear to fit in with the philosophy and practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, with a fair definition of it as 'a system of spiritual/psychological liberation.' This would appear to offend few modern-minded Buddhists, but doesn't really begin to acknowledge the other more religious beliefs and practices found within Buddhist communities. We seem split between very different interpretations of what Buddhism is, all rooted in long-established scriptures and traditions, but diverging dramatically when present practices are examined.

So, is Buddhism a religion? Or, is it a 'system of liberation from suffering', or a complex set of philosophies, or a set of cultural practices? Maybe it's all of the above, and more. Perhaps this is the beauty of Buddhism, that we can experience it in the way that suits us best, depending on cultural, individual, and temporal conditions. The Buddha is seen to teach different 'levels' of Buddhism to different people in both the Theravada and Mahayana scriptures, and within the living traditions of both major branches of Buddhism we find multiple forms of belief and practice. It is the conclusion of this writer - for the time being at least, for all things are impermanent - that Buddhism can be described as a religion, with some reservations regarding theistic terminology, as well as a branch of philosophy, and, most crucially, a way of life intended to end suffering. What do you think, dear reader?

Buddhism's Five Precepts

High Five for Buddha!

From the earliest known texts on the matter, Buddhism has considered morality an important part of the practice, presented in the simplest form for lay Buddhists as the Five Precepts. In some of these texts, the Buddha is often seen advising against the breaking of the Five Precepts at the risk of future woes, not only in this life, but in lives to come. Indeed, willful acts that do not conform to these precepts are often said by the Buddha to lead to the hell realms. So, if we want to avoid being reborn into disadvantageous circumstances, as an animal, or in the torments of Yama's underworld, we'd better make clear what these precepts actually are:

To avoid killing sentient beings
To avoid stealing
To avoid sexual misconduct
To avoid lying
To avoid taking intoxicants

Now, looking at each of the five precepts in turn will help us to determine why we should adhere to it, and what this entails. Starting with Precept #1, we need to establish what is meant by 'sentient beings,' thereby knowing what it is we shouldn't kill. Any creature that has a mind is considered a sentient being in Buddhism, and in the physical world this corresponds to any creature with a brain, no matter how small that being (or its brain) might be. So, unlike the Judeo-Christian commandment not to kill, the First Precept of Buddhism discourages us from willfully taking the life of any living creature, including all types of animals, birds, fish, insects, etc. Precept #2 encourages us to avoid stealing, that is taking anything that we haven't bought or been given, if we believe it to belong to somebody else. Taking wild fruit to eat would be fine, as long as we know it isn't on private property. So, obviously theft, mugging, and burglary are out of the question for a well-practicing Buddhist. But, what about finding money in the street and then keeping it, does that count as breaking the Second Precept? If we know the money doesn't belong to us, then it is against Precept #2, as is pilfering from the workplace as a 'perk of the job.'

The Third Buddhist Precept discourages 'sexual misconduct', a phrase that has been variously interpreted, depending on the culture and morality of the individual doing the interpreting. Does it only mean not committing adultery or raping someone? Some Buddhists think so, whilst at the other end of the moral spectrum there are traditionalists that consider any sex out of marriage to be breaking this precept. Somewhere between the two would seem more in line with the general 'thrust' of Buddhist morality, however. Loving sex between people committed to each other that has at least a modicum of wisdom and compassion thrown in somewhere would appear to be in line with Precept #3. For, whilst on the one hand a ceremony and a bit of paper do not necessarily indicate either wisdom or compassion, promiscuous sex would appear to have none of either.

Precept #4 guides us against lying, that is deliberately telling untruths. Again, as with Precept #1, the Fourth Precept is broader in scope than we might think at first, for this doesn't just include blatant lying such as perjury, slander, or inaccurate boasting. It also includes so-called 'white lies', as they are still denying the truth of the way things are, and therefore contradicting the Dharma. Telling an uncomfortable truth, keeping quiet, or changing the subject are always preferable if we take this precept seriously.
As to the Fifth Precept, to avoid taking intoxicants, this doesn't just mean not drinking alcohol. It includes not talking recreational drugs, eating magic mushrooms, or sniffing toxic glue. Precept #5 exists to help us avoid twisting perception so that we misunderstand the Dharma (the-way-things-are), and so that we don't break any other of the Five Precepts whilst 'under the influence.'

That's all well and good on the level of theory, you might well think, but what about the practical application of the Five Precepts: is it possible to live in the modern world whilst adhering to these five guidelines, and if it is, is anyone doing so? Taking a look around Thailand, the country often touted as the most Buddhist country on Earth, it would seem that the Five Precepts aren't widely followed. Animals are routinely slaughtered for food, and insects, particularly mosquitoes, are swatted by just about everyone, it seems. Stealing is a problem in the Land of Smiles, too, and sexuality has often been indulged in in Thai society - it's a sobering thought that despite the thousands of 'sex tourists' that come their exotic holidays every year, more than ninety per cent of prostitution in the Kingdom involves Thais only. Lying to 'save face' is an integral part of Thai culture, too - very few people speak the truth about themselves or others (or their country) when an untruth will make everyone feel better about themselves. And, as for not taking intoxicants, Thailand is one of the drug centers of the world, where narcotics are not only smuggled in and out of the Kingdom, but many locals are addicted, also. And, on any weekend take a stroll around the bars and nightclubs of any Thai town or city, and the drunkards are out in force!

And yet, there are lay Buddhists in this land, who like the best of the monks, keep the Precepts, and lead virtuous and harmless lives. Hard to identify, they are occasionally met whilst traveling, or visiting a forest temple, where many of the more dedicated lay Buddhists go to beef up their practice from time to time. In this world of multitudinous temptations, it would be somewhat naive to expect the majority of people to be keeping the Five Precepts, but it is encouraging nevertheless when such people are encountered, showing that virtue is not dead, and that the wholesome foundations that maintaining the Precepts gives us for the further cultivation of meditation and wisdom is achievable.

So, here in Thailand, there are Buddhists that benefit from their adherence to the Five Precepts, but then what of Westerners who have not grown up in a predominately Buddhist culture - can they too sustain such a practice? From my personal experience as a Western Buddhist, he simple answer is' "Yes!" The slightly more complicated response is that whilst it is possible for those of us born outside of Buddhist families to keep the Precepts, it isn't plain sailing. (And, neither is it so for many devout Thai Buddhists, either, for that matter.) Despite living in Thailand for the past few years, previously my wife (who is also Buddhist) and I lived in England, and we managed to cultivate the Precepts there too, despite the very different cultural backdrop. And, this shouldn't be too surprising when we remember that most Thais don't practice the Precepts, creating a society that looks at those of us that do live by them as oddities. Ultimately, it's up to each of us to make the commitment to keep the Buddhist Precepts or not, and whilst it's nice to have others around us doing the same, if we really, really care about it, we'll do it.

But, there's a question that arises here that needs to be addressed: why bother to maintain the Five Precepts at all? If it's not about fitting in with the morality of one's community, then we should look into the reasons for taking up the Precepts, albeit briefly. Well, returning to my own experience in these matters, there have been tangible results from keeping the Five Precepts which include a clearer conscience, confidence, and an increased measure of happiness or contentedness. Having a clear conscience that one is not behaving in the selfish and unwise ways that the Precepts discourage, means that less guilt is likely to arise in the mind, certainly regarding the most serious misdemeanors that humans can get up to. Cultivating the Five Precepts also leads to a confidence born from the fact that the (often negative) desires that arise in the mind do not have to be acted out, and that awakening to the way things are and responding appropriately is possible. The feeling of contentedness that comes out of a predominately guiltless and confident mind is a wonderful gift to possess that can not only be experienced by the bearer, but also shared with all sentient beings. This, coupled with the fact that by keeping the Precepts in the first place we are doing considerably less harm to others, makes us a positive not negative force in the world.

To sum up, then, the Five Precepts are not always that easy (or fun) to maintain, but when cultivated over some time, they bring real benefits to those of us that keep them, as well as to all other sentient beings. So, over to you dear reader - do you keep the Five Precepts, and if so, what is your experience with them? Please leave a comment on 'Buddha Space' by clicking on the link below. I look forward to your responses.

Buddhism & Science: Exploring the Buddhaverse

Space, the final frontier...

Space, we are told by scientists is so immense, so mind-bogglingly vast that it is as good as (or, in fact, actually is) infinite. It is full of billions galaxies that are in turn inhabited by billions of stars and planets, and, moreover, the new scientific theories of the multiverse state that the universe in which all of this exists is just one of countless parallel universes. And, because space contains all of this stuff, it can kinda make one feel not so much tiny in comparison, but rather insignificant. For, in such an unimaginably infinite void, 'I' am just a tiny, albeit somewhat intelligent, animal scurrying around on the surface of Planet Earth along with nearly seven billion fellow human beings. We are like ants, nay microbes, in the sheer magnitude of this existence: so, in this light, how unimportant 'I' seem.

Despite the gloomy sentiments of the paragraph above, please don't despair, because space itself will now be shown to be the cure to this existential angst that contemplating it created in the first place! This more pleasing apprehension of space is not to be seen 'out there', however, but is to be experienced right here, where the feeling of 'I' occurs. And, thankfully, it doesn't require an extremely large and expensive telescope to be witnessed, either. All that is required to see the space at the heart of one's being is attention - even eyes aren't essential, in fact, for 'it' can be known just as well with eyes shut as open. To see what I mean, dear reader, I invite you to give a few minutes to investigate what lies at your very center:

Look at whatever is in front you - probably a computer screen at present - and notice its shape, size, colors, and its solidity. Now, turn your attention around to gaze back at what is doing the looking. Do you see 'you', dear reader, or do you see the space to which this little exercise is aimed at uncovering? What I mean to suggest, is that everything that you perceive right now is appearing in a spacious awareness located right where you are: do you see what I'm getting at? And, to show that this isn't a trick of the eyes, close them and pay attention to all the sounds that you can hear and that in which they arise. Do sounds not occur in a silent (spacious) awareness, too, along with all other physical and mental phenomena? Play with this exercise a short while, and see if you can find the space that lies behind the sense of 'I'.

Now, this space that we can experience in this present moment is also infinite, just as the 'outer' space described above. If you don't believe this, take a few more moments to explore it, and see if you can define it anymore than scientists can define that which contains the universe or multiverse. How big is it? Where does it begin and where does it end? Can it be timed or measured in any other way? I find not. This space is as infinite as the cosmic one that astronomers spend their days (and nights) staring at so intently. Moreover, this spaciousness is (thanks to the human mind) aware of itself; it can know that it is. And, because it has this capacity to know, it can be dubbed 'Buddha Space', for the term 'Buddha' comes from the root word 'budh', which means to be awake or to know.

In this context, the 'I' that can feel so minuscule and irrelevant when pondering the enormity of existence can be seen to be a valid vehicle for spacious awareness to know the universe and itself. 'I' do not have to feel so impotent in the face of the cosmos because at heart I am not 'I' but the spacious knowing that contains all that is experienced. Whilst over-identification with being this person can cause all kinds of problems for all concerned, seeing 'me' in its grander context as that which the monk Ajahn Sumehdo likes to call 'the knowing' is the beginning of awakening to our true nature, which is a vast and peaceful awareness. It is the 'Buddha Space' after which this blog is named, and if you are encouraged to take a peek back at what you truly are at heart by these words, then the blog has done its job, and 'I' can feel some pleasure from writing these small black squiggles, knowing that even they have some relevance in the vastness of this 'Buddhaverse.'

Back to Buddha Basics

When this blog began, the first reflection was on the nature of the Buddha. This is such a crucial subject for Buddhists to consider that it’s worth meditating on again, as we enter a new calendar year, and make renewed commitments to walking the Buddha Way. As a teacher of English, I have often used basic question-and-answer formats to elicit responses from new students, giving them a chance to learn about their teacher and each other, whilst also giving me the opportunity to assess their verbal capabilities. These questions are simple queries such as ‘Who are you?’ ‘Where do you come from?’ ‘How old are you?’ With the replacement of the word ‘you’ with ‘Buddha’, we can use this format to explore our own understanding of the Buddha:

Who is Buddha?
Where does Buddha come from?
How old is Buddha?
What does Buddha do?
Where does Buddha live?

Although some of these questions may seem weird, over simplistic, or just plain daft, in their direct manner they do have the ability to help us to cut to the chase and perceive our essential understandings and experiences of the Buddha. It’s not the intention of this blogger to influence your initial responses to these questions, so I’ll refrain from expressing them just yet. This is because I’m fascinated in your answers to these five basic questions about the Buddha, dear reader, and would really appreciate it if you’d take the time to ponder them, and then write your answers in the comments section linked to below. In sharing our understandings of the word ‘Buddha’ we can help each other to open up to new ways of experiencing the Buddha and this can be a real boon to our living the Buddhadharma.

Quran Miracle of Miracles

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:28:00 +0000

Quran Miracle of Miracles

The Arabic word Qur’an, literally means" the recitation". Qur’an is the book of divine guidance which was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) 14 centuries ago in Arabic language. The original usage of the word qur`an is in the Qur’an itself, where it occurs about 70 times assuming various meanings.

There are many characteristics of the Quran, which clearly establishes its Divine Origin.

The Three Distinguishing Characteristics of the Qur'an

Rational Study of the Qur'an acquaints its reader with three distinguishing characteristics.

The first distinguishing characteristic is the preservation of the Quran both in memory and written form which no other religious scripture or any other book enjoys.
The second characteristic feature of the Qur'an is its inimitable nature: Quran challenges Its readers who don’t believe in its divine origin to present a chapter like the chapter of the Quran which has the same literary quality, errorless information.
The third characteristic of the Qur'an is its Divine identity: Quran says about the past, present and future of Human kind. The Prophet (S.A.W.W) was only a recipient of this revelation and message. The specialties of Quran cannot be fully comprehended by any Human being except what Allah wills.
As Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed(pbuh) in order to guide people, its first specialty is to present an answer to a primary question, the greatest question ,the fundamental question – a question of faith with two main aspects ,the divine and the human, and the relationship between them. This is the question of human problem that does not change; this is the question of man’s existence in the universe, his ultimate goal, and the question of relationship between him and the Creator of the universe, to the physical world, and to other human beings .this aspect of man’s life cannot change, as it relates to his very being.

The holy Quran revealed by our Creator has specialties which no other book in the world had, or has or will have, such specialties make the Quran a miracle of miracles.

A miracle is a divine act which defies and transcends universal norms and laws, which Allah grants to his messengers and apostles in order to convince people of the truth of their message. With this heavenly support mundane laws and natural phenomena are caused to yield in such an overwhelming way that all attempts at rational explanation are defeated.

Knowing that His messengers would inevitably be challenged to perform such miracles, Allah bestowed upon them this power. Thus was Abraham (PBUH) able to withstand burning by the fire; Jesus (PBUH) restored sight to the blind and raised the dead; and Moses (PBUH) parted the Red Sea. The miracle of Muhammad (PBUH) was the Quran itself.

The difference between the miracles of Allah and other supernatural [events] artifices is in the challenge these miracles presented to the strengths of the people to whom a particular messenger has sent.

A true miracle defies all natural laws established by Allah, which could not be violated or suspended, except by His Will. The exact object of each Messenger’s miracle was a challenge to particular traits of each of the groups of people to whom they were sent.

A miracle would be futile if it did not achieve its desired effect on its witnesses. For it to have full impact, it should relate to an area of knowledge in which its intended audience is well versed. For example, if the people for whom a Messenger has been sent excel in medicine, sorcery or philology, the miracle should also concern these fields.

Only in this way can a miracle fulfill its purpose. This rule has been observed in all the divine miracles performed by the Messengers and Prophets of Allah.

Divine miracles are not limited to challenges they present to the people before whom they occur, but are also designed to provide them with the capacity to perceive them as signs of His power over all things in the Universe.

The Quran is always a miracle since the time its has been revealed to prophet Mohammed(pbuh).The time when it was revealed ,the Arabs were the masters of literature but were unable to produce even a single verse like that of the Quran. Quran presents scientific facts in a clear and unambiguous way 14 centuries which are recently discovered with the help of advanced scientific equipments and years of laborious research.

Apart from miracles like Historical miracles, mathematical miracles and prophecies, let us analyze the Literary and scientific aspect of this holy book which poses a challenge to people from the time of its revelation.

Literary miracle of Quran:

No matter what the reader's education and cultural level, the Qur'an is written in a clear, comprehensible language which can be understood by everyone. In one verse, Allah reveals the following about the Qur'an:

We have made the Qur'an easy to remember... (Qur'an, 54:22)

Despite having such an easily comprehensible style, it has never been possible to imitate the Qur'an from any point of view. Some of the verses in which Allah draws attention to the inimitable nature of the Qur'an are:

If you have doubts about what We have sent down to Our servant, produce another sura equal to it, and call your witnesses, besides Allah, if you are telling the truth. (Qur'an, 2:23)

One of the reasons that the Qur'an is described as miraculous stems from the fact that, as emphasized in the verses above, nothing like it can ever be written by human endeavour: The greater the scale of that impossibility, the greater the size of the miracle which we see before our very eyes. Therefore, the fact that the style of the Qur'an has been incapable of imitation by even one out of the billions of people down the centuries is one of the proofs of its miraculous nature. In his book, The Construction of the Bible and the Qur'an, F. F. Arbuthnot makes the following comment about the Qur'an:

From the literary point of view, the Koran is regarded as a specimen of the purest Arabic, written on half poetry and half prose. It has been said that in some cases grammarians have adopted their rules to agree with certain phrases and expressions used in it, and that though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as far elegant writing is concerned, none has as yet succeeded.

Scientific miracles of quran:

Quran gives most accurate description of many scientific facts as Allah says

"We will soon show them Our signs in the Universe and inside their selves, until it will become quite clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient as regards your Lord that He is a witness over all things? (The Noble Quran, 41:53)"

The quran speaks on astronomy, biology, physics, embryology ,geography, geology, oceanology, botany, zoology, physiology, general science.

There are over seven hundred Ayat in the Quran that deal with scientific facts. In the present time, we understand many of those Ayat. Other Ayat imply different meanings, and we do not have enough scientific information to interpret their meaning correctly.

This subject of the scientific miracle of the Quran is becoming increasingly fascinating. The available amount of work is so voluminous, and some of the studies are so scientifically detailed. It is very difficult to cover this huge subject in one book, let alone a chapter in a book.

The scientific verses in the Quran represent serious challenge to the atheists as well as the Christians. This challenge in no way represents a negative process, but a positive one that keeps humanity reflecting on the many miraculous signs of God as stated in the Quran. How can anyone explain that an unlettered Arab in the seventh century stated scientific facts that were discovered 13 centuries later. Can there be any reasonable explanation except that the Creator of all realities revealed these facts to him? These verses also serve the purpose of providing human beings with yet another proof of the Divinity of the Quran.

Some of the verses which clearly state scientific facts are:

a) In Astronomy:

Expansion of Universe: And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Qur'an, 51:47)

Solar Apex: And the Sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. And We have decreed set phases for the Moon, until it ends up looking like an old palm spathe. It is not for the Sun to overtake the Moon nor for the night to outstrip the day; is each one swimming in a sphere. (Surah Ya Sin, 38-40)
Splitting of Heavens and the Earth: Do those who disbelieve not see that the heavens and the earth were sewn together and then We unstitched them and that We made from water every living thing? So will they not believe? (Qur'an, 21:30)

b) In Geography:

The seas not mingling with one another:The seas not mingling with one and other: He has let loose the two seas, converging together, with a barrier between them they do not break through. (Qur'an, 55:19-20)

c) In Oceonology :

Darkness in the seas and internal waves:

Or [the unbelievers' state] are like the darkness of a fathomless sea which is covered by waves above which are waves above which are clouds, layers of darkness, one upon the other. If he puts out his hand, he can scarcely see it. Those Allah gives no light to, they have no light. (Qur'an, 24:40)

d) In Embryology:

3 stages of development of human embryo: We created man from the purest kind of clay; then made him a drop in a secure receptacle; then formed the drop into a clot and formed the clot into a lump and formed the lump into bones and clothed the bones in flesh; and then brought him into being as another creature. Blessed be Allah, the Best of Creators! (Surat al-Muminun, 12-14)

After the revelation of this last testament to the last messenger of God, which is a miracle of miracles, a revolution occurred in the whole world in every sphere of life to which impartial history is a written witness.

Just close your eyes and imagine..!

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:49:00 +0000

Remember Just Remember

When things are down
And you are out of your mind
Remember just remember

Allah is The Kind.

When your life is in darkness
And nothing is right
Remember just remember

Through the darkness Allah is The Light.

When nothing makes sense
And your heading for demise
Remember just remember

It doesn't make sense, but Allah is The Wise.

When times are troubled
And no one seems to care
Remember just remember

Allah won't hurt you, He is The Fair.

When your heart is breaking
And your pain makes you fall
Remember just remember

Allah Sees it all.

When you are weak
And the road seems long
Remember just remember

Seek strength from The Strong.

When life is a burden
And everything is unstable
Remember just remember

Allah is The Able.

When the way is cloudy
And there is no one by your side
Remember just remember

Allah is The Only Guide.

When no one wants to listen
Or is willing to lend an ear
Remember just remember

Allah is always ready to hear.

When you are poor and penniless
And you are stuck in a niche
Remember just remember

Allah is The Rich.

When you are down in your misery
And there is nowhere to run
Remember just remember

You can always run to The One.

When your all alone
And your pain has no end
Remember just remember

Allah is your Friend.

And when your scars are hurting
And your heart is in fear
Remember just remember

Allah is really here

Just close your eyes and imagine..!

Just close your eyes and imagine,
You have just one more day to live;
One more day to show Allah,
To you "Heaven" should he give?
To say goodbye to your family,
And all your closest friends;
To ask for forgiveness,
And try to make amends;

Just close your eyes and imagine,
Did you miss a prayer or two?
Did you please Allah, and do the things,
He asks every Muslim to do?

Just close your eyes and imagine,
Tomorrow you will be gone;
No more second chances,
To smell the mist of dawn

Just close your eyes and imagine,
The angels are going to come,
To take your soul and ask,
In your life "what have you done"?

Just close your eyes and imagine,
The words you want to say;
Will not come out you may realize,
For all your deeds you'll pay;
You want to speak out, to cry out,
In Allah I believe;
But, silence beckons you,
No more can u deceive;

Just close your eyes and imagine,
Finally,
Your silence breaks away;
You tell the angels you believe in Allah,
And for him, you did pray;
You say as tears are pouring down,
Please, Allah, forgive me,
For the sins that I committed,
Have mercy is my plea!

Just close your eyes and imagine,
That the smell of musk surrounds you,
From your head down to your feet;
You realize Allah forgave you,
Hell fire you did defeat;

But we all know as Muslims,
When it's time for you to die;
You'll not be given a second chance,
To say a last goodbye;

So live each day as If it's your last,
And never forget to pray;
So when the angels come to ask,
You'll know the words to say.

––––•(-•WE MUSLIMS•-)•––––
We do hundreds of sins everyday.
yet we do not repent.
Then we say 'Allah, Allah,'
when a calamity is sent.
Too busy in wordly things,
too busy with our money.
When told of horrifying Jahannam,
we laugh and say it's funny.
In every house there is a TV.
we sit and watch it everyday.
When the Prophet's name is mentioned,
we say, 'be quiet and go away.
We have no time to say Allah's name,
nor give money to the poor.
We turn away beggers,
who come knocking at our door.
We sit and eat plentiful,
while in the world some people die.
We've forgotten the word Assalaamu Alaykum,
but say 'Hi, Hello and Bye.'
We know death is sure to come,
yet we do not prepare.
When told that we will go to hell,
we say, 'Oh, I don't care.'
We say, 'Heaven is nice, Heaven is nice, it is surely made for me,'
But with all the sins we do, we shall have to wait and see.
So be prepared, ask for forgiveness from Almighty Allah the Great.
Dont sit there lazily waiting,
for then it will be too late.

Ya Allah Your The Greatest
Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

From You We Were Created
To You We Shall Return

From Our Mothers We Were Raised
To You We Praise

Shatain Keeps Whispering
Telling us To Go Astray

All We Have To Do Is Pray
Five Times A Day

Ya Allah Your The Greatest
Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

It Doesnt Matter What We Make
Cuz The Angel Of Death Will Come And Take

O'Allah Save Us From The Punishment Of Grave
Yes I Will Fight For My Deen And I'll Be Brave

Quran Is Our Light
So Lets Do Things Right

Mistakes Are There To Be Learnt From
Not To Be Done Over N Over

Ya Allah Your The Greatest
Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

Ramadan Getting Closer
The Night Of Blessings

Were We Ask For Forgivness
And We Stop All The Rudness

We've Been Guided By Our Prophet Mohammed PBUH
And Its Our Duty To Follow

Lets Raise Our Hands N Ask For Forgiveness
So That One Day We'll Meet At Heavens Gate

People Call Us Terroists
They Call Us Sucide Bombers

But We Aint
Were Soliders Of Allah

Sisters Keep On Ur Hijabs
Dnt Be Ashamed

Islam Is A Way Of Life

Ya Allah Your The Greatest
Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

O Lord
O Lord,

If tomorrow on Judgment Day

You send me to Hell,

I will tell such a secret

That Hell will race from me

Until it is a thousand years away.

O Lord, Whatever share of this world

You could give to me,

Give it to Your enemies;

Whatever share of the next world

You want to give to me,

Give it to Your friends.

You are enough for me.

O Lord,

If I worship You From fear of Hell,
burn me in Hell.

O Lord,

If I worship You From hope of Paradise,
bar me from its gates.

But if I worship You for Yourself alone

Then grace me forever the splendor of Your Face.

Islam is a perfect way of life,
so why stab yourself with a knife?*
Sins and Deeds are a test,
so dont be a pest.
live life like a test.
Allah is the greatest.

Allah knows all about you,
he knows what is wrong and what is true.
so dont hide it,
Just admit.

This book that is so dear to my heart
Its name is the Holy Quran
This book sent by Allah
The mercy to every woman and man

The 5th pillar of Islam,
Visit Masjid Al Haram.
Its your duty as a Muslim
to bring back Islam into this world.
* I meant by stabbing yourself with a knife, as in commiting bad sins.

"THIS IS ISLAM....."

People of the world.....
Do you know the truth about..... Islam?
Or do you think it's about
Bombing planes and killing innocent people.....?

Forget about the lies.....
I' am here to tell you how it really is.....

You deserve to know the truth
About this beautiful way of life.....

People of the world
Islam is all about peace
Terrorism it doesn't teach
Its all about love and family and charity
And praying to one God
This is Islam

It's something you should know.....
I know it's really helped me grow
It does away with greed, filth, arrogance
And teaches us morality
A perfect way to live.....

So don't believe all you see and hear
Too many people wear a title of a Muslim.....
But they don't practice Islam.....

People of the world
Islam is all about peace
Terrorism it doesn't teach
Its all about love and family and charity
And praying to one God
This is Islam

And it teaches us the creator's made this life for us a test.....
And if we follow truth and do good deeds, He'll reward us in the Next.....
If we remember God & teach each other the truth and patience in His way
Together we can live.....in peace.....
This is Islam
".....Whosoever killeth a human being..... it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whose saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind." (The Holy Qur'an, 5:32)
".....Even a smile can be charity....." (Holy Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him)

"GIVE ME YA ALLAH....."

Ya Allah.....

Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me Imaan and Victory
Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me strength to set us free
As we struggle on your path
Mujahideen

Grant us Ya Allah.....
The eyes to see your light
And show us Ya Allah.....
What is wrong and what is right
As we walk along your path
Siratul Mustaqeem

Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me Imaan and Victory
Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me strength to set us free
As we struggle on your path
Mujahideen

Help us Ya Allah.....
Spread this blessed Deen
And help us Ya Allah.....
Help the Muslimeen
And help us Ya Allah.....
Overcome the Mushrikeen

Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me Imaan and Victory
Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me strength to set us free
As we struggle on your path
Mujahideen

Make us Ya Allah.....
Fighters for your Deen
And make us Ya Allah.....
Forever Mu'mineen
And do this Ya Allah.....
Despite the Kaafireen

Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me Imaan and Victory
Give me Ya Allah.....
Give me strength to set us free
As we struggle on your path
Mujahideen

Pround2b Muslim

:bismillah:

I am a Muslim
And Allah I praise
For all his blessings
My voice I raise

In one Allah I believe
No equal has He
Lord of the universe
Compassionate to me

Muhammad (PBUH) the Prophet
Taught me the way
To be honest and truthful
Throughout everyday

The Holy Qur'an
To life is my guide
Its teachings I follow
By it I abide

Islam is my religion
Preaches good deeds
Mercy and Kindness
To the right path it leads

Upon all humanity
Allah showers his grace
Regardless of color
Nationality or race

Through working together
Our hopes increase
To live in a world
Full of love and peace

I am a Muslim
And Allah I praise
For all His blessings
My voice I raise

My dearest most beloved Nabi Muhammed (sallalahu-alahi-wasalam)…

No words can describe your magnificence and zest
Nevertheless I will try my best

When You were born the earth turned from darkness to light
Goodness spread and evil disappeared from sight

Never before did the world see such perfect character
Never before did they witness such exemplary behaviour

Your blessed face shone like the fourteenth moon
Its brightness more than the sun at noon

Difficulties and hardships You patiently withstood
Even losing Your family since childhood

When You delivered the Divine message to the people
The disbelievers made You an object of ridicule

Allah assisted You during this time and proved Your grandeur
Above all creation YOU !are the most superior

Today, 1426 years later caricatures are being drawn to insult Your name
Try as they might they will never reach their aim

When I heard of these pictures I felt a pain in my heart
So strong! I thought it was my time to depart

From the four corners of the world the ummah will unite
Wherever they may be they will stand up and fight

I feel a yearning to visit my Nabi (s.a.w) in Madina Shareef even for a day
So that in the presence of my beloved abundant durood I may convey

Oh my beloved Allah, with tears flowing from my eyes I beseech Thee humbly
To take me to my Prophet (sallalahu-alahiwasallam) in Musjidun Nabawi

Allah Knows Best

Allah knows what’s best for us
So why should we complain
We always want the sunshine
But He knows there must be rain

We always want the laughter
And the merriment of cheer
But our hearts will lose their tenderness
If we never shed a tear.

Allah tests us often
With suffering and with sorrow
He tests us not to punish us
But to help us meet tomorrow

For growing trees are strengthened
If they withstand the storm
And the sharp cut of the chisel
Gave the marble grace and form

Allah tests us often
And for every pain He gives to us
Provided we’re patient
Is followed by rich again

So whenever we feel that everything is going wrong
It is just Allah’s way
To make our spirit’s strong.

Wake Oh Muslims

Wake oh Muslims! From your slumber,

Stand together, and about don't linger,

Don't run behind money, fame ad glamour,

For all will perish with you, forever.

Stand; oh Muslims! Stand together,

If you wish of both worlds; to be leader;

Hold onto the Quran and each other's hand,

And you'll be able to fight the western viper.

Prove, oh Muslims! That life doesn't matter,

If we die for Islam; we are martyrs,

Safeguard your identity Islam oh Muslims!

And your way to heaven nothing'll hinder.

Put away all the western cultures,

Adopt all of the Islamic features,

And then look into the eye of the west,

You'll see how wild are those creatures.

Oh Muslims! Look at the deceits of the west,

To keep you away from Islam they're doing their best,

Why have ye blindfolded yourself, I know not?

For, until they'll not rotten your faith they'll not rest.

The Muslims who are fundamentalists;

The west eyes them as terrorists,

The more they catch, the more are born,

And everyday gets longer, their wanted list.

Wake oh Muslims! For the time has come,

For you to stand and avenge some,

And make the world safe for those to come,

And show the world, that the Muslims are one

Ya Allah, Forgive Me

Today, upon a bus,

I saw a girl with golden hair.

and wished I was as fair.

When suddenly she rose to leave,

I saw her hobble down the aisle.

She had one leg and wore a crutch.

But as she passed, a smile.

Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 legs, the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.

The lad who sold it had such charm.

I talked with him, he seemed so glad.

If I were late, it'd do no harm.

And as I left, he said to me,

"I thank you, you've been so kind."

"It's nice to talk with folks like you.

You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,

I saw a child with eyes of blue.

He stood and watched the others play.

He did not know what to do.

I stopped a moment and then I said,

"Why don't you join the others, dear?"

He looked ahead without a word.

And then I knew, he couldn't hear.

Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go.

With eyes to see the sunset's glow.

With ears to hear what I'd know.

Ya Allah, forgive me when I whine.

I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

Whispers of the Night

I pounded on the door of mercy as the world slept

And humbling myself before my Creator I wept

Hands raised high and head bowed I knelt

And dejectedly began to lament what I felt

With a torn heart I gave a tongue to my woes and fears

And in great anguish and sorrow I let flow my tears

With poignant emotions raging in me so fierce

I hoped that my prayers would the heavens pierce

Oh Maker of my destiny, Master of my fate I cried

Thou art the only refuge and succour for one so tried

'Tis before Thee alone that I bemoan

Sufferings of mine only to Thee known

Pains and torments that I can no longer bear

Hopes and wishes I can entrust only to Thy care

For 'Tis only the ocean of Thine infinite bounty that sustains all

And only Thy forgiveness that restores those that fall

'Tis to Thee alone Oh Benevolent that I extend my hands in plea

To whom besides Thee can this wretched soul flee

Forgive my sins and grant me my desires Oh Almighty

Reject me not, for nothing can redeem me save Thy mercy

Islam

Ya Allah Your The Greatest

Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

From You We Were Created

To You We Shall Return

From Our Mothers We Were Raised

To You We Praise

Shatain Keeps Whispering

Telling us To Go Astray

All We Have To Do Is Pray

Five Times A Day

Ya Allah Your The Greatest

Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

It Doesnt Matter What We Make

Cuz The Angel Of Death Will Come And Take

O'Allah Save Us From The Punishment Of Grave

Yes I Will Fight For My Deen And I'll Be Brave

Quran Is Our Light

So Lets Do Things Right

Mistakes Are There To Be Learnt From

Not To Be Done Over N Over

Ya Allah Your The Greatest

Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

Ramadan Getting Closer

The Night Of Blessings

Were We Ask For Forgivness

And We Stop All The Rudness

We've Been Guided By Our Prophet Mohammed PBUH

And Its Our Duty To Follow

Lets Raise Our Hands N Ask For Forgiveness

So That One Day We'll Meet At Heavens Gate

People Call Us Terroists

They Call Us Sucide Bombers

But We Aint

Were Soliders Of Allah

Sisters Keep On Ur Hijabs

Dnt Be Ashamed

Islam Is A Way Of Life

Ya Allah Your The Greatest

Ya Allah Your The Most Gracious

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:49:00 +0000

Remember Just Remember

When things are down
And you are out of your mind
Remember just remember

Allah is The Kind.

When your life is in darkness
And nothing is right
Remember just remember

Through the darkness Allah is The Light.

When nothing makes sense
And your heading for demise
Remember just remember

It doesn't make sense, but Allah is The Wise.

When times are troubled
And no one seems to care
Remember just remember

Allah won't hurt you, He is The Fair.

When your heart is breaking
And your pain makes you fall
Remember just remember

Allah Sees it all.

When you are weak
And the road seems long
Remember just remember

Seek strength from The Strong.

When life is a burden
And everything is unstable
Remember just remember

Allah is The Able.

When the way is cloudy
And there is no one by your side
Remember just remember

Allah is The Only Guide.

When no one wants to listen
Or is willing to lend an ear
Remember just remember

Allah is always ready to hear.

When you are poor and penniless
And you are stuck in a niche
Remember just remember

Allah is The Rich.

When you are down in your misery
And there is nowhere to run
Remember just remember

You can always run to The One.

When your all alone
And your pain has no end
Remember just remember

Allah is your Friend.

And when your scars are hurting
And your heart is in fear
Remember just remember

Allah is really here

Hajj/Islam - Competition for Best English Poetry

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:43:00 +0000

And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage];
they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel;
they will come from every distant pass [Surah al-Hajj, 22:27]

Hajj – A Journey of Life

By road, by sea and by air the pilgrims arrive each year
With a searing passion to fulfil their life-long desire
The young and old of all colour, creed and nationality
The king and the vagrant before God in human equality
Devotees from every corner of the globe in religious unity
At the birthplace of Islam to perform the spiritual journey

In unadorned white cloth they journey to the valley of Mina
The streets of Mecca echoing with the chants of Talbiyyah
In this arid plain they remain amid prayers and meditation
Their night in ‘tent city’ is spent in hope and aspiration

Towards the zenith of this journey after dawn prayer
A sea of white flows towards the empty plain of Arafah
From noon to sunset, they stand in earnest devotion
Tears flowing with hands raised aloft in deep supplication

The loving pilgrims gather at the Mount of Mercy
Each heart devoted to humble supplication and entreaty
Immersed in recital of the Quran, salawaat and repentance
The Almighty’s mercy descends in infinite abundance

Spiritually cleansed and forgiven by the Merciful Allah
Feeling reborn, at sundown they leave for Muzdalifa
Under the desert sky they camp overnight feeling spiritual
Here they collect the pebbles for the stone throwing ritual

After dawn prayer –the pilgrims leave for Jamarat in Mina
To cast 7 pebbles at largest of pillars the Jamra Al- Aqabah
After this symbolic rejection of the Satan and temptation.
In complete obedience they prepare to offer an oblation

As a symbol of their deep love they sacrifice an animal
In total submission to Allah, a sheep, cow or camel
Then the symbolic shaving of the head or clipping the hair
After which they journey to be greeted by the Meccan air

With respect and humility they circumambulate the Kaaba,
7 times they cover the ground between Safah and Marwah
Now completely free from the state of sacred consecration
The next few nights are spent in Mina to stone the Satan

On leaving, the farewell circuit of the Kaaba is performed
Each heart weeping in sincere yearning for it to return.

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Month of Hajj is soon to come

To Mecca the people will begin to run

Around the Kaaba they will make Tawaaf

Then, to Arafat they will be off

On Arafat the people will stand

Then the next day Eid Aludha will begin

In the Eid morning together we will pray

Then the rest of the day it is eat, run, and play

Now it is off to Moozdelifah where the pilgrims will stay

Their stop in this place is until the next day

The next place is Mina where the pilgrims will go

At this stop is the Jammrah and pebbles they’ll throw.

The tenth day of Hajj for the pilgrims is busy indeed

but for the rest of the Muslims it is the Eid.

The pilgrims are busy to Mecca they return

They have the hopes that all of these good deeds they will soon earn
One of these acts is sacrificing a sheep

Then they will trim their hair with still the hope of good deeds to reap

Again the pilgrims will make Tawaaf

Then running between Saffa and Marwa they will be off

On the 11th day of Hajj back to Mina they will go

For the next three days at the Jammrah they will throw.

The Hajj for the pilgrims is coming to an end

They are hoping that Allah accepted it all from where they began

There is one more thing that the pilgrims must make

It is seven more times around the Kaaba for Allah’s sake

Back to their lives the pilgrims return

Hoping Allah accepted all that they earned

" Guest Of The Beneficent "

Guest of the Beneficent
Is a bare-footed beggar
A poor thing invited by One Rich and Mighty
To answer the call of a lifetime,
a pledge made to God.
Guest of the Beneficent is a humble follower
Of a humble prophet, himself a follower
In the footsteps of his father Abraham,
For the first to make the call was Abraham
To this house of God and from him sprang
Prophets by the Beneficent blessed, chosen.
Guest of the Beneficent on the path
Of such a one blessed with modest walks
All pretense and ornaments shed
Eyes fixed heart trembling hands raised
A willing guest in tears drenched
The guest is a single entity in a sea of guests
Swimming in tears remorseful
For the flesh is weak and man given to haste
Guest of the Beneficent is humbled
By feelings of smallness felt
Insignificant he's for once lost
In an ocean of devotees
he looks towards the Lord
With heart longing for freedom
From a self to blunders given
Guests of the Beneficent are people
Pulled together by a Hand Powerful
Able to call whom He wills when He wills
These beggars by the Door of the Merciful
In tongues diverse cry
In sizes and hues various appear
But in unison they answer this Call sublime
Joyful in a union at last made they chant
To the beat of a Truth long desired
Hajj is a time of bonding
Beneath a sky open
The seeker learns and teaches
Equal are the guests of God
In attires easy and plain
Kings and penniless all Needy
Shoulder to shoulder before a King Mighty
This is a time of repentance
An occasion of release in an ocean of tears
From the attachments to sin and wrong-doing
To the bonds of fellowship, hearts healing
These days of consoling, delivery
And hope elevated
The guest of the Beneficent returns not home
But happy

By Safi Abdi

The Hajj - A Poem

The Hajj - The Journey
By Him whose House the loving pilgrims visit,
Responding with ihram at the appointed limit,
Uncovering their heads in total humility
Before One to Whom faces bow in servility.
They exclaim in the valleys, "We have responded to You -
All Praise is Yours, and Kingdom too!"
He invited and they answered, with love and pleasure;
When they called upon Him, nearer came the Divine treasure.
You see them on their mounts, hair dusty and dishevelled,
Yet never more content, never happier have they felt;
Leaving homelands and families due to holy yearning,
Unmoved are they by temptations of returning.
Through plains and valleys, from near and far,
Walking and riding, in submission to Allah.

At the Ka'bah
When they see His House - that magnificent sight
For which the hearts of all creatures are set alight -
It seems they've never felt tired before,
For their discomfort and hardship is no more.
Now the eye of the Lover drowns in its streams,
It sees through its tears the goal of its dreams;
Now for Allah, how many tears are issued,
Each one being followed by a multitude?
When the eye perceives the House, its darkness clears,
And from the sorrowful heart, pain disappears;
Vision cannot encompass this beautiful sight:
Each glance returns with greater delight!
No wonder at this, for when the Merciful preferred
The House for Himself, it became most honoured.
He clothed it in Majesty, a magnificent garment;
Embroidered it with Beauty, a wonderful ornament!
The hearts all love the House therefore,
Awed and humbled, in respect and honour.

'Arafat
Now to 'Arafat, hoping for Mercy and Forgiveness
From the One overflowing with Generosity and Kindness;
Now for Allah is that Magnificent Standing
Like, though lesser than, the Day of Reckoning.
The Irresistible draws near, His Majesty manifest,
Boasting to His angels, for He is the Mightiest,
"My slaves have come to Me so lovingly,
I'll be Generous and Merciful, willingly.
I have forgiven their sins, – to this you are witness –
Fulfilled their hopes, and showered them with goodness."
So joyous news! O people of that standing,
When sins are forgiven and Mercy is spreading;
How many slaves are set completely free?
Whilst others seek a cure, and heal will He.
Now Satan is never known to lose such face:
He's blameworthy, rejected, in utter disgrace.
For he sees a matter that enrage him must:
He flees, slaps his face and covers it in dust!
Such Forgiveness he never did see
As granted by the Lord, and such Mercy!
He built his edifice from every temptation available
Till he thought it was complete, unassailable;
Then Allah struck his building at its very foundation,
So it fell upon him, tumbling in devastation;
What worth has his structure, this evil ploy,
That he does build, and the Lord does destroy?

Muzdalifah & Mina
Now to Muzdalifah, to spend the night
In the Sacred Area, then Prayer at first light;
Now on to the Great Pillar, which they need
To stone at the time of the Prayer of 'Id;
Now to their tents for the sacrifice prepared,
Reviving the tradition of a Father revered.
If sacrificing themselves were Allah's demand,
They would respond, submitting to the command;
Just as they'd expose their necks in Jihad
To Allah's enemies, till these stream with blood;
They discipline themselves, presenting the head for a shave:
Bringing humility and happiness to the obedient slave.

The Tawaf of Ifadah/Ziyarah
So when they've removed those natural growths,
Completed their rites, and fulfilled their oaths,
He invites them again to visit His House:
What honour and welcome this visit allows!
By Allah, they visit it in so much splendour,
Receiving their rewards and plenty of honour;
There Allah bestows Grace, Favour and Kindness,
Showing Generosity, Mercy and Forgiveness.

Mina
Then they return to Mina, each to his tent,
Every minute wish is granted, and they are content;
They stay there a day, then another, then a third,
They're allowed to depart early, but to stay is preferred;
They stone the pillars daily after the sun's decline,
With a slogan of Takbir in the presence of the Divine!
If only you could see their standing there:
Palms outstretched, hoping for Mercy's share!
"O Lord! O Lord! Knowing as You do
That we hope for no-one, only You!
Then grant our wish, O You All-Knowing,
We pray for Your Mercy overflowing."

The Farewell Tawaf
When they've achieved at Mina all their gains,
Once more they fill the valleys and plains:
To the Ka'bah, the Sacred House, by the end of the day,
To circle it seven times, and then to Pray.
When departure nears and they are certain
That the bond of proximity is about to loosen,
There's only a last stand for a final farewell:
Now for Allah are the eyes that swell,
And for Allah are the heavy hearts that turn
Into cauldrons of desire where fire does burn;
And the passionate sighs whose heat so vigorous
Nearly melts the Lover, ecstatic, rapturous!
Now you see those bewildered, perplexed in the throng,
Whilst others chant their sorrowful song:
"I depart, but there remains for You my yearning,
My fire of grief is raging and burning;
I bid farewell, but longing pulls my reins -
My heart is encamped in Your eternal plains!"
No blame today for saying what you feel:
No blame for expressing what you used to conceal!

By: Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Translated by: Usama Hasan

5.

Hajj

For Allah, my heart went there
Where I turn my face in Prayer

It's a duty, this I know
So to Makkah I did go

For Allaah I packed my gear
Then to His House I came near

For my journey I was ready
Allaah made me strong and steady

I walked around the Ka'bah wall
And teardrops from my eyes did fall

Yearning was I for this day
In Allaah's House to pray!

Truly my heart, Allaah brought
I thank Him for His support!

With His Mercy I arrived
Then home I went, purified!

ISLAM.........

Islam is the religion of tolerance,

Care, love and security
Islam is the religion of monotheism
Submitting to ALLAH, not the trinity
Believing all the books, the angels,
Messengers and Mohammad's (PBUH) identity

From Adam to Jesus, son of Mary
The woman an example of purity
Mohammad (PBUH) is the last messenger
Who completed the message for all humanity.

Hajj is about Allah

Hajj is about Allah
Hajj is not about you
Hajj is about Allah
Hajj is not about criticizing the group leaders
Hajj is not about arguing when there are transportation issues
Hajj is not about what it would be like if you were in charge
Hajj is about holding yourself still when plans seem to go awry
Hajj is about silence

Hajj is about Allah
Hajj is not about ridiculing others in your group
Hajj is not about mocking anyone you see
Hajj is not about your dislike of someone on His guest list
Hajj is about being patient with the old, the sick and the young
Hajj is about the charity of the smile, and of being helpful
Hajj is about Allah
Hajj is not about complaining when getting new foods
Hajj is not about whining when eating the same food day after day
Hajj is not about getting what you want
Hajj is about being grateful whether or not you get what you think you need

Hajj is about Allah
Hajj is not about talking on a cell phone while circling the Kaaba
Hajj is not about staying on the internet with friends or business
Hajj is about trusting and depending on Allah
Hajj is about talking to Him

Hajj is about Allah
Hajj is not about comfort and luxury
Hajj is not about shopping
Hajj is not about rest
Hajj is about making as many salats as you can in the Haram
Hajj is about reading Quran in airports and on busses
Hajj is about prayer and dhikr, day and night, wherever you are

Hajj is about Allah
Hajj is not about your importance in this life
Hajj is about your insignificance in the next life
Hajj is about contemplating death
Hajj is about contemplating the grave
Hajj is about contemplating the Day of Judgment
Hajj is about your tears of hope and fear

Hajj is not about you
Hajj is about Allah

Eid-ul-Adha and Hajj

We celebrate Eid-ul-Adha and the Hajj,
In which the rewards are much.

Eid-ul-Adha is a reminder of Ibrahim’s (PBUH) sacrifice,
Which shows us in how many ways Allah is nice.

We run between the mountains of Safa and Marwa,
Since it was done by Bibi Hajira.

Hajj is about equality,
Forget your own individuality.

Doing the rituals in a few days,
For cleaning your slate, this is one of the ways.

The reason for this Eid leads back to Ibrahim’s (PBUH) story,
But we must remember that only Allah deserves all glory.

What are Einstein’s true beliefs about religion and science

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:31:00 +0000

I bet everybody knows who Einstein is, and many people know why he is famous and how he left is mark in the scientific world. Still, aside from his brilliant results in physics (mostly), he is also very well known for his aphorisms, metaphors and overall interesting way of expressing himself. I’ve always found it hard to understand why “believers” claim that Einstein is “one of them”, relying on one of his famous aphorisms: “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”. Seems quite a jump to me, but there are even further indications that he had really no true interest in religion, especially a little known letter that he wrote on January 3 1954 to the philosopher Eric Gutkind who had sent him a copy of his book Choose Life: The Biblical Call to Revolt.

Due to be auctioned this week in London after being in a private collection for more than 50 years, the document leaves no doubt that the theoretical physicist was no supporter of religious beliefs, which he regarded as “childish superstitions”. It is well known that Einstein was born in a jewish family and he made remarks about this on several occasions, but despite this, his feelings towards religion are of disbelief, to say the least, and rejected the idea that jews are god’s favorite people.

In his letter, he claims:

“The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this.”

He writes about his origins too, rejecting the idea of god favoring jews:

“For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.”

The letter will go on sale at Bloomsbury Auctions in Mayfair on Thursday and is expected to fetch up to £8,000. Also, probably the most famous of his quotes is somewhat religious: “He [God] does not throw dice” when referring to randomness thrown up by quantum theory. Still, this is a metaphor to say the most, but unfortunately his position was widely misinterpreted. Despite his categorical rejection of conventional religion, Einstein discharged the fact that his ideas were used by evangelists for atheism. He was offended by their lack of humility and once wrote. “The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.”. 16.000$ for a letter… the chance to shove it in the face of creationists all over the world… priceless !

Top 10 Organized Religions and their Core Beliefs

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Christianity [Abrahamic, 27 AD] 2.1 billion adherents

Christianity is a monotheistic religion which is based on the teachings of the Old Testament and Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe that Jesus, as the Son of God is part of the Trinity (God as three persons in one), the others being God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that Christianity fulfils Judaism. Most Christians believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus to be the cornerstone of their faith. Protestant ofshoots of Christianity believe that salvation comes from the belief in God alone, whereas Catholic and Orthodox Christians belief that faith, combined with good works is required for salvation.

The Christian scriptures are called the Bible – comprising two books, the Old Testament (based on the Septuagint) and the New Testament. Protestants and Catholics have the same books in the New Testament, but Martin Luther removed 7 books from the Old Testament during the Protestant reformation, considering them to be apocryphal. He also removed four books from the New Testament but was later persuaded to put them back – they were Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation.

Christians believe in Sacraments (Catholics and Orthodox and some Anglicans believe in 7: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Last Rites, Holy Orders, and Matrimony; some Protestants (following Martin Luther) believe in the sacramental nature of Baptism and Holy Communion, while others reject outright the concept of sacramental theology.

Christianity is generally broken into three branches: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Catholicism is the largest with over 1 billion adherents. The Orthodox and Catholic Churches split in the 11th century in an event called the Great Schism. Protestantism split from Roman Catholicism in in the 16th century in an event called the Protestant Reformation.

Islam is a monotheistic religion originating with the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th-century Arab religious and political figure. Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad, God’s final prophet, and regard the Qur’an and the Sunnah (the words and deeds of Muhammad) as the fundamental sources of Islam. They do not regard Muhammad as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. Islamic tradition holds that Judaism and Christianity distorted the messages of these prophets over time either in interpretation, in text, or both.

Almost all Muslims belong to one of two major denominations, the Sunni and Shi’a. The schism developed in the late 7th century following disagreements over the religious and political leadership of the Muslim community. Roughly 85 percent of Muslims are Sunni and 15 percent are Shi’a. Muslims consider the Qur’an to be the literal word of God; it is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe that the verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad by God through the angel Gabriel on many occasions between the years 610 and his death on July 6, 632.

Islam considers itself to be the supreme religion and therefore Muslims must not place themselves in a position inferior to that of the followers of other religions. Pursuant to this principle, Muslim women may not marry non-Muslim men, non-Muslims may not inherit from their Muslim relatives, and a testimony of a non-Muslim is inadmissible against a Muslim. A non-Muslim who insults Islam must be put to death, according to most schools of Islamic jurisprudence, or flogged and imprisoned, according to others.

Hinduism [Dharmic, 1500 BC] 1 billion adherents
Hinduism has no founder, being itself a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions. It is the world’s oldest existent religion, and has approximately a billion adherents, of whom about 905 million live in India and Nepal. Hinduism contains a vast body of scriptures. Divided as revealed and remembered and developed over millennia, these scriptures expound on theology, philosophy and mythology, providing spiritual insights and guidance on the practice of dharma (religious living). Among such texts, the Vedas and the Upanishads are the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity. Other major scriptures include the Tantras, the sectarian Agamas, the Purāṇas and the epics Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. The Bhagavad Gītā, a treatise excerpted from the Mahābhārata, is sometimes called a summary of the spiritual teachings of the Vedas.

Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include Dharma (ethics/duties), Samsāra (The continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth), Karma (action and subsequent reaction), Moksha (liberation from samsara), and the various yogas (paths or practices). Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, monism and even atheism. It is sometimes considered as henotheistic (devotion to a single “God” while accepting the existence of other gods), but such a view may be considered an oversimplification of the complexities and variations of belief.

Buddhism [Dharmic, 600 BC] 376 million adherents

Buddhism is also known as Buddha Dharma or Dhamma, which means roughly the “teachings of the Awakened One” in Sanskrit and Pali, languages of ancient Buddhist texts. Buddhism was founded around the fifth century BCE by Siddhartha Gautama – most commonly referred to as The Buddha. In Buddhism, any person who has awakened from the “sleep of ignorance” (by directly realizing the true nature of reality), without instruction, and teaches it to others is called a buddha. All traditional Buddhists agree that Shakyamuni or Gotama Buddha was not the only Buddha: it is generally taught that there have been many past Buddhas and that there will be future Buddhas too.

While there are now many sects of Buddhism, they all hold to four fundamental points: 1, All accept the Buddha as their teacher; 2, all accept the Middle Way (non-extremism), Dependant Origination, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path; 3, all accept that both monks and the laity can pursue the path to englightenment; and 4, all consider Buddahood to be the highest attainment.

Sikhism [Dharmic, 1469 AD] 23 million adherents

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1539 AD) who was the first of Sikhism’s 10 Gurus, a lineage of holy teachers that continued until the end of the 17th century. The Gurus are understood to be the mediators of divine grace. Sikhism originated in the Punjab region of northwest India, where it drew on elements from Bhakti Hinduism and Islamic Sufism to develop into a distinctive religious tradition in its own right. Sikhs believe that liberation from the karmic cycle of rebirths occurs in the merging of the human spirit with the all-embracing spirit of God. Sikh males are recognisable by their long beards and turbans – worn to cover the hair that traditional says they should not cut.

Their religious worship involves contemplation of the divine Name. The ultimate deity is known by several names: Sat (truth), Sat Guru (true Guru), Akal Purakh (timeless being), Kartar (creator), and Wahi-Guru (”praise to the Guru”). By concentrating on God’s Name (or many titles), Sikhs believe that one conquers the ego and unites with God.

The compilation of the Sikh scriptures, the Adi Granth, was begun in 1604 by the Fifth Guru. The last of the ten Gurus, Guru Gobind Singh, announced that he would be the last personal Guru and that thereafter, Sikhs were to regard the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib) as their teacher. This sacred book is considered the living embodiment of all ten Gurus and is therefore the focus of worship in all Sikh temples and local gurudwaras, or sanctuaries.

Judaism [Abrahamic, 1300 BC] 14 million adherents

Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, based on principles and ethics embodied in the Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud (Rabbinical discussions on ethics, customs, and law). According to Jewish tradition, the history of Judaism begins with the Covenant between God and Abraham, the patriarch and progenitor of the Jewish people. Judaism is among the oldest religious traditions still in practice today.

Throughout the ages, Judaism has clung to a number of religious principles, the most important of which is the belief in a single, omniscient, omnipotent, benevolent, transcendent God, who created the universe and continues to govern it. Originally Judaism had priests and a temple in which sacrifices were made to God. The priesthood is an inherited position, and although priests no longer have any but ceremonial duties, they are still honored in many Jewish communities. Many Orthodox Jewish communities believe that they will be needed again for a future Third Temple and need to remain in readiness for future duty.

Following the destruction of Jerusalem and the expulsion of the Jews, Jewish worship stopped being centrally organized around the Temple, prayer took the place of sacrifice, and worship was rebuilt around rabbis who acted as teachers and leaders of individual communities. Modern Judaism is generally split into three groups: Orthodox, Conservative, and Liberal.

Baha’i Faith [Abrahamic, 1900 AD] 7 million adherents

Baha’i was founded in Iran in the mid-nineteenth century by Mirza Husayn Ali (1817-1892). Better known as Baha’ullah, he believed that he was the prophet foretold by the Bab, a religious leader who was believed to be a direct descendent of the prophet Muhammad. Baha’ullah was persecuted and banished several times during his life, and he died as a prisoner in Palestine. Babism (from which Baha’i originates) was a breakaway from shi’a Islam.

Important Baha’i prophets include Adam, the Jewish prophets, Jesus, and Muhammed, all of whom have been succeeded by Baha’ullah. The closest thing to a religious text the Baha’i have is Baha’ullah’s Kitab al-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book) which contains detailed instructions for Baha’i living.

The Baha’i believe that all religions teach the same truth. They therefore reject prejudice–racial, political, or otherwise–and stress ethical teachings such as world peace, education, and sexual equality. Although they believe that God is completely unknowable, they hold that God’s presence and works are evident in the creation of the world and the existence of the prophets, among other things.

Confucianism [Taoic, 600 BC] 6.4 million adherents

Confucianism is a Chinese set of philosphical and ethical beliefs that were taught by the sage Confucius. It has had a tremendous effect on East Asia right up to the 21st century. Debated during the Warring States Period and forbidden during the short-lived Qin Dynasty, Confucianism was chosen by Emperor Wu of Han for use as a political system to govern the Chinese state. There is a large body of Confucian texts which includes the I Ching (a series of divinations) and a series of books on poetry, rituals, music, and more. Y

Confucianist doctrine remained a mainstream Chinese orthodoxy for two millennia until the 20th century, when it was attacked by radical Chinese thinkers as a vanguard of a pre-modern system and an obstacle to China’s modernization, eventually culminating in its repression during the Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China.

Confucianism aims at making not simply the man of virtue, but the man of learning and of good manners. The perfect man must combine the qualities of saint, scholar, and gentleman. Confucianism is a religion without positive revelation, with a minimum of dogmatic teaching, whose popular worship is centered in offerings to the dead, in which the notion of duty is extended beyond the sphere of morals proper so as to embrace almost every detail of daily life.

Jainism [Dharmic, 600 BC] 4.2 million adherents

Jainism is one of the oldest religions in India and it has co-existed alongside Hinduism despite being a minority of less than 1% of the population. The religion was founded by Mahavira (”The Great Hero”) who is considered to be the most recent in a long line of 24 teachers who have brought Jainism to the world during various epochs. These teachers preach a belief in enlightenment through austerity and rejection of the world. Jains do not believe in a god and they seek release from endless reincarnations through strict self-denial.

Jainism also places a great emphasis on non-harm of living things and will often have their mouths covered with muslin to prevent accidentally swallowing insects. Many Jains also use a small brush to sweep the ground in front of them while travelling so they don’t accidentally step on a creature.

The main religious text of Jainism is called Agamas. An agama is an ancient Jain textbook. There were many agamas in ancient times, but as time passed, many of them were lost or destroyed. At present, 45 agamas are available. Agamas are written in the Prakrit language. These are read and studied by Jain monks (sadhus) only. The sacred literature was not written down until 500 AD.

There are two main types of Jain, the Digambaras and the Shvetambaras. The Digambaras have much simpler rituals and disdain earthly belongings to a point that the male monks live completely naked.

Shinto [Taoic, 300 BC] 4 million adherents

Shinto is a religious system that originates in Japan which has influences from Buddhism and other Chinese religions. Shinto recognizes no all-powerful deity and is a diverse set of traditional rituals and ceremonies, rather than a system of dogmatic beliefs or ethics. Shinto recognises a variety of gods (kami) which are the powers of nature primarily associated with such things as animals, trees, mountains, springs, boulders, the sun, and sometimes ancestors. Offerings are made to these gods and they are later eaten.

Shinto rituals involve dance and Shinto priests bless the offerings to the gods with branches from the sacred sakaki tree dipped in holy water. In some parts of Japan, women Shamans fall into a trance and speak for the gods.

Shinto does not have a founder or canon of religious texts, but a written Shinto mythology appears in the early sections of the eighth-century books “Kojiki” (”Records of Ancient Matters,” completed in 712 AD) and “Nihon Shoki” (”Chronicles of Japan,” completed in 720 AD), which record the role of the kami in creating Japan and the Japanese imperial lineage

Signs Of Doomsday According To Major Religions r

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0000

All the world’s great religions contain Messianic prophecies, which promise that God will one day send a Promised One whose teachings will unite all humanity.

The Promised One is called by different names by different religions. Christians await the return of Christ.Jews look forward to a Prophet like Moses. Hindus look for the return of Krishna. Muslims look for the appearance of Imam Mahdi as well as Christ. Buddhists await Buddha.

The fascinating aspect of all these prophecies is that they all seem to be pointing towards the same event.

All the major religions of the world have their own signs of Doomsday.

Christianity

According to the Bible, there are twenty-one signs of Doomsday:

1. Israel, the fig tree, is budding and the generation that sees it shall not pass till all is fulfilled.
2. The son of perdition, the return of Jesus for his church, and rebuilding of the temple.
3. The red heifer.
4. Cohen and Levi.
5. The world awaits someone.
6. Transgressors are come to the full.
7. Neighbor oppressing neighbor.
8. Evil becomes good and good becomes evil.
9. As it was in the days of Noah.
10 Men shall be lovers of their own selves.
11. A famine for the word of God.
12. Many shall run to and fro.
13. Knowledge shall be increased.
14. One world government.
15. The Antichrist to rule the world.
16. One world religious system.
17. The mark of the beast.
18. All nations gather against Israel.
19. Ferocious battle kills two thirds of Israelites.
20. Half of Jerusalem is taken, and one third of the remaining Jews are holed up in the other half of Jerusalem.
21. Jesus Christ returns and the Mount of Olives splits in two for the battle of Armageddon.

Islam

Muslims believe in messengers of God and prophets. They believe that the final message to man was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. He is the last prophet sent by God. He is said to have foretold the following 72 signs that would appear nearing doomsday:

1. People will leave prayer.
2. People will usurp Amaanat.
3. Lying will become an art.
4. There will be murders on the slightest of disagreements.
5. Interest will become common.
6. There will be very tall buildings.
7. People will sell religion for the world.
8. People will treat relatives badly.
9. Justice will become a rarity.
10. Lies will be considered truth.
11. Clothes will be of silk.
12. Persecution will become common.
13. Divorces will become common.
14. Sudden deaths will increase.
15. The usurper of Amaanat will be considered honest and honorable.
16. The keeper of Amaanat will be called an usurper of things given to him for safekeeping.
17. Liars will be thought of as honest.
18. Honest people will be thought of as liars.
19. False accusations will become the norm.
20. It will be hot in spite of rain.
21. Instead of wishing for children, people will pray that they not have children.
22. People from bad backgrounds and with bad upbringing will live a life of luxury (material, not peaceful).
23. Good people, when they try to practice, will be cut off from the world.
24. Previously good people will also usurp Amaanat.
25. Leaders will become persecutors.
26. Ulema and Qaris will commit adultery.
27. People will wear clothes of animal skin.
28. But their hearts will smell and will be dead.
29. And will be bitter.
30. Gold will become common.
31. Demand for silver will increase.
32. Sin will increase.
33. Peace will become rare.
34. Words(Ayats) from the Quran will be decorated and calligraphy will become.
35. Mosques will be decorated.
36. And will have tall Minars.
37. But hearts will be empty.
38. Alcoholic drinks will be consumed.
39. Punishments ordered by the Shariah will be revoked and will no longer be implemented.
40. Women will order their mother around.
41. People who are with naked feet, naked bodies and against religion will become kings.
42. Women will trade along with men.
43. Women will imitate men.
44. Men will imitate women.
45. People will swear by things other than Allah and the Quran.
46. Even Muslims will be prepared to give false testimony, without being incited to it.
47. Only people one knows will be greeted with the salaam.
48. The knowledge of the Shariah will be used to earn worldly things.
49. Acts, which earn the Akhirah, will be used to earn the world.
50. Assets belonging to the nation will be considered and treated as personal treasures by the rulers.
51. Amaanat will be considered ones personal asset.
52. Zakaat will be considered as a penalty.
53. The lowest and the worst man in the nation will become its leader.
54. People will not obey their fathers.
55. And will mistreat their mothers.
56. And will not hold back from harming their friends.
57. And will obey their wives.
58. And the voices of the men who commit adultery will be raised in mosques.
59. Women who sing will be treated with great deference.
60. Instruments of music will be kept with great care.
61. Alcohol will be drunk on the highways.
62. People will be proud of their acts of persecution.
63. Justice will be sold in the courts.
64. The number of men in the police force will increase.
65. Instead of music, the Quran will be used to gain pleasure for its tune and style (Qirat), not for what it preaches, its meaning or for rewards in the Akhirah.
66. Animal fur will be used.
67. The last of the Ummat will curse those before them (clearly seen today in people who call the Prophets companions names).
68. Either Allah will send a Red Storm upon you.
69. Or Earthquakes.
70. Or your faces will be changed.
71. Or a rain of rocks from the skies. Asteroids? Meteors.
72. Lies will become a habit of the rulers and the rich.

Prophet Muhammad also said:

1. Alcohol will be called Sherbat and will be considered Halal.
2. Interest will be called Trade and will be considered Halal.
3. Brides will be called Gifts and will be considered Halal.
4. Women will be naked in spite of wearing dresses.

Jews

These signs were said to have been given in the historical books of the Hebrews, and depict the fifteen days before doom:

1. All the water from the earth, including the seas will rice up to the clouds, above the mountains, so that the cry of the seals, the yelling of the sea-monsters and the roar of the whales will be on the dry strands after the water leaves them.

2. The huge noise of the water falling down again the next day into their proper places will be heard, so that it goes deep into the earth; and nobody knows where.

3. All the water will freeze in its place and become hard, and armies will march on this.

4. The sea-animals of the earth will rise up into the clouds, and will cry and clamour continuously for fear of the Day of Doom. None other but God will understand what they are saying.

5. All the birds on the earth will move continuously, without resting, and without eating any food or drinking anything.

6. Great rivers, with fiery and rough waves, will flow out of the firmament from sunrise to sunset.

7. A huge, scary, ugly and unbearable sound will be heard from the heaven, and there will be thunder with many lightnings. From the southern part of the sky, there will be seen a fiery red cloud rising and spreading all over all the earth, and crimson blood will pour from that cloud, and fill the earth – both the land and the sea. There will be huge fires over all parts of the globe, and the world will face a mighty earthquake with a huge spark rising from every part of the earth. The sea will also be ruthless on that day.

8. There will be an excessive tremor and all the creatures of the earth will be numb with fear. The waves of the sea will rise very high, and the ocean will be shaken from its very core with fiery winds. The thundering seas and the water against rivers of fire, with no pleasure, no music throughout the world will leave a sad and distressful feeling.

9. Each and every stone in this world, both small and big will break into four parts. These parts will talk to each other, and except for God, nobody else will understand their language. These stones will begin to tremble after losing their form. All the woods of the earth will be completely uprooted, after they have all broken on that day. Streams of sulphurous fire will rise from the earth so that the entire world is one single blaze of fire from sunrise to sunset.

10. All the stones and trees on the earth will be shedding blood. Rough winds will rise and the whole world will be shaken at once. All humans will be screaming, wailing, and crying, and pleading with the earth to open up for them, so that they do not have to witness all the evil. They would prefer to die rather than be alive at that moment. It is at that time that three hundred and sixty-five stars will fall on the earth. The mountains will fall and they will be on the same level as the ground.

11. Big thunders and the sound of four fiery winds from the four airts of heaven will make all the elements shrink and separate. Five thousand three hundred and sixty-five stars will fall on earth just as ripe fruits falling on a windy day. The moon will turn into the color of blood, the sun will grow dark, the mountains and all other structures will turn into ash. A horrendous screaming of the burning birds will be heard. Humans will face a sad, bitter, and heavy grief on that day. All mankind will kneel in front of God, praying for Him to save them from the fire of Doom.

12. All the lawless animals of the earth will have to leave their places, and be on the plains, howling and crying, with no food or clothing. Every person that has tasted life will die on that day and the whole world will be on fire and hail. Then the doors of the palace will open and the roar of the seven heavens will be heard at the coming of the Creator with His angels. The heaven’s angels will sing to the Creator to rescue them and the angels and the souls of the saints and the good people will be saved, so that the fire of Doom does not burn them.

13. All graves will open up and the dead will come out, and the world will be in grief, as there will be no place to live for the living or for the dead in this world.

14. All the living will die.

15. The final sign of the day before doom – The only Son of the King of heaven and earth and hell, with all the angels and archangels, in His company will go, on that day to the summit of Mount Zion to judge their deeds, both good and evil, for Adam’s impure children. Michael the Archangel will summon all the human beings to that great assembly. All the dead will arise; first, the apostles will arise, then the prophets and the confessors, the martyrs and the saints and the good people, then the virgins and penitents and in the end, baptized infants. The whole human race will be aged thirty on that day, with no one being older or younger. This is the age at which Adam was created and the age of Jesus when He was baptized. Then the King of Glory will arise with His final Cross on his shoulder in everybody’s presence. He will have traces of all the wounds of His Passion upon Him, so that all the incurable wounds and tortures, which they themselves inflicted upon Him, may be manifested to the Jews.

Hinduism

According to Kaala Jnaana written by the Hindu mystic, Veera Brahmam, Kali Yuga will last for 5000 years after Lord Krishna passes away, after which evil will spread throughout the world. Hindu legend states that at the end of kali yuga, Vishnu, the universal ruler will appear again under his form of the Kalki-avatara for doing away with the wicked and inaugurating a realm of righteousness and spirituality. This will be the Doomsday.

The signs of Doomsday are:

1. There will be a rain of fire. Following this a strange thing will happen. 20 feet tall humans will appear and claim to be Kalki. (this is in India).
2. A huge comet will be born in the south; several people will die due to this.
3. Mammary glands will be born to the males of Cow, Goat, etc. and people will get milk from them.
4. Tigers will disappear completely from the forests.
5. The Sun will appear like a green colored human being.
6. Moon will be seen on a new moon day.
7. Wealth will arrive from other countries to India and India will be very rich and powerful.
8. Stones will break and fly about like crows and eagles; Stone horses and chariots will start to run.
9. Blood and pus will flow out from stones.
10. It will rain blood.

Over the years, there have been many versions of these signs and you will find they differ when taken from different books, and this is one version of the signs of Doomsday in different religions.

Skeptics may find it interesting to know that even the laws of science support the fact that the world will come to an end. The second law of thermodynamics states that everything goes from order to disorder and eventually ends. It can be your body, house, earth’s magnetic field, extinction of species or the shrinking sun.

Whether all this is true or not and whether we choose to believe in all this or not, will depend entirely on each one of us. What we have reproduced here is just what has been written about in numerous books.

Beautifull Religious Buildings Carved from ‘Living Rock’

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:56:00 +0000

Perhaps among some of the most astonishing buildings in the world are those cut from living rock. Known as rock-cut architecture, buildings like this can be found all over the world from Myanmar to Ethiopia and many contain priceless works of ancient art. Some of these incredible carved caves date back thousands of years while others are surprisingly a bit more modern than you’d think. These 15 buildings carved from colossal cliffs, monoliths and volcanic rock are breathtakingly beautiful and a fascinating look inside the traditions of cultures long gone.

Ancient Rock City of Matera, Italy

In the ancient rock city of Matera in southwestern Italy, people live in the same exact homes that their ancestors did 9,000 years ago. Matera was created from a rocky ravine and the many natural caves in the area – called the ‘Sassi di Matera’ – were the first houses of the Neolithic inhabitants of the region. The caves create a labyrinth of houses, and it’s practically impossible to distinguish the natural rock formations from the ancient architecture. The houses seem to sprout from the rock in an organic way, creating somewhat of a tourist attraction from what was in the mid 20th century a ghost town. Matera was notably the setting for Mel Gibson’s film ‘The Passion of the Christ’.

Po Win Daung Caves, Myanmar

Dozens of caves in the Po Win Daung hills contain a treasure trove of carved Buddhas dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries. The hills have been occupied since the dawn of human inhabitation of Myanmar – formerly Burma. Within the caves you can see 4,000 murals, and take a covered stairway up a hill to the main cave shrine. Intricately carved Buddhas act as pillars within the caves as well as sentinels outside the entrances.

Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia

Among the most amazing structures carved from living stone are the churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia. 11 rock-hewn churches have each been carved from a single block of granite with its roof at ground level. 12th-century King Lalibela commissioned these churches with the goal of creating a New Jerusalem for those who couldn’t make the pilgrimage to the original city. Each church was created by carving a wide trench on all four sides of the rock and then painstakingly chiseling out the interior. The largest among them stands at 40 feet tall.

Ajanta Caves, India

The stunning rock-cut temples of Ajanta in Maharashtra, India, are among India’s most underrated treasures. Hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of a ravine in the Wagurna River valley, the caves consist of two complexes: monasteries and sanctuaries. They were excavated between the 1st century BCE and 7th century CE, and contain paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.

Abu Simbel Nubian Monuments, Egypt

Four colossal statues of ancient Egyptian Pharoah Ramesses II guard the entrance of Abu Simbel, a temple cut out of the sandstone cliffs above the Nile River. Commissioned by Ramesses himself, the temple faces east so that twice a year, the sun’s rays reach into the innermost sanctuary, lighting up the statues of Ptah, Amun-Re, Ramesses II and Re-Horakhty. The complex was relocated entirely from its original setting in the 1960s to avoid being flooded when Lake Nasser was created.

Yungang Grottoes, China

The Yungang Grottoes of Datong in the Shanxi province of China are comprised of 53 caves and 51,000 statues, and are one of China’s most beautiful examples of cave art. Giant Buddhas tower over visitors who wind through the caves viewing the many sculptures inside. Much of the artwork that was once inside the grottoes was stolen in the early 20th century and the wooden temple buildings that once protected the caves burned down. So, the site is now in urgent need of protection and has been named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Cappadocia Cave Houses, Turkey

Cappadocia is one of the 73 current provinces of the Republic of Turkey, and has one of the most strange and fascinating landscapes of the world. The rocky, scrubby land features bizarre volcanic ‘tufa’ rock formations referred to as ‘Fairy Chimneys’ as well as complex underground cities and buildings cut from the soft ‘tufa’. Many of these are churches, with columns and arches decorating the stony face of an otherwise natural hunk of rock.

Golden Temple of Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Carved from a giant rock in Sri Lanka, the Golden Temple of Dambulla was once a set of caves inhabited during prehistoric times and then used for pre-Buddhist ceremonies. The temple was built and decorated in 89 BC by King Valagambahu. Inside, the cave ceilings and walls are painted with religious images that follow the contours of the rock. 150 statues of Buddhist order, figures from Sri Lankan history and a few statues of Hindu gods. A 14-meter-tall Buddha statue carved from the rock dominates the first cave as you enter.

Ellora Caves, India

Like the Ajanta Caves, the Ellora Caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Carved from the Charanandri hills between the 5th and 6th centuries, the Ellora Caves were built just as Buddhism was declining in India and Hinduism was once again becoming more popular. As a result, there are both Buddhist and Hindu caves within the complex, with a rich variety of religious art including many elaborately carved shrines. The Ellora Caves are highly valued today as an example of the country’s tolerance of both religions.

Al-Hijr, Saudi Arabia

Among Saudi Arabia’s best-known architectural sites is Al Hijr, also known as Madain Saleh. The facades of the dwellings in Al Hijr were carved into the sandstone mountains sometime in the second millenium BC. Al Hijr – which literally means ‘rocky place’ – is believed to have been inhabited by the Nabataeans and the Thamud. It features water wells, well-preserved monumental tombs, inscriptions and cave drawings.

Dazu Rock Carvings, Chongqing, China

The Dazu rock carvings in Chongqing, China are hewn from the cliffside, featuring more than 5,000 statues and over 100,000 Chinese characters of inscriptions or epigraphs. Though Buddhist statues dominate, Taoist and Confucian figures can also be seen which is rather rare in Chinese grotto art. The carvings were made in 650 CE in the Tang Dynasty and continued in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).

Petra, Jordan

The city of Petra in Jordan is known as a setting of the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It’s also one of the new 7 wonders of the world, and it’s easy to see why – its majestic rock-cut architecture is among the most sophisticated ever seen. Built into the slope of Mount Hor, Petra flourished during Roman times but was unknown to the western world until 1812 when discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Over 800 individual monuments can be seen in Petra, including tombs, baths, funerary halls and temples.

Goa Gajah, Elephant Cave Temple, Bali

Goa Gojah, the Elephant Cave Temple, is one of Bali’s most historically significant sites. The cave was apparently partially destroyed by a natural disaster long ago, and was undetected for centuries until a team of Dutch archeologists stumbled upon it in 1923. Thought to have been built in the 11th century, Goa Gojah features statuary influenced by both Hinduism and Buddhism and contains secret meditation chambers for priests or hermits. Two traditional bathing pools outside the cave contain water said to have magical properties.

Churches of Ivanovo, Bulgaria

In the Ruse area of Bulgaria, there are a set of monolithic churches, chapels and monasteries hewn from solid rock known as the Churches of Ivanovo. Though the presence of these churches in the cliffside is impressive in itself, the structures are best known for their beautiful and well-preserved medieval frescoes. Christian monks dug out the caves and made the churches in the 13th century and though it’s a bit easier to access now, centuries ago people had to climb the cliff with ropes to get inside.

Temples of Damanhur, Valchuisella, Italy

Viewing photos of the Temples of Damanhur, carved into the rock under the village of Valchuisella, Italy, one might think they’re an ancient wonder. But what the Italian government has deemed “the 8th wonder of the world” is actually a modern product of one man’s very active imagination. A 57-year-old former insurance broker created the ornate temples, occupying almost 300,000 cubic feet, in secret over a period of 16 years. Oberto Airaudi selected the hillside for its sturdy rock, built an unassuming house and began excavating underneath it. The self-described ‘paranormal’ eccentric had volunteers work in 4-hour shifts to create the nine chambers full of astonishing murals, mosaics, statues, secret doors and stained glass windows. Airaudi’s entire story is a long and bizarre one, and though some may deem his creations a bit gaudy, the fact that he pulled all of this off certainly is amazing.

The Wonderful World of Religious Drug And Alcohol Use

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Drug use throughout our history has developed from a intensely sacred and religious practice, to a intensely secular and recreational one. The origins of many controlled substances is with Shamans and Buddhists, with native cultures and ancient civilizations. Many of these traditions have been all but lost, yet they exist still in records and stories. Others are still alive and flourishing, with the drugs uses and use being celebrated and giggled at.

Protestants/Catholics

Alcohol, and specifically wine, are still used in modern day Christian and Catholic ceremonies, taken as a sacrament during worship. Roman Catholic's believe that during the mass, the wine becomes Jesus Christ's blood, and is drank as such. Although Christians don't believe the same, they still drink the wine as part of the ceremony they participate in, to promote community and celebrate God.

Hindu Gurus

Cannabis has been used by Hindu Gurus since as early as 1500 BCE. The use of the drug is in worship of the god Shiva, also known as the supreme god. Not a bad way to worship your god as you're digging your way through a bag of crunchy Cheetos. The smoking of the drug is said to cleanse sins, unite one with Shiva, and avoid the miseries of hell and the after-life.

Mazatec Shamans

Salvia divinorum, also known as the Sage of the Seers, is an herb used around Oaxaca, Mexico by shamans. These shamans take the herb in tea form, crushing the plant and infusing it with hot water. It's used for religious healing ceremonies and provides the user with a psychedelic experience that can include uncontrollable laughter, becoming objects, and feelings of motion.

Amazonian Indians

Ayahuasca is an infusion of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine found in the Amazon, and prepared typically as tea drink. The drug is used for religious ceremonies, as well as to cure diseases and addictions. Taking the drug results is serious hallucinations, as well as copious amounts of vomiting and diarrhea. Maybe thats why its used to cleanse the body of worms.

Russian Shamans

Amanita muscaria, also known as the Flying Agaric, is a hallucinogenic mushroom used in Siberia by shamans. Typically, the shaman would take the mushrooms, and his followers would then drink the shaman's urine to also feel the effects. The purpose of the drug was to acheive a trance-state, and hopefully not as an excuse to drink someone else's piss. Typically side effects include twitching, seizures, and potentially comas.

Middle Eastern Sufis

Cannabis has been used by some sects Islam for centuries - although some Orthodox Muslims claim the drug is and intoxicant, and therefore haraam (forbidden). But, within the Sufi religious order the use is encouraged, claiming that the drug is not an intoxicant, but allows the user to achieve a higher state of awareness. That and a more talkative and animated couple of hours.

North American Indians

Peyote is a small cactus used by American Indians to trigger periods of deep insight and introspection. As well, the drug is used to treat everything from toothaches to breast pain, as well as child birth. Lets just hope a six year old doesn't complain of a toothache, or he's in for a 10 to 12 hour ride of his life. Peyote is only legal for "bonafide religious ceremonies", but its legal to generally possess in some states.

Central Americans

Damiana is an herb that is both smoked and brewed into tea, its affects are said to be more mild than cannabis. Its uses are to promote a deep sense of relaxation, as well as create lucid dreams for the user. The medicinal benefits of the drug are in treating everything from constipation to coughs to depression. The tea is also brewed and used as an aphrodisiac in Central and South America.

Aztecs

LSA, also known as Morning Glory Seed, was eaten by the Aztecs as a sacrament to their higher power. Eating the seeds led to a tired, dreamy state, with an inability to maintain clear thoughts. The seeds also caused hallucinations, which could explain why the Aztecs decided to butcher 84,000 of their people in four days in the name of the reconstruction of a temple.

Hawaiians

Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds are consumed to produce a psychedelic effect that leads to visions, cramping, and nausea. The drug was taken by indigenous Hawaiians in connection with worship and festivities. The drug lasts between 4 and 14 hours and can be easily cultivated, as it is essentially a weed.

Chinese Confuscists

Opium has been smoked in China for centuries, and the practice still continues among the elderly. The cultivation of opium was originally intended for Chinese ritual use, as well as medicinal purposes. The effects of opium are everything from relief from pain to a sense of well being. The drug has been prohibited and reintroduced to China many times, it is now a controlled substance with varying forms being used for pain relief.

Thai Buddhists

Kratom is said to produce a sense of well-being, with users reporting anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, analgesic, and even euphorigenic effects. The drug is used as both a depressant and a stimulant, and is typically chewed by the user continuously. Buddhist monks chew the drug consistently while in meditation to achieve a sense of heightened awareness and euphoria.

Ancient Greeks

Entheogen was used by oracles in ancient Greece to induce a state of revelation. The drug was typically drank in the form of Kykeon, a drink that was fermented from barley, herbs, and ground goat cheese. Apparently the oracle of Delphi made her prophisies while drinking Kykeon, which could explain why the ancient Greeks had so many issues. It's also said that it was a common drink in ancient Greece, which might explain their creativity, and their downfall.

Iranian Muslims

Khat leaves are often chewed by Muslims, they induce a sense of euphoria and excitement to the user. The drug has essentially the same strength and effect as modern day ecstasy, its religious uses were to induce a sense of euphoria while in prayer.

Rastafarians

Members of the Rastafari movement use cannabis in connection with worshiping God, studying the Bible, and Meditation. Rastafarian's see cannabis as spiritually beneficial, specifically referring to it as the "Tree of Life" discussed in the Bible. The plant is also an integral part of the "reasoning sessions" it's members participate in to discuss life and achieve a higher sense of understanding of the world around them.

10 Extremely Weird Religions

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:39:00 +0000

10 Scientology

Scientology has featured on a previous list, but if I didn’t include it here the comments would be inundated with “where’s scientology?” questions. The Church of Scientology is a cult created by L Ron Hubbard (Elron) in 1952 as an outgrowth of his earlier self-help system called Dianetics. The Church of Scientology holds that at the higher levels of initiation (OT levels) mystical teachings are imparted that may be harmful to unprepared readers. These teachings are kept secret from members who have not reached these levels. In the OT levels, Hubbard explains how to reverse the effects of past-life trauma patterns that supposedly extend millions of years into the past. Among these advanced teachings is the story of Xenu (sometimes Xemu), introduced as an alien ruler of the “Galactic Confederacy.” According to this story, 75 million years ago Xenu brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes and detonated hydrogen bombs in the volcanoes. The thetans then clustered together, stuck to the bodies of the living, and continue to do this today. Scientologists at advanced levels place considerable emphasis on isolating body thetans and neutralizing their ill effects.

9 Creativity Movement

The Creativity Movement (formerly known as World Church Of The Creator), is a white separatist organization that advocates the whites-only religion, Creativity. It was also a descriptive phrase used by Ben Klassen, that included all adherents of the religion. The use of the term creator does not refer to a deity, but rather to themselves (white people). Despite the former use of the word Church in its name, the movement is atheistic. Creativity is a White Separatist religion that was founded by Ben Klassen in early 1973 under the name Church of the Creator. After Klassen’s death in 1993, Creativity almost died out as a religion until the New Church of the Creator was established three years later by Matthew F. Hale as its Pontifex Maximus (high priest), until his incarceration in January 2003 for plotting with the movement’s head of security, Anthony Evola (an FBI informant), to murder a federal judge.

8 Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth

Obviously spelling is not a fundamental part of this religion! Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth (TOPY) was founded in 1981 by members of Psychic TV, Coil, Current 93, and a number of other individuals. The ever-evolving network is a loosely federated group of people operating as a unique blend of artistic collective, and practitioners of magic. TOPY is dedicated to the manifestation of magical concepts lacking mysticism or the worship of gods. The group focuses on the psychic and magical aspects of the human brain linked with “guiltless sexuality”. Throughout its existence, TOPY has been an influential group in the underground Chaos magic scene and in the wider western occult tradition. TOPY’s research has covered both Left-hand path and Right-hand path magick, various elements of psychology, art, music, and a variety of other media. Some of the influences on the network have been Aleister Crowley, Austin Osman Spare, and Brion Gysin.

7 Nation of Yahweh

The Nation of Yahweh is a predominantly African-American religious group that is the most controversial offshoot of the Black Hebrew Israelites line of thought. They were founded in 1979 in Miami by Hulon Mitchell, Jr., who went by the name Yahweh ben Yahweh. Their goal is to return African Americans, whom they see as the original Israelites, to Israel. The group departs from mainstream Christianity and Judaism by accepting Yahweh ben Yahweh as the Son of God. In this way, their beliefs are unique and distinct from that of other known Black Hebrew Israelite groups. The group has engendered controversy due to legal issues of its founder and has also faced accusations of being a black supremacist cult by the Southern Poverty Law Center and The Miami Herald. The SPLC has criticized the beliefs of the Nation of Yahweh as racist, stating that the group believed blacks are “the true Jews” and that whites were “white devils.” They also claim the group believed Yahweh ben Yahweh had a Messianic mission to vanquish whites and that they held views similar to the Christian Identity movement.

6 Church of All Worlds

The Church of All Worlds is a neo-pagan religion founded in 1962 by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and his wife Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart. The religion evolved from a group of friends and lovers who were in part inspired by a fictional religion of the same name in the science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein; the church’s mythology includes science fiction to this day. They recognize “Gaea,” the Earth Mother Goddess and the Father God, as well as the realm of Faeries and the deities of many other pantheons. Many of their ritual celebrations are centered on the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. Following the tradition of using fiction as a basis for his ideas, Zell-Ravenheart recently founded The Grey School of Wizardry inspired in part by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school in the Harry Potter novels.

5 Universe People

Universe people or Cosmic people of light powers (Czech: Vesmírní lidé sil světla) is a Czech religious movement centered around Ivo A. Benda. Its belief system is based upon the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations communicating with Benda and other “contacters” since October 1997 telepathically and later even by direct personal contact. According to Benda those civilizations operate a fleet of spaceships, led by Ashtar Sheran, orbiting the Earth. They closely watch and help the good and are waiting to transport their followers into another dimension. The Universe People’s teachings incorporate various elements from ufology (some foreign “contacters” are credited, though often also renounced after a time as misguided or deceptive), Christianity (Jesus was a “fine-vibrations” being) and conspiracy theories (forces of evil are supposed to plan compulsory chipping of the population).

4 Church of the SubGenius

The Church of the SubGenius is a parody religion that promotes slack, while in a meta-commentarial way, satirizes religion, conspiracy theories, UFOs, and popular culture. The church claims to have been founded in the 1950s by the “world’s greatest salesman” J. R. “Bob” Dobbs. “Bob” Dobbs is depicted as a cartoon of a Ward Cleaver-like man smoking a pipe. The church really started with the publication of SubGenius Pamphlet #1 in 1979. It found acceptance in underground pop-culture circles and has been embraced on college campuses, in the underground music scene, and on the Internet. An important SubGenius event occurred on July 5, 1998: X-Day. The Church had been predicting that on this day the world would be destroyed by invading alien armies known as the X-ists (which is short for “Men from Planet X”). When the event didn’t come to pass, the church administrator who predicted it was tarred and feathered – but allowed to continue on as administrator. Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) is a SubGenius minister. Patrick Volkerding, the founder and maintainer of Slackware Linux, is also a SubGenius affiliate, and he has confirmed the Church and “Bob” inspired the name for Slackware.

3 Prince Philip Movement

The Prince Philip Movement is a cargo cult of the Yaohnanen tribe on the southern island of Tanna in Vanuatu. The Yaohnanen believe that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the consort to Queen Elizabeth II, is a divine being, the pale-skinned son of a mountain spirit and brother of John Frum. According to ancient tales the son travelled over the seas to a distant land, married a powerful lady and would in time return. The villagers had observed the respect accorded to Queen Elizabeth II by colonial officials and came to the conclusion that her husband, Prince Philip, must be the son from their legends. When the cult formed is unclear, but it is likely that it was sometime in the 1950s or 1960s. Their beliefs were strengthened by the royal couple’s official visit to Vanuatu in 1974 when a few villagers had the opportunity to observe the prince from afar. Prince Philip was made aware of the religion and has exchanged gifts with its leaders and even visited them.

2 The Church of Euthanasia

The Church of Euthanasia (CoE), is a political organization started by the Reverend Chris Korda (pictured above) in the Boston, Massachusetts area of the United States. According to the church’s website, it is “a non-profit educational foundation devoted to restoring balance between Humans and the remaining species on Earth.” The CoE uses sermons, music, culture jamming, publicity stunts and direct action combined with an underlying sense of satire and black humor to highlight Earth’s unsustainable population. The CoE is notorious for its conflicts with Pro-life Christian activists. According to the church’s website, the one commandment is “Thou shalt not procreate”. The CoE further asserts four principal pillars: suicide, abortion, cannibalism (”strictly limited to consumption of the already dead”), and sodomy (”any sexual act not intended for procreation”). Slogans employed by the group include “Save the Planet, Kill Yourself”, “Six Billion Humans Can’t Be Wrong”, and “Eat a Queer Fetus for Jesus”, all of which are intended to mix inflammatory issues to unnerve those who oppose abortion and homosexuality.

1 Nuwaubianism

Nuwaubianism is an umbrella term used to refer to the doctrines and teachings of the followers of Dwight York. The Nuwaubians originated as a Black Muslim group in New York in the 1970s, and have gone through many changes since. Eventually, the group established a headquarters in Putnam County, Georgia in 1993, which they have since abandoned. York is now in prison after having been convicted on money laundering and child molestation charges, but Nuwaubianism endures. York developed Nuwaubianism by drawing on a wide range of sources which include Theosophy-derived New Age movements such as Astara as well as the Rosicrucians, Freemasonry, the Shriners, the Moorish Science Temple of America, the revisionist Christianity & Islam and the Qadiani cult of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the numerology of Rashad Khalifa, and the ancient astronaut theories of Zecharia Sitchin. White people are said in one Nuwaubian myth to have been originally created as a race of killers to serve blacks as a slave army, but this plan went awry. Here is a list of some of the more unusual Nuwaubian beliefs:

1. It is important to bury the afterbirth so that Satan does not use it to make a duplicate of the recently-born child
2. Furthermore, some aborted fetuses survive their abortion to live in the sewers, where they are being gathered and organized to take over the world
3. People were once perfectly symmetrical and ambidextrous, but then a meteorite struck Earth and tilted its axis causing handedness and shifting the heart off-center in the chest
4. Each of us has seven clones living in different parts of the world
5. Women existed for many generations before they invented men through genetic manipulation
6. Homo sapiens is the result of cloning experiments that were done on Mars using Homo erectus
7. Nikola Tesla came from the planet Venus
8. The Illuminati have nurtured a child, Satan’s son, who was born on 6 June 1966 at the Dakota House on 72nd Street in New York to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis of the Rothschild/Kennedy families. The Pope was present at the birth and performed necromantic ceremonies. The child was raised by former U.S. president Richard Nixon and now lives in Belgium, where it is hooked up bodily to a computer called “The Beast 3M” or “3666.”

The Nuwaubians built a city modelled on Ancient Egyptian buildings in Putnam County, Georgia (pictured above). It has now been demolished.

OLD HOUSE OF PROPHED MOHAMMED (P.B.U.H)

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:28:00 +0000

OLD HOUSE OF PROPHED MOHAMMED (P.B.U.H)

Biggest Hand Written Quran Kareem

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:25:00 +0000

AJMER, India--Sayeed Najmul Hasan Chishti, 56, has prepared a 63 pages, 8 feet broad and 5 feet long. Quran-setting the new world record for the Biggest hand-written Quran.

"It's the biggest Quran in terms of size and font, which was compiled in one volume," Chishti said, adding, "It has 63 pages and the size of each page is 60x88 inch."

"Each page has a colourful border around the text, featuring flowers of different sizes and seasons," he said, adding, "At the beginning of each surah (verse), the word ‘Bismillah' (in the name of God) is written in a different calligraphic styles, which go back to the Prophet Mohammed's time," he said.

Chishti, a Sufi research scholar and a khadim at the dargah, said the Quran represents the true essence of Quranic calligraphy. "I feel honoured after accomplishing the gigantic feat," he said, add-ing that every page has an average of 40 lines.

Chishti said he began his professional life as an Urdu teacher in a government school, but gave it up in 2003 for the devotional endeavours. "Thereafter, I dedicated my life to this Quran," Chishti, who is also a Urdu poet and writer, said.

He has used a special kind of paper that absorbs the ink and does not get smudged. The letters measures 2 to 3 inches. He has used golden lettering in all those places where the word Allah appears.

He said the moral support of his family was crucial in accomplishing the extraordinary feat. "My family supported me with creative ideas to enrich the style of writing. Valuable suggestions from my daughters helped me in coming up with innovative styles of calligraphy," he said.

On the occasion of 796 Urs of Khwaja Garib Nawaj Chisti the devotees will be able to see the biggest Quran of the world which will be kept in the dargah premises. The dargah committee agreed to display the Quran for Zayreens who will come here to participate in the Urs.

Najmul said that the dargah committee agreed to display the Koran in the premises and for the book the committee is constructing a glass display cabin. Proper lighting will be done inside and a security guard will be deputed in front of the cabin

Islam and Science

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:17:00 +0000

OBSERVATION
Many modern scientific theories have some reference in the Quran.
This reveals that the Quran is truly a miracle and a word of God.

For e.g ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE

•A question that has troubled the human mind for ages!

•Explanation based on religious or scientific ideas which often contradict one another.

•However, a study of the Quran reveals that there is a fantastic inter-relationship between religion and science.
•In fact the creation is a sign of the creator, studying the creation should create a sense of humility and closeness towards Allah:

Eg. In the creation of the heavens and the earth….
•O our lord, you have not created all of this in vain..

•Science explains two possibilities:

1.STEADY STATE:
Universe is infinite
No beginning, no end
Everything has been the way it is

2. BIG BANG:
Universe has a beginning
•Perhaps an end
•Space, time and matter came into existence at an instant
•From the explosion of a compact mass called a singularity!
•All of the matter that makes up the universe is a result of that explosion.
•Most scientists, prefer this explanation because it explains all other observations better. Eg. Concept of back ground radiation and expansion of universe

The Quran
21:30

“Don’t the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were one unit of creation, we then split them asunder (separated them)… “

Based on this Ayat we understand that the concept of the big bang in fact has an element of truth!
(Most scientists do not agree with the steady state anymore).

FORMATION OF A SOLAR SYSTEM:

Science explains:

•Big bang – hot fragments into space
•Fragments merged with clouds of gas called nebulae
•A cooling process began – giving rise to ball like structures – planets
•Heat that was generated due to the cooling process, accumulated in the centre – heated up the central body – became the sun.

The Quran
41:11

“Then he turned to the heaven and it was smoke. So he said to it and to the earth – come you two, willingly or unwillingly – They said – we come willingly”

Following ideas confirmed by this verse:
•Presence of smoke in the initial stages of the universe (nebulae)
•Merging of the smoke and the earth (perhaps the fragments)

BALANCING THE SYSTEM:

•Formation of planets and sun is not sufficient, they have to be held in their positions for a system to come about else all would scatter in space.

Science explains:
This balance is provided by gravity. Force by which one body pulls another towards it. Thereby holding each other in place

The Quran:
55:7

“ And the sky, he raised it and set the balance”
(Gravity may be the balance that is being referred to here).

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS:

Science explains:
Planets move around the sun in orbits.This is due to gravity and also central force of the sun.

The Quran:
21:33

“He it is who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, all swim along, each in its rounded course.”

EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE:
•Quite a recent discovery by Hubble telescope that the Universe expands like a balloon.

The Quran:
51:47

“We have built the heaven with might, and verily we are expanding it.”

WILL THERE BE AN END?

Science says YES!
Expansion will not go on forever
One day gravity will overcome the expansion
This will give rise to contraction
BIG CRUNCH!

The Quran:
Many verses explain the day of judgment

WONDER OF MUSLIMS

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 30 May 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Topkapi Palace of Istanbul which turns into a museum

Special thing about dis museum is the golden shrine that used to contain the cloak of the prophet Mohammed(P.B.U.H).....The Pavilion of the Holy Mantle (previously called the "Privy Chamber") was constructed by Sinan under the reign of Murad III. It holds the cloak of Mohammed(P.B.U.H), his sword, one tooth, a hair of his beard, his battle sabres, an autographed letter and other relics which are known as the Sacred Trusts. Several other sacred objects are on display, such as the swords of the first four Caliphs, the staff of Moses, the turban of Joseph and a carpet of the daughter of Mohammed.Some images of them i m posting here.....

Casket containing da holy soil from da tomb of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)...

SOme HAir From DA BLesseD BEAR......

Reliquary containing da Blessed teeth(Dandan-e-saadet)of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)....

Chest (case) containing the Holy Mantle of Prophet Muhammad and the banner ((Sancak-i Serif)...(Mantle is cloak.,blanket or a form of cloth).....

LeTTEr OF PROPHET(P.B.U.H)...

THE Blessed Footprint(Qadamgah) of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)..

Noble Sword Of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)....

Battle sabres..(A fencing sword with a v-shaped blade and a slightly curved handle)....

Sword COver of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)....

RING..

Casket containg soil from holy KAABA....

Sword of HAzrat Abu Bakar n Hazrat Usman....

SWord of Hazar Umar n Hazrat ALi.....

Sword OF Jaffar-e-tayyar n Khalid bin waleed.....

Trusting Allah

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:15:00 +0000

At some point in our lives, we have all had our trust betrayed. There exist few of us who trust anyone implicitly. The same goes for principles or philosophies. We have trusted them, only to be disappointed. In the same light, we have followed religious scholars, only to find that they too have betrayed us - either by being undereducated or imperfect. Maybe that is why it is so hard for us to let go of ourselves and truly trust Allah.

When we start to analyze a command, we find in it things we can not explain or fully understand, so we stop doing it or do the thing which was forbidden to us, because the opposite does not make sense to us. Let me put that in more specific terms: We know that at the 120th day of life, Allah writes for us our sustenance (risq).

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, "Allah puts an angel in charge of the uterus and the angel says, 'O Lord, (it is) semen! O Lord, (it is now ) a clot! O Lord, (it is now) a piece of flesh.' And then, if Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel asks, 'O Lord, (will it be) a male or a female? A wretched (an evil doer) or a blessed (doer of good)? How much will his provisions be? What will his age be?' So all that is written while the creature is still in the mother's womb."
[Sahih al-Bukhari, 8; 77 #594]

We know that Allah has planned out our jobs and our income. Yet, we may shave our beard or take off the hijab when we go for an interview because we are afraid that we will not get a particular job. There is a huge contradiction in our beliefs here. If we know that what is for us is for us, then why are we going against Allah's orders to achieve the objective. The reason is simple. We are not trusting Allah.

This is a sad fact. Even though we know that Allah is our Lord and Protector, we have a hard time letting go and allowing ourselves to trust that He will protect us. I doubt we do this intentionally, it is shaytan, whispering to us, "The people will not understand, so shave the beard, maybe later you can grow it again" or "There is no way someone will hire you with that thing on your head, take it off."

We make excuses, like, my deen is in my heart, not what I show, even though we have been told:

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle but now there is no longer any more (new revelation). Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favor the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good
[Sahih al-Bukhari 3;48 #809]

Even, we may leave our prayers until after they have expired because we fear being watched or something happening to us while we are praying. There is no trust that Allah will protect us, give us our risq or take care of us. We have to learn to truly trust Allah. Allah says,

When two parties from among you had determined that they should show cowardice and Allah was the guardian of them both, and in Allah should the believers trust
[Surah Ali-Imran; 3:122]

And

If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, Let believers put their trust
[Surah Ali-Imran; 3:160]

It does not matter what you do, obey or disobey, the result will be that you will receive what Allah has ordained for you. You can not add to it or subtract from it. What you do is either benefit yourself with the blessings of obedience or harm yourself with the fruits of your disobedience. We have been told that what is for us can't miss us and what is not for us can't hit us.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: I heard Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) as saying: Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water
[Sahih Muslim 32, #6416]

We have to learn to trust that Allah will take care of us when we obey Him and that He will withdrawal His Great Mercy when we disobey. Every morning the bird goes out to seek the provision Allah has given him, and every night he comes home with it. Allah has promised us our provision.

Umar Ibin Al Khattab narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger say,
'If you were to trust in Allah genuinely, He would give you provision as He does for the birds which go out hungry in the morning and come back full in the evening'
[at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah sahih].

Also, we need to stop thinking that having done a good where things did not work out as we expected would have turned out differently if we had done the wrong thing instead. Let us say one of us goes to an interview in hijab and then is denied the job. To assume that it was because of the hijab is wrong. We have to remember that this person can not keep Allah's Qadr from us. This interviewer can not stop what Allah wants to happen from happening.

Ibin Abbas narrated that one day he was riding behind Allah's Messenger and he said, "Young man, if you are mindful of Allah, He will be mindful of you, and if you are mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. When you ask for anything, ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help in Allah. Know that if the people were to unite to do you some benefit, they could benefit you only what Allah has recorded for you, and if they were to unite to do you some injury, they could injure you only with what Allah has recorded for you. The pens are withdrawn and the pages are dry
[Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi sahih].

Also,

Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:
A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your "if" opens the (gate for the Satan)
[Sahih Muslim, 32, #6441]

Also, we need to accept that not getting the job was indeed best for us.

Suhaib reported that Allah's Messenger said, "It is remarkable that everything turns out well for a believer while that applies only to a believer. If happiness befalls him, he gives thanks, and it turns out well for him, and if misfortune befalls him, he shows endurance (patience) and it turns out well for him
[Sahih Muslim]

We need to stop thinking that the key to the truth is only what we can understand or what we know. There is a point when we have to submit, be Muslims and say, labaik Allahuma Labaik. We have to obey without fighting it because we know that there is Justice and Mercy in it, even though we can not see it right now. When the verse of hijab was revealed, the ansar women went and immediately covered themselves.

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Safiyyah, daughter of Shaybah, said that Aisha mentioned the women of Ansar, praised them and said good words about them. She then said: When Surah an-Nur came down, they took the curtains, tore them and made head covers (veils) of them.
[Sunan Abu Dawud: Book 32, #4089]

They did not analyse it, or think about how this is an oppression for women or a humiliation or anything of this sort, they obeyed. When the verse forbidding alcohol was revealed, the companions literally spat it out of their mouths. No arguing, no questioning. They trusted that Allah Knows Best. We need to stop worshipping our minds so much and start worshipping Allah more. We need to stop trusting our minds so much and trust Allah more.

Trusting in Allah means that when we hear a command, we obey it. We recognize that we are limited and that Allah has no limits. He Knows what we do not know. We do not try to explain away the commands of Allah by saying that it is for another time or another people. We don not say that what Allah has commanded for us is oppressive. We accept and obey. This is faith and trust.

Narrated Imran ibn Husayn: The Apostle of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: Seventy thousand people of my Ummah would be admitted into Paradise without rendering any account. They (the companions) said: Who would be those (fortunate persons)? He (the Prophet) said: Those who do not cauterise and practise charm, but repose trust in their Lord
[Sahih Muslim: Book 1, #422].

There is much reward in trusting Allah, paradise. There is sin in distrusting Him. We need to stop relying on our desires our minds our version of logic and realize that Allah is the one who Knows while we know not. Allah is the Wise, and His judgements are wise by default. Allah is the Just and His verdicts are Just by default. We can not see everything in every issue as Allah can, so why do we insist on believing that our minds can be trusted before or instead of Allah?

I pray to You, O Allah, to make us trust you and only you. May you make us of the Trusting and keep us from trusting or worshipping our minds before you.
Ameen.

Taqwah

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Have you ever thought that we’ve forgotten all about death, the punishment in the grave, being accountable for our actionsand basically why we were created?
You see we have lost the fear of God (Taqwah) in our hearts. Taqwah is such a powerful tool that if one acquires it then they will never be involved in crime or meaningless actions fora million, billion, trillion years…(a long time if you know what I mean.)

So what is Taqwah all about then and how can one become God-fearing (muttaqi)? What is Taqwah? This is a question once asked by Abdullah ibn Umar (radiAllahu anhu) of Ubbay ibn Ka’ab (radiAllahu anhu). He replied:
‘...have you ever walked on a path full of thorns?’

Umar (radiAllahu anhu) replied: ‘yes I have’. Ubbay (radiAllahu anhu) asked again ‘what would you do when you are walking on such a path?’

Umar (radiAllahu anhu) answered: I will walk carefully to avoid the thorns.’

Ubbay (radiAllahu anhu) then said: ‘That is Taqwa.’

Just as a person walks carefully on apath of thorns to avoid being pricked, Taqwah causes a person to have a conscience and be careful in their daily life. To always think and question will my actions please Allah Ta'ala and are they within the shariah or will they be pleasing shaitaan?

Taqwah means ‘god consciousness’ – to remember Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is watching everything we do. That we will be questioned on the Day of judgement by Him and be accountable for every second of our lives. If one attains this high state of mind then that person is said to have Taqwah.

Stages of Taqwah

There are many stages of Taqwah, which means that for every group of people there isa different stage of Taqwah to achieve.

1. For non-Muslims it means to embrace Islam.
2. For a Muslim it means to abstain from Haram and to practise fara’iz(obligatory commands).
3. A further stage is also to avoid makruhaat (disliked actions) and to practise all kinds of Sunnah.
4. The next stage of Taqwah is to purify the heart from all kinds of evil things and to decorate it with good qualities such as to only fear Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and to love Allah Ta'ala and His Prophet

Different forms of Taqwa

You’re probably thinking ‘it all sounds OK but how can I actually put this in to action, mate?’. You see, every organ of the body has a special form of Taqwah.The more organs of the body are steadfast on the requirements of Taqwah, the higher stage one achieves.
It does not become complete until all parts of the body stick to the commands of Shariah. So check this out:

Tongue:
Always have something good to say and try to abstain from backbiting, lying and the famous swear words. Words such as ‘al-hamdulillah, masha'Allah, jaza-kallah’ etc. should be spoken on a regular basis. Reading the Qur'an and other books of Islam regularly will help you in achieving Taqwa.

Ears:
Not to listen to dodgy music i.e. Tupac and his sixty billion ‘F’ words should be chucked in the bin for starters. Get your Talawat and nasheed tapes out and see the difference.

Eyes:
Not to lustfully gaze at the opposite sex when you’re out and about, stay away from ‘adult’ movies and magazines....if you know what I mean. Once you’ve mastered this you’re half way there.

Stomach:
Abstain from haram food and drink i.e. No booze, Big Mac, gelatine, animal fat etc.

Hands:
Not to harm anyone unjustly – in other words don’t get involved in pointless gang wars, punch ups etc. A Muslim man should not touch a non-mahram woman ... so the message isto keep your hands to yourselves lads. It’s all about self-control.

Feet:
Not to go to places of sin – pubbing and clubbing come to mind.

Heart:
Love and hate only for the sake of Allah and you will never go wrong.

Private Parts:
To abstain from adultery, fornication and other forms of sex that is unlawful.

A bit heavy isn’t it? Who d’you think I am - the Virgin Mary or something may be your reaction. Well you have to understand that to achieve the above is to achieve perfection so it will take time, effort, commitment and struggle.
The only way to achieve real Taqwah isthe way by which the Sahabah, the Tabi’een and our predecessors achieved this objective and that is through the company and guidance of a pious and spiritual guide/teacher.

The Sahabah (companions of the Prophet) achieved it from the Prophet , the Tabi’een (generation that followed the Sahabah) achieved it from the Sahabah, the great Imams and other predecessors reached this objective from the Tabi’een. (What?*! Read theselines a couple times then you’ll get it!).

None of our predecessors achieved it merely through self - study. So if you want nearness of Allah and His Messenger find a guide for yourself in whose company you can achieve piety Now for many of us this is what wewould like to do but feel it is a bigstep to take at this moment in time.

The Power of Iman

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:12:00 +0000

The popular belief is that if a young person grows up used to doing something, he or she shall grow old doing the same thing, and if he or she grows old doing that same thing, he or she will die doing it.

This belief is generally true because there is an age at which young people learn things and accept new ideas; after that a person becomes less likely to accept change and is settled in his or her behaviour.

There is, however, an exception to this general rule – and that is if iman establishes itself in the heart of a person. Everything changes and age does not pose an obstacle or difficulty.

Examples of course abound but we shall study two examples of a man and a woman whose entire outlook on life in general changed because of their iman. We shall look on some other examples and the effect of Islam and iman on them.

But first the man. He Umar ibn Al Khattab (radiAllahu anhu) who in his days of pre-Islam (Jahilliyah – religious ignorance) had such an unpredictable mind that he worshipped a god (an idol) made of sweets. One day he felt hungry and ate his idol.

It is also related that following the customs of his time, he buried a young daughter of his, alive. His daughter was removing the dust from his beard whilst he was digging her grave….his fatherhood was not even aroused by this!

But when Islam appeared and he began to hear verses of the Holy Qur'an being recited a gradual change was put into motion.
He related that he was ‘charmed’ by the words of the Holy Qur’an and one day as he was trying to convince himself that these words cannot be more than words of a poet, he overheard the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) reciting the verses of Surat Al Haqqah saying:

"So, I do call to witness what you see and what you see not that this is verily the word of an honoured messenger. It is not the word of a poet. Little it is you believe."

Then, he thought to himself: "It must be the word of a soothsayer."

But the recitation continued:

"Nor is it the word of a soothsayer. Little admonition it is you receive. This is a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds."

Islam and true iman transformed this man. His mind is now free…so much so that he chopped off the tree under which the treaty of (Al-Hudaybiyeh) was signed lest people, after a while, treated it as something sacred.

And he stands facing the Black Stone in (Al-Ka'bah) saying:

"Oh Stone. I kiss you knowing that you neither benefit or cause harm. Had not I seen the Messenger of Allah kiss you, I would never have kissed you."

Of his mercy, kindness and fear of Allah stories abound; his kindness and generosity to Muslims and non-Muslims, to man and beast is best shown by this saying after he became Khlifah:

"If a mule trips in the land of the Euphrates, Allah would hold me responsible and ask me why I did not make proper pathways."

Glorified be Allah Who changes the hearts and conditions of men.

And the woman is a well-known poetess named (Al-Khansa’a) who during the period of (Jahilliyah) lost a half-brother of hers in tribal feuds, and she wrote a whole volume of poems mourning her brother (Sakhr).

She was so shocked and saddened by his death that she could not imagine life after him and even contemplated suicide as she stated in one of her poems:

"Sunrise reminds me of (Sakhr) and I remember him every sunset".

"And if it were not for the great number of mourners around me for their brothers, I would have killed myself."

Needless to say, she survived her brother’s death, married and had four male children. She became a Muslim along with her tribe, and that is when she became a changed person.

Her iman made her accompany her four young men (her four sons)on Jihad. On the eve of a decisive battle, she sat with her sons advising them and urging them to discharge their Islamic duty and stand firm against the enemy. Amongst what she said was:

"Oh my sons, you became Muslim by your own free will and emigrated by choice. You know what great rewards Allah has reserved for the Muslims who fight against the unbelievers. The House of Eternal Life is better than the House of the Temporary Life (meaning of this world). Allah, most high, says:

"Oh you who believe, persevere in patience and constancy: vie in such perseverance, strengthen each other and fear Allah that you may prosper."

"Tomorrow, go to your enemies with discerning and seek assistance and victory from Allah. When the battle is joined, go towards the heart of the enemy and fight off their leaders: you shall attain Eternal Bliss."

They fought like true believers and whenever any of them was not in the front line with his brothers, he was reminded of what their elderly mother had said. Eventually, all four men were martyred, one after the other.

When the news of their martyrdom reached their mother, she did not mourn the way she mourned her brother. In true tradition of the Believers she said:

"Praise be to Allah who has honoured me with their deaths. I trust that Allah will join me with them in His Mercy."

What strength did iman place in the arms of the youthful and diminutive Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiAllahu anhu) that enabled him to challenge the best swordsmen of Quraysh who thought no man (let alone a youth) could match their strength or fighting abilities. But, (as Allah says) "It was not you who slew them, it was Allah."

And should anyone think that this is true of people of old; let us dispel this illusion and relate stories about Believers who lived more recently. Furthermore, history shall reveal stories about other men and women of our present age whose strength and courage startles the enemies.

Most of us know the Libyan hero, Umar Al-Mukhtar, who, armed with a sword or at best, a rifle fought the war machine of the Italian army. Both he and the Believers with him cost the Italian army great losses and many casualties. He kept saying to the occupiers: " If your canon breaks my sword, your falsehood shall never break my truth."

When he was finally captured and sentenced to death, he accepted his fate with dignity and honour. Before execution, he was told: "Ask for a pardon, and we shall set you free." He refused, saying: "If you set me free, I shall fight you again!!"

And just over fifty years ago, there lived a gentle scholar named Abul Kalam A’aZad who stood in the dock of a British court, accused of incitement against British rule. In his defence, he delivered what can only be described as a historic document of thirty-six pages in which he said:

" Yes, I did say the present government is unjust. What was I supposed to say? How is it that I am required not to call things by their true names? I am a Muslim, and as a Muslim, I am obliged to stand against tyranny and to tell the people about it."

Then he went on to say:

" Tawheed is the basis of Islam, and it’s opposite is shirk, which Muslims detest. And tawheed teaches Muslims that they should only fear Allah and humble themselves to him alone…whoever fears any other, apart from Allah, is mushrik…and shirk and tawheed are never destined to meet.

From beginning to end, Islam is a call for courage and sacrifice. Death for the sake of the truth is not to be feared.

Allah (awj) says:

"And they fear none but Allah, and sufficient is Allah to call men to account." Allah (awj) also says:

"Is not Allah sufficient for his servant? But they try to frighten you with other gods besides Him. For such as Allah leaves to stray, there can be no guide"

Let the British government know that the Muslim whose Lord has commanded him to welcome death and not keep silent about the truth, is not frightened by the Indian Criminal Law No 124 and that law shall not stop him from being a Muslim and discharging his obligations.

Then he turned to the judge and said:

" As for you, judge, what else can I say to you except what the Believers before me who faced similar conditions said:

"So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree in matters relating to the life of this world."
[Holy Qur’an]

Where Does Allah Fit in the Picture?

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:10:00 +0000

I have written and re-written this class a hundred times in my mind, ever since a sister told me a story. She told me about a young Muslim girl, the daughter of her friend. The girl was sitting in the company of some other girls and the conversation turned to boys. Typical.

The girls were sitting outside the mosque at a picnic bench. While they were talking, a young man passed by, and he overheard one of the girls make a complimentary comment about his looks. Now, the comment was not meant for his ears, and he did not know which of the girls had made the comment. The young man, knowing that this was inappropriate behavior and conversation for the girls, went to the father of one of the girls.

He told the man what had happened, and left it at that. Next, the father went to his daughter and asked her if she knew about this incident. She said that she did. She said she was present at the table and heard the comment, but did not know which one of them had said it. The father knew she was lying, but said nothing. He walked away, showing in his face that he was not pleased with the girl. Later, the girl was talking to this friend of mine, and related the incident. She told her how she did not know what to do because her father was angry with her. The sister looks at the girl and asks her why she lied. The girl answered that she did not want to get her friend in trouble. Now comes the part that truly made me think. So the sister said to her, "What kind of friend is worth displeasing Allah?"

She told the young girl that she had failed at all the stages of the events to remember one key question, "Where does Allah fit into the picture?" Such a simple question, but such a massive meaning. The young girl had failed to think about Allah when she was talking about boys. She had failed to think about Allah when she heard the inappropriate comment. She had failed to think about Allah when she lied to her father. All these stages could have been avoided by thinking about her personal relationship with Allah, not her relationship with each of the people who had filled her day with fitnah and sin. Her love of her friends, in this case, seemed to overshadow her love for Allah.

In a hadith Qudsi, Allah says, on the authority of Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Let not one of you belittle himself.
They said: O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself? He said: He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something, and he does not say [it], so Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such? He say: [It was] out of fear of people. Then He says: Rather it is I whom you should more properly fear.
[Ibn Majah]

The girl had failed to put Allah into the picture. She should have changed the conversation of her friends instead of participating in it. She should have advised her friend and admonished her when she made the comment. She should never have lied. Too often we all fail to fit Allah into the picture. We need to make sure we remember that Allah is the Most Aware of what we are saying and doing and that His Great Knowledge is everywhere.

In hadith Gibriel, we see where Gibriel came to Rasool Allah and asked him several questions, among them was: "...What is Ihsan (perfection)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He sees you..."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 1,2:47]

We need to consider Allah with the sure knowledge that He sees us. He knows what we are doing, saying, thinking, feeling etc... We need to make sure that the actions we make in front of Allah are those we want Him to see. Allah says, And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and whatever good you send before for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do. [2:110].
And the parable of those who spend their property to seek the pleasure of Allah and for the certainty 'of their souls is as the parable of a garden on an elevated ground, upon which heavy rain falls so it brings forth its fruit twofold but if heavy rain does not fall upon it, then light rain (is sufficient); and Allah sees what you do. [2:265].

We need to keep thinking about Allah. We can not allow love for our family, friends or society to divert us from what is truely important:
worshipping Allah, and attaining Jannah.

Allah warns us about our devotion to the things of this life and how it diverts us from what is truly important. This diversion will lead us to an evil end while remembering Allah will bring us the greatest of blessings. Allah says, Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception. [3:185].

We need to constantly remember Allah. Keep Him in the picture, you can say. We need to hold fast to our deen and use our remembrance of Allah as a way to help us be stronger. Allah says, And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided. [3:103].

The reward for remembering Allah is immense. Allah says, Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember-- Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward. [33:35]

Our greatest challenge is to achieve Ihsan. It is hard to think of Allah being present when we don't see Him, but it needs to be our goal to achieve this level of faith. Another young girl I used to know told me about a school trip she took. She had decided to go with her class to a Broadway play that had been brought to her town. She knew it was not appropriate, but she just wanted to see it, to experience it. As she sat there, in the audience, while the men and women were singing and dancing on stage, she said that she suddenly became very scared. She remembered something I had taught her before. She realized that if she died in this place, she would be raised like this on the day of Judgement. She remembered Allah. She said that all she could do was pray to Allah to let her leave this place alive and to forgive her. She did not want to die here and be raised in this condition before Allah on the day of Judgement. I was so proud of her this day, for she had experienced Ihsan, recognition that Allah Sees her. I pray Allah give us all the ability to experience it and to make it a part of us. Our Prophet tells us that the more we do to please Allah, the more dear we become to Him and He to us.

Abu Huraira narrated Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 8,76:509]

O Allah, make us of those who remember you. O Allah, make us of those who love and fear you. O Allah make us of those who please you. O Allah make us of those who live and die for you. Salat wa salaam ala rasul Allah.
[Ameen.]

Subhanak Allahuma wa bihamdik (Glory & praise/gratitude is to You). O Allah, ash-hadu alla illaha illa Ant (I bear witness there is none that has the right to my worship but You), astaghfiruka wa'a tubu illaik (I ask Your forgiveness and repent unto You.)
[Ameen]

Justice in Islam

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:09:00 +0000

"God enjoins justice and kindess, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbids indecency and abomination and wickedness."
[surah Nahl; 16:90]

Justice is perhaps the most important of the supreme values of Islam. In fact, it can be said that the main purpose of revelation and the tasks of Prophets (alayhum salam) has been to establish Justice.

Thus, one of the early scholars of Islam has said that "Where the signs of Justice appear and its face is shown in any way, that is where the Law of God and His religion are found."

Justice is the first principle of social life. It can be shown to govern all relations in life: between ruler and ruled, rich and poor, husband and wife, parents and children.

Even in the ordering of an individual's personal habits, justice must be done to the respective requirements of body, mind and spirit. As we have seen, it is unjust, for example, to neglect your body and its needs in search of spiritual development.

In all Islamic instituations, justice can be seen to be operating: in the lines of congregational salat where no one has precedence over another by virtue of power, wealth or rank; in the equality of all before the law such that no one, whether ruler or criminal turned "prosecution witness", can claim immunity; in the family where no preference should be shown by a parents to one child over others and so on.

In all your dealing, you are required to stand firmly for justice even if it be against yourself and your kith and kin, for love too can lead to injustice.

O you who believe! Be firm in justice as witnesses for God, even in cases against yourselves, your parents or your kin"
[surah Nisa; 4: 135]

And if you give your word, you must be just, even though it be against your kin, and fulfil the covenant of God. For that is what He has Commanded you that you may remember."
[surah An'am; 6: 152]

The fear of committing injustice may even prevent the doing of an act that is otherwise permissible. In fact one of the derived principles of the Shar'iah is that all permissible things are permissible provided that no damage or harm results to others from their practice and that in the event that such damage or harm is suspected or confirmed, the permissible shall be prohibited to avert such damage or harm.

Manners of a Muslim

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Below is a list compiled of various good characteristics. Note which qualities that you have, and which you lack in. Try and better your character, inshaAllah.

Care taken when speaking, think before you talk.

Be honest at all times.

Respect and kindness shown to others

A muslim should help others unless they ask for help in forbidden matters.

Care should be taken when making promises lest one cannot fulfill them.

Be humble and modest.

Be truthful at all times

Think well of others.

Give sincere advice when it is sought by others.

Keep promises and be reliable.

Control ones anger.

Be forgiving

Never indulge in slander/back-biting.

Be modest. Don’t show off.

Refrain from speaking about things that does not concern you

Always be patient.

Think wisely before doing any action.

Defend others when they are absent from slander.

Encourage one another in doing good and obeying and Worshipping Allah

Be generous/charitable without being extravagant

Do not be suspicious of fellow muslims.

Don’t be nosey in matters that don’t concern you.

Don’t lie.

Don’t boast.

Don’t be proud and don’t draw attention to ones own good deeds.

Don’t speak in loud/rude tones

Don’t praise or flatter someone when they are in front of you

Don’t ridicule or scoff at others. Treat with respect.

Be obedient to Allah, offer the 5 prayers and obey the Qur'an & Sunnah.

Interesting Islamic Facts

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:04:00 +0000

The Majority of muslims do not live in the middle East. The most populous muslim country is Indonesia, the 4th largest country in the world with 184 million muslims

There are more muslims in India than the combined population of Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.

The following English words are borrowed from Arabic: Algebra, Zero, Cotton, Sofa, Rice, Candy, Safron, Balcony. And even 'alchohol' derives from Arabic : al-kuhl meaning powder. These are just a few mentioned here.

The first treatise on smallpox and measles was written by Abu Bakr alrazi (c.864-925,known to Europe as Rhazes). (Due to this) Inoculation agianst smallpox became a common practise in muslim lands. Despite this , Scientific text book credit the invention of a smallpox vaccine to Edward Jenner.(1749-1823).

Early Oxbridge students studied books written by muslims on mathematics, medicine, chemistry, optics and astronomy.

Adelard of Bath (a city in the UK) was a leading scholar of the middle ages. what made him famous was translating the word of muslim scientists from Arabic to latin!

The 1860 city records of Cardiff (UK) show a masjid in operation in a converted building at 2 Glynrhondda St. Yemani sea men on their trips between Aden (in Yemen) and Cardiff founded this masjid.

The first purpose built masjid is claimed to be in Woking (South of England) with money provided by the ruler of Bhopal, in India (the Shah Jehan masjid was built in 1889).

The Islamic calender is based on the phases of the moon, with it being approximately 11 days shorter than the 365 days of the year in the Julien calender. Hence, the dates of our festivals move through the year.

The grand doors of our prophets (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Medina weigh 2 and half tonnes each! Enormous quantities of "sag wood" was gathered from all over the world and shipped to the united kingdom to be dryed in computerised furnaces (the traditional drying process would have taken many years!). Even then , it took 5 months to dry the wood! the wood was then shipped to Barcelona (Spain), Where the main body of the doors where made. And finally the French even paid their little part, as the brass ornamentation was carried out in the city of Roi (France). Next time you visit the holy masjid, keep this entire in mind!

The Zam Zam well came into existance at the time of prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (alayhum salam). It then "dissapeared" for nearly 26 centuries (2600 years) due to the certain events and was rediscovered and dug by the grandfather of our beloved prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). The location of the well was revealed to him in a dream.

It was only in 1932 the Kiswah (cloth of the Ka'bah) was wholly made by Saudis (citizens of Saudi Arabia).

The roof top of our prophet's (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Madina is disigned to be strong enough to carry addtional floors in the future.

The black stone (as it is known), Cannot really be described in full, because the parts we touch with our hands and "Kiss" , are eight small pieces, the biggest of which is the size of a date.

Adam (alayhis salam) was 30 Ziraa tall. Ziraa is a measurement and one Ziraa is approximately half a metre.

Islam - The Easy Way

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:03:00 +0000

One of the terms used by the Qur'an during the early Makkan period to describe Islam was Al-Yusraa, or 'The Easy Way'. This is simply because Islam was, and is the natural way of life. Indeed, whatever is natural for human beings should be easy for them in every way, hence cause them to gravitate towards it easily, and consequently bring harmony, peace and tranquillity to their lives. Since the Qur'an is the book upon which the Islamic way of life is built, then the Qur'an has to be easy to understand and follow-it is 'The Easy Way'.
This view that Islam is easy to understand and practice, is one which is derived from the primary sources of Islam. In the Qur'an, Allah comforts us by continuously reassuring us that He desires for us ease not hardship, despite the seemingly formidable trials and tribulations that we may sometimes face. He says: "God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship" [2: 185]; "Truly with hardship comes ease' [94: 6];
"God will assuredly appoint, after difficulty; easiness" [65: 7]; 'Whoso fears God, God will appoint for him, of His command, easiness" [65: 4];
"We shall speak to him, of our command, easiness" [18: 88];
"God desires to lighten things for you, for the human being has been created weak" [94: 28].

In addition to the Quran, the Hadith literature is also replete with references exhorting us to adopt a balanced and simple approach to life. Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has advised us: 'This Deen or way of life is easy But if anyone overdoes it, it gets the better of him. So keep to the right course, approximate to perfection, rejoice, and ask for help in the mornings, the evenings, and some of the latter part of the night'
[Sahih al-Bukhari].

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has also praised those who adopt a moderate approach to 'ibadah or worship. Ibadab, he said, should be done with freshness of heart, not an exhausting routine carried out in spite of fatigue.
'Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired [of giving rewards] till you get bored and tired [of performing good deeds! ... and the most beloved deed to Allah is the one which is done regularly even if it is little'
[Sahih al-Bukhari].

Islam is not Complex

Islam is not a way of life that is complex or difficult. Rather it is the human being who practises Islam who often makes it difficult-and then, complexity overtakes him so that eventually he is unable to cope with even the simplest of tasks. That it is possible for every person to understand and practice Islam is assured by the following three principles:

Firstly, the basic beliefs contain no mystery and are therefore easy to comprehend. Every tenet in Islam is subject to analysis and inquiry. Moreover, Islam does not present stumbling blocks to the mind. Islam does not present concepts or ideas which the intellect cannot grasp. Even the simplest of minds can understand its basic beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that its beliefs are universal.

Secondly, the most important and stringent obligations ordained upon Muslims are easy to undertake. That is, the duties and obligations laid down by Allah have been graded. And, it is the wisdom of Allah that the greater the importance He has attached to any act, the easier it is for everyone to accomplish it. Thus, for example, the five daily Salat (Prayers) and Sawm (fasting) during the month of Ramadan are compulsory upon everyone, since they are within every-one 5 reach to accomplish. Zakat (almsgiving) and Hajj (pilgrimage), on the other hand, though fundamental pillars of Islam, are not compulsory upon everyone. If it were made compulsory upon everyone, then those who did not possess the financial means would be unable to carry out these duties. In such cases, it would not have been possible for everyone to practice Islam in all its facets. Therefore, these duties are obligatory only upon those who have the means to do so.

Thirdly, there are provisions for derogation when it is genuinely not possible for someone to fulfil an obligation. For instance, if a person is genuinely unable to stand up and pray, then he is permitted to sit down or even lie down and pray. Similarly, if there is no water available to perform the wudu or ablution before prayer, then one can make tayammum, which is a simple dry ablution performed by using clean earth or dust. Therefore, even when there appear to be difficulties, if one looks closely at the Shari'ah or Islamic legal code as a whole, one will find so many rules relating to derogation that enable one to practice Islam very easily-and this is the case regardless of the problem: political, economic or simply personal. Indeed, throughout the Quran various provisions have been made to ease things for travellers, for the sick, for pregnant or nursing women, for the old and for the poor, for on no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear [7: 42] and 'He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion' [22: 78].
Therefore, as long as one possesses the basic tools-a sound knowledge of what is stated in the Shari'ah regarding a particular matter and an awareness of the responsibility for ones own actions-a person may decide for himself when to derogate from the standard. Thus, although according to the Shari'ah it is haram (or unlawful) to eat pork, if someone is on the brink of starvation and the only food available is this pork, then one can decide for oneself whether and when to consume this haram meat in order to survive, and thereby derogate from the standard. Of course, this does not make the pork halal or lawful, but neither will one be punished for committing a haram or prohibited act, so long as it is necessary for one's essential well being as a Muslim.

The Path of Moderation

Moderation which leads to balance, is a fundamental and distinguishing feature of Islam. Allah tells us: "We have made you a nation justly balanced" [2: 143]. Additionally, when the Quranic verse "As to monasticism which they themselves invented, We did not prescribe any of it for them" [57: 27] was revealed, the Prophet Muhammad commented: 'Do not overburden yourselves, lest you perish. People [before you] overburdened themselves and perished. Their remains are found in hermitages and monasteries'
[Musnad of Abu Ya'la].
In other words, excesses may eventually develop into large problems and even become a threat to the well being and security of the Muslim community.

Indeed, the Prophet always resisted any tendency towards religious excessiveness. He once said to his close Companion Abdullali ibn 'Amr: 'Have I heard tight that you fast everyday and stand in prayer all night?' Abdullah replied, 'Yes, 0 Messenger of God: The Prophet said, 'Do not do that. Fast, as well as, eat and drink. Stand in prayer, as well as, sleep. This is because your body has a right upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a right upon you
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]. Abiding by the will of Allah requires that we seek and maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations that demand our attention; between our obligations to Allah, our obligations towards others and our obligations towards ourselves. Moreover, whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always chose the easier, unless it was explicitly forbidden (Bukhari).

Maintaining a Joyful Disposition

Allah wants us to enjoy ourselves not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. Allah tells us in the Quran to pray for both "the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter"
[2: 201].

Additionally the Quran speaks extensively about the enjoyment of life: 'O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer Eat and drink but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not wasters. Say: 'who has forbidden the beautiful gifts of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the things clean and pure which He has provided for sustenance' (7:30-301). And again,

'O you who believe! Make not unlawful the good things Allah has made lawful to you. But commit no excess, for Allah does not like those given to excess. Eat of the things which Allah has provided you, lawful and good, but fear Allah, in whom you believe'
(4: 86-88).

Surprising as it may seem to some of us, the Prophet not only accepted jokes; he also told them himself He was cheerful and possessed an easygoing character He was always smiling at his Companions and enjoyed their conversations. He also possessed a very keen sense of humour. But, his jokes were more of a philosophical nature, never inappropriate and always true. For example, once an old lady went to the Prophet and asked whether after her death she would enter Paradise or not. To this the Prophet replied, 'No old woman would enter heaven'. On hearing this, the woman was naturally very sad. 'Then, what is the reward for them?' she asked. The Prophet relieved her anxiety by saying, 'All old people will be made young before they enter Paradise.'

Relaxing your Mind

From the analysis above, it should be clear that Islam does not expect of any individual that he should spend all his leisure time in the mosque or at home and should listen to nothing but recitation of the Quran, or for that matter, be engaged in exclusively 'religious' pursuits. Rather, it recognises that we are human beings, so that, as we eat and drink, and also need to relax and enjoy our-selves.

Relaxation is not at odds with piety and dignity. The Prophet prayed and engaged in worship more than anyone, but he also enjoyed good things, smiled and joked. Indeed, in his prayers he would beseech Allah for the good things of this world.
Relaxing the mind also has the additional benefit of resting and rejuvenating the body so that when we eventually return to fulfil out various obligations, we will be more focused and ready All ibn Abu Talib once said: 'Minds get tired, so do bodies, so treat them with humour' and 'Refresh your minds from time to time, for a tired mind becomes blind'. Another Companion of the Prophet, Abu Darda said: 'I entertain my heart with something trivial in order to make it stronger in the service of the truth'.

As we have highlighted before, the approach of the Prophet to life's activities was always a balanced one. As devoted as he was in his personal worship, he was quick to indicate to his followers that the path of Islam is the way of moderation. Thus, when he heard that one of his attendants was continuously fasting during the day and spending the entire night in prayer, he remarked: 'In every deed [of action] there is a peak followed by lassitude. He who, in his lassitude, follows my Sunnah [the part of moderation] is on the right path, but he who, in his lassitude, follows another [guidance] has [erred and] gone astray [from the straight path Allah has revealed]' (al Bazzaz)

Making Islam Easy for Others

In sharing the message of Islam with people the Prophet was advised in the Quran: 'It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them~ If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from you' [3: 159]. Thus, when the Prophet sent his Companions Mu'adh and Abu Musa to teach Islam to the people of Yemen, he gave them the following advice: 'Facilitate [religious matters to people] and do not make [things] difficult. Obey each other and do not differ [amongst yourselves].'
[Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]. On other occasions he also said: 'This Deen or way of life is easy'; 'Make it easy, don't make it difficult; 'Let people rejoice in being Muslims and not run away from it' and 'Cheerfulness towards other people, even a smile is a sadaqah or charity to be rewarded by Allah'.
Moreover, a person-in seeking to purify himself and further develop his God-consciousness-may choose to place greater demands of worship upon himself, but this in no way means that he has the right to impose or force the same on others, and thereby, unconsciously alienate them from Islam. The Prophet exemplified this in his own life because he used to prolong the Salat whenever he was alone, but he would shorten it whenever he led others in Salah. Regarding this he said: 'Whoever among you leads the people in Salat, he should shorten it, for amongst them are the weak, the old, and the one who has business to attend to. And if anyone among you performs Salat alone, he may then prolong [Salat] as much as he wishes'
[Sahih al-Bukhari].
Similarly, 'Umar Ibn al Khattab emphasised that creating unnecessary difficulties for people may well have the effect of leading them away from Allah, rather than making them better Muslims. He advised: 'Do not make Allah hateful to His servants by leading people in Salat and so prolonging it that they come to hate what they are doing'

Ease versus Hardship

To say, however, that Islam is easy and not 'difficult', is not to imply that Muslims will not face 'hardship'-and here the two terms must be distinguished. Indeed, although Islam is easy to understand and practice, the whole purpose of the trial is to make manifest the degree to which an individual is steadfast (and hence sincere) in his submission to Allah- and this is precisely what is indicated by the Qur'anic verse: "And We will most certainly test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of possessions and lives and crops" [2: 155].

Notwithstanding these trials however, we can find ease in this world and the next. But, this will be so only if we are firm in our faith in Allah and follow the course prescribed by Islam, as He Himself has declared: 'But give good news to those who are patient, who, when a calamity strikes them, say: 'Indeed we belong to God and indeed to Him we shall be returning: They are those on whom are blessings from their Sustainer, and mercy-and those, they are the rightly-guided.
[2: 155-157].

The Tongue and the Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Whoever believes in Allah and the last day should speak good or keep silent
- Muhammad
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The tongue expresses what is in the heart. If a persons heart is good you see it in their saying.

If the tongue is used correctly then it has its blessing but if used incorrectly it has its dangers. Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) has given us this tool (the tongue) to communicate and it is a blessing form Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) which must be used correctly.

The gratitude we should show for this great blessing should include, using it for the obedience to Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala), for reading the Quran (and good Islamic materials), for speaking good, such as, enjoining good and forbidding the evil and in teaching the ignorant, in Dhikr, in worship, in sincere advice to our brothers and sisters and in many other things which enable us to get closer to Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala). It is true that ONE saying may enter a person into the fire and one saying may save a person from the fire and enter one into paradise.

The prohibitions of the tongue are that you do not lie, abuse, use foul language, backbite, and do not slander.

The tongue is protected by the teeth and then the lips which should act as a prison when indulging in loose talk. Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) says in the Qur'an:

Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with all solemnity and full submissiveness. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all that Allah has forbidden)
[Al-Mu’minun 23:1-3]

Here Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) mentions the words "turn away from" not "leave" which shows that, refraining from vain talk is a characteristic of the believers.

Imam Shafi said, "If you wish to speak then it is upon you to think before you speak. If you think there is good in it then you should speak and if not then do not speak."

One searching for salvation against vain talk should ask themselves:

Will this saying of mine please Allah (Ta'ala)?
Will this saying of mine bring me closer to Allah (Ta'ala)?
Does this saying earn with it obedience to Allah (Ta'ala)?

If so then speak otherwise on should keep silent.
Sahl ibn Sa’ad (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "Whomever guards what is between his jaws and legs, I will guarantee him paradise."
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This is one of the open paths to paradise. It is calling the people to come to paradise with the guarding of their tongues.

Ahadith on Brotherhood

noreply@blogger.com (Imran Malik) — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:57:00 +0000

A compilation of various ahadith to do with Brotherhood.

A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection.
[narrated Abdullah bin Umar, Sahih al-Bukhari; vol 3:#622]

Do not be angry with each other and do not envy each other and do not turn away from each other, and be slaves of Allah, brothers. It is not halal for a Muslim to shun his brother for more than three nights
[Anas ibn Malik, Muwatta; 47.14]

If one keeps apart from his brother for a year, it is like shedding his blood.
[narrated abuKhirash as-Sulam, abu Dawud]

Each of you is the mirror of his brother, so if he sees any fault in him he should wipe it away from him." Another version has, "The believer is believer's mirror and the believer is the believer's brother who guards him against loss and protects him when he is absent.
[Tirmidhi 4985]

Every act of kindness is "sadaqah" and kindness includes meeting your brother with a cheerful face and pouring water from bucket into your brother's vessel.
[Jabir ibn Abdullah, Ahmad Tirmidhi transmitted it, mishkat]

The Muslim Ummah is like the human body, if one body part aches - then the rest of the body is affected.

There is no Muslim who vindicates the honour of his brother except that it becomes the duty of Allah to remove from him the ####-fire on the Resurrection Day
[narrated Sharhe Sunnat, mishkat Vol 2: #4763]