A man became ill n was admitted for 3days &on de 4th day de attendant nurse said, "Marry me".He asked, "Y?! I’m a Muslim, u & I cant become companions".She said, "I’ll become Muslim"."Why?!" he asked.
She said, "In all my time dat I hv served in hospitals, except u, I hv never seen a man lower his gaze in front of a woman.In my life, u r de 1st person who lowers his gaze while seeing a woman.When I came, u close ur eyes.Such great modesty can be taught by none other than a True religion".
The protection of one's gaze entered Islam in her, MAASHAA ALLAAH. She testified to the Oneness of ALLAAH n became a Muslim.They both got married. By now, de same woman was n is de means of bringing so many other girls and women into Islam.
Prophet Muhammad(s) is reported as having said: "N de eyes commit zina(adultery). Their zina is gazing."
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! ALLAAH is Aware of what they do"(Qur'an 24:30)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Who created the angels ??
People everywhere are asking the questions; "Who created the angels?" and "Why are we here?" You might be amazed to learn, that the Quran is providing clear and concise answers for these questions. Muslims believe the Holy Quran is the Final Revelation from Almighty GOD. The Holy Quran was revealed in Arabic to Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) in 610 A.D. Follow along with english Translation of the Holy Quran and see how GOD speaks to Humanity in his Final Revelation. If there is such a thing as the Old Testament and the New Testament, then there must be a Final Testament (The Holy Quran)
Saturday, May 16, 2009
MUHUMMED THE NATURAL SUCCESSOR TO CHRIST
To the sincere seekers of Truth it is obvious that Muhummed (pbuh) is the promised Paraclete or Comforter, alternatively called Helper, Advocate, Counsellor, etc of the prophecies of Jesus (pbuh) in the Gospel of St. John. There are millions of Christians — men and women like our good lady at the Cairo Airport who are hungry for this simple straight-forward Message. But alas, we can only weep with Jesus (pbuh) for our utter ineptitude —
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the workers are few.
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 9: 57
LANGUAGE OF JESUS (PBUH)
In the Holy Qur’ân God Almighty puts the name “Ahmed” which is another name for Muhummed (pbuh) in the mouth of Jesus (pbuh). The Christian controversialist, Bible-thumper, Hot-Gospeller flippantly scoffs at the suggestion. The Christian missionary does not deny that Jesus (pbuh) did make a prophecy about someone coming after him. But “Ahmed” to him seems too far-fetched.
The most commonly accepted name by Christendom is “Comforter” It does not really matter Comforter or any other equivalent term will do. We will settle for Comforter as used in the most popular Bible Translation the “King James Version.”
Ask your adversary, your disputant whether Jesus (pbuh) spoke the English language? “Most definitely not!” any Christian will say. If you are sharing this with an Arab Christian then you can ask him whether his “lord” used the word “MOOUZZI?” Surely not, because Arabic was not his language. Did Jesus (pbuh) prophesy “uMthokozisi?” (Comforter in Zulu) or “Trooster” from the Afrikaans Bible? The answer again is a definite NO!”
The Christians are rightfully boasting that they now have translated the complete Bible into hundreds of different languages, and the New Testament (in which this prophecy abounds) into more than two thousand different languages and dialects. So the Christian genius has invented more than 2000 different names in 2000 different languages for this one candidate — Comforter!
PNEUMA: GHOST OR SPIRIT?
The Church fathers had developed a sickness by translating names of people, for which they had no right to do. For example like Esau to Jesus, Messiah to Christ, Cephas1 to Peter and so on.
1. See “What is His Name?” for a better clarification on this point.
The closest one can ever get to the original utterance of Jesus (pbuh) in the Christian Scriptures is the Greek word “Para-cletos” which also has to be rejected because the Master did not speak Greek! But let’s not be difficult for the purpose of this discussion and accept the Greek word Paracletos and its English equivalent Comforter.
Ask any learned Christian man as to who the Comforter is? You will unmistakingly hear – “The Comforter is the HOLY GHOST!” from John 14: 26. This sentence is only part of verse twenty six. We will deal with the verse fully in due course. But first we must educate the Christian mind with regards to this misnomer — “Holy Ghost.” “Pneuma” is the Greek root word for SPIRIT. There is no separate word for GHOST in the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, and the Christians now boast 24,000 different manuscripts in their possession of which no two are identical!
The editors of the KJV (The King James Version) alternatively called AV (The Authorised Version) and the DOUAY (The Roman Catholic Version) of the Bibles gave preference to the word “GHOST’ instead of the word SPIRIT when translating “pneuma”
The revisers of the RSV (Revised Standard Version) 1 the most up-to-date version of the Bible, are going back, as claimed, to the Most Ancient manuscripts. These revisers, described as “thirty-two scholars of the highest eminence, backed by fifty co-operating denominations” who courageously re-placed the shady word “ghost” with the word “spirit” Hence from now on you will read in all modem translations — “The Comforter which is the Holy SPIRIT”! However, the Christian crusaders and the televangelists stubbornly cling to the spooky (”ghost”-ly) past They will not opt for the Newer Versions. It’s better fishing with the old bait – the KJV and the RCV (Roman Catholic Version).
1. For greater detail on the RSV see “Is the Bible God’s Word?”
With the new change in spirit, the verse under scrutiny will read:
But the Comforter, Which is The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Emphasis added).
(HOLY BIBLE) John 14: 26
You do not have to be a Bible scholar of any calibre to sense that the expression “which is the Holy Spirit” is actually an interpolation. It ought to be in parenthesis, in brackets, like my words which have been interpolated in the quotation, i.e. “(emphasis added).” Although the editors of the RSV have expunged dozens of interpolations from their boasted Revised Standard Version, they have retained this jarring phrase which contradicts other explicit predictions of Jesus (pbuh) on the subject of the Comforter itself.
“HOLY SPIRIT” IS HOLY PROPHET
(i) It may be noted that no Biblical scholar of any standing has ever equated the “paracletos” of John in the original Greek with the Holy Ghost. Now we can say with one breath that if the Comforter is the “Holy Spirit” then that Holy Spirit is the Holy Prophet!
As Muslims we acknowledge that every true prophet of God is Holy and without sin. But whenever the expression “The Holy Prophet” is used among Muslims it is universally accepted as referring to the Holy Prophet Muhummed (pbuh). So even if we accept the above incongruous saying — “the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit,” as Gospel truth, even then this prophecy will fit Muhummed (pbuh) like a glove, without any stretching of its meaning.
The same John, who is supposed to have authored the Gospel bearing his name, also penned three more Epistles which are also part of the Christian Bible. Amazingly he has used the same terminology of “Holy Spirit” for “Holy Prophet.”
Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they
are of God; because many false Prophets are gone out into the World. Read full Chapter
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the workers are few.
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 9: 57
LANGUAGE OF JESUS (PBUH)
In the Holy Qur’ân God Almighty puts the name “Ahmed” which is another name for Muhummed (pbuh) in the mouth of Jesus (pbuh). The Christian controversialist, Bible-thumper, Hot-Gospeller flippantly scoffs at the suggestion. The Christian missionary does not deny that Jesus (pbuh) did make a prophecy about someone coming after him. But “Ahmed” to him seems too far-fetched.
The most commonly accepted name by Christendom is “Comforter” It does not really matter Comforter or any other equivalent term will do. We will settle for Comforter as used in the most popular Bible Translation the “King James Version.”
Ask your adversary, your disputant whether Jesus (pbuh) spoke the English language? “Most definitely not!” any Christian will say. If you are sharing this with an Arab Christian then you can ask him whether his “lord” used the word “MOOUZZI?” Surely not, because Arabic was not his language. Did Jesus (pbuh) prophesy “uMthokozisi?” (Comforter in Zulu) or “Trooster” from the Afrikaans Bible? The answer again is a definite NO!”
The Christians are rightfully boasting that they now have translated the complete Bible into hundreds of different languages, and the New Testament (in which this prophecy abounds) into more than two thousand different languages and dialects. So the Christian genius has invented more than 2000 different names in 2000 different languages for this one candidate — Comforter!
PNEUMA: GHOST OR SPIRIT?
The Church fathers had developed a sickness by translating names of people, for which they had no right to do. For example like Esau to Jesus, Messiah to Christ, Cephas1 to Peter and so on.
1. See “What is His Name?” for a better clarification on this point.
The closest one can ever get to the original utterance of Jesus (pbuh) in the Christian Scriptures is the Greek word “Para-cletos” which also has to be rejected because the Master did not speak Greek! But let’s not be difficult for the purpose of this discussion and accept the Greek word Paracletos and its English equivalent Comforter.
Ask any learned Christian man as to who the Comforter is? You will unmistakingly hear – “The Comforter is the HOLY GHOST!” from John 14: 26. This sentence is only part of verse twenty six. We will deal with the verse fully in due course. But first we must educate the Christian mind with regards to this misnomer — “Holy Ghost.” “Pneuma” is the Greek root word for SPIRIT. There is no separate word for GHOST in the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, and the Christians now boast 24,000 different manuscripts in their possession of which no two are identical!
The editors of the KJV (The King James Version) alternatively called AV (The Authorised Version) and the DOUAY (The Roman Catholic Version) of the Bibles gave preference to the word “GHOST’ instead of the word SPIRIT when translating “pneuma”
The revisers of the RSV (Revised Standard Version) 1 the most up-to-date version of the Bible, are going back, as claimed, to the Most Ancient manuscripts. These revisers, described as “thirty-two scholars of the highest eminence, backed by fifty co-operating denominations” who courageously re-placed the shady word “ghost” with the word “spirit” Hence from now on you will read in all modem translations — “The Comforter which is the Holy SPIRIT”! However, the Christian crusaders and the televangelists stubbornly cling to the spooky (”ghost”-ly) past They will not opt for the Newer Versions. It’s better fishing with the old bait – the KJV and the RCV (Roman Catholic Version).
1. For greater detail on the RSV see “Is the Bible God’s Word?”
With the new change in spirit, the verse under scrutiny will read:
But the Comforter, Which is The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Emphasis added).
(HOLY BIBLE) John 14: 26
You do not have to be a Bible scholar of any calibre to sense that the expression “which is the Holy Spirit” is actually an interpolation. It ought to be in parenthesis, in brackets, like my words which have been interpolated in the quotation, i.e. “(emphasis added).” Although the editors of the RSV have expunged dozens of interpolations from their boasted Revised Standard Version, they have retained this jarring phrase which contradicts other explicit predictions of Jesus (pbuh) on the subject of the Comforter itself.
“HOLY SPIRIT” IS HOLY PROPHET
(i) It may be noted that no Biblical scholar of any standing has ever equated the “paracletos” of John in the original Greek with the Holy Ghost. Now we can say with one breath that if the Comforter is the “Holy Spirit” then that Holy Spirit is the Holy Prophet!
As Muslims we acknowledge that every true prophet of God is Holy and without sin. But whenever the expression “The Holy Prophet” is used among Muslims it is universally accepted as referring to the Holy Prophet Muhummed (pbuh). So even if we accept the above incongruous saying — “the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit,” as Gospel truth, even then this prophecy will fit Muhummed (pbuh) like a glove, without any stretching of its meaning.
The same John, who is supposed to have authored the Gospel bearing his name, also penned three more Epistles which are also part of the Christian Bible. Amazingly he has used the same terminology of “Holy Spirit” for “Holy Prophet.”
Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they
are of God; because many false Prophets are gone out into the World. Read full Chapter
Thursday, April 30, 2009
What do Muslims believe about Allah?
What do Muslims believe about Allah?
1. He is the one God, Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our hearts.
These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of God:
1. Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy - 'The Living' and then say that He is without life. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what is being described (referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like human speech, etc.
6. Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and thus may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are in accordance with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are acceptable.
This is the work by our MuslimBrothers
1. He is the one God, Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our hearts.
These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of God:
1. Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy - 'The Living' and then say that He is without life. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what is being described (referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like human speech, etc.
6. Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and thus may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are in accordance with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are acceptable.
This is the work by our MuslimBrothers
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Who created God/Allah and why does God/Allah allow injustice?
Two Questions about God/Allah
News Type: Other — Thu Apr 3, 2008 9:24 AM EDT
islam, god, allah, creation, questions,
IslamicScholars
Question 1
Who created God/Allah ?
Well this question i can tell everyone that no one has the answer to, not man nor woman can answer this question and the only one who can answer this question is god alone, therefore that question must be asked to god, not humanity, because humanity as smart as they are ,are another creation and are limited on knowledge.
If that isn't satisfying for anyone and think that god was created, then who ever created that god, then there must be another god that created that one, and there for there must be another god that created that one and we can clearly see that this would be an endless discussion which will continue and continue and no answer is reached. Unless off course there is only ONE God.
Either way to be realistic as possible, Only at death one would find out, and in no attempt to have one fear his death, because believe me your better of in gods hands then mans. but to remember that we are here for a purpose, we are not part of any accident and creation, beginning whatever put us here is proof for rational minds that believe things just don't randomly happen for example hurricane rips through new york city and leaves it looking like Dubai in Emirates,haha , might as well say that your birth process wasn't actually done by specific and particular actions from the beginning till the end ,and that was just accidents the for some random coincidences that made the sperm reach the egg. Did you know that the female egg only sends one signal and the sperm only understands one signal.. Hmm another coincidence as well. not possible , this complicity is every where around us, its too common, all the work is masterfully done.
All im saying here is God is far beyond my comprehension, your comprehension, every ones comprehension, mankind is given a set of gifts and tools they can use, such as the 5 senses and the endless worldly bless that is around us . oh yea and Soul, Life, Energy force, whatever name you wish to call it , its the same thing in all of us.
What else does man have power over then the worldly things and his own self ??
God exists based soley on the facts we see around us based on design and supported by life which goes around us everyday, what we are aware of and what we are not. Its Important to remember that we build our own personal relationship with our creator, and from that point we can start connecting with each other on a much higher scale of unity, under humanity's name, which one day will end all that we struggle with everyday on a global scale.
Question 2
If God is so powerful why does god allow so much injustice in the world ?
This is why i posted this article and i wanna try to explain why god does not take much actions against injustice and war ect .
Well this question always troubled me sense i believe that god is all powerful and all mighty which creation proof that to me, now why would god allow those things to happen then ???
Well after much, much thought about this issue i remember one day, i washed up, picked up the Quran and started reading, not looking for anything in particular , just reading for wisdom, so ive read a few suras ( chapters ) then put the book down and tried to get some shut eye, but my mind was still carrying the question in my head and i was still thinking about it , trying to find the answer from all angles and just like a qust of strong wind that would knock us down and get our attention, it hit me
God doesn't allow this to happen , Its us who allow this to happen . lol i know what many are thinking but wait and listen to me about this, why i came to the conclusion that its our own fault and that god doesn't take action on our behalf because ???
well the answer was so simple its really shocking and here we go with the explanation on why this is so.
God gave us everything to stop it from happening,In all seriousness the main hold on humanity is the financial hold,other then that we have everything we need, over 6 billion human beings and 90% of them live in poverty and that's gods fault that we let the rich get richer and get away with it ??? on top of that the prophets get blamed and picked on even though they always preached against wealth and worldly gain, that actions of charity are the best of actions.
We are all human beings, we have all the tools and gadgets and wisdom to stop it ,We need to join forces against the true oppressors the ones who earn of your hard sweat which is against all true values of religion.
We are moving at a very slow pace and we need to pick up the slack, comparing to humanity size very few put up a strong effort to stop it ,
yes my good people its mainly on us to stop injustice, that's why god gave us all we need, so that we handle our own affairs with decency and justice,to stop injustice,
I do believe that god interferes with our affairs, but very little, to a certain few who might not have anyone else to help them but God, other wise God leaves it up to the good people here on earth to stop the evil people here on earth, does that make sense to anyone but me ???
for example this verse in the Quran kinda made me laugh
Its talking about those who are cunning and trying to deceive God and people
The verse said they sit and plot against God, but they don't realize that God is the master of all plotters.
That's when God interferes when he wants them to fail , and they will miserably one day, the day of reckoning .
That's why their is a heaven and hell, and why we are here on earth, because those who fight for the weak and stop injustice will get there rewards in the after life, in heavens where they are served all day all the time. if God took control all the time and fixed our mistakes all the time, then what is God gonna reward us on ???
News Type: Other — Thu Apr 3, 2008 9:24 AM EDT
islam, god, allah, creation, questions,
IslamicScholars
Question 1
Who created God/Allah ?
Well this question i can tell everyone that no one has the answer to, not man nor woman can answer this question and the only one who can answer this question is god alone, therefore that question must be asked to god, not humanity, because humanity as smart as they are ,are another creation and are limited on knowledge.
If that isn't satisfying for anyone and think that god was created, then who ever created that god, then there must be another god that created that one, and there for there must be another god that created that one and we can clearly see that this would be an endless discussion which will continue and continue and no answer is reached. Unless off course there is only ONE God.
Either way to be realistic as possible, Only at death one would find out, and in no attempt to have one fear his death, because believe me your better of in gods hands then mans. but to remember that we are here for a purpose, we are not part of any accident and creation, beginning whatever put us here is proof for rational minds that believe things just don't randomly happen for example hurricane rips through new york city and leaves it looking like Dubai in Emirates,haha , might as well say that your birth process wasn't actually done by specific and particular actions from the beginning till the end ,and that was just accidents the for some random coincidences that made the sperm reach the egg. Did you know that the female egg only sends one signal and the sperm only understands one signal.. Hmm another coincidence as well. not possible , this complicity is every where around us, its too common, all the work is masterfully done.
All im saying here is God is far beyond my comprehension, your comprehension, every ones comprehension, mankind is given a set of gifts and tools they can use, such as the 5 senses and the endless worldly bless that is around us . oh yea and Soul, Life, Energy force, whatever name you wish to call it , its the same thing in all of us.
What else does man have power over then the worldly things and his own self ??
God exists based soley on the facts we see around us based on design and supported by life which goes around us everyday, what we are aware of and what we are not. Its Important to remember that we build our own personal relationship with our creator, and from that point we can start connecting with each other on a much higher scale of unity, under humanity's name, which one day will end all that we struggle with everyday on a global scale.
Question 2
If God is so powerful why does god allow so much injustice in the world ?
This is why i posted this article and i wanna try to explain why god does not take much actions against injustice and war ect .
Well this question always troubled me sense i believe that god is all powerful and all mighty which creation proof that to me, now why would god allow those things to happen then ???
Well after much, much thought about this issue i remember one day, i washed up, picked up the Quran and started reading, not looking for anything in particular , just reading for wisdom, so ive read a few suras ( chapters ) then put the book down and tried to get some shut eye, but my mind was still carrying the question in my head and i was still thinking about it , trying to find the answer from all angles and just like a qust of strong wind that would knock us down and get our attention, it hit me
God doesn't allow this to happen , Its us who allow this to happen . lol i know what many are thinking but wait and listen to me about this, why i came to the conclusion that its our own fault and that god doesn't take action on our behalf because ???
well the answer was so simple its really shocking and here we go with the explanation on why this is so.
God gave us everything to stop it from happening,In all seriousness the main hold on humanity is the financial hold,other then that we have everything we need, over 6 billion human beings and 90% of them live in poverty and that's gods fault that we let the rich get richer and get away with it ??? on top of that the prophets get blamed and picked on even though they always preached against wealth and worldly gain, that actions of charity are the best of actions.
We are all human beings, we have all the tools and gadgets and wisdom to stop it ,We need to join forces against the true oppressors the ones who earn of your hard sweat which is against all true values of religion.
We are moving at a very slow pace and we need to pick up the slack, comparing to humanity size very few put up a strong effort to stop it ,
yes my good people its mainly on us to stop injustice, that's why god gave us all we need, so that we handle our own affairs with decency and justice,to stop injustice,
I do believe that god interferes with our affairs, but very little, to a certain few who might not have anyone else to help them but God, other wise God leaves it up to the good people here on earth to stop the evil people here on earth, does that make sense to anyone but me ???
for example this verse in the Quran kinda made me laugh
Its talking about those who are cunning and trying to deceive God and people
The verse said they sit and plot against God, but they don't realize that God is the master of all plotters.
That's when God interferes when he wants them to fail , and they will miserably one day, the day of reckoning .
That's why their is a heaven and hell, and why we are here on earth, because those who fight for the weak and stop injustice will get there rewards in the after life, in heavens where they are served all day all the time. if God took control all the time and fixed our mistakes all the time, then what is God gonna reward us on ???
Friday, April 24, 2009
The 99 mentioned names of OUR CREATOR
The 99 names of OUR CREATOR
1 Allah (الله) TheGod.
2 Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) The All-Compassionate
3 Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) The All-Merciful
4 Al-Malik (الملك) The Absolute Ruler
5 Al-Quddus (القدوس) The Pure One
6 As-Salam (السلام) The Source of Peace
7 Al-Mu'min (المؤمن) The Inspirer of Faith
8 Al-Muhaymin (المهيمن) The Guardian
9 Al-Aziz (العزيز) The Victorious
10 Al-Jabbar (الجبار) The Compeller
11 Al-Mutakabbir (المتكبر) The Greatest
12 Al-Khaliq (الخالق) The Creator
13 Al-Bari' (البارئ) The Maker of Order
14 Al-Musawwir (المصور) The Shaper of Beauty
15 Al-Ghaffar (الغفار) The Forgiving
16 Al-Qahhar (القهار) The Subduer
17 Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) The Giver of All
18 Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق) The Sustainer
19 Al-Fattah (الفتاح) The Opener
20 Al-`Alim (العليم) The Knower of All
21 Al-Qabid (القابض) The Constrictor
22 Al-Basit (الباسط) The Reliever
23 Al-Khafid (الخافض) The Abaser
24 Ar-Rafi (الرافع) The Exalter
25 Al-Mu'izz (المعز) The Bestower of Honors
26 Al-Mudhill (المذل) The Humiliator
27 As-Sami (السميع) The Hearer of All
28 Al-Basir (البصير) The Seer of All
29 Al-Hakam (الحكم) The Judge
30 Al-`Adl (العدل) The Just
31 Al-Latif (اللطيف) The Subtle One
32 Al-Khabir (الخبير) The All-Aware
33 Al-Halim (الحليم) The Forbearing
34 Al-Azim (العظيم) The Magnificent
35 Al-Ghafur (الغفور) The Forgiver and Hider of Faults
36 Ash-Shakur (الشكور) The Rewarder of Thankfulness
37 Al-Ali (العلى) The Highest
38 Al-Kabir (الكبير) The Greatest
39 Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) The Preserver
40 Al-Muqit (المقيت) The Nourisher
41 Al-Hasib (الحسيب) The Accounter
42 Al-Jalil (الجليل) The Mighty
43 Al-Karim (الكريم) The Generous
44 Ar-Raqib (الرقيب) The Watchful One
45 Al-Mujib (المجيب) The Responder to Prayer
46 Al-Wasi (الواسع) The All-Comprehending
47 Al-Hakim (الحكيم) The Perfectly Wise
48 Al-Wadud (الودود) The Loving One
49 Al-Majid (المجيد) The Majestic One
50 Al-Ba'ith (الباعث) The Resurrector
51 Ash-Shahid (الشهيد) The Witness
52 Al-Haqq (الحق) The Truth
53 Al-Wakil (الوكيل) The Trustee
54 Al-Qawiyy (القوى) The Possessor of All Strength
55 Al-Matin (المتين) The Forceful One
56 Al-Waliyy (الولى) The Governor
57 Al-Hamid (الحميد) The Praised One
58 Al-Muhsi (المحصى) The Appraiser
59 Al-Mubdi' (المبدئ) The Originator
60 Al-Mu'id (المعيد) The Restorer
61 Al-Muhyi (المحيى) The Giver of Life
62 Al-Mumit (المميت) The Taker of Life
63 Al-Hayy (الحي) The Ever Living One
64 Al-Qayyum (القيوم) The Self-Existing One 65 Al-Wajid (الواجد) The Finder
66 Al-Majid (الماجد) The Glorious
67 Al-Wahid (الواحد) The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible
68 As-Samad (الصمد) The Satisfier of All Needs
69 Al-Qadir (القادر) The All Powerful
70 Al-Muqtadir (المقتدر) The Creator of All Power
71 Al-Muqaddim (المقدم) The Expediter
72 Al-Mu'akhkhir (المؤخر) The Delayer
73 Al-Awwal (الأول) The First
74 Al-Akhir (الأخر) The Last
75 Az-Zahir (الظاهر) The Manifest One
76 Al-Batin (الباطن) The Hidden One
77 Al-Wali (الوالي) The Protecting Friend
78 Al-Muta'ali (المتعالي) The Supreme One
79 Al-Barr (البر) The Doer of Good
80 At-Tawwab (التواب) The Guide to Repentance
81 Al-Muntaqim (المنتقم) The Avenger
82 Al-'Afuww (العفو) The Forgiver
83 Ar-Ra'uf (الرؤوف) The Clement
84 Malik-al-Mulk (مالك الملك) The Owner of All
85 Dhu-al-Jalal wa-al-Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام) The Lord of Majesty and Bounty
86 Al-Muqsit (المقسط) The Equitable One
87 Al-Jami' (الجامع) The Gatherer
88 Al-Ghani (الغنى) The Rich One
89 Al-Mughni (المغنى) The Enricher
90 Al-Mani'(المانع) The Preventer of Harm
91 Ad-Darr (الضار) The Creator of The Harmful
92 An-Nafi' (النافع) The Creator of Good
93 An-Nur (النور) The Light
94 Al-Hadi (الهادي) The Guide
95 Al-Badi (البديع) The Originator
96 Al-Baqi (الباقي) The Everlasting One
97 Al-Warith (الوارث) The Inheritor of All
98 Ar-Rashid (الرشيد) The Righteous Teacher
99 As-Sabur (الصبور) The Patient One
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Halaal Earnings
Each morning the Allah showers His mercy upon us, even before the rays of sunlight reach our eyes. It is only through His mercy that we awaken from death itself. Each night, our souls leave our bodies only to be returned to us by the mercy and will of Allah Ta'ala. A process each and everyone of us go through everyday yet we fail to realise the power of the being who is behind this process.
It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Maalik al-Haarith bin al-Haarith al-Ash'aree Radhi Allahu Anhu that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
"...Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or causing its ruin."
[Saheeh al-Muslim]
This Hadeeth informs us that every morning we are made responsible for the abode and actions of our souls. It is our personal choice which will either grant our souls freedom from the punishment of Allah and from the fire of Hell, or we could cause its ruin by following Shaytaan and his desires.
Allah Ta'ala has stated that if He is the buyer of the soul of a believer then in return for him shall be paradise:
"Verily, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be Paradise"
[at-Tawbah 9:111]
Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of man, to steer his soul in either direction. His actions and intentions will make his abode either Paradise or Hell. So each morning, while man has been classified as being the "vendor" of his soul, he goes out to seek his sustenance and livelihood. It is his option to either sell his soul, or to free it, to earn this livelihood.
Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Mas'ood Radhi Allahu Anhu has narrated that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
"The seeking of a permissible (Halaal) livelihood is an obligation after the obligatory acts (Faraa'idh)"
[Bayhaqi]
On the authority of Hadhrat Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu), He Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam is reported to have also said:
"If you placed your trust in Allah, in the manner in which He should be trusted, then He would arrange sustenance for you just as He provides for the birds; they leave in the morning with their stomachs empty and return with their stomachs filled in the evening."
[Sunan ut-Tirmidhi]
These two Ahadeeth outline the manner in which man should seek his sustenance. A manner in which earning a livelihood will not cause him to destroy his soul.
The seeking of sustenance is an obligatory act just as Salaah, Sawn, Zakaah etc are, yet earning one's sustenance should be done whilst placing trust and belief in Allah Ta'ala. We should convince our hearts to believe that no matter what efforts we put into earning sustenance, at the end of the day, it is Allah Ta'ala's will and decision as to how much we earn and what we shall receive. No effort of man can change the the amount that Allah Ta'ala has written for us.
Hadhrat Jaabir ibn Abdullah has narrated the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam as saying:
Verily a person does not acquire death until he receives his sustenance"
[Sunan ibn Majah]
On another occasion, Hadhrat Abu Dardaa Radhi Allahu Anhu reports the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam as saying:
"Verily sustenance seeks the servant (of Allah) more than the manner in which death seeks him"
[Jaami' us-Sageer]
From the above Ahadeeth we can deduce that no matter how much effort a person puts into acquiring his sustenance he will only receive that which Allah Ta'ala has written for him. But, at the same time, it is important to note that every man has to make an effort to earn what has written for him. In brief, we learn that every person has to make an effort to earn his livelihood. However, in order to earn his sustenance, he should not break the Laws of Allah Ta'ala instead he should have complete faith in Allah Ta'ala that it is He who will feed us and even if we were to break His Shari'ah to earn our sustenance we would never acquire more than that which is written for us.
Similarly, just as how death seeks out a man at one time or another, and is certainly to occur, just in the same manner, sustenance seeks the person and he receives the sustenance that is written for him without any doubt. The person who strives to earn his living by breaking the Shari'ah of Allah Ta'ala; whilst sinning and overlooking the requirements of Shari'ah seems to have this belief in his mind that he has, through using using every means possible, acquired a large amount of money, which would not have been possible if he had chosen to stay within the boundaries of Shari'ah.
However, this is far from the truth. A person, in reality, denies himself of the sustenance that was written for him by committing sins and breaking the Islamic Law. Primarily, he is denied from all the Barakah (blessings) that Allah places in the wealth of those who earn their money in accordance to Allah's pleasure and additionally, his the wealth the was written for him decreases due to his sins.
On the authority of Hadhrat Thaubaan Radhi Allahu Anhu, it has been narrated that the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
"Verily a man makes forbidden upon him the sustenance (that was written for him) due to the sins which he commits"
[Sunan ibn Majah]
All the above Ahadeeth enlighten the believer to the reality of placing trust in Allah in attaining sustenance. It shows the believer that the giver of wealth and food is Allah Ta'ala alone and that we should concentrate of acquiring livelihood in the manner in which the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has shown us, for indeed sustenance is going to reach us no matter what happens, and our sins will actually will be the cause for our sustenance to decrease.
It is vital to note that the earning of Halaal livelihood. is directly connected to the eating of Halaal. Many people are in falsely deluded to think that Halaal and Haraam consumption is limited to the ingredients of a product. However, the chain of Halaal and Haraam begins from the earnings of person. Furthermore, the earnings of a person does not become Haraam only by a person selling alcohol or other forbidden products, but earnings will also have an indication of impermissibility is a person seeks that earning by neglecting his Salaah or any other Fardh (obligatory) activity. Similarly, if a person does not rightfully return money belonging to someone, or acquires money by cheating someone, then that money will also be regarded as Haraam.
May Allah Ta'ala save us all from the harms and punishments of Haraam earnings. May He give us the strength, ability, inclination and means to acquire sustenance that is totally Halaal so that we can make the nourishment our body receives from it can be a cause for good deeds. Aameen.
Insha-Allah, the following post on Halaal Sustenance will contain some verses and Ahadeeth on merits of eating Halaal and the punishments and harms of eating Haraam.
It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Maalik al-Haarith bin al-Haarith al-Ash'aree Radhi Allahu Anhu that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
"...Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or causing its ruin."
[Saheeh al-Muslim]
This Hadeeth informs us that every morning we are made responsible for the abode and actions of our souls. It is our personal choice which will either grant our souls freedom from the punishment of Allah and from the fire of Hell, or we could cause its ruin by following Shaytaan and his desires.
Allah Ta'ala has stated that if He is the buyer of the soul of a believer then in return for him shall be paradise:
"Verily, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be Paradise"
[at-Tawbah 9:111]
Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of man, to steer his soul in either direction. His actions and intentions will make his abode either Paradise or Hell. So each morning, while man has been classified as being the "vendor" of his soul, he goes out to seek his sustenance and livelihood. It is his option to either sell his soul, or to free it, to earn this livelihood.
Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Mas'ood Radhi Allahu Anhu has narrated that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
"The seeking of a permissible (Halaal) livelihood is an obligation after the obligatory acts (Faraa'idh)"
[Bayhaqi]
On the authority of Hadhrat Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu), He Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam is reported to have also said:
"If you placed your trust in Allah, in the manner in which He should be trusted, then He would arrange sustenance for you just as He provides for the birds; they leave in the morning with their stomachs empty and return with their stomachs filled in the evening."
[Sunan ut-Tirmidhi]
These two Ahadeeth outline the manner in which man should seek his sustenance. A manner in which earning a livelihood will not cause him to destroy his soul.
The seeking of sustenance is an obligatory act just as Salaah, Sawn, Zakaah etc are, yet earning one's sustenance should be done whilst placing trust and belief in Allah Ta'ala. We should convince our hearts to believe that no matter what efforts we put into earning sustenance, at the end of the day, it is Allah Ta'ala's will and decision as to how much we earn and what we shall receive. No effort of man can change the the amount that Allah Ta'ala has written for us.
Hadhrat Jaabir ibn Abdullah has narrated the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam as saying:
Verily a person does not acquire death until he receives his sustenance"
[Sunan ibn Majah]
On another occasion, Hadhrat Abu Dardaa Radhi Allahu Anhu reports the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam as saying:
"Verily sustenance seeks the servant (of Allah) more than the manner in which death seeks him"
[Jaami' us-Sageer]
From the above Ahadeeth we can deduce that no matter how much effort a person puts into acquiring his sustenance he will only receive that which Allah Ta'ala has written for him. But, at the same time, it is important to note that every man has to make an effort to earn what has written for him. In brief, we learn that every person has to make an effort to earn his livelihood. However, in order to earn his sustenance, he should not break the Laws of Allah Ta'ala instead he should have complete faith in Allah Ta'ala that it is He who will feed us and even if we were to break His Shari'ah to earn our sustenance we would never acquire more than that which is written for us.
Similarly, just as how death seeks out a man at one time or another, and is certainly to occur, just in the same manner, sustenance seeks the person and he receives the sustenance that is written for him without any doubt. The person who strives to earn his living by breaking the Shari'ah of Allah Ta'ala; whilst sinning and overlooking the requirements of Shari'ah seems to have this belief in his mind that he has, through using using every means possible, acquired a large amount of money, which would not have been possible if he had chosen to stay within the boundaries of Shari'ah.
However, this is far from the truth. A person, in reality, denies himself of the sustenance that was written for him by committing sins and breaking the Islamic Law. Primarily, he is denied from all the Barakah (blessings) that Allah places in the wealth of those who earn their money in accordance to Allah's pleasure and additionally, his the wealth the was written for him decreases due to his sins.
On the authority of Hadhrat Thaubaan Radhi Allahu Anhu, it has been narrated that the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
"Verily a man makes forbidden upon him the sustenance (that was written for him) due to the sins which he commits"
[Sunan ibn Majah]
All the above Ahadeeth enlighten the believer to the reality of placing trust in Allah in attaining sustenance. It shows the believer that the giver of wealth and food is Allah Ta'ala alone and that we should concentrate of acquiring livelihood in the manner in which the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has shown us, for indeed sustenance is going to reach us no matter what happens, and our sins will actually will be the cause for our sustenance to decrease.
It is vital to note that the earning of Halaal livelihood. is directly connected to the eating of Halaal. Many people are in falsely deluded to think that Halaal and Haraam consumption is limited to the ingredients of a product. However, the chain of Halaal and Haraam begins from the earnings of person. Furthermore, the earnings of a person does not become Haraam only by a person selling alcohol or other forbidden products, but earnings will also have an indication of impermissibility is a person seeks that earning by neglecting his Salaah or any other Fardh (obligatory) activity. Similarly, if a person does not rightfully return money belonging to someone, or acquires money by cheating someone, then that money will also be regarded as Haraam.
May Allah Ta'ala save us all from the harms and punishments of Haraam earnings. May He give us the strength, ability, inclination and means to acquire sustenance that is totally Halaal so that we can make the nourishment our body receives from it can be a cause for good deeds. Aameen.
Insha-Allah, the following post on Halaal Sustenance will contain some verses and Ahadeeth on merits of eating Halaal and the punishments and harms of eating Haraam.
Take Five before Five -Important lesson of the prophet
The Prophet Mohammad-pbuh has said:
"
Surely, this Hadeeth is few in words but holds a great meaning for those who understand and ponder.
In this narration by ibn Abbas we are asked to take the benefit of five things before the occurrence of five things.
May Allah give us the ability to understand the value of time and take benefit of this moment that we have before it is taken away from us. Aameen
"
Take benefit of five before five:"
Your YOUTH before your OLD AGE,
Your HEALTH before your SICKNESS,
Your WEALTH before your POVERTY,
Your FREE-TIME before you are PREOCCUPIED,
& Your LIFE before your DEATH.
Surely, this Hadeeth is few in words but holds a great meaning for those who understand and ponder.
In this narration by ibn Abbas we are asked to take the benefit of five things before the occurrence of five things.
May Allah give us the ability to understand the value of time and take benefit of this moment that we have before it is taken away from us. Aameen
Friday, April 10, 2009
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Allah’s Messenger to the Whole Mankind
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) (Salallahu ‘alayhi wa salam, meaning: May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was Allah's great Prophet and Messenger,like Jesus, the Son of Mary. The Prophet's mission, however, is universal. Allah (S.W.T.) (Subhanahu wa ta’ala, meaning: the Exalted, Most Glorious) tells mankind that Prophet Muhammad is no more than a Messenger (Qur’an 3: 144), the unlettered Prophet who believes in Him and His Words (Qur’an 7: 158). He is the Seal of the Prophets and the true universal Messenger of Allâh to the whole mankind (Qur’an 33: 40). Allah (S.W.T.), the All-Mighty, makes this very clear:
"We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a universal (Messenger) to men giving them glad tidings and warning them (against sin) but most men understand not." (Qurân 34: 28)
The Messenger (s.a.w.s.) possesses an exalted (standard of) character (Qur’an 68:4) and an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah (S.W.T.) and the Final Day, and who remembers Allah (S.W.T.) much (Qur’an 33: 21). Allah (S.W.T.) endowed him with exalted standard of character for us to follow. Every aspect of his life has been fully dealt with, providing complete guidance to the whole mankind. For our guidance, Allah (S.W.T.), the All-Mighty commands us to believe and obey His Messenger (s.a.w.s.):
"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ªn and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Say (O Muhammad): “Obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad).” But if they turn away, then Allâh does not like the disbelievers." (Qur’an 3: 31)
"O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad) with the truth from your Rabb (Sustainer). So believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allâh is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise." (Qurân 4: 170)
"O you who believe! Obey Allâh, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad) and render not vain your deeds." (Qurân 47: 33)
It is a must that we obey Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). Allah (S.W.T.) tells us that he who obeys His Messenger (s.a.w.s.) obeys Him:
"He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad) has indeed obeyed Allâh, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (Muhammad) as a watcher over them." (Qurân 4: 80)
Allah (S.W.T.) sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to make it prevail over all religions. He (I) says:
"It is He (Allah) Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans may detest (it)." (Qurân 61: 9)
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) being the True Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) not only sincerely believes and testifies to the Oneness of Allâh, the Only True God, Who Alone deserves all praises and true worship, but also teaches the same universal message. In one of his teachings we learn how he teaches us to glorify and testify Allah (S.W.T.) as True:
“Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) narrated that when the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud (midnight) prayer, he used to say: “O Allâh! All the praises are for you. You are the Holder of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You have the possession of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You. You are the King of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You. You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, and to meet You is true. Your Word is the truth and Paradise is true, Hell is true, all the Prophets are true, Muhammad is true, and the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allâh! I surrender (my will) to You. I believe in You and depend on You, repent to You, and with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers). And I take You as a Judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous and future sins; and whatever I concealed or revealed. And You are the One Who makes (some people) forward and (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but You.” (Bukhari 2/221, 9/482 and 534)
If you are among those who have read some of the countless distortions written against Islâm and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), time has come that you believe in him as the true Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) to all humanity. Verily, Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is the true universal Messenger and the final Prophet of Allâh. In fact, he is known as the As-Sadiq and Al-’Amin (the Truthful and the Trustworthy). Many non-Muslims who knew and listened to him during his time, embraced Islâm because of his truthfulness. Indeed, Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is true and he teaches nothing but the Truth. Above all, he teaches us the worship of the One True God, which is the very essence of the true religion, Islâm. For your salvation, believe in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) as the true, final Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) and believe in the Message with which he was sent. Believe in Islâm as the true religion from Allah (S.W.T.). Take admonition from the following authentic Hâdîth:
“Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) said, “By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, he amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me; but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent (i.e., Islâm) and dies in his state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.” (Muslim 1/ 284).
This Article was wrote by Dr. Norlin
"We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a universal (Messenger) to men giving them glad tidings and warning them (against sin) but most men understand not." (Qurân 34: 28)
The Messenger (s.a.w.s.) possesses an exalted (standard of) character (Qur’an 68:4) and an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah (S.W.T.) and the Final Day, and who remembers Allah (S.W.T.) much (Qur’an 33: 21). Allah (S.W.T.) endowed him with exalted standard of character for us to follow. Every aspect of his life has been fully dealt with, providing complete guidance to the whole mankind. For our guidance, Allah (S.W.T.), the All-Mighty commands us to believe and obey His Messenger (s.a.w.s.):
"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ªn and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Say (O Muhammad): “Obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad).” But if they turn away, then Allâh does not like the disbelievers." (Qur’an 3: 31)
"O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad) with the truth from your Rabb (Sustainer). So believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allâh is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise." (Qurân 4: 170)
"O you who believe! Obey Allâh, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad) and render not vain your deeds." (Qurân 47: 33)
It is a must that we obey Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). Allah (S.W.T.) tells us that he who obeys His Messenger (s.a.w.s.) obeys Him:
"He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad) has indeed obeyed Allâh, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (Muhammad) as a watcher over them." (Qurân 4: 80)
Allah (S.W.T.) sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to make it prevail over all religions. He (I) says:
"It is He (Allah) Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans may detest (it)." (Qurân 61: 9)
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) being the True Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) not only sincerely believes and testifies to the Oneness of Allâh, the Only True God, Who Alone deserves all praises and true worship, but also teaches the same universal message. In one of his teachings we learn how he teaches us to glorify and testify Allah (S.W.T.) as True:
“Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) narrated that when the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud (midnight) prayer, he used to say: “O Allâh! All the praises are for you. You are the Holder of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You have the possession of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You. You are the King of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You. You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, and to meet You is true. Your Word is the truth and Paradise is true, Hell is true, all the Prophets are true, Muhammad is true, and the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allâh! I surrender (my will) to You. I believe in You and depend on You, repent to You, and with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers). And I take You as a Judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous and future sins; and whatever I concealed or revealed. And You are the One Who makes (some people) forward and (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but You.” (Bukhari 2/221, 9/482 and 534)
If you are among those who have read some of the countless distortions written against Islâm and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), time has come that you believe in him as the true Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) to all humanity. Verily, Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is the true universal Messenger and the final Prophet of Allâh. In fact, he is known as the As-Sadiq and Al-’Amin (the Truthful and the Trustworthy). Many non-Muslims who knew and listened to him during his time, embraced Islâm because of his truthfulness. Indeed, Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is true and he teaches nothing but the Truth. Above all, he teaches us the worship of the One True God, which is the very essence of the true religion, Islâm. For your salvation, believe in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) as the true, final Messenger of Allah (S.W.T.) and believe in the Message with which he was sent. Believe in Islâm as the true religion from Allah (S.W.T.). Take admonition from the following authentic Hâdîth:
“Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) said, “By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, he amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me; but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent (i.e., Islâm) and dies in his state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.” (Muslim 1/ 284).
This Article was wrote by Dr. Norlin
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Women Scholars of Hadith
Women Scholars of Hadith
Dr. Muhammad Zubayr Siddiqi
History records few scholarly enterprises, at least before modern times, in which women have played an important and active role side by side with men. The science of hadith forms an outstanding exception in this respect.
Islam, as a religion which (unlike Christianity) refused to attribute gender to the Godhead,1 and never appointed a male priestly elite to serve as an intermediary between creature and Creator, started life with the assurance that while men and women are equipped by nature for complementary rather than identical roles, no spiritual superiority inheres in the masculine principle.2 As a result, the Muslim community was happy to entrust matters of equal worth in God's sight. Only this can explain why, uniquely among the classical Western religions, Islam produced a large number of outstanding female scholars, on whose testimony and sound judgment much of the edifice of Islam depends.
Since Islam's earliest days, women had been taking a prominent part in the preservation and cultivation of hadith, and this function continued down the centuries. At every period in Muslim history, there lived numerous eminent women-traditionists, treated by their brethren with reverence and respect. Biographical notices on very large numbers of them are to be found in the biographical dictionaries.
During the lifetime of the Prophet, many women had been not only the instance for the evolution of many traditions, but had also been their transmitters to their sisters and brethren in faith.3 After the Prophet's death, many women Companions, particularly his wives, were looked upon as vital custodians of knowledge, and were approached for instruction by the other Companions, to whom they readily dispensed the rich store which they had gathered in the Prophet's company. The names of Hafsa, Umm Habiba, Maymuna, Umm Salama, and A'isha, are familiar to every student of hadith as being among its earliest and most distinguished transmitters.4 In particular, A'isha is one of the most important figures in the whole history of hadith literature - not only as one of the earliest reporters of the largest number of hadith, but also as one of their most careful interpreters.
In the period of the Successors, too, women held important positions as traditionists. Hafsa, the daughter of Ibn Sirin,5 Umm al-Darda the Younger (d.81/700), and 'Amra bin 'Abd al-Rahman, are only a few of the key women traditionists of this period. Umm al-Darda' was held by Iyas ibn Mu'awiya, an important traditionist of the time and a judge of undisputed ability and merit, to be superior to all the other traditionists of the period, including the celebrated masters of hadith like al-Hasan al-Basri and Ibn Sirin.6 'Amra was considered a great authority on traditions related by A'isha. Among her students, Abu Bakr ibn Hazm, the celebrated judge of Medina, was ordered by the caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz to write down all the traditions known on her authority.7
After them, 'Abida al-Madaniyya, 'Abda bin Bishr, Umm Umar al-Thaqafiyya, Zaynab the granddaughter of Ali ibn Abd Allah ibn Abbas, Nafisa bint al-Hasan ibn Ziyad, Khadija Umm Muhammad, 'Abda bint Abd al-Rahman, and many other members of the fair sex excelled in delivering public lectures on hadith. These devout women came from the most diverse backgrounds, indicating that neither class nor gender were obstacles to rising through the ranks of Islamic scholarship. For example, Abida, who started life as a slave owned by Muhammad ibn Yazid, learnt a large number of hadiths with the teachers in Median. She was given by her master to Habib Dahhun, the great traditionist of Spain, when he visited the holy city on this way to the Hajj. Dahhun was so impressed by her learning that he freed her, married her, and brought her to Andalusia. It is said that she related ten thousand traditions on the authority of her Medinan teachers.8
Zaynab bint Sulayman (d. 142/759), by contrast, was princess by birth. Her father was a cousin of al-Saffah, the founder of the Abbasid dynasty, and had been a governor of Basra, Oman and Bahrayn during the caliphate of al-Mansur.9 Zaynab, who received a fine education, acquired a mastery of hadith, gained a reputation as one of the most distinguished women traditionists of the time, and counted many important men among her pupils.10
This partnership of women with men in the cultivation of the Prophetic Tradition continued in the period when the great anthologies of hadith were compiled. A survey of the texts reveals that all the important compilers of traditions from the earliest period received many of them from women shuyukh: every major collection gives the names of many women as the immediate authorities of the author. And when these works had been compiled, the women traditionists themselves mastered them, and delivered lectures to large classes of pupils, to whom they would issue their own ijazas.
In the fourth century, we find Fatima bint Abd al-Rahman (d. 312/924), known as al-Sufiyya on account of her great piety; Fatima (granddaughter of Abu Daud of Sunan fame); Amat al-Wahid (d. 377/987), the daughter of distinguished jurist al-Muhamili; Umm al-Fath Amat as-Salam (d. 390/999), the daughter of the judge Abu Bakr Ahmad (d.350/961); Jumua bint Ahmad, and many other women, whose classes were always attended by reverential audiences.11
The Islamic tradition of female hadith scholarship continued in the fifth and sixth centuries of hijra. Fatima bin al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn al-Daqqaq al-Qushayri, was celebrated not only for her piety and her mastery of calligraphy, but also for her knowledge of hadith and the quality of the isnads she knew.12 Even more distinguished was Karima al-Marwaziyya (d.463/1070), who was considered the best authority on the Sahih of al-Bukhari in her own time. Abu Dharr of Herat, one of the leading scholars of the period, attached such great importance to her authority that he advised his students to study the Sahih under no one else, because of the quality of her scholarship. She thus figures as a central point in the transmission of this seminal text of Islam.13 As a matter of fact, writes Godziher, 'her name occurs with extraordinary frequency of the ijazas for narrating the text of this book.'14 Among her students were al-Khatib al-Baghdadi15 and al-Humaydi (428/1036-488/1095).16
Aside from Karima, a number of other women traditionists 'occupy an eminent place in the history of the transmission of the text of the Sahih.'17 Among these, one might mention in particular Fatima bint Muhammad (d.539/1144; Shuhda 'the Writer' (d.574/1178), and Sitt al-Wuzara bint Umar (d.716/1316).18 Fatima narrated the book on the authority of the great traditionist Said al-Ayyar; she received from the hadith specialists the proud tittle of Musnida Isfahan (the great hadith authority of Isfahan). Shuhda was a famous calligrapher and a traditionist of great repute; the biographers describe her as 'the calligrapher, the great authority on hadith, and the pride of womanhood.' Her great-grandfather had been a dealer in needles, and thus acquired the sobriquet 'al-Ibri'. But her father, Abu Nasr (d. 506/1112) had acquired a passion for hadith, and managed to study it with several masters of the subject.19 In obedience to the sunna, he gave his daughter a sound academic education, ensuring that she studied under many traditionists of accepted reputation.
Read the full article @ Islamfortoday
Dr. Muhammad Zubayr Siddiqi
History records few scholarly enterprises, at least before modern times, in which women have played an important and active role side by side with men. The science of hadith forms an outstanding exception in this respect.
Islam, as a religion which (unlike Christianity) refused to attribute gender to the Godhead,1 and never appointed a male priestly elite to serve as an intermediary between creature and Creator, started life with the assurance that while men and women are equipped by nature for complementary rather than identical roles, no spiritual superiority inheres in the masculine principle.2 As a result, the Muslim community was happy to entrust matters of equal worth in God's sight. Only this can explain why, uniquely among the classical Western religions, Islam produced a large number of outstanding female scholars, on whose testimony and sound judgment much of the edifice of Islam depends.
Since Islam's earliest days, women had been taking a prominent part in the preservation and cultivation of hadith, and this function continued down the centuries. At every period in Muslim history, there lived numerous eminent women-traditionists, treated by their brethren with reverence and respect. Biographical notices on very large numbers of them are to be found in the biographical dictionaries.
During the lifetime of the Prophet, many women had been not only the instance for the evolution of many traditions, but had also been their transmitters to their sisters and brethren in faith.3 After the Prophet's death, many women Companions, particularly his wives, were looked upon as vital custodians of knowledge, and were approached for instruction by the other Companions, to whom they readily dispensed the rich store which they had gathered in the Prophet's company. The names of Hafsa, Umm Habiba, Maymuna, Umm Salama, and A'isha, are familiar to every student of hadith as being among its earliest and most distinguished transmitters.4 In particular, A'isha is one of the most important figures in the whole history of hadith literature - not only as one of the earliest reporters of the largest number of hadith, but also as one of their most careful interpreters.
In the period of the Successors, too, women held important positions as traditionists. Hafsa, the daughter of Ibn Sirin,5 Umm al-Darda the Younger (d.81/700), and 'Amra bin 'Abd al-Rahman, are only a few of the key women traditionists of this period. Umm al-Darda' was held by Iyas ibn Mu'awiya, an important traditionist of the time and a judge of undisputed ability and merit, to be superior to all the other traditionists of the period, including the celebrated masters of hadith like al-Hasan al-Basri and Ibn Sirin.6 'Amra was considered a great authority on traditions related by A'isha. Among her students, Abu Bakr ibn Hazm, the celebrated judge of Medina, was ordered by the caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz to write down all the traditions known on her authority.7
After them, 'Abida al-Madaniyya, 'Abda bin Bishr, Umm Umar al-Thaqafiyya, Zaynab the granddaughter of Ali ibn Abd Allah ibn Abbas, Nafisa bint al-Hasan ibn Ziyad, Khadija Umm Muhammad, 'Abda bint Abd al-Rahman, and many other members of the fair sex excelled in delivering public lectures on hadith. These devout women came from the most diverse backgrounds, indicating that neither class nor gender were obstacles to rising through the ranks of Islamic scholarship. For example, Abida, who started life as a slave owned by Muhammad ibn Yazid, learnt a large number of hadiths with the teachers in Median. She was given by her master to Habib Dahhun, the great traditionist of Spain, when he visited the holy city on this way to the Hajj. Dahhun was so impressed by her learning that he freed her, married her, and brought her to Andalusia. It is said that she related ten thousand traditions on the authority of her Medinan teachers.8
Zaynab bint Sulayman (d. 142/759), by contrast, was princess by birth. Her father was a cousin of al-Saffah, the founder of the Abbasid dynasty, and had been a governor of Basra, Oman and Bahrayn during the caliphate of al-Mansur.9 Zaynab, who received a fine education, acquired a mastery of hadith, gained a reputation as one of the most distinguished women traditionists of the time, and counted many important men among her pupils.10
This partnership of women with men in the cultivation of the Prophetic Tradition continued in the period when the great anthologies of hadith were compiled. A survey of the texts reveals that all the important compilers of traditions from the earliest period received many of them from women shuyukh: every major collection gives the names of many women as the immediate authorities of the author. And when these works had been compiled, the women traditionists themselves mastered them, and delivered lectures to large classes of pupils, to whom they would issue their own ijazas.
In the fourth century, we find Fatima bint Abd al-Rahman (d. 312/924), known as al-Sufiyya on account of her great piety; Fatima (granddaughter of Abu Daud of Sunan fame); Amat al-Wahid (d. 377/987), the daughter of distinguished jurist al-Muhamili; Umm al-Fath Amat as-Salam (d. 390/999), the daughter of the judge Abu Bakr Ahmad (d.350/961); Jumua bint Ahmad, and many other women, whose classes were always attended by reverential audiences.11
The Islamic tradition of female hadith scholarship continued in the fifth and sixth centuries of hijra. Fatima bin al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn al-Daqqaq al-Qushayri, was celebrated not only for her piety and her mastery of calligraphy, but also for her knowledge of hadith and the quality of the isnads she knew.12 Even more distinguished was Karima al-Marwaziyya (d.463/1070), who was considered the best authority on the Sahih of al-Bukhari in her own time. Abu Dharr of Herat, one of the leading scholars of the period, attached such great importance to her authority that he advised his students to study the Sahih under no one else, because of the quality of her scholarship. She thus figures as a central point in the transmission of this seminal text of Islam.13 As a matter of fact, writes Godziher, 'her name occurs with extraordinary frequency of the ijazas for narrating the text of this book.'14 Among her students were al-Khatib al-Baghdadi15 and al-Humaydi (428/1036-488/1095).16
Aside from Karima, a number of other women traditionists 'occupy an eminent place in the history of the transmission of the text of the Sahih.'17 Among these, one might mention in particular Fatima bint Muhammad (d.539/1144; Shuhda 'the Writer' (d.574/1178), and Sitt al-Wuzara bint Umar (d.716/1316).18 Fatima narrated the book on the authority of the great traditionist Said al-Ayyar; she received from the hadith specialists the proud tittle of Musnida Isfahan (the great hadith authority of Isfahan). Shuhda was a famous calligrapher and a traditionist of great repute; the biographers describe her as 'the calligrapher, the great authority on hadith, and the pride of womanhood.' Her great-grandfather had been a dealer in needles, and thus acquired the sobriquet 'al-Ibri'. But her father, Abu Nasr (d. 506/1112) had acquired a passion for hadith, and managed to study it with several masters of the subject.19 In obedience to the sunna, he gave his daughter a sound academic education, ensuring that she studied under many traditionists of accepted reputation.
Read the full article @ Islamfortoday
Monday, April 6, 2009
Dr Zakir Discusses the Question on "If Allah is so merciful, why did Allah Create Hell"
Know why Allah (The God) created hell even though He is Most Merciful, also know the reason behind this life.
Dr Zakir Discusses the Question on "If Allah is so merciful, why did Allah Create Hell"
Dr Zakir Discusses the Question on "If Allah is so merciful, why did Allah Create Hell"
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Reply to Critics
Allaah describes the believers in His Noble Book as making the following du’aa, “Our Lord, do not place in our hearts hatred toward the believers.” (59:10) Yet some of our brothers have been doing just the opposite: placing enmity in the hearts of the people against the believers. It is sad that conferences, which used to be gatherings of learning, imparting beneficial knowledge, spreading the Sunnah, and increasing our eemaan, have been turned into gatherings of character assassination and maligning scholars, students of knowledge, and du‘aat. So much so that the hearts of those who attend these conferences have become hardened with hatred toward many students of knowledge, who have dedicated their lives to spreading the correct ‘aqeedah and Sunnah, and who should in fact be loved for the sake of Allaah. Rather, we should advise one another and try to guide our brothers if we see them make mistakes or see them straying from the correct manhaj. We should not rejoice nor feel triumphant when we see our brothers fall or err; so as not be like those whom Allaah describes saying, “If some good comes to you it grieves them, while if some evil befalls you they rejoice at it.” (3:120) We should give one another the benefit of the doubt: Perhaps he has a shubhah (doubt or point of confusion) about such and such an issue, perhaps he does not know the proofs regarding such and such an issue, perhaps this mistake, in his view, was based on what he held to be knowledge, but rather it was statements of scholars taken out of context, etc. Allaah describes the believers as being harsh to the disbelievers, and merciful with the believers. (48:29) Now, it has been reversed. Some of these brothers in a recent lecture in the United States went so far as to say about me that I am worse than the Jews and Christians! May Allaah protect us from that which they ascribe us to. This state of random labeling and boycotting has become among the greatest fitnahs of our time, where Satan creates fitnah cloaked in an Islaamic garb. He disguised this fitnah under an honorable name, under the name of Truth, under the name of Salafiyyah. While the noble Salafee manhaj, the only way to attain success, is innocent of such behavior. The path of true guidance, i.e. Salafiyyah, was never intended to be an exclusive club, in which certain individuals can grant membership and confiscate it from whomsoever they please. This attitude is similar to the very hizbiyyah (factionalism) which our brothers are trying to fight.
I advise these brothers of ours to spend their time beneficially, learning the basics, studying Arabic, tajweed, the classic works of ‘aqeedah, such as al-‘Itisaam, al-Usool ath-Thalaathah, Kitaab at-Tawheed, al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah, al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, etc. under scholars in the original Arabic. And, rather than trying to take some quotes here and there from great scholars like Shaykhs Nasirud-Deen al-Albaanee, Bin Baaz, ‘Uthaymeen, and Muqbil, may Allaah have mercy on them all, I recommend that they actually listen to and study their tapes. Al-hamdulillah, there are many commentaries of Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen on the various books of ‘aqeedah, and tafseers, etc and Silsilat al-Hudaa wan-Noor, the tapes of Shaykh al-Albaanee, rahimahullaah, are available in the hundreds for them to actually listen to from beginning to end.
Finally, I sincerely advise all my brothers and sisters to remember that we are all going to stand for account before Allaah and answer for every word we said (or wrote); and we should remember that injustice is a great sin indeed. Let us all (myself included) never forget that the source of guidance and light is Allaah, the Most Exalted, so we should sincerely pray to Him to guide us to the Truth, and regularly make the du’aa: allaahumma arinal haqqa haqqan warzuq nattibaa’u wa arinal baatila baatilan warzuq najtinaabuh O Allaah, show as the Truth as truth, and grant us the blessing of following it, and show as falsehood as falsehood, and grant us the blessing of staying away from it.
We should beg for Allaah’s divine guidance with our hearts free from diseases, such as envy, hatred, fear of not being accepted by people, or a desire to maintain a good reputation amongst some. I ask Allaah to expose the reality to those who sincerely desire the Truth.
Full Article
I advise these brothers of ours to spend their time beneficially, learning the basics, studying Arabic, tajweed, the classic works of ‘aqeedah, such as al-‘Itisaam, al-Usool ath-Thalaathah, Kitaab at-Tawheed, al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah, al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, etc. under scholars in the original Arabic. And, rather than trying to take some quotes here and there from great scholars like Shaykhs Nasirud-Deen al-Albaanee, Bin Baaz, ‘Uthaymeen, and Muqbil, may Allaah have mercy on them all, I recommend that they actually listen to and study their tapes. Al-hamdulillah, there are many commentaries of Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen on the various books of ‘aqeedah, and tafseers, etc and Silsilat al-Hudaa wan-Noor, the tapes of Shaykh al-Albaanee, rahimahullaah, are available in the hundreds for them to actually listen to from beginning to end.
Finally, I sincerely advise all my brothers and sisters to remember that we are all going to stand for account before Allaah and answer for every word we said (or wrote); and we should remember that injustice is a great sin indeed. Let us all (myself included) never forget that the source of guidance and light is Allaah, the Most Exalted, so we should sincerely pray to Him to guide us to the Truth, and regularly make the du’aa: allaahumma arinal haqqa haqqan warzuq nattibaa’u wa arinal baatila baatilan warzuq najtinaabuh O Allaah, show as the Truth as truth, and grant us the blessing of following it, and show as falsehood as falsehood, and grant us the blessing of staying away from it.
We should beg for Allaah’s divine guidance with our hearts free from diseases, such as envy, hatred, fear of not being accepted by people, or a desire to maintain a good reputation amongst some. I ask Allaah to expose the reality to those who sincerely desire the Truth.
Full Article
Riqaq (Purification of Soul) Effects of the Five Heart Corrupters
Written by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah,
Madaarij as-Saalikeen, vol. 1, pp. 443-9
Saturday, 05 August 2006
The First Corrupter: Frequent Socializing
The effect of frequent socializing is that it fills the heart with the smoke of anfaas of humans until it becomes black, [3] causing it to be scattered, torn apart, worried, upset, and weak. It causes it to carry what it is unable to from mu’nat evil companions and waste what is beneficial for it, by becoming too preoccupied with evil companions and their matters to attend to what is beneficial. (The heart instead is busy with) scattered thoughts in the valleys of their requests and wishes. So what remains of it for Allaah and the life to come?
How many adversities has mixing with people brought and how many blessings has it repelled? [How many] trials has it caused and opportunities disabled, raziyyah caused to fall in baliyyah. Is aafah the downfall of people caused by other than people? Did Aboo Taalib at the time of his death have anything more harmful to himself than evil companions? They remained with him until they blocked him from the one statement that would have guaranteed him eternal pleasure.
This socializing based on love in this world, the fulfillment of desires from others, will change into enmity when the realities become manifest, and some of those who socialized will bite their hands in regret as the Almighty said:
“On the Day when the sinner will bite his hands saying: If only I had taken a way to the Messenger. Woe to me, if only I hadn’t taken so-and-so as a close friend. He misguided me from the Remembrance after it came to me.’ And Satan is forever a deserter of humans in their time of need.” (Soorah al-Furqaan, 25: 27-9)
He also said:
“Close friends on that Day will be foes of each other except the God-fearing.” (Soorah az-Zukhruf, 43: 67)
And He said:
“Indeed what you have taken besides Allaah is only idols. Love between you is only in this world, but on the Day of Resurrection you will disown each other and curse each other and your abode will be the fire and you will have no helpers.” (Soorah al-‘Ankaboot, 29: 25)
That is the state of those who share goals, they love each other as long they help each other to achieve it. But if the goal is cut off, it is followed by regret, sadness and pain, and that love will change into hatred, cursing, blame of one another, and the goals change into unhappiness and punishment, as is witnessed in this life in the states of those who share in khizyah failure, if they are caught and punished. Each supporter of falsehood, friendly regarding it, their mutual love must eventually change into hatred and enmity.
The useful defining principle in the matter of socializing is that one should mix with people in [acts of] goodness like Jumu‘ah, the ‘Eeds, Hajj, learning knowledge, Jihaad, giving advice; and avoid them in [acts of] evil, as well as unnecessary permissible things. If necessity requires mixing with them in evil and avoiding them is not possible, then beware, beware of agreeing with them. And be patient with their harm, for they must harm him if he does not have power or a helper. However, it is harm followed by honor and love for him, respect and praise for him from them, the believers, and from the Lord of the worlds.
Thus, patience with their harm is a better ending and a more praiseworthy conclusion. If necessity requires mixing with them in unnecessary permissible things, he should strive to transform the gathering into one of obedience to Allaah if it is possible, he should encourage himself and strengthen his heart, and not pay attention to the satanic whisper of discouragement which will prevent him from that, that this is riyaa showing off, a love of displaying one’s knowledge and state, etc., he should fight it and seek help from Almighty Allaah and try to affect them as positively as he can. If destiny prevents him from that, he should remove his heart from among them the way a hair is removed from dough. Among them he should be present yet absent, close yet far and asleep yet awake. He should look at them and not see them, hear their words but not be conscious of them, because he has removed his heart from among them and ascended with it to the uppermost hosts (al-mala’il-a‘laa) glorifying [Allaah] around the throne along with the pure celestial spirits. How difficult this is and trying for the souls, [yet] it is easy for whoever Allaah makes it easy. Between a slave and [that state] is that he be truthful to Allaah – Blessed and High – continually seeking refuge in Him, and that he throw his soul on [Allaah’s] doorstep in humility and tareeh. Nothing will help him to do that besides sincere love, continual remembrance of Allaah with the heart and tongue, and avoidance of the remaining four corrupters to be mentioned. He will achieve this except with righteous preparation and strong material from Allaah – Most Great and Glorious – and a truthful conviction, and freedom from attachment to other than Allaah, Most High. And Allaah Almighty knows best.
The Second Corrupter: Riding the Sea of Wishes
It is a sea without shores. It is the sea ridden by the bankrupt of the world. It is said: Wishes are the capital of the bankrupt, and its travel provisions are the promises of Satan, and impossible imaginations and falsehood. The wealth of false wishes and false imaginations continue to play with one who rides them the way that dogs play with a jeefah corpse. They are the supplies of every maheenah disgraced, khaseesah humiliated, low soul, having no conviction to achieve external realities. So it i‘taadat turned away from them with mental wishes. And everyone has it according to his state: From a wisher for power and authority, or travel and international travel, or wealth and valuables, or women and mardaan, The wisher imagines an image of what he desires in his mind, and he succeeds in creating it and takes pleasure in capturing it. While he is in this state he suddenly awakes to find his hand and al-haseer. (p. 446)
The one who has lofty/high conviction himmah his hopes pivot around knowledge and faith and deeds which will bring him closer to his Lord, and yudeenuhu min jiwaarih. These wishes are faith, light and wisdom, while the wishes of those are deception and delusion.
The Prophet (r) praised the one who wishes for good, and made his reward in some things similar to that of the one who actually does it, like the one who says: If I had money I would do as so-and-so does who fears his Lord regarding his wealth, strengthening family ties with it, and extracts from it what is required. He said: “Regarding reward, they are equal.” [4] The Prophet (r) wished in the Farewell Pilgrimage that he was doing Hajj Tamattu‘ and khalla and that he did not take a sacrificial animal with him, [5] as he was doing Hajj Qiraan. So Allaah gave him the reward of Qiraan which he did and the reward of Tamattu‘ which he wished for and combined for him both rewards.
The Third Corrupter: Attachment to Other Than Allaah
This is the absolute worst of the corrupters. There is none more harmful than attachment to other than Allaah, nor more able to cut the heart off from Allaah, and block it from what is beneficial to it and what will bring it true happiness. If a heart becomes attached to other than Allaah, Allaah makes him dependent on what he is attached to and he will be betrayed by it and he will not achieve what he was seeking from Allaah as long as he is attached to other than Allaah and turning to others besides Him. Thus, he will not obtain what he sought from Allaah nor will what he was attached to besides Allaah bring it for him
“And they have taken gods besides Allaah that they might give them honor, power and glory. No. But they will deny their worship of them and become opponents to them.” (Soorah Maryam, 19: 81-2)
“And they have taken besides Allaah gods hoping that they might be helped. They cannot help them but they will be brought forward as a troop against them.” (Soorah Yaaseen, 36: 74-5)
The person most betrayed is the one who is attached to other than Allaah. For what he missed of benefits, happiness and success is far greater that what he obtained from those to whom he was attached, and it is exposed to disappearance and loss. The example of one attached to other than Allaah is like one seeking shade from the heat and cold in a spider’s web (home), the weakest wahn of homes.
In general, the basis of idolatry and the foundation on which it is built is: Attachment to other than Allaah, and for the one who does so there is condemnation and betrayal, as stated by the Almighty:
“Do not set up with Allaah any other god or you will sit down reproved and forsaken.” (Soorah al-Israa, 17: 22)
“Reproved” without anyone to praise you, “forsaken” without anyone to help you. As some people may be forced while being praised, like one is forced by falsehood, and he could be forsaken while being helped [by Allaah], like one forced and falsehood has gained the upper hand over him, and he could be praised and supported like one becomes established and gains dominion by way of the truth. The idolater attached to other than Allaah, his is the vilest category, neither praised nor supported.
The Fourth Corrupter: Food
The corrupter of the heart is of two types:
One of them is that which corrupts it by itself like the forbidden which are two types:
* Forbidden relative to Allaah like carcasses, blood, pork, wild animals that kill with the canine tooth [6]and birds that kill with claws.
* Forbidden relative to Allaah’s slaves, like stolen, maghsoob, kidnapped, and what is taken without the permission of the owner either by force or by shame and blame.
The second is what corrupts as a result of its quantity and its exceeding limits, like wasting permissible things, excessive filling of the stomach, for it makes acts of obedience burdensome and it preoccupies the heart with muzaawalat mu’nat al-batnah chasing after belly desires and trying for it until it captures it. If it captures zafara it he becomes preoccupied with muzaawalat following its tasarruf activities and protecting the self from its harm, and being hurt by its weight, and it strengthens the elements of desire. It paves paths for Satan and expands them, for he moves among humans in the veins. Fasting narrows its passages and closes his paths and filling the stomach paves paths and widens them. Whoever eats a lot, drinks a lot, sleeps a lot and loses a lot. In the famous hadeeth:
“No human fills a container worse than his stomach. Two small portions of food to straighten his backbone are sufficient. If he must [eat more], then let it be a third for food, a third for drink and a third for breathing.” [7]
It is said that [on one occasion] Iblees – may Allaah curse him – met Yahyaa, son of Zakariyyaa – peace be upon them – and Yahyaa asked him: “Did you take anything from me.” He replied: “No, except one night when food was presented to you, I made it so desirable to you that you ate your fill and you went sleep without making your regular supplications.” Yahyaa said: “I swear by Allaah that I will never eat my fill again.” Iblees then said: “As for me, I swear by Allaah that I will never advise another human again.”
The Fifth Corrupter: Excessive Sleep
It deadens the heart, makes the body heavy, wastes time, and gives birth to a lot of negligence and laziness. Some [types] of sleep are extremely disliked, and some are harmful to the body. The best form of sleep is what takes place when there exists a strong need for it. Sleep at the beginning of the night is more praiseworthy and beneficial than at the end of the night, and sleep in the middle of the day is better than at its beginning and end tarafayhi. The closer sleep is to the beginning and ending of the day the less the benefit and the more the harm. [This is] especially the case for sleeping in the after noon (‘asr) and sleeping at the beginning of the day, except for one who stayed awake all night.
And among the disliked aspects, according to the scholars, is sleep between Salaatul-Fajr and sunrise, for it is a time of special reward.[8] For that time escape, among the saalikeen (travellers), is a great loss maziyyah. Even if they traveled all night they would not allow sitting down from the journey sayr at that time until sunrise, because it is the beginning of the day and its key. [It is] the time for provisions to be sent down [and distributed], the time for obtaining portions and the descent of blessings, and from it the day is established. The ruling regarding the whole day is [based on] the ruling regarding that portion. One should only sleep at that time if one is forced.
In general, the most balanced/moderate (a‘dal) and beneficial form of sleep, is sleep during the first portion of the night and the last sixth of the night. According to medical practitioners, the length of the most balanced form of sleep should be eight hours. In their view, more [sleep] than that or less than that will cause deviation in one’s natural disposition according to it bihasabihi.
Among the forms of sleep that are not beneficial also, is sleep in the first part of the night shortly after sunset until fahmatul-‘ishaa the darkness of ‘Ishaa goes. The Messenger of Allaah (r) used to dislike it.[9] So it is disliked according to the Sharee‘ah and naturally.
As excessive sleep causes these defects aafaat, putting aside sleep and abandoning it causes other major defects like bad temperament, yabsihi dry personality and a warped disposition, as well as drying up of the humors [10] which aid in understanding and work, and it leads to illnesses mutlifah which will prevent one afflicted from benefiting either with his heart or body.
Existence [of the world] was established on the basis of justice (‘adl), so whoever adheres to moderation has grabbed his portion of the confluence of good.
Madaarij as-Saalikeen, vol. 1, pp. 443-9
Saturday, 05 August 2006
The First Corrupter: Frequent Socializing
The effect of frequent socializing is that it fills the heart with the smoke of anfaas of humans until it becomes black, [3] causing it to be scattered, torn apart, worried, upset, and weak. It causes it to carry what it is unable to from mu’nat evil companions and waste what is beneficial for it, by becoming too preoccupied with evil companions and their matters to attend to what is beneficial. (The heart instead is busy with) scattered thoughts in the valleys of their requests and wishes. So what remains of it for Allaah and the life to come?
How many adversities has mixing with people brought and how many blessings has it repelled? [How many] trials has it caused and opportunities disabled, raziyyah caused to fall in baliyyah. Is aafah the downfall of people caused by other than people? Did Aboo Taalib at the time of his death have anything more harmful to himself than evil companions? They remained with him until they blocked him from the one statement that would have guaranteed him eternal pleasure.
This socializing based on love in this world, the fulfillment of desires from others, will change into enmity when the realities become manifest, and some of those who socialized will bite their hands in regret as the Almighty said:
“On the Day when the sinner will bite his hands saying: If only I had taken a way to the Messenger. Woe to me, if only I hadn’t taken so-and-so as a close friend. He misguided me from the Remembrance after it came to me.’ And Satan is forever a deserter of humans in their time of need.” (Soorah al-Furqaan, 25: 27-9)
He also said:
“Close friends on that Day will be foes of each other except the God-fearing.” (Soorah az-Zukhruf, 43: 67)
And He said:
“Indeed what you have taken besides Allaah is only idols. Love between you is only in this world, but on the Day of Resurrection you will disown each other and curse each other and your abode will be the fire and you will have no helpers.” (Soorah al-‘Ankaboot, 29: 25)
That is the state of those who share goals, they love each other as long they help each other to achieve it. But if the goal is cut off, it is followed by regret, sadness and pain, and that love will change into hatred, cursing, blame of one another, and the goals change into unhappiness and punishment, as is witnessed in this life in the states of those who share in khizyah failure, if they are caught and punished. Each supporter of falsehood, friendly regarding it, their mutual love must eventually change into hatred and enmity.
The useful defining principle in the matter of socializing is that one should mix with people in [acts of] goodness like Jumu‘ah, the ‘Eeds, Hajj, learning knowledge, Jihaad, giving advice; and avoid them in [acts of] evil, as well as unnecessary permissible things. If necessity requires mixing with them in evil and avoiding them is not possible, then beware, beware of agreeing with them. And be patient with their harm, for they must harm him if he does not have power or a helper. However, it is harm followed by honor and love for him, respect and praise for him from them, the believers, and from the Lord of the worlds.
Thus, patience with their harm is a better ending and a more praiseworthy conclusion. If necessity requires mixing with them in unnecessary permissible things, he should strive to transform the gathering into one of obedience to Allaah if it is possible, he should encourage himself and strengthen his heart, and not pay attention to the satanic whisper of discouragement which will prevent him from that, that this is riyaa showing off, a love of displaying one’s knowledge and state, etc., he should fight it and seek help from Almighty Allaah and try to affect them as positively as he can. If destiny prevents him from that, he should remove his heart from among them the way a hair is removed from dough. Among them he should be present yet absent, close yet far and asleep yet awake. He should look at them and not see them, hear their words but not be conscious of them, because he has removed his heart from among them and ascended with it to the uppermost hosts (al-mala’il-a‘laa) glorifying [Allaah] around the throne along with the pure celestial spirits. How difficult this is and trying for the souls, [yet] it is easy for whoever Allaah makes it easy. Between a slave and [that state] is that he be truthful to Allaah – Blessed and High – continually seeking refuge in Him, and that he throw his soul on [Allaah’s] doorstep in humility and tareeh. Nothing will help him to do that besides sincere love, continual remembrance of Allaah with the heart and tongue, and avoidance of the remaining four corrupters to be mentioned. He will achieve this except with righteous preparation and strong material from Allaah – Most Great and Glorious – and a truthful conviction, and freedom from attachment to other than Allaah, Most High. And Allaah Almighty knows best.
The Second Corrupter: Riding the Sea of Wishes
It is a sea without shores. It is the sea ridden by the bankrupt of the world. It is said: Wishes are the capital of the bankrupt, and its travel provisions are the promises of Satan, and impossible imaginations and falsehood. The wealth of false wishes and false imaginations continue to play with one who rides them the way that dogs play with a jeefah corpse. They are the supplies of every maheenah disgraced, khaseesah humiliated, low soul, having no conviction to achieve external realities. So it i‘taadat turned away from them with mental wishes. And everyone has it according to his state: From a wisher for power and authority, or travel and international travel, or wealth and valuables, or women and mardaan, The wisher imagines an image of what he desires in his mind, and he succeeds in creating it and takes pleasure in capturing it. While he is in this state he suddenly awakes to find his hand and al-haseer. (p. 446)
The one who has lofty/high conviction himmah his hopes pivot around knowledge and faith and deeds which will bring him closer to his Lord, and yudeenuhu min jiwaarih. These wishes are faith, light and wisdom, while the wishes of those are deception and delusion.
The Prophet (r) praised the one who wishes for good, and made his reward in some things similar to that of the one who actually does it, like the one who says: If I had money I would do as so-and-so does who fears his Lord regarding his wealth, strengthening family ties with it, and extracts from it what is required. He said: “Regarding reward, they are equal.” [4] The Prophet (r) wished in the Farewell Pilgrimage that he was doing Hajj Tamattu‘ and khalla and that he did not take a sacrificial animal with him, [5] as he was doing Hajj Qiraan. So Allaah gave him the reward of Qiraan which he did and the reward of Tamattu‘ which he wished for and combined for him both rewards.
The Third Corrupter: Attachment to Other Than Allaah
This is the absolute worst of the corrupters. There is none more harmful than attachment to other than Allaah, nor more able to cut the heart off from Allaah, and block it from what is beneficial to it and what will bring it true happiness. If a heart becomes attached to other than Allaah, Allaah makes him dependent on what he is attached to and he will be betrayed by it and he will not achieve what he was seeking from Allaah as long as he is attached to other than Allaah and turning to others besides Him. Thus, he will not obtain what he sought from Allaah nor will what he was attached to besides Allaah bring it for him
“And they have taken gods besides Allaah that they might give them honor, power and glory. No. But they will deny their worship of them and become opponents to them.” (Soorah Maryam, 19: 81-2)
“And they have taken besides Allaah gods hoping that they might be helped. They cannot help them but they will be brought forward as a troop against them.” (Soorah Yaaseen, 36: 74-5)
The person most betrayed is the one who is attached to other than Allaah. For what he missed of benefits, happiness and success is far greater that what he obtained from those to whom he was attached, and it is exposed to disappearance and loss. The example of one attached to other than Allaah is like one seeking shade from the heat and cold in a spider’s web (home), the weakest wahn of homes.
In general, the basis of idolatry and the foundation on which it is built is: Attachment to other than Allaah, and for the one who does so there is condemnation and betrayal, as stated by the Almighty:
“Do not set up with Allaah any other god or you will sit down reproved and forsaken.” (Soorah al-Israa, 17: 22)
“Reproved” without anyone to praise you, “forsaken” without anyone to help you. As some people may be forced while being praised, like one is forced by falsehood, and he could be forsaken while being helped [by Allaah], like one forced and falsehood has gained the upper hand over him, and he could be praised and supported like one becomes established and gains dominion by way of the truth. The idolater attached to other than Allaah, his is the vilest category, neither praised nor supported.
The Fourth Corrupter: Food
The corrupter of the heart is of two types:
One of them is that which corrupts it by itself like the forbidden which are two types:
* Forbidden relative to Allaah like carcasses, blood, pork, wild animals that kill with the canine tooth [6]and birds that kill with claws.
* Forbidden relative to Allaah’s slaves, like stolen, maghsoob, kidnapped, and what is taken without the permission of the owner either by force or by shame and blame.
The second is what corrupts as a result of its quantity and its exceeding limits, like wasting permissible things, excessive filling of the stomach, for it makes acts of obedience burdensome and it preoccupies the heart with muzaawalat mu’nat al-batnah chasing after belly desires and trying for it until it captures it. If it captures zafara it he becomes preoccupied with muzaawalat following its tasarruf activities and protecting the self from its harm, and being hurt by its weight, and it strengthens the elements of desire. It paves paths for Satan and expands them, for he moves among humans in the veins. Fasting narrows its passages and closes his paths and filling the stomach paves paths and widens them. Whoever eats a lot, drinks a lot, sleeps a lot and loses a lot. In the famous hadeeth:
“No human fills a container worse than his stomach. Two small portions of food to straighten his backbone are sufficient. If he must [eat more], then let it be a third for food, a third for drink and a third for breathing.” [7]
It is said that [on one occasion] Iblees – may Allaah curse him – met Yahyaa, son of Zakariyyaa – peace be upon them – and Yahyaa asked him: “Did you take anything from me.” He replied: “No, except one night when food was presented to you, I made it so desirable to you that you ate your fill and you went sleep without making your regular supplications.” Yahyaa said: “I swear by Allaah that I will never eat my fill again.” Iblees then said: “As for me, I swear by Allaah that I will never advise another human again.”
The Fifth Corrupter: Excessive Sleep
It deadens the heart, makes the body heavy, wastes time, and gives birth to a lot of negligence and laziness. Some [types] of sleep are extremely disliked, and some are harmful to the body. The best form of sleep is what takes place when there exists a strong need for it. Sleep at the beginning of the night is more praiseworthy and beneficial than at the end of the night, and sleep in the middle of the day is better than at its beginning and end tarafayhi. The closer sleep is to the beginning and ending of the day the less the benefit and the more the harm. [This is] especially the case for sleeping in the after noon (‘asr) and sleeping at the beginning of the day, except for one who stayed awake all night.
And among the disliked aspects, according to the scholars, is sleep between Salaatul-Fajr and sunrise, for it is a time of special reward.[8] For that time escape, among the saalikeen (travellers), is a great loss maziyyah. Even if they traveled all night they would not allow sitting down from the journey sayr at that time until sunrise, because it is the beginning of the day and its key. [It is] the time for provisions to be sent down [and distributed], the time for obtaining portions and the descent of blessings, and from it the day is established. The ruling regarding the whole day is [based on] the ruling regarding that portion. One should only sleep at that time if one is forced.
In general, the most balanced/moderate (a‘dal) and beneficial form of sleep, is sleep during the first portion of the night and the last sixth of the night. According to medical practitioners, the length of the most balanced form of sleep should be eight hours. In their view, more [sleep] than that or less than that will cause deviation in one’s natural disposition according to it bihasabihi.
Among the forms of sleep that are not beneficial also, is sleep in the first part of the night shortly after sunset until fahmatul-‘ishaa the darkness of ‘Ishaa goes. The Messenger of Allaah (r) used to dislike it.[9] So it is disliked according to the Sharee‘ah and naturally.
As excessive sleep causes these defects aafaat, putting aside sleep and abandoning it causes other major defects like bad temperament, yabsihi dry personality and a warped disposition, as well as drying up of the humors [10] which aid in understanding and work, and it leads to illnesses mutlifah which will prevent one afflicted from benefiting either with his heart or body.
Existence [of the world] was established on the basis of justice (‘adl), so whoever adheres to moderation has grabbed his portion of the confluence of good.
Brief Introduction to Dr. Abu Ameenah Philips
Written by Dr. Bilal Philips
Friday, 14 July 2006
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was born in Jamaica, but grew up in Canada, where he accepted Islam in 1972. He completed a diploma in Arabic and a B.A. from the College of Islamic Disciplines (Usool ad-Deen) at the Islamic University of Madeenah in 1979. At the University of Riyadh, College of Education, he completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology in 1985, and in the department of Islamic Studies at the University of Wales, he completed a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology in 1994.
Abu Ameenah taught Islamic Education and Arabic in private schools in Riyadh for over ten years and for three years he lectured M.Ed. students in the Islamic Studies department of Shariff Kabunsuan Islamic University in Cotobato City, Mindanao, Philippines. Since 1994 he has founded and directed the Islamic Information Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (which is now known as Discover Islam) and the Foreign Literature Department of Dar al Fatah Islamic Press in Sharjah, UAE. Presently, he is a lecturer of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University in Dubai and Ajman University in Ajman, UAE.
Bilal Philips, once a Christian, is now an Islamic scholar. He received his B.A. degree from the Islamic University of Madina and his M.A. in Aqeedah (Islamic Philosophy) from the King Saud University in Riyadh. His deep study and understanding of Islam has won him the respect of ordinary Muslims as well as many learned scholars of Islam.
“There is no time for holidays”, says Bilal Philips, “when you realise how little time there is, and how much work has to be done for Islam.”
Born in Jamaica in 1947, he comes from a family of educationists. Both his parents are teachers, and one of his grandfathers was a church minister and Bible scholar.
Bilal came from a broad-minded family, and though he went to church regularly every Sunday with his mother, he was never forced to go. He says: “Going to church was a social event, more than a religious one. What was being taught went right over my head.”
When Bilal was eleven, his family migrated to Canada and for the first time the sensitive boy began to feel that all was not right with the world.
“Most of the Canadians at that time were Euro-Canadians”, he says, “and the Europeans, of course, had an idea of their own superiority. They had gone around and smashed up everybody else's society, so they had to justify the destruction of human civilisation by promoting their own superiority over others. Those feelings are expressed in much of their literature, in films, on television and so forth.”
Growing up in an environment where one is different from everyone else and trying to rationalise it was hard for a little boy. Little discrimination hurt more as he became a teenager. “Later on”, he says, “my parents told me about the struggle they had to go through; they had to face much more in society than I had to as a child at school.”
Bilal's first contact with a Muslim society came when his parents moved to Malaysia in the capacity of teachers and advisors to the ministry of education under the Canadian Colombo Plan.
Though much happier there, Bilal hardly noticed that he was in a Muslim country. The British had been in Malaysia and had left their traces behind. His friends were either Euro-Asians or anglicised Muslim Malaysians. Bilal formed a rock group and began to play the guitar professionally. He had a motorbike and was quite popular and consequently his A-level studies suffered.
While in Malaysia Bilal's parents adopted an Indonesian boy who happened to be a Muslim. Mrs. Philips was quite aware of Islam and made it easy for him to fast and pray. Bilal understood that this boy was different once when opening the door to his new brother's room and he bumped his brother on the head as he prostrated himself in prayer. Not being interested in religion at that time, he did not pursue the issue.
Bilal's parents felt there were too many distractions in Malaysia for him, so they decided to send him back to Canada to the Simon-Frazer University in Vancouver.
Back in Canada, Bilal stepped right into the volatile student movements of the late sixties and early seventies. The drug culture and hippy movement was being propagated by such prestigious persons as Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary.
In certain classes the lecturers would pass marijuana cigarettes to the students. They would smoke together and then start the classes.
At this time Bilal's goal was to become a medical artist and thus combine his love for science and art. To this end, he had taken up biochemistry and had also received a scholarship from an art university.
Before he could fully pursue his goals, he found himself getting deeply entrenched in student politics. The seed sown during his childhood, the idea that something was amiss with Western society and things needed to be changed, bore fruit now. He began to get involved with student movements. There were sit-ins and strikes, sometimes there were more violent protests and the police would be called in.
Professors were introducing socialism into their classes. Impressed by this, Bilal began a detailed study of the work of Marx, and soon considered himself to be a Marxist-Leninist. “Socialism was presented as a programme for change of society”, he says “rectifying injustices and making sure there are equal rights for all. This change was to be brought about by revolution.”
His search for a political solution led him to California. Here he worked with black activist movements like the Black Panthers. “These movements were all black movements, the figures in the forefront were mostly blacks. Since the blacks were the most oppressed group at that time, naturally their voice was the loudest. However, they were widely supported by white college kids. Eventually everybody got on the bandwagon. There was a women's liberation movement followed by the gay liberation when the homosexuals started coming out of the closets.”
Soon disillusion set in. “Many of these people were deep into drugs. They collected money for what they called defence committees and used much of the money to pay for their parties, their rents and their drugs. They were like leeches living off the people's donations.”
During this period there also existed a “black movement known as the Nation of Islam” or, more popularly, the Black Muslims, founded by Elijah Muhammad, who concocted a religion called Islam but which was totally different from the real thing.
He taught that all black men were gods and all white men were devils. There was one major god who had come and taught Elijah, and Elijah was his prophet. At that time the autobiography of a former follower of Elijah, Malcolm X, was very popular. Malcolm X had left the Black Muslims after being its leading spokesman and had found real Islam. He was assassinated within six months of his conversion and had little time to use his rhetorical skills to promote the real Islam. Thus only a few who read his autobiography grasped the significance of his journey.
Bilal, who had read Malcolm X's autobiography, visited one of the temples of the Black Muslims. Though impressed by their organization and the fact that their women dressed modestly, he found their ideology useless.
Official Site
Friday, 14 July 2006
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was born in Jamaica, but grew up in Canada, where he accepted Islam in 1972. He completed a diploma in Arabic and a B.A. from the College of Islamic Disciplines (Usool ad-Deen) at the Islamic University of Madeenah in 1979. At the University of Riyadh, College of Education, he completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology in 1985, and in the department of Islamic Studies at the University of Wales, he completed a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology in 1994.
Abu Ameenah taught Islamic Education and Arabic in private schools in Riyadh for over ten years and for three years he lectured M.Ed. students in the Islamic Studies department of Shariff Kabunsuan Islamic University in Cotobato City, Mindanao, Philippines. Since 1994 he has founded and directed the Islamic Information Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (which is now known as Discover Islam) and the Foreign Literature Department of Dar al Fatah Islamic Press in Sharjah, UAE. Presently, he is a lecturer of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University in Dubai and Ajman University in Ajman, UAE.
Bilal Philips, once a Christian, is now an Islamic scholar. He received his B.A. degree from the Islamic University of Madina and his M.A. in Aqeedah (Islamic Philosophy) from the King Saud University in Riyadh. His deep study and understanding of Islam has won him the respect of ordinary Muslims as well as many learned scholars of Islam.
“There is no time for holidays”, says Bilal Philips, “when you realise how little time there is, and how much work has to be done for Islam.”
Born in Jamaica in 1947, he comes from a family of educationists. Both his parents are teachers, and one of his grandfathers was a church minister and Bible scholar.
Bilal came from a broad-minded family, and though he went to church regularly every Sunday with his mother, he was never forced to go. He says: “Going to church was a social event, more than a religious one. What was being taught went right over my head.”
When Bilal was eleven, his family migrated to Canada and for the first time the sensitive boy began to feel that all was not right with the world.
“Most of the Canadians at that time were Euro-Canadians”, he says, “and the Europeans, of course, had an idea of their own superiority. They had gone around and smashed up everybody else's society, so they had to justify the destruction of human civilisation by promoting their own superiority over others. Those feelings are expressed in much of their literature, in films, on television and so forth.”
Growing up in an environment where one is different from everyone else and trying to rationalise it was hard for a little boy. Little discrimination hurt more as he became a teenager. “Later on”, he says, “my parents told me about the struggle they had to go through; they had to face much more in society than I had to as a child at school.”
Bilal's first contact with a Muslim society came when his parents moved to Malaysia in the capacity of teachers and advisors to the ministry of education under the Canadian Colombo Plan.
Though much happier there, Bilal hardly noticed that he was in a Muslim country. The British had been in Malaysia and had left their traces behind. His friends were either Euro-Asians or anglicised Muslim Malaysians. Bilal formed a rock group and began to play the guitar professionally. He had a motorbike and was quite popular and consequently his A-level studies suffered.
While in Malaysia Bilal's parents adopted an Indonesian boy who happened to be a Muslim. Mrs. Philips was quite aware of Islam and made it easy for him to fast and pray. Bilal understood that this boy was different once when opening the door to his new brother's room and he bumped his brother on the head as he prostrated himself in prayer. Not being interested in religion at that time, he did not pursue the issue.
Bilal's parents felt there were too many distractions in Malaysia for him, so they decided to send him back to Canada to the Simon-Frazer University in Vancouver.
Back in Canada, Bilal stepped right into the volatile student movements of the late sixties and early seventies. The drug culture and hippy movement was being propagated by such prestigious persons as Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary.
In certain classes the lecturers would pass marijuana cigarettes to the students. They would smoke together and then start the classes.
At this time Bilal's goal was to become a medical artist and thus combine his love for science and art. To this end, he had taken up biochemistry and had also received a scholarship from an art university.
Before he could fully pursue his goals, he found himself getting deeply entrenched in student politics. The seed sown during his childhood, the idea that something was amiss with Western society and things needed to be changed, bore fruit now. He began to get involved with student movements. There were sit-ins and strikes, sometimes there were more violent protests and the police would be called in.
Professors were introducing socialism into their classes. Impressed by this, Bilal began a detailed study of the work of Marx, and soon considered himself to be a Marxist-Leninist. “Socialism was presented as a programme for change of society”, he says “rectifying injustices and making sure there are equal rights for all. This change was to be brought about by revolution.”
His search for a political solution led him to California. Here he worked with black activist movements like the Black Panthers. “These movements were all black movements, the figures in the forefront were mostly blacks. Since the blacks were the most oppressed group at that time, naturally their voice was the loudest. However, they were widely supported by white college kids. Eventually everybody got on the bandwagon. There was a women's liberation movement followed by the gay liberation when the homosexuals started coming out of the closets.”
Soon disillusion set in. “Many of these people were deep into drugs. They collected money for what they called defence committees and used much of the money to pay for their parties, their rents and their drugs. They were like leeches living off the people's donations.”
During this period there also existed a “black movement known as the Nation of Islam” or, more popularly, the Black Muslims, founded by Elijah Muhammad, who concocted a religion called Islam but which was totally different from the real thing.
He taught that all black men were gods and all white men were devils. There was one major god who had come and taught Elijah, and Elijah was his prophet. At that time the autobiography of a former follower of Elijah, Malcolm X, was very popular. Malcolm X had left the Black Muslims after being its leading spokesman and had found real Islam. He was assassinated within six months of his conversion and had little time to use his rhetorical skills to promote the real Islam. Thus only a few who read his autobiography grasped the significance of his journey.
Bilal, who had read Malcolm X's autobiography, visited one of the temples of the Black Muslims. Though impressed by their organization and the fact that their women dressed modestly, he found their ideology useless.
Official Site
Thursday, February 26, 2009
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