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Friday, June 07, 2013

TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ISLAM



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TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ISLAM

 

By Huma Ahmad,www.jannah.org

 

MISCONCEPTION#1: Muslims are violent, terrorists and/or extremists.

 

This is the biggest misconception in Islam, no doubt resulting from the constant stereotyping and bashing the media gives Islam. When a gunman attacks a mosque in the name of Judaism, a Catholic IR guerrilla sets off a bomb in an urban area, or Serbian Orthodox militiamen rape and kill innocent Muslim civilians, these acts are not used to stereotype an entire faith. Never are these acts attributed to the religion of the perpetrators. Yet how many times have we heard the words 'Islamic, Muslim fundamentalist. etc.' linked with violence.


Politics in so called "Muslim countries" may or may not have any Islamic basis. Often dictators and politicians will use the name of Islam for their own purposes. One should remember to go to the source of Islam and separate what the true religion of Islam says from what is portrayed in the media. Islam literally means 'submission to God' and is derived from a root word meaning 'peace'.


Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps this is because religion doesn't dominate everyday life in the West, whereas Islam is considered a 'way of life' for Muslims and they make no division between secular and sacred in their lives. Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees and livestock.


NOWHERE DOES ISLAM ENJOIN THE KILLING OF INNOCENTS..

 

وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِینَ یُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡتَدُوۤا۟ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِینَ

[Surah Al-Baqarah 190]

The Quran says: "Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors."(Quran 2:190)

 

۞ وَإِن جَنَحُوا۟ لِلسَّلۡمِ فَٱجۡنَحۡ لَهَا وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ

[Surah Al-Anfal 61]

"If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for He is the One that heareth and knoweth all things." (Quran 8:61)

War, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law. The term 'jihad' literally means 'struggle'. Muslims believe that there are two kinds of jihad. The other 'jihad' is the inner struggle of the soul which everyone wages against egotistic desires for the sake of attaining inner peace.

 

MISCONCEPTION#2: Islam oppresses women.

 

The image of the typical Muslim woman wearing the veil and forced to stay home and forbidden to drive is all too common in most peoples thoughts. Although some Muslim countries may have laws that oppress women, this should not be seen as coming from Islam. Many of these countries do not rule by any kind of Shari'ah (Islamic law) and introduce their own cultural standpoints on the issue of gender equity.
Islam on the other hand gives men and women different roles and equity between the two is laid down in the Quran and the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as an individual in her own right, with the right to own and dispose of her property and earnings. A marriage gift is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use, and she keeps her own family name rather than taking her husband's. Both men and women are expected to dress in a way that is modest and dignified. The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said:

 

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآله وسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: «خَيْرُكُمْ خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِهِ، وَأَنَا خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِي» رواه الترمذي

 

"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife."

Violence of any kind towards women and forcing them against their will for anything is not allowed.
A Muslim marriage is a simple, legal agreement in which either partner is free to include conditions. Marriage customs thus vary widely from country to country. Divorce is not common, although it is acceptable as a last resort. According to Islam, a Muslim girl cannot be forced to marry against her will: her parents simply suggest young men they think may be suitable.

 

MISCONCEPTION#3: Muslims worship a different God.

 

Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Allah for Muslims is the greatest and most inclusive of the Names of God, it is an Arabic word of rich meaning, denoting the one and only God and ascribing no partners to Him. It is exactly the same word which the Jews, in Hebrew, use for God (eloh), the word which Jesus Christ used in Aramaic when he prayed to God. God has an identical name in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Allah is the same God worshiped by Muslims, Christians and Jews.
Muslims believe that Allah's sovereignty is to be acknowledged in worship and in the pledge to obey His teaching and commandments, conveyed through His messengers and prophets who were sent at various times and in many places throughout history. However, it should be noted that God in Islam is One and Only. He, the Exalted, does not get tired, does not have a son i.e Jesus or have associates, nor does He have human-like attributions as found in other faiths.

 

MISCONCEPTION#4: Islam was spread by the sword and intolerant of other faiths.

 

Many social studies textbooks for students show the image of an Arab horseman carrying a sword in one hand and the Quran in the other conquering and forcibly converting. This, though, is not a correct portrayal of history. Islam has always given respect and freedom of religion to all faiths. The Quran says:

 

لَّا یَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِینَ لَمۡ یُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِی ٱلدِّینِ وَلَمۡ یُخۡرِجُوكُم مِّن دِیَـٰرِكُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمۡ وَتُقۡسِطُوۤا۟ إِلَیۡهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِینَ

 

[Surah Al-Mumtahana 8]

"God forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for [your] faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for God loveth those who are just.(60:8)

Freedom of religion is laid down in the Quran itself:

 

لَاۤ إِكۡرَاهَ فِی ٱلدِّینِۖ قَد تَّبَیَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَیِّۚ فَمَن یَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَیُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِیعٌ عَلِیمٌ

 

[Surah Al-Baqarah 256]

"There is no compulsion (or coercion) in the religion (Islam). The right direction is distinctly clear from error".(2:256)

Christian missionary, T.W. Arnold had this opinion on his study of the question of the spread of Islam: ".. of any organized attempt to force the acceptance of Islam on the non-Muslim population, or of any systematic persecution intended to stamp out the Christian religion, we hear nothing. Had the caliphs chosen to adopt either course of action, they might have swept away Christianity as easily as Ferdinand and Isabella drove Islam out of Spain, or Louis XIV made Protestantism ..."
It is a function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city. Proclaiming to the inhabitants that their lives, and property were safe, and that their places of worship would never be taken from them, he asked the Christian patriarch Sophronius to accompany him on a visit to all the holy places. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves. The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether the person is Muslim or not.
Racism is not a part of Islam, the Quran speaks only of human equality and how all peoples are equal in the sight of God.

 

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرࣲ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ شُعُوبࣰا وَقَبَاۤىِٕلَ لِتَعَارَفُوۤا۟ۚ إِنَّ أَكۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَىٰكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِیمٌ خَبِیرࣱ

 

[Surah Al-Hujurat 13]

"O mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety. God is All-Knowing, All- Aware. (49:13)

 

MISCONCEPTION#5: All Muslims are Arabs.

 

The Muslim population of the world is around1.2 billion. 1 out of 5 people in the world is a Muslim. They are a vast range of races, nationalities, and cultures from around the globe--from the Phillipines to Nigeria--they are united by their common Islamic faith. Only about 18% live in the Arab world and the largest Muslim community is in Indonesia. Most Muslims live east of Pakistan. 30% of Muslims live in the Indian subcontinent, 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 17% in Southeast Asia, 18% in the Arab world, and 10% in the Soviet Union and China. Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan make up 10% of the non-Arab Middle East. Although there are Muslim minorities in almost every area, including Latin America and Australia, they are most numerous in Russia and its newly independent states, India and central Africa. There are about 6 million Muslims in the United States.

 

MISCONCEPTION#6: The Nation of Islam is a Muslim group.

 

Islam and the so called "Nation of Islam'" are two different religions. NO1 is more of a political organization since its members are not limited to a single faith. Muslims consider this group to be just one of many cults using the name of Islam for their own gain. The only thing common between them is the jargon, the language used by both. "The Nation of Islam" is a misnomer; this religion should be called Farrakhanism, after the name of its propagator, Louis Farrakhan.

Islam and Farakhanism differ in many fundamental ways. For example, Farakhan followers believe in racism and that the 'black man' was the original man and therefore superior, while in Islam there is no racism and everyone is considered equal in the sight of God, the only difference being in one's piety. There are many other theological examples that show the 'Nation's teachings have little to do with true Islam. There are many groups in America who claim to represent Islam and call their adherents Muslims.
Any serious student of Islam has a duty to investigate and find the true Islam. The only two authentic sources which bind every Muslim are 1. The Quran and 2. Authentic or sound Hadith. Any teachings under the label of "Islam" which contradict or at variance with the direct understanding of fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam form the Quran and authentic Hadith should be rejected and such a religion should be considered a Pseudo-Islamic Cult.
In America there are many pseudo-Islamic cults, Farrakhanism being one of them. An honest attitude on the part of such cults should be not to call themselves Muslims and their religion Islam. such an example of honesty is Bahaism which is an off-shoot of Islam but Bahais do not call themselves Muslims nor their religion, Islam. In fact Bahaism is not Islam just as Farrakhanism is not Islam.

 

MISCONCEPTION#7: All Muslim men marry four wives.

 

The religion of Islam was revealed for all societies and all times and so accommodates widely differing social requirements. Circumstances may warrant the taking of another wife but the right is granted, according to the Quran, only on condition that the husband is scrupulously fair. No woman can be forced into this kind of marriage if they do not wish it, and they also have the right to exclude it in their marriage contract.
Polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, but merely permitted. Images of "sheikhs with harems" are not consistent with Islam, as a man is only allowed at most four wives only if he can fulfill the stringent conditions of treating each fairly and providing each with separate housing etc. Permission to practice polygamy is not associated with mere satisfaction of passion. It is rather associated with compassion toward widows and orphans. It was the Quran that limited and put conditions on the practice of polygamy among the Arabs, who had as many as ten or more wives and considered them "property".
It is both honest and accurate to say that it is Islam that regulated this practice, limited it, made it more humane, and instituted equal rights and status for all wives. What the Qur'anic decrees amount to, taken together is discouragement of polygamy unless necessity for it exists. It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy and not polygamy. It is a very tiny percentage of Muslims that practice it over the world. However, permission to practice limited polygamy is only consistent with Islam's realistic view of the nature of man and woman and of various social needs, problems and cultural variations.
The question is, however far more than the inherent flexibility of Islam; it also is the frank and straightforward approach of Islam in dealing with practical problems. Rather than requiring hypocritical and superficial compliance, Islam delves deeper into the problems of individuals and societies, and provides for legitimate and clean solutions which are far more beneficial than would be the case if they were ignored. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married and treated kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal rights or impermanence.

 

MISCONCEPTION#8: Muslims are barbaric, backward people.

 

Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of its doctrine-Islam calls for faith in only one God worthy of worship. It also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation. Within a few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the Prophet (pbuh),

طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم» رواه ابن ماجة

''seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim''

The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas and of new thought with old, brought about great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history. Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also the concept of the zero (vital to the advancement of mathematics), were transmitted to medieval Europe from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant and good navigational maps.

 

MISCONCEPTION#9: Muhammad was the founder of Islam and Muslims worship him.

 

Muhammad(pbuh) was born in Mecca in the year 570. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly after wards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammad (pbuh) was of a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his society.

It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near Mecca. At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad(pbuh) received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for 23 years is known as the Quran. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate.
This event, the Hijrah 'migration', in which they left Mecca for the city of Medina, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Mecca, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet s.a.w.s died at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. He died with less than 5 possessions to his name.
While Muhammad (pbuh) was chosen to deliver the message, he is not considered the "founder" of Islam, since Muslims consider Islam to be the same divine guidance sent to all peoples before. Muslims believe all the prophets from Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus etc. were all sent with divine guidance for their peoples. Every prophet was sent to his own people, but Muhammad(pbuh) was sent to all of mankind. Muhammad is the last and final messenger sent to deliver the message of Islam. Muslims revere and honor him (pbuh) for all he went through and his dedication, but they do not worship him.

 

(یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلنَّبِیُّ إِنَّاۤ أَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ شَـٰهِدࣰا وَمُبَشِّرࣰا وَنَذِیرࣰا ۝ وَدَاعِیًا إِلَى ٱللَّهِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ وَسِرَاجࣰا مُّنِیرࣰا)


[Surah Al-Ahzab 45 - 46]

"O Prophet, verily We have sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner and as one who invites unto God by His leave and as an illuminating lamp."(33:45-46)

 

MISCONCEPTION#10: Muslims don't believe in Jesus or any other prophets.

 

Muslims respect and revere Jesus, upon him be peace, and await his Second Coming. They consider him one of the greatest of God's messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as 'Jesus', but always adds the phrase 'upon him be peace' (abbreviated as (u) here). The Quran confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Quran is entitled 'Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation. The Quran describes the Annunciation as follows:

وَإِذۡ قَالَتِ ٱلۡمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَةُ یَـٰمَرۡیَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصۡطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصۡطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَاۤءِ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ ۝ یَـٰمَرۡیَمُ ٱقۡنُتِی لِرَبِّكِ وَٱسۡجُدِی وَٱرۡكَعِی مَعَ ٱلرَّ ٰ⁠كِعِینَ ۝ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَاۤءِ ٱلۡغَیۡبِ نُوحِیهِ إِلَیۡكَۚ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَیۡهِمۡ إِذۡ یُلۡقُونَ أَقۡلَـٰمَهُمۡ أَیُّهُمۡ یَكۡفُلُ مَرۡیَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَیۡهِمۡ إِذۡ یَخۡتَصِمُونَ ۝ إِذۡ قَالَتِ ٱلۡمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَةُ یَـٰمَرۡیَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةࣲ مِّنۡهُ ٱسۡمُهُ ٱلۡمَسِیحُ عِیسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡیَمَ وَجِیهࣰا فِی ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِی

وَیُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِی ٱلۡمَهۡدِ وَكَهۡلࣰا وَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِینَ ۝ قَالَتۡ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ یَكُونُ لِی وَلَدࣱ وَلَمۡ یَمۡسَسۡنِی بَشَرࣱۖ قَالَ كَذَ ٰ⁠لِكِ ٱللَّهُ یَخۡلُقُ مَا یَشَاۤءُۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰۤ أَمۡرࣰا فَإِنَّمَا یَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَیَكُونُ

 

[Surah Aal-E-Imran 42 - 47]

"Behold!" the Angel said, "God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous." She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said: "Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, "Be!" and it is"(Quran 3:42-47)

Jesus (u) was born miraculously through the same power, which had brought Adam (u) into being without a father:

 

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِیسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابࣲ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَیَكُونُ

[Surah Aal-E-Imran 59]

"Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was."(3:59)


During his prophetic mission Jesus (u) performed many miracles. The Quran tells us that he said:

 

وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِیۤ إِسۡرَ ٰ⁠ۤءِیلَ أَنِّی قَدۡ جِئۡتُكُم بِـَٔایَةࣲ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ أَنِّیۤ أَخۡلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّینِ كَهَیۡـَٔةِ ٱلطَّیۡرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِیهِ فَیَكُونُ طَیۡرَۢا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُبۡرِئُ ٱلۡأَكۡمَهَ وَٱلۡأَبۡرَصَ وَأُحۡیِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأۡكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِی بُیُوتِكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ لَـَٔایَةࣰ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِینَ

 

[Surah Aal-E-Imran 49]


" I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breath into it and it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave."(3:49)

Neither Muhammad (pbuh) not Jesus (u) came to change the basic doctrine of the brief in One God brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it.


In the Quran Jesus (u) is reported as saying that he came:

 

(وَمُصَدِّقࣰا لِّمَا بَیۡنَ یَدَیَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِی حُرِّمَ عَلَیۡكُمۡۚ وَجِئۡتُكُم بِـَٔایَةࣲ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِیعُونِ)

 

[Surah Aal-E-Imran 50]

"To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey Me.(3:50)


The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

 

حديث عبادة بن الصامت  قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: من شهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأن محمداً عبده ورسوله، وأن عيسى عبد الله ورسوله، وكلمته ألقاها إلى مريم، وروح منه، وأن الجنة حق والنار حق، أدخله الله الجنة على ما كان من العمل، متفق عليه

وفي رواية لمسلم: من شهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمداً رسول الله حرم الله عليه النار

 

"Whoever believes there is no god but God, alone without partner, that Muhammad (pbuh) is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven. "

(Hadith related By Bukhari).



 

 

Concerns of the Islamic Scholar During Month of Ramadan



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Concerns of the Islamic Scholar During 
Month of Ramadan

Shaykh `Aa’id Abdullah al-Qarnee

ARTICLE TAKEN FROM THE BOOK :

Thirty Lessons for those who Fast

Allah Almighty declares in the Quran: ‘Verily, [O you who believe in Me,] this community of yours is one single community, since I am the Sustainer of you all: worship, then Me [alone]‘(21:92).

He further explains: ‘All believers are but brethren’(49:10).

As for the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, he clarified the nature of the relationship between Muslims in this famous hadith: 

 ‘The example of the Muslims in their love and mercy for each other is like the body. If one part is afflicted, all the other parts rally to its aid with fever and sleeplessness.’

Today Muslims pass this month of Ramadan in transgression and crises.

Capitalism is rife with greed. It directs its hostility against the Islamic world with intellectual on slaughts. The foremost means toward this is through women, wine and other enticements, distractions, luxuries and unlawful amusements.

Secularism calls for the separation between the religion and worldly affairs. It seeks to oust Islam from life’s stage on the pretext that religion distinguishes between people. In effect, secularism is an atheist ideology that disregards all religions and, therefore, excludes Islam in its entirety from playing any role in human life.

Freemasonry, the Jewish creation, has come to destroy religions including Islam. On the surface it appears to be calling for the unity of all people. It has its own means, taboos,emblems and cliques.

 It operates in secret, has world-wide influence and springs from Zionist origins.

Hence today the Islamic nation suffers from intense wounds:

Palestine has been stolen from it, Al Aqsa mosque remains a hostage while old men, women and children are slaughtered morning and evening.

 Yet, Palestine will never be returned to the Muslim lands except by an Islam with the rage of Umar ibn al Khattab, the boldness of Salah al Din and the sincerity of Ibn Taymiyah.

The Muslim woman is fought against because of her covering, modesty,purity and religion.
Our young men are seduced by destructive means, satanic enticements and sensual delights.

Evangelism is penetrating the Islamic world from all four directions.

Divisions and schisms are widespread among Muslims except those whom Allah has shielded.

In the circumstances, what is required is that the Muslim should live for these great issues with his sentiments, wealth and prayers.

 He should strive to increase awareness among his Muslim brothers of these dangers. 

 The Muslim should work relentlessly to bring about unity within the ranks of his own community. More importantly, the Islamic nation must avoid disputes and internal wrangling that only cause failure; particularly when the news of these calamities that afflict the Islamic world are exposed and become the issues of the day.

 As a result, no Muslim should despise himself because in every Muslim there is good.

Indeed, every Muslim is expected to struggle if he or she is able and to stop making excuses. They must strive with their persons and their wealth. If not, with their wealth and the support of others who spend of their wealth to advance the cause of Islam. 

They should, at the end of each prayer, in the early hours of the morning, and other times when prayers are answered, implore Allah to establish and grant victory to the Muslims.

 We must, moreover, all call upon Allah to increase us in piety and God-consciousness because the disasters and calamities that have befallen us are all on account of our sins and shortcomings.

 ‘And do you, now that a calamity has befallen you after you had inflicted twice as much [on your foes], ask yourselves,

“How has this come about?” Say: “It has come from your own selves”‘(3:165).


Ramadan Calls For The Preservation Of Time
Shaykh `Aa’id Abdullah al-Qarnee
ARTICLE TAKEN FROM:
Thirty Lessons for those who Fast

Allah describes the discourse between Himself and the reckless and negligent on the Day of Judgement: ‘[And] He will ask [the doomed]:

 “What number of years have you spent on earth?” They will answer: “We have spent there a day, or part of a day; but ask those who [are able to] count time… 

.[Whereupon] He will say: “You have spent there but a short while: had you but known [how short it was to be]!

 Did you then think that We created you in mere idle play, and that you not have to return to Us? 

 [Know,] then, [that] God is sublimely exalted, the Ultimate Sovereign, the Ultimate Truth: there is no deity save Him, the Sustainer, in bountiful almightiness enthroned!”‘ (23:112-16).

One of the righteous predecessors noted: life is short, do not shorten it with negligence. This is, certainly, true. Negligence shortens the hours and consumes the night.

 Hence the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: ‘Two favours that many people are deceived by: health and spare time.’ 

The lesson being that many people are healthy and have a lot of time on their hands yet their lives pass by quickly before them without their using them or benefiting anyone. He also warned:

 ‘The foot of a believer will not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about four things and mention his life span and how he utilized it. 

‘ Life is, undoubtedly, a treasure, whomsoever spends it in obedience to Allah will find his treasure on the Day when wealth and sons will be of no avail but instead only those who returned to Allah with clean hearts.

  Thus, those who spent their lives in negligence, disobedience and play will on that Day regret in such a manner that will never be equalled thereafter. They will say: 

‘Alas for us, that we disregarded our lives.’

In effect, both the night and day are like riding animals that transport man to either eternal happiness or loss. Our righteous forbears used to take every initiative to preserve their time. There are strange stories about them concerning this matter. 

There were among them those who used to read the Quran and they were on the threshold of death. 

Such an example was Junaid ibn Muhammad. His sons said to him, ‘You are exhausting yourself.‘ He replied, ‘And should there be among the people one who exerts himself more than me?’

Al Aswad ibn Yazidused to stand in prayer for most of the night. Some of his friends advised him to relax at least for a small portion of the night. He told them it is this very relaxation he is in search of; meaning in the Hereafter.

Sufiyan al Thowri once sat in the Sacred Mosque speaking to some people. Then suddenly he arose terrified and said; we are sitting here and the day is doing its work. 

There were among our forbears those who used to divide their days and nights into hours. Hence they allocated specific hours for prayers,recitation,remembrance,meditation,acquisition of knowledge,work and sleep.They ascribed no time for merriment.

As for their successors, they have been afflicted by the calamity of time-wasting. Except, of course, those to whom Allah has shown mercy. They indulge in excessive sleep,idleness,aimlesswandering, spending on amusementsand sittings in which there is no benefit;or in meetings which, if they do not involve disobedience, are definitely the cause of disobedience.
 
Among the greatest things that organize time and work are the five daily prayers. Allah the Sublime and Most Excellent Speaker affirms in the Quran:

 ‘Verily, for all believers prayer is indeed a sacred duty linked to particular times [of day]‘(4:104).

The month of Ramadan is a school in which the Muslim’s time is organized and invested in matters that lead to closeness to Allah. Not withstanding , some people do not know the meaning of fasting. 

They engage in ample negligence and deep slumber. They spend their days sleeping and their nights in wasted wakefulness.

O Allah! Preserve for us our lives. Plant our feet firmly on Your path,and make us obey You always.O Lord of all the worlds.


Ramadan: The Month of Mercy to Muslims
Shaykh `Aa’id Abdullah al-Qarnee
REFRENCE :
Thirty Lessons for those who Fast

Mercy is a favour from Allah which He places in the hearts of whomsoever He wills.

 Verily, Allah will have mercy on His servants who are merciful. Allah is the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful. 

He loves the merciful and calls to mercy. He orders His servants to enjoin patience and mercy. A person may lack mercy for any number of reasons, among them, an abundance of sins and disobedience.

  They stain their hearts so much so that they ultimately blind them until their hearts become harder than stones. Allah says of the Children of Israel:

 ‘And yet, after all this, your hearts hardened and became like rocks, or even harder’(2:74).

Allah also says about them when they opposed and rebelled against the divine law:

 ‘Then, for having broken their solemn pledge, We rejected them and caused their hearts to harden’(5:13).

Among the things that cause a loss of mercy is arrogance with wealth and pride with riches.Allah says: 

‘Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient’(96:6-7).

The day the heart is disciplined with faith and good deeds it fills with mercy and kindness.

Another reason for the weakness of mercy is an abundance of gluttony and saturation. They give rise to contempt and recklessness.

 Hence the month of fasting was prescribed to crush this unruliness and ill discipline. The fasting person is naturally among the most merciful people. That is because he has tasted hunger, experienced thirst and endured hardship. 

 His soul is, therefore, enveloped with mercy, care and gentleness for Muslims.

Mercy is something which every Muslim is required to render to his brother Muslim. It is a requirement from every responsible custodian toward those under his care. He should feel sorry for them and be lenient toward them. Prophet Muhammad sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: 

 ‘O Allah! Whoever was entrusted with authority over any affair of the Muslims and made it difficult for them, please make it difficult for him.

 And whoever was entrusted over any affair of the Muslims and was kind toward them, then be kind toward him.’
In a related hadith Allah’s Messenger also said:

 ‘Whoever oversees an affair for my nation and disappeared or abandoned them without fulfilling their needs while impoverishing them, Allah will debar him from his needs and impoverish him on the Day of Judgement.’

Mercy demands that the scholar and teacher should be gentle toward his students and lead them to the easiest and best ways to love him and benefit from his teachings. If he does this Allah will decree for him the most excellent and abounding reward. Listen to the manner in which Allah praises His Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam : 

 ‘And it was by God’s grace that thou [O Prophet] did deal gently with thy followers: for if thou hadst been harsh and hard of heart, they would indeed have broken away from thee’(3:159).

Mercy further requires from the imamthat he should not make worship difficult for his followers or cause them harm.

 On the contrary, he should be merciful, kind and wise. The Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: ‘Whoever from you leads the people in prayer must make it easy because among them are the old,the sick,the young and the needy.’ 

 It was narrated that when Mu’adh once extended the prayer the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said to him:

 ‘Are you a troublemaker O Mu’adh? Are you a troublemaker O Mu’adh? Are you a troublemaker O Mu’adh?’

In the same manner, when Uthman ibn Abi al As al Thaqafi requested: ‘O Messenger of Allah, make me an imam of my people.’ The Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: 

‘You are their imam so lead the prayer according to the weakest of them and take a caller to prayer who would seek no payment for doing so.’

Mercy dictates that the one who calls to Islam must advise
those whom he is inviting with tenderness. That he should, moreover, clarify issues to them with concern. He should not hurt, defame people or even revile the disobedient in public. Allah advised Moses and Aaron to employ the following methods in their call to the tyrant Pharaoh:

 ‘But speak unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or [at least] be filled with apprehension’(20:44).

He also says: ‘Call thou [all mankind] unto thy Sustainer’s path with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the most kindly manner’(16:125).

The eminent jurist and Islamic scholar, Imam al Shafe’e wrote:
Support me with your advice in private,

and avoid advising me in public.

Surely giving advice among the people is a kind of reproach,
which I would rather not listen to.
If you disobey and ignore my wish,
don’t be saddened if you are not obeyed.

Mercy is required from a father to his children. This matter was previously discussed in the lesson (No. 18) on how we train our children. The mercy of the father or mother toward her children has the greatest effect on their integrity, well-being and obedience. 

Self-praise and harshness only open the door to despair. The Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: 

 ‘Kindness was never bestowed upon something except that it beautified it,and it was never removed from that thing except that it made it ugly.’

O you who fast and cause hunger to your stomach, there are thousands of stomachs more awaiting a meal. 

 Will there not arise from among you those who would feed them? O you who fast and cause thirst to your liver,there are thousands more who await a mouthful of water. Will there not arise from among you those who would quench their thirst? 

 O you who fast and wear the finest garments,there are naked people out there awaiting only a piece of cloth to cover their bodies. Will there not then come forth from among you those who would clothe them?

O Allah! We implore your extended mercy that will forgive our sins and erase our misdeeds and errors


CONVERT A LEMON INTO A SWEET DRINK

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Convert A Lemon Into A Sweet Drink

 

Shaykh `Aa'id Abdullah Al-Qarnee

Don't Be Sad

 

An intelligent and skillful person transforms losses into profits; whereas the unwise and the unskilled aggravates his own predicament, making two disasters out of one.

 

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was compelled to quit Makkah and he stayed at Madeenah – the city that took its place in history with lightning speed.

 

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was imprisoned, severely tortured and flogged, yet he emerged triumphant, becoming the Imam of the Sunnah.

 

Imam ibn Taymiyah was put into prison; he came out an even more accomplished scholar.

 

Imam As-Sarakhsi was kept as prisoner at the bottom of a deserted well and he managed therein to produce twenty volumes on Islamic jurisprudence.

 

Ibn Atheer became crippled, and thereafter, he wrote Jamee` al-Usool wa an-Nihayah, one of the most famous books on the Science of Hadith.

 

Imam ibn al-Jawzi was banished from Baghdad. He then mastered  the seven different ways of reading the Qur'an.

 

Maalik ibn ar-Rayb was on his death bed when he recited his most famous and beautiful poem competing the poetical works of the poets of the Abbasid period, and is appreciated until this day. When Abi Dhu'aib al-Hadhali's children died before him, he eulogized them with a poem that the world listened to and admired and became integral part of the history.

 

Therefore, if you are afflicted with a misfortune, look on the bright side. If someone were to hand you a glass full of squeezed lemons, add to it a handful of sugar. And if someone gives you a snake as a gift, keep its precious skin and leave the rest.

 

 

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(216)

 

"And it may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you..."(Qur'an 2.-216)

 

Before its violent revolution, France imprisoned two brilliant poets: one an optimist, the other a pessimist. Both of them looked through the bars of their respective cell windows.

 

The optimist stared at the stars and laughed, while the pessimist looked at the dirt of a neighbouring road and wept. Look at the other side of a tragedy - a circumstance of pure evil does not exist, and in all situations one can find goodness and victory and reward from Allah.

 

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A BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTION OF PARADISE

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Asalamu 'Alaikum!

 

 A Beautiful Description of

Paradise

 

“And if you ask about its ground and its soil, then it is of musk and saffron.

 

And if you ask about its roof, then it is the Throne of the Most Merciful.


And if you ask about its rocks, then they are pearls and jewels.


And if you ask about its buildings, then they are made of bricks of gold and silver.


And if you ask about its trees, then it does not contain a single tree except that its trunk is made of gold and silver.


And if you ask about its fruits, then they are softer than butter and sweeter than honey.


And if you ask about its leaves, then they are softer than the softest cloth.


And if you ask about its rivers, then there are rivers of milk who’s taste does not change, and rivers of wine that is delicious to those who drink it, and rivers of honey that is pure, and rivers of water that is fresh.


And if you ask about their food, then it is fruits from whatever they will choose, and the meat of whatever birds they desire.


And if you ask about their drink, then it is tasneem, ginger, and kafoor.


And if you ask about their drinking cups, then they are crystal-clear and made of gold and silver.


And if you ask about its shade, then a fast rider would ride in the shade of one of its trees for a hundred years and not escape it.


And if you ask about its vastness, then the lowest of its people would have within his kingdom and walls and palaces and gardens the distance that would be travelled in a thousand years.


And if you ask about its tents and encampments, then one tent is like a concealed pearl that is sixty miles long.


And if you ask about its towers, then they are rooms above rooms in buildings that have rivers running underneath them.


And if you ask about how far it reaches into the sky, then look at the shining star that is visible, as well as those that are far in the heavens that the eyesight cannot possibly reach.


And if you ask about the clothing of its inhabitants, then they are of silk and gold.


And if you ask about its beds, then its blankets are of the finest silk laid out in the highest of its levels.


And if you ask about the faces of its inhabitants and their beauty, then they are like the image of the Moon.


And if you ask about their age, then they are young ones of 33 years in the image of Adam, the father of humanity.


And if you ask about what they will be hearing, then it is the singing of their wives from among the Hur al-’Ayn, and better than that are the voices of the Angels and the Prophets, and better than that is the Speech of the Lord of the Worlds.


And if you ask about their servants, then they are young boys of everlasting youth who resemble scattered pearls.


And if you ask about their brides and wives, then they are young and full-breasted and have had the liquid of youth flow through their limbs; the Sun runs along the beauty of her face if she shows it, light shines from between her teeth if she smiles; if you meet her love, then say whatever you want regarding the joining of two lights; he sees his face in the roundness of her cheek as if he is looking into a polished mirror, and he sees the brightness from behind her muscles and bones; if she were to be unleashed upon the World, she would fill what is between the Heavens and the Earth with a beautiful wind, and the mouths of the creation would glorify, praise, and exclaim greatness, and everything between the East and the West would be adorned for her, and every eye would be shut from everything but her, and the light of the Sun would be outshone just as the light of the Sun outshines the light of the stars, and everyone on the face of the Earth would believe in the Ever-Living, the One who Sustains and Protects all the exists. And the covering on her head is better than the World and all that is in it, and she does not increase with age except in beauty; free from an umbilical cord, childbirth and menses, and pure of mucous, saliva, urine and other filthy things; her youth never fades, her clothing is never worn out, no garment can be created that matches her beauty, and no one who is with her can ever become bored; her attention is restricted to her husband, so she desires none but him, just as his attention is restricted to her so she is the sole object of his desire, and he is with her in utmost safety and security, as none has touched her before of either humans or Jinn.


And if you ask about the Day of Increase (in reward) and the visit of the all-Mighty, all-Wise, and the sight of His Face – free from any resemblance or likeness to anything – as you see the Sun in the middle of the day and the full Moon on a cloudless night, then listen on the day that the caller will call:


‘O People of Paradise! Your Lord – Blessed and Exalted – requests you to visit Him, so come to visit Him!’ So they will say: ‘We hear and obey!’

Until, when they finally reach the wide valley where they will all meet – and none of them will turn down the request of the caller – the Lord, Blessed and Exalted – will order His Chair to be brought there. Then, pulpits of light will emerge, as well as pulpits of pearls, gemstone, gold, and silver. The lowest of them in rank will sit on sheets of musk, and will not see what those who are on the chairs above them are given. When they are comfortable where they are sitting and are secure in their places, and the caller calls:

‘O People of Paradise! You have an appointment with Allah in which He wishes to reward you!’ So they will say: ‘And what is that reward? Has He not already made our faces bright, made our scales heavy, entered us into Paradise, and pushed us away from the Fire?’
And when they are like that, all of a sudden a light shines that encompasses all of Paradise. So, they raise their heads, and, behold: the Compeller – Exalted is He, and Holy are His Names – has come to them from above them and amazed them and Said: ‘O People of Paradise! Peace be upon you!’ So, this greeting will not be responded to with anything better than:

‘O Allah! You are Peace, and from You is Peace! Blessed are You, O possessor of Majesty and Honor!’ So the Lord – Blessed and Exalted – will Laugh to them and Say: ‘O People of Paradise! Where are those who used to obey Me without having ever seen Me? This is the Day of Increase!’


So, they will all give the same response: ‘We are pleased, so be Pleased with us!’ So, He will Say: ‘O People of Paradise! If I were not Pleased with you, I would not have made you inhabitants of My Paradise! So, ask of Me!’ So, they will all give the same response:

‘Show us Your Face so that we may look at it!’ So, the Lord – Mighty and Majestic – will remove his covering and will amaze them and will cover them with His Light, which, if Allah – the Exalted – had not Willed not to burn them, would have burned them.


And there will not remain a single person in this gathering except that his Lord – the Exalted – will speak to him and say: ‘Do you remember the day that you did this and that?’ and He will remind him of some of his bad deeds in the Worldly life, so he will say:

 

‘O Lord! Will you not forgive me?’ So, He will say: ‘Of course!


You have not reached this position of yours (in Paradise) except by my forgiveness.’

 

So, how sweet is this speech to the ears, and how cooled are the righteous eyes by the glance at His Noble Face in the Afterlife…

 

(“Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant,)



['Hadi al-Arwah ila Bilad al-Afrah'; p. 193]