The Prophet’s Plural Marriages November 29, 2006
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Da’wah According to the Quran and the Sunnah
By Dr. Norlain Dindang Mababaya
Islam as the perfect religion for all times and all places, is both rational and practical. The wisdom behind the Prophet (SAW)’s plural marriages is to show all possible types of marriage in Islam. In line with polygyny, most enemies of Islam center their biased criticms on the Prophet’s (SAW) plural marriages, which exceeded more than four as allowed in the Quran. The enemies of Islam branded the Prophet (SAW) as a “sexually obsessed man” (Astagh Ferrullah) for marrying more than four. The Muslims have to correct such distorted notions about the Prophet (SAW). We, as Muslims, should make it clear to the non-Muslims that Allah (SWT) commands us to follow the Prophet (SAW) as he is the best example to all mankind. Allah (SWT) says,
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah [Muhammad (SAW)] you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” (Al-Ahzab 33:21)
The Prophet’s (SAW) plural marriages are an example for us to follow. Each marriage set the path to all possible types of marriages in Islam. If he (SAW) was a “sexually obsessed man” (Astagh Ferrullah) he would have married more in his early manhood, not after he had passed the age of fifty.
The fact that he married Khadijah bint Khuwailid (RA) and lived a monogamous life (for twenty-seven years) till she died, showed that he (SAW) was not a “sexually obsessed man.” On the contrary, the Prophet’s (SAW) marriage to Khadijah (RA) shows only limited types of marriage that are allowed in Islam. His marriage to Khadijah (RA) showed that it is permissable for a man to marry a woman who is older than him, for a poor and orphan man to marry a wealthy woman, for an employee to marry his employer, and for a bachelor to marrry a widow.If Allah (SWT) did not allow the Prophet (SAW) to marry other women, how could marriage in Islam be open to all other types of marriages? Had the Prophet (SAW) not married other women, Muslims who follow the Quran and the authentic Sunnah would find it difficult to enter into marriage with the limited examples from the Prophet’s (SAW) marriage to Khadijah (RA).
The Prophet’s (SAW) plural marriages after his monogamous marriage with Khadijah (RA), for so many years, show that in Islam it is allowed for a man to marry a virgin woman, who is very much younger than him, as in the case of Aisha bint Abu Bakr (RA). A man can choose to marry a young and intelligent woman like Aisha (RA). He can marry his friend’s daughters, in the same way as the Prophet (SAW) married Aisha and Hafsah (RU), the daughters of his closest friends: Abu Bakr and Umar (RU) in order to foster ties of relationships.A man can marry his enemie’s daughters as the Prophet (SAW) married: Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith (RA), the daughter of Al -Harith, the head of Bani Al-Mustaliq of Khuza’ah and Umm Habiba or Ramlah (RA), the daughter of Abu Sufyan (RA). Note that both Al-Harith and Abu Sufyan (RA) were bitter enemies of Islam. The Prophet’s (SAW) marriages to their daughters show how Islam goes for peace and reconciliation. Knowing that Juwairiah and Ramlah (RU) are both from ruling familes, man’s marriage to women of high social status is therefore, allowed.
Likewise, it is allowed for a man to marry woman of low social class as in the case of Maria (RA), who was given to the Prophet (SAW) as a present by the ruler of Egypt. Ther Prophet (SAW) elevated her status by marrying her, instead of making her his slave. Read complete article here
Also read
EVERY religion has its characteristic, and the characteristic of Islam is modesty
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Test Your Knowledge On The Prophets November 27, 2006
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QUESTIONS:(Answers below)
1.What did Musa(A.S.) do to the “GOLDEN CALF”?
2.What duaa did Yunus(A.S.) make in the belly of the fish ?
3.Which Prophet’s nation asked,that a unique camel emerge from the mountains, as a miracle, to prove he was a messenger of Allah?
4.Who was the mother of Ishaaq(A.S.) ?
5.A Prophet of Allah left a message for his son, as follows: “To replace his doorstep” .The message was a saying which meant that his wife was not a befitting wife for him;and he should replace her with a good befitting wife”. Who is this Prophet?
6.Who or what delivered the messages from Sulaymaan(A. S.) to (Bilqees) the Queen of Sheeba?
7.Which Prophet was executed and his head was brought to Herodias(a cruel woman) who gloated with delight?
8.What are the descendants of Ya’qub(A.S.) known as?
9.Which Prophet saw in a dream, 11 stars, the sun and the moon prostrating before him?
10.Who was the first Prophet who made this duaa that is mentioned in the Qura’an:”My Lord,expand my mind so that I can carry the burden of Prophethood. Ease my task by removing all difficulties in the way,and loosen the knot in my tongue so that I can make them understand what I say,so that my words could penetrate their souls.And give me a companion in my task,an assistant from my own folk.”?
11.Allah Ta’ala revealed to Musa(A.S.) that no man could know, all that is to know,nor would any person,alone be the custodian of ALL knowledge. Allah Ta’ala sent someone to Musa(A.S.) to illustrate this aspect and to illustrate the vastness of knowledge and the unseen as a lesson. Who is this someone?
12.A member of Musa(A.S.)’s family was exremely wealthy and treated the poor with contempt. He not only refused to pay zakaat,but spread a rumour that Musa(A.S.) had invented the law of zakaat.He was punished by Allah.The earth opened up and swallowed him and all his wealth. Who is this person?
13.A Prophet delivered Allah’s Messages to the people through the precious gift of his melodious voice.When he chanted the Book of Allah,it was as if the entire creation chanted with him. Who is this Prophet?
14.Who appeared before Ayyub(A.S.) in the guise of a wise old man,and said to him,”All your wealth is lost. Some people say that it is because you gave too much charity,and that you are wasting your time with your continious prayers to Allah.” ?
15.Name the Prophet that spoke when he was a new-born baby?
16.Did Nuh(A.S.)’s son accompany him on the ark when the floods came? Yes or No?
17.Lut(A.S.) ‘s wife was a good,noble,pious and obedient wife to Lut(A.S.) True or False?
18.Ayoob(A.S. ) lost his sight due to his excessive weeping for his long-lost son,Yusuf(A. S.). True or False?
19.Dawood(A. S.) was a king and was well experienced in the craft of weapon-making. True or False?
20.Dawood(A. S.) was the son of Sulaymaan(A. S.). True or False?
21.Which two prophets(father and son) were both kings and prophets in their lifetime ?
22.Sulaymaan( A.S.) was lying down flat;facing the Qibla,when he passed away(ie.when his ruh(soul) was taken out. True or False?
23.Zakariyyah( A.S.) was a Prophet of Allah, and was blessed with many,abundant pious children when he was young. True or False?
24.After Maryam(A.S.) just gave birth to Eesa(A.S.); she shook a dry palm tree, from which ripe dates fell. True or False ?
25.After Yaqub(A.S.) passed the first trial,with patience. Iblees(shaytaan) , shook the foundation of Yaqub(A.S.)’ s house,killing all of his children. True or False?
Anyone who thinks they can answerr all of them,leave the answers as comments!!
-JazakAllah
Easy Actions For Which Rewards Are Multiplied November 26, 2006
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Sulayman ibn Salih al-Kharashi
Primary reference: ‘Al-A’mal al-Muda’afah’How great will be the regret of those who waste the opportunity!
1. Preserving the ties of kinship:
” Whoever wishes that his provision be increased and his age lengthened, let him maintain the ties of kinship.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]
2. Performing many prayers in the two noble Harams (in Makkah and Madinah):
“Prayer in this masjid of mine is superior to a thousand prayers elsewhere, except for Masjid al-Haram, and prayer in Masjid al-Haram is superior to one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere.”
[Ahmad and ibn Majah]
3. Performing prayers in congregation.
“Prayer in congregation is superior to praying individually twenty-seven times.”
[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
4. Praying Isha and Fajr in congregation:
“He who prays Isha’ in Jama’ah [congregation] is as if he has prayed for half the night. As to him who (also) prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if he has prayed all night.”
[narrated by Malik and the wording is that of Muslim who also reported it]
5. Performing voluntary prayers at home.
“Superiority of a man’s prayer in his home over his prayer when people see him is like the superiority of an obligatory prayer over a voluntary one.”
[al-Bayhaqi, classed as Sahih]
“The most superior prayer of a person is in his home, except for obligatory prayers.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]
6. Observing some manners of the day of Jumu’ah.
“Whoever ghassala (washes his head, and it is said: has intercourse with his wife so that it be a means to lower the gaze from the haram that day) on the day of Jumuah, then comes in the earliest time and before the first khutbah, walks and doesn’t ride, stays near the Imam, listens and does not speak – for each step [he makes] he has actions of one year, the reward of fasting and standing in prayer in it.”
[Ahl as-Sunan]
7. Salat ul-Ishraq.
“Whoever prays al-ghada (i.e. al Fajr) in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays two units of prayer, has a complete reward of Hajj and Umrah [The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) repeated 'complete' three times for emphasizing]
[at-Tirmidhi, classed as Sahih]
8. Attending lectures in the mosque.
“Whoever goes to the mosque not desiring except to learn or teach what is good has the reward of a pilgrim who completed his Hajj.”
[at-Tabarani, classed as Sahih]
9. Performing Umrah in the month of Ramadan.
“Umrah in Ramadan is equal to a Hajj with me.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
10. Performing obligatory prayers in the Mosque.
“Whoever leaves his home in a state of purity to perform obligatory prayer, his reward is like that of a pilgrim (while) in the state of ihram [ i.e. he receives reward similar to that of spending time in ihram during Hajj]
[Abu Dawud, classed as Sahih]
So one should be in a state of purity when leaving one’s home, rather than the place for ablution within the mosque, except due to necessity.
11. Being from the people of the first row in congregational prayers.
Irbad bin Sariyah (radiAllahu anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to seek forgiveness for [the people of] the first row three times, and for [the people of the] second row once.”
[an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah].
“Allah and His Angels make salawat upon [the people of] the first row.”
[Ahmad, with a good isnad]
12. Prayer in Masjid Quba’ in Madinah:
“Whoever purifies himself in his house then comes to Masjid Quba’ and prays in it has the reward like that of Umrah.”
[an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah]
13. Saying what the caller to prayer says:
“Say as they say [i.e. callers to prayer], and when you finish, ask and you will be given.”
[Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i] That is, supplicate when you finish repeating after the caller to prayer.
14. Fasting Ramadan and following it with six days of Shawwal.
“Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six (days) of Shawwal, it is like fasting all the time.”
[Muslim]
15. Fasting three days each month.
“Whoever fasts three days each month, it s like fasting all the time.”
[at-Tirmidhi] .
This is supported by the verse, “Whoever comes with a good deed for him is a tenfold [reward].” One day being equal to ten days.
16. Providing food for breaking of the fast:
“Whoever provides food for breaking of the fast of a fasting person receives the reward of the fasting person, without the reward of the fasting person being reduced in any way.”
[at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]
17. Standing in prayer on Laylatul-Qadr.
“Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months” [Qur'an 97:3], that is, superior to approximately 83 years of worship.
18. Jihad.
“Standing of a man in a row (saff) in the way of Allah is superior to 60 years of worship.”
[al-Hakim, classed as Sahih]
This is the superiority of standing in a row, so what about one who fights in the way of Allah for days, or months, or years?
19. Ribaat.
“Whoever takes a post (at borders of Muslim lands, where an enemy may be expected) for a day and night in the way of Allah has the reward of fasting and standing in prayer for a month, and whoever dies in such a state receives a continuous reward similar to it, and is [also] rewarded with provision and saved from al-Fattaan.”
[Muslim]
Al-Fattaan is punishment of the grave.
20. Righteous actions in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
“There are no days in which righteous deeds are dearer to Allah than these ten [days of Dhul Hijjah].” They said, “O Messenger, even jihad in the way of Allah?” He said, “Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except for the man who leaves with his wealth, and does not return with any of it (life or wealth).”
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
21. Frequent recitation of Qur’anic surahs.
“Qul Huw Allahu Ahad” is equal to a third of the Qur’an and “Qul ya ayyuhal Kafirun” is equal to a fourth of the Qur’an.”
[at-Tabarani, classed as Sahih]
22. Al-Istighfaar.
“Whoever seeks forgiveness for believing men and believing women, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man ad believing woman.”
[at-Tabarani, classed as Hasan]
23. Fulfilling people’s needs.
“That I walk with my Muslim brother in [fulfilling his] need is dearer to me than being in i’tikaf in the masjid for a month.”
[Ibn Abi Dunya, classed as Hasan]
24. Dhikr.
That I say ‘Subhan’Allah, wal-Hamdu lillah, wa la ilaaha ill Allahu wAllahu Akbar’ is dearer to me than what the sun has risen upon.
[Muslim]
” Whoever enters a market and says: ‘La ilaha ill Allah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulku wa lahul Hamdu yuhyi wa yumeetu wa huwa Hayyun laa yamut, bi yadihil khayr, wahuwa ala kulli shay’in qadeer’ [there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah, He is alone without partner, to Him belongs dominion and praise, he causes life and death and He is the Living and does not die. In His Hand is all the good, and He is over all things competent.]
Allah will write for him a million good deeds, erase a million of his bad deeds and raise him a million levels.”
[at-Tirmidhi, classed as Hasan]
There are many other words of rememberance which are rewarded abundandtly, as is well known.
“There are two blessings which many people lose: good health and free time.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
BTW anyone who read the post,Of naats,Nasheeds and Qawwalis,the post is incomplete and it would be nice if anyone of you would like to add something more to it.
Prophet Adam(May Allah Be Pleased With HIm) November 19, 2006
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Allah the Almighty recounted this third lesson Adam learned in Paradise: Indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found on his part no firm will power. Remember when We said to the angels “Prostrate yourselves to Adam.” They prostrated (all) except Iblis, who refused. then We said: “O Adam! verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. so let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you be distressed in misery. Verily, you have (a promise from Us) that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. And you will suffer not from thrist therein nor from the sun’s heat.”
then Satan whispered to him, saying “O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away?” Then they both ate of that tree, and so their private parts appeared to them, and they began to stick on themselves the leaves from Paradise for their covering. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness and gave him guidance.
Allah said: “Get you down (upon the earth), both of you, together from Paradise, some of you are an enemy to some others. THen if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery. But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (neither believes in this Quran nor acts on its orders etc). Verily, for him is a life of hardship and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.”
He will say: “O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight before.” Allah will said: “like this, Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc). came unto you, but you disregarded them (you left them, did not think deeply in them, and you turned away from them), and so this Day, you will be neglected in the Hellfire, away from Allah’s Mercy.)”
And thus do We requite him who transgresses beyond bounds (commits the great sins and disobeys his Lord (allah) and believes not in His Messengers, and His revealed Books, like this Quran etc), and believes not in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc). of his Lord, and the torment of the Hereafter is far more severe and more lasting. ( 20:115-127)
Some people believe that the reason why mankind does not dwell in Paradise is that Adam was disobedient and that if it had not been for this sin, we could have been there all along. These are naive fictions because when Allah wanted to create Adam, He said to the angels, “I shall make a vicegerent on the earth.” He did not say, “I shall make a vicegerent in Paradise.”
Adam’s descent on earth, then, was not due to degradation but rather it was dignified descent. Allah knew that Adam and Eve would eat of the tree and descend to earth. He knew that Satan would rape their innocence. That experience was essential for their life on earth; it was a cornerstone of their vicegerency. It was meant to teach Adam, Eve, and their progeny that it was Satan who had caused them to be expelled from Paradise and that the road to Paradise can only be reached by obedience to Allah and enmity to Satan.
Could it be said that Adam and the rest of mankind were predestined to sin and to be expelled from Paradise and sent to the earth? In fact, this fiction is as naive as the first one.
Adam complete free will, and he bore the consequences of his deed. He disobeyed by eating of the forbidden tree, so Allah dismissed him from Paradise. His disobedience does not negate his freedom. On the contrary it is a consequence of it.
The truth of the matter is that Allah knew what was going to happen, as He always know the outcome of events before they take place. However Allah does not force things to happen. He grants free will to His human creatures. On that He bases His supreme wisdom in populating the earth, establishing the vicegerents, and so on.
Adam understood his 3rd lesson. He knew now in a practical way that Iblis was his enemy, the cause of his losing the blessing of living in Paradise, and the cause of his distress. Adam also understood that Allah punishes disobedience and that the way of Paradise has to be through submission to the will of Allah. And he learned from Allah Almighty to ask for forgiveness.
Allah accepted Adam’s repentance and forgave him. He then sent him to the earth as His first messenger.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger (PBUH) said: “Adam and Moses argued with each other. Moses said to Adam: ‘Your sin expelled you from Paradise.’ Adam said: ‘ You are Moses whom Allah selected as His messenger and as the one to whom He spoke directly. Yet you blame me for a thing which had already been written in my fate before my Creation?” Allah’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said twice, “So Adam outclassed Moses.” (Sahih Bukhari).
Umar Ibn Al Khattab also narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Moses (PBUH) said: ‘My Lord! May I see Adam who removed us and himself from the Paradise?” so Allah made him see Adam and he said to him: “Are you Adam?” Adam said: “yes.” And he said “Were you the one in Whom Allah breathed His spirit and before whom He bowed His angels and to whom He taught the names of all things?” Adam answered: “yes.” so Moses said: “What made you remove us and yourself from Paradise.?”
Adam said: “Who are you?” Moses said: I am Moses.” Adam said: “So you are Moses the prophet of the Children of Israel. Were you the one Allah spoke to directly?” Moses answered “yes.” Adam said: “Why do you blame me for a matter which Allah had predestined?” So Allah’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said twice. “Adam outclassed Moses.” (Sahih al Bukhari).
there are many traditions concerning the place of Adam’s descent upon earth. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Ibn Abbas said: “Adam descended on land ‘Dihna’ between Mecca and taif.” AL Hassan said that Adam descended in India and Eve in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Iblis Bodistiman (Iraq), and the serpent in Ashahan (Iran). This last was also reported by Ibn Hatim.
Ass’ady related that Adam descended with the Black Stone (a large black stone set into the wall of the ka’ba in Mecca. It is said to have come from Paradise) in India, and he had a handful of the seeds of Paradise. He sowed them in India and they grew into the fragrant tree therein.
Ibn Umar said that Adam descended on As-Safa and Eve on Al Marwa ( names of two mountains in the vicinity of the sacred house in Mecca. Part of the rites of pilgrimage (hajj) includes pacing between these two hills in commemoration of H’s search for water). This was also reported by Ibn Hatim. Abdul Razzaq reported that Abi Musa Al-shari said that when Allah ordered Adam to descend from Paradise to earth, He taught him the making of everything and provided him with the crops from Paradise.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The best of days on which the sun has risen is Friday. One this day Adam was created, and on this day he was descended to earth.” (al Bukhari)
Adam knew he bade farewell to peace and he left Paradise. On earth he had to face conflict and struggle. No sooner had one ended than another began. He also had to toil to sustain himself. He had to protect himself with clothes and weapons and protect his wife and children from the wild beasts. Above all he had to struggle with the spirit of evil. Satan, the cause of his expulsion from Paradise, continued to beguile him and his children in an effort to have them thrown into the eternal hellfire. The battle between good and evil is continuous, but those who follow Allah’s guidance and should fear nothing while those who disobey Allah and follow Iblis will be damned along with him.
Adam grasped all of this and with the knowledge of this suffering he started his life on the earth. The only thing that allowed his grief was that he was master of the earth and had to make it yield to him. He was the one who had to perpetuate, cultivate and construct and populate the earth. He was also the one who had to procreate and raise children who would change and improve the world.
The pinnacle of earthly bliss was reached when Adam and Eve witnessed the birth of their 1st children, a set of twins. Adam was a devoted father and Eve a contented mother. The twins were Cain (Qabil) and his sister. Later Eve gave birth to a second set of twins, Abel (Habil) and his sister. The family enjoyed the bounties and fruits of the earth provided by their Lord. The children grew up to be strong and healthy young adults. Cain tilled the land while Abel raised cattle.
The time arrived when the two young men desired life partners. This was part of Allah’s plan for mankind, to multiply and form nations with different cultures and colors. Allah revealed to Adam that he should marry each son to the twin sister of the other. Adam instructed his children according to Allah’s command, but Cain was displeased with the partner chosen for him, for Abel’s twin sister was not as beautiful as his own.
It appears that since the beginning of time, physical beauty has been a factor in the attraction between man and women. This attraction caused Cain to envy his brother Abel. He rebelled against Allah’s command by refusing to accept his father’s advice.
At first glance Cain’s rebellion might appear strange, but we should remember that although man has a pure nature, the potential for dichotomy exists. In other words, he had both good and bad qualities. He can become greedy, covetous,possessive, selfish and even destructive. Man is, therefore capable of seeking self-satisfaction even if it leads to failure in this life and in the hereafter. The path to goodness lies in harnessing the enemy within him, his baser self by controlling evil thoughts and deeds and practicing moderation in his desires and actions. His reward then will be the delights of this world and the hereafter. Thus Allah tests us through our divided nature.
Adam was in a dilemma. He wanted peace and harmony in his family, so he invoked Allah for help. Allah commanded that each son offer a sacrifice, and he whose offering was accepted would have right on his side. Abel offered his best camel while Cain offered his worst grain. His sacrifice was not accepted by Allah because of his disobedience to his father and the insincerity in his offering.
This enraged Cain even further. Realizing that his hopes marrying his own beautiful sister were fading, he threatened his brother. “I will kill you! I refuse to see you happy while I remain unhappy!”
Abel feeling sorry for his brother, replied, “It would be more proper for you, my brother to search for the cause of your unhappiness and then walk in the way of peace. Allah accepts the deeds only from those who serve and fear Him, not from those who reject His Commands.”
Abel was intelligent, obedient, and always ready to obey the will of Allah. This contrasted sharply with his brother who was arrogant, selfish and disobedient to his Lord. Abel did not fear his brother’s threats, but neither did he want his brother to be hurt, Allah had blessed Abel with purity and compassion.
Hoping to allay the hatred seething in his brother Abel said, ” My brother, you are deviating from the right path and are sinful in your decisions. It is better that you repent to Allah and forget about your foolish threat. But if you do not then I will leave the matter in the hands of Allah. You alone will bear the consequence of your sin, for the Fire is the reward of the wrong-doers.”
This brotherly plea did nothing to lessen the hatred in Cain’s heart, nor did he show fear of Allah’s punishment. Even familial considerations were cast aside. Cain struck his brother with a stone killing him instantly. This was the 1st death and the 1st criminal act committed by man on earth.
When Abel had not appeared for some time, Adam began to search for him but found no trace of his beloved son. He asked Cain about Abel’s whereabouts. Cain insolently replied that he was not his brother’s keeper nor his protector. From these words his father understood that Abel was dead and Adam was filled with grief.
Meanwhile Cain did not know what to do with his brother’s corpse. He carried it on his back wandering from place to place trying to hide it. His anger had now subsided and his conscience was saddled with guilt. He was tiring under the burden of the corpse which had started to have a stench. As a mercy, and to show that dignity could be retained even in death, Allah sent two ravens that began fighting, causing the death of one. The victorious bird used its beak and claws to dig a hole in the ground, rolled its victim into it and covered it with sand.
Witnessing this, Cain was overcome with shame and remorse. “Woe unto me!” he exclaimed. “I was unable to do what this raven has done, that is to hide my brother’s corpse.” Cain then buried his brother. This was also the 1st burial of man.
Allah the Almighty revealed: And (O Muhammad) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam (Abel and Cain) in truth; when each offered a sacrifice to Allah, it was accepted from the one but not from the other. The latter said to the former; “I will surely kill you.”
the former said: “Verily Allah accepts only from those who are Al Muttaqeen (the pious). If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you, for I fear Allah; the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinn, and all that exists). Verily I intend to let you draw my sin onyourself as well as yours then you will be one of the dwellers of the Fire, and that is the recompense of the Zalimeen (polytheists, and wrongdoers).”
So the self of the other (latter one) encouraged him and made fair seeming to him the murder of his brother; he murdered him and became one of the losers. Allah sent a crow who scratched the ground to show him to hide the dead body of his brother. He (the murderer) said: “Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?” Then he became one of those who regretted. ( 5:27-31).
Ibn Abbas, Ibn Masud and a group of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) related that inter-marriage of the male of one pregnancy with the female of another had been in practice among Adam’s children. Abel wanted to marry Cain’s sister, but Cain wanted her for himself because she was very beautiful. Adam ordered him to give her in marriage to his brother but he refused. SO Adam ordered both of them to offer a sacrifice, then went to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage. After Adam had left, they offered their sacrifices; Abel offered a fat lamb, he was a shepherd, while Cain offered a bundle of worst grain. fire descended and devoured Abel’s sacrifice, leaving that of Cain so he became angry and said: “I will surely kill you so that you will not marry my sister.” Abel replied, “Allah accepts from those who fear Him.”
According to Abu Ja’afar al Baqer, Adam was watching their offering and was sure that Abel’s sacrifice would be accepted. Cain complained to Adam that the acceptance was due to his supplication for Abel and that he had not done the same for him, so he promised his father to settle the matter between himself and his brother. One night, Abel was late returning from tending his flock. Adam sent Cain to see what happened to him. When he found him, he glared at him saying: “yours was accepted, and mine was not.” Abel replied, “Allah only accepts from the Allah-fearing.” Cain became angry on hearing this and hit him with a piece of iron that was with him and thus killing him. In another version it was said that he killed him with a rock to the head while he was sleeping.
Adam was utterly grief stricken by the loss of his two sons. One was dead, the other was won over by the devil. Adam prayed for his son and turned to mundane matters for he had to toil for his sustenance. At the same time he was a prophet advising his children and grandchildren, telling them about Allah and calling them to believe in Him. He told them about Iblis and warned them by recounting his own experience with the devil and of how the devil had tempted Cain to kill his brother.
Years and years passed, Adam grew old and his children spread all over the earth. Muhammad Ibn Ishaq related that when Adam’s death drew near, he appointed his son Seth to be his successor and taught him the hours of the day and night along with their appropriate acts of worship. He also foretold to him the floor that would come.
Abu Dhar narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Allah sent down 104 psalms, of which 50 were sent down to Seth.”
Abdullah Ibn Al Iman Ahmad Ibn Hanbal narrated that Ubai Ibn Kab said: “When Adam’s death was near, he said to his children: “O my children, indeed I feel an appetite for the fruits of Paradise.”
So they went away searching for what Adam had requested. They met with the angels, who had with them his shroud and what he was to be embalmed with. They said to them: “O Children of Adam, what are you searching for? What do you want? Where are you going?”
They said: “Our father is sick and has an appetite for the fruits of Paradise.”
the angels said to them: “Go back, for your father is going to meet his end soon.”
So they returned (with the angels) and when Eve saw them she recognized them. She tried to hide herself behind Adam. He said to her. “Leave me alone. I came before you; do not go between me and the angels of my Lord.’ So they took his soul, embalmed and wrapped him, dug the grave and laid him in it. They prayed on him and put him in his grave, saying: ‘O Children of Adam, this is your tradition at the time of death.”"
Before his death Adam reassured his children that Allah would not leave man alone on the earth, but would sent His prophets to guide them. the prophets would have different names, traits and miracles, but they would be united in one thing; the call to worship Allah alone. This was Adam’s bequest to his children. Adam finished speaking and closed his eyes. Then the angels entered his room and surrounded him. When he recognized the Angel of Death among them, his heart smiled peacefully.
After Adam’s death, his soth Seth (Shiith) took over the responsibilities of prophethood, according to a hadith narrated by Abu Dhar. Abu Dhar narrated that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Allah sent down one hundred and four psalms, of which fifty were sent down to Seth.” (Sahih al Bukhari) When the time of his death came Seth’s son Anoush succeeded him. He in turn, was succeeded by his son Qinan, claim that Mahlabeel was the King of the Seven Regions, that he was the first one to cut down trees to build cities and large forts and that he built the cities of Babylonia. He reigned for a period of forty years. When he died his duties were taken ov er by his son Yard, who on his death, bequeathed them to his son Khonoukh, who is Idris (pbuh) according to the majority of the scholars.
Source:Anwary.com
Some Miraculous Numerical Aspects Of Quran November 16, 2006
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Some Miraculous Numerical Aspects Of Quran
Animal Rights In Islam November 16, 2006
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Activists today all over the world fight for animal rights,prevention of pollution,human rights and what not,things that Islam had commanded or adviced centuries before.Here is a wonderful article by Ebrahim Saifuddin.
Animal Rights in Islam
By Ebrahim Saifuddin
http://ebrahimsaifu ddin.wordpress. com/2006/ 10/28/animal- rights-in- islam/
Islam not only has laid down the rights for humans regardless of race, color, language and riches, but has also laid down the rights for animals. Animals, like humans are one of the creations of Allah(swt). Prophet Muhammad(saw) was not only sent as a mercy to Mankind but as a blessing to all creatures as the Quran testifies:
We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures. – [Quran 21:107]
It is encouraged for Muslim to let Animals eat of the plants that they have planted. Prophet Muhammad(saw) is reported to have said:
Narated By Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, “If any Muslim plants any plant and a human being or an animal eats of it, he will be rewarded as if he had given that much in charity.” – [Bukhari Vol. 8, Book 73, #41]
Even if an animal eats from a plant which has been planted by man, the person will receive rewards for it. Moreover, another hadith is as follows:
Narated By Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “While a man was walking on a road. he became very thirsty. Then he came across a well, got down into it, drank (of its water) and then came out. Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. The man said to himself “This dog is suffering from the same state of thirst as I did.” So he went down the well (again) and filled his shoe (with water) and held it in his mouth and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?” He said, “(Yes) There is a reward for serving any animate (living being).” – [Bukhari Vol. 8, Book 73, #38] & [Muslim Book 26, Chapter 39, # 5577]
Prophet Muhammad(saw) taught people to be kind to animals. Allah(swt) rewarded the act of the person who quenched the thirst of a thirsty dog. While men were accustomed to be cruel to the animals, Prophet Muhammad(saw) by the command of Allah(swt) taught Mankind to be merciful and kind to all living things. Not only were humans given their rights, the animals too were given theirs. Islam is a religion which teaches man to be merciful towards all living things. Thus there is reward for a human even if he feeds an animal.
Animals have many purposes and are used for such by humans. This does not mean that men have the right to treat animals the way that they want to. While people would hit their animals on the face, Islam forbids such an act. Every creation is very sensitive as far as the face is concerned. If I were to lightly tap a person on the shoulder or on the back, they would not feel offended but if I were to do the same on the face then everyone would find that offensive. Allah(swt) realizes this and thus through Prophet Muhammad(saw) such an act was strictly forbidden as seen by the hadith below:
Narated By Salim: That Ibn ‘Umar disliked the branding of animals on the face. Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Prophet forbade beating (animals) on the face.” – [Bukhar Vol.7, Book 67, #449] & [Muslim Book 24, Chapter 21, #5281]
During the times of ignorance (Ja’hillah) people would cut the limbs of animals while they were alive. This was a disgusting act and Islam was the religion that brought an end to this practice. Not only this but shooting at an animal who is tied was also forbidden by Prophet Muhammad(saw) .
Narated By Ibn ‘Umar: The Prophet cursed the one who did Muthla to an animal (i e., cut its limbs or some other part of its body while it is still alive). – [Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 67, #424]
Narated By Hisham bin Zaid: Anas and I went to Al-Hakam bin Aiyub. Anas saw some boys shooting at a tied hen. Anas said, “The Prophet has forbidden the shooting of tied or confined animals.” – [Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 67, #421; #422]
While the animal rights were being laid down by Allah(swt) through Prophet Muhammad(saw) , the Prophet(saw) also narrated an incident regarding a woman who imprisoned a cat and made it starve to death.
Narated By ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar : Allah’s Apostle said, “A lady was punished because of a cat which she had imprisoned till it died. She entered the (Hell) Fire because of it, for she neither gave it food nor water as she had imprisoned it, nor set it free to eat from the vermin of the earth.” – [Bukhari Vol.4, Book 56, #689]
This hadith clearly suggests that being brutal towards animals is a grave sin and Allah(swt) will punish him who treats the animals without kindness. It is obligatory for the owner of the animal to feed it. Many rights have been given to animals and Muslims are required to obey these guidelines for transgression would make them sinful. While oppressing humans is wrong, Islam also teaches that oppression towards animals is wrong.
Islam gave animals rights at a time when animal rights were not recognized. Today the world is bringing awareness towards the rights of animals whereas Islam gave them their rights more than 1400 years ago. The most famous story about being kind to animals is seen when a cat came and slept on the robe of Prophet Muhammad(saw) while he was reading the Quran to the listeners. When it was time for the Prophet(saw) to get up, instead of disturbing the cat, he cut that piece of the robe and stood up. Today who would cut of a piece of their cloth so that the cat’s sleep would be undisturbed?
Prophet Muhammad(saw) encouraged people to be good towards the animals and forbade acts which are cruel. Oppression is an evil whether the one being oppressed is human or an animal. In Tirmidhi as well as Abu Dawood it is mentioned that Prophet Muhammad(saw) prohibited the act of inciting animals against each other. This act is practiced today as well where cocks and dogs are caused to fight with each other and people place their bets. Not only does this become a sin for it falls under the category of gambling but also because two animals are caused to fight against each other.
There are people who claim that Prophet Muhammad(saw) ordered the killing of all dogs. If one were to read the references they give it is indeed true that such an order was given. However these people will never quote the hadith which explains why such an order was given.
Ibn Mughaffal reported: Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) ordered the killing of dogs and then said: what is the trouble with them (the people of Medina)? How dogs are nuisance to them (the citizens of Medina)? He then permitted keehing of dogs for hunting and (the protection of) herds. In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Yahya, he (the Holy Prophet) permitted the keeping of dogs for (the protection of) herds, for hunting and (the protection of) cultivated land. – [Muslim Book 10, Chapter 31, #3814]
When one reads this hadith one gets to learn about the context of the order. The people of Medina complained that the dogs were being a nuisance to them. This is just like today where many countries have problems with street dogs. There have been many cases where these street dogs have bitten people and transmitted diseases like Rabies. Many have even died from this disease. Due to the complains by the people regarding these stray dogs, Prophet Muhammad(saw) ordered that such dogs who are hazardous to the people should be killed. Back in those days there were not any animal shelter facilities and thus this was the only way to safeguard the people. The hadith further on explains that all dogs were not to be killed and the permission to keep dogs was also given.
Moreover, Prophet Muhammad(saw) also instructed men not to overburden their domestic animals. Burdening a donkey with more load than that which he can easily carry is again a wrongful practice which was forbidden by Allah(swt). Even while sacrificing the animals, it is told that we are to use sharp knives and not blunt ones for the latter would cause pain and discomfort to the animals. Some people have suggested that the Islamic method of slaughtering the animal is cruel and should be stopped. This however was proven to be untrue as the animal dies a painless death. A study was carried out at the School of Veterinary Medicine by Professor Wilhelm Schulze and Dr. Hazim to detect the pain an animal feels when he is slaughtered by the Islamic way. The EEG recorded showed that with the Islamic way, the animal felt no pain and it was observed that most of the blood was thrown out of the body thus making the meat more hygienic as opposed to the captive bolt pistol stunning method. The conventional method was also observed to be painful to the animal.
The earth has been made for all the creatures that inhabit it and thus they are given their due rights by Islam.
And the earth hath He appointed for (His) creatures. – [Quran 55:10]
Islam takes great care when laying down its rules and regulation and has made sure that men do not behave with cruelty towards them. Even in a state of war, the Muslims are prohibited from killing the animals in the lands of the enemies and are also prohibited to burning or cutting down trees for no reason. Indeed Islam is a mercy for everyone. It is not only a religion but a complete way of life which even secures the rights of animals.
Ebrahim Saifuddin
Hamas: Unwritten Chapters (Paperback) November 15, 2006
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NEW BOOK
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Click here to watch the Amazon.co.uk exclusive trailer for Frost/Nixon: The Watergate Interview.
Azzam Tamimi
Azzam Tamimi
Dr Azzam Tamimi is the director of the Institute of Islamic Political Thought (IIPT), London.
All Azzam Tamimi articles
Dr Azzam Tamimi is the director of the Institute of Islamic Political Thought (IIPT), London. He has been visiting professor at Kyoto University (2004) and Nagoya University (2006). He has published several books, the most recent of which was on Islam and democracy, Rachid Ghannouchi, Democrat within Islamism (Oxford University Press, New York, 2001). He also co-edited Islam and Secularism in the Middle East (Hurst, London and NY University Press, New York, 2000). Another book, Hamas, the Unwritten Chapters, is due in summer 2006. He writes and lectures on issues related to Islamic political thought and Middle Eastern politics. He is a regular commentator on the Arabic satellite channel al-Jazeera and makes frequent appearances on a number of other channels, both English and Arabic.
Seven Habits of Highly Successful Muslim Youth November 15, 2006
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Seven Habits of Highly Successful Muslim Youth |
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| by:Altaf Hussain | |
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You cannot escape it. The discussion about habits is all around you: Mom and Dad are constantly telling you to break your bad habits; your teachers are telling you to develop good habits; your friends are pressuring you to adopt their habits; and the television and media are influencing you to explore new and supposedly cool habits. “You will never be successful,” the constant refrain goes, “unless you drop your bad habits and develop some good habits.” In the end, it’s all up to you. You have to decide what your habits are going to be. Have you given this matter some thought?If you are alive and breathing, you should constantly be engaged in an inner struggle to develop habits which draw you closer to Allah Most High. Success in this world is directly related to the strength of your relationship with Allah. The farther one is from Allah and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the less likely one is to achieve success in this world and, for sure, even less likely to achieve success in the hereafter. Is it not time for us to reflect upon Islamic teachings to discern the necessary habits of highly successful Muslim youth? Here are at least seven habits indispensable for highly successful Muslim youth, derived entirely from the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Be Truthful Being truthful is not always easy, especially when we make a mistake. We fret over whether or not to disclose exactly what happened. We sweat, we are afraid, we feel nervous and anxious. We are often afraid that if we tell the truth about what we have done or said, we will be in trouble with our parents or friends. What we forget is that whether we tell the truth or not, Allah Most High knows exactly what took place, even those things that were never manifest or visible to people around us. Despite how burdensome telling the truth might seem, all of us are aware of the feeling of relief we experience when we tell the truth, even if the consequence of telling the truth is punishment. Casting the telling of truth and the fate of the truthful in terms of profit and loss, Allah Most High tells us in the Qur’an [This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are gardens, with rivers flowing beneath — their eternal Home: Allah well-pleased with them, and they with Allah. That is the great salvation, (the fulfillment of all desires).] (Al-Ma’idah 5:119) So much is to be gained from being truthful as opposed to escaping punishment or blame because of not being truthful. Not being truthful, in fact, leads us down a slippery slope, guaranteeing that with one lie, more lies must be told. Being truthful is not an option for Muslims, but rather an obligation, because our goal in being truthful is Paradise. The beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), said, as narrated by `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to al-fujur [wickedness, evil-doing], and al-fujur leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is witten before Allah, a liar.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #73, Hadith #116) Ultimate success is therefore achieved by living one’s entire life — the youthful years, the adult years, and the elderly years — being truthful. Be Trustworthy Who do you rely on? Of course, Allah. He is indeed the Most Trustworthy. But among humans, who do you rely on? Who can you trust to come through for you all the time? Do people rely on you? Are you considered trustworthy? Moving ahead in life, achieving ultimate success, requires that people consider you trustworthy and reliable. Being trustworthy should not be an arbitrary activity but rather a habit so that you can be relied upon in all instances, big or small, convenient or inconvenient, easy or difficult. In colloquial terms, we often hear “I’ve got your back,” implying, in the most literal sense, that people cannot see what is behind them so they need to rely on their friends to cover that angle, just in case a threat occurs from the back. Just imagine what it would be like if a friend were climbing a tree and was heading out onto a very thin branch to get a kite that got stuck there. She asks you if you “have her back.” In this instance, she is relying on you entirely to hold on to her in case the branch breaks. There is no room for joking around or for being distracted: your friend is trusting you with her life. When we say Allah is the Most Trustworthy, we are coming to terms with the fact that Allah Most High will never let us down, will never leave our side. He, Most High, says about someone who willingly accepts Islam, [Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah Heareth and Knoweth all things.] (Al-Baqarah 2:256) Indeed, the prophets of Allah were all trustworthy people and Allah attested to the trustworthiness of those who were doubted by their communities. Prophet Hud, appealing to his community, declared to them, [I but fulfill towards you the duties of my Lord's mission: I am to you a sincere and trustworthy adviser.] (Al-A`raf 7:68) Practice daily developing the habit of being trustworthy. Accept responsibility and then fulfill it. When others trust you, do not betray their trust. You can read in the beautiful biography of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) how people used to entrust him with their valuables, knowing that upon their return they would find their valuables safe and unharmed. His personal and business practices were commendable to the degree that he was known for it in his community, even before he became aware that he was the Prophet of Allah, literally one who is most truthful and trustworthy.
Have Self-Restraint and Be God-Conscious Perhaps the most difficult challenge while navigating adolescence is to restrain oneself from falling victim to one’s desires — especially one’s lower desires. Our success in life depends to a great extent on how well we are able to restrain ourselves and to be moderate in what is permissible, as well as how capable we are of distancing ourselves from what is impermissible. Why is self-restraint so critical? Satan’s goal is to make you a slave of your desires to the extent that you eat until you are actually uncomfortable; that you consume without restraint beverages made of caffeine, sugar, and artificial flavors; that you find yourself longing for sleep more than prayer; and that you yearn to satisfy your sexual desires. Developing self-restraint as a habit entails making self-restraint your second nature — something which is done almost without thought, without too much effort. We are reminded by Allah Most High, [And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, — none but persons of the greatest good fortune.] (Fussilat 41:5) In seeking to be highly successful Muslim youth, that is, youth deserving of the greatest fortune, it is imperative that you develop self-restraint. An interesting parallel is that, throughout his Qur’an translation, the late Abdullah Yusuf Ali translates taqwa as self-restraint. While taqwa is most commonly translated as “God-consciousness, ” one realizes without much effort that the height of self-restraint is full and complete understanding that one is indeed conscious of one’s duty to one’s Lord. How awesome will it be if you can look back at your life and say to yourself, all praise is due to Allah that I did not succumb to my lower desires and instead exercised self-restraint consistently!
Be Thorough Look around your room. How many unfinished projects do you have? When you work on homework, are you likely to rush through the assignment just so you can be done with it or are you more likely to take your time, to check your work, and most importantly, to be thorough? Often teachers will grade a report based on how well and to what extent the student covered the topic at hand. Being thorough is not a habit that is developed overnight. The opposite of being thorough is being incomplete, being rushed, and working in haste without any regard for accuracy or quality. The most perfect is Allah Most High, Who perfected creation, Who perfected our religion, and Who guided His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to be the most perfect among humans in behavior and in character. We read in the Muwatta of Imam Malik “Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘I was sent to perfect good character’” (Book #47, Hadith #47.1.8).
To be thorough stems from a desire to be perfect to the extent that this is humanly possible. Seeking perfection in our actions and speech from an early age helps us to develop a keen eye, not only for thoroughness in our own life, but also for thoroughness in the lives of those around us. Being thorough in prayer, for example, teaches us to be patient and to concentrate upon the words we are reciting and the different positions of the prayer.
Be Focused One thousand ideas go through your head the moment you stand up for prayer. Is that you? Really? What do you make of those ideas? Do you process them? What about when you are sitting in class? Do you find your mind wandering, daydreaming, and unable to focus on the lecture at hand? Are you likely to use any excuse whatsoever to leave what you are doing? Developing the habit of being focused ensures that you are awake, alert, and totally motivated to work on and complete the task at hand, whatever it may be. Being distracted early on in childhood by video games, fast-paced imagery, and constantly changing scenes on television shows contributes to an inability to concentrate, to focus. Among the best ways to develop focus is to practice praying with deep concentration to the extent that you are almost unaware of your surroundings. Allah Most High tells us in the Qur’an that the believers are [those who humble themselves in their prayers] (Al-Mu’minun 23:2)
The humility referred to here results from total focus and concentration on the fact that one is in the presence of Allah, standing before Him, Most High. Do your best to develop focus, no matter what activity you are engaged in — whether in prayer, in academics, in athletics, or some other pastime.
Be Punctual Stop saying over and over again that you are late because of “Muslim standard time,” or the “standard time” of your particular ethnicity. The last thing we should attribute to Islam is the notion that its teachings somehow make us late, slow, slugging, and anything but punctual. What a sad state of affairs, indeed, that we attribute our own weaknesses to our religion or ethnicity!
Highly successful individuals, be they Muslim or not, understand and appreciate the value of not only their time but the time of everyone else with whom they interact. Keeping people waiting for hours on end is neither something to be proud of nor a habit that has a place in the mindset of a person who tries to be successful.
One of the central pillars of Islam is prayer, and Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) have given us clear reminders that we are to establish prayers at their due times. When `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked “which deed is the dearest to Allah?” the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #10, Hadith #505).
If indeed your day is to be considered successful, you must have prayed all the obligatory prayers at their established times and as many voluntary prayers as possible. If your day is planned around the times of prayer, you should not pray exactly at the time when you are to pray but then come late to all other appointments. Being punctual is a habit which, when perfected, demonstrates to others the tremendous value that Islam places on time — not only ours but that of everyone else with whom we interact.
Be Consistent Apart from all the habits listed above, perhaps the one that is sure to help you become a highly successful Muslim youth is that of being consistent. One cannot be truthful one day and a liar the next; one cannot be trustworthy in one instance and totally unreliable in the next; and so on for each of the other habits. A Muslim understands from an early age that it is easier to do something once or whenever we feel like it but much harder to do something regularly and consistently.
Indeed, the Mother of the Believers `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that “the most beloved action to Allah’s Apostle was that which is done continuously and regularly” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #76, Hadith #469).
Regular and consist actions show that a person has thought about it, has intended to do it, has planned to do it, and therefore does it.
We urge you to be as consistent as possible, especially in those areas of your life which need constant improvement, such as your prayers, your fasting, your manners, your studying habits, etc. Do not say, I am going to pray all day every day, or fast voluntarily all of the days of every month, or study all night every night, because such actions cannot be humanly sustained over a long period of time. Say on the other hand, I am going to be sure to read at least one part of the Qur’an every day, or I will strive to help my parents with at least one household chore every day, or I will try to study at least one new item every week so that I can be ahead of the lesson plan.
Conclusion Finally, Muslims aspire to develop all of these habits because, in doing so, we draw nearer to Allah Most High. If you are intent on being a highly successful Muslim youth, then you owe it to yourself to reflect upon your own life and see how many of these habits are already a part of who you are and how many you need to further develop or acquire. We end with a reminder that developing these habits will help you to emulate the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). His message and his life are summarized well in a narration of `Abdullah ibn `Abbas: Abu Sufyan told me that Heraclius said to him, “When I enquired of you what he (Muhammad) ordered you, you replied that he ordered you to establish the prayer, to speak the truth, to be chaste, to keep promises, and to pay back trusts.” Then Heraclius added, “These are really the qualities of a prophet.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #48, Hadith #846)
Strive to develop the seven habits listed above and many others from the Islamic teachings so that you will be among the highly successful Muslim youth. |
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How I Came To The Veil:Yvonne Ridley November 13, 2006
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.1 comment so far
I was myself researching about the Hijab after reading about Mr.Straw,until i stumbled across this article.This lady writes really good articles,very intresting this one is.
| How I Came To Love The Veil |
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| Yvonne Ridley, Washington post – London, USA |
| Monday, October 23, 2006 |
| I used to look at veiled women as quiet, oppressed creatures — until I was captured by the Taliban. In September 2001, just 15 days after the terrorist attacks on the United States , I snuck into Afghanistan , clad in a head-to-toe blue burqa, intending to write a newspaper account of life under the repressive regime. Instead, I was discovered, arrested and detained for 10 days. I spat and swore at my captors; they called me a “bad” woman but let me go after I promised to read the Koran and study Islam. (Frankly, I’m not sure who was happier when I was freed — they or I.) Back home in London , I kept my word about studying Islam — and was amazed by what I discovered. I’d been expecting Koran chapters on how to beat your wife and oppress your daughters; instead, I found passages promoting the liberation of women. Two-and-a-half years after my capture, I converted to Islam, provoking a mixture of astonishment, disappointment and encouragement among friends and relatives. Now, it is with disgust and dismay that I watch here in Britain as former foreign secretary Jack Straw describes the Muslim nikab — a face veil that reveals only the eyes — as an unwelcome barrier to integration, with Prime Minister Tony Blair, writer Salman Rushdie and even Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi leaping to his defense. Having been on both sides of the veil, I can tell you that most Western male politicians and journalists who lament the oppression of women in the Islamic world have no idea what they are talking about. They go on about veils, child brides, female circumcision, honor killings and forced marriages, and they wrongly blame Islam for all this — their arrogance surpassed only by their ignorance. These cultural issues and customs have nothing to do with Islam. A careful reading of the Koran shows that just about everything that Western feminists fought for in the 1970s was available to Muslim women 1,400 years ago. Women in Islam are considered equal to men in spirituality, education and worth, and a woman’s gift for childbirth and child-rearing is regarded as a positive attribute. When Islam offers women so much, why are Western men so obsessed with Muslim women’s attire? Even British government ministers Gordon Brown and John Reid have made disparaging remarks about the nikab — and they hail from across the Scottish border, where men wear skirts. When I converted to Islam and began wearing a headscarf, the repercussions were enormous. All I did was cover my head and hair — but I instantly became a second-class citizen. I knew I’d hear from the odd Islamophobe, but I didn’t expect so much open hostility from strangers. Cabs passed me by at night, their “for hire” lights glowing. One cabbie, after dropping off a white passenger right in front of me, glared at me when I rapped on his window, then drove off. Another said, “Don’t leave a bomb in the back seat” and asked, “Where’s bin Laden hiding?” Yes, it is a religious obligation for Muslim women to dress modestly, but the majority of Muslim women I know like wearing the hijab, which leaves the face uncovered, though a few prefer the nikab. It is a personal statement: My dress tells you that I am a Muslim and that I expect to be treated respectfully, much as a Wall Street banker would say that a business suit defines him as an executive to be taken seriously. And, especially among converts to the faith like me, the attention of men who confront women with inappropriate, leering behavior is not tolerable. I was a Western feminist for many years, but I’ve discovered that Muslim feminists are more radical than their secular counterparts. We hate those ghastly beauty pageants, and tried to stop laughing in 2003 when judges of the Miss Earth competition hailed the emergence of a bikini-clad Miss Afghanistan , Vida Samadzai, as a giant leap for women’s liberation. They even gave Samadzai a special award for “representing the victory of women’s rights.” Some young Muslim feminists consider the hijab and the nikab political symbols, too, a way of rejecting Western excesses such as binge drinking, casual sex and drug use. What is more liberating: being judged on the length of your skirt and the size of your surgically enhanced breasts, or being judged on your character and intelligence? In Islam, superiority is achieved through piety — not beauty, wealth, power, position or sex. I didn’t know whether to scream or laugh when Italy’s Prodi joined the debate last week by declaring that it is “common sense” not to wear the nikab because it makes social relations “more difficult.” Nonsense. If this is the case, then why are cellphones, landlines, e-mail, text messaging and fax machines in daily use? And no one switches off the radio because they can’t see the presenter’s face. Under Islam, I am respected. It tells me that I have a right to an education and that it is my duty to seek out knowledge, regardless of whether I am single or married. Nowhere in the framework of Islam are we told that women must wash, clean or cook for men. As for how Muslim men are allowed to beat their wives — it’s simply not true. Critics of Islam will quote random Koranic verses or hadith, but usually out of context. If a man does raise a finger against his wife, he is not allowed to leave a mark on her body, which is the Koran’s way of saying, “Don’t beat your wife, stupid.” It is not just Muslim men who must reevaluate the place and treatment of women. According to a recent National Domestic Violence Hotline survey, 4 million American women experience a serious assault by a partner during an average 12-month period. More than three women are killed by their husbands and boyfriends every day — that is nearly 5,500 since 9/11. Violent men don’t come from any particular religious or cultural category; one in three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime, according to the hotline survey. This is a global problem that transcends religion, wealth, class, race and culture. But it is also true that in the West, men still believe that they are superior to women, despite protests to the contrary. They still receive better pay for equal work — whether in the mailroom or the boardroom — and women are still treated as sexualized commodities whose power and influence flow directly from their appearance. And for those who are still trying to claim that Islam oppresses women, recall this 1992 statement from the Rev. Pat Robertson, offering his views on empowered women: Feminism is a “socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” Now you tell me who is civilized and who is not.
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Israeli troops open fire on women outside mosque November 13, 2006
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photo here http://www.guardian .co.uk/israel/ Story/0,, 1938667,00. html
Staff and agencies
Guardian Unlimited Friday November 3, 2006
At least one Palestinian woman was killed and another 10 were reported wounded when Israeli forces today opened fire on a group preparing to act as a human shield for militants in a Gaza mosque.
Dozens of women were gathering outside the mosque in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip this morning after an appeal on a local radio station. Up to 60 gunmen had taken refuge in the building after the Israeli army began its largest Gaza offensive in months in an attempt to stop militants launching rocket attacks on nearby Jewish settlements over the border.
Television pictures showed at least 50 women making their way along a pavement when shots could be heard ringing out. They started to flee in terror and at least two women were left lying on the ground.
Witnesses said one woman, aged about 40, was killed, and 10 others were wounded. Some reports said a second woman had died. The Israeli army said troops spotted two militants hiding in the crowd of women and opened fire.
Israeli tanks and armoured personnel carriers surrounded the building when militants took refuge there after two days of fighting, the Israeli military and Palestinian security officials said.
A large group of women protesters went on to gather outside the mosque. In the resulting confusion all the militants managed to escape and the building reportedly collapsed.
A 22-year-old Palestinian man was also killed in the northern town, which troops seized on Wednesday. More than 20 Palestinians, most of them militants, have been killed since the offensive began.
Overnight, the two sides exchanged fire. Troops also threw stun and smoke grenades into the mosque to pressure the gunmen to surrender. Witnesses said an Israeli army bulldozer knocked down an outer wall of the mosque. It was not clear if there were any casualties inside.
Residents said Beit Hanoun, a town of 30,000 people, was effectively under full Israeli control, with a curfew imposed.
After the shooting, loudspeakers across Gaza called on people to come to demonstrations after Friday prayers to express solidarity with Beit Hanoun. By late morning, two rallies were already in progress in Beit Hanoun, and militants in the crowds were firing at soldiers, the Israeli army said.
The army said it targeted Beit Hanoun because it was a major site for launching rocket attacks. But Israeli officials have said the takeover of Beit Hanoun was expected to last only a few days and did not signal the start of a wider military offensive in Gaza.
Militants, however, continued to fire rockets at Israeli border communities. Two Israelis were slightly wounded and a house was damaged in the latest attacks today.
In a separate operation last night, an Israeli air strike on a car in Gaza City killed three Hamas fighters, including a local militant commander, witnesses said. An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the strike
http://www.guardian .co.uk/israel/ Story/0,, 1938667,00. html
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