Amoureuse de DIEU

| Sheikh `Alî Bâdahdah|

 
Allah is the one who has ordained marriage for His creatures. He has placed within marriage the blessings of comfort, love, and mercy.

“And among His Signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He put love and mercy between your hearts. Verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.” [Sûrah Rûm: 21]

For this reason, Allah had made one of the essential pillars of the marriage contract that both the husband and the wife are willing parties to the marriage. This is the essence of the offer and acceptance in the marriage contract. It is not possible to contract a legal marriage in Islam without the willing consent of two legally accountable people of sound mind.

As for the customs and traditions that exist in some parts of the world requiring people to marry others who are chosen for them, these customs are not Islamic. No one can be obliged to follow them. No man can be obliged to marry any woman against his will. Likewise, no woman can be forced to marry any man against her will.

The Sunnah provides us with a considerable amount of evidence for the legal necessity of the consent of both parties to the marriage.

`Â’ishah narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A virgin’s consent must be sought for marriage.”

To this `Â’ishah commented: “But a virgin is too bashful.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Her silence is her consent.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]

Buraydah narrates that once, a woman came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, my father married me to my cousin in order to raise his social standing, but I do not want to be married to him.”

The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave her the option of annulment. At this point, she said: “I have already reconciled myself to my father’s decision, but I wanted it to be known that women have a say in the matter.”

[Sunan al-Nasâ’î (3269), Sunan Ibn Mâjah (1874), and Musnad Ahmad (25043) and authenticated by Shu`ayb al-Arna`ût et al in Tahqîq Musnad Ahmad (41/493)]

Though a child must generally obey his or her parents, this obedience does not extend to marrying an unwanted partner in life. Islamic Law permits a son or daughter to refuse entering into any marriage he or she is displeased with, no matter what their reason for refusing might be.

Without a doubt, it is better to refuse to get married from the outset than to place oneself into an unhappy marriage. There is no reason for the people to subject themselves to an unhappy home life or to an unstable marriage which might very well end in a stressful and messy divorce.

If a man knows that the family of his bride to be is coercing her to marrying him, then that man must himself refuse to enter into the marriage. It is not lawful for him to marry a woman he knows is unwilling. Such a marriage has a contractual defect in it, since the willing consent of both parties is part of the contractual basis of a lawful marriage in Islam – even if that marriage takes place in a court of law at the behest of the woman’s legal guardian.

No one should enter into a marriage unless he or she is perfectly satisfied with it and resolved to it. The consent of both the man and the woman must be utterly free. This is the way to ensure that their married life has a good chance of happiness and not be a source of continual grief for the couple and for their respective families.

The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) said, “Allah has forbidden for you, (1) to be undutiful to your mothers, (2) to bury your daughters alive, (3) to not to pay the rights of the others (e.g. charity, etc.) and (4) to beg of men (begging).  And Allah has hated for you (1) vain, useless talk, or that you talk too much about others, (2) to ask too many questions, (in disputed religious matters) and (3) to waste the wealth (by extravagance) .” (Bukhari)

“Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful; ” (4:36)

Whoever acts in obedience to Allah, then it is for the benefit of his own soul and he will be rewarded for it. And whoever acts in disobedience to Allah, then he has transgressed against his own soul and earned Allah’s anger; and your Lord will not punish anyone for a sin he did not commit. [Al-Fussilat (41) 46]

An interview of Karen Armstrong with Andrea Bistrich.

Islamica Magazine

Karen Armstrong was a Catholic nun for seven years before leaving her order and going to Oxford. Today, she is amongst the most renowned theologians and has written numerous bestsellers on the great religions and their founders.

She is one of the 18 leading group members of the Alliance of Civilizations, an initiative of the former UN General Secretary, Kofi Anan, whose purpose is to fight extremism and further dialogue between the western and Islamic worlds. She talks here to the German journalist, Andrea Bistrich, about politics, religion, extremism and commonalities.

ANDREA BISTRICH: 9/11 has become the symbol of major, insurmountable hostilities between Islam and the West. After the attacks many Americans asked: “Why do they hate us?” And experts in numerous round-table talks debated if Islam is an inherently violent religion. Is this so?

KAREN ARMSTRONG: Certainly not. There is far more violence in the Bible than in the Qur’an; the idea that Islam imposed itself by the sword is a Western fiction, fabricated during the time of the Crusades when, in fact, it was Western Christians who were fighting brutal holy wars against Islam. The Qur’an forbids aggressive warfare and permits war only in self-defence; the moment the enemy sues for peace, the Qur’an insists that Muslims must lay down their arms and accept whatever terms are offered, even if they are disadvantageous. Later, Muslim law forbade Muslims to attack a country where Muslims were permitted to practice their faith freely; the killing of civilians was prohibited, as were the destruction of property and the use of fire in warfare.

The sense of polarization has been sharpened by recent controversies — the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, over the Pope’s remarks about Islam, over whether face-veils hinder integration. All these things have set relations between Islam and the West on edge. Harvard-Professor Samuel Huntington introduced the theory of a “clash of civilizations” we are witnessing today. Does such a fundamental incompatibility between the “Christian West” and the “Muslim World” indeed exist?

The divisions in our world are not the result of religion or of culture, but are politically based. There is an imbalance of power in the world, and the powerless are beginning to challenge the hegemony of the Great Powers, declaring their independence of them-often using religious language to do so. A lot of what we call “fundamentalism” can often be seen as a religious form of nationalism, an assertion of identity. The old 19th-century European nationalist ideal has become tarnished and has always been foreign to the Middle East. In the Muslim world people are redefining themselves according to their religion in an attempt to return to their roots after the great colonialist disruption.

What has made Fundamentalism, seemingly, so predominant today?

The militant piety that we call “fundamentalism” erupted in every single major world faith in the course of the twentieth century. There is fundamentalist Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism and Confucianism, as well as fundamentalist Islam. Of the three monotheistic religions-Judaism, Christianity and Islam-Islam was the last to develop a fundamentalist strain during the 1960s.

Fundamentalism represents a revolt against secular modern society, which separates religion and politics. Wherever a Western secularist government is established, a religious counterculturalist protest movement rises up alongside it in conscious rejection. Fundamentalists want to bring God/religion from the sidelines to which they have been relegated in modern culture and back to centre stage. All fundamentalism is rooted in a profound fear of annihilation: whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim, fundamentalists are convinced that secular or liberal society wants to wipe them out. This is not paranoia: Jewish fundamentalism took two major strides forward, one after the Nazi Holocaust, the second after the Yom Kippur War of 1973. In some parts of the Middle East, secularism was established so rapidly and aggressively that it was experienced as a lethal assault.

The fact that fundamentalism is also a phenomenon in politics was stressed only recently by former US president Jimmy Carter when he voiced his concerns over the increasing merging of religion and state in the Bush administration, and the element of fundamentalism in the White House. Carter sees that traits of religious fundamentalists are also applicable to neo-conservatives. There seems to be a major controversy between, on the one hand, so called hard-liners or conservatives and, on the other, the progressives. Is this a typical phenomenon of today’s world?

The United States is not alone in this. Yes, there is a new intolerance and aggression in Europe too as well as in Muslim countries and the Middle East. Culture is always-and has always been-contested. There are always people who have a different view of their country and are ready to fight for it. American Christian fundamentalists are not in favour of democracy; and it is true that many of the Neo-Cons, many of whom incline towards this fundamentalism, have very hard-line, limited views. These are dangerous and difficult times and when people are frightened they tend to retreat into ideological ghettos and build new barriers against the “other”. Democracy is really what religious people call “a state of grace.” It is an ideal that is rarely achieved, that has constantly to be reaffirmed, lest it be lost. And it is very difficult to fulfil. We are all-Americans and Europeans-falling short of the democratic ideal during the so called “war against terror.”

Could you specify the political reasons that you identified as the chief causes of the growing divide between Muslim and Western societies?

In the Middle East, modernization has been impeded by the Arab/Israeli conflict, which has become symbolic to Christian, Jewish and Muslim fundamentalists and is the bleeding heart of the problem. Unless a just political solution can be found that is satisfactory to everybody¸ there is no hope of peace. There is also the problem of oil, which has made some of these countries the target of Western greed. In the West, in order to preserve our strategic position and cheap oil supply, we have often supported rulers-such as the shahs of Iran, the Saudis and, initially, Saddam Hussein-who have established dictatorial regimes which suppressed any normal opposition. The only place where people felt free to express their distress has been the mosque.

The modern world has been very violent. Between 1914 and 1945, seventy million people died in Europe as a result of war. We should not be surprised that modern religion has become violent too; it often mimics the violence preached by secular politicians. Most of the violence and terror that concerns us in the Muslim world has grown up in regions where warfare, displacement and conflict have been traumatic and have even become chronic: the Middle East, Palestine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir.

In regard to the Arab-Israeli-conflict you have said that for Muslims it has become, “a symbol of their impotence in the modern world.” What does that really mean?

The Arab-Israeli conflict began, on both sides, as a purely secular conflict about a land. Zionism began as a rebellion against religious Judaism and at the outset most Orthodox rabbis condemned Zionism as a blasphemous secularization of the Land of Israel, one of the most sacred symbols of Judaism. Similarly the ideology of the PLO was secular-many of the Palestinians, of course, are Christian. But unfortunately the conflict was allowed to fester; on both sides the conflict became sacralized and, therefore, far more difficult to sort out.

In most fundamentalist movements, certain issues acquire symbolic value and come to represent everything that is wrong with modernity. In Judaism, the secular state of Israel has inspired every single fundamentalist movement, because it represents so graphically the penetration of the secular ethos into Jewish religious life. Some Jewish fundamentalists are passionately for the state of Israel and see it as sacred and holy; involvement in Israeli politics is a sacred act of tikkun, restoration of the world; making a settlement in the occupied territories is also an act of tikkun and some believe that it will hasten the coming of the Messiah. But the ultra-Orthodox Jews are often against the state of Israel: some see it as an evil abomination (Jews are supposed to wait for the Messiah to restore a religious state in the Holy Land) and others regard it as purely neutral and hold aloof from it as far as they can. Many Jews too see Israel as a phoenix rising out of the ashes of Auschwitz-and have found it a way of coping with the Shoah.

But for many Muslims the plight of the Palestinians represents everything that is wrong with the modern world. The fact that in 1948, 750,000 Palestinians could lose their homes with the apparent approval of the world symbolizes the impotence of Islam in the modern world vis-à-vis the West. The Qur’an teaches that if Muslims live justly and decently, their societies will prosper because they will be in tune with the fundamental laws of the universe. Islam was always a religion of success, going from one triumph to another, but Muslims have been able to make no headway against the secular West and the plight of the Palestinians epitomizes this impotence. Jerusalem is also the third holiest place in the Islamic world, and when Muslims see their sacred shrines on the Haram al-Sharif [the Noble Sanctuary, also known as Temple Mount]-surrounded by the towering Israeli settlements and feel that their holy city is slipping daily from their grasp, this symbolizes their beleaguered identity. However it is important to note that the Palestinians only adopted a religiously articulated ideology relatively late-long after Islamic fundamentalism had become a force in countries such as Egypt or Pakistan. Their resistance movement remained secular in ethos until the first intifada in 1987. And it is also important to note that Hamas, for example, is very different from a movement like al-Qaeda, which has global ambitions. Hamas is a resistance movement; it does not attack Americans or British but concentrates on attacking the occupying power. It is yet another instance of “fundamentalism” as a religious form of nationalism.

The Arab Israeli conflict has also become pivotal to Christian fundamentalists in the United States. The Christian Right believes that unless the Jews are in their land, fulfilling the ancient prophecies, Christ cannot return in glory in the Second Coming. So they are passionate Zionists; but this ideology is also anti-Semitic, because in the Last Days they believe that the Antichrist will massacre the Jews in the Holy Land if they do not accept baptism.

Do you think the West has some responsibility for what is happening in Palestine?

Western people have a responsibility for everybody who is suffering in the world. We are among the richest and most powerful countries and cannot morally or religiously stand by and witness poverty, dispossession or injustice, whether that is happening in Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya or Africa. But Western people have a particular responsibility for the Arab-Israeli situation. In the Balfour Declaration (1917), Britain approved of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and ignored the aspirations and plight of the native Palestinians. And today the United States supports Israel economically and politically and also tends to ignore the plight of the Palestinians. This is dangerous, because the Palestinians are not going to go away, and unless a solution is found that promises security to the Israelis and gives political independence and security to the dispossessed Palestinians, there is no hope for world peace.

In addition, you have stressed the importance of a “triple vision”-the ability to view the conflict from the perspective of the Islamic, Jewish and Christian communities. Could you explain this view?

The three religions of Abraham — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — can and should be viewed as one religious tradition that went in three different directions. I have always tried to see them in this way; none is superior to any of the others. Each has its own particular genius; each its own particular flaws. Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God and share the same moral values. In the book A History of God, I tried to show that throughout their history, Jews, Christians and Muslims have asked the same kind of questions about God and have reached remarkably similar solutions-so that there are Jewish and Muslim versions of the incarnation, for example, and very similar notions of prophecy. In The Battle for God, I tried to show how similar the fundamentalist movements are in all three faiths.

Jews, however, have always found it difficult to accept the later faiths of Christianity and Islam; Christianity has always had an uneasy relationship with Judaism, the parent faith, and has seen Islam as a blasphemous imitation of revelation. The Qur’an, however, has a positive view of both Judaism and Christianity and constantly asserts that Muhammad did not come to cancel out the faiths of “the People of the Book”: you cannot be a Muslim unless you also revere the prophets Abraham, David, Noah, Moses and Jesus-whom the Muslims regard as prophets-as in fact do many of the New Testament writers. Luke’s gospel calls Jesus a prophet from start to finish; the idea that Jesus was divine was a later development, often misunderstood by Christians.

Unfortunately, however, religious people like to see themselves as having a monopoly on truth; they see that they alone are the one true faith. But this is egotism and has nothing to do with true religion, which is about the abandonment of the ego.

Too often it seems that religious people are not necessarily more compassionate, more tolerant, more peaceful or more spiritual than others. America, for example, is a very religious country, and at the same time it is the most unequal socially and economically. What does this say about the purpose of religion?

The world religions all insist that the one, single test of any type of religiosity is that it must issue in practical compassion. They have nearly all developed a version of the Golden Rule: “Do not do to others what you would not have done to you.” This demands that we look into our own hearts, discover what it is that gives us pain and then refuse, under any circumstances, to inflict that pain on anybody else. Compassion demands that we “feel with” the other; that we dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there. This is the bedrock message of the Qur’an, of the New Testament (”I can have faith that moves mountains,” says St. Paul, “but if I lack charity it profits me nothing.”). Rabbi Hillel, the older contemporary of Jesus, defined the Golden Rule as the essence of Judaism: everything else, he said, was “commentary.” We have exactly the same teaching in Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism and Buddhism. I have tried to show this in one of my most recent books, The Great Transformation.

The traditions all insist that it is not enough simply to show compassion to your own group. You must have what the Chinese call jian ai, concern for everybody. Or as Jewish law puts it: “Honour the stranger.” “Love your enemies,” said Jesus: if you simply love your own kind, this is purely self-interest and a form of group egotism. The traditions also insist that it is the daily, hourly practice of compassion -not the adoption of the correct “beliefs” or the correct sexuality- that will bring us into the presence of what is called God, Nirvana, Brahman or the Dao. Religion is thus inseparable from altruism.

So why aren’t religious people compassionate? What does that say about them?

Compassion is not a popular virtue. Many religious people prefer to be right rather than compassionate. They don’t want to give up their egos. They want religion to give them a little mild uplift once a week so that they can return to their ordinary selfish lives, unscathed by the demands of their tradition. Religion is hard work; not many people do it well. But are secularists any better? Many secularists would subscribe to the compassionate ideal but are just as selfish as religious people. The failure of religious people to be compassionate doesn’t tell us something about religion, but about human nature. Religion is a method: you have to put it into practice to discover its truth. But, unfortunately, not many people do.

by Dr. David Liepert   

What does Islam do? I know it sooths pain and mends hearts. I’ve been told it heals all manner of wounds, hurts and injuries.

This sermon was delivered on the Ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, 10 A.H. ( 623AD) in the Uranah valley of Mount Arafat in Mecca. It was the occasion of annual rites of Haj. It is also known as the Farewell Pilgrimage.  

After praising and thanking Allah the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) began with the words:

“O People! Lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen carefully to what I am saying and take these words to those who could not be present here today.”

“O People! just as you regard this month, this day ,this city as sacred ,so regard the life and property of every Muslim a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds.”

“Allah has forbidden you to take usury, therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep .You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequality. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all interest due to Abbas Ibn ‘Aal-Muttalib be waived.”

“Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibni al-Harithiah.”

“O men! the unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to prohibit what Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, there are sucessive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.”

“Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will be able to lead you astray in big things so beware of following him in small things.”

“O People it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well never to be unchaste.”

“O People! listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat .Perform Haj if you can afford it.”

“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a White has no superiority over a Black nor a Black has any superiority over a White except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.”

“Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.”

“O People! No Prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore O People! and understand words that I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and the Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray.”

“All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly.”

“O Allah, be my witness, that I have conveyed your message to Your people.”

As part of this sermon, the prophet recited to them a revelation from Allah, which he had just received, and which completed the Quran, for it was the last passage to be revealed:

This day the disbeliever’s despair of prevailing against your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me (Allah)! This day have I perfected for you, your religion and fulfilled My favor unto you, and it hath been My good pleasure to choose Islam for you as your religion. (Surah 5, Ayah 3)

The sermon was repeated sentence by sentence by Safwan’s brother Rabiah (RA), who had powerful voice, at the request of the Prophet and he faithfully, proclaimed to over ten thousand gathered on the occasion. Towards the end of his sermon, the Prophet asked “O people, have I faithfully delivered unto you my message?” A powerful murmur of assents “O Allah! yes!”arose from thousands of pilgrims and the vibrant words “Allahumma Na’m,” rolled like thunder throughout the valley. The Prophet raised his forefinger and said: “O Allah bear witness that I have conveyed your message to your people.”

(Islamic Society of North America)

Victory seems imminent for Abraha. Yet when the army advances to the fringes of the city, headed by its lead elephant, the creature stops unexpectedly and refuses to go any further towards the direction of Makkah. No amount of budging will make this beast go towards the direction of conquest, yet when the army turn it around, it is more than willing to go back. Suddenly from the distant horizon, a huge flock of birds is seen. Ominously it makes its way to the scene of the battle. In their beaks and claws the birds carry with them stones. Like lightning do they descend upon the confused army of Abraha and pelt them viciously with the stones. The stones start to cut and tear away at the bodies of these aggressors and reduce them to helpless wretches. The army of the tyrant are sent back in humiliation. It is no less than a miracle which has saved this sacred city.[2]

This event was to be remembered by the Arabs as the year of the elephant and was to hold great significance in the balance of power in Arabia. But it was the event which occurred fifty days later in the same year which was not only to be remembered, but would also change the course of history forever. It was on the 12th day of the month of Rabi-al-Awwal[3], that in the house of Abdul-Muttalib a child was born. It was the child of Amina, the wife of Abdullah, the son of Abdul-Muttalib. This was the child who would change the way of life of all those around him. This was the child who would unite all people under one way. This was the child who would bring the great empires of the world to a standstill.

This child was Muhammed, the last and final messenger of Allah to mankind.

The name Muhammed was given to the child by his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib. The name was one which was known amongst the Arabs at that time but was not common. The literal meaning of Muhammed is ‘the praised one’, and it is reported that upon being asked why Abdul-Muttalib had named his grandson so, he replied: “I did so with the desire that my grandson would be praised by Allah in Heaven and by men on earth”[4]. It seems as if the desire of Abdul-Muttalib came true, for it was the name of Muhammed (saws) which was to be uttered and praised more times than that of any person in history[5]. In fact it is not only men who praise this remarkable man, but also the Creator of the Heavens and the earth, Allah, and the inhabitants of the heavens, the angels:

“Verily Allah sends blessings upon the prophet, and his angels ask Allah to bless him. Oh you who have believed ask Allah to send blessings upon him and greet him with peace” (Qur’an Al-Ahzab 33:56)

The grandson of Abdul-Muttalib was destined to become the greatest man ever to live.

The early life of Muhammed (saws) before his prophethood, is unknown to most people. His life is highlighted by his sublime character and noble manners. The world of Muhammed, (saws) was a world of idolatry, a world in which women and slaves had no rights whatsoever, a world in which men would cheat each other for a few dirhams.[7]

However Muharnmed (saws) was not like those around him. He was not known to swear or talk in a vile manner, nor was he known to drink or gamble. His honesty surpassed that of all others and he was known with the title of ‘Al-Amin’ (The trustworthy). In fact it was this quality of honesty which attracted so many people to his noble message.

The nature of the Arabs at the time of Muhammed (saws) was very barbaric and they would fight over the smallest of things, such as one tribes camel grazing on the land of another tribe. This would often result in wars which would last for years and take thousands of lives. In the year 605 CE the Kaabah was accidentally burnt down and a massive reconstruction programme had to be initiated. Many people were involved in it’s rebuilding. However, upon its completion, the issue of replacing the black stone in its original place, the south east corner of the Kaabah, arose. Each of the major tribes and clans wanted the honour of placing the black stone in its proper place. Civil war loomed over the Arabian peninsula. It was then suggested by Abu Ummayah al-Mughira, one of the elders of Makkah, that the way to settle this dispute was to let the first person to come through the masjid gate the next morning, decide the fate of the matter. Lo and behold the first man to enter the masjid the next morning was indeed Muhammed (saws). Upon seeing him some of the Arabs exclaimed with joy, “here is the trustworthv one, we shall agree to his decision - he is Muhammed”. Muhammed (saws) asked for a sheet or a robe to be brought to him and to have the black stone placed in the middle of it. He then asked the elders of each of the major tribes to lift up the sheet from each of the corners. The elders did as they were instructed and took the black stone over to the south east corner. Muhammed (saws) then took the stone and placed it firmly in its resting place And so it was Muhammed (saws) who with wisdom and honesty saved the Arabs from self-destruction.[8]

Muhammed’s (saws) early life was wrought with unhappiness as he never saw his father Abdullah who died before he was born. At the age of six his mother, Amina passed away and he was entrusted into the care of his beloved grandfather Abdul-Muttalib. However, at the age of twelve, Abdul-Muttalib also passed away and Abu Talib, the uncle of Muhammed (saws), took charge of him. With such distress and heartache so early on in life, one would imagine that this boy would grow up to be rebellious and troublesome, as is the case in so many of our societies today[9]. But this was obviously not to be.

It was Abu Talib who then reared and brought him up. Abu Talib was a trader and businessman and he sometimes took his nephew along with him on his trade journeys. It was these trade journeys which eventually formed the alliance between Muhammed and his future wife Khadija (RA). Khadija was a wealthy widow from Makkah who was known for her noble character and morals. Soon Muhammed (saws) was working for Khadija as a manager for her trade caravans. It was his honesty and efficiency which led to Khadija’s proposal, and soon after Muhammed (saws) had returned from a trade journey to Syria, they were married.

It was in the year 610 CE that the prophet Muhammed (saws) received the first revelation. It was the practice of Muhammed (saws) that he would often go up to the cave of Hira to meditate and pray to Allah alone. One night during the month of Ramadaan[10] while he was meditating, an angel appeared before him. This was the angel Jibraeel (Eng. Gabriel), the very same angel who had brought down revelation to the earlier prophets of Allah such as Jesus (as) and Moses (as). ln a thundering voice the angel commanded him “READ” . “I cannot read”, [11] replied Muhammed honestly. The angel grabbed hold of him and squeezed him so hard that Muhammed thought he would die of suffocation. “READ”, the angel commanded again. Muhammed’s reply was the same. So the angel squeezed him again and again, each time harder than the previous, and Muhammed replied the same, each time thinking that he would die of suffocation. The angel then released him and spoke the words which would be remembered as the first words of the final revelation to mankind:

“Read in the name of you Lord, Who Created. Who Created man out of a clot of blood. Read, and your Lord is the Most Bountiful. It is He who has taught man the use of the pen. Taught man that which he did not know.”
(Qur’an Al-Alaq 96:1-5)

This was the start of the revelation from Allah to humanity. It was the final incorruptible message by which mankind would have to live by and worship according to. And it was Muhammed (saws), the son of Abdullah who was chosen to spread this good news.

His Noble Character

It is the character of the prophet Muhammed (saws) which was one of the main reasons for the spread of his noble message. As mentioned before, he never swore and he never spoke vilely about anyone. But after his appointment as a prophet of Allah, he not only observed these excellent qualities for himself, but also ordered all the Muslims to live their lives according to these noble traits. This is why we find that lying and cheating are totally forbidden in Islam, and about lying the prophet (saws) said: “Lying leads to obscenity and obscenity leads to the fire of hell” [13]. For the Arabs to stop cheating and lying it would mean that the whole of their lives would have to be turned upside down. Cheating and lying during business transactions was a regular practice for the Arabs, and it was from this behaviour that the racist slogan “you cheating Arab!” was derived. Backbiting and slandering one another were totally forbidden and the prophet (saws) was instructed by Allah to inform the people that backbiting another Muslim was like:

“. . . eating the dead flesh of your brother” (Qur’an Al-Hujjarat 49:12)

Muhammed (saws) was known to laugh very little, if at all. Rather when he was happy he would express his delight by smiling and he is reported to have said: “Too much laughter kills the heart” [15]. Likewise when he was angry, he would not fly off the handle or start a tantrum, but rather the complexion of his face would simply turn red.

The generosity of Muhammed (saws) was so great that one of his companions, Ibn Abbas described his huge generosity as being like “. . . the blowing wind” [16]. To give charity during those days was outdated and those who gave charity were very rare in that troublesome society. But the trends of society were nothing to this man, who simply wished to attain the pleasure of Allah by helping those who were less fortunate then himself. In fact his giving of charity often meant that he had to sacrifice the pleasures of life for himself and his family. His wife Aisha (RA) reported that “…. three consecutive days would not go by without the family of Muhammed not eating their fill” [17]

The relationship between Muhammed (saws) and women has been subject to vicious attack by many western writers. He has been accused of being sexually immoral and depraved by his enemies. Many a feminist has accused him of depriving women of their rights. Yet the reality of this man is unknown to many of these ignorant people. When Muhammed (saws) left the cave of Hira, trembling and shaking like a leaf, who was the first person that this alleged male chauvinist turned to? When spreading the message of Islam who was the first person to respond to this so called “patriarchal” [18] religion? The answer is Khadija, his wife, a woman. It was Khadija who comforted him during these initial days of anxiety. It was Khadija who reassured him of his role by accepting his message. And it was Khadija who gained so much respect and admiration from this remarkable man.

Pre-Islamic Arabia was characterised by the evil crime of burying baby girls alive because they were seen as a shame to the family. Yet it was this man Muhammed who spoke out vehemently against this great social crime. In fact he stated the great blessing and reward of having and rearing female children : “Whomsoever brings up two girls upon this religion, then me and him shall be like this in paradise [and he joined his forefinger with his middle finger]“[19]. His conduct with women was not like that of the men today, rather he treated the women as they deserved to be treated. He did not openly parade women about like cattle[20], as was done before the coming of Islam nor did he seek to please them by showing off his masculinity. Rather he as described as being “……more shy than a virgin behind a veil”[21]. For a man who achieved so much in his lifetime it would be expected (by corrupt western standards!) that Muhammed would abuse his power with regards to women. Yet we do not find a single instance in his life in which he went out raping and destroying the honour of the women folk who were captured. Rather it was the women of Arabia who came forward in their droves to accept the message of this man, who came to liberate humanity from the oppression of this world[22].

By the time of his death in the year 632 CE almost the whole of the Arabian peninsula had been conquered. A million square miles lay at his feet. Yet such was the humble nature of this man that he would mend his own shoes, sew his own clothes and milk his own goats. Such behaviour has become awe inspiring for millions of people and has thus led them to the beauty of this religion. As a leader for his people he was a great example of humility and mercy. When his companions walked past his house they could hear him crying in his prayer, so much so that it was like a “… boiling pot”[23]. He would continuously pray during the nights to such an extent that his feet would swell up. Upon observing this his wife Aisha (RA) asked him “..why do you pray so much, when your Lord has forgiven your past sins and your future sins?” and the reply from the prophet (saws) was “should I therefore not be a grateful servant of my Lord (by praying at night)”[24].

The famous conquest of Makkah is an event which shall be remembered for the justice and mercy which were shown that day. Even though he had the option to punish those who were guilty of oppressing the Muslims, Muhammed (saws) issued a general amnesty by which many people were forgiven. It was this behaviour which saw the amazing acceptance of Islam by almost the whole population of Makkah literally overnight.[25]

With leadership and conquest comes fame but fame did not affect this man whose only aim was to establish the religion of Allah on earth. His position as a messenger of Allah was not exaggerated. His insistence on being a mere mortal like others was firm. And his desire to single out Allah alone for worship was stressed wholeheartedly. It is for this reason that he ordered his followers not to make any pictorial representations or statues of him. Before his death he condemned the “. . .Jews and Christians for taking the graves of their prophets and pious people as places of worship”[26]. By implication this made it haram (prohibited) for the Muslims to take the grave of Muhammed (saws) as a place of worship. For all those who call the Muslims ‘Muhammedans’[27], then this is the response which we as worshippers of Allah bring forward. Throughout history leaders of nations, ideologies and empires have often ended up becoming objects of worship. We find statues and pictures of Marx, Lenin, Caesar, Jesus, St Paul, Hitler, Napoleon, Confucius and so many others. Yet despite all the reminders of these people, it is still this man Muhammed (saws) who has had the most influence upon history, despite the fact that we find no 3-D visual image of him [28]. This is indeed a mercy from Allah.

The world of the 7th century was a crumbling place. The empires of Rome and Persia were locked in constant battle. The Chinese and Indian civilisations were in moral decline. Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism were all religions which were fast losing momentum. The case of the Arabs was clear to everyone and they were regarded as being at the bottom of this decaying pit. It was among this decadence that Allah sent Muhammed (saws). He was like the light to this world of ignorance. Like a lamp did he shine in this abyss of darkness. From the confines of Arabia it was his light that would reach the farthest regions of the earth and release the people from their burdens:

“O’ prophet. Verily We have sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, and as one who invites to Allah by His Permission, and as a lamp spreading light” (Qur’an Al-Ahzab 33:45-46)

“Be thankful for small mercies” goes the saying of old. But the mercy which we have been given is far from small. Rather the greatness of this mercy will enable us to live and die upon a way of success and contentment. This mercy is the Sunnah (way) of the prophet Muhammed (saws) and through it we -by the will of Allah- will enjoy an everlasting life to come.

“Indeed in the messenger of Allah you have the most beautiful pattern of conduct for him who hopes in Allah and the last day, and remembers Allah much” (Qur’an Al-Ahzab 33:21)

Footnotes

1 Surah Al-Anbiya 21:107
2 This incident is the subject of Surah Al-Fil (The Elephant) the 105th chapter of the Qur’an
3 The 3rd month of the Islamic calendar
4 The History of Islam and the Muslims - Iqbal Mohammed, Vol 1 p. 138
5 This fact is even attested to by the non-Muslims, e.g. see the Guinness book of Records.
6 Surah Al-Ahzab 33:56
7 This was one of the forms of currency in Arabia at that time
8 The History of Islam and the Muslims - Iqbal Mohammed, Vol 1 pp. 163-166
9 In modem western societies much of the social problems are as a result of dysfunctional families.
10 The 9th month of the Islamic calendar and the month in which fasting is obligatory.
11 Muhammed (saws) could not read or write - This is one of the many proofs to show that he could not possibly have made the Qur’aan up by himself.
12 Surah Al-Alaq 96:1-5
13 Reported in Saheeh Muslim / Eng. trans Vol. 4 p.1375 No.6307
14 Surah Al-Hujjarat 49:12
15 Reported by At-Tirmidhee and Ahmed
16 Reported in Saheeh Muslim (Eng trans Vol. 4 p.1241 No.571
17 Bukhari
18 Male dominated
19 Muslim
20 In pre-Islamic Arabia women were subjected to intolerable humiliation, and they were often paraded naked during the festivals which were held by the pagan Arabs.
21 Reported in Saheeh Muslim (Eng trans Vol. 4 p.1244 No.5739)
22 Despite the constant barrage of distortion against Islam, it is a fact that more then 70% of those people who become Muslim in the west, are women.
23 Abu Dawud (Eng Trans Vol. 1 p.230 No.903)
24 Bukhari
25 How different is this behaviour from that of the non-Muslim conquerors such as the crusaders, who upon the conquest of Jerusalem; raped, looted and burnt their way to success.
26 Reported in Sahih Al-Bukhari (Eng trans Vol. 1 p.255 No.427)
27 This was the name used for Muslims during the middle ages. It means one who worships Muhammed (saws). Unfortunately through their ignorance many westerners still know Muslims by this name.
28 This fact has even been attested to by Christians, such us professor Michael Hart in his book “The 100: The most influential men in History”. Despite the fact that professor Hart casts doubt upon the source of the prophet’s law, he still cannot help but admit that this man exercised more influence on humanity then anyone else. It is for this reason that he places Muhammed (saws) in the No.1 position, even ahead of his lord Jesus, whom he places 3rd just behind St Paul
29 Surah Al-Ahzab 33:45-46
30 Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21

www.missionislam.com

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A Renowned Muslim Scholar’s Criticial Response to Recent Attempts to Defame the Prophet Muhammad through Cartoon Drawings and Accusations of Terrorism

[ In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy ]

All praises are due to Allah, and may Allah exalt the status of the Messenger of Allah, and that of his family and his companions, and may He grant them peace.

As for what follows:

Some newspapers and other forms of media have spread hurtful, vicious information that could only emanate from the jealous, arrogant enemies of Islam and its Prophet (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace).

That conduct comprises a calumniation of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah and a distortion of his message by jealous individuals and Christian organizations, as well as envious and irresponsible columnists, like those who write for the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Its writers mocked the best of Mankind and the most distinguished of the Messengers, Muhammad (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace), the likes of whose nobility, honor, justice, and manners the earth has never known of. Neither has it known of a more complete and comprehensive message than his, nor a more just and merciful one.

It is a message that embraces belief in all of the prophets and messengers, honoring them and defending them from calumniation and defamation. It has also preserved an accurate history of the prophets, including Jesus and Moses. So whoever disbelieves in Muhammad and speaks of him in a derogatory manner has disbelieved in all of the prophets and disparaged all of them.

Recently, some uncivilized miscreants made fun of the Prophet, drawing various pictures of him. Twelve despicable pictures, one of them portrayed him (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) wearing a turban resembling a bomb on his head.

We say to these criminals and their envious supporters in Europe and America: You are blaming others for your very own crimes!

Let it be known that never did Muhammad (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace), nor his righteous successors or any of his honorable companions, ever establish factories for even the most primitive of weapons, like swords and spears, let alone atomic bombs, long-range missiles, or any other weapon of mass destruction.

Never did Muhammad (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) build a single weapon factory. Rather, he was sent as a mercy for the entire creation, to guide all Mankind towards happiness in their worldly lives and in their hereafter, such that they fulfill their Creator’s right upon them, for it is He who created them to worship Him alone. Whoever rejects this is truly a criminal deserving punishment in this life and the next, by the Lord of all that exists, the Creator of this universe and its Master.

As for you O Westerners, claimants of civilization, you have constitutions and statutes that destroy upright moral character and permit all kinds of forbidden acts, the likes of fornication and homosexuality, as well as usury which destroys the economies of entire nations, and the eating of improperly slaughtered animals (dead meats) and pork, something that causes the loss of concern for women’s values, and thus a man does not feel protective of his wife, sister, or daughter, and thus she fornicates with or intimately befriends whomever she pleases. These are some of the means which lead to ruin, and they have been prohibited in all of the prophetic messages.

As for bombs and all other weapons of destruction, war planes, tanks, and long-range missiles, you are the ones who engineered and manufactured them with your satanic minds that only think about transgression, animosity, oppression, attacking, tyranny, conquering entire races of people and enslaving them, spilling their blood, and usurping their natural resources. You think only about annihilating those who oppose you and stand in the way of your greedy aspirations, your oppression and spreading of hatred. All this wrapped up in the name of civilization, human rights, freedom, and justice!

All intelligent people know this about you. For your dark history is overflowing with uncivil and terrorist acts, a history recorded against you by both your enemies and allies alike.

Anyone who does not know this should read about your history and your occupation of numerous nations, or at least read the history and some horrible results of your two World Wars. For example, the number of fatalities in the First World War in Europe reached “More than 10 million, and they were the elite of their nations’ youth. And more than twice this number had incurred serious injuries disabling them for the rest of their lives.” [Refer to: At-Taareekh al-Mu'aasir: Uruubbaa minath-Thawratil-Fransiyyah ilal-Harbil-'Aalamiyyaith-Thaaniyah, p.505. (Lit: Recent History, Europe from the French Revolution to the Second World War)]

The number of soldiers killed in the Second World War reached: “17 million, along with another 18 million civilian fatalities - all of them killed within a period of only five and a half years. Experts have estimated that the military expenses alone reached $1.1 trillion, and that losses caused by the war reached the value of $2.1 trillion. Added to this are the number of entire cities destroyed, the amount of earth scorched, the agriculture that was flooded, and the factories and plantations that stopped production, not to mention the number of livestock that were destroyed or lost.” [(Al-Harb al-'Aalamiyyah ath-Thaaniyah by Ramadhaan Land, p.448-449) (Lit: The Second World War)]

In brief about prophet Muhammad SAW (PBUH) :

The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity was the Prophet Muhammad.

Muhammad explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of Islaam.

The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet.

Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God.

Some religions believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, “God Incarnate” or the “Son of God”. All of these false ideas lead to the creature being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad always emphasised that he was only a human-being tasked with the preaching of God’s message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as “the Messenger of God and His Slave”.

To Muslims, Muhammad is the supreme example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don’t need to have “faith” that he existed and that his teachings are preserved - they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had be sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or forgotten God’s messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad. This was because Almighty God promised not to send another messenger after him.

Since all of God’s messengers have preached the message of Islaam - i.e. submission to the will of God and the worship of God alone - Muhammad is actually the last prophet of Islaam, not the first.

……….
Source : my brother in islam; Abu ‘Iyaad

TRUE LOVE OF THE PROPHET (SAAW) ACCORDING TO THE BOOK AND THE SUNNAH.

 We praise Him, seek His Aid, and beg for His Forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil in ourselves and from the evil outcomes of our deeds. Whomsoever, Allah, Ta ‘Ala, guides, no one and nothing can take that person astray. Whomsoever, Allah, Ta ‘Ala, takes astray, no one or nothing can guide that person. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah who is alone without any associates. I bear witness that Muhammad ibnu ‘Abd Allah (SAAW) is Allah’s ‘Abd (slave) and Messenger. To proceed:

Allah has commanded in the Qur’an (what means): “O you who believe! Have Taqwah (true fear of Allah) according to His right and die not except that you are a Muslim. O Mankind! Have Taqwah of your Lord. The One Who created you from a single soul and from him He created his mate and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut off the ties of kinship; surely Allah is ever a Raqeeb (All-Watcher) over you. O you who believe! Have Taqwah of Allah and always speak the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAAW) he has indeed achieved a great achievement.”

Verily, the best speech is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad ibnu ‘Abd Allah (SAAW). The worst of all affairs in this Diyn are innovations. Every innovation is a Bid’ah and every Bid’ah is a going astray and every going astray is in the Hell Fire.

DEVELOPING TRUE LOVE FOR ALLAH’S MESSENGER (SAAW):

Having the proper love for Allah’s Messenger (SAAW) is a must for any Muslim who is striving to please his/her Lord and who seeks his/her Lord’s Forgiveness. Learning how to properly apply this love for the last Nabee (SAAW) is to properly implement the testimony: wa ash hadu ana Muhammadan rusulu Allah (SAAW). Indeed, one cannot just say he/she loves the Prophet (SAAW) while his/her actions and ‘Aqeedah are fundamentaly against what the Prophet (SAAW) brought (i.e. the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah). Hence, the first step in the process of developing this love is to acknowledge that the Prophet (SAAW) has a claim over the believers.

Allah has said in the Qur’an (what means): “The Prophet (SAAW) is closer to the believers than their ownselves…” [Al-Ahzab: 6].

 This Ayah means the Prophet (SAAW) has a “higher claim” on the believers than they have on themselves. This claim involves two important matters:

1. WE CONSIDER ALLAH’S MESSENGER (SAAW) TO BE DEARER THAN ONE’S OWN SELF.

 This is so because this claim is based on love. One has the most claim to oneself for one loves oneself more than anything. Thus, a person knows what types of foods, clothing, etc. he/she likes to eat, drink, etc. more than all others. However, when it comes to Islam, we know that Allah knows us better than we know ourselves; thus, we submit to Him and His Orders. We it comes to the Prophet (SAAW), we are to love him more than our own selves; thus, we too put his commandments above our own opinions, logic, etc.

Once this true love is established, compliance, obedience, satisfication with his (SAAW) jugdements, and other matters related to true love will follow. This is confirmed in the following authentic Haadith found in Sahih Al-Bukhari: Narrated ‘Abd Allah bin Hisham: ‘We were with the Prophet (SAAW) and he was holding the hand of ‘Umar ibnu Al-Khattab (RAA). ‘Umar said to him, “O Allah’s Messenger (SAAW)! You are dearer to me than everything except my ownself.” Allah’s Messenger (SAAW) said: “No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete Faith) untill I am dearer to you than your ownself.” Then ‘Umar (RAA) said: “However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my ownself.” He (SAAW) then said: “Now, O ‘Umar, (now you are a believer).”

LESSONS FROM THIS HAADITH:

A. The Negation and Affirmation: The Prophet (SAAW) negates (i.e. rejects, denies) that a person can have complete Imaan with his statement, “No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is…”. Thus, the affirmation, or condition of having complete Imaan, follows: “…until I am dearer to you than your ownself…”. Therefore, the Muslim will never attain true Imaan unless he/she considers the Prophet (SAAW) to be dearer to him/her than everything including one’s ownself.

B. Character of the Sahabah: Upon hearing that true Imaan can only be achieved through loving the Messenger (SAAW) more than everything, including one’s self, ‘Umar (RAA) quickly complied with the commandment of the Prophet (SAAW). The Sahabah wasted no time in doing those acts which were pleasing to Allah and His Messeger (SAAW).

2. SECOND IMPORTANT MATTER: The Messenger (SAAW) has more rule over an individual than that individual has over his/herself. This means that a person only does those actions which are in accordance with the Book of Allah and the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger (SAAW).

Therefore, three critical conditions must be fulfilled in order for a deed to be accepted:

a. One must confess his/her belief in Islam (i.e. one must be a Muslim).

b. One must have Ikhlaas of the Niyah (i.e. purity of the intention).

c. One must do that deed in accordance with the Book of Allah and the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger (SAAW). If one of these conditions are not meet, that person’s deed will not benefit him/her in the least. Of course, absence of knowledge is always an exception (eg. a person may make Wudhu but does not know the specific parts of the body that are to be washed; thus, he/she washes those parts which he/she thinks to be significant. His/her Wudhu was not done in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah; however, he/she did not know the way to make Wudhu according to the Book and the Sunnah; hence, their Wudhu would be accepted for a and b were fulfilled, wa Allahu ‘alam). These are the conditions which the Salaaf As-Salih (Pious Predecessors) understood with regards to the acceptance and rejection of a deed. Another implications of the testimony: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (SAAW).

BELIEF THAT HE (SAAW) WAS SENT TO ALL OF MANKIND AND THE JINN

Verily, Allah, azza wa jall, has said in the Qur’an (what means): “Say (O Muhammad SAAW): O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah - to Whom belongs the dominion of the Heavens and the Earth. La illaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger (SAAW), the Prophet who can neither read nor write, who believes in Allah and His Words, and follow him so that you may be guided.” [Al-A'raf: 158].

The prophet (SAAW) said (what means): “And the Prophets were formerly sent to their people only, whereas I have been sent to all mankind.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Therefore, recognizing that he (SAAW) was sent as a mercy to all of mankind will, Inshallah, help kindle the proper love for him which will be manifested through obedience to his rulings. FINALITY OF HIS PROPHETHOOD Indeed, there is no Messenger/Prophet after Muhammd ibnu ‘Abd Allah (SAAW) as Allah, Ta ‘Ala, says in His Book (what means): “Muhammad (SAAW) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah, and the last (end) of the Prophets. Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.” [Al-Ahzab: 40].

The Prophet (SAAW) has said (what means): “And the line of the Prophets is closed with me.” [Muslim]. Believing that Muhammad (SAAW) is the final Messenger of Allah confirms Allah’s statement (what means): “…This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed my Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…” [Al-Ma'idah:3 (in part)]. Thus, if Islam were not a complete way of life, then this religion would need to be constantly updated. In order to update this religion, there would have to be another Prophet after Muhammad (SAAW). However, this is not so as Allah completed this Diyn and it can never be changed from its true form.

BELIEVING THAT HE (SAAW) HAS BEEN GIVEN TWO (2) REVELATIONS

Al-Hamdulilah, Allah, azza wa jall, has give the Prophet (SAAW) two revelations as understood by the Minhaj of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Juma’ah. These are, of course, the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah. Allah confirms this with His saying (what means): “Nor does he (Muhammad SAAW) speak of his own desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired.” [An-Najm: 3-4]. “

Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad SAAW) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’an), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah (the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet SAAW - i.e. his legal ways, statements, actions, etc.), while before that they had been in manifest error.” [Al-'Imran: 164].

The Prophet (SAAW) has also said (what means): “I have, indeed, been given the Qur’an and something like it along with it (i.e. his Sunnah).” [Abu Dawud].

Thus, there is no mere choice between following the Sunnah and not following it. It has been sent down as part of revelation; thus, it must be adhered to in full. It is adhered to the way the Prophet (SAAW) explained it and the way the Sahabah understood it. Allah confirms this with His saying (what means): “We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by the permission of Allah.” “Obey Allah, and the Messenger (SAAW). But if they turn away (then know), that Allah loves not the infidels.” [Al-'Imran: 31-32].

THE PROPHET HAS RIGHTS UPON HIS FOLLOWERS

These rights are: 1. We believe in what the Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) has said.

 2. We obey him in what has been commanded and forsake what he has forbidden or discouraged.

3. We worship Allah according to the Shar’iah of His Messenger (SAAW), not by whims and Bid’ah (innovations).

4. We judge ourselves by the Shar’iah of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), and not by any other law.

5. We love Allah’s Messenger (SAAW) more than our parents, children, all of mankind, indeed our very selves. Allah has confirmed the above with His statement (what means): “Say (to them O Muhammad SAAW): If you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you, and forgive you your sins; Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful. Say: Obey Allah, and the Messenger (SAAW), but if they turn away (then know), that Allah loves not the infidels.” [Al-'Imran: 31-32]. “

And let those who oppose his (Muhammad’s SAAW) command beware, lest a trail befall them (that will lead them to Kuffur) or a painful punishment be inflicted on them.” [An-Nur: 63].

“You have indeed a good example in the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) for whosoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.” [Al-Ahzab: 21].

“It is not for any believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger (SAAW) have decreed a matter, to have the choice in their affair. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger (SAAW) he has gone astray into manifest error.” [Al-Ahzab: 36].

 ”But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad SAAW) judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept (them) fully with submission.” [An-Nisa: 65].

Thus, we see in this last Ayah that Allah negates that a person can have Imaan unless that person makes the Prophet (SAAW) judge in *all* affairs and that we accept his (SAAW) decisions with submission. This Ayah is indeed serious as Allah swears to this negation with His saying (what means), “But no, by your Lord…”. The Prophet (SAAW) stressed the importance of obeying and following his Sunnah with his saying (what means): “All of my people will enter Jennah except those who refuse.”

When asked about those who refuse, he said: “He who obeys me will enter Jennah, while he who disobeys me has refused.” [Al-Bukhari]. He (SAAW) also said (what means): “If anyone introduces into this affair of ours anything which does not belong to it, it is rejected.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

And: “None of you believes untill I am dearer to him than his father, his child, and all of mankind.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. And: “There are qualities for which anyone who is characterized by them will experiece the sweetness of Imaan: he to whom Allah and His Messenger (SAAW) are dearer than all else; he who loves a human being for Allah’s Sake alone; and who has as great an abhorrence of returning to Kuffur (disbelief) after Allah has rescued him from it as he has being cast into the Hell Fire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Although the Prophet (SAAW) is the best of examples and following his Sunnah is obligatory, we must remember that it is not right to overpraise him (SAAW) as he was not divine, but a man. Some deviant sects of Islam direct their ‘Ibaadah to the Prophet (SAAW); however, this is Shirk Al-Akbar (association in the highest degree) which will not be forgiven unless that person makes sincere Tawbah before his/her death.

A MAN AND NOT DIVINE Allah says (what means): “Say (O Muhammad SAAW): I am only a man like you: it is revealed to me that your God is One God: So, let him who hopes for the meeting with his Lord, do righteousness, and not associate anything in the worship of hsi Lord.” [Al-Kahf: 111].

 The Prophet (SAAW) said (what means): “Do not overpraise me as the Christians overpraised the son of Mary (i.e. ‘Isa AS). I am His slave, so say: Allah’s slave and Messenger.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

SENDING SALAAT AND SALAAM UPON THE NABEE (SAAW)

This is an action which the believer are commanded to do as Allah says in the Qur’an (what means): “Indeed, Allah and His angels send Salaat (i.e. Allah mentions the Prophet’s SAAW name in the presence of the angels) upon the Prophet (SAAW). O you who believe! Send your Salaat and your Salaam upon him (ie. by saying Salla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, etc.).” [Al-Ahzab: 56].

Allah Knows Best

Alkhilafah

Allah Knows Best

A good article regarding peace in islamic terminology, a-must-read :

By Imam Hamid Slimi

Nowadays, we hear, very often in the media and everywhere else different parties who are in search for peace or what are known as “Peaceful Resolutions”.

Many of these belligerent parties have been in long processes of peace talks, or are still trying to find ways to initiate peace talks. How does Islam perceive peace in general? And what is really the state of peacefulness? Is it one sided? Serving one party on the account of others? Or is it a general and a just peace where everybody enjoys equal rights?

Islam means “submission to and acceptance of the will of God” and has at the same time the meaning “peace” derived from the Arabic word “salaam”. Islam, terminologically speaking, is a religion that carries the word “peace” and is not named after a certain prophet, a God, or a philosopher. Some Orientalist writers have tried very hard during the last two centuries to use in their literature the word “Mohammedanism”, which is a misnomer that even Muslims are not familiar with, in order to classify Islam as a founded religion rather than a revealed one.

In the word “Islam”, multiple meanings are implied. The word “salaam” translated as “peace”, has a much wider significance. It includes a sense of security, soundness, freedom from defects like in “saleem”, preservation like in “saalem”, deliverance and safety like in “salaama”, salutation with those around us as in “salaam”, resignation with satisfaction and no discontent, and the ordinary meaning of peace, which is freedom from any jarring element.

In fact, for Muslims, the relation between submission and peace is a causal one because Submission to Allah in Islam brings peace on different levels beginning with the individual to the whole community, to all the creation of God. Allah says in the Qur’an,

“But God does call to the Home of Peace: He does guide whom He pleases to a Way that is straight” (Q 10:25).

The Qur’an’s message calls to peace and to the elements that guarantee it by laying a foundation of four cornerstones that are respectively: Justice, Tolerance, Respect and Dialogue. Without these four elements peace would be only ink on paper and a shallow concept.

The Muslims’ mission in this world is to call, as God Almighty does, to peace and its cornerstones and to be peacemakers beginning from the individual to the society at large.

( to be continue… )

First, submission, or Islam, is in fact a psychological and spiritual peace. It is peace of the soul within the person who submits to his, or her, Creator.

A few eastern religious ideas and practices were perceived by some Western psychoanalysts as very useful for studies in psychotherapy, such as the disciplines of Yoga and meditation in Buddhism or Hinduism. But very few of these modern scholars have dealt with Islam and tried to study objectively the efficacy of the Islamic psychotherapy, which stems from the principle of peace; peace of the soul and the self.

Sincere submission to God for a Muslim ends all the struggles he, or she, might have either within himself, or herself, or when dealing with others. Therefore, this submission makes a person very peaceful and tolerant. The more a person is sincere and faithful in his, or her, submission to God, the more the feeling of peacefulness is increased and reflected in the character. The genuine Muslim person becomes certain that Allah is watching over him, or her, and therefore, it is implausible that this person would cause any harm or injustice to anyone. The true Muslim establishes peace with His Lord, Allah, first and then builds on this base the determination to be peaceful with the creation of God.

Peace is a reality and not a dream or an illusion; it can happen anywhere and anytime. Islam believes in this reality and urges Muslims to strive at establishing peace. Peace in Islam is considered as one of the great blessings; Allah mentions that one of the blessings he grants the faithful servants is peace and security. He says that He has promised those who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety change their state, after the fear in which they lived, to one of security and peace as we read in the Qur’an (24:55).

Life itself is the embodiment of peace and this is why by nature human beings love to live and be surrounded by living beings and feel the manifestations of different elements of nature. In Islam, life is a great blessing in this world and an eternal reward in the Hereafter when it is directed towards pleasing the Creator and life Giver, God Almighty. Life is manifested on two levels: the physical and more importantly the spiritual. Allah says,

“O you who believe! Give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calls you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart,¹ and that it is He to Whom you shall (all) be gathered.” (Q 8:24).

It is crystal clear that the life mentioned here is the life of the heart and the soul. If the heart is empty from the love of, and the dedication to, God it becomes dead even if there is a physical life. The soul, or heart, becomes dead because of the death caused by ignorance and rejection as the commentators of Qur’an said. Our Prophet (S) explained that by saying,

“The parable of a person who remembers his Lord and a person who does not; is like the one of the living and the dead” (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim)².

According to the language of the Qur’an, human beings need to balance between the life of the soul and the life of the body to avoid going to the extremes. Once one of these two lives is neglected on the account of the other, the actions of the person start leading him, or her, astray from what is known in Islam as the “Straight path”, the path of those who seek the pleasure of God, the path of righteousness. Allah says,

“But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the Home of the Hereafter, but do not forget your portion in this World. Be good to others, as Allah has been good to you, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief.” (Q 28:77)

A balanced life in Islam is a life where the individual lives a very normal life and remembers His, or Her, Lord constantly or as often as possible.

Remembering God means also remembering the covenants we have made with Him. One of those covenants is to make peace with God and His creation. This is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength and determination. We believe that this commitment to peace requires a great strength, power, courage, and tremendous effort. Working for peace through one’s commitment to the will of God proves how a person is capable to silence his, or her, own personal desires and to overcome any self-interest. That peace also empowers humans against Satan who tries to control them through lust, greed, desire, and other weaknesses. If a person is trapped in the vicious circle of self-seeking lust and pleasure, it is difficult for the truth to reach his, or her, heart. The false desires and the absence of contentment do indeed blind and seal the hearts and cover them from receiving the light of God. Lust and desire for pleasure and material things are never satisfied because of the endless greed of human beings. They never provide real, long lasting happiness or satisfaction, but ultimately result in suffering and dissatisfaction in their life and in the Hereafter. Self-centeredness and concern only about personal lusts, desires and interests can become the fire which cannot be extinguished by adding fuel to it, but rather by applying moderation and moral values; by using something cooling that gives life and peace; something like water.

( to be continue… )

by Imam Hamid Slimi

Islam brings social and political peace because submission to Allah requires that a society totally rejects corruption, wrong-doing, deviant and harmful behaviors.

Commitment to peace with God and His creation leads to unity, love, harmony, dialogue and respect for others. An ideal society is what human beings have been dreaming of since even before Plato’s ‘Republic’ or Augustine’s ‘Eternal City of God’. With Muhammad (S), the ideal society was constituted of faithful followers called the Sahaaba or the companions, who submitted to the Message in obedience to God and His Prophet and Messenger (S).

The organization of that society started from basic requirements such as the brotherhood between all Muslims. Peace was declared verbally in every daily encounter of two individuals or more. Salutation (!السلام عليكم) – As-Salaamu Alaikum!- in its verbal form means “Peace be upon you!” Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Salute each other a greeting of blessing and purity as from Allah” (Q 24:61).

And He also says:

“When a courteous greeting is offered to you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous, or at least of equal courtesy. Allah takes careful account of all things.” (Q 4:86).

The Prophet (S) was once asked:

“Which is the best Islam?” He (S) replied: “You feed the hungry and you say Salaam to those you know and those you don’t know.” (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim)³.

He (S) also said:

“You won’t enter Paradise unless you believe, and you won’t believe unless you love each other. Do you want me to show you something that if you do it you will love each other? Say Salaam to each other- Send messages of peace to each other-” (Related by Muslim)⁴.

Even Prophet Ibrahim (S) who declared himself a monotheist, a Muslim, used to say “Salaam”. Allah says about Ibrahim:

“When they entered his place they said ‘Peace’ and he said ‘Peace’” (Q 11:69).

Thus, expressing peace verbally is very important in Islam because it unifies people and makes them feel totally secure among themselves. This enactment of salutation in Islam on a daily basis and in every encounter of two people or more is indeed a renewal of commitment to peacefulness and a reminder of one another of the rights and duties implied by the statement: “As-Salaamu alaikum!” meaning “ Peace be upon you!”

That is why peace is translated into physical actions, which cannot be achieved unless there is sincere submission and commitment – Islamic faith is the combination of belief and conviction in the heart, verbal declaration with the tongue, and action. A true Muslim, or submitter, is the one who promotes peace rather than enmity, violence, disrespect and hatred. The Prophet Muhammad (S) said:

“The Muslim is the one who avoids harming others with his hand and his tongue” (al-Bukhari and Muslim)⁵. In another narration⁶, the Prophet (S) added, “and the believer is the one that people are safe from him in regards of their lives and properties” (at-Tirmidhi, an-Nassa’i, and Ahmad)⁷.

This means that any verbal or physical action, which results in harm, offense, and violence, is contradictory to true submission, unless it is a matter of a necessary self-defense in reaction against an outside aggression, as it will be elucidated later.

Peace is the general principle even in war. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“But, if the enemy inclines towards peace, you have to incline towards peace and trust in Allah, for Allah is the One who hears and knows” (Q 8:61).

The Qur’an teaches while Muslims must always be ready to fight intellectually or even physically for a just cause if it is forced upon them, even in the midst of the fight they must always be ready for peace if there is any inclination towards peace by the other side. There is no merit merely in a fight by itself. It should be a goal not for itself, but to establish the reign of peace, justice, and righteousness.

The Prophet (S) always taught his disciples that peace and justice are the principles every Muslim should live by. He (S) stressed that principles should at all times take precedence over the personal interests whether dealing with Muslims or non-Muslims. During his life - before and after Islam was established - he constantly praised the “Confederacy of the Fudul.” It was the decision of the leaders of the tribe of Quraysh in Makkah during the Pre-Islamic times to assemble in one house and to make a covenant binding themselves by a solemn agreement that if they found anyone, whether a Makkan or an outsider had been wronged, they would take his side against the aggressor and make sure that the stolen property was restored to him, or her. Prophet Muhammad (S) once said, “I witnessed in the house of Abdullah ibn Jud’aan a covenant, which I would not exchange for any number of fine camels: If I were invited to take part in it during Islam I should do so.”⁸

To spread the message of peace is the role and mission of every Muslim. Even when Muslims won wars and battles, they didn’t execute and torture the captives, nor rape their women and molest their children, as happened after the establishment of Islam and that which continues to happen today during wars. Muslims were required to be peaceful towards prisoners of war and treat them in a humanitarian manner, granting them rights ordained in the Islamic law. History witnesses that Muslims under genuine Islamic leadership always treated their prisoners and captive kindlys resulting in the continued presence of other religious groups throughout Muslim lands. Thousands of years before the famous Geneva Convention act was established in 1949, Allah said in the Qur’an,

“O Prophet! Say to those who are captives in your hands: “If Allah finds any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful” (Q 8:70).

Thus, the purpose of Muslims, or true submitters, is to invite people to God’s Grace and Mercy not to exterminate them for the sake of revenge. Any creation of God is not exterminable in Islamic teachings. Muslims must honor all living creatures therefore human life too is sacred. Every human being deserves dignity, respect, and the right to live in God’s world. No one deserves to be killed unjustly. All human beings are equal in terms of their rights and obligations that are related to their necessities of life. Indeed if we follow the righteous path of peace, then we will indeed live a peaceful life.
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1 It means as explained in many hadiths that the guidance to belief is the affair of God and the hearts of people are in His hands as mentioned in the hadith (because we believe with our hearts).

2 Reported by al-Bukhari in the Book of Supplications: Chapter of “Virtues of remembering Allah”, Hadith # 5928. And Muslim in the Book of Prayers: Chapter of “Prayers of Travelers and its shortening”, Hadith # 1299.

3 Reported by al-Bukhari in the Book of Iman, Chapter “Feeding the hungry is from Islam” Hadith # 11. Muslim in the Book of Iman, Hadith # 56. At-Tirmidhi in “Feeding the hungry by the Messenger of Allah”, Hadith # 1778. An-Nassa’i in the book of Iman, Hadith # 4914. Abu Daawud in the book of ethics, Hadith #4560. Ibn Maajah in the book of foods, Hadith # 32440 and the book of ethics, hadith # 3684. Ahmad in “Musnad of al-Mukthireen among the Companions of the Prophet (S), Hadith # 6293-6552.

4 Reported by Muslim in the book of Iman, Hadith # 81. At-Tirmidhi in the book of asking permission to enter into someone’s place and courtesy, Haditih # 2612. Abu Daawud in the book of ethics, Hadith # 4019. Ibn Maajah in the introduction, Hadith # 67. And Ahmad in “Baaqui Musnad al-Mukthireen”, Hadith # 8723- 9332- 9788- 10027- 10238.

5 Reported by al-Bukhari in the book of Iman, Hadith # 9 and in the book of Riqaaq, Hadith # 6003. Muslim in the book of Iman, Hadith # 57. An-Nassa’i in the book of Iman, Hadith # 4910. Abu Daawud in the book of Jihaad, Hadith # 2122. Ahmad in “Musnad al-Mukthireen among the Companions of the Prophet (S), Hadith # 6199- 6220- 6464… Ad-Daarimi in Hadith # 2600.

6 There is also another authentic hadith where the Prophet (S) denied Iman for the one who harms his neighbors by saying, “I swear by Allah he does not believe” The companions said: who does not believe O Messenger of Allah? He replied, “The one whose neighbor is not safe from his harm” Agreed upon it. And there are many other authentic hadiths in the same context

7 It’s the continuation of the previous hadith reported in the version of An-Nassaa’i, Hadith # 4909, at-Tirmidhi in Hadith # 2551.

8 See Seerat ibn Ishaaq under: “Hilf al-Fudul”.

END

SURAH AL-FAJR (The Dawn)
Revealed at Mecca, 1 Section, 30 Verses.

It is an early revelation of Meccan life when a severe opposition and oppression of the infidels had created an alarming situation. The believers were forced fiercly to abandon new religion. These verses are revealed for providing encouragement to the believers.

The Holy Quran - Surah Ad-Dhuha

After the first sura (al-Alaq) was received, there was a period of silence in which no further messages were revealed. During this time, the new Prophet wondered if he had somehow displeased God, who it seemed for a while was no longer sending down His message. This sura broke that silence, and reassured Muhammad that all will be understood in time. The image of the morning (ad-Dhuha) is the first word of the sura, and can be understood as symbolizing Muhammad’s “new day” as the Messenger of God, as well as the “dawn” of the new way of life that would become Islam. After this sura, the visitations of Gabriel with the words of the Qur’an would come to Muhammad regularly until his death.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

Commentary: This Hadith highlights the merits of expecting good treatment of Allah. But this has to be backed by good actions, in the same way as one can hope for good results after ploughing and sowing seeds. It is obvious that one who accomplishes good deeds will expect good consequences, and one who does evil deeds will expect evil consequences. Allah will treat people according to their expectation that are founded on their actions, and the reward will match their deeds.