For Islam.By Muslims.

Marriage - The union of two souls amidst all tests and challenges

2011-12-16T23:29:00.003+08:00

Salaam to all,

I have been pondering on the concept of marriage for the past week or so. And a shocking news that I came across a while ago made me pen this on my blog..

I have a friend. She's more like a sister to me. I know her for the past 11 years and counting.. We have seen each other through teens into adults.. From the young adolescents who were running after star idols and pop icons into finer ladies who decided to step into Islam.. She never failed to stand by me when I was stressed, upset or confused. If I ever felt I need to talk to someone, she would be the first one to come to my mind. Let's call her M

M is the only daughter for her parents. They are blessed with abundance of wealth, strong Iman, excellent education and the entire family are just so humble. M's parents wanted to get her married a couple of years back.. and spent quite a considerable amount of time finding the right suitor. They came across the right one, fixed it up, grand wedding, all was good - Alhamdullilah.

There have been problems in their wedlock, just like any other couple. It was a tough sail but I always told her that Allah is testing her and that everything will be ok. Please keep praying - have faith in Allah - Allah knows - do your Zikr .. all these would be in the constant texts that we exchange..

Today, 2 years since she got married, I receive an FB message from M that the marriage might not work and they both think its best for them to stay apart. My heart broke when I read this. I hope they weren't serious. But it looks like it is.

M is a very very strong girl. I really don't know what pushed her to this decision. When M was getting married, I could not attend her wedding and I was in a different country at that point of time. I rushed back to Singapore to be her bridesmaid for her wedding reception the following week. During her nikkah, I prayed for her and raised my hands in doa to Allah that M should be happy and that she should be blessed. Personally, I felt she was the best wife any man can have. She was so wise, pious, patient, loving, humble and she would make all efforts to keep her loved ones happy.

I never wanted to pen emotional issues on this blog. But I just need to share.

Marriage requires patience, cooperation, sincerity, communication, trust and most importantly innitive from both parties. Readers, even if both parties are good and truthful to each other, Shaitaan will never leave them alone. I read once that when a man and women sign the nikkah papers and accept the nikkah, Shaitaan takes it as the most primary challenge to split them up both at all costs. He will try his best to cause problems between them. At most times, he sits on our tongues during arguments and makes things worst.

I advice my dear sisters in Islam, if you happen to have an argument with your husband, even if you feel he is in the wrong or whatever he is arguing on is totally unagreeable - just shut up. Really. This works wonders. Be quiet and let him talk/shout whatever he wants to. Once he is done, allow him to cool down and slowly tell him your side of the story if necessary. If it is just a casual topic, something trivial, leave it as it is. Don't bother re-opening it and painting yourside of the story.

Shaitaan plays with your mind during an argument. He will bring all the past issues and cause the small fight magnify many folds. So, just keep quite. If you really cannot be patient. Do your zikr. Inshallah, everything will be ok.

One thing that Allah loves - Marriage.

One thing that Allah hates - Divorce.

Allahu A'Lam

Auspicious days for making your supplication

2011-11-22T13:07:00.000+08:00

Auspicious days that should never be missed!

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that there are five nights in a year when duas are not rejected:

1. The night of Juma (Thursday night)

2. The first night of Rajab

3. The fifteenth night of Sha’baan

4. The night of Eidul Fitir (Hari Raya Puasa)

5. The night of Eidul Adha (Hari Raya Haj)

On above stated nights an important night that all Muslims should look forward to is Barat Night. “Barat” means being freed of something having no sins or crimes. On this night it is hoped that believers will be freed of their burden of sins and that they will attain divine forgiveness. This is on the 15th night of shabaan( 8th month in islamic calendar). On this night all deeds done during the year will be presented to Allah(swt) and the following years accords will b written therefore committing sins during this night deprives a person of getting blessings.

Hazrat Ayesha (radiyallahu anhaa) states: “One night I discovered that Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was missing from his bed. I went out looking for him and found him in Baqee (the cemetery of Madinah), with his head raised to the heavens (while making dua). The messenger of Allah then said to me: “Verily Allah descends to the first heaven on the middle night of Sha’baan (15th) and forgives more people than the amount of hair on the flocks of the kalb tribe.(Baihaqi) The following people are excluded from this widespread maghfirat of Allah:

1) The Kaafir and Mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah).

2) One who is disobedient to parents.

3) Two Muslims who bear enmity towards each other . Allah waits for them to make up and seek each other’s pardon before enveloping them with his Mercy and forgiveness.

4)The robber. (Narrated by Imam Baihaqi)

”Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious looks down on the middle night of Shabaan and forgives all His creation except two people, the innovator and the murderer.” Transmitted by Ahmad.

Ummul Mu’mineen ’Aishah (r), says, “Prophet Muhammad (saw) , used to fast for most of Shaban. I said to him, ‘Messenger of Allah, is Shaban your favorite month for fasting?’ He said, ‘In this month Allah prescribes the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting.’ “

After knowing the facts of Laylatul Barat, I’m sure this will become a night for us to look forward to. In this world, we are prone to many sufferings , financial difficulties, family problems, arguments and lots of other haram behaviours knowingly or unknowingly. We may feel impure and wanting a change in our lives, seeking for peace and blessings. This day laylatul barat is a heavenly gift we got from Allah (s.w.t) to ask for forgiveness and repent and not only that but to get blessings for the following year.

Here I go again..

2011-11-09T11:16:00.002+08:00

Salaam to all. I'm writing again after a considerable amount of break. Well, this year has been good as well as exciting and eventful for me. Alhamdulillah. I got married :) and I am now staying in Malaysia, a Muslim country. I just wanted to share my thoughts, opinions and learning that I come across while I stay here.

One of the things I love about Malaysia is that I can get Halal food almost wherever I go. Well, not to mention that my husband has started complaining of me gaining a couple of pounds here and there *giggles*. It is only just that we get a good supply of Halal food here as the population of Muslims is really huge. Due importance and respect is given to other religions as well.

There's alot of importance given to prayer. I see many men rushing to the nearby mosques once the Azan is heard. Oh, and you spot Surau(a proper place designated just for prayer) almost in every instituion/commercial building. Each mosque is located at a stone's throwaway distance apart. The culture here is such that people usually pray. Hence, we can spot water facilities and Muslim friendly practices in common washrooms.

While having a conversation with my husband on the education system in Malaysia, I was suprised to know that kids are taught to practice the Sunnah way of living from schools. Alot of the Sunnah manners that I read in the net or from books, folks here already know.Whether thay practice it or not, depends on the individual.

I don't go out that often and I, for now, am a stay home wife. But these are all that I have come across. My parents in law are performing their Haj right now. And I request all readers to kindly doa for their safe return and for their pilgrimage to be accepted by Allah s.w.t. May the Almighty bless them with the due rewards.

Ameen.

I'm just taking a peek at you!

2011-03-30T19:01:00.002+08:00

Dear all.. My apologies on not blogging as usual. I've started to work and its been 5 months since I started slogging for Citibank. I'm thankful that i got a job 2 weeks right after i got my results.So, i'm not going to complain even if my job overworks and underpays me.. It all happens for a reason, Alhamdullilah. I just wanted to share some thots on money management. i don't earn big bucks. But, no matter how small, or how big, money management is very very important.

Alhamdullilah, i have started to donate more now. more for the less fortunate, more for religious function. i have learnt that Allah has blessed me more than what i need because he wants to test if i care to share :)

I have started making a list of each expenditure i make. even the smallest. In that way, i keep track of my outward funds and i won't be alarmed when my bank balance hits low at the end of the month.

Another way i manage my money is to keep thinking that 'This is too expensive'. i know, i'm cheating myself. Lol. Before i started working, i felt that a watch that costs SGD50 is expensive. Now that i earn, i can afford that easily. But, to refrain myself from spending on materialistic stuff, i still keep thinking that the SGD50 watch is expensive!

We have to be thankful for the money we have today, that we did not have yesterday. Allah tests us through children and money, my mom used to say. So, even if we earn a million per day, Always remember that what we have today is all that we owe to Allah. We are not gonna take it with us when we go, but we each cent is accountable.

Think twice before you spend a cent, cos there are many who can't even afford that.

The Honest Gardener

2010-12-06T13:30:00.000+08:00

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “A believer’s natural disposition might comprise any trait other than treachery and untruthfulness.” [Ahmed]

In the following story we have a beautiful example of the honest character of a believer (Momin). Ibraheem bin Adhem was the king of Balkh before he exchanged his kingdom for the life of an ascetic worshipper.

One day Ibraheem bin Adhem was working as a gardener when his master asked him to give him some pomegranates. He brought several, but they were all sour. His employer said, “You have been in my employment for such a long time, and yet you do not know which of the pomegranates is sweet?” Ibraheem answered, “I was employed to tend them, not to taste them; then how can I know which ones are sweet?”

Friends of Allah

2010-10-06T13:33:00.001+08:00

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah Most High says, ‘He who is hostile to a friend (wali) of Mine I declare war against. My slave approaches Me with nothing more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory for him, and My slave keeps drawing nearer to Me with voluntary works until I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he seizes, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect him.’” [Sahih Bukhari]

Allah’s friends are those who are constant and sincere in obedience to Him. A friend (wali) of Allah is one who is close to Him because of his devotion to Him, through obeying His commands and shunning the acts which he has forbidden. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) declares war, a very severe threat, against those who harass people only because of their Islam. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says that He will fight such people Himself. And whoever such a thing should happen to should expect only the worst possible things to happen to him or her.

This hadith also tells us that the Obligatory deeds (Faraid) are the most beloved to Allah. Nothing makes Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) happier than performance of Faraid and keeping away from the forbidden (Haraam) deeds. This is what makes a person a friend of Allah. We must keep the performance of Obligatory (Fard) and Recommended (Sunnah/Nafl) deeds in perspective. It is said that the Recommended amount to but one-seventieth of the value of an Obligatory act. [Reliance of the Traveller]

Thus, whoever draws near to Allah through what is Obligatory, and then through the Recommended deeds, Allah draws him nearer and elevates him from the level of true faith (iman) to the level of perfection of faith (ihsan). The consequence of this is the preservation of the individual’s whole person, so that he forsakes selfish desire and is wholly absorbed in obedience. This hadith is also a metaphor for Allah’s help and assistance, so that Allah Most High helps the Momin to perceive what He wants him to perceive and do through his limbs what He wants him to do.

When a Momin becomes a friend of Allah’s, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) grants the Momin what he asks for. This happened to many of the early Muslims. And Allah protects such a person from whatever he fears. Whoever draws near to Allah through the above will not have his duas rejected.

Quoting and Creating Animosity

2010-10-06T13:33:00.000+08:00

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “He who stirs up enmity among people by quoting their words to each other will not enter Paradise.” [Sahih Bukhari]

It is scary to think how casually we do those deeds for which Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) forbids Paradise. Jannat is an extremely beautiful and pure place. It must not be defiled by anything impure. Its reward must not be tarnished by anything ugly. That is why all such impure and dirty acts, such as backbiting and helping Muslims to dislike one another must be removed from a person before they can enter Jannah.

Impurities are removed from metals by burning in fire. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has given us the much easier option of asking for Allah’s forgiveness with sincerity, repentant of the deed and determined to try one’s best not to do it again. This will remove the stain of the sin from us and purify us so we can go to Paradise without needing to be purified by Fire.

Knowledge of Religion

2010-10-06T13:32:00.000+08:00

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever Allah wishes well, He gives knowledge of religion.” [Sahih Bukhari]

Eesa (alaihis salam) is reported to have said,
“There are many trees: not all of them bear fruit.
There are many fruits: not all of them may be eaten.
Many, too, are the kinds of knowledge: yet not all of them are of value to men.”

Useful knowledge is like the tree that bears edible fruit. If the knowledge can be used to please Allah, then it is useful. If the utility of that knowledge ends with your death -- in the bigger picture of our never ending existence -- it is useless.

A trait of hypocrisy

2010-10-06T13:30:00.001+08:00

bu Hurairah (radi allahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sal allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever dies without having participated in jihad or having prepared himself for jihad, dies on one of the traits of hypocrisy.” [Sahih Muslim]

Imam Nawawi (rahmatullah alaihi) writes in his commentary of this hadith: “And this means that whoever does this, in reality in this attribute he has become like the munafiqeen (hypocrites) who used to stay behind from participating in jihad, because to abandon jihad is one of the traits of hypocrisy.” [Sharih Muslim]

Allama Sindhi (rahmatullah alaihi) writes in his commentary of this hadith: “(and did not prepare himself for jihad) This means that he did not even say in his heart, ‘I wish I were a Ghazi’. And this means that he did not even make the intention to participate in jihad. And the sign of having such an intention is that one should have prepared things that one needs for jihad because Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says: ‘And if they had intended to set out they would surely have made some preparation for it. [Quran 9:46]’” [As-Sindhi ala Sunan An-Nisai]

A very useful article for the Muslim sisters who might not be in perfect 'condition' to perform ibadah.

2010-08-30T18:59:00.001+08:00

Last 10 nights of Ramadan are upon us and I am sure all of us are aware of the virtues of these blessed nights. But I am listing some virtues as a reminder to all of us because Allah (swt) says in the Quran: Surah Dhariyat, verse 55: “And remind for verily, the reminding benefits the believers.”
Etiquette of the prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) in the last 10 nights: abstain from sexual desires, practice itikaaf and even seclude himself from his wives.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim record from 'Aishah that during the last ten days of Ramadan, the messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) would wake his wives up during the night and then remain apart from them (that is, being busy in acts of worship).
A version in Muslim states: "He would strive [to do acts of worship] during the last ten days of Ramadan more than he would at any other time."
The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) would fasten his loin cloth (like rolling sleeves up; meaning he would abstain from approaching his wives even at nights) in these last 10 nights.

During this time we are constantly reminded to engage in nafl salaat comprising of long standing at night and increase our recitation of the Quran. But for some of us, this might be a time when we are going through our menstrual cycle (or post-natal bleeding).

Naturally, it is not easy to stay positive at times, especially when we see the world around us rushing to masajids for taraweeh prayers, indulging in ‘itikaaf and reciting the Quran. This might lead us to feeling deprived of the reward of these blessed nights and decrease our spirituality rather than increasing it.

In this article, I hope to highlight some practical ways in which you can make the best of last 10 nights of Ramadan while going through your menstrual cycle (or post-natal bleeding), without feeling “left out”.

First and foremost, realize that our menstrual cycle is part of Allah (swt)’s creation and something that is ordained by Him (swt).

Allah (swt) tells us in the Quran that He has created us in the best of molds (Surah at-Teen, verse 4). We are also told in the Quran that for everything Allah has "appointed a due proportion” (Surah at-Talaq, verse 2-3) and that "for every matter there is an appointed time given" (Surat ar-Rad, ayah 38).

Thus, to complain about it would be to question the Wisdom of Allah (swt), a’uoodubillah.

Some women think it is more virtuous to fast even though they are on their menses. In their ignorance they make this exception in the month of Ramadan. But rather, they need to realize that it is more virtuous for them to comply with the Command of Allah (swt). It is more rewarding for them to do as they are told by Allah (swt) i.e. not pray or fast while they are on their menses.

Also realize that there are many other ways of achieving spirituality while we are on our menses besides salaah, siyaam and itikaaf.

The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) is reported to have said that, "Dua is the very essence of 'ibadah.” The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said, "Allah is in the assistance of [His] servant, as long as the servant aids his brother." He (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) also said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward."

Listed below are few suggestions that a muslimah can do while she is not fasting due to menstruation or post-natal bleeding.

Wake up at Fajr time

Repeat after the fajr adhan
Make dua between adhan and iqaama
Make dua for intercession of prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) after the adhan
Make fajr adhkar:
10 times: “la ilaha ilAllah wahdahu la shareekah la, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer.”
Recite ayat al kursi
Recite surah Ikhlaas, surah Falaq, surah Nas – 3 times
Other adhkar found in Fortress of the Muslim
Say the morning adkhar
Read an English translation of half-juz of the Quran
Enjoining good: encourage your family to pray Salaat al Duha
The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) called it the salah of the obedient. Reported by Imam Ahmad in his musnad: Abu Hurayrah (radhi Allahu ‘anhu) narrated that the prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) would never miss the salat al-awabeen, which was Salat al Duha.

Duhr time

Repeat after the duhr adhan
Make dua between adhan and iqaama
Make dua for intercession of prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) after the adhan
Engage in more dhikr and dua
Asr time

Repeat after the asr adhan
Make dua between adhan and iqaama
Make dua for intercession of prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) after the adhan
Engage in more dhikr and dua
Read an English translation of half-juz of the Quran
Maghrib time

Repeat after the maghrib adhan
Help people break their fast by passing out dates and water
Make dua between adhan and iqaama
Make dua for intercession of prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) after the adhan
Engage in more dhikr and dua
Isha time

Repeat after the isha adhan
Make dua between adhan and iqaama
Make dua for intercession of prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) after the adhan
Engage in more dhikr and dua
Have family circle time at home
Have a male member of the house recite the Quran to the rest of the family followed by tafsir of those ayat
Before sleeping

Make wudu (this even applies to women with menses)
Recite surah Mulk
Ask your spouse for forgiveness before sleeping
Recite ayat al kursi
Make dua and dhikr
Other acts that can be done

At the masjids

Spread salaams at the masjid
Sponsor iftaars at various masajids if possible
Volunteer for masjid clean up afterwards
Babysit during Taraweeh so that the mothers (and everyone else!) can pray with khushu' and concentration
Make a CD of beautiful Quran recitation and duaas in mp3 and distribute it to people at the masjid
At home

Have a qiyaam program for other sisters at your house – prepare iftar and suhoor for them
Look for new converts, those who are newly practicing or people who have lost touch with the community and invite them over for iftar and eid
Think of eid party ideas/gifts for family, spouse, children, neighbors
In your own time

Memorize ayat of the Quran – use online resources
Donate everyday – clothes, money
Make tawbah and shukr
Memorize Allah's names and their meanings
Find out who is sick in your area or in the hospital and go visit them
Always keep your tongue moist with the dhikr and remembrance of Allah (swt). Say subhanAllah, alhumdulilah, la ilaaha illalha, Allahu akbar and say salaams on the prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) while cooking, cleaning, driving etc. and may Allah make these words heavy on your scaled on the day of judgment.

From: http://www.habibihalaqas.org/2009/04/last-10-nights-and-big-m.html

A critical approach to studying Muslim revival movements

2010-08-20T16:35:00.001+08:00

Salaam all brothers and sisters,

I came across this article in the local tabloid. I found it a real detailed article that would be an eye opener for MANY ( n this include those terrorists as well!!) who use the word Jihad blindly. Check out this article.. A pretty good feast for ur knowledge :)

A critical approach to studying Muslim revival movements

Inner Dimensions of Fasting

2010-08-15T01:49:00.002+08:00

Salaam all brothers and sisters,

I'd like to share a very interesting and informative article I received from a brother. A pretty good food for thought. :)

How our ancestors observed the fast.

2010-08-13T14:53:00.000+08:00

Allah says in Quran:

{"O you who believe! Fasting was prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that that you may get Taqwa ( piety i.e you may become pious). Fast for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number should be made up from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, they have to feed a poor person. But, whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you knew."}[al-Baqarah; 183-184]

Spring heralds a season of happiness, joy and colour--a time when nature is in full bloom. One such season is about to dawn upon us. However, this is not the spring of nature but the spring of Islam or the spring of good deeds--the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the month of blessings; the month of greatness; the month of kindness and good deeds; the month of patience; the month of charity; the month of mercy, forgiveness and freedom from the hellfire; the month of the revelation of the Holy Qur'aan and the month of the blessed night of Laylat-ul-Qadr. With so many positive words used to describe this month, it would be a loss indeed to miss it and let it pass by like any other month.

This month brings with it feelings of joy, peace and spirituality, which cannot be expressed in words. It is in this month that the spirit of Islam blossoms to its absolute best. Good deeds and acts of kindness dot this month like flowers in a lush garden. Things that we don't normally do throughout the year, we do eagerly during Ramadan. An unexplainable aura of spirituality fills the air, and most Muslims, whether very religiously inclined or not, can feel it. Every moment of this month carries with it such great treasures of excellence and blessings that voluntary good deeds (nawafil) reach the ranks of obligatory deeds (faraiz) and the (reward of) obligatory acts becomes seventy times greater. (Baihaqi)

It is in this blessed month that we received the great blessing of the Holy Qur'aan and the blessing of Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) as the Messenger of Allah Almighty. And not only this, in this month lies another treasure more valuable than thousand months of effort and all the wealth we could amass in them--the blessed night of Laylat-ul-Qadr, which is described in the Holy Qur'aan as better than a thousand months.

Ramadan is basically the month of fasting, as fasting is made compulsory during this month. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur'aan:

"Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain Taqwa (piety)." (Al-Baqarah:183)

Fasting is one form of worship (ibadah) that is unique from all others. Hadhrat Abu Huraira (Radhi Allaho anho) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said:

"The reward for every good deed of a person is increased by ten to seven hundred times (according to the intention and sincerity); but in respect of the reward for fasting Allah Almighty proclaims:

"Fasting is for Me and I, Myself shall bestow the reward. The person who fasts forgoes his desires, eating and drinking for My sake. He will be entitled to two kinds of delights: one at the time of breaking the fast and the other at the time of meeting his Lord." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Many Ahadith of the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) emphasise on the fact that the one who is deprived of the blessings of Ramadan is indeed unfortunate. At one instance Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) is reported to have said 'Ameen' to Jibrael's (Alaihis Salaam) prayer for destruction for the one who witnesses Ramadan but does not have his sins forgiven. (Hakim)

The Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) used to prepare his companions before the arrival of Ramadan to benefit fully from the treasures this month has to offer. The Messenger of Allah (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying,

"O people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; a month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds (in this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed (in this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all." (Narrated by Ibn Khuzaimah)

Now imagine. If you were told that there is a sale somewhere and that your most needed items and most favourite things are available there at the lowest rates and in great quantities, would you not race to avail this opportunity?

Would you not spend the night planning all you want to get and then spend the next day shopping and then try to stuff as many things in your car as possible? Maybe you would even hire a bigger vehicle to fit in all that you want. You would cancel routine plans, arrange alternate replacements for tasks in which you are needed but dare you miss this opportunity?

Now compare this to the excellent month that is about to dawn upon you with all its treasure trove of blessing being showered each day and each moment. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allaho anho) related that the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said:

"On the very first night of Ramadan, the Satan's and rebellious jinns are chained. The doors of hell are closed; not a single one of these is left open. Whereas all the doors of the paradise are opened, not a single one of these is left closed. And a proclaimer (angel) announces, 'O seeker of goodness! Advance and do not delay. O seeker of evil, halt!' And in every night of Ramadan, Allah liberates people from hell." (Ibn-e-Majah)

Be prepared and plan ahead for Ramadan

To gain maximum benefit from this month, we must make effort, plan and prioritise and try to manage our time in such a way as to capitalise on its every moment. The Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said,

"Whoever fasts in Ramadan with faith and seeks Allah's pleasure and reward, will have his previous sins forgiven."

Complete pending tasks, get over with Eid shopping, prepare in advance for those fancy meals (possibly by preparing and freezing items used in Ramadan) to minimise time spent in other activities. Get everything done before this month arrives, and plan the best use of your time. During Ramadan, be sure to take out some time to understand the Holy Qur'aan and learn about the life the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam), in addition to other acts of worship.

So, as the doors of the heavens open for the shower of blessings, we must prepare the land in order for it to produce the best fruits. Let's sow our seeds and pray to Allah to give us the opportunity to reap the greatest benefit and then do our best. Are you ready?

The first generation of Muslims, the pious Salaf, were undoubtedly the
best of generations. Their character and way of life stand witness to
this fact and is further confirmed by the statement o Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) who said,

'The best of generations are my generation, then those which follow
them, then those which follow them.' (Reported by Muslim)

They were indeed, the best amongst those who implemented the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad. So naturally it is their example that one must follow in all matters and Ramadaan is no exception.

Here are some links of informative articles discussing “How the Salaf Observed Ramadan”. Plz visit links given below to read the article:

http://www.jannah.org/morearticles/22.html

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/note.php?note_id=143987125627931&id=100000918108205

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=143248625701781&id=100000918108205&ref=mf

http://www.beautifulislam.net/fasting/salaf_ramadan.htm

Virtues of Ramadan

2010-08-12T14:52:00.000+08:00

Name of Questioner
Muslim - Egypt

Title
Lessons & Moralities of Fasting

Question
Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Fasting is a wonderful act of worship. We abstain from food, drink, lust, etc., from Fajr until sunset. I think Ramadan is a month of education and discipline. I hope you could illustrate, in some details, the lessons and moralities of Fasting. Jazakum Allah Khayran.

Date
05/Oct/2005

Name of Counsellor
Muzammil Siddiqi

Topic
Virtue of Ramadan Fasting

Answer

Wa`alykum As-Salaamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Brother, may you have a happy and blessed Ramadan!

As you have stated Ramadan is a month of discipline, self-control, patience, and good behavior. In Ramadan, Muslims are expected to gain the fruits of Fasting, namely, piety and consciousness of Allah. In this context, Allah, Most High, says in the Glorious Qur'an, (O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may get Taqwa(piety, ward off evil, self-restraint). ) (Al-Baqarah 2: 183)

For more illustration, we'd like to cite for you the following Fatwa issued by Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, president of the Fiqh Council of North America :
Allah, Most High, says, (Blessed be He in whose hand is the Sovereignty, and He is able to do all things. He created death and life that He may try which of you is best in deed. He is the Exalted in Might, oft Forgiving. ) (Al-Mulk 67: 1-2)

Also, He says, (It is He who made the night and day to follow each other for such as have the will to celebrate His praises or to show their gratitude. ) (Al-Furqan 25: 62)

Life and death and the succession of nights and day have a purpose and that is to test us and to give us an opportunity to express our thanks and gratitude to our Creator and Sustainer. The month of Ramadan comes and goes. We must examine ourselves now and see what we have learned and achieved during this month. The test of success of this month lies in the effects it has left upon us as follows:

1. Discipline

We learn in this month how to discipline ourselves for the sake of Allah. In our morning and evening, we follow a strict schedule of eating and drinking. We are constantly aware that even in our such mundane activities as eating and drinking, we must remain under divine injunctions. We change our habits in our daily routines because we learn that we are not the servants and slaves to our habits, but always the servants of Allah. Then after Ramadan, we have to keep this spirit of discipline in other modes of our life and must continue with our submission to the commands of Allah.

2. Renewal of Devotional Life

Ramadan renews our enthusiasm for worship and devotion to Allah. In this month we are more careful of our daily prayers and have special prayers at night. There is no religion without prayer and Muslims learn in this month how to strengthen and deepen their religious life.

3. Renewal of Contact with the Qurâ€™an

Ramadan and the Qurâ€™an are linked together from the beginning. It was in this month that this divine message was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). We are told that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was fasting when he received the first revelation. Fasting prepares the believers' hearts to learn the Word of Allah. It is the most suitable condition for our spiritual and mental communication with the Qurâ€™an. The Muslim Ummah pays more attention to the Qurâ€™an in this month. This renewed contact with the Qurâ€™an must help us in following its message.

4. Renewal of Identity with the Ummah

Ramadan is not an individual experience only, but it is an experience in community. The whole Muslim Ummah fasts together in one and the same month. We identify with one another in our obedience to Allah. This gives us a new sense of togetherness and association. Ramadan teaches us that the Muslim Ummah is the community of piety and devotion to Allah and its members derive their strength from each other in deeds of piety and virtue. The bonds that are based on piety and virtue are the strongest bonds and it is these bonds that prove good for mankind. The strength of the Muslim community lies in its commitment to the values of goodness, morality and piety. Ramadan leaves an imprint of all these values upon the Muslim Ummah.

5. A Fresh Sense of Care and Sympathy

Fasting in the month of Ramadan helps us to understand the suffering and the pains of the poor and needy. By our voluntary hunger and thirst we realize what it means to be deprived of basic necessities of life. Ramadan is called the month of charity and sympathy. We learn how to be more kind and generous in this month. Many Muslims also pay their Zakah in the month of Ramadan.

6. Jihad or Struggle

Fasting in Ramadan and Jihad both of them were prescribed in the same year, that is, the second year of Hijrah in Madinah. Fasting prepares for hardships and sacrifice. These are two important things without which Jihad is not possible. Muslims learn in Ramadan how to struggle against the forces of evil in their own selves, in the society around them, and in the world at large.

7. Taqwa

To summarize all the moral and spiritual gifts of Ramadan, we can say that Ramadan gives us the great gift of taqwa (piety). Taqwa is the sum total of Islamic life. It is the highest of all virtues in the Islamic scheme of things. It means, God-consciousness, piety, fear and awe of Allah and it signifies submission to Allah and total commitment to all that is good and rejection of all that is evil and bad.

Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: http://pakistanlink.com/religion/2001/1123.html

Related Questions

- Fasting: Meaning & Rules

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaE&cid=1119503544652

Allah Almighty knows best.

Related link

visit links given below:

http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/ibadah/the_spirit_of_fasting_in_islam.html

Ramadan In History

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=124373667104#!/note.php?note_id=143248625701781&id=100000918108205&ref=mf

Your Ramadan Checklist

2010-08-11T14:50:00.001+08:00

A Quick Checklist of Ramadan

01. Make a resolve to win the maximum favor of Allah by performing extra Voluntary prayers (Nawaafil), making frequent Du'a and increased remembrance (Dhikr).

02. Try to recite some Qur'an after every Prayer. In fact if you read 3-4 pages after every Prayer you can easily finish the entire Qur'an in Ramadan!

03. Study the Tafseer (commentary) every morning.

04. Invite a person you are not very close with or your relatives to your home for Iftar, at least once a week. You will notice the blessings in your relationships!

05. Bring life to your family! Everyday, try to conclude the fast with your family and spend some quality time together to understand each other better.

06. Give gifts on Eid to at least 5 people: 2 to your family members, 2 to your good friends, and 1 to a person whom you love purely for the sake of Allah.

07. Make commitment to join Islamic study circles to learn more about Islam and improve your own life.

08. Donate generously to the masajid, Islamic organizations, and any where people are in need or oppressed. "This is a month of sharing!"

09. Share Ramadan and its teachings of peace & patience with your neighbors.

10. Sleep little, eat little! Make sure you do not defeat the purpose of fasting by over-indulging in food and being lazy.

11. Seek the rare and oft-neglected rewards of 'the night better than a 1000 months (Laylatul-Qadr).

12. Weep in private for the forgiveness of your sins: It is the month of forgiveness and Allah's Mercy! It's never too late.

13. Learn to control your tongue and lower your gaze. Remember the Prophet's warning that lying, backbiting, and a lustful gaze all violate the fast!

14. Encourage others to enjoin and love goodness, and to abandon everything that Allah dislikes. Play the role of a Da'ee (one who invites to Allah) with zeal, passion, and sympathy.

15. Experience the joy of Tahajjud prayers late at night and devote yourself purely and fully to Allah in the I'tikaf retreat during the last 10 days of Ramadan.

Remember: "Time is not money or gold; it is life itself and is limited. You must begin to appreciate every moment of your life and always strive to make the best use of it."

Does the Quran say that all Kafirs should be killed?

2010-07-14T01:00:00.001+08:00

Today, Islam is the most misunderstood religion in the face of the earth. Let me tell you a clear explanation of the ,(Surah Al Tawbah ,Chapter- 9 ,Verse -5)

Which says as follows:-
“So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”(Quran 9:5)

One of the famous critics of India, Arun shoury, He wrote a Book called
”World of Fatwa” and he quotes the Quran from: SURAH Al TAWBA Chapter:- 9 ,verse number:- 5 and says as below:-

In his book ,it says as follows
{Quran says : “Wherever you find a kaafir *(Hindu),You kill him, You wait for him in every stead before”}

*Kaafir means an “Unbeliever” but inorder to provoke them he writes as Hindus.

Imagine If a innocent Hindu reads his book they will believe what he said in his book and immediately there would be a reaction then the person would start going against Islam, The problem is that selected few people for there own motives because of there writings and quote the same verse, Which is quote by the Orientalists and after quoting “verse number 5”, He jumps to “verse number -7” Directly,

Any intelligent person can understand why he skipped one verse , “Verse number -6” has the key to reply to what he had quoted from "verse 5"
Infact if you read the Surah tawbah the first two verses talks about the Peace treaty between the Muslims and the mushriks of Makkah ,This peace Treaty was unilaterally broken by the mushriks of Makkah ,By the time, Almighty God reaches the verse number -5,He says in the battlefield “Wherever you find your enemy (Kaafir means the unbeliever, The enemy) you kill him”, IT IS IN THE BATTLEFIELD
If anyone takes out of contest, It would sound absurd,

Imagine a few decades earlier, There was a war between USA and Vietnam and if the army general of USA tells the American soldiers in the battlefield “My soldiers don’t be scared where ever you find a Vietnamese, You kill him”-It is said to boost up the soldiers, but if today someone quotes that the Army general of America said to kill the Vietnamese ,It would be foolishness,

Those verse are taken out of contest and quite natural any army general to boost up the moral, They will tell to support there solders, Similarly Almighty god says in the Quran ,when the enemies come to kill you ,Don’t get scared, You kill them, So what’s the harm in it?

And see the next verse -6 (Which arun shoury skipped) says-“If the unbeliever, if they seek silence if they seek peace, Escort them to a place of security, So that they may hear the word of Allah”

See the beauty of the Quran, The Quran did not tell them to “go AWAY TO SOMEWHERE if they want peace” .Quran says to “ESCORT them to a PLACE OF SECURITY.”

Today the most generous Army general would tell “If the enemy want peace let them go”. Which army general would say “Escort them to a place of security, But this is what the Quran says!!

"whosoever killed a human …………., it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whosoever saved the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind" [Quran 5:32]

Sleep Sleep....

2010-07-12T21:12:00.000+08:00

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Sleep is the brother of death, and the inhabitants of Paradise do not die.” [Mishkat]

Sleep is a requirement of a healthy mind and body. When a Muslim sleeps with the intention of waking up refreshed to serve Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) then his/her sleep also counts as worship. Excess of sleep though means that time is wasted that could be better spent in earning higher ranks of Jannah.

Everybody must have experienced this at one time or another that when we are enjoying ourselves immensely the last thing we want to do is leave all the fun and go to sleep. Eventually though, even if we manage to stay up all night, we have to catch up on sleep. There is no such thing as endless fun on earth.

This is one of the beauties of Jannah that there is no tiredness, no night and no sleep. We will be having so much fun that we won’t want to go to sleep ever and we won’t need to either. Hard for us to imagine, constrained as we are by our earthly experience and limitations!

Since sleep is a type of death, we should also make sure that our last words and thoughts before we go to bed are such that should we die in our sleep the last thing we did is seek Allah’s forgiveness, ask for His Jannah and seek refuge from the Fire.

Heylo!!

2010-07-04T20:55:00.001+08:00

Salaam my dearest readers,

I notice that there have been an increasing number of viewers to SimplyMuqmin even though there have been no posts recently. I'm really sorry about that.

But no worries, now that my degree is over...I'M JUST SO FREE TO START WRITING AGAIN!!YEAY!!

haha..so keep watching this space and i'd come up with more stuff to feed ur minds, inshallah.

So sorry for disappointing u all so far.

:)

May Allah Bless Us All.

An amazing relationship

2010-05-30T12:21:00.000+08:00

There is very intresting relationship between character of a person to the prosperity of a nation and home peace with world peace....read carefully the given below sentences.

We need to have National ethics for sustained growth and peace. Where from it starts?

(a) Nation has to have ethics in all its tasks, for sustained economic prosperity and peace.
(b) If nation is to have ethics; society has to promote ethics and value system.
(c) If society is to have ethics and value system, families should adhere to ethics and value system;
(d) If families have to get evolved with ethics and value system, parenthood should have inbuilt ethics.
(e) Parental ethics come from great learning, value based education and creation of clean environment that leads to righteousness in the heart.

Righteousness

Where there is righteousness in the heart
There is beauty in the character.
When there is beauty in the character,
There is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home.
There is an order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation,
There is peace in the world.

Sum Up:

So friends, finally the beauty in the character, harmony in the home, order in the nation and peace in the world emanates from the righteous hearts. Righteous hearts can be evolved only by three people, who are they? They are father and mother and a primary school teacher. Now you understood the linkage.

..............................................................

Dua (prayer) for a righteous family

May Allah give all believing men and women, married or looking to marry, the towfeeq (grace) to be the ideal Muslim husband and the ideal Muslim wife with His Divine help and guidance.

The Importance of a good wife to her husband (and of course vice versa) is Great to Allah (God). Nothing can illustrate the point better than the Qur'anic statement which describes the righteous people as those who pray:

"Rabba-na hab la-na min azwaji-na wa dhuriyyati-na qurrata a'yunin wa aj'al-na li al muttaqin imama"

"Our Lord! give us spouse and children who will be the joy( and the comfort ) of our eyes, and guide us to be models of righteous (make us Leader of God-concious people). " (Qur'an 25:74)

May Allah bless all present and future marriages with love, happiness, peace, and success. Inshallah,you will be blessed with God fearing spouse.

Aamen!

A beautiful gift

2010-05-20T12:21:00.000+08:00

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. On the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study.

His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man openedthe box and found a lovely, leather-bound Holy Qur’an. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money you give
me a Holy book?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.He never contacted his father again for long long time.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away,and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father’s important papers and saw the still new Holy Qur’an, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Holy Qur’an and began to turn the pages. As he Read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Holy Qur’an. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

........................................

Al-Quran is a mercy, blessing, and cure for the problems of mankind

Allah says in Quran

O mankind! There has come to you an instruction from your Rabb (lord), a cure for whatever (disease) is in your hearts, a guidance and a blessing for the true believers.

Say: "It is the grace and mercy of Allah (that He has sent this Qur'an), so let the people rejoice over it, for it is better than (the worldly riches) they are collecting."

Sura Al-Younus Verse 57-58

............................................

A Direct Word with the Reader

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"The most superior (the best ) among you (Muslims) are those who learn Quran and teach it to others."

[Sahih Bukhari: Volume 6, Book 61, Number 545]

We are the most fortunate people in the world in the sense that we possess the Book of Allah (Quran) perfectly intact in its original form. Whereas it is a cause of great honor for us, it also lays upon us a heavy responsibility.

Prior to the advent of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the Israelites were the custodians of Allah’s Book, but when they did not discharge their responsibilities and proved unworthy of the honor conferred upon them, Almighty Allah (SWT) raised a new Ummah (i.e., the Muslims) and vouchsafed His Guidance to them in the form of the Qur’an. In Surah Al-Jumu‘ah we have a similitude of the people who did not fulfill the duties that devolved upon them as custodians of Allah’s Book.

The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligation of) Torah, but who subsequently failed in this (obligation) is that of a donkey which carries huge volumes... (Al-Jumu‘ah 62:5)

In the subsequent part of the ayah, it has been plainly stated that their failure to discharge their obligations towards their Holy Book is synonymous to their denying its truth:

…How bad is the similitude of people who deny the ayaat of Allah…. (Al-Jumu ‘ah 62:5)

The ayah ends in the categorical declaration that it is not in Allah’s nature to grant guidance to such people:

…and Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers. (Al-Jumu‘ah 62:5)

God forbid that you or I be included among the people who are guilty of denying and rejecting the Book of Allah (SWT) by their negligence in the discharge of their obligations towards it and thus incur Allah’s wrath. I most earnestly pray that Allah (SWT) may make us custodians of the Qur’an in the real sense of the term, and enable us to fulfill our duties towards it in the best way, which may enable us to win His good pleasure.

We should remember the time when Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W) will appear as a prosecution witness in the Court of the Almighty (SWT) and charge his people with forsaking the Qur’an:

And the Messenger will say: "O my Lord! Verily my people deserted this Qur’an. (Al-Furqan 25:30)

Although in this ayah the words "my people" refer to the unbelievers who turned a deaf ear to the Qur’an and treated it with disdain (disregard), nevertheless it applies with equal cogency (clear thought)to people like us who believe in the Qur’an but have practically rejected it as a thing of least moment or consequence.

Let me quote for your what Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani (RA) has to say on this point.

Although the ayah really refers to the conduct of the unbelievers, yet (it has a wider application, and) all those who do not confirm the truth of the Qur’an (by actually following its teachings in their life), do not ponder over its meanings, do not recite it properly, do not try to learn its correct reading; but indulge in all sorts of vain and frivolous pursuits turning their back upon it (also come under its purview and) would be considered guilty of abandonment(rejection) of the Qur’an.

Let me seek Almighty’s protection against our being included among such people, and conclude my discourse with the following prayer which is generally offered on completing the recitation of the whole Qur’an but which, I believe, should frequently be offered so that Almighty Allah (SWT) may grant us strength to fulfill the duties we owe to His Book.

O our Lord! Be merciful to us because of (our link with) the Qur’an; make it for us a leader, (and a source of) light, guidance, and mercy, cause us to recall from it what we have failed to understand; give us strength to recite it day and night; and make it a plea for our salvation, O Lord of the worlds. Ameen!

Related links:

The above text has been taken from the booklet “The obligations Muslims Owe to the Quran” by Dr Israr Ahmed. Plz visit the given links to read the complete article. Thanks. Jazak Allah Kheren

http://www.quranacademy.com/

http://www.tanzeem.org/online/ebooks/ebooks/E-01-01%20The%20Obligations%20Muslims%20Owe%20To%20Quran.pdf

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1158658485560&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah%2FLSELayout

The benefit of remembering other people in your Doa

2010-05-18T12:19:00.000+08:00

"Dua is the very essence of worship." One of Allah's commands expressed to Muslims through the Qur'an is for them to call out to it:

Allah says in Quran:

(And when My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to
them): I respond to the dua (prayer) of every suppliant when they call on
Me - Quran 2:186)

Call Me, I will answer you. Those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell(40:60).

Call your Lord humbly and secretly, He loves not the transgressors(7:55).

And call on Him, fearing and hoping, surely the mercy of Allah is near to those who do good(7:56) .

Allah says in Quran

" And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him". (65:3)

Allah also says in Quran

And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah ...

The human being needs to ask for and receive the favors of the Almighty. He is in constant need for what only Allah can give Him. To help him achieve his dreams, to give him success and happiness in this world and the Hereafter, he needs the favors of Allah.Allah loves the believers who ask from Him, and supplicate constantly.Dua is a great tool given to believers by Allah. Using dua they can achieve great things and overcome many problems. One who has been given the power of Dua can never lose hope, as in his hands lies a great weapon. It is man's own loss if he does not make use of the tremendous potential of Dua. Dua is the most potent weapon of a believer.The dua can change ourlife, our outlook, and our fate.

Related link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=168203364655&index=1

http://www.islamicacademy.org/html/Articles/Anwar-ul-Hadees/English/Benefits_of_Dua.htm

Always remember other people in your duas (prayers)

It is recommended to pray for others. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“The supplication (dua) of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Everytime he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: `Ameen! May it be for you, too’.” [Muslim].

So when u prays for others, Allah would be happy with u and grant u too. Insha Allah.

Supplication for good of both worlds

Rabbanaaa 'aatinaa fiddunyaa hasanatanw wa fil 'aakhirati hasanatanw-wa qinaa 'azaaban-naar.

Our Lord! give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the Hell Fire. (2:201)

Amen

Now I request members of this group to pray for the successful and happy marriage for other Muslim brothers and sisters, then I hope Allah will accept their prayers and they would also get married soon Insha Allah. Similar request is to the parents to pray for the marriage of others sons and daughters, then Allah will accept their prayer and their children would also get a right match soon insha Allah.

Dua (prayer) for a righteous family

May Allah give all believing men and women, married or looking to marry, the towfeeq (grace) to be the ideal Muslim husband and the ideal Muslim wife with His Divine help and guidance.

The Importance of a good wife to her husband (and of course vice versa) is Great to Allah (God). Nothing can illustrate the point better than the Qur'anic statement which describes the righteous people as those who pray:

"Rabba-na hab la-na min azwaji-na wa dhuriyyati-na qurrata a'yunin wa aj'al-na li al muttaqin imama"

"Our Lord! give us spouse and children who will be the joy( and the comfort ) of our eyes, and guide us to be models of righteous (make us Leader of God-concious people). " (Qur'an 25:74)

May Allah bless all present and future marriages with love, happiness, peace, and success. Inshallah,you will be blessed with God fearing spouse.

Aamen!

The Wives are your garments [ Surah Al Baqarah excerpt ]

2010-05-15T12:17:00.000+08:00

Muslims view marriage as the foundation of society and family life. In a practical aspect, Islamic marriage is thus structured through legally-enforceable rights and duties of both parties. In an atmosphere of love and respect, these rights and duties provide a framework for the balance of family life and the fulfillment of both partners. Allah says:

"And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates(spouse) from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (Qur'an 30:21)

In the Qur'an, the marriage relationship is described as one with "tranquility," "love" and "mercy." Elsewhere in the Qur'an, husband and wife are described as "garments" for each other (2:187). Garments offer protection, comfort, modesty, and warmth. Above all, the Qur'an describes that the best garment is the "garment of God-consciousness-(taqwa)" (7:26).

Allah states, "Permitted for you, during the night of the fast, that you approach your wives. They are your garments, and you are their garments" [al-Baqarah; 187].

In this verse, each spouse is described as a 'garment' to the other. The famous exegete Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d. 311) stated that this description most aptly described the act of intimacy between the spouses, for during that act, each spouse sheds his or her other garments and then wraps around the other, taking the place of clothes. Al-Qurtubi (d. 671) also comments on this metaphor, and adds that just as clothes protect their wearer from the external elements, similarly each spouse protects the other from external passions that would harm a marriage. Indeed, spouses are like garments to each other because they provide one another with the protection, the comfort, the cover, the support, and the adornment that garments provide to humans.

Now coming to mutual obligations of spouses, it is lucidly and beautifully expressed in the following verses: (And cohabit with them on terms of utmost decency and fairness) (An-Nisa’ 4: 19); (And they (women) have rights similar to those of men in fairness) (Al-Baqarah 2: 228). In light of these, it is only reasonable to assume that a husband must set an example of fairness and compassion in dealing with his wife. And Remember!

Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the last Day, and remembereth Allah much ( Qurán 33:21).

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was especially known for his compassionate treatment of his family. He was extremely caring and gentle with them; he enjoyed their company, and he said that it was one of the best things that he cherished in this world. He also told the faithful that the best thing for a believer to reckon in this world was the companionship of a righteous wife. In keeping with the spirit of such teachings, it is wrong for anyone to reduce woman to the position of an object for sexual gratifications.

In Islam, man and woman in general, as well as husband and wife in particular, are equal partners; just as a husband has needs to which a wife is expected to be responsive, a wife also has needs to which a husband should be responsive. To be successful, marriage must be based on mutual reciprocity and consensual relationship. We know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in the habit of drinking from the same cup with his wife, thus placing his lips in the same spot where she placed hers. He would take a bite of food and then she would take another bite. It is this Prophetic attitude of mutual respect, affection, and companionship that should serve as a role model for all the married couples in Islam”.

Dua (prayer) for a righteous family

May Allah give all believing men and women, married or looking to marry, the towfeeq (grace) to be the ideal Muslim husband and the ideal Muslim wife with His Divine help and guidance.

The Importance of a good wife to her husband (and of course vice versa) is Great to Allah (God). Nothing can illustrate the point better than the Qur'anic statement which describes the righteous people as those who pray:

"Rabba-na hab la-na min azwaji-na wa dhuriyyati-na qurrata a'yunin wa aj'al-na li al muttaqin imama"

"Our Lord! give us spouse and children who will be the joy( and the comfort ) of our eyes, and guide us to be models of righteous (make us Leader of God-concious people). " (Qur'an 25:74)

May Allah bless all present and future marriages with love, happiness, peace, and success. Inshallah,you will be blessed with God fearing spouse.

Aamen!

Related links

Visit links given below:

http://www.likeagarment.com/

http://kolys.blogspot.com/2010/04/like-garment-introduction_15.html

http://www.answering-christianity.com/karim/women_rights_for_sex.htm

http://sisters.islamway.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=171

The Value of Friendship

2010-05-12T12:16:00.000+08:00

Who do you take as friends?

What is a friend? A person who shows unselfish concern for the welfare of others. A concern or regard for the needs of others, entirely without ulterior motive

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert.

During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.”

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to
take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and
started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered
from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: “TODAY MY BEST
FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After
I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”
The other friend replied: “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

Learn to write your hurts in the sand, and to carve your benefits in stone.

Importance of Good Friendship

We all know that Allah the Most High has brought us to life in order to test us. Thus we are here for a relatively short period of time and that we shall meet Allah one Day, so we need to use our present life for what is best for us in the Hereafter. Once we know our purpose and our goal in life, we should seek ways to achieve them so as to benefit our own selves

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) explained the matter of good companionship, so that no room is left for doubt or confusion, when he (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said,

"A person is upon the Deen (religion) of his khaleel (close friend), so look to whom you befriend." [Abu Dawud & Tirmidhee]

This means that a person is upon the same minhajj (methodology) as his friend, the same tareeq (path) as his friend, the same nature, manner and behaviour as his friend. So we must be careful about whom we befriend.

Prophet Mohammad ( pbuh) who has the most noble character and dealings with fellow humans gave us a very clear and simple message and advice in regard to friendship.

Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said,

"The case of the good companion and the bad companion is like that of the seller of musk(perfume) and the blower of the bellows (iron-smith) . As for the seller of musk(perfume), he will either give you some of the musk(perfume), or you will purchase some from him, or at least you will come away having experienced its good smell. Whereas the blower of the bellows will either burn your clothing, or at least you will come away having experienced its repugnant smell." [Bukhari & Muslim]

The good companion has been given this similitude because he is righteous and will help you to remember Allah. If he sees you make a mistake he will advise you and support you, whereas the bad companion would forsake you; leaving you at the time when you are most in need of him.

I have always stopped at a special Quranic verse that reflects on the value of friendship and companionship.

The verse I am pointing at says what means:

{Content yourself (be patient) with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening, seeking His approval, and do not let your eyes turn away from them out of desire for the attractions of this worldly life, and do not yield to those whose hearts We have made heedless of Our remembrance (the Quran), those who follow their own low desires, those whose ways are unbridled.} (Al-Kahf 18:28)

It is amazing how Allah Almighty, draws the reader's attention to two essential points that are definitely anchor points in any relation of friendship. The two points are:

1.Who do we take as friends?
2.How do we go about our friendship?

What a good relationship the Quran has established among believers to build relationship. If exercised whole heartedly it is bound to bring peace in our society.May Allah we follow it in true spirit. Aameen

Prophets' Duas for good companions

Here is a gift of duas Let us pray these duas always:

Sura 12-Yusuf verse 101

Prophet Yusuf (A.S) prayed:

O, the Creator of heavens and the earth, You are my Protector in this world and in the hereafter, make me die as a Muslim(your obedient) and admit me among the righteous."

............ ......... ......... ....

Sura 27-An-Naml verse 19

Prophet Sulaiman (AS ) Prayed:

"O Rabb (lord)! Grant me the grace that I may thank you for the favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, to do such good deeds that will please You; and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants."

............ ......... .........

Prophet Ibraheem (AS) prayed :

Sura Ash-Shuara verse 83-85

O My Rubb(lord)!

Give Me The Gift Of Wisdom And Join Me With The Righteous;

Grant Me The Power To Convey The Truth To Those Who Will Come After Me

Make Me One Of The Inheritors Of The Garden Of Happiness (Junat Naeem);

Aaamen!

Here are some links of informative and intersting articles about friendship.

plz visit the given links:

http://www.zawaj.com/articles/companion_ pleasant.html

http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/Friendship.htm

Just make sure in the future that who you offer yourself to in friendship are really worthy of you, and seek Allah's guidance through dua`aa', supplication, and Istikhara prayer for guidance always.

Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, and to You do we turn in repentance, for unto You is the end of all journeys. (60:4)

Aamin

Salaam brothers and sisters!

2010-03-12T20:50:00.001+08:00

Salaam brothers & sisters,

It has been long since i wrote. All thanks to the overload of work that I’ve been piled with. Recently, a lot of things have been happening to me which has put me through a lot of reckoning. Reckoning always leads to learning. Besides, I was also given the opportunity to attend 2 maulid rasool events. Alhamdullilah. Maulid Rasul is the rememberance of our prophet through reciting the verses from the quran that praises him, singing nasyids that reminds us of his greatness or through various other ways. Hence, throughout this past 1 month, I’ve learnt a lot about him and the events in his life. No matter how much we learn about him, its never enough to give us a complete account of his greatness.

There are so many things that I’d like to pen down in today’s post but I’m just afraid that I’d bore the readers who read this. Hence, I’d just quote a few things that I’d like to say. I’d try my best to keep it short and interesting. Inshallah.
When nabi Muhammad (s.a.w) was born, many events happened that night, at that very moment. 1 of which was that all the stars in the sky at that time fell forward and shone so brightly that the city of Mekkah appeared to be day. Surely, this incident might have been recorded as a scientific miracle that happened about 1450 years ago.

These events and the seal of the prophethood on his back prove to us that, undoubtedly, prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is indeed a chosen one. Sometimes, as a fellow human, I do feel jealous of him. I know that’s not right but I am. I am jealous of how close he could have been to Allah(s.w.t) and how tightly Allah(s.w.t) held to him to guide him through each of his step. I feel jealous for the kind of faith the prophet has on Allah(s.w.t). I feel jealous for the endless love he had for his ummah. [The people of Thayyub and the people of Mekkah]

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) went through a lot. All of it was not for any selfish reasons or not for any material gain. Indeed it was for Islam, for Allah and for his people. And each time he faced a difficulty, he never lost his confidence in Allah and never questioned. Instead he always prayed for further guidance and continuously fell back on Allah(s.w.t). Each time he was faced with rejection, he never ridiculed or cursed his people. He only prayed for Allah(s.w.t) to forgive them for their ignorance.

Reflecting back on our lives, how many times have we gotten annoyed with someone who accidentally bumped against us on a busy street. OR even, how many times would we have argued with our family/friends over something so trivial, and in the end, leaving them hurt?

The problems we face today are nothing compared to what our prophet went through. He was an orphan, illiterate, poor, ridiculed, sent to exile, lost his sonds, brought to shame, was doubted..and the list goes on. But, brothers and sisters, just look at his faith! Even once, when I was about to perform my salaah, a young friend asked me…You have gone through so much and you still pray?.. I just smiled and said…. He has given me life. What more do I need?... I am not angry with the friend who asked me such a question. He is very young and he needs to learn. But comparing the challenges I have today to what our prophet faced back then, it’s probably a 0.001%.

However, I learnt how to deal with my challenges through the examples of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). Though I am nowhere near him, Alhamdullilah, I am close to people who try their best to follow him. I learn through them how to deal with my problems.

I always believe that we muslims should start thinking that we are ambassadors of Islam, Allah(s.w.t) and our prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). We should impart teachings of our prophet in our daily behavior and in the ways we treat our family, friends, neighbours, strangers and even enemies (Try our best not to have them anyway). Only then , can we spread the goodness of Islam to our fellow beings and Inshallah, may they feel the blessings of Allah(s.w.t) 1 day and join our big family as a ummah.

Inshallah. :)

A Disbeliever's Death

2010-02-23T12:44:00.000+08:00

The Prophet of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah accepts the repentance of the servant so long as his ruh has not arrived at his throat.” [Tirmidhi]

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says: “If you could see when the wrongdoers taste the pangs of death and the angels stretch their hands out, [saying], 'Deliver up your souls. This day you will be awarded a degrading punishment.'” [Al-Quran 6:93]

“When an unbeliever is about to depart from this world, angels with black faces descend from the heavens carrying rough hair-cloth, and sit around the dying person in throngs stretching as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at the head of the unbeliever and says: 'O foul soul, come out to the wrath and anger of Allah!' The soul inside the disbeliever's body does not want to deliver itself up and divides up in the body of the dying person, whereupon the Angel of Death violently pulls it and it is dragged out like a skewer is pulled out of wet wool.” [Ar-Ruh: The Soul’s Journey after Death, by Imam Ibn Al Qayyim Al Jauziah]

“Then the Angel of Death takes hold of the soul. When he has grasped it, the other angels do not leave it in his hand even for the twinkling of an eye. They take it and wrap it in the rough hair-cloth and a stench emanates from it like that of the most evil smelling corpse on the face of the earth.” [Ar-Ruh: The Soul’s Journey after Death, by Imam Ibn Al Qayyim Al Jauziah]

Then the angels ascend with the depraved soul, and they do not pass with it by any group of angels but the angels ask: "What is this wicked soul?" They are told (he is) "such" the son of "such", choosing the most hated of the names he used to be called by in this life. For instance, Abu Jahl (Father of Ignorance), whose actual name was Umar, would have been called Abu Jahl by the angels. The evil soul is cursed by all the angels between the earth and the sky and by all the angels in the sky.

When the angels reach the lowest heaven, they ask permission to enter, but they are not granted entry because of the evil soul with them. “No opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the Garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle.” [Al-Quran 7:40] Then Allah, Exalted and High, says: "Write the book of my servant in Sijjeen in the lowest earth.” The evil soul is thereafter flung down with a mighty hurl. It is cast back into its body and its trial in the grave then begins. [Ar-Ruh: The Soul’s Journey after Death, by Imam Ibn Al Qayyim Al Jauziah]

Obligations Muslim Owe to Quran

2010-02-09T00:09:00.000+08:00

"The most superior (the best) among you (Muslims) are those who learn Quran and teach it to others."

[Sahih Bukhari: Volume 6, Book 61, Number 545]

Musalmanon per Qur’an-e-Majeed kay Huqooq by Dr Irsar Ahmed is an impassioned call to the Muslims "to return to the Qur’an," to rededicate themselves to its study, and make it the sole guide for their lives.

What Does the Qur’an Demand from its Followers?

Instead of making a presumptuous attempt at describing its unique merits, the most pertinent thing for us to do is that we should clearly understand our duties and responsibilities towards the Qur’an and then see whether or not we are conscientiously fulfilling these duties and responsibilities.

If we find that we are not doing so, we should seriously think about the line of action we should adopt for their fulfillment; and then adopt the line without any further delay, because our very salvation depends on our efforts in this direction. Paying pompous compliments to the Qur’an will not be enough and it cannot be a substitute for actually discharging our obligations towards the Holy Book.

Now what are these obligations? Or, in other words, what does the Qur’an demand of us?

The Qur’an makes five demands of every Muslim. Put in a simple language, these demands are as follows:

A Muslim is required:
• to believe in the Qur’an;
• to read it;
• to understand it;
• to act upon its teachings; and
• to convey its message and teachings to others.

This booklet is available on the given link.. download it

http://www.tanzeem.org/online/ebooks/ebooks/E-01-01%20The%20Obligations%20Muslims%20Owe%20To%20Quran.pdf

http://www.institutealislam.com/the-obligations-the-muslims-owe-to-the-quran-by-dr-israr-ahmad/

I conclude my discourse with the following prayer which is generally offered on completing the recitation of the whole Qur’an but which, I believe, should frequently be offered so that Almighty Allah (SWT) may grant us strength to fulfill the duties we owe to His Book.

O my Lord! Be merciful to us because of (our link with) the Qur’an; make it for us a leader, (and a source of) light, guidance, and mercy, cause us to recall from it what we have failed to understand; give us strength to recite it day and night; and make it a plea for our salvation, O Lord of the worlds.

Ameen!

Note:

Plz share this information with others so that many more people can take full advantage of it.Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said,

"Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."

[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]

Thanks for cooperation. God bless you.

Jazak Allah Kheren

Allah is the most forgiving. =)

2010-01-27T19:38:00.001+08:00

It was narrated that in the days that Musa (Alahi salaam) wandered with Bani Israel in the desert an intense drought befell them. Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain to come. Then, to the astonishment of Musa (Alahi salaam) and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified.

It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Israel whom had disobeyed Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) for more than forty years of his life. “Let him separate himself from the congregation,” Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) told Musa (Alahi salaam). “Only then shall I shower you all with rain.”

Musa (Alahi salaam) then called out to the throngs of humanity, “There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for forty years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought.” That man, waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did. Sweat poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one.

The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst and that if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity.

He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with a humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks he said: “O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah, forgive me!”

As Musa (Alahi salaam) and the people of Bani Israel awaited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Musa (Alahi salaam) asked Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), “O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward.” And Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) replied, “O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israel with water.”

Musa (Alahi salaam), wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked, “Show him to me O Allah!” Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) replied, “O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?”

Source: from the article by Shaikh Muhammad Al-Shareef.

Islam and Love

2010-01-26T19:25:00.000+08:00

One does not discuss love, one lives and feels it. To discuss love is to speak where there are no more words left. A human can only talk about love. O my dear reader! Read this piece of writing as the one “about love”.

Love is like light, lovelessness is like darkness. Darkness can’t have a source. Darkness is the state when there is no light. But there must always be a source for light. There can be no love without a source as there can be no light without a source.

Allâh (Swt) Is the Source of love. The river of love falls down from Allâh (Swt). For He (Swt) Is Al-Wadûd. The Name Al-Wadûd is in double voice. This voice is characterized by bearing in itself both active and passive forms. So, the Name Al-Wadûd means both “the Most Loving One” and “the Most Loved One”. To put it in other words, this name denotes both “the Ever Loving One” and “the One Wishing to be loved”. That’s the difference distinguishing this Name from others.

Allâh (Swt) Is Ar-Razzâq, “He Provides sustenance”. Allâh Is Al-Khalaq, “He Creates”. Allâh Is Al-Ghaffâr, “He Forgives”. Allâh Is Ar-Rahmân and “ He Has mercy”. These and the like Names are single-sided. But when it comes to the Name Al-Wadûd everything changes. A double-sided relationship begins: both loving and wishing to be loved. Here lies the difference of love.

“A-L-H” is an isolated form of the name Allâh. Only 7 compositions can be obtained by changing the position of these letters. All of these indicate only one meaning: love. His Most Beautiful Names, Al-Asmâ’u'l-Husnâ, are the reflections of His (Swt) Love in the prism of names. The Names Ar-Rahmân and Ar-Rahîm, which are repeatedly recited by Muslims as part of Basmala, show that He (Swt) Is full of love and He Does whatever He Does with love.

Love attributed to Allâh (Swt) is expressed in words “Hubb” and “Wudd”. As for the word “Ashq”, which could also be rendered love in English, it is never used for the Divine Love in the literature dealing with the Noble Qur’ân and Sunnah. Because “Ashq”, which etymologically denotes “ivy” and “gripping and hanging on to the loved one like an ivy”, expresses the human love.

As for Hubb, it means “seed, pip, kernel”. The word Hububat (i.e. cereals) arises from here. It is obvious why love is called “Muhabbah”: Love is the seed of the tree of creation. And the human, who is the noblest fruit of the tree of creation, is the fruit of the seed of love, which bears its own seed in itself.

A fruit proves its faithfulness to its root by love. Human’s love to Allâh (Swt) is like this, too. That’s why it is stipulated by the Divine Revelation that the biggest share in love should be allotted to Allâh: “Those who believe love Allâh (Swt) more than anything”. And the Holy Prophet (Saws) is commanded to say the following: “Say: If you love Allâh (Swt), follow me so that Allâh (Swt) Loves you, too”.

Wudd expresses a special kind of love. This kind of love can only be bestowed. Since it bears an extract from its Giver (Swt), this love is eternal. Read the following Qur’ânic verse: “Ar-Rahmân will bestow (eternal) love (wudd) onto those who believe and do righteous good deeds.” It must be for this very reason that in the first years the Divine Revelation gave its addressees glad tidings of Paradise and threatened them with Hell while in later period, when they matured, the Divine Revelation gave glad tidings and warned by saying “Allâh (Swt) Loves - Allâh (Swt) Does Not Love”. This is indicative of how high a degree is reached by love in the relation between Allâh (Swt) and slave.

There is also fake love as there is a fake of everything. The true love puts in order, spurious love spoils. If at source it is not from Allâh (Swt), it is false love, and the one marketing it is a forger. The love which does not take its origin from the holy is not love but passion. Since love makes itself abundant it makes the human free, but passion arrests and enslaves. Those who call passion love, do the love itself an injustice by supposing the loneliness of two persons to be love.

The modern age has three false gods: power, money and sex. These make up the trinity of the lifestyle based on the belief that there is only the life of this world. Nowadays, the false god of sex is marketed under the name of “love” as part of the operation of global degradation. The holy thing entrusted to us, which we call life, has never been such a plaything in the hands of adulterers and adulteresses as it is now. Libido has never captured the consciousness to such an extent as it has today. The brokers of lust have never had so many clients all together.

The blowing up of sex under the name of “love” is a natural continuation of the global degradation operation. The aim of this operation is to make life senseless and purposeless, that is to say without Allâh (Swt). This is the real terror on which one should declare war. Because it is the terror of morals. This terror poses a threat to the whole human race. Enterprises engaged in marketing adultery under the name of “St. Valentine’s Day” are part of the terror of morls.

A person who cannot say “No” to adultery cannot say “Yes” to love. For adultrery poisons love. Poisoned love causes the human being, who is the most honourable of the creation, to resemble an insect that, after mating, stings and poisons its female. It makes the human being the most disgraceful of the creation, “like animals, even lower than them”, as worded by the Noble Qur’ân. Chastity starts to decay where there is no more privacy left, respect starts to decay where there is no more chastity left, disposition starts to decay where there is no more respect left. And nature starts to decay where there is no more disposition left.

If the nature has decayed, no one can hold that human. No one can set a limit for lust. No one can draw a mark for somebody saying “Amusement is mine, I can do whatever I want”. In the end, it comes to a seventeen-month-old baby. Laments for a seventeen-month-old baby having been a victim of rape expressed by a person who doesn’t say no committing adultery with a seventeen-year-old are similar to “crocodile tears”.

Let everyone bear the following in mind: There is either a limit or there are no limits at all.

The effect of saying Allah..

2010-01-16T00:46:00.000+08:00

THIS IS NOT A FICTITIOUS STORY...
IT IS REAL AND VERIFIABLE ...

Vander Hoven, a psychologist from Netherlands,announced his new discovery about the effect of reading the Quran and repeating the word ALLAH both on patients and on normal persons. The Dutch professor confirms his discovery with studies and research applied on many patients over a period of three years.. Some of his patients were non-Muslims,others do not speak Arabic and were trained to pronounce the word 'ALLAH' clearly; the result was great, particularly on those who suffer from dejection and tension. Al Watan, a Saudi daily reported that the psychologist was quoted to say that Muslims who can read Arabic and who read the Quran regularly could protect themselves from psychological diseases.

The psychologist explained how each le tter in the word 'ALLAH' affects healing of psychological diseases. He pointed out in his research that pronouncing the first letter in theword 'ALLAH' which is the letter (A), released from the respiratory system, controls breathing. He added that pronouncing the velar consonant (L) in the Arabic way, with the tongue touching slightly the upper part of the jaw producing a short pause and then repeating the same pause constantly, relaxes the aspiration. Also, pronouncing the last letter which is the letter (H) makes a contact between the lungs and the heart and in turn this contact controls the heartbeat.

What is exciting in the study is that this psychologist is a non-Muslim, but interested in Islamic sciences and searching for the secrets of the Holy Quran. Allah, The Great and Glorious, says, We will show them Our signs in the universe and in their ownselves,until it becomes manifest to (remember me in ur Dua) ALLAHU AKBAR Allah is great .

Allah is Simply great ..isnt HE?

2010-01-09T22:30:00.002+08:00

I have to rush through my projects, i'm really short of time. But its just one of the days today where i got distracted by Facebook and the pictures some of my friends uploaded from their long holidays.

While browsing through the profiles of others, i came across one of my old college acquaintainces.Lets call her Apple. Its her name that sounded familiar and thus,i clicked on it - had a further peek into her pictures. Back at college, she was very outgoing. She was active in college functions, dance events and many more activities that a muslim gal should not get involved in.

I heard from a friend about a year ago, that she bumped into Apple. When she called me, she was so excited and her praises for God were just overwhelming. She kept saying ' I saw Apple!! You know what?? She's wearing the Hijab now!!!! And she gave me her Salaam!!!'. i was equally suprised and excited as my friend. Also - Alhamdulillah that she embrace the Hijab and good Ahlaq.

And today, when i saw Apple's pictures on Facebook, I noticed how much her face has changed. She is so much more sweeter now. She's well covered, her Hijab fits her so beautifully. I can say it from my heart, that she looked such a pious and blessed angel in my eyes. She didnt upload any pictures of her without the Hijab. All her pictures were so modest. I also noticed that she joined groups that were in praise of Allah(s.w.t) and his prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). Unknowingly, i teared then. And my heart whispered - Syukur Alhamdullilah, Allahu Akhbar

In retrospect, i thought of how she looked like back at college days. Allah has brought Deen into her heart, opened her heart to Islam, and allow her to accept the light. HE made her embrace the Hijab. HE changed made her look far more beautiful than she was. To think of it, this all happened in a matter of 2 years. Well, what is 2 years and 2 minutes when its all Allah's doings?

If HE wills, he will.

Allah is all hearing, ever fogiving. If HE means something for his muqmin, its just miraculous in the way HE does it. May be Apple was receptive to the faith and thats what turned it all around.

I remember Brother Yusof Islam's account. He was caught in a wild sea storm and he said a prayer at that time . I cant remember it word for word, but i guess this is just the gist of it ' God, if u save me from this, I promise i will spend the rest of my life for you.' In my opinion, that moment, he was receptive and open to the true faith.

This also reminds me of a story i received via email which said that, God won't help people who dont help themselves.

May Allah give the opportunity for the hearts of many Muslim brothers and sisters who have gone astray. There are many namesake muslims who are staining the image of Islam, knowingly or unknowingly. May Allah bring Deen into their hearts and Nur on the faces.Inshallah.

Ameen.

Lets all Muslims, make this world a better place for everyone.

The Husband as the Ruler.

2010-01-05T23:14:00.001+08:00

“Men are the rulers over women because Allah has bestowed ranks to some of them above others and because they (men) spend of their wealth (for the maintenance of women)”
(Ayat 34 Surah Nisa)

In describing the man, Allah Ta’ala in his ayat, mentions the word qaw-wamoen which is the plural of qaw-wam. In Arabic, qaw-wam refers to someone who has the responsibility of administering a system. He is in charge of executing the affairs and operation of the system which has been entrusted to him. A qaw-wam is, therefore, a ruler. The Quran-e-Hakeem uses this term in this very meaning. Thus, Allah Ta’ala says that ‘Men are the rulers of (or over) women’.

Just as a community or a nation requires a ruler for proper and efficient functioning of the affairs of society, so too does the home unit stand in need of a ruler to ensure that the home affairs progress smoothly and correctly along the divinely ordained pattern conceived by the Shariah. The man in the house has, thus been appointed the ruler or overseer.

While Islam has bestowed many rights to women, the Quran-e-Hakeem confirms his superior rank and announces his appointment as the ruler of women.
There Is no gainsaying that man is the ruler/guide/overseer in his home. The Quran Majeed is explicit in this declaration and the ahadith of Rasullulah (s.a.w) are replete with his significance and superiority over woman.

While this is indisputably so, the husband should not commit the grave error of assuming his superiority and his appointment as the ruler/leader permit him to rule his family at his whimsical and temperamental behest. It is essential that the husband understands that along with his rank and position, comes responsibility of a grave and sacred nature. His appointment as the Ruler of Woman is not a licence for misdirecting authority. His position as the head of the family does not entitle him to introduce a reign of misery in the home. His superiority over his wife does not bestow to him the right of enslaving her. The wife’s obedience to her husband, emphasized and made incumbent by Allah Ta’ala, does not allow him to adopt a master and servant relationship at home. His elevated rank is not permission for violating, denying and neglecting the rights (Huqooq) which Islam orders for women and children. On the contrary, all such violations and behavioural attitudes not conducive for the correct functioning of an Islamic home, are heavily prescribed by the lofty office he has the husband/father occupies. In short, the husband is not allowed to adopt a bullying attitude. He does not enjoy the right to impose on his wife his wishes, whims and fancies just as he desires and in any way he feels.

Rasullulah(s.a.w) said:
“Everyone of you is a shepherd and everyone of you will be questioned about his flock”.

The husband is the shepherd of his home. On the day of Qiyamah he will have to answer in the Divine Court how he treated his flock. The rights and obligations he has towards his wife and children and sacred injunctions ordained by Rabbul-Alameen. (Allah – the creator and sustainer of all worlds) . An account of his reign of the home will be demanded from him. Thus, he should understand that commensurate of correctly and adequately discharging the Amanat (sacred trust) imposed on him by Allah Ta’ala. On that day of terror – Yaumul Qiyamah – when the unjust and cruel husband who had misused his lofty position and misdirected his authority here in this transitory abode, will be hauled to stand trial in Allah’s court of Justice, he will wish that he never was a husband nor a father nor the ruler in the home. About the awful state of that day of mighty upheavals, terror and fear, the Quran Majeed says:

“(That Day) will be a day when a man will flee from his brother, mother, father, wife and his children”

It is therefore, imperative that the husband/father takes a reckoning of his rule of the home before a reckoning will be demanded from him at a time when he will be ill-prepared of wholly incapable of submitting an appropriate account of his worldly conduct.

This is precisely the purport of Rasullulah’s (s.a.w) saying:
“Take a reckoning (of yourself) before a reckoning will be demanded (from you)”

Five reasons why Allah uses problems

2009-12-30T23:35:00.001+08:00

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how Allah wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways why Allah wants to use the problems in your life:

1. Allah uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways."

2 Allah uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags...if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested your faith with a problem What do problems reveal about
you? "When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience."

3. Allah uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove.... But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something... health, money, a relationship. .. by losing it. "It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws."

4. Allah uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good...

5. Allah uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. "We can rejoice when we run into problems...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady."

Here's the point:

God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it.

But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

"Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way"

Allah Knows Best...

The Wedding of Fatimah (r.a.)

2009-12-29T18:11:00.000+08:00

The Wedding of Fatima (r)
By Moulana M. Saleem Dhorat with additional notes by the webmaster

Fatimah (Radhiallaahu Ánha) was the youngest daughter of our beloved Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam). Out of all the children, he was the most beloved to him. He said, 'The Queen of the ladies in Jannat is Faatimah.' He also said, 'Faatimah is part of my body. Whoever grieves her, grieves me.' When Faatimah (Radhiallaahu Ánha) reached the age of fifteen, proposals for her marriage began to come from high and responsible families. But the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) remained irresponsive.

Ali (Radhiallaahu Ánhu), who was 21 at the time, says: It occurred to me that I should go and make a formal proposal, but then I thought, 'How could this be accomplished, for I possess nothing.' At last, encouraged by the Prophet's kindness, I went to him and expressed my intention to marry Faatima (Radhiyallaahu Anha). The Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) was extremely pleased and asked, 'Áli! Do you possess anything to give her in Mahr?' I replied, 'Apart from a horse and an armour I possess nothing.'

The Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, 'A soldier must, of course, have his horse. Go and sell away your armour.'

So, Áli (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) went and sold his armour to Uthmaan (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) for 480 Dirham and presented it to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam). Bilaal (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) was ordered by the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) to bring some perfume and a few other things and Anas (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) was sent to call Abu Bakr, Uthmaan, Talhah, Zubayr with some companions from the Ansaar (Radhiallaahu Ánhum).

When these men arrived and had taken their seats, the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) recited the Khutbah (sermon) of Nikaah and gave Faatimah (Radhiallaahu Ánha) in marriage to Áli (Radhiallaahu Ánhu). He announced, 'Bear you all witness that I have given my daughter Faatimah in marriage to Áli for 400 Mithqaal of silver and Áli has accepted.' He then raised his head and made Duá saying, 'O Allah, create love and harmony between these two. Bless them and bestow upon them good children.' after the Nikaah, dates were distributed.

When the time came for Faatimah (Radhiallaahu Ánha) to go to Áli's (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) house, she was sent without any clamour, hue and cry accompanied Umm Ayman (Radhiallaahu Ánhu). After the Éesha Salaat, the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) went to their house, took permission and entered. He asked for a basin of water, put his blessed hands into it and sprinkled it on both Áli (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) and Faatimah (Radhiallaahu Ánha) and made Duá for them.

The sovereign of both worlds gave his beloved daughter a silver bracelet, two Yemeni sheets, four mattresses, one blanket, one pillow, one cup, one hand-grinding mill, one bedstead, a small water skin and a leather pitcher.

In this simple fashion, the wedding of the daughter of the leader of the worlds was solemnised. In following this Sunnah method, a wedding becomes very simple and easy to fulfill.

SOME METHODS DERIVED FROM THE ABOVEMENTIONED MARRIAGE

"Engagements" are contrary to the Sunnah. A verbal proposal and answer is sufficient.

To unnecessarily delay Nikah of both the boy and the girl after having reached the age of marriage is incorrect. (Note: But on the other hand, some parents pray day and night endlessly for a quick marriage to a good-looking, highly educated, well-off person who comes from a grand family of great repute...in the case of a groom, a groom with a high-flying job, etc. The minute we find such a groom or bride, we jump to grab him/her. But how many of us spend sleepless nights praying not for a speedy grand marriage but a marriage which is filled with love, happiness, blessings and piety?)

There is nothing wrong in inviting one's close associates for the occasion of Nikah. However, no special pains should be taken in gathering the people from far off places. (Note: The money could instead be spent in charity, to gain the blessings of the poor.)

It is appropriate that the bridegroom be a few years older than the bride. (Note: The Prophet's first marriage was to Khadija, who was 15 years older than him. She was a widower and he was a virgin. They were so happy together that he did not remarry until she passed away, even though polygamy was widely practised during that time - before the advent of Islam)

If the father of the girl is an Áalim or pious and capable of performing Nikah, then he should himself solemnise the marriage.

It is better to give the Mahr Faatimi and one should endeavour to do so. But if one does not have the means then there is nothing wrong in giving less. (Note: The dowry is an obligation upon the groom's family, not the bride's family!)

It is totally un-Islamic for those, who do not possess the means, to incur debts in order to have grandiose weddings. (Note: On the contrary, weddings are arranged on such a grand basis that often parents cannot perform obligatory acts like Hajj for the next few years because they lack funds, which were spent on the weddings of their children)

It is fallacy to think that one's respect will be lost if one does not hold an extravagant wedding and invite many people. What is our respect compared to that of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam)? (Note: We spend thousands of dollars to impress people. We are sentimental - "I want my daughter/son to have the best." However, think about it this way...the people you impress will forget the wedding after a few weeks, your daughter/son's marital happiness may float on the extravagance of her/his wedding for a short while but ultimately, it will depend on just one thing: God. What is the use angering and disappointing God when it is His blessings, and nothing else - not even the grandest, most impressive wedding, that will ensure your children are happy? Ask yourself, are you getting your children married so you can show off and enjoy a grand wedding or because you want your children to experience happy, guided and blessed married lives?)

The present day practice of the intermingling of sexes is an act of sin and totally against Shariáh. (Note: Teenagers and young adults, if prompted, will admit the level of flirting, 'checking out' and showing off that goes on during weddings, where everyone is dressed to put on a show, not to watch a wedding take place.)

There is nothing such as engagement parties and Medhi parties in Islam. (Note: Another source attests that a simple gathering of women and girls to apply mehdi or henna on the bride is allowed)

Great care must be taken as regards to Salaat on occasions of marriage by all - the bride, the bridegroom and all the participants. (Note: On the contrary, the bride misses her prayer because her make-up will be washed away if she performs ablution...guests who are also dressed up delay their prayers for similar reasons. The couple and guests should perform ablution before going to the wedding and should perform their prayers there. The organisers of the wedding should also make arrangments for guests to perform their prayers. How can we expect our marriages to be successful and blessed if we abandon the first pillar of Islam, in pursuit of the perfect wedding?)

It is un-Islamic to display the bride on stage. (Note: If she adorns herself and dresses up, it should be for her own satisfaction, her family's happiness and for her husband - not for hundreds of male wedding guests that will come to have a look at her. The bride should not be treated like a trophy - all dolled up, sitting quietly on a stage for all to see, pretending to be reserved and shy (as is the custom and culture) - this is demeaning for she is a thinking individual - not something to decorate and show off.)

The unnecessary expenses incurred by the bride's family in holding a feast has no basis in Shariáh. (Note: The Islamic tradition is for the bride's family to hold a simple nikah ceremony where the marriage contract is signed. The big feast should only take place as the walima, which is the obligation of the groom's family. Sadly, often low-income parents of young girls delay getting their daughters married because they feel pressed by society to throw a big feast.)

For the engaged couple to meet at a public gathering where the boy holds the girl's hand and slips a ring on her finger is a violation of the Qurãnic law of Hijaab. (Note: It is rather funny - in most cultures, a man and woman get engaged and they spend time together like they are already married. But as soon as the nikah takes place, they are told to stay separate and maintain 'modesty'. In many cultures, the nikah takes place in the morning and the wedding reception at night or several weeks or even months, later. Strangely, the same couple who was engaged and mixing freely, is not allowed to mix freely between the nikah and the wedding reception thrown by the bride's family. It is as ridiculous as the Western concept of mixing freely before and after the engagement but as soon as the bride puts on her wedding dress, it's bad luck for the groom to see her! In Islam, the engagement is not a licence to mix freely - the nikah is. It is as good as getting married and the couple can do everything together and have the wedding reception and the walima later.)

It is un-Islamic for the engaged couple to meet each other and also go out together. (Note: In this day and age, every other person around us could be a weirdo. We rarely become engaged to the children of families that we know very well so it is difficult to find out what kind of a person we are getting married to. Certain scholars attests that meeting, in the presence of Mahram men, and getting to know each other, within the rules set by the Quran is allowed.)

Three things should be borne in mind when giving one's daughter gifts and presents at the time of Nikah:
-Presents should be given within one's means (it is not permissible to take loans, on interest for such presents);
-To give necessary items;
-A show should not be made of whatever is given.
[Keep in mind where the relatives of the bride's and groom's begin debating about which side offered more gifts. There is also a practice of taking photographs and listing down the items presented to each other]

It is Sunnat for the bridegroom's family to make Walimah. In Walimah, whatever is easily available should be fed to the people and care should be taken that the is no extravagance, show and that no debts are incurred in the process.

To delay Nikah after the engagement is un-Islamic.

In aping Western and Hindu methods sheepishly, Muslims have adopted many customs which are un-Islamic and frowned upon.

Some examples are:

Displaying the bride on stage;

Inviting guests for the wedding from far off places;

Receiving guests in the hall; (Note: The Mosque is the center of life for true Muslims and weddings should be held there. According to the Tradition of the Prophet(S.A.W.) marriages performed in the House of Allah, immediately preceded and followed by prayers, will attract the maximum of Allah's Blessings. Obviously, people know very well that the mosque is no place for the unIslamic cultural practices they promote at their weddings and so make alternative arrangements.)

The bride's people incurring unnecessary expenses by holding a feast which has no basis in Shariáh. We should remember that Walimah is the feast arranged by the bridegroom after the marriage is consummated.

It is contrary to Sunnah (and the practice of some non-Muslim tribes in India) to wish, hope for or demand presents and gifts for the bridegroom, from the bride's people. We should always remember that our Nabi (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) did not give Áli (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) anything except Duá. (Note: Unfortunately, the fathers of millions of daughters across the world, especially South Asia, incur debts and become poor and miserable because 'culture' pressurises them to give dowry to their future son-in-laws. Some girls are forced to remain single for years because they cannot afford the dowry - some commit suicide, as do their deperate fathers. In parts of South Asia, dowry-murders, among Hindu families, are commonplace whereby - a new bride is tortured or murdered by her in laws because her family did not give a large enough dowry. This is completely UnIslamic - the dowry or Mahr is to come from the groom to the bride, not the other way around.)

SURAH IKHLAAS

2009-12-27T18:10:00.000+08:00

Once a man was walking and he read this written on a wall:

'Qull huwa Allah hu ahad,
Allah hu samad,
Lam yalid WA lam youlad,
Wa lam yakoun lahu koufwan ahad'

So he sat and read it, while he was reading it a man was watching him and Came to him and said 'Do you know that you have got at least 470 hasana's (Blessings) just for reading this!

The person who wrote this on the wall also got 470 hasana's; Even I got 470 hasana's just for writing this mail; Even you got (who is reading this mail) 470 hasana's.

So press forward and let more people get 470 hasana's.

Don't forget, each time someone reads this mail and gets hasanat so do you .

When there is only a single star left in the sky.
At that very moment, the path of forgiveness will close.
The writing in the Quran will vanish.
The sun will lower itself with the earth.

Prophet Muhammad saw said, 'Who ever delivers this news to someone else, I will on the Day of Judgement make for him a place in Jannat.'

Please pass this to every Muslim you know.

Pointers on Choosing Marriage Partners

2009-12-22T14:03:00.003+08:00

Practical and Applicable
Pointers on Choosing Marriage Partners
By Rabi'ah Hakeem

In light of the experience of the past years, it is time to take stock and try to halt the ever-mounting tide of divorces among Muslims. It is not unusual today to find Muslim women (and even an occasional Muslim man) who, by the time they are 30 or 35, have been married three or four times, their children suffering again and again through the trauma of fatherless and broken homes. Accordingly, we may list a few essential points to be considered by both brothers and sisters in the process of choosing a partner in life (although the masculine pronoun has been used throughout for the sake of simplicity, the following is generally equally applicable to both men and women).

1. Du'a. Unceasingly ask help and guidance from Allah, Most High, in the matter of finding and choosing a mate. As often as you feel it necessary, pray Salaah al-Istikhara, Islam's special prayer for guidance, in order to reach a suitable decision.

2. Consult your heart. Listen to what your inner voice, the 'radar' which Allah has given you to guide you, tells you about the prospective partner. It is likely to be more correct than your mind, which often plays tricks and can rationalise almost anything. For many people, first impressions are often the most accurate.

3. Enquire. Find out the reason why this man wants to marry you. Is he interested in you as an individual or will just any person do? Why is he not doing the logical thing, that is, to marry someone from his culture? If there is evidence that the primary reason for this marriage, despite claims to the contrary, is for convenience (greencard, money, property, etc.), forget it. This spells trouble.

4. Get to know your prospective partner, within the limits of what is permissible in Islam, before deciding on marriage. Just 'seeing' someone once or twice in the company of others, who may be anxious for this marriage to take place, is simply not enough under today's conditions, where two per- sons of totally dis-similar backgrounds are meeting each other without the safeguards of families. Without violating Islam's prohibition about being alone, try to understand his nature, what makes him tick, his temperament, what he might be like to live with.

5. Talk to several people who know your prospective partner, not just one, or have someone whom you can trust do this for you. Ask about him from various people, not just from his friends because they may conceal facts to do him a favour. And ask not only about his background, career, Islamicity, etc., but about such crucial matters as whether he gets angry easily; what he does when he is 'mad'; whether he is patient, polite, considerate; how he gets along with people; how he relates to the opposite sex; what sort of relationship he has with his mother and father; whether he is fond of children; what his personal habits are, etc. And find out about his plans for the future from people who know him. Do they coincide with what he has told you? Go into as much detail as possible. Check out his plans for the future - where you will live and what your lifestyle will be, his attitudes toward money and possessions and the like. If you can't get answers to such crucial questions from people who know him, ask him yourself and try to make sure he is not just saying what he knows you want to hear. Too many people will make all kinds of promises before marriages in order to secure the partner they want but afterwards forget that they ever made them, (this naturally applies equally to women as to men).

6. Find out about his family, his relations with his parents, brothers and sisters. What will his obligations be to them in the future? How will this affect where and under what conditions you will live? What are the character and temperament of each of his parents? Will they live with you or you with them? And are they pleased with his prospective marriage to you or not? Although it may not be the case in most Western marriages, among Muslims such issues are often crucial to the success or failure of a marriage, and answers to these questions need to be satisfactory to ensure a peaceful married life.

7. Understand each other's expectations. Try to get a sense of your prospective partner's under- standing of the marriage relationship, how he will behave in various situations, and what he wants of you as his spouse. These are issues which should be discussed clearly and unambiguously as the negotiations progress, not left to become sources of disharmony after the marriage because they were never brought up beforehand. If you are too shy to ask certain questions, have a person you trust do it for you. At an advanced stage of the negotiations, such a discussion should include such matters as birth control, when children are to be expected, how they are to be raised, how he feels about helping with housework and with the children's upbringing, whether or not you may go to school or work, relations with his family and yours, and other vital issues.

8. See him interacting with others in various situations. The more varied conditions under which you are able to observe your prospective partner, the more clues you will have as to his mode of dealing with people and circumstances.

9. Find out what his understanding of Islam is and whether it is compatible with your own. This is a very important matter. Is he expecting you to do many things which you have not done up to this point? If he emphasises " Haraams", especially if you are a new Muslimah, and seems unable to tolerate your viewpoint, chances are your marriage will be in trouble unless you are flexible enough to accommodate yourself to his point of view and possibly a very restrictive lifestyle. Let him spell out to you clearly how he intends to practise Islam and how he wants you to practise it as his wife so there will be no misunderstandings later.

10. Don't be in a hurry. So many marriages have broken because the partners are in such haste that they don't take time to make such vital checks as the ones outlined above and rush into things. Shocking as it may seem, marriages between Muslims which are contracted and then broken within a week or a month or a year have become common place occurrences among us. Don't add yourself to the list of marriage casualties because you couldn't take time or were too desperate for marriage to find out about or get to know the person with whom you plan to spend the rest of your life.

11. Ask yourself, Do I want this man/woman to be the father/mother of my children? If it doesn't feel just right to you, think it over again. Remember, marriage is not just for today or tomorrow but for life, and for the primary purpose of building a family. If the person in question doesn't seem like the sort who would make a good parent, you are likely to find yourself struggling to raise your children without any help from him or her - or even with negative input - in the future.

12. Never allow yourself to be pressured or talked into a marriage. Your heart must feel good about it, not someone else's. Again, allegations of "Islamicity" - he is pious, has a beard, frequents the Masjid, knows about Islam; she wears Hijab, does not talk to men - are not necessarily guarantees of a good partner for you or of a good marriage, but are only a part of a total picture. If an individual practises the Sunnah only in relation to worship or externals, chances are he/she has not really understood and is not really living Islam. Possessing the affection and Rahmah (mercy) which Islam enjoins between marriage partners is vital for a successful relationship, and these are the important traits to be looked for in a prospective partner.

13. Never consent to engaging in a marriage for a fixed period or in exchange for a sum of money. (Mut'a marriage). Such marriages are expressly forbidden in Islam and entering into them is a sinful act, as marriage must be entered into with a clear intention of it being permanent, for life, not for a limited and fixed duration.

If these guidelines are followed, Insha' Allah the chances of making a mistake which may mar the remainder of your life may be minimised.

Choosing a marriage partner is a most serious matter, perhaps the most serious decision you will ever make in your life since your partner can cause you either to be successful or to fail miserably, in the tests of this life and, consequently, in the Hereafter. This decision needs to be made with utmost care and caution, repeatedly seeking guidance from your Lord.

If everything checks out favourable, well and good, best wishes for happiness together here and in the Hereafter. If not, better drop the matter and wait. Allah, your Lord knows all about you, His servant, and has planned your destiny and your partner for you. Be sure that He will bring you together when the time is right. As the Qur'an enjoins, you must be patient until He opens a way for you, and for your part you should actively explore various marriage leads and possibilities.

Two words addressed to brothers are in order here. If you are marrying or have married a recent convert to Islam, you must be very patient and supportive with her. Remember, Islam is new to her, and chances are that she will not be able to take on the whole of the Shari'ah at once - nor does Islam require this, if you look at the history of early Islam. In your wife 's efforts to conform herself to her newfaith and culture, she needs time and a great deal of support, love, help and understanding from you, free of interference from outsiders. It is best to let her make changes at her own speed when her inner being is ready for them rather than demanding that she do this or that, even if it means that some time will elapse before she is ready to follow certain Islamic injunctions. If the changes come from within herself, they are likely to be sincere and permanent; otherwise, if she makes changes because of pressure from you or from others, she may always be unhappy with the situation and may look for ways out of it. You can help her by being consistent in your own behaviour. So many Muslims apply those parts of the Qur'an or Sunnah which suit them and abandon the rest, with resulting confusion in the minds of their wives and children. Thus, while firmly keeping the reins in your hands, you should look at your own faults, not hers, and be proud and happy with the efforts she is making. Make allowances, be considerate, and show your appreciation of the difficult task she is carrying out by every possible means. This will cause her to love and respect you, your culture, and Islam to grow infinitely faster than a harsh, dominating, forceful approach ever could.

Finally, a word of warning. Certain situations have occurred in which women, posing as Muslims (or perhaps actually having made Shahaadah), have deceived and made fools of numbers of Muslim men. Such women may be extremely cunning and devious, operating as poor, lonely individuals in need of help and/or husbands. The brothers who fall into this net may be shown false photos, given false information or promises, cheated in all sorts of ways, and finally robbed of anything the conniving lady can manage to take from them. As was said, it is wise to check out any prospective partner with local Muslims who know her.

Keep your eyes open and take your time. Since marriage is for life, for eternity, hurrying into it for any reason whatsoever is the act of a foolish or careless person who has only himself or herself to blame if things go wrong.

The Value of Repentance

2009-12-20T18:44:00.000+08:00

Mullah Ali Qari (ra) in his Arabic commentary of Mishkaat wrote an incident about Ibrahim bin Adham (ra), who was an eminent spiritual leader of his time. He writes that Ibrahim bin Adham (ra) said “While walking one day I came across a wealthy young man who was spewing due to having drank liquor. He vomited so much that flies started buzzing around him. This excessive spewing caused him to lose consciousness.” Upon initially seeing him Ibrahim bin Adham was very upset. The thought occurred to him that the very tongue that pronounces the name of Allah has been spoiled by the impurity of liquor. He fetched a pail of water and washed the vomit around his mouth. He prayed to Allah with the following words: “Oh Allah, though he is unworthy and disobediently involved in sin, You are my Friend and he is a servant of my Friend. In view of the fact that I consider him to be Your servant even though he is a sinner I will cast my attention on him, for he is nonetheless connected to You.”

The splash of cold water on his face immediately woke him up. He came to his senses and sat up. He said: “Ibrahim you are such a prominent Wali Allah (friend of Allah), he who has given up the Kingdom of Balkh, yet you are tending to a miserable drunkard like myself?” Ibrahim replied, “Seeing you in this disabled state aroused compassion in me. I saw you in a state where flies are buzzing around you, but because you are a servant of my Allah, I deemed it correct to serve you….” The young man was very surprised saying, “I was always under the impression that men of Allah look down upon sinners. Today have I come to realize that none are as compassionate upon sinners as the friends of Allah. Please give me your hands, so that I can make Taubah, I can repent for my sins and become Bayat to you.”

Sultan Ibrahim (ra) accepted his request for Bayat and made him repent from his sins. At that moment he received kashf (ability to see some hidden things) that this young man who had just repented had surpassed many pious individuals of that period.

Indeed, at the very moment a person repents from his sins, he becomes the most beloved to Allah. Even the angels celebrate in the heavens saying that so and so has asked forgiveness from Allah and has come close to Allah.

Its Muharram!!!! Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-17T21:21:00.003+08:00

Muharram

The first month in the Islamic calendar

Contrary to popular belief, Muharram is not a particular day, but the name of a month that marks the beginning of the year according to the Islamic calendar. Muharram is one of four months that have been designated as holy according to the Islamic calendar, the other three being - Dhul-Qa'adah, Dhul-Hijjah and Rajab.

Fasting in the month of Muharram

Fasting is advocated in the month of Muharram. The Prophet is believed to have said: "The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram." Although the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, yet one who fasts in these days out of his own will is entitled to a great reward by Allah Almighty. Fasting on the tenth day of Muharram, called Ashura, is particularly important, as it supposed to lead to great rewards. A person does not have to fast for the whole month. On the contrary, each fast during this month has merit.

Here are some activities that are recommended for the day of Ashurah:

1. To observe fast on this day.
2. To give as much charity as you can afford.
3. To perform Nafl Salat prayers.
4. To recite Surah Ikhlas 1000 times.
5. To visit and be in the company of pious Ulema.
6. To place a hand of affection on an orphan's head.
7. To give generously to one's relatives.
8. To put surma in one's eyes.
9. To take a bath.
10. To cut one's nails.
11. To visit the sick.
12. To establish friendly ties with one's enemies.
13. To recite Dua-e- Ashurah
14. To visit the shrines of Awliyas and the graves of Muslims.

Muharram - an auspicious time

The month of Muharram is also associated with many auspicious events in Islamic history. Allah is supposed to have created the heavens and the earth on this blessed day. On this day He give His infinite blessings and bounties to many of His Prophets and delivered them from the clutches of their enemies.

Allah created Hazrat Adam in this month and pardoned him of his mistake. Hazrat Noah's Ark landed successfully on Mount Judi during this time centuries ago. God is also said to have saved Hazrat Ibrahim from fire and rescued Hazrat Musa from the Pharaoh during the month of Muharram.

You must be wondering what there is to mourn about then? The tenth day of Muharram or Ashura is of supreme importance for Shia Muslims as they celebrate the death anniversary of Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

The tragedy at Kerbala

In the month of Muharram many centuries ago, (approximately October 20th 680 A.D.), an event took place in Iraq at a place known as Kerbala on the bank of the river Euphrates.

A large army, which had been mobilised by the Umayyad regime, besieged a group of persons numbering less than a hundred and put them under pressure to pay allegiance to the Caliph of the time and submit to his authority. The Caliph was a man much taken with earthly pleasures that deviated from the Islamic way of life. The small group resisted and a severe battle took place in which they were all killed. The leader of the small band of men who were martyred in Kerbala was none other than Imam Husain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet.

Imam Husain's martyrdom at Kerbala represents a conscious confrontation with anti-Islamic forces and a courageous resistance for a sacred cause. The tragedy was that the one who stood up to defend Islam was cut down in so cruel a manner. It is for this reason that the death of Imam Husain is mourned annually in the Muslim world.

Mourning rites

On Ashura, the Muslims take out processions carrying colourfully decorated taziyas (bamboo and paper replicas of the martyr's tomb) embellished with gilt and mica. Colourful replicas of Imam Husain's tomb at Kerbala are also carried in procession and buried at an imitation Karbala. The mourners walk barefoot to the beat of drums. In a frenzy of grief, they beat their chests and cry out the name of Husain. They sometimes even flagellate or whip themselves, drawing blood. Wrestlers and dancers enact scenes depicting the battle at Kerbala. While many Muslims take to the streets to mourn, there are some families that retain personal mourning houses.

Lucknow, being the centre of Shia culture and religious activities, observes the rites of mourning with great passion. In places other than Lucknow, the taziyas are taken out and buried in the local burial ground known as Karbala.

Sunni Muslims may also commemorate Husayn's death but in a less demonstrative manner, concentrating instead on the redemptive aspect of his martyrdom.

Dua-e- Ashurah : http://www.islamicacademy.org/html/Dua/Dua_Ashoora.htm
(For the benefit of brothers and sisters who are unable to read Jawi yet,you might want to download the mp3 format via the link at the top of the the page)

Recognition of Allah

2009-12-16T18:34:00.001+08:00

The question which arises here is, "How can all people be expected to believe in Allah given their varying- backgrounds, societies and cultures? For people to be responsible for worshipping Allah they all have to have access to knowledge of Allah. The final revelation teaches that all mankind have the recognition of Allah imprinted on their souls, a part of their very nature with which they are created.

In Soorah Al-A'raaf, Verses 172-173; Allah explained that when He created Adam, He caused all of Adam's descendants to come into existence and took a pledge from them saying, Am I not your Lord? To which they all replied, " Yes, we testify to It:'

Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and only true God worthy of worship. He said, "That was In case you (mankind) should say on the day of Resurrection, "Verily we were unaware of all this." That is to say, we had no idea that You Allah, were our God. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship You alone. Allah went on to explain That it was also In case you should say, "Certainly It was our ancestors who made partners (With Allah) and we are only their descendants; will You then destroy us for what those liars did?" Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in Allah and an inborn inclination to worship Him alone called in Arabic the "Fitrah".

If the child were left alone, he would worship Allah in his own way, but all children are affected by those things around them, seen or unseen.

The Prophet (PBUH) reported that Allah said, "I created my servants in the right religion but devils made them go astray". The Prophet (PBUH) also said, "Each child is born in a state of "Fitrah", then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian, the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any that were born mutilated?" (Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).
So, just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator. But, his parents try to make him follow their own way and the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing and Allah does not hold him to account or punish him for this religion.
Throughout people's lives from childhood until the time they die, signs are shown to them in all regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true God (Allah). If the people are honest with themselves, reject their false gods and seek Allah, the way will be made easy for them but if they continually reject Allah's signs and continue to worship creation, the more difficult it will be for them to escape. For example, in the South Eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their main idol Skwatch, representing the supreme God of all creation. The homage to the God, and while he was in prostration to what he had been taught was his Creator and Sustainer, a mangy old flea-ridden dog walked into the hut, The young man looked up in time to see the dog lift its hind leg and pass urine on the idol. Outraged, the youth chased the dog out of the temple, but when his rage died down he realized that the idol could not be the Lordof the universe. Allah must be elsewhere. he now had a choice to act on his knowledge and seek Allah, or to dishonestly go along with the false beliefs of his tribe. As strange as it may seem, that was a sign from Allah for that young man. It contained within it divine guidance that what he was worshipping was false.

Prophets were sent, as was earlier mentioned, to every nation and tribe to support man's natural belief in Allah and man's inborn inclination to worship Him as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by Allah. Although, in most cases, much of the prophets' teachings became distorted, portions remained which point out right and wrong. For example, the ten commandments of the Torah, their confirmation in the Gospels and the existence of laws against murder, stealing and adultery in most societies. Consequently, every soul will be held to account for its belief in Allah and its acceptance of the religion of Islam; the total submission to the will of Allah.

We pray to Allah, the exalted, to keep us on the right path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us a blessing from Him, He is indeed the Most Merciful. Praise and gratitude be to Allah,the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be on prophet Muhammed, his Family, his companions, and those who rightly follow them.

Imam Mahdi (Descendent of Prophet Muhammad PBUH)

2009-12-14T18:27:00.001+08:00

Who Is Imam Mahdi?

Note: Please do not confuse Imam Mahdi with Hadhrat Isa (Jesus) Alayhis Salaam. They are two different persons, and both will come during the last days. According to Hadeeth, Imam Mahdi will appear first, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will appear during Imam Mahdi's lifetime. Furthermore, only Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will be able to kill Dajjal (the "anti-Christ").

The term "MAHDI" is a title meaning "The Guided one".

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "This world will not come to an end until one person from my progeny does not rule over the Arabs, and his name will be the same as my name." (Tirmidhi)

Hadhrat Ali (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Even if only a day remains for Qiyamah to come, yet Allah will surely send a man from my family who will fill this world with such justice and fairness, just as it initally was filled with oppression." (Abu Dawood)

His Features

Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Al Mahdi will be from my progeny. His forehead will be broad and his nose will be high. He will fill the world with justice and fairness at a time when the world will be filled with oppression. He will rule for seven years."

Other ahadeeth inform us that:

* He will be tall
* He will be fair complexioned
* His facial features will be similar to those of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
* His character will be exactly like that of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
* His father's name will be Abdullah
* His mother's name will be Aamina
* He will speak with a slight stutter and occasionally this stutter will frustrate him causing him to hit his hand upon his thigh.
* His age at the time of his emergence will be forty years
* He will receive Knowledge from Allah.

His Emergence and Rule

Hadhrat Umme Salmah (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, " After the death of a Ruler there will be some dispute between the people. At that time a citizen of Madina will flee (from Madinah) and go to Makkah. While in Makkah, certain people will approach him between Hajrul Aswad and Maqaame Ibraheem, and forcefully pledge their allegiance to him.

Thereafter a huge army will proceed from Syria to attack him but when they will be at Baida, which is between Makkah and Madina, they will be swallowed into the ground.

On seeing this, the Abdaals of Shaam as well as large numbers of people from Iraq will come to him and pledge their allegiance to him. Then a person from the Quraish, whose uncle will be from the Bani Kalb tribe will send an army to attack him, only to be overpowered, by the will of Allah. This (defeated) army will be that of the Bani Kalb. Unfortunate indeed is he who does not receive a share from the booty of the Kalb. This person (Imam Mahdi) will distribute the spoils of war after the battle. He will lead the people according to the Sunnat and during his reign Islam will spread throughout the world. He will remain till seven years (since his emergence). He will pass away and the Muslims will perform his Janazah salaat." (Abu Dawood)

According to a Hadeeth, Sayyidena Eesa (A.S.) will lead the Janaazah of Imam Mahdi (A.S.).

While the people will be pledging their allegiance to Imaam Mahdi, a voice from the unseen will call out:

"This is the representative of Allah,
The Mahdi, listen to him and obey him"

This announcement which will be heard by all those present will establish his authenticity. Another sign which will indicate the authenticity of Imaam Mahdi wil be that in the Ramadhaan prior to his emergence an eclipse of the sun and moon will occur.

Hadhrat Abu Umamah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans. The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be from the progeny of Hadhrat Haroon (A.S.) and will be upheld for seven years."

The people asked: "O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), who will be the Imaam of the people at the time?"

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "He will be from my progeny and will be forty years of age. His face will shine like a star and he will have a black spot on his left cheek. He will don two "Qutwaani" cloaks and will appear exactly as a person from the Bani Israeel..." (Tabrani)

According to hadith narrated by Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "...(regarding the rule of Imaam Mahdi) the skies will rain down in abundance and the earth will yield forth its crop in abundance, and those alive will desire that those who have already passed away should have been alive to enjoy this prosperity..."

Hadhrat Buraidah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "There will be many armies after me. You must join that army which will come from Khurasaan." (Ibn Adi)

Abu Hurairah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "(Armies carrying) black flags will come from Khurasaan. No power will be able to stop them and they will finally reach Eela (Baitul Maqdas) where they will erect their flags."

from: "Signs of Qiyamah"
by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali

More Hadeeth (with references) (contributed by Bradley Bilal).

1) The Prophet (PBUH and HF) said: "Even if the entire duration of the world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left (before the day of judgment), Allah will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person from my Ahlul-Bayt who will be called by my name. He will fill out the earth with peace and justice as it will have been full of injustice and tyranny (by then)."

References:

Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v2, p86, v9, pp 74-75
Sunan Abu Dawud, v2, p7
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, pp 84,376; V3, p63

2) The Prophet (PBUH and HF) said: "al-Mahdi is one of us, the members of the household (Ahlul-Bayt)."

Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4085

3) The Prophet (PBUH and HF) said: The Mahdi will be of my family, of the descendants of Fatimah (the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH)).

References:

Sunan Abu Dawud, English version, Ch. 36, Tradition #4271 (narrated by Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet)
Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4086

4) The Prophet (PBUH and HF) said: "We (I and my family) are members of a household that Allah (SWT) has chosen for them the life of the Hereafter over the life of this world; and the members of my household (Ahlul-Bayt) shall suffer a great affliction and they shall be forcefully expelled from their homes after my death; then there will come people from the East carrying black flags, and they will ask for some good to be given to them, but they shall be refused service; as such, they will wage war and emerge victorious, and will be offered that which they desired in the first place, but they will refuse to accept it till they pass it to a man from my family (Ahlul-Bayt) appears to fill the Earth with justice as it has been filled with corruption. So whoever reaches that (time) ought to come to them even if crawling on the ice/snow since among them is the Vice-regent of Allah (Khalifatullah) al-Mahdi."

References:

Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4082,
The History Tabari
al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar, Ch. 11, section 1, pp 250-251

5) Abu Nadra reported: We were with the company of Jabir Ibn Abdillah... Jabir Ibn Abdillah kept quite for a while and then reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said: "There would be a Caliph in the last (period) of my Ummah who would freely give handfuls of wealth to the people without counting it." I said to Abu Nadra and Abu al-Ala: Do you mean Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz? They said: NO, (he would be Imam Mahdi).

References:

Sahih Muslim, English version, v4, chapter MCCV, p1508, Tradition #6961
Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Fitan, v4, p2234, Tradition #67

6) "al-Mahdi is from our Ahlul-Bayt, no doubt Allah will enforce his appearance within a night (i.e., his coming is very unpredictable and is very sudden)."

References: Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, p269

The one who bowed before God.

2009-12-10T13:18:00.000+08:00

The following incident was mentioned by brother Aslam Nakhuda during a lecture that he gave on 24/1/2004. Brother Aslam is an Imam of Jame Masjid Brampton in Canada.

He said that three years back a group of eight brothers, including him, set out to Texas, USA for dawah. They spent sometime there to remind the residents about the reality of this life. On their way back, they stopped by a service station beside a highway to perform the Magrib prayer. One of the brothers gave the Adhan (Call to prayer). Two Non Muslim men were passing by when the Adhan was being called. Being curious, they came to the brothers and asked them who they were, where do they come from and what they were doing. The brothers told them that they are Muslims who are coming from Toronto, Canada with the glad tidings of Islam. A scholar, who was with them, discussed about Islam with the non-Muslim men for 2 or 3 minutes. Then the brothers prepared to offer the salah. The non Muslims who were standing by asked what they should be doing now. The brothers told them to join the prayer and just follow along. The two men decided to join the prayer. The imam recited Surah Fatiha and another surah after it. Then he went to Ruku' and both the Non Muslims did the same. When time for sajdah (prostration on the ground) came, the Non Muslims started hesitating and didn't know whether they should also prostrate on the ground as they never did this before. One of them decided not to do so and he left the prayer. However, the other one just went to sajdah. After the prayer, this person who agreed to prostrate to Allah was blessed with iman. He accepted Islam from the brothers.

Dear readers, this is what we have to do. We have to submit to the will of Allah and in return He will bless us with iman. On the other hand, a person who is arrogant and decide not to submit to the will of Allah may just be deprived of iman.

10 tips to win the others heart

2009-12-06T15:47:00.001+08:00

In the Name of Allah The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful

10 tips to win the others heart

The heart is center of everything that can encourage people to do good, or bad and the heart also easily changed.
Touching the hearts of a person to become a good man is not an easy job. Below are 10 tips that can be applied to win the others heart:

Smile

It is the first and the fastest of them (tips) all. It is like the salt for food. It is also regarded as a kind of worship and alms-giving as is mentioned in a hadith “Smiling at your brother’s face is as charity (Sadaqa)”. Abdullah ibn al Harith tells us about the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying that he had never seen someone smile at the other’s face as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to do.

Be always the one who initiates greetings

This tips is the one that lets you to be in the innermost depths of the others hearts. This tips needs a skillful person. The needed skills are the hearty smile, the warm shaking of hands and the friendly welcoming to the other. Being successfully achieved, such kinds of skills are going to be rewarded, referring to the hadith: “In greetings, the better is he who initiates greeting the other”.

The Presents

It has a strange charming affection that captivates all senses. Hence, exchanging presents and gifts in different occasions is a pleasant habit however gifts should be within one’s tolerable expenses.

Be silent, speak in what benefits

Loud voice and chattering are bad merits. You have to be sweet-worded, tender in expressing yourself. Concerning this merit, The Prophet (peace be upon him) said “The good word is a charity (is a sadaqa).” If the good word has its own magic in winning the hearts of your enemies how powerfully it would work then with your brothers’ hearts!!

Be a good listener

It is to listen patiently and never interrupt the speaker, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) never interrupted a speaker till he ended his speech. And he who fights for this merit gains others love and admiration, whilst on the contrary is the one who chatters and interrupts the other. Atta` tells us about how he behaves concerning this merit and says “When someone speaks to me , I listen to him as if it is the first time I have heard this subject, though I have heard it thousands of times before.

Appearance and dressing well

You have to be careful with your appearance so as to be neat, well –dressed and sweet smelling as well. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says that Allah loves beauty to be in every thing.

Being in others favor and helping them

Concerning this, the poet says:

Good treatment of the other is the only way of captivating his heart.

Good treatment you classifies you as an obedient, beloved slave of Allah as the Prophet (peace be upon him) Muhammad says “The more you are in favor of others, the more you are beloved by Allah” as Allah says in the Quran “And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good” (Al-Baqarah:195)

Being Generous

Offering money is the key for most of the closed doors that hinder you from reaching others hearts, especially in these days. A generous person never get lonely because everybody will like him and would become his friend.

To have a good opinion of others and to give them an excuse

Keeping an eye on others behavior is a bad merit that blocks your way to their hearts. On the contrary is to have a good opinion of them. So, try hard to give your brothers the excuse as much as you can. Concerning this merit, Ibn Al Mubarak says also “The believer is he who gives his brothers the excuse , and the hypocrite is he who seeks their slips.”

Sociability

It is the art of being social. Here, a kind of misconception could exist between sociability and hypocrisy. Could you differentiate between the two meanings?

Al Qurtubi differentiates between hypocrisy and sociability, regarding sociability as a desirable legal behavior, saying that sociability means sacrificing the worldly affairs for the sake of improving either life on earth or religion, or so as to improve both, while hypocrisy aims at sacrificing religion for the sake of the worldly affairs. To be sociable, means to be tender, smiling, praising to the other, intending in the meantime a legal benefit.

Reference: islamway.com

Do your deeds purely for Allah alone.

2009-12-01T19:20:00.002+08:00

There was a pious man among the Banu Israel who always remained busy in the worship of Allah. A group of people came to him and told him that a tribe living nearby worshipped a tree. The news upset him, and with an axe on his shoulder he went to cut down that tree. On the way, Satan met him in the form of an old man and asked him where he was going. He said he was going to cut a particular tree.

Satan said, "You have nothing to be concerned with this tree, you better mind your worship and do not give it up for the sake of something that does not concern you." "This is also worship," retorted the worshipper. Then Satan tried to prevent him from cutting the tree, and there followed a fight between the two, in which the worshipper overpowered the Satan. Finding himself completely helpless, Satan begged to be excused, and when the worshipper released him, he again said, "Allah has not made the cutting of this tree obligatory on you. You do not lose anything if you do not cut it. If its cutting were necessary, Allah could have got it done through one of his many Prophets."

The worshipper insisted on cutting the tree. There was again a fight between the two and again the worshipper overpowered the Satan. "Well listen," said Satan, "I propose a settlement that will be to your advantage." The worshipper agreed, and Satan said, "You are a poor man, a mere burden on this earth. If you stay away from this act, I will pay you three gold coins everyday. You will daily find them lying under your pillow. By this money you can fulfil your own needs, can oblige your relative, help the needy, and do so many other virtuous things. Cutting the tree will be only one virtue, which will ultimately be of no use because the people will grow another tree." This proposal appealed to the worshipper, and he accepted it.

He found the money on two successive days, but on the third day there was nothing. He got enraged, picked up his axe and went to cut the tree. Satan as an old man again met him on the way and asked him where he was going. "To cut the tree," shouted the worshipper. "I will not let you do it," said Satan. A fight took place between the two again but this time Satan had the upper hand and overpowered the worshipper. The latter was surprised at his own defeat, and asked the former the cause of his success. Satan replied, "At first, your anger was purely for earning the pleasure of Allah, and therefore Almighty Allah helped you to overpower me, but now it has been partly for the sake of the gold coins and therefore you lost."

Base your deeds on Allah alone. Do not be selfish in them. Only when you expect nothing but love from Allah, and do things to please him, Allah wil shower you with more than you need. :)

Have a Blessed Eid!!!

2009-11-26T20:31:00.003+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya Eidul'Adha
Wishing all my blessed readers a very happy, glorious and memorable Eidul Adha!

Friday Stories :)

2009-11-22T00:26:00.002+08:00

FRIDAY!WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?WHAT ARE THE MERITS AND REWARDS?

LETS SEE :)

A LIGHT SHINING FROM HIS FEET TO THE HEAVEN

HAZRAT ABDULLAH BIN UMAR (RA) SAYS THAT THE RASULALLAH (S A W) HAS SAID THAT "WHOEVER RECITES SURATUL KAHF ON FRIDAY' WILL ENJOY A LIGHT SHINING FROM HIS FEET TO THE HEAVEN AND WILL HAVE HIS SINS FORGIVEN COMMITTED BETWEEN TWO FRIDAYS."(IBN MARDUYA).

ENJOYS THE ILLUMINATION BETWEEN TWO FRIDAYS

HAZRAT ABU SAEED KHUDRI (RA) SAYS THAT THE RASULALLAH (S A W) HAS SAID THAT :
"WHOEVER RECITE SURATUL KAHF ON FRIDAY (THE NIGHT BETWEEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY)ENJOYS THE ILLUMINATION BETWEEN TWO FRIDAYS."(NASAI)

THE PRAYER OF 70,000 ANGELS FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS

IT IS REPORTED FROM HAZRAT ABU HURAIRA (RA) THAT RASULALLAH (S A W) HAS SAID THAT :
"WHOEVER RECITES SURATUL-HAM-MIM-DUKHAN ON FRIDAY,(THE NIGHT BETWEEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY) ENJOYS THE PRAYER OF 70,000 ANGELS FOR HIS FORGIVENESS AND GETS ALL HIS SINS FORGIVEN."(TIRMIZI).

ANGELS ENJOY THE DIVINE SHOWER

HAZRAT ABDULLAH BIN ABBAS (RA) SAYS THAT RASULALLAH (SAW) HAS SAID THAT: "WHOEVER RECITES SURATUL-AALE IMRAN ON FRIDAY,ANGELS ENJOY THE DIVINE SHOWER OF SALUTATION ON HIM TILL SUNSET."(TIBRANI).

ALLAH WILL EASE FOR HIM THE MOMENT OF DEATH AND MORE REWARDS

AL ISBAHAANI REPORTS FROM IBN ABBAS (RA) THAT RASULALLAH (S A W )SAID : "THE ONE WHO
PERFORMS 2 RAKAAT AFTER MAGHRIB ON FRIDAY NIGHT (THE NIGHT BETWEEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY) AND READS IN EVERY RAKAAT ONCE SURATUL AL FATIHA AND SURATUL ZILZAAL(IZA ZUL ZILATHUL ARDHU)15 TIMES,ALLAH WILL EASE FOR HIM THE SAKARAAT OF DEATH (THE MOMENT OF DEATH) AND ALLAH WILL SAVE HIM FROM THE PUNNISHMENT OF THE GRAVE AND MAKE EASY FOR HIM THE CROSSING OF THE SIRAAT."

For your reference :)
Surat Kahf:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trhBJOQhnxg

Honey!!

2009-11-19T11:40:00.002+08:00

Hey readers, i'm sure you wouldnt have forgotten that our prophet Muhammad(s.a.w) praised the goodness of honey. It was one of his favourite as well.

I found the article below on honey and hope it would be of use to share. :)

Honey's ability to produce hydrogen peroxide is one of the main reasons for its antibacterial activity, making it ideal for treating infected wounds.

Hydrogen peroxide can kill bacteria on contact and has been widely used for that purpose. However, straight hydrogen peroxide is unstable and rapidly loses its effectiveness when exposed to air or light. Hydrogen peroxide in high concentrations can also damaged skin tissue. Therefore, the use of pure hydrogen peroxide has lost its popularity among doctors and other medical professionals.

What most people don't know is that honey has the necessary components to produce small amounts of hydrogen peroxide in a slow-release manner. This makes honey an ideal substance to use in the treatment of infected wounds and other bacterial disorders.

The slow-release mechanism in honey that produces hydrogen peroxide is a chemical reaction. Honey contains glucose and an enzyme added by honeybees called glucose oxidase. Under the right conditions, glucose oxidase has the ability to break down glucose into hydrogen peroxide.

Honey itself does not have the right conditions for this reaction to occur. To become active and begin breaking down the glucose in honey, the glucose oxidase requires a pH of 5.5 to 8.0. The pH of undiluted honey is between 3.2 and 4.5 which is far too low to activate the enzyme. Another condition is also required before the glucose oxidase becomes active. For the enzyme to break glucose down into hydrogen peroxide, a certain amount of sodium most be present.

Honey alone does not contain enough sodium to make this happen. However, skin and body fluids have relatively high pH and sodium levels. When honey comes in contact with skin or an open wound, the high pH and sodium levels activate the glucose oxidase and it begins to break down the glucose, releasing hydrogen peroxide.

"It would take a pharmaceutical company many years and billions of dollars to develop an antimicrobial product that could even come close to being as effective in treating wounds as honey," says Frank Buonanotte, CEO of Honeymark International which is a manufacturer of skin care products that contains Manuka Honey as a natural healing agent. "Even then, it is doubtful that they could create a product that is equally as effective in treating infection as honey."

Manuka Honey from New Zealand is now being used for medical purposes because it seems to contain the most amount of healing properties than any other type of honey. Manuka Honey has even been found to be effective in treating conditions such as MRSA Staph infections, where antibiotics have failed. Buonanotte says that in addition to Manuka Honey's ability to naturally produce low levels of hydrogen peroxide, it also contains unique floral nectar components that are not found in other types of honey.

Many people have lost sight of the fact that honey was used for medicinal purposes many years before modern-day medicine was invented. It is believed that honey will soon make a comeback in the medical industry as antibiotics and traditional forms of medicine become less effective against more resilient mutated bacterial strains. Unlike many pharmaceuticals, honey has been found to have no negative side effects when used for medical purposes. Medical-grade honey can also be used in addition to prescribed medication without causing any conflict.

A simple account :)

2009-11-17T12:33:00.003+08:00

Once a man was walking and he read this written on a wall:

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem

Qul Huw-Allahu Ahad
Allah-us-Samad
Lam yalid wl lam yulad
Wa lam yakul lahu kufuwan ahad

So he sat and read it, while he was reading it a man was watching him and
Came to him and said 'Do you know that you have got at least 470 hasana's
(Blessings) just for reading this!
The person who wrote this on the wall also got 470 hasana's;
Even I got 470 hasana's just for writing this mail;
Even you got (who is reading this mail) 470 hasana's.
So press forward and let more people get 470 hasana's.
Don't forget, each time someone reads this mail and gets hasanat so do you.

When there is only a single star left in the sky.
At that very moment, the path of forgiveness will close.
The writing in the Quran will vanish.
The sun will lower itself with the earth.
Prophet Muhammad saw said, 'Who ever delivers this news to someone else,
I will on the Day of Judgment make for him a place in Jannat.'

The Cuckhold Husband

2009-11-12T00:15:00.002+08:00

While the Shariah stresses greatly kindness, love, tolerance and understanding towards the wife, Rasulullah s.a.w. criticized the husband who lacks manly honour and permits his wife free mingling with other males. Such a husband has been described by Rasullulah s.a.w. as a day-yooth (a cuckold.

Such a man is disgraceful and dishonourable. Despite having been divinely appointed the Hakim(ruler) of the home, the day-yooth, not only abandons his obligation of protecting the morals and modesty by permitting her to speak and associate with males, destroys his Deen and oversees the destruction of the Deen of his family. Allah Ta'ala says in the Quran Majeed:

" O People of Imaan! Verily, some among your wives and your children are your enemies, therefore beware of them."

When wives and children induce the husband to flout the laws of Allah Ta'ala then they effectively play the role of the enemies. There is no greater enemy than the enemy of Iman and Deen. A husband should not allow his fmaily to deflect him from the Shariah. He should not concede to the un-Islamic demands of his wife and children. He should not buckle under the nagging and insistence of his wife. For the sake of maintaining a false idea of peace, he should not relent and fulfill the un-Islamic and haraam desires of his wife and children.

The limit of the husband's tolerance and submission to the wife's indiscretion is the confines of the Shariah. In the matter of his rights, he should accept her failings and short comings. When she back-chats and passes indiscreet remarks, he should show tolerance. But, when she demands and desires things that Allah Ta'ala has forbidden, then the husband should refuse with such resoluteness which will not crack under her nagging. In the matter of obedience to the Shariah he should leave no ambiguity.From the very inception his attitude in this regard should be well understood by the wife. A woman who refuses to submit to the Shariah is prepared to ruin her marriage. Let the decision to be hers. If she refuses to live as a Muslim wife, let her opt out of the marriage. A Muslim man cannot pass his life in the company of one whom the Quran has designated an enemy.
-
"The Pious Husband"
Az Zaujus Salih

Coincidence? Accident? I say, Blessing!

2009-11-10T00:12:00.003+08:00

Last Saturday(7/11/09), i headed down to Geylang in Singapore to do some Hijab shopping. As always, i was punctual while my friend was late. So whilst having to wait for her , i thought of browsing the new books at the Islamic Bookstore@ Darul Arqam. I've always loved that bookstore. Each time i step into it, i never leave without learning something. However, this time, the lesson i learnt was much more overwhelming.

As i was there, browsing under the 'family bonding' section, a group of men in suits entered the bookstore. They were not local - definitely not. And they seemed to be guests who arrived to give some talk or some thing like that. When they stepped in, the 'announced' their salaam to everyone in the bookstore. Yeah, it was pretty loud :). When i looked at the enterance, there was this particular man whom i had eye contact with. At that moment,he raised up his arm and conveyed his salaam to me. I returned the salaam, gave an acknowledging smile and continued browsing through the book that i was holding. A while later, the same man came next to me , handed over to me a DVD and said, 'this is for you, sister'. I said 'thank you' and looked at the DVD. It was in plain white with green text on it saying '' daa'ee-iyah' Sheikh Ahmed Deedat,He was a voice against apartheid".

I didn't give it much of a thought,frankly.When i looked around, i couldn't find anyone who had the DVD too though. But probably, they might have already kept it into their bags once they got it. And soon after i received my friend's call and my shopping trip began.

Hours after i got home,i rememebered the DVD and decided to play it. It had a few chapters of Ahmed Deedat. It looked more like a non-commercial collection. Something that wouldn't have hit the media yet. When i started playing the first chapter, after some frames of acknowledgements, i was suprised to find the same brother who passed me the DVD in the opening scene of the DVD. Soon after, i was further suprised to learn that the brother was Ahmed Deedat's son.

I was pretty shocked, surprised,happy...in doubt - Any words you can use to describe that moment, go ahead. To be honest, i don't know much about Ahmed Deedat. My brothers are fans of him though. And i've heard of him through them. I've read briefly through his book ' The Choice' and watched some excerpts of his public talks on Youtube. I have always had immense respect and regards for him and the confidence he has when advocating to non-muslims that Islam is the only true religion. It all only shows how strong his Iman is. My brother used to tell me that, Ahmed Deedat spoke for Islam and debated that Islam alone is the truth in the US against a Reverant. After watching the DVD, my brother's account was validified and my respects for Sheikh Ahmed Deedat heightened to a further higher level. Sheikh Ahmed Deedat is no more. And i never had the chance to sit in his talks and learn from him.

I watched his son,Yousuf Ahmed Deedat's entire delivery and he was basically talking about his father, right from the very start till his last moments. I was admiring Sheikh Ahmed Deedat's mental strength, confidence, the strength of his Iman, his wittyness, his knowledge, his diplomacy, and the list can go on. To be honest, i cried at various parts of chapter 1. The only thing that was running through my mind, ' He has done so much for Islam, He deserves the respect that he was honoured with. May Allah pardon his sins. May Allah bless him. May Allah give us all the opportunity to do our bit for Islam'.

Sheikh Ahmed Deedat had a very humble family background. No political ties, no royal blood,no history of living off his grandfather's fortune.Whatever. Like his son said, they were not very well to do. Yet, there we huge troops of people who visited him at his home everyday, without expecting a penny from him. They came to honour him. To give their salaam to the great Islamic hero of the 20th Century.

I felt very unlucky and unfortunate to having met Sheikh Ahmed Deedat's son in person, but being unable to convey a proper salaam to him. I couldnt even tell him how much i respected his dad.How much i loved his works. And that i will always doa for him. I felt so unlucky. As always, i started complaining to my siblings about this. And they told me that, i should count myself lucky and give my thanks to Allah s.w.t that at least i could meet his son and receive this DVD from him. How many would have had the opportunity, they said.

May be, i am just a tool Allah s.w.t is using to let many other muslim brothers and sisters doa for Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. I would say Sheikh Ahmed Deedat is blessed. How many of us are remembered while we are alive, let alone when we are gone. But great souls and a martyr like him ought to be rememebered.Every muslim who has the thirst for Ilm(knowledge) has to remember him. Because, their research is never complete without reading and learning from Sheikh Ahmed Deedat's works.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, i have a very humble request. After reading this post, please get on your knees, face the 'kiblaat' and make a small doa for Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. Make doa that Allah should, inshallah, give us the opportunity to do a portion of what he did for Islam. Sheikh Ahmed Deedat dedicated his life just for Islam. I reckon most of us won't be able to do that. At least, do our level best to spread Islam.Inshallah. And please include him and his family in your daily doas henceforth.

I have attached some links below that might be of an introduction to Sheikh Ahmed Deedat.Though no matter what i have said, will never suffice his contributions. I hope the doa we make will be accepted by Allah s.w.t. Please email me at simplymuqmin@hotmail.com if you would like a copy of the DVD.

Assalamu Alaikum w.r.w.b

All Muslims are ambassadors of Islam. Please make Islam proud :)

An excerpt of his debate against the Reverant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2bxzUQ1Nt8

A Wiki on him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Deedat

A funny and witty answer by him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWueNl6na5E

A collection of the books he has written:
http://www.jamaat.net/deedat.htm

Prophet Mohammed Stories - 14. Minor Sins

2009-11-01T23:51:00.001+08:00

Prophet Mohammed Stories - 10. Vain Pride 1

2009-11-01T23:48:00.001+08:00

:) The Poor man is so wise. Inshallah...May the Almighty protect us from sinning just like the rich man.

Interview Former Rap Artist Loon accepts ISLAM -TheDeenshow

2009-10-30T00:53:00.001+08:00

Shame on us..

2009-10-28T11:28:00.000+08:00

A pupil of Ali (RA) says: "Once Ali (RA) led people in Fajr Salaat. At the end he turned his face to the right and sat there facing the people till sunrise. He looked cast down. At last, he turned the palms of his hands up as a gesture of regret and spoke to the people thus: 'By Allah! I have been an associate of the Sahabah (companions) of Rasulullah Sallallaho alaihe wasallam, it's a pity that nowadays I find men who do not resemble them in any respect. When the Sahabah (RA) got up in the morning, they looked dishevelled, pale in face and covered with dust. During the night they would prostrate before Allah Ta'ala or stand in devotion reciting from the Holy Qur'an. They would spend the whole night standing. When tired they would lean to the right or left for respite, shifting the weight of their bodies from one leg to the other. When they recited lines glorifying Allah, they swayed in ecstasy, as the trees do, when the wind passes through them. And they wept (for fear or love of Allah Ta'ala) shedding tears so profusely that their clothes would become wet. Alas! men of today, spend their nights in utter heedlessness."
From the book "Fadhail-e-Sadaqaa Part II", Translated by Prof. Abdul Karim.

What would Ali (RA) say if he saw our condition today?

Islam in a mini - nutshell

2009-10-27T11:25:00.000+08:00

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah's "God's" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "God". The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship "Allah" and anyone who does so is termed a "Muslim", The word also implies "peace" which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God's religion lslam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah states the following:

"This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion". (Soorah Al-Maa'idah 5:3)
"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah (God) never will It be accepted of Him" (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:85)
"Abraham was not a Jew nor Christian; but an upright Muslim." (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:67)

Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses' people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, nor to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos which means the annointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title "Messiah". The name "Jesus" on the other hand, is a latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.

For simplicity's sake, I will however continue to refer to Prophet Esau (PBUH) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah; (which is Islam) and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.

According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: "Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".

The Importance of Sayin ' Ameen'

2009-10-27T11:17:00.003+08:00

It is sunnah to say ameen when a person finishes recitation of Surah Fatihah If he is praying alone he should say Ameen in silence and if he is praying with congregation behind an imam then he should say ameen fairly loudly when the Imam finishes saying the last verse of surah Fatihah wen saying Ameen the voice of the whole congregation should resound at the same time

there are many hadiths which prove that saying ameen aloud is Sunnah of the holy prophet (S A W) and it was the regular practice of the companions .we will mention a few hadiths here

1) NAEEM AL MUJAMMAR SAID: "I PRAYED BEHIND ABU HURAIRA (R.A) HE RECITED BISMILLAH HIR RAHMANI RAHEEM THEN HE RECITED SURAH FATIHAH AND WHEN HE REACHED WALAD ALEEN HE SAID AMEEN AFTER IT AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND HIM SAID AMEEN,,,,,,," (BUKHARI)

2)ABU HURAIRA (R.A)REPORTED THAT THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (S A W) SAID "WHEN THE IMAM SAYS GHAYIRIL MAGHLLUBI ALAYHIM WALALLA LEEN YOU SHOULD SAY" AMEEN" BECAUSE THE ANGELS SAY AMEEN AND THE IMAM SAYS AMEEN .AND WHOSOEVER SAYS AMEEN AND HIS VOICE BLENDS WITH THAT OF THE ANGELS HE WOULD BE FORGIVEN HIS SINS."

C)AISHA (R.A) REPORTED THAT THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (S A W)SAID"JEWS ARE MORE ENVIOUS OF MUSLIMS IN TWO THINGS

A)OUR GREETING SOMEONE WITH ASSALAMU ALAIKKUM AND

B)SAYING AMEEN (ALOUD) BEHIND THE IMAM"

3)ATA SAID : "I FOUND 200' OF THE COMPANION PRAYING IN THE MOSQUE OF THE PROPHET (S A W) AND WHEN THE IMAM SAID WALAD ALEEN I HEARD THE ECHO OF THEIR VOICES RESOUND WITH AMEEN"

Reciting Quran during the period of menstruation

2009-10-23T02:20:00.001+08:00

The majority of fuqahaa’ say that it is haraam for a woman to recite Qur’aan during her period, until she is taahir (pure) again. The only exceptions they make is in the case of dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) and phrases that are not intended as tilaawah (recitation), such as saying “Bismillaahi’r-Rahmaani’r-Raheem” or “Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon”, or other phrases from the Qur’aan which are repeated as general du’aa’s.

They base their evidence for forbidding menstruating women to recite Qur’aan on several things, including the following:

Menstruation is seen as coming under the rulings that apply to one who is junub (in a state of impurity following sexual intercourse), because both states require ghusl. This is based on the hadeeth narrated by ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach the Qur’aan and he never prevented anyone from learning it except those who were in a state of janaabah (impurity).” (Reported by Abu Dawood, 1/281; al-Tirmidhi, 146; al-Nisaa’i, 1/144; Ibn Maajah, 1/207; Ahmad, 1/84; Ibn Khuzaymah [??], 1/104. Al-Tirmidhi said: a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said: the truth is that it is the type of hasan hadeeth that could be used as evidence).

The hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The menstruating woman and the one who is in a state of impurity (janaabah) should not recite anything of the Qur’aan.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 131; Ibn Maajah, 595; al-Daaraqutni (1/117); al-Bayhaqi, 1/89. This is a da’eef hadeeth, because it was reported by Ismaa’eel ibn ‘Ayyaash from the Hijaazis, and his reports from them are da’eef as is well known to those who are conversant with the study of hadeeth. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said (21/460): it is a da’eef hadeeth by the unanimous agreement of the scholars of hadeeth. See Nasb al-Raayah, 1/195; al-Talkhees al-Habeer, 1/183).

Some scholars say that it is permitted for a menstruating woman to recite Qur’aan. This is the opinion of Maalik, and one opinion narrated from Ahmad, which Ibn Taymiyah preferred and which al-Shawkaani believed to be correct. The scholars based the following points on this opinion:

The principle is that things are allowed and permitted unless there is evidence to the contrary. There is no such evidence to say that a menstruating woman is not allowed to recite Qur’aan. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “There is no clear, saheeh text to indicate that a menstruating woman is forbidden to recite Qur’aan… It is known that women used to menstruate at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he did not forbid them to recite Qur’aan, or to remember Allaah (dhikr) and offer du’aa’.”

Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, commands (Muslims) to recite Qur’aan. He praises the one who does so, and promises him (or her) a great reward. No one is excluded from this except the one concerning whom there is solid evidence (daleel), and there is no such evidence in the case of menstruating women, as stated above.

The analogy between the menstruating woman and the one who is in a state of janaabah is made despite the fact that there are differences between them. The one who is in a state of janaabah has the option of removing the “barrier” by making ghusl, unlike the menstruating woman. A woman’s period usually lasts for some length of time, whereas the person who is in a state of janaabah is required to do ghusl when the time for prayer comes.

Preventing a menstruating woman from reciting Qur’aan deprives her of the chance to earn reward, and it may make her forget something of the Qur’aan, or she may need to recite it for the purposes of teaching or learning.

From the above, it is clear that the evidence of those who allow a menstruating woman to recite Qur’aan is stronger. If a woman wants to err on the side of caution, she can limit her recitation to the passages which she is afraid of forgetting.

It is very important to note that what we have been discussing here is restricted to what a menstruating woman recites from memory. When it comes to reading from the Mus-haf (the Arabic text itself), a different rule applies. The correct view of the scholars is that it is forbidden to touch the mus-haf when one is in any kind of state of impurity, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… which none can touch except the purified.” [al-Waaqi’ah 56:79]. In a letter to ‘Amr ibn Hazm, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told the people of Yemen: “No one should touch the Qur’aan except one who is taahir (pure).” (Reported by Maalik, 1/199; al-Nisaa’i, 8/57; Ibn Hibbaan, 793; al-Bayhaqi, 1/87. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said: A group of scholars classed this hadeeth as saheeh because it is so well known. Al-Shaafi’i said: It is proven by them that it was a letter sent by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: “This letter is famous among the scholars of seerah, and is so well known among the scholars that it does not need an isnaad. It is like tawaatur because the people accepted and recognized it. Shaykh al-Albani said that its is saheeh. Al-Talkhees al-Habeer, 4/17. See also: Nasb al-Raayah, 1/196; Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel, 1/158).

(Haashiyat Ibn ‘Aabideen, 1/159; al-Majmoo’, 1/356; Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’, 1/147; al-Mughni, 3/461; Nayl al-Awtaar, 1/226; Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 21/460; al-Sharh al-Mumti’ li’l-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/291)

And Allaah knows best.

Source:IslamQA

Humanitarian Aid - In the Name of Love

2009-10-06T18:13:00.003+08:00

Our prayers are with the people afflicted by the recent natural calamities in Southeast Asia - Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia. May Allah grant them ease and perseverance and guidance, ameen. May Allah inspire us to extend a lending hand and prayer as He raises the station of those He loves through trials and tribulations.

SimplyIslam has developed a presence recently in Indonesia through the establishment of Arus Damai. We support relief efforts and contributions in aid of the earthquake victims in Padang, Sumatra. Your contributions are welcomed and will be channeled to established institutions currently active in this cause.

Join us in this humanitarian initiative of Love and Compassion. Call us at Tel 65474407 or email nassir@simplyislam.sg for more details.

In response to " The Last Crusade " ( http://thelastcrusade.org/2009/08/07/ )

2009-10-02T23:32:00.000+08:00

I read this article which my friend recently published on FB. Recently, there have been many negative criticisms about the life of the Pophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) and this was just one of those. However, for the benefit of my non-muslim friends, i would like to write in response to that article. Hope this would clear your doubts. Please refer to the link i have provided in the title of this note to read the article :)

Let’s analyze each theory to dig out the truth, through the Guidance of Allah (SWT).

From the article:

Pedophilia was not only practiced by Muhammad(s.a.w) but also sanctioned by the Quran

From the above line, we can conclude that the writer claims that Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w) was a pedophile.

Lets look into that..

Definition of a Pedophile:

"Pedophile: also spelled PEDOPHILIA, psychosexual disorder in which an adult's arousal and sexual gratification occur primarily through sexual contact with prepubescent children. The typical pedophile is unable to find satisfaction in an adult sexual relationship and may have low self-esteem, seeing sexual activity with a child as less threatening than that with an adult."
Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998

"pe.do.phil.ia n [NL] (1906): sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object -- pe.do.phil.i.ac or pe.do.phil.ic adj."
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary

The diagnostic criteria for pedophilia according to American Psychiatric Association:

Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent intense sexual urges and sexual arousing fantasies involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children.
The person has acted on these urges, or is markedly distressed by them.
The person is at least 16 years old and at least 5 years older than the child or children in A.
DSM-III-R Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed 3, revised, copyright American Psychiatric Association.

"In addition to their pedophilia, a significant number of pedophiles are concomitantly or have previously been involved in exhibitionism, voyeurism, or rape". (Voyeurism’s the recurrent preoccupation with fantasized or acts that involve seeking out or observing people who are naked, or are engaged in grooming or in sexual activity". Synopsis of psychiatry, Harold I.Kaplan et al., 5th ed., pg360, Publishers: Williams and Wilkens, 1988

Does the Prophet fit the above criteria of a pedophile?

With the above criteria of a pedophile in mind, lets analyze the lifestyle of the prophet and his marriages.

Name of Bride/Bride' age at marriage/Comments

Khadija bint khawilad / 40 /widowed

Sauda Bint Zama / 50/ widowed

Aisha bint Abu Bakr /9 / Started living with the prophet at the age of 9

Hafsa Bint Umar bin Khattab/ 22/ widowed

Zainab bint Khuzaima / 30/ unavailable

Umm-I-Salma bint Abu Umayia/ 26/ widowed

Zainab Bint Jahash/ 38/ widowed

Juwaeria Bint Harith / 20/ widowed

Umm-I-Habiba bint Abu Sufyan/ 36/ widowed

Safia bint Hayi bin Akhtab/ 17/ widowed

Marya Qibtiya bint shamun/ 17/ Virgin,Egyptian

Source: The Prophet of Islam, the Ideal Husband, by Syed Abu Zafar Zain, Kazi Publications, Lahore, Ist Ed., pg. 10-12

Statistics from the above table:
Percentage of his wives who were 17years and older = 91 %

Percentage of his wives who were widows = 75%

Comment: The statistics show that the prophet’s marriage to Aisha at her young age was an exception and not a norm of his other marriages. Furthermore ‘a pedophile’s main mode of sexual satisfaction is with prepubescent girls’, which is contradictory to the 91% of prophet’s marriage to women 17 years and over. An unbiased examination of Prophet’s life and his marriages to his wives blatantly rejects the notion of his lifestyle fitting that of a pedophile. All his brides were aged widows (except Aisha and Marium).

Moreover, according to the criteria in the references cited above in ‘Synopsis of Psychiatry’, a vast majority of pedophiles possess a history of exhibitionism, voyeurism, or rape. Again, there is no single reference from either religious or secular sources that the noble Prophet ever indulged in such sadistic behavior (God forbid). This truth is observed and accepted by both Muslims and unbiased non-Muslims scholars.

"It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher." – Annie Besant,
THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF MUHAMMAD, Madras, 1932, p. 4.

Child Marriages in Islam
Woman has the right to accept or reject marriage proposals. Her consent is a prerequisite to the validity of the marital contract, according to the Prophet’s teaching. It follows that if an "arranged marriage" means the marrying of a female without her consent, then such a marriage may be annulled if the female so wishes:

Ibn Abbas reported that a girl came to the Messenger of Allah, and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without her consent. The Messenger of God gave her the choice...(between accepting the marriage or invalidating it) (Ahmad, Hadith no. 2469). another version of the report states that “the girl said: ‘Actually, I accept this marriage, but I wanted to let women know that parents have no right to force a husband on them.’” (Ibn-Majah).

Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the highest religious body in the Sunni world, has recently released a new manual on the rights of Muslim children.

"Marriage in Islam is regulated by certain rules, namely, children must reach puberty and maturity so that they can get married," it reads.

The concept of marrying girls off at a young age in Islam
The Muslim scholar, Dr. Bilal Philips had to say the following about Child marriage in a recent interview:

"The concept of child marriage, of course in Islam, if a person classified as a child is married, when they reached the age of puberty and maturity, then they have a right to choose whether to go on with that marriage or not. So it becomes a marriage on paper. You know, they take place on paper on agreements with families; it is not going to be done again between individuals where the possibility of exploitation is, you know, more prevalent; but once the person reaches of age, it could be between two young people or could be a younger person and an older person, you know, either way male-female, female-male and when they reach that age of puberty then the decision is theirs. I know there has been something in the newspaper quite recently also, you know, concerning there is a girl in some place in the States who is about 13 years old got married, you know; it was a big thing to do that , particularly in the States; that State doesn't have clear laws prohibiting it. So there was a big uproar about it, you know. But it had been going on for quite a long time … in the previous century the nineteenth, eighteenth … this is something not uncommon. The desire to want to protect young people is a genuine desire; but where, you know, families are involved, people are not being forced etc, then this is not something which should be looked at in the negative light. But before we go on to another issue, there is another point that I think is important, to touch on in the arranged marriage setup. Why it is that the West is so much opposed to this and that would … I think this is an important point because if it was common in the West before but now it is looked at so negatively there must be some factor and I think this is what we need to address that really from a Western point of view because the families are broken up to such a degree that individuals are now on their own - a young woman leaves her home, she reaches her mid teens or whatever, she has to go out on her own and fend for herself. The idea of parents coming after that by telling who's good for you to marry this one or that one, it becomes ludicrous because she is now on her own taking care of herself. Why would anybody now want to come and tell her whom she should marry? or would be good for her to marry. This is something totally in her own hands. Similarly with the young man : no suggestions, why suggestions because he is taking care of himself and so it is in this context that the idea of an arranged marriage may seem so unnatural whereas in the context where families are intact, you know, and children remain in the home until, you know, they reach the point of marriage and then they leave the home, then, it is not unreasonable or not, you know, it should not seem strange and it doesn't to those people to marry on this basis. "

Marriage in Islam is compulsory for all muslims. Male have the right to accept or reject any proposals in marriage. Male can voice out their opinions and take responsibility for their own decisions. On the other hand, a female is not encouraged to take a decision on her own especially when it comes to marriage. This is because, women are created more emotional than men and hence, the decision they take could be based on emotions which would not be rational. Therefore, Islam assigns each female a 'Wali' (meaning guardian) to address such important issues on behalf of the female. The responsibility of a guardian in marriage is to help a female in selecting her husband. Usually, a female can hardly dig into essential information about a man, so a guardian, like a father, does his best for the interest and welfare of that woman. A guardian should be a Muslim male. The father is the guardian, next to the father comes the closest male. A wali cannot be a female.

If the girl wants to marry a certain person, but the wali is against it, then the judge will consider, why that guardian object the marriage; if the he has a good legitimacy in objecting that certain marriage, then the court will enforce his opinion. If he gives an incorrect and illegitimate reason, the guardian will have no power for marriage. The judge will give the girl the right to marry that person. No one can force the girl to marry anyone that she doesn't like to marry.

Linking back to an line earlier mentioned in this note ..
...' if an "arranged marriage" means the marrying of a female without her consent, then such a marriage may be annulled if the female so wishes..'

Child marriage, which is arranged by the father (or wali) of the girl, who in Islamic context should arrange for the marriage with the welfare and good interest of the daughter. He has the rights to couple the girl with anyone whom he thinks would be best possible pair for her. However, the marriage is not allowed to be consummated before the girl reaches puberty and also before the girl gives her consent in marriage. The 'husband' also has to consider the girl's physical capabilities.

About Prophet (s.a.w)'s wedding with Aisha (R.A) :
The Prophet married Aisha(R.A) primarily for three reasons:
To reinforce the friendly relations already existing with Abu Bakr (his closest companion).
To educate and train Aisha(R.A) so she may serve the purposes of Islam.
To teach her to utilize her capabilities for the sake of Islam.
Her Marriage with the prophet was a Wahi (Divine Revelation). She, herself relates from the Prophet, ‘He said, "I saw you in dreams three times. The angel brought you to me and you were clad in white silk. He (the angel) said that it was your consort and he (angel) showed me by opening your face. You are just like that…" Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, p.285.

Aisha(R.A) was born after her parents had embraced Islam. Therefore, she was free from the defilement of polytheism right from her birth.

In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable memory, she came under the loving care and attention of the Prophet himself. As his wife and close companion she acquired from him knowledge and insight such as no woman has ever acquired.

Aishah(R.A) lived on almost fifty years after the passing away of the Prophet. She had been his wife for a decade. Much of this time was spent in learning and acquiring knowledge of the two most important sources of God's guidance, the Quran and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Aishah(R.A)was one of the three wives (the other two being Hafsa ® and Umm Salamah ®) who memorized the Revelation. Like Hafsa ®, she had her own script of the Quran written after the Prophet had died.

So far as the Hadith or sayings of the Prophet is concerned, Aishah(R.A) is one of four persons (the others being Abu Hurrah, Abdullah ibn Umar, and Ana ibn Malik) who transmitted more than two thousand sayings. From her, 2210 Hadith(religious notes) have come, out of which 174 Hadith are commonly agreed upon by both Bukhari and Muslim [ both are popular and most reliable sources of hadith]. Many of her transmissions pertain to some of the most intimate aspects of personal behavior which only someone in Aishah’s(R.A) position could have learnt. What is most important is that her knowledge of Hadith was passed on in written form by at least three persons including her nephew Urwah who became one of the greatest scholars among the generation after the Companions. It is the claim of the Scholars of Islam that without her, half of the Ilm-I-Hadith [knowledge, understanding of the Hadith (and Islam)] would have perished.

Many of the learned companions of the Prophet and their followers benefited from Aishah's(R.A) knowledge. Abu Musa al-Ashari once said: "If we companions of the Messenger of God had any difficulty on a matter, we asked Aisha(R.A) about it."

Arwa Bin Zubair says, "I did not find anyone more proficient (than Aisha (R.A)) in the knowledge of the Holy Quran, the Commandments of Halal (lawful) and Haram (prohibited), Ilmul-Ansab and Arabic poetry. That is why, even senior companions of the Prophet used to consult Aisha(R.A) in resolving intricate issued".Jala-ul-Afham by Ibn Qaiyem and Ibn Sa’ad, Vol.2, p.26

Abu Musa al-Ashari says: "Never had we (the companions) had any difficulty for the solution of which we approached Aisha (R.A) and did not get some useful information from her".
-Sirat-I-Aisha, on the authority of Trimidhi, pg. 163

As a teacher she had a clear and persuasive manner of speech and her power of oratory has been described in superlative terms by al-Ahnaf who said: "I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman and Ali and the Khulafa up to this day, but I have not heard speech more persuasive and more beautiful from the mouth of any person than from the mouth of Aishah(R.A)."

The Prophet said, "The superiority of 'Aisha(R.A) to other ladies is like the superiority of Tharid (i.e. meat and bread dish) to other meals. Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Mary, the daughter of Imran and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh." Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith, Narrated by Abu Musa Al Ashari Hadith 4.643

Musa Ibn Talha ® says, "I did not see anyone more eloquent than Aisha (R.A)" Mustadrak of Hakim, Vol.4,p.11

Men and women came from far and wide to benefit from her knowledge.

Aisha(R.A)’s great interest in the study of the Qur’an is understandable. She was an eye-witness to a number of revelations and had therefore a clear idea of the circumstances in which they were revealed. It was on her bed alone (and no other consort’s) that the Prophet received Wahi (Divine Revelations) several times. This helped her in interpreting the verses.

At the time of the Prophet’s death, the Prophet’s head was on her lap. It was in her quarters that the Prophet was buried.

The life of Aishah (R.A)is a proof that a woman can be far more learned than men and that she can be the teacher of scholars and experts. Her life is also a proof that a woman can exert influence over men and women and provide them with inspiration and leadership. Aisha (R.A) is a continuing inspiration and role model to today’s youth who are diligently searching for an example amongst the pop stars, movie actresses and sports stars. May the memory of her’s live forever in the heart of the Muslim Ummah and may Allah grant her the highest abode in Paradise…Aameen.

Conclusion:
It was the aforementioned qualities of Aisha (R.A) and the Prophet’s guidance in molding these capabilities for the service of Islam, were the main reasons, why the Prophet Married young Aisha (R.A),and not the perverted reasons brought forth by misguided orientalists.

Muslims invite all sincere humans to study the life of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) in the light of the authentic sources of the Quran and the Sunnah (exemplary sayings and deeds of the Prophet) and judge for themselves where the truth lies. Indeed, by recognizing the truth of Islam as the final and complete Guidance sent by our Creator can humanity find lasting peace in this world and a means of salvation from the hell fire in the hereafter.

"I have studied him - the wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad(s.a.w) that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today." George Bernard Shaw, THE GENUINE ISLAM, Vol. 1, No. 81936.

Though, the Prophet is not among us in his flesh, but his exemplary life has been preserved for all humanity to follow.

I have provided as much information as i can to my knowledge. I hope this would be of use to both muslims and non-muslims. The extracts in this note come from very reliable sources and thus, are of high credibility. Kindly inform me if there are any wrong info and if any,i apologise. Allah Knows Best :)

May peace be upon you,
Hairun

A video that you might want to watch with relevance to the topic of Prophet(s.a.w)'s marriage with Aisha (r.a)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt7vS7kxc50

(s.w.t):
This is the Acronym for "Subhanahu wa ta'ala" meaning "Allah is pure of having partners and He is exalted from having a son."

(s.a.w):
Acronym for Arabic "Salla Allahu alaihi Wa Sallam". It means "peace be upon him", but it is used when referring to Prophet

(R.A):
This Acronym for "Radhiallahu anhu" is used when referring to close companions of the Prophet(s.a.w). It translates into "May Allah be pleased with him or her."

Taqwa - part 2 of 2

2009-09-28T23:20:00.000+08:00

A true Muttaqoon is a person who strives to possess a solid understanding and knowledge of the rulings of Allah (swt) through the Qur’an and Sunnah. Without proper knowledge of the Islamic rulings, a person would not know what is asked of him/her. Therefore, it is a must to understand Islam properly as well as to have the proper intention of pleasing Allah (swt) in carrying out these actions.

Imam Ahmad mentions a Hadith, narrated by a Sahabi, whereby a person once asked, “Oh Messenger of Allah, give me some advice.” The Prophet (saaw) responded, “I advise you to fear Allah (swt) because it is the head of everything.” In another occasion the Prophet (saaw) replied, “Fear Allah (swt) because it is the collection of all goodness.”

The Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them, demonstrated this on many occasions. This can be demonstrated through the incident of Abu Dharr Ghaffari and Bilal al-Habashi.

Abu Dharr was once engaged in an argument with Bilal. In the heat of the disagreement, Abu Dharr addressed Bilal as “You son of a black woman!” Bilal’s response was not to insult Abu Dharr as some Muslims might do today. He immediately went to Rasullallah (saw) and relayed what Abu Dharr had said. The Prophet addressing Abu Dharr said “You have exceeded the limit O Abu Dharr ! You still have traces of Jahilliyah in your mind. There is no difference between an Arab and a non-Arab except by Taqwa “

Upon hearing this Abu Dharr (ra) immediately placed his head on the ground and urged Bilal (ra) to stamp Abu Dharr’s face in the ground with his own Abyssinian feet. Bilal did not do so.

Thereafter, Allah revealed the verse: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” [49:13]

Allah (swt) also promises to be with those who have Taqwa. Allah (swt) says,

Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (have Taqwa), keep their duty unto Him, and those who are Muhsinun (doers of good for Allah’s sake only.) “[An-Nahl 16: 128]

Also Taqwa constitutes a reason that Allah (swt) has provided in order to help one who is experiencing hardship and distress. Allah (swt) promises,

“Whoever fears Allah, Allah will grant him a way out of hardship.” [At Thalaaq 65: 2]

Allah (swt) had also promised forgiveness of sins to those people who are Muttaqoon.

“And whoever fears Allah, and keeps his duty to Him, He will forgive his sins from him and will enlarge his reward.” [At-Thalaaq 65: 5]

Allah (swt) has given the glad tidings for those who have Taqwa. The news of paradise is assured to such people, giving hints at the vast rewards to those who take Allah (swt) as their Lord in their actions.

“Verily those who are fearful of Allah (have Taqwa) are the people who, when an evil thought comes to them from Satan, they remember Allah and indeed they then see aright.” [Al-Araf 7: 201]

Hence, from what Allah (swt) has outlined through the Wahi, we can see that a person who possesses Taqwa is not one who lives an isolated life, only praying, fasting, and maintaining good character alone. Instead, the Muttaqoon are those who fear Allah (swt) and look to what Allah (swt) has commanded in carrying out his actions to avoid His (swt) displeasure and anger. These people are involved with the Ummah, active in his/her life, concerned with the affairs of the Muslims, while at the same time praying, fasting, spending in Allah’s cause, having good morals, and are forgiving. All these descriptions can be attributed to a person who has Taqwa.

Taqwa - Part 1 of 2

2009-09-28T03:55:00.000+08:00

Allah says “Alif Laam Meem. This is the book, in it is guidance sure without doubt, for those who have Taqwa” [2:2]

Taqwa is one of the most important concepts in Islam. Taqwa is an avenue by which Muslims relate to one another in society and a means to channel their actions. Because of the great importance of Taqwa, it has been referred to numerous times in the Qur’an and Sunnah in order to emphasise its relevance and significance to the Muslims.

Allah (swt) strongly emphasises the rewards of people with Taqwa in this life and the Hereafter. It is these Muttaqeen that Allah (swt) grants assistance, victory, and provides for. Thus, understanding the concept of Taqwa is vital and mandatory for every Muslim.

Unfortunately, this is the very concept which the Muslims have left behind, as a result of faulty education. The disbelievers in the distant past, as well as in present times, have understood the importance of Taqwa and the Islamic creed, and how it could jeopardise their interests. They realised how Taqwa and the Islamic creed (Aqeedah) were the roots of power to the Muslims. Thus they began to warp and dilute it by adding Greek, Persian, and Hindu ideas and philosophies to it. Eventually, the Muslims began to incorporate the false ideas of the body and soul, and their inter-relationship, into the original, pristine Islamic Concept of Taqwa.

As a result, Muslims started portraying a person possessing Taqwa as soft-spoken, elevated, calm, pious, spiritual, and adorned with a certain type of holy attire (clothing). A picture of a person who shows prayer, fasting, and things such as donating to the Masjid, while living a secluded and isolated life would be the one with Taqwa, even though the same person might deal with usury, lie, and sell alcohol. They began manufacturing their own version of Taqwa and fed this false sentiment to the Ummah.

In contrast to this distorted picture the Qur’an and Sunnah defines the idea of Taqwa as protecting oneself from the Hellfire by following the orders of Allah (swt) by doing what He (swt) has commanded and avoiding what He (swt) has forbidden. Many Ayat in the Qur’an point up these ideas,

“And unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. And, verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah (have Taqwa), and keep your duty to Him, But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is Ever Rich, Worthy of all praise.” [An-Nisa 4: 131]

Also, in the Prophet’s (saw) last Khutba he said, “I ask you to fear Him (swt), listen to Him (swt), and obey.” Both the Ayah, as well as the Hadith, are commanding Muslims to have Taqwa. A person should have Taqwa as a barrier between himself and the Anger and Displeasure of Allah (swt). Through Taqwa, the Muslim strives to obey Allah (swt) and abstains from His prohibitions.

The son of Ali (ra), Al-Hasan (ra) once said, “The people who have Taqwa (Al-Muttaqoon) are the people who avoided whatever Allah (swt) has prohibited and have done whatever Allah (swt) has ordained.”

‘Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (ra) once said, “Taqwa is not by fasting the day and not by praying the night. And its not by mixing between the two of them. But Taqwa is leaving what Allah (swt) has made Haram and by doing what Allah (swt) has made Fard. After one has done this, Allah (swt) will provide good things for that person.”

How can we undertake this if we do not know what Allah likes or dislikes? (‘Ilm Daroorah)

...to be continued ( Inshallah )

Fasting in Syawal

2009-09-24T23:57:00.000+08:00

It is the month of Syawal: a month of joy and a month of freedom. We should also not consider Ramadhan as the only month for us to perform ibadah.

If in Ramadhan we had controlled our tongues from talking or conversing inappropriately, we should continue to do so for the rest of our lives. If in Ramadhan we had controlled our eyes from looking at things most despicable, it does not mean that after Ramadhan, we could return to our old ways.

Perhaps there are among us who feel that there were many shortcomings done in the last Ramadhan. Perhaps the ibadah were not performed perfectly and perhaps missed the opportunity to get the benefits of the 1000 months.

Verily Allah, The Almighty offers us the opportunity to His servants. It is up to us to seize the opportunity.

In this month, there are many acts which can be performed to complement and continue from our acts in the past month.

The complementary ibadah referred to is the six days fast in the month of Syawal - whether it is performed continuously or alternately in Syawal. The fast of 6 days in Syawal has many benefits. Amongst them, as reported in a hadith which means: He who fasts in the month of Ramadhan followed by 6 days in Syawal, it is as if he has fasted for 1 year.

It means that if you complete the fast of 1 month of Ramadhan and continue with 6 days of fasting in Syawal, you will be rewarded with the rewards of someone who has fast for 1 full year.

If we analyse that hadith, we can conclude that it corresponds to Allah’s commands in Surah Al An’am verse 160 which means: “He that does good will have ten times as much to his credit. He that does evil shall only be recompensed according to His evil. No wrong shall be done unto any of them.”

From this verse, we can see that the 30 days of fasting that we have endured in Ramadhan equates to 10 months of fasting! And the 6 days of fasting in Syawal would equate to 2 months. Thus, we will complete 12 months of fasting, which would equate to fasting for 1 whole year!

This is explained in another hadith which means: “Allah will reward every good act ten times over. And so 1 month of good deeds will sow the equivalent of 10 months of rewards. And 6 days after ‘Eid Fitr completes the 1 year.”

This is the benefit Allah has offered to us for us to reap. For those who may have missed the benefits from the previous months, this is an opportunity which you should not miss. The 6 days of fasting in Syawal is like a Rawatib prayer that completes any incomplete prayer. And surely in the course of our fasting in Ramadhan there must have been numerous mistakes that we have made. By fasting 6 days in Syawal, it creates an opportunity for us to atone for those mistakes in our fasting.

Let us increase our ibadah in this significant month in Islam. And may our good deeds be rewarded and accepted by Allah, The Almighty.

… excerpts taken from MUIS’ Friday Sermon dated 21 December 2001

Story of a Beautiful Woman's Marriage

2009-09-16T02:41:00.001+08:00

There was this beautiful woman, who wanted to get married, but she wanted a very pious husband, so she said that she’ll marry the man who recites the whole Quran every single day, fasts for the whole year and stays awake and worships Allah all throughout the night.

She was a very beautiful woman, and a lot of suitors wanted to marry her, but they knew they couldn’t fulfil the conditions she set. Until this one man stepped forward and said he could fulfil them. So the Imam got both of them married.

After the first night of the marriage, the wife sees that the husband doesn’t recite the whole of the Quran, nor does he fast, nor does he stay awake in the worship of Allah, she decided to let it roll on for a few weeks to see if there were any changes, there weren’t, so she filed a complaint and asked for a divorce.

They are both taken in front of the judge, and the judge asked, ‘What were the conditions of the marriage?’ the man replied ‘They were for me to recite the whole Quran daily, keep fast for the whole year and to worship Allah all throughout the night.’

The Judge asked, ‘ did you fulfil them? The man calmly answered, ‘…yes.’

The judge answers, ‘you lie, your wife has said that you don’t, that’s why she’s asking for a divorce’.

But the man insisted that he had fulfilled the conditions, so the judge asked, ‘did you recite the full Quran everyday?’ The man answered yes. The Judge, baffled asked, ‘how? How can you do that?’ The man coolly answered, ‘I recite Surah Ikhlas three times a day and according to Prophet Muhammad (saw), reciting Surah Ikhlas three times is equivalent to reciting the whole Quran.’ The Judge was intrigued, so he asked, ‘how did you fast the whole year?’ The man answered, ‘ I fasted for the whole month of Ramadan, then kept another six fasts in the month of Shawwal, according to Prophet Muhammad (saw), keeping all of the fast of Ramadan then keeping six fasts in the month of Shawwal, is as if you have fasted for the whole year.’

The Judge remained silent, he couldn’t give a reply saying the man was wrong, so finally he asked, ‘ how did you stay awake all night and worship Allah, when your wife saw you sleeping?’ The Judge thought the man wouldn’t be able to answer this one, but the man, cool as a cucumber answered, ‘I prayed Salatul Isha with jamaat, then the next day prayed Salatul Fajr with jamaat, according to Prophet Muhammad (saw), the one who prays Salatul Isha and Salatul Fajr with jamaat, it is as if he had stayed up all night worshipping Allah.’

The Judge sat there looking at the man; the final verdict was about to be released…

He said to the man and his wife, ‘…go, just go, there is nothing wrong with this marriage’…

If Devils are chained in Ramadan, why do people commit sin?

2009-09-14T21:06:00.001+08:00

HAPPY EID / 3eedkum Embarak...OKKK look @ my face do i look like i'm enjoying EID...HMMMMMMM ???

2009-09-13T03:03:00.001+08:00

HAPPY EID / 3eedkum Embarak...OKKK look @ my face do i look like i'm enjoying EID...HMMMMMMM ???, originally uploaded by nascity.

Itikaf

2009-09-13T02:39:00.001+08:00

Itikaf is a form of worship. It is formed by staying in a Mosque for a certain time. It is Ehtiyat that one should stay with the intention to worship Allah by praying formal or informal prayers although prayer is not a condition therein.

The time for this form of worship could be anytime when one is allowed to fast. The best time is the month of Ramadan, especially, the last ten days.

Conditions:

1. Intention as in the rest of the worship acts. It is necessary that the intention be made at the beginning of Itikaf so that the rule, requiring the worship act to be completed with intention, be followed thoroughly from the beginning to the end. The decision made at the beginning of the night to start Itikaf from the beginning of the following day will be open to objection. However, if one decides to start it from the beginning of the night it is not an offense to do so.

One is not allowed to change one's mind from one Itikaf to another of the same qualities or different.

2. Belief in Islam.

3. Freedom from mental illness.

4. Fasting; thus the Itikaf of one who cannot fast for some reason is not valid.

5. Duration; which is three continuous days at least. It could be more but not less than three days.

If it is started from the beginning of a day the two nights in between will be part of the duration. Less than three days is not considered Itikaf.

That it must take place in one of these Mosques: (a) The holy Mosque in Mecca, (b) the holy Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, (c) the holy Mosque of Kufa, (d) the holy Mosque of Basrah, and (e) the Mosque which is assigned for the Friday prayer in any town or city. It is Ehtiyat, however, to complete it in any of the first four Mosques.

The roof and basement of a Mosque is part of the same and it is valid to complete Etikaf in such places of a Mosque.

Permission of the people whose permission are required such as the master for the slave, husband and parents for the wife and children if this will be against the right of the husband or causes trouble to the parents.

6. Completing it in the Mosque where it was started. Thus, going out of the Mosque without an acceptable reason will invalidate the Itikaf, regardless, one knows the rule or is ignorant or has gone out because of forgetfulness, except in the case of an emergency or one being forced or it is because of some need such as using wash room or having Taharat.

One is allowed to come out of the Mosque during Itikaf to take part in the burial of a deceased or to visit an ailing one; Going out of the Mosque for a time long enough to cause the Itikaf to become as non-existing will be considered as invalidating the same, even if one has not done it out of one's own choice.

If one needs to have Ghusl/bath during the Itikaf and it is possible for him to have it inside the Mosque, and is not allowed to go out unless the reason for Ghusl requires him not to stay inside the Mosque.

Etikaf is originally an optional worship act but it may become obligatory because of a vow etc.

Things to avoid during Itikaf:

1. Having sex and also according to Ehtiyat kissing or playing with one's wife;

2. According to a necessary Ehtiyat causing a semen discharge,

3. And smelling perfumes for enjoyment; it is not an offense if one cannot enjoy the perfume because of some defect in his smelling ability.

4. Selling or buying in the form of a business deal, according to a necessary Ehtiyat; there is no offense to be occupied with allowable activities as sewing or writing etc., although it is a Mustahab Ehtiyat to avoid them too.

If one needs to buy something for food and there is no one to do the buying for him, it is not an offence for him to do it.

5. Expressing bitterness in talking about worldly or religious matters in order to prove one's ability, not the truth which is one of the best worships.

The contracts of buying or selling during Itikaf invalidate Itikaf, but such contracts will be valid.

If Itikaf is invalidated because of having sex even, during the night, expiation will be due; if it is invalidated by other things, there will be no expiation, although it is a Mustahab Ehtiyat in this case too.

The expiation for invalidating an Itikaf is to set free a slave or if this is not possible, fast for two consecutive months or if this also is not possible, feed sixty poor people.

Inshallah, if you wish to perform ItiKaf, you may consult you nearest mosque to check if they have special prayers thru the nite till subuh. Inshallah.. may Allah accept our prayers and doa this Ramadan. :)

The Prophet's(PBUH) Manner of Performing Prayers

2009-09-09T01:37:00.001+08:00

All praise be to Allaah alone, and may His peace and blessings be upon His messenger and bondsman our Prophet Mohammed, his family and his companions.

The objective of this concise pamphlet is to explain how prophet Mohammed (Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to perform his prayers. I would like to present this explanation to every male and female Muslim so that they may strive to take up the Prophet's manner in performing their prayers as a model for them. It was narrated by Al-Bukhari that Prophet Mohammed (Peace and blessings of Allaah be on him) had said: "Perform your prayers in the same manner you had seen me doing."

Therefore, here is the explanation for the Prophet's manner of prayer:

1. To perform completely the ablution, adopting the method commanded by Allaah in the Qur'aan:

"O ye who believe, when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows, rub your heads(with water) and (wash) your feet to the ankles."

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be on him) said: "Prayer without ablution is invalid."

2. To turn one's face and whole body towards the Ka'bah, The Holy House at Makkah, intending by heart to perform the prayer which he wants to fulfill, whether it is an obligatory prayer or a supererogatory prayer, the worshipper in all cases, should not pronounce his intention openly, because neither the Prophet nor his companions used to utter the intention for prayer. Thus, pronouncing the intention for prayer in audible voice is a heresy and an illicit action. Whether the individual be an Imaam or performs his prayer individually, he should make (A Sutra) i.e. a curtain for his prayer. Directing the face towards the Qibla (The Ka'bah at Makkah) is an imperative condition for every prayer. However, there are few exceptions for this rule explained in authoritative books for whom who wish to refer.

3. To pronounce "Takbirat Al-Ihram" that is to say "Allaahu Akbar" celebrating by that the greatness of Allaah and looking meanwhile, downwards to the place where he will prostrate.

4. To raise one's hands up to the level of the shoulders or near to the lobes of his ears, while pronouncing "Takbirat Al-Ihram."

5. To put one's right hand over his left hand and left wrist, and put them both over his chest, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do.

6. It is advisable that the worshipper recite this opening supplication saying:

"Allaahumma bald bayni wa bayena khatayaya kama boadta bayena almashriki wal maghribi, Allaahumma naqqiniy min khatayaya kama yonaqa al thawbo alabyndo min aldans.. Allaahumma igysilniy min khatayaya bilmai wathalgi walbarad." This supplication means: "O Allaah, separate me from my sins as You have separated the east and west. O Allaah, cleanse me of my sins as the white rope is cleansed from dirt. O Allaah, wash off my sins with water, snow and hail."

Or, may say instead: "Sobhanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika watabaraka Ismoka wata'la jaddoka wala ilaha ghayroka" "Praise and glory be to Allaah. Blessed be Your Name, exalted be Your Majesty and Glory. There is no god but You."

Or he may say any other supplications which the Prophet, (peace and blessings of Allaah be on him) used to say in his prayers.

It is better to recite these supplications alternately, the first one in the morning prayer "Fajr", the second in the noon prayer "Zuhr", each one by turn. in conformity with what the Prophet used to do.

After reciting the opening supplication, the worshipper says: "Aouzo billahi min alshaytanirragim" Which means: "I seek protection of Allaah against the accursed Satan."

Then says: "Bism illahi Rahmani Raheem" Which means: "In the name of Allaah, the All Merciful, the All Compassionate." And recites the Fatiha (The opening Sura of the glorious Qur'aan). Prophet Mohammed, may peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Prayer without reciting the Fatiha is invalid". The worshipper should say "Ameen" after reciting the Fatiha loudly if the prayer is said loudly, and whisper it in inaudible prayers.

To be in conformity with the traditions of the Prophet, the worshipper is advised to recite verses from medium size Suras of the Qur'aan in the Zuhr (noon), Asr (late afternoon), and Isha (night) prayers. As for the Fajr (morning) prayer, the worshipper is advised to recite a passage from the long Suras of the Qur'aan. He has the choice in Maghrib prayer (Evening prayer) either to recite passages from the long Suras or from the short Suras 6 of the Qur'aan.

7. Then, the worshipper bows in "Ruku" raising his hands up to the level of his shoulders or ears while saying "Allaahu Akbar" "Allaah is Great" then bends down, making his head and back on one level and putting his hands with the fingers spread on his knees. The worshipper should feel serenity and tranquillity while bowing, he should say thrice at least: "Subhana Rabbiayl A'zim" Which means: "Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty."

It is advisable to say while bowing in addition to that: "Subhanak Allaahumma Rabbana wa bi hamdika, Allaahumma Ighfir liy" Which means: "Glory be to Thee, O Allaah, and I praise Thee, forgive me my sins."

8. To raise one's head up from bowing, raising one's hands to the level of his shoulders or ears, saying, in case of being Imaam or praying alone: "Sami'a Allaahu liman hamidah" Which means: "Allaah listens to him who praises Him" While resuming the standing position, he should say: "Rabbana wa laka al hamdu hamdan katheera'n tayyiban mobarakan feehiy mil'a ssamawati wa mila alardhi wa mil'a ma baynahoma wa mil'a ma Shita min shiyin ba'ad" This supplication means: "Our Lord, praise be fore Thee only, praises plentiful and blessed as to fill the heavens, the earth, what in between, and fill that which will please Thee besides them."

But if the worshipper is a follower, and led in his prayer by the Imaam he should say when rising up "Rabbana wa lake alhamd... etc. It is advisable for the Imaam, the follower, or who prays alone to add also: "You Allaah who deserve all praises and all glory, your praising is the best and most true of whatever Your servant can say, we all are Your servants, Our Lord, no one can ever deprive aught of what You have bestowed and no one can ever give aught of what You have deprived."

The worshipper is advised to put his hands on his chest, as he had done before he bowed. Both Wa'il Ibn Haggar and Sahl Ibn Sai'yd reported that this was the manner of the Prophet when he used to raise his head up after bowing.

9. To prostrate saying "Allaahu Akbar" "Allaah is Great".

He should touch the ground with his knees before touching it with his hands, if that is possible to him. If not, he is permitted to touch the ground by his hand before his knees. His fingers and toes should be directed towards the Qibla Makkah, and his hands should be stretched, and the fingers close together and not separated. In prostration, the worshipper should use these seven organs: The forehead, the nose, both hands, both knees and the internal parts of the toes. These seven organs should touch the ground.

Then the worshipper should say thrice or more: "Subhana Rabbiyal A'ala" Which means: "Glorified is my Lord, the Exalted." It is advisable to say: "Subhanaka Allaahuma Rabbana wa bi hamdika, Allaahuma Ighfir liy." This means: "Glory be to Thee, Our Lord, and I praise Thee. Our Lord, forgive me my sins." It is recommendable for the worshipper to exceed more and more in supplications and ask for more from his Lord, because the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, said: Which means: "As for bowing "Ruku" you should glorify your Lord during performing it, as for prostration, you should do your best to supplicate and ask for more from Him, because your supplications during prostration are more worthy to be accepted." The worshipper should ask his Lord for prosperity both in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.

Whether it is an obligatory prayer or an optional prayer, the worshipper, while prostrating, should neither bring his hands close to his sides, nor stick his abdomen to his thighs, or his thighs to his legs. The worshipper's arms should be raised up from the ground because the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, prohibited putting the arms and stretching them on the ground, ordering that "adjust your prostration, keep straight in it, and stretch not your hands on the ground as dogs do."

10. He should raise his head from prostration saying: "Allaahu Akbar" and lays his left foot flat on the ground and sits upon it, keeping his right foot erected, his hands on his thighs and knees, and says: "O my Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, provide me with your blessings and console me." The worshipper should feel tranquility during this pause.

11. To prostrate again saying "Allaahu Akbar" and repeating during his prostration what he did and said in the first prostration.

12. Then the worshipper raises his head saying "Allaahu Akbar" taking a pause similar to the pause between the two prostration; this is called "the pause for rest." It is recommended for the worshipper to do such a pause, but there is no sin if he desists from it.

Then the worshipper rises up and stands supporting on his knees, or on the ground if he cannot support himself on the knees, reads the Fatihah (The opening Sura of the glorious Qur'an) and some other verses of the Qur'an and do as just as he did in the first Rakaah (unit of prayer). Those who pray behind the Imaam should not compete with him in the prayer actions as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Which means: The Imaam is to be followed, if he says: "Allaahu Akbar" which means "Allaah is Great" then say the same after him. If he bows in "Ruku" bow after him. If he says "SamiAllaahu liman hamidah" which means "Allaah hears him who praises Him", then say: "Rabbana wa lakalhamd" which means "Our Lord! All praises are for Thee"; and if he prostrates, then prostrate after him". (Bukhari V:1 P.37)

13. If the prayer consists of two Rakaat (two units of prayer) as the morning prayer "Fajr", Feast prayer "Eid", or the Friday prayer "Jumu'a", the worshipper sits after the second prostration, with his right foot erect, sitting on his left foot laid down, putting his right hand on his right thigh, all his fingers close fisted save the index finger which he uses to point out as a sign for his monotheistic belief, and his left hand is put on his left thigh. There is nothing in the way, if the worshipper keeps both the little and ring fingers closed, while rounding his thumb and middle finger in a ring shape and uses his index finger to point out as a sign for his monotheistic belief. It has been related that the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, had practiced both of these ways, thus, it is advisable for the worshipper to perform the first way once and the other on the second time.

The worshipper reads the Tashahud while sitting and says: "Altahiyatu lilahi wasalawatu watayibatu Assalamu alayha ayuhan nabiyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Assalamu alayina wa ala ibad illahis salalihiyn. Ashadu ala ilaha ila lahu wa ashadu anna Muhammadan abdoho wa raswuloh. Allaahuma salliy ala Muhammad wa ala aali Muhamad, kama salayata ala Ibrahima wa aali Ibrahim. Inaka Hamidon Majid. Wa barik ala Mohammad wa ala aali Muhammad kama barkta ala Ibrahima wa aali Ibrahima. Inaka Hamidon Majid." This means: "Greetings, prayers and the good things of life belong to Allaah. Peace, mercy and blessing of Allaah be on you, O Prophet. May peace be upon us and on the devout slaves of Allaah. I testify that there is no god but Allaah and I testify that Mohammed is His slave and messenger. O Allaah, bless Mohammed and his family as You blessed Ibrahim and his family. You are the Most Praised, The Most Glorious. O Allaah, bestow Your grace on Mohammed and his family as You bestowed it on lbrahim and his family. You are the Most Praised, The Most Glorious."

After reciting the Tashahud, the worshipper asks Allaah's protection from four evils, he should say: "My Lord, I ask your protection from torment of the Hell, torment of the grave the trials in life time and after death, and from the impostor Antichrist." The worshipper may ask Allaah for prosperity in this worldly life and in the Hereafter, supplicate Allaah to bestow His favors on his parents and other Muslims. He could do this in both obligatory and optional prayers. It has been reported by Ibn Masood that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, taught him how to recite the Tashahud and told him that the worshipper should invoke Allaah and ask Him for the more beloved wishes which he likes, or, as it has been related in other wordings, the worshipper should ask Allaah for whatever he wishes. In this manner, the servant can ask Allaah for all the prosperity of this worldly life and the life to come.

The worshipper terminates his prayer by turning his face to the right saying: "As salamu alai kum wa rahmatu Allaah" and to the left saying this salutation which means "Peace and mercy of Allaah be on you."

14. In case of a three Rakaat prayer (prayer consisting of three units) as that of Maghrib prayer, (evening prayer), or a four Rakaat prayer like that of noon prayer (Zuhr), Asr prayer (late afternoon prayer) or, Isha prayer (night prayer), the worshipper stands up after reciting the Tashahud according to the manner stated before, and raises his hands up to the level of his shoulders saying (Allaahu Akbar).

The worshipper puts his hands over his chest as it had been explained before, and recites only the Fatiha. There is no objection if he adds to the Fatiha some other verses of the Qur'aan while performing the third or fourth Rakaat (units of prayer) of noon prayer (Zuhr), because this was stated to be one of the manners adopted by the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, according to the tradition reported by Abi Saied.

After the third Rakaah of Maghrib prayer (evening prayer), and the fourth Rakaah of Zuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon) and Isha (night) prayers, the worshipper recites the Tashahud and terminates his prayers by saying: "Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatu Allaah" while turning first to the right, and second to the left as it has been explained before.

It is not an obligatory duty, but it is a recommendable prophetic tradition to invoke Allaah after terminating the prayer by asking Him forgiveness thrice and saying before turning one's face towards his followers if he is the Imaam: "O Allaah, Thou art peace and from Thee is peace, Thou art blessed, O possessor of Glory and Honour." It is advisable for the worshipper to say: "There is no god but Allaah. He is the One. He has no partner. His is the dominion and to Him alone is the praise. He has power over all things. O Lord, none may withhold what You have given and none may give what You have withheld and the riches cannot avail a wealthy person with Thee. There is no might or power except by the support of Allaah, There is no god but Allaah and we do not worship but Him alone. To Him alone belong all bounties, to Him alone belong all grace, and to Him worthy praise is accorded. There is no god but Allaah, to Whom we are sincere in devotion, even though the unbelievers may detest it."

It is also advisable to the worshipper to extol Allaah 33 times by saying (Subhana Allaah). Praise Him by saying (Al Hamdulillaah) 33 times also by saying "Allaahu Akbar" and the worshipper completes his supplications to be one hundred by saying once: "There is no god but Allaah. He is the One. He has no partner. His is the dominion and to Him alone is the praise. He has power over all things." The worshipper adds to that the recitation of the verse of the Throne "Ayat Al Kursiy", Surat Al Ikhlas, Surat Al Falaq, and Surat Al Nas. It is recommendable to recite these Suras thrice after the Fajr prayer (Morning prayer), and the Maghrib prayer (evening prayer) because this was reported to be one of the traditions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him. As it had been stated before, all these after prayer supplications are optional and not obligatory.

Every Muslim, whether be male or female, is recommended to pray 12 Rakaat of supererogatory prayers every day: four of these Rakaat (units of prayers) are before noon prayer, two after it, two after Maghrib prayer, two after Isha (night) prayer and two before the morning prayer. These supererogatory prayers are called (Rawatib) which means: "Certain supererogatory exercises of optional prayers." The Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, preserved the performance of these optional prayers wherever he settled.

During his travels, he used to practice the two optional Rakaat before the morning prayer and also the Witr prayer (after the Isha prayer). There is no objection to perform these optional prayers in the mosque, but it is better to perform it at home, because the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, said "The best of the prayers are those which are fulfilled at one's own home, with exception to obligatory prayers which should be performed in congregation at the mosque." Observance of fulfilling these optional prayers is a means for gaining admission to paradise.

The Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allaah be on him, said: Which means: "Whoever prays optionally twelve Rakoat every one day and night, Allaah will reward him by an established dwelling in the paradise." It is also advisable to the Muslim to pray four optional Rakaat before Asr prayer (afternoon prayer), two before Maghrib prayer (evening prayer), and two before Isha prayer (night prayer), because this manner was reported to be one of the traditions of the Prophet.

Allaah, the Almighty says: "Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allaah an excellent exemplar" (33:21). And the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Which means: "Perform your prayer in the same manner as you had seen me doing."

Allaah is He Who is Able to render us success and prosperity, and may Allaah give His blessings and peace to our Prophet Mohammed son of Abdellah(pbuh), his family, his companions and whoever follows his way till doomsday

Bad Breath During Ramadan Fasts

2009-09-02T01:51:00.001+08:00

During the holy month of Ramadhan, Muslims all over the world will be fasting. One of the most common complaints during fasting is the bad breath that people experience. This condition, in medical terms, is called halitosis. What causes bad breath and how can it be prevented?

Causes of bad breath can be broadly classified into local causes and systemic causes. Causative factors within the mouth are termed local causes. Causes due to factors or diseases of the body, such as diabetes, smoking, kidney disease and stomach upset are known as systemic causes. We will be limiting our discussion to local causes only.

Local Causes: Within the human mouth there are numerous kinds of bacteria, which, as by-products, give out sulphides and ammonia which are the main causes of bad breath. Hence the amount of bacteria has to be controlled, and conditions that cause them to thrive have to be eliminated.

These factors are:

Poor oral hygiene caused by not brushing or improper tooth brushing technique.
A dirty tongue.
Cavities in the teeth.
Gum disease caused by plaque and tartar.
Dirty dentures, false teeth and other fixed appliances in the mouth.
After having identified the causes, we can now deal with how to prevent bad breath, especially while fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan:

Brushing one's teeth after every meal, preferably early morning (at Sehri time).
Flossing one's teeth which mean cleaning between the teeth using special thread called dental floss. Use of toothpicks is not advisable for this purpose.
Use of a tongue or using a toothbrush to clean the tongue.
Use of an anti-bacterial mouthwash. A non-alcoholic mouthwash should be used as alcohol causes a dry mouth which can aggravate the problem.
Cavities in the teeth should be filled promptly to prevent food accumulation within them.
Removal of tartar on teeth by a dentist at least once every six months.
Drink at least 2-3 glasses of water at Sehri time.
A bad stomach can also cause bad breath so one would have to check on his diet during the holy month of Ramadhan to prevent a stomach upset and halitosis.

Foul-smelling mouths are offensive to other people therefore it is important to spend some time and follow the simple precautions and methods mentioned to prevent this problem.

Islam urges its followers to be clean, decent, and pleasant in their appearance and smell. In this respect, you can have a mouth wash and gargle it but be careful not to allow the water goes into your stomach as best as you can. During the Holy Prophet's lifetime, he (pbuh) and his Companions (Sahabah) used to have Siwak (Miswak or Tooth stick) to keep their mouth fresh and clean.

Many people avoid brushing their teeth during the day in Ramadhan. This is a mistake, since there is no contradiction between observing the fast during Ramadhan and brushing one's teeth. Moreover, Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Were it not for the hardship that I would be placing upon my people, I would have ordered them to engage in Siwak for every prayer." [Sahih al-Bukhari (887) and Sahih Muslim (252)]

We must understand that the word "Siwak" does not just refer to the tree branches that are used as tooth sticks, but to the act of brushing the teeth itself. It is derived from the verb sak, meaning to rub, clean, buff, or polish.

So, we should keep our mouth and body clean and free of any bad or horrible smell, especially when you are working with a non-Muslim who may accuse Islam or insult Muslims because of Ramadhan fasting. Allah says: "Keep you duty to Allah (SWT) as far as you can." (Holy Quran, 64:16)

Note: Some people assume that brushing the teeth while fasting during the month of Ramadhan is discouraged on the basis of the hadith where Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "I swear by Him in whose hand is my soul, the Khaluf of a fasting person is more pleasant to Allah (SWT) than the scent of musk." [Sahih al-Bukhari (1893) and Sahih Muslim (1151)]

The assumption that this hadith discourages brushing one's teeth while fasting is incorrect. Because the Khaluf is the smell that comes from the stomach when it is empty of food and is not a smell emanating from the mouth.

The Power of Dua During Iftarr (breaking of Fast)

2009-09-02T01:41:00.001+08:00

Once Prophet Moosa / Musa / Moses (peace be upon him)asked Almighty Allah (SWT): O Allah! You have granted me the honor and privilege of talking to you directly, Have you given this privilege to any other person?

Almighty Allah (SWT) replied, O Moosa / Musa / Moses during the last period I am going to send an Ummat / Ummah (Community or Nation), who will be the Ummat / Ummah (Community or Nation) of Muhammad (SAW) with dry lips, parched tongues, emaciated body with eyes sunken deep into their sockets, with livers dry and stomachs suffering the pangs of hunger - will call out to me (in dua) they will be much much closer to me than you.

O Moosa / Musa / Moses! While you speak to me there are 70000 veils between you and me but at the time of iftaar there will not be a single veil between me and the fasting Ummati of Muhammad (SAW).

O Moosa / Musa / Moses I have taken upon myself the responsibility that at the time of iftaar I will never refuse the dua of a fasting person!

KEEP YOURSELF OCCUPIED WITH DUA BEFORE BREAKING YOUR FAST

Fasting Health Benefits: Health Guidelines for Ramadan Fasting

2009-08-27T14:19:00.002+08:00

During the holy month of Ramadan, our diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible. The diet should be such that we maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadan is an ideal time to normalize one's weight.

In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fiber containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods; slow digesting foods including fiber containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours.

Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barely, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates).

Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined carbohydrates).

Fiber-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, and other herbs like methie, the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc.

The foods eaten should be well balanced,
containing foods from each food group, i.e., fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heartburn, and weight problems.

AVOID:

Fried and fatty foods.Foods containing too much sugar.Over-eating especially at sehri.Too much tea at sehri: Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day. Smoking cigarettes: If you cannot give up smoking, cut down gradually starting a few weeks before Ramadan. Smoking is unhealthy and one should stop completely.

EAT:

Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry. Haleem is an excellent source of sugar, fiber, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium. Almonds are rich in protein and fiber with less fat. Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.

DRINK:

As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.

CONSTIPATION:

Constipation can cause piles (hemorrhoids), fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestion with a bloated feeling.
Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fiber in the diet.
Remedy: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, and use bran in baking, brown flour when making roti.

INDIGESTION AND WIND:

Causes:
Over-eating. Too much fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and foods that produce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, carbonated drinks like Cola also produce gas.Remedy: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or better still drink water. Avoid fried foods, add ajmor to wind-producing foods.

LETHARGY:

(low blood pressure)Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are symptoms associated with "low blood pressure". This tends to occur towards the afternoon.
Causes: Too little fluid intake decreased salt intake.
Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.
Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. People with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadan. They should consult their doctor.

HEADACHE:

Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, hunger usually occurs as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with "low blood pressure", the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.
Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganize your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep.

LOW BLOOD SUGAR:

Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar.
Causes in non-diabetics: Having too much sugar i.e., refined carbohydrates especially at suhur (sehri). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop.
Remedy: Eat something at sehri and limit sugar-contaning foods or drinks.
Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor.

MUSCLE CRAMPS:

Causes: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.
Remedy: Eat foods rich in the above minerals e.g. vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat and dates.
Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor.

PEPTIC ULCERS, HEART BURN, GASTRITIS AND HIATUS HERNIAB:

Increase acid levels in the empty stomach in Ramadan aggravate the above conditions. It presents as a burning feeling in the stomach area under the ribs and can extend up to the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions.Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadan.

KIDNEY STONES:

Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquid to drink. There fore, it is essential to drink extra liquids so as to prevent stone formation.

JOINT PAINS:

Causes: during Ramadan, when extra salah are performed the pressure on the knee joints increases. In the elderly and those with arthritis this may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort.
Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Before physically fit allows greater fulfillment, thus enabling one to be able to perform salah with ease.

Ramadan Mubarak! Selamat menyambut ramadan!!

2009-08-22T02:35:00.002+08:00

Salaam readers! Hope all of u had a great start to the Holy month of Ramadan..Inshallah May Allah bless all of us with piety and good health, forgive our sins and accept our doas. This Ramadan, inshallah, i will be publishing more with relevance to fasting. In that attempt, i present u the very first post. :)

Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Allah Ta'Ala has ordained fasting in Ramadhan compulsory, and I have decreed (by the command of Allah) wakefulness at night (i.e. Taraweeh, etc.) Sunnat. Whoever in the state of Imaan and the belief of thawaab fasts in Ramadhan and stays awake at night (i.e. for taraweeh), emerges from sin, purified as the day when his mother gave birth to him." (Nisai).

Hadhrat Abu bin Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Fasting and the Qu'ran will intercede on behalf of one on the Day of Qiyaamah. The Fast will proclaim: 'O Allah! I prevented him from eating at carnal desire. Therefore for my sake accept my intercession on his behalf.' The Qu'ran will proclaim: 'I prevented him from sleep. Therefore accept my intercession on his behalf.' The intercession of both will be accepted." (Ahmad, Tibrani, Hakim).

(Hayaat-ul-Muslimeen. by Mohammad Ashraf Ali Thanvi). Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The doors of the Heavens are opened up on the first night of Ramadhan. Not a single Door (among the Doors of Heaven) is then closed until the last night of Ramadhan. For every Salaat performed (this refers to Taraweeh Salaat) during the nights of Ramadhan, Allah Ta'ala records one and a half thousand good deeds for every Sajdah (of the Salaat). And, for the fasting person, Allah Ta'ala creates in Jannat a mansion of red Ya'koot (a precious stone in Jannat). This mansion will have seven thousand entrances. (So huge will these entrances be that in each entrance will be located) a palace of gold adorned with red Ya'koot.

When the Muslims fast the first day of Ramadhan, Allah Ta'ala forgives all his sins committed from the first of the previous Ramadhan. Daily (i.e. during Ramadhan) from the time of Fajr Salat until sunset, seventy thousand Malaaikah supplicate for his forgiveness. In return for every Sajdah which he (the fasting person) makes, of any Salat, whether during the day or night, he will obtain (such a wonderful) tree (so huge) that a horseman will take five hundred years to pass under its shade." (Baihaqi).(Hayaat-ul-Muslimeen. by Mohammad Ashraf Ali Thanvi).

SITI KHADIJAH (RA) - A MODERN WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIMES

2009-08-21T00:01:00.003+08:00

When it comes to looking for a female archetype, let us look no further than Siti Khadijah binte Khuwalid (RA), the first wife of Rasulullah (SAW) and also the first woman to become a Muslim. Her upright character made the people of her clan call her At-Tahirah, an Arabic adjective, which means the chaste or the pure. As a highly respectable businesswoman, her morals as a widow were much more admired by the men of her clan, and her business was the talk of the town.

While women today are encouraged to make the first move in seeking love instead of griping about the lack of gender equality, Siti Khadijah(RA) had already done so hundreds of years ago! Not only that, she, a widow, had married a man who was 15 years younger than her, a move that despite being accepted in today's society, would still raise some eyebrows here. Indeed by accounts of her character as a successful and wealthy businesswoman,one would have thought that Siti Khadijah(RA) was a woman living in a contemporary society. Her sense of initiative entrepreneurial instinct, and strategic planning in hiring the right man to trade for her business was a eternal lesson from which modern women can learn.

While women today find it a challenge to juggle both their career and family, Siti Khadijah (RA) not only had a thriving business but also a wonderful relationship with her husband, for she was a loving and supportive wife to Rasulullah(SAW), especially during the times when Rasulullah (SAW) was just beginning to spread the teachings of Islam. Instead of admonishing her husband for sprouting nonsense when he came from the Cave of Hira' upon meeting with Angel Jibrael, she stood by him and offered him encouragement as well as reassurance that he would be a good prophet to his people.

While she, who was use to living in luxury, could have abandoned him during the times of hardship when the tribe of Hashim was ostracised and boycotted by the tribe of Quraish, she let behind all the amenties of life her prosperity provided and joined him in the gorge where they were seeking refuge. Her actions were all the more admirable considering the fact that she was not a member of the clan and that she was over sixty years of age; the siegeand boycott resulted in adverse effects on her health, leaving her very weak and ill. It is without doubt that Siti Khadijah(RA) must have been an extraordinary woman to rise up to the challenge of being a prophet's wife.The prophet (SAW) himself often used to mention her qualities saying:
"She (Khadijah) believed in me while others rejected my call. She affirmed my truthfulness when people called me a liar.She spent her wealth to lighten the burden of my sorrow when other had forsaken me" (At-Tirmidzi)

Truly, Siti Khadijah(RA) is an excellent role model worthy of contemplation and imitation for all women today - as a non- beleiving lady who lived by morals and principles, as an astute woman who took the initiative in seeking Mr Right, as a wife who stood by her husband in difficult times, as a believer who showed no hesitation to accept the truth, and finally, as a staunch supporter to her new belief with various forms of personal sacrifices.

Al Qur'an Workshop (In English)

2009-08-17T02:15:00.002+08:00

Al Qur'an Workshop (In English) by Ust Zulkiflee Bachik-

Date: 30 Aug 09 and 6 Sep 09 (Sundays)
Time: 2pm tp 4 pm
Venue: Masjid Sultan (Level 2 classroom)
Details:
i) Easy Tajweed Rasm Uthmani (ghunnah, madda, waqaf, Ibtida)
ii) Practical division of Al Qur'an Rasm Uthmaniiii) Easy, interactive, relaxed, repetitions-
Admission: $40 nett ($15 per session + $10 registration fee)

for further details and registration, email attartil_cs@yahoo.com.sg
Organiser: AtTartil Consultacy and Services

May Allah bless ALL our efforts, Insha Allah

Spiritual JAMMING!!!

2009-08-14T00:21:00.000+08:00

Darul Arqam In House Talk in Mandrin.

2009-08-10T18:42:00.000+08:00

Topic: The Beauty of Fasting in Islam
Date: Friday, 14 August 2009
Time: 8pm
Venue: Darul Arqam Auditorium
Speaker: MA YONG JIAN

Click here for details. For further queries, email or call 6348 8344

The Battle of Badr, the first battle of Islam - Part 3/3

2009-08-06T14:28:00.002+08:00

With a cry of rage three more Meccans darted from under Abu Jahl's banner and assailed the Muslim champions (Ali and Hamzah). They too went down before the sword of Islam. A further three were dealt with the same fate. There was a moment of hesitancy among the Quraishites. Muhammad (S.A.W) did not miss his advantage. With a sharp order he sent his soldiers charging into a general attack.

When the general offensive began, hundreds of companions participated in the battle and offered sacrifices and pleased their Lord. But the members of the house of the Messenger (S.A.W.) distinguished themselves. Ali's endeavor was unique at this battle. When Hanthala Ibn Abu Sufyan faced him, Ali liquefied his eyes with one blow from his sword. He annihilated Al Auss Ibn Saeed, and met Tuaima Ibn Oday and transfixed him with his spear, saying "You shall not dispute with us in God after today."

The Messsnger (S.A.W.) took a handful of gravel when the battle was extremely heated. He threw it at the faces of the pagans saying "May your faces be disfigured. God, terrify their hearts and invalidated their feet." The pagans ran away, turning their faces to no one.

The line of the Quraish wavered and a number of their bravest and noblest fell; they took to flight ignominiously, and in their haste to escape they threw away their armor and abandoned their transport animals with all their camp and equipage. Seventy of the bravest Quraish were slain and forty-five taken prisoners, and their commander, Abu Jahl and Hanzala Ibn Abu Sofyan, were amongst the slain.

Though it was the first engagement of the youthful Ali, he showed surprising results and was praised by one and all. He killed no less than sixteen-though some historians give him credit for thirty-six of the bravest and the most prominent of the Quraish army.

This battle laid the foundation of the Islamic State and made out of the Muslims a force to be reckoned with by the dwellers of the Arabic Peninsula.

The Battle of Badr, the first battle of Islam - Part 2/3

2009-08-03T01:06:00.002+08:00

Warfare in those days followed a different pattern. Before the general battle began, a number of duels were fought between the leading warriors on each side. When the Muslims reached the fertile vale of Badr, a favorite watering place and camping ground on the caravan route, three stations northwards from Mecca, the Prophet (S.A.W) ordered a halt, taking up a suitable position near a stream of fresh water, to await the arrival of the infidel army. It was on the next day, Friday, 17th Ramazan 2 AH or January 13th 624 AD that the enemy, blowing their trumpets, approached the Muslims, and both forces were arrayed in battle.

Three of the infidel warriors, Utbah, the father-in-law of Abu Sufyan, his brother Shaybah, and Al-Walid son of Utbah came out of the ranks and arrogantly challenged the Muslims. Three Ansars of Medina stepped forward to meet this challenge. This greatly enraged the Meccans who refused to combat with the Ansars saying, "We have not come all this way to cross arms with the Medinites, against whom we bear no grudge. We challenge the people of Mecca who have the courage to defy us." Upon this Ali and Ubaydah, cousins of the Prophet, and Hamzah his uncle, responded to the challenge. In the words of Col. Bodley, "At the taunt of the Quriashite, Ali dashed out of the Muslim ranks glittering in breast-plate and helmet. He was soon followed by Ubaydah bin al-Harith, a paternal cousin of Muhammad and Hamzah who wore an ostrich feather in his Cuirass. The three companions were thus closely related to Muhammad and fulfilled the Quraish for Hashimite (the clan of the Prophet) blood!"

The three duels were as rapid as they were murderous. Hamzah killed Shaybah, While Ali killed Al-Walid. Ubaydah was mortally wounded, but before he fell, Ali and Hamzah were able to come to his rescue. Hamzah hurled himself at Utbah, and with a sweep of his sword cut off his head. In a few minutes three of Mecca's most important warriors had been sent to find out the truth about the hell which Muhammad (S.A.W) had promised them!" Ubaydah was the first martyr at this battle. He died after he lost his leg.

The Battle of Badr,the first battle of Islam - Part 1/3

2009-08-01T00:41:00.002+08:00

SimplyMuqmin will be covering "The Battle of Badr,the first battle of Islam" in 3 parts. Inshallah, here's the first part for you today. :)

The emigration of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) to Medina had turned the enemies from Mecca more hostile, and they constantly kept on thinking how they could overthrow him, and put an end to Islam. The Meccans and their allies started to bring their raids to the very outskirts of Medina, destroying the fruit trees of the Muslims and carrying away their flocks.

The winter of 624 AD saw the invasion of Medina by a strong force of Meccans led by Abu Jahl consisting of all army of 1000 strong with 700 camels and 100 horses.

Receiving information about this force, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) decided to meet the enemy outside Medina at a place called as Badr (200 Miles from Mecca and 80 Miles from Medina). He set out with three hundred and thirteen (313) of his followers. This small force was marshaled out of Medina with the youthful Ali holding the Banner of the Prophet (S.A.W).

The battle of Badr was the most important among the Islamic battles of Destiny. For the first time the followers of the new faith were put into a serious test. Had victory been the lot of the pagan army while the Islamic Forces were still at the beginning of their developments, the faith of Islam could have come to an end.

No one was aware of the importance of the outcome of the Battle as the Prophet (S.A.W.) himself. We might read the depth of his anxiety in his prayer before the beginning of the Battle when he stood up supplicating his Lord:

"God this is Quraish. It has come with all its arrogance and boastfulness, trying to discredit Thy Apostle. God, I ask Thee to humiliate them tomorrow. God, if this Muslim band will perish today, Thou shall not be worshipped."

A womans brain is tied to her tongue!!

2009-07-29T12:29:00.001+08:00

We believe that success is in the hands of Allah SWT and that everything has been written and destined.. but there are actions that we must be doing whilst having Tawakul on Allah SWT

And I shall mention to you what an old lady, that was very wise and greatly loved by her husband to a point where he loved to sing love poetry to her and as they grew old their love and happiness grew with them, said when she was asked about the secret to her enduring happiness.

She Said: Attaining married life happiness is in the hands of the woman, for she can make her house a living heaven or turn it into burning hell.

Dont say money for alot of rich women are miserable and have been deserted by their husbands.

And dont say children for there are alot of women with 10 boys, have husbands insulting them, not loving them and will probably divorce them.

And dont say cooking because alot of them are experts at cooking, the one of them cooks all day and yet complains about the maltreatment of love and lack of respect by her husband.

So what is the secret?

What did you do when problems ocured with your husband?

She said: When my husband gets angry and is in rage I used to resort to respectful silence, beware of silence whilst ridiculing him with your look for men are smart and get it.

Why dont you leave the room?

She said: Never leave the room, he will think you are running away and dont want to listen to him, you must keep silent and agreeing to what he says. Iwould wait for him until he cools down and then I would tell him in a gentle voice: Are you done? then I leave because he will get tired and needs to rest after the rage and shouting, I leave the room to complete my housework and my children chores and I try not to remember his anger and assault on me, he will remain by himself tired from the rage he has given me

What do you then do, do you give him the silent treatment for a few days or a week?

She said: No, never give the silent treatment, its a bad habbit and is a double bladed sword, when you boycott him for a week it would be difficult on him in the beginning and he will try to speak to you but with time he will get used to it so that if you boycott him for a week he will boycott you for too.

You have to make him used to the fact that you are the air he breathes, the water which he drinks and cant live without, be like a gentle breeze and never like a strong wind.

So what do you do afterwards?

After two hours or more, I give him a glass of juice or a cup of coffee and tell him please drink, for he is really in need for it and I talk to him normaly, he will ask me: are you angry? and I say No.

He starts to apologize for his harsh talk and starts sweet talking me.

And you believe his apology and sweet talk?

Ofcourse, because I trust myself and because I am not stupid.

You want me to believe his talk whilst he is in rage and disbelieve it whilst he is calm?

Islam has not approved divorce whilst in rage , and thats divorce! so what about what happened to me?

She was told: What about your dignity?

She said: What dignity?

Your dignity is when you dont believe a harsh word from an angry person. And to believe his talk when he is calm.

I forgive him immediately because I have forgotten all the foul language andrealized the importance of hearing beneficial talk.

And to summarize the above I can say:

The secret to a happy marriage is the woman's brain and that happiness's knot is her tongue.

Series of Events for Ramadan , Singapore

2009-07-29T11:59:00.000+08:00

Dear all,

A series of events have been scheduled till the end of Ramadan in Singapore, Inshallah.
Following info sent by the associations stated. The below events are free admission and require no prior registration. There will be events by other association in ramadhan, insha allah. Will keep you posted as and when I receive info. Insha Allah, may Allah bless ALL our efforts.

*FIM National Day Celebrations
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 09Time: 2 pm (seated by 1.45 pm)
Venue: Sultan Mosque auditorium

The events below are organised by SKML.

1. Isra Meraj – Ramadhan Lecture Series 1
Date: 18th July, 2009 (Saturday)Time: 8.00pm
Venue: Masjid Mujahidin (Stirling Road)
Event: Speech and Tasbih Prayers

2. Nisfu Sha’baanDa
Date: 5th Aug 2009 (Wednesday)
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: Masjid Mujahidin (Stirling Road)
Event: Recitation of Surah Yasin and Supplication

3. Ramadhan Lecture Series II
Date: 8th Aug 2009 (Saturday)
Time: 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Venue: Masjid Darussalam (Clementi)
Event: Ramadhan Speech & Q&A Session in Tamil and English

4. Iftar Session – Ramadhan Lecture Series III
Date: 29th Aug 2009 (Wednesday)
Time: 6.30pmVenue: Masjid Mujahidin (Stirling Road)
Event: Breakfast, Terawih, & Speech

5. Qiyaamul Layl (27th Night) - Ramadhan Lecture Series IV
Date: 16th Sep 2009 (Wednesday)
Time: 8.30pm till Fajr (Thursday)
Venue: Masjid Al Amin (Telok Blangah Way)
Event: Speech & Qiyaamul Layl

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* FIM - Federation of Indian Muslims (if i'm not wrong!)

Ramadan is Coming!!!

2009-07-24T01:33:00.005+08:00

The holy month of Ramadan enjoys a special importance in the Islamic calendar. As the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "It is Allah's Own month." It is the chief of all months and the most glorious one. As we already know, 'Fasting' is one of the important pillars of Islam and it is the very month of Ramadan during which fasting has been made obligatory for all adults and sane Muslims. By fasting during Ramadan, a Muslim besides discharging an obligation imposed upon him by Allah (SWT), becomes entitled to great reward in the Hereafter. On the other hand, any lapse in the matter amounts to a great sin. Fasting is an article of worship, the knowledge about the performance or otherwise whereof rests only with Allah (SWT) and the person concerned. Hence, it is Allah alone who will reward that person for it, on the Day of Judgment.

The blessings of Ramadan are not limited to fasting alone, because the performance of all sorts of worship and good deeds during this month is also a source of great Divine favor. The revelation of the Holy Qur'an commenced during this very month and it is therefore the duty of every Muslim to read and try to understand the meaning of the Holy Qur'an and thereby gain an insight into the Divine secrets enshrined therein. It brings peace and illumination to the mind and imparts purity to the soul.

Ramadan is the month of fasting, intensive prayer, sacrifice and Divine worship. Throughout this month a devout Muslim fasts during the day in the true sense of the word, that is, he had merely denies himself food and water, but as explained by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), exercises strict control over his tongue, eyes, ears, thoughts and deeds and does everything possible to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT).

Devout supplications to Allah (SWT) and repentance of one's sins during Ramadan are the sources of Divine blessings and mercy. Some nights, among the last ten nights of Ramadan, are called the 'Nights of Glory' (Laylatul Qadr). These are the 19th, 21st, and 23rd nights. Muslims keep awake during these nights and offer special prayers. Even among these nights, the 23rd enjoys excellence over all the others. It is accompanied by great blessings, and he usually grants the supplications made to Allah (SWT) during this night.

The holy month of Ramadan, besides being the month of worship and Divine blessings, carries a historical importance as well. As already mentioned above, the revelations of the Holy Qur'an commenced in this month. The epoch-making 'Battle of Badr' and the 'Conquest of Mecca' also took place during the holy month of Ramadan.

"Ramadan", according to some traditions is one of Allah's names. This is why we can not say Ramadan without making it clear that we are talking about the month, and therefore we should always say the month of Ramadan. The Commander of the faithful Ali ibn Abi Taleb (A.S.) said: Do not say Ramadan, but say the month of Ramadan. For you do not know what Ramadan is. This same meaning was referred to by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) in his speech during Shaaban: The month of Allah coming ....

The origins of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 9 of 9

2009-07-21T01:30:00.001+08:00

Assassination of Hadrat Ali (R.A.):

After the battle of Nahrwan the "Khwarij" had gone underground. As a matter of fact they were as much against .Hadrat Ali (R.A.)as they were against Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.). They were still working against the Khilafat and they were greatly disgusted with the civil war that seemed endless.To end this state of affairs, they worked out a dangerous plot. According to them Muslims were divided because of differences between Hadrat Ali and Amir Mu'awiyah. They also disliked 'Amr ibn 'As and considered him as chief planner for Amir Mu'awiyah. They decided, therefore, to assassinate all the three of them. It was planned that the three personalities would be struck at the same time on the same day.Three persons, appointed to assassinate Ali, Mu'awiyah, and 'Amr ibn 'As (R.A.) were Abdur Rehman Muljam, Bark ibn 'Abdullah, and 'Amr ibn Bark respectively. Early hours of the 17th of Ramadan, 40 A.H., was fixed for the assassination.After the Fajr Salat of the 17th Ramadan in :he year 40 A.H. (661 A.D.) the three appointed Kharljis struck the three men.

Amir Mu'awiyah escaped with a scratch, Hadrat Amr ibn 'As did not turn out for the Imamat because he was sick that day, thus was unhurt, but Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was mortally wounded with the poisoned sword of Ibn Muljam. He passed away in the evening of Ramadan 20, 40 A.H.Ibn Muljam was caught by the people after he had struck Hadrat Ali. Hadrat Ali asked the Muslims to slay him if he died. At the same time of his death Hadrat Ali called his sons and advised them to serve Islam and to be good with the Muslims. When somebody asked him should the Muslims take pledge of loyalty at the hands of his elder son, Hadrat Hassan, he replied, "I leave this decision to the Muslims." He also advised people not to kill any person other than the assassin to avenge him.He was sixty three years old at the time of his death and had ruled for four years and nine months as the Khalifah.According to a number of historians his real grave is not known because his son Hadrat Hasan took out his body from the grave after he was buried because of the fear of Kharijis and buried him at an unknown place.

Period of his Khilafat:

The period of Hadrat Ali's Khilafat extending to four years and about nine months, was marked by civil war. His rule was characterised by a series of revolts for the first time in the history of Islam. He was elected as the Khalifah in the most critical period of Islamic history. The martyrdom of Hadrat .Uthman was an extraordinary event about which the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi we Salaam) had already prophesied. Hadrat Ali was in a very difficult situation. On the one hand the assassins and the insurgents were creating endless trouble for him, and on the other hand Banu Umayyah (Uthman's family) fled to Syria and incited Amir Mu'awiyah to stick to his demand for avenging HADRAT Uthman?s assassins. Hadrat Ali faced these problems and difficulties with extraordinary courage and presented before us an exemplary character. He never had full support even from his friends in Kufa but still remained firm in his position.As it has been described before, he could never locate the real assassins of Hadrat Uthman and this could not be achieved until peace was established. Therefore his first task was to create an atmosphere of peace in the state. But the Sabaites (insurgents) never wanted peace. They worked on both sides.

On the one side they made it difficult for Hadrat Ali to find out the assassins, and on the other hand they sent their agents to Syria to incite the people (especially Umayyads) against Hadrat Ali. Their main aim was to let the Muslims fight among themselves so that they might prosper. Although Hadrat Ali knew all this but he was unable to take any firm action because of the civil war.The third problem faced by Hadrat Ali (R.A.)was the Kharijite movement. They were extremists and misled a number of innocent Muslims. They did not hesitate to use sword against persons who do not agree with them. They developed many beliefs foreign to Islam, although they appeared to be very pious but very politically, they were corrupt. Hadrat Ali dealt with them with an iron hand. He realised that if they were not wiped out in the beginning they would mislead future generations. He was successful in destroying their strong hold. However some of them, who escaped, went underground but they were never in a strong position.

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) tried his utmost to unite the Muslims and bring them back on one platform but he was not successful. The tragic death of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) signal for blood shed among the Muslims. The Companions were not to be blamed for it at all. This was caused by anti-Islamic elements in the form of Sabaites, ('Abdullah ibn Saba and his followers). Historical facts bear it out that Abdullah ibn Saba became the greatest enemy of Islam. It was he who shattered the unity of Muslims forever. After completing their mission the Sabaites made a pretence of being Ali?s friends but they never helped him nor the cause of Muslim Unity. No sooner had Hadrat Ali assumed Khilafat than a group of the same miscreant Sabaites who had brought about the cold-blooded assassination of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) began to demand due retribution for the murder of the Khalifah and started to incite Muslims only to create division among them.

Thus they played a double role. A group of them showed themselves as friends of Ali and another group (much smaller than the first) went to Syria and other parts of Islamic State to incite the Muslims against Hadrat Ali (R.A.).Hadrat Ali (R.A.) faced all these problems with courage and never lost heart. He was a man of strong will power and determination and was quite right in his decisions.

Volunteers needed

2009-07-19T02:12:00.001+08:00

Message sent to you follows:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Assalamualaikum Wbt….

Dear Members, On behalf of the volunteers’ www.indiamuslim.com.my Penang.

InsyaALLAH

· We are looking for young and energetic persons who are wiling to serve in the name of Allah.
· You do have to spare only your free time and personal effort. No need of any cash expenditure from your pockets.
· You will benefit by receiving theoretical and practical training on leadership modules under experienced module trainers / consultants.
· Your voluntary work will be for the benefit of the young and needy children, the growing youth and their families, with preference for those from the lower income groups.

For any enquiry you may contact:

En. Rizwan 016-5922010 / riz_rm@hotmail.com
Cik. Zahrana 016-4677475 / zahra85_scorp@yahoo.com
Cik. Roshimi 019-5255020 / ros_kapoor@yahoo.com

Best regards by,
Zahrana Bt. Sheik Abdul Kader
zahra85_scorp@yahoo.com
Secretary, Penang

The origins of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 8 of 9

2009-07-19T02:09:00.002+08:00

Unwillingness to march to Syria:

After the battle at Nahrwan Hadrat Ali (R.A.) wanted to march on to Syria but his men were in no mood for that. They asked for some rest when he was encamping at Nakhila, some miles away from the Capital. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) allowed them to take some rest over there but they started to slip away to their homes, and only a few of them were left with him. Seeing the situation Hadrat Ali was also forced to return to Kufa.After some time Hadrat Ali again asked the Kufis to march on to Syria. He gave a stirring address in the Jami' Masjid of the Capital but the leaders of Kufa did not show any inclination.

Despite many efforts Hadrat Ali was not successful in raising another army against the Syrians.Loss of Egypt:

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) appointed Qais bin Sa'd (R.A.) as the governor of Egypt. He took pledge of loyalty from the Egyptians for Hadrat Ali (R.A.). The inhabitants of the town of Khartaba were not loyal to Hadrat Ali. He left them alone on the condition of a peaceful conduct. Some friends of Hadrat Ali, who were having an eye on the governorship of Egypt, started to doubt loyalty of Qais to Hadrat. They told Hadrat Ali that Qais was more sympathetic to Hadrat Mu'awiyah and must be sacked.When Hadrat Mu'awiyah noticed that the position of Qais was doubtful in the eyes of Hadrat Ali, he declared him as his man. Hearing this Hadrat Ali (R.A.) dismissed him and appointed Muhammad bin Abi Bakr as the governor of Egypt. Muhammad bin Abu Bakr was a young man and was not able to control the Egyptians in a tactful way. He forced the people of Khartaba to pledge loyalty for Hadrat Ali and remained busy with them for a long time. In the meantime the battle of Siffin took place but he was so busy with the internal affairs of Egypt that he could not send any army to help Hadrat Ali (R.A.).

After the battle of Siffin Hadrat Ali appointed Malik bin Ushtar as the governor of Egypt. Ibn Ushtar was a strong man, but he could not join his duty and passed away in the way. Muhammad bin Abi Bakr, therefore, continued as the governor of Egypt.After the award of the arbitration, the Syrians declared Hadrat Mu'awiyah as their Khalifah and took Bai'at on his hands. According to a number of historians, Amir Mu'awiyah did not declare himself as the Khalifah during the life of Hadrat Ali (R.A.). However he tried to extend his control over the Islamic state after the award. The first step was to send his army under the command of Hadrat 'Amr ibn 'As to attack Egypt. Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, the governor of Egypt wrote to Hadrat Ali for help. But before he got any help 'Amr ibn 'As (R.A.) reached Egypt with six thousand men. Ten thousand inhabitants of Khartaba also joined his army.

They easily beat back two thousand men of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr. He himself took shelter in a house but was caught and slain. In 38 A.H. Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) became the master of Egypt. He appointed Hadrat Amir ibn 'As as the governor.

Unrest in Basrah and Iran:

Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (R.A.) was the governor of Basrah controlling the whole of Persia and other parts of the Islamic State in the East. Basrites were pro-Ali but there were Uthmani (pro-Mu'awiyah) elements as well over there. In 38 A.H. Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas went to Kufa to pay a visit to the Khalifah. Abdullah ibn Hadrami, and Uthmani (pro-Mu?awiyah) was in Basrah in those days. In the absence of Ibn Abbas he saw his chance and incited the people to avenge the assassination of Hadrat Uthman.

He got support and was able to raise an army which invaded Basrah. The governor's deputy, Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan, could not face him and fled. Hearing the rising Hadrat Ali sent Jariah ibn Qudamah who belonged to Bani Tamim tribe. He went to Basrah with fifty people and negotiated with Basrites, most of whom were from Bani Tamim tribe. He was successful in his mission and the rebellion was put down. Ibn Hadrami and seventy of his followers shut themselves in a house which was burnt by pro-Ali Basrites.When the people of Eastern Persia and Kirman heard the burning of Ibn Hadrami they refused to pay Kharaj Revenue in protest. However their rising was put down by police action.After consulting with 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (R.A.), Hadrat Ali appointed Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan as the governor of Basrah to control Persia and other Eastern parts of the State.

Pro-Mu'awiyah parties invade various parts:

After the award, Uthmanis tried to create general unrest in the country. During the year 39 A.H. strong parties were set out from Syria. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) tried to stir his friends in Kufa but they would never come out at Ali?s call. Neither they were prepared to fight the Syrians again nor they tried seriously to check the invading parties of Uthmanis.One of such parties went to 'Ain al-tamr under the command of Nu'man ibn Bashir but he was defeated by Ali?s governor, Malik ibn Ka'b. Another party of six thousand men under Sufyan ibn 'Auf went to Ambar and Mada'in (Midian). They killed the officer in charge of Ambar. Hadrat Ali sent Sa'id ibn Auf with an army but they ran away. Another party of three thousand men under Dahak ibn Qais came as fairest as the neighbourhood of Basrah. Hadrat Ali sent four thousand men under Hajar ibn 'Adi. A fight took Place in which 19 Syrians (Uthmanis) were killed. Rest of them ran away in the darkness of the night.In the same year (i.e., 39 A. H.) Had rat 'A ii sent his deputy ibn 'Abbas, to lead Hajj. Amir Mu?awiyah also sent his deputy, Yazid ibn Sanjar to lead the Hajj. A tussle between the two men took place. At the end it was settled that a third person, Shaibah ibn Uthman ibn Abi Talha, would lead the Hajj. In this way Hadrat Ali lost this symbol of Khilafat as well.Hadrat Ali?s hold weakened day by day. His most effective and eloquent speeches could not arouse his friends to action. Each day that passed witnessed the Khalifah growing more and more helpless.A number of other incidents between pro-Mu'awiyans and pro-Alis also took place in the same year the details of which are ignored here.

Loss of Hijaz and Yemen:

Hijaz and Yemen were still under the control of Hadrat Ali (R.A.). In the year 40 A. H., Amir Mu'awiyah sent Busr ibn Abi Artat with three thousand men to Hijaz. First of all he went to Medina. The governor of Medina, Abu Ayyub was not able to check the Syrians and he left for Kufa. Busr took pledge of loyalty from the Medinites forcibly for Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.), and exclaimed, "Had Mu'awiyah not forbidden me, I would not have left a single adult in Medina alive."After taking over Medina, Busr reached Mecca and occupied it unopposed. There too he took the pledge of loyalty from the Meccans for Amir Mu?awiyah forcibly.From Mecca Busr went to Yemen. At that time Hadrat 'Ubaidullah ibn 'Abbas was the governor of Yemen. Hearing of the Syrian army he fled to Kufa. Busr occupied San'a, the capital of Yemen and killed two little sons of Ubaidullah. He also slew a number of Ali?s supporters in Yemen.Hearing the cruelty of Busr Hadrat Ali sent Jariah ibn Qudamah with two thousand men. But before he reached Yemen, Busr fled to Syria.

He also sent Wahb ibn Mas'ud with another two thousand men to Hijaz. Jariah ibn Qudamah, after establishing Ali?s rule in Yemen, was advancing to Mecca. As soon as he reached the Holy city, he received the news of Hadrat Ali?s assassination which ended his campaign.According to Ibn Jarir at the end of the year 40 A.H. a treaty was signed between Amir Mu'awiyah and Hadrat Ali, on the request of Amir Mu'awiyah to avoid blood shed among the Muslims. Under that treaty Syria and Egypt remained under the control of Amir Mu'awiyah and the rest of the state under the control of Hadrat Ali. Thus the conflict between the two parties ended. This civil war which ended to the detriment of Hadrat Ali was the end of Islamic democratic rule.But according to some other historians, no treaty took place between Hadrat Ali and Mu'awiyah. While Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was preparing to attack Syria, (for which he had issued an ordinance compelling each and everyone under him to march to Syria) he was assassinated.

Victories:The civil war did not allow Hadrat Ali (R.A.) to launch Jihad (Holy War) and the Islamic Empire saw no further extension. However some parts of Sistan (near Kabul) were conquered during this period. According to some histories Muslims made a naval attack on Kohan (near Bombay, India) in the year 38 A.H

The origins of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 7 of 9

2009-07-17T19:14:00.003+08:00

(CONTD.....

(iii) Ahl-i-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah:They fully supported Hadrat Ali (R.A.) during his Khilafat. According to them Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) was not right in not accepting Hadrat Ali authority. But they considered that mistake based upon "ljtihad". After all, he was a pious Companion and the sincerity of a Companion must not be questioned. Hadrat Shah Waliullah, in his famous book, Izalar-ul-Khafa writes: Amir Mu'awiyah(R.A.) was an excellent Companion of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi we Salaam).Do not criticise or condemn him otherwise you would be committing a "Haram"(unlawful) act because in a Hadith the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi we Salaam) said: Do not criticise and condemn my Companions. I swear by Allah, Who holds my life, gold equal to mountain Uhud, spent by you for the sake of Allah, cannot be equal even to the handful of grains spent by a Companion. (Abu Da'ud). According to a number of Ahadith, it is forbidden for a Muslim to criticise a Companion.

In a number of Ahadith the virtues of Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.) have been mentioned. Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi we Salaam) prayed for Amir Mu'awiyah as follows: "O Allah, make him a Muslim who would be on Your Guidance and such a Muslim who may guide others." Ibn Sa'd says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi we Salaam) prayed for Amir Mu'awiyah as follows: "O Allah, give him the knowledge of the Book (i.e., the Holy Qur'an)and make him ruler(king) of the countries, and save him from the punishment (of the Hereafter)." Moreover Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) was one of the scribes of the Revelation (i.e., the Holy Qur'an) during the time of the Holy Prophet.It is necessary, therefore, that we must not question his sincerity. Due to political conditions at that time, he was strict in his demand of chastisement of the assassins of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). Most of the historians agree on this point that he did not declare himself a Khalifah during the life of Hadrat Ali although people took Bai'at on his hand.

(iv) The "Khawarij': The Khawarij were more political group than theological. They accepted the authority of Hadrat Abu Bakr and Umar (R.A.) but denounced Hadrat Uthman, Ali, and Mu'awiyah (Rid. A.). They said that the "Hakam" (Arbitrator or Judge for the dispute between Hadrat Ali and Mu'awiyah) was against the principles of Islam. Only Allah had to be obeyed through the Holy Qur'an and not the Hakam. They also formulated a number of other beliefs as well. In the later period of Islamic history this group became almost extinct.

The Kharijite Trouble:

The "Khawarij " set up their centre at Nahrwan and began to preach their cult. Many people gathered around them and they gained sufficient strength. They were very harsh to those who differed from them and regarded such Muslims as rebels against Islam and murdered them. Loyalty to the Khalifah was a great crime in their eyes and they called it "the cult of personality".The Khariljites seemed to be very pious as far as their appearance was concerned. They used to offer long Salats, wore simple dress and were honest in their dealings. But they were misguided in beliefs and killed all those who said that they were the followers of the Khalifah.After the failure of arbitration Hadrat Ali (R.A.) wanted to march to Syria but the Kharijite movement diverted his attention. It was a great danger not only to the Muslim unity but to the Islamic beliefs and practices as a whole. It was an urgent need to wipe out such a movement in its early stage.

Therefore he set out for Nahrwan, the centre of "Khawarij" instead of Syria.Reaching there Hadrat Ali tried to negotiate with them peacefully. He sent some prominent Companions to persuade Khariii leaders but they did not listen to them. Then Hadrat Ali asked them to hand over such people who have murdered innocent Muslims. He told them that he would leave the rest if they handed over the murderers. To this he replied to the Khalifah, "All of us are murderers and we want to murder all of your followers. We would never stop from this."The stage reached when there was no other way than to fight with them. Before declaring war against them Hadrat Ali declared that those who would be loyal to him or those who left Nahrwan and did not fight would be given amnesty.

On his appeal 3000 Kharijites repented and again took Bai'at at his hands. The rest did not move from their position.The battle began. A fierce fight took place. Kharijites fought desperately but were defeated. Most of their leaders were slain. After the battle Hadrat Ali searched the slain body of the man about whom the Holy Prophet had prophesied, and had given some of the signs which were, really the forecast of Khariiite trouble. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) found the body with all the signs told by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi we Salaam) and remarked, The Holy Prophet was very true in his prophecy."

The origins of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 6 of 9

2009-07-12T22:56:00.003+08:00

Verdict of the Arbitrators:

The two arbitrators thought over the matter for six months then met at the frontier town of Dumat-ul-Jandal in Sha'ban, 37 A.H. (Jan. 658). Each of them was having four hundred men with him. The commander of men from Hadrat Ali's side was Shuraih bin Hani, and the Imam Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas. The four hundred men from Mu'awiyah's camp were under Surjil bin Samah. Besides these some neutral Companions like 'Abdullah bin Umar, 'Abdullah bin Zubair, and Sa'd bin Waqqas were also present there.Hadrat 'Amr bin 'As, the judge appointed by Hadrat Mu'awiyah, was a famous statesman and diplomat of Arabia. On the other hand Abu Musa Ash'ari, the judge from Hadrat Ali?s side, was a simple Muslim, unacquainted with diplomatic tactics.

In the beginning a discussion between the two judges took place. A scribe was ordered to write down the points of agreement during the discussion. They reached on the following agreement after a long discussion:--
"All and Mu'awiyah both withdraw their right for the Khilafat. The Muslims should appoint a third person as their Khalifah."According to some historians the discussion was not recorded and the agreement was reached verbally. However they could not reach an agreement on the choice of the most suitable person to be approved as the Khalifah in place of Hadrat Ali or Hadrat Mu'awiyah.

After the agreement Hadrat Amr bin 'As asked Hadrat Abu Musa Ash'ari to make it public by announcing it in the mosque before the Muslims. Hadrat Abu Musa (R.A.) announced: "We have agreed that neither Ali nor Mu'awiyah would be considered as the Khalifah. You may elect any other man you think fit." After this Hadrat Amr bin 'As (R.A.) stood up and said, "I do not consider Ali fit for the Khilafat, but in my opinion Mu'awiyah is fit for it." The statement of Hadrat Amr not only showed the split of opinion between the Arbitrators but also meant one sided decision according to which Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was supposed to lose his power but not Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.).Hearing the statement of Amr ibn As (R.A.) there was a big uproar.

The result of the arbitration was a mere confusion. In this way the arbitration proved to be a futile and the hopes of peace were gone. Both the parties left the place in great disgust. The acceptance of such arbitration, really proved to be disastrous to Ali. Hadrat Ali lost the case before it opened.When Ali (R.A.)heard the result of the arbitration he said, "The judgement is not based upon the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah which was the condition for arbitration.

Therefore it cannot be accepted." He then delivered a lecture in the Jami' Masjid of Kufa and asked the Muslims to prepare to attack Syria.Split in Muslim Community:As soon as the "Khawarii " knew the result of arbitration they again separated and this time rose in an open revolt. A new group was thus created in the history of Islam which proved to be more dangerous than any other group existing before then.As it has been discussed in connection with the assassination of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.), the Muslim community was divided into four main groups viz, Uthmanis, Shi'an-i Ali, Marhabah and Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama'ah. Marhabis were absorbed in other groups.

The remaining three groups were still existing. Now the fourth group of Kharijites ("Khawarij was formed. Before proceeding further let us see the main beliefs of these groups:

(i) Uthmanis: They were now confined to Syria under the banner of Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.). They demanded that until the assassins of Hadrat Uthman were punished or handed over to them, they would not accept the Khilafat of Hadrat Ali. But after the so called judgement of the arbitrators, they totally rejected the Khilafat of Hadrat Ali and took Bai'at (Pledge of Loyalty) at the hand of Amir Mu'awiyah after declaring him as the Khalifah. It would be discussed in more detail later on.

(ii) Shi'an-i Ali (or Shia's): They called themselves as the friends of Ali (R.A.) in the beginning but later on they developed their own beliefs and considered Hadrat Ali as "Wasi" i.e. Administrator of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi we Salaam), and the only fit person for the Khilafat. They not only criticised and condemned Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) but also Umar, Abu Bakr, and Uthman (R.A.) and discarded the authority of the first three Khalifahs. However they did not criticise the first two Khalifahs openly during the time of Hadrat Ali (R.A.). As years passed this group became an exponent of a separate school of thought in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence and they wrote their own books of Hadith, History of Islam and Commentaries of the Holy Qur'an based upon their beliefs. They disagreed with most of the works produced by Sunni Scholars.

(iii) Ahl-i-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah: The majority of the Companions, and Muslims at the time were not only in favour of Hadrat Ali but all the preceding Khalifahs i.e. Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman (R.A.). They believed that the "Right Path" was to follow the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet .(Sallallahu 'alaihi we Salaam) and the traditions of his pious Jama'ah (i.e. all the Companions), especially the first four Khalifahs who set examples to solve various problems according to the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah. This group was in great majority not only at that time but in all the periods of Islamic History.

The origins of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 5 of 9

2009-07-11T13:19:00.002+08:00

The Battle of Siffin:

The above situation forced Hadrat Ali (R.A.) to march out against Syria. In the beginning there was not much response for Hadrat Ali?s call. But when Hadrat Ali explained the position to the Muslims, a large army gathered around Hadrat Ali and 50,000 Muslims came out under his banner to fight the Syrians. When Mu'awiyah (R.A.)came to know about Hadrat Ali's advance, he too proceeded with a vast army and occupied a better position in the field. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) encamped at Siffin, and Amir Mu'awiyah on the other side of Siffin.Hadrat Ali?s intention was not to shed Muslim blood in vain.

He therefore again tried and sent a deputation of three men on peace mission to Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.). Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) again demanded that the assassins of Hadrat Uthman must be slain before any compromise can be reached and that he was demanding this as a "Wall" (next of kin of a murdered person) of Hadrat Uthman. The demand was again refused by Hadrat Ali (R.A.) on the ground that he was not able to locate the real assassins and it would need some time, and that the Pledge of Loyalty must be taken without any condition.In the month of Dhul Hijjah 36 A.H., Hadrat Ali (R.A.) ordered his troops to take positions. But there seemed unwillingness to fight on both the sides. Muslims were facing Muslims. However in the beginning fighting began with single combats followed by light encounters of single battalions.

Thus the whole month of Dhul Hijjah ended without any big fight. When the moon of Muharram appeared Hadrat Ali and Mu'awiyah made a truce for one month. During this time he again got an opportunity for renewed peace talks. Hadrat Ali(R.A.) sent another mission led by 'Adi bin Hatim Tai to Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.). But this time Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) took it as a threat and refused to recognise Hadrat Ali (R.A.) as the Khalifah unless he avenged Hadrat Uthman's assassination. In this way the last attempt proved to be fruitless.On the evening of the last day of Muharram, 37 A.H. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) gave orders to his army to attack the Syrian forces because they had been given enough time to think. The war started the following morning. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) gave strict orders that no person should be killed if he left the field or ran away. Women and old people would be secure. Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) also gave the same order to his army.The war started on Tuesday 1st Safari, 37 A.H. On the first day a battalion of Hadrat Ali?s army, led by Ushtar fought with the Syrians led by Habib bin Muslimah.

On the second day another battalion led by Hashim bin 'Utbah from Hadrat Ali's side fought with the Syrians led by Abul A'war Salama.

On the third day the battalion from Hadrat Ali side was led by Hadrat Ammar bin Yasir and the Syrians were led by 'Amr Bin As (R.A.). During the battle Hadrat Ammar bin Yasir (R.A.) was martyred but no result came out.

The martyrdom of Hadrat 'Ammar bin Yasir, however, proved that Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was right because of the following Hadith mentioned in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and other authentic books of Hadith:

According to this Hadith the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi we Salaam) said, "'Ammar bin Yasir would be killed by a group of rebels." Since Hadrat 'Ammar (R.A.) was fighting in favour of Hadrat Ali, and was killed by the army of Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.), Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was in the right and his opponents were the rebels.For seven days the battle continued in this way. A new battalion used to fight from each side under a new commander. On the 8th day the whole army of Hadrat Ali (R.A.) clashed with that of Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.). A fierce battle was fought but with no end in sight. According to most of the historians, Hadrat 'Ammar bin Yasir was martyred on that day. However no result came out till the evening. The death of Hadrat 'Ammar bin Yasir was a shock to Hadrat Ali (R.A.). The battle went on the whole night. At one time Hadrat Ali reached the tent of Hadrat Mu'awiyah and challenged him to fight personally with him instead of shedding Muslim blood, the winner would be the Khalifah. But Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.)did not accept the challenge because Hadrat Ali was a noted warrior of Arabia.On the second day of the battle Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) was about to lose the battle. But, Amir Mu'awiyah was a shrewd person and had been the governor of Syria from Hadrat Umar's time.

He had with him Hadrat Amr bin 'As (R.A.), the conqueror of Egypt and a recognised statesman of Arabia. Seeing the impending defeat he consulted Hadrat 'Amr bin 'As (R.A.) who advised Amir Mu'awiyah to give orders to the troops of the front ranks to fasten the Holy Qur'an to their lances as a sign that war would cease and that the decision would be referred to the Holy Book.Seeing copies of the Holy Qur'an on lances, Hadrat Ali (R.A.) recognised it as a clever move of the enemy but a good many men of his army did not share his view and stopped fighting. Being helpless he ordered his troops to stop fighting.

Arbitration:

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) sent his envoy to Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.) to find out what he meant by making the Holy Qur'an a judge. Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah told him that he wanted an arbitration through judges, one from his side and the other from Hadrat Ali's side, and that both the parties should abide by the decision of the judge. Had rat Ali accepted it. He tried to make Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas as the arbitrator from his side, but some of his followers objected to it on the ground that he was related to Hadrat Ali. They proposed the name of Hadrat Musa Ash'ari (R.A.). Hadrat Ali accepted their proposal and he was appointed as the arbitrator of Ali's (R.A.) side. Hadrat Mu'awiyah appointed 'Amr bin 'As (R.A.) as the arbitrator from his side, and none of his followers questioned his choice although he was related to Amir Mu'awiyah. This shows that the followers of Hadrat Mu'awiyah were more united than the followers of Hadrat Ali. There were many Sabaites in Hadrat Ali?s camp and they were the real cause of such differences.

Whenever they saw the Muslims uniting they tried to create confusion with the aim of disuniting them.In case the two arbitrators could not come to an agreement, the decision was to lie with eight hundred men (four hundred from Hadrat Ali?s camp and four hundred from Hadrat Mu'awiyah camp) and it would be settled by the majority. A place named Dumat-ul-Jandal, in between Syria and Iraq, was proposed for the talks. Both the judges with 800 would go there to finalise their award by the month of Ramadan, and to make it public. A temporary agreement was signed on 13th Safari, 37 A.H. between Hadrat Ali and Hadrat Mu'awiyah. The two armies then left for their homes leaving about 90,000 men dead in the field of Siffin, which number exceeded the total Muslim casualties in all the Islamic battles against the non-Muslims by the time.

"Khawarij" or Dissenters:

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) who was almost winning the battle against Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) marched back from Siffin with a sense of loss. There was a tremendous loss of Muslim lives in Siffin. Never before in the history of Islam had the loss of Muslim blood been so heavy. Hadrat Ali after all wanted a peaceful solution, although the price was heavy.When Hadrat Ali announced the agreement before his troops, formed of various tribes. Two brothers of the Tribe of 'Anza stood up and opposed appointment of Arbitrator ("Hakam" or Judge) between the two parties for Allah's commandments were with them in the form of the Holy Qur'an which is the best "Hakam". Other people also followed this example and a good many people were against the arbitration. According to them the Arbitration was against the spirit of Islam. Some of these men requested Hadrat Ali to throw away the agreement but he said, "I did not want any agreement at that stage but you forced me to do so. When 1 gave my word of honour, you are forcing me to give them up. I would never do it." The followers of Hadrat Ali split into two groups.

One group stood by the agreement while for the other the arbitration was un-lslamic.The second group, which was opposing arbitration, was known as Kharijites ("Khawarij" in Arabic). By the time Hadrat Ali returned to Kufa, their number reached 12,000. They did not stay with other Muslims in Kufa; instead, they encamped at Harorah and appointed Sheith bin Rabi'i as their commander-in-chief, and 'Abdullah bin Kawa as their Imam to lead Salats.

They announced their policy which was as follows:

"The Bai'at (Pledge of Loyalty) is only for Allah, and He alone is to be obeyed. To spread good and forbid evil according to the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah is our foremost duty. There exists neither a Khalifah nor an Amir. Both Ali and Mu'awiyah are in error. Mu'awiyah in error because he did not accept Ali while Ali is in error because he agreed on arbitration. After gaining power, we will set up a social order based on Allah's Book (i.e. the Holy Qur'an)."Ali (R.A.) sends his emissary to "Khawarij":After returning to Kufa Hadrat Ali sent 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas to remove the misunderstanding of the Khawarll (Dissenters). Instead of returning to the right belief, they started a lengthy argument with him. Seeing this Hadrat Ali himself went to them. He gave them all the assurances that the arbitration would only be accepted if it was based upon the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah. He was successful in his efforts after a great difficulty, and the "Khawarij joined him again temporarily.

The origins of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 4 of 9

2009-07-08T13:08:00.002+08:00

The Battle of Camel (Jamal):

Soon a full scale war started. Hundreds of Muslims fell on each side. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was greatly pained at the situation. He tried to stop the battle but the battle had already flared up.In the dawn the troops of Hadrat 'Aisha (R.A.) apprised her of the situation and suggested that she should mount on a camel in Hijab (Pardah) so that the situation might ease. But it worked the other way and Basrites thought tfiat Hadrat Aisha came in the field to fight with them.

During the fight Hadrat Ali reminded Talha and Zubair(R.A.) the words of the Holy Prophet:

"One day you (Talha and Zubair) will fight Ali wrongly." They remembered the saying and left the battlefield but when Talha was leaving the field somebody rained arrows on him and he was killed.When the fight did not come to an end Hadrat Ali (R.A.) ordered one of his men to cut the hind legs of the camel on which Hadrat 'Aisha was mounting in a "howdah". The order of Hadrat Ali was carried out and the camel fell on its forelegs. Hadrat 'Aisha was taken out of the "howdah" with due respect. The battle came to an end in favour of Hadrat Ali (R.A.). Hadrat Aisha (R.A.) was sent with due respect to Medina escorted by her own brother, Muhammad bin Abi Bakr. In this battle about ten thousand Muslims on both sides lost their lives. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) felt deeply moved because of the loss of Muslim blood. Hadrat Zubair who had already left the field after remembering the Holy Prophet's saying was going to Mecca. He stopped in a valley to perform his Salat, but was slain by a man, named Amr bin Jarmoz while he was busy in his Salat.

When Hadrat Ali came to know, he rebuked the murderer by saying: "I have seen him fight for the Prophet of Allah several times. I give the murderer the news of hell-fire."After the battle he took pledge of loyalty from the people of Basrah and appointed Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas as the governor of Basrah. He gave general amnesty to all those who fought against him including Marwan bin Hakam and other persons of Banu Umayyah family. The address which Hadrat Ali (R.A.) gave at Jami' Mosque of Basrah before the Bai'at (pledge of loyalty) moved the Muslims, and they were convinced that Ali (R.A.) was a just Khalifah.

Change of Capital:

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was very much grieved on seeing the disrespect of the "Haram" (Forbidden Place) of Medina when the insurgents laid siege to the late Khalifah's house and then assassinated him. He wanted to change the Capital to save Medina from future political disturbance. After staying for a few days at Basrah, Hadrat Ali (R.A.) went to Kufa. There he was given a warm welcome. He got more supporters at Kufa and thought it to be a more suitable place as the Capital of his Khilafat. Therefore in Rajab 36 A.H., he decided to transfer the capital from Medina to Kufa.

Hadrat Ali's Final Invitation to Hadrat Mu'awiyah:

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) now turned his attention towards Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.). He was then ruling over the whole Islamic State with the exception of Syria. The peace minded Hadrat Ali (R.A.) wanted a peaceful settlement. He, therefore, wrote a letter to Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.) asking him to take pledge of loyalty at his hand in the interest of Islam and the unity of the Muslims. But Hadrat Mu'awiyah again demanded of him to avenge Hadrat Uthman's assassins first.The show of Hadrat Uthman's blood-stained shirt and the chopped-off fingers of his wife, Hadrat Nailah, was still going on in the Jami' Masjid of Damascus. The powerful Syrians had rallied round Hadrat Mu'awiyah. On the other hand Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was still unable to overcome the insurgents. When Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah's messenger came to Hadrat Ali to put the demand to hand over the assassins, 10,000 men of Hadrat Ali's army said with one voice: "All of us are the assassins of Uthman (R.A.)." Hadrat Ali (R.A.) then said to the messengers, Hadrat Muslimah, "You can see for yourself the situation. I am still unable to find out the real assassins." But Hadrat Mu'awiyah was determined not to give up his demand. Hadrat Ali (R.A.), finding no other way, was compelled to declare war against Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.).

Dr Zakir Naik will be in Singapore!

2009-07-06T01:11:00.003+08:00

Dr Zakir Naik will be in Singapore!

"Is Islam The Solution for Humanity?"

When: Saturday, July 18
Where: Suntec City Exhibition Hall 404, Level 4
Time: 8:00pm.
End Time: 11:00pm
Lecture Host: People of Darul Arqam Singapore

"Purpose of Life"

When: Sunday, July 19
Where: Darul Arqam, 32, Onan Road,Singapore
Time: 09:30a.m.
[ Strictly for ladies only ]

The origin of Shia/Sunni division - Part 3 of 9

2009-07-05T20:25:00.002+08:00

Hadrat Aisha's demand for chastisement of assassins:

While Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was preparing for war against Amir Mu'awiyah another difficulty arose. After the assassination of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) some members of his family went to Hadrat Aisha (R.A.) who was in Mecca to perform the Hajj. They and a number of Medinites informed her about the tragedy while she was on her way from Mecca to Medina after the Hajj. Hearing the news of assassination of Hadrat Uthman she returned to Mecca and appealed to the people over there to avenge the death of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). Hundreds of people including the governor of Mecca came out at 'Aisha's call. The governor of Yemen, Ya'la bin Munabbah also joined her in Mecca. Among Banu Ummayyads who joined Hadrat Aisha in Mecca were Sa'id bin As, Walid bin Uqbah and Marwan bin Hakam.

In the meantime Hadrat Talha and Zubair (R.A.) demanded Hadrat Ali to punish the assassins. He told them, "Please wait. I will do my duty as soon as conditions allow me." Hadrat Talha and Zubair were not satisfied with Hadrat Ali?s reply and left Medina for Mecca to join Hadrat Aisha (R.A.). They had not correctly assessed the delicate situation in Medina. The city was not free from the grip of Sabaites and there was a general feeling against Umayyads in the public. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was anxious to restore peace first so that the assassins could be punished.In Mecca Hadrat Aisha (R.A.) started to march to Medina at the head of about two thousand men with the object of dealing with the assassins. Hadrat Abdullah bin Zubair was also there. They also asked him to join but he declined to do so and remained neutral.When Hadrat Aisha was about to march to Medina, proposals came to visit Basrah first to collect more supporters. She decided to go to Basrah.

Hadrat Aisha goes to Basrah:While Hadrat 'Aisha was on her way to Basrah more people joined her in the way. By the time she reached Basrah, there were three thousand men under her flag.The governor of Basrah, Uthman bin Hanif (appointed by Hadrat 'All), sent some men to find out the object of her visit. She and other Muslims told them that they wanted to tell people of their duty towards the late Khalifah so that proper action would be taken to punish the assassins. The messenger of the governor asked Hadrat Talha and Zubair for what reason they were breaking the Bai'at on the hands of Hadrat Ali. They told them that the pledge (Bai'at) was taken from them at the point of sword, and that they would have kept the pledge if Hadrat Ali had avenged Uthman's assassination.The governor of Basra decided not to allow them to enter the city till he got help from Hadrat Ali. He called a public meeting and asked people to fight against them.

In the meeting some people favoured the governor while some of them supported Hadrat 'Aisha, Talha and Zubair. The supporters of Hadrat Ali (R.A.) and the governor came out to fight.

Hadrat Aisha takes over Basra:

Hadrat 'Aisha gave a stirring speech before the Muslims. It was so impressive that half of the supporters of the governor left him and joined Hadrat 'Aisha. Seeing this she tried to settle the matter peacefully instead of fighting. But there were same agents of Abdullah bin Saba (Sabaites) specially his famous disciple, Hakim bin Hublah, who did not allow any settlement. He attacked Hadrat Aisha's army before the governor gave him permission to do so.The fight took place but no result came out till the evening. In the meantime the governor got instructions from Hadrat Ali to resist Hadrat Aisha's army if they did not agree to pledge loyalty to him. Then a furious battle took place in which Uthman bin Hanif, the governor, was defeated and captured.Hakim bin Hublah and some of his followers were killed, and Basra was occupied by Hadrat Aisha and her supporters.

March to Basrah:

The capture of Basrah by Hadrat Aisha (R.A.) made the situation very grave. The Islamic state was really on the verge of serious civil war. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) never wanted to start war against the Muslims but the internal situation at that time compelled him to do so. War was unavoidable.The Khalifah, therefore, postponed his march to Syria for the time being in order to set things right in Iraq. He decided to march on to Basrah. A number of Ansar and other Companions were not in favour of Hadrat Ali (R.A.) leaving Medina, instead they asked him to send his army. When Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was leaving Medina, Abdullah bin Salam (R.A.) took hold of his camel and said, "0 Amirul-Mu'minin (Leader of the believers) don't leave Medina. If you leave it at this moment, you would never come back and the Capital would be changed." But he decided to go ahead with his mission because of the seriousness of the situation.Some of the Companions remained neutral and did not join Hadrat Ali (R.A.) even though he asked them to do so. Among such persons were: Abdullah bin Umar, Muhammad bin Muslimah, Sa'd bin Waqqas and Usamah bin Zaid (R.A.)Hadrat Ali started for Basrah towards the end of Rabi'ul Awwal, 36 (A. H.) i.e. Nov. 656 A.D. Abdullah bin Saba and his followers were accompanying Hadrat Ali.Help from Basrah:Hadrat Ali (R.A.) asked Abu Musa Ash'ari to send help but he got no response because Hadrat Abu Musa (R.A.) dreaded a civil war.

Therefore Hadrat Ali (R.A.) sent his eldest son, Hasan (R.A.) to Kufa who addressed the people and pleaded for Ali (R.A.). The people were stirred on the appeal and about nine thousand men marched on to join Ali (R.A.).Ali (R.A.) seeks peace:Hadrat Ali (R.A.) assured all the people accompanying him that he would try his best to avoid blood-shed and to set the things right peacefully. On reaching Dhi Oar, a place near Basrah, Hadrat Ali, with his characteristic aversion to blood-shed sent his cousin 'Abdullah bin Abbas and Qa'qa bin Amr (R.A.) to negotiate peacefully with Hadrat 'Aisha, Talha, and Zubair (Rid. A.) who were preparing to face Hadrat Ali (R.A.) with a big army.The messengers of Hadrat Ali (R.A.) assured Hadrat 'Aisha, Talha, and Zubair (Rid. A.) that Hadrat Ali would avenge the assassins of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) as soon as peace was established in the state. Hearing this they were satisfied and there were hopes for a peaceful settlement.But in the army of Ali (R.A.) there were Abdullah bin Saba and his henchmen to whom peace was fatal.

At the possibility of peaceful settlement they were much disturbed. They met in a secret council and whispered to each other that Ali (R.A.)was prepared to avenge the death of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). They were determined to make the peaceful settlement a total failure. They sent their agents to Basrah to incite the Muslims population by saying that if Ali (R.A.) entered Basrah he would enslave all the inhabitants and would kill all the youths. The Basrites, therefore, must check and fight him back.Hadrat Ali (R.A.) hoping for a peaceful settlement, marched towards Basrah to talk personally with Hadrat Talha and Zubair (R.A.). The two armies were facing each other. Hadrat Ali gave an address to Basrites in which he said, "I am but your brother........I will avenge Uthman's assassins," Hadrat Talha, Zubair and Basrites were fully satisfied with what Hadrat Ali (R.A.) told them. Ali (R.A.) also returned to his camp very satisfied. He gave strict orders to his men not to fight in any case, and prayed all the night to Allah.

But Ibn Saba and his henchmen had planned otherwise. In the darkness of night they made a sudden attack on Hadrat 'Aisha's army. Hadrat Talha and Zubair were startled by the sudden attack and said that Ali (R.A.)could not desist from shedding Muslim blood and he has ordered a night attack. On the other hand Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was shocked when he was told by Sabaites that Talha and Zubair had taken them by surprise. He also remarked in the same way that they did not stop from taking the blood of Muslims. According to Tabari the following Sabaites were the leaders behind this plan: Ashtar Nakh'i Ibn Sauda, Khalid bin Muljam, Alba bin Haitham and Shuraib bin Aufa. Ibn Saba was the ring leader.

The origin of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 2 of 9

2009-07-02T01:14:00.002+08:00

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was a very straight-forward man who considered the "Khilafat" (Caliphate) as a great trust. His aim was to establish peace in the State which should be the first aim of every good ruler in such a place where certain elements try to destroy the order. According to leading Islamic Jurists it is quite right for a Muslim ruler to delay the cases of murder etc. in order to establish peace in an Islamic State (as mentioned by Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi in his book "Ahkam-ul-Qur'an'. Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was quite right in his decision to tackle the assassins on restoration of normally. The Majority of the Muslims, specially Ahli Sunnah wal- Jama'ah had agreed with him on this point.

The events which took place during the caliphate of Hadrat Ali in the form of various battles will be discussed in the light of the above facts.

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) seeks to ascertain the names of Hadrat Uthman assassins:

After assuming office, Hadrat Ali (R.A.) tried to find out the assassins of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). He called Marwan bin al-Hakm, the chief secretary of Hadrat Uthman, who was present, in the house at the time of assassination, but he had already left for Damascus along with a number of Banu Umayyads.

The only other witness was Hadrat Nailah, wife of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). But she was a housewife who used to live under "Hijab" (Pardah / Burkha) in accordance with Islamic custom and as such she could not tell the names of the persons present at that time except the-features of some of them. She could only name Muhammad bin Abi Bakr who had entered the house but as stated before he had left the house before Hadrat Uthman assassination. Moreover Muhammad bin Abi Bakr took an oath (in accordance to Islamic Law) that he was not an assassin and he had left the house as soon as Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) recognised him and said, "0 my dear nephew, if your father (Abu Bakr) were alive you would have not committed this." Hadrat Nailah gave her evidence in favour of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr and had confirmed that he was not one of the assassins. In spite of his efforts Hadrat Ali could not locate the assassins.

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) dismisses the governors:

In the opinion of Hadrat Ali (R.A.) the governors appointed by Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) were basically responsible for all the events. They did not pay much attention to check the subversive activities of the insurgents. So he dismissed all the governors appointed by Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). Some of the Companions did not agree with Hadrat Ali (R.A.) on this. Among such persons were Hadrat Mughirah bin Shu'bah and Hadrat Ibn Abbas (R.A.). They advised Hadrat Ali not to take such a hasty action. According to them it was not wise to dismiss them unless they pledged loyalty to Hadrat Ali, because Uthman's assassination could be an easy excuse for them to refuse the pledge of loyalty to Hadrat Ali's. Hadrat Ali did not listen to their advice because he believed that expediency should not be the guiding factor. Hadrat Mughirah bin Shu'bah (R.A.) was totally against Ali's action. He left Medina and went to Mecca.

He appointed Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas as the governor of Yemen; Uthman bin Hanif as the governor of Basrah; Ammarah bin Hassan of Kufa, and Qais as the governor of Egypt. Hadrat Sahl Bin Hanif was asked to take charge of governorship of Syria from Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.).

When the governors went to take charge they were faced with difficulties. Egypt was one of the provinces in favour of Ali (R.A.)but when the new governor, Qais reached there the public was divided in three groups. Some of them accepted him but others demanded that the assassins must be punished first. There was a third group, belonging to Sabaites and the insurgents, who demanded that the assassins must not be punished in any case. Same difficulty was faced by the newly appointed governor of Basrah. A group of people was in favour of the insurgents while the other was against them. While the governor of Kufa was on his way a spokesman of Kufis came and asked him to return to Medina because they did not want to change their governor Hadrat Musa Ash'ari (R.A.) in any case.

So Hadrat Ammarah bin Hassan(R.A.), the governor designate, returned to Medina. The new governor of Yemen, Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas did not face any difficulty because Ya'la, the old governor had already left Kufa for Mecca before Hadrat Ibn Abbas reached there. When Hadrat Sahl bin Hanif, the governor designate of Syria, reached Tabuk (the out-post of Syria), Amir Mu'awiyah's cavalry men stopped him from proceeding any further and asked him to go back to Medina. Thus Kufa and Syria were the two provinces which had openly flouted Hadrat Ali's authority.

Hadrat Ali sent his special messengers to Kufa and Syria. The governor of Kufa, Hadrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (R.A.) sent a satisfactory reply and assured Hadrat Ali of his loyalty to him. Not only this he also wrote to him that he had already taken pledge of loyalty for him from the people of Kufa.

The case of Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.) was entirely different.

Hadrat Amir Muawiyah's demand for assassins:

After the assassination of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) his family except his wife Nailah, reached Damascus and told Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) the details. They also carried with them the blood stained shirt of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) and the chopped off fingers of his wife Hadrat Nailah. Amir Mu'awiyah, a kinsman of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was shocked on hearing the news, and when it was made public, all the Muslims of Syria were greatly perturbed. Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) was a great statesman and was in Syria for about 20 years. He hung the blood stained shirt and the chopped off fingers of Hadrat Uthman's wife on the "Mimber" (pulpit) of the Jami' Mosque of Damascus because of which the Syrian Muslims got inflamed. This was the situation of Syria when Sahl bin Hanif, the governor designate of Syria was forced to return to Medina from Tabuk.

On receiving the special messenger from Hadrat Ali, Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) did not reply for about three months and detained the messenger. Then he sent his own messenger to Hadrat Ali (R.A.) in Rabi'ul Awwal, 36 A.H. The messenger handed over the letter to Hadrat Ali addressed as "From Mu'awiyah to Ali". When the letter was opened it was a blank paper on which only "Bismilla-Hir-rahmanir Rahim "(In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful) was written.

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was amazed to see the letter, which was in fact, an insult to the office of the "Khalifah". The messenger also told Ali (R.A.) that 50,000 sheikhs of Syria were bemoaning the death of Hadrat Uthman and were determined to fight until the assassins were handed over to them. Hadrat Ali replied, "O Allah! You know it well that I am free from any charge of Uthman's assassination. I swear by Allah that the assassins have escaped . "

The Sabaites pretending to be friends of Hadrat Ali, tried to create another disturbance by trying to kill the messenger, but Hadrat Ali (R.A.) did not allow it. However exchange of hot words took place between them and the messenger.

Amir Mu'awiyah's reply was a clear indication of his intention. The matter was not going to be settled without force. Therefore Hadrat Ali decided to use force against Mu'awiyah (R.A.) and started preparations for it. Hadrat Ali's elder son, Imam Hasan (R.A.) was a man of rather mild temper. He requested his father to give up the Khilafat and not to think of fighting against Muslims (i.e., to start a civil war). But there was no other way and Hadrat Ali (R.A.) had to handle the situation with an iron hand in order to keep the provinces under the centre as they were since the time of Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.).

This was the first time in the history of Islam when the Muslims were preparing to fight against each other. As a Khalifah Hadrat Ali was quite right in his decision. Not to pledge loyalty was an open revolt against his authority and he had to deal boldly with any type of internal rebellion. Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.), as a matter of fact, was over-excited on the tragic assassination. The family of Uthman (R.A.) which had reached there after the assassination was also a cause of this attitude. Moreover some of the Sabaites, whose only aim was to divide the Muslim community, had reached Syria and incited the Muslims against Hadrat Ali.

They were playing double role. On the one side a group of them was with Hadrat Ali (R.A.) to stir him up against Mu'awiyah; (R.A.), while on the other side some of them went to Syria only to inflame the feelings of Muslims over there. Under such conditions Mu'awiyah (R.A.) had no alternative but to insist upon his demand for punishment of the assassins before pledging loyalty to Hadrat Ali (R.A.).

The origin of the Shia/Sunni division - Part 1 of 9

2009-07-01T00:18:00.002+08:00

Pledge of loyalty (Bai'at) to the former Khalifahs:

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) had taken pledge of loyalty on the hands of all the three past Khalifahs. However he was late in taking pledge at the hand of Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.).
The reason why he was late in taking pledge on the hands of Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) was the serious illness of his beloved wife, Hadrat Fatima (R.A.) and that he was busy in collection of the Holy Qur'an. It is mentioned in the famous history book, Tabaqat ibn Sa'd: When Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) enquired of Ali (R.A.) why he was so late in taking pledge of loyalty and whether he disliked his "Khilafat", Ali (R.A.) replied, "I do not dislike your leadership but the fact is that I had taken an oath after the death of the Holy Prophet not to put on my sheet (i.e. not to engage in any work) except for performing Salat until I have collected all the parts of the Holy Qur'an." The Hadrat Ali (R.A.) took pledge of loyalty on the hand of Abu Bakr and helped him throughout his Khilafat. He was very active during the time of Hadrat Umar and also married his daughter, Umm-i-Kulthum to him. In the matter of Hadrat Uthman's election he voted in his favour as has been mentioned before.

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) was one of the very important members of "Shura" (Advisory Council) during the time of the first three Khalifahs. He was also the great jurist (Mufti) of Medina during the time of past Khalifahs. He was among the panel of six persons who had to select the Khalifah amongst themselves after Hadrat Umar (R.A.). Hadrat Uthman had great regard for him and consulted him in all the matters. His sons were the main guards at Uthman's residence when the rebels laid siege to his house.
Thus we conclude that Hadrat Ali (R.A.) gave his fullest possible support to all of his predecessors.

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) as the fourth Khalifah:

The insurgents' shameful act of assassination of the Khalifah could never have been imagined by Hadrat Ali or any other eminent Companion at Medina. It came as a total surprise to Hadrat Ali (R.A.) whose two sons, Hasan and Husain (R.A.) were guarding the gate of Uthman's residence. The insurgents after climbing the back wall of the residence had assassinated the Khalifah. The assassination of Hadrat Uthman was really due to creation of faction among the Muslim Community which was the goal of Abdullah Bin Saba and his followers (the insurgents), and they achieved it.

After the assassination of Hadrat Uthman, the insurgents virtually controlled the Capital, Medina for several days. The Muslims were frightened and sat behind closed doors. After the assassination of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) an unprecedented calamity had fallen on the Muslims and for three days, Medina was without any government.

Afterwards the insurgents approached Hadrat Ali (R.A.) to be the Khalifah. Egyptians led by Ibn Saba and Ghafqi were the main group of insurgents behind the proposal for the Khilafat of Hadrat Ali (R.A.) Hadrat Ali first declined to bear the responsibility of this great office. But the insurgents pressed him to accept it. As a matter of fact Hadrat Ali wanted to approach Hadrat Talha and Hadrat Zubair (R.A.) who were included in the panel of the six persons appointed by Hadrat Umar (R.A.) to select a Khalifah. He wanted to take pledge of loyalty (Bai'at) at the hands of any of these two gentlemen. But at the end, pressed by the threats of the regicides he decided to put the matter before Muslim public in the Mosque of the Holy Prophet(Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam). Most of the Companions in Medina considered him, to be the fittest person for "Khilafat" after Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). He then agreed to take the responsibility and gave his consent.

On 21st Dhul-Hijjah 35 A.H. pledge of loyalty took place at the hands of Hadrat Ali (R.A). First of all the leading insurgents took the pledge of loyalty on his hands, followed by the general public, at Medina. Hadrat Talha and Zubair (R.A.) did not want to take a pledge (Bai'at) until the case of Hadrat Uthman assassination was decided. Before that Hadrat Ali had offered the office of Khilafat to both of them but they had declined. However under the threats of insurgents they took the pledge of loyalty at Hadrat Ali's hands, on the condition: "You (i.e.: Ali) have to decide matters according to the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah (ways of the Holy Prophet) and would punish the guilty according to Islamic Law."

Hadrat Ali (R.A.) agreed to their conditions. Hadrat Sa'd bin Waqqas said that he would take pledge when all the Muslims had done so. Following Companions did not take pledge at the hands of Hadrat Ali (R.A.): Muhammad bin Muslimah, Usamah bin Zaid, Hassan bin Thabit. Ka'b bin Malik, Abu Sa'id Khudri, Nu'man bin Bashir, Zaid bin Thabit, Mughirah bin Shu'bah and 'Abdullah bin Salam. Most of the members of Banu Umayyah (Uthman's family) also did not take pledge of loyalty at Hadrat Ali's hands. Some of such persons who did not take Bai'at went to Syria.

However the majority of the Muslims in Medina took pledge at the hands of Hadrat Ali. According to "Ahli Sunnah wal Jama'ah", Hadrat Ali was the most suitable and the fittest person for Khilafat after Hadrat Uthman (R.A.). If some of the Companions did not take pledge on his hands, because of the political situation of that time, it did not mean that his Khilafat was not accepted by the Muslim majority. Besides Hadrat Ali (R.A.) nobody including Hadrat Mu'awiyah (R.A.) claimed to be the Khalifah at that time. The difference between them was the question of punishment to the assassins, which took the shape of various battles. As it would be seen afterwards Hadrat Amir Mu'awiyah (R.A.) declared his Khilafat only after the death of Hadrat Ali (R.A.). Hadrat Ali was declared to be the Khalifah not only by the insurgents but by the Muslim public as well including the leading Ansar (Helpers) and Muhajirin (Emigrants). This could also be noticed with the fact that in the first battle which took place between Hadrat Ali and Hadrat 'Aisha (and her group) about 800 of those Companions who had participated in the Treaty of Hudaibiyah were with Hadrat Ali besides other Companions. As a matter of fact Hadrat Ali was the most popular figure at that time and was the most appropriate person to be the fourth caliph.

Disobedience of Abdullah bin Saba and other Sabaites:

On his third day as the Khalifah, Hadrat Ali asked all the Sabaites (insurgents) to return to their places. Some of them started to go back but a party headed by Abdullah bin Saba did not obey the Khalifah pretending all the while to be his friends. In the history of Islam this was the first incident of disobedience of a Khalifah. Their aim was to be with him in order to create mischief as it would be observed later.

Hadrat Ali (R.A.), faced a very difficult situation. His three main problems were:

(i) To establish peace in the State and to set right the deteriorating political situation.

(ii) To take action against the assassins of Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) who had gone underground after he took the office. Actually some of them were among the persons who requested Hadrat Ali (R.A.) to take office of the Khilafat, but neither he nor any other Muslim at that time knew the real assassins. It was the hardest job at that time to find out the real assassins because the persons who recognised them had already left Medina, and those among the Sabaites, who were present there did not tell Hadrat Ali the truth. All of the Sabaites told Ali (R.A.) that they did not want to assassinate Hadrat Uthman, that was done only by some of the wicked persons whom they did not recognise. Some time, therefore, was required to investigate the matter and that was possible only after peaceful atmosphere was restored in the state which, unfortunately, never occurred during the caliphate of Hadrat Ali as the situation continued to worsen.

(iii) The third problem was the attitude to be adopted towards those Companions (R.A.) who would not pledge loyalty at the hands of Hadrat Ali unless he either handed over the assassins to them or punish them according to Islamic Law. Though we cannot criticise the sincerity of their intention but in fairness to Ali, it has to be said that it was rather an impossible job for Ali (R.A.)to fulfil their demands immediately in that situation.

The origins of the Shia/Sunni division.

2009-07-01T00:14:00.002+08:00

Salaam. The segregation of muslims into Shia and Sunni has creation alot of misconceptions about Islam. Thus, the concept of unity and brotherhood of Islam has also been diluted. Moreover, due to the misconceptions and improper guidances, Muslims have started fighting amongst each other.

Simplymuqmin feels that it would be most important to discuss the origins of this division. It will be covered in 9 parts.

Today, part 1 of 9 will be covered. Please keep visiting us to read up all the 9 parts.Inshallah

Wasalaam

Fun Walk at the Henderson Waves

2009-06-13T16:11:00.002+08:00

This event will be held in Singapore on Sun 28th June 2009. Following are the details i received from the organiser , Yasmin Begum, via Email. Kindly Contact her for any further details. Her contacts are intact.

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Salam everybody,

Our new initiative is a fitness walk for your family on Sun 28 June 09 at 7 am, insha allah. Read on to find out more!

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Masjid Al Amin cordially invites you and your entire family for a fun-filled morning with us on Sun, 28 June 2009 at 7.00 am, Insha Allah.

Let us get together on this wonderful morning to learn about what our Beloved Prophet s.a.w. taught us about keeping healthy and taking care of our bodies in dunya, do a healthy walk along the Henderson Waves, and spend some time with our loved ones.

There will be a special healthy breakfast, as well as attractive goodie bags. So, make a date and register soon!

To register, reply to this email or sms me at 93653774.

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The programme

7.00 am - Registration and Temperature Taking

7.15 am - Short special sharing by Moulana

7.30 am - Transfer to HortPark entrance

- Warm Up sessions led by guest trainers

- Fun Walk begins!

- Break at Henderson Waves for short sharing on nature

- Walk back to Masjid Al Amin through Telok Blangah Hill Park

9.00 am - Breakfast and Goodie Bag collection

The whole walk is achievable and be rest assured that it is stroller and elderly friendly. There will be helpers to assist as well. Insha Allah, we will cater to the necessary first aid arrangements to the best of our abilities. However, similar to all fitness events, it is every participant's responsibility to be well prepared for the fitness walk, be properly attired and to take care of their children and belongings.

We will keep you updated on any changes. Hope to see you and your loved ones there!

Wassalam

Yasmin

For Islam.By Muslims.

Marriage - The union of two souls amidst all tests and challenges

Auspicious days for making your supplication

Here I go again..

I'm just taking a peek at you!

The Honest Gardener

Friends of Allah

Quoting and Creating Animosity

Knowledge of Religion

A trait of hypocrisy

A very useful article for the Muslim sisters who might not be in perfect 'condition' to perform ibadah.

A critical approach to studying Muslim revival movements

Inner Dimensions of Fasting

How our ancestors observed the fast.

Virtues of Ramadan

Your Ramadan Checklist

Does the Quran say that all Kafirs should be killed?

Sleep Sleep....

Heylo!!

An amazing relationship

A beautiful gift

The benefit of remembering other people in your Doa

The Wives are your garments [ Surah Al Baqarah excerpt ]

The Value of Friendship

Salaam brothers and sisters!

A Disbeliever's Death

Obligations Muslim Owe to Quran

Allah is the most forgiving. =)

Islam and Love

The effect of saying Allah..

Allah is Simply great ..isnt HE?

The Husband as the Ruler.

Five reasons why Allah uses problems

The Wedding of Fatimah (r.a.)

SURAH IKHLAAS

Pointers on Choosing Marriage Partners

The Value of Repentance

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Imam Mahdi (Descendent of Prophet Muhammad PBUH)

The one who bowed before God.

10 tips to win the others heart

Do your deeds purely for Allah alone.

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Honey!!

A simple account :)

The Cuckhold Husband

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Prophet Mohammed Stories - 14. Minor Sins

Prophet Mohammed Stories - 10. Vain Pride 1

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Shame on us..

Islam in a mini - nutshell

The Importance of Sayin ' Ameen'

Reciting Quran during the period of menstruation

Humanitarian Aid - In the Name of Love

In response to " The Last Crusade " ( http://thelastcrusade.org/2009/08/07/ )

Taqwa - part 2 of 2

Taqwa - Part 1 of 2

Fasting in Syawal

Story of a Beautiful Woman's Marriage

If Devils are chained in Ramadan, why do people commit sin?

HAPPY EID / 3eedkum Embarak...OKKK look @ my face do i look like i'm enjoying EID...HMMMMMMM ???

Itikaf

The Prophet's(PBUH) Manner of Performing Prayers

Bad Breath During Ramadan Fasts

The Power of Dua During Iftarr (breaking of Fast)

Fasting Health Benefits: Health Guidelines for Ramadan Fasting

Ramadan Mubarak! Selamat menyambut ramadan!!

SITI KHADIJAH (RA) - A MODERN WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIMES

Al Qur'an Workshop (In English)

Spiritual JAMMING!!!

Darul Arqam In House Talk in Mandrin.

The Battle of Badr, the first battle of Islam - Part 3/3

The Battle of Badr, the first battle of Islam - Part 2/3

The Battle of Badr,the first battle of Islam - Part 1/3

*A womans brain is tied to her tongue!!*

Series of Events for Ramadan , Singapore

Ramadan is Coming!!!

A womans brain is tied to her tongue!!