Upcoming event - Spore

Dear all,
Please note there is a public lecture by Dr.Jeffrey Lang from USA. The topic would be 'A journey to Islam' at HBD hub (toa pa yoh) auditiorium basement on 10th May 2008 from 6p.m to 8p.m. Admission is free to all.

Amazing recitation of the Qur'an by a young child!

Mashallah, this kid's voice is just awesome. He's is blessed with such a beautiful voice and i simply cant get enough of it. It just emits peace throughout. Do turn on your speakers when u watch this. :)

History of Islam and The Prophet in a Nutshell

Hope this is of much use to you all.. :)

1. When was the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) born?
He was born on Monday, 9th Rabi Al Awwal, April 22nd, 571 AC.

2. Where was the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) born?
In Makkah

3. What is the name of the Prophet's father?
Abdullah Ibn Abdul Muttalib.

4. What is the name of the Prophet's mother?
Aminah Bint Wahhab Ibn Abd Manaf Ibn Zahrah.

5. When and where did his (prophet's) father die?
He died in Makkah before Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) was born.

6. What is the name of the Prophet's grandfather?
Abdul Muttalib.

7. What was his granfather's position?
He was the chief of his clan Bani Hashim.

8. What is the Prophet's (p.b.u.h.) lineage up to his fifth ancestor?
He is Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Muttalib Ibn Hashim Ibn Abd Manaf Ibn Qusai Ibn Kilab.

9. Who suckled the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)?
First Thuyeba, the freed slave girl of his uncle Abdul Uzza known as Abu Lahab, then Haleema Bint Abu Dhuaib, best known as Haleema Al Sadiyah.

10. Who named the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)?
Abdul Muttalib.

11. What did Muhammad's (p.b.u.h.) mother name him?
Ahmad.

12. Why did she (the Prophet's mother) choose this name?
Because she saw an angel in a dream calling the new-born baby Ahmad.

13. How old was Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) when his mother died?
Six years old.

14. Where did his mother take him?
She took him to Yathrib (Madinah) to visit her relatives.

15. Where did his mother die?
On her way back to Makkah, she died at Abwa and was buried there.

16. Who brought Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) back to Makkah?
His father's slave girl, Umm Aiman (May Allah be pleased with her).

17. Who took the charge of his care?
His grandfather Abdul Muttalib.

18. How long did The Prophet's grandfather take care of the Prophet Muhammad?
For two years.

19. How was his (Abdul Muttalib's) behavior with Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)?
He loved him very much and preferred him to his own sons.

20. What did Abdul Muttalib foretell about his grandson?
That he would hold a prestigious position.

21. Who took care of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) after the death of Abdul Muttalib?
His uncle Abu Talib.

22. How old was Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) when his grandfather Abdul Muttalib died?
About eight years old.

23. When did Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) travel to Syria and with whom?
He went to Syria with his uncle Abu Talib when he was twelve years old.

24. Who was Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her)?
She was a wealthy merchant of Makkah.

25. Why did she (Khadijah) want to marry Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)?
Because of his truthfulness and good conduct.

26. When did she (Khadijah) marry Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)?
When she was 40 years old.

27. How old was Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) at the time of the marriage?
He was 25.

28. What did he (the Prophet) give her (Khadijah) as Mahr (dowry)?
Twenty camels.

29. Was Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) a widow?
Yes. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was her third husband.

30. How was Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) known in the society?
He was known as Al Ameen (Truthful) and Al Sadiq (trustworthy).

31. Did he get any sort of education?
No, he was illiterate.

32. What should one say when the Prophet's (p.b.u.h.) name is mentioned?
Sallalahu - Alayhy - Wa Alayhy -Wasalaam(May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

33. How many times is the name of Muhammad mentioned in the Holy Quran?
Four times.

34. What are the names of the Prophet's (p.b.u.h.) uncles?
They are: Harith, Zubair, Abu Talib, Hamzah (May Allah be pleased with him), Abu Lahab, Ghidaq, Maqwam, Safar and Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him).

35. Did his uncle Abu Talib accept Islam?
No, he died a polytheist.

36. In the New Testament by what name was the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) mentioned?
By the name of Paraclete.

37. What is Kabah?
It is the oldest house of worship on the earth.

38. Who built it?
The Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismael (May Allah be pleased with them).

39. How did Quraish arrange rebuilding of Kabah?
They divided the work among various tribes. Each tribe was responsible for rebuilding a part of it.

40. Who laid the stones?
A Byzantine mason called Baqum.

41. Where did the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) go into seclusion?
To the Cave of Hira.

42. What was the fist stage of the revelation?
True dreams.

43. When did the first revelation come down to him?
On Monday, 21st of Ramadan, at night (August 10th, 610 AC). He was forty years then.

44. Who brought it?
Jibrael.

45. Who were the first to embrace Islam?
Four persons: Khadijah his wife, Zaid Ibn Haritha his freed slave, Ali Ibn Abi Talib his cousin and Abu Bakr his friend (May Allah be pleased with them).

46. Who accepted Islam at the instance of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him)?
Uthman Ibn Affan, Zubair Ibn Awwam, Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf, Sad Ibn Abi Waqqaas, Talha Ibn Ubaidullah and Saeed Ibn Zaid (Umar's son-in-law) (May Allah be pleased with them).

47. Who were the ladies to accept Islam at first?
Abbas's wife Ummaul Fadl, Abu Bakr's wife Asma Bint Umais, his daughter Asma Bint Abi Bakr and Fatimah Bint Al Khattab Umar's sister (May Allah be pleased with them).

48. How was the Dawah done in the beginning?
It was done in secret.

49. How many people embraced Islam in the early stage?
About forty.

50. How many years did the call in secret continue?
For three years.

51. During this period, where would the Muslims gather secretly?
They would gather secretly in the house of a Muslim called Arqam to learn about Islam and the revelations sent down to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

52. When did the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) start to preach Islam openly?
After three years when he received the revelation to that effect.

53. What was the impact of his public preaching?
The people accepted Islam increasingly.

54. What was the main miracle of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.)?
The Holy Quran.

55. Did the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) perform other miracles?
Yes, the splitting of the moon was one of them.

56. Who was Abu Jahl?
One of the Prophet's (p.b.u.h.) uncles.

57. Name some of the disbelievers of Makkah who supported the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), but did not embrace Islam until the end.
Abu Talib, Mutim Ibn Adi and Abul Bukhtari.

58. How long did Abu Talib protect the Prophet (p.b.u.h)?
For 42 years – from the Prophet's childhood until he himself died.

59. Who was Mutim Ibn Adi?
A chief of Makkah.

60. When did he (Mutim Ibn Adi) give protection to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.)?
When the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) returned from Taif and wanted to enter Makkah.

61. When did he (Mutim Ibn Adi) die?
He was killed in the Battle of Badr.

62. Who was Abul Bukhtari?
He was a poet.

63. How did he (Abul Bukhtari) support the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)?
He spoke out against the social boycott.

64. What lead the Muslims to emigrate to Abyssinia?
Their growing persecution at the hands of Quraish.

65. Which Surah lead to this emigration?
Surah Az Zumar.

66. When was Abul Bukhtari killed?
In the battle of Badr.

67. Who was then the King of Abyssinia?
The King of Abyssinia, known as Najjashi (the Negus), during the time of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was As'hama.

68. When did the first group of Muslims leave for Abyssinia?
In Rajab, in the fifth year of Prophethood.

69. How many persons were there in the group?
12 men and 4 women.

70. How were the emigrants received in Abyssinia?
They were received warmly and hospitably.

71. When did the second group of emigrants leave for Abyssinia?
In the fifth year of Prophethood.

72. How many people formed the group?
83 men and 18 women.

73. Name a prominent companion included in this group.
Ja'far Ibn Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him).

74. What did Quraish do?
They despatched two envoys to Abyssinia to demand the extradition of the emigrants.

75. How did the King respond?
He refused to extradite the Muslims and assured them of his full protection.

76. When did Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) accept Islam?
At the age of 27.

77. Who was Bilal Ibn Rabah (May Allah be pleased with him)?
He was a slave of Umayyah Ibn Khalaf.

78. What was his (Bilal Ibn Rabah's) origin?
He was of Abyssinian decent.

79. What was the name of Bilal's mother?
Hamama.

80. Who was Yaser (May Allah be pleased with him)?
He was a slave of Abu Jahl.

81. Who was Sumayyah (May Allah be pleased with her)?
She was Yaser's (a slave of Abu Jahl) wife.

82. Who was Ammar (May Allah be pleased with him)?
He was Yaser and Sumayyah's only son.

83. How did Summaya (May Allah be pleased) die?
Abu Jahl murderded her with a bayonet.

84. Who was Zaid Ibn Haritha (May Allah be pleased with him)?
He was a slave.

85. Who purchased (in order to free) him (Zaid Ibn Haritha)?
Khadijah's nephew Hakim Ibn Hizam purchased him and presented him to her.

86. What did Khadijah do with Zaid Bin Haritha?
She presented him to the Prophet who set him free.

87. Did Zaid Bin Haritha want to go to his parents?
No, he preferred to live with the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

Why do we read Quraan, even if we can't understand a single Arabic word?

Here is a beautiful storyAn old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson.Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchentable reading his Quraan.

His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried toimitate him in every way he could.One day the grandson asked, 'Grandpa! I try to read the Qur'an just like you but I don't understand it, and what I dounderstand I forget as soon as I close the book.What good does reading the Qur'an do?'

The Grandfatherquietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, 'Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.' The boy did as he was told, but all the water leakedout before he got back to the house.The grandfather laughed and said, 'You'll have to move alittle faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with thebasket to try again.This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water.You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but hewanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the waterwould Leak out before he got back to the house.The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard,but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breathe,he said, 'See Grandpa, it's useless!' 'So you think it is useless?'The old man said, 'Look at the basket.' The boy looked atthe basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.'Son, that's what happens when you read the Qur'an.

You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah in our lives.

Prophet Muhammad ( p.b.u.h) says: 'The one who guides to good will be rewarded equally'

The Reality of Hijaab

"O’ Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their veils over their bodies. That is most convenient that they should be recognised and not be molested" (Sura Al-Ahzab 33:59)

One of the greatest benefits of Hijaab, is the natural protection it gives to a woman. By wearing Hijaab, a woman shields herself from the rampant desires of man. By his very nature, man is a creature of intense desire. The Hijaab controls this desire and thus not only protects the woman, but also the man. Sexually motivated crimes in the west are on the increase. Rape, molestation and harassment are reaching epidemic levels. Undoubtedly the clothing of a woman has something to do with this. When women walk around with literally nothing on, some men see it as a signal to do as they please. This results in the honour of a woman being scarred for life. The Muslim woman does not have this problem. She knows that when she walks on the streets, the men will not look at her. Why? Because there is nothing for them to look at!! She feels like a princess who is shielded from the savages of her domain. Peace and security is felt beneath the veil. The woman of Hijaab does not have to reveal her body in order to gain respect. She does not have to have her ‘bits’ hanging out so that men can drool over her. If a man desires her, then it has to be for her religion and intellect. The Hijaab gives him no other choice. She is a woman who is truly shielded from the nature of man.[7]

-Nature- The nature of a woman is fundamentally different from man. Women are more timid, gentle and caring then men. This is the reason why they have been chosen (by Allaah) to be the perfect rearers of children. The Hijaab reinforces this nature of the woman. We praise ஆல்ah that he has ordered this Hijaab, for the world that we live in seeks to change our very nature as human beings. Men try to be women and women try to be men. People are being led into confusion by the political correctness which is so popular in our societies. Many women have jumped onto the bandwagon of feminism and lesbianism, shouting how evil and oppressive men are. But when one looks at these sad creatures, their delusion is clear. While claiming to hate men, their attire suggests otherwise. Short hair, bomber jackets and steel toecapped boots, are the vogue for these women. Their hatred for men is so much, that their very appearance resembles the enemy!! Some of these women have even gone to the extreme of growing masses of facial hair. The hideous site of these bearded ladies, is enough to put anyone off their dinner!!! Such depravity is far from natural. The Hijab on the other hand, enables the woman to stay as a woman. Rather then being a monstrosity, a woman in Hijab is like an oyster with a beautiful pearl inside it. Her femininity has stayed feminine, without being altered into masculinity. There is no doubt about it, this is a TRUE WOMAN.

-Honour- Contrary to the tales of the media, the Hijab provides an honour for the woman like no other garment does. For many women, a dress designed by Versace[8] or Armani is all the honour they need. But the Hijaab carries far more honour then these worthless clothes. Whilst the dresses of the catwalks are designed by mere mortals, the Hijaab comes from the one who is immortal, Allaah. Through it a woman is held with the utmost respect. True Muslim men are obliged to keep their Muslim sisters away from the corruption of this world. Thus a Muslim will not allow for someone to ogle his wife, chat her up or harass her. The honour of a Muslim woman demands that this does not happen. How contrary this is to life in the west. Men in the west feel no obligation to protect women from the harms of society. This is why a man will allow his wife to be a stripper, call-girl and even a prostitute. Honour knows no place in the west. This honour will only be achieved from Islam and its Hijab. The honour of a Muslim woman is so high, that we believe that the state of a society is dependent upon its women. If the women are corrupt and immoral, then the society will be corrupt and immoral. If the women are righteous and god-fearing, then the society will be righteous and god-fearing. Women are the educators of the nation. But if they have no honour and have been corrupted, then society will be void of education and steeped in ignorance. This is the predicament of a society which rejects Hijab. This is the predicament of all Western societies, which stubbornly cling onto their depressing ways of life. Those who seek to reject Hijab after reading this, then their loss will eventually become apparent. But those who seek to please Allaah through this action, can be sure that this good can only bring more good: Contrary to the tales of the media, the Hijab provides an honour for the woman like no other garment does. For many women, a dress designed by Versace[8] or Armani is all the honour they need. But the Hijaab carries far more honour then these worthless clothes. Whilst the dresses of the catwalks are designed by mere mortals, the Hijaab comes from the one who is immortal, Allaah. Through it a woman is held with the utmost respect. True Muslim men are obliged to keep their Muslim sisters away from the corruption of this world. Thus a Muslim will not allow for someone to ogle his wife, chat her up or harass her. The honour of a Muslim woman demands that this does not happen. How contrary this is to life in the west. Men in the west feel no obligation to protect women from the harms of society. This is why a man will allow his wife to be a stripper, call-girl and even a prostitute. Honour knows no place in the west. This honour will only be achieved from Islam and its Hijab. The honour of a Muslim woman is so high, that we believe that the state of a society is dependent upon its women. If the women are corrupt and immoral, then the society will be corrupt and immoral. If the women are righteous and god-fearing, then the society will be righteous and god-fearing. Women are the educators of the nation. But if they have no honour and have been corrupted, then society will be void of education and steeped in ignorance. This is the predicament of a society which rejects Hijab. This is the predicament of all Western societies, which stubbornly cling onto their depressing ways of life. Those who seek to reject Hijab after reading this, then their loss will eventually become apparent. But those who seek to please Allaah through this action, can be sure that this good can only bring more good:

"Is there any reward for good – other then goodness?" (Sura Ar-Rahman 55:60)