Army of Elephants

The following incident is mentioned in Surah Feel ofthe Holy Quran and
it happened during the period of the birth-year of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Abraha Al-Ashram was thegovernor of Yemen on
behalf of the king of Ethiopia. He (Abrahah) thought to build a house
(like the Kabah at Makkah)in Sana (the capital of Yemen) and call the
Arabs to perform the pilgrimage there in Sana instead of the Kabah in
Makkah, withthe intention of diverting the trade and benefits from
Makkah to Yemen. He presented his idea to the king of Ethiopia who
agreed to it. So the house (church) was built and he named it
Al-Qullais; there was no church of its like atthat time. Then a man
from the Quraish tribe of Makkah came there and was infuriated by it,
so he relieved his nature (stools and urine) in it, soiled its walls
and went away. When Abrahah Al-Ashram saw that, he could not control
his anger and raised an army to invade Makkah and demolish the Kabah.
He had in that army thirteen elephants and amongst them was anelephant
called Mahmud which was the biggest of them. So that army proceeded
and none amongst the Arab tribes that faced them (fought against them)
but was killed and defeated, till it approached near Makkah. Then
there took place negotiations between Abrahah Al-Ashram and the chief
of Makkah (AbdulMuttalib bin Hashim, the grandfather of the Prophet),
and it was concluded that Abrahah would restore the camels of Abdul
Muttalib which hehad taken away, and then he (Abrahah) would
decidehimself as regards the Kabah. Abdul Muttalib ordered the men of
Makkah to evacuate the city and go to the top of the mountains along
with their wives and children incase some harm should come to them
from the invading oppressors. Then that army moved towards Makkah till
they reached valley Muhassir. While the army was marching towards
Makkah, in the middle of the valley, suddenly it was overtakenby
flocks of birds, flocks after flocks, air-raiding that army with small
stones slightly bigger thana lentil seed. There never fell a stone on
a soldier except it dissolved his flesh and burst it into pieces. So
they perished with a total destruction. Abrahah Al-Ashram fled away
while his flesh was bursting into pieces till he died on the way (back
to Yemen). Such was the victory bestowed by Allah,(the All-Majestic,
All-Powerful) to the people of Makkah and such was the protection
provided by Him for His House (Kabah in Makkah).

--
- - - - - - -

Story :- Reward for Helping Others

Ibn Abbas narrated, Once I was in a state of itikaaf in the Prophet's
Mosque (Medina). A certain person came to me and sat down.I said to
him, 'O so and so, you look sad'. He said, 'Yesof course, o fraternal
brother of the Prophet. So-and-so has his due on me, and by the one
who lies in eternal peace in the grave (i.e. Prophet Muhammad), I am
not able to pay the debt' I said, 'Should I not talk to him about your
debt?' He said, 'You can do so if you like' There upon I put my shoes
on and went out of the mosque. The person asked him, 'Have you
forgotten the state you were in (i.e. itikaaf)?' I replied, 'Not at
all, but I have heard rom the one who lies in eternal peace in the
grave [saying this his eyes became filled with tears], said:
"One who moves to fulfill any need of his brother, and makes effort
for it, will find it better than itikaaf of ten years; and one who
performs itikaaf for one day for the pleasure of Allah, he will create
a distance of three ditches between him and the hell - and each ditch
has a width which lies between East and West, orbetween the heaven and
earth."
Source: Al Targhib Vol II p 272.
By the blessings of Allah, we are approaching another Ramadan. For
most of us, we feel a little taste of hunger during thismonth only.
But there are billions for whom it is a matter of daily life. Let us
get immense rewards by helping our needy brothers and sisters around
the world during this month of generosity.

--
- - - - - - -

Story :- Better to Give

A young man, a student in one of the universities, was one day taking
a walkwith a Professor, who wascommonly called the student's friend,
from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.
As they went along,they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes,
which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a
field close by,and who had nearly finished his day's work.
The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a
trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those
bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when hecannot find them."
"My young friend," answered the professor,"we should never amuse
ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give
yourselfa much greater pleasure by means of this poor man. Put a coin
in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how this
affects him."
The student did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes
close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across
thefield to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes,
but feeling something hard, hestooped down to feel what it was, and
found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his
countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it around, and looked at
it again and again.
He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen.
He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the
other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him;he fell upon his knees, looked up to the
heavens and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of
his wifewho was sick and helpless,and his children without bread, whom
this timely bounty, from some unknown hand,would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with
tears."Now," said the professor, are you not much better pleased than
if you had played your intended trick?"
The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never
forget. I feel now the truth of thesewords, which I never understood
before: "It's more blessed to give than to receive."
Abdullah bin Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) reported thatthe Prophet
(sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that encouraging good, prohibiting
evil, lifting the burden of the weak person and removing an offensive
thing from a path are all acceptable prayers to Allah.

--
- - - - - - -

Story :- A Thousand Camels

In the times of Umar (Radiallahu Anhu) there was a severe famine. All
the people of Madinah were suffering due to the shortage of food. A
caravan made up of a thousand camels loaded with a large stock of food
grains belonging to Uthman (Radiallahu Anhu) arrived from Shaam
(Syria). Several merchants offered to buy all of it. He asked them
what profit they would pay. "Five per cent," they said. He answered
that he could get higher profit than that.They began to argue with
him, saying that they did not know of any merchantwho would offer him
more than their quote. He said to them, "I know of one who repays a
profit ofmore than seven hundred to a dirham (Arabian currency)." He
then recitedthe verse of the Noble Quran in which Allah Ta'ala
mentioned this profit. "The likeness of those who spend their wealth
in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows
seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold
increase to whom He pleases. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His
creatures' needs, All-Knower." (2:261).
"O traders! Bear witness with me that I donate all this to the poor
people of Madinah!" said Uthman (Radiallahu Anhu).
Source: Related by Shaikh Habibullah Mukhtaar in hisbook "Bringing Up
Children in Islaam" in the chapter of Generosity.
Dear readers, what ever we give for the sake of Allah is really ours
and whatever we keep with uswill one day be someone else's. Let us
follow the footsteps of our Prophet and the pious Sahabah, with whom
Allah was pleased with, by helping the needy ones in this blessed
month of Ramadan.

--
- - - - - - -

Secrets intended for believers alone are hidden in the Qur’an

When we read the Qur'an we see that the most fundamental matters that
Muslims have to know and understand are set out quite explicitly.
Allah describes His creation in the Qur'an. He describes satan,
reveals what is lawful and unlawful and tells us of the lives of the
prophets. It is revealed how the life of this world is a test and how
our true homes are inthe Hereafter. Paradise and Hell are described in
the Qur'an and people are warned against the torments in the latter.
In addition to all these basic issues, the Qur'an also contains
special signs that Allah has deliberately concealed in it for
believers. Through these signs, our Lord tells believers how they
shouldbehave toward deniers, the best way of preaching the word and
what they must do if the moral values of the Qur'an are torule the
world. These signsare only, of course, comprehensible to those
servants who can look at the Qur'an with the eyes of the heart and
good conscience, who can grasp the radiance and message of the Qur'an,
and with whom Allah is well pleased. This is just one of the hundreds
of miracles of the Qur'an.
Our Almighty Lord Makes Science Obligatory for Believers in the Qur'an
The presence in the Qur'anof scientific and mathematical miracles is
itself a miracle that confirms the sublime nature of the Qur'an, its
miraculous aspect and the fact that it is a divine scripture. But in
addition to that specific miracle, when we look at the verses of the
Qur'an we see that Allah makes science obligatory for believers. Allah
advises believers to reflect on the extraordinary creation they
witness and to learn the knowledge of the creation of the Earth and
sky. In Surah Al 'Imran our Lord says:
Those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying on their sides,
and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the Earth: "Our Lord,
You have not created this for nothing. Glory beto You! So safeguard us
from the punishment of the Fire." (Surah Al 'Imran, 191)
Scientific development and progress proves the sublime and
extraordinarynature of Allah's creation in the most perfect way. The
more that people of good conscience possessed of this knowledge deepen
in science, the more amazed they are by Allah's sublimeartistry. Just
a single cell, the glorious DNA within a single cell or a single
protein is enough to see the power and might of Allah. Almighty Allah
is powerful enough to createworlds within worlds, to create all things
from nothing, and gloriously shows His sublime omniscience by creating
atoms in tiny specks of space and making atoms, which themselves
consist of 99% empty space, the natural causes of matter itself.
Almighty Allah is powerful enough to bring the Earth and sky into
being through a single explosion, out of nothing, out of emptiness.
Almighty Allah reveals thissublime creation, the Big Bang miracle in
other words, in this verse:
As for heaven – We built it with great power and gave it its vast
expanse. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 47)
Almighty Allah has made scienceessential for Muslims in order for them
to comprehend andsee His matchlessartistry and the glories in the
entities He creates. Those who deepen in science with the knowledge of
the Qur'an will also grow in faith since they will witness His
omniscience. Allah tells us in another verse:
But those of them who are firmly rooted in knowledge, and the
believers, believe in what has been sent down to you and what was sent
down before you: those who establishprayer and pay alms, and believe
in Allah and the Last Day – We will pay such people an immense wage.
(Surat an-Nisa', 162)
For that reason, Allah advises true Muslims to learn and research the
scientific facts and to become aware of what is all around them:
Have they not looked at the sky above them: how We structured it and
made it beautiful and how there are no fissures in it? And the
Earth: how We stretched it out and cast firmly embedded mountains onto
it and caused luxuriant plants of every kind to grow in it, an
instruction and a reminder for every penitent human being. (Surah Qaf,
6-8)
Have they not looked at the camel – how it was created? And at the sky
–how it was raised up? And at the mountains – how they were embedded?
And at the Earth – how it was smoothed out? So remind them! You are
only a reminder. (Surat al-Ghashiyya, 17-21)
Do they not see the things Allah has created, casting their shadows
tothe right and to the left, prostrating themselves before Allah in
complete humility? (Surat an-Nahl,48)

--
- - - - - - -

There is a great secret in the difficulttests undergone by the Prophets

Almighty Allah of course knows that all the prophets He created were
pure believers possessed of lofty moral values; it is He Who created
them with a true depth and pure faith. Yet despite being our Lord's
chosen, superior and honored servants, the prophets were still
subjected to difficult tests all through their lives. Difficulties are
agreat means whereby people could witness theirhonesty and adopt their
moral values as role models, for the prophets to improve their
closeness to and love of Allah, and for their goodness to increase
many times over in the Hereafter.
This climate of testing is described by means of the stories related
in the Qur'an. When he came to the sea, pursued by Pharaoh's army, the
Prophet Moses (as) saw no apparent way of escape. Those who failed to
properly appreciate the infinite might of Allah said,"We are trapped,"
but as revealed in verses the Prophet Moses (as) said "Never! My Lord
is with me and He will guide me." (Surat ash-Shuara', 62)
Throughout that difficult time when he was imprisoned in the belly of
the fish, the Prophet Jonah (as) constantly turned to Allah and, as
revealed in a verse, "...called out (to the Lord) in absolute
despair." (Surat al-Qalam, 47) The Prophet Jonah (as), who sincerely
turned to Allah during this difficult test, was rescued from the belly
of the fish through our Lord's mercy and compassion, and was then sent
to a community as their prophet. This difficult test of the Prophet
Jonah is describedas follows in the Qur'an:
Jonah too was one of the Messengers.
When he ran away to the fully laden ship
and cast lots and lost.
Then the fish devoured him and he was to blame.
Had it not been that he was a man who glorifiedAllah,
he would have remainedinside its belly until the Day they are raised again.
So We cast him up onto the beach and he was sick;
and We caused a gourd tree to grow over him.
We sent him to a hundred thousand or even more.
They believed and so Wegave them enjoyment for a time.
(Surat as-Saffat, 139-148)
When our holy Prophet (saas) was attacked by thepagans on two sides
together with his community there appeared to be no escape. This was
the day of a mostdifficult test. At the same time, it was a very
special test in which true believers with a genuine faith in Allah,
Who trusted in Allah's help with all their hearts, and who trusted in
and embraced Him, could remain strong and expect His help. As ordained
by Allah, those who were unable to properly appreciate Him and the
hypocrites lost hope of His mercy and began dreaming up false ideas of
their own. Our All-Mighty Lord described this difficult climate in
another verse:
When they came at you from above you and below you, when your eyes
rolled and your hearts rose to your throats, and you thoughtunworthy
thoughts about Allah, at that pointthe believers were tested and
severely shaken.
When hypocrites and people with sickness in their hearts said, 'What
Allah and His Messenger promised us was mere delusion.' and a group
ofthem said, 'People of Yathrib, Your position is untenable so
return!' some of them asked the Prophet to excuse them, saying, 'Our
houses are exposed,' when they were not exposed; it was merely that
they wanted to run away. (Surat al-Ahzab, 10-13)
In this difficult climate, ourProphet (saas) and the pure believers
with him hoped for Allah's help and support and placed their trust in
Him, saw that this had been promised by ourAlmighty Lord and gave
thanks. Almighty Allah reveals in a verse:
When the believers saw the Confederates they said: 'This is what Allah
and His Messenger promised us. Allah and His Messenger told us the
truth.' It only increased them in faith and in submission. (Surat
al-Ahzab, 22)
As our Lord reveals in a later verse; "Allah made itunnecessary for
the believers to fight. Allah is Most Strong, Almighty." (Surat
al-Ahzab, 25)

--
- - - - - - -

The way that unbelievers strive to struggle against Allah is a miracle created by him

If someone denies Allah, if he does not believe in Creation and is
reluctant to believe that this world will come to an end and that he
will be recreated with death and exist for all eternity, if he thinks
that all he has belongs to this world, then this person will have a
frightening and terrifying wait. He seeks to give the impression he is
unaware of this. He will maintain that his purpose is to enjoy the
things of this world. He will say he never thinks about tomorrow and
lives only for the moment. Yet subconsciously he is still worried
about "ceasing to exist." The life of this world, which he believes in
as an absolute entity, will increasingly abandon him. Death is
approaching.And after death, according to his own superstitious
belief, there is only non-existence. This really terrifies that
person.
The terror of someone who denies Allah is not limited to the fear of
ceasing to exist. Everything is equally terrifying for someone who
denies Creation, imagines that everything came into being
spontaneously and that the universe and he himself are both entirely
haphazard. Under his feet there is a thin crust over boiling magma,
while the Earth revolves at great speed in the vastness of space. If
everything were acoincidence, as he believes, then a meteor would
inevitably one day collide with the Earth, and the Earth would be
shattered in a moment with gigantic tremors. Anyof the billions of
delicate balances that make the Earth hospitable to life could
similarly be eliminated. Therefore, just about everything represents a
threat and source of anxiety for such a person. The heart he believes
beats by chance, the veins he believes carrynutrients to the body by
chance and the eyes he believes see by chance are all in danger at
every moment.
These are the people who,as stated in a verse, believe that the life
of this world is all they possess: "What is there but our life in the
dunya? We dieand we live and we will not be raised again." (Surat
al-Muminun, 37)
The aim behind such people's denial is to make the greatest use of the
life of this world, no matter how great their fear and terror.
Therefore, one would expect such a person to do all he can and use all
the means at his disposal to remain, in his own eyes at least, in this
world he imagines to be a random one, to striveto that end alone. But
thatis not what happens. The great majority of such people MOBILIZE
ALL THEIRMEANS TO OPPOSE MUSLIMS, and not to stay alive or to enjoy
earthly pleasures. This is an astonishing state of affairs.It is
amazing how they expend all the power, money and means they would
appear to acquire in the life of this world, in short, everything
given them by Allah, SOLELY in order to oppose Him and His religion
and to weakenand inflict suffering on Muslims, in their own eyesat
least.
Our Almighty Lord has revealed this in verses:
When We let people taste mercy after hardship has afflicted them,
immediately they plot against Our signs. Say: "Allah is swifter at
plotting." Your plotting is recorded by Our Messengers. (Surah Yunus,
21)
When unbelievers, who see and appreciate the might of Allah in times
of difficulty, attain well-being they imagine that the mercy bestowed
on them from His own Grace by Allah is actually theirs, and they then
stupidly direct all their energies to striving against Muslims in the
belief that their power and well-being belong to them. Allah creates
these people specially in order to test Muslims. Their Creation in
this way is one of the greatest proofs of the existence of Allah.
Almighty Allah Has Spoken of this Attitude of Unbelievers in Verses
Almighty Allah reveals in the Qur'an how some unbelievers unwilling to
live by the moral values ofthe Qur'an will use all theirpower to
strive against Him and Muslims. Some of these verses read:
When those who are unbelievers were plotting against you to imprison
you or kill you or expel you: they were plotting and Allah was
plotting, but Allah is the Best of Plotters. (Surat al-Anfal, 30)
Allah desires to turn towards you, but those who pursue their lower
appetites desire to makeyou deviate completely. (Surat an-Nisa', 27)
Those who prefer the lifeof this world to the Hereafter, and bar
accessto the way of Allah, wanting to make it crooked; they are
greatlymisguided. (Surah Ibrahim, 3)

--
- - - - - - -

According to the Torah, the King Messiah will bring justice and peace to the world

According to Islam, Judaism and Christianity, King Messiah [Hazrat
Mahdi (pbuh)] who is among us now will be in search of justice, he
will bea just ruler, he will rule with love and peace not with might
and power, he will proclaim peace to all the nations, he will put an
end to the wars, he will bein search with friendship, love and justice
and will watch over the poor, he will put an end to oppresion and
cruelty, he will be benevolent and humble. Some of the superior
characteristics of the King Messiah [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] who has been
described in the Torah and the other Judaicscriptures are as follows:
RIGHTEOUSNESS will be his [Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh)]belt, and
FAITHFULNESS the sash around his waist. (Isaiah, 11:5)
... A SCEPTER OF JUSTICE will be the scepter of your [Hazrat Mahdi's
(pbuh)] kingdom... (Psalms, 45:6-7)
... In judging, [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] SEEKS JUSTICE ... (Isaiah, 16:5)
With RIGHTEOUSNESS he [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will judge the needy...
(Isaiah, 11:4)
You [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS , and HATE WICKEDNESS
(Psalms, 45:7)
... WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS HE [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] WILL JUDGE THE NEEDY.
(Isaiah, 11:4)
... One from the house of David [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)]... WHO IN
JUDGING SEEKS JUSTICE ... (Isaiah, 16:5)
... And He [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] WILL STRIKE THE EARTH WITH THE ROD OF
HIS MOUTH [that is to say he will influence the worldwith his words
without weapons], and with the breath of his lips he will slay the
wicked [that is to say he will paralyse them spiritually with his
speech]. (Isaiah, 11:4)
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)]... and
he will DELIGHT IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD (Isaiah, 11:2-3)
... [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is] RIGHTEOUS AND HAVING SALVATION ... (Zechariah, 9:9)
"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up to
David a righteous branch [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)]... who will... DO WHAT
IS JUST AND RIGHT IN THE LAND ..." (Jeremiah, 23:5-6)
" NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, but by My Spirit ," says the Lord
Almighty. (Zechariah, 4:6)
He [your king, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will PROCLAIM PEACE to the
nations. His [Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh)] rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah,
9:10)
His [Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh)]great righteousness and the wonders that he
will bring about will cause all peoples to MAKE PEACE WITH HIM and all
lands to serve him... (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin, 10:1)
[In the days of the Messiah(Hazrat Mahdi [pbuh])]... BATTLES AND WARS
WILL CEASE... THEY WILL NOT LIFT A NATION AGAINST NATION. (Maimonides,
Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
... For he [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] WILL DELIVER THE NEEDY WHO CRY OUT,
THEAFFLICTED WHO HAVE NO ONE TO HELP . (Psalms, 72:12)
He [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will have pity on the poor and needy, and THE
SOULSOF THE NEEDY HE WILL SAVE . (Psalms, 72:13)
He [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will REDEEM THEIR SOUL FROM OPPRESSION AND
VIOLENCE , and precious will their blood be in his sight. (Psalms,
72:14)
He [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will DEFEND THE AFFLICTED AMONG THE PEOPLE
AND SAVE THE CHILDREN OF THE NEEDY ...(Psalms, 72:4)
... I will... make you [HazratMahdi (pbuh)]... a light for the
nations, to open eyes that are blind, to FREE CAPTIVES FROM PRISON AND
TO RELEASE FROM THE DUNGEON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS . (Isaiah,
42:6-7)
His [Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh)] GREAT RIGHTEOUSNESS and the wonders that
he will bring about will cause ALL PEOPLES TO MAKE PEACE WITH HIM and
all lands to serve him... (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin, 10:1)
He [your king] will PROCLAIM PEACE TO THE NATIONS . His [Hazrat
Mahdi's (pbuh)] rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River
[Euphrates] to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah, 9:10)
If a king [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] will arise from the House of David...
and REPAIR THE BREACHES [in the observances of Allah's Laws]...
(Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4)
... He [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)]will have PITY ON THE POOR AND NEEDY AND
THE SOULS OF THE NEEDY HE WILL SAVE . (Psalms, 72:13)
... He [Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)] SHALL NOT CRY, NOR LIFT UP, NOR CAUSE HIS
VOICE TO BE HEARD IN THE STREET . (Isaiah, 42:2)
A BRUISED REED he [HazratMahdi (pbuh)] WILL NOT BREAK, AND A
SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT SNUFF OUT . (Isaiah, 42:3)

--
- - - - - - -

Some of the promises of Allah to the Jews in the Torah

The words of the Torah stating that Allah would only realize His
Promise to the Jews on the condition that they love Him and obey Him
And when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey
Him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything
I command youtoday then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes
and have compassion on you and gather you again fromall the nations
where He scattered you. Even if you have been banished to themost
distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will
gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that
belonged to your fathers ... He will make you more prosperous and
numerous than your fathers… Then the LORD your God will make you most
prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your
womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land.The LORD
will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he
delighted in your fathers, ifyou obey the LORD your God and keep his
commands and decrees ... and turn to the LORD your God with all your
heart and with all your soul .(Deuteronomy, 30:2-10)
Some of the blessings promised to Jews when they comply with the
commands of Allah
If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His
commands I give you today... all these blessings will come upon you
and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: "You will be blessed
in the city and blessed in the country... The fruit of your womb will
be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your
livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your
basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed
when you come inand blessed when you go out... The Lord will send a
blessing on your barns and on everything you putyour hand to. The Lord
your God will bless you in the land he is giving you... if you keep
the commandsof the Lord your God and walk in His ways ... The Lord
will open the heavens, the storehouse ofhis bounty, to send rain
onyour land in season and tobless all the work of your hands... If you
pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you
this day and carefully follow them ...(Deuteronomy, 28:1-14)
Some of the threats of Allah upon Jews when they do not live with the
fear of Allah, with the love for Allah, when theydo not comply with
the commands of faith.
However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully
follow all His commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these
curses will come upon you and overtake you : You will be cursed in the
city and cursed in the country... TheLord will send on you curses,
confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are
destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in
forsaking him... you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms
on earth… You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day
you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.. You will
build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard,
but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit… You will have nothing
but cruel oppression all your days… You will sow much seed inthe field
but you will harvest little… All these curses will come upon you…
because you did not obey the Lord your God and observe the commands
and decrees hegave you … therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness
and dire poverty… If you… do not revere this glorious and awesome
name—the Lordyour God—the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and
your descendants,harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and
lingering illnesses … You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky
will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the Lord your
God … Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end
of the earth to the other… Among those nations you will find no
repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord
will give you an anxious mind, eyesweary with longing, and a
despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with
dread both night and day, never sure of your life …(Deuteronomy,
28:15-68)


--
- - - - - - -

The words insha'Allah and masha'Allah have a special place in the glorification of Allah

What is the special secret in the recitation ofthe words "insha'Allah"
and "masha'Allah"?
Why is it important to use the words "insha'Allah" and "masha'Allah"
whenevernecessary?
What important statement has Mr. AdnanOktar made on this subject?
Our Lord is infinitely merciful. He bestows matchless blessings on
people throughout their lives. In addition to physical blessings, He
also bestows spiritual ones: He forgives their mistakes, accepts their
repentance, protects them, conceals their sins, increases their
happiness and leads them to the true path. Allah ensures that all
things are favorable for believers, and He supports them in various
ways. The terms insha'Allah and masha'Allah that appear inthe Qur'an
possess very broad and deep significance, and much mercy.
Insha'Allah and Masha'Allah Are Two Very Important Terms That Repeat
the Name ofAllah and Prevent Polytheism
True faith and unalloyed love involve absolute submission to Allah.
One iscareful not to make even amomentary error. One knows that
polytheism may arise the moment one feels any loss of trust in Allah
or seeks any helpers other than Allah. For that reason, a believer
with unsullied faith turns to and trusts in Allah alonebecause he
knows that Allah reigns over all things, that His power is unfettered,
and that not a single leaf can fall unless He so wills it. He is
therefore aware that the only place to seek help for any reason is
Allah. He has adopted Him as his guide. He feels no need to rely
onanyone other than Allah, or to seek help from anyone else or any
other power because he knows that everything that happens in the world
doesso by Allah's leave. So someone with true faith acts with that
awareness at every moment of his life. Therefore, by the word
"insha'Allah" he is reiterating that everythinghappens by Allah's
leave and is created by Him in destiny. If someone says that he will
do something and forgets to say that Allah will create it, then that
is polytheism. But if he says, 'insha'Allah', 'I will do it by Allah's
will, through Allah's creating it in destiny,' then, by Allah's will,
he avoids polytheism and becoming someone who ascribes equals to
Allah.
On the other hand, if a person says, "How lovely" when he sees beauty,
thenhe is ascribing a divine significance to it. But if he uses the
term "Masha'Allah," meaning "How finely Allah has created," then he is
protected against polytheism. For that reason, "insha'Allah" and
"masha'Allah" are two very important terms that eliminate polytheism
in the End Times and that repeat the name of Allah. All-Wise Allah
reveals in Surat al-Kahf in the Qur'an that these two expressions are
the key to protection against polytheism and praising Him:
"Never say about anything, ' I am doing that tomorrow,' without adding
'If Allah wills. ' Remember your Lord when you forget, and say,
'Hopefully my Lord will guide me to something closer to right guidance
than this'." (Surat al-Kahf, 23-24)
" He is, however, Allah, my Lord, and I will not associate anyone with
my Lord. Why, when youentered your garden, didyou not say, " It is as
Allah wills, there is no strength but in Allah"? Though you see me
withless wealth and children than you possess," (Surat al-Kahf, 38-39)
Mr. Adnan Oktar describes how the repetition of "Insha'Allah" and
"Masha'Allah" eliminatespolytheism:
ADNAN OKTAR: Allah tells us to say "insha'Allah" when starting any
task or in reference to anything happening tomorrow. In other words,
"by Allah's leave," "by Allah's will." This is a recitation of the
name of Allah. Like "La ilaha illAllah," "subhanAllah," "Allah-u
akbar" or "alhamdulillah." It is a recitation of the name of Allah. It
is therefore propitious. Those who make much use of the words
"insha'Allah'" and "masha'Allah" will rule theworld in the End Times.
That is a feature of the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh); they are
secret words. It is also a feature of the People of the Cave. A
feature of the End Times.When we see something, we say, "Masha'Allah,
how well Allah has created." We are thus protected against polytheism.
"Insha'Allah"means by Allah's leave, by Allah's creation, with Allah's
creation in destiny. Both are anti-polytheistic terms.They are blows
struck against polytheism. Two words that demolish polytheism. Allah
says in Surat an-Nur that those who do not ascribe equals to Him will
rule the world. Now if I say, "I will do something tomorrow," if I say
that in forgetfulness ofAllah, if I forget that Allah will create it,
that is polytheism. But if you say, "insha'Allah", "by Allah's leave,"
"by Allah's creationin destiny," then you are protected from
polytheism.

--
- - - - - - -

The Sight of Kabah

One never tires of gazing at the sight of the House of Allah, the
Kaa'ba. The site upon which the mercyand blessings of Allah are
constantly descending. There is truly nothing comparable to the House
of Allah on this Earth. People wish time would stand still so they
could keep gazing at the Kaa'ba; their thirst is never quenched,
rather it increases.
Once, while on a visit to Washington, people told me that a woman had
accepted Islam and had some questions for me. They told me that many
non-practicing Muslim women had started practicing again due to her.
At prayer time she would dress in her best clothes as if readying
herself for someone special, and would become oblivious to everything
around her as soon she started praying.
After a brief question and answer session, I asked her what prompted
her to accept Islam. She sighed and started explaining; "I was a Jew
and my husband was a Christian who was posted in Saudi Arabia for some
technical work. Everyday I used to see Muslim men and women dressed in
white on their way somewhere. Iasked my husband where they were going
and he told me that they go to perform pilgrimage at the Muslim shrine
of Kaa'ba. I expressed a desire to go but he told me that non-Muslims
were not allowed. However, I was determined and so we both bought
white clothesand set out. Fortunately no one stopped us and wereached
Makkah, from where we found directionsto the Kaa'ba. Upon seeingthe
Kaa'ba our eyes froze and time seemed to stand still. When we turned
to look at each other after some time, we were both crying. With our
eyes we told each other that this was the Truth and we should accept
Islam. No one ever told me about Islam, but there were so many
blessings descending on that House that they changed my life forever."
The blessings of Tawhid descend in Makkah, and the blessings of
Prophethood descend in Madinah. One has seen nothing in life if he has
not seen these two holy sites. May Allah give all Muslims the
opportunity to visit to His House.

--
- - - - - - -

A World of Smile

About ten years ago whenI was an undergraduate incollege, I was
working as an intern at my University's Museum of Natural History. One
day while working at the cash register in the gift shop, I saw an
elderly couple come in with a little girl ina wheelchair.
As I looked closer at this girl, I saw that she was kind of perched on
her chair. I then realized she had no arms or legs, just a head, neck
and torso. She was wearing a little white dress with red polka dots.
As the couple wheeled herup to me I was looking down at the register.
I turned my head toward the girl and gave her a wink. As I took the
money from her grandparents, I looked back at the girl, who was giving
me the cutest, largest smile I haveever seen. All of a sudden her
handicap was gone and all I saw was this beautiful girl, whose
smilejust melted me and almostinstantly gave me a completely new sense
of what life is all about. She took me from a poor, unhappy college
student and brought me into her world; a world of smiles, love and
warmth.
That was ten years ago. I'm a successful business person now and
wheneverI get down and think about the troubles of the world, I think
about that little girl and the remarkable lesson about life that she
taught me.
Source: Submitted by a Writer of AL-Islaah Publications.

--
- - - - - - -

Smile

Tears are more truthful than smile because you can smile in front of
everyone but you will onlycry in front of one who is special for you.
A smile costs less than electricity, But gives more light So Always
smile & prove that U are the best bulb in India Dont Get Fused!
U cant hold destiny. u canthold time... bt u can hold ur SMILE. Keep Smiling
for each leaf of a tree is your smile then I promise you my dear, I
will water it through out my life to see your evergreen smile forever
Keep d smyl, leave d tear Think of joy, forget d fear Hold d laugh, leave d pain

--
- - - - - - -

Importance of Salat and the Five Pillars ofIslam

Alhamdulillah for the favor that He (swt) honored us with Islam, to be
Muslims. To be Muslims is enough tobe a pathway for us to Paradise,
enough to at least put our first step in paradise.
Kalimat ash-Shahada
It is enough to say that youhave reached the side of safety. When
someone saysthat 'I am a Muslim' it means he or she accepted and
admitted Kalimat at-Tawheed, Kalimat ash-Shahada, "ashhadu an la ilaha
illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah".
To become a Muslim meansaccept the shahada , or elseyou are not a
Muslim. By saying "I am a Muslim" youhave passed the first level. Then
you have to go to thesecond level. It means you have said, "O Allah I
admit that you are the Creator and I am your slave." Slave,not
servant.
A servant is different from a slave: a servant is higher. That is a
level that Allah did not give to anyone other than the Prophet (s).
When he said subhan alladhi asra bi abdihi laylanmin al-masjid
al-haraam ilaal-masjid al aqsa alladhee barakn hawlahu... - " Glory be
to Him Who made His servant to go on a night from the Sacred Mosque to
the remote mosque of which We have blessed theprecincts…". [17: 2]
He called the Prophet (s)"`Abd". He specified him with that title. To
be a slave is a lower level, because our Islam is not yet perfect. We
accept to say kalimat shahada, we accept Allah (swt) as our Lord and
Prophet Muhammad (s) as our Messenger. Yet, we are not doing what is
supposed to be done. To do what is supposed to be done is a very
important aspect of Islam, it is the most… whenyou say shahada when
you declare Kalimat at Tauheed - how many times are you obliged to say
it per day, week, month year, or lifetime how many times. You can say
Kalimat at-Tauheed one time, it is enough not to say it all thetime.
You don't need to repeat it every time, once is enough to put you into
the circle of Islam. So Kalimat at-Tauheed , the first pillar of
Islam, can be said only once in the wholelifetime - it is obligatory
to say it once.
The second pillar of Islam is iqamu salat . We will to it come later.
Poor due - Zakat
The third pillar is ita'uz-zakat . Who can, must do it once a year.
Andyou cannot do it if you don't have money. If you are poor and you
did not make enough profit--a certain amount of money that goes from
one year to another--you are not obliged to take out your zakat. It is
an obligation fard to be done once a yearfor those who are obliged to
give because they have made on their money, money from one year, min
al hawli il al-hawli . But if you did not, then you are not obliged to
give it. If there is a poor person who cannot find food for one day's
sustenance, you cannot expect him to have saved money on the side.
This means some people will do it every year and some people will not
do it. Who cannot afford to, is not obliged to do it.
Fasting - Siyam
Wa sawmu ramadan . Fasting, you are obliged to do it every year one
time, for one month. And alhamdulillah Allah (swt) gave us this month
to remember Him. And the Prophet (s) used to urge the Sahaba for
itikaf in the last 10 days of that month. And many Muslims around the
world do itikaf and they try to do their best to come closer to Allah
(swt) and for Allah (swt) to be happy with us and to for usto be
nearer to him in dunya and akhira. fa man kana minkum mareedan aw ala
safarin fa iddatun min ayyamin ukhar- (Fast) a certain number of days;
and (for) him who is sick among you, or on a journey, (the same)
number of other days; [2: 184]. In that case Allah gave you permission
to fulfill them later. If someone is continuously sick then he is
excused. It means you have to do it once a year, but some people if
they cannot fast,they do not have to doit--Allah is relieving them,
excusing them.
Pilgrimage - Hajj
The fifth pillar wa hajj al-bayt li man istata 'a ilahyi sabeela .
Whoever can afford to do hajj who isphysically and mentally and
financially able to go, must perform it at least once in a lifetime.
Prayer - Salat
So on the other hand we see that salat, the second pillar of Islam-you
cannot leave it. Five times a day you are obliged to do it and you
cannot leave it for any reason. No reason. No excuse . there is a very
severe penalty for leaving prayer. If you are sick and you don't fast
there is no penalty. If you are poor and you have no money to give
zakat there is no penalty. If you cannot afford to go to hajj there is
no penalty. But for leaving salat there is a very high penalty -
hellfire. Ma bayn al-kufr wal iman tark al-salah, - What is between
belief and disbelief is leaving prayer. So there is no way, no excuse
for any sick person, for a person with or without money, he or she has
to pray. Five prayers.

--
- - - - - - -

Story :- The Carpenter

A highly skilled carpenter who had grown old was ready to retire. He
told his employer-contractor of hisplans to leave the house building
business and live a more leisurely life with his family. He would miss
the paycheck, but he needed to retire.
The employer was sorry tosee his good worker go and asked if he could
buildjust one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter agreed to
this proposal but made sure that this will be his last project. Being
in a mood to retire, the carpenter was not paying much attention to
building this house. His heart was not in his work. He resorted topoor
workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to
end his career.
When the job was done, the carpenter called his employer and showed
himthe house. The employer handed over some papers and the front door
key to the carpenter and said"This is your house, my gift to you."
The carpenter was in a shock! What a shame! If he had only known that
he was building his own house, he would have made it better than any
other house that he ever built!
Our situation can be compared to this carpenter. Allah Ta'la has sent
us to this world to build our homes in paradise by obeying His
commands. Now, we have to decide how well we wish to build the homes
where we will live forever.

--
- - - - - - -

Story :- Giant Ship Engine that Failed

The following is an incident about an engine failure in a giant ship.
The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them
could figure but how to fix the engine. Then they brought in an old
man who had been fixing ships since he was a youngster. He carried a
large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went
to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom.
Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he
would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached
into his bag and pulled out a smallhammer. He gently tappedsomething.
Instantly, the engine lurched into life He carefully put his hammer
away. The engine was fixed! A week later, the owners received a bill
from the old man for ten thousand dollars.
"What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!"
So they wrote the old mana note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."
The man sent a bill that read:
Tapping with a hammer $ 2.00
Knowing where to tap $ 9998.00
Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort in your life
makes all the difference. Knowledge in Islam is highly valued.
Knowledge will benefit us in this world and in the hereafter.

--
- - - - - - -

Hadees

Narrated Anas bin Malik (R.A):
Allah's Apostle mentioned the greatest sins or he was asked about the
greatest sins. He said, "To join partners in worship with Allah; to
kill a soul which Allah has forbidden to kill; and to be undutiful or
unkind to one's parents." The Prophet (pbuh) added,"Shall I inform you
of the biggest of the great sins? That is the forged statement or the
false witness." Shu'ba (the sub-narrator) states that most probably
the Prophetsaid, "the false witness."
Sahih Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 73, Number 8/

--
- - - - - - -