The Muslim in Ramadaan

What should we say to the Muslims on the occasion of the beginning of Ramadaan?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed theQur'aan, a guidance for
mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between
right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescenton the first
night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must
observe Sawm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey,
the same number[of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be
made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not
want to make things difficult for you. (He wantsthat you) must
complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah
[i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for
having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him."
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
This blessed month is a great opportunity for goodness, barakah
(blessing), worship and obedience towards Allaah.
It is a great month, a noble season, a month in which hasanaat
(rewards for good deeds) are multiplied and in which committing
sayi'aat (bad deeds) is more serious than at other times. The gates of
Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the sinners'
repentance to Allaah is accepted. It is a month whose beginning is
mercy, its middle is forgiveness and its end is redemption from the
Fire.
So give thanks to Him for the season of goodness and blessing that He
has bestowed upon you, and for the means of bounty and various kinds
of greatblessings for which He hassingled you out. Make themost of
this blessed time by filling it with acts of worship and forsaking
haraam things, so that you may attain a good lifein this world and
happiness after death.
For the sincere believer, every month is an occasion for worship and
his whole life is spent in obeying Allaah, but in the month of
Ramadaan he has even more motives todo good and his heart is even more
focused on worship, and he turns even more to his Lord. By His grace,
our generous Lord bestows His bounty upon the fasting believersand
multiplies the rewardfor them on this blessed occasion, so He gives
abundantly and rewards generously for righteous deeds. Time passes
quickly
Days pass so quickly, as if they were mere moments. We welcomed
Ramadaan, then we bade it farewell, and only a short period of time
passed and we are welcoming Ramadaan again. So we should hasten to do
good deeds in this month and strive to fill it with that which Allaah
is pleased with andwith that which will help us on the Day when we
meet Him.
How can we prepare for Ramadaan?
We can prepare for Ramadaan by taking stockof ourselves and
recognizing our shortcomings in living up to the Shahaadatayn, or our
shortcoming in fulfilling our duties, or ourshortcomings in not
keeping away from the desires and doubts that we may have fallen into…
We should set ourselves straight so that in Ramadaan we will have a
higher degree of faith. Forfaith increases and decreases. It increases
through obedience to Allaah and it decreases through disobedience
andsin. The first act of obedience that a person should achieve is
that of being a true slave of Allaah and believing that there is none
that is rightfully worshipped except Allaah, so he directs all kinds
of worship to Allaah and does not associate anyoneelse in worship with
Him. Each of us should realize that whatever has befallen him could
not have missed him, and whatever missed him could not have befallen
him, and that everything happens by the will and decree of Allaah.
We should avoid everything that could undermine our commitment to the
Shahaadatayn. This meanskeeping away from bid'ah(innovations) and
things that have been introduced into the religion. We should also
follow the principle of al-walaa' wa'l-bara' (loyalty and friendship
vs. disavowal and enmity), bytaking the believers as our friends and
by regarding the kaafirs and hypocrites as enemies, and we should
rejoice when the Muslims gain a victory over their enemies. We should
follow the example of theProphet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and his companions and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the way ofthe
Rightly-Guided Khulafa' who came after him. We should love the Sunnah
and love those who adhere to it and defend it, in whatever country
they are and whatever colour or nationality they are.
After that we should take stock of ourselves and recognize our
shortcomings in doing acts of worship such as praying in congregation,
remembering Allaah (dhikr), paying attention to the rights of
neighbours, relatives and the Muslims .....

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THE PROPORTION OF RAIN

One of the items of information given in the Quran about rain is that
it is sent down to Earth in due measure. This is mentioned in Surah
Zukhruf as follows;
"It is He who sends down water in due measure from the sky by which We
bring a dead land backto life. That is how you too will beraised (from
the dead)." (The Quran, 43:11)
This measured quantity in rain has again been discovered by modern
research. It is estimated that in one second, approximately 16 million
tons of water evaporates from the Earth. This figure amounts to 513
trillion tons of water in one year. This number is equal to the amount
of rain that falls on the Earth in a year. This means that water
continuously circulates in abalanced cycle, in a "measure". Life on
Earth depends on this water cycle. Even if people used all the
available technology in the world, they would not be able to reproduce
this cycle artificially.
Even a minor deviation in this equilibrium would very soon giverise to
a major ecological imbalance that would bring about the end of life on
Earth. Yet,this never happens, and rain keeps falling every year in
exactly the same quantity just as revealed in the Quran.
Every year, the amount of water that evaporates and that falls back to
the Earth in the form of rain is "constant": 513 trillion tons. This
constant amount is declared in the Quran by the expression "sending
down waterin due measure from the sky". The constancy of this quantity
is very important for the continuity of the ecological balance, and
therefore, life.

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A NUMERIC MIRACLE OF THE QURAN

The word (Sea or Water) is mentioned 32 times, and the word (Landmass)
is mentioned 13 times in the Holy Quran. If we add them together we
will get 45.
Now let us do some calculations.
By finding the percentage of the number of the word (Sea) to the total
number of the words (Sea and Landmass) we will have:
(32/45)x100% = 71.11111111111%
By finding the percentage of the number of the word (Landmass) to the
total number of the words (Sea and Landmass) we will have:
(13/45)x100% = 28.88888888889%
Scientists have only recently discovered that these are the actual
ratios of the water and landmass of this world. However, Allah has
revealed this information already in the Quran over fourteen hundred
years ago!
So what do you think? Could it bea Chance?

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QURAN ON SEA WAVES

With regard to the many statements in the Quran concerning the sea,
some of these facts were not discovered until very recently, and many
of them are still unknown. For example, these facts were discovered
after hundreds of marine stations had been set up, and after images
had been taken by satellites. The one who said this was Professor
Schroeder, one of the greatest oceanographers in West Germany. He used
to say that if science advanced, religion would have to retreat. But
when he heard the translation of the verses of the Quran, he was
stunned and said, "These could not be the words of a human being." And
Professor Dorjaro, a professor of oceanography, told us of the latest
developments on science, when he heard the verse:
"Or (the state of a disbeliever) is like the darkness in a vast deep
sea, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by darkclouds,
(layers of) darkness upon darkness: if a man stretches out his hand,
he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light,
for him there is no light"(The Quran, 24:40 interpretation of the
meaning)
He said, "In the past, man could not dive to a depth of more than
twenty meters because he had no special equipment. But now we can dive
to the bottom of the ocean, using modern equipment, and we find
intense darkness at a depth of two hundred meters." The verse says a
vast deep sea. The discoveries in the depths of the sea give us an
understandingof the verse, (layers of) darkness upon darkness. It is
known that there are seven colours in the spectrum, including red,
yellow, blue, green, orange, etc. When wedive down into the depths of
the ocean, these colours disappear one after another, and the
disappearance of each colour results in more darkness. Red disappears
first, then orange, then yellow the last colour to disappear is blue,
at a depth of two hundred meters. Each colour that disappears adds to
the darkness until it reaches total darkness. With regard to the
phrase waves topped by waves, ithas been proven scientifically
thatthere is a separation between theupper and lower parts of the
ocean, and that this separation is filled with waves, as if there are
waves on the edge of the dark, lower portion of the sea, which we do
not see, and there are waves on the shores of the sea, which we do
see. So it is as if there are waves above waves. This is a confirmed
scientific fact, hence Professor Dorjaro said concerning these Quranic
verses, that this cannot be human knowledge.

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THE VICTORY OF BYZANTIUM

Another astonishing piece of revelation that the Quran gives about the
future is to be found inthe first verses of Surah Rum, which refers to
the Byzantine Empire, the eastern part of the later Roman Empire. In
these verses, it is stated that the Byzantine Empire had met with a
great defeat, but that it would soon gain victory.
"Alif, Lam, Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but
after their defeat they will themselves be victorious in a few years'
time. The affair is God's from beginning to end."(The Quran, 30:1-4)
These verses were revealed around 620 AD, almost seven years after the
severe defeat of Christian Byzantium at the hands of the idolater
Persians. Yet it wasrelated in the verses that Byzantium would shortly
be victorious. In fact, Byzantium had then suffered such heavy losses
that it seemed impossible for it even to survive, let alone be
victorious again. Not only the Persians, but also Avars, Slavs
andLombards posed serious threats to the Byzantine Empire. The Avars
had reached as far as the walls of Constantinople. The Byzantine
Emperor Heraclius had ordered the gold and silver in churches to be
melted and turned into money in order to meet the expenses of the
army. When these proved insufficient, even bronze statues were melted
down to be turned into money. Many governors had revolted against
Emperor Heraclius, and the empire was on the point of collapse.
Mesopotamia, Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Armenia, which had
earlier belonged to Byzantium, were invaded by the idolater Persians.
In short, everyone was expecting the Byzantine Empire to be destroyed.
But right at that moment, the first verses of Surah Rum were revealed,
announcing that Byzantium would triumph in a few years' time. This
victory seemed so impossible that Arab polytheists had gone so far as
to make fun of these verses. They thought that the victory announced
in the Quran would never come true.
Around seven years after the revelation of the first verses of Surah
Rum, in December 627 AD, a decisive battle between Byzantium and the
Persian Empire was fought at Nineveh. And this time the Byzantine army
unexpectedly defeated the Persians. A few months later, the Persians
had to make an agreement with Byzantium, which obliged them to return
theterritories they had taken from it.
At the end, "the victory of the Romans," proclaimed by God in the
Quran, miraculously came true.
Another miracle revealed in theseverses is the announcement of a
geographical fact that could not have been known by anyone at that
time.
In the third verse of Surah Rum, we are informed that the Romanshad
been defeated in the lowest region of the Earth. This expression,
"Adna al Ard" in Arabic, is interpreted as "a nearbyplace" in many
translations. Yet this is not the literal meaning of the original
statement, but rather a figurative interpretation of it. The word
"Adna" in Arabic is derived from the word "deni", which means "low"
and "ard", which means "world". Therefore the expression "Adna al Ard"
means "the lowest place on the Earth".
Most interestingly, the crucial stages of the war fought between the
Byzantine Empire and the Persians, when the Byzantines were defeated
and lost Jerusalem, had really taken place at the lowest point on
earth. This specified region is the Dead Sea basin, which is situated
at the intersection point of the lands belonging to Syria, Palestine,
and Jordan. The "Dead Sea", lying 395 meters below sea level, really
is the lowest region on Earth.
This means that the Byzantines were defeated at the lowest part of the
world, just as stated in the verse.
The most interesting point lies in the fact that the altitude of the
Dead Sea could only be measuredwith modern measurement techniques.
Before that, it was impossible for anyone to know that it was the
lowest region on the surface of the Earth. Yet, this region was stated
to be the lowest point on the Earth in the Quran. Hence, this provides
further evidence that the Quran isdivine revelation.
Above is a satellite photograph ofthe Dead Sea basin. The altitude of
the Dead Sea could only be determined with modern measurement
techniques. These measurements led to the discovery that this is the
"lowest region on the Earth"

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ONLY FEMALE BEES PRODUCE HONEY

"And Your lord inspired the bee, to build your dwellings in hills,
ontrees, and in (human's) habitations. Then, to eat of all the produce
and follow the ways of your Lord made easy. There comes forth from
their bodies a drink of varying colour, wherein is healing for men:
Verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought."(The Quran,
16:68-69)
The imperative "build" above is the translation of the Arabic word
"attakhithi", which is the feminine form (Arabic grammar unlike
English, differentiates between the sexes). The feminineform is used
when all of those it refers to are female, whereas the masculine is
used when a group consists of at least 1 male.
Therefore the Quran is in fact saying "build, you female bees.."
A swarm of bees , which collect honey and build the hive, are female only.
Thus, the phrasing of this command is in agreement with the scientific
fact that male bees do not partake in the construction of the hive.
Microscopes were not invented until 1610, when Galileo inventedone of
the first microscopes almost a thousand years after Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him). It is only Allah, the Creator of all things, who
revealed such details over 1,423 years ago. This one word of the Quran
is sufficient to prove that Quran is from non other than Allah!
Obtained from The Islamic Bulletin, August 2000 Issue, San Francisco, USA.

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Don't abandon this jewel

'Umar (RA) became unconscious after he was stabbed, and according to
Al Miswar bin Makhramah,it was said: "Nothing would wake him up except
the call to prayer, if he is still alive." They said to him, "The
prayer has finished, O Chief of theFaithful!" He woke up andsaid, "The
prayer, by Allah! Verily, there is no share in Islam for whoever
abandons the prayer." He performed theprayer while his wound was
bleeding. [Sifat as Safwah 2/131, As Siyar 5/220]
After ar-Rabi` bin Khaytham became partially paralyzed, he used to go
to the mosque helped by two men. He was told: "O Abu Yazid! You have
been given permission to pray at home." He said, "You havesaid the
truth, but I heard the caller hearld, 'Hayya `ala al-Falah (Come to
success)', and I thought that whoever hears this call should answer it
evenby crawling." [Hilyat al Awliya 2/113]
O Muslims! Do not leave Salah. Do not lose the value of vowing down in
front of your Lord to tell Him that nothing is greater than You, oh
Allah!

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THE MYSTERY OF IRON

"Indeed We have sent Messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with
them the Book and the Balance, that mankind may observe justice; And
We sent down (Nazala) iron, in which is (material for) mighty power,
as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is
that will help, unseen, Him and His Messengers, for Allahis full of
strength, exalted in might." (The Quran, 57:25.)
It is remarkable that the Holy Quran uses the word Nazala for iron,
stating that it was sent down to earth. Geologists now agree that the
entire energy of our solar system is not sufficient to produce one
atom of iron. Additionally, they state that four times as much energy
as that of our solar system would be needed to make one atom of ironon
the surface of earth. The geologists thus conclude that iron is an
extra-terrestrial material that came to earth from some other planet.
The word Nazala to the early commentatorsof the Holy Quran was one the
mysteries of the Holy Quran. Recent advancement of knowledge has
changed this mystery of the Holy Quran to a fact of science. Who
besides Allah,Glory be to Him, could have such absolute knowledge
which excelsand encompasses all levels of human knowledge?

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HUMANS WERE CREATED IN STAGES

Only 60 years ago, researchers confirmed that man does not come into
existence all at once, but rather he passes through stages of
development one after another. However, the Holy Quranalready has this
information.
Shaykh al-Zandaani said, we met an American professor, one of the
greatest American scientists, whose name was Professor Marshall
Johnson, and we told him that it says in the Quran that man is created
in stages. When he heard this, he was sitting down, but he stood up
and said, "Stages?" We said, "That was in the seventh century CE! This
Bookcame and said, man was created in stages." He said, "That is
impossible, impossible." We told him, "Why do you say that?" This Book
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation
in three veils of darkness" (The Quran, 39:6)
"What is the matter with you, that[you fear not Allah (His
punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allah or you believe
not in His Oneness).While He has created you in (different) stages"
(The Quran, 71:14)
Then he sat back down on his chair and after a few moments he said,
"There are only three possibilities. The first is that Muhammad had a
huge microscope through which he managed to study these things and he
knew things that the people did not know, and he saidthese things. The
second is that this happened by accident, it wasa coincidence. The
third is that hewas a Messenger from God." We said, "With regard to
the first idea, that he had a microscope and other equipment, you know
that a microscope needs lenses, and lenses need glass and technical
expertise and other equipment. Some of this information can only be
discovered with an electron microscope which needs electricity, and
electricity needs knowledge which should have been acquired by an
earlier generation. It is not possible for this knowledge to have been
acquired all at once in a single generation; the previous generation
would have had to strive hard in developing science and transmitting
it to the next generation, and so on. But for this to be the work of
one man, with no one coming before him or after him, either in his own
land or the neighbouring lands for the Romans, Persians and Arabs were
ignorant and had no such equipment, for one man to have all these
instruments and tools which he did not pass on toanyone else this is
not possible." He said, "That's right, it would be very difficult." We
said, "And for itto have been an accident or coincidence, what would
you think if we said that the Quran did not mention this fact only in
one verse but in several verses, and that it did not refer to it in
general terms but that it gave details of every stage, saying that in
the first stage such and such happens, in the second stage such and
such happens, in the third stage and so on. Could that be a
coincidence?" When we explained to him all the details of those
stages, he said, "It is wrong to say that this is an accident! This is
well-founded knowledge." We said, "Then how do you explain it?" He
said, "There is no explanation except that this is revelation from
above!"

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Clear Truth INTRODUCTION

Each prophet was sent with unique miracles to make it easier for the
people to believe in God. When these prophets died, their miracles
also came to an end. However, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was
sent with a miracle that is to live forever. This living miracle is
the Holy Quran, which even amazes the elites among the scientists and
thinkers of today.
The Quran was revealed over fourteen hundred years ago to Prophet
Muhammad as a source of guidance for the whole of humanity. The Quran
has remained unchanged since the day it was revealed. It is a clear
guidance for all those who are searching for the truth. Whether you
believe in God or not, the Holy Quran is here to show you that Islam
is the only true religionand that the Quran is from non other than
Allah Almighty. Allah is the Arabic term used for God which will be
used in various places throughout this book.
What Allah says about the Holy Quran:
"Verily, those who disbelieved in the Reminder (i.e. the Quran) when
it came to them (shall receive the punishment). And verily, it is an
honourable well fortified respected Book (becauseit is Allah's Speech,
and He has protected it from corruption).
Falsehood cannot come to it frombefore it or behind it, (it is) sent
down by the All Wise, Worthy of all praise (Allah)"
(The Quran, 41:41-42 interpretation of the meaning)

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Some Superstitions About Paradise

The verses depicting Paradise awake in the reader today the same sense
of grandeur, quality,beauty, richness, bounteousness, well-being, and
prosperityas they did 14 centuries ago. All of the values associated
with Paradise have been desired by people of every period of history
and of every socialclass. For example, the gold, silver, and precious
jewels in Paradise, as described in the Qur'an, are even more in
demand today than they were in the past.
The Qur'an also mentions that silk will be found in Paradise. Today,
either as clothing or for decorative purposes, silk is preferred as a
high quality material.At the same time, it is a symbol of wealth and
grandeur. All of the precious things used to describe Paradise are far
more valuable today thanthey were 1,400 years ago.
Again, the beautiful residences, palaces, and mansions mentioned in
the Qur'an are luxurious places desired by everyone regardless of when
they live. Today's villas and mansions are allof this category, and
are marks of distinction, quality, and wealth.
Similarly, the thrones, couches, and cushions of Paradise form a part
of the most comfortable andgrand interior decoration. This kind of
aesthetically beautiful furnishing is today displayed in the grandest
of places.
Allah is the owner of all material things, and it belongs to His glory
to find His beloved servants worthy of all of these beautiful things,
both in this life and the next.
Does Paradise Contain Things Not Mentioned in the Qur'an?
The Qur'an describes Paradise through examples and comparisons taken
from this world, for people can imagine something unknown only in
terms ofthat which is known to them. However basic the description
might be, it gives a certain idea. The Qur'an's detailed and subtle
descriptions of Paradise's blessings show us that these blessings and
beauties are superior to the best, most beautiful, and highest quality
things to be foundin this world.
The Qur'an describes Paradise by giving examples of the most
desirable, high quality, and rarest things. For example, women with
large dark eyes have a rare quality that gives them an extremely
aesthetic and attractive appearance. Therefore, women in Paradise have
large, dark gazelle-like eyes. This does not mean that no women there
have green, blue, or brown eyes, but only serves to emphasize the
excellent quality of Paradise and Allah's statement that the finest
things here are much finerthere. To give another example: The Qur'an
says that every kind of fruit is present in Paradise. But, in various
verses, bananasand figs are generally singled out more often as the
preferred fruits. Of course, these fruits are two blessings chosen
from the infinite abundance of all fruits in Paradise.
The announcement that everything desired by everyone exists in
Paradise for their pleasureand to fulfill their hearts' desire is
enough to express the idea that Paradise's blessings are infinite and
far beyond human imagination. Everyone understands theQur'an to the
degree of his or her faith, intelligence, and sincerity. Thus
disbelievers who read it with ill-intentions will understand the
versesabout Paradise according to their own sterile ideas. However,
Paradise's superior beauty is evidentto anyone who thinks about such
verses with anopen and intelligent awareness. Allah displays a perfect
design even in the smallest details of thisworld; surely, it would be
easy for Him to create far more excellent things than these.
Indifference
Some people are indifferent to Paradise, saying: "If it comes; fine.
Ifit doesn't, that's fine too." However, in the afterlife there are
only two possibilities: Paradise or Hell. There is no option to go to
a place in between.
It is clear that someone who does not appreciate Paradise as is due,
who does not long for or desire to attain it, is unworthy of it and
will never be admitted to it. There is only one place forsuch a person
to go: Hell. For this reason, being indifferent to Allah's greatest
grace and gift to believers and not desiringto enter it, as well as
persisting in this attitude is one of the clearest signsthat he or she
belongs among the people of Hell.

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Conversations in Paradise

They will say: "Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all sadness from
us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful: He Who has lodged
us, out of His favor, in the Abode of Permanence, where no weariness
or fatigue affects us." (Surah Fatir, 34-35)
The Qur'an contains detailed accounts of conversations among
believers, to whom Allah has given an exalted position in Paradise.
These conversations are important, because they provide a good example
for believers in this life. The verses: "They will hear no idle talk
in it, nor any call to sin. All that is said is: 'Peace! Peace!'''
(Surat al-Waqi'a, 25-26) show the importance of avoiding empty talk.
Elsewhere, the same pointis expressed as:
They will hear no idle talknor any lying there, as a recompensation
from your Lord, a commensurate gift. (Suratan-Naba', 35-36)
Now, let us look at every word of wisdom in the conversations taking
place in Paradise.
After giving their account, believers are sent to Paradise in groups.
The gates of Paradise are opened for them, and they are greeted by the
gatekeeper, who says to them:
�"Peace be upon you! Youhave done well, so enter it timelessly,
forever." (Surat az-Zumar, 73)
In another verse, it is said that angels who will come in to welcome
themfrom every gate will say to them:
"Peace be upon you because of your steadfastness! How wonderful is the
Ultimate Abode!" (Surat ar-Ra'd, 24)
Believers answer:
"Praise be to Allah, Who has fulfilled His promise to us and made us
the inheritors of this land, letting us settle in the Garden wherever
we want. How excellent is thewage of those who work!" (Surat az-Zumar,
74)
"Beforehand we used to live in fear among our families. But Allah was
gracious to us and safeguarded us from the punishment of the
searingwind. Beforehand we certainly used to call uponHim because He
is the All-Good, the Most Merciful." (Surat at-Tur, 26-28)
"Praise be to Allah, Who has guided us to this! We would not have been
guided had Allah not guided us. The Messengers of our Lord came with
the Truth." (Surat al-A'raf, 43)
This verse continues:
It will be proclaimed to them: "This is your Garden, which you have
inherited for what you did." (Surat al-A'raf, 43)
In another verse, the believers' thanksgiving in Paradise is described as:
Their call there is: "Glory be to You, O Allah!" Their greeting there
is: "Peace!"The end of their call is:"Praise be to Allah, the Lord of
all the worlds!" (Surah Yunus, 10)
Another verse says:
They will say: "Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all sadness from
us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful: He Who has lodged
us, out of His favor, in the Abode of Permanence, where no weariness
or fatigue affects us." (Surah Fatir, 34-35)
The conversation between believers in Paradise is related as follows:
They will turn to one another, asking each other [about their past
lives]. One of them will say: "I used to have a friend who would say
to me: 'Are you one of those who say that it is true, that after we
have died and are turned to dust and bones, we will face a
Reckoning?'"
[And] he will add: "Would you like to look [and see him]?"
So he will look down and see him in the midst of the Blazing Fire and
say:"By Allah, you almost ruined me! If it were not for the blessing
of my Lord, I would surely be [now] among those who are given over [to
suffering]. But then [Omy friends in Paradise,] is it [really] so that
we are notto die [again,] beyond ourprevious death and we shall never
[again] be made to suffer? Truly this is the Great Victory!" (Surat
as-Saffat, 50-60)
As we see from these verses, believers are aware that they have
arrived at this final happy end only by Allah's merciful will. Their
consciences are keen, and they remember the past. Perhaps their whole
lives are shown to them in detail, where they see themembers of their
intimatecircle trying to make themdeviate from the right path. And
they understand that if Allah had not protected them with His endless
grace, they could have followed the wrong path. Believers who come to
this awareness give thanks to Allah in Paradise, just as they did in
the world.
The verses below tell about the words spoken between the people of
Paradise and those in Hell,and give expression to the latter group's
sorrow:
In Gardens they will ask the evildoers: "What caused you to enter Saqar[Hell]?"
They will say: "We were not among the prayerful, and we did not feed
the poor. We plunged with those who plunged, and denied the Day of
Judgment until the Certainty came to us." Theintercession of those who
intercede will not help them. (Surat al-Muddaththir, 40-48)
So, the people in Hell confess the evil that they did during their
earthly lives, and ....

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The Highest Blessing: Allah's Good Pleasure

Allah has promised the men and women of the believers Gardens with
rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and
fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And Allah's good pleasure is
even greater. That is the great victory. (Surat at-Tawba, 72)
Earlier, we looked at the dazzling blessings found in Paradise. The
picture that emerges is one of letting people experience the greatest
pleasures and delights of the five senses.
But the biggest blessing of all is Allah's good pleasure, and the joy
and happiness a believer feels when he or she wins it. Asone hadith
also relates:"Allah would say to the inmates of Paradise: 'I shall
cause My pleasure toalight upon you' " (Muslim). Moreover, being
content with everything that Allah has given and offering Him
continual thanksgiving brings a noble contentment. The Qur'an draws
our attention to this, as follows:
Allah is pleased with themand they are pleased withHim. That is the
Great Victory. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 119)
The most striking expression of what believers feel when they win
Allah's good pleasure is that He will manifest Himself to them in a
way that they can see Him. This is impossible in the world because, as
the Qur'an says: "Eyesight cannot perceive Him" (Surat al-An'am, 10)
But according to the Qur'an, inthe next life and in a certain way
Allah will manifest Himself to His believing servants. Only Allah
knows how this will happen. But we are informed in the Qur'an that the
believers' "faces that Day will be radiant, gazing at their Lord"
(Surat al-Qiyama, 22-23) and "'Peace!' A word froma Merciful Lord"
(Surah Ya sin, 58) will be heard. Believers will be "on seatsof honor
in the presence of an All-Powerful King" (Surat al-Qamar, 55).
In other words, the greatest possible blessing that believers can have
is the deep sense of Allah's mercy and will. By winning His good
pleasure, they experience a joy and a happiness thatcannot be compared
with any material blessing.
Actually, it is Allah's will that gives value to Paradise's other
blessings.The same blessings may exist on Earth to a certain extent,
but they have no meaning for believers as long as they surpass the
limits Allah established.
Believers should think carefully about this extremely important point.
The real thing that gives a blessing its value is something far beyond
its intrinsic pleasure and delight, for its real value lies in the
fact that Allah"granted" it. Believers who use the blessing and thank
Allah for it feel that they have received Allah's gift; that the Lord
loves, protects, and looks after them; and gives them a taste of His
mercy. They take real joy from this.
A blessing is not an end; rather, it is a means to an end. As its
purpose is to encourage men and women to offer greater thanksgiving to
Allah, all of Paradise's blessings have only one goal: To lead
believers to offer eternal thanksgiving to Allah. This is what gives
them their value. In short,the blessings of Paradise are no more than
a meanswhereby believers can approach Allah and attain the
indescribable joy of winning His eternal friendship, love, and
approval. This is why Allah's good pleasure is the greatest blessing
of Paradise and far above all other material pleasures.
Let us consider one of Paradise's most striking blessings, one that is
frequently mentioned in the Qur'an: beautiful women, who represent the
height of the aestheticidea. Just to be with themis a great blessing.
The Qur'an describes the beauty of their faces, theirskin, and even
their bosoms. With these magnificent women, one of Allah's greatest
material blessings - sexuality - can be experienced eternally in the
most wonderful way. In the same manner, unmarried women will bemarried
to young palace servants. This also is a freegift to them from Allah.
However, what makes these women so valuable is not merely their
beauty,but the fact that they are known to be a gift from Allah.
Indeed, the greatestpleasure that can be had is that which comes from
receiving the love, closeness, grace, and benevolence of the Giver. No
matter how valuable agift may be, Allah's gift is more valuable for
the pleasure it gives in being deemed worthy to be of the gifts of
Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and in receiving it.
Accordingly, if they were not Allah's gifts, all blessings would lose
theirmeaning for a believer. Prophet Yusuf's (as) great nobility
orients a believer's moral sense in that direction. The Qur'an tells
how the wife of an Egyptian governor, desired Yusuf (as) and even
forced herself on him. We are told that Yusuf (as) found her
attractive, but avoided this forbidden relationship due to Allah'ssign
to him.

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What do you love the most?

Ibne Umar (RA) used to buy sugar (made from dates) and distribute it
among the poor. His servant once submitted that it would be better if
bread were given to the poor instead of sugar, as they would benefit
more from it. He agreed with the suggestion but said that Allah Ta'ala
has said: You will never attain piety unless you spend of that which
you love.(Al-Imran:92). Since, he himself loved sugar most, he gave
the same to the poor. Source: "Fadhail-E-Sadaqaa Part I", translated
by Prof. Abdul Karim.
Subhan-Allah! How beautifully they would give away what they lovethe
most, so that they may fulfill one of the commandments of Allah. May
Allah also give us these great qualities. Ameen.

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The brand new sky

Once we attended a speech given by a brotherwho came from France. The
speech was very heart warming and good to our imaan. I will share a
little bit of what he was saying. He said that our heart is filled so
much with what we see. Nice houses, cars, dollars, cclothes, etc.
These are just little little creations ofmankind and get used up very
soon. He told us not to fill our hearts with these small creations of
men but to fill our hearts with the Greatness of Allah by looking at
His uncomparable creations. He told us to look at the sky. It's
billions of years old but everyday it looks brand new. He told us to
look at the birds, they only have one dress and they don't even do
laundry. But even after 20years, you look at their feathers and they
still shine. Allahu Akbar! Let usempty our hearts of all the
materials, and bring only Allah into it.
"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall
you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the
Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of
this world is only the enjoyment of deception (adeceiving thing)." Al
Qur'an 3:185

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1b] When taking the wife back (following a revocable divorce), it is not essential that the wife know

1b]
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allahhave mercy on him) said: If the husband of the
revocably divorced woman takes her back without her knowledge, that
taking back is valid, because it does not require her consent and
therefore it does not require her knowledge either, as in the case of
talaaq. If he took her backand she did not know, then her 'iddah ended
andshe married someone else, then he comes and claims that he took her
back before her 'iddah ended, and he has proof of that, it is proven
that she is his wife and the second marriage is invalid, because he
(the second husband) married the wife of another man. So she is to be
returned tothe first husband, whether the second husband consummated
the marriage with her or not. This is the correct opinion and it is
the view of most of the fuqaha', including ath-Thawri, ash-Shaafa'i,
Abu 'Ubayd, and ashaab ar-ra'y. It was also narrated from 'Ali (may
Allah be pleased with him).
A second report was narrated from Abu 'Abdillah (may Allah have mercy
on him): if the second husband has consummated the marriage with her,
then she is his wife and the first marriage becomes invalid. This was
narrated from 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him),
and it is also the view of Maalik. Something similar was narrated from
Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyab, 'Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn al-Qaasim and Naafi'. End
quote from al-Mughni, 7/411
Based on that, perhaps you can consult a lawyer to see whether it is
possible to reopen the case of khula' easily after it was closed, or
whether it is possible to leave it without closing it. Or you can try
to find out your husband's attitude by anymeans, so that you can find
out whether he took him back before the end of your 'iddah or not, so
as to know exactly where you stand.
We ask Allah to make things easy for you and todecree good for you
wherever it may be.
And Allah knows best.

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1a] When taking the wife back (following a revocable divorce), it is not essential that the wife know

1a]
I have been given a first, revocable, talaaq, and my 'iddah ended
after I became pure following the third of three menstrual cycles
since thedivorce occurred two months ago. During the 'iddah period, my
husband did not take me back, but he is a master atplaying games and
there are a number of issues between us. I am afraid that he may have
taken me back without telling me, because there was a court case as I
had taken him to court for khula' (a kind of divorce), but whenthe
talaaq occurred, there was no longer any need for it so the case was
closed. I am afraid that after the case was closed Iwill find out that
he took me back without my knowledge. Please note that he divorced me
in front of a notary and nowI have a document of thatrevocable
divorce. I hope that you can advise me asto what I should do? In order
for him to take me back, does he have to do so in front of the same
notary in front of whom he divorced me, and in the same record, or
not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The husband may take back his wife whom he divorced revocably
duringthe 'iddah, and it is not stipulated that she shouldbe present
or know of it, or that the taking back bedone in the presence of a
notary, whether the divorce was issued in the presence of a notary or
not.
But it is mustahabb for the taking back to be witnessed by two
witnesses, and it was said that it is obligatory for it to be
witnessed.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allahhave mercy on him) said: Taking back is done by
saying to two Muslim men: Bear witness that I have taken aback my
wife, without any guardian being present and without any mahr being
added. Another report was narrated from Abu 'Abdullah (may Allah have
mercy on him), which says that it is permissible to take the wife back
without it beingwitnessed, the reason being that taking back does not
require any guardian or mahr, or the consent or knowledge of the wife,
according to scholarly consensus, because of what we have mentioned
about the woman who us revocably divorced coming under the heading of
rulings on wives, and taking her back means keeping her and continuing
marriage to her. Hence Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
described taking back as "retaining" and leaving them as "releasing"
them, as He says (interpretation of themeaning): "…and they have
reached their term, then retain them in kindness or release them in
kindness" [al-Baqarah 2:231] and, in another verse, "and then (a
woman) must be retainedin honour or released in kindness" [al-Baqarah
2:229]. Marriage is brokenby divorce and is restored when the divorce
is rendered null and void; taking back the wife removes the reason for
the break and stops it going all the way to irrevocable divorce;
therefore it does not require what is required to initiate a new
marriagecontract.
With regard to witnessing, there are two reports, one of which
saysthat it is obligatory. This isone of the two views of
ash-Shaafa'i, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation
of themeaning): "Then when they are about to fulfil their term
appointed, either take them back in agood manner or part withthem in a
good manner. And take for witness two just persons from among you
(Muslims)" [at-Talaaq 65:2]. The apparent meaning of the commandis
that it is obligatory, andbecause this is for the purpose of making
intimacy permissible, having it witnessed is required as in the case
of the marriage contract.
The second report says that having witnesses is not required. This is
the view favoured by Abu Bakr, and was the opinionof Maalik and Abu
Haneefah, because there is no need for acceptance, so there is no need
for witnesses, as is the case with all the husband's rights, and that
is becausewith regard to that in which the guardian's consent is not
required, it is not necessary to have witnesses. In this case the
command is understood as meaning that it is mustahabb. However there
is no difference of opinion among the scholars that it is Sunnah to
have witnesses.
End quote from al-Mughni, 7/403
Thus you know that your husband may have taken back during the 'iddah
and that his taking back isvalid, whether he took you back in the
presence of a notary or not. But if he comes after the end of your
'iddah and claims that he took you back, he will be to provide proof,
which is the testimony of two witnesses, unless youbelieve his claim,
in whichcase you may go back to him.
If the woman gets married after the end of her 'iddah, then her first
husband claims that he took her back without herknowledge and provides
proof of that, then she is to be returned to him.

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Endless Delight

Eat and drink with relish for what you did.(Surat al-Mursalat, 43)
The Qur'an announces that the people of Paradise are blessed with the
finest food and various drinks. But since these people require no
nourishment, we can understand that such foodand drink have been
created only to give pleasure.
This food resembles the food of this world. The people of Paradise
will express this similarity in the following way:
Give the good news to those who believe and doright actions, that they
will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them. When they are given
fruit there as provision, they will say:"This is what we were given
before." But they were only given a simulation of it. They will have
there spouses of perfect purity, and will remain there timelessly,
forever. (Surat al-Baqara, 25)
Many foods in this world address people's appetitesand give pleasure
by theirappearance and taste. Of course Allah can easily create
similar foods in Paradise to give pleasure to believers. But, unlike
with earthly food, there will be no need to worry about gaining
weight, cholesterol, overeating, and so on, for Allah tells them: "Eat
and drink with relish for what you did" (Surat al-Mursalat, 43) Being
able to eat and drink beyond any reckoning is a delightfully pleasant
reward.
In order to attain Paradise, people are tested in this earthly life.
Believers show great effort and zeal in order to please our Lord, for
they turn to Him sincerely, thank Him continually, pray to Him, and
repent oftheir sins. As a reward, Allah offers them the blessings of
Paradise.
Leading all of the food mentioned in the Qur'an is meat. In Paradise,
Allah gives believers "any kind of fruit and meat that they desire"
(Surat at-Tur, 22), and will offer them"any bird-meat they desire"
(Surat al-Waqi'a, 22). Moreover, their food will "never run out"
(Surah Sad, 54), because believers will"enter Paradise, provided for
in itwithout any reckoning" (Surah Ghafir, 40).
They will be able to eat asmuch as they want, for the amount and types
of food available will never decrease, and no one will be forced to
stop eating due to being full or feeling sick.
Fruit is perhaps the food most often mentioned in the Qur'an. In
Paradise, believers receive whatever type of fruit they desire. The
Qur'an describes this:
Its shading branches will droop down over them, its ripe fruit hanging
ready to be picked. (Surat al-Insan, 14)
Thus, we understand that fruits of Paradise grow ontrees in natural
surroundings and that believers can easily pick and eat them. Surat
al-Waqi'a 28-29 mentions""fruit-laden lote-trees with thorns removed"
and "[banana] trees layered [with fruit]," meaning that the fruit
canbe obtained easily due to Paradise's infinite blessings.
The fruit it so plentiful that the tree branches cannot bear its
weight, and it is easy to reach because the branches bend down to the
ground.
This fruit may be offered freely on golden and silver trays and
tastefully designed plates to believers, who are sitting on thrones
and conversing with one another. Certainly all seeds and traces of rot
and bruising that annoy people in this world have been removed, as
befits Paradise. All fruits are offered to believers freely,with their
eye-catching beauty and without blemish.
Fruit also adds further color and aesthetic beautyto Paradise. The
sight of trees laden with all sorts of colorful fruits lends even more
beauty to the wonderful landscape. The predominant color is green, and
within that green are yellows, oranges, and reds that form a beautiful
view thatstrikes the human eye. As an indication of Allah's mighty
artistry, this view is another cause for thanksgiving.
Certainly, many kinds of drinks are also desirable. For instance,
Surat as-Saffat, 45 mentions "a cup from a flowing spring passing
round among them." In Paradise, believers are given "the choicest
sealed wine to drink, whose seal is musk"(Surat al-Mutaffifin, 25-27).
As these verses state, whatever they drinkis also sweet-smelling and,
of course, this wine isunlike any earthly wine.
The people who drink it will not become intoxicated or have their
awareness impaired. Allahsays that these drinks willbe offered in
glasses. Theywill not cause headaches, a loss of control of
themselves, or any alteration in their minds. Young men whom Allah
appointed for this service freely offer these drinks.

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A Muslim scholar faces a Hindu man

Once a famous Muslim Scholar of India was travelling by train. His
seat was beside a Hindu man. Due to the extreme hatred for Muslims,
the Hindu man moved away alittle from the scholar. Thescholar smiled
at him and didn't get offended. After a while, the Hindu man took out
a blanket and covered his body so that even the breath of the scholar
doesn't touch his body. Later, the Hindu man had to go to the toilet.
Upon seeing the dirty condition of the toilet, the Hindu man ran back
saying "Raam Raam." The scholar asked about what happened and the
Hindu man said that the condition of the toilet is very disgusting. At
that, the scholar got upand with some water went inside the toilet and
cleaned the toilet completely. Then he cameback to the Hindu man and
told him to go in because it's now clean. The Hindu man didn't know
what to do. But anyway, he went in and relieved himself. He is now
thinking that no ordinary man could do what the Muslim scholar did.
So, he came to the scholar and asked "Who taught you how to behave
like this?" The scholar replied "Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings
be upon him)." Then the hindu man wanted to know more about Islam and
the prophet. When they reached their destination, the Hindu man looked
back to the scholar and said "I will never forget what you've taught
me today."

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Asking Again and Again

Many times in my life, I came across people who would keep asking me
forfavours. For the first and second time, I happily gave them what
they wanted. However, if they kept on asking, I tried to hide from
them so that they don't ask me again. I believe, all humans do
thesame. Even a mother gets irritated at the child if he/she keeps on
asking her for things again and again.
On the other hand, the more we ask Allah, the more pleased He gets.
Such is Allah, the most Merciful. We should all learn the ways to ask
Allah for anything we need.

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May you develop in imaan,

May this Ramadhan be of utmost benefit to you. MayHis mercy,
blessings, love and protection surround and envelope you and your
family always. May He give you the tawfeeq to see the light in
darkness, the blessings in trials, the ease in difficulties, the love
in harshness.. May He give you the tawfeeq to see that He is closer to
you than your jugular vein [50:16]. InshaAllah the thawaab, khair,
'ilm, rahma and barakah that befalls you and your family, remain with
you forever more, and flourish in intensity. May you develop in imaan,
and be elevated in many ranks forwhat you have, and continue to
endure. Ameen, thumma ameen.
Requesting a mention of the Ummah, the suffering, the imprisoned, the
victims of war, famine and other natural disasters, myfamily, friends
and I in your most humble, sincere,pious du'as - before, during and
after Ramadhan.

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