Fateha and Esaale Sawaab is permissiblein Islam

1. All the Ulama-e-Haq and the Buzrugaan-e-Deen hold the belief that
to send Esaale Sawaab to the souls of the deceased is permissible.
2. It is permissible for a Muslim to send the Sawaab of his deeds,
such a Salaah, Saum, Zakaah, Hajj, Sadaqa, etc. to others. (Hidaya)
3. If a person kept Fast, performed his or her Salaah, or gave Sadaqa
and then sent this Sawaab to another person, either living or
deceased, then to do so is permissible, and that Sawaab reaches the
saidperson. (Bahrur Raa'iq)
4. Hazrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) asked the Prophet (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam): "If we send Sawaab to the deceased, give Sadaqa and
Khayraat and ask Du'a for them, does this reach them?" The Prophet
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said:"Verily it reaches them. Read
Salaah for them as you read for yourself and fast for them as you fast
for yourself. In otherwords, make Esaale Sawaab of Salaah and Saum for
them." The meaning of this Hadith Shareef is that we should send the
Sawaab of our actions to the deceased, since in realityone cannot
perform Salaah and keep fast for another person or on hisbehalf, but
we can send the Sawaab of our actions to them.
5. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) has stated: "On the
Days of Eid, the 10th of Muharram, the first Friday of Rajab, on
Shabbe Baraat, and on Thursday nights, the souls of the deceased are
left free to go to their homes, wherein they go and ask for Sadaqa and
Khayraat. If they do not receive any Du'a or Fateha, then theyreturn
to their graves saddened and disappointed and they say, 'O Allah! They
have deprived us, You deprivethem'".
6. The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) assaid: "When a person
passes away and the family of the deceased gives Sadaqa, Khayraat and
makes Du'a for him, then Sayyiduna Jibraeel (alaihis salaam) takes it
to them in their graves on a tray that is beautifully decorated. When
they receive this, they become so pleased as if someone in the world
becomes pleased on receiving a gift, and his neighbour who has not
received any Sawaab becomes sad".
7. Hazrat Sa'ad ibn Ubaadah (radi Allahu anhu) once came to the
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and said: "Ya Rasoolallah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)! My mother has passed away. What can I
do for Esaale Sawaab?" The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
said: "Preparea well for water". When the well was prepared,
Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) went close to the well and
made Du'a: "This is for the Esaale Sawaab for the mother of Saad".
While making this Du'a, he raised his hands high,and after Du'a, he
turned his hands over his blessed face.
8. For those who object to Fateha and Du'a, the following is for their perusal:-
8.1 It is allowed to make Du'a in front of the Niyaz(offering), as
this is whatthe Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) did by coming
close to the well to make Du'a.
8.2 It is allowed to lift upthe hands for Du'a and to end the Du'a by
turning the hands over the face.
8.3 It is preferable to calla pious person to make the Du'a.
8.4 To make Fateha on Niyaz is allowed. If it were not, then the
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) would not have made Du'a
nearthe water, but would have said that the intention was sufficient.
8.5 For the person to obtain the Sawaab, it is not necessary to feed
the Niyaz first, but Du'a can be made before this since the Prophet
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) made Du'a even before any person drank
out of the well.
9. Whosoever makes Khatam of the Holy Quran and then makes Du'a, 4 000
Angels say Aameen on his Du'a. They then continue making Du'a for him
andthey continue asking blessings for him until the morning or
afternoon. (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan)
10. At the time of Khatam Shareef, there is a flow of mercy and to
make Du'a after completing the Quran is Mustahab.
11. When Hazrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) used to complete the Holy
Quran, then he would call all his family and friends and make Du'a.
(Jila'ul Afhaam)
12. When making Fateha, one should follow the proceedure ofthe pious
Saints. When making the Fateha, send the Sawaab to the Prophet (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam), the pious servants, the Companions, and then
through their blessing, ask for it to be sent to the soul of the
deceased.This is the prescribed method, and this is the method that
the Ahle Sunnah has always followed.
13. By making Esaale Sawaab, it gives comfortto the deceased, pleases
them, saves them from the torment of the grave, elevates their status
and causes benefitto the sender as well as the receiver.

Haazir O Naazir - Present and Witnessing

According to the Holy Quran every thing has todie as Allah almighty says:
"Every soul is to taste thedeath" (Sura Al-Imran)Like this prophets of
Allah almighty were also passed through the process of death. They
were given death but it was for a very short time. And at the same
time they were brought to life as same as before.
Now all of the prophets (Alaihis salam) of Allah almighty are alive.
Allama Baihaqi (Rahmatullah Alaih) has collected a number of
narrations in the proof of the life of the prophets (Alaihis salam)
after death.
Such as Allama Jalaluddieen Sayuti (Rahmatullah Alaih) also written a
book on this topic and there are so many scholars of ummahwho have
written very much about this topic. Now I prove it from the Quran and
Hadith. Allah Almighty says:
"And say not those who are killed in the path of Allah as dead, but
they are alive yes, you are unaware." (Sura Al Baqara, Verse 154)
According to the Holy Quran pious people are of four categories. The
Prophets (Alaihis Salam) are of the highest grade and then comes the
number of truthful and then martyrs and righteous people stands fourth
in grade. And all four kinds are blessed according to their grades. As
the Holy Quran says: "Those who have been blessed by Allah viz., the
Prophets, and the truthful, and martyrs and righteous." (Sura Al Nisa,
Verse 69)
According to the generalpractice of the people we see that an officer
of grade "B" is provided all facilities which is provided to the
officer of grade "C". But the officer of B grade is given more than
the officer of C grade. Like this is the case of the officer of grade
"A". He is not only provided all the facilities of the officer of
grade B but also more than that of"B" grade. Now we believe that a
martyr gets the life after death by practicing the teachings of his
Prophet (Alaihis Salam) although he comes in third grade of the pious
peoples, so what is about the position of the Prophet (Alaihis Salam)
who is highest of all in his grade. Surely He is the most deserve able
of all others to be alive after death. It is a logical proof.
Secondly the Prophet of Allah almighty is a martyr because he died due
to the eating of piousness food. As Imam Bukhari and Baihaqi
(Rahmatullah Alaih) narrated by Aiysha (Allahalmighty is well pleased
with her) that the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace be upon Him)
said in his mortal disease, " I always felt the pain of food which I
ate in Khaibar, now that poison is killing me." (Al Havi Lilfatawa.
Printed from Bairut. Vol. 2, P 149)
So the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace beupon Him) is also alive
according to the Quranicverse.
Proof of the life of Prophets (Alaihis Salam) after death by
narrations of the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace and Peace be upon Him)
1) Qazi Shaukani writes that the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace
beUpon Him) in saheeh hadith that the Prophets (Alaihis Salam) of
Allah almighty are alive in their shrines. And Baihaqi (Rahmatullah
Alaih) has rectified it andwrote a book on this topic.
(Nail-ul-Qwatar. Vol.5, Page 108)
Abu Darda (Radi Allaho Unho) narrates that the prophet of Allah
said,"Send salutation (Durood) upon me againan again on Friday.
Because these salutation(Durood) are observed by angles. No one sends
salutation but it is presented to me before his getting free from
salutations". I asked him,"What is about after death?" He (Allah's
Grace& Peace be Upon Him) said "Allah almighty has made unlawful upon
earth to spoil prophet's bodies and the Prophet of Allah is alived and
he is given food." (Sunnan-e- Ibne Maja, Printed Noor Muhammad, P 118)
There are so many narrations which are found in proof of the lifeof
Prophets (alaihis salam) after death, thosecan't be written this is
why I stop my pen at thisbecause it is enough for a reasonable man.
What does the Holy Quran say ?
Before we quote the Holy Quran let us define and understand the
terminology of this subject matter. The terms used for the
omnipresence are"Haazir" and"Naazir"and these terms need to be
clarified and understood from the outset.
The meaning of Haazir and Naazir is explained below:
HAAZIR-To be present (physically or spiritually, i.e. in being)
NAAZIR-To see or behold with ones own eyes (from near or afar)
Note very carefully, that to be truly present and seeing one must be
'Aware' and 'Understand'what one sees.
To illustrate, a person named Zaid is in his home watching the live
Jum'a broadcast from Mecca. Then it follows that Zaid is Haazir
(physically), at his home, and Zaid is Naazir (seeing events) in his
home and in Mecca. NowZaid saw with his own eyes the Imaam lead the
Jum'a prayer in Mecca, although Zaid was sitting in
London.
Added to the fact that, while sitting in London Zaid observed the
eventsin Mecca, Zaid needs twomore abilities to becomea WITNESS to
this event, i.e. Zaid must be AWARE of what he sees & hears, as well
as UNDERSTAND the event fully. Therefore, when Zaid satisfies the
conditions of being present and seeing,together with theability to
comprehend the event in front of him, Zaid may be called upon as a
WITNESS to that event.
Now, it would follow that, if Zaid were blind or deaf, Zaid could not
be called upon as a reliable witness, since Zaid does not fulfill all
the requirements of being are liable witness. Therefore, a WITNESS is
someone who is HAAZIR& NAAZIR at an event andfully understands the
event. Be it that the witness was at the eventphysically or was able
to observe the event LIVE from afar spiritually or in the case of Zaid
electronically!
It must also be apparent that one cannot be NAAZIR without being
HAAZIR, the two abilities go hand in hand.
This is a very important point to understand. Now, bearing in mind the
definition of HAAZIR& NAAZIR together with the definition of being
aWITNESS to an event, payfull attention to what the Holy Quran says
about the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
1) " 'O' Nabi (communicator of the unseen) we have sent you as a
witness." (S33 V45)
2) "Then how shall it be, when We bring up a witness from each nation
(of each Prophet)and 'O' beloved
Messenger We will bring you as a witness and guardian against all
those." (S4 V41)
Observe that the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is
beingcalled a WITNESS to all the nations that Allah has put upon this
Earth. Therefore, the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) must
have been present before his Earthly appearance and is still present
after this Earthly demise, otherwise he cannot be called upon asa
witness in the true sense of the word. Thereare many other verses
ofthe Holy Quran that call upon the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam)to be a witness. And a witness can only be someone who is
Haazir & Naazir.
A Technical Point
The following Quranic verses are often quoted to show that the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was notpresent and seeing
before his Earthly appearance :
"And you ('O' Prophet) were not with them (present) when they
casttheir pens(to decide) which of them should be
Mary's guardian." (S3 v44)
"The Prophet was not present when Musa was called upon Tur" (S28 V46)
Yes, the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was notpresent
(physically speaking) at these events, but this is not to say that he
was not seeing (Naazir) these events. On the contrary, he must have
been seeing these events, otherwise how can he be a witness to all the
events as mentioned in the previous Quranic Verses. And since he was
seeing (NAAZIR) he must have been present(HAAZIR), be it spiritually
and from afar.
Read the following verses of the Holy Quran:
3)" ('O' Prophet) Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the
owners of the Elephant." (S105 V1)
This event took place many days before the birth of the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
4)" ('O' Prophet) Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with (the
people) of Aad. " (S89 V9)
Now the people of Aad lived many centuries before the advent of the
Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) on this Earth.
So, how could the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) 'SEE'
these events? Allah only knows how, but, since it is clear from the
verses of the Holy Quran,that the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) did SEE these events, then you must admit that the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was present and seeing (HAAZIR
& NAAZIR) at these events. Furthermore, the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam) witnessed these events before his Earthly advent.
Note that Allah did not say, "have you not HEARD..." or "have you not
been TOLD..". No, Allah says to the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) "did you not SEE"!
Please apply a little common sense. Is there not a difference between
seeing an event and being told about an event.
Mu'adh(RA)reports that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
said, "I saw Allah. He put His hand between my shoulders. I felt the
coolness of His hand in my breast which enlightened me about
everything. And I recognized Him." (Tirmidhi Sharif)
Even a lifetime would not be enough to contemplate on this Hadith, if
only Allah would open our minds to contemplation and understanding.
Sayyidina Umar (RA), states "In one Friday sermon, the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) informed us about everything which has
happened or will happen from the very beginning of time until the
Hereafter when some will inhabit Paradise while the others Hell."
(Bukhari Sharif)
Is it not clear, that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
isa witness to all that has happened and will happen!
Ibn Abbas (RA) reports that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) said, "I know everything which is in the Heavens and
theEarth, from the East to the West."(Tirmidhi Sharif)
How can the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) know everything
in the Heavens and the Earth and their constant changing conditions,
without beholding the conditions of the Heavens and the Earth
continuously !
The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) had elevated some of
hiscompanions to such a state of being, that even those selected
companions were ever seeing the Heavens and the Earth.
Imaam Al Azam, Imaam Abu Hanifa writes that Haaris Ibn La'man and
Haarisa bin Na'man havestated, "Once I went to the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam). The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) asked me a question, 'O Haaris in what state did you pass
the day?' I replied 'as a true Muslim'. Then the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) asked me the state of my faith.
I replied 'I see the Throne of Allah and the people of Paradise
helping each other and the people of Hell lamenting in Hell. I see
infront of me Eight Heavens and Seven Hells as clear as idol
worshippers see their Idols. I can recognize each individual just like
a miller can recognize Wheat from Barley, evenwho is to go to Paradise
and who is to be found in Hell. In front of me people are like fish
and ants. Shall I stay silent or continue to speak?'
The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) told him to stop and
say no more. (Fiqah-Al-Akbar)
All it takes is a little common sense, if a companion of the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) can behold Allah's creation in
such detail, then whatremains to be said aboutwhat the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) beholds of Allah's creation.
Allama Ahmed Qustulani (RA) commentator of Bukhari Shareef, writes in
his book Mawahib-ladunya and Imam Muhammad Ibni Hajar Makki (RA)
writes in his book Madkhal: "There is no difference between the states
of life and death of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam),
in his seeing his entire ummahand his recognizing of their states,
their intentions and their minds, and all this is clear to him; there
is no secret thereof to him." (Mawahib p.32, Madkhal p.21).
Qadi Ayyaz(RA) the well-known author of Shifa, writes "Whenever there
is nobody present in the home and you enter the home recite"Assalamo
Alaika Ayyohannabi Warahmatullah Wa Barakatahoo" Meaning"Peace be upon
you 'O' Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) of Allah and
Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you." (Shifa Sharif)
The point to note is that we are saluting the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the present tense i.e. accepting him as
Haazir& Naazir.
Mulla Ali Qari (RA): Substantiating on the above, the great Islamic
scholar, Mulla Ali Qari(RA)in his Shareh Shifa writes, "The reason(
for saluting the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the
present tense) is that theHoly Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's)
soul is HAAZIR (present) in every Muslim home". (Shareh Shifa)
There are a billion Muslim homes throughout the world, and according
to the Islamic scholars, the HolyProphet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
is present in everyMuslim home, does this not prove that the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is Haazir in many places at the
same time and Naazir as well.
Imaam Ghazali (RA) the seal of Islam, a great scholar and a Sufi
Masterwrites, "When you go into a mosque then say salaam to the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) becausethe Holy Prophet (Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) ispresent (Haazir) in mosques." (Mirqat -
Shareh Miskat)
There must be millions of Mosques situated around the world and inall
mosques the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present
spiritually. Whenthe Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
isHaazir then he must be seeing and therefore he must be Naazir as
well.
It has been reported in the famous book 'Tafseer-e-Roohul Bayan'that
Imaam Ghazali (RA) stated, "the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) and his companions' souls have been given the right to
travel the world and many Awliya Allah have seen the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)."(Tafseer-e-Roohul Bayaan - SurahMalak
)
Again Imaam Ghazali (RA), referring to the position of sitting
(Tashahudd) during Salat and reciting 'At-Tahiyyatu..', says that on
reciting the words 'Ayyohannabi'('O' Prophet) the reciter must behold
the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) as Haazir. Imaam
Ghazali (RA) says, ''And believe inyour hearts that the HolyProphet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present (Haazir) and then say
Assalamo AlaikaAyyohannabi'' (Ihya ' ul -Uloom Vol. 1 Section 3)
How strange, when we put the above argument forward to a
Deobandi(Wahhabi) mullah in South London, the Deobandi mullah said,
"we only recite 'Ayyohannabi' because itis stated in the Hadith,
otherwise reciting 'Ayyohannabi' has no special significance". Who
should we believe, the seal of Islam Imaam Ghazali(RA) or a 'square
head' Deobandi mullah. Perhaps our Deobandi mullah needs more proof.
Let us give him and other 'square heads'more proof.
Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlvi (RA), the 30th in line of
the Golden Naqshbandi Sufi Order, and someonewhom Deobandis' are very
fond of quoting, says, ''In Attahiyat, the reason for reciting
'Ayyohannabi' is that Haqqiqat-e-Muhammadi (Reality (light) of the
Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)) is present in every
little thing. Therefore, it is present in the people praying Salat,
and those performing the Salat should be fully aware of this fact and
should not pay attention to anything except for the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) presence (Haazri)''.
(Madarijun Nabuwat Vol.1 part 4 - Zikreh Fazaalileh Nabi )
Imaam Jalaluddin Suyuti (RA) says, "To keep watch of his own
followers' work and to pray for their forgiveness; to pray for their
abstention from bad deeds; to come and go in all parts of the world to
give auspiciousness; if one pious person dies from his followers then
to come and attend his janazah (funeral), all thisis done by the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)" (Intibahul Azkiyya)
Imaam Suyuti (RA) further states, ''If someone believes, that, while
performing Milad Sharif, or at the end of Ramadan or while reciting
Qasida(Naat) Sharif, that the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam's) soul is present on these occasions, then to believe this
is perfectly acceptable" (Shareh Sudoor)
By now any reasonable minded Muslim must, at least, accept that the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) has been granted the
ability of being in several places at the same time, be it
spiritually. However, some Muslim believe that the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) can even present himself physically.
Sheikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddis Dehlvi(RA) states, ''Allah Ta'ala has given
the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) the strength and power
to go anywhere he likes, he can go with his own body or only in soul.
On the earth, in the sky, in the grave and the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) connection stays with his own shrine.''
(Madarigun Naboowat Vol.2 Part4 Wasleh Hayaateh Ambiya)
Abdul Karim Ibn Ibrahim Al Jili (RA) is a descendant of the great
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(RA). Sheikh Jili (RA) gives us a
mind-blowing insight into the reality ofthe Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam) in his book "The Perfect Man". However, we shall stay
with the subject matter and quote SheikhJili (RA) on this subject
alone. He writes "His original name is Muhammad (Sallal LaahuAlaihi
Wasallam), his name of honor is Abu'l Qasim, his description Abdullah,
and his title Shamsuddin. In every age he bears a name suitable to his
guise in that age. I once met him in the form of my Sheikh". He
further writes, "The truth of the matter is that the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) has the power of assuming every form
(In every age)." (Al Insanul Kamil)
Sheikh Jili(RA) relates how the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) took the bodily form of Sheikh Shibli (RA). He writes,
"Thus, when he appeared in the form of Shibli, Shibli said to his
murid, 'Bear witness thatI am the Messenger of Allah'; and the murid,
being of insight, recognized the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam)and said, 'I bear witness that thou art the Messenger Allah.'
" (Al Insanul Kamil)
Finally, take heed of what the saint of saints has said on this subject.
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(RA) writing about the Holy Prophet (Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) says, "He is called the Total Intellect,
because he saw and understood everything." (Sirr al-asrar)
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(RA) further writes, "The soul of the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam), is watching you. He is pained,
at seeing your state." (Sirral-asrar)
What more proof does anyone require. If our feeble minds are unable to
understand the omnipresence the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) then that is our own weakness. However, to deny something
when irrefutable proofs are presented is pure foolishness.

Story - The Tale of the Stupid Oaf (retold by Nasruddin)

As I was saying, beloveds, I moved to Tekka's village permanently,
which means my stay there waslonger than usual. I rented a little
apartment, and met the landlord to look it over and get the key
(that's yet another story!). The landlord pointed out that the door
was very special, and added just atiny amount to the rent, because, he
said, this type of door was in great demand. The special effect was
that it was a two-way door: you could go out as well as in! Believe
me, I was impressed. I suspected the window might also be special, and
what do you know...I was right! The window was also a special two-way
window: you could see out as well as in.
"That's wonderful!" I told the landlord, and took it, because the rent
was really very reasonable. As soon as I had moved in (this process
involved laying my little pack in the corner), I went to find the most
important person in the village. I wanted to know what the local
customs were, the rules of the village, and so on, so I could be a
good citizen.
The most important person was a man (today that might not bethe case)
who lived near the center of the village. I went to him and said,
"Oh honored sir, I beg ofyou a few minutes to enlighten me. I have
justmoved to this village, and wish to know the customs and rules so I
may be a good citizen."
The important person cleared his throat impatiently, and said, "I have
much important work to do! I have no time for you! But I am passing by
your house attwo o'clock. Meet me then."
"You know where I live?" I was amazed at his omniscience.
"I own the building," he said gruffly.
"Two o'clock, then!" I replied, and I went to the market to buy some
vegetables. I bought a few vegetables for my dinner: carrots, onions,
beet greens, and my favorite...lentils! Then I found a comfortable
tree in the square and sat down to watch the people in the
marketplace.
I felt a little drowsy, but kept myself awake, until I didn't. I woke
with a start, and saw that the shadows were long; the sun was low, and
it was very late. I jumped up and ran to my apartmentas fast as I
could. There I found someone had taken a piece of white stone and
scratched on my door, "STUPID OAF."
I hurried to the important person's place, and bowed low, and told him,
"Oh, sir, I am so sorry I missed our appointment.I remembered it,
though, as soon as I saw you had written your name on my door!"

Story - The Sweetest Strawberrythe World Has Ever Known

Good day! My name is Nasruddin. I was born in Amritsar in the Punjab,
in India. Or...it was so long ago... it may have been in Cairo, in
Egypt. In fact, I think it was Newark, New Jersey, though my uncle
claims it was Turkey, and my birth certificate says Balkh, in what is
now Afghanistan.
Anyway, I was born, and I stand here as proof. I would like to tell
you about the time I went to see my friend Tekka. I met Tekka when he
was a young man, but that is another story altogether. So I was here,
and Tekka was in his home village, and all that lay between us was a
desert and a jungle.
The desert was easy. Twelve days under the burning sun...no sweat.
Well, not exactly, but to return to the story, I came to the jungle.
If you have ever seen a jungle, you know that it is big, and dark, and
very green. The trees aretall, the bushes are thick,and there are lots
of little animals moving about, making you thinkthey are big animals!
Well, the path was narrow, and the jungle on either side was thick and
noisy, and closed over the path in a way that made me a little
nervous. But I love my friend Tekka, so I said to myself, "Nasruddin,
you are a stalwart soul, and you must go through this jungle in order
to see Tekka. Just think of itas taking a walk throughthe jungle!" I
tried to argue with myself, but it was no use. I had to go.
So I started off through the jungle, and the path was not so bad when
myeyes got used to the gloom. I was walking happily along, when I
heard a noise behind me: "hhahh... hhahh... hhahh." I looked over my
shoulder, and saw, tomy surprise, a tiger was also taking a walk
through the jungle!
"Ah," I said to myself, which was the best I could do in the
circumstances. Then I had a thought, which was fortunate. "It is never
too late to begin an exercise regimen. Why not start with jogging, for
your health,that is." I agreed, and began at once. There I was,
jogging through the jungle, enjoying what remained to me of my health,
when I heard a sound behind me:"hhahh...hhahh...hhahh." I looked over
my shoulder, and – what do you know!– the tiger had also taken up
jogging! Although I think the tiger was less interested in excersise,
and more interested in nutrition!
Due to the beneficial effects of exercise, my brain was functioning
more efficiently. "If you can jog, surely you can run," I told myself.
"Why not try for a world record?" It's amazing how quickly you can
come to an agreement with yourself. I began immediately to see if I
could set a new world record for land speed running. I tore through
that jungle as if the pathwere a highway.
I am certain a world record was within my grasp, if only a judge with
a stopwatch had been there. And when I heard a familiar sound behind
me, which I probably don't have to explain sounded
like"hhahh-hhahh-hhahh," Ididn't even have to stop and look to know
the tiger was also bent on setting a world record.
So there we were, the two athletes running like the wind through the
jungle! It was thrilling! It was exciting! It was terrifying!
Suddenly, there was no jungle!
There was no path either, only the blue sky, and a cliff, and me,
Nasruddin, falling down it. I said to myself,"Aaauughh!!" but it did
no good. So I grabbed onto a bush.
(Did you ever notice, every single time you falldown a cliff, there's
a bush to grab onto. Checkit out for yourself!)
So I grabbed this bush, and held on for dear life.I clung to it with
all my strength, which I needed, because there was the tiger looking
down at me, saying"hhahh...hhahh...hhahh." "Don't you know any other
words?" I said. Apparently not, because the tiger continued to say the
same thing over and over. I looked desperately about me for a way out,
and could find none. Then I noticed the roots of the bush begin to
pull out ofthe cliff, one by one.
"Nasruddin," I said, and Ihave a little song I sing to myself when I
am in trouble, which seems to be more and more often these days,
"Nasruddin, you have been/ in bettersit-u-a-tions." It's a nice little
song, very comforting. It certainly helped at that moment.
Then I heard a sound behind and below me that sounded strangely
familiar:"hhahh...hhahh...hhahh."
"Wait!" I said to myself,"I thought I left that sound safely up
above!" I looked down, and saw that the bad always comes with the
good. Why is that, do you think? The good was that the cliff was not
very high, and I would not be hurt if I fell. The bad was the other
tiger standing below me, looking up!
There I was, hanging on the face of a cliff from a bush whose roots
were pulling out, with a tiger above me and a tiger below me. I
thought it was a good moment for my little song, so I sang again,
"Nasruddin, you have been/ in better sit-u-a-tions." It had its effect
– my head was clear, and I cast about desperately for a way out of my
predicament. Iassure you I didn't think of the word predicament at the
time.
I looked on both sides, and suddenly spied a little green bush, with a
single red berry. It was awild strawberry! Now, my philosophy is
always to enjoy yourself to the fullest, wherever you are. So I got a
good grip with my toes, which are considerable, and held the bush with
one hand, and reached out, risking all, and picked that strawberry.
And did I eat it? Oh, yes, my beloveds, I did. And I am here to tell
you that if you are hanging on a cliff from a bush that is pulling out
by the roots, and there is a tiger above you and a tiger below you,
and you find a strawberry and you eat it, that will be the sweetest
strawberry the world has ever known!
* * *
But wait...what about the tigers, and the cliff? How am I here to tell
thetale? Well, here it is: theywere nearsighted tigers,and when they
got a close look at me, they lost their appetites.

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -

8 hadith found in ' Prayer(Kitab Al-Salat): Prostration while reciting the Quran ' of Sunan Abu-Dawud.

1397
Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir:I said to the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him): Are there two prostrations in Surah al-Hajj? He
replied: Yes; if anyone does not make two prostrations, he should not
recite them.
1398
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
didnot make a prostration atany verse in al-Mufassal from the time he
moved to Medina.
1405
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:When the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) uttered
the salutation at the end of the prayer, he used to say: "O Allah,
forgive me my former and latter sins, what I have kept secret and what
I have done openly,and what I have done extravagance; and what Thou
knowest better than I do. Thou art the Advancer, the Delayer, there is
no god but Thou"
1406
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: In the year of Conquest the Apostle of
Allah (peace_be_upon_him) recited a verse at which aprostration should
be made and all the people prostrated themselves. Some were mounted,
and some were prostrating themselves on the ground, and thosewho were
mounted prostrated themselves ontheir hands.
1408
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
used to recite the Qur'an to us. When he came upon the verse
containing prostration, he would utter the takbir(Allah is most great)
and we would prostrate ourselves along with him.
1409
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) prostrated himself at night when reciting the
Qur'an. He said repeatedly: My face prostrates itself to Him Who
created it and brought forth its hearingand seeing by His might and
power.
1410
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: AbuTamimah al-Hujaymi said: When we came
to Medina accompanying the caravan, I used to preach after the dawn
prayer, and prostrate on accountof the recitation of the Qur'an. Ibn
Umar prohibited me three times, but I did not cease doing that. He
then repeated (his prohibition) saying: I prayed behind the Apostle of
Allah (peace_be_upon_him), AbuBakr, Umar and Uthman, they would not
prostrate (on account of the recitation of the Qur'an) till the sun
had risen.

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -

Barakah - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

We do not know precisely how the young Abyssinian girl ended up for
sale in Makkah. We do notknow her 'roots', who her mother was, or her
father or herancestors. There were many like her, boys and girls,
Arabs and non-Arabs, who were captured and brought to the slave
marketof the city to be sold.
A terrible fate awaited some who ended up in the hands of cruel
masters or mistresses whoexploited their labor to the full and treated
them with the utmost harsh ness.
A few in that inhuman environment were rather more fortunate. They
were taken into the homes of more gentle and caring people.
Barakah, the young Abyssinian girl, was one of the more fortunate
ones. She was saved by the generous and kind Abdullah, the son of Abd
al-Muttalib. 'She became the onlyservant in his household and when he
was married, to the lady Aminah, she looked after her affairs as well.
Two weeks after the couple were married, according to Barakah,
Abdullah's father came to their house and instructed hisson to go with
a trading caravanthat was leaving for Syria. Aminah was deeply
distressed and cried:
"How strange! How strange! How can my husband go on a trading journey
to Syria while I am yet a bride and the traces of henna are still on
my hands."
Abdullah's departure was heartbreaking. In her anguish, Aminah
fainted. Soon after he left, Barakah said: "When I saw Aminah
unconscious, I shouted in distress and pain: 'O my lady!' Aminah
opened her eyes and looked at me with tears streaming down her face.
Suppressing a groan she said:"Take me to bed, Barakah."
"Aminah stayed bedridden for a long time. She spoke to no one. Neither
did she look at anyone who visited her except Abd al-Muttalib, that
noble and gentle old man. "Two months after the departure of Abdullah,
Aminah called me at dawn one morning and, her face beaming with joy,
she said to me:
"O Barakah! I have seen a strange dream." "Something good, my lady," I said.
"I saw lights coming from my abdomen lighting up the
mountains, the hills and the valleys around Makkah." "Do you feel
pregnant, my lady?"
"Yes, Barakah," she replied. "But I do not feel any discomfort as
other women feel." "You shall give birth to a blessed child whowill
bring goodness," I said.
So long as Abdullah was away, Aminah remained sad and melancholic.
Barakah stayed at her side trying to comfort her and make her cheerful
by talkingto her and relating stories. Aminah however became even more
distressed when Abd al-Muttalib came and told her she had to leave her
home and go to the mountains as other Makkans had done because of
animpending attack on the city by the ruler of Yemen, someone called
Abrahah. Aminah told himthat she was too grief-striken and weak to
leave for the mountains but insisted that Abrahah could never enter
Makkah and destroy the Kabah because it was protected by the Lord. Abd
al-Muttalib became very agitated but there was no sign of fear on
Aminah's face. Her confidence that the Kabah would not be harmed was
well-founded. Abrahah's army with an elephant in the vanguard was
destroyed before it could enter Makkah.
Day and night, Barakah stayed beside Aminah. She said: "I slept at the
foot of her bed and heard her groans at night as she calledfor her
absent husband. Her moans would awaken me and I would try to comfort
her and give her courage."
The first part of the caravan from Syria returned and was joyously
welcomed by the trading families of Makkah. Barakah went secretly to
the house of Abd al-Muttalib to find out about Abdullah but had no
news of him. She went back to Aminah but did not tell her whatshe had
seen or heard in order not to distress her. The entire caravan
eventually returned but not with Abdullah.
Later, Barakah was at Abd al-Muttalib's house when news came from
Yathrib that Abdullahhad died. She said: "I screamed when I heard the
news. I don't know what I did after that except that I ran to Aminah's
house shouting, lamenting for the absent one who would never return,
lamenting for the beloved one for whom we waited so long, lamenting
for the most beautiful youth of Makkah, for Abdullah, the pride of the
Quraysh.
"When Aminah heard the painfulnews, she fainted and I stayed by her
bedside while she was in a state between life and death. There was no
one else but me inAminah's house. I nursed her and looked after her
during the day and through the long nightsuntil she gave birth to her
child,"Muhammad", on a night in which the heavens were resplendent
with the light of God."
When Muhammad was born, Barakah was the first to hold him in her arms.
His grandfathercame and took him to the Kabahand with all Makkah,
celebrated his birth. Barakah stayed with Aminah while Muhammad was
sent to the badiyah with the lady Halimah who looked after him in the
bracing atmosphere of the open desert. At the end offive years, he was
brought back to Makkah and Aminah received him with tenderness and
love and Barakah welcomed him"with joy, longing and admiration".
When Muhammad was six years old, his mother decided to visit the grave
of her husband, Abdullah, in Yathrib. Both Barakah and Abd al-Muttalib
tried to dissuade her. Aminah however was determined. So one morning
they set off- Aminah, Muhammad and Barakah huddled together in a small
hawdaj mounted on a large camel, part of a huge caravan that was going
to Syria. In order to shield the tender child from any pain and worry,
Aminah did not tell Muhammad that she was going to visit the grave of
his father.
The caravan went at a brisk pace. Barakah tried to console Aminah for
her son's sake and much of the time the boy Muhammad slept with his
arms around Barakah's neck.
The caravan took ten days to reach Yathrib. The boy Muhammad was left
with his maternal uncles of the Banu Najjar while Aminah went to visit
the grave of Abdullah. Each day for a few weeks she stayed at the
grave. She was consumed by grief.
On the way back to Makkah, Aminah became seriously ill withfever.
Halfway between Yathrib and Makkah, at a place called al-Abwa, they
stopped. Aminah'shealth deteriorated rapidly. One pitch dark night,
she was running a high temperature. Thefever had got to her head and
she called out to Barakah in a choking voice.
Barakah related: "She whisperedin my ear: 'O Barakah, I shall depart
from this world shortly. I commend my son Muhammad to your care. He
lost his father while he was in my abdomen. Here he is now, losing his
mother under his very eyes. Be a mother to him, Barakah. And don't
ever leave him.'
"My heart was shattered and I began to sob and wail. The child was
distressed by my wailing and began to weep. He threw himself into his
mother's arms and held tightly onto her neck. She gave one last moan
and then was forever silent."
Barakah wept. She wept bitterly.With her own hands she dug a grave in
the sand and buried Aminah, moistening the grave with whatever tears
were left in her heart. Barakah returned with the orphan child to
Makkahand placed him in the care of hisgrandfather. She stayed at his
house to look after him. When Abd al-Muttalib died two years later,
she went with the child to the house of his uncle Abu Talib and
continued to look after his needs until he was grown up and married
the lady Khadijah.
Barakah then stayed with Muhammad and Khadijah in a house belonging to
Khadijah. "I never left him and he never left me," she said. One day
Muhammad, may Allah bless himand grant him peace, called out to her
and said: "Ya Ummah!" (He always called her "Mother".)"Now I am a
married man, and you are still unmarried. What do you think if someone
should come now and ask to marry you?" Barakah looked at Muhammad and
said: "I shall never leave you. Does a mother abandon her son?"
Muhammad smiled and kissed her head. He looked at his wife Khadijah
and said to her: "This is Barakah. Thisis my mother after my own
mother. She is the rest of my family."
Barakah looked at the lady Khadijah who said to her:"Barakah, you have
sacrificed your youth for the sake of Muhammad. Now he wants to pay
back some of his obligationsto you. For my sake and his, agree to be
married before old age overtakes you."
"Whom shall I marry, my lady?" asked Barakah. "There is here now Ubayd
ibn Zayd from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib. He has come to us seeking
your hand inmarriage. For my sake, don't refuse."
Barakah agreed. She married Ubayd ibn Zayd and went with him to
Yathrib. There she gave birth to a son whom she called Ayman and from
that time onwards people called her"Umm Ayman" the mother of Ayman.
Her marriage however did not last very long. Her husband died and she
returned once more to Makkah to live with her "son" Muhammad in the
house of the lady Khadijah. Living in the samehousehold at the time
were Ali ibn Abi Talib, Hind (Khadijah's daughter by her first
husband), and Zayd ibn Harithah.
Zayd was an Arab from the tribe of Kalb who was captured as a boy and
brought to Makkah to be sold in the slave market. He was bought by
Khadijah's nephew and put in her service. In Khadijah's household,
Zayd became attached to Muhammad and devoted himself to his service.
Their relationship was like that of a son to a father. Indeed when
Zayd's father came to Makkah in search of him, Zaydwas given the
choice by Muhammad of either going withhis father or staying with him.
Zayd's reply to his father was:
"I shall never leave this man. He has treated me nobly, as a
fatherwould treat his son. Not a singleday have I felt that I am a
slave. He has looked after me well. He is kind and loving towards me
and strives for my enjoyment and happiness. He is the most noble of
men and the greatest person in creation. How can I leave him and go
with you?...I shall never leave him."
Later, in public Muhammad proclaimed the freedom of Zayd.However, Zayd
continued to live with him as part of his household and devoted
himself to his service.
When Muhammad was blessed with prophethood, Barakah and Zayd were
among the first to believe in the message he proclaimed. They bore
with the early Muslims the persecution which the Quraysh meted out to
them.
Barakah and Zayd performed invaluable services to the mission of the
Prophet. They acted as part of an intelligence service exposing
themselves to the persecution and punishmentof the Quraysh and risking
their lives to gain information on the plans and conspiracies of the
mushrikin.
One night the mushrikun blocked off the roads leading to the House of
al-Arqam where the Prophet gathered his companions regularly to
instructthem in the teachings of Islam. Barakah had some urgent
information from Khadijah which had to be conveyed to theProphet. She
risked her life trying to reach the House of al-Arqam. When she
arrived and conveyed the message to the Prophet, he smiled and said to
her:
"You are blessed, Umm Ayman. Surely you have a place in Paradise."
When Umm Ayman left, the Prophet looked at his companions and asked:
"Should one of you desire to marry a woman from the people of
Paradise, let him marry Umm Ayman."
Ali the companions remained silent and did not utter a word. Umm Ayman
was neither beautiful nor attractive. She was by now about fifty years
old and looked rather frail. Zayd ibn al-Harithah however came forward
and said:
"Messenger of Allah, I shall marry Umm Ayman. By Allah, sheis better
than women who have grace and beauty."
Zayd and Umm Ayman were married and were blessed with ason whom they
named Usamah. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
loved Usamah as his own son. Often heplayed with him, kissed him and
fed him with his own hands. TheMuslims would say: "He is the beloved
son of the beloved." From an early age Usamah distinguished himself in
the service of lslam, and was later given weighty responsibilities
bythe Prophet.
When the Prophet migrated to Yathrib, henceforth to be knownas
al-Madinah, he left Umm Ayman behind in Makkah to lookafter certain
special affairs in his household. Eventually she migrated to Madinah
on her own. She made the long and difficult journey through the desert
and mountainous terrain on foot. The heat was killing andsandstorms
obscured the way but she persisted, borne along by her deep love and
attachmentfor Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace. When
she reached Madinah, her feet were sore and swollen and her face was
covered with sand and dust.
"Ya Umm Ayman! Ya Ummi! (O Umm Ayman! O my mother!) Indeed for you is
a place in Paradise!" exclaimed the Prophet when he saw her. He wiped
her face and eyes, massaged her feet and rubbed her shoulders with his
kind and gentle hands.
At Madinah, Umm Ayman played her full part in the affairs of the
Muslims. At Uhud she distributedwater to the thirsty and tended the
wounded. She accompanied the Prophet on some expeditions, to Khaybar
and Hunayn for example.
Her son Ayman, a devoted companion of the Prophet was martyred at
Hunayn in the eighth year after the Hijrah. Barakah's husband, Zayd,
was killed at the Battle of Mutah in Syria after a lifetime of
distinguished service to the Prophet and Islam. Barakah at this time
was about seventy years old and spent much of her time at home. The
Prophet, accompanied by Abu Bakr and Umar often visited her and asked:
"Ya Ummi! Are you well?" and she would reply: "I am well, O Messenger
of Allah so long as Islam is."
After the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had died,
Barakah would often be found with tears in her eyes. She was once
asked, "Why are you crying?" and she replied: "ByAllah, I knew that
the Messengerof Allah would die but I cry now because the revelation
from on high has come to an end for us."
Barakah was unique in that she was the only one who was so close to
the Prophet throughouthis life from birth till death. Her life was one
of selfless service in the Prophet's household. She remained deeply
devoted to the person of the noble, gentle and caring Prophet. Above
all, her devotion to the religion of Islam was strong and unshakable.
She died during the caliphate of Uthman. Her roots were unknown but
her place in Paradise was assured.

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -

The Tabuk Expedition

THE TABUK EXPEDITION:
The Arabs had never thought of fighting or attacking the Romans. They
probably considered themselves tobe not strong enough forthat task.
The Romans, however, remembered the Mu'tah expedition and were still a
threat. The Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah decided
to lead a Muslim army into Roman territory before the Roman armies
crossed the Arab borders and threatened the heart of Islam.
The Tabuk expedition took place in Rajab, 9 A.H.The
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah led the expedition in
intense heat, when thedates were ripe and the shade of the trees was
pleasant. It was a long journey through arid deserts towards a vast
enemy army. He had made the position clear to the Muslims in advanceso
that they could make preparations for the journey. It was a difficult
time because the Muslimswere experiencing a severe drought.
The hypocrites made various excuses not to accompany the
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah. They said they
feared the enemy or the intense heat. They were reluctant to perform
jihad and had doubts about the truth. Allah Almighty said of them:
'Those who were left behind rejoiced in tarrying behind the
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah and were averse to
struggling with their possessions and their selves in the way of
Allah.They said, "Go not Forth in the heat." Say. "The Fire of
Jahannam is hotter did they but understand!" '(9: 81)
THE COMPANIONS' RESPONSE TO JIHAD:
In preparing for the expedition, the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi
wassallam) of Allah had encouraged thewealthy to spend in the way of
Allah. Some provided mounts for those who had neither provision nor
mount, expecting a reward from Allah.
Uthman ibn Affan spent one thousand dinars on the 'Army of Distress'
and the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah prayed for
him.
THE ARMY TRAVELS TO TABUK:
The Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah set out for Tabuk
with 30,000 men from Madinah . It was the largest Muslim army ever to
set forth on an expedition.
When they reached al-Hijr, the land of Thamud, he told the Companions
that it was a country of those who were being punished for their sins.
'If you enter the houses of those who did wrong, enter tearfully,
fearing that what befell them might also befall you.' He added that
they must notdrink any of al-Hijr's water nor use it for ablutions.
Because the soldiers had no water they complained to the
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah. He prayed to Allah
and a dark cloud broughtrain so that everyone could quench their
thirst and store sufficient water for their needs.
THE MESSENGER(SALLALLAHU ALAIYHI WASSALLAM) OF ALLAH RETURNS TO MADINAH:
When the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah reached
Tabuk, the Arab amirs on the herders called on him and made treaties
of peace. They also paid to him the jizyah tax. The
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah guaranteed their
borders, the security of their territories and theircaravans and ships
travelling by land and sea. Letters to this effect were delivered to
all parties.
Then came the news that the Romans had withdrawn from the border
towns. They had decided not to encroach on Muslim land. The Prophet
could see no reason to pursue them into their own territory as his
goal had already been achieved.
He stayed at Tabuk for about two weeks and then travelled back to Madinah.
THE TRIAL OF KA'B IBN MALIK:
Among those who had stayed behind at the timeof this expedition were
Ka'b ibn Malik, Murarah ibn ar-Rabi' and Hilal ibn Umayyah. They were
among the first Muslims and had been thoroughlytested in Islam.
Murarah ibn ar-Rabi' and Hilal ibn Umayyah had been present at Badr
and it was not their nature to not take part in the battle. The
situation was only part of the Divine wisdom, so they would really
examine themselves and be a lesson for all Muslims in the future. Such
failings are usually because of procrastination, weak will and
over-reliance on means.
The Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah forbade anyone to
speak to them. All the Muslims obeyed him and people avoided them.
They had to endure that trial for fifty days. Ka'b ibn Malik would
attend prayers with the Muslims and visit the markets but everyone
ignored him. But his suffering only increased his faith in Islam.
The wives of these three were also affected by themeasures and no one
was allowed to go near them either.
A further test came when the influential King of Ghassan heard what
was happening in Madinah. He invited Ka'b ibn Malik to his court in
order to honour him and lure him from Islam. But when the King's
messenger delivered the invitation to Ka'b he threw it into the fire.
Allah's examination was over and none of the three had failed the
test. A revelation came from Allah to illustrate how their example
would hold for all time. They had not deserted their faith but had
found refuge and safety with Allah. The Qur'an says:
Allah has turned towards the Prophet and the Muhajirun and the Ansar
who followed him in the hour of difficulty, after the hearts of a
party of them almost swerved aside; then He turned towards them;
surely He is Gentle to them, and he turned to the three who remained
behind, until, when the earth became straitened for them, for all its
breadth, and their souls became straitened for them, and they thought
that there was no shelter from Allah except in Him, then He turned
towards them, that they might also turn;surely Allah turns, and is
Compassionate. (9: 117-18)
TABUK: THE LAST EXPEDITION
The expedition to Tabuk, in Rajab 9 A.H., was the last in the
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah's campaign. In all,
the Muslims had fought in twenty-seven battles and taken part in sixty
forays and expeditions. No conqueror had ever achieved such success
with so little loss of life. Throughout the campaign a total of only
one thousand and eighteen from both sides had been killed. Only Allah
knows the number of those whose lives were spared in gaining security
for the Arabian peninsula. Eventually it was so safe that a woman
pilgrim could travel all the way from Hirah to Makkah without fearing
anyone except Allah.
THE FIRST HAJJ:
The hajj was made obligatory in 9 A.H. The Messenger(sallallahu
alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah sent Abu Bakr as amir for the hajj in that
year. Three hundred menfrom Madinah went to Makkah with him. The
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah sent for Ali ibn Abi
Talib and said to him, 'Go out and announce to the people on the Day
of Sacrifice that "no kafir will enter Paradise and after this year no
idol-worshipper will perform hail nor do tawaf if he is in a state
ofnudity.'
Source: Al Islaah Publications

The Year of Delegations

DELEGATIONS:
After Makkah had been conquered and the Prophet had returned
victorious from Tabuk, Arab delegations began to pour into the heart
land of Islam. They learned about Islam, saw the character of the
Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah, and the life-style
ofhis Companions. Tents were erected for them in the courtyard of the
mosque ; they heard the Qur'an recited; watched the Muslims praying
and asked the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah to
explain the faith to them. He impressed them with his eloquence and
wisdom, and he constantly quoted verses from the Qur'an. They believed
what they heard and were well satisfied. They returned to their homes
full of zeal, calling on their people to accept Islam and decrying
paganism and its negative effects.
Dimam ibn Tha'labah came to Madinah representing the Banu Sa'd ibn
Bakr. He was a Muslim when he returnedto his people and he was
determined to invite them to Islam.
The first thing he said to them was, 'Al-Lat and al-Uzza are evil!'
They answered in alarm, 'Stop, Dimam! Beware of leprosy. Beware of
elephantiasis! Beware of madness!'
He said, 'Confoundedly you ! By Allah, they can neither hurt nor heal.
Allah has sent a Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and given a
Book to him through which He seeks to deliver you from your sorry
state. I testify that there is no god but Allah without and associate
and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi
wassallam). I havebrought you what He hascommanded you to do and what
He has forbidden you.
Before that night was over there was not a manor a woman in his tribe
who had not become a Muslim. Adi the son of Hatim, whose generosity
was well-known, came toMadinah. He became a Muslim after witnessing
the character and humility of the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi
wassallam) of Allah.
'By Allah!' he said, this has nothing to do with the way all the kings behave.
The Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah sent Mu'adh ibn
Jabal and Abu Musa to Yemen to invite the people to Islam and he
advised them, 'Make things easy and not difficult. Cheer them up and
do not make them afraid.'
THE OBLIGATION OF ZAKAT:
In the ninth year of the hijrah, Allah made zakat obligatory upon the Muslims.

Rabiul Awwal

The month of Rabi'-Ul-Awwal is considered to be amongst the most
special and significant months, because mankind was blessed with the
birth of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw). Regarding this special
event Allah (swt) has stated in the Holy Quran "We have sent him
(Muhammad saw) as a source of mercy for the A'alimeen (humans, jinns
and all else that exists)," (Surah 21.Al- Anbiya: Verse 107).
Muhammad (saw), the master of the prophets was born in the holy city
of Mecca on Monday morning, the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th of
Rabi'-Ul-Awwal. Ibn Sa'd reports that Muhammad's(saw) mother, Aamina,
stated regarding the birth of her son "When He (saw) was born, there
was a light that issued out of my pudendum andlit the palaces of
Syria." (Mukhtasar Seerat-ul-Rasool)
As is mentioned above Allah (swt) has stated in the Glorious Qur'an:
"We have sent him (Muhammad saw) as a source of mercy for the
A'alimeen." Not only was Rasulullah (saw) a source of numerous
blessings after receiving the task of prophethood, but from his birth
up to his death and until the day of judgment billions of people have
and will continue to benefit from his blessings. A clear example of
this is when Halimah, the daughter of Abu Dhu'ayb who was accompanied
by her husband Harith and a new born son of their own, decided to
undertake a journey from a small village situated south east of Mecca
to the actual city of Meccah Mukarramah. This was in order to acquire
a nursling. She narrates: "It was a year ofdrought, and we had nothing
left. I set forth on a gray she camel of mine, and we had an old she
camel with us which could not even yield one drop of milk. We were
kept awake all night by our son who was crying due to hunger, for I
didn't have enough in mybreast to feed him; and that she camel of mine
was so weak and emaciated I often keep the others (Tribe of Bani Sa'd
Ibn Bakr) waiting."
Once everyone began looking for nurslings, Rasulullah's (saw)
motherAamina offered her son first to one and then to another until
finally she had tried them all and they had all refused. "That" said
Halimah, "wasbecause we hoped for some compensation fromthe child's
father." "An orphan" we said, "what will his mother and grandfather be
able to do for us?" Not that they would have wanted direct payment for
their service, since it was considered dishonorable for a woman to
take a fee for suckling a child. The recompense they hoped for, though
less direct was of a far wider scope. For example, creation
connections andlinks with people from the city.
On the other side, thoughthe foster-parents were not expected to be
rich, they must not be too poverty-stricken, and it was evident that
Halimahand her husband were poorer then any other of their companions.
Whenever the choice lay between her and another, the other was
preferred and chosen; and it was not long before everyone of the Bani
Sa'd women except Halimah had been entrusted with a baby. Only the
poorest nurse was without a nursling; and only the poorest nursling
was without a nurse.
"When we decided to leave Mecca," said Halimah, "I told my husband: 'I
hate to returnin the company of my friends without having taken a baby
to suckle. I shall go to that orphan and take him.' 'As you wish' he
said. 'it may be, that God will bless us through him.' So I went back
and took him, for no reason except that I could find no baby but him.
I carried him back towhere our mounts were stationed, and no sooner
did I put him in my bosom, my breasts overflowed with milk. He drank
his fill, and with him his foster-brother drank likewise, his fill.
Then they both slept; andmy husband went to that old she camel of
ours, and amazingly her udders were full. He milked her and drank of
her milk and I drank withhim until we could drink no more and our
hunger was satisfied.
We spent the best of nights, and in the morning my husband said to me:
'by God, Halimah, it is a blessed creature that you have taken.' 'That
is indeed myhope,' I said. Then we set out, and I rode my camel and
carried him with me on her back. She outraced the whole troop, nor
could any of their camels keep pace with her. 'Wow!' They said to me,
'Wait for us! Isn't that the same camel you came on?' 'Yes by God,' I
said, 'She is the very same.' 'Some amazing thing has happened to
her,' they said.
We reached our tents in the Bani Sa'd, and I knowof no place on God's
Earth more barren than that. But after we brought him to live with us,
my flock would come home to me and would be full of milk. We
milkedthem and drank and when others had no milk;our neighbors would
say to their shepherds. 'Go graze your flocks where he has grazed
his', meaning my shepherd. But still their flocks came home hungry,
yielding no milk, while mine camewell fed, with plenty of milk; and we
ceased not to enjoy this increase andthis bounty from God until the
baby's two yearspassed."
During the pre-Islamic days of Arabia, everyone including the Romans
and Persians were in the midst of ignorance and darkness. They were
amongst the most uncivilized people the world had seen. Not only were
they indulged in evils and vices such as adultery, fornication,
incest, rape, stealing and murder they went to the extent of burying
their baby daughters alive! Allah (swt) has stated in the Holy Quran
"And when the news of the birth of a female child is brought to any of
them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief! He
hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he
has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonor or bury her in the
Earth? Certainly their decisions are evil." (Surah 16. An-Nahl: verse
58-59)
Nevertheless the Holy Prophet (saw) was sent to this world with the
light of monotheism, eradicating all ignorant and uncivilized customs,
rituals, practices and beliefs. Allah (swt) has stated in the glorious
Quran "Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when
hesent among them a Messenger (Muhammad saw) from among themselves,
reciting unto them His verses, (The Quran) and purifying them, (from
sins by their following him) and instructing them (in) the Book
(Quran) and Al-Hikmah, (the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet saw)
before that they had been in manifest error," (Surah 3.Al-Imran: Verse
164).

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -

Put the Glass Down

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in
it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students , 'How much do
you think this glass weighs?'
'50 gms!'…. '100 gms!'……'125 gms' …… the students answered.
'I really don't know unless I weigh it,' said the professor, 'but, my
question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few
minutes?'
'Nothing' the students said.
'Ok! What would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the
professor asked.
'Your arm would begin toache', said one of the students.
'You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?'
'Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress and
paralysis and have to go to hospital for sure!' ventured another
student; and all the students laughed.
'Very good. But during allthis, did the weight of the glass change?'
asked the professor.
'No'
'Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress?' The students
were puzzled.
'Put the glass down!' saidone of the students.
'Exactly!' said the professor. 'Life's problems are something like
this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head andthey seem okay. Think
of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold it even longer
and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to doanything'.
'It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life,
but EVEN MORE IMPORTANTis to have trust in Allah (swt) and to 'put
them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way,
you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh and strong and can
handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!'
So, as it becomes time foryou to leave office today, Remember friend
to 'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY' and have tranquility by putting trust in
Almighty Allah (swt).
Holy Quran: "He it is who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the
believers that they might have more faith added totheir faith". (48:4)
Tranquility is sign of strong faith while worries and stress is sign
of weak faith.
Tell to your mind every day before you go to sleep: "YAA AYYATUHAN
NAFSUL MUTMAINNAH, IRJI'II ILAA RABBIKI RADHIYATAN MARDHIYYAH,
FADKHULII FII IBAADII WADKHULII JANNATII". (Al-Fajr 89:27-30)
"O soul that is at rest satisfied. Return to your Lord well-pleased
(with Him), well-pleasing (Him).So, enter among My servants, and enter
into my Paradise".

A Unique take on Forgiveness

One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of
town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet
and slick.
Suddenly, my daughter, spoke up from her relaxed position in her seat.
"Dad, I'm thinking of something."
This announcement usually meant she had been pondering some fact for a
while, and was now ready to expound all that her six-year-old mind had
discovered. I was eager to hear. What are you thinking?" I asked.
"The rain," she began, "islike sin, and the windshield wipers are like
Allah wiping our sins away."
After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond. "That's
really good," Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little
girl take this revelation? So I asked…
"Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?"
She didn't hesitate one moment with her answer: "We keep on sinning,
and Allah just keeps on forgiving us."
I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on.

How the Qur’an was Compiled

QUESTION:
I wanted to know was the entire Qur'an compiled before the Prophet's
death or after by the khalifas. What I mean by compiled is the
ordering of the surahs. Before the Prophet's death ( Allah bless him &
give him peace), did the sahabas know that the#1 surah is fatiha and
#2 is suratul baqara and so forth? Or was this order established by
the khalifas like during Uthman (Allah be pleasedwith him) time?
ANSWER:
Assalamu alaykum
In the name of Allah the inspirer of truth
The order of the verses ineach chapter of the Qur'an was divinely
inspired, even though they were revealed portion by portion as theneed
arose over a 23 year period.
The Messenger of Allah (upon him be peace) would instruct the scribes
to place each verse in its proper place as they were revealed.
It is related by Imam Ahmad and the authors of the Sunans on the
authority of Uthman radhiyallahu anhu, "When a chapter was revealed of
the Qur'an that had a number of verses, the Messenger of Allah would
call one of the scribes and say, "Place these verses in thechapter
which states such and such…" Hence, from this and other narrations it
is understood that not only was the arrangement of the verses divinely
inspired, so were the chapters according to many scholars. (Fath
al-Bari, Bab ta'lif al-Qur'an).
Although there is agreement concerning the arrangement of the verses
being divinely inspired, there is a difference of opinion concerning
the order of the chapters. The stronger opinion seems to be that the
arrangement of many chapters was also divinely inspired, although some
chapters were placed through the ijtihad [inference] of the
Companions. For instance, it is reported that the Companions placed
Surat al-Tawba after Surat al-Anfal, through their own deliberation,
as they did not have any informationconcerning this from the Messenger
(upon him be peace).
A good English work on the sciences of the Qur'anis, Approach to the
Qur'anic Sciences by Shaykh Mufti Taqi Uthmani . An abridged version
of it is found in the beginning of the Ma`arif al-Qur'an [a Qur'anic
tafsir in Urdu, which is available in English translation as well].
Well worth reading.
Wassalam
Mufti Abdur Rahman Ibn Yusuf Mangera

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -

If a man or a woman wants to offer the sacrifice, they should refrain from cutting their hair and nails

Is it permissible for one who is going to offer a sacrifice, whether a
manor a woman, to cut his orher hair and nails? What are the things
that become forbidden once the new moon of Dhu'l-Hijjah is sighted?.
Praise be to Allaah.
When the new moon of Dhu'l-Hijjah appears, it becomes haraam for the
one who wants to offer a sacrifice to remove anything from his hair,
nails or skin, because of the report narrated by Muslim (1977) from
UmmSalamah (may Allaah be pleased with her), that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you see the new moon
of Dhu'l-Hijjah, if one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him
refrain from (cutting) his hair and nails." According to another
version: "When the ten days (of Dhu'l-Hijjah) begin, if one of you
wants to offer a sacrifice, let him not touch his hair or skin with
anything."
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:The scholars differed
concerning the one whowants to offer a sacrificewhen the ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah begin. Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyib, Rabee'ah, Ahmad, Ishaaq,
Dawood and some of the companions of al-Shaafa'i said that it is
haraam for him to cut anything from his hair and nails until he has
offered the sacrifice at the time of sacrifice. Al-Shaafa'i and his
companions said that it is makrooh but not haraam… end quote from
Sharh Muslim.
This ruling is general in meaning and applies to everyone who wants to
offer a sacrifice, man or woman.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is
permissible for a womanwho wants to offer a sacrifice on behalf of
herself and her household, or on behalf of her parents, to do with
regard to her hair once the ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah begin?
He replied: It is permissible for her to undo her hair (if it is
braided etc) and wash it,but she should not combit. If some of her
hair falls out when it is beingundone or washed, that does not matter.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (18/47).
The one who wants to offer a sacrifice is not forbidden to do anything
else, such as wear regular clothes, wear perfume. And Allah knows
best.

Condition of saying Bismillaah in order for meat to be halaal

What is the ruling on saying Bismillaah over the sacrifice, especially
ifthe slaughterman does not pray?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Meat slaughtered by onewho does not pray is nothalaal, whether he says
the name of Allaah over it or not. See question no. 70278 .
With regard to saying Bismillah when slaughtering meat, the fuqaha'
differed concerning that and there are three points ofview:
1 – That it is mustahabb only, which is the view of al-Shaafa'i.
2 – That it is a condition of the meat being halaal,but if a person
forgets it by mistake it is still permissible. This is the view of the
Hanafis, Maalikis and Hanbalis.
3 – That it is essential and cannot be waived under any circumstances,
whether it is omitted by mistake or deliberately or out of ignorance.
This is the view of the Zaahiris and was narrated from Maalik and
Ahmad, and it was the view of some of the salaf; it was also the view
favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah. Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said:It is the correct view.
He also said: They quoted as evidence the general meaning of the verse
in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allaah's Name has not
been pronounced (at thetime of the slaughtering of the animal)"
[al-An'aam 6:121]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"If the blood flows and the name of Allaah is mentioned, then eat."
Soin order for the meat to be halaal, it is essential that the name of
Allaah be mentioned. It is well known that if the condition is not
met, the thing is invalid, so if the name of Allaah is not mentioned,
the meat is not halaal, as with any other condition. Hence ifa person
prays but he forgot to do wudoo', he has to repeat the
prayer.Similarly if he prays not realizing that he had broken his
wudoo' because he thought that breaking wind does not invalidate
wudoo', or that eating camel meat does not invalidate wudoo', for
example, then he must repeat it, because the thing is not valid
without the conditions being met. Soif he slaughtered it but the blood
did not flow, by mistake or out of ignorance, then it is not halaal,
and the same applies if he does not mention the name of Allaah,
because it is mentioned in the same hadeeth. End quote fromal-Sharh
al-Mumti' (6/358).
See also: al-'Inaayah Sharh al-Hidaayah (9/489); al-Fawaakih
al-Dawaani (1/382); and al-Majmoo' (8/387).
Based on this, he should not slaughter sacrifices or anything else
unless he is one of those who pray regularly, and it is essential that
he mentions the name of Allaah when slaughtering and says Bismillaah
(in the name of Allaah).
It is also mustahabb to say takbeer, so he should say: Bismillaah, wa
Allaahu akbar (In the name of Allaah and Allaah is Most Great).
Al-Bukhaari (5558) and Muslim (1966) narrated that Anas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two horned black and white rams. I
saw him placing his foot on their sides, and he said the name of
Allaah and he said takbeer, then he slaughtered them with his own
hand.

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -

Swiss team visits Arafat grave ahead of probe

06/11/2012
A Swiss laboratory team has made a brief visit to the West Bank city
of Ramallah to prepare for the exhumation of the late President Yasser
Arafat, a Palestinian official has said .
The team, along with French investigators, is expected to participate
in an operation starting on November 26 and expected to take "several
weeks or a month" to exhume Arafat's remains as part of a probe into
the circumstances of his death in 2004 .
Ahead of the exhumation, experts from the Institute of Radiation
Physics at Switzerland'sUniversity of Lausanne made a brief visit to
Ramallah, visiting the grave and meeting with Palestinian health
minister Hani Abdeen and justice minister Ali Mhanna .
" A delegation from the Swiss laboratory visited Yasser Arafat's grave
to examine the site," Tawfiq Tirawi, head of the Palestinian
investigative committee on Arafat's death, said .
Tirawi told AFP news agency he met the team "to discuss next steps ".
Tirawi stressed that opening the grave to test Arafat's remains would
only take place once in thepresence of both the Swiss experts and
French investigators, who are running separate probes .
Delicate procedure
Al Jazeera's Clayton Swisher, whose film What Killed Arafat? triggered
the international investigations, spoke with the Swiss and witnessed
their meetings at the Muqataa alongside engineers at the grave of
Yasser Arafat .
" It's a delicate procedure, given the amount of marble, concrete and
steel involved, and the forensic examiners want to ensure the late
Palestinian leader's body will be approached with great care," said
Swisher, reporting from Ramallah .
Arafat died in a French military hospital near Paris on November 11,
2004 and French experts wereunable to say what had killed him, with
many Palestinians convinced he was poisoned by Israel .
French prosecutors opened a murder inquiry in August after Al Jazeera
broadcast the investigation in which Swiss experts said they had found
elevated levels of radioactive polonium on Arafat's personal effects .
Polonium is a highly toxic substance rarely found outside military and
scientific circles .
It was used to kill former Russianspy turned Kremlin critic Alexander
Litvinenko, who died in2006 in London shortly after drinking tea laced
with the poison .
Swiss experts involved in the investigation said traces of radioactive
poison would be lost forever if Arafat's remains were not analyzed
soon.

Scores killed in Syria violence

06/11/2012
Scores of Syrian soldiers have been killed by a suicide car bomb in
the central province of Hama and at least 20 rebel fighters were
killed in an air strike in the northwest province of Idlib, activists
have said .
Monday's clashes came as the main Syrian opposition, the Syrian
National Council (SNC), in makeover talks in Qatar, agreed to expand
its structure to accommodate 13 other groups, a spokesman said .
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the bombing
in the village ofZiyara in Hama province was carried out by Jabhat
al-Nusra, anarmed group that has claimed several attacks on regime
targets .
The bombing killed more than 50 people, according to the Observatory,
a claim which cannot be independently verified .
In Damascus, a car bomb exploded in the western district of Mezzeh.
The part of the neighborhood where the bombing struck, Mezzeh 86 is
mainly inhabited by Alawites, belonging to the same sect as President
Bashar al-Assad .
State-run news agency SANA said 11 people were wounded in the blast.
Television footage showed bloodied people in the street andgaping
holes in residential buildings as firefighters worked to put out the
blaze .
Residents said senior security andmilitary officers of Assad's
regimelive in the area targeted late on Monday .
The Observatory also said at least 20 rebel fighters were killed when
Syrian air force jets bombarded the town of Haram inthe northern
province of Idlib, while fighting raged on between rebels and
government soldiers in Damascus and Aleppo .
The latest developments came as the rebels sought to keep momentum
after seizing a major oilfield and shooting down a fighter jet in the
eastern provinceof Deir Ezzor the day before .
Aleppo clashes
In Aleppo, fighting broke out at aroundabout at the northwest entrance
to the city in the Zahraa district and on the airport road to the
southeast, the Observatoryand residents said .
One resident of a district near Zahraa said Monday's fighting in the
area was the heaviest in recent days .
" It's been almost one week that we are living in terror at night. We
hear everything - gun battles, tank shelling, explosions ... The
clashes before dawn today were the worst all week," Samir, a
37-year-old pharmacist, told the AFP news agency .
Members of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, meanwhile, said on Monday
that its main warehouse in Aleppo had burned down amidrecent fighting,
with the loss of crucial supplies including medicine, food and winter
relief items like blankets .
The rebels have scored significantgains in recent weeks and now hold
swathes of territory in the country's north, but have struggled to
gain ground in and around Damascus and in the commercial hub Aleppo
amid heavy bombardment from government air power .
Strikes from regime warplanes and helicopter gunships have reached a
new level of intensity in recent days as government forces try to
reverse rebel gains on the ground .
The escalating conflict has added urgency to a meeting of the Syrian
National Council in Qatar, where the United States is reportedly
pressing for a new umbrella organization to unite the country's
fractured opposition .
Doha meeting
Syria's main opposition bloc agreed on Monday to broaden its structure
to accommodate 13 other groups, a spokesman said .
The decision by the Syrian National Council (SNC) came on the second
day of a four-day meeting of opposition groups in the Qatari capital,
Doha, aimed at forging a more united front against Assad's regime .
Participants "have agreed a restructuring plan and to reduce the
number of [current] members of the general secretariat to accommodate
200 new members representing 13 political groups and independents,"
said SNC spokesman Ahmad Kamel .
Kamel said the existing membership would be reduced from 313 to 220 to
pave the way for the additional 200 members. The general secretariat
will convene in its revamped form on Tuesday, he added .
The meeting is also expected to discuss an initiative by leading
dissident Riad Seif, which appeared to enjoy US support buthas
encountered reservations from some SNC members, to unite all Syrian
groups opposed to Assad .
" We will form a political leadership that will in turn form a
government of technocrats," Seif said on Sunday, insisting his
proposal was "not to replace the SNC which should be an important
component ."
The initiative will top the agenda of a broader meeting on Thursday
called by host Qatar andthe Arab League .
According to the reports, which emerged after US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton said the SNC was not a representative body, long-time
dissident Seif is touted as the potential head of a new
government-in-exile dubbed the Syrian National Initiative .
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad dismissed the
conference, accusing the opposition of following a foreign agenda .
"When the opposition parties follow the desires of Israel, the United
States and the Western countries, who stand against the interest of
the Syrian people, this then achieves the main goals of such
conferences which do nothing but help escalate the situation in
Syria," he said.
PHOTO CAPTION
This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA,
showsSyrians standing at the scene after a blast occurred according to
footage and reports shown onState-run Al-Ikhbariya television in the
Mazzeh al-Jabal district of the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria,
Monday, Nov. 5, 2012.

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -

Hadrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti (R.A) - Sufism Biographies

Khawaja Moinuddin wasborn in Sajiz village on Monday the 14 of Rajab
A.H. 537 and had his early education and upbringing in Khorasan. His
father died when he was 15. He had two brothers. On the divisionof the
property left by his father, he got a garden and a water-mill and made
a living by theincome derived from it. On contact with Ibrahim Kanduzi
(the ecstatic) majzub. Who one day came to his garden, he lost
interest in wordy possessions, sold the garden and other belongings
and distributed the proceedsamong the poor. He thenset out in search
of God. He first went to Bokhara and then to Samarkand where he learnt
the Quran by heart and acquired worldly knowledge. He them proceeded
to Iraq adding to his knowledgein the company o scholars and religious
persons like Shaikh Najmuldin Kubra, ShaikhAbdul Qadir Jilani, Shaikh
Ziauddin and Shaikh Shahabuddin Suharwardi. In Harvan village he
become disciple of Hardrat Shaikh Usman Harvani.
From Ghazna, Khawaja Moinuddin reached Lahore and stayed near the
Mazzars of Shailkh Hussain Zanjani and Shaikh Ali Usman Hajveri.He
remained in Lahore for some months and leftfor Delhi where he stayed
near the tomb of Shaikh Rashid Makki which had a mosque adjacent to
it. Delhi and Ajmer were then under the sovereignty of Raja Prithvi
Rai(also known as Rai Pithora), whose agents created hinderances in
the way of Khwaja Moinuddin and his companions, but he overcame all
these obstacles. Under Khawaja Sahib's influence, Hindus embraced
Islam in large numbers, including some of Rai Pithora's countries and
nobles; Apprised of this, Rai Pithora ordered Khawaja's arrest. Or,
hearing of it, Khwaja Moinuddin said: I have handed Pithora to
Muslims; soon after, Sultan Shahabuddin Ghori defeated Rai Pithora at
Tarawari in A.H. 588. Rai Pithora was captured near the bank of
Sarasvati river and put to death. After the victory, Islam spread all
over India. Under influence of Moinuddin and his spiritual
descendants, as many as 9 million Hindus were converted to Islam.
Today the descendants of these converts count more then 36. Khwaja's
life style was that of extreme simplicity, his hermit-like dress was
double stitched and was usually patched with rages. In his early
asceticdays, he would fast for 7 days on end, and break the fast with
a piece of bread. Khawaja Moinuddin slept little. Usually he offered
his morning prayers with the ablution performed for the previous
eveningprayer. He had the Quranin the morning and at night.
The Chistia silsila originated form the town of Chisht situated in
Afghanistan. Some 66 miles East of Herat, Chisht is now a small
village on the banks of river Hari Rood known, as Khawaja Chisht.
Chishita order flourishedin the sub-continent, while its other
branches did not survive for long in other Islamic countries. Shaikh
Abu Ishaque Shami (d. 329 A.H.) pioneered silsila Chishtia.
In the Indo-Pakistan sub-continet, it was Kahwaja Moinuddin Sijziwho
laid foundations of the Chishti silsila and worked out its
principlesat Ajmer which was thenthe seat of Chauhan Rajput politics
power. Khawaja Sahib was the embodiment of Islamic virtues and had
gained fame for this remarkablespiritual achievements. He also
performed numerous Karamat (miracles).
Prof. Khaleeq Ahmad Nizami writes: 'Ajmer was not merely the seat of
Chouhan power; it was religious centre alsowhere thousands of pilgrims
assembled from far and near, Shaikh Moinuddin's determination to work
out the principles of Islamic tassawuf at a place of such political
and religious significance shows greatself confidence. The Kahawaja
worked in themidst of a Hindu population which looked ask once at
everyforeigner. Khawaja Moinuddin's stay in Ajmer must have been a
serious trial for the promotion of Islam. On his success or failure in
Ajmer depended the future of the Islamic sufic movement in Hindustan."
The ruler and the high cast Hindus disliked Khawaja Sahib nevertheless
the common peoples flockedto him. Khawaja Moinuddin's life was that of
simplicity, piety and devotion to the cause of Islam. He alwayslaid
stress to assist the helpless and to feed the hungry.
He had an extraordinary capacity of overlooking faults and for
remissions.He held his disciples and Khalifas most dear. Food was
cooked in abundance in his public kitchen and the poor, travelers,
strangers, students, guest, beggars,had their fill. For his kitchen he
did not take asingle pie from anyone. When all was spent, he lifted
the corner of his prayer carpet for the deceased and burial , when all
had left the graveyard he sat by himself by the grave.
At the mention of the Day of Resurrection he fell to weeping and
sometimes cried cloud. Kahwaja Sahib followed religious injunctions
andwas very particular about observing religious ceremonies. He
recited the Duaa frequently and advised his disciples to do the same.
When he expatiated on the sayings of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) he was
overcome with tears. He was transported when he referred to the life
of the Prophet (S.A.W). He has said somewhere in his writings: the
presence of the Holy Prophet. There would beno place for a person;
where will he go "he said". Having said this Khawaja Sahib cried
aloud.
All though his life, Khawaja Sahib was transported by love of Allah;
he was equally carried away by his love of the holy Prophet (S.A.W).
SAMAA or music is permissible in Chishti traditions. Khawaja had a
taste for it. It is recorded in Dalil-ul-Arifin that once,
whenresiding in Hazrat Abu Yousuf Chishti's monastery, hearing the
following verses in the musical assembly he remained in a state of
trance for two days.
"The lover is carried wayby the longing for the beloved
And is transported by the memory of his love.
Tomorrow when the people would fell lost onthe Day of Resurrection.
Thy name will resound in the breast and ears."
Khawaja Sahib maintains that music leads to insight into Creator. It
is a blessing inthree ways, i.e. illumination, states and signs; and
these pertain to the soul heart and thebody.
TEACHINGS
Khawaja Mo'in-ud-Din Chishti's teachings are extremely illuminating ,'
They may be summarized as follow:-
1. To Trust in God and noto desire any thing from anyone else:
2. One who is God's friend must be found to have the following
attributes:, Company of the righteous generosity, kindness
andcourtesy.
3. Three thing are the ornament of the soul: Befriending the enemy,
hiding one's own poverty and sorrows andsufferings from others,
complete trust in God;
4. The steadfast disciple is one who says the morning prayer and is
intoxicated by its enjoyment and memory till the next morning;
5. To be subject to some calamity or disease is a token of sound faith;
6. Love the poor, and avoid lying the backbiting;
7. God loves him who loves poverty and sickness.
8. One who repudiates prayer and the law of God is an infidel;
9. Alms giving is more praise-worthy than a thousand voluntary prayers;
10. Abusing a believer is like adultery with one's own mother or
sister, the prayer of such a person is not heard.
11. One who helps the needy is the friend of God. If a person engaged
in prayer or a religious duty is approaching by a needy person, he
should stop his prayer or religious duty, and attend to him and help
him according to his means;
12. The highest piety is to remember death;
13. Three persons shall never in-hale the fragrance of paradise; the
dervish who tells lies, a miser and a fraudlent merchant;
14. In addition to the prescribed acts of worship (prayer and fast),
the following five acts of devotion are incumbent upon the sufic.
Serving one's parents, reciting the Qu'ran respecting and be-friending
the ulema, paying a visit to Khana Ka'ba, devotion to the spiritual
guide;
15. Apart from other sinful acts, the neophyte must abstain from these
sins: laughing in a graveyard, eating and drinking there, for it is a
place of warning, oppression, and not to tremble on taking God's name;
16. The proof of the Arif's love is this that apart from repeating
God's name he should beattached to nothing else;
17. For the Ahl-e-Tariqat on the way to Saluk the following ten things
are imperative: Observance of paryer and fast, fear of God,
Steadfastness in Shari'at, abstinence in food, less sleeping, les
talking, less intercourse with people, search for truth, desire for a
perfect spiritual guide, respect, resignation, love an avoidance of
excess;
18. Likewise the following are necessary for Ahl-e-Haqeeqat: To be
perfect in ma'rfat to abstain from doing harmand giving pain to
others, holding such converse with people as may do them good here and
the world to come, to be courteous, to cultivate privacy, love and
hold others dear and think one self to be less than others,
submissions to the will of God, patience and resignance in adversity,
humility, sympathy and pity, contentment and reliance on God, frequent
recital of Darud;
19. To recite Darud frequently;
20. Praise God and perform routine duties before the spiritual guide
and abstain from relating his experience to anyone else;
21. Reading the writings of the auliya is beneficial.
It is related in Sair-ul-Aqtab that on the night Hardrat Kahawaja
Moin-ud-Din passed away, he shut the doors of his closet after evening
prayer and directed his friends not to come there. His special
intimates lingered near the closet and they heard all along the
thumping of feet heard when the lovers of God are in a state of
ecstasy. Late in the nightthe sound stopped. Afterthe morning prayer
his special disciples knockedat the door the called out but received
no reply from within. They broke open the door thefound that Hadrat
Khawaja had passed away. On his forehead was written in characters of
light "Haza Habib Ma'fi hubb Allah. (God's beloved emerges in His
love).
He died on Monday, the sixteh of Rajab 633 A.H. The greatest miracle
of Hazrat Khawaja Mo'in-ud-Din Chishti Ajmeri is that due to the
efforts ofthe line established by him as many as nine million persons
embraced Islam. His second miracles was thatwhatever sinner and
dissolute he looked at forthwith repented of his sins for ever. Dargah
of Chishti still Khawaja Mo'in-ud-Din vibrates with spiritual power.

--


- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

- - - - - - -