Inspirational Story - Power of Positive Talk: Results of Positive Talk Story

A man was lost while driving through the countryside. As he tried to
reach for the map, he accidentally drove off theroad into a ditch.
Thoughhe wasn't injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man
walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.
"Warwick can get you out of that ditch," said the farmer, pointing to
an old mule standing in afield. The man looked at the decrepit old
mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, "Yep,
old Warwick can do the job."The man figured he had nothing to lose.
The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer
hitchedthe mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted,
"Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!"
And the mule pulled that car right out of the ditch.
The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked,
"Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?"
The farmer grinned and said, "Old Warwick is just about blind. As long
as hebelieves he's part of a team , he doesn't mind pulling."
*. Keep your words positive, because your words become your actions.
*. Keep your actions positive, because your actions become your habits.
*. Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your lifestyle.
*. Keep your lifestyle positive, because your lifestyle becomes your destiny.

Inspirational Story - Power of Positive Talk or Avoiding Toxic Self-Talk (Negative Talking)

Allah (SWT) the Exalted says in Noble Qur'an: "O you who believe! Be
careful of (your duty to) Allah and speak the right word." (33:70)
I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young
age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our
mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming
factor in lifelong success.
One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight. As a
kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around
upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no
surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging
back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn't realize the tree
could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so
high.
My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree.She was hanging on
the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy's mother also
noticed us atthe exact time my dad did. About that time a huge gust of
wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and
the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad's voice over the windyell,
"Bart, Hold on tightly." So I did.
The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her
lungs, laying flat on the ground.She had fallen out of the tree.
I scampered down the tree to safety. My dad later told me why she fell
and I did not. Apparently,when Tammy's mother felt the gust of wind,
she yelled out, "Tammy, don'tfall!" And Tammy did fall.
My dad then explained tome that the mind has a very difficult time
processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal
pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process
the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first
imagine falling, then try to tell thebrain not to do what it just
imagined. Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal
image of me hanging on tightly.
This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a
habit or set a goal. You can't visualize not doing something. The only
way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a
word for what you want to do andvisualize that. For example, when I
was thirteen years old, I played for my junior highschool football
team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn't get it together
at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was
running out for a pass, "Don't drop it!" Naturally, I dropped the
ball.
My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper "Self-Talk."
They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn't. I'll
never make it pro, but I'm now a pretty good Sunday afternoon football
player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me
to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just
climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.
Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends
the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil.
Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Sayto them,
"Okay, try to drop the pencil." Observewhat they do.
Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor.
You respond, "You weren't paying attention. I said TRY to drop the
pencil. Now please do it again." Most people then pick up the pencil
and pretend tobe in excruciating pain while their hand tries butfails
to drop the pencil.
The point is made. If you tell your brain you will"give it a try," you
are actually telling your brainto fail. I have a "no try" rule in my
house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or
they won't. Eitherthey will be at the party or they won't. I'm brutal
when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try. Do they think
I don't know they are really telegraphing to theworld they have no
intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for
pretended effort? You will never hear the words"I'll try" come out of
my mouth unless I'm teaching this concept in aseminar.
If you "try" and do something, your unconscious mind has permission
not to succeed. If I truly can't make a decision I will tell the
truth. "Sorry John. I'mnot sure if I will be at your party or not.
I've gotan outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be
here, Insha Allah. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite."
People respect honesty. So remove the word "try" from your vocabulary.
My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen
positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea
if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen
compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.
These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.
Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus
howmany criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day
long. We all have internal voices that give us direction.
So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you short changing
yourself with toxic self-talk like, "I'm fat. Nobody will like me.
I'll try this diet. I'm not goodenough. I'm so stupid. I'mbroke, etc.
etc."
If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong
statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily
basis with your own internal dialogue. Here is a list of Toxic
Vocabulary words. Notice when you or other people use them.
*. BUT: Negates any wordsthat are stated before it.
*. TRY: Presupposes failure.
*. IF: Presupposes that youmay not.
*. MIGHT: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener.
*. WOULD HAVE: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen.
*. SHOULD HAVE: Past tensethat draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen (and implies guilt.)
*. COULD HAVE: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen but theperson tries to take credit as if it did
happen.
*. CAN'T/DON'T: These words force the listenerto focus on exactly the
opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and
coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error.
Examples:
*. Toxic phrase: "Don't drop the ball!"
*. Likely result: Drops the ball
*. Better language: "Catch the ball!"
*. Toxic phrase: "You shouldn't watch so much television."
*. Likely result: Watches more television.
*. Better language: "I readtoo much television makes people stupid.
You might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of
thosebooks more often!"
Exercise:
*. Take a moment to writedown all the phrases you use on a daily basis
or any Toxic Self-Talk that you have noticed yourself using. Write
these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur
and change them.
Forge a positive relationship with the world around you and the world
will become a better place for you to live. And remember: Make
positive Self-Talk a daily practice.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Where is God Not - Nasruddin Stories

My beloveds, I travelled again to the village of my friend Tekka,
after years away. He had become very devout in his ways, sometimes a
little pompous, but still the kind soul I had lovedfor years.
I visited him, and we picked up our friendshipas if we had never been apart.
"Nasruddin, you are a light to the eyes," said Tekka, "Please stay
with me. I insist."
I accepted his kind invitation. He showed me my sleeping room, with a
window to the east, and the bed made up. "I have arranged it so your
head faces toward Mecca," he said proudly. "You must always sleep with
your head toward Mecca, out of respect for the Prophet, on whom be
peace."
My first night, I tossed and turned, and finally fell asleep. I am
apparently an active sleeper, for when Tekka shook me awake the next
morning, he was very agitated.
"Nasruddin, I am disappointed in you!" I looked at myself, and said,
"I am often disappointed in myself, Tekka, what seems to be today's
problem?"
"You have slept with your feet toward Mecca! This is most disrespectful!"
"My apologies, Tekka, it was unintentional. I am a very active sleeper."
Tekka was mollified, but insisted that the next night I must do
better. I promised I would.
The next night resembled the first. I slept well, after some tossing
and turning, but awoke to find my feet on my pillow and my head
resting on the floorat the end of the sleeping mat. Just as I realized
my predicament, Tekka stood in the door and clucked in concern.
"This will never do, Nasruddin. I am a good citizen and a good Muslim.
You must sleep with your feet pointing the opposite way from Mecca,
and your head pointing toward Mecca, out of respect for the Prophet
and devotion toAllah."
"What is your reason for insisting on this, my friend?" I asked.
"You must not point your feet toward God!" he said, and repeated
it."You must point your head toward God and your feet away from Him."
I thought about this. We spent the day together, and that night Tekka
was most emphatic."Nasruddin," he said, "If you cannot sleep with your
head toward God, I regret to say I cannot have you in my house. It
pains me to say this to an old friend, but my devotion is to Allah."
The third night was much like the other two,except that this time I
awoke with my nose pressed against the floorat the foot of the
sleeping mat. It was pushed out of shape, and I was rubbing it when
Tekka appeared. His face was clouded with anger and sadness.
"Before you speak, Tekka, answer me this," Isaid, springing up.
"DoesAllah rule over everything, even the fate of men?"
"You know he does," replied Tekka, puzzled.
"Is Allah there in every part of His creation?"
"Of course he is!"
I pointed out the window at the birds rising from the edge of the
well. "Does he live in the birds of the air?"
"Yes," said Tekka. "Why are you asking these questions?"
"Please have patience with an old friend," I replied. "Is Allah
everywhere, even acrossthe desert and the mountains?"
"Allah is the creation. Allah is in the creation, and is the lord over
the creation!" exclaimed Tekka.
"So, Tekka," I said, holding out my feet."Point my feet where God is not!"

Nasruddin Stories - Alone in the Desert

Ah, it was a time of bustling cities and pressing obligations! After a
time, I grew weary of the pace and needed a respite, a quiettime in
which to gather my inner peace again. So I took the barest necessities
and went into the desert, to be alone in the endless space under the
vast sky,and to have only the stars and the sand for company.
It was a blessed time. Each day I awoke before the sun, and fell
asleep to the light of shooting stars. I prayed at the appointed times
and meditated early and late.I slept more soundly than I ever slept
before, and woke refreshed andhappy. The peace began to grow like a
clear pool in my heart.
I was sleeping one night when I heard a sound. Is it not true that a
tiny sound so often heralds great occurences? I heard the sound of a
scratching on my tent. Perhaps a desert rat, or the wind. I opened my
eyes, and all was dark. I peered into the darkness, and dimly
discerned a shape barelyoutlined in the faint starlight that permeated
the cloth of the tent. It was a man, stealthily entering.
I didn't want to intrude; his concentration seemed to be intense.
Besides, I was a little curious, so I lay and watched. He apparently
planned to rob me of all my possessions, not knowing I had only
brought the barest necessities. He rooted around for a few moments,
and stood up. I could see he had a good load on his back. In the faint
light I could just discern both of my table lamps and my golf clubs.
He exited the tent, and I could hear him depositing the booty on the
ground a little distance away. Just as I thought, he returned formore.
He was a little longer the second time, but when he stood, I saw he
was carrying my grandfather clock. Whenhe picked up my color
television, it was the last straw.
I jumped up and followed him out of the tent.
"Stop!" I cried. He froze in his tracks. Slowly, with trembling limbs,
he set his load on the ground, and turned.
"I am lost!" he stammered. "I was tryingto find my way and stumbled on
this tent."
"And decided to take everything in it?" I asked.
"You have caught me." He hung his head in shame. "I am at your mercy.
I have stolen, andI must pay the price."
I looked at him with what I hoped was a piercing gaze. "We have no
magistrates here, save that I was once a mulla. We do have common
sense and compassion."
He looked at me wonderingly. I went on."I see by your garb you are a
poor man, and by the doll showing from your pocket that you area
family man."
"I am," he replied. "We have fallen on hard times."
"For heaven's sake, don'tmake them harder, young man," I said."Where I
come from, if we do a job, we do it one hundred percent. You have been
sloppy, and have not completed your task. You forgot this." And I
handed him the small bag of gold I always keep at the foot of my bed.
He looked at me dumfounded. "What do you mean, effendi?"
"I mean this is your mostfortunate day," I replied."I have just this
night renounced ownership ofall my possessions, and returned them to
their rightful owner. Do you know who that is?"
"Allah?" he asked, weakly.
"But of course!" I cried, warming to my subject."All these goods are
not mine; they belong to Allah, and are at the disposal of everyone.
So you see, young man, by the greatest stroke of fortune, on this
night, ofall nights, in this tent of all tents, you did not steal,
because the goods belonged to you already.Now are you going to take
the gold or not?"
The young man was silent for a moment, then fell on his knees.
"Oh, great shaikh! You are beyond all wisdom! Ihave never heard
anything so wise or so compassionate. You are the most wise and
generous of all men! I repent of my misdeeds, and throw myself on your
mercy. Please take me as your disciple, and teach me your profound
philosophy."
"Ah, I am pleased with you, my son." I replied."You can never earn
more than a bachelor's degree with me, because I am a bachelor."
He looked up at me , wondering what nonsense this was. And surely,
wisdom and nonsense are often difficult to distinguish.
"I will take you as my companion and teach you what I can. You may
share my tent. Now that you have unburdened me of these possessions,
there is plenty of room!"
So that is how I met Tekka. He has since become a good and loyal
friend, as I am to him.
Peace be upon you; I must now depart.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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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 Allaah knows best.

He is staying in a land where Islamic slaughter is banned; can he give the price of the udhiyah in charity?

My family and I are staying in a land where Islamic slaughter is
banned. What should wedo? Can we give its pricein charity?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If what is meant is the udhiyah (sacrifice) or 'aqeeqah on behalf of a
newborn, and it is not possible to carry out Islamic slaughter in the
land where you are staying, then it is better for you to send money to
someone who can slaughter it on your behalf in another country where
there are family members or poor and needy people, because
slaughtering the udhiyah or 'aqeeqahis better than giving the price in
charity.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:Doing the 'aqeeqah is
better than giving its price in charity, in our opinion. This is also
the view of Ahmad and Ibn al-Mundhir. End quote from al-Majmoo'
(8/414).
It says in Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha: Slaughtering it – the udhiyah or
'aqeeqah – is better thangiving its price in charity. This was stated
by Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him). The same applies to the
hadiy, because of the hadeeth: "The son ofAdam does not do any deed on
the Day of Sacrifice that is dearer toAllaah than shedding blood. It
will come on the Day of Resurrection with its horns and cloven hoofs
and hair. Itsblood is accepted by Allaah before it reaches the ground.
So be content when you do it."Narrated by Ibn Maajah. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) slaughtered the hadiy as
did the caliphs after him. If giving the price in charity were better,
theywould not have failed todo it. End quote. The hadeeth mentioned
was classed as da'eef by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da'eefah, no.
526.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it
permissible to slaughter the sacrifice in the land where one is, or to
send a sum of money for that to your own country or to another Muslim
country?
He replied:
It is better to offer the sacrifice in your own country if your family
are with you. If your family are elsewhere, and they do not have
anyone with them who can offer the sacrifice for them, then send money
to them to offer the sacrifice there. End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa
al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (24/207)
And Allaah knows best.

His father is unable to do Hajj for health reasons, and he wants todo Hajj on his behalf

I work in the land of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, and Allaah enabled me
to perform the obligatory Hajj last year. Now my father is in Egypt
and he wants to perform the obligatory duty of Hajj. He is able
financially but not physically, for health reasons. Can I perform the
obligatory Hajj for him and do Hajj on his behalf?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If your father is not able to do Hajj himself, because of old age or
sickness for which there is no hope of a cure and which makes him
unableto do Hajj, then he has toappoint someone else todo Hajj on his
behalf, whether he appoints you or someone else.
If you want to do Hajj onhis behalf, this is good, so long as you tell
him that you are going to do Hajj on his behalf and hegives you
permission to do that.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: If a person meets
the conditions of Hajj being obligatory forhim, but he is unable to do
it for a reason for which there is no hope that it will disappear,
such as old age or sickness for which there is no hope of a cure, or
he is too weak and cannot sit firmly on his mount except with
unbearable difficulty, or he is too old, etc, if thereis someone whom
he can appoint to do Hajj on his behalf, and he hasenough money to do
that, then he must do that. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and
al-Shaafa'i. End quote from al-Mughni (3/91).
He also said: It is not permissible to do Hajj and 'Umrah on behalf of
a living person without his permission, regardless of whether it is an
obligatory or voluntary Hajj, because it is an act of worship can be
done by proxy, soit is not permissible to do it on behalf of an adult
of sound mind except with his permission, as is the casewith zakaah.
In the case of one who is deceased, it is permissible to do it on his
behalf without permission, whether it isobligatory or voluntary,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
enjoined Hajj on behalf of the deceased, and it isknown that
permission cannot be sought from the deceased.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Henry Irwin (British Architect) designed it forthe Maharaja of Mysore - INDIA

One of the largest palaces in India, Mysore Palace of Karnataka is a
fine example of unique blend of different styles of architecture. The
Mysore Palace is one of the most attractive and gorgeous monuments in
Karnataka. It is also known by the name of Amba Vilas and was the
residence of Wodeyar Maharaja. The Mysore Palace was rebuilt in 1912
after the original palace was destroyed in a fire accident in the year
1897. It was re-designed in Saracenicstyle by a famous British
architect Henry Irwin. One can see the blend of different forms of
architecture and design in the Maysore Palace.
The palace has three stories and a series of square towers with domed
arches. A gold-plated dome about 145 feet from the ground covers the
open courtyard in the center. The architecture has a blend of Hindu,
Mughal, Rajput and Gothic styles. The entrance of the palace has
'Gombe Thotti' or Doll's Pavilion, which has a collection ofIndian and
European sculptures and ceremonial objects. The main gate of the
palace building is known as Elephant Gate and is beautifully decorated
with floral motifs and the royal symbol of Mysore, the two-headed
Eagle. One finds the royal ceremonial elephant howdah decorated with
84 kilograms of gold and other precious stones.
The south of the Palace has the splendid KalyanaMandapam" or the
wedding pavilion, whichis decorated with multi colored stained glass
with peacock motifs arranged in geometrical patterns. One can find
elaborate chandeliers and tall slender wroughtiron pillars imported
from countries like Scotland and Czechoslovakia. The flooris made up
of glazed tiles that have been imported from England. The walls are
decorated with paintings depictingthe celebration of Dusshera festival
during the royal rule.
The second floor has the splendid durbar hall known as 'Diwan-I-am',
which is around 155 feetlong and 42 feet broad. The hall is marked by
an exquisitely decorated ceiling, a glistening floorand sculptured
pillars that are painted in gold. The walls have murals depicting the
eight avatars of Goddess Shakti. There are paintings that depict
scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and also an original painting
of the famous painter Raja Ravi Varma. Towards thesouth on the same
floor is the Diwan-I-Khas (private audience hall), which is decorated
with beautifully carved entrance doors and stained glass ceiling.
The palace is surroundedby twelve temples, spread in the compound.Most
of these are built inthe Dravidian architectural style. The famous
ones include Varashaswamy Temple, which has actually inspired the
design for Sri Chamundeswari Temple on Chamundi Hill. The temples are
decorated beautifully during special occasions like festivals and
other auspicious days. The Department of Archaeology and Museums of
Karnataka Government now looks after the maintenance ofMysore Palace.
The palace has the largest collection of gold items (quantity wise).
The famous 200-kilogram gold throne is kept for display every year
during the festival of Dusshera. Every Sunday night the monument looks
like a heavenly palace as it is illuminated with thousands of light
bulbs.

Cultural India : Indian Religions

India is a land of diversities. This diversity is also visible in the
spheres of religion. The major religions of India are Hinduism
(majority religion), Islam (largest minority religion), Sikhism,
Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the
Bahá'í Faith. India is a land where people of different religions and
cultures live in harmony. This harmony is seen in the celebration of
festivals. The message of love and brotherhood is expressed by all the
religions and cultures of India.
Whether it's the gathering of the faithful,bowing in prayer in the
courtyard of a mosque, or the gathering of lamps that light up houses
at Diwali, the good cheer of Christmas or the brotherhood of Baisakhi,
the religions ofIndia are celebrations of shared emotion that bring
people together. People from the different religions and cultures of
India, unite in a common chord of brotherhood and amity in this
fascinating and diverse land.
Buddhism
At present Buddhism is one of the major world religions. The
philosophy of Buddhism is based on the teachings of Lord Buddha,
Siddhartha Gautama (563 and 483 BC), a royal prince of Kapilvastu,
India. After originating in India, Buddhism spread throughout the
Central Asia, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Southeast Asia, as well asthe East
Asian countries of China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
Christians
Christianity is one of the prominent religions in India. At present
there are about 25 million Christians in India. It is interesting to
note that the Christian population in India is more than theentire
population of Australia and New Zealand or total population of a
number of countries in Europe.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. Hinduism is world's
thirdlargest religion after Christianity and Islam. Hinduism is the
dominant religion in India, where Hindus form about 84 per cent of the
total population. Hinduism is also known as "Sanatan Dharma" or the
everlasting religion.
Islam
One of the prominent religions of India, Islam forms about 12 per cent
of India's population. Though India's contact with Islam had begun
much earlier, the real push came in the 8th century when the province
of Sindh was conquered. Though the Muslims form only 12 percent of the
total population of India but the influence of Islam onIndian society
is much stronger.
Jainism
Jains form less than one percent of the Indian population. For
centuries, Jains are famous as community of traders and merchants. The
states of Gujarat andRajasthan have the highest concentration ofJain
population in India. The Jain religion is traced to Vardhamana
Mahavira (The Great Hero 599-527 B.C.).
Sikhism
Sikhs form about 2 per cent of Indian population. In comparison to
other religions, Sikhism is a younger religion. The word 'Sikh' means
a disciple and thus Sikhismis essentially the path of discipleship.
The true Sikh remains unattachedto worldly things.
Zoroastrian
Though the total number of Zoroastrians in Indian population is very
less yet they continue to be one of the important religious
communities of India. According to the 2001 census, there were around
70,000 members of the Zoroastrian faith in India. Most of the Parsis
(Zoroastrians) live in Maharashtra (mainly in Mumbai) and the rest in
Gujarat.
Guru Nanak Dev
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is credited with starting the Sikh religion. He
wasthe first Guru of the Sikhs and is worshipped next to God. His sole
aim in life was to unify the Hindus and Muslims and form a universal
religionof brotherhood and compassion. He believed that true salvation
could be achieved only by devotion of thought andexcellence of
conduct.
Lord Mahavira
Lord Mahavira is often credited with the adventof Jainism in India.
However, Jainism existedeven before Lord Mahavira was born. He
issupposed to be the twenty-fourth (last) Tirthankara according tothe
Jain philosophy. A Tirthankara is an enlightened soul who is born as a
human being and attains perfection through intense meditation.
Adi Shankaracharya
One of the greatest philosophers of India, Adi Shankaracharya founded
the Advaita Vedanta, which is one ofthe sub-schools of Vedanta. Adi
Shankaracharya whole-heartedly believed in theconcept of the Vedas
butat the same time advocated against the rituals and religious
practices that were over exaggerated.


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Hakim ibn Hazm - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

History has recorded that he is the only person who was born inside
the Kabah itself.
Together with a group of friends, his mother had gone inside this
ancient House of God to inspect it. On that particular day it was open
because of a festive occasion. She was pregnant and labor pains
suddenly gripped her. She was unable to leave the Kabah. A leather mat
was brought to her and she gave birth on it. The child was named
Hakim. His father was Hazm who was the son of Khuwaylid. Hakim was
therefore the nephew of the Lady Khadijah, the daughter of Khuwaylid,
may Allah be pleasedwith her.
Hakim grew up in a wealthy and noble family which enjoyed a high
status in Makkan society. Hewas also an intelligent and well-mannered
person who was well respected by his people. He was held in such
esteem that he was given the responsibility of the rifadah which
involved giving assistance to the needy and those who had lost their
property during the season of pilgrimage. He took this responsibility
seriously and would even help needy pilgrims from his own resources.
Hakim was a very close friend of the Prophet, peace be on him, before
the latter's call to prophethood. Even though he was five years older
than the Prophet, he used to spend muchtime talking to him and
enjoyinghours of pleasant companionship. Muhammad in his turn felt
great affection for Hakim.
Their relationship was further strengthened when the Prophet married
his aunt, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid.
What is truly amazing is that in spite of the close friendship between
Hakim and the Prophet,Hakim did not become a Muslim until the conquest
of Makkah, more than twenty years after the start of the Prophet's
mission. One would have thought that someone like Hakim whom God had
blessed with a sound intellect and who was so well-disposed to the
Prophet, would have been among the first to believe in himand follow
the guidance he brought. But that was not to be.
Just as we are astonished at the late acceptance of Islam on the part
of Hakim, he himself later inlife was also amazed. In fact, as soon as
he accepted Islam and tasted the sweetness of iman (faith), he began
to feel deep regret for every moment of his life as a mushrik and a
denier of God's religion and of His Prophet.
His son once saw him weeping after his acceptance of Islam andasked:
"Why are you weeping, my father'?" "Many things cause me to weep, my
dear son. The most grievous is the length of time it took for me to
become a Muslim. Acceptance of Islam would have given me so many
opportunities to do good which I missed even if I were to have spent
the earth in gold. My life was spared at the battle of Badr and also
at the battle of Uhud. After Uhud. I said to myself. I would not help
any Quraysh against Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of God be
upon him, and I would not leaveMakkah. Then, whenever I felt like
accepting Islam I would lookat other men among the Quraysh, men of
power and maturity who remained firmly attached to the ideas and
practices of Jahiliyyah and I would fall in line with them and their
neighbors... Oh, how I wishI had not done so. Nothing has destroyed us
except the blind following of our forefathers and elders. Why should I
not weep, my son?"
The Prophet himself was puzzled. A man of sagacity and understanding
like Hakim ibn Hazm, how could Islam remain"hidden" from him?. For a
long time, the Prophet had dearly hoped that he and a group of persons
like him would take the initiative and become Muslims. On the night
before the liberation of Makkah, he, may God bless him and grant him
peace, said to his companions:
"There are four persons in Makkah whom I consider to be above having
any dealing with shirk and I would dearly like them to accept Islam."
"Who arethey, O Messenger of God?" asked the companions. "Attab ibn
Usayd, Jubayr ibn Mutim, Hakim ibn Hazm and Suhayl ibn Amr," replied
the Prophet. By the grace of God, they all became Muslims.
When the Prophet, peace be on him, entered Makkah to liberate the city
from polytheism and theways of ignorance and immorality, he ordered
his herald to proclaim: "Whoever declares that there is no god
butAllah alone, that He has no partner and that Muhammad is His
servant and His Messenger, he is safe...
Whoever sits at the Kabah and lays down his weapons, he is safe.
Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan, he is safe.
Whoever enters the house of Hakim ibn Hazm, he is safe..." The house
of Abu Sufyan was in the higher part of Makkah and that of Hakim was
in the lower part of the city. By proclaiming these houses as places
of sanctuary, the Prophet wisely accorded recognition to both Abu
Sufyan and Hakim, weakening any thought they might have of resisting
and making it easier for them to be more favorably disposed to him and
his mission.
Hakim embraced Islam wholeheartedly. He vowed to himself that he would
atone for whatever he had done during his Jahili days and that
whateveramounts he had spent in opposing the Prophet, he would spend
the same amounts in the cause of Islam.
He owned the Dar an-Nadwah, an important and historic building in
Makkah, where the Quraysh held their conferences during the days of
Jahiliyyah. In this building the Quraysh leadersand chieftains would
gather to plot against the Prophet.
Hakim decided to get rid of it and cut himself off from its past
associations which were now sopainful to him. He sold the building for
one hundred thousand dirhams. A Quraysh youth exclaimed to him: "You
have sold something of great historical value and pride to the
Quraysh, uncle."
"Come now, my son," replied Hakim. "All vain pride and glory has now
gone and all that remains of value is taqwa - consciousness of God. I
have only sold the building in order toacquire a house in Paradise. I
swear to you that I have given the proceeds from it to be spentin the
path of God Almighty."
Hakim ibn Hazm performed the Hajj after becoming a Muslim. Hetook with
him one hundred fine camels and sacrificed them all inorder to achieve
nearness to God. In the following Hajj, he stood on Arafat. With him
were one hundred slaves. To each he gave a pendant of silver on which
was engraved: "Free for the sake of God Almighty from Hakim ibn Hazm."
On a third Hajj,he took with him a thousand sheep - yes a thousand
sheep and sacrificed them all at Mina to feed the poor Muslims in
order to attain nearness to God.
While Hakim was generous in hisspending for the sake of God, he also
still liked to have much. After the battle of Hunayn, he asked the
Prophet for some of the booty which the Prophet gave. He then asked
for more and the Prophet gave him more. Hakim was still a newcomer to
Islam and the Prophet was moregenerous to newcomers so as toreconcile
their hearts to Islam. Hakim ended up with a large share of the booty.
But the Prophet peace be upon him, toldhim:
"O Hakim! This wealth is indeed sweet and attractive. Whoever takes it
and is satisfied will be blessed by it and whoever takes out of greed
will not be blessed. He would be like someone who eats and is not
satisfied. The upper hand is better than the lower hand (it is better
to give than to receive)."
The kind words of advice had a deep and immediate effect on Hakim. He
was mortified and said to the Prophet: "O Messenger of God! By Him who
has sent you with the truth, I shall not ask anyone after you for
anything."
During the caliphate of Abu Bakr,Hakim was called several times to
collect his stipend from the Bayt al-mal but he refused to take any
money. He did the sameduring the caliphate of Umar ibnal-Khattab
whereupon Umar addressed the Muslims: "I testifyto you, O Muslims,
that I have called Hakim to collect his stipend but he refuses."
Hakim remained faithful to his word. He did not take anything from
anyone until he passed away. From the Prophet, he had learnt the great
truth that contentment is riches beyond compare.

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True stories » I got involved by myself in this mess, but how can I get out now?

Hello!
I read your stories and I got the courage to ask for your advice,
because Idon't know any more what to do.
So that's my story. I am 27 year old, married for two years, I have
normal relationship with my husband, sometimes we understand each
other, sometimes we fight, we make compromises, but he is not my
biggest love and that's the problem, he is not very interested in me –
where I am and what I do.
I've met the other before I got married – we were just friends in a
same company, we were travelling, together I thought I was so much in
love with him, but he was just friendly kind without a sense of carnal
interest from his side.
One day I stopped to stand for a relation, who seemed impossible I got
married, but in spite of this we keep on being good friends and
meeting sometimes. I caneven say that our friendship became stronger
during the past two years.
Recently I felt inconsolably, in love withthis man. I will play that
game I said to myself this time. I arranged to spendtwo days just the
two of us, far from anybody who knows us and with some women finesse
we found ourselves in the bed.
In the very sublime moment it comes out thathe has problem with
erection – there's not at all such. Anyhow we've both done our best to
getpleasure, but I am confused. I suspect that his problem is not new.
In fact I haven't heard of any intimate friend of hisbut he is 45 year
old and his last relationship I know about had finishedyears ago, and
the lady got married to somebodyelse.
I do like this man, but thesex is also very importantto me. What am I
supposed to do? I need your advice!

True stories » I, the Liar

Hello to everyone here!!!
After some frequent visitson this website and after reading some
stories, I decided to finally share mine as well. It's about cheating,
but on my part.
I am 34 years old, married and have a beautiful girl.
My story began when I had decided to go abroad, because I wanted to
make some money and also because Iwas curious to why everyone wants to
travel around the world. So, I left for Italy with my sister and we
were relying on a friend of ours to help us find a job there.
We arranged to meet the above-mentioned friend named T. And at first,
I didn't pay too much attention when I saw him. Although, his height
made him impossible not to notice. So, after a few times meeting him I
realized how kind, smiling and easy going he was.
He had some problems with his wife, who he had left in Canada and kept
begging to come to Italy. Gradually, we reached a point in which I
began to like this man and started wanting him a 100 %.
I wasn't expecting anything besides sex. I was confused, in a foreign
country with a foreign language, with some people that I didn't
understand and with him; kind, caring and in love with me.
However, he quickly started dreaming about how we were going to create
our own life, how I was going to get a divorce, how much he loved me.
I wasn't feelingthe same way. I wanted to go back to Canada andback to
what I had left there; he was also acting weird after living without a
woman for so long.
And so, I couldn't handle this anymore, I kept thinking about my child
and I left for Canada. Then my pain started. I immediately felt the
lack of attention, affection, the spark in my sex life and we began
maintaining an endless phone relationship by writing secret text
messages in the middle of the night. "My love, amore, sweetheart."
The distance was making us want each other even more. This is when I
made all the mistakes than I did and I told him a bunch of lies. I was
telling him how I hated my husband and that I wanted a divorce. It
wasn't easy to live like this at all.
I was lying to the both of us. I changed, became frustrated and my
husband reacting to this didn't take long. There were constant
scandals that were making my child suffer when she heard them.
Everything was a complete mess.
T. was pushing me to leave and go to him and Icouldn't leave my child
and my husband. There was also something else that was more important
than everything.
I was not in love with T., even though I used to sayit back to him all
the timewhen he told me that he loved me. I didn't want a future with
a man that I didn't have strong feelings for. THIS KEPT GOING ON FOR 3
YEARS.
During this period we spent very little time physically together,
because this was only possible when he came back to Canada and I could
come up with an excuse. I did know that I had to put a stop to this
living hell that I had created myself.
Every night, I was full with regrets. I kept thinking how I did't
deserve neither one of them. I couldn't find the words to express my
desire to break it off withT. So, I left it to him to figure it out.
I didn't get a divorce. I continue living with this huge burden on my
shoulders which remained unshared. I made an attempt to meetwith T.
and to tell him how I felt, but it was another mistake, becausehe saw
it as a willingness to continue our relationship and to try to have a
life together one day.
I gave up and I stopped contacting him and so did he. I hope that he
hasfound his true love. Regardless, I still feel awful about it.
I messed up T.'s life with my lies and I ruined my family's balance
and trust. Nothing is the sameanymore.
So there it is, I shared my lie with you and I hope that someone might
understand how I feel, even though I am not a very good writer. I
don't know if I'll get a reply from any of you, but at least my story
can serve as an example.

True stories » Am I jealous or is he a flirt?

I'm trying to find the answer to this question and it's really hard
for me, believe me!
I truly love my husband with whom we've been married for 8 years, the
first 3 of which we spent living separately in different countries.
Now we are already together. In the beginning everything was perfect
and I even feared sharingthis with others because people say "it's too
good to last".
So, I've noticed recently that when we are in a company with
handsomemen my husband is constantly around me and he is very kind and
affectionate to me. I find this normal and I'm quite pleased with it.
I considerthis the right attitude to a wife. I like showing my
feelings towards him in front of people and I'm very happy when they
notice it. The problem is that when we are in a company with
attractive women he changes abruptly – he stops touching me at all,
even keeps a distance, or if I show in some way or another that he is
my beloved husband he is unpleasantly surprised and stands as if
frozen, while his attitude to the other women is more than friendly.
There have been cases when he has spoken to a woman for about 10-15
minutes and haven't even looked at me meanwhile. (to say nothing of
including me in the conversation!). Sometimes I hesitated on leaving
the place in orderto see if he will notice myabsence. I think this
will probably last at least an hour or until he sees some handsome guy
around.
Whenever he meets a woman he will greet her with a hug, in which I
find nothing bad, but after that he will study her from head to toe
while talking to her. Another issue is that when a woman calls him on
the phone he becomes so enthusiastic that you may think this is the
happiest day in his life. However when I call him he gets so awfully
indifferent. And this happens when I'm tellinghim his favorite team
haswon an important game.
After this description of the situation (not mentioning many other
similar cases and the bad thing is unpleasant memories get more and
more) I'm asking you to help me see if I'm too jealous.
I will appreciate this a lotbecause right now I'm onthe verge of a divorce.

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The story of Haaroot and Maaroot – I

One of the stories in the Quran, is the story of Haaroot and Maaroot.
Allaah Says what means: "And they [i.e., the Children of Israel]
followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of
Sulaymaan (Solomon ). It was not Sulaymaan who disbelieved, but the
devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed
to the two angels at Babylon, Haaroot and Maaroot. But they [i.e., the
two angels] do not teach anyone unless they say: 'We are a trial, so
do not disbelieve [by practicing magic].' And [yet] they learn from
them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife.
But they do not harm anyonethrough it except by permission of Allaah.
And they [i.e., people] learn what harms them and does not benefit
them. But they [i.e., the Children of Israel] certainly knew that
whoever purchased it [i.e., magic] would not have in the Hereafter
anyshare. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they
only knew." [Quran 2: 102]
The Children of Israel received a Great Book from Allaah, namely the
Quran, which confirmed what they had been told in the Tawraah (i.e.
Torah); they were claiming to adhere to their scripture, yet they
disbelieved in the Messenger (Muhammad) and a group of them also threw
the Scripture of Allaah (i.e., the Tawraah) behind their backs and
shunned it, despite them knowing that it was the truth, as Allaah
tells us, saying what means: "…A party of those who had been given the
Scripture threw the Scripture of Allaah [i.e., the Tawraah] behind
their backs as if they did not know [what it contained]." [Quran 2:
101]
It is the way of Allaah that He punishes those who shun that which
benefits them; He therefore busies them with things that are of
nobenefit to them, or makes them indulge in what harms them. Whoever
shuns the worship of the Most Merciful will be afflicted with the
worship of idols.
Whoever shuns Islamic monotheism will be afflicted with association
with Allaah. Whoever shuns the Sunnah will be afflicted with religious
innovation. Whoever shuns adhering to the Islamic texts will be
afflicted with blind imitation of others who have no evidence to
backup their actions.
Whoever shuns hoping in, loving and fearing only Allaah will be
afflicted with directing all these acts to other than Him. Whoever
refrains from spending his wealth for the sake ofAllaah will be
afflicted with spending it for the sake of Satan.
Whoever shuns humblinghimself to Allaah will be afflicted with being
humiliated by other people, and whoever shuns the truth will be
afflicted with adhering to falsehood.
This is exactly what happened to the Jews when they shunned the Book
of Allaah; they wereafflicted with following in the footsteps of
Satan. During the reign of Sulaymaan they refused to believe in the
Book of Allaah, and were thus afflicted by following what the devils
recited and invented.
The devils introduced magic to the people and claimed that Sulaymaan
used magic and that it was the means for him tohave such great power
and a vast empire.
Indeed they lied, becauseAllaah is the One who granted him enough
power and such a vast empire that he had no need to resort to magic,
or to seek the help of the devils. As a matter of fact,Allaah
facilitated the devils for the disposal of Sulaymaan ; Allaah Says
what means: "They made for him what he willed ofelevated chambers,
statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationarykettles…" [Quran 34: 13]
Allaah utilised them for Sulaymaan to use, and so they were under his
command, but after the death of Sulaymaan the devils came out to the
people claiming that the reason behind his controlover them was the
magic he used and practiced, but Allaah exposes their lie saying what
means: "And they [i.e., the Children of Israel] followed [instead]
what the devils had recited during the reign of Sulaymaan. It was not
Sulaymaan who disbelieved …" [Quran 2: 102]
Whoever practices or uses magic is a disbeliever, but Sulaymaan never
disbelieved and never practiced magic; indeed Allaah confirms the very
opposite, saying what means: "…It was not Sulaymaan who disbelieved,
but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic…"[Quran 2: 102] They
disbelieved by teaching people magic and how touse it, thereby
misguiding them.
The Jews practiced the magic that Allaah sent the two angels with,
namely Haaroot and Maaroot, as a means of testing people and seeing
who amongst His slaves would remain steadfast and who woulddeviate, or
who would remain upon faith and who would disbelieve.
These two angels, Haaroot and Maaroot, were sent to teach people magic
in the land of Babylon in Iraq as a test for these people. Onemay ask:
"How can Allaahsend these two angels to teach people magic if
practicing magic is disbelief?" The answer is that it is done in order
to subject people to a trial, as Allaah Says what means: "…But they
[i.e., the two angels] do not teach anyone unless they say: 'We are a
trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]…'" [Quran 2: 102]
These angels would initially warn people not to learn this magic, and
that to do so would entail disbelief, but if they insisted on learning
magic, then they would teach them it; this magic could thereafter be
used for prohibited reasons, such as to separate spouses. The Jews
practiced the magic that they accused Sulaymaan of using.
The Jews learnt magic and became specialists init, and to this day the
most skilled magicians are the Jews, especially the Moroccan Jews.
TheseJews shunned the news of the description and imminent arrival of
the Prophet Muhammad that was in their scripture; they also shunned
the new Book (i.e. the Quran); they eschewed allthis and instead
resorted to learning and practicing magic.
In this story, Allaah mentions some of the evilconsequences of magic,
such as what means: "…And [yet] they learn from them that by which
they cause separation between a man and his wife…" [Quran 2: 102]
This is while Allaah describes marriage as something that results in
harmony when He Says what means: "…He placedbetween you [i.e., man and
his wife] affection and mercy…." [Quran 30: 21]
Magic separates man from his wife, which is proof that it does have an
effect, but this effect only occurs by the will of Allaah. Some types
of magic make a person love another and act as ifhe is enslaved to him
or her; such a person would feel that he simply cannot live without
this person; another type of magic results in the opposite, whereby a
person may hate anotherto the extent that he cannot even look him in
the eye; a father can be bewitched in order to make him despise his
children or wife, as in thepreviously mentioned verse of Chapter
Al-Baqarah.
Allaah Says what means: "But they [i.e. the Children of Israel]
certainly knew that whoever purchased it [i.e. learnt and practiced
magic] would not have inthe Hereafter any share." [Quran 2: 102]
The scholars differed in their interpretation of this verse. Some of
them stated that Allaah did not send down these angels with magic to
teach people, but rather it was the devils who taught people magic. On
the other hand, many from the Salaf (predecessors) were of the view
that Allaah sent down to the earth these two angels from the heavens
as a punishment to them; others said that they were angels who
deviated and were an exceptional case from all the other angels, who
never disobey Allaah; yet others said that they were honourable angels
who were sent down to teach people magic as a way of testing them, but
who only taught those who insisted on learning it after having been
informed and reminded that magic is a form of disbelief, and after
having been sternly warned against learning and practicing it.
Undoubtedly, learning magic is prohibited, and practicing it is
disbelief, as indicated in the verse, in addition to many prophetic
narrations thataffirm this fact.

Summary 1) Callers to Jannah (Paradise), and callers to Hell. 2) Iblees(Satan) is the leader of those who call people to Hell. 3) Iblees beatifies unchaste behavior. 4) Mentioning some of Iblees’ ability to misguide people. 5) Iblees has no power against true believers. 6) How to protect ourselves from Iblees. 7) The gradual methodof Iblees to misguide and delude people.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessing
be upon His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him), his family and his companions.
Dear Muslims! Fear Allah in public and private, seek for the pleasure
of the Last Day and do not follow the path of the mischief-makers.
Know that every thing has its beginning and end. Be also aware that
you are now in the abode of trails and that your final destination is
either Paradise of Hell.
The Almighty Allah, has made Islam the only way that leads to Paradise
and He says, "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will
never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the
losers." (Aal-'Imraan: 85).
Allah ordains under the shade of Islam, good deeds than can save man
from destruction and protect him from evils. He, the Almighty, created
inhabitants for Paradise who will do righteous deeds, and those who
call unto it such as the Prophets (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
them) and their followers. They are those that Allah has favoured,
given the highest ranks and made them successful in the race towards
good deeds. Allah says, "And whosoever obey Allah and His Messenger,
then they will being in the company of those on whom Allah has
bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqoon (those followers of
the Prophets, who were first and foremost to believe in them, like
Aboo Bakr As-Siddeeq) the martyrs and the righteous. And how excellent
these companions are! Such is the Bounty from Allah and Allah is
Sufficient as All-Knower." (An-Nisaa: 69-70).
Their conduct is excellent, their private is clean and their deeds
arepure. Their reward then was happiness in this world and the next,
crowned with everlastingdwelling in Paradise.
Equally, Allah Created inhabitants for the Hell-Fire and destined that
they shall not do but deeds that will lead themthere. Allah explains
the way that leads to Hell andwarns against treading that path. He
says, "And whosoever disobeys Allahand His Messenger, then verily, for
him is the Hell-Fire, he shall dwell therein forever." (Al-Jinn: 23).
Further, this abode in which Allah created different kinds of
everlasting torment has those who call unto it. Allah says, "And we
made them leader inviting to the Fire; and to the Day of Resurrection,
they will not be helped. And We make a curse to follow them in this
world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be among those who are
prevented from receivingAllah's Mercy or any good; despised or
destroyed." (Al-Qasas: 41-42).
Brothers in Eemaan ! Callers to Hell encourage man to disobey Allah
and call him to commit destructive sins. The mostwicked and vicious
one in this respect evil is Satan, the accursed. Allahhas put people
to test by him that He might know the obedient and disobedient ones
among His slaves and give the reward or punishment accordingly. He
says, "Andindeed Satan did prove his thought about them; and they
followed him allexcept a group of true believers. And he (Satan) had
no authority over them, except that We might test him who believes in
the hereafter from him who is in doubtabout it and your Lord is
Watchful over everything." (Saba': 20-21).
This extremely malicious creature who calls to every abominable act
hasbeen given only a limitedpower which he can never exceed. Also,
Allah has given the true believer a weapon by which he can drive away
his evil. He gave Satan an ability to cause devilish insinuations in
human mind, so that man may think of committing sin, then have the
intention to commit it and finally commit of that sin. Allah also gave
him an ability to present a sin to man ina favourable light. Allah
says, "And Satan made fair-seeming to them, that which they used to
do." (Al-An'aam: 43).
However, Allah did not give Satan an ability to create the love of
something in man's mind, for that exclusively belongs to Allah. He
says: "And know that there is the Messenger of Allah among you. If he
were toobey you (i.e. follow youropinions and desires) in much of the
matter, you would surely be in trouble. But Allah has endeared the
faith to youand has beautified it in your hearts, and has made
disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger)
hateful to you. Such are they who are the rightly guided."
(Al-Hujuraat: 7).
Also, Allah gave this vicious Satan an ability toinstigate the
disbelievers to commit sins as He gavehim ability to drive man into
rage and cause him to have devilish thoughts. Allah says, "See you not
that We have sent the devils against the disbelievers to push them to
do evil." (Mariam:83).
All these devilish tricks of Satan that Allah informedus about are but
weak tricks that get weakened and eliminated by Eemaan and seeking the
protection of Allah. He says, "Ever feeble indeed is the plan of
Satan." (An-Nisaa': 76).
Allah also says of him, "Verily! He has no power over those who
believe and put their trust in their Lord (Allah). His power is only
over those who obey and follow him(Satan) and those who join partner
with Him (Allah)" (An-Nahl: 99-100).
He indeed has no power over the believers who put their trust in
Allah. This enemy, whom we believe in his existence, whose impacts we
feel and the result of whose evil deeds we know has laid in wait for
men in ways that lead to good deeds in order to preventthem from doing
it. Allah says, "(Satan) said: Because you have sent me astray,
surely. I will sitin wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight
Path. Then I will come to them from their front and rear, their
rightand left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones."
(Al-A'raaf:16-17).
Brothers in faith! We cannot prevent the evils of Satan, or render his
plans ineffective or escape from his traps except by seeking Allah's
protection. Allah says, "And whoever holds firm to Allah (i.e. follows
Allah's religion and obeysall that Allah has ordered practically),
then He is indeed guided to the right path." (Aal-'Imraan: 101).
Brothers in Islam! Allah has explained to us that this avowed enemy
leads man to sin and destructive acts and then abandon him. He has
made Shirk (associating partners to Allah in acts of worship) fair
seeming to the peoples of Noah , ' Aad , Thamood ; made sodomy fair
seeming to the people of Prophet Loot and made different kinds of sins
fair-seemingto many others, but when the repercussions of their evil
deeds came upon them, he disowned and abandoned them.
Allah says, "(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to
man: 'Disbelieve in Allah!'But when (man) disbelieves in Allah,
Satansays: 'I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of all the
worlds'. So the end ofboth will be that, they will be in the Fire
abidingtherein. Such is the recompense of the wrong-doers" (Al-Hashr:
16-17).
As for the Day of the Resurrection, Satan will stand on a mountain of
fire and deliver a speech to his followers as Allah informs: "Verily,
Allah promised you a truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. I
had no authority over you except that I called you and you responded
to me. So blame me not but blame yourselves. I cannot help you nor can
you help me. I deny your former act in associating me as a partner
with Allah( by obeying me in the life of the world).' Verily, there is
a painful torment to the wrong-doers." (Ibraheem: 22).
After this speech, nothingmore will be heard except sighing in a high
and low tone, regret, crying and wailing. Then Allah will say: "Remain
you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me." (Al-Mu'minoon:
108).
Dear brothers! Evil of Satan can also be avertedby seeking refuge with
Allah from him. Allah says, "And if an evil whisper from Satan tries
to turn you away (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily,
He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." (Fussilat: 36).
In the Ha deeth , it is reported that two men abused each other in
the presence of the Messenger of Allah and the face of one of them
turned red (out of severe rage). The Messenger of Allah said: 'I know
a wordthat if this man says it, hisanger will go away. It is, 'A'oodhu
Billaahi Minash-Shaytaanir-Rajeem." (I seek refuge with Allah from
Satan, the accursed".
One can also prevent the evil plan of Satan by observing the prayers
in congregation. Allah says, "Verily, As-Salaah (prayer) prevents from
Al-Fahsha (i.e. great sins and every kind, unlawful sexual
intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and every kind
of evil wicked deed)" (Al-Ankaboot: 45).
The Prophet also said: "whoever observes Fajr prayer in congregation
shall remain under Allah'sprotection until evening, so, do not let
Allah found you wanting in fulfilling His rights upon you".
Evils of Satan can also be prevented by reading Aayatul-Kursiy (Qur'an
2:255), Sooratul-Ikhlaas (Chapter 112) Al-Mu'awwidhatayn (Chapters 113
and 114) and Sooratul-Ghaafir (Chapter 40) at the end ofeach prayer.
One should also be reciting the Qur'aan frequently, for, the more he
recites; the more he protects himself from Satan.
Likewise is paying Zakaat , making voluntary charity and spending in
the good cause. The Prophet said: "Charity erases sins as water blows
out fire." When a Muslim is cleansed of all his sins, he is then
saves from a great evil.
One can also drive away evil plans of Satan by constantly remembering
Allah by saying "SubhaanAllah" (glory be to Allah), "Alhamdulillaah"
(praise be to Allah) "Allahu Akbar" ( Allah is the Greatest) "Laa
Ilaaha Illa Allah" (None has the rightto be worshipped except Allah)
etc. The Prophet e said: "Whoever says, "La Ilaaha Illa Allah
WahdahuLaa Shareeka Lahoo, Lahul-Mulk, Walahul-Hamdu Wa Huwa Alaa
Kulli Shay'in Qadeer," ( meaning: There is no deity worthy of worship
except Allah. He is One without any partner. To Him belongs
sovereignty and praise and He has power over all things) hundred times
a day, thatwill be enough for him asa protection from Satan for the
whole day. it is also as if he has freed a slave and one hundred
good deeds will be recorded for him."
Making Jihaad in the way of Allah, attending gatherings of
knowledgeand where good deeds are done, keeping away from gatherings
of play which Satan attends and in which he causes enmity, hatred and
misery also protect from the evil plans of Satan.
Further, foremost of the things that protect one from the devilish
plans ofSatan is Tawheed (belief in Islamic monotheism), putting one's
trust in Allah and being sincere in worshipping Him. Allahsays,
"Certainly, you (Satan) shall have no authority over My slaves except
those who follow you and those who go astray (the criminals,
polytheisms and evil-doers)." (Al-Hijr: 42).
Therefore, dear Muslims, beware of Satan's footsteps and evil plans.
Allah says, "O you who believe! Enter perfectly inIslam and follow not
the footsteps of Satan. Verily,he is to you a plain enemy. Then if you
slide back after the clear signs have come to you, then know that
Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." (Al-Baqarah: 208-209).
Brothers in faith! Fear Allah as He should be feared and know that
Satan calls man to all evil things and prevents him from doing any
good deed. The first thing that Satan calls to is disbelief in Allah.
If one responds to him, he has surrendered his affairs tohim; Satan
will then lead him to all evil and destructive things in this world
and the Hereafter. But if man does not respond to him when he invites
him to disbelief, he calls him to Bid'ah (innovations in matters of
religion), for a person who indulges in Bid'ah does not generally
repent from it, because he regards that as part ofhis religion, and
this gladdens Satan. If Satan is unable to make him indulge in Bid'ah,
he invites him to committingmajor sins, then to minor ones. If he does
not succeed in doing that, he distracts him from doing recommendable
deeds with indulgence in lawfulthings and engages him with matters
that are of no concern to him.
Satan by his nature, searches man's mind and looks for his preferences
in order to approach himthrough that and make him commit sins through
what he has inclinations to. Allah says, "O mankind! Verily! The
promise of Allah is true. So let not this present lifedeceive you and
let not the chief deceiver [Satan]deceive you about Allah. Surely,
Satan is an enemyto you, so treat him as an enemy. He only invites
hisfollowers that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire."
(Faatir: 6-7).
Furthermore, Satan is pleased by sins that man regards as
insignificant, therefore beware of him.The Prophet said: "Satan has
lost hope that peoplewould worship him in the Arabian Peninsula, but
he is pleased to sow discard among you."

Masturbation in Islam

Allah (Exalted is He) says: "And those who guard their private parts
from their wives and those (slave-girls) which their right-hands own -
so there is no blame upon them. Then whoever seeks beyond that (which
is lawful), they are the transgressors".
Masturbation is also considered as "seeking beyond" with reference to
the Quranic verse above.
Suhail son of Sai'd (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the
Holy Prophet (Allah's' Grace & Peace be upon him) said: Whoever
givesme the assurance (not tounlawfully use) what is between their
jaws and their legs (i.e. the tongue and the private parts), I give
them the assurance of the Heaven.(Bukhari)
Abu Hurrairah (may Allahbe pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet
of Allah (Allah's Grace & Peace be upon him) said: Whoever
Allahprotects, from the evil (sh'r) of what is betweentheir jaws and
between their legs, will enter Paradise. [Tirimzi]
Imam Shamsuddin Zahabbi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates a
Prophetic narration that, "Seven people are such that Allah has cursed
them and He will not even casta look of mercy upon them on the Day of
Judgment. Allah will tell them to enter Hell with the people who are
going to Hell, except those who repent.
1. One who performs theact of sodomy.
2. One upon whom the act of sodomy is performed.
3. One who does bad deeds with animals.
4. One who marries his mother or sister.
5. One who masturbates." (The words of the hadith says these seven
people but lists five - Kitab-ul-Kaba'ir p.48)
Allama Mahmood Alussi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates in
Ruh-ul-Ma'ni: "Atta (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I have
heard that on the Day of Judgment one group will be brought in such
away that their hands willbe pregnant. I think theyare the
masturbators." Allama Alussi further says: Saéed bin Jubayr (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace
be upon him) said: "Allah Exalted will inflict punishment on a group
of people because they misused their private parts." (Ruh-ul-Ma'ni p.
291)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet of
Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The person who performs
marriage [nikah] with his hands (i.e. masturbates) is cursed." (Fatawa
Razaviyya, Vol. 10, p.80)
Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the
Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace be upon him) said: "O group of
youth! Whoever from among you can marry should do so because it keeps
the gaze low and it protects the private parts. And he who cannot
marry should fastbecause fasting breaks lust." (Muslim – Book of
Marriage)
Mufti Waqar-ud-din Al-Qadri (Hanfi) writes in"Waqar-ul-Fatawa" (Vol.
1, P. 269): "If a person is overpowered by sexual desire such that
there is fear of him becoming involved in adultery or he is not
capable of marrying or his wife is so far that he can't go there. Then
it is hoped there is no punishment for the one doing this
[masturbation]. It is written in "Durr-e-Mukhtar" (Vol. 2, Pp 109) (by
Sheikh Alla'ud Din Muhammed son of Ali Haskiffi, died 1088H): 'If
there is fear of committing adultery then it is hoped that there is no
punishment on the one doing this (masturbation)'. Allama (Syed
Mohammed Amin Ash-Shaheerba Bin Abideen) Shammi, (may Allah's mercy be
upon him, died 1253H) has also argued on this quitea lot and decided
that if he does this with the intention of saving himself from
committingsin it will not be a sin and if he does it with the
intention of enjoyment he will be a sinner."
The Holy Prophet (Allah'sGrace & Peace be upon him) said, "No doubt
the virtues wipe away the sins". Therefore a masturbator must
repentsincerely with an intention that he will never commit it again
and do good deeds. According to a Propheticnarration, "The one
whorepents is like the who does not have any sin."

Jewels of Quran

Isa bin Muhammad (Alaihir Rahmah) says that I once saw Abu Bakrbin
Mujahid (Alaihir Rahmah) after his death in a dream reading the Holy
Quran. I asked, "Youhave died, how are you reciting," upon which
hesaid, "After every Salah and finishing of the Quran, I would pray "O
Allah, give me the Taufiqto recite the Quran in mygrave" and that is
why I am praying." (Faizan-e-Sunnat)
Ahadith
The Holy Prophet said:
1) The best of you is he who learnt the Holy Quran and taught it to
others. (Bukhari)
2) Undoubtedly, the heart gets rusted like metal gets rusted when
water goes over it. The People asked, "How can they [hearts] be
cleaned." The Prophet replied, "To remember death in abundance and to
recite the Holy Quran." (Mishkat)
3) That chest which doesnot have any Quran in it is like an abandoned
house. (Tirmizi, Darmi)
4) Whoever read the Quran and memorized it and belived its' Halal to
be Halal and its Haram tobe Haram [i.e., accepted it commandments of
Halal and Haraam], Allah will accept the intercession for such 10
people on from him whom Hell had already become Wajib. (Tirmizi,
Ibn-e-Majah)
5) Whoever is an expert in reciting the Holy Quran is with the Kiraman
Katebeen and whoever reads the Quran with pauses and itis difficult
for him, that is, his tounge does not move easily and he recites with
difficutly forhim there are two rewards. (Bahar-e-Shariat)
6) The one who has memorized Quran will be told to read and climb and
recite with Tarteel (clear and distinct recitation) like you used to
read with Tarteel in the Dunya; your place will be whereyou read your
last Ayat. (Bahar-e-Shariat)
7) Allah says, "Whoever was kept busy with the [recitation] of Quran
from my Zikr and asking me, I will give him betterthan those who I
give to those who ask" and the excellence of the Word of Allah over
all the other words is like the excellence of Allah over all his
creation.
8) Learn the Quran and read it because whoeverlearned the Quran and
read it and did Qayam with it is like a bag filledwith Musk whose
fragrance is spread everywhere and whoever learned the Quran and slept
that is he did not do Qiyamul Layl is like a bag which isfilled with
Musk and its mouth has been closed. (Tirmizi, Ibn-e-Majah, Nisaee)
9) Read the Quran when you heart feels affection and attachment and
when your heart becomes bored stand upthat is stop reciting the Quran.
(Saheeh Bukhari and Muslim)
10) Decorate the Quran with your (good) voices. (Mishkat)
11) O People of the Quran, do not make the Quran a pillow, that is
donot be lazy and be careless, and read the Quran in the day and night
like it is the Haq of Recitation, and spread it,that is, read with
good voices or do not take compensation for it, andwhatever is in it,
reflect upon itso that you may attain success, and do not hurry in its
reward because the reward for it is great (which will be given in the
Akhirah). (Bahiqi)
Rewards for certain Surahs and Ayahs
The Holy Prophet said:
1) Surah Fatiha is a cure from every illness. (Darmi, Bahiqi)
2) Do not make your home a graveyard, the Shaitan runs from the home
in which Surah Baqrah is recited. (Sahih Muslim)
3) Whoever memorized the first ten ayahs of Surah Kahf will be saved
the Dajjal. (Sahih Muslim)
4) Whoever recites SurahKahf on the day of Jummah, there will be a Nur
brightened for him between two Jummahs.
5) Everything has a heartand the heart of the Quran is Surah Yaseen,
whoever read Yaseen, Allah will write the reward of reading the Quran
ten times from him. (Tirmizi and Darmi)
6) Whoever reads Surah Yaseen for the pleasure of Allah, his past sins
willbe forgiven so read this near your deceased. (Bahiqi)
7) (Reading) Qul hu WAllahu Ahad (Surah Ikhlas) is equal to [reading]
one third of the Quran.
8) Whoever read Ayatul Kursi after every Fard Salah, he will be under
the protection and security of Allah. (Dailmi on the Authority of
Sayeduna Ali)
9) (On the Day of Judgement) a caller will say O Recitor of Surah
Inaam, come to Jannat for loving Surah Inaam and its recitation.
10) Surah Tabarak (Surah Mulk) saves one from Hell.
11) Whatever task is not begun with Bismillahir Rahamnir Raheem
remains incomplete and unfinished.
Ettiquteets and Rules of Tilawat:
1) To memorize one Ayah of the Quran is Fard-e-Aeen on every Mukallaf
Muslim; to memorize the entire Holy Quran is Fard-e-Kafyah; to
memorize Surah Fatiha and a small Surah or something similar like
three small Ayahs or one long Ayah is Wajib-e-Aeen. (Durre Mukhtar)
2) To read the Holy Quran while looking at itis better then reading
without looking at it because in this case one touches the Holy Quran,
sees the Holy Quran, and reads the Holy Quran and all this is Ibadat.
(Bahar-e-Shariat)
3) To read the Holy Quran in the restroom and such places of impurity
is not allowed (Na-Jaiz)
4) It is Haraam that everybody read the Holy Quran in a gathering
loudly at once, however,it is necessary to read loudly enough so that
one can hear what he/she is reading, that is, if there is no other
distraction like noise. (Bhare-e-Shariat) Also, many children read
together at once in a Madrsa loudly for learning purposes and this is
okay.
5) It is better to read the Quran loudly that is if somebody praying,
sleeping, or somebody illwill not be distracted. (Gunyah)
6) If somebody is reciting the Quran incorrectly then it is Wajib to
tell him/her unless if one fears jealousy and hate. (Gunyah)
7) To memorize the Holy Quran and then to forgetit is a sin.
8) It is from the ettiqutesof respecting the Holy Quran that one does
not put their back towards the Quran or spread their legs towards the
Quran or sit in a high place when the Quran is beneath. (Bahare
Shariat)
9) During recitation reflect on what you are reading. For example,
when reading about punishment, one should repent; when reading about
paradise, one should rejoice and pray for Jannah.
10) The way to do Sajdah of Tilwat is as follows: If one hears or
reads the Ayat of Sajdah then he should stand with the intention of
performing the Sajdah of Tilawat and saying Allahu Akbar should go
into Sajdah and should recite the Tasbeeh of Sajdah atleast three
times. Then, saying Allahu Akbar, one shouldstand up. To say Allahu
Akbar both times is Sunnah. Similarly, to stand before and after the
Sajdah is Mustahab. (Durre Mukhtar)
Lastly, learn how to readthe Quran in the company of a Qualified Sunni
Alim [and mature sisters must go to a Qualified Sister] who canteach
them how to read as this is necessary. At times, while reciting many
brothers and sisters unknowingly make mistakes in recitation which
change the meaning which breaks their Salah. Likewise, send your
children to Madrsas where they may learn how to recite the Quran with
correct pronunciation and Qirat.If there is not a Madrsa in your town,
then establish one. Knowledge of Islam leads one to Love Allah and
helps to build a good moral character within the Muslim community. By
learning the Quran, a Muslim saves his Salah, his Iman,and his
Akhirah. Learning the Quran is not limited to just learning how to
recite the Holy Book, rather, it is a life long process of learning
how to recite it and understand what the Quran says. The noble Ulama
have worked hard and written volumes of Tafseer which consists
ofAhadith, Stories, and important points. After learning the Quran, we
must practice it and spread the word into our family and community.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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What should a non-Arabdo for the adhkaar in salaah?

I have become Muslim, al-hamdu-Lillaah, but I do not know Arabic. What
should I do with regard to the adhkaar (phrases praising Allaah)in the
prayer and reading Qur'aan in Arabic?
Praise be to Allaah.
The majority of fuqaha' say that if the non-Arab can speak Arabic, he
should not recite Takbeer (saying "Allaahuakbar (Allaah is Most
Great)") in any other language. The evidence for this is that the
texts instruct this particular wording, which is Arabic, and that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do it any
other way.
But if a non-Arab cannot speak Arabic and is unable to pronounce it,
then according to the majority of fuqaha' it is OK for him to say the
Takbeer in his own language after it has been translated from Arabic,
according to the statements of the Shaafa'is and Hanbalis, no matter
what the language is. The Takbeeris remembrance or mentioning of
Allaah, and Allaah can be remembered or mentioned in every language,
so a language other than Arabic is an alternative, and the person has
to learn how to say it in the other language. There is some
controversy as to whether all of the adhkaar of the prayer, such as
tashahhud, qunoot, du'aa', and the tasbeehaat in rukoo' and sujood may
be said in languages other than Arabic.
With regard to reading Qur'aan, the majority saythat it is not
permissible to read it in any language other than Arabic. The evidence
for this is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'aan…" [Yoosuf 12:2]
Moreover, the Qur'aan is a miracle in its wording and its meaning; if
it is changed, this is no longer the case, and it is no longer Qur'aan
but an interpretation (tafseer). (al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, part 5:
A'jami).
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"Section: It is not right toread it in any language other than Arabic,
or to substitute other words in Arabic, whether the person can read it
well in Arabic or not, becauseAllaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): "…an Arabic Qur'aan …' [Yoosuf 12:2] and 'In the plain
Arabic language' [al-Shu'ara' 26:195]. The Qur'aan is a miracle in
both its wording and its meaning, but if it is changed this is no
longer the case, it is not Qur'aan or anything like it. It is only an
interpretation (tafseer), and if the interpretation were like the
Qur'aan itself, they would not be unable to meet the challenge of
producing asoorah like it.
If a person cannot read well in Arabic, he has to learn. If he does
not learn when he is able to,his prayers are not valid.If he is not
able, or he fears that he does not have time to learn before the time
for the next prayer is over, and he knows one aayah of al-Faatihah, he
should repeat it seven times… If he can recite more than that, he
should repeat it as much as he needs to make his recitation equivalent
to the length of Soorat al-Fatihah, or he could make it up by reciting
other aayaat. If he knows some aayaat he does not have to repeat, he
could recite another aayah instead, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded the one who could not
recite Qur'aan well to say 'Al-Hamdu Lillaah (Praise be to Allaah)'
and other phrases, which is part of an aayah, but he did not command
him to repeat it. If he cannot do anything, but he knows some of the
Qur'aan by heart, he should recite whatever he can, and nothing else
will do, because of the report narrated by Abu Dawoodfrom Rifaa'ah ibn
Raafi', who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "When you get up to pray, if you know some
Qur'aan,recite it, otherwise say al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to
Allaah), and La ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but Allaah), and
Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great)." This is more like Qur'aan, and
ismore appropriate (than any other words). He should also recite as
much as he needs to make it equivalent in length to Soorat
al-Faatihah. If he cannot recite anything of the Qur'aan, and cannot
learn before it is too lateto pray the current prayer, he should say
Subhaan Allaah wa'l-hamdu Lillaah wa Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu
akbar wa Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (Glory be to Allaah;
praise be to Allaah; there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great;
and there is no strength and no power except with Allaah). Abu Dawood
reported that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) and said: "I cannot learn anything ofthe Qur'aan. Teach
me something that will suffice me." He said, "SaySubhaan Allaah
wa'l-hamdu Lillaah wa Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar wa Laa
hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah."
And Allaah knows best.