Ethical Stories: Everythinghappens for a reason (African king Story or Ethics in Islam)

Once upon a time an African king who had a close friend that he grew
with. The friend had a habit to face each situation that happened in
its life (positive or negative) saying: "That is good! Almighty Allah
knows more".
The king and his friend one day left for a hunt. The friend loaded and
prepared the weapons for the king. Apparently, the friend had made
something missed in the preparation of one of theweapons, the king
shot and it took his thumb away. When examining the situation, the
friend observed as always: "Thatis good! Almighty Allah knows more".
The king answered, "No, this is notgood", he commanded the soldiers
who arrestedhis friend and put him in the prison. After one year, the
king was hunting in a region where, cannibals appeared, and captured
the king and took him to their village. They tied hishands, and piled
up the firewood. When the cannibals came closer to the fire they
noticed that the king did not have thethumb. As they were
superstitious, they never ate who had a part of his body missing.
Thus, after setting the king free, they banished him from the village.
When the king arrived at its palace, remembered the incident about his
thumb and felt remorse for the treatment given to his friend.
Immediately, he pays a visit to the prisoner to speak with his
friend."You were right", said the king. "It was good that I lost my
thumb". Theking started to tell his friend everything that happened to
him. "I am sorry that I have ordered you to prison for such a long
period. It was a great mistake". "No", the friend said, "That was
thegood decision, because Almighty Allah knows more". "What do you
mean by that? How it canbe good decision? I ordered my best friend
toprison?" The friend answered: "Remember that Almighty Allah knows
more and if I was not in the prison certainly I would be with you in
the hunt". Then you know what would have happened with me?
"He knows what is beforethem and what is behind them and to Allah are
all affairs turned back". Noble Qur'an, Surah Al Hajj (22:76)
Do not judge the facts or events for the immediate results! Almighty
Allah, the Highest, the Omniscient and the Wise, knows more.
When we faced by circumstances that are nogood, we react quickly,"This
is not good." but, perhaps we did not know the reason behind it. It
can become a good thing also. Hence, from next time onward, when we
face any type of situation. Let us not jumpinto any conclusion, always
remember. This life is a test. The good and the bad, nothing happen
without any reason. Our mind is not prepared to understand the reason.

An introduction to tenth infallible Hazrat Imam Ali Reza (AS)

Birth
On 11th of Zi-Qada, 148 Hijrah, a son was born in the house of Imam
Musa Ibn-e-Jaffar (A.S.) who took over the position of the Imam of
Islam, after his father. He was named Ali and titled Reza. The
honorable and gracious mother of the Imam (A.S.)was Najmiyya, who was
considered to be the most notable and distinguished lady in the realm
of wisdom and faith.
Right from the childhood period, he accompanied his father. Imam Musa
Kazim (A.S.) who repeatedly told his friends that, "He is the Imam
following him."
As such, Makhzoomi says one day Imam Musa Ibn-e-Jaffar (A.S.) summoned
and gatheredus and said, "I invited you to be witnesses that this
child (son) is my executor, and successor."
Since an extreme choking atmosphere and pressure prevailed in the
period of Imam (A.S.) he said in the end of his words, "What I said
must remain (restricted) up to you and do not reproduce it to anybody
unless that you know he is one of our friends and companions."
The Features of Imam's (A.S.) Morality
The infallible Imams werethe selected ones of the God and outstanding,
distinguished and superior to all the people. They used to become the
practical example for others during their lives. They taught the
lesson of life to the people. They did not segregate and separate
themselves fromthem and did not lead their lives on the style and
pattern of the tyrants and oppressors. They did not overlook or show
heedlessness and disrespect to anyone.
Sheikh Saduk narrates through the words of Ibrahim bin Abbas that,
"Inever saw Imam Reza (A.S.) committing excess over anyone in talking
and interrupting anybody's speech before its coming to the end. He did
not stretch his legs in the presence of others. When the meal table
was laid he invited the servants to it, and took his meals with them.
After taking rest in the nights he got up and made himself busy with
the prayers to God. Similar to his fore fathershe carried food to the
houses of the afflicted ones at the mid of nights."
"Mohammad bin Abi Ebad" says about Imam (A.S.) "He used mats of palm
date leaves, straws and marsh reed in the summer season, and woolen
carpets in the winter."
He led a simple life in his home, but when he wentout he used to
decorate himself and put on new and clean dress. He respected and
honored the guests to the extent that one night a lamp of the house
went out of order, the guest got to his feet to put it right. Imam
(A.S.) made him sit and himself set the lamp right, and said, "We do
not employ our guests (exploit) upon work."
Yasir, the servant of Imam (A.S.) says, Imam (A.S.) said to
us,"Whenever you are busy taking your meal, if I call you, do not get
up till you have finished up eating." Another friend of Imam (A.S.)
says, "One day a stranger came to Imam's (A.S.) house and said, I am
one of your friends and am also not apoor man but my money has
finished up and I do not have the expanses to return. You give me an
amount and when I return to my city I will give it out as alms on
youbehalf." Imam (A.S.) got up and went to another room, brought an
amount of two hundred dirhams and gave it to him from upside the
doorand said, "Take this and go and it is not necessaryto give it away
as alms onmy behalf."
They asked the Imam (A.S.), "Why did you do it this way that he may
not see you."
He said, "So that he does not catch my sight and get ashamed (embarrassed)."
"Suleman", one of the friends of Imam (A.S.) says, "I went along with
the Imam (A.S.) to the house. The labors were busy at work. There was
a stranger among them whom the Imam (A.S.) didnot recognize." He
said,"Who is this man?" They said we have brought him from outside, so
that he may help us. He said,"Have you concluded an agreement with him
and fixed his wages?" They said, "No, he is a good man, whatever we
pay him he accepts it and does not utter a word."
Imam (A.S.) was angry and annoyed and said, "I have always told you
thatwhen you employ someone for a job first ofall fix his wages.
Because,when his wages are fixedand you give more than that to him, he
will become happy. But if youdo not fix his wages and give him three
times the amount, he thinks you have not given him the correct wages."
Don't be Proud
Ahmed Bazanti was one of the wise men of his age. After he had written
letters to Imam Reza (A.S.)and received the answersfrom him, he became
a believer of his Imamate. One day he said to him (A.S.), "I wish to
be present with you alone for an hour and we talk to each other."
Imam (A.S.) accepted, andacceded to his request, sofar so, that he
sent to himhis personal horse so thathe arrives comfortably. That day
they had a mutual discussion till midnight. Bazanti solved his
problems and difficulties in the assembly of Imam (A.S.). In the
night, when it was time to go to bed Imam (A.S.) called his servant
and said, "bring my personal bed and prepare it for this guest, who
has a great dignity in my eyes, so that he may take rest."
The conversations of Imams ecstasies him and made the bird of his
heart fly. He said to himself, "Nobody is better than me, after the
Imam (A.S.), in this world.It is I, to whom Imam (A.S.) sent his horse
and gave his bed to me and sat along with me for hours together and
had discussion."
He was busy spinning his ideas when suddenly Imam (A.S.) returned to
the room and said, "Oh Bazanti what you came across with, never make
it a source of boasting upon others." Because, when Sassa who was
oneof the valuable friends of Imam Ali (A.S.) fell ill. He (A.S.)
visited him and treated him with great love and affection. And for the
reason that he does not become proud said to him, "Oh my kind friend
whatever you saw out of these things (love) you should not consider it
the fortress (stronghold) of boosting upon other and do not boast upon
others that I was such and such that the Imam loved me very much. I
have performed all these for the sake of my religious and human duty."
"Bazanti" says, "Imam (A.S.), by describing this story attracted my
attention towards my mistake and fault. I decided not to entertain
false ideas. Rather, I mustbe careful and vigilant about my intentions
and practices."
A man from Balkh says, "I was traveling with lmam Reza (A.S.) to
Khurrasan. When the meal cloth was spread he ordered all to come and
be present beside it. I said, "I may lay my life for you. Do allow
that the meal table of the slaves be segregated." He said,"Keep quiet!
Be aware none of us has superiority over the other. Our God is one;
ourmother and father are one. We attain superiority only under the
shade of Piety."
Jabbir Zahak says, "I was taking Imam (A.S.) along with me from Madina
to Maro upon the order of Mamoon. By God, all that time I was in the
service of Imam (A.S.) I had neverseen a man with that degree of
piety, chastity and innocence."
Imam Admonishes Brother
In the period when ImamReza (A.S.) was summoned to Khurrasan and he
forcibly accepted the special conditions of the succession of Mamoon,
Mamoon summoned his brother"Zaid" who had revolted and brought about a
riot in "Madina" to his court in Khurrasan. Mamoon kept him free as a
regardand honor to Imam (A.S.) and overlooked his punishment.
One day, when Imam (A.S.) was delivering a speech in a grand assembly.
He heard Zaid praising himself before the people, saying I am so and
so. Imam (A.S.) shouted at him saying,"Oh Zaid, have you trusted upon
the words of the grocers of Kufa and are conveying them to the people?
What kindof things are you talking about? The sons of Imam Ali (A.S.)
and Zahra (S.A.) are worthy and outstanding only when they obey the
command of God, and keep themselves away from sinand blunder. You
think you are like Musa Ibn-e-Jaffar (A.S.) and Imam Sajjad (A.S.) and
other Imams? Whereas, they took pains and bore hardships on the way to
God and prayed to God day and night. Do you think you will gain
without pain? Be-aware, that if a person out of us the Ahl al-Bayth
performsa good deed. He gets twice the reward. Because not only he
performed good deed like others also that he has maintained the honor
of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). If he practices some thing bad and doesa
sin. He has performed two sins. One is that he performed a bad act
like the rest of the people and the other one is that he has negated
the honor of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)."
Oh brother! The one who obeys God is from us the Ahl al-Bayth and the
one who is a sinner is not ours. God said about the son of Noah (A.S.)
who cut the spiritual bondagewith his father "He is not out of your
lineage, if he was out of your lineage, Iwould have (saved) and
granted him salvation."
A discussion with other religion scholars
One of the days Mamoon decided to invite the scholars from different
sects of the world and he brought Imam Reza (A.S.) to the assembly. He
thought he might be ableto get the Imam (A.S.) invalidated and
un-credential from the knowledge point of view, thus finish his
influence.
Therefore, he ordered hisminister Fazal bin Sahal to invite all the
scholars and wise men to hold a discussion with Imam (A.S.). And he
did it. Whenthe assembly had been arranged he informed Mamoon that all
are present. Mamoon summoned Imam Reza (A.S.) inviting him to attend
the assembly.
Hassan Naufali says, before leaving the house to attend that
aggregation facing myself Imam (A.S.) said, "Iknow the aim and
objective of Mamoon in this work." But I know the time when he will
repent upon his work that is; when you see thatI talk to the
Christians from their own Book andtalk to the Jews from Torah and with
fire worshipers in Persian language. When all of them are defeated
Mamoon will become aware that he is not fit for that past. He will
repent upon this work of his. What Imam (A.S.) hadsaid exactly and
accurately took place. When Imam (A.S.) arrivedthe assembly, all of
them got up from their seats tohonor him. He seated himself beside
Mamoon. Mamoon addressing"Jasaleeq," the great Christian scholar
said,"Ask him what you feel like." "Jasaleeq" said,"What is your
opinion about Christ Essa (A.S.)." Imam (A.S.) said, "We believe he
was the Prophet of God" Jasaleeq again asked, "What proofdo you have
about your own Prophet's Prophet-hood." Imam (A.S.) said,"Have you not
read it the Bible that Yohana narrates the saying of Christ (A.S.)
that, "A Prophet will come following me, who will be the accomplisher
of the constitution of the other Prophets."
He said, "Yes, but he did not name him as to who and where he will
be." Imam (A.S.) said, "Do you wish that I may read out to you from
the Bible?"
He said, "Read it." Imam (A.S.) recited the third chapter up to the
place where Christ (A.S.) said, "Iwill proceed towards Godand
"Barklita" i.e."Mohammad (P.B.U.H.)" will come towards you and he will
break and dismantle the infidelism.
Jasaleeq became silent and did not utter a word.
Then Imam (A.S.) facing"Raasul Jalout" the chief scholar of the Jewish
religion said, "What is the proof and argument that you have about the
Prophet-hood of Moses (A.S.)?"
He replied "Moses (A.S.) had miracles such as turning the club into a
serpent, splitting the river Nile and passing through it and a light
shone from his hand."
Hazrat Imam (A.S.) said,"Why did you not believein the Prophet-hood of
Essa the Christ (A.S.)?"
He said, "They say Christ (A.S.) made the dead menalive and cured the
skin diseases but we have not seen these to have faith and belief in
it?"
Imam (A.S.) said, "Then why do you believe in the Prophets before
him?Similarly in Moses himselfhave you seen the miracles of Moses?"
He replied, "The way it has been narrated to us he has said, such
things which other have not and brought such things which have no
previous record."
Imam (A.S.) said, "From which source did you come to know that he
brought these words."
He replied, "Through the history and those who heard those words from him."
Imam (A.S.) said, "Others too seek refuge in historyand so how do you
want to invite them to your creed?"
Raasul Jalout kept calm and quiet and did not utter a word.
Then Imam (A.S.) turned to Imran the chief of the Star worshipers and
said,you too ask me what you wish. Imran questioned him regarding a
few topics about God, the philosophy of creation and got his answers
and embraced Islam at the hand of Imam (A.S.). The assembly finalized
and came to an end to the benefit of Imam (A.S.) and Mamoon did not
expect and foresee such a thing to happen. He turned and twisted like
a snake bitten person and rebuked and scolded himself for organizing
such an aggregation.
Imam's (A.S.) Arrival at Qum
When Mamoon invited Imam (A.S.) to come to Khorrasan. He went from
Madina to Basra and Basra to Baghdad and from there he arrived Qum.
The people of Qum rushed to greet and welcome him; everyone keenly
desired to invite him at his home.
Hazrat Imam (A.S.) said,"Get aside, my camel is deputed and detailed
upon her work. On the door of which ever person she stops and lies
down, the same will be my destination."
The camel moved in the turning twisting and intricate streets of Qum
till she reached a door and lay down and Imam arrived into that house
which is today one of thereligious schools (Madrasas) named
as"Madrasa-e-Rizvia."
Imam (A.S.) kept on moving in the same manner towards Khorrasan.
Wherever he reached, people warmly and lovingly gathered around him
and manifested their strong feelings and sentiments of devotion for
him.
The Imam's (A.S.) Arrival at Nishapur
Nishapur in those days was one of the thickly and densely populated
cities of Iran. The welcome that the people of that city organized and
shaped for him did not have any match or parallel in the history. In
the later days this city was perished and destroyed by the Mongols.
The wise men and scholars of Nishapur rushed to the gate of the city
with pens in their hands, so that they mightwrite down the words,
which Imam (A.S.) said.
In those times Nishapur had hundreds of traditionalists (narrators of
traditions) and jurisprudents.
A few thousand of golden pen holders were readily present to jot down
the Imam's speech and because of the fact that the series and chain of
narrators of this Hadith reached the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), Jabriel
(A.S.) and finally the God it was named the "Series of Gold."
Mohammad Bin Aslam Tusi, who was one of the great narrators of
traditions, came forward and requested Imam (A.S.) to narrate a Hadith
for the people.
Imam (A.S.) pushed the curtain of the camel's pannier up and pepped
his head out from it. No sooner people caught hissight, they shouted
the slogans of Takbir and salutations and benediction for the Prophet
and his family.
Imam (A.S.) gave a gesture and all of them got calm and silent.
Then,he started reciting the Hadith whose translation is this: God has
said"Kalima of La-ilaha-ill-Ial-lah is my fort and fortification and
whosoever says it, will enter the realm of my fort and will be safe
and sound from my torment. (Here Imam again said, but this is with its
conditions, and I am one of those conditions.)"
Imam Arrives Sana Abad
Absalat narrates that when Imam (A.S.) arrived in the town of Sana
Abadit was Zuhr (afternoon) time and he wanted to offer prayers. He
asked for water to be brought. The (inhabitants) said wedo not have
water here. Imam (A.S.) dug some earth and the water started boiling
out. He himself and those who were accompanying him,made ablution and
offered their prayers. Then he leaned against the mountain from the
rocks of which stone potsare prepared. He prayed,"Oh God bestow upon
this mountain your benediction and favors." Then he ordered that all
the pots of his house be prepared from that stone. Thereafter, he
arrived the house of"Hameed bin Qahtaba" and entered the mausoleum
where the grave of Haroon was situated. He then draw a line at the
side of his grave and said, "Here is my grave and I will be buried
here. By Lord, whosoever visits (my grave) God will bless him and
(shower his benedictions upon him) and our recommendationand
intercession will be in his fate." Then Imam (A.S.) stood facing
Qibla, offered a few (Rakats) units of prayers and then went into a
very lengthy prostration.
Imam (A.S.) arrives Maro
When Imam (A.S.) arrivedMaro, Mamoon honored him and gathered all the
chiefs and notables in hisassembly and said to him (A.S.), "I wish to
deposes myself of the caliphate and surrender the ruler-ship to you."
Imam (A.S.) said, "If God has made you wear the dress of caliphate, it
is not just and fair that you dismiss yourself and hand it over to
another person. If the caliphate was not yours, then why did you under
take it?"
Mamoon said, "This decision has already be taken and you must accept
the caliphate." Because of the fact that Imam (A.S.) was aware of the
plan of Mamoon therefore, howsoever he insisted, Imam (A.S.) did not
accept it. Then he said, "You must accept my successor-ship (for the
throne). Imam (A.S.) said, "I have heard from my ancestors that I will
leave the world before you do. Do not insist so very much upon this
matter. I will be poisoned(to death) and buried beside the grave of
your father Haroon."
When Mamoon asked,"Who will poison you?" He said, "You know it
yourself as to who he is. Do not question me." Mamoon became disturbed
and uncomfortable and wept.Then he said, "You must accept my
successor-ship this is an order. If you reject it, I will order you to
be killed."
Imam (A.S.) was forced toaccept it but he made it conditioned with
himself not having any interference in the functioning of the
government all that time.
Haroon accepted it and arranged a big and grand celebration gathering,
and made the Imam (A.S.) present in it, and addressed the people
saying, "All of youmust take the oath of allegiance for Imam (A.S.)for
he is the caliph next to me. Honor and accept his word and obey his
orders."
Mamoon ordered that the people should take off (abandon) the black
dress, which was the standard color of Abbasades and put on the green
dress, a color of "Bani Hashim." He got his daughter Um-e-Habib
married to Imam (A.S.) and engaged his other daughter Um-ul-Fazal to
his son Imam MohammadTaqi (A.S.) and this itself was a diplomacy and
politics by which he desired that both of themmust remain under his
observation.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Story of stone soup

There are many variations on the story ofstone soup, but they all
involve a traveler cominginto a town beset by famine. The inhabitants
try to discourage the traveler from staying, fearing he wants them
togive him food. They tell him in no uncertain terms that there's no
food anywhere to be found. The traveler explains that he doesn't need
any food and that, in fact, he was planning to make a soup to share
with all of them.
The villagers watch suspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a
cauldron with water. With great ceremony, he pulls a stone from a bag,
dropping the stone into the pot of water. He sniffs the brew
extravagantly and exclaims how delicious stone soup is. As the
villagers begin to show interest, he mentions how good the soup would
be with just a littlecabbage in it. A villager brings out a cabbage to
share. This episode repeats itself until the soup has cabbage,
carrots, onions, and beets-indeed, a substantial soup that feeds
everyone in the village.
This story addresses the human tendency to hoard in times of
deprivation. When resources are scarce, we pull back and put all of
our energy into self-preservation. We isolate ourselves and shut out
others. As the story of stone soup reveals, in doing so, we often
deprive ourselves and everyone else of a feast.
This metaphor plays out beyond the realm of food. We hoard ideas,
love, and energy, thinking we will be richer if we keep to themto
ourselves, when in truth we make the world,and ourselves, poorer
whenever we greedily stockpile our reserves. The traveler was able to
see that the villagers were holding back, and he had the genius to
draw them out and inspire them to give, thuscreating a spread that
none of them could have created alone.
Are you like one of the villagers, holding back? Ifyou come forward
and share your gifts, you will inspire others to do the same. The
reward is a banquet that can nourishmany.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Call Them by Their Fathers' Names

What's in a name? More than you think. If you're thinking about
changing your name to something more "Islamic," read this article
first to avoid mistakes. Our ancestry are to us like roots are to a
tree, one cannot truly cut them off.
One of these faults, whichare widespread among Muslims, especially
those who are serious about their religion, is the changing of the
family name to a Muslim name. This is forbidden by Allah,hence He
says, "Call them after their fathers. That ismost just in the sight of
Allah. If you know not their fathers, then call them your brothers in
faith and your patrons. There is no blame on you if you make a mistake
but you are accountable for what is done intentionally. Allah is Most
Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Qur'an 33:5]
In his famous tafseer, Imam ibn Katheer said that this verse abrogated
a ruling of something that was allowed at the beginning of Islam.
Abdullah ibn Umar said,"We used to call Zayd ibn Harithah, the patron
of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, Zayd ibn Mohammed until
the Qur'an stated, "Call them after their fathers. That ismost just in
the sight of Allah." (Bukhari) Ibn Katheer said, "Allah ordered us to
call them by their real fathers' names. That is only just and fair."
This common mistake among new Muslims in the West, namely changing
their family name, typically can lead them to fall into the following
prohibitions:
First, Neglect of Allah's Orders:
It makes them subject to the grave warning and the definite threat
that came in several ahadeeth. One of these ahadeeth, narrated by Imam
Ahmad and Ibn Majah from Ibn Abbaas say, that the Messenger of Allah,
sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said that, "Whomever is not namedafter
his father, or who takes as a benefactor andprotector other than his
supporter, is cursed by Allah, His Angels and all the people." This is
a severe and definite warning to those who are not named after
theirreal fathers.
Just because the father's name is a Christian name or a non-Muslim
name is not reason enough, in Islam, to change it. And so if one's
father name is George, he should not change it to Muhammad or Ali for
example. One must be named after his real father's name, even if he is
a non-believer (kafir), or the worst enemy to Allah and His Messenger,
sallallahu alayhe wa sal-lam.
To help illustrate this point, examine the following:
• Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl: This companion of the Prophet, sallallahu
alayhewa sallam became a Muslim in the year of al-Fatih or the
concurringof Makkah, and was one of the best Muslims, one who fought
for the sake of Allah until he was killed. He was the son of one of
the worst of Allah's enemies, Abu Jahl, the man who fought the
Prophet, sallallahu alayhewa sallam, with his hands, tongue and money.
Nevertheless, Ikremah never changed his father's name after becoming a
Muslim. He kept his real father's name although it was notan honorable
one.
• Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan: The Mother of the believers, the wife of the
Prophet, sallallahu alayhewa sallam, married the Prophet before her
father himself became a Muslim. Yet, she did not change her name and
theProphet, sallallahu alayhewa sallam, did not order her to change
it, although he was one of the Prophet's strongest enemies at the
time.
• Safiyyah bint Huyay: Herfather Huyay ibn Akhtab was a Jew. When she
became a Muslim, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam
married her, and she did not change her father's or her grandfather's
name even though everyone knew that they were non-believers, and that
they were the enemies ofAllah and his Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa
sallam. More than that, Safiyyah used to visit her family, and when
Umar ibnul Khattab heard that she liked the Jews, he asked her about
it. She replied that they were her family, and that as a Muslim she
was supposedto keep her kin ties strong and, that that was the reason
for her visits with them. Look at this example! Safiyyah did not
forsake her family ties and never abandoned her family's name. She did
this because she knew that her name would not hurther or weaken her
faith and belief in Allah.
There are many more examples, but in these three I hope that all of us
find good enough reasons to rethink the issue, and to avoid doing the
opposite of what these three good companions of the Prophet,
sallallahu alayhewa sallam, did.
The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "He who knowingly
claims to be the son of other than his father, then he is forbidden
from entering Paradise." How can those who are running away from the
Hellfire, by seeking Islam and becoming Muslims, be so negligent, that
theymight end up in it anyway, by carelessly misnaming themselves
toothers than their real fathers? Why would anyone claim to be the son
of someone he knows for sure is not his father? One may meet a Muslim
who claims that his name is Muhammad Abdurrahman Ali. One would think
that this means he is Muhammad the son of Abdurrahman, and the
grandson of Ali. But after checking, one would be surprised to
discover that Abdurrahman and Ali are not real people at all, andthat
Muhammad, who happens to be the son of John, the grandson of Roberts,
for example, made them up. This is nota good thing to do, for it leads
one to fall into the next sin, falsification.
Second, Cheating People and Misleading Them:
In the previous example, when one hears the name Muhammad Abdurrahman
Ali, one automatically thinks that the name belongs to a Muslim from a
Muslim country. You do not expect it to belong to be an American or a
European from a Westernnon-Muslim father. This isan obvious case of
cheating and falsification, especially if the information is presented
on paper, like on a resume or other documents, meant for official
procedures or employment. This falsification is the same as lying, if
not worse.
Third, Injustice and Aggression:
For someone to be called after other than his real father's name is to
do great injustice to the father. This is why Allah says, "Call them
after theirfathers. That is most just in the sight of Allah." It is
only just and fair that Allah has made that obligatory on us. How can
anyone of us, willingly, choose to do otherwise?
Such acts are not allowedin Islam, whether the father is a Muslim or
not. It is imperative that Muslims who believe in Allah and the Last
Day, and who have read thesescripts and warnings but have fallen into
this sin, to repent to Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, and correct their
mistake by renaming themselves after their real fathers, John, George
or any other.
What Should One Do?
Stating the above, the following question needsto be answered: What
can a person who does not know his real father do? This is especially
important because promiscuity in the West has made this task
difficult. Allah has revealed the answer to this question, "If you
know not their fathers, then call them your brothers in faith and your
patrons." [5:33] Of the one who does not know his father, we ask, who
was the man who raised and took care of you? If the answer is, my
stepfather, or this man whose name is, for example, Ibrahim, then we
call the person, our brother in Islam, Ibrahim's patron.
If he has no patron, then he can relate his name to his country or
city and add his kunia , or nickname, to it. A lot of prominent Muslim
scholars have done this in the past. The name canbe for example, Abu
Muhammad (nickname), Ali (his name) al-Canadi (the Canadian), or
al-Ameriky (the American), or al-Britany (the British), so on and
soforth.
One excuse for the father's name change that some people use, is the
allegation that their fathers' and grandfathers' names are not their
real names. They are names, they say,that were given to them by the
slave masters. Therefore, they are changing these names so that they
change the names, which are relatedto a bad interval in their history.
The answer is that this action is a misconception and a direct
contradiction to the above verse. Allah hasobliged us to be named
after our real fathers. If one's father's real name was changed by
force during the period of slavery, and you managed to know the
original name, then use it. But if you do not knowthe real name and
you change the current name, then you have committed the same sin as
the oppressor, for you have changed a man's name. Such a situation,
however, applies only to a number of people in the West.
Another excuse some people use for example, is that one would say, "I
am calling myself Muhammad Abdullah (i.e.the slave of Allah) and that
should be alright, forwe are all slaves of Allah, believers and
non-believers." And even though this statement is true in general,
people use names to indicate and ascertain a specific blood
relationship, and not to make a general statement about the fact that
one is the son of a man who was created by Allah. Again, we must be
careful so that we do not fall in the name change trap.
Wives Taking Their Husbands' Last Names:
It is important to note that one of the forms of being named after
other than your father, is what some newly converted Muslim women do.
They change their family names to their husbands' family names, as is
the norm in the West. I have seen many Muslim men and women who have
fallen into this prohibition. This type of name change actually hastwo
problems. The first is the fact that the woman would fall into the sin
of changing the name of her real father who spenthis life and money
caringfor her. What a recompense! The second is making resemblance
tothe non-believers in a tradition that is permanently a part of their
lifestyle.
An Important Question:
Many newly reverted Muslims ask, should they change their names?
The answer is that they should not change their names except in the
following situations:
• If the name is forbidden in Islam. For example, if the name implies
worshipping other than Allah like Abdush-Shams (slave of the sun),
Abdun-Nabi (slave of the Prophet), Abdul-Maseeh (slave of the Christ),
etc. Also, if thename symbolizes idols like Naelah, Hubal or Buddha,
then it must be changed immediately.
• If the name is typical of the non-believers like Botros, John,
Diana, Suzanne or Victoria, then a Muslim should stay away from these
names.
• If the name praises oneself, as in the case of Barrah (pious), the
Prophet, sallallahu alayhewa sallam, changed it to Zainab and said,
"Do not praise yourself. Allah knows the pious ones more than you do."
(Muslim)
• If the name has a bad meaning like the names of animals such as Faar
(mouse), Kalb (dog), Hanash (snake). Or pronounced badly in another
language such asTom (many pronounce it Toom, which sounds like garlic
in Arabic).
If the non-Muslim name islike one of the above then it must be changed
to a good Muslim name, one that is desirable in Islam. For example
Abdurrahman, Abdullah, any of the Prophets' names, the companions
names, the wives of the Prophet, allallahu alayhe wa sallam, or his
daughters.
It should be taken into consideration that only the first name is
changedand not the father's name no matter how badit is. In the Day of
Judgment, people will be called by their fathers' names. Bukhari wrote
a chapter in his book about people being called by their fathers'
names. In it he mentions a hadeeth narrated by Ibn Umar who said that
the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "On the Day of
Judgment,a sign will be raised for the deceitful saying, 'Thisis the
deceit of Fulan Ibn Fulan (this man the son of such a man).'" It is
necessary to mention that we should use the relational noun between
names in the Arabic language. For example Muhammad George Al-Ferency
(the French) should be called Muhammad the son of George the French.
Finally, after reading this clear account, accompanied by evidences
and examples, it now becomes necessary for every Muslim who believes
in Allah and the Last Day, to correct such mistakes andgo back to his
real name. A worshipper is judged by his deeds, and his emaan (faith).
Allah knows best who is pious and who is not, and changing names in
the way we were discussing does not increase it. As was demonstrated,
such an act can in fact hurt one's relationship with Allah. And Allah
knows best.

The Islamic Naming System

Islam places great emphasis on the clear identification of family
relationships. The Prophet (SAW) himself said,
"Learn enough about your lineage to know your blood relatives and
treat them accordingly." (At-Tirmidhee)
That is, family lines should be known well enough to prevent marriages
within the forbidden degrees and todetermine blood and family
obligations.
Although it is the duty of the Islamic state to take care of its
citizens, the primary responsibility lies first and foremost on family
members. Therefore, according to Islamic law, blood relationships
should be clearly defined and any tampering with them is strictly
forbidden.
Names Imply a Genealogical Relationship
This is clearly stressed in the Islamic naming system in which each
name and its sequences implies a specific genealogical relationship.
For example, the name Khaalid ibn Abdullah ibn Zakee al-Harbee, which
in present times is written Khaalid Abdullah Zakee al-Harbee means
Khaalid the son of Abdullah, the son of Zakee, from the tribe of Harb.
This system of naming people after their fathersand forefathers has
appeared in most cultures. Even in English, George the son of John
intime became George, John's son and eventuallybecame George Johnson.
In pre-Islamic times, the Arabs used to change the lineage of their
adopted sons to their own lineageand this practice also occurred
during the earlystages of Muhammed's prophethood (SAW). However, Allah
(SWT) forbade it during the Madeenan stage of prophethood in which the
majority of the religious, social and economic laws of islam were
revealed.
Call Them By Their Fathers
Ibn Umar (RA) reported that after the Prophet (SAW) freed Zayd ibn
Harithah and adopted him, people used to referto him as Zayd ibn
Muhammed until the verse the following verse was revealed,
"Call them by (the names of) their father's, that is more just in the
sight of Allah..." (Al-Ahzab 33:5)
Once this principle became part of the divine law, the Prophet (SAW)
was instructed to further emphasize it by a series of warnings. For
example, on one occasion he said,
"He who knowingly attributed his fatherhoodto someone other than his
real father will be excluded from paradise." (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu
Dawood)
Abu Dharr (RA) also related that he heard the Prophet (SAW) say,
"He who deliberately lets himself be called the son of someone other
than his father is guilty of disbelief (kufr)." (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu
Dawood)
Islamic Law is Comprehensive
Thus, the Arabic system ofnaming people accordingto their father's
names which was endorsed by the Prophet (SAW) and approved of by Allah
(SWT) is considered the Islamic naming system.
Islamic law is comprehensive. It regulates all aspects of human life
in order to establish a social system in which human welfare is looked
after and the worship of God is enshrined. Consequently, although some
facets of the Islamic naming system may be more important than other,
none are so irrelevant or unimportant that whether it is done or not
makes no difference.
The fact that European colonialism has managedto corrupt the
application of the Islamic naming system especially among non-Arab
Muslimsdoes not in any way alterits validity. By colonial times the
Western naming system had degenerated into a meaningless jumble of
names followed by a family name.
Muslim Woman Keeps HerFather's Name
Influenced by the Greco-Roman culture in which women were considered
to e the property of men, western society erased a woman's family name
upon marriage and replaced it by that of her husband. In the Islamic
naming system she retains her father's name as it indicates her true
lineage.
However, both of these degenerative Western trends have been widely
adopted in Muslim lands along with other un-Islamic cultural trappings
of European colonialism. New Muslims, unaware of the Islamic naming
system, often adopt Arabic namesin the chaotic European style.
Legacy of Slavery
In fact, those of African descent often erase even their family names
on thebasis that these names are remnants from the days of slavery.
That is, those of their ancestors who were slaves usually adopted the
family name of their slave masters andit was the slave masters' name
which was handed down from generations to generation. Hence, an
individual who may havebeen called Clive Baron Williams while his
father's name was George Herbert Williams may, upon entering Islamic,
rename himself Faisal Umar Nkruma Mahdi. However, his name according
to the Islamic naming system should have been Faisal George Williams,
that is, Faisal the son of George Williams. Whether"Williams" was the
name of his ancestors plantation owner or not is not of any
consequence. Since his father's name was George Williams, he is,
according to the Islamic naming system, the son of George Williams.
That much of his father's name is necessary to determine who his
relatives are in order to avoid incestuous marriages, discharge
inheritance rights and fulfill general responsibilities to blood
relations.
New Muslims Should Keep Family Name
This becomes especially important in the West where premarital and
extra-marital relations are common leading to generations of
illegitimate inter-related children. Consequently, when some of these
half-brothers and sisters enter Islam under different assumed family
names, there exists a veryreal possibility that some of them may
unintentionally contract incestuous marriage. The practice among new
Muslims of deleting their family names has frequently created deep
resentment among their non-Muslim families which could have been
easily avoided if the Islamic naming system had been adopted.
Actually, the new Muslim is under no obligation to change even his or
her"Christian name" unless itcontains an un-Islamic meaning. Thus, the
given name "Clive", which means cliff-dweller need not have been
changed whereas "Dennis", a variation of Dionysus (which was the Greek
god of wine and fertility who was worshipped with orgiastic rites),
would have to be changed. Similarly femalenames like "Lois" which
means desirable or "Ann" (or its diminutive forms Annie and Nancy)
which means grace , need not be changed while names like "Ingrid"
which means daughter of Ing (a god in Germanic mythology) or "Laverne"
taken from the name of the Roman goddess of spring and grain would
also have to be changed.
However,. it is perfectly acceptable for a Muslim, whether a recent
convertor not, to change his or her first name if he/she chooses. It
was the Prophet's (SAW) practice to change peoples first names if they
were too arrogant, negative or un-Islamic. One of the Prophet's (SAW)
wives was originally named"Barrah" (pious) and he changed it to
"Zaynab" (collected by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood) as Allah (SWT) had
said in the Quran,
"Do not claim piety for yourselves for He knows best who is
God-fearing." (An-Najm 53:32)
Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that another of the Prophet's (SAW) wives was
also named Barrah and he changed it to Juwayriyah (collected by
Muslim).
Ibn Umar (RA) reported that his father, Umar, hada daughter
named"Aasiyah" (disobedient) whom the Prophet (SAW) renamed "Jameelah"
(beautiful ). (collected by Muslim).
Jabir ibn Abdullah (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) decided
toforbid names like Ya'laa (elevated), Barakah (blessing), Aflah
(successful), Yasaar (wealth) and Naafi (beneficial). (collected by
Muslim).
The Prophet (SAW) Never Changed the Names of the Fathers
However, Allah's Messenger (SAW) never changed the names of people's
fathers, no matter how un-Islamic they may have been. For example,
when the Sahabi Abdu Shams ibn Sakhr accepted Islam, theProphet (SAW)
cancelled his given nam, Abdu-Shams (slave of a sun), and renamed him
Abdur-Rahman ibn Sakhr (collect by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee). His
father's name, Sakhr (rock), was left untouched.
Likewise, the Sahabi, AbuSalamah's name was changed to Abdullah ibn
Abdul-Asad leaving his father's name Abdul-Asad(slave of the lion)
unchanged. (collected by Ibn al-Jawzee).
Thus, it can be concluded that erasing one's family name is against
both the letter and the spirit of Islamic law. The father's first and
last name shouldbe retained and if the father is unknown, the mother's
first and last name should follow the Muslim's given or chosen name.
Kunyah Can Be Added
However, it should be noted, that there are other titles and
descriptive names which may be added to either or both the beginning
and the end of a person'sactual name. According to the Islamic naming
system, prefixed names known as Kunyah consist of Abu (the
father/owner of) in the case of males and Umm (the mother of) in the
case of women, followed by the name of the person's oldest child or
male child, a child wished for or a trait the person is noted for.
Some people became so well known by their Kunya that their actual
names are almost forgotten.
For example, among the Sahabah:
*. Abu Bakr (Abdullah ibn Uthman)
*. Abu Hurayrah (Abdur Rahman ibn Sakhr)
*. Abu Laylaa (Bilal al-Ansari)
And among the fuqahaa (legislators): Abu Haneefah (Nu'maan ibn Tahabit).
The suffixed tittles are of two types:
1. The Laqab , a descriptive trait, for example, Abu Bakr was titled
by the Prophet (SAW) "as-Siddeeq" (thetruthful) and Umar,"al-Farooq"
(the discerner).
2. The second type is known as Nisbah which refers to the place or
tribe with which one is associated. For example, the Sahabi, Abu
Dharr"al-Ghifaaree" (from the tribe of Ghifaar) and Hadith scholars
such as al-Bukhari (Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel), from the cityBukhara and
at-Tirmidhee (Muhammad ibn Eesaa) from the city of Tirmidh. The
Nisabah suffix may also refer to a profession.
Naming Girls
Care should also be takenin naming girls, as the practice of giving
girls two or three female names before the family name is a fairly
recent Western practice which isinconsistent with the Islamic naming
system. For example, a girl named Asmaa Jameelah Zaynab Abdullah whose
father's name was Zayd Abdullah should really be called Asmaa Zayd
Abdullah, that is, Asmaa the daughter of Zayd Abdullah.
This principle is due to the fact that a man's or woman's given name,
according to the Islamic naming system, should only be followed by the
name of his or her mother if the father was unknown, or the child was
illegitimate and the parents were not married. Thus, the name Asmaa
Jameelah Zaynab Abdullah in the Islamic naming system means Asmaa was
the illegitimate daughter of Jameelah and her motherJameelah was also
the illegitimate daughter of Zaynab, the daughter of Abdullah.
***

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Story - , Moons Peak [FINISHED]- Tangled Barbed Web (chapter 15)

I SPENT THE NIGHT in Derryn's room, though I hardly slept at all.
If it wasn't the cryptic howls from the lone wolf,then it was my
supposed fever I'd had during the night.
Though it wasn't all that bad, seeming how my cramps in my legs and
feet had subsided thanks to the salve that Satchel's mom had put on
them. Infact, there was no trace of any scars or any evidence that I
had calluses at all.
Despite my supposed fever, it felt like my energy had been charged
over night. I couldn't say the same about my feelings for Satchel
though.
All I know was, that therewas something strong that was there for him,
and that I was afraid to succumb to them.
I found a pile of clean clothes folded next to me: A pair of faded
jeans,a sweater and some undergarments with tagson them, and some
shoes. I tiptoed to the bathroom, and took a shower under the
seductive heat.
I shrugged the jeans on, that fit perfectly, but I was reluctant to
wear thesweater.
It was the color of peach, and screamed unflattering, but the cold
that was obvious in the air won me over, and I shrugged it on too.
I sought out Satchel, knowing very well he was not in the house,
justby scent alone. His home was in the way his father had left it.
Native American artifacts adorned the walls, and throughout the house
had that same wildernessfeel I saw in Derryns room. Like the forest
had come alive in the comfortof his home.
As I stepped out in the cold backyard, I grunted. The nip in the air
was obnoxious and I was slightly thankful for the unflattering garment
I had on my back.
I found Satchel a few yards away working on abroken fence. His skin
bare as if the cold air didn't bother him, save for the chocolate
suspenders and same colored slacks.
His back was to me, and he was struggling with the fence, grunting in
protest. I frowned. And then I looked down to see a helpless animal
tangled in wire. Barbed wire, and the grunts was not of Satchel, but
coming from the helpless animal.
A gray wolf, howling in protest. I realized and I rushed to its aid,
helping Satchel hopelessly since itwas barbed wire.
I couldn't seem to get a grip on the fence without cutting myself.
"God damn it!" Satchel cursed.
He had gloves on I realized, that's why it was easy for him to
graspthe barbs, but the tangled web of wire would not give way.
And the more the wolf struggled, the deeper thebarb buried in it, and
themore blood poured out of its wounds.
I was teary eyed I realized, astonished that a wild animal would
affect me like this.
Of course it would, because it's helpless My reason of thoughts scolded.
I knelt next to it, comforting it as best as I could in order to give
it abetter send off, while Satchel struggled to untangle the web.
I found myself imagining this animal could well be Satchel. Helpless
in his wolf form, tangled in a trap with no one to comfort him.
My tears mourned the wolf in front of me, as the animal let out one
last cry of help, and something in the back of my mind just knew it
wasdead.
I was vaguely aware of Satchel kneeling beside me, wiping his thumb
under my eyes. He'd taken his gloves off.
"Hey, it's not your fault. We tried our best. Nothing can change
death. It happens." I blinked up into his eyes. The rawness of his
honesty made it seem so real.
"That was a wolf? Did you know it?" I don't know if I was relieved
when he shook his head, or guilt stricken for the wolfs loneliness.
I ran my eyes over the dead wolf, lying limp on its side with its
tongue slightly out. I couldn't take my gaze away from it, and better
yet. I couldn't stand to see Satchel hurt and helpless like this wolf.
I'd be beside myself if something happened to him, and the minute that
realization registered, I felt I wept freely.
"That wolf had a family, someone to go home to? What if…what if you
ended up like that. Oh god!" I rambled, and the wolfs figure only got
more blurry from my tears. Satchel tipped my chin up with his hands
and gently forced me to look at him.
"Hey, its okay." He murmured, wrapping his arms around me to comfort
me. I reveled in his warmth, and his hot breath in my ear, promising
me the wolf was in a better place. Halfrealizing I was shaking from
shock or something.
We must have stayed like that for hours, though I was sure it was only
minutes, and I calmed from his reassurance and simply from his
presence.
I sighed, having no more tears left to cry, and I found myself
blushing. This was the third time I'd broken down in front of him, and
I was startingto look like the typical damsel in distress that I hated
so much.
I pulled back from his embrace, and blushed at his scrutinizing gaze.
"God! I keep doing this infront of you, you must begetting bored of me
already." I wiped my face, hoping I'll wipe my embarrassment too.
He had a thoughtful gazewhile he studied me, then shook his head.
"Not at all…you've been through a lot. I don't blame you. Plus I find
youquite interesting." I smiled up at him.
"Interesting? How so?" He tilted his head, and regarded me curiously.
"Well, your eyes remind me of the honey I collect every morning from
down there," He pointed out a far tree, where a visible beehive hung
loosely. He smiled uncaringly, gently swiping a strand of hair from my
face.
"And your hair is so delicately smooth, it's impossible to stop
wanting to touch it." He ran his hand down the length of my neck, to
my collarbone making an invisible tingling trail.
My heart beat in anticipation from his touch, and woke up a desire I
never knew I had, just from a gentle touch. I'd never felt it before,
not even when my ex-boyfriend Peter used to kiss me.
The sensual way Satchel'seyes roamed my face wasseduction alone. I
could melt under his piercing green gaze.
"And those lips, the way they quirk up to smile interests me to no
end, I watch you and I want you to be mine." He let his thumb roam the
bottom of my lip, as if it was a kiss in its touch.
"So you don't bore me Willy, I'm entertained by your beauty." He
drawledin a husky voice so sensual. It was followed by a kiss.
His kiss was gentle, sweetand light. It ended too soon for my liking.
"But right now we have work to do." He broke the contact and stood up
abruptly, taking with himany visible heat that conjured up between us.
He touched the gray wolf.
"We should bury it, she deserves a proper burial." I frowned, as he
gazed at the lifeless wolf that was buried in barbs.
"She?" He nodded.
"Yeah. She must have wondered from her pack.The scent on her says she
has been claimed as someone's mate and pack." My eyebrows raised.
"You could tell all this justby looking at it – her? By scent alone.
Are you sure?" He shrugged.
"There's no mistaking another males scent on her, so yes, I'm sure.
She'sbeen claimed as someone's mate and she's definitely from a pack."
I gulped, taking in the grotesque image thatwas once an alive animal.
"Wouldn't it be wise to wait until her pack comesto claim her?" He nodded.
"It would be, if she hadn't wandered onto our land. Better to bury her
now, because I don't fancy hearing the wrath of her pack for the fact
ofdying on our property, orhaving an animal rot in the likes of my
little sisterfinding it on her travels."
"Okay, we'll bury it in the cemetery?" He smiled.
"Just one thing…whatever you do, don't look." It was a warning; as he
struggled further to unhook the animal from the barbs.
I obeyed and never once stole a look back at the helpless animal,
until he said it was safe to.
He managed to drape a sheet over the bloodied animal by the time I
looked back, pinching each corner of the sheet so that it was wrapped
up in some kind of cacoon and hauled it over his shouler like he was
some kind of Santa carrying a sack of presents.
Except, the blood oozing throught the sheet stopped any image of
looking like a gift. Because I was sure noonein their right mind
wouldwant a dead animal under their Christmas tree. I shuddered.
Satchellooked at me.
"I'm sorry you had to see this." He said apologetically. I shook my head.
"Don't be, I'm just glad it wasn't you." He smiled then, light
reflecting from his piercing gaze and he kissed me on my forehead.
"I am too." He said, and we made our way to the cemetery on foot,
where we would bury it.

242 hadith found in ' The Book of Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah) ' of Sahih Muslim.

3231
'Alqama reported: While Iwas walking with 'Abdullah at Mina, 'Uthman
happened to meet him. He stopped there and began to talk with him.
Uthman said tohim: Abu 'Abd al-Rahman,should we not marry you to a
young girl who may recall to you some of the past of your bygone days;
thereupon he said: If you say so, Allah's Messenger (may peace beupon
him) said: 0 young men, those among you who can support a wife should
marry, for it restrains eyes from casting (evil glances). and
preserves one from immorality; but those who cannot should devote
themselves to fasting for it is a means of controlling sexual desire.
3232
'Alqama reported: While Iwas going along with 'Abdullah b. Ma'sud
(Allahhe pleased with him) in Mina, 'Uthman b. 'Affan (Allah be
pleased with him) happened to meet him and said: Come here, Abu 'Abd
al-Rahman (kunya of Abdullah b. Mas'ud), and he isolated him (from
me), and when'Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) sawthat there was no need (for this
privacy), he said to me: 'Alqama, come on, and so I went there. (Then)
'Uthman said to him: Abu Abd al-Rahman, should we not marry you to a
virgin girl that your past may be recalled to your mind? 'Abdullah
said: If you say so, the rest of the hadith is the same as narrated
above.
3233
Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allah'sMessenger (may peace beupon him) said to us: 0 young men, those
amongyou who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes
(from casting evil glances) and preserves one from immorality; but he
who cannot afford It should observe fast for it is a means of
controlling the sexual desire.
3234
Abu al-Rahman b. Yazid said: I and my uncle 'Alqama and al-Aswad went
to 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud (Allah be pleased with him). He (the narrator
further) said: I was at that time young, and he narrated a hadithwhich
it seemed he narrated for me that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) said like one transmitted by Mu'awiya, and further added: I lost
no time in marrying.
3235
'Abd al-Rahman b. Yazid reported on the authority of Abdullah: Wewent
to him, and I was the youngest of all (of us), but he did not
mention:" I lost no time in marrying."
3236
Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that some of the Companions
of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) asked his (the Prophet's)
wives about the acts that he performed in private. Someone among them
(among his Companions) said: I will not marry women; someone amongthem
said: I will not eat meat; and someone among them said: I will not lie
down in bed. He (the Holy Prophet) praised Allah and glorified Him,
and said: What has happened to these people that they say so and so,
whereas I observe prayer and sleeptoo; I observe fast and suspend
observing them; I marry women also? Andhe who turns away from my
Sunnah, he has no relation with Me
3237
Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The
Messengger of Allah (maypeace be upon him) rejected (the idea) of
Uthman b. Muz'unliving in celibacy (saying): And if he (the Holy
Prophet) had given me permissionWe would have got ourselves castrated.
3238
Sa'id b. al-Musayyib reported: I heard Sa'd (b. Abi Waqqas) saying
that the idea of 'Uthman b. Maz'un for living in celibacy was rejected
(by the Holy Prophet), and if he had been given permission they would
have got themselves castrated.
3239
Sa'id b. al Musayyib heard Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas(Allah be pleased with
him) saying that Uthman b. Maz'un decided to live in celibacy, but
Allah's Messenger (may peace beupon him) forbade him to do so, and if
he had permitted him, we wouldhave got ourselves castrated.
3240
Jabir reported that Allah'sMessenger (may peace beupon him) saw a
woman,and so he came to his wife, Zainab, as she was tanning a leather
and had sexual intercourse with her. He then went to his Companions
and told them: The woman advances and retires in the shape of a devil,
so when one of you sees a woman, he should come to his wife, for that
will repel what he feels in his heart.

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Happy Father's Day - , tips - ,

U were always there as I grew up U taught me gud 4rm bad U were my
rock 2 lean on I m so proud tat you'r my Dad
Grandfather, Grandpappy, Gramps or Grandpa This message is sent 2 say
Watever the word,u r da best Dad Enjoy ur spl day
A first-rater No one's greater Than my pater Happy Father's Day
It also coms 2 let u know You mean more 2 me each day 2 evry1 ur lives
hav touched In such a loving way Happy Day Dad
A Father means so many things. An understanding heart, A source of
strength and support right from the very start. Happy Father'sDay
Some Things Are Just Better The Way They Are Like You Happy Fathers Day.
My Father Didn't Tell Me How To Live He Lived And Let Me Watch Him Do
It. Happy Fathers Day.
God made a father who is, as sweet as a nectar, as brave as a lion, as
cheerful as a bear, and he gave such dear fatherto me.
Like a potter u made me from naught To my soul Joy u brought So much
2me u taught Dad, thanks a lot To u I jot A Happy Father`s Day!
Though we may be far apart right now, But here's a big hug and kissfor
you To let you know how special you are Happy Father`s Day!

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Hazrat Uthman (ra)

Hazrat Uthman (ra), one of the handful of peoplewho first embraced
Islam, had been one of the closest people to ourProphet (saas)
throughout his life. He was the son-in-law of our Prophet (saas) and
the third Caliph. Becausehe was twice honored with being the
son-in-law of our Prophet (saas), he was called "Thun-Nurayn"
(Zunnorain), meaning "the possessor of two lights." He participated in
all the struggles of our Prophet (saas) except for the Battle of
Badr. When Hazrat Uthman (ra) embraced Islam, he was subjected to
torture by the idolaters. When migration to Ethiopia was allowed, he
became one of the first immigrants to Ethiopia together with his wife
Mrs. Ruquayyah, our Prophet's (saas) daughter.
Hazrat Abu Bakr's (ra) communication of Islam became instrumental in
Hazrat Uthman's (ra) embracing Islam. He wasone of the precious
companions of our Prophet (saas) who was exemplary to all Muslims with
his superior moral qualities and beautiful speech.
Apart from his refined and influential manner of speaking , he had an
extraordinarily retentive memory and he committed the Holy Qur'an to
memory. Having a very profound knowledge of hadith, healso made great
services to Islam by writing and recording the revelations.
Hazrat Uthman's (ra) spending in the way of Allah
Hazrat Uthman (ra), who was engaged in commerce before converting to
Islam, was a wealthy and greatly respected merchant of his tribe. When
he was honored with Islam, he spent his entire wealth which Allah had
grantedhim for the spread of Islam and the welfare of Muslims.
In a time when there was a water shortage in Medina, he paid twenty
thousand dirhems, which was quite a sum of money for that time, to buy
the Well of Ruma and donated it to the service of Muslims who were
paying for the water taken from this well. He was also the person who
met all the needs of the army, consisting of ten thousand Muslims, who
would participate in the expedition to Tabuk. This aside, in a time
when there was famine in Medina, Hazrat Uthman (ra) purchased ahundred
loads of wheatthat arrived from Damascus by camel and distributed
them to the needy and the companions of our Prophet (saas) in Medina.
Hazrat Uthman's (ra) Superior Services as a Caliphate
Following the martyrdom of Hazrat Umar (ra), Hazrat Uthman (ra) was
chosen as Caliph by a committee. Because he was considered
deserving of this duty bythe Islamic community, nobody objected to
this decision and everyone offered allegiance to him. Hazrat Uthman
(ra) no doubt rendered one of his most important services in spreading
themorality of Islam during his Caliphate by orderingthe production of
multiple copies of the text of the Qur'an as it exists today, and
sending them to all the Muslim provinces. Duringthe time of Hazrat
Uthman (ra), the copies of the Qur'an were produced, a copy was left
in Medina and otherswere sent to Mecca, Damascus, Kufa, Basra, Egypt
and other provinces. Due to this honorable and great service of Hazrat
Uthman(ra), he was given the name "Nashri al-Qur'an", meaning "theone
who spreads the Qur'an."
During his Caliphate, Hazrat Uthman (ra) achieved many other great
accomplishments, one of which was the establishment of the firstMuslim
navy on the coasts of Syria that madeits first expedition to Cyprus.
Following this first naval triumph, other expeditions were made to
other islands in the Mediterranean in thefollowing years, with great
victories followingthese expeditions.
During his military expeditions both on land and sea, and as a
requisite of the morality of Islam, Hazrat Uthman (ra) always assumed
a just and compassionate attitude. He observed the rights of the
People of the Book and treated them with compassion and justice.
During the conquest of Dabil (Dvin), which was an Armenian city during
the Caliphate of Hazrat Uthman (ra), he granted indemnity to the
Christians, Jews and zoroastrians living in thecity and guaranteed the
protection of their sanctuaries.
The following letter which Hazrat Uthman (ra) wrote to the financial
and administrative authorities when he became the Caliph reveals his
understanding, which was in full conformity with the morality of the
Qur'an:
"Almighty Allah had created nothing for a vain purpose. He
createdeverything as right. Therefore He accepts nothing but the
right. Take whatever you take as right; and give those things you give
away to the needy. Be especially attentive to honesty. Conduct
yourself honestly and don't be the one violating it, for those
violating it also undertakes the sins of those coming later. Be
attentive to be loyal; do not violate the rights of the orphan and
comply with the conventions. Beaware that Allah is hostile to those
who oppress the orphan."
This aside, he always allowed the repair of demolished churches and
the construction of new ministries and synagogues.
During the Caliphate of Hazrat Uthman (ra), the Muslim army had great
victories against the Byzantine Empire, and Armenia, Caucasia,
Khorasan, Marrakesh, Karman, Africa and manyothers were included in
the territories of the Islamic state.
The first Sermon of Hazrat Uthman (ra)
When Hazrat Uthman (ra) came to the pulpit topreach his first sermon,
he told the following after giving thanks to Allah:
"Muslims! You are indeed living in the blessings of peace and security
in Islam. You have come to the end of your lives with this blessing.
May your life end with goodness. Day and night, you have struggled
with all your might and main. But be well aware that the yeast of this
world is decisive. May the life of this world not deceive you. Do not
be proud towards Allah and take lessons from those who preceeded you.
Do not be idle and insensitive; be alert. Allah is not heedless. Now
where are those men of means who preceeded us and loved this world,
felt attached to it and had palaces everywhere? Hasthis world ever
remained faithful to them? Take at least lessons from it, and do not
overestimate this world which Allah despises. Get prepared for the
Hereafter, which is your eternal abode."
Hazrat Uthman (ra) concluded his sermon saying, "There is a good
example in the followingverse" and read:
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan:
Make a metaphor for them of the life of the world. It is like water
which We send down from the sky and the plants of the earth combine
with it but thenbecome dry chaff scattered by the winds. Allah has
absolute powerover everything. (Surat al-Kahf, 45)
Wise words of Hazrat Uthman (ra)
"Take heed from the past and work for the good."
"Almighty Allah granted this world to you so that you can seek the
life of the Hereafter. He did notgrant it to you so that you feel
inclined to it!"
"Hurry for the good deeds you can do beforedeath catches up with you."
"O people! Avoid opposing the commandments of Allah, for avoidance
from opposing Allah's commandments is a loot… A servant of Allah
should fear from being resurrected blind although he was the oneable
to see. A single word is sufficient for theone who understands wisdom.
Those who are deaf in soul already do not hear the right. Be aware
that that person fears nothing if Allah is with him."
The news of Hazrat Uthman's (ra) martyrdom was given byour Prophet (saas)
Our Prophet (saas) sent amessenger to Hazrat Uthman (ra) to call him
and when he came he told him:
"You will be murdered and die a martyr! Be patient. May Allah give you
patience."
"Never take off the shirt of Caliphate that Allah will put on you for
ten years and six months." While Hazrat Uthman (ra) was leaving, our
Prophet (saas) told him: "May Allah grant you patience. You will be
martyred while you will be fasting and you will break your fast with
me!" (Imam Suyuti, our Prophet (saas) with his Extraordinary Features
, Iz Publishing, Istanbul, 2003, p.729)
Hazrat Uthman (ra) was martyred on 35 Hijr (the year 657 according to
the Gregorian Calendar) by some rebels in his home.
Our Prophet's (saas) words about Hazrat Uthman (ra)
"Uthman is the one with the most sense of shame in the ummah and the
most graceful."
"Every prophet has a companion in the Garden. My companion there is Uthman."
"My Lord! Remove Uthman's grief and sorrow on the Day of Judgment, for
he removed much of our grief."
"Uthman is from me, andI am from Uthman."

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The First Female Convert to Islam: Our mother Hazrat Khadija

Our mother Hazrat Khadija (ra), the first wife of our beloved Prophet
(saas), was at the same time the first female Muslim.
Our worthy mother made great efforts to assist the spread of
Islamthrough her intellect, foresight and wisdom.
With her submission, courage and devotion, our mother Hazrat Khadija
(ra), one of our Prophet's (saas) greatest supporters, was a role model
for all Muslims.
Our Prophet (saas) first told Hazrat Khadija (ra) of the revelation that
came to him; and she, with her intelligence and foresight, her
unquestioning obedience to and trust in our Prophet (saas), realized
that he had been especially chosen by Allah and believed him straight
away . When the prophethood was bestowed upon him, Hazrat Khadija (ra)
said "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah" and converted
to Islam.
Hazrat Khadija (ra) was from the Quraysh, one ofthe leading Arab tribes,
and her family shared the same line of descent as our Prophet (saas).
And although she was subjected to many tests reflecting the moral values
of the ignorant Arab society in which she lived, she always exhibited a
most powerful and determined character in the face of all adversities.
· According to accounts, Hazrat Khadija (ra) died three years before
the hegira (19 April, 620 A.D.) and lived at a time when Islam had not
yet become strong and achieved dominion. Despite the difficult
conditions of the time, and all the persecution by the pagans of Mecca,
she maintained her unquestioning submission to Allah and our Prophet
(saas).
· At a time when there were quite literallyonly three Muslims in
theworld, Hazrat Khadija (ra) would sometimes worship around the Kaaba
with the Messenger of Allah (saas)and Hazrat Ali (ra), and sometimes at
home.
· When the pagans of Mecca besieged the Muslims at Shi'bu Abi
Talib, Hazrat Khadija (ra)withstood the siege alongside our Prophet
(saas) with tremendous courage, fortitude and heroism.
· The immaculate line of our Prophet (saas), that will continue
until the Day of Reckoning, is descended from our mother Hazrat Khadija
(ra). With the exception of Hazrat Maria (ra), whose son Abraham died
subsequently, our Prophet (saas) had no children with any of his other
precious wives.
· Our Prophet (saas) had six children with ourmother Hazrat
Khadija (ra). The first of these was Hazrat Fatima, who would continue
the line, from whom Hazrat Hassan and Hazrat Husseinm whose lines will
also continue until the Day of Reckoning, were born.
· Our mother Hazrat Khadija (ra) was a wealthy person engagedin
business; but after becoming a Muslim, instead of seeking worldly
advantages, she happily used everything she had acquired in order to
earn the approval of Allah and was a role model in terms of spending her
fortune for the sake of Islam.
· Hazrat Khadija's (ra) purity and chastity were renowned even
before her conversion to Islam, for which reason she was known as
"Tâhire" (the spotless and immaculate woman).
--
NajiM - INDIA Aydnajimudeen
aydnajimudeen@myopera.com

Our mother Hazrat Khadija (ra), the first wife of our beloved Prophet
(saas), was at the same time the first female Muslim.
Our worthy mother made great efforts to assist the spread of
Islamthrough her intellect, foresight and wisdom.
With her submission, courage and devotion, our mother Hazrat Khadija
(ra), one of our Prophet's (saas) greatest supporters, was a role model
for all Muslims.
Our Prophet (saas) first told Hazrat Khadija (ra) of the revelation that
came to him; and she, with her intelligence and foresight, her
unquestioning obedience to and trust in our Prophet (saas), realized
that he had been especially chosen by Allah and believed him straight
away . When the prophethood was bestowed upon him, Hazrat Khadija (ra)
said "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah" and converted
to Islam.
Hazrat Khadija (ra) was from the Quraysh, one ofthe leading Arab tribes,
and her family shared the same line of descent as our Prophet (saas).
And although she was subjected to many tests reflecting the moral values
of the ignorant Arab society in which she lived, she always exhibited a
most powerful and determined character in the face of all adversities.
· According to accounts, Hazrat Khadija (ra) died three years before
the hegira (19 April, 620 A.D.) and lived at a time when Islam had not
yet become strong and achieved dominion. Despite the difficult
conditions of the time, and all the persecution by the pagans of Mecca,
she maintained her unquestioning submission to Allah and our Prophet
(saas).
· At a time when there were quite literallyonly three Muslims in
theworld, Hazrat Khadija (ra) would sometimes worship around the Kaaba
with the Messenger of Allah (saas)and Hazrat Ali (ra), and sometimes at
home.
· When the pagans of Mecca besieged the Muslims at Shi'bu Abi
Talib, Hazrat Khadija (ra)withstood the siege alongside our Prophet
(saas) with tremendous courage, fortitude and heroism.
· The immaculate line of our Prophet (saas), that will continue
until the Day of Reckoning, is descended from our mother Hazrat Khadija
(ra). With the exception of Hazrat Maria (ra), whose son Abraham died
subsequently, our Prophet (saas) had no children with any of his other
precious wives.
· Our Prophet (saas) had six children with ourmother Hazrat
Khadija (ra). The first of these was Hazrat Fatima, who would continue
the line, from whom Hazrat Hassan and Hazrat Husseinm whose lines will
also continue until the Day of Reckoning, were born.
· Our mother Hazrat Khadija (ra) was a wealthy person engagedin
business; but after becoming a Muslim, instead of seeking worldly
advantages, she happily used everything she had acquired in order to
earn the approval of Allah and was a role model in terms of spending her
fortune for the sake of Islam.
· Hazrat Khadija's (ra) purity and chastity were renowned even
before her conversion to Islam, for which reason she was known as
"Tâhire" (the spotless and immaculate woman).
--
NajiM - INDIA Aydnajimudeen
aydnajimudeen@myopera.com

Jinn,witchcraft, evil eye - , Dought & clear - , When is a practitioner of magic a kaafir?

Is every practitioner of magic or witchcraft a kaafir?
Praise be to Allaah.
The practitioner of magic is the person who uses the shayaateen
(devils) and gets close to the jinn by doing the things they like –
such assacrificing to them instead of to Allaah, calling upon them
alongside Allaah, obeying them by disobeying Allaah by committing
zinaa, drinking wine, eating haraam things, neglecting prayer,
covering himself with najaasaat (impure things) and staying in dirty
places – until the shayaateen respond to what he asks them, with a
gentle and kind approach, to do, such as harming the people against
whom he uses his magic, causing division between a man and his wife,
telling him some unseen things, andtelling him about stolen items and
where lost things are. Such a person is a mushrik and a kaafir,
because he worships both Allaah and the Shaytaan, whichis major shirk
(al-shirk al-akbar). So he is a kaafir, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning);
"Sulaymaan did not disbelieve, but the Shayaateen (devils)
disbelieved, teaching men magic" [al-Baqarah 2:102]
"but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till
they had said, 'We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this
magic from us).'" [al-Baqarah 2:102]
It was also commanded that the practitioner of magic should be
executed, because of thehadeeth: "The hadd (prescribed punishment)for
the practitioner of magic is a blow with the sword (i.e., execution)."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,1460; al-Daaraqutni, 3/114; al-Haakim, 4/360;
al-Bayhaqi, 8/136; see al-Silsilah al-Da'eefah, 3/641, no. 1446)
On this basis, he is a kaafir even if he prays, fasts, reads Qur'aan
and makes du'aa', because shirk cancels out all good deeds. And Allaah
knows best.
Al-Lu'lu al-Makeen min Fataawa Ibn Jibreen, p. 11.

Jinn,witchcraft, evil eye - , Dought & clear - , Is epilepsy caused by thejinn?

Since epilepsy is caused by jinn, how do we explain the black woman
who came to theProphet (saaws) asking for him to invoke Allah for her
cure of her illnessof epilepsy and coming uncovered, but there was no
mention of jinn possession? Or is there a mistake in translation and
it wasn't really epilepsy?
Praise be to Allaah.
Epilepsy in most cases is caused by the jinn, and in some cases by
some defect in the body, brainor nerves, or mood swings, or some
weakness in the physicalstructure. All of these may cause loss of
consciousness or unbalanced behaviour. The black woman's epilepsy may
have been caused by the jinn, but there was no need to mention the
cause, which is why the narrators only mentioned what needs to be done
when epilepsy occurs, for whatever reason, of making du'aa' and
performing ruqyah, or bearing it with patience and seeking the reward
from Allaah.
Shaykh 'Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr
The hadeeth about the black woman is narratedin Saheeh al-Bukhaari
(5652) and Saheeh Muslim (2576). In some versions of the hadeeth there
is an indication that her epilepsy was caused by the jinn. For
example, in a version narrated by al-Bazzaar, she said, "I am afraid
that the evil one may cause me to become uncovered." Al-Haafiz Ibn
Hajar said: "It may beunderstood from some of the different versions
of the hadeeth that what Umm Zafar was suffering from was the kind of
epilepsy caused by the jinn and not that which results from
dysfunction in the brain."
Fath al-Baari, hadeeth no. 5652.

Backbiting & Slander - AnIslamic perspective

Allaah Says in the Quran what means: "And why, when you heard it, did
you not say: 'It is notfor us to speak of this. Exalted are You, [O
Allaah]; this is a great slander?'" [Quran 24:16]
Backbiting & Slander Defined
Prophet Muhammad once asked: "Do you know what backbiting is?" His
companions replied: "Allaah and His Messenger know best." He then
said: "It is to say something about your brother that he would
dislike." Someone asked:"But what if what is said is true?"The
Messenger of Allaah replied: "If what you say about him is true, then
you have backbitten him, but if it is not true then you have slandered
him." [Muslim]
Islam is a religion of peace, love and compassion. Lies, suspicion,
backbiting, slander and gossip are totally alien to Islam. In fact,
they are considered amongst the most destructive of major sins. This
is so because these sins sow enmity and discord among the Muslim Ummah
(nation) and lead to its destruction. They cause hostilities between
people of the same household, and between neighbours, friends and
relatives.
Islam demands that our relationship with mankind be one of sincerity
and responsibility. It should be one where we have respect for the
honour, reputation and privacy ofothers. Islam teaches us that we are
not only held accountable for our attitudes and actions, but also for
anything over which we have control or influence in our society or the
world around us.
Allaah has Forbidden the Believers from Backbiting
Allaah states in the Quran (what means): "O you who have believed!
Avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And
do not spyor backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the
flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allaah;
indeed, Allaah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful." [Quran 49:12]
If we were to reflect deeply over this example, it would be enoughto
keep us away from backbiting!
Backbiting and Slander are Great Sins and Cannot be Treated with Indifference
The Quran Says (what means): "When you received it with your tongues
and said with your mouths that of which you had noknowledge and
thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allaah,
tremendous." [Quran 24:15]
Many of us backbite and gossip without thinking. We think it is a
minor matter, however, Allaah reminds us to be careful, for eventhough
we think we are doing something small, it is in fact very large in the
sight of Allaah!
Allaah Teaches Us to Speak Out Against Slander and Try to Put a Stop to It
Allaah Says (what means): "And why, when you heard it, did you not
say: 'It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You, [O Allaah];
this is a great slander?'" [Quran 24:16]
Many people are so busy spreading the slander they hear that they do
not even stop to consider whether it is true or not.
Satan Wishes that We Use Our Tongues to Create Conflict and Hatred
Allaah Says (what means): "And tell My servants to say that which is
best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed, Satan is
ever, to mankind,a clear enemy." [Quran 17:53]
Are we falling into Satan's trap? We can all analyse ourselves to see
if this is the case. Let's now compare that to what Prophet Muhammad
said about backbiting:
Allaah states in the Quran (what means): "There has certainly beenfor
you in the Messenger of Allaahan excellent pattern…" [Quran 33:21]
We Should Guard Our Tongue from Sins and Use Our Limbs in Acts of Obedience
Prophet Muhammad said: "Hewho protects his tongue from unlawful
utterances and his private parts from illegal sexual intercourse, I
shall guarantee himentrance into Paradise." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
The Best Muslim Defined
Prophet Muhammad was once asked: "Who is the best Muslim?" He replied:
"He is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue
and hands." [Muslim]
Deriding people in their presence by making negative facial
expressions or by hand gestures while they are unaware is also a form
of backbiting.
We Need to Beware of the Slipping of Our Tongues
Prophet Muhammad said: "When man wakes up in the morning each day, all
his body parts warn his tongue saying: 'Fear Allaah with regards to
us, for we are under your mercy; if you are upright, we will be
upright and if you are crooked, we will be crooked.'" [At-Tirmithi]
Summary
Backbiting and slander are so widespread that they have become the
topic of people's meetings and an avenue for expressing their anger,
misgivings and jealousy. Those who indulge in backbiting are oblivious
of the fact that they are only harming themselves. This is because on
the Day of Resurrection, both the wrongdoer and the wronged willstand
before Allaah, the Just Judge. Allaah will then give the wronged
person from the good deeds of the person who wronged him by backbiting
or other injustices.
Some situations allow us to inform others of what someone has done. We
are permitted to inform the authorities when someone does injustice to
us or others. We are permitted to inform someone who can prevent a
perpetrator from committing further vice. It is alsopermissible for us
to tell whoeverseeks our advice about a person for business dealings
or marriage. In this case we are allowed reveal only as much as
necessary about the person so that the enquirer will not feel
deceived. All these forms of speaking about others are lawful.
Islam teaches us that if people are being ridiculed or backbitten in
our presence, we should defend their honour. If we neglect doing so,
we risk depriving ourselves of the ever-needed help and mercy
fromAllaah.
Prophet Muhammad said: "If a man's Muslim brother is slandered in his
presence, and he is capable of defending him and does so, Allaah will
defend him inthis world and in the next. But if he fails to defend
him, Allaah will destroy him in this world and thenext." [Al-Baghawi]
What will we do the next time we are tempted to backbite, or if we
hear slander in our presence? The choice is ours.