The extraordinary features of the atom

The atom consists of a nucleus, containing neutrons and protons,
and electrons revolving around it.
The smallest components of the atom are two types of quarks, and the
electrons. All the matter in the universe, all odors, all tastes,
all colors, hardness, softness and everything else is created out
of these three tiny components.
Electrons are extraordinarily minute compared to the nucleus. An
electron is just one 2000th of the protons that make up the
nucleus.
If we put a dot on a piece of paper and take this as the nucleus of
the atom, the electron revolving around it would be 50 meters away.
If we think of the nucleus as an apple, the electron orbiting it
would be 50 kilometers away. It would be impossible for a human
being standing there to see the electron.
No blow, impact or explosion that could take place in this world
can displace either the atom, the nucleus or the electrons. Even
when a living thing made up of atoms dies, the atoms that
constitute it will keep on turning.
The atoms that constitute a burning tree do not burn up and cease to
exist with it; they continue revolving in the air and combine with
different atoms to produce new substances.
The nucleus inside the atom is constantly revolving. Electrons
revolve both around the nucleus, and around their own axes. The
quarks inside the nucleus also revolve endlessly in the same way.
Each one revolves at a specific speed. They never make a mistake
and never impair the order set out for them. The electron
revolvesboth around its own axis and around the nucleus at an
extraordinary speed ranging from 2000 to 100,000 kilometers PER
SECOND.
Not a single electron has ever collided with another electron
throughout the 15 billion years since they were first created. No
such collision could ever happen.
Electrons revolve around the nucleus in seven different orbits, and
the number of electrons circling the nucleus may sometimes exceed
100.
Electrons jump into one another's orbits and change places at a very
high rate of speed. But despite their stupendous speeds and
movements they still never collide with one another.
Electron exchanges between two atoms takes place with a very low
energy. This is a great blessing to us in terms of the
continuation of life, as this is one of the reasons behind the
existence of everything, from the cells in our bodies to the
objects we use, from the stars in the skies to the Earth itself.
In a single moment, there is as much electrical transmission in our
brains as the number of stars in an average-size galaxy. This
electrical transmission is made possible by electrons.
Electrons also revolve around their own axes. This is known as
"spin". Were it not for that, all electrons would combine in a
single orbit, no electron exchange would ever take place, and
matter could never form.
While we think we are sitting quietly at home, the Earth is
revolving around its own axis at 500 meters per second . And we
are revolving with it. The Earth revolves around the Sun at 30
kilometers per second. And we again revolve with it. The Solar
System revolves within the Milky Way at a speed of 250 kilometers per
second. And we revolve with it. And every one of the atoms in our
bodies, all around us and where we live also constantly revolve.
Everything, from giant galaxies down to the tiniest quark, is under
the knowledge and control of Almighty Allah, Creator and Lord of
all the worlds.
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan;
Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah. He knows
what you are engaged upon. On the Day when they are returned to
Him, He will inform them of what they did. Allah has knowledge of
all things. (Surat an-Nur, 64)

How the dajjal died - Darwinists Have Deceived the World with Fraud

Let us consider a scientific theory, the Big Bang for instance. This
theory was first proposed on the basis of a suspicion and a hypothesis
based on Einstein's theory of relativity. Following that, the search
began for the evidence needed to prove that this huge explosion
happened. This evidence did really exist. The cosmic microwave
background radiation confirming the explosion in question was foundand
the isotopic nature of the universe (the fact that all space is at
-270oC) was discovered. It was also scientifically proved that the
universe is constantly expanding, and this was anotherimportant and
definitive piece ofevidence confirming the theory in question.
Therefore, the Big Bang theory became one whose every claim had been
tested, confirmed and thus proved.
Darwin's theory of evolution was also launched under the name of
a"hypothesis." (In fact, the reasonfor the launching of the theory of
evolution was entirely ideological, but it was presentedunder the
guise of a scientific theory.) In order for this theory to be regarded
as valid, its claims would have to be proved, just like those of the
Big Bang. For that it would have to be observed whether or not the
imaginary mechanisms of evolution did in fact cause evolution. The
progress of 20th-century science proved that"natural selection,"
Darwin's illusory evolutionary mechanism,played no evolutionary role.
The science of genetics also inflicted a disappointment on
neo-Darwinists, who had lost hope in natural selection and sought to
depict mutation as an evolutionary mechanism instead. Following the
realization that mutations had no evolutionary effect either, it was
now the turn of the fossil record—Darwin and Darwinists' greatest
hope. The conclusion demonstrated by the fossil record, however, came
as a terrible shock to Darwinists! None of the imaginary intermediate
form fossils that had been sought for so many years existed anywhere
on Earth.Deeper research changed nothing. Not one single intermediate
form fossil has ever been found as a result of allthe research that
has been conducted to date.
Unwilling to abandon the false religion they adhered to, Darwinists
for years continued to hope that evidence for Darwinism would be
forthcoming. But none of the anticipated but illusory evidence ever
appeared. Despite this however, Darwinist lies never ended, and
pro-Darwinist demagoguery was stubbornly kept up. The interesting
thing is that despite the passage of 150 years, the failure to obtain
a single piece of evidence, and despite the fact that the conclusion
produced by geneticsand the fossil record proved the fact of Creation,
Darwinists still imagine this false religion can survive. But they are
making a terrible error, of course. In fact, even the proponents of
the theory are aware that evolution never happened in the history
oflife. They have clearly seen this as the result of countless pieces
of scientific evidence.
Despite all the foregoing, since the theory of evolution is an
ideology, a false religion needing to be propped up by its adherents
no matter what, Darwinists still need to maintain this false image of
their theory having a scientific nature. That is the reason why
Darwinists have resorted to fraud, speculation and countlesspropaganda
techniques to keep this false religion alive for the last 150 years.
As a requirement of their false religion, Darwinistshave no other
option to inculcate people with the idea that their theory is "true."
Because there is no scientific evidence for the truth of the theory,
they try to give the impression that "scientific evidence does exist."
In his bookCreative Defense, Nicholas Comninellis from the University
of Missouri-Kansas City describes the position in which this terrible
deception will find itself in the future:
Philosophically, the dogma of evolution is a dream, atheory without a
vestige of truth. Within fifty years, childrenin school will read of
extraordinary popular delusions,and this will be mentioned as one of
the most absurd. Many a merry jest will be uttered bearing upon the
follies of nineteenth century science. [1]
Comninellis's analysisis an accurate one. The theory ofevolution
consists of a false claim and the history of the theory is filled with
countless examples of fraud. Every claim and piece of evidence
produced by evolution is a fraud. The true nature, the true face of
all these frauds has been exposed. But the supporters of the religion
of Darwinism try to gloss over this or make people forget it. But no
matter how much they squirm, the whole world has begun to realize that
Darwinist propaganda rests on rotten foundations. As Comninellis
says,future generations will be amazed at the global effect of this
terrible deception and how it was supported by world-renowned
professors and scientists, and will ridicule this enormous
irrationality for quite a while.
The Dajjal tried to turn people away from Allah (God) through such
false methods. But all his plans have now been thwarted. The method he
employed, that is Darwinism, has now begun becoming a subject of
ridicule, even for children. The whole world will soon remember the
nonsense of Darwinism with horror and shame. This is very certainly a
snare from our Almighty Lord, a response to those who would rebel
against Him. As He reveals in one verse:
The evil actions they did assailed them. They were engulfed by what
they mocked. (Surat an-Nahl, 34)
[1] Nicholas Comninellis, Creative Defense, Evidence Against
Evolution, Master Books, 2001, p. 254

The Prophets, Messengers sent by Allah, are the true source of democracy

Liberty, an important component of human life and one that greatly
enhances its quality, is only possible when the idea of democracy
prevails. Because democracy is a form of government under which
everyone enjoys social justice, equality, rights and freedoms, it is
a blessing that Almighty Allah has revealed to His servants in the
Divine Books by way of the prophets. A climate of liberty, love,
compassion and justice, in which everyone can live freely and speak
their own minds and live together in peace, is commanded in all the
Divine Books. That is why ancient Greece, regarded as the
birthplace of democracy, or Europe, regarded as the center of
democracy today, learned about it from the true faiths. However,
the most highly developed form of democracy will come with the
global dominion of Islamic moral values.
Some people who are unacquainted with Islamic moral values, or have
only just begun learning about it, may harbor false opinions and
prejudices about it because they have turned to incorrect sources
of information. These people fall prey to an error of thinking,
despite the fact that it is completelyuntrue, that Islam will
restrict their living space, obstruct their freedoms, control their
thoughts and put limitations on art and science. The truth is that
Islam is a faith that provides for freedom of worship and
expression, places rights of all kinds under protection and offers
people true liberty. In the Qur'an, verse 41 of Surah Yunus, "If
they deny you, say, ' I have my actions and you have your actions.
You are not responsible for what I do and I am not responsible for
what you do' ," is one of those verses in which Almighty Allah
enjoins democracy for His servants. In this verse Allah clearly
reveals the importance of everyone enjoying freedom of ideas and
belief, free of any pressure or compulsion.
All the Conditions of Democracy Can Only Be Met When People Live by
Islamic Moral Values
1-SOCIAL JUSTICE: Almighty Allah Commands Social Justice and Sharing
Social justice is one of the basic principles of democracy in true
democracies. People learned social justice from the Prophet Noah
(pbuh) and the Prophet Abraham (pbuh). According to religious
sources, when the Ark came to dry land after the flood, the Prophet
Noah (pbuh) boiled together the small quantities of remaining
chickpeas, lentils, raisins, figs, wheat and the like to make a kind
of sweet broth. Everyone on the Ark then ate it together. That is
social justice, because by this example Prophet Noah (pbuh) teaches
everyone equality, solidarity and generosity and the importance of
distributing food to all:
As revealed in verse 69 of Surah Hud, "Our messengers brought the
good news to Abraham. They said, 'Peace!' and he too said, 'Peace!'
and brought in a roasted calf without delay" the Prophet Abraham
(pbuh) immediately killed a calf when guests arrived and had it
prepared for them to eat. Almighty Allah notes that by offering food
to people whom he had never met, the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was
behaving in the best way, and wisely stresses the importance of
feeding the poor and of social justice.
2-EQUALITY: Almighty Allah Reveals in the Qur'an That No Race Is
Superior to Any Other
As Almighty Allah reveals in one verse of the Qur'an, superiority
lies in piety alone. In this verse Allah tells us:
Mankind! We created you from a male and female, and made you into
peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each other. The
noblest among you in Allah's Sight is the one with the most piety.
Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Surat al-Hujurat, 13)
Our Prophet (saas) expresses this truth commanded by Allah as
follows in the hadiths:
"You are sons of Adam, and Adam came from dust. Let the people
cease to boast about their ancestors." (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 41,
Number 5097)
"These genealogies of yours are not a reason to revile anyone. You
are all children of Adam. No one has any superiority over another
except in religion and taqwa (godliness)." (Ahmad, 158/4)
During his final sermon, the Prophet (saas) called on Muslims in these terms:
"There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab and for a
non-Arab over an Arab; nor for white over the black nor for the
black over the white except in piety. Verily the noblest among you
is he who is the most pious." (The Prophet Muhammad's Last Sermon;
http://www.stanford.ed u/~jamila/Sermon.html)
3-JUSTICE: Almighty Allah Commands Justice
Allah issues this commandment to believers in the Qur'an: "... You
who have faith! Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah
alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives.
Whether they are rich or poor, Allah is well able to look after them.
Do not follow your own desires and deviate from the truth. If you
twist or turn away, Allah is aware of what you do." (Surat al-Nisa',
135)
The commands that our Prophet (saas) issued among Muslims and his
just and affectionate attitude toward people of different religions,
languages, races and tribes, as well as the way he treated everyone
equally, making no distinction between rich and poor as Allah
revealed in the Qur'an, represents an excellent example of the
conception of democracy.
In one verse, Allah tells our Prophet (saas):
They are people who listen to lies and consume ill-gotten gains. If
they come to you, you can either judge between them or turn away
from them. If you turn away from them, they cannot harm you in any
way. But if you do judge, judge between them justly. Allah loves
the just. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 42)
Our Prophet (saas) adhered to Allah's commandment, even among
difficult people, and never made any concessions on justice. As
revealed, he always said, "My Lord has commanded justice..." (Surat
al-A'raf, 29), thus serving as a role model for all times.
Democracy Will Come about When People Are Living by the Moral
Values Commanded by Allah
As we have seen, in the essence of Islam, there is intellectual
freedom, freedom of faith and expression. Some people assume that
democracy entered the history of humanity with the ancient Greeks.
However, it is Allah Who teaches democracy to people. From the time
of the Prophet Adam (pbuh), all prophets have been the genuine
representatives of intellectual freedom and respect to views. The
essence of all the primary concepts – freedom of justice, not
putting any pressure upon anyone, treating everyone as a first class
citizens, respecting and trusting people, not judging anyone due to
his views- which are associated with democracy are present in the
morality of religion. Throughout history, people have learned these
concepts from the righteous religions revealed by Allah and
witnessed its most beautiful examples during the times when people
lived by the righteous religions.
When we look at the times when people were oppressed due to their
opinions and their different ideologies, members of various
religions were humiliated, while the arts, science and architecture
died out; times when people lost their joy in living and almost
turned into robots, or when book burnings, murders, massacres,
genocides became widespread, we see the influence of irreligious,
atheist ideologies or those who misinterpreted religious morality
with a radical mindset by distancing it from its essence.
Once Allah's righteous religion is lived in the form it is commanded
by Allah, the true justice, democracy, respect and love, that people
have been longing for, can be experienced. Very soon, democracy,
brotherhood, love, friendship and peace will, by Allah's leave,
dominate the world and people will experience the joy, bliss and
abundance of faith as much as they can. As one can clearly see from
the signs of the verses, hadiths of our Prophet (saas) and words of
great Islamic scholars, the time in which we live is the End Times.
The difficult and troublesome days of the End Times will, in this
century, come to end with the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) and Hazrat
Mahdi's (pbuh) being instrumental, and the world will enter a brand
new, bright era. Communicating the Oneness and Unity of Allah in
the most beautiful and wise manner, and introducing people to
Islam as described in the Qur'an and lived in Age of Felicity lays a
very important foundation for the bright days that we will attain
in the near future. Our wish is that Allah will also render this
article instrumental in attaining the beauties in question. We
sincerely hope that the days when we see "people entering Allah's
religion in droves" come at once. Allah reveals these glad tidings as
follows in the Qur'an:
When Allah's help and victory have arrived and you have seen people
entering Allah's religion in droves, then glorify your Lord's praise
and ask His forgiveness. He is the Ever-Returning. (Surat an-Nasr,
1-3)
Freedom Is Important in Islam, and Compulsion and Pressure Are Prohibited
Every Muslim, as a requisite of the morality of the Qur'an, is
responsible for showing people the true path, enjoining the good and
forbidding that which is evil. But this never means to oblige
others to think, live, act and dress like oneself. A Muslim shows
the truth and leaves the choice to the person himself. This is the
commandment Allah informs us in the Qur'an in the verse, "There is
no compulsion in the religion..." (Surat al-Baqara: 256).
In line with Almighty Allah's commandment, our Prophet (saas) made
a contract with the Christians of Najran, who lived in the south of
Arabia. This makes it clear that Islam is the true source of freedom
of thought and belief in democracies. The contract included the
following article:
"The lives of the people of Najran and its surrounding area, their
religion, their land, property, cattle and those of them who are
present or absent, their messengers and their places of worship are
under the protection of Allah and guardianship of His Prophet." (The
Pact of Najran, Article 6, http://www.islamicreso urces.com
/Pact_of_Najran.htm.)
The Compact of Medina, signed by the Muslim immigrants from Mecca,
the indigenous Muslims of Medina, the Christians and the Jews of
Medina is one of the finest examples of the conception of
democracy in Islam. As a result of this constitution, which
established justice between communities with differing beliefs and
ensured the protection of their various interests, long years of
enmity were brought to an end. One of the most outstanding features
of the treaty is the freedom of belief it established. The relevant
article reads:
"The Jews of Banu 'Awf are one nation with the Muslims; the Jews
have their religion and the Muslims have theirs…" (The Constitution
of Madina, http://www.islamic- study.org/jews-prophet- p.-2.htm)
Article 16 of the treaty reads: "The Jew who follows us is surely
entitled to our support and the same equal rights as any one of us.
He shall not be wronged nor his enemy be assisted." (The
Constitution of Madina, http://www.islamic- study.org/jews-prophet-
p.-2.htm)
The Prophet's (saas) companions remained true to that article in the
treaty, even after his death, and even practiced it with regard to
Berbers, Buddhists, Brahmans and people of other beliefs.
Like all the other prophets, many events took place during the
course of Rasulullah's (saas) prophethood that manifested his
conception of democracy. Peoples of various races, religions,
languages and tribes lived together in the lands in which our
Prophet (saas) lived. It was not easy for these communities to live
together in peace and harmony and for those who wished to create
strife to be neutralized. One group could be angered and attack
another as the result of the slightest word or action. But our
Prophet's (saas) conception of justice, his just rule, represented a
source of peace and security for these communities as much as for
Muslims. During the Age of Felicity, everyone on the Arabian
Peninsula, Christians, Jews, pagans and everyone, without
distinction, was treated justly. In line with Almighty Allah's
commandment, "there is no compulsion in the religion..." our Prophet
(saas) told everyone of true religious moral values but left the
final decision up to them.

Women - Women's Scholarship: Remembering a ..

Women have had a strong presence in society since the beginning of
Islam. Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, may Allaah be pleased with her,
wasthe first person ever to believe in the Prophet,...Women have had a
strong presence in society since the beginning of Islam. Khadeejah
bint Khuwaylid, may Allaah be pleased with her, was the first person
ever to believe in the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. She was
a great support for theDa'wah)Islamic propagation( until her demise in
the tenth year after theBi'thah)the beginning of the mission of the
Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, as a prophet and messenger sent
by Allaah The Almighty to convey His message(. The Prophet,sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, called that year "The Year of Grief".
The first person to sacrifice her soul in the cause of Allaah The
Almighty was a woman. She was the first martyr in Islam: Sumayyah bint
Khabbaat, may Allaah be pleased with her.
The first one to emigrate in the cause of Allaah The Almighty was a
woman: Ruqayyah, may Allaah be pleased with her, the daughter of the
Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.It is said that she and her
husband, 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, were
the first people to emigrate in the cause of Allaah after Prophet
Loote )Lot(, may Allaah exalt his mention. She emigrated to Abyssinia
to escape persecution in Makkah.
Muslim women did not only achieve great feats in terms of faith,
emigration and sacrifice. Rather, their achievements cover the fields
of scholarship and education as well. There were among them scholars
ofFiqh)Islamic jurisprudence(,Hadeeth)narration( andMuftis)scholars
entitled to issue religious verdicts( who were the center of
attraction for seekers of knowledge and some great and prominent
Muslim scholars. They were even consulted about publicaffairs. There
were women scholars who held assemblies of knowledge in the largest
Islamic mosques and who attracted students from all over the world.
There were some women scholars ofFiqhand narrators ofHadeethwho
traveled a great deal in pursuit of knowledge, to many of the centers
of knowledge in Egypt, Ash-Shaam)the Levant( and Al-Hijaaz)Western
Arabia( such that they became well-versed in knowledge and the
narration ofHadeeths. Many of them wrote books and contributed to
literature.
Their rooms were beacons of light
During the early stage of Islam, the Mothers of the Believers and a
number of women Companionswere the pioneers of women's education and
scholarship. The rooms ofthevirtuous Mothers of the Believers were
beacons for knowledge, culture and literature. 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah
be pleased with her, was the greatest in this regard. She was
eloquent, well-versed in genealogy and poetry. The Prophet,sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, himself would listen to some of the poems that she
narrated.
In the field of narrating the PropheticHadeeths, she occupiesthe third
rank amongHadeethnarrators, for she narrated 2210Hadeeths. Some
reported citations stated that she alone was the repository of half of
the religious knowledge. Hence, the Companions used to refer to her to
find an answer for some difficult issues of knowledge andFiqh,
especially those which are relevant to the life of the
Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. She used to urge her questioner
not to be bashful by saying,"Ask! I am your mother."About 299 of the
Companions andtheTaabi'oon)successors of the Companions(,including 67
women, were taught by her.
Umm Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with her
Ath-Thahabi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, described her saying that
she was one of the scholars ofFiqhamong the women Companions. She
narrated manyHadeethson the authority of the Prophet,sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam. About 101 Companions andTaabi'oon, including 23
women, narratedHadeeths on her authority.
There were many women Companions andTaabi'oonrenowned for their
knowledge and narration ofHadeeths. The books ofHadeeth, narration and
biographies abound with the names of women who narratedHadeeths and on
whose authorityHadeeths were narrated; such as Asmaa' bint Abu Bakr,
Asmaa' bint 'Umays, Juwayriyah bint Al-Haarith, Hafsahbint 'Umar and
Zaynab bint Jahsh,may Allaah be pleased with them all.
Producing scholars
Great writers of biographies did not overlook the biographies of
Muslim women especially in the field of narratingHadeeth. Muhammad ibn
Sa'd, may Allaah have mercy upon him, mentionedmany of the female
Companions andTaabi'oonwho narratedHadeeths in his
bookAt-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra. In his bookAsad Al-Ghaabah, Ibn Al-Atheer,
may Allaah have mercy upon him, specified one whole volume for the
biographies of women. InTaqreeb At-Tahtheeb,Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalaani,
may Allaah have mercy upon him, mentioned the names of 824 women who
were known for narratingHadeeths at the beginning of the
thirdHijricentury.
Women participated in raising and bringing up great scholars. The
celebrated scholar ofHadeethand historian, Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadi,
may Allaah have mercy upon him, the compiler ofTaareekh Baghdadstudied
under Taahirah bint Ahmad ibn Yoosuf At-Tanookhiyyah, may Allaah
havemercy upon her, )d. 436 A.H.(. She was a scholar ofFiqhandHadeeth.
Amat Al-Waahid bint Al-Husayn ibn Ismaa'eel, may Allaah have mercy
upon her, )d. 377 A.H.( was among the most knowledgeable scholars
about the Shaafi'i schoolofFiqh. She was well-acquainted with the
knowledge of distributing the shares of inheritance, mathematics and
Arabic grammar )Nahw(. She used to issueFatwas )religious verdicts(
and her narrations ofHadeethwere written down by her students.
Jaleelah bint 'Ali ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shajari, may Allaah have mercy
upon her, lived in the fifth century ofHijrah. She traveled seeking
the knowledge ofHadeethin Iraq and Ash-Shaam. Some of the great
scholars; such as As-Sam'aani, may Allaah have mercy upon him, studied
under her. She used to teach Quran to the children.
Zaynab bint Makki ibn 'Ali ibn Kaamil Al-Harraani, may Allaah have
mercy upon her, )d. 688 A.H.( was among the female scholars who spent
their whole life seeking the knowledge ofHadeethand narrating it.
Students gathered at the door of her home at foot of the Mount
Qasiyoun in the city of Damascus. They heardHadeeths from her and read
before her many books.
Zaynab bint Yahya ibn Al-'Izz ibn 'Abdul-Salaam, may Allaah have mercy
upon her, )d. 735 A.H.( was the only person to narrate the Hadeeths
ofAl-Mu'jam As-Sagheerthrough an uninterrupted chain of narrators. The
celebrated Muslim historian, Shams Ad-Deen Ath-Thahabi, may Allaah
have mercy upon him, said about her that there was goodness in her,
love of worship and of narrating theHadeeths. Many parts
ofHadeethcompilations were read before her on the day of her demise.
Zaynab bint Ahmad ibn 'Umar Ad-Dimishqiyyah, may Allaah havemercy upon
her, )d. 722( was among the remarkable narrators ofHadeeth, such that
many students headed for her in pursuit of knowledge.
Female scholars earning their living by sewing
The great traveler Ibn Battootah mentioned that he visited Al-Masjid
Al-Umawi in Damascus and heardHadeeths from some of the female
scholars ofHadeethin that age; such as Zaynab bint Ahmad ibn
'Abdul-Raheem, may Allaah have mercy upon her. She was well-versed in
knowledge andHadeeth. 'Aa'ishah bint Muhammad ibn Al-Muslim
Al-Harraaniyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon her, held a session for
teaching knowledge at theMasjid. She used to earn her living by
sewing. Ibn Battootah read before her some books.
Some women, who were narrators ofHadeeth, were the only persons to
narrate certain versions ofHadeeths; such as Zaynab bint Sulaymaan ibn
Ibraaheem, may Allaah have mercy upon her, )d. 705 A.H.(.
Taqiyy-ud-Deen As-Subki was one of her students.
Some female scholars in the field of narratingHadeeths
gaveIjaazah)licence( to a number of great scholars. Zaynab bint
'Abdullaah ibn 'Abdul-Haleem ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon
her, )d. 725 A.H.( gaveIjaazahto Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalaani, may Allaah
have mercy upon him.He also narrated on the authority 'Aa'ishah bint
Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Haadi, may Allaah have mercy upon her. She had a
sound uninterrupted chain of narrators and many people narrated on
herauthority. She never prevented anyone from listening to theHadeeths
from her and she was kind. She narratedHadeeths on the authority of
two female narrators: Sitt Al-Fuqahaa' bint Al-Waasiti and Zaynab bint
Al-Kamaal, may Allaah have mercyupon them.
In his book,Al-Mu'jam Al-Mu'assas lil-Mu'jam Al-Mufahras, Ibn Hajar,
may Allaah have mercy upon him, mentioned many of the women teachers
under whom he studied,and those who learned with him under the
sameShaykhs)teachers(. He described one of them
asMusannifah)compiler(; she was 'Aa'ishah bint
'AbdullaahAl-Halabiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon her.
Imaam Ath-Thahabi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, also mentioned many
of his women teachers in his book,Mu'jam Shuyookh Ath-Thahabi.
Women played a prominent role in teaching and raising the great
scholar ofFiqh,Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi, may Allaah have mercy upon him.
They taught him the Noble Quran, reading, writing, poetry and he
remained under their care until the age of puberty. He related his
experience, saying, "I was brought up by women and I did not know
other than them or sit with men until I reached the age of my youth.
They taught me the Quran and many poems. They taught me writing."This
upbringing and education had a great effect on his taste and
personality.
Qualified forFatwaand wife of a scholar ofFiqh
The respected scholar, Faatimah bint Muhammad ibn Ahmad As-Samarqandi,
may Allaah have mercy upon her, assumed a high rank in the fields
ofFiqhandFatwa. She used to teach and compiled many books. The just
king, Noor Ad-Deen Mahmood, used to consult her on some domestic
affairs of the state and some issues that were related toFiqh. Her
husband, the renownedscholar ofFiqh, Al-Kaasaani, may Allaah have
mercy upon him, the author ofAl-Badaai,'used to listen to her
corrections when he fell short to reach the right opinion. She used to
issueFatwas and her husband used to respect herFatwas. The
issuedFatwaused to be signed in her name, and that of her father or
husband. When her father died, she and her husband used to
signtheFatwabecause of the broad and reliable scope of her knowledge.
In his large encyclopedia,Adh-Dhaw' Al-Laami' li-Ahl il-Qarn
At-Taasi', As-Sakhaawi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, mentioned the
biographies of more than 1070 women who were prominent in that
century; most of them were scholars ofFiqhand narrators ofHadeeth.
The encyclopedic scholar, Jalaal ud-Deen As-Suyooti, may Allaah have
mercy upon him, said his women teachers played a prominent role in his
acquiring knowledge. He learned from Umm Haani' bint Al-Hooreeni, may
Allaah have mercy upon her. He called her 'Al-Musnad'; she was also a
scholar ofNahw)Arabic grammar( and he put her biography among the
scholars ofNahwin his bookBughyat Al-Wu'aah fee Akhbaar An-Nuhaah. He
also learned from Umm Al-Fadhl bint Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, Khadeejah
bint Abu Al-Hasan Al-Mulaqqin, Nashwaan bint 'Abdullaah Al-Kanaani,
Haajarbint Muhammad Al-Misriyyah, Amat Al-Khaaliq bint 'Abdul-Lateef
Al-'Uqbi and many other female scholars, may Allaah have mercy upon
them.
Some of these female scholars assumed charge of some centers of
knowledge such as Zayn Al-'Arab bint 'Abdul-Rahmaan ibn 'Umar, may
Allaah have mercy upon her, )d. 704 A.H.(. She assumed charge of
Ribaat As-Saqlaatooni and then Ribaat Al-Haramayn.
The women Muslim scholars did not stop at imparting knowledgeand
teaching during times of peace and welfare. Rather, she played a
prominent academic role during the hardest times of crises. When the
forts of Islam fell in Andalusia and the Muslims were forced to become
Christiansand there were the worst ever Inquisitions and torture
against Muslims; some Muslims had to show that they were Christians
and practiced Islam in secrecy. Despite coercive Spanish policies,
Muslims continued their pursuit of knowledge. There were two women
scholars who were the highest referential authorities forMuslims in
the knowledge ofSharee'ah)Islamic legislation(. They taught many
Muslim scholars who bore the flag of Islam for years. Those two women
were Muslimah Abdah and Muslimah Ablah. The Morisco scholar ofFiqh'the
Young Man from Arévalo' )Mancebo de Arevalo( compiled many books
ofTafseer)exegesis( andSunnah)tradition( in the Aljamiado language
which was invented by Muslims there.
To conclude, Muslim women had a prominent presence in the Islamic
scholarly society. They used to learn, teach and travel seeking
knowledge. They were sought by knowledge seekers, compiled books,
issuedFatwas and were consulted on public affairs. Women were not
confined to their homes or restricted to certain professions. They had
a broad field of activity and achievement under the aegis of the true
spirit of IslamicSharee'ahwhich protected their chastity and modesty
while enabling them to achieve great feats of scholarship.

Women - Claims about woman in Islam

Question
There is a new group which has come recently to my city and claim that
they are addressing common misconceptions about Islam by Muslims
themselves.
These are a few of their teachings:
- looking at a woman in her eye while addressing her is a cultural
thing andhas nothing to do with Islam.
- women are highly encouraged to work)even outside homes, i.e. offices, etc.(.
- the public is Mahram fora woman.
- women only need husband's permission to go out only if the travel or
period of absence is more than 3 days.
-the voice of a woman is not Awrah.
- males are allowed to attend and listen to Qur'an recitation
competitions involving women.
- the seating arrangements which seek to segregate man and women is a
cultural thing.
- Islam does not preach strict segregation of the sexes )they used
Hajj as an example(.
- women are allowed to give Adhan )without any specifications(.
However there would be grave consequences and that is why they don't
do so.
- Sahabah used to sit in a big room with man facing women )more of
amixed seating but women with women andman with man, however in an
open manner(.
- if they sat together)manand woman(, every woman sat with her Mahram
in a big circle.
Please tell me if these things are right as I have had a different
upbringing )different teachings(. If they are, give me a few evidence
and if they aren't, again give me some evidences.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
Men should not look at alien women nor should women look at alien
menas this is forbidden by the clear texts of the Qur'an and Hadith.
Allah Says )interpretation of meaning(:}Tell the believing men to
lower their gaze )from looking at forbidden things(, … And tell the
believing women to lower their gaze )from looking at forbidden
things(, …{]24:30-31[.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said:"Allah has written
forAdam's son his share of Zina which he commits inevitably. The Zina
of the eyes is the sight)looking at an alien woman("]Reported by
Imamsal-BukhariandMuslim[.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said toAli:"OAli! Do not
follow an unintentional look )at alien women( with another look. The
first glance is for you)pardonable( whereas theother glance is not for
you )that is a sin(". Transmitted byal-Tirmiziwho considered it as
good. There are many Ahadith proving this ruling.
So, whoever claims that lowering gaze from looking at alien women is
merely a cultural matter and not a religious act should recheck his
religion, Islam.
2( Working is permissiblefor the woman as long asthe following
conditions are met:
a( When the Muslim community needs her services such as a lady doctor,
lady teacher, etc.
b( Working in a non-mixed environment.
c( Observing the rulings of Sharia as for as the matter of Hijab is concerned.
Yet it is more suitable for her to stay in her house taking care of
her children, the future generation, which is, indeed, best for her
and for the community as well.
Allah Says )interpretationof meaning(:}And stay in your houses, and do
not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, …{]33:
33[.
3( Jurists have different opinions concerning the matter of presence
of a woman among a great number of men, is it permissible or not? The
preponderant opinion is that it is permissible provided there is no
temptation; otherwise, it is forbidden as agreed byall jurists.
However, traveling of a woman in public withoutbeing accompanied by a
Mahram is not permitted with the exception of thedire necessity. Some
jurists permitted her onlyto travel to perform obligatory Umrah and
Hajj with the company of trustworthy group of women.
4( Going out without having husband's permission is not permissible,
let alone traveling, which is strictlyforbidden with a greater reason.
5( Is the voice of a woman Awrah )must be covered( or not? This is a
matter of discussion among scholars. The preponderant opinion is that
it is not Awrah except if there is a chance of temptation.
6( There is no harm if a man attends the Qur'an recitation competition
of women provided the women are in complete Hijab fulfilling the
rulingsof Sharia and provided he is certain to not to be tempted on
hearing theirrecitation.
However, it is better that only women attend in such competition in
order to block the ways that could lead to evil.
7( Islam urges that there be separate places for men and women at
gatherings since mixing of both sexes leads to many evil and shameful
acts. There are many evidence proving this fact.
Allah Says )interpretationof meaning(:}And stay in your houses, …{]33: 33[.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said:"The best rows for men
are the first rows, and the worst one are the lastones, and the best
rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the
first ones".
This is because the first row of women is closer to the men's ranks
and the last rank is farther from them.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( used to order men to delay
leaving of mosque till thewomen left. This rule wasonly to prevent
them from mixing with women. If it is undesirable for men and women to
be close at the time of worshipping Allah, remembering Him, how much
more so in a place full of doubts and temptations. The
Prophet)Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said toUmm Salamah:"Perform the
Tawaf while riding from behind the people"]Reported by
Imamal-Bukhari[.
Hafiz Ibn Hajarhighlighted the reason and said:'The Prophet)Sallallahu
Alaihi wa Sallam( ordered her to make Tawaf from behindthe people
since it wouldprovide more cover for her from being seen by men'.
In short, we mentioned but a few evidences here;otherwise, the
evidence is too much to be covered in this Fatwa.
8( Taking Hajj as an example for the permissibility of mixing men and
women is totally baseless. Is it correct to say that wine
ispermissible since some Muslims drink it? It is not sound to take the
example of Hajj to allow the mixing of both sexes since a mistake can
neverbe an excuse for another mistake.
9( Women can call for Azan but without raising their voice.
Imanal-Shafi'esaid:'Calling Azan and Iqama is permitted for women
butit is better not to raise their voice'. The reason isthat her voice
may cause seduction to others.
10( As for their claim that the companions of the Prophet )Sallallahu
Alaihi wa Sallam( used to sit in a big room facing women … we ask them
toproduce the evidence forthis claim. This claim is full of ambiguity
and is beyond the reality.
No doubt, some companions of the Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam(
used to visit other companions and sometimes some of them visit some
women for some legal purpose but itwas totally free from being alone
with them, unveiled and free from any kind of suspicion, which is
common now.
In short, their claims consist of true and false. It is apparent that
they are keen to encourage men to mix with the opposite sex and
socializing with alien women. Indeed, this practice will open many
doors to seduction. Therefore, it is better for men to avoid being
seen by women and it is bettertoo for women to be far from the eyes of
men as reported from Ayisha)Radiya Allahu Anha(.
We ask Allah to make us steadfast on right path.
Allah knows best.

Women - Freedom of women in Islam

Question
Why in Islam women do not have their freedom?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
A woman was in a miserable state before Islam. She was subject to
humiliation, injustice andoppression. She was buried alive for fear of
poverty. Also, because women were used as a means for gaining moneyand
for prostitution, which is a source of disgrace.
By the advent of Islam Shari'a honors the woman, gives her
naturalposition in life and returns her freedom. In general, she is
like a man except in some rulings and regulations that befither
physiologically.
The woman in Islam ranks high as a daughter,sister, wife and mother.
Islam grants the woman her personal and financial freedom as well as
independence to behave within the Shari'a limits and good customs that
Islam sanctions, i.e. without committing what is Haram such as
displaying her charm, misdeeds and uncovering her body. At the same
time, man has freedom, but within Shari'a limitations and good and
useful customs that Islam sanctions.
So, it is not true to say that women do not rank high in Islam.
Whoever wants Muslim women to be free from her modesty, morals, honor
and religion wants misery for her, to overburden her and to ask her to
do what she naturally cannot.
Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Arguments with her husband – she is asking how to become a righteous wife.

I am a new muslimah and am fromthe U.S. I have been raised not to let
a man controll me. Now the problem is thatmy husband is not from here
and we tend to argue alot.I know more of the laws and commoneveryday
things more than he does.His englishis not that great, so, I have to
explain to him sometimes and he is used to how his country and culture
are, so, in public I tend to do the talking alot.This makes him mad
sometimes but I feel it is the only way to get things done right most
of the time. Now we argue alot and I don't know how to be the "wife"
that I am supposed to be Islamically. I am still in the learning
process, but that is were I have my biggest problem.How can I change
that or try to make the problem better.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We praise Allaah for guiding you to Islam, which is the greatest
blessing that Allaah can bestow upon His slaves.
We would like to tell youthat Allaah has given yourights over your
husband, and has enjoined upon you duties towards him. You can read
question no. 10680to find out more about this.
You have to do the duties towards your husband which Allaah has
enjoined upon you. Islam regards the husband's rights as greatbecause
of the husband's great importance in building the Muslim household,
and because Allaah has enjoined him (the husband) to look after his
family's interests and take care of them.
The Muslim woman should be wise in her dealings with her husband,
because man – usually – is pleased with kind words and appreciates
kind treatment. So if that comes from his life-partner, that will
have a greater effect. The wise woman must also keep away from all
kinds of behaviour that will offend her husband,and rid herself of
every kind of action that annoys him, and try not to control him. The
man has the role ofqawwaam(protector and maintainer), and
theresponsibility is his. Making him feel that he is falling short in
certain situations may make himangry and not treat his wife well. One
of them said: "The best wife is the one who knows howto create harmony
in hermarriage and strikes a balance between obeying and respecting
her husband and expressing her own strong personality."
Your speaking to people on his behalf – because he does not speak your
people's language well –is permissible according to sharee'ah, but as
stated above, you have to be wise in doing this. When doing these
thingsyou should not make him feel that he is lacking or that he is
not important. Rather you should refer to him when speaking to the
people, and consult withhim, and do not make decisions in his
presencewithout asking his permission. You should do that in front of
the people to whom you arespeaking so that he will feel that he is
important.Try to make him feel thathe speaks his own language better
than you do, and that you complement one another; and you can help him
to learn your language, and he can help you to learn his language.
This is what we advise you to do, and this is what may reduce his
anger and stop him frombehaving in this manner.It seems that it is
only a matter of time, and you have to be careful in handling this
situation until he becomes more fluent in your language and is able to
do things himself, on his own.
Secondly:
In order to become a good wife, you have to learn what Allaah has
enjoined upon you, so that you can do it. You have to know how
righteous women behave, their attitude and the way they interact with
their husbands. You will need to strive hard until you get used to it,
but it is not impossible. The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Knowledge comes by learning, and patience comes by
trying to be patient. Whoever seeks goodness will be given it, and
whoever fears evil will be protected from it." Narrated by
al-Daaraqutni inal-Afraad; this is a hasan hadeet, as was stated by
al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Jaami', 2328.
Some of these characteristics and attitudes are those of which a wise
mother advised her daughter before marriage, which is comprehensive
advice.We ask Allaah to help you to achieve this. That mother said to
her daughter:
"O my daughter, you are leaving your house in which you grew up, and
going to live with a man whom you do not know,a companion whom you are
unfamiliar with. Be like a slave woman to him and he will be like a
slave to you. Remember ten characteristics whichwill be a stored
treasure for you:
The first and second are to be devoted to him and be content, listen
to him and obey.
The third and the fourth are to consider his nose and eyes; do not let
him see anything ugly of you, or let him smell anything but a good
fragrance.
The fifth and the sixth are consider the time of his sleeping and
eating, for hunger burns and disturbance of sleep causes anger.
The seventh and the eighth are to look after his wealth and to take
care of his family and hisdependents.
The ninth and the tenth are to look after his wealth and take care of
his dependents."
Thirdly:
The husband has to fear Allaah his Lord, and not transgress the rights
of his wife. He should give her her rights as Allaah has enjoined upon
him. He should realize that people vary, and that what he knows, many
people are ignorant of, and what he is ignorant of, many people know.
For him to have a wife who will translate for him and show him what
will benefit him and how things are done is better for him than having
someone with him whom he cannot trust. Knowledge can only be acquired
by learning, and the way tolearn is by striving and working hard.
Advise him to try to control himself at times of anger, and not to get
angry unless you have transgressed one of the sacred limits of Allaah.
This is the kind of anger that is regarded as praiseworthy.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Is it permissible for thefather of the man to see his son’s fiancée?

Is it permissible for the father of the man to see his son's fiancée?
Praise be to Allah.
It is not permissible for the father to see his son's fiancée, because
she is a non-mahram to him. It is only permissible for his son tosee
her with special permission from sharee'ah, in order to create harmony
and affection after marriage.But no exception has been narrated with
regard to the man's father; in that case the original prohibition on
seeing her remains in effect, and she is like anyother woman who is a
non-mahram to him. So he is enjoined to avert his gaze from her, not
tobe alone with her and not to shake hands with her.
But when his son does the marriage contract with his fiancée, she
becomes his wife, even if he has not consummated the marriage with
her, and even if in your country she is still called a fiancée after
doing the marriage contract. This customary naming of thematter does
not affect anything, so long as the son's marriage contract has been
done. In that case it becomes permissible for the father to look at
his son's wife, because she has become a mahram to him, as Allah, may
He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):"Forbidden toyou
(for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters... the wives ofyour
sons who (spring) from your own loins" [an-Nisa' 4:23].
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - Does the soul come outof the body during sleep?

Does the soul come out of the person when he is asleep, because
sometimes just before I go to sleep, I feel that my soul is coming out
ofmy body; I do not hear anything or see anything or feel anything at
all for a few seconds, then it comes back and I wake up and am aware
of everything.
Praise be to Allah.
There is clear evidence in the Qur'an and Sunnah which indicates that
the soul is taken when one falls asleep, and that sleep is a kind of
death. This evidence includes the following:
1.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and
those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for
which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed.
Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply"
[az-Zumar 39:42].
2.
And He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and
has knowledge of all that you have done by day"
[al-An'aam 6:60].
3.
It was narrated from AbuQataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that
when they slept and missed the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Verily Allah took your souls when
Hewilled, and He returned them when He willed."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,7474
4.
It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) was on a journey during which they slept until the sun rose. He
said: "Verily you were dead and Allah returned your souls to you;
whoever sleeps and misses a prayer, let him offer it when he wakes up,
and whoever forgets a prayer, let him offer it when he remembers."
Narrated by Abu Ya'la inal-Musnad, 2/192; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani inIrwa' al-Ghaleel, 1/293
5.
It was narrated from Hudhayfah (may Allah bepleased with him) that
when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wokeup, he
would say: "Al-hamdu Lillahi alladhi ahyaana ba'da ma amaatanaa wa
ilayhi an-nushoor(Praise be to Allah Who has given us life after He
caused us to die, and to Him will be the resurrection)."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,6312. It was also narrated by Muslim in
hisSaheeh, 2711, from al-Bara' (may Allah be pleased with him).
This evidence was quoted by al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy
on him), who then said:
The verse indicates that sleep is a death, and the hadeeth indicates
when a person sleeps his soul is taken. They both indicate that the
soul that is taken in death is the soul that is taken during sleep.
End quote fromFath al-Baariby Ibn Rajab, 3/325
But the taking of the soul in sleep does not necessarily mean that it
is completely separated from the body, as happens in death; ratherthe
fact that the life remains in the body during sleep indicates that the
soul is still connected to the body during sleep, but the connection
is less than the connection when it is awake. Not every departure of
the soul from the body implies death; rather what happens to the body
differs according to the type of separation.
Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The taking of the soul from the body does not necessarily mean that it
has departed from the body altogether; rather it may be taken whilst
some kind of connectionis still present, as in the case of one who is
sleeping.
End quote fromFath al-Baari, by Ibn Rajab, 3/326
For other scholarly opinions on this issue, please seeal-Jaami' li
Ahkaam al-Qur'an, by al-Qurtubi, 15/261;Fath al-Baariby Ibn Hajar,
11/114
However what appears to us to be the case is that what you mentioned
in your question does not have anything to do with this issue at all;
the departure of the soul during sleep only happens when one is
actually sleeping, and it does not happen before sleeping as you
mention.
Perhaps what is happening to you is a psychological matter or
excessive preoccupation with death and the like.
We ask Allah to keep yousafe and sound and to put your affairs straight.
And Allah knows best.

14 Cities in the Garden: [Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith ]

There is a river known as "Rayyan" in the Garden. A city of coral has
been built upon it. It has seventy thousand gates of gold and silver.
(Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 2, p.
326/4)
In the above hadith, our Prophet tells of gold andsilver, the symbols
of splendid wealth and art. Because both these metals are brilliant,
resilient, easy to shape and difficult to find they have held an
important place throughout history. There is only as much as 0.004
grams of gold in a ton of earth; the amount per ton obtained in gold
mines, however, varies between 6 and 12 grams. Therefore, to obtain a
gold plate, tons of rocks must be refined.The fact that gold is hardto
obtain and is rarer than other metals in the world increases its value
greatly. And this shiny, resilient and easy to shape metal has also a
strong aesthetic appeal to people.
There is solace and sweetness and a Garden of Delight. (Surat al-Waqi'a: 89)
The aesthetic and artisticvalue of gold makes it the metal of choice
in the production of fine works of art. Many of thethings we find rich
and extravagant are either made of gold or decorated with it. In the
adornment of objects, inbookbinding, calligraphy, miniatures and
illumination, gold is indispensable. The lavishuse of gold in the
dwellings described in the hadith is a blessing that people find
pleasing. In this world, people see gold often in the form of ingots;
once in a while they come across a few gold-plated objects and
accessories and perhaps even palaces with excessive use of gold such
as in gilt columns. All these things are amazing to those of us who
are accustomed to seeing only a few pieces of jewellery made of gold.
This being the case, we cannot easily imagine a skyscraper or a
mansion,a villa or a summer house made purely of gold. Just the idea
that there may be such thingsgives pleasure and excitement to the
human spirit. The hadithwe have quoted previously tells us that the
buildings in the Garden are made of goldand silver bricks. This
increases the beauty of the already splendid houses in the Garden and
makes them even more magnificent.
[It is built of] one brick of gold and one brick of silver, its
mortaris of strongly scented musk, its stones are pearls and emeralds,
and its soil is of saffron… (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, at-Tirmidhi)
In the hadith below, another aspect of the splendour of the Garden is
emphasised by reference to a gold pillar:
In the Garden there isa gold pillar with cities of beryl [a bright,
green precious stone resembling emerald] on it, and these shine like
stars in the Garden… (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz
al-Ahadith, vol. 1, p. 125/6)
Another interesting aspect of the above hadith is the high elevation
of the cities. Certainly in this world a highly elevated city is to be
preferred because of the view and refreshing climate. When we consider
that these citiesare in the splendid setting of the Garden, we can
better understand to what extent these dwellings will be pleasing to
the human spirit. These dwellings spoken of in the hadith – cities on
pillars – have a parallel in the verses of the Qur'an that tell us
about high-ceilinged halls builtone above the other:
But those who have taqwa of their Lord will have high-ceilinged Halls,
and more such Halls built one above theother, and rivers flowingunder
them. That is Allah's promise. Allah does not break His promise.
(Surat az-Zumar: 20)
When we think of life in a city, first of all, many problems come to
mind. Traffic, health, communication, air pollution,
infrastructure,water, electricity, telephones and security have become
matters that people have to struggle with. Many professions have even
come into existence to mitigate these problems and help people lead
more untroubled and ordered lives. The reasons for such problems will
be eradicated in the Gardenand there is no possibility that such
conditions could ever exist in the cities there.
He will forgive you your wrong actions and admit you into Gardens with
rivers flowing under them, and gine dwellings in the Garden of Eden.
That is the Great Victory. (Surat as-Saff: 12)
The Qur'an tells us that the climate of the Garden will be the most
pleasant and comfortable for the human spirit: "…they will experience
there neither burning sun nor bitter cold." (Surat al-Insan: 13)For
this reason, there will be no need for heating systems or air
conditioning. As we will see in the following chapters, communication
will be no problem in the Garden. Allah knows the truth.
When the buildings of the Garden are mentioned in the hadith,the
Prophet says that their mortar will be a sweet-smelling material
called musk. We can see that all the blessings thatAllah has created
in the Garden appeal to all our senses. A sweet aroma is a wonderful
blessing for human beings. The scentof roses, carnations, lilies,
hyacinths, lilacs, acacia and pine trees areall gifts of Allah to
human beings. In addition, these wonderful smells have a pleasing
effect on the human spirit. Nothing in this world will be able
tocompare with the aromas of the Garden and people will enjoy all
their unexpected subtleties. The fact that the mortar of the buildings
is composed ofmusk is one of the best examples of this. This is only
one of the wonderful things that Allah has created for believers in
the Garden.
... and make me one ofthe inheritors of the Garden of Delight; (Surat
Ash-Shu'ara': 85)

13 But Allah will admit those who have iman and do right actions into Gardens with rivers flowing under them where they will be adorned with gold bracelets and pearls, and where their clothing will be of silk. (Surat al-Hajj: 23) [Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith ]

Every detail in the description of the Garden speaks to every period
of time and appeals to everyone. Rubies, emeralds, pearls and other
precious stones are rare and valuable and everyone appreciates them.
For this reason, that the mansions are made of these stones is an
important indication of their priceless value.
Among these stones, the reddish transparent rubyis the rarest precious
stone in the world. The shiny, smooth, round pearl has an
extraordinary aesthetic beauty. Its formation is very special. Over
time, alittle grain of sand insidean oyster irritates the soft inward
of the oysterwhich covers it with calcium carbonate until it
eventually becomes a thing of striking beauty. Of course, these
descriptions and comparisons with regard to the Garden areexamples
taken from theconditions pertaining in this world. These comparisons
are necessary as a means to broaden our horizons and for us to think
aboutthe Garden. But the beautiful things of the Garden will be much
more magnificent than the jewels of this world.
... who will inherit Firdaws, remaining in it timelessly, for ever.
(Surat al-Muminun: 11)
Everything in the Gardenhas been created to be as pleasant as
possible. The Prophet says the following about the mansions in the
Garden:
In the garden there isa tent of pearls, whose width is sixty miles, in
each corner of which the believer will have a wife whom the others
will not see. (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Another thing that adds to the beauty of these mansions is the
splendid setting in which they arelocated. For example, as we see in
many descriptions, some mansions are surrounded by greenery and stand
over or near water.
He will have a very pleasant life in an elevated Garden. (Surat al-Haqqa: 21-22)
In addition, there is another characteristic ofthese mansions in the Garden:
There are mansions made of emeralds and jewels. (Imam Ghazzali, Ihya
Ulum ad-Din [The Revival of the Sciences of the Deen]
Everything has been created in the Garden according to what people
desire and nothing they wish to seeis withheld from their eyes. Allah
reveals this inthe Qur'an:
… They will have there all that their hearts desire and their eyes
find delight in… (Surat az-Zukhruf: 71)
On the Day you see themen and women of the believers, with their light
streaming out in front of them, and to their right:"Good news for you
today of Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them
timelessly, for ever. That is the Great Victory." (Surat al-Hadid: 12)

Fiqh of Inheritance, - Conditions of Inheritance

Just as inheritance has causes and impediments, it also has conditions
that should be fulfilled. They might be summed up in the following
three:
First condition: The death of the person inherited
This means that the owner of theinheritance should have died, since
his property cannot be inherited while he is still living. The death
of the owner of property might be:
In reality, i.e., he really dies and this is confirmed by observation
or the testimony of just witnesses;
In judgment, i.e., a judge passes a judgment of his death, like in the
case of a missing person when there is no hope of finding him.
Second condition:To learn that the heir is living after the inherited
person's death
It means that the heir of the deceased person should be alive at the
death of the owner of the inheritance. This might be:
Actually, in the sense that his being alive is proven by sight or the
testimony of just witnesses.
Potentially, i.e., to regard that he is probably living at the time of
the death of the owner of the inheritance; like in the case of
pregnancy, where the fetus is probably living in the sense that if it
is separated )from the mother's womb( and stays alive, then, the right
of inheritance would be affirmed to it.
However, if it is not known that the heir is living after the death of
the inherited person, like the case in which all members of a family
die in an accident, then, naturally, there would be no question of
inheritance among them.
Third condition: The absence of all the impediments of
inheritance)previously mentioned in the topic(.
If these three conditions are fulfilled, along with its causes, the
inheritance will be established, and the heir will have a share in the
inheritance of the deceased owner.

Fiqh of Inheritance, - Causes of Inheritance in Islamic Sharee‘ah

Inheritance in the IslamicSharee'ah)legislation( has three causes:
First cause: Marriage
UnderSharee'ah, marriage refersto the valid marital contract -- even
in the absence of meeting inseclusion between the spouses or sexual
intercourse between them. Both spouses inherit from each other, so
long as the maritalcontract is in effect between them. For example, if
a man divorces his wife and her'Iddah)post-marriage waiting period(
elapses, then there would be no mutual inheritance between them, due
to the termination of the marriage, which is the cause of inheritance.
However, if he divorces her during his fatal sickness and is accused
of having done so with the intention of preventing her from
inheritance, in this case, sheinherits )her share of( his property
even )if he dies( after the conclusion of her'Iddah, and even if she
gets married to another person according to the opinion of some
scholars ofFiqh)Islamic jurisprudence(, by way ofopposing the wrongful
husband and nullifying his purpose.
Second cause:Walaa')allegiance of an ex-slave to his ex-master(
This is a kind of kinship. If a master frees his slave, a kind of
relation calledWalaa')allegiance( starts to exist between them. It is
a favor done by the master to his slave out of his bounty, whereby he
brings him out of slavery to freedom.
Third cause: Real Kinship
Kinship is a connection between two persons by virtue of birth, beit a
close or far connection. Every man or woman with whom one has a
connection by birth, no matter how close or far, whetherfrom the side
of the father or from the side of the mother, or from the side of both
together, isone's kin. This is the strongest cause of inheritance.
The heirs from among the kith and kin are divided into three divisions:
1-The ascendants: The deceased's father, grandfather)the father's
father(, up to all levels of similar relationships from the side of
the father; and the deceased's mother, and grandmother being related
to him/her through a male or a female heir.
2-The descendants: The deceased's sons and sons of his son down to all
levels, and his son's daughter down to all levels of her father.
3-Non-ascendant /descendant relations: They are the
deceased'ssiblings;whether they are full or half-brothers or sisters,
the male children of his/her full brothers and half-brothers from the
side of the father, his paternal uncles who are his father's full
brothers,or half-brothers from the side of the father up to all
levels, the paternal cousins down to all levels.
These are the three causes of inheritance agreed upon among scholars.
They deserve, in the presence of a sound mind and disposition, to be
causes of inheritance. There are other causes which are subject to
dispute, as to whether or not they are regarded as causes of
inheritance, likeBayt Al-Maalof the Muslims )Muslim treasury(, the
kith and kin who are not heirs, etc.

Special Virtues of the Night of Decree

Allaah The Almighty has attached a special value to theLaylat Al-Qadr,
and has given this night special characteristics which make it unique,
such as:
It is the night on which the Quran was sent down. Ibn
'Abbaassaid,"Allaah sent down the Quran at one time from Al-Lawh
Al-Mahfooth )the Preserved Tablet in the Seventh Heaven( to Bayt
Al-'Izzah )House of Pride( in the first Heaven, then it was revealed
to the Messenger of Allaahin stages according to events over
twenty-threeyears."]Ibn Katheer[
Allaah The Almighty described it as being better than a thousand
months, as He Says )what means(:}"The Night of Decree is better than a
thousand months."{]Quran 97:3[
Allaah The Almighty described it as being blessed, as He Says )what
means(:}"Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night."{]Quran 44:
3[
On this night, the angels and the Spirit ]Jibreel)Angel Gabriel([
descend,"i.e., many angels descend on this night because it is so
blessed, and the angels come down when the blessingsand mercy of
Allaah The Almighty come down, just as they come down when the Quran
is recited, and they surround the circles of Thikr )gatherings where
Allaah The Almighty is mentioned(, and they spread their wings for the
one who sincerely seeks knowledge, out of respect for him."]Ibn
Katheer[Jibreelis specifically mentioned as a sign of respect for him.
This night is described as peace, i.e., it is safe, for the devils
cannot do any evil or cause any harm onthis night, as Mujaahidsaid,"On
this night, many people are saved from punishment because of what they
do to worship Allaah, The Most Exalted."
Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}"On that night is made distinct
every precise matter."{]Quran 44:4[, the affairs of that year are
dispatched from the Preserved Tablet to the angels who record the
decrees: who will live, who will die, what provision people will be
given, what will happen until the end of that year,every matter of
ordainment is decreed, and it cannot be altered or changed. ]Ibn
Katheer[
Allaah The Almighty revealed a Chapter concerning this night which
will be recited until the Day of Resurrection, in which Allaah The
Almighty Says)what means(:}"Indeed, We sent the Qur'an downduring the
Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of
Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The
angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for
every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn."{]Quran 97:1-5[
The Prophet,, said:"Seek Laylat Al-Qadr in thelast ten days of Ramadan."]Muslim[
It is more likely to be oneof the odd-numbered nights, because of the
narration of 'Aa'ishahwho said that the Messenger of Allaah,, had
said:"Seek Laylat Al-Qadr in the odd-numbered nights of the last ten
nights."]Al-Bukhaari[
It is most likely to be on the night of the twenty-seventh, according
to thesaying of the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam:"Laylat
Al-Qadr is the night of the twenty-seventh."]Ahmad and Abu Daawood[
This isthe preponderant view of most of the Companions and the
majority of scholars. Ubayy ibn Ka'bused toassert, without saying "In
shaa' Allaah)God willing(" that: "…it was the night of the
twenty-seventh. Zurr ibn Hubaysh,,said to Ubayy: 'I said, What makes
you say that, O Abu'l-Munthir )i.e. Ubay(?'Hesaid, 'By the signs of
which the Messenger of Allaah,told us: that the sun rises that morning
with no visible rays.'" ]Muslim[
The fact that it is more likely the night of the twenty-seventh does
not mean that this is always the case. It could be any of the other
odd-numbered nights of the last ten days ofRamadan. Some of the
scholars ruled that it is more likely that it moves and does not come
on a specific night each year.

Fathwa, - Praying When Pregnant: Obligatory?

Question:
Is it fard upon a woman in her 9 monthpregnancy to pray, as she finds
it very difficult?
Answer:
Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
It remains obligatory for a pregnant woman to pray: if she can pray
standing, she must; if shecan�t do so without genuine hardship or
unbearable pain, then sitting down on the ground, with prostration; if
she can�t, then sitting with head motions. But she must pray.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us
that the first deed the believer will be asked about on the Day of
Judgment is their prayer

Fathwa, - Women’s prayer different than men

Question:
I�ve heard that there�s a hadith, that says that the prophet (saw)
says ''pray as you see me'', and that this means that men and women
pray in exactly the same way, but I�ve been taught that women pray
differently than men. So I would be grateful if you could clarify this
for me, inshaAllah
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah,
It is true that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him
peace) said, �Pray as you see me pray.�
At the same time, it is decisively established�as the answer below
shows�that the leading female Companions (Allah be pleased with them
all) prayed differently from the way male Companions (Allah be pleased
with them all)prayed. This returns to how the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him andgive him peace) himself taught the former to pray,
and to the wisdom of the Lawgiver in noting the physical differences
between men and women and thebest expression of modesty, humility, and
reverence before Allah befitting each.
And Allah alone gives success.

Fathwa, - Nifas – Postnatal Bleeding

Question:
In the first link below this email [1], it says that the labouring
women should pray until most of the baby is out. How is this possible
when she would be bleeding at the time of her child's birth? That is,
women bleed for about 40 days after the birth of the baby, and I did
not think that salat was possible at this time since it's similar
to/same as menstruating? I believe we would make up these salats, but
we obviously cant pray when we are bleeding?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
Assalamu alaykum
A woman in post natal bleeding (nifas) is under the same restrictions
as amenstruating woman, namely she is not to pray, fast or have sexual
relations with her husband. This period of nifas commences once half
of the baby exits. Before this, any bleedingseen is to be considered
abnormal uterine bleeding (istihada) and does not prevent one from
prayer and fasting; rather this bleeding has the same rules as
bleeding from anywhereelse on the body, namely that it is impure and
nullifies ablution. Shouldthe bleeding persist to the end of a prayer
time, however, then one is to perform ablution and pray even if one
continues bleeding as one is excused due to ones difficult
circumstances.
One may therefore pray in the period prior to childbirth even if one
has continuous bleeding as one is excused during continuous bleeding
from the normal rules of purification. One's ablution would not be
nullified by the bleeding and nor would one be obliged to wash the
blood from one's clothing if the clothing would just become bloodied
again after washing. One's ablution would, however, be nullified by
the entry of the next prayer time, andone would have to renew one's
ablution to be able to pray in the new prayer time.
As mentioned in the link provided in the question,if one is unable to
perform the ritual ablution one may perform tayammum.
And Allah knows best.

The lineage of the Prophet Muhammad-I

The lineage of Prophet Muhammadhas three versions: The first was
authenticated by biographers and genealogists and states that Prophet
Muhammad'sgenealogy has been traced to Adnaan. The second is subject
to controversies and doubt. It traces his lineage beyond Adnaan back
to prophet Ibraaheem)Abraham(. The third version, which definitely has
some inaccuracies, traces his lineage beyondIbraaheem back to Aadam
)Adam(.
The first part: MuhammadIbn 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib )who
wascalled Shaybah( Ibn Haashim, )named 'Amr( Ibn 'Abd Munaf )called
Al-Mugheera( Ibn Qusayy)also called Zayd( Ibn Kilaab Ibn Murrah Ibn
Ka'b Ibn Lu'ayy Ibn Ghaalib Ibn Fahr )who was called Quraysh and whose
tribe was called after him( Ibn Maalik Ibn An-Nadr )so called Qays(
Ibn Kinaanah Ibn Khuzaymah Ibn Mudrikah)who was called 'Amir( Ibn
Elias Ibn Mudar Ibn Nizar Ibn Ma'ad Ibn Adnaan.
The second part: Adnaan Ibn Add Ibn Humaisi' Ibn Salaman Ibn 'Aws Ibn
BuzIbn Qamwal Ibn Obai Ibn 'Awwam Ibn Nashid Ibn Haza Ibn Bildas Ibn
YadlafIbn Tabikh Ibn Jahim Ibn Nahish Ibn Makhi Ibn Aid Ibn 'Abqar Ibn
'Ubaid Ibn Ad-Da'a Ibn Hamdan Ibn Sanbir Ibn Yathrabi Ibn Yahzin Ibn
Yalhan Ibn Ar'awi Ibn Aid Ibn DeshanIbn Aisar Ibn Afnad Ibn Aiham Ibn
Muksar Ibn Nahith Ibn Zarih Ibn SamiIbn Mazzi Ibn 'Awda Ibn Aram Ibn
Qaidar Ibn Ismaa'eel )Ishmael( son of Ibraaheem )Abraham(, may Allaah
exalt their mention.
The third part: beyond IbraaheemIbn Tarih)Azar( Ibn Nahur Ibn Saru'
Ibn Ra'u Ibn Falikh Ibn Abir Ibn Shalikh Ibn Arfakhshad Ibn Sam Ibn
Nooh )Noah(Ibn Lamik Ibn Mutwashlack Ibn Akhnukh ]Prophet Idrees
)Enoch([Ibn Yarid Ibn Mahla'il Ibn QaIbn Anusha Ibn Shith Ibn Aadam.
The prophetic family:
The family of Prophet Muhammadis called the Hashimite family after his
grandfather Haashim Ibn 'Abd Munaf. Let us now speak a little about
Haashim and his descendants:
1-Haashim: He was the one responsible for giving food and water to the
pilgrims. This had been his charge when the sons of 'Abd Munaf and
those of 'Abd Ad-Dar compromised on dividingthe charges between them.
Haashim was wealthy and honest. He was the first to offer the pilgrims
sopped bread in broth. His first name was 'Amr but he was called
Haashim because he had been in the practice of crumbling bread )for
the pilgrims(.
He was also the first man who started Quraysh's two journeys of summer
and winter. It was reported that he went to Syria as a merchant. In
Al-Madeenah, he married Salmah, the daughter of 'Amr from Bani 'Adi
Ibn An-Najjaar. He spent some time with her in Al-Madeenah then he
left for Syria again while she was pregnant. He died in Ghazza in
Palestine in 497 CE. Later, his wife gave birth to 'Abdul-Muttalib and
named him Shaybah because of the white hair on his head, and brought
him up in her father's house in Al-Madeenah. None of hisfamily in
Makkah learnedof his birth. Haashim had four sons: Asad, Abu
Saifi,Nadla and 'Abdul-Muttalib, and five daughters Ash-Shifa,
Khalida, Da'ifa, Ruqyah and Jannah.
2-'Abdul-Muttalib: After the death of Haashim, thecharge of the
pilgrims' food and water went to his brother, Al-Muttalib Ibn 'Abd
Munaf )who washonest, generous and trustworthy(. When 'Abdul-Muttalib
reached the age of boyhood, his uncle Al-Muttalib heard of him and
went to Al-Madeenah to fetch him. When he saw him, tears filled his
eyes and rolled down his cheeks, he embraced him and took him on his
camel. The boy, however, abstained from going with him to Makkah until
he took his mother's consent. Al-Muttalib asked her to send the boy
with him to Makkah, but she refused. He managed to convince hersaying:
"Your son is going to Makkah to restore his father's authority, and to
live in the vicinity of the Sacred House."
There in Makkah, people wondered at seeing 'Abdul-Muttalib, and they
considered him the slave of Al-Muttalib. Al-Muttalibsaid: "He is my
nephew, the son of my brother Haashim." The boy was brought up in
Al-Muttalib's house, but later on Al-Muttalib died in Bardman in
Yemen, so 'Abdul-Muttalib took overand managed to maintain his
people's prestige and exceeded his grandfather in his honorable
behavior, which earned him deep love and high esteem from the people
of Makkah.
3-When Al-Muttalib died, Nawfal usurped 'Abdul-Muttalib's charges, so
the latter asked for help fromthe Quraysh, but they abstained from
extending any sort of support to either of them. Consequently, he
wrote to his uncles of Bani An-Najjaar )his mother's brothers( to come
to his aid. His uncle,Abu Sa'd Ibn 'Adyy )his mother's brother(
marched to Makkah at the head of eighty horsemen and camped inAbtah in
Makkah. 'Abdul-Muttalib received the men and invited them to go to his
house but Abu Sa'd said: "Not before I meet Nawfal." He found Nawfal
sitting with some old men of Quraysh in theshade of Al-Ka'bah. Abu
Sa'd drew his sword and said: "I swear by Allaah that if you don't
restore to my nephew what you have taken, I will kill you with this
sword." Nawfal was thus forced to give up what he had usurped, and the
notables of Quraysh were made to witness to his words.
Abu Sa'd then went to 'Abdul-Muttalib's house where he stayed for
three nights, made 'Umrah )minor pilgrimage( and left backfor
Al-Madeenah. Later on, Nawfal entered into alliance with Bani 'Abd
Shams Ibn 'Abd Munaf against Bani Haashim. When Khuza'a, a tribe, saw
Bani An-Najjaar's support to 'Abdul-Muttalib they said: "He is our son
as he is yours. Wehave more reasons to support him than you." 'Abd
Munaf's mother was one of them. They went into An-Nadwa House )a place
they used to gatherin to discuss serious matters( and entered into
alliance with Bani Haashim against Bani 'Abd Shams and Nawfal. It was
an alliance that was later to constitute the main reason for the
conquest of Makkah. 'Abdul-Muttalib witnessed two importantevents in
his lifetime, namely digging the Zamzam well and the Elephant raid.
Digging the Well of Zamzam
The well of Zamzam originated for the sake ofIsmaa'eelwhen he and his
mother Haajar)Hagar( were overtaken by thirst, Allaah the Almighty
caused a streamof water to flow in the empty desert. Haajar contained
the flowing water by building a mound around it and it turned into a
well. At the time of leaving Makkah, the Jurhum tribe coveredit with
dust and so, for a long time it could not be traced. When the task of
giving water to the pilgrims was entrusted to'Abdul-Muttalib, he
started searching for it along with his elder son Haarith, but their
efforts proved fruitless.
One day, 'Abdul-Muttalib saw the location of the well of Zamzam in his
dream and started digging for it. There were two idols, 'Isaf and
Naa'ilah kept at that spot.The Quraysh resented thisdisturbance and
became hostile and ready to fight. Although they wereonly two, father
and son, they prevailed over them and continued digging the well.
Realizing his isolation, 'Abdul-Muttalib invoked Allaah the Almighty
that in case He gave him ten sons, he would sacrifice one of hissons
in the name of God. After a short period, the well appeared and he was
also blessed with tensons.

The lineage of the Prophet Muhammad-II

The Elephant Raid
The King of Abyssinia )Ethiopia( had capturedYemenfor a very short
period. During the lifetime of 'Abdul-Muttalib,Yemenwas under the rule
of the King of Abyssinia. In those days Abrahah Ashram was the
governor ofYemenon behalf of the king. He built a temple inYemenand
persuaded the Arabs to perform Hajj at thetempleofYemeninstead of the
Ka'bah. However, he was not successful in his endeavor. In order to
put him to disgrace, an Arab defecated in the temple to desecrate it.
Abrahah grew so furious that he invaded Makkah with the intention of
destroying the Houseof Allaah -- the Ka'bah. He used elephants in his
attack, so the people of Makkah called them thePeople of the Elephant
and the year came to be known as the Year of the Elephant.
When the Quraysh came to know of the attack, they were filled with
fear, as they were no match for such a large and strong army. They
jointly requested their chief,'Abdul-Muttalib to go to Abrahah and
explore a way to avert the battle. When 'Abdul-Muttalib presented
himself to Abrahah, hewas greatly impressed and held him in high
esteem. 'Abdul-Muttalib stated that Abrahah's army had captured 200
camels, which belonged to him. Thereupon Abrahah remarked that he took
him to be a wise person but he obviously was mistaken. He
)'Abdul-Muttalib( was aware that Abrahah had come with the sole
purpose of demolishing the House of Allaah — the Ka'bah. However,
intentionally ignoring the topic, he only spoke of his camels instead
of saving the Ka'bah.
'Abdul-Muttalib said: " I am merely the owner of the camels, but this
House also has an Owner and He will save it."
The answer enraged Abrahah andhe burst out in anger saying he would
see if the Lord of the House would save it. His army was destroyed and
left like an empty field from which all the corn has been eaten up,
and only the straw with stalks and stubblewas left. The complete rout
of Abrahah's forces after 'Abdul Muttalib's daring reply was a
verysignificant event forArabia, which put great fear of Allaah in
their hearts.
After that fateful event, the rule ofYemenwent out of the hands of the
Abyssinian king and Sayf Ibn Dhi Yazin captured the country.
'Abdul-Muttalib took some nobles of Quraysh and went to congratulate
Sayf on his victory. Sayf Ibn Dhi Yazin gave 'Abdul-Muttalib glad
tidings that the last Prophet would be raised from his
)'Abdul-Muttalib's( offspring. This prophecy found wide currency and
fame. All the members of the delegation thought that the last Prophet
would be raised from their progeny. Each of them contacted the
soothsayers and monks hoping for good news but returned disappointed.
We have mentioned that 'Abdul-Muttalib invoked Allaah the Almighty
that in case he was granted ten sons, he would sacrifice one of them
in the nameof God. 'Abdul-Muttalib had ten sons, Al-Haarith,
Az-Zubayr, Abu Talib, 'Abdullaah, Hamzah, Abu Lahab, Ghidaq, Maqwam,
Safar and Al-'Abbaas. He also had six daughters, who were Umm
Al-Hakim, Barrah, 'Atikah, Safiya, Arwa and Omayma.
'Abdullaah was the father of Prophet Muhammad. His mother was Fatimah,
daughter of'Amr Ibn 'A'idh Ibn 'Imran Ibn Makhzum Ibn Yaqdha Ibn
Murrah.'Abdullaah was the most handsome of 'Abdul-Muttalib's sons, the
chastest and the most loved. He was also the son whomthe divination
arrows pointed at, to be slaughtered as a sacrifice toAl-Ka'bah. When
'Abdul-Muttalib had ten sons and they reached maturity, he revealed to
them hissecret vow which they silently and obediently accepted. Their
names were written on divination arrows and given to the guardian of
their most beloved goddess, Hubal.
The arrows were shuffled and drawn. An arrow showed that it was
'Abdullaah to be sacrificed. 'Abdul-Muttalib then took the boyto
Al-Ka'bah with a razor to slaughter the boy. Quraysh, his uncles from
Makhzoom tribe and his brother Abu Talib, however, tried to dissuade
him from consummating his purpose. Aftermuch discussion they turned to
Saja', a famous soothsayer. She pointed out that blood money fortheir
)'Abdul-Muttalib's( clan was ten camels. Thus, they should
put'Abdullaah on one side and ten camels on the other and then draw
the lots.
In case the camels were chosen they would be slaughtered, but
if'Abdullaah was chosen they should add ten more camels and draw
again. They should keep adding to the number of the camels until the
camels were drawn. This exercise went on until the number of camels
reached one hundred. 'Abdul-Muttalib drew the lots twice more for his
personal satisfaction, but each time it fill upon the camels. Hence,
100 camels were slaughtered and 'Abdullaah was saved. Since that time,
the blood money of a person who was killed was fixed at one hundred
camels.
'Abdul-Muttalib chose Aaminah, daughter of Wahab Ibn 'Abd Munaaf Ibn
Zahrah Ibn Kilaab, as a wife for his son, 'Abdullaah. In the light of
this ancestral lineage,she stood eminent in respect of nobility of
position and descent. Her father was the chief of Bani Zahrah, to whom
great honor was attributed. They were married in Makkah, and soon
after 'Abdullaah was sent by his father to buy dates in Madeenah where
he died. According to another version, 'Abdullaah went toSyriaon a
trade journey and died in Al-Madeenah on his way back. He was buried
in the house of An-Nabigha Al-Ju'di. He was twenty-five years old when
he died. Most historians state that his death was two months before
the birth of Prophet Muhammad. Some others said that his death was two
months after the Prophet's birth. When Aaminah was informed of her
husband's death, she composed a heart-rending elegy in his memory.
'Abdullaah left very little wealth --five camels, a small number of
goats, a woman servant called Barakah Umm Ayman, who would later
serve as the Prophet's nursemaid.