A good sister is more than a good friend.

A good sister is more than a good friend. If sheloves you, she would
do for Allah's sake, with no self-interest. When you'rewith her, you
won't be hurt or ignored. She loves for you what she loves for
herself. She is always concerned about your hereafter and your own
good, she will always remind you of obeying Allah. she alwaysgives
advice, shares her knowledge, keeps contact with you, asks about you
and will always be there for you.
In this Dunya, she is a trustworthy and loving companion. In the
Akhira(the hereafter), because of her love you will be shaded under
Allah's shade, in shaa Allah ♥
The Prophet ﷺ reminds usof the importance of good company in this
hadith (record of the Prophet ﷺ): "A good friend and a bad friend are
like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give
you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at
least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might
singe your clothes, and atthe very least you will breathe in the fumes
of the furnace." [Bukhari, Muslim] —

The Most Excellent Jihad

Bismillahir-Rahma-nir-Raheem
"The most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of oneself." This
was a saying of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), our
most blessed prophet. What does it mean to conquer oneself? It is when
the ruh, the spirit, the soul of the body is in control of the body
and the body is no longer in control. There is a lack of understanding
of the reality of the ruh (soul)and it's position in our lives, as
Muslims.
As Sheikh Riyadh al-Haq of London explained in a lecturedhe delivered:
Allah created the angels and fused in them intelligence and created
them from nur (light) and thus the nature of the angels is such that
they have no needs or desires. No need for food, drink, associates,
and relationships. Each angel is created for a certain purpose and
allthat angel does is whatAllah has appointed him to do. Whatever his
duty is, he will obeyAllah subhanahu wa ta'ala. They do not change at
all.
On the other hand, Allah azzowajal created animals, the beasts. But
Allah did not give them any nur or intelligence like the angels, but
Allah created in them the need as well as the desire for bestial
things--food, drink, relationships, the needand the urge to reproduce,
the need for company. But Allah gave them no intelligence, so the
animals spend life eating, drinking, associating, growing up, and
dying and there's nothing more to their lives.
On this hand, we have the creation, the purpose, and the life ofthe
animals and the beasts. On the other hand, we have the creation, as
well as the purpose and the kind of lives the angels have, the
Malaa'ikah. On the one hand, we have what's created from nur and
intelligence. They're whole life is ibaadah and the obedience of Allah
azzowajal and carrying out the tasks Allah had appointed. On the other
hand, we have the animals, where there is no intelligence, neither
were they created from nur. Because neither of these will change, and
they have been given no choice of change, they will be neither
rewarded nor punished.
In between these two, Allah has created man. And in man, Allah has
given him a bit of both.Although man is made of dust, Allah has
givenhim some intelligence, so man, on the one hand, shares
characteristics with the animals and on theother hand, he shares
characteristics with the angels. Allah has also given man choice and
it is within man's grasp and ability to change himself and because he
can change, Allah has promised him reward for good and righteousness
and punishment for evil and sinfulness. Man, according to his
obedience or lack of obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala isinclined
to either of the two. Either he becomes close to the angels, their
characteristics, and their ways or man can fall so low, he becomeslike
the animals and the beasts. In fact, Allah describes this in the
Qur'an. Allah says:
"Indeed We have created man in the best fashion and mold, then We have
reduced him to the lowest of the low."
When a human being comes into the world in the form of a baby, Allah
makes it beautiful, both physically and in spirit.It is born pure. But
throughout the life, according to the company and according to the
deeds,that same child becomes so evil that Allah describes him as
being the lowest of thelow. Except of course"Illalladhina aamanu wa
amilussalihaat"--thosewho believe and do good deeds. Allah describes
those who have gone far from the path of Allah, "These people are like
animals. Nay! They are even worse."
On the other hand, through his ibaadah (worship), through his
obedience, mankind can rise. Man can rise to such heights that the
angels seek their attention. Man can rise to such heights, that, as
Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) explains in a hadith, even the
angelsbecome envious of man's position. But notin a bad way because
angels are incapable ofsin and they will never sin, but in terms of
admiration and respect. Man can rise to such heights that Allah boasts
of man to His angels. In a hadithi qudsi, Allah says, "I am with my
servant as he thinks of Me." The meaning of this hadith is the way a
person sees Allah, how he views Him, the kinds ofexpectations he has
from Allah, Allah azzowajal deals with him accordingly. If man
despairs of Allah'smercy, then Allah azzowajal will deprive him of His
mercy. "I amwith my servant as he thinks of Me and I am with him
whenever he thinks of Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I remember
him in My heart. If he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in
a better gathering," the gathering of the angels. And the thing that
makes man's temperament and his character flexible, the thing which
gives him the ability to do good and bad is not the body. It is the
ruh. And because there is no ruhin the animals, they will not change
for the worse or the better, but Allah has given man the body, the
flesh, the bones, the blood, his needs, his urges, his desires, and
together with that, Allah has given him intelligence and Allah has
given him the ruh.
That ruh does not come from the same origin as his body, his needs,
his desires, and urges--these things come from the animals. His ruh
comesfrom the heavens, his ruh comes from another realm all together
and it is this that changes man, thatmakes him better or worse. The
ruh is the essential part of the man's body, not the rest. The essence
of lifeis the ruh. When Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to
Adam (alaiyhis-salam),they were not commanded to only prostrate to the
body. No. Allah says in the Qur'an: "When I have completed the
creationof Adam, when I have fashioned him completely and when I have
blown into him ofmy ruh, then fall down into prostration." So, it's
not the body, the flesh, the bones that the angels were supposed to
respect, it was the ruh of the man. And the life of thearwah (plural
of ruh) began then, not at the moment of birth, nor will it end at the
time of death. That is why it is so important to realize that the ruh
is the essence of life, it is the essence of the human being, the
essence of Allah's creation, and not the body. Allah provides a cage,
a shell, a means of transport for the ruhand that cage, that shell,
that means of transport is none otherthan the body.
But, Subhannallah, we have neglected the ruhand we have devoted our
entire attention to the body, the cage, the shell. If we devote our
entire attention to this body, the cage, the shell, the flesh, the
bones, then there could be none more foolish than ourselves. Just as
the body needs food, drink and nourishment, the ruh needs food, drink,
and nourishment. Allah gives it everything; its food, drink, energy,
and nourishment and it comes from the same origin it was created. The
ruh needs to survive, but its nourishment does not come from the
dunya, the earth, the dust. Because the ruh comesfrom Allah, it is
heavenly, it is celestial,it is elevated. The nourishment all
comesfrom the same source and the nourishment of the ruh is the Qur'an
and the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah. And only that can upkeep the
ruh. It can give it strength, it can suspend it. But imagine how
foolish we would be if we allow the ruh, which has survived and has
journeyed from the moment Allah creatingit in the "Realm of the
Spirits," if we allow this spirit that carried all the way from there
into this short phase inthe dunya because of our neglect, our lack of
attention because we are too preoccupied with the shell, the body, if
we allow the real person, the real essence to die in this dunya and if
the ruh dies now and if we don't allow it to prosper, then indeed we
have destroyed ourselves. (Remember the ruh will not literally die.)
Allah swears by all His creations, the sun, the moon, the day, the
night, the heavens, the canopy of the heavens and Allah who raised the
canopy and the earth and the soul. Allah even swears by the soul and
Allah who created and fashioned the soul and after having created the
soul, Allah inspired it to both good as well asevil. "We sewed and
guided man to both ways of good as well as evil." After swearingupon
all these things, Allah says, "Successful is thee." And the meaning of
true success is the bliss of the akhira, the hereafter. Successful is
thee who allows the soul, the ruh, to grow and prosper, who cleanses
his soul to let it grow and prosper. Indeed, he is successful. And he
whoreduces the growth of the ruh, suppresses it, and prevents it from
expanding and growing, indeed he is the one who is a loser.
If we kill off our ruh merely for the lavishment and enjoyments of the
worldly desires, we aregoing to do it at the expense of our ruh, which
never dies. Our bodies will die, but Allah has made our ruh, so that
it will "live on." Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) was lying
on top of a mat. The Sahaba entered; the mat was course; it wasvery
rough. It's the kind of straw mat that we see in hot countries.
Rasoolullah
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) stood up. The upper part of his body
was bare. The Sahaba noticed the criss-cross marks of the mat
impressed on the back of the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam)
and they said,"Oh, Prophet of Allah! Why didn't you inform us? Had you
told us, wecould've laid out some bedding for you, so you could rest
in comfort and you wouldnot have those marks on your back." Upon this,
he replied, "What connection do I have with the dunya? I am but a
traveler who takes shade under the tree from the heat of the sun and
when he has rested, he gets up and leaves the tree." So, man is a
traveler in the world. The ruh is a traveler and the Prophet
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) teaches us by example and demonstrates
by person that the body does not require the attention we lavish over
it, especially at the expense of the ruh.Why? Because the body is
merely a cage, a shell, a means of transportation and the real
traveler is the ruh. And if we neglect the ruh, we will die, die a
spiritual death even if we live for over a hundred years.
It is well known that everything has a heart,an essence to life. If
theheart is not healthy, if the essence is rotting, then it is only a
question of time before everything else suffers and similarly, if our
ruh suffers, if our ruh dies a spiritual death, if the growth of our
ruh is prevented and if it is suppressed, then it does not matterhow
beautiful our a'mal may seem, how beautiful our outward life may seem,
our obedience may seem, no matter how religious we say seem to
ourselves and to others, it is only a question of time before the
internal rot takes over. It is only a question of time that the
corruption within takes over and destroys everything.
The following examplewill show how essential the physical heart is to
the physical body and how, despite the outward strength and stamina of
the body, if the physical heart is not stronger, then the rest has no
impact. It's a reverse. The heart will determine the life and strength
of that individual. For example, a few years ago, in America, there
was a famous fitness fanatic, so famous for being fit himself, as well
as teaching it to others, that he was given the title "Fitness Guru."
He was extremely healthy, but one day he went out for a jog at a young
age, fell down flat, and died. How? The heart. Despite being a fitness
guru and instructor, despite the outward strength of the body, the
heart was weak. The physical heart is what determines the health and
life of the person. Likewise, how beautiful our a'mal may seem to
ourselves and others, no matter how religious we and others consider
us, or how spiritual and holy we may seem, the health of our spiritual
life is not so much so determined by our religiousness and deeds as by
the health of the ruh. If the ruh is healthy, it will be in the
highest of the high.But if the ruh is ill--prevented from growing and
prospering, even though we may be beautiful and attractive from the
outside, as the munafiqeen (hypocrites) were, we've lost ourselves and
not only have we lost ourselves, we havedestroyed ourselves.
The reality is that though we may be attractive and loved to be viewed
by others, if the ruh is neglected and suppressed and has no
nourishment, Allah says they are hollow planks, as the munafiqeen
were. Hollow planks that were made to lean against a wall because they
cannot stand by themselves. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam)
said, "Indeed, Allah will not view your bodies or your wealth, Allah
will see your hearts and youre a'maland even more important than that
is the state of the ruh."
Now, the ruh can rise. It can rise to the heights of the angels. It
can become so powerful that it could take over the whole body because
it's attached to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Then the body becomes
obedient and subservient to the ruh. If the ruh engages in the dhikr
and remembrance of Allah, then the body will do the same. If the ruh
does not wish to disobey Allah azzowajal, then despite the cravings of
the nafs, despite the desires and passions ofthe rest of the body, the
ruh will prevent it. But if the ruh is weak and the body craves the
worldly desires of the nafs, the ruh will succumb, it will submit, and
it will giveup. And that means theruh is dead and the entire body is
corrupt. The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) said, "Indeed there
is apiece of flesh in the body and if pure, the whole body will be
pure and if corrupt, thewhole body will be corrupt. It is the
heart."The heart that the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) is
referring to is the ruh, the essence of life.
We can rise, but what prevents us? The bestial passions, urges,and
desires--these things that we share with the animals. This animal-like
behavior prevents us from risingto the heights of the angels and keeps
us down to the level of the beasts.
(End of part of lecture that was delivered by Sheikh Riyadh al-Haq.)
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given us the opportunity to shake off
this restriction and to rise from that low level. How? He gives usthe
month of Ramadan, a month in which He chains the Shayateen in order to
let us rise about our desires and urges and he gives the ruh a chance
to survive, grow, and prosper. Instead of eating, drinking, and
indulging in our passions during our fasting periods, we should take
advantage of the time Allah gives us to rise to the heights of the
angels by indulging in His dhikr, His remembrance, and in reciting the
Holy Qur'an, the soother of pains, the healer of thedeepest wounds,
the spring that nourishes the soul when sick, the well that bathes the
body when tired, the passionate companion in the grave, the interceder
on the Day of Judgement, the nur of the straight path, the shield and
protection against the Hellfire. The miracle and blessing of the
Qur'an is the cure for reviving the ruh. The holy month of Ramadan has
passed before our eyes, but that does not mean wemust wait till then
to nourish our souls, our arwah, our real persons, our real qualities,
our real characteristics. We canstart now, this very moment. It is up
to us to take that first step.
The reciting of the Qur'an has dynamic powers. If we could only
observe it properly. The Qur'an was not send down to only read when
one passes away, but today, it seems that this is a ritual when it
comes to reading this most auspicious Book. It was sent down as a
guidance to mankind, an answer to all questions, the solutionto all
problems, the cure to all things. And it was sent down for usto apply
in our daily lives, to apply to every single aspect of our lives. What
is the Qur'an? It is the channel of communication between the servant
and his Lord. It is the very words spoken by our Lord, Himself, which
He has promised to protect until the Day of Resurrection; the one
revelation which has remained unchanged since it was revealed. It is
most powerful in its eternal mission of enlightening the hearts of the
believers.
We must divert our attention from the body, the bones, the flesh, the
cage, the shell, the means of transportation to the real essence of
life, the real traveler in the world, the ruh.
We must do our best toprevent ourselves fromindulging in the needs and
desires of the body: unnecessary consuming of food anddrink,
un-Islamic association, un-Islamicgatherings, which holdno benefit,
movies, music, TV, sleeping, and the list goes on and on.
Unless by this lecture you were affected tremendously, can you let go
of all these worldly bestial things all at once. Most of us can't do
it, but we can do it, gradually. For example, by reducing the amount
of music one listens to or the amount of TV one watches, then
gradually quitting TV and music and substituting them withother more
Islamically beneficial things.
If we sincerely want to give our ruh a chance to live, if we sincerely
want to be successful in the akhirah, if we sincerely want to receive
the love and pleasure of Allah, Most Exalted, the Compassionate, the
Merciful, if we sincerely want to learnto love Him and devoteand
submit ourselves to Him fully, and Him alone, we must repent.We must
repent sincerely and meaningfully to Allah and ask for His forgiveness
for our sins, our ignorance in neglecting the ruh, Islam, His ibadah,
His remembrance, after all the kindness He shows us in keeping us
alive and healthy and of course in many, many other ways. When one
repents sincerely, he is so taken by remorse that tears gush from his
eyes as water gushes from a cliff in the form of a waterfall.If we
can't seem to cry, we must concentrate and force ourselves to cry, for
even this will help in more ways than one.
Insha Allah, if we repent, we must not only ask for Allah's
forgiveness, but His guidance to the Siraatul Mustaqeem forus and our
families and all Muslims. We must ask for His help innourishing our
souls. We must ask Him to help us become such servants who love Him
more than our family and our wealth. Subhannallah, by Allah's will, a
message of truth has been submitted and only by His will, will it
enter our hearts and only by His divine will, will we take heed and
may Allah allow our hearts to soften up to His message, the Holy
Qur'an and that we willallow it to prosper ourselves without giving it
a second thought.
Whether you at work, school, or home reading this, you can start
nourishing your ruh now. If at work or school, start doing tasbih with
concentration on your glorification of Allah. Try to abstain from
mixing freely with the opposite sex. Wherever there is free mixing of
men and women, Shaytaan is there to arouse in them evil thoughts
anddesires. If you are able,pray your required salah at work or
schoolif there is no nearby mosque. Who cares what the non-Muslims
think? Why? On the Day of Judgement, theywill not be your protectors
or your helpers or the forgivers of your sins. The Only Protector,
Helper, Forgiver of sinsis Allah and only He will help us on the Day
when we will need help the most, if we deserve such kindness and
mercy.
If you are at home reading this, make wudu, pray your required salah,
plus 2 nafl salah of Salaatut-Towbah (prayer of repentance) after the
required salah. After offering salah, pick up the Qur'an, kiss it,
openit, and beginning in the name of Allah, startreading with the pure
intention of gaining guidance and the pure intention of pleasing Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala. If you cannot read Arabic, please learn how.
Until then, read the translation of the Qur'an in English orwhatever
language you understand best. Keep up with the habit of refraining
from sins,reciting the Qur'an, doing dhikr, offering prayers, and
making supplications (du'a) and Insha Allah, you will be successful.
None of us is perfect. Infact, we are far from it, but with a firm
intention and with the help of Allah, we can rise to the heights of
the angels, the highest of the high.
May Allah include us among those who are successful in His eyes,
successful in this worldas Muslims (who submit fully to Allah) and
more importantly, successful in the akhirah (hereafter). May Allah
give us the towfique to better ourselves and may He include us among
those of whom He has favored, not those whoearn His anger, nor those
who go stray. Ameen.

The Woman as Human Being and Equal to Man

Islam was revealed at a time when a lot of people denied the humanity
of the woman;some were skeptical about it; and still others admitted
it, yet considered the woman athing created for the humble service of
the man.
With the advent of Islam,circumstances improved for the woman. The
woman's dignity and humanity were restored.Islam confirmed her
capacity to carry out Allah's commands, her responsibilities and
observation of the commands that lead to heaven.
Islam considered the woman as a worthy human being, with a share in
humanity equal to that of the man. Their single origin, their general
human traits, their responsibility for the observation of religious
duties with the consequent reward or punishment, and the unity of
their destiny all bear witness to their equality from the Islamicpoint
of view. This fact isestablished in the Noble Qur'an.
" O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single
person (Adam) and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from
them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom
you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the
wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you." The
Holy Qur'an, Chapter 4, Verse 1
As is stated in another verse:
" It is He Who has created you from a single person (Adam), and (then)
He has created from him his wife (Eve), in order that he might enjoy
the pleasure of living with her." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 7,Verse 189
The Qur'an, on its part, treats this issue of equality among men
andwomen from more than one perspective.
On the purely religious level
"Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allah in Islam) men and
women,the believers men and women (who believe in Islamic
Monotheism),the men and the women who areobedient (to Allah), the men
and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and
the women who are patient (in performing all the dutieswhich Allah has
ordered and in abstaining from all that Allah has forbidden), the men
andthe women who are humble (before their Lord Allah),the men and the
women who give Sadaqat, (i.e. Zakat, and alms, etc.),the men and the
women who fast (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadan and
the optional Nawafil fasting),the men and women who guard
theirchastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the menand women who
remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues (while sitting,
standing, lying, etc.) Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a
great reward (i.e. Paradise)." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 33, Verse35
On the basic social and religious responsibilities
The Qur'an establishes equality by maintaining
"The believers, men and women, are "Awliy," (helpers, supporters,
friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin(on the people)
Al-Ma`ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to
do);and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief
of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they offer their
prayers perfectly (lqamat-as-Salat), and give the Zakat and obey Allah
and His Messenger. Allah will have mercy on them." The Holy Qur'an,
Chapter 9, Verse 71
In Adam's story, Divine Orders were made to him and his wife, both and equally:
"O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and eat both ofyou
freely with pleasure and delight of things therein as wherever you
will, but come not near this tree or you both willbe of the Zalim'n
(wrongdoers)." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, Verse 35
What is new, however, about this story as given by the Qur'an is that
the temptation is blamed not on Eve but on Satan.
"Then the Satan made them slip there from (theParadise), and got them
out from that in which they were." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 236
The reverse of The Old Testament versions. ThusEve was neither the
sole eater from the tree, nor the one who initiated the act. Rather,
the mistake was theirs both, and both of them repented and asked for
forgiveness:
"They said, "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us
not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall be losers." The Holy
Qur'an, Chapter 7, Verse 23
Further still, some verses ascribe the trespass to Adam:
"And indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We
found on his part no firm will-power". Then Satan whispered to him
saying, "O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a
kingdom that will never waste away?" Thus did Adam disobey his Lord,
so he went astray." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 20, Verse 115, 120 and
121
Equality of punishment and reward and eligibility for Paradise
The Almighty says: "That was a nation who has passed away. They shall
receive the reward of what they earned and you of what you earn. And
you will not be asked of what they used to do." The Holy Qur'an,
Chapter 2, Verse 134 and 141.
Concerning the equality of men and women in receiving rewards and the
entry of paradise, God says:
"So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered
them), "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he
male or female." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 3, Verse 195
"And Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he(or
she) is a true believer(of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will
give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful
provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to
the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)."
The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 16, Verse 97
Financial matters
The rule of Islam abolished the conventions prevalent among many
nations which deprived the woman of the right of ownership,
inheritance, and those which createdobstacles against her exercise of
free and full control of her holdings. As a rule, Islam acknowledges
the woman's rights to all kinds of ownership, spending and channeling
of her money. It gives her the rights of inheritance, selling, buying,
renting, donating, lending, allocating property for religious and
charitable purposes, giving alms, legal transfer and mortgage, as well
as many other forms of contracts and actions.
Right to seek education
The woman's right to seek education or learning is basic and is also
guaranteed by Islamic teachings. Islam actually makes it incumbent on
the woman to seek knowledge; the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon
him) says, `seekingknowledge is incumbenton every Muslim," where"every
Muslim" obviouslyinvolves men and women on an equal footing as a rule
formalised by all authorities of jurisprudence.
Right to perform religious ordinances
The woman is also required to perform religious ordinances andforms of
worship the way the man is. Praying, fasting, Zakat (the alms
sanctifying tax), pilgrimage and all the other fundamental practices
in Islam are required of Muslims in their capacity, both men and
women, as responsible humans. Again the woman's actions are
recompensedby Allah the way the man's actions are.
Social activity
The woman is not excluded from the area of social activity; Allah says:
"The believers, men and women, are "Awliy," (helpers, supporters,
friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin(on the people)
Al-Ma`ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to
do); and forbid (people) fromAl-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief
of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden)." The Holy Qur�an,
Chapter9, Verse 71.
For instance, she can give refuge for those who seek it. If she hosts
a refugee, her action is to be respected and observed. This rule
relates back to Um Hanibint Abi Talib's giving relief to a father
in-law on the day of the Conquest of Mecca by Muslims. When her
brother wanted to kill him because he was an infidel, she complained
to Allah's Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) saying,"Allah's
Messenger, my mother's son insists on killing my refugee, Ibn Hubayra.
"The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) replied, "We confer
asylum on him that you give refuge to, Um Hani". [Mutafaq aley (agreed
upon) on the authority of Um Hani, The Pearl and the Coral (Al-Lu'lu'
wal-Marjan) (193)]

Hijab - Unveiling the Mystery

American Muslim womentoday are rediscovering the pristine Islam as
revealed by Allah, (God), to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh1), more than
1,400 years ago, but without any of the contradictions of ancestral
culture. Consequently they are essentially engaging in alife-long
exercise of rediscovering their own selves � what it means tobe a
human, a Muslim, and more so, a Muslim woman. Wearing a head-covering
(hijab) is an important part of their spiritual journey.
One of the most commonquestions today, asked by Muslims and
non-Muslims alike, is:"Why do Muslim women cover their heads?� The
answer is very simple - Muslim women observe hijab because Allah has
told them to do so:
"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to
draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among
men). Thatis better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims)
and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59).
Muslims believe that their sole purpose in life is the worship of God
alone, according to His instructions, as revealed in the Holy Qur�an,
and through the teachings ofthe Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). As such,
wearingthe hijab is an act of obedience to God and, hence, forms the
primary basis for wearing it.
Generalizations about Islam and Muslims are replete in today�s media.
Muslim women inheadscarves are frequently unfairly stigmatized. They
are regarded on the one hand as oppressed, and on the other, as
fanatics and fundamentalists. Both depictions are grossly wrong and
imprecise. Such portrayals not only misrepresent these women�s strong
feelingstowards hijab, but also fail to acknowledge their courage and
the resulting identity hijab gives them. There are even bans on
wearing the hijab in some countries. When asked about this, Aminah
Assilmi, a Christian convert to Islam, said: �To ask me to go out
without my hijab would be like asking a nun to go topless. It amazes
me,and I cannot help but wonder, if they would have ordered Mary, the
mother of Jesus (pbuh) to uncover her hair.�
Another misconception is the belief that Muslim women are forced to
wear hijab. For the vast majority of Muslim women, nothing could be
farther from the truth. Indeed, deciding finally to wear hijab is
often difficult. Days of meditation, fear of negative consequences and
reactions from family and/or the wider American society, and
ultimately, the need for plenty of courage weighheavily in reaching
the decision. Wearing hijab is a very personal and independent
decision, coming from appreciating the wisdom underlying Allah�s
command and a sincere wish to please Him.
�For me, the lead up to the decision to wear hijab was more difficult
than actually wearing it. I found that, al hamdulillah (praise be
toGod), although I did receive negative comments from people,
Iappreciated the feeling of modesty wearing the hijab gave me, and
ironically, the negative attention made me feel more proud to be
identified as a Muslim,� remarked Katherine Bullock, a Canadian
convert to Islam.
�To me hijab is a gift from Allah. It gives me the opportunity to
become closer to Allah. Also quite importantly, (it provides me) the
chance to stand and be recognized as a Muslim,"Fariha Khan of
Rockville, Maryland, said.
While the hijab identifies women as followers of Islam, with it comes
tremendous responsibility. Hijab is not merely a covering dress, but
more importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in
public. The headscarf is an outer manifestation of an inner commitment
to worshipping Allah � it symbolizes a commitment to piety. Self or
inner morality is what gives meaning to the external scarf. This can
be perceived from the overall demeanor of any Muslim woman � how she
acts, dresses, speaks, and so on. In a land where misinformation about
Islam and Muslims abounds, Muslim sisters have the opportunity to
portray Islam in its true light
Saba M. Baig, a graduateof Rutgers University, NJ, was 17 when she
seriously started wearing hijab. She feels that she is still in the
process of learning internal hijab. "My biggest realization was that
hijab was not just about wearing a scarf on my head, but more ofa
(veil) on my heart," said Baig. "Hijab is more than an external
covering. That�s the easypart of it all. It has a lot (more) to do
with modesty and just the way you present yourself."
Imaan, a convert to Islam, adds,"Unfortunately, it also has its down
side: you get discriminated against, treated as though you are
oppressed� I wear it for (Allah), and because I want to. Period."
Katherine Bullock observed that �after I started wearing hijab, I
noticed that people would often behave more circumspectly with me,
like apologizing if they swore. I appreciated that. I feel that
wearing hijab has given me an insight into a decent and upright
lifestyle.�
HIJAB IS AN ACT OF MODESTY
Modest clothing and hijab are precautions to avoid social violations.
The following verses of the Qur�an highlight that this is not limited
to women only.
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard
their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah
is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing
women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and
that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what
must ordinarily appear thereof; that they shoulddraw their veils over
their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..."
(Qur'an 24:30-31)
According to Jabir ibn Abdullah, when he askedthe Prophet (pbuh),
about a man�s gaze falling inadvertently on a strange woman, the
Prophet replied, "Turn your eyes away" (Muslim). In another tradition,
the Prophet (pbuh) chided for looking again at a woman � he said, the
second glance is from Satan.
So, contrary to popular belief, Muslim and non-Muslim, hijab is not
worn for men; to keep their illicit desires in check � that is their
own responsibility, as the above verse and Prophetic sayings show.
Rather, Muslim women wear it for God and theirown selves. Islam is a
religion of moderation and of balance between extremes. Therefore, it
does not expect women alone to uphold society�s morality and
uprightness. Rather, Islam asks men and women mutually to strive to
create a healthysocial environment where children may grow with
positive, beautiful, constructive and practical values and concepts.
In fact, for many women hijab is a constant reminder that they should
not have to design their lives and bodies for men. "Before I started
covering, I thought of myself based on what others thought of me. I
see that too often in girls, their happiness depends on how others
view them, especially men. Ever since, my opinion of myself has
changed so much; I have gained (a lot of) self-respect. I have
realized whether others may think of me as beautiful is not what
matters. How beautiful I think of myself and knowing that Allah finds
me beautiful makes me feel beautiful," Baig recounts.
The concept of modesty and hijab in Islam is holistic, and encompasses
both men and women. The ultimate goal is to maintain societal
stability and to please God.
Since Muslim women aremore conspicuous because of their appearance, it
is easier for people to associate them with the warped images they see
in the print and broadcast media. Hence, stereotypes are perpetuated
and Muslim women often seem"mysterious" to those not acquainted with
the religious meanings of hijab. This aura of"mystery" cannot be
removed until their lifestyles, beliefs and thought-systems are
genuinely explored. And,this cannot be achieved until one is not
afraid respectfully to approach Muslim women � or men for that matter.
So, the next time you see a Muslim, stop and talk to them � you�ll
feel, God-Willing, as if you�re entering a different world, the world
of Islam: full of humility, piety, and of course, modesty!
1. (pbuh) here stands forpeace be upon him
by Saulat Pervez

The Hijab as Daw'ah

Most Muslims are familiar with the variousreasons that Allah has
required women to wear hijab: The hijab reflects modesty, purity and
respect; it lessens temptation so that more serious sins will be
avoided; it protects women from the harm and molestation of evil men;
a woman who wears hijab will be evaluated for her intelligence and
skills rather than her appearance.
One important aspect that is often overlooked,however, is that the
hijab is a symbol of Muslim identity. A woman who covers her head is
making a statement that she is a member of the Muslim community and
that she follows a particular codeof moral conduct.
Allah says: "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the
believing women to draw their outer garments around them. That is more
suitable that they will be known (as Muslims and chaste believing
women) and not be abused." [Qur'an, 33:59]
"...that they will be known..." In America, where Islam is the fastest
growing religion (alhumdullilah), many people are coming to know what
this head covering really signifies and to understand the religion
that mandates it. The hijab, in effect, is an amazingly powerful tool
for dawah; one that Muslims themselves are probably not even aware of.
As with any tool, the key for effectiveness is appropriate and
knowledgeable use.
The most obvious first step would be for Muslim women to actually wear
the hijab. It is a tragic and upsetting phenomenon to see so many
Muslims dressing in the manner of the disbelievers (blue jeans,
T-shirts, short skirts, even shorts). The Prophet, sallalahu allahe wa
salam, said;"Whoever resembles a people is one of them." (Abu Dawood).
This is not only happening in America and other Western countries as
people attempt to assimilate and adopt thepractices of the prevailing
culture, but it is also occurring in Muslim countries at an alarming
rate.
A woman who refuses towear the hijab is disobeying Allah and
committing a serious sin,putting worldly pleasures above
spiritualattainment, and neglecting her duty to the religion of Islam.
Many scholars agree thatthe only reason a Muslimmay live in a
non-Muslimcountry is to conduct dawah and bring peopleto the true
religion. Howcan a woman perform dawah for Islam when she is not even
practicing it herself? To do this would be a form of hypocrisy and it
will not be successful.
Once a woman begins towear hijab she completes a large portion of her
responsibility for dawah with very little effort. Each time that she
goes to the grocery store, the library, to work, to school, or to any
other public place, she is spreading the magnificent message of Islam.
This is not only because of the outer hijab that she wears, butmore
importantly, the modesty of her behaviorthat accompanies it. When a
woman refrains from flirting with men, limits physical contact, and is
reserved and respectful, people may become curious and want to learn
more about this intriguing faith. It may just sow theseeds of
something wonderful.
At the University where I teach (which happens tobe a private,
Catholic school), women are often interested in my manner of dress and
demeanor. Each semester I have at least one student who requests my
involvementin a project for another class, usually comparative
religions. They are surprised whenthey learn the rationale for this
injunction and the fact that it was part of their religious heritage
as well. If I chose not to wear hijab, I would miss these wonderful
opportunitiesto share the beauty, peace and universality of my faith.
When there is the possibility for further discussion with those who
are interested, knowledge and understanding of the topic are
imperative. A very effective technique is to relate the concept to
something that is familiar to the other person. Some examples of
questions that could be posed include:
*. "Did you every wonderwhy Mary, the mother Jesus (alayhes salam)
wore clothing very similar to that of Muslims?"
*. "Why do Catholic nuns dress the way they do?"
*. "Did you know that in the Canon laws of the Catholic church today
there is a law that requires women to cover their heads in church?"
*. "Have you read in I Corinthians (Bible, 11:3-10) the verses
thatPaul wrote: 'Every man who prays of prophesies with his head
covered dishonors his head. And evey woman who prays or prophesies
with her head uncovered dishonors her head - it is just as though her
head were shaved. If a woman doesn't cover her head, she should have
her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair
cut off or shaved off, she should cover her head."
*. "Did you know that there are some Christian denominations, namely
the Amish and the Mennonites, who still require women to wear the head
covering?"
*. "Were you aware that is was the custom of Jewish women to go out in
public with a head covering and thatsome denominations still practice
this today?"
These discussion points demonstrate the obviousfact that the head
cover was not introduced by Islam, but rather that this requirement
has been in place for thousands of years. This can also be a cogent
segue to more crucial topics such as the fact that Moses, alayhes
salam, Jesus, alayhes salam and Muhammad, sallalahu allahe wa salam,
were all prophets of the same God and that they each carried the same
basic message. Islam corrected the errors that had been introduced
into previousrevelations by humans and completed the process that was
planned by Allah.
We should be proud to be Muslim. We should also be grateful for the
gift that Allah has given to each one of us: The perfect truth of
Islam that is our key to paradise. All others are being deluded by
Satan and following paths to destruction. With our gift comes the
responsibility to share the truth with those who are less fortunate.
We are all responsible tocarry the light of Islam. The hijab is an
outward manifestation of this light that burns within, and it can be
an effective tool for fulfillment of our obligation. We choose whether
to develop this light into a bright, radiant star or let it be
extinguished by foolish and selfish desires. May Allah guide each of
us to the true path.

Story,- The Boats of the Glen Carrig: Chapter 5

V
THE GREAT STORM
NOW, AS I have said, we came at last in safety to the open sea, and so
for a time had some degree of peace; though it was long ere we threw
off allof the terror which the Land of Lonesomeness had cast over our
hearts.
And one more matter there is regarding that land, which my memory
recalls. It will be remembered that George found certain wrappers upon
which there was writing. Now, in the haste of our leaving, he had
given no thought to take them with him; yet a portion of one he found
within the side pocket of his jacket, and it ran somewhat thus:--
"But I hear my lover's voice wailing in the night, and I go to find
him; for my loneliness is not to be borne. May Godhave mercy upon me!"
And that was all.
For a day and a night westood out from the land towards the North,
having a steady breeze to which we set our lug sails, and so made very
good way, the sea being quiet, though with a slow, lumbering swell
from the Southward.
It was on the morning ofthe second day of our escape that we met with
the beginnings of our adventure into the SilentSea, the which I am
about to make as clear asI am able.
The night had been quiet, and the breeze steady until near on to the
dawn, when the wind slacked away to nothing, and we lay there waiting,
perchancethe sun should bring the breeze with it. And this itdid; but
no such wind as we did desire; for when the morning came upon us, we
discovered all thatpart of the sky to be full of a fiery redness,
which presently spread away down to the South, so that an entire
quarter of the heavens was, as it seemed to us, a mighty arc of
blood-colored fire.
Now, at the sight of these omens, the bo'sun gave orders to prepare
the boats for the storm which we had reason to expect, looking for it
in the South, for it was from that direction that the swell came
rolling upon us. With this intent,we roused out so much heavy canvas
as the boats contained, for we had gotten a bolt and a half from the
hulk in the creek; also the boat covers which we could lash down to
the brass studs under the gunnels of the boats. Then, in each boat, we
mounted the whaleback--which had been stowed along the tops of the
thwarts--also its supports, lashing the same to the thwarts below the
knees. Then we laid two lengths of the stout canvas the full length of
the boat over the whaleback, overlapping and nailing them to the same,
so thatthey sloped away down over the gunnels upon each side as though
theyhad formed a roof to us. Here, whilst some stretched the canvas,
nailing its lower edges to the gunnel, others were employed in lashing
together the oarsand the mast, and to this bundle they secured a
considerable length of new three-and-a-half-inch hemp rope, which we
had brought away from the hulk along with the canvas. This rope was
then passed over the bows and in through the painter ring, and thence
to the forrard thwarts, where it was made fast, and we gave attention
to parcel it with odd strips of canvas against danger of chafe. And
the same was done in both of the boats, for we could not put our trust
inthe painters, besides which they had not sufficient length to secure
safe and easy riding.
Now by this time we hadthe canvas nailed down to the gunnel around our
boat, after which wespread the boat-cover over it, lacing it down to
the brass studs beneath the gunnel. And so we had all the boat covered
in, save a place in the stern where a man mightstand to wield the
steering oar, for the boats were double bowed. And in each boatwe made
the same preparation, lashing all movable articles, and preparing to
meet so great a storm as might well fill the heart with terror; for
the sky cried out to us that it would be no light wind, and further,
the great swell from the South grew more huge with every hour that
passed; thoughas yet it was without virulence, being slow and oily and
black against the redness of the sky.
Presently we were ready,and had cast over the bundle of oars and the
mast, which was to serveas our sea-anchor, and so we lay waiting. It
was at this time that the bo'sun called over to Josh certain advice
with regard to that which lay before us. And after that the two of
them sculled the boats a little apart; for there might be a danger of
their being dashed together by the first violence of the storm.
And so came a time of waiting, with Josh and the bo'sun each of them
at the steering oars, and the rest of us stowed away under the
coverings. From where I crouched near the bo'sun, I had sight of Josh
away upon our portside: he was standing up black as a shape of night
against the mighty redness, when the boat came to the foamless crowns
of the swells, andthen gone from sight in the hollows between.
Now midday had come and gone, and we had made shift to eat so good a
meal as our appetites would allow; for we had no knowledge how long it
might be ere we should have chance of another, if, indeed, we had ever
need to think more of such. And then, in the middle part of the
afternoon, we heard the first cryings of the storm--a far-distant
moaning, rising and falling most solemnly.
Presently, all the Southern part of the horizon so high up, maybe, as
some seven to ten degrees, was blotted out by a great black wall of
cloud, over which the red glare came down upon the great swells as
though from the light of some vast and unseen fire. It was about this
time, I observed that the sun had the appearance of a great full moon,
being pale and clearly defined, and seeming to have no warmth nor
brilliancy; and this, as may be imagined, seemed most strange to us,
the more so because of the redness in the South and East.
And all this while the swells increased most prodigiously; though
without making broken water: yet they informedus that we had done
wellto take so much precaution; for surely they were raised by a very
great storm. A little before evening, the moaning came again, and then
a space of silence; after which there rose a very sudden bellowing, as
of wild beasts, and then once more the silence.
About this time, the bo'sun making no objection, I raised my head
above the cover until I was in a standing position; for, until now,
Ihad taken no more than occasional peeps; and I was very glad of the
chance to stretch my limbs; for I had grown mightily cramped. Having
stirred the sluggishness of my blood, I sat me down again; but in such
position that I could see every part of the horizonwithout difficulty.
Aheadof us, that is to the South, I saw now that the great wall of
cloud had risen some further degrees, and there was something less of
the redness; though, indeed,what there was left of it was sufficiently
terrifying; for it appeared to crest the black cloud like red foam,
seeming, it might be, as though a mighty sea made ready to break over
the world.
Towards the West, the sun was sinking behind a curious red-tinted
haze, which gave it the appearance of a dull red disk. To the North,
seeming very high in thesky, were some flecks of cloud lying
motionless, and of a very pretty rose color. And here I may remark
that all the sea tothe North of us appearedas a very ocean of dull red
fire; though, as might be expected, the swells, coming up from the
South, against the light were so many exceeding great hills of
blackness.
It was just after I had made these observationsthat we heard again the
distant roaring of the storm, and I know not how to convey the
exceeding terror of that sound. It was as though some mighty beast
growled far down towards the South; and it seemed to make very clear
to me that we werebut two small craft in a very lonesome place. Then,
even while the roaring lasted, I saw a sudden light flare up, as it
were from the edge of the Southern horizon. It had somewhat the
appearance of lightning;yet vanished not immediately, as is the wont
of lightning; and more, it had not been myexperience to witness such
spring up from out of the sea, but, rather, down from the heavens. Yet
I have little doubt butthat it was a form of lightning; for it came
many times after this, so that I had chance to observe it minutely.
And frequently, as I watched, the storm would shout atus in a most
fearsome manner.
Then, when the sun was low upon the horizon, there came to our ears a
very shrill, screaming noise, most penetrating and distressing, and,
immediately afterwards the bo'sun shouted out something in a hoarse
voice, and commenced to sway furiously upon the steering oar. I saw
his stare fixed upon a point a little on our larboard bow, and
perceived that in that direction the sea was all blown up into vast
clouds of dust-like froth, and I knew that the storm was upon us.
Immediately afterwards a cold blast struck us; butwe suffered no harm,
forthe bo'sun had gotten the boat bows-on by this. The wind passed us,
and there was an instantof calm. And now all the air above us was full
of acontinuous roaring, so very loud and intense that I was like to be
deafened. To windward, I perceived an enormouswall of spray bearing
down upon us, and I heard again the shrill screaming, pierce through
the roaring. Then, the bo'sun whipped in his oar under the cover, and,
reaching forward, drew the canvas aft, so that it covered the entire
boat, and he held it down against the gunnel upon the starboard side,
shouting in my ear to do likewise upon the larboard. Now had it not
been for this forethought on the part of the bo'sun we had been all
dead men; and this may be the better believed when I explain that we
felt the water falling upon the stout canvas overhead, tons and tons,
though so beaten to froth as to lacksolidity to sink or crush us. I
have said "felt"; for Iwould make it so clear asmay be, here once and
for all, that so intense was the roaring and screaming of the
elements, there could no sound have penetrated to us, no! not the
pealingof mighty thunders. And so for the space of maybe a full minute
the boat quivered and shookmost vilely, so that she seemed like to
have been shaken in pieces, and from a dozen places between the gunnel
and the covering canvas, the water spurted in upon us. And here one
other thing I would make mention of: During that minute, the boat had
ceased to rise and fall upon the great swell, and whether this was
because the sea was flattened by the first rush of the wind, or that
the excess of the storm held her steady, I am unable to tell; and can
put down only that which we felt.
Now, in a little, the first fury of the blast being spent, the boat
began to sway from side to side, as though the wind blewnow upon the
one beam,and now upon the other;and several times we were stricken
heavily with the blows of solid water. But presently this ceased, and
we returnedonce again to the rise and fall of the swell, onlythat now
we received a cruel jerk every time thatthe boat came upon the top of
a sea. And so a while passed.
Towards midnight, as I should judge, there came some mighty flames of
lightning, so bright that they lit up the boat through the double
covering of canvas; yet no man of us heard aught of the thunder; for
the roaring of the storm made all else a silence.
And so to the dawn, afterwhich, finding that we were still, by the
mercy of God, possessed of our lives, we made shift to eat and drink;
after which we slept.
Now, being extremely wearied by the stress of the past night, I
slumbered through many ours of the storm, waking at some time between
noon and evening. Overhead, as I lay looking upwards, thecanvas showed
of a dull leadenish color, blackened completely at whiles by the dash
of spray and water. And so, presently, having eaten again, and feeling
that all things lay in the hands of the Almighty, I came once more
upon sleep.
Twice through the following night was I wakened by the boat being
hurled upon her beam-ends by the blows of the seas; but she righted
easily, and took scarce any water, the canvas proving a very roof of
safety. And so themorning came again.
Being now rested, I crawled after to where the bo'sun lay, and, the
noise of the storm lullingodd instants, shouted in his ear to know
whether the wind was easing at whiles. To this he nodded, whereat I
felt a most joyful sense of hope pulse through me, and ate such food
as could be gotten, with a very good relish.
In the afternoon, the sunbroke out suddenly, lighting up the boat most
gloomily through the wet canvas; yet a very welcome light it was, and
bred in us a hope that the storm was near to breaking. In a little,
the sun disappeared; but, presently, it coming again, the bo'sun
beckoned to me to assist him, and we removed such temporary nails as
we had used to fasten down the after part of the canvas, and pushed
back the covering a space sufficient to allow our heads to go through
into the daylight. On looking out, I discoveredthe air to be full of
spray,beaten as fine as dust, and then, before I could note aught
else, a little gout of water took me inthe face with such force as to
deprive me of breath; so that I had to descend beneath the canvas for
a little while.
So soon as I was recovered, I thrust forth my head again, and nowI had
some sight of the terrors around us. As each huge sea came towards us,
the boat shot up to meet it, right up to its very crest, and there,
for the space of some instants, we would seem to be swamped in a very
ocean of foam, boiling up on each side of the boat to the height of
many feet. Then, the sea passing from under us, we would go swooping
dizzily down the great, black, froth-splotched back of the wave, until
the oncoming sea caught us up most mightily. Odd whiles, the crest of
a sea would hurl forward before we had reached the top, and though the
boat shot upward like a veritable feather, yet thewater would swirl
right over us, and we would have to draw in our heads most suddenly;
in such cases the wind flapping the cover down so soon as our hands
were removed. And, apart from the way in which the boat met the seas,
there was a very sense of terror in the air;the continuous roaring and
howling of the storm; the screaming of the foam, as the frothy summits
of the briny mountains hurled past us, and the wind that tore the
breath out of our weak human throats, are things scarceto be
conceived.
Presently, we drew in our heads, the sun having vanished again, and
nailed down the canvas once more, and so prepared for the night.
From here on until the morning, I have very little knowledge of any
happenings; for I slept much of the time, and, for the rest, there was
little to know, cooped upbeneath the cover. Nothing save the
interminable, thundering swoop of theboat downwards, and then the halt
and upward hurl, and the occasional plunges and surges to larboard or
starboard, occasioned, I can only suppose, by the indiscriminate might
of the seas.
I would make mention here, how that I had little thought all this
while for the peril of the other boat, and, indeed, I was so very full
of our own that it is no matter at which to wonder. However, as it
proved, and as this is a most suitable place in which to tell it, the
boat that held Josh and the rest of the crew came through the storm
with safety; though it was not until many years afterwards that I had
the good fortune to hear from Josh himself how that, after the storm,
they were picked up by a homeward-bound vessel,and landed in the Port
ofLondon. [ tobe continued....]

The Reality of Death

Bismillahir-Rahma-nir-Raheem
Imagine this. You are on your way home from a friend's house. The
streets are deserted and it's dark. All of a sudden, a car from out of
nowhere, smashes into your sideof the car, piercing your ribs into
your heart, killing you instantly. Your whole family, your parents,
your siblings, your friends, are all grief-stricken by this totally
unexpected tragedy. Death has taken you from them. Your money couldn't
buy it off, your popularity, your loved ones--none of it helped you
when you needed it most. Your home now, is the soil; a home of
solitude, a home of poverty, a home of wilderness, the dwelling place
of worms and reptiles, a dungeon for the sinners, a pit of Hell forthe
disbelievers and rejecters of Faith.
When the angel of death takes your soul, you see that he has brought
with him, 500 other angels, each carrying a piece of copper, huge
embers of the fire of Hell, and scourges of burning fire. The leader
of the angels carries a forked mace made of fire, the fire which is
seventy times hotter than that on earth. And they torture the body
with these instruments until the soul is completely extracted from the
body. Your soul says to the body,"Let the Almighty pay you the same
way! Youwere prompt in disobeying the commands of Allah and scorned to
obey Him. You have ruined yourself and have ruined me too!" And the
body utters the same to the soul. Those places where you committed
sins, curse you. The associates of Shaytaan rejoice and bring the news
to their leader, Iblis, that they had caused someone to suffer eternal
torment.
Now that you are dead,your wealth and money walk away. Youhave been
buried six feet under, and your family walks away. All you have with
you are your deeds, good and bad, as narrated by theProphet
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam). Thetwo angels, Munkar and Naakir, who
have twelve eyes that glitterlike lightening, voices as loud as
thunder, teeth as canine as the horns of a cow, hair that drags to
their feet,shoulders as broad as a distance of a journey of several
days, will command you to sit up, holding the heaviest of hammers in
their hands. These hammers are so heavy and full of might that ifall
human beings wereto try to pick it up, theywould be unsuccessful.They
ask you: "Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your
Prophet?" You remain speechless. One, because you're utterly
frightened by the appearance of the angels. Two, in the world, you had
forgotten Allah, disobeyed His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa
sallam), andlived your life oppositeof what Islam taught. So, you have
an inappropriate answer:"I know nothing about anything! I only
repeated what I heard!" Upon hearing this, the angels strike you with
the mace so violently that the sparks of the mace spread around the
whole grave.
Then the gates of Paradise open and all its riches and adornment and
elegance is visible to you. The angels say,"This was your
originaldwelling place." Then the gates of the Hellfireare opened and
you are told by the angels,"This is your abode because during your
life, you were entertained in doubts and disobedience to Allah." The
grave tells you, "Of all those who visited me, I hated you most!" And
it squeezesyou so hard that your ribs on either side pierce into one
another so much so that only one inch of space is left in your grave.
The torment of the grave appears. It stretches its evil neck and
strives to reach each corner of the dead body. It goes to the right
side of the body; there are no prayers to protect it. It goes to the
left side; there are no sincere fasts to thwart off its attempt to
cause you pain. Then it goes to your head and there is no sign of
recitation of the Holy Qur'an and dhikr (remembrance ofAllah) to repel
the attack. It goes to your feet, but you never made the effort to
stand in congregational prayer and in times of distressand
misfortunes, you never had patience, so it wasn't there to aid you.
You are hopeless and alone. There is none that can help you now. No
one to take away the numerous and various torments you are
experiencing. The animals can hear your horrible cries in the grave
and they, in turn, howl back in terror.
This is the deceit of this wonderful world and if we allow ourselves
to fall into the trap of Satan, this is exactly where we are headed.
Would yousay it's a beautiful place to be?
Lastly, imagine this. You get up in the morning at Fajr, go into the
bathroom, come out with fresh ablution (wudu), and stand in the
worship ofyour Lord, to thank andglorify your Creator, Who loves you
more than your own parents.You hear the adhan caller shout out in a
beautiful tone:"Assalatu khayru minannowm," meaning, "prayer is better
than sleep." Andindeed it is!
You supplicate (make du'a), asking Him, the All-Mighty, for the
forgiveness of your sins and for His infinitebounty and mercy
withtears gushing out of your eyes. And, in fully depending on Allah,
His mercy, and by crying to Him, you find peace and comfort in your
heart. After your morning prayer, you pick up the words of Allah, the
Guidance, the Holy Qur'an, kiss it, sit facing the Holy Ka'bah and
begin reciting the most beautiful words of Allah, opening the line of
communication between Him and you. You eat breakfast in the name of
Allah, you leave your house and drive off to work or school in the
name of Allah, your Trustee, and you spend every action in the
striving ofAllah's pleasure (refraining from what He has forbidden and
doing what He has permitted). Every moment you obtain, you ponder
about He, Whose hands hold your life. You glorify and praise Him with
love, fear, and hope. Heis your sole Cherisher, Guardian, Master, and
Provider.
Time for the second salah of the day. You make your ablution and stand
in prayer, in the worship of your Lord, with the raging fires of Hell
on your left, the Gardens of Paradise on your right,Allah in front of
you, the angel of death hanging over your head, and the Siraat (bridge
we will cross on the Day of Judgement) under you,at the parking lot of
your work or school. Why there? Because your love, fear, and devotion
to Allah is so strong that nothing and no one can prevent you from
worshipping He, Who is worthy of all worship. In short, you spend your
whole life, whether it is 20 years or 200, in the obedience, worship,
and in the striving of Allah's pleasure, the Owner of the heavens and
the earth.
Death suddenly approaches you, while you are doing the dhikr of Allah
on your way home from your friend's house. The angel of death, in the
company of 500 other angels, approaches you. Each angel carries a
coffin of Paradise and a bouquet of sweet-smelling flowers, containing
twenty different colors, each color diffusing a diverse smell. In
addition, they each carry a white, silky handkerchief, which emits the
fragrance of musk. The angel of death sits by the side of your head
and the others surround you, touching your limbs and keeping the
musk-scented handkerchiefs below your chin and the gate of Paradise is
opened before your eyes. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam)
swore by the Divine Power and Omnipotent that the dead body feels
immense pleasure, which can never return. They keep you amused with
the pleasures of Paradise and elegant garments. The angels then tell
you to look at your feet, where you see a gate of Hell opened and you
see your condition there. The angels say to you, "Youare safe from
that." After that 70 gates open towards Paradiseand the angel says, "O
suspicious soul! Go where there are thornless lote trees, clustered
plantains, spreading shades, and gushing water springs." Your soul
says to the body, "May Allah reward you for your good deeds. You were
prompt in worshipping Him and obeying Him. You scorned to disobey Him.
May this day be good to you! You have escaped the pangs of death and
have kept me safe from it." And the body wishes the soul the same.
Places where you worshippedAllah weep at your loss. And Shaytaan weeps
even more bitterly and curses his legion for sparing you.
Hundreds of Muslims pray for you at your Janazah prayer and thegrave
tells you, "Of all those who visited me, Iloved you most!" And it
extends its boundaries to as far as you can see and the window of
Paradise opens for you to smell its sweet fragrance! Your grave offers
you silken couches and the best treatment. The Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) saidthat if the people only knew the
punishmentsthat Allah has in store, they would never feel safe from
the Hellfire and if the people only knew of Allah's mercy, they would
never despair in attaining Paradise.
What did you enjoy imagining more? The life of this deceitful world or
the life of the eternal world? Which one would you choose?
"Beautified for mankind is the love of the joys that come from women
and offspring and stored up heaps of gold and silver and horses
branded with their marks and the cattle and land. That is the comfort
of the world. Allah! With Him, is a more excellent abode. For those
who keep from evil, with their Lord, are Gardens underneath which
rivers flow and pure companions and contentment from Allah. Allah is
Seer of His bondsmen." (Suratul Ali Imran 3:14-15)
The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) said, "The world was made
for you, but you were made for the Hereafter.
What is more promising and beneficial?
A. Living life as if we will never leave it, meaning, living each day
in the pleasure andpursuits of this world, the dunya?
OR
B. Living life as if we are strangers and travelers in it, who
willleave it some day and return to our original destination, meaning,
living each day as if it were our last, in preparation for the eternal
world?
YOU DECIDE..
Glory be to Allah, Who has created all that is in the heavens and all
that is in the earth, Who causes the night to pass into the day and
the day into the night, Who brings the living from the dead and the
dead from the living. All praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
"Truly my Lord casts the (mantle of) Truth over (His servants), He
that has full knowledge of all that is hidden. If I am astray, I only
stray to the loss of my own soul, but if I receive guidance, it is
because of the inspirations of my Lord to me; it is He, Who hears all
things and is ever near (34:48, 50). Our Lord! Cause not our hearts
togo astray after You have guided us and bestow upon us mercy from
Your presence. You, only You, are the Bestower (3:9)." And protect us
from the punishment of the grave and from the calamities of the Last
Day and from the Fire prepared for the disbelievers and hypocrites.
"You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help. Show us the
Straight Path, the Path of those of whom you have favored, not those
whoearn your anger, nor those who go astray." (1:6, 7) Ameen.
Alhumdulillahi Rabbil Alameen--All praise be to Allah, Lord of all the
worlds.

Women in Da'wah (Call to Islam) -I

From the very beginning of the Islamic history, Muslim women have
played vital roles in the propagation of the Divine Message (Islam).
From the sacrifices of Sumayyah to the collected Ahadeeth [narrations
ofthe Prophet ] of 'Aa'ishah women have been instrumental in the
flourishing and spreading of this religion, the process which is
called "Da'wah" in Arabic.
Unfortunately, during our presenttimes, the Islamic revival suffers
from weaknesses in its properly qualified personnel, which limits its
spreading and restricts the Da'wah work to an elite group of
activists, with finite and limited efforts of Da'wah and Tarbiyah
(education) being focused on women.
Da'wah amongst women deserves, and should get, far more attention than
it does. So far, except in a few instances, women have been distanced
from the field of Da'wah work. If we consider the situation of Islamic
Da'wah work and the position of women in it today, we can easily find
the following problems:
1- Deficiency in Da'wah capabilities among women.
2- The ill-use of existing limited-resources in combination with a
lack of personal initiative on the part of women.
3- A neglect or omission of women's issues in the planning of Islamic Da'wah.
4- Absence of adequate educationand the lack of fundamental Islamic
knowledge in the Daa'iyaat (female callers) in the field of Da'wah.
Only a few of the wives and daughters of Du'aat (male callers) have
any worthwhile Islamic knowledge.
5- Most women do not possess a proper understanding of the role of
Da'wah made incumbent on their husbands. Because of this, they may not
understand the importance of time given to projects outside the home,
whichin turn, may become a source of tension within the home.
6- The level of general Islamic knowledge among most women is low.
7- Women's Da'wah programs, aswell as overall Da'wah programs and
institutions are rare and not well organized.
Roots of the problem:
Many obstacles and restraints have been the causes behind the weakness
and neglect of Da'wah work amongst women. Once theyhave been
recognized and analyzed, viable solutions can be sought and
implemented.
One major reason is that many men are not convinced about the
importance of women's role and responsibilities in the field of
Da'wah. The Quranic verse (whichmeans) "And abide in your houses..."
[33:33] has been misinterpreted by many, and so has the concept of
"Qawaamah", or the right/responsibility of stewardship. In many
instances, we see men objecting to women's participation in Da'wah and
thus preventing them from fulfilling their role toward their
fellow-Muslims and to the larger society in general. Spreading Islam
has been made incumbent on all Muslims, men and women.
"It is vital that husbands encourage their wives to participate in
Da'wah work," said Dr. 'Aa'ishah Hamdaan, Director of the Islamic
Education Foundation (IEF), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA).
Shehas a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialty in child and
family issues. She teaches at a private university in the Twin Cities.
The main goal of the IEF is to increase the level of awarenessand
provide training in giving Da'wah amongst Muslim women and men. "They
(husbands) should encourage them to spread the message of this
religion, perhaps by taking them along when they go out, and by
instructing them on the proper ways of giving presentations about
Islam," she added.
A more particular reason is the absence or confusion of prioritiesin
the minds of the callers to Islam. Many of them have been overwhelmed
and distracted by the state of the Ummah (Muslim community), even to
the extent of ignoring to give proper attention to their homes and
families. Their energies having been exhausted in the work outside the
home, leaving them with nothing left for their families. This
imbalance affects not only the families, but also thecommunity as a
whole.
The level of women's education and awareness of their position and
responsibility plays an important role in the field of Da'wah.
A crucial role for the Muslim Women
The reasons women's participation in Da'wah is important are various
and diverse:
1. Women are more capable than men are in communicating with other
women. Women are usually more affected by word, deed, and conduct of
other women, more so than by men. On the other hand, women are more
capable of recognizing the particularities and problems associated
with women's education.
2. Women can better comprehend the direction in which women's Da'wah
work should be geared. They can best discern the order of priorities,
because they are more familiar with this sphere.
3. Women are freer than men in communicating with other women, either
individually for Da'wah activities, or in women's learning and other
forums and places of meeting.
4. Many Muslim women who are in need of guidance, education, and
direction lack the presence ofmen-folk who can provide this service,
therefore it makes sense that qualified women in the community should
do the job.
5. The need of education with women is greater than that with men.
They get pregnant, give birth, and nurse children. The children are
more tied to them than they are to their fathers. Women stay at home
with their sons and daughters, and thus canbring them up as they
please. If they are not allowed to share in the Da'wah efforts of
their husbands, a lot of the much-needed results may not be attained.
6. Women have a great effect on their husbands. If they have strong
Eemaan (faith) and character, they have a very good chance at helping
their husbands become strong as well.
7. Women have a lot of characteristics that stress the importance of
their Da'wah role. They should also be taken into account whenever any
Da'wah work is planned. Some are:
* Women have the innate ability to communicate strongly what they
believe to be true in their hearts. Dr. Hamdaan also points out that,
"Women are also generally stronger in terms of verbal abilities and
emotionality."
* Women sometimes lack will-power and a sense of direction, and
therefore need the assistance of other women to give strength and
motivation .

Women in Da'wah - II

A definite role
The work of the Muslim wom a n in the field of Da'wah (call to Islam)
strengthens the man's work, and expands it into areas where her
effectiveness supersedes that of the man. The woman's role does not
end at door. She can be greatly effective by being a good example to
others, by being good-hearted, kindly spoken, and of friendly conduct.
She can offer assistance,and share concerns as well as joys. She can
also use all appropriate opportunities to educate, guide and call
others through observing the conditionsof those whom she addresses.
Examples are needed
Women, who understood their role, started educating themselves and
achieving their rights to education. Look at the Hadeeth [narration
attributed to Prophet Muhammad ] narrated by Abu Sa'eed that awomen
said to the Prophet "The men are keeping you busy and we do not get
enough attention from you; would you specify a day for us, women? He
promised them a day to meetthem and educate and admonish them."
[Al-Bukhaari]
The fruits of this understanding and concern by the women companions
of the Prophet and the attention he gave them, are shining examples
and a source of pride for Muslim women.
Muslim women played a great role in sacrifice and service for the
religion of Allaah. Sumayyah gave up her life when Abu Jahl , the head
of disbelievers, killed her for becoming a Muslim. She was the first
Muslim, and woman, killed in Islam. Khadeejah the first wife of the
Prophet who was very rich, spent a lot of her money to support the
Da'wah. Umm Salamah left her husband and saw her children persecuted
when she migrated. Umm Imaarah fought in defense ofthe Prophet in the
battle of Uhud. Tending the wounded in battles was the role Muslim
Women played throughout history.
Building successful Dawah Programs
There are conditions that must be met for women's Da'wah work to
succeed and achieve its expected outcome:
First: important guidelines
There are important points that should be used as guidelines when
planning or doing Da'wah work:
Typically, the woman's main job is at home. This is clearly stated in
Qur'an and Hadeeth. Allaah Almighty Says (what means), "And abide in
your houses..." [Quran 33:33] Of course women can go out for Salaah
(prayer) in the Masjid (mosque), participate in any other activities
she may need and to do Da'wah. However,none of these activities should
conflict with her essential duties at home as wife and mother.
2- There are special injunctions regarding women, such as the mixing
of men and women that must be observed in any Da'wah activity and
under any circumstances.
a) Proper Hijaab (Islamic woman dress) must be observed at all times.
b) Woman cannot travel without a male companion who is her Mahram (her
husband or a man with whom marriage is unlawful).
c) Woman cannot intermix freely with men who are not directly related to her.
d) Women cannot exit from their homes except by permission of those
who are in charge of them and care for them, i.e. their husbands or
fathers, etc.
3- The enemies of Islam usually exploit these injunctions and use them
to defame Islam as demeaning to women. Some Du'aat (callers to Islam)
get affected by these allegations and they are thereby led to be lax
andunmindful. The true Du'aat guided by the Sunnah (the way/ tradition
of the Prophet ) must be mindful, lest they be affected by the lusts
and whims of society.
4- Men have the original right in Da'wah activities to take the lead
as was the case in the age at the Prophet and the excellent
generations that followed. Women's role in Da'wah work is undeniable,
provided the appropriate guidelines are adhered to.
Second: Objectives of the program:
Any Da'wah program directed towards women should strive to,at least,
serve the following ends:
1- Strengthening Eemaan (faith): This comes about by increasing
worship, remembrance of Allaah (Thikr), and reflection on Allaah's
names, His power and creation inourselves and in the universe. There
is great power in reflection. And its positive impacton one's heart
and Eemaan is almost limitless. This, however, would not be possible
without the inculcation of the right understanding of certain issues
related to our Aqeedah (Belief); the emphasis has to be on Tawheed
(Monotheism).
2- Increasing knowledge: One cannot achieve much without knowledge.
Special emphasis has to be put on the basics of Islam and on subjects
that the Daa'iyah (caller to Islam) needs in her environments.
Knowledge shouldbe spread about deviant thoughts, ideas, groups and
sects. Awareness must be raised concerning those who do not liketo see
the spreading of Islam andwho are gaining grounds in the hearts and
minds of people.
3- Building of the Da'wah personality: Da'wah requires sacrifices and,
therefore, women must be prepared to bear the burdens of calling to
Islam. This comes through awakening them to the conditions of the
Muslims and the endeavors of the enemies of Islam. Leadership,
responsibility and individual initiative should be taught. Theoretical
and practical educational faculties must be nurtured. The Daa'iyah
must be taught the necessary social skills and the importance of
Da'wah through good example and conduct. They also must be taught the
value of time, its management and how to use Halaal (lawful) fun
activities during their times of leisure.
4- Building up immunity to sin: This includes recognizing the ills of
sins, particularly those relatingto women, and blocking the way to
them by shunning the means leading to them and the places where they
exist.

Women in Da'wah - III

Training
On the theoretical side of this step, training women to work in the
field of Da'wah (call to Islam) may need to consider the following
aspects:
- Educational preparation through providing a good presentation of
appropriate materials.
- Psychological preparation by ensuring that the women callers have
faith in Allaah, sincerity, hopefulness, pride in Islam, patience, and
knowledge of the conditions and environments of those they are
addressing.
- Social preparation by having the women Daa'iyaat (callers to Islam)
live an Islamic life in the family and society in a practical
application of Islam. They should abide by the ethics of Islam and of
the Da'wah.
Adequate practical training and preparation is a must
This involves training female callers in speaking and writing tobe
able to bring Allaah's religion to the people through speeches,
lessons, lectures, and writing.
Writing and publishing must not be neglected in an age when people are
easily reached by and engrossed in all sorts of books, booklets,
newspapers, and articles. Writings should both be eloquent and
convincing, through sincere, sound and documented arguments. Writing
is the form of Da'wah which is, in many ways, one of the most
appropriate and important means for women. They can write at home and
thus make useof their spare time. They can in this way reach all
classes of society.
Areas of Da'wah for women
The educational fields: These are related to the ennoblement of the
spirit and the purification of the soul through faith. The mindsand
souls can thus be touched. These fields are to be found in mosques,
schools, associations, Da'wah groups, and others.
The social fields: These relate to bodily and psychological health as
well as to social development and interaction between people that
reflect positively on the realization of spiritual education and the
formation of Muslim character.
Both sides, spiritual and physical, are tied together and they
shouldboth be fulfilled in balance. To give the upper hand to the soul
would be asceticism, and to the body would be hedonism. Fulfilling the
physical needs has often been cause for many people embracing the
guidance of Islam. Preachers of Christianity today, concentrate on
this approach. It is difficult for the hungry, the naked, or the sick
and homeless to listen to sermons.
More specific examples of what women can take part in as Da'wah are:
1. The Home: This is surely the most fertile and most effective
channel. Almighty Allaah has ordained both husbands and wives as
nurturers for each other and the family. The mother shares with the
father the responsibilities of educating and nurturing each other and
their children in all physical, moral, psychological, social, and
external aspects. Members of the family are gathered together in the
home for many hours and this creates harmony among them as well as
affords an opportunity for presenting good examples and guidance.
2. The Muslim Community: Charity, advice, and direction can be offered
to relatives, neighbors,and the needy.
3. The Islamic School: Educationalactivities and curriculums can be
used for the guidance of girl students as well as women teachers and
staff.
4. The Masjid (Mosque): Women should be allowed to go to the Masaajid
(pl. of Masjid) to benefit from the lessons held there. The Masjid is
a suitable place for some of the women activities likeQuran study
groups and other training.
5. Hospitals, Prisons, and Social Welfare Institutions, Women's
Colleges or Universities: "Women-only conferences can also be
incorporated into already scheduled major conferences, thus providing
them with someone to travel with,"
What we sow we reap
1. Banishing ignorance, increasing intellectual broad-mindedness, and
the creation of qualified women Da'wah cadres. These results have a
lasting and beneficial influence, not only on women and the Muslim
community, but also on the whole society at large.
2. Rectifying conduct and restitution of many erroneous practices that
have come to be social phenomenon in many societies.
3. Women's place and status in Islam would be highlighted and Muslim
women would attain a better awareness of their rights and duties.
4. Efforts would be geared toward the cultivating of our young people,
in order to ensure the Ummah (Muslim community) virtuous Muslims in
the generations to come.
5. A sense of belonging to Islam would be fostered, and the key Muslim
rite of enjoining good andforbidding evil would be upheld.
6. An important financial tributary for Da'wah work would be secured;
i.e., women's charitable spending.
It is time that Muslims who profess to follow the Sunnah (Tradition of
Prophet Muhammad, [ ] rethink the issue of Da'wah among women and by
women. We should remember Khadeejah, 'Aa'ishah, Sumayyah and many
Muslim women throughout our history, and what they did for Islam and
learn from it.
We also have to realize that meretalk and emotionalism are useless. We
need to do something about our immediate situation now. Education,
preparation, and qualification of women will be the key to our future
success.
Throughout history, the yardstickused to measure the well-being of any
society has been the condition of its women. Let us therefore, strive
to improve the intellectual, spiritual and emotional condition of the
Muslim woman by allowing her to fulfill all the Allaah-given abilities
and responsibilities made incumbent on her.
As mentioned in the article, women Da'wah is very important.We have to
be careful not to fall in what a lot of Muslims they fell into with
the good intentions of giving Da'wah (intermingling men and women,
people with lack of knowledge altering the Deen and thinking that they
have the authority since they are calling to Islam, etc..). Women who
work in the field of Dawah should be away from men's environment.
Women don't need to be part of a the board members of a masjid for
exampleto be active in Da'wah!. So it needs to be stressed that things
are done in the environment of women and women alone.