The human body: A carefully protected fortress

We can compare the human body to a fortress under attack. Just as the
defense of a fortress besieged by enemies is very well planned, so the
human body hasa perfect defense system.
No matter how clean ourenvironment may be, weshare our living space
with many microorganisms. If you could examine with a microscope the
room you are now sitting in, you would clearly see the millions of
creatures you are living with.
So, in this sense, a human being is a besieged fortress. It
goeswithout saying that to protect this fortress under assault a
failsafe plan is necessary. Humanbeings were created with the perfect
protection that they need; they are not defenseless against these
enemies. God Almighty has created micro defense systems inthe human
body, protecting it from all sorts of dangerous organisms and fighting
to defend it on multiple fronts.
Invasion forces have to cross the first lines of defense. Even thought
the first line of defense may suffer setbacks, it will give the enemy
a hard time and reduce its invasion ability.
Deterrents Waiting for Micro-enemies
The first front that the enemy must pass in the human body is our
skin. The skin covers the whole body like a sheathand has many special
features. One of the vital features of this miraculous packaging is
its ability to protect the body from the micro-enemies that make the
body sick. If we accept that the body is like a besieged fortress, we
can say that the skin, with its outer layers of dead cells and the
creatures that live on it, is the strong ramparts ofthis fortress.
One of the ways in which microorganisms reach us is through our
breathing. Every moment there are hundreds of different kinds of germs
in the air we breathe waiting to enter our bodies. But they are
unaware of the nasal guards to repel them. A special secretionin the
mucosa of the nose traps and expels between 80% and 90% of the
microorganisms that that enter the respiratory system eitherdirectly
or through dust, vapor or other carriers.
Germs can also enter the body through the food we eat. But our body's defense
system is aware of this route and waits for the intruders in the
stomach where the food goes. Stomach acid destroys most if not all of
the germs that manage to overcome all the other obstacles and reach
the stomach. The germs that make it through the stomach are destroyed
by digestive enzymes produced in the small intestine.
The Truth Revealed by our Defense System
There are some important questions thathave to be asked in the light
of all these facts.
Who drives these external microbes to entering our bodies through our
food? Who decides the route the food follows, what kind of a system
must destroy the microbes, what will the microbes' next target if they
escape thisdeterrent, and what alternatives they take if they
encounter a more powerful substance? Body cells have never been
outside the body and so have not had the opportunity to examine the
chemical structure ofthese external microbes, nor have they ever
studied chemistry. So how do they know whatsubstances will kill the
microbes?
Indeed, Allah, the Lord ofthe heavens and Earth, created such a
non-sleeping defense system protecting the human body surroundedby
microbes like a besieged castle. In a verse, Allah describes His
wisdom of perfect creation as follows:
He is Allah – the Creator, the Maker, the Giver of Form. To Him belong
the Most Beautiful Names. Everything in the heavens and Earth
glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Qur'an, 59:24)
We must remember that the human body is helplessly exposed to microbes
24 hours a day.The fact that you are able at this moment to read this
text without being adversely affectedby the microbes around you, is
due to the operation of the defensesystem inside your body inspired by
our AlmightyLord. It must also be remembered that Allah has specially
created germs and viruses to remind us of our helplessness against
these minute structures entering a human body and making it sick and
even cause its death.

Islam is not the sourceof terrorism, but its solution

Introduction
During the last two decades in particular, the concept of "Islamic
terror" has been often discussed. In the wake ofthe September 11
terrorist attacks on targets in New York and Washington which caused
the death of tens of thousands of innocentcivilians, this concept has
once again returned to the top of the international agenda.
As Muslims, we completely condemn these attacks and offer our
condolences to the American people.
In this article, we will explain that Islam is by no means the source
of this violence and that violence has no place in Islam.
We strongly condemn the cruel terrorist acts which targeted the
innocent people of the United States.
One point that should bestressed at the outset is that the identities
of the perpetrators of the acts of terrorism which targeted the United
States are not yet determined. There is a chance that these horrible
attackers are linked to quite different centres. It may well be a
communist organization harboring rage and hatred against American
values, a fascist organization opposing federal administration or a
secret faction in another state. Even though the hijackers have Muslim
identities, the questions regarding by whom and for what purposes
these people were used will probably remain to be a mystery.
The fact remains however, that even if the terrorists have Muslim
identities, the terror they perpetrated cannot be labelled"Islamic
terror", just as itwould not be called"Jewish terror" if the
perpetrators were Jews or "Christian terror" if they were Christians.
That is because, as we will examine in the following pages, murdering
innocent people in the name of religion is unacceptable .We need to
keep in mind that, among those who were killed in Washington or New
York, there were people who loved Jesus (Christians), Prophet Moses
(Jews) and Muslims. According to Islam, murdering innocent people is a
great sin that, unless forgiven by God, brings torment in Hell.
Thus, a religious person who has fear of God can never commit such an act.
In fact, the aggressors can commit such violence only with the
intention of attacking religion itself. It may wellbe that they
carried out this violence to present religion as evil in the eyes of
people, to divorce people from religion and to generatehatred and
reaction against pious people. Consequently, every attack having
a"religious" facade on American citizens or other innocent people is
actually an attack made against religion.
All the three Theistic religions command love, mercy and peace.
Terror,on the other hand, is theopposite of religion; it is cruel,
merciless and it demands bloodshed andmisery. This being the case,
while looking for the perpetrators of a terrorist act, its origins
should be sought in disbelief rather than in religion. People with a
fascist, communist, racistor materialist outlook onlife should be
suspected as potential perpetrators. The name or the identity of the
triggerman is not important. If he can kill innocent people
withoutblinking an eye, whatever his label is, then he is a
disbeliever, not a believer. He is a murderer with no fear of God,
whose main ambition is to shed blood and to give harm.
For this reason, "Islamic terror" is quite a erroneous concept which
contradicts Islam'smessage. That is because, the religion of Islam can
by no means concur with terror. On the contrary, Muslims
areresponsible for preventing terrorist acts and bringing peace and
justice to the world.
The Values of the Qur'an demands Goodness, Justice and Peace
Terror, in its broadest sense, is violence committed against
non-military targets for political purposes. To put it in another way,
the targets of terror are entirely innocent civilians whose only crime
is, in the eyes of terrorists, to represent"the other".
This is an act bereft of any moral justification. This, as in the case
of murders committed by Hitler or Stalin, is a crimecommitted
against"mankind".
The Qur'an is a Book revealed to people as a guide to the true path
and in this Book, God commands man to adoptgood morals. This morality
is based upon concepts such as love, compassion, tolerance and mercy.
God calls all people to Islamic morals through which compassion,
mercy, peace and tolerance can be experienced all over the world:
You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in
the footsteps of Satan. He is an outright enemy to you. (Surat
al-Baqara:208)
The values of the Qur'an hold a Muslim responsible for treating all
people, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, kindly and justly, protecting
the needy and the innocent and preventing the"dissemination of
mischief". Mischief comprises all forms of anarchy and terror that
remove security, comfortand peace. As God says in a verse, "God does
notlove mischief makers". (Surat al-Qasas: 77)
Murdering a person for no reason is one of the most obvious examples
of mischief. God repeats in the Qur'an a command He formerly revealed
to Jews in the Old Testament thus:
So We decreed for the tribe of Israel that if someone kills another
person - unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing
corruption in the earth - it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And
if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life
to all mankind. Our Messengers came to them with Clear Signs but even
after that manyof them committed outrages in the earth. (Surat
al-Ma'ida: 32)
As the verse suggests, a person who kills even a single man, " unless
it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the
earth ", commits a crime as if he had murdered all mankind on earth.
This being the case, it is obvious what great sins are the murders,
massacres and, attacks, popularly known as"suicide attacks", committed
by terrorists are. God informs us how this cruel face of terrorism
will be punished in the hereafter in the following verse:
There are only grounds against those who wrong people and act
astyrants in the earth without any right to do so. Such people will
havea painful punishment. (Surat ash-Shura: 42)
All these reveal that organizing acts of terror against innocent
people is utterly against Islam and it is unlikely that any Muslim
could ever commit such crime. On the contrary, Muslims areresponsible
for stopping these people, removing"mischief on earth" and bringing
peace and security to all people all over the world. Being a Muslim
cannot be reconciled with terror. Just the contrary, it is thesolution
and prevention of terror.
This being the case, howdid the popular term"Islamic terror" emerge?
What has been examined so far reveals that it is not possible to talk
about an "Islamic" terror. Indeed, a closer look at the
characteristics of the perpetrators explicitly reveals that this
terror is not a religious but a social phenomenon.
Crusaders: Barbarians Who Trampled Their Own Religion
A helmet used by the Crusaders.
The true message of a religion or another system of belief can be at
times exposed to distortion by its pseudo-adherents. The Crusaders,
who constitute a dark episode of Christian history, set a good example
of this.
Crusaders were European Christians whoundertook the expeditions at the
end of the 11 th century to recover the Holy Land (the area around
Palestine) from the Muslims. They set out with a so-called
religiousgoal, yet they laid waste each acre of land they entered with
fear and violence. They subjected civilians to mass executions and
plundered many villages and towns.
Their conquest of Jerusalem, where Muslims, Jews and Christians lived
under Islamic rule in peace, became the scene of immense bloodshed.
They violently killed all Muslims and Jews. The Crusaders' barbarism
was so excessive that, during the Fourth Crusade, they plundered
Istanbul, also a Christian city, and stole the golden objects from the
churches.
Despite the fact that Christianity is a religion of love and
pacifism,the Crusaders slaughtered innocent people in the name of
Christ. They misunderstood theirreligion.
No doubt, all this barbarism was utterly against Christian political
doctrine. That isbecause, Christianity, in the words of the Bible, isa
"gospel of love". In theGospel according to Matthew, it is said that
Jesus said " Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you "
to his followers (Matthew, 5/44) In the Gospel according to Luke, it
is said that Jesus said " If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to
him the other also ." (Luke, 6/29) No doubt, inno part of the New
Testament, is there reference to the legitimacy of violence; murdering
innocent people, on the other hand, is unimaginable. You can find the
conceptof "massacre of the innocents" in the Bible; yet, only in the
cruel Jewish King Herod's attempt to kill Jesus while he was a baby.
While Christianity is a religion based on love that accommodates no
violence, how did Christian Crusaders carry out the most violent acts
of history? The major reason for this is that, Crusaders were mainly
made up of ignorant people who could betterbe defined as "rabble".
These masses, who knewalmost nothing about their religion, who had
never read or even seen the Bible once in their lifetime, and who were
therefore completely unaware of the moral values of the Bible, wereled
into barbarism underthe conditioning of Crusaders' slogans as"God
wills it".
It is worth mentioning that in that period, Eastern Christians - the
people of Byzantium, forinstance - who were culturally far ahead of
Western Christians, espoused more humane values. Both before and after
the Crusaders' conquests, Orthodox Christians managed to live together
with Muslims. According to Terry Johns, the BBC commentator, with the
withdrawal of the Crusaders from Middle East, "civilized life started
again and members of the three monotheistic faith returned to peaceful
coexistence." [ 1 ] The example of the Crusadersis indicative of a
generalphenomenon: The more the adherents of an ideology are
uncivilized, intellectually underdeveloped and"ignorant", the more
likely they are to resort to violence. This also holds true for
ideologiesthat have nothing to do with religion. All communist
movements around the world are prone to violence. Yet the most savage
and blood-thirsty of them was the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia. That is
because they were the most ignorant.
Just as ignorant people may take a violence-ridden opinion to the
point of insanity, so theymay confuse violence with an opinion against
violence (or to religion). The Islamic world also experienced such
cases.
The Bedouin Character in the Qur'an
In the period of our Prophet, there existed two basic social
structures in Arabia. City-dwellers and Bedouins (Desert Arabs). A
sophisticated culture prevailed in Arab towns. Commercial relations
linked the towns to the outer world, which contributed to the
formation of "civilized life" among Arabs dwelling in cities. They had
refined aesthetic values, enjoyed literature and, especiallypoetry.
Desert Arabs, on the other hand, were the nomad tribes living in the
desert who had a very crude culture. Utterly unaware of arts and
literature, they developed an unrefined,harsh character.
Islam was born and developed among the inhabitants of Mecca, themost
important city of the peninsula. However, as Islam spread to the
peninsula, all tribes in Arabia embraced it. Among these tribes
werealso Desert Arabs, who were somehow problematic: their poor
intellectual and cultural background prevented them from grasping the
profundity and noble spirit of Islam. Of this God states the following
in a verse:
The Desert Arabs are more obdurate in disbelief and hypocrisy and more
likely not to know the limits which God has sent down to HisMessenger.
God is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Surat at-Tawba: 97)
The Desert Arabs, that is, social groups who were" obdurate in
disbelief and hypocrisy " and prone to disobey God's commands, became
a part of the Islamic world in the Prophet's lifetime.In latter
periods, they became a source of trouble for the Islamic world. The
sect called"Kharijis" that emerged among Bedouins was an example. The
most distinctive trait of this perverse sect (which wascalled
"Kharijis" the rebels because they greatly deviated from Sunni
practises), was their extremely vulgar, wild and fanatical nature. The
"Kharijis", who had no comprehension whatsoever of the essence of
Islam or of the virtues and the values of the Qur'an, waged war
against all other Muslims and basedthis war on a few Qur'anic verses
about which they made distorted interpretations. Furthermore, they
carried out "acts of terrorism". Caliph Ali, who was one of the
closest companions of the Prophet and was described by him as the"gate
of the city of knowledge", was assassinated by a Kharijite.
In latter periods,"Hashashis" (Assassins), another brutal
organization, emerged; this was a "terrorist organization" made up of
ignorant and fanaticalmilitants bereft of a profound understandingof
the essence of Islam and thus who could be readily influenced by
simple slogans and promises.
In other words, just as the Crusaders distorted and misinterpreted
Christianity as a teachingof brutality, some perverted groups emerging
in the Islamic world misinterpreted Islam and resorted to brutality .
What is common to these sects and the Crusaders was their "Bedouin"
nature. That is, they were ignorant, unrefined, uncultivated, vulgar,
andisolated people. The violence they resorted resulted from this
social structure, rather than the religion to which they claimed to
adhere.
The Actual Source of Terrorism: The Third World Fanaticism
These examples from history are enlightening for a better
understanding of the phenomenon, the so-called "Islamic terror", which
is nowadays on the top of the international agenda. That is because
those who emerge and carry out acts of terrorism in the name of Islam
or those who back such acts -these people, no doubt, represent a
minority in the world of Islam- stem from this"Bedouin character",
notfrom Islam. Failing to understand the essence of Islam, they try to
make Islam, essentially a religion of peace and justice, a tool of
barbarism, which is simply an outcome of their social and cultural
structure. The origin of this barbarism, which may well be called
the"Third World Fanaticism", is the benighted initiatives of people
who are devoid of love for humans.
It is a fact that, for the last few centuries, Muslims in all corners
of the Islamic world, are being subjected to violence by Western
forces and their affiliates. The colonialist European states, local
oppressive regimes or colonialists backed by the West (Israel, for
instance) caused great suffering for Muslims at large. However, for
Muslims, this is a situation that has to be approached and responded
to from a purely Qur'anic stance.
In no part of the Qur'an does God command believers to "respond to
violence with violence". On the contrary, God commands Muslims
to"respond to evil with goodness":
A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with
something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else,
he will be like a bosom friend. (Surat al-Fussilat: 34)
It is no doubt a legitimate right of Muslims to react against cruelty.
However, these reactions should never turn into a blind hatred, an
unjust enmity. God warns about this in the following verse: "... Do
not let hatred for a people who debar you from the Masjid al-Haram
incite you into going beyond the limits. Help each other to goodness
and heedfulness. Do not helpeach other to wrongdoing and enmity.Heed
God Allah (alone)..." (Surat al-Ma'ida: 2)
Consequently, carrying out terrorist acts under the pretence
of"representing the oppressed nations of theworld", against the
innocent people of othernations is by no means compatible with Islam.
Another point that deserves a special mention here is that all the
Western world cannot be held responsible for the aforementioned
colonialist (or "neo-colonialist) violence and oppression against
Muslims. Actually, the materialist, irreligious philosophies and
ideologies that prevailedin the 19 th century are responsible for
these dismal acts. European colonialism did not originate from
Christianity. On the contrary, anti-religious movements opposing the
values of Christianity led the way to colonialism. At the roots of the
greatest brutalities of the 19 th century lies the Social Darwinist
ideology.
In the Western world today, there are still cruel, mischievous and
opposing elements as well as a culture dominated by peaceful and just
elements that have its roots in Judeo-Christian faith. As a matter of
fact, the main disagreement is not between the West and Islam.
Contrary to the general opinion, it is between the religious people of
the West and of the Muslim world on the one hand, and the people
opposing religion (like materialistsand atheists.) on the other.
Another indication that Third World Fanaticism has nothing to do with
Islam is that, until recently, this fanaticism has been identified
withcommunist ideology. As is known, similar anti-Western acts of
terror were carried out in 1960s and 70s by Soviet-backed communist
organizations. As the impact of the communistideology faded, some of
the social structures which gave birth to communist organizations have
turned their attention toIslam. This "brutality presented under the
guise of religion", whichis formulated by the incorporation of some
Islamic concepts and symbols into the former communist rhetoric are
entirely against the moral values constituting the essence of Islam.
Anti-Western radicalism once used the communist ideology to support
its violence. Now it is trying to use religious concepts.
A last remark about this issue is that Islam is not peculiar to a
particular nation or geography. Contrary to the dominant Western
perception, Islam is not an "Eastern culture" . Islam is the last
religion revealed to mankind as a guide to the true path that
recommends itself to all humanity. Muslims are responsible for
communicating the true religion they believe in to all people of all
nations and cultures andmaking them feel closer to Islam.
Consequently, there is a unique solution for people and groups who, in
the name of Islam, resort to terror or establish oppressive regimes
and turn this world into a dreadful place instead of beautifying it:
revealing the true Islam and communicating it so thatthe masses can
understand and live by it.
Conclusion: Recommendations to theWestern World
Today, the Western world is concerned about the organizations that use
terror under theguise of Islam and this concern is not misplaced. It
is obvious that those carrying out terror and their supporters should
be punished according to international judicial criteria. However, a
more important point to consider is the long-termstrategies that have
to be pursued for viable solutions to these problems.
The assessments above reveal that terror has no place in Islam. They
further show the inherently contradictory nature of the concept
of"Islamic terror". This provides us with an important vantage point:
1) The Western world, especially the United States, will surely take
the most dissuasive measures to cope with terror and it has the right
to do that. However, it has to state explicitly that this is not a war
waged against Islam and Muslims but, on the contrary, a measure
serving the bestinterests of Islam. The "Clash of civilizations", the
dangerous scenario envisioned in the 90's should be at all costs
prevented.
2) Support should be provided for the spread of "True Islam", which is
a religion of love, friendship, peace and brotherhood, and for its
true understanding by Islamic societies. The solution for radical
factions in Islamic countries should not be"forced secularization". On
the contrary, such a policy will incite more reaction from the
massesand feed radicalism. The solution is the dissemination of true
Islam and the appearance of a Muslim role-model who embraces Qur'anic
values such as human rights, democracy, freedom, good morals, science
and aesthetics, and who offers happiness and bliss to humanity.
3) The source of terrorism is ignorance and bigotry and the solution
is education. To the circles who feel sympathy with terror, it should
be said that terror is utterly against Islam, that terror only does
harm to Islam, Muslims and to humanityat large. Besides, these people
have to be provided with educationin order to be purified of this
barbarism. The United States' support tosuch an education policywill
yield very positive results.
Our hope is that these measures will help to theworld get rid of
terrorism and all other bigoted, brutal, barbarous structures. With
its Christian-dominated culture and population, the United States,
which defines itself as "a nation under God", is in fact a real friend
of the Muslims. In the Qur'an, God draws attention to this fact
andinforms us that Christians are those who are " most affectionate to
those who believe " . (Surat al-Ma'ida: 82)
In history, some ignorant people (for instance, Crusaders) failed to
understand thisfact and caused conflicts between these two great
religions. To prevent the repetition ofthis scenario, true Christians
and Muslims need to come together and co-operate.

Ashab al-Suffa who spent their wealth andthemselves in the wayof Allah are exemplaryfor all Muslims

All the companions of our Prophet (saas) are examplary in their
superior morality and self-sacrifice. However especially those who
were called Ashab al-Suffa devoted 24 hours of their lives to Allah,
never got married,never pursued passions like family, children,
possessions or position; remained within the company of our Prophet
(saas) all the time and were educated by our Prophet (saas)
personally.
The companions of our Prophet (saas) who stayed in the antechamber
later annexed to the north part of Masjid al-Nabawi (the Mosque of our
Prophet (saas)) were referred as Ashab al-Suffa. They were those
blessed people who never married, had no relatives or attachment to a
tribe. They were not involved in trade and devoted all their time to
earn Allah's good pleasure and learn knowledge from our Prophet
(saas). Away from their families, they paid no attention to the
worldly deeds and continuously learned theQur'an and listened to our
Prophet's (saas) lectures and were sent to Muslim tribes to teach them
the Qur'an and the Sunnah. They were around 400-500 people and were
also known as the army of Wisdom.
Our Prophet (saas) was closely interested in their education.
These distinguished people who devoted themselves to Allah's way in
the true sense of the word, never missed the teachings of our Prophet
(saas). They were always ready there, memorized the teachings and
narrated them to other companions. It is told that the following verse
was revealed about Ashab al-Suffa (M.Hamdi Yazir, Hak Dini Kur'an
Dili, The Language of theQur'an, the Righteous Religion , 2/940)
It is for the poor who are held back in the Wayof Allah, unable to
travel in the land. The ignorantconsider them rich because of their
reticence. You will know them by their mark. Theydo not ask from
people insistently. Whatever good you give away, Allah knows it.
(Surat al-Baqara, 273)
The followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) will, Insha'Allah, also spend
every moment of their lives in the way of Allah, they will never leave
Hazrat Mahdi (as ) and never dread from oppression and hardship.
Indeed, Insha'Allah together with Hazrat Mahdi (as), they will work
very hard to cause the morality of the Qur'an dominate the world.

Does the hadeeth “I am not afraid that you will worship others along with Allah after my death” mean that shirk will never occur among this ummah?.

Narrated 'Uqba bin 'Amir:
Bukhari - Volume 2, book 23, number 428: Narrated 'Uqba bin 'Amir: One
day the Prophet went out and offered the funeral prayers of the
martyrs ofUhud and then went up the pulpit and said, "I will pave the
way for you as your predecessor and will be a witness on you. By
Allah! I see my Fount (Kauthar) just nowand I have been given the keys
of all the treasures of the earth (or the keys of the earth). By
Allah! I am not afraid that you will worship others along with Allah
after my death, but I am afraid that you will fight with one another
for the worldly things." This hadeeth is often used bythose comitting
bidah asjustification for some of the acts which can be labeled as
"shirk" (such as calling out on others besides Allah, grave
worshipping, etc.). The claim is that the Ummah of the Prophet (SAW)
arenot at risk of comitting shirk. What is the correctinterpretation
of this hadeeth.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The hadeeth was narrated by al-Bukhaari (1344) and Muslim (2296) from
'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir, and says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) came out one day and prayed for the people of Uhud
as he used to pray for the dead. Then he went to the minbar and said:
"I will be there ahead of you, and I will be your witness. By Allaah,
I can see my Cistern now. I am given the keys to the treasures of the
earth, orthe keys to the earth. By Allaah, I do not fear that you will
associate others with Allaah after I am gone, but I fear that you will
compete with one another for them (the treasures of the earth)."
What is meant by his praying for them (the people of Uhud) as he used
to pray for the dead is his offering supplication for them with the
du'aa' that is recited in the funeral prayer. This was seven years
after they were martyred (may Allah be pleased with them).
There is nothing in the hadeeth to say that shirk(association of
others with Allah) will not happen in this ummah; rather it may be
understood that he did not fear it for the entire ummah, based on the
fact that it has occurred among some of them, as is indicated in other
texts in which he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated
that some of his ummah would fall into shirk.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on
Muslim (Sharh Muslim): In this hadeeth we see the miracles of the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because
what it means isa foretelling that his ummah would be given the
treasures of the earth, which did indeed come to pass; and that they
would not all apostatise because Allah,may He be exalted, protected
them from that; and that they would compete with one another for
worldly gain. And all of that came to pass. End quote.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-'Asqallaani (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:The words "I do not fear that you will associate others with
Allah" mean:(I do not fear that you will do that) en masse, because
that happened with some of them – may Allah protect us. This hadeeth
is one of the miracles of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him), hence the author narrated it under the heading of the signs
of Prophethood.
End quote from Fath al-Baari, 3/211
Secondly:
The saheeh Sunnah indicates that among this ummah will be somewho
associate others with Allah, may He be exalted.
1.
al-Bukhaari (7116) and Muslim (2906) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "The Hour will not begin until the
backsides of the women of Daws wobble (as they go) around
Dhu'l-Khalasah."
Dhu'l-Khalasah was a false god of Daws that they used to worship
during the Jaahiliyyah.
2.
Muslim (2907) narrated that 'Aa'ishah said: I heard the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: "Night and day
will not cease until al-Laat and al-'Uzza are worshipped." I said: O
Messenger of Allaah, when Allaah revealed the words "He it is Who has
sent His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) with guidance and the
religion of truth (Islamic Monotheism) to make it victorious over all
(other) religions even though the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans,
idolaters, and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah and in His
Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) hate (it)" [al-Saff 61:33], I
thought that that had been fulfilled and would never be undone. He
said: "As much of that as Allaah wills will happen, then Allaah will
send a pleasant wind which willcause everyone in whose heart is faith
the size of a grain of mustard seed to die, then there will be left
those in whom there is no good, and they will revert to the religion
of their forefathers."
Thus it becomes clear that some of the Muslimswill fall into shirk and
apostasy, without that affecting the entire ummah, for it is protected
against uniting in misguidance.
How can the Muslim doubt that calling upon the dead, beseeching them
at times of calamity and asking them to relieve distress are acts of
shirk? In fact this is the essence of what the earlier mushrikeen used
to do, seeking to draw close to Allah or seeking intercession with
Him, asAllah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"And those who take Auliya (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say):
"We worship them only that they may bringus near to Allah." Verily,
Allah will judge betweenthem concerning that wherein they differ.
Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever."
[az-Zumar 39:3]
"And they worship besides Allah things that hurt them not, nor
profitthem, and they say: 'These are our intercessors with Allah.'
Say: 'Do you inform Allahof that which He knows not in the heavens and
on the earth?' Glorified and Exalted be He above all that which they
associate as partners with Him!
Mankind were but one community (i.e. on one religion - Islamic
Monotheism), then they differed (later), and had not it been for a
Word that went forth before from your Lord, it would have been settled
between them regarding what they differed"
[Yoonus 10:18, 19]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:The
one who makes the angels and Prophets mediators on whom he calls and
in whom he puts his trust, and asks them to bring benefits and ward
off harm, such as asking them for forgiveness of sins, guidance of
hearts, relief of distress and meeting his needs, is a kaafir
according to the consensus of the Muslims.
End quote from Majmoo'al-Fataawa, 1/124
This consensus was narrated by more than one of the scholars who
affirmed it, see: al-Furoo'by Ibn Muflih, 6/165; al-Insaaf, 10/327;
Kashshaaf al-Qinaa', 6/169; Mataalib Ooli'n-Nuha, 6/279. These are the
essential reference books of Hanbali fiqh.
In Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' it says, after mentioning this consensus under
theheading of the ruling onthe apostate: Because this is like the
action of the idol worshippers who say, 'We only worship them so that
they might bring us closer to Allah.'
End quote.
More than one of the scholars has clearly stated that what some ofthe
ignorant Muslims do of focusing their devotion on graves is the
essence of what the earlier mushrikeen used to do.
Ar-Raazi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in hiscommentary on the
verse from Soorat Yoonus quoted above, explaining the explanations
that the mushrikeen gave for their worship of idols:
Fourthly: they made these idols and statues in the image of their
Prophets and great men,and claimed that if they devoted themselves to
worshipping these statues, those great men would be intercessors for
them with Allah, may He be exalted. The equivalent to that in our own
times is the devotion of many people to venerating thegraves of great
men, in the belief that if they venerate their graves, they will
intercede for them with Allah.
End quote from Mafaateeh al-Ghayb, 17/49

No Angels or Other Creatures Know Everything in the Heavens and Earth.

My daughter asked me: Who is the angel who knows everything in the
heavens and the earth, the number of drops of water, the number of
grains of sand? Is there any such thing?
Praise be to Allah
The one who knows everything in the heavens and on earth, and knows
the number of drops of water and the number of grains of sand is
Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. There is no angel who is close to Him
or any Prophet who was sent who has this knowledge. Anyone whosays
that there is anyoneamong the angels who knows all of this has
fabricated a lie against Allah, to Whom belongs knowledge of the
unseen of the heavens and the earth.
Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none
knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the earth
and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knowsit. There is not a grain
in the darkness of the earth nor anything freshor dry, but is written
in aClear Record" [6:59].
And He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (unseen)
except Allah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected"
[27:65].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:Here Allah, may He be
exalted, is instructing HisMessenger (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) to tell all of mankind that no one knows the unseen except
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and that He alone has that
knowledge, with nopartner or associate. Endquote from Tafseer Ibn
Katheer, (6/207).
Al-Bukhaari (4697) narrated from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "The keys of the Unknown are five, whichno one knows except
Allah: no one knows what will happen tomorrow except Allah; no one
knows what is in the wombs except Allah; no one knows when it will
rain except Allah; no one knows in which land he will die; and no one
knows when the Hour will begin except Allah."
But Allah, may He be exalted, may inform whomever He wills among His
creation about whatever He wills of His unseen. Allah, may He be
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"(He Alone) the All-Knower of the Ghaib (unseen), and He reveals to
none His Ghaib (unseen). Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He
has chosen (He informs him of the unseen as much asHe likes), and then
He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march beforehim and
behind him." [72:26, 27].
The scholars of the Standing Committee said: Knowledge of unseen
matters is something that belongs exclusively to Allah, so no one
among His creation, human or jinn, knows anything of it except what
Allah reveals to whomever He wills among His Angels or His Messengers.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, (1/346).
Yes, there is an angel who is appointed in charge of the rain, and
directs it wherever Allah wills; he is Mikaa'eel (peace be upon him),
who has helpers who dowhatever he instructs them to do. But this only
happens by the will of Allah and in accordance with His wisdom and
knowledge. They do not know anything or do anything; rather they
cannot do anything at allexcept by Allah's leave. Moreover, that does
not mean that they know the number of drops of water, because their
knowledge is restricted to what Allah has taught them, and they say,
as Allah tells us:
"Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us.
Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise"
[2:32].

Shirk and its different forms,- Is there a specific prayerfor increasing provision?

"You pray two rak'ahs, reciting in each rak'ah al-Hamd (i.e.,
al-Faatihah) once and at-Tawheed (i.e., al-Ikhlaas) once, making the
bowing and prostration lengthy. After finishing the prayer, say: 'O
Most Glorious, O One, O Most Generous, I turn to You by virtue of
Muhammad Your Prophet, the Prophet of mercy, (blessings of Allah be
upon him and his family); O Muhammad, O Messenger of Allah, I turn by
virtue of you to Allah, my Lord and your Lord, the Lord of all things.
I ask you, O Allah, to send blessings upon Muhammad and the members of
his household, and I ask Youfor a breath of mercy from You, quick
relief, and abundant provision,so that I may put my affairs in order,
pay off my debts and support my dependents.'".
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
In the saheeh Sunnah there is no known prayer specifically for asking
for increased provision. The prayer described in the question with
this du'aa'(supplication) is an innovated prayer; it comes under the
heading of prescribing in religion something that Allah has not
prescribed, and introducing innovation (bid'ah) that is prohibited.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah say concerning any action orword that is
not proven from the Sahaabah that it is an innovation (bid'ah),
because if it were something good, they would have done it before us.
They did not omit any good attribute but they hastened to do it or
attain it.
End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 7/278-279
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) said:
The innovations that have been introduced inthe area of worship
nowadays are many. Butthe basic principle with regard to acts of
worship is tawqeef [i.e., they can only be known through divine
Revelation and sound texts of hadeeth, with no room for personal
opinion], so no acts of worship are prescribed except on the basis of
evidence. Anything for which there is no evidence is an innovation
(bid'ah), because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of
ours will have it rejected." (Agreed upon). The acts of worship that
are donenowadays for which there is no evidence are very many.
End quote from Kitaab at-Tawheed, p. 160
Secondly:
The words of the worshipper in this du'aa'after this innovated prayer,
"I turn to You by virtue of Muhammad Your Prophet, the Prophet of
mercy, (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family); O Muhammad, O
Messenger of Allah, I turn by virtue of you to Allah…" are words that
are not permissible, and come under the headingof innovated tawassul
(means of seeking to draw closer to Allah) thatis forbidden.
For more information ontawassul, both prescribed and prohibited,
please see the answer to question no. 3297 .
Anyone who calls upon the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) after his death, or who calls upon anyone else
among the dead to wardoff harm or bring benefits is a mushrik who has
associated someone else with Allah in the sense of major shirk that
puts one beyond the pale of Islam, and he has to repent to Allah, may
He be exalted.
For more information please see the answer toquestion no. 112131 and 114142 .
Thirdly:
There are some means ofincreasing provision thatare prescribed in
Islam, which we shall highlighthere, so as to adopt the means that are
prescribed and warn against innovations in religion. These include:
· Istighfaar (praying for forgiveness)
Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning):
"I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;
He will send rain to you in abundance;
And give you increase in wealth and children, andbestow on you gardens
and bestow on you rivers"
[Nooh 70:10-12].
· Upholding ties of kinship
Al-Bukhaari (2067) and Muslim (2557) narrated from Anas ibn Maalik
(may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever would like his rizq
(provision) to be increased and his life to be extended, should uphold
the ties of kinship."
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"his rizq (provision) to be increased" means to be expanded and made
abundant or, it was said,to be blessed (barakah). End quote.
· Giving a great deal of charity
Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His
slaves, and (also) restricts (it) for him, and whatsoever you spend of
anything (in Allah's Cause), He will replace it.And He is the Best of
providers"
[Saba' 34:39].
Muslim (2588) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "Charity does not decrease wealth."
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
They (the scholars) mentioned two meanings of this hadeeth, one of
which isthat (the wealth) will be blessed (as a result of giving
charity) and harmwill be warded off from it, so the apparent decrease
will be compensated for by means of hidden blessing (barakah). This is
something that is well known from experience.The second is that even
if it appears to be decreased outwardly, there will be compensation
for that inthe reward that results from it, and it will be increased
manifold. End quote.
· Being mindful of Allah and fearing Him (taqwa)
Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a
way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine"
[al-Talaaq 65:2-3].
· Performing Hajj and 'Umrah often, following one with the other
At-Tirmidhi (810) narrated that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood said: The
Messenger of Allah (sa) said: "Make the Hajj and 'Umrah follow each
other closely, for they remove poverty and sins as the bellows removes
the dross of iron, gold and silver, and an accepted Hajj brings no
less a reward than Paradise.". It was classedas saheeh by al-Albaani.
· Du'aa' (supplication)
It was narrated by Ibn Maajah (925) from Umm Salamah that the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to
say, when he said the salaam at the end of Fajrprayer: "Allaahumma
inni as'aluka rizqan tayyiban, wa 'ilman naafi'an, wa 'amalan
mutaqabbalan (O Allaah, I ask you for good (halaal) provision,
beneficial knowledge and accepted good deeds)."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
And Allah knows best.

The principles of Ghusl (taking bath)

A brief summary of the principles of Ghuslis as follows:
First,A Muslim should make his/her intention for purification, then
wash the privateparts. Then make Wudhoo' (ablution) like theWudhoo'
done for prayer, then pour water on hisright side, then the left side.
Then water should be poured on his head,covering the entire body with
water. It is also reported in the Sunnah (narrations of the Prophet
Muhammad ) that washing the feet should be delayed until the end of
the Ghusl.
It is reported onthe authority of Aa'ishah who said that theMessenger
of Allaah when performing Ghusl from Janaabah (ritual impurity), used
to wash his hands, then wash his private parts with his left hand.
After that he performed Wudhoo' like that for prayer. Next, he took
some water and ran his fingers inthe roots of his hair until he
usedthree handfulsof water on his head. He would then go on pouring
water on the rest of his bodyand wash his legs. [Muslim]
1. The person taking a bath should first of all wash both hands up to
the wrists, and then wash the private parts. The hands and private
parts should be washed irrespective of whether there is any impurity
on them or not. Both these have to be washed under all conditions.
Thereafter, any impurity found onthe rest of the body should be
washed. Then make Wudhoo'. If one is sitting on a stool or stone while
bathing, then the feet should also be washed when making Wudhoo'. But
if one is sitting in a place where the wateraccumulates and he will
have to wash the feet again after completing the Ghusl, then the
entire Wudhoo' should be made but the feet should not be washed.
After performing Wudhoo', pour water on the head three times.
Thereafter pour water over the right and left shoulders three times
each in such a way that water reaches the entire body. Thereafter move
from this place and go to a clean spot and wash the feet. If the feet
were washed when making Wudhoo' there willbe no need to wash them
again.
2. Whilst pouring water over the body the first time, rub the body
well so that water reaches everywhere properly and no placeremains
dry.
3. The above method of Ghusl is according to the Sunnah. Some ofthe
items explained above are Fardh (obligatory) without which Ghusl will
not be complete and the person will remain impure. Some other items
are Sunnah (recommended but not obligatory). Observing them entails
reward, and by not carrying them out, Ghusl will still be complete.
The Fardh acts are only three:
(a) To gargle the mouth in such a way that water reaches everywhere.
(b) To wash the nose up to the soft bone.
(c) To pour water over the entire body.
4. While bathing, one should not face the Qiblah (direction of the
Ka'bah). Too much water should not be used, nor should so little be
used that one is unable to wash thoroughly. The bath should be taken
at such a place that no one can see the bather. One should not talk
while bathing; he should cover himself up first and then wash the
feet.
5. If the bathing place is secludedwhere no one can see, then it is
permissible to bathe naked, irrespective of whether one is standing or
sitting and irrespective of whether the roof is covered or not.
However, it is better to sit and bathe because there is more modesty
in this. To expose the body from the navel to the knees before anyone
is a sin. Many women bath completely naked in the presenceof other
women. This is a very evil and shameful act.
6. Even if an area equal to a hair's breadth is left dry, Ghusl will
not be complete. In the same way, if one forgets to gargle the mouth
or wash the nose, Ghusl will not be complete.
7. If a woman pours water on herhead three times, that will be
sufficient and she does not need to undo the braids. This is based on
the Hadeeth (narration) of Umm Salamah . It is narratedthat she asked
the Prophet :"I am a woman with braided hair; should I undo it when
doingGhusl for Janaabah?" He answered: "No, rather it will be
sufficient for you to pour three handfuls of water on your head, then
pour water over yourself and you will be purified." [Muslim].Unless
the Ghusl is after the menses, then she has to undo the braids and
wash her hair thoroughly.

The Importance of good companionship

Choosing and having good companions is extremely important for many
reasons and from many aspects.
1. Mankind cannot live alone; every individual must live and interact
with others, and when interacting with others one either influences or
is himself influenced.
2. Those people whom you sit with and make your friends are inevitably
going to fall into one oftwo categories. They will either be good
individuals - who guide and encourage you towards whatis good and help
you to accomplish that which Allaah hasordered, or they are going to
be bad - encouraging you to do what is pleasing to Satan, that which
misleads you, and leads you to the Hell-Fire.
3. When the Prophet was sentwith the mission to establish Islam, he
did not do it on his own. Rather, Allaah chose for himcompanions who
accompanied him and who carried the Messageuntil it was complete.
These three aspects show the importance of having good companions,
companions who are righteous. Such a companion will help you to do
what is good and remind you of Allaah, he will enjoin what is good and
forbid what is evil. These aspects also show the importance of
avoiding befriending bad companions, because such a companion will
have a bad effect upon you, they help you to do those deeds whichare
displeasing to Allaah and which lead to the Hell-Fire.
The Prophet gave a good similitude regarding this. He said: "The case
of the good companion and the bad companion is like that of the seller
of musk and the blower of the bellows (iron-smith). As for the seller
of musk, he will either give you some of the musk, or you will
purchase some from him, or at least you will come away having
experienced its good smell. Whereas the blower of the bellows will
either burn your clothing, or at least you will come away having
experienced its repugnant smell." [Al-Bukhaariand Muslim]
The Prophet explained the matter of good companionship, so that no
room is left for doubt or confusion, when he said: "A person is upon
the religion of his close friend, so beware whomyou befriend." [Abu
Daawood andAt-Tirmithi]
This means that a person will be upon the same methodology as his
friend, the same path as his friend, the same nature, manner and
behavior as his friend. So we must be careful whom we befriend. There
is an Arabic saying: 'Your companion is what pulls you to something.'
So if your companion is good, he will pull you towards that which is
good. He will order us with what is good and forbid us from what is
evil. If he observes us committing sins he would warn us, if he
becomes aware of our shortcomings he would advise us, and if he finds
a fault in us he would cover it and not disclose it to others. About
this, the Prophet said: "…Whoever conceals (the fault of) a Muslim,
Allaah willconceal his fault on the day of Judgment." [Abu Daawood]
So should you see a fault in your brother, you should wish to remove
that fault from him and not expose it to the people. This is what is
required by brotherhood and again stresses the importance of choosing
friends who are upon the correct way, who are loyal, and who hideyour
faults whilst ordering you with good and forbidding you from evil, who
stand beside you and support you, and co-operate with you upon all
that is good.
This principle is important from the standpoint of how the religion is
to be established, and from the standpoint of what brotherhood is and
what it does. Indeed, the reason that one takesa companion is to help
him establish Islam, and to help him worship Allaah. We find a good
example in the Prophet Moosaa the one whom Allaah chose and spoke to.
When Allaah sent him to Pharaoh, he (Moosaa) said as Allaah informs us
saying (what means): "And appoint for me a helper from my family,
Haaroon - my brother; increase my strength with him, and let him share
my task (of conveying Allaah's Message and Prophethood), that we may
glorify You much and remember You much." [Quran; 20: 29-34]
Moosaa wanted his brother to support him and help him, protect him and
accompany him. This is exactly what the believers do for one another.
For the thing that binds the believers together and makes them
brothers is the bond of faith. The Prophet said: "There are three
characteristics; whoever has them will taste the sweetness of faith:
That Allaah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than all else,
that he loves a person and does not love him except for the sake of
Allaah, and that he would hate to revert to unbelief just as he would
hate to be thrown into the Fire." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Thus the connection between thebelievers is based upon faith and
sincere brotherhood. Beware against taking any companion if such
companionship is based upon other than this, for if you were to do
that you would then bite your hands in grief. Just as the unjust ones
will bite their hands in grief. Allaah Says (what means): "And
(remember) the Daywhen the wrong-doer (oppressor, polytheist etc.)
will bite at his hand, he will say: 'Oh! Would that I had taken a
path with the Messenger. Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never
takenso-and-so as a friend! He indeed led me astray from the Reminder
(the Quran) after it had come to me….'" [Quran; 25:27]
And Allaah Says (what means): "And whosoever turns away fromthe
remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allaah), We appoint for him Satan
to be a Qareen (intimate companion) to him." [Quran; 43:36]
So all of the physical togetherness that you see around you, which is
based upon other than faith will be wiped away on that Day, and it
will be a source of misery and torture for them. Allaah Says (what
means): "Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except the
pious." [Quran; 43:67]

Why do we delay repentance?

Repentance is ultimately the goal that we all seek. All sane people
are conscious of their numerous sins, and thosewho believe in Allaah
and His Messenger recognize that they will be held accountable for
their sins, and therefore desire to be free of the evil consequences
of their misdeeds. Islam offers man the ideal way by which he may be
released from the burdenof his sins.
The word Tawbah (repentance) in Arabic literally means 'to return'.In
an Islamic context, it refers to the act of leaving what Allaah has
prohibited and returningto what He, Almighty, hascommanded.
The subject of repentance is one that concerns all people who believe
in Allaah, and is vital for the Muslims to understand because our
salvation in the Hereafterdepends on our repentance to Allaah, as
Allaah commands (what means): "…And turn to Allaah in repentance, all
of you, that youmight succeed." [Quran 24:31]
Allaah also Says (what means): "…Indeed, Allaah loves those who are
constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves." [Quran
2:222]
One may have a real intention to repent, but there may be some
obstacles to the path of repentance. If this is the case, then he
needs to actwithout hesitation and remove those obstacles to clear the
way to a happy soul.
The postponement of repentance may be the result of either a
deliberate desire to prolong the illicit pleasure derived from the
sin, or doubt on the part of an ignorant sinner whether or not Allaah
would accept his repentance.
However, we have to be certain that Allaah will guide us to success
and safeguard us against our malice. We also must be confident that
Allaah forgives our sins and thatHe, and only He, can judge us. It is
only His Judgement that is worthyof our worry and anxiety.So we should
fear Him only because sincere repentance removes all sins and
disobedience.
The door of repentance is always open, until...
The door to repentance isalways open and will not be closed in the
face of any repentant person, regardless of his sins. Expect this gate
to have two locks: death and the approach of the Day of Judgement. The
first was mentioned in the Hadeeth: "Allaah accepts a slave's
repentance unless his death approaches." [At-Tirmithi]
The other was mentionedin the Hadeeth: "Whosoever turns to Allaah in
repentance before the sun rises in the West, Allaah will forgive him."
[Ahmad]
Allaah Says in the Quran what means: "But repentanceis not [accepted]
of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to
one of them, he says: 'Indeed, I have repented now,' or of those who
die while they are disbelievers..." [Quran 4:18]
O heedless soul! Hasten torepent before the knock of death sounds and
the time of repentance runs out. Do not get caught dying in a state of
disobedience to your Most Merciful Lord. Satan gives you long hope and
empty promises; he delays your repentance until your heart becomes as
callous as a rock by being adamant in sin anddisobedience, and you
would therefore meet your Lord in a wretched state. If the door of
repentance is closed to you, it will never open to you again.
What keeps us from repenting?
1. Taking sins lightly:
The problem with many of us today is that we do not fear Allaah, which
means that we do not think seriously about disobeying Him and
therefore fall into sin, without giving any real thought to it. Hence,
we should think about the statement which Ibn Mas'ood made: "A
believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which he
is afraid may collapse on him, whereas the wicked person considers his
sins as flies passing over his nose which he just drives away like
this (and he waved his hand across his face toillustrate this)."
[Al-Bukhaari]
The Prophet said: "Take caution against minor sins, because such sins
are like a group of people who temporarilysettled in the middle of a
valley. Then, they decided to make a fire,so each one of them brought
a stick until they were able to make it, so they baked their bread.
Thus, minor sins (when they accumulate) may destroy the one who
commits them." [Ahmad]
2. "What is the point? I will only end up doing it again"
Such an approach is the result of a misunderstanding. Indeed, one of
the conditions of repentance is having a real intention not to return
to the same sin. This, however, does not mean that Satan will never
tempt you to commit the same sin again. Thus, if you have failed
yourself, and you returned to the same sin, it does not mean that your
first repentance wasa lie. You should hasten to make additional
repentance, with a real intention not to return tothis sin, keeping in
mind that Allaah's mercy extends over everything.
3. "Allaah is forgiving, so let me sin"
When reminded of repentance and the hideousness of disobedience, some
people would respond that Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. An
atheist once said in sarcasm: "You should commit as many sins as you
can because you are heading towardsthe Lord who is Most-Generous."
There is no doubt that such a view is complete ignorance of the
religion of Allaah, because Allaah's mercy is close to the righteous
and not to the wrongdoers.
4. "I am destined to be a sinner"
Some people may chooseto blame Al-Qadr (fate) for their sins. For
example, if you ask any of them, "Why do you notperform the Prayers?
Why do you not fast? Why do you drink or smoke? Why do you not repent
from your disobedience?" They would respond by saying:"This is
Allaah's Qadr" or:"I am doomed to do this."This is definitely a grave
misconception and an evasion of the truth. Believing in Al-Qadr does
not mean that one is destined to commit sins. It is true that Allaah
has written all human beings'deeds, good or bad, and only He knows the
unseen, but the believer is not forced to perform agood deed, nor is
he forced to commit any disobedience. Instead, hehas been granted the
ability to reflect, reason and then make a decisionfreely. Al-Qadr is
only responsible for the calamities and blessings that an individual
may confront because he can do nothing about them. For example, if a
couple were to marry and have three children, then this is their Qadr.
It is impermissible to fault Al-Qadr for our sins and disobedience
because doing so is akin to being in confrontation and showing
dissatisfaction with Allaah.
Repentance wipes out all sins, major and minor:
Being confused, some people may think that repentance is only required
for major sins. Itshould be noted that repentance from all sins is
obligatory.
Even the Prophet who was sinless, asked Allaah to forgive him on a
daily basis. The Prophet is reported to have said: "O people! Make
repentance to Allaah. I swear by Allaah that I make repentance to Him
more than seventy times every day." [Al-Bukhaari]
Therefore, we all need to fear Allaah, ask His forgiveness and be
aware that there is no sinthat is minor with persistence, and no major
sin with seeking Allaah's forgiveness (i.e. if the minor sin is
repeated many times it becomes a major one.) Thus, sincere repentance
wipes out all committed sins.
Never despair!
Someone might say: "I want to repent but my sins are too many ." But
Allaah Says what means: "Say: 'O my slaves who have transgressed
against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of
Allaah. Indeed, Allaah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the
Forgiving, the Merciful." [Quran 39:53]
Therefore, we should never lose hope or stop asking for Allaah's
forgiveness. Its importance is shown to us in the Hadeeth in which the
Prophet said: "O people! Turn to Allaah inrepentance and seek His
forgiveness, for I make repentance to Him a hundred times every day."
[Muslim]
Repentance is such a great act of worship that doing it can erase all
our sins altogether, as the Prophet said: "One who repents from sin is
like one without sin." [Ibn Maajah]

Dought & clear,- Does he have the right to take possession of a house that was bought with his money that he used to send to his mother?.

My grandfather had 9 children and he migrated from india with poor
means. My father was third eldest son .Due to The sudden death of my
grandfather, my father left for dubai,stayed there for 12years , sent
all money except that was needed for our sustenance, to my
grandmother.My older uncles were in no position to financially support
there mother or siblings. As all my uncles and aunt got good education
and were married off , my grandmother wished myfather to return and
own the house which was purchased on installments by my grandfather a
few months before his death but the 4 yearly installments were paid
after that for more than 12 years by money sent by my father. She
wanted this as my fatherhad no savings for his own family after a long
tenure in middle east , she made this known to her sister in laws and
a few other senior members of family . She died before my father could
return to pakistan. The property was still half paid for , my father
lived for next 12 years orso in middle east , completed the
installments and started the paperwork for the transfer of documents
tohis name from that of my grandmothers . At the time of her death the
my uncles and aunt have agreed that her wish was justifed and they had
no problems with it but as the papers were completed for transfer a
few of them objected that the property belonged to their father ,then
mother so it should be distributed among all . My father was not keen
to keep it for himself earlier but as they all have agreed on it , he
had been counting the property as his own . RIGht now the amount has
increased to 6 fold inprice . What should he do ? My uncle and aunt
claim that since he was out of country and couldafford to pay , this
does not mean he was the sole heir , which is true but why did they
earlier gave the impression thatthey wanted to honour the wish as she
was being just too her son . Should he distribute the money among all
, whichwill be a lot of money actually.
Praise be to Allah.
Undoubtedly what your father did of helping his parents and siblings
and contributing to the living expenses even though he was overseas
and far away from his children was an act of great kindness and a good
deed.
From the question it seems that what your father did was to help the
family with their living expenses, then he sent money with which this
house that is the subject of the dispute was bought.
It may be said that in this case one of the following two scenarios must apply:
1.
Either he sent this money with which the house was bought as an act of
kindness to his parents and upholding ties of kinship with his
siblings and helping them, voluntarily giving the money that he sent
to them. In that case the house is to be included with the estate and
is to be divided among all theheirs in accordance withthe laws of
Allah, because he gave up his wealth by way of giving a gift, so he
has no right to take back his gift. Andyour father will be rewarded
abundantly byhis Lord.
Al-Bukhaari (2067) and Muslim (2557) narrated from Anas ibn Maalik
(may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever would like his rizq
(provision) to be increased and his life to be extended, should uphold
the ties of kinship."
2.
Or he was sending this money for them to take whatever they needed,
and whatever was left over after spending on his family remained his
property, so the house that was bought is the property of the owner
ofthe money, because he isthe one who paid its price, and his father
and mother acted as deputies for him in transferring this
leftovermoney to buy this house.
In this case it would be better if he had stated clearly to his
parents or they had stated clearly to him at the time of purchase that
the house was being bought in his name.
However we should advise both parties not to undermine the good
relationship between them; your father shouldnot make this a cause of
spoiling the acts of kindness that he did for his family and they
should not not be harsh with their brother who helped them, spent on
them and treated them kindly. Is the reward of good anything but good?
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear,- Ruling on drinking beer and the like.

What is the ruling on drinking beer and similar drinks?
Praise be to Allah.
If the beer is free of that which causes intoxication, then there is
nothing wrong with it.However if it contains any intoxicating
substances, it is not permissible to drink it. The same applies to all
other intoxicants, whether they are drunk or eaten – they must be
avoided and it is not permissible to drink or eat any of these things,
because Allah, may He beglorified and exalted, says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks),
gambling, AlAnsab, and Al-Azlam (arrows for seeking luck or
decision)are an abomination of Shaitans (Satan) handiwork. So avoid
(strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.
Shaytaan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between
youwith intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you
from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salat (the prayer). So, will
you not then abstain?"
[al-Maa'idah 5:90-91].
And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Every intoxicant is khamr and every intoxicant is haraam." Narrated
by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh. And it was proven from the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he cursed alcohol, the
one who drinks it, the one who pours it, the one who squeezes (the
grapes etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, theone who carries it,
the one to whom it is carried, the one who sells it, the one who
buysit and the one who consumes its price. It is narrated from him
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a saheeh report that he
said: "Every drink that intoxicates is haraam." And it was narrated
fromhim in a saheeh report that he forbade every intoxicant and
relaxant.
What the Muslim should do is avoid all intoxicants and beware of them.
The one who does any of that must give it up and hasten to repent to
Allah, may He be exalted, from that, as Allah, may He be exalted,says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you
may be successful"
[an-Noor 24:31]
"O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance!"
[at-Tahreem 66:8].
End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz
Ends.

The value of repentance

The value of repentance
Mullah Ali Qari (ra) in his Arabic commentary of Mishkaat wrote an
incident about Ibrahim bin Adham (ra), who wasan eminent spiritual
leader of his time. He writes that Ibrahim bin Adham (ra) said "While
walking one day I came across a wealthy young man who was spewing due
to having drank liquor. He vomited so much that flies started buzzing
around him. This excessive spewing caused him to lose consciousness."
Upon initially seeing him Ibrahim bin Adham was very upset. The
thought occurred to him that the very tongue that pronounces the name
of Allah has been spoiled by the impurity of liquor. He fetched a pail
of water and washed the vomit around his mouth. He prayed to Allah
with the following words: "Oh Allah, thoughhe is unworthy and
disobediently involved in sin, You are my Friend and he is a servant
of myFriend. In view of the fact that I consider him to be Your
servant even though he is a sinner I will cast my attention onhim, for
he is nonetheless connected to You."
The splash of cold water on his face immediately woke him up. He came
to his senses and sat up. He said: "Ibrahim you are such a prominent
Wali Allah (friend of Allah), he who has given up the Kingdom of
Balkh, yet you are tending to a miserable drunkard like myself?"
Ibrahim replied, "Seeing you in this disabled statearoused compassion
in me. I saw you in a state where flies are buzzing around you, but
becauseyou are a servant of my Allah, I deemed it correctto serve
you." The youngman was very surprised saying, "I was always under the
impression that men of Allah look down upon sinners. Today have I come
to realize that none are as compassionate upon sinners as the friends
of Allah. Please give me your hands, so that I can make Taubah, I can
repent for my sins and become Bayat to you."
Sultan Ibrahim (ra) accepted his request for Bayat and made him repent
from his sins. At that moment he received kashf (ability tosee some
hidden things) that this young man who had just repented had surpassed
many pious individuals of that period.
Indeed, at the very moment a person repents from his sins, he becomes
the most beloved to Allah. Even the angels celebrate in the heavens
saying that so and so has asked forgiveness from Allah and has come
close to Allah.

The smart thing to do

The smart thing to do
Here is another story about Sultan Mahmud ofAfghanistan and his
servant, Ayyaz. Sultan Mahmud would respect Ayyaz for his wisdom even
though he was a servant. This made the ministers and other people of
high positions very jealous of Ayyaz. They talked wrong against him
and started a rumour that Ayyaz wasnothing but a fool. The king came
to know of this and he decided to prove to them who werethe real
fools. An announcement was made to all the people that the King will
distribute his belongingson a particular date. Whatever a person touch
will become his onthat day. When the day came, many people appeared by
the king's palace. The king made his announcement againthat a person
can have whatever he touches. The door was opened and everyone ran to
touch whatever was of value in the palace. Some touched jewelery of
gold while others touched fancy furnitures, etc. But Ayyazwas just
standing by the king and was not touching anything. People thought
that Ayyaz was crazy as he wasn't taking advantageof this great event.
Now,Ayyaz asked the king if the announcement he made was certain. The
king said "Yes, whatever you touch is yours." Immediately, Ayyaz
placed his right hand on the king's head and the left hand on his
shoulder. He then shouted, "Listen everyone. I was waiting for this
moment to aquire the most expensive thing. All of you took whatever
the king possessed, but you forgot about the owner of all these, which
is the king himself. I hereby declare that my hands are on the king,
so the king is mine. You cannot remove one thing from this palace
because I am the owner of all these now." After hearing this from
Ayyaz, everyone realized that actually, Ayyaz is the only smart one
and everyone else was in error.
Today people are only running after the creations but, very few are
running towards theCreator Himself. If Allah, the King of all kings,
becomes our Friend thenwhat else do we need?

Flash Quran Recitation by Mishary Rashed al-Efasy

Flash Quran Recitation by Mishary Rashed al-Efasy