Darwinists are terrifiedand baffled by the worldthat arises in our brains

This was again clearly demonstrated on the program Sansursuz
(Uncensored), broadcast on 14 August, 2009. The concept that panicked
Darwinists was the "world inside our brains:"
The photon strikes the eye, and an electric signal goes from the eye
to the brain. The electric signal departs from the eye and reaches an
area the size of a lentil called the sight center. And an image then
forms in thatlentil-sized area. THERE ISAN EYE that looks at the image
that forms there. IT IS "THAT" EYE THAT IS ACTUALLY PERFECT. That eye
sees the electricity that reaches it. And with a perception of perfect
depth, brightly, vividly, in movement, full color and in three
dimensions.Yet that region is pitch black. The places the electric
signals arrive at, the sight center, and the interior of the brain are
all in darkness. Yet the eye there sees a perfect and crystal clear
image, a far better one than that produced by any high-tech
television. Andit interprets these images in such a way as to feel
sorrow, joy, love and liking, or to analyze,remember or learn from
them.
There is a miracle going on here.
Atoms that are unable tosee cannot combine together, unconsciously and
by chance, to produce a visual system that gives a better imagethen
even the most perfect camera and that provides a sharper and more
colorful image than those produced by the most highly advanced
three-dimensional cinema or television systems.
Unconscious atoms with no ability to hear anything cannot produce a
hearing system, as the result of chance, that is far superior to that
of the most advanced stereo system, with perfectly sharp and
multi-dimensional sounds indistinguishable from the real thing.
Atoms that cannot smell anything cannot produce a system of smell that
detects the perfume of a rose under the influence of chance.
Unconscious atoms with no sense of hot, cold or hardness cannot
produce a sense of touchas the result of chance.
Unconscious atoms unaware of their own existence cannot turn bychance
into human beings that enjoy music, know the tastes of all kinds of
food, have memories, think and feel, that make plans, relive their
memories in their minds, enjoy laughter and happy times and possess
hundreds of other such characteristics, or even turn into scientists
that investigate the structure of the atoms itself.
The eye that sees the bright, mobile and threedimensional world on the
outside in the brain IS THE SOUL. The soul is entirely metaphysical
and cannot be explainedthrough any material concept. For that
reason,materialists, atheists andDarwinists who seek to account for
the existence of the soul andeverything else in terms of matter are in
a state of utter panic. The soul bestowed on man by Almighty Allah
totally demolishes Darwinism and every intellectual system espoused by
Darwinists. That is why, as on the program in question, Darwinists are
unwilling to discuss suchissues and immediately try to gloss over
them. One expects them to run away from the issue. Because they will
alwaysbe defeated in the face of the perfection of the eye that sees
inside our brains that Allah has created.

The Relativity of Time Has Once Again Been Proved: Gravity Slows Down Time

How does the perception of time come about?
How does gravity slow down time?
Does the speed of an object change the passage of time?
How has the relativity of time once again been proved in a study
published in Science magazine?
How does the Qur'an refer to time as a relative concept?
The Theory of Relativity revealed that there are different time
zones in space, dependent on velocity and position.
Time is a perception, just like smell or touch or sight, and is a
means of comparing one moment with another. And just like other
perceptions, it takes place in the brain and appears when various
imaginary entities within the brain are compared. For example, when
we strike an object a specific sound is given off. The same sound is
given off when we hit it again 5 minutes later. One imagines that
there is an intervening period between the first sound and the
second and refers to that as "time." But the fact is that when he
hears the second sound, the first is merely an illusion in his mind
and exists solely within his memory. One obtains the perception of
time by comparing the moment in one's memory with the present one.
Were it not for that process of comparison, there would be no
perception of time.
Time Changes According to the Perceiver
The relativity of time can clearly be experienced in dreams. Even if
we imagine that we have been dreaming for hours, they in fact take
place in just a few minutes or seconds. Almighty Allah refers to
this in the Qur'an in the story of the cave. According to the
Qur'an, our Lord kept a community of believers, the Companions of
the Cave, in a sleep-like state for some 300 years. When He later
woke them they thought they had only been there for a very brief
space of time and were unable to estimate how long they had been
asleep. This is revealed as follows in the Qur'an:
" So We sealed their ears with sleep in the cave for a number of
years. Then We woke them up again so that we might see which of the
two groups would better calculate the time they had stayed there."
(Surat al-Kahf, 11-12)
" That was the situation when We woke them up so they could question
one another. One of them asked, 'How long have you been here?'
They replied, 'We have been here for a day or part of a day.' They
said, 'Your Lord knows best how long you have been here. Send one of
your number into the city with this silver you have, so he can see
which food is purest and bring you some of it to eat. But he should
go about with caution so that no one is aware of you," (Surat
al-Kahf, 19)
This example from the Qur'an shows that our knowledge regarding the
passage of time is based on reference point that alters according
to the person perceiving them. The reason why a person says, "I am
30 years old" is that information pertaining to those 30 years has
accumulated in his brain. Were it not for his memory, he would be
unable to think of the intervening space of time and would live in a
constant single "moment." We think that time is always moving
forward because our brains are used to such a method of ordering
events. The fact is, however, that this is a decision made in the
brain, and is therefore completely relative.
Time Has Been Scientifically Proved to Be a Perception
It was Albert Einstein, regarded as the greatest physicist of the
20th century, who launched the theory of "the Relativity of Time."
According to this theory, known as the theory of relativity, time
and space are perceptions. To put it another way, there is no such
thing as absolute time. The way we perceive time and space depend
on where we are and how we are moving:
The Passage of Time Changes According to the Effect of Gravity :
The position of a body influences time. According to Einstein's
theory of relativity, time slows down under the effect of gravity.
Accordingly, the passengers on a plane flying somewhere with lower
gravity will age by a few extra nanoseconds on every trip. The
renowned physicist Stephen Hawking describes this using the example
of twins:
"Consider a pair of twins. Suppose that one twin goes to live on top
of a mountain while the other stays at sea level. The first twin
would age faster than the second. Thus, if they met again, one
would be older than the other." (Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of
Time, p.54)
Einstein and Hawking's theory that that time passes more slowly near
centers of gravity has been proved by experiments conducted by
American scientists. A rocket at high altitude and two separate
sites with different gravitational fields were selected for the
first experiment. Two very sensitive atomic clocks, capable of
measuring atomic vibrations were installed in these two locations,
which had different gravitational fields because of their different
altitudes, and the relative nature of time was confirmed. The scope
of the experiment has today been increased and relativity has been
observed in daily life. Two atomic clocks hundreds of times more
sensitive than the original ones were used for this experiment. But
it was not the two sensitive atomic clocks that distinguished this
experiment from the earlier one. The difference in elevation
between the two clocks was a mere 33 cm.
According to the results of the experiment, published in the
American magazine Science on 24 September, being 33 cm higher, in
other words two steps higher, causes time to pass faster because
pressure is slightly reduced, and someone standing above these two
steps ages slightly faster. However, since Almighty Allah has not
created this phenomenon in such a way as to eliminate the need for
free will, the difference is only one 90 billionth of a second in a
life span of 97 years, and is therefore imperceptible to anyone.
The conclusion from these scientific findings summarized very
briefly here is that the fact that time is a perception has once
again been confirmed. This fact was also revealed hundreds of years
ago in the Qur'an. The relevant verses read:
" ... A day with your Lord is equivalent to a thousand years in the
way you count." (Surat al-Hajj, 47)
" He directs the whole affair from heaven to earth. Then it will
again ascend to Him on a Day whose length is a thousand years by
the way you measure." (Surat as-Sajda)
" The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day whose length is
fifty thousand years." (Surat al-Ma'arij, 4)
The Velocity of an Object Affects the Passage of Time :
Time passes faster or slower depending on the velocity of an object
and its position (proximity to center of gravity). The more an
object accelerates (in proximity to the center of gravity), the
slower the effect of time on it. In other words, time contracts as
velocity increases; it passes more slowly, as if approaching a
"stop" point. We can clarify this with another example from
Einstein. One of two twins of the same age stays on Earth while the
other sets off on a space voyage at a speed approaching that of
light. When the person who goes into space returns, his twin will
be older than he is. The reason is that time passes more slowly for
the twin who travels at high speed in space. This conclusion that
Einstein arrived at in the 1900s has been confirmed by a
NASA-supported project.
NASA confirmed Einstein's claim that large object such as the Earth
bend time and space as they revolve around their own axes by taking
measurements using two satellites orbiting the Earth. At the end of
the study, the measurements performed showed an annual 2-meter
deviation in the direction of the Earth's movement of the
satellites' orbit around it. In other words, the satellites were
being propelled 2 meters outward off their orbits. This is in 99%
agreement with Einstein's calculations regarding the interface of
time and space.
The varying effect of an object's velocity on the passage of time
revealed by the NASA satellites has also been determined in daily
life by NASA researchers. It appears that when one travels faster
than 32 km an hour, time passes more slowly.
The scientific experiments in question prove that we can never know
how or even if time passes. That, in turn, shows that time has no
absolute reality, that it is simply a perception. This fact,
corroborated by modern science, that time is simply a psychological
perception and that it can be perceived differently depending on
events, location and prevailing conditions, is revealed thus in the
Qur'an:
" On the Day He calls you, you will respond by praising Him and think
that you have only tarried a very short time." (Surat al-Isra', 52)
Time Is a Perception
Let us imagine we are sitting in a room specially designed to have
just one window, and that we are spending a specific length of time
there. There is a clock by which we can see time passing. We can also
see the Sun rise and set periodically from that window. When asked,
after a few days, how long we have been in that room, the answer we
give will be a calculation based on information acquired from
looking at the clock and on how many times the Sun has risen and
set. For example, we calculate we have been in the room for three
days. But if the person who put us in the room says, "You have
actually been here for two days," and then tells us that the Sun we
saw from the window was actually created artificially and that the
clock in the room had been specially designed to run fast, then our
earlier calculation will be meaningless. This example also shows
that our information regarding the passage of time is based on
reference points themselves based on perception.
Since all events appear to take place in a specific order, we think
that time always moves forward. For example, a skier always skis
downward on a mountain, not upward, or a drop of water always flows
down a window and not up. The skier's state at the bottom of the run
is the future, and that at the top of the mountain is the past. But
if all the information in our memories began to be played backward,
like rewinding a film, then the past would be his state at the
bottom of the run, and the future would be the condition applying
before he sets off.
Almighty Allah Is Unfettered by Time and Space. Human Beings Are
Bound by Time and Space Because They Are Weak
Time and space are not absolute concepts, but rather ones with
beginnings and that were created out of nothing by Allah. It has
been scientifically proved that time is a relative concept, that it
is not fixed and unchanging in the way that materialists believed
for hundreds of years, and that it is a variable form of perception.
In this way, it has totally refuted the materialist claim of
"absolute time and an eternal universe."
Almighty Allah created the "moment" in an infinitely brief moment,
together with an eternal past and infinite future. Time was created
subsequently, for human beings. Allah, Who created time and space,
is of course unfettered by them. Allah determined every moment of
time within timelessness, and then created it. That is the essence
of the fact of "destiny" that materialists are so at a loss to
understand. Everything that for us has happened in the past or will
happen in the future, is included within the omniscience and
dominion of Allah, Who is unfettered by time and Who created it out
of nothing.
Modern science also confirms truths that our Lord revealed in the
Qur'an 1400 years ago and that believers have believed in with all
their hearts. This once again bears witness that the Qur'an is the
word of Allah.
"... They said, 'Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what
You have taught us. You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.'" (Surat
al-Baqara, 32)

Islamic scholars' views of the ''truth of the matter''

Some Muslims suggest that the fact that we only have experience of
the illusion of matter in our minds is not compatible with Islam,
and maintain that religious scholars in the past rejected this fact.
That is not actually the case, however. On the contrary, what we
are saying here is in complete conformity with the verses of the
Koran. It is exceedingly important for a definite understanding of
many verses and subjects revealed in the Koran, such as heaven and
hell, timelessness, infinity, resurrection and the Hereafter.
Unquestionably, even if he is unaware of this subject, a person can
still live in complete faith. He can have faith, with all his heart
and feeling no doubt, in what God has revealed in the Koran. We
must still make it clear, however, that an awareness of this
subject allows such a person to deepen his faith and certainty. A
number of Islamic scholars of the past looked on the matter from
that same point of view. The only factors that prevented what they
had to say from being widely spread and known were 1) the fact that
the level of science when they lived was unable to totally clarify
the subject and 2) the existence of trends that were apt to lead to
its being misunderstood.
Explanations by Imam Rabbani
The most important of those Islamic scholars who explained the true
nature of matter was Imam Rabbani, who has been widely respected in
the Islamic world for hundreds of years and is seen as "the greatest
reformer of the 10th century according to the Muslim calendar." In
his book Letters, Imam Rabbani provides a detailed commentary on
this very subject. In one of his letters, Imam Rabbani says that God
created the entire universe at the level of perception:
… The Glorious God assigned an appearance from all appearances for
names from all names in the sphere of non-existence with his
Perfect Might. And He created it at the sphere of sensations and
perceptions. At the time He willed and in the way He willed … Even in
the exterior level, there is nothing permanent and existing other
than the being and attributes of Almighty God... 1
In another letter, Imam Rabbani once again stresses that all that
exists is created only at the level of senses and perceptions:
I have used the following sentence above, "God's creation is at the
level of senses and perceptions." 2
On close examination, Imam Rabbani is careful to emphasize that the
world we see, in other words all that exists, has been created on
the level of perception. Another of his statements on the subject
is as follows:
Nothing but God exists on the outside… Perhaps all of Almighty God's
creation finds constancy on the level of perception… It only has
permanency thanks to God's artistry on that one level. In short, it
only has permanency and appearance on one level. It does not have
existence on one plane and appearance on another… 3
Explanations by Muhyiddin Ibn al-'Arabi
The great Islamic scholar Muhyiddin Ibn al-'Arabi also believed
that the only thing that has definitive existence is God, Who has
created the whole universe only on the perceptual level. He is
known as "The Greatest Master" (Shaykh al-Akbar) on account of the
depth of his knowledge, and in his work The Essence of Wisdom
(Fusûs al-Hikam), he reveals that the universe is but a shadow
existence consisting of what is manifested by God:
I say that you must know that apart from God, all that exists, or
everything in the universe, stands in the same relation to God as a
shadow to a man. That being the case, everything apart from God is
but His shadow… There is no doubt that the shadow exists in
perception. 4
The Prophet Muhammad said that "people are asleep and wake up when
they die." This is to say that the objects seen in the world when
alive are similar to those seen when asleep while dreaming, meaning
that they exist in the imagination. 5
The Perversion of Philosophers
These explanations regarding the fact that the matter is illusion
are misunderstood by some people and likened to the views of some
ancient Greek philosophers or some other disbelieving philosophers.
Indeed, there have been philosophers who said matter is illusion,
yet these people went astray since they failed to grasp that this
illusion was created by God. For instance, ancient Greek sophists
said, "Matter is a perception we have created ourselves." This view
is rationally and scientifically flawed, and departs from true
religion. As stressed from the very beginning, the truth is that
matter is created by God and does exist, but we don't know the actual
matter but merely a version of it we perceive in our minds.
It is a grave error to confuse this false view of those philosophers
with the explanation given here by Islamic scholars about the
"nature of matter." In fact, Imam Rabbani mentions those
philosophers who depart from the truth when discussing the subject
of matter. He stresses that what he says is very different to their
twisted views. He says the following in his Letters:
When I refer to the world as "imaginary," I do not mean that it is
made and shaped by the imagination … Of course, what it really means
is that God has created the world on the perceptual level …
On the other hand, philosophers who are comprise a group of
lunatics actually talk about something else. What they mean is that
the world is the work of imagination and it is shaped by the
imagination. There is a great difference between the two. 6
Having a Grasp of the Truth of the Matter is Essential
As we have seen, the fact that we merely deal wih the version of
matter in our minds is a very important fact also stated by Islamic
scholars. Yet throughout history, this issue has never been
accessible to the masses; only a limited number of people knew
about it. In this century, this fact has now become explicable,
thanks to the evidence science has provided. The fact that we have
no experience of the actual material world that exists outside our
minds is, for the first time in history, being clearly and
comprehensibly explained. For this reason, everyone must seriously
consider the matter. Muslims in particular must attach vital
importance to it, because comprehending the true facts about matter
is important for attaining true faith in God. Otherwise people will
assume matter to be the absolute truth, which will help the
development of materialist philosophies that deny God or perverted
faiths.
Materialists tell the lie, "Matter is all that exists, and there is
no God". We, on the other hand, say, "The only absolute being is
God; matter is created by Him but we merely deal with its version
in our minds." All power belongs to God, Who creates matter at every
moment. That is the true meaning of "La Ilaha Illallah", the basis
of Islam, which means "there is no deity other than God". There is no
deity other than God. And in fact, there is nothing other than God.
There is only God and His manifestations. Everything we see around
are but His manifestations.
Having a grasp of the true facts about matter is important because
it will help people to comprehend this inner meaning. The fact that
having a grasp of this fact is an attribute peculiar to people of
profound faith and wisdom is stated in a verse:
God bears witness that there is no deity but Him, as do the angels
and the people of knowledge, upholding justice. There is no deity
but Him, the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Koran, 3:18)
1 - Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, Vol II, 470. Letter, p. 517-518
2 - Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, Vol II, 357. Letter, p. 163
3- Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, Vol II, 470. Letter, p. 519
4- Muhyiddin Ibn al-'Arabi, Fusus al-Hikam, p. 117-18
5- Muhyiddin Ibn al-'Arabi, Fusus al-Hikam, p. 220
6- Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, Vol II, 480. Letter, p. 543, 545

15 Bible coinsides with Quran

THE INCREASING INSENSITIVITY OF
ONE'S EYES, EARS, AND HEARTS
They say [to Mohammed]: "Our heartsare covered up against what you
call us to, and there is a heaviness in our ears. There is a screen
between us and you. So act-we are certainly acting." (Qur'an, 41:5)
God has sealed up their hearts and hearing, and over their eyes is a
blindfold. They will have a terrible punishment. (Qur'an, 2:7)
Some of them listen to you, but We have placed covers on their hearts,
preventing them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears.
Though they see every Sign, they still have no faith, so that when
they come to you, disputing with you, those who do not believe say:
"This is nothing but the myths ofprevious peoples!" (Qur'an, 6:25)
We created many of the jinn and humanity for Hell. They have hearts
with which they do not understand. They have eyes with which they do
not see. They have ears with which they do not hear. Such people are
like cattle. No, they are even further astray! Theyare the unaware.
(Qur'an, 7:179)
New Testament
"For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with
their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might
seewith their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them." (Matthew 13:15)
Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?... (Mark 8:18)
Go to this people and say:"You will be ever hearingbut never
understanding;you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." For this
people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might seewith their
eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn...
(Acts 28:26-27)
DENIERS THINK THEY ARE SMART
When they are told:"Believe in the way that the people believe,"
theysay: "What! Are we to believe in the way that fools believe?" No
indeed! They are the fools, but they do not know it. (Qur'an, 2:13)
New Testament
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:22)
DEBASEMENT OF THE UNBELIEVERS
No self can believe except with God's permission. He places a blight
on those who do not use their intellect. (Qur'an, 10:100)
New Testament
Therefore God gave themover, through the sinful desires of their
hearts, to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one
another.(Romans 1:24)
NOT TO BEFRIEND THOSE WITH A BAD CHARACTER
You will not find people who believe in God and the Last Day having
love for anyone who opposesGod and His Messenger, though they be their
fathers, their sons, their brothers, or their clan. God has inscribed
faith upon such people's hearts, will reinforce them with a Spirit
from Him, and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them,
remaining in them timelessly, forever. God is pleased with them
andthey are pleased with Him. Such people are theparty of God. Truly,
it is the party of God that is successful. (Qur'an, 58:22)
God merely forbids you from taking as friends those who have fought
you in the religion, driven you from your homes, and supported your
expulsion. Any whotake them as friends are wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 60:9)
New Testament
But now I am writing youthat you must not associate with anyone who
calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater
or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even
eat. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or
of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for
God's holy people… Let noone deceive you with empty words, for because
of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
Therefore, do not be partners with them. (Ephesians 5:3, 6-7)
ONE DAY IN GOD'S PRESENCE IS LIKE ONE THOUSAND YEARS FOR US
They ask you to hasten the punishment. God willnot break His promise.
A day with your Lord is equivalent to a thousandyears in the way you
count. (Qur'an, 22:47)
New Testament
... With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years anda thousand years
are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some
understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to
perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)

14 Bible coinsides with Quran

SHUNNING THE ANCESTORS'RELIGION
When they are told:"Follow what God has sent down to you," they say:
"We are following what we found our fathers doing." What, even though
their fathers did not understand a thing and were not guided! (Qur'an,
2:170)
New Testament
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the
traditions of men.
And he [Jesus] said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the
commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!" (Mark 7:8-9)
Old Testament
"They have returned to the sins of their forefathers, who refused to
listen to My words. They have followed otherdeities to serve them..."
(Jeremiah 11:10)
NOT TO BE DIVIDED IN RELIGION
He has laid down the same religion for you as He enjoined on Noah:
that which We have revealed to you and which We enjoined on Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus: "Establish the religion and do not make divisions in
it"... (Qur'an, 42:13)
[Idolaters are] those who split up their religion and form into sects,
each faction exulting in what they have. (Qur'an, 30:32)
Those who were given the Book did not divide into sects until after
the Clear Sign came to them. (Qur'an, 98:4)
Obey God and His Messenger and do not quarrel among yourselves, lest
you lose heart and your momentum disappear. And be steadfast. God is
with the steadfast. (Qur'an, 8:46)
New Testament
... All of you agree with one another so that theremay be no divisions
among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. (1
Corinthians 1:10)
MAN'S CREATION
We created man from the purest kind of clay, then made him a drop ina
secure receptacle, thenformed the drop into a clot, formed the clot
intoa lump, formed the lumpinto bones, clothed the bones in flesh, and
then brought him into being as another creature. Blessed be God, the
Best of Creators! (Qur'an, 23:12-14)
Old Testament
Your hands shaped me and made me... Remember that You molded me like
clay... [Did you not] clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me
together with bones and sinews? (Job 10:8-11)
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me
life. (Job 33:4)
I am just like you before God; I too have been taken from clay. (Job 33:6)
THE SELFISH SELF WILL ALWAYS COMMAND EVIL
And [I swear by] the self and what proportioned it, with depravity or
consciousness of God, hewho purifies it has succeeded. (Qur'an,
91:7-9)
But people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and guard
against evil, God is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 4:128)
[Joseph said,] I do not say my self was free from blame. The self
indeed commands to evilacts-except for those my Lord has mercy on…
(Qur'an, 12:53)
New Testament
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey
itsevil desires. (Romans 6:12)
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity
and debauchery; idolatry andwitchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,
fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, andenvy;
drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before,that
those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(Galatians 5:19-21)
He [Jesus] went on:"What comes out of a man is what makes him
'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts,
sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance,and folly. All these evils come
from inside and make a man 'unclean.'" (Mark 7:20-23)
BAD CHARACTER TRAITS
But do not obey any vile swearer of oaths, any backbiter,
slandermonger, impederof good, evil aggressor, or gross, coarse and,
furthermore, despicable person, simply because he possesses wealth and
sons. When Our Signs arerecited to him, he says:"Just myths of
previous peoples!" (Qur'an, 68:10-15)
An evil generation succeeded them who neglected the prayer and
followed their appetites. They will plunge into the Valley of Evil.
(Qur'an, 19:59)
New Testament
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed,
and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and
malice. They are gossips, slanderers ... insolent, arrogant, and
boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Romans 1:29-31)
Old Testament
They would not be like their forefathers-a stubborn and rebellious
generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not
faithful to Him. (Psalm 78:8)
Suppose he has a violent son who sheds blood or does any of these
other things (though the fatherhas done none of them): He eats at the
mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the poor and
needy, commits robbery, does not return what he took in pledge, and
looksto the idols. He does detestable things. (Ezekiel 18:10-12)
He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no
success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of
the wily are swept away. (Job 5:12-13)

13 Bible coinsides with Quran

NO WORLDLY OCCUPATION PREVENTS BELIEVERS FROM SEEKING GOD'S GOOD PLEASURE
[They are] not distractedby trade or commerce from the remembrance of
God, the establishment of prayer, and the payment of alms; fearing a
day when all hearts and eyeswill be in turmoil. (Qur'an, 24:37)
New Testament
... It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word
of God in order to wait on tables. (Acts 6:2)
TO BE WITH BELIEVERS
Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning
and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them,
desiring the attractions of this world.And do not obey someone whose
heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance, who follows his own
whims and desires, and whose life has transgressed all bounds.
(Qur'an, 18:28)
New Testament
... Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who
call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)
THE BROTHERHOOD OF BELIEVERS
Hold fast to the rope of God all together, and do not separate.
Remember God's blessing to you when you were enemiesand He joined your
hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing. You were
on the very brink of a pitof the Fire, and He rescued you from it. In
this way God makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will
be guided. (Qur'an, 3:103)
The male and female believers are friends of one another. They command
what is right and forbid what is wrong, perform prayer and give the
alms, and obey God and His Messenger… (Qur'an, 9:71)
New Testament
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother. (Mark 3:35)
TO BE STEADFAST IN GOD'S RELIGION
As for those who hold fast to the Book and perform prayer, We will not
let the wage of the righteous be wasted. (Qur'an, 7:170)
So hold fast to what has been revealed to you. You are on a straight
path. (Qur'an, 43:43)
Hold fast to the rope of God all together, and do not separate.
Remember God's blessing to you... (Qur'an, 3:103)
New Testament
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on
to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
He [an overseer] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as ithas
been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and
refute those who opposeit. (Titus 1:9)
A BELIEVER'S LIFE AND DEATH ARE FOR GOD
Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for God
alone,the Lord of all the worlds." (Qur'an, 6:162)
Those who, when disaster strikes them, say: "We belong to God, and to
Him we will return." (Qur'an, 2:156)
New Testament
For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself
alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the
Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Romans
14:7-8)

Fiqh - False Testimony

Islam has come with the establishment of justice and prevention of
injustice as one of its most manifest goals. Justice isthe purpose for
which Prophet Muhammadand all other Messengers, may Allaah exalt their
mention, were sent.Allaah Says )what means(:"We have already sent Our
messengers with clear evidences and Sent down with them the Scripture
and the balance that the people may maintain ]their affairs[ in
Justice…"]Quran 25:57[
This justice touches all aspects of human life and includes the rights
of the Creator and the creatures. Allaah Almighty Says)what
means(:"Indeed, Allaah orders justice and good conduct and giving to
relatives ..."]Quran 16:90[
Only Islam guarantees the means that lead to the actualization of
justice and its consolidation. One of the means of establishing
justice is giving testimony and knowing its importance. Testimony is
the criterion with which we distinguish between truth and falsehood,
and true claims and false ones. Someone said, "Testimony to people's
rights is like the soul to the body,for as Allaah enlivens bodies
withsouls, He also enlivens rights withtruthful testimony. It is
essential in establishing a sound social life and all that has to do
with it.
Shurayh, a prominent Muslim judgesaid, "Judgment is a disease while
testimony is a cure.So use the cure for the disease."
Giving testimony its due is an obligatory duty. Allaah Says
)whatmeans(:"…And establish the testimony for ]the acceptance of[
Allaah…"]Quran 65:2[
Those who stand firm in their testimonies are among the people of
righteousness and faith. Among the necessities of faith is giving
truthful testimony even if against oneself or a relative. Allaah Says
)what means(:"Oyou who have believed, be persistently standingfirm
injustice, witnesses for Allaah, even if it be against yourselves or
parents and relatives..."]Quran 4:135[
Establishing testimony includes giving witness in making contracts and
giving it in front of judges. Muslim scholars said,"Whoever is called
to be a witnessover a contract or undertaking - and there is no one
besides him qualified to do that - it is compulsory on him to be a
witness over the transaction. If, however, there are other qualified
persons to do that, it becomes a recommended act andcollective
obligation."
As regards giving testimony, the scholars said, "Giving testimony is a
collective obligation whereby if it is carried out by a sufficient
number of people, the whole community is absolved of the obligation.
But if no one does it, the whole community is blameworthy. If there
are no other witnesses that would enable justice to be done and there
is a fear that someone's right may be lost, it then becomes the
individual responsibility of the few availablewitnesses to
testify".Allaah Says)what means(:"…And let not the witnesses refuse
when they are called upon..."]Quran 2:282[
Islam not only enjoins giving testimony, it also forbids concealing it
because concealing evidence is something that is disapproved of
Islamically and detested by nature. Allaah Says)what means(:"…And do
not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it-his heart is indeed
sinful..."]Quran, 2:283[
Some scholars said: "Allaah has not threatened )His slaves( on
anything as much as He has threatened them over the concealment of
evidence.
Concealing evidence is a great sin.Allaah Says )what means(:"…And we
will not withhold the testimony of ]i.e. ordained by[ Allaah. Indeed,
we would then beof the sinful."]Quran 5:106[
Ibn Abbaassaid, "Giving false testimony and concealing testimony is
one of the major sins."
Since all these facts have been made clear, it then becomes necessary
to know thatSharee'ah)Islamic Law( has surrounded testimony with
hedges that will enable it to serve its purposes and prevent it from
deviating towards what negates its goals. That is why the basic
principle inSharee'ahis that one's testimony must be based on
knowledge, clarity and trust. Allaah Says)what means(:"…But only those
who testify to the truth ]can benefit[, and they know."]Quran 43:86[
Allaah also Says, while referring to the sayings of Prophet Yoosuf's
)Joseph's( brothers,)what means(:"…And we did not testify except to
what we knew."]Quran 12:81[
The scholars said, "Generally speaking, when regarding a matter that
can be seen, like murder, stealing, or fornication, only eye-witness
accounts are suitable )acceptable( as testimony, and if the matter is
one that can be heard like marriage and business contracts, divorce,
etc., acceptable testimony should be based on hearing".
To give testimony on a matter wherein one has no knowledge, or to
purposely testify with the opposite of what we know to be the truth is
regarded as a great sin. False testimony is one that is baseless
whatever the reason may be.Ibn Hajarsaid,"False information is to
describe something in contrary to its actual
form."Somescholarssaid,"Falsehood is something that is outwardly
adjusted and beautified so that it may be thought to be truth."
Allaah Says )what means(:" …Andavoid false statement."]Quran 22:30[
At-Tirmithiand others reported that the Prophetdelivered a sermon one
day and said,"O you people! Giving false testimony is equal to
ascribing partners to Allaah."He then recited,"So avoid the
uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement."]Quran 22:30[
Al-BukhaariandMuslimreported that the Prophetsaid,"Should I inform you
about the greatest of the great sins?"They )the present companions(
said, "Yes, O Allaah's Messenger!" He said,"To join others in worship
with Allaah and to be undutiful to one's parents."The Prophetthen sat
up after he had been reclining )on a pillow( and said,"And I warn you
againstgiving a lying speech )false statement(."He kept saying that
warning, till we )listeners( thought he would not stop".
Giving false testimony has many evils for it supports falsehood
against truth and gives backing to injustice and aggression against
justice. It also effaces fairness and equity and poses danger to
public safety and security.
Therefore, we, Muslims, should take to the path of pious believers
about whom Allaah Says)what means(:"And ]they are[ those who do not
testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by
with dignity."]Quran 25:72[
Islamic Law strongly seeks to establish principles of brotherhood and
mutual love in the Muslim society and remove causes of dissension from
amongMuslims. That is why it promulgates the policy of authentication
and keeping records of contracts in order to protect people's rights
and valuables and eliminate corruption and contentions. One of the
methods of authenticationis testimony. Allaah Says regarding business
transactions)what means(:"And take witnesses when you conclude a
contract."]Quran 2:282[
He, the Almighty, also Says regarding revocation of contracts:"And
bring to witness two just men from among you and establish the
testimony for]the acceptance of[ Allaah."]Quran65:2[
Concerning handing over properties and trusts, Allaah Almighty Says
)what means(:"Then when you release their property to them, bring
witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allaah as Accountant."]Quran,
4:6[
So, we, as Muslims, have to obey the injunctions of our Lord and
adhere to His way in order to succeed and have prosperity in this
world and the next.

Fiqh - The Islamic ruling on Al-Luqatah )lost and found(

Definition
Linguistically, 'Al-Luqatah' refers to anything that is found and
picked up from the ground. Technically, as Imaam Ibn Qudaamaha Muslim
scholar, definedit as: 'Property that the owner loses and a
personfinds and takes away )to preserve it in trust(.'
Legal Validity
Muslim scholars vary about the ruling. The Hanafi and Shaafi'i
juristsmaintain that it is better to pick up a lost property because a
Muslim is duty-bound to preserve his Muslim brother's property, as
evidenced by the saying of the Prophetwhen he was asked about
Al-Luqatah:"Remember the description of its container and the string
with which it is tied. Make a public announcement of it for one year.
If nobody comes and claims it, then utilise the money but keep it as a
trust with you. And if its owner comes back one day seeking it, then
return it to him."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
According to the Maaliki and Hanbali jurists, it is a Makrooh
)disliked( act to take away such property.This is also the opinion
ofIbn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbaas. They argued that by taking away such lost
items, one is bound to use something that is deemed unlawful. They
also argued that one maynot be able to undertake his duty efficiently
regarding it, in terms of advertising it, returning it to its lawful
owner andpreserving it.
Its Ruling in Terms of Liability
Al-Luqatah remains a trust with the person who finds it and keeps
it,and he is deemed liable for it only if he abuses it. He is also
deemed liable for it if he gives it to somebody else without the
permission of a judge. If it is damaged while still in the finder's
possession, after publicly announcing that he has found it and asking
people to refer its rightful owner to him, then he is not deemed
liable for such damage because he volunteered to preserve it in trust.
TheAhaadeeth )prophetic statements( on this issue are very clear. The
Prophetsaid in the above-quoted Hadeeth:"...But keep it as a trust
with you".
Types of Al-Luqatah
1. If it is an animal, the finder should see if it is able to protect
itself or not. If it is able to, then he is not allowed to take it
away. When the Prophetwas asked about the Islamic ruling concerning a
lost camel, he replied:"It is none of your concern. Leave it, for it
has its feet and a water-container)reservoir(, and it will reach water
and eat fromthe trees until its owner finds it."]Al-Bukhaari[
However, if the lost animal is not able to protect itself, such as a
sheep, a sick camel or a horse with a broken leg, the finder is
allowed to take it away. When the Prophetwas asked about the ruling
concerning a lost sheep, he replied:"Take it, for it is either for
you, or for your brother )i.e., its owner(, or for the
wolf."]Al-Bukhaari[
2. As for lost property that is not an animal, such as money of an
unknown owner, one should consider the following rulings:
The Ruling Concerning Trivial Fallen Items
For trivial items such as a loaf of bread, a whip, a date or anything
that people generally do not claim when they lose, according to the
predominant custom, theperson who finds such anitem is allowed to
claim itas his own without publicly announcing it. He is also allowed
to utilise it. Jaabir bin 'Abdullaahwho was one of the Prophet's
companions, said: "The Messenger of Allaahallowed us to utilise)such
trivial objects as( a rod, a whip and a rope if we found
it."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Announcing Lost Property Publicly
a( If someone finds an object, he should acquaint himself with
thefeatures that distinguish it from all similar objects. This will
allow him to identify the right owner if he comes to claim it and asks
him about its distinguishing features.
b( If he knows its distinguishing features, he should advertise it in
public places, markets and outside Mosques, butnot inside the Mosques,
as this is deemed a Makrooh act. He should then wait for a year.
How should the finder becompensated for announcing, publicising or
maintenance expenditure?
Hanafi and Hanbali juristsmaintain that the finder should incur such
expenses. Imaam Maalikmaintained: "The owner is to be given two
options: either to reclaimit from the person who has found it, by
paying him back for what he hasspent on it, or to give it to him in
return for the expenses incurred." Shaafi'i jurists say that the judge
takes the money from the public treasury of the Muslim state and gives
it to the finder of the lost property to use it for advertising
purposes, or the finder may borrow this money and would consider it as
a loan to the owner.
Returning Lost Property to the Person Who Claims It
If someone comes and claims that the lost property is his, its finder
should ask him about its distinguishing characteristics. If the
claimant adequately describes it and distinguishes it from similar
items, or if he proves to him with clear evidence that it belongs to
him - by describing its container or the string with which it is tied,
for instance - then the findershould return it to him, as the
Prophetsaid by way of example:"If its owner shows up and
satisfactorily describes itscontainer, the string withwhich it is tied
and the amount of money in it, then return it to him."]Muslim[
A question arises here: After the claimant provides a satisfactory
description of the lost property, should the finder return the
property to him or should he take him to a judge to establish the
evidence and act upon the judge's decision? According to the Hanafi
and Shaafi'i schools of Fiqh )jurisprudence(, the finder of the lost
property is not obliged toreturn it. The followers ofthe Maaliki and
Hanbali schools of Fiqh have stated that he is obliged to return it to
its owner ifthe latter gives a satisfactory description of it, in
accordance with the dictates of the prophetic tradition mentioned
above.
Claiming Lost Property as One's Own
The finder of the lost property can claim such property as his own if
he still has it, or he can claimits price as his own in case he sold
it after advertising it for the required period of time. In such a
case, he should give it or give its value tothe owner should the
latter come forward to claim it, as the Prophetsaid in this
regard:"Advertise it for a year. If nobody claims it, then utilise it,
and keep it withyou as a trust." One is notallowed to claim it as his
own without advertising it for a full year.
Some scholars argue that it is not permissible to consider lost
property as one's own, and whoever finds it should, after advertising,
give it in charity to the poor because it is considered other people's
property, and it is not permissible to use it without its owner's
consent, in accordance with prophetic textual evidence: the
Prophetsaid:"A Muslim's propertyis not lawful )for another Muslim(
without the former's own free will." Healso said: "Lost property is
not lawful. Whoever finds it should advertise it for a year. If its
owner shows up and claims it, he )the finder( must return it to him;
if he does not show up, he should give it in charity."]Al-Bazzaar and
Ad-Daaraqutni[

Fiqh - Bribery Leads to Corruption and Destruction

If bribery spreads throughout a society, it will undoubtedly be
corrupt and doomed to destruction. Man undertook the Trust that was
offered to the heavens and the earth but they refused to bear it.
Hence, it is obligatory on man to observe this Trust in the most
perfect way that is required of him in order to win the pleasure of
Allaah The Almighty and reform society.
However, if the Trust is lost, it results in the corruption of the
society and it becomes disordered and disunited. To preserve this
trust, Allaah The Almighty forbids His slaves from doing anything that
could lead toits loss or decrease. Hence, AllaahThe Almighty has
prohibited bribery, which is spending moneyso as to reach something
that is unlawful, either through giving the briber what he is not
entitledto have or exempting him from what is obligatory on him.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
•}And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or sendit ]in
bribery[ to the rulers in order that ]they might aid[ you]to[ consume
a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, whileyou know ]it is
unlawful[{]Quran 2:188[
•}Devourers of ]what is[ unlawful.{]Quran 5:42[ in the context of
dispraising the Jews.
There is no doubt that bribery is unlawful as Ibn Mas'oodsaid in his
commentary on the aforementioned verse.
Bribery is a Grave Major Sin
Some scholars consider bribery tobe a grave major sin, especially if
paid to affect the judgment of a person in a position of trust. This
is supported by a Hadeeth on the authority of 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amrwho
said, "The Messenger of Allaahcursed both the briber and the bribed
person."]At-Tirmithi[ This Hadeeth indicates that bribery is a grave
major sin because it is known that only grave sins and evildoings
deserve to be cursed.
Aspects of Bribery
Nowadays, bribery prevails in many sectors of numerous societies, to
the extent that thereis almost no area of life that is free from
bribery, especially in third world countries. There is bribery in
judgment such that thejudge takes the side of the undeserving or
prevents someone from having his right, gives precedence to the one
who does not deserve to be preferred and vice versa, or is partial in
his judgment to a relative or someone of high status - due to an
unlawful bribe that he received. There is also bribery in implementing
judgment. There isbribery in appointing people when someone pays a
bribe to those who are in authority to appoint someone while there
areothers who are more deserving of the job than him.
Leaving aside the fact that this is unlawful and the consumption
ofwhat is unlawful, it is also betrayal of the Trust because the
better and the more efficient person should be appointed to the job.
Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}The best one you can hire is the
strong and the trustworthy.{]Quran 28:26[ Moreover, there is bribery
in the field of education, construction and many other fields that are
too numerous to mention here.
Effects and Harms of Bribery
Bribery is a crime that has grave effects and serious consequenceson
the individual and the society. We shall summarize some of them as
follows:
1- Entrusting a mission to those who are not qualified to do it: When
one pays a bribe to have a job that he is not qualified for, this
leads to shortcomings in his work output and production and leads to
the wasting of resources.
2- Destruction of principles and good morals: The spread of bribery in
a society means the destruction of the morals of the members of this
society, loss of confidence between them and the spread of bad morals
like negligence, indifference, losing a sense of allegiance and
belongingand the onset of frustration.
3- Wasting property and endangering souls: If one imagines that
bribery prevails in a society until it reaches the sector of health
and the production of medicine, what would be the condition of
people's health when they use bad medicines that were licensedthrough
bribery? Imagine that one walks across a bridge that has grave defects
that endangers people's lives and properties and that the contractor
who built it obtained permission to finish thework and construction
through bribery.
How many casualties and financial losses would stem from the fall of
that bridge? One should draw an analogy to this case in all fields.
Hence, bribery leads to the wasting of money and endangering of souls.
The Difference Between Bribes and Gifts
There is no doubt that there is a resemblance between a bribe and a
gift but the main differencebetween them lies in the intention and
motive behind eachof them, for the one who presents a gift seeks to
win the love of others and their acquaintance and to show kindness to
them.
Is a Gift Presented to a Ruler Considered a Bribe?
Many scholars are of the opinion that the ruler's acceptance of gifts
is a type of bribe. In a Hadeeth on the authority of Abu Humayd
As-Saa'idihe said,
The Prophetemployed a man from the tribe of Al-Azd named Ibn
Al-Lutbiyyah to be a Zakaah]obligatory charity[ collector. When he
returned he said ]to the Prophet[, "This is for you andthis was
presented to me as a gift." The Messenger of Allaahthen rose to the
pulpit and praised Allaah The Almighty and extolled Him. Then he
said:"I employ a man to do a job and he comes and says this is for you
and this was presented to me as a gift? Why did he not remain in the
house of his father, or the house of his mother, and see whether gifts
would be given to him or not? By Allaah, if any one of you took
anything unlawfully, he will come with it on the Day ofResurrection,
carrying it on ]his back[. I will not recognize any of you on the Day
of Resurrection with a grunting camel, or a bellowing cow, or a
bleating ewe."Then he raised his hands till we could see the whiteness
ofhis armpits. Then he said twice, "O Allaah! Have I conveyed ]Your
Commands[?" ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
An-Nawawisaid, "This Hadeeth clarifies that the gifts received by
governors are unlawful to receive and an unfaithful act because it is
a breach of their trust. The Messenger of Allaahclarified in the same
Hadeeth why those who are in a position of trust are not permitted to
accept gifts, unlike those who are not in the same position for in
their case a gift is recommended. All that the governor receives under
the name of gifts should be returned to the one who gave it. If it is
notpossible, it should be paid to the Muslims' Treasury."
Ibn Battaalsaid, "The gifts ofthe governors should be put in the
Muslim Treasury. The governor cannot own it unless the Imaam requests
it for him."
What is the Ruling on the One Compelled to Pay a Bribe?
What should one do if it is decided that the gifts that are presented
to officials are a type of bribe, but the whole society is controlled
by bribery and the governing regime is so corrupt that he cannot have
his right without paying a bribe?
Scholars decided that in this case only, the bribed person is the
onewho bears the guilt, whereas the one who gives the bribe is free
from liability. This is so if he does this to have his right or to
ward off some harm that may afflict him, his religion or his property.
Therefore, if scholars issue a Fatwa )ruling( about the permissibility
of paying a bribe in case of compulsion and state that the person who
pays the bribe would not be held guilty, does this not indicate that a
bribe is like stealing? Rather, it is worse because it ruins the
consciousness of those in authority and drives them to wrong others
for the sake of the briber. At this point, the regime will become
corrupt and will be like a toy in the hands of criminals and unjust
people who follow their fancies and possess money that they can pay to
thosewho possess authority and publicpositions.

A Sad Love Story

Once a boy lived his life with some struggles... One day he saw a girl
in his street whose home is next to his house.. When the girl saw the
boy first she covered her face cuz she became shy.. The boy was
thinking why she covered her face..after some days the boy started to
see the girl often and the girl too saw him.. They both know that they
love eachother but they didn't say that.. It continued for nearly 8
months.. On one sad day the girl shifted her house and went to
somewhere without saying to him because she scared with her dad.. The
boy became so sad and was crying.. It happend before 4 years but the
boy still remembers the girl.. He always pray for her.. Do uknow who
is the boy?? Its me! I loved her from my heart and i will love her
till my death...

Love

hey there,
i am 22years old post graduate, and i am truelyin love with a guy.
He is very innocent and trust me his innocence took me away from this
world to my dream world,but its lyk one sided love,,,ya he is with me
in present but he is kind of money minded n senseles to emotions kinda
guy.
It hurts me alot wen he cls me wen he needs me to do his work,,n
sumtyms it irritates me alot.
I cn't leave him bcs i love him,,he also claims that he loves me bt i
dnt feel lyk it.
Guys pls tell me what to do?
Shud i leave him or shud i wait for him to come with love in this relationship?

Ramalan Articles, - Ramadan Contest!

The season of glad tidings, whichbrings the greatest joy to the hearts
of the believers is near. It brings the universal competition that
starts with the first night in the month of Ramadan and ends with its
last night. Get ready for the greatest opportunity and the most
blessed season in the whole year.
It is the great competition that was proclaimed by Allaah The Exalted
in the Noble Quran when He Says )what means(: }Race toward forgiveness
from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the
heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allaah and His
messengers.{ ]Quran 57:21[
Bear in mind that the prize in thiscontest is the greatest prize
ever.It is Paradise, whose width is equal to that of the heavens and
the earth. It is Paradise, which abounds in bliss and pleasures which
the self desires and the eye enjoys. These heavenly, spiritual and
physical pleasures are beyond words – the eye has not seen, the ear
has not heard and no human heart has ever perceived such bounties!
Is there any better prize than Paradise? Is there a greater aspiration
or objective for the seekers of spiritual ranks and human perfection,
other than gaining the pleasure of Allaah The Exalted and looking at
His Face?
Description of the competition:
Let us describe the competition to you so that you can join it with
proper understanding of the nature of the competition.
The competition takes place in the holy month of Ramadan, when all the
gates of Paradise are opened.
The conditions of the competition:
First: the competitor should give up all forbidden acts and sins that
he used to commit before joining the competition. He should give back
people their duerights, evade prohibitions, falsehood and evil, in
every form. He should also shun listening to songs and music and
disallow them in his house, shop or workplace.
The contestant should also abstain from playing cards, and stay away
from idle gatherings. He should avoid saying, or even listening to
backbiting, gossip, lies and falsehood. He should purify his tongue
from words of obscenity and vulgarity, and avoid listening to such
immoral actions. He should purify his mouth and his gatherings from
such mood altering substances such as tobacco, hookah and the like.
Second: the competitor should show determination and persistence in
carrying out the following:
A – Declaring his repentance to Allaah The Exalted, saying, "O Lord! I
am seeking Your Forgiveness for all my sins and I repent to You from
any ill belief, word, or deed that does not please You. O Allaah The
Exalted; forgive me and accept my repentance; for You are the
All-Forgiving."
B – Carrying out the following good deeds:
1 – Performing the five daily prayers in congregation without missing a Rak'ah.
2 – Reciting the Noble Quran day and night throughout the monthof Ramadan.
3 – Carrying out many voluntary prayers night and day throughout the
month of Ramadan.
4 – Giving money, food, drink andclothing in charity, according to
one's abilities and what one can afford.
5 – Supplicating Allaah The Exalted a lot and seeking His forgiveness,
especially during Sahar )the time before dawn( every night.
Would you like to be awarded with the Hoor )celestial maidens(? Would
you like to add new life to yours? Would you like to add abundant
rewards to yourrecords? Would you like to earn the rewards of a
thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months? Would you like to expiate
all your sins and erase all your misdeeds? All these benefitscan be
gained by participating in this competition faithfully and with
devotion.
In order to earn all this, safeguard your ears from listening to songs
and music, backbiting, obscenity and vulgarity. Guard your hands from
touching what is impermissible and your legs from walking to what is
forbidden. Evade backbiting, gossip, lying, falsehood, obscenity and
vulgarity. Do not preoccupy your heart with what does not avail you
and with thinking what is not necessary.
Offer your money in charity; for it is the optimal time for giving in
charity. Observe I'tikaaf in the mosque, hoping for the rewards of
Allaah The Exalted and fearing His punishment. Strive in worshipin the
House of Allaah The Exaltedso that you would earn His forgiveness and
have your repentance accepted. Your place is in the first rows in
congregational prayers; you should strive not to miss the opening
Takbeerah )Allaahu Akbar( of every prayer. Do not forget the Noble
Quran. You should recite it during the holy month of Ramadan, ponder
over its meanings with an attentive heart, tearful eyes and a
yearningheart.
May Allaah The Exalted render you among the forerunners uponwhom He
bestows His peace and the blessed winners in the great contest!

Ramalan Articles, - In Ramadan: Why Do They Weep And I Do Not?

One of the causes of prosperity and success in both religious and
worldly affairs is to be honest with oneself, and not to seek false
excuses until the time deathstrikes a person by surprise, and he feels
regretful at a time when regrets will be of no profit to him.
No doubt, the virtue of weeping out of fear of Allaah The Almightyis
great. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid: "Allaah will
give shade to seven)types of people( on the Day there will be no shade
other than His", and those seven types of people include: "A person
who remembers Allaah The Almighty in seclusion, thereupon his eyes
overflow with tears."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
A question echoes within many of those who are negligent, and we are
all negligent – we ask Allaah The Almighty to pardon us. When we hear
the noble verses of the Quran being recited,or the Prophetic
Ahaadeeth)narrations( of the Messenger of Allaahor the stories of the
righteous predecessors, we find many soft-hearted people weeping.
Why do they weep and some of us do not?
We all do our best to be submissive and to weep, but some of us
cannot. What is the reason behind this?
The reason is shown by Allaah The Almighty in His statement)which
means(: }No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which
they were earning.{ ]Quran 83:14[ That is, because oftheir deeds,
their hearts have been veiled from goodness, and they have become more
heedless. That is the real cause ofnot weeping out of fear of Allaah
The Almighty.
Why do they weep?
What enables some of us to be humbly submissive? What makes some
people weep and even takepleasure in doing so, when others do not?
People with soft hearts keep away from sins, focus their attention on
the Hereafter in their secret and public life and when they do so,
their hearts become righteous and their eyes shed tears.
When we lose these characteristics, our hearts become corrupted, and
our eyes do not shed tears.
You should know that the fear of Allaah The Almighty which is followed
by weeping comes and continues only when one abides by the following
actions regularly:
1. To repent to Allaah The Almighty and seek His forgiveness by heart
and tongue, where one turns his face to Him with repentance, fear and
bashfulness before his Lord, The Great, The Forbearing, Who has given
him respite, conferred favors upon him, and guided himto repentance.
This requires a true reflective pause within the soul to take it to
account.
2. To abandon sins and be awareof them, whether they are minor or
major, apparent or hidden. These are the chronic diseases that veil
the heart from closenessto Allaah The Almighty, darken it and bring
about distress.
3. To come closer to Allaah The Almighty with acts of worship such as
fasting, prayer, Hajj, charity, reciting the Athkaar)words of
remembrance( and all good deeds.
4. To remember the Hereafter. Is it not quite strange that although
we know that the world will come to an end, and that the real future
lies in the Hereafter, we still do not work for the sake of this
enduring real future? Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(: }Whoever
should desire the immediate - We hasten for him from it what We will
to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will
]enter to[ burn, censured and banished. But whoever desires the
Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it
is those whose effort is ever appreciated]by Allaah[.{ ]Quran
17:18-19[
5. To have knowledge of Allaah The Almighty, His Names, Attributes,
and law, in compliance with His statement)which means(: }Only those
fear Allaah, from among His servants, who have knowledge.{ ]Quran
35:28[ It was also said, that the more one knows Allaah The Almighty,
the more he fears Him.
6. To read more often about the spiritual state of the righteous and
emulate them.
In the days of Ramadan, the days of goodness and blessings, there are
great opportunities for one to return to his Lord, when the devils are
chained in fetters, the gates of goodness are opened, and the rewards
of the acts of worship are multiplied. Thus, return to your Lord, draw
close to Him, turn your face to Him, and get rid of the yokes of sins,
and the barriers of misdeeds: it isthen that you will find the eye
shedding tears and the heart submissive.

Ramalan Articles, - Anticipating Ramadan

Ramadan is just around the corner. It will be a great blessing for
those of us who live to see it and pick its invaluable fruits. It is a
time of Taqwa )piety(, of Emaan)faith(, and of Ihsaan )excellence(.Its
time for renovation of faith, for renewal of our pledge to Allaah
Almighty, for refueling our soul for the onslaughts the next year
holds for us. Yet, it will pass by many of us without touching them.
How deprived are those who will remain untouched by it! And how lucky
are those whom its nights will bless with tears of love and fear, and
its days with the sweet hunger and thirst of fasting!
Allaah Almighty breaks the monotony of human life by appointing times
and places that He, by His infinite Wisdom and Knowledge, calls
special, or `Mubaarak', one that has the special touch of Allaah's
Barakah)benediction, blessing(. This concept of Barakah is extremely
important for it appears quite frequently in the Noble Quran and the
Prophetic narrations.
The concept of Barakah has a kind of mystery in it. The devotedservant
does not know exactly how, when and in what form willthe promised
increase or acceptance will descend, so he orshe keeps an eye on the
unknown prize and keeps going. It is hidden in some moments of the
night, some morsels of food, some days of the week, some months of the
year, and some cities or places in the world. No one knows but the
All-Knower, Allaah Almighty.
Even a cursory look at the history of various human cultures showsthat
humans have a timeless instinct to separate the special from the
mundane and to distinguish the sacred from the profane. This very
distinction has formed the essence of worship inall human societies,
primitive or modern. In the true religion of Allaah Almighty, all
sanctity and devotion goes finally to Allaah, and Allaah alone. Yet to
break our routine, to grab our attention, to challenge our intellect,
to satiate our spiritual yearning, and finally to fill our instinctive
need of worship, devotion and love, Allaah Almighty has chosen, by His
Wisdom, tangible symbols for us.These symbols of time and space,of
sacred moments and Mubaarak )blessed( places, are anaid to our
worship. Ramadan is perhaps the richest, the largest and the most
loaded of these symbols.
The modern secular society has played havoc with this sense of
sacredness, leaving us without symbols and their spirituality
andmystery. Surrounded by man-made buildings, cars, computers,
highways and gadgets, we forget the Creator ofthe makers of these
trivialities. Emails preempt Prayer, cheap fiction strikes off the
Quran, fashion magazines replace beneficial books, TV sports take care
of any reflective moments you might have otherwise had.
So much so that the month of Ramadan takes many of us by surprise when
our favorite news service announces that the `Muslims are celebrating
Ramadan tomorrow'. Ramadan comes to many of us without arousing and
ecstasy in the heartor anticipation in the mind. All the joys of its
anticipation and memories of its presence are sidelined by the clutter
of this busy life. A provocative email going around these days
understandably spells BUSY out as: 'Being Under Satan's Yoke!'
If you are busy, but not necessarily getting much done in terms of
real responsibilities of your life, that is, there is no Barakah in
your time and efforts, nor have you any `spare' time for pondering
Allaah's Message, thenbe sure, the one keeping you busy is none but
Satan. The solution is easy: seeking Allaah's refuge. But it is being
aware and ready perpetually to seek Allaah'srefuge that makes the
toughest challenge. The times and places of special, barakah help us
do just that.
Don't be too busy for Ramadan. Small things like Masjid announcements
about Ramadan and other sacred days and nights, discussions with
friends and relatives about your plans to read Quran and mutual
encouragement to excel in piety can work wonders. Seek blessings by
keeping track of the Islamic calendar and of the months and days,
fasting on the recommended days, and visiting outdoors to reflect upon
the creation of Allaah Almighty. Learnthe sayings of the Prophetabout
blessed moments like Ramadan, and intensify your worship, devotions
and supplications during these times.Keep you tongue wet by asking for
Allaah's mercy and blessings. Meet the blessed Ramadan fully prepared
to reap its gifts. Pray that Ramadan touches you with its incalculable
blessings.

Hadees -

28 Ramadan - The Prophet sallallaahu alayhiwa sallam married Zaynab
Bint Khuzaymah -4 A.H. - The tribe of Thaqeef embraced Islam. A
delegation from Thaqeef came to the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, after his return from Tabook to announce their and their
people's conversionto Islam. The delegation was headed by 'Abd Yaaleel
ibn 'Amr, three men from Banu Maalik, and two men from their allies –
9 A.H. - The Conquest of Andalusia and the Battle of Barbate.The
region of Andalusia was conquered at the hand of the Muslim leader
Taarik ibn Ziyaad, may Allaah have mercy upon him, who arrived there
through Gibraltar. He defeated the Visigothsin the Battle of Barbate,
conquered Cordoba, and killed its governor Rodrigo – 92 A.H. - The
Death of Shaykh Saalih ibn Ahmad ibn 'AbdullaahAl-Khuraysi. He was
born in Buraydah, 1328 A.H. and grew up an orphan among his brothers.
He acquired the Sharee'ah knowledge at the hands of several scholars
and Shaykhs. He was then chosen as an Imaam and teacher in a large
Masjid)Mosque( in Buraydah. Later, he was appointed as judge in
Ad-Dilam, then, he returned to Buraydah and became chief judge in the
Buraydah court until he retired – 1415 A.H. The Death of the eminent
scholar Shaykh 'Abdullaah ibn Zayd ibn 'Abdullaah ibn Muhammad ibn
Raashid ibn Ibraaheem ibn Mahmood died in this year. He was one of the
prominent scholars and figures of Qatar. He studied at the hands of
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem Aal Ash-Shaykh, Mufti of Saudi Arabia,
and several other great scholars of Najd. He worked as a teacher in
the Sacred Mosque in Makkah for a full year, then, moved to Qatar as a
judge, a Mufti and a teacher. He remained in Qatar until he passed
away. His publications were over sixty and he had a remarkable impact
on the course of Da'wah)propagation( in the region – 1420 A.H.

Fathwa, - Breastfeeding and fasting

Question:
I have a 3 month old baby and with Ramadan approaching, I would like
to ask about breastfeeding in Ramadan. I breastfeed my baby, but I do
not make enough breastmilk for her, andso I have to supplement her
with Formula. I have chosento continue to breastfeed her as it is a
Sunnah to breastfeedfor 2 years, but I also give her some formula.I am
worried that if I fast in Ramadhan the little breastmilk that I do
have will finish and I will have to give her only formula. Is it more
important for me to fast or to keep my breastmilk supply and try to
continue to breastfeed?
Answer:
In the name of Allah MostMerciful Most Compassionate
I pray you are well and in the best of health and iman.

Fathwa, - Battle of the Camel and Women

Question:
Assalam o alaikum
This question was actually raised in one of my readings for a Women in
Islam class. It is I think raised in anarticle (by a Western scholar
named Denise Spellberg) the reason why I am presenting this question
is so thatI can present Islam in abetter way in a Western classroom
setting.
In the article I read for class, in the jist of it the author bring up
issues like this was an example and after this women never
involvedthemselves in politics. And Hazrat Aisha's act of going into
war was achieved partly from her Jahilia days independence for women
but in the end Islamic values overcame and everyone looked downupon
Aisha's involvement in the war, demonstrating how once a woman tried
to achieve an equal status but it was put down by conservative Islamic
thought. There was also the incident where Harun ar Rashid's wife,
when her son was killed, was asked to follow the example of Aisha and
avenge the son's death but she said it was no place for women to take
political avenges and therefore she mourned and stayed put. The
underlying message in this was that what Hazrat Aishadid was an
anomaly in Islam.
Connected to this is, is also the concept of fitna:
There is hadith where it is said that there is no fitna that harms men
more than women or something along the lines, that she basically
clouds men wisdom. A Westerner would say why is this so patronizing?
Why can'tthe man be a fitna for being so weak, or stupid or whatever
for falling for women and not using his "perfect" wisdom. Like why is
there a constant thing about women lacking aql?
And then if we are to look at Qur'an the article says that Queen of
Sheba was looked down upon in Qur'an for her ignorance of the true
faith. So the article claims that Qur'an is not against women being
involvedin politics and it was Prophet (saw)'s personal desire or
bias(astaghfirullah I have to be saying something I do not believe in)
that he wanted his wives to besecluded and thereforethe ayahs about
their seclusion came and then this is what is taken as the basis of
keeping women at home and not involvedin politics.
Now I do understand that a woman's first place is at home. But if we
think of it from an outsider's perspective, I wonder what would be a
logical answer that I can place in frontof feminist or secular Western
women and say ok so this is actually the case. I am really confused.
Why does it sound like we women are made stupid?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
Please refer to my previous answer in response to your question about
women's intelligence.
Once again, it is important to consider multiple interpretive
possibilities when assessing problematic hadith. By problematic I mean
hadith which appear to discriminate against women. I don't mean that
these hadith should be rejected. On the contrary, I believe they
should be studied further as a means to deepening one's own
understanding of women in Islam.
I have several concerns when it comes to presenting Islam to secular
Western feminists. They come with their own set of preconceived
notions about Muslim women that often involve some notion of
liberating Muslim women from oppressive Muslim men. Many Western
feminists are loathe to examine Muslim's women's status within the
context of Muslim's social, cultural, and legal history. Instead, many
Western women like to impose hegemonic notions of Western cultural
superiority on the Muslim tradition, resulting in a stifling of the
Muslim female voice and alternative readings of the tradition.
I don't buy the idea that women under Jahiliyya were more independent
than women under Islam. Unfortunately, some Muslim scholars, like
Laila Ahmed, have made the argument that women lost much of their
freedom once Islamic law was implemented. However, to contrast women's
status pre-Jahiliyya to their status post-Jahiliyyaunderestimates the
hugeparadigm shift that took place as women moved from shirk to
tawhid.
The article you mentioned seems to be flawed in one critical area.
Aisha's motivation to go to war was not inspired by her pre-Islamic
independence. In fact, Aisha, may Allah be well pleased with her, was
probably born well after the Prophet, peace be upon him, received the
first revelation of the Qur'an. Therefore, she was influenced by Islam
far more than anything else in her life.
When she went to battle,her intention was to avenge the death of the
third caliph of Islam, Uthman, may Allah be well pleased with him.
Whether Aisha's decision led to a decline in Muslimwomen's political
involvement is hard to assess from this single incident. As with any
other historical phenomenon, Muslim women's political involvement has
to be evaluated from within women's own historical context. Just
because women did not (usually) occupy visible public positions does
not mean that they did not wield power from behind the scenes.
On to the issue of the Queen of Sheba, it's a misreading of the
Qur'anto suggest that it belittlesBilqis. On the contrary, the Qur'an
presents Bilqis's story as an example to both men and women. In fact,
Bilqis is the perfect antithesis to one of the most oppressive rulers
mentioned in the Qur'an,the Pharoah (and a male).
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Can Muslim women studyin a non-Muslim university environment?

Question:
Is it permissible for Muslim women to seekeducation in medicine in a
non-Muslim environment where non-Muslim men do not lower their gazes?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray this message finds you in the best of health and iman. Thank
you for your question.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, "Seeking
knowledge is encumbenton every Muslim." [Ibn Majah]
As Muslims, we are required to learn what is necessary to make our
faith and worship valid, sound and proper.
According to Reliance of the Traveller, a book of Sacred Law according
to the school of Imam al-Shafi'i, there are threetypes of knowledge.
The first type, personally obligatory knowledge, is required of every
Muslim male and female who has reached puberty and is of sound mind.
Personally obligatory knowledge includes knowing the basic tenetsof
faith, such as the attributes of Allah Most High, His Oneness, His
transcendence and His absolute dissimilarity to created things. One
must also affirm the fact that Allah Ta'ala sent prophetsand
messengers, and that Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace, was
the Seal of Prophethood. One must believe in the books of Allah, the
angels, divine decree, and the Last Day.
In matters of worship, one is required to know enough to make one's
prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage valid, sound and proper.
In matters of interpersonal relationships and business dealings, one
is required to know what makes these relationships valid and invalid.
For example, if one is seeking to marry, then one should learn the
rulings of marriage and divorce and understand the scope of one's
obligations to one's spouse.
The second type of knowledge is communally obligatory. If some members
of the community undertake this responsibility, then the obligation of
seekingthis knowledge is lifted from the rest.
However, if no one seeks this type of knowledge, then the entire
community is accountable. Examples ofcommunally obligatory knowledge
include specialized disciplines of Sacred Law such as Qur'an
memorization, hadith classification, the science of methodological
principles, and Arabic grammar.
Reliance specifically mentions,
"As for learning which is not Sacred Knowledge but is required to
sustainworldly existence, such as medicine and mathematics, it too is
a communal obligation." [Reliance, a5.2]
The third type of knowledge is recommended. It is the type of
knowledge which extends beyond the communally obligatory and involves,
for example, "in-depth research into the bases of evidence..."
[Reliance, a6.1]
To reiterate, learning medicine is considered a communal obligation.
What this means in your case, dear sister, is that some members of the
Muslim community must seek this knowledge, otherwise the entire
community is remiss.
With so many Muslim communities widely dispersed across North America,
each community should, ideally, have individuals who are pursuing this
type of knowledge. As Muslims, we have a responsibility to serve our
own communities, aswell as the society at large.
In your case, if you truly feel that there is a need in your community
for a Muslim woman physician, then, by all means, you should pursue
your goals. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the Muslim community is
in serious need of sisters who are in the health care professions,
including -- but not limited to --doctors, midwives, nurses,
psychiatrists, therapists, and natural practitioners.
Another very important consideration is that Sacred Law requires
persons seeking medical treatment to be treated by same-sex health
care providers. Many Muslim sisters end up going to male doctors
because there are simply no female doctors available. In some cases,
cultural taboos restrict women from going into higher education, thus
further contributing to the lack of qualified female health care
professionals.
Specifically, Reliance tell us,
"A Muslim woman needing medical attention must be treated by a Muslim
woman doctor, or if there is none, then by a non-Muslim woman doctor.
If there is none, then a male Muslim doctor may treat her, while if
none of the above are available, thena male non-Muslim doctor."
[Reliance, m2.10]
On to the issue of lowering the gaze:
Lowering the gaze is an injunction from Allah Ta'ala to believing men
and women. [Surat an-Nur, 24:30-31]
As far as non-believers are concerned, one must deal with them with
the same etiquette as when one deals with believers. This means
lowering one's gaze even if they do not reciprocate. This also means
refraining from idle conversation, which is a common occurrence in
mixed-gender settings, and, when unchecked, can lead to innuendo and
flirtation.
For sisters especially, it is best to exercise caution when dealing
with non-Muslim men. Be aware of your surroundings and your
environment. If someonemakes you uncomfortable, leave theroom or put
some distance between you.
Know your rights in the workplace. You don't have to tolerate sexually
suggestive or explicit language being used in your presence. Likewise,
you don't have to put with people denigrating your religion or
religiouspractices.
The most important point is to maintain professionalism. Be courteous
to those around you. Hopefully, if you develop a respectful
professional relationship,then it will be easier to educate others
about various aspects of Islamicetiquette.
Finally, remember the example of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give
him peace, who was the most excellent of us in conduct.
Lowering one's gaze andrefraining from idle conversation does not give
one the license to be discourteous. Rather, one should observe the
limits of gender interaction, while maintaining a polite, pleasant
demeanor. Remember that one's behavior can be powerful da'wah.
And Allah alone knows best.