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Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2013 19:17:51 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: M.Najimudeen: Michael Page India, Royaloak and Pidilite
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To: "M.Najimudeen .Bsc" <aydnajimudeen@gmail.com>
M.Najimudeen,
Check out these jobs that may interest you:
---------------------------
General Manager India
Michael Page India
New Delhi Area, India
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Business Head
Royaloak
Bengaluru Area, India
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Chief Internal Auditor
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Chief of Party (Project Director I) - Diarrhea Alleviation through
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FHI 360
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eGain Corporation
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VP - Product Engineering
Persistent Systems
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General Manager Sales
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Chennai Area, India
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Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Muslims apply their own beliefs to live in friendship with the people of the book
goodness on Muslims. As a requirement of these moral values, Muslims
treat the people of the Book, who believe in Allah and His prophets,
with friendship and toleration. Allah has described the relations that
Muslims should enjoy with the people ofthe Book in a number of verses:
Among the people of theBook there are some who have faith in Allah and
in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and
who are humble before Allah. They do not sell Allah's Signs for a
paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And
Allah is swift atreckoning. (Surah Al 'Imran, 199)
Allah does NOT FORBID you from BEING GOOD to those who have not fought
you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just
towards them. Allah loves those who are just. (Surat al-Mumtahana, 8)
Those who have faith and those who are JEWS and the sabaeans and the
CHRISTIANS, all who have faith in Allah and the Last Day and act
rightly will FEEL NO FEAR and will KNOW NO SORROW. (Surat al-Ma'ida,
69)
As can be seen from these verses, Muslims adopt the friendly attitude
required by Qur'anic moral values toward the people of the Book. They
eat with the people of the Book, ask after their health, enjoy
friendly and brotherly relations with them, run to help when they fall
ill or are in needand give them alms if necessary. However, He has
also forbidden relations with the people of the Book "to be of such a
kind as might prevent Muslims living by their own beliefs." For that
reason, Muslims do not select individuals from the people of the Book
who might manage them, and do not come under their influence and never
accept their rules on the subject of religion. Allah has set this out
in verse 51 of Sura al-Ma'ida:
You who believe! Do nottake the Jews and Christians as your friends;
they are the friends of one another. Any of you who takes them as
friends is one ofthem. Allah does not guide wrongdoing people. (Surat
al-Ma'ida, 51)
The word "friends" appears two times in this verse. One of the Arabic
words for friend, "evliyau", means"protectors, those responsible
under the law, guardians, lords, owners, kings." The other word is
"Yatawallahum". This means "undertaking the care of, acting as a
ruler,assuming the management of." In other words, the word "friend"
in this verse appears in the sense of "manager." Allah tells Muslims
not to come under their (Christians and Jews) direction. (Prof. Dr.
Bayraktar Bayraklı,Text of the Qur'an)
Yaşar Nuri Öztürk interprets this verse about the people of the Book,
which commands Muslims not establish bonds of friendship in the sense
of "choosing a manager," as follows:
"Do not make Jews and Christians your leaders.The Qur'an calls on the
people of the Book to beintegrated with Muslims around the oneness of
Allah and wishes to expand the sphere of believers in Allah. This is
an international solidarity and togetherness based on universal
values. However, the Qur'an saysthat the people of the Book are not
to be takenas guides." (The Qur'an in Islam, Yaşar Nuri Öztürk, p.
474)
As can clearly be seen from this commentary, Muslims establish all
kinds of human friendship with the people of the Book but do not make
such people their leaders because their beliefs andculture may
conflict. Because developing sucha friendship and taking one of the
people of the Book as a guide would give rise to a contradiction here.
A Muslim cannot abide by such direction. He does not accept such a
friendship. If they acceptbeing under such an administration, Muslims
could end up becoming assimilated, it will be harder for them to live
by their beliefs and they might experience difficulties in performing
their religious observations. They might lose their cultures. But
Allah advises Muslims to establish a bond of friendship, brotherhood
and love, that excludes direction of that kind, with the people of the
Book.
In the Qur'an, Allah commands Muslims to make even those who ascribe
partners to Allah reach their destinations in safety. He advises them
to forgive murderers. When Allah enjoins such wide-ranging love,
affection, friendship andgoodness on Muslims, Healso, of course,
commands the establishment of such a bond with the people of the
Allah, who also believe in Him. Surah Al 'Imran reveals how the people
of the Book believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment, command what is
good and avoid what is evil, prostrate themselves in prayer and
compete to perform good deeds:
They are not all the same. There is a community among the People of
the Book who are upright. They recite Allah's Signs throughout the
night, and they prostrate. They have faith in Allah and the Last Day,
and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good.
They are among the true believers. You will not bedenied the reward
for any good thing you do. Allah knows those who have fear for Allah.
(Surah Al 'Imran, 113-115)
Muslims and the people of the Book are friends and are agreed on the
existence of Allah, Paradise and Hell. However, Muslims cannot support
their ideas that are based on polytheism and opposedto the Qur'an and
cannotestablish friendships with them on these matters. In that sense,
and as revealed in Surat al-Ma'ida, they cannot take them as their
guides if they are to freely abide by their beliefs and religious
obligations.
Selfishness brings nothing but loss
they aim to attain Allah's (God's) approval in everything they do they
are always careful to make their surroundingsagreeable. One
significant attribute of a devout believer is that he is loyal and
determined. Believers give thanks for the blessings Allah bestows on
them and always think of other believers first in all matters, even if
they themselves are in need. They never exhibitan avaricious
character. Allah describes this moral virtue of believers thus in the
Qur'an:
"They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans
and captives: 'We feed you only out of desire for the Face of Allah.
We do not want any repaymentfrom you or any thanks…'" (Surat al-Insan,
8-11)
Believers, who regard other people as manifestations of Allah, have a
great love for other believers that stems from their love of Him.
Because of their faith and fear of Allah, they display a parental
virtue. The well-being ofother believers makes them happier than their
own. In one verse Allah says:"You see them bowing and
prostrating,seeking Allah's good favour and His pleasure. Their mark
is on their faces, the traces of prostration." (Surat al-Fath, 29)The
light of faith and moral probity of believers who turn to Allah is
reflected in their faces.
On the other hand, thinking of their worldlydesires alone put peoplein
a humiliating position. In the words ofthe Qur'an,"Truly man was
created headstrong – desperate when bad things happen, begrudging when
good things come –" (Surat al-Ma'arij, 19-21)Allah reveals the
selfishness and weakness inherent in earthly desires.
However, people who believe in and fear Allah overcome these
deficiencies inherent in their earthly desires through faith and moral
virtues, by proper making use of their consciences. But those who
strive to possess thetemporary baubles of the life of this world
imagine that selfishness puts them in a beneficialposition. The fact
is, however, that the benefits they obtain through selfishness do
terrible damage to their souls. These people's hearts become
hardenedto the praise of Allah. They therefore fail to seethe beauties
and manifestations of Allah around them and are unable to properly
appreciate His might andpower. These people, who turn their backs on
moral virtues and seek only their own worldly desires, are unable to
turn to Allah in a profound closeness. Their failure to heed their
consciences and their selfish behavior also impacts on their faces.
The faces of believers, who do heed the voice of their consciences,
are radiant like those of the prophets, while the faces of the former
display a spiritual rigidity born from selfishness.
Since believers place their trust in Allah, they never thirst for the
life of this world and its attractions. They accept everything that
Allah ordains for them in theirdestinies. And Allah bestows great
blessings and ease on them because of these moral values. They enjoy
the peace of mind that comes from submission to Allah. Those who
follow the selfish passions of their earthly desires imagine that the
benefits they gain through such moral values can really make them
happy. But the result is very different. Allah only bestows true
happiness on believers who live their lives for His approval. No
blessingobtained through selfishness in the life of this world can
replace Muslims' spiritual peace and happiness, the profound
satisfaction that comes from moral values displayed for Allah's
approval. Believers, who know that earthly desires cannot bestow any
happiness beyond what Allah desires, keenly avoid complying with these
desires and turn toAllah in full submission. They experience a
profound satisfaction from overcoming their earthly passions in
orderto gain the love of Allah and from happily and willingly making
sacrifices for His sake. Our Almighty Lord tells us of these servants
whoexhibit such superior moral virtues in the Qur'an:
"Those who were already settled in the abode, and in faith, before
they came, love those who have made migrated to them and do not find
in their hearts any need for what they have been given and prefer them
to themselves even if they themselves are needy. It is the people who
are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are
successful." (Surat al-Hashr, 9)
Those who ascribe equals to Allah will encounter the horror in their minds in the hereafter
appreciate Him and to perform his duty to serve Him will be
recompensed in Hell in the eternal life of the Hereafter. Yet it is as
if some people were intoxicated in the face ofthis manifest truth. It
is possible to give unbelieving evolutionists as example of such
people.
Unbelieving evolutionists spend theirwhole lives denying (surely Allah
is beyond that) Allah's existence. They have made defending this
heretical ideology the main purpose of their lives. There is no doubt
that their reward for this in Allah's presence will be very terrible.
But every lie they tell and every unscientific scenario they produce
to turn people from belief in Allah will confront them in Hell as the
dark world of the evolutionary myths in their own minds. Unbelieving
evolutionists will encounter the same horrendous moral conceptions in
Hell that they have in their minds now. Unless Allah wills otherwise,
deniers will suffer an eternal life full of torment. (Allah knowsthe
truth.)
"We created many of thejinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts
they do not understand with. They have eyes they do not see with. They
have ears they do not hear with. Such people are like cattle. No, they
are even further astray! They are the unaware." (Surat al-A'raf, 179)
One of the distinguishing features of evolutionist propaganda is that
it is made up of stories basedon evolutionists' own imaginations. A
scientist telling the story generally sets up evolutionary scenarios
with his own personal conceptions and by misinterpreting scientific
findings through having adoptedevolution as a dogma. That scientist
will then seek to impose that scenario on people, suggesting it is a
thesis based on sound scientific evidence. In fact, what evolutionists
do is to portray wild pigs' teeth as human teeth or else produce hoax
skulls by putting bones belonging to different life forms together.
Devoid of any evidence with which to prove their theories, Darwinists
have no problem with adding a great many imaginary elements to their
tales. The fact is, however, that this is an unscientific propaganda
technique based on preconception alone.
Imagining that they can deceive people in this way, unbelieving
Darwinists have ignored one very important matter for the last 150
years:These scenarios they have produced in order to deny the
existence of Allah (surelyour Lord is beyond that) and impose the
fraud of evolution on humanity, and which merely reflecttheir own
unhealthy states of mind, will rise up before them, one by one, in
Hell. (Allah knowsthe truth)Allah has created every detail of life in
Hell as a response to the deniers. There aremany verses in the Qur'an
that describe the torment-filled life of Hell in both physical and
alsopsychological and social terms. Looking at the details about Hell
that Almighty Allah reveals in these verses, it is clear that Allah
has prepared Hell as a reward for unbelievers who deny Him and take
chance as their deities (surely our Lord is beyond that), in amanner
that parallels their heretical beliefs. The fictitious process of
evolution that they have been trying to impose on humanity for
centuries will itself be imposed on evolution, skipping not a single
detail. Everything, from their food to their clothes, from the
terrifying human forms in Hell to their life styles full of mental and
physical suffering, will be as dark and painful asin their own
scenarios. In this way, unbelieving evolutionists will encounter a
climate and philosophy of life that matches their own ideas.Parallel
to their own claims, they will live alongside terrifying creatures
like the intermediate forms they invented in their own imaginations,
will be subjected to an endless class conflict, will be denigrated
because of ideas about master racesand will suffer in the kind of dark
and smoky environment they claim existed in the primeval world.
(Surely Allah knows the truth.)
We can describe the environment that exists in the minds of persons,
who deny Allah's sublime creation (Allah isbeyond that) and who invent
all kinds of tales about how the universe, the world and human beings
came into existence, and that they will themselves experience in Hell,
as follows:
1- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim Human Beings, That Allah Created with Such Superior
Features, Are Descended from Apes
Evolutionists claim that human beings, entities possessed of
consciousness and free will and able to think, reason, and make
decisions and judgments, are descended from apes, which in terms of
consciousness, are no different from horses or mice.
What Will Happen in Hell?
Those Who Deny Allah's Creation (Surely Allah is beyond that) Will Be
Made Despicable Apes in This World and the Hereafter
"We said to them,'BE APES, DESPISED, CAST OUT.'" (Surat al-Baqara, 65)
"Say: 'Shall I tell you of areward with Allah far worse than that:
that of those whom Allah has cursed and with whom He is angry –
turning some of themINTO MONKEYS AND INTO PIGS –AND WHO WORSHIPPED
FALSE DEITIES? Such people are in a worse situation and further from
the right way.'" (Surat al-Ma'ida, 60)
"When they were insolent about what they had been forbidden to do, We
saidto them, 'BE APES!'" (Surat al-A'raf, 166)
2- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim That Human Beings Evolved from So-Called Reptiles
Evolutionists claim that all the living species on Earth came about
through evolution over a very long period of time. According to this
fictitious scenario, some fish felt the need to move to dry land for
various reasons, and a number of changes then began taking place in
them. As fish gradually moved onto dry land they slowly turned into
amphibians and initiated the supposed process of evolution.
What Will Happen in Hell?In the Hereafter, Almighty Allah Will
Assemble the Unbelievers in Hell by Dragging Them on Their Faces,
'Like the Reptiles in the Scenario of Evolution'
"Whoever Allah guides istruly guided. But as for those He leads
astray, you will not find any protectors for them apart from Him.WE
WILL GATHER THEMon the Day of Resurrection,FLAT ON THEIR FACES, BLIND,
DUMBAND DEAF. Their shelter will be Hell. Whenever the Blaze dies
down, We will increase it for them." (Sura al-Isra', 97)
"the DayTHEY ARE SHOVED ROUGHLYinto theFire of Hell: 'This is the Fire
which you denied!'"(Surat at-Tur, 13-14)
3- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim That They AreDescended "from So-Called Intermediate Forms
That Were Unable to Speak, See or Hear"
According to what evolutionists claim, thereshould have been many life
forms that reflected the transition between two species and that bore
the features of both. For example, before fish moved onto dry land and
turned intoreptiles a great many half-lunged and half-gilled, or
half-legged and half finned life forms must have existed. Or until
apes finally turned into human beings many half-human and half-apelife
forms must have existed over many millions of years. Evolutionists
call these fictitious entities they believe once existed "intermediate
forms." According to their scenario, during the time of this
intermediarytransition, a major stage in the so-called evolutionary
process, there must have been many life forms with deficient or
missing organs between two different species, for which reason there
musthave been creatures thatcould not see or hear. The fact is,
however, that no evidence for onesingle intermediate formhas been
found in any ofthe millions of fossil specimens that have been
extracted from the different strata of the Earth.
What Will Happen in Hell?
Allah Will Assemble the Unbelievers as Entities "Unable to See, Hear
or Speak," Just Like They Wanted
"But if anyone turns away from My reminder,his life will be a dark and
narrow one and on the Day of RisingWE WILL GATHER HIM BLIND."(Surah
Ta-Ha, 124)
"...SO WE PUT OUT THEIR EYES: 'Taste My punishment and warnings!'"
(Surat al-Qamar, 37)
"…WE WILL GATHER THEMon the Day of Resurrection, flat on their
faces,BLIND, DUMB AND DEAF. Their shelter will be Hell. Whenever the
Blaze dies down, We will increase it for them." (Sura al-Isra', 97)
Jesus' Superior Character
The hadith literature reveals many important truths about Jesus. Some
hadiths inform us that hewas of medium height, had white skin with a
hue of red, straight hair, and was very handsome. He had
shoulder-length hair and wore a woolen cloak and sandals made of bark.
He often removed himself from this world, had a strong desire for the
Hereafter, and spent much time worshipping God. 1Otherhadiths describe
this astonishingly handsome and holy man as follows:
While I was asleep, I saw myself (in a dream) making tawaf (circling)
around the Ka`bah. I saw a brown-skinned man with straight hair being
supported by two men, and with water dripping from his head. I
asked:"Who is this?" They said:"The son of Mary." (Sahih Bukhari)
When you see him, you will recognize him. He is of medium height, and
his coloring is reddish-white. He will be wearing two garments, and
his hair will look wetalthough no water will have wet it. (Ahmad ibn
Hanbal, Musnad)
Like every chosen and sent Prophet, Jesus had the highest form of
character. One of his most distinguishing features was his high
standard of morals and noble personality, which had an immediate
effect on people. In addition, he had a strong personality due to his
complete trust, reliance, and faith in God; was decisive and
courageous;and could not be manipulated by society. The following
verses reveal his superiority:
This is the argument We gave to Abraham againsthis people. We raise in
rank anyone We will. Your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. We gave him
Isaac and Jacob, each of whom We guided. And before him We had guided
Noah. And among his descendants were David,Solomon, Job, Joseph,
Moses, and Aaron. That ishow We recompense thegood-doers. And
Zechariah, John, Jesus, and Elias. All of them were among the
righteous. And Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot. Allof them We favored
overall beings. And some of their forebears, descendants, and
brothers; We chose themand guided them to a straight path. That is
God's guidance. He guides by it those of His servants He wills ...
(Qur'an, 6:83-88)
Jesus was also a just, modest, compassionate, sincere, honest,
selfless person and a chosen Prophet. In one verse, God says the
following about him:
These Messengers: We favored some of them over others. God spoke
directly to some of them and raised up some of them in rank. We gave
Clear Signs to Jesus, son of Mary, and reinforced him with the Purest
Spirit. (Qur'an, 2:253)
When we look at Jesus' life, we can see his high morality. First of
all, he was a discerning leader who taught the true religion to his
people. He was the most obedient toGod's commandments and
recommendations, and was a guide who rid people of myths. The Qur'an
reveals that Jesus was diligently fulfilling all of the requirements
ofworship and morality:
He [Jesus] said: "I am the servant of God. He has given me the Book
and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am, directed
me to perform prayer and give alms as long as I live, and to show
devotion to my mother."(Qur'an, 19:30-32)
Throughout his life, Jesusspoke wisely and effectively and knew right
from wrong. He replied with insight and reason to all of his enemies'
questions posed to catch him and defeated all of their attempts. He
remained true to God, irrespective of his people's attitude toward
him, drew strength from his strong faith and devotion, and explained
God's existence in the most effective way.
Like all other Prophets, Jesus used plain, clear, and intelligible
languagewhen preaching. His allegories moved people's conscience, and
encouraged them to reflect deeply and to behave according to God's
good pleasure. Jesus' love for God, as well as his exuberant faith and
diligence in following God's orders, isevident from his teachings. His
method of preaching shows clearly that God chose him above all other
people.
--------------------------------------------------------------
1- M. Asim Koksal, Peygamberler Tarihi (TheHistory of Prophets),
(Ankara:Koksal Yayincilik,1990), pp. 334-35.
Jesus' Life
According to the historical sources, Mary was born at a time when the
chaos mentioned earlier in the book was happening, when
Romanoppression was real, and the Jews were impatiently awaiting the
Messiah's arrival. She wasa descendent of `Imran, whose family had
been made superior by God (Qur'an, 3:33). God chose her from among
them, purified her, and placed her above all other women, for as the
Qur'anreveals:
And when the angels said: "Mary, God has chosen you and purified you.
He has chosen you over all other women. Mary, obey your Lord
andprostrate and bow with those who bow." (Qur'an,3:42-43)
The family of `Imran was known to believe in God, to seek His good
pleasurein whatever they do, andto always respect the limits that He
has established. When Imran's wife learned of her pregnancy, she
immediately turned to God in prayer and dedicated her unborn child to
God. It is a sign of her true submission to God that she named her
child Maryam (Mary in English), meaning"someone who is always
worshipping God." This subject is revealed in the Qur'an:
Remember when the wife of 'Imran said: "My Lord, I have pledged to You
what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service]. Please accept
myprayer. You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." When she gave
birth, she said: "My Lord! I have given birth to a girl"-and God knew
very well what she had given birth to, male and female are not the
same-"and I have named her Mary and placed her and her children in
Your safekeeping from the accursed Satan." (Qur'an, 3:35-36)
God reveals that Mary's mother dedicated her to God, "consecrated for
His service." The Arabic wordused here, i.e., muharraran, means "one
who is wholly preoccupied with the Hereafter, who has no business with
the world, who worships God at all times, who is in the service of the
House of God, who is sincere in hisor her worship and, who has no
worldly intentionsin his or her worship." Imran's wife asked God to
allow Mary to serve only Him, and for her to become totally devoted to
His good pleasure rather than other people's.
When Mary was born, Imran's wife asked God to protect Mary and her
descendents from the evilof Satan. God answered her sincere prayer and
gave Mary a superior morality. The Qur'an reveals how carefully Mary
was raised under God's protection:
Her Lord accepted her with approval and made her grow in health and
beauty. And Zechariah became her guardian. (Qur'an, 3:37)
God states that Zechariahwas a righteous servant who was favored over
allbeings, and one guided to a straight path as a Prophet. God praises
him in the Qur'an and points out his impeccable character (Qur'an,
6:85-87). Zechariah, who took on the responsibility of caring for Mary
and thus witnessed many of her miracles, realized that she was God's
chosen one.
For instance, whenever Zechariah entered the presence of Mary, who
always worshipped by herself, he found food with her. The Qur'an says:
Every time Zechariah visited her in the prayingchamber, he found food
with her. He said: "Mary, how did you come by this?" She said: "It is
fromGod. God provides for whoever He wills withoutany reckoning."
(Qur'an, 3:37)
Mary became well knownin her community as a member of her family who
was dedicated wholeheartedly to God. The Qur'an speaks of her chastity
in particular, as follows:
And Mary, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity-We
breathedOur Spirit into her, and she confirmed the Words of her Lord
and His Book and was one of the obedient. (Qur'an, 66:12)
Mary's Encounter with Gabriel
Mary's life was full of miracles, one of which was her encounter with
Gabriel. At a particular stage in her life, Mary lefther community and
family and secluded herself somewhere in theeast. There, the Qur'an
mentions that Gabriel appeared to her in the form of a man:
Mention Mary in the Book, how she withdrewfrom her people to an
eastern place and veiled herself from them. Then We sent Our Spirit to
her, and it took on for her theform of a handsome, well-built man. She
[Mary] said: "I seek refuge from you with theAll-Merciful if you guard
against evil." (Qur'an, 19:16-18)
At first, she did not know that the unknown personwas Gabriel. Thus,
she immediately sought refuge with God when he approached and said
that she was a God-fearing believer. Herwords make it clear that she
was a God-fearing and chaste servant. Gabriel introduced himself by
stating that hewas sent by God to give her the following good news:
He said [to Mary]: "I am only your Lord's messenger so that He cangive
you a pure boy." (Qur'an, 19:19)
When the angels said:"Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word
from Him. His nameis the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, of high esteem
in this world and the Hereafter, one of those brought near." (Qur'an,
3:45)
Mary received this important news and asked Gabriel how she could have
a child while she was still a virgin:
She said: "How can I havea boy when no man has touched me and I am not
an unchaste woman?" Hesaid: "It will be so, for your Lord says: 'That
is easy for Me. It is so that We can make him a Sign for mankind and a
mercyfrom Us.' It is a matter already decreed." So she conceived him
and withdrew with him to a distant place. (Qur'an, 19:20-22)
She said: "My Lord, how can I have a son when noman has yet touched
me?" He said: "It will be so." God creates whatever He wills. When He
decides on something,He just says to it "Be!" and it is. (Qur'an,
3:47)
Gabriel replied that God has the power to do anything and that He
needs only to say "Be!" and it is. This is how Maryconceived Jesus-by
the will of God and without ever being touched by a man. Her pregnancy
was created independent of the worldly order in a miraculous way. As
our Lord reveals, after receiving this good news, Mary withdrew to
somewhere quiet. God supported her during that time in every way and
provided all that a pregnant woman could wish for psychologically as
well as materially. He made her withdraw fromher people, who would not
have been able to comprehend her situation, and thereby prevented the
physical orspiritual damage that they could have caused her.
16 God is One
Whoever is guided is only guided to his own good. Whoever is misguided
is only misguided to his detriment. No burden-bearer can bear
another's burden. We never punish until We have sent a Messenger.
(Qur'an, 17:15)
Old Testament
The soul who sins is the one who will die. The sonwill not share the
guilt ofthe father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son.
The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and
the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him. (Ezekiel
18:20)
PEOPLE ARE PUNISHED FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE
Any disaster that strikes you is through what your own hands have
earned, and He pardons much. (Qur'an, 42:30)
Old Testament
What has happened to usis a result of our evil deeds and our great
guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have
deserved and have given us such deliverance as this. (Ezra 9:13)
TRUST IN GOD
If God helps you, no one can vanquish you. If He forsakes you, who can
help you after that? So the believers should put their trust in God.
(Qur'an, 3:160)
O you who believe! Remember God's blessing to you when certain people
were on the verge of raising theirhands against you and He held their
hands backfrom you. Heed God. The believers should put their trust in
God. (Qur'an, 5:11)
Old Testament
He [Uzziah] sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed
him in the fearof God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him
success. (2 Chronicles 26:5)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding. (Proverbs3:5)
O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. (Psalm 84:12)
GOD STRAIGHTENS OUT THEPATHS
It rests with God alone toshow you the right path:yet there is [many
aone] who swerves from it. If He had wished, He could have guided
everyone of you. (Qur'an, 16:9)
Old Testament
[I]n all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths
straight. (Proverbs 3:6)
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
[Man asks]: "So when is the Day of Resurrection?" But whenthe eyesight
is dazzled, and the moon is eclipsed, and the sun and moon are fused
together, on that Day man will ask: "Where can I run?" No indeed!
There will be no safe place. (Qur'an, 75:6-11)
When the stars are extinguished, when Heaven is split open, when the
mountains arepulverised, and when the Messengers' time is appointed.
(Qur'an, 77:8-11)
The Hour is coming, but Ihave concealed it so thatevery self can be
repaid for its efforts. (Qur'an, 20:15)
They will ask you about the Hour: When is it due?Say: "Knowledge of it
rests with my Lord alone.He alone will reveal it at its proper time.
It hangs heavy in the heavens and Earth. It will not come upon you
except suddenly." They will ask you as if you had full knowledge of
it. Say:"Knowledge of it rests with God alone. But most people do not
know that." (Qur'an, 7:187)
On the Day the sky is like molten brass and the mountains like tufts
of colored wool. No good friend will ask about his friend. (Qur'an,
70:8-10)
When Heaven is split apart and goes red like dregs of oil. (Qur'an, 55:37)
New Testament
But in those days, following that distress, the sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the
sky... (Mark 13:24-25)
Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. (Mark 13:33)
Be careful, or your heartswill be weighed down with dissipation,
drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that Day will close on you
unexpectedly, like a trap.For it will come upon all those who live on
the face of the whole Earth. (Luke 21:34-35)
... The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be
destroyed by fire, and Earth and everything in itwill be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people
ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look
forward to the Day of God and speed its coming. That Day will bring
about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will
melt in the heat. (2 Peter 3:10-12)
Old Testament
... For the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun
and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. (Joel
3:14-15)
… The Day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the
Almighty. Because of this,all hands will go limp, every man's heart
will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them;
they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each
other, their faces aflame. See, the Day of the Lord is coming-a cruel
Day, with wrath and fierce anger-to make the land desolate and destroy
the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations
will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the
moon will not give its light. (Isaiah 13:6-10)
Alas for that Day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like
destruction from the Almighty. (Joel 1:15)
The great Day of the Lordis near-near and coming quickly. Listen! The
cry onthe Day of the Lord will be bitter, the shouting ofthe warrior
there. That Day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish,
a day of trouble and ruin, a day ofdarkness and gloom, a day of clouds
and blackness. (Zephaniah 1:14-15)
Story - He is the one
Starbucks for coffee. To this day I remember whatwe wore. He was
wearing a ski jacket and blue jeans and I was wearing a pleather
jacket with a well fitted grey sweater and black jeans. My friends
would always teased me at work when I wore the sweater and ask me if I
was going on a date, they called it the date sweater. The date didn't
work out and soon after Imoved to a new city for ajob promotion. Years
passed and during that time I received another job promotion in
anothercity. One day I decided to return home. I told my parents I was
interested in meeting someone and if they knew of anyone they should
let me know. My parents told everyonethey knew and my aunt knew of
someone. We met and after a brief conversation we decided to get
married. We were engaged for a year and separated within a year of
marriage. During our separation I moved across the country to get
away. I spent a lot of time reflecting back on life, trying to
understand why life was going the way it was. It was then that I
realized the man I had married was the manI had met for coffee in year
2000. We met in year 2000 and went our separate ways. In 2005 we met
again and got married and as life wouldhave it, I'm sure we'll be
meeting again and this time we'll be having a child and purchasing a
home. We can't live with each other and we can't live without each
other. All we have is each other.
Story - I miss him so bad
10 yearson and off. We started going out when I was 10 and he was 11.
And we have been back and forth to each other (even after we never
hadanything to do with eachother for the two years that i was with
another guy, we still remained very close) I Love this guy, obviously.
And he is such a nice person, insideand out. I know we love each other
a lot. We just never talk about it.
We hook up every other weekend. But that just isn't enough for me. I
really want to be "his girl" once and for all! But...I think he is
with another girl...which makes my heartache!
He knows that I Love him lots....but what if he lovesthis other girl
too..I am soconfused...somebody give me a little help on how I should
get to talking to my "childhood love"!!!!
The Importance of good companionship
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 Prophetwas 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 Prophetgave a good similitude regarding this. Hesaid:"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 Prophetexplained the matter of good companionship, so that no room
is left for doubt or confusion, when hesaid:"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 Prophetsaid:"…Whoever conceals)the fault of( a Muslim,
Allaah will conceal 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 Moosaathe 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[
Moosaawanted 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 Prophetsaid:"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[
The rights of the wife upon her husband
The wife is naturally entitled for food, clothing, housing and
otherrelated items with expenses to be born by the husband. This
natural right has been given by Allaah Almighty to the wife basedon
the following verse from the Glorious Quran )which means(:"Mothers may
breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to
complete the nursing ]period[. Upon the father is the mothers'
provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable. No
person is charged with more than his capacity..."]Quran 2: 233[
1. The Mahr )dowry(:This is the money to which the wife is entitled
from her husband when the marriage contract is completed or when the
marriage is consummated. It is a right which the man is obliged to pay
to the woman. Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:"And give the women
]upon marriage[ their]bridal[ gifts graciously. But if they give up
willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and
ease."]Quran 4: 4
2. Spending:It is obligatory for husbands to spend on their wives, on
the condition that the wife makes herself available to her husband. If
she refuses him or rebels, then she is not entitled to that spending.
What is meant by spending is providing what the wife needs of food and
accommodation. She has the right to these things evenif she is rich,
because Allaah Says)what means(:"…Upon the father is the mothers'
provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable…"]Quran
2: 233[
And )what means(:"Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he
whose provision is restricted – let him spend from what Allaah has
given him…"]Quran 65: 7[
It was narrated that 'Aa'ishahsaid: "Hind Bint )the daughter of(
'Utbah, the wife of Abu Sufyaan, entered upon the Messenger of
Allaahand said: 'O Messenger of Allaah, Abu Sufyaan is a stingy man
who doesnot spend enough on me and my children, except for what I take
from his wealth without his knowledge. Is there any sin on me for
doing that?' The Messenger of Allaahsaid:'Take from his wealth on a
reasonable basis, only what is sufficient for you and your children.'"
]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
It was narrated from Jaabirthat Allaah's Messengersaid in his Farewell
Sermon:"Fear Allaah concerning women! Verily you have taken them on
the security of Allaah, and intercourse with them has been made lawful
unto you by words of Allaah. You too have rights over them, and that
they should not allow anyone to sit on your bedding ]i.e., not let
them into the house[ whom you do not like.But if they do that, you can
chastise them but not severely. Their rights upon you are that you
should provide them with food and clothing in a fitting
manner."]Muslim[
Also, the Prophetwas once asked: "What is the right of the wife unto
her husband?" Hesaid:"She is entitled for the samefood you eat, offer
her clothing whenever you buy yourself clothes, do not hit her on the
face, do not insult her and do notabandon her unless you do so)i.e.
abandon her( in the same house )under the same roof(."]Abu Daawood,
Ahmad and Ibn Maajah[
3. Accommodation:This is also one of the wife's rights, which means
that her husband should prepare for her accommodation according to his
means and ability. Allaah Almighty Says)what means(:"Lodge them ]in a
section[ of where you dwell out of your means and do not harm them in
order to oppress them…"]Quran 65: 6[
Non-financial rights
1. Fair treatment of co-wives:Oneof the rights that a wife has over
her husband is that she and her co-wives should be treated equally, if
the husband has other wives, with regard to nights spent with them,
spending and clothing.
In case of multiple wives, the husband must be fair and just to all of
them, treat them fairly in terms of expenditure, housing, time and all
other items of whichthe husband is capable. Being biased or even
inclined and preferring one wife over the other is considered one of
the major sins.
Allaah's Messengersaid:"If a man was married to two wives and is
inclined to one of them)and favored her over the other(, he will come
on the Day of Judgment with one side of his body tilted )as a
punishment for his unjust treatment(."]Imaam Ahmad[
Man, as the husband, however will not be held responsible or
accountable for things that he has no control over, such as love,
affection and self-comfort. Allaah,the Almighty stated in the Glorious
Quran )what means(:"And you will never be able to be equal ]in
feeling[ between wives, even if you should strive ]to do so[. So do
not incline completely]toward one[ and leave another hanging. And if
you amend ]your affairs[ and fear Allaah – then indeed, Allaah is ever
Forgiving and Merciful."]Quran 4: 129[
However, if a husband preferred one wife over another in terms
ofspending the night with, based on the approval and acceptance of the
other wife, then, in such a case, there is no harm. That was the case
with 'Aa'ishah and Sawdah, two of the Prophet's wiveswhen Sawdahagreed
to grant her night to 'Aa'ishahtoward the end of the life of the
Prophet.
Yet, when the Prophetbecame very ill, hecontinuously asked:"Where
shall be tomorrow )i.e., in whose house(?"All his wives agreed to let
him stay at the house of 'Aa'ishahwhere hewanted to be until his
death.]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
2. Kind treatment:The husband must have a good attitude towards his
wife and be kind to her, and offer her everything thatmay soften her
heart towards him, because Allaah Says )what means(:"…And live with
them in kindness…"]Quran 4: 19[
Also Allaah Says )what means(:"…And due to the wives is similar to
what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable..."]Quran 2:
228[
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrahsaid: "The Messenger of
Allaahsaid:'Be kind to women.'"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Here are some examples from theProphet:
It was narrated from Zaynab Bint)the daughter of( Abi Salamah that Umm
Salamahsaid: "I got my menses when I was lying with the Prophetunder a
single woolen sheet. I slipped away and put on the clothes I usually
wore for menstruation. The Messenger of Allaahsaid to me:'Have you got
your menses?'I said, 'Yes.' Then he, salallaahu alayhi wa sallam,
called me and made me lie with him under the same
sheet..."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
It was narrated that 'Urwah Ibn Al-Zubayr said: "Aa'ishahsaid: 'By
Allaah, I saw the Messenger of Allaahstanding at the door of my
apartment when the Abyssinians were playing with their spears in the
Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah. He covered me with his cloak so
that I could watch their games, then he stood there for my sake until
I was the one who had had enough...'"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
It was narrated from 'Aa'ishahthat the Messenger of Allaahused to pray
sitting down; hewould recite Quran when he was sitting down, then when
there were thirty or forty verses left, hewould stand up and recite
them standing up. Then hedid Rukoo' )bowing(, then Sujood
)prostration(; then hewould do likewise in the second Rak'ah )unit of
prayer(. When hehad finished his prayer, hewould look, and if I was
awake hewould talk with me, and if I was asleep hewould lie down.
]Al-Bukhaari[
3. Not harming one's wife:This is one of the basic principles of
Islam. Because harming others is forbidden in the case of strangers,
it is even more so in the case of harming one's wife.
It was narrated from 'Ubaadah Ibn As-Saamitthat the Messenger of
Allaahruled:"There should be no harming norreciprocating harm."]Ibn
Maajah[
Among the things to which the Lawgiver )Allaah Almighty( drew
attention in this matter is the prohibition of hitting or beating in a
severe manner.
It was narrated from Jaabirthat the Messenger of Allaahsaid in his
Farewell Sermon:"…But if they do that, you can chastise them but not
severely. Their rights upon you are that you should provide them with
food and clothing in a fitting manner.")part of the above-mentioned
hadeeth( ]Muslim[
Why do we delay repentance?
are conscious of their numerous sins, and thosewho believe in Allaah
and His Messengerrecognize 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'oodmade:"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 Prophetsaid:"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 Prophetwho was sinless, asked Allaah to forgive him on a
daily basis. The Prophetis 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
Prophetsaid:"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 Prophetsaid:"One who repents from sin is
like one without sin."]Ibn Maajah[
Fathwa, - What a loving muslim wife should do when herhusband shakes hands with non-muslim women?
What a loving Muslim wife should do when her husband shakes hands with
non-Muslim women ?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most MercifulDear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
The solution is clear. Explain to your husband that it is not
permissible to shake hands with unrelated members of the opposite sex.
If he fears embarrassment, then offer to shake the women's hands for
him. And explain to the women in a nice way that Muslim culture does
not permit men and women, who are not related, to shake hands.
Nevertheless, if your husband persists, then leave this between him
and Allah. He may have to figure out this issue for himself.
Just advise him to be cautious and fear Allah inhis dealings, and then
goon with your life.
And Allah knows best.
Fathwa, - sexual enhancement with wife...
I have a question to which I hope to get an answer from you. I was
wondering if it is permissible for a man to take a 100% naturalherbal
medicine to enhance one's sexual relationship with one's wife and
which also lengthens the sizeof a mans penis duringerection. It is
simply tohave a healthier sexualrelationship and to satisfy each
others needs. As we all know there are many other available natural
products allowed in Islam to fulfill this need. It is also said that
black seed oil and honey are beneficent to a healthy sexual
relationship. And Viagra is also permissible despite it having many
chemicals in it (It is also said that it lengthens a mans penis and
widens it). So my question is...Is itpermissible in Islam totake a
100% safe natural herbal medicine to obtain a longer and better sexual
relationship with one's wife and to lengthen the penis in size for the
purpose of satisfying each other? Iwould deeply appreciate an answer
brother.
Answer:
In the name of Allah MostMerciful Most Compassionate
I pray you are well and in the best of health and iman.
If there is no harm in taking the medicine, then it is permissible.
Butone should keep in mind that today sex has become an obsession and
a goal in itself, in Islam sex is a means for children and
satisfaction for both husband and wife and not a sport.
And Allah alone gives success.
Fathwa, - Nikah and intimacy between man and wife
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Ramadan Articles - Points to Ponder in Ramadan
should reflect upon his affairs, his final abode, and whatis awaiting
him, as regards his departure to Allaah The Almighty. He can also
contemplate over his morals and evil aspects, in the hope of getting
rid of the latter; his acts of worship in which he was negligent and
which were filled with doubts and passing thoughts, which kept him far
from Allaah The Almighty, and from having good private talk with Him.
He can contemplate about standing in front of Him; what mends his own
self and final abode, and what causes him to knowand have love for his
Lord The Almighty.
A believer should reflect upon the Names and Attributes of Allaah; and
his standing to his Lord on the Day the people would stand to the Lord
of the Worlds. If one reflects upon the Names and Attributes of
Allaah, his living and final abode, his departure, death and grave,
his resurrection and standing in front of Allaah The Almighty, the
evil of his own soul, and the deficiencies of his actions and
provision, undoubtedly his reflection would cause him to increase in
faith and refrain from disobedience. It would enable him to endure
thedifficulty of striving against the evil he is suffering from,
remember the grave, death and accounting, and remember the terrors and
standing in front of Allaah The Almighty. All of this would be a
motive for him to hasten to Allaah The Almighty, to keep away from
sins, fear Allaah The Almighty, do his best and strive to excel in
worship and obedience, and persist inthinking of what returns upon him
with good in his worldly life and his final abode.
As for the remembrance of Allaah The Almighty, if one devotes himself
to it,he will be in the same state mentioned by Allaah The Almighty
Who Says )what means(:}So remember Me; I will remember you. And be
grateful to Me and do notdeny Me.{]Quran 2:152[ Among the benefits of
one's leaving his food and drink )in fasting( is to realize this
state. Is it appropriate that one realizes this during his day, and
when he breakshis fast, he gives up meditation and remembrance of
Allaah The Almighty? I mean those high ranks that represent the origin
of the knowledge of and love for Allaah The Almighty. Once he
reflectsupon the names and attributes of Allaah The Almighty, he
affirms the Oneness of his Lord, lovesHim, fears Him, has hope in Him,
supplicates Him, draws near Him, and makes his share from Allaah The
Almighty the most important priority for him in the world and the
Hereafter.
You need this meaning today and afterRamadan, otherwise, what would
you do if your days pass and you return to your old state, and the
month ofRamadangets over without getting any of that?
The next meaning is to make substantial contributions to increasing
the sustenance for the poor and needy. It is one of the traces
ofTaqwa)consciousness of Allaah The Almighty(. It is your share )of
good( which you should be keen to obtain, to give out of your property
to the poor and needy, for the sake of Allaah The Almighty. Make
hunger and thirst a reminder for you of those who have long been
suffering fromhunger and thirst, support your brethren and the
righteous slaves of Allaah The Almighty, and honor and bring about
pleasure upon them. All of this is among the best deeds mentioned by
the Messenger of Allaah. That was his state inRamadan. He was the most
generous of all people, and he used to be at the pinnacle of his
generosity in the month ofRamadan, when Jibreel )Gabriel(would teach
him the Quran. ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
To conclude those benefits, let us say that fasting, standing )at
night in prayer(, remembrance of Allaah The Almighty and reduction of
food, drink and desire inRamadanbreak the soul's voracity, greediness,
wrongness and transgression. This is one of the most important reasons
that make one submit to his Lord and increase in piety.
The human soul inclines to transgression, errors, arrogance, laziness,
idleness and sleep -- it holds all things dear. Thisis why fasting is
one of the greatest means to break the destructive desires of the soul
for thesake of Allaah The Almighty, whereby it becomes submissive,
humble, reassured and devout. It hastens to obedience and seeks
forgiveness, humbles andsubmits itself to Allaah The Almighty, and the
heart and the physical organs respond to His love and obedience, and
refrain from disobedience to Him.
Ramadan Articles - Welcome, Month of Goodness!
passion and yearning, with longing and tears -- tears of pleasure at
receiving the dearest and most generous of months.
It is the month of goodness and mercy, the month of purity and
chastity, the month of cleanness and clarity, in which the hearts are
cleansed and the souls rise high.
Congratulations on the coming ofthe month of good things, the month of
the dutiful acts, and the month of pleasures, in which Allaah The
Almighty boasts before His angels of you, and looks at your
competition in it.
Welcome to you, O honored guest and great month! Welcometo you, O
month of goodness, spring of forgiveness, and beloved to )Allaah( the
Most Merciful!
These are the seasons that have come to exude their pleasant scent
among the people. They are seasons to obtain good deeds and reduce
misdeeds. So, Oseeker of goodness, come forward ]to do good[! O seeker
ofevil, desist ]from evil[!
The Prophetsaid: "When the first night of Ramadan comes, the gates of
Hell are locked and none of them is opened; the gates of Paradise are
opened andnone of them is locked, and the devils and the strong Jinns
are chained in fetters; and a caller calls out, 'O seeker of goodness,
come forward )and perform acts of goodness diligently(, O seeker of
evil, stop )and repent for it is time to repent(.' Some are freed from
Hell by Allaah, and that happens every night."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
My brothers and sisters in )the religion of( Allaah:
Ramadanwas the wish of your beloved, Muhammadwho said: "O Allaah!
Bless us in Rajab and Sha'baan, and make us live until we witness
Ramadan." The righteous predecessorsused to supplicate their Lord for
six months to accept their deeds of the lastRamadan, and another six
months to convey them to the next Ramadan. Where do we stand with
regard to the first generation?
Welcome to you, O master of the months! The Messenger of Allaahsaid:
"The month of Ramadan has come upon you. It is a month of blessing, in
which Allaah covers you with His mercy, plots out sins, and responds
to supplication. He looks at your competition in it, and shows pride
to His angels in you. So, show Allaah good from yourselves, since the
wretched is he who is deprived of Allaah's mercy." ]At-Tabaraani[
In it, the people are of two kinds:one receivesRamadanwith
ladentables, varieties of food and drink, and spends the greatest part
of his day sleeping, and the greatest part of his night wandering. The
other kind of people receivesRamadanby returning to Allaah The
Almighty,repentance, seeking forgiveness, and abandoning what is
forbidden by Allaah The Almighty of disobedience, especially duringthe
month of mercy, forgiveness and release from Hellfire.
Righteousness is indeed the wisdom for which fasting has been
ordained, as stated by Allaah The Almighty )what means(: }O you who
have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon
those before you that you may become righteous.{ ]Quran 2:183[ Tongues
fast from cursing and uttering obscenities and lewd speech, and ears
fast from hearing obscene words; eyes fastfrom looking at what is
unlawful,and hearts are devout in worship, seeking Allaah The
Almighty; and the great loss is to come out of Ramadan without
increasing our good deeds nor being promoted in rank with Allaah The
Almighty. That is indeed the evident loss.
The profitable winner, by the permission of Allaah, is he who fasts in
compliance with the command of Allaah The Almighty,and prevents the
soul from]unlawful[ inclination. Then, indeed, Paradise will be his
refuge. Thus, the reward will be great and the gift abundant.
It is narrated by Ibn Abi Ad-Dunyaand others on the authority of
'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aasthat he said, "The Messengerof
Allaahsaid: 'Verily, fasting and Quran will intercede for the servant
on the Day of Judgment. Fasting will say: 'O Lord! I prevented him
from food, drink and sexual desires during the day. So, please, accept
my intercession for him.' The Noble Quran will say: 'O Lord! I
prevented him from sleep at night. So, please, accept my intercession
for him.' He )the Prophet( said: 'Then, they will be permitted to
intercede.'"
So strive your utmost to recite the noble Quran during the approaches
of the night and the ends of the day, because the Quran will be a
witness, either for or against you. It is due on us to receive the
goodness by performance of good deeds and through abandonment of
evildoings and destructive habits.It is also due on us to maintain
kinship ties and to be dutiful to our parents, which pleases the Most
Merciful and admits one to Paradise in the company of the Prophet
Muhammad Al-Mustafa.
It is the month of goodness, giving, dutifulness and abundance of
good. It is the month of munificence, generosity, and spending in the
cause of Allaah. Therefore, do notforget your brothers and sisters
from among the poor, needy, widows and orphans. By Allaah, many nights
may come upon some people, during which they find no morsel with which
to break their fast, or a sip of drink to rely on in their fasting,
whereas you are blessed in good things and gifts. So, show Allaah The
Almighty good from yourselves.
According to Khaalid Al-Qasri"The most generous to spend among the
people is the one who gives someone from whom he has no hope ]of
return[; and the greatest to forgive among the people is the one who
pardons when he has the power not to; and the one who maintains
kinship ties most among the people is he who maintains kinship ties
with him who severs kinship ties with him."
It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'oodthat he said,
"The Messenger of Allaahsaid: 'Who among you considers the wealth of
his heirs dearer to him than his own wealth?' They replied, "O
Messenger of Allaah! There is none among us except that he loves his
own wealth more." The Prophetsaid: 'So his wealth iswhatever he spends
)in the causeof Allaah( during his life )on gooddeeds( while the
wealth of his heirs is whatever he leaves after his death.'"
]Al-Bukhaari[
Ar-Rabee' ibn Khaythamahnever used to give a beggar either a piece of
bread, or a broken thing, or a patched garment. He used to say, "I
feel shy that my book will be read before Allaah, having in it those
trivial things I gave for His sake."
We ask Allaah The Almighty to make abundant and blessed our share from
this noble month, to endow us with forgiveness and mercy and with a
garden in Paradise whose breadth is like the breadth of the heavens
and the earth; not to make our share only hunger and thirst, and not
to make us of those in connection with whom the honored
Messengersaid:"and the wretched is he who has been deprived of the
forgiveness of Allaah in this noble month."
Ramadan Articles - There is Blessing in Suhoor
]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ In thisHadeeth )narration(, there is an
injunction to take Suhoor, which means eating and drinking directly
before dawn in order to get ready to fast that day. The wisdom
underlying this order is also mentioned: namely, the blessing it
contains.
Blessing is the descent of divine goodness in something and being fixed therein.
Blessing also means the increase of goodness, reward and all the
useful things needed by a slave inthe life of this world and in the
Hereafter.
Blessing comes from Allaah The Almighty and cannot be attained except
by obeying Him.
It is noticed that some of those who fast do not heed the importance
of having the Suhoor meal and delaying it; they may even abandon it
entirely. They might take a meal at midnight orbefore sleeping at
night, whetherbecause of the worry that they may not wake up on time,
or because of their desire to sleep longer, or their indifference to
Suhoor and its blessings, or their ignorance of the matter. This is a
mistake that should be avoided as it contradicts the Sunnah)Prophetic
tradition( and deprives one of the blessings of Suhoor.
A person who intends to fast should take Suhoor and delay it until
directly before dawn, even ifthe Suhoor is only a little as this has
numerous benefits and greatblessings. Among its blessings is that it
constitutes obeying the command of the Prophetmentioned in the
Hadeeth: "TakeSuhoor as there is a blessing in it." ]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[ This favor and honor )i.e., obeying thecommand of the Prophet(
is enough.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
• }He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allaah{ ]Quran 4:80[
• }And whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly attained
a great attainment.{ ]Quran 33:71[
Among its blessings is that it distinguishes Muslims as it contradicts
the practice of the People of the Book. The Prophetsaid: "The
difference between our fasting and that of the People of the Book is
eating Suhoor )shortly before dawn(."]Muslim[
Another blessing is that it fostersprosperity and preserves it. It was
reported on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'd As-Saa'idithat the
Prophetsaid: "The people will continue to prosper as long as they
hasten to break the fast and delay the Suhoor."]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[
Among the blessings of Suhoor isthat it gives the strength needed to
perform acts of obedience, helps in performing acts of worship and
increases one's stamina and ability to work. A hungry and thirsty
person is stricken by laziness.
Among the blessings of Suhoor isattaining the salutations of Allaah
The Exalted and His angels:"Allaah and his angels definitely send
salutations on those who eat Suhoor." ]Ibn Hibbaan and At-Tabaraani in
Al-Awsat[ ]Al Albaani: Hasan[
In addition, Suhoor prevents one from indulging in bad behavior and
misdemeanor that may result from hunger.
Moreover, the time of Suhoor is a blessed time. It is the time when
Allaah The Almighty descends in a way that befits His Glory and
Majesty with His glory and greatness. The Messenger of Allaahsaid:
"Our Lord, The Blessed, The Superior, comes down every night to the
nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains,
saying:"Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to his
invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his
request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive
him?" ]Al-Bukhaari[
Also among the blessings is that this time is one of the best times
for seeking forgiveness, if not thebest ever. Allaah The Exalted
praises those who seek forgiveness at this specific time. Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:
• }and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.{ ]Quran3:17[
• }And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness{ ]Quran 51:18[.
Thus, waking up for Suhoor is a reason for obtaining this bounty and
attaining the various blessings of seeking forgiveness.
Furthermore, one of the blessings of Suhoor is that it makes it more
likely for a person to answer the call to Fajr prayer, and it is well
known that this hasgreat rewards. It guarantees performing the Fajr
prayer on time in congregation.
Moreover, among the blessings of Suhoor is that eating this mealis
considered an act of worship initself, if by doing so one intends to
increase one's strength and use it in obeying Allaah and intends to
follow and adhere to the way of the Prophet. Besides, if the one who
intends to fast takes Suhoor, he will not get tired of fasting;
rather, he will long for it. On the other hand, those who do not take
Suhoor find great hardship in fasting that makes it difficult for them
to fast again.
Among the blessings of Suhoor isthat Allaah The Almighty places
goodness in the activities of the one who partakes Suhoor, so that he
is guided to doing good deeds on that day. He finds the energy to
perform obligatory andvoluntary acts of worship, recite Athkaar )words
of remembrance(, enjoin good and forbid evil and so on. Otherwise, if
he does not take Suhoor, fasting may make it difficult for him to
perform all these things.
In brief, the blessings of Suhoor are too many to be counted. Allaah
The Almighty, in His Sharee'ah, has wisdom and secrets that are
astounding to the minds, and that only a few may realize. However, we
should remember these great meanings and remind others of them.