The miraculous measure in tides

Tides have such an effectthat they can even change living conditionsin
some regions of the Earth. People, who resume their lives after the
withdrawal of tides, arrange their entire livesaccording to tides. By
the Will of Allah, oceans rise up to a certain level. This way, they
never become a threat for localpeople.
Think of a water molecule in the ocean. This molecule is under the
influence of the force of gravity. However, the Moon also exerts a
weaker gravitational pull on thismolecule. The distance between the
Moon and the Earth and the Moon'ssmall mass are the principal causes
of this weaker pull of the Moon.This force of gravity of the Moon is
not only influential on this water molecule, but also on all objects
on the Earth. Yet,because all objects are not fluid like liquids,
there exists no apparent changes.
Every region of the Earthdoes not respond to this rise and fall of
oceans at the same rate. That is because the Moon's force of gravity
changes from place to place; the distance between the Moon and the
various points of the Earth is not the same. As a result of this
effective force on oceans, the water rises towards a certain
direction. As the Moon's position in relation to the Earth and the Sun
changes, this force diminishes and tidal regions occur where water
withdraws.
The Sun's gravitational pull also brings about a rise in the oceans.
However, this force affects the Earth by a rate of 1/3.
Because the Moon is nearer to the Earth than the Sun, despite the
Sun's big mass, the Moon's gravitational pullis two and a half times
stronger than the Sun.
No doubt, a tide is only one of the systems in theuniverse that our
All-Mighty Allah has created with flawless miracles. The sensitive
balance in the tide is notlimited to these. As the gravity of the Moon
causes oceans to rise, with a second force, oceans are also pulled
inthe opposite direction ofthe Moon that is towardsthe Earth. While
all of these occur , Earth continues to rotate around itselfs, so
there are two tides happen everyday. The times of tides vary in each
regionas the position of the Sun, the Moon and the Earth changes. For
instance in Northern
California, tides come in twice a day, while in the Mexican Gulf, it
happens only once, in the form ofjust one rise and fall.
LIFE STORIES FROM TIDAL REGIONS
97% of the water that covers more than 70% ofthe Earth is oceans.
According to data provided by the World Resources Institution (WRI),
40% of the world's population lives on the coasts surrounding this
water and from time to time, these people experience tsunamis, storms,
or tides that come into existence with the rise and fall of water.
Especially at regions where natural events such as tides happen, with
respect to the position of the Moon, local people take many
precautions and developvarious forms of living inorder to survive.
Street Fishing
- In tidal regions, sometimes highways arebuilt upon places where
water recedes. However,when water comes back,these highways turn
intoareas where local peoplefish and very interesting scenes occur.
This activity, which is called street fishing, is a way through which
the All-
Mighty Allah offers food from the sea, one of His blessings, to
people. In the Qur'an, our Lord states that He is the One Who bestows
His blessings in the sea:
"It is He Who made the sea subservient to you sothat you can eat fresh
flesh from it and bring out from it ornaments towear. And you see the
ships cleaving through itso that you can seek His bounty, and so that
hopefully you will show thanks."(Qur'an, 16: 71)
Horizontal Falls
The rapid movement of water also causes extraordinary situations such
as falls that flow horizontally.
Flawless Design Well-Matched with Circumstances
Most of the fish living in tidal regions have a structure resistant to
shallow and running water. While water recedes, they need to hide in
small holes so that they are not drifted with the water. They
canaccomplish this by their thin structure and height smaller than 20
cm.
Fins of fish in tidal regions have the design most suitable for their
living conditions. By the fins on their chests, they can hold onto
rocks. Their skin, on the other hand, is created to resist the
constant currents. Some of them have very few scales, whereas some
have none. Instead, various fish secrete a mucus-like fluid that
minimizes friction likely to happen during currents.
Aside from these flawlesstraits, fish living in tidal regions have an
amazing ability of camouflage. Some species constantly change color
where as some others, wherever they may be, can instantly gain the
color and patterns matching the environment.
Another miracle of design in the bodies of fish living in tidal
regions is the mechanism highly resistant to water loss. Thanks to
this mechanism, even if they lose 60% of their body water, they can
survive. The thick skin they have and the mucus they secrete, are the
components of this mechanism slowing down the water loss.
The Miraculous Respiration in Air With Gills …
For fish living in tidal regions, one of the most important problems
is the need for oxygen. Outside of water, gills donot function. But,
their short and thick gill fiberscan take the oxygen they need
directly from the air by the blood vessels concentrating around their
mouth and their skin.
For this reason, fish that remain in ponds can surface and thus meet
their urgent oxygen needs.
Another miraculous trait of tidal fish is their ability to find their
nest under every condition. Generally, most fish species choose a
certain place and live there. However, if they leave this place for
one reasonor another, they can alsoturn back. Older fish have more of
this talent.
Research has shown thatfish kept in the laboratory for as long as 6
months could find their nests back when they were left at sea.
No doubt, living beings having body designs matching the conditions in
tidal regions are only one of the evidences indicating that the
All-Mighty Allah created them. The All-Knowing Allah reveals the
evidence of His unique creation in every corner of the universe. Our
Lordstates in the Qur'an as follows:
"The Originator of the heavens and Earth. When He decides on
something, He just says to it, 'Be!' and it is."(Qur'an, 2:117)
What if the water recedes?
The answer to this question no doubt affects the lives of fish living
in tidal regions. The design of fish living in tidal regions is
perfectly adapted to the conditions in these areas. These
extraordinary designs are only one of the obvious evidences of thefact
that the All-Mighty Allah, Who created all the heavens and the Earth,
creates them in this way.
Tidal regions where ocean water covers twice a day and then recedes
offer very harsh conditions to the fish to survive. When water
recedes, fish that surviveunder rocks, in puddles, and muddy areas,
are generally well camouflaged by their colors matching with
theground. Besides, with the receding of water, they often become
utterly unnoticeable, for they hide under rocks orin-between plants.
Until recently, these fish were thought to be drifted to these regions
with waves. However, recent research has revealed that they were
created with designs appropriate to these tidal regions.
In Australia's Carumba region, water rises up to4.78 m. In Broadsound
town, on the other hand, this rise reaches up to 8 m. However these
figures are rather insignificant next to Australia's highest figures,
for in Derby, water rises up to an average of 11-12 m.
References:
http://www.abc.net.au/science /scribblygum/kingtide /gallery.htm
http://www.windows.ucar.edu /tour/link=/kids_space /earth_galore.html
http://www.abc.net.au/science /scribblygum/kingtide /default.htm
http://faculty.salisbury.edu /~jwhoward/astro108/html/ lec3.HTM
http://www.redtide.whoi.edu /hab/rtphotos/99hkredtide.jpg

The army-ant in technology

Then, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant said: "Ants!
Enter your dwellings, so that Sulayman and his troops donot crush you
unwittingly." (Qur'an, 27:18)
The "Valley of the Ants" refers to a special place and special ants.
In addition, the fact that ProphetSulayman (as) could hear the ants
talking among themselves may contain striking references to future
developments in computer technology. The present-day term "Silicon
Valley" refers to the centre of the world of technology. It is most
significant that a "valley of the ants" appears in the account of
Prophet Sulayman's (as) life. Allah may be drawing our attention to
the advanced technology of the future.
Furthermore, ants and other insect species are widely used in advanced
technology as models in robot projects and are intended to serve in a
wide range of areas, from the defenceindustry to technology. The verse
may also be referring to these developments.
Latest Developments in Miniature Technology: Army-Ant Robots
The best known project using ants as a model are the "Army-Ant Robot"
projects being carried out independently in several countries. One
study being carried out by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
Virginia State University seeks to develop small, inexpensive, and
simple physically identical robots that can be used as a robot army.
Project officials explain these robots' functionality in the following
terms: "The way they behave as a group, in a coordinated manner,
perform a series of physical actions, and take joint decisions." These
robot armies' mechanical and electrical designs have been based on the
behaviour of an ant community. They are called the "army-ant" robots
because of their similarities to their insect counterparts.
The "army-ant" robot system was originally designed as a
"material-carrying system." According to this scenario, several small
robots would be charged with jointly lifting and carrying objects. It
was later decided that they could be used for other tasks. One report
describes other tasks to which they might be assigned in the future:
Nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup with robotic "swarms," mining
(including material removal and search-and-rescue),mine sweeping (both
land and water), surveillance and sentry, planetary surface
exploration and excavation. 1
In a report by Israel A. Wagner, an expert on ant robot technology,
the ant robot projects were described in theseterms:
Ant-robots are simple physical or virtual creatures designed to
cooperate in order to achieve a common goal. They are assumed to have
very limited resources of energy, sensing and computing, and to
communicate via traces left in the workspace or on the ground, like
many insects naturally do…
The distribution of work among multiple a(ge)nts can be made by either
a central controller who sends orders to the agents,or by an a-priori
agreement on acertain partitioning that, if obeyed by the agents,
eventuallyleads to a completion of the given mission. A third way,
used throughout the current work, is to design the behavior of
individuals such that cooperation will naturally emerge in the course
of their work, without making a-priori decisions on the structure of
thecooperation. The specific application that we address is covering,
which is also known asexploring or searching. This variety of names
hints to the many applications this problem might have: from cleaning
the floor of a house to mapping an unknown planet or demining a mine
field. 2
As can be seen in these examples, an ant's social lifestyle forms the
basis of many projects, and the various ant-based robot technologies
are providing benefits for human beings. That is why it is so
important that ants and theirvalley are referred to in the Qur'anic
account of Prophet Sulayman's (as) life. The term "ants" in the verse
may refer to an army consisting of robots, future developments in
robot technology, and how robots willplay an important role in
humanlife. For example, they may perform many arduous tasks and thus
make people's lives more comfortable. (Allah knows best.)

Lovelessness brings about serious chaos and ruin in the World

Lack of love and trust, which are one of the most important
problems of our day, are one of the important reasons behind the
wars, massacres, selfishness and destruction in the world. People
live in fear and stress with no trust for one another all over the
world. When there is fear, love is impossible to have. In today's
society, people do not greet one another or leer at greetings
because of this lack of trust in a loveless environment.
Lovelessness Is One of the Causes of Economic Crisis
In a world where most people do not love one another, people hate
even their closest friends, brothers are enemies with each other and
economic crisis is inevitable. This is because lovelessness also
brings poor quality production and plenty of profit in a short time.
but acting selfishly and not sharing revenues with others. However,
the manifestation of a deep love for Allah on Allah's creations will
develop the sense of mutual assistance among people and it would
lead to residual goods being used for charity. In such a system it
is clear that the world will reach harmony. Thanks to this
cooperation and justice, people's level of economic strength rises.
It would lead to a rich society.
Lovelessness Is at the Root of A Lack of Mercy and Avoiding Helping Others
People's lack of mercy and their cruelty is also based on
lovelessness. Such people can flee after running down a person with
car or abandon an injured person whom they see lying on the street
remorselessly. That some restaurant owners do not have any concern
for hygiene in their kitchens, that there is no gratitude for the
elderly, that emergency patients die because of neglect, that the
needy are looked down on, that millions of people are killed for a
small piece of land, that small children are molested, that women
are violently and sexually assaulted, that people are aggressive and
hateful against one another are all based on lovelessness.
Moreover these people who are afar from love could easily murder
someone if that is compatible with their interests or due to hatred
for someone. The number of people who can kill someone unjustly,
commit serial murders in cold blood, kill a complete stranger or
someone they know as a result of a sudden rage or jealousy, and
even those who kill people as a profession are quite high in the
irreligious societies of today. Homicide stories in papers and on
television are clear indicators of lovelessness and degeneracy in
society.
Unbelievers Lack the Sentiment of Love
The source of real love is a respectful fear and deep love of Allah,
because only those who fear Allah and avoid a morality that
displeases Him could live real love. A person who truly fears Allah
is always careful for the plots and evil of his inner self. This is
because the inner self is always calling a person to evil as
revealed in the verses about the Prophet Joseph (pbuh):
"I do not say my self was free from blame. The self indeed commands
to evil acts – except for those my Lord has mercy on…" (Surah Yusuf,
53)
On the other hand, a person who has no or little fear of Allah, or
who avoids the fact that Allah will judge his actions in this world
and do whatever his inner self wills, would know no limits to evil
deeds. It is revealed in the Qur'an that the inner self whispers
limitless evil and believers who cleanse their inner selves find
salvation and those who support the evil suggested by satan will be
destroyed as such:
" And inspired it with depravity or fear, he who purifies it has
succeeded, he who covers it up has failed." (Surat ash-Shams, 8-10)
Those who do not have faith and live loveless lives harm themselves
and others both materially and spiritually throughout their
existence. This is because;
* Loveless people try to satisfy their own interests, needs and
wants in the world as much as they can and spend their short
lifetime without any responsibilities.
* Mothers and fathers who do not show enough love and attention to
their children, and children who do not show enough respect and
gratitude to their mothers and fathers –as a result of the negative
effects of their surroundings- are the most explicit examples of
this negative suggestion. Children like these could bear a
mentality that talks aggressively to their parents, easily lie and
see their parents only as a tool to reach their own wants and
desires.
* In lovelessness, people do not sacrifice and values like
cooperation and generosity are completely eliminated. First of all
people do not respect one another for being human.
* No one would think about the health, comfort and peace of others;
no one would worry about or try to prevent any harm to other
people.
* It is not possible to trust a person who does not set any
boundaries for his inner self that whispers evil to him all the
time. It cannot be expected that such a person would be a man of
his word since there is no reason why this person would not be
honest or true.
* A person with no sentiment of love cannot oversee the natural
weaknesses of other people or tolerate even the simplest mistakes.
He or she can pick a fight over petty issues. What is important is
his comfort so when he is unhappy, he would not want even the
people he claims to love to be happy.
"Faith" is the sole power that can bring a true friendship and
alliance among people in the world. With their friendships,
believers who fear the Day of Judgment lay the foundations of a
solid alliance that begins in this world and lasts for eternity in
the hereafter. They love each other and become friends, with no
expectation of self-interest or profit, only for the good pleasure
of Allah. With the exception of Allah's will, this bond based on
love and fear of Allah could not possibly be broken.
True and Lasting Love Is Possible Only With the Morality of Religion
The word Islam is a word derived from the root "slm" and "salam". Slm
means peace, trust, harmony and love, salam means happiness, health
and safety. Therefore, a Muslim is a person who is for peace and
against bloodshed, enmity and cruelty and who wants love and
compassion instead. Since faith brings love of Allah, this would
have a very positive and good effect on people. Everyone would have
good morals to earn the good pleasure of Allah; love and respect one
another for the good pleasure of Allah. Compassion, mercy and
tolerance prevail throughout society. People would race to do good
deeds as Allah commands. They know that all human beings and living
things are created by Allah and see them as manifestations of Allah
and show their love of Allah on His manifestations. Our Lord
pointed to the importance of love in the Qur'an and commanded that
Muslims should love one another and all other living things as such:
"It is not devoutness to turn your faces to the East or to the West.
Rather, those with true devoutness are those who have faith in
Allah and the Last Day, the Angels, the Book and the Prophets, and
who, despite their love for it, give away their wealth to their
relatives and to orphans and the very poor, and to travelers and
beggars and to set slaves free, and who establish prayer and pay
alms; those who honor their contracts when they make them, and are
steadfast in poverty and illness and in battle. Those are the people
who are true. They are the people who have fear of Allah." (Surat
al-Baqara, 177)
In loveless societies, selfish, frozen, robotic, impudent and
inconsiderate generations that avoid eye-contact and greeting one
another, that do not help the needy as they live with the mentality
of "let sleeping dogs lie" and that prioritize their own needs and
interests are brought up. The real source of the degeneration,
which rapidly increases in the End Times, is this lack of love in
societies.

A Muslim who believes in evolution does not leave the faith, but believes in a deception that sciencehas disproved

Some misinterpretations appear in some publications stating that
there is changing in Adnan Oktar's views regarding the theory of
evolution. However, it can easily be seen that Mr. Oktar's
statements are inaccurately reflected in the publications in
question. Mr. Oktar has always opposed Darwinist ideology and the
theory of evolution, because 21 st -century science says, "the
theory of evolution is nonsense." If there were any scientific
evidence of creation through evolution, one would of course have
said, "Allah (God) created through evolution." However, there is
not a single piece of evidence to support the theory of evolution.
As can be seen from the intellectual struggle he has been waging for
the last 20 years or so, Mr. Oktar's is the most outspoken and
powerful voice raised in opposition to Darwinism. He makes it
perfectly clear that there are no statements in the Qur'an of a kind
such as to point to evolution or to support the theory of
evolution. His statements on this subject are unequivocal. (See Why
Darwinism Is Incompatible with the Qur'an by Harun Yahya)
But Mr. Oktar still respects anyone who holds such beliefs; he
would never accuse such individuals of irreligiousness, but still
no such belief appears in the Qur'an. There may be people who both
believe in Darwin's ideas and say they believe in Allah. These
people may believe that Allah made evolution an instrument in the
creation of man and have faith in that form. It would of course be
wrong to impute irreligion to such people. Mr. Oktar has never made
such an accusation. He has never said, "Believers in evolution
cannot believe in Allah."
There are many people, not just Muslims but also Christians and
Jews, who believe in Allah and in the evolution deception at one
and the same time. These people are probably unaware that there is
no scientific evidence for the theory of evolution and do not know
that what they believe in is a deception with no scientific
foundation.
A person may interpret the faith and the Qur'an according to his
own lights, and it is wrong to describe that person as irreligious
because of this erroneous interpretation. Adnan Oktar merely tells
these people that "there is no indication of evolution in the
Qur'an" and that "there is no scientific evidence for evolution."
But it is impossible to call those who believe otherwise irreligious
on the basis of a mistaken interpretation.

Everything we perceive with our five senses is the interpretation of electric signals in our brains

Although some people may realize that images consist of
electricsignals in the brain, theymay also form the impression that
the other senses, touch for instance, are different. They may think
that when they touch or smell something they aremaking direct contact
with real matter. Again, however, they are actually perceiving nothing
more than electric signals in the brain.
When we touch something with our hands, we are not really touching
that object at all. A chemical bond is formed between atoms in a
constant state of motion. But these atoms never actually "touch" one
another. In physical terms, therefore, we have never touched anything
we think we have. As a result of this illusory sense of touch, the
atoms in our hands vibrate and initiate an electrical current. That
current then moves towards the touch center in our brains. It is then
"interpreted" whenit arrives. And this is a great miracle. In the same
way that the visualcenter interprets an incoming current as a yellow
rose, the touch center interprets the signals reaching it as soft, hot
or rough. Similar signals head from our mouths to the taste region in
the brain and form a sensation of flavor, sweetness or sourness. The
signals from the nose reaching the scent detection center in the brain
and set up a perception in the brain regarding the aroma of the object
in question. Sound from the ears reaches the brain in the form of
other electric signals, and we then in some way are convinced that the
person calling our names is our mother. Weenjoy the tunes set up
byelectrical signals forwarded to the brain from the ear, and have no
doubt that the ringtone is actually coming from the phone.
All this is an extraordinary miracle created by Allah.
But the sound we hear does not actually belong to the phone, and
neither doesthe sound of music comefrom our stereos. We experience the
sound of a telephone, the originalof which we can never see, the
original of which we can never hear unless Allah so wills.What we see
is not the yellow flower on the outside. That flower, its image, its
perfume and all its beauty, consists of electric signals reaching our
brains. And we have no evidence whether the image of this flower is
the same as the real flower on the outside. Peter Russell explains
this as follows:
If all that we ever know are the sensory images that appear in our
minds, how can we be sure there is a physical realitybehind our
perceptions?Is it not just an assumption? My answer is: Yes, it is an
assumption; nevertheless, it seems a most plausible one. [i]
There is no doubt that it is impossible for us to know whether the
images, sounds, smells and tastes that form in our brains actually
exist on the outside. On the basis of this, we can be sure of only one
thing; there is a world created especially for us in our brains. And
we can never know whether other people see this world in the same way
we do. We can only see the images, hear the sounds and taste the
flavors of a world created especially for us.We can have no direct
experience of anything else.
That being the case, we need to ask the following question: can
electric signals alone give rise to such a harmonious world?
Of course, not. Itis Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, Who creates the
world for us in all its reality, clarity and beauty. Allah bestows
onus a soul from His own spirit. It is the soul created by Allah that
perceives, enjoys and rejoices, and the electric signals are merely an
instrument.

The images visualizedand dreams

It takes but a moment when our eyes are closed to call to mindan image
of the school we attended. An image forms in our brains rightaway. But
our eyes are closed. When we look at a view for a while and then
subsequently close our eyes we can again see that image in our minds
when we want to recall it. But again our eyes are closed. Although it
is not our eyes that are doing the seeing and although there is no
image of a school in front of us, thisimage still exists in our minds
in almost the exact same form. The production of an image in the mind
despite the lack of an eye to perceive it is evidence that the
perceiver is something different than the eye and something not
dependent on matter. It is the "soul" created by our Almighty Lord to
be independent of matter and bestowed on humanbeings by Him that does
the perceiving.
Dreams are of great importance to a proper understanding ofthis
subject. Events, space, people, feeling and three-dimensionality are
all the same in dreams as they are in this world. Somuch so that it is
almost impossible to be convinced that these arenot real when one is
dreaming. Everywhere one dreams of is very real, people are real,
andevents take place in sucha vivid way that the dreamer feels
excitement in the face ofthem, and when one runs one actually grows
out of breath. One can feel fear while dreaming, strive with all one's
might to escape from danger, or feel alarm in the face of the threat
concerned. But while all this rushing around is going on for hours,
you are actually lying comfortably in bed with your eyes closed. You
are in a perfectly secure environment, andthere is no-one trying to
catch you, no rain fallingand no danger confronting you. Furthermore,
an event that seems to last for hours actually took placein your dream
in a matter of minutes. And most important of all, these events were
all created in your mind.
One important point that needs to be stressed with regard to dreaming
is this: You do not have any direct experience of any element of the
outside world when dreaming. The world you experience at that moment
is generally different from the life you regard as real life. The
environment you are in may be different, and the people you meet, even
your parents,may be different. Your home and your fears may be
different. It is impossible for you to actually see anything because
your eyes are closed. But even if they were open the place youare in
is not the place you see. The smell of grass you know so well is
perfectly clear in a dream. But you are actually asleep on the tenth
floor of an apartment block. You have no doubt about it when you eat
and taste an apple; indeed, what you are eating may sometimes be a
peach, but it tastes like an apple. And, what is more, there is
nothing odd about that in that world. However, you arenot really
eating anything at all as you are asleep lying in bed. This is merely
somethingcreated in your dream.
One may suffer pain in a dream. So much so that if you slip while you
are running over grass you see you have cut your knee. You try to
staunch the bleeding and feel the pain from your knee with perfect
clarity. Yet no such thing has happened as you lie in bed. You feel
the pain in the real sense, but no injury has occurred to your body.
But how is it you feel the pain of an injury that does not actually
exist in just the same way as in reality? How is it that, although you
are fast asleep, you can enjoy the taste of a delicious apple, and
howcan you feel fear, excitement and worry inorder to escape from
danger, despite being asleep in bed, perfectly and in a way identical
tonormal? How is it that, despite being asleep in your bed at home,
you can run for hours over boundless expanses of land? And why are
those hours in fact only minutes?
If you are not actually in that environment, then what is the power
that shows you these things and causes you to feel them as if they
were real?
It is of course our Almighty Lord Who causes you to feel these things
in that way and Who keeps the soul under His constant supervision. In
the same way that Allah (God) creates a perfectly clear and beautiful
world in our minds in this world, so He can very definitely create an
equally clear and perfect world in ourdreams. There is no doubt that
this is very easy for Him.
Our Lord has created the same naturalcauses for the real worldand for
dreams: electric signals. The things we think we see actually stem
from electric signals, as do those in dreams. Although both have the
same cause andalthough both are created in your minds, you still think
that dreams are not real, but that this world is. The fact is,
however, that they are essentially the same; both are illusions.
Time is differentin dreams. And so is space. The laws of physics are
sometimes different. But these are the only things that are real for
you when you are dreaming. That being the case, since there is no
difference between the way you perceive the world you are perceiving
now and the world in your dreams, then this world clearly consists of
an image created in your mind. The same physical activities take place
in the brain whether you envisage something in your mind, whether you
experience it in real life or whether you dream it. You generally
think that the factor that givesrise to these activities is an
external stimulus, such as light rays. But there is actually no light
striking the retina, or nothorn pricking your finger, to give rise to
images or sensations when you envisage a thing in your mind or when
you dream it.
This makes the following fact perfectly obvious: The way this world is
created is the same as dreaming. Therefore, the images you see in this
world arecreated as illusions for you, just as in dreams. You watch
events arisingin your brain in a world also forming in your brain; you
laugh at them, enjoy them or feelexcitement at them. But Allah creates
them all in your mind. If a person loses the five senses he or she
possesses, this colorful, vivid, clear and perfect looking world that
we are shown will also disappear, even though the outside world
continues to exist.It is therefore impossibleto maintain that
something we see is the same as the original on the outside. It exists
onlyin a world that Allah "creates for us" in our minds. We can never,
ever know whether other people can see it or not, or whether we see
the same image as the original on the outside.

Story, - I, the other woman

Hi all known and unknown friends! I wanted to write my storyhere for a
long time. It is really trivial thing to readon the net I have an
affair with a married man.
I know that many of you are going to call me names and tell me who
terrible is that I'm destroying a family but I am also sure that many
ofyou will support me. We met in the most trivial way via the
Internet. It turned out that we had so many things in common, hobbies,
interests, personality...
To clarify we both lived in the same city, but we are born in small
towns. Ididn't intentionally seduce him, we didn't plan all of this it
just happened. Later on he told me he had never cheated on his wife
for the 10 in years in which they were married. And now he assures me
that he wanted to divorce herand marry me. I am 29 years old, divorced
with no children and he has 2.
He is very kind and considerate, but I'm afraid of all the possible
consequences. I want to be with him but I do not want his children to
live without a father. I'm afraid that I will not meethis expectations
and he will someday leave me. We see each other almostevery day, our
work is linked.
I do not know what to do. Everything is great between us, but on the
other hand there are his marriage, his wife, his children. Early in
our relationship he said that he would get a divorce but still he does
nothing. It seems to me that I'm not insistent enough.
Tell me your opinion and what you think is best forall of us.

Story, - The Cheating Husband

Hello everyone,
I have been also reading the blogs of the people that have shared
their personal problems here.
I have been married for almost 29 years. For the past 2 or 3 years, I
have been having the feeling that my husband is beingintimate with one
of his colleagues. We all work together, him, the colleague and I.
The mistress has started to openly display their relationship.
I don't know what to do. We are now arguing at home all the time.
He has recently changed his attitude towards me in a positive way, but
we are still not having any sex.
I can't figure out whether their relationship is continuingor not.
I feel terrible!
Please, can someone giveme an advice?

Can we eat Zebra, Rabbit, Shark, Chicken, Spleen, Liver, Lucust?

Can we Eat the Zebra?Bazaz Narrated in Sahih Muslim and Bukhari from
Abu Qatada (may Allah be pleased with him) that he saw a ZEBRAand
hunted it down. Prophet (swallallaho alihi wassallam) inquired do you
have any part of its meat he replied yes I have a thigh. Prophet of
Allah (swallallaho alihi wassallam) accepted it and ate it.
What about Rabbit?Narrated in Sahih Muslimand Bukhari from Anus (may
Allah be pleased with him) that we caught a RABBIT in 'Mar al-Zahraan'
by running after it and brought it toAbu Talha (may Allah be pleased
with him), he slaughtered it and sent its back and thigh to the
Prophet of Allah (swallallaho alihi wassallam) and he accepted them.
Lets eat some Chicken!Narrated in Sahih Muslimand Bukhari that Abu
Musa Asharee (may Allah be pleased with him) says he has seen the
Prophet of Allah (swallallaho alihi wassallam) eating meat of the
CHICKEN.
Locust & Fish, Liver & Spleen:Imam Ahmed andImam Ibn Majah narrate
from son of Omar (may Allah be pleased with them all) that the Prophet
of Allah (swallallaho alihi wassallam) said for us two dead animal are
lawful and two bloods. The two dead are fish and locust, and the two
bloods are liver and spleen. Narrated in Sahih Muslim and Bukhari that
Abd'Allah bin Abi Auffi (may Allah be pleased with him) said we were
with the Prophet of Allah (swallallaho alihi wassallam) in a holy
battle [ghazwa'] and we use to eat LOCUST in the presence of the
Messenger Allah (swallallaho alihi wassallam).
Shark's meat!Narrated in Sahih Muslim and Bukhari that Jabbir
(mayAllah be pleased with him) says that I went to 'Habs al-Khapt'
[name of a place] and leader of our battalion was Abu Ubaidah bin
al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him). We were veryhungry and the
river threw such a dead fish [on shore] that like of which we had
never seen. Its name is A'nber. We [almost 300] ate it for half a
month. Abu Ubaidah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood one of its
bones (and according to some narrations it was its rib). Its [the
bone's] height was so much that one camel with its rider passed under
it. When we came back, we told this to the Prophet of Allah
(swallallaho alihi wassallam) and he said, eat! Allah has sent this
sustenance [food] for you and if you have any feed us too. We sent
some of it to the Prophetof Allah (swallallaho alihiwassallam) and he
ate it.
(Abstracted from "Bahr eShariat" Part 16, Vol. 2, by Maulana Amjad Ali
Azmi Al-Qadri (Hanffi))

Why eat vegetables?

The following is abstracted from"Malfuzat e Attarriyya" (Utterances of
Mohammed Ilyas Attar Qadri).
Someone asked the sheikh: Vegetables are usually a part of your diet.
What is the wisdombehind it?
Sheikh replied: Praise beto Allah, vegetables havecure for several
ailments [diseases]. Sayiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased
with them) has narrated that vinegar is the best gravy [curry], and
Prophet (Sallallaho Alihi Wassallam), use to like vegetables. It is
narratedin "Kanzul Ubaad" that the angles visit the tablecloth which
has vegetables on it.
Prophet of Allah (Sallallaho Alihi Wassallam) loved gourd [squash]. In
a narration by "Abu Naeem" Prophetof Allah (Sallallaho Alihi
Wassallam) said "Oh people! Eat plenty of squash because it
strengthens the brain. Inanother narration, Prophet (Sallallaho Alihi
Wassallam) said, "Oh Ayesha! Whenever you cook add few pieces of
squash because it strengthens the depressed heart". One should make a
habit of putting a few pieces of squash while cooking the meat so that
one gets the reward of following a sunnah and also get other benefits
narrated above. Sayiduna Zahbbi (may Allah's mercy be upon him)
narrates in "Tibb e Nabwi" [Medicine of the Prophet Sallallaho Alihi
Wassallam] eating squash increases the brain [capabilities]. Prophet
(Sallallaho Alihi Wassallam) said that squash cleans the chest and
strengthens the heart.
It is narrated in Bukhari& Muslim etc. that Sayiduna Anus (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrates that, one tailor invited the Prophet
(Sallallaho Alihi Wassallam) and presented barley bread and stew with
squash and dried meat. I saw Prophet Sallallaho Alihi Wassallam
finding piecesof squash from the bowl [serving dish] and eatingit.
After that day I loved [to eat] squash!.
Someone asked the sheikh: Olives are often seen on your tablecloth and
you prevent us fromthrowing its seed! What is the reason behind it?
Sheikh replied: I eat olives as a 'tabaruk' [blessing]. (Narrating
thebenefits of olives he said,) olive tree is a blessed tree. It is
said in the Holy Quran: (AlNoor 24:35) "from the blessed olive tree."
It is in"Tafseer e Sawwi" 70 Prophets Allhimus Salam made benediction
[dua']for its blessing including Prophet Abraham Allihis Salam and
above all, the Master of Prophets, Our Prophet Sallallaho Alihi
Wassallam.
I do not throw the seed away out of respect and to respect the olive
seed is by the guidance of theconscious. (He further narrated) After
the stormof Noah Allihis Salam, the first tree that grew was that of
an olive. Andfirst time the Olive tree grew [in this world] was on the
Mount of Turr where Prophet Moses, Allihis Salam talked with Allah
Almighty.
The life of an olive tree is very long some scholars say it lives for
3,000 years. It is narrated in "Khazayin ul Irfan" [tafseer of Quran]
that its leaves do not shed. Its oil is called"Zi'et", and any oil in
thisworld does not match the qualities of the olive oil. (He further
said) it is in a narration from "AbuNaeem" The master of medicine, the
doctor of doctors, Allah's Prophet Sallallaho Alihi Wassallam said,
eat olives and use its oil for it has cure for 70 diseases and one of
them is leprosy. Eating 25 grams of olive oil daily will cure old
[chronic] constipation. Olive pickles increase appetite and relieve
constipation.
Someone asked the sheikh: It is often seen that you drink water before
your meals, any wisdom behind it?
Sheikh replied: I have read a quote of Sayiduna Luqman, may Allah be
pleased with him, that to drink water before a meal is health, during
a meal is medicine and after a meal is burden. Allah and Allah's
Prophet Sallallaho Alihi Wassallam know (he further said) Physicians
also agree. According to medicine it is beneficial to drink water
before eating fruits. By principle fruits should beeaten before the
meal but today fruits are generally eaten after themeal. It is also
beneficial to drink water before tea [or coffee].

Can we eat Shrimps?

Maulana Amjad Ali Azmi Al-Qadri (Hanffi) writes in "Bahr e Shariat"
Part 15, Vol. 2: There is difference of opinion onshrimps being a fish
or not and based on it, is the difference of opinion on it being
lawful or unlawful. Apparently it does not look like a fish. It rather
looks like a worm. So one should avoid it. ("Radul Mukhtar")
[PS:"Rad-ul-Mukhtar is written by Syed Mohammed Amin Ash-Shaheerba Bin
Abideen Shammi, may Allah's mercy be upon him (died 1253H.)]
Following is abstracted form "Sufficient Provision for Seekers of the
Path of Truth" by Sheikh Abd' Al-Qadir Al-Jilani (Translation: Muhtar
Holland) Vol. 2: Inthe words of Bakr ibn 'Ubaidillah (may Allah bestow
His mercy upon him): "A man can not be truly pious [taqi] until hehas
come to be pious in a way he approaches thedining room.... According
to Shahr ibn Hawshab (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him): "The truly
devout person [muttaqi] is one who is ready to abstain from something
that is quite harmless in itself, as a precaution against slipping
over into something else that could be harmful" …. According to Abu
Yazid Bastami (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him), true devotion
[taqwa] is: "Cautious avoidance [tawarru'] of all things that are of
doubtful legality [shubuhat]….
Shrimps (prawns) can also live outside water and no one calls it a
fish in regular day to day language. But since the cautious scholars
of the past have mentioned thediscussions and given nojudgment it is
up to every individual to decide.
SHRIMPS (prawns) ARE A DOUBTFUL LEGALITY!

Fathwa, - Seclusion of religious women in the home

Question:
My question is in regards to women being commanded to stay in their
houses and the reality faced by religious Muslim women, especially
housewives and mothers of young children, in the West. Itcan get very
depressing to stay at home all the time withyoung children when the
husband is working long hours, however I know of a scholar who doesn't
allow his wife to come to the masjid except once a month or so. This
makes it very difficult for other community women who are in desperate
need of Islamic knowledge from her, and would love to have her teach
them. Also, she is often irritable and complains about her condition
of lonelinessand seclusion to her close friends. How can we advise our
scholar of the importance of allowing his wife to come to the masjid
to fulfill the wajib kifayahof the community, of knowledgeable women
teaching others the basics of Islam? And also it is feared that the
example that the scholar is setting will be followed by other
religious men in the community and thus make all the wives quite
miserable by not meeting their social and religious needs.
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum
There are a number of issues that need to be addressed in this question.
Firstly, it is important as you say to organize classes for the women
of the community. This is animportant obligation and thus we should
try to find a way to make this happen. You may suggest having the
classes at one of the homes where there can be complete privacy for
the sisters and with which the Imam and his wife also feels
comfortable. If a class can be arranged in the Imam's own home then
that would also solve theproblem.
The community cannot force the Imam to allow his wife to frequent the
masjid, since he may have valid reasons for not doing so. For
instance, he may not be satisfied with the segregation arrangements
there (unfortunately many masajid suffer from this problem in the US,
and many sisters feel that they cannot gain the peace and tranquility
they seek due to poor or a complete lack of segregation arrangements).
Hence, the educational aspect can be overcome by arranging the classes
elsewhere.
Secondly, the Imam's relationship and interaction with his wife in
this regard is the couple�s personal business and not something the
community has anything to do with. If the wife has a serious problem
with her situation then she may herself approach or consult withher
influential elders or scholars in this regard. They can then deal with
the issue. It is not something members of the community can take into
their hands and pressure or even advice the Imam about, since hemay
have his own valid reasons for doing what he is doing. Entering
intosuch a situation can only harm their relationship. The Sharia
instructs in general not to interfere with couples in their marital
and internal issues.
Finally, to help remove the loneliness of the Imam's wife, this is
certainly something that the sisters of the community can assist in
and will be greatly rewarded for. They can befriend her and make her
feel at home in the community by visiting her home or including her in
properly-organized social get together, so long as her husband
welcomes such interaction. Hence, this should be done on a social
level and not with the intent to interfere.
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - How old does a son have to be to be a mehram

Question:
I want to now how old does my son have to be before i can travel with
him as my mehram. e.g for hajj?
Answer:
wa`alaykum as-salam wa-rahmatullah
All praise is to Allah. Blessings and peace be upon the Messengerof Allah.
The mahram with whom a woman travels should be
1) Adult (baligh) by the definition of the shari`ah, (or at least
nearadult [Durr al-Mukhtar]).
(Adulthood for these purposes is defined as the first period for a
girl, or the first wet-dream for a boy, or 15 lunar years of age for
both as aprecautionary upper limit.)
2) Sane
3) Upright, trustworthy and responsible
There is not a specific age which can be used universally; rather what
is important is that the mahram (the son, in yourcase) fulfills the
conditions mentioned above. The rationale is that the mahram should be
capable of protecting the woman and her honor. Clearly a minor child
and an insane person cannot even take care of themselves, let alone
watch out for someone else. nor can anirresponsible or morally corrupt
person be expected to fulfill this role.
[References:
- Radd al-Muhtar, Ibn `Abidin, 3/464 (Dar al-Kutub
al-`Ilmiyyah)
- al-Mughni, Ibn Qudamah, 3/193-4]
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Can a woman travelalone within her own city?

Question:
Is a woman allowed totravel within her own city without a mahramfor
any halal reason? An example would be going shopping alone. Or going
with a group of female friends to eat and spend time together outside
the home, like in a restaurant, or picnic area, without any male. I
have a friend, who recently became rather "harsh" throughher husband
(she has only been married 1 year). According to him and his
teachings, a woman cannot go anywhere without a mahram, even her own
city, unless there is a "need" like buying food so she won't starve.
Work, Education, having fun with friends is not considered a need. I
am Sunni Hanafi, and I would really like to know the Hanafi position
on this so I don't commit a wrong.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray this message finds you in good health and faith.
It is not unlawful for a woman to leave her house. The restrictions on
women going out alone apply to women's travel. However, when a woman
stays within city limits, she is allowed to go out to take care of her
needs, provided that she has the permission ofher husband.
According to both the Hanafi and Shafi'i Schools, the husband may
prohibit his wife from leaving the house. Please see "Is it
permissible for a man to forbid his wife from working?" at
http://qa.sunnipath.com /issue_view.asp?HD=1& ID=2302&CATE=121for more
details. For the Shafi'i reference, please see Reliance of the
Traveller's chapter on marriage (m10.3). The basis for this
restriction is the hadith of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him
peace, "It isnot permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the
Last Day to allow someone into her husband's home if he is opposed, or
to go out if he is averse." (Bayhaqi)
As believing women, our primary responsibility is taking care of our
homesand families. Sacred Law has given men the responsibility of
providing for us. Thus, men are required to go out and earn for their
families. Women, on other hand, should avoidgoing out unnecessarily.
Allah Most High says,"And abide quietly in your homes, and do not
flaunt your charms as they used to flaunt them in the old days of
pagan ignorance;and be constant in prayer, and render the purifying
dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle... (Al-Ahzab, 33:33)
Having said that, it is alsoimportant to understand that Islam is
religion of balance and moderation.Husbands are not dicators, and are
not allowed to make their wives' lives miserable, nor to control their
everycoming and going. Husbands are encouraged to let their wives
visit relatives, seekknowledge, go to the masjid, and carry out their
obligations. Allah Most High says, And women shall have rights
similar to the rights against them, according to what is
equitable...(Al-Baqara, 2:228)
The basis for how husbands and wives should relate to each other is
the example of the Noble Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace.
He was kind and loving to his wives and did not prevent them from
becoming fulfilled individuals. The Mothers of the Believers, may
Allah be pleased with them, were accomplished women who studied,
taught, worked, and participated in the life ofthe community. However,
they did so within the limits of Allah Most High.
Thus, it is important for husbands and wives to strike a balance. Yes,
a husband may prohibit his wife from leaving thehouse. But he should
only do so if it's in his wife's best interests, and not as a means of
controland domination. If he compels her to stay at home, he should
consider the following:
1. Is her supporting her on a proper level?
2. Is he providing her with warm, compassionate companionship?
3. Is he facilitating social interaction for her by allowing her
family to visit her?
4. Is he making sure that she has the ability to study her religion
from within the confines of the home?
Realistically speaking, it is difficult, if not impossible, for
Western Muslims to ensure the above requirements and keep their wives
at homeall the time.
Previous answers on SunniPath address the issue of women going to the
masjid and conclude that women in the West should be encouraged togo
to the masjid, particularly if that is the only way for them to seek
knowledge and enjoy the companionship of their Muslim sisters. In a
rigorously authenticated tradition, the Prophet, Allah bless him and
give him peace said, "Do not prohibit the female slaves of Allah from
going to the mosques of Allah. When the wife of one of you asks for
permission to go to the mosque, she should not be refused this
permission." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Islamic etiquette related to gatherings – I

We must pay attention to our gatherings and meetings, because they
have a major effect on us. If one were to take a quicklook at Muslim
gatherings today, he would find that it is nothing but a means of
people occupying themselves with life, each according to his interest
or field of work; this is aside from indulging in some prohibitions
and major sins, in some cases.
These get-togethers, which people have engrossed themselves in, have
hardened their hearts, against which Allaahhas warned us, when He
Almighty Says what means:"Thenwoe to those whose hearts are hardened
against the remembrance of Allaah. Those are in manifest error."]Quran
39: 22[ Indeed, this admonition necessitates that we determine the
reasons behind hard hearts.
Was this the way the Companionsconducted themselves in their
gatherings? Were these the topics and matters they engaged themselves
with? Surely not. We are not talking about declaring these assemblies
and the conversations that flow in them as prohibited, because people
may meet and talk to each other about different topics – this is fine
and permissible, because Islam did not forbid it. Rather, what we are
talking about is making this one's only concern and addressing nothing
else but life and worldly issues in them, tothe extent that not a
single verse or narration from the Prophetor even the recommended
supplication to conclude gatherings with, is heard being recited; in
effect, there is no mention of Allaah at all.
Undeniably, this is a dangerous and dispraised situation, given that
all said things are permissible. Yet, how will the case be if the
meetings involve prohibitions? How will it be if people are indulged
in major sins, such as backbiting and talebearing? Allaah Says what
means:"And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to
eat the flesh of his brother when dead?"]Quran 49: 12[ How will the
case be if the gatherings incorporate lies and mockery of others,
while the Prophetadvised:"Do not falsely accuse each other,"which is
done by lying and slandering, as the scholars commented.
Moreover, how will it be if the assemblies contain scorning the slaves
of Allaah and abusing one another, when Allaah Says what means:"O you
who have believed,let not a people ridicule]another[ people … And do
not insult one another and do not call each other by ]offensive[
nicknames. Wretched is the name]i.e. mention[ of disobedience after
]one's[ faith."]Quran 49: 11[ How will it be if the gatherings today
are full of sinning and insulting, although the Prophetsaid:"Two
persons insulting one another are like two devils who lie and fling
false accusations at eachother."
Indeed, how will the case be if the gatherings today are those
ofhypocrisy, flattery and formality, while the Prophetinformed us that
praising someone in his face is like beheading him, and, Allaah Says
what means:"…So do not claim yourselves to be pure…."]Quran 53: 32[
How will it be if some of the get-togethers today embrace ridicule of
Islam and those who are devoted to it and belittlement of the
Prophetscorning his way of dressing, character and manners?
Additionally, how will it be if these gatherings involve disparaging
Islamic rulings and laws? A person present in them may say: "You want
to take us back to dealing according to some law that declares: an eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?" Verily, Allaah is glorified and
exalted above what they say.
Many of the Muslim assemblies today contain mockery of people,whether
concerning the way theytalk or a habit of theirs or the way they walk.
The Prophetsaid to'Aa'ishah:"I do not like that I should imitate
someone even if I am paid in return such-and-such )an amountof
money('',meaning that hewould never mention a person or mimic him as a
way of ridicule.The story behind this statement is that`Aa'ishahsaid
to the Prophet: "Such-and-such a thing of Safiyyahis sufficient for
you'', implying that she was a short woman. Thereupon, heremarked:"You
have indeed uttered a word which would pollute the )whole( sea if it
were mixed in it.''In view of this, how is the case with today's
expressions and statements which people exchange during their
gatherings?
Today, many of the Muslim assemblies involve prohibitions. For
example, one would find thattwo people converse privately in the
presence of a third, while the Messenger of Allaahcounseled:"When
three of you are together, two of you must not whisper )to each
other(, ignoring the third";then, herationalized that by adding:"…lest
the third should be grieved.''Despite this, secret conversations are a
disease that has permeated today's gatherings.
The way people sit in their gathering also includes prohibitions; for
instance, some men do not cover their'Awrah)i.e., parts of the body
which are illegal to be exposed to others Islamically, namely from the
navel down to the knees( or do not wear sufficient clothing under
their garment so that when one of them moves his thigh, it becomes
exposed. Yet, when reasoned with one of them)regarding this(, he would
reply: "Are we women that we need to cover up and have certain parts
as an 'Awrah?" This is in spite of the fact that the Prophetsaid to
one of the Companions:"OJurhud! Cover your thigh, for it is a part of
the 'Awrah."
Even in the way people eat and drink, one will come across prohibited
acts, such as eating and drinking using the left hand or neglecting to
mention the name of Allaah before starting. Furthermore, the way they
talk and argue also contradicts Islamic teachings, for they may raise
their voice, be harsh in theirtone of speech, interrupt each other and
youngsters may precede the elders in talking.
It is worthy to note that the meetings during which the nameof Allaah
is not mentioned or remembered, nor is the Prophetmentioned or
exalted; such meetings are subject to the warning in which the
Prophetsaid:"Whenever a group of people sit in a gathering in
whichthey do not remember Allaah, theExalted, nor supplicate for the
elevation of the rank of their Prophet, such a gathering will be a
cause of regret for them on the Day of Resurrection."In another
authentic narration, hewent on to say:"…even if they enter
Paradise",because they will perceive the reward they missed out on due
to not bringing up the name of Allaah and remembering Him, or exalting
the mention of the Prophetintheir gatherings in this life.
The Prophetalso said:"Those people who get up from a gathering in
which they have not remembered Allaah, will conclude it as if it has a
foul odor similar to that of a rotten carcassof a donkey and it will
be a cause of remorse for them )on the Day of Judgment(."Bring to mind
your gatherings to see whether or not the name of Allaah was brought
up and remembered andthe Prophetwas mentioned and exalted in them.

Islamic etiquette related to gatherings – II

Verily, every get-together must include mentioning and thinking of
Allaah; do you hear a verse from the Quran, a Prophetic Hadeeth, a
religious advice, discussion revolving around an Islamic ruling or an
Islamic reminder in today's gatherings except for those upon whom
Allaah has mercy?
We must pay attention to this dangerous, negative trend – Muslims,
these days, actually fool themselves by hanging some Quranic verses or
Prophetic sayings on the walls. Some of these frames of verses are
nicely written and well-decorated and contain a command from Allaah to
His slaves to be pious or reminding that Allaah is All-Knowing of all
that they do and of all things, but they contradict what it says.
Likewise, some might hang a frame which displays the recommended
supplication to conclude gatherings with, yet they never utter it.
To what a low condition have we fallen nowadays to put up a verseor a
Hadeeth, then oppose it in our actions and words? What, then, is the
benefit behind hanging it? This is the reason why some scholars have
prohibited the hanging of verses and Prophetic Hadeeth on the wall, as
it is a way of mocking what is quoted in these frames.
Due to all this, some wise Muslims avoid gatherings of people or
conversing with them, saying: "Why should we sit with people when this
is their situation?" These people are doing the proper thing provided
that they are not capable of changing what goes on during these
meetings, because one must shun the places of sin. Alternatively, our
gatherings should become places to think of Allaah and bring up His
Name, in order to attain the promised reward that the Prophetspoke
about when he said:"Whenever a group of people gather and remember
Allaah and mention Him, then they separate,it will be said to them:
'You have beenforgiven'".Healso said:"Whenever a group of people
congregate and think of Allaah and talk about Him, then they disperse,
it will be said to them: 'Allaah has forgiven your sins andreplaced
your bad deeds with good ones'."These narrations arenot limited to
study circles in the mosque; rather they are applicable in the case of
any meeting.
One is delighted and proud to seesome people, when they sit in a
gathering, they start asking a person of knowledge amongst them,
things like: "Talk to us about such-and-such a verse. What does it
mean?", "What is the story of so-and-so Prophet?", and: "What is the
ruling regarding this issue?" These are the people whom the Prophethas
described as keys for good )i.e., initiators(, who prevent evil. Many
of them might not have knowledge, but they arekeen to learn and
increase their knowledge; they are dedicated tomaking their gatherings
righteous, by mentioning during them that which pleases Allaah. We ask
Allaah to increase the number of such people.
Assemblies have diseases that need to be rectified, so we must know
the etiquettes of gatherings and the manner in which to rectify them,
in order toattain the sought type of gathering.
The Prophethas mentioned many etiquettes, such as the following:
· Hesaid:"It is not permissible for a man to separatebetween two men
when sitting, except after their permission."Thus, one may not enter
into a meeting and sit in the middle of two people who are next to
each other unless he seeks their consent, or else, he should sit in
any other spot he can find.
· It is the Sunnah that one sits in the furthest place he can reach
and find an open spot in, and he may not make someone leave his place
or seat, so as to sit there. The Prophetsaid:"It is not allowed for a
man to get anotherman up from his spot to sit in hisplace."
· Sometimes one might be invited to a private get-together, in which
the conversations may consist of secrets of the host; it isnot
permissible for him to reveal their secrets or those of their family,
because the Prophetsaid:"Secrets )or personal issues( discussed during
gatherings must be kept concealed."
· Heis reported to have said:"The best assemblies are those which are
spacious."Hence, it is recommended to make the assembly area sizeable
for the guests as a way of expressing generosity, if a person can
afford to do so.
· Making room for each other during gatherings is a desirable thing,
especially when the place becomes full. Allaah Says what means:"O you
who have believed,when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies,
then make space; Allaah will make space for you )i.e., in His mercy,
inParadise, or in everything good(."]Quran 58: 11[ When one's heart
has place for his brother, then hisgatherings will automatically
become spacious and people will make room for one another; otherwise,
if one does not harborsuch feelings towards his brother, he will not
make room for him, and even if he does makeroom, one will not be doing
it willingly.
· Saying the designated supplication before leaving an assembly.
Hesaid:"Whoever sits in a gathering and indulges in useless talk, but
before gettingup, he supplicates: 'Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bi
hamdika, ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illaa Anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu
ilayka )O Allaah! You are free from every imperfection; praise be to
You. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except You; I ask
YourPardon and turn to You in repentance(,' he will be forgiven)for
the sins he may have intentionally or unintentionally committed( in
thatassembly."
What can people want more thanthis? Islam gives one the chance to make
amends and grants him the opportunity to be forgiven for the sins
which he may have committed, by uttering these fewwords. Truly, the
forgiveness of Allaah is great, as He Says what means:"…Allaah is the
possessor of great bounty."]Quran: 62:4[
· It is narrated that whenever the Prophetmet one of his
Companionshe would not leave the meeting until the other man would be
the one who got up and left; and, when hemet a man who greeted him by
taking his hand, hewould give him his hand and not take it away until
the man himself let goof it.
· The Prophetwas very polite and courteous. Whenever his guest would
get up to leave, hewould get up with him to seehim off and shake his
hand. When, in a gathering, if a man wanted to whisper into his ear,
hewould listen until he finished what he desired to say. Undoubtedly,
hewas exceptionally well-mannered.
This is how our Prophetwas, the example whom we must follow and emulate.

The Hellfire described

Allaah has warned us in His Book about the Hellfire and has informedus
about the different types of punishments it will have, to the extent
that one's heart splits due to fear. Allaah has informed us about its
torment due to His mercy,so that we would therefore fear and avoid it.
Listen to the verses in the Book of Allaah that address the
description of the Hellfire, perhaps it will be a reminder for you;
perhaps they will cause you to repent before it is too late - before
punishment strikes suddenly and you find nobody to support or aid you.
The Hellfire contains chains, as Allaah Says what means:"Indeed,
Wehave prepared for the disbelievers chains and shackles and a
blaze."]Quran 76: 4[
Allaah also Says what means:"…Indeed, We have prepared for the
wrongdoers a fire whosewalls will surround them.And if they call for
relief, they will be relieved withwater like murky oil, which scalds
]their[ faces.Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting
place."]Quran 18: 29[
Allaah also Says what means:"And those who disbelieved will be
drivento Hell in groups until, when they reach it, its gates are
opened and its keepers will say: 'Did there not come to you messengers
from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning
you of the meeting of this Day of yours?' They will say: 'Yes, but the
word ]i.e. decree[ of punishment has come into effect upon the
disbelievers.'"]Quran 39: 71[
Allaah also Says what means:"And for those who disbelieved in their
Lord is the punishment ofHell, and wretched is the destination. When
they are thrown into it, they hear from it a ]dreadful[ inhaling while
it boils up.It almost bursts with rage. Every time a company is thrown
into it, its keepers ask them: 'Did there not come to you a
warner?'"]Quran 67: 6-8[
In the Hellfire, punishment will be from all directions; Allaah Says
what means:"On the Day the punishment will cover them from above them
and from below their feet and it is said, 'Taste]the result of[
whatyou used to do.'"]Quran 29: 55[
Allaah also Says what means:"And the companions of the left— what are
the companionsof the left? ]They will be[ in scorching fire and
scalding water. And a shade of black smoke; neither cool nor
beneficial."]Quran 56: 41-44[
One form of punishment in the Hellfire is that people will be dragged
on their faces in it, as Allaah Says what means:"Indeed, the criminals
are in error and madness.The Day they are draggedinto the Fire on
their faces ]it will be said[, 'Taste the touch of Saqar)i.e.,
Hell(.'"]Quran 54: 47-48[
People are the fuel by which the Hellfire is heated and flamed; Allaah
Says what means:"O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your
families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which
are]appointed[ angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allaah in
what Hecommands them but do what they are commanded."]Quran 66: 6[
Allaah also Says what means:"Indeed, it throws sparks ]as huge[ as a
fortress, as if they were yellowish ]black[ camels."]Quran 77: 32-33[
In the Hellfire, people's clothes will be made of fire; Allaah Says
what means:"And you will see the criminals that Day bound together in
shackles. Their garments of liquid pitch and their faces covered by
the Fire."]Quran 14: 49-50[
The punishment in the Hellfire is continuous; Allaah Says what
means:"Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses — We will drive them
into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through We will
replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment.
Indeed, Allaah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise."]Quran 4: 56[
Regarding people's drinkand food in Hell, Allaah Says what means:"Then
indeed you, O those astray ]who are[ deniers, will be eating from
trees of Zaqqoom. And filling with it your bellies. And drinking on
top of it from scalding water. And will drink as the drinkingof
thirsty camels. That is their accommodation on the Day of
Recompense."]Quran 56: 51-56[
Allaah also Says what means:"…And he will be given a drink of purulent
water. He will gulp it but will hardly ]be able to[ swallow it. And
death willcome to him from everywhere, but he is notto die. And before
him is a massive punishment."]Quran 14: 16-17[
Finally, the punishment of the Hellfire is never reduced, nor will its
dwellers ever die, as Allaah Says what means:"Indeed, the criminals
will be in the punishmentof Hell, abiding eternally. It will not be
allowed to subside for them, and they, therein, are in despair. And We
did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers. And they
will call, 'O Maalik let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say,
"Indeed, you will remain.'"]Quran 43: 74-77[
There are also many prophetic narrations describing and addressing the
Hellfire; the following are some of them:
·Ibn Mas'oodreported: "The Messengerof Allaahsaid:'Hell willbe brought
on that Day)i.e., the Day of Resurrection( with seventy bridles; and
with every bridle will be seventy thousand angels, pulling
it.'"]Muslim[
·Abu Hurayrahreported: "The Prophetsaid:'Your fire )in this world( is
a part of the seventy parts of the fire ofHell',)meaning in its heat(.
It was said: 'O Messenger of Allaah! It would have been
enough,)meaning, if it was only as hot as the fire in this world, then
that would have been enough as a deterrent(.' Hesaid:'It was increased
sixty-nine times )or multiples(, each multiple being of the same
)degree( of heat.'"]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
·Abu Hurayrahreported: "We were oncein the company of the Messenger of
Allaahwhen we heard a loud bang. Thereupon, the Messenger of
Allaahasked:'Do you know what this )sound( is?' Wereplied: 'Allaah and
His Messenger know best.' Hesaid:'It is a stone which was thrown into
Hell seventy years ago, and has only now reached its bottom.'"]Muslim[
·Ibn 'Abbaasnarrated that the Prophetsaid:"If a drop from the tree of
Zaqqoom )i.e., a tree of Hell( were to fall onto this world, it
would)pollute and( destroy the lives of all the people of this
world."]An-Nasaa'i & At-Tirmithi[
·An-Nu'maan ibn Al-Basheernarrated that the Prophetsaid:"The least in
punishment among the people of Hellfire is one whose sandals or
shoelaces will be of fire, which will make his brain boil as a pot of
water boils. He willnot think that there is anyone being punished more
than him, but in fact, he will be the least in
punishment."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
·Anas ibn Maalikreported: "The Messengerof Allaahsaid:'Among the
inmates of Hell will be a person who had led a very luxurious life in
this world will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and dipped in
the Hellfire, he will then be asked: `O son of Aadam! Did you ever
experience any comfort? Did you )ever( happen to have any luxury?' He
will reply: `I swear by Allaah, no my Lord.' Then, another person, who
hadexperienced extreme misery in the life of this world, will be
dipped inParadise. He will then be asked: `O son of Aadam! Did you
ever experience any misery? Did you ever encounter difficulty?' He
will reply: 'I swear by Allaah, no my Lord, I neither experienced
misery nor passed through hardship.'"]Muslim[ This means that the
dwellers of the Hellfire will completely forget any pleasures
theyenjoyed in this life, and the dwellers ofParadisewill completely
forget any type of hardship theyfaced in this life.
·Anas ibn Maalikreported: "The Messengerof Allaahsaid:"A man from the
dwellers of Hell will be asked on the Day of Resurrection: `If you
possessed all that is on earth, would you ransom yourself for it?` He
will reply: `Yes.` Then, he will be told )i.e., by Allaah(: `I
requested something far easier than this from you:I had taken a pledge
from you not to associatepartners with Me, but you insisted on
associating with Me.'"]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
·Jaabir ibn 'Abdullaahreported: "The Prophetsaid:'Allaah has taken a
pledge upon Himself to make everyone who consumes intoxicants drink
from Teenatul-Khabaal.'Hewas asked: `O Messenger of Allaah! What is
Teenatul-Khabaal?' Hereplied:'It is )a liquid( made of the sweat and
pus of the dwellers of Hell.'"]Muslim[
·The Prophetsaid:"The Jews and the Christians will be asked: `What do
you need?` They will reply: `Our Lord!We are thirsty so give us water
to drink.` They willthen be told: `Come along,' until they reach Hell,
which will be destroying itself, )i.e., some parts of it will eat up
others due to its intense heat( and they will be thrown into
it."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[ Imaam Al-Hasancommented on this narration
saying: "What do you think the condition will be of thosewho stood for
fifty thousand years without eating or drinking, until they almost
died of thirst and their stomachs burnt from hunger, and who were then
taken to Hell and given boiling drinks in red hot pots )to drink(?"
·Imaam Ibn Al-Jawzidescribed Hell saying: "It is an abode in which its
dwellers are deprived of joy; their faces are dark; they are beaten
with hooks that are stronger than steel; upon it are angels who are
harsh and tough; )the inhabitants of Hell( will be lying on fire and
drinking boiling water; they will be continuously in grief; they will
never leave Hell because it will be their eternal abode; they will cry
for having wasted their youth; their crying will be continuousand
increasing; their Creator is angered by them; they will be exposed in
front of others; what they collected in life will not benefit them;
they will see the evil consequencesof their sins; life will seem as if
it was a dream to them; their bodies will burn, but whenever they are
burnt out, they will be returned to their original form in order
forthem to taste more torture."

Dought & clear, - Can a person start fasting six days of Shawwaal when he still has days to make up from Ramadaan?

If a person fasts six days of Shawwaal after Ramadaan when he has not
yet completed the Ramadaan fast because he did not fast ten days of
Ramadaan for a legitimate reason will he have the same reward as a
person whofasted all of Ramadaan and followed it with six days of
Shawwaal, i.e. will he be like a person who fasted for a lifetime?
Please explain to us, may Allaah rewardyou with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
The precise rewards for the deeds which people do for the sake of
Allaah is something which is known only to Allaah. If a person seeks
the reward from Allaah and strives to obey Him, his reward will not be
lost, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds
in the most perfect manner to be lost." [al-Kahf 18:30].If someone has
missed some of the days of Ramadaan, he should fast them first, then
fast six days of Shawwaal, because he cannot follow the fast of
Ramadaan with six days of Shawwaal unless he has completed his
Ramadaan fast.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet
Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

Dought & clear, - It is not valid to combine making up missed Ramadaan fasts with fasting six days of Shawwaal with one intention

Is it permissible for me to fast the six days of Shawwaal with the
same intention as making up the days I did not fast in Ramadaan
because of menstruation?.
Praise be to Allaah.
That is not valid, becausefasting the six days of Shawwaal can only be
done after fasting Ramadaan in full.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said inFataawa al-Siyaam(438):
Whoever fasts the day of'Arafah, or the day of 'Ashoora', but still
owes days from Ramadaan, hisfast is valid, but if he intends to fast
this day to make up for a missed Ramadaan fast, he will have two
rewards: the reward for the day of 'Arafah or 'Ashoora' along with the
reward for making up the missed fast. This has to do with voluntary
fasts in general that are not connected to Ramadaan.With regard to
fasting the six days of Shawwaal, they are connected to Ramadaan and
can only done after making up missed Ramadaan fasts. If he fasts them
before making up missed Ramadaan fasts he will not attain that reward,
because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it
will be as ifhe fasted for a lifetime." It is well known that whoever
still owes days from Ramadaan is not regarded as having fasted
Ramadaan until he makes up the days hemissed.

Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) and Loving Children

Once Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was
on his way to someone's home; he saw Imam Hussain playing with boys.
Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) extended
his hands for little Imam Hussain to go up and played with him and
made him laugh in front of everybody; then he held him and gave him a
kiss.
Once a companion (Sahabi) visited the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him), when he was engaged in caressing his
two grandchildren, Hasan and Hussain. Beingsurprised at this act, the
companion said:
"O Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)! Do
you also caress children, Ihave ten children but I have never fondled
even one of them."
Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon
him) raised his eyesand remarked: "It seems mercy and kindness has
left your heart."
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) says: "A
good act is written in the record of virtuous deeds for one who gives
a kiss to his child."
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) was very
kind to children and loved them very much. He used to carry them on
his shoulders. The children would become very happy and laugh.
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him), too,
would become happy at the pure happiness and laughter of the children
and a smile would appear on his face.
Every time Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) returned froma trip, children would be waiting for him and he
would hold some of themand ask his companions to hold others. When
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) leaves,
the children would be talking about how he held one to his chest and
another to his back and how he asked others to hold the rest.
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) used to
give his Salaam (greetings) to children and would tell his companions
(Sahaba): "I give my Salaam to children and respect them, and Muslims
shouldfollow my behavior and always be warm and loving with children."
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) used to
speak about children - boys andgirls - and Say: "O Muslims, O fathers
and mothers, O my followers, be kind and compassionate towards
children, for someone who is not kind to children has no place amongst
the Muslims."

Rights of Children in Islam:(Muslim Parenting, Muslim Parents)

Islam cares about childhood and Muslims regard children as gifts/trust
from Allah (SWT). Parents will be held responsible for this trust on
the Day of Judgement. Hence Islam pays particular attention to rights
of children and to the proper manner to raise them, so that they will
be equipped to face the difficulties of life. We must pay more
attention to the best interests of the children. All these principles
were mentioned in Noble Qur'an and Ahadith, which cares about the
rights of child even before he or she is born. Before getting married,
aman should choose the best possible woman to be his children's
mother.
Children have the right tobe fed, clothed and protected until they
reach adulthood. The child has the right to a good education and a
stable environment in which to grow up. Boys and girls, as well as
orphans, possess these rights in full. Nevertheless Allah (SWT) and
Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave parent certain obligations to assure
children's rights.
Respect for human rights begins with the way that a community treats
its children. Children's rightscannot be separated from human rights
because children are the future generation. Taking care of the coming
generation by protecting their dignity and providing them theirneeds
is the most important thing for bringing up citizens best equipped to
serve the community.
On the other hand child abuse weakens a child's ability to study and
makes them nervous as they lose their sense of security. Many abused
children go on to commitcrimes and end up in prison. The family is the
most important unit for forming the community by bringing up the next
generation. So if there are problems in the home, children will be
affected and the whole family and community will suffer.
O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a fire whose
fuel is men and stones. Noble Qur'an, (66:6)
Parents are obligated notonly to see to their religious training,
propereducation but also training in sports and selfdefense of their
children.In addition, they must not show preference of sons and
suppression or negligence of daughters.
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) says:
"Observe justice in dealing with your children in the samemanner in
which you expect them to observe justice in being kind and good to
you."
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him)
says:"Whoever goes to the bazaar and purchases a present for the
members of his family and brings itto them is like one who spends on
the needy. However he should prefer daughters to sons because whoever
pleaseshis daughter is like one who frees a slave from among the
descendants of Prophet Ismail (as)."
Relationship between Parents and Children in Islam:
"Your parents and your children, you know not which of them is the
nearer to you in usefulness; this is an ordinance from Allah: Surely
Allah is Knowing, Wise." Noble Qur'an (4:11)
The above verse from Noble Qur'an shows the Islamic attitude towards
the relationship between parentsand children. From infancy to
adulthood, it is unparalleled tender love and care of the parents
which brings the child from the stage of absolute weakness and
helplessness to perfect strength and independence.
Conversely, in old age a man becomes like a smallchild; the mind and
body turn so weak that Allah (SWT) says in Noble Qur'an: If We grant
long life to any, We cause him to be reversed in nature: Will they not
then understand? Noble Qur'an (36:68)
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) says:
"The parents are responsible with regard to their children in the same
manner in which the children are responsible with regard to their
parents."
Yesterday, your parents looked after you when you were too feeble to
look after yourself; today you must look after them.Could we ever dare
to think about leaving our parents after all they have done so much
for us? No entry into Jannah without parents being pleased.