The information beyond matter & Lawh-i Mahfuz

Information… This concept today means a lot more than it did even a
half century ago. Scientists are developing theories to define
information. Social scientists speak of "the information age."
Information is becoming a very important concept for humanity.
The discovery of information in the origin of both the universe and
life itself is what makes this concept so important in the modern
world. Scientists today are realizing that the universe is formed by
"matter, energy and information," and this is replacing the
materialistic philosophy of the nineteenth century that defined the
universe as being made up entirely of "matter and energy."
So, what does this all mean?
Let's explain through an example, that of DNA. All living cells
function according to the genetic information in the double helix
structure of DNA. Our bodies are also formed by trillions of cells
each with its own DNA, and all the functions of our bodies are
registered in this giant molecule. Our cells use protein codes
inscribed in the DNA to produce new proteins. The information that our
DNA possesses is so large that if you wanted to write it down, it
would fill up 900 volumes of encyclopedias, cover-to-cover!
Sowhat is DNA made up of? Fifty years ago, scientists would have
replied that DNA is formed by nucleic acids called nucleotides and the
chemical bonds holding these nucleotides together. In other words,
they used to list only the material elements of the DNA. But today,
scientists have a different answer: DNA is composed of atoms,
molecules, chemical bonds and, most importantly, information.
It's just like a book. We would be quite mistaken to say that a book
is only made up of paper, ink and binding for, alongside these
materials, it is the information that truly makes it a book. It is
information which separates a volume of theEncyclopedia Britannicafrom
a "book" formed by randomly arranged letters like ABICLDIXXGGSDLL.
Both have paper, ink and binding, but one has information while the
other does not. The source of information is the author of that book,
a mind with consciousness. Therefore we can't deny that the
information in DNA was placed there by an intelligent being.
The Information Dead End of Evolutionary Theory and Materialism
The discovery of this fact has sent materialist philosophy and
Darwinism, its application to the natural sciences, into a dead end,
because materialist philosophy claims that all living things are
formed by matter alone and that genetic information appeared somehow
by "chance." This is like saying that a book could be formed from a
random assemblage of paper and ink.
Materialism subscribes to the theory of "reductionism," which claims
that information can ultimately be reduced to matter. For this reason,
materialists say that there's no need to look for any source of
information besides matter. But this assertion has been proven to be
in error, and even materialists have started to owe up to this truth.
One of the leading defenders of the theory of evolution, George C.
Williams, pointed in a 1995 essay to the mistake of materialism
(reductionism), that is, assuming everything to consist of materials:
Evolutionary biologists have failed to realize that they work with two
more or less incommensurable domains: that of information and that of
matter… These two domains will never be brought together in any kind
of the sense usually implied by the term "reductionism." …The gene is
a package of information, not an object... In biology, when you're
talking about things like genes and genotypes and gene pools, you're
talking about information, not physical objective reality... This
dearth of shared descriptors makes matter and information two separate
domains of existence, which have to be discussed separately, in their
own terms. 1
Stephen C. Meyer, a philosopher of science from the Cambridge
University and who is critical of the theory of evolution as well as
materialism, says in an interview:
One thing I do in classes to get this idea across the students is that
I hold up two computer disks. One is loaded with software, the other
one is blank. And I ask, "What is the difference in mass between these
two computer disks as a result of the difference in the information
content that they possess"? And of course the answer is zero, none,
there is no difference as a result of the information. That is because
information is a massless quantity. Information is not a material
entity.
Then how can any materialistic explanation explain its origin? How can
any material cause explain its origin?... This creates a fundamental
challenge to the materialistic evolutionary scenarios.
In the 19th century, we thought that there were two fundamental
entities of science: Matter and energy. At the beginning of the 21st
century,we now recognize that there is a third fundamental entity, and
it is information. It is not reducible to matter; it is not reducible
to energy. 2
All theories put forward in the twentieth century to reduce
information to matter-like the random origin of life,
self-organization of matter, the biological theory of evolution that
has tried to explain species' genetic information through the
mechanism of mutation and natural selection-have failed. Professor
Phillip Johnson, a leading critic of Darwinism, wrote:
The real duality at every level of biology is the duality of matter
and information. The philosophers of mind-science fail to understand
the true nature of information because they assume that it is produced
by a material (i.e. Darwinian) process and hence is not something
fundamentally different from matter. But this is merely a prejudice
that would be swept away by unbiased thinking. 3
As Johnson states, "information is not matter, although it is
imprinted on matter. It comes from elsewhere, from an
intelligence...." Dr. Werner Gitt, a director and professor at the
German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology, expressed much the
same thought:
A coding system always entails a nonmaterial intellectual process. A
physical matter cannot produce an information code. All experiences
show that every piece of creative information represents some mental
effort and can be traced to a personal idea-giver who exercised his
own free will, and who is endowed with an intelligent mind....There is
no known law of nature, no known process and no known sequence of
events which can cause information to originate by itself in matter...
4
As we discussed above, a book is formed by paper, ink and the
information it includes. The source of this information is the mind of
the author.
And there is one more important point: This mind comes prior to the
material elements and it decides how to use them. A book first appears
in the mind of the person who will write that book. The author makes
logical connections and comes up with sentences. Later, in the second
stage, he gives these ideas a material form. By using a typewriter or
computer, he turns the information contained within his mind into
letters.
Later these letters go to a printing house and they make up a book.
So here, we can reach the following conclusion: "If matter includes
information, then that material has been pre-organized by a mind
possessing that information. First there was a mind, and then the
owner of that mind turned that information into matter and thus
created a design."
The Mind That Existed Before Matter
Therefore, the source of the information in nature cannot be the
matter itself, as the materialists claim. The source of information is
not matter, but rather a supra-material Mind. This Mind existed before
matter. The Mind created, shaped and organized the whole material
universe.
Biology isn't the only branch of science leading us to this
conclusion. Twentieth century astronomy and physics also demonstrated
the existence of an astonishing harmony and design, pointing to the
existence of a Mind that existed before the universe and created it.
Israeli scientist Gerald Schroeder who studied physics and biology in
universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and
the author of the bookThe Science of God, makes some important remarks
on this subject. In his new book entitledThe Hidden Face of God:
Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth, he explains the conclusion reached
by molecular biology and quantum physics as follows:
A single consciousness, a universal wisdom, pervades the universe. The
discoveries of science, those that search the quantum nature of
subatomic matter, have moved us to the brink of a startling
realization:all existence is the expression of this wisdom. In the
laboratories we experience it as information that first physically
articulated as energy and then condensed into the form of matter.
Every particle, every being, from atom to human, appears to represent
a level of information, of wisdom. 5
According to Schroeder, the scientific results of our age lead science
and theology to meet at a common truth. This is the truth of Creation.
Science is now re-discovering this truth that divine religions have
actually taught to humanity for millennia.
The Lawh-i Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet)
So far, we have looked at science's conclusions about the universe and
the origin of living things. The conclusion is that the entire
universe and life itself were created using a blueprint of magnificent
information that existed before.
This conclusion reached by modern science is strikingly in agreement
with a secret that was laid out in the Qur'an some 14 centuries ago.
In the Qur'an, a book sent to people as a guide, God announced that
the Lawh-i Mahfuz (the Preserved Tablet) existed before the creation
of the universe and that it furthermore explained all creation and
events in the universe.
The Lawh-i Mahfuz was "guarded" (mahfuz) so the things written there
were not changed or spoiled. In the Qur'an, this is called "Ommu
al-Kitabi" (The Mother of the Book), "Kitabun Hafeethun"
(All-Preserving Book), "Kitabin Maknoonin" (Well-Protected Book) or
just the book. It is also called Kitabin min Qabli (The Book of
Decrees) since it also tells of the events that humanity will face.
In many verses, God tells about the characteristics of the Lawh-i
Mahfuz. First of all, there is nothing missing from this book:
The keys of the Unseen are in His possession. No one knows them but
Him. He knows everything in the land and sea. No leaf falls without
His knowing it.There is no seed in the darkness of the earth, and
nothing moist or dry which is not in a Clear Book.(Qur'an, 6: 59)
One verse says that all life in the world is recorded in the Lawh-i Mahfuz:
There is no creature crawling on the earth or flying creature, flying
on its wings, who are not communities just like yourselves —We have
not omitted anything from the Book— then they will be gathered to
their Lord.(Qur'an, 6: 38)
In another verse, it is stated that "on earth and in the heavens," in
the entire universe, all creatures and things, including the smallest
speck, are known by God and recorded in the Lawh-i Mahfuz:
You do not engage in any matter or recite any of the Qur'an or do any
action without Our witnessing you while you are occupied with it.Not
even the smallest speck eludes your Lord, either on earth or in
heaven. Nor is there anything smaller than that, or larger, which is
not in a Clear Book.(Qur'an, 10: 61)
All information concerning humanity is in the Lawh-i Mahfuz, and this
includes the genetic code of all people and their destinies:
Nonetheless they are amazed that a warner should have come to them
from among themselves and those who disbelieve say, "What an
extraordinary thing! When we are dead and turned to dust? That would
be a most unlikely return!"We know exactly how the earth eats them
away. We possess an all-preserving Book.(Qur'an, 50: 2-4)
The following verse states that God's words in the Lawh-i Mahfuz are
endless, and this is explained through an example:
If all the trees on earth were pens and all the sea, with seven more
seas besides, was ink God's words still would not run dry. God is
Almighty, All-Wise.(Qur'an, 31: 27)
Conclusion
The facts that we explored in this article prove yet again that the
findings of modern science confirm what religion teaches to people.
The materialist dogmatism that has been imposed on science is in fact
rejected by science itself.
The conclusions of modern science about information serve to
objectively demonstrate who is right in a dispute that has been raging
for thousands of years. This dispute has been waged between
materialist thought and religion. Materialist thought claims that
matter is without beginning and that nothing existed before matter.
Religion, on the other hand, states that God existed before matter,
and that matter is created and ruled by God's endless knowledge.
The fact that this truth, which has been taught by divine religions -
like Judaism, Christianity and Islam - since the dawn of history, has
been proved by the findings of science, is an indication of the
impending post-atheist age. Humanity is getting closer to realizing
that God truly exists and He is the "All-Knowing." Just as reminded to
people in the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
Do you not know that God knows everything in heaven and earth? That is
in a Book. That is easy for God.(Qur'an, 22: 70)
___________________________________________
( 1) George C. Williams. The Third Culture: Beyond the Scientific
Revolution. (ed. John Brockman). New York, Simon & Schuster, 1995, pp.
42-43
( 2)Stephen Meyer, "Why Can't Biological Information Originate Through
a Materialistic Process", Unlocking the Mystery of Life, DVD, Produced
by Illustra Media, 2002
( 3) Phillip Johnson, The Wedge of Truth: Splitting the Foundations of
Naturalism , Intervarsity Press, Illinois, 2000, p. 123
( 4) Werner Gitt. In the Beginning Was Information. CLV, Bielefeld,
Germany, pp. 107, 141
( 5) Gerald Schroeder, The Hidden Face of God, Touchstone, New York, 2001, p. xi

Scientific investigations into the essence of matter

All the information we have about the world we live in is conveyed to
us by our five senses. The world we know consists of what our eye
sees, our hand feels, our nose smells, our tongue tastes, and our ears
hear. We never think that the "external" world can be other than what
our senses present to us, since we've been depending on only those
senses since the day we were born.
However, modern scientific research in many different fields points to
a wholly different understanding, creating serious doubt about our
senses and the world we perceive with them. This approach's starting
point is the notion that any "external world" is only a response
created in our brain by electrical signals. The red hue of an apple,
the hardness of wood, your mother, father, your family, and everything
that you own—your house, your job,—and even the lines of this article,
are composed of electrical signals only.
In this picture, we see someone who feels himself skiing on the
mountains, whereas there is really neither skis nor snow. This
illusion is artificially created.
Thanks to present technological developments, it's possible to have
realistic experiences without the need for an "external world" or
"matter." The incredible advancement in virtual reality technology has
come up with some especially convincing proofs.
To put it simply, virtual reality is the projection of
computer-generated three-dimensional images that appear to be real
with the aid of some devices. This technology, with its diverse range
of applications, is known as "virtual reality," "virtual world," or
"virtual environment." Its most important feature is that by the use
of some purposely constructed devices, it misleads the person
experiencing it into believing the experience to be real. In recent
years, the word "immersive'' has begun to be used in front of the term
"virtual reality," reflecting the way that witnesses are literally
immersed in the experience.
The rationale of any virtual reality system is based on our five human
senses. For instance, when the user puts on a special glove, devices
inside transmit signals to the fingertips. When these signals are
relayed to and interpreted by the brain, the user experiences the
sensation of touching a silk fabric or ornate vase, complete with all
of its surface details—without any such thing actually existing in the
environment.
One of virtual reality's foremost applications is in medicine.
Michigan University has developed a technology that trains assistant
practitioners—in particular, the personnel of emergency wards—to learn
their skills in a virtual reality lab, in which environment is created
by projecting the details of an operating room onto the floor, walls,
and ceiling of a room. The "picture" is completed by projecting an
operating table, complete with the patient to be operated on, onto the
center of the room. The surgeons-to-be put on their 3-D glasses and
begin their "virtual" operation. And anyone viewing the images
reflected on the 3-D glasses cannot distinguish a real operating room
from this virtual one.
Do We Live in a Holographic Universe?
New Scientistis one of the best-known science magazines. Its March 27,
2002 cover story was written by scientist J.R. Minkel, titled "Hollow
Universe." "Why we all live in a hologram" the cover headline
reported. To sum up the article, we perceive the world as a single
bundle of light. Therefore, it would be a mistake to consider matter
as the absolute truth by relying on our perceptions. Admits Minkel:
You're holding a magazine. It feels solid; it seems to have some kind
of independent existence in space. Ditto the objects around
you—perhaps a cup of coffee, a computer. They all seem real and out
there somewhere. But it's all an illusion.
Minkel's article states that some scientists call this idea the
"theory of everything," and that scientists consider this theory the
first step towards explaining the nature of the universe. This
magazine article explains scientifically that we perceive the universe
as an illusion in our brains and that, therefore, we are not
interacting with matter itself.
Perceptions Lost to the Senses, Recovered with Artificial Signals
In its March 11, 2002 issue,Time magazinepublished an article entitled
"The Body Electric," revealing an important scientific development.
The article reported that scientists melded computer chips with
patients' nervous systems to treat permanent damage to their senses.
With their newly developed systems, researchers in the USA, Europe and
Japan aimed to give sight to the blind and help paralyzed patients
recover. They have already achieved partial success with this new
system by planting electrodes into the relevant areas of the body, and
silicon chips were used to connect artificial limbs with living
tissue.
Following an accident, a Danish patient by the name of Brian Holgersen
was paralyzed from the neck down, except for very limited movement in
his shoulders, left arm and left hand. As is known, such paralysis is
caused by damage to the spinal cord in the neck and back. The nerves
are damaged or blocked, disabling neural traffic between brain and
muscles, and cutting off communication between the nerves that
transmit signals back and forth from the body to the brain. With this
patient, the aim was to bridge his spinal cord's damaged area with an
implant, letting signals from the brain bring back a little movement
to the arms and legs.
They used a system designed to recover basic functions of the left
hand, like grasping, holding and releasing objects. In an operation,
eight small coin-sized flexible cuff electrodes were implanted into
the muscles responsible for those movements in the patient's upper
left arm, forearm and shoulder. Later, ultrathin wires connected these
electrodes to a stimulator—a kind of pacemaker for the nervous system—
implanted in his chest. The stimulator was in turn linked to a
position-sensing unit attached to Holgersen's right shoulder—over
which he retains some motor control.
Now, when the patient wants to pick up a glass, he moves his right
shoulder upward. This movement sends an electrical signal from the
position sensor, worn under his clothing, to the stimulator in his
chest, which amplifies it and passes it along to appropriate muscles
in his arm and hand. They contract in response, and his left hand
closes. When he wants to release the glass, he moves his right
shoulder downward, and his left hand opens.
The University of Louvain in Brussels used a similar application of
technology in relation to eyesight. A patient's rod and cone cells had
degenerated, causing the retina to become insensitive to light.
Consequently, she became blind. An electrode implanted around her
right optic nerve enabled her to regain partial sight.
In this patient's case, the electrode was connected to a stimulator
placed inside a cavity in the skull. A video camera, worn on a cap,
transmitted the images to the stimulator in the form of radio signals,
bypassing the damaged rod and cone cells, and delivered the electric
signals directly to the optic nerve. The brain's visual cortex
reassembled these signals to form an image. The patient's experience
is comparable to watching a miniature stadium billboard, but the
quality is nevertheless sufficient to prove that this system is
viable.
This system is called a "Microsystem-based Visual Prosthesis," a
device permanently implanted into the patient's head. But to make it
all work, the patient needs to go to a specially designated room in
the University of Louvain and wear what looks like a badly damaged
bathing cap. The bathing cap is made of plastic with a standard video
camera installed on its front. The more pixels there are to form an
image on the screen, the greater the number of electrical
stimulations; therefore, the greater the resolution quality of the
image.
The same article referred to an interesting show by a performance
artist who made use of the same technology:
During one 1998 performance, Stelarc wired himself up directly to the
Internet. His body was dotted with electrodes—on his deltoids, biceps,
flexors, hamstrings and calf muscles—that delivered gentle electric
shocks, just enough to nudge the muscles into involuntary
contractions. The electrodes were connected to a computer, which was
in turn linked via the Internet to computers in Paris, Helsinki and
Amsterdam. By pressing various parts of a rendering of a human body on
a touch screen, participants at all three sites could make Stelarc do
whatever they wished.
These technologies, provided that they can be sufficiently reduced in
size and placed inside the body, will pave the way for radically new
developments in medicine. These developments demonstrate another
important fact: The external world is a copied image that we watch in
our minds…
TheNew Scientist's April 27, 2002 issue with its cover story, "Hollow
Universe" and headline, "Why we all live in a hologram."
TheTimearticle showed practical examples of how we can create
perceptions like sight or touch by artificially created impulses. The
most obvious proof is that a blind person was able to see. Despite the
patient's eye not being functional, she could see by means of
artificially created signals.
"The Body Electric," an article inTime magazine's March 11, 2002
issue, contained evidence proving that the external world is a copied
image in our mind.
Can the Virtual Worlds of Some Films Be Duplicated in the Real World?
In "Life is a sim and then you're deleted," an article published in
the July 27, 2002 issue of New Scientist magazine, Michael Brooks
states that we might well be living in a virtual world not unlike the
one in the filmMatrix: "No need to wait for Matrix 2 to come out. You
could already be living in a giant computer simulation... Of course
you thoughtThe Matrixwas fiction. But only because you were meant to."
Author Brooks supports his views by quoting philosopher Nick Bostrom
of Yale University, who believes that Hollywood movies come much
closer to reality than we realize. He calculates, too, that there is
some probability that we are living in a simulated or virtual world as
some movies depict.
The scientific fact, much better understood in recent years, that we
are not interacting with matter itself, causes people to reflect more
deeply. This situation, the frequent inspiration for movies, points
out that virtual environments recreate reality so realistically that
people can be fooled by these illusionary images.
Materialism, Like Every Other False Philosophy, Has Been Destroyed
The philosophy of materialism has existed throughout history. Its
adherents relied on the supposedly absolute existence of matter while
denying God, Who has created them from nothing and also created for
them the universe they live in. But the clear evidence leaves no room
for discussion. Consequently, matter disappears—on which they based
their lives and thoughts, pride and denial. By their own research,
strangely enough, materialist scientists discovered that everything
they see is not matter itself, but in reality a copy or image formed
in the brain. And thus, they themselves brought down their materialist
beliefs.
The twenty-first century is a turning point in history, in which this
reality will spread among all peoples, and materialism will be wiped
from the face of the Earth. Some, under the influence of the
materialist philosophy, who believed that matter is absolute, now have
come to realize that they themselves are illusions, that the only
absolute being is God, Whose Being encompasses all there is. This
reality is revealed in one of the verses:
God bears witness that there is no god but Him, as do the angels and
the people of knowledge, upholding justice. There is no god but Him,
the Almighty, the All-Wise.(Qur'an, 3: 18)

The secret beyond matter is not Wahdatul Wujood

topic dealt with in the book The Evolution Deceit, chapter "The Real
Essence of Matter" as well as in the books Matter: The Other Name for
Illusion; Idealism, The Philosophy of the Matrix and the True Nature
of Matter, Eternity Has Already Begun; Timelessness and the Reality
of Fateand Knowing the Truthhas been criticized by some people. Having
misunderstood the essence of the subject, these people claim that what
is explained as the secret beyond matter is identical to the teaching
of Wahdatul Wujood.
Let us state, before all else, that the author of this book is a
believer strictly abiding by the doctrine of Ahlus Sunnah and does not
defend the view of Wahdatul Wujood.
However, it should also be remembered that Wahdatul Wujood was
defended by some leading Islamic scholars including Muhyiddin Ibn
'Arabi. It is true that numerous significant Islamic scholars who
described the concept of Wahdatul Wujood in the past did so by
considering some subjects found in these books. Still, what is
explained in these books is not the same as Wahdatul Wujood.
Some of those who defended the view of Wahdatul Wujood were engrossed
by some erroneous opinions and made some claims contrary to the Qur'an
and the doctrine of Ahlus Sunnah. They, for example, completely
rejected the creation of Allah. When the subject of the secret beyond
matter is told, however, there is definitely no such claim. This
section explains that all beings are created by Allah, and that the
originals of these beings are seen by Him whereas people merely see
the images of these beings formed in their brains.
Mountains, plains, flowers, people, seas—briefly everything we see and
everything that Allah informs us in the Qur'an that exists and that He
created out of nothing is created and does indeed exist. However,
people cannot see, feel or hear the real nature of these beings
through their sense organs. What they see and feel are only the copies
that appear in their brains. This is a scientific fact taught at all
schools primarily in medicine. The same applies to the article you are
reading now; you can not see nor touch the real nature of it. The
light coming from the original article is converted by some cells in
your eyes into electrical signals, which are then conveyed to the
sight center in the back of your brain. This is where the view of this
article is created. In other words, you are not reading an article
which is before your eyes through your eyes; in fact, this article is
created in the sight center in the back of your brain. The article you
are reading right now is a "copy of the article" within your brain.
The original article is seen by Allah.
In conclusion, the fact that the matter is an illusion formed in our
brains does not "reject" the matter, but provides us information about
the real nature of the matter: that no person can have connection with
its original.
This fact is told in the book Idealism, The Philosophy of the Matrix,
and the True Nature of Matteras follows:
THERE IS MATTER OUTSIDE OF US, BUT WE CANNOT REACH IT
… [S]aying that matter is an illusion does not mean it does not exist.
Quiet the contrary: whether we perceive the physical world or not, it
does exist. But we see it as a copy in our brain or, in other words,
as an interpretation of our senses. For us, therefore, the physical
world of matter is an illusion.
The matter outside is seen not just by us, but by other beings too.
The angels Allah delegated to be watchers witness this world as well:
And the two recording angels are recording, sitting on the right and
on the left. He does not utter a single word, without a watcher by
him, pen in hand!(Qur'an, 50: 17-18)
Most importantly, Allah sees everything. He created this world with
all its details and sees it in all its states. As He informs us in the
Qur'an:
… Heed Allah and know that Allah sees what you do.(Qur'an, 2: 233)
Say: "Allah is a sufficient witness between me and you. He is
certainly aware of and sees His servants."(Qur'an, 17: 96)
It must not be forgotten that Allah keeps the records of everything in
the book called Lawh Mahfuz (Preserved Tablet). Even if we don't see
all things, they are in the Lawh Mahfuz. Allah reveals that He keeps
everything's record in the "Mother of the Book" called Lawh Mahfuz
with the following verses:
It is in the Source Book with Us, high-exalted, full of wisdom.(Qur'an, 43: 4)
… We possess an all-preserving Book.(Qur'an, 50: 4)
Certainly there is no hidden thing in either heaven or Earth which is
not in a Clear Book.(Qur'an, 27: 75)

Story, - Am I wasting my time?

Im in a relationship for more than 3 years now, at first i felt the
love that we both have for each other but as time passes by Im slowly
feeling incomplete longing for something or someone I dont know. I try
not to admit it to myself thinking that its normal for long commitment
to experience ups and down. But, what makes me sad is im not getting
younger, would id stay wd d person that im 101% sure of loving me even
though im not happy anymore or just simply quit and give up our almost
four year relationship.
Another thing that upsets me is his immaturity, Im 26 and he is two
years younger than me but its not an excuse for him to be that
immature. Im already on my way to finish my masters degree while he is
not doing anything for our future.
Im working and he is just staying home not even studying. Ive done
everythng to push him through but every thing seems useless to him and
now im losing my patience.
What shall i do?

Story, - Тhe secret lover

once there lived a boy in the London city in England. He lived on his
Own in a bunglow with an old and loyal servent who looked after him
until he grew up. The boy lost his parents in an car accident in which
he was also there but his destiny was to live more and his parents
died. His father Mr. Richard was the leading of the biggest Business
tycoon in the whole England. After deadth of his parents the hier of
all the business, assests and the banglow the Wilson Mansion was the
boy as he was his only son of his parents.
The company of his father the Wilson Enterprises now belonged to him
but as he was to small to handle the company by himslef the company
was given in hands of the directors who worked under his father and
they handeled the company till they grew 21 and then the whole
responsibility of the company would be given to him. The boy Bruce was
16 now and was in class 8 in Richard High School which was his
father's school. Everyday he went to school and his servant William
took care of the house and used to pick up and drop Bruce to the
school.
The life of Bruce would go on like that like a daily routine unless a
girl came in her life. Betty, a beautiful girl who was in Bruce's
class from nursery. Bruce never paid attention towards Betty in his
childhood as she was not so forward and upcomming in the class and had
a humourous attitute towards others and was never serious. The deadth
of Betty's father changed her life and from that time Betty always
looked sad and serious. Now she was very straight forward and
upcomming in the class and gave competition to Bruce in school exams
which Bruce liked. As Betty grew she became more gorgeous and
beautiful. Every boy in her class had a crush on her. Bruce was also
one of them.
Bruce started liking Betty but never expressed his feelings towards
her because of his shy character. Betty used to take tutions at
Bruce's house. Bruce's servant used to give tutions to the children of
his class. William was well educated and brought up Bruce and helped
in his studies after his perents died. One day Bruce proposed Betty by
writing a nice song for her in a letter and kept in her bag. After
going home Betty opened her bag and saw the letter and was shocked.
When betty came for tutions she asked Bruce about the letter he wrote
to her. Bruce didn't know what to do as he tought this would effect
his friendship if she rejected his proposal. he gave an excuse that it
was a prank done by his friends of his class and Betty blushed at
Bruce and ignored the letter written by him.
Bruce now always thought of Betty and this distracted his studies.
Bruce's teachers now complained the principle that Bruce is not
concentrating towards his studies and Bruce is given a warning by his
principle. Betty comes to know from her friend that Bruce has a crush
on her and loves her but Betty always thinks it as a joke and ignors.
After few years, when Bruce's schooling is over Bruce wants to join
the college in which Betty goes. But Betty joins a girls college as
her friends joined there and Bruce unwillingly joins another college.
Then as the time passes they both get busy in their life Betty forgets
Bruce but bruce is still love with Betty.
One day Bruce is with his friend and talks with him about Betty there
he comes to know that Betty has been engaged. Now he thinks he has
made too late to propose Betty but gives a try and tells Betty how he
feels about her since years but feared to tell her. Betty is shocked
upon hearing this and disconnects the phone and never answers Bruce
again about her dicision. Bruce is now sad but waits for her answer.
Now two years passed away and Betty didn't reply Bruce. Bruce is still
waiting for her answer and as Betty is far away from Bruce, he
collects Betty's photos which he had and makes a collection for her to
give her a suprise and to show his love towards her.

Fathwa, - Evidence that Muraabahais permissible

Question
salam, can you please provide the references of hadiths which permits
murabaha transaction?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His Slave and Messenger.
Muraabahah is the sale of goods at cost plus a known profit mark-up
and it is stipulated that the two parties of the contract must know
the cost.Ibn Qudaamahsaid: "This is permissible and there is no
difference in opinion regarding its validity and we do not know any
scholar who disliked it."
The evidence of permissibility is the general text and the general
principle. As for the text, it is the saying of Allaah The Almighty
)which means(: }And Allaah has permitted trade{]Quran 2:275[ As for
the principle, it reads: "The basic principle concerning transactions
is that they are permissible" asAl-Qaraafistated in Al-Furooq and as
stated by other Muslim scholars.
The Fifth Conference of the Islamic Fiqh Council held in Kuwait issued
the following statement regarding that kind of sale: "Muraabaha sale
by purchase orderer is permissible on goods already in the physical
possession of the seller, as required by Sharee'ah, provided the
seller carries the risk of loss before delivery or the consequences of
returning the purchased goods because of unseen defects or any other
reasons justifying the return of the goods after their reception,
provided the conditions of the )valid( sale are met and with the
absence of any impediments."
Finally, we do not know any Hadeeth that indicates Muraabahah in
particular apart from other forms of sale; however, it is included in
the general text that we have stated previously.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa, - Her daughter's future in-laws seek help from Awliaa' and visit their shrines

Question
Assalamu walikum I Need help and advice on wat to do for my daugher
who's marriage is being fixes at the moment, I have just found out
that the family she will be marring into have a different Muslim
belief then us they believe in phir awalia and do every thing
according to that, they have shrines that they visit )azmi sharif( for
example and also shrines of other Awalias who are their descendants.
We are Sunni Muslims and only believe in our beloved prophet Mohammad
)pbuh( they believe that these descendants advice them about every
thing in life as we do Istakara. I am shocked and heart broken by
hearing this as the children that will be born will have to follow
that belief. Am I being stupid to think this isn't right. My daughter
is heart broken too, wat do I do? To me they sound like Shia Muslim
not that I have any thing against Shia Muslim, as a Sunni I have a
very big doubt in my mind I asked the parents if they were Shia they
denied it, so wat kind of Muslim are they? Can any one tell me wat
this belief is. I'm worried and scared of the shame in the family that
I will have to go through if I break this alliance. Or am I being too
skeptical about their beliefs pls some one help me to understand this
kind belief . I thank u all as a heart broken mother
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His Slave and Messenger.
If the groom and his family believe that the dead have control over
the universe, know the unseen, remove distresses )from people( and the
like of what is exclusively related to Allaah The Almighty only, or
they direct an act of worship such as supplication, slaughtering and
the like to the dead people, then this is all included in the major
form of Shirk that takes one out of the fold of Islam and it is not
permissible to give your daughter in marriage to the one who holds
that belief and does such polytheistic matters. For more benefit,
please refer to Fataawa 82393and 85126.
Accordingly, it is not permissible to let fear of shame prevent you
from canceling that engagement. This has nothing to do with
exaggeration or stupidity. Rather, this is something Islamically
obligatory upon you. It is not important to know the name of the sect
that they belong to; rather, what is important is to know the reality
of their beliefs and acts because they are the main principles on
which the ruling of marrying them is based.
As for your statement "we are Sunni Muslims and only believe in our
beloved ProphetMuhammad", we do not know what you mean by that. Sunni
Muslims believe thatMuhammad, is the slave and messenger of Allaah and
do not believe that the Prophet, has something from the
characteristics of Allaah, as Allaah The Almighty says )what means(:
• }Say, "I hold not for myself ]the power of[ benefit or harm, except
what Allaah has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I could have
acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am not
except a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who
believe."{]Quran 7:188[
• }Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your
god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord -
let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord
anyone."{]Quran 18:110[, among many more other evidences.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa, - His mother takes two pensions against state rules

Question
My Parents, Both Father and Mother were Govt Employed My Father died
after retirement. Now my mother is taking his Pension and also she is
getting her pension. According to Karnataka state Govt. she can,t take
both pension, in islam she can take pension of both.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His Slave and Messenger.
If the pension that the government pays after a person's death is an
aid from it, not one of the rights of the dead person, then it is
obligatory to abide by what the granting authority defined. So, if it
stated that it is to be given to his wife who does not work and his
children who are minors, then it is not permissible for your mother to
take that pension if she works because she does not meet the condition
of the aid. If she takes the aid in this case, then she has consumed
the money of the government unjustly while Allaah The Almighty says
)what means(: }And do not consume one another's wealth
unjustly.{]Quran 2:188[
On the other hand, if the money that the government pays is due money
of the dead person such as the case when the government deducts it
from his salary while he is alive to be given to him at the end of his
service, then that money is an inheritance that should be divided
among the heirs and there will be no blame on your mother if she takes
it, even if she works and has a salary.
Allaah Knows best.

The Glory of Faith

Haaroon Ar-Rasheedonce stood looking at the sky when he saw a cloud
passing by. He addressed it saying, "Rain wherever you wish, for your
fruit will certainly come to me anyway." This means that the cloud
would have rained either on an Islamic land or on a non-Islamic one.
In the first case, Muslims would have benefitted from this rainwater
in agriculture and in drinking; in the second case, Muslims would have
also benefitted from this rainwater in the form of Jizyah )a tax( that
would be paid to them by non-Muslims. This example shows the state of
glory, which the Muslims reached in the past when they applied their
religion and worked for it. Nowadays, Muslims are certainly required
to pursue the means of glory.
Glory here refers to power, victory, high standing and invincibility.
It is a word which denotes that a person cannot be overcome or
humiliated. Ibn Al-Jawzisaid,
Some of the scholars of Tafseer )Quranic exegesis( said, "In the
Quran, glory is used in three different senses.
It is used to signify might, as in the verse )which means(:
•}"By the might of Pharaoh, indeed it is we who are predominant."{]Quran 26:44[
•}By Your might, I will surely mislead them all{]Quran 38:82[
It is also used to signify honor, as in the verse )which means(:}Do
they seek with them honor ]through power[? But indeed, honor belongs
to Allaah entirely.{]Quran 4:139[
Finally, it is used to signify dispraised pride as in the verse )which means(:
•}And when it is said to him, "Fear Allah ," pride in the sin takes
hold of him.{]Quran 2:206[
•}But those who disbelieve are in pride and dissension.{]Quran 38:2[
From the above, it is noticed that there is praised glory and
dispraised glory. Praised glory is that which pertains to Allaah The
Almighty, to His Messengerand to the believers. This is real and
permanent glory since it is from and with the support of Allaah The
Almighty who cannot be defeated or resisted. Allaah The Almighty Says
)what means(:}And to Allaah belongs ]all[ Honor and to His Messenger,
and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.{]Quran 63:8[.
On the other hand, the glory of the disbelievers is, in fact,
humiliation and disgrace. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And
they have taken besides Allaah ]false[ deities that they would be for
them ]a source of[ honor. No! Those "gods" will deny their worship of
them and will be against them opponents ]on the Day of
Judgment[.{]Quran 19:81-82[.
Many people pursued the wrong way to glory, victory and enablement.
Some of them pursued it through money and forgot that money is only a
Fitnah )trial( and a loss if one does not give the right that Allaah
The Almighty has to it. Moreover, this money might be a means of
humiliation. Al-Hasansaid, "By Allaah, Allaah The Almighty humiliates
whoever glorifies money." Indeed, we have seen a many examples of that
in life.
Other people seek glory through their positions and prestige. This may
enable them to achieve temporary glory. However, if this is not
established on justice and good reputation, then it certainly will not
last. Indeed, many a leader and president were enjoying glory and then
became captives in prisons, and their glory turned into humiliation.
What is even more dangerous is when a person seeks glory through the
disbelievers, i.e. by allying himself with them, even if this is
against the Muslims' interests. This is no more than an illusion. In
fact, it is an instant humiliation, and the first people to turn
against such people would be his 'allies' from the disbelievers.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Give tidings to the hypocrites
that there is for them a painful punishment - Those who take
disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with
them honor ]through power[? But indeed, honor belongs to Allaah
entirely.{]Quran 4:138-139[ Consequently, throwing one's self in the
arms of the disbelievers is the shortest way to dishonor and
humiliation because these disbelievers would not accept from us
anything less than disbelief. Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until
you follow their religion.{]Quran 2:120[.
Other people still seek glory through their ancestors and tribes, even
if they were misguided. In a Hadeeth on the authority of Abu
Rayhaanahthe Prophetsaid:"If a person attributes himself to nine of
his disbelieving forefathers, seeking through them glory and pride, he
will be their tenth in Hell."
Hence, the unquestionable truth is that a person who seeks glory must
demand it from Allaah The Almighty through obeying Him and avoiding
disobedience. 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaabsummarized this wonderful meaning
in a few words; He said, "We were the most humiliated people, but
Allaah The Almighty has honored us with Islam. If we demand honor
through any means other than Islam, Allaah The Almighty will humiliate
us."
Ibraaheem ibn Shaybaansaid, "Honor lies in modesty, glory lies in
piety, and freedom lies in contentment." When a Muslim lives in
obedience to Allaah The Almighty, he lives in honor and dignity. He
may be afflicted, but nevertheless he has a strong sense of honor.
This appeared clearly in the life of the righteous predecessorseven in
the darkest moments and in the severest and hardest situations.
Situations Which Indicate the Glory of the Righteous Predecessors
When Bilaalwas tortured in Makkah in its hot desert and a great heavy
boulder was put on his chest, not to make him abandon his faith but
only to stop blaspheming his peoples false gods or to keep silent, the
honor of faith showed in his words when he repeated, "Allaah The One,
Allaah The One." This remained as an eternal anthem which the
generations have chanted throughout history. In addition, the words of
Bilaalpoured despair into the souls of those who tortured him. So, who
was honorable in this scene? Was it this weak, tortured slave or the
arrogant disbelievers?
The story of 'Abdullaah ibn Huthaafah As-Sahmiwhen he was taken
captive by the Romans is another example. The king of the Romans tried
to entice 'Abdullaah to abandon his religion, but he refused. The king
offered him half of his money but he refused. Then, he imprisoned him,
tortured him and did not give him any food or water except some pig
meat and wine. After three days, they brought him out and found that
he had eaten nothing of it. When he was asked why had he not eaten any
of it, he replied, "By Allaah, Allaah The Exalted made it lawful for
me because I was under duress, but I would never let you gloat over
Islam." Then, the king asked him to kiss his head in return for
releasing him but Ibn Huthaafahsaid that he would only do so if all
the Muslim captives were released. The king accepted and Ibn
Huthaafahkissed his head.
He then returned to the Commander of the Believers 'Umar ibn
Al-Khattaabwith all the Muslim captives. 'Umarstood up and kissed the
head of 'Abdullaah ibn Huthaafah, and said, "It is a duty upon every
Muslim to kiss the head of Ibn Huthaafah."
Also, Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyahwas prosecuted and imprisoned. When
he was thrown in prison, he recited the words of Allaah The Almighty
)which mean(:}And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its
interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment.{]Quran
57:13[. This is the glory of faith and the pride of Islam which make a
person the most honorable one through the obedience of Allaah The
Almighty. Even if all people on earth stood against such a person, he
would still derive his honor and glory from Allaah The Almighty who
can never be defeated. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Whoever
desires honor ]through power[ - then to Allaah belongs all
honor.{]Quran 35:10[.
The state of humiliation which prevails in many aspects of our lives
nowadays is the result of religious innovations, sins and remoteness
from the Sharee'ah of Allaah The Almighty. This is supported by the
Hadeeth of the Prophetwhere he said:"Humiliation and disgrace are the
fate of whoever disobeys my order."A major reason behind this
humiliation is the state of disagreement and disunity that the Muslims
experience. Our enemies take advantage of us one by one; they strike
one of us today and another tomorrow while Muslims take no action, as
if what happens to our brothers does not concern us. History testifies
that we were never like this in the past. When a Muslim woman, who was
taken as a captive by the Romans in 'Amooriyyah, screamed for help
uttering her famous scream, "Wa Islaamaah" )Oh My Islam!(, Al-
Mu'tasimanswered her call with full concern, "Labbayki ]at your
disposal[" and prepared an army which heavily defeated 'Amooriyyah and
rescued the Muslim woman from the hands of the disbelievers. We should
ask ourselves here: what tie was there between Al-Mu'tasim and that
woman except the tie of faith?

Diligence is the Way to Success

There are norms and laws in the universe that man is not permitted to
contradict. Instead, he should abide by them so as to enjoy a good
life and eternal happiness in the Hereafter. One such norm is that if
one works hard, he will find results; if one exhausts oneself a little
bit, he can enjoy a long rest. Indeed reaping noble benefits depends
on experiencing difficulties. Pleasure and perfect qualities cannot be
gained except with some difficulty. If it were not for difficulties,
all people would be leaders.
A Person who Prefers Comfort has Scarce Potential for Success
Work in the worldly life relies upon diligence. Therefore, man is
required to work hard and actively, leaving behind laziness. The Quran
and Sunnah direct us towards this understanding. Allaah The Almighty
Says )what means(:
}And say, "Work, for Allaah will see your deeds, and ]so, will[ His
Messenger and the believers."{]Quran 9:105[
}It is He who made the earth tame for you - so walk among its slopes
and eat of His provision - and to Him is the resurrection.{]Quran
67:15[
The Propheteducated the Ummah )Muslim Nation( in different ways on how
to be diligent. For instance, he urged Muslims to earn a living and
provide from their own work, saying:"Nobody has ever eaten a meal
better than that which he has earned from working with his own hands.
The prophet of Allaah, Daawood ]David[, would eat from the work of his
own hands."]Al-Bukhaari[
The Prophetalso advised us to work hard without giving in to feelings
of frustration, saying:"Cherish that which gives you benefit ]in the
Hereafter[, seek help from Allaah and do not lose heart."]Muslim[
Healso said:"If the Hour comes while one of you has a shoot that he is
able to plant, he should plant it."]Ahmad, Al-Bukhaari in Al-Adab
Al-Mufrad[
Moreover, the Prophetassured people of the assistance of Allaah The
Almighty, that He further increases the high motivation and ambition
of people according to the sublimity of their ambition, saying:"Help
from Allaah comes to the servant according to his
diligence."]Al-Bazzaar[
Of course hard work is exhausting, but it has great pleasure,
especially when the diligent person reaps the outcome of his work.
Ibn Ul-Qayyimsaid:
The sages of every nation agree that welfare cannot be obtained
through welfare, that anyone who prefers comfort will miss it, and
that joy and pleasure depend on the level of risks and difficulties
that are experienced when getting them. There is no joy for a person
who has no resolve; no pleasure for a person who lacks patience; no
bliss for a person who endures no hardships; and no comfort for a
person who has no hard work. If a person is exhausted for a short
time, he will relax for longer. If he endures difficulties for a short
while, this will lead him to eternal welfare. People who will receive
eternal delight ]the people of Paradise[ earned this status due to
their patience in this very short worldly life. Truly, Allaah alone
gives help, and there is no power except in Him.
The loftier one's self is and the higher his aspirations are, the more
a person's body is exhausted and the less his comfort is. Yahya ibn
Katheersaid. "Knowledge cannot be acquired when the body is in
comfort." ]Muslim[
"All those who are sensible undoubtedly believe that perfect comfort
depends on the level of exhaustion, and perfect bliss relies on the
level of difficulties that are endured when achieving it. Comfort,
pleasure and bliss are free of exhaustion only in Paradise, not in
this worldly life. ]Quoted from 'Uluww Al-Himmah by Shaykh Muhammad
ibn Ismaa'eel[
A person who takes diligence to be a slogan in life does not depend on
his ancestors or family background, nor does he rely on boasting of
his fathers and forefathers. Instead he builds his own glory, adding
it to that of his forefathers'.
Quotations from Sages and Scholars
Some sages have said, "Utilize your diligence as long as you are in
good health, and take the opportunity to work while you are at
leisure, for time will not be always on your side, nor will you be
able to restore what you have lost."
A scholar once said, "Work is like an armor that protects a person
against afflictions, and diligence is like a sword that wards off
misfortune."
Another said, "Nothing is better than having a reason that is adorned
with forbearance, a deed that is adorned with knowledge, and
forbearance that is adorned with truthfulness!"
Some scholars have said, "Could it be true and logical that crops are
harvested without prior sowing of seeds, fruits are reaped without the
planting of trees, fire comes from two stones without striking them
together, or that money yields without effort?"
It was also said, "There is a cause for every provision and whoever
diligently seeks something, finds it."
Indeed, what a great saying was that of the Commander of Believers,
'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab"Do not stop pursuing livelihood and
supplicating, 'O Allaah, provide for me!' You know that the sky does
not rain gold or silver. Allaah The Almighty provides for people by
virtue of their interaction."
Therefore, work hard and do not be indolent. Your Muslim nation is
waiting for a push from you like that of 'Umara push that illuminates
the torch of enthusiasm in its heart, amidst the darkness of this
gloomy state of obliviousness. It is also waiting for a cry from you
like that of Salaah Ad-Deen Al-Ayyoobi )Saladin(a cry that plants hope
in the desert of despair. Help from Allaah comes in accordance with
diligence, therefore seek help from Allaah and do not lose heart!

Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life - I

Having excessive ambitions in this worldly life is one of the greatest
diseases of the heart. What is the meaning of this disease? What are
its harmful consequences? What is its treatment?
Meaning of Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life
Having excessive ambitions in this worldly life is to continuously
strive for its pleasures and persistently indulge in its luxuries
whilst turning away from the Hereafter. Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}...And be diverted by ]false[ hope...{]Quran 15:3[ Commenting
on this verse, Al-Qurtubisaid, "Their excessive ambitions in this
worldly life turned them away from obeying Allaah." Ibn Hajarsaid,
"There is an important rationale behind ambitions in this worldly
life. Having ambitions in this worldly life is not totally dispraised
as without it no one would be able to enjoy his life or look forward
to doing anything that is related to this world. What is dispraised is
having extensive ambitions in this worldly life and not preparing for
the Hereafter. As long as a person is safe from this, he is not
required to totally abstain from having ambitions in this world.
Ignorance and love for this world are the causes behind this disease."
Having Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life is Dispraised in the Quran
There are many verses in the Quran that dispraise having excessive
ambitions in this worldly life. The Noble Quran uses multiple modes of
address to warn people against this incurable and destructive disease.
For example Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
•}Perhaps those who disbelieve will wish that they had been Muslims.
Let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by ]false[ hope, for
they are going to know.{]Quran 15:2-3[
• When talking about the Jews, Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}And you will surely find them the most greedy of people for
life - ]even[ more than those who associate others with Allaah. One of
them wishes that he could be granted life a thousand years, but it
would not remove him in the least from the ]coming[ punishment that he
should be granted life. And Allaah Is Seeing of what they do.{]Quran
2:96[
•}]Allaah[ will Say: "How long did you remain on earth in number of
years?" They will say: "We remained a day or part of a day; ask those
who enumerate." He will Say: "You stayed not but a little - if only
you had known. Then did you think that We created you uselessly and
that to Us you would not be returned?"{]Quran 23:112-115[
•}Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts
should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allaah and what
has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were
given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so
their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly
disobedient.{]Quran 57:16[
Having Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life is Dispraised in the Sunnah
The Prophetwarned his Ummah )nation( against having extensive
ambitions in this worldly life, as it is likely to drive the person
away from obeying Allaah. It was narrated on the authority of Abu
Hurayrahthat he said, "I heard the Prophetsaying:'The heart of an old
man remains young in two respects: his love for this worldly life and
his excessive ambitions in it.'" ]Al-Bukhaari[
It was narrated on the authority of Anasthat he said, "The Prophetonce
drew a few lines and said:'This is ]man's[ ambitions, and this is the
instant of his death, and while he is in this state ]of ambitions[,
the nearer line ]death[ comes to Him.'" ]Al-Bukhaari[
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas'oodthat he said, "The
Prophetonce drew a square and then drew a line in the middle of it and
let it extend outside the square and then drew several small lines
attached to that central line, and said:"This is the human being, and
this ]square[ is his lease of life which encircles or has encircled
him, and this ]line[ which is outside ]the square[, represents his
ambitions, and these small lines are the calamities and troubles
]which may befall him[, and if one misses him, another will overtake
him, and if the other misses him, a third will overtake him.'"
]Al-Bukhaari[ It was narrated on the authority of 'Abdullaah ibn
'Umarthat he said,: "The Messenger of Allaahtook hold of my shoulder
and said:'Be in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveler.'"
The sub-narrator added, "Ibn 'Umarwould say, 'If you survive till the
evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive
till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening; and take
from your health for your sickness, and ]take[ from your life for your
death.'" ]Al-Bukhaari[
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbaasand his father, that he
said, "The Messenger of Allaahsaid to a man while advising
him:'Utilize five things before the coming of another five: your youth
before your decrepitude, your health before your sickness, your wealth
before your poverty, your leisure before your work, and your life
before your death.'" ]Al-Haakim narrated this Hadeeth according to the
conditions of Al-Bukhaari and Muslim, however they did not narrate it.
Ath-Thahabi agreed with him.[
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat the
Prophetsaid:"Take the initiative to do good deeds before you are
hindered by one of seven calamities: poverty that makes you forget the
remembrance of Allaah, prosperity that leads you to transgression, an
ailment that damages your health, old age that makes you lose your
senses, a sudden death, the Antichrist which is an evil yet to come,
or the Hour, which is indeed even more disastrous and even more
bitter."]At-Tirmithi - Hasan[
When the Prophetwas asked about the scriptures of Moosa )Moses(he
replied:"It was all full of lessons. I wonder at a person who is
certain of death and can still be happy. I wonder at a person who is
certain of Hell and can still laugh. I wonder at a person who believes
in fate and still grieves over hardships that befall him. I wonder at
a person who sees this world and how its wellbeing never lasts for
people and can still feel safe in it. I wonder at a person who
believes that the Day of Reckoning is soon to come and still does not
perform righteous deeds."]Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Bazzaar[

Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life - II

The Righteous Predecessors Warned Against Excessive Ambition in this World
The righteous predecessorsunderstood the reality of this world and
their hearts became attached to the Hereafter. Therefore, they advised
their successors not to incline towards this worldly life and not to
turn away from the Hereafter. 'Alisaid, "The things I fear most might
harm you are following whims and having excessive ambitions in this
worldly life, for following whims diverts you from the truth and
having excessive ambitions causes you to forget the Hereafter."
Ibn Mas'oodsaid, "Do not let extended welfare lure you into laxity,
and do not be diverted by false hope; for whatever will come is near,
and whatever is far will never come."
Salmaan Al-Faarisisaid, "Three things make me laugh out of irony: A
person having excessive ambitions in this life while death awaits him,
a person who is heedless while Allaah is encompassing of everything he
does, and a person who laughs heartedly while not knowing whether
Allaah Is angry or pleased with him."
Once a man entered the house of Abu Tharr Al-Ghifaariand started
looking around his house, then he said, "O Abu Tharr, where is your
furniture?" Abu Tharrreplied, "We have another house that we are
moving to ]he meant by that his house in heaven[." The man said, "As
long as you are here, it is necessary to have furniture." Abu
Tharrreplied, "The owner of the house ]i.e., Allaah[ is not leaving us
here, therefore we are in no need of buying furniture."
It was narrated that 'Eesa )Jesus(said, "How sane is the person who
builds a home on the waves of the sea? This is the example of this
world, so do not take it as your abode."
'Umar ibn Abdul-'Azeezsaid in a Khutbah )Sermon(, "Do not let extended
welfare harden your hearts and make you yield to your enemy. By
Allaah, for a person to have excessive ambitions in this worldly life
is a mistake, for he does not know whether he will live until the
morning or not, or whether he will live until the evening or not; and
death may take him at any moment between these."
Abu Muhammad ibn 'Ali Az-Zaahidsaid,
We followed a funeral procession in Al-Koofah and Abu Daawood
At-Taa'iwas among the people. During the burial, Abu Daawoodwithdrew
and sat to a side. I then went and sat near him. He said, "Those who
fear the punishment of Allaah will gain what they desire, even if it
is difficult to obtain. Those who strive for this worldly life are
negligent of the Hereafter; all what is destined is soon to happen.
Know that all the people of this world will eventually be of the
inhabitants of the graves. Also, know that the inhabitants of graves
regret the time, money and effort that they wasted in persuing the
pleasures of this life and are only pleased with the good deeds that
they did during their lifetimes. Sadly, what the inhabitants of graves
regret, the people of this world are competing, fighting over and
disputing in courts over.
Al-Ghazzaalisaid, "Death has snapped the necks of tyrants, broken the
backs of emperors and cut short the false hopes of Caesars, whose
hearts rejected the remembrance of death until it suddenly struck them
and cast them into the earth. Have any of them found haven or refuge
from death?"
Others said, "Many people start their day and die before it ends and
many wait for the next day but never reach it. If only you realize the
truth of life and how quickly it passes by, you would detest excessive
ambitions in this life and its delusion."
Yet others said, "How can a person be happy with this life when every
day deducts a month of his age, and every month eliminates a year of
his age, and every year destroys his life, and his life leads him to
his death."
Muhammad ibn Waasi'was asked, "How do you find yourself?" He replied,
"I have a short life, excessive ambitions in this world and many wrong
deeds."
A man wrote a letter to his brother, saying, "Sorrow over what is
missed from the pleasures of this life is endless and death is close
to a person. Every day decreases his lifespan; and illness gradually
increases in his body day after day. So, start performing good deeds
before death comes to you. Peace be upon you."
Consequences of Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life
Having excessive ambitions in this worldly life leads to committing
misdeeds and keeps a person away from obeying Allaah. It is also one
of the causes of violating prohibitions, transgression and plundering
others' rights. Therefore, a person must always recall death and show
due reverence towards Allaah.
The Remedy for this Disease
Ignorance and love of this world are the cause of having excessive
ambitions in this worldly life. Treatment of this disease lies in
being aware of its dangers and harmful consequences, realizing the
importance of performing obligations on their prescribed time and
understanding that procrastination leads a person to failure and loss.
The slave of Allaah has to know that he is required to be where Allaah
The Exalted has commanded him to be, and to avoid acts that Allaah The
Exalted has commanded him to abstain from. One also should make his
motto the same as that raised by Haatim Al-Asammwho said, "I knew that
none would perform my duties for me and therefore I am occupied in
fulfilling them. I saw that people look at my appearance while Allaah
looks at what is concealed inside me, so I realized that it is
worthier and better to be conscious that Allaah is watching me. I also
knew that death comes suddenly and, therefore, I decided to perform
good deeds before it comes."
There is a great difference between having hopeful expectations and
having extensive ambitions in this worldly life. A person who has
hopeful expectations for something will do his utmost in order to
attain it and a person who fears something will flee from it. On the
other hand, having excessive ambitions in this life leads a person to
neglecting the matters of the Hereafter and preparing for it. One who
seeks remedy for this disease has to understand the truth of this
worldly life and how insignificant and valueless it is, and that it
takes the side of those who are mean and cowardly and is their endless
pleasure. Principally, one does not find in this world but what he
dislikes and when he finds something that pleases him, it is but an
exception.
Once, Ibn As-Sammaakwent to Haaroon Ar-Rasheedwhile Haaroon was having
a drink of water. Then Haaroon Ar-Rasheed asked for his admonishment.
Thereupon, Ibn As-Sammaak said, "O Commander of the believers, if you
were prevented this drink of water, would you pay for it with half of
your kingdom?" He replied, "Yes." Then he asked, "O Commander of the
believers, if you drunk this water and then could not urinate it,
would you pay for this ]i.e., to be able to do so[ with half of your
kingdom?" He replied, "Yes." Then Haaroon said, "A kingdom does not
]even[ equal a drink of water or its urination."
Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhsaid, "All goodness was collected in a house,
and the key to this house is asceticism in this worldly life, and all
evil was collected in a house, and the key to this house is the love
for this worldly life."
It was said, "This world is like one's shadow; if you try to catch it,
it will escape from you, and if you leave it, it will follow you."
Therefore, you have to ask yourself: "Where are the former and later
peoples? Where are those who filled the world from east to west with
pride and glory? Where are those who furnished their palaces with
silks and gems? Where are those who caused the earth to tremble out of
veneration and exaltation for them? Do you perceive of them anyone, or
hear from them a sound?" Allaah caused them to perish, as He did with
other nations, and exterminated them like disintegrated ruins. Allaah
also removed them from the spaciousness of their palaces to the
narrowness of graves, under stones and rocks and they became so that
nothing was seen of them except their dwellings. What they accumulated
throughout their lives did not benefit them, and what they earned did
not avail them. Both the living and their beloved left them; both
their brothers and friends abandoned them; both their relatives and
non relatives forgot them. It is as if death is not decreed upon us
and that it will only befall others. When we follow a funeral
procession, it is as if the deceased is just going on a journey and
will soon return, then we consume their inheritance as if we will be
immortal in this world.
O people! Fill your life in this world with obeying Allaah and
following the methodology of your Prophetand let your motto be:}And I
hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased.{

Dought & clear, - [ Prayers] - Praying in a place under which there is a sewage pipe.

A man has an apartment in which there is a bookstore containing copies
of the Holy Qur'aan. But there is a sewage pipe which passes beneath
this apartment. Is it permissible to pray and recite Qur'aan there or
not? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with this so long as (the apartment) is
separate (from the pipe). Al-Imaam al-Muwaffaq, the author
ofal-Mughniand ofal-Sharh al-Kabeer, said: It is permissible to use
the area above the roof of the pipe and similar places, because the
pipe is beneath and there is a roof over it. It is not allowed to pray
in toilets and similar places, but according to the correct view, it
is permissible to pray and read Qur'aan on the roof over them, as we
have stated above. Some scholars said that it is not permissible to do
that, but the correct view, in sha Allaah, is that it is OK. And
Allaah knows best.
Fataawa Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn Humayd, p. 62

Dought & clear, - [ Prayers] - Rulings and issues about praying on a chair.

During Taraweeh prayer, some worshippers need to sit on a chair. We
know that the rear legs of the chair should be placed in line with the
row if the person is going sit throughout the prayer, but my question
is: how should it be lined up in the following cases:
1- When the person sit on the chair during the standing only
2- When he sits on the chair during bowing, prostration or the tashahhud
3- When he sits on the chair during various parts of the prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Standing, bowing and prostrating are pillars or essential parts of the
prayer. Whoever can do them, it is obligatory for him to do them in
the manner prescribed in sharee'ah. Whoever is not able to do them
because of sickness or old age, it is Sunnah for him to sit on the
ground or on a chair.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawaat (the prayers) especially
the middle Salaah (i.e. the best prayer - 'Asr). And stand before
Allaah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salaah
(prayers)]"
[al-Baqarah 2:238]
It was narrated that 'Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: I had haemorrhoids so I asked the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) about praying. He said: "Pray
standing up; if you cannot, then pray sitting down; and if you cannot,
then pray (lying) on your side." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1066.
Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi said:
The scholars are unanimously agreed that if a person cannot stand then
he may pray sitting down.Al-Mughni, 1/443
Al-Nawawi said:
The ummah is unanimously agreed that whoever is unable to stand during
the obligatory prayer may pray sitting, and he does not have to repeat
it. Our companions said: his reward will not be less than the reward
for praying standing, because he is excused. It is proven inSaheeh
al-Bukhaarithat the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "If a person is sick or travelling, the same reward
will be written for him with regard to what he used to do when he was
not travelling and was healthy."
Al-Majmoo', 4/226
Al-Shawkaani said:
The hadeeth of 'Imraan indicates that it is permissible for one who
has an excuse and cannot stand to pray sitting, and for one who has an
excuse and cannot pray sitting to pray lying on his side.
Nayl al-Awtaar, 3/243
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
The Muslims are agreed that if a worshipper is unable to do some of
the obligatory duties of prayer, such as standing, reciting, bowing,
prostrating, covering the 'awrah, facing the qiblah etc, then what he
is unable to do is waived for him. End quote fromMajmoo' al-Fataawa,
8/437
Based on that, if a person offers an obligatory prayer sitting when he
is able to stand, his prayer is invalid.
Secondly:
It should be noted that if a person is exempted from standing, his
excuse does not make it permissible for him to sit on the chair to bow
and prostrate.
If he is exempted from bowing and prostrating in the proper manner,
that excuse does not make it permissible for him not to stand and to
sit on the chair instead.
The basic principle with regard to the obligatory duties of prayer is
that whatever the worshipper can do, he is obliged to do it, and
whatever he is unable to do, is waived for him.
Whoever is unable to stand, it is permissible for him to sit on a
chair during the standing, and he should bow and prostrate in the
proper manner. If he is able to stand but it is difficult for him to
bow and prostrate, he should pray standing, then sit on the chair when
bowing and prostrating, and he should bend lower for the prostration
than for the bowing.
See also question no. 9307and 36738.
Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi said:
If a person is able to stand but he cannot bow or prostrate, the
standing is not waived for him; he should pray standing and tilt his
head for the bowing, then sit down and tilt his head for the
prostration. This is the view of al-Shaafa'i...
Because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):"And stand before
Allaah with obedience" [al-Baqarah 2:238], and the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Pray standing." And because
standing is one of the pillars (essential parts of prayer) for the one
who is able to do it, so he must do it, like the recitation. Being
unable to do other things does not mean that this is waived, as is
also the case if he is unable to recite. End quote fromal-Mughni,
1/44.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The one who prays sitting on the ground or on a chair must make his
prostration lower than his bowing. The Sunnah is for him to put his
hands on his knees when bowing, and when prostrating the Sunnah is to
put them on the ground if possible; if he cannot do that then he
should put them on his knees, because it was proven that the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I have been
commanded to prostrate on seven bones: the forehead - and he pointed
to his nose - the two hands, the two knees, and the edges of the two
feet (i.e., the toes)."
If a person is unable to do that and prays on a chair, there is
nothing wrong with that, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"
[al-Taghaabaun 64:16]
and the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "If I
tell you to do a thing, then do as much of it as you can." Saheeh -
agreed upon.
Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 12/245, 246.
Thirdly:
With regard to the placement of the chair in the row, the scholars
(may Allaah have mercy on them) stated that the one who prays sitting
down should have his posterior in line with the row when he is
sitting, so he should not be in front of the row or behind it at that
point, because that is the place in which the body settles.
SeeAsnaa al-Mataalib, 1/222;Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj, 2/157;Sharh Muntaha
al-Iraadaat, 1/279.
It says inal-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah(6/21):
In order for a person's following the imam to be valid, he should not
stand in front of the imam according to the majority of fuqaha'
(Hanafis, Shaafaa'is and Hanbalis).
How do we know whether he is in front of the imam or not, it is judged
by where the heels are. If they are standing level at the heel and the
toes of the one who is praying behind the imam turn out to be in front
because he has longer feet, that does not matter. With regard to those
who are sitting, it is judged by where the posterior is. And with
regard to those who are praying on their sides, it is judged by their
sides.
If the worshipper is going to pray on the chair from the beginning of
the prayer until the end, then he should make the place where he will
sit level with the row.
If he is going to pray standing, but he will sit on the chair when he
bows and prostrates, we asked Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak about
that, and he said that what matters here is the standing position, so
he should be level with the row when standing.
Based on this, the chair will be behind the row, so it should be
placed in such a manner that it will not disturb worshippers in the
row behind.
And Allaah knows best.

* Dought & clear, - [ Prayers] - The green dome in Madeenah: its history and the ruling on its construction and on leaving it as it is.

* The green dome in Madeenah: its history and the ruling on its
construction and on leaving it as it is.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The history of the green dome
The dome over the grave of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) dates back to the seventh century AH. It was built during
the reign of Sultan Qalawoon, and at first it was the colour of wood,
then it became white, then blue, then green, and it has remained green
until the present.
Professor 'Ali Haafiz (may Allaah preserve him) said:
There was no dome over the sacred chamber. There was in the roof of
the mosque above the chamber a waist-high enclosure of brick to
distinguish the location of the chamber from the rest of the mosque's
roof.
Sultaan Qalawoon al-Saalihi was the first one to build a dome over the
chamber. He did that in 678 AH. It was square at the bottom and
octagonal at the top, made of wood, and built on top of the pillars
that surrounded the chamber. Planks of wood were nailed to it, over
which plates of lead were placed, and the brick enclosure was replaced
with one made of wood.
The dome was refurbished at the time of al-Naasir Hasan ibn Muhammad
Qalawoon, then the leaden plates slipped, but they were fixed and
refurbished at the time of al-Ashraf Sha'baan ibn Husayn ibn Muhammad
in 765 AH. It fell into disrepair and was renovated at the time of
Sultaan Qayit Bey in 881 AH.
The chamber and dome were burned in the fire that swept through the
Prophet's mosque in 886 AH. During the reign of Sultaan Qayit Bey the
dome was rebuilt, in 887 AH, and strong pillars to support it were
built in the floor of the mosque, and they were built of bricks to the
correct height. After the dome had been built in the manner described
above, cracks appeared in its upper part. When it proved impossible
to refurbish it, the Sultaan Qayit Bey ordered that the upper part be
demolished and rebuilt strongly using white plaster. So it was built
solidly in 892 AH.
In 1253 AH, an order was issued by the Ottoman Sultan 'Abd al-Hameed
to paint the dome green. He was the first one to colour it green, and
the colour has been renewed whenever necessary until the present.
It became known as the green dome after it was painted green. It was
previously known as the white dome or the fragrant dome or the blue
dome. End quote.
Fusool min Tareekh al-Madeenah al-Munawwarahby 'Ali Haafiz (p. 127, 128).
Secondly:
Rulings thereon
The scholars, both in the past and in modern times, criticized the
building of this dome and its being given a colour. All of that is
because of what they know of sharee'ah closing many doors for fear of
falling into shirk.
These scholars include the following:
1 – al-San'aani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inTa-theer al-I'tiqaad:
If you say: A great dome has been built over the grave of the
Messenger(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), costing a great
deal of money, I say: This is in fact great ignorance of the
situation, because this dome was not built by him(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) or by his Sahaabah or by those who followed
them, or by those who followed the Taabi'een, or by the scholars and
imams of the ummah. Rather this dome was built over his grave(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the orders of one of the later
kings of Egypt, namely the Sultan Qalawoon al-Saalihi who is known as
King Mansoor, in 678 AH, and was mentioned inTahqeeq al-Nasrah bi
Talkhees Ma'aalim Dar al-Hijrah. These are things that were done on
the orders of the state and not on the basis of shar'i evidence. End
quote.
2 – The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked:
There are those who take the building of the green dome over the
Prophet's grave in the Prophet's Mosque as evidence that it is
permissible to build domes over other graves, such as those of the
righteous and others. Is this argument correct or what should our
response to them be?
They replied:
It is not correct to quote the fact that people built a dome over the
grave of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as
evidence that it is permissible to build domes over the graves of the
righteous dead and others, because those people's building a dome over
his grave(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was haraam and
those who did it sinned thereby, because they went against what is
proven in a report from Abu'l-Hayaaj al-Asadi who said: 'Ali ibn Abi
Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to me: Shall I not send
you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any image without erasing
it or any high grave without levelling it.
And it was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade
plastering over graves, or sitting on them or building over them. Both
reports were narrated by Muslim in hisSaheeh. So it is not correct for
anyone to quote the haraam action of some people as evidence that it
is permissible to do similar haraam actions, because it is not
permissible to go against the words of the Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) by citing the words or actions of anyone else.
And because he is the one who conveyed the command from Allaah, and he
is the one who is to be obeyed, and we must beware of going against
his commands, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):"And
whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم( gives you, take
it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain )from it(" ]al-Hashr 59:7[.
And there are other verses which enjoin obedience to Allaah and to His
Messenger. And because building up graves and erecting domes over them
are means that lead to associating their occupants with Allaah, and
the means that lead to shirk must be blocked. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd al-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abd-Allaah ibn Qa'ood.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah(9/83, 84)
3 – The scholars of the Standing Committee also said:
There is no proof in the fact that a dome was set up over the
Prophet's grave for those who take it as an excuse for building domes
of the graves of the awliya' ("saints") and righteous people, because
the building of a dome over his grave was not done on his instructions
and was not done by any of his companions (may Allaah be pleased with
them), or by the Taabi'een, or by any of the imams of guidance in the
early generations whom the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) testified were good. Rather it was done by people of bid'ah
(innovation). It was proven that the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever introduces anything into this
matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected." And it
was proven that 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to
Abu'l-Hayaaj: Shall I not send you on the same mission as the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent
me? Do not leave any image without erasing it or any high grave
without levelling it.Narrated by Muslim. As it is not proven that
he(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) built a dome over his
grave, and it is not proven from any of the leading imams; rather what
is proven shows that to be an invalid action, and no Muslim should
feel any attachment to the action of innovators who built a dome over
the grave of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azzez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd al-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn Qa'ood
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah(2/264, 265).
4 – Shaykh Shams al-Deen al-Afghaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
al-'Allaamah al-Khajandi (1379 AH) said, discussing the history of the
green dome that was built over the grave of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), and explaining that it is an
innovation that was done by some sultans and ignorant persons who
erred and made a mistake, and that it is contrary to the clear saheeh
ahaadeeth and reflects ignorance of the Sunnah, and that they went to
extremes and imitated the Christians who are confused and misguided:
It should be noted that until the year 678 AH, there was no dome over
the chamber which contains the grave of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), rather it was built by the king
al-Zaahir al-Mansoor Qalawoon al-Saalihi in that year (678 AH), when
this dome was built.
I say: He did that because he had seen in Egypt and Syria the adorned
churches of the Christians, so he imitated them out of ignorance of
the command and Sunnah of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), as al-Waleed imitated them by adorning the mosque, as was
mentioned in Wafa' al-Wafa'.
It should be noted that undoubtedly this action of Qalawoon was
contrary to the saheeh ahaadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), but ignorance is a great calamity
and exaggeration in love and veneration is a real disaster, and
imitation of foreigners is a fatal disease. We seek refuge with Allaah
from ignorance and exaggeration and imitation of foreigners. End
quote.
Juhood 'Ulama' al-Hanafiyyah fi Ibtaal 'Aqaa'id al-Qubooriyyah(3/1660-1662).
Thirdly:
The reason why it has not been demolished:
The scholars have explained the shar'i rulings concerning the building
of this dome and its obvious effects on the followers of bid'ah' who
have developed an attachment to this structure and its colour, and
they praise and venerate it a great deal in their poetry and writings.
Now it is up to the authorities to implement these fatwas, and this is
nothing to do with the scholars.
The reason why it is not demolished is so as to ward off fitnah and
for fear that it may lead to chaos among the ordinary people and the
ignorant. Unfortunately the ordinary people have only reached this
level of veneration towards this dome because of the leadership of
misguided scholars and imams of innovation. They are the ones who
incite the ordinary people against the land of the Two Holy
Sanctuaries and its 'aqeedah and its manhaj. They are very upset about
many actions that are in accordance with sharee'ah in our view and
contrary to innovation in their view.
Whatever the case, the shar'i ruling is quite clear, and the fact that
this dome has not been demolished does not mean that it is permissible
to build it or any dome over any grave, no matter what grave it is.
Shaykh Saalih al-'Usaymi (may Allaah preserve him) said:
The fact that this dome has remained for eight centuries does not mean
that it has become permissible, and being silent about it does not
indicate approval of it or that it is permissible. Rather the Muslim
authorities should remove it and put it back as it was at the time of
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). They should
remove the dome and the adornments and engravings that are found in
the mosques, above all the Prophet's Mosque, so long as that will not
lead to an even greater fitnah. If it would lead to an even greater
fitnah, then the ruler should postpone the matter until he finds an
opportunity for that. End quote.
Bida' al-Quboor, Anwaa'uha wa ahkaamuha(p. 253).
And Allaah knows best.