The original of the matter created in the brain: you must first read this to see the artistry of Allah!

A mighty waterfall tumbling down from on high, the boundless oceans
and the glorious, stunning mountains are all matchless works of Allah.
The stars, clouds, birds and fish are all His miracles. Most people
are in no doubt that a green forest that blossoms once again, grows
and flourishes in the spring is one of the beautiful and glorious
works of Allah.
Some people, however, regard skyscrapers, airplanes, laboratories and
computers rather differently. The fact that these are made and built
by human beings deceives them. They imagine that technology,
civilization, scientific and technical progress are independent of
Allah (Allah forbid) and forget that the human beings who are
instrumental in their coming into existence are also created by Him.
They fail to think that Allah, Who has made clouds the cause of rain
and the Sun the cause of light, has also made man the cause of
technology and civilization. They make the error of thinking that
human beings have a power independent of Allah (Allah forbid) and that
human beings invented the Internet, that human beings cause planes to
fly, that human beings invented the tea spoon or biro, that human
beings build space craft and that human beings discovered the forces
responsible for keeping planes aloft. They imagine that plasma TVs, CD
players, carpets, lampshades, cars and the products of advanced
technology all appeared as the result of human intelligence and
ability.
They make a terrible error in not regarding these as the artistry of
Allah, and forget that He created them out of His mercy.
The fact is, however, that all these things, just like the seas,
trees, flowers, fruits, the Sun and the boundless mountains, are all
works of Allah. Allah in His mercy makes human beings the cause of all
these things listed above. Allah has given human beings the
intelligence and ability for this. Our Lord inspired them to discover
these things. But it is certain that Allah has the power to have
created them with no direct cause.
And everything we see is in fact CREATED "SPECIALLY FOR US" AND
"INDEPENDENT OF NATURAL CAUSES" as Allah's sublime artistry.
In order to understand this, we need to know that the matter we see
and touch is an image created in our brains, that it is specially
created for us, specially and moment by moment, and that we can never
have direct experience of the originals on the outside.

Site of the Day:

The good and conscientious should never remain indifferent to this
ever-present menace. If this evil moves you at all and you hope for a
trouble-free world, then you are evidently a person of conscience.
Thus, before vice takes hold of you and blunts your conscience, you
should ally yourself with the good, and for the rest of your life,
devote all your efforts to this cause. Never forget that turning a
blind eye to oppression and watching from the sidelines is oppression.
A conscientious and thoughtful Muslim strives to save not only those
around him, but the society he lives in, and even the rest of
humanity, from violence, conflict, war, immorality and mischief in
general. It is clear that sincerity, conscience, honesty, compassion,
love and respect, will eradicate immorality and all wickedness. In
other words, the unity and co-operation of the good will defeat the
alliance of the evil. In a verse of the Qur'an, God gives glad tidings
regarding this fact:"...Those who believe in him and honor him and
help him, and follow the light that has been sent down with him, they
are the ones who are successful."(Surat al-A'raf: 157)

Lives of the Prophets: Some of the Prophet’s (saas) finer traits

Imam Ghazzali, known as "Hujjatul Islam," collected and set out some
of Prophet Muhammad's (saas) traits as related by such great Islamic
scholars as Tirmidhi, Tabarani, Muslim, Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Ibn
Maja:
"The Holy Prophet (saas) was the most patient among men, the bravest,
the best judge, and he who pardoned most. ... he was the most
charitable man. He did not pass a single night hoarding a single
dirham or dinar. Whenever any excess money came to him and if he did
not then get anyone to accept it as charity, he did not return home
till he gave it to the poor and the needy. He did not store up for
more than a year the provision of his family members which Allah was
pleased to give him. He used to take one fifth of what easily came to
him out of dates and wheat. What remained in excess, he used to give
in charity. He used to give away in charity to him who begged of him
of anything, even out of his stored up provision.
He did not take any revenge for personal wrongs but he used take it
for preservation of the honor of Allah.
He used to speak the truth even though it was sometimes a cause of
trouble to himself and his companions.
He was the most modest, without pride, and his tongue was most
eloquent without prolongation of speech. His constitution was the most
beautiful. No worldly duties could keep him busy.
He used to go even to a distant place to see the sick, loved scents
and hated a stench or bad smell, sat with the poor and the destitute,
ate with them, honored those possessing honor, advised them to do good
and show kindness to relatives. He did not treat harshly to anybody
and accepted excuses offered to him.
He accepted sports and pastimes as lawful, played with his wives and
held races with them.... He did not hate the poor for their poverty
nor fear the kings for their mighty power. He used to call the people,
high or low towards Allah. Allah adorned him with all the qualities
and good administration
At the time when the Quran was being revealed to him, he used to smile
most. When something happened, he entrusted it to Allah, kept himself
free from his own strength and ability and said in invocation: 'O
Allah, show me truth in a true manner or give me grace to give it up.
You guide to the straight path whomsoever You will.'
Allah revealed the Quran to him and through it He taught him good
manners." (Imam Ghazzali'sIhya ulum-id-din, Volume 2, pp. 237-241)
Evolution Deceit:
The Recapitulation Misconception
What used to be called the "recapitulation theory" has long been
eliminated from scientific literature, but it is still being presented
as a scientific reality by some evolutionist publications. The term
"recapitulation" is a condensation of the dictum "ontogeny
recapitulates phylogeny," put forward by the evolutionary biologist
Ernst Haeckel at the end of the nineteenth century.
This theory of Haeckel's postulates that living embryos re-experience
the evolutionary process that their pseudo-ancestors underwent. He
theorized that during its development in its mother's womb, the human
embryo first displayed the characteristics of a fish, and then those
of a reptile, and finally those of a human.
It has since been proven that this theory is completely bogus. It is
now known that the "gills" that supposedly appear in the early stages
of the human embryo are in fact the initial phases of the middle-ear
canal, parathyroid, and thymus. That part of the embryo that was
likened to the "egg yolk pouch" turns out to be a pouch that produces
blood for the infant. The part that was identified as a "tail" by
Haeckel and his followers is in fact the backbone, which resembles a
tail only because it takes shape before the legs do.
These are universally acknowledged facts in the scientific world, and
are accepted even by evolutionists themselves. Two leading
neo-Darwinists, George Gaylord Simpson and W. Beck have admitted:
Haeckel misstated the evolutionary principle involved. It is now
firmly established that ontogeny does not repeat phylogeny.1
The following was written in an article inNew Scientistdated October 16, 1999:
[Haeckel] called this thebiogenetic law,and the idea became popularly
known as recapitulation. In fact Haeckel's strict law was soon shown
to be incorrect. For instance,the early human embryo never has
functioning gills like a fish, and never passes through stages that
look like an adult reptile or monkey.2
In an article published inAmerican Scientist, we read:
Surely the biogenetic law is as dead as a doornail. It was finally
exorcised from biology textbooks in the fifties. As a topic of serious
theoretical inquiry it was extinct in the twenties…3
Another interesting aspect of "recapitulation" was Ernst Haeckel
himself, a faker who falsified his drawings in order to support the
theory he advanced. Haeckel's forgeries purported to show that fish
and human embryos resembled one another. When he was caught out, the
only defense he offered was that other evolutionists had committed
similar offences:
After this compromising confession of 'forgery' I should be obliged to
consider myself condemned and annihilated if I had not the consolation
of seeing side by side with me in the prisoner's dock hundreds of
fellow-culprits, among them many of the most trusted observers and
most esteemed biologists. The great majority of all the diagrams in
the best biological textbooks, treatises and journals would incur in
the same degree the charge of 'forgery,' for all of them are inexact,
and are more or less doctored, schematized and constructed.4
In the September 5, 1997, edition of the well-known scientific
journalScience, an article was published revealing that Haeckel's
embryo drawings were the product of a deception. The article, called
"Haeckel's Embryos: Fraud Rediscovered," had this to say:
The impression they [Haeckel's drawings] give, that the embryos are
exactly alike, is wrong, says Michael Richardson, an embryologist at
St. George's Hospital Medical School in London… So he and his
colleagues did their own comparative study, reexamining and
photographing embryos roughly matched by species and age with those
Haeckel drew. Lo and behold,the embryos "often looked surprisingly
different," Richardson reports in the August issue ofAnatomy and
Embryology.5
Scienceexplained that, in order to be able to show the embryos as
similar, Haeckel deliberately removed some organs from his drawings or
else added imaginary ones. Later in this same article, the following
information was revealed:
Not only did Haeckel add or omit features, Richardson and his
colleagues report, but he also fudged the scale to exaggerate
similarities among species, even when there were 10-fold differences
in size. Haeckel further blurred differences by neglecting to name the
species in most cases, as if one representative was accurate for an
entire group of animals. In reality, Richardson and his colleagues
note,even closely related embryos such as those of fish vary quite a
bit in their appearance and developmental pathway."It looks like it's
[Haeckel's drawings are] turning out to beone of the most famous fakes
in biology," Richardson concludes.6
TheSciencearticle goes on to discuss how Haeckel's confessions on this
subject were covered up from the beginning of the last century, and
how the fake drawings began to be presented in textbooks as scientific
fact:
Haeckel'sconfession got lostafter his drawings were subsequently used
in a 1901 book calledDarwin and After Darwinand reproduced widely in
English language biology texts.7
In short, the fact that Haeckel's drawings were falsified had already
emerged in 1901, but the whole world of science continued to be
deceived by them for a century.

Story, - Love Story

Hi frenzz.,i directly wanna start this story..This is a True Love
story.There was a guy name Rehan and a girl Zoya.zoya was very popular
girl in her teenage life.she was very known person.she was very much
intrested in making friends and she was having many boyfriends
even,zoya never wanted to make many boyfriends but she goes in
relationship because of her idot behaviour,and always she got ditched
by thoes boyfriend.one day when zoya was in 11th class she got a wrong
number from a guy name kaif and as usual she started talking to that
guy and then kaif and zoya became friends,talking on phone was going
on and then kaif proposed zoya and again zoya said yes,then kaif was
having a best friend name rehan who came into picture.one day when
kaif was not rehan started talking to zoya by kaif's name but zoya
dint recognised that he is rehan.then whenever kaif come rehan use to
give the phone to kaif and then kaif use to talk with zoya then rehan
and kaif were playing a game with zoya,zoya clicked that something is
wrong she said rehan that "Tell me are kaif or rehan" then rehan
accepted that he is rehan and he said that kaif is having another
girlfriend and kaif don't love you.and then rehan proposed to zoya but
as zoya was shocked so she had stoped talking with both of them.
After six month zoya was busy in her life and she was not hving any
boyfriend she use to stay alone becuase she was fedup with her life
zoya was a swimmer she went for her swimming state level compitions
their she got a call from Shifan.and shifan was zoya's ex boyfriend
zoya said to shifan that she is changed and she dont want to talk with
anyone shifan forced her so she said to shifan that she will only be a
friend with shifan.then next day she returned home from her swimming
compitions.and she saw her mummy's cell phone she was about to play a
song so she was checking her mummy's phone she saw number of rehan,she
had called and seen is this rehan's or not.when zoya called to rehan
she directly asked "is this rehan" and rehan said yes rehan said "zoya
you still remember my voice" then she smiled and said yes she asked
rehan why did he called her after so long time.he said i was missing
you and was desparate to listen your voice.she said why rehan said i
realy love you and then zoya accpeted his proposal rehan and the main
story begain.zoya was a coreographer also she started her dance
acadamy zoya was not having her own cell phone whatever she use earn
from dance class se use spent all earning on rehan's call in day she
goes on STD booth to call rehan as rehan was in mumbai so they use to
talk on phone for 1 hour and one day zoya thought to talk more than 1
hour that day while talking rehan said a truth to zoya that rehan is
in love with some other girl her name was Mehwish she was rehan's
uncle's daughter rehan said to zoya that he is not serious about zoya
and truely love mehwish and he wants to marry her only zoya started
crying and and she said to rehan that "rehan i don't have any problem
with this thing you love her and you want to marry her but the things
is realy love alot and i just want to be with you that's ok if you
want to marry her but please be with me".
Rehan said to zoya that he can't marry zoya she accpeted and then they
both disconnected the call.Then daily zoya and rehan use to talk in
same way as they were before but zoya got very upset just because she
was deeply in love with rehan she don't say anything rehan always use
to say about mehwish to zoya and she smile and listen.Then the day
when Zoya and Rehan saw each other for the 1st time.zoya and rehan
decided to meet in theater to watch movie together zoya was not having
bike so she went by auto to PVR cinema hall.rehan said zoya to take
tickets zoya was wearing blue jeans and black top and she was
purchasing tickets,while that rehan entered the gate of cinema hall
and he came near the enterance zoya saw rehan and she was very much
happy to see him.rehan dint even smile but then they both went into
the auditorium were GHAJINI movie was going on and the date was 8th
January 2008,they saw movie they accpeted each other.then again they
went for movie and this was way they use meet each other.after some
days rehan went back to Mumbai and then zoya also took a phone to
contact with rehan. ten zoya and rehan use to talking on phone whole
day rehan use to go for football practice in morning at 6'o'clock.1
day on 21st february rehan said to zoya that he will take zoya on
conference call so that zoya can hear the talk between rehan and
rehan's family nobady was knowing that it was last talk of rehan with
his mom.it was about to 8pm in evening rehan was talking with his
family he had talked to his brother,eler sister,his brother's kids and
then call connected to mom rehan did Salam to his mom and zoya also
did salam at the same time but as zoya had kept her phone on mute
nobody was able to listen zoya's voice,rehan's mom said to rehan to
eat food properly take care of himslef and then she said to rehan to
call her tommorow means on 22nd febuary in morning she wanted to talk
to rehan he said ok and call disconnected.then next zoya talked with
rehan and she said to rehan to call his mom she must be waiting rehan
said yes he will but reha forgotten and he din't called to his
mom.then next day in morning same again rehan was going for practice
of football so he talking to zoya and rehan said ok zoya i will call
you after practice a guy is staring me,zoya said ok and again zoya
said to rehan to call his mom she must be waiting for call,rehan ok
call disconnected.
As rehan and zoya use to talk whole day whole night zoya was sleeping
in morning and she kept her phone on silent,when she awaked she saw so
many misscalled of from rehans phone then she desparatly called to
rehan and rehan's friend recieved the call his name was Lucky he said
to zoya not to call again rehan's mom is no more with him and Lucky
disconnected the call,then zoya again called to rehan then rehan
recieved it and rehan was crying he said he is coming back home and he
will call to zoya.zoya started crying zoya said evrything to her mom
and her mom said that it happens its life evryone has to go one day.
and zoya and her mom prayed for rehan's mom.then next day zoya got a
call from rehan zoya handled rehan.she din't gave chance to cry to
rehan the zoya gave her phone to her mom and then rehan talked to
zoya's mom and he flet little bit good.reha said thanks to zoya that
she is with rehan and the girl mehwish din't even ask rehan for water
when he was crying she din't even talked with rehan the time when
rehan needed her alot. he said zoya you are the only girl who had
supported me at this situation.then rehan started realising that zoya
realy love him...(want to know more what happend after this keep
reading frenzz.....hope you like it.

Story, - My Love Story

I was a person who was totally against a relationship. But all of a
sudden something happened to me….
It all started in the year 2010….I know him as my college senior….I
have met him during the Orphanage visits which we students organize in
college (he was in his pre-final yr, I in second yr)…. The very first
time I met him kindled my feelings… Is this called "Love at first
sight"????... After that day, almost for a year we never talked with
each other nor texted (Both of us didn't share our contacts even in
FB)…But whenever we crossed each other in college we exchanged our
Hi's and Bye's with a smile . All his friends were my friends in FB
but he was not…
Then on the 4th week of Jan 2011, I saw his name and his profile
picture on the 'People You May Know' column in FB… I clicked on 'Add
Friend' :p…. Immediately my request was accepted and his chat message
saying "Hi…" popped out...I also replied "hi...". Then we had a normal
and a formal conversation that would happen between a junior and a
senior… The very next day he asked for my contact number in FB... I
usually hesitate to share my number on FB that too with guys... But I
dunno why, my fingers started typing my number and before even I could
realize it, it pressed ENTER… I never regretted for it thou…
Immediately after that I got a message in my mobile saying "This is
XXX"… We stopped chatting in FB and our conversation continued on
mobile….Fortunately I had to cross his bus stop while going to
college… As soon as I get into the bus I will text him and he makes
sure that he meets me and follows my bus in his bike… I will tell him
the exact place where am seated and he tries and drives to make sure
that am not going out of his sight…  We used to text daily and I
dunno what we had to talk or text. May be those were the sweet
nothings that brought us close to each other. This continued for two
weeks and the most awaited college cultural came up… All were in
festive mood… We both started talking in college whenever possible… We
both had few common friends and hence it was not a big deal for us to
talk without any hesitation or fear…. We had a 2-day college fest… and
on the first day it got late for the programs to get over… and
unfortunately (actually fortunately…!!!!!) all my friends who used to
accompany me left early and I was alone at 10pm in the night… As he
had a dance rehearsal for his program on the next day, he was in a
dance school. As soon as I got into the bus I texted him and he
replied back… he asked about my whereabouts and I told him. He asked
me if anyone was there with me. I said "No, am going alone and my dad
will pick me up from my bus stop"… And he replied, "This is the last
time you will be going alone…. Reach home safely and text me". I felt
something fishy :P. I smiled and replied "Okie..". Then I reached home
I texted him.. I waited for him till he finished his practice and
reached home, just to say GOODNIGHT… Then came the second day of
culturals… I was roaming with my friends and he was busy with his
programs... Then the long awaited program of this guy came up in the
evening… My eyes didn't take any other sight other than him… I tried
hard to keep my eyes on him being seated at the last few rows and
people dancing in front of us… As soon as he finished his dance he
came down and stood behind the place where both of our friends were
sitting…. His friends already having known that something is happening
between us, called him and offered him a place near them. And this
time I could see him without any difficulty. Our eyes conveyed the
things that are to be conveyed. Then at the end of the day, I met him
at our college entrance and just like that was talking for few
minutes. After that he made sure that I got into the bus and he
followed my bus in his bike till my stop and he went back. As he was
tired I didn't disturb him much and we both slept early that night.
The next day he had some competitive exam in the afternoon. He told me
his dad was not happy with his preparations and he wanted to revise
few things in the morning. I told him to concentrate and study and
text me after he finished his exam. In the noon I texted him, wishing
him all the best and I slept off. Evening when I woke up I expected a
message from his mobile but there was none. I texted him and waited
for his reply for sometime. No reply again. I called him from my dad's
mobile (That was our first telephonic conversation), as you all would
know, during college days we hardly have balance in our mobiles :p.
When he picked up, I heard some noise and I found that his friends
were around and I got a bit irritated cos I have been expecting his
message for a long time. I started shouting at him even before he
could say anything. I shouted for more than two mins (It was too much
for the first call even though he gets a multiple amounts of it
nowadays :p). After I finished, he started in low voice, "You know
what happened? I met with a small accident. (before I could say
something) Nothing happened to me, am fine. My bike got damaged. I
have left it in a mechanic shop and waiting in my friend's house. I
will reach home and text you." . I was dumbstruck and I said "Ok. Come
safely" and kept the call. I dunno why, but I started crying. I waited
for his call or message and I couldn't do anything from here. As soon
as he reached home he texted me. I asked if everything was fine and
asked his pardon for shouting. He said that it was fine and we then
had some normal conversations. The next day was 'February 14'. That
day he came to college little late than the normal timings and I met
him during the first break hour and asked if he was fine. I saw him
limping when he was walking. I asked if it was paining and he said it
was fine and there was a slight swelling in his knee. I told him not
to walk or strain too much and take rest. And at the end of the day we
both bid bye to each other and we left to our homes. As soon as I
reached home I switched on my system and logged into FB. Usually, I
will sign in only in the late evening. But that day it was too early
to be on FB. (I know he would log in as soon he reaches home). Before
he said anything, I started saying "Hi..." and obviously, I got a
reply. We started the conversation in a normal way and it went on. He
asked me if I had got any proposals on that day. I denied and I
bounced back that question to him again. My heart was praying
sincerely to get a NOO from him and God saved me . Then I was pulling
his leg with few girls in college. At that time, I got a forward in my
mobile from my friend. The forward was "I would like to accept you as
my ____. ". And the options were "a. boyfriend. b.girlfriend, c. close
friend, d. brother/sister, e. lover ,etc etc and the last one was Life
Partner". My heart was instructing me to forward that message only to
him and I sincerely obeyed it. (Our chat on FB was continuing). For
the first time I didn't get any reply. I forwarded it the second time.
This time, I got a reply on chat asking "What should I reply".
I said "Whatever u feel like".
He said "Whatever??".
I said "Yeah... ".
He said "U won't mistake me uh??".
I said "I won't… and u know about me very well."
He said "Okay.. for example, if I say Life Partner.. what would u say"
(The most cleverest way of proposing a girl!!)(I appreciated him at
heart as he didn't choose girlfriend/lover :p)
I said " See, no this example and all..say it frankly whatever it may be.."
He said "yes..I want you to be my life partner"
… My heart was craving for that only!!!. But still I didn't accept it
immediately. I asked him to text me and I went to bed with my mobile,
just to make sure that no one sees me blushing . I got a message from
him saying "What do you say? Sorry if I had hurt you…I thought of
saying it in college itself but something was stopping me from telling
you. But now I couldn't resist myself from telling this to you. I need
you .I love you . Whatever is your decision I will abide by that". I
said "See, you are not just a friend for me. You are someone more than
that. I frankly say, I can't accept you as a brother as my classmates
do. But choosing you as my life partner in such a short span of time
is making me think about it….. but I agree I like you. I dunno whether
it's love or not". Then he took a step back and said "Its ok, don't
confuse yourself. If you are confident about it, please let me know.
If not we will try to be as friends". That moment shook my heart and I
wanted to hold a grip of him. I said "No, am confident of it. But
worried about our parents and castes". He said "I will take care of
everything and you just be with me. To be happy, to have a life beyond
this, I need you . I love you". It was time for dinner and we both had
to pause our chat and went to have our dinner. I didn't feel like
eating. I filled my stomach and sat with my mob again. Unfortunately,
I got a call from some a person and I had to listen to his stupid
talks and scoldings because of someone else. If it was before I would
told about that to any of my friends first. But this time without
hesitating I called him and started crying and explained him about the
previous call. He convinced me. Supported me. I felt secured with his
talks and I felt a sigh of relief. He understood my situation and
didn't talk a word about our pre-dinner chat. Then we both slept. In
the next day morning, as soon as I woke up I took my mob and said
those 3 words which would have been expected by my guy for the past 6
hours. I found this guy very caring and adjustable. He knows very well
to manage me as I am uncontrollable. He never restricts me from doing
anything. He always held me in his hands and takes care of me like a
kid. He supports me in everything I do. He corrects me if I do
anything wrong and he makes sure that nothing affects me because of
it. He says that am his lucky charm as he got his job after I came
into his life :p. (Applause!!). He hardly gets annoyed with my silly
questions and actions. But I take up the charge of everything :P. I
accept that I will make him bang his head like anything at times and
even then he makes sure that nothing takes more than an hour to bring
us back together. And so many other things about him for which I
really don't have the patience to write. I will continue this write up
as soon as we both get married.
Thanks for reading

Fathwa, - In love with non-Muslim married woman�

Question:
I am in love with a non-Muslim married girl. I guess its one sided
from me. I just care about her. Is it ok for me to wish and pray for
her to get together in other life? I wish and pray for her all the
time. I guess only Allah knows how much I love her. Can I wish to be
with her in real life after death? If I do good things and Allah
Blesses me with (heaven) can I ask for her in Heaven to be with me?
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum
In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of Truth.
Dear brother, let us put a few things into perspective.
For one, you should not have let this love develop. It is not
permissible for Muslim men to have casual social relationships with
members of the opposite sex. It is normally through such interactions
that unlawful relationships and sentiments are fostered and then
difficult to overcome. Islam puts a stop to these from the beginning.
The other problem is that she is already married. Hence, marriage to
her does not even seem an option for you. It is bad enough to be in
such an infatuation with a non-married girl but it is far more serious
when this kind of attachment is with a married woman.
You must stop seeing her at once, either by changing or dropping out
completely of the class, if this is taking place at school; or
transferring to another office or finding another job, if this is at
work. All types of contact: telephone, email, etc. must cease
immediately, even if it be without explanation, since unnecessarily
prolonging it can only be detrimental. If you continue to be in close
proximity to her, then this will be extremely difficult to end.
Pray to Allah to deliver you from such a dangerous infatuation in
which you torture yourself unnecessarily. Du'as work wonders. You must
also sincerely pray to Allah for forgiveness for allowing such an
infatuation to develop.
Actively look to get married with a pious Muslim woman. This way you
will be able to fulfill the natural craving and desire of your soul
and replace this woman with a woman you are married to.
Insha Allah, if you are able to follow through with these steps, then
God-willing, you can overcome this problem.
Please do not see this as an insurmountable problem, something that
you have to take with you to the grave, even if it currently seems
like it. Remember, this can only continue if you fuel it by
communication, thoughts, and proximity to her.
The Prophet Muhammad (upon him be blessings and peace) said, "The
hearts are in the fingers of the Merciful One, He turns them as He
wishes." [Muslim and Ahmad]
Hence, nothing is difficult upon Allah. He is in control of all
things. But we must pray for His assistance.
And He knows best.

Fathwa, - Basic Fiqh of Looking at the Opposite Sex

Question:
What is the popular position in regards to looking at the non-awrat
parts of a woman (face and the hands)? (i.e. if I look at a
[non-mahram] woman's face more than once)
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
1. In the Hanafi school, it is permitted (though disliked without
need) for a man to look towards the face or hands of a woman, and for
a woman to look towards the non-nakedness of a man, if there is no
fear of desire or physical inclining.
2. If one looks out of physical desire or inclining, or fears this,
then it is unlawful to look.
3. The exception is in cases when it is unavoidable, such as for
witnesses in court or to look at someone one is intending to marry
when there is hope of the marriage taking place, but only if one's
intention is to fulfill one's objective, even with desire, not to
fulfill one's desires.
4. The definition of 'desire' is: any physical inclination of the heart.
5. It is not a condition that it be strong physical desire, or that it
be accompanied by sexual thoughts or physical arousal.
6. Lack of desire is that one looks towards them as one would towards
one's child or towards a beautiful tree.
[Source: al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya (5.329-330); Ibn Abidin/Haskafi, Radd
al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar (bab shurut al-salat )]
وعن جرير بن عبد الله قال : { سألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن نظر
الفجأة ؟ فقال : اصرف بصرك } رواهما أحمد ومسلم وأبو داود والترمذي ) وعن
بريدة قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لعلي { يا علي لا تتبع
النظرة النظرة فإنما لك الأولى وليست لك الآخرة } رواه أحمد وأبو داود
والترمذيقال الإمام علاء الدين الحصكفي (رحمه الله تعالى) في الدر
المختار: ( ولا يجوز النظر إليه بشهوة كوجه أمرد ) فإنه يحرم النظر إلى
وجهها ووجه الأمرد إذا شك في الشهوة , أما بدونها فيباح قال الإمام ابن
عابدين (رحمه الله تعالى): ( قوله ولا يجوز النظر إليه بشهوة ) أي إلا
لحاجة كقاض أو شاهد بحكم أو يشهد عليها لا لتحمل الشهادة , وكخاطب يريد
نكاحها فينظر ولو عن شهوة بنية السنة لا قضاء الشهوة , وكذا مريد شرائها
أو مداواتها إلى موضع المرض بقدر الضرورة كما سيأتي في الحظر , والتقييد
بالشهوة يفيد جوازه بدونها , لكن سيأتي في الحظر تقييده بالضرورة وظاهره
الكراهة بلا حاجة داعية . قال في التتارخانية : وفي شرح الكرخي النظر إلى
وجه الأجنبية الحرة ليس بحرام , ولكنه يكره لغير حاجة . ا هـ . ( قوله
بشهوة ) لم أر تفسيرها هنا , والمذكور في المصاهرة أنه فيمن ينتشر
بالانتشار أو زيادته إن كان موجودا , وفي المرأة والفاني بميل القلب .
والذي تفيده عبارة مسكين في الحظر أنها ميل القلب مطلقا , ولعله الأنسب
هنا . ا هـ . ط . قلت : يؤيده ما في القول المعتبر في بيان النظر لسيدي
عبد الغني بيان الشهوة التي هي مناط الحرمة أن يتحرك قلب الإنسان ويميل
بطبعه إلى اللذة , وربما انتشرت آلته إن كثر ذلك الميلان ; وعدم الشهوة
أن لا يتحرك قلبه إلى شيء من ذلك بمنزلة من نظر إلى ابنه الصبيح الوجه
وابنته الحسناء ا هـ وسيأتي تمام الكلام على ذلك في كتاب الحظر والإباحة
. ... في الفتاوى الهنديّة: (5/329-330) وأما النظر إلى الأجنبيات فنقول
: يجوز النظر إلى مواضع الزينة الظاهرة منهن وذلك الوجه والكف في ظاهر
الرواية , كذا في الذخيرة . وإن غلب على ظنه أنه يشتهي فهو حرام , كذا في
الينابيع . النظر إلى وجه الأجنبية إذا لم يكن عن شهوة ليس بحرام لكنه
مكروه , كذا في السراجية . وروى الحسن عن أبي حنيفة - رحمه الله تعالى -
يجوز النظر إلى قدمها أيضا , وفي رواية أخرى عنه قال لا يجوز النظر إلى
قدمها . وفي جامع البرامكة عن أبي يوسف - رحمه الله تعالى أنه يجوز النظر
إلى ذراعيها أيضا عند الغسل والطبخ قيل : وكذلك يباح النظر إلى ثناياها
وذلك كله إذا لم يكن النظر عن شهوة , كذا في المحيط . وكذلك يباح النظر
إذا شك في الاشتهاء , كذا في الكافي . قيل : وكذلك يباح النظر إلى ساقها
إذا لم يكن النظر عن شهوة , فإن كان يعلم أنه لو نظر يشتهي أو كان أكبر
رأيه ذلك فليجتنب بجهده , كذا في الذخيرة . والأصح أن كل عضو لا يجوز
النظر إليه قبل الانفصال لا يجوز بعده كشعر رأسها وقلامة رجلها وشعر
عانتها , كذا في الزاهدي . ولا يحل له أن يمس وجهها , ولا كفها , وإن كان
يأمن الشهوة وهذا إذا كانت شابة تشتهى , فإن كانت لا تشتهى لا بأس
بمصافحتها ومس يدها , كذا في الذخيرة . وكذلك إذا كان شيخا يأمن على نفسه
وعليها فلا بأس بأن يصافحها , وإن كان لا يأمن على نفسه أو عليها فليجتنب
, ثم إن محمدا - رحمه الله تعالى - أباح المس للرجل إذا كانت المرأة
عجوزا ولم يشترط كون الرجل بحال لا يجامع مثله , وفيما إذا كان الماس هي
المرأة قال إذا كانا كبيرين لا يجامع مثله ولا يجامع مثلها فلا بأس
بالمصافحة فتأمل عند الفتوى , كذا في المحيط . ولا بأس بأن يعانق العجوز
من وراء الثياب إلا أن تكون ثيابها تصف ما تحتها , كذا في الغياثية . فإن
كان على المرأة ثياب فلا بأس بأن يتأمل جسدها ; لأن نظره إلى ثيابها لا
إلى جسدها فهو كما لو كانت في بيت فنظر إلى جداره هذا إذا لم تكن ثيابها
ملتزقة بها بحيث تصف ما تحتها كالقباء التركية , ولم تكن رقيقة بحيث تصف
ما تحتها , فإن كانت بخلاف ذلك ينبغي له أن يغض بصره ; لأن هذا الثوب من
حيث إنه لا يسترها بمنزلة شبكة عليها . هذا إذا كانت في حد الشهوة , فإن
كانت صغيرة لا يشتهى مثلها فلا بأس بالنظر إليها ومن مسها ; لأنه ليس
لبدنها حكم العورة , ولا في النظر والمس معنى خوف الفتنة , ثم النظر إلى
الحرة الأجنبية قد يصير مرخصا عند الضرورة , كذا في المحيط . والكافرة
كالمسلمة وروي لا بأس بالنظر إلى شعر الكافرة , كذا في الغياثية . يجوز
للقاضي إذا أراد أن يحكم عليها وللشاهد إذا أراد أن يشهد عليها أن ينظر
إلى وجهها وإن خاف أن يشتهي ولكن ينبغي أن يقصد به أداء الشهادة أو الحكم
عليها لا قضاء الشهوة وأما النظر لتحمل الشهادة إذا اشتهى قيل : يباح كما
في النظر عند الأداء والأصح أنه لا يباح في السراج الوهاج .

Fathwa, - Counsel regarding relations with a girl...

Question:
I have started to feel that I love a girl. Actually I usually talk to
her and find her very pleasing and I'm very comfortable with her. But
I have never gone out with a girl before and know that it is haram to
do so and still I'm not going out with this girl but only casually
meets her. The problem is that the girl had a boyfriend in the past -
I mean she went out with a boy and had done many haram acts but not
sexual intercourse. I don't know whether she is a good match for me
since she has been so long with her ex and did so many shameful acts
like kissing and many others. What do I do. if the girl isn't
appropriate for me islamically I'm ready to forget her but its just
that I like her very much.
Answer:
Wa alaik as Salam
Islamically from the legal point of view, there is no harm in marrying
the girl mentioned in your question no matter what she did in the
past. The decision is yours. If you really love her and will not use
her past to haunt you or her or damage the relation in any manner,
then you should go ahead and marry her.
If you think her past will haunt you or may lead you to dislike her in
the future, then it is not recommended for you to marry her.
If you do decide to marry her, then you must do so as soon as possible
as it is not permissible to meet her in privacy without a legal
marriage.
And only Allah Almighty knows best.

Our On Going Test

Nothing on earth is created in vain, but rather with wisdom.
Understanding this fact depends on the wisdom of people themselves.
One whose faith and consequently whose wisdom and prudence increase,
will happen to grasp this reasoning much better in time. One of the
most important precepts is that we are beingtested throughoutour whole
lives. Allah tests our sincerity and our faith on different occasions.
He may give favours to test whether we are grateful to Him or not. He
may create difficulties, for us, to reveal whether we behave with
patience or not:
"Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and
by good by way of trial. To Us you will be returned." ( Surat
al-Anbiya, 21:35)
Ways to Test
We are to be tested in various ways. This is explained in the Qur'an
in the verse below:
"Be sure we shall test you with fear and hunger, someloss in goods or
lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who
patiently persevere." ( Surat al-Baqara, 2:155)
Our lives have indeed been planned with the mystery of our being
tested. First of all, we are being tested in our physical beings. The
Qur'an states that
"Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try
him: So We gave him (the gifts of) hearing and sight." ( Surat
al-Insan, 76:2).
Consequently, everything we hear and see is actually apart of the
test. In all kinds of situations, we will be tested to see whether we
behave in accordance with the Qur'an or with our own vain desires.
Allah tests thesteadfastnessof the believers with variousdifficulties.
One of the most important of these is theoppression of the believersby
the unbelievers. All these misdeeds, like verbal attacks, mocking,
physical oppression and even torture and murder attempts, are only a
means of trial for the believers. In one of the verses; it is said:
"You shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in
your personal selves; and you shall certainly hear much that will
grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those
who worship many gods. But if you persevere patiently, and guard
against evil, then that will be a determining factor in all affairs."
( Surat Aal-e- Imran, 3:186)
Special kind of Test
The most important point to comprehend is that all of these
deprivations and misadventures are created by Allah as aspecial kind
of test. One who does not understand this will become very
superficial. The Qur'an cites a pertinent tale of certain Jews.
"Ask them concerning the town standing close by the sea; when they
transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath. For on the day of their
Sabbath, their fish did come to them, openly holding up their heads,
but on the day they had no Sabbath, they came not: thus did We made a
trial for them, for they were given to transgression." ( Surat
al-A'raf, 7:163)
Only the individual who has wisdom can realize that he isbeing tested,
and can succeed in these tests by again using his wisdom. Therefore, a
believer should not forget that he is being tested throughout his
life. These tests cannot be passed or the heaven cannot be attained
simply by saying 'I believe'.
"Do men think that they will be left alone on saying 'We believe', and
that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah
will certainly know those who are true from those who are false." (
Surat al-Ankaboot, 29:2-3)
And in another verse Allah says:
"Did you think that you would enter Heaven without Allah testing those
of you who fought hard (in His Cause) and remained steadfast?" ( Surat
Aal-e-Imran, 3:142)

No Monasticism in Islam

The stand of Islam is, on the one hand, prohibits fornication and
adultery, and blocks all ways leading to them. On the other hand,
Islam calls people toward marriage,
prohibitingrenunciationandcastration. (Renunciation means remaining
celibate and renouncing worldly activity for the sake of devoting
oneself to the worship of God. Castration denotes suppressing sexual
desire by removing the testicles.)
As long as he possesses the means to marry, the Muslim isnot
permittedto refrain from marriage on the grounds that he has dedicated
himself to the service or the worship of Allah and to a life
ofmonasticismand renunciation of the world.
The Prophet (peace be on him) noted a tendency toward monasticism
among some of his Companions. Declaring this to be a deviation from
the straight path of Islam and a rejection of his sunnah (recommended
practice), he thereby rid Islam's conceptual framework of such a
Christian notion.
Abu Qulabah narrated
"Some of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) decided
torelinquishthe world,forsaketheir wives, and become likemonks. The
Prophet (peace be on him) told them with asperity, People before
youperishedbecause of theirasceticism; they made excessive demands on
themselves until Allah broughthardshipson them: you can still see a
few of them remaining inmonasteries and temples. Thenworship Allahand
do not associate anything with Him, perform the Hajj and the 'Umrah,
be righteous, and all affairs will be set right for you." (Reported by
'Abdur Razzaq, Ibn Jarir, and Ibn al-Mundhir).
Abu Qulabah said the following verse was revealed concerning them:
"O you who believe! Do not make haram the good of things which Allah
has made halal for you, and do not transgress; indeed, Allah does not
like transgressors." ( Surah 5: Verse 87)
Mujahid narrated, "Some people, including 'Uthman ibn Maz'un and
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, intended to renounce their wives, castrate
themselves, and wear coarse clothing. Then the above verse and the
verse following it were revealed." (Reported by Ibn Jarir in his
Tafsir.)
It is reported by Al-Bukhari and others thatthree people cameto the
Prophet's wives and asked how the Prophet (peace be on him) conducted
his worship. When they were told about it, they seemed to consider it
but little, saying, "What a difference there is between us and the
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him), whose past and future sins have
been forgiven him by Allah!"
One of them said, "As for me, I willalways prayduring the night."
The other said, "I will have nothing to do with women and will never marry."
When the Prophet (peace be on him) heard about this, he explained to
them theirerror and deviation from the straightpath, saying, I am the
one who fears Allah the most among you, yetI fast and I break my fast,
I pray and I sleep, and I marry women. He who turns away from my
sunnah has nothing to do with me.
S'ad ibn Abi Waqqas said, Allah's Messenger (peace be on him) objected
to 'Uthman ibn Maz'un living in celibacy. If he had given him
permission (to do so), we (others) would have had ourselves castrated.
(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Addressing the young men of all times, the Prophet (peace be on him)
said, 'Young men, those of you who can support a wifeshould marry, for
itkeeps you from looking at womenand preserves your chastity.'
(Reported by al-Bukhari.)
From this statement some scholars have inferred thatmarriage is
obligatoryfor the Muslim who is able to support a wife and that the
avoidance of it is not permissible, while other scholars add the
furthercondition for its obligatorinessthat he should be afraid of
falling into sin.
In fact, it is not befitting that a Muslim should refrain from
marriage out of fear of poverty or of not being able to meet his
obligations. He should make every possible attempt to find employment,
seeking help from Allah, for He has promised to help those who marry
in order to protect their chastity and purity.
Says Allah Ta'ala:
"And marry those among you who are single and the virtuous ones among
your slaves, male or female. If they are in poverty, Allah will enrich
them out of His bounty".... ( Surah 24: Verse 32)
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said,
"There arethreewho have a right to the help of Allah: the one
whomarries outof the desire to live a chaste life, theslavewhose
master has agreed to his buying his freedom when he wishes to pay the
sum, and the one whofightsin the cause of Allah." (Reported by Ahmad,
al-Nisai, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and al-Hakim).

Mutual Rights of Husband and Wife

The significance of marriage and the aims and advantages that are
associated with it are self-evident. Peace of mind and a happy life
are greatly dependent on the mutual relationship that develops between
husband and wife.
The main objects of marriage are that both parties enjoy the pleasures
of life with purity, (which can only be possible through wedlock) and
that the continuity of the human race be, and is, maintained with
dignity. These objects can be realized best when the relations between
husband and wife are good and there is love, sympathy and good
understanding between them.
Themain purpose of the Prophet's teachings, regarding the rights and
duties of marriage, is that the marriage proves to be a source of joy
and satisfaction to both husband and wife, that their hearts remain
united and that the aims of the marriage be attained in the best
possible manner.
According to the Prophet's teachings, the wife should regard her
husband over and above everyone else and she should remain faithful to
him. She should leave nothing to be desired with regards to devotion
and earnestness and should believe that, for her. the happiness of
both worlds lies in his good pleasure. The husband, on his part, ought
to consider his wife as a blessing of Allah and he should give her.
ungrudgingly, his love, hold her in high esteem and look after her
needs and comforts to the best of his ability. If she makes a mistake,
he should over look it and try to correct her with tact and patience.
Obedience And Loyalty To The Husband
*.Aisha (ra) says that the Prophet (saw) said "The greatest claim on a
woman is that of her husband and the greatest claim on a man is that
of his mother".
*.In the marriage agreement it is necessary that the husband has the
position of leadership. Man has been declared the head of the family
in the Islamic Shari'ah and great responsibilities have been assigned
to him. The Quran says 'Men are the protectors and maintainers of
women".
*.As for the women, the commandment is that they obey the husband as
the head of the household and fulfill the domestic duties. Regarding
them, the Quran says "The righteous women are obedient and protect
(the husband's interest) in his absence, as Allah has protected them."
*.If the wife fails to submit to her husband, and instead of serving
him devotedly, she adopts an attitude of defiance and stubbornness,
then it will be disastrous for both and they will be losers in this
world and the hereafter.
*.The Prophet (saw), therefore, stressed upon the wives to be loyal
and faithful to their husbands and to seek their pleasure, -(A great
reward has been promised for this, in the hereafter.)
*.It is related by Anas (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said "if a woman
offers five times daily prayer, keeps the fasts of Ramadan, guards her
honor and obeys her husband, then she will enter Paradise by whichever
gate she pleases."
*.Here, loyalty and obedience to the husband has been mentioned along
with the Salah and Fast. It denotes that, in the Shariah, submission
to the husband is as important as the principal duties of Islam.
*.The Prophet (saw) has said "A woman who dies in the state that her
husband is pleased with her, shall go to Paradise."
It should be noted here, that, if a man is displeased with his wife,
without any fault of hers, she will be innocent in the sight of Allah
and the responsibility for annoyance shall rest with the husband.
Advice On Kind Treatment To The Wife
Abu Hurairah (R.A.) relates that the Prophet (saw) advised, "O people.
Follow my advice concerning the kind treatment of wives. (I order you
to treat your wives with kindness and love). The woman has been
created from the rib, and the rib is curved, by nature, and the
greatest curve is in its upper part. If you try to straighten the
curved rib by force, it will break, and if you leave it alone, it will
remain curved forever. So follow my advice and treat your wives kindly
and well."
*.If a man dislikes his wife for some reason, he should not adopt an
attitude of hatred towards her, and start thinking in terms of
divorce, but he should look for the good qualities in her, and learn
to admire her because of them.
*.The Prophet (saw) has said, "No believing man hates his believing
wife. If there is a bad quality in her, there will also be a good
quality."
This is the claim of Faith on a believing husband and the privilege of
a believing wife.
*.Addressing the Muslims, the Prophet (saw) said "The best of you are
those who are best to their wives."
*.It is related by Aisha (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said, "Good among
you are those who are good to their wives; and I, on my part, am very
good to my wives."
This shows that there is a special goodness in treating one's wife
well. To make the advice more effective, the Prophet added that he
himself was good and considerate to his wives.

Marriage versus fornication

'The Big Chill?', a specially researched Time magazine cover story
dated February 16 1987, startled the world with horrifying details of
a new disease – AIDS. Since AIDS is infectious and fatal, it has
produced a new breed of untouchables from whom both men and women flee
in fear of their very lives. Publicity on the subject has created such
a scare that barbershops in western countries often display signboards
bearing the unlikely legend: "No Shaves Here."
Government officials have described such a reaction as 'AIDS
hysteria.' Barbers, however, maintain that even the AIDS victims'
perspiration, or drops of blood from tiny cuts made during shaving,
can transmit the virus and that it is, therefore, necessary to keep
away from them.
After making detailed investigations, Time's team of experts confirmed
that the prime cause of this deadly disease is promiscuity.
Since it is transmitted mainly by homosexuals, it has come to be known
as the "Gay Disease." This disease spreads so rapidly that its
explosion in the world of today has been geometric. Chilled by the
fatality of AIDS, one of its victims exclaimed: "What will happen in
this world, if we have to die when we make love? AIDS is the century's
evil."
Promiscuity, euphemistically referred to as 'free love' in the western
world, has brought down a curse upon humanity. It was estimated that
by 1991, two hundred and seventy thousand )270,000( people would have
contracted this disease in the U.S., and that doctors would find it
impossible to treat such a large number of patients. The situation
would be completely beyond control. The government has started an
anti-AIDS campaign whose slogan is: 'Love carefully.' This same
advice, differently worded, would read: 'Love within the bonds of
marriage. Stop loving outside it.'
In the modern age, one of the great influences towards socially
'legitimising' promiscuity was D.H. Lawrence's novel, Lady Chatterly's
Lover, first published in 1928. At the time of publication, this work
was considered obscene and almost immediately banned. Then, with a
gradual change of moral climate, permission was given to republish it
in 1959. Many young people in America were deeply affected by this
novel and, with a whole spate of similar literature having followed
it, promiscuity began to be the rule rather than the exception. Now,
once again, there is a public outcry to ban Lady Chatterly's Lover and
other such works.
Such a complete about-face has been caused by the devastating effects
of AIDS. It has forced the west to re-think the whole question of free
sex – a development which seems little short of miraculous. Swingers
of all persuasions may sooner or later be faced with the reality of a
new era of sexual caution and restraint.
People had been delighted at having discovered the key to unlimited
enjoyment in freeing themselves from the curbs of religion, for,
according to divine law, a sexual relationship between a man and a
woman was permitted only within the bonds of marriage. But now the
realities of nature are finally forcing man to forsake the path of
free love and follow the path of sexual restraint. It has taken the
fatalities of the final quarter of the twentieth century to convince
people that divine law and 'the law of nature' are one. Too late, it
has dawned on "free lovers" that promiscuity could be a killer. Time's
cartoon, showing a man and a woman encircled by a deadly snake,
epitomises one of today's major human dilemmas.
It was not without good reason that the Quran, Allaah's Book,
commanded that sexual relationships should be confined within the
bonds of marriage; it states what means:"…]Lawful in marriage[ are
chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among
those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given
them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual
intercourse or taking ]secret[ lovers…"]Quran: 5:5[
This has been interpreted by Quranic commentators as a clear
injunction to establish sexual relations only through marriage, and
that there should be no extra-marital relationships. The Quran states
what means:"…And those who guard their private parts, except from
their wives or those their right hands possess, - for indeed, they are
not top be blamed – But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the
transgressors."]Quran: 70:29-31[
Experiments have shown that this is the only right and natural way.
Marital relationships and fornication are not just matters of approval
or disapproval by religious authorities, but matters of life and
death. The married state is a blessing for human society; any other is
a curse; Allaah says what means:"And of His signs is that He created
for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them;
and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are
signs for a people who give thought."]Quran: 30:21[
Islamic doctrines and traditions which succeeded in institutionalising
a solid system of sexual behaviour, arranging and shaping a unique
Muslim perception of sexual relationships, has also shielded the
Muslim world from being easy prey to AIDS. Yet, arguing that the
Muslim world is largely AIDS free or that the epidemic has little
presence among Muslims is a mere fantasy, a fantasy that could lead to
disaster.
Most Arab and Muslim countries fall into the gap of the impoverished
half of the world, a reality that is known to be a producer of many
grievous phenomena, besides people's failure to guarantee a suitable
home and nutritious food. Poverty in many parts of the world lays the
foundation for extremely dangerous social illnesses such as
prostitution, drug addiction and others. Such problems constitute a
golden opportunity for AIDS to strike.
It is significant that the new education plan released by the U.S.
government stresses sexual abstinence as a preventive measure. This
public exhortation to observe the rules of old-fashioned morality is a
clear indication of the superiority of divine law over man-made law.
A believer in Divine Law, who errs by entering into an illicit sexual
relationship, and contracting AIDS in the process, will be considered
to have deviated from the principles of divine law. However, one who
belongs to western civilisation and contracts such a disease as the
result of promiscuity will be said to have shown the error of the
principle of western civilisation itself. The former case proves the
error of man while the latter case proves the error of the principle
of an entire civilisation.

Divorce in Islam

Marriage, as prescribed by Allaah, is the lawful union of a man and
woman based on mutual consent. Ideally, the purpose of marriage is to
foster a state of tranquillity, love and compassion in Islam, but this
is not always the case. Islam discourages divorce but, unlike some
religions, does make provisions for divorce by either party.
Allaah provides general guidelines for the process of divorce with
emphasis on both parties upholding the values of justice and kindness
in formalising the end to their marriage )see ]Quran 2: 224-237[ for
general guidelines regarding divorce(.
Allaah encourages the husband and wife to appoint arbitrators as the
first step to aid in reconciliation in the process of divorce. If the
reconciliation step fails, both the man and woman are guaranteed the
right to divorce as established in the Quran, but the difference lies
in the procedure for each one. When a divorce is initiated by the man,
it is known as Talaaq.
The pronouncement by the husband may be verbal or written, but once
made, there is to be a waiting period of three months )'Iddah( during
which there can be no sexual relations, even though the two are living
under the same roof.
The waiting period helps to prevent hasty terminations due to anger
and allows both parties time to reconsider as well as to see if the
wife is pregnant. If the wife is pregnant, the waiting period is
lengthened until she delivers. At any point during this time, the
husband and wife are free to resume their conjugal relationship,
thereby ending the divorce process.During this waiting period, the
husband remains financially responsible for the support of his wife.
The divorce initiated by the wife is known as Khul' )if the husband is
not at fault( and requires that the wife return her dowry to end the
marriage because she is the 'contract-breaker'. In the instance of
Talaaq, where the husband is the 'contract-breaker', he must pay the
dowry in full in cases where all or part of it was deferred, or allow
the wife to keep all of it if she has already been given it in full.
In the case that the husband is at fault and the woman is interested
in divorce, she can petition a judge for divorce, with cause. She
would be required to offer proof that her husband had not fulfilled
his marital responsibilities. If the woman had specified certain
conditions that are Islamically accepted in her marriage contract,
which were not met by the husband, she could obtain a conditional
divorce.
The controversy regarding the seeming inequity in divorce lies in the
idea that men seem to have absolute power in obtaining a divorce. The
interpretation of scholars in the past has been that if the man
initiates the divorce, then the reconciliation step for appointing an
arbiter from both sides is omitted. This understanding diverges from
the Quranic injunction. Any difference in powers between the husband
and his wife with regard to divorce can be extracted from the
following verse )which means(:}...And due to them ]i.e., the wives[ is
similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable.
But the men have a degree over them ]in responsibility and authority[.
And Allaah is Exalted in Might and Wise.{]Quran: 2:228[
In the following verse, according to existing interpretations, Allaah
gives the reason for the small difference in the verse )which
means(:}Men are in charge of women by ]right of[ what ]qualities[
Allaah has given one over the other and what they spend ]in support[
from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding
in ]the husband's[ absence what Allaah would have them guard.{]Quran:
4:34[
Thus, it is clear that there is a 'degree' of difference with regards
to the rights of men and women in divorce, and that the greater right
that men were given is due to their being the leaders and financial
supporters of the household. This, however, does not mean that women
are inferior to men or that they are second-class human beings.
Many of the laws regarding divorce in some Muslim countries are based
upon Quranic references on the subject. As with all human laws, they
must adapt to dynamic circumstances. Issues pertaining to custody have
become controversial. For example, Allaah in the Quran advises the
husband and wife to consult each other in a fair manner regarding
their children's future after divorce, as this verse states )which
means(:}…If they both desire weaning through mutual consent from both
of them and consultation, there is no blame upon either of
them.{]Quran: 2:233[
Some jurists stipulate that custody of the child is awarded to the
mother if the child is under a certain age and to the father if the
child is older. There is no Quranic evidence of age being a
determinant for custody. Similarly with regard to the issue of
alimony, in the Quran the ex-husband's financial obligation to his
ex-wife is mandated, but a specific formula for the amount of support
is missing; Allaah Says )what means(:}And for divorced women is
maintenance according to what is acceptable – a duty on the
righteous.{]Quran 2:241[ This is open for negotiation between parties
and should be in accordance with the husband's financial ability.
There has been much distortion and propagation of misunderstanding
about a woman's rights related to marriage and divorce. Only with
self-education and awareness of the Quranic text are men and women
able to learn the truth that Allaah has prescribed and understand the
scholarly interpretations in order that the spirit of justice is
realised. Allaah Says )what means(:}And when you divorce women and
they fulfil their term ]of their 'Iddah[, either keep them according
to reasonable terms or release them according to reasonable terms, and
do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress ]against them[. And
whoever does that has certainly wronged himself. And do not take the
verses of Allaah in jest. And remember the favour of Allaah upon you
and what has been revealed to you of the Book ]i.e., the Quran[ and
wisdom ]i.e., the Prophet's Sunnah[ by which He instructs you. And
fear Allaah and know that Allaah is Knowing of all things.{]Quran
2:231[

Artificial Insemination

Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And Allaah has made for you
from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and
grandchildren and has provided for you from the good things. Then in
falsehood do they believe and in the favor of Allaah they disbelieve?
{]Quran 16:72[. Allaah The Exalted also Says )what means(:}He gives to
whom He wills female ]children[, and He gives to whom He wills males.
Or He makes them ]both[ males and females, and He renders whom He
wills barren. Indeed, He is Knowing and Competent. {]Quran 42: 49-50[.
In addition, the Prophetsaid:"Marry women who are loving and very
prolific, so I will outnumber all other nations through you."]Abu
Daawood and An Nasaa'i[
Continuous reproduction is of a great importance in the life of man in
order for him to preserve his existence and perform his mission of
constructing the earth. Nevertheless, one of the spouses – or both -
may suffer infertility which deprives them from having righteous
offspring.
Science discovered artificial insemination as a means to treat
infertility in the husband or wife and in the case of a delay in
pregnancy in a number of cases, including:
- The blockage of the fallopian tubes extended to the two sides of the
uterus or the absence thereof.
- The presence of antibodies in the secretions of the cervix and vagina.
- Low sperm count in men.
Forms of Artificial insemination:
There are various forms of artificial insemination. However, they are
divided into: permissible according to the restrictions set forth by
Islam or impermissible for contradicting the principles of the Islamic
Sharee'ah. These forms can be presented as follows:
The Permissible Forms Include:
- Taking the sperm specimen from the husband and injecting it into the
uterus of his wife by way of internal fertilization.
- Taking two samples; one from the semen of the husband and the other
from the ovum of the wife. They are fertilized externally in a test
tube. Then, the embryo is implemented in the uterus of the wife, the
owner of the ovum.
Impermissible forms Include:
- Inserting the semen of a certain male, who is known to the doctor
but unknown to the married couple, into the uterus of a woman. This is
after having taken her consent and the consent of her husband provided
that the donor shall not know to whom his semen will be given.
- Collecting the semen of many men and donating them to the sperm
bank. Then, it is used to fertilize the woman who requests
fertilization.
- External fertilization in a test tube between the sperm of a man and
an ovum of a woman who is not his wife and this man and woman are
referred to as donors. Then the embryo is implemented in the womb of
another married woman who desires to give birth. This applies in cases
of barren wives as a result of problems in the ovaries but a healthy
uterus as well as in case of barren husbands.
Regulations of Artificial Insemination:
Jurists have set forth a number of regulations that protect the
individuals, the family and society, such as:
- Taking extremely intense precautions in assuring that the ovum is
not confused with other fertilized ova.
- The husband or someone he trusts shall attend the process of
insemination from the point of taking the sperm and the egg until
inserting them into the woman's uterus.
- Recording the data of the process in full in order to avoid any
circumstances that may lead to intermixing of lineages.
- Affirmation of the professional and ethical integrity of the
physicians and medical staff who perform the process of insemination.
The issue, from the very beginning, should be enveloped by faith in
fate and divine decree as Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}He
gives to whom He wills female ]children[, and He gives to whom He
wills males. Or He makes them ]both[ males and females, and He renders
whom He wills barren. Indeed, He is Knowing and Competent.{]Quran 42:
49-50[.

Dought & clear, - Ruling on jihaad.

Is jihaad considered to be fard 'ayn [obligatory on all individuals]
now, when the rights of Muslims have been violated by foreign
invasions and in other ways? What is the ruling on those who are not
engaged in jihaad, who cannot do anything, but if they were called
upon they would respond and fight in jihaad for the sake of Allaah,
but they are prevented by the current circumstances of the ummah, such
as the lack of rule according to sharee'ah? Please respond, with
evidence (daleel).
Praise be to Allaah.
Jihaad to make the word of Allaah supreme, to protect the religion of
Islam, to enable spreading the faith and to protect the things it
holds sacred, is an obligation upon everyone who is able to do it. But
this necessitates organizing and sending armies, lest it result in
chaos leading to bad consequences. So initiating it is one of the
tasks of the Muslim ruler, and the 'ulamaa' should encourage it. If
jihaad begins and the Muslims are mobilized, then everyone who is able
should answer the call, sincerely for the sake of Allaah, hoping for
truth to prevail and to protect Islam. Whoever holds back from that
when the call has been made, with no valid excuse, is a sinner.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet
Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.
Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 12/12

Dought & clear, - Should one who joins the prayer late recite the opening du‘aa’?

The opening du'aa' (du'aa' al-istiftaah) should come at the beginning
of the prayer. If I join the congregation at the beginning of the
second rak'ah, for example, should I recite it or have I missed the
time for it? In other words, should the opening du'aa' be recited only
in the first rak'ah, and after that should it not be recited? Or is it
that whenever the worshipper starts his prayer, he should say it even
if he did not say it in the first rak'ah?
Praise be to Allah.
The opening du'aa' is Sunnah according to the majority of scholars,
and whenever the worshipper catches up with his imam in the first or
second rak'ah, he should recite the opening du'aa', so long as he is
not worried that the imam will bow (too soon). But if he is worried
that the imam will bow, then he should recite al-Faatihah only,
because reciting it is obligatory.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If one who joins the
prayer late starts to pray, then the imam says Ameen immediately after
he has started to pray, then he should say Ameen and then recite the
opening du'aa', because the saying ameen is brief. If the one who
joins the prayer late catches up with the imam in the final tashahhud,
he should say takbeer and sit down, then if the imam says the salaam
as soon as he has sat down, then he should stand up (to make up what
he has missed of the prayer) and not say the opening du'aa', because
he has missed the place for it.
End quote fromal-Majmoo', 3/275
He also said: If he catches up with him when he is still standing, and
he knows that he will be able to recite the opening du'aa' and seek
refuge with Allah and recite al-Faatihah, then he must do so. This was
stated by ash-Shaafa'i inal-Umm, and also by our companions. … If he
knows that he will only be able to recite part of the opening du'aa'
and seek refuge with Allah and recite al-Faatihah, and he will not be
able to do all of it, he should do what he is able to do. This was
stated inal-Umm.
End quote fromal-Majmoo', 3/276
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If the latecomer joins the prayer when the imam is reaching the end of
his recitation, before bowing, should he start his prayer with the
opening du'aa', or should he join the imam and remain silent?
He replied:
If the latecomer arrives when the imam is bowing, he should bow with
him, and not recite the opening du'aa' or recite any Qur'an; rather he
should say takbeer and bow. But if he comes when the imam is still
standing and there is plenty of time, then he should recite the
opening du'aa' and al-Faatihah. This is what is prescribed for him: to
recite the opening du'aa' and then al-Faatihah, even in the prayers in
which the imam recites out loud. If there is a pause where the imam
falls silent, he should recite it at that time; otherwise he should
recite it to himself, then after that he should listen attentively to
the imam. But if he comes late, when the imam is bowing, then he
should say takbeer and bow, and the requirement to recite al-Faatihah
is waived in this case, because he is excused.
End quote fromMajmoo' al-Fataawa, 30/150
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - He wanted to help a woman become Muslim, then they committed zina and she got pregnant, then she insisted on leaving him, and cut off ties with him

I would like to ask you a question which is killing myself - I tried
to help a women for reverting Islam though before she didnt had any
religion and she agreed to marry with me but in the meantime we had
sex without marriage and aftersometime she broke with me and Allah swt
knows why she did that.
After that I repented a lot..May Allah forgive my sins and I tried to
pray istekhara and during this period she gave the news that she is
pregnant... which I told her that this is the sign for our marriage
but she didnt believe it. Instead of that she got upset and angry as
she became pregnant. Later she told me that she will abort the baby
and we didnt marry.
Now its been 6 months she is carrying the baby and wants to deliever
the child and In this meantime I have send several times of marriage
proposal but she didnt accept. I want my child back as well as her but
she is not agreeing.
What shall I do to get my child back and and I know even we marry now
the child will be illlegitmate. There fore I would like to know what
shall I do as I wana take the responsibility of the child and her and
if its legal to do so... will i lose the child? If child born does he
will have my name and am i legal to take care?
Kindly reply my answer at the earliest.
Praise be to Allah.
We believe that everyone who reads this question must learn from it
and convey that lesson to people, so that they may protect themselves
and their societies from such errors, and understand how doing things
the wrong way must inevitably lead to wrong outcomes, even if the aim
was noble. The aim is not sufficient to make actions right; rather the
action must also be free of any element of evil or corruption, as Ibn
al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: We seek refuge with Allah
from starting any action without basin it on knowledge and reason.
Talbees Iblees, p. 277
Similarly, we read what is mentioned in the question with a great deal
of sorrow. How the nafs (self) that is inclined towards evil could
take advantage of a girl who is interested in Islam, seeking guidance
and to learn about the Qur'an, and make her fall into the pit of
desire and forbidden pleasure, so that her search for guidance turned
into an occasion for resentment, anger and aversion, and showed her
the darkness of sin instead of the light of guidance. No light will be
left in the heart of the sinner; rather he will be stuck in the mire
of his sin, and what has tainted his heart of evil can hardly be
washed away except after sincere repentance, a great deal of praying
for forgiveness, and turning to Allah, may He be exalted, with
humility and humbling oneself before Him, in the hope that He may
pardon and forgive, and help him to come back to obedience to his
Lord, so that he may move beyond this dark stage in which the sin
began by forming a relationship with a non-mahram woman and ended with
zina.
See also fatwa no. 11195
Now that you have knocked at the door of repentance and have turned to
Allah, may He be exalted, you must understand some shar'i rulings
which are very important in your case; we will list them for you
below:
Firstly:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to marry a woman of any other
religion apart from the people of the Book, namely Jews and Christians
and those whom the scholars included under the same heading. As for a
woman who does not follow any religion at all, not even in name only
or on official papers, it is not permissible to marry her. Allah, may
He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (idolatresses, etc.) till they believe
(worship Allah Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is better
than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress, etc.), even though she pleases
you"
[al-Baqarah 2:221].
No exception is mentioned except in the case of the people of the
Book, because of the general meanings of the word mushrikaat (fem. pl.
of the word mushrik, meaning one who associate others with Allah).
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to all disbelievers apart from the people of the Book,
such as those who worship whatever they see fit of idols, rocks, trees
and animals, there is no difference of scholarly opinion that it is
haraam to marry their women or eat meat slaughtered by them.
End quote fromal-Mughni, 7/131
This has been discussed previously in fatwa no. 2851
Secondly:
Attributing the child who is born as a result of zina (with a woman
who is not married) to the zaani is also a problematic matter. The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "If (the
child) is from a free woman with whom he cohabited, he is not to be
attributed (to the zaani) and cannot inherit from him." Narrated by
Abu Dawood inas-Sunan, 2265; classed as hasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh
Abi Dawood.
We have previously discussed this issue in more detail in fatwa no.
33591and 175523.
Thirdly:
With regard to m of the child, there is nothing wrong with you
spending on the child who was born as a result of zina if you want to
do so, provided that this is done from a distance, by sending the
money through a bank account for example, without being in contact
with that woman or meeting her, so that the sin will not be repeated
and so that the Shaytaan will not cause temptation between you.
Fourthly:
It is not permissible for you to carry on trying to convince her to
marry. She has been put off and has been faced with distress because
of that sin. Similarly, it is not permissible to use the fact that you
prayed istikhaarah and that she became pregnant as proof that this
marriage is something good. We think that this is a kind of getting
carried away in temptation and is an attempt to confuse that woman.
The marriage that is prescribed by Allah, may He be exalted, and is
liked by Him is not something for which pregnancy that results from
haraam actions can be interpreted as a sign in its favour; rather it
begins with obedience to Allah, may He be glorified, and adherence to
His laws and commands.
Our advice to you is to stop attempting to convince her; rather you
must stop trying to communicate with her in any way, because there is
no way that you can marry her if it becomes clear that she is neither
a Jew nor a Christian. Even if it becomes clear that she is a follower
of one of these two religions, there is no way that you can marry her
because she has refused and is convinced that marriage would fail
after it has been spoiled by zina.
We ask Allah to forgive us and you, and to grant us all well being.
And Allah knows best.

Man's ultimate responsibility is to God and his highest goal is the pleasure of his Creator.

From an Islamic perspective, the purpose of human life is to worship
God, by leading this worldly life in harmony with the Divine Will, and
thereby achieve peace in this world, and everlasting success in the
life of the hereafter. Muslims look to Noble Qur'an and the Traditions
of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) as their moral guides. Muslims believe
that true happiness occurs when you are God-conscious and submissive
to God's will. Freedom is freedom from human desires and man-made
ideals. Through prayer and fasting, self-discipline and self-control
become a focus of many Muslims. This also is a foundation for human
dignity.
Almighty Allah (SWT) sums up righteousness in verse 177 of Surat Al
Baqarah as follows:
"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and
the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah
and the last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and
give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the
orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for (the
emancipation of) the captives, and keep up prayer and pay the
poor-rate; and the performers of their promise when they make a
promise, and the patient in distress and affliction and in time of
conflicts - these are they who are true (to themselves) and these are
they who guard (against evil)." (Noble Qur'an, 2:177)
This verse teaches us that righteousness and piety is based before all
else on a true and sincere faith. The key to virtue and good conduct
is a strong relation with God, who sees all, at all times and
everywhere. He knows the secrets of the hearts and the intentions
behind all actions. Therefore, Islam enjoins moral behavior in all
circumstances; God is aware of each one when no one else is. It may be
possible to deceive the world, but it's not possible to deceive the
Creator. The love and continuous awareness of God and the Day of
Judgment enables man to be moral in conduct and sincere in intentions,
with devotion and dedication:
"Indeed, the most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most
pious." (Noble Qur'an, 49:13)
The guiding principle for the behavior of a Muslim is what Noble
Qur'an refers to as virtuous deeds. This term covers all deeds, not
just the outward acts of worship.
Some of the most primary character traits expected of a Muslim are
piety, humility and a profound sense of accountability to God. A
Muslim is expected to be humble before God and with other people.
Islam also enjoins upon every Muslim to exercise control of their
passions and desires. Gratitude in prosperity, patience in adversity,
and the courage to uphold the truth, even when inconvenient to
oneself, are just some of the qualities that every Muslim is
encouraged to cultivate.
Islam warns against vanity and excessive attachment to the ephemeral
pleasures of this world. While it is easy to allow the material world
to fill our hearts, Islam calls upon human beings to keep God in their
hearts and to use the material world in moderation and in accordance
with God's guidance. The Glorious Qur'an says:
"The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he (will
prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart." ( Noble Qur'an:
26:88-89)
Charityis one of the most commendable acts in Islam. In fact, Zakah,
the annual charity that is obligatory on every Muslim who has accrued
wealth above a certain level.

Morality and Ethics in Islam: Islamic Culture in Muslim Society(Moral Stories)

The word "morality" comes from the Latin word moralitas meaning
"manner, noble character and proper behavior". Morality generally
refers to a code of conduct, that an individual, group or society hold
as authoritative, in distinguishing right from wrong. Immorality is
the active opposition to morality, while amorality is not admitting of
moral distinctions or judgments; neither moral nor immoral or lacking
moral sensibility; not caring about right and wrong.
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that
addresses questions about morality that is, concepts such as good and
evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice, etc. Ethics in Islam
or True Islamic code of ethics provides basic concepts which gives
humanity a strong platform on which they can lay their lives according
to the teaching of Noble Qur'an and Prophet's Sunnah.
Islam as a comprehensive way of life encompasses a complete moral
system that is an important aspect of its world-view. We live in an
age where good and evil are often looked at as relative concepts.
Islam however, holds that moral positions are not relative and
instead, defines a universal standard by which actions may be deemed
moral or immoral.
A major goal of Islam is to provide mankind with a practical and
realistic system of life based on good by which he can conduct his
life. It calls upon mankind not only to practice virtue but to
establish it and to eradicate all that is harmful. It seeks the
supremacy of one's conscience in all matters, so that what is harmful
cannot gain the upper hand in either an individual or a society. Those
who respond to this call are known as Muslims, which literally means
those who have submitted to God (Allah). The sole object of the
resulting community of Muslims ( Muslim Ummah) is the undertaking of
an organized effort to establish what is good and to fight and
eradicate what is evil and harmful.
Morality is one of the fundamental sources of a nation's strength,
just as immorality is one of the main causes of a nation's decline.
Hence, Morality is one of the cornerstones of Islam. Morality in Islam
has established some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a
whole, which are to be observed in all circumstances. Islam's moral
system is striking in that it not only defines morality, but also
guides the human race in how to achieve it, at both an individual as
well as a collective level. Thus, everything that leads to the welfare
of the individual and the society is morally good in Islam, and
whatever is harmful is morally bad.
Given its importance in a healthy society, Islam supports morality and
matters that lead to it and stands in the way of corruption and
matters that lead to it. The Islamic moral principles therefore,
appeal naturally to the human intellect, while elevating the pursuit
of morality to the level of worship. This is because Islam holds every
action that is done with the goal of attaining of God's pleasure to be
worship. The Guardian and Judge of all deeds is God Himself.
The concept of morality in Islam centers around certain basic beliefs
and principles. Among these are the following: (1) God is the Creator
and Sustainer of the Universe and Source of all goodness, truth and
beauty. (2) Man is a responsible, dignified and honorable agent of his
Creator. (3) God has put everything in the heavens and the earth in
the service of mankind. (4) By His Mercy and Wisdom, God does not
expect the impossible from man or hold him accountable for anything
beyond his power. Nor does God forbid man to enjoy the good things of
life. (5) Moderation, practicality and balance are the guarantees of
high integrity and sound morality. (6) All things are permissible in
principle except what is singled out as obligatory, which must be
observed, and what is singled out as forbidden, which must be avoided.