Sex in Islam,- Should Prostitution be Decriminalized?

Basic Principles:
1. Criminalising (making something illegal) or decriminalising (making
it legal, or at least tolerated) is the prerogative of Allah;
2. When the text of the Qur'an or the Sunnah are authentic in their
authority and clear in their meaning then no one has the authority to
rule over them;
3. The legality or illegality of a practice should follow the Qur'anic
maxim: "To make lawful to them what is good and forbid them whet is
evil" (7:157).
4. The honour, integrity and chastity of the male and the female is
one of the five universal principles protected by all revealed
religions.
The moral atmosphere in many societies which are increasingly secular
in outlook, and where legislation reflects the norms and customs of
the culture and practice, has become 'liberal' and individuals have
the 'freedom' to indulge in acts which give them personal
satisfaction, as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of
others. Such a moral atmosphere may justify the decriminalisation of
prostitution. Prostitution, it is argued, is not worse than homosexual
practices which are accepted, legalised and tolerated in societies
nowadays. For a man or a woman prostitute, the difference between
their action and that of lesbians and homosexuals is the degradation
of the human body by charging a price for hiring it. Those who argue
in favour of decriminalisation say that this is an activity deemed to
entertain the paying partner, as a dancer or an actor entertains those
who watch them act. After all, legislation nowadays is responding to
the notion of personal freedom and the absence of coercion in the
profession of prostitutes. This type of argument is gaining ground in
modem 'tolerant' society. The Synod Committee on social matters showed
in a recent report that it was in favour of considering sexual
relations outside marriage as no longer sinful, and this goes a long
way towards helping the second act, prostitution, win its argument for
decriminalisation.
For Muslims the question of legality is entirely outside the scope of
human power. It is purely the prerogative of Allah, our Creator. To
assign this area to a human being is to give that person, institution
or organisation the right to be worshipped. When the Qur'anic verse,
"They have made their rabbis and their monks, and the Messiah, the son
of Mary, as lords besides Allah", ( 9:31) was recited in the presence
of Adiyy b. Hatim, a convert from Christianity, he said: "O Messenger
of Allah, they did not worship them". The Messenger said to him: "Did
they not prohibit for them what was legal? Did they not allow them
what was prohibited?" To this Adiyy said: "Yes". The Prophet then
said: "This amounted to worshipping them". The Qur'an has made clear
it that no-one has an authority except Allah. In the Qur'an Allah
says:
"Do not (falsely) declare: "That is lawful and that is forbidden, in
order to invent falsehood about Allah. These who invent falsehoods
about Allah shall never prosper" (16:116).
Turning to the Qur'anic attitude towards prostitution we find that, as
with many social practices that it aimed at reforming, it moved in a
gradual way. Prostitution was widely practised in a number of forms
and it was tolerated and accepted as one of the social practices. It
was condemned in a number of early Makkah Qur'anic verses as an
immoral practice which was prohibited by Allah, but there was no
specific punishment for it.
In the Qur'an we read: "And these who do not invoke another god, and
do not slay the living soul, which Allah has forbidden, except by
right, nor commit adultery - and any that does this (not only) meets
punishment (but) the Penalty on the Day of Judgement will be doubled
to him, and he will dwell there in ignominy..." (25: 68). On this
occasion the Qur'an was portraying a decent picture of the morality of
the servants of the Compassionate and giving the severest warning to
those who behave otherwise, but the punishment mentioned was in the
Afterlife.
The same attitude is seen again in "Do not approach adultery for it is
an indecent thing and an evil way" (17:32). It can be noticed here
that the command to keep away from coming near to adultery is
explained rationally - that it is an act of degradation, lewdness and
a dangerous trend in human society. But even with this rationalisation
of the prohibition there was still no punishment.
But once the Muslim community was established and the authority of the
Messenger of Allah was confirmed and was free from subjugation to any
other social order, the rules and regulations dealing with this
deviation in human behaviour were revealed to the Prophet to put into
practice. An early sign of these new regulations came in Ch 4, verses
15-16 where it was prescribed that women who commit adultery were to
be imprisoned indefinitely until their death or until a new regulation
came. Verses 16 prescribed some sort of punishment for men who were
guilty of homosexual acts until they were deterred from this heinous
crime. Soon afterwards the final regulatory and prescribed punishments
were revealed in Chapter 24, The Light. The first verses of this
chapter set out the regulations specifying the punishment, the
establishment of the crime, the different categories of those who
commit it (virgin or married), the prohibition of marrying those who
are known to indulge in this act, and finally the prohibition and
punishment of those who falsely accuse someone of committing this
crime. The statements of the Prophet came to expand and detail all the
rules and regulations on this matter. As a result, any physical
relationship outside marriage was criminalised and punishable. A whole
core of legal regulatory ordinances became part of the penal Islamic
legal system. It is now firmly established that this act is
permanently penalised, criminalised and punishable physically as well
as socially, and no-one except a non-believer, would argue about its
nature.
There are many safeguards and mitigating circumstances to protect the
innocent and to stop speculative talk about the integrity and good
nature of those who may be involved. But these are legal protective
and preventative measures for cases where the crime was not
established, and do not in any way infringe upon the validity or the
applicability of the rules, and definitely not their stoppage or
abrogation.
The Nature Of Regulations
The Islamic rules and regulations are not arbitrarily imposed upon
human society, They follow a rationale given in the Qur'an itself and
reflects the spirit of care, compassion and reasoning. This is clearly
stated in the Qur'an, giving the general framework of the Islamic
legal system. In Ch.7, verse 157, Allah Most High defined the mission
of the Prophet in terms of these moral and rational concepts "….he
enjoins on them what is good and forbids them what is evil, and he
makes the pure things lawful for them and forbids them from the
impure, he relieves them from their burdens and frees them from the
fetters which were upon them. So those who believe in him and support
him and help him (in his task), and follow the Light which has been
revealed to him, those surely attain success. " So Muslims believe
that this is the aim of the Islamic way of life in general and of the
rules and regulations in particular. Any particular legal issue has to
be judged in the light of this general moral framework.
The Aim Of This Particular Piece Of Legislation
Beside the general moral framework of the Islamic legislation, in
every particular issue there are certain objectives to be attained.
The family in Islam is the bedrock of the social order. It has to be
built on a solid foundation which would allow it to survive the
challenges, the tensions and the strains of a life-long relationship.
It has, at the same time, to cater for and protect those who are
involved in it - wife, husband, children and all those who have a
stake in its stability and continuity. There are basic legal
obligations between all these members, those who are covered by the
term 'extended family'. The honour of those who are involved is a very
important concept as far as the good name of relations is concerned,
as far as the responsibility, both morally and financially, for the
upbringing of the children is concerned and as far as those who are
entitled to carry the name of the family and inherit its fortune are
concerned. All these rights stem from a clearly established
relationship. The safety and tranquillity of those who live in the
same area, and the eradication of the sources of tension and conflict
are also important. All these are legitimate objectives which have to
protected and realised.
The Question, Finally, Is Whether There Is Any Need, Within The
Islamic Social Regulation, For Prostitution?
The answer to this question is to be sought in the regulations dealing
with the sexual relationship. In Islam, sex is considered to be one of
the most enjoyable aspects of life. In the words of this life, "Life
is sheer enjoyment. The best of its enjoyment is a decent good wife."
In a Hadith the Prophet (s.A.w.) said: "The faithful has not acquired
a greater thing in this life after his faith in God, than a decent,
good wife. If he looks at her he will be pleased, if he asks of her
something she will oblige and if he is away she will keep chaste and
look after his wealth."
He advised young people who were physically and financially able to
marry to get married, for this is the best way to preserve young
people's chastity and integrity. Allah Most High commanded the
guardians of those who are in need of marriage to help them to
accomplish it.
The Qur'an went on to give that good promise: "And marry those among
you who are single and the virtuous ones among your servants, male or
female, and if they are poor, God will provide for them out of his
bounty," (24: 32.)
Al-Islam did not put a strain nor impose restrictions on those who
wish to get married, male or female. Once married, the financial
responsibilities fall upon the shoulders of the man. Both are to live
within their own means. If their earnings are not enough the state
should take care of them. If there is no such social system, local
communities should share among themselves the means to enable families
to survive in an honourable, but humble way.
There is no reason for men or women to claim that they have to resort
to this illegal immoral practice out of financial or physical need.
Marriage is an easy, simple, natural way of satisfying the basic human
need. Only when people become greedy, materialistic and unprincipled
do they resort to this heinous practice, which spreads diseases and
illegitimacy and brings into this world children who suffer the
consequences of the mistakes of others.
Allah Most High says in the Qur'an: "Indeed those who love that
obscenity should be spread among the believers, shall have a painful
chastisement in this life and in the Hereafter, and Allah knows but
you do not know," (24:19).
And Allah says the Truth and guides to the right way.

Sex in Islam,- What Does Islam Say About Homosexuality?

Islam teaches that homosexual acts are sinful and punishable by God.
This teaching comes not from human beings, but from the Creator of all
humans. God tells us in His own words how He punished the people of
Lot for their homosexual behaviour.
The story of prophet Lot, on whom be peace, finds mention in several
Qur'anic passages, especially Chapter 26:160-175 which reads:
"The people of Lut rejected the apostles. Behold, their brother Lut
said to them: "Will ye not fear (God)? "I am to you an apostle worthy
of all trust. "So fear God and obey me. "No reward do I ask of you for
it: my reward is only from the lord of the Worlds. "Of all the
creatures in the world, will ye approach males, "And leave those whom
God has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people
transgressing (all limits)!" They said: "If thou desist not, O Lut!
thou wilt assuredly be cast out!" He said: "I do detest your doings."
"O my Lord! deliver me and my family from such things as they do!" So
We delivered him and his family,- all Except an old woman who lingered
behind. But the rest We destroyed utterly. We rained down on them a
shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were
admonished (but heeded not)! Verily in this is a Sign: but most of
them do not believe. And verily thy Lord is He, the Exalted in Might
Most Merciful."
From these passages we learn that God saved Lot and the righteous ones
of his family, and rained on the rest a shower of brimstone, so they
were utterly destroyed. This is mentioned in the Qur'an not only for
the sake of information, but mainly to serve as a warning to anyone
who dares to repeat such acts.
Muslim believe that every human action leads to consequences. Good
actions entail good results, and evil actions entail evil
consequences. Some of these consequences may not become known for many
years after a certain action. The consequences of some actions will
become manifest only after death when one enters a new, everlasting
life.... A common mistake among humans is that if they don't see any
negative consequences for their actions they consider it harmless.
Human experience has taught us that a source of superior knowledge can
be of tremendous benefit to humans.... God, the source of all
knowledge, warns us of His punishment if people perpetrate homosexual
acts. Let us pay attention and learn the easy way.
Some will say that a person may be born with homosexual tendencies. We
say that everyone is a free agent. God lays before us two paths and
has given us knowledge of where these paths lead. One is the path to
which the devil call us. We must avoid that. One is the path leading
to paradise. We must stick to that one. Everyone experiences evil
prompting from time to time. We must resist those with all our might.
If one feels a tendency to do something that God prohibits, he or she
should seek help from a community of loving, caring, believers who
would understand his or her difficulty and help him or her overcome
it.
A common ploy of the devil is to convince people that they cannot
avoid sin. Then they do not even try. But God promises that the devil
can have no lasting power over those who sincerely seek God (see
Qur'an 15:42)
Finally, our bodies are given to us in trust from God. One should not
use his or her body contrary to the user guide provided by its Maker.
Consenting adults also need God's consent.

Sex in Islam,- The Islamic Ruling on Homosexuality

Islam considers homosexuality to be a sexual deviation leading to a
perverted act which goes against the natural order Allah intended for
humankind. It is a corruption of the man's sexuality and a crime
against the opposite sex. Therefore, the Islamic shari'ah strictly
prohibits the practice of this perverted act. This is mentioned in
many places in the holy Qur'an.
The story of the people of the prophet Lut who were addicted to this
practice, is the best example. Prophet Lut, alayhessalam said to his
people: "Verily, you do sodomy with men, and rob the wayfarer! And
practice all wickedness in your meetings," (Al-A-nkabut, 29:29). And
he said to them: "Of all the creatures ofthe world, will you approach
males, and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your
wives? Nay, you are a trespassing people!" (Al-Shu'ara', 26:165-166)
But their answer to Prophet Lut, alayhessalam, was: "Bring us the
Wrath of Allah if you are telling us the Truth." (Al-Ankabut, 29:29).
And so Allah gave them the punishment they deserved: "And We rained on
them a rain of torment. And how evil was the rain of those who had
been warned," (Al-Shu'ara', 26:173).
Just as a person who has a sexual urge should not satsfy it by
committing zina, a person who has this perverted thought should not
act upon it. In order to maintain the purity of the Muslim society,
most Muslim scholars have ruled that the punishment for this act
should be the same as for zina (i.e. one hundred whiplashes for the
man who has never married, and death by stoning for the married man).
Some have even ruled that it should be death for both partners,
because the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said: "Kill the doer
and the one to whom it was done." (Related by Al-Bayhaqi).

Fathwa, - Is this divorce?

Question:
I know of a man who told his wife that if her mother came to their
house again it will be divorce, it will be divorce, it will be divorce
(three times). His wife's mother did visit them soon after. Is the
divorce final? Thereafter, the man took a fatwa from some "maulvi" who
said that it was not really divorce and that the man and his wife
could live together as a married couple. So they did. The man has been
extremely abusive, both physically and emotionally, to his wife and
three children all his life. Apart from providing financial support,
he has never really been a father to his children and from the very
first day has not been a good husband spending months and years away
from his wife in other cities and forcing her to stay at home and live
with his also-abusive parents and brother and sisters. This man leads
a wayward life (and always has) indulging in numerous extra-marital
affairs with many women at the same time ... he has been doing it
openly, in front of his wife and children from the time they were
little. The extra-marital affairs have involved physical intimacy on
many occasions as well. He also ended all physical intimacy with his
wife many years ago even though there was no legitimate reason for it.
His wife has been patient and kind throughout this time and has obeyed
him at all times even though he has always been mean to her and has
been torturing her emotionally for decades. She is a modest, righteous
woman and has done everything that a woman can do to make her marriage
work. The children are good too and they have always been respectful
towards their father even though they know what he is like. This man
has never been made to feel like he is not doing enough or that he is
a bad husband or father, yet he does not stop leading the kind of life
he does. In fact, he tries to show people that he is a religious man
when in fact he does every bad thing he says he doesn't. He says he
never lies, yet he lies all the time and also makes his children lie
to others for him. He decieves other people, is not honest with anyone
(not even his own parents) and has recently cut down financial support
for his wife and children even though he earns well and can more than
afford to continue supporting them. The wife apprised her in-laws of
the situation after tolerating him for 30 years and was hoping that
they would be able to help guide their wayward son. However, the
in-laws took their son's side. Moreover, the man is capable of harming
his wife and kids now that he knows how they feel (since the matter
came out into the open because of the in-laws). The man has a history
of taking revenge and inflicting serious wounds on other people. The
wife and children no longer feel safe in that house and they want to
leave. No rational advice has come from any quarter as yet including
from so-called ulemas. What is the best course of action according to
Shariah? Is it permissible for the wife and children to immigrate for
the sake of their religion and their safety given that the man is
refusing to be a protector of his family and in fact is perhaps the
biggest threat to them?
Answer:
In the name of Allah Most Merciful Most Compassionate
I pray you are well and in the best of health and iman.
Given the sensitivity of your situation, you should refer to a
reliable local scholar in person. However, if the wording you have
given is correct 'it will be divorce', then these words don't
constitute a divorce. As for her and her children immigrating, she
would have to discuss this with a local scholar.
And Allah alone gives success.

Fathwa, - Pregnant, not getting along with step-children

Question:
I am 20 weeks pregnant with an unplanned pregnancy. My husband and I
have a very good relationship, we seem almost perfect for each other.
The only problem is he has two very hyper, difficult children. We have
had numerous complaints from baby-sitters and teachers. The children
love me very much and I have made it my goal number one to raise them
Islamically to the best of my capability. The problem is, even though
my husband provides a nanny I feel that I can't live with them. I get
so depressed that I wish I would die at times and so stressed that I
get shaky. This happens on a near daily basis. It has been going on
for 2 and a half years with almost no improvement. I have gone to my
sheik for advice about the possibility of a divorce but he basically
said (and I agree with this) that I am being selfish and its not good
to give the ego what it wants all the time. This is true but at the
same time I wonder how much longer I can live like this. I feel like I
have no place to get away to. I am only 20 and when I married him I
had no clue what kids were like. I feel bad and just wish that my
husband could find a wife that was more capable of handling them and
giving them love. Even though it would be heartbreaking for me to
leave my husband. At what point should I go back to my sheik? I have
spoken with him about this so many times that I feel embarrassed to go
back, even though he has openly said I can call him anytime. P.S. I am
a Muslim convert and am unable to return to my parents.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Dear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
I pray this message finds you in good health and spirits.
A difficult situation can seem compounded when one is pregnant.
Nonetheless, you seem to have several factors in your favor. First, as
you mentioned, the children love you. Second, you and your husband are
in love. Third, your husband has been considerate enough to provide a
nanny.
Working from this basis, you need to see what changes can be made at
home to facilitate a healthy environment. A rush to divorce is not the
wisest course of action, considering that you and your husband are
expecting your first child together. I would suggest that you consult
the literature on blended families to see how other couples deal with
the challenges of raising step-children and biological children.
You did marry young and perhaps did not have the time to spend on
yourself, in terms of achieving your personal and religious goals. Now
you have a lot of responsibility. A step in the right direction would
be setting aside relaxation time for yourself and special get-aways
just for you and your husband.
Your husband's role is of the utmost importance. These are his
children and he needs to step in and let them know when enough is
enough. Have you considered what may be the source of their behavior
problems? I suggest that you seek counseling as a family.
Please do not get depressed. There is great reward in being a mother
and, in time, you will be able to look back on this experience,
knowing that you gave it your all.
Finally, you should talk to your Shaykh to see if he can give you any
special invocations or prayers to make to alleviate your depression
and give you more patience.
And with Allah alone is success.

Fathwa, - Difference in way of life in our marriage

Question:
My problem has been hurting me since I got divorced. My husband and I
have had issues since the beginning of our marriage. We disagreed on
many things getting into the marriage like how big the wedding should
be. If getting a ring was the right thing to do. How big should the
house we're buying going to be. I know these could be very trivial
issues compared to many disasters in the world and I realize this now
but the point is we entered this marriage with many stresses. I know I
wanted more than what he wanted to give but like any girl in my
position I had many suitors ask for my hand with great offers. I
picked one and hoped he will give me what I want. We had nikah right
away after the engagement and it lasted for a year before the wedding.
I felt helpless because I was already married and I wondered had I
stayed engaged , would he have granted me my wishes with much of a
struggle. We have a beautiful child now but we are divorced. We kept
having issues from his mother--incredible interference in all of our
affairs...where we live, when we should have a kid, how much money my
husband should spend on me and so forth. My other issue with my
husband is that I put on hijab right before I met him. We met and got
married. I felt that hijab got me into this mess. Now I'm accepting
the qadar of Allah more that I ever did before and I'm hoping for a
better life. He handled his mother's issues he says but the remaining
issue is how religious I am. I don't and never smoked or drank or
dated. I alhamdullilah am very pretty and I know that I could do all
of that and have fun but I don't want to. Allah's path is better that
any other. I just can't wear the hijab anymore. I emotionally and
physically suffer when I go out with it. I tried personal and family
counseling to fix this problem but we got nowhere we got divorced at a
time of anger. I asked for the divorce and he gave it to me. Now we
both regret it and want to get back together but the deciding factor
is me wearing hijab. He says that he won't expect much from me but he
needs some minimums and hijab is one of them. I really really
understand his point of view and he has every right to feel that way
but I'm really confused. I told him that I always tried to force
myself to do things for him so we won't destroy this marriage but this
time I'm having such a hard time and I am not good at explaining my
feelings. He asked me to stay with my parents until I have figured out
what I will do about hijab and based on that he will decide whether we
should stay together or not meaning divorce if I take it off. I am
lost. I don't want to break this family and I don't want to suffer
everyday. I pray and ask for guidance believe me and I will continue
to do that but for the mean time what do I do? I think sometimes why
couldn't he be more reasonable with me. Out of all of his friends he
one of the most strict ones I've met and yet he enjoys his life too. I
feel that my decision will affect my life, his and our son's and it
won't be pretty. I know I must have confused you already and I swear
I'm much more confused than I ever was. Many women don't wear hijab
but they aren't necessarily not religious. He has no faith in me now
and doesn't trust that I can be a good wife. I went through a lot with
him and what got to me the most is how ready he was to divorce me
whenever we had an issue. I hope your answer will guide me a little.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Dear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
Thank you for your question.
Given the seriousness of the situation, I strongly urge you and your
husband to seek marriage counseling.
There are only a few observations I can offer based on what I could
understand of your situation:
1.You and your husband have a child together. You owe it to your child
to consider the impact of a broken home on his future. Are your and
your husband's issues irreconcilable?
2.You seem to be very conflicted about the purpose and status of
hijab. Hijab is a command from Allah Most High. To make the hijab a
bone of contention between you and your husband is a mistake. Are you
really prepared to sacrifice your marriage over hijab?
3.There are obviously deeper issues than whether or not to wear hijab.
You and your husband appear to have some compatibility issues that
absolutely must be resolved before you go any further.
4.There are valuable lessons that can be learned from this situation.
You and your husband need to decide if you can make a fresh start.
(I'm assuming the divorce is non-finalized). You both need to make the
Guidance Prayerand mutually agree to seek marriage counseling to help
you work through these issues.
5.You both need to change the way you handle conflict. Threatening
divorce every time an issue crops up is unhealthy and, from a fiqh
perspective, risky.I pray you can work things out.

Knowledge of Unseen (Ilm ul Gaib)

We, The Ahle As Sunnah, believe that Allah has given the knowledge of
the Ghayb (unseen), to the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him
peace], and that it is also permissable to say that our Prophet [May
Allah bless him and grant him peace] knows the knowledge of the Ghayb.
However, it is not possible, nor permissable to say that the Prophet's
[May Allah bless him and grant him peace] knowledge of the Ghayb is
equal to that of Allah - or even like the knowledge of Allah, since
Allah's knowledge is His own and the Prophet's [May Allah bless him
and grant him peace] knowledge has been given to him by Allah.
There are some people, who say to hold such beliefs will render that
person a Kafir or an unbeliever. We will prove, with the help of
Allah, that such a notion is not one of kufr.
Belief of the Ahle Sunnah about 'ilm of the Ghayb
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan(Allah have mercy on him) states:-
"Allah has informed His Prophets about certain things from the Unseen.
The knowledge of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace)
is more than anyone else's. Nobody can be equal to the knowledge of
the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) knowledge in the
world. The five special things of the Unseen, Allah has informed some
of these parts to the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace)".
(See book Ja-alhaq, chapter Masa'la Gaib by Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan.)
Proof from the Qur'an that the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him
and grant him peace] has been given the knowledge of Ghayb
Allah says in the Qur'an,
"These are the tidings of Unseen that We reveal to you in secret".
Surah-Ale-Imran, verse 44.
"Nor will He disclose to you the secrets of the Unseen. But He chooses
of His Apostles (For the purpose)"
Surah-Ale-Imran, verse 179.
"The Knower of Unseen reveals not His secret to anyone. Except to His
chosen Messengers".
Surah-Al-Jinn, verse 26.
"…Allah has sent down to you the Book and Wisdom and has taught to you
what you did not know, and great is the grace of Allah upon you."
Surah Al-Nisa, Verse 113.
Imam Tabari writes under this verse:
Allah TA'ALA has told the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace), you must thank Allah TA'ALA Who has informed you of what has
already happened and what will happen in the future and this is a
great grace of Allah upon you.
(Tafsir Tabari under verse 113 of Surah Al-Nisa).
The above Qur'anic verses prove that Allah TA'ALA has given Muhammad
(May Allah bless him and grant him peace) the knowledge of the Ghayb.
Proofs from the Ahadith that Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and
grant him peace] had the knowledge of the Ghayb
We find in a narration from the collection of Imam Bukhari :
Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) stood up in
one meeting and he started to tell us about events from the beginning
of this world to the end and he told us about heaven and hell and
about the people who were going to hell and who were going to heaven
and what will be their places in heaven and hell. Of course, some
people remember what he told us and some people have forgotten.
(Bukhari, Chapter Bada-Ul-Khalq.)
Imam Muslim writes that:
The Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) led the
Fajr prayer and then sat on the pulpit, and until Zuhr he told the
people of the things about the Unseen. After Zuhr, he sat on the
pulpit and continued until Asar, then sat on the pulpit and continued
until Maghrib prayer. He even informed of the dwellers of Paradise and
Hell.
(Muslim chapter on Fadial).
Hafidhh ibn Hajar Asqalani in his famous commentary to Sahih Bukhari
writes that:
What Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) told
in that one meeting is a miracle of the Prophet and this should not be
doubted.
(Fathul Bari chap on Bada-Ul-Khalq).
Imam Bukhari writes:
The Munafiqs (hypocrites- those who were outwardly Muslims but
inwardly unbelievers) made an objection to the knowledge of the
Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Prophet (May
Allah bless him and grant him peace) stood on the pulpit and said,
"Ask me what you will".One person stood up and asked, "What will be my
place in the Hereafter?" The Prophet replied, "Hell". Another person
whose name was Abdullah bin Huzaifa, (people doubted whether he was a
legitimate child), stood up and asked, "Who is my Father?" The Prophet
(May Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, "Your Father is
Huzaifa". (The accusation on Abdullah bin Huzaifa was cleared.) The
Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) repeated, "Ask me,
ask me".
[Bukhari Kitab-ul-I'tisaam Muslim chap on Fadial].
It is evident from this Hadith that the only people who objected to
the knowledge (Ilm-e-ghaib) of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and
grant him peace) were the Munafiqs (hypocrites), and the belief that
Allah informed His Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace)
of more knowledge than any one else is the belief of the blessed
companions of the Prophet.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal quotes the following narration which provides
more evidence on the Prophets knowledge :
The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) stated, "I have
seen my Lord, He put His hands upon my chest, after which everything
appeared before me and I recognized everything.
[Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol 5, page 243]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes:
A shepherd was with his goats. Upon which a wolf came and grabbed one
goat and ran. The shepherd then chased after the wolf to get the goat
back. The wolf then spoke to him and said, "Why do you take what food
(rizq) which Allah has provided for me?" The shepherd was astonished
that the wolf spoke. The wolf again said, "If you are so surprised
that I can talk then go to Madina. You will find the last of the
Prophets, and he can inform you of the Past and the Future". The
shepherd left his goats and went straight to the Prophet (May Allah
bless him and grant him peace) and mentioned his experience. The
Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, "The wolf
spoke the truth" Isnad (chain of narrators) for this hadith is (Jayid)
Authentic.
[Taareekh: Chapter of Miracles of Prophet [May Allah bless Him and
grant Him peace].
We also find the following clear cut hadith without any ambigious
meanings from Sahih Muslim:
The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) stated, "Allah
put the earth before me and I saw it from the East to the West"
[Muslim (Chapter of Excellence of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and
grant him peace]
This Hadith is a proof that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant
him peace) was bestowed with the knowledge of the whole world.
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir and Ibn Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab al Najdi write:
Suad bin Qarib recited a poem in front of the Prophet (May Allah bless
him and grant him peace), "I bear witness that there is none worthy of
worship except Allah. Allah has made you the trustee over all the
ghaib.
[Sirat-un-Nabi and Mukhtasar Sirat ul Rasool, Storey on Swad bin Qariq
by Hafidhh ibn Kathir and Ibn Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab al Najdi]
Shaykh-ul-Islam, al-Hafidhh Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes that:
One of the qualities bestowed upon a Prophet is the quality that he
knows what has already happened in the past and what will happen in
the future.
(Fathul Bari chap on Anbiya).
From all the above Ahadith it is proven that the Prophet (May Allah
bless him and grant him peace) was bestowed with more knowledge, than
any other in the creation by Allah Almighty. It is also clear that he,
(May Allah bless him and grant him peace), has been bestowed with the
knowledge of the past and future and it is therefore permissible to
say that Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) is
the trustee of the knowledge of Ghayb.
It is proven from the above narrations that Allah Almighty bestowed
(that is gave) our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace)
the knowledge of the Ghayb, so it is permissible to say that he, (May
Allah bless him and grant him peace) knows the Ghayb. Hence if someone
says that they hold the Prophet to know the Ghayb(unseen), he is not
committing Kufr or Shirk by holding such a belief.
Sayyedina Khidr (Alay hissalaam) also knew the Ghayb?
Imam Tabari, Imam Qurtabi and Qadi Shawkani quote the following narration:
Ibn Abbas reported that Khidr was a man who did all his work with the
knowledge of the Ghayb because he knew the Ghayb.
[Tafsir Tabari, Tafsir Qurtabi, Tafsir Fathul Qadir, by Imam Tabari,
Qurtabi and Qadi Shawkani].
The above statement proves from a narration from a Sahabi, which is
accepted by leading and reputable classical authorities, that it is
permissible to say about Khidhr that he knew the Ghayb, so how can it
possibly be wrong to say that Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him
and grant him peace) also knows the Ghayb.
Hafidhh ibn Kathir and Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab al Najdi wrote;
Malik Bin Aouf Nazri has written a Poem about our Prophet (May Allah
bless him and grant him peace) and has written
I have not seen any one like you in this world that I can compare with.
Who always fulfill all that he promises.
There is no one more generous than him,
When you ask him some thing he will inform you of what is going to
happen tomorrow.
[Sirat an Nabi Ibn Kathir and Muktasar Sirat al Rasool chapter Gazwa
Hawazan by Hafidh ibn Kathir and Ibn Shaykh Najdy]
We will now examine some doubts that are raised by the opponents of
the above Qur'anic and Ahadith based beliefs, and then by the grace of
Allah, will answer their doubts so that the truth may become clear,
Insha'allah.
Q) How can you say that Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace) has been given the knowledge of the Ghayb when Allah Almighty
says in the Qur'an that there are five things of which no one has any
knowledge about?
The relevant verse of the Qur'an is as follows:-
"Undoubtedly, Allah has the knowledge of the Hour, and He sends rain
and knows what is in the wombs of the mothers and no soul knows in
what land it will die. Undoubtedly, Allah is the Knower, All Aware".
(Surah Luqman Verse 34)
There are two answers to this:
The word used in this verse in Arabic is Adri, which refers to that
knowledge which someone can attain by guessing. Of course the
knowledge of the Unseen of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant
him peace) was not by guessing. Allah informed this to him.
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir (who met and briefly studied with Ibn Taymiyya) has
written in his famous commentary to the Qur'an, 'Tafsir Ibn Kathir',
the meaning of this ayaat, namely, that no-one can find the knowledge
of these things on there own endeavor. Only Allah can give this
knowledge, for example Allah gives knowledge to the Angels whose
duties are to control rain, and therefore on the command of Allah it
rains.
Also Allah commands an Angel who goes into the mother's womb and hangs
a record around the child's neck what he/she will do in their
lifetime. This knowledge is not attained by the Angel but rather it is
given by Allah Himself.
If the literal and direct meaning is taken from the above quoted
ayaat, then it will mean that only Allah knows what is in the mothers
womb but today, we can discover quite easily if the child is a male or
female by modern scanning techniques.
If the Angels have some knowledge on the five Unseen things - given to
them by Allah, why is it strange if the Prophet (May Allah bless him
and grant him peace) also has some of this knowledge - again bestowed
by Allah.
During the battle of Badr, the Prophet mentioned the names of the
kafirs that were to die the next and also described the manner in
which the companions would achieve martyrdom.
These are clear and authentic examples of the Prophet, (May Allah
bless him and grant him peace), informing his ummah about future
events, hidden from all else (ie ghayb), [Taken from Sahih Bukhari
chapter on the Battle of Badr and also Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Surah
Luqman Ayaat 34.]
(Q) Did Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) not
stop people from saying that he [May Allah bless him and grant him
peace] had the knowledge of tomorrow?
On one occasion our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace)
went to a wedding. There, the girls were singing about the battle of
Badr. When they saw the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace) coming they stopped singing about Battle of Badr and started to
sing that: "There is a Prophet amongst us that knows about tomorrow".
The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said carry on
singing what you were singing before. [Miskat chapter Nikah]
If he [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] knew about tomorrow,
then why did he stop them from singing it?
The Answer to this is:
These poems were written by a Companion [Sahabi], and had it been
incorrect, he [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] would have
instructed them to stop immediately and not to repeat.
This means the poem was right. The reason he told them to stop singing
was because a wedding celebration was taking place and he wanted them
to sing the poem that they were singing before, and secondly he did
not want them to praise him in the presence of himself. That was one
of the beauties of our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace), that he didn't like to be praised.
Everyone knows that our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace) did know about the future events up to the Day of Judgment and
even after, how else could he have told us about the Mahdi, the
Dajjal, the second coming of Jesus, the questions to be asked in the
grave, the bridge over Hell which everyone will have to cross to get
to Heaven, the Meezan (scales) where everyone's actions will be
weighed etc etc.
There are countless more proofs which show without a shadow of a doubt
that the Beloved Messenger of Allah, (May Allah bless him and grant
him peace), had been given the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen) and
ALLAH is the knower of all things!

Hazir o Nazir

We, the Ahle Sunnah Wal Jammat, believe that the Prophet [May Allah
bless him and grant him peace] is Haadhir and Nadhir, which simply put
means that he views our actions and in this way we are presented to
him. He [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] is Nadhir, since he
views our actions, both good and bad.
Definition of Hadhir/Nadhir
Mufti Ahmad Yaar Khan and Allama Ghulam Rasool Sa'eedi write:
Haadhir Nadhir does not mean that the Prophet [May Allah bless him and
grant him peace] is present. Rather, it means that the Prophet [May
Allah bless him and grant him peace] views the actions of his Ummah
whilst he is in his grave. He can go from his grave to other places
where he likes spiritually. He prays for us.
[Tawzeeh-ul-Bayaan Sharh Sahih Muslim vol 1 Chapter on Mi'raj Ja al-Haqq chapter
Al Haadir-u-wannadir by Mufti Ahmad Yaar Khan]
Proof of Hadhir/Nadhir
Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an
"O Prophet! [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] no doubt, We
have sent you as a witness, bearer of glad tiding and a Warner"
[Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 45.]
The Qur'an refers to RasoolAllah [May Allah bless him and grant him
peace] as 'Shahid'(witness) and the witness is someone who sees whilst
being present. [Mufradaat, Imam Raghib, under the word Shahid]
Allah sent the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] as
Shahid. It is for this reason we refer to him as metaphorically being
Haadhir/Nadhir and that he is not Hadhir/Nadhir in the way that are
the Angels Kiraman, Katibeen. (The Angels who are constantly present
on the right and left shoulder of every human being.)
Proof of Haadhir & Nadhir from Hadith
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes:
Imam Qurtubi writes: The angels present the actions of the Ummah to
the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] every single
day. This is not correct, but the truth is that the actions of the
Ummah are presented not every day but every Friday. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Surah Al-Nisa'a under verse 41]
Hafidhh Ibn Qayyim writes:
It is true that our Prophet, [May Allah bless him and grant him peace]
in his grave, is presented with the actions of his Ummah. This is from
un-authenticated Ahadeeth and it is not something to be surprised by,
because when our parents pass away from this world, our actions are
presented to them to view. However, with our Prophet [May Allah bless
him and grant him peace], he is presented with the actions of the all
humans and the Jins. [Qaseedah Nounia 13 by Hafidhh Ibn Qayyim]
Hafidhh ibn Kathir writes: that;
When a parent of a muslim dies, then their children's actions are
presented to them. If the actions are good then they are happy, but if
their actions are bad, then they pray to Allah TA'ALA so that He may
forgive them. [Tafsir ibn Kathir under verse 105 of Surah al Taubah by
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir].
Hafidhh Ibn Rajab: also says on this subject;
Deeds of the humans are presented in front of our Prophet [May Allah
bless him and grant him peace], that is why a person should be ashamed
of themselves from doing bad deeds. [Lataef-ul-Mahrif Hafidhh Ibn
Rajab pg 91]
Some people may have difficulty in comprehending how the Prophet [May
Allah bless him and grant him peace] could have so much power to the
extent that he views the actions of his Ummah every day or once a
week. Firstly such a thing can never be difficult for the Prophet [May
Allah bless him and grant him peace], and secondly there is nothing to
be surprised by when Allah grants his special servants abilities of
such nature.
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes:
An example of this would be of the Angel Izra'eel Alaihi salaam, who
at all times has the Lawh-e-Mahfooz (guarded tablet) in his sight, and
it is through this he sees the whole world. He even visits every house
on land and under water five times a day. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah
Sajdah, under verse 11. Also in Tareek Ibn Kathir vol.1, Chapter on
Lawh-e-Mahfooz]
Apart from his servants, Allah has even given power to Shaytaan, who
sits on his throne in the sea and sees you wherever you may be. [Surah
Al-'Araaf, under verse 27]
So if Allah can bestow such powers to a Kafir then why is it so
difficult to believe that He can bestow such powers to the most
beloved of his creation - Our Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant
him peace]?
The evidence provided above, was to demonstrate that the Prophet [May
Allah bless him and grant him peace] is a witness over the whole of
his Ummah - and this is what is meant by Hadhir/Nadhir.
The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] stated:
"My life is better for you, you narrate Ahadith and Ahadith are
narrated for you. When I pass away it will continue to benefit you
because your actions will be presented before me. If I see a good deed
I shall praise Allah Soobha Nahu Wata'ala, If I see a bad deed of
yours I shall ask Allah Soobha Nahu Wata'ala to forgive you.
[Majma-uz-Zwaa'id, vol.9, pg.24]
All this implies, that the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him
peace] is Hadhir/Nadhir over our actions.
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes: On the Day of Judgment, the Prophet [May
Allah bless him and grant him peace] will be a witness over our
actions and the actions of the previous Ummahs. Even the Ummah of the
Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] will bear witness to
the fact that the previous Prophets conveyed the message of Allah
Soobha Nahu Wata'la to their respective Ummahs. To this, the people
from the previous Ummahs will say: 'How can they testify when they
were not present at that time?' The Ummah of the Prophet [May Allah
bless him and grant him peace] will reply: 'We were informed by our
Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] that the previous
messengers had all conveyed the message from Allah Soobha Nahu
Wata'ala.' Then RasoolAllah [May Allah bless him and grant him peace]
will himself bear witness to the fact that all the Prophets before him
had conveyed their message from Allah Soobha Nahu Wata'ala to their
respective Ummahs. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Baqarah, under verse 143]
On the Day of judgment there will be an objection to the certification
of the Ummahs ,but there will be no objection to the
word/certification of the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him
peace]. In fact it will used as a decision, since the certification of
the Ummah would be from what they heard (from Qur,an and Sunnah) but
the certification of the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him
peace] will be from what he had witnessed.
Imam Bukhari Rahmatullah states:
The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] saw all the
previous Prophets and their followers. This is the difference in the
testimony of the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] and
that of his Ummah. [Sahih al Bukhari Chptr Al-Manaqib]
From the above, it can be understood that the witness of Prophet
Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] will not be
challengable on the Day of Judgement, because his witness will be
observable.

Death of PROPHETS

There are those misinformed people who believe that the Ahl as-Sunnah
Wa'l Jama actually believe that the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless
him and grant him peace) did not die!! What a gross accusation!! The
true belief of the Ahle Sunnah wa'l Jama, is that the Prophet (May
Allah bless him and grant him peace), did die, but he is alive in his
grave.
It is in the grave, that the Prophet Muhammad, (May Allah bless him
and grant him peace), is presented with our deeds, and makes
supplication on behalf of the Ummah. This will be looked into further
in another chapter of the book, Insha Allah. There are also instances,
where the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) will
appear in our dreams and comfort us with good news and glad tidings.
We also believe, that to send Salaam [salutations] to our Prophet (May
Allah bless him and grant him peace), will be met with a reply back.
There are many narrations that support this, which will be discussed
later on in this book.
Blasphemic Belief
A great Scholar of the Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l Jama, Sayyid Ahmad Sa'eed
Shah Kaazmi, writes:
'The one who states that the Soul of the Prophet, (May Allah bless him
and grant him peace), was not taken and he never died, is a Kafir and
is out of the circle of Islam.
[Hayaat-un-Nabi, p8 by Sayyid Ahmad Sa'eed Shah Kaazmi]
This is the belief of the Ahle Sunnah wal Jammat but the people who
say the Ahle Sunnah believe, that Prophet Muhammad, (May Allah bless
him and grant him peace). has not passed away is a false accusation on
us.
Shaykh ul Makkah, Shaykh Alawi says that the meaning of the Anbiya
(Prophets) passing away, means that they have been taken away from us
and we cannot see them just like the Angels are.
(Mafaheem page 165 by Shaykh Alawi Malki).
Proof that Prophets are alive.
Allah most High says in the Qur'aam,
"…those who have been slain in the way of Allah never think of them as
dead; but they are alive with their Lord, get their subsistence"
[Surah Al-Imran verse 169]
Of course, it goes without saying that the position of the Prophets,
(May Allah bless them and grant them peace) is above and beyond the
status of those who are martyred in Allah's way. This however
implicates, that nevertheless, he (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace) is alive too.
Qadi Shawkawni writes:
In the Qur'an it is mentioned that martyrs are alive and food is
provided for them; The Prophets and Righteous people are a lot higher
in status than them so what will be their place? It has been proven
through Ahadeeth that Prophets are alive in their graves. Both Imam
Tirmizi and Imam Bayhaqi have said that this is an authentic Ahadith.
[Nayl al-Awtar vol 3 page 82 by Qadi Shawkani]
Proof from the Hadith that Prophets are alive in their graves
Our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), said: On the
night of Mi'raj when I passed Prophet Musa's (Alay hissalaam) grave.
He was standing in his grave and offering Salaah.
[Muslim chapter Fadhail Musa]
Qadi Shawkawni writes:
Scholars agree that our Prophet, (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace), is alive in his grave and the earth does not eat the bodies of
the Prophets.
[Nayl al-Awtar chapter Hajj by Qadi Shawkani]
Hafidhh Ibn Qayyim writes:
Our Prophet, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), has said that
on Fridays send as much Blessings as you can on me. If when-one sends
Blessings to me, where-ever he may be his voice will reach me. The
Companions said even after your death, our 'Prophet, (May Allah bless
him and grant him peace), replied affirmative. This is because Allah
most High, has made the bodies of the Prophets haram (forbidden) for
the earth to eat.
[Jala ul Afham page 63 by Hafidhh Ibn Qayyim]
Imam Darimi writes
'Sa'eed Ibn Al-Musayyib says, "In the days of Harrah (When Yazeed
attacked Madina.) For three days in Masjid-e-Nabavi there was no
Adhan, or Iqamah, I was in the Mosque alone. I heard from the grave
our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), grave the
Adhan, and that's how I knew the time of Salaah"
[Darimi Chapter Fadhail Sayedul-Mursalin by Imam Darimi]
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah says:
A group of people heard the answer of their Salaam. And Sa'eed Ibn Al-
Musayyib in the days of Harrah heard the voice of our Prophet (May
Allah bless him and grant him peace), saying the Adhan, from the
grave. And there are more events like these and they are all true.
[Iqtidah Siratul-Mustakeem page 373 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes:
Abdullah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with Him, said that in his
dream he saw the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace),
and upon him there was dust from travelling. In his hand' was a bottle
in which there was blood, I asked him: "what is this?" He replied, "My
grandson Hussain and his companions have been martyred, and I have
collected the blood spilt by them and I shall present this blood to
Allah Ta'ala." This is an authentic narration.
Ummul Mu' mineen Salma states: I saw the Messenger of Allah, (May
Allah bless him and grant him peace), in my dream, there was dust upon
his hair and beard, I asked him: "O Messenger of Allah why is there
dust on you?" He replied: 'I am returning from Kerbala.
[Tarikh Ibn-e-Kathir, chapter Karbala]
The pious can talk after passing away.
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes:
Zaid bin Kharjah was one of the pious that talked after his death.
When he died and was placed in his coffin, he started to talk, and he
said I bear witness that Muhammad is Prophet of Allah and his name
Ahmad was mentioned in the previous scriptures. (Old Testament and New
Testament) and Abu Bakr and Umar were two Caliphs and now it is
Usman's government. Four years have passed and there are two years to
go and conflicts will come and Muslims will become weak. A lot of
scholars verify this narration including Imam Bukhari and Imam
Bayhaqi. There was another pious person who talked after his death.
Abdullah Ansari reports that in the time of Ali's caliphate I was
walking among the martyred and a person spoke: That Muhammad (May
Allah bless him and grant him peace), and
Abu-Bakar and Usman are all true. A group of Scholars says that
talking after passing away is true and these are authentic narrations.
[Tareek Ibn Kathir and Sirat un-Nabi, chapter Al-Mujazaat by Hafidhh
Ibn Kathir. Also Tareekh ul Kabeer, Tareekh Bagdad, Al-Jahrhu-Tadeel,
Tahdeed al Tahdeeb, Usdul Gaba, Al Asabah biography of Zaid bin
Kharjah by Imam Bukhari, Khateeb Ibn abi Hatam, Hafidhh Ibn Hajr
Asqalani, Imam Ibn Atheer].
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes:
That there was a Tabi'ee called Ribee bin Harraash, and he said I will
not laugh until I know whether I am going to go to Heaven or Hell.
When he died, and was bathed and placed in the coffin, he started to
smile and started to talk. He said, "I met Allah and He was pleased
with me and I asked him to give me permission to go back to the people
and tell them that Allah is pleased with me, and He gave me
permission. I am going back. "This is in accordance with saying of
the, Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), he said that,
there will be a follower and after his death he will speak and he will
be the best among the tabi'een.
[Tareekh Ibn Kathir, Sirat un Nabi chap on Miracles, Tareekh e Bagdad,
Tahdeeb at Tahdeeb, Al Jahr hu wa Ta'deel by Hafidhh Ibn Kathir,
Khateeb Baghdadi, Hafidhh Asqalani, Imam Ibn abi Khatam, biography of
Ribee bin Harraash].
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes: that;
Ata Bin Khalid stated: My Aunt went to the grave of Hamza (May Allah
be well pleased with him) and said, "Asslam u alaikum!" She heard the
answer of the Sallam and the voice was coming from under the earth.
She said, "I recognised the answer of my Salaam, as I recognise that
Allah most High has created me. As I recognise the differences between
day and night, that is how clear it was. Besides my slave and I there
was no other person, which is why I was frightened."
[Sirat un-Nabi chapter War Uhad by Hafidhh Ibn Kathir]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes:
A young person used to come to the Mosque for his prayers. One day a
woman with bad intentions invited him to her house, when he was in her
house he recited a verse from the Holy Qur'an loudly and collapsed and
died from the fear of Allah. The people prayed the funeral prayer and
buried him. Umar may Allah be well pleased with him, asked: 'Where is
that young individual who used to come to the Mosque for his prayers?'
They replied: 'He passed away and we have buried him'. Umar May Allah
be well pleased with him, went to his grave and called out to him and
recited a verse from the Holy Qur'an: 'But for him who fears to stand
before his Lord there are two Paradises' (Surah Al-Rahman, verse 46)
The young man replied from his grave 'Indeed Allah has given me two
Paradises'. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir under Surah Al-'Araf, verse 202]
It is proven that our Prophet, (May Allah bless him and grant him
peace), is alive in his grave.Sheikh ul Makkah, Shiekh Alawi says that
the passing away of the Prophets only means that they have been taken
away from us and we cannot see them, just as we cant see the angels.
(Mafahim page 165 Sheikh Alawi Malki)
From the above we can conclude that the Prophets and the Righteous
people are alive and can talk after they have passed away, and they
can answer our Salaams after passing away. They are fully aware of the
worldly matters, through the power that Allah most High, has granted
them. Their life is much better than ours.
Whatever I have said may Allah Ta'ala accept this and if there is any
mistakes may He forgive me. (Amin)

Women site, - What Do Scholars Say about Intermixing? - I

• Imaam Ash-Shaafi'i, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said in his book
Al-Umm, "I do not like women to be buried with men in a single grave
as long as there is no necessity. However, if this is necessary, then
the man should be in front and the woman in the back along with a
separator of dust between them."
Imaam Ash-Shaafi'i, may Allaah have mercy upon him, hated mixing men
and women even if they were dead in the grave not feeling the presence
of one another, so, what should we say about college students who sit
with the boy's thigh stuck to his girlfriend's thigh while they are
alive, with desire running in their veins and each of them wants the
other?
• Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said in At-Turuq
Al-Hukmiyyah fi As-Syaasah Ash-Shar'iyyah:
Some Islamic jurists rightly stated that it is allowable for the ruler
)concerned authorities( to spoil the clothing of women who
impermissibly expose their adornment with ink or so if this is
suitable. This is considered the least financial punishment, as the
Commander of the Believers 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be
pleased with him, prevented women from walking with men or intermixing
with them in the roads.
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said in
Al-Fataawa )15/297(,"Unlike the man, the woman should be protected and
preserved; hence, she was specified with the command to wear the
Hijaab )Islamic covering( and refrain from showing her adornment
before non-Mahram )marriageable( men. Therefore, she, unlike the man,
must abide in her house and must abide by Hijaab, because the
appearance of women without necessity causes temptation, and men are
in charge of them."
• Shaykh Ahmad Shaakir, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
Imaam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy upon him, narrated on the authority
of Umm Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with her, that she said, "O
Messenger of Allaah, why are we not allowed to perform Jihaad )armed
struggle( like men? Why do we receive half the share of inheritance
available to males?" Thereupon, Allaah The Almighty revealed )what
means(:}And do not wish for that by which Allaah has made some of you
exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for
women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allaah of his
bounty. Indeed Allaah is ever, of all things, knowing.{]Quran 4:32[
Shaykh Ahmad Shaakir, may Allaah have mercy upon him, commented on
this Hadeeth )narration( saying, "This Hadeeth refutes the allegations
made by the contemporary liars who are keen on spreading immorality
among the believers to be as immoral as the non-Muslims. They
encourage women to leave their houses to enlist in the army, where
their arms and thighs are exposed and their front and back are shown,
intending, in fact, to entertain the young soldiers who are deprived
of women in the army; in imitation of the dissolute Jews and
Westerners, may the successive curses of Allaah be upon them until the
Day of Judgment."
• Dr. Saalih ibn Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan said in his book Rulings
Pertaining to Muslim Women:
Today, the enemies of Islam - rather, the enemies of humanity,
including the disbelievers and hypocrites who have a disease in their
hearts -- are embittered by the chastity and honorable status of the
Muslim woman under Islam.
That is because the enemies of Islam want women to serve as a tool of
destruction and a trap by which they can seduce and prey on those who
have weak faith and those who have a perverted nature, after getting
her to fulfill their frenzied desires. Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}Allaah wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow
]their[ passions want you to digress ]into[ a great deviation.{]Quran
4:28[
The Muslims who have a disease in their hearts want the woman to be a
cheap commodity displayed before lascivious people. They want her to
be an object, exposed before their eyes so they can enjoy her beauty
or reach of her what is uglier than that.
That is why they endeavor to get the woman out of her house to work
side by side with men, or to serve men as a nurse in hospitals, a
stewardess on board planes, a teacher or professor in mixed schools,
an actress or singer in theaters, or a broadcaster in the mass media
where she would seduce men by her voice and beauty.
Immoral magazines have taken seductive pictures of girls as a means
for promoting and marketing themselves. Similarly, some businessmen
and companies exploit such pictures to promote their products.
These conspiracies led women to abandon their natural and true duty
inside her house, which forced husbands to hire foreign female maids
to raise their children and take care of the affairs of their
households, and this has resulted in great evil and much temptation.

Women site, - What Do Scholars Say about Intermixing? - II

• Shaykh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy upon him, answering the
advocates of permissiveness and necessity of intermixing between the
sexes:
In answer to the Director of San'aa' University, Abdul-'Azeez
Al-Muqaalih, who wrote an article in As-Siyaasah newspaper in
24/7/1404 AH, calling for intermixing between the sexes in educational
institutions, arguing that both men and women used to perform prayer
in the same mosque during the lifetime of the Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy upon him,
said:
There is no doubt that this call represents a serious violation of the
Islamic Sharee'ah )Islamic legislation(, because the Sharee'ah does
not call for intermixing between the sexes but rather forbids it and
stresses such forbiddance. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
•}And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as ]was[ the
display of the former times of ignorance.{]Quran 33:33[
•}O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the
believers to bring down over themselves ]part[ of their outer
garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be
abused. And ever is Allaah Forgiving and Merciful.{]Quran 33:58[
•}And tell the believing women to reduce ]some[ of their vision and
guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that
which ]necessarily[ appears thereof and to wrap ]a portion of[ their
head covers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to
their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons,
their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their
sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or
those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are
not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp
their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And
turn to Allaah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might
succeed.{]Quran 24:31[
•}And when you ask ]his wives[ for something, ask them from behind a
partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.{]Quran
33:53[
There are many other verses in the Quran calling women to remain in
their houses for fear of temptation, as long as there is no necessity
for them to leave the house.
It was narrated on the authority of Usaamah ibn Zayd, may Allaah be
pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
said:"I am not leaving behind me a more harmful temptation for men
than women."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
It was also narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, may
Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, said:"The world is sweet and green )alluring(; and verily,
Allaah is making you succeed each other, generation after generation
in order to see how you act. So, beware of this world and beware of
women, for they were the first trial of Banu Israel."]Muslim[
It is known that when male and female students sit at the same desk,
this causes temptation, particularly when the female students do not
adhere to the Hijaab )Islamic covering(. There was no intermixing
between men and women during the lifetime of the Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam -- neither in the mosque nor in markets; rather,
rows of women were always behind those of men. The Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The best of the men's rows )in
prayer( is the first row and the worst is the last; and the best of
the woman's rows is the last and the worst is the first."The Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, also used to command his Companions to
wait for a while until the women had left the mosque. He also
commanded women not to walk in the middle of the road, and used to go
to the women to preach to them after the men at the conclusion of the
'Eed prayer because they were at a distance, unable to hear the
Khutbah )sermon(.
• Shaykh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy upon him, also said in answer
to Al-Jazeerah newspaper, issued in 15/4/1403 AH, where some writers
suggested mixed education in elementary schools:
This is a very dangerous and evil suggestion. It was narrated on the
authority of 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas, may Allaah be pleased
with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
said:"Command your children to perform prayer when they are seven
years old, and beat them for )not offering( it when they are ten, and
separate them in beds."]Abu Daawood[
The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, commanded us to prevent
boys and girls from sharing the same bed after the age of ten because
such intermixing may lead to immorality.
• Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked the
following question:"I am a young man from a rich family. I study at a
mixed school and this helped me establish shameful relationships with
girls. I have committed many sins and I want to know what I should do
to get rid of my misery. Is there repentance for me? What are the
conditions of repentance?"
In his response to this question, Shaykh ibn 'Uthaymeen, may Allaah
have mercy upon him, called upon rulers to protect their people from
the causes of evil and temptation, particularly the Fitnah )trial( of
intermixing between the sexes. In addition to sincere intention and
true determination, this can be achieved through establishing schools,
institutes, and universities only for girls. Women have the right to
learn just as men, but they must be separated from men.
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported, "A
woman came to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
and said, "O Messenger of Allaah! Only men benefit from your
teachings, so please devote some of your time to us; a day on which
we may come to you so that you may teach us about what Allaah The
Almighty has taught you." The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
said:"Gather on such-and-such a day at such-and-such a place."They
gathered and he went to them and taught them what Allaah The Almighty
had taught him". ]Al-Bukhaari[
This apparently proves that a special place should be dedicated to the
education of women, since the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
did not tell them to attend with men.
• Dr. Muhammad Ismaa'eel Al-Muqaddim said in his book 'Awdat Al-Hijaab:
The example of those who underestimate the matter of prohibited
intermixing between men and women under the pretext that they are
habituated to adherence to chastity and virtue, is that of a people
who put an amount of gunpowder near a lighted fire and then claim that
there will not be an explosion because there is a warning written on
the gunpowder that it should not burn. This is merely illusion that is
removed from reality because it contradicts the nature of things.
Those who invented intermixing are now suffering from its catastrophic
results and calling to have it cancelled.

Women site, - Precious Pearls: Umm Shurayk

Have you heard about the pearl whose name is Umm Shurayk, may Allaah
be pleased with her? She was one of the early converts to Islam along
with her husband. Come and attentively hear what she says. She relates
her story by herself and says,
When I embraced Islam, I heard a Hadeeth )narration( from the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, who does not talk from his own
inclinations, in which he said:"A person who calls to something good
or guidance will receive a reward equal to )the reward of( those who
act accordingly, while nothing of their reward is diminished."
Therefore, she wanted to call many people to Islam so that her act
would be added to the record of her righteous deeds. She wanted her
scale to be heavy before the Lord of mankind. Therefore, she went into
houses secretly and said to people, 'Bear witness that there is no God
but Allaah The Almighty and you will be successful.' She went to the
house of so-and-so and said, 'Bear witness that there is no God but
Allaah The Almighty and you will be successful.'
After a few days she became well-known and people knew that she had
changed her religion. She adds, 'My husband's family entered upon me
with their eyes full of evil, angry and snarling. They said to me,
"Have you embraced the religion of Muhammad?"'
Imagine a weak and submissive woman attacked by people who were
threatening her in this terrible way. You may feel sympathy for her,
but by Allaah The Almighty, we in fact need sympathy, not her. They
said to her, "Have you embraced the religion of Muhammad?" She
replied, "Yes. By Allaah, I am a Muslim." She said so with all glory
and steadfastness. They replied, "That is not a problem at all. We
swear to make you forget this life's pleasure." They left and shortly
thereafter they returned.
She added, "They tied me and carried me on a camel, which was the
worst and harshest of their mounts. They led me to the desert. When
the sun was very hot, they pitched their tents and shelters and left
me on the camels' back, tied and suffering." She was expecting death
at any time; however, she was patient to satisfy the Lord of The
Worlds.
She added, "When the first day passed, I was certain that I would not
remain alive until the following day. However, Allaah The Almighty
kept me alive. On the second day, they did the same. They prevented me
from drinking any water. They presented me bread and honey but
prevented me from having water. They continued in this way until my
saliva had dried up and I saw death with my very eyes."
She turned around with her eyes and wished with her heart hoping a
merciful hand would give her a sip of water to moisten her veins and
quench her thirst. Feel free to say anything about her feelings and
form any opinion about her, as you like. However, be certain that she
was of a different status.
She said, "When the days passed, I started to lose my hearing, mind
and sight. On the third day, I was absolutely certain that I would die
and meet the Lord of The Worlds and that I would not live until the
next day. While I was in this miserable state, my husband's family
came to me and I did not understand what they said. Nevertheless, I
heard them saying, 'Abandon Muhammad's religion and Islam and we will
relieve your pain and suffering.'
She said, "I wanted to make my lips move but they could not move. I
wanted to utter something with my tongue but it did not move. I wanted
to raise my hand. I wanted to open my eyes. But none responded to me.
When I wanted to lift my hand, it was as if mountains were upon it.
Finally, it moved by strength and power from Allaah The Almighty. I
lifted it until I pointed to the sky signaling that there is no God
but Allaah and telling them to do whatever they wanted."
While she was in this state and was badly affected by thirst under the
heat of the sun whose rays were enough to melt rocks, she was tied on
a camel's back whose hump nearly broke her back. However, she knew
that being merely dipped in Paradise would make her forget the
suffering of many years.
She explained,
While I was in this state, I felt the coldness of a bucket of water on
my chest. Shortly thereafter I had a drink of it and then it was taken
away. No sooner were my veins wetted, than I started to revive again
and some of my hearing and sight returned to me. I looked to see a
cloud above my head. There was a bucket hanging between the heavens
and the earth. It descended again, I had a drink from it and then it
was taken away. Then, I had a drink, and it was taken away. Then cold
water was poured on me as if it was Paradise. This wetted my head and
clothes.
My husband's family then came and saw drops of water dribbling from
the camel and wetting the ground, they said, "Woe unto you! O enemy of
Allaah! From where did you get this water?" Then my tongue moved and
my lips uttered and said, "I am not the enemy of Allaah The Almighty.
The enemy of Allaah The Almighty is he whom Allaah The Almighty
created, bestowed favor on and then he disobeys Him. The enemy of
Allaah The Almighty is he who associates others in worship beside
Him."
They moved to their water skins to see who opened them and gave her
water. There, however, they discovered the certain news. They found
their skins firmly closed and had been neither opened nor touched.
They returned counting their steps and mumbling. When they reached
her, they said only one statement, "By Allaah! Indeed The One who
provided you with water in the very place where we deprived you of it
is The True God, we bear witness that there is no God but Allaah."
Then their voices became higher and they repeated shouts of Allaahu
Akbar )Allaah is The Greatest(. Then, hands were lifted pointing out
that there is no Creator but the One who lifted the heavens. Allaah
The Exalted Says )what means(:}And whoever fears Allaah - He will make
for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not
expect.{]Quran 65: 2-3[
Glory be to Allaah The Almighty! He only put her to trial to remove
her suffering; He did not take from her, except to give to her. He
tried her for three days and nights so that thousands of people would
be added to the record of her righteous deeds. Do you know who were
those who embraced Islam after that incident? They are from the
Muhaajiroon )Emigrants( with whom Allaah The Almighty was satisfied.
Some of them were ostracized for the sake of Allaah The Almighty,
others fought for the sake of Allaah The Almighty, others prostrated
weeping out of fear of Allaah The Almighty, others abundantly gave
charity for the sake of Allaah The Almighty, and others generously
sacrificed for the sake of Allaah The Almighty. By Allaah, the reward
of all their steps, movements and offspring will be added to the
record of righteous deeds of Umm Shurayk, may Allaah be pleased with
her. Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}Indeed, he who fears Allaah
and is patient, then indeed, Allaah does not allow to be lost the
reward of those who do good."{]Quran 12: 90[
How many women have been guided through you? How many times did you
offer advice for the sake of this religion? How many times did you
stand for the Lord of The Worlds? Many times we guide people to shops
when there are sales, the most beautiful dresses and parks. But, how
many times do we stand for this religion? Allaah The Exalted Says
)what means(:}But none is granted it except those who are patient, and
none is granted it except one having a great portion ]of good[.{]Quran
41: 35[
Reflect on the situation of Umm Shurayk, may Allaah be pleased with
her. Glory is to Allaah The Almighty! How strong her personality was!
What type of personalities were these? What type of women were they!
By Allaah, this is indeed the true life.

Dought & clear, - He noticed a smell but did not feel any wind coming out of him

I am affected by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and I am trying
hard to avoid doubts that come to me regarding wudoo' and prayer.
But two days ago, when I was praying in the mosque, I suddenly noticed
a smell (of passing wind), even though I did not feel anything in my
stomach, and I did not feel that anything came out of me before I
noticed the smell.
I said: This is waswaas, and I completed my prayer. But after I had
prayed, I began to strongly doubt the validity of my prayer. Perhaps
there had been some movement in my stomach and I had forgot, or
perhaps it was gas, because that happens to me sometimes.
I still have my doubts until now.
Is my prayer valid, or should I make it up? Do I have to do anything,
because several days have passed since I offered that prayer?
Praise be to Allah
Your prayer is valid and you do not have to repeat it; do not worry
about the smell that you noticed so long as you did not feel anything
coming out of you. You should not pay attention to the waswaas that
comes to your mind and cast aside the doubts that cross your mind.
With regard to the hadeeth which says that a man complained to the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he felt
something during the prayer, and asked whether he should stop praying,
and he said: "No, unless you hear a sound or notice a smell" (narrated
by al-Bukhaari, 20546; Muslim, 361), this has to do with one who feels
something and is not sure whether it came out; this indicates that one
should not do something that is due to waswaas, because the certainty
of being in a state of purity cannot be affected by uncertainty or
doubt.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The believer should not pay attention to this waswaas, because this
will encourage the Shaytaan, and the Shaytaan is keen to spoil the
good deeds of the sons of Adam, such as prayer and so on. What he must
do is be aware of his tricks and whispers, put his trust in Allah, and
assume that whatever happens of waswaas is from the Shaytaan, so that
he will not pay any attention to it. Then if something comes out of
him and he is certain of it, not uncertain, he should clean himself
again (istinja') and repeat wudoo'. But so long as there is any
uncertainty, even if it is slight, then he should not pay attention to
that, and he should still believe that he is in a state of purity and
ward off the whispers of the Shaytaan.
End quote fromMajmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 10/123
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Eating food that is made for ‘Ashoora’

Is it permissible to eat the foods cooked by Shiites in Aashooraa?
They say that these foods are made for Allah's sake but its reward is
for Al-Hussein, may Allah be pleased with him!
It will be embarrassing if I do not accept this food. It may even
expose me to danger, as I am in Iraq, and you know how Sunnis here are
treated.
Praise be to Allah
What the Shi'ah do on 'Ashoora' of slapping their cheeks, striking and
cutting their heads, shedding their blood and making special foods, is
all bid'ah and reprehensible innovation, as has been explained in the
answer to question no. 4033and 9438. It is not permissible to take
part in that, or to help those who do it, because that is cooperating
in sin and transgression.
And it is not permissible to eat this food that they have prepared for
their innovation and misguidance.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This is an
abhorrent evil and reprehensible innovation which must be abandoned;
it is not permissible to take part in it and it is not permissible to
eat the food that is offered.
And he said: It is not permissible take part in it or to eat of these
meats or drink these drinks [prepared for this occasion]. If the meat
has been slaughtered for anyone other than Allaah, among Ahl al-Bayt
[the Prophet's family] or anyone else, then it is major shirk, because
Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):
". Say (O Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم(: 'Verily, my Salaah )prayer(, my
sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the
'Aalameen )mankind, jinn and all that exists(.
163. 'He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am
the first of the Muslims'"
[al-An'aam 6:162-163]
"Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم( Al-Kawthar
)a river in Paradise(.
2. Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)"
[al-Kawthar 1-2]
End quote fromFataawa al-Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz(8/320).
But if your refusing to accept their food will pose a danger to you,
then there is nothing wrong with accepting it so as to ward off harm.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - What is wrong with saying “the will of the people is part of the will of Allaah”.

I read in some books written by thinkers the phrase, "The will of the
people is part of the will of Allaah." I hope you can tell me how
correct this saying is.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Doosari (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked about this phrase, and he answered as follows:
This is a serious fabrication which some theorists and those who
implement their ideas have dared to utter; nothing of this nature was
ever spoken in thekaafirenvironments of past centuries. The worst that
was said in the past was when they used the will of Allaah as an
excuse, as Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning):
"Those who took partners (in worship) with Allaah will say: 'If Allaah
had willed, we would not have taken partners (in worship) with Him,
nor would our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything
(against His Will).'"
[al-An'aam 6:148].Allaah showed them to be liars, but these
philosophers attribute to the so-called people the will to do whatever
they want, in order to justify the plans which they want to carry out.
We must confront this evil lie in order to prove that it and the
motives of those who say this are false, because on the basis of their
corrupt idea the people will be allowed to do whatever they want and
conduct their affairs in such a way that there will be no restrictions
laid down by the sharee'ah and the Book, only those that suit their
whims and desires, or are based on their materialistic interests and
physical desires, or their power – like the kaafir peoples who do not
follow the religion of Allaah and do not care about morality or
virtue.
Not even Abu Jahl and his ilk, as evil and stubborn as he was, dared
to utter this lie, because the abhorrence of this lie is obvious to
anyone who has common sense. People's tastes and inclinations vary, so
if the will of the people is regarded as being part of the will of
Allaah, this would mean that all kinds of trends such as
existentialism, communism, nazism, zionism, the law of the jungle and
others are also part of the will of Allaah that He enjoins upon
people. Then all the things that evil souls desire and sick hearts
love, such as promiscuity, immorality, drinking alcohol and fulfilling
physical desires at the expense of others would also be a part of the
will of Allaah.
So why do they criticize and condemn others for it, if the will and
desires of the people are part of the will of Allaah concerning the
rulings that He likes? Why would Allaah send Messengers and reveal
Books, and enjoin jihaad, and issue commands and prohibitions to the
people, if their will is part of His will that He likes?
This is impossible; it is the ultimate immorality and misguidance.
Those who make this claim do not apply it to themselves, rather they
use it as permission to suppress the people who do not submit to their
power or act according to their plans.
It is as if the people whom they are ruling with an iron fist are the
people whose will is divine and is part of the will of Allaah.
Falsehood is inevitably self-contradictory, and points out its own
false nature. This is an action of major shirk, because they have made
the people rivals to Allaah, and they have made their desires rivals
to His sharee'ah and wisdom, instead of subject to Allaah's rulings
and adhering to His limits, content with and implementing His
sharee'ah.

Dought & clear, - Wishing for death because of intense distress.

I have great problems in my work and in my social life. Is it
permissible for me to wish for death?
Praise be to Allaah.
Your state is like that described by the poet:
"If death were for sale I would buy it.
This life is something in which there is nothing good."
This is wrong. It is not permissible for the believer to wish for
death. If he has to say something, then let him recite the du'aa' that
has been reported for such cases.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Let not
any one of you wish for death because of some harm that has befallen
him. If he must wish for something then let him say, 'O Allaah, keep
me alive so long as life is good for me, and let me die when death is
good for me.'"(Narrated by al-Bukhaari (al-Fath), 11/154)

For children, - Islam and Struggle: Eagle Story, Changes for Survival

Eagle has the longest life-span of its' species. Eagle can live up to
70 years, but to reach this age, the Eagle must make a hard decision
in it's' 40's
Its' long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as
food, its' long and sharp beak becomes bent.
Its' old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, become
stuck to its' chest and make it difficult to fly.
Then Eagle is left with only 2 options: die or go through a painful
process of change which lasts 150 days for survival.
The process requires that Eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its'
nest. There the Eagle knocks its' beak against a rock until it plucks
it out. After plucking it out, Eagle will wait for a new beak to grow
back. When its' new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its'
old-aged feathers and after 5 months, eagle can take its' flight of
rebirth and lives for 30 more years.
Moral:Many times, in order to survive, we have to start a change
process. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories, habits and
other past traditions. Only freed from past burdens, we can take
advantage of the present and future.
Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have
one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn to let go.
Release the hurt and fear, refuse to entertain your old pain. The
energy it takes to hang on to that part is holding you back from a new
life. If we stay imprisoned by fear and judgement of our human nature,
we will miss out on the whole reason for being here!
Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react
to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we
bring to life. A positive attitudecauses a chain reaction of positive
thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates
extraordinary results. Let's change to make a change!!!
"If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on
change, you will get results."