Dua' - Duas and Adhkar for RAMADAN - ''O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the PUNISHMENT of the GRAVE, and I seek refuge in You from the trial of the False Messiah, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from SIN and from DEBT.'' اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْمَأْثَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ Allaahumma 'innee 'a'oothu bika min 'athaabil-qabri, wa 'a'oothu bika min fitnatil-maseehid-dajjaali, wa 'a'oothu bika min fitnatil-mahyaawalmamaati. Allaahumma 'innee 'a'oothu bika minal-ma'thami walmaghrami. Al-Bukhari 1/202, Muslim 1/412.

Welcome to Islam, - Islam and crime

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Crime in its different forms–organized crime, street crime, State crime, social crime–is considered as a major threat to peace and security in our world. A detailed discussion of the magnitude of the problem of crime as a universal catastrophe is beyond the scope of this study. Hence, we will present the Islamic viewpoint on the matter.
A summary of statistics about the spread of crimes in the US, based on US Government references, is presented below:
One crime index offense every 3 seconds
One violent crime every 27 seconds
One murder every 24 minutes
One forcible rape every 7 minutes
One robbery every 68 seconds
One property crime every 3 seconds
One burglary every 10 seconds
One larceny /theft every 5 seconds
One motor vehicle theft every 29 seconds
Source:Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reports.
The Uniform Crime Report )UCR( issued by the US Federal Bureau of investigation )FBI( revealed that the number of reported crimes in the US increased by 4.6 percent in one year, from 1984 to 1985. Arrests in 1985 totaled 11.9 million, an increase of 3 percent over 1984.
The UCR figures are widely believed by criminologists to be low. A more reliable index is probably the US Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Crime Survey )NCS(, an annual report on household crime victimization based on census surveyors. This survey under covers crimes not reported to police. Its 1985 survey showed that 25 percent of the US population )1 in every 4 households in the US( had experienced crimes against individual members of the household or against the household itself during that year.
As these statistics show, crime, in all its different forms has become a major threat to societal and individual security. Nevertheless, most of the methods used to fight against crime have backfired and fall short of meeting such a challenge. The failure of the Western methods of combating crime – as stated by the continual rise of crime rates – leads one to suggest a solution, which treats criminal activity not piecemeal but in the total scheme of life.
The Islamic solution
The Islamic concept of security is a very comprehensive one, more comprehensive than any of the other existing systems. It looks at humankind in relation to the universe and the factors influencing it. It encompasses physical, mental, psychological and spiritual domains as integral parts of an overall societal security system. Islamic teachings do not merely provide solutions to exceptional instances of criminal behavior, but emphatically focus on measures that halt their existence. In other words, Islam executes as many means as possible to avert temptation. While modern societies flaunt temptation – liquor, pornography, violence, etc. – before the people, a true Islamic society removes the sources of these temptations, and when the need for correction emerges, the punishment is serious and effective.
Crime has prospered in modern society because a completely contradictory approach is followed to controlling it. All forms of temptation are prevalent and easily accessible and when the time comes for correction or punishment of a crime, it is done leniently and without seriousness. Sentencing is often biased and protective of the criminal's rights over those of the victim.
Through the various practical forms of worship likeSalaah)the five daily prayers(, fasting andZakaah)obligatory charity(, Islamic teachings aim at implanting feelings of inner peace and security, responsibility towards others and mutual respect. In a video film by the Christian Science Monitor about Islam in America, a large portion was devoted to describing the lives of maximum-security prison inmates before and after becoming Muslims. Before reverting to Islam, many were serial killers, drug smugglers, addicts and professional criminals. When they embraced Islam while in prison, they turned into dignified, secure and contributing citizens. Western statistical indices show that in the majority of maximum-security prisons, the criminals get involved in criminal acts and end up back in prison. Such statistics are reversed when those inmates become Muslims. The success of Islam in providing the best solution to crimes in the midst of the American society, where all types of correction programs have failed, is strong contemporary evidence for the universality of Islam and the pressing need for adopting its teachings.
Note: Most of the statistical data collected are about Western societies that are due to the availability of documentation on the matter. We realize that crime is prevalent in all societies -- Eastern and Western alike. The main thrust of our topic is that adopting the Islamic solution is more fruitful than man-made solutions.

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Welcome to Islam, - Islam stands the test of history

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Muslims claims that Islam is the eternal religion. Any claim of this kind invites people to judge its validity on historical grounds. If latter day history testifies to its claim, it stands endorsed, otherwise it must be rejected. Marxism in the 20thcentury CE is a clear-cut example of historical rejection. According to his concept of historical determinism, Karl Marx held that modern industrial Capitalism bore within it the seeds of its own destruction. He further observed that according to its own inherent laws, its antithesis would emerge which would destroy it whereupon a new synthesis would come into being. But, quite contrary to his prediction, industrial Capitalism has not only survived, but is making great progress. Historical events have thus buried Marxist theory. Then there is the case of Adolph Hitler who made grandiose claims that Germans were the “master race” and were destined to rule over all ofEurope. The rout of Hitler and his Nazi party at the end of World War II put paid to all such theorizing.
By : Wahiduddin Khan
But the case of Islam is quite different. Even after a period of more than 1400 years, Islam has suffered no erosion of its validity. The well known British historian, Edward Gibbon, describes the rise and expansion of Islam as: “one of the most memorable revolutions which has impressed a new and lasting character on the nations of the globe.”
An Indian historian, M.N. Roy, has observed: “Muhammad must be recognized as by far the greatest of all prophets, before or after him.” He goes on to say that “the expansion of Islam is the most miraculous of all miracles.” )The Historical Role of Islam, pp. 4-5(
The American writer, Michael Hart, in his book, “The 100” has made a selection of the 100 most influential persons in history, who have achieved the most outstanding success in this world. Right at the top of this list is the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, )may Allaah exalt his mention( of whom the author writes:“He was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both religious and secular levels.”
The great success that Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had predicted for his mission at the very outset came true. This success came in spite of the stiff opposition which Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, faced right from the beginning, both from within his own family and from the outside world. This was in 610 CE, the year when he first started receiving divine revelations. At this stage he felt totally helpless. But then, in this adverse situation, he received a revelation from Allaah, which says )what means(:“They want to extinguish Allaah’s light with their mouths. But Allaah will perfect His light, even though the unbelievers may detest it. It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, so that he may exalt it over all religions, much as the pagans may dislike it.”]Quran 61:8-9[
At the very beginning of his prophetic career, the Quran declared that Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would certainly succeed in his mission. All his opponents, however powerful they might be, would ultimately be defeated. )This is pointed out at several places in the Quran in different wording(. In history we find numerous personalities who began their work with towering claims, but none of them achieved the success they envisioned. Throughout human history, Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is the only exception to this rule, in that his predictions were fulfilled to the fullest extent.
Through the efforts of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his companions, a unique event took place: starting from scratch, they succeeded in extending their influence to the entire populated world of that age. During this brief period, they not only conqueredArabiabut also succeeded in crushing the two great empires of their time – the Roman and the Sasanid empires. This exceptional phase in history has been almost universally acknowledged by historians.
The Quran was revealed prior to the modern age of knowledge, yet 1400 years ago at the time of its revelation, the Quran declared that the proof of its divine origin lay in its being in complete accordance with historical facts and its consistency with contemporary discoveries and those that might be made in future times. Advances may be made in human knowledge, but they will never contradict Quranic statements. To a remarkable degree, latter day history has testified to this. While many statements contained in all the ancient books have been at loggerheads with the latest scientific discoveries, the Quran is unique in steering clear of all such contradiction.
As the Quran says )which means(:“Do they not ponder on the Quran? Had it been from other than God, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.”]Quran 4:82[. )The word “discrepancy” here means inconsistency, that is, a Quranic statement not agreeing with eternal knowledge(.
Much has been written on this aspect of the Quran in modern times. The French scientist, Maurice Bucaille, has shown in detail in his book, The Bible, The Quran and Modern Science, how the statements contained in the Quran are astonishingly in exact accordance with the discoveries of modern science. This shows that the Quran perfectly comes up to the scientific standards.
This development of human knowledge in favor of Quranic contents is no mere accident. It is another historical proof that the Quran is a Book revealed by the Creator of the Universe, Whose Knowledge is not bound by the limitations of space and time. Hence we find in the Quran a unique prediction to this effect )what means(:“We will soon show them Our signs in the Universe and in their own souls, untill they clearly see that it is the truth.”]Quran 41:53[
After completing his comparative study of the Quran and modern science, Maurice Bucaille comes to this conclusion :
“In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad’s day, it is inconceivable that many of the statements in the Quran which are connected with science could have been the work of a man. It is moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Quran as the expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific satements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.” )p. 252(
To sum up, there is no other scripture that, having challenged all of mankind to disprove its authenticity as the Quran did, finally gained total rational support for its supernatural origin and veracity, even from its most bitter opponents. And there is no other historic figure whose future success was as uncertain as that of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, who was finally crowned with such supreme success.

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Welcome to Islam, - How Islam tackled the problem of slavery

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A few Western writers claim that Islam is based on slavery. Considering their bleak history of genocide and slave populations, one marvels at their audacity! They support their claim by referring to pre-Islamic Arabs who carried on the slave trade. In fact, they were among the few opportunists taking advantage of a system that had started long before Islam came on the scene -- a system that Islam was geared to eradicate.
Today, it is common knowledge that slavery was the system of labor used by the major civilizations of the world for thousands of years before the advent of Islam. The Pyramids of Egypt, theGreat Wall of China, the Cities of the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Romans and Persians were all built by slave labor. However, Islam did not build an empire by the enslavement of one man by another; rather, Islam was built on the principle of equality of all men and universal brotherhood.
The leaders of Islam knew that an immediate declaration of abolition could not end slavery, but would only create confusion and severe dislocation in that epoch. Instead, Islam instituted a program where slaves could be assimilated into free society. Thus, slavery was gradually phased out from the Islamic society.
It was made obligatory that all slaves be educated. Muslims were enjoined to feed and clothe slaves in the same manner as themselves. It was decreed that if a slave wanted to purchase his or her freedom, he or she should be helped with money and the means to maintain an independent life. Harsh treatment of a slave was declared sufficient ground for his or her emancipation.
Moreover, the atonement of certain sins was declared the freeing of slaves, and freeing a slave was declared to be a virtue of the highest order equal in value perhaps to prayer and fasting.
The Noble Quran commands )what means( :"Marry those among you who are single or the virtuous ones among your slaves, male or female. If they are in poverty, Allaah will give them means out of His grace: for Allaah encompasses all and He knows all things … And if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing )to enable them to earn their freedom for a certain sum( give them such a deed if you know any good in them. Yea give them something yourselves out of the means which Allaah has given to you. But force not your maids into prostitution when they desire chastity in order that you may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them yet after such compulsion is Allaah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful )to them(."]Quran 24:32-33[
In the legal sense of the word, the law of slavery is now obsolete. During the time it carried meaning, Islam made the slave's lot as easy as possible. Abdullah Yousuf Ali's commentary on the following verses runs as follows: “A slave, male or female could ask for conditional freedom by a written deed fixing the amount required for emancipation, and allowing the slave meanwhile to earn money by lawful means and perhaps marry and bring up a family. Such a deed was not to be refused if the request was genuine and the slave had character. Not only that, but the master is directed to help with money out of his own resources in order to enable the slave to earn his or her own liberty.
"Where slavery was legal, what is now called the 'white slave traffic', was carried on by wicked people like 'Abdullaah bin Ubayy, the hypocrite leader at Al-Madeenah. This is absolutely condemned. While modern nations have abolished slavery, ‘white slave traffic’ is still a big problem. It is absolutely condemned in Islam. No more despicable trade can be imagined. The poor unfortunate girls that are victims of such a nefarious trade will yet find mercy from Allaah, whose bounties extend to the lowest of His creatures.
"Under the unique program of assimilation, slaves in the Islamic era were able to acquire all the rights of free citizens, and attained the highest levels of social, political and economic achievement. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, )may Allaah exalt his mention( actually warned his followers to:"Listen and obey even if a black slave becomes your leader, so long as he should enforce amongst you the Law of Creator."
Thus we read about Bilaal Al Habashi, may Allaah be pleased with him, a former slave fromEthiopia, who became the closest aide of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and one of Islam's most prominent personalities. Bilaal, may Allaah be pleased with him, also possessed a marvelous, melodious voice and was chosen to call the believers to Prayer in the lifetime of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
Then there was Zayd bin Haarithah, may Allaah be pleased with him, the slave whom the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam adopted, showering upon him a father’s love and affection, so that he grew up to become one of Islam's greatest generals.
In Islamic history, we find entire dynasties of people who were once slaves, but then attained power and achieved victories for the entire Muslim nation.
We read about Kaafoor, a slave from theSudanwho rose to be ruler ofEgyptandSyria, whose name has since become proverbial for wise leadership in Islam.
We read about Malik Ambar, another African slave, who became a brilliant ruler and was one of the Nawaabs )Muslim princes( ofIndia.
Islam opened the doors of social, political and economic equality to slaves – as a result, erstwhile slaves rose to be Sultans, and slave-women became favorites of the ruler and mothers of heirs to the throne. At times, a slave himself became a master and held freeborn men of wealth and power in dread of him.
From these few examples we can see that neither one's ancestry, nor the color of one's skin, nor the place of one's birth, were allowed to stand in the way of anyone achieving any position or making any contribution in the Muslim world. Therefore, to say that Islam practiced slavery would be to totally misunderstand )or misrepresent( the dynamics of history and the nature and record of Islam.
Some people conveniently forget that there is a profound difference between the ‘slavery’ that existed in the Islamic societies and the picture of slavery that is handed down to us from the Imperial colonies. It was a far cry from the abominations that were practiced in the Imperial colonies, when men from India and Africa were lured or abducted, to be put to work in West Indian sugarcane fields; where the slightest dissent would result in torture by being spread-eagled nude on anthills, or stuffed with gunpowder in both ends and blown away for fun!
Or do we care to think of the indentured labor that still exists in the “great democracies” of the world, where generations of men till earth in chains? The Islamic injunctions for the slaves of yore are humane in comparison to the indignities of economic slavery today – unlike the modern-day slaves, at least they could hope for freedom.
Going deeper into the matter, a contemporary Muslim scholar, Abu Al-A'laa Mawdoodi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, explains that: "Islam stands for liberation from all sorts of slavery such as may inhibit the progress of humanity, or may not allow it to follow the path of virtue and goodness. It means man's freedom from dictators who enslave him by force or fear, make him do what is wrong and deprive him of his dignity, honor, property and life. Islam liberates man from such tyranny by telling him that all authority vests in the Creator and the Creator alone. He alone is the Real Sovereign ... Thus Islam brings to man to freedom from fear and oppression inflicted on him by men like himself ...
"Islam also means the desire for freedom, including the desire for life, as it is this very weakness of man which is exploited by tyrants and dictators, intentionally and otherwise, in enslaving their fellowmen. But for it, no man would silently accept subservience to men like himself, or sit idle to watch tyranny on the rampage and dare not challenge it. It is a great blessing of Islam that it taught man to fight tyranny and oppression bravely rather than cringe before them in abject servitude."
Therefore, although Islam stands for Peace, it does not accept peace on humiliating or debasing grounds. Peace in Islam is based on dignity, freedom, brotherhood and lasting security, not upon humiliation and helpless surrender to tyranny, exploitation and oppression.

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