2a] Arabian's relegion before islam

2a]
'Ilumquh of the Sabeans
~
Sabean jewelery in gold carnelian and onyx (Doe).
Statue, Sabean script, and a decorative panel in marble (Doe).
While her tomb and documents of her time have yet to come to light,
and remains of the tenth century BC are still largely unknown to
archaeology, the recovery of a small amount of contemporary evidence
together with a considerable amount of material from only three or
four centuries later enables us to reconstruct ageneral outline of the
Queen of Sheba's culture with considerable probability. She would have
lived surrounded by the accoutrements of an affluent civilization: a
thriving trade that brought unparalleled prosperity; an irrigation
agriculture that provided ample subsistence; a distinctive
architecture in stone that was second only to that of Egypt in
theancient Near East in its execution and variety of ornamentation; a
richness in metallurgy and stone carving as well as an abundance of
artists and artisans who pursued these vocations; a high degree of
literacy among the people, who had a keen appreciation of the
importance of a written language and of their beautiful alphabetic
script;and an art that is representational in a symbolic archaic
manner (Pritchard 40).
"The great civilization of South Arabia was little known to the Arabs
of Muhammad's time [although] any of the Arab tribes of Muhammad's day
still had a tradition that they had lived in South Arabia before
taking to thedesert when the old civilization declined." Some tribes
retained a memory of being settled there before conditions worsened,
apparently connected with the Marib dam bursting and a return to
nomadic life. Restorations were know to have been carried out in450
and 542 which puts a final date on the demise (Pritchard 1974 88).
Sura 34:15 states:"Certainly there was a signfor Saba in their abode;
two gardens on the right and the left; eat of the sustenance of your
Lord and give thanks to Him: a good land and a Forgiving Lord! But
they turned aside, so We sent upon them a torrent of which the rush
could not be withstood, and in place of their two gardens We gave to
them two gardensyielding bitter fruit and (growing) tamarisk and a few
lote-trees."
The hoopoe visits Nikaulis to entice her to Solomon (Lassner).
Sura 27:15-44 relates many of the episodes already found for examplein
the Targum Sheni, a further indication of the familiarity Muhammad had
with details of Jewish literature outside the Pentateuch. Rather than
Bilqis being portrayed as ademon, Solomon is portrayed as a great man
of God and master of the Djinn to whom Bilquis submits in
acknowledgement of al-Llah. The story of Solomon sending the Hoopoe in
a flock of bird to summon the Queen is told. The people of Sheba are
said to be sun-worshippers. Her throne is disguised and placed before
her as a test.She says "It is like it' evasively. As she walks on to
the palace: 44 "She though it a pool and uncovered her legs. Solomon
said 'It is a place paved with glass.' She said'I have wronged myself
to God, Lord of the worlds, with Solomon I make submission.' "
al-Lat, al-Uzza and Dhu Shara: the Deities of Nabatea
A second prominent Arab culture had sprung up from Southern Sinai
around 600 BC and from around 400 BC in the land of the Edomites in
Jordan. The Nabateans had a closerelationship with the Edomites as
they each claim a female line of descent from Ishmael, through
Bashemath one ofthe three wives of Esau and her sister Nabaioth
respectively (Browning 32), conditions favourable to integration. This
also gave the Edomites descentfrom Isaac through Esau. The son of Esau
and Bashemath was Ruel the Midianite father in Law of Moses.
Moon and Sun deities surmounted by the Eagle. Al-Uzza as Moon Goddess
commands the Zodiac surmounted by the moon and carrying a moon staff.
The temple of Manatu at Petra. Dionysian tragic mask with dolphins.
Grapefreeze (centre). Aretas IV and Shaqilat II (Glueck).
The Nabateans migrated from Arabia as shepherds and caravan traders
who benefited from horse breeding and settled adaptably to form rich
irrigated productive land with a prominent trade, centred on the
previously unpopulated area round Petra - 'a rose red city half as old
as time'. During the time of Jesus, Nabatea wasan independent Kingdom
with influence spreading to Damascus. Herod was involved in
hostilities withAretas IV the King of Nabatea because Herodias
displaced Aretas's daughter as Herod's wife. Although they were
annexed by the Romans they continued to be a significant Arab power to
the time of Muhammad.
Herodotus says of the Arabs: "They deem no other to be gods save
Dionysus and Heavenly Aphrodite … they call Dionysus Orotalt and
Aphrodite Alilat" (Negev 101).
:->

2] Arabian's religien before Islam

2]
'Ilumquh of the Sabeans
~
Sheba is the Anglicized Hebrew spelling of Saba, the name of an
ancient southwest Arabian kingdom roughly corresponding to the modern
territory of Yemen, originally settled by Semites from western or
central Arabia during the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. Excavations
at Ma'rib, its capital, during the 20th century have revealed an
imposing temple to the moon god. Like the sabbath it has a meaning of
"seven".
Temple of 'Ilumquh at Marib Yemen, Sabean Moon Bull,
Incense Holder Aksum, Moon and Orb of Venus Sabean wall frieze (Doe).
"The South Arabians before Islam were polytheists and revered a large
number of deities. Most of these were astral in concept but the
significance of only a few is known. It was essentially a planetary
system in which the moonas a masculine deity prevailed. This, combined
with the use of a star calendar by the agriculturists of certain
parts, particularly in the Hadramaut, indicates that there was an
early reverence for the night sky. Amongst the South Arabians the
worship of the moon continued, and it is almost certain that their
religious calendar was also lunar and that their years were
calculatedby the position of the moon. The national god ofeach of the
kingdoms or states was the Moon-god known by various names: 'Ilumquh
by the Sabaeans, 'Amm and 'Anbay by the Qatabanians, Wadd (love) by
the Minaeans, and Sin by the Hadramis". The term 'God is Love' is
characteristic of Wadd (Briffault 3/85). 'the Merciful' ascribed to
Allah is also South Arabian (Pritchard).
The sun-goddess was the moon's consort; she was perhaps best known in
South Arabia as Dhat Hamym, 'she who sends forth strong rays of
benevolence'. Another dominant deity was the male god known as
Athtarcorresponding to Phoenician Astarte (Doe 25). Pritchard (61)
claims their pantheon included the the moon god Sin etc., Shams
(Shamash) and Athtar or Astarte as in the Semitic trinity, however it
would appear that the sunwas female as the Canaanite Shapash who
figures in Ugarit myth alongside Athtar (Driver 110).
The earliest temple knownis the Mahram Bilquis or Harem of the Queen
of Sheba, previously called the Awwam the temple of the Moon God
'Ilumquh which dates from around 700 BC, although its lower levels may
be substantiallyolder. Sabean moon worship extended througha long
period of time to around 400 AD when it was overtaken be rescendent
Judaism and Christianity around a century before Muhammad.
Bilqis the Sun-worshipper of Islam
Bilquis was the Queen of the Sabeans in Solomons time. Pre-Islamic
poetry describes Solomon as a king of universal kingdom of men, djinn
and winds etc. nine angels stand before him. He built the castle
al-Ablaq near Taima.
Sabean Votive Offerings with a black Shulamite (Doe)
Diodorus Siculus notes:"This tribe [the Sabaeans] surpasses not only
the neighbouring Arabs but also all other men in wealth and in their
severalextravagancies besides. For in the exchange and sale of their
wares they, ofall men who carry on trade for the sake of the silver
they receive in exchange, obtain the highest price in return for
things of the smallest weight. Consequently, since they have never for
ages suffered the ravages of war because of their secluded position,
and since an abundance of both gold and silver abounds in the country,
… they have embossed goblets of every description, made of silver and
gold, couches and tripods with silver feet, and every other
furnishingof incredible costliness, and halls encircled by large
columns, some of them gilded, and others having silver figures on the
capitals. Their ceilings and doors they partitionedby means of panels
and coffers made of gold, set with precious stones and placed close
together, and have thus made the structure of their houses inevery
part marvellous for its costliness; for some parts they have
constructed of silver and gold, others of ivory and the most showy
precious stones or of whatever else men esteem most highly" (Pritchard
1974 44). Their sculpture and votive offerings were refined.
Strabo noted that the kingof Saba who "presides over the court of
justice and other things" was not permitted to leave the palace, for
if he did "the people would at once stone him, in consequence of a
saying of an oracle" (Pritchard 1974 66).

Clarification of Hadith on Passing Wind

Question:
i know that the haith re passing wind says that you assume no wind
passed unless you hear or smell it today during the farz of isha, i
had grumblings in my stomach and also there was a small noise.
HOWEVER, i was pretty confident that i didnt pass any wind from my
backside and the noise could have beeninternal stomach grumblings, a
joint cracking or the floorboards and didntsound much like a fart at
all given that certainty isnt lifted bydoubt, i put this downto
waswasah and carried on with salah,sunnahs and witr. Was this correct
or should i re-read isha and witr on the basis that the noise may have
been a fart (although i dont thinkit was on balance)
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
The hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
is telling us that unless certain that one hasactually passed wind,
one must assume that one hasn't. What you did was correct.
And Allah alone gives success.

Some details of Tafseer of Surah an-Naba' (79)

All praise is due to Allâh, we praise Him, and seek His help and
forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allâh, Most High, from the evils of our
own selves and from our wicked deeds. Whoever Allâh guides, cannot be
misguided. I testify that there is no trueGod worthy of being
worshipped except Allâh, alone, without partner or associate. I
further testify that Muhammad is His trueslave and Messenger (SâS) [1]
.
May Allâh's Salâh and Salâm be also granted to the Prophet's pure
family, and to all of his noble companions.
"O you believe! Fear Allâh[by doing all that He ordered and abstaining
from all that He forbade] as He should be feared [Obey Him, be
thankful to Him, and remember Him always] and die not except in a
state of Islâm(as Muslims with complete submission to Allâh)." [Surah
Al-i'Imrân,3:102]
"O mankind! Be dutiful toyou Rabb (Allâh) [2] , Whocreated you from a
single person (âdam) and from him (âdam) He created his wife (Eve),
and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allâh
through Whom you demand your mutual (rights) and (do not cut the
relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is ever an
All-Watcher over you." [Surah an-Nisa', 4:1]
"O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him, and speak
(always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and
will forgive you yoursins. And whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger
has indeed achieved a great success." [Surah al-Ahzâb, 33:70-71]
It proceeds then: That the most truthful speech is that of Allâh's
Book (the Qur'ân) and that the best of guidance is that of Muhammad
(SâS). The worst of evils are innovation (foreign to the true
teachings of Islâm). Every innovated matter (inreligion) is a Bid'ah;
every Bid'ah is a Dalâlah (misguidance), and every Dalâlah is in the
Fire of Hell. The Qur'ân is the Word of Allâh. The Tafseer (Exegesis)
of the meaning of the Noble Ayat (verses) of the Qur'ân is critical to
the understanding of Islâmas a whole. The Qur'ân is explained by the
Qur'ân itself [3] and by the Sunnah [4] of the Prophet (SâS). The
Salaf [5] not onlytransmitted the explanation of the Qur'ân, but laid
down the foundations for Ijitihâd [6] and thus their way is the best
and most reliable wayof Tafseer. Philosophical and scholastic opinions
dealing with the Word of Allâh produce confusion, alterations in the
meaning of the texts and thus lead astray. The Muslim is calledto
follow the path of thosewho gained Allâh's Pleasure. They are the
Salaf, may Allâh make us follow their path in all matters of Islâm.
Considering the above, I have decided to bring closer the Salaf's
Tafseer inseparate publications starting with the Tafseer of Part
Thirty of the Noble Qur'ân. This is the first issue and it deals with
the Tafseer of Surah an-Naba'. I hope that this approach will be
simple enough so that it will, Inshâ' Allâh, benefit a broad sector of
the Muslim Ummah (Nation). I ask Allâh to accept this effort and make
it beneficial for all those who read it and (or) distribute it.
The Tafseer of Surah an-Naba' [7]
1. "What are they asking (one another)?"
2. "About the Great News."
The disbelievers question the occurence of the Day of Reckoning. Allâh
(SWT [8] ) describes this Day as the one that brings Great News. Ibin
Katheer (The eminent scholar of Tafseer)said that most likely this
News refers to the Resurrection after death, based upon the fact that
Allâh (SWT) says about it inthe next ayah (verse):
3. "About which they are indisagreement."
Mankind are divided into believers and disbelievers regarding the
occurence ofthis Day. Allâh (SWT) warnsthose who deny it, saying:
4. "Nay, they will come to know!"
5. "Nay, again, they will come to know!"
An emphasised and a confirmed warning for those who deny this Day that
they will certainly come to know that the Day of Resurrection is
true.Allâh shows His abilities to produce the Signs of this Day and He
tells about its magnitude in the following verses so that the people
contemplate and realise that Allâh, Whois able to bring about these
Signs, is All-Able to bring life to the Dead as well as Resurrection.
Allâh (SWT) tells mankind about many aspects of His Abilityand Power
to create what He wishes. For those who under-estimate Allâh and His
Greatness, there is a reminder, and for those who believe, there is an
affirmation:
6. "Have We [9] not made the earth as a bed?"
7. "And the mountains as pegs?"
To provide cohesiveness and stability to the earth. Modern scientific
discoveries found that these pegs are driven into the ground like pegs
used to anchor a tent.
8. "And We have created you in pairs."
Males and females, tall andshort, good and bad etc. Males and females
lawfullyenjoy each other (through marriage) and have children. This
enjoyment isphysical as well as emotional.....