stories - Hatred

I'm married abroad and my life is a hell. He works a lot all the time
– 12 hours a day.
He never pays me enough attention and myopinion is of no great
importance to him. We rarely have sex… He has forbidden me to find a
job in my line. I work in his company but I'm not fond of my
responsibilities, my co-workers and my salary.
He said he will never divorce me, his family is such snobs. I use
three languages and I have university education, but they don't care
what I am, what I feel and what I want.
Is there any woman like me?

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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THE VALIDITY OF IMAANDEPENDS ON TWO IMPORTANT POINTS

1. The validity of Imaan depends on two important points:
1. Respect for Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), and
2. To love him above all creation within the universe.
2. If, at any time, anybodyshows the slightest disrespect for the
station of Sayyiduna Muhammadur Rasoolullah (sallal laahualaihi
wasallam), then there must not remain an atom of love and respect for
that person in your heart. It can be anybody whom you love and
respect, for example, father, Ustaaz (teacher), children, brother,
Murshid (Spiritual Guide), Molvi, Mufti, Hafez, lecturer, Imam, or
friends, etc.
3. Such a person should be totally severed from family and community.
His name should cause great discomfort to you. His knowledge or status
should be absolutely rejected and discarded.
4. If you accepted or observed silence to his insult to Rasoolullah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), kept good friends with him, did not
regard him as a wretched and mean-spirited person, you should check
where you stand in the test of Imaan!

THE VALUE OF IMAAN

1. Until such a time a person does not love and respect the exalted
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) , even though that person
worships all his life, his worship is fruitless and rejected.
2. Numerous Jogees, Monks and Hermits taketo seclusion and spend their
lives in the Remembrance of Allah Ta'ala. Some of them even indulge in
the Zikrof "La ilaha illal lah" (There is no god but Allah), but they
do not respect and love Rasoolullah (sallal laahualaihi wasallam).
What benefit is such Ibaadah? Allah Ta'ala states in the Holy Quran:
"Whatever deeds they have performed, I have destroyed them all." (Para
19: Ruku 1)

WHAT ASPECTS MAKES A PERSON A MUSLIM

1. For a person to becomea Muslim it is necessary for him or her to
believe Islam as the true religion and not toreject any of it's
necessary aspects. A person should also not have beliefs contradictory
or against the religion's necessary aspects (Zaroriyaat-e-Deen).
2. A Muslim must love and respect all those who are the beloved of
AllahTa'ala and His Rasool (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) even though
that person may be his enemy.
3. He must disrespect and hate all those who disrespect and hate Allah
Ta'ala and His Rasool (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) even if that
person may be his beloved son.
4. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) states : "One
who loves for Allah, hates anyone because of Allah, spends for Allah
and holds back forAllah, then, indeed, he has completed his Imaan."
5. If the person does not have the knowledge about all the religion's
necessary aspect, i.e. even if he is a completeand utter illiterate,
he must believe in Islam and in the Messenger ofIslam (sallal laahu
alaihiwasallam) and not haveany beliefs against the necessary aspects
of Islam (Zarooriyat-e-Deen).
6. Whether he cannot pray the Kalima (submission into Islam) properly
he is still a Muslim and not a Kaafir. Therefore, if he misses Salaah,
Saum, Hajj, etc. he will be a grave sinner, but will remain a Muslim.
This isbecause deeds are not a part of faith.
7. Whatever is without doubt Haraam (forbidden) and to believe it as
Halaal (allowed), and to believe something Haraam, which is no doubt
Halaal, is Kufr, when there is no suspicion of a particular thing
being Halaal or Haraam or theperson knows this.

What is Imaan and Kufr ?

1. Imaan is to accept every word of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam) as the absolute truth and to testify
whole-heartedly the reality and truth of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam).
2. One who observes the above would be called a Muslim, that is, if
any of his words, actions or conditions does not reject, insult or
falsify Allah Ta'ala and His Rasool (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
3. If you reject one aspect,which you know that tobelieve is part of
Islam, then this is Kufr. For example, to reject Qiyamat, Angels,
Jannat,Dozakh, Hisab, or not tobelieve that Salaah, Saum, Zakaah or
Hajj is Fardh (obligatory) would make one out of the folds of Islam.
4. It is also Kufr not to believe that the Holy Quran is the Words of
Allah Ta'ala.
5. To insult the Holy Ka'aba, the Holy Quran, or any of the Prophets
or Angels is also Kufr.
6. To degrade any of the Sunnats (actions of the Holy Prophet sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam) , to make jokes of the orders of Shari'ah
(Islamic law) or to reject or suspect it untrue any known and
recognised aspects of Islam is also definitely Kufr.
7. To be a Muslim you have to, together with faith and belief, also
pledge your status as a Muslim.
8. One must pledge his faith unless there is a difficulty, for
example, you cannot speak, or tospeak would mean to lose your life or
would lose a part of the body, then it is not necessary to pledge your
faith with your tongue. However, it is always best and a means of
great reward not to sayanything against Islam even to save your life.
9. To perform actions thatare signs of Kufr and if you perform them
you will be recognised as a Kaafir. For example, to wear a "Janeo" (a
sacred thread worn by Hindus), or to have a lock of hair (plats for
men) the same as Buddhists have, or to wear a cross are all actions of
Kufr.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Amr ibn al-Jamuh - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

Amr ibn al-Jamuh was one of the leading men in Yathrib in the days of
Jahiliyyah. He was the chief of the Banu Salamah and was knownto be
one of the most generous and valiant persons in the city.
One of the privileges of the city's leaders was having an idol to
himselfin his house. It was hoped that this idol would bless the
leader inwhatever he did. He wasexpected to offer sacrifices to it on
special occasions and seek its help at times of distress. The idol of
Amr was called Manat. He had made it from the most priceless wood. He
spenta great deal of time, money and attention looking after it and he
anointed it with the most exquisite perfumes.
Amr was almost sixty years old when the first rays of the light of
Islam began to penetrate the houses of Yathrib. House after house was
introduced to the new faith at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr, the first
missionary sent out to Yathrib before the hijrah. It was through him
that Amr's three sons--Muawwadh, Muadh and Khallad--became Muslims.
One of their contemporaries was the famous Muadh ibn Jabal. Amr's
wife, Hind, also accepted Islamwith her three sons but Amr himself
knew nothing of all this .
Hind saw that the peopleof Yathrib were being won over to Islam and
that not one of the leaders of the city remained in shirk excepther
husband and a few individuals. She loved her husband dearly and was
proud of him but she was concerned that he should die in a state of
kufr and end up in hell-fire.
During this time, Amr himself began to tell uneasy. He was afraid that
his sons would give up the religion of their forefathers and follow
the teaching of Musab ibn Umayr who, within ashort space of time, had
caused many to turn away from idolatry and enter the religion of
Muhammad. To his wife, Amr therefore said:
"Be careful that your children do not come into contact with this man
(meaning Musab ibn Umayr) before we pronounce an opinion on him."
"To hear is to obey," she replied. "But would you like to hear from
your son Muadh what he relates from this man?""Woe to you! Has Muadh
turned away from his religion without my knowing?" The good woman felt
pity from theold man and said: "Not at all. But he has attended some
of the meetings of this missionary and memorized some of the things he
teaches." "Tell him to come here," he said. When Muadh come,he
ordered: "Let me hearan example of what this man preaches." Muadh
recited the lalihah (the Opening Chapter of the Quran):
"In the name of God, the most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace. All
praise is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds, The most
Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace. Lord of the Day of Judgment!
You alone do we worship and to You alone do we turn for help. Guide us
on the straight way, the way of those upon whom you have bestowed Your
blessings, not of those who have been condemned by You, nor of those
who go astray."
"How perfect are these words, and how beautiful!" exclaimed the
father. "Is everythinghe says like this?"
"Yes indeed, father. Do you wish to swear allegiance to him? All your
people have already done so" urged Muadh.
The old man remained silent from a while and then said, "I shall not
do so until I consult Manat and see what he says.""What indeed would
Manat say, Father? It is only a piece of wood. It can neither think
nor speak." The old man retorted sharply, "I told you, I shall not do
anything without him."
Later that day, Amr wentbefore Manat. It was the custom of the
idolators then to place an old woman behind the idol when they wished
to speak to it. She would reply on behalf of the idol, articulating,
so theythought, what the idol had inspired her to say. Amr stood
before the idol in great awe and addressed profuse praises to it. Then
he said:
"O Manat no doubt you know that this propagandist who was delegated to
come to us from Makkah does not wish evil on anyone but you. He has
come only tostop us worshipping you. I do not want to swear allegiance
to him in spite of the beautiful words I have heard fromhim. I have
thus come to get your advice. So please advise me."
There was no reply from Manat. Amr continued:
"Perhaps your are angry.But up till now, I have done nothing to harm
you... Never mind, I shall leave you for a few days to let your anger
go away."
Amr's sons knew the extent of their father's dependence on Manat and
how with time he had become almost a part of it. They realized however
that the idol's place in his heart was being shaken and that they had
to help him getrid of Manat. That must be his path to faith in God.
One night Amr's sons went with their friend Muadh ibn Jabal to Manat,
took the idol From its place and threwit in a cess pit belonging to
the Banu Salamah. They returned to their homes with no one knowing
anything aboutwhat they had done. When Amr woke up the following
morning, he went in quiet reverence to pay his respects to his idol
but did not find it.
"Woe to you all," he shouted. "Who has attacked our god last night"
There was no reply from anyone. He began to search for the idol,
fuming with rage and threatening the perpetrators of the crime.
Eventually he found the idol turned upside down on its headin the pit.
He washed and perfumed it and returned it to its usual place saying.
"If I find out who did this to you, I will humiliate him." The
following night the boysdid the same to the idol. The old man
recovered it, washed and perfumed it as he had done before and
returned it to its place. This happened several times until one night
Amr put a sword around the idol's neck and said to it: "O Manat, I
don't know who is doing this to you. If you have any power of good in
you, defend yourself against this evil. Here is a sword for you."
The youths waited until Amr was fast asleep. They took the sword from
the idol's neck and threw it into the pit. Amrfound the idol Lying
facedown in the pit with the sword nowhere in sight. At last he was
convinced that the idol had no power at all and did not deserve to be
worshipped. It was not long before he entered the religion of Islam.
Amr soon tasted the sweetness of Iman or faith in the One True God. At
the same time hefelt great pain and anguish within himself at the
thought of every moment he had spent in shirk. His acceptance of the
new religion was total and he placed himself, his wealth and his
children in the service of God and His Prophet.
The extent of his devotion was shown during the time of the battle of
Uhud. Amr saw his three sons preparing for the battle. He looked at
the three determined young men fired by the desire to gain martyrdom,
success and the pleasure of God. The scene had a great effect on him
and he resolved to go out with them to wage jihad under the banner of
the messengerof God. The youths, however, were all against their
father carrying out his resolve. He was already quite oldand was
extremely weak.
"Father," they said,"surely God has excused you. So why do you take
this burden on yourself?"
The old man became quite angry and went straight away to the Prophet
to complain about his sons: "O Rasulullah! My sons here want to keep
me away from this source of goodness arguing that I am old and
decrepit. By God, I long to attain Paradise this way even though I am
old and infirm."
"Let him," said the Prophet to his sons."Perhaps God, the Mighty and
the Great, will grant him martyrdom."
Soon it was time to go out to battle. Amr bade farewell to his wife,
turned to the qiblah andprayed: "O Lord, grant me martyrdom and
don'tsend me back to my family with my hopes dashed." He set out in
the company of his threesons and a large contingent from his tribe,
the Banu Salamah.
As the battle raged, Amr could be seen moving in the front ranks,
jumping on his good leg (his other leg was partially lame), and
shouting, "I desire Paradise, I desire Paradise."
His son Khallad remainedclosely behind him and they both fought
courageously in defense of the Prophet while many other Muslims
deserted in pursuit of booty. Father and son fell on the battlefield
and died within moments of each other.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
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Is it true that the Day of Judgement will come on a Friday, 10 th Muharram?

my question is with regards to the day of judgement. from what i have
read in the sahih(accurate) hadith itis stated that the day of
judgement will come on friday(10th moharram).My question is if it is
friday in saudi arabia then it will be another day in USA and so
on....so basically it is never friday all over the world at one
time...please answer, this has been troubling me for sometime.
Praise be to Allaah.
Everyone who gives a specific time or date for the onset of the Day of
Judgement is a fabricator and a liar. Theonset of the Day of
Resurrection is the "Hour" of which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"They ask you about theHour (Day of Resurrection): 'When willbe its
appointed time?' Say: 'The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone).
None can reveal its time but He'" [al-A'raaf 7:187]
But when the Day of Resurrection comes, at the time which is knownto
Allaah, which will be aFriday, then the system of this universe, with
its night and day, sun and moon and stars, will be changed. We do not
know whether the America which exists today will exist then or not,
for Allaah is Able to destroy whichever of these nations He wills
before the Day of Resurrection, for Allaah is Able to do all things.

Ruling on wearing necklaces for men

What is the ruling on wearing necklaces for men? Please note that this
is not by way of imitating (women); nowadays it has becomequite common
among men, and it is no longer limited to women. Sometimes it is worn
because of necessity. Does this come under the heading of
imitatingwomen?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is proven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) forbade men to imitate women and women to imitate men.
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari,5885.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) cursed men who wear women's clothing and women who wear
men'sclothing.
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4098; classed assaheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani
(may Allah have mercy on him).
It says in al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 11/268: There is no difference
of opinion among the fuqaha' that it is haraamfor men to imitate women
in their movements, soft speech, adornments, clothing and other things
that are exclusively theirs according to custom or nature… Ibn Daqeeq
al-'Eid gave as a guideline on what it is haraam to imitate them in as
being whatever is exclusively theirs, whether it is the thing itself
or the way it is made or the fact that it is more commonly made for
women, and the converse is also true. Endquote.
See also the answer to question no. 81994
Secondly:
It does not mean that something is not the kind of imitation that is
haraam if there are people who wear the item concerning which there is
the fear of it being imitation in a certain country or at a certain
time. It is very rare to find none of it at all. Rather what may take
it out of the category of being haraam is if it becomes widespread in
that particular place, and it becomes commonly practised and like a
custom, without anyone objecting to it, to the point that the one who
does it is no longer regarded as odd, and people of dignity and
decency would not refrain from it.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: at-Tabari
said:What is meant is that it isnot permissible for men to imitate
women with regard to the garments and adornments that areonly for
women, or vice versa.
I say: This applies to ways of speaking and walking. As for styles of
clothing, that may vary according to the differences in customs from
one land to another. There may be some people who do notdifferentiate
between the clothing of their women and their men, but the women are
distinguished by observance of hijab and covering.
End quote from Fath al-Baari, 10/332
In the commentary on al-Qawaa'id al-Fiqhiyyahby Shaykh Sa'd ibn Naasir
ash-Shatri it says: Custom (al-'urf) in any country must meet certain
conditions in order for it to be acceptable in sharee'ah. The
conditions for custom are four:
The first condition is thatthe custom should be consistent and widely
practised; it should not be inconsistent because if it is inconsistent
and not widely practised, it isnot called custom. This iswhat they
expressed by saying: What counts is what is widely known and
practised, not that which is rarely practised.End quote.
In al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (30/58) it says: What is important with
regard to custom is that it should be consistent or widely practised.
What is meantby consistent is that the custom is ongoing and persists
so that it does not disappear in different situations. What is meant
by widely practised is that it is done a great deal, and isnot done.
That is because consistency and being widely practised proves that the
custom isdefinitively well established and well known. As-Suyooti
said: It is regarded as a custom if it is consistent; if it is not
consistent then it is not regarded as a custom. End quote.
With regard to the necklaces that you askedabout, it is not known
inyour country (Saudi) that this custom is consistent, and it is not
widely practised among men without any objection; rather hardly anyone
does it except effeminate men and their ilk, or those who imitate
women or evildoers. So it is not permissible for you to wear it for
that reason.

Ruling on one who says “Harramt (she is haraam to me)” but does not intend to divorce

I hope that you can advise me about one who says "Harramt (she is
haraam to me)" but does not intend it as divorce.
I know some Sudanese people who say "Harramt (she is haraam to me)",
intending divorce thereby. I am not Sudanese, but I live with them and
I have picked up some of their culture. One day, I was having
anargument witha friend of mine from the Sudan, and he said to me: You
will never let any Sudanese ride in your car after today. Without
thinking, I said: "Harramt (she is haraam to me)", meaning Yes indeed;
I had no intention whatsoever of divorce or anything of that nature –
Allah forbid. I did my marriage contract two months ago and have not
yet consummated the marriage.
Since that day I have been very worried. I have read some of the
fatwas on the Islamweb and Tareeq al-Islam websites, and according to
the fatwas, this phrase depends on the intention at the time it was
spoken; some of them said that it is regarded as an oath andthe
expiation for it is thesame as the expiation for breaking an oath
(kafaarat yameen).
I have asked Allah a great deal for forgiveness and I have promised
Allah that I willnot do it again. I also fasted for three days as the
expiation for breaking an oath. But I wanted to write to you and
explain to you what happened so that you could put my mind at rest.
Praise be to Allaah.
What you have mentioned about uttering the word "Harramt" is subject
to further discussion:
1 - If you said this word without thinking and without intending what
it means, then you do not have to do anything.
2- If you meant what you said, then there is a difference of opinion
among the fuqaha' concerning this word. Some of them regarded it as
zihaar (a jaahili form of divorce in whicha man said to his wife: You
are to me as my mother's back), and some of them regarded it as
talaaq.
The most correct opinionconcerning this matter is: if he intended it
as talaaq, zihaar or an oath, then it is as he intended. If he did not
intend anything, then hehas to offer expiation for breaking an oath.
This is the view of Imam ash-Shaafa'i (may Allah have mercy on him).
See also the answer to question 81984
So long as you did not intend talaaq (divorce) or zihaar, then
expiationeither is or is not required; as you have offered expiation
for your oath, you do not have to do anything elsenow.
And Allah knows best.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
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HOW THE DAJJAL WILL BE EXPOSED ?

1. Dajjal will be Kaanaa (one-eyed) person.
2. He will make Dawaa (claim) to be Allah Ta'ala.
3. On his head, the letters "K, F, R" (Kaaf, Feh, Reh)will be written,
meaning "Kaafir" (infidel), and this will be read by all Muslims, but
it will not be seen by the Kaafirs.
4. He will travel very fast. In forty days he will travel the entire
world except Haramain Sharifain (the two HolyMosques in Makkah and
Madinah).
5. Within these forty days, the first day will be the length of one
year, the second day will be the length of one month, the third will
be the length of one week and the rest will each be twenty-four hours
long.
6. His mischief will be very strong. He will have with him one garden
and one place of fire. He will call these Jannat and Dozakh and
wherever he goes he will take them with him. His Jannat will really be
fire and his Dozakh will really be a place for rest. He will order
people to believe him to be the lord. Whoever believes him as the
lord, he will put them into his Jannat, and whoever rejects him, he
will throw them into his Dozakh.
7. He will bring back to life the dead. He will make rainfall. He will
command the land andit will grow crops. He will go into areas of
desolation. The treasures of these areas will be with him like bees
are with flowers. He will show all kinds of miracles like these, which
reallywill be nothing but magic and illusions. In reality, there will
be nothing with him and that is why when he disappears everything will
disappear with him and people with have nothing.
8. When he will wish to enter Haramain Sharifain, the Angels will
force his face to another direction.
9. He will have a whole army of Jews with him.
10. There will be three earthquakes in Madinatul Munawwarah. The
reason for this is that there will be people there behaving like
Muslims but they will be Kufaar and Munafiqeen and through fear of the
earthquakes they willleave Madinatul Munawwarah and join the army of
Dajjal.

The Coming of Qiyamat and Some Signs

One day the entire world, humans, animals, Jinns, Angels, earth,
skiesand whatever that is in them will come to an end or perish. There
will be nothing left except for Allah Ta'ala. This is known as the
coming of Qiyamat. Before the coming of Qiyamat, there will be some
signs that will appear, out of which, we write some ofthem here:
1. Khasf meaning that there will be three places where the earthwill
open up and men will be buried alive. One will be in the west,one in
the east and one in Arabia.
2. The knowledge of religion will disappear,meaning the Ulema
(scholars of religion) will be taken away.
3. There will be a large exploitation of illiteracy.
4. There will be great useof alcohol and adulteryto such a shameful
extent that it will be ascommon as donkeys eating grass.
5. There will be fewer males and more females. The ratio will be fifty
women compared to one man.
6. There will be a lot of goods.
7. In Arabia, there will be green scenery such as green crops, parks
andstreams. The streams will open its treasures and there will be
mountains of gold.
8. Men will listen to their women and not their parents. They will
stay in close contact with their friends and stay away from their
parents.
9. There will be great useof music.
10. People will curse their ancestors and speak ill of them.
11. The wrongdoers and non-capable will be made leaders.
12. Degraded people, who could not find cheap clothing, will own large mansions.
13. People will scream and shout in Mosques.
14. To stay in Islam will be so difficult as it is difficult to hold
hot ash in the hand. Up till the extent that a person will go the
cemetery and wish that they were in thatgrave.
15. There will be no quality in time. A yearwill be like a month.
Amonth will be like a week. A week will be like a day. A day will be
like as if an item has caught fire and quickly turns into ash,meaning
time will go very fast.
16. Savage animals will speak to humans. Thepoint of a whip and the
heel of a shoe willspeak and will informyou of what has happened in
the home. In fact, a person's thigh will speak and inform himof
things.
17. The sun will rise from the west. At this point, the doors of
repentance will close.One can no longer bring faith into Islam.
18. Except for the big "Dajjal" (impostor), there will be thirty other
impostors who will all claim to be Prophets whereas in fact Prophecy
has finished. There will be no other Prophet after our Prophet Hazrat
Muhammad Mustapha (sallal laahualaihi wasallam). Out of these
impostors, there have already been some, for example, Mussailamma
Kazzab, Taleeha Bin Khuwild, Asood Ansi, Mirza Ali Muhammad Baab,
Mirza Ali Hussain Baha'ullah, Mirza Gulam Ahmed Qadyani, etc. and
those that are left willcertainly come.

Ch 12: Isabella’s Prayer

Evening came after anxious waiting and Isabella started for the garden
of Cordova well in time. On the way she met Michael's daughter,
Mirano, who also accompanied her and herother two friends, who had
listened to the talk atMichael's house, also joined them in the
garden.
Mirano: Isabella, there is great sorrow on your face. Why? You have to
part some day from your relatives.
Isabella: I was in great plight after I parted from you. But luckily
my mother, being engaged in other things, could notcome to me,
otherwise Heaven knows what trouble she would have caused. But now by
Allah's Grace I am not worried but prepared to bear all troubles for
the sake of truth.
Mirano: But, sister, you were wonderful today, you gave such crushing
replies to priests that they were flabbergasted and could not reply,
and moreover whatever you argued was from the Bible.
Mertha (the other friend):But what is strange is that despite being
silenced they do not confess.
Mirano: They may not confess by mouth but their hearts do believe.
After you left my father Michael said to Peter: It istrue that the
divinity of Christ is not proved by the Bible, but anyway wehave to
abide by the judgment of the Church. Father Peter was convinced of the
weight of your arguments and said that your arguments were not weak.
Mertha: But today's discussion proved that Islam is a true and firm
religion while in Christianity there is nothing but misguidance.
Mirano (to Isabella): Would you like to leave your parents, brothers,
sisters and relatives, and the life of ease and comfort? And what will
you do if your father is strict on you and gives you up to the
Inquisition?
Isabella: I have now freedmy mind from all these worries. Allah Who
has conferred on me the boon of Islam will also help me in future and
will not discard my good cause. I find great solace in the verse of
the Quran which says: "Whosoever has fear of Allah in him, then Allah
will provide for him the means to findthe path of salvation and give
him sustenance fromquite unexpected quarters."
Mirano: Well, when shall we go to meet Ziad b. Umar and his company?
Isabella : We have to go there a little early so as tobenefit by the
company of respected Ziad as much as possible and return home in time.
Mirano: Will you report torespected Ziad the eventsof today?
Isabella : Why not? But letus go now so that we may reach there at the
time of isha (early night prayer) and return after staying there for
an hour.
Coming out of the gardenof Cordova Isabella, accompanied by her
friends, took her way to the' great Mosque of Cordova and on the way
Isabella informed her friends that, although in her heart she has
becomea Muslim , she has not been formally converted. She would now
take the pledge at the blessed hands of Ziad b. Umar, so that Allah
may grant her more courage and firmness and take in her heart the full
measure of Allah's help. All her friends congratulated heron her good
intention and expressed their pleasure also.
Half an hour after this, the girls entered the inner part of Umar
Lahmi's house, which adjoined the house of Ziad b. Umar, who had
already been informed oftheir visit by Umar Lahmi.So after isha prayer
divines, devotees, traditionists, poets, men of letters, academicians
and eminent scholars assembled there. After formal talk Umar Lahmi
asked Ziad b. Umar's permission to bring the girls to his presence,
and on getting permission the girls were called fromUmar Lahmi's
house.
As soon as the girls arrived Ziad asked about their welfare. Isabella
narrated to him the happenings of the last two days with her
father,the head priest, and other priests and also thetalk she had had
with Michael and Peter on different subjects and also the arguments
which she had put beforethem. The learned men present there applauded
her achievement and greatly encouraged her. All were impressed by
theprofound knowledge of Isabella.
Isabella (to Ziad b. Umar):Respected sir, this has all passed and
whatever comes after will be seen, but now my request is that you
formally convertme to Islam and include me in the universal
brotherhood of the believers of one God. So Ziad b. Umar formally
converted her and all those present prayed sincerely for her firmness.
Ziad b. Umar: Daughter Isabella, now that you have formally embraced
Islam, you should put a veil on your face as Islam enjoins concealment
of the woman's face. In future you should always be veiled. At the
same time five times of prayer are incumbent on you and see that it is
never missed as this is the only door to felicity. Well, are these
girls with you the same whom you had mentioned ?
Isabella: Yes, one of them is the daughter of Michael, whose name is
Mirano, and the other two are my friends and confidantes. Their names
are Mertha and Hanana.
Ziad: Have they any doubt about Islam?
Isabella: They have no doubt about the truth of Islam and, like me,
they believe in it and when Allah wishes they will formally declare
their Islam, yet Mirano has some doubts which my spiritual father,
Umar Lahmi, will resolve. She will come here some timeand present her
doubts and have satisfaction.
Umar Lahmi: It appears from your father's attitude that he will be
strict with you and it will not be surprising if he secretly hands you
over to the Inquisition. By the morning Michael and Peter will report
to him the details of your debate after which he is sure to antagonise
you. Now, what remedy have you thought of it ?
Isabella: Allah knows better what is going to happen in future. I have
submitted my case to Allah. Yet I have resolved that if he is more
oppressive I will come over to your house.
Umar Lahmi: You may do this whenever you like; anyway you have to do
this sometime, for Christians are not so broadminded as not to oppress
you and leave you free when they find that you have accepted Islam.
Isabella (to Zia'd b. Umar): Respected sir, you pray for me that Allah
may grant me endurance and firmness. Now permit us to leave.
Ziad b. Umar and others present said goodbye to the girls and, after
leaving the place, Isabellaand her three friends gotto their
respective homes.
Isabella slept in a corner of her house and, long before dawn, when
she woke up, she could not leave her bed. While still in bed the voice
of Allah-o-Akbar reached her earsand made her quite restless, while
the idea ofGlory and Grandeur of Allah and His Awe and Might filled
her eyes and tears began to fall from them. Getting some solace after
weeping she fell in prostration and with all humbleness prayed to the
Creator of the earths and heavens: "O Allah! grant me Thy love and Thy
most loved one. O Allah ! fill my heartwith the light of Islam and
Tauhid (Unity) and make the obedience of Thy Apostle my fate in life.
O Allah! I am so grateful to Thee for conferring on me the honour of
following the Mercy of the Worlds.O Allah! grant my parents, my
relatives and all Christians and the misguided ones the blessings of
Islam and let us all live and die on Islam. O my Lord! just grant this
humble prayer of the oppressed one, forThou art the hearer and the
seer."
After concluding this prayer Isabella felt that her soul had got
solace and a great load had been lifted from her mind. She found that
a treasure-house of endurance, firmness and elation had been installed
into her heart. She was very happy as she had secured a great wealth
like Islam. She was now fearless and bold, for the Tauhid had cast off
from her all fears except the fear of Allah.
Isabella's mother was in an unusual great rage. It appeared that Peter
and others had conveyed all their talk to her parents and convinced
them that she had become an apostate and all the doors of persuasion
had closed on her.
Isabella – A girl of Islamic Spain

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Discover tranquility and relaxation throughout The Islandsof The Bahamas

Visitors Embrace Island Time and Rejuvenate the Senses with Bahamian
Spa Experience
Throughout the Islands Of The Bahamas luxuriousspas offer visitors the
perfect place to unwind and recharge. Leave the worries from the home
and the office behind and enjoy the calming atmosphere and beautiful
beaches that are only the beginning ofthe relaxation process. In
addition to the spas featured throughout the islands, visitors outside
Nassau should inquire with their hotels as manyresorts can arrange
massages on the beach. Can you get more relaxedthan that? Schedule an
appointment and relax tothe natural sounds and aromas of the ocean.
Each spa offers signature treatments that spoil guests with indigenous
ingredients that bring harmony and balance back to everyday life.
Nassau/Paradise Island
SPA, One&Only Ocean Club: The Spa at One&OnlyOcean Club, a
resort-style estate doesn't simply offer massages, but ceremonies of
indulgence performed at a serene villa in the privacy of a guest suite
or ocean-view cabana. This spa experience aims to provide tranquility
both outside and in. Following treatments guests enjoy a Japanese Tea
Ceremony with herbal teas and fresh fruit.
The Mandara Spa, Atlantis, Paradise Island Resort: The Mandara Spa at
the mega-resort, Atlantis, Paradise Island, offers a full menu of
massages, facials, body treatments, aromatherapy treatmentsand salon
services. Mandara successfully blends the unique qualities of Asian
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a serene ambiance. Signature services include La Therapie Renew
Facial, Elemis Deep Tissue Massage and Ionithermie Algae Detox.
RED LANE™ SPA, Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island:
Pamper the mind, body and soul at the spa in all-inclusive Sandals
Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island. Classic European
techniques combined with a Caribbean touch are why readers of
CondéNast Traveler named Sandals Royal Bahamian one of the "Top
Caribbean Spa Resort Escapes." The salon features a tropical nail bar
and several hair stations ideal for special celebrations.
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Treatment: A true sanctuary of peace and
simplicity Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat is ideal for those looking
toescape the hectic demands of daily life. Theretreat and its Yoga
Vacation program are built around the practice of ancient yoga
techniques for balanced living. Peaceful days lead into intriguing
nights with presentations of music and dance.
Grand Bahama Island
Senses Spa & Fitness Center, Radisson Our Lucaya: "Come to your
senses" and experience exotic, island-inspired treatments and restore
your sense of calm while they
Spas detoxify, purify, soften and polish your body. Signature services
include Total Senses Massage, Sense of Peace Wrap, Sense of Joy Wrap,
Pure Sense Facial, Bahamian Wrapsody and a Seasonal Facial. This
full-service spa and is also equipped with a fitness center, full
range of spa, salon and fitness services and spa boutique.
Old Bahama Bay Resort & Yacht Harbour: Old Bahama Bay Resort & Yacht
Harbour, a luxury-suite resort on Grand Bahama's secluded West End
offers serenity with the convenience of a major destination. Unwind
with spa servicesthat feature Reiki, Couples Massage, Serenity
Massage, Total Bliss Massage, Salt Glow, Reflexology and a fitness
center.
The Out Islands
The Spa, Abaco Club On Winding Bay: Spa treatment at The Abaco Club
features a comprehensive collectionof signature products and
treatments, incorporating a range of active therapeutic plant
abstracts and the finest essential oils. Both men and women can
indulge in an invigorating array of aromatherapy remedies. A visit to
the fitness facilities, with awe-inspiring views of the beach and
Winding Bay, is also the perfect way to top off an indulgent stay.
SeaStar Spa, Grand Isle Resort & Spa: Located in the Great Exumas
Grand Isle Resort & Spa is an oceanfront villa only beach resort with
extraordinary views of white-sand beaches that are sure to relax any
guest. Spa services include hot stone massage, warm seashell massage,
aromatherapy, deep tissue and Swedish massage as well as other
indulgences such as bodypolishes and treatments including seaweed,
detoxifying, hydrating, soothing, and slimming. The spa also
specializes infacial treatments, scalp massages, wax treatments,
manicures, pedicures and makeovers.
THE SPA, Kamalame Cay: The Spa at Kamalame Cay,an exclusive,
ocean-side hideaway on Andros, is the perfect refuge from the
fast-paced, high stress world of today – a place to concentrate on
restoring and rejuvenating body, mind and soul. The experienced Spa
team personalizes a unique package of treatments to ensure maximum
benefit and complete relaxation from every visit.
The Islands Of The Bahamas have a place in the sun for everyone from
Nassau and Paradise Island to Grand Bahama to The Abaco Islands, The
Exuma Islands, Harbour Island, Long Island and others. Each island has
its own personality and attractions for a variety of vacation styles
with some of the world's best scuba diving, fishing, sailing, boating,
as well as, shopping and dining. The destination offers an easily
accessible tropical getaway and provides convenience for travelerswith
preclearance through U.S. customs andimmigration, and the Bahamian
dollar at par with the U.S. dollar. Do everything or do nothing, just
remember It's Better in The Bahamas. For more information on travel
packages, activities and accommodations, call 1-800-Bahamas.

Tāne Mahuta: separator of heaven and earth

The Waipoua forest can be enjoyed by day or night. For a truly magical
experience, stay overnight in Hokianga and join the night tour. Photo
credit: Mitsuro Aoyagi
From Te Kore (the great void where nothing existed) and Te Pō (the
perpetual night of darkness) comes the Māori story of creation.
In this darkness, imprisoned between their parents who were locked in
a never-ending embrace, lived the children of the gods - Ranginui 'sky
father' and Papatuanuku 'earth mother'.
The love between Ranginui and Papatuanuku was so immense that they
could not bear to be apart. Yet, by clinging to each other,the parents
were also keeping their six childrenfrom the light.
That was until one day when, as Ranginui stirred, a single beam of
light shone from Papatuanuku's armpit onto her children. Amazed by
this radiance, the children yearned to free themselves and enter the
world of light. So the children began to work on breaking the embrace
that had kept their universe dark for solong. But their parents' love
was strong and theirefforts were fruitless.
Then the mighty Tāne Mahuta (god of the forest) lay on his back and
dug his shoulders deep into his mother's body. With his legs, Tāne
pushed against his fatherand, with all the strengthhe could summon,
attempted to let light into the world.
Ignoring his mother's cries to stop, Tāne pushed even harder and the
bond between his parents began to tear. Drawing on his very last
reserves, Tāne fully extended his powerful legs, forcing Ranginui to
the heavens and floodingthe world with bright light. Today, when
Ranginui's tears fall from the sky as rain onto his beloved
Papatuanuku, it is a reminder of his grief and longing for her.
Papatuanuku's pain is visible in the red ochre clays of the earth,
still stained by the blood drawn during the separation.
Tāne Mahuta - lord of theforest
The greatest legacy of this legend is the mighty 'lord of the forest'
Tāne Mahuta standing victorious in Waipoua forest, with his shoulders
still pushed hard against his 'mother earth' and hisfeet stretched
high towards the heavens of his 'sky father'. Tāne Mahuta, one of the
oldestand largest trees in the world at 51m high and with a girth of
13.8 metres, stands in the great Waipoua kauri forest that is home to
three quarters of New Zealand's kauri trees.
Waipoua forest is in the Hokianga region on Northland's west coast.
Tāne Mahuta is a short walk from the Waipoua forest carpark on State
Highway 12.
Local tourism operator Footprints Waipoua offers guided evening tours
interpreting the forest and Māori legends under cover of darkness.
Tāne Mahuta is a giant kauri tree (Agathis australis) in the Waipoua
Forest of Northland Region, New Zealand. Its age is unknown but is
estimated to be between 1,250 and 2,500 years old. It is the largest
kauri known to stand today. ItsMāori name means "Lord of the Forest"
(see Tāne), from the name of a god in the Māori pantheon.
The tree is a remnant of the ancient subtropical rainforest that once
grewon the North Auckland Peninsula. Other giant kauri are found
nearby, notably Te Matua Ngahere. Tāne Mahuta is the most famous tree
in New Zealand, along with Te Matua Ngahere. It is thought it was
discovered (by Westerners, as it was already known to Maori) and
identified in the 1920s when contractors surveyed the present State
Highway 12 route through the forest. In 1928 Nicholas Yakas and other
bushmen, who were building the road, also identified the tree.

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Reconciling between the reports that Jibreel, Adam and Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) sawParadise, and the hadeeth “… that which no eye has seen…”

It is well known that in Paradise there is that which no eye has seen
and no ear has heard, but wasn't Adam in Paradise? Didn't the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enter Paradise too?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It was narrated from AbuHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Allaah
says: 'I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has
seen, no ear has heard and it has never crossed the mind of man. All
of that is reserved, besides which all that you have known is as
nothing.' Then he recited: 'No person knows what is kept hidden for
them of joy as a reward for whatthey used to do' [al-Sajdah 32:17 –
interpretation of the meaning]."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3072) and Muslim (2824) -- the report
narrated by Muslim adds:"apart from that of which Allaah has informed
you."
Secondly:
With regard to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
seeing Paradise and entering it, that is proven in many hadeeths. Imam
al-Bukhaari, in his book al-Sharee'ah, quoted some of these hadeeths
under the chapter heading Baab Dukhool al-Nabi (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) al-Jannah (The Prophet'sentering Paradise) in which he
narrated several hadeeths, including the following:
It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whilst I was walking in Paradise, I
saw a river whose bankswere domes of hollow pearls." I said, "What is
this, O Jibreel?" He said: "This is al-Kawthar which your Lord has
given to you." The angel struck it with his hand and its mud or its
perfume was of the mostfragrant (or pure) musk.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6201).
According to another report: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) was taken up to heaven (the Mi'raaj), [he said:] I
came to a river whose banks …
According to a version narrated in Musnad Ahmad (19/66): "I entered
Paradise and saw a river whose bankswere pavilions of pearls."
Thirdly:
With regard to the issue mentioned by the questioner, it may be said:
This that has been prepared in Paradise for the righteous slaves of
Allah has not been seen by anyone, as it states in the texts. As for
what Adam and our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon them) saw, it was only part of in Paradise because Paradise, "in
which there is that which no eye has seen" is not necessarily that
which no one has ever seen. Rather it may be that there are in it
things that some eyes have seen, even though there is in it that which
is stored up and hidden, no eye has seen it and no ear has heard, and
noone can imagine it or describe it.
Perhaps the above meaning is supported bythe hadeeth of al-Mugheerah
ibn Shu'bah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "Moosa asked his Lord: 'Who will be the
lowest of the people of Paradise in status?' He said: 'He will be a
man who will come after I have admitted the people of Paradise to
Paradise and it will be said to him: "Enter Paradise." He will say: "O
Lord, how, when the people have taken their places and been given
their portions?" It will besaid to him: "Would it please you if you
had the like of what one of the kings of the world had?" He will say:
"I would be pleased, O Lord." He will say, "You will have that, and as
much again, and as much again, and as much again, and as much again."
The fifth time, he will say, "I am pleased, O Lord." He will say: "You
will have that and ten times as much, and you will have what your
heart desires and what will delight your eyes." He will say: "I am
pleased, O Lord."' (Moosa) said: 'My Lord, who will be the highest of
them in status?' He said, 'They will be the ones whom I have chosen,
and I have planted their honour with My own hand. I have set a seal
over it and no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it entered the
heart of man.'" He said: And the confirmation thereof is in the Book
of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted: "No person knows what is
kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do"
[al-Sajdah 32:17].
Narrated by Muslim, 189.
It is as if those who are highest in status are those who have the
greatest share of this hidden treasure and blessing that no eye has
seen and no mind has imagined.
And Allah knows best.