Oral and dental hygiene

What Are The Main Dental Diseases?
There are two main types of tooth disease: tooth decay and gum infections.
Gum diseases are exceedingly important, because when these are not
treated they may even go so far as to cause the jaw bone, in which the
teeth are rooted, to dissolve. Impairment of dental health, on the
other hand, can affect other organs in the body.
Tooth Decay
The main foods that cause tooth decay are carbohydrates and sugary
substances. If the teeth are not properly cleaned after eating such
foods, food wastes and germs accumulate on the tooth surface. Bacteria
inside the mouth use the sugary substances in food wastes to form
accumulations known asplaque. Plaque makes it easier for bacteria to
adhere to the teeth. In this way, the acid produced by bacteria, which
is present in sugary substances used to sweeten foods, causesthe tooth
enamel to dissolve by opening up minute cavities in it. Germs entering
through these dissolved regions cause tooth decay and can easily reach
the underlying tissue.
Gum Diseases
The gum diseases that arise in the event that the mouth is not kept
properly clean representsome of the most important oral problems.A gum
disease caused bybacterial plaque on the tooth surface leads to
infection of the gums, teeth sockets and floor of the mouth. The gums
bleed easily right from the initial stage of the disease. If this
disease is not treated it may lead to infection of and damage to the
jawbone.
Three basic factors in tooth decay are:
• A sensitive tooth surface
• Food wastes ideally suited to micro-organisms
• The presence of micro-organisms that break these down and lead to
acid formation
How to Maintain Oral and Dental Hygiene?
• Regular brushing is essential.
• Dental floss must be used.
• Avoid highly acidic andsugary foods as much as possible. Teeth must
always be brushed after eating those, because excessively acidic and
sugary foods enhance the effect of micro-organisms.
• There must be sufficient fluoride in the water, or else toothpastes
containing fluoride should be used. Fluoride makes the teethmore
resistant to decay.
• The teeth should not be brought into contact with hard objects.
• Do not use your teeth to break shelled foodstuffs such as walnuts
and hazelnuts, because these cause cracking of the tooth enamel and
increase the effect of bacteria. This means the elimination ofthe
protective effect of the enamel.
• Visit your dentist at least twice a year.
Hygiene: The Most Effective Way of Protecting the Teeth
• The most effective wayof protecting the teeth isto clean them by
regular brushing. Teeth must always be brushed after eating.
• There is a special brushing technique. Because although the teeth
are covered with avery hard layer, the enamel, they can still be badly
damaged if the wrong brush or brushing technique are employed. Erosion
of theupper part of the tooth or the layer surroundingthe root may
lead to retraction of the gums, making the teeth even more prone to
decay.
Stage One: Brushing
• Toothbrush selection isvery important. Hard brushes may cause
scratching of the enamel. The best, unless a special brush is
recommended by a dentist, are medium firmness, nylon brushes.
• Brushes whose heads are not too large are to be preferred as these
permit easy movement inside the mouth and can reach the back
teethwithout difficulty.
• Brushing should begin at a 45 degree angle, starting from gum level
with small, circular movements towards the oral cavity.
• Brushing starting from the teeth surfaces shouldnot be in the form
of harsh movements, but gentle, from the front teeth to the back. The
interior surfaces of the teeth should be cleaned in the same way, with
chewing surfaces being brushed using circular movements.
• Brushing should last at least 2-3 minutes.
• Toothbrushes should be replaced every few months.
Stage Two: Dental Floss
After brushing, the best way of removing food particles is to use
dental floss. Because these particles remaining between the teeth are
one of the main causes of decay. However, care must be taken not to
cut the gums during this process.
Diseases Resulting from a Failure to Maintain oraland Dental Hygiene
Unhealthy teeth and gums that are not adequately cleaned and cared for
represent a focus for infection in thebody and can thus have a
damaging effect on other tissues and organs.Tooth decay has been
determined to lead to sinusitis, tonsil infection,rheumatism, bone
wastage, diabetes, and respiratory system, heartdisease and digestive
problems.
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO DENTAL AND ORAL HYGIENE
When we look at his life and hadiths, it can be seen that our Prophet
(saas) attached great importance to cleanliness. The Prophet (saas)
recommended that believers should be clean in these terms in one
hadith: "Islam is cleanliness, the absence of dirt. You, too, must
beclean and wash, becauseit is the clean who enter paradise." (1)
One of the aspects of cleanliness to which our Prophet (saas) attached
great importance was care of the teeth and mouth. In describing
theProphet (saas) his companions stated that his teeth shone like
pearls, were spotlessly clean, white and sparkling. (2) We are told
that our Prophet (saas) cleaned his teeth using the "misvak" madefrom
the roots and branches of the "arak" tree grown in Arabia.
In addition, our Prophet (saas) was a role model for a society that
had no knowledge of cleanliness in the days before Islam, educating
people in the most appropriate way by imparting information inspired
by Allah. One hadith reports the following words of our Beloved
Prophet (saas) on the subject of dental care: "Jabir relates: 'The
Prophet (saws) stated "Crescent cleaning purifies the teeth, whitens
them, strengthens their roots and makes the breath smell sweet".'" (3)
One of the important details set out in the hadith concerns how
theteeth are to be brushed. "Crescent cleaning" refers to brushing the
teeth using circular, half-moon movements. This technique differs from
the right-left brushing technique that damages the enamel and wears
away the gums.
Circular movements are recommended by modern dentists, in the same way
as reported in the hadith, who state that this is the best way of
removing food particles from between the teeth.
1. Ahmad Diya'al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith)

Tales of ''Feathered Dinosaurs'' No Longer Deceive Anyone

A report titled "Dinosaur Fossil Reveals Creature ofa Different
Feather" recently appeared on the Science News web site. This report
was carried in a variety of Darwinist publications inorder to support
the lie that birds evolved from dinosaurs, and yet againrevealed the
despair that has been afflicting Darwinists for a very long time.
It can be seen from this article that some Darwinists still imagine
that they can use propaganda to attract people into their ranks. But
they are mistaken. Because people no longer believe in the theory of
evolution. They can no longer be taken in, but laugh at reports of
evolution. It isno longer possible to convince people of this
falsehood by means of outdated propaganda!
Because people have touched with their own hands and personally
examined evidence that totally exposes the lie of evolution; in other
words, they have come into contact with 100 million fossils. It is for
that reason that constantly repeating false claims such as "a
feathered dinosaur has been discovered" or "fish did move onto dry
land," that people have now learned by heart, can never and will
neverbear any fruit in the faceof 100 million fossils thatall prove
the fact of Creation.
People now laugh at such nonsense as "our ancestors were chimpanzees,"
"our ancestors were kangaroos" or "our ancestors were germs." And it
is totally unbecoming of anyone to try to deceive people with these
lies.
Because Evolution Has Collapsed
DARWIN HIMSELF ADMITTED the fact that there are no transitional form
fossils. In his book the Origin of Species, Darwin clearly stated, and
in a rather foresighted manner, that there existed not a single
transitional form fossil and that this represented the
greatestpossible objection to his theory:
WHY, if species have descended from other species by insensibly
finegradations, DO WE NOT EVERYWHERE SEE INNUMERABLE TRANSITIONAL
FORMS? Why is not all nature IN CONFUSION INSTEAD OF THE SPECIES
BEING, AS WE SEE THEM, WELL DEFINED?
INNUMERABLE TRANSITIONAL FORMS MUST HAVE EXISTED, WHY DO WE NOT FIND
THEM EMBEDDED IN COUNTLESS NUMBERS IN THE CRUST OFTHE EARTH?
WHY THEN IS NOT EVERY GEOLOGICAL FORMATION AND EVERY STRATUM FULL OF
SUCH INTERMEDIATE LINKS?
Geology assuredly DOES NOT REVEAL any such finely graduated
organicchain; and this, perhaps, IS THE MOST OBVIOUS ANDGRAVEST
OBJECTION WHICH CAN BE URGED AGAINST MY THEORY. (Charles Darwin, The
Origin of Species , pp. 172, 280)
Indeed, more than 100 million fossils have to date been unearthed from
various strata of the earth. But NOT A SINGLE ONE IS A TRANSITIONAL
FOSSIL.
These 100 million fossils unearthed reveal that NATURE IS NOT IN A
STATE OF CONFUSION, as Darwin anticipated, BUT IS RATHER FULL OF
COMPLETE,PERFECT, FLAWLESS LIVINGTHINGS WITH ALL THEIR PARTS INTACT.
The earth contains many animals that have become extinct but bear
close similarities to one another. But this DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE
INTERMEDIATE FOSSILS. All these life forms WERE BROUGHT INTO BEING
FROM NOTHING, WITH NO DEFICIENCIES OR IMPERFECTIONS, BUT IN COMPLETELY
PERFECT STATES.
Darwin was well aware of this. And these facts have indeed emerged
asTHE GRAVEST OBJECTION to the theory, just as Darwin foresaw. In
otherwords, they have demolished Darwinism.
And above and beyond all this, new sciences have shown that CELLS ,
CHROMOSOMES AND PROTEINS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY AND IRREDUCIBLY COMPLEX.
It has been discovered that there is enough information in DNA TO FILL
1 MILLION ENCYCLOPEDIA PAGES, and that IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR SUCH A
GLORIOUS STRUCTURE TO COME INTO BEING BY CHANCE.
It has been established that atoms , the basic building blocks of
everything, POSSESS A FLAWLESS ORDER AND GLORIOUS COMPLEXITY.
The theory of evolution has suffered a definite and total collapse in
the face of all these facts. That is why people now regard reports of
dinosaurs growing feathers and turning into birds as FAIRY TALES.
Birds have always existed as birds, and dinosaurs always existedas
dinosaurs. You can examine the 125-million-year-old LIAONINGORNIS
fossil and the 120-million-year-old CONFUCIUSORNIS fossil as the
clearest evidence of this on the www.fossil-museum.net web site. These
birds, which were able to fly perfectly and were fully formed millions
of years ago, areidentical to birds living today. In the same way that
present-day birds were created out of nothing, those birds living all
those hundredsof millions of years ago were also created by thewill
and at the commandof our Almighty Lord. People are now well aware of
this. And that iswhy persisting in hollowevolutionary propaganda will
serve no purpose at all.

--

- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

Physical characteristics of Angels-II

The great size of the bearers of the Throne:
Prophet Muhammad said: "I have been granted permission to speak about
one of the angels of Allaah, one of the bearers of the Throne. The
distance from his earlobes to his shoulders is the distance of a seven
- hundred year journey." [Abu Daawood]
Anas Ibn Maalik narrated thatthe Prophet said: "I have beengranted
permission to speak to an angel, one of the bearers of the Throne. His
feet are in the lowest earth and the Throne is resting on his horn.
The distance from his earlobe to his shoulder is like that of a bird
flying for seven hundred years. That angel says, 'Glory be to You,
wherever You are. '" [At-Tabaraani]
The wings of the angels:
The angels have wings, as Allaah Almighty has informed us. Some of
them have two wings, some have three or four, and some have more than
that.
Allaah, the Most Exalted, Says in the Noble Quran (what means): "[All]
praise is [due] to Allaah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, [Who]
made the angels messengers having wings, two orthree or four. He
increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allaah is over all things
competent." [Quran 35:1]
Moreover, We have already mentioned (in part one) the narration in
which the Messenger stated that Jibreel (angel Gabriel) has six
hundred wings.
The beauty of the angels:
Allaah has created them in a noble and beautiful form, as Allaah Says
of Jibreel (what means): "… [The Quran was] Taught to him by one
intense in strength [i.e. Jibreel] —One of soundness. And he rose to
[his] true form." [Quran 53:5-6]
Ibn `Abbaas said: "(one of soundness) means one whose appearance is
beautiful." Qataadah said regard the same verse: "One whose form is
tall and beautiful." There is no contradiction between the two views,
for he (Jibreel) is both strong and of a beautiful appearance.
The idea that angels are beautifulis well-established in people's
minds, just as the idea that devilsare ugly is also well-established.
Hence, we often hear people likenbeautiful human beings to angels.
Look at what the women said when they saw Prophet Yoosuf (Joseph) in
the verse (which means): "And when they saw him, they greatly admired
him and cut their hands and said,"Perfect is Allaah! This is not a
man; this is none but a noble angel!' [Quran 12:31]
Similarity in appearance and formbetween angels and humans:
The Messenger of Allaah said: "The Prophets were shown to me (during
his ascension), and I saw Moosaa (Prophet Moses), a man of average
build, looking likeone of the men of (the tribe of) Shanu'ah. And I
saw `Eesa Ibn Maryam (Prophet Jesus, son of Mary), and the person I
have seenwho most resembles him is `Urwah Ibn Mas'ood. And I saw
Ibraaheem (Prophet Abraham), and the one who most resembleshim is your
Companion (meaning himself). And I saw Jibreel; the person I have seen
who most resembles him is Dihyah." [Muslim and At-Tirmithi]
Is this a similarity between Jibreel's true form, or the form which
Jibreel took when he appeared in human form? Certainly, it is the
latter, because as we shall see, Jibreel often usedto appear in the
form of Dihyah Ibn Khaleefah . This is proven by the narrations in
which the Prophet described Jibreel in his real shape having six
hundredwings.
Variations in their physical shape and status:
The angels are not all the same intheir physical shape and status.
Some of them have two wings, some have three, and Jibreel has six
hundred wings. They vary in their status before their Lord, Most High.
Allaah Says (what means): "[The angels say], 'There is not among us
any except that he has a known position'". [Quran37:164]
As concerning Jibreel, Allaah Says (what means): "[That] indeed, it
[i.e. the Quran] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e.
Jibreel]. [Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the
Throne, secure [in position]" [Quran 81.19-20]
This means that he (Jibreel) has a high status and important rank before Allaah.
The best of the angels are those who were present at the battle of
Badr. Rafaa'ah Ibn Raafi' narrated that Jibreel came to the Prophet
and said: "What do you think of the people of Badr among you (i.e.,
who were present at Badr)?" He said, "They are the best of the
Muslims" or similar words. Jibreelsaid: "The same is true regarding
the angels who were present at Badr." [Al-Bukhaari]

Physical characteristics ofAngels- I

What they were created from andwhen
The substance from which Allaah,the Most Exalted, created angels is
light. It is narrated on the authority of `Aa'ishah that the Messenger
of Allaah said: "The angels were created from light, the jinn were
created from smokeless fire, and Aadam was created from that which has
been described to you (i.e. in the Quran, which is clay)." [Muslim]
Prophet Muhammad did not explain what light this is that they were
created from. Hence we cannot indulge in trying to say more about this
matter, because it is the matter of the unseen concerning which no
further clarification has been narrated, apart from this
Hadeeth(narration).
We do not know when the angelswere created, for Allaah has not
informed us about that. But we do know that they were created before
Aadam the father of mankind. Allaah has told us that He informed the
angels that He was going to create a Khaleefah (vicegerent) on earth.
Almighty Allaah Says in the Noble Quran (what means):
{And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels,
'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.} [Quran
2:30]
Allaah also Says (what means): {And when I have proportioned him and
breathed into him of My soul, then fall down to him in prostration.}
[Quran 15:29]
Seeing the angels
Because the angels have bodies of light which are of low density,
mankind cannot see them, especially since Allaah has not given our
eyes the ability to see them.
No one has seen the angels in their true form apart from Prophet
Muhammad . He saw Jibreel (angel Gabriel) twice in the form in which
Allaah created him.
On the other hand, different textsindicate that human beings were able
to see the angels in human form. An example for this is the long
Hadeeth (narration), 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab said: "One day while we
were sitting with the Messenger of Allaah thereappeared before us a
man whoseclothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly
black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and noneof us
knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet ( ). Resting his
knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs, he
said: 'O Muhammad, tell me about Islam…..'"
After asking the Prophet other questions, the visitor left and the
Prophet said to 'Umar : "O 'Umar, do you know who the questioner was?"
'Umar said: 'Allaah and His Messenger know best' . He said: 'He was
Jibreel (Gabriel); he came to teachyou your religion.'" [Muslim]
(2) Their great physical size
Allaah, the Most Exalted, Says concerning the angels of Hell (what means):
"O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a
Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed]
angels, harsh andsevere; they do not disobey Allaah in what He
commands them but do what they are commanded." [Quran 66:6]
It will be sufficient in this regard to quote the narrations which
speak of two noble angels.
The great size of Jibreel
The Messenger of Allaah saw Jibreel twice in the angelic form in which
Allaah created him. These two occasions are mentioned in the verse
(which means):
"And he [i.e. Muhammad] has already seen him [i.e. Jibreel] in the
clear horizon." [Quran 81:23]
And the verse (which means):
"And he certainly saw him in another descent. At the Lote Treeof the
Utmost Boundary. Near it is the Garden of Refuge [i.e. Paradise]."
[Quran 53:13-15]
That was when he was taken up to the highest heaven during his
miraculous ascension to heaven.
It is narrated that `Aa'ishah said: "I asked the Messenger of Allaah
about these two verses. He said, "That is Jibreel; I never saw him in
the form in which Allaah created him except on these two occasions. I
saw him descending from the heavens, with his huge size fillingthe
horizon between the heaven and the earth." [Muslim]
`Aa'ishah was asked about the verse (which means): "Then he [Jibreel]
approached and descended." [Quran 53:8]
She said, "That is Jibreel. He used to come to him (the Prophet ) in
human form, but on this occasion he came in his real form, and he
filled the horizons of the sky." [Muslim]
It is narrated that 'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood said: "Muhammad saw Jibreel
with six hundred wings." [Al-Bukhaari]
He (Ibn Mas'ood) said concerning the verse (which means):
{He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.} [Quran 53:18]
"This means green cushions, filling the horizons." [Al-Bukhaari]
These cushions that filled the horizons were what Jibreel was seated
upon. Ibn Mas'ood also said, "The Prophet of Allaah saw Jibreel with
his own eyes, on a cushion which filled the space between heaven and
earth."
'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood said: "The Messenger of Allaah sawJibreel in
his true form. He had sixhundred wings, each of which filled the
horizon, and there weremulti-coloured pearls and rubies falling from
his wings." [Ahmad]
Almighty Allaah Says, describing Jibreel (what means):
"…Indeed, it [i.e. the Quran] is a word [conveyed by] a noble
messenger [i.e. Jibreel]. [Who is] possessed of power and with
theOwner of the Throne, secure [in position]. Obeyed there [in the
heavens] and trustworthy." [Quran 81:19-21]
What is meant by the "most honourable messenger" here is Jibreel, and
the Lord of the Throne is the Lord of Glory, may He be glorified.

--

- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

Dought & clear - , There is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah prayer should be offeredin a masjid or jaami‘.

One of my acquaintence comented that, Juma is only valid in a place where all five daily prayers are being offered in congregation. Praise be to Allaah. There is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah prayer should be offered in a masjid or jaami‘ according to the majority of fuqaha’ of the Hanafi, Shaafa‘i and Hanbali madhhabs, unlike the Maalikis. It says in al-Bahr al-Raa’iq (2/162), which is a Hanafi book: The words “and general permission” mean: The condition of it being valid is that it should be done in the usual manner. So, for example,if a ruler were to close the gates of the fortress and lead his family and troops in offering Jumu‘ah prayer, that is not valid. This is what it says in al-Khulaasah. In al-Muheet it says that if he opens the gate of his palace and gives the people permission to enter, it is valid althoughit is makrooh, because he did not fulfil the rightof the Jaami‘ mosque. End quote. It says in Tarh al-Tathreeb (3/190): Our view (i.e., the Shaafa‘i madhhab) is that establishing Jumu‘ah is not only to be done in the mosque; rather it may be performed in an ordinary building. If they do it in a place other than a mosque, the one who enters that place should not pray during the khutbah, because there is no “greeting” (2-rak‘ah prayer upon entering) for it. End quote. It says in al-Insaaf (2/378), which is a Hanbali book: With regard to the words “it is permissible to performit in various buildings or buildings that are on theedge of the wilderness”, this is the view of our madhhab and it is the view of most of the scholars of the madhhab, many of whom stated it definitively. And it was said that it is not permissible to perform itanywhere except in the jaami‘. End quote. With regard to the Maalikis, they stipulated that it must be performed in the jaami‘, as stated above. Khaleel al-Maaliki said concerning the conditions of Jumu‘ah: [It should be] in a jaami‘ that is built separately. In al-Taaj wa’l-Ikleel (2/520) it says: “In the jaami‘.” Ibn Basheer said: The jaami ‘ is one of the conditions of offering this prayer. Ibn Rushd said: It is not validto establish Jumu‘ah except in a designated mosque. Al-Baaji said: One of the conditions is a mosque that is built specifically for that purpose in the usual style of mosques. End quote. To sum up: Jumu‘ah prayer in the place mentioned is valid according to the majority of scholars, if it is not possible to allocate a specific place for the Muslims to pray and if they cannot go to the nearest mosque or Islamic centre in which Jumu‘ah prayer is offered. And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - , If there is snow or rain, does that make it permissible to miss Jumu‘ah?.

Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ever miss the Jummaa prayer because of bad weather.the weather which is meant is about 20cm of snow. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: There is no report in the Sunnah that the Prophet(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray Jumu‘ah because of rain or snow;rather he did not pray it when travelling. Secondly: It is permissible to not pray Jumu‘ah and prayers in congregation in the event of heavy rain, cold wind or snow which is bothersome to people and makes it difficult for them to go to Jumu‘ah, because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (901) and Muslim, according to which Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) said to his muezzin on a rainy day: When you say Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allaah, do not say, Hayya ‘ala al-salaah (come to prayer); rather say, Sallu fi buyootikum (pray in your houses). It was as if the people found that objectionable. He said: One who is better than me did that. Jumu‘ah is obligatory, but I did not want to force you to walk in the mud and on slippery ground. [al-Nawawi] said: This hadeeth indicates that Jumu‘ah may be waived because of rain and the like. This is our view andthe view of others. Something different wasnarrated from Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him). And Allaah knows best which is correct. End quote. The Hanbalis regarded snow as one of the reasons that make it permissible not to go to Jumu‘ah or prayers in congregation. Its says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘ (1/495): Attendance at Jumu‘ah or prayers in congregation may be waived in the event of rain, mud, snow, ice or acold wind on a dark night, because of the words of Ibn ‘Umar: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would ask his callerto call out on a cold or rainy night when travelling: Pray where you are. Agreed upon. It was also narrated from Ibn Maajah with a saheeh isnaad, but he did not say “when travelling.” In al-Saheehayn it was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that he said to his muezzin on a rainy day -- Muslim added thatit was a Friday -- … and he narrated the hadeethquoted above. And the same applies to snow, ice and cold. This confirms that cold wind on a dark night is an excuse, because it is likely that it will rain. End quote. It is well known that many people are not bothered by snow and itdoes not prevent them from going to work and meeting other needs. For these people, snow is no excuse for them not to attend Jumu‘ah. But if it bothers them and makes it very hard for them to get to the mosque, then it is an excuse. And Allah knows best.

Whose is the kingdom today?

When the Samanid ruler,Nasr bin Ahmad ( 301 - 331 A.H), entered Nishapur, he held a court. After ascending the throne, he wanted the proceedings to be started with the recitation from the Holy Qur'an. At this an elderly pious man came forwardand recited a section of the surah Al- Mu'min. When he came to the verse (On that Day it will be asked:) "Whose is the Kingdom today?" Nasr was struck with awe; he descended the throne trembling, took off the crown and fell down in prostration, saying: "O my Lord, Kingdom is Yours, not mine!"

A bird's nest

Recently, we attended a speech given by a scholar from USA. The speech was mainly about the Greatness of Allah. Here is one interesting excerpt from the lecture: A poet said"Who has taught the birds how to make their nests? The birds make their nests in such a way as if a king is building his palace according to his desires." The birds create beautiful houses with the help of their beaks. They do not use a single stone or brick. They collect straws one at a time and puts them in their place. Within a short time, the birds make a comfortable nestfor them to live in. The nest that the birds make using their beaks are so dynamic that we can't even make them using our hands. Indeed, Allah has given the birds this knowledge from His infinite bounties.

Hadees - Good Character

18 hadith found in ' GoodCharacter ' of Malik's Muwatta. - 47.1.1 Yahya related to me fromMalik that Muadh ibn Jabal said, "The last advice the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless himand grant him peace, gave me when I put my foot in the stirrup was that he said, 'Make your character good for the people, Muadh ibn Jabal!'" 47.1.2 Yahya related to me fromMalik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az-Zubayr that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not have to choose between two matters, but that he chose the easier of them as long as it was not a wrong action. If it was a wrong action, he was thefurthest of people from it. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless himand grant him peace, didnot take revenge for himself unless the limits of Allah were violated. Then he took revenge forit for Allah."

Duas - ,

1. When consoling someone - Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers When consoling someone When consoling someone, greet with salaam and say: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى وَكُلٌّ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمَىً فَلَتَصْبِرْ وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ "Definitely Allah has taken what belongs to Him. He has given us what belongs to Him. He has stipulated a time for everyone (which He does not chance by impatienceor plan). Have patience and hope for reward". (Bukhari) Prophet Mohammad's (SAW) action when bittenby a scorpion: Once a scorpion bit Prophet Mohammad (SAW.) while he was in Salaat. On completion of the Salaat he said: "Curse be on the scorpion as it does not leave the person performing Salaatnor anyone else". He thenasked for water and salt and dissolved that salt in the water. He rubbed the solution on the wound and kept reciting Surah-al-Kaafiroon, Falaq and Naas. (Hisnul Hasin from Tabarani in Al-Sagheer) ********************* 2. At the time of fire - Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers At the time of fire Extiunguish the fire by reciting: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ The author of Hisnul Hasin says that this is proven. (Abu Yala and Ibn Al-Sunni) ********************** 3. When any animal becomes sick - Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers For any animal (cow/buffalo) that becomes sick Recite: لَا بَأْسَ أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِاشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا يَكْشِفُ الضُّرَّ إِلَّا أَنْتَ "There is no problem, O Lord of mankind, removethe difficulty (and) grant relief for you are the One who grants relief. There is no one but You who removes difficulties." Read this and blow 3 times on the right udder and 3 times on the left udder. (Hisn from Abi Shaiba Maqoofaan from Ibn Masood (R.A.)

Story - , Moons Peak [FINISHED]- Unbreakable Bond (chapter 20)

♥ WHEN I WOKE up later, I realized I was in someone’s arms, and I started to panic. ThinkingI’d dreamed up the whole rescue, and I was back in Trench’s arms. I opened my eyes, whipping my head around for emphasis. My guard on alert trying to sniff out Trench and the pack of dogs that held me captive for weeks. “Hey, beautiful.” A familiar voice greeted me, and I let my eyes gaze up into light green eyes. Human eyes, and that’s when Satchel’s scent finally registered. Clad in his suspenders and slacks, and his bare chest exposed, and his feet vulnerable. I was in his arms, no longer a wolf - naked - save for the huge off-white shirt I was wearing that covered what modesty I had left. The shirt had Satchel’s scent all over it, and I found that relieving somehow. The smell was comforting, hypnotic andtantalizing. “Satchel?” I groaned when my side abdomen stung with pain, as I triedto shift my weight around in his arms. He kept his pace, stalkingthrough the forest with purpose all the while being careful not to jiggle me around. He gazed down at me with astrained smile. “You’re gonna be okay, Willy. We’re almost home.” I sighed in relief, nestling into Satchel’s comfortable heat. I missed his voice. Loving the security of his solid arms, and the way he let his lips brush on my forehead every now and then, reassured me that I was safe. As soon as we were in the comfort of a home, and I’d been wrapped upin a thick warm blanket, he placed me in front of the hearth, where the orange flames were ablaze. We were in his house I realized, and I was lying in his arms, on the couch.His arms wrapped around me from behind, and I was lying on his bare chest. The logwood house was just how I remembered; cozy with Native American sculptures and artifacts everywhere, and the same indoor-outdoor flow of wooden furniture. It was pretty as I let my eyes wander around the room, and watched the flames in the hearth dance gracefully as it casted shadows over the walls. My mind reeling if this was another one of my hallucinations that I’dendured through my transition. He lightly tugged on the shirt I was wearing. “You look good in my shirt.” He murmured in my ear, and I smiled, relishing in the comfort of his broad hands stroking my hair away from my face. He rested his chin on my shoulder, lightly kissing itwhere his shirt hung loose on me, and my skin was exposed. He frownedwhen he saw my scar where Cairo had marked me, shifting the shirt so he could get a better look. "God! What did they do to you?" He whispered in shock. I shook my head. "It doesn't matter anymore." He sighed, letting it go. I was thankful that he didn't decide to pry, because i just wanted to forget it all. "Willy...? Did they...?" He couldn't seem to choke out the word, and it finally registered what he was trying to say. I shook my head defiantly. "No. No. They did nothing like that..." He exhaled heavily as if he'd been holding his breath for too long. Thank God that sexual abuse wasn't part of their agenda, though of course it didn'tmean the physical abuse they'd put me through was okay, no. It still stained my memoryof what Cairo had done, but other than that, they really didn't want to hurt me. At least, Trench and Sheeba didn't. I tried to sit up when Aretha Heins came into the room, with a tray balanced on her lap as she wheeled herself closer. Her hair a croppedcurly style, and her eyes as green as Satchel's were delightful with glee. She wore a thick sweater, and black jeans. She just smiled and urged me to lie down. "How are you feeling?" She asked, and nodded toward the wound on mystomach. "I'm fine, thank you." Sheplaced two steaming bowls of liquid, on the coffee table, with two plates of homemade bread and some glasses of water. "I hope you're hungry." She said, and I was shaking my head, because I didn't want hermaking a fuss over me, but the sweet aroma hit my nose, and my stomachgrumbled involuntarily. I blushed because I knew they heard it. "Just a little bit." I admitted. Aretha flicked her eyes toward her son. "Satchel, make sure she eats this. She needs it." Satchel nodded and pointedly looked at me following his mothers orders to eat. I watched Aretha's retreating figureas she left the room, and Satchel had the bowl in front of me with a spoon ready to feed me. I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a baby, Satchel. I'm quite capable of feeding myself. Besides, I only got shot in my stomach, my arms still work fine." He had a half smile tugging at his lips, and shrugged. "I know, but this would save you the trouble from moving." He nodded toward the spoon, and I rolled my eyes to eat what he was offering me. I let him feed me the chicken soup, and somehow the mere gesture made it feelmore intimate. He broke off a piece of Aretha's homemade bread and fed me a little of it. I moaned. God! It tasted just how I remembered it. Sweet, fluffy and pure goodness. He licked his lips, and raised his eyebrows. He was staringat me with slight amusement, but I couldn't mistake the lust in them. "What?" I stopped chewing. He stifled a chuckle, and shook his head. "There's something on your...come here." He wiped a crumb off my bottom lip with his thumb, and then popped it into his mouth, suckingon it. I blushed, but hid it behind my smile. He ate the rest after I couldn't eat anymore, and then he finished off his plate too. After we settled backdown. I sighed in relief. My stomach full, and my security intact...a little. I felt I was comfortable here. "That reminds me, I forgot to wish you a happy birthday." He nestled his mouth into my neck and whispered."Happy bithday" before he replaced it with a kiss.I smiled a little. "Thanks." "Sorry I didn't get you anything." He apologized, running his rough chin on my shoulder. I craned my head so that i could see him. "You being with me, is enough." I stated matter of factly. We shared a knowing look as we sat in comfortable silence together. I sighed thinking about everything that had happened since coming to Denvers Drove. Never had I thought I'd ever become this animal I had supposedly become. It was all so overwhelming to think about it...even still, I'd never thought I'd be falling for my childhood bestfriend either. It seemed like my life in New York was a distant memory...like I had never left this place at all. I cleared my throat,and turned to Satchel in earnest. “Tell me how I ended up like this?” He stopped stroking me abruptly, and gazed down at me with a pained expression. “You were shot by poachers. But it's okay…I took the bullet out, so it will heal.” I raised my eyebrows, at what he wasn’t saying. “Poachers? Don’t you mean my Grams? Or was Iimagining that part?” He rubbed at his chin, eying me warily. “She’s…” He started, but I knew he was going to make excuses for her. I shook my head rigorously. “I want to know Satchel…no more secrets. You looked at her like you weren’t surprised to see her there.” He rubbedhis hands over his face, and frowned. “Word around is that your Grams has been leading an army of poachers in the area…rumors have it thather and her posse have been hunting werewolves for years, but I didn’t believe them. I needed to see it for myself…so I teamed up with them.” “It wasn’t until I saw it with my own eyes what they’d nearly done to my mom, that I knew the rumors were fact. They thought my mom was a werewolf going through her transition, so they shot her where she was. Turns out she was fixing a few nails on our roof when they hit her, and she fell, causing a permanent spinal injury. I was too late to stop it, but that didn’t stop me from taking down everyone that had caused my moms pain. Grams wasn’t there at thetime, but they were under her orders. "After, Iwas considered a traitor to them, I went through my transistion when I turned seventeen. I calledfor the wolves to help methrough my change, but Iwas considered a traitor to them too...it wasn't until they found out I was part of the Pure-Breeds that they wanted me on their side. I turned them down because I knew they were just using my bloodline to strengthen their pack...they've been holding that against me ever since.” I was horrified by his story, I was stumped speechless. "Trench - The grey-wolf that took me - said you built those fences to trap animals...is that true." He was quiet for a few seconds then finally nodded. "That was before I knew what they were for. I'd been told they were traps to capture game, not wolves." I gulped. “My Grams instigated that? What happened to your mom...why didn’t you tell me?” He shrugged. “You weren’t exactly forth coming when you first got here.” He gave a sad smile. “-Besides, how was I to know she’d taught you different? You acted a lot like her when you arrived." I bit my bottom lip and blushed. “I’m sorry…” He shook hishead. “Don’t be.” “So, the question is why? Why is my Grams doing this? It’s so uncharacteristic of her…” “After my mom was bound to a wheelchair, we talked for hours…she told me your Grams’ first husband was a werewolf.Your grandfather William. After his first transition, your grams killed him because she couldn’t accept who he was. Said he was an unstable monster...or so I heard. "A few weeks after he’d been killed, she fell pregnant with your mom. Your Grams wasn't going to keep it until she found out there was a fifty-fifty chance that her child would be normal…but the other fifty meant her child could have the disease, lycanthropy disease.” I was intrigued by this telltale story of his, I needed more. “She risked it though?” He nodded. “She did, and your mom hadn’t been affected at all to your Gram’s relief…and she had the privilege to have lived out her years...it wasn’t until your mother was pregnant with you that she’d started having complications. You had more of your grandfather’s genes thanyour mother had the energy for. You were born, and your mother died because of it.” I lowered my eyes. “That explains the fever. Grams told me that she died when I was born, but not the extent of it.” He grunted. “Figures.” “Tell me more.” I urged. “I want to know how it isthat we exist.” He sighed and I felt his breath hit the nape of my neck. “Well, werewolves are born from a family member that carries the genetic gene. A werewolfbite or scratch isn’t a problem unless the one bitten has at least one parent affected with lycanthropy disease. It has to run in their bloodline to have the effect.” “A human can't change from a single scratch or bite?” He shook his head. “That’s a myth. Humans would just get an infection that would leave them to hallucinate, nothing more. They won’t changeat all. However, a bite or scratch can enhance or force its transition earlierfor a breeder. A breeder is a person that is unaffected by the geneticgene, but still has it in their bloodline, howver, one bite or scratch could force their change to the extent where they're killed because of it. Then there's a carrier. That's what you and I are. We somehow carry the gene on from our bloodline, and our transition is inevitable by the time weturn seventeen.” My headwas spinning with all thistruth, I didn't know whatto say or think. “My mother wasn’t bittenthough?” He shook his head. “She wasn’t, but the fact that you were a carrier, she knew she wouldn’t survive the pregnancy fortoo long. Unfortunately, bearing a child with the affected gene has the equilibrium status as a werewolf bite. No one usually comes out of it alive.” “That’s awful. What about you? How did you become?” He bit on his lower lip for a little whilebefore answering. “My moms a breeder too, she almost died giving birth to me, but somehow she survived the change. She's a wolf now because of me, but she can't go anywhere because her legs don't work in either wolf or human form. My dad comes from a long line ofwerewolves - Pure-breeds, he was one.His father was one, and so on and so forth." He cleared his throat and resumed his tale. "My dad was shot...several times. My mom didn't want the locals to panic if she'd told them he was murdered, so she said he died of a fever.” It was impossible to mask my horror on my face. I bit my nails trying to take this all in. “Grams?” I breathed. He just shrugged. "Nobody has solid proof to put her away, since she's never the one with the gun...until I saw you lying there in the forest." "She's a murderer...mass murderer." I stated as if itwas obvious. "-Why?" “She blames our species for what happened to her husband, even though he died at her hands, she’s always going to blame us for what he was made of. “ My eyes stung with salt. “I can’t even..” “She’s known for a lot of things, but this…she’s become a tell-tale legend. We’re almost extinct because of her.” I was close to stuttering. “How have I not seen it before, she’s talked about this place for years, despised the living crap out of it. I just thought she hated my stepmother, and my father for remarrying after her daughter’s death. But this is just…beyond extreme of her. I’m so naïve, I didn’t know.” He was stroking my hair again, I realized. “She thought she was protecting you, maybe.” Ishook my head. “Do you know what this means? I’ve hated my dad for years, because of my Grams. All along, she’sbeen the vindictive monster, I’ve been living a lie.” I winced when I tried to get up, and my wound felt like it was stinging me again. I pulled the blanket aside, to study my wounds. “You okay?” I nodded. “Yeah…just stings a little.” The wound was still a little fleshy, but I could tell it was healing. Isighed. "What about when we change? Is it the whole full moon thing?" "That's also a myth, though somewhat of it is true. We're bound by the moon, but we can change whenever the moon is visible. A full moon, however, forces our change, and we're stuck in wolf form until the sun rises." "That's promising I guess." We lay there just drinking in each other’s warmth. I felt his lips running absentmindedly on the top of my head, breathing in and out, so that his scent mingled with mine. He was a little too quiet for my liking. I bit my lip. “Tell me what you’re thinking?” I asked, playing with his fingers abesentmindedly. Waiting for him to answer. He sighed. ”I was just thinking, that I’ve never been so scared in my life. When I saw you lying there, covered with blood, it was…I thought I was gonna loseyou.” He gently tilted my chin up so that I was facing him. “Do me a favor and don’t do that again. I don’t think I can handle it.” I looked up to him with a lazy smile on my face. “Promise I'll try not to getshot again…besides, you owe me a date.” He chuckled, letting his eyes roam my face with amusement, but I couldn’t mistake the painin them. “I look forward to it.” He kissed me on the lips gently tugging on my bottom lip, claiming me with his sweetness. I had to refrain from moaning from the way it tasted. Pine, mint and pure Satchel, it was heaven. I could do this for ages. I broke the contact when aflash of Trench’s gunmetal grey eyes gazed down at me and I gaspedin horror. “Willy, what’s wrong?” I blinked my eyes again, only to see Satchel frowning down in concern. I had to shake my head for emphasis. “I…nothing.” I frowned, letting my eyes roam his face for a little longer. Myeyes had been playing tricks on me for weeks, but this was extreme. I bit my lips. “Can I ask you something?” His shifted his weight so I can see him better. “Sure…” “You said grey wolf had claimed me before I’d disappeared. How does one break that?” He ignored the question I realized, and he was staring aimlessly at the flickering flame. I sat up a little, ignoring the pain in my side, and touched his face to get his attention. “Satchel?” He reluctantly looked at me, and his eyes were a little glassy. He swallowed, making his Adams apple bob up and down, and then sighed. “It’s…” He rubbed at his face again, a habit I noticed when he was frustrated. He squeezed his eyes shut for emphasis, and then pegged a level stare on me. He fell silent and just stared at me, and stared a little longer. His jaw muscle bulged out, as he clenched his teeth. “It’s what?” I prodded. His mask of horror finally erupted, and I could see the pain flooding my insides. Just from his gaze. “The bond is unbreakable.” He finally whispered, avoiding eye contact. Clearing his throat a couple of times as if he didn’t trust himself to say anything else. I gasped, shaking my head violently. Denial kicking in and I could hear my heart thudding louder. Unbreakable?! How is that even possible? I wanted to scream and pull my hair out or something to numb the pain. The thought of having a lifetime bond with my kidnapper? It sent icy chills down my back. The bond is unbreakable. Those words blared to life repeatedly in my head, and the more I heard it, the more I panicked. Of course, some part of me knew that Trench would come looking for me, just as Satchel had come to my rescue, but the other part was tellingme that I belonged to grey wolf, but I shut that part out. This wasn’t happening.♥

Jumma Prayer - , There is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah prayer should be offeredin a masjid or jaami‘.

One of my acquaintence comented that, Juma is only valid in a place where all five daily prayers are being offered in congregation. Praise be to Allaah. There is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah prayer should be offered in a masjid or jaami‘ according to the majority of fuqaha’ of the Hanafi, Shaafa‘i and Hanbali madhhabs, unlike the Maalikis. It says in al-Bahr al-Raa’iq (2/162), which is a Hanafi book: The words “and general permission” mean: The condition of it being valid is that it should be done in the usual manner. So, for example,if a ruler were to close the gates of the fortress and lead his family and troops in offering Jumu‘ah prayer, that is not valid. This is what it says in al-Khulaasah. In al-Muheet it says that if he opens the gate of his palace and gives the people permission to enter, it is valid althoughit is makrooh, because he did not fulfil the rightof the Jaami‘ mosque. End quote. It says in Tarh al-Tathreeb (3/190): Our view (i.e., the Shaafa‘i madhhab) is that establishing Jumu‘ah is not only to be done in the mosque; rather it may be performed in an ordinary building. If they do it in a place other than a mosque, the one who enters that place should not pray during the khutbah, because there is no “greeting” (2-rak‘ah prayer upon entering) for it. End quote. It says in al-Insaaf (2/378), which is a Hanbali book: With regard to the words “it is permissible to performit in various buildings or buildings that are on theedge of the wilderness”, this is the view of our madhhab and it is the view of most of the scholars of the madhhab, many of whom stated it definitively. And it was said that it is not permissible to perform itanywhere except in the jaami‘. End quote. With regard to the Maalikis, they stipulated that it must be performed in the jaami‘, as stated above. Khaleel al-Maaliki said concerning the conditions of Jumu‘ah: [It should be] in a jaami‘ that is built separately. In al-Taaj wa’l-Ikleel (2/520) it says: “In the jaami‘.” Ibn Basheer said: The jaami ‘ is one of the conditions of offering this prayer. Ibn Rushd said: It is not validto establish Jumu‘ah except in a designated mosque. Al-Baaji said: One of the conditions is a mosque that is built specifically for that purpose in the usual style of mosques. End quote. To sum up: Jumu‘ah prayer in the place mentioned is valid according to the majority of scholars, if it is not possible to allocate a specific place for the Muslims to pray and if they cannot go to the nearest mosque or Islamic centre in which Jumu‘ah prayer is offered. And Allah knows best.

Jumma Prayer - , Why is Friday singled out for great importance?.

I want to know why Friday Prayer is important and Different then other ?. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, chose Friday to be the best of days before Him, and He singled it out for major events and great qualities, which are the reason why Muslims are obliged to venerate this day and take it as one oftheir Eids or festivals in which Allah has prescribed rituals that He has not prescribed for other days. On our website we have previously quoted a great deal of evidence tosupport this view, whichyou can see in the answers to the followingquestions: 9211 , 12309 and 13692 Secondly: Moreover, Jumu‘ah prayer has a particular virtue and great qualities through the barakah (blessing) of this great day. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Jumu‘ah prayer is singled out from among all the other obligatory prayers for having particular characteristicsthat are not found in other prayers, including the fact that it is offered in congregation, has a minimum number of worshippers required in order for it to be valid, the iqaamah is a condition of its being valid, one must not be travelling in order for it to be obligatory, and therecitation is done out loud. There is an emphasis on its imortance the like of which is not mentioned for other prayers except ‘Asr prayer. In the four Sunans it is narrated in the hadeeth of Abu’l-Ja‘dad-Dumari – who was a Companion – that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever misses three Jumu‘ahs out of heedlessness, Allah will place a seal on his heart.” End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/384-385. The Prophet’s Sunnah also singles out Jumu‘ah prayer by encouraging believers to do ghusl for it and to wear perfume (for men only). It is also strongly encouraged to come early for the prayer and there is a great deal of reward for walking to the prayer. Concerning these specialcharacteristics, Sa‘eed ibn Mansoor narrated from Na‘eem ibn ‘Abdullah al-Mujammir that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) issuedinstructions that the mosque of Madinah be perfumed with incense every Friday at midday, as was narrated by Ibn al-Qayyim in Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/370. Thirdly: The main reason for venerating Friday prayeris because of the divine decree that singled out this prayer and this day for special virtues. This isone of the manifestations of Allah’s Lordship (ruboobiyyah), as He alone singles out for veneration whateverHe Wills of His creation and whatever times and places He chooses. He is the One Who does whatever He wills for reasons that He, may He be glorified, knows. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the only One Who has the power to create and to choose from among His creation. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses” [al-Qasas 28:68]. If you ponder this creation, you will realize that this choosing and singling out are proof of His Lordship and Oneness, and of the perfection of His wisdom, knowledge and might; that He is Allah, besides Whom there is no other god, and He has no partner who can create as He creates, or choose as He chooses, or control as Hecontrols. This choice, control and singling out,the effects of which are evident in this world, are among the greatest signs of His Lordship andthe greatest testimony to His Oneness, the perfection of His attributes and the truthfulness of His Messengers. End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/40-43 Al-‘Allaamah Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) also stated that this singling out and choice are indicative of the inherent virtue of the thing chosen, for which Allah blessed this time. By His knowledge and wisdom, Allah may grantto a certain place, time or person that which qualifies it to be chosen by Allah and favoured above others. He (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This concept may not be understood by the one who regards all individuals, deeds, times and places as equal, and claims that there is nothing inherent that makes one thing better than another, and that precedence is given to some things over others for no reason. This view is invalid for more than forty reasons that I have listed elsewhere. It is sufficient, in order to understand the falsenessof this view and how corrupt it is, to note that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, refuted this false view when He said (interpretation of the meaning): “And when there comes to them a sign (from Allah) they say: ‘We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers ofAllah had received.’ Allahknows best with whom to place His Message” [al-An‘aam 6:124]. “Allah knows best with whom to place His Message” means: not everyone is qualified or fit to convey His Message; rather the Message has those who are suited to conveying it and it cannot befit anybut these people; Allah knows better than you who these people are. If all individuals were equal -- as these people claim -- there could havebeen no argument against them in this verse. Similarly, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: ‘Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favoured from amongst us?’ Does not Allah knowbest those who are grateful?” [al-An‘aam 6:53]. What is meant is: Allah knows best who will give thanks for His blessings, so He singles them out for His bounty from among those who will not be grateful to Him. Not everyone is fit to thank Him or to receive His blessings andbe singled out for this honour. Those individuals and places and so on that Allah chooses have some inherent qualities that are not found in other people and places, and itis for that reason that Allah chose them, gave them precedence because of those virtues and selected them. This is His creation and His choice. “And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses” [al-Qasas 28:68]. Allah does not choose anything and give it precedence except for a reason that led to it being singled out and given precedence. Yes, He is the One Who created this reason, as He is the One Who created it then chose it after creating it. End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/53-54 To sum up, all the characteristics of this great prayer are by the grace of Allah, may He beglorified and exalted, to His slaves. He chose it by His decree and singled it out for His bounty and blessings, thus it attained this great importance in this worldand in the Hereafter. And Allah knows best.

Jumma Prayer - , Sneezing During Friday Sermon.

What should a person doif he sneezes during the Jumu‘ah khutbah (sermon)? Should he say “al-hamdu Lillah”?. Praise be to Allaah. If a person who is listening to the khutbah (sermon) on Friday sneezes, he should say “al-hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)” quietly to himself. If anyone hears him, it is not permissible for him to say to him “Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you)”. It says in al-Mudawwanah (1/230): Maalik said concerning someone who sneezes when the imam is delivering the khutbah that he should say “al-hamdu Lillah” quietly to himself. No one should say “Yarhamuk Allah” to the one who sneezed when the imam is delivering the khutbah. End quote. Al-Mirdaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:It is permissible for him to say Ameen to the du‘aa’ and to say “al-hamdulillah” silently if he sneezes. End quote from al-Insaaf, 2/418 Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If he sneezes, he has to praise Allah (say “al-hamdu Lillah”) to himself and not raise his voice. End quote from Majmoo‘al-Fataawa, 12/411 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If a member of the congregation sneezes onFriday, he should say “al-hamdulillah” silently. If he says it out loud and the people around him hear him, it is not permissible for them to say “Yarhamuk Allah” to him. End quote from ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 5/109 And Allah knows best.

Excellence in faith

In one of the great prophetic narrations which included few, yet very comprehensive words, the Prophet clarified one of the means for salvation, and a sign of the excellence of Islam. This narration gives the believing slave a tool by which to measure himself and realize how close or far he is from the straight path. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: "It is from the excellence of (a believer's) Islam that he should shun that which is of no concern to him". [At-Tirmithi]. This narration contains many great meanings which a believer should understand and apply. It is one of the principles and foundations of good manners, and thus some scholars considered it to constitute one-third or one-fourth of the religion of Islam. Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “The Prophet summed all the aspects ofpiety and devoutness in this narration. He outlined for the slave what to do and what to shun, and it is an indication to the first pillar of soul purification,namely, shunning what does not concern the person, which leads to the second pillar, and that is busying oneself essentially with what concerns him” He clarified that shunning that which does not concern the person is a means to attain excellence in religion. This means, that people, in reality, are of two categories, those who are excellent in Islaam and those who arenot. The one who appliesIslam inwardly and outwardly is the one whohas reached the level of excellence , as Allaah says(what means): “And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, incliningtoward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend.” [Quran: 4:125]. On the other hand, the one who does not apply Islam inwardly and outwardly is the one whose degree of commitment to Islam is low, and one of the signs of this in him is that he busies himself in that which does not concern him. The following verse is proof substantiating the meaning of the narration, in which Allaah Says (what means): “And they who turn away from illspeech” [Quran: 23:3]. “… ill speech” is anything from falsehood, and that includes association, other minor sins and all useless speech, actions and concerns. Furthermore, busing oneself with that which does not concern him is included in the definitionof “ ill speech” . There are other prophetic narrations which highlight the virtue of excellence in religion, such as the narration of Abu Hurayrah in which he reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: "When one of you reaches the level of excellence in faith, then every good deed is multiplied for him ten times up to seven hundred times; and eachsin is recorded as only one, until he meets Allaah” [Muslim]. The saying of the Prophet : “… that which is of no concern to him" means, that which does not benefit him in his worldly life or the Hereafter, and this includes things that are prohibited, disliked, doubtful, and excess permissible matters which one does not really need. The measure by which one knows whether something is of his concern or not, is Islamic teachings and not ones desires. Many people decide to abandon enjoining good and forbidding evil under the pretext that this is interfering with people’s privacy and personal life. They would do so claiming that it is not a person’s concern tointervene in other people's affairs, basing their argument on an incorrect understanding of this very narration. Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq said: “O you people! You recite and misinterpret the following verse (which means): `O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance [and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and allthat Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all thatIslam has forbidden)] no hurt cancome to you from those who are in error.` [Quran:5:105] But Ihave heard Messenger of Allah saying: “When people see an oppressor but do not prevent him from (doing evil), it is likely that Allaah will punish them all.”” [Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi]. In another narration he said: “Never that evil is committed and people do not prevent it, though able to do so, but Allaah will overwhelm them with punishment”. One other thing that one must concern himself with is the affairs of other believers and their issues, because he who does not worry about theaffairs of his fellow Muslims is not one of them. The need to understand this narration, its implications and applications intensifies intimes like ours, when people’s commitments and personal obligations have increased and priorities are mixed up. The implementation of this narration is the first practical step toward reforming oneself and those under his guardianship and care which leads to achieving excellence in religion. This happens by concentrating on that which is beneficial and staying away from all that is not ones concern.