The story of Prophet Saalih – I

After the destruction of 'Aad, the people of Prophet Houd Thamood, the
people of Prophet Saalih succeeded them in power and glory. They, like
their predecessors, fell to idol-worshipping. As their material wealth
increased so, too, did their evil ways, while their virtue decreased.
Like the people of 'Aad, they erected huge buildings on the plains and
hewed beautiful homes out of the hills. Tyranny and oppression became
prevalent as evil men ruled the land.
Allaah, the Exalted, sent unto them His Prophet Saalih a man from
among them. His full name was Saalih Ibn Ubeid Ibn Maseh Ibn Ubeid Ibn
Hader Ibn Thamood Ibn Ather Ibn Eram, Ibn Noah (Nooh ). He called his
people to worship Allaah alone, and not to associate any partners with
Him. While some of them believed him, the majority of themdisbelieved
and harmed him by both words and deeds. Allaah Said in the Quran (what
means): "And to Thamood [We sent] their brother Saalih.He said, 'O my
people, worship Allaah; you have no deity other than Him...' " [Quran
11:61]
Prophet Saalih was known for his wisdom, purity and goodness and had
been greatly respected by his people before Allaah's revelationcame to
him. Almighty Allaah mentions what his people said to him in the
Quranic verses (which mean): "O Saalih, you were among us a man of
promise before this. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers
worshipped? And indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in
disquieting doubt." [Quran 11:62]
They merely wanted to worship the same gods as their fathers had, with
no reason, no proof, and no thought. The proof of Prophet Saalih's
message was evident, but despite this, it was obvious that most of his
people did not believe him. They doubted his words, thinking he was
charmed, and they saw that he would not stop preaching. Fearing that
his followers would increase in number, they tried to put him off by
assigning him an important task; to prove that he was a messenger of
Allaah by performing amiracle. They asked him to let a unique
she-camel emerge from the mountains.
Allaah Almighty granted Prophet Saalih this miracle and a huge, unique
she-camel appeared from the direction of the mountain. The Quranic
commentators said that the people of Thamood gathered on a certain day
at their meeting place, and prophet Saalih came and addressed them to
believe in Allaah,reminding them of the favors Allaah had grantedthem.
Then, pointing at a rock, they demanded: "Ask your Lord to make a
she-camel, which must be10 months pregnant, tall and attractive, issue
fromthe rock for us." Prophet Saalih replied: "Look now! If Allaah
sends you what you have requested, just as you have described, will
you believe in that which I have come to you with and have faith in
the message I have been sentwith?" They answered: "Yes." So he took a
vow from them on this, and then prayed to Allaah, The Almighty, to
grant their request. Allaah ordered the distant rock to split asunder,
to bring forth a great ten-month pregnant she-camel. When their eyes
set on it,they were amazed. They saw a great thing, a wonderful sight,
a dazzling power and clearevidence!
A number of Prophet Saalih's people believed, yet most of them
continued in their disbelief, stubbornness, and going astray. Allaah,
the Almighty, said in the Noble Quran (what means): "And We gave
Thamood the she-camel as a visible sign, but they wronged her." [Quran
17:59] And (what means): "And certainly did the companions of al-Hijr
(628) [i.e. the Thamood] deny the messengers." [Quran 15:80-81]
There are a number of accounts by Quranic commentators of this
she-camel and its miraculous nature. It wassaid that the she-camel was
miraculous because a rock in the mountain split open and it came forth
from it, followed byits young offspring. Otheraccounts said that the
she-camel used to drink all the water in the wells in one day, and no
other animals could approach the water. Still others claimed that the
she-camel produced milk sufficient for all the people to drink, on the
same day that it drank allthe water, leaving none for them.
At first, the people of Thamood were greatly surprised when the
she-camel emerged from the mountain rocks. It was a blessed beast, and
its milk sufficient for thousands of men, women and children. If
itslept in a place that placewas abandoned by other animals. Thus it
was obvious that is was not an ordinary she-camel, but one of Allaah's
signs.
Their hatred of Prophet Saalih turned towardsthe blessed she-camel and
became centered on it. A conspiracy started to be hatched against the
miraculous beast by the disbelievers, and they secretly plotted
against it.
Prophet Saalih feared that they might kill her, so he warned them
saying (what means): "And O my people, this is the she-camel of Allaah
— [she is] to you a sign. So let her feed upon Allaah's earth and do
not touch her with harm, or you will be taken by an impending
punishment. " [Quran 11:64]
For a while, Prophet Saalih's people let the camel graze and drink
freely, but in their hearts they hated it. However, the miraculous
appearance of the unique she-camel caused many to become his
followers, and they clungto their belief in Allaah.
The disbelievers now began complaining that this huge she-camel with
its unusual qualities drank most of the water and frightened their
cattle.
They laid a plot to kill thebeast, and sought the help of their women
folk to tempt the men to carryout their commands. A lady named Saduq
Bint Mahya, who was from a rich and noble family, offered herself to a
young man named Masrai Ibn Mahraj on condition that he hamstrings the
she-camel. Aneezah, an old woman, offered one of her daughters to a
young man, Qudaar Ibn Saluf, in return for killingthe she-camel.
Naturally, these young men were tempted and set about finding seven
others to assist them.

The story of Prophet Loot

Prophet Luut left Egypt, accompanied by his uncle Ibraaheem and headed
to the city of Sodom in Palestine, which was on the western shore of
the Dead Sea.
This city was filled with evil. Its residents waylaid, robbed and
killed travellers. Another common evil among them was that their men
used to have sex with men instead of women. Thisunnatural act later
became known as sodomy, after the city of Sodom . It was practiced
openly and unashamedly.
It was at the height of these crimes and sins that Allaah revealed to
Prophet Luut that he should summon the people to give up their
indecent behaviour, but their immoral habits were so deeply ingrained
that they were deaf to Luut's preaching. Addicted to their unnatural
desires, they refused toaccept the call to repentance, even when Luut
warned them of Allaah's punishment. Instead, they threatened to drive
him out of the city if he continued preaching against their evil
habits.
Allaah Almighty revealed (what means): "The people of Luut denied the
messengers. When their brother Luut said to them: 'Will you not fear
Allaah? Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger. So fear Allaah
and obey me. And I do not ask you forit any payment. My payment is
only from the Lord of the worlds. Do you approach males among the
worlds. And leave what your Lord has created for you as mates? But you
are a people transgressing.' They said: 'If you do not desist, O Luut,
you will surely be of those evicted.' He said: 'Indeed, I am, toward
your deed, of those who detest [it]. MyLord! Save me and my family
from[the consequence of] what they do.' So We saved him and his
family, all. Except an old woman [i.e., the wife of Luut] among those
who remained behind." [Quran: 26:160-171]
The sinful actions of Prophet Luut's people saddened his heart.Their
abominable reputation spread throughout the land, while he continued
to struggle against them. As the years passed, he persisted in his
mission, but to no avail. No one responded to his call and believed
except for the members of his family; even in his household, not all
the members believed: Luut's wife was a disbeliever.
If home is the place of comfort and rest, then Luut found none, for he
was tormented bothwithin and outside his home. His life was continuous
agony as he suffered greatly, but he remainedpatient and steadfast as
a Messenger to his people. Instead of heeding to him, they belittled
his message, and mockingly challenged him, saying (what means):
"…'Bring us the punishment of Allaah, if you should be of the
truthful!" [Quran: 29:29]
Overwhelmed with despair, Luut prayed to Allaah to grant him victory
and to destroy the corrupt. Allaah Almighty, therefore, sent three
angels in the guise of young handsome men in answer to his prayer.
Theyreached the walls of the town in the afternoon. The first person
who caught sight of them was Luut's daughter while she was filling her
jug with water from the river. When she saw them, she was stunned that
there couldbe men of such magnificent beauty on earth.
One of the three men (angels) asked her: "O maiden! Is there a place to rest?"
Remembering the evil character of her people, she replied: "Stay here
and do not enter the town until I inform my father and return."
Leaving her jug by the river, she swiftly ran home.
"O father!" she cried. "You are wanted by young men at the town gate
and I have never before seen the like of their faces!"
Luut felt distressed as he quickly ran to his guests.
They visited him at home as guests. After ushering them in hospitably,
he asked them where they came from and where they were going.
They did not reply to his questions. Instead they asked if he could
host them. He began talking with them and impressedupon them the
repulsive nature of his people. Luut was filled with turmoil; he
wanted to convince his guests without offending them, not to spend
thenight there, yet at the same time he wanted to extend to them
theexpected hospitality normally accorded to guests. In vain, he tried
to make them understand the perilous situation. At last, therefore, he
requested them to wait until nightfall, for then no one would see
them.
When darkness shrouded the town, Luut escorted his guests to his home.
No one was aware of their presence. However, as soon as Luut's wife
saw them, she slipped out of the house quietly so that no one noticed
her. Quickly, she ran to her people with the news and spread it to all
the inhabitants like wildfire. The people rushed towards Luut quickly
and excitedly.
When Luut saw the mob approaching his house, he shut the door, but
they kept on banging on it. He pleaded with them to leave the visitors
alone and fear Allaah's punishment. He urged them to seek sexual
fulfilment with their wives, for that is what Allaah had made lawful.
Luut's people waited until he hadfinished his short sermon, and then
they roared with laughter. Blinded by lust, they broke down the door.
Luut became very angry, but he stood powerless before these violent
people. He felt powerless to prevent the abuse of his guests, but he
firmly continued to plead with the mob.
At that terrible moment, he wished he had the power to pushthem away
from his guests. Seeing him in a state of helplessness and grief, the
guestssaid to him: "Do not be anxious or frightened, for we are
angels, and these people will not harm you."
On hearing this, the mob was terrified and fled from Luut's house,
hurling threats at him as they left. The angels warned Prophet Luut to
leave his house before sunrise, taking withhim all his family, except
his wife.
Allaah had decreed that the city of Sodom should perish. An earthquake
rocked the town. It was as if a mighty power had lifted the entire
city and flung it down in one jolt. A storm of stones then rained on
the city. Everyone and everything was destroyed, including Luut's
wife.
The Holy Quran recorded this event; it states (what means): "SoWe
saved him and his family, all. Except an old woman [his wife] among
those who remained behind. Then We destroyed the others. And We rained
upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were
warned. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be
believers. And indeed, your Lord –He is the Exalted in Might, the
Merciful." [Quran: 26:170-175]
Thus, the people of Luut were destroyed and their towns and names have
been erased from the face of the earth.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Muadh ibn Jabal - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

Muadh ibn Jabal was a young man growing up in Yathrib as the light of
guidance and truth began to spread over the Arabian peninsula. He was
a handsome and imposing character with black eyes and curly hair and
immediately impressed whoever he met. He was already distinguished for
the sharpness of his intelligence among young men of his own age.
The young Muadh became a Muslim at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr, the
daiy (missionary) whom the Prophet had sent to Yathrib before the
hijrah. Muadh was among the seventy-two Yathribites who journeyed to
Makkah, one year before the hijrah, and met the Prophet at his house
and later again in the valley of Mina, outside Makkah, at Aqabah. Here
the famous second Aqabah Pledge was made at which the new Muslims of
Yathrib, including some women, vowed to support and defend the Prophet
at any cost. Muadh was among those who enthusiastically clasped the
hands of the blessed Prophet then and pledged allegiance to him.
As soon as Muadh returned to Madinah from Makkah, he and a few others
of his age formed a group to remove and destroy idols from the houses
of the mushrikeen in Yathrib. One of the effects of this campaign
wasthat a prominent man of the city, Amr ibn al-Jumuh, became aMuslim.
When the noble Prophet reachedMadinah, Muadh ibn Jabal stayedin his
company as much as possible. He studied the Quran and the laws of
Islam until he became one of the most well-versed of all the
companions in the religion of Islam.
Wherever Muadh went, people would refer to him for legal judgments on
matters over which they differed. This is not strange since he was
brought upin the school of the Prophet himself and learnt as much as
hecould from him. He was the bestpupil of the best teacher. His
knowledge bore the stamp of authenticity. The best certificate that he
could have received came from the Prophet himself when he said: "The
most knowledgeable of my ummah in matters of Halal and haram is Muadh
ibn Jabal."
One of the greatest of Muadhs contributions to the ummah of Muhammad
was that he was one of the group of six who collected the Quran during
the lifetime of the Prophet, peace beupon him. Whenever a group of
companions met and Muadh was among them, they would look at him with
awe and respect on account of his knowledge. The Prophet and his two
Khalitahs after him placed this unique gift and power in the service
of Islam .
After the liberation of Makkah, the Quraysh became Muslims en masse.
The Prophet immediatelysaw the need of the new Muslims for teachers to
instruct them in the fundamentals of Islam and to make them truly
understand the spirit and letter of its laws. He appointed Attab ibn
Usay as his deputy in Makkahand he asked Muadh ibn Jabal to stay with
him and teach people the Quran and instruct them in the religion.
Sometime after the Prophet had returned to Madinah, messengers of the
kings of Yemen came to him announcing that they and the people of
Yemen had become Muslims. They requested that some teachers should be
with them toteach Islam to the people. For this task the Prophet
commissioned a group of competent duat (missionaries) and made Muadh
ibn Jabal their amir. He then put the following question to Muadh:
"According to what will you judge?"
"According to the Book of God," replied Muadh.
"And if you find nothing therein?"
"According to the Sunnah of the Prophet of God."
"And if you find nothing therein?"
"Then I will exert myself (exercise ijtihad) to form my own judgment."
The Prophet was pleased with this reply and said: "Praise be to God
Who has guided the messenger of the Prophet to that which pleases the
Prophet."
The Prophet personally bade farewell to this mission of guidance and
light and walked for some distance alongside Muadh as he rode out of
the city.Finally he said to him:
"O Muadh, perhaps you shall not meet me again after this year. Perhaps
when you return you shall see only my mosque and my grave." Muadh
wept. Those with him wept too. A feeling of sadness and desolation
overtookhim as he parted from his beloved Prophet, peace and blessings
of God be on him.
The Prophet's premonition was correct. The eyes of Muadh neverbeheld
the Prophet after that moment. The Prophet died before Muadh returned
from theYemen. There is no doubt that Muadh wept when he returned to
Madinah and found there wasno longer the blessed company of the
Prophet.
During the caliphate of Umar, Muadh was sent to the Banu Kilab to
apportion their stipendsand to distribute the sadaqah of their richer
folk among the poor.When he had done his duty, he returned to his wife
with his saddle blanket around his neck, empty handed, and she asked
him:
"Where are the gifts which commissioners return with for their
families?" "I had an alert Supervisor who was checking over me," he
replied. "You were a trusted person with the messenger of God and with
Abu Bakr. Then Umar came and he sent a supervisor with you to check on
you!' she exclaimed. She went on to talk about this to the women of
Umar's household and complained to them about it. The complaint
eventually reached Umar, so he summoned Muadh and said:
"Did I send a supervisor with youto check on you?"
"No, Amir al-Mumineen," he said,"But that was the only reason I could
find to give her." Umar laughed and then gave him a gift, saying, "I
hope this pleases you."
Also during the caliphate of Umar, the governor of Syria, Yazid ibn
Abi Sufyan sent a message saying:
"O Amir al-Mumineen! The people of Syria are many. They fill the
towns. They need people to teach them the Quran and instruct them in
the religion."
Umar thereupon summoned fivepersons who had collected the Quran in the
lifetime of the Prophet, peace be upon him. They were Muadh ibn Jabal,
Ubadah ibn asSamit, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, Ubayy ibn Kab and
AbuadDardaa. He said to them:
"Your brothers in Syria have asked me to help them by sending those
who can teach them the Quran and instruct them in the religion. Please
appoint three among you for this task and may God bless you.I can
select three of you myself ifyou do not want to put the matter to the
vote."
"Why should we vote?" they asked. "Abu Ayyub is quite old and Ubayy is
a sick man. That leaves three of us." "All three of you go to Homs
first of all. If youare satisfied with the condition of the people
there, one of you should stay there, another should go to Damascus and
the other to Palestine."
So it was that Ubadah ibn as-Samit was left at Homs, Abu ad-Dardaa
went to Damascus and Muadh went to Palestine. There Muadh fell ill
with an infectious disease. As he was near to death, he turned in the
direction of the Kabah and repeated this refrain: "Welcome Death,
Welcome. A visitor has come after a long absence . . ." And looking up
to heaven, he said: "O Lord, You know that I did not desire the world
and to prolong my stay in it . . . O Lord, accept my soul with
goodness as you would accept a believing soul..."
He then passed away, far from his family and his clan, a daiy in the
service of God and a muhajir in His path.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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True stories - For you my love...

Hi… I know that you will never actually read this letter and this is
not my aim here. It's just that yesterday I realized I will never be
beside you any more.
I will never kiss the lips that I love so much, I'll never caress your
hair as I used to. Yes, my whole world collapsed yesterday. Because my
whole world was you……
I can't…, oh God, I still can't accept the thought that you won't be
next tome. I know that I made mistakes. I did awfully many foolish
things. I shouldn't have gone away. I shouldn't have left you – the
man of my life, just when I've found you. I wanted to earn that money,
so that it would be easier…or I thought it would be…..If Ihad known
then how wrong I was, if I had realized that money wasn't everything.
Moneycan't make me happy when you are not beside me.
I lost you….I just can't believe that you are no longer part of my
life, that you are no longer "my man", that we won't stick the so
dreamt "babyfactory" on the bedroom door.
You know…this time I was determined to stop. Ihad decided for sure to
come back and start leading a life in my own country and I wanted to
make it with you. When I planned on returning I told everybody that
I'm trying to get back the "man of my life" ….but it wasn't that
simple.
I couln't understand you before, now you can't understand me. You
couldn't understand that I wanted to abandon everything that I had
justto be with you. I was ready to leave my friends, the life in my
town, the great job that Iwill never have again – nothing interested
me more than being with you. You told me that youweren't ready, not at
thatmoment. But you were before. Why the hell didn't you just tell me
that you don't love me as you used to, that you are afraid to run the
risk of being with me again, that I don't have the right to rush into
your life every time that the impulse takes me. Or that you are
already tired of us playing cat and dog…..although you still love me.
I know it because I saw it in your eyes. They always give you away.
You know, what hurt me the most was that you didn't have the courage
to tell me that you are afraid and it's easier to lead your apathetic
life hiding behind work. Or you no longer love me, orat least not as
much as before. I would have understood. We are grown up people after
all….
I will always love you but I'll never let you in my lifeagain.
I don't know how I'll live without you…..I'm going to learn this from
now on. I wish you all the happiness with her. I hope she can give you
at least half of what I gave you. Although, no one will love you the
way I did. As trivial as it may sound. I thank you, you who read this.
I just wanted to unburden my heart somewhere nobody will recognize me.
I want to give you a piece of advice, the one that my father kept
telling me for a long time:"It's better to learn from the mistakes of
others, not from your own."
Do not kill your love! Do not think that you can change it for money,
shiny cars, or companies that are more important than your own life.
Neverleave the person you love, never betray him/her, fight for
his/herlove.
LOVE IS EVERYTHING PEOPLE! PLEASE DON'T LOOSE IT!!!
FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL, BUT NEVER LOOSE IT!