The best helper at the face of tyranny

A student had spent thirty years acquiring knowledge. His teacher said
to him: "Let me ask you a question. If you know the answer, I shall
give you your diploma. The question I am going to put to you is not
about the Quran or Traditions, yet it is not unconnected with these.If
you have understood just a little of what you have learned, if your
studies have been at all fruitful, you will be able to answer. But not
if youhave learned without understanding."
The teacher then asked his student this question:"How many days'
journey is your home country from here?"
"It takes three months," the student replied.
"If Allah wills, you will receive your diploma and make that long journey."
"Yes, if Allah has so destined."
"On your way, will you pass nomad encampments with flocks of sheep,
and will they have sheepdogs to guard the flocks?"
"Of course! I will pass all of these on the way."
"Well then, suppose you were to be set upon suddenly by five or six
ofthose sheepdogs as you were passing by on yourway home. What would
you do? If you have understood your lessons,if you have got
anythingfrom the blessed Quran and Traditions and if history has
taught you anything, then you will answer the questions correctly,
pass this examination, receive your diploma, go back home and become a
preacher whose sermonswill benefit the people in this world and the
Hereafter."
The student gave this reply: "My respected teacher! If I encounter
savage dogs along the way I shall fight them offwith the staff I
carry."
"It is no easy matter to contend with half a dozen savage dogs. You
may beat off three, but the other three will bite you meanwhile. That
is no answer."
"I shall drive them off with stones."
"That is not possible either."
"Then I shall use a gun."
"In that case you will notescape the owner of the dog. Sheepdogs are
veryvaluable."
The student had failed the exam; He had not been able to give the
right answer to the question. "My son," said his teacher, "you have
learned a lot, but you have not understood. Think things over for a
while, then come back to me." After reflecting for some days, the
student approached the teacher again. "Have youfound the answer to my
question?" The teacher asked him. "No sir," he said. "I then
explained:"My son, if you should run into such a situation,do not try
to fight the dogs! Leave them alone and call the shepherds atonce. The
shepherd will tell the dogs not to attack you. You should understand
that tyrants are Allah's savage dogs. In the life ahead of you, in
your own country, you may at any time encounter such tyrants. If you
try and fight them,they will bite you and tear you apart. If you
killthem, their master will call you to account and you will be
condemned. The best course is to appeal to Allah; the dogs' true
Owner. Only by His grace can you hope to be delivered from such
tyrants. What a fine helper is He!"

Life in the Cave - Sacrifices of Rasulullah and Abu Bakr

When Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and Abu Bakr (RA) reached mount Thawr
during themigration to Medina, Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with
him) carried him up the mountain to a cave called after the name of
the mountain, Cave Thawr. Abu Bakr first entered to explore the cave
and be sure that it was safe, closed all holeswith pieces torn off
fromhis clothes, cleaned it and then asked the Prophet (Peace be upon
him) to step in. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) went in and
immediately laid his head in Abu Bakr's lap and fell asleep.
SuddenlyAbu Bakr's foot was stung by a poisonous insect. It hurt so
much that his tears fell on the Prophet's face. The Prophet (Peace be
upon him) immediately applied his saliva on AbuBakr's foot and the
pain went off on the spot. They confined themselves to this cave for
three nights, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 'Abdullah, the son of
AbuBakr would go to see them after dusk, stay thenight there, apprise
them of the latest situation in Makkah, andthen leave in the early
morning to mix with the Makkans as usual and not to draw the least
attention to his clandestine activities. 'Amir bin Fuhairah, while in
the company of other shepherds of Makkah tending his master Abu Bakr's
flock, used to stole away unobserved every evening with a few goats to
the cave and furnished its inmates with a plentiful supply ofmilk.-
-,Islamic Stories

The true Islamic morals

Some people who say they are acting in the name of religion may
misunderstand their religion or practice it wrongly. For this
reason,it is a mistake to form any idea of that religion from the
activities of these people. The best way to understand Islamis through
its holy source.
The holy source of Islam is the Qur'an; and the model of morality in
the Qur'an is completely different from the imageof it formed in the
mindsof some westerners. The Qur'an is based on the concepts of
morality, love, compassion, mercy,modesty, self-sacrifice, tolerance
and peace, and a Muslim who truly lives according to these moral
precepts is highly refined, thoughtful, tolerant, trustworthy and
accommodating. To those around him he gives love, respect, peace of
mind and a sense of the joy of life.
Islam Is A Religion Of Peace And Well-Being
The word Islam has the same meaning as"peace" in Arabic. Islam is a
religion that came down to offer humanity a life filled with the peace
and well-being in which God's eternal mercy and compassion
ismanifested in the world.God invites all people to accept the moral
teachings of the Qur'an as a model whereby mercy, compassion,
tolerance and peace maybe experienced in the world. In Surat
al-Baqaraverse 208 , this commandis given:
You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in
the footsteps of Satan. He is an outright enemy to you.
As we see in this verse, people will experience well-being and
happiness by living according to the moral teaching of the Qur'an.
God Condemns Mischief
God has commanded humanity to avoid evil; he has forbidden immorality,
rebellion, cruelty, aggressiveness, murder and bloodshed. Those who do
not obey this command of God arewalking in the steps of Satan, as it
says in the verse above, and have adopted an attitude thatGod has
clearly declared unlawful. Of the many verses that bear on this
subject, here are only two:
But as for those who break God's contract after it has been agreed and
sever what God has commanded to be joined, and cause corruption in the
earth, the curse will be upon them. They will have the Evil Abode.
(Surat ar-Ra'd: 25)
Seek the abode of the hereafter with what Godhas given you, without
forgetting your portion of the world. And do good as God has been good
to you. And do not seek to cause mischief on earth. God does not love
mischief makers.' (Surat al-Qasas: 77)
As we can see, God has forbidden every kind of mischievous acts in the
religion of Islam including terrorism and violence, and condemned
those who commit such deeds. A Muslim lends beauty to the world and
improves it.
Islam Defends Tolerance And Freedom Of Speech
Islam is a religion which fosters freedom of life, ideas and thought.
It hasforbidden tension and conflict among people, calumny, suspicion
and even having negative thoughts about another individual.
Islam has not only forbidden terror and violence, but also even the
slightest imposition of any idea on another human being.
There is no compulsion in religion. Right guidance has become clearly
distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false gods and believes in God
has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. God is
All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surat al-Baqara: 256)
So remind, you need only to remind. You cannot compel them to believe.
(Surat al-Ghashiyah: 22)
To force anyone to believe in a religion or to practice it, is against
the spirit and essence of Islam. Because it is necessary that faith be
accepted with free will and conscience. Of course, Muslims may urge
one another to keep the moral precepts taught in the Qur'an, butthey
never use compulsion. In any case, an individual cannot be induced to
the practice of religion by either threat or offering him a worldly
privilege.
Let us imagine a completely opposite model of society. For example, a
world in which people are forced by law to practice religion. Such a
model ofsociety is completely contrary to Islam because faith and
worship have value only when they are directed toward God . If there
were a system that forced people to believe and worship, people would
be religious only out of fear of the system.What is acceptable from
the point of view of religion is that religion be practiced in an
environment where freedom of conscience ispermitted, and that it
bepracticed only for the approval of God.
God Has Made The KillingOf Innocent People Unlawful
According to the Qur'an, one of the greatest sins is to kill a human
being who has committed no fault:
...If someone kills another person - unless it is in retaliation for
someone else or for causing corruption in the earth - it is as if he
had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person,
it is as if he had given life to all mankind.Our Messengers came to
them with Clear Signs but even after that manyof them committed
outrages in the earth. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 32)
Those who do not call onany other deity togetherwith God and do not
kill anyone God has made inviolate, except with the right to do so,
and do not fornicate; anyonewho does that will receive an evil
punishment. (Surat al-Furqan: 68)
As we can see in the verses above, those who kill innocent human
beings without a cause are threatened with evil punishment. God has
revealed that killing one person is as great a sin as killing all
mankind. Anyone who respected the prerogatives of God would not do
harm to even one individual, let alone murdering thousands of innocent
people. Those who thinkthat they will escape justice and punishment in
this world will never escape the account they must give in the
Presence of God on the Last Day. So, those believers who know they
will give an accountto God after their death, will be very careful
about respecting the limits God has established.
God Commands BelieversTo Be Compassionate And Merciful
In this verse, Muslim morality is explained:
...To be one of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness
and urge each other to compassion. Those are the Companions of the
Right. (Surat al-Balad: 17-18)
As we see in this verse, one of the most important moral precepts that
God has sent down to His servants so that they may receive salvation
and mercy and attain Paradise, is to " urge each other to compassion
".
Islam as described in the Qur'an is a modern, enlightened,
progressivereligion. A Muslim is above all a person of peace; he is
tolerant with a democratic spirit, cultured, enlightened, honest,
knowledgable about art and science and civilized.
A Muslim educated in thefine moral teaching of the Qur'an, approaches
everyone with the love that Islam expects. He shows respect for every
idea and he values art and aesthetics. He is conciliatory in the face
of every event, diminishing tension and restoring amity. In societies
composed of individuals such as this, there will be a higher
civilization, a higher social morality, more joy,happiness, justice,
security, abundance and blessings than in the most modern nations of
the world today.
God Has Commanded Tolerance And Forgiveness
Surat al-A'raf, verse 199, which says "practice forgiveness",
expresses the concept of forgiveness and tolerance which is one of the
basic principles of the religion of Islam.
When we look at Islamic history, we can see clearly how Muslims
established this important precept of themoral teaching of the Qur'an
in their social life.At every point in their advance, Muslims
destroyed unlawful practices and created a free and tolerant
environment. In the areas of religion, language and culture, they made
it possible forpeople totally opposite to each other to live under the
same roof in freedom and peace, thereby giving to those subject to
them the advantages of knowledge, wealth and position. Likewise, one
of the most important reasons that the large and widespread Ottoman
Empire was able to sustain its existence for so many centuries was
that its way of life was directed by the tolerance and understanding
brought by Islam. For centuries Muslims have been characterized by
their tolerance and compassion. In every period of time they havebeen
the most just and merciful of people. All ethnic groups within this
multi-national community freely practiced the religions they have
followed for years and enjoyed every opportunity to live in their own
cultures and worship in their own way.
Indeed, the particular tolerance of Muslims, when practiced as
commanded in the Qur'an, can alone bring peace and well-being to the
whole world. The Qur'an refers to this particular kind of tolerance:
A good action and a badaction are not the same. Repel the bad with
something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else,
he will be like a bosom friend. (Surat al-Fussilat: 34)
Conclusion
All this shows that the moral teaching offered to humanity by Islam is
one that will bring peace, happiness and justice to the world. The
barbarism that is happening in the world today under the name
of"Islamic Terrorism" is completely removed from the moral teachings
of the Qur'an; it is the work of ignorant, bigoted people, criminals
who have nothing to do with religion. The solution which will applied
against these individualsand groups who are trying to commit their
deeds of savagery underthe guise of Islam, will be the instruction of
people in the true moral teaching of Islam.
In other words, the religion of Islam and the moral teaching of the
Qur'an are not the supporters of terrorism and the terrorists, but the
remedy by which theworld can be saved fromthe scourge of terrorism.

The secret behind the creation of good and evil

The life of this world is a test specially created by Allah. It is a
transitory thing with both good and bad in which humanbeings are
tested. There is, of course, considerable wisdom in this. It is
essential that evil exist beside good for people to understand the
value of Paradise. Human beings are tested in terms of the virtuous
behavior they display, by Allah's leave, in this sphere in which the
good are divided from the evil.
The life of this world is a sphere in which there is a constant
struggle between the good and the bad. However, good and badare not
separated from one another by just a few characteristics. They possess
totally different, comprehensive and detailed character traits. The
bad act entirely according tosatan's directions, while the good follow
their consciences. The bad know no bounds inspired by fear of Allah,
and are capable of doing anything at anytime. When the situation and
prevailing conditions require they are quite capable of lying,
slandering others, engaging in unlawful acts, disloyalty, treachery,
putting their own interests before those of others, hatred, envy,
imbalance and intrigue. Since they have no fear of Allah they are
potentially capable of all kinds of betrayal and wickedness. There is
nothing to stop them killing, for example, when they become
sufficiently imbalanced. The more evil they commit, the morethey come
under satan's control,and the more evil deeds they arecapable of
committing.
People under satan's control busy themselves with wrongdoing, making
life difficultfor others, and spreading darkness, fear and misery,
instead of enjoying life's blessings. They look at the life ofthis
world from a different perspective. Although they knowtheir lives will
be very brief, they still elect to waste this short time span on
feelings of greed and enmity, thinking of their own interests. And
their targets are people of good character.
Good people are those who act from a fear of Allah. The
delightscreated in this world are all blessings in the eyes of such
people. Fear of Allah leads them to behave well and properly
throughout their lives, to be loyal and honest, never to do anything
unlawful, never to infringe anyone else's rights, to put others above
themselves, to be friends and brothers to others, to be trustworthy,
to harbor no ulterior motives and never to plot and conspire. Such
people are highly virtuous at every moment in their lives. Theyare
never imbalanced, exhibit unexpected character traits or lose control
of themselves. Because of their fear of Allah, the good always behave
in a manner compatible with the Qur'an. This is one of the main
distinguishing features betweenthe good and the bad. It is also the
cause of the evil's eternal hostility to the good: Since the evil have
declared war on all thatAllah sees as good, they also hate those who
love Him.
Since the life of this world is a test in which the good are
distinguished from the bad, whenever there is chaos and evilin it, one
faces the need to live ina manner compatible with the Qur'an. Only
when people live forAllah's approval, and thus according to the
Qur'an, will thisworld be a flawless place of friendship, brotherhood,
honesty, love and compassion. The fact that this world was created as
described in the Qur'an is also evidence of the existence of the
Hereafter. People are tested according to whether or not they will
abide by the Qur'an. In one verse Almighty Allah reveals:
He Who created death and life to test which of you is best in action.
He is the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving. (Surat al-Mulk, 2)
Perfection endures for all time inthe eternal Paradise created by
Allah. Our Almighty Lord will bestow His artistry of
perfection,together with the most delightful blessings, on true
believers in the Hereafter. Paradise is a sphere where thereis no
evil, imperfection, sorrow or fear, in which delights are bestowed for
all eternity. It manifests the sublime artistry ofAllah, He Who has
the power to create flawlessness and the finest blessings. As our
AlmightyLord reveals in other verses:
Those brought near will witnessit. The truly good will be in perfect
Bliss on couches gazing in wonder. (Surat al-Mutaffifin, 21-23)