The scientific collapse of materialism

How did the endless universe we live in comeinto being?
How did the equilibrium,harmony, and order of this universe develop?
How is it that this Earth is such a fit and sheltering place for us tolive in?
Questions such as these have attracted attention since the dawn of the
human race. The conclusion reached by scientists and philosophers
searching for answers with their intellects and common sense is that
the design and order of this universe are evidence ofthe existence of
a supreme Creator ruling over the whole universe.
This is an indisputable truth that we may reach by using our
intelligence. God declares this reality in His holy book, the Qur'an,
which He inspired as a guide for humanity fourteen centuries ago. He
states that He has created the universe when it was not, for a
particular purpose, and with all its systems and balances specifically
designed for human life.
God invites people to consider this truth in thefollowing verse:
Are you stronger in structure or is heaven? He built it. He raised its
vault high and made it level. He darkened its night and brought forth
its morning light. After that He smoothed out the earth… (Surat an
Naziat: 27-30)
Elsewhere it is declared in the Qur'an that a person should see and
consider all the systems and balances in the universe that have been
created for him by God and derive a lesson fromhis observations:
He has made night and day subservient to you, and the sun and moon and
stars, all subject to His command. There is certainly Signs in that
for people who pay heed. (Surat an-Nahl: 12)
In yet another verse of the Qur'an, it is pointed out:
He makes night merge into day and day merge into night, and He has
made the sun and moon subservient, each one running until a
specifiedtime. That is God, your Lord. The Kingdom is His.Those you
call on besides Him have no power over even the smallest speck. (Surah
Fatir: 13)
This plain truth declared by the Qur'an is also confirmed by a number
of the important founders of the modern science of astronomy. Galileo,
Kepler, and Newton all recognized that the structure of universe, the
design of the solar system, the laws of physics and theirstates of
equilibrium were all created by God and they arrived at that
conclusion as a result of their own research and observations.
Materialism: A 19th-Century Fallacy
The reality of the creation of which we speak has been ignored or
denied since the earliest times by a particular philosophical point of
view. It is called"materialism". This philosophy, which was originally
formulated among the ancient Greeks, has also made anappearance from
time totime in other cultures and has been advanced by individuals as
well. It holds that matter alone exists and that it has done so for an
infinity oftime. From these tenets, it claims that the universe has
also"always" existed and was not created.
In addition to their claimthat the universe exists in an infinity of
time, materialists also assert that there is no purpose or aim in the
universe. They claim that all the equilibrium, harmony and order that
we see around us are merely the product of coincidence.
This"coincidence assertion" is also put forward whenthe question of
how human beings came intobeing comes up. The theory of evolution,
widely referred to as Darwinism, is another application of materialism
to the natural world.
We just mentioned that some of the founders of modern science were
faithful people who were in agreement that the universe was createdand
organized by God. In the 19th century, an important change took place
in the attitudes of the scientific world with respect to this matter.
Materialism was deliberately introduced to the agenda of modern
science by various groups. Because the 19th century's political and
social conditions formed a good basis for materialism, the philosophy
gained wide acceptance and spread throughout the scientificworld.
The findings of modern science however undeniably demonstratehow false
the claims of materialism really are.
The Findings of 20th-Century Science
Let us recall the two assertions of materialismabout the universe:
The universe exists in infinite time and, because it has no beginning
or end, it wasnot created.
Everything in this universe is merely the result of chance and not the
product of any intentional design, plan, or vision.
Those two notions were boldly advanced and ardently defended by
19th-century materialists, who of course had no recourse other than to
depend upon the limited and unsophisticated scientific knowledge of
their day. Both have been utterly refuted by the discoveries of
20th-century science.
The first to be laid in the grave was the notion of the universe
existing in infinite time. Since the 1920s, there has been mounting
evidence this cannot be true. Scientistsare now certain that the
universe came into being from nothingness as the result of an
unimaginably huge explosion, known as the" Big Bang ". In other words,
the universe came into being-or rather, it was created by God.
The 20th century has also witnessed the demolition of the secondclaim
of materialism: that everything in the universe is the result of
chance and not design. Research conducted since the 1960s consistently
demonstrates that all thephysical equilibriums of the universe in
general and of our world in particularly are intricately designed to
make life possible. As this research deepened, it was discovered each
and every one of the laws of physics, chemistry, and biology, of the
fundamental forces such as gravity and electromagnetism, and of the
details of the structure of atoms and the elements of the universe has
been precisely tailored so thathuman beings may live. Scientists today
call this extraordinary design the"anthropic principle". This is the
principle that every detail in the universe has been carefully
arranged to make human life possible.
To sum up, the philosophy called materialism has been utterly refuted
by modern science. From itsposition as the dominantscientific view of
the 19th century, materialism collapsed into fiction in the 20th.
How could it have been otherwise? As God indicates "We did not create
heaven and earth and everything betweenthem to no purpose. That is the
opinion of those who are disbelievers." (Surah Sad:27) it is wrong to
suppose that the universe was created in vain. A philosophy so utterly
flawed as materialism and systems based on it were doomed to failure
from the very beginning.

Hypocrites say that family ties are what matter, but Allah reveals in the Qur'an that it is the ties of faith that matter

Allah reveals in the Qur'an that believers should be respectful,
affectionate and loving toward their parents, and commands them to be
protective toward and watch over their relatives. A pure believeris
kind, affectionate and full of love in respect of his family and
everyone, expecting no reward for being so. However, in the event that
any one of his family or his relatives tries to prevent him having
faith in Allah,following the Prophet (saas) or living by religious
moral values, then of course he will obey Allah's command and turn his
back on the person seeking to divert him from Allah's path. It is
revealed in one verse that:
Say: "If your fathers or your sons or your brothers or your wives or
your tribe, or any wealth you have acquired, or any business you fear
may slump, or any house which pleases you, are dearer to you than
Allah and His Messenger and striving in His Way, then wait until Allah
brings about His command. Allah does not guide people who are
deviators." (Surat at-Tawba, 24)
As revealed in the verse, nothing is finer and more valuable for a
pure believer than Allah, His Messenger (saas) andstriving on Allah's
path.
But hypocrites' criteria and values are based on self-interest, rather
than the Qur'an. This comes out in their familial relations, as in
their relations with everyone else. The family is not a holy and
sacred concept for the hypocrite, but somewhere that will help him
survive, provide him with opportunities and make material means
available. To put it another way, it is a gateway to income.
Therefore, the reason why hypocrites regard family ties as important,
in their own eyes, is self-interest. They imagine that their brothers,
spouses, parents or other relatives among believers will regard
thisbond as important. The fact is, however, that Allah has revealed
that the important bond for believers and His approval is that of
faith.
In concentrating on family ties, hypocrites dothis not because they
really love their families, would be prepared to make sacrifices for
them or would watch over and protect them, but out of self-interest.
When there is no hope of personal gain, they never think of their
familial ties, brothers or parents. Indeed, it is revealed in the
Qur'an that when faced with the torment of the Hereafter they will
willingly give up their children, parents and all they love in order
to save themselves.
The bonds between believers and their families are honestly based on
love of Allah and His approval. The believer is warm, full of love,
protective, loyal and altruistic toward his family, as he is toward
all those who have faith.A devout believer will never even say "ugh"
to his parents. In addition, as required by Allah's command, if one of
the members of his family tries to turn him from Allah's path or
pressurizes him to engage in idolatry, he will never heed that person,
even if it is his mother or father.
Indeed, by citing examples from the lives of the prophets, it is
revealed in the Qur'an that throughout the course of history true
believers have always left their spouses, children or parents for not
believing in Allah, for not living by the moral values of the deen,
for engaging in denial or for being hypocrites. For example;
The Prophet Abraham (as) Who Fell out with His Father:
Abraham would not have asked forgiveness for his father but for a
promise he made to him,and WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR TO HIM THAT HE WAS AN
ENEMY OF ALLAH, HE RENOUNCED HIM . Abraham was tender-hearted and
forbearing. (Surat at-Tawba, 114)
He said, "Do you forsake my gods, Abraham? If you do not stop, I will
stone you. Keep away from me for a good longtime." He said, "Peace
beupon you. I will ask my Lord to forgive you. He has always honored
me. I WILL SEPARATE MYSELF FROM YOU AND ALL YOU CALL UPON BEDISES
ALLAH and I will call upon my Lord. It may well be that,in calling on
my Lord, I will not be disappointed.' (Surah Maryam, 46-48)
The Prophet Noah (as) Falls out With His Son:
Noah called out to his Lord and said, "My Lord, my son is one of my
family and Your promise is surely the truth and You are the Justest of
Judges." (Surah Hud, 45)
He said, " NOAH, HE IS DEFINITELY NOT OF YOUR FAMILY. He is someone
whose action was not righteous. Do not, therefore, ask Me for
something about which you have no knowledge.I admonish you lest you
should be among the ignorant." (Surah Hud, 46)
The Prophets Noah (as) and Lot (as) Fall out withTheir Wives:
ALLAH HAS MADE AN EXAMPLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNBELIEVERS: THE WIFE OF
NOAH AND THE WIFE OF LOT. They were married to two of Our servants who
were righteous but they betrayed them and werenot helped at all
against Allah.They were told, "Enter the Fire along with all who enter
it." (Surat at-Tahrim, 10)
Allah Commands People in the Qur'an Not to TakeThose Who Seek to Turn
Them from Allah's Path As Guides and to Turn away from Them, Even If
They Are Their Parents, Brothers of Children:
We have instructed man to honor his parents, BUTIF THEY ENDEAVOR TO
MAKE YOU ASSOCIATE WITH ME SOMETHING ABOUT WHICH YOU HAVE NO
KNOWLEDGE, DO NOT OBEY THEM. It is to Me youwill return and I will
inform you about the things you did. (Surat al-'Ankabut, 8)
You who believe, DO NOT BEFRIEND YOUR FATHERS AND BROTHERS IF THEY
PREFER DISBELIEF TO FAITH. Those among you who do befriend them are
wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba, 23)
You who believe! SOME OF YOUR WIVES AND CHILDREN ARE AN ENEMY TO YOU ,
so be wary of them. (Surat at-Taghabun, 14)
You will not find people who believe in Allah andthe Last Day having
love for anyone who opposesAllah and His Messenger, THOUGH THEY BE
THEIR FATHERS, THEIR SONS, THEIR BROTHERS OR THEIR CLAN. (Surat
al-Mujadala, 22)

Using Food for Cosmetic Purposes

Allaah The Almighty has created man in the best shape and form; He
says (what means):
· } He Created the heavens and earth in truth and Formed you and
perfected your forms; and to Him is the [final] destination. { [Quran
64:3]
· } Who Created you, Proportionedyou, and Balanced you? { [Quran 82:7]
Allaah The Exalted created everything in the universe to suit the
nature of man as well as to be in harmony with the way Allaah
assembled him. Allaah The Almighty made everything on earth able to
meet the needs of man that vary and differ according to time and
place.
Hence, man lives in an environment and climate suitablefor him. Allaah
The Almighty Says (what means): } Do you not see that Allaah Has Made
subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth
and amply Bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and
unapparent? { [Quran 31:20]
One of the most important aspects of this life is food, which helps
man survive and obtain various benefits. It is the source of energy
and growth for the body and it resists diseases that weaken it. It was
proven throughmedicine and experimentation conducted throughout the
course of time that some kinds offood increase beauty and adornment
and help to remove defects that may afflict the body and affect its
beauty, or hide it.
There are two aspects of types of food that are involved in beauty:
The basic purpose for using themis treatment, and then other
beneficial uses evolved from this.
Examples of this are the following:
· Using honey to remove freckles that appear on the face.
· Using black seed to treat Alopecia and leprosy.
· Using lemon juice to remove thespots that surround the eyes, or any
spots on the face.
There is no doubt that this kind of treatment is lawful as long as it
is within the limits of Sharee'ah as these types of food are used as a
kind of treatment. The Prophet, , said: "Allaah has sent down both
disease and cure and appointed a cure for every disease. So treat
yourselves medically, but use nothing that isprohibited." [Abu
Daawood]
The second aspect is to use thesetypes of food for the sake of
beautification. Examples of these uses are the following:
· Using cucumbers to remove rough skin and wrinkles.
· Using parsley to help in purifyingthe skin and the face.
· Activating the skin by using strawberry.
This category is included in the general benefits that Allaah The
Almighty made lawful. This is according to the Fatwa that was issued
by the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing of Fatwas,
as proven by the following:
First: Allaah The Almighty created everything on earth and made them
subject to us in all forms, whether for a necessary or a complementary
benefit, or a benefit that man uses to relax and renew his activity
and power for the best of this worldly life and the Hereafter.
There is no doubt that using these permissible types of food inseeking
beauty and adornment isone of the benefits that Allaah The Almighty
has created for us; He Says (what means):
· } It is He who Created for you all of that which is on the earth.
Then He Directed Himself to the heaven, [His being above all
creation], and Made them seven heavens, and He Is Knowing of
allthings. { [Quran 2:29]
· } Do you not see that Allaah has Subjected to you whatever is on the
earth and the ships which run through the sea by His command? And He
Restrains the sky from falling upon the earth, unless by His
permission. Indeed Allaah, to the people, is Kind and Merciful. {
[Quran 22:65]
Whoever contemplates upon these verses will find that this creation
and subjugation are not restricted to a certain aspect or one creature
alone, but they are general as they include everything that is of
benefit, as is indicated in the phrase which means } to you { .
Second: Beautification and adornment are among man's basic instincts
and are innate in the sons of Aadam. Thus, it is oneof the needs that
man seeks to fulfill. The Prophet, said: "The one who has in his heart
the weight of a mustard seed of pride will not enter Paradise." A man
said, "O Messenger of Allaah,everyone of us likes that his dressshould
be fine, and that his shoesshould be fine." The Prophet, , responded:
"Indeed, Allaah is Beautiful and He loves beauty." [Muslim]
The Prophet, , liked wearing perfume and had a bottle of perfume that
he would use. He would say: "Three things are rendered beloved to me
in the present life: women and perfume- and the coolness of my eyes
lies in performing prayer." [Ahmad]
The Prophet, , also had a Kohl (antimony) container for his eyes. He
used to oil his head and beard and comb them. He also used to have
certain clothes for meeting prominent persons and the chiefs of the
tribes. This is also required under Sharee'ah within the limits that
Allaah has set. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } And it is He
who Subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to
extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships
plowing through it, and [He Subjected it] that you may seek ofHis
bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful. { [Quran 16:14]
Moreover, Allaah The Almighty has disapproved of prohibiting anything
of this without evidence; He says (what means): } Say, 'Who has
forbidden the adornment of Allaah which He has Produced for His
servants andthe good [lawful] things of provision?' Say, 'They are for
those who believe during the worldly life [but] exclusively for them
on the Day of Resurrection.'Thus do We Detail the verses for apeople
who know. { [Quran 7:32]
At the same time, however, the following should be borne in mind:
· Using these things should be according to the need that achieves
what is needed. A person should not be extravagant while using them as
Allaah The Almighty has forbidden this.
· It is better to use other means that are, by default, used for
cosmetic purposes, as these types of food were not originally created
for cosmetic purposes. This is so as to not indulge in wastefulness.
Beautification and Adornment
The Sharee'ah has approved of this as indicated by the following:
· Advising man to look after his body and cleanliness, which is
considered one of the aspects of adornment. The Prophet, , said: "Five
acts are from Fitrah[natural disposition]: circumcision, shaving the
pubic hair, clipping the nails, plucking the hair under the armpits
and cutting the moustache short." [Muslim]
· The Prophet, , forbade the traveler who returns at night from
surprising his wife, so as not to see her in a bad condition. The
Prophet, , said in this regard: "[Do not return] until the woman
removes the pubic hair and combs her hair." [Muslim]
· The Prophet, , urged us to purify ourselves and made this
purification a reason for being forgiven by Allaah The Almighty in
some cases. For instance, the Prophet, , said: "Whoever takes a bath
on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, then uses his [hair]
oil or perfumes himself, then proceeds [for the Friday prayer] and
does not separate two persons who are sitting together [in the
mosque], then prays as much as he can according to what was
predetermined by Allaah and remains silent while the Imam is
delivering the Khutbah, his sins between the present and the past
Friday would be forgiven." [Al-Bukhaari]
Third: The basic rule for adornment and beautification is
permissibility unless something that is prohibited under Sharee'ah is
used like impurities and alcohol that is part of the perfume industry
with a high percentage. Also, gold and silk for men and the use of
perfume for women at a time that she willpass by non- Mahram men.

The significance of Hijaab

It often occurs to me that many of our sisters in Islam are not
correctly enlightened or encouraged once they begin to observe the
requirements of Hijaab (Islamic women's dress). It may be that a
sister hasbeen obliged to wear theHijaab without truly pondering over
its superiority and uniqueness .
Perhaps she has reached the age of puberty and her parents have
instructed her to wear it. Perhaps she has recently accepted Islam and
her close companions have told her of its obligation, or perhaps her
husband has commanded her to wear it .
A sister who does not truly know the superiority of Hijaab will always
remain envious ofdisbelieving women. Why? Because they observe these
misguided disbelievers attempting to look beautiful for all tosee.
Hence, the Muslim woman then compares herself to that woman, which
causes her to feel ashamed of her own Hijaab.
Therefore, what follows is a reminder for my sisters in Islam. It is a
reminder of the true status of these so-called beautiful women. It is
a reminder of the excellence of the women who wear Hijaab.
Excellent Qualities of Those who Wear Hijaab :
It is well known that the Muslim woman is a creature of modesty.
Allaah loves for our Muslim women to be shielded by their Hijaab. It
is their outer protection from the decadence of this life. Allaah's
Messenger said: "Allaah is modest and covering. He loves modesty and
privacy." [Ahmad and Others]
Thus, as modesty is a quality that is loved by Allaah, our sisters
must take comfort in knowing that they are modest and not like those
women who show themselves offto the world. Such women will not be
shielded from Allaah's wrath. Allaah's Messenger said: "Any woman
whotakes off her clothes in other than her husband'shome, has broken
Allaah's shield upon her." [Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi ]
Therefore, we see that the Hijaab of the Muslim woman is indeed part
of modesty. Modesty accompanies Eemaan (faith); this is why the
Messenger of Allaah said: "Modesty is part of Eemaan and Eemaan is in
Paradise." [At-Tirmithi] Also: "Modesty and Eemaan are (intimate)
companions: when one departs, so does the other." [Al-Haakim and
Others]
The Muslim woman must know that the disbelieving women whobeautify
themselves for the whole world to see possess no modesty; thus,they
are void of any Eemaan. Instead of looking to the latest fashion
models for guidance, she should look to the wives of the Prophet .
Look at the regard for modesty that our mother,'Aa'ishah possessed,
even in the presence of the deceased; she said : "Iused to enter the
room where the Messenger of Allaah and my father, Abu Bakr, were
buried without wearing my (outer) garment, saying that it was only my
husband and my father. But when 'Umar bin Al-Khattaab was later buried
(in the same place), I did not enter theroom except that I had my
outer garment on, due to being shy of 'Umar ."
It could be quite difficult for the Muslim woman to go out wearing
Hijaab in a society that mocks and torments her. She would certainly
feel strange andincongruous. However, if she realises the status of
those who are mocked by the disbelievers, then she would continue to
wear her Hijaab with dignity.
Allaah Says in His Book (what means): "Indeed, those who committed
crimes used to laugh at those who believed. And when they passed by
them, they would exchange derisive glances. And when they returned to
their people, they would return jesting. And when they saw them, they
would say: 'Indeed, those are truly lost.' But they have not been sent
as guardians over them. So Today [i.e., the Day of Judgement] those
who believed are laughing at the disbelievers, on adorned couches,
observing. Have the disbelievers [not] been rewarded [this Day] for
what they used to do?" [Quran: 83:29-36]
These words of Allaah should serve as a supportfor you, my dear
sister. Also, take comfort in being a stranger among these lewd and
sinful women. Allaah's Messenger said: "Islam began as something
strange, and it will revertto (its old position of) being strange, so
good news is for the strangers." [Muslim]
The Characteristic of the Exposed :
Instead of wearing the Hijaab (covering), the disbelieving women
expose themselves, making a dazzling display of themselves for others.
Such a display is an attribute of ignorance. Allaah Says in His Book
(what means): "And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves
as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance…" [Quran 33:33]
Allaah's Messenger said: "The best of your women are the affectionate,
the fertile, the comforting, and the agreeable – if they fear Allaah.
The most evil of your women are those who expose and display
themselves, and those who strut (to show off), and they are the
hypocrites. Those who enter Paradise are like the red beaked crow."
[Al-Bayhaqi] The mentioning of this kind of crow is to highlight that
those who enter Paradise will be as rare as this kind of crow .
We see from the above verse and Hadeeth (prophetic statement) that it
is certainly unlawful for a Muslim woman to make a displayof herself.
Further, it is a quality of the most evil ofwomen. Therefore, do not
be envious of the disbelieving women. They only have this life
toenjoy, while the believing women will have Paradise. There is
nothing in your Hijaab tobe ashamed of as it is thegarment of the
righteousand pious female worshippers of Allaah .
In order to truly show how evil those women who expose themselves are,
let us ponder over the following statement of Allaah's Messenger : "Of
the people of Hell, there are two types that Ihave never seen; the
first are those holding whips like the tail of an ox with which they
flog people. The second are women who would be naked despite being
dressed (i.e. either partly dressed or wearing translucent clothes),
who are seduced and who seduce others. Their hair is high like the
humps of a camel. These women will not enter Paradise, nor will they
smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be smelled from such
and such a (very far) distance." [Muslim]
These women who expose themselves are common among us today. These are
women that even the Prophet did not see! Look aroundyou and you will
see those women who are clothed but naked! Look at the hair styles of
the women who expose themselves – are they nothigh like a camel's hump
?
Perhaps we are the first generation since the timeof Aadam to witness
such women. If one ponders over photographs taken thirtyto fifty years
ago, he will see that the disbelieving women did not expose themselves
in the mannerthat their offspring do today! These women are among the
people of the Fire! Thus, how can you envy them ?
Therefore, the Muslim men should not let the people of the Fire affect
the modesty of their wives, daughters and sisters. Such lewd womenwill
not even smell the fragrance of Paradise, so our women must avoid
their path .
Another lesson from the above Hadeeth is that it confirms that what
the Prophet came with is indeed the truth! This is aprophecy that has
come to pass in front of our very eyes. Hence, will we continue to
envy these evil women, or should we be grateful to our Lord for the
Hijaab, which brings modesty which leads to Paradise ?
On the whole, the Muslim woman should abandon all of the ways of the
exposed, and adopt the ways of those who are modest through their love
and practice of the proper Islamic Hijaab .