Those who ignore the hundreds of portents of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) will never believe even if they see Hazrat Mahdi (as) accompanied by angels

Our Prophet (saas) has described what will happen in the End
Times,what events will take place and what situations will arise, in
astonishing detail in the hadiths. And each one ofthese reports has
duly come about. The fact that the events reported by our Prophet
(saas) 1400 years ago are coming true one by one, just as he
described, is a blessing bestowed on our Prophet (saas) by Allah. More
than 150 phenomena revealed by our Prophet (saas) have taken place
over the last 30 years since Hijri 1400. In other words, by Allah's
leave, more than 150 miracles of our Prophet (saas) have come about.
To summarize these miracles of our Prophet's(saas); the following
events have taken place, just as he said, since the beginning of the
Hijri 1400s, the stopping of the waters of the Euphrates, the
Iran-Iraq War, a bloody attack on the Kaaba, solar and lunar eclipses
at 15-day intervals during the month of Ramadan, the occupation of
Afghanistan, the invasion of Iraq, Baghdad being enfoldedin flames,
the appearance of Halley's comet, a fire from the East being seen with
the setting fire to the oil wells during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait,
a corruption of smoke andfire arose with the attack on the Twin Towers
in America on September 11, the rulers of Sham and Egypt were killed,
Azerbaijan was occupied, a double-tailed comet moving in the opposite
direction toall other comets and known as Lulin was observed and
hundreds of other signs. These things are all evidence that we are in
the End Times, that the Prophet Jesus (as) will return to earth in
this century andthat we are living in the age of Hazrat Mahdi (as).
Some people are ignoring the clear and easily comprehensible fact that
more than 150 miracles foretold by our Prophet (saas) have all come
about and are unaware that we are living in a most excellentand holy
age. This is actually one of the marvels of the End Timesand is really
quite amazing. What is even more surprising, however, is that they
demand still more miracles even those 150 miracles of our Prophet
(saas) are there for all to see. IN THE SAME WAY THAT THEY DO NOT SEE
OR WANT TO SEE THAT THESE MIRACLES ARE TAKING PLACE ONE AFTER THE
OTHER BEFORE THEIR VERY EYES, SO THEY WILL BE UNABLE TO SEE AND
UNDERSTAND ANY OTHER MIRACLE THAT ALLAH MIGHT WORK. People who deny
the stopping of the Euphrates, the shedding of blood at theKaaba for
the first time in 1400 years, solar and lunar eclipses during Ramadan
for the first time in 1400 years and thus more than a hundred
phenomena foretelling the coming ofHazrat Mahdi (as), on thebasis of
no information whatsoever, will refuse to accept the truth no matter
what information, evidence ormiracles are shown them.
For example, some people ignorantly misinterpret
trustworthyinformation provided in the hadiths and say that when
Hazrat Mahdi (as) appears people will see angels above his head and
that these will constantly point Hazrat Mahdi (as) out and identify
him. However, even if an angel were to come and point out Hazrat Mahdi
(as) in the manner they claim, thesepeople would still not admit that
Hazrat Mahdi (as) had come and would find some quibble, in their own
eyes, to try and wriggle out of it. It needs to be made clear that we
know from the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) that there will be angels
beside Hazrat Mahdi (as) and that these angels will help him. However,
ANGELS BEING SEEN BESIDE HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) IS A PHENOMENON THAT WILL
TAKE PLACE IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD ALONE, AND THAT WILL THEREFORE ONLY
BE VISIBLE TO ANGELS. (For detailed information on the subject, see
http://us2.harunyahya.com/Detail/T/EDCRFV/productId/14239 )
It is a fact revealed in the Qur'an that because of their persistence
in denial, people will wish to see a miracle when the messenger comes.
Indeed, as revealed in verses, these people will want an angel to come
and will say that only then will they believe heis a true Prophet:
Perhaps you are leaving aside part of what has been revealed to you
and your breast is constricted by this because they say, 'Why has
treasure not been sent down to him OR AN ANGEL NOT ACCOMPANIED HIM?'
You are only a warner and Allah is Guardian over all things. (Surah
Hud, 12)
"WHY DO YOU NOT BRING ANGELS TO US if you are telling the truth?" The
angels only descend with the truth and then they would be granted no
reprieve. (Surat al-Hijr, 7-8)
They say, "WHY HAS AN ANGEL NOT BEEN SENT DOWN TO HIM?" If We were to
send down an angel, that would be theend of the affair and they would
have no reprieve. (Surat al-An'am, 8)
However, Allah reveals that these people will still not believe even
if an angel does come:
EVEN IF WE SENT DOWN ANGELS TO THEM, AND THEDEAD SPOKE TO THEM, ANDWE
GATHERED TOGETHER EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THEM RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES,
THEY STILL WOULD NOT BELIEVE UNLESS ALLAH WILLED. THE TRUTH IS THAT
MOST OF THEM ARE IGNORANT. (Surat al-An'am, 111)
What are they waiting for but FOR THE ANGELS TO COME TO THEM or for
your Lord Himself to come, or for one of your Lord's Signs to come? On
the day that one of your Lord's Signs does come, no faith which a self
professes will be of any use to it if it did not have faith before and
earn good in its faith. Say: "Wait, then; We too are waiting." (Surat
al-An'am, 158)
Although Hazrat Mahdi (as) will restore Islam to the essence of the
moral values of the Qur'an and the Sunna of our Prophet (saas), will
cleanse it of subsequent innovations (bi'dah) and superstitions, will
intellectually demolish irreligion and cause the moral values of the
Qur'an to spread. Some people in his time will say, "SHOULD THERE NOT
ALSO HAVE BEEN AN ANGELABOVE HIS HEAD?" However, these people who
expect a miracle in order to believe are forgetting one very important
fact: IN THE SAME WAY THAT NOBODY CAN SEE THE RECORDING ANGELS BY
PEOPLE'S SIDESIN THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD, IF THE ANGEL GABRIEL (AS) WHO
FREQUENTLY BROUGHT REVELATION TO OUR PROPHET (SAAS) CAME WITHOUT BEING
SEEN, THEN THE ANGELS GABRIEL(AS) MICHAEL (AS) AND RAPHAEL (AS) BY
HAZRAT MAHDI'S (AS) SIDE AND THE OTHER 46,000 ANGELSTHAT HELP HIM WILL
NOT BE SEEN, EITHER.

Free your heart from spite -I

●◄ - <-: http://translate.google.com/m :-> - ►● - The
importance of freeing the heart from spite: Slaves of Allaah! Islam
encourages making reconciliation between people in order to maintain
good relations amongst the Muslims, to spread love and to keep the
hearts ofMuslims free from spite. Allaah Says (what means): "So fear
Allaah and amend that which is between you" [Quran 8: 1].
Additionally, Islam ordains all that which spreads mutual love and
frees the hearts from spite, as in the narration of Abu Hurayrah who
reported that the Prophet said: "You will not enter Paradise until you
believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall
Iguide to that which would make you love one another? Spread greetings
(Salaam) abundantly amongst yourselves" [Muslim]
The Prophet was asked: "Who are the best type of people?" He replied:
"A person who is truthful in his speech and Makhmoom in his heart"
People asked: "We know what is truthful speech, but what is a
Makhmoomheart?" The Prophet responded saying: "It is a pure pious
heart that does not have envy, evil or spite." [Ibn Maajah]
Spite has greatly increased amongst people today, resulting inthe
severing of relations and in people holding grudges against each
other. This is in spite of the fact that Allaah has made legislations,
which would prevent this from happening. For example, a Muslim is
allowed to request a fellow Muslim who wants to visit him toreturn at
a later time. In normal situations, peoplewould not appreciate someone
not allowing them entry when they visit them, but since Allaah The
All-Knowing, knows that people might have certain circumstances that
wouldnot allow them to receivevisitors, He legislated this to protect
people's heartsfrom holding grudges due to this. Allaah Says (what
means): "And if it is said to you, "Go back (Or a similarexpression
showing that the occupants are not prepared to receive visitors)" then
go back; it is purer for you" [Quran 24: 28]. This is a way to condole
the person who was not granted permission to enter, lest he feels
insulted or saddened, and a means to protect the hearts from spite.
This is why some of the Salaf used to be happy when they went visiting
someone and were not permitted in, because they sought the consequence
of returning mentioned in the above verse --which is the promise of
becoming purer (i.e. in their hearts).
Having pure hearts that are free from spite is a bounty and a blessing
from Allaah which He grants to the dwellers of Paradise upon their
entryinto it. Allaah Says (what means): "And We will remove whatever
is in their chests of resentment (i.e. ill will or ill feelings
towards one another), [so they will be] brothers, on thrones facing
each other." [Quran 15: 47]
In addition to a pure heart being a blessing and a bounty from Allaah,
it is also a source of comfort. This is why Islam puts great emphasis
on purification of the heart from spite, so that people can live
together in peace and harmony.
The great importance attached to this issue is because it is a
difficult state to achieve all the time. A person may have a strong
will which enables him to wake up in the middle of the nightto offer
optional night prayers, but he may not be strong enough to overcome
some of his bad feelings towards his fellow Muslims.
Undoubtedly, this quality is a praiseworthy one indeed; Allaah praised
the Ansaar (i.e. the residents of Madeenah) for possessing such a
quality saying (which means): "They [i.e. the Ansaar] find not any
[ill] feelings in their chests [i.e. hearts] of what they were given
[i.e. the Muhaahireen-emigrants from Makkah] but give [them]
preference over themselves, even though they arein privation." [Quran
59: 9] When Allaah favored the Muhaajireen with certainthings, the
Ansaar did notfeel any objection to this,nor did they harbor any ill
feelings or envy towards their brothers infaith for being
distinguished with these favors. Instead, they favored them over their
own selves with whatever they had, even if they themselves were in
need of what they offered.
The following great storyreflects the rank of possessing a pure heart
that is free from spite, and that it is a blessing from Allaah. Anas
Ibn Maalik narrated: "We were sitting with the Prophet once when
hesaid: "A man from the dwellers of Paradise will walk in now" so a
man from the Ansaar (i.e. residents of Madeenah) walked in whose beard
was dripping from the effect of ablution and who heldhis slippers with
his left hand. The next day the Prophet said the same thing, and the
same man walked in. On the third day, the Prophet said the same thing,
and the same man once again walked in. When the Prophet left the
gathering, 'Abdullaah Ibn'Amr followed that man and said to him: `I
had a misunderstanding with my father and swore not to stay in his
house three nights, so if you permit me I would like to spend these
three nights with you` The man said: `Yes, I permit you.`"
Anas added: "'Abdullaah Ibn 'Amr told us that he spent three nights
and did not noticethat the man prayed the optional night prayers
during any of these nights, but if he woke up during the night, he
would simply mention Allaah. Nonetheless, I never heard him utter
except good things, so when the three nights finished, I almost
belittled his deeds (as they were insignificant) and I said to him: `O
slaveof Allaah! There was not dispute between me and my father or
anger, but I heard the Prophet saying thrice: "A man from the dwellers
of Paradise will walkin now" and you walked in all three times, so I
wanted to sleep in your place to see what you do in order to imitate
you, but I did not see that you exert extra effort in performing any
extra deeds. How did you reach such status to deserve what the Prophet
said about you?` He replied: `My deeds are nothing more than what you
saw` Thenwhen I left, he called me back in and said: `My deeds are
nothing more than what you saw, but the only thing I do is that I do
not hold any grudge against any Muslim or envy anyone for what
bounties Allaah has granted them`; thereupon 'Abdullaah Ibn'Amr said
to him: "This difficult quality to obtain is what granted you this
rank". [Ahmad]
The keenness of the Salaf tohave pure hearts: It is not an easy task
for someone to maintain a heart free from spite and hold no grudges
against anyone. On the other hand, it is not an impossible mission
either, and can be achieved with training, practice and constant
striving.
The companions were very keen to remove any bad feelings from the
hearts of their brothers towards them. `Aa'ith Ibn`Amr Al-Muzani
reported: "Abu Sufyaan passed by Salmaan, Suhayb and Bilaal and some
other Companions (after the conquest of Makkah, when he was still a
disbeliever). They said to him: "The swords of Allaah did not exact
their due from the foes of Allaah?'' Abu Bakr said to them: "Do you
speak like this to the chief of the Quraysh and their master?'' Then
he went to the Prophet and related this to him. He said: "O Abu Bakr!
Perhaps you have angered them. If so, you have angered your Lord". Abu
Bakr rushed back to them and said: "Omy brothers! Did I offend you?''
They replied: "No. May Allaah forgive you, brother".
[Muslim]
This proves that a person must rush to make amends and apologize for
his actions, if he fears that a fellow Muslim was offended or his
feelings were hurt, to make sure his brother's heart remains pure
towards him. The one who is being apologized to mustaccept without
delay andcomfort his brother, and assure him that he is not holding
any grudge against him and supplicate for him as the companions did
with AbuBakr all.

The Prophetic Guidance on Perfumes

●◄ - <-: http://translate.google.com/m :-> - ►● - If
speech is blessed by sending blessings upon the Prophet how could
Madeenah not have been blessed during his days, while he inhabited it;
he, who refreshed its breeze, perfumed itsatmosphere and renewed its
fragrance; whose scent preceded him to wherever he went and remained
after he had left. It washe who was the one by whom Taybah (another
name for Madeenah) was blessed in his life,and still is after his
death.
Here is Anas ibn Maalik saying, "I have never smelled any ambergris,
musk nor anything [that is] more pleasant than the smell of the
Messenger of Allaah ." Small wonder, for Umm Sulaym would collect the
sweat of the Prophet in a flask and use it as a perfume. In an
authentic narration, the Prophet had a siesta in their house (that of
Umm Sulaym ), and he sweated; so she brought a bottle and kept
extracting his sweat into her bottle. The Prophet then awakened and
asked her: "What are you doing, O Umm Sulaym?" She answered, "This is
your sweat, we take it as perfume to us, and it is from the best
perfumes." By Allaah, Umm Sulaym was truthful; for this was indeed the
best of perfumes.
Despite the scent that was in his honored body, the Prophet would
perfume himself with the best perfume he could find. 'Aa'ishah also
perfumed him with the best of she could find, to the extent that the
shine of perfume was seen in his hair and beard.
The life of the beloved Prophet was between two kinds of perfume; a
moral perfume, whichhe carried in his heart and that flowed in his
blood, which was the perfume of the revelation, the Sunnah (Prophetic
tradition) and the Da'wah (call) to worshipping Allaah The
Almighty.The second was a tangible perfume that emanated from his body
and clothes. One wonders: where are those who are morally and tangibly
perfumed today? Where are those who are outwardly and inwardly, and
secretly and openly imitators andfollowers of our beloved Prophet ?
The best of the creatures of Allaah The Almighty on earth is Prophet
Muhammad whom Allaah The Almighty made an example and guide to people.
Thus, he is an excellent role-model in all things, even in the
simplest matters, and he taught those around him without affectation.
Among the things the Companions learnt from the Prophet and acted upon
was his care for perfume. He always had a fragrant smell about him,
which corresponded with his pleasant speech, that the companion may
associate and be pleased with him, the straying be guided by him, the
ignorant and the seeker of knowledge learn from him, and the seeker of
guidance be enlightened by him.
Why would the Prophet not perfume himself, when perfume was among the
beloved things tohim? Wasn't he the one who said: "Endeared to me of
your worldly life [are] women and perfume." The Prophet was good and
liked what was good, and he paid special care to perfume. He had a
vessel from which he perfumed himself, and it is said that it was a
mixed perfume combined from several materials. It had a strong smell
to the extent that if the Prophet passed by a road in Madeenah, people
would say,"The Prophet passed from here", due to the effect of his
perfume.
Although he was busy with the affairs of Muslims and in Jihaad
(struggle) with word and sword, the Prophet did not neglect to speak
about perfume and what is the best of it. He said: "The best perfume
is musk." His care to be perfumed was not in vain, but as he was
commanded to perform Da'wah (calling to Islam), one of his mainduties
was to seek to impress himself in the hearts of people and to be
pleasing and appealing in their eyes. This was so that they would not
despise him and turn away from him and the truth he came with, and is
very important for every scholar who concerns himself with conveying
the truth to people.
Another cause of the Prophet's laying importance on perfume may be
that he sat with the angels and communicated with Allaah The Almighty
several times in prayer. This was all the more reason for him to
perfume himself, as it was revealed to him(what means): {O children of
Aadam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be
not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.} [Quran
7:31]

The origin of April Fools’ day

●◄ - <-: http://translate.google.com/m :-> - ►● Many
theories have been put forward about how the tradition began.
Unfortunately, none of them are conclusive. Thus, the origin of the
"custom of making April fools" remains as much a mystery to us as it
was back in 1708 CE.
The most popular theory about the origin of April Fools' Day involves
the French calendar reform of the sixteenth century. The theory goes
like this: In 1564 CE France reformed its calendar, moving the start
of the year fromthe end of March to January 1. Those who failed to
keep up withthe change, and stubbornly clungto the old calendar system
and continued to celebrate the New Year during the week that fell
between March 25 and April 1, had jokes played on them. Pranksters
would surreptitiously stick paper fish to their backs. The victims of
this prank were thus called 'poisson d'Avril', or April fish—which, to
this day, remains the French term for AprilFools' Day — and so the
tradition was born.
Others say that this started a long time before that, and that it was
initiated during the ancient ages as a part of polytheistic
celebrations on a set date on the beginning of the spring season. Yet
others say that fishing did not yield any catch in the first days of
the spring season and thus this was innovated as a newpractice on the
first of April.
According to legend, the Duke of Lorraine and his wife were imprisoned
at Nantes. They escaped on April 1, 1632 CE by disguising themselves
as peasants and walking through the front gate. Someone noticed them
escaping and told the guards. But the guards believed the warning to
be a " poisson d'Avril " (or April Fools' Day joke) and laughed at it,
thus allowing the Duke and his wife to escape.
"April's fish" was also said to be due to the movement of the sun from
Pisces (February 20- March 20) to the next sign. Some theories believe
that it was given this name after altering the word'passion' (as a
symbol for the torture that Jesus suffered) to 'poisson d'Avr il '.
British folklore links April Fools' Day to the town of Gotham, the
legendary town of fools located in Nottinghamshire. According tothe
legend, it was a tradition in the 13th century for any road that the
King placed his foot upon to become public property. So when the
citizens of Gotham heard that King John planned to travel through
their town, they refused him entry, not wishing tolose their main
road. When the King heard this, he sent soldiers to the town. But when
the soldiers arrived in Gotham, they found the town full of lunatics
engaged in foolish activities such as drowning fish or attempting to
cage birds in roofless fences. Their foolery was all an act, but the
King fell for the ruse and declared the town too foolish to warrant
punishment. Ever since then, according to legend, April Fools' Day has
commemorated their trickery.
The first lie on this occasion was recorded in a British magazine. The
April 2, 1698 CE edition of Dawks's News-Letter (a British newspaper)
reported that, "Yesterday being the first of April,several persons
were sent to the Tower Ditch to see the Lions washed." Sending
gullible victimsto the Tower of London to see the "washing of the
lions" (a non-existent ceremony) was a popular prank. It became
traditional for this prank to be played on April Fools' Day. Examples
of it occur as late as themid-nineteenth century In the eighteenth
century written references to April Fools' Day became numerous and
appeared throughout Europe.
One of the most famous incidentsthat happened in Europe on April 1,
was when the English newspaper, The Evening Star , announced in March
1746 CE that on the following day – April 1 st – there would be an
parade of donkeys in Islington, in England. The people rushed to see
these animals and there was a huge crowd. They continued waiting and
when they got tired of waiting, they asked about when the parade would
be held. They did not find anything, and then they finally realized
that they had come to make an exhibition of themselves, as if they
were the donkeys!
The above was just to show the history of this event. However, it is
not important to know what isits real source or how it originated.
What matters to us is the ruling of lying on this day.
This practice certainly never existed in the bright eras of
Islamduring which the Muslims highly cherished the rulings of Islam
and adhered to them as closely as they could. This event was certainly
not initiated by the Muslims, but rather, by their enemies.
The unfortunate part is that many Muslims have made it a common
practice for them to lie to their wives, friends or relativesand cause
them great sorrow and frighten them by lying on this day, claiming
that it is only a joke. Many a times, people have died as a result of
some of these lies due to heart attacks or become paralyzed from the
impact of the lie on them. Some people have even divorced their wives
and others have uttered such lies about a man's wife that he went and
killed her.
There is no end to such tragic stories associated with this day. The
only way one can restrain him/herself from falling in this evil
practice is by remembering the Islamic ruling which prohibitslying
even in jest.