Shirk and its different forms, - Her Christian family are organizing a running contest in memory of their deceased loved one; what should she do about that?.

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lished by, M NajimudeeN Bsc - INDIA|®|- - - - * - Translator::
http://translate.google.com/m/ - ●◄ ►● - > I lost one of my
family members this year, who was a Christian, as my family is
Christian and I am a Muslim woman. Hence my mother wants to organize a
marathon in honour of this deceased relative. I do not know the nature
of this thing they want to do, but what I do know is that the teams
will gather, and other people will gather with them; each team has a
different colour and the teams will start running; whichever team
completes three circuits first will be the winner and will be give a
cash prize. I do not know the ruling on this, but they are going to do
it in memory of the deceasedperson. What is the ruling on this in
Islam? What should I do with regard to this matter?.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
If a person dies following a religion of kufr, whether he was a
Christian or a Jew, then he is one of the people of hell and will
abide therein for eternity. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in
worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He
pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has
indeed invented a tremendous sin"
[an-Nisa' 4:48]
"Surely, they have disbelieved who say:"Allah is the Messiah ('Eesa
(Jesus)), son of Maryam (Mary)." But the Messiah ('Eesa (Jesus)) said:
"O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Verily,
whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah
hasforbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for
the Zalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers.
Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the
three (in a Trinity)." But there is no ilaah (god) (none who has the
right to be worshipped) but One Ilaah (God -Allah). And if they cease
not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the
disbelievers among them.
Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Messiah ('Eesa (Jesus)), son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a
Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away beforehim. His
mother (Maryam(Mary)) was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words
of Allah and His Books (see Verse 66:12)).They both used to eat food
(as any other human being, while Allah does not eat). Look how We make
the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,
etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the
truth).
Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "How do you worship besides Allah
something which has no power either to harm or to benefit you? But it
is Allah Who is the All-Hearer, All-Knower"
[al-Maa'idah 5:72-76].
"This is the Guidance of Allah with which He guides whomsoever He will
of His slaves. But if they had joined in worship others with Allah,
all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them"
[al-An'aam 6:88].
In Saheeh Muslim (153) itis narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be
pleased with him) from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) that he said: "By the One in Whose hand is the soul
of Muhammad, no one among this nation, Jew or Christian, hears of me
then dies not believing in that with which I was sent, but he will be
one of the people of the Fire."
As that is the case, if a person dies in a state of kufr, his good
deeds are rendered invalid before his Lord and none of them will
benefit him before Allah in the hereafter; similarly, no action,
intercession or supplication on the part of other people will benefit
him.
Allah, may He be exalted,says concerning the situation of the people
of Hell (interpretation of the meaning):
"And it will be said to them: "Where are those (the false gods whom
you used to set up as rivals with Allah) that you used to worship
Instead of Allah? Can they help you or (even) help themselves?
Then they will be thrown on their faces into the (Fire), They and the
Ghawoon (devils, and those who were in error).
And the whole hosts of Iblees (Satan) together.
They will say while contending therein,
By Allah, we were truly in a manifest error,
When We held you (falsegods) as equals (in worship) with the Lord of
the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists);
And none has brought usinto error except the Mujrimoon (Iblees (Satan)
and those of human beings who commit crimes, murderers, polytheists,
oppressors, etc.).
Now we have no intercessors,
Nor a close friend (to help us).
(Alas!) If we only had a chance to return (to the world), we shall
truly be among the believers!
Verily! In this is indeed a sign, yet most of them are not believers"
[ash-Shu'ara' 26:92-103].
Secondly:
Honouring the memory of the deceased by organising a marathon is not
part of the way prescribed by Allah; rather it is something that has
been introduced by non-Muslims according to their way of honouring the
memory of the dead. It is a false kind of honour for which there is no
basis in the religion of Allah. Even if there was some basis for it,
we have stated above that if a person dies in a state of disbelief, no
deed will benefit him in the hereafter; the deceased will not benefit
because of his disbelief and that of those who do this action. This is
darkness upon darkness.
In Islam there is no kind of honouring the dead or celebrating their
memory; rather what Islam prescribes is to remember the deceased by
praising him, praying for forgiveness for him, offering supplication
forhim, giving charity on his behalf, and other kinds of good deeds
the reward for which will reach him, if he died in Islam.
Thirdly:
According to Islamic rulings, competitions fallinto three categories.
Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
1. Those that are haraam, with or withoutprizes, such as competing
in something that is haraam.
2. Those that are halaal if no prize is offered and are haraam if
a prize is offered, such as foot races and the like, in which it is
permissible to compete.
3. Those that are halaal with or without prizes, such as
competitions in archery and horse and camel racing.
End quote from Fataawa Noor 'ala ad-Darb, 9/311
See also the answer to questions no. 114530 , 131652 , 153574
To sum up:
It is not prescribed to take part in activities to honour the memory
of the dead among the disbelievers, or to keep their memory alive. If
you cannot prevent that,then at least do not take part in that and try
to excuse yourself from your family whilst avoiding confrontation with
them. If they respect your religious feelings, then this is good,
otherwise give them any excuse that they will accept from you.
And Allah knows best.

Shirk and its different forms, - No Angels or Other Creatures Know Everything in the Heavens and Earth.

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My daughter asked me: Who is the angel who knows everything in the
heavens and the earth, the number of drops of water, the number of
grains of sand? Is there any such thing?
Praise be to Allah
The one who knows everything in the heavens and on earth, and knows
the number of drops of water and the number of grains of sand is
Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. There is no angel who is close to Him
or any Prophet who was sent who has this knowledge. Anyone whosays
that there is anyoneamong the angels who knows all of this has
fabricated a lie against Allah, to Whom belongs knowledge of the
unseen of the heavens and the earth.
Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none
knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the earth
and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knowsit. There is not a grain
in the darkness of the earth nor anything freshor dry, but is written
in aClear Record" [6:59].
And He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (unseen)
except Allah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected"
[27:65].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:Here Allah, may He be
exalted, is instructing HisMessenger (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) to tell all of mankind that no one knows the unseen except
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and that He alone has that
knowledge, with nopartner or associate. Endquote from Tafseer Ibn
Katheer, (6/207).
Al-Bukhaari (4697) narrated from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "The keys of the Unknown are five, whichno one knows except
Allah: no one knows what will happen tomorrow except Allah; no one
knows what is in the wombs except Allah; no one knows when it will
rain except Allah; no one knows in which land he will die; and no one
knows when the Hour will begin except Allah."
But Allah, may He be exalted, may inform whomever He wills among His
creation about whatever He wills of His unseen. Allah, may He be
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"(He Alone) the All-Knower of the Ghaib (unseen), and He reveals to
none His Ghaib (unseen). Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He
has chosen (He informs him of the unseen as much asHe likes), and then
He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march beforehim and
behind him." [72:26, 27].
The scholars of the Standing Committee said: Knowledge of unseen
matters is something that belongs exclusively to Allah, so no one
among His creation, human or jinn, knows anything of it except what
Allah reveals to whomever He wills among His Angels or His Messengers.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, (1/346).
Yes, there is an angel who is appointed in charge of the rain, and
directs it wherever Allah wills; he is Mikaa'eel (peace be upon him),
who has helpers who dowhatever he instructs them to do. But this only
happens by the will of Allah and in accordance with His wisdom and
knowledge. They do not know anything or do anything; rather they
cannot do anything at allexcept by Allah's leave. Moreover, that does
not mean that they know the number of drops of water, because their
knowledge is restricted to what Allah has taught them, and they say,
as Allah tells us:
"Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us.
Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise"
[2:32].

Islamic Stories, - Why I chose Islam

- ●◄ ►● - "Pub
lished by, M NajimudeeN Bsc - INDIA|®|- - - - * - Translator::
http://translate.google.com/m/ - ●◄ ►● - > I was raised in a
house where we prayed every night and morning. We were not taught set
prayers but to pray from the heart. We went to church every Sunday and
were active participants in the activities held there.....
By the time I was in my late teens I was a missionary.
I always felt close to �God' and prayer was a way of life for me. Deep
in my mind, for I could never voice any doubts, Ihad some misgivings;
some things that didn't make sense to me but as a missionary I felt I
was calling to God, not to that particular church. I knew God, to be
the Infinitely Powerful BeingWho had created all there is. I could
recognize a harmony and structure in all the nature around me, yet I
found an absence of order wherever I looked around people. I learnedto
love Jesus as a messenger of God but it seemed strange to me, that God
would require a sacrifice in order to forgive us. I believed that God
was above having any need. I felt I could communicate withGod as I
was, without the necessity of an intermediary because, again, God
didn't need any help to hear what I said.
One day I moved into a flat and met my neighbors who were Muslims. I
thought I would try out some missionary work on them. They listened to
me patiently and then I too, listened to them . They didn't try to
explainany complicated issues, they just read to me from the Qu'ran.
First they read in Arabic, thenin English. It was Sura (Chapter)
Maryam. I listened in silence. The beautiful sound of the Arabic
recitation touched my heart and then the plain and directlanguage of
the English translation struck a chord within. The beautiful story of
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and his miracle birth to the virgin
Mary was a marvelof simplicity. God, or as I learned to call Him,
Allah s.w.t. had provided mankind with Prophets and Messengers since
the beginning of time. From Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), Prophet
Abraham, Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus and Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon them all) and manyothers. They were all sent with God's message
to disdain all worship except, worship of the One True God and to
submit to His Will. Such isthe meaning of Islam. A Muslim is one who
bows to the will of Allah s.w.t. refusing the worship of anyone or
anything else and seeking to establish piety on earth.

Islamic Stories, - The man who got trapped in an island

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The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island.
He prayed feverishly for Allah to rescue him, and every day he scanned
the horizon for help, butnone seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventuallymanaged to build a littlehut out of driftwood
to protect him from the elements and to store hisfew possessions.
But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find
his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst
had happened; everything was lost. He was stunnedwith grief and anger.
"Allah, how could you dothis to me!" he cried. Early the next day,
however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching
the island. It had come to rescue him.
"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.
"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we
shouldn't lose heart, because Allah is atwork in our lives, even in
the midst of pain and suffering.
Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just
may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of Allah.
Pass this on. You never know who may be in need of this today.