Sura al'fathiha

Al-Imam Al-A'zam,Abu Hanifa (r.a.) (699-767)

Al-Imam Al-Azam Abu Hanifa (ra), one of the most prominent figures
of the Islamic world, was a foresighted and highly insightful
scholar. His sound personality and profound fear of Allah were
greatly instrumental in his being embraced by the Islamic world.
Abu Hanifa (ra) was a very intelligent sharia scholar who always
kept his mind on the remembrance of Allah , meticulously observed
Allah's bounds, avoided vain and unbeneficial talk, and concisely
responded to questions. He attached great importance to what was
entrusted to him. He was a person who kept his lower-self under
control in all circumstances. He was a person of great compassion.
The objections and unbecoming words he faced throughout his life
never daunted him from his services rendered for the cause of Allah.
He possessed a pure wisdom that Allah granted him. He never
experience any breakdown in his line of thought and never ran
behind in responding. If anyone acted stubbornly or raised
difficulties, he tried to teach him the morality of Islam in the
most calm and gracious manner.
Imam Hanifa devoted a great part of his life to knowledge. Among his
principles were trusting in what was reliable, avoiding the
unreliable, tending towards the one that did not stir up trouble
among people and ensuring that no complications arose .
The method employed by Al-Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) in assessing issues
was based on the following seven principles:
Book: The pillar of the Religion and the strong rope of Almighty Allah.
Sunnah: Explanation of Allah's Book that provided details regarding
the general provisions.
The Accounts: The accounts of the Companions who transmitted the
"risalat" and personally witnessed the revelations.
Comparison: A method resorted to by sharia scholars in the absence
of evidence about an issue in the Qur'an, the Sunnah of our Prophet
(saas) or a statement of a Companion.
Istihsan: The particular judgment of a Sharia scholar that makes it
necessary for him to abandon previous judgments he made for similar
issues relying on an evidence such as a nass (injunction), ijma, a
state of necessity, concealed qiyas or recommendations.
İjma: The consensus of sharia scholars on any issue in any age. All
scholars agreed that ijma is an "evidence".
Tradition: The practices of Muslims about any issue in which no
nass (injuction) exists in the Qur'an, Sunnah and the practices of
the Companions.
Al-Imam Al-A'zam, Abu Hanifa
AL-IMAM AL-AZAM ABU HANIFA, THE IMAM OF OUR SCHOOL, STATED THAT THE
DESCENT OF THE PROPHET JESUS (AS) AND THE APPEARANCE OF HAZRAT
MAHDI (AS) ARE THE "ISSUES THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO DENY"
Fiqh al-Akbar and the Wasiyyat , the two risalets of Abu Hanifa, are
the most precious and earliest texts on Islamic creed. The Fiqh
al-Akbar of Abu Hanifa is the fundamental book of Ahl al-Sunnah. In
this work, Imam Azam Abu Hanifa relates that the descent of the
Prophet Jesus (as) and the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as) as the
"issues that are impossible to deny":
The appearance of the dajjal (anti-Christ) and the Gog, the sunrise
from the West, the descent of Prophet Jesus (as) from the sky and
other portents of the Day of Judgment informed by trustworthy
hadiths are right and they will happen. There are also other great
portents of the Day of Judgment, like the coming of Hazrat Mahdi
(as). All these happenings are correct , as brought and related by
trustworthy hadiths. and they will accordingly happen. (Translation
of Fiqh al-Akbar, Al-Imam Al-Azam Abu Hanifa, Prepared by Ali Riza
Kasheli, p.99)
The appearance of dajjal (anti-Christ) and the Gog, the sunrise from
the West, the descent of Prophet Jesus (as) from the sky and other
portents of the Day of Judgment are right, as the trustworthy
accounts relate us, and they will happen. (Abu Hanifa, Nu'man ibn
Sabid (150/767), Fiqh al-Akbar , Translated by: H. Basri Chantay,
Ankara, 1982)
When the Day of Judgment will come, Prophet Jesus (as) will descend
on Earth and thus all nations will come to become a single nation as
an Islamic nation. Before the advent of Prophet Jesus (as), Hazrat
Mahdi (as) will appear in the realms of Mecca and Medina and then
arrive to Jerusalem. Then dajjal will come and remain with him.
Prophet Jesus (as), on the other hand, will come down from the East
Minaret in Damascus to render the dajjal ineffective and there he
will make him ineffective by a blow. When Prophet Jesus (as)
descends, dajjal will dissolve and disappear as if salt dissolves in
water. Then Prophet Jesus (as) will meet Hazrat Mahdi (as).
Meanwhile they will pray together. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will point to
Prophet Jesus (as) to lead the prayer, but Prophet Jesus (as) will
offer his excuse telling that this prayer is fulfilled for him and
thus he deserves more to lead the prayer. Prophet Jesus (as) will
follow Hazrat Mahdi (as) to reveal that he complies with the sharia
of our Prophet (saas) and thus they will fulfill their prayers
together. (Imam al- Azam, Fiqh al-Akbar, Aliy al-Qari
Interpretation, Translated by: Yunus Vehbi Yavuz, Additional 3rd
edition, Cagri Publishing, p. 284)

The Sacred Relics

When the caliphate passed to the Ottoman Empire, the sacred relics,
consisting of items belonging to the Prophet Muhammad (saas) and
his followers were brought to Istanbul. Since 1517, the relics have
been kept with the great care in the "Hırka-i Saadet" section of
Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
These sacred objects are preserved in a special chamber constructed
within Topkapı Palace by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. With its
finely worked inlaid door, four windows and three recessed cases,
this chamber is one of the finest examples of Ottoman art.
Some of the sacred relics, which have been preserved with the
utmost care, are as follows:
The Blessed Mantle
The mantle given by the Prophet Muhammad (saas) to Veysel Karani is
regarded as the most important of the sacred relics. Some of the
Ottoman caliphs were accompanied by the Blessed Mantle on their
travels.
The Blessed Mantle has recently been restored with the very greatest care.
The Holy Tooth of the Prophet Muhammad (saas)
Part of a tooth belonging to the Prophet Muhammad (saas) that was
broken during the Battle of Uhud. It is kept in a cylindrical box,
framed in gold and covered in rubies and emeralds.
The Holy Banner
The banner of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), made from almost entirely
black woolen cloth. Due to its fragile state, it was placed on top
of a green fabric. It has never been opened in any battle since the
time of our Prophet (saas).
The Holy Hair from the Beard of the Prophet Muhammad (saas)
Several hairs from the beard of our Prophet (saas) are kept in the
Hırka-i Saadet section. These are preserved in gold-framed glass
boxes and jewel cases.
The Holy Footprints
Four footprints belonging to the Prophet Muhammad (saas) are
preserved in a recessed case in the Hırka-i Saadet section.
The Holy Seal
The seal of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), which was also was used
by the early caliphs.
The Holy Letters
The letters belonging to the Prophet Muhammad (saas). A Frenchman
discovered them in 1850 inside the cover of a Gospel in the library
of a monastery in Egypt. Once it was established that it had
belonged to our Prophet (saas), it was given to Sultan Abdulmajid.
The Holy Swords
The swords of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). Only two of the swords
in the Hırka-i Saadet section belonged to the Prophet Muhammad
(saas). One of these belonged to the Prophet David (pbuh) and the
other to the people of the Prophet Muhammad (saas).
The Keys of the Kaaba
The replaced keys of the Kaaba are also among the sacred relics.
Made of iron and covered in silver and gold inlay, they were for a
long time preserved in Davutpaşa during the time of the Ottoman
Empire.
The Holy Qur'an of Hazrat Uthman (ra)
Pages of the Qur'an collected during the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr
(ra), were sent to provinces in book form during the time of Hazrat
Uthman (ra). The Qur'an that was being read when Hazrat Uthman (ra)
was martyred is now among the sacred relics in Topkapı Palace.
These sacred relics have been protected and preserved with the
utmost care since Ottoman times.
One example of the importance the Ottoman sultans attached to the
sacred relics is the ceremony performed by the sultan for them on
the 15th day of every month of Ramadan. As the day approached, the
chest containing the long wide sleeved mantle of the Prophet
Muhammad (saas) was carried to the Revan section, every part of
which was cleansed, the walls washed with rose water and perfumed
with musk.
The Qur'an has been recited in the Hırka-i Saadet chamber in
veneration of the relics of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) for
hundreds of years. This fine tradition was initiated by Sultan Selim
the Stern. Forty scholars who had memorized the Qur'an, including
Sultan Selim, recited the Qur'an beside the sacred relics, "for the
victory of good and the expulsion of affliction." This tradition
was restored in October 1996.
One of the reasons for the great care shown by the Ottoman sultans
is that they knew they were merely guardians of these sacred
relics, and that they really belong to Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), who
will emerge from Istanbul.
Our Prophet (saas) describes in great detail in the hadiths how
Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear together with the sacred relics. For
example, one hadith tells us that:
Nuaym bin Hammad related from Abu Jaferi that; "Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)
will appear in the evening together with the banner, mantle, sword,
signs, radiance and beauty of our Prophet (saas)."
Another hadith describes how Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear with
the sacred relics as follows:
As for the signs, he (Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)) will have the mantle,
sword and banner of the Messenger of Allah. That banner that has
never been unfurled since the death of the Prophet (saas), and will
never be opened until the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).
Out of respect for our Prophet (saas), no state, including the
Ottoman Empire, has ever unfurled the banner although it was
carried in battles and ceremonies. The banner, and other blessed
relics that have thus been preserved for 1,400 years, will be
unfurled when the moral values of Islam rule the world with the
coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), insha'Allah

Beings created with interesting characteristics

Among beings, which has the ability to imitate a friend?
How does a tree species that purifies water make this happen?
What are the systems in the foot structures of different species?
A Close Friend of a Master of Imitation Swimming in the Seas of
Indonesia: The Jawfish
Many living things can conceal themselves by taking the color of
its surroundings by means of its camouflage abilities. However, to
impersonate a different species by changing color and shape and to
perfectly imitate them is a new type of behavior, discovered by
scientists only recently. As it is known, the octopus has tens of
thousands of sacs called "chromatophores" on its body. The ctopus can
shrink and loosen these sacs to look like any background color or
image. However, the mimic octopus also changes its appearance to
imitate other animals. It can color itself with the colors of a
lionfish, then it bravely swims away after enlarging its eight arms
around its body to resemble the poisonous thorns of the lion fish.
Or it can place its head and seven arms like triangle shape of a
tortonese's stingray and moves along the sea surface by dragging its
eighth arm like its tail. Or it jumps into a sand hill to look like
a poisonous sea anemone and holds its arms in a zigzag mode. Not
having a hard interior and outer skeleton gives this being a body
structure ideal for imitation. This behavior displayed by the
octopus is of course very interesting and a result of our Lord's
control over living beings. However, what is more interesting is the
existence of a fish, which takes advantage of an octopus that runs
away from its hunters by imitating the fish. This fish, called the
jawfish, swims around the octopus and tries to take advantage of its
strategy of protection.
It is of course very interesting that an octopus with no wisdom and
consciousness imitates a fish to defend itself, but what is more
interesting is the existence of a fish, which knows and takes
advantage of this characteristic of the octopus. Our Lord reminds
us once more the perfect creation of His Self with these examples,
which require wisdom. In one verse it is revealed as such:
" Allah is the Creator of everything and He is Guardian over
everything. ." (Surat az-Zumar, 62)
A Carnivorous Plant Species: Philcoxia Minensis
A new carnivorous plant species was discovered in Brasil . This
plant, called "Philcoxia Minensis", uses its sticky leaves
underground by secreting a gum-like substance and traps worms.
Researchers note that these plants that generally live under
difficult conditions have a carnivorous type of nutrition and that
they are quite rare in nature. It is understood that some species
even hunt large-sized creatures like ruminant mammals due to a
general lack of food. The purpose behind the plant being carnivorous
is to supply itself for the need of protein. However, while the
plant supplies for this need, it also breaks down dead beings and
increases the soil's fertility. No doubt, there is a matchless plan
in the hunting process of this plant and after. Here Allah shows
these flawless evidences of creation to people. Allah reveals His
control over and matchless creation of living things in one verse
as such:
"That is Allah, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of
everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything. "
(Surat Al-An'am, 102)
Strong Mechanisms in Rhino Feet
The rhinocerous is the largest living mammal after elephants.
Rhinos can run 45 kilometers per hour and change their directions
suddenly with an agility most unexpected from its large body. One of
the most interesting characteristics of these beings, which are
typically three to five tons in weight and almost two meters long
is that their short and rather small feet can carry all this weight
of many tons. Now scientists are planning to solve the foot
structure of rhinos and build land vehicles that can lift and carry
very heavy objects while moving. Rhinos use this mechanism, which
scientists cannot understand yet, since the first day they were
created. This truth, where Allah's infinite might of creation is
displayed, is revealed in one verse as such:
"The keys of the Unseen are in His possession. No one knows them but
Him. He knows everything in the land and sea. No leaf falls
without His knowing it. There is no seed in the darkness of the
earth, and nothing moist or dry which is not in a Clear Book."
(Surat Al-An'am,59)
Mechanism That Prevents Husky Dogs From Freezing
Husky dogs that live in Alaska are a canine species that can run
very fast and thanks to this quality they are frequently used in
pulling a sled. One of the most interesting characteristics of these
beings, which can live at minus 60 degrees temperature due to their
thick fur, is that their feet are not affected and not frozen when
walking in this cold. When scientists examine the foot structure of
these dogs, they discovered that there is a unique temperature
change system in their veins. Also this system not only transfers
the heat to their feet, but also makes sure that the blood that
will return to the heart is at the appropriate temperature.
There is no doubt that this structure is only one of the works of
Allah's infinite wisdom and matchless creation. In one verse it is
revealed as such:
" Say: 'To whom does everything in the heavens and earth belong?'
Say: 'To Allah.' He has made mercy incumbent on Himself. He will
gather you to the Day of Rising about which there is no doubt. As
for those who have lost their own selves, they have no iman. "
(Surat Al-An'am, 12)
The Fish That Walks on Four Fins
The red-lipped batfish is the only fish that walks on its four fins.
This fish has a very strange appearance with its fins created to
walk, its nose with a peculiar shape and big red lips.
The batfish can walk on the sand like a man using their chest fins.
Using these fins, the batfish can easily stand on the ocean floor
and walk on the tips of their fins. As with the angler fish, the
batfish also has small skin parts, which they use as a fishhook,
underneath their nose to trick other fish.
As in every living being, Allah is the One Who creates these beings
with interesting features compatible with their needs.
"That is Allah, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of
everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything. "
(Surat Al-An'am, 102)
Sticky Hairs of the Gecko Fish
The gecko fish, which is a small fish species found on the North
Pacific coasts, are specialized in holding onto the rocks while
searching for food, by sticking. This is because our Lord created a
sticking technique on the fins of these fish like the gecko fish.
There are tiny hairs on these fins. Thanks to this, they can hold
onto hard surfaces at an atomic degree. Thanks to this sticky
surface, the fish can also carry 180 times its own weight. No doubt,
the fins, which Almighty Allah granted to this fish as a blessing,
are a perfect system for this creature to feed. These
characteristics, which are examples of Allah's infinite knowledge
and matchless art, are revealed in the Qur'an as such:
" In the heavens and earth there are certainly Signs for the
faithful. And in your creation and all the creatures He has spread
about there are Signs for people with certainty. " (Surat
al-Jathiyya, 3-4)