Stories of Prophets, - Prophet Salih (PBUH)

Salih was sent as a Prophet to theBani Thamudto rectify their depraved
people. The Thamudites were the descendants of Thamud, a grandson of
Sam. They lived inWadi al-Quraandal-HajrbetweenSyria and Hijaz. They
worshipped idols and thought them very powerful. They believed that
their idols provided them with food and rain, preserved them from all
dangers and restored them to health when they were ill.
This tribe flourished more than two centuries after Ad. Its people
werefamousfor their longevity and enormous bulk. They built
spaciousbuildingsin the caves of the mountains and attained
considerablepowers.
Slaughtering of She-Camel
TheProphet Salih (peace he upon him)was commissioned by Allah to
invite the tribe to the worship of One God but they turned a deaf ear
to his preaching. Whenever the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) spoke
ill of their deities, they behaved impudently towards him.
At last they hatched a plan to put him to death. Allah fixed
ashe-camel as a signand warned them that if they slew her, they would
be overtaken by the chastisement from Allah. There is nothing strange
in fixing she-camel as a sign. It is an admitted fact that Ka'bah, a
constructed House, is one of thesigns of Allah. Whoso tries to destroy
it,perishes himself. Similarly she-camel was one of the signs of God.
The Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) demanded that she should be
allowed tograzein the pastures anddrinkwater from the springs. The
stubborn people slaughtered the she-camel provided by God while it was
grazing in the pastures.
Chastisements Befalls
When they were about to execute their final plan against Prophet Salih
(peace be upon him), they weredestroyed by Allah'spunishment.
Avisitationbefell them and they were exterminated by volcanic eruption
which showered stones upon them. The calamity which overtook the Bani
Thamud was very terrible.
Description in the Holy Quran
Some references regarding the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) and
his people are as under:
"And to the Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said: 0' my people:
Serve Allah. You have no god other than Him. Clear proof, indeed, has
come to you from your Lord. This is as Allah's she-camel for you, a
sign. Therefore, leave her alone to pasture on God's earth and do not
do her any harm. Otherwise painful chastisement will overtake you. And
remember when He made you successors after Ad and settled you in the
land. You made mansions on its plains and hew out houses in the
mountains; remember, therefore, Allah's benefits and do not act
corruptly in the land making mischief's. The Chiefs of those who
behaved proudly among his people said to those who were considered
weak, to those who believed from among them: Are you sure that Salih
is sent by his Lord ? They said: Surely, we are believers in what he
has been sent with. Those who were haughty said: Surely, we deny of
what you believe in. So they slew the she-camel and revolted against
their Lord's Commandments and they said: O' Salih! Bring us of what
you have threatened us with if you are one of the Apostles. Then the
earthquake overtook them so they became motionless bodies in their
abodes." ( Surah 7: Verses 73-78)

Women site, - Our Non-Muslim Relatives:Their Rights Upon us

When I reverted to Islam over 10 years ago, I received mixed reactions
from my friends and family. While attending my first family gathering
wearing Hijaab, I was eyed very curiously at first, but with time they
have come to accept my choice.
Now, no one even seems to notice much except for the occasional
complement on my choice of scarf. Most of my relatives accepted my new
faith kindly with respect and made efforts to accommodate me, and my
family. When holidays rolled around, my relatives would sometimes find
it difficult to purchase gifts for other children in the family while
"leaving mine out." When I patiently explained why it was important to
me that they respect my decision, they did just that. There were a
couple of times where my new faith was "challenged" )luring intense
discussions about religion, or world events, but we have all learned
to respect one another's choices and continue to love and support one
another as a family. In many ways, Islam helped me improve my family
relationships since I began taking seriously the instruction to
maintain family ties. Alhamdu Lillaah )praise be to Allaah(, it has
been a pretty easy transition.
Establishing boundaries
Even the most pleasant visit with non-family members can present
challenges and tests. Some things are easy to navigate, like avoiding
alcohol or dishes with non-halal meat at a family event. Others are
more difficult. One area that can be challenging is family gossip.
Many relatives delight in sharing family secrets when they come
together. It can be difficult to resist the urge to listen,
participate and comment about the juicy details of another's life, but
this is considered backbiting, and participating in it, is likewise
forbidden and should be avoided.
Spreading malicious gossip about others is condemned in the Quran;
Allaah Says )what means(:}… And do not spy or backbite each other.
Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You
would detest it. And fear Allaah; indeed, Allaah is Accepting of
repentance and Merciful.{]Quran 49:12[ If you are part of a family
whose favorite pastime is dishing on one another, you may have to get
creative when attempting to avoid this kind of activity. When you
notice that the conversation is taking a turn to gossip, try gently
steering the conversation to another topic instead.
Another challenge specific to women is the issue of Hijaab. Some
non-Muslim family members do not understand the purpose of Hijaab and
may try to discourage a Muslim relative from wearing it. Some Muslim
women recall being pressured to remove their scarves when running
simple errands, or while attending a large event with family and
friends because it was considered "embarrassing". This could be a real
conundrum for a revert who has her own struggle with the issue of
wearing Hijaab. This could be an opportunity to educate your family
about the benefits of Hijaab. Enlighten them to the fact that covering
has been an integral part of maintaining modesty in other religions as
well –including Christianity and Judaism. Ultimately, we seek to
please Allaah and have to make decisions that complement that goal.
Balancing religious obligations and family
Muslims can maintain their identity and religious obligations while
keeping family ties by beingpatient, compassionate and kind to
non-Muslim relatives even when they are critical, or negative:
Remain humble.Don't treat others as if you are superior to them. Be
polite. Accept invitations from family that are within religious
principles. This is an opportunity to strengthen family ties. Refuse
to be a part of bad behavior, or create dissention.
Be cheerful and pleasant to everyone.We all prefer the company of
someone pleasant and happy. A positive attitude is infectious. The
Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was known for being cheerful,
smiling pleasantly to everyone. Anyone who spent time with him felt as
though he liked him or her best. Our families deserve to know that
feeling.
Show mercy to others.Allaah Says )what means(:}So by mercy from
Allaah, ]O Muhammad sallallaahu ''alayhi wa sallam[, you were lenient
with them. And if you had been rude ]in speech[ and harsh in heart,
they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask
forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have
decided, then rely upon Allaah. Indeed, Allaah loves those who rely
]upon Him[.{]Quran 3:159[
Many Muslims with non-Muslim family members may be confronted with
challenges, but they should be considered as opportunities to grow,
increase in faith and ultimately earn the pleasure and rewards of
Allaah Almighty. When you are attempting to establish good habits and
find yourself surrounded by those whose principles are different from
yours, you must establish a delicate balance between monitoring your
own behavior, and allowing others the freedom to choose their behavior
and way of life. As long as their decisions do not directly affect
you, it may be best to let things go in the interest of maintaining
peace and harmony.
Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:}Say: O disbelievers, I worship not
what you worship, nor will you worship that which I worship. And I
shall not worship that which you are worshipping. Nor will you worship
that which I worship. To you be your religion, and to me my
religion.{]Quran 109:1-6[
For reverts, accepting Islam can be an exciting experience filled with
lots of change. Many new Muslims often place lots of pressure on
themselves to do everything "right," and may make drastic changes in
their lives. Some of these decisions may be necessary, but it is a
good idea to remember that Islam calls for moderation in all things.
Islam has turned many wayward lives around, bringing an end to
lifestyles that included drinking, drugs, promiscuity and even
criminal activity. Even though you may never hear it directly, some
non-Muslim families may be so impressed by the positive behavior of a
Muslim family member, that they may start holding a much higher regard
for Islam. We should always strive to exemplify the positive
characteristics of our faith. We have an opportunity to show our
non-Muslim family members the true, compassionate representation of a
Muslim. So give others the freedom to see the benefit of Islam for
themselves. Make time to visit and keep in touch with relatives.They
are the people closest to us in this life, and can be our greatest
allies and support.

Women site, - It’s about time

Since the beginning of time, someone else has been controlling your
time, or rather your timeliness. When we were younger, our parents
determined when we got to school and how early or late we were. They
helped us to dress and get ready, and we were under their control.
Then, as we got older, we gained some of our own independence, but
then, many women get married and then their control over their time is
not their own again.
The hours in their day are not necessarily their own. Whether it is
reporting to work by a certain time, dropping kids off to school by a
certain time, or even preparing breakfast for yourself and hubby
before you and he go off to work, all this requires you to have
something done by a certain time. This requires punctuality.
One of the hardest habits in life to master seems to be punctuality.
Many of us can juggle all that life throws our way, from jobs, to
marriage, to kids, but when it comes to handling all of this in a
timely manner, some of us fall short. Most of us remember being late
to school as children, running around our homes looking for our
homework or our shoes. Asking our moms where we put our jackets. Why
were we always late? Then, we grew up and got to college or started
working and still made it just in the nick of time, barely there
before our boss could check the clock. Or we would slide into our
college desks just as the professor began to lecture or pass out the
test papers.
Why is that most of us are habitually late, not just for work or
school, but in many other aspects of our lives?
More importantly, what can we do as women of the house for our
families and for ourselves to break this cycle of perpetual
procrastination and everlasting tardiness?
Practicing punctuality in practically everything
In everything we do, from the moment we rise, we should practice
punctuality. Our priorities should incorporate timeliness and
reliability in all aspects of our daily activities. Actually, there is
probably little or nothing that doesn't require or could not benefit
from our promptness.
Performing Responsibilities with Regularity
This is the most common area of procrastination in that this is where
most of us are guilty. Sometimes, some of us develop over the years an
"I'll do it later" attitude and we begin to procrastinate in our
duties, from the small to the large ones. We begin to put off the
laundry until it accumulates and spills over the basket; we allow the
dishes to pile up in the sink and then get that sinking feeling in our
stomachs as we are elbow deep days later in greasy dishwater. We are
up late the night before a big test because we delay studying until
the last minute; we can actually put off –anything and everything –all
errands, all chores, all duties and responsibilities. But should we?
No, rather we should try to perform our duties as soon as possible.
This is best for us in many ways.
1. We can get accomplished what needs to be done and get on with our
other obligations.
2. We can do a better job by giving ourselves ample time.
3. We can set a good example for our families by showing them that we
take our responsibilities seriously. If they see that we
procrastinate, they may take that to mean neglect.
4. Promptness leads to consistency.
As the woman of the household, there are many responsibilities that
rest on our shoulders. If we can avoid procrastination, we prevent
that over-whelming burden of feeling as if we are always `falling
behind' in our housework, in our schoolwork, in our errands, in
everything that gets to be too much for us.
Punctuality in Worship
As Muslim women we cannot, however, let domestic responsibilities and
duties as wife, mother, and even student or professional prevent us
from worshipping Allaah punctually, at the right time and with the
right intentions. This specifically refers to, but is by no means
limited to, prayer. Performing our prayers at their appointed times
and with conviction is essential to living life in the best possible
way and setting the best example for our families.
One of the first things that we do in the morning and unquestionably
the most important activity of the day is prayer, which not only
benefits from punctuality but requires it. The Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, was asked "What deed is most beloved by Allaah?;
and he answered, "To offer each prayer as soon as it is due."
Punctuality in performing the prayer means that we drop the dishes
)not literally( to offer it when it is due, make sure to do it before
we pick up the kids from school if possible, make it at the office if
need be, make it at school; whenever its time is due, we must rise to
offer it.
The prayer is not the only form of worship that benefits from
punctuality: Duaa is a significant form of worship for which
punctuality and timeliness is integral. Forms of Duaa like the
Istikhaarah prayer and others for thankfulness and Tawbah should be
offered at the right time for maximum benefit. Similarly, paying
Zakaah is another form of worship for which timing could mean
everything, especially for those whom the charity could benefit. For
example, when we donate money at a fundraiser for a particular cause,
the amount of money that we give at that particular time is imperative
for that specific cause. We can make plans to give and donate, but if
we do not actually do it when it matters, it does not count. The key
is to do it and do it exactly when it can generate maximum benefit.
For those in need, timing is everything.
Reliability in Relationships
Timing is key for relationships as well as worship. However, for some
odd reason, people have the tendency to take relationships for
granted. We make them and then assume that they will last; that they
do not require any or much upkeep. As women though, we should know
that this is not true and to maintain healthy and happy relationships
with all who are close to us, we have to work at it regularly and
consistently. This means that we have to be one step ahead of crises.
Women know that emotions rage strong and can come between two people.
Therefore, it is imperative that we remain steadfast in our efforts to
maintain our relationships to the extent that we desire. In other
words, our relationships with our spouse, our parents, our children,
our friends, and anyone who means anything to us require effort. In
order for us to ensure that these relationships remain healthy, we
have to be punctual in handling issues as they arise. Think about your
most recent and significant disagreement you might have had with your
spouse or parent or child. If you might have dealt with it
immediately, could you have eliminated the problem or significantly
decreased the problem? Maybe you and a friend had a little
disagreement. You feel a bit annoyed and decide that it is better to
not bring it up again, but of course, you still feel upset about the
situation. You hesitate handling the situation immediately because you
feel that it might just `wash over' and that it will be forgiven and
forgotten soon enough. However, we all know that most women do not
function that way.
Many people have too strong of a memory to forget anything until it
has been worked through and talked through and true forgiveness has
been reached.
Sometimes, women have a tendency of ignoring sticky situations that
are emotionally charged; we are hesitant to deal with issues that
negatively affect our relationships. However, this is dangerous in
that it could prolong the inevitable and make a small problem worse.
As is the case with most situations, procrastination is not such a
great idea. On the contrary, punctuality is probably the best way to
abate any long term crises. This is one of the reasons the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, gave so much advice against breaking
off ties. For example, he said,"There should be no breaking off of
ties, no turning away from one another, no hating one another, and no
envying one another. Be brothers )and sisters(, as Allaah has
commanded you."]Muslim[ Because anger may strike women )and of course
men( at times of emotional weakness, Islam allows three days as a
reasonable length of time during which anger may subside.
As difficult as it may seem, whether we are dealing with our chores,
our personal worship, or with our relationships, it is best for us to
deal with the situation as soon as possible and `nip it in the bud.'

Women site, - Maryam, the Mother of Jesus

As Muslims, we respect, honor and hold in high esteem Maryam, may
Allaah exalt her mention, the daughter of Imraan who was a chaste
virgin and is the best of the women of the world.
The Muslims respect and love her for many reasons, among which are the
following:
• Allaah Almighty praised her and described her as being pure and
chaste; Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:}And ]the example of[ Mary,
the daughter of 'Imraan, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into
]her garment[ through Our angel ]i.e. Gabriel[, and she believed in
the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly
obedient.{]Quran 66:12[ Indeed, Allaah Almighty mentioned her and
elaborated on the details of her story in many verses in the Quran.
• Allaah has chosen her as the best of the women of this world; Allaah
Says )what means(:})And ]mention[ when the angels said, "O Mary,
indeed Allaah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the
women of the worlds.{]Quran 3:42[
• Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, was brought up in a pious and
religious family like her mother, may Allaah be pleased with her, who
vowed to Allaah to dedicate what was in her womb to His Services and
to serve His Religion; Allaah Says )what means(:}]Mention, O
Muhammad[, when the wife of Imraan said, "My Lord, indeed I have
pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated ]for Your service[, so
accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing." But
when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord I have delivered a female."
And Allaah was most knowing of what she delivered, and the male is not
like the female. And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her
in You and ]for[ her descendants from Satan, the expelled ]from the
mercy of Allaah[."{]Quran 3: 35-36[
Indeed, Allaah accepted the supplication of the mother of Maryam as He
appointed a Prophet to her care and service, who was the Prophet
Zechariah, may Allaah exalt his mention, so that she would be brought
up upon the Guidance of Allaah. Allaah Says )what means(:}So her Lord
accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good
manner and put her in the care of Zechariah. Every time Zechariah
entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision.
He said, "O Mary, from where is this ]coming[ to you?" She said, "It
is from Allaah. Indeed, Allaah provides for whom He wills without
account."{]Quran 3:37[
• Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, reached a status and an
honorable level that no other women has reached; the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, mentioned this and clarified this in
many Ahadeeth. For instance, we cite the following:
-"Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such
a level except Maryam, the daughter of Imraan, and Asia, the wife of
Pharaoh."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
-"The best of the women of her time was Maryam, daughter of Imraan,
and the best of the women of her time was Khadeejah, Bint
Khuwaylid."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
-"The best of the women of paradise after Maryam Bint 'Imraan are:
Faatimah ]daughter of the Prophet[, Khadeejah ]Prophet's wife[ and
Asia the wife of Pharaoh."]As-Silsilah As-Saheehah[
-"The best of the women of the world are: "Maryam Bint 'Imraan,
Khadeejah Bint Khuwaylid, Faatimah Bint Muhammad, and Asia, the wife
of Pharaoh."]At-Tirmithi[
• All the Muslim nation agree that Maryam, may Allaah exalt her
mention, was of great honor and high status and they consider her as
an example regarding purity and chastity.
• A whole Chapter in the Quran was named after her name and she is the
only woman who has won this honor )as no other Chapter is named after
any other woman(, and Allaah elaborated in details the story of her
conceiving 'Eesa, may Allaah exalt his mention, and her giving birth
to him.
• Also, she is the only woman who was clearly mentioned by name in the
Quran whereas other women of honor and great status were only
mentioned by reference.
Indeed, her name was mentioned explicitly in the Quran 34 times in 32
verses, and it was mentioned 11 times without being linked to her son
'Eesa )Jesus(, may Allaah exalt his mention.
• Also, Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, was the one who was
given as an example – along with Asia Bint Muzaahim ]the wife of
Pharaoh[ –for the Muslim women, and for men as well. Allaah Says )what
means(:}And Allaah presents an example of those who believed: the wife
of Pharaoh, when she said, "My Lord, build for me near You a house in
Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the
wrongdoing people." And ]the example of[ Mary, the daughter of
'Imraan, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into ]her garment[
through Our angel ]i.e. Gabriel[, and she believed in the words of her
Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient.{]Quran
66:11-12[
• Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention was known for her chastity and
virginity even after giving birth to 'Eesa )Jesus(, the Messenger of
Allaah, may Allaah exalt their mention. She sought refuge with Allaah
when the angel Jibreel )Gabriel( appeared to her in the form of a man
in all respects, as she said: Allaah Says ]on her tongue[ )what
means(:}She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Merciful )i.e.
Allaah( from you if you do fear Allaah"{]Quran 19:18[
• Allaah honored her by declaring her not guilty and by protecting her
honor and dignity with a great miracle as He made her son –'Eesa
)Jesus( –speak while he was still in the cradle in order to declare
her innocence and refute the accusation of the people of falsehood and
corruption. Indeed, Allaah mentioned in details the story how she
conceived her son and how she gave birth to him. Allaah Says )what
means(:}Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said,
'O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. O sister of
Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother
unchaste." So she pointed to him. They said, "How can we speak to one
who is in the cradle a child?" ]Jesus[ said, "Indeed, I am the servant
of Allaah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He
has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and
Zakaah as long as I remain alive. And ]made me[ dutiful to my mother,
and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I
was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive." That
is Jesus, the son of Mary— the word of truth about which they are in
dispute. It is not ]befitting[ for Allaah to take a son; exalted is
He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, "Be," and it
is.{]Quran 19:27-35[
• Allaah selected her to be a pious believing mother for one of the
Prophets of great determination, who were the five great Prophets in
the history of mankind, may Allaah exalt their mention.
• She conceived 'Eesa )Jesus(, may Allaah exalt his mention, in an
unordinary human way, and in a miraculous manner as the angel Jibreel
)Gabriel( breathed into her womb and she became pregnant, and then she
gave birth to him.
• She was honored as Allaah attributed her great son to her; Jesus,
son of Mary, as he was mentioned being attributed to her in the Quran
23 times out of 34 times.
• Allaah honored her with a number of miracles before her pregnancy
and after she gave birth, such as the food which Allaah blessed her
with when there was nobody to give her food or when she was lacking
it. Allaah Says )what means(:}…and put her in the care of Zechariah.
Every time Zechariah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found
with her provision. He said, "O Mary, from where is this ]coming[ to
you?" She said, "It is from Allaah. Indeed, Allaah provides for whom
He wills without account."{]Quran 3:37[ Allaah also blessed her with
the stream and the palm tree, which Allaah created for her so that she
would eat and drink from them in the lonely place where she was so
that she will give birth far from the eyes of the people. Allaah Says
)what means(:}…But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your
Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake toward you the trunk
of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. So eat and
drink and be contented…"{]Quran 19:24-26[
• She was strong in her religion. She endured much hardship and was
steadfast to the last second of hardship, especially when she became
pregnant, when she gave birth, and when she breastfed her son.
• Her name was widely spread among the Christians and the Muslims.
Indeed, many Muslims like naming their daughters Maryam, and her name
is absolutely the most wide-spread name for females around the world
and in the Christian world. Her name is especially spread among the
woman in Spanish speaking countries, such as the name of Mary
Augustine, and Mary Asunción, Mary Antoinette, Miriam, Mary Carmen,
and Mary Magdalene, Virginia, …etc.
Conclusion:
Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, is a role model for all Muslim
women because she maintained her impeccable character throughout her
life. Allaah raised her status and chose her from among the women of
the entire world. Indeed, many verses and many Ahadeeth clarified her
great status.
Allaah blessed her with some miracles, protected her and defended her
against any accusations and blasphemy. On the other hand, Maryam, may
Allaah exalt her mention, demonstrated her genuine devotion and
loyalty to Allaah through her impeccable virtue and behavior. She also
expressed her profound and genuine devotion to Him Almighty through
her determination, devotion, and unconditional surrender to His Will.
She placed all of her hope and trust only in Allaah.
As a result, Allaah supported her with His Grace and Help, and turned
all hardship into goodness and beauty.
She became pregnant and delivered her child all alone. She showed
patience and complete faith in Allaah and endured the accusations of
her people. Consequently, Allaah eased her burden, supported her, and
refuted any accusations against her.
Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, had a superior and honorable position.
As Muslims, we should honor her, defend her dignity and chastity, and
clarify to the people of the whole world the truth about her that she
is the best example for all women around the world to follow. She was
indeed the best woman ever in the whole world, may Allaah exalt her
mention.