Dought & clear, - Whispers of the Shaytaan Concerning theSteadfastness of Non-Muslims and their Self-Sacrifice for their Cause.

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In brief, I am suffering from anxiety about my religious commitment and belief. I hope that Allaah will not call me to account for my question, but I am looking for clear answers.
When I look at the Christians and Jews, and even groups who have gone astray from sound Islamic ‘aqeedah (creed), and see how committed they are to their beliefs and sense of happiness and tranquility that they feel – although I do not know whether it is real – I ask myself how can the Muslim be certain that he is following sound ‘aqeedah at the time when the sense of happiness and tranquility may be found in all people, especially since according to psychology it is possible that what you believe in is what gives you a sense of certainty and assurance, even if it is not correct? What is confusing me in particular is the groups that have deviated from Islam such as the Sufis and Shi’ah. I only started to feel this waswaas (whispers) after I became closer to my Lord than before, praise be to Allaah, and I gave up listening to music, and I started to pray qiyaam al-layl (late night prayers) and naafil (voluntary) prayers, and pray for forgiveness.
Praise be to Allaah.
You have done well to call these thoughts that cross your mind waswaas. It is well known that waswaas comes from the Shaytaan, because the Shaytaan does not want anyone to turn back to his Creator in repentance, regretting (past mistakes) and turning towards what is right and good. Rather he wants to divert people away from religious commitment using all kinds of temptations and specious arguments. If he is unable to do that, he resorts to waswaas and stirring up doubts, to make a person feel anxious and uncertain. Hence you will find that you will not experience this waswaas except after you have given up some sins that he used to make appear attractive to you. When you prevailed over him in this area, he resorted to the weakest of his tricks, which is waswaas. The companions of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) complained to him that they noticed some waswaas that they disliked and did not want to speak of, and he(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to them: “Praise be to Allaah Who has reduced his tricks to whispers.” Narrated by Abu Dawood from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas ; classed as saheeh (authentic) by al-Albaani as stated inSaheeh Abi Dawood.
When he was unable to stop them doing good, he resorted to waswaas.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Waswaas is something that happens to everyone who turns to Allaah in dhikr (remembrance) etc; it will inevitably happen to him. So he should be steadfast and remain patient, and persist in his dhikr and prayer, and not give up, for by persisting in it he will foil the plot of the shaytaan and“ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan (Satan)” [4:76].
Every time a person wants to turn to Allaah in his heart, whispers of other matters come to him. The shaytaan is like a bandit; every time a person wants to travel towards Allaah, he wants to intercept him. Hence it was said to one of the salaf (pious predecessors): The Jews and the Christians say, we don’t experience waswaas. He said: They are right! What would the shaytaan do with a ruined house?
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/608
Hence you should not pay any attention to this waswaas, and do not let it form an obstacle on your way towards Allaah.
With regard to what you have mentioned about some of the kuffaar non-Muslims and innovators enjoying a sense of happiness and tranquillity, you did well to say in your question, “but I do not know if it is real.” Many of these pleasures are false, appearing outwardly whilst inwardly the person feels lost and anxious, which can only be dispelled when a person is truly sincere towards Allaah in submitting to Him and pleasing Him.
Here you should pay attention to a number of matters:
1 – The measure of sound ‘aqeedah is not whether one feels at ease or not, rather sound ‘aqeedah is known from what is stated in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah (reports) of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), in accordance with the way of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If you are confused about any matter, measure it against the words of Allaah, may He be exalted, the Sunnah of His Messenger(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the words of his companions. If you find that the companions of the Messenger of Allaah said that, then you will know that it is true, and anything other than that is false. If you are unable to do that, then ask scholars whose knowledge and method are in accordance with the way of the Sahaabah and the righteous salaf. This is the only true standard.
With regard to the happiness and tranquility that are the result of sincerely seeking the pleasure of one's Lord and following the Sunnah of His Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life”
[16:97]
2 – Feelings of anxiety and pressure are something relative; it varies from one person to another. Sometimes a person may live in the most difficult of circumstances and not experience any such feelings, because he is dead at heart. Do you not see how a blind man may live in the most intense darkness but he does not feel that it is dark? That it because he does not have any sight at all. The same applies to one who is dead at heart; he does not have any feeling of life at all, so he cannot feel a sense of loss at its absence.
But Allaah says, and His word is true (interpretation of the meaning):
“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’aan nor acts on its teachings) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection”
[20:124]
The word “dank”(hardship) has been interpreted in a number of ways. In theTafseerof Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) it says:
i.e., hardship in this world, so he will not feel any peace of mind or ease, rather he will feel constricted because of his misguidance, even if he seems outwardly to be enjoying the luxuries of life, wearing what he wants, eating what he wants, living wherever he wants. But his heart has not found certainty and guidance, so he is in a state of anxiety, confusion and doubt, and he will remain in that state. This is the life of hardship.
Al-Dahhaak said: it refers to evil deeds and provision that comes from haraam (unlawful) sources.
It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed said, concerning the phrase “a life of hardship”: His grave will be constricted for him until his ribs interlock.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “ ‘for him is a life of hardship’refers to the torment of the grave.’” Narrated with a jayyid isnaad (good chain). End quote.
If we assume that a kaafir non-Muslim or evildoer lives a happy life in this world, even inwardly, he is still lacking in the happiness and tranquility that the true believers enjoy, and what awaits him of torment inal-Barzakh (life in the grace)and thereafter is terrible hardship. We ask Allaah to protect us and you from the torment of the grave, and to make us steadfast in adhering to the truth until we meet Him.
Finally, you should strive to do acts of worship and good deeds, and shun the whispers that cause anxiety. You should acquire beneficial knowledge, for it will protect you, by Allaah’s leave, from all sorts of confusion and uncertainty.
And Allaah knows best.

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Dought & clear, - Is faith in the heart sufficient for a person to be a Muslim?.

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Is faith in the heart sufficient for a person to be a Muslim, without praying, fasting or paying zakaah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Faith in the heart is not sufficient without prayer etc. Rather it is obligatory to believe in one’s heart that Allah is One, with no partner or associate, and that He is one’s Lord and Creator, and to devote worship to Him alone, may He be glorified and exalted. And it is obligatory to believe in the Messenger Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and that he is truly the Messenger of Allah to all of the two races (mankind and the jinn). All of this is essential, for it is the foundation of the faith. It is also obligatory for the accountable individual to believe in everything that Allah and His Messenger have told us about Paradise and Hell, the Siraat (bridge over Hell), the Balance and other things referred to in the Holy Qur’aan and saheeh Sunnah. In addition to that, it is essential to utter the declaration of faith (shahaadah), testifying that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and it is essential to pray and to do all the other things enjoined in Islam. If the individual prays, then he has done what he is obliged to do, but if he does not pray then he has committed an act of kufr (disbelief), because not praying is kufr.
With regard to zakaah, fasting, Hajj and all the other obligatory matters, if he believes that they are obligatory but he is too lazy to do them, then he is not a kaafir because of that; rather he is disobedient or sinning, and his faith is weak and lacking, because faith may increase and decrease. Faith increases when one does acts of worship and righteous deeds, and it decreases when one commits acts of disobedience and sin, according to Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah.
With regard to prayer in particular, not praying is kufr according to many scholars, even if one does not deny that it is obligatory. This is the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. This is in contrast to other acts of worship such as zakaah, fasting, Hajj and so on. If he does not do them, that is not major kufr according to the correct opinion, but it detracts from and weakens faith, and it is a serious major sin. Not giving zakaah is a serious major sin; not fasting is a serious major sin; not performing Hajj when one is able to do so is a serious major sin – but it is not major kufr if one believes that zakaah is a duty, fasting is a duty, Hajj is a duty for the one who is able to do it. So long as one does not deny that these duties are obligatory, but he is negligent concerning them, then he is not a kaafir according to the correct opinion.
With regard to prayer, if he does not do it, then according to the more correct scholarly opinion he is a kaafir in the sense of major kufr –Allah forbid – even if he does not deny that it is obligatory, as stated above. That is because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving up prayer.” Narrated by Muslim in hisSaheeh. And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The covenant that differentiates between us and them is prayer; whoever does not pray is a kaafir.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the authors of the fourSunanswith a saheeh isnaad. This applies equally to both men and women. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound.

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Dought & clear, - The “miracles of nature” that are widely spoken of nowadays.

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Recently on websites and in chat rooms it has become common to see topics and posts that contain pictures and audio or video clips that show miracles, such as a fountain coming out of the sand in the desert, or the name of Allah on the skin of a goat, or clouds forming the name of Allah, or a girl who was transformed into an animal. Most of these things are not true and are fabricated but these things are very widespread.
What is the ruling on such things?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The signs of Allah in this universe are many; every atom in it testifies to His greatness and majesty, and affirms His Oneness.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“HaMeem. (These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings).
The revelation of the Book (this Quran) is from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Verily, in the heavens and the earth are signs for the believers.
And in your creation, and what He scattered (through the earth) of moving (living) creatures are signs for people who have Faith with certainty.
And in the alternation of night and day, and the provision (rain) that Allah sends down from the sky, and revives therewith the earth after its death, and in the turning about of the winds (i.e. sometimes towards the east or north, and sometimes towards the south or west etc., sometimes bringing glad tidings of rain etc., and sometimes bringing the torment), are signs for a people who understand.
These are the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.) of Allah, which We recite to you (O Muhammad SAW) with truth. Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe?”
[al-Jaathiyah 45:1-6].
This is a call to ponder and think about dozens of verses in the Holy Qur’an that encourage us to look at the visible signs and to think about them so as to increase in faith and certainty about the Creator and believe in His Oneness, may He be glorified.
What these signs have in common is that they are visible to all people. The earth, the sky, the sun, the moon, the animals, rain, one’s own self and so on are all signs that may be seen and known by all humans. Each and every individual can understand their greatness and realise that they point to the Lord and Creator. Even though the scientist may know things that ordinary people do not know about these things, they are visible to all and each person may learn from them according to his own level of understanding.
But with regard to what has become widespread nowadays of talking about “miracles of nature”, including those mentioned by the questioner, as far as Allah’s power is concerned, Allah, may He be exalted, has power over all things, such as causing His name to appear on the skin of a goat or on an egg, or transforming some people into animals.
In fact we believe that such transformations will happen, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us. At-Tirmidhi (2212) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Among this ummah, people will be swallowed up in the earth, transformed into monkeys and pigs, and pelted with stones.” A man among the Muslims said, “O Messenger of Allaah, when will that be?” He said: “When singing-girls and musical instruments become widespread and wine is drunk.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh at-Tirmidhi.
This is as far as the might and power of Allah, may He be exalted, are concerned. But as for whether these “miracles” happened or not, most of what is in circulation nowadays of such things cannot be verified or proven. Most of what people are passing around to one another of these things is no more than chit-chat in their gatherings and images on discussion boards and in chat rooms, the source or author of which is not known. Does the Muslim need such stories to prove the soundness of his religion and belief?!
Is there a shortage of evidence based on common sense and certainty, so that one has to resort to these rumours?!
The correct attitude towards these reports is to refrain from judgement. So we do not believe them, because of the possibility that they may be false, and we do not disbelieve them, because of the possibility that they may be true, so long as we have no clear evidence to prove whether they are true or false. If such evidence comes along then we may be certain in that case.
The wise Muslim – who is aware of the guidelines on verifying news and drawing conclusions from it – should not hasten to believe in them, let alone spread them and call people to glorify Allah in amazement.
But what has happened is the opposite of that; many people believed in these “stories” and they started spreading them and talking about them in their gatherings, and passing them around on their mobile phones and in e-mails, then suddenly a few days later they are surprised when it turns out that it was a fabrication spread by some of those who are zealous for Islam – in ignorance and naivety – or by some hateful heretics – in mockery and scorn. This has caused confusion for many people. And Allah is the One Whose help we seek.
What we object to is hastening to believe these things and regarding them as miracles and challenges, telling everybody about them, and making such stories a phenomenon without end. Every day there is a new story; the matter has reached such a level of foolishness that no one of sound mind could believe in these things. We see that in the story of the lion’s roar in which some people – by a huge stretch of the imagination – hear the name of Allah. Much worse than that is what is happening in one country where people have started to touch a tree on the trunk of which the name of Allah appeared, seeking barakah (blessing) and healing from it. Then upon investigation it turns out that it had been carved by someone who wanted to mislead the people.
The Muslims should refrain from propagating such rumours that may cause people to go astray.
We ask Allah to help us understand our religion.
And Allah knows best.

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