The caliphate of 'Uthmaan -III

Abdullaah bin Saba
'Abdullaah bin Saba`, known as Ibn Sauda' was a Jew from
San'aa)Yemen(. He announced his acceptance of Islam during the
Caliphate of 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanwith the intention of taking
advantage of the progress and prosperity of the Muslims. He settled in
Al-Madeenah to go deep into the internal affairs and weaknesses of the
Muslims to take advantage thereof. He set out from Al-Madeenah,
reached Basrah and stayed with Haakim bin Jabalah, a man from Basrah
who used to commit highway robbery with a band of criminals. There he
established close and cordial relations with Haakim bin Jabalah and
his friends. Afterwards, he set himself to creating doubts and
mischievous thoughts in the minds of the people around him, after
cleverly presenting himself as a well-wisher of Muslims and the family
of the Prophet,, . After gaining the confidence of many Muslims, he
began to carry out his nefarious plan. He first raised the question
that if 'Eesaa )Jesus(could come back to this world, why not
Muhammad,?
In order to fortify his plea, he began to misinterpret the meaning of
the verse )which means(:"Verily, He Who imposedupon you the Quran will
take you back to a place of return."]Quran 28:85[
He proposed thereby that the lastProphet,must come back to this world.
Following this, he began to bring the people round to another point
that every Prophet had a Caliph )successor( and executor, and that of
Muhammad,, was 'Ali. Encouraged by the favorable response from
gullible Muslims, he came out to openly propagatehis evil intentions
of removing the Caliph and replacing him by 'Ali.
'Abdullaah binSabaleft Basrah and came to another military base at
Koofah after issuing secret instructions to his followers. In Koofah
he found a section already working against the office of the Caliphate
and its governor. Thus, 'Abdullaah binSabafound this land more fertile
and the atmosphere more favorable and encouraging for hisevil plans.
'Abdullaah binSabawas antagonistic to Islam on one hand and was
hostile to 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan on the other. He was, therefore,
restless to take his revenge on the Caliph. In Koofah, he first
established himself as a pious and God-fearing man and was very soon
held in high esteem. When 'Abdullaah's mischievous activities came to
the notice of the governor, Sa'eed bin Al-'Aashe called him and took
him to task. As a result, 'Abdullaah binSababecame suspect in
everyone's eyes. Finding the atmosphere unfavorable, he left Koofah
and went toSyria.
Like Basrah he left behind a strong lobby in Koofah who wereready to
carry on his dirty business. Maalik Al-Ashtar and hisfriends and
relatives were the main figures to lend support to his plan.
AtDamascus, inSyria, his nefarious plans could not make any headway
and he had toleave the city after being there only a short time. His
next target wasEgyptwhere he moved very cautiously in the light of his
past experiences. He showed love for the Prophet's family and support
of 'Alithe main plank of his propaganda. In order to expeditehis plan
in an organized way he set up a secret society. He easily gained
ground inEgyptbecause the Egyptians and the Arabs livingthere already
had complaints against 'Abdullaah bin Sa'd, the governor ofEgypt.
'Abdullaah binSa'd was too preoccupied with the problems created by
the African Berbers and the Caesar of Constantinople to pay attention
to these internal affairs.
'Abdullaah binSabacommunicated with his friends inBasrah and Koofah by
letters, his group instituted a letter writing campaign with the
result that letters containing complaints were constantly being sent
against the governors to the people of Al-Madeenah fromEgypt, Koofah
and Basrah with charges of atrocities and malpractice brought against
them. Similar letters were dispatched from Basrah and Koofah
toEgyptand fromBasrah,EgyptandDamascusto Koofah. Since no one was made
the subject of atrocities, in each city they thought that this news
was referring to other provinces, which might be having victims of
these malpractices. All these accusing letters were directed against
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanthe Caliph who was charged withfavoring repressive
governors and refusing their dismissal. In view of the letters of
complaint coming in torrents, 'Uthmaan bin'Affaan sent 'Ammaar bin
Yaasir and Muhammad bin Maslamahto Egypt and Koofah respectively, to
make inquiries into the affairs and inform the office of the Caliphate
with the facts.
When 'Ammaar bin Yaasirreached Egypt, both the sections growing angry
with the governorand the followers of 'Abdullaah bin Saba brought
'Ammaar to their own way of thinking. They held him back from
returning to Al-Madeenah, ostensibly to avoid supporting "the
atrocious ways" of 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan. Muhammad bin Maslamah wrote
to the Caliph from Koofah that both the common people and thenoblemen
were openly speaking against the Caliphate and showing signs of
discontent. About the same time Al-Ash'ath bin Qays, Sa'eed bin Qays,
Saa'ib bin Al-Aqra', Maalik bin Habeeb, Haakim bin Salamah, Jareer bin
'Abdullaah, and Salmaan bin Rabee'ah who were wealthy, influential and
courageous supporters of the Islamic Caliphate left Koofah for other
places. In view of the public protest and uproar prevailing over a
vast area, Sa'eed bin Al-'Aas appointed Al-Qa'qaa' bin 'Amr,his deputy
and left for Al-Madeenah, to personally meet the Caliph and give an
account of the new developments in Koofah.With his departure, the
people of Koofah wrote to Maalik Al-Ashtar,who was then staying in
Hims, that there was a complete vacuum in Koofah and they should come
back without delay. In the absence of a strict governor, the
antagonistic elements came out in open criticism and challenged the
authority of the Caliph. Gradually they mustered enough courage to
send a party of the disgruntledelements under the leadership of Yazeed
bin Qays to reach Al-Madeenah to dislodge 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan from
powerby force. However, Al-Qa'qaa' bin `Amrstood in the way and
arrested Yazeed.
Yazeed implored Al-Qa'qaa' to forgive him because he had nothing more
than some complaints against Sa'eed bin Al-'Aas, and his mission was
simply to seek the deposition of the governor. Al-Qa'qaa' set Yazeed
free. However, shortly after that Maalik Al-Ashtar reached Koofah with
his party from Hims. His arrival generated anew zeal into the
subversive people and he declared his support to Yazeed bin Qays and
his decision to join the forces of Yazeed. Al-Qa'qaa' could not stop
the joint forces of Yazeed and Maalik. They marched out of Koofah and
arrived at Jara'ah near Qaadisiyah.
Events of 34 AH
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan, the Caliph of Islam issued orders to all the
governors to meet him in Al-Madeenah after Hajj for important
consultations. In addition to these governors, the Caliph invited some
men of soundjudgement from Al-Madeenah. The Caliph put before them the
issue of the prevailing anger and dissatisfaction against him and
sought their advice. 'Abdullaah bin 'Amr put forward his suggestion
that the unruly elements should be engaged in Jihaad to fill their
idle hours and charged them with disruptive activities and uprisings.
Sa'eed bin Al-'Aas submitted the suggestion that the leaders of the
troublemakers be dealt with a heavy hand, so that their punishments
would scare away their followers. Even though the Caliph showed his
agreement with this suggestion, he thought that this was a difficult
task. Mu'aawiyah came with the suggestion that governors of each
province should uphold their responsibilities and clear the province
off the existence of those troublemakers. 'Abdullaah bin Sa'd
suggested the point thatthey were all greedy and could, therefore, be
subdued by the power of the purse.
When the real causes leading to the riots and disruptions were
inquired into, it came to light that they were all far-fetched
andunfounded. Some of them raised the point that each one of the
mischief-mongers and rioters should be put to death without showing
any restraint. 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan disagreed and said that he could
only punish people according to the limits set by the Quran. Thus, the
session came to an end without anything concrete being decided.
The people attached to 'Abdullaah binSabaand those harboring hostile
feelings against'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan set about complaining against the
governors and officers appointed by the Caliph. They began to write
letters to the influential people of Al-Madeenah to create suspicion
in their minds about 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan. In response to the
complaints, the people of Al-Madeenah became angry with the governors
and officials and pressed the Caliph for their dismissal. However,
when they would come out faultless after inquiries, the Caliph
refrained from taking any action against them. They grew suspicious of
the fair dealings of the Caliph. Men like Abu 'Usayd Sa'eedi, Ka'b bin
Maalik and Hassaan bin Thaabitrose to stop the disgruntled section
fromspeaking against the Caliph, but to no avail.
When letters of complaint came pouring into Al-Madeenah from almost
every province and city under the Muslim rule, some distinguished
persons of Al-Madeenah called on the Caliph and drew his attention to
the prevailing anger and dissatisfaction against the governors
appointed by him. 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan then selected some reliable
persons and sent them to each province to look into the situation and
come back with a complete report. Thus, Muhammad bin Maslamah was sent
to Koofah and Usaamah bin Zayd and 'Abdullaah bin 'Umarwere sent to
Basrah andSyriarespectively. In this way, each large or small province
and territory was given one official to report the state of affairs to
the Caliph.
All the investigators returned with reports that none of the governors
were found guilty of any evil act or excesses, and all ofthem were
carrying out their duties within the bounds of Sharee'ah. Besides, no
man of understanding and wisdom was found against any governor or the
Caliph. The people of Al-Madeenah received the reportswith
satisfaction. However, very soon the situation took a disturbing turn.
The Hajj season was at hand and taking advantage of the opportunity,
the Caliph proclaimed among the citizens of every city and
town:"Reports are pouring into Al-Madeenah highlighting the excesses
of the governors of various provinces. So, I have sent orders to all
the governors to be present at Hajj. Anybody bearing complaints
against anyone's governance should come and lodge it in my presence
and get his rights either from me or fromthe governor after the
verification of the facts."

The caliphate of 'Uthmaan -IV

Edict of Uthmaan, 34 AH
On the occasion of Hajj, 'Uthmaanbin 'Affaanannounced his readiness to
listen to complaints among the governors. Thus, following his orders,
all the governors reached Makkah. In accordance with 'Abdullaah
binSaba's scheme, his followers too set out from every province and
center but arrived in Al-Madeenahinstead of Makkah. At this point
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanaddressed them and said:"Trouble is bound to
appear in the near future, but I don't like tobe blamed for it, for
whatever I have done, it was solely for the welfare of the people."
This utterance of the Caliph silenced them all.
'Uthmaancame back to Al-Madeenah after performing the Hajj. He then
assembled thosefrom outside and also invited 'Ali,Talhah and
Az-Zubayr. 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan rose to address them and said: "Abu
Bakrand 'Umarafter becoming Caliph, practiced caution concerning their
relatives with aneye on accountability, although the Prophet,, took
care of hisrelatives and extended help to them. My relatives are poor
and so I do the needful for them. I amready to do away with my
practice if you prove it invalid andunlawful."
Objections:
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanhad barely spoken this, when a man got up and
raised the objection:"You unlawfully gave away wealthand property to
your relatives; forinstance, you once gave the entire booty to
'Abdullaah bin Sa'd." 'Uthmaanreplied: "I have given him one-fifth
from theone-fifth of the booty. And we have such examples during the
Caliphates of Abu Bakr and 'Umar."
Another person said: "You have conferred power and rule on
yourrelatives; for instance, you have appointed Mu'aawiyah bin Abu
Sufyaan governor of the entireSyria. You made 'Abdullaah bin 'Amr
governor of Basrah by deposing Abu Moosaa Al-Ash'ari; you installed
Waleed bin 'Uqbah and then Sa'eed bin Al-'Aas governors of Koofah by
removingAl-Mugheerah bin Shu'bah." 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanreplied:"Those
governors are not my relatives and they have the abilityto manage the
affairs well. However, if they do not deserve the post, I am always
ready to change them for others. Thus I have already put Abu Moosaa
Al-Ash'ari as the governor of Koofah by removing Sa'eed bin Al-'Aas."
Yet another person got up and said: "You love your family members the
most and you give them extravagant gifts." 'Uthmaanreplied: "Love of
the family members is not a sin. And I give them gifts from my own
possessions, not from the public treasury. How can I give them
anything from the public treasury when I myself do not take a single
dirham from there? I am at liberty to give away anything to anybody
from my personal property."
In short, objections of this naturewere raised and 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan answered them fully and thoroughly. At the end of the
assembly, the people left silently.
Events of 35 AH
The governors of various provinces began to leave Al-Madeenah. When
Mu'aawiyahthe governor ofSyriadecided to depart, he came to 'Uthmaan
bin 'Affaanand said: "I anticipate an attack on you and you may not be
able to resist it. Itis better for you to accompany me toSyria, for
the Syrians are loyal and lend their full support to me."
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanreplied:"On no account shall I abandon the
proximity and neighborhood of the Prophet,." Having heard this
Mu'aawiyah said: "Let me send you an army fromSyriato guard you
against any eventuality." 'Uthmaan said: "I am not in favor of putting
my neighbors into trouble." Hearing this Mu'aawiyahsaid: "You are
bound to be deceived." In reply to this 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaansaid:
"Allaah is enough for me and what an Excellent Supporter He is." After
which he remained silent.
Mu'aawiyahthen left the place and came to 'Ali, Talhah and Az-Zubayr.
He asked them to provide protection to 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan, then he
setoff forSyria.
Conspiracy of 'Abdullaah binSaba
'Abdullaah bin Saba had already finalized his nefarious plan during
his stay inEgypt. He had won over Companions like 'Ammaar bin Yaasir
and Warqah bin Raafi'to his side. However, none besides the small
group of his followers were aware of his real game. His love for 'Ali
and the family of the Prophet,was nothing more than a maneuver for
inciting people against the Caliphate. A considerable number of Muslim
soldiers had joined his party. Gradually, 'Abdullaah binSabawon the
hearts of enough peopleto challenge the authority of 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan and bring about his deposition or do away with him. However,
the issue of 'Uthmaan's successor was still the bone of contention.
Gradually, his party was divided in three groups each supporting its
own candidate from among 'Ali, Talhah and Az-Zubayr. Since 'Abdullaah
binSabahad no interest in the unity and strengthof Islam, he held back
his supportfrom 'Aliand left the matter to the contenders. His main
issue was the liquidation of 'Uthmaan'sCaliphate.
Departure of the Caravan of Mischief-Mongers
At first, a group of 1000 people was sent in advance pretending to be
a Hajj mission. The party consisted of Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Udays,
Kinaanah bin Bishr Al-Laythi, andSudanbin Humraan and was headed by
Al-Ghaafiqi bin Harb. It was decided that the entire party should not
proceed at one time fromEgypt. The party was thus divided into four
groups to leaveEgyptseparately and then to meet after several stages.
Another party of 1000 men left Koofah and another of the same number
marched from Basrah. All these parties left their cities in the month
of Shawwaal 35 AH, under the pretext of goingto Hajj. However, their
goal was to get rid of the Caliph either by deposing or by killing
him. At the appointed time, the parties coming from different
directions joined one another and proceeded to Al-Madeenah.
Threestages from Al-Madeenah, the party divided itself into three
separate groups each supporting its own candidate for the Caliphate.
It is worth mentioning here that the followers of 'Abdullaah bin Saba
in Al-Madeenah had written forged letters in the names of 'Ali,
Talhah, Az-Zubayr, and the Mothers of the Believersto their followers
in Koofah, Basrah and Egypt who were against 'Abdullaah bin Saba and
his group. The letters emphasized that 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanwas no
longer able to shoulder the heavy burden of the Caliphate. Therefore
the matter should be brought to its end in the month of Thul-Hijjah.
Encouraged by these forged letters, the rioters found it easy to
indulge in acts of plunder and massacre in order to do away with the
Caliphate. Otherwise, they could not have mustered thecourage to plan
an invasion of Al-Madeenah, the city of the Prophet,where even a
strongarmy of the disbelievers failed to make inroads during
theBattleofthe Trench.
All the distinguished persons rejected their nefarious plan outright,
but they found no preparations of any kind whatsoever in Al-Madeenah.
They went back to the rioters and assembled their chiefs and
representatives for an emergencyconsultation. Allaying fears of
anydefensive preparations in Al-Madeenah from their minds, they placed
before them a suggestion that the parties belonging toEgypt, Basrah
and Koofah should contact 'Ali, Talhah and Az-Zubayrrespectively. They
should make an attempt during separate meetings to express to them
their viewpoint saying that at no cost did they like the Caliphate of
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan.
Accordingly, they offered their allegiance to them. But each of them
rejected their offer. Thereupon the party fromEgyptsaid to 'Ali:
"Since 'Abdullaah bin Sa'd, the governor of our province is cruel, we
cannot leaveAl-Madeenah without getting himdeposed." With an eye on
their obstinacy and nerve, 'Ali and some other Companions called on
the Caliph and advised him to fulfill their demand to stop the trouble
and depose 'Abdullaah bin Sa'd as the governor ofEgypt. 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan asked:"Who will then be appointed the governor ofEgypt?" .
Ali intercedes
'Aliand other Companions took the name of Muhammad binAbu Bakr who
happened to be the supporter of 'Ali. Therefore, the Caliph issued an
edict appointing Muhammad bin Abu Bakr, governor ofEgypt. After this
'Ali sent the rioters out. However, on the third or fourth day, all
the parties joined together and came into Al-Madeenah crying Takbeer
)i.e. uttering Allaahu Akbar( with the utmost fervor and cordoned off
the house of the Caliph. 'Alisaw them and said: "You had already left
this place, what madeyou come back?" They said: "The Caliph has sent a
letter to 'Abdullaah bin Sa'd through his slave to kill us as soon as
we reach there. We have seized the letter and have come here with
itand along with the parties fromEgyptand Koofah who want to share our
problem." 'Ali said: "By Allaah this is an act of conspiracy and you
are ill-intentioned." They replied: "Whatever be the case, we have
decided to kill the Caliph,and we seek your assistance in the task."
'Aliangrily said:"How can I help you?" Hearing thisthey said: "Why had
you then written about this?" 'Ali firmly replied: "I have never
written youanything." Hearing this they looked towards each other with
amazement. 'Alithen left Al-Madeenah to stay in Ahjaar-uz-Zayt and the
rioters surrounded the house of 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan. Until then, they
had followed the Caliph in prayers, but now they gave it up and began
to hold others back from standing in prayer behind him.
Witnessing the lurking danger around him, the Caliph wrote letters to
various provinces and sought their help, and in some cases the news
reached those places on its own. However, virtuous men and the
Companions persuaded the people inEgypt,Syria, Koofah and Basrah to
rush to the help of the Caliph. The mosque was under siege and after
that, the rioters prevented 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanfrom coming out of his
home and cut off the supply of water too. Although 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan persistently tried to convince the rioters that the letter was
not written by him and asked them to produce any witness, but they
ignored his plea.
Summarized from: The History of Islam, by: Akbar Shah Najeebadi
To Be concluded

The caliphate of 'Uthmaan -V

Abu 'Ayyoob Al-Ansaari leads the Prayer
In the wake of his inability to come to the mosque, the Caliph
appointed Abu 'Ayyoob Al-Ansaarito do the job. However, after a few
days, Al-Ghaafiqi bin Harb, the chief of the rioters, started leading
the prayers. Like Muhammad bin Abu Bakr, the governor ofEgypt,
Muhammad bin Huthayfah was also working against the Caliph. When
'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Udays marched towards Al-Madeenah fromEgypt,
Muhammad bin Abu Bakr had also accompanied them to Al-Madeenah, but
Muhammad binHuthayfah had stayed back inEgypt.
When the rioters made a commotion, 'Alisent both hissons Al-Hasan and
Al-Husaynto stand at the door of 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanwith locked arms
to stop the entry of the rioters into his house. Talhah and
Az-Zubayralso sent their sonsand they stopped their movements. The
rioters knew well that any harm done to them meant bearing the brunt
of Banu Haashim's fury as a whole. However, the rioters were also in a
hurry, because the arrival of official forces from the provinces could
foil their plan. Thus, they broke into an adjoining house and entered
the Caliph's house byscaling its walls
Martyrdom of Uthmaan bin Affaan
When the rioters showed the letter written on his behalf, 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaandeclared it a forgery. 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Udays, the
ringleader of the rioters rejected it saying: "If you are a liar, you
are not fit to remain as a Caliph. In case you are true in your
claim,then such a weak Caliph should not be left to rule if he is not
ableto keep control over his administration and lets anybody write
anything on his behalf." At last, 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Udays asked
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan to quit the Caliphate. However, he said: "I can't
put off the garment that Allaah has caused me to put on." That is, he
refused to give upthe post of the Caliph.
When the intensity of the siege increased and even the supply of water
was stopped, 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan went to the roof of his house and
reminded them of his sacrifices for Islam and the position he held
after embracing Islam. A section of the rioters seemed to forgive him
but Maalikbin Al-Ashtar intervened to keep them firm in their plan.
Moreover,when the rioters were convinced of the arrival of rescue
forces from the provinces, they determined to do away with the Caliph.
During these days, 'Aa'ishahdecided to go on Hajj. She sent for
Muhammad bin Abu Bakr to accompany her on the journey to Makkah. But
he refused to do so, because he was involved with therioters.
Hanthalahthe scribe of the Revelations, said to him:"You refuse to
accompany the Mother of the Believers and instead follow the fools
ofArabia." Muhammad bin Abu Bakr gave no reply. Talhah and
Az-Zubayrhad closed their doors and would neither go anywhere nor meet
anybody. Ibn 'Abbaasfaced the rioters at the door of 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan and stopped them from drawing near. However, the Caliph
insistedthat he would lead the Hajj caravan, although he said that
waging Jihaad against the rioterswas to him better than performing the
Hajj. Al-Hasan bin 'Ali, 'Abdullaah bin Az-Zubayr, Muhammad bin Talhah
and Sa'eed bin Al-'Aasstopped the rioters from opening the door and
fought to push them back.
However, 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanprevented them from doing so on oath and
called them in. When the rioters set fire to the doors, they fought
and drove them out once again. 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan was then reciting
the Quran. When he reached the verse )which means(:"Those to whom
people )i.e. hypocrites( said: 'Indeed, the people have gathered
against you, so fear them.' But it )merely( increased them in faith,
and they said: ' Sufficient for us is Allaah, and )He is( the best
Disposer of affairs.'"]Quran 3:173[
Hesaid addressing those present: "The Messenger of Allaah,has taken a
pledge from me and I firmly keep it, so hold yourselves back from
fighting the rioters." He also asked Al-Hasan bin 'Alito go back to
his father, but he declined the advice and kept at the door.
Al-Mugheerah bin Al-Akhnascould not bear the situation, attacked the
rioters along with some of his companions and wasmartyred. In the same
way, Abu Hurayrahlaunched an assaulton the rioters reciting the
verse)which means(:"And O my people, how is it that I invite you to
salvation while you invite me to the Fire?"]Quran 40:41[
When 'Uthmaancame to know of it, he insistently called him back.
Meanwhile, 'Abdullaah bin Salaamcame and did all he could to pacify
the rioters, but in vain. Among those present with 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan, some were upstairs watching the movements of the rioters
while others were at the gate stopping their entry. 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan and his wife Naa'ilah, the daughter of Al-Furafisahwereinside.
The rioters scaled the walls, entered the house of 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan, and made an assault on him. First of all Muhammad bin Abu
Bakr came near 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaanand said catching hold of his
beard:"O long-bearded one, may Allaah put you to disgrace."
'Uthmaanreplied: "I am not a long-bearded man, but 'Uthmaan, the Chief
of the Believers." Thereupon Muhammad bin Abu Bakr angrily said: "You
covet the Caliphate even in your old age." 'Uthmaansaid: "Had your
father been alive, he would have valued my old age." At this Muhammad
bin Abu Bakr got ashamed and left. Followed by his retreat a group of
criminals came down scaling the wall. The group included
'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Udays, 'Amrbin Hamiq, 'Umayr binJannabi,Sudanbin
Humraan, Al-Ghaafiqi and Kinaanah bin Bishr, who first struck
'Uthmaanwith a sword. His wife Naa'ilah came forward and stretched her
hand to stop the stroke, with the result that her fingers were cut off
and thrown away. However, he struck 'Uthmaana second time, which led
to his martyrdom. It so happened when'Uthmaanwas reciting the Quran,
his blood dropped on the verse )which means(:"…. and Allaah will be
sufficient for you against them. And He is the Hearing, the
Knowing."]Quran 2:137[
'Amr bin Hamiq gave him nine wounds with his spear. 'Umayr bin Jannabi
moved forward and kicked him violently more than once, so that his
ribs were broken. At every kick he would say: "It was you who had
imprisoned my father and the poor man died in captivity." Naa'ilah
called out to those upstairs who were unaware of what was happening in
the house. The rioters had completedtheir evil act before those
upstairs arrived. The criminals fled and the slaves of 'Uthmaan killed
a few of them.
Nobody was needed now to guard the door. The rioters then made a
forced entry into the house and plundered all the articles that they
found. The news of this tragedy spread like lightning. This
soul-shattering incident came to pass on Friday, Thul-Hijjah 18, 35
AH. The dead body of 'Uthmaan laid unshrouded and unburied for three
days. At last Haakim bin Hizaam and Jubayr bin Mut'imwent to 'Aliand
he gave permission for him to be buried. The body was buried between
Maghrib and Isha' prayers. Az-Zubayr, Hasan, Abu Jahm bin Huthayfah,
and Marwaanaccompanied the bier. The rioterstried to obstruct the
burial service but held back on the intervention of 'Ali. Jubayr bin
Mut'im led the funeral prayers. Hewas then buried without bath and
coffin.
'Uthmaan bin 'Affaandied at the age of 82 after passing 12 years as a
Caliph. He was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi' leaving behind eleven sons
and six daughters.
Rioter's Rule in Al-Madeenah
From the day the rioters put a ban on the exit of 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaanfrom his house and his attendance at the mosque, Al-Madeenah
had virtually come under their rule. After 'Uthmaan'smartyrdom,
Al-Ghaafiqi bin Harb, the chief of the rioters, held the powers of the
Caliphate for abouta week and set about issuing all orders, including
the appointment of someone to lead the prayers.
However, the wiser section of them wanted to put a respectable man as
Caliph. They argued that in the absence of a reputable man as Caliph,
their successful efforts would be takenas a mere uprising and rioting.
Thus they decided not to leave Al-Madeenah without electing a Caliph.
'Abdullaah binSabarushed to Al-Madeenah in disguise and joined his
party. He also favored the election of a Caliph. Thus theymet 'Ali,
Talhah and Az-Zubayrseparately and requested each of them to accept
the responsibility of the Caliphate. However, each of them refused the
offer point-blank and they had to return empty-handed and frustrated.
At last, 'Abdullaah binSabainstilled in their mind a workable plan
according to which it was announced throughout Al-Madeenah: "It is the
people of Al-Madeenah who have always played the pivotal role of
electinga Caliph, and the Muslim Ummah accepted it wholeheartedly. Now
we give them just two days to elect a Caliph, if they fail to elect
aCaliph, we will kill 'Ali, Talhah andAz-Zubayr."
This announcement sent terror into the hearts of the people of
Al-Madeenah who came out of their houses and hurried to 'Ali and the
other two. While Talhah and Az-Zubayrflatly refused to shoulder the
burden of the Caliphate, 'Ali agreed to it after initially refusing.
Following his consent, the people came in large numbers to take
Bay'ah)oath of allegiance( at his hand.

Dought & clear - Employee compensating his company for what is owed to it by waiving some of his dues

I was working for a foreign company via theInternet. I did marketing
for this company and brought regular customers to it, and I receive
commission so long as the customers continue to buy from this company.
The problem began when I brought two customers in a way that is not
Islamically acceptable, and I continued to receive commission for
several months. After that I repented to Allah, praisebe to Allah, and
I wanted to set things straight. So I started to bring new customers
but did not register them under my name, so that the matter between me
and the company would be settled.
Is this regarded as an Islamically acceptable solution? I brought new
customers to the company to compensate for the two customers for whom
I had receivedcommission. Can I continue to receive this payment in
return for working with the company, or do I have toleave it? Please
note that I have put a great deal of effort into correcting my
mistake. In fact I am confused about my situation and I cannot tell
the people in charge because I will be dismissed.
What more can I do in order to compensate for what has passed? Is this
regarded as sufficient?
Praise be to Allah.
The money that is acquired as a result of deceit, lying or forgery
isharaam wealth, and it is not permissible to consume it or benefit
from it; rather what you must do is return it to its owner and ask for
forgiveness from him, sothat you will have discharged your duty
forsure. (This applies) whether its owner is a Muslim or not, because
the sanctity of the wealth of a non-Muslim (dhimmi or mu'aahid, i.e.,
non-Muslims living under Muslim rule, or who have a treaty with the
Muslims) is the same as the sanctity of a Muslim's wealth. Our Prophet
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) disavowed those
who transgressed against the wealth of non-Muslims and said: "As for
the wealth… [that was seized unlawfully from a non-Muslim), I want
nothing to do with it." Narrated by al-Bukhaari (no. 2731). Al-Haafiz
ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: From this (hadeeth) we
learn that it is not permissible to take the wealth of the kuffaar by
treachery when they have been granted security.
End quote fromFath al-Baari, 5/341
Sincere repentance requires you to speak frankly to your company,if
that is possible, or at least to stop that haraamincome that is coming
toyou, and do not continue to take it from the company unlawfully.The
first condition of sincere repentance is giving up the sin
immediately. So long as you still receiving that haraam wealth, we
fear that you may come under the ruling on one who persists in his
sin.
With regard to what yousaid about compensating the company by bringing
some new customers and not taking the commission to which you are
entitled in return, that is appropriate if you are unable to return
the money that you had taken unlawfully to the company or tell them
what really happened sothat they can decide as they see fit.
If you cannot do that, then we hope that what you have mentioned
willcompensate for what you did of trickery to take what you are not
entitled to, and that this will be an expiation for the haraam wealth
that you took from them, by means of which you will compensate the
company and restore people's dues, on condition that the money that
which you had taken unlawfully will be equaled by the money that you
are entitled to for the customers you brought but did not register
under your name. If what you took is more than that, then you haveto
strive to return the additional amount in an acceptable manner, or by
bringing more customers for it, until the two amounts are equal and
you know that you have restored people's rights or the equivalent.
The fuqaha' (may Allah have mercy on them) have outlined numerous ways
that make it easier for the one who wants to get rid of haraam wealth
to do so. For example, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him)
said: This is based on an important Islamic principle having to do
with the one who has taken something to which he is not entitled
according to sharee'ah, then decides to get rid of it: if the item in
question was taken without the consent of its owner and he did notgive
him something to compensate him, then he must return it to him. If he
is not able to returnit to him, then he should pay off a debt that the
person owes on his behalf. If that is not possible, then he must
return it to his heirs. If that is not possible, then he must give it
in charityon his behalf. If the rightful owner chooses to take the
reward for that charity on the Day of Resurrection, then he may do so,
but if he insists on taking from the good deeds of the one who took it
unlawfully, he will be able to do so in return for the wealth (that
was taken), and the reward for the charity will go to the one who gave
it, as was proven from the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them).
If the money was paid with the consent of the giver in return for
something haraam, such as one who paid for alcohol or pork, or for
adultery or immoral deeds, in that case the money is not to be
returned to the one whopaid it, because he paid it willingly and took
something haraam in return for it. So it is not permissible for him to
have both the money and the thing he paid for, because that is helping
in sin and transgression, and making it easy for sinners to commit
sin.
What else could the adulterer or the one who commits immoral actions
want, if he knows that he will get what he wants and havehis money
back?! Sharee'ah is far above prescribing such a thing,and it makes no
sense. But the one who receives the money should not consume it;
rather it is evil and impure, as ruled by the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But it is evil and impure
because of the way in which it was acquired, not because of wrongdoing
to the one from whom it was taken.The way to get rid of it and
complete one's repentance is to give it in charity. If he is in need
of it, he may take as much as he needs andgive the rest in charity.
This is the ruling on all impure earnings that areimpure because of
the way in which they are acquired, whether that was in return for
something that is haraam, whether it was an item or a service. The
fact that it is deemed to be impure does not mean that it must be
returned to the one whogave it, because the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) ruled that the earnings of a cupper
areimpure, but it is not obligatory to return them to the one who paid
them.
End quote fromZaad al-Ma'aad, 5/690-691
On our website, in a number of questions, wehave previously discussed
these matters. See, for example, questions no. 98723, 178442and 179432
However, what we advise you to do is follow the path of piety and
admit to the company what has reallyhappened, or, at the very least,
ask them to stop giving you this haraam commission
You should understand that honesty is the best policy. If we assume
thatwhat you fear of being dismissed happens, it may be that Allah
will replace it with something better than that for you. Allah, may He
be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: 'If Allah
knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than
what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'
But if they intend to betray you (O Muhammad SAW), they have already
betrayed Allah before. So He gave (you) power over them. And Allah is
All-Knower, All-Wise"
[al-Anfaal 7:70-71]
"And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a
way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine"
[al-Talaaq 65:2-3].
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - Is it permissible to put on a “magic show” and is it permissible to attend it?

What is your opinion onchildren watching shows for children which
include "magic" and the like? Some of the brothers in our mosque put
on a show that included "magic tricks", and I did not want my children
to go, so I did not let them. What is your opinion?
Praise be to Allah.
What we understand from the question is thata show was put on in the
mosque by children, in which there was whatis called "leger de main
(sleight of hand)" or "magic tricks". If this is what happened, then
you did well by not letting your children attend that show, in which
this evil action was done. The ones whoapproved of that and helped to
make it happen have done something wrong, and this is exacerbated if
the show was in the mosqueand if it was done by children. We hope that
they will not do this again. What they should be doing is raising
Muslim children with decent morals and manners, teaching them
beneficial knowledge and instilling in them the beliefs of Ahl
as-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, without any contamination or confusion. If
you want toadvise them and denounce what was done, then you should do
so in a gentle and kind manner.
It should be noted that the magic which Allah, may He be exalted,
condemns and against which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) warned is that which may be called "the magicof
illusion". Allah, may He be exalted, mentioned it in His Holy Book,
when He said (interpretation of the meaning):"Then behold,their ropes
and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved
fast" [Ta-Ha 20:66]. Allah, may He be exalted, called this action of
theirs magic, and He called them magicians. Moreover, such shows may
give the impression that magic and magicians are harmless. This was an
error on the part of those who put onthese shows in the context of
educating children, in addition to the fact that it is a sin in and of
itself.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
What is the ruling on watching the "magic of illusion", whether that
isin real life or on television?
He replied:
It is not permissible to watch magic, whether it is real or is just
illusions. It is not permissible because it is falsehood, and it is
not permissible to witness or watch falsehood, because by watching it
one has approved of it, unless heis watching it in order todenounce it
and strive toput an end to it. In that case there is nothing wrong
with it. But if he watches it and says nothing, or he tells others
about it, this is haraam because it is idleentertainment.
End quote from the shaykh's website: http://www.alfawzan.ws /node/4827
The shaykh (may Allah preserve him) was also asked:
Often during the summer vacation there are festivals that are held for
leisure purposes, in which thereare circuses, and they bring people
who do things like tightrope walking or pulling cars along with their
hair or eating live coals, and other such things. Some of them appear
to be righteous. What is the ruling on these actions of theirs?
He replied: This comes from the Shaytaan, and these actions are from
the Shaytaan; no one can eat live coals, or drink boiling water. How
can he eat live coals? He is lying; it appears to the people asif he
is eating live coals, but in fact the coal does not reach him and does
not even come near his body. The same applies to the car that he pulls
along (with his hair). It isnot permissible for the Muslims to approve
of these things, even if theycall it illusion or artistry, or whatever
they call it. We should not open the door to magic, witchcraft, and
trickery. This is something that is not permissible and the
authorities should prevent it. It is obligatory for them to prevent it
right now andnot to approve of it. None of the seekers of knowledge
should keep quiet about this matter.
End quote from the shaykh's website: :
http://www.alfawzan.ws /node/48273
If your question is about something other than what we have mentioned,
then we hope that you will get intouch with us again and explain
further what is meant. We appreciate your efforts to take care of your
children and give them a sound Islamic upbringing.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - What is the ruling on eating beef that the country imports via smuggling and bribery?

I am from Bangladesh and the state cannot provide beef for its
inhabitants who number one hundred and forty million. On theother side
of the border,India is a huge country and they do not eat beef and
some states in India do not allow the Muslims to eat beef. Hence the
demand for cattle in Bangladesh hasled to a huge trade in smuggling
the animals, because India does not sell cattle legally. Hence some
people smuggle thousands of cattle to Bangladesh every day, and they
pay bribes at the Indian border and at the Bangladeshi border for the
purpose of smuggling.
My question is: 99% of the meat that is available – and the cows that
are slaughtered on Eid – are smuggled illegally from India.
Is it permissible for us to eat the meat of cattle that come to us by
means of bribery and smuggling?
Praise be to Allah.
There is no sin on you for buying beef in your country and eating it,
even if smuggling is widespread, for the following reasons:
Firstly:
The basic principle is that it is permissible to eat meat that is sold
in Muslim markets without asking or enquiring into its origin and
source, on the grounds that what appears to be the case is that the
meat is being sold in a permissible manner in a legitimate
marketplace; so the Muslim should not concern himself with asking
questions or examining details. The Mother of the Believers 'Aa'ishah
(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that some people said: O
Messengerof Allah, some people bring meat to us and we do not know
whether they mentioned the name of Allah over it or not. The Messenger
of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Say the
nameof Allah over it and eat it."
Narrated by Muslim in hisSaheeh(2057).
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
We learn from this that everything that is found in the markets of the
Muslims may be taken as legitimate.
End quote fromFath al-Baari(9/635).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
(The scholars) were unanimously agreed that it is permissible to buy
meat without askingfor proof that it is halaal,being content with the
word of the slaughterer and the seller.
End quote fromI'laam al-Muwaqqi'een(2/181)
Secondly:
If we assume that there is something wrong, it only affects the one
whois doing the smuggling and breaking the law. Asfor the buyer
himself, heis not committing any sin or doing anything wrong, and he
is not helping in any sin or transgression. Allah, mayHe be glorified
and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no
bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then unto your
Lord is your return, so Hewill tell you that wherein you have been
differing"
[al-An'aam 6:164].
Thirdly:
Beef that has been slaughtered properly is halaal meat according tothe
consensus of the fuqaha', and it does not become haraam if it reaches
the country by illegal means. The prohibition [on smuggling] does not
apply to the meat itself, contrary to the case if the cow is
slaughtered in a way that is not prescribed in Islam, such as if the
name of Allah is not mentioned over it orit is slaughtered in a manner
other than that used by the Muslims. In that case its meat is haraam.
As for smuggling, the prohibition does not make the meat haraam;
rather the wrongdoing in this case is limited to breaking the law of
the land.
Fourthly:
The fact that the people would suffer a great deal of hardship if a
fatwa were to be issued forbidding them to buy this meat is sufficient
evidence that it is permissible. According to what is mentioned in the
question, the vast majority of the meat that is sold in the
marketplaces comes from the smuggling mentioned. Moreover, there would
be a huge rise in prices if this source of meat was banned. The basic
shar'i principle on which thereis scholarly consensus says that
hardship makesit permissible to be lax inimplementing shar'i rules.
To sum up:
Regardless of the laws ofthese countries and whether they allow the
importing of cattle or not, and regardless of the extent to which that
serves the interests of the people or not, none of that has any impact
on the meat of these cattle, even if the consumer is certain that it
comes from smuggled cattle.
And Allah knows best.

Islam and Taking accountof oneself or Self-Appraisal (Muhasebe)

Accounting is a characteristic found in human nature, irrespective of
his country, ancestry, community or religion. Man is always
preoccupied about things that shall benefit or harm him; he is
alwaysworried about his future,his wealth, property and about other
things. His mind is always analyzing his strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats.
Accounting is of various kinds. Generally, man takes an account of
thosethings that are related to this temporary world. At such times,
he forgets that there is someone else too, who is taking (his) account
and whose rewards are everlasting. He is so absorbed in the accounting
of this colourful and attractive world, that he has forgotten the
terrifying accounting that shall take place in the grave orthe
impartial accounting of the Day of Mahshar (Day of Gathering on the
Last Judgment). Man is busy in finding faults in others. He forgets to
takeaccount of himself and see how much he is immersed in sins and how
many flaws lie within his own self.
Rather, man should makehis own self so strong and powerful, that it
becomes his advisor. The 'self' of man should exhort him towards all
obligatory acts and refrain him from committing all prohibitedacts.
Today, so much timeis being wasted in backbiting, accusing others,
watching television and committing other sins. Man must realize that
everything will be accounted for. The way you trained your children,
the way you spent your money, whether you have usurped any one's
right, even if it is a material right, to the extent that even if you
have done good or evil of the size ofa mustard seed, it will be
accounted for. The Day ofJudgment is also referredto as 'The Day of
Lamenting'. As Allah (SWT) mention in Noble Qur'an: Whether you show
what is in your mind or conceal it, Allah is well aware of that and
will call you to, account therefore. (2:284)
It is for this very reason that Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw)has
narrated, "Take account (of your deeds) yourself before you are taken
account of (by Allah [SWT])". Bihar al-Anwar
In the Wasiyyah (will) of Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) to his companion
(Sahabah)Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (ra), Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) says:
Oh Abu Dharr! Take account of yourself before you're taken account of
so your accounting will be easier tomorrow. And weigh yourself before
you are weighed and prepare forthe great staging; the day you will be
presented, not the least of a hidden thing of you will be hidden from
Allah (SWT).
Another companion (Sahabah) Abdullah Bin Mas'ud (ra) narrated that
Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) said, "A man shall be asked concerning
five things on the day of resurrection: concerning his life, how he
spent it; concerning his youth, how he grew old; concerning his
wealth, whence he acquired it, and in what way he spent it; and what
was it that he did with the knowledge that he had." (Tirmidhi 5197)
Take account of yourself before the weighing scale is established. And
be prepared for a great accounting. Just as man carries a watch in
order to keep track of time, in the same manner, he should assign a
watch forhimself that will keep a track of his daily activities. He
should check everyday the actions that are beneficial to him and the
actions that harm him. Every night when we lie down on the bed, we
should analyze our entireday and scrutinize each and every of our
actions. 'What did we eat?' 'What did we earn?' 'Did we commit any
sin?' At the same time we should alsoremember about the Day of Qiyamat
(day of resurrection). If we find that we have performed good actions,
then we should praise Allah (SWT) and if we find that we have
performed bad actions, then we should seek forgiveness from Him and
resolve not to repeat them.
It was asked from Imam Ali (as): How should a person take account of himself?
Imam Ali (as) replied: When a person ends his day, then he should turn
towards himself and say 'O self! This day that has passed will not
return. Allah (SWT) will ask you about how you wasted your day. He
will ask you about the actions you performed, whether you remembered
Him and praised Him? Whether you fulfilled a right of your fellow
believer? Did you remove a difficulty that befell upon a believer? Did
you protect his children in his absence? Did you safeguard his rights
afterhis death? Did you - on account of your position - prevent anyone
from backbiting your believing brother? Did you help any Muslim
throughout the day?
Thus every man should ponder over his actions that he has performed
during the day. If he finds that he has done good actions, then he
should praise Allah (SWT) for giving him the opportunity (Taufeeq).
But if he finds that he hascommitted sins, then he should seek
forgiveness from Allah (SWT) and make a firm intention that he shall
not repeat that act again.
Then let us be strict with ourselves every time we account for
ourselves, just as a master is strict with his slave, or as a partner
takes account of another partner. So account of yourself before your
account is taken which will be so severe that there shall be no scope
for rectification.

Islam and Self-Judgment and Self-Control

Ayatulla Agha Haji Mirza Mahdi Pooya says this state of cautiousness
and precaution is Taqwa, the highest form of God mindedness.
Self-Judgment is to call oneself to account every day regarding the
good deeds and wrongdoings. If the scale of acts of obedience
overweighs that of acts of disobedience, we must thank Allah (SWT),
lest wemust discipline ourselves.
Self-Control stands for protecting oneself against breach of the
obligatory religious rites and the commitment of the forbidden.
It is necessary for the rational to train himself on self-judgment and
self-control, since all human souls are susceptible to evil. If
theyare neglected, they go away from the right, but if they are
controlled by means of guidance, they shine with virtues:
"... And (I swear) by the soul and that (Power) which designed it and
inspired it with knowledge of evil and piety, those who purify their
souls will certainly have everlasting happiness and those whocorrupt
their souls will certainly be deprived of happiness." Noble Qur'an
(91:7-10)
Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) said: "Before you do a matter that you
intend, you should investigate its end result; if it is good, you then
should keep on. If not, you should not do it."
Imam Ali (as) related: When he received the warriors that he had
appointed for a campaign, Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) said to them:
"Welcome to the people who performed successfully the minor Jihad.
Their mission now is to perform completely the major Jihad. The major
Jihad is self-control. The best form of Jihad isto strive one's
desires and whims."
Self-Confidence that gavehim the power:
A business executive was deep in debt and could see no way out.
Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He
sat on the Park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save
his company from bankruptcy.
Suddenly an old man appeared before him. "I can see that something
istroubling you," he said. After listening to the executive's woes,
the old man said, "I believe I can help you." He asked the man his
name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying,"Take this
money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me
back at that time." Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he
had come.
The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by
John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world! "I can
erase my money worries in an instant!" he realized. But instead, the
executive decided to put the un-cashed check in his safe. Just knowing
it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his
business, he thought.
With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended termsof
payment. He closed several big sales. Within afew months, he was out
of debt and making money once again. Exactly one year later, he
returned to the park withthe un-cashed check. At the agreed-upon time,
the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back
the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and
grabbed the old man.
"I'm so glad I caught him!" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been
botheringyou. He's always escapingfrom the rest home and telling
people he's John D. Rockefeller." And she led the old man away by the
arm. The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long
he had been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had
half a million dollars behind him.
Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money, real or imagined, that
had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that
gavehim the power to achieveanything he went after.

Fathwa, - Responsibilities regarding womenfolk

Question:
As salaam alaikum,
Shaykh, my question isregarding sisters. If one's sister is not
married and, due to her fussy nature, seems unlikely to marry in the
near future, does the responsibility of her welfare lie upon the
father's shoulders? Taking into consideration the fact that she is in
her mid 30's and her father is in his mid 60's. She works and
socializes as she wishes, but she is punctual regarding Salaah etc.
And I know for certain she only socialises with fellow Muslimahs. The
fact that she has refused allproposals given, does this make my father
sinful and will the sin in-turn fall upon me her younger brother (but
the eldest of two brothers). Also, I intend to study abroad, would the
responsibility of my sister fall upon my head if my father was to pass
away, taking into consideration the independent nature of women (my
sister most definitely included) in the West. For example I am almost
certain she would not travel abroad with me, and I probably wouldn't
be able to afford it (myself being married).
Shaykh, sorry for the awkward way I have written my question, it's
more a query needing advice than a formal question. Anyhow, thanks for
taking the time to consider and hopefullyprovide a solution to my
situation.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Brother,
1. Refusing marriage:
Your sister's refusal to get married is not a sin. Your father is also
not responsible if his daughter refuses to get married. You also do
not incur any sin if your sister keeps refusing marriage. That is her
prerogative.
2. According to a previous answer by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam
al-Kawthari, your father is generally required to support his grown
daughter, provided he is able and she is in need of support.However,
he may ask his daughter to assist in her maintenance, although he may
not ask her to work outside the home. Please visit Fiqh of
financially supporting one's parents and other relatives.
3. If your father passes away, you will be required to support
yoursister only if you are ableand she is poor and unmarried. Your
first priority is supporting your wife and children. After that, if
you are able, then you should provide for your sister if she is
unmarried. Once again, you may ask her to help out, but you cannot
demand that she work outside the home.
Last but not least, it's best to come to some sort of arrangement that
is beneficial to everyone.If your sister has no problem with working,
then it may be advisable for her to contribute to her upkeep,
especially if your father is getting along in years. In fact, if your
father is himself in need of support, then both you and your sister
must support him, regardless of her marital status.
I pray this helps.
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Education and Family life

Question:
If a woman is married while she was studying in a professional college
and by the blessings ofAllah she becomes a mother, what is she
supposed to do regarding her education? Her family is pressuring her
to go back to college. However, her husband wants her to be a
housemaker and just relax at home and takecare of the household, baby
and him. She feels bad when people ask her about her degree; she has
to tell them that because of marriage and the new baby she had to
discontinue school. She doesn't even have a bachelors degree yet.How
does she deal with uncertainties about the future and the importance
of a Muslim woman supporting herself in case of divorce, death, or
husband's unemployment.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Dear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
I pray that you and your family are doing well.
A nice reminder to your family is in order here. It's fine for them to
offer advice; however, it's another thing entirely for them to
pressure you.You have a baby to care of, a husband to look after, and
a home to run.This, in itself, is a full-time job and then some. Your
family needs to learn to accept the fact that you are a wife and
mother. You have entered a different phase of your life. Consequently,
they need to be informed, in a nice way, that pressuring you to go
back to school is simply not what you need right now. What you do need
is for them to be supportive of where you are, right now.
Second, you need to put a stop to these corrosive thoughts which are
damaging your self-esteem.. The worth of a human being is not in her
college degree. I realize that finishing school would give you a sense
of achievement. However, you need to focus on what you have already
accomplished. Alhamdulillah, you are a mother, which is one of the
highest stations a woman can achieve in this world and the next. You
are a wife. Your husband sounds like a dependable, responsible man.
These are all things to be grateful for. So please spend more time
focusing on what you have, not what you lack.
Third, going back to school has many benefits. If you would like to
pursue your goal of school in the future, then by all means, start
planning for it. If you think you'd like to go back to school now,
that's fine as well. However, you need to include your husband in your
decision. He is entitled to ask you to stay home while the baby is
still a baby. However, it is also prudent to complete your education
so that you have the skills to take care of your family. I am firm
believer that a woman should be equipped to provide for herself and
her children. I would suggest drawingup a plan to see how youcan meet
these goals. Forexample, you and your husband might decide that you
will go back to school once your baby is weaned. Or you might decide
to wait until your child is ready for preschool. Again, this decision
has to be made by both you and your husband, taking into account the
baby's best interests. It is possible to finish school, even while
your children are young, provided that you have agood support system.
Don't forget to pray Salat al-Istikhara, no matter what you decide.
May Allah Ta'ala guide you to what is best.

Fathwa, - Desire to seek high level of Islamic Knowledge vs current Occupation

Question:
I am a convert to Islamas of 1995, alHamdulillah, and a doctor by
occupation. Iam specialising in obstetrics and gynecology, and have
insha'Allah 3 more years full time before I am fully qualified. I have
been married 3 years and we have twochildren together. My husband and
I have begun the path to self improvement and acquisition of our fard
'ain with classes, including those at Sunnipath in fiqh and (for me)
Arabic, since I am limited in my ability to travel with young children
and work etc. Over the last year or so, I have begun to become quite
disillusioned with my work, and began feeling more strongly than
before that I want to seek Islamic knowledge to a (high) level, and be
the best Muslim (wife, mother, person) I can be. Also, I have
increasingly had a desire to learn more so that I can teach my
children their fard 'ain etc. I know that I did not undertake my job
lightly, and that it is a fard kifayah, and I am also blessed with a
husband who is very supportive of this job, but I don't know what to
do. Due to our circumstances, we don't envisage being able to go to an
Arab country for at least a decade to live and study, and so at
present we are limitedto learning from teachers here, as well as
SunniPath. I just keep thinking, of the time I converted, whenI was
given the opportunity to go to al-Azhar to study fiqh and become a
faqih by the organisation I was involved with. I was also concurrently
offered medicine, and chose the latter because it had been my lifelong
dream. I know everything happens for a reason, but I suppose I need
encouragement to continue, if it is the right thing, versus even
stopping, and being a full time mum. Please advise. Jazak Allahu
khayr.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah
Blessings and salutations to our beloved Messenger
Dear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
I pray this reaches you ingood health and spirits.
Thank you for sharing this information; nonetheless, I can't makethis
decision for you. Whatever path you take, remember that Allah Most
High does not place upon us a burden greater than we can bear.
Try not to live with regret. You chose the decision that reflected
your lifelong dream. You should learn to accept that decision and see
thebenefit in it. We Muslim women have a definite need for observant,
practicing female Muslimdoctors. There's certainlya lot of good you
can do with your skills and training.
If your heart is simply not in medicine, however, then you have the
freedom to leave the field and stay home with your children. However,
don't live in the past. Instead, look to the future. To that end, you
should make Salat al-Istikhara, then draw up a plan for how you might
pursue your new dream of studying Sacred Knowledge.
With a husband and children to relocate overseas, you will have some
challenges on your hands. But given your training in medicine and the
academic rigor required, I'm sure you're prepared to meet any
challenges that lie ahead.
Again, I am not telling you to finish your medical degree. And I amnot
suggesting that you leave medicine. What I am suggesting is that you
ask Allah to give you contentment and the best of this world and the
hereafter in whatever choice you make.
And Allah knows best.

Satan Directs AtheisticFreemasonry

Ever since the time of the Prophet Adam (as), satan has tried to
mislead people always by the same deception. This deception, that
denies belief in Allah and suggests that all things came into being by
chance, is Darwinism. Atheistic freemasonry is a satanic organization
that has also been around since the time of the Prophet Adam (as). And
this system of the antichrist uses satan's worst snare to deceive
people. The system of the antichrist, atheistic freemasonry, that
takes nature and blind chance as its god, is a heretical religion that
actually serves satan alone.
Madame Petrovna Blavatsky, the founder ofthe New Age movement and a
32nddegree mason from the French Grand Orient Lodge, saysthis on the
subject:
... It is satan who is the god of our planet and the only
god...[Surely Allah is beyond that.]1
The Masonic writer Eliphas Levi openly statesthat their leader is
Baphomet, in other words, satan. One interesting passage fromEliphas
Levi reads:
… The intellectual Lucifer(satan)… is the Holy Spirit, while the
physicalLucifer is the great agent of universal magnetism.2
Albert Pike's book Moralsand Dogma is still recommended to members of
the Scottish Rite in the USA, and he is described as the Plato of
atheistic freemasonry byeminent atheist masons. Pike, a 33rd degree
Mason, says in Morals and Dogma:
LUCIFER (satan), the light-bearer!... The Spiritof Darkness...
Petrovna Blavatsky summarizes the concept thus:
Lucifer is divine and terrestrial light, the 'HolyGhost' and 'Satan'...3
David Spangler, a mason and leading philosopherof the New Age
movement, sets out his views on the subject as follows:
Lucifer (satan) comes to give us the final gift of wholeness. If we
accept it, then he is free and we are free. That is the Luciferic
initiation. It is one that many people now, and in the days ahead,
will be facing, for it is an initiation intothe New Age.4
Atheist masons clearly act under satan's controland obey his
commands.The most important symbol in this secretive cult, the
"all-seeing eye,"is depicted as the "eye ofLucifer."5This and all
other atheist masonic symbols are designed forthe same purpose. The
upside down star is known as Baphomet (satan in the form of a goat), a
symbol of satan. The inverted pentagram in witchcraft is employed for
one end alone, to call up the power of satan!6Therefore, all Masonic
symbols in fact symbolize the belief underlying atheistic freemasonry,
in other words, the worship of satan.
The writer John Daniels makes this comment about the intellectual
father of the Luciferian doctrinethat we have already described in
detail, the 33rd degree Mason Albert Pike, and his satanic doctrine:
Albert Pike taught his "Luciferian Doctrine" to many masons. However,
Bismarck and Mazzini were two of his most ardent students who
practiced the Luciferian Doctrine at the highest levels of
Freemasonry. The trio planned to use freemasonry to trigger two World
Wars, after which "the world would be ready to worship Lucifer as God.
(Surely Allah is beyond that.)7
One of the greatest examples of atheist masons' links with satan is
the British 33rd degree Mason Aleistair Crowley. A satanist, Crowley
was also grand master of the Ordo Templi Orentis (O.T.O.). Crowley's
mother said that her son was the manifestation of the Beast referred
to in the Revelation. Known as "the wickedest man alive," Crowley was
responsible for the barbaric deaths of many people who became involved
with him during the course of masonic rituals. It is alleged that
Crowley sacrificed 150 young men to satan.8
The following verses by the 33rd degree Mason Crowley clearly reveal
the satanic reality underlying freemasonry:
I bind my blood in satan's hands,
All this that lieth betwixt my hands
To thee, the Beast, and thy control,
I pledge me; body, mind,and soul.9
I swear to work my Work abhorred,
Careless of all but one reward,
The pleasure of the devilour lord.10
Atheistic freemasonry's efforts to produce a system of the antichrist
that eliminates belief in Allah and replaces it with satan's commands
was identified and described by Christians of the time. Pope Leo
XIII's famous 1884 encyclical Humanum Genus contained significant
analyses of atheistic freemasonry and its activities. The Pope wrote:
At this period, however, the partisans of evil seems to e combining
together, and to be struggling with united vehemence, led on or
assisted by that strongly organized and widespread association called
the freemasons. No longer making any secret of their purposes, they
are now rising up against God Himself… (Surely Allah is beyond this)
Their (masons) ultimate purpose forces itself intoview – namely the
utter overthrow of that wholereligious and political order of the
world which the Christian teaching has produced, and the substitution
of anew state of things in accordance with their ideas, of which the
foundations and laws shall be drawn from mere naturalism.11
This fact set out by the Pope has also often beenexpressed by senior
atheist masons: The "Rules of Assembly of theGrand Orient Lodge"
published in 1923 by Turkish atheist freemasons express this heretical
philosophy as follows:
We will no longer regard Allah as the purpose of life. We have created
a purpose. That purpose is mankind, not Allah.[Surely Allah is beyond
that.]
Albeit gradually, a singleand universal religion that can fully
satisfy consciousness is taking form...Parallel to this universal
religion, moral values will be founded in line with this world view...
Such a religion will unite human beings and the universe. This is
FREEMASONRY... We are unifying the religion that represents the
meaning of communion.12
As a requirement of the system of the antichrist, atheist masons never
make their presence felt.They never show their true faces and never
say that they take satan as their god and renounce belief in Allah.
Because ifthey did, they know thatall devout people would come out and
oppose them. For that reason, the antichrist described in the New
Testament and the hadith is a deception that will appear under a
religiousguise, despite denying Allah. The antichrist, the atheistic
freemasonry that currently representshis system, has appearedshowing
that same false appearance and seeks tohide the fact that it is a
religion that worships satan.
In order to achieve this aim, atheist masons are persisting with their
stratagems under various guises. For example, the World Council of
Churches and the National Council of Churches have masonic leaders.
Some of the former editors of Christian Science Monitor magazine are
masons.13There are also atheist masons among Muslim theologians. The
atheist masons who infiltrate such institutions seek ways ofachieving
their aims. Their aim is to turn people away from Allah, under a
religious guise, and to turn them into servants of satan, just like
themselves.
It is satan who gives them these tasks. Master atheist masons are
people in direct contact with satan. A Master Mason will receive
instructions directly from satan at assembles of 200 or 300 people
andwill then begin listing the things that satan commanded him.
Satan'scommands generally involve bloodshed. Satanmay even sometimes
show himself to them directly. That is why atheist masons are so
utterly terrified of satan.Atheist masons describe these rituals in
their books and always obey satan's commands and act in the light of
his directives.
___________________
1 Madame Blavatsky (i.e., the Mother of the New Age movement)The
Secret Doctrine (1888), Vol. II, pg. 234
2 Eliphas Levi, Freemason of the Grand Orient of France, The Mysteries
of Magic, pg. 428
3 The Secret Doctrine (1888), Vol.II, p. 513
4 David Spangler, Director of United Nations Planetary Initiative,
Reflections on the Christ (1978), p. 45
5 John Daniel, Two Faces of Freemasonry, Day Publishing, 2007, p. 7
6 John Daniel, Two Faces of Freemasonry, Day Publishing, 2007, p. 44
7 John Daniel, Two Faces of Freemasonry, Day Publishing, 2007, p. 94
8 John Daniel, Two Faces of Freemasonry, Day Publishing, 2007, p. 95
9 Aleister Crowley,

Atheistic Freemasonry, the system of the antichrist, denies Allah and worships Satan

A humanist and atheist masonic organization rooted in the Kabbala was
born in Europe in the 14th century. In contrast to Judaism,
Christianity and Islam, the organization recognized no Lord and God,
Allah, as the sole Creator of the entire universe and mankind.
Instead, it employed various concepts such as the "Great Architect of
the Universe,' which entity, in their view, waspart of the material
universe.
To put it another way, this secretive organization whose roots go far
back into the past but only emerged into the light of day in 14th
century Europe, denied Allah but in fact regarded the material
universe as divine, under the title of the "Great Architect of the
Universe." According to atheistic freemasonry,and as we have already
set out in previous articles, this material universe was a finite
concept based on the theory of evolution, that had supposedly come
into being by chance.
One can see a more forthright description of this heretical belief in
publications that atheist masons produce for their own membership. For
example, in his 1977 bookInspirations from Freemasonry, written to
inform young atheist masons and restricted toa atheist Masonic
readership, Selami Isındag, one of the highest-ranking Turkish atheist
masons, described the atheist masonic belief in the "Great Architect
of the Universe" as follows:
Atheistic freemasonry is not Godless. But the concept of God it
adoptsis not the same as that in the religions. God is alofty
principle inAtheistic freemasonry.It is the final stage, the peak, of
evolution.As weproceed down the path of science, reason and virtue,
critiquing our own existence and coming to know ourselves, we can
close the distance between us and it. After that, it has no human good
or evil intentions. It has not been personalized.It cannot be regarded
as the ruler of nature and man.It is the Architect ofthe great and
lofty work,union and harmony in the universe. It is the sum of all
entities in the universe. It is a total force, an energy, that
pervades all things. Thenagain, it cannot be regarded as having a
beginning... It is a great mystery. [Surely Allah is beyond that.]
The same reference makes it clear that in speaking of the "Great
Architect of the Universe" they are actually referring to nature, that
they "worship nature:"
There can be no power outside nature that directs us and is
responsible for our thoughts and behavior...Masonic teachings and
principles are in fact scientific and rational realities. That is the
basic principle of the ecosism.God is absolute evolution.(Surely Allah
isbeyond that.) One element of that is the force of nature. Thus
theonly absolute reality is the universe itself and the energy
pervading it.
Under the concept of the"Great Architect of the Universe" atheist
masonsare referring to a imaginary material entity. This entity,
referred to in opaque terms in such accounts, appears very clearly
when we look at the highest-level masonic rituals and words. Underthe
concept of the "Great Architect of the Universe," atheist masons
worship and take their orders from just one thing. That force that
directs the atheist masons is SATAN.

Justice under all circumstances

J ustice means being fair and impartial when offering solutions to
problems between people.
Those who do not live bythe moral values of the Qur'an, however,
generally do not conductthemselves with a sense of justice. Many
external factors may have positive or negative impact on their
decisions.
A person may give preference to the party he feels closer to
himself,or his own interests may influence the verdict; he may veer
from justice forthe sake of personal inclinations.
Deviation from strict justice is often greatest towards those whom one
dislikes most. Grudges and resentmentcloud the mind and make it hard
to take a decision in favor of the despised party.
Rage harbored in the heart may hinder a person from even acknowledging
the other party's rights of.
For this reason Allah draws special attention to this pitfall and
warns believers against it:
You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness
with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not
beingjust. Be just. That is closer to heedfulness. Have fear of Allah.
Allah is aware of what you do.(Surat al- Ma'ida; 8)
In compliance with the verse, Muslims never commit injustice to any
individual or society because of kinship, resentment or personal
interests.
No matter what someone's belief, ideology or philosophy may be, or how
hostile his attitude to Muslims, atrue believer always treats him with
justice.
He is not moved by emotion toward unfair decisions, and even when
contrary to his own interests, he does not conceal or distort the
truth.

Story, - I wish you won't blame me

My love,
Sinful, secret, insatiable. You came and shattered my life as a spring
storm, you hurled away my peaceful days and nights.You keep a tight
rein on me and lead me in an unknown direction.
Where will I find myself? Who can give me the answer? The curtain of
the future is closed and I can't see the end of this love – sudden,
temporary, forbidden. I love you! I love you to distraction with that
sinful love of a married woman, torn apart between the allowed andthe
forbidden, the workday and the expectation. I have a family, a child –
you are single.
Sad and terrifying, isn't it?
I can't do anything to change your life the way you dream about it.
Don't blame me.
God, please help me.
Why did I let my heart be captured in that bottomless net from which
there's no escape?
But could I've commanded it?
Months had to pass until Irealized that what I felt wasn't just an
infatuation, an innocent flirt but something real and deep.
I restrained myself not to pass over the barrier for a long time. I
tried to be the master of my actions. But alas…
I found out that true loveis not ruled by reason. Emotions command
everyhuman thought and action. And when reason fights emotions life
turns into hell, and each day becomes endless suffering…
May be time will heal me,may be my heart will findrest.
But right now I don't need a remedy, I don't need a rest!
I love these stolen moments that make me happy.
There are memories which remain for a lifetime. They always return to
our thoughts and hearts and time is powerless to erase them.
It wasn't me but life that made the choice for me. And you know that,
don'tyou? Don't blame me. I'm not leaving…
My memories and my love will always be as youwill always be with me… for life….
I love you!

Story, - I got involved by myself in this mess, but how can I get out now?

Hello!
I read your stories and I got the courage to ask for your advice,
because Idon't know any more what to do.
So that's my story. I am 27 year old, married for two years, I have
normal relationship with my husband, sometimes we understand each
other, sometimes we fight, we make compromises, but he is not my
biggest love and that's the problem, he is not very interested in me –
where I am and what I do.
I've met the other before I got married – we were just friends in a
same company, we were travelling, together I thought I was so much in
love with him, but he was just friendly kind without a sense of carnal
interest from his side.
One day I stopped to stand for a relation, who seemed impossible I got
married, but in spite of this we keep on being good friends and
meeting sometimes. I caneven say that our friendship became stronger
during the past two years.
Recently I felt inconsolably, in love withthis man. I will play that
game I said to myself this time. I arranged to spendtwo days just the
two of us, far from anybody who knows us and with some women finesse
we found ourselves in the bed.
In the very sublime moment it comes out thathe has problem with
erection – there's not at all such. Anyhow we've both done our best to
getpleasure, but I am confused. I suspect that his problem is not new.
In fact I haven't heard of any intimate friend of hisbut he is 45 year
old and his last relationship I know about had finishedyears ago, and
the lady got married to somebodyelse.
I do like this man, but thesex is also very importantto me. What am I
supposed to do? I need your advice!

17 The Markets of the Garden: [Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith ]

Markets are places where people are able to acquire the goods they
need. In them thereare all kinds of food and other articles. People go
to these places looking forward to eating good food, trying different
tastes, buying stylish clothes and appliances to make their work
easier; they buy things they like which they think will make them
comfortable. So, if people enjoy this blessing even a little in this
world, Allah will make it perfect in the Garden. The markets in the
Garden, with their countless variety of blessings and their sights
that create a pleasing sense of abundance, appeal to the desires of
the peopleof the Garden. In addition, in the Garden many kinds of
inconveniences associated with worldly markets will disappear. For
example, when people go through markets in this world, they quickly
become weary even though they enjoy themselves. Most people do not
have as much time as they wouldlike to go around in them. Besides
those few people who have enough money to buy what they want, most
people cannot purchase everything they desire and there are many
whocannot afford to buy even what they need. As long as they can pay
the price they can select what they want from theabundance. But if
they cannot afford it, they must be content only with browsing in
these places. However, the Messenger of Allah tells us that people can
have as much as they want of everything in the markets of the Garden.
There, it will not be a matter of shopping; everyone will be able to
have whatever he likes. There will be a variety ofblessings in these
markets that people have never seen or even imagined before. In His
great kindness, Allah willgive everyone what theydesire and no one
will want for anything.
As for those who believe and do right actions, We will lodge them in
lofty chambers in the Garden, with rivers flowing under them,
remaining in them timelessly, for ever. How excellent is the reward of
those who act. (Surat al-'Ankabut: 58)
This situation is described in the hadith:
So we will come to a market surrounded by angels in which there is
that which eyes have never seen the like of, the ears have never heard
and which has never occurred to human hearts. That which we desire
will be carried to us, and nothing will be sold in it or bought. In
that market the people of theGarden will meet each other, so that a
man of high rank will come forward and meet those who are lesser than
himself [and none of them will be low people]and the clothes he has on
will amaze and delight him. Before he ceases speaking, an evenfiner
raiment will appear upon him. That isbecause it is not fitting for
anyone to sorrow in it. (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sunan Ibn Majah;
at-Tirmidhi) There is in the Garden a market wherein there will be no
buying and selling, but forms of menand women. So when a man wishes a
form, he will enter into it. (Narrated by Ali, at-Tirmidhi)
Another blessing mentioned in the hadith is the physical features of
men and women. To be able to change one's style at will and to appear
wearing different fashions is something that many people in this world
dream about. Most people would like to have a beautiful, healthyand
unblemished face and body. From birth, people have been given a
certain hair colour, iris colour, facial features, skin tone, and
height and body type. However,in the Garden there is noworldly sense
of monotony from the existence of one kind of beauty; a person's looks
change when and however he may desire, as in this hadith containing
the transformation of the man's clothing in an instance. This is
another blessing.
Platters and cups of gold will be passed around among them and they
will have there all that their hearts desire and their eyes find
delight in. You will remain in it timelessly, for ever. (Surat
az-Zukhruf: 71)
In another hadith, we are told about the pleasant social life in
themarkets of the Garden where believers sit in beautiful, fragrant,
comfortable places, and meet and converse with one another:
It is certain that thereare such markets in the Garden in which no
goods are exchanged. When the inmates of theGarden arrive there, they
will recline on fresh and bright pearly earth of musk. They will meet
with each other asthey did in this world. They will talk of how they
were in this world and how they worshipped our Lord, of how they
enlivened the nights in prayer, of how they fasted during the day, of
the wealth and poverty of the world, of death… and of how they are the
people of the Garden. (Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 326/565)
But those who have taqwa of their Lord will have high-ceilinged Halls,
and more such Halls built one above the other, and rivers flowing
under them. That is Allah's promise. Allah does not break His promise.
(Surat az-Zumar: 20)
The Food of the Garden
In both the Qur'an and the hadith we are told that there are many
delicious foods in the Garden. In particular meat and various fruits
will be offered in abundance to the inmates of the Garden. Allah tells
us in the Qur'an about the quality of these gifts to the People of the
Garden:
And any fruit they specify and any bird-meat they desire… (Surat
al-Waqi'a: 20-21)
… as recompense for what they did. (Surat al- Waqi'a: 24)
We are also told that some of the blessings offered to the People of
the Garden resemble things in this world. In one verse, Allah says:
Give the good news to those who have iman and do right actions
thatthey will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them. When they
are given fruit there as provision, they will say, "This is what we
were given before." But they were only given a simulation of it. They
will have there spouses of perfect purity and willremain there
timelessly, for ever. (Surat al-Baqara: 25)
Every kind of food offered in the Garden is aesthetically pleasing and
delicious. Especially wonderful are the appearances of the fruitsand
their colours, smells and particular tastes.
For example, many people like the taste andsmell of strawberries. In
spite of this, some people have an allergic reaction when they eat
them. This is one of the drawbacks of this life. Like all the
blessings of this world, fruit also has imperfections. They haveto be
grown, bought, washed and cleaned. In spite of this care they
sometimes go bad and sometimes have no taste. In short, when we eat
food, we must deal with some problems anddeficiencies. As usual in
this world, food is created with some imperfections so that people
will yearn for real blessings. No matter how much a person appreciates
a particular food, the delight in its taste diminishes if he eats it
constantly.
The food and fruits of the Garden come to the people there without
flaw, and without effort on their part. Allah tells us in the Qur'an
that these fruits are very accessible. "Its shading branches will
droop down over them, its ripe fruit hanging ready to be picked."
(Surat al-Insan: 14)When they are picked from the trees they are not
dusty but already clean and have a wonderful taste. In another verse,
Allah says the following about the fruits of the Garden:
That is the Garden you will inherit for what you did. There will be
many fruits in it for you to eat. (Surat az-Zukhruf: 72-73)
In the Garden, food is not eaten out of necessity, but as a blessing
and free gift from Allah. People will be freed there from weaknesses
such as hunger and thirst.
A quality of the blessingsof the Garden mentioned in both the Qur'an
and the hadith is their abundance. Allah revealed in Surah Sad that
provision there will be without cost and will never be used up:
This is what you are promised on the Day of Reckoning. This is Our
provision which will never run out. (Surah Sad: 53-54)

16 The Cool Pavilions of the Garden: [Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith ]

Many hadith describe the tents that are amongthe dwellings of the
Garden. Some of these hadith are as follows:
A tent [in the Garden]is like a hollow pearl, thirty miles in height
and in every corner of the tent, a believer will have a wife who
cannotbe seen by the others. (Narrated by Abu Musa al- Ash'ari; Sahih
al-Bukhari, vol. 4, hadith no: 466)
In the Garden the believer will have a tent made of a single hollow
pearl, whose width will be sixty miles. The believer will have wives
in it, and he will go to each of them with out any of them seeing
eachother. (Narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Qais, Sahih
Muslim, vol. 4, hadith no: 2838)
The least of the people of the Garden in rank is the one who willhave
eighty thousand servants and seventy two wives, and for whom will be
set up a dome of pearls, aquamarine and rubies similar in dimensions
to the distance between Jabiyah and San'a. (Abu Sa'id al-Khudri,
at-Tirmidhi)
Everything in the Gardenhas been created in the most perfect way and
the pavilions are as comfortable as possible to give pleasure,
comfortand relaxation to believers. The Messengerof Allah tells us
that these pavilions are extraordinarily capacious and made of
precious jewels. In the hadith we are told that those who belong to
thepeople of the Garden live a wonderful life with their families and
friends within broad and lofty pearl. Certainly this is a wonder from
the incomparable creative power and artistry of our Lord. A person who
lives within the countless deficiencies, imperfections and
restrictions of this world is delighted just to imagine such beauty.
This splendour together with the numbers of servants there will be in
these tents of the Garden made of emeralds and rubies is an
announcement of glad tidings for those who work in this world in the
hope of pleasing Allah, obtaining His mercy and entering the Garden.
They will say, "Praise be to Allah Who has fulfilled His promise tous
and made us the inheritors if this land, letting us settle in the
Garden wherever we want. How excellent isthe wage of those who work!"
(Surat az-Zumar: 74)

15 The Palaces of the Garden: [Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith ]

In one hadith, the palaces of the Garden are mentioned:
In the Garden, there are palaces built of emeralds and jewels and in
each building there will be 70 rooms of red colour and in each room 70
sub-rooms of green colour and in each sub-room there will be one
throne… There will be 70 dining cloths in each room and 70 kinds of
food on each dining cloth. There will be seven servants in each room…
(Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, vol. 4)
... and will reward them for their steadfastness with a Garden and
with silk. (Surat al-Insan: 12)
We are told that the palaces of the Garden are made of the most
precious stones, that they are decorated in the most beautiful and
pleasing manner and that they are full of blessings. Believers who are
not content with the life of this world and who are not deceived bythe
attractions of this transitory world will be blessed in the Hereafter
with real gifts that are perfect and everlasting. Because they have
had apure iman, and have willingly made serious effort toward the
attainment of the Garden, they will have true delight forever in its
beautiful dwellings. As well as containing every luxury and splendid
wealth, this environment will be a pure and noble place where the
people of the Garden always remember Allah and giveHim heartfelt
thanks. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that the people of the Garden
live there in continual thankfulness and happiness:
They will say, "Praise be to Allah Who has fulfilledHis promise to us
and made us the inheritors of this land, letting us settle in the
Garden wherever we want. Howexcellent is the wage of those who work!"
(Surat az- Zumar: 74)