Dought & clear, - Conditions of Laa ilaaha illa-Allaah.

Can you please explain the conditions of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah
(knowledge, certainty, etc), and tell us the rulings on one who does
not attain them and one who is ignorant of the meaning of Laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah?
Praise be to Allaah.
The conditions ofLaa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Shaykh Haafiz al-Hukmi said in
his poemSullam al-Wusool:
"Knowledge, certainty, submission and following. So listen to what I say.
Truthfulness, sincerity and love. May Allaah help you to do that which
He loves."
The first condition is knowledge, in the sense of negating what is
negated in theShahaadahand affirming what is affirmed therein - as
opposed to being ignorant of that.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"So know (O Muhammad) that Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (none has the right
to be worshipped but Allaah)..."[Muhammad 47:19]
"except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly"- i.e.,
that there is no god except Allaah (laa ilaaha ill-Allaah) -"and they
know"- in their hearts the meaning of the words that they utter with
their lips.[al-Zukhruf 43:86]
It is narrated in al-Saheehfrom 'Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Whoever dies knowing that there is no god except
Allaah will enter Paradise."
The second condition is certainty, in the sense that the one who says
these words is absolutely certain of their meaning. Faith is not
sufficient unless it is based on certain knowledge with no element of
speculation, let alone doubt. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Only those are the believers who have believed in Allaah and His
Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and
their lives for the Cause of Allaah. Those! They are the
truthful"[al-Hujuraat 49:15]
The sincerity of their faith in Allaah and His Messenger is
conditional upon there being no element of doubt therein, As for the
doubter, he is one of the hypocrites. Inal-Saheehit is narrated that
Abu Hurayrah said: "The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: 'Bear witness that there is no god except
Allaah and that I am the Messenger of Allaah, for no person meets
Allaah with these two, not doubting in them, but he will enter
Paradise.'" According to another report: "No person meets Allaah with
these two, not doubting in them, and is denied Paradise."
And it was also narrated from Abu Hurayrah in a lengthy hadeeth that
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent him and
said, "Whoever you meet behind this wall who bears witness that there
is no god except Allaah, believing in it with certainty in his heart,
then give him the glad tidings of Paradise."
Thus we see that a person's entering Paradise for saying these words
is conditional upon his believing in them with certainty in his heart,
with no element of doubt. If this condition is not met the target is
not met.
The third condition is acceptance and submissionto what these words
imply, both in one's heart as well as verbally. Allaah has told us the
stories of those who came before, who were saved by their acceptance
of these words from the punishment of those who had rejected them.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"(It will be said to the angels): 'Assemble those who did wrong,
together with their companions (from the devils) and what they used to
worship,
Instead of Allaah, and lead them on to the way of flaming Fire (Hell);
But stop them, verily, they are to be questioned.
What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another (as you
used to do in the world)?'
Nay, but that Day they shall surrender.
And they will turn to one another and question one another.
They will say: 'It was you who used to come to us from the right side
(i.e., from the right side of one of us and beautify for us every
evil, enjoin on us polytheism, and stop us from the truth, i.e.
Islamic Monotheism and from every good deed).'
They will reply: 'Nay, you yourselves were not believers.
And we had no authority over you. Nay! But you were Taaghoon
(transgressing) people (polytheists, and disbelievers).
So now the Word of our Lord has been justified against us, that we
shall certainly (have to) taste (the torment).
So we led you astray because we were ourselves astray.'
Then verily, that Day, they will (all) share in the torment.
Certainly, that is how We deal with Al-Mujrimoon (polytheists,
sinners, disbelievers, criminals, the disobedient to Allaah).
Truly, when it was said to them: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (none has the
right "to be worshipped but Allaah)," they puffed themselves up with
pride (i.e. denied it).
And (they) said: 'Are we going to abandon our aalihah (gods) for the
sake of a mad poet?'"[al-Saffaat 37:22-36]
So Allaah has made the reason and cause of their punishment their
arrogant refusal to sayLaa ilaah ill-Allaah, and their disbelief in
the one who brought this message, so that they did not negate what
this word negates and they did not affirm what it affirms, rather they
said, arrogantly denouncing:
" 'Has he made the aalihah (gods) (all) into One Ilaah (God -- Allaah).
Verily, this is a curious thing!'
And the leaders among them went about (saying): 'Go on, and remain
constant to your aalihah (gods)! Verily, this is a thing designed
(against you)!'"[Saad 38:5]
So Allaah showed them to be liars and threw their words back at them
through the words of His Messenger(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). He said (interpretation of the meaning):
"Nay! he (Muhammad) has come with the truth (i.e. Allaah's religion --
Islamic Monotheism and this Qur'aan) and he confirms the Messengers
(before him who brought Allaah's religion -- Islamic
Monotheism)"[al-Saffaat 37:37]
Then He said concerning those who accept it (interpretation of the meaning):
"Save the chosen slaves of Allaah (i.e. the true believers of Islamic
Monotheism).
For them there will be a known provision (in Paradise),
Fruits; and they shall be honoured,
In the Gardens of Delight (Paradise)"[al-Saffaat 37:40-43]
Inal-Saheehit is narrated from Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"The guidance and knowledge with which Allaah has sent me is like
abundant rain which falls on the land. Some of the land absorbs the
water and brings forth much grass and vegetation. And some of (the
rain) falls on another part of the land which is like a smooth plain
and does not hold the water, so no vegetation grows. That is the
likeness of the one who understands the religion of Allaah and
benefits from that with which Allaah has sent me, so he learns and
acts, and the likeness of the one who pays no heed and does not accept
the guidance of Allaah with which I have been sent.
The fourth condition is followingthat which is indicated, as opposed
to not following it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whosoever submits his face (himself) to Allaah, while he is a
Muhsin (good-doer, i.e. performs good deeds totally for Allaah's
sake), then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold" - i.e., Laa
ilaaha ill-Allaah - "And to Allaah return all matters for
decision"[Luqmaan 31:22]
What is meant by "submitting one's face" is following, when one is
also a doer of good and a believer inTawheed. Whoever does not submit
his face to Allaah and is not a doer of good has not grasped the most
trustworthy handhold. This is what is meant by the following aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you (O
Muhammad). To Us is their return, and We shall inform them what they
have done..."[Luqmaan 31:23]
According to a saheeh hadeeth, the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "none of you truly believes
until his desire is in accordance with that which I have brought."
This is the ultimate meaning of following.
The fifth condition is truthfulness, as opposed to lying. This means
that one says it (Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah) sincerely from the heart,
with harmony between what is in the heart and what is said on the
lips. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: 'We
believe,' and will not be tested.
And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will
certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will
certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars,
(although Allaah knows all that before putting them to
test)"[al-'Ankaboot 29:2-3]
And He said concerning the hypocrites who spoke these words falsely
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: 'We believe in
Allaah and the Last Day,' while in fact they believe not.
They (think to) deceive Allaah and those who believe, while they only
deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not!
In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allaah has
increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used
to tell lies"[al-Baqarah 2:8-10]
Inal-Saheehaynit is narrated from Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, "there is no one who bears witness that there is no
god except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger,
sincerely from the heart, but Allaah will make him forbidden for the
Fire."
The sixth condition is sincerity, which means that actions are free
from any element ofshirk. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for
Allaah only[al-Zumar 39:3]
"Say (O Muhammad): 'Allaah Alone I worship by doing religious deeds
sincerely for His sake only'"[al-Zumar 39:14]
In al-Saheehit is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The most deserving of my
intercession are those who sayLaa ilaaha ill-Allaahsincerely from the
heart or from the soul."
The seventh condition is lovefor this word and for what it implies and
indicates, and love for the people who act upon it and adhere to its
conditions and hate whoever or whatever goes against it. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah
as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah"[al-Baqarah
2:165]
Allaah tells us that those who believe love Allaah more, because they
do not associate anything with Him in that love, as is done by those
among themushrikeenwho claim to love Him but who also take others as
rivals to Him whom they love as they love Him.
Inal-Saheehaynit is narrated from Anas that the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No one of you
truly believes until I am more beloved to him that his son, his father
and all of mankind."

Dought & clear, - Praise and Thanksgiving to Allah Accompanied by Gratitude to Parents.

Is it permissible for me to say: All praise and thanks be to Allah,
and thanks to my parents. According to Allah's verse: "Show gratitude
to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) goal".
Praise be to Allah
Honouring one's parents is one of the greatest means of drawing close
to Allah and one of the best acts of obedience. It is an important
right that they are given in Islamic sharee'ah (law), so much so that
Allah has mentioned obedience to parents alongside obedience to Him,
and their rights alongside His rights, in more than one place.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents.
His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and
hardship, and his weaning is in two years - give thanks to Me and to
your parents. Unto Me is the final destination." [31:14].
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer
(exegesis): The scholars said: Those who are most deserving of
gratitude, kindness, honour and obedience after the Creator are those
whom Allah mentions kindness towards alongside worship, obedience and
gratitude to Him; namely one's parents. Allah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Give thanks to Me and to your parents." [31:14].
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said: "The Lord is pleased when the parents are
pleased and He is angry when the parents are angry." Al-Albani said:
It is hasan li ghayrihi (sound because of corroborating evidence).
Clearly expressing gratitude to the parents and acknowledging their
virtue is undoubtedly included in the meaning of the verse, but the
verse should not be understood as meaning this only, rather what is
meant by giving thanks here is more general than that: a person should
fulfil the rights that his Lord has over him in his heart and his
words as well as his physical actions, and he should fulfil his
parents' rights over him in a like manner.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Madarij al-Salikeen:
Gratitude is based on five foundations:
Humility of the thankful one towards the One Who is thanked, his love
for Him, his acknowledgement of His blessing, his praise of Him for
that and not using it for anything that He hates.
These five are the foundations of gratitude which is built on them. If
one of them is missing, then one of the foundations of gratitude is
missing. Whoever (of the scholars) speaks of gratitude as an
independent quality must be referring to all of these five
foundations.
Gratitude is shown in the heart by humility, on the tongue by praise
and acknowledgement, and in one's physical actions by obeying and
submitting. End quote.
In his commentary on this verse, al-Shaykh al-Sa'di (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: When He enjoined fulfilling His rights by giving
up shirk, which means establishing Tawheed, He also enjoined
fulfilling parents' rights, and said: "And We have enjoined on man"
i.e., We have commanded him and made it an obligation upon him, and We
shall question him about his fulfilment thereof, did he fulfil it or
not? And We have enjoined on him "(to be dutiful and good) to his
parents" and have said to him: "give thanks to Me" by worshipping Me
and fulfilling your duties towards Me, and not seeking the help of My
blessings in disobeying Me; "and to your parents" by treating them
kindly, speaking gently to them, treating them nicely, being humble
towards them, honouring them, respecting them, taking care of them and
avoiding mistreating them in any way, in word or deed.
We have enjoined this upon him and We have told him that "Unto Me is
the final destination" i.e., you will return, O man, to the One Who
enjoined this upon you and ordained these duties for you, and He will
ask you: Did you fulfil them? In which case He will reward you
greatly, but if you failed, He will punish you severely. End quote.
There is nothing wrong with accompanying thanksgiving to Allah with
thanksgiving to one's parents, and combining the two, but he should
not do that all the time as if it were a dhikr (form of prescribed
remembrance) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him), because there is no such report from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him).
There are a number of questions on our site that discuss the command
to honour one's parents.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - “Why Did you Become Muslim”?.

One of the guys at work was asking me why I became Muslim and I told
him it is the path I must follow. I don't know sometimes what I should
say, for me it is the path I must follow. What can I say to someone; I
don't want to push what I believe, so how should I answer someone if
asked, what is the right way to answer the questions? Sometimes I feel
I don't give the right answers ... Any clues as to what I can say?
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
We ask Allah to accept your Islam and to make you steadfast in
adhering to the truth, and to guide you to that which He loves and
which pleases Him.
You should understand that you have followed the right path, and that
Islam is the religion of sound human nature (al-fitrah), the religion
of security and happiness. This is felt by everyone who belongs to
this great religion, but it is felt most by those who were drowning in
the darkness of ignorance, misguidance and disbelief. The one who
utters the shahadatayn (testimony of faith) feels something in his
heart that cannot be described to anyone; hence most of them are
overcome with tears of joy and happiness. Undoubtedly Allah has given
Islam a flavour and has given faith sweetness. This is what is stated
in the texts of our religion. This flavour and sweetness is tasted by
everyone who believes in Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as his Prophet.
Secondly:
The one whom Allah honours by bringing him into Islam may have reasons
for entering it that no one else has, and he may see aspects in it
that no one else sees. That is because of the greatness of this
religion, and the many aspects of good that there are in it, and the
fact that it is suitable for all classes of people, in all
environments and all cultures. Hence a person who enters this great
religion may mention reasons for doing so that no one else usually
mentions, but all of them are correct answers that speak of their
reality and the reality of Islam itself. You can read some of these
answers and benefit from them. We would like you to tell us your own
feelings and the reason why you entered this religion, because it
tells us about your situation and you are best able to express that.
There is no reason why we should not mention some of the reasons why
other people have become Muslim; there may be something in common
between you and them.
1.
A Bedouin was asked: Why did you become Muslim? He said: I have never
seen any word or deed that reason regards as good or sound human
nature (al-fitrah) indicates is right but Islam encourages it and
enjoins it and the Lord of Glory permits it. And I have never seen
anything that reason sees as bad and sound human nature indicates is
wrong, but Allah prohibits it and forbids it to His slaves.
2.
Robert Dixon, the head of the American Lawyers' Association, said: My
answer to the one who asks me why I became Muslim is: Islam is the
religion of monotheism, happiness, peace of mind and dignified living,
if I adhere to it and apply its teachings. It is the religion of
divine justice.
3.
Muhammad Asad, the Austrian politician and author, said: It was not
any particular teaching that attracted me, but the whole wonderful,
inexplicably coherent structure of moral teaching and practical life
programme.
4.
Sylvie Fawzy, a French lady who became Muslim, said: In Islam I found
a way of life that answers all questions and organizes man's life in a
way that benefits him and is suited to his nature, with regard to his
clothing, his food, his work, his marriage, his choices in life, and
his relationship with others. So it comes as no surprise that the one
who adheres to Islam feels content and secure, which in my opinion are
the most important factors in life.
5.
Umm 'Abd al-Malik, an American Muslim woman, said: I was amazed by the
way in which Islam raised the status of parents.
6.
Al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraheem (may Allah have mercy on him) said: An
Indian philosopher studied the history of all religions, and he
conducted an independent, fair-minded study. He studied Christianity
at length, because of the power, influence and prominence in the arts
and industry of the nations that claim to be Christian. Then he
examined Islam, and realized that it is the true religion, and he
became Muslim, and he wrote a book in English called "Why I became
Muslim," in which he described what he saw as the advantages of Islam
over other religions, one of the most important of which was: Islam is
the only religion that has a true, preserved history. The one who
follows it knows that this is the religion that was brought by
Muhammad ibn 'Abd-Allah, the unlettered Arab Prophet who is buried in
Madeenah al-Munawwarah in Arabia. He was astonished that Europe would
allow itself to follow a religion which raised the one after whom it
is named from the status of a human being and made him into a god,
when they know little of his history. The origin of these four Gospels
is not proven, and their dates and authors are not known for sure.
They only mention a few events of the history of Christ which happened
– as they say – within a few days, and they do not mention anything
much about this man's upbringing, education, childhood or youth. But
Allah decrees what He wills.
Fatawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraheem
7.
Yusuf Khattab – a convert from Judaism to Islam – said, when he was
asked why he had become Muslim: Because Islam is the religion of
monotheism. I read a great deal about it and finally I was convinced
that it is the way to Paradise.
There are many words, which may be summed up as saying that Islam is
the religion of sound human nature (al-fitrah), security, happiness,
wise rulings, and lofty morals. Whoever compares Islam with other,
distorted religions or human systems and laws will clearly see the
difference, and that there is no room for comparison at all.
8.
Mary Watson – an American woman with three academic degrees, one of
which is in theology – describes the moment when the light of faith
shone into her heart: I felt one night, as I was lying in my bed about
to fall asleep, that something strange had settled in my heart. I sat
up and said: O Lord, I believe in You alone, and I uttered the
shahadah (testimony of faith), and after that I felt peace and
tranquility envelop my entire body. Praise be to Allah for Islam; I
have never regretted that day which I consider to be the day of my
birth.
End quote.
We advise you to read the book Islam and the World:
The Rise and Decline of Muslims and its Effect on Mankind, by Shaykh
Abul Hasan al-Nadvi and Islam at the Crossroads and The Road to Makkah
by Prof. Muhammad Asad. All three books are available in English.
We also advise you to read true stories of people who have been guided
to the Straight Path and have submitted to Allah. These stories
explain how they were guided and what their first steps towards Islam
were. You will find them by following this link:
http://www.themwl.com /AlDaawa /default.aspx?ct=1& cid=7&l=AR
We ask Allah to make you steadfast in adhering to the truth and to
help you to acquire beneficial knowledge and to do righteous deeds.
And Allah is the Source of strength.
And Allah knows best.

For children, - Anger management skills and techniques in Islam: Anger (Ghadab) and Islam

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Do you find it hard to forgive someone who has done you wrong? Do you often find yourself in heated arguments with the people with whom you are closest? Have you ever been so angry that you could not remember what you said or did? Have you ever gotten so angry that you resorted to physical violence, hitting people or breaking things?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you might have an anger problem. These are just a few of the symptoms of anger addiction. This article offers the anger management skills and techniques according to Islamic teachings.
Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems - problems at work, in your personal relationships and in the overall quality of your life. And it can make you feel as though you are at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion.
Anger is complex, bodily and emotional response. Even before you begin to shout, hit or scream, your body functions changes drastically. Your brain goes into crisis mode and releases powerful chemicals, telling your body to prepare for attack. Your blood pressure skyrockets, your heart rate rapidly increases and all of the blood is directed toward unnecessary bodily processes. Your vision sharpens and your body literally prepares for battle.
This natural process enables human beings to be both courageous and outrageous. Our physical response to anger equips us to survive dangerous circumstances. Our brains and bodies mobilize quickly to respond to attacks by wild animals and rescuing others from danger. But the same effective response that allows human beings to escape a grizzly bear attack also drives us to hurt other people and destroy relationship. In addition to destroying relationships, constant anger can lead to serious health problems like persistent headaches, high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes. Anger, quite literally, can kill you.
Some people keep their anger buried deep inside. It's not good to hide your anger, so you should find a way to let it out without hurting yourself or others. As a matter of fact, the real problem is not anger itself; the real problem is the mismanagement of anger. Mismanaged anger and rage is the major cause of conflict in our personal as well as professional relationships. Because, never getting angry is impossible. Instead, remember that how you act when you are angry can make the situation better or worse. Don't let anger be the boss of you. Take charge of it! Stop anger before it destroys your life and the lives of those around you. Effective anger management skills and techniques benefit your health and your relationships.
Please note: Don't make decisions when you're angry and don't make promises when you're happy.

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