Discover Islam, - * What is the purpose of life

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All praise be to Allaah and may Allaah exalt the mention of His messenger, Muhammad.
The information which I wish to share with you may seem a bit extensive, but when you consider the capacity of the human brain and the capacity that it can store, I am sure that a few pages in tonight's talk will not overburden you.
I am honored to have this opportunity and I would like to begin by saying that all of you have an equal responsibility. That responsibility is to listen with an open heart and an open mind. In a world filled with prejudice and cultural conditioning, it is very hard to be able to find people to take a moment to think about life objectively and try to arrive at the truth about this world and the real purpose of our lives.
Unfortunately, when you ask most people the question: "What is the purpose of life?" )such a fundamental and important question(, they will not tell you what they have concluded through observation or analytical reasoning. Rather, in most cases, they will simply tell you what someone else said, or they will tell you what is "commonly presumed" by others, i.e., What my father said purpose of life is, what the minister of my church said the purpose of life is, what my teacher in school said, what my friend said, etc. If I ask anyone about the purpose of eating or why do we eat, everyone will say ]in one word or another[ that it is for nutritional purposes, because nutrition sustains life. If I ask anyone why they work, they will say because it's a necessity in order to support themselves and to provide for the needs of their families. If I ask anyone why they sleep, why they wash, why they dress, etc., they will answer with appropriate answers, for these are common necessities for all human beings. We can follow this line of questioning with a hundred questions and receive the same or similar answers from anyone in any language from any place in the world. Then I ask you the question: Why, when we ask the question, "What is the goal and purpose of life?" that we get many different answers? It is because people are confused; they don't really know. They are stumbling in the dark, and rather than say, "I don't know"; they just offer any answer they have been programmed to give. Think about it. Is our purpose in this world simply to eat, sleep, dress, work, acquire some material things and enjoy ourselves? Is this our purpose? Why are we born? What is the object of our existence? What is the wisdom behind the creation of man and this tremendous universe?
Think about those questions. Some people argue that there is no proof of any diving origin; no proof that there is a god and there is no proof that this universe has come about through any divine purpose. There are people who argue this way, and they say that perhaps this world came about by chance. A big bang, and this great world ]with all its orchestration[ just came together. They argue that life doesn't have any definite purpose, and that there is nothing that can prove ]either through logic or science[ that there is a god, or a purpose or any divine reason behind this world.
Here I would like to mention a few verses from the Noble Quran that address this subject. We seek the protection of Allaah from every evil thing. Allaah mentions to us in the Noble Quran )what means(:"And to Allaah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allaah is over all things competent. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allaah while standing or sitting or ]lying[ on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, ]saying[, "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You ]above such a thing[; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.."]Quran 3: 189-191[
Now here in these verses, Allaah draws our attention to the creation of the heavens and earth, the alternation of the night and the day, the creation of the universe. He calls our attention to their creation and their precision, and mentions those who contemplate the wonders of creation and realize that this was not created for any foolish purpose, ]that Allaah is exalted above doing such a thing[ and they seek refuge with Allaah from the punishment of Hell. Truly, when you see the design of all that Allaah created, you realize it is very powerful and very precise. Something very powerful and very precise; something beyond your own calculation and imagination, cannot be foolish. It cannot be just "thrown together".
There are many examples of things that happen by chance. Let me offer one situation. If you took ten colored marbles, then numbered them one to ten and you put them inside a bag. Next, you shook that bag to mix them up. Then, closing your eyes and reaching into the bag, you tried to pull out the marbles in order-1 to 10. What is the chance of pulling out the marbles in order? Do you know what the chances are? It is twenty six million to one )26,000,000 to 1(. And this is something within our ability to do. So now I ask you, what is the chance that the heavens and the earth just came together as they are ]with the exact precision and orchestration in their existence[?
My dear respected brothers and sisters, we have to ask ourselves a further question. When you see a bridge, a building or an automobile, you automatically consider the person or company that constructed it. When you see a large ship, an airplane, a rocket, a satellite; you also think about how incredible it is. ]You know by its design who the maker is.[ When you see a super international airport, nuclear plant or an orbiting space station you have to be thoroughly impressed with the engineering dynamics that are involved. Yet, these are just things that are manufactured by human beings. So what about the human body with its massive and intricate control systems? Think about it. Think about the brain: how it thinks, functions, analyzes, retrieves and stores information, as well as distinguishes and categorizes information in a millionth of a second, all of this constantly. Think about the brain for a moment. )And don't forget the fact that you are using your brain to consider itself!( This is the brain that made the automobile, the rocket ships, the boats, and so on. Think about the brain and who made that! Think about the heart. Think about how it pumps continuously for sixty or seventy years ]taking in and discharging blood throughout the body[ maintaining steady precision throughout the life of the person. Think about the kidneys and the liver and the various functions they perform. The purifying instruments of the body that perform hundreds of chemical analyses simultaneously and also control the level of toxicity in the content of the body. All of these are done automatically. Think about your eyes, the human cameras, that adjust, focus, interpret, evaluate, and discern color automatically, naturally receiving and adjusting to light and distance. Think about it-Who created them? Who has mastered their design and function? Who plans and regulates their function? Human beings do this? No, of course not. What about this universe? Think about this. This earth is one planet in our solar system, and our solar system is one ]of possible many[ solar systems. Our galaxy, The Milky Way, is one of the galaxies. There are one hundred million galaxies in the universe. They are all in order and they are all precise. They are not colliding with each other. They are not conflicting with on another. They are swimming along in an orbit that has been set for them. Did human beings set that into motion and are human beings maintaining that precision? No, of course not. Think about the oceans, the fish, the insects, the birds, the plants, bacteria, and chemical elements that have not yet been discovered and cannot be detected even with the most sophisticated instruments. Yet each of them has a law that they follow. Did all of this synchronization, balance, harmony, variation, design, maintenance, operation and infinite numeration happen all by chance? Do these things function perfectly and perpetually also by chance? No, of course not. That would be totally illogical and foolish. In the least, it indicates that however it came to exist-it exists beyond the realm of human capability. We will all agree to that. The Being, The Almighty Power, God, The Creator who has the knowledge to design and proportion crated all of this and is responsible for maintaining it. HE is the only one that deserves praise and gratitude.
If I were to give each one of you one hundred dollars for no reason, you would at least say thank you. What about your eyes, your kidneys, your brain, your children, and your life: Who gave you all of that? Is He not worthy of praise and thanks? Is He not worthy of your worship and recognition?
My brothers and sisters, in a nutshell, this is the goal and purpose of this life. Allaah Says to us in the Noble Quran )what means(:"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." ]Quran 51: 56[ This is what he Almighty said. Our purpose in this life is to recognize The Creator, to be grateful to Him, to worship Him, to surrender ourselves to Him and to obey the laws that He has determined for us. It means worship is our purpose in life. Whatever we do in the course of that worship, ]i.e., the eating, the sleeping, the dressing, the working, the enjoying,[ between birth and death is consequential and subject to His orders. But the main reason for our creation is worship. I don't think anyone who is analytical or scientific will have much of an argument with that purpose. They may have some other reason with themselves-but that is something they have to deal with between themselves and Almighty God.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Ruling on a woman performing theadhaan

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What is the ruling on a woman performing the adhaan for men?.
Praise be to Allaah.
For fourteen hundred years the custom among the Muslims has been that the adhaan has not been performed by anyone except men. This alone should be sufficient evidence that women are not allowed to perform the adhaan for men. Going against this is going against the way of the believers. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!”
[al-Nisa’ 4:115]
The matter would be too clear to need any evidence or argument, were it not for the fact that there are people whose eyes have been sealed by Allaah and who are arguing about matters that should be regarded as firmly-established aspects of this religion.
The evidence for that from the Sunnah is as follows:
1 – al-Bukhaari (604) and Muslim (377) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When the Muslims came to Madeenah, they used to gather and wait for the prayer, and there was no call for the prayer. One day they spoke about that and some of them said, “Let us use a bell like the bell of the Christians.” Others said, “No, let us use a horn like the horn of the Jews.” ‘Umar said, “Why don’t you send a man to give the call to prayer?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “O Bilaal, get up and call the people to prayer.”
This hadeeth indicates that the decision of the Sahaabah was that no one should give the call to prayer except men, and there is no room for women to do that, because ‘Umar said, “Why don’t you send a man to give the call to prayer?”
2 – al-Bukhaari (684) and Muslim (421) narrated from Sahl ibn Sa’d al-Saa’idi (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever notices anything amiss during the prayer, let him say tasbeeh, for if he does so it will be noticed; and clapping is only for women.”
al-Haafiz said:
It is as if women are not allowed to say tasbeeh because they are enjoined to keep their voices low in prayer at all times, because of the fear of fitnah. End quote.
If women are forbidden to alert the imam by speaking if he makes a mistake, and should clap instead, so that they will not raise their voices in the presence of men, then how can it be allowed for a woman to give the adhaan?
The scholars are agreed that it is not prescribed for women to give the adhaan for men. There follow some of their comments on this topic:
It says inBadaa’i’ al-Sanaa’i’(1/411) (Hanafi):
It is not allowed for a woman to give the adhaan, according to all the reports.
It says inMawaahib al-Jaleel(2/87) (Maaliki):
The adhaan of a woman is not valid. End quote.
Al-Shaafa’i said inal-Umm(1/84):
A woman should not give the call to prayer, and if she gives the adhaan for men, her adhaan is not valid (and they should repeat it). End quote.
It says inal-Insaaf(1/395) (Hanbali):
The adhaan of a woman is not valid.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Saying a du’aa ‘from the Qur’aan when prostrating

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I am new to Islam and I have learned that it is not allowed to recite the quran while in prostration. But that is that best time to make du'a as one is nearest to his Creator. My question is what about the du'a's that we have that are from the Quraan. Are we allowed to make du'a with them in prostration? Or is that considered reciting?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade reciting Qur’aan when bowing and prostrating.
Muslim (479) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have been forbidden to recite the Qur’aan when bowing or prostrating. As for bowing, glorify your Lord therein, and as for prostrating, strive in du’aa’, for it is deserving of a response (from your Lord).”
Muslim (480) narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade me to recite Qur’aan when bowing and prostrating.
The scholars are agreed that it is makrooh to recite Qur’aan when bowing or prostrating.
Seeal-Majmoo’, 3/411;al-Mughni, 2/181
The wisdom behind that is:
It was said that the best pillar of prayer is standing and the best of dhikr is reciting Qur’aan, so the best has been put with the best, and it is not allowed to put it with anything else, lest anyone think that it is equal to other kinds of dhikr.‘Awn al-Ma’bood.
It was said that it is because the Qur’aan is the noblest of speech, because it is the Word of Allaah, and the position of bowing and prostration is one of humility and submission on the part of the worshipper, so it is more appropriate not to recite the Word of Allaah in these two positions.Majmoo’al-Fataawa, 5/338
Secondly:
If a person recites a du’aa’ that is mentioned in the Qur’aan when prostrating, such as the words (interpretation of the meaning):“Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire” [al-Baqarah 2:201], there is nothing wrong with that, if the intention is to say du’aa’ and not to recite Qur’aan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions, and each person will have but that which he intended.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1; Muslim, 1907.
Al-Zarkashi said: It is makrooh when it is intended as recitation of Qur’aan, but if it is intended as du’aa’ and praise, then it is like someone who did Qunoot by reciting a verse. End quote.
Doing Qunoot by reciting a verse from the Qur’aan is permissible and is not makrooh.
Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj, 2/61
Al-Nawawi said inal-Adhkaar(p. 59)
If a person does Qunoot by reciting a verse which includes a du’aa’, then he has done Qunoot, but it is better to say the du’aa’ as narrated in the Sunnah. End quote.
This applies if he intends to say du’aa’ when he recites the verse.
Seeal-Futoohaat al-Rabbaaniyyah Sharh al-Adhkaar al-Nawawiyyahby Ibn ‘Allaan, 2/308
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: We know that it is not permissible to recite Qur’aan when prostrating, but there are some verses which include du’aa’s, such as the words,“Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:8]. What is the ruling on saying such du’aa’s that are mentioned in the Qur’aan, when prostrating?
They replied: There is nothing wrong with that if it is done as a du’aa’ and not as recitation of Qur’aan.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * The difference between a Jewish or Christian wife and a wife who does not pray

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I read a fatwa which you issued to a Muslim man whose Muslim wife does not pray, and you told him that he had to divorce her. I know that it is permissible for a Muslim man to have a Jewish or Christian wife, and Jewish and Christian women do not pray. Is there some mistake?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is no mistake in the fatwa referred to. Rather the mistake comes from the questioner wanting to regard as equal a woman who is supposedly Muslim but does not pray and a woman who is Jewish or Christian, on the basis that neither of them prays.
This regarding them as equal is not valid, because there is a difference between them, which is that not praying is major kufr and apostasy that puts a person beyond the pale of Islam. This has been explained in many answers on this site, such as the answers to questions no. 9400and 5208.
Based on this, the woman who does not pray is a kaafir and an apostate from Islam.
The ruling on one who has apostatized from Islam is more severe than the ruling on a Jew or Christian.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
The apostate is worse than a kaafir in many ways. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 2/193
Hence meat slaughtered by an apostate cannot be eaten, whereas meat slaughtered by a Jew or Christian may be eaten. It is not permissible for a Muslim to marry an apostate woman, and if his wife apostatizes, the marriage contract becomes null and void, but it is permissible for a Muslim to marry a Jewish or Christian woman.
The crux of the matter is the ruling that one who does not pray is a kaafir. Those who are of this view forbade marriage to a woman who does not pray, and said that it is obligatory to leave a woman if she stops praying. This is the view of Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) and was stated in fatwas by a number of scholars, such as Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) and Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him). Our fatwa on this issue and similar issues is based on their fatwas.
Similarly, if a woman does something that implies kufr, such as vilifying Allaah, may He be exalted, or vilifying His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and she persists in her kufr and does not repent, then it is not permissible for her to remain the wife of a Muslim. The same applies if a husband is ruled to be an apostate, then he and his wife must be separated.
And Allaah knows best.

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