Prophet Musa and the Bani Israel

When Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) and his people fled from the Egyptians, their trials were far from over. After they had safely crossed the sea, they came upon some people who were worshiping idols. The children of Israel asked Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) to make an idol for them, and he had to remind them of all that Allah had done for them. How could he make another god for them when their Allah was the only true god?
Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) was summoned by Allah to Mount Sinai and he put his brother Harun(alayhis salam) in charge while he was gone.When he arrived at the appointed site, he asked tosee Allah. Allah said He could not show Himself directly to Prophet Musa (alayhis salam), but Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) should look towards the mountain, and if the mountain remained in one piece, then Musa would see Allah. When Allah showed His glory on the mountain,it became like dust, and Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) fell down in a faint.When he had recovered his senses, he asked Allah'sforgiveness and declared his unquestioning belief inAllah. Then Allah spoke with Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) and gave him tablets containing His commands and explaining all things. Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) was to carry the tablets back to his people and convey to them the words of Allah. He spent forty days on the mount, communing with his Lord.
Meanwhile, the people of Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) gathered together all their jewelry and gold which they had carried from Egypt. They melted itdown and made it into theform of a calf, which they wished to worship. When Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) returned from the mountain with his tablets, he was angry and grieved to see the golden calf. Thinking that Harun (alayhis salam) had approved the actions of the Israelites, an angry Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) grabbed his brother by the hair and dragged Harun towards him. Harun hastily explained that the people had not listened to him and had even threatened to kill him when he opposed their activities. Atthis Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) prayed to Allah for forgiveness for both himself and his brother. Healso prayed for mercy for those who repented of their evil deed in making the golden idol.
The ultimate destination of the people of Israel wasthe land of Canaan. Continuously they rebelledagainst Allah, and continuously Allah forgavethem. When they were thirsty, Allah commanded Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) to strike a rock and from it sprang twelve springs of water, one for each of the tribes of Israel. When they were hot, Allahprovided clouds to cover the sun. When they were hungry, Allah provided manna and salwa. Yet they were never grateful. They even complained about the sameness of thediet and asked for more variety.
At last they came to the land of Canaan. But because the people of Canaan were very strong-looking, the Israelites were afraid to invade theirland. There were only two men who were willing to join Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) and Harun (alayhis salam) in an attempt to drive the Canaanites out. They counseled that if the proper gates were attacked, they could easily gain entrance. And once they were inside, they would easily be victorious if only they would put their trust in Allah. But the people of Israel would not budge. They told Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) and Harun (alayhis salam) to go with their Lord and fight, while they, the people, would sit and watch. At this Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) gave up trying to persuade his rebellious people. And Allah decreed that becauseof their behavior, the children of Israel would becondemned to wander in the wilderness for forty more years, before they would be allowed to enterthe land of Canaan.
You can read about the story of Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) and his people in the wilderness inal-Quran 2: 51-61; 5: 23-29; 7: 138-162; and 20:80-98.

Prophet Musa and Fir’awn

Prophet Musa and his brother Harun had been called upon by Allah to
deliver a message to the leader of the Egyptians, Fir'awn (Pharaoh),
who considered himself a god and insisted that his subjects worship
him.
Prophet Musa told Fir'awn that he, Musa, was a messenger of the Lord
of the Worlds and that he had clear proof of it. Therefore, Fir'awn
should let the people of Israel go with him. Prophet Musa showed
Fir'awn the staff that turned into a serpent and the hand which turned
shining white when placed under his arm. Fir'awn consulted with all
his chiefs and theydecided that perhaps Musawas just a very good
magician. They called together all their best magicians to compete
with Prophet Musa. The magicians were promised a reward if they won.
The magicians went first inthe contest and they were good, really
good. They made their ropes and sticks appear to run in front of their
audience. Prophet Musa was afraid that he couldn't surpass their
skills, but Allah told him not to be afraid. WhenProphet Musa threw
downhis staff, it ate up all that the magicians had made. When the
magicians saw this, they bowed down and proclaimed their beliefin the
Lord of Prophet Musa and Harun.
Fir'awn was not very happy about this turn of events. He threatened to
cut off the hands and feet of the magicians and to crucify them. But
the magicians would not change their opinion. Theywere convinced by
the clear proofs which ProphetMusa had shown to them and they told
Fir'awn that he could only end for them their life in this world. For
those who believe there would be another life after death , ingardens
beneath which rivers flow.
Following this there begananother period of persecution against the
followers of Allah. Fir'awn had all of their sons killed. Prophet Musa
had to encourage the children of Israel to continue strong intheir
belief in Allah and to pray to Allah faithfully.
Whenever good fortune befell the Egyptians, they took credit for it.
When misfortune came, they blamed Prophet Musa and his people. They
failed to see that everything, both good and bad, comes fromAllah.
Allah sent all kinds of hardships against the Egyptians- famine, loss
of fruits, floods, locusts, pests,frogs, and blood- as signs to them.
They would promise to free the peopleof Israel if Musa would pray to
his God for deliverance from the pestilence. But as soon as the
hardship had been removed, they would go back on their promise.
Finally Prophet Musa was instructed by Allah to lead the followers of
Allah away by night. When they came to the sea, the waters parted so
that theycould pass to the other side without getting wet. However,
when Fir'awn and his armies pursued them, the waters of the sea closed
in on them and they were all drowned. In this way did Allah punish
Fir'awn for leading his people away from Allah.
Insha Allah in the next issue we shall relate the conclusion of the
story of Musa , when we tell what befell the children of Israelafter
they left Egypt. You can read about Musa and Fir'awn in al-Quran
7:103-137; 20:49-79; 26:16-67; and 43:46-56.

--


|- - - - wassalam;
- -
And Allah knows the best!
~
* visite our Blog, to improve your 'Islamic Knowledge :-
http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/

Prophet Musa – 2

The story continues, some time after Prophet Musa had completed his
contractwith his father-in-law. He was traveling somewhere with his
family when he saw a fire in the distance. He went to explore in the
hope that he might get information or be able to bring back a
firebrand for his family to use.
When Prophet Musa approached the bush that was burning, he heard a
voice coming from it. The voice commanded ProphetMusa to remove his
shoes because he was in a sacredvalley. The voice identified itself as
Allah , and reminded Prophet Musa toserve Him and to keep up his
prayers. The voice told Prophet Musa that Allah had made him one of
the chosen ones.
Allah then ordered Prophet Musa to throw down his staff, which he used
as a walking stick and to beat down branches for his flocks. When the
staff was flung down, it turned into a serpent. Allah instructed
Prophet Musa to pick the serpent up, and it again turned into a stick.
The voice commanded ProphetMusa to thrust his hand under his armpit,
and when he removed it the hand was glowing white, yet it did not hurt
Prophet Musa . Allah informed Prophet Musa that these two signs, the
staff and the hand, would be signs for the Pharoah, to show that
Prophet Musa had truly been sent from Allah. Allah wanted Prophet Musa
to go to the Pharoah because the Pharoah and his people had strayed
far from the acceptable ways of Allah. He also wanted Prophet Musa to
lead the children of Israel away from the Pharoah's influence.
Prophet Musa pointed out that he had killed an Egyptian and that he
himself would be killed if he returned to Egypt. He was also unsure of
his ability to communicate with the Pharoah. He was not a good speaker
and asked for the help of his brother, Harun , who was much more
eloquent. Allahreassured Prophet Musa onboth counts. He promised that
Prophet Musa would come to no harm at the hands of the Egyptians. And
He agreed both to aid Prophet Musa in addressing the Pharoah and to
send along Harun to help out.
In this manner Prophet Musa was called to prophethood, and set out to
free the people of Israel from their bondage under the people of
Egypt. Insha Allah in the next issue we shall tell of his meetings
with the Pharoah.
You can read about this part of the story of Musa in the Quran
20:9-36, 42-48; 26:10-17; and 28:29-35.

--


|- - - - wassalam;
- -
And Allah knows the best!
~
* visite our Blog, to improve your 'Islamic Knowledge :-
http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/

Prophet Musa

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏
The Early Years of Prophet Musa
The ruler of Egypt, the pharoah, discriminated against the people of
Israel. He oppressed them and killed all their sons. When Musa
(alayhis Salam)was born, his mother feared that he too would be
killed. Allah sent a message to her to nurse him as long as she could,
until she feared for his safety. Then she was to throw him into the
river. Allah promised that He would bring Musa (alayhis Salam) back to
her and that Musa would become a messenger of Allah.
It was the family of the pharoah who found Musa (alayhis Salam) in the
river.The pharoah's wife wanted to keep him and ordered that he not be
killed. She thought he might be useful to them orthat they might adopt
him.
Meanwhile, Musa's mother had sent his sister to keep watch over him
from a distance. When the pharoah's wife was looking for a nurse to
feed and care for him until he grew older, the sister approached and
offered the services of her mother,without, of course, revealing her
mother's realconnection to the child. In this way he was restored to
his mother, as Allah hadpromised. And when Musa (alayhis Salam) grew
up, he was given wisdom and knowledge by Allah.
One day, when Musa (alayhis Salam) had grown up, he went into the city
and found two men fighting, one of whom wasan Egyptian, and the other
an Israelite. The Israelite asked Musa (alayhis Salam)for help and
Musa (alayhis Salam) struck the other man with his fist, thus killing
him. Musa (alayhis Salam) was horrified that he had killed a man, and
asked Allah for forgiveness, which Allah granted.
The following day Musa (alayhis Salam) again was in the city, when he
saw the same man as on the day before, involved in a fight with an
Egyptian. Musa (alayhis Salam) was angry at the hotheadedness of this
man, but was once again ready to take his side against the Egyptian,
who was the enemy of them both. But the Egyptian cried out to Musa
(alayhis Salam) that murder was not the way to settle and reform
matters. At that moment another man brought news that the authorities
were searchingfor Musa (alayhis Salam) in connection with the murder
of the previous day. And so Musa (alayhis Salam) was forced to flee.
Musa (alayhis Salam) escaped to the land of Madyan. There he came to a
watering hole where a whole tribe of men were watering their flocks.
There were two women there also whose father was too old to care for
his flocks himself. But the women were holding theirsheep back and
could not get close to the water untilthe men had finished. Musa
watered their flocks for them, then settled down in the shade, praying
that Allah would send him assistance.
One of the two women whom Musa (alayhis Salam) had helped approached
him shyly, for her father had sent for Musa (alayhis Salam) to reward
him for helping hisdaughters. When Musa (alayhis Salam) had told the
old man his story, the old man sympathized withhim. The old man
offered to marry Musa (alayhis Salam) to one of his daughters if Musa
would work for him a minimum of eight years. An agreement was reached
and Musa (alayhis Salam) stayed in the land of Madyan for the
agreed-upon time.
This part of the story of Musa can be found in al-Qur'an 28:1-28./

--


|- - - - wassalam;
- -
And Allah knows the best!
~
* visite our Blog, to improve your 'Islamic Knowledge :-
http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/

al-Burda The al-Burda, also called Qasida (hymn) Burda, is an Arabic poem honouring the Prophet Muhammad . The name means 'poem of the mantle' or 'of the cloak'. It was written in the 11th century by Imam al-Busiri and forms part of a vast body of li

The famous Mamluke minister Ibn Hinna, who served under the
legendrysultan Barbys, took Imam al-Busiri under his patronage and
freed him to write his poems in material security.
However, art often sufferswhen the artist is freed from suffering, and
comesto life when calamities call. His greatest poem would result from
a powerful tribulation: he woke up to find he was paralysed; half his
body without movement. Suddenly, this man, whose erudition and art had
elevated him to the status of prince of poets of his time, was reduced
to an invalid unable to rise from his bed. This state of affliction
stirred him to write the Burda.
...I began to contemplate writing a poem in the qasida form, and soon
after, I did so as a way of interceding by it with the Messenger of
God to God, the Exalted, hoping that he might heal me.
I was repeating it often, singing it, calling upon God through it, and
seeking intercession with it. During that time, while sleeping, I saw
the Prophet, upon him and his family be prayers and peace. He wiped
over my face with his blessed handand thrust upon me his cloak. I
immediately got up and left my house. I had told no one of my poem nor
of anything I had been doing prior to that.
On the road, I met a fellow spiritual wayfarer, who said to me, "I
want you to give me a copy of the poem you wrote in praise of the
Prophet, upon him be prayers and peace."
I responded, "which one?"
He said, "The one you wrote during your illness."
He then recited its opening lines saying, "By God, I heard it in a
vision last night recited in the presence of God's messenger, upon him
andhis family blessing and peace. It greatly pleased the prophet, and
I saw him thrust his cloak on the one who wrote it!"
I provided him with a copy, and he began tellingothers of his vision.
Thus its news spread far and wide.
Imam al-Busiri
Imam al-Busiri died in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 1295 CE. His
grave is well known and is connected to a large mosque. His poem
embellishes its walls.
The Burda was also engraved on the Prophet's mosque in Madina. There
it adorned its walls and reminded believers for centuries before being
erased by people who could not comprehend it. There is still one line
left that has not been removed:
He is the beloved whose intercession is hoped for
As arms against a host of relentless calamities.
al-Burda

--


|- - - - wassalam;
- -
And Allah knows the best!
~
* visite our Blog, to improve your 'Islamic Knowledge :-
http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/

{ O you who believe! answer (the call of) Allah and His Apostle when he calls you* to that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.} (8-24)

Man is not what he thinks he is. Forgetful is he, heedless for the most part.
*Does he not hear the call of the inner voice? Will he not listen ?
... but what does it say and- what is the meaning of itanyway?
What has happened to man, where went his goodintentions and his great ideas?
They say this life is but a pasttime, a place of worldly gain and
play, ... oris there ever more to it? (Unknown poet)
The souls of men are not free from blame. This is why the men
ofinsight and understanding were distrustful of their souls and have
alwaysopposed it in all statesand dragged it towards what it dispises
[ ~ to raise]. How could one agree to the demands of thesoul ( nafs ),
when even a Prophet (Yusuf - peace upon him) exclaimed:
{ And I do not declare my soul free [from blame], indeed (man's) self
(soul) is wont to command (him to do) evil, except such as my Lord has
had mercy on, surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.} (12-53)
Man's Innermost Reality, Center Of Conciousness
About The Pure Heart
And What It Keeps Alive
Edited by Omar K Neusser — This is the second page in our Tasawwuf
section - inshah Allah.
2. Notes On The (Pure)Heart
2.1.1 The Term Heart
The term "heart" has different and multi-level connotations in the
Islamic tradition. It is not simply the organ of emotions, "feelings"
and desires,or decisions and opinions, but goes to encompass the soul,
knowledge, bravery and more. When purified it is the seat of the
intellect, i.e. theray of the Divine within the creatures.
This is why it is called the "true essence of a human being"
(Al-Jurjani), containing "all levels of inner being" (al-Hakeem
al-Tirmidhi), and for the Prophets (pbut) it is the place of
revelation.
At first the "heart" ( qalb ) is something unstable ,
unreliable,easily changing. In short it can either be sick or sound,
dead or alive, due to its beliefsand certainty and due to the person's
actions.
Concerning God-conciousness, theProphet said, while pointing to his heart:
"God-wariness is righthere" ( al-taqwâ hâhunâ ). [fn1]
And as an unstable organ, it is continuallyinfluenced and turnedby -
and eventually inspired and re-turned to - Allah Most High:
{ Allah intervenes between man and his heart } 8-24
Allah has informed us in the Holy Quran about the "heart" ( qalb ).
For example nâs or "people, men" is used 241 times, but as a
comparison "heart" not less than 137 times, which is indicative of the
importance of this term!
2.1.2 The Heart And The Intellect
Although the heart is not the same as the intellect, it is
nevertheless where the intellect would ideally reside and govern over
our emotions and passions. Then it will be the place for faith (
al-imân ), mercy ( rahmah ) [2.1.3] and certainty ( yaqîn ).
The reason for this intimate relationship between heart and intellect
is the authenticity and directness of 'Heart-knowledge' comparedto
'mind-knowledge' [WSUF52] . It is dhauq (taste), or intellectual
intuition, what is sought for.
Other words for heart (except for qalb ) used in the Quran:
- sadr , sudûr : the chest (heart) where Shaytan tries to gain access.
(25 times)
- fuâd , af'idah : the heart engrossed or inflamed in emotion:
happiness, sadness, lust, frustration, anger or regret. [fn2] F. ex.
in (28-10) (16 times) and:
- lubb , albâb : the innermost place where thelight of tawhîd resides
[fn3] , always used together with "the folk of" albâb : the people of
understanding, or intellect (16 times):
{and none receives admonition* save men of understanding.} (2-269)
* Tafsîr : none takes the lessons conveyed by the Divine Book to
heart, except for the people of of understanding and intellect. [fn4]
2.1.3 Merciful hearts
About "the mercy which Allah has put inthe hearts of His slaves" : the
merciful slaves to others;
"wa innamâ yarHamu-LLahu min `ibâdihi-rruHamâ" A sound hadith
2.2 The Human Condition
The human condition is one of utter dependance on the All-Mighty, it
means that man (or woman) can do nothing if His Lord and Master,
AllahAll Mighty does not wish so, or does not let it be. HE is the
Guide ( Al-Hadi ) and Al-Qayyum (The Self-Subsisting Sustainer) of the
universe. He guides the heart of man, everturning it:

--


|- - - - wassalam;
- -
And Allah knows the best!
~
* visite our Blog, to improve your 'Islamic Knowledge :-
http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/

Money raised for dawah purposes: is itpermissible for the one who is doing dawah to use this m ~{Details- http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/}

I�m thinking of going into Dawa fulltime. But I need money to support
me as well so is it permissible to take money for personal needs from
money raised for dawa purpose or should I have something else on side.
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum
In the name of Allah the Inspirer of truth.
It is superior and most virtuous to be independent and have one's own
source of income. This way one is not dependent on others. The
Messenger of Allah (upon him be peace said),"For one of you to gather
firewood on his back (for income) is better than asking others, who
may give him or turn him down" (Bukhari and Muslim).
Having said this, it is permissible to utilize the money collected for
dawa upon oneself, if it is clearlyunderstood by the contributors that
their money (or a percentage ofit) would be used for the person
working in the field. If this is not clear andthe contributors are
under the impression that it will only be used for purchasing books,
pamphlets, other literature, hosting programs, and setting up
websites, etc, and not as a salary for the person then it would not be
permissible to utilize anything thereof for one's self.
Hence, we encourage that you should have a side jobto lean on while
fulfilling the honorable task of dawa. May Allah grant youbaraka.
And Allah knows best.

Breaking an Oath ~{Details- http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/}

If I made a promise to Allah and broke that promise, besides
makingtawbah, am I supposed to either fast or give sadaqa, so that my
tawbah is accepted?
Answer:
Wa alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
Please see the following links in answer to your question:
The Fiqh of Oaths
Vows and Oaths
Expiating for Oaths
Expiating for Oaths - 2
Is this considered breakingan oath?
Is this considered breakingan oath? What do I do?
Is it wrong and haram to take oath on the Holy Quran?

When does an oath count? ~{Details- http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/}

Is it considered an oath if you think of the oath in your head and
say"WAllahi" out loud?"
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the inspirer of truth
If you just said the oaths in your mind like you said ( so I would
think of it, then say Wa Allah, so that then I would have to that
thing) and not uttered them verbally, then this does not count as an
oath, but it is just mere intention, but if you uttered the oaths
verbally then for each oath which you have broken you haveto give a
kaffarah from thefollowing things as mention in Quduri:
Expiation of a broken oath
1. The expiation of an oathis:
Freeing a slave. There suffices for it that which suffices in [the
expiation ofzihar]. [Or] If one wishes, he may clothe ten destitute
people, [giving] each of them one garmentor more, the minimum of
[each] being that in which salah is valid, [or] If one wishes, he may
feed ten destitute people, like the feeding in the expiation ofzihar.
2. If one is not capable of any of these three things, one fasts three
consecutive days
Swearing and oath is effected by use of the swearing letters. The
swearing letters are:
The waw, such as one�s saying, "Wallahi" [By Allah]
The ba, such as one�s saying, "Billahi" [By Allah]
The ta, such as one�s saying, "Tallahi" [By Allah]
And Allah alone knows best

Undertaking an oath in anger: is kaffara required? ~{Details- http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/}

Question:
If you could just provide me with a ''yes'' or ''no'' answer that
would suffice insha'Allah. My friend made an oath andbroke it, but it
was in a fit of anger. Let me tell you what was said:
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
Yes the kaffara is required as he did not fulfil it, even though he
was in a fit of anger.
And Allah knows best

Going back on a pledge ~{Details- http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/}

The Fiqh of Punctuality ~{Details- http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/}

Muslims have a reputation of always being late for everything. MST
(Muslim Standard Time) is jokingly understood to be a considerable
amount of time after the agreed upon start of an event, work, school,
or meeting. What�s the fiqhof punctuality and being late?
Answer:
Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
Agreeing to be somewhere at a given time is like a promise and
therefore, the Fiqh of Promises applies to it. Making a promise
without firm resolve and reasonable surety of fulfilling it is
improper, butnot sinful because of secondary issues that may arise and
prevent one from fulfilling it.
However, contractual matters such as jobs, classes, appointments,
andthe like are different. Allah says: �Oh you who believe,fulfill
your contracts�. The scholars mention that �contracts� here refers to
every form of commitment. It is obligatory (fard) to be on time if
this is the expectation. Even being a little late is at least
improper, and is unbecoming of a Muslim inour times. Undue delay is
otherwise sinful, except for slight delays that are customarily
overlooked.
The believer should uphold themselves to the most excellent of
character, for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him
peace) said �The closest of you to me on the Day of Judgement are
those best of character�.
Shaykh Muhammad Qaylish mentions that in our times, when the Shariah
is distant from society, we are ambassadors of Islam and must act in
order to uphold a favourable impression of Islam. This entails:
1) upholding commitments with excellence 2) being easy-going without being lax.
And Allah Most High knows best.

What about Desi Standard Time? Re: The Fiqh of Punctuality ~{Details- http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/}

Question:
What about Desi Standard Time? Re: The Fiqh of Punctuality
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, with blessings & peace on the Beloved of Allah,
and his folk and all lovers of Allah
Walaikum assalam,
Desi Standard Time (often referred to as PST, 'Pakistani Standard
Time') would take the same rulings as Muslim StandardTime, discussed
below, because the fiqh principle is that,
"What counts in actions is meanings and not merely forms." [Majallat
al-Ahkam al-`Adliyya]
And Allah alone grants punctuality.
Faraz Rabbani.
Wassalam.
[For those of us functionally challenged when it comes to punctuality,
it is defined by WordWeb as, "The quality or habit of adhering to an
appointed time." Some claim that being late is excused in desis
because "it is genetic." However, scientific studies do not seem to
support this, nor does the claimants' punctuality in their
professional life.]

Is There Personal Jihad In Islam?

Question:
Recently, I was in southern Italy and encountered so much sadness
along the way. There is so much Mafia and prostitution is rampant
These prostitutes are from Muslim countries such asmy country of
Albania or Morocco. They do this because they are low on money (the
Moroccan ones), or because they are forced into it through fear of
death or death of a little brother (such as the many Albanian ones).
Being anAlbanian myself, I want to know is it permissible to do
anything about this? In my heart, it seems like had this occurred
during the Prophet�s time, may peace and blessings be upon him, then
the umma, or at least a part of it, would declare war and execute the
perpetrators of this crime. I want to know if in such a case, is one
allowed to declare a jihad on these people who perpetrate this crime,
in order to liberate these poor women?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
Not at all, only the rightfulleader of the Muslims may declare jihad,
otherwise killing such people is only a murderous crime, even ifthey
are criminals. The jihad of the entire Muslim Community right now is
toeducate ourselves that thecrime of others is no justification for
indiscriminate violence, although we are supposedto know this basic
moral already. But Allah Almighty reminds us: {O yewho believe! Be
steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any
people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer
to your duty. Observe yourduty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what
ye do} (5:8).
Your own jihad is to teach yourself and your community, particularly
secularists, to return to their traditional values by which a Muslim
daughter knows that even poverty is preferable to a sordid living and
that she has, in reality, a better choice than prostitution and crime.
Liberation is achieved with the help of Allah through education, not
mayhem.

Is The Death Penalty Proscribed In The West For A Muslim Who Abandons The Prayer?

Question:
Is there death penalty forthose Muslims who don'tpray in the other
three schools of thought and lifetime imprisonment inthe Hanafi school
of thought? How are we supposed to follow this living in the West?
What if we had an Islamic state, could we have sentenced the Muslims
who neglect their prayers to death?
Answer:
The Islamic state would apply the punishments you mentioned only in
thecase of legally-qualified sane Muslims who unequivocally refuse to
pray and consider themselves free of any such obligation, or
unequivocally express denial of any indisputably obligatory belief
(such as belief in the Qur�an) or ruling (such as the prohibition of
intoxicants),whereupon the status of apostasy (ridda) becomes
applicable to them, otherwise �only� the status of immorality (fisq),
such as a person who doesnot pray but still knows that it is
obligatory and that they one is guilty of sin in not doing so. The
precondition for sentencing is absolute certainty, which spells mercy
on the basis of the rule laid by the Prophet, upon him blessings and
peace: �Ward off the penalties (hudud) as much as you can�(*), as Ibn
Majah titled it: �through ambiguities.� Our Mother `A�isha said, �It
is preferable for the ruler to pardon mistak�enly than to punish
mistakenly.�
In an immoral society, we are supposed to rush after the immense
reward of holding fast to the priceless jewel of Religion - thank you,
our Lord, for guiding us! - because the Believer there is as the
living among the dead. If we cannot, then we must find a way out of
that society and move elsewhere for dear life, just as our Lord told
us that we shall be asked, �Was not Allah�s earth wide enough for
you?� A few bows and prostrationsand then we die and eternity begins.
Eternity. Does it compute for you toleave prayer and then losethat?
May Allah bring us out of our heedlessness and open our eyes to the
basic common sense of never abandoning prayer, which is our first and
last protection from disaster.
(*) Narrated from al-Tirmidhi and Abu Hurayra by Ibn Majah.

Re: Safeguarding the Tongue ~{Details- http://bit.ly/ LxgK84}

Rasoolullaah said:
When the son of Aadam gets up in the morning all the limbs humble
themselves before the tongue and say: Have taqwa of Allaah for our
sake, for we are dependant on you, If you are straight/upright, we are
straight and If you are crooked, we are crooked. Hasan - narrated by
at-Tirmidhee, lbn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibbaan from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree
marfoo'aan and authenticated by al-Albaanee in (( Saheeh ul-Jaami'))
[351]
Rasoolullaah said:
If anyone guarantees me whats between his jaws and between his legs, I
shall guarantee him Jannah Saheeh - narrated by al-Bukhaaree from Sahl
lbn Sa'd marfoo'aan
He was asked as to what thing brings people into al-Jannah the most
and he said: Taqwaa of Allaah andgood character. Then he was asked as
to what thing brings people into the Fire the most and he said : The
mouth and the private-parts. Hasan lsnaad- narratated by at-Tirmidhee
[20041. Ibn Maajah [42461, Ahmad 12/29 1, 392, 4421, Ibin Hibbaan [
1923 - al-Mawaarid], al- Baghawee In ((Shah us-Sunnah )) 113179-801
and others, and It was authenticated by al Albaanee in ((
as-Saheehah)) [977] - from Abu Hurayrah marfoo'aan.
In a lengthy hadeeth, the Rasoolullaah said:
Shall I not tell you about the peak of the matter, Its pillar and Its
top-most part. I said: Yes 0 Rasoolullaah. He said: The peak of the
matter Is Islaam,, the pillar Is salaah;and Its top-most part is
Jihaad. Then he said: Shall Inot tell you of the controlling of all
that? I said: Yes 0 Rasoolullaah, and he took hold of his tongue and
said: Restrain this. I said: 0 Nabee of Allaah, will what we say be
held against us ? He said : May your mother be berieved of you, 0
Mu'aadh! Is there anything which topples people on their faces - or he
said : On their noses - Into Hell-Fire otherthan the harvests of their
tongues Saheeh - narrated by at-Tirmidhee 121 101, Ibn Maajah (39731
and Ahmad 15/23 11 from Mu'aadh - and the isnaad is hasan as al
Albaanee says in ((al-'Irwaa')) [413]
O Rasoolullaah! Inform meof something which I may hold fast to ? He said:
Say ! My Rabb Is Allaah andtherafter be upright I said :0 Rasoolullaah
I What is the thing that you fear most for me ? He took hold of his
tongue and said : This ! Saheeh - narrated by at- Tirmidhee 11965].
Ibn Maajah [39721and Ahmad [3/4131 from Sufyaan ibn 'Abdullaah
ath-Thaqafee
Rasoolullaah said:
Most of the sins of the Children of Aadam are from his tongue Saheeh -
narrated by at-Tabaraane 13/87/1-21, Abu'sh - Shaykh 12/101 and lbn
'Asaakir (11389/151 and authenticated in ((as-Saheeah)) [534]
Rasoolullaah said:
There Is not a part of the body except that It complains to Allaah
because of the tongue - due to its haste / rashness Saheeh - narrated
by Abu Ya'laa (( Musnad )) [1/41. Ibn as-Sunnee [71. Ibn Abee'd-Dunyaa
in ((al-Warr')) [Q.2/1651, Abu Nu'aym [209/1-2] and al-Bayhaqee in ((
ash-Shub)) [2/65/91 see al-Albaanee's (( as-Saheehah )) [535]
The wounds of a sword may heal one day, But the wounds of the tongue -
they never may.

2b] Traps of Iblees ~{Details- http://bit.ly/ LxgK84}

2b]
Six If Al-'Abd has kept Iblees from succeeding at this level, and if
he is careful about his time, being covetous with it, knows the value
of moments, andknows the value of what comes of comfort or torment,
Iblees transfers him to the sixth level:
The SIXTH CLASS is to OCCUPY HIM WITH DEEDS OF LESSER REWARD to
keepvirtue away from him and to prevent him from attaining the reward
of the favoured deed.
Therefore, he orders him to do a good action with less reward if that
includesleaving a better action. Very few people are awareof this.
Because if a person feels a strong urge to some kind of obedience, he
does not doubt that it is true obedience and that he is getting closer
to Allaah (SWT).. He never thinks that this call is from Iblees
because he believes that Iblees never calls one to do good. Therefore,
he thinks that this call is from Allaah (SWT).. Actually he isexcused
because he never knew that Iblees would call one to seventy doors of
good deeds either to get him to one door of evilor to let a better
deed than these seventy deeds pass away from him.
This cannot be known except by a light from Allaah (SWT),, a light he
instils in the heart of Al-'Abd. The source of this type of knowledge
is following the way of Ar-Rasool (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and
taking care of the levels of deeds with Allaah (SWT),, the deeds of
His favoured ones, the deeds more pleasing to Him, and thosemore
beneficial to Al-'Abd, and deeds that have more Naseehah (guidance)
from Allaah (SWT),, His Rasool, His Book, and His
believingworshippers. No one has this type of knowledge except the
inheritors of Ar-Rasool (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), his deputies
in the Ummah, and his successors on earth. In addition, most of the
creation is screened from this. This call does not come to their
hearts. Allaah (SWT) gives His favour to whomever He wills from among
His worshippers.
Seven If Al-'Abd prevents Iblees from trapping him at any of these six
levels, and if it becomes difficult for Iblees, he empowers his party
of jinn and human beings with different kindsof harm:
IMPUTING DISBELIEF TO HIM, CALLING HIM MISGUIDED AND AN INNOVATOR,
WARNING PEOPLE AGAINST HIM, and intending to weaken him and to disturb
his heart. Iblees, by using this method, tries to confuse this
person's thinking and tries to PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BENEFITING FROM
HIM. Therefore Iblees expends his utmost effort to empower the
defendersof falsehood, from human beings and from jinn, against him.
Then the believer is at war until death. Whenever he gives up, he is
hurt or is taken captive. Hence the believeris in Jihad until he meets
with Allaah (SWT)..
Finally, I hope you take note of this chapter and think about its
great benefit. Moreover, make this knowledge your balance to weigh
people and deeds. This shows yousome universal realities and the level
of people. Allaah (SWT) is the one from whom I seek aid, andon Him I
depend.

2a] Traps of Iblees ~{Details- http://bit.ly/ LxgK84}

2a]
It is not possible to encompass one of Iblees' evils, let alone all of
them. Since Iblees' evil is of six types, Iblees remains behind the
son of Adam until he gets him to do one or more of these six evils.
One THE FIRST EVIL IS THE EVIL OF KUFR AND SHIRK and enmity to Allaah
(SWT) and His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). If he gains
this from the son of Adam, his moaning is eased, and he rests from his
ordeal with this man. Further, this is the first thing Iblees
wantsfrom the worshipper (al-'Abd). If Iblees gains this, he makes
this person part of his army, one of hissoldiers, and he appoints him
as a deputy or agent against other human beings. Then, this person
becomes one of the deputies or callers of Iblees.
Two If he despairs of enticing him with the first evil, and if this
person is one of those for whom it was written that he would be
aMuslim in his mother's womb, Iblees tries:
the SECOND CLASS OF EVIL. THIS IS BID'AH (innovation). Iblees loves
Bid'ah more than debauchery and disobedience because the harm of
Bid'ah is in the essence of the religion. Moreover, it is an
unrepentable sin and is against the call of the messengers and is a
call toa message different from the one conveyed by Ar-Rasool. Bid'ah
is a gate to Kufr and Shirk. Therefore, if Iblees gains the
performance of Bid'ah from a person and makes him one of the people of
Bid'ah, he also becomes one of his agents and a caller of his.
Three If Iblees fails and is unable to trap Al-'Abd at this class,and
if he is one of those who were granted by Allaah (SWT) the gift of
As-Sunnah and hatred of the people of Bid'ah and error, he proceeds
to:
the THIRD CLASS OF EVIL, which is the class of MAJORSINS in their various forms.
Iblees is very covetous of letting a person fall into major sin,
especially if he isa scholar who is followed. Iblees is covetous of
that, so that he may repel people from him and spread his sins and
disobedience amongst the people. He uses some people as his agents to
spread this person's sins under the false pretence that this will help
them to get closer to Allaah. But in fact this person is the deputy of
Iblees without knowing it. For those who would like abomination tobe
spread amongst the believers there is a great torment in this life and
in the Hereafter especially if they take charge of spreading about
enormities, not out of advice, but by obeying Iblees and being his
agent.All this is to repel people from the Scholar and from his
benefit.
Furthermore, the sins of this person (scholar), even if they reach the
sky, are less to Allaah (SWT) than the sins of those who would like to
spread his sins about. The scholar's sins are wrongdoing to himself.
If he seeks forgiveness from Allaah (SWT) and repents, Allaah (SWT)
will accept his repentance, and He will change his bad deeds to good
deeds. However, the sin of those who spread about abominations are
doing wrong to the believers by looking for their mistakes and by
intending to expose them. Allaah (SWT) is in close observation, and He
knowsabout this ambuscade. Nothing hidden in the chest or soul is
hidden to Allaah (SWT).
Four If Iblees is unable to snare Al-'Abd at this degree he moves him to:
the FOURTH CLASS, or the MINOR SINS. These sins may ruin a person if
they accumulate. That is why Ar-Rasool (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
said, Be aware of the minor sins, because the simile of the minor sin
is like the peoplewho went to a desert. Then he (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) mentioned a Hadeeth the meaning of which is that every one
of them brought a stick of wood until they had kindled a huge fire
(just as the minor sins add up littleby little until they become a
major sin). The person continues taking the matter of minor sins
easilyuntil he considers them inconsequential. Therefore,a person who
commits major sins but fears their effect is in a better condition
than he is.
Five If the Al-'Abd has prevented Iblees from trapping him at this
level, he moves him to the fifth level:
The FIFTH LEVEL IS TO OCCUPY HIM WITH PERMISSIBLE THINGS that do not
gain him reward or punishment. However, the punishment of this level
is caused by passing the reward missed by being occupied with these
deeds.
:->

If he bought some land then sold it because he needed money, does he have to pay zakaah? ~{Details- http://bit.ly/ LxgK84}

I read a fatwa which says that if a person buys land for the purpose
of buying and selling, he has to pay zakaah on it. But what if someone
bought some land and had no intentionof selling it, but someone
suddenly came along whowanted to buy it, so he sold it because he was
pressured to do so. Does he have to pay zakaah on it? If so, how much
is the zakaah? And is it based onthe price he bought it for or the
price he sold it for? For example, he bought it for two hundred
thousand and sold it for two hundred and fifty thousand. What is the
zakaah on it?
Praise be to Allah.
If a person buys land withthe intention of trading init, then he has
to pay zakaah when one (hijri) year has passed since he acquired the
wealth with which he bought it.
The way in which zakaah is worked out is: the valueof the land should
be worked out at the end of the year, and one quarter of one tenth
(2.5%) should be given as zakaah. What matters is its value at the
time of paying zakaah, not its value at the time of purchase.
But if he bought land and did not intend to trade in it, then he
needed to sell it, or someone offered a good price so he sold it,
inthis case he does not haveto pay the zakaah on trade goods. But if
he sellsit then one year passes since he acquired the money, then he
has to pay zakaah as on the rest of his wealth.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) said: If a person
has some properties that he does not want to trade, but if he is given
a good price he will sell them, then they are not regarded as trade
goods, because he did not acquire them with the intention of trading.
If a person is offered a good price for something that he owns, in
most cases hewill sell it, even his house or car, and so on.
And he said: If he has a car that he is using, then he decides to sell
it, it is not regarded as being for trade, because in this casehe is
not selling it for the purpose of trade but because he no longer wants
it. Another exampleis if he has a piece of land that he bought to
build on it, then he decided to sell it and buy another piece of land,
so he offered it for sale, that is not regarded as trade because the
intention behind selling it in this case is not to make a profit;
rather it is because he no longer wants it.
End quote from ash-Sharhal-Mumti', 6/142
If a person has some land and is not sure whether he wants to keep it
or sellit, he does not have to pay zakaah until he definitely intends
to tradein it.

And Allah knows best.

Challenges of Identity in the World of Islam ~{Details- http://bit.ly/ LxgK84}

In 20th century, four main factors have caused the individual and
social crisis in the Islamic societies. The considerable factors are;
1) The first is the system ofgovernments or the famous pattern of
"nation - state", which has divided the unified Islamic communities
into the separate estates.
For instance, Bangladesh has been separated from Pakistan as a new
Islamic nation and also Pakistan has been isolated from Islamic nation
of India.
In Europe during the last years, Islamic country of Bosnia -
Herzegovina has been divided into separateparts of three and Muslimsin
Albania and Kosovo, which have formed a unified Islamic Ummah, are
ruled by two different systems.
Bangladesh has been separated from Pakistan as a new Islamic nation
and also Pakistan has beenisolated from Islamic nation of India.
In Europe during the last years, Islamic country of Bosnia -
Herzegovina has been divided into separateparts of three and Muslimsin
Albania and Kosovo, which have formed a unified Islamic Ummah, are
ruled by two different systems.
2) The second factor, which had resulted from the political system
of"nation - state" or"national government", is the phenomenon of
nationalism among Muslims.
The concept of nationality,which always has been praised by Muslims,
has changed into the concept of European and American nationalism.
By the way, the identity ofindividuals and groups of the Islamic
nation will be transfer to the new national and governmental units.
Nationalism caused the divergence of the Islamic societies.
Islamic brotherhood, equality, freedom and justice have been replaced
by national and ethnic identity.
3) The third factor is the model of development or modernism.
After the establishment of national governments andtendency to
nationalism is the next step to weaken the Islamic identity, the plans
of economic, national, political and cultural development were
thoroughly based onthe pattern of modernity or development in Europe
and America.
So, during the recent century, the development patterns have
thoroughly changed the systems of education, bureaucracy, organizing
and organization, economic growth and expansion of press and media.
Islamic identity lost its value and was replaced bynew identities of
modernity, such as classic identities, Capitalism and Marxist.
4) The growth of the third factor in the Islamic societies, which
caused theweakness of Islamic identity, has not occurred in a natural
environment but has been grown as theWestern powers began their
relations with the Muslim Ummah through colonial interventions and the
policies of cultural and economic invasion.
In other words, unilateral approach to international relations and
diplomacy between Islamic countries and the European and American
powers caused spreading the non-Islamic identity.
At this time the systems ofMedia, universities, military, bureaucracy,
parliamentary and judiciary in Islamic countries, which were built by
the Europeans andAmericans, acted as the load speakers of non-Islamic
and even anti-Islam identity.
A survey on the press dealing with Islamic identity indicates the
outstanding clues for the factors mentioned above.
The national press in Islamic countries has been imported institutions
and ideological organs for national and governmental systems.
Except for some limited periods, the national press and media always
served and promoted modernism,nationalism and non-Islamic identity,
and the national tendency is an undeniable issue in the present media
of many Islamic countries.
Internationally, the press until the Islamic Revolution of Iran sought
to avoid the Islamic world concerns.
Over the past two decadesthat the Islamic movements caused the
extraordinary developments in the regional and international policies,
the main international media ruled by Europe and America intended to
blur the Islamic identity and primarily depicted a negative image for
developments in Islamic countries.
Islamic identity has been often mentioned"fundamentalists","religious
fanatics" and"insurgents and terrorists",in the international media.In
recent decades, cultural institutions and media companies have
launched a cultural aggression against Islamic countries through the
Western industries, which is completely along with their political and
economic plots.

The dying girl who wished to see Pixar's ‘Up' ~{Details- http://bit.ly/ LxgK84}

Colby Curtin got her final wish. The 10-year-old girl
desperatelywanted to see the new Disney-Pixar movie, "Up." But the
cancer-stricken girl was too sick to go to a theater. So a family
friend contacted someone at Pixar to see if they could help. The very
next day, Pixar flew in an employee with a bag of "Up" memorabilia and
a DVD version of the film. Together he and Colby's family all watched
the movie. The movie features a large plume ofballoons released to the
sky. Colby died 7 hours later.

FAQ about Islam (Frequently Asked Questions)

Who is Allah?
Allah means God. It is a personal name, which Allah calls Himself in
the Quran. That is where we get it. It can also be foundin an Aramaic
copy of the Bible, and even Christian Arabs say Allah.
Who is Jesus to us?
Jesus peace be upon Him is a true prophet. Sent by Allah like Moses,
Abraham, Lot, Noah, Jonah, Joseph…etc.
Who were Jesus's parents?
Jesus is the son of Virgin Mary, and he had no father. Allah created Jesus.
Can Jesus, or Mohammed peace be upon them be worshipped?
No, Allah does not accept that a cow, a person, an angel, a prophet, a
stone, or anything be worshipped in place of him, or even along with
Him. Worship must be to Allah the creator of them.
Is Allah the same as what Christians call the father?
Allah is the creator who Jesus worshipped. He is the Creator who spoke
to Moses, and split the sea for Moses, and his followers. That is
Allah. But Allah tells us: "Say Allah is one, He is Perfect, He has
never begotten, nor was He begott, and there is no one equal to Him".
Is there a trinity in Islam?
No. Allah is perfect.
Do we believe that Allah created the heavens and earth in6 days?
Yes, but He did not rest on the seventh day, because He did not get
tired. Allah is perfect He does not get tired, nor does He sleep, eat,
go to the bathroom, feel pain, or die for that matter.
Can we see Allah?
Allah is not like the sun. Anyone can see the Sun. But Allah is the
most beautiful. Nothing is as beautiful as Allah. Actually looking at
Allah is the greatest pleasure of the peoplein Pradise. This pleasure
Allah does not give anyone but the believers. So no one will see Allah
before he dies.
Does Allah see us?
Allah sees us, and knows everything about us. He knows usbetter than
we know ourselves. There is nota leaf on a tree that blows away, or
stays in its place except thatHe knows it. There is not a dry spot,
nor a wet spot, nor a grain in the depths of the earth except that
Allahknows it.
Do we have free will?
Yes, of course. Allah does not punish us forsomething we did notdo on
our own. But at the same time, our will is not inspire of Allah's
will. We cannotdo anything if Allah will not allow it. In other words
nothing goes on in Allah's kingdom without His will.
Did Allah create Evil?
evil is the result disobedience to Allah's religious laws which is the
willful sin of the man and jinn; everybody obeys natural laws whether
they will it or not.
Thus Allah created the creatures who do evil,and knew that they would
do evil, and he allows it to happen in His creation, and in this sense
only He is the creator of evil in the meaning that He creates
everything. Allah is all good and everything he does is good, and even
this evil that exists has some good in it in that from the presence of
evil he brings forth good, andHe will judge all with perfect justice
and reward those that do good and punish those that do evil and do not
repent for that evil.
Do bad things happen to the believers (good people)?
Yes, they do. But they appear bad to the believers cause they are
things people don't like. Who likes breaking a leg? However, when a
bad thing happens to a believer this believer is patient. He praises
Allah in all circumstances. He knows Allah does not decree something
unless it is for his own good.
But how can breaking a leg are good for a beleiver?
Because it is a chance for the believer to think about what he did wrong.
Also because Allah forgives much of what we do, but thosethings we are
not forgiven, they are forgiven due to our patience when we arestruck
by a calamity. Allah gives us better reward when a problem strikes us
on earth if we are patient. This reward can be on earth, and itcan be
in Heaven.
Does Allah hear my prayers?
Yes.
Does Allah answer my prayers?
We know that Allah answers all the prayers of the believers. This can
be in 4 ways:
1- Get what we are asking for!
2- Get something as good or better!
3- We get spared something bad that would have happenedotherwise.
4- We get rewarded on the day of Judgment with a much greater reward
than what we were asking for on earth.
When does Allah not answer our prayers?
* When it is bad for us!
* When we ask, but not from our heart!
* When we say: I asked and asked and He did not answer.
* When we eat, drink, and wear unlawful, food, and clothes, and
property that wa earned either throughinterest from the bank, or that
was stolen, or if the food was pork, or the like.
What can I ask of Allah?
Any thing but don't ask Him to do things like make you a prophet.
Cause He has already said that therewill be no more prophets.
You can ask Allah for guidance. Meaning you can ask Him to show you
the correct religion.

What is meant by the devils being chained up in Ramadaan?

What do you say about the devils being chained up in Ramadaan?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari (1899) and Muslim (1079) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When Ramadaan comes, the gates
of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils
are chained up."
The scholars differed as tothe meaning of the devils being chained up
in Ramadaan.
Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said, quoting al-Haleemi: It may be interpreted at
meaning that the devils are not able to tempt the Muslims as they are
at other times because they are busy with the fast which controls
their desires, and with reading Qur'aan and dhikr (remembrance of
Allaah). Another scholar – someone other than al-Haleemi – said that
what is meant by the devils is some of them, namely the maarids
(strong devils), who are chained up.
'Iyaad said: it may be interpreted in a literal sense, and that is as
a signto the angels that the month has begun, and in veneration of its
sanctity, and so as to prevent the devils from harming the Muslims.
And it may be interpreted as referring tothe great amount of reward
and forgiveness, and that the devils tempt people less, so it is as if
they are chained up. This second interpretation is supported by the
fact thataccording to a report narrated by Yoonus from Ibn Shihaab
which is recorded by Muslim it says"the gates of mercy are opened".
The chaining up of the devils may also be understood as a metaphor for
them being unable to tempt people and make their whims and desires
attractive to them. Al-Zayn ibn al-Muneer said: The first view is most
likely to be correct, and there is no need to try to understand it in
anything other than the literal sense.
Fath al-Baari, 4/114.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about
the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
"and the devils are chained up,"– yet we still see people suffering
from epilepsy during the day in Ramadaan, so how can the devils be
chained up when some people are suffering epileptic fits?
He replied: In some versions of the hadeeth it says "and the strong
devils (maarids) are chained up" – this is narrated by al-Nasaa'i.
This hadeeth is speaking of matters of the unseen, so we have to
accept it and not discuss it any further. This is safer for a person's
religious commitment. Hence when'Abd-Allaah, the son of Imam Ahmad ibn
Hanbal said to his father, "Some people suffer epileptics fits during
the day in Ramadaan," the Imam said: "This is what the hadeeth says
and we do not discuss this."
Moreover it seems that what is meant by their being chained up is that
they are prevented from tempting people, based on the fact that there
is a great deal of goodness and many people turn to Allaah during
Ramadaan.
Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 20.
Based on this, the chaining up of the devils is something that happens
in a real sense, about which Allaah knowsbest. This does not mean that
evil things do not happen or that people do not commit sin. And Allaah
knows best.

1a] Allaah said, “Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it?”

1a]
2 – Allaah said concerningfasting: "I shall reward him for it." So he
connected the reward for fasting to Himself, because the reward for
righteous deeds is mentioned by number, and a good deed will be
rewarded between ten and seven hundred fold, many times. But with
regard to fasting, Allaah connected the reward to Himself without
specifying any number. Allaah is the most generous of those who are
generous, and the gift reflects the generosity of the giver. So the
reward of the one who fasts will be very great, without reckoning.
Fasting is patience in obeying Allaah, patience in keeping away from
the things forbidden by Allaah, and patience in bearing the decree of
Allaah, hunger, thirst, physical and mental weakness. So it combines
all three types of patience,thus the fasting person deserves to be
counted asone of the patient, and Allaah says (interpretationof the
meaning):
"Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full,
without reckoning"
[al-Zumar 39:10]

And Allaah knows best.

1] Allah said, “Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it?”

1]
What is special about fasting so that Allaah singled it out when He
said, "Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it?".
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari (1761) and Muslim (1946) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah said: 'Every deed of
the son of Adam is for him except fasting; it is for Me and I shall
reward for it…'"
Because all deeds are for the sake of Allaah and He is the One Who
rewards for them, the scholars differed concerning this phrase,
"Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it" –why is fasting singled
out in this manner?
Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) quoted the views of
ten scholars who sought to explain the meaning ofthis hadeeth and why
fasting was singled out in this manner. The most important of these
views are as follows:
1 – That there is no showing off in fasting as may happen in other
acts of worship. Al-Qurtubi said: Because showing off may enter into
all good deeds, but no one can see when a person is fasting except
Allaah, so Allaah connected it to Himself. Hence He said in the
hadeeth, "He gives up his desire for My sake." Ibn al-Jawzi said: All
acts of worship can be seen when done, and they maybe contaminated
with some element of showingoff, unlike fasting.
2 – That what is meant bythe words, "I shall reward for it" is: I am
the only One Who knows the extent of his reward and how much his
hasanaat (good deeds) will be multiplied. Al-Qurtubi said: What this
means is that the amount of reward for good deeds may become known to
people, and they will be rewarded between ten and seven hundred fold,
and as much as Allaah wants, except fasting, for Allaah will reward it
without measure. This is supported by a report narrated by Muslim
(115) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Every deed of the son of Adam will be rewarded between ten and seven
hundred fold. Allaah said: 'Except fasting, for it is for Me and I
shall reward for it'" – i.e., I shall reward it greatly, without
specifying how much. Thisis like the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretationof the meaning):
"Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full,
without reckoning"
[al-Zumar 39:10]
3 – That what is meant by"fasting is for Me" is that it is the dearest
of acts of worship to Me. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr said: The words "Fasting is
for Me" are sufficient to indicate the superiority of fasting overall
other acts of worship. Al-Nasaa'i (2220) narratedthat Abu Umaamah
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "You should fast, for thereis nothing like it." Classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Nasaa'i.
4 – That fasting is mentioned in conjunction with Allaah by way of
honouring, as we say, "the House of Allaah," although all houses
belong to Allaah. Al-Zayn ibn al-Muneer said: giving a specific
meaning to something general in a context such as this can only be
understood as being by way of honouring.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This hadeeth points to thevirtue of fasting in numerous ways:
1 – Allaah singled out fasting for Himself from all other good deeds,
because of its honoured status before Him, because He loves it and
because it is a demonstration of sinceritytowards Him, as it is a
secret between a person and his Lord, which no one can see except
Allaah.The fasting person may be in a place with no other people
around, and he could eat or drink that which Allaah has forbidden to
the fasting person, but he does not do that, because he knows that he
has a Lord Who can see him even though he is alone and Who has
forbidden that to him. So he forsakes it for the sake of Allaah and
fearing His punishment, seeking His reward. Because of that, Allaah
appreciates his sincerity and singled out fasting forHimself from
among all other good deeds. Hence He said: "He gives up his desires
and his food for My sake."
The benefit of this singling out will be seen on the Day of
Resurrection, as Sufyaan ibn 'Uyaynah said: When the Day of
Resurrection comes, Allaah will bring His slave to account and will
settle any scores outstanding from the rest of his deeds, until when
there is nothing left but fasting, Allaah will settle the matter and
will admit him to Paradise by virtue of his fasting.
:->

Eid Milad-un-Nabi / Mawlid. Right topractise? or Wrong?

Eid Milad-un-Nabi or Al-Mawlid is known as the festival of celebrating
the birthday of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. It occurs on the 12th
Rabi-ul-Awal. Nowadays, many muslims practise it. Some even go on to
call it a duty of a muslim to celebrate this day; But have we ever
stopped andconsidered the validity of this festival?
Most Muslim scholars are of the view that celebrating a fully blown
festival is considered a bidaa. They cite that during the times of
Prophet Muhammed himself such festivals werenever celebrated. Also, In
support of this argument i the fact that even during the times of the
companions of Muhammed PBUH such celebrations were not common and
widespread. Leading to an opinion thatEid Milad-un-Nabi or Al-Mawlid
is wrong to celebrate.
Many say the that this celebration is not rightly an 'Eid' ( I slamic
Festival) thus it is downright unlawful to celebrate during these
times.
The flip side of this coin are the supporters of thesecelebrations.
One of the most ardent supporters of this festival is Ibn-Kathir
(acelebrated muslim scholar)who says:
"Ibn Kathir says in his "Mawlid," page 30: "The Prophet's (s) uncle
al-'Abbas (r) composed poetry praising the birth of the Prophet (s),
in whichare found the following lines: `When you were born, the earth
was shining, and the firmament barely contained your light, and we can
pierce through, thanks to that radiance and light and path of
guidance.' "
There are also other supporters of this version which seem reasonable enough.
Now lets try to look at thislogically, sending praise and good wishes
to Prophet Muhammed PBUHis fine by all means but one shouldnt make a
mountain out of a mole hill (like huge processions, Praise Poems/Songs
on Loud Speakers/Disrupting City Life/Abandoning Salah), especially if
there are notclear cut explanations from Quran.
But these are just some peoples views.. What about yours? Do you
celebrate this day? If you do, Why do you think its allowed in Islam?
If not, Why do you think its dis-allowed?
~
* Share your Thoughts here or Email us:- aydnajimudeen@gmail.com/

The Hidden Fact

An old man lived on a farmin the mountains of eastern Kentucky with
his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the
kitchen table reading his Quraan .
His grandson wanted to bejust like him and tried to imitate him in
every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read
the Quraan justlike you but I don't understand it, and what I do
understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does
reading the Quraan do?"
The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and
replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a
basket of water." The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked
out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said,
"You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to
the river with the basket to tryagain. This time the boy ran faster,
but again the basket was empty before he returned home.
Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry
water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of
water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door
to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show
hisgrandfather that even if heran as fast as he could, the water would
leak out before he got back to the house.
The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he
reachedhis grandfather the basket was again empty.
Out of breath, he said, "SeePapa, it's useless!""So you think it is
useless?" The oldman said, "Look at the basket. "The boy looked atthe
basket and for the firsttime realized that the basket was different.
It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now
clean,inside and out.
"Son, that's what happens when you read the Quraan. You might not
understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be
changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah inour lives."