1] Will he be rewarded for listening to the Qur’aan without understanding it?

Will a person (a believer) be rewarded if he listens to the Qur'aan
without understanding what he is listening to, but he knows that it is
Qur'aan? Or will he not be rewarded unlesshe understands what he
ishearing? I hope you could give some evidence from the Qur'aan and
saheeh hadeeth.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Allah, may He be exalted, has commanded the believers to listen to the
Qur'aan attentively, in a general command. He says(interpretation of
the meaning): "So, when the Qur'aan is recited, listen toit, and be
silent that you may receive mercy" [al-A'raaf 7:204].
Shaykh al-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This command is general and includes everyone who hears the Book of
Allah being recited. He is enjoined to listen to it andkeep quiet. The
difference between listening and keeping quiet is that keeping quiet
is done outwardly by not speaking or being distracted with anything
that would keep one from focusing on listening to it.
As for listening to it, this means that one hears it with an attentive
heart, pondering the meaning of what one is listening to. The one who
adheres to these two commands when the Book of Allah is recited will
attain a great deal of good, beneficial knowledge, ongoing and renewed
faith, increased guidance and insight into his religion. Hence Allah
connected the attainment of mercy to them, which indicates that the
one whodoes not keep quiet and listen attentively when the Book is
recited to him will be deprived of the share of mercy and has missed
out on a great dealof good.
The most emphatic command with regard to listening to the Qur'aan
attentively has to do with prayers in which Qur'aan isrecited out loud
by the imam, in which one is enjoined to listen attentively, to such
an extent that most of the scholars say that his focusing on keeping
quiet and listening attentively takes priority over his reciting
al-Faatihah etc.
End quote from Tafseer al-Sa'di, 314
The greater aim of keeping quiet and listening attentively is so that
the listener may ponder and understand the meanings, and act upon
them. Imam al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Allah says to those who believe in Him and in His Book, for whom the
Qur'aan is guidance and mercy: "So, when the Qur'aan is recited", to
you, O believers; "listen to it", i.e. lend your ears so that you
might understand its verses and learn from its exhortation; "and be
silent" and listen to it attentively, so that you might understand and
ponder, and do not utter idle talk during it lest you do not
understand; "that you may receive mercy" i.e., that you might
receivethe mercy of your Lord by heeding His exhortation and adhering
to His limits and to what He enjoins upon you in the verses.
End quote from Tafseer al-Tabari, 13/244
If a person manages to achieve that, i.e., keeping quiet, listening
attentively,pondering what is recited to him and understanding its
meanings, that will bring him goodness in thisworld and the Hereafter.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah havemercy on him) said:
By means of this listening, Allah guides His slaves andsets straight
their affairs inthis world and the Hereafter; with this the Messenger
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent, and he enjoined
it upon the Muhaajireen and Ansaar and those who followed them in
truth. The early generations used to gather for this purpose. When the
Companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) gathered together, they would tell one of their number to
recite whilst they listened. 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be
pleased with him) would say to Abu Moosa: Remind us of our Lord, and
Abu Moosa would recite Qur'aan whilst they listened.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 11/626
Secondly:
As listening in the complete sense is that in which one understands
and ponders, there is no doubt that the one who does that as much is
he is able is to be commended for what he does, and he is excused for
what he is incapable of. But what oneis incapable of should not be an
excuse for not doingwhat one is able to do of goodness. What is
possibleis not to be omitted because of what is difficult; in other
words, whatever a person is able to do of obligatory or mustahabb
actions is not waived because of what he is incapable of doing,
because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "So keep your duty
to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"
[al-Taghaabun 64:16]. :-> :->

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Is there anything in Islam to suggest that theone who memorises the Qur’aan with the numbers of its verses will have a greater reward than the one who is not like that?

I am sixteen years old and I have memorised the entire Qur'aan, praise
be to Allah, but I want to memorise it with the numbers of its verses.
Does the one who memorizes the Qur'aan with the numbers of its verses
attain greater virtue than the one who memorises it without memorising
the numbers of the verses?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We ask Allah to make you steadfast in adhering to goodness and guidance.
In the answer to questionsno. 14035 and 20803 we have discussed the
rewardfor memorising the Qur'aan and the status of its bearers. We ask
Allah not to deprive you of any of that.
Secondly:
There is no text in Islam tosuggest that the one who memorises the
Qur'aan with the numbers of its verses will attain a greaterreward or
a higher status than the one who memorises it without that.
Our advice to you is not todo that and not to focus on it, because it
is a kind of showing off and time is too precious to spend it
onsomething in which there is no point and will not benefit you in
your religion or bring you closer to your Lord, may He be exalted.
You should pay attention to perfecting your recitation and
memorisation, and striving to understand the verses and ponder their
meanings, as well as paying attention to acting upon what it says in
it, regarding as halaal what itpermits and as haraam what it forbids,
and following its commands and avoiding what it prohibits. Acting in
accordance with the Qur'aan is the greatest aimbehind reading it and
memorising it.
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allah ibn Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: When one of us learned ten verses, he would not move on
from them until he understood the meaning and acted upon them.
Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sulami -- one of the Taabi'een -- said: Those
who used to teach us the Qur'aan, such as 'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan,
'Abd-Allah ibn Mas'ood and others, told us that when they learnedten
verses from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
they would not moveon from them until they learned what was in them of
knowledge and action. And they said: So we learned the Qur'aan and
knowledge and action all together.
And Allah knows best.

Are Taha and Yaseen names of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?

I would like to know whether Taha and Yaseen are names of the
Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Taha and Yaseen are not names of the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him); rather they are among the separate letters that
appear at the beginning ofsome soorahs of the Holy Qur'aan, which
point to the miraculous nature of the Qur'aan and the fact that these
letters are part of the language of the Arabs, yet despite that they
were unable to produce anything like it, which indicates that it
wasrevealed from Allah, may He be exalted.
Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shanqeeti (may Allah have mercy on him) said in
Adwa' al-Bayaan (4/3), commenting on Soorah Ta-Ha:
The most correct opinion concerning it in my view isthat these are the
separate letters that appear at the beginning ofsome soorahs. What may
prove that is the fact that the ta' and ha' that appearat the
beginning of this soorah also appear in other places in which there is
no dispute that they are among these separate letters. The letter ta'
appears at the beginning of ash-Shu'ara' (Soorah 26), "Ta Seen Meem";
and at the beginning of an-Naml (Soorah 27), Ta' Seen, and at the
beginning of as-Qasas (soorah 28). As for the letter ha', it appears
at the beginning of Soorat Maryam where Allah, may He be exalted, says
"Kaaf Ha' Yaa 'Ayn Saad." End quote.
Shaykh as-Sa'di (may Allahhave mercy on him) said in his Tafseer
(1/501): "Ta-Ha" is one of the separate letters with which many
soorahs begin, and it is not one of the names of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). End quote.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Taha and Yaseen
are not names of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions;
rather these are some of the separate letters that appear at the
beginning ofsome soorahs, such as saad, qaaf, noon and so on.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 18/54
And Allah knows best.

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Ruling on hanging Soorat al-Ikhlaas on the rear window of the car as a reminder

Is it okay to print out Surah Ikhlas and hang it from the inside of my
car back window showing outas a form of Dawah?
Also, is it permissible to put the word god next to Allah in
translation to helpthose who may not understand?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with hanging Qur'aanic verses for the purpose
of reminding and exhorting, so long as they are put in places that are
appropriate, such as the walls of meeting places and offices, in such
a way that the verses will not be exposed to disrespectful treatment.
In the case of hanging verses in car windows, there is the fear that
they may be exposed to disrespectful treatment and damage, so it is
betternot to do that and to be content with some adhkaar or advice.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: There are
some who say that hanging soorahs or verses of Qur'aan on the wall is
haraam. Please note that these verses or soorahs are only hung up
because of their virtues, such as Soorah Ya-Seen or Ayat al-Kursiy and
so on. We hope that you can explain the ruling on that; may Allah
reward you with good.
He replied: There is nothing wrong with hanging verses and soorahs on
the wall in offices and meeting placesfor the purpose of providing and
exhorting, according to the correct view. Some contemporary scholars
and others regarded it as makrooh, but there is nothing wrong with
that if it is done for the purpose of reminding and exhorting, and it
is in an appropriate place such as a meeting place or office and the
like.(There is also nothing wrong with) hanging a hadeeth of the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). All of that is
exhortations and reminders. But if the aim behind it is something
other than that, such as believing that they offer protection from the
jinn orthe evil eye and so on, it isnot permissible to do this with
that intention and that belief, because this is not narrated in
sharee'ah and there is no basis for it.And Allah is the source of
strength.
End quote from Fataawa Islamiyyah.
But if the purpose of hanging it is to translate the meaning of this
soorah or other verses andsoorahs of the Qur'aan, then the issue of
hanging it is less strict with regard to translations because they do
not have the samesanctity as the Qur'aan and do not come under the
same rulings.
And Allah knows best.

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Was the Qur’aan revealed all at once or piecemeal?

Some opinions suggest that the Qur'aan was revealed in a single night,
and some say that the Qur'aan was revealed overseveral years in Makkah
and Madinah. Do these opinions contradict one another? Is one right
and the other wrong? Or are they both wrong?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The issue mentioned has two aspects, on one of which there is
consensus and the other is a matter concerning which there are
differences of opinion.
With regard to the aspect on which there is consensus, it is that the
Qur'aan did not come down from heaven to the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) all at once; rather the
Revelation came down to him from Allah piecemeal, according to events
and circumstances.
There are verses which confirm that quite clearly with no confusion,
and they affirm the wisdom behind its being revealed in that manner:
-1-
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And those who disbelievesay: Why is not the Qur'aan revealed to him
all at once? Thus (it is sent down in parts), that We may strengthen
your heart thereby. And We have revealed it to you gradually, in
stages"
[al-Furqaan 25:32].
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
That isbecause every time something of the Qur'aan was revealed to
him, it increased him in certainty and steadfastness, especially when
there wascause for anxiety. The fact that Qur'aan was revealed when
new developments occurred meant that it hadgreater impact and was more
reassuring to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
And that was more effective than if it had been revealed before
that,then was remembered when the new developments occurred.
"And We have revealed it to you gradually, in stages" means We
revealed it slowly and sentit gradually. All of this indicates that
Allah was taking care of His Book, the Qur'aan, and His Messenger,
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as He sent down
His Book in accordance with the situations faced by the Messenger and
as needed to address unfolding issues.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di
-2-
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning) says:
"And (it is) a Qur'aan which We have divided (into parts), in order
that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it
by stages"
[al-Isra' 17:106].
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"at intervals" means at an easy pace, so that they might ponder it and
think about its meanings, and derive knowledge from it.
"And We have revealed it by stages" means: bit by bit, piecemeal over
twenty-three years.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 468
What confirms the fact that the Qur'aan was revealed piecemeal is the
suspension of the Revelation concerning the slander incident (al-ifk),
in which 'Aa'ishah (may Allahbe pleased with her) was accused of
adultery. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was
waiting for Qur'aan to be revealed, because of the enormity ofthe
calamity and the accusation that was made against his wife, until the
words of Allah were revealed (interpretation ofthe meaning):
"Verily! Those who brought forth the slander (against 'Aa'ishah the
wife of the Prophet SAW) are a group among you. Consider it not a bad
thingfor you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will
be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and as for him among them
who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment"
[an-Noor 24:11].
Another confirmation that the Qur'aan was revealed piecemeal is the
first few verses of Soorah 'Abasa (no. 80) which were revealed when
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned away
from teaching the blind man Ibn Umm Maktoom in the hope that the
leaders of Quraysh would become Muslim (as he was already talking to
the leaders of Quraysh and the blind mind man came to him in the
middle of that conversion).
Secondly:
With regard to that concerning which there is a difference of opinion,
it has to do with the start of the revelation of the Qur'aan. Was it
sent down all at once to the first heaven, then brought down to the
Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) piecemeal, or was
it all brought down in the samemanner, piecemeal according to events,
as stated above?
The reason for this difference of opinion is differences in
understanding some verses which indicate that the Qur'aan came down
ata particular time, such as the verses in which Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for
mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between
right and wrong)"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]

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Should the one who is praying behind the imam recite al-Faatihah or listen to the recitationof the imam?

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has instructedus to listen
quietly and attentively when the Qur'aan is being recited: "So, when
the Quran is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive
mercy" [al-A'raaf 7:204]. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) warned us that any prayerin which al-Faatihah is
notrecited is invalid.
I hope that you can tell me what I should do to avoid falling into
that which goes against either of these two injunctions, ifthe imam
does not leave enough time for the people praying behind him to recite
al-Faatihah. What is the correct opinion regarding this matter?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 10995 we explained that reciting
al-Faatihah is one of the pillars or essential parts of the prayer for
the imam, the one who is praying behindan imam and the one whois
praying on his own.
Secondly:
With regard to the pause that some imams leave after reciting
al-Faatihah, it is not long enough for the one who is praying behind
the imam to recite al-Faatihah; rather it is only a brief pause that
serves to separate between the recitation of al-Faatihah and the
recitation of another soorah.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The pause between the recitation of al-Faatihah and another soorah was
not narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him), despite the view of some of the fuqaha', that the imam should
pause so as to allow those praying behind him to recite al-Faatihah.
Rather it is a brief pause that is intended for one to catch one's
breath on the one hand, and to allow the one who is praying behindthe
imam, on the other hand, to start to recite (al-Faatihah) and he
should complete it, even ifthe imam is reciting, because it is a brief
pause, not a long one. End quote.
Fataawa Arkaan al-Islam, p. 323-324
If the imam does not pause for a long time afterreciting al-Faatihah,
then the one who is praying behind him has to recite al-Faatihah, even
if that is at the same time as the imam is reciting the other soorah,
because this is what was the Prophet (blessing and peace of Allah be
upon him) instructed his companions to do in Fajr prayer.
Abu Dawood (823) narrated that 'Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit (may Allah be
pleased with him) said: We were behind the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in Fajr prayer. The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited,
and he found it difficult to recite (due to interference). When he
finished praying he said: "Perhaps you were reciting behind your
imam?" We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: "Do not do that,
apart from the Opening of the Book (al-Faatihah), because there is no
prayer for the one who does not recite it."
Classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Bayhaqi,
al-Khattaabi and others. This is a clear statement that it is
obligatory for theone who is praying behindan imam to recite
al-Faatihah in a prayer in which recitation is done out loud.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said: If the imam does not pause, the one who is
praying behind him has to recite al-Faatihah even if that is when the
imam is reciting (the other soorah), according to the more correct
scholarly view.
End quote from Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 11/221
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If it is asked: if the imam does not pause, when should the one who is
praying behind him recite al-Faatihah? The answer is: he should recite
al-Faatihah when the imam is still reciting, because the Sahaabah used
to recite al-Faatihah with the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) and hesaid: "Do not do that except with the Essence ofthe
Book (al-Faatihah), because there is no prayer for the one who does
not recite it. End quote.
Fataawa Arkaan al-Islam, p. 322
With regard to the words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning):
"So, when the Quran is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you
may receive mercy" [al-A'raaf 7:204], this is general in meaning,
except when one has to recite al-Faatihah, in the sense that it is
obligatory to listen attentively to the imam's recitation of Qur'aan
in prayer, except when the one who is praying behind him is reciting
al-Faatihah only. This is based on the wordsof the Messenger
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): "Do not do that, apart
from the Opening of the Book (al-Faatihah), because there is no prayer
for the one who does not recite it." And that was in Fajr prayer,
which is a prayer in which recitation is doneout loud, as is well
known.
So the one who is praying behind the imam is enjoined to listen
attentively except when he is reciting al-Faatihah.
And Allah knows best.

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Islam, A World Civilization "Thus We have appointed you amiddle nation, that you may be witnesses upon mankind." (Quran, Surah [2:143])

Islam was destined to become a world religion and to create a
civilization which stretched from one end of the globe to the other.
Already during the early Muslim caliphates, first the Arabs,then the
Persians and later the Turks set about to create classicalIslamic
civilization. Later, in the 13th century, both Africa and India became
great centers of Islamic civilization and soon thereafter Muslim
kingdoms were established in the Malay-Indonesian world while Chinese
Muslims flourished throughout China.
Global religion
Islam is a religion for all people from whatever race or background
they might be. That is why Islamic civilization is based on a unity
which stands completely against any racial or ethnic discrimination.
Such majorracial and ethnic groups as the Arabs, Persians, Turks,
Africans, Indians, Chinese and Malays in addition to numerous smaller
units embraced Islam and contributed to the building of Islamic
civilization. Moreover, Islam was not opposed to learning from the
earlier civilizations and incorporating their science, learning, and
culture into its own world view, as long as they did not oppose the
principles of Islam. Each ethnic and racial group which embraced Islam
made its contribution to the one Islamic civilization to which
everyone belonged. The sense of brotherhood and sisterhood wasso much
emphasized that it overcame all local attachments to a particular
tribe, race, or language--all of which became subservient to the
universal brotherhood and sisterhood of Islam. The global civilization
thus created by Islam permitted people of diverse ethnic backgrounds
to work together incultivating various arts and sciences. Although the
civilizationwas profoundly Islamic, even non-Muslim "people of the
book" participated in the intellectual activity whose fruits belonged
to everyone. The scientific climate was reminiscent of the present
situation in America where scientists and men and women of learning
from all over the world are active in the advancement of knowledge
which belongs to everyone. The global civilization created by Islam
also succeeded in activating the mind and thought of the people who
entered its fold. As a result of Islam, the nomadic Arabs became
torch-bearers of science and learning. The Persians who had created a
great civilization before the rise of Islam nevertheless produced much
more science and learning in the Islamic period than before.The same
can be said of the Turks and other peoples who embraced Islam. The
religion of Islam was itself responsible not only for the creation of
a world civilization in which people of many different ethnic
backgrounds participated, but it played a central role in developing
intellectual and cultural life on a scale not seen before. For some
eight hundred years Arabic remained the major intellectual and
scientific language of the world. During the centuries following the
rise of Islam, Muslim dynasties ruling in various parts of the Islamic
world bore witness to the flowering of Islamic culture and thought. In
fact this tradition of intellectual activity was eclipsed only at the
beginning of modern times as a result of the weakening of faith among
Muslims combined with external domination. And today this activity has
begun anew in many parts of the Islamic world now that the Muslims
have regained their political independence.
A Brief History of Islam, The Rightly Guided Caliphs
Upon the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, the friend of the Prophet and
the first adult male to embrace Islam, became caliph. Abu Bakr ruled
for two years to be succeeded by 'Umar who wascaliph for a decade and
during whose rule Islam spread extensively east and west conquering
the Persian empire, Syria and Egypt. It was 'Umar who marched on foot
at the end of the Muslim army into Jerusalem and ordered the
protection of Christian sites. 'Umar also established the first public
treasury and a sophisticated financial administration. He established
many of the basic practices of Islamic government. 'Umar was succeeded
by 'Uthman who ruledfor some twelve years during which time the
Islamic expansioncontinued. He is also known as the caliph who had the
definitive text of the Noble Quran copied and sent to the four corners
of the Islamic world. He was in turn succeeded by 'Ali who is known to
this day for his eloquent sermons and letters, and also for his
bravery. With his death the rule of the "rightly guided" caliphs, who
hold a special place of respect in the hearts of Muslims, came to an
end.

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Quran

Ramadan is that month in which
Al-Quran has been revealed as a guide
for mankind, and clarifications from the
guidance and from the criterion, so
whosoever from you witnessed that
month then he should fast in it ...
Al-Baqara 2:185
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When you’re weary and alone, let faith carry you

There are times when we're alone, discouraged, and just plain weary.
Times when it seems like there's no one left who matters.
That's when faith counts morethan ever. That's when faith istested.
Don't give up. Keep hope in your heart. Remember that in the darkest
cave, the deepest canyon, the most barren desert, Allah is still
there.
Let faith carry you at those times, and let Allah guide you, and you
will come through to a better place. It's a promise from Allah:
"And whoever is conscious ofAllah, He will make for him a way out
(from every difficulty). And He will provide for him from (sources) he
never could imagine. And whoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will
suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Indeed Allah
has sent a measure for all things." (Quran: 65/2-3)
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We Get What We Give

We get what we give. This is one of the laws of the dunya (this
earthly life) andal-ghayb (the unseen) as well. When we give moneyto
the poor and oppressed, God rewards us with more than we can imagine.
When we share truth, greater truths are revealed to us. When we teach,
we learn. When we show mercy, our Creator has mercy on us. When we
smile, people smile back.
The same is true for love. When we give love, love comes into our lives.
Some people think, "I will open up my love when I meet someone who
loves me truly." Sorry, it doesn't work that way. It's only when we
open up the gates and let our love flow,that loves comes rushing in.

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A Concise Reply to Christianity - A Muslim View

If this booklet were writtento announce my conversion to Christianity,
no Christian would complain that it is too blunt. So if I must reject
an aspect of Christianity in a succinct form, let me not be accused of
bluntness either. A Muslim believes inthe religion of Jesus but sees
mainline Christianity as a religion constructed about Jesus. Our
protest is against two excesses: The apotheosis of Jesus and themost
frequent missionary tactic directed toward Muslims.
Part One
Christians and Muslims wholearn something of one another's religion
find that a crucial issue is the nature of Jesus. The majority of
Christians deify Jesus while Muslims say that he was nomore than a
prophet of God, a faultless human being. The doctrine of the Trinity
avows that three distinct co-equals are God. In particular, Jesus is
said to be God the Son, or the Son of God. As the Muslim questions
details of this theology, the Christian characteristically forms a
common explanation for our differences: He complains that Muslims do
not understand the Trinity; that we are actually accusing Christians
of Tritheism and other heresies.
So the Muslim seeks clarification of the teachingand asks at every
step:"How could that be so?" For example, we insist that the term "Son
of God" cannot have a literal interpretation. Sonship anddivine nature
would be necessary attributes of such an actuality, but theseare
incompatible. The first describes a recipient of life while the second
describes One who received life from no one. These are
mutuallyexclusive requirements then. To be a son is to be less than
divine, and to be divine is to be no one's son.
As a discussion proceeds, it is the Christian who will eventually take
refuge in the response: "These are things that we cannot understand."
His assessment of the Muslim's problem becomes his own confession. The
Christian explanation becomes self-defeating so there is a change of
tactic.
He complains that the Muslim refuses to accept what cannot be
understood. But the modified approach is a diversion. Now the concepts
of verification andunderstanding are confused. To illustrate: Chemical
reactions may be verified but the atom is notthereby understood. Facts
are catalogued but not always explained. This distinction is the key
to ourconcise reply. It is the Muslim who must redirect the
discussion. Our primaryissue is more basic than resolving the
incongruities of Trinitarian doctrine. Rather than ask how the Trinity
can be so, we should ask why it must be so. We ask, "Why must Jesus be
divine? Can we verify the necessity of this belief?"
The Muslim Position
A few centuries ago, European Philosophers commonly felt that a
conjecture was proven if it could be shown to be equivalent to an
assertion made by Aristotle. Unfortunately, such an approach stopped
short of challenging Aristotle and discovering truth.
Similarly,testing the Trinitarian case on what people have said about
Jesus stops short of establishing the integrity of the authorities and
the truth of the matter.
Our purpose here is no more than the illustration that belief in the
Trinity can only be based on Church authority. Many Christians admit
that this isthe case while others insist that the teaching was
elaborated by Jesus himself. "Let them produce their proof," is the
repeated admonition of the Quran, that is, "provide the documentation
that Jesus himself claimed unqualified deity," (Quran 21:24). Unless
this evidencecan be produced, authorities are subject to challenge.
Then the Christian may not evade the Muslim's questions concerning
understanding. The Christian will have no justification for
maintaining an illogical position, unless he is content to rely on the
opinions of men. If he will probe no deeper than this, the
Christian-Muslim dialogue is finished.
For Christians, the only documents accepted as reporting the words of
Jesus are the accounts given in the Bible. We leave the Muslim
attitude toward the Bible for part II of this essay and find our
motivation now in the Quranic verse, "Say: 'O People of the Book! You
have no ground to stand upon unless you stand fast by the Law, the
Gospel, andall the revelation that has come to you from your Lord."
(Quran 5:68). Christians are advised to support their claims by citing
their books. Thus Muslims believe that no saying of Jesus can be
produced which shows himgrasping at equality with God. The primary
issue is not whether Jesus is God. The first question is whether he
said that he was equal to God.

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June 23, 2012 Child rescue team runs into rock

Even as anxiety mounts, jawans continue with their tireless efforts
torescue four-year-old Mahi, who has been trapped in a borewell at a
village in Gurgaon since Wednesday night.
The ongoing relentlessefforts to pull four-year-old Mahi outof a
70-foot-deep borewell at Kasan village here have beenhampered what
with the rescue teams, digging a rescue tunnel, encountering arock.
The three-day rescue operation, which was expected to have
beencompleted on Friday night, continued till late in the evening on
Saturday, further dimming the hopes of the girl being brought out
alive.
"We were just a metreaway from the girl on Friday evening when we ran
into the rock. It slowed down the pace of work as the team initially
refrained from using drilling machines to avoid a cave-in and tried to
cut the rock manually. Later, the drilling machine was also used
selectively. When senior officers of the 3 Engineers Regiment reviewed
the situation on Saturday afternoon, it was decided to navigate around
the rock," said District Public Relations Officer (Gurgaon) R.S.
Sangwan, adding more equipment was being procured to expedite the
work.
Earlier in the day, the team of Army personnel, which was initially
constituted for digging the tunnel,had to be withdrawn as it was
exhausted. "Continuously engaged in digging for over 36 hours, the
personnel were replaced by a new team on Saturday morning," said Mr.
Sangwan.
He said the operation was going on without a break but it would be
difficult to speculate how long it would take. "It is a rocky terrain.
We are trying our level best topull out the girl at the earliest." A
two-member team of paediatricians from the Medanta Medicity Hospital
was also stationed at the spot on Friday night in anticipation of the
operation being completed anytime soon.
Besides, two ambulances of the Gurgaon Civil Hospital and one from the
Army were present at the spot and adequatearrangements had been made
at a hospital in Manesar.
To a query, Mr. Sangwan said: "The girl has been supplied oxygen since
she fell into the borewell on Wednesday night, but there is no update
on her condition as of now. Cameras lowered into the borewell time and
again have not captured any movement, but then there is no space for
them. Also, it is not possible to supply food and water to the girl
with the borewell being so narrow."

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The Wisdom of the Prophet: the Incident of the Epileptic Woman

There is a hadith narrated by 'Ata bin Abi Rabah:
Ibn 'Abbas once said to me,"Shall I show you a womanof the people of Paradise?"
I said, "Yes."
He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet (peacebe upon him) and
said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please
invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be
patient and you will have Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke
Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but
I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not
become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her." - Bukhari :: Book 7
:: Volume 70 :: Hadith 555
This hadith was published recently on MuslimasOasis.com , and I was
fascinated by the many comments from readers who have epilepsy and
have been inspired or comforted by this hadith.
One sister wrote:
"(This hadith) was a comfort to me as an epileptic when I had a
seizure outside of a masjid on the pavement in Philadephia during a
busy Jumaah afternoon. When I came to, my niqab was removed, my hijab
loosened, and my husband and a brother were helpingthe paramedics that
had arrived. Because of this hadith I felt comfort in spite of being
such a spectacle, alhamdulillah."
Another said:
"I too am an epileptic. When I first reverted to Islam over 3 years
ago, oneof the sisters who witnessed my Shahada wrote this hadith out
and gave it to me. It is a HUGE comfort to know this. May Allah ease
the trials of all epileptics and those who suffer from any disease
andgrant us all sabr. Ameen!"
And there were other similar comments, from men and women, ma-sha-Allah.
I don't have epilepsy or any other serious sickeness,Alhamdulillah
(praise God) for all His blessings. But as Iread the comments of
people who do have some illness and have been tremendously comforted
by this hadith, all of a sudden I realized the huge wisdom of the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in whathe said to the epileptic woman. He
could have simply invoked for her and she would have been cured, and
then all of us 1,400 years later would read the story and say,
"Ma-sha-Allah, another miracle to prove his Prophethood." But it
wouldhave no lasting personal significance.
Instead, by asking the woman to be patient and promising her Jannah
(Paradise), the Prophet (pbuh) has sent a message of hope down through
the ages to all the other sufferers in the world: Allah sees your
suffering. Your pain will be compensated, and your patience rewarded
with the greatest possible prize.
Even today epilepsy cannotbe cured, though it can be controlled
somewhat through medication. So even now, all these years later, in
this age of medical wonders, this hadith still has immediate
significance for people who suffer from this illness, and in fact
frompeople who suffer from any illness, from cancer to leprosy to
bipolar disorder.
Another point of note is that every Prophet was sent with certain
types of miracles appropriate to theunderstanding of their people.
Musa (Moses, peacebe upon him) was sent with the staff of power andthe
white hand, because his mission was to a peoplesteeped in sorcery.
"Medicalmiracles" – curing the sick, even bringing the dead back to
life – were the hallmark of the Prophet Isaibn Maryam (Jesus son of
Mary, pbuh), because he was sent to a people who specialized in
healing arts.

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Jokes

Husband: I had a 5ne dream last night.I dreamed I was touring world in
a fine car. WIfe:Sorry,I heard Engine snorting.
@
X: Do you think a genius ever makes a good husband? Y: You should
better ask my wife.
@
Appu-Oye!wat R U doing? Pappu-Recording babies voice. Appu-y? Pappu-
When he grows up,I shall ask him wat he meant by dis?
@
Most people have 5 senses. Some people have 6 senses. But u r blessed
with 7 senses. An extra sense is NON SENSE.
@
A silent night, a star above, a blessed gift of hope and love. A
blessed Christmas to you!
@
8 Semesters 80 GB sylabus80 MB v study 80 KB v remember 80 Bytes v
ans. BINARY Marks v get, known as BTech (Brain Technically Empty)

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Do Your Thing

Life has been challenging lately. In July I've faced some financial
setbacks, and also some personal setbacks that have hit me hard, and
drained me emotionally to the point where sometimes I just sit in my
padded computer chair and don't feel like getting up. I feel like I
hardly have the energy to get up and prepare some food to eat, let
alone pray, work, go to class, care for my daughter…
And yet I do get up. I go out and teach a 2.5 hour martial arts class
and I do itwith vigor, because my students are looking to me for
guidance and inspiration. I get up and domy volunteer job at the
Muslim community center. I get up and take my daughter to the lake or
themasjid, and have a tea party with her, and read her the latest
chapter of "Fish Face". I laugh with her and love her with everything
I've got, because she needs me. I don't have time for self-pity.
I get up and do my thing, because that's what it is to be a man (or
woman), to be a father (or mother), to be a Muslim, to be a friend, to
be alive! You get up anddo what you have to do. You pick your foot up
and take a step, then lift the other one and take anotherstep, and
before you know it you are moving ahead, and time has passed and your
problems have diminished and don't hurt quite so much, or maybe you
have overcome them entirely, because you are experiencing the joy of
life.Your love for Allah, and your gratitude, and your attentiveness
to the beautyand blessings around you, all wash the pain away likea
river.
That's what it is to be alive.SubhanAllah.
So, to all those reading thisnow, I send you light and love, and I
know that no matter what physical or emotional aches you are
experiencing, you will rise each morning with gratitude, you will take
a step and move ahead, you will love and laugh, you will push
self-pity to the side and live your lives with commitment, in the
short time that we all haveon this beautiful ball of brown and blue.

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In a season of consumerist madness, let’s be grateful, and give

At this time of year the stores are pushing their sales at us.
Advertising is everywhere. There if a frenzy to buy, buy, buy. Let's
realize that this is not a spiritual way of life. It's not an
appropriate lifestylefor someone who is dedicated to God. The
consumerist madness is a deception. There's no joy orpeace attached to
it. It's a shallow illusion.
Look at what society has done to itself in the name of consumerism. A
day of thanks (Thanksgiving) has become the prelude to "Black Friday",
the biggest shopping day of the year. Itused to be that Black Friday
did not begin until Friday morning, out of respect for Thanksgiving.
Then the starting gun was moved to midnight, and now it has crept into
Thursday evening. Nothing is sacred.
The Prophet 'Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary), peace be upon
him, has been turned into a marketing strategy. His purported birthday
has become a month of shopping insanity, presidedover by a mythical
sub-deity named Santa. People go into debt, they fight over sale
goods… no mention is made of faith.
We Muslims fall prey to thesame consumerist lifestyle. Sometimes the
holy monthof Ramadan becomes a month of shopping, sleeping and binge
eating, astaghfirullah.
Let us – Christians, Muslims,Jews and all people of God – not follow
this path. Let'shew to a way of sacrifice, zakat (purification),
sadaqah (charity), zuhd (giving up material luxury).We don't have to
be monks, but we must focus on the things that matter: faith and
family.
There are movements that advocate a simple living, back-to-nature,
low-impactlifestyle. In Islam this is called zuhd , which could be
translated as detachment or asceticism. Zuhd is a choice that a person
makes to give up the hunger for material possessions and transgressive
carnal experiences, and live a simple lifestyle dedicated to God.
That's what we need.
The faith in our hearts is more important than the brand name of the
clothes we wear. Where our feet carry us – to someplace good or bad –
is more important than the cost of our shoes. The sincerity in our
hearts is more important than any gift. May Allah help us to see what
is important in life.

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Beautiful Muslim Women in History

What comes to your mind when I say, "A beautiful Muslim woman"? Many
of us may think of a woman in hijab (headscarf) or modest attire.
Hijab is indeed beautiful, but by thinking Islamic beauty is only
because of hijab, we are perpetuating the idea that beauty exclusively
applies to an image.
While our religion teaches us to take care of our bodies and to
maintain a pleasant physical appearance, it also emphasizes the need
for every individual to developan inward beauty: a beautythat comes
with knowing Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) and obeyingHim,
and that transcends the mere image of a person. This inward beauty
can actually become so radiant that it manifests in a person's
external appearance. It is for this reason that some of the righteous
people of the past would comment on the physical beauty of those who
prayed during the night or performed other righteous deeds.
OurProphet ﷺ (peace be upon him) mentioned again and again the beauty
of he or she who embodies good character. He ﷺ also emphasized to
those seeking marriage to look for the one who is beautiful as a
result of theircharacter and religion. In this way, Islam defines
beauty as something more profound than just the physical.
Our history is filled with beautiful women, women who were devout in
their service to God and who lived lives of purpose and meaning.
Their beauty is so much more than physical appearance; we see in them
the beauty of character, morals, deeds, speech and lifestyle.
While there are multitudes of incredible women to select from in our
tradition,I have specifically chosen not as well known women who will
shatter our narrow perceptions of beauty and break the stereotypes of
how a "righteous Muslim woman"should or should not be. Here is a brief
glimpse into their lives.
A West African Beauty: Princess Nana Asma'u
We begin with the story of Nana Asma'u, the daughterof Uthman don
Fodio, who was not only a renowned scholar of her time, but a poet, a
political and social activist, and a creative intellectual. She is
considered to be one of thegreatest women of 19th century Islamic
communities. She was bornin 1793 in modern-day Nigeria. A princess
with an impressive lineage, she was named after a hero in Islamic
heritage—Asma, the daughter of Abu Bakr, who was a strong woman in her
support of Islam. Shewas raised in a supportive Islamic household,
having not only memorized the Qur'an, but extensively learned the
Islamic sciencesand four languages as well.
Asma'u believed in women having a role in society andshe led the women
of her time by example throughout her life. One of her greatest
achievements was compiling the extensive collection of writings of her
father after he passed away when she was 27. The degree of respect the
scholarly community had for Asma'u is seen here because they chose her
to complete sucha monumental task. Not only did this job require
someone trustworthy, but also someone who was familiar with his
writings and was well-versed in the Islamic sciences.
When she was a mother of two and pregnant with herthird child, Asma'u
completed the translation of the Qur'an in her native tongue and also
translated her father's work into the various dialects of the
community. This shows herconcern for her communityand her desire to
bring the knowledge of the Qur'an and Islam to her people.
Asma'u saw a dire need for the teachings of Islam to reach the women
in her community and beyond the Sokoto region. She sawthat women were
absent from the circles of knowledge and stayed in their homes as they
tendedto their familial duties. Asma'u came up with a brilliant idea
to not only teach these women but to teach them in the comfort of
their homes. It was then that she gathered knowledgeable women in her
community and trainedthem as teachers. This group, known as jajis,
traveled to neighboring communities to bring Islamic knowledge to
secluded women. This movement was called the Yan-taru movement,
whichmeans "those who congregate together" and "sisterhood". Asma'u
taught the jajis to use lesson plans, poetry, and creative mnemonic
devices in their teachings.
Nana Asma'u, by the grace and guidance of Allah (swt), revolutionized
the way her community learned Islam. She brought the knowledge of the
religion to the people in aneasy to remember fashion and wrote in
their language. Her legacy is a legacy of scholarship and activism,
and her name is still used today in West Africa.

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Coup fears return to Pakistan

TRAPPED DEMOCRACY: Yousuf Raza Gilani leaves the Supreme Court
following a hearing in Islamabad in April this year.
~
Unrelenting pressure on government from judiciary,opposition parties
Always on the boil, the melting pot of conspiracy theories that is
Pakistan is now boiling over. Suspicionthat "hidden hands" were at
work in ousting Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani from office — reportedly voiced
by none other than the former Prime Minister at a closed-door meeting
— has given way to fears thatthe democratically elected government is
being encircled. When an arrest warrant was issued againstMakhdoom
Shahabuddin, the first choice for replacing Mr. Gilani, coup talk
returned to Pakistan full steam.
Many found the timing of the warrant suspect. The case had been
pending for sometime. To add to this, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) —
which is investigating this case — isheaded by a serving Army officer.
For a country all toofamiliar with military takeovers under one
pretext or the other, it wasenough to set alarm bells ringing.
Television anchorperson, Farrukh Pitafi, reflected the exasperation of
many when he tweeted: " Bhai , takeover kar lo (you might as well take
over)".
The ingredients were all there, raising the spectre ofthe 1990s when
politicianssparred often enough and so bitterly that it was easy to
play one against the other, the revolving door change of governments
ending with Pervez Musharraf's takeover that lasted a decade.
Despite the iconic aura it has gained since 2007 and the harsh words
it has used against the military ina couple of cases, the superior
judiciary's past has not been forgotten. Every military intervention
was validated by the judiciary and the present pantheon includes
judges who had validated Gen. Musharraf's coup. That has only added to
the apprehensions of a nation several times bitten.
The Dawn's editorial articulated these fears about the arrest warrant:
"Given the uncanny timing of yesterday's developments, we cannot rule
out the possibility thatthere are forces working behind the scenes to
prevent Pakistan's fledgling democracy from weathering the current
crisis."
Since the new PM-designate, Raja Pervez Ashraf, also has a fair
shareof cases against him, the joke in town was that efforts were on
to dig up dirt onQamar Zaman Kaira, the "cover candidate" introduced
into the fray by the Pakistan People's Party(PPP).
In any case, no one expectsthe new premier to have an easy run. As the
search for candidates for premiership was on, the bottom line was that
only those willing to be disqualified for five years need apply. It is
amply clear that the PPP is determined not to write tothe Swiss
authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
Among the first tasks awaiting the new man in would be the Supreme
Court order asking that theletter be sent. Or go the Gilani way.
Halo fades
But the PPP too is determined to hang in for the remainder of its
term, which ends in March 2013, despite calls from political opponents
to call it quits. Ironically, the man who selects the new Prime
Minister is the same personas the court's real target in the
government-judiciary standoff – President Zardari. So, expect more of
the same in coming months The two have beeneyeball to eyeball since
thePresident dragged his feet over the reinstatement of Justice
Chaudhry from 2008 to 2009. Mr. Gilani got caught in the crossfire, as
the judiciary stood tall over an inefficient government bogged downby
controversies.
Some of the halo around the judiciary – that harks back to the
lawyers' movement for the reinstatement of judges removed by Gen.
Musharraf— has faded in recent weeks with the Chief Justice's son,
Arsalan Chaudhry, being accused oftaking millions from a property
tycoon for influencing cases. More than the accusations, the manner in
which the Court handled that case has dented its image.
Writing in The News , lawyer Babar Sattar said the judiciary had
"squandered a vital opportunity to salvage its reputation as a neutral
arbiter of the law" with its judgment in the case.
The court's decision to disqualify Mr. Gilani has also drawn its fair
share of criticism, not out of any love or appreciation for thePPP-led
dispensation but because of what it portends for Pakistan's fledgling
democracy.
Expressing disappointment, The Dawn editorial said: "Legally there
might have been a case against the Prime Minister, but it was best
forthe supreme judiciary not to have waded so deep into such obviously
political waters."
Questioning the decision toask the Election Commission to notify Mr.
Gilani's disqualification instead of just referring thematter to it,
The Dawn noted: "By doing so, it has both disrupted an existing
democratic set-up and set a worrying precedent for the future."

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6.6-magnitude quakeshakes Indonesia - just now

A 6.6-magnitude earthquake shook Indonesia's Aceh province on Sumatra
island Saturday, the Indonesian Meteorological and Geophysics Agency
said.
The quake was centred 24 kilometres northwest of Subulussalam City, at
a depth of 103 kilometres, according to the agency.
There were no reports of casualties or damage.

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How to go to Hajj when I have children?

Q :->I have some questions regarding my children.
I wanted to keep them in an Islamic boarding schooland perform hajj
after enrolling them in one but as i am residing in nagpur i could not
find one. so what should i do?
Second, I have 17 tolas of gold which was given to me in marriage and
i am due on zakaat for past 8 years. What to do regarding this?
Please help. khuda hafiz.
A :-> Sister, if you have your Mahram who is taking youfor the Hajj,
then ask him to convince his relatives tokeep your children with them
until you return from the Hajj. Else you can do so with your
relatives, and insha Allah, they won't deny this.
Moreover, it is best if you can take your children with you on Hajj.
But if you plan to go on Hajj without a Mahram, then it is not allowed
for you to do so. You can not go for Hajj, without a Mahram.
As for he who did not offer
the obligatory zakah, it is
necessary for a repentant to
Pay them for all previous unpaid years, for it is, fromone angle,
Allah's right, while from another, the poor people's right. (See
Madaarij Al-Salikin for further details).
(islamqa)
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Love for your partner what you love for yourself

To summarize the duties of brotherhood and sisterhood in Islam, we
should love for our brother and sister what we love for ourselves.
This is an incredible teaching that if implemented would go a long way
towards improving relations between us. This spirit of love is
especially important between husbands and wives, as we often treat
each other as abstract enemies as opposed to Muslims, first and
foremost.
- Imam Zaid Shakir
This is an excellent observation and insightful piece of advice. Many
of usare familiar with this hadith but have not thought of it in terms
of husband and wife.
When we want for our spouse what we want for ourselves, it takes our
marriage to a new level oflove. We begin to think about our partners
needs and wants, we pray for our partner just as we pray for
ourselves, we work for our partner's material and spiritual success as
much as our own.
We also forgive them for their mistakes just as we would hope to be
forgiven. We praise them for the good they do, thank them, hug them,
and when they need it we correct them in kindness. That's love, and
it's what agood marriage is made of.

Rights of the Husbandand Wife in Islam

First of all, we'd like to state that in Islam the marriage of a man
and a woman is not just a financial and physical arrangement of living
together but a sacred contract, a gift of God, to lead a happy,
enjoyable life and continue the lineage. The main goal of marriage in
Islam is the realization of tranquility and compassions betweenthe
spouses. For the attainment of this supreme goal, Islam defined
certain duties and rights for the husband andwife.
For a detailed account of these mutual duties and rights, we'd like to
cite thefollowing:
"Piety is the basis of choosing the life partner. Many are the
statements of the Qur'an and the Sunnah that prescribe kindness and
equity, compassion and love, sympathy and consideration, patience and
good will. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, says, "The
best Muslim is the one who is best to his family." Also, he says, "…
and the most blessedjoy in life is a good, righteous wife." (Reported
by At-Tirmidhi)
The role of the husband evolves around the moral principle that it is
his solemn duty to Allah to treat his wife with kindness, honor, and
patience; to keep her honorably or free her fromthe marital bond
honorably; and to cause her no harm or grief. Allah Almighty says:
"…consort with them in kindness, for if you hate them it may happen
that you hate a thing wherein Allah has placed much good." (An-Nisa':
19)
The role of the wife is summarized in the verse that women have rights
even as they have duties, according to what is equitable; but men have
a degree over them. Allah Almighty says, "And they (women) have rights
similar to those (of men)over them in kindness, and men are a degree
above them. Allah is Mighty, Wise." (Al-Baqaraqh: 228)
This degree is usually interpreted by Muslim scholars in conjunction
with another passage which states, among otherthings, that men are
trustees, guardians, and protectors of women because Allah has made
some of them excel othersand because men expend of their means. Allah
Almighty says: "Men are in charge of women, because Allah has made the
one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their
property (for the supportof women). So good women are the obedient,
guarding in secret that which Allah has guarded. As for those from
whom you fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart,
and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them.
Lo! Allah is ever High Exalted, Great." (An-Nisa': 34)

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In My Heart

When the coals of faith are cooling off inside you;
and you feel like all you do is act a part;
When you're desperate for one ember that's still burning -
you will find it, hot and glowing, in my heart.
When you've lost that smilingimage of yourself,
and you don't know where to stand or where to start;
When you're looking for your compass and your candle,
you will find them, safe and protected, in my heart.
When some people label you a failure,
and the accusation pierces like a dart;
There's one to whom you've always been an angel;
I still love you, I still see you, in my heart.
Everything that's good and sweet about you -
and there's so much, you're a living work of art -
is alive in me, I've kept it like a songbird,
soaring still and calling in my heart.

Resilience is Contagious

Amy Estrada. Sure, life comes along now and then and blows you off
your feet. That'salright. What matters is that you get back up.
You don't have to have the answers. You don't have to besuperman or
superwoman. When the thundercloud opens up, who among us can stop the
rain? When the hurricane blows, who can stayon his feet? No one.
When the storm passes, stand up. Dust yourself off, take stock, and
move forward in the name of Allah. If the storm has disoriented you
andyou don't see the way forward, look to the Quran. "And if there
should come to you guidance from Me – then whoever follows My guidance
will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]."
(Quran, Surat TaHa, 20:123). The Quran is a mighty book. Never
underestimate it. If youcannot speak Arabic and find the English
translations unwieldy, get one of the modern translations that are
easier to read, like those by Umm Muhammad, or Thomas Cleary.
When you get knocked down and then stand up tall, with strength,
others see it, and it rallies them. Your spouse seesit, your children
see it, your friends see it, and of course Allah sees it. Don't think
of it as showing off. Not at all. Think of it as brotherhood
andsisterhood, all of us helping each other, giving each other
strength, being good shepherds to our flocks.
Superman is no hero, he's impervious to bullets! Real heroes get hurt,
they get down on themselves sometimes, they're imperfect,they struggle
to pay the bills and raise their children, they struggle to be become
stronger in their faith, but they struggle! They don't giveup.
That's inspiring, and it's contagious, and maybe sometimes it will be
someoneelse inspiring you, and maybesometimes it will be you, getting
up after the hurricane,showing us all how it's done.
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Believe in Allah, Because He Believes in You

I believe in Allah because He believes in me… and He believes in you
too. Believe inHis plan for you, have faith in Him, trust His guidance
to you,because He has faith in you, and trusts you.
Some people might challengethis assertion that Allah believes in us
and trusts us. Tome, that's surprising. Allah created nothing in vain.
Everything He does has a purpose. His creation of humanity was done
with intent.
Why were we created? Many Muslims will automatically respond, "To
worship Allah." That's true, but why does Allah want to be worshiped?
Furthermore, why did He create everything else – the stars, planets,
forests, seas, mountains, animals?…
Without presuming to know Allah's intentions, and returning to the
realm of the human for a moment, I will make a simple observation. Asa
writer, one of the reasons I write is because the act of putting my
thoughts and feelings on paper satisfies something deep within me.
I've been writing creatively since I was a child, and to me it's not a
hobby but a calling. I'm a writer, therefore I write;and I am a writer
because I write.
The same is true for a painter or any other artist. I imagine ifyou
asked a painter why he paints, you might get many different answers:
*. "It makes me happy"
*. "It's my passion."
*. "To express my ideas."
*. "To make money."
*. "I don't know, I just do."
The bottom line is that it's thepainter's nature to paint; it's her
calling, her function. She is a painter, therefore she paints; or she
paints, therefore she is a painter. Same difference.
Allah is Al-Khaaliq, The Creator. That is one of His names, one of His
attributes. He expresses this attribute by creating. You are a part of
thatexpression, and so am I. So is a blue whale, Mount Kilimanjaro,
the Grand Canyon, a dolphin, a mouse and an amoebum. Everything that
Allah created is amazing in its function and awesomelycomplex in its
design. Everything that He created is beautiful and purposeful.
Including you and me.
To create is an act of love. It isan act of faith. The Creator loves
you and believes in you.Believe in Him, believe in yourself, believe
in humanity,and believe in the unique path that Allah has chosen for
you.

Allah First

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Allah first, glorified and exalted be He. Not career, money, savings,
stocks, investments, 401K, IRA. Allah first. Not family, because we
cannot serve our families wellunless we serve Allah first. Not
culture, nationality, "race", caste, tribe, clan, lineage, social
status (all of which are utterly meaningless).
Allah first. Not material, shopping, sales – people get up early for a
sale but can't wake up for Allah – smart phone, internet, computer.
Allah, Allah, Allah first. Not movies, shows, fake celebrities who are
worshiped like idols. Not sports teams, city, school, neighborhood.
Only when we put Allah first can we stay that we have understood "Laa
ilaha il-Allah" (there is no God but Allah) – this simple sentence and
testimony of faith, over which Prophets have been killed, believers
persecuted, and which has been so little understood even by Muslims.
This Laa ilaha il-Allah was the call of every Prophet and Messenger
from time immemorial. Allah says about it, "…and know that Laa ilaaha
ill Allah (there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah)…" [Quran
47:19, 20:8, 3:18, 59:22-3]
And Abu Sa`eed al-Khudri said, that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
"Moses (AS) said: 'O Lord! Teach me something that I can remember You
with and I can supplicate You with'. He (Allah Ta'ala) said: 'Say 'Laa
ilaaha ill Allah', O Musaa'. He (Musaa) said: 'All of your servants
say this'. He (Allah) said: 'If the seven Heavens and those who dwell
in them other than Me and the seven Earths are put into one pan (ofthe
scale) and 'Laa ilaaha ill Allaah' is put into the other; 'Laa ilaaha
ill Allah' would be heavier.'" [Ibn Hibbaan and Haakim]
Laa ilaha il-Allah is the stuff oflegends. It is the calling card of
the Eternal Prime Mover. It has rights over us. It's a contract, an
oath, a promise tolove Allah before the people, fear Allah more than
the people, and to ask ourselves in every situation, "What doesAllah
want me to do here?" It's a vow to trust Allah beforethe people, call
upon Allah in times of hardship, thank Allah in times of plenty, and
know in our bones that our return is to Him.

It is haraam for a man toshake hands with a non-mahram woman in the Maaliki madhhab

I want to know in what reference it says that Imam Maalik forbade a
man to shake hands with a non-mahram woman.
There is an opinion which says that there are four possible scenarios,
and in only one is it regarded as haraam for a man to shake hands with
a non-mahram woman. These four scenarios are: when the one who is
shaking hands does it for the sake of pleasure and finds pleasure in
it; when he does it for the sake of pleasure but does not find
pleasure in it; when he does not do it for the sake of pleasure but
finds pleasure in it; and when he does not do it for the sake of
pleasure and does not find pleasure in it.
Who is the author of this opinion? Does he belong to the Maaliki madhhab?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
In Mukhtasar al-Akhdari and other Maaliki books there is an indication
that it is haraam to shake hands with a non-mahramwoman according to
the madhhab of Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him).
'Aleesh said in Minah al-Jaleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel (1/22): It is
not permissible for a man to touch the face or hand of anon-mahram
woman, and it is not permissible for them to put their hands together
without a barrier.'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
TheProphet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never accepted
the oath of allegiance (bay'ah)of a woman by holding her hand; he
would acceptwomen's oath of allegiance verbally. According to another
report: His hand never touched the hand of a woman; rather he would
accept their oath of allegiance verbally. End quote.
Secondly:
The details that you mentioned have to do with losing wudoo' by
touching; wudoo' is broken in the event of seeking pleasure, or
finding pleasure (even if he was not seeking it), or seeking it and
finding it. Wudoo' is not broken when one does not seek pleasure or
find it.
The prohibition is connected to doing it deliberately, whether there
is pleasure or not.
For more information please see the answer to question no. 21183 and 2459
And Allah knows best.

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Child marriage in Islam is subject to the condition that it serve a clear and real interest

From my understanding, Islamic Law states that if agirl passes
puberty, she is allowed to be married - regardless of whether she is
9, 11, 15 etc Does the law take into consideration her emotional and
mental readiness to be married, despite the physical abilityto be able
to bear children? It disturbs me that young girls who pass puberty are
automatically believed to be whole-heartedly ready for marriage and
motherhoodJUST because she is physically able to do so. Isnt it
equally important that she is emotionally and mentality ready for this
role?
Also - does Islamic Law also state that if a boy passes puberty
(regardlessof his age), he is ALSO allowed to be married?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is permissible for a man to arrange a marriage for his young son
even if he has not reached puberty; it is also permissible for him to
arrange a marriagefor his young daughter even if she had not reached
the age of puberty. It was narrated that there was consensus on this
point, but that is provided that compatibility is taken into account
and that a clear and real interest is served by this marriage.
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (may Allahhave mercy on him) said:
The scholars are unanimously agreed that the father may arrange a
marriage for his young daughter without consulting her. The Messenger
of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) married 'Aa'ishah
when she was six years old.
End quote from at-Tamheed, 19/98
Ismaa'eel ibn Ishaaq (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The father may arrange a marriage for a young (daughter) according to
the consensus of the Muslims, and that is binding on her.
End quote from at-Tamheed, 19/84
Ibn Shubrumah disagreed with that, as we shall see below.
Secondly:
It is not prescribed to arrange a marriage for a young girl unless
there is aclear and real interest to be served by doing so. Thesame
applies to young boys, but the ruling is emphasized more with regard
to girls because a boy has the power of divorce (talaaq).
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It should be noted that ash-Shaafa'i and his companions said: It is
recommended for the father or grandfather not to arrange a marriage
for a virgin until she reaches the age of puberty and he seeks her
consent, lest she find herself trapped in a marriage that she resents.
What they said is not contrary to the hadeeth of'Aa'ishah, because
what they meant is that he should not give her in marriage before
puberty ifthere is no clear and real interest to be served by that for
which there is the fear that it will be missed by delaying marriage,
suchas the story of 'Aa'ishah. Inthat case (i.e., if there is a clear
and real interest to be served) it is recommended not to miss the
opportunity to marry that husband, because the father is enjoined to
take care of his children's interests, not to neglect them.
End quote from Sharh Muslim, 9/206
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was of the view
that in the case of a girl who has reached the age of nine years it is
stipulated that she give consent and he said: This is the view
favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and this is the correct
view.
With regard to the girl who is younger than the age of nine years, he
favoured the view that thefather does not have the right to arrange a
marriage. He narrated from Ibn Shubrumah (mayAllah have mercy on him)
that he said: It is not permissible to arrange a marriage for a young
girl who has not reached the age of puberty, because if we say that
that is subject to her consent, her consent does not count (because
she is too young to make such decisions), and when she does reach the
age of puberty we believe that she should not be forced into a
marriage. The Shaykh said:This view is the correct one, that the
father shouldnot arrange a marriage forhis daughter until she reaches
the age of puberty, and when she reaches the age of pubertyhe should
not arrange a marriage unless she gives her consent.
But if we assume that a man regards this suitor as compatible and he
is old, and there is the fear that ifhe passes away and guardianship
of the girl passes to her brothers, they may not take the matter of
her marriage seriously and they may arrange her marriage according to
their whims and desires, not according to what is in her best
interests, and he thinks that it is in her best interests to arrange
her marriage to someone whois compatible, there is nothing wrong with
that, but she will have the choice when she grows up; if she wishes
she may say: I do not agree to this and I do not want it.
If the matter is like this, then the safest option is not to arrange
her marriage and to entrust her to Allah, may He be glorified and
exalted.

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I have cheated on my boyfriend, how can I get him back?

Assalaamu alaikum brother/sister,
I'm an international student in a university, I was in a relationship
with a guy for seven years when I was living back home; by that time
we also committed zina. We decided we would come abroad for higher
studies and live together here. Butsomehow he didn't get hisvisa but I
did and I came here because my parents put in too much money for this.
After I came here things started to get bad, he got into a depression
state and was jealous of me coming abroad, he used toconstantly hurt
me and berude and it eventually made me fed up of him and we had a
fight and didn't talk for 20 days.
By that time I met this new guy who was a very good person, always
prayed Salaah and motivated me to do so. Hegave me idea of hijaab and
I started wearing it. He basically introduced meto Allah's mercy a lot
morethan I knew previously. I fell in love with him and we kissed
which was only a spur of the moment. I wanted a person like him to be
my husband who will guide me through Allah's path and I will do the
same for him.
I was afraid to tell him that I committed zina withmy previous bf but
I told him I was in an abusive relationship (which was true). Somehow
my ex knew about this and he contacted my new bf and he told
everything about us.
However, I tried to manage things and we were in a good place with our
relationship and even decided to get married as Ihave also committed
zina with him. But I got dragged again with my previous bf and cheated
on my new bf a number oftimes. I went back home last year and I met my
ex, which my new bf got to know about. So now he hates me too much but
I fell in love with him. I'm trying to repent to Allah but whenever I
ask myselfwhy did I cheat? I get no answer from my heart.
I feel very guilty for mynew bf because he always supported no matter
how much it hurts him. I still want to get married to him but he hates
me too much as well as his family (who knew of my wrongdoings too). I
also feel ashamed to post this here, but I have no other option to
seek advice fromsomeone in an Islamic perspective. Can you please
advise me on what to do?
Thank you,
- Nafisa

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Greating Tips

Fact of life: One woman brings you into this world crying N the other
ensuresyou continue to do so for the rest of your life!
=
If u r married please ignore this msg, for everyone else: Happy Independence Day
=
Marriage is not just a having a wife, but also worries inherited forever.
=
There`s a way of transferring funds that is even faster than
electronicbanking. It`s called marriage
=
Man: Is there any way for long life? Doctor: Get married. Man: Will it
help? Doctor: No, but the thought of long life will never come.
=
Your wedding day is just the start Of a lifetime full of love N fun.
It just beginsas u take ur vows, When the 2 of u r joined as one
=
Hoping that the love u shared years ago Is still as strong today as it
was then Bringing u much joy ,love N happiness 2 celebrate again.
=
Q: During Marriage ceremony why is the bridegroom made to sit on the
horse? A: He is given his last chance to run away!
=
Marriage is that relation between man and womenin which the
Independence is Equal, theDependence mutual and the Obligation
Reciprocal

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Tall Grass

I could listen all day
to the eucalyptus leaves
rustling in the wind, passing it on.
You said once
that the world was stale and worn,
like a room where everything's been used.
Sometimes I wonder
if you were speaking of yourself.
I don't see the world that way,
or you either. At this moment
the clouds in the Eastern sky
are limned with red light
like the edge of a forest fire.
The cows across the road are grazing
in the acres that burned last year.
Now tall green grass growsthere.
I know they are slow beasts, barely aware,
but they love their calves,
and they worship in their way.
They are beautiful in their striped coats.
All is beautiful, especially you.
If your world is a stale room
then let me break the door
and carry you into the Junesunshine.
Maybe you're right that everything's been touched,
but the world renews itself.
The rains wash to the sea,
and all is clean. I know that-
like the acres where the cows graze -
you've been burned.
You said you have ten thousand questions
and nowhere to turn. You said
you are a painful mystery to yourself.
That's okay. None of us have answers,
none of us know our own depths
any more than we know the stars..
You are innocent as a child to me.
You are new, never stained,
the tall grass growing green
on the acres of your soul.

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Resilience is Contagious

"Resilience is contagious." –Amy Estrada. Sure, life comes along now
and thenand blows you off your feet. That's alright. What matters is
that you get back up.
You don't have to have theanswers. You don't have tobe superman or
superwoman. When the thundercloud opens up, who among us can stop the
rain? When the hurricane blows, who can stay on his feet? No one.
When the storm passes, stand up. Dust yourself off, take stock, and
move forward in the name of Allah. If the storm has disoriented you
and you don't see the way forward, look to the Quran. "And if there
should come to youguidance from Me – then whoever follows My guidance
will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]."
(Quran, Surat TaHa, 20:123). The Quran is a mighty book. Never
underestimate it. If you cannot speak Arabic and find the English
translations unwieldy, get one of the modern translations that are
easier to read, like those by Umm Muhammad, or Thomas Cleary.
When you get knocked down and then stand up tall, with strength,
others see it, and it rallies them. Your spouse sees it, your children
see it, your friends see it, and of course Allah sees it. Don't think
of it as showing off. Not at all. Think of it as brotherhood and
sisterhood, all of us helping each other, giving each other strength,
being good shepherds to our flocks.
Superman is no hero, he's impervious to bullets! Real heroes get hurt,
they get down on themselves sometimes, they're imperfect, they
struggle to pay the bills and raise theirchildren, they struggle to be
become stronger in their faith, but they struggle! They don't give up.
That's inspiring, and it's contagious, and maybe sometimes it will be
someone else inspiring you, and maybe sometimesit will be you, getting
up after the hurricane, showing us all how it's done.

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Hadees

The Mother of the Believers, Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith reported that
the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) came out from my apartment in
the morning as I was busy in performing Dhikr after Fajr (the dawn
prayer). He cameback in the forenoon and found me sitting there.
TheProphet (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) said," Are you still in the
same position asI left you?" I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon
the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) said,
•►"I recited four phrases three times after I had left you. If these
are to be weighed against all you have recited since morning,these
will be heavier. Theseare:
Subhan-Allah Wa bihamdihi, 'adada khalqihi, wa rida-a nafsihi, wa
zinatah 'arshihi, wa midadakalimatihi
(Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with His praise, as many
times as the number of His creatures, in accordance with His Good
Pleasure, equal to the ink that may be used in recording the words
(for His Praise)."
(Muslim 4/2090) —

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