Fathwa, - What a loving muslim wife should do when herhusband shakes hands with non-muslim women?

Question:
What a loving Muslim wife should do when her husband shakes hands with
non-Muslim women ?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most MercifulDear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
The solution is clear. Explain to your husband that it is not
permissible to shake hands with unrelated members of the opposite sex.
If he fears embarrassment, then offer to shake the women's hands for
him. And explain to the women in a nice way that Muslim culture does
not permit men and women, who are not related, to shake hands.
Nevertheless, if your husband persists, then leave this between him
and Allah. He may have to figure out this issue for himself.
Just advise him to be cautious and fear Allah inhis dealings, and then
goon with your life.
And Allah knows best.

--
- - - - - - - - -

- - ▓███▓ TRANSLATOR 1:->
http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en ▓███▓ - -
- TRANSLATOR 2 -
http://andrew-lviv.net/en/services/translator/?url=site.ua/ -

- - - -Tamil Translator
[http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=ta&hl=en ] -
''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' +
'''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' -

Directions on giving advice - II

Manners of giving advice
·Seeking the Pleasure of Allaah bygiving Naseehah )advice(
It is necessary that a person has the intention of seeking the
pleasure of Allaah Almighty whengiving Naseehah. Only such an
intention deserves reward from Allaah and acceptance from His slaves.
If the intention is other than that, then that person deserves the
anger and wrath of Allaah as well as the hatred and rejection of the
people - including the one being advised.
·Not slandering the one being advised
This is an affliction that has befallen many Muslims. Many times,
after taking a closer look, we find that the person giving Naseehah
actually wants to slander the person he is advising because of
personal hatred. This does not befit the one being advised and may
lead to a worse situation with no benefit resulting from the Naseehah.
·Naseehah is to be given in secret
Naseehah is most likely to bear its fruit when given to a person when
he is by himself, for in sucha situation the person is less likely to
be affected by the thoughts of others. The sincere advisor should not
aid the devil over his brother by publicly rebuking him and letting
Shaitaan )Satan( beguile his brother into not taking the Naseehah.
This closes the doors of goodness and acceptance, and reduces the
chances of the Naseehah from being accepted.
This is why our pious predecessors used to give Naseehah in secret.
Ibn Rajabwrote, "When the righteous predecessors intended to give
Naseehah to someone, they admonished him privately, to the point that
some of them said, 'The one who exhorts his brotherbetween him and
himself, then itis Naseehah. The one who exhorts him in front of
people, then it is merely scolding!'"
Al-Fudhail Ibn 'Iyyadhone of the pious scholars from our predecessors,
said, "A believer covers up and gives Naseehah, whereas an evildoer
exposes and humiliates." Ibn Rajab commented on this statement saying,
"It is Naseehah if it is witha cover, while it is humiliation with
broadcasting".
·Naseehah is to be given with kindness, gentleness and softness
A sincere advisor must be kind, soft and well-mannered in giving
Naseehah to others, as this mightget the desired response from the one
he is advising. One must understand that accepting Naseehah is like
opening a door, and that the door will not open without the proper
key. The one who is given Naseehah has a heart that has a lock in some
matter - for he has abandoned something that Allaah has demanded from
him, or has committed something that Allaah had forbidden him from.
There is no better key to unlock the heart than kindness in giving
advice, gentleness in exhortation and softness in speech as the
Prophetsaid,"Kindness is notto be found in anything but that it adds
to its beauty, and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it
defective."]Muslim[
·Do not compel others to follow one's Naseehah
It is Waajib )obligatory( on the advisor to render sincere advice to
others, but it is not his right tocompel others to follow his advice
as well. That is the right ofthe Muslim ruler upon his subjects, or a
Muslim Judge in his jurisdiction. A sincere advisor is one who guides
toward goodness, but he is not to command others to act upon it.
·Choosing the proper time to give Naseehah
The one giving Naseehah must choose the right time to give his advice,
since a person is not always ready to receive Naseehah. A person may
be angryabout something, upset about not getting what he wanted,
grieved for something he may have lost, or there may be some other
reason that might prevent him from responding to the Naseehah.
·Naseehah that is against Islam isnot to be followed
Giving Naseehah is part of Sharee'ah )Islamic Law(. Therefore, if
someone gives advice to act against Sharee'ah orto perform a forbidden
deed, then it is not called Naseehah. The one giving such should quit
doing that and the one being advised should not accept it.
Factors affecting the acceptance of Naseehah
I( Naseehah must be given according to the proper mannerswhich have
been described above.
II( One of the most important factors that contribute in one's
rejecting a fellow Muslim's Naseehah is arrogance. Arrogance prevents
one from accepting Naseehah and acting upon it; whereas, the one who
continuously strives to remove arrogance from his heart, finds it easy
to accept Naseehah. This is because the Prophetsaid,"Arrogance is to
reject the truth and despise the people".
Benefits of Naseehah
I( It purifies the one being advised from some weakness. When one sees
a fellow Muslim negligent in performing a good deed, or committing
some wrong, he should take it upon himself to mend the shortcoming.
The shortcoming may pertain to the rights of Allaah or to the rights
of His slaves.
II( When a believer gives Naseehah to his brother in Islam, he helps
him in a matter in whichhis brother has erred because thebeliever
loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
III( When a believer gives Naseehah to his brother, he is disposing of
the right that his brother has upon him. Just as you would not like to
see a fault in yourself, and would work to remove it, likewise, you
should not like to see that fault in your brother. You must hate to
see in him what you hate to see in yourself, hence, you should give
him Naseehah to remove that fault as you would have liked to receive
Naseehah to have that fault removed from you. Give your brother
Naseehah and guidehim toward goodness, and take him away from harm.
Giving Naseehah is a sign of true brotherhood, a way of bringing the
hearts closer, and of closing the doors of hatred and suspicion. This
is why 'Umar Ibn Abdul-Azeezsaid, "The one who grants Naseehah to his
brother in matters of his religion and concerns himself with mending
the affairs of this life; then, he has granted an excellentgift and
fulfilled a Waajib that was due on him .." If someone were to ask,
"How is Naseehah a right of brotherhood, when one'sfaults are
mentioned?" the answer is not to feel apprehension when your brother
informs you of your faults. He may know something that perhaps you are
unaware of, and is compelled to tell you about it out of sheer
compassion. It is a way of winning over the hearts ofthose who are
endowed with insight.
Shaitaan has declared war on all of humanity, and Allaah Almighty has
given the believers the tools necessary to win this war. Informing
each other of ugly deeds we perform or about loathsome characteristics
that we may have is like pointing out where the land mines are on a
battlefield. By pointing out these hidden dangers, we help to keep
each other from destruction. In this war of conquering the self, the
help, aid and guidance of our brothers and sisters is needed to assure
the ultimate victory, insha-Allaah )Allaah willing(, of true success
in this life and in theHereafter.

Directions on giving advice -I

Among the essential obligations Islam enjoins Muslims to do is to
offer sincere advice to people, whether fellow Muslims or others, in
the best manner, so as to spread good and eliminate evilin society.
How many of us have looked to our brothers and sisters in Islam and
have seen them straying from the path of Allaah, and haveturned our
faces away? How many of us have seen our brothers erring and said to
ourselves, it is none of my business? Well, it is our business, for
the Prophethas made it our business.
In the Hadeeth )narration( relatedby Tameem Ad-Daarithe
Prophetsaid,"The religion is )built on( advice."The people listening
asked,"To whom?"The Prophetreplied,"To Allaah, toHis Book, to His
Messenger, to theleaders of the Muslims, and the common
folk."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Prophetequated the entire religion to giving Naseehah, but what
exactly is Naseehah? Naseehah is an Arabic word that is usually
translated tomean "sincerity" or "sincere advice", but actually
embodies every type of virtue. As believers, this statement of the
Prophetmust be taken to heart. By learning what Naseehah is, we can
then act on it and bring about positive changes in ourselves and each
other. Naseehah is a wonderful weapon,but like most weapons, if the
user does not know how to use itproperly, it can cause more harm than
good.
How is Naseehah given to Allaah?
I( By establishing His worship by offering the obligatory deeds with perfection.
II( By believing in Him; negating partners from Him; not denying any
of His qualities; describing Him with all the qualities of beauty and
perfection; and declaring Him to be far removed from faults and
qualities of imperfection.
III( By establishing His obedience and turning away from His disobedience.
IV( By loving and hating for His sake; befriending and making
allegiance to those who obey Himand taking as enemies those whodisobey
Him; and turning toward what He loves and distancing oneself from
displeasing Him.
V( By appreciating His blessings, bounties and thanking Him for them
by obeying Him out of love and drawing closer to Him through the
heart.
VI( By calling to all of the above, teaching it and being sincere in
itfor His sake.
How is Naseehah given to the Book of Allaah?
I( By firmly heartily believing that it is the Speech of Allaah and
His revelation; it is not like the wordsof the creation; and none of
His creation is capable of producing something similar to it.
II( By respecting it.
III( By learning and teaching it; reading, reciting, and writing it
properly; understanding its meaning; staying within its bounds; acting
upon what is contained in it.
How is Naseehah to the Prophet,given?
I( By affirming his prophethood.
II( By firmly believing everything he came with; obeying him in what
he commanded and what he forbade.
III( By aiding himwhile he was alive and after his death; taking his
enemies as one's enemies, and befriending those who take him as a
friend.
IV( By realizing the greatness of his right upon us, honoring himand
reviving his Sunnah )tradition/practice(.
V( By practicing his Sunnah, spreading and affirming it; refuting
those who cast doubts upon it; spreading its knowledge and its
understanding; not arguing about it without knowledge; calling others
towardit; teaching it with gentleness; showing its greatness and the
greatness of those who adhere to it by attaching oneself to them; and
showing it its due respect when studying it.
VI( By loving Ahl-ul-Bait )his family( and his companions; turning
away from those who belittle his family or revile his companions.
Naseehah to the leaders of the Muslims
It is Waajib )obligatory( to give Naseehah to the leaders of the
Muslims, since they have faults and are not protected from committing
errors, but who are the leaders of the Muslims? They are:
I( The caliphs and others responsible for the affairs of the Muslims.
II( The religious scholars.
As for giving Naseehah to the rulers of the Muslims, it includes:
I( Assisting and obeying them in the right.
II( Reminding them if they err or forget.
III( Fighting Jihaad with them.
Giving Naseehah to the scholars includes:
I( Spreading their knowledge.
II( Spreading their virtues.
III( Having good opinion about them.
IV( Accepting their rulings if they give sound proofs for their decisions.
V( Giving them the benefit of the doubt, or making excuses for them if
they make mistakes.
VI( Honoring and respecting them.
Naseehah to the common Muslims
The following includes giving Naseehah to all Muslims, be they black,
white, Arab or non-Arab; be they sinful, ignorant or heedless. It also
includes giving Naseehah to Muslims, no matter which organization or
group theybelong to or if one likes them or dislikes them.
How is Naseehah given to the common Muslims?
I( By guiding them to what will bring them benefit in this life andin
the Hereafter.
II( By removing harm from them and bringing them benefit.
III( By teaching them what one loves for oneself and hating for them
what one hates for oneself.
IV( By teaching them what will benefit them.
V( By commanding them what is right and forbidding them what is wrong
with gentleness and sincerity.
VI( By being soft with them, honoring the elderly, loving and being
merciful towards the youth.
VII( By not being deceptive and jealous toward them.
VIII( Protecting their honor and wealth.

Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib

Equality and brotherhood of man in Allaah are two of the major
principles of the Islamic faith. We read in the Qur'an what may be
translated as:"O mankind! Indeed, We have created you from male and
female and made you Peoples and tribes that you may know one another.
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most
righteous of you. Indeed, Allaah is Knowing and Acquainted."]Quran,
49: 13[. Whenever we read the glorious history of Islam we are
reminded again and again of these principles, especially that of
equality. An interesting illustration of this involved Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalibwho was not only a beloved uncle of Prophet Muhammadbut
also a playmate )since they were only a couple of years apart in age(.
In the Battle of Badr, the first major battle in Islamic history, some
leaders of the Makkah community were forced to join the army of the
pagan enemies of Islam mainly through moral pressure. These included
Al-'Abbaas and another prominent leader of Quraysh, who was knownfor
his sympathetic attitude and conduct towards the Companions of
Muhammad. Realizing this fact, Prophet Muhammadgave orders to his
followers not to kill such people, pointing out thatthey were not real
enemies who deserved death. Later, when Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalibwas taken captive to Al-Madeenah, the Companions found
the Prophet sleepless. So they asked him: "Why areyou restless, O
Messenger of Allaah?" He Answered, "I heard the moaning of Al-'Abbaas,
due to the tightness of the ropes with which he is being tied." A
little while later the Prophet asked, "Why is Al-'Abbaas quiet now?"
He was told that someone loosened the fetters for him. The Prophet
ordered that the same be done with the other prisoners.
The second incident occurred when ransom was collected from the
prisoners of war. When asked to pay ransom for himself and some
followers of his, Al-'Abbaas said, "But I am a Muslim and I was forced
to join the Makkah army." The Prophet's answer was, "Allaah knows
about your Islam. If it be true, then He will reward you and return to
you whatever you pay. According to what appears to us, you have to pay
the ransom." Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abdul Muttalibdespite his relationship
with the Prophetwas treated on equal footing like any other prisoner
of war, and was freed only upon payment of his ransom.
The supporting spirit of Al-'Abbaas to Islam and its Prophet explains
his attendance of the secret meeting at Al-'Aqabah where seventy-three
Medinites gave their oathof allegiance to Prophet Muhammadto protect
him whenever he migrated to Al-Madeenah. It was Al-'Abbaas who checked
the sincerity of the Medinites for the Prophet.
After the Prophet'svictorious re-entry to Makkah, the pagan tribesin
the neighbourhood of Makkah joined forces to fight the Muslims. For
the first time the Muslim army exceeded twelve thousand in number. So
many of the fighters had a sense of self-assurance, an attitude that
leads to defeat. Some Muslims said, "Never will we be defeated due to
paucity."However, it was Allaah's will that His soldiers be properly
trained for the battles they were to enter at various places and times
on this earth. The Muslim army in the battle of Hunayn was surrounded
by the enemy )being ambushed and taken by surprise(. The Messenger of
Allaah turned to the right and said: "O people! I am the Messenger of
Allaah. I am Muhammad, the son of Abdullah." Those who stoodfast by
him were only a few emigrants andsome of his kinsmen and Al 'Abbaas
was one of them. The matchless bravery of the Prophetwas then brought
to light. He went on and on in his attempts to make his mule steadfast
in the face of the disbelievers while saying loudly:
"Truly saying, I am the Prophet
I am the )grand( son of Abdul Muttalib."
However, Abu Sufyan Ibn Al-Haarithwho was then holding the rein of the
Prophet's mule, and Al-'Abbaas, who was holding its stirrup; were
endeavoring to make it halt. The Messenger of Allaah dismounted and
asked his Lord to render him help.
"O, Allaah, send down Your Help!"
The Messenger of Allaahordered his uncle Al-'Abbaas — who was a
sonorous voiced man — to call out on the companions. As loudly as he
could, Al-'Abbaasshouted: "Where are the lancers?" Al-'Abbaas said,
"By Allaah, upon hearingmy voice calling them back, they turned round
to the battlefield as if they had been oryxes )wild cows( tending
towards their calves."
It was the Prophet's strong and firm faith in Allaah and his courage
aswell as the heroic nature and behavior of people like Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalib that saved the day in that battle, known as 'the
Battle of Hunayn.' At those critical moments, it was Al-'Abbaas who
stayed all the time with the Prophetalong with a handful of
companions. The battle took a new turn, the enemy was defeated, andthe
Muslim army came out victorious.
Al-'Abbaasas pointed out earlier, was an uncle of Prophet Muhammadand
a dear one for that. Besides this, he is remembered for being the
father of the well-known authority 'Abdullah Ibn Al-'Abbaas on matters
of the Quran and the teachings of the faith. He passed away in
Al-Madeenah in 32 AH during the reign of 'Uthmaan Ibn Affaan.
Source:
The Sealed Nectar, by Mubarakpuri

The Explanation of SooratAl-'Aadiyaat )Those that Run(

This Soorah )Quranic chapter No.100( is one of the short Soorahs of
the thirtieth part of the Noble Quran. Herein is its explanation
extracted from 'Tafseer Ibn Katheer', one of the most reliable books
of Tafseer )interpretation(:
Text:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
1. By the racers, panting,
2. And the producers of sparks ]when[ striking.
3. And the chargers at dawn,
4. Stirring up thereby ]clouds of[ dust,
5. Arriving thereby in the center collectively,
6. Indeed mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful.
7. And indeed, he is to that a witness.
8. And indeed he is, in love of wealth, intense.
9. But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered.
10. And that within the breasts is obtained,
11. Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day, is ]fully[ Acquainted.
Explanation:
"By the racers, panting,"Allaah, the Exalted, swears by the charging
horseswhich gallop into battle in the Way of their Lord, panting and
snorting.
"And the producers of sparks ]when[ striking"that is, strike their
hooves on the rocks, making sparks fly.
"And the chargers at dawn,"that is, carry out a punitive raid at
daybreak as the Messenger of Allaahused to do; he would first discern
whether Athaan )call to prayer( is raised in a certain town or not, so
if he did not hearit, he knew the people of the town were not Muslims
and he would attack them. If he heard Athaan, it meant the people
wereMuslims and thus their lives and property were inviolate.
"Stirring up thereby ]clouds of[ dust"that is, the horses' hooves
raise clouds of dust during the heat of battle.
"Arriving thereby in the center collectively"that is, they penetrate
into the midst of the enemy forces as one. 'Ali Ibn Abi Taalibsays
that"By the racers, panting,"refers to camels, as does.' However, Ibn
'Abbaassays that it means horses. Quranic commentators have differed
as to which saying is correct, though Ibn 'Abbaas and 'Ataa'pointed
out that no riding animal pants when it is running except the horse.
Those who said that it refers to horses understood from the second
verse that the horses' hooves strike sparks on the ground, although
some said it meant the raging of the battle between the riders, the
planning or strategy of the men, the kindling of the fires when they
returned home at night or the kindling of the fires in Muzadalifah,
during Hajj )pilgrimage to Makkah(. But according to Ibn Jareerthe
first explanation is the correct one. Ibn 'Abbaas, Mujaahid and
Qataadahsaid that the third Aayah )verse( refers to the dawn attack of
men on horsebacks in the Way of Allaah, while those who said that the
first verse referred to camels explained it asmeaning the journey from
Muzdalifah to Mina during Hajj.
"Stirring up thereby ]clouds of[ dust…"All commentators are agreed
that this verse refers to the feet of the animals churning up dust,
either in Hajj, or in battle. The third verse, according to
Al-'Awfiwho reports on the authority of Ibn 'Abbaas and 'Ataa', means
penetrating into the midst of the mass of the enemy. It is possible
that what is meant is the penetration of the mass of the Muslim
fighters into the enemy horde at one time.
"Indeed mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful."
It is to this that Allaah is swearing that man rejects the blessings
of his Lord. This explanation was the preferred one of Ibn 'Abbaas,
Mujaahid, Ibraaheem An-Nakha'i, Sa'eed ibnJubayr Ad-Dahhaak, Qataadah
andmany others. Al-Hasansaid: "He is the one who counts his
afflictions and forgets the blessings which come to him from Allaah."
"And indeed, he is to that a witness"Qataadah and Sufyaan
ath-Thawrisaid it means that Allaah is the One Who bears witness; it
is possible that "he" refers to man, as was said by Muhammad Ibn Ka'b
Al-Quradhi: That is, man is witness to the factthat he is an
ungrateful rejecter, his behavior being testimony to this, as in the
Words of Allaah )which mean(:
"It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allaah
]while[ witnessing against themselves with disbelief."]Qur'an 9:17[
"And indeed he is, in love of wealth, intense."There are two sayings
in regard to this verse; the first, that man is passionate in his love
of wealth, and the second, that he is greedy and miserly, and both of
these are correct. Then Allaah, the Most High, refers to the
renunciation of this world's pleasures, in favor of the Hereafter and
the situationof man at that time and the terror of it.
"But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are
scattered"that is, the dead will be expelled from their graves.
"And that within the breasts is obtained"
Ibn 'Abbaas and others said that this refers to thoughts and
deedswhich man kept secret which will, at this time be revealed.
"Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day, is ]fully[ acquainted."
That is, on that Day )of Resurrection( all of creation will be
assembled along with their deeds, to receive the repayment for that
which they did, and noneshall receive an atom's weight more or less
than he deserves.
This is the end of the Tafseer )explanation( of Soorat Al-'Aadiyaat,
all praise is due to Allaah and from Him proceeds all Grace.

--
- - - - - - - - -

- - ▓███▓ TRANSLATOR 1:->
http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en ▓███▓ - -
- TRANSLATOR 2 -
http://andrew-lviv.net/en/services/translator/?url=site.ua/ -

- - - -Tamil Translator
[http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=ta&hl=en ] -
''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' +
'''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' -

Dought - clear - Commentary on the hadeeth, “Allaah created Adam in His image” .

When Prophet says "Allah created Adam in his image" what does "his
image" refer to and how should we understand it?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari )6227( and Muslim )2841( narrated from Abu Hurayrah that
the Prophet )peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him( said: "Allaah
created Adam in His image, and he was sixty cubits tall. When he
created him he said, 'Go and greet that group of angels who are
sitting and listen to how they greet you, for that will be your
greeting and the greeting of your descendents.' So he said,'Al-salaamu
'alaykum )peace be upon you(,' and they said, 'Al-salaamu 'alayka wa
rahmat-Allaah )Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allaah.' So they
added)the words( 'wa rahmat-Allaah.' Everyone who enters Paradise will
be in the form of Adam, but mankind continued to grow shorter until
now."
Muslim )2612( narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah
)peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him( said: "When any one of
fights his brother, let him avoid the face, for Allaah created Adam in
His image."
Ibn Abi 'Aasim narrated in al-Sunnah )517( that Ibn 'Umar said: The
Messenger of Allaah )peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him( said:
"Do not say 'May Allaah deform your face' ]a form of cursing in
Arabic[, for the son of Adam was created in theimage of the Most
Merciful." Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn al-Ghunaymaan )may Allaah preserve
him( said: "This hadeeth is saheeh and was classed as such by the
imams and by Imam Ahmad andIshaaq ibn Raahawayh. Those who classed it
as da'eef have no evidence,except for the view of Ibn Khuzaymah, but
those who classed it as saheeh are more knowledgeable than him.
Ibn Abi 'Aasim also narrated )516( that Abu Hurayrah said: The
Messenger of Allaah )peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him( said:
"When any one of you fights let him avoid the face, for Allaah created
Adam in the image of His Face." Shaykh al-Albaani said: its isnaad is
saheeh.
These two hadeeth indicate that the pronoun in the phrase "in His
image" refers to Allaah, may He be glorified.
Al-Tirmidhi )3234( narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas that the Prophet)peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him( said: "My Lord came to me in the
most beautiful image and said, 'O Muhammad.' I said, 'HereI am at Your
service, my Lord.' He said, 'What are the chiefs )angels( on high
disputing about...'" Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Tirmidhi.
According to the lengthyhadeeth about intercession, it says, "... then
the Compeller )al-Jabbaar( will come to then in an image different
than the imagein which they saw Him the first time..." Narratedby
al-Bukhaari, 7440; Muslim, 182.
From these ahaadeeth we learn that it is proven that Allaah has an
image )soorah in Arabic(, in a manner thatbefits Him, may He be
glorified and exalted. Hisimage is one of His attributes which cannot
be likened to the attributes of created beings, just as His essence
cannot be likened to their essence.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: "The word soorah )image( in this
hadeeth is like all the other names and attributes narrated )in the
texts( where the words used may also be applied to created beings, in
a limited manner. When these words are applied to Allaah, they carry a
unique meaning, such asal-'Aleem )All Knowing(, al-Qadeer
)All-Powerful(, al-Raheem )Most Merciful(, al-Samee' )All Hearing(,
al-Baseer )All-Seeing(, and such as His creating with His hands,
rising above the Throne, etc." Naqd al-Ta'sees, 3/396
Everything that exists must inevitably have a form or image. Shaykh
al-Islam said: "Just as everything that exists must have attributes
that, so too everything that exists by itself must have a form or
image. It is impossible for something that exists by itself not to
have a form or image."
And he said: "There was no dispute among the salaf of the first three
generations that the pronoun in the hadeeth refers to Allaah, and it
is narrated through many isnaads from many of the Sahaabah. The
contexts of the ahaadeeth all indicate that... but when al-Jahamiyyah
became widespread in the third century AH, a group began to say that
the pronoun refers to something other than Allaah, and this was
transmitted from a group of scholars who are known to have knowledge
and to follow the Sunnah in most of their affairs, such as Abu Thawr,
Ibn Khuzaymah, Abu'l-Shaykh al-Asfahaani and others. Hence they were
denounced by the imams of Islam and other Sunni scholars."
Naqd al-Ta'sees, 3/202
Ibn Qutaybah )may Allaah have mercy on him( said: "That Allaah should
have an image is no stranger than His having two hands, fingers or
eyes. Rather those are readily accepted because they are mentioned in
the Qur'aan, but this idea )image or form( is regarded as strange
because it is not mentioned in the Qur'aan. But we believe in them
all, but we do not discuss how any of them are."
Ta'weel Mukhtalif al-Hadeeth, p. 221
Shaykh al-Ghunaymaan said: "Thus it is clear thatthe form or image is
like all the other divine attributes. Any attribute which Allaah has
affirmed in the Revelation, we must affirm it and believe in it."
Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheedmin Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 2/41
Shaykh Ibn Baaz )may Allaah have mercy on him( was asked: There is a
hadeeth narrated fromthe Prophet )peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him( in which he forbids saying "May Allaah deform your face",
and says that Allaah created Adam in His image. What is the correct
belief with regard to this hadeeth?
He replied:
This hadeeth is proven from the Prophet )peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him(, in which he said: "If any one of you strikes )another(,
let him avoid the face, for Allaah created Adam in His image."
According to another version: "In the image of the Most Merciful."
This does not imply resemblance or likeness.
What is meant, according to the scholars, is that Allaah created Adam
with the ability to hear and see, and to speak when he wants. These
are also attributes of Allaah, for He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, and
He speaks when He wants, and He has a Face, may He be glorified and
exalted.
But it does not mean that there is any resemblance or likeness. Rather
the image of Allaah is different from that of created beings. What is
meant is that He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing,and He speaks when He
wants, and He created Adam also able to hear and see, with a face and
hands and feet. But man's hearing is not like Allaah's hearing, his
seeing is not like Allaah'sseeing, his speaking is not like Allaah's
speaking. Rather Allaah has attributes that befit His majesty and
might, and man has attributes that befit him, attributesthat are
finite and imperfect, whereas the attributes of Allaah are perfect,
with no shortcomings, infinite and without end. Hence Allaah says
)interpretation of the meaning(:
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer"
]al-Shoora 42:11[
"And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him"
]al-Ikhlaas 112:4[
So it is not permissible tostrike the face or say "May Allaah deform yourface".
End quote. Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh, 4/226
Another thing that will help to explain the meaning of this hadeethis
the words of the Prophet )peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him(:
"The first group to enter Paradise will be in the image of the moon"
)Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3245; Muslim, 2834." What the Prophet )peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him( meant here isthat the first group
will be in human form, but because of their purity, beauty and
brightness offace they will look like the moon, so they are likened to
the moon, butwithout resembling it. So just because a thing issaid to
be in the image of a thing it does not mean that it is like it in all
aspects.
The Prophet's words, "Adam was created in His image" means that Allaah
created Adam in His image, for He has a face, an eye, a hand, anda
foot, and Adam had a face, an eye, a hand, anda foot... but that does
not mean that these things are exactly the same. There is some
similarity, but it is not exactly the same. Similarly the first group
to enter Paradise are likened to the moon, butthey are not exactly the
same. This confirms the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, who say
that none of the attributes of Allaah can be likened to the attributes
of created beings, without distorting or misinterpreting, or
discussing how or likening Him to His creation.
See Sharh al-'Aqeedah al-Waasitah by Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Uthaymeen, 1/107, 293.
For more information, see: Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed min Saheeh
al-Bukhaari by Shaykh al-Ghunaymaan, 2/33-98,in which he quotes at
length from Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah )may Allaah have mercy on
him(, refuting the misinterpretation of this hadeeth by ahl al-kalaam
and those who agreed with them.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought - clear - What is the meaning of Allaah’s name al-Muqeet?.

What is the meaning of Allaah's name al-Muqeet)The Ever All-Able, All-Witness(?
Praise be to Allaah.
Ibn Jareer mentioned a number of opinions concerning the meaningof
this name: al-Muqeet means al-Hafeez )the Protector(, al-Shaheed )the
Witness(, al-Hasab )the Sufficient(, the One Who is in control of all
things. He thought that the last interpretation is the correct one.
Allaah is al-Muqeet, i.e., the Protector, the Witness, the One Who is
Able to do all things.
Al-Muqeet is the Preserver, the Omnipotent, the Witness;He is the One
Who sends down provision to His creatures and shares it out among
them.
Al-Muqeet is the Sustainer; He is taking care of all living beings,
for when He causes partsof them to die over time,He compensates for
that.At every moment He gives them what they need to survive, until He
wills to put an end to their life – then He withholds what keeps them
alive, and so they die.
Some reports give the name al-Mugheeth instead of al-Muqeet.
Al-Mugheeth is interpreted as meaning the Helper, for He helps His
slaves at times of difficulty when they call upon Him; He answers them
and saves them. It also has the meaning of the One Who responds and
the One Who is called upon. Ighaathah ]help[ refers to actions and
istijaabah ]responding[ refers to words, but they may be used
interchangeably.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
"He is the Helper of all His creatures, and He responds to those who
are desperate."
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husna by Dr. Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 246

Dought - clear - - Names and Attributes of Allaah - What is the meaning of Allaah’s name al-Quddoos?.

What is the meaning of Allaah's name al-Quddoos )the Holy(?
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Quddoos )the Holy( is the One Who is Blessed and Pure, who is
exaltedabove all impurity. It was said that the angels sanctify Him
and He, mayHe be exalted, is the One Who is praised for His virtues
and goodness.
Allaah is al-Quddoos because He is far above having any opposites,
rivals, partner or son. He is described as being perfect, and is far
above having any faults or shortcomings at all. He isfar above
anything being near Him or like Him in any aspect of His perfection.
Ibn Jareer said:
"Taqdees)sanctification( is purification and veneration… Quddoos…
purity and veneration are for Him, hence land may be described as ard
muqaddasah or holy land, meaning that it is pure. When the angels say
'Nuqaddisu laka )we sanctify You(' it means we attribute to You
Yourattributes of being pure and free of all impuritiesand of all that
the people of kufr attribute to You. It was said that the angels'
sanctificationof their Lord is their prayer )salaah(. Then he
mentioned some of the comments of the mufassireen, who said that
taqdees )sanctification( may mean prayer, veneration,
glorification,magnification or obedience. Salaah and veneration come
back topurification because they declare Him to be pure and free from
all that the people of kufr attribute to Him.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
One of His attributes is the Holy, declaring Him to be above all
imperfection and glorifying the Most Merciful
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa by Dr. Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 198

--
- - - - - - - - -

- - ▓███▓ TRANSLATOR 1:->
http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en ▓███▓ - -
- TRANSLATOR 2 -
http://andrew-lviv.net/en/services/translator/?url=site.ua/ -

- - - -Tamil Translator
[http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=ta&hl=en ] -
''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' +
'''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' -

Islam & the World - The Prophet always reminded not to discriminate between neighbors when giving gifts

Building a strong Muslimidentity and independence doesn't mean
disassociating from the society in general. Muslims are required to be
participative members of society, partaking in all activities with all
walks of life as long as activities do not contradict Islamic
teaching.
Muslims need to be educated, demonstrate integrity and integration, as
per the Sunnah. Sometimes, by being part of a community at large,
Muslims are reminded ofthe favors of their Lord while living in the
temporary abode of the world. By following the Sunnah at all times,
Muslims are indirectly spreading the peaceful message of Islam and
representing their beloved Prophet Muhammad, which represents the
nucleus of Muslim identity.
In the advent of technology and social media, it is easy for Islam,
the Prophet and Muslims to become misrepresented, so Muslims need to
take extra care in portraying themselves in the correctlight,
according to what is set out in the Quran and the Sunnah. The Prophet
always reminded not to discriminate between neighbors when giving
gifts, even if the closest neighbor was a non-Muslim and to keep good
relations with non-Muslims at all times, even if they do not wish to
accept Islam.
The Quran also encourages Muslims to respond in kindness, even to
insults of a non-Muslim:
{Good deeds are not equal to the evil ones. Repel other's evil deeds
with your good deeds. You will see that he withwhom you had enmity,
will become your close friend.}(Fussilat 41: 34)
God reminds:{Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and
beautiful preaching; andargue with them in waysthat are best and most
gracious..}(An-Nahl 16: 125)
Islam is all encompassingand Muslims are reminded to build a strong
identity and independence at all times even when disputes arise.
Disputes between Muslims should be settled quickly and between Muslims
and non-Muslims, with kindness and in peace.
Muslim identity and independence was a telling sign of the first
Islamic civilization seen in Madinah. Over the decades, Islam still
thrives, but sometimes loses its strengths in the modern world, with
fewer Muslims able to stand together, united and strong.
Returning to the Quran and the Sunnah is the first step to re-enacting
such identity and independence, translating into thriving Muslim
communities across the globe.

Islam & the World - "No Muslim is a believer until he wishes the samefor his brother as he wishes for himself." Prophet Muhammad

The mosque should also be a place for celebration and socialization.
As per the celebrations inAl-Masjid Al-Nabawi- such as the wedding
between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima daughter of Prophet Muhammad.
Mosques today should look into celebrating weddings in their own
communities.
The mosque is also a place for entertainment. Aisha relays:
"The Messenger of Allah once covered me while Iwas watching the
Abyssinians playing withthe spears in the Masjid." (Al-Bukhari and
Muslim)
The companions would also convene to read poetry, a past time that was
much loved even before the advent of Islam. They practiced their
oratory skills in front of the Prophet, andhe would sit and observe,
and sometimes share a smile with them.
Capitalize on Individual Strengths
No man is an island, and neither is any Muslim. Muslims need each
otherand need to learn to capitalize on individual strengths. The
fabric of the Muslim community comprises of unique anddistinctive
individuals with unique skills and interests. Prophet Muhammad advised
to do whatever you wishedto do as long as you did not feel embarrassed
by it. Muslims are allowed to indulge in any field ofinterest of
expertise as long as the particularly field was not consideredas
"forbidden" in the Quran and Sunnah.
A thriving community is actually one that is self-sustainable – one
that can survive without heavy-duty reliance on others. If every
Muslim is able to hone into his/herstrengths and give back to his/her
society, there would be far better cohesiveness in building Muslim
identity and independence. This would also ensure a closer practice
tofiqh, for example in procuringlawful food, having Muslim women
support mothers during birth, and a robust education system that
revolves strongly around Islamic principles.
Helping each other and working together also fuels the love for the
brotherhood. Prophet Muhammad said:
"No Muslim is a believer until he wishes the samefor his brother as he
wishes for himself." (Al-Bukhari)
The fabric between theAnsarandMuhajireenwas also bound by the
unconditional trust between strangers who were striving to please God
alone. God commands for Muslims to stick together and move as one.
This is to ensure the best of companionship for each other, as it is
in human nature to follow the religion of friends.
Creating a self-sufficient community allows new opportunities to arise
through partnerships and joint projects. This can be molded on the
need to provide constantda'wahto non-Muslims and to build strong
relationships with those who are curious about Islam.

--
- - - - - - - - -

- - ▓███▓ TRANSLATOR 1:->
http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en ▓███▓ - -
- TRANSLATOR 2 -
http://andrew-lviv.net/en/services/translator/?url=site.ua/ -

- - - -Tamil Translator
[http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=ta&hl=en ] -
''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' +
'''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' -

"Ahle Bait"

Q 1: Which personages are included in "Ahl-e-Bait"?
A. Posterity of the Holy Prophet and his near relatives for whom
"Sadaqa"(propitiatory gift, alms) is unlawful, his pious wives
(revered mothers of believers), Hadrat Faatemah, Hadrat'Alee, Hadrat
Imaam Hasan and Hadrat ImaamHusain (may Allah be pleased with them
all) are included in Ahle Bait.
Q 2: What is the status of the Holy Prophet's wives?
A. It is proved by the Holy Qur-aan that the pious wives of the Holy
Prophet are superior to all women. No woman is like them in any way.
Their virtues and good deeds earned them more reward than other women
(i.e. twenty fold for them and ten fold forothers) owing to their
submission to and worship of Allah and their services and obedience to
the Holy Prophet.
Q 3: Which personages are called "Panj-tan-Pak"?
A. "Panj-tan-Pak (five revered personages) means the Holy Prophet
Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa(may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon
him), Hadrat Faatemah, Hadrat'Alee, Hadrat Imaam Hasan and Hadrat
ImaamHusain (may Allah be pleased with them all).
Q 4: What are the excellences of Ahle Bait?
A. The Qur-aanic verses and sayings of the Holy Prophet concerning
Ahl-e-Bait indicate that their excellences are numerous. Some of
themare:
1. Allah Almighty has cleansed them of impurity and purified them
well. They have been protected from such things which are
unbecoming of their status.
2. Hell-fire is Haraam (forbidden) for them.
3. Sadaqa (propitiatory gift, alms) is unlawful forthem because it is
dross of the property/ wealth.
4. The first group of believers for whom the Holy Prophet will
intercede on the Day of Judgement is of Ahle Bait.
5. To love them is one of the obligatory duties of Islaam and to
harbour ill-will or malice against them is hypocrisy.
6. The case of "Ahle Bait"is like Noah's Ark that the one who boarded
it was safe and annihilatedwas he who avoided it.
7. Believers have been emphasised upon to hold fast to the rope of Ahle Bait.
A tradition to this effect says: I am leaving amongyou two things i.e.
the Holy Qur-aan and my "Aal" (progeny), you willnever go astray
unless you abandon them. Another saying stresses the believers to
equip their off-spring with three qualities i.e. love of the Holy
Prophet, loveof Ahle Bait and regular recitation of the Holy Qur-aan.
Q 5: What are the excellences of Hadrat Faatemah (may Allah be pleased
with her)?
A. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: (1). I have named my
daughter "Faatemah" because Allah Almighty has protected her and those
believers who loveher, against hell-fire. (2).Hadrat Faatemah is
chaste and hell is "Haraam" (forbidden) for her and for her posterity.
(3).She is from me. I like what she likes and dislike what she
dislikes. (4).Addressing Hadrat Faatemah, the Holy Prophet once said:
O' Faatemah! Allah's anger lies in your anger and His pleasure lies in
your pleasure. (5). On another occasion, he said: O' Faatemah! Are you
not pleased with thegrace that Allah has made you the leader of all
female believers in paradise. (6). The Holy Prophet said (Hadrat)
Faatemah is dearest to me of all my family members.
Q 6: What are the excellences of Hadrat Imaam Hasan and ImaamHusain
(may Allah be pleased with them)?
A. The Holy Prophet said: (1) [Hadrat]Hasan and Husain are my two
flowers in the world. (2).He who loves them actually loves me and he
who harbours malice against them actually harbours malice against me.
(3). [Hadrat]Hasan and Husain are the leader of all youths in
paradise. (4) He who loves me and loves Hasan and Husain and their
parents [Hadrat 'AHand Hadrat Faatemah] will be in paradise with me.
In short, the Ahle Bait are Muqtadaa (leader) of
Ahle-Sunnat-wa-Jama'at (true followers of Sunnah). He who does not
love them is, indeed, accursed one. Hadrat Imaam Hasan andImaam Husain
are the "martyrs of high rank". Denial of their martyrdom is
misguidance and disbelief.
Q 7: Will the love of Ahle Bait be of any avail to believers without
the love of Prophet's companions?
A. It is obligatory upon every believer to love and respect
"Aal-o-Ashaab" (progeny and companions) of the Holy Prophet. One is
not true believer unless he loves Aal-e-Rasool. Similarly one's belief
is also defective until he loves the Prophet's companions. If
Aal-e-Rasool is a boat for the Muslim Ummah, the companions are stars.
Sothe help of boat and stars is must to achieve the goal of Islaamic
faith. A tradition runs in this respect which says: "the love of
Hadrat 'Aleeand malice against Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique and Hadrat
'Umar-e-Farooq can not stay together in the heart of a believer". It
means that it is against Islaamic faith to love onecompanion and to
hate the other.
Q 8: Who was Yazeed?
A. Yazeed belonged to Bani Umaie-yah family whose hands are
stainedwith the blood of HadratImaam Husain and his family members.
His crime will keep him earning hatred and scorn of the Muslim Ummah
till the end of time.
Yazeed was born to Hadrat Amir Mu'aawi-yah (may Allah be pleased with
him). He was awkwardly fatty, ill-tempered, drunkard, dissolute and
tyrant. He re-enforced usury and desecrated the Holy Ka'bah and Holy
Madinah.
Despite all these ill and blasphemous activities at his part,
believers should not call him "Kaafir" (infidel,disbeliever), as
Imaam-e-Azam Abu Hanifa's (may Allah be pleased with him) creed is
"Sukoot" (silence) to this effect which means that we can call him
"Faasiq-o-Faajir" (transgressor and sinful) but should neither call
him "Kaafir" nor Muslim.
Now-a-days some misguided people say that Hadrat Imaam Husain and
Yazeed were both princes and we got no right to speak about their
dispute, such people are Kharijites (those who dissented from Hadrat
Ali) and render themselves liable to be cast into hell-fire.
Q 9: Who are twelve Imaams of Ahle Bait?
A. Twelve Imaams (religious leaders) of Ahle Bait are: (1)Hadrat 'Alee
(2) Hadrat Imaam Hasan (3) Hadrat Imaam Husain (4) Hadrat
ImaamZain-ul-Abideen (5) Hd:Imaam Baqar (6) Hd:Imaam Jaffar Sadiq (7)
Hd:Imaam Musa Kazim (8) Hd:Imaam 'AleeMusa Raza (9) Hd:Imaam Muhammad
Taqi (10) Hd:Imaam Naqi (11) Hd:Imaam Hasan Askari and (12) Hd: Imaam
Mehdi who will come towards the end of the world.


--
- - - - - - - - -

- - ▓███▓ TRANSLATOR 1:->
http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en ▓███▓ - -
- TRANSLATOR 2 -
http://andrew-lviv.net/en/services/translator/?url=site.ua/ -

- - - -Tamil Translator
[http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=ta&hl=en ] -
''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' +
'''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' -

A Perfect Perceiver: Skin

You can hold and carry objects with smooth surfaces like a glass, for
example. You can feel softness when you touch a feather and hardness
when you hold a stone. Perceiving all this and sending necessary
signals toyour brain, your skin has the characteristics that enable
you to visualize the objects in your brain.
A great number of nerves exist in the fingertips. This provides you
with facility in movement and does not cause any inconvenience. On the
other hand, in "less important" regions, on a man's back for example,
there are fewer nerve endings present. This is a very important
advantage. Now, let's assume the opposite: Let's assume that our
fingertips are quite insensitive while nerves are arranged in greater
numbersat the back of our bodies. This, undoubtedly, would be very
troublesome. In such a situationwhile we could not use our hands
properly, we would feel the slightest object touching ourback, the
folding of our clothing,for example.
Human skin is a complex organ consisting of many layers, containing
nerves for perception, circulation canals, airing systems and heat and
moisture regulators which protect the body like a shield against the
rays of the sun. Because of this, a man can be in great danger if a
part of his skin is damaged. Under the skin is a layer consisting of
fat. This layer of fat serves as insulation against heat. Over this
layer is another one, most of which consists of proteins that give
theskin elasticity.
If we were to lift the skin and look just one centimeter below it, the
sight greeting us would be an unaesthetic, even frightful sight, where
fats and proteins and various blood vessels exist. By means of the
feature that enables it to cover these structures, the skin both
provides a very important aesthetic contribution and also enables us
to protect ourselves from outside factors. It will be sufficient to
remark upon a couple of the functions of the skin that makes it vital
for us and to ponder on them in order to understand the importance
ofits existence.
Human skin prevents the disturbance of the water balance of the body,
is strong and elastic, can repair itself, protect the body from
harmful rays, maintains contact with the outside world, and protect
the temperature of the body in cold or hot weather.
Human skin, which functions as a sensitive detector and an advanced
air-conditioner meeting all kinds of needs, is a blessing that has
been created by God, with the beauty it provides visually and the
features it has to protect man. The skin, about which many pages of
books have been written, once again displays God's magnificence in
creation to us.

WHY IS DENYING THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION PORTRAYED AS REJECTING DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS?

THE word "evolution" has been used in several senses in recent times.
A social aspect has been added to it, for instance, and theword has
come to mean human progress and technological development. There is
nothing wrong with the concept of "evolution" when it is used in this
sense. There is no doubt that man will use his intelligence,
knowledge, and strength to develop over time. The sum of human
knowledge will grow from generation to generation. In the same way
that this is not evidence for the theory of evolution itself, which
seeks to explain the emergence of life by chance, neither does it
conflict in any way with the fact of creation.
Yet evolutionists engage in a facile word game here, and confuse a
true concept with a false one. For example, it is true to state that
"On account of man's long years of living as a social being, his
knowledge, culture, and technology are in a constant state of
development." (We must remember, however, that there can be regression
over time as well as progress. Sociologically speaking, there have
been times of progress, as well as times of stagnation and
regression.) However, the claim that "In the same way as man has
developed and progressed, living species have also advancedand changed
over time" is completely false. Although it is perfectly logical and
scientific to say that, as a thinking being, man's knowledge has
increased and been passed on to subsequent generations, allowing
constant progress, it is utterly senseless to claim that living
species developed and evolved by chance and coincidence, in accordance
with uncontrolled and unconscious natural conditions.
The greatest names in the advancement of science were all creationists
No matter how much evolutionists try to identify themselves with
concepts such as innovation and progress, history has shown that the
real initiators of innovation and progress have always been faithful
scientists who have believed in divine creation.
We see the mark of such believing scientists at every point of
scientific progress. Leonardo da Vinci, Copernicus, Kepler, and
Galileo, who opened a new era in astronomy, Cuvier, the founder of
paleontology, Linnaeus, the founder of the modern classification
system forplants and animals, Isaac Newton, the discoverer of the law
of gravity, Edwin Hubble, who discovered the existence of the galaxies
and the expansion of the universe, and many othershave believed in God
and that life and the universe were created by Him.
One of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century, Albert Einstein, said:
I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith.
The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion
is lame...1
The German Max Planck, who laid the foundations of modern physics, said:
Anybody who has been seriouslyengaged in scientific work of anykind
realises that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science
are written the words: Ye must have faith. Itis a quality which the
scientist cannot dispense with.2
The history of science reveals that change and progress have been the
work of creationist scientists. On the other hand, of course,
scientific developments in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
especially have allowed us to come by countlesspieces of evidence of
creation. Modern science and technology have allowed us to discover
the fact that the universe came into being from nothing, in other
words that it was "created." It isa fact accepted by the whole
scientific world that the universecame into being and developed as a
result of the explosion of one single point. In this way, themodel of
the infinite universe, with no beginning or end, maintained by
materialists under the primitive scientific conditions of the
nineteenth century has been destroyed. It has been realised that the
universe was created, as it says in the Qur'an, and that it has a
beginning and frontiers and has expanded over time. The Qur'an
expresses this fact thus:
Do those who disbelieve not seethat the heavens and the Earth were
sewn together and then We unstitched them and that We made from water
every living thing? So will they not believe? (Surat al-Anbiya,30)
It is We Who have built the universe with (Our Creative) power, and
verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Surat adh-Dhariyat,
47)
It was again twentieth century scientific progress that allowed us to
discover more evidence of the design in life. The electron microscope
revealed the structure of the cell, the smallest unit of life, as well
as the parts that comprise it. The discovery of DNA demonstrated the
infinite intelligence in the cell. Biochemical and physiological
advances have shown the flawless workings at the molecular level of
the body, and its superior design which cannot be explained by
anythingother than creation.
As opposed to all this, it was theprimitive state of science 150 years
ago that prepared the ground for the formation of the theory of
evolution.
In conclusion, it is impossible to consider those who believe in
creation, and who constantly provide new evidence of it, as being
opposed to progress, development, and science. On the contrary, such
people are their greatest supporters. Those who actually oppose
progress are those who turn their backs on all the scientific evidence
and defend the theory of evolution, which is nothing but an
unsubstantiated fantasy.
1. Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium, published by the
Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in Their Relation to
the Democratic Way of Life, Inc., New York, 1941, (emphasis added)
2. Max Planck, Where Is Science Going?, Allen & Unwin, 1933, p.214,
(emphasis added)

DEVOTED TO ALLAH

The Purpose Of A Believer's Life: The Approval Of Allah
… Allah will guide to the ways ofpeace those who follow what pleases
Him. He will bring them by His will from darkness to the light, and
will guide them to a straight path. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 16)
What makes a Muslim different from other people? Non-Muslimsmay answer
this question in a number of ways; They may talk about cultural and
moral differences, about "different outlooks on the world" or
valueswhich they deny outright. Alternatively, some may say the
difference has its roots in the different ideologies which Muslims
embrace. However, all these answers relate to "visible" differences
that appear to be theconsequences of a more fundamental one. Often,
they failto grasp the reasons underlying this difference. (In fact, if
they are not Muslims, it is because they have failed to grasp this
very difference.)
There is one point to be stressedbefore proceeding to explain thebasic
attribute that makes a Muslim different: When we talk about a
"Muslim," we are not referring to someone whose ID card has the word
"Muslim" written on it. Muslim is actually the name Allah gives to
those who adhere to His religion. The basic attribute, referred to in
theQur'an, that distinguishes Muslims from other people is their being
aware of Allah's infinite might. Awareness of Allah's infinite might
does not inall cases mean affirmation of theexistence of a Creator,
however. The Qur'an underlines this fact as follows:
Say: "Who provides for you out of heaven and earth? Who controls
hearing and sight? Whobrings forth the living from the dead and the
dead from the living? Who ordains all things?" They will reply,
"Allah." Say, "Then will you not fear Allah? Such is Allah, your Lord,
the Truth, and what is there after truth except misguidance? How then
can you turn away from Him?" (Surah Yunus: 31-32)
In the verse above, the questions are put to somebody who acknowledges
the existence of Allah, accepts His attributes yet, despite all these
attributes, has no fear of Allah and thus turns away from Him. (In
fact, Satan does not reject the existence of Allah either.)
Grasping Allah's might is not only a matter of verbal confirmation.
Believers are thosewho recognise Allah's existence and His greatness,
"are steadfastin their duty" to Him and re-orient all their deeds and
conduct in the light of this reality which has become apparent to
them. Others, on the other hand, are either those who deny Allah, or,
as in the case of the people depicted in the above verse, those who do
not perform their duty to Allah, despite their awareness of His
existence.
Throughout their lives, such people remain entirely oblivious of
Allah, the Creator of man. To whom they owe their life and how and why
they were granteda lifetime on earth are questionswith which they do
not care to concern themselves. They envision a kind of life entirely
separate from Allah and His religion. However, the following
comparison in the Qur'an makes it clear that such a life rests upon
vain and rotten bases and is doomed to destruction:
Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and
His approval; or someone who founds his building on the brink of a
crumbling precipice, so that it collapses with him into the Fire of
Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at Tawba: 109)
As the above verse also informs us, the lives of those who lack faith,
as described in the Qur'an, are founded on the brink of a "crumbling
precipice." The major goal to which unbelievers are committed is the
attainmentof happiness and peace "in this world." In this sense, what
they most want is to become rich. They do their best to achieve this
goal, making all-out physicaland mental efforts. For others, on the
other hand, becoming a respected and well-known person is the purpose
of life; they will do anything and make any sacrifices to earn public
respect. However, these are nothing but worldly goals that will vanish
once death comes upon them. Some of them may even elude their grasp
right herein this world.
A believer, however, is fully aware of Allah's existence and might. He
knows why Allah has created him and what His expectations are of him.
For this reason, his basic aim in life is to be a servant with whom
Allah is pleased. He employs all means to try to reach his goal, and
strives to do so. This being the case, he resolves the mystery of
death: for many it means nothing but the ultimate end but for him,
death is not extinction, but a phase of transition to the real life.
Disbelievers assume death, which they take to be an incident that puts
an end to their lives, to be a "self-generated accident," just as
theyassume life to have emerged coincidentally and spontaneously. The
fact is, however, that Allah creates life and likewise takes it away.
Death, which is by no means a coincidence or an accident, is an
incident that takes place by the law of Allah at a predestined moment
and place.
A Muslim is a person who graspsthat Allah has power over all things
and that death is not an end but a transition to the real abode of man
(the hereafter). Aware of these facts, he carefullyavoids building his
life on a "crumbling precipice." He turns to Allah, aware that He is
the real Owner and Creator of life, death and what lies beyond. In
this system created by Allah, he comprehends that wealth, socialstatus
or good looks are not the means that lead man to success;they are only
"causes" operatingunder the rules laid down by Allah, which are
effective for only a brief period of time.
The key to the system that Allah has created is the consent of Allah.
That is because Allah guides only those who seek His approval.
…Allah will guide to the ways of peace those who follow what pleases
Him. He will bring them by His will from darkness to the light, and
will guide them to a straight path. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 16)
A Muslim is a Muslim because he seeks Allah's approval. This is the
most important trait that makes a Muslim different from all other
people. Muslims see religion as a way to earn Allah's approval,
whereas the majority of people consider it to be a system of beliefs
which occupiesan insignificant portion of their lives.
Indeed, at this very point there emerges the distinction between real
Muslims and those who imitate them (hypocrites). Muslims embrace
religion as a path of guidance to the approvalof Allah. For
hypocrites, however, it is something from which they derive benefits.
That is why a hypocrite's prayers are of a "pretentious" nature (Surat
al-Ma'un: 6) while Muslims pray in humility (Surat al-Mu'minun: 1-2).
Similarly, while Muslims spend their money in Allah's cause,
hypocrites spend to impress people rather than to earn Allah's
approval.
You who believe! Do not nullify your almsgiving by demands for
gratitude or insulting words, like him who spends his wealth,showing
off to people and not having faith in Allah and the LastDay. He is
like a smooth rock coated with soil, which, when heavy rain falls on
it, is left stripped bare. They shall have no power over anything they
have earned. Allah does not guide the unbelievers. (Surat al-Baqara:
264

--
- - - - - - - - -

- - ▓███▓ TRANSLATOR 1:->
http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en ▓███▓ - -
- TRANSLATOR 2 -
http://andrew-lviv.net/en/services/translator/?url=site.ua/ -

- - - -Tamil Translator
[http://translate.google.com.my/m?sl=auto&tl=ta&hl=en ] -
''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' +
'''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''"''"' '''''''''''''''''''' -

Justice: Islam’s ultimate value

Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:"And the heaven He raised and
imposed the balance. That you not transgress within the balance. And
establish weightin justice and do not make deficient the
balance."]Quran 55:7-9[
These verses of the Quran, which are mentioned in the
chapterAr-Rahmaan, or")God( the All-Merciful" stand out in their
emphasis of the importance of justice because they unite justice with
the important theological principle of Allaah'sKhalqandAmror His
"Creation and Command." These verses make justice both the basis of
the creation and its source of continuity )by commanding justice(.
This is true because, in essence, the balance is the symbol of justice
and its means of realization at the same time.
Heavens and earth were originallycreated with justice in a balancedway
and they can only )or were meant to( continue with it. Muslims
accepted this magnificent guidance and ultimate value of life, more
than 1400 years ago. The great Commentator of the Quran, Imaam Abu
Ja'far At-Tabari )d. 310 AH( expounded the aforementioned verses,
saying,"Allaah created Heavens and Earth by )and in( justice so that
all things in them exist )and interact( by )and in( justice."
And there is not a single nation, past or present, but that it has
asserted its claims of honoring justice and being just. Yet, the
justice they claimed, at times, meant nothing more than what the
"powers that be" wanted. Or sometimes justice represented what is
recognized and utilized by a majority or a certain religion or
ethnicity. What humans mean by justice, in other words, may differ in
its meaning and means from one nation to another. It is interesting to
note that Socrates )killed in 339 BC( defined justice as the, "Will of
the powerful," and it is also interesting that this applies the vast
majority of the time in situations when religious values are absent or
weak. It is even more interesting that some of the theories man has,
overtime, developed using 'rationality' and empiricism, and which
exceedingly tilt the balance of justice in favor of the powerful or
the rich, still flourish in modern times and continue to find
advocates or even unabashed supporters who will kill or die for them.
In one of the 100 or so verses which deal with theessentials of
justice and fairness, the Quran tells us of this perversion of justice
that sometimes occurs in the course of human events. Verse 25 of the
chapter )57(Al-Hadeed,"the Iron," pregnant with meanings and profusely
poignant, lay bear the reality about the roots of injustice among
people. Many people mention being motivated by hearing this verse
recited just once. Allaah Says )what means(:"We have already sent Our
messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture
and the balance that the people may maintain ]their affairs[ in
justice. And We sent down iron, wherein is great military might and
benefits for the people, and so that Allaah may make evident those who
support Him and His messengers unseen. Indeed, Allaah is Powerful and
Exalted in Might."]Quran 57:25[ So many points of benefit, so much to
learn and liveby. For one, the balance of justiceis mentioned along
with the Books, guidance from Allaah, to indicate that true justice
needs a compass to save itself from relativism and free judgment from
personal drive. This also means that the interpretation of Allaah's
Guidance must be free from whims and ignorance, and this effort to
free one's self from whims and ignorance is what Muslim scholars—who
are the interpreters of Allaah's Final Message— termIjtihaad. Thepoint
is that Allaah's Guidance entails that only people of knowledge who
are able and honest may interpret Divine texts. Ignoring this
prerequisite has led—in many times and places—to gross justifications
and evil consequences. Without this guidance, man has done enough to
give Socrates' definition of justice precedence over any other.
Another point worthy of our attention here is the fact that Allaah is
reminding us that He has provided the messengers with iron to go along
with the guidance and the command to establish justice. Man has
known,for untold centuries, that he cannot institute justice in almost
any walk of life, or protect justicewhenever needed, without the power
of iron.
But the intent of the message of this verse is unambiguous.
Allmessengers from Allaah, who were sent to various nations throughout
history, came with the very same message.
The implication of this is so profound, especially for today's Muslims.
We must acknowledge and respect that loving and establishing justice
is a human trait, not an attribute of the Muslim Ummahalone. In fact,
our scholars have long asserted, based on the aforementioned verses
among many others, that Allaah grants supremacy to a justgovernment or
nation even though it may be disbelieving, and He takes away supremacy
from an unjust government or nation even though it may be believing.
This is how just the Islamic worldview is.
And a Muslim would not be completely truthful to his belief without
accepting this view. Muslims should support justice and those who seek
it and they should feel happy every time justice triumphs.
But judging by the current situation of most Muslim countries and
communities around the world, itis not difficult to see that we have
strayed from justice.
To lure itback home, we need to mend our ways and make them coincide
with the guidance of ourKitaab)the Quran( first.

Slavery and freedom

The only option for man is to choose between two slaveries: slavery of
his Creator, or slavery of all else. The prevalent Western thought
today is essentially atheistic in nature, for it traces its origins to
a reaction against the Church authority in medievalEurope, which
subsequently became a reaction against religion in general. The effort
wasreally to formulate a philosophical basis independent of religion,
which was to becomethe foundation of the new scientific, political,
economic, social and psychological thought.
This does not imply that all the details of knowledge thus produced
are false, but that in essence, the foundation of all such knowledge
is frail.
Often we mistakenly isolate the Western thought from its original
environment and its secular and atheistic roots, considering it sound
human thought valid for all times and places. Quite often, we even
naively go on to claim, about one or another aspect of this thought,
that our own Deen )religion( asserts precisely the same, or at least
there is no contradiction.
In this article, I give an example of the concept of freedom, that
ismore or less agreed upon in the contemporary world that illustrates
my point.
A free person is one whose freedom is absolute with no bounds
whatsoever. He acts as hewills and does what he wills. However, any
act necessitates knowledge, motivation and ability. An absolutely free
man, thus, must possess absolute knowledge, perfect motivation and
limitless ability. This is outright impossible. No actor canpossess
absolute knowledge, motivation and ability unless he is totally
independent and self-sufficient of others and needs no knowledge or
skill fromothers, for that would violate absolute freedom.
Hence, the claim of the advocatesof democracy that man cannot befree
if he obeys a law that is not of his own making, is essentially
correct. However, they admit thatman must live in a society, and this
social life necessitates the existence of a State that commands,
prohibits and watches; and the laws whereby the State carries out all
these activities cannot be made by all the constituents of society.
Though the participation of individuals in a democratic system is
more, than in alternative systems, the enactment of laws is inevitably
the work of a minority of individuals who constitute the legislative
system. It follows that even in a democracy, the people are not really
free except to a small extent.
In fact, we argue that even participation in the enactment of laws is
not a guarantee, for individual freedom for the individuals will
invariably be dictated by the desires of their lower selves.
An individual who deprives himself of Divine guidance ends up doing
all that his lower desires demand or his lust dictates -- like
engaging in excessin food, drinking wine, drugs andobscenity. Such a
human being -- and the likes of this abound in the West today -- is
not free. True, he may not ostensibly be a slave of another human
being, but he is a slave of his own low desires.
What is the way out of this slavery? The kind of freedom demanded by
Western philosophies, in fact, is outright impossible. All people,
including the atheists, admit that man is not his own creator, or his
own sustainer; his knowledge is earned, not essential, and imperfect,
and that he must depend for his life on factors out of his control.
Sunlight comes from sun, water from rain, vegetation from the land,
and he needs all that, without controlling any of it. So how is
freedom possible? How can he beself-sufficient?
The faithful believe that Allaah is the Creator, the Omniscient and
Omnipotent, Who does as He pleases, and needs no one. Man, on the
other hand, is created, and by virtue of this, is owned by his
Creator. The one owned is a slave, not free. This essential fact of
creation points to man being aslave, not a free entity.
However, he is a slave of the Creator and not of creation like
himself. This slavery to his Creator is the very essence of his being,
whether he likes it or not. In all that he does, he is bound and
limited by the Will of his Creator.
True, man too has a will and freedom of action, but it is his Creator
who decided to give him this freedom of will. Man's will, therefore,
is not absolute, but limited by the Will of his Creator. If the
Creator has the absolute Will, man may will what does notactualize,
and may encounter what he does not like.
The Creator who made for His creation natural laws that are beyond the
domain of human will, also made the laws of Sharee'ah -- a code for a
life of willing submission to Allaah, without which true success --
worldly or heavenly -- is impossible.
Doing what you will against the will of Allaah even with your
ownproperty is a challenge to His authority, as mentioned in the Quran
)which means(:"They said: O Shu'ayb! Does your salaah )prayer( enjoin
you that we should forsake what our fathers worshipped or that we
should not do what we please with regard to our property?"]Quran
11:87[
Pharaoh also thought his opinionsuperior and dictated it to his
people, as mentioned in the Quran )which means(:"Pharaoh said: 'I do
only show you what I see, and I do but guide you to wise
policy'."]Quran 40:29[
But the Creator Lord says )what means(:"No just appraisal of Allaah do
they make when they say: 'Allaah sends down nothing to man )by way of
revelation(.'"]Quran 6:91[
And )what means(:"Does man think that he has been left aimless?"]Quran 75:38[
And )what means(:"Say: 'See what things Allaah has sent down to you
for sustenance? Yet you hold some things unlawful and others lawful
)without authority from Allaah(.' Say: 'Has Allaah indeed permitted
you, or do you attribute lies to Allaah?'"]Quran 10:59[
We conclude that the assertion that man is free or must be free, in
the absolute sense used widelyin the West, is utterly falsified by
reality. Furthermore, such an assertion negates belief that manis a
slave-servant to Allaah and must obey His decrees. Even some Christian
authors seem to have realized this, among them the famous English
author Lewis who said, roughly: 'I was not born to be free, rather to
listen and obey.'

Facts & misunderstandings aboutthe Bible

In the Quran Allaah informs us that He revealed a number of books,
including thepagesof Prophet Abraham )Ibraaheem(, thePsalmsof Prophet
David )Daawood(, theTorahof Prophet Moses )Moosaa(, theInjeel)Gospel(
of Prophet Jesus )'Eesaa(, and finally, theQuranof Prophet Muhammad.
Of these revealed texts only the Quran remains intact in its original
form. All of the others )ascomplete books( have been lost, their
remains have survived only as fragments or tampered with in some way
so as to make their authenticity doubtful. Nowhere in the Quran is the
Bible even mentioned, to say nothing of its being among the revealed
texts of Allah, or as Christian claim "The Word of God." Further, we
know from respected scholars that although some fragments ofthePsalms,
theTorah, and theInjeel)the teachings of Prophet Jesus( may be found
in the Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, the Bible
cannot rightfully be called "The Word of God." Why is this so?
As one publisher )Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, llinois(
stated: "The Bible may look like one book, but it is actually
sixty-six books in one. Thirty-nine books make up what we call the Old
Testament, and twenty-seven make up the New Testament. It is possible
that more than forty writers were used by God to write all sixty-six
books." )Quoted from the "Holy Bible" – New Living Translation, Gift &
Award Edition, l997, p. vii(
So if the Bible is neither narrated by God nor written by Him, and, as
such, is not 'the word of God,' then what is it? By any objective
criteria, the Bible is a book containing a compilation of stories,
legends, folk tales, folk lore, myths, sagas, narratives, poetry,
fragments of scriptures )fragments from the Psalms, the Torah, and the
Injeel as already mentioned(, letters )esp. in New Testament(,
visions, dreams, accounts of events from doubtfulsources )not eye
witnesses(, editors' or scribes' notes, as well as human errors.
For those who believe in it, it is a book that has historical,
cultural, moral and ethical values, and a source of spiritual teaching
and guidance. It is a book held in highesteem, primarily by Christians
who see it as a divine book and the source of their religious beliefs.
But, in the final analysis it is only a book with many limitations
and imperfections which disqualify it from being called "The Word of
God." Whoever makes such a claim then the burden of proof rests with
him. On the contrary, the Glorious Quran is the Speech of Allaah and,
through the Angel Gabriel, was revealed to Prophet Muhammad; later
compiled into a book more than 14 centuries ago it remains preserved
in its original form until today.
Some common misunderstandings about the Bible include the following:
The Bible is one book, the Old Testament. The Bible contains sixty-six
books )or more depending upon the denomination one belongs to(.
The Old Testament )OT( is the Torah followed by the Jews. The OT
contains some fragments of the Torah which was lost and thePsalms, but
the Talmud is the book followed by the Jews and is totally unrelated
to the Bible.
The New Testament )NT( is the Gospel of Prophet Jesus, or the Injeel.
It is neither. It is made up of twenty-seven books, none of which was
narrated or written byProphet Jesus although the NT may contain
fragments of the Injeel )sayings and teachings of Prophet Jesus(. The
Injeel as revealed through Prophet Jesus has been lost. The fragments
which may be cited in the NT maynot be authentic or in their proper
context. So it is erroneousto equate the NT with the Injeel mentioned
in the Quran.
The Bible is a holy book, narrated,dictated by God and is infallible.
While this is a claim, this misconception has already been addressed.
Since the Bible is 'only' a book, there is no need to call it a
forgery, a corrupted text, etc. The Quran is the only authentic "Word
of God," His Speech, and Allah has promised to protect it from
distortion of any kind until the Day of Judgment and He has kept His
promise. Not one letter or syllable has been changed over the past l4
centuries.