Dought & clear, - Hijab in Islam is not due to sexual obsession

I am curious about the coverings that you have to wear if youre a
female in your religion/culture. it really does all seem very vain for
us that are Christian because it implies that a woman thinks every man
wants her if she is not wearing this type of garb. it also seems that
men are not to be trusted with someone from your culture/religion
becuase of your "beauty" that you feel you posess, but people could be
beautiful and not every man wants them. can you shed some light on
this for me? I will be honest and say that when I see someone wearing
this, I always think "how vain are you?". thank you ahead of time for
replying.
Praise be to Allah.
First of all we would like to thank you for your frankness, the
clarity of your question and your search for an answer. We hope that
you will find the answer in these few lines we write.
We will begin our answer by posing a question, which we would like you
to answer, then after that our point will become clear, by Allah's
leave. Our question is: do you think that if a girl takes off all her
clothes and walks about in the markets of London or Paris completely
naked, will you accept that from her or will the authorities and laws
in that place allow her to do that?
We think it most likely that your answer will be no, and that you will
not accept this idea, especially since the laws that protect public
order do not allow that at all. This is no secret to anyone who lives
in that country.
If we take it to another level, we say to you: do you think that if
she wore something that covered her private parts, but it uncovered
her chest and she went shopping topless, we think that you would also
agree that such behaviour is ill-mannered and that it is disrespectful
and a transgression of public etiquette as it is known among people.
Forget about those who expose themselves blatantly; what do you think
that if a woman went out in the streets and public places wearing
nightclothes…?
Perhaps you also know that the authorities in Western countries have
the right to object to those who wear swimwear in public places, and
that the manager of the company or boss in a workplace has the right
to prevent female employees from working with him wearing revealing,
provocative clothing, and it is mandatory to wear regular, modest
clothing.
Our question now is: do you think all these countries, people,
organisations, laws and customs are vain or obsessed with sex, as you
say? Or do you think they are abhorrent and unjust, aimed at
suppressing freedom, and could not be introduced by anyone but people
who are obsessed with sex? Do you think that if a woman uncovers her
chest or her private parts or wears swimwear in public places, all men
will want her or that she is engaging in prostitution and trying to
tempt them?
If you say that there is a difference between the two scenarios, and
nakedness in public places is unacceptable, but that uncovering the
hair and face is something normal and is not provocative and does not
transgress public order, we say to you: who is to decide between us
and you in defining the parts of the body that may be uncovered and
the parts that it is unacceptable to uncover? Why do you want to make
us adhere to the limits that you set, and do not want to accept the
limits set out in Islamic sharee'ah?
Furthermore, why should a particular society, such as Western society,
decide for other societies what is appropriate for them and what is
not?
Once you know that banning nakedness or scanty dress in public places
does not imply all the things that you mentioned in your question,
then we would tell you that we Muslims believe that modest dress is
this hijab which you see Muslim women wearing and accuse them of being
vain?
Why do you look at modesty, or whatever you think is contrary to
public taste, manners and morals – why do you regard your point of
view or that of your society as the criterion for judging other
societies or people?
Why do you reject our view concerning this matter, and ask us to
adhere to your concept and definition of modesty? If a girl uncovers
her thighs and stomach, is this modesty? Or should she limit it to
uncovering her legs and forearms only? What is the guideline for your
choices in this matter? What right do you have to make all of humanity
adhere to your particular concept?
Or: is this a remnant of the "right" of the white man or, let's say,
the white or blonde woman, to control the world and define its
concepts, customs, manners and taste?
Why do you not describe the Virgin Mary (peace be upon her) as you
have described us in your question as being "vain"? You know that she
wore a kind of hijab. Did she understand modesty as something sexual,
according to your description?
Why do women in the church cover their hair during the service in the
church and during the prayer?
What is the difference between the state of prayer and outside prayer?
If wearing the hijab during prayer increases piety and faith, then why
would a woman remove part of her faith and piety outside of prayer?
Why do you not make the same accusation of vanity with regard to what
is mentioned in the first Epistle of the apostle Paul to the
Corinthians, in which he says:
"But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered
dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her
hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut
off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of
God; but woman is the glory of man.
For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;
neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her
own head, because of the angels."
1 Corinthians 11:5-10 – New International Version (NIV)
In the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy, it says:
"I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety,
adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls
or expensive clothes,
but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;
she must be quiet."
1 Timothy 2:9-12– New International Version (NIV)
Furthermore, the face-covering (niqab) is also mentioned in the Bible,
as a sign of modesty and good manners in a woman.
In the book of Genesis it says:
"He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked
up, he saw camels approaching.
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel
and asked the servant, 'Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?'
'He is my master,' the servant answered.So she took her veil and
covered herself."
Genesis 24:63-66 – New International Version (NIV).
We do not have room here to quote more verses than these. There have
been specialist studies dealing with such matters, which you can try
to find and study.
All we are trying to do is base our discussion with you on logic and
fair-mindedness towards others and on a sound foundation of thinking
and discussion, far removed from any accusations of "vanity" and the
like. Such accusations are the easiest thing for an opponent to say,
and there is no one who is not able to refute them or respond in kind.
We assure you that the obligation of hijab in Islamic sharee'ah is not
because Islam accuses every woman who does not wear hijab of being
immoral, or because all men will look at her as a focus for their
wickedness and desires. Islamic societies raise people to be righteous
and pious at all stages of upbringing, in the family and in the
street, school, mosque and at university. The fact that there are many
Islamic rulings that encourage good manners, decency, chastity and
modesty is sufficient to deter many people from committing immoral
actions.
But Islam does not only look at the majority of people; rather it pays
attention to the fact that there is also a small percentage of
evildoers, in order to protect the well-being of the majority and so
that they will not be affected by the actions of the minority, that
could spoil life for people and spread immorality if they are not
stopped, just as if the authorities in Western countries left
perverts, homosexuals and the patrons of strip clubs to act upon their
desires and preferences in the streets or in public places, without
any checks or measures – you can imagine what the consequences would
be for those societies.
Here we will present to you a further quotation which says that
attempts to remove women's niqabs (face veils) and make them uncover
their faces is the way of the evildoers.
In the Catholic edition of the book of Daniel, it says:
"Now Susanna was a woman of great refinement and beautiful in appearance.
As she was veiled, the scoundrels ordered her to be unveiled, so that
they might feast their eyes on her beauty."
Daniel 13:30-31 – New Revised Standard Edition
No comment!
Finally, we invite you to read studies on safety which keep an eye on
statistics charting attacks on women, such as rape for example. You
will find terrifying numbers. According to the organization RAINN
(Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), which is the largest
American national organisation against sexual assault, every two
minutes in America there is a sexual assault, which means that sexual
assaults in one year number 207,754. This is a huge number which
requires a serious effort to unearth the causes and look for the
remedy. See:
http://rainn.org /get-information /statistics/frequency- of-sexual-assault
If we were to look for statistics on marital infidelity, illegitimate
children, broken families, and incest, we would find many problems
that occurred as a result of women not dressing properly and
overstepping the limits that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
set for them in the Holy Qur'an, and which can be found even in the
Old and New Testament as they exist in print form, as mentioned above.
We hope that you will think about what we have mentioned above, after
which we may discuss further the main reasons that motivate Muslim
women to wear hijab, and the psychological and social effects of that
piece of cloth.
If you accept our logic in this debate, we welcome all questions and
sincere requests to learn more about the religion of Islam.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Will the person who intends to fast ‘Ashoora during the day be rewarded for his fasting?

I know of the virtue of fasting the day of 'Ashoora, and that it is
expiation for the year that came before. But because we use the
Gregorian calendar I did not know when 'Ashoora is until the morning
of the day itself. I had not eaten anything, so I intended to fast. Is
my fast valid, and will I get the reward of this day and receive
expiation for the previous year?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Praise be to Allaah for making you keen to do naafil acts of worship.
We ask Him to make us and you steadfast in doing that.
With regard to your question about forming the intention to fast from
the night before, there is sound evidence from the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) that the intention to observe a
naafil fast formed on the morning of the day itself is valid, so long
as a person has not ingested anything that breaks the fast after dawn.
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) narrated that the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon his
family one day and said: "Do you have anything (i.e., any food)?" They
said, "No." He said, "Then I am fasting." (Muslim, 1154, 170). The
word "idhan" (translated here as "then", in the sense of "in that
case") indicates that it is permissible to form the intention of
observing a naafil fast on the day itself. This is unlike the
obligatory fasts, which are not valid unless one forms the intention
the night before, because of the hadeeth, "Whoever does not form the
intention to fast before dawn, has not fasted." Abu Dawood, 2454;
al-Tirmidhi, 726; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Jaami',
6535. What is meant here is obligatory fasts.
Based on this, then your fast is valid. With regard to getting the
reward for fasting, will this be reward for the whole day or from the
time of the intention only? Shaykh al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said:
There are two scholarly opinions on this matter. The first is that he
will be rewarded from the beginning of the day, because the correct
Islamic fast can only be from the start of the day.
The second view is that he will only be rewarded from the time of his
intention, and if he formed the intention at midday then he will be
rewarded for half a day. This is the correct view, because the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Actions are
but by intentions, and each person will have but that which he
intended." This man only formed the intention during the day, so he
will be rewarded from the time he formed the intention.
Based on the correct opinion, if a fast is connected to a particular
day, such as fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, and fasting on al-ayaam
al-beed (the 13th, 14thand 15thof each Hijri month) or fasting three
days each month, and a person forms the intention during the day, he
will not be rewarded for the entire day.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 6/373.
The same applies to the case of one who did not intend to fast
'Ashoora until after dawn had come: he will not get the reward for
fasting 'Ashoora', which is the expiation of one year, because his
case is not like that of one fasted the whole day of 'Ashoora', rather
he only fasted part of it, from the moment he first formed the
intention of fasting.
But he will be rewarded in the general sense of the reward for fasting
during the month of Allaah Muharram, which is the best kind of fasting
after Ramadaan (as it says inSaheeh Muslim, 1163).
Perhaps one of the main reasons for your and many people's not knowing
when 'Ashoora is, oral-ayyaam al-beed, until the day has started, is –
as you mention – use of the Gregorian calendar. Perhaps missing out on
these special days will motivate you and others whom Allaah blesses
with guidance, to follow the lunar Hijri calendar which Allaah has
prescribed for His slaves and approved of for His religion, even if
that is only with regard to their personal dealings, so as to revive
this calendar which reminds us of different shar'i occasions, and in
order to be different from the People of the Book whom we are
commanded to differ from and be distinct with regard to their rituals
and unique characteristics, especially since the lunar calendar was
followed by the earlier Prophets, as may be understood from the
hadeeth which mentions the reason why the Jews fasted 'Ashoora – which
is a day that is known through the lunar calendar. They said that it
was the day on which Allaah had saved Moosa. This indicates that they
followed a lunar calendar and not the months of the solar European
calendar.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 6/471
May Allaah make your missing out on this special reward, and the
missing out of others who are keen like you, lead to a good outcome,
so this will make you strive harder in doing good works and acts of
worship. This may make you more keen than people who do some act of
worship regularly and feel content with what they are doing, and may
fill them with self-admiration.
We ask Allaah to bless us with His bounty and reward, and help us to
remember Him and give thanks to Him.

Dought & clear, - Is one’s life partner chosen by oneself or decreed by Allaah?.

What does Islam say about life partner,,,is she/he fixed by Allah or
Allah has left it for us to decided?
Praise be to Allaah.
First of all, we should realize that there is no contradiction between
our belief that Allaah has decreed everything, and our belief that He
has given us free will which enables us to do things. Confirming the
free will of His slaves, Allaah says )interpretation of the meaning(:
"To whomsoever among you wills to walk straight" ]al-Takweer 81:28[
Our will operates within the will of Allaah, not outside of it, as
Allaah says )interpretation of the meaning(: "But you cannot will,
unless Allaah wills…" ]al-Insaan 76:30[ Thus it is not permitted to
try to cancel one idea out with the other, or to deny either of them.
Allaah has confirmed both, that man has the power to choose, and that
nothing can operate outside of His Will, may He be glorified.
If we apply this to the question asked, we will see that man has
freedom of will through which he can choose whichever woman he wishes
to marry, and that whatever choice he makes has already been decreed
by Allaah. The man's choice is the means by which he gets what he
wants, but some obstacles may come between the person and what he
wants, in which case he will realize that Allaah has not decreed this
for him, for some reason which is known to Him. Everything that Allaah
does is good, and His slaves do not have knowledge of the Unseen or of
how things will end. A person may regret missing out on something when
it is good that he did not have it, or he may hate something that
happens to him when it is good that it happened to him, as Allaah
tells us )interpretation of the meaning(: "… it may be that you
dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which
is bad for you. Allaah knows but you do not know." ]al-Baqarah 2:216[
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

For children, - Hereafter Preparation: Clever King Story, a Real Life Story

There was a country long time ago where the people would change a king
every year. The person who would become the king had to agree to a
contract that he would be sent to an island after his one year of
being a king.
One king finished his term and it was time for him to go to the island
and live there. The people dressed him up in expensive clothes and put
him on an elephant and took him around the cities to say goodbye to
all the people. This was the moment of sadness for all the kings who
ruled for one year. After saying farewell, the people took the king
with a boat to the remote island and left him there.
On their way back, they discovered a ship that had sunk just recently.
They saw a young man who survived by holding on to a floating piece of
wood. As they needed a new king, they picked up the young man and took
him to their country. They requested him to be a king for a year.
First he refused but later he agreed to be a king. People told him
about all the rules and regulations and that how he will be sent to an
island after one year.
After three days of being a king, he asked the ministers if they could
show him the island where all the other kings were sent. They agreed
and took him to the island. The island was covered with thick jungles
and sounds of vicious animals were heard coming out of them. The king
went little bit inside to check. Soon he discovered the dead bodies of
all the past kings. He understood that as soon as they were left in
the island, the animals came and killed them.
The king went back to the country and collected 100 strong workers. He
took them to the island and instructed them to clean the jungle,
remove all the deadly animals and cut down all the excess trees. He
would visit the island every month to see how the work was
progressing. In the first month, all the animals were removed and many
trees were cut down. In the second month, the whole island was cleaned
out. The king then told the workers to plant gardens in various parts
of the island. He also took with himself useful animals like chickens,
ducks, birds, goats, cows etc. In the third month, he ordered the
workers to build big houses and docking stations for ships. Over the
months, the island turned into a beautiful place.
The young king would wear simple clothes and spend very little from
his earnings as a king. He sent all the earnings to the island for
storage. When nine months passed like this, the king called the
ministers and told them:
"I know that I have to go the island after one year, but I would like
to go there right now." But the ministers didn't agree to this and
said that he has to wait for another 3 months to complete the year.
3 months passed and now it was a full year. The people dressed up the
young king and put him on an elephant to take him around the country
to say goodbye to others. However, this king is unusually happy to
leave the kingdom.
People asked him, "All the other kings would cry at this moment and
why are you laughing?"
He replied, "Don't you know what the wise people say? They say that
when you came to this world as a baby, you were crying and everyone
was smiling. Live such a life that when you are die, you will be
smiling and everyone around you will be crying. I have lived that
life. While all the other kings were lost into the luxuries of the
kingdom, I always thought about the future and planned for it. I
turned the deadly island into a beautiful abode for me where I can
stay peacefully."
The moral lesson from this story is about how we should live our life.
The life of this world is to prepare for the life hereafter. In this
life, we shouldn't get lost into the deceiving and attractive things
of this world and forget about what is to come in the afterlife.
Rather, even if we are kings, we should live a simple life like our
beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) and save all our enjoyments for
the hereafter. May Allah make it easy for us all. Amin.
Noble Qur'anSays: Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah
(alone). It is He Who sends down rain, and He Who knows what is in the
wombs. Nor does any one know what it is that he will earn on the
morrow: Nor does any one know in what land he is to die. Verily with
Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things).
(31:34)
Noble Qur'an urges us to prepare for tomorrow: O ye who believe! Fear
Allah, and let every soul look to what (provision) He has sent forth
for the morrow. Yea, fear Allah: for Allah is well-acquainted with
(all) that ye do. (59:18)

For children, - Hereafter in Islam (Dream Interpretation): Real Life Story(Preparing for the Hereafter)

Once a man saw in his dream, that a lion was chasing him.
The man ran to a tree, climbed on to it and sat on a branch. He looked
down and saw that the lion was still there waiting for him.
The man then looked to his side where the branch he was sitting on was
attached to the tree and saw that two rats were circling around and
eating the branch. One rat was black and the other one was white. The
branch would fall on the ground very soon.
The man then looked below again with fear and discovered that a big
black snake had come and settled directly under him. The snake opened
its mouth right under the man so that he will fall into it.
The man then looked up to see if there was anything that he could hold
on to. He saw another branch with a honeycomb. Drops of honey were
falling from it.
The man wanted to taste one of the drops. So, he put his tongue out
and tasted one of the fallen drops of honey. The honey was amazing in
taste. So, he wanted to taste another drop. As he did, he got lost
into the sweetness of the honey.
Meanwhile, he forgot about the two rats eating his branch away, the
lion on the ground and the snake that is sitting right under him.
After a while, he woke up from his sleep.
To get the meaning behind this dream, the man went to a pious scholar
of Islam. The Islamic scholar who interpret the dream said, the lion
you saw is your death. It always chases you and goes wherever you go.
The two rats, one black and one white, are the night and the day.
Black one is the night and the white one is the day. They circle
around, coming one after another, to eat your time as they take you
closer to death.
The big black snake with a dark mouth is your grave. It's there, just
waiting for you to fall into it.
The honeycomb is this world and the sweet honey is the luxuries of
this world. We like to taste a drop of the luxuries of this world but
it's very sweet. Then we taste another drop and yet another.
Meanwhile, we get lost into it and we forget about our time, we forget
about our death and we forget about our graves.
This Life is Material, and the Hereafter is Far Better and everlasting:
According to Islam, this life is very short and full of material
things that can get in the way of our submission to Almighty Allah
(SWT). It's not wrong to have these material possessions as long as we
remember our obligations to Almighty Allah (SWT) and thank Him for
those things. We shouldn't get preoccupied with this temporary worldly
life and forget Hereafter.
It is narrated that Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww)has said: "Most
intellectual of man is he remembers the death most."
It is also narrated that Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) has said: "One
who gains the love and grace of Allah (SWT), always end (Ajal) will be
before his eyes and he will be always worried about his death. But the
one who take Satan (Shaitan) as a friend and becomes Bad-Bakht.
Shaitan overpowers him and indulge (Giraftaar) him in long long
desires and them he never remember death."
The famous poet Longfellow calls human footprints sublime on the
'sands of time' while writer Margaret Mitchell declares generations
will be 'gone with the wind'. The Ancient Greeks believed that the
human race was like a bird, that came from a dark passage and flew
away in another dark tunnel, with a momentary stay in a bright room,
which they believed was our world.

Sex in Islam, - Islamic Ruling on Anal Sex

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be
upon His Messenger.
Almighty Allah says in the Qur'an:"Your wives are a tilth for you, so
go to your tilth, when or how you will, and send (good deeds, or ask
Allah to bestow upon you pious offspring) for your ownselves
beforehand. And fear Allah, and know that you are to meet Him (in the
Hereafter), and give good tidings to the believers."(Al-Baqarah: 223)
In the foregoing verse the wordHarth(tilth) indicates that only
vaginal sex is permissible in Islam, because it is from this place
children are produced. The semen lodged in the womb from which
offsprings come is likened to the seeds that are planted in the
ground, bringing vegetation. Both of them are substances from which
something else is produced.
All Muslim jurists agree that anal sex is Haram, based on the Hadith
of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:"Do not have anal sex
with women."(Reported by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa'i, and Ibn
Majah.)
Khuzaymah Ibn Thaabit, may Allah be pleased with him, also reports
that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
said:"Allah is not too shy to tell you the truth: Do not have sex with
your wives in the anus."(Reported by Ahmad, 5/213.)
Ibn `Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates: "The Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:"Allah will not look
at a man who has anal sex with his wife."(Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah,
3/529, and At-Tirmidhi classified it as an authentic Hadith, 1165.)
Further, it is reported that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon
him, referred to such an act as"minor sodomy."(Reported by Ahmad and
An-Nasaa'i.)
However, it is allowed to caress the wife and stimulate her around the
anus, without having sex in this area. It is reported that `Umar Ibn
Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, came one day to the
Prophet and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I am ruined!""What has ruined
you?"asked the Prophet. He replied, "Last night I turned my wife
over," meaning that he had had vaginal intercourse with her from the
back. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not say
anything to him until the verse cited above was revealed. Then he told
him,"From the front or the back, but avoid the anus and intercourse
during menstruation."(Reported by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi.)
If one does have anal sex with his wife, he has committed a grave sin,
which requires repentance. He should regret and feel contrite for
committing such a sin. Allah Almighty destroyed a whole nation who
were accustomed to this evil habit.
But the wife is not considered divorcedas many people think, because
there is no evidence to support this view. However, scholars maintain
that if a man habitually does this or insists on having anal sex with
his wife, she has the right to ask for a divorce, because he is
considered an evildoer who is causing harm by his action, and also
because the purpose of marriage cannot be achieved through this
action.
The wife has to resist this evil action and refuse to respond to her
husband's desire to have anal sex. She should remind him of Allah as
well as the punishment of those who transgresses the Bounds set by
Allah.
Allah Almighty knows best.

Sex in Islam, - Masturbation: Comments by the Sahaabah

Question:How is the act of masturbation seen in Islam. Is it a sin? If
it is, then what is the punishment for it?
Answer:There is no explicit directive of the Shari`ah which forbids
masturbation. In other words, it is silent on this issue.
Consequently, it cannot be regarded as a sin. The verses from which
its prohibition is usually derived, I am afraid, have another meaning
(than that commonly ascribed).
Theopinions of some of the companionsof the Prophet (saws) reproduced
below fromIbn Hazam's al-Muhalla (Vol:11, pp. 393-4)indicate that
(while they may have discouraged it) they did not forbid it:
Ibn 'Abbaas:
*."Marrying a slave girl is better than it, and it is better than
fornication (zinaa)."
*."It is nothing but rubbing one's private parts until a fluid comes out."
Ibn `Umar:
*."A person who does makes a fool of himself."
*."It is merely rubbing an organ."
Jaabir Ibn Zayd:
*."It is your water; you can discharge it [if you want]."
Hasan Basri:
*."There is no harm in it."
At best, masturbation can be termed as an undesirable act similar in
nature to the emotions of anger and hate. Such emotions are generally
against good conduct, and a person should try to control them as much
as possible. However, there may be situations when they may play a
somewhat positive role -- especially when they save you from a sin.

Sex in Islam, - Masturbation:

The pressing need to relieve himself of sexual tension may drive a
young man to masturbation.
The majority of scholars consider it haram. Imam Malik bases his
judgement on the verse,Those who guard their sexual organs except with
their spouses or those whom their right hands possess, for (with
regard to them) they are without blame. But those who crave something
beyond that are transgressors, (23:5-7) arguing that the masturbator
is one of those who "crave something beyond that."
On the other hand, it is reported that Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal regarded
semen as an excretion of the body like other excrete and permitted its
expulsion as blood letting is permitted. Ibn Hazm holds the same view.
However, the Hanbali jurists permit masturbation only under two
conditions: first, the fear of committing fornication or adultery, and
second, not having the means to marry.
Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi comments inThe Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam:
We are inclined to accept the opinion of Imam Ahmad in a situation in
which there is sexual excitation and danger of committing the haram.
For example, a young man has gone abroad to study or work, thereby
encountering many temptations which he fears he will be unable to
resist, may resort to this method of relieving sexual tension provided
he does not do it excessively or make it into a habit.
Yet better than this is the Prophet's advice to the Muslim youth who
is unable to marry, namely, that he seek help through frequent
fasting, for fasting nurtures will-power, teaches control of desires,
and strengthens the fear of Allah. The Prophet, peace and blessings be
upon him, is reported to have said,"O youth, whoever of you is able to
marry, let him marry, for it spares one looking at what one should
not, or lapsing in adultery. And if he cannot marry, let him observe
fasting, for it is a shield against evil."(Reported by Muslim).
You should make use of the following:
1.Observe fasting, because it bolsters one's faith, preserves
chastity, and protects one from evil thoughts.
2.Observe moderation in eating and drinking in order to avoid
stimulating your desire.
3.Keep away from anything that is sexually stimulating, such as
pornographic pictures, erotic films and love songs.
4.Choose good and righteous friends.
5.Keep yourself busy in worship and spiritual acts.
6.Interact with activities of the society in such away that it keeps
you away from thinking about sex.
7.Avoid gatherings and places that bring men and women physically
close to each other.
8.Avoid sleeping on beds that are so soft that they make one think about sex.
9.Try to admire natural things such as flowers and beautiful scenery,
which do not stimulate one sexually, instead of admiring girls and
women.
10.If you find the previous things useful, then it is forbidden for
you to masturbate. However, if you find that you cannot relieve
yourself except through masturbation, and you fear you may lapse in
adultry if you do not masturbate, then the juristic rule which states
that "the lesser evil is to be suffered in order to fend off the major
one" applies to you, as masturbation is deemed to be the lesser of two
evils in this case.But, we would like to stress that this may be done
only in the case of dire necessity, when all soultions prove to be of
no avail.
May Allah guide you to the right path and help you keep away from sins.
Allah Almighty knows best.

Dua Against Debt

Being in debt is a killer. It consumes us with stress, and eats away
at our happiness and sense of security. It destroys marriages, and if
the debt is between family or friends then it can ruin those
relationships. In some countries, inability to pay your debt can even
you put in prison.
I feel obligated to mention that part of the reason so many people are
carrying so much debt is our addiction to the material lifestyle. We
are bombarded with messages and advertisements telling us we need to
buy this and own that. It gets to the point where we measure our
status in life (and that of others) by what we own, or worse, by how
much we spend. If we spend a huge sum of money on a lavish wedding,
then we are "honored" in society. If not, we feel shamed. Since our
incomes do not match our desires, we go into debt.
This thinking and lifestyle is completely contrary to what Islam
teaches us, and to the example set by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and
the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them all). Even when they
became rulers of the world, they continued to live simple and humble
lifestyles, because they understood what really matters in life.
So the first step for us is to readjust our priorities, and to realize
that what matters is our relationship with Allah. Beyond that, the
important things in life are our family relationships – loving our
spouses and children and spending time with them, worshiping with
them, supporting them. Then our friendships, and doing some good in
the world, creating something meaningful, and being an agent of
compassion in the lives of those around you.
Dua Against Debt
If you have done whatever you can to avoid debt, and still you find
yourself burdened with debts, try this dua from Fortress of the
Muslim. Repeat it many times every day:
Dua for relief from debt, in Arabic
Allaahummak-finee bihalaalika 'an haraamika wa 'aghninee bifadhlika
'amman siwaaka.
"O Allah, suffice me with what You have allowed instead of what You
have forbidden , and make me independent of all others besides You."
(Reference: At-Tirmithi 5/560. See also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmithi 3/180.)
This dua against debt is really brilliant, because the dua contains
within itself the solution to the problem. "Suffice me with what you
have allowed." In other words, let the halal be enough for me. Don't
let me get myself into debt because of haram mortgage loans or
excessive material desire, or out-of-control consumer spending. Let me
be satisfied with a simple, halal life, so that I don't get into debt.
If you repeat this often enough it becomes a part of your thinking and
awareness, and you modify your own behavior, which leads to: "make me
independent of all others besides You." You become your own man or
woman, not owing money to anyone, independent, relying only on Allah.
I'm not saying the dua is just an affirmation, I'm saying it works on
both levels, as an affirmation and as a prayer to Allah to help you
achieve that affirmation. It's a subtle and amazing dua.
Three Excellent Dua's Against Debt:
(note that #2 is the same as the one above)
1) "Oh Allah, I take refuge in You…"
Narrated by Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (ra):
One day the Messenger of Allah (saw) entered the mosque. He saw there
a man from the Ansar (a resident of Madinah) called Abu Umamah and
said to him: "What is the matter that I am seeing you sitting in the
mosque when there is no time of prayer?" Abu Umamah said: "I am
entangled in sorrow and debts." The Prophet Muhammad (ra ) replied:
"Shall I not teach you words by which, when you say them, Allah will
remove your sorrow, and settle your debts?" Abu Umamah said: "Yes,
Messenger of Allah." The Prophet Muhammad (ra ) said: "Say in the
morning and evening:Allahumma inni 'auzu bika min alhamma wal 'huzn,
wal 'ajzi wal kasali wal bukhli wal jubn, wa dhala'iddini wa
'galabatir rajaal."(See here for the arabic text).
'O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and
laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from
being overpowered by men.'
Abu Umamah said: "When I did that Allah removed my distress and
settled my debt." [Abu Dawood]
2) "O Allah, grant me enough…"
Ali radi Allahu `anhu said that a slave, who had made a contract with
his master to pay for his freedom, came to him and said, "I am unable
to fulfil my contract, so help me." He said, "Shall I not teach you
some words which Allah's Messenger (ra) taught me, and which even if
you had a debt as large as a mountain Allah would pay it for you?":
Allahumma akfini bihala lika an haramika wa aghnini bi fadhlika am-man siwak.
"O Allah, grant me enough of what You make lawful that I may dispense
of with what You make unlawful, and make me independent, by Your
bounty, of other than You."[At-Tirmidhi]
3) "O Allah, Sovereign of all…"
The Prophet (saw) said to Muadh radi Allahu `anhu, "Should I not teach
you a supplication which, when used to implore Allah, Allah shall pay
your debt, even it be as huge as Mount Uhud? He then mentioned:
Allahumma Maalik al-mulki tu'til-mulka man tasha' u wa tanzi'ul mulka
mimman tasha', wa tu'izzu man tasha' u wa tudhilu man tasha', bi
yadika al-khayr, innaka 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer, Rahmaan-id-dunya
wa'l-aakhirah wa raheemahuma, tu'teeyahuma man tasha' wa tamna'
minhuma man tasha', irhamni rahmatan taghnini biha 'an rahmati man
siwaak.
"O Allah, Sovereign of all, You give dominion to whomsoever You will
and You take dominion away from whomsoever You will, You exalt
whomsoever You will and You bring low whomsoever You will. In Your
hand is all goodness and You are able to do all things. Most Merciful
and Most compassionate in this world and in the Hereafter, You give
them to whomsoever You will and withhold them from whomsoever You
will. Bestow mercy upon Me in such a manner that I have no need of the
mercy of anyone but You."[Tabarani]

10 Islamic quotations by Sarah Saghir

Thoughts on Prayer, Faith, Gratitude and the Soul
By Sarah Saghir
1. Make wudu, not war.
2. You can't love God, without Him letting you. He must have loved you first.
3. It's the dua at the Iftar table that tells us what we really want.
It's the ability to suppress the nafs and hush the stomach for a few
extra minutes, all to let the heart speak what it wishes.
***
4. The only mirror we should obsessively check is that which reflects
the soul. You cannot purchase such a mirror, but you can find it
within you. *Ponder* over the condition of your soul. Sit with
yourself and reflect. But for such reflections to surface, you need
blessed light from God and a pair of open eyes – nay, an open heart.
Because sometimes, "It is not the eyes that are blind, but the
hearts." (Qur'an 22:46)
Ya Allah put the light of the Quran in our hearts. Make it a means for
us to clearly see. Ya Wahhab
***
5. There is absolutely no need, my friend – no need for you to wipe
the rain off my face after the prayer. I know your intentions are
well, as it may seem like there are dark clouds hovering over my head,
but I am harboring rainbows on the inside, with colors of love, fear,
hope, guilt, peace, shame and calmness. And sometimes these tears mean
i'm desperately looking for the rays of sincerity that bring this
prism to life, under the rain.
***
6. I know you cannot measure the magnitude of your blessings; but
please tell me you noticed one thing: the difference between the
guided and the heedless. You — whom God addresses, while causally
sitting on a bus, reading His speech, surrounded by passengers full of
hunger & vacancy — must be so lucky. Tell me you recognize this debt;
tell me you found in its depth, gratitude.
***
7. When you finally decide to practice your faith, know that God is
100% behind you. He's the one to give you that initial push. And at
first, it will be easy breezy; you will feel 'the rush' and experience
that 'spiritual high.'
But then He will test you (only because He loves you) And now you've
got to start swinging yourself, using your core, feet, arms, your will
– against the wind, gravity, the hardships, people, your sins..
You need to keep pushing to the rhythm of faith that swings high, low,
beautiful. Keep pushing to get higher, closer to Him. Keep pushing.
***
8. O Allah whoever wishes khair (good) for me in the secrecy of the
night or in the openness of daylight, grant them double what they've
wished for me. And whoever wishes sharr (harm) to touch me, pardon
them and stretch distance and forgiveness between us. Ya Karim,
9. I want to live a life of simplicity, not an easy life.
10. If you only pray when you're in trouble, you're in trouble.

Seeing Through Eyes of Hope

We all feel weary at times. We feel like we're fighting on so many
fronts and that we have no helpers. At times our passion drains away
and we feel like we're just going through the motions. This happens to
me. I think it happens to everyone.
At those moments, Shaytan (Satan) tries to push us into despair.
Despair is one of Shaytan's greatest weapons. If we are in debt,
Shaytan tries to get us to despair of getting out of debt. If we're
ill, he tries to convince us to despair of getting well. If we have
committed sins, he whispers to us to despair of Allah's mercy and the
possibility of forgiveness. He tries to make us despair of our
futures, despair of our salvation, and fail to see the beauty in our
lives.
Believers must resist Shaytan's whispers. Believers must be people of
hope, and must see the world through eyes of hope. Believers make life
choices that are rooted in hope.
"Shaytan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality,
while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is
all-Encompassing and Knowing."– Quran, Al-Baqarah, 2:268
So we have two different calls echoing in our ears. Shaytan calls us
to fear, and grasping attachment to this material world.
Allah the Almighty, on the other hand, offers us forgiveness and true
blessings. Allah offers us hope. Hope is not wishing on a star, or
daydreaming. Hope is a real thing, because it's a part of trusting
Allah. After all, prayer is all about hope.
The Quran tells us that with every difficulty comes ease. Hope is an
acknowledgment of that reality, that things will get better, and a
time of ease will come.
When life becomes hard, we need to see through eyes of hope, not eyes
of despair.
Salma
Eyes of Hope
The morning spills out
yellow like a poppy field.
My street is emerald with life:
olives and spring fire,
Chinese fringe and apricot.
My six year old daughter
kneels to pet a cat
but it runs, bell jingling.
"That cat is complicated," she says.
Later she grasps my hand
and says, "Baba,
you are number one."
There's a smell of rain in the air.
When Salma was near
to being born, the doctor said
that the umbilical cord
was looped around her neck.
She could suffocate, he said.
For a week of nights my thoughts raced
as I lay in bed, listening to the frogs
in the field behind the house.
I prayed much harder
than I've ever prayed for myself.
As we walk, Salma collects
acorns and red berries,
fallen leaves and dandelions.
"I'm making a nature salad,"
she says. "I'll hand you the things,
and you put them in the bucket.
That's the process."
I want to laugh, but I only smile,
and I follow Salma down the street
humbly, and with eyes of hope.

Resisting a Grave Sin by Asif Iftikhar

Question: By God's grace, till this time I have resisted all the
temptations, but I am scared that I may succumb to them if they get
too great. What should I do to avoid temptation? My room-mate brings
drunk girls every weekend to the room. What should I do? I don't want
to tell him not to do that because it is his room too. The other day
he brought a drunk girl and they went to sleep.
I woke up for the Fajr prayer and saw her half hanging from my
room-mate's bunk bed. I pulled her down and carried her to my bed
which is on the ground and not bunked. She (being drunk and thinking
me to be my room-mate tried to do things with me). I left her on my
bed and went to sleep on the couch of the kitchen in the hall. Was I
in any way at fault?
Answer: The Prophet (sws) of Allah is reported to have said that on
the scorching Day of Judgment seven people shall be under a shade. One
of these will be a young man who had been tempted by a woman of beauty
and position and had said to her: I fear Allah. (Muslim: Kitab
al-Zakat)
I congratulate you from the depth of my heart on having achieved this
position. The question now is how to maintain it. Contrary to the
conception of Christians about morality, Islam wants us not only to
'rejoice in being persecuted for righteousness sake' when the occasion
so demands but also to try not to be persecuted. Your immense trial at
the moment is not only to refrain from succumbing to temptation but
also to avoid situations in which one may be tempted. This is a great
trial indeed. My heart goes out to you and my prayers are with you.
Trees and plants also serve our Lord. But He wants us to serve Him not
only with sincerity but also with wisdom. Careful planning is needed
to tackle your problem. The possible solutions can be divided into two
categories: short-term and long-term.
Short-term:
i. Try to avoid being in the room when something inappropriate is
going on. Try to get yourself busy in your work or in socializing.
ii. Try to find good company and have regular meetings with your good
and pious friends. Also, you might like to get in touch with your
local Islamic Centre and with the American Muslim Council. You can
write to them and explain your need for good friends. I am sure
they'll empathize.
iii. Also, you can promise yourself that when the temptation becomes
intense you will always get in touch with your close friends before
doing any thing to make your individual problem your collective
problem. If you have good and pious friends, I am sure they'll be able
to put their heads together to work out some solution.
iv. Keep praying to God and offering your salah. Also keep reading the
Qur'an regularly, especially the verses which remind us that
fornication is a great sin. Also, you might want to fast two or three
times a month on weekends or whenever you have the time. During
fasting, remind yourself that you are abstaining from food for His
sake, and after this manner pray to Him: 'Lord for you I have
abstained from this desire (for food). I could not have abstained
without the strength you gave me. My Lord I am your humble and frail
servant. Give me the strength to abstain from that desire as well, for
I fear your wrath and seek your mercy.'
v. One way of sublimating the urge to have sex with a woman is
masturbation. Although undesirable for many health reasons (both
physical and psychological), there is no Divine directive which
categorizes it as a sin.
vi. I know in that society people sometimes take offence on refusal.
At times, they can become quite vindictive. First of all, try not to
be alone with a girl, and try avoiding eye contact as much as
possible. If someone makes fun of this behaviour, explain gently and
solemnly that lowering your eyes is your way of showing respect to a
lady as recommended by your religion. If you find yourself alone with
a girl who invites you to sin, don't try to offend her by saying
anything bad. Instead, gently and firmly explain your reason and walk
away to a safer environment where there are other people.
Long-term:
i. First of all, without making a great fuss, you should try to have
your room changed. Ideally, a room with a like-minded fellow or,
perhaps, an independent room. Furthermore, you should try to get in
touch with your local Muslim organisation – you'll probably have one
in your college – and try to spend as much time as possible in the
company of pious and like-minded people.
Also, when darkness prevails, `the heart that has light sings of the
morn'. With wisdom and sagacity, and with courtesy and consideration,
keep calling others to your faith. In the fervour of that call, you'll
gain strength, for that fervour will not let the light in your own
heart fade away and shall make it brighter.
I know you realise that fornication is a grave sin. (See the Qur'an
3:24 and 17:32). Therefore, you must do everything possible to avoid
it. If nothing else works, then, in the longer-run, the most effective
thing in this regard would be marriage. Now, I know we are talking
about something very serious. But so is the Hereafter – a very, very
serious matter.
The most appropriate way, obviously, would be that you talk to your
parents frankly. You might even tell them that you have taken such and
such measures, but that you would not be able to hold on for very
long. You can tell them that you are grateful for whatever they have
done for you in life and for the excellent education they are giving
you, but you need their help most in securing your success in the life
Hereafter. You can tell them that your success in this regard will be
their success and your failure (God forbid) will be their failure, and
that there is nothing more important in life than that success.
If all this fails, that is if your parents do not listen, then I would
very frankly suggest you to defy them. In that case, you should get in
touch with one of these Muslim organisations in the U.S. (you'll
definitely have some organisation in your college as well) and marry a
girl with similar ideas and conviction.
Perhaps the organisation will help you in meeting a family that is
appreciative of your commitment to your religion and willing to
support you in your efforts and in your married life.
I know either step would be a big one for you. But, please remember
that life is a trial, and in the course of our life there comes a time
when it tests our commitment to our claim: 'I bear witness that there
is no god but God, and that Muhammad is His servant and His
Messenger'.
God has ordained that we be of service to our parents to the best of
our ability and treat them well. But when this service leads to
disobedience to God in matters as grave as fornication, we should
disobey them instead*. We should remain sincere to them, keep on
serving them and should continue to treat them well, but should remain
– first and foremost – servants of our Lord Allah. God be with you.
*. Although in this verse the sin under discussion is shirk
(associating someone with God) – the gravest of all sins –, yet by
analogy we can say that our attitude should be the same in other sins
of serious nature as fornication, adultery, murder, etc.

Self Evaluation

As far as the five basic tenets of Islam and the injunctions about
Haram food are concerned, there can be no compromise in any situation
except as and when allowed by Islam itself; for example reduced prayer
in travel and Haram food in unbearable hunger. Similarly, big sins as
fornication, theft and murder are to be avoided in all situations. In
other matters, try to avoid evil as much as possible without putting
so much burden on yourself that you be ultimately bound to commit a
greater sin. In these areas, Islam gives a lot of allowance in case of
an evil that has pervaded the society. Moving gradually towards the
ideal is more natural here.
In ethics and social responsibility, ask yourself: What would the
Prophet (sws) have done in this matter? It is he who is our ideal in
morality and ethics. Although we can never reach his level, we can use
the example of his life to chart out the course of our own. Blessings
of Allah be upon him.
I know, in a far off land, practising your religion poses immense
difficulties and you are bound to feel lonely. Learn to talk to God.
His hotline is Tahajjud – when the world sleeps, wake whenever
conveniently possible to open your heart to Him. Learn how to speak to
Him through the prayers of the Prophet (sws)1.Train you ear to listen
to Him as He speaks through the Qur'an. Then, you'll hear Him talking
to you2.
Seek His refuge in your prayer and in your perseverance, in occasional
fasting3, and in the study and the propagation of religion4. Let your
prayer and perseverance be your strength, your fasting your shield and
the knowledge and propagation of your religion your sword. With these,
you shall prevail. Insha'Allah.
1. Many booklets of the Prophet's prayers are available. You can say
these prayers before turning your head for salam in each prayer.
2. I strongly recommend recitation of Surah al-Duha and Surah Alam Nashrah~.
3. Three times a month is quite enough.
4.As much as is conveniently possible in your circumstances.

BIBLE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE ADVENT OF MUHAMMAD

BIBLE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE ADVENT OF MUHAMMAD
Abraham is widely regarded as the Patriarch of monotheism and the
common father of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Through His second
son, Isaac, came all Israelite prophets including such towering
figures as Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus. May peace
and blessings be upon them all. The advent of these great prophets was
in partial fulfillment of God's promises to bless the nations of earth
through the descendents of Abraham (Genesis12:2-3).Such fulfillment is
wholeheartedly accepted by Muslims whose faith considers the belief in
and respect of all prophets an article of faith.
BLESSINGS OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC
Was the first born son of Abraham (Ishmael) and his descendants
included in God's covenant and promise? A few verses from the Bible
may help shed some light on this question;
1) Genesis 12:2-3 speaks of God's promise to Abraham and his
descendants before any child was born to him.
2) Genesis 17:4 reiterates God's promise after the birth of Ishmael
and before the birth of Isaac.
3) In Genesis, ch. 21. Isaac is specifically blessed but Ishmael was
also specifically blessed and promised by God to become "a great
nation" especially in Genesis 21:13, 18.
4) According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17 the traditional rights and
privileges of the first born son are not to be affected by the social
status of his mother (being a "free" woman such as Sarah, Isaac's
mother, or a "Bondwoman" such as Hagar, Ishmael's mother). This is
only consistent with the moral and humanitarian principles of all
revealed faiths.
5) The full legitimacy of Ishmael as Abraham's son and "seed" and the
full legitimacy of his mother, Hagar, as Abraham's wife are clearly
stated in Genesis 21:13 and 16:3. After Jesus, the last Israelite
messenger and prophet, it was time that God's promise to bless Ishmael
and his descendants be fulfilled. Less than 600years after Jesus, came
the last messenger of God, Muhammad, from the progeny of Abraham
through Ishmael. God's blessing of both of the main branches of
Abraham's family tree was now fullfilled. But are there additional
corroborating evidence that the Bible did in fact foretell the advent
of prophet Muhammad?
MUHAMMAD:
The Prophet Like Unto Moses
Long time after Abraham, God's promise to send the long-awaited
Messenger was repeated this time in Moses' words.
In Deuteronomy 18:18, Moses spoke of the prophet to be sent by God who is:
1) From among the Israelite's "brethren", a reference to their
Ishmaelite cousins as Ishmael was the other son of Abraham who was
explicitly promised to become a "great nation".
2) A prophet like unto Moses. There were hardly any two prophets ,who
were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad. Both were given
comprehensive law code of life, both encountered their enemies and
were victors in miraculous ways, both were accepted as
prophets/statesmen and both migrated following conspiracies to
assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlooks not only
the above similarities but other crucial ones as well (e.g. the
natural birth, family life and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of
Jesus, who was regarded by His followers as the Son of God and not
exclusively a messenger of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as
Muslim belief Jesus was).
THE AWAITED PROPHET WAS TO COME FROM ARABIA
Deuteronomy 33:1-2 combines references to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
It speaks of God (i.e. God's revelation) coming from Sinai, rising
from Seir (probably the village of Sa'ir near Jerusalem) and shining
forth from Paran. According to Genesis 21:21, the wilderness of Paran
was the place where Ishmael settled (i.e. Arabia, specifically Mecca).
Indeed the King James version of the Bible mentions the pilgrims
passing through the valley of Ba'ca (another name of Mecca) in Psalms
84:4-6.
Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the beloved of God. His elect and messenger
who will bring down a law to be awaited in the isles and who "shall
not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgement on earth."
Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Ke'dar.
Who is Ke'dar? According to Genesis 25:13, Ke'dar was the second son
of Ishmael, the ancestor of prophet Muhammad.
MUHAMMAD'S MIGRATION FROM MECCA TO MEDINA:
PROPHECIED IN THE BIBLE?
Habakkuk 3:3 speaks of God (God's help) coming from Te'man (an Oasis
North of Medina according to J. Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible),
and the holy one (coming) from Paran. That holy one who under
persecution migrated from Paran (Mecca) to be received
enthusiastically in Medina was none but prophet Muhammad.
Indeed the incident of the migration of the prophet and his persecuted
followers is vividly described in Isaiah 21:13-17. That section
foretold as well about the battle of Badr in which the few ill-armed
faithful miraculously defeated the "mighty" men of Ke'dar, who sought
to destroy Islam and intimidate their own folks who turned -to Islam.
THE QUR'AN (KORAN) FORETOLD IN THE BIBLE?
For twenty-three years, God's words (the Qur'an) were truely put into
Muhammad's mouth. He was not the "author" of the Qur'an. The Qur'an
was dictated to him by Angel Gabriel who asked Muhammad to simply
repeat the words of the Qur'an as he heard them. These words were then
committed to memory and to writing by those who hear them during
Muhammad's life time and under his supervision.
Was it a coincidence that the prophet "like unto Moses" from the
"brethren" of the Israelites (i.e. from the lshmaelites) was also
described as one in whose mouth God will put his words and that he
will speak in the name of God, (Deuteronomy 18:18-20). Was it also a
coincidence the "Paraclete" that Jesus foretold to come after Him was
described as one who "shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak (John 16:13)
Was it another coincidence that Isaiah ties between the messenger
connected with Ke'dar and a new song (a scripture in a new language)
to be sang unto the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). More explicitly,
prophesies Isaiah "For with stammering lips, and another tongue, will
he speak to this people" (Isaiah 28:11). This latter verse correctly
describes the "stammering lips" of Prophet Muhammad reflecting the
state of tension and concentration he went through at the time of
revelation. Another related point is that the Qur'an was revealed in
piece-meals over a span of twenty three years. It is interesting to
compare this with Isaiah 28:10 whichspeaks of the same thing.
THAT PROPHET- PARACLETE- MUHAMMAD
Up to the time of Jesus (peace be upon him), the Israelites were still
awaiting for that prophet like unto Moses prophecied in Deuteronomy
18:18. When John the Baptist came, they asked him if he was Christ and
he said "no". They asked him if he was Elias and he said "no". Then,
in apparent reference to Deuteronomy 18:18, they asked him "Art thou
that Prophet" and he answered, "no". (John 1: 1 9-2 1).
In the Gospel according to John (Chapters 14, 15, 16) Jesus spoke of
the "Paraclete" or comforter who will come after him, who will be sent
by Father as another Paraclete, who will teach new things which the
contemporaries of Jesus could not bear. While the Paraclete is
described as the spirit of truth, (whose meaning resemble Muhammad's
famous title Al-Amin, the trustworthy), he is identified in one verse
as the Holy Ghost (John 14:26). Such a designation is however
inconsistent with the profile of that Paraclete. In the words of the
Dictionary of the Bible, (Ed. J. Mackenzie) "These items, it must be
admitted do not give an entirely coherent picture."
Indeed history tells us that many early Christians understood the
Paraclete to be a man and not a spirit. This might explain the
followings who responded to some who claimed, without meeting the
criteria stipulated by Jesus, to be the awaited "Paraciete".
It was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was the Paraclete,
Comforter, helper, admonisher sent by God after Jesus. He testified of
Jesus, taught new things which could not be borne at Jesus' time, he
spoke what he heard (revelation), he dwells with the believers
(through his well-preserved teachings). Such teachings will remain
forever because he was the last messenger of God, the only Universal
Messenger to unite the whole of humanity under God and on the path of
PRESERVED truth. He told of many things to come which "came to pass"
in the minutest detail meeting, the criterion given by Moses to
distinguish between the true prophet and the false prophets
(Deuteronomy 18:22). He did reprove the world of sin, of righteousness
and of judgement (John 16:8-11)
WAS THE SHIFT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP PROPHECIED?
Following the rejection of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus, it was
about time that God's promise to make Ishmael a great nation be
fulfilled (Genesis 21:13, 18)
In Matthew 21:19-21, Jesus spoke of the fruitless fig tree (A Biblical
symbol of prophetic heritage) to be cleared after being given a last
chance of three years (the duration of Jesus' ministry) to give fruit.
In a later verse in the same chapter, Jesus said: "Therefore, say I
unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given
to a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof" (Matthew 21:43). That
nation of Ishmael's descendants (the rejected stone in Matthew 21:42)
which was victorious against all super-powers of its time as
prophecied by Jesus: "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be
broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder"
(Matthew 21:44).
OUT OF CONTEXT COINCIDENCE?
Is it possible that the numerous prophecies cited here are all
individually and combined out of context misinterpretations? Is the
opposite true, that such infrequently studied verses fit together
consistently and clearly point to the advent of the man who changed
the course of human history, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Is
it reasonable to conclude that all these prophecies, appearing in
different books of the Bible and spoken by various prophets at
different times were all coincidence? If this is so here is another
strange "coincidence"!
One of the signs of the prophet to come from Paran (Mecca) is that he
will come with "ten thousands of saints" (Deuteronomy 33:2 KJV). That
was the number of faithful who accompanied Prophet Muhammad to Paran
(Mecca) in his victorious, bloodless return to his birthplace to
destroy the remaining symbols of idolatry in the Ka'bah.
Says God as quoted by Moses:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my
words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
(Deuteronomy 18:19)

Women site, - The Inherent Differences Between Man and Woman - I

The physical, moral and Sharee'ah-related differences between man and
woman are proven by Divine Decree, the Sharee'ah, and sound ration.
That is, Allaah The Almighty has created man and woman as twin-halves
of the human species: male and female, as confirmed by His Statement
)which means(:}And that He creates the two mates - the male and
female.{]Quran 53:45[ Both participate in maintaining the universe,
each in his/her field. They share in maintaining it by worshipping
Allaah The Almighty, in which there is no difference between men and
women in the universalities of religion: Tawheed )Islamic monotheism(,
creed, articles of faith, submission to Allaah The Almighty, reward
and punishment, encouragement and admonition in general, in addition
to virtue and chastity. There is also no difference between them in
the universality of religious law, as regards to all rights and
duties; Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
•}And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.{]Quran 51:56[
•}Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a
believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life.{]Quran 16:97[
•}And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while
being a believer - those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged,
]even as much as[ the speck on a date seed.{]Quran 4:124[
But, Allaah The Almighty decreed that man is different from woman in
physique, constitution and appearance. Man is more perfect in nature,
disposition and physical power than woman, due to what she suffers of
menses, pregnancy, the pains of childbirth, suckling, looking after
the affairs of the baby, and raising the future generation of the
Ummah )Muslim nation(. That is why the woman was created from the rib
of Aadam )Adam(, may Allaah exalt his mention. She is a complementary
part of him, and man is entrusted to take care of her affairs, guard
and protect her, and maintain her as well as their offspring.
This difference in disposition led to differences between them in
physical, mental, intellectual, emotional capabilities, and
will-power, and that was reflected in the difference in work,
performance, and competence. Additionally, modern day scientists have
concluded that there are amazing signs of physiological disparity
between the two sexes.
The types of difference between the sexes has accounted for a large
set of corresponding Sharee'ah-stipulated rulings. Allaah, The Exalted
in Honor, the Wise, with His Perfect Wisdom, has enjoined difference,
disparity and authority between man and woman in some
Sharee'ah-stipulated rulings in tasks and functions that befit each
according to his/her physique, constitution, capabilities and
performance, and the aptitude of each of them in his/her respective
field of human life, in order for life to be integrated and for each
party to undertake his/her task in it.
Allaah The Almighty assigned to men rulings that befit their physique,
constitution, structure, competence, qualification for performance,
patience, endurance and solemnity, and the bulk of their role is
outside the home as they endeavor to provide for their household. He
did the same with women, to whom He assigned rulings that befit their
physique, constitution, structure, competence, qualification for
performance and fragile endurance, and the bulk of their job is thus
inside the home, looking after the affairs of their household and
raising those in it who constitute the next generation of the Ummah.
Allaah The Almighty related from a woman her statement )which
means(:}"And the male is not like the female."{]Quran 3:36[ Exalted be
He, to whom belongs the creation and command, ruling and
legislation:}Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command;
blessed is Allaah, Lord of the worlds.{]Quran 7:54[
This is the universal norm of Allaah The Almighty in His creation
)meaning that whatever Allaah The Almighty wills and decrees for his
slaves will inevitably occur(, constitution and foundations, and His
Legislative norm concerning commands, rulings and laws. Both norms
meet to serve the benefits of people, the maintenance of the universe,
and the organization of the life of the individual, the home, the
community and human society.

Women site, - The Inherent Differences Between Man and Woman - II

Here is a set of features with which men and women have been characterized:
From among the rulings assigned to men, a mention may be made of the following:
• Men are in charge of the household in general and of preserving,
caring and safeguarding virtue, holding back vice and protecting those
under their guardianship from evil. They are also in charge of the
household in terms of earning a living and spending upon it. In
confirmation of this, Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Men are
in charge of women by ]right of[ what Allaah has given one over the
other and what they spend ]for maintenance[ from their wealth. So
righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in ]the husband's[
absence what Allaah would have them guard.{]Quran 4:34[
Consider the effect of that responsibility in the word "under" in the
Grand Quran as stated by Allaah The Almighty in Soorat
At-Tahreem:}Allaah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the
wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous
servants.{]Quran 66:10[
"Under" in this context tells us that they had no authority over their
husbands; rather, it was their husbands who had authority over them.
The woman is, therefore, not to be regarded as equal to or above the
man in this regard.
• Prophethood and the delivering of Allaah's message are the domain of
men and not women. In confirmation of this, Allaah The Almighty Says
)what means(:}And We sent not before you ]as messengers[ except men to
whom We revealed from among the people of cities.{]Quran 12:109[
According to scholars of Tafseer )Quranic exegesis(, Allaah The
Almighty has never sent as a prophet a woman, an angel, a jinn, or a
Bedouin.
• As for public guardianship and the jobs done under it like the
judiciary, public administration, and so on, and all other forms of
guardianship like that in marriage, are also the domain of men.
• Men are specifically assigned, to the exclusion of women, many acts
of worship such as the obligatory duty of Jihaad, Jumu'ah )Friday
prayer in the mosque( prayer, congregational prayers )in the mosque(,
pronouncement of the Athaan and Iqaamah )calls to prayer(, and so on.
Divorce also is made in the hand of the man and not the woman, and the
custody of the children are given to the man and not the woman.
• The man's share of inheritance, blood-money and his witness is twice
that of the woman.
These and other rulings assigned exclusively to men explain the
meaning of what is mentioned by Allaah The Almighty at the end of the
Noble Verse of Divorce in which He Says )what means(:}But the men have
a degree over them ]in responsibility and authority[. And Allaah is
Exalted in Might and Wise.{]Quran 2:228[
On the other hand, there are many rulings that Allaah The Almighty
assigned to women in acts of worship, social interaction, marriage and
its ramifications, judgments, and so on. They are well-known in the
Quran and Sunnah as well as in the writings of jurists. Many books, in
the past as well as the present, have been dedicated to this purpose
in particular.
Some of these pertain to her Hijaab and guarding her virtue.
That Allaah The Almighty has assigned to each sex a set of rulings has
three implications:
First, to have faith in and acknowledge the physical, mental and
Sharee'ah-determined distinction between men and women. Each should be
satisfied with what has been decreed by Allaah The Almighty for
him/her. Perfect justice lies in these distinctions, and through
observing them, order is achieved in the life of human society.
Second, it is impermissible for a male or a female Muslim to hope for
what was assigned by Allaah The Almighty to the other. To do so would
be to be displeased with the decree of Allaah The Almighty and
dissatisfied with His command and ordinance. Rather, let each slave
ask Allaah The Almighty out of His bounty for that is from
Sharee'ah-recommended politeness and which removes envy, disciplines
the believing soul and habituates it to be pleased with what is
decreed by Allaah The Almighty.
Allaah The Almighty forbade wishing for what is assigned to others in
His statement )which means(:}And do not wish for that by which Allaah
has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they
have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And
ask Allaah of His bounty. Indeed Allaah is ever, of all things,
Knowing.{]Quran 4:32[
The occasion on which this verse was revealed is what is narrated on
the authority of Mujaahid, may Allaah have mercy upon him, that Umm
Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "O Messenger of Allaah,
will men take part in Jihaad and we ]women[ not do so? Why should we
have only half their inheritance?" On that Allaah The Almighty
revealed )what means(:}And do not wish for that by which Allaah has
made some of you exceed others.{]Quran 4:32[ ]At-Tabari, Ahmad,
Al-Haakim and others[
According to At-Tabari, may Allaah have mercy upon him, "Allaah The
Almighty means here, 'Desire not that with which Allaah has favored
some of you over others'. It is mentioned that it was revealed in
connection with some women who wished to be in the same position of
men and have what they have, but Allaah The Almighty forbade His
slaves to have such false wishes and commanded them to ask Him for His
Bounty, as such wishes always draw envy and transgression with no just
cause."
Third, if mere wishing is forbidden as stated by the Quran, then what
about those who actually deny the Sharee'ah-determined distinctions,
call for their cancellation, and claim equality, to which they invite
in the name of equality between man and woman?
Undoubtedly, this is an atheistic theory for it contradicts the
universal norm of Allaah The Almighty that decreed these physical and
moral distinctions between men and women and seeks to disregard Islam
with its Sharee'ah-related texts which determine, in many rulings, the
differences between the male and the female.

Women site, - The Inherent Differences Between Man and Woman - III

Should there be equality in all rulings, given the differences in
physique and competence, it would be a reversal of Fitrah )natural
disposition(, and injustice against both the authoritative sex )men(
and the other one )women( if not the entire life of human society, for
in this case, it would result in deprivation of the fruits obtained
from the capacity of being authoritative and, at the same time, the
members of the other sex would be obliged to do what is beyond their
capacity. Allaah The Almighty forbids that such injustice, even as
much as the weight of a mustard seed, should happen in the Sharee'ah
of Allaah, who is the Wisest of judges. This is why these fine rulings
ensure that the woman is provided for while she practices motherhood,
maintains her house, and raises the future generations of the Ummah
)Muslim nation(.
May Allaah have mercy upon the prominent scholar, Mahmood Muhammad
Shaakir, who commented on the previously-mentioned statement of
At-Tabari, may Allaah have mercy upon him, saying,
This is merely a type of false wishing and longing which the people of
this age are contentiously involved in and misunderstand, and the only
way to be saved from it is to have a sincere intention, a correct
understanding of the nature of humankind, as well as to separate
baseless false wishes from necessity, and to release oneself from the
bond of blind imitation of the prevailing nations and from the
captivity of the corrupt society which has dragged the nations of
today into great turmoil.
However, some of the people of our religion, may Allaah guide them and
mend their affairs, have been led astray, while assuming the mode of
reform, and have confused what might reform their corruption by means
of endeavor, thought and wisdom, with what would corrupt them. People
have become radically excessive, and the resentful advocates of
falsehood among them who are in charge of the press today have
increased. Thus, tongues have spoken confused words, minds have fallen
into chaos, and many people have slipped along with those advocates,
to the extent that we have come to see some seemingly learned people
who are of those of religious knowledge, say about this issue words
from which every religious person should disassociate himself.
There is a huge difference between the state in which the life of the
Ummah, with its men and women, is correct and pure from evil,
disfigurement and ignorance, and the state in which the Ummah
eliminates all the barriers between men and women and thus reduces
itself to no more than false wishes that bring about envy and
transgression with no just cause. Let me repeat the words of Abu
Ja'far, may Allaah have mercy upon him, "O Allaah, guide us to the
straight path at a time in which the tongue has betrayed the mind. Let
those who oppose the command of Allaah, and reject His fate in them
beware lest a calamity would befall them and obliterate their
remaining traces on earth as it obliterated the traces of those who
were before them."
Thus, this principle confirms the physical, moral and
Sharee'ah-recognized distinctions between man and woman.
The forthcoming principles will be established on this first one,
since they would discuss the distinctions between them concerning
adornment and Hijaab.

Dought & clear,- Recommendation to fast Taasoo’a’ with ‘Ashoora’

I want to fast 'Ashoora' this year, but some people told me that the
Sunnah is to fast the day before as well (Taasoo'a'). Is there any
report that this was the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him)?.
Praise be to Allah
'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When
the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
fasted on the day of 'Ashoora and told the people to fast, they said,
"O Messenger of Allaah, this is a day that is venerated by the Jews
and Christians." The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, "Next year, if Allaah wills, we will fast on the
ninth day." But by the time the following year came, the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had passed away.
Narrated by Muslim, 1916.
Al-Shaafa'i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaaq and others said: It is
mustahabb [recommended] to fast both the ninth and the tenth, because
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted the
tenth and intended to fast the ninth.
Based on this, there are different ways of fasting 'Ashoora', the
least of which is to fast the tenth only, but it is better to fast the
ninth as well. The more one fasts in Muharram, the better.
If one were to ask, what is the wisdom behind fasting the ninth as
well as the tenth? The answer is:
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The scholars among our
companions and others said that there are several reasons for
recommending fasting on the ninth day (Tasoo'a'):
1 – The intention behind it is to be different from the Jews who limit
their fasting to the tenth day. This was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas.
2 – The intention was to join the fast of 'Ashoora' to another day,
just as it is not allowed to fast on a Friday on its own [but it is
allowed if one fasts the day before or the day after as well].
3 – The idea is to be on the safe side and make sure one is fasting on
the tenth, in case the moon sighting was not accurate and what people
think is the ninth is actually the tenth.
The strongest of these reasons is in order to be different from the
People of the Book. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade resembling
the People of the Book in many ahaadeeth. For example, he said
concerning 'Ashoora': "If I live until next year I will certainly fast
the ninth."Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 6.
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on the
hadeeth "If I live until next year I will certainly fast the ninth":
His concern to fast the ninth may be understood as meaning that he
would not limit himself to that, rather that he would add it to the
tenth, either to be on the safe side, or to be different from the Jews
and Christians, which is more likely to be correct; this is what may
be understood from some of the reports narrated by Muslim."
FromFath al-Baari, 4/245.

Dought & clear,- What is the fault of children born in a kaafir environment?.

People born and raised in different environments and religions
naturally develop different temperaments and identities. A person born
in a Hindu family becomes a Hindu upon growing up. For him the Hindu
religion is perfect. For such a person it is ingrained into his nature
from his childhood that he is a Hindu first and last. Supposingly he
receives the message of Islam. What are the chances that he will give
up his religion, his identity and accept a new one. Isn't it tough for
this person to become Muslim as compared to someone born a Muslim. It
scares me to think that if I were born into some other faith than
Islam where would I be today. So why is it not the law that everyone
does have an equal opportunity to experience and accept Islam from the
cradle. It this a matter of Allah's will, Sprituality (Hidayah) or
Human Psychology. Please respond with references from Quran and
hadith.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion (of pure
Islamic Monotheism) Haneef (worship none but Allaah Alone). Allaah's
Fitrah (i.e. Allaah's Islamic Monotheism) with which He has created
mankind. No change let there be in Khalq-illaah (i.e. the religion of
AllaahIslamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of
men know not"[al-Room 30:30]
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Every child is born in a state of fitrah (the natural
state of man, i.e., Islam), then his parents make him into a Jew or a
Christian or a Magian." (Agreed upon).
The correct view is that what is meant by fitrah is the religion of
Islam, as stated in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim from the Messenger
of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said:
"Allaah said: 'I created My slaves as haneefs (believers in pure
monotheism), then the Shaytaan misled them from their religion; he
forbade them what I had permitted to them and commanded them to
associate others with Me for which I had not sent down any
authority.'" What it means when it is said that a child is born as a
Muslim is that he is born inherently ready, when he reaches the age of
discretion, if he is given the choice between Islam and its opposite,
to prefer Islam over its opposite and to choose Islam as his religion,
so long as there is nothing to prevent him from doing so, such as his
whims and desires or tribalism. Following his desires makes him prefer
falsehood so that he may attain some share of leadership or wealth,
and tribalism or racial pride makes him follow his forefathers or
elders, even if they are not following true guidance. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Nay! They say: 'We found our fathers following a certain way and
religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps'"[al-Zukhruf
43:23]
And Allaah tells us what the followers among the people of Hell will
say (interpretation of the meaning):
"And they will say: 'Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our
great ones, and they misled us from the (Right) Way'"[al-Ahzaab 33:67]
If every child is born in a state of fitrah, then obviously there will
be some who will be influenced in ways that are in accordance with
that fitrah and will strengthen it, such as those who are born to
Muslim parents and grow up in a Muslim society. And there will be some
whose fitrah is changed, such as those who are born to kaafir parents
and group up among the kuffaar, be they Jews, Christians, Magians or
mushrikeen. Undoubtedly the one who is born in Islam has means of
guidance and happiness which are not available to others who are born
and grow up in kaafir societies. Being given easy access to the means
of faith and guidance is a blessing from Allaah which He gives to
whomsoever He wills. It should also be noted that the person whose
fitrah has been changed from Islam will not be punished for the sins
of another; rather he will be punished if the call of the
Messenger(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) reaches him and
he does not accept it out of stubbornness, arrogance or tribalistic
pride in the religion of his forefathers and countrymen, because proof
is established against him when the call of the Messenger reaches him,
and in such a case, if he persists in his kufr then he deserves to be
punished. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give
warning)"[al-Israa' 17:15]
What you say in your question, "It scares me to think...", is correct
and is wise, for it is the blessing of Allaah upon you that you were
born in Islam. If you had been born into another religion, there would
have been the fear that you might remain in that false religion, but
when Allaah wills good for His slave, He makes it easy for him to have
the means of guidance which will bring him from the religion of kufr
to the religion of Islam. The entire matter is up to Allaah.
But when you say in your question, "So why is it not the law that...?"
this is a false question caused by unawareness of the wisdom of Allaah
and His ways of dealing with His creation. Of course it is impossible
for the same opportunities to be available to all, because there are
so many different human religions, and guidance to Islam happens when
a person chooses to be guided, because Allaah has given man the
ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, between what is
beneficial and what is harmful, by means of the reason that He has
instilled in him, and the explanations with which He has sent His
Messengers. At the same time, the will of the person is subject to the
will of Allaah, for He is the One Who sends astray whomsoever He wills
by His justice and wisdom, and He guides whomsoever He will by His
grace and wisdom.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, this (the Qur'aan) is no less than a Reminder to (all) the
'Aalameen (mankind and jinn)
To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight.
And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allaah wills the Lord of the
'Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)"[al-Takweer 81:27-29]