The Size of the Earth

When people stand up and begin walking, they feel no pressure in an
upward or downward direction. Sitting, walking, and running are
exceedingly mundane activities. Yet each time people engage in such
activities, they are completely unaware thatthey are resisting a very
powerful gravitational force.
The most important reason for this is the sizeof Earth. If it were
just slightly smaller, gravity would be far weaker, the planet's
atmosphere would fragment and disappear, and we would be unable to
remain stable in the world. If the Earth were larger, gravity would
increase considerably and various poisonous gases would make our
atmosphere lethal. Even if we managed to protect ourselves from these
gasses, we would be unable to move.
Yet such a problem never arises, because Earth's size has been
determined in a manner that makes human life possible. The conditions
that combine are so delicate that there is no way even one of them
could have come about by chance. Scientists have calculated the oddsof
such an event as 1 in 10123. 1 Clearly, the accidental formation of
an environment suited to life is impossible.
Were Allah willed so, He could make each star and planet suitable for
life, arrange matters so that human beings had no need to eat or
drink, breathe gasses in specific proportions, or gravity or the Sun.
But Allah, Who created all that exists, willed to bring together all
of the astonishingly detailed conditions necessary for life to remind
people that He created and controls everything and to give us the
opportunity to appreciate His infinite might and turn to Him:
He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and Earth belongs. He does not
have a son, andHe has no partner in the Kingdom. He created everything
and determined it most exactly. (Surat al-Furqan,2)

The Aim Is To Attain The Good Pleasure Of Allah

Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah, makingmy religion sincerely
His." (Surat az-Zumar: 11)
Once having grasped theextent of Allah's infinite might, to forget His
existence and remain heedless is merely to delude oneself. What Allah
demands from human beings is that they seek to earn His good pleasure
as their sole priority in life.
Since it is Allah Who created man, provided him his sustenance and all
other such blessings, and Who promised him eternal life in the , it
would be an act of ingratitude for man to seek the pleasure of others,
or the gratification of his own self, as his primary aim. The
punishment for suchungratefulness is eternalhellfire.
There are two choices a man can make; he can either found his life on
Allah's good pleasure, and thus earn the reward of His Paradise, or
choose the path that leads to Hell. A third option is not available
for him. This is clearly expressed in the following verse:
Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and
His good pleasure, or someone who founds hisbuilding on the brink of a
crumbling precipice so that it collapses with himinto the Fire of
Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)
Those values praised in the Qur'an are those founded on purely that
which achieves Allah's pleasure. For example, self-sacrifice, which is
pleasing to Allah, is valid only if the person does not expect
anything for it in return, but rather only to attain Allah's good
pleasure. It is related in the Qur'an that believers conduct
themselves correctly onlyto seek Allah's countenance:
They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and
captives: "We feed you only out of desire for theFace of Allah. We do
not want any repayment from you or any thanks."(Surat al-Insan: 8-9)
Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) also stated in a hadith that Allah's Pleasure must always
be held above man's pleasure:
Whoever seeks Allah's Pleasure at the expense of men's displeasure,
will win Allah's Pleasure and Allah will cause men to be pleased with
him. And whoever seeks to please men at the expense of Allah's
Displeasure, will win the Displeasure of Allah and Allah will cause
men to be displeased with him. (narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh)
The greatest honor and gratification man can ever attain is Allah's
good pleasure. Allah makes His servants pleased with Him through the
multitude ofblessings He bestows on them. In a verse of the Qur'an,
the reward for believers who are pleased with Allah, and with whom
Allah is pleased, is related as follows:
Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing
under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. Allah is
pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is for those who
fear their Lord. (Surat al-Bayyina: 8)
Allah's good pleasure is not only earned solely byperforming certain
acts of worship at definite times. Allah's good pleasure is also
earned by conducting oneself correctly throughout one's lifetime. The
following verse informs us that a believer's entire life must be
oriented towards a single goal:
Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah
alone, the Lord of all the worlds." (Surat al-An'am:162)

Story The Fever - , CHAPTER 10

Turmoil filled my every breath.
I woke up as the alarm buzzed six o'clock. Nightmare after nightmare
had consumedmy restless night, leaving my body completely drenched in
sweat as I awoke. I attempted to make an agenda for myself as I ran
myself through the shower and quickly dressed myself casually
afterwards. I nearly ran out the door, not alerting Jennifer to my
scheme for the day.
I started the car and quickly backed out of thegarage. The engine
roared and the tires squealed as I sped off towards town.
I found the place I had been looking for.
I parked the Mercedes onthe street next to a store named Guns 'n More
and hurriedly walked in. There was one, large man behind a large
counter. He wore a ripped sleeve flannel t-shirt and faded jeans. I
ran up to him in anxiety.
"Can I help you?" he asked while cleaning a half-assembled weapon.
"I need to buy a personal protection weapon."
"Pistol?"
"Probably."
"Nine millimeter?"
"Honestly I don't know that much about guns. I just want something
that I can carry legally that is reliable and easy to get ammunition
for." He smiled at my last sentence as if he had just found the
perfect customer.
"Here is a Beretta 92 FS. Small, light, compact, powerful, and shoots
nine-mil cartridges. Very good gun and easy to getammunition for."
"I'll take it," I replied without hesitation.
"Do you want a spare magazine too?"
"Sure."
"Ammo right away?"
"Yes."
I paid him the appropriate amount for the weapon and he even showed me
the basics of holding, shooting, maintaining, and reloading the gun. I
later bought a holster and I stored the gun in it as I walked out of
the small corner store.
I was now prepared to meet the man in the hooded sweatshirt.
I entered the alley, within seconds of the time I had been scheduled.
The familiar face, well, familiar hood was standing there, sucking on
a cigarette. Before I was even done walking towards him he was already
spouting questions at me.
"Do you have the quarter-million?"
"No."
He spat the half-used cigarette onto the concrete. "And why not?"
"I think you know why not."
He laughed at that, realizing that I had not only lost immense amounts
of money, but now also recognizing that I was either to be enslaved to
"Uncle Jack" or my family and I were going to die.
"I'm sorry to hear that," his voice faded, suddenly serious.
He pulled a hunting knifefrom what seemed like nowhere and slowly
started to circle me, like ashark surrounding his prey. He came closer
withevery revolution, and finally he lunged at me.
A gun went off.
He was taken aback and blown to the ground. Theknife hit the grey
concrete a second later and clanged on the rock, almost cutting off a
finger along the way. I looked down, not realizing what I had just
done as I watched the smoke rise from the muzzle of the Beretta.
Horrified, I ran back to the Mercedes. I could hardly put the key in
the ignition because of my hands shaking so badly.
I sped home. I only had a little time.
"Get the kids, we're going."
Jennifer was suddenly alarmed as I came crashing through the kitchen
door. Disgust andfear fought for control ofher face, and she didn't
know whether to believeme or not.
"What's going on, Paul?" She grabbed my arm as I walked by her to pack
a few pairs of clothes in a backpack with some canned food. She
repeated her question.
"Jen, just trust me please."
"And why should I?" My world almost stopped."You have given me no
reason to trust you for almost two years."
I fought back the tears oftruth that I just started torecognize. "Jen,
I'm sorry.I'll explain on the way. But if you ever trusted me in your
life, trust me now."
Debate crossed her face."Please Jen."
"I'll get the girls," she finally decided.
Ten minutes later we were out of the house and back in the Mercedes.
An hour later we came back and the house was in flames. The kids were
crying and screaming the entire time. They had no idea and could not
understand the story thattook me an hour to tell Jennifer. We stopped
at acar dealership and sold the car for cash, something that we would
need very soon.
And here we were, back

Dought & clear - , She became Muslim but her husband did not;is it allowed for her not to stop living with him because of his poor health and her financial situation?.

for the past 6 years, alhamdulillah. I came to Islam after almost 20
years of marriage. My son who is 11 years old is also a Muslim. I am
bringing him up under the teachings of Islam. However, his father is
not a Muslim and I know that according to Shariah Law my marriege was
broken from the moment that I took my shahadah. HIs father does not
practice any religion and he doesnot want to learn about Islam. We
still live in the same house but we stopped sharing the same bed for a
long time.We dont have intimacy at all. My son's father is also a
disable due a car accident years back. We share the samehouse but I
deal with him more as a caregiver.I think many times aboutliving this
house so I could have more freedom to practice my religion,including
wearing the hijab when I go out with him, but I don't have the courage
to leave him because of his condition and I also can't support myself.
My parents are poor and I don't have much education and I also worry
about my son. Please send me an advice concerning this situation and
tell me if isa major sin for me not togo out with a hijab with my
husband when he forced me not to do it. I wear the full hijab all the
time when I am alone, but once I stepped out of the housewith him, he
tells me to removed it.
Praise be to Allaah.
We praise Allah for having blessed you with Islam, and we ask Him
tomake us and you steadfast in adhering to His true religion.
If a woman becomes Muslim and her husband refuses to become Muslim,
she is not permissible for him because Allah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"then if you ascertain that they are true believers send them not back
to the disbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers
nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them"
[al-Mumtahanah 60:10].
Al-Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The words of Allah, "They are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers
nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them" explain the
reason why it is forbidden to send them back. This indicatesthat a
believing woman is not permissible for a kaafir and that if the woman
becomes Muslim she must leave her husband. End quote.
Fath al-Qadeer, 5/301
So it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to remain married to a
kaafir under any circumstances whatsoever. Rather they should be
separated as soon as she becomes Muslim, then she should wait until
her 'iddah ends. If he becomes Muslim during the 'iddah, that they
remain married, but if the 'iddah ends and he has not become Muslim,
she becomes irrevocably divorced from him and she may marry someone
else if she wishes, or she may wait until he becomes Muslim.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:What is indicated by
the ruling of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
is that the marriage is suspended. If he becomes Muslim before the end
of her 'iddah, then she is still his wife, but if her 'iddah ends,
then she may marry whomever she wants, orif she likes she may wait for
him, then if he becomes Muslim, she is still his wife without anyneed
for a new marriagecontract. End quote.
Zaad al-Ma'aad, 5/137
As you say that you became Muslim six years ago, you became
irrevocably divorced from him a long time ago. So you have to leave
him immediately and it is not permissible for you to stay with him
under any circumstances. And you have to seek forgivenessand repent to
Allah, may He be exalted.
It is not permissible for you to serve him and take care of him when
Islam has separated you, especially since he -- in addition to being a
disbeliever -- hates religion and despises hijab and tells you to take
it off. How can you feel that you and your religious commitment are
safe when you are with him?
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked about a Christian
woman who was elderly,as was her husband. She became Muslim but he did
not, and there was no sexual relationship between them. Is it
permissible for her to stay with him or should the marriage be
annulled?
They replied:
If a Christian woman becomes Muslim and sheis the wife of a Christian
man, the marriage contract is annulled. Based on that, it is not
permissible for her to stay with him even if they are old and have
nosexual relationship. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 19/16-17
The fact that you are poor and have no work does not make it
permissible to you to stay in the same house as a non-Muslim man.
Think positively of Allah, may He be exalted, for He is the One Who
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah will grant after hardship, ease"
[al-Talaaq 65:7].
Al-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This is glad tidings to those who are in difficulty, that Allah will
grant them relief from their hardship and take away their
difficulties. End quote.
Tafseer al-Sa'di, p. 871
And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a
way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And
whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. Verily,
Allaah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allaah has set a measure
for all things"
[al-Talaaq 65:2-3].
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) debated with a
Christian scholar until the truth became clear to him, but he
refrained from entering Islam on the grounds that the Christians
venerated himand he said: I do not know any trade and I have not
memorized anyQur'aan or grammar or fiqh. If I become Muslim Iwill go
around the marketplaces begging from people. Who could agree to that?
Ibn al-Qayyim said: That will not happen! How can you think of Allah
that if you give precedence to pleasing Him over your whims and
desires He would humiliate you and make you in need ofothers? Even if
we assume that that will befall you, what you have attained of truth
and salvation from the Fire and from the wrath and anger of Allah will
be the most complete compensation for what you have lost. End quote.
Hidaayat al-Hayaara, p. 119
Your son should treat hisfather kindly and serve him and help him as
much as he can. That is his father's right over him, even if he (the
father) continues to follow his present religion. Strive to call him
to Islam, for that willbe better for both of you, so that the family
will not be divided. Tell him that Islam forbids you to stay with him,
and that there is no solution to this problem except his becoming
Muslim.
We ask Allah to guide and help you all.