Yusuf

YusufIn the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Alif. Lam. Ra. These are verse of the Scripture that maketh plain. (1) Lo! We have revealed it, a Lecture in Arabic, that ye may understand. (2) We narrate unto thee (Muhammad) the best of narratives in that We have inspired in thee this Qur'an, though aforetime thou wast of the heedless. (3) When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me. (4) He said: O my dear son! Tell not thy brethren of thy vision, lest they plot a plot against thee. Lo! Satan is for man an open foe. (5) Thus thy Lord will prefer thee and will teach thee the interpretation of events, and will perfect His grace upon thee and upon the family of Jacob as He perfected it upon thy forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Lo! thy Lord is Knower, Wise. (6) Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (of Allah's Sovereignty) for the inquiring. (7) When they said: Verily Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, many though we be. Lo! our father is in plain aberration. (8) (One said): Kill Joseph or cast him to some (other) land, so that your father's favour may be all for you, and (that) ye may afterward be righteous folk. (9) One among them said: Kill not Joseph but, if ye must be doing, fling him into the depth of the pit; some caravan will find him. (10) They said: O our father! Why wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, when lo! we are good friends to him? (11) Send him with us to-morrow that he may enjoy himself and play. And lo! we shall take good care of him. (12) He said: Lo! in truth it saddens me that ye should take him with you, and I fear lest the wolf devour him while ye are heedless of him. (13) They said: If the wolf should devour him when we are (so strong) a band, then surely we should have already perished. (14) Then, when they led him off, and were of one mind that they should place him in the depth of the pit, We inspired in him: Thou wilt tell them of this deed of theirs when they know (thee) not. (15) And they came weeping to their father in the evening. (16) Saying: O our father! We went racing one with another, and left Joseph by our things, and the wolf devoured him, and thou believest not our saying even when we speak the truth. (17) And they came with false blood on his shirt. He said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience. And Allah it is Whose help is to be sought in that (predicament) which ye describe. (18) And there came a caravan, and they sent their waterdrawer. He let down his pail (into the pit). He said: Good luck! Here is a youth. And they hid him as a treasure, and Allah was Aware of what they did. (19) And they sold him for a low price, a number of silver coins; and they attached no value to him. (20) And he of Egypt who purchased him said unto his wife: Receive him honourably. Perchance he may prove useful to us or we may adopt him as a son. Thus we established Joseph in the land that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allah was predominant in His career, but most of mankind know not. (21) And when he reached his prime We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus We reward the good. (22) And she, in whose house he was, asked of him an evil act. She bolted the doors and said: Come! He said: I seek refuge in Allah! Lo! he is my lord, who hath treated me honourably. Lo! wrong-doers never prosper. (23) She verily desired him, and he would have desired her if it had not been that he saw the argument of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might ward off from him evil and lewdness. Lo! he was of Our chosen slaves. (24) And they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from behind, and they met her lord and master at the door. She said: What shall be his reward, who wisheth evil to thy folk, save prison or a painful doom? (25) (Joseph) said: She it was who asked of me an evil act. And a witness of her own folk testified: If his shirt is torn from before, then she speaketh truth and he is of the liars. (26) And if his shirt is torn from behind, then she hath lied and he is of the truthful. (27) So when he saw his shirt torn from behind, he said: Lo! this is of the guile of you women. Lo! the guile of you is very great. (28) O Joseph! Turn away from this, and thou, (O woman), ask forgiveness for thy sin. Lo! thou art of the sinful. (29) And women in the city said: The ruler's wife is asking of her slave-boy an ill-deed. Indeed he has smitten her to the heart with love. We behold her in plain aberration. (30) And when she heard of their sly talk, she sent to them and prepared for them a cushioned couch (to lie on at the feast) and gave to every one of them a knife and said (to Joseph): Come out unto them! And when they saw him they exalted him and cut their hands, exclaiming: Allah Blameless! This is no a human being. This is not other than some gracious angel. (31) She said: This is he on whose account ye blamed me. I asked of him an evil act, but he proved continent, but if he do not my behest he verily shall be imprisoned, and verily shall be of those brought low. (32) He said: O my Lord! Prison is more dear than that unto which they urge me, and if Thou fend not off their wiles from me I shall incline unto them and become of the foolish. (33) So his Lord heard his prayer and fended off their wiles from him. Lo! He is Hearer, Knower. (34) And it seemed good to them (the men-folk) after they had seen the signs (of his innocence) to imprison him for a time. (35) And two young men went to prison with him. One of them said: I dreamed that I was pressing wine. The other said: I dreamed that I was carrying upon my head bread whereof the birds were eating. Announce unto us the interpretation, for we see thee of those good (at interpretation). (36) He said: The food which ye are given (daily) shall not come unto you but I shall tell you the interpretation ere it cometh unto you. This is of that which my Lord hath taught me. Lo! I have forsaken the religion of folk who believe not in Allah and are disbelievers in the Hereafter. (37) And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. It never was for us to attribute aught as partner to Allah. This is of the bounty of Allah unto us (the seed of Abraham) and unto mankind; but most men give not thanks. (38) O my fellow-prisoners! Are divers lords better, or Allah the One, Almighty? (39) Those whom ye worship beside Him are but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers. Allah hath revealed no sanction for them. The decision rests with Allah only, Who hath commanded you that ye worship none save Him. This is the right religion, but most men know not. (40) O my two fellow-prisoners! As for one of you, he will pour out wine for his lord to drink; and as for the other, he will be crucified so that the birds will eat from his head. Thus is the case judged concerning which ye did inquire. (41) And he said unto him of the twain who he knew would be released: Mention me in the presence of thy lord. But Satan caused him to forget to mention it to his lord, so he (Joseph) stayed in prison for some years. (42) And the king said: Lo! I saw in a dream seven fat kine which seven lean were eating, and seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry. O notables! Expound for me my vision, if ye can interpret dreams. (43) They answered: Jumbled dreams! And we are not knowing in the interpretation of dreams. (44) And he of the two who was released, and (now) at length remembered, said: I am going to announce unto you the interpretation, therefore send me forth. (45) (And when he came to Joseph in the prison, he exclaimed): Joseph! O thou truthful one! Expound for us the seven fat kine which seven lean were eating and the seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry, that I may return unto the people, so that they may know. (46) He said: Ye shall sow seven years as usual, but that which ye reap, leave it in the ear, all save a little which ye eat. (47) Then after that will come seven hard years which will devour all that ye have prepared for them, save a little of that which ye have stored. (48) Then, after that, will come a year when the people will have plenteous crops and when they will press (wine and oil). (49) And the king said: Bring him unto me. And when the messenger came unto him, he (Joseph) said: Return unto thy lord and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands. Lo! my Lord knoweth their guile. (50) He (the king) (then sent for those women and) said: What happened when ye asked an evil act of Joseph? They answered: Allah Blameless! We know no evil of him. Said the wife of the ruler: Now the truth is out. I asked of him an evil act, and he is surely of the truthful. (51) (Then Joseph said: I asked for) this, that he (my lord) may know that I betrayed him not in secret, and that surely Allah guideth not the snare of the betrayers. (52) I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful. (53) And the king said: Bring him unto me that I may attach him to my person. And when he had talked with him he said: Lo! thou art to-day in our presence established and trusted. (54) He said: Set me over the storehouses of the land. Lo! I am a skilled custodian. (55) Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good. (56) And the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who believe and ward off (evil). (57) And Joseph's brethren came and presented themselves before him, and he knew them but they knew him not. (58) And when he provided them with their provision he said: Bring unto me a brother of yours from your father. See ye not that I fill up the measure and I am the best of hosts? (59) And if ye bring him not unto me, then there shall be no measure for you with me, nor shall ye draw near. (60) They said: We will try to win him from his father: that we will surely do. (61) He said unto his young men: Place their merchandise in their saddlebags, so that they may know it when they go back to their folk, and so will come again. (62) So when they went back to their father they said: O our father! The measure is denied us, so send with us our brother that we may obtain the measure, surely we will guard him well. (63) He said: Can I entrust him to you save as I entrusted his brother to you aforetime? Allah is better at guarding, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. (64) And when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said: O our father! What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother, and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load). This (that we bring now) is a light measure. (65) He said: I will not send him with you till ye give me an undertaking in the name of Allah that ye will bring him back to me, unless ye are surrounded. And when they gave him their undertaking he said: Allah is the Warden over what we say. (66) And he said: O my sons! Go not in by one gate; go in by different gates. I can naught avail you as against Allah. Lo! the decision rests with Allah only. In Him do I put my trust, and in Him let all the trusting put their trust. (67) And when they entered in the manner which their father had enjoined, it would have naught availed them as against Allah; it was but a need of Jacob's soul which he thus satisfied; and lo! he was a lord of knowledge because We had taught him; but most of mankind know not. (68) And when they went in before Joseph, he took his brother unto him, saying: Lo! I, even I, am thy brother, therefore sorrow not for what they did. (69) And when he provided them with their provision, he put the drinking-cup in his brother's saddlebag, and then a crier cried: O camel-riders! Lo! ye are surely thieves! (70) They cried, coming toward them: What is it ye have lost? (71) They said: We have lost the king's cup, and he who bringeth it shall have a camel-load, and I (said Joseph) am answerable for it. (72) They said: By Allah, well ye know we came not to do evil in the land, and are no thieves. (73) They said: And what shall be the penalty for it, if ye prove liars? (74) They said: The penalty for it! He in whose bag (the cup) is found, he is the penalty for it. Thus we requite wrong-doers. (75) Then he (Joseph) began the search with their bags before his brother's bag, then he produced it from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by grades (of mercy) whom We will, and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing. (76) They said: If he stealeth, a brother of his stole before. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and revealed it not unto them. He said (within himself): Ye are in worse case, and Allah knoweth best (the truth of) that which ye allege. (77) They said: O ruler of the land! Lo! he hath a very aged father, so take one of us instead of him. Lo! we behold thee of those who do kindness. (78) He said: Allah forbid that we should seize save him with whom we found our property; then truly we should be wrong-doers. (79) So, When they despaired of (moving) him, they conferred together apart. The eldest of them said: Know ye not how your father took an undertaking from you in Allah's name and how ye failed in the case of Joseph aforetime? Therefore I shall not go forth from the land until my father giveth leave or Allah judgeth for me. He is the Best of Judges. (80) Return unto your father and say: O our father! Lo! thy son hath stolen. We testify only to that which we know; we are not guardians of the Unseen. (81) Ask the township where we were, and the caravan with which we travelled hither. Lo! we speak the truth. (82) (And when they came unto their father and had spoken thus to him) he said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience! It may be that Allah will bring them all unto me. Lo! He, only He, is the Knower, the Wise. (83) And he turned away from them and said: Alas, my grief for Joseph! And his eyes were whitened with the sorrow that he was suppressing. (84) They said: By Allah, thou wilt never cease remembering Joseph till thy health is ruined or thou art of those who perish! (85) He said: I expose my distress and anguish only unto Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not. (86) Go, O my sons, and ascertain concerning Joseph and his brother, and despair not of the Spirit of Allah. Lo! none despaireth of the Spirit of Allah save disbelieving folk. (87) And when they came (again) before him (Joseph) they said: O ruler! Misfortune hath touched us and our folk, and we bring but poor merchandise, so fill for us the measure and be charitable unto us. Lo! Allah will requite the charitable, (88) He said: Know ye what ye did unto Joseph and his brother in your ignorance? (89) They said: Is it indeed thou who art Joseph? He said: I am Joseph and this is my brother. Allah hath shown us favour. Lo! he who wardeth off (evil) and endureth (findeth favour); for verily Allah loseth not the wages of the kindly. (90) They said: By Allah, verily Allah hath preferred thee above us, and we were indeed sinful. (91) He said: Have no fear this day! May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. (92) Go with this shirt of mine and lay it on my father's face, he will become (again) a seer; and come to me with all your folk. (93) When the caravan departed their father had said: Truly I am conscious of the breath of Joseph, though ye call me dotard. (94) (Those around him) said: By Allah, lo! thou art in thine old aberration. (95) Then, when the bearer of glad tidings came, he laid it on his face and he became a seer once more. He said: Said I not unto you that I know from Allah that which ye know not? (96) They said: O our father! Ask forgiveness of our sins for us, for lo! we were sinful. (97) He said: I shall ask forgiveness for you of my Lord. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (98) And when they came in before Joseph, he took his parents unto him, and said: Come into Egypt safe, if Allah will! (99) And he placed his parents on the dais and they fell down before him prostrate, and he said: O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream of old. My Lord hath made it true, and He hath shown me kindness, since He took me out of the prison and hath brought you from the desert after Satan had made strife between me and my brethren. Lo! my Lord is tender unto whom He will. He is the Knower, the Wise. (100) O my Lord! Thou hast given me (something) of sovereignty and hast taught me (something) of the interpretation of events - Creator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protecting Friend in the world and the Hereafter. Make me to die submissive (unto Thee), and join me to the righteous. (101) This is of the tidings of the Unseen which We inspire in thee (Muhammad). Thou wast not present with them when they fixed their plan and they were scheming. (102) And though thou try much, most men will not believe. (103) Thou askest them no fee for it. It is naught else than a reminder unto the peoples. (104) How many a portent is there in the heavens and the earth which they pass by with face averted! (105) And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners (unto Him). (106) Deem they themselves secure from the coming on them of a pall of Allah's punishment, or the coming of the Hour suddenly while they are unaware? (107) Say: This is my Way: I call on Allah with sure knowledge. I and whosoever followeth me - Glory be to Allah! - and I am not of the idolaters. (108) We sent not before thee (any messengers) save men whom We inspired from among the folk of the townships - Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? And verily the abode of the Hereafter, for those who ward off (evil), is best. Have ye then no sense? - (109) Till, when the messengers despaired and thought that they were denied, then came unto them Our help, and whom We would was saved. And Our wrath cannot be warded from the guilty. (110) In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is no invented story but a confirmation of the existing (Scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe. (111)

Why do we Study the Prophet’s Biography?

The Prophet; Your Best Ideal in Life

The Prophet is the best ideal to follow in your life…
He is the only personality in history to be followed in everything…
-If you are rich so follow the Prophet when he was a merchant traveling with his products between Hijaz and Ash-Sham and when he earned Bahrain's stores
-If you are poor so take him as an example when he was under blockade in the col (mountain pass) of Abu Taleb and when he emigrated to Madinah leaving his country without having anything…

-If you are a king so follow him in his "Sunna" (All his doings and sayings) when he guided the Arabs and was obeyed by all, even great personalities.
-If you are a weak person so take the Prophet as an example when he was accused in Makkah within the atheist system.
-If you are a conqueror, you can share part of his life when he conquered his enemy in the Battle of Badr, Honayn and Makkah
-If you are defeated, take a moral lesson from the Battle of Uhod when he (PBUH)was among his dead and wounded friends…
-If you are a teacher take him an example when he taught his companions in the Masjed.
-If you are a student or seeking for more education, follow him (PBUH) when he was sitting between Gabriel's hands learning and understanding his Message…
-If you are an advisor, faithful consulter so listen to him when he advised the people in his Masjed of Madinah…
-If you are an Orphan, you have to know that the Muhammad's father died before his birth and his mother when he (PBUH) was still a child…
-And as for children he was that cute and polite child living his first years with his child-minder Halima Assa'diyah …

-If you are young so read the biography of the shepherd of Makkah…
-If you are a merchant traveling with some goods, so notice the behaviors of the caravan's leader who went to Busra…
-If you are a judge or evaluator, so look at the Prophet's judgment when he went to Ka'ba and saw the leaders of the tribes about to kill each other because they were struggling about who is the one to put the black stone in its place, and the Prophet –of course- resolved the problem. And also when he was in Madinah judging equally between people no matter if they are rich or poor…
-If you are a husband so read the Prophet's biography about the honest life of Khadijah's and Aisha's husband.

-And if you are a father, so learn how to treat your children as he (PBUH) did with his daughters and grandchildren…

No matter who you are … you have the Prophet's biography; your guide and candle lightning the darkness of your daily life helping you to go through it to gain the hereafter….

He is indeed the greatest personality all over the world.

The Prophet’s Miracles

The Hadith about the Stone’s Greeting the Prophet

Jaber Bin Samra reported that Prophet Muhammad said: "I know a stone in Makkah that was greeting me before legation, I know it now ". It is said that it’s the black stone and some said it is another one. Narrated by Muslim and At Tirmithy

And Abdullah bin Masoud said :” When I was walking in Makkah I used to see a stone I know, every time the Prophet passed over it I heard the stone saying :” Peace be upon you, Messenger of Allah.”

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The Miracles Performed by the Prophet with his Sanctified Palm

On the authority of Abu Zayd ibn Akhtab (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) passed his hand on my face then invoked Allah for me."
Azrah said, that (Abu Zayd ibn Akhtab) lived one hundred and twenty years, and had only few grey hairs.' Narrated by Al-Tirmithi, considered as a “Hasan” Hadith by Al-Hakim and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him.
On the authority of Jaber ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "When boys passed by the Prophet (peace be upon him), he would pass his hands on one or both of their cheeks. When I passed by him, he passed his hand on one of my cheeks. My cheek which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had passed his hand on, looked better than the other one." Narrated by At-Tabarani and its origin is in Sahih Muslim.
On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him): "I attended a session for Allah's Messenger who then was holding a handful of gravel then the gravel said: 'Subhan Allah' i.e., All Praised be to Allah). Abu Bakr, Omar, `Uthman and `Aly were among us. All those who were in the session heard the gravel's Tasbih (saying:'Subhan Allah' i.e., All Praise be to Allah)" Narrated by Al-Tabarani and the “Isnad” (Chain of narrations) of At-Tabarani is “Sahih” right with reliable narrators.
This is well-expressed by Sheikh Jamal Addien Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Yusuf As-Sarsari who said in a poem:
While mountains praised Allah responding to Dawood (David),
And titanic iron became flexible,
Hard rocks turned flexible, and gravel praised Allah in his palm.
While springs of water gushed forth by Moses' staff,
Water gushed forth from Muhammad's palm.

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The Angles’ Protection over the Prophet (PBUH)

Abu Huraira reported that Abu Jahl asked some of the Polytheists whether Muhammad prays in front of all people. They told him: Yes. So Abu Jahl swore by their idols (Allat and Aluzza) that If he would see him praying, he would trample his neck, or cast dust on his face. He came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) when he was praying and tried to trample his neck. He came near the Prophet, but turned upon his heels and tried to repulse something with his hands. It was said to him: What is the matter with you? Abu Jahl said: There is between me and him a ditch of fire and terror and wings. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) said: If he were to come near me the Angels would have torn him to pieces. Then Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:
“6 -Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds (in disbelief and evil deed, etc.). 7 -Because he considers himself self-sufficient. 8-Surely! Unto your Lord is the return. 9-Have you (O Muhammad ) seen him (i.e. Abu Jahl) who prevents, 10 -A slave (Muhammad) when he prays? 11-Tell me, if he (Muhammad) is on the guidance (of Allah)? 12-Or enjoins piety? 13-Tell me if he (the disbeliever, Abu Jahl) denies (the truth, i.e. this Qur'an), and turns away? 14-Knows he not that Allah does see (what he does)? 15-Nay! If he (Abu Jahl) ceases not, We will catch him by the forelock, 16-A lying, sinful forelock! 17-Then, let him call upon his council (of helpers), 18-We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)! 19-Nay! (O Muhammad)! Do not obey him (Abu Jahl). Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah! “
(Al-Alaq : 6-19)

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Muhammad in their Eyes

Mahatma Gandhi
Speaking on the character of Muhammad (pbuh), Mahatma Gandhi says in (Young India),
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography),

I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."

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"His readiness to undergo persecutions for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad."
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W. Montgomery Watt, MOHAMMAD AT MECCA, Oxford, 1953, p. 52.

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"It is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion that deserves our wonder, the same pure and perfect impression which he engraved at Mecca and Medina is preserved, after the revolutions of twelve centuries by the Indian, the African and the Turkish proselytes of the Koran. . . The Mahometans have uniformly withstood the temptation of reducing the object of their faith an devotion to a level with the senses and imagination of man. 'I believe in One God and Mahomet the Apostle of God' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honours of the prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue, and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion."
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Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay, HISTORY OF THE SARACEN

EMPIRE, London, 1870, p. 54.

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"Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about A.D. 570 into an Arabian tribe that worshipped idols. Orphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan, the slave and the downtrodden. At twenty, he was already a successful businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five, his employer, recognizing his merit, proposed marriage. Even though she was fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she lived, remained a devoted husband.
"Like almost every major prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the transmitter of God's word, sensing his own inadequacy. But the angel commanded "Read." So far as we know, Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would soon revolutionize a large segment of the earth: "There is one God."
"In all things Muhammad was profoundly practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred, and rumours of God's personal condolence quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to have announced, "An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish to attribute such things to the death or birth of a human being." "At Muhammad's own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: "If there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you worshipped, He lives forever."
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James A. Michener, "ISLAM: THE MISUNDERSTOOD RELIGION," in READER'S DIGEST (American edition), May 1955, pp. 68-70. -------------------------------------------------------------------------

"how one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two

decades."

Thomas Carlyle

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Muhammad is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities."

In the Encyclopedia Britannica

Freedom Talk

Freedom TalkAs per the Vision of the Muslim Woman
It is a real message from a Muslim female student to all her counterparts in the various universities of the world, especially in America and Europe represented in her realistic vision in conformity with a rational perspective. The vision is simply centralized in the pioneer ship of the Muslim woman in her field, the tasks attributed her and the guarantee of her religion which seeks her dignity in the various fields: at home, at work and in all her life stations.It is only a simple reminder about Islamic Law and its guarantee to the woman to practice her freedom as the man, but as per controls ruled by morals, with no transgression on others rights. Most importantly observing the public etiquette, as well as her feminity. It awards her the high as the man to benefit from the civil civilization. She is the teacher, the student, and the raising mother. The lord has honored her via this great religion: Islam.
Her prestige is evident from the various Islamic legislations represented in:
a- Equality in rights and duties which is the normal criterion between her and the man as per the Islamic perspective taking into account the different roles to be played by them.b- The Messenger of Allah, May Allah’s peace be upon him was always stressing on honoring the woman and she is entitled to struggle and claim & practice her rights as per the law of Islam which ensures that for her.c- Islam encourages honoring and kindness to both parents and mercifully deals with them especially the mother. Islam urges and focuses on the importance of kindness to both of them in a repeated fashion indicating honoring the woman in her various age stages.d- One of the most important honoring points obtained by the woman as per the Islamic perspective is that she does not incur expenditure on herself & her kids as long as her husband is alive. Thus, Islam has awarded her this distinction for honoring her, as expenditure is a must on the husband.e- According to Islamic law, the woman is considered the raiser of generations, the factory of glories and the basic brick in constituting the child’s character and configuring his/her culture derived from excellent teachings aiming at mercy, respect, unselfishness, life love and creation development. All these important points are some of the major tasks assigned for the woman indicating high trust in her, and the high dependence on her. This is only one aspect of her multiple contributions in the community service as an active member besides the man.The woman is the most important and major inducer in the house. She is the fuel of the ship which rests on a safe shone. Through the woman, stability is achieved as she is the supporter, partner and the spring of love & affection for all. This is Islam’s genuine view to the woman as being the basic brick of the woman as being the basic brick of the woman. This is a source of proud of this religion (Islam) which has awarded the woman this prestige as well as many honoring stations in her life.Muslims do believe that all heavenly religions are from God, the true of faith of a Muslim is the belief in those heavenly religions and the messages they have brought. Religious fanaticism along some evil intentions which have caused enmities and hatred among the followers of the various religions. Those having the wicked intentions want to encourage this hatred through distorting the legislations of Islam and its view towards the woman, yet Islam with its tolerant teachings since its birth stresses on putting aside the hatred culture and replace it by a spirit of tolerance coming out from moral fields supporting agreement and reconciliation under an important title that is human respect. Secondly, the obvious teachings & frank legislations calling for honoring the woman and putting her in her suitable positions as a genuine base for the community and an important tribute towards configurating the family’s culture in particular and the community in general. Those teachings and the legislation methodologies are available for researchers away of the fabricated racial distortment and fogginess. This honoring is a source of proud. There is no wonder that may of the western women converted to Islam due to their admiration with the practices of Islam which stress on honoring the woman within its teachings.This is a freedom method for those looking for reality.

Excuse me!!

Would you stop for a moment?!

O...man...Haven't you thought-one day- about yourself ?

Who has made it?Have you seen a design which hasn't a designer ?!

Have you seen a wonderful,delicate work without a worker ?!It's you and the whole universe!..Who has made them all ?!!You know who ?.. It's "ALLAH",prise be to him.Just think for a moment.How are you going to be after death ?!Can you believe that this exact system of the universe and all of these great creation will end in in nothing...just after death!Have you thought, for a second, How to save your soul from Allah's punishment?!Haven't you thought about what is the right religion?!Read ... and think deeply before you answer..It is religion of Islam.It is the religion that Mohammad-peace upon him- the last prophet, had been sent by.It is the religion that the right Bible- which is not distorted-has preached.Just have a look at The Bible of (Bernaba).Don't be emstional.Be rational and judge..Just look..listen...compare..and then judge and say your word.We advise you visiting :
http://www.islam-guide.com/http://www.thetruereligion.org/http://www.beconvinced.com/http://www.plaintruth.org/http://english.islamway.com/http://www.todayislam.com/http://www.prophetmuhammed.org/http://www.islamtoday.net/english/http://www.islamunveiled.org/http://www.islamic-knowledge.com/
We willingly recive any inquries at the e-mail :
muslim5@hotmail.com

Are Alcoholic Beverages Pure or Impure?

Are Alcoholic Beverages Pure or Impure?

Sheikh Salman al-Oadah

There is no question that drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages is forbidden in Islam. This is a matter of unanimous agreement among Muslims. Allah says: “O ye who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divination by arrows are but filth of Satan's handiwork. Keep away from it in order that you may succeed. Satan's plan is but to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will you not then desist?” [ Sûrah al-Mâ'idah : 90-91] Scholars agree that this verse prohibiting intoxicants is among the last verses of the Qur'ân to be revealed. There is no possibility that this verse has been abrogated. Its ruling, therefore, is in force until the Day of Judgment. However, does that fact that wine is unlawful also mean that it is impure? Some scholars of the Shâfi`î school of law claim that the impurity of alcoholic beverages is a matter of juristic consensus. [al-Nawawî, al-Majmû` (2/563)] This claim is untrue. The question of whether alcoholic beverages are pure or impure is a matter of scholarly dispute. The first opinion: The opinion of the majority of scholars is that alcoholic beverages are impure. This is the opinion of the scholars of the Hanafî, Mâlikî, and Hanbalî schools of law. It is also the position of the majority of Shâfi`î scholars. Many later scholars, like Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Shinqîtî, and Ibn Bâz, also hold this view. The evidence for this view is as follows: 1. Allah says: “Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divination by arrows are but filth of Satan's handiwork. Keep away from it in order that you may succeed.” [ Sûrah al-Mâ'idah : 90] Scholars have understood that wine is impure from this verse in a number of ways. First of all, there is the fact that it has been forbidden. Secondly, it is described as “filth” and looked upon as something vile. Lastly, we are ordered to keep away from it. With respect to deriving a ruling of impurity from this verse, al-Ghazâlî said: “It takes the ruling of being impure to emphasize its unlawfulness and to discourage it, comparable to the dog and to what the dog has lapped up.” [as quoted by al-Nawawî in al-Majmû` (2/565)] Nevertheless, the verse is not giving a clear indication that alcoholic beverages are impure. Allah clearly states the reason why these drinks are unlawful by saying: “Satan's plan is but to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer…” The fact that it has been described as “filth” in the context of this verse is not evidence for its being impure. The Arabic word being used is “ rijs ”, which according to language conveys the meaning of uncleanness in a more general sense. Likewise, the fact that we are ordered to avoid it is no indicator of it being impure. It is clearly an order to stay away from what is unlawful and the places and circumstances where such unlawful practices are carried out. Allah mentions intoxicating beverages along with gambling, idols, and divination with arrows, describing all of these things as “filth”. However, there is no question that gambling accessories, idols, and divining arrows are not impure substances. It is a matter of consensus that they are indeed pure. Only Ibn Hazm went so far as say: “These things are filth and they are unlawful. If a person prays carrying any of these things, his prayer will be invalid.” [ al-Muhallâ (1/255)] No other scholar has ever been known to hold a similar view. And Allah knows best. The only way this verse could possibly be used to indicate the impurity of alcoholic beverages would be to interpret it as stating the impurity of all of the things it mentions, then to say that gambling accessories, idols, and divining arrows are excepted from the ruling of impurity by some other evidence – most probably the juristic consensus that those things are pure.

2. Also cited as evidence for the impurity of alcoholic beverages is the verse: “And there Lord will give them to drink a beverage pure.” [ Sûrah al-Insân : 21] This verse describes the drink of the denizens of Paradise as being pure. This, by indication of contrast, shows that the wine of our worldly existence is impure. This understanding is supported by the fact that Allah, elsewhere in the Qur'ân, attributes to the wine of Paradise characteristics that are nonexistent in the wine of this world, saying: : “It is free from headiness; nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.” [ Sûrah al-Sâffât : 47] and: “No after-ache will they receive from it, nor will they suffer intoxication” [ Sûrah al-Wâqi`ah : 19] It cannot go unnoticed that this argument is insufficient evidence for the impurity of alcoholic beverages. The purity of the drink of Paradise in no way implies the impurity of everything which the people of this world drink. The word “beverage” is general in meaning, including both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Therefore, if we were to derive from the verse an indication by contrast, we would have to declare every drink under the Sun to be impure. The second opinion: The opinion that alcoholic beverages are pure has been attributed to Rabî` b. `Abd al-Rahmân – who was the teacher of Mâlik b. Anas – and to Dâwûd al-Zâhirî. They said, as quoted by al-Qâdî Abû al-Tayyib: “It is pure though it is forbidden, in the same way that poisons which are plant substances are unlawful but not impure.” This same opinion has been passed down from al-Layth b. Sa`d, al-Shâfi`î's student al-Muzanî, and some of the later Mâlikî scholars of Qarawiyin and Baghdad such as Sa`îd b. Haddâd al-Qarawî. Among the more contemporary scholars who held this view were al-Sahwkânî, al-San`ânî, Muhammad Rashîd Ridâ, al-Albânî, and al-`Uthaymîn. They cite the following evidence to support their view: 1. When the prohibition of wine was revealed, the Companions poured the alcoholic drinks that they possessed out into the streets. Anas relates the following: I was serving drinks to people in the home of Abû Talhah on the day that wine was prohibited, and they were drinking nothing but date wine. Suddenly someone called out: “Come out and see!” So we did so and someone called out: “Verily, wine has been prohibited!” It was flowing through the streets of Madinah. Abû Talhah said to me: “Take it outside and pour it out.” So I did so. [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî (3/102) and Sahîh Muslim (3/1568-1572)]The Companions poured their wine out into the streets of Madinah until the roadways were actually flowing with it. If it had been impure on account of its prohibition, they would not have done so. Islamic Law strictly prohibits the contamination of public thoroughfares with impurities. It is something that even the most common of people are above committing, not to mention the Companions, who were the best and most of generations. If they had believed that wine had become impure, they would have made sure to dispose of it in the places where impure things were discarded. This was the argument advanced by Sa`îd b. al-Haddâd al-Qarawî to demonstrate the purity of wine. Moreover, he added, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have made it clear to them that they were not allowed to dispose of it in the manner that they did. 2. A man gave Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) a waterskin of wine as a gift. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Do you know that Allah has prohibited this?” He said: “No, I did not.” Then he whispered an instruction to someone. Allah's Messenger asked: “What did you whisper to him?” He answered: “I told him to go and sell it.” The Prophet said: “Whatever is forbidden to drink is likewise forbidden to sell.” So the man opened the waterskin and poured out its contents. [ Sahîh Muslim (3/1206), Sunan al-Bayhaqî (6/12), Musnad Ahmad (1/230, 244, 323, and 358), Sunan al-Dârimî (2/171), and Musnad Abû Ya`lâ (2468)] If the contents of the waterskin had been impure, the man would not have poured them out right in front of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Even if he were to have done so, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have told him to pour the wine out somewhere else. He would also have instructed the man to clean out the waterskin thoroughly to remove the impurities from it. 3. Before wine was prohibited, the Companions used to keep it in their jugs and their waterskins. It would have, without a doubt, come in contact with their skin and their clothing. When the prohibition of wine was revealed, the people poured their wine into the streets, and never once has it been mentioned that anyone washed his body, his clothing, or even his dishes on account of the wine. If wine were impure, they would have most certainly all done so. 4. In Islamic Law, a substance is presumed to be pure by default. To declare that something is other than pure, evidence from the sacred texts is required. There is no clear text stating that wine is impure. Wine and other alcoholic beverages are made from substances that are well-known and commonplace, none of which are impure. Therefore, the only way that wine can be considered impure is if it suffers a change from being a pure substance into an impure one as it ferments into an intoxication drink. Such a claim requires evidence. There can be no doubt that something does not become impure simply because it is prohibited. There are a whole host of poisons that are prohibited for us to take, though they are definitely not impure. It is quite plain that wine was not impure before it was prohibited. If it had been, people would have had to clean up after it. Indeed, they would not have been able to drink it on that account alone, since it is unlawful to imbibe impure substances. Therefore, evidence is needed to demonstrate that after wine became prohibited, it became impure as well. Conclusion: The opinion that seems most correct – and Allah knows best – is the opinion that alcoholic beverages are pure. The evidence supporting this view is strong and free from any serious counterarguments. The evidence supporting the impurity of these beverages, on the other hand, is open to serious criticism. And Allah knows best.

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There is no question that drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages is forbidden in Islam. This is a matter of unanimous agreement among Muslims. Allah says: “O ye who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divination by arrows are but filth of Satan's handiwork. Keep away from it in order that you may succeed. Satan's plan is but to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will you not then desist?” [ Sûrah al-Mâ'idah : 90-91] Scholars agree that this verse prohibiting intoxicants is among the last verses of the Qur'ân to be revealed. There is no possibility that this verse has been abrogated. Its ruling, therefore, is in force until the Day of Judgment. However, does that fact that wine is unlawful also mean that it is impure? Some scholars of the Shâfi`î school of law claim that the impurity of alcoholic beverages is a matter of juristic consensus. [al-Nawawî, al-Majmû` (2/563)] This claim is untrue. The question of whether alcoholic beverages are pure or impure is a matter of scholarly dispute. The first opinion: The opinion of the majority of scholars is that alcoholic beverages are impure. This is the opinion of the scholars of the Hanafî, Mâlikî, and Hanbalî schools of law. It is also the position of the majority of Shâfi`î scholars. Many later scholars, like Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Shinqîtî, and Ibn Bâz, also hold this view. The evidence for this view is as follows: 1. Allah says: “Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divination by arrows are but filth of Satan's handiwork. Keep away from it in order that you may succeed.” [ Sûrah al-Mâ'idah : 90] Scholars have understood that wine is impure from this verse in a number of ways. First of all, there is the fact that it has been forbidden. Secondly, it is described as “filth” and looked upon as something vile. Lastly, we are ordered to keep away from it. With respect to deriving a ruling of impurity from this verse, al-Ghazâlî said: “It takes the ruling of being impure to emphasize its unlawfulness and to discourage it, comparable to the dog and to what the dog has lapped up.” [as quoted by al-Nawawî in al-Majmû` (2/565)] Nevertheless, the verse is not giving a clear indication that alcoholic beverages are impure. Allah clearly states the reason why these drinks are unlawful by saying: “Satan's plan is but to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer…” The fact that it has been described as “filth” in the context of this verse is not evidence for its being impure. The Arabic word being used is “ rijs ”, which according to language conveys the meaning of uncleanness in a more general sense. Likewise, the fact that we are ordered to avoid it is no indicator of it being impure. It is clearly an order to stay away from what is unlawful and the places and circumstances where such unlawful practices are carried out. Allah mentions intoxicating beverages along with gambling, idols, and divination with arrows, describing all of these things as “filth”. However, there is no question that gambling accessories, idols, and divining arrows are not impure substances. It is a matter of consensus that they are indeed pure. Only Ibn Hazm went so far as say: “These things are filth and they are unlawful. If a person prays carrying any of these things, his prayer will be invalid.” [ al-Muhallâ (1/255)] No other scholar has ever been known to hold a similar view. And Allah knows best. The only way this verse could possibly be used to indicate the impurity of alcoholic beverages would be to interpret it as stating the impurity of all of the things it mentions, then to say that gambling accessories, idols, and divining arrows are excepted from the ruling of impurity by some other evidence – most probably the juristic consensus that those things are pure.

2. Also cited as evidence for the impurity of alcoholic beverages is the verse: “And there Lord will give them to drink a beverage pure.” [ Sûrah al-Insân : 21] This verse describes the drink of the denizens of Paradise as being pure. This, by indication of contrast, shows that the wine of our worldly existence is impure. This understanding is supported by the fact that Allah, elsewhere in the Qur'ân, attributes to the wine of Paradise characteristics that are nonexistent in the wine of this world, saying: : “It is free from headiness; nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.” [ Sûrah al-Sâffât : 47] and: “No after-ache will they receive from it, nor will they suffer intoxication” [ Sûrah al-Wâqi`ah : 19] It cannot go unnoticed that this argument is insufficient evidence for the impurity of alcoholic beverages. The purity of the drink of Paradise in no way implies the impurity of everything which the people of this world drink. The word “beverage” is general in meaning, including both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Therefore, if we were to derive from the verse an indication by contrast, we would have to declare every drink under the Sun to be impure. The second opinion: The opinion that alcoholic beverages are pure has been attributed to Rabî` b. `Abd al-Rahmân – who was the teacher of Mâlik b. Anas – and to Dâwûd al-Zâhirî. They said, as quoted by al-Qâdî Abû al-Tayyib: “It is pure though it is forbidden, in the same way that poisons which are plant substances are unlawful but not impure.” This same opinion has been passed down from al-Layth b. Sa`d, al-Shâfi`î's student al-Muzanî, and some of the later Mâlikî scholars of Qarawiyin and Baghdad such as Sa`îd b. Haddâd al-Qarawî. Among the more contemporary scholars who held this view were al-Sahwkânî, al-San`ânî, Muhammad Rashîd Ridâ, al-Albânî, and al-`Uthaymîn. They cite the following evidence to support their view: 1. When the prohibition of wine was revealed, the Companions poured the alcoholic drinks that they possessed out into the streets. Anas relates the following:
I was serving drinks to people in the home of Abû Talhah on the day that wine was prohibited, and they were drinking nothing but date wine. Suddenly someone called out: “Come out and see!” So we did so and someone called out: “Verily, wine has been prohibited!” It was flowing through the streets of Madinah. Abû Talhah said to me: “Take it outside and pour it out.” So I did so. [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî (3/102) and Sahîh Muslim (3/1568-1572)]
The Companions poured their wine out into the streets of Madinah until the roadways were actually flowing with it. If it had been impure on account of its prohibition, they would not have done so. Islamic Law strictly prohibits the contamination of public thoroughfares with impurities. It is something that even the most common of people are above committing, not to mention the Companions, who were the best and most of generations. If they had believed that wine had become impure, they would have made sure to dispose of it in the places where impure things were discarded. This was the argument advanced by Sa`îd b. al-Haddâd al-Qarawî to demonstrate the purity of wine. Moreover, he added, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have made it clear to them that they were not allowed to dispose of it in the manner that they did. 2. A man gave Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) a waterskin of wine as a gift. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Do you know that Allah has prohibited this?” He said: “No, I did not.” Then he whispered an instruction to someone. Allah's Messenger asked: “What did you whisper to him?” He answered: “I told him to go and sell it.” The Prophet said: “Whatever is forbidden to drink is likewise forbidden to sell.” So the man opened the waterskin and poured out its contents. [ Sahîh Muslim (3/1206), Sunan al-Bayhaqî (6/12), Musnad Ahmad (1/230, 244, 323, and 358), Sunan al-Dârimî (2/171), and Musnad Abû Ya`lâ (2468)] If the contents of the waterskin had been impure, the man would not have poured them out right in front of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Even if he were to have done so, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have told him to pour the wine out somewhere else. He would also have instructed the man to clean out the waterskin thoroughly to remove the impurities from it. 3. Before wine was prohibited, the Companions used to keep it in their jugs and their waterskins. It would have, without a doubt, come in contact with their skin and their clothing. When the prohibition of wine was revealed, the people poured their wine into the streets, and never once has it been mentioned that anyone washed his body, his clothing, or even his dishes on account of the wine. If wine were impure, they would have most certainly all done so. 4. In Islamic Law, a substance is presumed to be pure by default. To declare that something is other than pure, evidence from the sacred texts is required. There is no clear text stating that wine is impure. Wine and other alcoholic beverages are made from substances that are well-known and commonplace, none of which are impure. Therefore, the only way that wine can be considered impure is if it suffers a change from being a pure substance into an impure one as it ferments into an intoxication drink. Such a claim requires evidence. There can be no doubt that something does not become impure simply because it is prohibited. There are a whole host of poisons that are prohibited for us to take, though they are definitely not impure. It is quite plain that wine was not impure before it was prohibited. If it had been, people would have had to clean up after it. Indeed, they would not have been able to drink it on that account alone, since it is unlawful to imbibe impure substances. Therefore, evidence is needed to demonstrate that after wine became prohibited, it became impure as well. Conclusion: The opinion that seems most correct – and Allah knows best – is the opinion that alcoholic beverages are pure. The evidence supporting this view is strong and free from any serious counterarguments. The evidence supporting the impurity of these beverages, on the other hand, is open to serious criticism.

And Allah knows best.

Declaring the Testimony of Faith

Declaring the Testimony of Faith
By Anthea Davis


Picture ©Microsoft.comHow many times do you come to a crossroad in your life? You get this feeling that whatever choice you make will affect the rest of your life. There is excitement and fear.
Your mind comes up with all kinds of possibilities of what could happen depending on either choice. The best of people will feel confused and wary. Some people may stand at this crossroad for a large portion of their lives, wavering in indecision, while others feel sure and steadfast and willingly and knowingly take the plunge.
This is so for decisions like buying a certain house, marrying a certain person, or taking a certain job. What about if the decision is about changing your whole way of life?
Obviously such a decision must be based on knowledge, inner certainty, and commitment because without these, your steps will falter. When you make the step to accept Islam, all of nature rejoices with you and the Muslims who are true to their covenant will welcome you with open arms.
So you have heard about Islam and have become interested in it.
You have read some books, listened to some cassettes, and talked to some people. You have spent time thinking about your life and where you are heading. Possibly you have withdrawn from old friends and found yourself in transition between the old and the new. Perhaps your family is unsure about the changes they see happening in you. Maybe they think it is a passing fad or maybe they think you are serious and feel threatened.
You have been through the process of a spiritual awakening, and you feel you have come to know your Creator and wish to be close to Him and to earn His pleasure. You are sure that by surrendering to Him, acknowledging His existence and His right to be obeyed, and following His last prophet, you will be on the straight course that leads to success and happiness in this life and the next.
Now comes the moment of truth. One day you will take the trip to the local Islamic center, to a mosque, or to some Muslims who will witness your declaration of faith and hence your entrance into the Muslim community. Naturally you will be excited and hopeful of the future. You may also be a little afraid, wondering if you will be able to live up to the covenant you are making with Allah. When you declare your faith, you are saying that you will worship only Allah. That means that you will only comply and submit to others as long as what they ask of you coincides with what Allah asks of you.Allah tells us in the Qur'an what means:
[And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly, and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to Me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did.](Luqman 31:15)

This first declaration of faith is a landmark in life.
You are obliged, because of your covenant with Allah, to stand up for what is right and hold your ground. For example, you know that Allah forbids Muslims from taking any intoxicant like drugs, alcohol, and so on; so when you make this covenant with Allah, you are saying you will comply with His order. Someone may offer you a drink or may even demand you drink in order to maintain your social position or your job. They might threaten you that they will no longer be friends with you if you do not drink and so on. This is a test. Will you obey that person or Allah? Because of your testimony of faith and the promise of obedience that you make to Allah, you will resist this temptation and take the consequences regardless of what they are.
Having the strength to stand up for what is right and to care for others when other people might be manipulating or using them takes courage. But when you pass such tests, you will be greatly rewarded by Allah. The more strength you show, the more strength you will get and the more peace you will feel. Surely there is peace of mind in knowing you are doing the right things.
Whenever something happens in your life and you are not sure what you should do, the answer lies in the Qur'an and Sunnah, not in the opinions of people or your own personal desires.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an what means:
[O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end.] (An-Nisaa' 4:59)
So you are expected (by Allah) to turn to the sources of His guidance to you and follow them. At the same time, a part of this promise to Allah is that you will seek more and more knowledge so you will know how to worship and obey Him and how to spread goodness in the world.
But do not make the mistake of thinking you make this declaration of faith just one time in your life. As Muslims we make it every time we pray. So we are actually renewing our covenant with Allah every single day of our lives. And thereby we continually remind ourselves of the obligation to worship Him, obey Him, follow His Prophet (peace be upon him), and spread goodness throughout the earth. How can we ever forget our promise as long as we pray and renew it five times a day?
It is also the path that the pious throughout the ages have trodden.
But this first declaration of faith is a landmark in life. It is the turning point when old habits and beliefs are left and new habits and beliefs that are good for you and help you to grow and be a better person are adopted. It is the beginning of making daily checks on one's words and actions. When mistakes are made, Muslims are quick to see their mistakes and make amends. If they speak hurtful words to others, they quickly seek forgiveness from the person they hurt and turn to Allah with a contrite heart. There is no intermediary between the worshiper and Allah. And Allah is All-Powerful and All-Forgiving and promises to forgive and guide those who sincerely seek to do the right things.
As human beings we constantly make mistakes and are often careless and lazy. Allah is kind and merciful and whenever we turn to Him, He turns to us and forgives and guides us.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an what means:
[And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.](An-Nisaa' 4:110)
So your initial declaration of faith is the first step on a pathway that has been trodden by all the prophets and messengers of Allah including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). It is also the path that the pious throughout the ages have trodden. It is a path that is easy to fall from and is surrounded by tests and difficulties. But the help of Allah is always near and the guidance of Allah is there for us to follow so we can stay on that path. It leads to Paradise: to eternal happiness and closeness to Allah.

Storm of the Heart

Storm of the Heart
Freedom Through Submission
By Selma Cook


Not all meaning can be found in books. Picture © Microsoft.comI knew every one of the steps that led down to the entrance of the library. Every crack, bump, and slope of those 15 stairs. Since I was young I had read the inscription on the wall in front of the entrance. It said "Everything that man has ever dreamed of or known is contained in books." I didn't really believe that. There were many things I knew and kept hidden inside, and I'd never read them anywhere. I was not always understood when I spoke. People often told me not to ask so many questions as it would make me disturbed and discontented with life. I had a very real feeling from when I was a child that something was missing. I didn't know where I belonged, but I knew I was lost and looking for a place to fit in.
But some things I knew for sure without needing to question. I knew that the human body is an amazing thing. I could see so clearly how it carries on its functions without our even knowing or understanding how it works. And what is more, even though we do not necessarily understand how it functions, it still works! This made me think about how science only believes in what it understands and what can be tested. But there are so many missing pieces of knowledge that are basic to life and yet scientists still can't understand how life enters and leaves a body, how the human brain works, and so much more.
The human body gives us warning signs when things are amiss. We feel pain. Yet people often think of pain as negative. Without it, how would we know we are ill? This made me think that even the negative things in life serve an overall purpose of balancing things and helping the human mind to comprehend some of the wonders of life.
The more we ignore our sense within, the further we stray from freedom, peace, and justice.Within each human psyche there lies an instinct: a sense of right and wrong. A warning sign telling us when things are amiss, something which is common to people everywhere. It is a desire to learn, to grow, to become complete. Like everyone else, I yearned for peace. I searched for it everywhere but when I was with others, usually I'd feel its absence. People often spoke of peace but didn't practice it or even really know how to achieve and maintain it. I read about it in books but they didn't tell me how to get it. Ignorance, jealousy, competitiveness, pride, discontent, and just plain nastiness kept peace at bay.
Over the years I learned to find peace in nature. The mercy that lies in a mother's heart, the yearning in mankind to learn, to be better, yet rising and falling under the yoke of ignorance and selfishness. Humanity becomes civilized only to destroy itself, like placing a rope around one's neck. The more we ignore our sense within, the further we stray from freedom, peace, and justice. Like a mother who kills her child seeking freedom has destroyed any chance of peace in the memory of her deed, there can be no freedom without peace.
But what is surprising is that in our ignorance we are often so arrogant. Oblivious to our smallness in the nature of things, we dare to legislate and declare the means of survival for all others. Yet we cannot even control the blinking of our eyes or the beating of our hearts. Scientists dare to take on nature, competing with the sun, rain, wind, and with life itself. They play with nature that we hardly understand. Regardless of all this, the sun continues to rise and set, the planets continue to orbit, people are born and people die.Life goes on and man's arrogance continues. Books are written about law and justice that bear no fruit. Books record the misdeeds of man, his rise and fall over waves of time.I read about so many of these things in the library at that time of my life. But when I looked out the window of the building I saw magnificent trees and gardens, and I couldn't help notice how nature bows down to laws that were prescribed before time. The books didn't mention how we find peace in the submission of nature to those laws. There can be no peace, no freedom until humanity throws off the shackles of human-made law and submits to the One Who created all that exists, thereby bonding our innate instinct to the nature surrounding us, which all bows to and praises its Maker.

Who Is "Allah"?

IsThe name "Allah" is a word that is heard quite often these days whether it is on the television or passed along in conversation. But most non-Muslims have no idea who Allah is.

Some mistakenly believe that Allah is a deity that Muslims worship similar to the way in which Buddhists worship Buddha. Others think that Allah is a man or a prophet. Just the name "Allah" is so shrouded in mystery because most people never take the time to unravel the meaning.

Rather they believe what they see portrayed in the heavily biased media and allow their fears to take hold of their chests instead of seeking out the truth for themselves.

The meaning of Allah is so simple. Allah is the Arabic form of the word "The One True God". Muslims worship the exact same God that Jews and Christians do.

However, Muslims prefer to call God by His proper name Allah and refrain from using the word "god" itself since it can be attributed to so many other things. For example, in proper English the feminine form of "god" is "goddess" and let’s look at Greek Mythology where the Greeks worshipped many "gods".

Muslims believe that Allah is the One and Only God without partners and that the name "Allah" is unique to the sole Creator of this World and everything in it. To liken Allah to another supposed god in any way shape or form is to commit the one unforgivable sin of shirk, or ascribing partners to Allah.

Islam is the only religion on Earth that remained purely monotheistic. Each time a Muslim prays to Allah, he has a meeting with the Lord of this World without an intercessor or mediator.Muslims believe in submitting their entire will to Allah through acts of worship, obedience and good deeds. Muslims believe that Allah is ever-present watching over His Creation and is always close to them.

Allah says in the Quran what means,

[And indeed We have created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge).] (Qaf 50:16)

The Quran reveals that there are Beautiful Names of Allah, which is how Muslims get to know the Creator. Muslims are forbidden to ponder upon Allah’s appearance or to attribute Him to anything in this World as some faiths liken Allah to man. Islam rejects this entirely. We can know about Allah from His beautiful names of which Prophet Muhammad said:

"Verily, there are ninety-nine names of God, one hundred minus one. He who enumerates (and believes in them) them would get into Paradise." (Al-Bukhari)

Some of the names are:

Al-Wadud — The Loving
Al-Khaliq — The Creator
Al-Ahad — The One
Al-Aziz — The Mighty and Strong

According to Islam, the message of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad is the very same one that was given to the Jews and Christians.However, meanings were lost in translation and the books revealed to past generations were corrupted and distorted by the hands of humans.

Allah gave mankind one final chance to be mindful of Him and to obey Him. And that chance came in the form of an unlettered man from the deserts of Arabia named Muhammad and through him Allah revealed His final revelation.

The Quran is the last book that Allah gave to humans and it is preserved which means Allah will safeguard it from corruption. Over the past 14 centuries, not a single letter has been changed or altered. No more books or Prophets will come to this world. And it is up to humans as to whether they believe in this final message or turn their backs on it as scores have done before and continue to do every day.

The best way for humans to understand Allah as the Creator is to open their eyes and see His design. Who else but Allah could create a flower as perfect as the rose? Or cover Earth with so much vegetation and foliage that scientists today are still unearthing new species?

Allah is the Most Kind and the Most Merciful. All that Allah has asked for humans to do is to be pious, worship Him alone and be kind to our fellow man. In return, humans are the veritable owners of the Earth to rule it as they see fit as Allah continuously showers His innumerable blessings upon humanity as well as punishments for those who disobey and wreak havoc on the Earth.

Islam is not a new religion or something that a few simply chose one day to follow. Islam is a continuation of the previous messages that were revealed to past Prophets.

Prophet Muhammad seals the line of prophets who came to this world both to warn humans and give glad tidings of Allah's mercy. It is only through Allah's love and mercy for mankind that He bothered to send prophets so that we may know Him… the One and Only God.

Sumayyah Meehanreverted to Islam almost 11 years ago. She is a Waynesburg College graduate with a BA in criminal justice. She is working on an Islamic children's book. She resides in Kuwait with her husband and three children.

JESUS in the QURAN

JESUS in the QURAN
The Islamic view of Jesus lies between two extremes. The Jews , who rejected Jesus as a Prophet of God, called him an impostor. The Christians, on the other hand, considered him to be the son of God and worship him as such. Islam considers Jesus to be one of the great prophets of God and respects him as much as Ibrahim (Abraham), Moses, and Mohammed. (Peace Be Upon Them) This is conformity with the Islamic view of the oneness of God, the oneness of Divine guidance, and the complementary role of the subsequent mission of God's messengers.
The essence of Islam - willing submission to the will of God - was revealed to Adam, who was passed it on to his children. All following revelations to Noah, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus, and finally Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Them) were conformity with that message, with some elaboration to define the revelation between man and God, man and man, man and instructions. Thus, any contradictions among revealed religions is viewed by Islam as a man-made element introduced into these religions. The position of Jesus in the three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - should not be an exception.
Although the Quran does not present a detailed life-story of Jesus, it highlights the important aspects of his birth, his mission, his ascension to heaven, and passes judgements on the Christian beliefs concerning him. The Quranic account of Jesus starts with the conception of his mother, Mary, whose mother, the wife of Imran, vowed to dedicate her child to the service of God in the temple. When Mary became a woman, the Holy Spirit (the Archangel Gabriel) appeared to her as a man bringing her news of a son. We read the following dialogue in the Quran between Mary and the Angel:
"When the angel said, "Mary, god gives you a good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, -high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. He shall speak to men in the cradle, and of age, and righteous he shall be, "lord" said Mary "How shall I have a son, seeing no mortal has touched me? "Even so, he said "God creates what He will".
When he decrees a thing He but say to it, "Be", and it is. (Al-Imran 3:45-47)
In a chapter (Surah) entitled "Maryam" (Mary), the Quran tells us how Mary gave birth to her son, and how the Jesus accused her when she brought the child home:
"Then she brought the child to her folk, carrying him, and they said, "Mary, you have surely committed a monstrous thing. Sister of Aaron, your father was not a wicked man, nor your mother a woman unchaste. Mary pointed to the child; but they said, 'Hoe shall we speak to one who still in the cradle, a little child. And he said, 'Lo, I am God's servant, God has given me the Book and made me a Prophet Blessed He has made me ,wherever/may be; and hi has enjoined me to prayer, and to give the alms so long as I live, and likewise to cherish my mother; He has not made me arrogant and wicked. Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up a live. "Maryam 19:29-33)
in the same chapter, following the above quotation, God assures Mohammed (PBUH) and through him the whole world, that what is told above is the TRUTH about Jesus (PBUH), although Christians might not accept it. Jesus is NOT the son of God: He was obviously enough, the son of Mary. The verses continue: "That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him, He nut says to it, 'Be, and it is. (Maryam 19:34-35)
After this strong statement about the nature of Jesus, God directed Mohammed (PBUH) to call the Christians to worship the one God: "Surely God is my God, and your God, so surely serve him. This is the straight path". (Maryam 19:36)
The rejection of the very idea of God having a son is restated later in the same chapter with even stronger words: "And they say, The All-merciful has taken unto Himself a son. You have indeed advanced something hideous. As if the skies are about to burst, the earth to split asunder and its mountain to fall down in the utter ruin for that they have attributed to the All-merciful a son; and behaves not the All-merciful to take a son. None there in the heavens and earth but comes to the All-merciful as a servant" (Maryam 19:88-93)
The Quran recognizes the fact that Jesus had no human father, but this does not make him the son of God, or God himself. By this criterion, Adam would have been more entitled more entitled to be the son of God, because he had neither a father nor a mother, so the Quran draws attention to the miraculous creation of both in the following verses; " truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then He said upon him, 'Be' and hi was. (Al-Imran 3:59)
The Quran rejects the concept of Trinity God the Father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit - as strongly as it rejects the concept of Jesus as the son of God. This is because GOD IS ONE. Three cannot be one. The Quran addresses Christians in the following verses from the Surrah entitled "An-Nisaa" (The Women)
People of the Book, do not go beyond the bounds in your religion, and say nought as to God but the Truth. The messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only the messenger of God, and his word (Fulfilment of his word (Fulfilment of His command, through the word "Be", for the creation of Jesus) that he committed to Mary, and a spirit originating from Him (was given life by God). So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not 'Three'. Refrain, better is for you. God is only one God. Glory be to him-that He should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the Heavens and in the Earth; God suffices for a guardian.
The Messiah will not disdain to be a servant of God, neither the Angels who are close to Him. Whosoever disdains to serve Him and walks proud, He will assuredly muster them to Him, all of them.
As for the believers, who do deeds of righteousness, we will pay them their rewards in full, and He will give them more, of His bounty; as for them who disdain and walks proud, then He will punish with a severe punishment, and they shall not find for them, apart from God, a friend or helper." (An-Nissa 4:171-173)
The denial of Jesus's divinity (and. For the matter, of Mary's divinity) is presented in the Quran in the form of a dialogue, at the Day of Judgement, between the Almighty Jesus. All the Messengers and their nations will gather before God and He will ask the Messengers how they were received by their people and what they said to them. Among those who will be questioned is Jesus:
"And when God said, 'O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say unto men, "Take me and my mother as gods, apart from God"? He said, 'To you be glory! It is not mine to say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it, you would have known it, knowing what is within my heart, though I do not know your knowledge; you know the things unseen. I only said to them what you did commands me: "Serve God, my God and your God." (Al-Maida 5-116)
Given that the Quran denies the Trinity and the son ship of Jesus, what, according to the Quran, was the real mission of Jesus? The answer is that Jesus was a link in a long chain of Prophets and Messengers sent by God to various nations and societies whenever they needed guidance or deviated from his teachings of Moses and other Messengers. As he was miraculously supported by numerous miracles to prove that he was a Messengers from God. However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry.
In another verse of the Quran, Jesus confirmed the validity of the Torah which was revealed to Moses, and also conveyed he glad tidings of a final Messenger who follow him: "And when Jesus son of Mary said, 'Children of Israel, I am indeed the Messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tiding of a Messenger who shall be the praised one."(As-Saff 61:6)
Note that "praised one" is a translation of "Ahmad" - The Prophet Mohammed's name. Careful study of the New Testament shows that Jesus refers to the same Prophet in John 14:16-17: "And I will give you another Counsellor (ThProphet Mohammed). To be with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth."
The usual explanation of this Prophecy is that the counsellor referred to is the Holy Spirit, but this explanation is excluded by a previous verse in John: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you."
The characteristics of this counsellor, as can be derived from the prophecy, are that he will stay forever with the believers, he will glorify Jesus; and he will speak that he hears form God. All four characteristics apply to the Prophet Mohammed. He came six centuries after Jesus. He came six centuries after Jesus. He came with a universal and everlasting message, fulfilling the prophecy that the counsellor will stay forever with the faithful. He glorified Jesus as a great Prophet. The Quran attributes to Jesus miracles not mentioned in the Bible's Old and New Testaments, as well as specific verses in the Quran show how the Prophet Mohammad is rejected by Jews and Christians out of prejudice and misunderstanding, rather that carefully study the Bible.
It is a sad fact of history that not many are following the "straight path" to which people were called by Jesus. He was only followed by a few disciples inspired by God to support him. The non-believers plotted - as they would against Mohammed, six centuries later - to kill Jesus. But God had better plan for him and his followers, as the Quran tells us:
"And when Jesus perceived their unbelief, he said 'Who will be my helpers in the cause of God? The apostles said, 'we are Gods helpers. We believe in God; so bear witness of our submission God, we believe in that you have sent down, and we follow the Messenger. Inscribe us therefore with those who bear witness. 'And they devised, and God devised, and God devised, and God is the best of divisors. When God said, 'Jesus, I will take you to Me and will raise you to Me, and I will purify you (of the falsehoods) of those who do not believe. I will make your followers above the unbelievers till the Resurrection Day."(Al-Imran 3:52-55)
As the above verses indicate, Jesus was taken and raised to heaven. He was not crucified. It was certainly the plan of the enemies of Jesus to put him to death on the cross, but God saved him and someone else was crucified:
"And for their unbelief, and their uttering against Mary a grave false charge, and for their saying, 'We killed the messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messiah of God"…yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who are at variance concerning him are surely in doubt the following of conjecture; and they did not kill him of certainty…no indeed; God raised him up to Him; God is Almighty, Allwise. There is not one of the people of the book but will assuredly believe him before his death, and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them." (An-Nissa 4:156-159)
The Quran does not explain who was the person crucified instead of Jesus, nor elaborate on the Second Coming of Jesus. However, explanators of the Quran have always interpreted the last verse of the above quotation to mean that Jesus will believe in him before he dies. This understanding is supported by authentic sayings (Hadith) of the Prophet Mohammed may the peace and blessings of Allah him and upon all His Messengers.

I’ve seen many places of the world on TV screen and few that I’ve visited either for fun or/and business
As you know when we travel we meet a lot of different cultures and people,
I found in many places I’ve been to; that people stereotyped Islam (that's my religion) they prejudge Muslims from what they see in media incidents.
Allow me to share with you here some information about Jesus Christ,
Muslims believe in Jesus Christ (peace and blessings of (Allah = God) be upon Him as one of the mightiest messengers from (Allah=God),
We believe he is born miraculously by the word of Allah without Father
Like ADAM Been created without father nor mother,
And Marry (mar yam) is his mother the pious, pure female may Allah be pleased with her,
In fact there is a chapter in Quraan titled Marry
Let me quote here these verses:
“BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: O MARY! GOD HATH CHOSEN THEE AND PURIFIED THEE –
CHOSEN THEE ABOVE THE WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS ”
And this Verse About Jesus:
“HE SHALL SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE IN CHILDHOOD AND IN MATURITY, AND SHALL BE (OF THE COMPANY) OF THE RIGHTEOUS.”
If this is a Quiz asking you where these Divine verses come from the Bible Torah or elsewhere?
THE Answer for your information it is from Quraan 3:45,46
This shows how much we need to know about what others believe.
You may visit this link below it’ll give you broad knowledge of Islam in Questions and Answers format ,
http://www.islam-qa.com
Or
http://www.islam-online.net
Or
http://www.al-islam.com
Or
http://www.al-sunnah.com/
Listen I am NOT Trying to convert YOU, but isn't it worth it for general
Information to know about what other believes?
And Allah granted you and me wisdom, brain, and heart to judge for ourselves?
Needless to say if you have any comment, question, suggestion I'll be glad to share them with you.

Okay if you found my introductory bothersome in any way please
Forgive me,
ِAny way I hope to hear from you sooner,

حـنـــــــــــــ وردهــ ــــــــــان

In The Name Of Allaah,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
YOU MUST KNOW THIS MAN
MUHAMMAD
(May peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him)
You may be an atheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to anyone of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a Communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you are, and no matter what your religious and political beliefs, personal and social habits happen to be - YOU MUST STILL KNOW THIS MAN!
He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numberless social and political reforms, established a dynamic and powerful society to practice and represent his teachings, and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and action for all times to come.
HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD, peace and blessings of Almighty God be upon him and he accomplished all these wonders in the unbelievably short span of twenty-three years.
Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him was born in Arabia on the 20th of August, in the year 570 of the Christian era, and when he died after 63 years, the whole of the Arabian Peninsula had changed from paganism and idol-worship to the worship of One God; from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living; from utter moral bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since!
The Encyclopedia Britannica calls him "the most successful of all religious personalities of the world". Bernard Shaw said about him that if Muhammad were alive today he would succeed in solving all those problems which threaten to destroy human civilization in our times. Thomas Carlysle was simply amazed as to how one man, single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades. Napoleon and Gandhi never tired of dreaming of a society along the lines established by this man in Arabia fourteen centuries ago.
Indeed no other human being ever accomplished so much, in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior, in so limited a space of time, as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. He was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, a political thinker, a military genius, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these difficult departments of life.
The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields such as religious thought or military leadership. None of the other great leaders of the world ever combined in himself so many different qualities to such an amazing level of perfection as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him.
The lives and teachings of other great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and the place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity today to reconstruct accurately and precisely the lives and teachings of those men.
Not so this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. Not only was he born in the fullest blaze of recorded history, but every detail of his private and public life, of his actions and utterances, has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the information so preserved is vouched for not only by faithful followers but also by unbiased critics and open-minded scholars.
At the level of ideas there is no system of thought and belief-secular or religious, social or political-which could surpass or equal ISLAAM- the system which Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him propounded. In a fast changing world, while other systems have undergone profound transformations, Islaam alone has remained above all change and mutation, and retained its original form for the past 1400 years. What is more, the positive changes that are taking place in the world of human thought and behavior, truly and consistently reflect the healthy influence of Islam in these areas. Further, it is not given to the best of thinkers to put their ideas completely into practice, and to see the seeds of their labors grow and bear fruit, in their own lifetime. Except of course, Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, who not only preached the most wonderful ideas but also successfully translated each one of them into practice in his own lifetime. At the time of his death his teachings were not mere precepts and ideas straining for fulfillment, but had become the very core of the life of tens of thousands of perfectly trained individuals, each one of whom was a marvelous personification of everything that Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him taught and stood for. At what other time or place and in relation to what other political, social, religious system, philosophy or ideology-did the world ever witness such a perfectly amazing phenomenon?
Indeed no other system or ideology secular or religious, social or political, ancient or modern - could ever claim the distinction of having been put into practice in its fullness and entirety EVEN ONCE in this world, either before or after the death of its founder. Except of course ISLAAM, the ideology preached by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him which was established as a complete way of life by the teacher himself, before he departed from this world. History bears testimony to this fact and the greatest skeptics have no option but to concede this point.
In spite of these amazing achievements and in spite of the countless absolutely convincing and authentic miracles performed by him and the phenomenal success which crowned his efforts, he did not for a moment claim to be God or God's incarnation or Son - but only a human being who was chosen and ordained by God to be a teacher of truth to man kind and a complete model and pattern for their actions.
He was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble and exalted mission-and his unique mission was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE AND ONLY GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living in accordance with the laws and commands of God. He always described himself as A MESSENGER AND SERVANT OF GOD, and so indeed every single action and movement of his proclaimed him to be.
A world which has not hesitated to raise to Divinity individuals whose very lives and missions have been lost in legend and who historically speaking did not accomplish half as much-or even one tenth-as was accomplished by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him should stop to take serious note of this remarkable man's claim to be God's messenger to mankind.
Today after the lapse of some 1400 years the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. Today they offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills which they did when Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, was alive. This is our honest claim and this is the inescapable conclusion forced upon us by a critical and unbiased study of history.
The least YOU should do as a thinking, sensitive, concerned human being is to stop for one brief moment and ask yourself: Could it be that these statements, extraordinary and revolutionary as they sound, are really true? Supposing they really are true, and you did not know this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him or hear about his teachings? Or did not know him well and intimately enough to be able to benefit from his guidance and example? Isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and made some effort to know him? It will not cost you anything but it may well prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.
Come, let us make a new discovery of the life of this wonderful man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him the like of whom never walked on this earth, and whose example and teachings can change YOUR LIFE and OUR WORLD for the better. May God shower His choicest blessings upon him!
Written by S.H. Pasha

HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM

HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad His last messenger.
The objective of this handout is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people are facing difficulties on the basis of their mistaken belief that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or sheikhs or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition have a certificate issued by the authorities as an evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of the above mentioned conditions or obligations are required. For Allah; the Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the possibility of performing Hajj and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah (SWT) for all human beings, then, one should pronounce that "Shahada" (The testimony of faith) without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit in this regard as Allah (SWT) has stated.
"Truly, the Religion on the sight of Allah is Islam." (3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah (SWT) has stated:
"And whosoever desires a religion other that Islam, never will it accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who are lost." (3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only Religion prevailing over all other religions. Allah (SWT) has stated in the Holy Qur'an;
"And to thee. We have sent the Book in truth, (This Qur'an) confirming the scripture that came before it, and a witness over it…" (5:48)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said:
"Islam is based on five pillars: testifying that there is no God worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and His servant; performing the prayer; paying the Zakat (obligatory charity); fasting the month of Ramadan; and perfuming Hajj."

The Shahada can be declared as follows:
''ASH-HADU ANLAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH WA ASH HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN ABDUHU WA RASUULUH."
The English translation is:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness the Muhammad is His servant and messenger.''
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to utter only this testimony orally either in private or in public, but rather, one should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction with the teachings of Islam in all his life he will find himself a new born person, (or new man).
This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until be becomes the embodiment of that faith.
What would be next after declaring the testimony of faith (Shahada) and then becoming a Muslim? He should know the real concept underlying this testimony which means the Oneness of Allah and accept Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as the last of the Prophet, and meet its requirements. He must behave accordingly applying this true faith to every thing he speaks or does. What do the words of "Shahada" signify.
The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the truth that there is no God (ditty) to be worshipped other than Allah, (Glory be Him). He is the only true God, Who Alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who Alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the "Sahada" i. e. "We ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" means that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions about this matter. In fact, the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (PBUH), to believe him in what he has said, to follow his teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship Allah alone according to the message revealed to him.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service; showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah's Commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or implicit and whether private or public.
Worship falls into two categories:
Visible (manifest or outward)
Invisible (concealed or inward)
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the "Shahada" performing prayers, giving Zakat (Obligatory charity), observing fast in the month of Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of human body, [actions].
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgment, in the Hereafter, in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone.
This type of worship does not involve movements of parts of the body but it surely has a bearing on one's heart which subsequently affects his way of life. (Beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not dedicated to Allah alone, will be rejected as one form of polytheism or shirk, which amount to apostasy from the Islamic point of view.
The next step for a devotee (newly reverted to Islam) is to purify himself by taking a bath (total ablution). He should then resolve to comply with all the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He disowns all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the requisites of the motto of Islam that is, Lailaha Illal Laah.

Allah has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"… whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy Handhold, that will never break…" (2:256)
we have to consider that when we declare from our heart that "there is no god (ditty) worthy to be worshipped but Allah." It implies on our part of love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislation which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is requirement of "there is no god worty to be worshipped but Allah," to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This is the firmest anchor of belief which materializes the meaning of "AL-WALA and "AL-BARA". It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely from practices of the unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that He may cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers. Ameen.

Islam, the Religion of Ease
Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, is the creator of mankind and therefore knows his nature more intricately than mankind himself. Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, has therefore chosen for us a religion best suited to the nature of mankind, a religion that goes neither to the extremes of hardship nor of laxity, but instead provides a middle path; in other words, a religion of ease. Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, said; "Allah intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you" [2:185]; and "Allah does not want to place you in difficulty" [5:6].Such easiness is well explained in the hadeeth reported by Abu Hurairah, radiya Allahu 'anhu, that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said, "Religion is easy..." [Bukhari], he also said; "The best of your religion, is the easiest." [Ahmad]The easiness of this religion was put into practise by the best of humanity, the one who came to deliver the message, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, said; "Verily there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves, it grieves him that you should suffer any difficulty, he is anxious for you, for the believers he is full of pity and merciful" [10:128]This understanding is clarified in a hadeeth in which the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "… Allah did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He sent me to teach and make things easy" [Muslim]. This understanding is further implemented by the mercy sent to mankind, Muhammed, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, in the hadeeth reported by his noble and pure wife, 'Aishah, radiya Allahu 'anhu, who said; "Whenever the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, has a choice between two matters, he would choose the easiest, unless it is sinful (act)" [Bukhari].Many hadeeths have been reported on the matter of easiness: "Allah likes for this nation ease and hates for it hardship and adversity." [Tabaraani]."We have been given a privilege over other nations... .we have been given verses that no one else has been given, the last two verses of Surah Baqarah(chapter 2)"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear" After each statement, Allah responded by saying, "I did, I did, I did"" [Muslim].To further emphasise this understanding to his companions, when once a Bedouin stood up and started urinating in the mosque, the people caught him; but he, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, ordered them to leave him and to pour a bucket or a tumbler of water over the place where he had urinated. The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, then said, "You have been sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult" [Bukhari].An example that illustrates this point is Salah, an act so important and vital to Islam that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "Between a person and disbelief is discarding prayer" [Muslim]. He also warned against leaving salah, even at the time of his death, in his very last breaths before departing from this world.Yet in this worship Allah has also prescribed easiness. At first, the number of prayers was fifty in number, but they were reduced several times until they were five. Then it was proclaimed 'O Muhammad, the order is not changed. These five are (equal in reward) to fifty' [Tirmidhi].Causes of hardshipIf Islam is a religion of ease, why do we find many Muslims not practising it? Why do we find them doing very little of what they ought to be doing, and why do even those who practise their religion sometimes find it difficult? There are reasons why the practice of Islam can becomes hard: 1) Lack of pietyWhen we speak about Islam being easy we are, in reality, speaking about the easiness of its acts of worship and morals. Religion by definition means commitment and an obligation to a master. Therefore, being a religious person means to be always aware that we are slaves to a master, Allah, subhanahu wata'aala. From here we see the mistake of those who want 'ease' to mean 'doing nothing', just saying "I am a Muslim", committing themselves to nothing. It is obvious that they want it to be easy, but what exactly do they want? They want an easy life, a life without any religious practices. The idle belief of 'existing only to live' has long ago been negated by Allah, subhanahu wata'aala. He said: "Do you think you have been created for nothing and that you will not be resurrected and brought back to Allah again!" [23:115]. He also said: "Thinks man that he is left aimless?" [75:86].Islam is easy to practice; but those who do not understand the reasons behind their existence, who do not understand the concepts of religion, but meanwhile are striving to secure themselves in this life; then surely they will find its practices difficult.The easiness of Islam is felt in all of its commandments. Some people find this or that commandment hard to follow but this does not mean that the command is in itself hard; often it is the person who is the cause. For example Salah, it is an easy act of worship, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, has made clear: "And seek help in patience and prayer and truly it is (prayer) extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi'un (i.e. true submitting)" [2;45].Prayer is an easy act of worship except, of course, for those who do not truly submit to their Lord; they will find it toilsome. Why do they find it so? The answer is that it is not the prayer that is difficult, but it is the hearts of these people which have changed from good to bad, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, mentioned: "Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up to pray, they stand with laziness …" [4;142]; in another verse He subhanahu wata'aala, said; "And that they came not to prayer except in a lazy state …" [9;54].2) IgnoranceThe rules of Islam did not come as mere do's and don'ts. Each obligation has wisdom and motivation behind it. It should make no difference to us if the wisdom for that particular practice is known or not, because if it is not known to us today, then if Allah wills, He will reveal it to future generations. What is primarily expected from us is to fully submit and implement every command.For example, the giving of charity, which apparently decreases the wealth of the giver. Islam did not say "Pay charity, pay charity", as this would not motivate people and therefore make it difficult to act upon. Instead Allah says; "Would you not like to give a loan to your Lord, and this loan will be paid back to you multiplied and you will be rewarded for it." [2:245]The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "Verily, wealth does not decrease because of charity." [Muslim]It seems Muslims often ask why this act or matter is Halaal or Haraam. With such an attitude they will never achieve their goal, because behind each injunction there is an aspect of wisdom. Without understanding this, practising Islam becomes a heavy burden. With strong belief, we do not even have to ask whether this or that is halaal or Haraam, but rather if it pleases Allah. Therefore we should take the rules seeking the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wata'aala,. If pleasing Allah subhanahu wata'aala, is, always, our aim, then undoubtedly the practice of religion becomes easy, no matter what apparent hardships we may encounter. 3) Inappropriate environmentIt is true that sometimes we find it difficult to practise the religion, even those who are committed to it!The reason behind this is that we are practising our religion in an non-religious environment. Islam is not meant to be practised while being immersed in a Kufr (disbelieving) society. Its practice will indeed be difficult in such an environment. Therefore, the difficulty cannot be blamed upon Islam as a religion, but rather on the circumstances of the society.Returning to our example of prayer, we see that prayer by itself is easy, but if you have to stand alone to pray amongst non-Muslims, all of them watching you, it will suddenly become difficult. The obvious conclusion is that the prayer in itself is not difficult, but the environment has made it difficult.Another example is that of a woman who wears hijaab and is happy to cover herself. If this were an Islamic society, it would have been difficult for her not to be covered, or for a man not to respond to the call to prayer and pray in a mosque. Thus difficulty is not the nature of our religion, but we are trying to be pure in a decadent and immoral environment. These realities are not unknown to Islam, because the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, already warned his companions some fourteen centuries ago, and by that has also warned us by saying, as reported by Abu Tha'laba, radiya Allahu 'anhu, "… Ahead of you are days which will require endurance (in the practice of religion), in which he who shows endurance will be like him who grasps live coals. The one who acts rightly during that period will have the reward of fifty men who act as he does."The hearers said, "The reward of fifty of them, Messenger of Allah!" He replied, "The reward of fifty of you." A companion said about this difference in reward, "Now you find people helping you to do good deeds, but then they will not find things to help them but they will find things to resist and oppose them." [Tirmidhi].So Islam is the religion of ease. If we accept it as a religion to start with, then we should take it with its concepts, and practise it in a pure environment (as opposed to a corrupted and decadent one); it will then become an easier religion to practise. As it is not possible to have a 100% pure society, we have to strive to achieve this by being surrounded by good Muslims. In doing this, the religion will loosen the burdens around it. The easiness of Islam has even been testified by the enemies of Islam. This was apparent in the statement of the Jews at the time of the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, when a man and a woman from amongst them committed fornication. Some of them said to the others: "Let us go to this Prophet, for he has been sent with an easy law …". [Abu Dawood].So may Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, make us amongst those who "Listen to the word and follow the best thereof, whom Allah has guided and those are men of understanding." [39;18].Ameen.

WHAT IS ISLAM?
Can we find an explanation of the great universe? Is there any convincing interpretation of the secret of existence? We realize that no family can function properly without a responsible head, that no city can prosperously exist without sound administration, and that no state can survive without a leader of some kind. We also realize that nothing comes into being on its own. Moreover, we observe that the universe exists and functions in the most orderly manner, and that it has survived for hundreds of thousand of years. Can we then say that all this is accidental and haphazard? Can we attribute the existence of man and the whole world to mere chance.
Man represents only a very small portion of the great universe. And if he can make plans and appreciate the merits of planning, then his own existence and the survival of the universe must also be a planned policy. This means that there is an extraordinary power to bring things into being and keep them moving in order.
In the world then must be a great force in action to keep everything in order. In the beautiful nature there must be a Great creator who creates the most charming pieces of art produces every thing for a special purpose in life. The deeply enlightened people recognize this creator and call him Allah "God". He is not a man because no man can create or make another man. He is not an animal, nor he is a plant. He is neither an Idol nor is He a statue of any kind because non of these things can make itself or create anything else. He is different from all these things because he is the maker and keeper of them all. The maker of anything must be different from and greater than things which he makes.
There are various ways to know God "ALLAH'' and there are many things to tell about him. The great wonders and impressive marvels of the world are like open books in which we can read about God. Besides, God Himself comes to our aid through the many Messengers and revelations He has sent down to man. These Messengers and revelations tell us everything we need to know about God.
The complete acceptance of the teachings and guidance of God 'Allah' as revealed to His Messengers Muhammad is the religion of Islam. Islam enjoins faith in the oneness and sovereignty of Allah, which makes man aware of meaningfulness of the Universe and of his place in it. This belief frees him from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of the presence of the Almighty Allah and of man's obligations towards Him. This faith must be expressed and tested in actions, faith alone is not enough. Belief in one God requires that we look upon all humanity as one family under the universal Omnipotence of God the Creator and Nourisher of all. Islam rejects the idea of chosen people, making belief in God and good actions the only way to heaven. Thus, a direct relationship in established with God, without any intercessor.
Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all Prophets. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ismael, David, Moses and Jesus (PBUT). But the message which was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (PBUT) is Islam in its comprehensive, complete and final form.
The Quran is the last revealed word of Allah and the basic source of Islamic teachings and laws. The Quran deals with the basis of creeds, morality, history of humanity, worship, knowledge, wisdom, God-man relationship, and human relationship in all aspects. Comprehensive teaching on which, can be built sound systems of social justice, economics, politics, legislation, jurisprudence, law and international relations, are important contents of the Quran. Hadith, the teachings, sayings and actions of Prophet Mohammed (PBUT), meticulously reported and collected by his devoted companions. Explained and elaborated the Quranic verses.
THE FUNDAMENTAL ARTICLES OF FAITH IN ISLAM
The true faithful Muslim believes in the following Principal articles of faith:-
He believes in One God 'Allah', Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider.
He believes in all Messengers of God without any discrimination among them. Every known nation had a warner or Messenger from God. They were chosen by God to teach mankind and deliver His divine message. The Quran mentions the name of twenty five of them. Among them Mohammad stands as the last Messenger and the crowning glory of the foundation of Prophethood.
Muslin believes in all scriptures and revelations of God. They were the guiding light which the Messengers received to show their respected peoples the Right Path of God. In the Quran a special reference is made to the books of Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. But long before the revelations has been lost or corrupted. The only authentic and complete book of God in existence in the Quran.
The true Muslim believes in the Angels of Allah. They are purely spiritual and splendid beings whose nature requires on food, drink or sleep. They spend their days and nights in the worship of God.
Muslim believes in the last Day of Judgement. This world will come to an end someday, and the dead will rise to stand for their final and fair trial. People with good records will be generously, rewarded and warmly welcomed to the Heaven of Allah, and those with bad records will be punished and cast into Hell.
Muslim believes in the timeless knowledge of God and His power to plan and execute His planes and nothing could happen in His Kingdom against His will. His knowledge and power are in action at all times and command over His creation. He is wise and merciful, and whatever He does must have a meaningful purpose. If this is established in our mind and hearts, we should accept with good faith all that He does, although we may fail to under stand it fully, or think it is bad.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
Faith without actions arid practice is a dead end, as far as Islam is concerned. Faith by nature is very sensitive and can be most effective. When it is not out of practice or out of use, it quickly loses its liveliness and motivation power.
There are five pillars of Islam:
The declaration of faith: To bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Mohammad (PBUH) is His Messenger to all human beings till the Day of Judgment. The Prophethood of Mohammad obliges the Muslims to follow, His exemplary life as a model.
Prayers: Daily, prayers are offered five times a day as a duty towards Allah. They strengthen and enliven the belief in Allah and inspire man to a higher morality. They purify the heart and prevent temptation towards wrong - doings and evil.
Fasting the month of Ramadan. The Muslims during the month of Ramadan not only abstain from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset but also sincerity and devotion. It develops a sound social conscience, patience, unselfishness and will - Power.
Zakkah: The literal and simple meaning of Zakkah is purity. The technical meaning of this word designates the annual amount in kind or coin which a Muslim with means must distribute among the rightful beneficiaries. But the religious and spiritual significance of Zakkah is much deeper and more lively. So it has humanitarian and sociopolitical values.
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah): It is to be performed once in a lifetime, if one can afford it financially and physically.

ISLAM and the AIM of LIFE
What is your purpose in life? What is the rationale behind our life? Why do we live in this life? These questions frequently intrigue people who try to find accurate answers.
People provide different answers to these questions. Some people believe the purpose of life is to accumulate wealth. But one may wonder: What is the purpose of life after one has collected colossal amounts of money? What then? What will the purpose be once money is gathered? If the purpose of life is to gain money, there will be no purpose after becoming wealthy. And in fact, here lies the problem of some disbelievers or misbelievers at some stage of their life, when collecting money is the target of their life. When they have collected the money they dreamt of, their life loses its purpose. They suffer from the panic of nothingness and they live in tension and restlessness.
Can Wealth Be an Aim?
We often hear of a millionaire committing suicide, sometimes, not the millionaire himself but his wife, son, or daughter. The question that poses itself is: Can wealth bring happiness to one’s life? In most cases the answer is NO. Is the purpose of collecting wealth a standing purpose? As we know, the five-year old child does not look for wealth: a toy for him is equal to a million dollars. The eighteen-year old adolescent does not dream of wealth because he is busy with more important things. The ninety-year old man does not care about money; he is worried more about his health. This proves that wealth cannot be a standing purpose in all the stages of the individual's life.
Wealth can do little to bring happiness to a disbeliever, because he/she is not sure about his fate. A disbeliever does not know the purpose of life. And if he has a purpose, this purpose is doomed to be temporary or self destructive.
What is the use of wealth to a disbeliever if he feels scared of the end and skeptical of everything. A disbeliever may gain a lot of money, but will surely lose himself.
Worshipping Allah as an Aim
On the contrary, faith in Allah gives the believer the purpose of life that he needs. In Islam, the purpose of life is to worship Allah. The term "Worship" covers all acts of obedience to Allah.
The Islamic purpose of life is a standing purpose. The true Muslim sticks to this purpose throughout all the stages of his life, whether he is a child, adolescent, adult, or an old man.
Worshipping Allah makes life purposeful and meaningful, especially within the framework of Islam. According to Islam this worldly life is just a short stage of our life. Then there is the other life. The boundary between the first and second life is the death stage, which is a transitory stage to the second life. The type of life in the second stage a person deserves depends on his deeds in the first life. At the end of the death stage comes the day of judgment. On this day, Allah rewards or punishes people according to their deeds in the first life.
The First Life as an Examination
So, Islam looks at the first life as an examination of man. The death stage is similar to a rest period after the test, i. e. after the first life. The Day of Judgment is similar to the day of announcing the results of the examinees. The second life is the time when each examinee enjoys or suffers from the outcome of his behavior during the test period.
In Islam, the line of life is clear, simple, and logical: the first life, death, the Day of Judgment, and then the second life. With this clear line of life, the Muslim has a clear purpose in life. The Muslim knows he is created by Allah. Muslims know they are going to spend some years in this first life, during which they have to obey God, because God will question them and hold them responsible for their public or private deeds, because Allah knows about all the deeds of all people. The Muslim knows that his deeds in the first life will determine the type of second life they will live in. The Muslim knows that this first life is a very short one, one hundred years, more or less, whereas the second life is an eternal one.
The Eternity of the Second Life
The concept of the eternity of the second life has a tremendous effect on a Muslims during their first life, because Muslims believe that their first life determines the shape of their second life. In addition, this determines the shape of their second life and this determination will be through the Judgment of Allah, the All just and Almighty.
With this belief in the second life and the Day of Judgment, the Muslim's life becomes purposeful and meaningful. Moreover, the Muslim's standing purpose is to go to Paradise in the second life.
In other words, the Muslim's permanent purpose is to obey Allah, to submit to Allah, to carry out His orders, and to keep in continues contact with Him through prayers (five times a day), through fasting (one month a year), through charity (as often as possible), and through pilgrimage (once in one's life).
The Need for a Permanent Purpose
Disbelievers have purposes in their lives such as collecting money and property, indulging in sex, eating, and dancing. But all these purposes are transient and passing ones. All these purposes come and go, go up and down. Money comes and goes. Health comes and goes. Sexual activities cannot continue forever. All these lusts for money, food and sex cannot answer the individual's questions: so what? Then What?
However, Islam saves Muslims from the trouble of asking the question, because Islam makes it clear, from the very beginning, that the permanent purpose of the Muslim in this life is to obey Allah in order to go to Paradise in the second life.
We should know that the only way for our salvation in this life and in the hereafter is to know our Lord who created us, believe in Him, and worship Him alone.
We should also know our Prophet whom Allah had sent to all mankind, believe in Him and follow Him. We should, know the religion of truth which our Lord has commanded us to believe in, and practice it …
Those in search of truth
Who have an open mind and heart,
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To keep in close contact with new Muslims.
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Teaching Islam and Arabic.
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Searching for Happiness ?
Dr. Saleh Abdul Azeez As Sindee Happiness is a common goal that everyone strives to attain. Philosophers, intellectuals, doctors and artists alike have all strived in search of the causes of happiness and ways to escape anxiety.
The reality is, however, that the proposed solutions achieve only partial or superficial happiness. They are more or less like drugs which only provide temporary relief; when their effect wares off, anxieties return two fold.
The following words invite you to ultimate happiness and will lead you to true success. But before you begin reading, I hope that you to take a moment to try to open your heart and mind - as the intelligent one is he who searches for the truth no matter where it lies.
An undeniable reality is that permanent happiness cannot be achieved except by believing in God - The Creator - and following His guidance. Since it is He who created mankind, He is the one who knows what pleases and benefits them, just as he knows what saddens and harms them. A number of psychologists have affirmed that only a religious person lives with true content and serenity. So if believing in God leads to ultimate happiness, then how can this be achieved?
There are numerous religions and a variety of creeds. However, their critical differences in core issues make it impossible for all of them to be correct. So which is the correct religion? What is the correct creed that God requires us to believe in and in the end pleases Him? And which one of these creeds guarantees us happiness in this life and in the hereafter?
Before answering these questions, a criterion must first be established to be used as a basis for correctly determining the true religion. I firmly believe that all sensible people will agree that a religion is not deemed correct simply due to the fact that one was raised in that religion, had parents that adhered to it, or lived in a society that practiced it. Rather a religion's accuracy and authenticity are based upon substantial evidence and firm intellectual proofs. Intellect, the distinguishing factor between mankind and animals, must be applied when studying the issue of religion, which is undeniably the most important and gravest of all matters.
A short journey into the world of religions and sifting through various creeds could prove to be a good method in arriving at the desired conclusion. In order to save you the time and effort, I say with full conviction and confidence that no matter how much you investigate this issue, you will only arrive at one reality: that the true and correct religion is Islam and that true happiness and content lies within it.
Before you hastily rebut this statement and stop reading, please realize that completing the rest would not harm you at all, and it may in fact benefit you. Also, remember that you have an intellect by which you can distinguish things and determine truth from falsehood.
Why Islam?
This is an important question, indicating that the questioner is mature and enlightened. In response I say:
Islam is a religion that includes a number of merits and characteristics that are absent from other religions. These characteristics, alone, serve as convincing evidence that Islam is the true religion of God. You can determine the authenticity of this statement by contemplating them.
Islam's many merits and characteristics make it impossible to elaborate on all of them. However, some of the most important can be summarized as follows:
1. Amongst the greatest merits of Islam is that it fulfills the spiritual aspects of the human being and enables those who embrace it to have an ongoing connection with God. This makes it possible for them to be at ease spiritually. It shields them from chaos, being lost or feeling (spiritually) empty, and protects from mental instability.
2. Another of Islam’s merits is that it coincides totally with common sense. All of the Islamic legislation and its rulings are acceptable intellectually and are never contradictory. One man who embraced Islam was asked why he did so and replied, "Islam never ordered me to do anything that I later wished wasn't obligated, and it never forbade me from anything that I later wished wasn’t forbidden." Much of what is readily accepted in other religions causes great confusion. This confusion makes it difficult to believe many of the fundamental tenets/doctrines that these religions are based upon. On the other hand, we find that Islam respects the intellect, prohibits ignorance, and condemns blind following.
3. Islam is an all-inclusive way of life attending to both spiritual and physical needs. Practicing Islam does not mean that one has to be secluded or that he is prohibited from the finer things in life. Rather, according to Islam, a person can be religious and still enjoy a normal life - attaining prestigious ranks/positions and achieving the highest academic degrees.
4. Among the merits of Islam is that it is a comprehensive religion. Every aspect of a person’s life is managed by Islam. There is not a problem except that a solution for it lies in Islam, which makes it possible to embrace and practice in every time and place. How can this not be the case in such a well organized religion that has guidelines and positive instruction for every aspect of life including: conflict resolution, buying and selling, social and marital relations, greetings, public etiquettes, and even how a person eats, sleeps and dresses. These practices have not been addressed generally, but rather in precise detail, causing the mind to wonder in amazement. Know that Islam even provides direction on how to wear and remove footwear. It encourages people to use their right hand when eating, drinking, shaking hands, and when giving and receiving items. As for disliked affairs such as using the bathroom, the left hand is to be used. Islam also has wonderful instructions regarding going to sleep and waking up. When two Muslims meet, Islam directs them on how they should greet each other; a rider should initiate greeting the pedestrian, the youth should initiate greeting the elderly, and a small group should initiate greeting a larger group. These are but a few of Islam’s many comprehensive guidelines for all aspects of life.
5. Another of Islam’s merits is that it establishes good for mankind in all its regulations and safeguards them from evil. It is man himself who benefits from these regulations. Islam's prohibition of alcohol and drugs for example is only because of the great harm they cause to a person's physical and mental health. You can witness the state of a drunken man, no longer human except in appearance. A lot of murders, disputes, traffic accidents and rapes would not have taken place were it not for consuming these mind-altering products. Islam's prohibition of premarital sex relieves societies of destructive diseases (such as AIDS and other STDs), immoral behavior, and the existence of a generation of illegitimate children. This generation is often deprived of a mother’s love and a father’s upbringing which can lead them to become burdensome on society. Islam prohibits women from displaying themselves publicly. This is because Islam considers women to be valued, preserved pearls; not some cheap merchandise to be displayed for all to see. It does so to protect them from the wolves of mankind - those who are only concerned with satisfying their lusts, even if it is at the cost of a woman’s honor, nobility, status, and purity. On the other hand, Islam permits all harmless and beneficial drinks. It also permits married couples to enjoy one another within a happy home. In summary, Islam has not eliminated freedoms and desires. Rather, it regulates them for the benefit of mankind and the society at large.
6. A radiant aspect of Islam is that it pays a great deal of attention to values, character, and praiseworthy manners, while prohibiting mankind from oppression, transgression and bad character. Islam is a religion of love, unity and mercy. It defines an individual’s relationship with his parents, relatives, neighbors, friends and all people. Islam embeds the best of manners in those who embrace it and prevents them from living selfishly. It encourages its followers to help others and take others' feelings into consideration - especially the poor, orphans, elderly and widows. They all have rights in Islam that must not be taken lightly by Muslims. Muslims shouldn’t feel like they are bestowing favors upon others when giving them their due rights, rather these rights are obligations upon Muslims. It is considered to be a great sin in Islam for one to go to sleep with a full stomach knowing that his neighbor is hungry. Islam even prohibits two people from whispering to each other in the presence of a third, taking his feelings into consideration. Islam goes even further than that, obligating kind treatment to animals and prohibiting harming them. More specifically, Islam prohibits slaughtering an animal while another watches, or sharpening a knife while it is watching, so that it is not tormented along with being slaughtered. Truthfulness, trustworthiness, bravery, generosity, humility, abiding by promises, visiting the sick, attending funerals, being dutiful to parents, visiting relatives and neighbors, and striving to help others are all etiquettes that are encouraged by Islam. On the other hand, Islam strictly prohibits oppression, lying, conceitedness, envy, and insulting or betraying others. It is impermissible in Islam to speak ill of a person in his absence, even if what is being said is true. Islam encourages people to moderate in spending, being neither excessive nor misers. During times when a lot of societies complain about cold heartedness, materialism, selfishness and so on, we find that Islam has proven remedies for all of these problems.
This summarized introduction should make it clear that Islam is a logical religion that can be easily understood by all people. The doors to Islam are wide open and do not shut for anyone looking to enter.
Understanding all of Islam's teachings in a short article is impossible. However, briefly discussing some of its fundamental tenets should assist in further clarifying the religion for those who are interested.
All of Islam’s regulations and teachings are important, but some have precedence over others. There are six essential articles of faith that one must believe in, and five pillars that one's faith must be built upon.
As for the six articles that must be believed in:
1. Believing in Allah (God) alone, associating no partners unto Him in worship. This is done by believing that Allah alone is the Creator of this universe and everything that is within it, and that it is He alone who disposes its affairs as He sees fit. Consequently, worship can only be offered to Him alone. Worship is implementing the teachings of Islam and its legislation while believing that all other religions are false.
2. Believing in the angels. Angels were created by Allah but we can not see them. They worship Allah and never disobey Him. Allah orders them to carry out many of the universe's affairs. The angel Gabriel, for example, (peace be upon him) delivers Allah’s revelation to the messengers. Another is Mikayeel (peace be upon him), who is entrusted with the affairs of rain. Still there are other angels responsible for writing the deeds of mankind - deeds which they will be held accountable for on the Day of Resurrection. It is essential to believe that all of the angels act solely upon the order of Allah and do only what He wills.
3. Believing in the Books of Revelation. This means to believe that Allah revealed books to His servants comprising of His words. These books contain bliss for mankind by clarifying what Allah is pleased with as well as what He dislikes. The Angel charged with delivering revelation to the Prophets is Gabriel (peace be upon him) - the greatest of angels. A prophet then conveys the revelation to the rest of mankind. Allah has revealed many books, amongst them: The Torah, revealed to Moses (peace be upon him), The Psalms, revealed to David (peace be upon him), The Gospel, sent down to Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Quran, which was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him). One must believe that the Quran has abrogated all books prior to it, meaning that - after the Prophet (Muhammad) was sent - it is the only book that can be acted upon, especially since the Quran combines all the merits of past books and further supplements them. Know that the Quran is from the greatest evidences that this religion is the truth revealed by Allah (God) the Most High. The Quran was revealed over 1400 years ago. Since then till this day, no contradictions or mistakes have been found in the Quran, not even in a single word. Many of the scientific discoveries of modern times were mentioned in the Quran. Since that time until today, nothing has been added to or subtracted from the Quran, while previous revelations have been tampered with and altered. It is for this reason that you can pick up a copy of the Quran in the far East and find it to be exactly the same as one you pick up in the far West. If you were to come across a copy of the Quran that is hundreds of years old, you would also find that it is exactly the same as the one being printed currently - you wouldn’t be able to find even one letter that is different. This is because of Allah’s protection of this Book, the Book of the religion that sealed all other religions. Speaking about the Quran would take a lot of time. However, it is enough for you to know that there is nothing like it whatsoever; not by way of (literary) style, its effect on people, nor its information about the unseen.
4. Believing in the Prophets. This is done by believing that Allah has chosen the best of mankind to be recipients of His revelation and ordered them to convey His religion to the people. There are numerous Prophets, among them are: Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, Lot, Joseph, Moses and others (peace be upon all of them). Also from them is Jesus. It is imperative to believe that he is among the best of Prophets and to love and respect him. Whoever despises him or denies his prophethood is not Muslim. Likewise it is compulsory to believe that Allah created him from a mother only, with no father, just as Allah created Adam with neither a mother nor a father. Having mentioned this, we now know that Jesus is a noble messenger and not God, nor is he a son of God. He foretold the coming of a prophet to come after him; Muhammad ibn (the son of) Abdullah, the last of the prophets. Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him) was sent 1400 years ago. It is compulsory for everyone who comes after him until the Day of Judgment to believe in him and his message, and obey his orders and prohibitions. All those who studied the biography of this messenger have agreed that he is a great personality who has been bestowed with the best of manners and most noble etiquettes. He had characteristics which were not present in anyone before him and will not be present in anyone after him. Anything that you read about him, no matter how small it is, confirms what I am saying. Allah has also granted him proofs and evidences that establish the authenticity of his prophethood, thus having doubt in this fact is intellectually impossible. Having been given such proofs and evidences of his prophethood, whoever denies his truthfulness, would make it impossible for that individual to establish the truthfulness of any other prophet.
5. The Last Day. This is fulfilled firmly believing that after this life of ours is over, there is another more complete life. In it, there are immense rewards and magnificent luxuries, as well as punishment. Luxury is in Heaven and punishment in Hell. So whoever is righteous and believes in the religion of Islam enters Heaven, a place that contains untold pleasure and unimagined bliss. All the luxuries on earth cannot be compared to it at all. Whoever enters Heaven will continue to live in such luxuries for eternity as death does not exist therein. As for those who act upon evil and do not believe in Islam, they would end up in Hell, which contains fires and punishment that can not be imagined, all of the fires of earth and forms of punishment cannot be compared to the punishment of the hellfire at all. The existence of punishment and reward after this life is an issue that is intellectually acknowledged, because it is impossible for this world to exist and then just diminish into nothingness. This is trifling about, and our Lord, the Creator, does not engage in such activities.
6. Believing in Divine Decree. This is to believe that everything that happens in this world is due to Allah’s knowledge and will. Nothing except what He wills takes place, and what He does not will, does not take place. Allah has written everything in a great book (The Preserved Tablet). Believing in divine decree also includes believing that Allah created everything.
As for the five pillars that must be practiced:
1. Uttering a phrase that is the key to entering into Islam. It is a contract between a servant and his Lord, signifying that he is upon this religion: “Ashhadu an la ilaha ila Allah, wa ashadu ana Muhammad ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu.” “I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” This testimony signifies the acceptance, admission, and adherence to the fact that worship must be offered to Allah alone. It also includes the acceptance of Islam as the only correct religion, Allah as the only true deity deserving worship, and that all other deities and religions are false. The second part of the testimony entails an affirmation that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and that he is to be obeyed and believed in all that he says.
2. The Prayer. It is a combination of statements, actions and invocations carried out in a specific manner. It is performed five times daily and doesn’t take much time at all. In fact, a prayer may not take more than five minutes. Prayer is the link between a servant and his Lord. It enables a Muslim to be confident, mentally and spiritually at rest, calm and untroubled.
3. The Zakaat. A wealthy Muslim must give a small portion of his money to the poor, 2.5% of his wealth to be exact. Even though it is a small amount, it enables the Muslim community to be conciliated and merciful amongst each other. It propagates brotherhood, love and concern amongst Muslims. And again, Zakaat is only to be given out by the wealthy, not the poor.
4. Fasting. What is meant by fasting is that a person withholds from eating, drinking and sexual relations during the month of Ramadan [which is the 9th month of the lunar calendar] between dawn and sunset. The sick, travelers, and those with valid excuses are pardoned from fasting. They are permitted to eat and drink but must make up the missed days once they become able. Fasting has many health, personal, and social benefits. Amongst them are: giving the digestive system a break, allowing Muslims to grow spiritually and practice good mannerisms. It enables Muslims to be conscious of their needy brothers and sisters, those who are unable to find enough food to satisfy their needs throughout the year. Consequently, the Muslims humble themselves and strive to help them.
5. Hajj. It is a form of worship that must be performed only once in a lifetime, in Makkah. Those who are physically incapable or not financially able to perform it are pardoned from doing so. Hajj contains many magnificent benefits; the gathering of Muslims from all around the globe in one place getting to know each other and displaying love for one another, not to mention what a Muslim achieves by way of spiritual purification and character refinement due to experiencing such a spiritual environment in the shade of Hajj.
Hopefully what has preceded is sufficient in clarifying - in a summarized fashion - some of the merits of Islam. I invite all who have not yet entered into the fold of Islam to listen to a sincere invitation from one who only wants good for you: save yourself before death takes you by surprise, and thus you die upon other than Islam - what a great loss that is!
Do you know what dying upon other than Islam means? It means that you would enter the Hellfire, abiding therein for eternity. This is what Allah has warned all those who die without embracing Islam. So why would you take a chance with an issue as grave as this?
I’m going to ask you a question that I want you to answer honestly: What would you lose if you embraced Islam?
If you embrace Islam, you can continue living your normal ordinary life, but in a more spiritual, organized, and pleasant fashion…and after death, tremendous delight and eternal pleasure await you.
If you have reached a level of conviction, believing that Islam is the true religion, but fear that embracing Islam would prevent you from enjoying pleasures that you cannot live without, then compare these temporary pleasures with eternal pleasure. Which of the two should be given preference?
Furthermore, you can embrace Islam and then gradually try to reduce such pleasures. And if you were to honestly invoke Allah, He would surely aid you in leaving them. In any case, embracing Islam and having shortcomings is better than not embracing Islam at all.
If the barrier between you and Islam is due to having a weak personality, the inability to make such a big decision, or because you fear that people may talk about you or mock you, know that these are just unrealistic thoughts. You would not be the first person to embrace Islam; a lot of others have made the decision to do so. They did not lose anything, their lives were not ruined, nor do they have any regrets. Furthermore, does it make sense that you sacrifice your own well being and happiness in this life and in the hereafter just because you fear mockery or admonishment?
This affair is worthy of your time. Contemplate upon it deeply.
My last words: Do not lose yourself! I ask Allah to bless you with true guidance.
One who wishes only the best for you, Dr. Saleh Abdul Azeez As Sindee
http://www.islam-guide.com/ http://www.todayislam.com/ http://www.beconvinced.com/ http://www.thetruereligion.org/ http://www.islamunveiled.org/ http://www.discoverislam.com/ http://www.plaintruth.org/ http://www.islam-qa.com/ http://www.sultan.org/ http://www.islamhouse.org/en/index.php

صــلاتك والنــت والماسنجـــر

لحمدلله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله أما بعد ..الاخوة الكرام .. أهلا وسهلا بكم ..كلنا يعلم اهمية المحافظة على الصلاة وكلنا يعلم خطورة التهاون بالصلاة ولكنا يعلم الجزاء المعد لمن حافظ عليهاوكلنا يعلم العقوبة المترتبة على من ضيع الصلاة
هذه الصلاة !هل استفدت منها ؟هل أثرت في حياتك؟هل غيرت من تصرفاتك؟أم انه الركوع والسجود فقط ؟عليك ان تستشعر وانت واقف امام ربك العظمة تقف امام ربك الذي خلقك فسواك فعدلك تقف امام من صورك وجملك ورزقك كل شيء تقف امام ملك الملوك رب السماوات والارض ..وهناك امور كثيرة تساعدك على المحافظة عليها ومنها :* تذكر انك مخلوق للعبادة وليس للعب* تذكر ان الله يستحق العبادة منا ونحن المستفيدون منها* تذكر مصيرك لو خالفت امر الله ولم تصلي* تذكر جزائك العظيم عند الله اذا حافظت على الصلاة* تذكر الجنة ونعيمها والنار وحميمها وجحيمها حافظ على صلاتك حتى تسعد في الدنيا والاخرة حافظ على صلاتك حتى يحل الله مشاكلك وييسر عليكحافظ على صلاتك حتى تلقى ربك وهو راضي عنك حافظ على صلاتك فهي اول ما ستسأل عنه يوم القيامة واياك والتهاون بالصلاة فانها سبب للوقوع في المعاصي :قال الله تعالى :" فخلف من بعدهم خلف اضاعوا الصلاة واتبعوا الشهوات فسوف يلقون غيا "متى اتبعوا الشهوات ؟بعد ان اضاعوا الصلاة وتهاونوا فيها فيا اخي ويا اختي اياكم والتهاون بالصلاة فاذا رايت من نفسك اقبالا على المعاصيفاعلم ان ذالك بسبب تهاونك بالصلاة وان رايت من نفسك اقبالا على الاخرة فاعلم ان ذالك بسبب محافظتك على الصلاة ..لا تجعل المنتديات والمواقع تمنعك من الذهاب للمسجد للقاء ربكولا تجعل الماسنجر والدردشة تمنعك من الذهاب للمسجدلان المواقع والمنتديات والماسنجر والدردشةكلها لن تملك لك من الله شيئا يوم القيامة ..تصور نفسك والناس قد ذهبت للصلاة وانت تعبد الانترنت ولا تحرك ساكنا تصور حين كان الرسول والصحابة يصلونوقريش تعبد الاصنام وتسخر منهم هل تريد ان تكون مثل قريش ؟هل اتخذت الانترنت آلهة من دون الله ؟استيقظ فانت في خطر !الانترنت له فوائد ولكن ليس على حساب ايمانك وصلاتك استفد منه وادعو الى الله ولكن لا تضيع صلاتك به ..وليكن شعارك وانت في الانترنت .. الا صلاتي .اللهم اصلح احوالنا وجدد ايماننا ونقي ضمائرنا .. آمين

احذر من أن يفضحك ميراثك يوم موتك

إلى كل من أطلق بصره بلا حدود وسمع الأغاني بلا قيود إن الموت لآت فما منه هروب..وإن ساعة الاحتضار لهي أصعب ساعة يمر بها الإنسان وفيها يفارق هذه الدنيا وفيها تنزل عليه ملائكة، إما بيض الوجوه أو سود الوجوه كل على حسب عمله.فاحذر من أن يفضحك ميراثك يوم موتك.. من صفَا صُفِي له، ومن كدِر كُدِر عليه، ومن كان على الخير في حياته لقي الخير عند مماته.قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من مات على شيء بعثه الله عليه.ويقول عليه الصلاة والسلام: إذا أراد الله بعبده خيرا استعمله، قيل: كيف يستعمله؟.. قال: يفتح له عملا صالحا بين يدي موته حتى يرضى عليه من حوله.يقول ابن قيم الجوزية: إن العبد إذا وقع في شدة أو كربة أو بلية خانه قلبه ولسانه وجوارحه عما هو أنفع شيء له، فلا ينجذب قلبه للتوكل على الله تعالى والإنابة إليه والتضرع والتذلل والانكسار بين يديه، ولا يطاوعه لسانه لذكره وإن ذكره بلسانه لم يجمع بين قلبه ولسانه فينحبس القلب على اللسان.. ولو أراد من جوارحه أن تعينه بطاعة تدفع عنه لم تنقد له ولم تطاوعه وهذا كله من أثر الذنوب والمعاصي كمن له جند يدفعون عنه الأعداء فأهمل جنده وضيعهم وأضعفهم وقطع أخبارهم ثم أراد منهم عند هجوم العدو عليه أن يتفرغوا له وسعهم في الدفع عنه بغير قوة. هذا وثم أمر أخوف من ذلك فربما تعذر عليه النطق بالشهادة.وكثير من المحتضرين أصابهم ذلك حتى قيل لبعضهم، قل: لا إله إلا الله فقال: آه آه لا أستطيع أن أقولها.. وقيل لآخر ذلك فقال: ما ينفعني ما أقول ولم أدع معصية إلا ركبتها، ثم قضى ولم يقلها، ومثال آخر لذلك فقال: وما يغني عني ما أعرف إني صليت لله صلاة.. ولم يقلها، وقيل لآخر فقال: كلما أردت أن أقولها.. لساني يمْسك فيها!أما من حضر موت بعض الشحاذين فقد سمعه يقول: لله فلس، لله فلس.. حتى قضى وهذه آخر كلماته!أما من حضر وفاة بعض التجار عندما جعلوا يلقنونه لا إله إلا الله وهو يقول: هذه القطعة رخيصة وذا مشتري جيد ووو... حتى كانت آخر كلماته!!فسبحان الله كم شاهد الناس من هذه العبر، والذي خفي عليهم من أحوال المحتضرين أعظم وأعظم..فأين التائبين، وأين أصحاب القلوب الرقيقة؟.. هل تبصرنا في حالنا، ما هي أكثر الكلمات التي نقولها في حياتنا، وماذا سنقول عند ساعة احتضارنا؟!هل استعدينا لهذه الساعة، هل رطبنا ألسنتنا بذكر الله؟.. هل تركنا الألفاظ البذيئة والسب والشتم التي اعتاد عليها من أغوته الشياطين وزينت له هذه الكلمات.فما بال من اعتادت ألسنتهم على الغناء.. بأي حال سيقابلون الله؟ ماذا سيرددون من كلمات؟استيقظوا يا أخوة من هذا النوم العميق.. إلى متى هذا الغفلة.. إلى متى هذا التساهل في أمور الدين.. إلى متى.. وإلى متى؟إن الموت قريب:هو الموت ما منه ملاذ ومهرب *** متى حط ذا عن نعشه ذاك يركبنؤمل آمالا ونرجو نتاجها *** وباب الردى مما نؤمل أقربأسأل الله لي ولكم حسن الخاتمة وأن يقبضنا إليه ونحن نتلفظ بشهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله.

You should know this man

You may be an atheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to any of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a Communist or a believer in democracy and freedom.
No matter who you are, and no matter what your ideological and political beliefs, personal and social habits happen to be. You must still know this man.
Encyclopedia Britannica confirms: “…a mass of detail in the early sources shows that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were likewise honest and upright men.” (Vol: 12)
Bernard Shaw said about him: “He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much-needed peace and happiness”. (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)
He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a State, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come. His name is Muhammad .
Born in Arabia in the year 570 CE, he started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world when he was sixty-three.
During this short period of 23 years of his prophethood, he changed the entire Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to the worship of One God; from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and wickedness to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living; from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of people or a place before or since – and imagine all these unbelievable wonders took place in just over two decades.
La Martine, the renowned historian, speaking on The Essentials or Human Greatness, said: “If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the (then) inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls … his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death -- all these attest not to an impostor, but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was twofold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, and the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words.
Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire that is Muhammad. As regards all the standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?” (La Martine, Historic de la Turquie, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-277)
The world has had its share of great personalities. However, these were one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in one or two fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and teachings of these great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and teachings of these men.
Not so this man. Muhammad, , accomplished so much in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the records so preserved is vouched for not only by the faithful followers, but also by his prejudiced critics.
Muhammad, , was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father – all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life – but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad, , to achieve such incredible perfection.

Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, , says in Young India;
“I wanted to know the best of one who holds today undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind… I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle.
When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet’s biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life”.
Thomas Carlyle, in his Heroes and Hero-Worship, was simply amazed as to: “How one man single handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation.”
Diwan Chand Sharma wrote: “Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him.” (D. C. Sharma, ‘The Prophets of the East’, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12).
Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, Sarojini Naidu says:
“It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: God Alone is Great.
I have been struck over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother.” (S. Naidu, Ideals of Islam, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, P. 169).
The world has not hesitated to raise to divinity, individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad, , accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting humanity for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad, , or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a Son of God or God-incarnate – but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.
Michael H. Hart in his recently published book on ratings of men who contributed towards the benefit and upliftment of man writes: “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels”. (M.H. Hart, ‘The 100: A ranking of the most influential persons in History’, New York, 1978 pp.33).
Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad, , have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating humankind’s many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of the followers of Muhammad, , but also the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.
The least you could know as a thinking and concerned human being is to stop for a moment and ask yourself: Could these statements sounding so extraordinary and revolutionary be really true? And supposing they really are true and you did not know this man Muhammad, , or hear about him, isn’t it time you respond to this tremendous challenge and put in some effort to know him?
It will cost you nothing but it may prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.
We invite you to make a discovery of this wonderful man, Muhammad, , the like of whom never walked on the face of this earth.

كل عام وانتوا بخير
ومن العايدين
ومن الفايزين

وينعاد علينا وعليكم يارب