SAFAH

Bismillah. Truth, Disbelief and Renewal of Faith From time to time, the levels of our faith do tend to dwindle. This weakness of faith manifests itself in degraded quality of acts of our worship, negligence in remembering Allah, feeling indifferent to His commands and, in general, us having a doubtful heart. Experiencing any of these symptoms or others akin to them is an indication of a weakness of faith that in turn may be depriving us of peace, tranquility, and closeness to our creator and sustainer. This weakness or weariness of faith (Eeman), whether due to a weak understanding of truth, or the strength of external negative forces, is to be expected. Consider what the Prophet (SAWS) said in this context: “Faith wears out in your heart as clothes wear out, so ask Allah to renew the faith in your hearts.” (narrated by al-Haakim in his Mustadrak and al-Tabaraani in his Mu’jam with a saheeh isnaad). Here are a few steps that we can take immediately to renew our faiths. Seek Allah’s Help As the prophet mentioned in the aforementioned hadith, we should first and foremost ask Allah to renew and reinforce the faith in our hearts. We should make this call part of our regular Duas. In doing so, we should also be mindfulof why we believe in the message of truth in the first place. We believe because we can relate the message of truth revealed in the Quran to the realities of this universe and what we find within ourselves and our hearts. We believe because as humans, a deeper intellectual and spiritual introspection has caused our hearts to resonate with the message of truth. We believe because after having pondered over the messages of the Quran, we comprehend them and have internalized them in our psyche. But more importantly, we believe in the truth of the Quran and Islam because of Allah’s unchallengeable, unequivocal and logical assertion as the creator, sustainer, and sole power of this universe. Thus, being convinced of His deity and majesty and the nobility of His Messenger and Prophet, we have consciously chosen to believe and live that message of truth. Reinforce truth with knowledge Next, let’s get clear about the meaning of truth as Islam has defined it. The clearer the message of truth in our hearts, the stronger our faith will be. Part of the renewal is therefore to actively engage in understanding the message of truth in our hearts and minds through studying the Quran, studying the traditions of the Prophet (SAW) as documented in the books of hadith and poring over the knowledge of known scholars who have helped elaborate on that message. The process of renewing our faith thus requires an active and personal effort to reach out to learn the various truths defined in Islam. The more we strive for it, the more we will increase our levels of awareness and faith. Remember, the longer you keep your heart locked up from learning more, the less you will be able to reason and comprehend the message of truth, and the more you will rely on blind faith alone to live the message of truth. As Allah says in the Quran, “Will they not then ponder over the Qur’an, or is it that they have their locks on (their) hearts (which bar them from reason).” [47:24] Beware of symptoms of rejection Finally, be wary of what in your heart could be blurring your view of the message of truth. Imaam ibn Katheer, in his famous Tafseer ibn Katheer, mentions the reasons that prevent people from believing the message of truth. If any of those reasons are seeping into your psyche and have started to blur your vision and impacting your faith as a result, you need to actively step in and cleanse yourself of those symptoms. The reasons that ibn Katheer had mentioned included: Kufrul-’Inaad (Disbelief out of stubbornness) Kufrul-Inkaar (Disbelief out of denial) Kufrul-Kibr (Disbelief out of arrogance and pride) Kufrul-Juhood (Disbelief out of rejection) Kufrul-Nifaaq (Disbelief out of hypocrisy) Kufrul-Istihaal (Disbelief out of trying to make HARAM (illegal) into HALAL (legal) Kufrul-Kurh (Disbelief out of detesting any of Allah’s commands) Kufrul-Istihzaha (Disbelief due to mockery and derision) Kufrul-I’raadh (Disbelief due to avoidance) Kufrul-Istibdaal (Disbelief because of trying to substitute Allah’s Laws) In Summary Living the message of truth, therefore, requires us to abandon stubbornness (an attitude when we know deep in our hearts that we are wrong), denial (blindly ignoring facts), arrogance (thinking that accepting truth will demean us), hypocrisy (pretending to be someone while concealing the truth), mockery and derision (we mock truth and the righteous to go along with others) and avoidance (for one reason or another we try to avoid the message of truth). Once we eliminate these negatives that may have stained our hearts and open our minds to the message of truth, we will be on our way to renew our faith. In that process, we will also sense Allah in our lives and we will feel the sweetness of faith. Let’s remember the saying of the Prophet as reported by Anas (May Allah be pleased with him): “Allah says: ‘ When a slave of Mine draws near to Me a span, I draw near to him a cubit; and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.” [Al-Bukhari].

Bismillah. Why Do We Sin? (and steps for prevention) Allah has ordained the nature of man to be fallible. We are constantly subjugated to the pulls and desires of this worldly life. While we have the ability to steer our “free will” in any direction, we remain exposed to Satan’s attacks and whispers that can stray us from the straight path. We can counter Satan’s plan of pulling us down with sins by increasing our faith, knowledge, and good deeds and that can then elevate us to a level which can merit our meeting with Allah with bright and shining faces. Alternately, we can ignore Allah’s commandments and burden ourselves with sins thus bringing in darkness and sadness on our faces. As Allah says in the Quran: Some faces that Day shall be Nadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allah). And some faces, that Day, will be Basirah (dark, gloomy, frowning, and sad), Thinking that some calamity is about to fall on them (Quran, Al-Qiyama:22-25). For those of us who believe, the anticipation of meeting Allah alone should invigorate us to straighten our acts and to stay clear from all types of sins. But again, the fallibility of our essential nature makes us either forget or neglect our obligations and drives our nafs (self) to sin. To shield ourselves from misguidance, therefore, we should look at the root causes that can help us become aware of Satan’s tactics and accordingly prevent our nafs from being misguided. The following are some of those reasons and the divine guidance that can help us overcome the temptation to get into sins. Lack of knowledge Lack of knowledge about religious matters and the vast chasms that it creates in our understanding is one of the reasons why many of us engage in sins. This also denies us the knowhow about the allowed (halal), and the prohibitions (haram). Consider what the prophet (S.A.W.S.) said regarding our responsibility to learn Islamic knowledge that he brought for mankind: "The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah’s religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge) which Allah has revealed through me (the Prophet) and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah’s guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.) " [bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadeeth 79]. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see Muslims today who fall in the last category and make little effort to learn such knowledge. This is what Caliph Umar Ibnul-Khattaab had predicted when he said: “Soon the bonds of Islam will be loosened bit by bit, because people will enter into Islam but will be unaware of Jaahiliyyah (ignorant practices that Islam opposes),” meaning that they won’t hesitate to follow them [ibn Taymiyyah – Majmoo’ul-Fataawaa (10/301)]. Moreover, to excuse ourselves from the obligation to learn more about Islamic matters, some of us rationalize to ourselves that our daily worships may be sufficient for us to live meaningfully. Again, this is one of those traps that many scholars over the centuries had warned us about. This is because worshipping Allah without the basis of knowledge leaves our foundations of faith very vulnerable and fallible. In this context, Ibn Al-Qayyim comments about the two verses of Suah Al-Hashr (16, 17) where an ignorant worshipper based his life on worshipping Allah unknowingly, so Satan seized the opportunity and thus seduced him (due to lack of his knowledge) to disbelieve in Allah [Al Fawwaid]. So, we see that an ongoing effort to strengthen our faith through knowledge is essential not just to protect us from minor sins but also to prevent us from the greatest sin of all, which is to disbelieve in Allah. Social pressures A number of us sin not because of willful disobedience but because sometimes we get pulled into the act reluctantly. It is no secret that certain social (and other) pressures tend to push us into committing sins that we normally would not commit. When in such situations, we quiet our conscience and then go with the social flow. This is one of the reasons why the prophet (S.A.W.S.) warned us about keeping company that can take us away from the straight path. He (S.A.W.S.) said: “A man will follow the way of his close friends, so let each one of you look at who he takes as a close friend.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 8433; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 4046.) We should remind ourselves that time always passes and such friends won’t last us for the full journey of our life and they won’t be with us on the day when we are held accountable for the sins that we committed due to their influence. Consider what Allah says in the following two verses about the Day of Judgment: “Friends on that Day (the Day of Judgement) will be enemies except al–Muttaqoon (the pious)” (Az–Zukhruf 43: 67). “And (remember) the Day when the wrongdoer will bite at his hands, he will say: O! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger (Muhammad). Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so–and–so as a friend. He indeed led me astray from the reminder (the Quran) after it had come to me. And Satan is ever a deserter to man in the hour of need” (Al–Furqaan 25: 27–29). Let’s, therefore, ensure that if our social circles are directly or indirectly pushing us to commit sins or discouraging us from performing good deeds then we should disengage from such groups and people immediately. By quieting our conscience in the face of social pressures, we also start to slowly regard many wrongs as rights and gradually lose our internal compass of the right and wrong. Sense of pride and arrogance Pride and arrogance can lead us to suppress the goodness and common sense within us simply to provide merit to our egocentric agendas. One sign of such an attitude involves engaging in frequent argumentation, disputes, and quarrels simply to push misguided viewpoints. Such an attitude in general stands counter to everything that the Quran and the prophet taught us. As one of the Islamic scholars stated, if faith (eemaan) was simply knowing the facts in one’s heart, then that is similar to Satan’s situation because he was very knowledgeable about his Lord (rabb) [1], yet his arrogance and pride led him to become argumentative and disobedient to Allah, and in the process became the worst of creatures. Let’s remember that the prophet (S.A.W.S.) associated such an attitude with misguidance. He said, "A nation never went astray after being guided except by means of disputation (Tirmidhi #3253 and ibn Majah #48 on the authority of Abu Umamah).” Consider the example that Allah provides about such people: And when the son of Maryam (Mary) is quoted as an example (i.e. Jesus is worshipped like their idols), behold! Your people cry aloud (laugh out at the example). And say: "Are our aliha (gods) better or is he (Jesus)?" They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people (Quran, 43:57-58). We ought to, therefore, look within ourselves and see whether the pride in our hearts or the arrogance of our attitudes in anyway influence us to refuse seeing or listening to the truth. For those of us who suffer from such diseases, what is needed instead is an attitude of humility or humbleness that can motivate us to stay calm and open to seeing our mistakes thereby providing an opportunity to fix them. Ibn Al-Qayyim said that a sin that leads one to submission (and humility to Allah in repentance) is preferable in the sight of Allah than a good deed that causes pride (in one’s heart) (Al Fawwaid). That is obviously because pride puts a veil on our eyes and hearts and can lead us to more sins. Not taking minor sins seriously Many take minor sins lightly taking it for granted that Allah will forgive them for such sins. As a result, they persist in such sins thereby getting desensitized to the need to address them. Consider the hadith of the Prophet (S.A.W.S.) where according to one report he said, “Beware of minor sins, for they will pile up until they destroy a person” (Reported by Ahmad; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2686-2687). Some scholars are of the view that when minor sins are accompanied by a lack of shame or remorse, and with no fear of Allah, and are taken lightly, then there is the risk that they will be counted as major sins. Hence it is said that no minor sin is minor if you persist, and no major sin is major if you seek forgiveness [2]. Abandoning the practice of enjoining good and forbidding evil One of the reasons why we see sin proliferate is that many of us have forgotten the principles of inviting people to good and stopping them from doing bad. When people live in environments (within the family or other social circles) where advice for the good isn’t encouraged much, it takes away the opportunities for improvements and also lets people develop false perceptions about themselves. As we discussed earlier, Allah has created us weak and as a result staying away from sins requires periodic doses of knowledgeable advice and wisdom. Additionally, Islamic teachings also command us to advise each other on matters of right or wrong. When communities fail to espouse these principles, sins spread more easily. Allah says in the Quran (about Muslims): “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma’rûf (the good and the truth) and forbid Al-Munkar (the wrong, evils, sins, etc.), and you believe in Allâh . . .” (Quran 3:110) Malik ibn Dinar said, "We have become accustomed to loving the world, so that we do not enjoin good or forbid evil to one another. Allah the Most High will certainly not permit us to continue doing this, but would that I knew what kind of punishment shall befall us!" Imam Al-Bayhaqi (The Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith). The Prophet (S.A.W.S.) said: “If the people see an evil and they do not change it, soon Allah will inflict them all with His Punishment (Hadith – Ahmed, graded authentic by Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (1/398).” However, matters of giving advice should be handled wisely. It is not uncommon to see people getting discouraged (whether in situations of advising or when being advised) due to the manner in which such advice is given. This is because they fail to see the difference between advising and condemning. It was said to one of the Salaf (pious followers that came after the death of the prophet): “Would you love that someone inform you about your faults?” So he replied: “If he does so with the intention of blaming me, then no.” Also, Al-Fudail (rahimahullaah) said: “The believer conceals (the sin of his brother) and advises (him), while the evildoer disgraces and condemns (him).” Similarly, when we know of the wrong actions of believers, we shouldn’t make it a point to propagate their weaknesses to others. The salaf, for example, used to hate the commanding of the good and forbidding evil when it was done to someone in a public forum. Instead, they loved that it be done privately. This is since it is not the goal of the one who is advising to spread and publicize the faults of the person he is advising, rather his goal is only to put an end to the evil that he has fallen into [The Difference between Advising and Condemning by Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalee]. Not knowing the ill effects of sins Another reason why many people sin, or care little about their sins is their failure to see the impact that sins can have on their lives in this world and in the hereafter. The truth is that if we don’t understand the ghastly nature of sins, we wouldn’t stay away from them. Consider a sample of the ill effects of sins that Ibn Al-Qayyim had explained: Sins deprive a person of provision (rizq) in this life. In Musnad Ahmad it is narrated that Thawbaan said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: ‘A man is deprived of provision because of the sins that he commits.’” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4022, classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah). A sinful person experiences a sense of alienation (indifference) with his Lord, and between him and other people. One of the salaf had said that he could see the impact of disobedience to Allah (in some aspects of his daily life). A person who commits sins sees that things become difficult for him. In any matter that he turns to, he finds the way blocked or he finds it difficult. By the same token, for the one who fears Allah, things are made easy. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Good deeds make the face light, give light to the heart, and bring about ample provision, physical strength and love in people’s hearts. Bad deeds make the face dark, give darkness to the heart, and bring about physical weakness, a lack of provision and hatred in people’s hearts.” Sin breeds sin until it dominates a person and he cannot escape from it. Sin weakens a person’s willpower. It gradually strengthens his will to commit sin and weakens his will to repent until there is no will in his heart to repent at all . . . So he seeks forgiveness and expresses repentance, but it is merely words on the lips, like the repentance of the liars, whose hearts are still determined to commit sin and persist in it. This is one of the most serious diseases that is likely to lead to doom. He becomes desensitized and no longer find sins abhorrent; so it becomes his habit, and he is not bothered if people see him committing the sin or talk about him. All in all, let’s remember that for us to stay clear from sins we need to constantly work at building a strong internal frame of reference that is reinforced with knowledge of the truth. This must be coupled with a living conscience that can help us recognize sins when we see them and to have it poke at us should we get inclined to indulge in those sins. Again, reflecting back on the verses of Sura Al-Qiyamah that we reviewed earlier, let’s strive to keep the burden of our sins light when we meet Allah, so that our faces are Nadirah (shining and radiant) rather than Basirah (dark, gloomy, frowning, and sad).

Bismillah. Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz) –Reflections from Surah Hadeed This verse is about how all matters are already inscribed in Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz (Book of Decrees) and the advice of the prophet how to get out of calamities and about the Book of Decrees. “No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-mahfuz) before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.” (Quran, Surah Hadid: 22)[/indent] The prophet (S.A.W.S.) said: Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas, Once I was behind the Prophet and he said: "O boy, I will teach you a few words: Be loyal and obedient to Allâh [worship Him (Alone)], remember Him always, obey His Orders. He will save you from every evil and will take care of you in all the spheres of life. Be loyal and obedient to Allâh, you will find Him near (in front of you) i.e. He will respond to your requests. If you ask, ask Allâh. If you seek help, seek help from Allâh. Know that if all the people get together in order to benefit you with something, they will not be able to benefit you in anything except what Allâh has decreed for you. And if they all get together in order to harm you with something, they will not be able to harm you in anything except what Allâh has decreed for you. The pens have stopped writings [Divine (Allâh’s) Preordainments]. And (the ink over) the papers (Book of Decrees) has dried." [This Hadith is quoted in Sahih At-Tirmidhi]. Source: Quran Tafsir by Mohsin Khan of Surah Al-Hadid

Bismillah. Seeking Closeness to Allah (Waseelah to Him) We all wish to seek Waseelah to Allah, i.e. to approach Him and to get closer to Him. Obviously, if we are closer to Allah, we will enjoy numerous benefits in this life and the hereafter. If Allah is happy with us, our Duas can be responded to faster, He will protect us from the challenges of this life, and in general we can enjoy a better life. In this article based on the sermon by Shaikh Abdul Rahman Al-Saadi mentioned in Fawakih Ash-Shahiyyah (p. 36), we see that getting close to Allah is not that difficult. Consider this verse of Surah Al-Maeda (Chapter 5): O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. And seek the Waseela (means of approach to Him), and strive hard in His Cause (as much as you can), so that you may be successful. ( Quran, 5:35) In the above verse, “seek the Wasilah to Him”, pertains to drawing close to Allah by adhering to the pillars of Faith, the laws of Islam and acts of Ihsan (excellence in the religion). Let’s remember that many have been misguided to seek Wasilah to Him through other people and illegal means. As for he who seeks the means of approach to Allah by mentioning the grade and status that some of His creation have with Him, he is an innovator in the religion and an unjust person. Also, he who invokes the creation for help and relief, claiming that he is seeking a means of approach to Allah through them, then he is a Mushrik (polytheist) and a disbeliever. Seeking closeness to Allah comes through our own actions and not through other people. In his sermon, Sheikh Saadi states the following as some of the ways we can get close to Allah. Invoke Allah by His names and attributes: He who worships Allah and invokes Him by His Names and Attributes, has sought the best means of approach to Him. Recognize Allah’s favors and bounties on you: He who invokes Allah on account of His favors, bounties, generosity and kindness, will have sought the path of the chosen righteous believers. Avoid what Allah has disallowed: He who seeks the means of approach to Allah by avoiding what He has disallowed and working for His pleasure, will no doubt earn all that is good and righteous. He, who seeks the means of approach to Allah by mentioning his need and meekness to Him, will have used the best way of drawing closer to Him. Be dutiful to parents and keep your relations: Seek the means of approach to Allah by being dutiful to parents and keeping relations with your kith and kin, for Allah keeps relations wíth those who do so and severs relations with those who shun their relatives. Be kind to His creation: Seek the means of approach to Allah by being kind to His creation, for He likes the good-doers. Trust in Allah for all your matters: Seek the Wasilah to Allah by fearing Him and hoping and trusting in Him, for Allah loves those who trust in Him. Dhikr and Forgiveness: Remember Allah always by your words and seek His forgiveness, for truly, those who remember Allah in Dhikr will acquire ultimate happiness. In general, we should invoke Allah by praying often, reciting His Speech with humbleness and humility. Love your prophet: Seek the means of approach to Allah by loving your Prophet and reciting the Salát (blessings upon him) for his benefit. Surely, he who often recites the Salát on the Prophet, then Allah will suffice for him concerning all his needs. When one says Salát once on the Prophet (S.A.W.S.), Allah will give him ten times that Salát, and he will earn the Prophet’s love and Shafá’ (right to intercede with Allah on his behalf on the Day of Judgement) by Allahs Leave. Be kind to the orphans: Seek Allahs pleasure by being kind to the orphans, the weak and even with animals. Surely, Allah gives merey to those among His slaves who are merciful. Clean your heart: Seek Allah by riddíng your hearts from all types of sin, envy and rage on Muslims, and by offering sincere advice and being compassionate with all creation. Abandon the evil inner self commands: Seek the Wasilah to Allah by abandoning whatever evil and sin the inner-self commands one to do, lusts and desires; protect your sight from illegal things, preserve your tongue from uttering evíl and stay away from all types of beliefs, actions and statements that Allah has disallowed. Develop perfect sincerity in your actions: Seek the Wasilah to Allah by developing perfect sincerity in your actions. and obeying Allah’s Messenger. Allah willing, if you do this, you will earn all that you seek, that is good and beneficial. Source: Based on the sermon by Shaikh Abdul Rahman Al-Saadi mentioned in Fawakih Ash-Shahiyyah (p. 36). Let’s remember that for those of us who feel the need to get closer to Him, let’s be sincere and focused in the above and we will feel that closeness. Finally, let’s review this hadith by the prophet where he tells us about what Allah mentions about us getting closer to Him: Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle (Peace be Upon Him) Said, Allah SWT Said, I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of mine. and the most beloved things with which my slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; And my slave keeps on coming closer to me through performing Nawafil (Prayer or Doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; And if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks my protection, I will protect him; and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.” [bukhari Sharif Volume 8, Book 76, Number 509]

Bismillah. Grave Worship We have seen in previous articles how the Shia believe that the Imams are infallible and posses many attributes of Allah. But the Shia don’t stop there; they have taken it to the next level. The Shia have erected shrines over the graves of their Imams. Millions of Shia from all over the world visit these shrines in Iran and Iraq to pray in them. The Ahlus Sunnah is stunned by this pagan practise of creating shrines and grave-worshipping. The Shia will argue that they really aren’t praying to the deceased, but that really doesn’t make any sense. Why then do they travel all the way to Iran to do prayer? Surely they believe there is some benefit of praying next to the body of a deceased Imam? Otherwise, why would they come from so far to do it? Shrines are completely Haram (forbidden) in Islam because they are paganistic and polythiestic in nature. How is it that the Shia do not realize that what they are doing is completely antithetical to the entire mission of the Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) who was sent to guide a shrine-worshipping people? The Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wasallam) repeatedly condemned grave-worshipping in the authentic Hadith: “Beware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their Prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.” (Sahih Muslim) “May Allah’s curse be on the Jews for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets.” (Sahih Bukhari) “May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets.” (Sahih Bukhari) “If any religious man dies amongst those people they would build a place of worship at his grave and make these pictures in it. They will be the worst creature in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection.” (Sahih Bukhari) “Do not sit on the graves and do not pray facing towards them.” (Sahih Bukhari) The first time in human history that people commited the sin of idol-worship was around the time of Prophet Nuh (alayhisallam). A very pious man passed away. Shaytan whispered in the ears of the tonwnspeople: he urged them never to forget this pious man lest the townspeople abandon his example and be lost to sin. Once Shaytan had convinced them of the necessity to revere the memory of this pious dead man, he then then convinced them to erect a shrine over the grave of this man. Eventually, the people started praying in the shrine, and soon thereafter Shaytan convinced them to pray to the deceased man. It was in this step by step fashion that Shaytan was able to misguide people into Shirk. He convinced them that they were doing a good thing by respecting a pious man, and he allowed them to add one Bidah (evil innovation) after another, infusing polythiestic practise in their belief. Likewise do the Shia believe that they are being pious by visiting shrines but in reality they have been fooled by Shaytan. Of course, the Shia will make the futile argument that they really aren’t praying to the deceased person. It just so happens that they pray next to the grave and supplicate. Indeed, this argument sounds very similar to what modern-day Hindus claim. Hindus say that they don’t really worship the idol itself, that they really are worshipping God, and that they are just facing the idol. We see there is very little difference between what the Shia say and what the Hindus say. The Islamic ethos deplores all idol-worshipping and is very strict in forbidding it. There is absolutely no point in praying next to someone’s grave. There is no benefit in it, and grave-worship is considered a grave sin (no pun intended). It is Shirk, and no matter what the intention is, it is still praying to the creation instead of the Creator. We urge any Shia reading this to immediately cease engaging in idol-worshipping. It is in a polythiestic manner the Shia go to their shrines and cry next to them, rub them, and pray to them. It is Shirk reminscent of the Jahiliyyah times when the pagan Arabs used to do this. Tawheedullah (the Unity and Oneness of Allah) is the central tenet of Islam, and the Shia are guilty of violating this core belief by engaging in Shirk, which is the absolute major sin in Islam. The main emphasis in Islam is to stay away from Shirk, and yet the Shia embrace practises and customs that foster Shirk.

Bismillah. Sickness Ever wonder why a Muslim is allowed by Allah, subhana watallah, to get sick? Hadith - Bukhari 7:564 I visited Allah's Apostle while he was suffering from a high fever. I touched him with my hand and said, "O Allah's Apostle! You have a high fever." Allah's Apostle said, "Yes, I have as much fever as two men of you have." I said, "Is it because you will get a double reward?" Allah's Apostle said, "Yes, no Muslim is afflicted with harm because of sickness or some other inconvenience, but that Allah will remove his sins for him as a tree sheds its leaves." Hadith - Muslim & Bukhari Abu Sa'id al-Khudri r.a. reported that the Prophet said: Whenever a Muslim is afflicted with a hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression --even a thorn's prick, Allah expiates his sins because of it. Recorded by Bukhari in al-Adab ul-Mufrad (no. 493), verified authentic by al-Albani "Expect good, because Allah (s.w.t.) makes a believer's sickness an expiation (for his sins) and a period of repose. As for a disbeliever falling sick, he is like a camel whose owner ties it and then lets it loose --it does not understand why it was tied, nor why it was freed." The cure... Hadith - Sahih Bukhari, Book 25, Number 5466, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah Allah's Messenger said: There is a remedy for every malady, and when the remedy is applied to the disease it is cured with the permission of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious. Hadith - Muwatta 50:12 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that a man received a wound in the time of the Messenger of Allah . The blood clotted in the wound and the man called two men from the Banu Ammar tribe. They looked at it and claimed that the Messenger of Allah said to them, "Which of you is the better doctor?" They said, "Is there any good in medicine, Messenger of Allah?" Zayd claimed that the Messenger of Allah said, "The one who sent down the disease sent down the remedy." Narration - Ahmad "Worshippers of Allah, use medical treatments." Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #2170, Narrated AbdulMalik ibn Umayr Allah's Messenger said, "Fatihat al-Kitab contains healing for every disease." [Darimi and Bayhaqi, in Shu'ab al-Iman, transmitted it.] Severe Trials for those Firm in their Religion Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi 1562, Narrated Sa'd When the Prophet was asked which people suffered the greatest affliction, he replied, "The prophets, then those who come next to them, then those who come next to them. A man is afflicted in keeping his religion. If he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion it is made light for him, and it continues like that till he walks on the earth having no sin." [Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih tradition.] Rewards for those Afflicted Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #1570, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah Allah's Messengersaid, "On the Day of Resurrection, when people who have suffered affliction are given their reward, those who are healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world." [Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying that this is a gharib tradition.] Recorded by Ahmad , verified authentic by al-Hakim, ath-Thahabi, and al-Albani The ailment is intensified for the righteous. Whenever a believer is afflicted with a hardship, be it a thorn or more, a sin is taken off him because of it, and he is elevated on level (in Jannah [Paradise]). Hadith - Al-Bukhari A traveller's or sick person's deeds are recorded in accordance with what he used to do when he was resident or well. Endurance Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi, Narrated AbuUmamah [ibn Majah transmitted it.] The Prophet stated that Allah, who is Blessed and Exalted, said "Son of Adam, if you show endurance and seek your reward from me in the first affliction, I shall be pleased with no lesser reward than Paradise for you." Hadith - Sahih Bukhari, Muslim, and Nasa'i, Narrated 'A'ishah The Prophet of Allah, upon him be peace, said, "Do not say, 'I feel rotten*.' Instead, say, 'I do not feel well." *or any expression that involves corruption of any type. Epilepsy Hadith - Bukhari 7:555, Narrated 'Ata bin Abi Rabah Ibn 'Abbas said to me, "Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?" I said, "Yes." He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her." Kindness to the sick Hadith - Mishkat, Narrated Abu Sa'id Allah's Messenger said, "When you go in to visit an invalid, express a hope that he will live long. That will not avert anything, but it will comfort him." Hadith - Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 40, Narrated An-Nu'man bin Bashir Allah's Apostle said, "You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it." Visit the sick Hadith - Qudsi 18 O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink whin You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me. Supplication of an Invalid Allah's Messenger said, "When you visit an invalid tell him to make supplication for you, for his supplication is like that of the angels." [ibn Majah transmitted it.] Taking Medicine Hadith - Muslim, narrated Jabir Bin 'Abdillah The Prophet said: Every disease has a medication: If the medication for a particular disease is found, it will be cured with Allah's (swt) permission. Hadith - Bukhari 7:610, Ibn 'Abbas and 'Aisha, Radiya 'Llahu 'anhuma Abu Bakr kissed (the forehead of) the Prophet when he was dead. 'Aisha added: We put medicine in one side of his mouth but he started waving us not to insert the medicine into his mouth. We said, "He dislikes the medicine as a patient usually does." But when he came to his senses he said, "Did I not forbid you to put medicine (by force) in the side of my mouth?" We said, "We thought it was just because a patient usually dislikes medicine." He said, "None of those who are in the house but will be forced to take medicine in the side of his mouth while I am watching, except Al-'Abbas, for he had not witnessed your deed." Read Qur'an when Sick The Noble Qur'an - Al-Isra 17:82 And We send down from the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) nothing but loss. Ruqyah Ruqyah (plural: ruqa) is du'a or dhikr used for protection or cure. Hadith - Muslim, Narrated 'Awf Bin Malik al-Ashjai 'Awf Bin Malik al-Ashjai said to the Prophet, "O Allah's Messenger! We used to apply ruqa during Jahliyyah. What do you think of that?" He replied: "Present your ruqa to me. There is nothing wrong with them as long as they do not involve shirk." Hadith - Muslim and others Abu Sa'id al-Khudri r.a. reported that Jibril came to the Prophet and said, "O Muhammad, are you sick?" He replied, "Yes." He said: "Bismillahi arqik, min kulli shay'in yu'thik, min sharri kulli nafsin aw 'ayni hasid -- With Allah's Name I shelter you (give you ruqyah), from all that ails you, from the evil of every soul, or that of the envious eyes. May Allah cure you; with Allah's Name I shelter you."

Bismillah. Knowledge Four Types of People Hadith - At-Tirmidhi 5287, Narrated Abu Kabshah al-Anmari The world has only four types of people: A man whom Allah provides with property and knowledge, in which he fears his Lord and joins ties of relationship, acting in it towards Allah as is due to Him, this man being in the most excellent station. A man whom Allah provides with knowledge but not with property, who says with a sincere intention that if he had property he would act as so and so does, their reward being equal. A man whom Allah provides with property but not with knowledge, in which he acts in a random manner ignorantly, not fearing his Lord respecting it, or using it to join ties of relationship, or dealing with it in a right way, this man being in the worst station. A man whom Allah provides with neither property nor knowledge, who says that if he had property he would deal with it as so and so does and has this intention, the load they have to bear being equal." Unacceptable Reasons to Gain Knowledge Hadith - Reported by Ibn Maajah (254) and others. This hadeeth has a witness from the hadeeth of Ka'b bin Malik reported by at-Tirmidhee (2654) and others and also from the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah reported by Ahmad (2/338) and others. From Jaabir (radiyallaahu 'anhu) who said that Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'aliahi wa'sallam) said: Do not acquire knowledge in order to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to gain mastery over the gatherings. Since whoever does that, then: The Fire! The Fire! Dawah Without Knowledge Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al‘Uthaymeen Question: O noble Shaykh, Which is better: To spend ones time in giving da’wah (call to Allaah), or to spend it on gaining knowledge? Answer: To gain knowledge is better and takes precedence [over giving da’wah]. And it is possible for the student of knowledge to give da’wah while he is gaining knowledge. And there is no way that one could give da’wah without knowledge; Allaah ta’aala said : { Say (O Muhammad): “This is my way, I invite to Allaah with sure knowledge.”} [Yousuf: 108]. So how could there be Da’wah without knowledge?! And no one has ever given Da’wah (before) without knowledge, never, and whoever gives Da’wah without knowledge will not be successful. Kitaabul ‘Ilm: P.145. Translated by: Abu ‘Abdul Waahid, Nadir Ahmad

Bismillah. Fear Allah Subhana watala Hadith - Qudsi 22 Let not any one of you belittle himself. They said: O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself? He said: He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something, and he does not say [it], so Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such? He say: [it was] out of fear of people. Then He says: Rather it is I whom you should more properly fear. Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5083, Narrated AbuDharr Allah's Messenger said to him, "Fear Allah wherever you are; if you follow an evil deed with a good one you will obliterate it; and deal with people with a good disposition." Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Darimi Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5140, Narrated Hudhayfah The Prophet said, "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, you must enjoin what is reputable and forbid what is disreputable, or Allah will certainly soon send punishment from Himself to you. Then you will make supplication and not receive an answer." [Transmitted by Tirmidhi] Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5142, Narrated AbuBakr as-Siddiq You people recite this verse, "You who believe, care for yourselves; he who goes astray cannot harm you when you are rightly guided." I heard Allah's Messenger say, "When people see something objectionable and do not change it, Allah will soon include them all in His punishment." Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi, who declared it to be sahih, transmitted it. We must humble ourselves Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5186, Narrated Uthman ibn Affan The Prophet said, "The son of Adam* has a right only to the following: a house in which he lives, a garment with which he conceals his private parts, dry bread and water." Tirmidhi transmitted it. *humankind Hadith - Narrated 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (radhiyallaahu 'anhu) The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "Verily the most beloved speech to Allah is the servant's saying, 'Subhaanak Allaahumma wa bihamdika wa tabaarakasmuka wa ta'aalaa jad-duka wa laa ilaaha ghayruk.' (Glorified are you, O Allah, and to you is the praise, Blessed is Your Name and Lofty is your Majesty, there is none worthy of worship other than you.) The most hated speech to Allah is when a man says to another man, 'Fear Allah!' and he replies, 'Worry about your own self!' " Health, Wealth and Happiness Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5290, Narrated by one of the companions When we were sitting together, Allah's Messenger appeared with a trace of water on his head, and when we told him that he appeared to us to be in a happy frame of mind, he agreed. The people then began to discuss wealth and Allah's Messenger said, "There is no harm in wealth for him who fears Allah, Who is Great and Glorious, but for him who fears Allah health is better than wealth, and a happy frame of mind is one of Allah's favours." [Ahmad transmitted it] Who do you fear? Mankind? or Allah swt? The Noble Qur'an At-Taubah 9:13 Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths (pagans of Makkah) and intended to expel the Messenger, while they did attack you first? Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers. Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5306, Narrated AbuDharr -Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. Allah's Messenger said, he knew a verse which would suffice men if they would but apply it, "For him who fears Allah He will appoint a way out and He will give him provision from an unimagined source.'" Tears of Fear Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5359, Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud Allah's Messenger said, "If, through fear of Allah, tears--even to the extent of a fly's head--fall from any believer's eyes and drop on some part of his cheek, he will be kept away from Hell by Allah." Ibn Majah transmitted it. Must have Knowledge The Noble Qur'an - Faatir 35:28 And of men and Ad­Dawâb (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and cattle, in like manner of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All­Mighty, Oft­Forgiving. Sayings of the Salaf ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azîz (rahimahullâh) used to say, "None can reach the station of taqwâ until he possesses neither action nor words that can be exposed to his embarrassment either in this world or the Hereafter." He was once asked, "When does the worshipper reach the peak of taqwâ? He replied, "If he put all his thoughts and desires in his heart on a plate and then wandered around in the market, he should not feel ashamed of anything there." He would frequently say, "The sign of the muttaqî (pious person who fears Allah swt much) is to bridle oneself from speaking just like one in ihrâm bridles himself from speaking. The muttaqî need to be a scholar of the Sharî‘ah, all of it, otherwise he leaves taqwâ without realising."

Bismillah. Keeping secrets others have entrusted us with is part of our duty. We would be committing grave injustice by “leaking” what we held in confidence. Many take this for granted, thinking that the password is “don’t tell anybody but…” yet even that is a sin. It destroys good relations & wreaks havoc in society. It is also advised NOT to share secrets unnecessarily in the first place. Many people have regretted this.

Bismillah. “The matters of a believer are truly amazing! Every condition is beneficial for him. When good happens to him he is (meant to be) grateful & so it is better for him. When anything negative harms him, he is (meant to be) patient & so it would be of greater benefit to him.” A reminder that it is very rewarding in the long & short terms to bear patience even if it seems quite difficult. The doors WILL ultimately open!

Bismillah. If you do not make an intention of acquiring Khair (Deeni goodness) from ‘Ilm, then you will be deprived of Tawfeeq. Imam Abu Haneefah (r.a)

Bismillah. Abu Is’haaq Ebrahim Ibne Ad’ham was once passing through a bazaar in Basrah. It ws said unto him: “O Abu Is’haaq, verily Allah has declared ‘Ask Me, I will grant you your request.’ Why is it that we make du’aa and He does not accept?” Abu Ishaaq replied: “Surely it is because your hearts have become dead, due to ten things: 1 You have known who Allah is, yet you have not fulfilled His duties; 2 You have recited the Qur’aan, yet you have not practiced upon it; 3 You have proclaimed the love of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, yet you have not practiced upon his sunnah; 4 You have pronounced that the shaytaan is your enemy, yet you have stood with him; 5 You have pronounced your desire for jannah, yet you have done nothing to achieve it; 6 You have pronounced your fear for jahannam, yet you have done nothing to escape it; 7 You have proclaimed that there surely is no escape from death, yet you do not prepare for it; 8 You have indulged in seeking the faults of others, and have left looking into your own faults; 9 You have enjoyed all the Blessings and Bounties of Allah, yet you do not give Him due praise for it; 10 You have buried your dead, but you have taken no admonition. How then will your du’aa be accepted?”

Bismillah. After groups of people had become Muslim, Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu insisted to RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam that they, the Muslims, declare their Islam publicly and not hide. RasulAllah finally agreed and as a group they entered the courtyard of the Ka'bah, each taking a corner, and called out to the people about Islam. Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu was the first khateeb to invite to Allah and His Messenger. When the mob sitting there heard Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu and the others speaking about Allah and Islam, they ignited in anger and began stoning and beating the Muslims. Utbah pounced on Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu with his leather sandals, slapping him repeatedly in the face until Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu was knocked down. He then fell on top of Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu punching him in the stomach and continued the facial blows. Abu Bakr's tribe finally peeled Utbah off of him and swore that if Abu Bakr died, they were going to chop off Utbah's head in revenge. Abu Bakr laid in blood, his face indiscernible, unconscious. It was only upon nightfall that Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu began to show signs of life. Do you know what the first words he spoke were? "What happened to RasulAllah? What happened to RasulAllah?" His mother offered him food but he refused. "I shall not touch food until I am taken to RasulAllah and am reassured that he is alright." They carried him to Daar Al-Arqam and when he entered, RasulAllah cried at the state that Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu was in and hugged him. He held the hug as the Muslims gathered around. Role Models. In his book Risaalat Al-Mu'allim, Jamal Abideen tells us that at the age of 2 – perhaps earlier – the boy or girl begins habitually imitating all that they see. At the age of 5 or 6 – when the child is in kindergarten and grade 1 – they reach a climax in imitating anything that they see, good or bad. Then this habit of imitating smoothes out but continues to play the most vital role in the child's upbringing. Ibn Khaldoon writes in his Muqaddimah about this issue: "Children are influenced most by a role model. In their early years, children think that everything that adults do is correct and good and that their parents are the best amongst the adults and the most perfect." Children do not learn by being told, they learn by example. How much weight does a commandment to a child to fast have when the parent or teacher himself is eating a sandwich? For this reason, it is something hated and despised by Allah that a person should command good and he himself do other than what he commands. For indeed, his words will have little worth when the two – his actions and commandments - are contradictory. "Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise / O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? / Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do." [Al-Saff 61/1-3] And in Saheeh Muslim, the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and be thrown into Hellfire. The inhabitants of Hellfire shall gather around him and say, ‘O so and so! What is wrong? Were you not the one that would tell people to do good and tell them to stay away from doing bad?’ He shall say, ‘Yes, I used to command people to do good but I would not do it myself, and I would command people to stay away from bad and I myself would commit it.'" The severity of this warning stems from the harmful scars that cut into a child's personality when he sees his role models doing wrong and not doing what's right. By us not following what we claim to believe in, we could be causing the destruction of dozens of lives on the Day of Resurrection. It is in this search for our role models that we turn to the shining light, Abu Bakr as Siddeeq radi Allahu anhu. When the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam received the first revelations, the first man he approached was his best friend, Abu Bakr. When Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu heard that Muhammad had been chosen as a Prophet, he immediately announced, "I've never tasted a lie from you. I testify that there is no God but Allah, and you are the Messenger of Allah." RasulAllah later said, "There is no one that I have spoken to about Islam that did not debate the issue with me except Abu Bakr." With the few verses that he knew, Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu set off to invite to this deen of Al-Islam. Soon, he was escorting by the hand the likes of Uthman, Az-Zubayr, Abd ArRahmaan ibn ‘Owf, Sa'd, Abu ‘Ubaidah, and Talha – six of the ten people who were promised Jannah during their time on earth. And on the Day of Resurrection they shall all be written in the book of Abu Bakr's good works. In the early days of Islam, Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu would walk around the markets and homes observing all the Muslim slaves that were being tortured. He would watch as Umayyah dragged Bilal out to the grilling desert at noontime, the hottest moments of the day. Umayyah would press Bilal to the scalding ground and place a boulder on top of his chest to increase the torture. Bilal would say nothing but, "Ahad, Ahad (One, only One)." Abu Bakr would watch and whisper to Bilal, "YunJeeka AlWaahidul Ahad (The One (Allah) shall save you)." Abu Bakr went to Umayyah and requested that he sell Bilal to him for 5 uwqiyyah of gold. Umayyah was astonished at that amount and hurriedly agreed. "Take Bilal. There is no good in him." After the deal was done, Umayyah snickered, "Had you refused to pay more than 1 uwqiyyah I still would have sold him to you." And Abu Bakr announced, "And had you refused to sell him for no less than 100 uwqiyyah I still would have bought him!" Evil wishers – like always – spread rumors about Abu Bakr’s freeing of Bilal, saying that he did it only because of a favor he owed him. In the Qur’an, in verses to be recited till the end of time, Allah lay clear the intentions of Abu Bakr: "He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification, and have in his mind no favor from anyone for which a reward is expected in return, Except only the desire to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High; He surely will be pleased (when he will enter Paradise)." [Al-Layl 92/18-21] Read that last verse again. Allah is telling Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu that he is going to make him satisfied. Allahu Akbar! Imagine if Allah told you that. Would anything in the world be more valuable to you than that one ayah? This was Abu Bakr; this was Khaleefatu Rasulillaah. When ‘Amr ibn Al- Aas became Muslim, RasulAllah appointed him as a leader for one of the Muslim armies. ‘Amr believed that this could only be so because RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam loved him the most. So after the army had returned, ‘Amr went and sat by RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and asked him a question out loud so that everyone would hear the answer. He asked, “Who do you love the most?” RasulAllah replied, "Aisha," his wife. Startled, ‘Amr asked, "No, no, from the men who?" He said, "Her father!" Abu Bakr, radi Allahu anhu. PART II: Who are our Role Models? Have you ever sat with your children or some Muslim neighbor's children? Give them a basketball and lower the rim for them and listen to what they say. All – with a few exceptions – will call out the name of a kafir basketball player as they take the shot. You'll hear the name of Michael Jordan shouted out and others, a name that comes from their heart as they slam the ball in glee. Listen carefully; they are innocently calling to the world, "I wanna be a kafir basketball player, just like that kafir Jordan." Don't be surprised when they reach university, after they've lost their precious youth, that they can spit a ball into a basket with unbelievable precision, yet they cannot read Al-Fatiha without fumbling like a baby. On the Day of Resurrection, these entertainment idols shall disown all those that took them as role models and imitated their sins. Interestingly, Reebok advertised one of these entertainment idols dunking a ball and at the end of the commercial he walks to the camera and says, "Just because I dunk a ball doesn't mean I have to raise your kids." Subhan Allah, if children and parents only understood what he said. Look at the real models and the children that took them as their models. Aisha narrates that RasulAllah used to visit them in the mornings and in the evenings. But one day he came at noon time – a time that signified something different was happening. Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu opened the door and RasulAllah announced that Allah had given him permission to do Hijrah to Madinah. Abu Bakr bounced out, "Together, Yaa RasulAllah, together!" And Rasul Allah replied, "Together." Abu Bakr began to cry. Aisha comments, "I never believed that someone could cry from happiness until I saw my father that day cry when he found out he would be doing Hijrah with RasulAllah." Look at the Hijrah incident and you shall see that all the characters involved other than Abu Bakr were children. Aisha and her brother Abd ArRahmaan. Asmaa was slapped in the face by Abu Jahl when she refused to tell him where her father was. The guide that took them to Madinah was also a young boy. Subhan Allah, these children grew up to be amongst the greatest humans to ever walk this earth. How not when they had the greatest role models – RasulAllah and Abu Bakr. After over 10 years of da'wah and jihaad in Madinah, when RasulAllah passed away, 'Umar called all the people, sharpened his sword and spoke. "Muhammad is not dead. He went to his Lord as Musa went to his Lord and he shall come back as Musa did. When he does, he shall kill all those who said he was dead." News reached Abu Bakr of the Prophet's death. He prepared himself and galloped on his horse to RasulAllah's home. There, RasulAllah lay covered in a cloth. Abu Bakr raised the cloth and kissed RasulAllah saying, "Tibta Hayyan wa Mayyitan (You are blessed in life and in death)." He then stepped outside as 'Umar was addressing the people. "Sit down 'Umar," said Abu Bakr. He then praised Allah and began, "Whoever worships Muhammad let him know that Muhammad is dead, and whoever Allah let him know that Allah is alive and never dies." He then recited the verse: Muhammad is nothing more than a Messenger. Messengers came and went before him. If he dies or is killed shall you turn on your heels? 'Umar said, "When I heard that verse, my knees became soft as I fell. I knew that RasulAllah had died." Soon after that, Abu Bakr sent out the army of Usama. Usama was 18 at that time, the age of one of our youth in grade 12. He led an entire Muslim army, fought the Romans and came home victorious, breeding fear in all those that wanted to attack the Muslims in Madinah. As Usama was leaving Madinah, Abu Bakr was escorting his horse as he walked along side it. Usama said, "You shall ride with me or I shall come down and walk." But Abu Bakr refused saying, "You shall not come down and I shall not ride. What harm does it bring me that I should dust my feet in the cause of Allah for an hour of the day." Indeed, Usama reached this position because he had role models like Abu Bakr. Muslims understood the seriousness of the role models their children had. ‘Amr ibn Utbah rahimahullah advised his son's teacher, "Let the first correction you do to my son be the correction of yourself. Verily, their eyes are locked into yours. Good to them is what you do, even if it is bad. And bad to them is what you do not do, even if it is good." Many parents have understood this issue of finding the correct role models for their children. Here is an example that we conclude with: In a kindergarten classroom, a non-Muslim teacher sat with the students and asked each one what they want to be when they grow up. One said, "I want to be a policeman." The other announced, "I want to be a fireman." Then a Muslim boy in the crowd spoke up, "I want to be a Sahaabee!" A what? When parent teacher conferences came up, the teacher asked the parents about this Sahaabee that their son wanted to be when he grew up. They said, "Whenever we have the chance we read stories of the Prophet's companions to him. They have become his role models. And when he becomes older he wants to be just like the Sahaabaa." Isn't that what we want for our kids too?

Bismillah. A close friend of mine went overseas to study Islam, and before he left he visited a family he knew. He said that as he left, he noticed the son – who was seven years old at the time – slacked out on his stomach, chin locked in his two hands, staring deathly at the TV. When he returned after four full years, he visited the same family and found the same boy slacked out on his stomach, chin locked in his two hands, staring deathly at the TV - only now he was four years older.'[ This khutbah looks at the dark side of television. It is not intended to make you throw your television set off the balcony – although that would be nice. It is hoped that this khutbah will give you a better understanding of the destructive nature TV has on a person’s life, in this world and in the hereafter, not only on his own life, but also the lives of his family members. In Qawaa’id Fiqhiyyaah there is a principle which states, "Al Waasaa’il ta’khudhu Hukm al-Ghaayaat," meaning, "The means takes the same ruling as the intention of what is trying to be attained." A television set, with its wires, screen, box, and plug is nothing more than a means. It is what is trying to be attained by that box that makes it haram or halaal. Another example is that of a gun; it can be used for noble purposes, such as defending one’s land from aggression, or it can serve as a means of considerable harm, especially when given to a child. In an Arab ESL class, the teacher, in his opening lesson asked the students what English words were taken from the Arabic language. A few hands went up and students said things like, "Chemistry from keemiyaa," "Algebra from al-gebr," "Physics from feesiyaa," etc. Then he asked them what Arabic words were taken from the English language and answers came quickly. "Raadiyo from radio, " "Dosh from satellite dish, "and of course "Tilfaaz from television." What did the West take from us, and what did we take from them? With regards to television, Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Al-Fataawa [3/227]: "…it is a dangerous device and its harmful effects are very great, like those of the cinema, or even worse. We know from the research that has been written about it and from the words of experts in Arab countries and elsewhere that it is dangerous and very harmful to Islamic beliefs (aqeedah), morals and the state of society. This is because it includes the presentation of bad morals, tempting scenes, immoral pictures, semi-nakedness, destructive speech and kufr. It encourages imitation of their conduct and ways of dressing, respect for their leaders, neglect of Islamic conduct and ways of dressing, and looking down on the scholars and heroes of Islam by portraying them in an off-putting manner that makes people despise them and ignore them. It shows people how to cheat, steal, hatch plots and commit acts of violence against others." He continued, "Without doubt, anything that produces so many bad results should be stopped and shunned, and we have to close all the doors that could lead to it. If some of our brothers denounce it and speak out against it, we cannot blame them, because this is a part of sincerity towards Allah and towards other people." In Sahih Al-Bukhari, when Guraayj was praying and his mother called him, he said to himself, "O Allah, my salah or my mother?" He did not know whether to continue his prayer or discontinue it and reply to his mother. Because he did not reply to this mother’s call, she cursed him. She said, "May you see a prostitute!" She did not say, "May there be a relationship between you and a prostitute." She just said, "May you see (one)." And her curse is one that we may inadvertently be inflicting on our children the day we sanctioned the introduction of the third parent called TV. How many times has the main theme of prime time TV revolved around prostitutes? How many times have our children witnessed it? How many times have they been cursed to be in such a situation? Abdullah ibn 'Umar radi Allahu anhu once passed by some people killing time by playing chess. He was shocked at this and angrily said to them, quoting the verse of the Qur’an: What are these IDOLS that you are standing in vigilance over? What would he think if he saw the television set and the welcoming hug it receives in most Muslim homes? When a Muslim nation plays in the World Cup, over three million Muslims from that one country tune in to television to watch the game. Multiply that by the duration of the match, and you have almost five million hours of the ummah’s time wasted on a football game, in one sweeping night. If Karl Marx said in 1844 that "Religion is the opium of people," then what about TV? RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said: "The person shall be (on the day of Judgment) with those that he loves." Tell a Muslim child that if he loves Michael Jackson so much, then on the Day of Judgment he will get to be with him. It’s sad, but most Muslim children would get happy and excited about the prospect. Isn’t that enough to strike fear into our hearts? Who are the Muslim children really going to be with on the Day of Repayment? Most of them cannot tell you the names, even just the names, of those people that we hope them to be with! Let’s ask ourselves, if we allowed our sons or daughters to put up a poster of their hero, the one whom they think is the 'coolest,' would their hero be their father or mother? Would it be the Prophet or his companions? Or would it be a basketball player that he saw on TV? Or an actor (even a cartoon character) that he saw on TV? Or a model that she saw on TV? Or a musician that he/she saw on TV? Who would it be? Some argue that TV time is monitored in the house by the parent. However, 95% of parents with children aged 8 and over don’t monitor the viewing material. Besides, what happens if the parent dies on the way to work one day and the children inherit the TV? RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said: "There is not a single shepherd (Ameer) that Allah entrusted with a flock – who if he dies in a state where he cheated them – Allah shall forbid him from entering paradise!" The 'ulama would quote this hadith in regard to the father in a Muslim country that would allow a satellite dish to enter into the home of his family which Allah entrusted him with. Dear brothers and sisters, we are not here on earth to entertain ourselves to death. We are an ummah with a risaalah (message)! When Rib’ee ibn 'Aamir radi Allahu anhu stood at the hands of the king of Persia, he announced the message as proudly and as clearly as every Muslim should. "Allah sent us to rescue humanity from slavery to slaves - to the slavery of the Lord of all slaves; and to rescue them from the choke of the material life to the expanse of this life and the next, and from the corruption of the cults to the justice of Islam!" Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala states in the Qur’an: "Verily! Hearing, sight, and the heart, all will be questioned (by Allah)." [Al-Israa 17/36] And RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam informed us that on the Day of Repayment, no one will move until they are asked about three things, one of which will be their youth and how they spent it. How are we spending our time? Why do we waste it watching TV? What do our eyes see, what do our ears hear on TV and how is our heart affected by this? If we don’t know how to recite Qur’an, why aren’t we registering for a tajweed course at a Qur’an institute? If we don’t know the language of the Qur’an and Sunnah, why aren’t we registering for an Arabic program? If we don’t know about the life of RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and his companions radi Allahu anhum why aren’t we attending the seerah and fiqh classes in our localities? Also, with regards to TV, we should remember that Allah tells us in the Qur’an: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is all-aware of what they do." [An-Noor 24/30] How do reconcile these verses with the television that assaults our eyes with haram almost every second that it is on? Who hasn’t heard of Cupid? They portray him in cartoons and comedies as a chubby child with wings who is supposed to be the Angel of Love, shooting arrows of 'love' when the male looks at the female. Rather dear brothers and sisters, it is Iblees! For RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us, "Verily the ‘look’ is a poisoned arrow from the arrows of Iblees!" Shaykh At-Tahhaan once narrated an incident to his students: It was late at night when Shaykh At-Tahhaan’s phone rang. This Muslimah whispered into the phone, 'Is this Shaykh At-Tahhaan?' He said, 'Yes it is me.' She kept saying, 'Is it really you?' And he said, 'Yes, what is wrong?' At that she just started sobbing and sobbing into the phone. After some time, she explained, 'The children’s father bought a TV and video machine two days ago. Tonight I found my young son practicing the haram that he saw on his younger sister! ' Then she collapsed sobbing again. Everything starts with a look. Big fires start with a little spark. PART II: Turn Off TV, Turn On Life After a grueling first year in the Faculty of Shari’ah at the Islamic University in Madinah, I came home to Canada where I spoke to a friend whom I hadn’t spoken to for over a year. In the conversation he said, "Last night on TV Seinfeld said... " I was puzzled and realized that for an entire year I had not heard anything other than "Imam Shaafi’ee said…" and "Imam Abu Hanifah said…" It was this ignorance that Shaykh Abdul Muhsin 'Al-Abbaad referred to when he would say "We ask Allah ta’aala to increase us in it’s ignorance." Some people argue that TV is just a harmless avenue of entertainment and that no one should make a big deal about it. It is interesting however that we see in Shari’ah that what is more deadly than haram is bid’ah. Why you ask? Because when someone does something haram like eating pork, he knows it is haram and that one day it is hoped that knowledge will lead him to fear Allah and refrain. Bid’ah, on the other hand, is something a person does with the hope of reward from Allah, something that the person considers to be 'harmless.' It is deadlier because the chances of this person correcting the situation are less due to the ignorance which causes a lack of motivation. Other people say that they have a TV for the news and Islamic or educational programs. But we have to honestly ask ourselves – is there no other avenue to get the news? Is there no other means by which a child can be educated and stimulated to learn? Didn’t anyone ask why we get all this 'free' TV? What does the TV sell? No it doesn’t sell Coke or Nike or McDonalds burgers; it sells the audience, it sells you to advertising companies! Why do you think they charge $1 million for 30 seconds of advertising in a Superbowl game? Consider these facts: Brand loyalty starts at age 2. They can snatch a child into a lifetime of allegiance to their product from that tender age. How old were you when you started loving Coke or Pepsi? On average, a viewer watches 20,000 commercials each year. If we repeated a page of Qur’an to you that many times, do you think you would memorize it? This is just regarding the products. But what about the aqeedah that we are being exposed to on TV. A whole stack of beliefs gets fed to us every time our children sit to watch and listen to their third parent. Where are the horrific stats for that? Go to a lecture where the imam is talking about women’s rights in Islam. Listen to the Muslim males and females debate with the imam. Where do they get their points? Why do they become so hostile towards anything that contradicts the western view of women’s rights? Why is there no hostility towards the western view? Most of it was learned on TV, the rest was learned in the public school curriculum. If this is the programming, the brain washing of our youth, then how can they be reprogrammed when they prefer the TV over anyone else. It is a fact that more than half of American children would rather watch TV than spend time with their mother or father. In a survey which asked children what the one thing is which they would sacrifice their favorite TV shows for, many replied that if there was some sort of outside activity they would give preference to that. Meaning, if someone took them by the hand and organized some after school activities, they would embrace the idea. Here is a list of other things that you can do instead of being shackled to the TV: Play outdoor games and exercise outdoors or at home. Build extra curricular skills, such as martial arts or calligraphy or sewing. Visit the library. Take on a job, which will ensure that you become serious about life and work. Do acts of worship like dhikr, salah, reciting Qur’an, fasting, and reflecting on the signs of Allah and His creation. Adopt an Islamic cause in the place where you live, and take part in it, such as teaching Muslim girls. Support an Islamic magazine by writing and sending articles, statistics and useful information of interest concerning Muslims in the west. Take part in charitable projects to help Muslim orphans, widows, divorcees and the elderly, or join a committee to help organize social programs and celebrations for Muslims on Eid. Find righteous friends to meet with and good neighbors to visit. Read Islamic books in particular and useful stories in general. Take part in da’wah activities and preschool programs in Islamic centers. Listen to tapes and lectures, write summaries of them, and distribute the summaries to anyone who could benefit from them. Cook items to be sold to raise funds for the Islamic center. Take an interest in computers and computer programs. This is a vast field that can fill a lot of time, and the computer can be used to do a lot of good things as well as providing entertainment in the form of permissible games. Today is the beginning of a new day. Allah gave us this day to use as we will. We can waste it or use it for something good and beneficial. But let us know that what we do today is important because we are exchanging a day of our life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever and in its place shall be something that we left behind; let that be something good and beneficial.

Bismillah.. Aseer ibn Jaabir narrates: Whenever people would come from Yemen, Umar would ask them, "Is Uways Al-Qaranee amongst you?" until, one year, he met Uways. He said, "Are you Uways Al-Qaranee?" He said, "Yes." Umar continued, "From Muraad, then Qaran?" He said, "Yes." Umar then asked, "Were you once afflicted with leprosy and your skin healed except for a dirham's area?" Uways said, "Yes." Umar finally asked, "Do you have a mother (that is alive)?" He said, "Yes." Umar then said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam say, 'Uways ibn Aamir will come to you with the delegations from Yemen, from Muraad, then from Qaran. He was once afflicted with leprosy and his skin healed except for a dirham's area. He has a mother, and he treats her kindly. If he was to ever swear by Allah (for something) Allah would fulfill his oath. If you can, request that he ask forgiveness for you." Umar then requested from Uways, "Ask forgiveness for me." And Uways Al-Qaranee did. Allah ta'aala commanded us in the Qur’an: "And your Lord decreed that you should worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both attain old age in your life, then do not say to them 'uff' (a word of disrespect), nor shout at them, rather address them in terms of honor / And lower for them the wing of submission and humility through mercy. And say, 'My Lord! Grant them Your mercy as they brought me up when I was small.'" [Al Isra' 17/23-24] Ad-Daylami collected from Al-Husayn ibn Ali, that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "If Allah knew any smaller than 'uff' (tsk) to be disespectful to parents, He would have decreed it to be haram!" A man came to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam seeking permission to go for jihaad. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam asked him, "Are your parents alive?" He said, "Yes." He - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Perform jihaad (in you kind treatment) of them." [bukhari] If someone came to you today and offered you a free lunch, no doubt your response would be to smile, speak kindly to them, and reserve a special place in your heart for their memory. Why is it then that our parents receive only cold stares, harsh words and bitter treatment and they are who they are in our lives? For twenty or thirty years they fed us, clothed us, washed us, and showered their mercy on our soft skin. Their love for us never dies even if we do; it is a love that goes even beyond us, to our children and even our children’s children. Dear brothers and sisters, we all have parents, whether they are with us or not, and many have not understood the severity of their position in our lives and their right to be respected and revered. Today I want to remind you and I of the true position of our parents, may Allah have mercy on them all. Birr al-waalidayn is a characteristic of the mu'min. Al-Hasan Al-Basree defined it saying, "Al-birr is to obey the parents in everything that they ask so long as it is not to disobey Allah. Uqooq is to disown your parents, denying them all of your goodness." By the ijama' of the 'ulama, being respectful and obedient to one’s parents is fard. Ibn Hazm said, "(Obeying ones parents) is Fard!" and he quoted the verse: And your Lord decreed that you should worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents. To better understand what is meant by birr al-walidayn (kindness to parents), the scholars set the following conditions for one to follow: One: He should place the pleasure of his parents above the pleasure of anyone else, including himself and his wife and kids – everyone. Two: He should obey them in everything they command or forbid, whether it agrees with his desires or not, so long as they do not command the disobedience of Allah. Three: He should present them with everything he feels they desire, whether they ask for it or not. He should present it with kindness and mercy, understanding that no matter what he does he will always have some shortcomings in fulfilling the true kindness that his parents deserve. Allah's love comes when our parents love us. And Allah's anger comes when our parents are angry with us. Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu said, "There are three things that will not be accepted if its mate is not fulfilled." And he mentioned, "Thank Me (Allah) and your parents…" [Luqman 31/14] Ibn Abbaas continued, "Thus whoever thanks Allah and is not thankful to his parents, Allah will not accept from him." The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "The pleasure of Allah is from the pleasure of the parents, and the anger of Allah is from the anger of the parents." Let us think about how many of us treat our parents. We shy away from them when they may need something. We never visit if we are away from them. In fact, many people dispose of their parents in retirement homes. And when an argument ignites between our parents and us, many of us shout at them as if we were arguing with our evilest enemy. May Allah protect us all. Compare this to those that came before us. Dhibyaan ibn Ali At-Thowree radi Allahu anhu used to travel with his mother to Makkah. There, in the scorching heat, he would dig a little pool and fill it with cool water. Then he would turn to his mother and say, "Ummi, sit in this water to cool yourself." For many of us, our friends are more precious to us than our mother and father. Forgetful we are of the time a man came to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and asked him who is more worthy of his dear companionship. He – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – said, "Your mother!" The man asked again and again, and the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam replied, "Your mother! Your mother!" Until on the fourth time he - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Your father." Today, when the common question is asked, "Who is your best friend?" How many people would say, "My mother!" But this is how the question should be answered and implemented. What pleases our parents comes before everything, so long as it is not in disobedience of Allah. The scholars understood this and set the example for us. Haywah bin Shurayh radi Allahu anhu, one of the imam's of our ummah, used to give classes in front of his home. During the class, his mother would call him to feed the chickens. He would stand up, leave the halaqa, and go feed the chickens. We all want Allah to accept from us; we would all like to enter Paradise. Look down dear brothers and sisters, and you will find paradise at the feet of your mother. Narrated Ahmad and An-Nasaa'ee, from Mu'aawiyah ibn Jaahimah As-Sulamee: My father, Jaahimah radi Allahu anhu went to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, I would like to go out and fight for the sake of Allah, and I have come to you for advice." The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam asked him, "Is your mother alive?" He said, "Yes." "Then stay near her," advised the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, "For at her feet is Jannah!" On the other side, making our parents sad or even making them cry is one of the many ways to earn Allah's anger. Imam Ahmad narrates, from Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-Aas radi Alllahu anhu: A man came to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam to give him his pledge of allegiance. He said, "I have come to pledge allegiance to you for hijrah and I have left both my parents behind crying." The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam commanded him, "Go back, and the same way that you made them cry, make them laugh." Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu said, "Making ones parents cry is amongst the uqooq, a major sin!" Shaykh al-Qaasim once said, "Subhan Allah! How can we leave our parents sobbing, tears that the throne of Allah shakes for, tears that unsettle the angels in the heavens, and then we claim that we want to go for jihaad so that Allah will be pleased with us? Go back and make them happy with your visit as you made them sad by your departure. If they laugh and are pleased with you, Allah will be pleased." During the funeral of his mother, Al-Haarith Al-Aklee radi Allahu anhu weeped. When asked for the reason of his tears he said, "Why should I not cry when one of my doors to Paradise has now closed?" PART II We reap what we plant. In a far away land, a long time ago, a boy was born blind. His widowed mother, the good Muslimah that she was, did not lose hope in her du'a and pray she did, continuously. A few years later, the boy's sight returned, alhamdulillah. Soon after she realized that her village was not befitting for her son to excel in Islamic education, so with her son in hand they migrated to Makkah. There she saw that he was being instructed in Qur'an and Hadith, the latter becoming the young man's focus. He went out far and wide collecting Hadith and compiled a Hadith book that sits next to the Qur'an in authenticity forgetting not his mother who had raised him well. His mother named him Muhammad ibn Isma'il, and many of us know him today as Al-Imam Al-Bukhari! Dear brothers and sisters, how often is it that a farmer plants wheat and it comes out as a sunflower? You may say, never! For how can someone farm the seed of one plant and expect some other plant to grow. It just does not happen. Similarly, some parents leave their children waddling in the mud of television, music, movies, and disbelieving friends. Then, when the child reaches grade 12 and asks to go to the prom with his girlfriend, or when he enters university and stops praying, or when he gets married to a kafir and himself becomes one, then the parents say, "What happened?" Brothers and sisters, it is the harvest of what we planted. If we do not raise our children to be obedient, where do we expect them to learn? If we do not practice Islam ourselves, who will be our children's example? How do you teach a child to wake up for Fajr, when he sees his own father and mother sleeping in, day after day? You may ask: how do I raise my children to be good Muslims, obedient to their parents? Consider the following: Firstly: One should discipline their children throughout their youth. Hisham ibn Abd Al-Malik missed a son of his during Jumah one week. When he met him later, he asked him, "Why did you miss Jumah?" His son replied, "My donkey couldn't make the trip." His father then said, "Couldn't you have walked!" For an entire year after that, Hisham ibn Abd Al-Malik made his son walk to Jumah. Secondly: The piety of the father and mother reaches the children. In the Qur'an, Allah recalls for us the story of Khidr, and how he rebuilt a wall for 2 orphans. And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town. Under it was a treasure belonging to them and their father was a righteous man…(Al Kahf 18/82) Look at how Allah protected these orphans because of the piety of their father. In tafseer, it is said that it was in fact because of the piety of their grandfather seven generations back! Sa'eed ibn Jubayr said, "I often lengthen my salah for the sake of my son; perhaps Allah may protect him (because of it)." In conclusion, let us reflect on the virtue of respecting our parents: It is one of the greatest things that we can do. In Bukhari and Muslim, from Abdullah ibn Mas'ood radi Allahu anhu, a man asked the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, "What deed is most beloved by Allah?" He - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Salah on time." The man asked, "And then?" He - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Respecting and revering ones parents." He asked, "And then?" "Jihaad for the sake of Allah." It is a means by which our sins are forgiven. When Allah commanded in the Qur'an: And We enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents … The next verse tells us: Respecting our parents will lead us to Jannah! In Muslim, Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam say, "May he perish! May he perish! May he perish!" It was asked, "Who, O Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, "He whose parents attain old age in his life - one or both of them - and he does not enter Paradise (because of his goodness towards them)." And when our parents are gone, the goodness towards them does not end. Malik ibn Rabi'ah Al-Saa'idi narrated: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam when an Ansari man came and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, is there anything left from my birr to my parents that I should present to them after their death?" The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Yes, four things: Pray and ask forgiveness for them. Fulfill their pledges. Be kind to their friends. And maintain the ties of kinship that come from only their direction. That is what is left from your birr to them after their death." Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Maajah reported that Aamir ibn Abd Allah ibn Az-Zubayr radi Allahu anhu said, "My father died, and for an entire year I did not ask Allah for anything except that He forgive my father." Remember dear brothers and sisters as you meet your parents today, the words of Rasul Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, "Fa feehima fa jaahid!" – Do Jihad in (your kind treatment of) your parents. O Allah, forgive us and our parents, and reward them with the finest reward. O Allah, elevate their position in the hereafter and this dunya; make that which befalls them an expiation for their sins. O Allah, grant them residence in Firdaus, the highest level of Jannah, with the Prophets, the Siddeeqeen, and the Martyrs. .

Bismillah. It is said that the sexual energy of humans is a great and dangerous force. It is dangerous when it is suppressed, and over time, the pent up pressure of repressed desires ends up in an explosion. According to a common misconception the Hijaab (Islamic covering) hides the beauty of women. Consequently, young men suffer from sexual repression that ultimately manifests itself in the form of rape and other sexual perversions. This problem can be addressed by liberating women from Hijaab so that young men satisfy their physical needs and vent their repression. In this way, the danger of an uncontrollable outburst because of repression will be minimized. Reply: 1- If these were true, then places like America, Europe and other similar countries around the world would have had the lowest rate of rape, molestation, and other moral crimes in the world. This is because America and European countries lay great emphasis on sexual liberation under the pretext of nurturing personal freedom. However, what is the outcome of unrestricted behavior and permissiveness? Have the incidents of rape decreased? Have people attained the so-called "satisfaction"? Have women been saved from these dangers? 2- In America, it is estimated that rape takes place by force every six minutes. [“By force” means “at gunpoint”.] According to reports, incidents of rape in America in 1978 were 147,389; and in 1987 rape incidents were 221,764. These statistics refute the claim that sexual permissiveness reduces crimes against women. 3- The sexual drive is found in both men and women. It is a mystery that Allaah The Almighty placed in men and women for many reasons, one of which is to continue reproduction and give birth to offspring. No one can deny the existence of this drive; then, how is it possible for men not respond to scenes of nudity, if they have this drive? 4- Those who claim that sexual repression can be treated by letting women display their beauty and appear virtually naked in public so as to satisfy men, come to two conclusions: First: Those men who are not aroused by women’s naked bodies are like castrated men who have no desire and thus, do not react to seeing exposed parts of women’s bodies. Second: Those men who are not aroused by the exposed ‘Awrah (parts of the body that must be concealed) of women suffer from sexual impotence. Hence, do those who support that this claim is true want Muslim men to be classified under either of the two groups? Non-adherence to Hijaab does not draw unwanted attention The enemies of Hijaab also claim that non-adherence to Hijaab, whereby women appear naked although being clothed, does not draw the attention of men. On the other hand, men are attracted to women who are completely veiled, they try to assess their charms and follow them, because a thing that is inaccessible is desired. Reply: 1- If non-adherence to Hijaab does not draw attention, and it does not stimulate feelings, why do women go out unveiled? To whom do women display their beauty? Why do they bear the cost of cosmetics and beauty salons, and staying fashionable? 2- How is the display of beauty ineffective when husbands, for example, greatly desire their wives when they beautify and adorn themselves? For example, the desire for food increases if the food is well garnished and presented in an attractive manner, even if it is not delicious. 3- Attraction between men and women is natural. It can never change as it is like blood running through their veins. It arouses in both sexes their instinctual desires. Blood carries hormone secretions from various ductless glands and they affect the brain and nerves. Every part in a man’s body is different from its counterpart in a woman’s body. Therefore, the characteristics of femininity appear in women in their body structure, shape, manners, thoughts, and inclinations. Similarly, the characteristics of masculinity appear in a man’s body, his physique, voice, actions, and tendencies. This is a natural law that has never changed since Allaah The Almighty created man and it will never change. 4- Allaah The Almighty placed the libido in humans and made the sexual act greatly influenced by the mind, soul, and spirit. Sex is a spiritual and physical need. If an extremely beautiful woman passes by a man and the man does not look at her, or is not attracted by her beauty, then he is medically judged as abnormal as he lacks sexual drive. Such lack of sexual drive requires medical treatment. 5- The highest rate of immorality, permissiveness, sexual deviation, loss of honor, and intermixing of progenies coincided with women’s display of beauty and wearing scanty clothes when going out. There is a direct proportion between the escalating statistics of sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS, and women going out in clothes that lack honor and virtue in permissive countries, where women are given unrestrained freedom to the extent that it leads to savagery and social chaos. This is in addition to mental illnesses that drive young people to commit suicide in the highest rates in countries that are not bound by morals. 6- Men look at women who veil their faces and do not look at women who display their beauty, because veiled women are like a closed book whose content, number of pages, and ideas are unknown. As such, a close look at the book cover does not help to understand the contents of the book. We will never know what is contained in them, nor will we be impressed by them and their ideas. Likewise, the veil is like a cover for woman, and everything about her is unknown within it. The eyes that look lustfully at veiled women return completely unsatisfied. On the other hand, an unveiled woman is like an open book that is browsed by everyone. Eyes look at it line by line, page by page, and minds get impressed by its content, until the book loses its polish, and some pages get folded and are even torn. It becomes an old book that does not deserve to be placed at the forefront of a bookcase in a modest house, let alone a great bookcase.

Bismillah. Michelle Al-Nasr Allaah Almighty Says what means: "Say, 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves (by sinning), do not despair of the Mercy of Allaah. Indeed, Allaah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.'” [Quran 39:5 3] Sometimes it takes a lot to make us wake up.... to make us reset our priorities... to make us think about what really matters. I am certainly no exception. In fact, as of late, I am a prime example. Today I received a phone call. It was from my daughter, she had been staying with some relatives over the weekend after an emotionally exhausting previous week-long ordeal. Her voice on the phone, quiet and unsure, asked, “Can you walk now Momma?” My answer, thanks to Allaah, was “Yes, Alhamdulillah, I am getting around a little now.” This past week, she witnessed what was the most fragile she had ever seen her Mom. Laid up in bed with a back injury, I literally could not move. No pulled muscles here, this was the big-time stuff — acute herniated discs were pinching down nerves on, not one, but both sides of my body, one down my left side and another down the right, I was paralyzed for a few days. This was a result of a botched steroid injection procedure to correct (what was originally) the pain on only my left side. I can walk now, but my right leg is numb. The pain was so intense I thought I may go into shock, and then it was turned off like a light-switch…and just went totally numb. My neurosurgeon informed me that even with surgery, it may stay that way. So now, I get around with a cane. Everything happens for a reason and it took me some time to realize what that reason was, but it finally dawned on me during that awful and painful time. This is a test... one of my personal life tests. Before I go on, let me first provide a little synopsis of my life for the past few years: I have been extremely career-driven. I started off as a business-owner with wonderful success as freelance writer and project manager that is, until the economy slowed down. Then, I found a position as a project manager for a well-respected national corporation complete with my own spacious office on the 10th floor. It took some time, but I gained the respect (or possibly the apprehension, not sure which) of fellow management and co-workers who thought this Muslim girl would be a push-over…but little did they know my character, Al-Hamdulillaah (praise be to Allaah). I have surpassed the achievements of many men at my corporate offices— accomplished goals that they were unable to do. I had, in addition to my primary responsibilities, taken over aspects of advertising and most recently had been handed a large-scale project spearheading management and developmental processes for a newly acquired retail chain. And this was in addition to my at-home business, of primarily, freelance writing... no, I never gave that up. I do not think I could ever, not write; it has always been my first love. A friend recently asked me in regard to my work schedule, “What are you trying to do, are you trying to prove something?” I gave that a lot of thought because they really hit the nail on the head…yes, I was trying to prove something to someone - myself, my family and everyone on the face of the earth too, I suppose. Yes, I can be a Muslim woman - I can dress modestly - I can wear Hijaab - I can have my Islamic values — I don’t have to shake your hand to earn respect and YES I can work in corporate environment and be successful. YES I CAN! So, I did it. I have lived like a robot. Wake up, go to work, eat, sleep... and achieved success in my career…and lately, I realized I had become increasingly unhappy. Because, So what? And, right before all of my medical problems came to the surface, I recognized why. It was because what I have been doing with my life was not fulfilling…it was not meaningful to me. It was because I have been lacking something that is worthwhile in my life—truly worthwhile projects-—like helping someone who is needy or teaching a child to read. My Eemaan (faith) has suffered and my heart was aching because of that emptiness. This last episode with my back was the last straw for me it was what I needed to realize my priorities had shifted. It forced me to put into perspective everything all over again and understand how to mend my heart so it can become whole again. The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, once visited a young Companion who was breathing his last, and asked him how he was feeling. He replied, “O Messenger of Allaah, I am hopeful of the mercy of Allaah, and yet I am afraid of my sins.” Thereupon the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi sallam, said, “When the heart of a believers filled with these two feelings of hope and fear, Almighty Allaah fulfills his hope and saves him from what he fears.” [ibn Maajah] The pain was also a cleansing for me. We should never, ever forget that. Pain is not a punishment for a believer, but a cleansing. It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with them, that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “No tiredness, exhaustion, worry, grief, distress or harm befalls a believer in this world, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah expiates some of his sins thereby.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Also, a hardship is not a penalty, but a chance…an opportunity. Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “When Allaah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship.” Although my pain was miserable and I am sure my ordeal with it is not over, I am thankful for it; thankful that it cleared my mind and woke up my heart, my Eemaan (faith), and shocked it into a healthy beat again. It was a reminder to me that only Allaah can provide true happiness and contentment. Allaah Almighty Says what means: “Is He (not best) who responds to the desperate one when he calls up on Him and removes evil?” [27:621. Finally, I want to share with all of you something I have always found amazing. Honestly, sometimes, it just takes my breath away... Since I have become a Muslim, I have had a game I guess you could call it. I would go pick up the Qur’an and just flip the pages back and forth and with no reason, without thinking of the chapter or place and just indiscriminately open it to any page. It is nothing scientific, there are no rules to it —I just randomly open it to whichever page it happens to land. After my hectic lifestyle, then my ordeal with my back, as I sat down to write this article I realized that it had been a while since I opened up the Quran…so I ventured with my system to see where I would be taken today. By Allaah, the following verse is what I randomly landed on: Allaah Almighty Says what means: “O you who have believed, fear Allaah and believe in His Messenger; He will (then) give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allaah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Quran 57:28] Right now, I can hardly type this through my tears. I have had to stop writing so many times... But my tears are not tears of sadness that I may never walk as I once did, they are tears of hope because Allaah blessed me and opened my heart again. I knew my heart was so hard for so long . . . but nothing I did seemed to remedy it. It took a hard lesson in pain to make me remember that this life is just a test. I make Du'aa (supplication) that you too can open the Quran and find that special passage that will serve as your personal inspiration. I make Du'aa that it will touch your heart and remind you of the Infinite Mercy of Allaah. And, I make Du'aa that gives you the extra Eemaan that you need to endure your own life test.

Bismillah. Lying is the source of all sins and it is the shortest way to Hell. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Beware of lying because lying leads to dissoluteness, and dissoluteness leads to Hell. A person keeps on telling lies until he is written before Allaah as a liar.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Lying, in essence, is deliberately telling something that is other than the truth and is something dispraised by all sensible people. A liar is always in doubt and never truly believes anything. Had this been the only disadvantage of lying, it would have been sufficient. Some philosophers have stated, “The one who knows himself to be a liar will never believe people who tell the truth. Moreover, the one who is known to be a liar will never be believed, even when he tells the truth. Not only this, but when people hear lies, they may automatically attribute it to him, even if he is not the one who told it.” Reasons and Signs There are several causes of lying and various signs that indicate it. There is no doubt that knowing such causes and signs is of great help in treatment because the first step in the treatment of any disease is knowing its causes and determining its symptoms in order to eliminate them. Al-Maawardi , may Allaah have mercy upon him, mentioned some of these reasons as follows: 1- Bringing benefit and driving away harm. The liar thinks that lying is safer and more beneficial; hence, he resorts to lying as he is deceived and aspires to get something in return. 2- Preferring his speech to be pleasant and nice, thinking that the truth is neither pleasant nor nice. So, he prefers to lie as it is the easiest thing to do. 3- Intending to gratify one’s thirst for revenge. So, he may tell lies about his enemy and attribute falsities to him. 4- Getting used to lying, which turns into a habit because its reasons accumulate and a liar becomes familiar with them. 5- Having an inclination to domineer, as the liar thinks that he is superior to the others to whom he gives information, thereby believing himself to be like a righteous scholar. Some of the Signs of Lying When one tells a liar something, he cannot differentiate between what he tells him and what he made up. One can make a liar doubtful of his own words to the extent that he might take them back. If one argues with a liar about what he said, he would get confused and not be able to defend himself or refute what he says. Doubt and suspicion would be apparent on his face. Some wise men have said that faces are like mirrors that expose the secrets that people conceal. If a person becomes a liar, all unknown rumors would be attributed to him, in addition to other made up lies, to the extent that people would tell lies about him. Thus, he would combine two different things: the disgrace of being a liar and the harm of lying to him. Types of Lying There are various types of lying; be it lying in deeds, sayings or intentions. The first is lying in sayings. It means deliberately telling something that is not true or real. This type has different forms that vary in the degree of guilt. The gravest and worst type is telling lies about Allaah the Exalted and/or His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allaah a lie} [Quran 6:21] This also includes deciding what is lawful and what is unlawful according to personal whims and not according to the Sharee‘ah. That is why Allaah The Almighty rebukes the disbelievers when they claim that what they say is the legislation of Allaah. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, “This is lawful and this is unlawful,” to invent falsehood about Allaah}[Quran 16:116] {Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allaah has not consented? But if not for the decisive word, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment.}[Quran 42:21] Moreover, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, warned us against telling lies about him when he said: “Whoever tells a lie about me intentionally, let him settle in his seat in Hell.”[Saheeh Al-Jaami‘ As-Sagheer: 6519] This type also includes inventing lies about the believers such as those who testify to falsehood do. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, considered testifying to falsehood one of the grave major sins. Nowadays, we find that many people sell their religion and conscience and testify to falsehood, thereby squandering or failing to give people’s rights or making false accusations against them out of greed for a worldly reward or to gratify their thirst for revenge. Another example is lying when joking in order to make others laugh. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Woe to him who lies to make people laugh. Woe to him! Woe to him!”[Ahmad and Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi - Hasan] A believer cannot be a liar for faith and lying cannot be combined in one person. Hence, when the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was asked if a believer could be a liar, he replied in the negative, in spite of the fact that he stated that a believer could be a miser or a coward. This is because lying is one of the signs of hypocrisy. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “There are three characteristics of a hypocrite: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it and when he is trusted he betrays.” Lying is not one of the characteristics of the noble rather a characteristic of the mean who despise themselves and find lying easy. If they had real self-esteem, they would have avoided lying. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “It is better for me to tell the truth even if it would demean me - and it rarely does - than to tell a lie that may elevate me - and it rarely does.” The second type is lying in deeds. One may do something in order to deceive others into believing that something actually happened, while it did not, or to express the existence of something that does not really exist. Lying in deeds could be more dangerous or more effective than lying in sayings. An example of this is what was narrated in the Quran about the brothers of Yoosuf (Joseph), may Allaah exalt his mention, when they came to their father at night weeping and with his shirt stained with false blood . So they lied both in their deeds and in their sayings. [Al-Akhlaaq Al-Islaamiyyah:1/529] The third type is lying in intentions, and this is when one intends to do something for the sake of anyone or anything other than Allaah. This is supported by the Hadeeth of the three types of people who would be the first to be thrown in Hell: the martyr, the scholar and the one who used to give charity. Each one of these three would claim that he did what he did for the sake of Allaah but they would be told that they are liars. The first would be told, “You fought so that people would say that you are courageous.’ The second would be told, “You gave in charity so that people would say that you are generous,” and the third would be told, “You learned so that people would say that you are a scholar. Therefore, lying is indeed the source of all sins and it brings utter disgrace upon the liar.

Bismillah. Satan has three ways of tempting man: One : Increase and extravagance; to have more than one needs. This addition is the way, which Satan uses to enter the heart. To protect oneself from that is to be careful not to fulfill all the needs of the soul like food, sleep, pleasure, or rest. Whenever you close this door, you would be safe from any enemy. Two : Negligence; whoever remembers Allah is protected by the fortress of remembering Him. When he neglects that he will be opening the door of this fortress and the enemy will enter. It would then be difficult to drive him out. Three : Caring for what is not his business in all matters of life.

Bismillah. A khutbah explaining the oft overlooked topic of ‘The Jinn, Magic and The Evil Eye’. Created Beings, forbidden knowledge, jealousy and envy that can harm, corrupt or even kill. In this modern-day society of supposed ‘intellectual awakening’, a society that believes in oxygen, when we can’t see it, a mere false-theory of homosexuality being ‘scientifically’ natural and many other affairs of the unseen, however many of the Muslim and non-Muslim society reject the reality of the Jinn, Magic and The Evil Eye despite its revelation in Qur’aan and explanation in the Sunnah. Review: The Jinn – A being that Allaah created, one which can harm In regards to the Jinn, Aboo Tasneem notes, ‘…And if the Muslim doesn’t believe in the Jinn or they change the meaning of the Jinn to something other than what Allaah intended, and his Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) intended, then they might be setting themselves up for that creature that can’t be seen and is hidden from our view, they might be setting themselves up to be possessed or be touched from that creature, the evil form those creatures…’ Magic – A weapon that was used against the Messenger of Allaah On the topic of Magic, Aboo Tasneem states, ‘…Even the Messenger of Allaah, al-Mustaafa, (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was touched by, for those people who have a denial and a rejection, and a repudiation of this existence of Jinn and Magic. The Messenger of Allaah himself (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was touched by it, when the man, the Jew, ‘Ubaydullaah Ibnul-‘Aasim, he got the Messenger of Allaah’s servant, or someone who was able to go in the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) house, to take the comb of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and remove some of the hair from the comb and to make incantations on the hair of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), by tying eleven knots, intertwining that hair into eleven knots in a rope and throwing it in to a well, as if Allaah couldn’t see it? As if Allaah didn’t know it… It caused the Messenger of Allaah not to be able to go to his wives they way he normally did in the past, and it caused the Messenger of Allaah’s (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) vision to be blurry, and it caused his stomach to be a little upset and queasy. And Allaah, for those Muslims, may Allaah guide you and all of us, who deny the existence of these realities, these things that are hidden from our view. Allaah revealed those two soorahs, in the Qur’aan, at the end of the Qur’aan, the 113th soorah and the 114th soorah, al-Falaaqu wan-Nas. On that occasion according to many of the muffaasiroon, the scholars of tafseer of the Qur’aan, and according to one narration collected by Imaam Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree, that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) sent ‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib (radiyallaahu anhu) to that well of which the Prophet was apprised of (alayhis-salaam), by way of revelation and no one would have known that that rope was in that well unless Allaah revealed to them and Allaah only reveals to Prophets and Messengers. So he sent ‘Alee (radiyallaahu anhu) to that well on the outskirts of al-Madeenah and he retrieved that rope and when he brought the rope to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), that rope that had eleven knots in it, with the hair of the Messenger of Allaah from that comb, that that Jew, may Allaah curse them, put on the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), blowing in the knots on each time that he tied it with the Prophet’s hair, so when the Prophets companion, ‘Alee, was told what to do, Allaah had him (the Messenger of Allaah) recite: Say: “I seek refuge with (Allaah) the Lord of the daybreak, “From the evil of what He has created; “And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness; (or the moon as it sets or goes away). “And from the evil of the witchcrafts when they blow in the knots, “And from the evil of the envier when he envies.” [sooratul-Falaaq: 113] Say: “I seek refuge with (Allaah) the Lord of mankind, “The King of mankind, “The Ilah (God) of mankind, “From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one’s heart after one remembers Allah), “Who whispers in the breasts of mankind, “Of jinns and men.” [sooratun-Naas: 114] and then ‘Alee (radiyallaahu anhu) said, ‘when the Messenger of Allaah finished recited those ayaat and I blew on each knot with each ayaah, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) looked as if he was tied up and let loose, and he was well.’ This hadeeth has been authentically recorded by al-Bukhaaree and others. Brother and Sisters in Islaam, as a part of our eemaan, we have to believe in those things that are hidden. And it is amazing, it is utterly amazing, that a Muslim in the so-called ‘new millennium’ that the kuffar have us believe has some sort of significance, that some Muslims could believe and understand and accept the fact that a person is Asbury Park, New Jersey, can go to a machine and send a letter, encrypted or otherwise, to a person on the other side of the planet and have it be there in less than minutes, and not believe that a Jinn can reach a person in less that time from another place. It is amazing that people that Muslim can still believe that a person another person’s voice on that thing called a telephone and now wireless, things that you can’t see with the naked eye and disbelieve in the Jinn and Magic…’ Evil-Eye – A product of envy, something which can be cast upon oneself or others Aboo Tasneem continues, ‘…Jealousy and envy and the Evil-Eye. Allaah has informed us to seek refuge in Him from envy and jealousy. Envy and jealousy is something that will have not only a spiritual affect on you, if it is cast upon you by the unknowing or knowing individual, it is something that can have a physiological affect upon you. And this is why, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has said: Speak the success of all of your needs by being silent. Meaning don’t tell anybody that you are about to get $400,000, don’t tell anybody or don’t tell everybody that you are going to marry so and so, don’t tell anybody or anyone that you are getting ready to receive such and such or you have such and such. Because surely everything that has a blessing in it is envied by the people. The first sin that was created in the Heavens, the first disobedience in the Heavens was jealousy.’ From the effects of the Jinn, Magic and the Evil-Eye: Illness Madness Blurred Vision Loss of consciousness Recurring Nightmares Aversion to the Qur’aan/Adhaan A man acting one way outside of his house, acting another way with his wife A woman who has many miscarriages Impotency A man being separated from his wife (discontent/divorce)

Bismillah. The jinn live upon the same earth as humans do. Most of them can be found among the ruins and dilapidated areas , as well as the places where there are many impure things, such as, bathrooms , hashish dens , garbage dumps , the places of the camels , cemeteries . For that reason, as Ibn Taimiya said, those people who are close to Satan usually inhibit such areas. There are hadith that say that one should not pray in bathrooms due to the impurities present and because it is the abode of Satan, or in cemeteries as this leads to polytheism and it is also a home for the devils. Many of them are in the places which may be sources of evil, such as the marketplaces . The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the following advice to one of his Companions, “If you can, do not be the first one to enter the marketplace. And do not be the last to leave it. For they are the places of Satan and therein he raises his banner.” This hadith was recorded in Sahih Muslim. The devils live in the same houses in which people live. One can stop them from entering or repel them from such houses by remembering or mentioning Allah dhikr), reciting the Quran, in particular, surah al-Baqara and Ayatul Kursee (verse 255 of that surah). The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated that the devils spread out and roam about increasingly when the dark first comes, and, therefore, he has advised Muslims to bring in their children during that period of time. This is stated in a hadith that was recorded by both AI-Bukhari and Muslim. And the devils run away from the call to prayer and cannot stand listening to it. And in the month of Ramadhaan they are chained. The devils love to sit between the shade and the sunlight. For this reason the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade the Muslims to sit in such places. This hadith was recorded in the books of Sunan and other works and it is sahih.

Bismillah. Allah informs about the Jinns when He sent His Messenger Muhammad and revealed the Qur’an to him. Among the ways He protected it (the Qur’an) was by filling sky with stern guards guarding it from all of its sides. The devils were then expelled from the places where they used to sit prior to that. This was so that they could not steal anything from the Qur’an and tell it to the soothsayers, thereby causing matters to be confused and mixed up. If this happened it would not be known who was being truthful. Allah did this out of His kindness to His creation, His mercy upon His servants and His protection of His Mighty Book (the Qur’an). This is why the Jinns said, (And we have sought to reach the heaven; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. And verily, we used to sit there in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush.) meaning, whoever would like to steal some information by listening, he will find a flaming fire waiting in ambush for him. It will not pass him or miss him, but it will wipe him out and destroy him completely. (And we know not whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends for them guidance.) meaning, `we do not know if this — the matter which has occurred in the sky — is intended for those who are in the earth or if their Lord intends some guidance for them.’ They stated this in such a manner out of their etiquette in phrasing their speech, because they did not attribute the doing of evil to anyone and they attributed the good to Allah. Verily, it has been recorded in the Sahih, (And evil is not attributed to You (Allah).) It used to be that shooting stars (meteors) occurred before this, however it did not happen much, rather only occasionally. As was reported in the Hadith of Ibn `Abbas when he said, “While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah a shooting star flashed in the sky. So the Prophet said, (What did you all used to say about this) We replied, “We used to say that a great person has been born and a great person has died.” The Prophet said, (This is not so, rather whenever Allah decrees a matter in the heaven…)’‘ and then he went on to narrate the rest of the Hadith which we have already mentioned in its entirety in Surah Saba’. This is what caused them to seek the reason for this occurrence. So they set out searching in the east and the west. Then they found the Messenger of Allah reciting (the Qur’an) while leading his Companions in prayer. Thus, they knew that this Qur’an was the reason for the sky being guarded. Therefore, some among them believed in it and the others became more rebellious in their transgression. A discussion of this has preceded in a Hadith of Ibn `Abbas concerning Allah’s statement in Surat Al-Ahqaf, (And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad) a group of the Jinn (quietly) listening to the Qur’an.) (46:29) There is no doubt that when so many shooting stars began appearing in the sky, it horrified humans and Jinns alike. They were very disturbed and alarmed by it. They thought that it was the destruction of the world. As-Suddi said, “The sky was never guarded except if there was a Prophet in the earth or the religion of Allah was victorious and dominant in the earth.” So the devils before the time of Muhammad had taken sitting stations for themselves in the heaven of this world and they would listen to the matters that occurred in the heaven. But when Allah sent Muhammad as a Prophet and Messenger, they were suddenly pelted one night (with the flaming, shooting stars). So the people of Ta’if were frightened because of this and they began to say, `The dwellers of the sky have been destroyed.’ This was because they saw the severe fires in the sky and the shooting flames. They began freeing their servants and abandoning their luxuries. So `Abd Yalayl bin `Amr bin `Umayr said to them and he was referred to for judgement among them “Woe to you O people of Ta’if! Hold on to your wealth and look at these guiding stars in the sky.If you see them remaining in their place, then the dwellers of the sky have not been destroyed, rather this has happened because of Ibn Abi Kabshah (– meaning Muhammad ). And if you look and see that you can no longer see these stars, then verily the dwellers of the sky have been destroyed.” So, they looked and saw that the stars still remained, and thus, they kept their wealth. The devils also were frightened during that night. They went to Iblis and informed him of what happened to them. So he (Iblis) said, “Bring me a handful of dirt from every land so that I may smell it.” So they brought it and he smelled it and said, “It is your friend in Makkah.” Then he sent a group of seven Jinns to Makkah, and they found the Prophet of Allah standing in prayer in Al-Masjid Al-Haram while reciting the Qur’an. They drew near to him eager to hear the Qur’an, until their chests almost pressed against him. Then they accepted Islam and Allah revealed their matter to His Messenger . We have mentioned this chapter in its entirety in the first section of the Kitab As-Sirah with lengthy discussion. Allah knows best and unto Him is all praise and blessings. Source : Tafseer Ibn Katheer Surah Al-Jinn

The Strong Believer [1] In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful, may His Salaah and Salaam be upon His final Messenger, to proceed: The Hadeeth of the Strong Believer On the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allaah than the weak believer, while there is good in both. Guard over that which benefits you, seek Allaah's Assistance, wa laa ta'jiz (don't lend yourself to things devoid of benefit, and this could carry many meanings), and if something befalls you, then don't say 'If I only would have done such and such,' rather say, 'Qaddarallaahu wa maa shaa' fa'al' (Allaah ordained (this) and He does what He wills), for verily the phrase 'If I would have' makes way for the work of Shaytaan." The Takhreej of the Hadeeth (where it can be found) As-Suyootee gathered it in Al-Jaami'us-Sagheer, and Al-Albaanee numbered it #6650 and called it 'hasan'. He traced it to Saheeh Muslim, Ibn Maajah, and Ahmad. He brought it in his summarized Saheeh Muslim #1840 but did not mention why it is hasan, but he mentions in his takhreej of As-Sunnah of Ibn Abee 'Aasim that As-Suyootee found a problem with Rabee'ah bin 'Uthmaan (one of the narrators). Statements of the Scholars About the Strong Believer Shaykh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allaah have Mercy on him) Shaykh Al-Islaam referred to the hadeeth when discussing the prayer of a sick person standing up, saying: "As for the prayer of those who can not properly perform it, then their prayer is acceptable in any way that it is possible for them to perform it, according to their abilities, as this is what they have been ordered with in this circumstance, while the one who is capable of performing his prayers properly is more sound and more virtuous, as the Prophet (sallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said, 'The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allaah than the weak believer, while there is good in both.'" [2] So here we see that Ibn Taymiyyah understood that physical strength is something found in the strong believer. Shaykh Al-Islaam Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (may Allaah have Mercy on him) "The one who has insight into the Truth and an awareness of it, but he is weak and has no strength to implement it or to call to it, then this is the situation of the weak believer. The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allaah than him." [3] We can see that Ibn Al-Qayyim understood that courage is from the strength of the believer. Imaam An-Nawawee (may Allaah have Mercy on him) "The intended meaning of strength here is a firm will and a desire to work for the Hereafter. So the one being described as a strong believer is more bold and stern against the enemy in Jihaad, quicker to go out (to fight) and searching for it (Jihaad), more firm in the way he enjoins the good and forbids the evil, (more firm) in his patience with the harms he faces throughout all of that, and stronger in the way he carries out difficult tasks for Allaah's Sake. He loves to pray, fast, make thikr, and perform the rest of the acts of worship, and he is more active in seeking after these affairs, and he keeps a closer watch over his performance of them." [4] Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have Mercy on him) "'The strong believer' is regarding his eemaan (faith), as the intended meaning is not physical strength. [5] This is because physical strength is harmful to a person who uses it to disobey Allaah. So physical strength is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy in itself. If he uses this strength for what benefits him in this life and the Next, then it is praiseworthy. But if he uses it to disobey Allaah, it becomes blameworthy. So the meaning of strength in his statement (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), 'The strong believer...' is strength in eemaan, since the word 'strong' refers to the word 'believer', someone who has eemaan. Similarly, one would say 'a strong man' if he was referring to his manhood and masculinity. So the strong believer is strong in his eemaan, because the strong believer has the strength to carry out what Allaah ordered him to do, and to increase upon that by doing extra good deeds however Allaah likes. As for the weak believer, his eemaan is weak, and that hinders him from performing his duties and avoiding what is prohibited, so he is always falling short." [6] Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) "The believer who is strong in his eemaan, body, and actions, is better than the weak believer, the one who has weak eemaan, or a weak body or weak actions. That is because the strong believer is productive and accomplishes things for the Muslims, and thus they benefit from his physical strength, actions, and his strong eemaan. They benefit greatly from that in Jihaad in Allaah's Way, in other affairs that benefit the Muslims, and in defending Islaam and the Muslims. He also humiliates the enemies, and can stand up to their challenges. This is something the weak believer can not do. So from this angle the strong believer is better than the weak one, while there is good in both, since eemaan in its entirity is good, so there is good in the weak believer. But the strong believer has more goodness for himself, his Religion, and his brother Muslims. So this hadeeth is an encouragement to have strength, as Islaam is the Religion on strength, the Religion of honor, the Religion of prestige! The Muslims are always to be possessors of strength, as Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, says [7]: ( And prepare for them all the might you can gather, including riding beasts, to threaten Allaah's and your enemies with ) And Allaah, Most High, says [8]: ( And to Allaah belongs all Honor, and to His Messenger, and to the Muslims ) And He, Most High, says [9]: ( And you will be the superior ones, if you are indeed believers ) So the strength that is sought from us in Islaam is strength in eemaan and 'aqeedah, as well as strength in our actions and bodies, because all of this brings forth good things for the Muslims. [10] An Important Point If one looks at the text of the hadeeth itself, he will find something very interesting. Notice that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) started by saying, "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allaah than the weak believer, while there is good in both..." and then it may seem like the subject of the hadeeth shifts to something else. Rather, this hadeeth is an encouragement to be a strong believer from the beginning to the end! Yes, after informing us about the superiority of the strong believer, the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) detailed some ways to become a strong believer, giving us four pieces of advice, all of them related to eemaan: 1 - Guard over what benefits you 2 - Seek Allaah's Assistance 3 - Don't lend yourself to things devoid of benefit 4 - Say "Qaddarallaahu wa maa shaa' fa'al" through calamities All these things are matters that will increase you in eemaan, thus making you a stronger believer. So the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was not wandering into another topic here, rather he was giving us some actual steps to take that will help us become strong believers. So the first source of explanation of this hadeeth, the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) himself, already answered these natural questions that arise: "What is a strong believer?" and "How do I become one?" It's all here in this short and concise hadeeth! The strong believer is the one who guards over that which benefits him, seeks Allaah's Aid, doesn't lend himself to affairs devoid of benefit, and understands firmly that what happens is from Allaah's Qadr (Divine Will), saying, "Qaddarallaahu wa maa shaa' fa'al", among the other things that his eemaan would necessitate. Conclusion The believer who has strong eemaan is more likely to be fit and in shape. This is because he understands the importance of Jihaad and staying in shape in preparation for it, while the weak believer may easily get fat and out of shape, from his overeating and laziness. So physical strength is a direct result of strength in eemaan. Conversely, a person could be a topnotch bodybuilder and superb athlete, but he can't even wake up for Fajr, and Allaah is the One whose Help is sought! So clearly his strength is not making him better nor more beloved to Allaah, so how could he be considered a strong believer?! [11] And Allaah knows best. This article was taken from BAKKAHnet (www.bakkah.net) FOOTNOTES [1] written by Abul-'Abbaas, revised and updated (1423/5/23), revised and updated (1423/1/11) [2] Majmoo'ah Al-Fataawaa (12/479) [3] Ad-Daa' Wad-Dawaa' (p.145, Daar Ibn Al-Jowzee printing) [4] Sharh Muslim (9/341, Daar Al-Ma'rifah printing) [5] It is not understood from the words of our shaykh that the strong believer should be physically weak or devoid of physical strength. Rather, he only clarified that the real strength being referred to in this hadeeth is strength in eemaan. In fact, strength in eemaan will not allow a person to become out of shape or incapable if he has the ability to be physically strong. This point is dealt with later in the article. [6] Sharh Riyaadhis-Saaliheen (3/91-92) [7] the meaning of Soorah Al-Anfaal (8):60 [8] the meaning of Soorah Al-Munaafiqoon (63):8 [9] the meaning of Soorah Aali 'Imraan (3):139 [10] Al-Muntaqaa min Fataawaa Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (5/380-381) [11] This is the point that Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen had made, that physical strength is blameworthy if it is not used to obey Allaah. TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING What are the four pieces of advice found in the hadeeth of the strong believer? When can a Muslim's physical strength be considered blameworthy? How does Islaam benefit from the physical strength of the Muslims?

Bismillah. Why Are We Here? In the Name of Almighty GOD, the All-Merciful, the One who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them, the only One who deserves mankind's worship... A simple look at the world around us is all it takes to understand what many never take time to reflect upon. The details of this awesome universe we live in explicitly prove the presence of a magnificent and unequalled author. Some try to deny His existence, relying on their invented theories, assumptions derived from unproven conjecture and guesses. They conjure principles that no rational mind can follow. For example, they say that our universe is a "cosmic coincidence," a result of billions of years of random self-assembly. However, if they would come out of their house in the morning and find a new car in their driveway, they would demand to know who put it there. Imagine if was said to them: "No one put it there, in fact the parts just gathered from unknown places and assembled themselves overnight with no one's help. This is the result of a cosmic coicindence!" No one in his right mind could accept this answer. Indeed GOD gave us intellects that do not allow us to believe such nonsense. So if people can not accept the parts of a single car coming together randomly, then how can they believe that the entire universe accomplished such a feat?! From the sky full of stars and other visual wonders, to microscopic organisms we are still discovering, to the design and function of the organs of the human body, can one possibly believe that all of this is the result of a mere coincidence? Look up and think about how everything you see is organized in such a perfect way! The sun, a ball of fire millions of miles away, provides us with the heat and light we depend on every day. About it, GOD says: And I (GOD) made a blazing, radiant lantern (78:13) After the length of the day, mankind indeed needs a rest from the warmth and illumination of the sun. GOD causes the sun to set and gives us darkness to rest, and a perfect nightlight the moon and the splendorous stars. What masterful organization! GOD says: He (GOD) has put the night and the day in your service, as well as the sun, the moon, and the stars - all in subjection by His Command. Verily in this there are signs for people of intellect. (16:12) And GOD says: Don't you see how GOD merges the night into the day and He merges the day into the night, (don't you see) that He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law), each running its course for an appointed term? And surely GOD is well-acquainted with what you do. (31:29) GOD also says: Among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon, rather prostrate to GOD, the One who created them, if you really wish to worship Him. (41:37) Today's scientists comment on the precise balance of the sun and moon, guessing at the innumerous disasters that would occur if the sun or the moon were to stray from their paths the slightest bit. The rational mind can come to only one conclusion, that indeed something is keeping all of this in order. GOD says: He (GOD) draws the night as a veil over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession. He (GOD) created the sun, the moon, and the stars, all governed by His Command. Is it not His Right to create and govern? Blessed is GOD, the Cherisher and Sustainer of all that exists! (7:54) We understand quite clearly that, since this paper you are reading was written, then there was a writer, even though you do not see him. And for every speech there was a speaker, and every delicious dish has a cook behind it. So for every creation, including our very existence, there is indeed a creator. The Creator is GOD who is without partners Now that we agree that we are not the product of chance, that we have been created, let us understand some things about our Creator. The One who created us, GOD, is also the sole Creator of everything else that exists, as He says: Such is GOD, your Lord, the Creator of all things. There is no god except Him! (40:62) Because of GOD's ominous power and control over the universe, it is not befitting for man to believe that He needs anyone to help Him. For verily GOD is Alone and does not share His Majesty with anyone. He is the possessor of infinite mercy and compassion for those who obey him, and His punishment is the most severe and lasting for those who turn away from Him. GOD says: As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them to His Mercy, and that will be the Achievement for all to see! (45:30) And GOD says: For those who believe and do righteous deeds, He (GOD) will give them their rewards, and more, out of His bounty. But those who are disdainful and arrogant, He will punish them with a grievous penalty, and they will not find anyone to protect or help them besides GOD. (4:173) As it is not befitting for us to ascribe a rival, partner, or associate to GOD, it is extreme blasphemy to accuse Him of having a father, mother, son, or other descendants or relatives. GOD tells us: Say: HE is GOD, the One and Only; the eternal, absolute GOD who did not father anyone, nor is He the son of anyone. (112:1-4) What a tremendous crime it is to claim that GOD, the One free from all imperfections, has a son! Unfortunately, many believe that Jesus is GOD's son! Indeed Jesus holds a high rank, as the Word of GOD and the Conveyor of His Message, but not as His son, for GOD is high and exalted above such a false claim. About this, GOD says: They say: "The Most Merciful (GOD) has begotten a son!" Indeed you have put forth a most monstrous idea! It is as if the skies are ready to burst, the earth to split asunder, and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin for what they say about the Most Merciful (GOD) having a son! For it is not befitting for the Most Merciful (GOD) to take a son. (19:88-92) So GOD is the sole Creator and Maintainer of all that exists. He has no partner or affiliate, as He says: Follow what is revealed to you from your Lord there is no god except Him Alone! And turn away from those who join other deities with GOD! (6:106) Do we owe Him something? Now that we agree that GOD is our only Creator and Provider, and we have seen His Statements denying any partners for Himself, we want to know Does He want something from us? GOD has a right over us, as He created us. He is not asking much. He is only asking us for that which he asked every nation before us that we obey Him and follow His Messengers. He has asked us to worship Him and not to associate partners with Him. He says: For surely I (GOD) sent a messenger to every nation, commanding them to worship GOD and shun false deities. (16:36) It is a very simple request, taking into account all He has given us. Say: "It is He (GOD) who has created you and made for you the faculties of hearing, seeing, feeling and understanding. Little is the thanks you offer. (67:23) We naturally feel the urge to thank anyone who gives us something. If we thank people for their generosity, should we not then thank our Lord who has blessed us with so much? He reminds us: And if you were to try to count the blessings of GOD, you could never enumerate them! Verily, mankind is ever oppressive and ungrateful. (14:34) So to be truly thankful to GOD would entail worshipping Him, as He has commanded us, obeying Him and following the Revelation that He sent to us. In doing this, we will fulfill the purpose of our existence, as GOD did not create us without a purpose: And I did not create the Jinn or Mankind except to worship Me. (51:56) What if we ignore His Right upon us? Ignoring the right of GOD is not like ignoring the rights of others. For if you disobey your mother, then you are subject to whatever punishment she is capable of. Likewise, you may lose your job if you ignore the orders of your boss. The judge may send you to jail if you do not appear in court as he requests. But no one can punish you eternally with a torment like what GOD has promised for those who reject His Message. GOD is going to establish a Day to judge each and every person. Indeed we will be gathered in front of GOD to answer for our deeds. About that Day, GOD says: For on that Day, His punishment will be such as no one else can inflict, and His bonds will be such as no one else can bind. (89:25-6) We have the chance now to free ourselves from such a horrible and unending fate. We must look to our relationship with GOD are we fulfilling His right on us? Are we worshipping Him as He commands us? Be aware that His punishment is so severe, that even the most devout deniers of GOD will believe in Him after seeing it. But when they saw My Punishment, they said: "We believe in GOD, the One GOD, and we reject the partners we used to join with Him." (40:84) If we submit to GOD, worshipping Him and not associating partners with Him, then for us are the unending joys and delights that He has prepared for us in the Paradise: And no soul knows what delights are kept hidden for them, as a reward for what they used to do. (32:17) For when GOD establishes the Day of Judgement, the righteous will hear the call: O you resting, satisfied soul! Come happily back to your Lord, as you have gained His Pleasure! Enter and be among My servants, enter My Garden! (89:26-9) If we hope to hear this call, then we must put forth the effort now, in this life, before it is too late. What to do now Accept the religion of Islaam. It is what GOD is commanding you to do: O you who believe! Observe your duties to GOD properly, as He deserves, and do not die except as Muslims! (3:102) Be sincere and dedicate yourself to GOD: Say: "Truly, my prayer, my sacrifices, my life and my death, are all for GOD, the Creator and Nourisher of everything that exists, who has no partner. This am I commanded with, and I am the first of the Muslims." (6:162-3) Islaam is very easy and practical. There is no conversion ceremony or difficult procedures preventing you from becoming a Muslim. The only thing for you to do is sincerely recite the following statement: "I testify that there is no deity worthy of any form of worship except GOD Alone, and I testify that Muhammad is His Messenger." Now follow up your statement with a commitment to learning about your religion, the specifics of what GOD wants from you. There is a lot to be learned about GOD and His Religion, with each piece of knowledge you will become more and more confident that you made the right choice. Call the number below and let us know that you have accepted Islaam. We are eagerly awaiting you with open arms to Welcome you to Islaam, and instruct you in the basic affairs of the religion with care and concern. If something prevents you from accepting Islaam at this time, e-mail me and I will try to clarify the matter for you, so that you can accept Islaam being confident that you are on the truth. May GOD guide us all to what He loves.

Bismillah. When Allah Almighty created the first human being on this earth, He gave him all the necessary articles to help him live in this world with ease, along with his progeny. He placed in him a curiosity, a very significant inherent nature: seeking knowledge. This quality is not found in other living creatures of the world. It is obvious that this quality has not been inculcated in the human beings without a purpose. The Holy Qur'an says, “So did you think that We created you for nothing and that you will not be brought back to Us?” (23:115). “And I did not create the jinns and the human beings except that they should worship Me.”(51:56) Through these verses, two important points are highlighted for us. One of them is that Allah (swt) has given the human beings a purpose in their lives so that they understand their mission in this world - the meaning in their lives - and accordingly, lead their lives. The second important point is that Allah has created all worldly things like the earth, the sky, the space etc. to help us fulfill our mission. Along with these two important things, the biggest Divine gift presented to human beings is that Allah has bestowed upon all of us an inherent, inborn quality, a thirst for seeking knowledge. By seeking knowledge, a person can perform remarkable acts in this world. He can fulfill all his worldly needs. At the same time, he can perform all the Divine obligations assigned to him by his Creator. So, a person should understand his purpose in this life - spiritually and materially - and should try to maximize the benefits. But, at the same time, he should keep in his mind that he should not seek knowledge merely for meeting his worldly needs, and selfishly strive to further his goals in seeking material wealth. He should aim behind his education at seeking the greatest purpose of life. The Holy Qur'an has laid a great stress on this point. Allah (swt) says in the Holy Qur'an, “Read and your Lord is the most Gracious, Who imparted knowledge by means of the pen. He taught man what he did not know.” (96:3-5) When the Prophet of Allah (saws) communicated this verse to his Companions, they at once paid their full attention towards attaining the knowledge that was required from them by their Creator. Within a short period of time, the focus on education became the center of public attention in the Muslim community. They started to make rapid achievements in different fields of study inspired by the lofty teachings of the Holy Qur'an, which taught them to ponder, reflect, and think about the world around them. Armed with the knowledge from the Holy Qur'an, they started taking a keen interest in other sciences around them, diversifying their studies, seeking to gain an excellence in all their educational endeavors, and other related undertakings. Soon, a number of Muslims achieved the highest calibers in learning, and over a period of three centuries, they excelled over all the other nations in the world in various educational spheres. It was clearly the Golden Age of the Islamic Civilization, which was enriched by the Muslim society, and helped to shape the history of the whole world, giving it a sense of direction. Gradually, the neighboring nations started to benefit from the Muslims. At last, the wisdom of achieving a literary and scientific education became the most desirable achievement that was required for a Muslim in this world, to be recognized by others as a man of letters, talents, manners, cultivation of good taste and refinement of knowledge in order to improve his standing in the society - a trait that would soon be adopted by other European countries in the West. But, after five glorious centuries of attaining excellence in different educational sectors and learning passed, the Muslims became negligent in seeking a quality education for themselves and their families and stagnated among the nations of this world for overlooking this inborn trait gifted to them since their birth by Allah. In this period, the nations which were uneducated, underdeveloped, and ill-equipped made vast strides in the field of education, after having learnt its importance from the Arabs. As a result, they took the center stage in the world, and started to dominate all fields of learning, which had been until then ignored by the Muslims and attained astonishing accomplishments in the field of knowledge. They became the leaders, dominating all the fields of education known to human beings. Nowadays, the Muslims appear to have slowly started realizing that one of the reasons for their backwardness was neglecting the basic commandments of the Holy Qur'an that exhorted them to read, learn, think, ponder, and reflect upon various things around them, and in the process acquire sufficient knowledge to recognize the Grand Design of their Creator in His Divine Plan in creating His order in this Universe. They are now sharply feeling this defect in the Muslim society, and striving hard to overcome the obstacles in their way, to remove their shortcomings, which stand in the way of getting themselves a well-rounded education. Now, if Muslims start to thirst for knowledge like their illustrious predecessors had done in the past, then it will be just a matter of time before they can achieve their lost glories in the field of learning, and dominate all the educational sectors in different walks of life. What we are trying to say here is that: the purpose of learning education to the Western countries is the means to obtain worldly pleasures and luxury. Islam does not forbid Muslims from seeking such legitimate pleasures. However, if the purpose of any education is only to seek material gain and worldly wealth, then the purpose of seeking such an education becomes limited, selfish in its nature, and is considered inhumane as it benefits only individuals and not the society at large. It is not proper for a human being that he keeps his eyes only on seeking the worldly pleasures, and develops a hankering for material wealth in this life, enclosing himself in a world of his own, by cutting himself from all his surroundings. On the contrary, the person, especially, the Muslim who is seeking an education will strive hard to benefit others by his learning, in the society in which he lives, and extend a helping hand to all humanity who may be in need of his services and talents. He should widen his horizon of thinking, and extend the scope of learning from beyond the material world and extend it into the spiritual world. We may profit from the worldly things but at the same time, we should have our eyes fully focused on the life, which we are all destined to live in the Hereafter. We should never forget that we have to leave this world one day for our heavenly abode in the Hereafter. We should, therefore, try to enrich the world around us by improving upon, and enhancing the lives of other human beings around us with the help of knowledge and education, which they have gained in this world. In the glorious era of Muslim dominance, the central educational points used to benefit people in this world and the world in the Hereafter. But, when the imperialist powers started dominating the educational fields, they took the education that could benefit people in this world, and make them abandon the education that could lead them to prosperity in the Hereafter. The Islamic schools established in different corners of India are serving the Muslims, and also the nation in this field. The people who are learning education in modern colleges and universities do not care for the spiritual aspects of education. They do not pay much heed to religion; they only follow the educational patterns that are designed for them by the Western culture, and curriculum. They are unable to understand the fact that this kind of knowledge is designed to alienate human beings away from religion. Such people always keep questioning the necessity of Islamic schools. They should understand that the Islamic schools are established to enforce the Islamic way of life and to inform the people that they need to pay heed to this aspect in education. They are designed to convince the human beings that they should seek through the knowledge of the Holy Qur'an, which they have attained, the lofty goals on this earth. They should enrich humanity with all the well-rounded religious and a liberal education they have sought for themselves to supplement and develop the needs of human beings in their midst, and thereby earn for themselves the pleasure of Allah both in this world and in the Hereafter. Nowadays all the Muslim schools have equipped themselves with the necessary manpower, and the modern educational tools required to provide a modern education to their students along with the religious. They do not forbid Muslims from learning contemporary education. What they say is that one should not learn education that leads one towards renouncing sound social and human values. But, it is distressing to note that in spite of the lofty examples and the noble ideals set by the Islamic learning centers of the past, the modern Muslim scholars educated in contemporary learning centers of the world keep criticizing the Islamic schools fed by a steady stream of false propaganda by Western imperialists who are keen to see that the Muslims of the world never come close once again to attaining their past glory in dominating the leading Universities of the world. They don’t like that the Muslims achieve the accomplishments done by their illustrious predecessors in the past - making the world a better place to live in with their knowledge and love towards education. Convinced by their Western masters, and fascinated by their way of life and ideology, many people rush to call all the Muslims gaining an education in Islamic schools as potential terrorists, and the places of worship built for the Muslims on the campuses of Muslim Universities as hubs of terrorism. Anybody who is seen growing a beard has all the beginnings of a budding terrorist. If one goes to mosque regularly to pray, he is labeled as a complete terrorist! This is an ignorant attitude. The Muslim Madrasas and schools across the country and the world should boldly invite impartial non-Muslim observers from the educational sectors and the Media to the Madrasas to monitor the Islamic teachings, which are imparted in these schools. Consequently, they can dispel the doubts created in the minds of the non-Muslim communities who are being fed with misinformation about these Madrasas. This process will effectively help set their minds at rest forever about the Muslim students and the community at large that the world would be benefited by encouraging more Madrasas to be opened in their midst. The teachers of the Muslim schools should take the burden of imparting quality education in these schools to all their students so that even the non-Muslims come forward to enroll their children and wards in these schools.