SAFAH

O! Doers of good deeds giving birth to sincerity in your deeds can never be a wasted effort.

The person who cannot educate his own soul, then how is he going to educate others.

Bismillah. Formula for Unlimited Blessings by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah alayh) The Story of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya (Radiyallahu anha), the foster mother of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) is well-known. The custom of the Arabs who lived in the towns was to entrust their young children in the care of the Bedouin women, who earned a living by being wet nurses. For the town Arabs, this time afforded their children the healthy environment of the desert; facilitating good health, strength and an opportunity to master the rich, untainted speech of the Bedouins. Thus, it was the good fortune of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya(Radiyallahu anha), that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) was destined for her. In the many books on the Seerah, we read Hazrat Halima’s(Radiyallahu anha) personal account of how she, her husband and baby travelled in the company of other women, in search of children to suckle. It was a time of famine and drought and theirs was a state of hunger and want, to the extent that she could not even feed her baby. On reaching Makkah Mukarramah, none of the women were prepared to accept Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) once they were told that he was an orphan. Their hope was to secure a child whose father would reward them generously. Whilst the other women were successful in their quest,Hazrat Halima(Radiyallahu anha) was not. Before departing from Makkah Mukkarramah, she decided to take the orphaned baby, rather than have none to take home. There was no other choice that she had. Hazrat Halima (Radiyallahu anha)relates herself, that the moment she lifted him into her arms, she found to her great surprise, that she had sufficient milk to feed him, as well as her own little baby. And she thereafter related the good fortune that came their way whilst taking care of the little Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) : Their she-camel was suddenly blessed with plentiful of milk; her lean, slow donkey was suddenly blessed with strength and speed; their barren land was blessed with plentiful of grass for their animals to feed on. And like this, prosperity filled their home due to the presence and blessings of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam). Reflecting over this, we learn so much: Just the physical body of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) coming into the arms of Hazrat Halima (Radiyallahu anha) as a little baby, caused such blessings to pour into their lives. Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) was not able to give lengthy speeches in the arms of Hazrat Halima; nor was his character, his dealings, his relationships with people, his honesty and his truthfulness, his charity and his sincerity, his nobility and forgiveness, and other beautiful characteristics apparent at that time when she took the little baby into her arms. At this stage, it was only the physical body of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) as a baby … yet look at the tremendous Barakah. Blessings in their lives, in their home, in their time and crops, in their animals and their food … Barakah in everything . If so many blessings came with just lifting and carrying the physical body of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam), then what would we say about the Barakaat and the blessings that a person will see and experience in his own life if he has to bring the teachings of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in his life? What kind of blessings will he experience? …And what kind of blessings will the Ummah of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) experience if they have to bring into their lives, the beautiful Sunnah? We will experience the same Barakaat that Allah Ta’ala gave to Hazrat Halima and thereafter what became even more manifest in the lives of the Companions of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam). Look at their condition : Most of the Sahaba-e-Kiraam (RA) were extremely poor, undergoing extreme difficulties, tests and trials. But with the implementation of the teachings of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in their lives, look at the Barakaat that Allah Ta’ala gave to them : The Persian Empire at their feet, the Roman Empire at their feet – something that could not be even imagined at one time but the Prophecies of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) were seen and experienced by them. Of course they did not just sit and do nothing. They did what they had to do - they fulfilled their part of the contract.They made their Salaah, they gave their Zakaah, they kept their fasts, they performed Hajj if it was Fardh, they were kind, they were charitable, they were honest, they were truthful; each one brought the beautiful, noble character of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in his or her life. …They went forth in Jihad with Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) and after his demise also, they spread the message of Islam and the teachings of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in the world – and then look at the Barakaat that came pouring into their lives… “Barakaat minnas sa’maa’i wal ardh”(Blessings from the heavens and the earth). Thus, if someone looks at that incident of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya (Radiyallahu anha), and the blessings of just taking Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) into her arms as a baby, then we draw the lesson : Barakaat is sure to follow, in abundance, if we only bring into our lives the beautiful Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam). So simple. Let those who wish to enjoy blessings, bring alive the Sunnah.

Bismillah. Haqeeqat by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah alayh) Were we to analyse the eras when Muslims throughout the world were dominant, then we will find that they had the haqeeqat (reality) of Islam in their lives; they were living Islam – happily, willingly and enthusiastically. They understood their purpose in this world. They understood that they had higher and nobler objectives to aspire for, because they looked beyond this life. Before them was their return to their Creator, to Allah Ta’ala; before them was Aakhirah (the Hereafter); before them was Jannah … and so they exerted themselves in the direction of obedience to Allah Ta’ala and securing His Pleasure. Allah Ta’ala put into the hearts of people, love for these sincere and obedient servants and granted them success. There was a dynamic effect when people met with these Muslims because they not only had the‘soorat’ (outer form), they had the Haqeeqat as well. People changed their religion, their culture, their dress and their language because they were seeing the beauty and blessing of Islam. In the early days of Islam, we see how a small number grew to 500, then 700 and thereafter 1500 - which was something of a great and wonderful accomplishment, considering the odds against the Muslims at that time… Today, we are plus one billion – but what a difference between the early Muslims and us! In the 1950s, as a young boy, I recall visiting the museum. There were different animals – wild animals, omnivores, carnivores and so forth… but they were all stuffed with sawdust. And there were signs near the animals, which read : ‘PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH.’ Now would we find such a sign in the Kruger National Park when we go on a safari, wanting to see the Big Five …? When does the king of the jungle require a sign such as : Please do not touch? Yet, in the museum, this sign was placed next to the lion because there was no life in that lion. There was no haqeeqat (reality). Even if it was the king of the jungle – he was now stuffed with sawdust. Rats too could nibble without fear because there was no life, there was no worry of even a roar. Looking at the present scenario of the Muslim Ummah – globally, and we see our likeness to those stuffed creatures. …We have lost that power and supremacy which is otherwise reserved for the Believers. The majority of Muslims today have no reality. …We have ‘stuffed’ our hearts with the love of dunya and therefore our great weakness and overwhelming incapacity – a prophecy which is so clearly manifest today. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) said: "The People will soon summon one another to attack you as people, when eating, invite others to share their food." Someone asked, "Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?" He replied, "No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be froth and scum like that carried down by a torrent (of water), and Allah will take the fear of you from the breasts (hearts) of your enemy and castal-wahn into your hearts." Someone asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what is al-wahn?" He replied, "Love of the world and dislike of death." [Abu Dawud and Ahmad] One billion in number, but how shameful, humiliating and dishonourable that we are subservient to the minority. …Who is influencing the political and economic climate? Who is manipulating global dynamics? … Certainly not the Muslims. The early Muslims had the reality and spirit of Islam. As such, success and victory was theirs for the taking. On the other hand, we want to conquer the world with soorat (form) or with talks and literature. Dominance, Supremacy, Power and Authority do not come with soorat. In fact, the majority cannot even be recognized as Muslims – so even soorat seems to fall by the way side. In one of my trips to Pakistan, I visited someone at his home. There was a bowl of plastic fruit which looked so real – but it was “good for looking”, not good for eating. Many of us Muslims today are not even good for looking. The plastic fruit was a good imitation - but in our soorat, there is no imitation also… very much like the munafiqeen: neither here nor there. Success and supremacy come with engendering sincere piety in the heart and living Islam … not selecting what we like and leaving off what our nafs does not incline to. Allah Ta’ala wants us completely IN Islam. "O you who Believe! Enter into the Fold of Islam completely. … " [surah Baqarah 2: 208] This is the recipe of success. But we will have to bring together the correct ingredients to make that “flop-proof” success.

ORBITS AND THE ROTATING UNIVERSE One of the most important reasons for the great equilibrium in the universe is the fact that celestial bodies follow specific paths. Stars, planets and satellites all rotate around their own axes and also rotate together with the system of which they are a part. The universe functions within a finely-tuned order, just like the wheels in a factory. There are more than 100 billion galaxies in the visible universe and each small galaxy contains approximately a billion stars. Furthermore, each big galaxy contains more than a trillion. 16 Many of these stars have planets and many of those planets have satellites. All these celestial bodies follow the most finely calculated paths and orbits. For millions of years, each one has been moving in its own path in flawless harmony with all the others. In addition to these, there are also a great many comets moving along in their own pre-determined paths. In addition, the paths in the universe are not restricted to a few celestial bodies. The Solar System and even other galaxies also exhibit considerable motion around other centres. Every year, Earth, and the Solar System with it, move some 500 million km from where they were the previous year. It has been calculated that even the slightest deviation from celestial bodies' paths could have drastic consequences which might spell the end of the entire system. For example, the consequences of the earth's deviating from its course by a mere 3 mm have been described in one source as follows: While rotating around the sun, the earth follows such an orbit that, every 18 miles, it only deviates 2.8 millimetres from a direct course. The orbit followed by the earth never changes, because even a deviation of 3 millimetres would cause catastrophic disasters: If the deviation were 2.5 mm instead of 2.8 mm, then the orbit would be very large, and all of us would freeze. If the deviation were 3.1 mm, we would be scorched to death. Another characteristic of heavenly bodies is that they also rotate around their own axes. The verse which reads "[i swear] by Heaven with its cyclical systems," (Qur'an, 86:11) indicates this truth. Naturally, at the time when the Qur'an was revealed, people had no telescopes with which to study bodies millions of kilometres away in space, advanced observation technology or our modern knowledge of physics and astronomy. It was therefore impossible to establish that space had "its oscillating orbits," (Qur'an, 51:7) as described in the verse. The Qur'an however, revealed at that time, provided clear information concerning that fact. This is proof that this book is indeed Allah's Word Like many other comets in the universe, Halley's comet, seen above, also moves in a planned orbit. It has a specific orbit and it moves in this orbit in a perfect harmony with other celestial bodies. All celestial bodies—including planets, satellites of these planets, stars and even galaxies—have their own orbits that have been determined with very delicate computations. The One Who established this perfect order and maintains it is Allah, Who created the entire universe.[/center] THE SUN'S TRAJECTORY It is stressed in the Qur'an that the Sun and Moon follow specific trajectories: It is He Who created night and day and the sun and moon, each one swimming in a sphere. (Qur'an, 21:33) The word "swim" in the above verse is expressed in Arabic by the word "sabaha" and is used to describe the movement of the Sun in space. The word means that the Sun does not move randomly through space but that it rotates around its axis and follows a course as it does so. The fact that the Sun is not fixed in position but rather follows a specific trajectory is also stated in another verse: And the sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (Qur'an, 36:38) These facts set out in the Qur'an were only discovered by means of astronomical advances in our own time. According to astronomers' calculations, the Sun moves along a path known as the Solar Apex in the path of the star Vega at an incredible speed of 720,000 kmph. In rough terms, this shows that the Sun traverses some 17.28 million km a day. As well as the Sun itself, all the planets and satellites within its gravitational field also travel the same distance. THE MOON'S ORBIT And We have decreed set phases for the moon, until it ends up looking like an old date branch. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon nor for the night to outstrip the day; each one is swimming in a sphere. (Qur'an, 36:39-40) The Moon does not follow a regular orbit like the satellites of other planets. As it orbits the Earth, it sometimes moves behind it and sometimes in front. As it also moves with the Earth around the Sun, it actually follows a constant pattern resembling the letter "S" in space. This route, traced by the Moon in space, is described in the Qur'an as resembling an old date branch and does indeed resemble the twisted form of the date tree branch. Indeed, the word "urjoon" employed in the Qur'an refers to a thin and twisted date branch and is used to describe that part left after the fruit has been picked. The way that this branch is described as "old" is also most appropriate since old date branches are thinner and more twisted. Since the Moon revolves around the Sun together with the Earth, it follows a path through space which resembles the letter “S.” The appearance of this orbit resembles the twisted shape of a dry date branch, as is revealed in the Qur’an. There is no doubt that it was impossible for anyone to have any knowledge about the orbit of the Moon 1,400 years ago. The way that this pattern, identified by modern technology and accumulated knowledge, was revealed in the Holy Book is yet another scientific miracle of the Qur'an. CALCULATING THE LUNAR YEAR It is He Who appointed the sun to give radiance, and the moon to give light, assigning it phases so you would know the number of years and the reckoning of time. Allah did not create these things except with truth. We make the Signs clear for people who know. (Qur'an, 10:5) And We have decreed set phases for the moon, until it ends up looking like an old date branch. (Qur'an, 36:39) In the first of the above verses, Allah has clearly revealed that the Moon will be a means of measurement for people to calculate the year. Furthermore, our attention is also drawn to the fact that these calculations will be performed according to the positions of the Moon as it revolves in its orbit. Since the angles between the Earth and Moon and the Moon and Sun constantly change, we see the Moon in different forms at different times. Furthermore, our ability to see the Moon is made possible by the fact that it is illuminated by the Sun. The amount of the lighted half of the Moon we see from Earth changes. Bearing in mind these changes, a number of calculations can be made, making it possible for human beings to measure the year. In former times a month was calculated as the time between two full moons, or the time it took the Moon to travel around the Earth. According to this, one month was equal to 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. This is known as the "lunar month." Twelve lunar months represent one year, according to the Hijri calendar. However, there is a difference of eleven days between the Hijri calendar and the Gregorian calendar, in which a year is the time it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun. Indeed, attention is drawn to this difference in another verse: They stayed in their Cave for three hundred years and added nine. (Qur'an, 18:25) We can clarify the time referred to in the verse thus: 300 years x 11 days (the difference which forms every year) = 3,300 days. Bearing in mind that one solar year lasts 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45.5 seconds, 3,300 days/365.24 days = 9 years. To put it another way, 300 years according to the Gregorian calendar is equal to 300+9 years according to the Hijri calendar. As we can see, the verse refers to this finely calculated difference of 9 years. (Allah knows best.) There is no doubt that the Qur'an, which contains such pieces of information, which transcended the everyday knowledge of the time, is a miraculous revelation. THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND ORBITAL MOVEMENTS No! I swear by the planets-that recede, that ride their course [and] hide themselves. (Qur'an, 81: 15-16) The word "khunnas" in Surat at-Takwir 15 bears such meanings as shrinking and cowering, retracting and turning back. The Arabic expression translated as "hide themselves" in the 16th verse is "kunnas." The word "kunnas" is the plural form of "kanis" and refers to a specific path: entering a nest, the home of a body in motion or things entering their homes and hiding there. Again in verse 16, the word "aljawari," the plural form of the word "jariya" which means one that moves and flows, is translated as "that ride their course." Bearing in mind the meaning of these words, it is very possible that these verses refer to the gravitational forces of the planets and their movements around their orbits. These words in the above verses fully describe orbital movements stemming from the force of gravity. Of these, the word "khunnas" refers to the planets' attraction towards their own centres and also their attraction towards the Sun, which is the centre of our Solar System. (Allah knows best.) The force of gravity already existed in the universe-although it was only possible to reveal this attractive force with mathematical formulae with Sir Isaac Newton, who lived in the 17th and 18th centuries. The word "aljawari" in the following verse emphasises the orbital movements that arise as a result of the centrifugal force that opposes this attractive one. There is no doubt that the use of the word "aljawari" together with "khunnas" (attraction towards the centre, shrinkage) and "kunnas" (path, entering the nest, the home of a body in motion) indicates an important scientific truth that nobody could have known about 1,400 years ago. (Allah knows best.) Moreover, these verses, one of the subjects sworn on in the Qur'an, are another indication of the importance of the subject. THE ROUNDNESS OF THE EARTH He has created the Heavens and the Earth for Truth. He wraps the night up in the day, and wraps the day up in the night. (Qur'an, 39:5) In the Qur'an, the words used for describing the universe are quite remarkable. The Arabic word which is translated as "to wrap" in the above verse is "takwir." In English, it means "to make one thing lap over another, folded up as a garment that is laid away." For instance, in Arabic dictionaries this word is used for the action of wrapping one thing around another, in the way that a turban is put on. The information given in the verse about the day and the night wrapping each other up includes accurate information about the shape of the world. This can be true only if the Earth is round. This means that in the Qur'an, which was revealed in the 7th century, the roundness of the world was hinted at. However, it should be remembered that the understanding of astronomy of the time perceived the world differently. It was then thought that the world was a flat plane and all scientific calculations and explanations were based on this belief. However, the Glorious Qur'an has employed the most definitive words when it came to describing the universe. These facts, which we could only correctly fathom in our century, have been in the Qur'an for a vast length of time. THE EARTH'S DIRECTION OF ROTATION You will see the mountains and reckon them to be solid; but they go past like clouds-the handiwork of Allah Who gives to everything its solidity. He is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 27:88) The above verse emphasises that the Earth not only rotates but that it also has a direction of rotation. The direction of movement of the main cloud masses at 3,500-4,000 metres high is always from West to East. That is why it is generally the state of the weather in the West which is looked at in meteorological forecasts. The main reason why cloud masses are pulled from West to East is the direction in which the Earth rotates. As we now know, our Earth spins from West to East. This scientific fact, only recently established by science, was revealed 1,400 years ago in the Qur’an, at a time when the Earth was believed to be flat, and to be resting on the back of an ox. THE EARTH'S GEOID SHAPE After that He smoothed out the earth. (Qur'an, 79:30) In the above verse, the word "daha" is used in the original Arabic. It, translated as "smoothed out," comes from the word "dahv," meaning "to spread." Although the word "dahv" also means to cover or to set out, the meaning of the verb is more than just a prosaic setting out, since it describes setting out in a circle. The concept of roundness is also present in other words derived from "dahv." For example, the word "dahv" also refers to children dropping a ball into a hole in the ground, games involving throwing stones into holes and games played with walnuts. Words derived from that root are also used for an ostrich making a nest, cleaning stones from where it is about to lie down, the place where it lays its eggs and the egg itself. Indeed, the Earth is round, in a manner reminiscent of an egg. The slightly flattened spherical shape of the Earth is known as geoid. From that point of view, the use of the word "daha" contains important information about the shape that Allah has given to the Earth. For hundreds of years, people imagined the Earth to be completely flat and only learned the truth thanks to technology. Yet, this fact was revealed in the Qur'an fourteen centuries ago. THE DIAMETERS OF THE EARTH AND SPACE Company of jinn and men, if you are able to pierce through the confines of the heavens and earth, pierce through them. You will not pierce through except with a clear authority. (Qur'an, 55:33) The Arabic word translated as "confines" in the above verse is "aqtar." This is the plural form of the word "qutr," meaning diameter and refers to the skies and the Earth having many diameters. It is possible in Arabic to tell from the form in which a word is used whether it is singular, plural (more than two), or employed in a dual form. Therefore, the form of the word used here, the plural, refers to another piece of miraculous information. A three-dimensional body can only be said to have a single diameter if it is perfectly spherical. The term "diameters" can only refer to an irregular but basically spherical shape. This word chosen in the Qur'an-diameters-is important from the point of view of indicating the geoid shape of the Earth. The second noteworthy subject in the verse is that the Earth and the heavens are mentioned separately in reference to diameters. According to Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, the universe is expanding. But this does not mean that the galaxies and other heavenly bodies are being dispersed in space. This means that space is expanding and that the distance between the galaxies is increasing. The definition of the "confines of the heavens" in Surat ar-Rahman 33 indicates the spherical structure of space. (Allah knows best.) In the same way that the diameters of space will be different from different points in space, so the diameters of a constantly expanding space will also display differences. From that point of view the use of the plural form of the word confine is full of wisdom, and is one of the indications that the Qur'an is the revelation of our Omniscient Lord. THE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE One fact about the universe revealed in the verses of the Qur'an is that the sky is made up of seven layers: It is He Who created everything on the earth for you and then directed His attention up to heaven and arranged it into seven regular heavens. He has knowledge of all things. (Qur'an, 2:29) Then He turned to heaven when it was smoke. In two days He determined them as seven heavens and revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate. (Qur'an, 41:11-12) The word "heavens," which appears in many verses in the Qur'an, is used to refer to the sky above the Earth, as well as the entire universe. Given this meaning of the word, it is seen that the Earth's sky, or the atmosphere, is made up of seven layers. Today, it is known that the world's atmosphere consists of different layers that lie on top of each other.19 Based on the criteria of chemical contents or air temperature, the definitions made have determined the atmosphere of the earth as seven layers.20 According to the "Limited Fine Mesh Model (LFMMII)," a model of atmosphere used to estimate weather conditions for 48 hours, the atmosphere is also 7 layers. According to the modern geological definitions the seven layers of atmosphere are as follows: 1. Troposphere 2. Stratosphere 3. Mesosphere 4. Thermosphere 5. Exosphere 6. Ionosphere 7. Magnetosphere The Qur'an says, "[He] revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate," in Surah Fussilat 12. In other words, Allah is stating that He assigned each heaven its own duty. Truly, as will be seen in following chapters, each one of these layers has vital duties for the benefit of human kind and all other living things on the Earth. Each layer has a particular function, ranging from forming rain to preventing harmful rays, from reflecting radio waves to averting the harmful effects of meteors. The verses below inform us about the appearance of the seven layers of the atmosphere: Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers? (Qur'an, 71:15) He Who created the seven heavens in layers… (Qur'an, 67:3) The Arabic word "tibaqan" in these verses, translated into English as "layer" means "layer, the appropriate cover or covering for something," and thus stresses how the top layer is well suited to the lower. The word is also used in the plural here: "layers." The sky, described in the verse as being in layers, is without doubt the most perfect expression of the atmosphere. It is a great miracle that these facts, which could not possibly be discovered without the technology of the 20th century, were explicitly stated by the Qur'an 1,400 years ago. THE PROTECTED ROOF In the Qur'an, Allah calls our attention to a very important attribute of the sky: We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our Signs. (Qur'an, 21:32) This attribute of the sky has been proved by scientific research carried out in the 20th century: The atmosphere surrounding the Earth serves crucial functions for the continuity of life. While destroying many meteors-big and small-as they approach the Earth, it prevents them from falling to Earth and harming living things. In addition, the atmosphere filters the light rays coming from space that are harmful to living things. The most striking feature of the atmosphere is that it lets only harmless and useful rays-visible light, near ultraviolet light and radio waves pass through. All of this radiation is vital for life. Near ultraviolet rays, which are only partially let in by the atmosphere, are very important for the photosynthesis of plants and for the survival of all living beings. The majority of the intense ultraviolet rays emitted from the Sun are filtered out by the ozone layer of the atmosphere. Only a limited and essential part of the ultraviolet spectrum reaches the Earth. The protective function of the atmosphere does not end here. The atmosphere also protects the earth from the freezing cold of the space, which is approximately -270oC. It is not only the atmosphere that protects the Earth from harmful effects. In addition to the atmosphere, the Van Allen Belt-the layer caused by the magnetic field of the Earth-also serves as a shield against the harmful radiation that threatens our planet. This radiation, which is constantly emitted by the Sun and other stars, is deadly to living things. If the Van Allen belt did not exist, the massive outbursts of energy called solar flares that frequently occur in the Sun would destroy all life on Earth. The magnetosphere layer, formed by the magnetic field of the Earth, serves as a shield protecting the Earth from celestial bodies, harmful cosmic rays and particles. In the above picture, this magnetosphere layer, which is also named Van Allen Belts, is seen. These belts at thousands of kilometres above the Earth protect the living things on the Earth from the fatal energy that would otherwise reach it from space. All these scientific findings prove that the world is protected in a very particular way. The important thing is that this protection was made known in the Qur'an in the verse "We made the sky a preserved and protected roof" fourteen centuries ago. On the importance of the Van Allen Belt, Dr. Hugh Ross says: In fact, the Earth has the highest density of any of the planets in our Solar System. This large nickel-iron core is responsible for our large magnetic field. This magnetic field produces the Van-Allen radiation shield, which protects the Earth from radiation bombardment. If this shield were not present, life would not be possible on the Earth. The only other rocky planet to have any magnetic field is Mercury-but its field strength is 100 times less than the Earth's. Even Venus, our sister planet, has no magnetic field. The Van-Allen radiation shield is a design unique to the Earth.21 The energy transmitted in just one of these bursts detected in recent years was calculated to be equivalent to 100 billion atomic bombs, each akin to one dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War II. Fifty-eight hours after the burst, it was observed that the magnetic needles of compasses displayed unusual movement and 250 kilometres above the Earth's atmosphere, the temperature suddenly increased to 2,500oC. In short, a perfect system is at work high above the Earth. It surrounds our world and protects it against external threats. Centuries ago, Allah informed us in the Qur'an of the world's atmosphere functioning as a protective shield. Most people looking at the sky do not think about the protective aspect of the atmosphere. They almost never think what kind of a place the world would be like if this structure did not exist. The above photo belongs to a giant crater caused by a meteor that fell in Arizona, in the USA. If the atmosphere did not exist, millions of meteoroids would fall to the Earth and the Earth would become an inhabitable place. Yet, the protective aspect of the atmosphere allows living things to survive in safety. This is certainly Allah's protection of people and a miracle proclaimed in the Qur'an.

BISMILLAH. THE COMING OF THE UNIVERSE INTO EXISTENCE: Until the mid-20th century, the prevalent view across the world was that the universe was infinite, had existed forever and that it will continue to do so for all time. According to this view, known as the "static universe model," the universe had no end or beginning. In maintaining that the universe is a collection of fixed, static and unchanging substances, this view has constituted the basis of materialist philosophy and has consequently rejected the existence of a Creator. However, as science and technology progressed during the 20th century, the static universe model has been completely uprooted. We have now entered the 21st century and a new dawn is upon us. Through numerous experiments, observations and calculation conducted by some of the world's most prominent thinkers, modern physics has proven that the universe did indeed have a beginning, that it came into being from nothing in a single moment in a huge explosion. Furthermore, it has been established that the universe is not fixed and static, as materialists still stubbornly maintain. On the contrary, it is undergoing a constant process of movement, change and expansion. These recently-established facts all act as nails in the coffin of the static universe theory. Today, all these facts are universally accepted by the scientific community. The origin of the universe is described in the Qur'an in the following verse: He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. (Qur'an, 6:101) This information is in full agreement with the findings of contemporary scientists. As we stated earlier, the conclusion that astrophysics has reached today is that the entire universe, together with the dimensions of matter and time, came into existence as a result of a great explosion that occurred a long time ago. This event, known as "The Big Bang," is the catalyst for the creation of the universe from nothingness. This explosion, all parties in the scientific community agree, emanated from a single point some 15 billion years ago. Before the Big Bang, there was no such thing as matter. From a condition of non-existence in which neither matter, nor energy, nor even time existed-and which can only be described metaphysically-matter, energy, and time were all created in an instant. This fact, only recently discovered by modern physics, was announced to us in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago. The sensitive sensors on board the COBE space satellite, launched by NASA in 1992, captured evidentiary remnants of the Big Bang. This discovery served as evidence for the Big Bang, which is the scientific explanation of the fact that the universe was created from nothing. THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE In the Qur'an, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago at a time when the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described in the following terms: And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Qur'an, 51:47) The word "heaven," as stated in the verse above, is used in various places in the Qur'an. It is referring to space and the wider universe. Here again, the word is used with this meaning, stating that the universe "expands." The Arabic word "moosiaaoona" in the term "inna lamoosiaaoona," translated into English as "it is We Who are steadily expanding it", comes from the verb "evsea," meaning "to expand." The prefix "la" emphasises the following name or title and adds a sense of "to a great extent." This expression therefore means "We expand the sky or the universe to a great extent." This is the very conclusion that science has reached today. Until the dawn of the 20th century, the only view prevailing in the world of science was that "the universe has a constant nature and it has existed since infinite time." However, modern research, observations, and calculations carried out by means of modern technology have revealed that the universe in fact had a beginning and that it constantly "expands." At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian physicist Alexander Friedmann and the Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaitre theoretically calculated that the universe is in constant motion and that it is expanding. This notion was confirmed by the use of observational data in 1929. While observing the sky with a telescope, Edwin Hubble, the American astronomer, discovered that the stars and galaxies were constantly moving away from each other. This discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy. During these observations, Hubble established that the stars emit a light that turns redder according to their distance. That is because according to the known laws of physics, light heading towards a point of observation turns violet, and light moving away from that point assumes a more reddish hue. During his observations, Hubble noted a tendency towards the colour red in the light emitted by stars. In short, the stars were moving further and further away, all the time. The stars and galaxies were not only moving away from us, but also from each other. A universe where everything constantly moves away from everything else implied a constantly expanding universe. The observations carried out in the following years verified that the universe is constantly expanding. In order to gain a clearer understanding of this, let us imagine the universe to be the surface of a balloon being inflated. In the same way that the more the balloon is inflated, the further away the points on its surface move from one another, celestial bodies also move away from one another as the universe expands. This was theoretically discovered by Albert Einstein, regarded as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century. However, in order to avoid violating the "static universe model" that was generally accepted at that time, Einstein laid that discovery aside. He would later describe this as the greatest blunder of his life. This fact was explained in the Qur'an in a time when telescopes and similar technological advancements were not even close to being invented. This is because the Qur'an is the Word of Allah: the Creator and Ruler of the entire universe. From the moment of the Big Bang, the universe has been constantly expanding at a great speed. Scientists compare the expanding universe to the surface of a balloon that is inflated. THE END OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE BIG CRUNCH As we have stated above, the creation of the universe began with a huge explosion. From this point, the universe has been expanding ever since. Scientists say that when the mass of the universe has reached a sufficient level, this expansion will come to an end because of gravity, causing the universe to collapse in on itself. It is also believed that the contracting universe will end in a fierce heat and contraction known as the "Big Crunch." This would lead to the end of all forms of life as we know them. Renata Kallosh and Andrei Linde, professors of physics from Stanford University, made the following statements on the subject: The universe may be doomed to collapse and disappear. Everything we see now, and at a much larger distance that we cannot see, will collapse into a point smaller than a proton. Locally, it will be the same as if you were inside a black hole... We have found that some of the best attempts to describe dark energy predict that it will gradually become negative, which will cause the universe to become unstable, then collapse... Physicists have known that dark energy could become negative and the universe could collapse sometime in the very distant future... but now we see that we might be, not in the beginning, but in the middle of the life cycle of our universe. This is how this scientific hypothesis of the Big Crunch is indicated in the Qur'an: That Day We will fold up heaven like folding up the pages of a book. As We originated the first creation so We will regenerate it. It is a promise binding on Us. That is what We will do. (Qur'an, 21:104) In another verse, this state of the heavens is described thus: They do not measure Allah with His true measure. The whole earth will be a mere handful for Him on the Day of Rising the heavens folded up in His right hand. Glory be to Him! He is exalted above the partners they ascribe! (Qur'an, 39:67) According to the Big Crunch theory, the universe will begin to collapse slowly and will then increasingly pick up speed. At the end of the process the universe will have infinite density and be infinitely hot and small. This scientific theory runs parallel to the Qur'anic explanation of this particular scientific concept. (Allah knows best) The Big Crunch theory proposes that the universe, that began expanding with the Big Bang, will collapse in on itself with increasing speed. According to the theory, this collapse of the universe will continue until the universe has lost all its mass and turned into a single point of infinite density. CREATION FROM HOT SMOKE Scientists today are able to observe the formation of stars from a hot gas cloud. Formation from a warm mass of gas also applies to the creation of the universe. The creation of the universe as described in the Qur'an confirms this scientific discovery in the following verse: He placed firmly embedded mountains on it, towering over it, and blessed it and measured out its nourishment in it, laid out for those who seek it-all in four days. Then He turned to heaven when it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come willingly or unwillingly." They both said, "We come willingly." (Qur'an, 41:10-11) The Arabic word for "smoke" in the above verse is "dukhanun," which describes the hot, cosmic smoke in question. This word in the Qur'an, in pinpoint fashion, describes this smoke very accurately for it is a warm body of gas containing mobile particles connected to solid substances. Here, the Qur'an has employed the most appropriate word from the Arabic language for describing the appearance of this phase of the universe. Let us note that only in the 20th century have scientists discovered that the universe emerged from a hot gas in the form of smoke. The fact that such information about the creation of the universe is given in the Qur'an is nothing short of a miracle of the Qur'an THE SPLITTING ASUNDER OF "THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH" Another verse about the creation of the heavens is as follows: Do those who disbelieve not see that the heavens and the earth were sewn together and then We unstitched them and that We made from water every living thing? So will they not believe? (Qur'an, 21:30) The word "ratq" translated as "sewn to" means "mixed in each, blended" in the Arabic vernacular. It is used to refer to two different substances that make up a whole. The phrase "we unstitched" is the verb "fataqa" in Arabic and implies that something comes into being by tearing apart or destroying the structure of things that are sewn to one another. The sprouting of a seed from the soil is one of the actions to which this verb is applied. Let us take a look at the verse again. In the verse, sky and earth are at first subject to the status of "ratq." They are separated (fataqa) with one coming out of the other. Intriguingly, when we think about the first moments of the Big Bang, we see that the entire matter of the universe collected at one single point. In other words, everything-including "the heavens and earth" which were not created yet-were in an interwoven and inseparable condition. Then, this point exploded violently, causing its matter to disunite. THE CREATION OF WHAT LIES BETWEEN THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH The Qur'an contains a great many verses concerning the creation of the earth, the heavens and what lies between: We did not create the heavens and earth and everything between them, except with truth. The Hour is certainly coming, so turn away graciously. (Qur'an, 15:85) Everything in the heavens and everything on the earth and everything in between them and everything under the ground belongs to Him. (Qur'an, 20:6) We did not create heaven and earth and everything in between them as a game. (Qur'an, 21:16) Scientists state that first of all, a mass of hot gas increased in density. This mass later divided into smaller parts to form galactic matter and later still, the stars and planets. To put it another way, the Earth along with stars around it, are all parts which separated from a united body of gas. Some of these parts brought the suns and planets into being, thus leading to the emergence of the many Solar Systems and galaxies. As we have set out in earlier sections of this book, the universe was first in a state of "ratq" (fusion: combined together, united) and then became "fataqa" (divided into parts). The emergence of the universe is described with the most suitable words in the Qur'an, in such a way as to confirm the scientific accounts. On the occasion of every division, a few particles remained outside the new, fundamental bodies forming in space. The scientific name for these extra particles is "interstellar galactic material." Interstellar matter consists of 60% of hydrogen, 38% of helium and 2% of all other elements. 99% of the interstellar matter consists of interstellar gas and 1% of interstellar dust, which probably consists of heavy elements in small particles of 0,0001 to 0.001 mm in diameter. Scientists regard these substances as very important from the point of view of astrophysical measurements. These substances are so fine as to be capable of being regarded as dust, smoke or gas. However, when one considers these substances as a whole, they represent a larger mass than the total of all the galaxies in space. Although the existence of this interstellar galactic matter was only discovered in 1920, attention was drawn to the existence of these particles, described as "ma baynahuma"-translated as "everything between them"-hundreds of years ago in the Qur'an. THE PERFECT EQUILIBRIUM IN THE UNIVERSE He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any discrepancy in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again-do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and exhausted! (Qur'an, 67:3-4) The billions of stars and galaxies in the universe move in perfect equilibrium in the paths set out for them. Stars, planets and satellites rotate not only around their own axes but also together with the systems of which they are an integral part. Sometimes, galaxies containing 200-300 billion stars move across each others' paths. Yet amazingly, no collisions take place that might damage the great order in the universe. This miracle is something over which all of us should reflect. In the universe, the concept of speed assumes giant dimensions when compared to earthly measurements. Stars, planets, galaxies and conglomerations of galaxies-whose numerical properties can only be conceived by mathematicians-weigh billions or trillions of tons, and move through space at extraordinary speeds. For example, the Earth rotates at 1,670 kmph. If we consider that the fastest-moving bullet today possesses an average speed of 1,800 kmph, we can see how fast the Earth is moving, despite its enormous size and mass. The speed of the Earth as it orbits the Sun is some 60 times faster than a bullet: 108,000 kmph. If we were able to construct a vehicle capable of moving at that speed, it would be able to circumnavigate the Earth in 22 minutes. These figures apply only to the Earth. Those for the Solar System are even more fascinating. The speed of that system is such as to exceed the bounds of reason: The larger the systems in the universe, the greater their speed. The Solar System's speed of orbit around the centre of the galaxy is 720,000 kmph. The Milky Way, with its 200 billion or so stars, moves through space at 950,000 kmph. There is no doubt that there is a very high risk of collisions in such a complicated and fast-moving system. Yet nothing of the sort actually happens and we continue with our lives in complete safety. That is because everything in the universe functions according to the flawless equilibrium set out by Allah. It is for this reason that, as stated in the verse, there is no "discrepancy" in the system. THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE STARS We built seven firm layers above you. We installed a blazing lamp. (Qur'an, 78:12-13) As we know, the only source of light in the Solar System is the Sun. With advances in technology, astronomers discovered that the Moon was not a source of light but that it merely reflects the light reaching it from the Sun. The expression "lamp" in the above verse is a translation of the Arabic word "sirajan," which most perfectly describes the Sun, the source of light and heat. In the Qur'an Allah employs different words when referring to such celestial bodies as the Moon, the Sun and the stars. This is how the differences between the structures of the Sun and Moon are expressed in the Qur'an: Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers, and placed the moon as a light in them and made the sun a blazing lamp? (Qur'an, 71:15-16) In the above verse, the word "light" is used for the Moon ("nooran" in Arabic) and the word "lamp" for the Sun ("sirajan" in Arabic.) The word used for the Moon refers to a light-reflecting, bright, motionless body. The word used for the Sun refers to a celestial body which is always burning, a constant source of heat and light. On the other hand, the word "star" comes from the Arabic root "nejeme," meaning "appearing, emerging, visible." As in the verse below, stars are also referred to by the word "thaqib," which is used for that which shines and pierces the darkness with light: self-consuming and burning: It is the star that pierces through darkness! (Qur'an, 86:3) We now know that the Moon does not emit its own light but reflects that reaching it from the Sun. We also know that the Sun and stars do emit their own light. These facts were revealed in the Qur'an in an age when mankind simply did not have the means to make scientific discoveries of their own accord. It was an age when peoples' knowledge of celestial bodies was severely restricted, to say the least. This further emphasises the miraculous nature of the book of Islam. to be continue........

Bismillah. The Existence of God Invitation to Islam, The concept of a Supreme Creator of the universe has been something, which the western world has been trying to prove or refute now for thousands of years. However, only in the past 200 years have the creme de la creme of western intellectuals, come to the conclusion that a God/Creator of the universe is and has been a figment of mans imagination. This conclusion was formed as a reaction to the beliefs and practices of Christianity, which was a major force in European life at this time. Beliefs such as that of the Trinity[1] and the divine nature of Jesus Christ, were so complicated to understand - even for the elite of the church - that eventually the idea of a supreme and perfect creator (which Christianity had distorted) was replaced by many new theories which tried to explain how mankind came about and developed. Many different theories were introduced to the western world, but one common trait, which they all shared, was that there was no Supreme force, which governed the universe. So where does Islam come into all of this? Islam[2] is the one way of life, the one religion which until now has not been challenged successfully by any philosopher, atheist or intellectual. Rather the case has been the exact opposite and there have been thousands, if not millions, of so-called 'atheists' who have reverted back to Islam. So how does Islam explain the existence of this Supreme Creator? The Natural Way Allaah says in his final revelation, the Qur'aan: (Surah Ar-Rum 30:30) Quran wrote: Sura 30 - Ar-Room [The Romans, The Byzantines] Verse 30-30: 30. فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا لا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يَعْلَمُونَ Quran translation wrote: Sura 30 - Ar-Room [The Romans, The Byzantines] Verse 30-30: 30. So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not. The pure nature which is mentioned in this verse is probably the most convincing proof of a divine creator to any sincere seeker of truth. Which person can deny (atheist or otherwise) that when he/she is in dire trouble, when life is about to be taken away from them, when the pressures are unbearable - that then do they turn to that force above the skies. How many times are we confronted by a scenario in which the words: "Please God help me, and I promise that I will always pray to you and be good." roll off our tongues with such sincerity? Every time something bad happens, words such as these come out of the people's mouths. Yet as soon as the harm is removed the very same people beseeching the help of their creator, turn away: (Surah An-Nahl 16:53-54) Quran wrote: Sura 16 - An-Nahl [The Bee] Verse 53-54: 53. وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْأَرُونَ 54. ثُمَّ إِذَا كَشَفَ الضُّرَّ عَنْكُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِنْكُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ Quran translation wrote: Sura 16 - An-Nahl [The Bee] Verse 53-54: 53. And ye have no good thing but is from Allah: and moreover, when ye are touched by distress, unto Him ye cry with groans; 54. Yet, when He removes the distress from you, behold! some of you turn to other gods to join with their Lord- This pure nature which every human is born with is known as the Fitrah in the Arabic language. Every human being, man or woman is born with this natural instinct to recognise the Creator and turn to Him. This is proved by the hadeeth[3] of the last messenger to mankind Muhammed (s.a.w.) who said: "Every child is born upon the pure fitra, it is only his parents that later turn him into a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.[4]"[5] In fact if humans were not influenced by their societal pressures then their belief in the Creator would be distinct and clearly visible. But unfortunately this is not the case, and there exists in all non-Muslim societies a clear trend to distort the nature of human beings. One of the ways in which this is done in western societies is through the education system and its institutions. Western education is based around a whole body of secular thought which has no place for a Creator. In science lessons kids are taught that we are the ancestors of monkeys and apes and that this implies that we came about by pure chance.[6] In subjects such as psychology and sociology we are taught that religion is a tool of the privileged few who oppress the downtrodden majority.[7] This form of education has also unfortunately influenced the Muslims, and we find it very common nowadays to see the likes of the 'Abdullaah's' and the 'Fatima's' of western society proclaiming that they do not believe in God. The Beauty of creation Allaah says in the Qur'aan: (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:164) Quran wrote: Sura 2 - Al-Baqara [The Cow] Verse 164-164: 164. إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ وَاخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ وَمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِنْ مَاءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الأرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأرْضِ لآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ Quran translation wrote: Sura 2 - Al-Baqara [The Cow] Verse 164-164: 164. Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah Sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they Trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;- (Here) indeed are Signs for a people that are wise. SubhaanAllaah![8] How beautiful and accurate this verse is. Is it not true that when we look at the world around us we see such beauty and craftsmanship. Surely such excellence could not have come about by chance. Everything in this world and universe runs on a set course and pattern, so how is it possible then, that by pure chance everything in this universe was created with such skill and precision? The wonders of nature are absolutely astounding, the wind, the rain, the hail and the snow were all products of chance, then why is it that mankind, with all his technological know how, cannot even divert the softest of breezes which blows through the trees in summer? The answer is obvious. All these natural elements are aspects of Allaah's Creation and he alone can control and manipulate them as he wills. In fact the Creation of Allaah is so perfect that even if we try to detect a fault in it, then we will not succeed: (Surah Al-Mulk 67:1-4) Quran wrote: Sura 67 - Al-Mulk [The Sovereignty, Control, Dominion] Verse 1-4: 1. تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ 2. الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ 3. الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا مَا تَرَى فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَنِ مِنْ تَفَاوُتٍ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِنْ فُطُورٍ 4. ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنْقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ Quran translation wrote: Sura 67 - Al-Mulk [The Sovereignty, Control, Dominion] Verse 1-4: 1. Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion; and He over all things hath Power;- 2. He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving;- 3. He Who created the seven heavens one above another: No want of proportion wilt thou see in the Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious. So turn thy vision again: seest thou any flaw? 4. Again turn thy vision a second time: (thy) vision will come back to thee dull and discomfited, in a state worn out. It is not just the seas, the mountains, the rivers and the skies which are a proof for the existence of our Creator, but also ourselves. Allaah says in the Qur'aan: (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:20-21) Quran wrote: Sura 51 - Adh-Dhariyat [The Winnowing winds] Verse 20-21: 20. وَفِي الأرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِلْمُوقِنِينَ 21. وَفِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَفَلا تُبْصِرُونَ Quran translation wrote: Sura 51 - Adh-Dhariyat [The Winnowing winds] Verse 20-21: 20. On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith, 21. As also in your own selves: Will ye not then see? The variety of humanity is indeed amazing, black and white, tall and short, fat and thin, good and evil, man and woman etc. etc. How many times have we considered the complex makeup of our bodies both physical and mental and found it to be completely beyond belief. It is known that if the intestines of a human being were taken out of the body, they would be so long that they could cover the entire area of a tennis court! But when we think about these long intestines being inside of us, it astounds and amazes us. The human brain is thought to be more powerful that any mainframe computer on earth, whilst the eye is said to be more complex and structured then any telescope invented by man. The human mind is something which is still undiscovered by psychologists and psychiatrists, and the nature of our dreams and thoughts is something which these people will probably never unravel. So we should ask ourselves, is it still possible for such a complex being such as ourselves, to be a mere product of chance, or rather, are we products of a supreme and skillful creator, who has shown us that he really is Al-Khaliq?[9] Yet despite our complicated and intricate makeup, our comparison to the Creator is not even possible. Mankind with his level of technology has gained the impression that he is the most supreme being in this universe. Yet when we look at examples of western society we see that these same humans who claim such superiority, cannot even maintain basic standards of hygiene! Washing the body-parts after urinating or excreting has almost become a sin for many people in the west, yet at the same time these people are the very same who claim technological advancement! Maybe if they believed in a Creator, the basics of life would perchance return to them, just as they have returned to the Muslims. The proofs for the existence of a creator are so numerous that it would take us a very long time to go through every single one. So finally we should remember, that the creation of humanity was neither an accident, nor a development from monkey to man. Rather it was the creation of Allah the Most High, the Most Perfect, who reminds us of the stupidity of those who claim that He did not create us: (Surah At-Tur 52:35-36) Quran wrote: Sura 52 - At-Tur [The Mount] Verse 35-36: 35. أَمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ الْخَالِقُونَ 36. أَمْ خَلَقُوا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضَ بَل لا يُوقِنُونَ Quran translation wrote: Sura 52 - At-Tur [The Mount] Verse 35-36: 35. Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators? 36. Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no firm belief. Footnotes [1] The belief that the Father (God), the son (Jesus) and the Holy spirit (?) are all parts of one God, despite the fact that they are 3 separate entities!! To this very day millions of Christians are still unable to understand this belief, which is one of the reasons why it has even been thrown out of some versions of the Bible. [2] The meaning of Islam is to 'sincerely submit your will, to the will of Allaah (God)'. [3] Hadeeth: A report of the Prophet Muhammed's (s.a.w.'s) sayings, actions or approvals. [4] A Magian is another word for a fire worshipper. [5] Sahih Muslim. [6] This theory was made popular by a man known as Charles Darwin. [7] This is the view of the German scientist Karl Marx. [8] Glory be to Allaah who is free form any imperfection. [9] The supreme creator: This is one of the many attributes of Allaah.

Bismillah. Why Allah sent Prophets and Messengers ? Ever since people innovated the dogma of joining others in worship along with Allah, Allah had been sending Prophets and Messengers to His devotees in order to invite them to the worship of Allah and Allah Alone, to order them not to ascribe partners unto Him and bring them out of the darkness of polytheism and into the light of Monotheism. All the Prophets preached the belief in the Oneness of Allah. The following verses from the Noble Qur’an illustrate this fact: “Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people and he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a great Day!’” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:59) “And to ‘Aad (people, We sent) their brother Hood. He said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Will you not fear (Allah)?’” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:65) “And to (the people of) Madyaan (Midian), (We sent) their brother Shu’ayb. He said: ‘O my People! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you, so give full measure and full weight and wrong not men in their things, and do not make mischief on the earth after it has been set in order, that will be better for you, if you are believers.’” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:85) “And to Thamood (people, We sent) their brother Saalih. He said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah).’” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:73) “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): Worship Allah (Alone) and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities etc. do not worship Taaghoots besides Allah).” (An-Nahl, The Bee 16:36) Every Prophet was sent unto his own nation for their guidance, but the Message of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam – peace be upon him) was general for all mankind and jinn (a being created from smokeless flames). “Say [O Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)]: ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.’” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:158) So the aim of sending these Prophets and Messengers to mankind and jinn was only that they should worship Allah Alone, as Allah said: “And I (Allah) created not the jinn and men except they should worship Me (Alone)” (Adh-Dhaariyaat, The Winds that Scatter 51:56) And to worship Allah means to obey Him and to do all that He has ordained, – and to fear Him by abstaining from all that He has forbidden. Then those who will obey Allaah will be rewarded in Paradise, and those who will disobey Him will be punished in the Hell-fire.

Bismillah. by Shaad Ahmed Before Marrying Selecting a Spouse The first thing we should look for when marrying is how committed the person is to Islam. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "A woman is normally sought as a wife for her wealth, beauty, nobility, or religiousness (adherence to Islam), but choose a religious woman and you will prosper. " (Muslim) And he said, "A woman is married for four things, i.e., her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religion. You should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser. "(Bukhari) And he said, "The whole world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious woman. " (Muslim) The same holds true when looking for a husband, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "When someone with whose religion and character you are satisfied asks to marry your daughter, comply with his request. If you do not do so, there will be corruption and great evil on earth. " (Tirmidhi) Of course, both parties have to agree to marry one another and they can not be forced to marry one another . The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "A woman whom has been previously married has more right concerning herself than her guardian, and a virgin’s consent must be asked about herself…" (Bukhari and Muslim) Rules of Al-Khutbah (Request to marry a woman and the acceptance of the proposal) The man has permission to see her face before agreeing to marry as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Go and look at her (the woman you are considering marrying) because this will help your time together to be strengthened. " ( Ahmad ) After a man and woman have agreed to marry, they have to remember that the man is still not her mahram (men prohibited to her, including her father, brothers, sons, maternal and paternal uncles, and nephews). This means they can not still deal with one another as partners in any way (such as shaking hands, gazing at one another, being alone together, going out together, etc.), or go out with one another as we see people in the west doing. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not have a private audience with a woman without her mahram. " ( Ahmad ) The Wedding Ceremony (Nikaah) Components 1 – Consent: ‘Aishah® asked Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) if women must be asked for their permission of marriage. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) replied, "Yes. " She said, ‘The virgin is asked for her permission but she gets shy. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Her silence is her permission. " (Bukhari and Muslim) 2 – The Wallee (Woman’s Guardian): Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "There is no nikaah except with a wallee. " ( Ahmad , Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi) 3 – Two Witnesses: Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "There is no marriage except with a wallee and trustworthy witnesses. " (Sahih- Bayhaqee) Also, "There is no marriage except with a wallee and two witnesses. " (Sahih Al-Jaami’) 4 – The Mahr (Dowry): Allah says (what means): "And give to the women their dowry with a good heart, but if they out of their own good pleasure remit any part of it to you, take it and enjoy it without fear of any harm. " (Al-Nisa4:4) The mahr can be of any amount, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Look for one even if it was an iron ring. " (Bukhari and Muslim) The woman is not obliged to give the man anything at the time of the wedding, as is done in some cultures. Acts to be Avoided We should be careful to not act as the disbelievers do regarding their mixing of men and women, wearing tuxedos and white wedding gowns, exchanging rings, kissing in public, etc. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Whoever resembles a people is one of them. " (Abu Dawood) After the Wedding Supporting One’s Wife The man is responsible for providing for his wife, as Allah says (what means), "Let the wealthy man spend according to his means; and let the man whose provisions are restricted spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what He has given it, and Allah will grant ease after a hardship. " (Al-Talaq65:7) Islam even gives women the right to take secretly money from their husbands if the husbands are not providing for them. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, came to Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, Abu Sufyan is a stingy man and does not give me and my children enough provisions except when I take something from him with out his knowledge. " Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Take what is reasonably sufficient for you and your children. " (Bukhari and Muslim) Educating One’s Family Since the man has put in the position of providing for his family, he must also provide them with the proper Islamic education to keep them from the hellfire. Allah says (what means), "O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones (that were worshipped), over it are appointed angels stern and severe, who disobey not the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded. " (Al-Tahrim66:6) Both the husband and wife should make sure their home is a place where Allah is remembered and His Commandments are reflected and acted upon. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "The similitude of a home in which Allah is remembered and a home in which He is not is like the living and the dead. " (Muslim) The Wife Obeying Her Husband A woman must obey her husband as long as he does not tell her to perform any haraam(unlawful) acts. Allah says (what means), "…the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in absence what Allah would have then guard. " (Al-Nisa4:34) Kind Treatment To One’s Wife Just because Allah has given men a position of authority does not give them the right to abuse it. They have to treat their wives in the best manner. Allah says (what means), "Live with them honorably. " (Al-Nisa4:19) Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "The believer with the most complete faith is the one with the best character, and the best of them are those whom treat their women the best. " (Tirmidhi) We can see from the seerah (biography) of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) that he would help his wives with housework and would engage in games with them as well. This article did not cover all the aspects of marriage, but it is hoped it was beneficial. Anything good in this article is from Allah and anything incorrect is from myself.

Bismillah. Today the Ummah finds itself in a similar position to that of the Bani Israeel under the tyrannical rule of Firaun. Subjugated, weak and helpless, they lead a miserable existence in the world. The Quran draws a graphical account of the suffering of the Bani Israeel – "And (remember) when We delivered you from Firaun's people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and therein was a mighty trial from your Lord." 2; 49 Bani Isreal was too weak to rise up against the oppression of Firaun. They were not even able to escape or run away from Firaun’s land. When the misery and suffering of Bani Isreal went beyond bounds, Allah Ta’ala inspired Moosa (AS) and Haroon (AS) with a plan of action to liberate Bani Israel from their suffering. PLAN OF ACTION – SPIRITUAL UPLIFTMENT The plan of action was simple and easy, yet very effective. It was a plan for spiritual upliftment. It was through this plan of action that Bani Isreal received the spiritual strength and conviction to take up the challenges facing them. The plan was to focus on the home and make the environment of the home one of Ibadah and righteousness. "And We inspired Moosa and his brother (saying): "Take dwellings for your people in Egypt, and make your homes as places for your worship, and perform Salaah, and give glad tidings to the believers." 10; 87 The focus of the Bani Isreal was changed from lamenting their lot and cursing their oppressors to engaging in acts of worship and creating an environment of righteousness within the home. This intensive spiritual program within the home inspired their hearts with faith and conviction on Allah Ta’ala and removed from their hearts the fear of Firaun. From this point onwards, they progressed spiritually to the point when the entire nation witnessed the miraculous salvation of Bani Isreal with the parting of the Red Sea, and which became the cause of the destruction of Firaun and his armies. SOLUTION FOR THIS UMMAH A similar plan of action is required for this Ummah. In this difficult hour, when the Muslim Ummah is weak and bleeding from multiple wounds inflicted on its limbs and members, it is time to go back home and recover our spiritual health, well-being and strength once more. It is time for the entire Ummah to focus on the home - in the words of the Qur’an "Make your homes as places for worship, and perform Salaah..." When this Ummah succeeds in this spiritual program within the home, and gains sufficient spiritual power, then it is time for glad tidings of success. In the word of al-Qur’an: "And give glad tidings to the believers." 10; 87 Instead of looking within the home and improving the spirituality and righteousness in the home, the tendency within the Ummah nowadays is to look outside and to apportion blame elsewhere. Some times the blame is put on the enemies of the Ummah, sometimes on the corrupt leaders, sometimes on the Ulama. But the solution to the problems of this Ummah begins first inside the home, not outside. It is time to set our house in order first. Time to sweep our own backyards first, before everything else. It is time to go back to the very basics which most of the Ummah have discarded wholly. THE SAD STATE OF MUSLIM HOMES The Muslim home of today is hardly as the Qur’an demanded: "Make your homes as places for worship, and perform Salaah..." Instead we find a sad and pathetic state of affairs in most Muslim homes of today. Homes are in great turmoil, sad places, with family members like strangers unto one another. The home of today is more like a hotel or motel, with people checking in and out with almost no care or concern for each other. There is little communication, feelings or love. Outwardly, these homes appear huge, spacious, airy, well-lit and palatial, but in reality they are dark, narrow, stifling and constricted places for their dwellers, who prefer to be away from their homes. How to implement this verse of the Holy Qur’an in our homes? How do we create a spiritually-vibrant environment within the home? There are numerous practical steps that need to be taken in this respect. Some of these entail the establishment of Salaah for every member of the home as the very first step. This is to be then followed up with excessive Zikrullah, much Tilawah of the Holy Qur’an, Ta’leem for the whole family of Duas, Surahs, basic rules of Shari’ah and virtues of good deeds, Respect for elders, Kindness towards young ones, Obedience to instructions, Good mannerism, Following of Sunnahs, Inviting of pious people to the home, Good Islamic reading and audio material in the home, Simplicity, Modesty, Mashwara in family matters, Consideration for servants, and removing of every evil and sinful influence from within the home. This is the way to bring about a good conducive spiritual environment in the home. When Muslim homes will become a true center of spiritual upliftment, every home will give to the Ummah such a calibre of men and women, who will deliver the Muslim Ummah from the abyss of degradation and humiliation to the heights of glory and triumph!

Bismillah. “After repenting from sins and turning over a new leaf, some people experience flashbacks of sinful activities they had once been involved in. Shaytān instigates such flashbacks, intending them to cause disturbance and confusion. Many people are unsettled and worried about such thoughts. It should be understood that if such thoughts come involuntarily, without a conscious effort to bring them to mind, one should not worry. No attention whatsoever should be paid to them. And because they cause hardship to a believer, patiently putting up with them entails reward.”

Bismillah. There was a professor of philosophy who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years, he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever really gone against him because of his reputation. At the end of every semester on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Because anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that He is God, and yet He can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students would do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students thought that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up. Well, a few years ago there was a freshman that happened to enrol. He was a Muslim, and had heard the stories about his professor. He was required to take the class for his major, and he was afraid. But for three months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said, or what the class thought. Nothing they said could ever shatter his faith...he hoped. Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!! If God existed, he would keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away unbroken. The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man, and then ran out of the lecture hall. The young man, who had stood, proceeded to walk to the front of the room and shared his faith in Islam for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of Allah's love for them and to be the followers of our beloved prophet Mohammed (pbuh).

Bismillah. Allah becomes very angry whenever someone regards a sin as minute. There was a man named Damut i among the Bani Israel. Once he was walking outside his town when he came upon a small inlet that was surrounded by barren trees and there was hardly any vegetation. He began thinking that it would be very pretty if there were waterfalls and fruit trees to beautify the scenery. Allah sent ilham (inspiration) upon him saying, “Damut, have you left my servitude and become my advisor that you point out blemishes in My Creation?” Hadrat Damut i became terrified, and at that point decided that he would punish himself by not eating until he received ilham from Allah granting him forgiveness. A few days passed in this state, and Hadrat Damut i had not eaten. There was a function at someone’s house and so he brought food for Hadrat Damut i. Hadrat Damut i refused to eat despite much insistence. After much persuasion as to why, he finally told the townspeople the reason why he was not eating. Hearing this one of them said, “This is not such a serious matter. Please eat and we will bear amongst ourselves whatever punishment Allah i may send.” At once Allah inspired Hadrat Damut i with the following; “My beloved, leave this town now, for I want the crush these people within the earth.” How can anyone claim to be a servant of Allah and then dare to say that he can withstand Allah’s punishment? The Holy Quran says that Allah’s punishment is indeed terrible. The Messenger of Allah would be grieved whenever the Holy Quran talked about the result of previous nations that disobeyed. He used to worry constantly about his own nation. The Sahabah noticed some white hairs in his beard and commented, “Your hair have become white O Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Surah Hud has made me old.” Allah says in the Holy Quran that there is only destruction for the people of Thamud. The Prophet would become frightened and worried about his nation because of such verses. Hence the believer remains in constant fear of destruction being written for him. The common people remain scared because of their sins, whereas the pious and those close to Allah are scared because of their good deeds, always begging forgiveness because they are not worthy of being presented to Allah. Allah says that He has created life and death so that He may test who does good deeds. We have been told to do good deeds, but our prayers are hurried because we are thinking about work, our study of the Holy Quran and Hadith is short and infrequent because we get “tired” and have so much else to do. Yes we are fulfilling the command of doing good deeds, but what value do these kinds of deeds have when presented in front of the Master of all creation?

Bismillah. The story is told that when Luqmaan's (A.S.) Master bought him, the other slaves looked upon him as being despicable. One day the Master sent all of them into the garden to pick fruit. All the slaves started eating the fruit. They ate to their heart's delight and went to inform the Master that Hazrat Luqmaan (A.S.) had eaten the fruit. This made the Master very much displeased with Luqmaan (A.S.). Hazrat Luqmaan (A.S.) advised the Master: "Please investigate this matter thoroughly. I did not eat the fruit. I will tell you of a plan which will prove who the culprits were. The whole truth will become clear to you. Make preparations for hunting". From the stable the Master ordered that horses be brought. The Master sat down on his horse. Then Hazrat Luqmaan (A.5.) said: "Proceed speedily in the direction of the desert. But before you proceed give everyone of the slaves, warm water to drink. Let everyone drink himself to the full with warm water. Very soon you will discover who the real culprits are". The result was that when those who had eaten the fruit were forced to run along, the quick movements caused them to start vomiting. That was because after drinking hot water, the fast movements caused their stomachs to become even more heated. Moreover the path they trod which led to the desert was an uneven one, with ups and downs. This made vomiting unavoidable. In the vomit, the signs of their having eaten the fruit was quite clear, because the time which passed since they had eaten was too short for the fruit to be digested. Hazrat Luqmaan (A.S.) did not vomit as there was no fruit in his stomach. Through the wise plan of Hazrat Luqmaan (A.S.) all the slaves were put to shame and were embarrassed. The Master became very pleased with the wisdom of the plan and as a result Luqmaan (A.S.) became a favourite of the Master. Maulana Rumi (R.A.) says: "When such is the wisdom of Luqmaan (AS.), Imagine the wisdom of the True Master of all".

Bismillah. by Usama Mahmood Our honourable Shaykh was sitting once in the masjid and sitting near by was a child. Shaykh, in a playful manner, took off the cap of the child’s head and asked the child if he would let him keep it. Shaykh then addressed the gathering: “This cap can not fit my head because of its size and the size of my head. He then said “Deen is like the head of person and the cap is us. Deen is a fixed religion sent by Allah and we have to work around to facilitate its requirements, just as you would do and alter the cap for it to fit you. However you wouldn’t trim your head so that the cap fits you?! This is the condition of the Muslims today they change around the Deen to suit them. This is why the wrath of Allah descends. So we must change ourselves so that we fit in the different branches of the religion of Islam”.

by al-Jumu'ah Magazine The Salaf have understood the Deen of Allah as well as the essence of this life and its inescapable leading to the Hereafter, so they felt aversion for the distractions and the tribulations of the world. They found no sleep and their heart kept away from desires. They kept above the insignificant concerns of life. Their biographies abound with stories that show their striving in righteousness, repentance and their strong will in worship and humbleness: Al-Hasan al-Basri said, "Whoever competes with you in the Deen then try to surpass him, and whoever competes with you in the matters of this life then throw it back at him." Whenever he missed a Salah in congregation, Ibn Umar radhiallahu and used to fast one day, pray for one whole night, and free a slave . Abu Musa al Ash'ari used to apply himself so much in worship a the end of his life that he was told, "Why don't you slow down and be gentle with yourself?" He replied, "When the horses are released for a race and are close to the finish line, they give all the strength they have. What is left of my life is less than that." He maintained the same level of devotion and worship until he died. Mawriq al-'Ajli said, "I did not find an example, for the believer in this life, better than a man on a plank in the sea, imploring, 'O Lord, O Lord' hoping that Allah will save him." Usamah said, "Whenever you see Sufyan ath-Thawri, it is as if you see someone in 'a ship fearing to drown,' one would often hear him say, 'O Lord, save me, save me!'." Fatimah bint Abdil Malik, the wife of the Khalifah Umar ibn Abdil-Aziz said, "I have never seen a person offering salah or fasting more than he did, or a person fearing the Lord more than him. After offering Salat-ul-Isha, he would sit down and cry until he becomes sleepy, then he would wake up again and continue crying until sleep overtakes him." Amir ibn Abdullah was once asked, "How can you tolerate being awake all night, and thirsty in the intense heat of the day?" He replied, "Is it anything more that postponing the food of the day to night-time, and the sleep of the night to daytime? This is not a big matter." When the night came, he would say, "Remembrance of the heat of hellfire has taken sleepiness from me." And he would not sleep until dawn. Ahmad ibn Harb said, "I wonder how the one who knows that above him, paradise is being embellished, and below him, hell fire is being kindled, and yet sleeps between them!" Waqi' said, "Al Amash was almost seventy years old and he never missed the first takbirah (for salah in the masjid). I used to visit him frequently for more than two years and never saw him make up for even one rakah." Abu Hay an related that his father said, "Ar-Rabi" ibn Khuthaym was crippled and used to be carried to the congregational salah. So people told him, 'You have an excuse (for not coming)', he said, 'I hear "hayee 'alas-salah', the call to salah; so if you can come to it even by crawling, do so," paraphrasing a hadith. Abul-Mawahib ibn Sarsari said concerning Imam abul-Qasim ibn Asakir, "I have never seen the like of him, and none had encompassed as many good characteristics as he did concerning his adherence to one way for forty years, making salah in the first row unless he had an excuse, i'tikaf during Ramadhan and the ten days of Thul-Hijjah, and the lack of desire to accumulate properties and build houses, as he forbade himself these. He turned away any position of imam or speaker, though they were offered to him, and he devoted himself to enjoin good and forbid evil, and he would not fear anyone in that."

Seeking Knowledge - The Way to Paradise By Habib Ahmad "Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have been granted knowledge to high ranks." (Qur'an) "Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female)." (Hadith) THE VIRTUES OF KNOWLEDGE Allah (Most Exalted is He), Who created us and gave us sustenance, has also given us guidance. He said: "Verily We have created man into toil and struggle… Have We not made for him a pair of eyes; and a tongue, and a pair of lips; and shown him the two ways (obedience and disobedience)?" (Qur'an, Al-Balad 90:4-10) After providing us with the capability to contemplate, think and differentiate between things, He instructed us to know Him, to know his Prophets and to know His Deen, Islam. He said: "So know that there is no god save Allah, ask forgiveness for your sins and for the believing men and the believing women. Allah knows well your moving and your place of rest." (Qur'an, Muhammad 47:19) This verse shows the importance of knowledge and the virtues that Allah has given to it. It also shows that knowledge comes before deeds, since Allah instructed His Prophet to know that He is One and the only One worthy of worship. After that, He commanded him to ask forgiveness for himself, his family and for his Ummah. If Muslims truly realise the importance Islam places on knowledge and its virtues, they will definitely be keen to learn and teach others. They would start with themselves and their families; then their neighbours and the community at large. Once Mu'awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her) gave a sermon in which he said, "I heard Allah's Messenger saying, "If Allah wants to do good to a person, he makes him very knowledgeable in the Deen." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim) This is because knowledge is the basis of all good; it generates actions that are based on the commandments of Allah and the instructions of the Prophet . Hence, every Muslim must instil in his mind a desire to seek knowledge. Allah (Most Exalted is He) instructed His Prophet -- and thus all Muslims -- to ask Allah to increase him in knowledge. He said: "And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge." (Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:114) Though, initially, all Muslims are equal in the sight of Allah, those who believe, have taqwah (fear of Allah and righteousness), and have been granted knowledge move up to higher ranks. Allah says about those who have taqwah: "Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who has most taqwah." (Qur'an, Al-Hujurat 49:13) And He said about those who believed and acquired knowledge: "Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks and (degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with all you do." (Qur'an, Al-Mujadilah 58:11) When a servant of Allah is granted knowledge, he appreciates Allah's creation more, and becomes more acquainted with Allah's attributes and qualities. Consequently, he wholeheartedly witnesses that his Creator is the only one worthy of worship, and then submits to Him humbly. This, in return, generates in his heart a fear, which is akin to a full appreciation and love of His Lord. Allah (Most Exalted is He) has witnessed in favour of His learned servants these qualities, full appreciation of His Oneness and fear of Him. He stated in two verses, to be recited until Doomsday: "There is no one worthy of worship but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels and those endowed with knowledge, Standing firm in Justice (or maintaining His Creation in Justice). There is no god but He, the Exalted in power, the Wise." (Qur'an, Al-'Imran 3:18) "It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah." (Qur'an, Fatir 35:28) The Messenger of Allah gave glad tidings to anyone who undertakes the task of seeking knowledge. Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said, "For him who embarks on the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will ease for him the way to paradise." (Related by Muslim) If no Hadith on the importance of knowledge besides this one had been uttered by the Prophet , it would have been enough for Muslims. Yet the Prophet did more than that: He used to stimulate his companions to seek knowledge: Ibn Mas'ud relates that the Prophet said, "Only two persons are worthy of being envied; a person upon whom Allah bestows riches and gives him the power to spend it in a righteous cause; and a person upon whom Allah bestows wisdom by which he judges and which he teaches." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim) He used to congratulate the companions whenever they issued a right judgement or correctly answered a question. Imam Muslim narrates that once the Prophet asked Ubayy Ibn Ka'b, "Do you know which verse in Allah's Book is the greatest?" Ubayy answered by reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi (the verse of the Throne, i.e. Al-Baqarah, 2:255): "Allah! None has the right to be worshiped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…) The Messenger kindly patted him on the chest, saying, "Congratulations, Abul-Munthir for this knowledge". He used to call upon Allah to grant them the correct knowledge and understanding of this Deen: Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, "Once the Prophet embraced me and said, 'O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur'an)." (Related by Bukhari) He ordained all his companions and, thus, every Muslim who possesses some knowledge -- even as little as one verse -- to disseminate what they know to others: He said, "Convey (what you learn from me) even if only one verse…" (Related by Bukhari) He made special du'a (supplication) for those who learn his sayings and transmit them to others: Zayd Ibn Thabit narrated that the Prophet said, "May Allah brighten the face of the person who hears what I say and retains it, then conveys it to others: for sometimes one who hears from another remembers it better than the original hearer himself." (Related by Ahmad and Tirmithi) He assured all those who disseminate his knowledge that they will get the same reward of any Muslim who acts upon that knowledge: Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said, "He who calls another to guidance will have a reward equal; to the reward of him who follows him without diminishing the reward of either of them." (Related by Muslim) He showed to us the noble status of the learned people of His Ummah: Abu Umamah relates that the Prophet said, "A learned one is as much above an (ordinary) worshiper as I am above the least of you; and he added: Allah, His angels and all those in the heavens and in the earth, even the ants in their holes and the fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct people in beneficent knowledge." (Related by Tirmithi) Better still, he declared that the 'Ulama' (those who have Islamic knowledge) are his heirs: Abu Darda' said that he heard the Prophet saying, "The 'Ulama' are heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets do not leave an inheritance of Dirhams and Dinars but (they left) only knowledge. He who acquires knowledge acquires a vast portion." (Related by Abu Dawud and Tirmithi) After reading all these promises and glad tidings, one might ask, what more do we need to awaken our consciousness? We have been promised an easy way to paradise; the inheritance of our Prophet; a lofty rank, high and noble in status; a blessing from Allah and a supplication of all that exists in the heavens and earth; a face beaming in brightness and beauty on the Day of Judgement, when other faces will be sad and dismal. So, let us embark on the road to paradise; let us seek knowledge today.

A man went to Ibn ‘Abbas radiAllaahu ‘anhu and said, “O Ibn ‘Abbas, I want to enjoin people to do good and forbid them from doing evil.” Ibn ‘Abbas said, “And have you reached that level?” He said, “I hope that that is so.” He said, “If you do not fear to be exposed by three verses of Allah’s Book, then do so.” The man asked, “And what are they?” He mentioned this verse: Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and each and every act of obedience to Allâh) on the people and you forget (to practise it) yourselves.” (Baqarah 2:44) ... And then asked, “Have you applied the implications of this verse?” He said, “No.” Ibn ‘Abbas then mentioned the second verse: O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allâh that you say that which you do not do. (As-Saff 61:2-3) After that he asked, “Have you applied the implications of this verse?” He said, “No.” He then mentioned the third verse regarding Shu’aib alayhi salaam: “I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you.” (Hud 11:88) And then he asked, “Have you applied the implications of this verse? He said, “No.” Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Then begin with yourself.”

Bismillah. Allah says in Qur’aan (29:65): If they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to others)! We seem to make du’aa only when we’re really pressed between a rock and a hard place. But our du’aas should be preceded with shows of dedication and devotion to this deen. Before going in front of Allah and asking something from Him, we ought to do some specific actions which will be a sign that we are really committed and we really mean business when it comes to establishing Allah’s deen on this Earth. So, before you ask Allah to help your financial situation, go and give a portion of what you already have showing that you really believe when you say that you put your trust in Allah. Similarly, before your 9am exam, don’t spend an hour and a half sleeping after fajr “gaining strength” and then making du’aa for Allah’s help at 8:59am on your way to the exam hall after you had just woke up at 7:50am. Spend that time reciting Qur’an and then ask for Allah’s help (after you had, of course, already studied for your exam in the days leading to the exam day).

Bismillah. Paradise is for Believing Men and Women We often hear speakers in Friday prayer or in admonitions talking about Paradise and all of us find our hearts, minds and thoughts tuned on to that 'frequency'. However, majority of the speakers talk about Paradise as if it were a house for men only. Reality is not like that. Paradise is for the believing men and women. The only price for it is sound belief in Allah, love of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). In what follows are the glad tidings given by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), to some of the women among his companions. Narrated 'Ayshah: I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet as much as I did of Khadijah (although) she died before he married me, for I often heard him mentioning her, and Allah had told him to give her the good tidings that she would have a palace of Qasab (i.e. pipes of precious stones and pearls in Paradise), and whenever he slaughtered a sheep, he would send her women-friends a good share of it. [sahih al-Bukhari] Anas reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), said: 'The best women of mankind are four: Mariam daughter of 'Imran, Assiya wife of Pharaoh, Khadijah daughter of Khuwailid, and Fatima the daughter of the Messenger of Allah.' [bukhari and Muslim] Narrated Abu Hurayrah: Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! This is Khadijah coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (i.e. Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a Qasab (palace in Paradise) wherein there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue (trouble).' [al-Bukhari] 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 woman 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.' [al-Bukhari] The aforementioned ahadith clearly state the stature of some of the women given the glad tidings of Jannah (Paradise). What can the women of today do in order to achieve that pinnacle of success, Paradise? To do so one MUST learn how these women lived, how they behaved, how they spoke, how they dressed, how they walked, etc. In this issue of al-Mu'minah we will try to learn from the black woman mentioned in the last Hadith, insha'Allah. The black woman is not even known by her name, or her exact whereabouts, rather she is known by her deeds, her faith, her modesty, her chastity, and for her being an inmate of Paradise. And, in the end, that is what matters most. When Abdullah Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said 'this black woman', he did not mean to point at her race or to belittle her in any way. Indeed, he but meant to teach the people around him a great principle of Islam which is mentioned in the verse, [in the meaning of]: 'O people! We have created you from a man and a woman and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may know each other, verily the most honorable among you in the sight of Allah are the most pious.' [Noble Quran 49:13] The same principle is mentioned in the Hadith: 'Allah does not look at your pictures (shapes) and bodies but He looks at your hearts (and your deeds).' [Muslim] She (the black woman) was physically sick, yet she sought cure in the Du'a of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). She knew that the one who cures, ash-Shafi, is Allah, and Allah would answer the Du'a of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). We conclude from this that Du'a heals all diseases be they of the body or of the heart. When commenting on this Hadith, al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said: 'It is inferred from this Hadith that the cure of diseases through Du'a and supplication to Allah (wa al-iltija' ila Allah) is the most successful way of healing, but this cannot be fulfilled unless two conditions are satisfied: pure intention and sincere trust in the effectiveness of the Du'a, and righteousness and reliance on Allah. The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise' is a proof for the virtue and reward of patience during sickness. In another Hadith, he (peace and blessings be upon him), says: 'Whenever a hardship affects the Muslim, he will be forgiven for it even when he is picked by a spike.' [Muslim] And in another Hadith, also narrated by Muslim, Ummu as-Sa'ib cursed fever, to which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told her: 'Do not curse fever, for it takes away the sins like the blaze [fire] takes away the impurities of iron.' The black woman preferred the suffering of this world to get the eternal reward of Paradise! She suffered from sickness, yet her pain and discomfort did not force her to forego pleasing Allah! And no matter who one is, if one is in the path of Allah, one will encounter difficulties, because Paradise is rounded by hardships. If things are easy and life is rosy, then one must check oneself; are we following the true Islam? Especially in this western environment it may be difficult for a young woman to wear the dress of modesty, the Hijab (even though it is mandatory), not to talk to men and keep away from them (which is also mandatory), except if necessary. All these may be difficult to achieve for some in the beginning, but when one overcomes herself for the sake of Allah, then all the other obstacles become baseless. So, how to overcome oneself? By knowing Allah by His names and attributes; by loving and obeying Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him); and then the help of Allah will come, insha'Allah. She (the black woman) preferred being patient, but could not tolerate that her honor, her modesty and her chastity be damaged or even touched, nor that any part of her body be uncovered, though she had no control over it. Indeed she was a real slave and servant of Allah; she was a faithful, a believer, a Muslimah, a righteous and pious woman, a truthful woman, and she was loyal to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Not only having these awe-inspiring qualities, she was also a wise and a great woman, as her memorable words rang ...: '... but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' If words are to be written in gold, these words should be written in gold ... Remember this simple equation: Iman + Suffering + Patience = Paradise It can also be inferred that the righteous Muslim woman inherently loves to be covered, loves modesty and chastity and hates revealing her body and her beauty. The black woman could sustain being so sick but could not bear to be uncovered in front of people. The issue, one must understand, is not of black or white or Arab or non-Arab, rich or poor, noble [with lineage] or not, it is rather of a creed so deeply rooted in the hearts of Muslims like blood flows in the arteries and veins of people. They are those who are totally committed to Islam. Fourteen hundred years of history showed that Muslim women could sustain hunger, poverty, sickness but could never sustain disobeying Allah. The wife would tell her husband when leaving for work: 'Fear Allah in us, for we can sustain hunger and thirst but we cannot sustain Hell fire [i.e. do not acquire unlawful earning].' Dear sisters, ask yourself what made Khadijah be greeted by Allah and by Jibril. Ask yourself what made Khadijah be rewarded a Palace in Jannah as no one can imagine. Reading the biography of Khadijah and others like her in greatness, one would wish to be at their service; to carry their shoes, wash their clothes, to serve them in any possible way and get Du'a from them. It is sad that we just don't know the great personalities of this Ummah. If only we strive to study the lives of the righteous that preceded us, we would find in them immense guidance for our existence, and if we know them and follow them we could be in the forefront of mankind ... It is said, 'Iman (faith) is not by hope, it is rather what occurs in the heart and is proved by the deeds [maa waqa'a fil qalbi wa saddaqahul-'amal].' We leave you to think about this and pray to Allah to make us all among the dwellers of Paradise and to bestow upon us the faith and the patience that lead us to Paradise. And to bless the present Muslim Ummah with many women like the black woman, who help us focus on the straight path ... Acknowledgment: Some of the ideas were expressed in an article written by Haled Abu Sail which appeared in the Da'wah magazine, Iss. 1514, page 32. Asma' bint Abi Bakr In the first issue, we learned about the black woman and her love for Allah. Once again we will take a trip back in time and visit another great woman, Asma' bint Abi Bakr, one of the Sahabah (female Companions) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This journey requires that we free our minds from the ideas of modernists and pay special attention to the life this blessed companion led, and compare it to our own lives. As always, we will make this trip through the authentic narration from the Scholars of Hadith. Brace yourselves as we now journey back in time to the golden era at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Asma' daughter of Abu Bakr said: "az-Zubair (Ibn al-'Awwam, the cousin of the Prophet, through his aunt) married me. He had neither wealth, slave or anything else like it, except a camel (to get water) and a horse. I used to graze his horse, [provide fodder to it and look after it, and ground dates for his camel. Besides this, I grazed the camel], made arrangements for providing [it with] water and patched up [his] leather bucket and kneaded the flour. But I was not proficient in baking the bread, so my female neighbors used to bake bread for me [and they were sincere women]. And I used to carry on my head the stones (seeds) of the dates from az-Zubair's land which Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had endowed him, and it was at a distance of two miles (from Madinah). "As I was one day carrying the stones of dates upon my head I happened to meet Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) along with a group of his Companions. He called me and said to the camel to sit down so that he should make me ride behind him. I felt shy to go with men and I remembered az-Zubair and his ghirah(1), and he was the man having the most ghirah. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) understood my shyness, he left. I came to az-Zubair and said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) met me as I was carrying the stones of the dates on my head, and there was with him a group of his Companions, he said to the camel to sit down so that I mount it, I felt shy from him, and remembered your ghirah.' Whereupon he (az-Zubair) said: 'By Allah, the carrying of dates' stone upon your head is more severe a burden on me than riding with him.' [And I led this life of hardship] until Abu Bakr sent afterwards a female servant who took upon herself the responsibility of looking after the horse and I felt as if she had emancipated me(2)." Remember that Asma' was the sister in law of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)! Asma' reported: "I performed the household duties of az-Zubair and he had a horse, I used to look after it. Nothing was (more) for me than looking after the horse. I used to bring grass for it and looked after it, then I got a servant as Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had some prisoners of war in his possession. He gave me a female servant. She then began to look after the horse and thus relieved me of this burden. A person came and he said: 'Mother of Abdullah, I am a destitute person and I intend that I should start business under the shadow of your house.' I (Asma') said: 'If I grant you permission, az Zubair may not agree to that, so you come and make a demand of it when az-Zubair is also present there.'" He came accordingly and said: 'Mother of Abdullah, I am a destitute person. I intend to start small business in the shadow of your house. I said: 'Is there not in Madinah (any place for starting the business) except my house?' Az-Zubair said: 'Why is it that you prohibit the destitute man to start business here?' So he started business and he (earned so much) that we sold our slave-girl to him. Az-Zubair came to me while the money was in my lap. He said: 'Give this to me.' I said: '(I intend) to spend it in charity.'" [Muslim] Notice how Asma' had been in favor of allowing that person to start business under the shadow of their house, but she did not like to do anything which could be a source of annoyance or disgust to her husband. She, therefore, posed a question in order to solicit the opinion of her husband and when his reaction was found favorable, she agreed to this proposal. Dear Sister, Allah has made you a protected jewel in Islam whom the liberalists are trying to make an object of trade, and the modernists [among Muslims] are trying to strip you of your modesty and shyness. Read these ahadith carefully, over and over, and ponder on them very deeply. They contain a gold mine for both women and men Asma' had the following credits to her personality (among others): She was one of the most noble women of Arabia at that time. The daughter of the pure and the noble Abu Bakr, the leader of his tribe, and the first Caliph of Islam. The sister-in-law of the best of mankind. Muhammad, who named her "Thatun-Nitaqayn" (the one with two belts), for her heroic act during the Hijrah [migration] of the Prophet and Abu Bakr, from Makkah to Madinah. The sister of the most knowledgeable woman, 'Aishah who is among the only seven Companions of the Prophet who narrated more than a thousand ahadith. The wife of az-Zubair Ibn al-'Awwaam, one of the ten people promised Paradise by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Az-Zubair was brave, courageous and defended the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with his sword. The mother of amirul-mu'minin 'Abdullah Ibn az-Zubair who was given bay'a in Hijaz and was killed by al-Hajjaaj(3): and The mother of 'Urwah, who when he entered in prayer he would forget about this life. It was 'Urwah who when his leg had to be cut, was told to drink wine as an anesthesia but refused to drink wine and instead, gave instructions to cut it while he was in prayer. They did, and he did not feel anything until he woke up. Asma' was one of the most noble personalities, yet was veiled and shy in front of men. She refused to be with men, mingle with them, ride among them or go with them - and by Allah, the men being talked about were no ordinary men! They were the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions. She served her husband as a true wife should, staying at home to take care of her household. She was very careful at guarding and preserving her honor, and the honor of her husband. Did she ever pressure az-Zubair by reminding him of her honorable lineage as the daughter of the noble Abu Bakr? She was patient for the hardship she went through, and was loving and respectful towards her husband. Can a woman be richer than Asma'? Her father, Abu Bakr, was a rich merchant. Yet, she carried stones of dates on her head, and walked miles to get water and date seeds. She also dealt with horses and camels [which she did not do in her father' s house], baked bread, pleased her husband, yet would not take decisions without him, even if it were an obvious decision for the pleasure of Allah. Dear sister, wake up! Realize that the modernists and liberalists are leading you to a path other than the path of the Believers. Allah says (the meaning (of which is): And whoever contends with, and contradicts the Messenger after guidance has been clearly conveyed to him, and chooses a path other than that of the Faithful Believers, We shall leave him in the Path he has chosen and land him in Hell, what an evil refuge!" [Noble Quran 4:115] (4). Which path leads you to happiness of this world and the hereafter, to the pleasure of Allah and the company of Asma' in Paradise? Is it the path of tabarruj(5) and sufur(6) and Ikhtilat(7) or the path of Hijab and Modesty? Remember the golden words of Asma' when she said: "I felt shy to go with men, and I remembered az-Zubair and his ghirah." Remember also what the black woman said: "But I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me [make du'a to Allah for me] that I may not become uncovered." This illustrates what kind of a pure and clean society it was, and what kind of amazing women they were. They were the followers of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, the Salaf that we are proud to follow. We ask you to think about this, and pray to Allah to make us all among the pure women and men whom Allah is pleased with, and whom the Messenger of Allah will be pleased and happy to meet in Paradise, for they followed his Sunnah though they never met him, and they followed the practice of his Companions though they never met them either. Imagine, dear sister, that you are among the blessed ones who succeeded in passing over the Sirat(8), and found in front of you the Hawdh (pool) of the Prophet and you drank from it. Imagine yourself entering Jannah and finding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who is happy to see you. Imagine you are among those whom he called "my brethren"(9). Imagine yourself among the blessed ones when the veil will be withdrawn, and the people of the Paradise "will not have known anything dearer to them than looking upon the Countenance of their Lord." [Muslim] Indeed, the reward of Allah is invaluable; the reward of Allah is Paradise; its price is following and practicing the Qur'an and the Sunnah the way that Asma' and az-Zubair and all the Sahabah did. Back home to the fifteenth century Hijrah [twentieth of the Christian era] ... We hope and pray that after journeying through these authentic ahadith with us, we can put into practice all that we have learnt. We remind you that our happiness, the pleasure of our eyes and the comfort of our hearts start with you by your following of the Qur'an and the Sunnah and the practice of the Salaf: We hope to see you insha'Allah in our next trip to the golden age through some other ayahs of the Qur'an and the authentic ahadith. (1) the feeling of honor a man has towards the female members of his family. (2) al-Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad; additional narration in brackets "[ ]" are from Muslim. (3) Abdullah Ibn az-Zubair sought advice from his mother Asma' in fighting al Hajjaaj and his amir Abdul Malik after these two called him to surrender in peace. She replied: lf you went out [in fighting] to revive the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet, know that the goat does not get tortured by slaughtering [i.e. once slain, it does not feel anything when the skin is removed]. So die on the truth. But if you went out seeking the worldly life, then there is no goodness in you alive or dead. My Son! Die with honor and dignity and do not surrender. [Musnad al Haiku] After this meeting with Asma' Abdullah went out to fight ...he was killed in Makkah ... May Allah have Mercy on him and be pleased with him. (4) The faithful believers are the Sahabah [the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)]. Shaikh-ul-lslam Ibn Taymiyah commented on this verse "All who contradict and oppose the Messenger after the right path has been clearly shown to them have followed other than the Path of the believers, and all who follow other than the Path of the believers have contradicted and opposed the Messenger after the right Path has been shown to them. If one thinks that he is following the Path of the Faithful believers and is mistaken, he is in the same position as one who thinks he is following the Messenger and is mistaken" (5) Displaying one's beauty (6) Revealing beauty (7) Mingling with men (8) The narrow bridge hanging over hell. (9) Part of the hadith from Sahih Muslim which continues: '...the Sahabah replied "Aren't we your brethren?'"He said: "You are my companions; my brethren are people who come later, believe in me (and obviously follow me), even though they did not see me."' This hadith will be the subject of one of our future articles, where it will be referenced appropriately and mentioned in its entirety, insha'Allah.

Bismillah. God's justice and mercy It related that a woman went to Prophet Dawud (A.S) and said “O Prophet of Allah; is your Lord an oppressor or is he just?” ... The prophet replied, “Woe unto you, O woman, He is the All-Just, Who never oppresses. What is your story?” She explained that she was a widow, with three daughters and that she provided for them by what she would spin with her hands. She explained, “Yesterday, I tied what I had spun into a red cloth to sell in the marketplace so as to provide for my children. As I was walking, a bird came and snatched the cloth of me and flew away, leaving me with nothing to sell for the provision of my children.” As the woman was speaking to Dawud, someone came knocking on his door. He gave permission for them to enter and learned that they were ten businessmen bringing with them one hundred dinars each. They said “O Prophet of Allah, give this wealth to one that is deserving.” Dawud asked them what had brought them to him with their wealth. They explained, “O Prophet of Allah, we were on a boat, the wind was very violent, and we were about to drown when a bird came and dropped a red cloth on us. In this cloth was some yard and with this we were able to block the hole in the ship until the winds subsided and we vowed that each one of us would give one hundred dinars in charity. So give that amount to whomever you please.” Dawud turned to the women and said, “Your Lord does business for you in the land and in the sea, yet you ask whether he oppresses!” He gave her the 1000 dinars and said, “Spend this on your children.” At times things don't always go how we want it to go, BUT remember ALLAH is the best of PLANNERS. Oh ALLAH, grant us the ability to have patience and always be happy with what happens. Ameen!

Bismillah. Allah guides those who struggle Allah guides those who struggle. “And those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our paths.” – Al-Ankaboot, 29:69. Struggle may seem like something to be avoided, but the alternative is to walk in dim light, seeing nothing clearly. If our lives consist of sitting on the sofa watching TV, doing jobs without passion, shrugging our shoulders at the suffering of others, and accepting the unreality that is pushed at us by advertising and the media, then we are living in shadow, even when the sun shines. ... Yes, we all have bills to pay, and sometimes we work jobs that we are not passionate about, in order to support our families. I have a website about money transfer services, and another about paying bills online. They are boring, but I spend time on them because they earn money. In my free time I struggle to do work that is important to me – this website being a notable example. Even a short article might take me two or three days to write, because of the limited time I have to work on it. Longer articles can take weeks. And yet people sometimes tell me that my writing has changed their lives. We can all find a little time every day to pursue what we love, and to make a difference in people’s lives, even in a small way. Beyond that, we must strive to represent truth in everything we do: in our family lives, our work, our entertainment – everything. Imam Jamil Al-Amin wrote in 2006: “In the heart there is an emptiness and a need which nothing can satisfy except for the remembrance of Allah (swt). The only proof of faith is in struggle, struggling in word and deed, in body and soul. The lack of faith will crush you far more than defeat ever could. ‘And what will explain to you the path that is steep?’ (90:12). Conscious struggle is the path that is steep. Struggle where bitter hardship and misfortune and difficulty becomes sweet tasting to the soul.” There is no road to success except through the struggle for truth and righteousness. This is actually good news, because if you’re a seeker, if you’ve got a nose for truth, if you care about justice, then you’re already struggling, walking a hard road. It’s inevitable. Those who pursue truth and speak it out loud are seen as strangers and subversives. You might wonder sometimes if it’s worth it, or if you’re moving in the right direction. Don’t worry. The fact that you’re struggling means that Allah is guiding you, and you’re on the right road. Proud Muslimah.

Bismillah. Don't assume Jumping to negative conclusions when anything is said or done by others is not only a sin, but a very bad disease. ... It creates problems & mistrust from non-existent matters. It makes a person habitually think that whatever others do or say is for a bad reason rather than a good one. This adds absolutely unnecessary tension in peoples lives & destroys good relations. The innocent are made to look guilty & even if they try to explain, it is brushed aside. Satan enjoys this thoroughly. Let us make sure that WE have positive thoughts of others and draw the best of conclusions when they say or do something! In this way we will achieve purity, contentment and the Pleasure of the Almighty.

Bismillah. One Apple Leads To His Marriage. A Beautiful Story! One of our pious predecessors, Thabit Bin Nu’man, was hungry and tired as he was passing through a garden that bordered a river. He was so hungry that he could hear his stomach growling, and so his eyes became fixed on the fruits he saw on the various trees of the garden. In a fit of desperation, he forgot himself and extended his hand to an apple that was within reach. He ate half of it and then drank water from the river. But then he became overcome with guilt, despite the fact that he had only eaten because of dire need. He said to himself, “Woe unto me! How can I eat someone else’s fruits without his permission? I make it binding upon myself not to leave this place until I find the owner of this garden and ask him to forgive me for having eaten one of his apples.“ After a brief search, he found the owner’s house. He knocked on the door and the owner of the garden came out and asked him what he wanted. Thabit Bin Nu’man said, “I entered your garden that borders the river, and I took this apple and ate half of it. Then I remembered it does not belong to me, and so I ask you now to excuse me for having eaten it and to forgive me for my mistake.“ The man said, “On one condition only I will forgive you for your mistake.“ Thabit Bin Nu’man asked, “And what is that condition?“ He said, “That you marry my daughter.“ Thabit Bin Nu’man said, “I will marry her.“ The man said, “But heed you this; indeed my daughter is blind, she does not see; mute, she does not speak;deaf, she does not hear.“ Thabit Bin Nu’man began to ponder over his situation; a difficult predicament indeed did he find himself in now; what should he do? Not get out of it, thought Thabit, for he realised that to be tested by such a woman, to take care of her, and to serve her, are all better than to eat from the foul matter of the Hellfire as a reward for the apple that he ate. And after all, the days of this world are limited. And so he accepted the condition to marry the girl, seeking his reward from Allah, Lord of all that exists. He was nonetheless somewhat anxious in the days prior to the marriage. He thought, “How can I have sexual relations with a woman who neither speaks nor sees nor hears?“ So miserable did he become that he almost wished for the earth to swallow him up before the appointed date. Yet despite such apprehensions, he placed his complete trust upon Allah and he said, “There is neither might nor power except with Allah. Indeed to Allah do we belong and indeed to Him shall we al return.“ On the day of the marriage he saw her for the first time. She stood up before him and said, “Peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.“ When he saw her grace and beauty, he was reminded of what he would see when he would imagine the fair maidens of paradise (i.e., the gorgeous hoor al-ayn). After a brief pause he said, “What is this? She indeed speaks, hears and sees.” He then told her what her father said earlier. She said, “My father has spoken the truth. He said I was mute because I do not speak any forbidden word, and I have never spoken to any man who is not lawful to me (i.e., she has never spoken to any ghair mahrams)! And I am indeed deaf in the sense that I have never sat in a gathering in which there is backbiting, slander, or false and vain speech! And I am indeed blind, in the sense that I have never looked upon a man who is not permissible for me!“ Noble reader, reflect on and learn a lesson from this story! My brothers in Islaam, see how much he feared Allah, and how much he had his trust in Allah, and where this got him! My sisters in Islaam, see how this woman was pious, stayed in her hijaab, so much so, she was considered mute (not speaking to any man), deaf (avoiding places of backbiting) and blind (not seeing any man). Allaahu Akbar, isn’t it these qualities that pious men love to see in their wives? Nay; aren’t these qualities all men (Muslim and non-Muslims) wish to see in their wives? Isn’t it these qualities that give men the crave and yearn to meet their hoor al-ayn in jannah? The fruit of this marriage was the birth of a child who grew up to be known as Imaam Abu Haneefah.

Bismillah. During the hot summer days or during one’s visits to public places like airports, train stations, town centre’s etc one will be tested by many vices of which one very destructive and detrimental vice is that of evil glances. However, if one takes advantage of the situation and curbs his desires, he can gain such spiritual elevation which he cannot gain in months of worship. Why? Because on every step he will be making such sacrifice and opposing his desires in such a way that every step will bring him closer to Allah, as this is a very difficult task and the harder the task the more spiritual elevation one acquires. A LAME EXCUSE The common excuse is to say one cannot control his gaze, this is incorrect, rather the problem lies in the fact that we are not trying and the reason for this absence of effort is that we have not placed the filth of this deed in our minds. It is only when one does this, and realises the detrimental effects of this evil will he be able to refrain from this. These detrimental effects include the absence of barakah and blessings in one’s knowledge and this will be a very obstructive barrier in one’s spiritual advancement, although one cannot say completely impossible, but is very close to impossible that this person will see spiritual elevation… DESTRUCTIVE NATURE When a person knows that something is destructive and detrimental for him he will do all he can to stay away from it. Just as when someone places intoxicants in front of you, will you touch it? The answer will be no. Why? Because you have the mentality that this is a filthy thing. Repercussions for this evil are foremost on your mind and you have it embedded in your mind that it is of utmost importance for you to stay away from this. The same cannot be said regarding evil glances, hence there is an absence in the effort in regards to refraining from this evil. SURVIVAL GUIDE The method to safeguard oneself is to look down, as Shaytaan has promised to attack humans from all angles, the right, the left, from in front, from behind. There remain only two safe options, to look up (but in that you will most probably injure yourself!!) so one must look down when he walks. Many people try to lower their gazes upon seeing something forbidden, this is not the correct manner, rather keep your gazes lowered at all times and only look up when you need to look up. This is from the etiquettes of sulook i.e. a saaliq (one treads the path of spiritual rectification) should always look down and walk, this is an etiquette which is lost amongst the saalik’s in this day and age. It should be that a person looks down and walks and only upon necessity he looks up. It is much easier for a person to look down, and if when the thought comes that a lady is walking past, it is much easier to control, but to be looking at the women then lower one’s gaze is very difficult. CURB THE TEMPTATION Just as if some food is placed in front of someone as long as he does not take a taste of it then it is much easier for him to refrain then when he takes a bite and then wishes to resist the temptation. Make it a habit to look down and walk. He who looks down and walks will also be able to refrain himself as he will be aware that if he is looking down and then suddenly looks up those around him will realise that something is wrong here, this will also be a deterrent. MISCONCEPTION A common misconception exists in regards to the notion of the first glance being forgiven. The correct interpretation of what is meant by the first glance is that for example a person is walking with his gazes lowered, who then suddenly hears a noise so it is only natural that he looks up as it could be danger, and if at time his glance falls for a split second on something forbidden then this is forgiven. Another example is that someone is walking with his glances cast down and he is looking for a specific shop or house, when he looks up to check if he has reached his destination it so happens that his gazes fall on something impermissible then this is what is meant by the first glance being forgiven. By the first gaze it means the first unintentional gaze, it does not mean that you are walking and you see a women then the first glance is ok. When the first glance falls unintentionally this is forgiven, then after that, even if a person looks for even a second extra that is the second gaze and for this he will be accountable. After the first unintentional gaze to look for even a second extra intentionally is sinful. Another point to bear in mind is that one gaze does not necessarily mean until you turn your head away. But rather after the unintentional gaze to look intentionally is the second gaze. This is forbidden. AFTER EFFECTS If after the first gaze a person is harassed by thoughts and flashbacks of what he saw unintentionally as long as they are disliked they are not detrimental, but if a person begins to enjoy then they will be considered as sinful.