The Month of Rajab | Analysis of Common Innovated Practices
By Mufti Taqi Usmani | cross-post from http://www.albalagh.net/general/rajab.shtml
Rajab is the seventh month in the Islāmic lunar calendar. This month was regarded as one of the sacred months (Al-Ashhur-al-hurum) in which battles were prohibited in the days of the Holy Prophet. It is also a prelude to the month of Ramaḍān, because Ramaḍān follows it after the intervening month of Sha’bān. Therefore, when the Holy Prophet sighted the moon of Rajab, he used to pray to Allāh in the following words:
“O Allāh, make the months of Rajab and Sha’bān blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramaḍān (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramaḍān, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings).”
Yet no specific way of worship has been prescribed by the Sharī’ah in this month. However, some people have invented some special rituals or practices in this month, which are not supported by reliable resources of the Sharī’ah or are based on some unauthentic traditions. We would like to explain here the correct position about them.
1. Celebration of Lailatul Mi’raj
It is generally believed that the great event of Mi’raj (ascension of the Holy Prophet to the heavens) took place in the night of 27th of Rajab. Therefore, some people celebrate the night as “Lailatul- Mi’raj” (the night of ascension to heavens).
Indeed, the event of Mi’raj was one of the most remarkable episodes in the life of our beloved Holy Prophet. He was called by Almighty Allāh. He traveled from Makkah to Baitul-Maqdis and from there he ascended the heavens through the miraculous power of Allāh. He was honored with a direct contact with his Creator at a place where even the angels had no access. This was the unique honor conferred by Allāh to the Holy Prophet alone. It was the climax of the spiritual progress which is not attained by anybody except him. No doubt the night in which he was blessed with this unparalleled honor was one of the greatest nights in the history of this world.
But, Islām has its own principles with regard to the historic and religious events. Its approach about observing festivals and celebrating days and nights is totally different from the approach of other religions. The Holy Qurʾān and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet did not prescribe any festival or any celebration to commemorate an event from the past, however remarkable it might have been. Instead, Islām has prescribed two annual celebrations only. One is ‘Īd al-Fiṭr and the other is ‘Īd al-Aḍḥa. Both of these festivals have been fixed at a date on which the Muslims accomplish a great ‘ibādah (worship) every year. ‘Īd al-Fiṭr has been prescribed after the fasts of Ramaḍān, while Eid-ul-Adha has been fixed when the Muslims perform the Hajj annually. None of these two ‘Īd’s is designed to commemorate a particular event of the past which has happened in these dates. This approach is indicative of the fact that the real occasion for a happy celebration is the day in which the celebrators themselves have accomplished remarkable work through their own active effort. As for the accomplishments of our ancestors, their commemoration should not be restricted to a particular day or night. Instead, their accomplishments must be remembered every day in the practical life by observing their teachings and following the great examples they have set for us.
Keeping this principle in view, the following points should be remembered with regard to the “Lailatul-Mi’raj”:
(1) We cannot say with absolute certainty in which night the great event of Mi’raj took place. Although some traditions relate this event to 27th night of the month of Rajab, yet there are other traditions that suggest other dates. Al-Zurqani, the famous biographer of the Holy Prophet has referred to five different views in this respect: Rabī’ al-Awwal, Rabī’ al-Thāni, Rajab, Ramaḍān and Shawwāl. Later, while discussing different traditions, he has added a sixth opinion, that the Mi’raj took place in the month of Dhu’l-Ḥijjah.
Allama Abdulhaq Muhaddith Dehlawi, the well-known scholar of the Indian subcontinent, has written a detailed book on the merits of Islāmic months. While discussing the ‘Lailatul-Mi’raj’ has mentioned that most of the scholars are of the view that the event of Mi’raj took place in the month of Ramaḍān or in Rabī’ al-Awwal.
(2) It is also not known in which year the event of Mi’raj took place. The books of history suggest a wide range between the fifth-year and the twelfth year after the Holy Prophet was entrusted with prophethood.
Now, if it is assumed that the event of Mi’raj took place in the fifth year of his prophethood, it will mean that the Holy Prophet remained in this world for eighteen years after this event. Even if it is presumed that the Mi’raj took place in the twelfth year of his prophethood, his remaining life-time after this event would be eleven years. Throughout this long period, which may range between eleven years and eighteen years, the Holy Prophet never celebrated the event of Mi’raj, nor did he give any instruction about it. No one can prove that the Holy Prophet ever performed some specific modes of worship in a night calling it the ‘Lailatul-Mi’raj’ or advised his followers to commemorate the event in a particular manner.
(3) After the demise of the Holy Prophet also, no one of his companions is reported to celebrate this night as a night of special acts of worship. They were the true devotees of the Holy Prophet and had devoted their lives to preserve every minute detail of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and other Islāmic teachings. Still, they did not celebrate the event of Mi’raj in a particular night in a particular way.
All these points go a long way to prove that the celebration of the 27th night of Rajab, being the Lailatul-Mi’raj has no basis in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet or in the practice of his noble companions. Had it been a commendable practice to celebrate this night, the exact date of this event would have been preserved accurately by the Ummah and the Holy Prophet and his blessed companions would have given specific directions for it.
Therefore, it is not a Sunnah to celebrate the Lailatul-Mi’raj. We cannot declare any practice as a Sunnah unless it is established through authentic sources that the Holy Prophet or is noble Companions have recognized it as such, otherwise it may become a bid’ah about which the Holy Prophet has observed in the following words: “Whoever invents something in our religion which is not a part of it, it is to be rejected.”
Being mindful of this serious warning, we should appreciate that the 27th night of the month of Rajab is not like ‘Lailatul-qadr’ or ‘Lailatul-bara’ah’ for which special merits have been mentioned expressly either in the Holy Qurʾān or by the Holy Prophet .
However, all the recognized modes of ‘ibādah (worship) like salāt, recitation of the Holy Qurʾān , dhikr, etc. are commendable any time, especially in the late hours of night, and obviously the 27th night of Rajab is not an exception. Therefore, if someone performs any recognized ‘ibādah in this night from this point of view nothing can stop him from doing so, and he will be entitled to the thawab (reward allocated for that recognized ‘ibādah insha-Allāh.) But it is not permissible to believe that performing ‘ibādah in this night is more meritorious or carries more thawab like ‘Lailatul-qadr’ or ‘Lailatul-bara’ah’, because this belief is not based on any authentic verse or on a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. Similarly, it is not a correct practice to celebrate this night collectively and to invite people to special ritual congregations.
(4) Some people suggest some special modes of worship to be performed in this night. Since no special mode of worship is prescribed by the Sharī’ah in this night, these suggestions are devoid of any authority and should not be acted upon.
It is believed by some that the Muslims should keep fast on 27th of Rajab. Although there are some traditions attributing special merits to the fast of this day yet the scholars of ḥadīth have held these traditions as very weak and unauthentic reports, which cannot be sufficient to establish a rule of Sharī’ah. On the contrary, there is an authentic report that Sayyidna ‘Umar, raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, used to forbid people from fasting on this day, rather to compel them to eat if they had started fasting.
It should be borne in mind here that a “nafl” fast can be observed any day (except the six prohibited days of the year); therefore, fasting on 27th of Rajab is not prohibited in itself. What is prohibited is the belief that fasting on this day is more meritorious than fasting in other normal days. One should not fast in this day with this belief. But if someone fasts therein, believing it to be a normal nafl fast, there is no bar against it.
Sacrifice (qurbani) in the Month of Rajab
In the days of ignorance (jahiliyyah) the Arabs used to offer the sacrifice of a goat in the month of Rajab. This sacrifice used to be called “Atirah’ or ‘Rajabiyyah’. This sacrifice was offered in the name of different so-called gods and their icons. In the beginning of Islām, this custom was retained, but the Muslims modified it by offering the sacrifice of ‘Atirah in the name of Allāh instead of the false gods. But finally, this custom was abandoned and the Holy Prophet prohibited the offering of ‘Atirah. In a tradition of Sayyidna Abu Hurayrah , raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, reported by both al-Bukhāri and Muslim, the Holy Prophet has said: “Fara’ is nothing and ‘Atirah is nothing.”
Abu Hurayrah , raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, has explained in the same tradition that ‘Fara” was the first child of a she-camel. Whenever a she-camel delivered its first child, the Arabs used to sacrifice it in the name of their so-called gods, while the ‘Atirah’ was a goat used to be sacrificed in the month of Rajab. Since the Holy Prophet stopped both these customs, ‘Atirah is no longer a recognized practice.
‘Umrah in the Month of Rajab
Ibn ‘Abidin, the well-known scholar of the Islāmic jurisprudence, has mentioned that the people of Makkah (in his days) used to perform ‘umrah in the month of Rajab. Perhaps they believed that performing ‘umrah in this month is more meritorious than in other months. Then Ibn Abidin himself has rejected the authenticity of this practice, because no tradition of the Holy Prophet is found to this effect. Conversely Sayyidah ‘Aishah, radyAllāhu anha, has expressly negated the presumption by saying that the Holy Prophet never performed an ‘umrah in the month of Rajab (Sahih Muslim 1:409)
However, Ibn ‘Aibidin has quoted a narration that ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair, raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, completed the renovation of Ka’bah shortly before 27th of Rajab, and as a sign of gratefulness he performed ‘umrah and slaughtered some animals. But this report cannot form the basis of a recognized annual practice, firstly because the report is not very authentic, and secondly because it does not mention that Abdullah ibn Zubair, raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, had adopted it as a continuing practice. At the most, he performed ‘umrah once as a sign of gratefulness on the completion of Ka’bah. It does not mean that he performed it as a characteristic of the month of Rajab. Therefore, performing ‘Umrah in this month is like performing it in any other month and no special merit can be attached to it merely because it has been performed in the month of Rajab.
The Ṣalāt of “Ragha’ib”
Another special mode of worship attributed by some people to this month is the Ṣalāt of Raghai’b. According to the custom of such people, this Ṣalāt is performed in the night of first Friday of the month of Eajab. The Ṣalāt of Raghaib is said to consist of twelve rak’ats to be performed in pairs with six salams, and in each rak’at the surah al-qadr is recited three times followed by the Surah-al-ikhlas. This type of Ṣalāt is also not based on any sound source of Sharī’ah. Therefore, almost all the jurists and scholars of Sharī’ah have held that the Ṣalāt of Raghaib is a baseless practice and it is not permissible to treat it as a recognized practice of this month. It is true that there is a tradition, narrated by Razin, the author of a book of ḥadīth, which attributes the origin of this practice to the Holy Prophet but almost all the scholars of the science of ḥadīth have held it to be absolutely unauthentic. Therefore, no importance can be attached to it.
Distribution of Breads
Another baseless practice in the month of Rajab is that the people bake special types of breads and, after reciting some verses and prayers on them, distribute them among their friends and neighbors. This custom has two different shapes.
1). In some communities, this custom is celebrated on 17th of Rajab on the assumption that Sayyidna Ali, raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, was born on 11th of Rajab and the 17th of Rajab is the day on which his ‘Aqiqa (Shaving of his head) was performed. In order to celebrate this happy event, the breads of some special type are prepared and after reciting Surah Al-Mulk on them, they are distributed among the relatives and friends. These breads are generally called “breads of Tabarak” because Surah Al-Mulk is usually recited on them.
This practice is baseless because it is never proved that Sayyidna Ali, raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, was born on 11th of Rajab or that his Aqiqa was performed on 17th of this month and, as explained earlier, even if these events are proved to have happened in those days, their commemoration through these specific rituals is not warranted by the Sharī’ah.
2). A more common practice of this type is observed on 22nd of Rajab whereby some breads and meals of a special type are prepared and distributed among the people. Since these special meals are usually placed in some bowls made of clay, the custom is usually known as “Koonda”, an Urdu equivalent of such bowls. It is usually believed that the custom is designed to make ‘isal-al-thawab to the soul of Sayyidna Jafar Al-Sadiq who himself has directed his followers to observe this custom and has promised them that whoever observes it, his desires will be fulfilled.
All these assumptions also have no basis at all, neither historically, nor according to the principles of Sharī’ah. In fact, the date of 22nd of Rajab has no concern whatsoever with Sayyidna Jafar al-Sadiq, Rahimah-u-Allāh. According to the historians, he was born on 8th of Ramaḍān 80 A.H. and died in Shawwāl 148 A.H. No specific event of the life of Sayyidna Jafar al-Sadiq is proved to have happened on this date. The people believing in the custom refer to a coined story mentioned in an unauthentic book named “Dastaan-e-Ajeeb”.
Briefly stated, the gist of the story is that a poor woodcutter lived in Madīnah in the days of Jafar Al-Sadiq. He went abroad to earn his livelihood. His wife was employed in the house of the Prime Minister. Once she was cleaning the courtyard of the Prime Minister when Sayyidna Jafar al-Sadiq passed by her. It was 22nd of Rajab. He advised her to bake some breads of a special type and make ‘isal-al-sawab to him. According to this story, he promised her that if her desire is not fulfilled after this practice, she can catch hold of him at the doom’s day. On hearing this, the woman made a vow that if her husband will come back with a considerable wealth, she will observe the custom of “Koonda”. On the same day her husband, who was in another country, found a valuable treasure in the earth and came back with it to Madīnah where he established himself as a rich man and started living in a magnificent castle. When his wife told the story to the wife of the Prime Minister, she disbelieved her and because of this disbelief, she and her husband, the Prime Minister, were punished by Allāh. He was removed by the king from the prime minister-ship and was imprisoned in a jail and was ordered to be hanged. While being in the prison, the wife of the Prime Minister remembered that she had disbelieved the story of Jafar al-Sadiq told to her by her maidservant and their misery might be the punishment of their disbelief. On this point, she and her husband repented before Allāh and made a vow to observe the custom of “Koonda”, if they are released from the jail. After they made such a vow, the whole scenario of the events changed suddenly. The king released the Prime Minister from the jail and reinstated him on his former position.
As it can be seen by any reasonable person, this story is totally forged on the face of it. The person who has coined this story did not even know that Madīnah had never a king nor a Prime Minister. All the Muslim rulers were named as caliphs and had no Prime Minister at all. In the days of Umayyads, their capital was Damascus and in the days of Abbasids, their permanent seat was in Baghdad.
It is ironical that the story of such a woodcutter is not even known to anybody in Madīnah, nor in any city of the Arab countries. No Arabic book has ever referred to it. It has no mention except in an Urdu book ‘Dastaan-e-Ajeeb’, the author of which is unknown. One can easily see that a custom based on such a fallacious and mythical story can never be an Islāmic custom. Islām has always been far away from such superstitions.
Therefore, this baseless custom should completely be avoided by the true Muslims. Some historians have opined that in fact, this custom has been coined by some Shi’ites because the date of 22nd of Rajab is the date of the demise of Sayyidna Mu’awiyah whom they take as their biggest enemy. They took that date as a happy occasion and made the Sunni Muslims also to celebrate it on the pretext of the above mentioned story.
Be that as it may, it is evident that such customs have crept into the Muslim society by their long association with Hindus who commemorate different historical events of their religion in the like manner. The Muslims must be careful about these customs, because they are not only an invention of ignorance but also the imitation of non-Muslims in their religious rituals. No doubt the “’isal-al-thawab’ to the soul of a deceased Muslim, and particularly to a pious person is not only permissible but also a commendable practice but the Sharī’ah has not prescribed a particular date, nor a particular mode to do so. If someone wants to make “’isal-al-thawab” to Sayyidna ‘Ali, raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu, or to Ja’far al-Sadiq, he can do it any day and by performing any act of worship, like Ṣalāt, fast, Sadaqah, dhikr etc. There is no reason why it should be restricted to a special type of meal or bread distributed on a particular date. What makes this practice worse is the fact that the people accustomed to this practice deem it as necessary as a fard (obligation); rather they treat it as more necessary than fard because they do not care to perform the obligatory Ṣalāt or to fulfill the rights of men obligated on them, but they are very strict and punctual to perform these activities. Moreover, if a person does not observe this practice, they reproach him and call him with bad names. Such behavior makes this custom a bid’ah which is condemned by the Holy Prophet as a misguidance. Therefore, the Muslims must abandon all such practices and should not cling to it only because it has been the practice of their society for many years. A Muslim is supposed to follow the dictates of Sharī’ah and not the practice of the society, if it violates any of its principles.
Conclusion
The upshot of the above discussion is that the Sharī’ah has not prescribed any specific way to observe the month of Rajab or to perform a specific mode of worship or a ritual in any one of its dates. However, being a prologue to the month of Ramaḍān, it should be availed of for preparing oneself for Ramaḍān and one should pray Allāh to make him reach the blessed month and to benefit from its unique merits.
Mother! My Best Friend
Aseer ibn Jaabir narrates: Whenever people would come from Yemen, Umar would ask them, “Is Uways Al-Qaranee amongst you?” until, one year, he met Uways. He said, “Are you Uways Al-Qaranee?” He said, “Yes.” Umar continued, “From Muraad, then Qaran?” He said, “Yes.” Umar then asked, “Were you once afflicted with leprosy and your skin healed except for a dirham’s area?” Uways said, “Yes.” Umar finally asked, “Do you have a mother (that is alive)?” He said, “Yes.” Umar then said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – say, “Uways ibn Aamir will come to you with the delegations from Yemen, from Muraad, then from Qaran. He was once afflicted with leprosy and his skin healed except for a dirham’s area. He has a mother, and he treats her kindly. If he was to ever swear by Allah (for something) Allah would fulfill his oath. If you can, request that he ask forgiveness for you.” Umar then requested from Uways, “Ask forgiveness for me.” And Uways Al-Qaranee did.
Allah – Ta’ala – commanded us,
And your Lord decreed that you should worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your Parents. If one of them or both attain old age in your life, then do not say to them uff (a word of disrespect), nor shout at them, rather address them in terms of honour / And lower for them the wing of submission and humility through mercy. And say, “My Lord! Grant them Your Mercy as they brought me up when I was small.” [Qur'an - Al-Israa’ 17:23-24]
Ad-Daylami collected from Al-Husayn ibn Ali, that the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “If Allah knew any smaller than uff (tsk) to be disrespectful to parents, He would have decreed it to be Haram!” In Bukhari, a man came to the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – seeking permission to go for Jihad. The Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – asked him, “Are your Parents alive?” He said, “Yes.” He – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “Perform Jihad (in you kind treatment) of them.”
If someone came to you today and offered you a free lunch, what would be your response? No doubt you would smile, speak kindly to them, and reserve a special place in your heart for their memory. Why is it then that our parents receive only cold stares, harsh words and bitter treatment and they are who they are in our lives? For twenty or thirty years they fed us, clothed us, washed us, and showered their mercy on our soft skin. Their love for us never dies even if we do, love that goes even beyond us, to our children and even their children.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we all have parents – whether they are with us or not – and many have not understood the severity of their position in our lives and their right to be respected and revered. Today I want to remind you and I of the true position of our Parents, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Birr Al-Waalidayn is a characteristic of the Mu’min. Al-Hasan Al Basree defined it saying, “Al-Birr is to obey the parents in everything that they ask so long as it is not to disobey Allah. Uqooq is to disown your parents, denying them all of your goodness.”
By the Ijma’ of the Ulamaa’, being respectful and obedient to ones parents is Fard! Ibn Hazm said, “(Obeying ones parents) is Fard!” and he quoted the verse:
And your Lord decreed that you should worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your Parents.
To better understand what is meant by Birr Al-Walidayn (kindness to parents), the scholars set the following conditions:
· One: He should place the pleasure of his parents above the pleasure of anyone else, including himself and his wife and kids. Everyone.
· Two: He should obey them in everything they command or forbid, whether it agrees with his desires or not, so long as they do not command the disobedience of Allah.
· Three: He should present them with everything he feels they desire, whether they ask for it or not. He should present it with kindness and mercy, understanding – no matter what he does – his shortcomings in fulfilling the true kindness that his parents deserve.
Allah’s love comes when our parents love us. And Allah’s anger comes when our parents are angry with us. Ibn Abbas raa said, “There are three things that will not be accepted if it’s mate is not fulfilled. (And he mentioned),
Thank Me (Allah) and your Parents… [Qur'an - Luqmaan 31:14]
Ibn Abbaas continued, “Thus whoever thanks Allah and is not thankful to his parents, Allah will not accept from him.”
The Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “the Pleasure of Allah is from the pleasure of the parents, and the anger of Allah is from the anger of the parents.”
Let us think about how many of us treat our parents. We shy away from them when they may need something. We never visit if we are away from them. In fact, many people dispose of their parents in retirement homes. And when an argument ignites between our parents and us, many of us shout at them as if we were arguing with our evilest enemy, May Allah protect us all.
Compare this to those that came before us. Dhibyaan ibn Ali ath-Thowree (ra) used to travel with his mother to Makkah. There – in the scorching heat – he would dig a little pool and fill it with cool water. Then he would turn to his mother and say, “Ummi, sit in this water to cool yourself.”
For many of us, our friends are more precious to us than our Mother and Father. Forgetful we are of the time a man came to the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – and asked him who is more worthy of his dear companionship. He – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “your Mother!” The man asked again and again, and the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – replied, “Your Mother! Your Mother!” Until on the fourth time he – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “Your Father.” Today, when the common question is asked, “Who is your best friend?” How many people would say, “my Mother!” But this is how the question should be answered and implemented.
What pleases our parents comes before everything, so long as it is not in disobedience of Allah. The scholars understood this and set the example for us. Haywah bin Shurayh (ra), one of the Imam’s of our Ummah, used to give classes in front of his home. During the class, his Mother would call him to feed the chickens. He would stand up, leave the Halaqah, and go feed the chickens.
We all want Allah to accept from us, we would all like to enter Paradise. Look down – dear brothers and sisters – and you will find paradise at the feet of your mother.
Narrated Ahmad and An-Nasaa’ee, from Mu’aawiyah ibn Jaahimah As-Sulamee: My father, Jaahimah (raa) went to the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, I would like to go out and fight for the sake of Allah, and I have come to you for advice.” The Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – asked him, “Is your Mother alive?” He said, “Yes.” “Then stay near her,” advised the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam, “For at her feet is Jannah!”
On the other side, making our Parents sad or even making them cry is one of the many ways to earn Allah’s anger. Imam Ahmad narrates, from Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-Aas (raa): A man came to the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – to give him his pledge of Allegiance. He said, “I have come to pledge allegiance to you for Hijrah! And I have left both my parents behind crying” The Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – commanded him, “Go back, and the same way that you made them cry, make them laugh.” Ibn Umar (raa) said, “Making ones parents cry is amongst the Uqooq, a major sin!”
Shaykh al-Qaasim once said, “Subhaan Allah! How can we leave our parents sobbing, tears that the throne of Allah shakes for, tears that unsettle the Angels in the heavens, and then we claim that we want to go for Jihad so that Allah will be pleased with us? Go back and make them happy with your visit as you made them sad by your departure. If they laugh and are pleased with you, Allah will be pleased.”
During the funeral of his mother, Al-Haarith Al-Aklee (ra) weeped. When asked for the reason of his tears he said, “Why should I not cry when one of my doors to Paradise has now closed?”
Part II: We reap what we Plant In a far away land, a long time ago, a boy was born blind. His widowed mother – the good Muslimah that she was – did not lose hope in her dua’ and pray she did, continuously. A few years later, the boy’s sight returned. Al-Hamdu lillaah.
She realized that her village was not befitting for her son to excel in Islamic education, so with her son in hand they migrated to Makkah. There she saw that he was being instructed in Quran and Hadith, the latter becoming the young man’s focus. He went out far and wide collecting Hadith and compiled a Hadith book that sits next to the Quran in authenticity, forgetting not his mother that had raised him well. His mother named him Muhammad ibn Isma’il, and many of us know him today as: Al-Ima, Al-Bukhari!
Dear brothers and sisters, how often is it that a farmer plants wheat and it comes out as a sunflower? You may say, never! For how can someone farm the seed of one plant and expect some other plant to grow. It just does not happen. Similarly, some parents leave their children waddling in the mud of television, music, movies, and disbelieving friends. Then when the child reaches grade 12 and asks to go to the final dance with a girlfriend, or when he enters University and stops praying, or when he gets married to a Kafir and himself becomes one, then the parents say, “What happened?”
Brothers and sisters, it is the harvest of what we planted. If we do not raise our children to be obedient, where do we expect them to learn? If we do not practice Islam ourselves, who will be our children’s example? How do you teach a child to wake up for Fajr, when he sees his own father and mother sleeping in, day after day? You may ask, how do I raise my children to be good Muslims, obedient to their parents? Consider the following:
Firstly: One should discipline their children throughout their youth. Hisham ibn Abd Al-Malik missed a son of his during Jumu’ah one week. When he met him later, he asked him, “Why did you miss Jumu’ah?” He son replied, “My donkey couldn’t make the trip.” His father then said, “Couldn’t you have walked!” For an entire year after that, Hisham ibn Abd Al-Malik made his son walk to Jumu’ah.
Secondly: The piety of the father and mother reaches the children. In the Qur’an, Allah recalls for us the story of Khidr, and how he rebuilt a wall for 2 orphans:
And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town. Under it was a treasure belonging to them and their father was a righteous man…[Qur'an - Al-Kahf 18:82]
Look at how Allah protected these orphans because of the piety of their father. In tafseer, it is said that it was their grandfather seven generations back! Sa’eed ibn Jubayr said, “I often lengthen my Salah for the sake of my son, perhaps Allah may protect him (because of it).”
In conclusion, let us reflect on the virtue of respecting our parents:
· It is one of the greatest things that we can do. In Bukhari and Muslim, from Abd Allah ibn Mas’ood (raa), a man asked the Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam, “What deed is most beloved by Allah?” He – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “Salah on time.” The man asked, “And then?” He – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “Respecting and revering ones parents.” He said, “And then?” “Jihad for the sake of Allah.”
· It is a means by which our sins are forgiven. When Allah commanded in the Qur’an
And We enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents…
The next verse tells us:
They are those from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds, (they shall be) amongst the dwellers of Paradise.[Qur'an - Al-Ahqaaf 46:15-16]
· Respecting our parents will lead us to Jannah! In Muslim, from Abu Hurayrah (raa): I heard the Messenger of Allah – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – say, “May he perish! May he perish! May he perish!” It was asked, “Who, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “He whose parents attain old age in his life – one or both of them – and he does not enter Paradise (because of his goodness towards them).”
And when our parents are gone, the goodness towards them does not end.
Malik ibn Rabi’ah Al-Saa’idi narrated: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – when an Ansari man came and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, is there anything left from my Birr to my parents that I should present to them after their death?” The Prophet – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam – said, “Yes, four things: Pray and ask forgiveness for them. Fulfill their pledges. Be kind to their friends. And maintain the ties of kinship that come from only their direction. That is what is left from your Birr to them after their death.”[Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Maajah]
Aamir ibn Abd Allah ibn Az-Zubayr (ra) said, “My father died, and for an entire year I did not ask Allah for anything except that He forgive my Father.”
Remember dear brothers and sisters as you meet your parents today, the words of Rasul Allah – Sal Allahu alayhi wa Sallam - “Fa feehima fa Jaahid! Do Jihad in (your kind treatment of) your parents.”
O Allah, forgive us and our parents, and reward them with the finest reward. O Allah, elevate their position in the hereafter and this Dunya; make that which befalls them an expiation for their sins. O Allah, grant them residence in Firdows, the highest level of Jannah, with the Prophets, the Siddeeqeen, and the Martyrs.
Ameen.
Muhammad al-Shareef
The True Success
What is true success?
Some people say it’s to have huge amount of wealth, some say it’s to gain many friends, some say it is to achieve high status or authority over people. For the sick, health is success, for the poor, wealth is success. For the one that has health and wealth, power and authority over people is success.
But according to the Qur’an and Sunnah; all of that is not success in life at all. The true success has to be in both worlds, in this life and hereafter.
Why?
Because the sick when he’ll get health, he will want wealth. When he will get wealth, he will want to influence people and thereupon gain power over them. When he will achieve this, he will want to conquer the whole world. And when he’ll achieve this then he will want to be god and immortal! You have an example of this, in Cesar and Pharaoh.
A man with such belief that materialism is success, will never be satisfied or happy in life. He will always want more and more, nothing will please him enough, until death overcomes him. This is the moment when he will realize that actually he is a big loser, in this life and hereafter. He lost both worlds, due to his own endless whims and desires. He deceived his own self by following illusions which can never be reality. This is when he’ll realize that he was living in an illusion. This is but the nature of man, because he is created weak, and therefore easily giving up to his whims and desires. The only way to defeat these desires is to seek help and guidance from Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala).
The reality is that man can never be bigger than Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). Allah is the One and Only God, Allah has power over all things, and Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is the Rich and Self Sufficient. All the most beautiful names and attributes belong to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). Success can never be achieved by going against Allah’s will, because His will is always done. His plan is always achieved, whether it is for or against you.
The true success is only with the help of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). The success in this world and Hereafter is to live with correct understanding of the Deen-il Islam. Islam, this religion, this way of life, that Allah prescribed you to live by. This is your path to success indeed.
This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion (way of life) [Quran 5:4]
Consequently, true success in both worlds is when one achieves true Taqwah (piety). The one who purifies himself spirituality is the successful one. And Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says:
They (the pious) are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful. (Qur’an 2:5)
The one who purifies his own self succeeds and the one who corrupts his own self fails.” (Qur’an 91: 9-10)
“Successful are those who purify themselves.” (Qur’an 87: 14)
Indeed successful are those who purify their souls. There is none, who will be granted more goodness than one who purifies his own soul with patience, and by commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and with Taqwa. Who is inwardly and outwardly submitting to Allah’s will. Means, one who lives according the Deen of Islam. The way of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). By the means of Qur’an and Sunnah. The one, who truly comprehends this Deen of Islam, will purify his soul and truly worship Allah with the correct Taqwa that is gained upon knowledge along with understanding.
The believer, who has Taqwa, will be the winner in this world and hereafter. Finally, the true success is to gain the pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and His Mercy. Yes! His (subhanahu wa ta’ala) pleasure, not yours.
The believer who worships Allah with the proper Taqwa, he will always be satisfied and thankful for what Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) gave him. He will always be happy and upon this he is the true winner in this world and the next life. He managed to purify his own soul from whims and desires, submitting to Allah’s will. While the one who doesn’t submit to Allah’s will, will never be satisfied, thankful or happy.
The one, who opposes to submit to Allah’s will, is a loser in both worlds and he has succeeded in nothing. But the one who submits to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) with his heart, mind and body will be a winner in both worlds.
Planning to get Married? Then Plan it Properly!
The summer is here and lots of wedding cards are lying on my table. Some exclusively deserve to participate in the ‘Best Wedding Card’ competitions. These days your status in the society is directly proportional to your son’s our daughter’s ‘exclusive wedding invitation’. Now a days wedding ceremonies have special ‘Event Planners’ who plan it according to your budgets. Many new careers have been carved out of this self invented compulsion in social custom.
Look at the expenses mentioned below that tell us how our wedding budgets are getting obese .Kindly note that the below mentioned money is not to be spend on the groom and bride but on other people.
1. Hiring the Hall 15,000/ – 1,00,000/
2. Decorating the Hall 20,000/- 1,00,000/
3. Welcome drinks 10,000/ - 50,000/
4. Starters 25,000 – 3,0,000/
5. Dinner 1,00,000 - ………./
6. Wedding Cards
7. Hotel rooms for out station guests…….
8. Local transportation for outstation guests
9. Gifts to the close relatives of groom by the bride’s family
10. …… 11………12………..
These are some compulsory expenses which have become a norm of our times. People have sold of their flats and other properties to meet the expenses of daughters. A close neighbour I know of, owned a big business and stayed in a large two bedroom apartment. He had four daughters. During the marriage of his first daughter he sold his flat and shifted to a smaller apartment. A couple of years later he sold his smaller flat too and shifted to a smaller apartment. By the time his fourth daughter got married, the man was selling post cards on the footpaths of the city!
An Islamic marriage is easy to plan and you can plan to make it easy. But the point is, how do we convince our elders that we want to save their hard earned money? It all depends upon how strong your arguments are. Begin with some questions to yourselves and your elders. Is it necessary to invite a huge crowd even if we are rich? Do you know how much money just an ice cream costs which is served after the dinner? Is it wise to spend lacs of Rupees for a few hours of get together?
How many nikah take place in our own city every May-June? Hundreds ! If we save our wealth from being paid to caterers, decorators ! How about conducting nikah in Masjids only ? Our Masjids are community centers. We can save huge amount of wealth. Next time when some one in your family is getting married don’t forget to offer your polite suggestions. Who knows how many families can be saved from getting bankrupt dues to marriages ! And Allah too rightly says” who ever intercedes for a good cause shall have a share in it… Surah Nisa’ ch 4, verse 86
Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com
EXCLUSIVE: US officers trained to wage ‘total war’ on Islam
‘Total war on Islam’: Fury over US military school which promoted bombing of Mecca
Senior officers have been taught that there is no such thing as moderate Islam and that the religion is their enemy.
Lessons at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, have for the past year included possible nuclear attacks on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and wiping out civilians.
The US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, branded the voluntary course “counter to our values of appreciation for religious freedom and cultural awareness” and “just objectionable, academically irresponsible”.
The Pentagon has confirmed the course material found on its website is authentic.
It came to light when an officer who took the lessons complained last month.
A Lieutenant Colonel has been suspended from teaching the lectures and the Pentagon has promised a full report into the scandal within weeks.
One of the key questions being asked by investigators is how many officers sat through the course without objecting.
A senior US military source said: “This is a huge scandal. What is so disturbing is that there could be a culture in the military that would allow such a course to exist at all.
“Hopefully the officers who have sat through this rubbish will realize that this does not in any way reflect the views of the general American military.
“The terrible thing is that it comes at a time when the US military is trying to encourage Muslims to join up.”
Gen Dempsey is understood to have ordered a full probe into lessons on Islam at other military schools.
Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/us-course-total-war-on-islam-military-829314
Pentagon instructor urged total war with Islam
A red-faced Pentagon has conceded that an instructor at its Joint Forces College in Virginia for military officers was until recently teaching a course advocating “total war” with Islam that could require obliterating the holy cities of Mecca and Medina without concern for civilian deaths.
The material in the course, which officers could elect to take but was not obligatory, flew in the face of repeated assertions by the Obama administration that the war on terrorism is just that and should under no circumstances be read as an assault on a religion observed by 1.4 billion people around the world.
Details of the course were obtained by a blog on Wired.com, drawn from a presentation given by the teacher, Lt. Col. Matthew Dooley, in July last year. He suggested that destroying Islamic holy sites would follow the precedents of the nuclear strike by the allies on Hiroshima in World War II and the firebombing of Dresden. His course was called ‘Perspectives on Islam and Islamic Radicalism’.
It was suspended in April after the Pentagon received a complaint from a student and Lt. Col. Dooley, while still at the College, no longer has any teaching duties. The FBI, meanwhile, has revealed that it too has recently been forced to revise some of its instructional materials to excise references that could have been insulting to Islam.
“It was just totally objectionable, against our values, and it wasn’t academically sound,” the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Martin Dempsey, said at a press conference at the Pentagon. “This wasn’t about … pushing back on liberal thought; this was objectionable, academically irresponsible.”
Dooley offered a theoretical war plan based on the need for “a direct ideological and philosophical confrontation with Islam”. In his presentation, he said: “They hate everything you stand for and will never coexist with you, unless you submit”. He added that as America waged that war it would be free to ignore provisions of the Geneva Convention that sets the rules for armed conflict as “no longer relevant”.
“This would leave open the option once again of taking war to a civilian population wherever necessary (the historical precedents of Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki being applicable…).” Saying Islam has already declared war on the US, Dooley called the current American stance of seeking common ground with Islamic leaders around the world as “illogical” and the better option was “waging ‘near total war’”.
“We have now come to understand that there is no such thing as ‘moderate Islam’,” Dooley said in the July presentation. “It is therefore time for the United States to make our true intentions clear. This barbaric ideology will no longer be tolerated. Islam must change or we will facilitate its self-destruction.”
Offered five times a year for groups of 20 at a time, the course may have been taught to as many as 800 mid-level and senior US military officers before the Pentagon closed it down. Lt. Col. Dooley was himself a highly decorated officer who had served in Iraq, Bosnia and Kuwait among others.
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/pentagon-instructor-urged-total-war-with-islam-7737807.html
US officers trained to wage ‘total war’ on Islam
US military officers have been taught that their enemy is Islam and that they might ultimately have to obliterate Mecca and Medina without regard for civilian deaths.
A copy of the course material used by army instructor Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Dooley at Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, was leaked by wired.com yesterday.
Lt Col Dooley called for “waging near total war,” against Islam.
“They hate everything you stand for and will never coexist with you unless you submit,” he said in a presentation last July.
He also said the Geneva Conventions are “no longer relevant.
“This would leave open the option once again of taking war to a civilian population wherever necessary – the historical precedent of Hiroshima being applicable.”
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Martin Dempsey told a Pentagon news conference yesterday that the course has been suspended since a student filed a complaint.
Source: http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/118907
Calling to Islam – the duty of every Muslim
While all the messengers appointed by Allaah were charged by Him with the responsibility to disseminate the revealed guidance with which they were entrusted, their respective nations too, were called upon to share in the fulfilment of Allaah’s orders. Allaah reminds us in the Holy Quran with (what means): “And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allaah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying]: ‘You must make it clear [i.e., explain it] to the people and not conceal it.’…” [Quran: 3:187]
The position of the Muslim Ummah (nation), in this respect, is clear in the Quran, where Allaah states (what means): “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong…” [Quran: 3:110]
Thus, Allaah Almighty has honoured this Muslim Ummah by appointing it to share in the noble cause of its Prophet by inviting people to follow the straight path. The Quran further stresses (what means): “The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong…” [Quran: 9:71] while: “The hypocrite men and hypocrite women are of one another. They enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right…” [Quran: 9:71]
Hence, the truth emerges clearly that to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong constitutes a fundamental difference between a believer and a hypocrite, who pretends to be a believer when he is quite the reverse. Consequently, all members of the Muslim Ummah, men and women alike, are individually responsible to further the cause of Islam with the zeal, determination and sense of sacrifice of the Prophet and his companions .
That the Companions did their utmost, individually and collectively, to convey the light of Islam to all people, even outside the Arabian Peninsula, is demonstrated by the lengthy and dangerous journeys they took, reaching the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Great Wall of China in the East. Countless distinguished companions breathed their last in faraway and foreign lands preaching Islam, for which their sacrifices knew no bounds.
At this point some commonplace misconceptions ought to be cleared. To call all peoples of the world to Allaah is the duty of every responsible and conscientious Muslim. Since there is no priesthood in Islam or sacerdotal class among Muslims, the duty of the call to Allaah cannot be transferred to an ill-conceived and imaginary group called the ‘men of religion.’ In Islam everyone is a man of religion and every man will be accountable to Allaah as to whether he fulfilled his obligations sincerely and to the best of his abilities or not. The following verse of the Quran should be very enlightening in this respect; Allaah says (what means): “Say: ‘This is my way; I invite to Allaah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allaah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him.’” [Quran: 12:108]
Thus, anyone who rightly claims to be a follower of the Prophet cannot evade his duty to call people to Allaah.
The following prophetic traditions amply elucidate this point: “Let those who witness inform those who are absent.” [Al-Bukhaari] The word ‘witness’ here is taken to mean anyone who possesses some Islamic knowledge. The Prophet is also reported to have said: “Preach on my behalf, even with just one verse (i.e. verse of the Quran).”
Therefore, one need not be a profound scholar or a great jurist to call others to Islam. No doubt a person well-versed in Islamic sciences would be able to speak more authoritatively and would be in a position to explain matters of religion to the minutest details. However, a high level of scholarship is not a prerequisite to call others to Islam. Everyone’s effort has a definite gap to fill. A Muslim scholar will address his counterpart with a refined style and scholarly content, while a Muslim layman will have to reason with his equals in practical terms, each having a role complementary to the others.
Every individual of the Muslim Ummah is obliged to be actively engaged in whatever way he can to guide people to the right path and support, morally as well as materially, those who labour to discharge this responsibility. A common misconception that found appeal even among earlier Muslim generations and which still lingers on to this day stems from failure to comprehend the meaning of the following Quranic verse in the proper context (which means): “O you who have believed! Upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided…” [Quran: 5:105]
In all honesty and fairness, the above verse does not connote, by any stretch of imagination, that a so-called pious or saintly person may absolve himself of the responsibility to call mankind to truth simply by thinking that evil would not knock at his door, on account of his being pure and peaceful. Regardless of how pious one may appear to be, he can never equal the Prophet or excel his companions in their moral perfection, sincerity of worship and religious devotion.
None of the Prophet’s companions ever dreamt of resigning from the noble task of inviting the nations of the east and the west to eternal bliss and salvation offered by Allaah through Islam. It was precisely to correct this wrong notion about the aforementioned verse that Abu Bakr issued the following warning: “O people! Indeed you read this exalted verse and put it in a place other than its own. Whereas I heard the Apostle of Allaah saying: “Indeed, if people see a cruel person and they do not restrain him, Allaah may punish all of them.””
The Ansaar (inhabitants of Madeenah who welcomed the Muslim immigrants) had gone through great material sacrifices in support of the Islamic cause. When Allaah granted victory to the Muslims after their long struggles against the polytheists and they conquered Makkah, some of the Ansaar felt satisfied. Now that Allaah had bestowed His favour upon the believers and had crowned their noble efforts with a glorious and decisive victory over their opponents, they thought it justified for themselves to return to their much neglected trades and palm groves. Thereupon, Allaah the Most High, revealed the following verse (which means): “…And do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction…” [Quran 2:195]
Which clearly meant that a believer would be exposed to the gravest danger if he were to abandon the struggle in the way of Allaah and confine himself to routine Islamic duties such as Salaat (prayer), Sawm (fasting), Zakaat (alms-giving), and the like. Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansaari was among the distinguished Companions. According to some sources, he was one hundred and ten (110) years old when he participated in the first Muslim siege of Constantinople (Istanbul) where he died a martyr. Considering his old age, his younger friends would sometimes recommend him to rest for a while, to which he would reply: “Are you telling me to throw myself into destruction?”
Author: Dr. Taalib Alb
Like this:
Why Don’t you keep a Beard?
A young man once told me that his mother insists that he should shave of his newly kept beard and continue it after marriage. The reason : Many good looking educated girls don’t prefer a bearded guy. I did not agree with him and I am sure most of my sisters who are my readers will also not agree.
Normally when ever I come across such reservations or hesitation I approach with a question. “Is it a reason or an excuse for not keeping a beard?” The answer is obvious : Of-course it is a reason or rather compulsion.
Well I have my own arguments for such exaggerated compulsions. Read them and use them to revive a sunnah.
Our beloved Prophet had more than 10 wives, and they included the best and the most noble women of that era. The Prophet, peace be upon him had a beard. If Allah can give him 10+ wives will he deprive you of at least one wife just because you are obeying his messenger? King Solomon (Suleman a.s. ) had hundreds wives and he was a Prophet with a beard. Moses, peace be upon him had a beard and he was chosen by Shuaib as a groom for his noble daughter. All the companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, had beard and in spite of this many had multiple wives.
Keeping a beard is a sunnah of all the prophets and their companions. It drives away your inferiority complex. and injects in you a confidence that you are acceptable even with your religious uniform. It is a sunnah that you are performing for all 24 hours a day, every minute, every second. Even when you are asleep you are observing a sunnah through a beard. We are so particular about other sunnah which od not last for much time ( though every sunnah is precious and important) but we ignore this 24 x 7 sunnah. How much reward are we missing if we dont grow a beard?
A person can look good even if he keeps a beard. A person’s goodness shines more through is behavior and dealing with people and not merely by his looks. Imagine the scenario : 700 millions of Muslim growing beard and are seen in the streets, in malls, in colleges, in trains buses…. What an Impact of the community ! Right? So grown your beard from today… and let me know..
Nisaar Nadaidwala can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com
Quran & Science: Leave corn in its ears
(He said): O Yusuf (Joseph), the man of truth! Explain to us (the dream) of seven fat cows whom seven lean ones were devouring, and of seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry, that I may return to the people, and that they may know. Yusuf said: For seven consecutive years, you shall sow as usual and that (the harvest) which you reap you shall leave in ears, (all) – except a little of it which you may eat. Then will come after that, seven hard (years), which will devour what you have laid by in advance for them, (all) except a little of that which you have guarded (stored). Then thereafter will come a year in which people will have abundant rain and in which they will press (wine and oil). Allah, the Almighty, says: (He said): O Yusuf (Joseph), the man of truth! Explain to us (the dream) of seven fat cows whom seven lean ones were devouring, and of seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry, that I may return to the people, and that they may know. Yusuf said: For seven consecutive years, you shall sow as usual and that (the harvest) which you reap you shall leave in ears, (all) – except a little of it which you may eat. Then will come after that, seven hard (years), which will devour what you have laid by in advance for them, (all) except a little of that which you have guarded (stored). Then thereafter will come a year in which people will have abundant rain and in which they will press (wine and oil).” (Quran ; Yusuf: 45-49)
The Scientific Fact:
Storing corn in its ears is considered one of the basic methods of preserving such seeds during hard environmental conditions. This combination of growing crops and preserving and storing them is called preserving products.
Dr. `Abd al-Majid Bil`abid and his colleagues from Rabat University in Morocco conducted research on some wheat seeds that were left in their ears for two years and some other seeds that were left outside their ears. Primary results showed that the ears experienced no change and stayed 100% viable despite the fact that the storehouse was normal and no special conditions were provided. Scientists also found that seeds left in their ears lost a considerable amount of water and became drier than those left outside their ears. This means that 20.3 % of the weight of the seeds left outside their ears is water which will affect the seeds ability to grow once cultivated, simply because water makes it more vulnerable to decay.
Thereafter, researches compared the rates of growth between seeds left in their ears and others left outside their ears for 2 years. They found that seeds left in their sheaths have a better growth rate – of 20 % root length and 32 % trunk length. Afterwards, researchers tried to estimate the proteins and sugar that remained unchanged. They found that such substances had fallen by 32 % after 2 years of storage in the seeds left outside their ears while after one year of storage such seeds lost 20 % of these substances. The seeds stored in their ears lost nothing.
Facets of Scientific Inimitability:
Almighty Allah says: “…which you reap you shall leave in ears” which means that storing seeds in their ears is the best way to preserve them.
There are two other scientific observations in this verse:
1- Defining the period over which seeds are expected to be viable: 15 years. People were commanded to grow wheat for 7 years and then 7 hard years would follow and then one year (totaling 15 in all) will come when people will be able to produce wine and oil. Scientific researches have proven that wheat seeds can keep their ability to grow for a maximum of 15 years.
2- The method of storage by leaving seeds in their ears has also been tested in the research. This shows that the best way to store seeds is the way practiced by Prophet Yusuf who was taught by Allah. It is historically proven that this way was unknown before, especially to ancient Egyptians who used to store wheat seeds outside their ears. Obviously, this is a scientific miracle that shows the greatness and accuracy of the Ever-Glorious Qur’an and that it is a revelation from Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He).
By: Dr. Abd al-Majid Bil`abid
It happened last Friday…(Based on a true story)
The Khutbah had already started. She knew that she was late, but she wanted to attend the Jumuah prayers anyway. She quickly picked up her baby and stepped anxiously into the Masjid, looking to the right and the left. After all, this was the first time she was here; she had just moved to the area and didn’t know anybody.
As she sat down in the Sister’s Prayer Hall with the baby in her lap, her heart was thumping in her chest. She could feel curious eyes turn in her direction, but she stared hard at the ground, too nervous to meet their gaze and tried to concentrate on what the Imam was saying.
But her baby was nervous too. He didn’t know this new place….all these new faces, all the curious eyes. He had never been in a Masjid before. He wanted to go home.
She knew her baby would be uncomfortable in the new setting, but she thought she could manage. She herself had not been very ‘practicing’ all her life, but now that she was a mother herself, she felt the importance of an Islaamic upbringing. She was determined to teach her baby all about this religion right from the very beginning, but first she had to work on herself. She wanted to learn, too. She decided that the best place to start learning about Islaam would be the masjid, and this was her first visit.
But the baby was getting restless and she could see that he had already started to whimper. Yet, she hoped she could console him long enough to last through the Prayer. However, much to her dismay, just as the Imam finished the khutbah and said, “Allaahu Akbar,” her baby started crying. At first it was low wail and a whine, but then he let it all out. And she was certainly not prepared for the ear-splitting howl that followed, nor the hysterically loud sobbing that accompanied it.
WAAWWW!!!……
Oh my GOD! What a terrible noise he was making!
What should I do??!! What can I do??!!! She thought to herself, panicking.
She didn’t want to break her prayer!
She tried to pick him up, but he was squirming too much!
She realized that he was wailing loudly, but there was nothing much she could really do.
“After all, he WAS a baby!” she said to herself. ”I am sure they all understand.”
She wished that the prayer would be over quickly so that she could console her baby.But before the Imam had hardly finished saying the ‘Salaam’, that they all jumped on her!
“WHY DON’T YOU KEEP THE BABY QUIET!”, they screamed! “DON’T YOU SEE WE ARE PRAYING?”
“Why did you come to the Masjid?” Someone muttered, grinding her teeth.
“STAY HOME, NEXT TIME!” Another one hissed.
“Bb….but…ummm…..I…uh..
…I’m so sorry.” she whispered.
With her head bent low, her eyes downcast, she blinked hard to fight back the tears that suddenly welled up in her eyes………as she tried so hard to swallow the HUGE lump in her throat.
She thought this was the Masjid….this was the place where she and her baby would be welcome…..this was the place she wanted to be……to learn Islaam and to teach it to her child!
How can they be so mean to her like that?!!Didn’t they realize that it wasn’ t her fault that the baby started crying!
Without saying a single word more, she hurriedly gathered her things, picked up her baby and quickly left the Masjid,
WITHOUT EVEN ONCE LOOKING BACK……
Now let’s go back to another scenario……1400 years ago…..in a better time…..in a better place…..in another Masjid…..when a Bedouin enters the Masjid and begins urinating in it.
The Sahabah want to stop him, but what does the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) do???
Does he shout at him? Does he kick him out of the Masjid?
NO!
Instead, he (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) kindly calls the bedouin to him and gently makes him understand that the masaajid are not places meant for urine and filth, but are only for the remembrance of Allaah, prayer and the recitation of the Qur’aan. He (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) then asks one of the people to pour a bucket of water over it. (Muslim) And what did he tell the Sahaabah? He (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said to them:
“You are sent to make things easy and not to make things difficult” (Bukhaari).
This illustrates for us the perfect example of how OUR behavior should have been. It shows us an unwavering principle of Islaam, that is, if in our social life, when any unpleasant incident takes place, we should keep our cool and show tolerance and patience. We should concentrate on finding a solution to the problem and not just think in terms of what punishment to hand out to the problem-maker.
We should find means that would alleviate rather than aggravate the problem.
Where is our sense of tolerance and patience? Where is our feeling of compassion and mercy? When and where will we show it, if not in the masjid, of all the places? The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said:
“He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy.” (Bukhaari)
Did the sisters forget the time when they had little babies of their own and they cried too?
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) understood the agony that a mother goes through at such times. That’s why he (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said:
“When I enter the prayer I intend to prolong it. Then I hear the crying of a child, so I shorten it knowing the difficulty his mother will have with him crying.” (Bukhaari)
And aren’t we supposed to warmly receive a newcomer, and make them feel wanted and welcomed….especially one who is just coming back to Islaam?Isn’t being kind and tolerable, the very basis of our deen….the very essence of our Da’wah?
As Allaah says to the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam):
“By the grace of Allaah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been stern and ill-tempered, they would have dispersed from round about you” (Surah Aal-’Imraan:159)
Aren’t we supposed to behave courteously towards one another?
Didn’t the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) tell us:
“He is a bad person in the sight of Allah who does not behave courteously and people shun his company because of his bad manners.“ (Bukhaari)
SubhaanAllaah!
Was this the way to behave with the new sister?
Why weren’t we gentle and merciful to her?
Why couldn’t we be patient with her and her little baby?
Couldn’t we have dealt with the situation better?
Were we a means of pushing her away from coming to the Masjid?
Did we push her away from Islaam itself??!!
These are some of the questions that we seriously need to ask ourselves.
France arrests Muslim women as full-face veil ban begins
PARIS – Police in France, home to Europe’s biggest Muslim population, arrested two protesters wearing niqab veils on Monday as a ban on full-face coverings went into effect.
The women, part of a demonstration that erupted in front of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, were detained for taking part in an unauthorised protest rather than for wearing their veils.
But, in theory at least, French officials can now slap fines on Muslim women who refuse orders to expose their faces when in public.
“We were held for three-and-a-half hours at the police station while the prosecutors decided what to do. Three-and-a-half hours later they told us: ‘It’s fine, you can go’,” said 32-year-old Kenza Drider.
Drider, who made regular international media appearances in her brown and cream niqab in the run-up to the ban, said she had lifted her veil only briefly and only in front of female officers for an identity check.
Separately, businessman and activist Rachid Nekkaz told AFP that he and a female friend wearing the niqab were arrested by police in front of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Elysee Palace.
“We wanted to be fined for wearing the niqab, but the police didn’t want to issue a fine,” said Nekkaz, who has promised to auction off a two-million-euro property to start a fund to pay off fines for veil-wearers.
French police fear the law will be impossible to enforce, since they have not been empowered to use force to remove head coverings, and could face resistance in already tense immigrant districts.
“The law will be infinitely difficult to enforce, and will be infinitely rarely enforced,” said Manuel Roux, deputy head of a union representing local police chiefs, in an interview with France Inter radio.
“It’s not for the police to demonstrate zeal,” he said, predicting that when patrol officers meet veiled women they will simply try to explain the law to them and to persuade them to remove their face covering.
“If they refuse, that’s when things get really complicated. We have no power to force them,” he said. “I can’t begin to imagine we’re going to pay any attention to a veiled woman in a sensitive area, where men are proud.”
But Interior Minister Claude Gueant insisted the ban would be enforced, in the name of “secularism and equality between men and women… two principles upon which we can not compromise.”
“The police and the gendarmerie are there to apply the law and they will apply the law.”
The law came into effect at an already fraught moment in relations between the state and France’s Muslim minority, with Sarkozy accused of stigmatising Islam to win back votes from a resurgent far right.
French officials estimate that only around 2,000 women, from a total Muslim population estimated at between four and six million, wear the full-face veils that are traditional in parts of the Arab world and South Asia.
Many Muslims and rights activists say the right-wing president is targeting one of France’s most vulnerable groups to signal to anti-immigration voters that he shares their fear that Islam is a threat to French culture.
“Women in France have the right to freedom of religion and expression. They must also be free to protest when this right is violated,” said John Dalhuisen, a director at Amnesty International.
“This law puts France to shame — a country that prides itself on the human rights it claims to promote and protect, freedom of expression included.”
But in France support for the ban bridges the left-right divide.
Although the bulk of opposition lawmakers abstained from the vote on the law, 20 supported it and some feminists traditionally associated with the left support a ban on a garment they feel demeans women.
Anyone refusing to lift his or her veil to submit to an identity check can be taken to a police station. There, officers must try to persuade them to remove the garment, and can threaten fines.
A woman who repeatedly insists on appearing veiled in public can be fined 150 euros ($216) and ordered to attend re-education classes.
There are much more severe penalties for anyone found guilty of forcing someone else to hide his or her face “through threats, violence, constraint, abuse of authority or power for reason of their gender.”
Clearly aimed at fathers, husbands or religious leaders who force women to wear face-veils, and applicable to offences committed in public or in private, the law imposes a fine of 30,000 euros and a year in jail.
Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/11/france-arrests-muslim-women-as-full-face-veil-ban-begins/
