Category Archives: Aqeedah

The return of the Qur'aan

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The ‘Return’ of the Qur’aan

by Abû Ammâr Yasir al-Qadhî

The statement of’Amr ibn Deenar (d. 126 A.H.) was quoted earlier in which he said,

“I have met the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and those that came after them for seventy years, all of them said, Allaah is the Creator and everything besides Him is created, and the Qur’aan is the kalaam of Allaah, from Him it came, and to Him it will return.”’ [1]

This statement, which was used in the section concerning the kalaam of Allaah, mentions the fact that the Qur’aan will ‘return’ to Allaah. What is the meaning of this phrase which was said by so many Companions and Successors?

Among the signs of the Day of Judgement is the increase of ignorance, and the disappearance of knowledge. The Prophet (saws) said,

“Before the Day of Judgement, there will be a time (or ‘days’) in which Ignorance will be sent down, and Knowledge will be raised up.” [2]

The ‘raising up of Knowledge’ has been interpreted by the Prophet (saws) himself to mean the death of scholars. The Prophet (saws) said,

‘Allaah does not snatch away knowledge from the chests of His servants, but He takes away knowledge by the death of scholars, until, when there are no more scholars remaining, the people take ignorant leaders (i.e., as scholars). And these leaders will be asked (by the people), and they will respond without any knowledge, and they will be misguided, and misguide others.” [3]

And as the Day of Judgement comes closer, more and more ignorance will appear, and knowledge will lessen, until, in the very last of time, the Qur’aan itself will be taken away, and raised up from amongst mankind. This will occur after the time of ‘Eesaa, when the only people remaining will be the worst of all of mankind; the generation upon whom the Trumpet of the Day of Judgement will be blown while they are still alive.

The Prophet (saws) said,

“Islaam will disappear just like the colours of a dress fade away, until people will not even know what fasting, prayer, the rites (of Hajj and charity are. And the Book of Allaah will be lifted up one night, so that not even one verse will remain. And a group of old people will remain, who will say, ‘We found our forefathers on this kalimah: Laa ilaaha ila Allaah, so we too say it.”’ [4]

Ibn Mas’ood said,

“Indeed, the Qur’aan will be taken away from your midst; one night it will be raised up, and it will leave from the chests of men, and nothing will remain of it on the earth.” [5]

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr stated,

“The Day of Judgement will not come until the Qur’aan returns from whence it was revealed. It will have a sound like the buzzing of bees and it will say, ‘O my Lord! From you I came and to you I am returning. I am recited, but not acted upon; I am recited, but not acted upon.”’ [6]

Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 A.H.) stated, in explanation of these narrations,

“It will be raised up one night, towards the very end of time, from the mus-haf and the chests of men, so not a single word will remain in the hearts, nor will a single letter remain in the mus-haf” [7]

It appears, therefore, that although knowledge in general will not be taken away from the chests of men, the Quraan, towards the end of time, will, and Allaah knows best.

In any case, the hadeeth are explicit that the Qur’aan will be raised up from the earth, and this is the meaning of the phrase of the salaf: ‘…and to Him it will return’. The time when this ‘raising up’ occurs will be the end of time, the time in which the Qur’aan has been abandoned by the people; when they leave the Qur’aan, it is only befitting that the Qur’aan is taken away from them.

An Appeal

The present work has been an attempt to present to the reader a glimpse of the power and beauty of the Qur’aan. There can be no doubt that the Qur’aan is the greatest miracle of the Prophet (saws) – a miracle that can be appreciated by all of mankind. Yet, despite the power and status of the Qur’aan, many Muslims are heedless of it.

It is distressing to see that the Muslims of today have turned away from this great treasure that has been revealed to them – the very Speech of Allaah. They have made the Qur’aan a sacred family heirloom; to be treasured in exotic and expensive covers, yet to be uninhabited by the best of all covers – their hearts; to be recited and listened to in the best and most melodious of voices, yet to ignore its meanings; to be placed high above all other objects in any room, yet to occupy the lowest station in their daily lives; to be read when a death has occurred, yet to be ignored by the living; to be written in the fanciest of scripts and on the most expensive of papers, yet to be heedless of its commandments and prohibitions.

‘What is the matter with them, that they have turned away from the Remembrance?’ [74:49]

‘O Mankind! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Most Generous?’ [82:6]

O Muslims! O Believers of the Qur’aan! Beware that you do not fall into those whom the Prophet (saws) will complain about to his Lord on the Day of Judgement:

‘And the Messenger (will) say: ‘O My Lord, indeed my people took this Qur’aan as something worthy of being abandoned!’’ [25:30]

The scholar Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 758 A.H.) said,

There are various types of ‘abandonment’ of the Qur’aan:

1) To abandon listening to it and believing in it.

2) To abandon acting upon it, and ignoring its lawful and prohibited ordinances (Halaal and haraam), even if one believes in it and recites it.

3) To abandon judging by it, and resorting to it as a judge when there are differences in the essence of the religion or other matters.

4) To abandon pondering over it, and understanding it, and seeking the explanation of it.

5) To abandon using it as a cure in all types of diseases of the heart, and instead to seek to cure these diseases by other means.

And all of these categories are included in the statement of Allaah,

‘And the Messenger (will) say: “0 My Lord, indeed my people took this Qur’aan as something worthy of being abandoned!’’ [25:30]

even though some of these types of abandonment are worse than others. [8]

How many of these types of abandonments are we guilty of?

O Muslims! Have you not read the outcome of the one who turns away from the Qur’aan?

‘And whoever turns away from My Remembrance (the Qur’aan), for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up, on the Day of Judgement, blind. He will say, ‘O My Lord! Why have you resurrected me blind, when I used to see (in this world)?’ (Allaah) will respond, ‘Likewise (in this manner), Our verses came to you, but you ignored them. And, likewise, today you shall be ignored’’ [20:124-126].

The one who was blessed with sight, but turned away from the light and guidance of the Qur’aan, deserves that his sight to be snatched away from him, for of what use was it? If his sight was blind to the light of the Qur’aan, then, on the Day of Judgement , it shall be blind to all else.

‘And whoever is blind in this world (to the Qur’aan), then he will be blind on the Day of Judgement, and even more astray!’ [17:72]

The Prophet (saws) said,

“Indeed, Allaah will honour people (i.e., in this world and the Hereafter) by this Book, and He will debase others by it.” [9]

There are only two categories of people when it comes to the Qur’aan; those that will be honoured because of it, and those that will be humiliated because of it. The Prophet (saws) also said,

“Whoever puts (the Qur’aan) ahead of him, it will lead him to Paradise; and whoever throws it behind him, it will drag him into Hell.” [10]

Which of these two categories do you wish to be in?

Taken from the Book ‘An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’aan’ Publushed by al-Hidaayah Publications Ltd.

Footnotes

1 Reported by al-B ayhaqee in his Sunan.
2 Reported by al-Bukhaaree.
3 Reported by al-Bukhaaree.
4 Reported by Ibn Maajah; authenticated in Saheeh al-Jaami’.
5 Reported by at-Tabaraanee.
6 ad-Darimee, ar- Radd, p. 189.
7 Majmoo’ al-Fatawaa, v. 3, p. 198. Also see Waabil, p. 135.
8 Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 113. The five categories have been translated in meaning, not verbatim.
9 Reported by Muslim.
10 Reported by at-Tabaraani.

Du'a and Its Relationship with Destiny

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Du’a and Its Relationship with Destiny*

by Yasir Qadhi

The topic of du’a and its relationship with destiny (qadr) is a very important one, and one around which much confusion exists. Many people ask, “If everything has already been destined to occur, then of what use is du’a? If Allah has written what I want, I will get it without making du’a. And if it is not written for me, then I will never get it no matter how much du’a I make.”

The response to this question lies in understanding that the outcome of anything is dependent on the performance of the efforts that are necessary to procure it. In other words, it has already been decreed, for example, that a seed will give fruit if planted, but this will not occur unless the farmer takes the appropriate efforts in irrigating the crop, maintaining it, protecting the seedling as it grows, and ensuring as much as he can that the factors are amenable for the plant to give fruit.

So even though a person believes in divine decree, he must at the same time strive all he can to ensure that the desired goal occurs. And du’a is the means that one uses to achieve the desired goal that one has, and this in no way contradicts the destiny that has been written for that person. This stance is clarified by the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam’s hadith reported by Thawban, that he, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Nothing increases one’s lifespan except good deeds, and nothing repels divine decree except du’a. A person may be deprived of sustenance due to a sin that he does” (Ibn Majah)! In other words, the performance of good deeds is a cause of increasing one’s lifespan. So if a person puts in the necessary effort, the results will be achieved, and this is also destined. So both the means to achieve a goal, and the fulfillment of the goal itself, are already decreed.

If someone were to ask, “How can du’a repel divine decree?” we would respond, “The fact that you may be ill has already been decreed by Allah for you, as has the fact that you will ask Allah to cure you of this illness (i.e. both the illness and your asking to cure the illness has been decreed). In a similar manner, a person may be deprived of his sustenance that was decreed for him, since Allah’s eternal knowledge encompasses the fact that this person would perform a sinful deed that would cause the deprivation of his sustenance. All of this, then, is from the decree of Allah, all glory and praise be to Him.” There are a number of ahadith that clarify this point. For example, Mu’adh ibn Jabal reported that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Caution will be of no benefit against divine decree, but du’ a benefits all things, whether they come down or not. I therefore advise you to make du’a, O servants of Allah” (Ahmad, Abu Ya’la and al-Tabarani)!

So no matter how cautious a person is, he cannot escape what is written for him, simply because Allah controls everything, and nothing escapes His knowledge or power. However, by turning to Allah through du’a , it is possible to avert something that might have been decreed. Salman al-Farsi narrated that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Nothing repels divine decree except du’a, and nothing increases one’s lifespan except good deeds” (Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim).

This hadith informs us in no uncertain terms that the only way we can repel some divine decree is through du’a. So it is possible that some unpleasant matter has been preordained for us, but only if we do not make du’a to avert it from us. So if du’a is made, then this matter will not occur or be fulfilled, whereas if du’a is left, the misfortune will occur. Another narration in al-Tirmidhi also supports this. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“There is no Muslim on the face of the earth that asks Allah for anything except that Allah gives it to him, or averts from him a similar evil, as long as he does not ask for something evil or for breaking the ties of kinship” (Al-Tirmidhi).

From this narration, the benefits of du’a are made clear, and its value is understood. For not only is a person rewarded for making a du’a, but it is also a cause of repelling an evil that was destined for him, and in obtaining the good that he was expecting.

Ibn Hajr, commenting on the benefits of du’a, said:
“And the benefit of performing du’a is the attainment of reward by obeying the command (of Allah to make du’a), and also by the attainment of what is asked for, for there is a possibility that the request is dependent on the du’a, since Allah is the Creator of both the effort and result of the effort” (Fath Al-Bari)!

Therefore, the proper response to the question posed earlier is, in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim, as follows:
“The logical consequences of such a reasoning leads to a rejection of all efforts. It can, therefore, be said to a person who holds this view, ‘If the satisfaction of your hunger and thirst has already been destined for you, then it will be fulfilled, whether you eat or not. On the other hand, if it has not been destined for you, it will never occur, whether you eat or not. And, if a son has been destined for you, then you will be granted one, whether you have intercourse with your wife or not. On the other hand, if a son has not been destined for you, then you will never be granted one. In this case, there is no point in you getting married…!’ Now, will any sane person agree with all of these conclusions” (Al-Jawab Al-Kafi)?

To summarise, then, divine decree (qadr) cannot be used as an excuse not to make du’a. For, just as one strives to ensure that one attains worldly needs, of food, drink and family, so too must one strive in one’s religious deeds to attain the desired goal. Du’a is intrinsically related to qadr; in fact, it is a part of one’s qadr. Allah has already decreed that a certain matter will be granted to a servant, or an evil averted from him, if he makes du’a. And if he were to leave du’a, then the desired goal would not be reached. Hence it is the Sunnah of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam to make the following du’a during the witr prayer:
“…Bless me in what You have given me. And avert and turn away from me the evil that has been decreed for me, for verily You decree (all things), and none can decree against You…” (Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Nasa’i)

So the Muslim turns to Allah and prays to Him so that any and all evil can be averted from him.

Additionally, it should be remembered that the concept of divine decree is one that a human can never fully understand, due to his limited intellect and finite capabilities. The true Muslim does not delve too deeply into the philosophical ramifications of divine decree. Rather, he accepts all that has occurred to him in the past as having been destined for him, and he strives to obtain what he desires in the future (as long as it is permissible for him). Since he does not know what has been written for him in the future, he expects the best from Allah, and does everything in his power to ensure that what he wants is granted him. Just like going to work every day will ensure, if Allah wills, that he gets his pay-cheque at the end of the month, so too does making du’a ensure, if Allah wills, that he achieves his desired goal.
——————–
*Excerpted and edited further from: Qadhi, Abu Ammaar Yasir (2003). Du’a: The Weapon of the Believer: A Treatise on the Status and Etiquette of Du’a in Islam. Birmingham: Al-Hidaayah.

Angels: Messengers with Wings

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Angels: Messengers with Wings

by Muhammad Alshareef

In the name of Allah. All praise is due to Allah and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His beloved Messenger, his family and companions, and those that follow them in righteousness till the final day.

The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam was once sitting in his home, his lower legs uncovered, when Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu came in, followed by ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam remained seated as he was. Then Uthman radi Allahu anhu arrived, and this time the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam sat up, covered his lower legs and greeted him with the warmest greeting. Aisha radi Allahu anha witnessed this and when she later questioned the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam about it, he sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam replied, “Should I not be shy from he whom the angels are shy of?”

Jibreel alayhis salaam once came to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and asked him about Islam, eman, and ihsan. The Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam in response to the question, “What is eman?” said, “Eman is to believe in Allah, in His angels, His books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree – the good and the bad thereof.”

We learn from the above hadith that believing in the angels is one of the pillars of eman. Angels are a creation of Allah. They were created before our father Adam alayhis salaam was created. Allah created them from light; they do not eat or drink; they are characterized by neither feminine nor masculine qualities; and they do not tire. Some spend their entire existence in ruku’, others in sujood and then when the judgment is called they will raise their heads and say, “Glory be to You, our Lord, we did not worship You in a way befitting Your Majesty.”

The Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us about some of the characteristics and duties of the angels. Some of what he sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam taught us is as follows:

1. Their creation is huge.

The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, “I saw Jibreel in the fashion that he was originally created in. He had 600 wings, each wing filling the (entire) horizon (i.e. the east to the west, as far as the eye could see).”
This event is mentioned in the Qur’an as well:
And indeed he (Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) saw him (Jibreel alayhis salaam) in the clear horizon (towards the east) (At-Takweer 81/23).

2. They have the ability to change shape.

We know this from the story of Maryam and also from the hadith of Jibreel alayhis salaam in which we are told that he appeared before the companions in the form of a man, wearing an intensely white garment and having intensely black hair.

3. They live in the heavens, from which they descend to carry out the duties appointed to them.

Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala says:
Nearly the heavens might be rent asunder from above them (by His majesty) and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord (Ash-Shura 42/5). This was just a glimpse into some of the characteristics of the angels. As for the relationship between the angels and the mu’mineen, this is a very close one. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us that they witness the gatherings of Muslims in which Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala is remembered. He sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Allah has some angels who look for those who celebrate the praises of Allah on the roads and paths. And when they find some people celebrating the praises of Allah, they call each other, saying, ‘Come to the object of your pursuit.'”

He added:
“Then the angels encircle them with their wings up to the sky of the world. (After those people celebrated the praises of Allah, and the angels go back) their Lord, asks them (those angels), though He knows better than them, ‘What do My slaves say?’
“The angels reply, ‘They say subhan Allah, Allahu Akbar, and alhamdulillah.'”
“Allah then says ‘Did they see Me?’ The angels reply, ‘No! By Allah, they didn’t see You.'”
“Allah says, ‘How would it have been if they saw Me?'”
“The angels reply, ‘If they saw You, they would worship You more devoutly and celebrate Your Glory more deeply, and declare Your freedom from any resemblance to anything more often.'” “Allah says (to the angels), ‘What do they ask Me for?'”
“The angels reply, ‘They ask You for Paradise.'”
“Allah says (to the angels), ‘Did they see it?'”
“The angels say, ‘No! By Allah, O Lord! They did not see it.'”
“Allah says, ‘How would it have been if they saw it?'”
“The angels say, ‘If they saw it, they would have greater covetousness for it and would seek it with greater zeal and would have greater desire for it.'”
“Allah says, ‘From what do they seek refuge?'”
“The angels reply, ‘They seek refuge from the (Hell) Fire.'”
“Allah says, ‘Did they see it?'”
“The angels say, ‘No! By Allah, O Lord! They did not see it.'”
“Allah says, ‘How would it have been if they saw it?'”
“The angels say, “‘If they saw it they would flee from it with the extreme fleeing and would have extreme fear from it.'”
“Then Allah says, ‘I make you witnesses that I have forgiven them.'”

Allah’s Apostle sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam added:
“One of the angels says, ‘There was so-and-so amongst them, and he was not one of them, but he had just come for some need.'”
“Allah says, ‘These are those people whose companions will not fall into misery.'”

The angels love the believers. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“When Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala loves someone he calls to Jibreel saying, ‘O Jibreel, I love such and such a person, so love him.’ Then Jibreel will call to the (angels) of the heavens, ‘Allah loves such and such a person so love him.’ And the angels will love [that person]. And then Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala will place acceptance on earth for that mu’min” (Bukhari and Muslim).

The angels also pray for the believers. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam explained:
“Any servant that prays for me, an angel will pray for them” (Sahih Al-Jami’). And the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam also said that there is an angel appointed to say, “Ameen and to you the same,” when someone supplicates for his brother in his absence. And of course, the angels undoubtedly assist the mu’mineen in jihaad. In the Battle of Badr the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam left Madinah with only 317 companions in pursuit of a caravan, unprepared for war. When the Muslim army found themselves confronted with over 1000 well-prepared fighters from the Quraish who had weapons and horses, the prospects of them emerging victorious seemed grim, especially since it was to be their first battle. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam entered his tent, prayed and raised his hands invoking victory from Allah. He raised his hands so high that his shawl would fall off and Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu was there placing it back on his shoulders. He, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam cried and prayed until Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu felt sympathy for the state in which he saw him. He called out to the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, “Ruwaidan Ya RasuAllah. Inallaha naasiruk wa mujizu wa’dak (Take it easy, O Messenger of Allah. Allah shall surely aid you, and fulfill the promise [He made] to you.).”

Then Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala revealed the verse:
(Remember) when your Lord inspired the angels, “Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite them over all their fingers and toes” (Al-Anfal 8/12).
Jibreel asked the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam what the position of the men who had participated in the Battle of Badr with him was. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam replied, “They are the best of us.”

Then Jibraeel said, “Likewise, the angels that attended Badr are the best amongst the angels.”

And of course, the angels are there when the mu’min dies. Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala tells us of that day when they come to extract the soul of the mu’min: Verily, those who say: “Our Lord is Allah (alone),” and they (lived) upright, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death, saying), “Fear not, nor grieve! Rather receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised” (Fussilat 41/30)!

Just as the angels are a part of the mu’mins life, death and resurrection, they are also a part of the existence and end of the kafir, but in a different way. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us that when Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala hates a person he calls to Jibreel alayhis salaam saying, “O Jibreel, I hate such and such a person so hate him.” Then Jibreel will call to the (angels) of the heavens, “Allah hates such and such a person so hate him.” And the angels will hate him. And then Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala will place displeasure on earth for him.

During the time of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, the kuffar mocked him by requesting to see the angels in this life, claiming that only then would they believe. Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala recorded their statement in the Qur’an, for them and others who believe with their eyes and not their hearts: And those who expect not to meet with Us (those who deny the Day of Resurrection and the life of the Hereafter) saying, “Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord?” indeed they think too highly of themselves, and are scornful with great pride! / On the Day they will see the angels – no glad tidings will there be for the mujrimoon (the criminals) and they will say, “Forbidden to you is any sort of glad tidings” (Al-Furqan 25/21-22).

And Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala tells us about their conversation with the angel custodians of Hell, when they enter it:
And those in the fire will say to the keepers (angels) of Hell, “Call your Lord to lighten for us a day of the punishment.” / They will reply, “Did there not come to you your Messengers with clear proofs?” They will say, “Yes.” They will say, “Then pray,” and the prayer of the disbelievers is to no avail (Ghafir 40/49-50).

What, we may now ask, is our duty towards these angels? It is to believe in them and respect them in the manner they are deserving of. Thus, when we hear that angels do not enter houses that have dogs and images, we immediately go and rid ourselves of that which will rob our houses of their blessed presence. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us in an authentic hadith that the angels will not enter a house in which there is an image or a dog. It is unfortunate that many Muslim homes have found a place on their shelves to put up figurines of animals, or dolls, and walls on which to mount pictures of animate objects. If prayer time comes they may cover these items or they may not, but irrespective – this is a house that is robbed of the angels’ blessed presence, protection and du’a. And it is most likely that devils and jinns will find refuge in a home in which angels are absent. May Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala protect us all.

Throughout the stages of our creation the angels have been there, carrying out some duty or the other. When we were nothing in our mothers’ wombs, an angel was present, breathing a soul into us. They are there everyday reporting to Allah about our salah. They are there every second recording what we whisper and speak. When the time of our death comes they are there, ready to take our souls. And when the Day of Judgment commences, an angel will be there, blowing the trumpet to announce its arrival.

The closest angels to us are those which are present on our shoulders, recording our good deeds and our bad deeds. Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala mentions them in the Quran: Not a word does he (or she) utter except that there is a watcher near him, ready (to record it) (Qaaf 50/18).

If we had a tape recorder on both shoulders and there was a competition in which the person who glorified Allah would get one dollar for each time he/she did so, and the person who spoke ill would be lashed once, imagine what would happen! Our community would be ignited by tasbeeh – “Subhan Allah, alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar.” And at the end of the day someone would win $30,000, another $50,000. Who would not want to participate in such an easy competition with such high stakes?

Remember dear brothers and sisters, we are being recorded all the time and the stakes are much higher!

The struggle for one god

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The Struggle For One God

by Muhammad Alshareef

At the time of Prophet Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam there was a powerful and influential tribal leader by the name of Musaylimah. For those who know his history, I challenge you to tell me who his father was. Ask anyone in the world and they will say, “Al kadhdhab – the liar!” Even if we were to search out his descendants in the present day and ask them who was your ancestor Musaylimah’s father, they would say, “The liar!” Why?

Musaylimah had all the earthly ingredients to launch a new religion. He had exquisite knowledge of the language, was a magical public speaker, had wealth beyond imagination, and a tribal army crazy about him, ready to die for his safety. He took all these ingredients and proclaimed to all that he was a Prophet of God just like Muhammad.

He missed one ingredient though, that sunk his ship – the ingredient of truthfulness. That is why today, over 1400 years later, there is not a single human soul on earth who thinks Musaylimah was the Prophet of God. Alas, God did not give him the authority to make this claim.

On the other hand, not a second ticks by in 24 hours, 7 days a week, except that there is a Muslim caller to prayer somewhere in the world in the millions of masajid announcing ash hadu anna Muhammadur RasulAllah – I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

This is so because human beings did not give him this authority, nor did he himself proclaim this to himself. As the emperor of Rome, Heracles, asked the Muslim Messenger in the year 679 after he had presented Islam to him, “Which King gave [Muhammad] this authority?” The reply was so simple, so profound, “Allah did! God gave [him] this authority!”

I grew up in central Canada, in a city called Winnipeg; a city so synonymous with the term cold that local folk call it “Winterpeg”. It’s so cold that people in Canada say, “Man, you’re from Winnipeg, isn’t it cold there?”

I went to grade school in Winnipeg in the early 80’s. My family and I lived in an environment where we would be giggled at and insulted at the mall and by passing cars. Not uncommon were random shouts of, “Hey Ninja lady!” or “Look what came out of the Desert!”

At that time, we were the only colored children in the school. I remember once telling a friend to guess what the most popular name in the world was. When I told him it was Muhammad, he told me, “Get lost! You’re the only one in the school with that name. It must be John or something.”

I don’t blame him; a lot of people in North America have not traveled and experienced the treasures of culture and flavor that the nations of the world have to offer humanity.

Reverend Billy Graham once said something so profound. He said, “I traveled the world and came to the realization that perhaps America does not have in its palm all the truths of the world.”

Reverend Billy Graham deserves a standing ovation for a statement like that and the modesty to announce that to millions of viewers. But although America may not have all the truths, it is blessed with a nation of truth seekers, for it is never a shame to be mistaken. The only thing shame lies in after the truth has come is to persist in one’s mistake.

Islam is the fastest growing religion in America, rather in the world. In the past 50 years, Muslims have increased by 233%. And across the earth, from every nation, Muslims number over 1 billion.

The key to Islam is the statement la ilaaha illAllah Muhammad ur RasulAllah – there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

This statement takes only a few seconds to pronounce, but it is the transformation point of the lives of billions of Muslims around the world. Only the Creator deserves to be worshipped.

Let’s take an example from the lives of such people whose lives changed with this call to worship only one God. Bilal radi Allahu anhu was an Abyssinian slave for the aristocracy of Makkah in the year 623. When Muhammad the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam came with this message of ‘No God except Allah’, Bilal radi Allahu anhu denounced the 360 statues and idols that the tribes of Makkah were worshipping and believed in only Allah.

His enraged slave master Umayyah would take Bilal out in the sizzling noon heat because of his beliefs, and burn away Bilal’s back on the sand. To intensify the pain, Umayyah would bring a boulder and place it on his stomach to press him down on the grilling sand, burning the skin away.

All Bilal would whisper was, “He is only One (God), He is only One (God),” infuriating Umayyah who would only intensify the torture.

Bilal was freed by one of Muhammad’s, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, closest friends and followers, Abu Bakr, and Bilal became the first mu’adhdhin (the one who calls others to prayer) of Islam.

Another example is that of the Muslim woman Sumayyah radi Allahu anha. She was also a slave and because they had accepted that no created thing deserved worship, only the creator, she, her husband, and her son were subjected to physical beatings.

Her torturer Abu Jahl became infuriated one day with her soft voice repeating, “There is no God but Allah!” He became so infuriated that he took a spear through her mid section and made Sumayyah the first Muslim to die in the name of “There is no God but Allah!” May Allah be pleased with her!

Although it was permissible for the Muslims to lie to save themselves from the torture, you’ll see example after example of Muslims who would rather die than surrender their right to believe that only Allah deserves to be worshipped.

Amongst the tyrants of Makkah there was a man by the name of Umar ibn Al-Khattabh. He was so vicious with the Muslims that he would volunteer to torture Muslim slaves. One day, he just had enough and unsheathed his sword and set on his way to the home of Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam to slit his throat once and for all. On the way a Muslim who had been hiding his Islam, Nu’aym ibn Abdullah, inquired about Umar’s haste. “I’m off to Muhammad, that convert who cut up our tribe, belittled our gods, and mocked our religion, to kill him!”

Nu’aym became afraid for the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam so he quickly thought and said, “Why don’t you start with your family first! Your sister and her husband have accepted Islam!”

Umar became enraged and changed direction to his sister’s home. At that time, a Muslim teacher, Khabbab ibn Al-Arat, was at their home teaching them the word of Allah, the Qur’an, and for a few moments Umar stood there listening. Then he shouted for them to open the door. Khabbab hid in an adjacent room and Umar’s sister Fatimah hid the scroll that had the Qur’an written on it.

Umar entered and walked right up to his brother-in-law. “I heard you both have accepted Muhammad, and are following him.” Then Umar pounded his brother-in-law in the face. Fatimah, his sister, stood to protect her husband, and when she came in the way, Umar slapped the face of his sister with all his might.

She fell to the ground, her cheek split and the blood spilt all over her clothes. She looked up at her brother and said from behind her tears, “Yes Umar we are Muslim and yes, we have believed in Allah and His Messenger. Maybe you don’t have all the truth like you think you do?”

Umar was ashamed at the sight of his sister’s blood and desisted. He asked, “What was that sound I heard, that recitation?”

His sister replied, “I fear for that scroll to fall in your hands.” But Umar swore by the idols that he would do no harm. She handed him the scroll after he had cleansed himself and he recited:

Taha / We did not send down to you the Qur’an that you be distressed / But only as a reminder for those who fear (Allah). / A revelation from He who created the earth and the highest heavens / (Allah) the Merciful (who is) above the Throne established / To him belongs what is in the heavens and what is on the earth and what is between them and what is under the soil. / And if you speak aloud – then indeed, He knows the secret and what is (even) more hidden. / Allah – there in no God except Him, to Him belong the best names (Taha 20/1-8).

Umar later that day visited the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. When he met him, the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam took the coat of Umar and said, “Hasn’t the time come for you to become Muslim?” And Umar replied, “I’ve only come for that reason. Ash hadu an laa ilaaha illAllah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadar RasulAllah.”

The Prophet shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Great), and everyone that heard it knew that Umar had become Muslim!

PART II

I’ve been in large crowds in my life, both in the west and in the Middle East.

In Winnipeg, the biggest crowds I experienced were at hockey games. Like I said before, Winnipeg has a lot of ice. Maybe 20 thousand Winnipeggers would gather at night for a hockey game. Hey that’s a lot for Winnipeg.

In Makkah, at the Grand Mosque, I have been in a crowd of 3 million worshippers in one prayer! These people were not from one nation, nor were they from one language background, and no, they didn’t gather to see the Winnipeg Jets beat the Washington Capitols!

As you’ll see today when we line up for prayer, in Makkah 3 Million people lined up in perfect circles around the Grand Mosque to worship Allah! I once stood in the window of a hotel across from the Grand Mosque and watched down below the swarming crowd of 3 million Muslims. Then, when the call to prayer began, that entire crowd stood in perfect circles in less than 50 seconds. Who gathered these hearts? Only Allah!

A consistent crowd of 3 million from every nation, class, and color came about with pain and struggle to assert humanity’s right to worship nothing but the one true God, Allah.

There were times in that very same valley of Makkah when Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam would prostrate only to Allah, avoiding all the false idols that surrounded him. The mushrikeen (polytheists) of Makkah sat there staring at him and loathed the scene. They said to themselves, “How can we sit here and allow Muhammad to prostrate to Allah in your midst. Who amongst us will humiliate him?”

“I shall,” said a man by the name of Utbah.

He took the intestines of a fresh lamb that had been sacrificed to the idols and dumped it on the head of Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. The mushrikeen fell off their seats in hysterical laughter. Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam did not come up from his prostration.

News reached his daughter Fatimah, who at that time was still a young girl, that her Father was being ridiculed at the Ka’bah. She raced there, and when she saw her father, she cried and removed the filth and swore through her tears at the mushrikeen.

This is just an example of the ridicule the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims went through to teach humanity that nothing deserves worship except Allah!

The mushrikeen of Makkah used their media – poetry and word of mouth – to sway public opinion against this call that there was no God but Allah.

A doctor by the name of Damaud from the tribe of Azd made pilgrimage to Makkah and when he arrived in the Holy valley the news media of Makkah flash warned him not listen to a word Muhammad says. “He is a magician,” they said, “He’s mad.”

Damaud recalls, “They frightened me so much that I considered putting cotton in my ears. But then I said to myself, ‘I am a doctor and have healed mad men before, perhaps I may be able to cure Muhammad.”

So after completing his circumbulation around the Ka’bah, he saw Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam sitting peacefully in the courtyard. He approached him and said softly, “Muhammad, I administer treatment for this illness and God has allowed me to heal many people, would you wish that I nurse you?”

Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam turned and said, “Verily all praise belongs to Allah; we thank Allah and seek his protection from everything; whoever Allah guides none can misguide them and whoever Allah leaves to go astray none can guide them aright. I testify that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and that (I) Muhammad am the Messenger of Allah.”

Damaud’s mouth gapped open. He swallowed and said, “Could you repeat that for me?” Muhammad the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam repeated it.

Then Damaud smiled and announced, “By God, I have heard the words of soothsayers, and have heard the words of magicians, and have heard the words of poets, but I have never heard words like this! Give me your hand for I am pledging allegiance to Islam. There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger!”

You’ll find in the Qur’an verse after verse opening the eyes of humanity to the reality that there is a God and He is only One.

Jubayr ibn Mut’em stood quietly behind the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam at Maghrib prayer one day and listened to the verses of the Qur’an. The Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam was reciting Surah At-Toor and in it he heard him recite:

Were they created by nothing or were they the creators of (themselves)? / Or, did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain. / Or have they (in their hands) the treasures of your Lord? Or do they control it (At-Toor 52/ 35-37)?

Jubayr ibn Mut’em said, “When I heard these verses, it was as if my heart had wings flying swiftly and in bliss to the truth that I had found in Islam.”

Brothers and sisters, where will you be in 100 years? You’ll be dead. And where were you 100 years ago? Nowhere. You were nothing. Allah says in the Qur’an:

Has there not come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing (even) mentioned? / Indeed, We created man from a sperm – drop mixture (i.e. combination of male and female substance) that We may test him and We made him hearing and seeing. / Indeed, We guided him to the way, to be thankful or to be ungrateful (Al-Insan 76/1-3).

In those early days of Islam, the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam would go from tent to tent, tribe to tribe, announcing to them, “Say there is no God but Allah and success will be yours!”

Today, over 1400 years later as the followers of Muhammad, believers in Allah, we extend those words of our Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam to all our guests today: Say there is no God but Allah and success will be yours!

Kitaab at Tawheed

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Sheikh-ul-Islam, Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab, was a renowned religious scholar and a
great reformer of his times. He held a unique and unparalleled position as an exponent of Qur’an,
Hadith and different branches of knowledge. With his intellect and a deep grasp over the religious
learning, he impressed the high ranking contemporary scholars and brought them around his own
viewpoints.
In his works, Sheikh-ul-Islam has not only elaborated the Qur’an and Sunnah, but has also
uprooted the polytheistic views and has made a hard struggle to eradicate the heresies and
accretions.
His writing Kitab At-Tauhid is one of the best books on the subject of Tauhid (Islamic
Monotheism) and ranks high in authenticity. Till date it has gone through various publications;
and had been the means for guidance of the millions of people throughout the world; by taking
them out of the darkness of polytheism and error.
The main object, Sheikh-ul-Islam had before him in writing this book, was to acquaint the
Islamic world with the basic teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah; contradict the prevailing but
absurd beliefs and customs not supported by the traditions of the Prophet (May the peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) and to base the Faith and actions on the lucid and clear Islamic
rulings and commandments that lead the Muslims to the success and salvation, here and in
Hereafter.
So to achieve the object, in this book, he has discussed all the relevant verses reasonably,
rationally and sincerely; and has placed the essence of the Qur’an and Sunnah in a very simple
and
appealing manner. And this is the reason that the right persons, beyond group ism and prejudices,
have been adopting the correct Islamic path- the path of the Qur’an and Sunnah -under the
influence of the basic facts and proofs produced herein. If Allah willed, this book would also be
undoubtedly proving beneficial in all the times to come.

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What is Islam?

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What is Islam?

Second largest religion in the world

1.2 Billion Muslims (20% of earth population)

Began in modern day Saudi Arabia

Based on beliefs on Jews & Christians

Abraham is first important figure

Belief in the same, single God

Follows the teachings of the prophet Muhammad

What is the Qur’an?

Holy Book of Islam

Revealed to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel

Contains the words of Allah.

Ideally, it should be read and printed in Arabic only.

Contains parts of the Torah and Bible

Who is Muhammad?

A prophet of God, but not a god himself

He is not worshipped

Born in Saudi Arabia, in city of Mecca

A trader until age 40, when Qur’an revealed to him.

His teachings are the foundation of Islam.

Claimed to travel with Angles to Jerusalem one night

Given tour of Heaven and Hell

He and his followers make polytheists in Mecca angry, move to Medina. (hijra)

After a decade, he invades Mecca.

Later, he leads some battles himself to “defend the faith.”

Dies in Medina at age 63

3 male sons {died in infancy}

4 daughters

Basic Islamic Beliefs

One unique god, without a partner or son.

Belief in God’s revealed books:

– Torah, Bible, Qur’an

Belief in all Gods prophets:

– Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad

A final day of judgment.

Belief in the angels of God.

Life after death.

Fate good or bad is from god