The Da’wah of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was not restricted to a particular time or place, rather it was a universal Da’wah; one to last until the end of time.
There is much evidence to substantiate this and some wonderful examples can be found in the Qur’an. Allah clarifies the timeless prophetic role of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, in the following verses (which mean):
“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and as a warner to all mankind.” [Qur’an 34:28]
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.” [Qur’an 7:158]
“Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion (of right and wrong, i.e., this Qur’an) to His slave (Muhammad) that he may be a Warner to the ‘Aalameen (mankind and Jinn).” [Qur’an 25:1]
There is a Hadith in which the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “I have been given superiority over the other Prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies); spoils have been made lawful to me; the earth has been made for me clean and a place of worship; I have been sent to all of mankind and the line of Prophets is closed with me.” [Muslim]
The proof that the Da’wah (call) of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was also for the Jinn is manifested in the statement of Allah Almighty (which means): “And (remember) when We sent towards you (O Muhammad ) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the Jinns, (quietly) listening to the Qur’an. When they stood in the presence thereof, they said: ‘Listen in silence!’ And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners. They said: ‘O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book (this Qur’an) sent down after Moses, confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e., Islam). O our people, respond (with obedience) to Allah’s caller, and believe in him (i.e., believe in that which Muhammad has brought from Allah and follow him). He (Allah) will forgive you of your sins, and will save you from a painful torment (i.e., Hell-fire).’” [Qur’an 46: 29-31]
Thus, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, spread his Da’wah outside of his own people, and indeed, outside the Arab world entirely. The introduction of Islamic Da’wah spread globally after a truce was made with the Quraysh in the treaty of Hudaybiyyah. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, sent messengers and wrote letters to the various kings of his time. The first of these messengers according to Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, was ‘Amr ibn ‘Umayyah ad-Dimry, may Allah be pleased with him, who was sent to Negus, King of Abyssinia (Ethiopia). He carried a letter, rather an invitation, which stated: “Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him; and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: “Bear witness that we are Muslims.”
Thus, the king and whoever was with him believed in the message.
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, also sent ‘Abdullaah ibn Huthayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, to Chosroes, ruler of Persia, with a letter that stated: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful, from Muhammad, Messenger of Allah to Chosroes, Shah of Persia. Peace be upon those who follow the truth, who believe in Allah and His Prophet and who testify that there is no divinity but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger. I call you with the Call of Allah, because I am His Messenger, sent that I may give warning to him who is living, and that the Word (charge) may be justified against the disbelievers, that if they do not accept His Message, they must live with the consequence. Become Muslim and you will be safe. If you refuse, then upon you is the sin of the Magians.”
When Chosroes read this, he tore the letter up, so the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “May Allah also tear up his kingdom.”
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, also wrote a letter to Heraclius, the ruler of the Byzantine, in which he said: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This letter is from Muhammad the slave of Allah and His Messenger to Heraclius, the ruler of the Byzantine. Peace be upon those who follow the right path. Furthermore, I invite you to Islam and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin by misguiding your subjects. And I recite to you Allah’s statement (which means): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘O people of the Scripture: Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah.’ Then, if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’” [Qur’an 3:64]
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, similarly sent numerous messages to other kings, each conveying an identical meaning as those above.
These letters re-affirm an understood reality -- that Islam is a universal religion, for all creation. Thus, it was a duty upon the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, to convey the pure message of Islam, calling everyone he knew, by every means available at that time with beautiful preaching in its purest form.
Courtesy: www.islamweb.net
How To Become a Muslim?
Praise be to Allaah.
All praise be to Allah, the lord of the universe. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon Mohammad, His last messenger.
The purpose of this hand-out is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people have a wrong notion that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or shaikhs or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act accepting Islam, should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities, as evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that whole matter is very easy and that none of these conditions or obligations are required. For Allah, Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the possibility of performing Hajj (Pilgrimage) and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human-being, then, one should pronounce the “shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The Holy Qur’an is explicit on this regard as Allah states :
“The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam” (Qur’an 3:19)
in another verse of the Holy Qur’an, Allah states :
“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the hell fire).” (Qur’an 3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only religion prevailing over all other religions. Allah states in the Holy Qur’an :
“To thee We sent the Scripture in the truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety :…. (Qur’an 5:48)
Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said :
“The superstructure of Islam is raised on five (pillars) : testifying that there is no God (none truly to be worshipped) but Allah, and that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah, performing the prayer, paying the Zakah (poor-due), fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing Hajj.”
The Shahada can be declared as follows :
“ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH”.
The English translation is :
“I bear witness that there is no deity (none truly to be worshipped) but, Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah.”
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to only utter this testimony oraly either in private or in public; but rather, he should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction and unshakeable faith. If one is truly sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam in all his life, he will find himself a new born person.
This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until he becomes the embodiment of that faith.
What would be next after declaring oneself a Muslim ? one should then know the real concept underlying this testimony which means the oneness of Allah and meet its requiremants. One must behave accordingly, applying this true faith to every thing one speaks or does.
What do the words of the “Shahada” signify? The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the truth that there is no God (deity) to be worshipped other than Allah. He-glory be to Him – is the only true God, Who alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the Shahada “i.e., Wa Ash-hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluh” means that Prophet Mohammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions about this matter. In fact the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), to believe him in what he has said, to practise his teachings, to avoid what ha has forbidden, and to worship Allah alone according to the message revealed to him, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelation and inspirations conveyed to him by Allah.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service, showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah’s commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or implicit.
Worship fall into two categories :
Visible (manifest or outward). Invisible (concealed or inward).
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the “Shahada”, performing prayers, giving Zakah (the poor-due), recitation of the Holy Qur’an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of the human body.
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgement (in the Hereafter), in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Prophets of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone).
This type worship does not involve movement of parts of the body but it surely has bearing on one’s heart which subsequently affects one’s way of life.
It should be borne in mind that any worship not dedicated to Allah alone will be rejected as one form of polytheism and this causes apostasy from the Islamic fold.
The next step for a newly revert to Islam is the purify himself by taking a cmplete bath. He should then resolve to comply with the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He should disown all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be rigtheous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the requisites of the motto of Islam – that is, Laa ilaha illallah.
Allah states in the Holy qur’an :
“…whoever rejects evil and believes in the Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy Hand-hold, that never breaks…” (Qur’an 2:256).
We have to consider that when declare from our heart that “ there is no god (deity) worthy to be worshipped but Allah”, it implies on our part love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislations which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requiremant of “there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah” to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that may He cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers.
Aameen.
Keep sharing this with others. JazakALLAH
All praise be to Allah, the lord of the universe. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon Mohammad, His last messenger.
The purpose of this hand-out is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people have a wrong notion that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or shaikhs or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act accepting Islam, should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities, as evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that whole matter is very easy and that none of these conditions or obligations are required. For Allah, Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the possibility of performing Hajj (Pilgrimage) and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human-being, then, one should pronounce the “shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The Holy Qur’an is explicit on this regard as Allah states :
“The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam” (Qur’an 3:19)
in another verse of the Holy Qur’an, Allah states :
“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the hell fire).” (Qur’an 3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only religion prevailing over all other religions. Allah states in the Holy Qur’an :
“To thee We sent the Scripture in the truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety :…. (Qur’an 5:48)
Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said :
“The superstructure of Islam is raised on five (pillars) : testifying that there is no God (none truly to be worshipped) but Allah, and that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah, performing the prayer, paying the Zakah (poor-due), fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing Hajj.”
The Shahada can be declared as follows :
“ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH”.
The English translation is :
“I bear witness that there is no deity (none truly to be worshipped) but, Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah.”
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to only utter this testimony oraly either in private or in public; but rather, he should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction and unshakeable faith. If one is truly sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam in all his life, he will find himself a new born person.
This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until he becomes the embodiment of that faith.
What would be next after declaring oneself a Muslim ? one should then know the real concept underlying this testimony which means the oneness of Allah and meet its requiremants. One must behave accordingly, applying this true faith to every thing one speaks or does.
What do the words of the “Shahada” signify? The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the truth that there is no God (deity) to be worshipped other than Allah. He-glory be to Him – is the only true God, Who alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the Shahada “i.e., Wa Ash-hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluh” means that Prophet Mohammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions about this matter. In fact the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), to believe him in what he has said, to practise his teachings, to avoid what ha has forbidden, and to worship Allah alone according to the message revealed to him, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelation and inspirations conveyed to him by Allah.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service, showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah’s commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or implicit.
Worship fall into two categories :
Visible (manifest or outward). Invisible (concealed or inward).
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the “Shahada”, performing prayers, giving Zakah (the poor-due), recitation of the Holy Qur’an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of the human body.
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgement (in the Hereafter), in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Prophets of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone).
This type worship does not involve movement of parts of the body but it surely has bearing on one’s heart which subsequently affects one’s way of life.
It should be borne in mind that any worship not dedicated to Allah alone will be rejected as one form of polytheism and this causes apostasy from the Islamic fold.
The next step for a newly revert to Islam is the purify himself by taking a cmplete bath. He should then resolve to comply with the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He should disown all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be rigtheous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the requisites of the motto of Islam – that is, Laa ilaha illallah.
Allah states in the Holy qur’an :
“…whoever rejects evil and believes in the Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy Hand-hold, that never breaks…” (Qur’an 2:256).
We have to consider that when declare from our heart that “ there is no god (deity) worthy to be worshipped but Allah”, it implies on our part love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislations which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requiremant of “there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah” to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that may He cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers.
Aameen.
Keep sharing this with others. JazakALLAH
Sex education or Sexy Education !
A few months back, a local school in Mumbai conducted a surprise inspection of schools bags. It was a shock for the authorities to discover bundles of DVDs and pictures related to Pornography. What surprised the authorities more were the number of children who possessed the material and the number of children who shared with them.
Every time such news of sexual adventures of children appears in the media, a dead debate is brought back to life. Should sex education be compulsory in the schools? The orthodox Gujaratis, Marwaris, Muslims and some Marathi families resist the very idea of sex education and they seek refuge in the shade of local political parties. They are blamed for remaining in the closets like turtles in their shell. So you are answerable to those who are for sex education in schools. Here is what I found when I tried to peep into the methods and the syllabus of sex education floated by some schools.
A male or a female teacher can be teaching to a class mixed with boys and girls discussing about anatomy and other sex related topics. An experienced teacher noted: There were more giggles in the class than in a dark cinema hall where a hot movie is shown. This was the only subject which the children awaited with excitement.
The syllabus includes acts of sex, how to use condoms, how to avoid unwanted pregnancies, how to calculate safe dates……
There would be no exams on this subject but yet the results are out.
In the western countries, sex is marketed as widely as colas and the age of consent in countries like Sweden is as low as 13 years. Latest BBC news report that some manufacturers have come out with extra small size condoms exclusively for young boys of 13. According to reports from the British media there are no less than 2000 schools in the UK having wet nurses. The duty of these wet nurses would be to help get rig of unwanted pregnancies, without letting the parents know. A civilization, where adulterous fornicators, pedophiles, gays and lesbians swarm like bacteria in curd, give a wide option for children in their early teens to venture into a morally dangerous zone
In Islamic syllabus there is no term like sex education, but a variety of issues related to sex, anatomy, sexual hygiene and above all moral and ethics of sexual life are highlighted in a civilized manner. Maintaining hijab through modest dressing, avoiding intermingling with opposite sex are the most important chapters taught from an early age. Children who have reached the age of puberty are not allowed to enter the bedroom of parents without seeking permission, an excellent right of privacy for the parents. Husbands and wives are not permitted to discuss their bedroom details with their relatives and friends and if some does it then, it is compared to sex performed by a male and female devil in the middle of the market place.
The other main difference between the so called sex education and Islamic education of morals and values, is that Islam permits marriage at an early age to allow the satisfaction of sexual desires legally where as the so called sex educators do not touch this subject, they focus more on safe affairs, and sex outside marriage opening more doors of moral decay for an already sexually rotted society.
Source Peace For Mankind
Those busy with remembrance
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O Muslims, Allah The Most High says which translates as: “So when you have finished the rites of Haj then remember Allah as you remember your forefathers yet even more in remembrance. But of mankind there are those who say O our Lord give us in this life and yet in the next life they will have nothing. And from them are those that say O Our Lord give us in this life good and in the next good and save us from the punishment of the hellfire. For them there will be an allotted share for what they have earned, and Allah is swift at reckoning” (Al-Baqarah: 200-202). Every nation has something that makes them proud. Their pride stemming from their limited ideologies and achievements. They have no great message or high aspirations. They follow neither a great earthly message nor a message from the heavens. The nation of the Arabs was from this type, gathering after the Haj in the marketplaces and social groups, to boast of their ancestors, and to claim greatness for themselves through their lineage. Islam came and annulled theses ideas, enlightened the intellect, and it brought them forth in a new manner. It took its followers upon a path of might which cannot be competed with, and directed them to unequaled majesty. It brought to them the Book, and revelation was revealed to them, so there was then for them a remembrance, Allah says which translates as: “We have revealed to you a book, in it is your remembrance, Won’t you then think?” (Al-Anbiya: 10). “And verily it is a reminder/ remembrance for you and your people, and you will be questioned concerning it” (Az-Zukhruf: 44). In this remembrance and this book they were give the scale: “O Mankind We have created you from a male and female and made you into many tribes and nations so as to know one another, verily the best of you with Allah is the most pious of you, Surely Allah is All-Knowledgeable All-Informed” (Al-Hujarat: 13). The measure of true dignity, honor and pride is remembrance, piety and one’s connection with Allah, - his occupying himself with remembrance, gratitude and righteous actions. If this is the situation, then who has the biggest claim to remembrance and gratitude than the people of Islam? Those whom Allah has perfected for them his favor and completed for them his Deen, and placed it as a guardian and a seal over all of the religions. Allah says which translates as: “Remember Me, and I will remember you, give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful” (Al-Baqarah: 152). Our duty, we the people of Islam, is that we ponder the concept of remembrance, so that its meaning becomes clear to us, and that we may perhaps fulfill its right. Allah says which translates as: “So when you have finished the rites of Haj than remember Allah” (Al-Baqarah: 200). Remembrance, O beloved brothers is encompassing, it cannot be constrained to certain areas, or placed in general precepts of statements and actions, ideas and beliefs. Remembrance is not an hour of calling out to your Lord; limited to the morning or the evening, in the mosque or in a Mihrab (niche), and after which, the servant travels about in all places of the earth heedlessly, doing as he wishes and acting as he pleases. The one alive with the remembrance of his Lord, who is truly practicing his Deen, realises that his Lord is watching him in every situation, wherever he may be. His path of actions and activities being in accordance with the commands of his Lord and his prohibitions, he acknowledges his human weakness, and therefore seeks the assistance of his Lord in everything that befalls and worries him. Concerning this, Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Everyone who performs an action out of the obedience to Allah then he is one who remembers Allah the Most High”. Ataa’ said: “The sittings of Remembrance are: Prayer, Fasting, Hajj, the sittings of the lawful and the prohibited, buying, selling, marriage, and divorce”. The Muslim who remembers Allah, - awakes and sleeps, sits and stands, leaves in the morning and returns in the evening, and in him there is a deep feeling that the beating of his heart, and the rotation of his eyes and the movement of his limbs, - all are in the grasp of Allah and under his control. In him there is a deep feeling of faith, that the coming of the night and the approach of the day, the breath of dawn and the setting of the twilight, the movements of creation and the orbits of the planets … all of that is by the power of Allah and through his decree. Allah says which translates as: “Those that remember their lord standing sitting and upon their sides, and ponder the creation of the heavens and the earth with the thought: Oh our lord not for and foolish purpose did you create all of this, Glory to you, grant us salvation from the punishment of the fire” (Aal-‘Imran: 191). A man feels no true pleasure in life, nor tastes any true happiness except a man who loves Allah, is loved by Allah, and loves for the sake of Allah. Such a man’s heart is tranquil due to his remembrance of Allah. He is happy about the good, which occurs to the creation and feels their pains. He helps others in fulfilling their goals, while his tongue remembers Allah saying: “O Allah, never has a blessing come to me or anyone from your creation except that it is from you alone, You have no partners, You alone deserve all praise and gratitude” (Al Nisa’i, Ibn Hibban, Abu Dawood). O Muslim brothers, the angels of The Most Merciful glorify Him and yet feel no fatigue doing so, but man eats and sleeps, works and gets tired, but even with this; they are still in ‘competition’ with the angels. When they stand to perform their acts of worship and seek their sustenance, when they are planting and harvesting, toiling and struggling, in the name of Allah and from Allah and to Allah. The time mankind spends in these acts are equal to the time spent by the angels glorifying, praising and declaring the majesty of Allah. Why is this? Because they believed in their Lord and followed His Way, and realized His power and pondered over His Blessings, and recognized His Blessings of food, clothing, and housing, - the blessing of safety and security. Those who remember Allah sincerely live for their Lord, praying, praising Him, struggling in His Cause, and acting for His Sake. They have distanced themselves from the deceptions of this temporary life, and the attractions of this earth, and they have traveled on the path towards the pleasure of Allah, seeking His Face, remembering His Name at all times and in all situations. Allah says which translates as: “Say: verily my prayer and my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner, and with this I have been ordered and I am the first of the Muslims” (Al-An’am: 162-163). The situation comes to a point where their Lord boasts of them in front of his angels. Muslim narrates in his Sahih from the Hadith of Muaawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) he said: that the messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) came out upon a circle of his companions and said: “What made you all sit here? They said: We sat to remember Allah and to praise him for his guiding us to Islam and the favor he showed upon us through that. He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: I ask you in the name of Allah, nothing made you sit here except that? They said: Nothing except that. He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) then said: As far as my questioning you and asking you in the name of Allah, then I did not do that out of contempt of you, But Jibreel had come to me and informed me that Allah the glorious and majestic boasts of you to the angels”. As you know, O Brothers – this boasting of Allah to his angels about the pilgrims on the plain of Arafat, does not happen except by way of the remembrance, supplication and worship of the slaves to their Lord, and their good way of turning to Allah - the Lord of the Worlds. The Muslim who remembers Allah, possessing a pure heart, submitting to Allah, and on the other hand he nobly toils, his feet dusty, and his hands straining in the arena of work, with no impatience nor weakness, with no humiliation nor pride, humbly working for Allah, and saying: “O Allah I seek refuge in you from incapacity, laziness, cowardice, decrepit old age, and stinginess. I seek refuge with you from the punishment of the grave and the trials of life and death”, and in the narration of Al-Bukhari “and the burden of debt, and the coercion of men” (as narrated by Anas and reported by Muslim). O Brothers, here is a practical glimpse of the day of a Muslim who remembers his Lord, - a Muslim who follows the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). The Islamic day starts from the faint light of dawn, or a little before that, and it stretches the day’s length, turning through the late morning and afternoon, through the night and early morning, the Muslim awakes with the rise of dawn, starting his day with this supplication: “All praise to the one who gave my body health, and return to me my soul, and permitted me to remember him” (Reported by Tirmidhi as narrated by Abu Hurairah). “We have awaken upon the fitrah of Islam and the statement of sincerity and upon the Deen of Our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and upon the way of our father Abraham turning to the oneness of Allah as a Muslim and he was not from those that commit shirk” (Ahmad, Tabarani). During this, O Brothers – the veil of silence is torn, split by the beautiful sound of clear words and of pristine meanings and objectives, - the sound of the Mu’adhdhin calling to The Oneness of Allah and to success, in statements - all of which are remembrance, being repeated after him by the Muslims. The Islamic day starts with footsteps of tranquility and peace, to the mosque in the dark of the morning, so that the Muslim may stand devoted and fearful in front of his Lord five times a day; Allah says which translates as: “and establish the prayer for my remembrance” (Taa Haa: 14). “And establish the prayer verily Prayer prevents lewdness and evil and the remembrance of Allah is greater” (Al-Ankabut: 45). This fearful Muslim says when leaving his home for the prayer: “O Allah place in my heart light, and in my sight light and in my hearing light and on my right side light and on my left light and over me light, and below me light and in front of me light and behind me light, and make this light great for me” (Bukhari, Muslim). When his feet come closer to the mosque then he calls out with another remembrance, for the messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) has said: “when one of you enters the Masjid then he should send blessing upon the prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), then say: O Allah open for me the gates of your mercy. In addition, when he leaves he should say: O Allah I ask you from your blessings” (Muslim, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah). On the authority of Haywah Ibn Shuraih who said: I met Uqbah Ibn Muslim and I said to him: I have heard that you have narrated a Hadith from Abdullah Ibn Amru Ibn Al-Aas from the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) that when he would enter the Masjid he would say: “I seek refuge with Allah the Great, and with His Glorious Face, and His Eternal Authority, from the accursed Satan. He said: Is that all? I said yes. He said: So when you say that Satan says: He has been protected from me for the rest of the day” (Abu Dawood). Brother Muslim, when you ponder all of this, you will realise the secret connection between neglecting prayers and following one’s desires. O Muslims, this long Islamic day is mixed with supplications for eating and drinking, traveling and returning, sleeping and wakefulness, tiresome and difficult times, health and sickness, supplications for this life and its worries, debts and its payments, seeking ones sustenance, relationship with one’s family, and the righteousness of children. Supplications, statements of praise, together with utilising the proper means and legislated efforts in this life, so that the Muslim can fulfill the duty of leadership as he should; Faith and practice, belief and method in apprehensive beginnings. Allah says which translates as: “Our Lord give us in this life good and in the next life good and save us from the punishment of the fire” (Al-Baqarah: 201). I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan: Allah says which translates as: “Those who believe and their hearts are tranquil from the remembrance of Allah, Is it not through the remembrance of Allah that the hearts feel tranquility? Those that believed and did good deeds, paradise is for them and the best of Abodes” (Ar-Ra’d: 28-29). O Brothers in Islam, those who were ignorant of their Lord, and forgot the remembrance, became nothing but a destroyed people, acted with no guidance, and tumbled through this life being driven by desires, they plotted great plots and did not hope for a reward from Allah, What fruits have they picked? What have they gained? Look to those who have struggled from the mentally elite of the east and the geniuses of the west. They have extracted everything from the earth inwardly and outwardly, they have learned from the science of space whatever they have learned, but their efforts were directed to nothing but weapons of mass destruction, creating fear and terror in the future. The nations of the earth run behind them, seeking that which will just suffice then in this miserable life, this is the misfortune of being heedless of Allah, this is the consequence of those forgetting the remembrance of Allah, even if they were the most intelligent of people, and no matter how civilized and technologically advanced they are, as Allah says which translates as: “And he who rejects my remembrance then he will have a constricted life, and we will resurrect him on the day of Judgment blind.” (Ta Ha: 124). What will be the situation, O Brothers, if all of these tiresome efforts and intensive struggles to achieve more provisions in our lives and secure for ourselves livelihood, were accompanied by etiquette with Allah, and a pure objective in seeking after his pleasure, and was accompanied with loving and desiring good for people? If this was to be, then that person would achieve the pleasure of this world and the success of the hereafter, and in the Hadith: Whoever had this life as his sole concern then Allah will disperse his affairs and place poverty right before his eyes, and nothing would come to him except that which is written for him, and whoever had the next life has his intention, Allah will gather for him his affairs, and place richness in his heart, and this life will come to him, falling upon (Ibn Majah, Tirmithi, Ibn Hibban). So fear Allah – may he have mercy upon you - and fulfill the right of Allah and his remembrance. Khutbah by Saalih Ibn Humaid Source: alminbar.com |
The Story Of ZAMZAM
Zamzam is a water both natural and spiritual significance to much of humanity. It is the oldest drinking water well found on Earth today, still flowing freely day and night within Makkkah
THE STORY FLOW OF ZAMZAM WATERIbrahim (a) brought the nursing infant Ismail and his mother, and left them by a big tree above Zamzam. There was no plants in Makkah and no water. He left with her a bag containing dates and an old water skin filled with water, then he turned to leave. The mother of Ismail follwed him, and said, "Where are you going and leaving us in this valley where there is nobody and nothing?" She said that to him several times, and he did not turn towards her. Then she said, "Has Allah commanded you to do this?" He said, "Yes. "She said, "Then Allah will not forsake us."
Then she went back, and Ibrahim (a) left. When he reached Ath-Thaniyah (mountain path), where they could not see him, he turned to face the House and prayed in the following words, raising his hands:
"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Scared House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may perform the Prayers. So fill some hearts among men with men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks."
[Holy Qur'an Surah 14.37]
"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Scared House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may perform the Prayers. So fill some hearts among men with men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks."
[Holy Qur'an Surah 14.37]
The mother of Ismail started to breastfeed Ismail and drink from that water, untill it ran out and her son became thirsty. She started to watch him writhing or rolling in the dust and writhing then she went she went away, unable to look at him. She found As-Safa which was the closest mountain of the land nearby. She stood on top of the mountain and turned to face the valley, looking if she could see anyone, but she did not see anyone. Then she came down from As-Safa.
[Continue]
Celebrating Prophet’s (PBUH) Birthday is Haraam!
Those who participate in the celebration/ carnival of Mawlid an-Nabawi [Birthday of Prophet Muahmmad (PBUH)] are of different types;
Some simply gather on the occasion and read the story of birth, give speeches and recite poems.
Some prepare food and sweets, and distribute it to the attendees.
Some commemorate the celebration in the mosques while others in the houses.
Some do not limit themselves to the above, they add to it haraam (prohibited) and reprehensible actions of mingling between men and women, dancing, singing, shirkiya (polytheistic) chants, reciting shirkiya (polytheistic) poems, and committing acts of Shirk like invoking and calling upon Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) for help, etc.
With all its various forms and intentions of those who celebrate it, commemoration of Mawlid an-Nabawi is indisputably a prohibited innovation.
This haraam innovation was introduced by the Shi’a Faatimids after the three best centuries, in order to corrupt the religion of the Muslims. The first person to do this after them was the king al-Muzaffar Abu Sa’eed Kawkaboori, the king of Irbil, at the end of the sixth century or the beginning of the seventh century AH, as was mentioned by the historians such as Ibn Khalkaan and others.
1. The celebration of Mawlid [(Birthday of Prophet (PBUH)] is neither from the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger nor his Companions:
Anything that is not from these, cannot be a part of religion. Allah's Messenger (SAS) said: "Stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my rightly guided Caliphs, cling to it firmly with your molar teeth. Beware of newly invented matters, for every new matter is an innovation and every innovation is misleading." [[Musnad Ahmad (4/126) and at-Tirmidhee (2676)]
Whosoever performs an act with the intention of achieving closeness to Allah while such an act was neither performed or commanded by Allah's Messenger nor by his Caliphs after him - then performing such an act constitutes accusing the Messenger of not (correctly/completely) explaining the Deen to the people.
Performing this act also amounts to belying the statement of Allah, "This day, I have perfected your religion for you." [Soorah al-Maidah (5): 3]
Such is because (by performing an innovated act) one comes up with something supplementary claiming that it is from the religion while Allah's Messenger did not order us with it.
2. Celebrating Mawlid (birthday) of Allah's Messenger is an imitation of the Christians in their celebrating the birthday of Prophet Eesa , whereas imitating them- especially in matters of their religion - is strictly prohibited, and differing from them is prescribed in the Ahadeeth of Allah's Messenger (PBUH).
The Prophet (PBUH) said,
"Whoever imitates/resembles a people is one of them." [Musnad Ahmad (2/05) and Abu Dawood (4/314)]
"Be different from the Mushrikeen (those who associate partners with Allah)." [Saheeh Muslim]
3. Apart from being a Bidah (innovation) and Tashbeeh (imitation) of the Christians - and both of them are prohibited; those who participate in this celebration call upon the Prophet , seek his help and chant poems of Shirk in his praise, like Qasidah al-Burdah, and its like. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) has prohibited all such forms of exaggeration.
The Prophet (PBUH) said,
"Do not exaggerate in me, as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam. I am only a slave, so say 'the slave of Allah and the Messenger of Allah.'" [Saheeh al-Bukharee (4/142 -3445)]
This Hadeeth means, do not exaggerate in praising and honoring me like the Christians, who exaggerated in honoring and praising Eesa - such that they ended up worshiping him. Allah forbade the Christians from worshiping Eesa saying,
"O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah anything but the truth. The Messiah Eesa, son of Maryam, was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah and HisWord, ('Be!' - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam and a spirit (Ruh) created by Him." [Soorah an-Nisa (4): 171]
Allah's Messenger prohibited us from exaggeration fearing that we might be effected by that same Shirk which the Christians were effected with. He said, "Beware of exaggeration for those before were destroyed due to exaggeration.” [Saheeh Sunan an-Nisaee (2863)]. Unfortunately, those sets of people who celebrate Birthday of Prophet (PBUH) have done the same exaggeration as Christians did with Jesus (PBUH) by invoking upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for help, instead of ALLAH. Just as Christian says ‘O Jesus, help me’ these sets of people say ‘O Muhammad, help me’, grant me this, grant me that.
Mawlid is also a means of exaggeration in the honor of Allah's Messenger (PBUH).
4. Celebrating the Bidah of Mawlid opens the door to other innovations and diverts people towards it. We thus find those who participate in such innovations active in reviving the Bidah and lazy in performing the Sunnah, and enraged at the people of Sunnah until all their religion revolves around innovated memories and birthdays.
They split up in groups - each group preserving the reminiscences of their scholar's birthdays, like the Mawlid of Badawi, Ibn Arabi, ad-Dasooki and Shazali - in this way, they do not free themselves from one Mawlid and get busy with another celebration/ carnival of birthdays of religious figureheads. They can only think of celebration and get addicted to it to the extent that for them nothing is more meaningful than celebrations. They overlook all their teachings and even overlook all the trials and afflictions that the Muslim Ummah is going through and just enjoy busying themselves with celebrations by anyhow giving it a religious flavor.
Such birthday celebration of religious personalities results in exaggeration (in the honor and praise) of the deceased and gradually cause them to invoke their religious personalities besides Allah by manufacturing the polytheistic belief that they too can benefit and harm from ghaib (unseen world) – until these people depart from the pale of Islam and return to the Deen of the people of Jahiliyah (ignorance) concerning whom Allah said,
"They worship besides Allah things, that hurt them not, nor profit them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with Allah.'" [Soorah Yunus (10): 18]
"Those who take Awliya (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say), 'We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah.'" [Soorah az-Zumar (39): 3]
Clarification Of Doubts
Doubt 1: Celebration of Mawlid is honoring the Prophet (PBUH).
Reply: Honoring the Prophet (PBUH) is in his Ittiba (following); acting upon his commands, refraining from that which he has prohibited and loving him.
The adulation of the Prophet (PBUH) is not by innovation, corruption, sin and commemoration of celebrations in memory of his birthday. As it is an innovation in the religion of Islam, which is 100% complete.
The Sahabah were the ones, who honored Allah's Messenger (PBUH) the most as Urwaibn Mas'ood said to the Quraish, "O people, by Allah I have visited kings. I went to Caesar, Chosroes and the Negus, but by Allah I have never seen a king whose companions respected him as much as the companions of Muhammad respected Muhammad( PBUH)... If he instructed them to do something, they would hasten to do as he commanded. When he performed wudhu, they would almost fight over his water. When he spoke they would lower their voices in his presence; and they did not look him in the eye out of respect for him." [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
Even with this enormous amount of respect and honor for Allah's Messenger (PBUH) , the Sahabah did not commemorate a celebration or had carnival on his birthday. If it was a prescribed matter, they would not have missed it.
Doubt 2: Commemorating Mawlid renews the memories of Allah's Messenger (PBUH)
Reply: The memories of Allah's Messenger is renewed (everyday) by the Muslim;
• he remembers the Prophet (PBUH) whenever his name is pronounced in the Adhan (the call to prayer), Iqamah and Khutbah (Friday sermon),
• every time he pronounces the Shahadatain (the two testimonies) after ablution,
• every time he sends Salaat (salutations) upon the Prophet in his prayer and upon his mention,
• every time he performs a good deed – an obligatory or a recommended deed which Allah's Messenger has prescribed.
In this way, a Muslim always revives the memories of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) and is tied to it night and day - throughout his life by performing that which Allah has prescribed in the Sharee'ah - not only on the day of Mawlid.
As far as Bidah and contradiction to the Sunnah is concerned, it only distances and disassociates him from the Prophet. As the Prophet (PBUH) said: "I have not left anything that would bring you closer to Allah, except that I have commanded you to do it." [Silsilah Sahiha 1803]
Moreover, Allah's Messenger (SAS) is way above such innovative celebration. Allah has (rightly) praised and honored him in His Saying, "(We have) Raised high your fame." [Soorah ash-Sharh (94): 4]
Doubt 3: Mawleed is a Bidah Husna (good innovation) because it is a means of showing gratitude towards Allah for sending the Prophet (SAS) .
Reply: There is nothing like good Bidah in Islaam.
Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said, "Whosoever innovates in our religion that is not from it, will have it rejected."[Bukhari and Muslim]
And "Every innovation in religion is a misguidance." [Muslim; Musnad Ahmad(4/126), Tirmidhee (2676)]
The Prophet (SAS) thus declared all forms of Bidah as misguidance so how can one argue that not all forms of Bidah are misguidance.
Hafidh Ibn Rajab writes in Sharh al-Arba'een, "The saying of Allah's Messenger , 'Every Bidah is
misguidance’ is a comprehensive statement, which does not exclude anything (i.e. any innovation). This Hadeeth is a great fundamental of the Deen, like his saying, "Whosoever innovates in our religion, which is not from it will have it rejected."
Those who uphold this argument (that there is Bidah Husna in Islam) have no proof to withstand their claim except the saying of Umar (radhiallahu anhu) concerning Salaat at-Taraweeh, "What a good Bidah this is!"
They also claim that there existed innovations which were not disliked by the Salaf like, gathering all the Qur'aan in one book, writing and documentation of the Hadeeth.
Reply: All these actions have an origin in the religion and thus are not innovations (explanation ahead).
The saying of Umar (RA), ‘What a good Bidah is this?’
The intention of Umar(RA) by this statement was innovation in the linguistic form and not innovation in the religion because if it is said, "It is a Bidah." - concerning an act which has an origin in the Sharee'ah then it means Bidah in the linguistic form and not a Bidah in the Sharee'ah because Bidah in the Sharee'ah is something that has no origin in the Sharee'ah.
Gathering the Qur'aan in one book has basis in the Sharee'ah because the Prophet (SAS) approved and ordered writing of the Qur'aan, though it was inscribed in parts. The Sahabah collected it in one book in order to preserve it.
Documentation of Ahadeeth also has roots in the Sharee'ah. Allah's Messenger (SAS) ordered that Ahadeeth be written for some Sahabah who requested it.
The only thing was that documentation was prohibited in general at the time of Allah's Messenger (SAS) fearing that something might be added to the Qur'aan which was not from it.
After the death of Allah's Messenger (PBUH), the cause (behind this prohibition) ended because the Qur'aan had been completed and arrangement of the verses were also determined. So, the Muslims wrote down the Sunnah in order to preserve it from being lost. May Allah grant them good returns for their efforts in safeguarding the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (PBUH).
Kerala High Court clears way for India's first Islamic bank.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The secular republic of India is all set to have its first Islamic bank.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed petitions challenging the Kerala government's decision to establish India's first Islamic Bank which will work on the principles of Shariah.
The order came from a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J Chalameswar and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon, which rejected petitions filed by Janata Party President Subramaniam Swamy and another. The petitioners contended that the state establishing a bank which will work on the principles of a religion will violate the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution. However, the court did not agree.
Reacting to the HC verdict, Swamy said he will consider appealing to the Supreme Court after going through the full text. ``I will challenge the same if it was dismissed on merits,'' he said.
The state had first floated the idea of establishing the bank under an entity registered as Al-Baraka Financial Services way back in December 2009. The bank was also to have a body of Islamic scholars to advise whether the principles of shariah were being complied with.
But in January 2010, the HC stayed the government's plans and issued notices to the RBI, Finance Ministry and Kerala State Industries Development Corporation (KSIDC) which was to hold 11 percent equity in Al-Baraka.
The RBI replied that the current laws did not permit such a bank.
With its plans running into rough weather, the state government too lost hope and even told the state assembly that its plan was not to establish an Islamic bank, but only a financial institution that would work on the interest-free principle.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed petitions challenging the Kerala government's decision to establish India's first Islamic Bank which will work on the principles of Shariah.
The order came from a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J Chalameswar and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon, which rejected petitions filed by Janata Party President Subramaniam Swamy and another. The petitioners contended that the state establishing a bank which will work on the principles of a religion will violate the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution. However, the court did not agree.
Reacting to the HC verdict, Swamy said he will consider appealing to the Supreme Court after going through the full text. ``I will challenge the same if it was dismissed on merits,'' he said.
The state had first floated the idea of establishing the bank under an entity registered as Al-Baraka Financial Services way back in December 2009. The bank was also to have a body of Islamic scholars to advise whether the principles of shariah were being complied with.
But in January 2010, the HC stayed the government's plans and issued notices to the RBI, Finance Ministry and Kerala State Industries Development Corporation (KSIDC) which was to hold 11 percent equity in Al-Baraka.
The RBI replied that the current laws did not permit such a bank.
With its plans running into rough weather, the state government too lost hope and even told the state assembly that its plan was not to establish an Islamic bank, but only a financial institution that would work on the interest-free principle.
MUHARRAM ? Do you know about........
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said: “He is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, rends his garment, or cries with the cry of the Jaahiliyyah.” [l-Bukhaari (1294) and Muslim (103)]
Whether Shi’a or Sunni or whoever they may be ------
What some people do in ‘Muharram’ is…..Mourning… Beating their chest, slapping their cheeks, striking their shoulders with chains and cutting their heads with swords to let the blood flow….having big gatherings where they encourage people to do these acts and filling their heart with hatred……Thinking that Muharram is the month of Mourning….
These are all innovations that have no basis in Islam.
These things are evils that were forbidden by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who did not prescribe for his ummah to do any of these things or anything similar to them to mark the death of a leader or the loss of a martyr, no matter what his status is.
During lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a number of senior Sahaabah were martyred and he mourned their loss, such as
Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib(his uncle), Ja’far ibn Abi Taalib and ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Rawaahah, but he did not do any of the things that people do today.
If it was good, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) would have done it before us. What are people trying to say that “they are better than Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) by doing invention in the Deen ?? in actual it’s innovation (Bid’ah) which leads to destruction. Coz Islam is complete and whoever invents something new, it will be rejected.
“The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) stated repeatedly that: "Every newly-invented thing is a bid'ah (innovation), every bid'ah is a going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire." [Sunan-Nasai]
Shocking part is that even many educated men & women; also get involved in this evil activity ….. they also mourn and beat them selves scratch their hair like animals. People have forgot the teaching of Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) who said: ‘It is not permitted for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for any dead person for more than three days, except for a husband, (in which case the period of mourning is) four months and ten days. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4926).
And those three days mourning also does not include the acts of jaahiliya (ignorance) such as tearng clothes beating their chest hitting their head etc.
The question arises, did Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him) ask us to mourn or beat ourselves? He lost his beloved Grand father Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam)did he do such things? He lost his Father Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did he do such things? The answer is “NO”
Then if people claim to love Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him) then why aren’t they following him ???
These are reprehensible actions that people do in Muharram which has no basis in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not do them, nor did any of his companions. None of his companions did them when he or anyone else died; although the loss of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was greater than the death of Hussain (may Allaah be pleased with him).
His father was better than him and he was killed, but people do not take his death as an anniversary as they do with the death of Hussain
His father (may Allaah be pleased with him) was killed on a Friday as he was leaving the mosque after Fajr prayer, on the seventeenth of Ramadaan in 40 AH.
‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) was killed when he was besieged in his house during the days of al-Tashreeq in Dhu’l-Hijjah of 36 AH, with his throat cut from one jugular vein to the other, but people did not take his death as an anniversary.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him). was killed as he was standing in the mihraab, praying Fajr and reciting Qur’aan, but the people did not take his death as an anniversary. (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq – the first Caliph of Islam….when he died, people don’t even take his death as an anniversary.
These were the closest companions and the rightly guided caliphs of Islam…..why don’t people mourn or beat themselves on their death-dates??
‘Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated from his grandfather the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said:
“There is no Muslim who is afflicted by a calamity and when he remembers it, even if it was in the dim and distant past, he says Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return), but Allaah will give him a reward like that of the day when it befell him.” [Musnad Ahmad and Ibn Majaah]
>>> There was much trouble and fighting between these two groups in Kufa. When al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with them both) was killed on the day of ‘Aashooraa’. Allah honoured al-Husayn with martyrdom, as He honoured other members of his family, and raised his status, as He honoured Hamzah, Ja’far, his father ‘Ali and others. Al-Husayn and his brother al-Hasan are the leaders of the youth of Paradise.
High status can only be attained through suffering, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him said, when he was asked which people suffer the most.
He said, “The Prophets, then righteous people, then the next best and the next best. A man will suffer according to his level of faith. If his faith is solid, he will suffer more, but if his faith is shaky, he will suffer less. The believer will keep on suffering until he walks on the earth with no sin.” (reported by al-Tirmidhi and others).
Al-Hasan and al-Husayn achieved what they achieved and reached the high status they reached by the help and decree of Allah. They did not suffer as much as their forefathers had, for they were born and raised during the glory days of Islam, and the Muslims respected and honored them. The Prophet (peace and blessings ofAllaah be upon him) died when they were still young, and Allah blessed them by testing them in such a manner that they would be able to catch up with the rest of their family members, as those who were of a higher status than them were also tested. ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib was better than them, and he was killed as a shaheed (martyr).
It is reported from Faatimah bint al-Husayn, from her father al-Husayn, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no man who suffers a calamity, and when he remembers it, even if it is old, he says ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return),’ but Allah will give a reward equal to the reward He gave him on the day he suffered the calamity.”
This is how Allah honours the Believers. If the disaster suffered by al-Husayn, and other disasters, are mentioned after all this time, we should say “Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return),” as Allah and His Messenger commanded, so as to be given the reward like that earned on the day of the disaster itself.
If Allah commanded us to be patient and steadfast and to seek reward at the time of the disaster, then how about after the passing of time?
The Shaytaan made this attractive to those who are misled, so they took the month of Muharram as a month of mourning, when they grieve and wail, recite poems of grief and tell stories filled with lies..fabricated filled with deceit…. Whatever truth there may be in these stories serves no purpose other than….. the renewal of their grief and sectarian feeling, and the stirring up of hatred and hostility among the Muslims, which they do by cursing those who came before them, and telling many lies, and causing much trouble in the world.
The religion of Islam is easy
We should worship Him in the manner that He has prescribed, not by means of bid’ah or reprehensible innovations.
Allah says “… So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [Surah-Kahf 18:110].
Righteous deeds are those which are loved by Allah and His Messenger, those which are prescribed in Islam and in the Sunnah.
Therefore one has to abstain from doing such evil acts which neither Allah nor his Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) prescribed. In fact these things are haraam in Islam.
MAY ALL GUIDE US ALL AND PROTECT US FROM ALL KINDS OF INNOVATION AND SHIRK……..AAMEEEN………………….!
Whether Shi’a or Sunni or whoever they may be ------
What some people do in ‘Muharram’ is…..Mourning… Beating their chest, slapping their cheeks, striking their shoulders with chains and cutting their heads with swords to let the blood flow….having big gatherings where they encourage people to do these acts and filling their heart with hatred……Thinking that Muharram is the month of Mourning….
These are all innovations that have no basis in Islam.
These things are evils that were forbidden by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who did not prescribe for his ummah to do any of these things or anything similar to them to mark the death of a leader or the loss of a martyr, no matter what his status is.
During lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a number of senior Sahaabah were martyred and he mourned their loss, such as
Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib(his uncle), Ja’far ibn Abi Taalib and ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Rawaahah, but he did not do any of the things that people do today.
If it was good, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) would have done it before us. What are people trying to say that “they are better than Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) by doing invention in the Deen ?? in actual it’s innovation (Bid’ah) which leads to destruction. Coz Islam is complete and whoever invents something new, it will be rejected.
“The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) stated repeatedly that: "Every newly-invented thing is a bid'ah (innovation), every bid'ah is a going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire." [Sunan-Nasai]
Shocking part is that even many educated men & women; also get involved in this evil activity ….. they also mourn and beat them selves scratch their hair like animals. People have forgot the teaching of Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) who said: ‘It is not permitted for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for any dead person for more than three days, except for a husband, (in which case the period of mourning is) four months and ten days. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4926).
And those three days mourning also does not include the acts of jaahiliya (ignorance) such as tearng clothes beating their chest hitting their head etc.
The question arises, did Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him) ask us to mourn or beat ourselves? He lost his beloved Grand father Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam)did he do such things? He lost his Father Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did he do such things? The answer is “NO”
Then if people claim to love Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him) then why aren’t they following him ???
These are reprehensible actions that people do in Muharram which has no basis in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not do them, nor did any of his companions. None of his companions did them when he or anyone else died; although the loss of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was greater than the death of Hussain (may Allaah be pleased with him).
His father was better than him and he was killed, but people do not take his death as an anniversary as they do with the death of Hussain
His father (may Allaah be pleased with him) was killed on a Friday as he was leaving the mosque after Fajr prayer, on the seventeenth of Ramadaan in 40 AH.
‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) was killed when he was besieged in his house during the days of al-Tashreeq in Dhu’l-Hijjah of 36 AH, with his throat cut from one jugular vein to the other, but people did not take his death as an anniversary.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him). was killed as he was standing in the mihraab, praying Fajr and reciting Qur’aan, but the people did not take his death as an anniversary. (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq – the first Caliph of Islam….when he died, people don’t even take his death as an anniversary.
These were the closest companions and the rightly guided caliphs of Islam…..why don’t people mourn or beat themselves on their death-dates??
‘Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated from his grandfather the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said:
“There is no Muslim who is afflicted by a calamity and when he remembers it, even if it was in the dim and distant past, he says Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return), but Allaah will give him a reward like that of the day when it befell him.” [Musnad Ahmad and Ibn Majaah]
>>> There was much trouble and fighting between these two groups in Kufa. When al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with them both) was killed on the day of ‘Aashooraa’. Allah honoured al-Husayn with martyrdom, as He honoured other members of his family, and raised his status, as He honoured Hamzah, Ja’far, his father ‘Ali and others. Al-Husayn and his brother al-Hasan are the leaders of the youth of Paradise.
High status can only be attained through suffering, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him said, when he was asked which people suffer the most.
He said, “The Prophets, then righteous people, then the next best and the next best. A man will suffer according to his level of faith. If his faith is solid, he will suffer more, but if his faith is shaky, he will suffer less. The believer will keep on suffering until he walks on the earth with no sin.” (reported by al-Tirmidhi and others).
Al-Hasan and al-Husayn achieved what they achieved and reached the high status they reached by the help and decree of Allah. They did not suffer as much as their forefathers had, for they were born and raised during the glory days of Islam, and the Muslims respected and honored them. The Prophet (peace and blessings ofAllaah be upon him) died when they were still young, and Allah blessed them by testing them in such a manner that they would be able to catch up with the rest of their family members, as those who were of a higher status than them were also tested. ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib was better than them, and he was killed as a shaheed (martyr).
It is reported from Faatimah bint al-Husayn, from her father al-Husayn, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no man who suffers a calamity, and when he remembers it, even if it is old, he says ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return),’ but Allah will give a reward equal to the reward He gave him on the day he suffered the calamity.”
This is how Allah honours the Believers. If the disaster suffered by al-Husayn, and other disasters, are mentioned after all this time, we should say “Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return),” as Allah and His Messenger commanded, so as to be given the reward like that earned on the day of the disaster itself.
If Allah commanded us to be patient and steadfast and to seek reward at the time of the disaster, then how about after the passing of time?
The Shaytaan made this attractive to those who are misled, so they took the month of Muharram as a month of mourning, when they grieve and wail, recite poems of grief and tell stories filled with lies..fabricated filled with deceit…. Whatever truth there may be in these stories serves no purpose other than….. the renewal of their grief and sectarian feeling, and the stirring up of hatred and hostility among the Muslims, which they do by cursing those who came before them, and telling many lies, and causing much trouble in the world.
The religion of Islam is easy
We should worship Him in the manner that He has prescribed, not by means of bid’ah or reprehensible innovations.
Allah says “… So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [Surah-Kahf 18:110].
Righteous deeds are those which are loved by Allah and His Messenger, those which are prescribed in Islam and in the Sunnah.
Therefore one has to abstain from doing such evil acts which neither Allah nor his Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) prescribed. In fact these things are haraam in Islam.
MAY ALL GUIDE US ALL AND PROTECT US FROM ALL KINDS OF INNOVATION AND SHIRK……..AAMEEEN………………….!
What is the true meaning of shirk and what are its types?
I read that “this action is major shirk” and “this is minor shirk”. Do you know the difference between the two?.
Answer:Praise be to Allaah.
One of the most important obligations is to know the meaning of shirk, its seriousness and its different types, so that our Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah) and our Islam may be complete, and our faith may be sound. We say – And Allaah is the Source of strength and true guidance comes from Him:
Know – may Allaah guide you – that the word shirk in Arabic means taking a partner, i.e., regarding someone as the partner of another. It is said [in Arabic]: ashraka baynahuma (he joined them together) when he regarded them as two of equal status; or ashraka fi amrihi ghayrahu (he introduced another into his affair) when he made two people involved in it.
In terms of sharee’ah or Islamic terminology, shirk means ascribing a partner or rival to Allaah in Lordship (ruboobiyyah), worship or in His names and attributes.
A rival is a peer or counterpart. Hence Allaah forbids setting up rivals with Him and he condemns those who take them (rivals) as gods instead of or besides Allaah in many verses of the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped)”
[al-Baqarah 2:222]
“And they set up rivals to Allaah, to mislead (men) from His path! Say: ‘Enjoy (your brief life)! But certainly, your destination is the (Hell) Fire!’”
[Ibraaheem 14:30]
In the hadeeth it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever dies claiming that Allaah has a rival, will enter Hell.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4497; Muslim, 92.
The types of shirk:
The texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that shirk and the ascribing of rivals to Allaah sometimes puts a person beyond the pale of Islam and sometimes does not. Hence the scholars divided shirk into two types which they call shirk akbar (major shirk) and shirk asghar (minor shirk). There follows a brief description of each type:
1 – Major shirk
This means ascribing to someone other than Allaah something that belongs only to Allaah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah), divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat).
This kind of shirk may sometimes be outward, such as the shirk of those who worship idols and graves, or the dead or absent.
Or it may sometimes be hidden, such as those who put their trust in other gods besides Allaah, or the shirk and kufr of the hypocrites. For even though their (hypocrites’) shirk puts them beyond the pale of Islam and means that they will abide forever in Hell, it is a hidden shirk, because they make an outward display of Islam and conceal their kufr and shirk, so they are inwardly mushriks but not outwardly.
Shirk may sometimes take the form of beliefs:
Such as the belief that there is someone else who creates, gives life and death, reigns or controls the affairs of the universe along with Allaah.
Or the belief that there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely besides Allaah, so they follow him in regarding as permissible or forbidden whatever he wants, even if that goes against the religion of the Messengers.
Or they may associate others with Allaah in love and veneration, by loving a created being as they love Allaah. This is the kind of shirk that Allaah does not forgive, and it is the shirk of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah”
[al-Baqarah 2:165]
Or the belief that there are those who know the Unseen as well as Allaah. This is very common among some of the deviant sects such as the Raafidis (Shi’ah), extreme Sufis, and Baatinis (esoteric sects) in general. The Raafidis believe that their imams have knowledge of the unseen, and the Baatinis and Sufis believe similar things about their awliya’ (“saints”), and so on. It is also shirk to believe that there is someone who bestows mercy in a manner that is befitting only for Allaah, so he shows mercy as Allaah does and forgives sins and overlooks the bad deeds of his worshippers.
Shirk may sometimes take the form of words:
Such as those who make du’aa’ or pray to someone other than Allaah, or seek his help or seek refuge with him with regard to matters over which no one has control except Allaah, whether the person called upon is a Prophet, a wali (“saint”), an angel or a jinn, or some other created being. This is a kind of major shirk which puts one beyond the pale of Islam.
Or such as those who make fun of religion or who liken Allaah to His creation, or say that there is another creator, provider or controller besides Allaah. All of these are major shirk and a grave sin that is not forgiven.
Shirk may sometimes take the form of actions:
Such as one who sacrifices, prays or prostrates to something other than Allaah, or who promulgates laws to replace the rulings of Allaah and makes that the law to which people are obliged to refer for judgement; or one who supports the kaafirs and helps them against the believers, and other acts that go against the basic meaning of faith and put the one who does them beyond the pale of Islam. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.
2 – Minor shirk
This includes everything that may lead to major shirk, or which is described in the texts as being shirk, but does not reach the extent of being major shirk.
This is usually of two types:
1 – Being emotionally attached to some means which have no basis and for which Allaah has not given permission, such as hanging up “hands”, turquoise beads etc on the grounds that they offer protection or that they ward off the evil eye. But Allaah has not made them the means of such protection, either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe.
[Translator’s note: the “hands” referred to are objects made of metal, pottery etc, usually blue or turquoise in colour, that some people hang up to ward off the evil eye, according to their mistaken belief]
2 – Venerating some people or things in a way that does not go so far as ascribing lordship to them, such as swearing by something other than Allaah, or saying, “Were it not for Allaah and So and so,” etc.
The scholars have stipulated guidelines to distinguish major shirk from minor shirk when shirk is mentioned in the texts of sharee’ah. These guidelines include the following:
(i) – When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) states clearly that this action is minor shirk, such as in al-Musnad (27742) where it is narrated that Mahmoud ibn Labeed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The thing that I fear most for you is minor shirk.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what is minor shirk?” He said: “Showing off, for Allaah will say on the Day when people are recompensed for their actions: ‘Go to those for whom you were showing off with your deeds in the world, and see what reward you find with them.’” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 951.
(ii) – When the word shirk is used in the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah in the indefinite form [without the definite article al-]. This usually refers to minor shirk, and there are many examples of this, such as when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Incantations, amulets and love spells are shirk.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3883; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 331.
What is meant by shirk here is minor shirk, not major shirk.
Amulets are things that are hung on children such as turquoise beads and the like, which they claim will protect them from the evil eye.
Love spells are something that they do, claiming that it will make a woman beloved to her husband and a man beloved to his wife.
(iii) – If the Sahaabah understood from the texts of sharee’ah that what was meant by shirk here was minor shirk, not major. Undoubtedly the understanding of the Sahaabah carries weight, because they are the most knowledgeable of the people concerning the religion of Allaah, and the most knowledgeable as to the intent of the Lawgiver. For example, Abu Dawood (3910) narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Tiyarah (superstitious belief in omens) is shirk, tiyarah is shirk,” three times, and there is no one among us but (will have some of that) but Allaah will rid him of it by means of tawakkul (putting his trust in Allaah). The words “there is no one among us…” are the words of Ibn Mas’ood, as was explained by the prominent scholars of hadeeth. This indicates that Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) understood that this was minor shirk, because he could not have said, “There is no one among us…” referring to major shirk. Moreover, major shirk cannot be eliminated by means of tawakkul, rather it is essential to repent therefrom.
(iv) – If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) interpreted the words shirk or kufr in a manner which indicates that what is meant is a minor form thereof and not the major form. For example al-Bukhaari (1038) and Muslim (74) narrated from Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani that he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led the morning prayer for us at al-Hudaybiyah following rainfall during the night. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished, he turned to face the people and said to them: “Do you know what your Lord has said?” They said: “Allaah and his Messenger know best.” He said: “This morning one of My slaves became a believer in Me and one a disbeliever. As for him who said: ‘We have been given rain by the grace of Allaah and His mercy,’ that one is a believer in Me, a disbeliever in the stars; and as for him who said: ‘We have been given rain by such-and-such a star, that one is a disbeliever in Me, a believer in the stars.’”
The interpretation of the word kufr here is given in another report narrated from Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not know what your Lord said? ‘I do not send any blessing upon My slaves but a group among them become kaafirs thereby because they refer to the stars and attribute things to the stars. This explains that if a person attributes rainfall to the stars by believing that they caused it to fall – when in fact Allaah has not made the stars a means of causing rainfall – his kufr is a kind of ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah. It is well known that ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah is minor kufr. But if a person believes that the stars are controlling the universe and they are the ones that cause the rain to fall, then this is major shirk.
Minor shirk may sometimes take the form of outward actions, such as wearing talismans, strings, amulets and the like, and other words and deeds. And sometimes it may be hidden, like a little bit of showing off.
It may also take the form of beliefs:
Such as the belief that something may be a cause of bringing benefit or warding off harm, when Allaah has not made it so; or believing that there is barakah (blessing) in a thing, when Allaah has not made it so.
It sometimes takes the form of words:
Such as when they said, “We have been given rain by such and such a star,” without believing that that the stars could independently cause rain to fall; or swearing by something other than Allaah, without believing in venerating the thing sworn by or regarding it as equal with Allaah; or saying, “Whatever Allaah wills and you will,” and so on.
It sometimes takes the form of actions:
Such as hanging up amulets or wearing a talisman or string to dispel or ward off calamity, because everyone who attribute powers to a thing when Allaah has not made it so either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe, has associated something with Allaah. This also applies to one who touches a thing seeking its barakah (blessing), when Allaah has not created any barakah in it, such as kissing the doors of the mosques, touching their thresholds, seeking healing from their dust, and other such actions.
This is a brief look at the division of shirk into major and minor. We cannot go into great detail in this short answer.
Conclusion:
What the Muslim must do is to avoid shirk in both its minor and major forms. The greatest sin is shirk and transgression against the unique rights of Allaah, which are to be worshipped and obeyed alone, with no partner or associate.
Hence Allaah has decreed that the mushrikeen will abide forever in Hell and has told us that He will not forgive them, and He has forbidden Paradise to them, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin”
[al-Nisa’ 4:48]
“Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers”
[al-Maa'idah 5:72]
Every wise and religiously-committed person should fear shirk for himself and should turn to his Lord, asking Him to help him avoid shirk, as al-Khaleel [Ibraaheem – peace be upon him] said:
“and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols”
[Ibraaheem 14:35 – interpretation of the meaning]
One of the salaf said: “Who can claim to be safe from this after Ibraaheem?”
So the sincere believer’s fear of shirk should increase as should his desire for his for his Lord to keep him away from it, and he should say the great du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught to his companions when he said to them: “Shirk among you will be more subtle than the footsteps of an ant, but I will teach you something which, if you do it, both minor and major shirk will be kept away from you. Say: Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a’lam wa astaghfiruka lima la a’lam (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware).”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3731
The above refers to the difference between major and minor shirk, defining each and describing its types.
With regard to the difference between them as far as the ruling is concerned:
Major shirk puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, so the one who does that is judged to be out of Islam and to have apostatized therefrom, so he is a kaafir and an apostate.
Minor shirk does not put a person beyond the pale of Islam, rather it may be done by a Muslim but he still remains in Islam; but the one who does that is in great danger because minor shirk is a major sin. Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “If I were to swear by Allaah falsely, that is better for me than if I were to swear by something other than Him sincerely.” So he regarded swearing by something other than Allaah (which is minor shirk) as being worse than swearing by Allaah falsely, and it is well known that swearing by Allaah falsely is a major sin.
We ask Allaah to make our hearts steadfast in adhering to His religion until we meet Him, and we seek refuge in His Might – may He be glorified – from going astray, for He is the Ever-Living Who never dies, but the jinn and mankind will die. And Allaah knows best and is most wise, and to Him is the final return of all.
Answer:Praise be to Allaah.
One of the most important obligations is to know the meaning of shirk, its seriousness and its different types, so that our Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah) and our Islam may be complete, and our faith may be sound. We say – And Allaah is the Source of strength and true guidance comes from Him:
Know – may Allaah guide you – that the word shirk in Arabic means taking a partner, i.e., regarding someone as the partner of another. It is said [in Arabic]: ashraka baynahuma (he joined them together) when he regarded them as two of equal status; or ashraka fi amrihi ghayrahu (he introduced another into his affair) when he made two people involved in it.
In terms of sharee’ah or Islamic terminology, shirk means ascribing a partner or rival to Allaah in Lordship (ruboobiyyah), worship or in His names and attributes.
A rival is a peer or counterpart. Hence Allaah forbids setting up rivals with Him and he condemns those who take them (rivals) as gods instead of or besides Allaah in many verses of the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped)”
[al-Baqarah 2:222]
“And they set up rivals to Allaah, to mislead (men) from His path! Say: ‘Enjoy (your brief life)! But certainly, your destination is the (Hell) Fire!’”
[Ibraaheem 14:30]
In the hadeeth it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever dies claiming that Allaah has a rival, will enter Hell.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4497; Muslim, 92.
The types of shirk:
The texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that shirk and the ascribing of rivals to Allaah sometimes puts a person beyond the pale of Islam and sometimes does not. Hence the scholars divided shirk into two types which they call shirk akbar (major shirk) and shirk asghar (minor shirk). There follows a brief description of each type:
1 – Major shirk
This means ascribing to someone other than Allaah something that belongs only to Allaah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah), divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat).
This kind of shirk may sometimes be outward, such as the shirk of those who worship idols and graves, or the dead or absent.
Or it may sometimes be hidden, such as those who put their trust in other gods besides Allaah, or the shirk and kufr of the hypocrites. For even though their (hypocrites’) shirk puts them beyond the pale of Islam and means that they will abide forever in Hell, it is a hidden shirk, because they make an outward display of Islam and conceal their kufr and shirk, so they are inwardly mushriks but not outwardly.
Shirk may sometimes take the form of beliefs:
Such as the belief that there is someone else who creates, gives life and death, reigns or controls the affairs of the universe along with Allaah.
Or the belief that there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely besides Allaah, so they follow him in regarding as permissible or forbidden whatever he wants, even if that goes against the religion of the Messengers.
Or they may associate others with Allaah in love and veneration, by loving a created being as they love Allaah. This is the kind of shirk that Allaah does not forgive, and it is the shirk of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah”
[al-Baqarah 2:165]
Or the belief that there are those who know the Unseen as well as Allaah. This is very common among some of the deviant sects such as the Raafidis (Shi’ah), extreme Sufis, and Baatinis (esoteric sects) in general. The Raafidis believe that their imams have knowledge of the unseen, and the Baatinis and Sufis believe similar things about their awliya’ (“saints”), and so on. It is also shirk to believe that there is someone who bestows mercy in a manner that is befitting only for Allaah, so he shows mercy as Allaah does and forgives sins and overlooks the bad deeds of his worshippers.
Shirk may sometimes take the form of words:
Such as those who make du’aa’ or pray to someone other than Allaah, or seek his help or seek refuge with him with regard to matters over which no one has control except Allaah, whether the person called upon is a Prophet, a wali (“saint”), an angel or a jinn, or some other created being. This is a kind of major shirk which puts one beyond the pale of Islam.
Or such as those who make fun of religion or who liken Allaah to His creation, or say that there is another creator, provider or controller besides Allaah. All of these are major shirk and a grave sin that is not forgiven.
Shirk may sometimes take the form of actions:
Such as one who sacrifices, prays or prostrates to something other than Allaah, or who promulgates laws to replace the rulings of Allaah and makes that the law to which people are obliged to refer for judgement; or one who supports the kaafirs and helps them against the believers, and other acts that go against the basic meaning of faith and put the one who does them beyond the pale of Islam. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.
2 – Minor shirk
This includes everything that may lead to major shirk, or which is described in the texts as being shirk, but does not reach the extent of being major shirk.
This is usually of two types:
1 – Being emotionally attached to some means which have no basis and for which Allaah has not given permission, such as hanging up “hands”, turquoise beads etc on the grounds that they offer protection or that they ward off the evil eye. But Allaah has not made them the means of such protection, either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe.
[Translator’s note: the “hands” referred to are objects made of metal, pottery etc, usually blue or turquoise in colour, that some people hang up to ward off the evil eye, according to their mistaken belief]
2 – Venerating some people or things in a way that does not go so far as ascribing lordship to them, such as swearing by something other than Allaah, or saying, “Were it not for Allaah and So and so,” etc.
The scholars have stipulated guidelines to distinguish major shirk from minor shirk when shirk is mentioned in the texts of sharee’ah. These guidelines include the following:
(i) – When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) states clearly that this action is minor shirk, such as in al-Musnad (27742) where it is narrated that Mahmoud ibn Labeed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The thing that I fear most for you is minor shirk.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what is minor shirk?” He said: “Showing off, for Allaah will say on the Day when people are recompensed for their actions: ‘Go to those for whom you were showing off with your deeds in the world, and see what reward you find with them.’” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 951.
(ii) – When the word shirk is used in the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah in the indefinite form [without the definite article al-]. This usually refers to minor shirk, and there are many examples of this, such as when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Incantations, amulets and love spells are shirk.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3883; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 331.
What is meant by shirk here is minor shirk, not major shirk.
Amulets are things that are hung on children such as turquoise beads and the like, which they claim will protect them from the evil eye.
Love spells are something that they do, claiming that it will make a woman beloved to her husband and a man beloved to his wife.
(iii) – If the Sahaabah understood from the texts of sharee’ah that what was meant by shirk here was minor shirk, not major. Undoubtedly the understanding of the Sahaabah carries weight, because they are the most knowledgeable of the people concerning the religion of Allaah, and the most knowledgeable as to the intent of the Lawgiver. For example, Abu Dawood (3910) narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Tiyarah (superstitious belief in omens) is shirk, tiyarah is shirk,” three times, and there is no one among us but (will have some of that) but Allaah will rid him of it by means of tawakkul (putting his trust in Allaah). The words “there is no one among us…” are the words of Ibn Mas’ood, as was explained by the prominent scholars of hadeeth. This indicates that Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) understood that this was minor shirk, because he could not have said, “There is no one among us…” referring to major shirk. Moreover, major shirk cannot be eliminated by means of tawakkul, rather it is essential to repent therefrom.
(iv) – If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) interpreted the words shirk or kufr in a manner which indicates that what is meant is a minor form thereof and not the major form. For example al-Bukhaari (1038) and Muslim (74) narrated from Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani that he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led the morning prayer for us at al-Hudaybiyah following rainfall during the night. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished, he turned to face the people and said to them: “Do you know what your Lord has said?” They said: “Allaah and his Messenger know best.” He said: “This morning one of My slaves became a believer in Me and one a disbeliever. As for him who said: ‘We have been given rain by the grace of Allaah and His mercy,’ that one is a believer in Me, a disbeliever in the stars; and as for him who said: ‘We have been given rain by such-and-such a star, that one is a disbeliever in Me, a believer in the stars.’”
The interpretation of the word kufr here is given in another report narrated from Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not know what your Lord said? ‘I do not send any blessing upon My slaves but a group among them become kaafirs thereby because they refer to the stars and attribute things to the stars. This explains that if a person attributes rainfall to the stars by believing that they caused it to fall – when in fact Allaah has not made the stars a means of causing rainfall – his kufr is a kind of ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah. It is well known that ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah is minor kufr. But if a person believes that the stars are controlling the universe and they are the ones that cause the rain to fall, then this is major shirk.
Minor shirk may sometimes take the form of outward actions, such as wearing talismans, strings, amulets and the like, and other words and deeds. And sometimes it may be hidden, like a little bit of showing off.
It may also take the form of beliefs:
Such as the belief that something may be a cause of bringing benefit or warding off harm, when Allaah has not made it so; or believing that there is barakah (blessing) in a thing, when Allaah has not made it so.
It sometimes takes the form of words:
Such as when they said, “We have been given rain by such and such a star,” without believing that that the stars could independently cause rain to fall; or swearing by something other than Allaah, without believing in venerating the thing sworn by or regarding it as equal with Allaah; or saying, “Whatever Allaah wills and you will,” and so on.
It sometimes takes the form of actions:
Such as hanging up amulets or wearing a talisman or string to dispel or ward off calamity, because everyone who attribute powers to a thing when Allaah has not made it so either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe, has associated something with Allaah. This also applies to one who touches a thing seeking its barakah (blessing), when Allaah has not created any barakah in it, such as kissing the doors of the mosques, touching their thresholds, seeking healing from their dust, and other such actions.
This is a brief look at the division of shirk into major and minor. We cannot go into great detail in this short answer.
Conclusion:
What the Muslim must do is to avoid shirk in both its minor and major forms. The greatest sin is shirk and transgression against the unique rights of Allaah, which are to be worshipped and obeyed alone, with no partner or associate.
Hence Allaah has decreed that the mushrikeen will abide forever in Hell and has told us that He will not forgive them, and He has forbidden Paradise to them, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin”
[al-Nisa’ 4:48]
“Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers”
[al-Maa'idah 5:72]
Every wise and religiously-committed person should fear shirk for himself and should turn to his Lord, asking Him to help him avoid shirk, as al-Khaleel [Ibraaheem – peace be upon him] said:
“and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols”
[Ibraaheem 14:35 – interpretation of the meaning]
One of the salaf said: “Who can claim to be safe from this after Ibraaheem?”
So the sincere believer’s fear of shirk should increase as should his desire for his for his Lord to keep him away from it, and he should say the great du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught to his companions when he said to them: “Shirk among you will be more subtle than the footsteps of an ant, but I will teach you something which, if you do it, both minor and major shirk will be kept away from you. Say: Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a’lam wa astaghfiruka lima la a’lam (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware).”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3731
The above refers to the difference between major and minor shirk, defining each and describing its types.
With regard to the difference between them as far as the ruling is concerned:
Major shirk puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, so the one who does that is judged to be out of Islam and to have apostatized therefrom, so he is a kaafir and an apostate.
Minor shirk does not put a person beyond the pale of Islam, rather it may be done by a Muslim but he still remains in Islam; but the one who does that is in great danger because minor shirk is a major sin. Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “If I were to swear by Allaah falsely, that is better for me than if I were to swear by something other than Him sincerely.” So he regarded swearing by something other than Allaah (which is minor shirk) as being worse than swearing by Allaah falsely, and it is well known that swearing by Allaah falsely is a major sin.
We ask Allaah to make our hearts steadfast in adhering to His religion until we meet Him, and we seek refuge in His Might – may He be glorified – from going astray, for He is the Ever-Living Who never dies, but the jinn and mankind will die. And Allaah knows best and is most wise, and to Him is the final return of all.
WHICH IS THE OLDEST AND BEST RELIGION?
Which is the oldest of all the religion? and the, most pure, authentic and best of all the religions of the world.
Answer:
Islam is the oldest religion
Hinduism is not the oldest of all the religions. It is Islam which is the first and the oldest of all religions. People have a misconception that Islam is 1400 years old and that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the founder of this religion. Islam existed since time immemorial, ever since man first set foot on this earth. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was not the founder of Islam. He was the last and final Messenger of Almighty God.
The oldest religion need not be the purest and the most authentic religion
A religion cannot be claimed to be most pure and authentic, only on the criterion that it is the oldest. It is similar to a person saying that the water he has kept in an open glass, in his house, outside the refrigerator, for three months is purer than the water which has just been collected in a clean glass, immediately after it has been purified.
The latest religion need not be the purest and the most authentic religion
On the other hand a religion cannot be claimed to be the purest or authentic, only on the criterion that the religion is new or the latest. A bottle of distilled water which is sealed, packed and kept in the refrigerator for three months is much purer than a bottle of water freshly collected from the sea.
For religion to be pure and authentic, it should not have interpolations, changes and revisions in its scriptures revealed from God
For any religion to be pure and authentic, its scriptures should not contain any interpolation, addition, deletion or revision. Moreover the religion’s source of inspiration and direction should be Almighty God. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture on the face of the earth which has been maintained it its original form. All the other religious scriptures, of all the other religions have interpolations, additions, deletions or revisions. The Qur’an has been in the memory of a multitude of people, intact in its original form ever since its revelation, and now there are hundreds of thousands of people who have preserved it in their memory. Moreover, if you compare the copies made by Caliph Uthman from the original Qur’an which is yet present in the museum in Tashkent and in Koptaki museum in Turkey, they are the same as the ones we possess today.
Allah (swt) promises in the Qur’an, in Surah Al Hijr, chapter 15 verse 9
"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)."
The oldest religion need not be best religion
A religion cannot be claimed to be the best religion only on the criterion that it is the oldest. It is similar to a person saying, that my 19th century car is better than a Toyota car manufactured in 1998, because it is older. He would be considered to be a fool to say that his 19th century car which required a rod to be turned in circles to start it, is better than a key-start 1998 Toyota car, just because it is older.
The latest religion need not be the best religion
On the other hand a religion cannot be called as the best religion only on the criterion that the religion is new or that it came later. It is similar to a person who says that my 800 cc Suzuki car manufactured in 1999 is better than a 5000 cc Mercedes 500 SEL manufactured in 1997. To judge which car is better, a person should compare the specifications of the car e.g. the power of the car, safety measures, the capacity of the cylinders, the pickup, the speed, the comfort, etc. 5000 cc Mercedes, 500 SEL car manufactured in 1997, is far superior and better than a 800 cc Suzuki (Maruti Suzuki 800) manufactured in 1999.
A religion is best, if it has the solutions to the problems of mankind
For a religion to be considered the best, it should have the solution to all the problems of mankind. It should be the religion of truth, and should be applicable to all ages. Islam is the only religion which has the solution to all the problems of mankind. e.g. the problem of alcoholism, surplus women, rape and molestation, robbery, racism, casteism, etc.
Islam is the religion of truth, and its laws and solutions are applicable to all the ages. The Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth, which has maintained its purity and authenticity proving itself to be the word of God in all the ages. i.e. previously, when it was the age of miracles, literature and poetry and in present times when it is the age of science and technology. Moreover, Islam is not a man-made religion, but a religion revealed and inspired by Almighty God. It is the only religion acceptable in His Sight.
Answer:
Islam is the oldest religion
Hinduism is not the oldest of all the religions. It is Islam which is the first and the oldest of all religions. People have a misconception that Islam is 1400 years old and that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the founder of this religion. Islam existed since time immemorial, ever since man first set foot on this earth. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was not the founder of Islam. He was the last and final Messenger of Almighty God.
The oldest religion need not be the purest and the most authentic religion
A religion cannot be claimed to be most pure and authentic, only on the criterion that it is the oldest. It is similar to a person saying that the water he has kept in an open glass, in his house, outside the refrigerator, for three months is purer than the water which has just been collected in a clean glass, immediately after it has been purified.
The latest religion need not be the purest and the most authentic religion
On the other hand a religion cannot be claimed to be the purest or authentic, only on the criterion that the religion is new or the latest. A bottle of distilled water which is sealed, packed and kept in the refrigerator for three months is much purer than a bottle of water freshly collected from the sea.
For religion to be pure and authentic, it should not have interpolations, changes and revisions in its scriptures revealed from God
For any religion to be pure and authentic, its scriptures should not contain any interpolation, addition, deletion or revision. Moreover the religion’s source of inspiration and direction should be Almighty God. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture on the face of the earth which has been maintained it its original form. All the other religious scriptures, of all the other religions have interpolations, additions, deletions or revisions. The Qur’an has been in the memory of a multitude of people, intact in its original form ever since its revelation, and now there are hundreds of thousands of people who have preserved it in their memory. Moreover, if you compare the copies made by Caliph Uthman from the original Qur’an which is yet present in the museum in Tashkent and in Koptaki museum in Turkey, they are the same as the ones we possess today.
Allah (swt) promises in the Qur’an, in Surah Al Hijr, chapter 15 verse 9
"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)."
The oldest religion need not be best religion
A religion cannot be claimed to be the best religion only on the criterion that it is the oldest. It is similar to a person saying, that my 19th century car is better than a Toyota car manufactured in 1998, because it is older. He would be considered to be a fool to say that his 19th century car which required a rod to be turned in circles to start it, is better than a key-start 1998 Toyota car, just because it is older.
The latest religion need not be the best religion
On the other hand a religion cannot be called as the best religion only on the criterion that the religion is new or that it came later. It is similar to a person who says that my 800 cc Suzuki car manufactured in 1999 is better than a 5000 cc Mercedes 500 SEL manufactured in 1997. To judge which car is better, a person should compare the specifications of the car e.g. the power of the car, safety measures, the capacity of the cylinders, the pickup, the speed, the comfort, etc. 5000 cc Mercedes, 500 SEL car manufactured in 1997, is far superior and better than a 800 cc Suzuki (Maruti Suzuki 800) manufactured in 1999.
A religion is best, if it has the solutions to the problems of mankind
For a religion to be considered the best, it should have the solution to all the problems of mankind. It should be the religion of truth, and should be applicable to all ages. Islam is the only religion which has the solution to all the problems of mankind. e.g. the problem of alcoholism, surplus women, rape and molestation, robbery, racism, casteism, etc.
Islam is the religion of truth, and its laws and solutions are applicable to all the ages. The Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth, which has maintained its purity and authenticity proving itself to be the word of God in all the ages. i.e. previously, when it was the age of miracles, literature and poetry and in present times when it is the age of science and technology. Moreover, Islam is not a man-made religion, but a religion revealed and inspired by Almighty God. It is the only religion acceptable in His Sight.
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