Monday, 8 February 2021
the sky
أَفَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَوْقَهُمْ كَيْفَ بَنَيْنَاهَا وَزَيَّنَّاهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوج
Do they not look at the sky above them — how We have made it and adorned it, and see that there are no cracks in it?
―Quran 50:6
Thursday, 7 January 2021
give charity
To give charity publicly is good, but to give to the poor privately is better for you, and will absolve you of your sins. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do. You are not responsible for people’s guidance (Muhammad) —it is Allah Who guides whoever He wills. Whatever you give in charity is certainly well known to Allah. Those who spend their wealth in charity day and night, secretly and openly—their reward is with their Lord, and there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.
—Quran 2:271-274
Those who believe, and do good deeds, and pray regularly, and give charity—they will have their reward with their Lord; they will have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
―Quran 2:277
وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ الْمَاءُ النَّارَ
“Charity (Sadaqah) extinguishes sin, just as water extinguishes fire.”
―Prophet Muhammad. peace be upon him.
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi » The Book on Traveling » Hadith 71
-note: giving Charity is the third pillar of Islam.
this life is a test.
The Qur’an states:
“Allah has created death and life to test which one of you is best in deeds”
―Quran 67:2
Our presence in this earth as a Human being is a test for us from God. God declared in the Quran that He would test us with difficulties and also with good fortunes. When we face difficulties, our test is whether we stay patient, we persevere and pray to God for help. We are here on Earth for a reason, to carry out good deeds and worship the creator God. The World is the test centre where we are being examined but the result we will know later. We humans want to see God, yet can not stare at the Sun for more than a few seconds.
He is God
Everything in the heavens and on the earth glorifies God. He is the Almighty, the All Wise. He is God: there is no deity save Him. He knows the unseen and the visible. He is the Compassionate, the Merciful. He is God, there is no deity save Him, the Sovereign, the Most Pure, the Source of Peace, the Granter of Security, the Protector, the Mighty, the Subduer, the Supreme, Glory be to God, who is far above what they associate with Him. He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner; to Him belongs the Most Beautiful Names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the Wise.
—Quran 59:1, —Quran 59:22-24
Islam encourages the believer to remain free from the extremes of worldly happiness that may cause one to forget God, and the extremes of sadness that may cause one to lose hope and blame God.
via: The Beauty and Benefits of Islam. Islamic Pamphlets
“The worst amongst the people is the double-faced one; he comes to some people with one face and to others with the other face.”
—Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book 45, Hadith 127
Sunday, 29 November 2020
Towards Understanding the Quran: Surah An-Nahl 16:66-70
(16:66) Surely there is a lesson for you in the cattle: We provide you to drink out of that which is in their bellies between the faeces and the blood - pure milk 54 - which is a palatable drink for those who take it.
54. “Between excretions and the blood”. This refers to the most wonderful process of the formation of pure milk in the bellies of the cattle. For, the fodder they eat turns into blood, filth and pure milk, which is altogether different from the first two in its nature, color and usefulness. Some cattle produce milk in such abundance that after suckling their young ones a large quantity of it is left to make excellent human food.
(16:67) And out of the fruits of date-palms and grapes you derive intoxicants as well as wholesome sustenance.55 Surely there is a sign for those who use reason.
55. Incidentally it implies that the juice of the fruits of date palms and vines contains two things. One is that which is pure and wholesome food for man and the other is that which turns into alcohol after it becomes rotten. But it has been left to the choice of man to obtain pure healthy food from this providence or to drink it as intoxicant wine to excite him and make him lose his self control. This also contains a hint as to the prohibition of wine.
(16:68) Your Lord inspired the bee,56 saying: "Set up hives in the mountains and in the trees and in the trellises that people put up,
56. The lexical meaning of the Arabic word wahi is secret inspiration/revelation which is felt only by the one who inspires and the other who is inspired with. The Quran has used this word both for the instinctive inspiration by Allah to His creation in general and for the revelation towards His Prophets in particular. Allah sends His inspiration to the heavens with His command and they begin functioning in accordance with it (Surah Al-Momin, Ayat 12). He will send this to the earth with His command and it will relate the story of all that had happened on and in it. He sends inspiration to the bee and inspires it with faculties to perform the all of its wonderful work instinctively (Ayat 68). The same is true of the bird that learns to fly, the fish that learns to swim, the newly born child that learns to suck milk, etc. Then, it is also inspiration with which Allah inspires a human being with a spontaneous idea (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayat 7). The same is the case with all the great discoveries, inventions, works of literature and art, etc. which would not have been possible without the benefit of inspiration. As a matter of fact, every human being at one time or the other feels its mental or spiritual influence in the form of an idea or thought or plan or dream, which is confirmed by a subsequent experience to be the right guidance from the unseen inspiration/revelation.
Then there is the wahi (revelation) which is the privilege of the Prophets. This form of inspiration/revelation has its own special features and is quite distinct from all other forms. The Prophet, who is inspired with it, is fully conscious and has his firm conviction that it is being sent down from Allah. Such a revelation contains doctrines of creed, commandments, laws, regulations and instructions for the guidance of mankind.
(16:69) then suck the juice of every kind of fruit and keep treading the ways of your Lord 57 which have been made easy." There comes forth from their bellies a drink varied in colours, wherein there is healing for men.58 Verily there is a sign in this for those who reflect.59
57. “Follow the ways of your Lord” means work in accordance with the methods which have been taught to thee by Allah’s inspiration/revelation for the smooth running of hive life. It is Allah’s inspiration/revelation (instinctive inspiration) that has taught the bees how to build their wonderful factory with separate combs to rear brood, combs to turn nectar into honey, combs to store food, in short, separate combs to fulfill every aspect of hive life. It is inspiration/revelation that has taught the bees how to organize themselves into a cooperative society for collective effort to run the factory with the queen and thousands of workers to perform a variety of specific tasks. All these things have been made so smooth for them by inspiration/revelation that the bees never feel the necessity of ever thinking about it. They have been running smoothly their factory with their collective effort for thousands of years with perfect accuracy.
58. Though honey is a wholesome food with a sweet taste and has medicinal power as well, its latter quality has been mentioned only because the former is too obvious. It is used as a medicine to cure several diseases because it contains the juice and glucose of flowers and fruits in the best form. Besides this, it is also used in preparing and preserving other medicines because it does not rot. It also preserves other things from decay. That is why it has been used for centuries as a substitute for alcohol. And if the beehive is built at a place, which abounds in certain medicinal herbs, its honey does not remain mere honey, but becomes also the essence of that herb. It is expected that if bees are used methodically for extracting essence from herbs, that essence will prove to be much better than the one obtained in the laboratories.
59. This passage (Ayats 48-69) contains proofs of Tauhid [ Muslims believe Tawhid is the fundamental belief that God is one and that there is only one God. Tawhid means 'oneness' and is at the heart of the Muslim faith. Islam is a monotheistic religion. ] and life after death. These were necessitated, for the disbelievers and the mushriks [idolaters, polytheists] were bitterly opposed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) mainly because of these two doctrines. The acceptance of the first doctrine demolished the whole system of life based on shirk or atheism because to acknowledge Allah to be the sole Provider, the Helper and the Protector left no room for the worship of any god or goddess. The proof of Tauhid is based on the observance of the structure of the cattle, the bees, the date palms and vineyards and their usefulness to mankind. Naturally the question arises: Who has designed these in the manner and for the purpose they have been created? The only obvious answer is that it is the All-Wise and All-Beneficent Allah Who has designed all these things for the benefit of mankind to produce such varieties of food that are so wholesome and so tasty. The Prophet, therefore, rightly demanded: When you yourselves admit, and you cannot but admit, that it is Allah alone Who has provided milk, honey, dates, grapes and the like, He and none but He is worthy of your worship, praise, gratitude and allegiance. Why do you then insist on making offerings to your self made gods and goddesses?
The second doctrine to which the disbelievers took strong objection was that there is surely the life after death. They were against this doctrine for its acceptance changed the whole moral system and they were not prepared to change their immoral ways. Their objection was based on the presumption that it was impossible to bring to life anyone after death.
They have been asked to observe that the barren land, which once had been covered with vegetable life, was again covered with it after rainfall and they have been watching such repetition of life year after year. That Allah, Who could so easily bring to life the dead vegetable, could do the same and bring to life all the dead without any difficulty at all.
(16:70) Allah has created you, and then He causes you to die.60 Some of you have your lives prolonged to an abject old age, when one loses all knowledge after having acquired it.61 Allah is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.
60. It is to emphasize this: Allah not only provides you with the necessities and good things of life (as stated in the preceding verses), but also has full power over your life and death. None else has any power to give lift or cause death.
61. This fact has been mentioned to bring home to the disbelievers and the mushriks [idolaters, polytheists] that knowledge, which gives superiority to man over all creatures on this earth, has been given by Allah, as if to say: You yourselves have seen that when a man, who once possessed much knowledge, becomes very old, he is reduced to a mere lump of flesh. Then that man who once taught knowledge to others loses all his senses and cannot look even after his own self.
source: https://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=16&verse=66&to=70
Thursday, 26 November 2020
Why Islam? The Beauty and Benefits of Islam
Are all religions the same? How do I know which is correct? Why should I choose Islam?
This pamphlet aims to discuss some of the beauties, benefits and unique aspects of Islam as compared to other beliefs and religions.
1. Close Relationship with the Creator
At the core of Islam is the focus of an individual’s personal relationship with God, their Creator. It encourages a believer to have sustained awareness of God which is a key to lasting happiness.
Islam teaches that God is the source of peace. By focusing on this important relationship and following God’s guidance, believers will be able to acquire inner peace and tranquillity. Seeking lasting happiness through other means, such as following one’s desires or the accumulation of material possessions, will never fill the void we have. This need can only be filled with the awareness of God.
True contentment is found in acknowledging and obeying the Creator:
“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest.”
-Quran13:28
The primary reason for this close relationship is that Muslims have a direct connection with their Creator. There is no intermediary, such as praying to, or through, others, in worshipping God.
2. Positive Outlook on Life
Islam gives a person a clear perspective on the events that happen in their life, both good and bad, as they are, in fact, tests from God. It encourages a person to understand events in the context of the overall purpose of life, which is to acknowledge God and obey Him. He created humans with intellect and free will to test them as to who will wilfully choose to follow His guidance. This life is an ultimate testing ground and although we cannot control everything that happens to us, we can control how we react. Islam encourages a person to focus on what is in their control, to be grateful to God for blessings, and to be patient during hardships. Patience or gratitude this is the formula for a happy life.
Islam encourages the believer to remain free from the extremes of worldly happiness that may cause one to forget God, and the extremes of sadness that may cause one to lose hope and blame God. By not being overly attached to the material world, a Muslim is empowered not only to better handle any calamities, but to be beneficial and generous to society. This leads to a more balanced and optimistic outlook on life.
3. Pure and Clear Concept of God
Unlike other religions, Islam is not named after its founder or the community of its birth. Islam is an attributive title that signifies obedience to God, the Creator of the Universe. One of its main beauties is that it acknowledges the complete perfection, greatness and uniqueness of God with absolutely no compromises. This is reflected in Islam’s pure teachings of the attributes of God.
God is One and Unique:
God has no partners, no equals and no rivals.
God has no father, mother, sons, daughters or wives.
God alone is worthy of all worship.
God is the All-Powerful:
God has full authority and power over all things.
Obedience to God does not increase His Power, nor does disobedience decrease His power.
God is the Most High:
There is nothing above or comparable to God.
The attributes of God do not resemble that of His creation.
No part of God is present in anyone or anything.
God is Perfect:
God does not have any human limitations, such as resting on the seventh day after He created the universe.
God always maintains attributes of perfection and does not do anything to compromise this perfection such as “becoming a man” as claimed by other religions. God does not do ungodly acts, so if God became man and took on human attributes, he would, necessarily, no longer be God.
4. Emphasises Both Evidence and Faith
Islam is a religion in which faith is based on clear proof. It encourages people to use their God given intelligence to think and ponder over their life and the universe. Although this life is a test, God has provided sufficient signs and guidance to people who are open-minded and sincere to be able to acknowledge the truth.
“We (God) have certainly sent down Signs that make things clear: and God guides whom He wills to the straight path.” -Quran 24:46
Unlike other religions, there are many clear proofs, signs and miracles that the book of Islam, The Quran, is from God.
The Quran:
Is free from any errors or contradictions, despite it being revealed over a period of 23 years.
Is preserved, word-for-word, since it was revealed in its original Arabic language, unlike other scriptures which have been distorted, changed or lost.
Contains a simple, pure and universal message that has a profound effect on all those who are sincerely searching for the truth.
Contains a unique and inimitable style of language that is universally known as the pinnacle of Arabic eloquence and linguistic beauty — yet the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was known to be illiterate.
Contains many amazing scientific facts which have only been discovered recently, despite being revealed over 1400 years ago.
The most rational explanation for the many unique and miraculous aspects of the Quran is that it cannot be from other than God.
5. Forgiveness of Sins
Islam encourages a balance between hope in God’s mercy and fear of His punishment — both of which are required to lead a positive and humble life.
We are born sinless but have the free will to commit sins. God created us and knows we are imperfect and commit sins, but the key is how we react to committing those mistakes.
“Do not despair of God’s mercy; He will forgive you of all your sins.”
-Quran 39:53
Islam teaches that God is the Most Merciful and will forgive and pardon those who sincerely want to repent. The beautiful steps for repentance include being sincere, remorseful, refraining from committing the sin as well as having the intention not to repeat it. Islam encourages a continuous process of self-development and self-purification. This process happens directly between the individual and God — there is no need for sins to be shared or “confessed” to a righteous person/priest. Furthermore, God does not need to sacrifice himself to forgive sins, nor is anyone “born into sin”.
6. Accountability and Ultimate Justice
Islam teaches that God is the Most Just and that each person will be held responsible for their own actions on the Day of Judgement. Each person is accountable, as they have freedom of choice and intelligence to discern between right and wrong.
It is an absolute demand of justice that there be a Day of Judgement where every person is rewarded or punished, otherwise life would be unjust as not everyone receives true justice in this world.
Islam teaches that ultimately we will be judged for how well we fulfilled our responsibilities and exercised our free will. We will be judged by God, the All Knowing and All Wise, who knows and sees everything we do. This encourages a more harmonious society and gives people contentment knowing that justice will ultimately prevail.
7. Practical and Balanced Way of Life
Islam provides the right balance between faith and action, as both are required for a stable life. It provides guidance for all situations and circumstances. It is a practical religion with practical acts of worship that are designed to fulfil the spiritual, physical, psychological and social needs of people.
Examples of practical acts of worship that have numerous benefits include:
The five daily prayers — Enriches the soul by satisfying the spiritual need of being in regular contact with God (especially in today’s busy lifestyle); makes one humble by bowing and prostrating to God; removes any barriers/pride/racism between believers praying in congregation; helps one refrain from committing sins given the person stands regularly before God.
The obligatory charity — Purifies a person from selfishness; encourages empathy to the poor; reminds one of the blessings of God; helps reduce poverty; bridges the gap between rich and poor.
The fasting in Ramadan — Promotes spiritual self-purification, self-restraint and growth; scientifically proven health benefits; empathy and awareness of those less fortunate; trains people to acquire the habit of obeying God.
The pilgrimage — Unites people of every colour, race, status and nationality, as pilgrims wear simple and similar clothing, while performing a range of good deeds in congregation.
Given that Islam is from God, every command found in the religion is ultimately good and beneficial to the individual and society when practised correctly. Quranic examples include being honest, forgiving, truthful, kind to one’s wife, patient, fair, moderate, modest, sincere, and respecting parents, family and the elderly. There are also many principles in the teachings of Islam that prevent or reduce many of the individual and social ills facing the world today.
8. Universal and Timeless Message
Islam has a message that applies to all people at all times, from the creation of Adam up until the Day of Judgement. It is applicable today as it always has been.
God is accessible to everyone. People may distinguish themselves and earn God’s favour through belief and righteous actions only — not through race, wealth, gender, nationality or social class.
Conclusion
Islam’s timeless and beautiful message is the same message of all Prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). They all called their people to “Submit to the One True God” which, in Arabic, means to become a “Muslim”. This submission to God enables one to fulfil the purpose of life by acknowledging the greatness of God and sincerely worshipping him alone. In doing so, one will acquire the countless benefits of Islam mentioned above.
How to Become a Muslim?
Becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process. All that a person has to do is to say a sentence called the Testimony of Faith (Shahada), which is pronounced as:
“ashhadu alla ilaha ilal Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammad rasoolu Allah.”
These Arabic words mean, “I testify that There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.”
Once a person says the Testimony of Faith (Shahada) with conviction and understanding its meaning, then he/she has become a Muslim.
Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes.
This is the definition of Allah/God from Qur’an:
1. Say, “He is God, the One.
2. God, the Absolute.
3. He begets not, nor was He begotten.
4. And there is nothing comparable to Him.”
—Qur’an 112
The Quran answers such questions as where we came from, why we exist and what we should do. This Book describes the existence, the unity, the power and the mercy of God. The Quran speaks of God, and introduces God as the Merciful, the Creator and the Forgiver. The description of God is the most important message of the Quran.
In order to worship God, we have to know Him well otherwise we may form a distorted concept of Him and then go astray. God is nothing like a human being or like anything that we can imagine and he is the only one worthy of worship.
There is nothing similar to God.
—Quran 42:11
you want to read about Islam?
i recommend you to read these two books of Suzanne Haneef:
-1- What Everyone Should Know About Islam and Muslims (PDF)
-2- Islam: The Path of God (PDF)
Suzanne Haneef is an American convert to Islam.
kindly share this with Muslims and non-Muslims.
feel free to contact me. Thank you.
Salam 😊 Peace
Source : http://www.islamicpamphlets.com/why-islam-the-beauty-and-benefits-of-islam
Tuesday, 13 October 2020
Prayer
He has succeeded who purifies himself, who remembers the name of his Lord and prays.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ
—Quran 87:14–15
Surely Prayer forbids indecency and evil. and the remembrance of God is greater. God knows all that you do.
—Quran 29:45
Prayer is the oxygen of the heart. Many of us are suffering because we are deprived of spiritual oxygen.
Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Hadith: forbidding evil
مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الإِيمَانِ
“Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.”
—Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Reference 1: 40 Hadith Nawawi, Hadith 34
Reference 2: Sahih Muslim 49, Book 1, Hadith 84
Friday, 15 May 2020
Justice
O you who believe! Stand firm for God and bear true testimony. Do not let the hatred of a people lead you to injustice. Be just! That is closer to righteousness. And be mindful of God. Surely God is All-Aware of what you do.
―Quran 5:8
O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even if against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God takes care of both. So do not follow your desires, lest you swerve. If you deviate, or turn away — then God is Aware of what you do.
—Quran 4:135
God does not forbid you in regard to those who did not make war against you on account of religion and did not expel you from your homes, that you deal with them with kindness and justice. Indeed God loves the just.
—Quran 60:8
And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, God loves those who act justly.
—Quran 5:42
Indeed, God commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners; and when you judge between people, judge with justice. What a noble commandment from God to you! Surely God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
—Quran 4:58
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