Can we get an Alhamdulillah? :)
http://sulaymanf.blogspot.com/2006/07/protest-against-israels-actions.html
http://www.mujahideenryder.net/2006/07/19/why-i-love-non-muslims-especially-orthodox-jews
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Yahoodi!
Orthodox Jews protesting against the Israeli agression in the middle-east outside the Israeli consulate to the UN in NYC.
Can we get an Alhamdulillah? :)
http://sulaymanf.blogspot.com/2006/07/protest-against-israels-actions.html
http://www.mujahideenryder.net/2006/07/19/why-i-love-non-muslims-especially-orthodox-jews
Can we get an Alhamdulillah? :)
http://sulaymanf.blogspot.com/2006/07/protest-against-israels-actions.html
http://www.mujahideenryder.net/2006/07/19/why-i-love-non-muslims-especially-orthodox-jews
Sunday, July 23, 2006
The Trouble with Rage
By Imam Suhaib Webb
As we sat together in the back of Al-Azhar, the heat of the sun was apparent more than its light. The air was thick; a fusion of Cairo’s pollution, dust and its famous humidity. Like birds on a scarecrow, we sat motionless under the shadow of an ancient Ottoman pillar as the Sheikh’s face and words proved more than sufficient to illuminate our dark circle: “Sheikh Ahmed Derder was the Sheikh of the Malikis (a school of legal thought in Islam) in his day. He used to teach in the back of the mosque. One day the Sheikh was taking his lunch and he noticed a cat sliding through the wall of students. Suddenly one of the students hit the cat and pushed it aside. The Sheikh stood and scolded the student reminding him that this poor creature should be treated with dignity. At that moment the Sheikh began to crumble his food and serve the cat. From that day onward the cat would come to the Sheikh at lunchtime and purr his way into the Sheikh’s heart. And every time the Sheikh would serve the cat as a servant serves his master. A short time later another cat came, until, after a few weeks, whenever the sheikh would enter the masjid, there were no less than a hundred cats following him, and he would do his best to serve them whatever he had.” As we listened to this story our hearts flew as birds over high mountains. Then, suddenly, the Sheikh paused, looked at us and said, “Here is one of our greatest legal scholars, a saint and teacher. Look at how he treated a cat! And today, people are killing innocent human beings in the name of Islam!” Sadness overcame the Sheikh and he paused and suddenly, although in front of us, it was though he had traveled a 1000 miles away from our small circle.
“Did you hear what happened in London today?” At that moment I began to recognize an evil voice. It was the echo of a voice that visits me on certain occasions. It is dark and haunting, but it comes and overpowers me until I’m forced to bow before its reality. “No,” I responded. I’d just returned from the Sheikh and my heart was still flying and had not heard any news on the streets. “There were five explosions! Many people are dead and they’re saying it was us!” Yes … it was that voice. I ran home and quickly checked the BBC. As I read the reports of carnage and bloodshed, I began to reflect on the words of the Sheikh and found my heart jumping and legs shaking.
I felt compelled to help explain the relationship and rights that our fellow non-Muslim brothers and sisters share with us. It is my hope that the Muslim communities in the West will mature and move towards a more inclusive role with their fellow countrymen. And that our non-Muslim brothers and sisters will learn to distinguish between orthodoxy, which possesses a great history of compassion and mercy, and the actions of those, who out of religious zeal, have rocketed past the tradition, values and moral teachings of Islam.
LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER
Prior to, but particularly after, 9/11 a large number of Muslims repeated, “The West needs to learn about Islam.” Indeed, as a citizen of the West, I couldn’t agree more! However, the Qur’anic model for building relationships does not encourage one to sit and listen while others sermonize. The basis for this understanding is found in the following verse: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other” (Sura Al-Hujurat, verse 13). The word “to know each other” in Arabic represents an action that involves two parties. Thus, the “knowing” here is not merely a one-way street, but involves active participation by both parties. Instead of saying that the West needs to know about Islam, we should say, “We need to learn about each other.” Based on this principle Western Muslims should take the time to learn and benefit from their fellow brothers and sisters. It is sad to see a large number of our community completely out of touch with the trends, history and situations that exist within their countries of origin.
Building relationships with one’s fellow countrymen is an excellent way to start. The Prophet (may the Peace and Mercy of God be upon him) was given the ability to speak multiple dialects of Arabic by God. In fact, the Prophet said, “I’m the most eloquent of those who speak Arabic.” In addition, the Prophet (may God’s blessings and mercy be upon him) was aware of the events and happenings that surrounded him. Once K’ab bin Malik came to the Prophet. This was prior to K’ab’s acceptance of Islam. K’ab was known as a great poet. When he met the Prophet (May God’s blessings and Mercy be Upon him), the Prophet asked him his name. He responded, “K’ab bin Malik.” The Prophet (may God’s blessings and mercy be upon him) looked at him with a warm smile and said, “The poet!” K’ab stated later after his conversion to Islam, “That was the most beloved day of my life.” Thus, it is crucial that we take the time to learn and understand our environments so we can play an active role in benefiting it.
OH THOSE INFIDELS
It is common to see the word “infidel” used by many non- Muslims when quoting Muslims. Although a misunderstanding of the actual word, there are still a group of Muslims who insist on using the word for non-Muslims and, in some extreme cases, Muslims themselves. Our discussion here is not based on a mistranslation of the word, but its usage.
If we look towards the Qur’anic model we find that non- Muslims are usually addressed with words which are more polite and respectable. For this reason Dr. Yusuf Qaradawi states:
The Qur’an teaches us not to address others with the term, “Rejecter of faith” even if it is true. Instead it teaches us to used terms such as, “Oh Mankind” (Sura Al-Baqara verse 21), “Oh Son’s of Adam’ (Sura Al-Araf, verse 31), “Oh People of the Book” (Sura Ali Imran Verse 71), and “Oh My (God’s) servants” (Sura Al-Zumar, verse 53). In fact, you will not find the term ‘Rejecter of faith’ used as a direct address to anyone except twice in the Qur’an. One used for those who rejected faith in the Hereafter. The second was addressed to those people who tried to kill the Prophet (may God bless him and give him peace) and his companions and expel them from their homes. (Sh. Qaradawi, “Our Address during the Age of Globalization”, p.44)
Thus, the norm for the Muslim is to address his fellows with terms that are honorable and respectable. The Qur’an states, “Say to My servants to speak speech which is excellent” (Sura Israh, verse 53). By replacing the word “Rejecter of faith,” with “non-Muslim”, we can look at our fellow friends and countrymen with a merciful eye. Such a feeling is extremely important if we want to better understand and grow together.
DID HE SAY OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS?
Another important and often neglected Qur’anic teaching is that of brotherhood between men. A common misunderstanding amongst Muslims is that they share a brotherhood which prohibits fraternal relations with others outside of their faith. This is based upon the following verse, “Indeed, the believers are only brothers.” (Sura Al-Hujurat, verse 10) However, is that truly the case? It is well-known that Muslims believe in most of the Prophets mentioned in the Bible. If we take a close look at the Prophetic models found in the Qur’an, we’ll find a clearer understanding of this concept of brotherhood. God, Most High, says, “The people of Noah rejected the Messengers. When their brother Noah said to them, ‘Won’t you be dutiful to your Lord?’” (Sura Shura, verses 105-106) In the story of Lot we find, “The people of Lot rejected the Messengers. When their brother Lot said to them, ‘Won’t you be dutiful to your Lord?’” (Sura Shura, verses 131-132) Notice how in both verses the people of Noah and Lot are described as “rejecters of faith”. However, the Qur’anic address emphasizes, even under such conditions, the brotherhood and fraternal bond that exists between them. Thus, the Qur’anic picture of brotherhood is quite vast and encompasses different types. From the brotherhood of faith shared as a special relation with one’s fellow Muslim, to a more global inclusive brotherhood which is shared amongst one’s fellows. If Western Muslims adopt such an outlook they will find it easier to work with others, build solid relationship and make important positive contributions to their societies.
The Prophetic model of relations is a blessing we can ill afford to dismiss. At a time when the voice of Islam is drowned out by flaring unorthodoxy, it is my hope that Western Muslim communities and their fellow non-Muslim counterparts will take the time to get to know each other, build long-lasting relationships and synthesize the positive aspects of each other’s religious and cultural heritage.
If my essence is from dust, then dust (wherever it is)
is my homeland
And every creature upon the heavens and the earth
represents a close relative.
— AN ARAB POEM
Suhaib William Webb is an American-born convert to Islam. He currently lives in Cairo where he studies at Al-Azhar University with a primary focus on Islamic Law. The article is taken from his (now-deleted) blog, which was a treasure of knowledge and wisdom. I hope we all benefit from his works.
As we sat together in the back of Al-Azhar, the heat of the sun was apparent more than its light. The air was thick; a fusion of Cairo’s pollution, dust and its famous humidity. Like birds on a scarecrow, we sat motionless under the shadow of an ancient Ottoman pillar as the Sheikh’s face and words proved more than sufficient to illuminate our dark circle: “Sheikh Ahmed Derder was the Sheikh of the Malikis (a school of legal thought in Islam) in his day. He used to teach in the back of the mosque. One day the Sheikh was taking his lunch and he noticed a cat sliding through the wall of students. Suddenly one of the students hit the cat and pushed it aside. The Sheikh stood and scolded the student reminding him that this poor creature should be treated with dignity. At that moment the Sheikh began to crumble his food and serve the cat. From that day onward the cat would come to the Sheikh at lunchtime and purr his way into the Sheikh’s heart. And every time the Sheikh would serve the cat as a servant serves his master. A short time later another cat came, until, after a few weeks, whenever the sheikh would enter the masjid, there were no less than a hundred cats following him, and he would do his best to serve them whatever he had.” As we listened to this story our hearts flew as birds over high mountains. Then, suddenly, the Sheikh paused, looked at us and said, “Here is one of our greatest legal scholars, a saint and teacher. Look at how he treated a cat! And today, people are killing innocent human beings in the name of Islam!” Sadness overcame the Sheikh and he paused and suddenly, although in front of us, it was though he had traveled a 1000 miles away from our small circle.
“Did you hear what happened in London today?” At that moment I began to recognize an evil voice. It was the echo of a voice that visits me on certain occasions. It is dark and haunting, but it comes and overpowers me until I’m forced to bow before its reality. “No,” I responded. I’d just returned from the Sheikh and my heart was still flying and had not heard any news on the streets. “There were five explosions! Many people are dead and they’re saying it was us!” Yes … it was that voice. I ran home and quickly checked the BBC. As I read the reports of carnage and bloodshed, I began to reflect on the words of the Sheikh and found my heart jumping and legs shaking.
I felt compelled to help explain the relationship and rights that our fellow non-Muslim brothers and sisters share with us. It is my hope that the Muslim communities in the West will mature and move towards a more inclusive role with their fellow countrymen. And that our non-Muslim brothers and sisters will learn to distinguish between orthodoxy, which possesses a great history of compassion and mercy, and the actions of those, who out of religious zeal, have rocketed past the tradition, values and moral teachings of Islam.
LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER
Prior to, but particularly after, 9/11 a large number of Muslims repeated, “The West needs to learn about Islam.” Indeed, as a citizen of the West, I couldn’t agree more! However, the Qur’anic model for building relationships does not encourage one to sit and listen while others sermonize. The basis for this understanding is found in the following verse: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other” (Sura Al-Hujurat, verse 13). The word “to know each other” in Arabic represents an action that involves two parties. Thus, the “knowing” here is not merely a one-way street, but involves active participation by both parties. Instead of saying that the West needs to know about Islam, we should say, “We need to learn about each other.” Based on this principle Western Muslims should take the time to learn and benefit from their fellow brothers and sisters. It is sad to see a large number of our community completely out of touch with the trends, history and situations that exist within their countries of origin.
Building relationships with one’s fellow countrymen is an excellent way to start. The Prophet (may the Peace and Mercy of God be upon him) was given the ability to speak multiple dialects of Arabic by God. In fact, the Prophet said, “I’m the most eloquent of those who speak Arabic.” In addition, the Prophet (may God’s blessings and mercy be upon him) was aware of the events and happenings that surrounded him. Once K’ab bin Malik came to the Prophet. This was prior to K’ab’s acceptance of Islam. K’ab was known as a great poet. When he met the Prophet (May God’s blessings and Mercy be Upon him), the Prophet asked him his name. He responded, “K’ab bin Malik.” The Prophet (may God’s blessings and mercy be upon him) looked at him with a warm smile and said, “The poet!” K’ab stated later after his conversion to Islam, “That was the most beloved day of my life.” Thus, it is crucial that we take the time to learn and understand our environments so we can play an active role in benefiting it.
OH THOSE INFIDELS
It is common to see the word “infidel” used by many non- Muslims when quoting Muslims. Although a misunderstanding of the actual word, there are still a group of Muslims who insist on using the word for non-Muslims and, in some extreme cases, Muslims themselves. Our discussion here is not based on a mistranslation of the word, but its usage.
If we look towards the Qur’anic model we find that non- Muslims are usually addressed with words which are more polite and respectable. For this reason Dr. Yusuf Qaradawi states:
The Qur’an teaches us not to address others with the term, “Rejecter of faith” even if it is true. Instead it teaches us to used terms such as, “Oh Mankind” (Sura Al-Baqara verse 21), “Oh Son’s of Adam’ (Sura Al-Araf, verse 31), “Oh People of the Book” (Sura Ali Imran Verse 71), and “Oh My (God’s) servants” (Sura Al-Zumar, verse 53). In fact, you will not find the term ‘Rejecter of faith’ used as a direct address to anyone except twice in the Qur’an. One used for those who rejected faith in the Hereafter. The second was addressed to those people who tried to kill the Prophet (may God bless him and give him peace) and his companions and expel them from their homes. (Sh. Qaradawi, “Our Address during the Age of Globalization”, p.44)
Thus, the norm for the Muslim is to address his fellows with terms that are honorable and respectable. The Qur’an states, “Say to My servants to speak speech which is excellent” (Sura Israh, verse 53). By replacing the word “Rejecter of faith,” with “non-Muslim”, we can look at our fellow friends and countrymen with a merciful eye. Such a feeling is extremely important if we want to better understand and grow together.
DID HE SAY OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS?
Another important and often neglected Qur’anic teaching is that of brotherhood between men. A common misunderstanding amongst Muslims is that they share a brotherhood which prohibits fraternal relations with others outside of their faith. This is based upon the following verse, “Indeed, the believers are only brothers.” (Sura Al-Hujurat, verse 10) However, is that truly the case? It is well-known that Muslims believe in most of the Prophets mentioned in the Bible. If we take a close look at the Prophetic models found in the Qur’an, we’ll find a clearer understanding of this concept of brotherhood. God, Most High, says, “The people of Noah rejected the Messengers. When their brother Noah said to them, ‘Won’t you be dutiful to your Lord?’” (Sura Shura, verses 105-106) In the story of Lot we find, “The people of Lot rejected the Messengers. When their brother Lot said to them, ‘Won’t you be dutiful to your Lord?’” (Sura Shura, verses 131-132) Notice how in both verses the people of Noah and Lot are described as “rejecters of faith”. However, the Qur’anic address emphasizes, even under such conditions, the brotherhood and fraternal bond that exists between them. Thus, the Qur’anic picture of brotherhood is quite vast and encompasses different types. From the brotherhood of faith shared as a special relation with one’s fellow Muslim, to a more global inclusive brotherhood which is shared amongst one’s fellows. If Western Muslims adopt such an outlook they will find it easier to work with others, build solid relationship and make important positive contributions to their societies.
The Prophetic model of relations is a blessing we can ill afford to dismiss. At a time when the voice of Islam is drowned out by flaring unorthodoxy, it is my hope that Western Muslim communities and their fellow non-Muslim counterparts will take the time to get to know each other, build long-lasting relationships and synthesize the positive aspects of each other’s religious and cultural heritage.
If my essence is from dust, then dust (wherever it is)
is my homeland
And every creature upon the heavens and the earth
represents a close relative.
— AN ARAB POEM
Suhaib William Webb is an American-born convert to Islam. He currently lives in Cairo where he studies at Al-Azhar University with a primary focus on Islamic Law. The article is taken from his (now-deleted) blog, which was a treasure of knowledge and wisdom. I hope we all benefit from his works.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
For People of Understanding..
The word "Islam" comes from two Arabic words - "As-Salam" and "As-Silm", meaning peace and submission respectively. The essence of Islam lies in the meanings of these two words, and it may be expressed as striving to obtain inner as well as outward peace as a result of submitting your will to the Will of Allah, The Benevolent and Merciful.
A "Muslim" is a person who makes a concious decision to accept Islam as his/her way of life, i.e. he/she decides to submit his/her will to the Will of Allah. To do that, the person requires -
a) a clear understanding of what is meant by "submit".
b) knowledge of what the "Will of Allah" really is.
Submission, in the Islamic context, implies living life and understanding it according to a particular ideology, set of principles, code of conduct etc. defined by someone else, in an absolute manner. Ya'ni accepting someone else's word as the only criterion for creating your definitions of right and wrong. Keeping that in mind, it becomes very obvious that a submission of such kind has to be the most important decision of a person's life. Each and every aspect of his/her life would be affected by it, and it would be foolish to make that decision without -
a) complete knowledge of the "thing" you're submitting to.
b) being completely convinced by it.
Since the "thing" that a Muslim submits to is Islam, he/she must have complete knowledge about the Islamic creed (aqidah) and other basics, and should be completely convinced by it. Here's where the definition of the "Will of Allah" comes in. The Will of Allah is anything and everything that Allah has asked us to do or to not do in His communications with us through the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Most of us are "Muslims by chance", or people who were born into the Islamic faith and accepted it without giving it a lot of thought because that was what we were expected to do; the herd mentality. It is no big secret that most of us do not know even the basics of Islam (understanding of tauheed, atleast at the Aqidah Tahawiyyah level, understanding of the concepts of shirk, sunnah, bid'ah, halal, haram, mustahab, makruh etc.), and a lot of us haven't read the Qur'an (with some understanding of Its meanings) even a single time. We've made the greatest decision of our lives without giving it the amount of thought it deserves.
According to most of our Ulema, this is the biggest of all our problems, and it leads to Muslims doing things that are contrary to Islamic values without them realizing it. The best solution to this problem is to encourage ourselves, our parents, siblings, cousins, relatives, friends and others to become "Muslims by choice", i.e. study Islam and re-accept it completely and entirely once they fulfil the minimum requirements of fardh 'aeyn Islamic knowledge, and are completely convinced about it being the religion chosen by The One True God for all human beings and djinns.
Shaikh Nasir Al-Albani said: "It was from the known rules of the Ulema that they used to say - bring the evidence and then believe; do not believe and then bring the evidence." This is precisely how we should "study" Islam, and accept it or reject it based on whether we're convinced by it or not. If we don't work towards this, I'm afraid our condition will remain similar to that of the monkeys in the previous post.
Islam is a religion that encourages us to think. "Li ulil albab", "La'allakum ta'qilun", "Li ulil absar" - these are phrases we hear frequently in our prayers. Islam is for people of lubbah (intellect/reason), and it is ironical that we Muslims refuse to use it to understand our religion.
May Allah guide me to write about things that please Him. May Allah give me the taufeeq to practise what I preach. May Allah increase us all in our good deeds and efforts, and may Allah accept them from us.
Ameen, Ya Rabb Al-'Alameen.
P.S. - I hope I'm not labeled for quoting Shaikh Al-Albani, Shaikh Nadawi etc. I am not Salafi, Deobandi or anything else.
Part 1
A "Muslim" is a person who makes a concious decision to accept Islam as his/her way of life, i.e. he/she decides to submit his/her will to the Will of Allah. To do that, the person requires -
a) a clear understanding of what is meant by "submit".
b) knowledge of what the "Will of Allah" really is.
Submission, in the Islamic context, implies living life and understanding it according to a particular ideology, set of principles, code of conduct etc. defined by someone else, in an absolute manner. Ya'ni accepting someone else's word as the only criterion for creating your definitions of right and wrong. Keeping that in mind, it becomes very obvious that a submission of such kind has to be the most important decision of a person's life. Each and every aspect of his/her life would be affected by it, and it would be foolish to make that decision without -
a) complete knowledge of the "thing" you're submitting to.
b) being completely convinced by it.
Since the "thing" that a Muslim submits to is Islam, he/she must have complete knowledge about the Islamic creed (aqidah) and other basics, and should be completely convinced by it. Here's where the definition of the "Will of Allah" comes in. The Will of Allah is anything and everything that Allah has asked us to do or to not do in His communications with us through the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Most of us are "Muslims by chance", or people who were born into the Islamic faith and accepted it without giving it a lot of thought because that was what we were expected to do; the herd mentality. It is no big secret that most of us do not know even the basics of Islam (understanding of tauheed, atleast at the Aqidah Tahawiyyah level, understanding of the concepts of shirk, sunnah, bid'ah, halal, haram, mustahab, makruh etc.), and a lot of us haven't read the Qur'an (with some understanding of Its meanings) even a single time. We've made the greatest decision of our lives without giving it the amount of thought it deserves.
According to most of our Ulema, this is the biggest of all our problems, and it leads to Muslims doing things that are contrary to Islamic values without them realizing it. The best solution to this problem is to encourage ourselves, our parents, siblings, cousins, relatives, friends and others to become "Muslims by choice", i.e. study Islam and re-accept it completely and entirely once they fulfil the minimum requirements of fardh 'aeyn Islamic knowledge, and are completely convinced about it being the religion chosen by The One True God for all human beings and djinns.
Shaikh Nasir Al-Albani said: "It was from the known rules of the Ulema that they used to say - bring the evidence and then believe; do not believe and then bring the evidence." This is precisely how we should "study" Islam, and accept it or reject it based on whether we're convinced by it or not. If we don't work towards this, I'm afraid our condition will remain similar to that of the monkeys in the previous post.
Islam is a religion that encourages us to think. "Li ulil albab", "La'allakum ta'qilun", "Li ulil absar" - these are phrases we hear frequently in our prayers. Islam is for people of lubbah (intellect/reason), and it is ironical that we Muslims refuse to use it to understand our religion.
May Allah guide me to write about things that please Him. May Allah give me the taufeeq to practise what I preach. May Allah increase us all in our good deeds and efforts, and may Allah accept them from us.
Ameen, Ya Rabb Al-'Alameen.
P.S. - I hope I'm not labeled for quoting Shaikh Al-Albani, Shaikh Nadawi etc. I am not Salafi, Deobandi or anything else.
Part 1
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The Condition of Our Ummah
In one of his Friday Khutbahs (sermons), Imam Yasser Fazzaga described the condition of our ummah in a very interesting manner, and I think it's definitely worth the space on my blog.
A social research organization once conducted a research on a group of ten monkeys. The monkeys were locked up in an empty room, and a bunch of bananas was hung from the ceiling (and we all know - when monkeys see bananas, they go bananas!). A table was placed in the middle of the room so that the monkeys could climb on it and reach for the bananas. Ten hosepipes were also brought in, and they were connected to a supply of ice-cold water. Now, as the monkeys were let loose, one of them jumped onto the table and started reaching for the bananas. As soon as he tried to do that, he and the rest of the nine monkeys were hosed with the ice-cold water. The same thing happened a few times, and all the monkeys were hosed each time. The monkeys were quick to learn, and they soon gave up their attempts to get the bananas. The next day, they removed all the hosepipes, and replaced one of the monkeys with a new one. The new monkey obviously went nuts after seeing the bananas and started to climb the table to reach for them, but before anything else could be done, the rest of the monkeys ganged up on him and beat the living daylights out of the poor fellow, who had absolutely no idea why he was beat up. The next day, they did the same thing, i.e. replaced an old monkey with a new one. The same thing happened. The rest of the monkeys, including the monkey from yesterday (who didn't know anything about the hosepipes) beat him up. They repeated the process again and again until all the monkeys from the original group had been replaced, and they kept getting the same result. None of the new monkeys in the room had witnessed the original event, but just 'cause they saw the others doing it, they joined in without thinking. The threat no longer existed, but instead of analyzing the situation and thinking it out themselves, they were contented to follow the crowd.
I don't know if the story is true or not, but it is definitely a classic example of the 'herd mentality' we find in our Ummah.
In my next post inshaAllah, I'll discuss why the 'ulema think that this is the root of most of our problems, and how it affects our Islam and the way we live it.
The khutbah was on "The Fiqh of Priorities", and the khateeb made several interesting points in it. InshaAllah, if I find the time, I'll post about them as well in the near future.
A social research organization once conducted a research on a group of ten monkeys. The monkeys were locked up in an empty room, and a bunch of bananas was hung from the ceiling (and we all know - when monkeys see bananas, they go bananas!). A table was placed in the middle of the room so that the monkeys could climb on it and reach for the bananas. Ten hosepipes were also brought in, and they were connected to a supply of ice-cold water. Now, as the monkeys were let loose, one of them jumped onto the table and started reaching for the bananas. As soon as he tried to do that, he and the rest of the nine monkeys were hosed with the ice-cold water. The same thing happened a few times, and all the monkeys were hosed each time. The monkeys were quick to learn, and they soon gave up their attempts to get the bananas. The next day, they removed all the hosepipes, and replaced one of the monkeys with a new one. The new monkey obviously went nuts after seeing the bananas and started to climb the table to reach for them, but before anything else could be done, the rest of the monkeys ganged up on him and beat the living daylights out of the poor fellow, who had absolutely no idea why he was beat up. The next day, they did the same thing, i.e. replaced an old monkey with a new one. The same thing happened. The rest of the monkeys, including the monkey from yesterday (who didn't know anything about the hosepipes) beat him up. They repeated the process again and again until all the monkeys from the original group had been replaced, and they kept getting the same result. None of the new monkeys in the room had witnessed the original event, but just 'cause they saw the others doing it, they joined in without thinking. The threat no longer existed, but instead of analyzing the situation and thinking it out themselves, they were contented to follow the crowd.
I don't know if the story is true or not, but it is definitely a classic example of the 'herd mentality' we find in our Ummah.
In my next post inshaAllah, I'll discuss why the 'ulema think that this is the root of most of our problems, and how it affects our Islam and the way we live it.
The khutbah was on "The Fiqh of Priorities", and the khateeb made several interesting points in it. InshaAllah, if I find the time, I'll post about them as well in the near future.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
The need of the hour...
"The need of the hour is that your life should be revolutionized. The revolution should not be an individual one but a collective one. The change should be concerning your iman(belief), your morals, your actions, your dealings, your decisions, and your efforts. Your life in every way should become a beacon of guidance and it should become a means of Da'wah."
- Abul Hasan Ali Al-Hasani Al-Nadawi aka Ali Mian rahimahullah
- Abul Hasan Ali Al-Hasani Al-Nadawi aka Ali Mian rahimahullah
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Bull's-eye!
Today we have the same Qur’an with us. Millions of copies of it are in circulation. Day and night, it is ceaselessly recited. In homes, in mosques, and from pulpits. Voluminous exegetical works exist expounding its meaning. Words pour out incessantly to explain its teachings and to exhort us to live by it. Yet eyes remain dry, hearts remain unmoved, minds remain untouched, lives remain unchanged. Ignominy and degradation appear to have become the lot of the followers of the Qur’an.
Why? Because we no longer read the Qur’an as a living reality. It is a sacred book, but it tells us something of the past only, concerning Muslims and Kafirs, Jews and Christians, the faithful and the hypocrites, who 'once upon a time used to be'.
- Ustadh Khurram Murad, in his book "Way to The Qur'an"
P.S. - I know the red font looks highly idiotic, but html doesn't give me much choice.
Why? Because we no longer read the Qur’an as a living reality. It is a sacred book, but it tells us something of the past only, concerning Muslims and Kafirs, Jews and Christians, the faithful and the hypocrites, who 'once upon a time used to be'.
- Ustadh Khurram Murad, in his book "Way to The Qur'an"
P.S. - I know the red font looks highly idiotic, but html doesn't give me much choice.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Ayn As-Suroor? Ayn As-Sukoon?
Where is happiness? Where is tranquility?
Well, for a lot of people, it is in the pursuit of knowledge of the deen.
"If Kings knew of the pleasure we derive in studying kitabs, they would throw their kingdoms and start studying kitabs."
- Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi
"While people are (lost) in the depths of the night,
We are blinded by the radiance of the day."
- Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim rahimahullah in his book Ighathat-al-Luhfaan min Masayid Ash-Shaitan (The desired elixir against the plots of Satan).
"Happiness is not in the castle of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, in the army of Haroon Ar-Rasheed, in the mansions of Ibn Jassas, in the treasures of Qaroon (Korah), or in gardens of roses.
Bliss and happiness were the lot of the Prophet's (pbuh) companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) even though they were poor and lead harsh lives. Happiness was with Imam Bukhari in his collection of ahadeeth (hadiths), with Hasan Al-Basri in his truthfulness, with Ash-Shafi'ee in his deductions, with Malik and Ahmad in their introspection and self-denial, and with Thaabit Al-Bannani in his worship"
- 'Aaidh ibn AbdAllah Al-Qarni in his book 'Laa Tahzen'.
"The sleepless nights I spend in learning the sciences, are more beloved to me than the company or caresses of an enchanting woman.
My rapturous exhilaration when understanding a difficult concept, is more delicious to me than the most exotic of drinks.
More delightful to me than the sounds of a woman's hands on the drum, is that of my hands on my papers in order to remove dust.
O he who tries to attain my level by wishful thinking, how much difference there is between the one who finds the pain of climbing to be too much and the one who climbs and reaches the summit.
Do I toil through the night, while you sleep through it, yet you hope to surpass me?"
- 'Allama Zamakhshari, the famous commentator of The Qur'an.
Well, for a lot of people, it is in the pursuit of knowledge of the deen.
"If Kings knew of the pleasure we derive in studying kitabs, they would throw their kingdoms and start studying kitabs."
- Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi
"While people are (lost) in the depths of the night,
We are blinded by the radiance of the day."
- Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim rahimahullah in his book Ighathat-al-Luhfaan min Masayid Ash-Shaitan (The desired elixir against the plots of Satan).
"Happiness is not in the castle of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, in the army of Haroon Ar-Rasheed, in the mansions of Ibn Jassas, in the treasures of Qaroon (Korah), or in gardens of roses.
Bliss and happiness were the lot of the Prophet's (pbuh) companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) even though they were poor and lead harsh lives. Happiness was with Imam Bukhari in his collection of ahadeeth (hadiths), with Hasan Al-Basri in his truthfulness, with Ash-Shafi'ee in his deductions, with Malik and Ahmad in their introspection and self-denial, and with Thaabit Al-Bannani in his worship"
- 'Aaidh ibn AbdAllah Al-Qarni in his book 'Laa Tahzen'.
"The sleepless nights I spend in learning the sciences, are more beloved to me than the company or caresses of an enchanting woman.
My rapturous exhilaration when understanding a difficult concept, is more delicious to me than the most exotic of drinks.
More delightful to me than the sounds of a woman's hands on the drum, is that of my hands on my papers in order to remove dust.
O he who tries to attain my level by wishful thinking, how much difference there is between the one who finds the pain of climbing to be too much and the one who climbs and reaches the summit.
Do I toil through the night, while you sleep through it, yet you hope to surpass me?"
- 'Allama Zamakhshari, the famous commentator of The Qur'an.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
More precious than diamonds and pearls
The following incident took place when Muhammad Ali’s daughters arrived at his home wearing clothes that were not modest. Here is the story as told by one of his daughters:
When we finally arrived, the chauffer escorted my younger sister,
Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day.
My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You’ve got to work hard to get to them.”
He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.”
Taken from the book - More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali’s Life Lessons Through His Daughter’s Eyes.
When we finally arrived, the chauffer escorted my younger sister,
Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day.
My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You’ve got to work hard to get to them.”
He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.”
Taken from the book - More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali’s Life Lessons Through His Daughter’s Eyes.
Interesting article
Salam Alaekum.
Not Without Her Make-Up by Tazeen Abdullah.
Enjoy. (And do let me know what you think of it)
Saif
Not Without Her Make-Up by Tazeen Abdullah.
Enjoy. (And do let me know what you think of it)
Saif
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The best Jihad
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The best (Jihad) is (to speak) a word of truth to an oppressive ruler."
- Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith 2040
"We do not fear prison, or execution, and nor are we frightened by torture or injury; rather, we say what the magicians said to Fir'aun: We will never choose you above the clear proofs that have come unto us, and above Him Who created us. So decree what you will decree, for you can only decree what touches the life of this world."
- A Muslim's speech in front of an opressive ruler. The ayah is 20:72
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
"Never forget that turning a blind eye to oppression and watching from the sidelines is itself opression."
- Harun Yahya
"Our scientific advancement has outrun our spiritual advancement. We have guided missiles and misguided men."
- Martin Luther King
"One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade."
- Chinese Proverb
Fear not the path
of the Truth
because of the lack
of people walking on it.
- Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith 2040
"We do not fear prison, or execution, and nor are we frightened by torture or injury; rather, we say what the magicians said to Fir'aun: We will never choose you above the clear proofs that have come unto us, and above Him Who created us. So decree what you will decree, for you can only decree what touches the life of this world."
- A Muslim's speech in front of an opressive ruler. The ayah is 20:72
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
"Never forget that turning a blind eye to oppression and watching from the sidelines is itself opression."
- Harun Yahya
"Our scientific advancement has outrun our spiritual advancement. We have guided missiles and misguided men."
- Martin Luther King
"One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade."
- Chinese Proverb
Fear not the path
of the Truth
because of the lack
of people walking on it.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
From the narrowness of the world to its spaciousness..
The commander-in-chief of the Persian army, Rostum, who was next only to the Persian Emperor in his glory and power, asked the commander of the Muslim army, S'ad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) to send to him someone who could explain to them why the Arabian nomads and bedouins had come to the center of civilization and great military power, for they bore no correspondence to Arabia..
Rustum had utter contempt for the Arabs. He, however, summoned someone who may be able to explain to him the Arab's purpose and motives in engaging in a battle with the Persians.
Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas selected Rab'i bin 'Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) for this purpose. He was chosen for the tremendous faith and confidence which he would display before the commander-in-chief of the Persian Empire.
Rab'i bin 'Amir appeared in Rustum's court. His dress was marred with patches and darning marks. He was carrying an ordinary sword and shield. He entered the Persian camp riding an ordinary horse. Dressed in his unimpressive outfit he entered the court, crushing it's plush carpets. He tied his horse and approached Rustum. As he was armed with his shield and sword, guards at the entrance objected and asked him to lay down his weapons. Rab'i bin 'Amir refused, saying that he had not approached Rustum on his own, rather Rustum had invited him. If the guards did not let him enter in his armed state, he would return to his camp. Rustum allowed him to retain his arms.
Unaffected and un-over-awed by the sumptuous setting of the court, Rab'i approached with great confidence. Rustum asked him what had brought the Arabs to Persia? With his indomitable courage and conviction which owed it's origin to the divine Scripture and the Prophet's (peace be upon him) message he curtly said:
"Allah (the Almighty) has sent us so that we may liberate fellow human beings from subservience to other human beings and bring them to the obedience of The One True God. We are here to take them from the narrowness of the world to its spaciousness. Our aim is to free them of the persecution perpetrated against them by other religions. We want to bless them with the justice and equity of Islam."
Taken from a Lecture by Maulana Ali Mian Nadwi
Source - http://mercifulwinds.wordpress.com
(I wish I could find the original Arabic somewhere. I can't describe the feeling I had when I first heard Hazrat Rab'i's(may Allah be pleased with him) speech during a lecture at my mosque in Aligarh. It is a very powerful speech, and the translation fails to capture its true message.)
Edit - I found the original speech in Arabic. :)
Rustum had utter contempt for the Arabs. He, however, summoned someone who may be able to explain to him the Arab's purpose and motives in engaging in a battle with the Persians.
Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas selected Rab'i bin 'Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) for this purpose. He was chosen for the tremendous faith and confidence which he would display before the commander-in-chief of the Persian Empire.
Rab'i bin 'Amir appeared in Rustum's court. His dress was marred with patches and darning marks. He was carrying an ordinary sword and shield. He entered the Persian camp riding an ordinary horse. Dressed in his unimpressive outfit he entered the court, crushing it's plush carpets. He tied his horse and approached Rustum. As he was armed with his shield and sword, guards at the entrance objected and asked him to lay down his weapons. Rab'i bin 'Amir refused, saying that he had not approached Rustum on his own, rather Rustum had invited him. If the guards did not let him enter in his armed state, he would return to his camp. Rustum allowed him to retain his arms.
Unaffected and un-over-awed by the sumptuous setting of the court, Rab'i approached with great confidence. Rustum asked him what had brought the Arabs to Persia? With his indomitable courage and conviction which owed it's origin to the divine Scripture and the Prophet's (peace be upon him) message he curtly said:
"Allah (the Almighty) has sent us so that we may liberate fellow human beings from subservience to other human beings and bring them to the obedience of The One True God. We are here to take them from the narrowness of the world to its spaciousness. Our aim is to free them of the persecution perpetrated against them by other religions. We want to bless them with the justice and equity of Islam."
Taken from a Lecture by Maulana Ali Mian Nadwi
Source - http://mercifulwinds.wordpress.com
(I wish I could find the original Arabic somewhere. I can't describe the feeling I had when I first heard Hazrat Rab'i's(may Allah be pleased with him) speech during a lecture at my mosque in Aligarh. It is a very powerful speech, and the translation fails to capture its true message.)
Edit - I found the original speech in Arabic. :)
،إن الله ابتعثنا لنخرج العباد من عبادة العباد إلى عبادة رب العباد
ومن ضيق الدنيا إلى سعة الآخرة، ومن جور الأديان إلى عدل الإسلام
Saturday, May 27, 2006
When style becomes more important than substance..
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ لإِنْسَانٍ : إِنَّكَ فِي زَمَانٍ كَثِيرٌ فُقَهَاؤُهُ، قَلِيلٌ قُرَّاؤُهُ، تُحْفَظُ فِيهِ حُدُودُ الْقُرْآنِ، وَتُضَيَّعُ حُرُوفُهُ، قَلِيلٌ مَنْ يَسْأَل، كَثِيرٌ مَنْ يُعْطِى، يُطِيلُونَ فِيهِ الصَّلاَةَ، وَيَقْصُرُونَ الْخُطْبَةَ، يُبَدُّونَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ قَبْلَ أَهْوَائِهِمْ، وَسَيَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَان، قَلِيلٌ فُقَهَاؤُهُ، كَثِيرٌ قُرَّاؤُهُ، يُحْفَظُ فِيهِ حُرُوفُ الْقُرْآنِ، وَتُضَيَّعُ حُدُودُهُ، كَثِيرٌ مَنْ يَسْأَلُ، قَلِيلٌ مَنْ يُعْطِي، يُطِيلُونَ فِيهِ الْخُطْبَة، وَيَقْصُرُونَ الصَّلاَةَ، يُبَدُّونَ فِيهِ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ قَبْلَ أَعْمَالِهِمْ
Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Abdullah ibn Masud said to a certain man - "You are in a time when men of understanding (fuqaha) are many and Qur'an reciters are few, when the limits of behaviour defined in the Qur'an are guarded and its letters are lost, when few people ask and many give, when they make the prayer long and the khutba short, and put their actions before their desires. A time will come upon men when their fuqaha will be few but their Qur'an reciters will be many, when the letters of the Qur'an will be guarded carefully but its limits will be lost, when many will ask but only few will give, when they will make their khutbas long and their prayers short, and they will put their desires before their actions."
Imam Malik's Muwatta - Book 009, Hadith Number 091
The Prophet's(saw) Last Sermon
[This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul-Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat' in Mecca.]
After praising and thanking Allah the Prophet (saws) said:
"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib [the Prophet's uncle] be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that i waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibn al Harith.
O People, the unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calender in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to forbid that which Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.
Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope of that he will be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right, then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste. O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belogs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware: do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and my Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people."
After praising and thanking Allah the Prophet (saws) said:
"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib [the Prophet's uncle] be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that i waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibn al Harith.
O People, the unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calender in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to forbid that which Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.
Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope of that he will be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right, then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste. O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belogs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware: do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and my Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people."
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Monday, May 22, 2006
Three Conditions to Acquire Excellent Character
By Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Excerpted from his Risâlat-ut-Tabûkiyyah
This is one example of the excellent character with which Allâh, the Exalted, has equipped his Messenger (pbuh). He described him as,
“Verily, you (Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.” [Al-Qalam (68): 4]
‘Â’ishah (radiyAllâhu ‘anhâ), described him as,
“His character was just [a reflection of] the Qur’ân.”[1]
Such excellent character cannot be attained without three conditions:
1) The foundation must be good. If one has a rough and dry nature, it will be hard for him to submit to this [excellence of character] through knowledge, will, or practice. On the other hand, a mild and smooth nature will be ready and willing to receive the plowing and the seeds [to prepare it for character excellence].
2)The soul must be strong and capable of conquering calls of laziness, transgression, and desire. Those matters contradict perfection, and souls that cannot defeat them will always be defeated and conquered.
3)[One must possess] a discerning knowledge of the truth of matters, enabling one to put them in the rightful position, and to distinguish between flesh and cancer - between glass and jewels.
If these three qualities are present in a man, and Allâh’s facilitation helps him, then he will be among those whom the best (husnâ) has been decreed and for whom Allâh’s care has been secured.
Notes:
[1] Muslim, Abû Dâwûd, Ahmad
Excerpted from his Risâlat-ut-Tabûkiyyah
This is one example of the excellent character with which Allâh, the Exalted, has equipped his Messenger (pbuh). He described him as,
“Verily, you (Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.” [Al-Qalam (68): 4]
‘Â’ishah (radiyAllâhu ‘anhâ), described him as,
“His character was just [a reflection of] the Qur’ân.”[1]
Such excellent character cannot be attained without three conditions:
1) The foundation must be good. If one has a rough and dry nature, it will be hard for him to submit to this [excellence of character] through knowledge, will, or practice. On the other hand, a mild and smooth nature will be ready and willing to receive the plowing and the seeds [to prepare it for character excellence].
2)The soul must be strong and capable of conquering calls of laziness, transgression, and desire. Those matters contradict perfection, and souls that cannot defeat them will always be defeated and conquered.
3)[One must possess] a discerning knowledge of the truth of matters, enabling one to put them in the rightful position, and to distinguish between flesh and cancer - between glass and jewels.
If these three qualities are present in a man, and Allâh’s facilitation helps him, then he will be among those whom the best (husnâ) has been decreed and for whom Allâh’s care has been secured.
Notes:
[1] Muslim, Abû Dâwûd, Ahmad
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
The Purpose of Knowledge
The Purpose of Knowledge
A living scholar in Cairo
Written by Imam Suhaib Webb
There is a brother living next to me in Cairo. Mashallah, he is a great student of knowledge, inshallah, and studies very hard. I decided to take him to meet one of our Azhari Sheikhs here and I knew, inshallah, that we would learn more from him than just today's lesson.
But I could have never imagined the lessons we took tonight. We arrived at the masjid just after the first Tasleem. The Masjid was beautiful with its tall minarets and lighted court yard. The weather was nice the wind was sweet and pleasant. We entered the Masjid, prayed and waited for the Sheikh. Suddenly the Sheikh arrived with a bag and we greeted him. I informed the Sheikh about our guest and the Sheikh's face lit like the morning sun and a smile spread across his face. Then it was my turn to introduce the sheikh to the brother. The hard part is that this sheikh has me between a rock and a hard place.
He does, seriously, not like to be called sheikh or even ustadh! So, I was like, "This is is is is is is ...................is .........sheeeek....he looked at me like, "Boy if you do it!".....is is is is uh is, then he interrupted me, "I'm your brother ++++++ (if I write his name it would be going against his wishes). I turned, looked at the brother who was with me and saw an awe in his face. A short time later the Imam of the Masjid, recognizing the Sheikh, came and begged him to lead the prayer. The Sheikh said to him, "Please excuse me. I can't" The brother was shocked. After our lesson the sheikh demanded that he walk us home (We live around 20 minutes from the Masjid) . We begged him and begged him, however, to no avail. As we were walking I decided to buy the Sheikh some sweets. I asked him and the other student with us to please excuse me as I needed to get something. The Sheikh began to follow me and I told him, "Sheikh the brother has some questions for you." Thus, seeing an opportunity to spread the elm, the sheikh stopped in his tracks and turned to the wide eyed American. I dashed into the store and purchased some sweets for the Sheikh on behalf of us. When I exited the store the Sheikh was taken aback and said, "What is this?" I said, "This is a gift from us to you." He said no and politely said he couldn't accept it. I stated to him, "Please sheikh accepting a gift is from the Sunna." I continued, "Please Sheikh! Please! It will make us happy!" He grabbed me and said (in Ammiyah Masriyaah so the student wouldn't understand him), "Suhaib, I don't have a refrigerator. I eat what I buy and store nothing!"
Enough said. May Allah bless Al-Azhar, protect the Ulema there and increase its bounties.
Suhaib
Oh! and by the way that sack that the Sheikh was carrying were sweets he brought for us to eat.
Taken from the Hanafi Fiqh List - www.SunniPath.com
A living scholar in Cairo
Written by Imam Suhaib Webb
There is a brother living next to me in Cairo. Mashallah, he is a great student of knowledge, inshallah, and studies very hard. I decided to take him to meet one of our Azhari Sheikhs here and I knew, inshallah, that we would learn more from him than just today's lesson.
But I could have never imagined the lessons we took tonight. We arrived at the masjid just after the first Tasleem. The Masjid was beautiful with its tall minarets and lighted court yard. The weather was nice the wind was sweet and pleasant. We entered the Masjid, prayed and waited for the Sheikh. Suddenly the Sheikh arrived with a bag and we greeted him. I informed the Sheikh about our guest and the Sheikh's face lit like the morning sun and a smile spread across his face. Then it was my turn to introduce the sheikh to the brother. The hard part is that this sheikh has me between a rock and a hard place.
He does, seriously, not like to be called sheikh or even ustadh! So, I was like, "This is is is is is is ...................is .........sheeeek....he looked at me like, "Boy if you do it!".....is is is is uh is, then he interrupted me, "I'm your brother ++++++ (if I write his name it would be going against his wishes). I turned, looked at the brother who was with me and saw an awe in his face. A short time later the Imam of the Masjid, recognizing the Sheikh, came and begged him to lead the prayer. The Sheikh said to him, "Please excuse me. I can't" The brother was shocked. After our lesson the sheikh demanded that he walk us home (We live around 20 minutes from the Masjid) . We begged him and begged him, however, to no avail. As we were walking I decided to buy the Sheikh some sweets. I asked him and the other student with us to please excuse me as I needed to get something. The Sheikh began to follow me and I told him, "Sheikh the brother has some questions for you." Thus, seeing an opportunity to spread the elm, the sheikh stopped in his tracks and turned to the wide eyed American. I dashed into the store and purchased some sweets for the Sheikh on behalf of us. When I exited the store the Sheikh was taken aback and said, "What is this?" I said, "This is a gift from us to you." He said no and politely said he couldn't accept it. I stated to him, "Please sheikh accepting a gift is from the Sunna." I continued, "Please Sheikh! Please! It will make us happy!" He grabbed me and said (in Ammiyah Masriyaah so the student wouldn't understand him), "Suhaib, I don't have a refrigerator. I eat what I buy and store nothing!"
Enough said. May Allah bless Al-Azhar, protect the Ulema there and increase its bounties.
Suhaib
Oh! and by the way that sack that the Sheikh was carrying were sweets he brought for us to eat.
Taken from the Hanafi Fiqh List - www.SunniPath.com
Saturday, May 13, 2006
An interesting quote
Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (rahimahullah) said:
Whoever is pleased with his courage, which he applies in matters that are not for the sake of Allaah, the Exalted, full of Majesty, should know that the tiger is braver than he, and that the lion, wolf, and elephant are more courageous than he.
Whoever is pleased with his bodily strength should know that the mule, bull, and elephant have stronger bodies. Whoever is pleased with his ability to lift weights should know that the donkey can lift heavier weights. Whoever is pleased with how fast he can run should know that the dog and rabbit are faster than he. Whoever is pleased with the beauty of his voice should know that many birds sing more beautifully than he and that the winds in the wood sound sweeter than he.
Hence, what sort of pride or pleasure should one feel in traits in which the animals excel more than he does?
But the one whose mind is strong, whose knowledge is broad, and whose deeds are good should feel true happiness, because he is surpassed in these matters only by the angels and the best of men.
(al-Akhlaq wa'l-Siyar)
Whoever is pleased with his courage, which he applies in matters that are not for the sake of Allaah, the Exalted, full of Majesty, should know that the tiger is braver than he, and that the lion, wolf, and elephant are more courageous than he.
Whoever is pleased with his bodily strength should know that the mule, bull, and elephant have stronger bodies. Whoever is pleased with his ability to lift weights should know that the donkey can lift heavier weights. Whoever is pleased with how fast he can run should know that the dog and rabbit are faster than he. Whoever is pleased with the beauty of his voice should know that many birds sing more beautifully than he and that the winds in the wood sound sweeter than he.
Hence, what sort of pride or pleasure should one feel in traits in which the animals excel more than he does?
But the one whose mind is strong, whose knowledge is broad, and whose deeds are good should feel true happiness, because he is surpassed in these matters only by the angels and the best of men.
(al-Akhlaq wa'l-Siyar)
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Salam
Salam Alaekum.
Alhamdulillah,my exams are finally over. I have time; InshaAllah I'll try to use it properly. And InshaAllah you'll see some good posts on this blog soon.
:)
Saif
Alhamdulillah,my exams are finally over. I have time; InshaAllah I'll try to use it properly. And InshaAllah you'll see some good posts on this blog soon.
:)
Saif
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