Muslim



►► My Name: Muslim
►► My Identity: Islam
►► My Purpose: Peace
►► My Aim: Jannat Ul Firdous
►► My Ideal Personalit y: Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
►► My Favorite Book: Holy Qur'an
►► Principle of living a life: Qur'an and Sunnah
►► My trust : ALLAH ALMIGHTY, Lord of the universe
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♥ PROUD TO BE MUSLIM ♥


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I AM A MUSLIM AND PROUD OF IT !!!♥ :)))


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43 Important Hadith about Women In Islam [Must Read by Women]

1 : Woman’s Pray at Home is better than Going to Mosque
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar: Allah’s Apostle said: “Do not prevent women (wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, etc) from (praying at) mosques. Yet, their prayer at home is better (for them).”
2 : Woman’s Freedom to Go out for their Needs
Narrated by ‘Aisha: Allah’s Apostle said: “You (women) have been allowed to go out for your needs.”
3 : Evils behind Unnecessary Socialising of Unveiled Women
Narrated by Ibn Mas’ud: Allah’s Apostle said: “(Unveiled) woman is a cause of corruption. Once she goes out Satan beautifies her in the eyes of men (to seduce her as well as them). At her home, she is the closest (to the face) of her Lord.”
4 : Woman should take the Permission of Her Husband before Going out
Narrated by Ibn Umar: One of the wives of Umar (bin Al-Khattab) used to offer the Fajr and the ‘Isha’ prayer in congregation in the Mosque. She was asked why she had come out for the prayer as she knew that Umar disliked it, and he has great “ghaira” (self-respect). She replied, “What prevents him from stopping me from this act?” The other replied, “The statement of Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h): ‘Do not stop Allah’s women-slave from going to Allah’s Mosques. “
5: Prohibition on Women Regarding Putting Perfumes when Going out
Narrated by Abu Mousa Al Ash’ari: Allah’s Apostle said: “If a woman uses perfume and passes the people so that they may get its odour, she is so-and-so, meaning severe remarks. (i.e. about to commit adultery).”
6 : Prohibition on Women regarding showing her Charms when Going out
Narrated by Fudhalah ibn ‘Ubaid: Allah’s Apostle said: “Three persons are doomed …. Among them a woman whose husband is not present and provides for her; yet she shows her charms to (foreign) men.”
7 : Women should not travel without Mahram
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: Allah’s Apostle said: “A woman should not travel except with a Dhu-Mahram (her husband or a man with whom that woman cannot marry at all according to the Islamic Jurisprudence).” A man got up and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! I intend to go to such and such an army and my wife wants to perform Hajj.” The Prophet said (to him), “Go along with her (to Hajj).”
8 : Women should have their own Entrance to the Mosque
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar: Allah’s Apostle said: “Should we leave this entrance (at the Mosque, i.e. Al Masjid AL Nabawi ) only for women to enter.” The sub-narrator, Ibn Nafie’ said: “Ibn ‘Umar did not use this entrance (after that) until his death.”
9 : Women should not walk in the middle of the street
Narrated by Abi Ausaid Al Ansari: While Allah’s Apostle was going out of the mosque he saw all men and women in the road. He told the women: “You should wait behind. You should not walk in the middle of the road.” The narrator said: “women afterwards used to walk so close to the wall so that their dresses often stick to it.”
10 : Women should perform Tawaf without mingling with men
Narrated by Ibn Jarieh said ‘Ata had told him when Ibn Hashim prevented women from performing Tawaf with men: how could he prevent them while the wives of the Prophet performed Tawaf with men?” I (i.e. Ibn Jarieh) said: before or after (the verse of) hijab (was revealed)? He said: “Upon my life, after hijab.” “How could they intermix with men?” I asked. “They didn’t,” he replied. “’Aisha used to perform Tawaf at a dividing space from men; she didn’t intermingle with them.”
Chapter 11 : Men shouldn’t enter freely into private places where foreign women are
Narrated by ‘Uqba bin ‘Amir: Allah’s Apostle said, “Beware of entering homes or rooms in which foreign ladies are.” A man from the Ansar said, “Allah’s Apostle! What about (Al-Hamu) the in-laws of the wife (the brothers of her husband or his nephews etc.)?” The Prophet replied: The in-laws of the wife are death itself.”

Chapter 12 : Women should have their own learning venues
Narrated by Abu Huraira: A group of women came to Allah’s Prophet and said to him: “We cannot attend your majlis (gathering) of men, so, appoint us a day to come to you (alone).” He said: “We will meet at the house of so and so.” He went to them on the specified date and place. Among what he said at that day to the present women was “any woman who rises up three children for the sake of Allah will enter paradise.” One woman said: “And two?” “And two,” the Prophet said.

Chapter 13 : Women should not Carry Funeral
Narrated by Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri :Allah’s Apostle said, When the funeral is ready and the men carry it on their shoulders, if the deceased was righteous he will say, ‘Present me (hurriedly),’ and if he was not righteous, he will say, ‘Woe to (me)! Where are they taking (me)?’ his voice is heard by everything except man and if he heard it he would fall unconscious.”

Chapter 14 : Women should not take off their clothes outside their homes
Narrated by Abu Al Mulaih Al Hathli: Some women from Homs asked for permission to visit ‘Aisha’s and she said: “Perhaps you belong to the place where women enter hot baths (for washing), I heard the Apostle of Allah saying: If a woman puts off her clothes in a place other than her house, she tears the veil between her and Allah.

Chapter 15: Woman should not Describe another woman to her husband
Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud: The Prophet said, “A woman should not look at or touch another woman to describe her to her husband in such a way as if he were actually looking at her.”

Chapter 16: Women should not speak unnecessarily in the presence of foreign men
Narrated by Abu Huraira : The Prophet said, “The saying ‘Sub Han Allah’ is for men and clapping is for women i.e.” (If something happens during the prayer talking is not allowed, except the men can invite the attention of the Imam by saying “Sub Han Allah (i.e. Glorified be Allah )”, and women, by clapping their hands).

Chapter 17 : Prohibition of lamentation over the dead
Narrated by Um ‘Atiyya: At the time of giving the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet one of the conditions was that we would not wail, but it was not fulfilled except by five women.

Chapter 18 : Exchange of salutation between men and women once there is no temptation
Narrated by Asmaa: Allah’s Apostle passed by a group of women near the mosque. He waved his hand to them in salutation and said: “Beware of being ungrateful to your husbands, beware of being ungrateful to your husbands.”

Chapter 19 : Men and women may talk to each other in good intention
Narrated by Anas bin Malik: The Prophet passed by a woman who was sitting and weeping beside a grave and said to her, “Fear Allah and be patient.”

Chapter 20: A woman can offer herself in marriage to the righteous man
Narrated by Anas: “A woman came to the Prophet offering herself to him in marriage, saying, “Have you got any interest in me (i.e. would you like to marry me?)” Anas’ daughter said, “How shameless that woman was!” On that Anas said, “She is better than you for, she presented herself to Allah’s Apostle (for marriage).”

 Chapter 21 : A woman should not be married against her will
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas: A virgin came to the Prophet and mentioned that her father had married her to a man against her will, so the Prophet allowed her to exercise her choice.
Another hadith asserts this point.
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas:
The Prophet said: A guardian has no concern with a woman previously married and has no husband, and a virgin must be consulted; her silence being her acceptance. (Book 5, Number 2095: Abu Dawud)

Chapter 22 : A woman is not allowed to promise her husband not to marry after he dies
Narrated by Um Mubashir: Allah’s Apostle proposed to the widow of Al Baraa bin Ma’rour but she told him: “I promised my (dead) husband not to marry after him.” “This promise is not valid,” said the Prophet

 Chapter 23 : A woman should not ask for divorce without a reason
Narrated by Thawban: Allah’s Apostle said, “Any woman who asks divorce from her husband without a reason, the smell of Paradise is prohibited for her.”

Chapter 24 : Young women can sing and play the tambourine in weddings and similar occasions
Narrated by Ar-Rubai’ bint Mu’auwith: The Prophet came to me after consuming his marriage with me and sat down on my bed as you (the sub-narrator) are sitting now, and small girls were beating the tambourine and singing in lamentation of my father who had been killed on the day of the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls said, “There is a Prophet amongst us who knows what will happen tomorrow.” The Prophet said (to her),” Do not say this, but go on saying what you have spoken before.”

Chapter 25 : Wives have great duty towards their husbands
Narrated by ‘Abullah bin Abi Awfa: Allah’s Apostle Said, “Had I ordered a person to prostrate to someone rather than Allah, I would have ordered the wife to prostrate to her husband. By Allah, who holds the soul of Muhammad in his hands, the wife will not be fulfilling her duty towards Allah until she fulfils her duty towards her husband. If he asks her (for sexual intercourse) while she is on a camel (what means, being busy), she should not disobey him.”

Chapter 26 : Angels curses the disobedient wife
Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “If a husband calls his wife to his bed (i.e. to have sexual relation) and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning.”

Chapter 27 : Woman should be grateful to her husband
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas: Allah’s Apostle said, “I also saw the Hell-fire and I had never seen such a horrible sight. I saw that most of the inhabitants were women.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Why is it so?” The Prophet replied, “Because of their ungratefulness.” It was asked whether they are ungrateful to Allah. The Prophet said, “They are ungrateful to their companions of life (husbands) and ungrateful to good deeds. If you are benevolent to one of them throughout the life and if she sees anything (undesirable) in you, she will say, ‘I never had any good from you.’ “

Chapter 28 : Woman should not obey her husband if ordered to do a sin
Narrated by ‘Aisha: An Ansari woman (From the Supportes) gave her daughter in marriage and the hair of the latter started falling out. The Ansari women came to the Prophet and mentioned that to him and said, “Her (my daughter’s) husband suggested that I should let her wear false hair.” The Prophet said, “No, (don’t do that) for Allah sends His curses upon such ladies who lengthen their hair artificially.”

Chapter 29 : Woman should not donate from her money unless upon husband’s consent
Allah’s Apostle said: “A woman, once married, should ask for husband’s consent if she wants to give away a gift (or donation) from her money.”

Chapter 30 : Woman should help her husband and his dependants
Narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: “My father died and left seven or nine girls and I married a matron”. Allah’s Apostle said to me, “O Jabir! Have you married?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “A virgin or a matron?” I replied, “A matron.” he said, “Why not a virgin, so that you might play with her and she with you, and you might amuse her and she amuse you.” I said, ” ‘Abdullah (my father) died and left girls, and I dislike to marry a girl like them, so I married a lady (matron) so that she may look after them.” On that the Prophet said, “May Allah bless you,” or “That is good.”

Chapter 31: Husband should provide for wife and children
Narrated by ‘Aisha : Hind (bint ‘Utba) said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Abu Sufyan is a miser. Is there any harm if I take of his property what will cover me and my children’s needs?” The Prophet said, “Take (according to your needs) in a reasonable manner.”

Chapter 32 : Prohibition of changing Allah’s creations unnecessarily
Narrated by ‘Abdullah: Allah has cursed those women who practise tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those who remove their face hairs, and those who create a space between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, and women changing the features created by Allah. Why then should I not curse those whom the Prophet has cursed? And that is in Allah’s Book. i.e. His Saying: ‘And what the Apostle gives you take it and what he forbids you abstain (from it).’ (59.7)

Chapter 33 : Woman should not wear tight clothes
Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “Two are the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see: people having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht (very huge) camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour whereas its odour would be smelt from such and such distance.”

Chapter 34 : Woman should not wear false hair like Jews
Narrated by Sa’eed bin Al Musayyib: Mu’awiya came to Medina and he addressed us and took out a bunch of hair and said: I never saw but the Jews using this (adding of artificial hair) and I can well recall that when this act would reached Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), he would name it as cheating.
In another narration Mu’awiya said one day : Should I tell you the evil make-up. Allah’s Apostle forbade cheating. It was during that time that a person came with a staff and there was a cloth on its head, whereupon Mu’awiya said: Behold, that is cheating. Qutada (the sub-narrator) said: This implies how women artificially increase their hair with the help of rags.

Chapter 35 : Woman should not lie and adopt falsehood
Narrated by A’sha that a woman came to Allah’s Apostle) and said: I have a co-wife. Is there any harm for me if I give her the false impression (of getting something from my husband which he has not in fact given me)? Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: The one who creates such a (false impression) of receiving what one has not been given is like one who wears the garment of falsehood.

Chapter 36 : Women should not wear high shoes
Narrated by Abu Sa’eed Al Khudri, Allah’s Apostle said :” A Jewish women used to put two wooden legs to lengthen her shoes, so that no one could recognise her, for she was very short.” The Prophet forbade this action that is a kind of cheating others.

Chapter 37 : Women should not shave their heads
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: Allah’s Apostle said, “Women do not have to shave their head, only to shorten their hair (i.e. in hajj and other practices)”

Chapter 38 : Women’s dying their hands and feet with henna
Narrated by ‘A’isha, Ummul Mu’minin: A woman made a sign from behind a curtain to indicate that she had a letter for the Apostle of Allah. The Prophet closed his hand, saying: I do not know this is a man’s or a woman’s hand. She said: No, a woman. He said: If you were a woman, you would make a difference to your nails, meaning with henna.

Chapter 39: Women should cover her face in the presence of foreign men
Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin Umar: A person stood up and asked, “O Allah’s: Apostle! What clothes may be worn in the state of Ihram?” The Prophet replied, “Do not wear a shirt or trousers, or any headgear, and also do not wear anything perfumed with Wars or saffron, and the Muhrima (a woman in the state of Ihram) should not cover her face, or wear gloves.”

Chapter 40 : Women are allowed to wear gold and silk
Narrated Abu Musa Al ‘Ashari: Allah’s Apostle said, “Wearing silk (clothes) and gold is no allowed for the males of my Ummah but allowed to the females.”

Chapter 41 : Women, not men, are allowed to wear clothes dyed in saffron
Narrated by ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr: Allah’s Apostle saw me in two clothes dyed in saffron, whereupon he said: Has your mother ordered you to do so? And I said: I will wash them. He said: But burn them.

Chapter 42 : Women should not show their ornaments to foreign men
Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “Woe unto women from the two reds: gold and saffron-dyed clothes.”

Chapter 43: Women should not imitate men in dress, movements, and way of speech
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: Allah’s Apostle cursed those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners) of women and those women who are in the similitude (assume the manners) of men.
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THE HOLY QUR'AAN

SURAH 7
Al-A'raaf  (The Heights)

 
INTRODUCTION:
This Surah consists of 206 verses, 3,325 sentences, 14.010 letters and 24 Ruku’s.

Name


It takes its name from vv. 136, 138 and 139 in which some superstitious beliefs of the idolatrous Arabs concerning the lawfulness of some cattle (anam) and the unlawfulness of some others have been refuted.

Period of Revelation
 

According to a tradition of Ibn Abbas, the whole of the Surah was revealed at one sitting at Makkah. Asma, a daughter of Yazid and a first cousin of Hadrat Mu'az-bin Jahl, says, "During the revelation of this Surah, the Holy Prophet was riding on a she-camel and I was holding her nose-string. The she-camel began to feel the weight so heavily that it seemed as if her bones would break under it." We also learn from other traditions that the Holy Prophet dictated the whole of the Surah the same night that it was revealed.
 
Its subject-matter clearly shows that it must have been revealed during the last year of the Holy Prophet's life at Makkah. The tradition of Asma, daughter of Yazid, also confirms this. As she belonged to the Ansar and embraced Islam after the migration of the Holy Prophet to Yathrab, her visit to the Holy Prophet at Makkah must have taken place during the last year of his life there. For before this, his relations with those people were not so intimate that a woman from there might have come to visit him at Makkah.

Occasion of Revelation

After determining the period of its revelation, it is easier to visualise the background of the Surah. Twelve years had passed since the Holy Prophet had been inviting the people to Islam. The antagonism and persecution by the Quraish had become most savage and brutal, and the majority of the Muslims had to leave their homes and migrate to Habash (Abyssinia). Above all, the two great supporters of the Holy Prophet, Abu Talib and Hadrat Khadijah, were no more to help and give strength to him. Thus he was deprived of all the worldly support. But in spite of this, he carried on his mission in the teeth of opposition. As a result of this, on the one hand, all the good people of Makkah and the surrounding clans gradually began to accept Islam; on the other hand, the community as a whole, was bent upon obduracy and rejection. Therefore, if anyone showed any inclination towards Islam, he was subjected to taunts and derision, physical violence and social boycott. It was in these dark circumstances that a ray of hope gleamed from Yathrab, where Islam began to spread freely by the efforts of some influential people of Aus and Khazraj, who had embraced Islam at Makkah. This was a humble beginning in the march of Islam towards success and none could foresee at that time the great potentialities that lay hidden in it. For, to a casual observer, it appeared at that time as if Islam was merely a weak movement; it had no material backing except the meagre support of the Prophet's own family and of the few poor adherents of the Movement. Obviously the latter could not give much help because they themselves had been cast out by their own people who became their enemies and were persecuting them.

Topics


These were the conditions, when this discourse was revealed. The main topics dealt with in this discourse may be divided under seven headings:
1.       Refutation of shirk and invitation to the creed of Tawhid.
2.       Enunciation of the doctrine of the "Life-after-death" and refutation of the wrong notion that there was nothing beyond this worldly life.
3.       Refutation of the prevalent superstitions.
4.       Enunciation of the fundamental moral principles for the building up of the Islamic Society.
5.       Answers to the objections raised against the person of the Holy Prophet and his mission.
6.       Comfort and encouragement to the Holy Prophet and his followers who were at that time in a state of anxiety and despondency because of the apparent failure of the mission.
7.       Admonition, warning and threats to the disbelievers and opponents to give up their apathy and haughtiness. It must, however, be noted that the above topics have not been dealt with one by one under separate headings, but the discourse goes on as a continuous whole and these topics come under discussion over and over again in new and different ways.

The Background of Makki Suras


As this is the first long Makki Surah in the order of the compilation of the Quran, it will be useful to explain the historical background of Makki Surahs in general, so that the reader may easily understand the Makki Surahs and our references to its different stages in connection with our commentary on them. First of all, it should be noted that comparatively very little material is available in regard to the background of the revelation of Makki Surahs whereas the period of the revelation of all the Madani Surahs is known or can be determined with a little effort. There are authentic traditions even in regard to the occasions of the revelation of the majority of the verses. On the other hand, we do not have such detailed information regarding the Makki Surahs. There are only a few Surahs and verses which have authentic traditions concerning the time and occasion of their revelation. This is because the history of the Makki period had not been compiled in such detail as that of the Madani period. Therefore we have to depend on the internal evidence of these Surahs for determining the period of their revelation: for example, the topics they discuss, their subject. matter, their style and the direct or indirect references to the events and the occasions of their revelation. Thus it is obvious that with the help of such evidence as this, we cannot say with precision that such and such Surah or verse was revealed on such and such an occasion. The most we can do is to compare the internal evidence of a Surah with the events of the life of the Holy Prophet at Makkah, and then come to a more or less correct conclusion as to what particular stage a certain Surah belongs. If we keep the above things in view, the history of the mission of the Holy Prophet at Makkah can be divided into four stages.
1.       The first stage began with his appointment as a Messenger and ended with the proclamation of Prophethood three years later. During this period the Message was given secretly to some selected persons only, but the common people of Makkah were not aware of it.
2.       The second stage lasted for two years after the proclamation of his Prophethood. It began with opposition by individuals: then by and by, it took the shape of antagonism, ridicule, derision,, accusation, abuse, and false propaganda then gangs were formed to persecute those Muslims who were comparatively poor, weak and helpless.
3.       The third stage lasted for about six years from the beginning of the persecution to the death of Abu Talib and Hadrat Khadijah in the tenth year of Prophethood. During this period, the persecution of the Muslims became so savage and brutal that many of them were forced to migrate to Habash. Social and economic boycott was applied against the Holy Prophet and the members of his family, and those Muslims who continued to stay in Makkah were forced to take refuge in Shi'b-i-A'bi Talib which was besieged.
4.       The fourth stage lasted for about three years from the tenth to the thirteenth year of Prophethood. This was a period of hard trials and grievous sufferings for the Holy Prophet and his followers. Life had become unendurable at Makkah and there appeared to be no place of refuge even outside it. So much so that when the Holy Prophet went to Ta'if, it offered no shelter or protection. Besides this, on the occasion of Hajj, he would appeal to each and every Arab clan to accept his invitation to Islam but met with blank refusal from every quarter. At the same time, the people of Makkah were holding counsels to get rid of him by killing or imprisoning or banishing him from their city. It was at that most critical time that Allah opened for Islam the hearts of the Ansar of Yathrab where he migrated at their invitation. Now that we have divided the life of the Holy Prophet at Makkah into four stages, it has become easier for us to tell, as far as possible, the particular stage in which a certain Makki Surah was revealed. This is because the Surahs belonging to a particular stage can be distinguished from those of the other stages with the help of their subject matter and style. Besides this, they also contain such references as throw light on the circumstances and events that form the background of their revelation. In the succeeding Makki Surahs, we will determine on the basis of the distinctive features of each stage, and point out in the Preface, the particular stage in which a certain Makki Surah was revealed.

Subject : Islamic Creed.


This Surah mainly discusses the different aspects of the major articles of the Islamic Creed: Tawhid, Life-after-death, Prophethood and their practical application to human life. Side by side with this, it refutes the erroneous beliefs of the opponents and answers their objections, warns and admonishes them and comforts the Holy Prophet and his followers, who were then suffering from persecution. Of course, these themes have not been dealt with under separate heads but have been blended in an excellent manner.
 
 
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Belief In Life After Death

In the same way that Muslim believe in God although they cannot see Him, we are slso required to believe in Life after Death, although no dead man has ever come back to tell us his story.
However in the Quran, in Surah 23: verses 99 and 100, and in many other chapters and verses, God has revealed to us what happens to those who have refused to believe:
"Until, when death approaches one to them, he says, "My Lord, send me bacl (to life), so that I may do right in that which I have left undone. "By no means. It is a mere word that he speaks. And behind them is a barrier (barzakh) until the day they are raised up."
From these two verses we can see that:

  • there is continuity of life immediately after 'death':
  • the period spent in the grave is an intermediate one, between death and resurrection:
  • the life hereafter is eternal unlike the life on earth which is rasitory, as a preparation for the higher life;
  • the fruit of our actions or deeds on earth is accordingly shown to us immediately after death; hence the need to live a virtuous life.
Physical & Spiritual Development
Thus our life is a continuous development of our physical and spiritual being. The Holy Quran has indicated the three stages of physical development namely the stages of dust or clay, embryo and birth. There are also three stages of spiritual development which can also be identified with the physical one thus:


PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGES
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
Dust
Preparatory
Death
Embryo
Formative
Grave
Birth
Development
Resurrection
We all know that we were created from dust or clay like our forefather, Adam. The clay contains the elements with which we will be moulded. This is the preparatory stage of our physical development. Surah 23:12 states:
  • "Verily, We created men from the product of we earth."

Verses 13 and 14 the same Surah further indicates the formative stage of physical development thus;
  • "Then We placed him as a drop (or seed) in a safe lodging. Then We made the drop a clot; then We made that clot a little lump; then We clothed the bones with flesh..."
Birth
And finally the verse shows us the fully developed human being in a new form, unlike the dust from which he was created: "… and then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the Best of Creators!"
In this developed staged, we are endowed with a body, a soul and mind, or in other words, physical and spiritual being and intellect. This is the most critical stage of our development for whatever physical action we commit on our fellow creatures and how we react to situations in this life on earth have a certain bearing on our spiritual development, which is very essential for the next step in our life as in verses 15 of the same Surah:
"After that, at length you will die."

Death
Death, like dust in our physical development is only the beginning stage into a higher life. The fruits of our deeds in this world is immediately known to us as indicated by spiritual experience of evil one taken by death in verses 99 - 100 of Surah 23 at the beginning of this article.
Thus the virtues and vices we committed during our life on earth become, as it were, the elements for the next formative stage of our spiritual development - the grave or the intervening barzakh - like the embryo in the mother's womb during the physical development.

Grave
According to a Hadith transmitted by Bukhari and Muslim, Muhammad s.a.w. is reported by Abdullah bin Umar, as saying, "When a person dies, his abode among the inhabitants of paradise will be shown to him morning and evening if he is to be one of them; but if he is to be one inhabitants of hell. His abode among them will not be shown him. He will be told that this is his abode to which God will finally raise him on the day resurrection."
We have only a glimpse of the happening immediately after death - the reward and the punishment in the grave but there are yet many secrets beyond our perception like Surah 32:17:
"No person knows what is kept hidden from them of joy as a reward for what they used to do."

Resurrection
What resurrection means can be gauged from the various names under which it is referred to in the Holy Quran. The resurrection refers to a general destruction and a great awakening. The Holy Quran gives some vivid revelations on this great event in the following verses, which are found in the chapter entitled "The Awakening".

  • "He (the sceptic) asks "When is the day of Resurrection' When the sight is dazzle, and the moon becomes dark, and sun and moon are united. On that day man will cry: "Where can I run away to?" "Alas! There is no place of refuge…some faces on that day will beam in brightness and beauty looking towards their Lord and some faces on that day will be sad and dismal knowing that there will bade to befall on them some great calamity. : -Surah 75:6-25.
  • And the book (of deeds) shall be put forward, then youwill see the guilty fearing or account of what is in it, and they will say, "Ah! Woe to us! What a book this is! It does not leave out a small(deed) or a great one, but records them all." - Surah 18:49
  • "And the measuring out that day will be just; then as for those whose measure of good deeds is heavy, they shall be successful. And as for those whose measure of good deeds is light, those it is that have made their souls suffer loss."
Thus this world could be likened to an examination hall where we are constantly being tested and the result will be shown immediately after death. And the basis of the test is our deeds. And how does God weigh our deeds? Through the intention behind the deeds. I have touched on life immediately after death in the grave and the resurrection when our deeds on earth will be put on the 'balance' and a just reward will await us. According to a Hadith transmitted by Bukhari the Holy Prophet said, "Allah says I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eyes has seen and no ear has heard, and what the mind of man has not conceived." "Furthermore, Ibn Abbas is reported to have said, "In Paradise there are no foods of this life except the names." The Resurrection brings a new life and a new order of things, a new heaven and a new earth. Our ideas of space and time on this earth cannot be applied to the next life. That also goes with man-woman relationship in the Hereafter. There is no sensuality now suggestion of procreation in Paradise. In fact on one can paint the exact picture of what the blessings in Heaven and the punishments in hell are as in Surah 32:17
No person know what delights of the eye are in store for them as a reward for their good deeds."
Dwellers of Paradise
Generally those whose good deeds outweigh the bad ones will have a place in Paradise. There are four classifications of people according to various spiritual experinces gained in this life, namely:-

  • the prophet who taught and led mankind; lovers of truth who upheld it with their person, influence and resources; and the witnesses who testified to the truth either by martydom, the tongue of the true preacher, the pen of the devoted scholar or the life of the man devoted to service; and good people who led ordinary lives but always in righteous way, these will be bestowed with the Grace of God and united in a beautiful fellowship thus a s in Surah 4:69:
  • "All who obey God and the Apostles are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of god - the prophets, the sincere, the witnesses and the righteous: and what a beautiful fellowship they make." and again:
  • The righteous will be amid gardens and fountains of clear flowing water. Their greetings will be 'Enter ye here in peace and security." And we shall remove from their hearts and lurking sence of injury. They will be brothers, joyfully facing each other. There no sense of weariness shall touch them, nor shall they ever be asked to leave. Surah 15:45-48
    Again, it is our deeds that decide our life in the Hereafter, The Holy Quran states in Surah 43;72-74:
  • This will be the garden or which you are made heirs for your good deeds in life. You shall have therein abundance of fruit, from which you shall have satisfaction." However, in Islam, the greatest sinner has the opportunity to redeem himself in this life by repetence, for God is Most Merciful and Oft-Forgiving and He promises in Surah 39:53-54:
  • "Says: O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of god: for God forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Turn ye to your Lord in repentence: bow to His will, before the penalry comes to you: after that ye shall not be helped …"
Life in Hell
When death overtakes sinner before they repent, they will become the citizens of Hell,

  • "And verily, Hell is the promised abode of them all! To it are seven gates: for each of these gates is a special class for sinners." Surah 15:43-44

Every man's Hell will take its shape according to his evil deeds ensuing from atheistic belief or polytheism, hypocrisy, base passion and evil practices, oppression of the innocent, sensuality and iniquity or vicious activities.
  • Jahim - intense heat produced by leaping flames of fire;
  • Saqar - the excessive heat melting everything;
  • Laza - sweeping flames of fire;
  • Jahannam - deep pit;
  • Hutama - that which crushes and grinds everythiung to powder;
  • Sa'ir - blasting fire; and
  • Hawiah - bottomless pit.

Like the heaven or paradise described in symbolic terms too is hell. A man's Hell is within his own heart as in Surah 104:4-9:
  • "He will surely be cast into the crushing fire; and what shall cause thee to understand what the crushing fire is ; It is the fire kindled by Allah which rises from the hearts verily rising over them like a vault on outstreched columns."
    What punishment awaits those who disbelieve in God and the sinners? Surah 22:19-22 states;
  • "Those who deny their Lord, for them will be cut out a garment of Fire and over their heads will be poured out boiling water. With it will be scalded what is within their bodies as well as their skins. In addition, there will be maces of iron to punish them. Every time they wish to get away from it all, they will forced back therein, and (it will be said unto them)"Taste you the penalty f burning!" As for their drink and food, the Holy Quran states:
  • "The tree of Zaqum. We have truly made it an ordeal to the wrong-doers. It is a tree that springs out of bottom of Hell-fire: Surely they will eat of it and fill their bellies with and then they will be given a mixture of boiling water to drink." Surah 37:62-67
    Several verses in the Quran state that sinners will have chains around their necks symbolic of those who were slaves of their lusts and those who were not capable of independent thinking. Some will be in scoarching wind and scalding water with no food except the filthy wash of their wounded bodies or thorns which will neither nourish them from hunger while some will be clothed in shirts of pich. The torment or punishment in hell is continuous. When any part of the body loses its sensitiveness, fresh skins will be substituted so that they will be constantly subject to pain. This is indicated inSurah 4:46:
  • "Those who reject Our signs. We shall soon cast them into the fire as often as their skins are roasted through. We shall change them for fresh skins so that they may taste the torments. For God is Mighty, Wise." Such is the contrast in life after death that we now see how important is every deed of ours in this world toward God and His creatures. While the promise of reward in Paradise persuades us to aspire towards a higher spiritual life, the punishment in Hell deters us from evil deeds and baser from of life. It is our deeds in this would that decide our abode in the next for;
  • "Every man's deed have We fastened on his own neck. On the Day of judgement We shall bring out for him a scroll which he will see spread open. Read your own record: only you, you alone on this day make out an account against you" Surah 17:13-14
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ISLAM IS FOR ALL MANKIND

In The Name of Allah
The Beneficient

The Merciful


Islam has a combination of various meanings:
  • Peace
  • Submission
  • Surrender
  • Obedience
  • Acceptance
  • Purity
  • Commitment
Islam is to commit one's self totally to God, making one's will subservient to and in complete harmony with the will of God. In simple words, a Muslim is one who does not disobey HIM in word or action. In Arabic, God is called Allah, which is also His Proper name. Continuity of Message
God
has sent his teaching to our world through his messengers at different periods in our history. He gave to:
  • David (Daud), Zabur (the Psalms)
  • Moses (Musa),T aurat (the Hebrew Scriptures)
  • Jesus (Isa), Injil (Parts of The new Testaments)
Some centuries later God gave His final Teaching, in the Holy Quran through His last Messenger, Muhammad, to be guide to all people until end of the world.
The Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca in the year 571 in the Christian era, and died and was buried in Medina in the year 632 A.D. Those who accept this final revelation are known as MUSLIMS.
Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all Prophets.
God said:
Say, (O Muhammad) we believe in God, and in the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes. We believe the revelation that was sent to Moses, Jesus and all other prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between them and to HIM we surrender. (Quran 3:83)
All of them called humanity to the way of the Lord, the way of submission to God. All of them gave the same cause: ISLAM.
The message which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is ISLAM in its comprehensive, complete and final form.

Articles of Faith
Islamic life is based on two solid foundations:

  • belief and
  • action

Belief without action is of no use, nor is action without belief of any value. Both must go together and remain together. There are six fundamental beliefs which form the basis of Islamic faith.

  • The oneness of GOD (Tawhid)
  • Angels
  • Holy Books(Zabur - the Psalms, Taurat - the Hebrew scriptures, Injil - The New Testament and Quran)
  • Prophethood(Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, Solomon, Muhammad, to mention only a few)
  • Life After Death
  • Predestination
Pillars of Islam
A man who has consciously accepted these beliefs is expected to follow them by actions which will complete his ISLAM. There are five pillars of Islam.
  • To make declaration of faith which consists of the following words: proclaim that here is no other God but Allah, and I proclaim that Muhammad is His Messenger"
  • To pray to Allah five times a day.
  • Zakat - To pay a small part of his or her income as a religious duty and purifying sum to be spent on poorer sections of the community.
  • Fasting between dawn and sunset during the month of Ramadhan.
  • To go on Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a life time, if one can afford it financially and physically.

Besides these pillars every action which is done with the awareness that it fulfills the will of Allah is also considered an action of worship.
Islam enjoins faith in the Oneness and Sovereignty of Allah, which makes man aware of the meaningfulness of the Universe and of his place in it. This belief free him from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of the presence of the Almighty Allah and on man's obligations towards HIM. This faith must be expressed and tested in action. Faith alone is not enough. Belief in one God requires that we look upon all humanity as one family under the universal Omnipotence of God - the Creator and Nourisher of all. Islam rejects the idea of a chosen people, making faith in God and good action the only way to heaven. Thus, a direct relationship is established with God without any intercessor.
Islam Is A Way Of Life
Islam provides definite guidelines for all peoples to follow in all walks of life. The guidance it gives is comprehensive and includes the social, economic, political, moral and spiritual aspects of life. The Qu'ran reminds man of the purpose of his life on earth, of his duties and obligations towards himself, his kith and kin, his community, his fellow human beings and his creator. Man is given fundamental guidelines about a purposeful life and then he is left with the challenge of human existence before him so that he might put these high ideals into practice. In Islam, man's life is a wholesome, inter-grated unit and not a collection of fragmented, competitive parts. The sacred and secular are not separate parts of man: they are united in the nature of being human.

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Meaning of Islam

Islam means to submit freely to The Commandments and Will of The One and Only God (Allah). This submission should come from within, from sound belief in and conviction to Allah, with no doubt. It should also come from love, trust, and affection.
Allah is not a special god for Muslims, but Allah is The Creator of all creatures, including mankind.
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace on him) is the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace on him) received The Word of Allah (revelation), through the archangel Gabriel (The Holy Spirit). This revelation comprises the Religion of Islam.
The Qur'an is the authentic collection of this revelation recorded in book form. It is the exact, unchanged Word of Allah to all mankind.
A Muslim is any male or female person who believes in Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (Peace on him) as His Messenger who then testifies to that belief to witnesses announcing his/her acceptance of Islam as his/her religion. "Muslim' should not be confused with "Arab"; A Muslim is a person who follows the religion of Islam and s/he can be of any race while Arab refers to a race of people. An Arab can choose to be of any religion or belief system be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, atheism, or any faith. Arabs make up less than 18% of the Muslim population of the world today, which is estimated to be over one-fifth of the world's population, or more than a billion people.
Islam is a simple and practical religion. It has established, clear, and easily understandable beliefs and laws that any follower or student of the religion can easily understand. Islam affirms belief in a decent, civilized society. Islam also does not demand impossible goodness of its followers, but it recognizes that all human beings make mistakes and sin. No one is exempt. Islam preaches peace, mercy, justice, tolerance, equality, love, truth, forgiveness, patience, morality, sincerity and righteousness. Islam is the religion that preaches the Oneness of God, the Oneness of mankind and the Oneness of the Message.
Islam is the religion that preaches the Oneness of God, the Oneness of mankind and the Oneness of the Message.



Basic Beliefs in Islam

Oneness of God: "Tawheed"
Muslims believe that there is ONLY One supreme God (Allah). In Islam to believe in Allah is not only to believe in Allah's existence but also to believe in all Allah's attributions, to worship Allah alone, and to obey all Allah's commands. Tawheed includes the oneness of the Lordship, oneness of Worship and oneness of Names and Attributes:

A) Oneness of Lordship: To believe that Allah is The ONLY Creator, Provider, and The Commander.
B) Oneness of Worship: To believe that Allah is the ONLY God who should be worshipped, and obeyed as Allah prescribed.
C) Oneness of Allah's Names and Attributes: To believe that Allah Is Perfect and His Names and Attributes are Perfect according to what Allah tells us about Himself in the Quran, believing that those Names and Attributes, in their perfection, belong only to Allah.
◊ Muslims believe that NO one shares Allah's divinity that is neither angel nor human. Allah says: "And Allah makes none to share in His decision and His rule." (Holy Quran 18:26)
◊ Muslims do not believe that Allah sleeps, gets tired, or dies. Those attributes are only for Allah's creatures. Allah has neither Weakness nor Weariness.
◊ Muslims do not believe that human beings are created in the image of Allah.
◊ Muslims believe that there is no intermediary who will take any one nearer to Allah or plead on anyone's behalf. They believe that any individual can directly supplicate to Allah and ask for anything he/she wants. 

Oneness of Mankind

◊ People are created equal in the sight of Allah. There is no superiority of one over another for any reason except piety and righteousness. Muslims are required to respect the dignity of mankind, regardless of religion, race, nationality, or place of birth, all of mankind are honored.
◊ People are not to be judged on factors that they had no choice over, such as gender, color, size, race, health, etc. Islam teaches that human diversity is a sign of the richness of Allah's mercy and the beauty of His creation. Prophet Muhammad said: "Surely Allah does not look at your faces or your bodies, but looks at your hearts and your deeds".
◊ In Islam there are no priests, priesthood or holy men, and no one has special access to sacraments, there are however, scholars who are knowledgeable of Islam, and their duty is to truthfully explain Islam to others. THEY ARE JUST ADVISORS.
◊ Islam teaches people to be moderate in their life. Muslims should not give up totally this life for the hearafter, nor give up the work for the hearafter totally for this life only. 

Oneness of The Message

Muslims believe that Allah Sent Messengers to each nation hroughout the history of humankind. Messengers came with the same message: to worship the One Supreme God and to obey His Commands.
Innocence of mankind at Birth. Muslims believe that people are born free of any sin and bear no responsibility for other's faults and sins. It is only after they reach the age of puberty, and they knowingly commit sins that they will be held responsible for their actions in this life and the hearafter.
There is no original sin in Islam. Muslims believe that both Adam and Eve were equally tempted, both sinned, and were both responsible for disobedying Allah. Both were remorseful and repented, and Allah forgave both of them.
Muslims believe that no soul is responsible for the sins and faults of others, even if they are their parents, children, wives or husbands.
Muslims believe that forgiveness is always available through repentance. Muslims pray for repentance directly to Allah, without any intermediary.
Salvation in Islam is only through belief and practice. both go together, side-by-side, to be granted salvation. 




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Pillars of Islam

There are five pillars of Islam:
1. Shahada (Testify)
2. Salah (Prayer)
3. Seyam (Fasting)
4. Zakat (Charity)
5. Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Shahada (Creed)
The verbal commitment and pledge that there is no deity but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

Salah (Mandatory Worship [Prayer])
It is the duty of every Muslim, male and female, after reaching the age of puberty, to perform five Salats (Prayers) at specific times during the day and night. These five specific times are: - Dawn, Noon, Afternoon, Sunset, and Night. A ritual called Wudu (Cleaning several parts of die body with water) is a prerequisite to Salat.

Rak'a
The above picture is one "rak'a", i.e, one set of standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. Each Salah consists of several Rak'a. Muslims are strongly encouraged to pray in the masjid, but if that is beyond their ability, they can pray anywhere that is clean; Muslims do not make Salah in a bathroom.
Siyam (Fasting)
Fasting during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the lunar calendar) is from sun up to sun down only and is an obligation on every adult healthy Muslim, male or female. Fasting is total abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, gum chewing, intimate relations, and taking anything into the body. If a person is ill and needs to take medication, s/he cannot fast. Fasting is also a time to discipline one's self from bad behaviors, such as, arguing, arguing, and saying mean things. Those who are ill or unable to fast for health or reasons of age are exempt from fasting. However, they should feel the poor one meal for every day they miss of fasting. Women who are pregnant, menstruating, or nursing, or any who are traveling, are also exempt from fasting. However, when their situation changes, they make up the days of fasting or feed the poor one meal for each day of fasting they missed.

Zakah (Charity)
Zakat is an annual obligatory charity on every Muslim, male or female, who possesses over the last year money or property that exceeds their minimum needs. The requirement is 2.5% of one's excess wealth. It is also called a tax because it supports the government workers who are not free to make money elsewhere.

Hajj (Pilgrimage)
The performance of the pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia is required once in a lifetime of every Muslim, if financially able, as well as physically able. Hajj begins every year during the month of Dul Hejja; Dul Hejja is the 12th month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar year. The Hajj is a spiritual journey where a Muslim forgets all worldly things and devotes his\her attention and time to Allah alone.
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Pillars of Faith

In Islam, there are six pillars of faith: Belief in Allah, His angels, His books to mankind, His Prophets and Messengers, the Day of Judgment, and Destiny.
1. Belief in God (Allah)
Islam teaches that there is one Unique God (Allah) who should be worshipped and obeyed.

2. Belief in Mala-eka (Angels)
Muslims believe that Allah created unseen creatures such as Angels. Muslims believe in their existence, their names, their tasks, and descriptions as explained in the Quran and in the Sunnah (Teachings of the Prophet).

3. Belief in the Books of Allah
Muslims believe that Allah from time to time revealed books to mankind through his Prophets. These books originated from the same divine source; they are all divine revelations. Muslims believe in the original text of these books when they were revealed. The five prominent divine books are: 1) Abraham's Scrolls; 2) Zabur (Psalms) revealed to Prophet David; 3) Tawrah (Torah) revealed to Prophet Moses; 4) Injil (Gospel) revealed to Prophet Jesus; 5) Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad.

4. Belief in the Prophets of Allah
Muslims believe that Allah sent Prophets to all mankind as messengers for their guidance. Muslims believe in their existence, their names, and their messages, as Allah and His Prophet informed about them. Prophets are void of divinity because divinity is exclusive only to Allah (God) the Almighty. They are all righteous, truthful, and pious men chosen by Allah to be models to all mankind, both their words and deeds being in accordance with the divine commandments.

5. Belief in Yawm al-Qiyama (Day of Judgement)
Muslims believe that the life of this world and all that is in it will come to an end on one appointed day, when everything will be annihilated. This day will resurrect all the dead; Allah will judge with perfect justice each person individually according to his good or bad actions that he did during his life, and every victim will have his/ her rights. Allah will reward those who lead a righteous life and did good deeds by sending them to Paradise (Jannah). Allah forgives whom He pleases of those who disobeyed His Command, or punish them in the Hellfire (Jahannam).

6. Qada wal-Qada (Destiny, Divine Decree)
Muslims believe that since the whole universe is entirely under the direction and control of Allah, then everything that is or that happens in this universe, from the smallest to the greatest event is governed by Allah. Muslims put their trust in Allah only they are required, however, to make a sincere effort to strive and do their best, and not simply sit back and let things take their course in blind resignation. Such belief gives a person a tremendous degree of inner certainty, confidence and peace of heart, especially in the face of afflictions. Moreover, he lives with the assurance that whatever is to come to any individual, including death, cannot fail to come at its appointed time. 


• The Islamic Shariah (Laws of Islam)
Shariah is the divine code of practice which guides a Muslim I all affairs of his/her life, it is divided into two categories: Ebadat (system of worship), and Muamalat (system of dealing). The main source that governs all the laws of Islam is Allah through two channels; the first is the Quran, the book of Allah, and the second is the Sunnah, which is the authentic recording of the sayings, traditions of the Prophet and whatever his companion said or did to which he showed no objection.
• The Lawful and the Unlawful in Islam
The basic rule governing the issue of the lawful and the unlawful is that things are lawful unless one of the sources of the Islamic laws specifies that they are unlawful. In Islam it is prohibited to drink alcohol, use drugs, use interest, and all immoral conducts. It is also prohibited to eat the meat of pork, predators (animals and birds) and all dead animals.
• War
War is not an objective of Islam nor is it the normal course of Muslims; it is only the last resort and is used under the most extraordinary circumstances, when all other attempts at just and peaceful solutions to the dispute fail. In Islam, every being is entitled to enjoy a free and peaceful life, regardless of religious, geographical or racial considerations. If non-Muslims are living peacefully or even indifferently with the Muslims, there can be no grounds or justification to declare war on them or to begin hostilities, embark on any act of aggression, or violate their rights.
• Jihad
In Islam Jihad does not mean "Holy war". And is not a declaration of war against other religions and certainly not against Christians and Jews, as some people want it to be perceived. Jihad literally means "striving, struggling or exerting more effort than usual for the betterment of one's elf and the community at large." It has an internal, societal and combative dimension.
- The internal dimension of Jihad encompasses the struggle against the evil inclinations of the self; it involves every Muslim's earnest, moral efforts to resist all internal or external inclination towards sin of all kinds. This includes the struggle to overcome problems, difficulties, tasks, and temptations.
- The social dimension includes struggling against social injustice and creating a communal identity based on charity, respect and equality. Also it takes the form of calling people with the community to enjoin good and forbid evil.
- Finally, the combative aspect of jihad is in the form of a just war to be used against aggression or to fight forces of tyranny and evil oppression, and, even then, to observe the strict limits of conduct prescribed by Islam that preserves the life of innocents and the sanctity of the environment.
- Islam rejects all forms of terrorism, extremism, fanatism and fundamentalism. The religion of Islam guarantees the sanctity of life (the life of a non-Muslim is considered as sacred as that of a Muslim), honor, property, and freedom to embrace and practice any religion they freely choose, and all other conducts as long as those conducts do not hurt others. To terrorize people or spread fear in any society or hurt others; all are considered major sins in Islam; Allah prescribed severe punishments for those who are involved in such actions.
• Women in Islam
Islam looks at the woman as an equal, mature and capable partner of a man, without whom a family cannot exist and teaches that men and women are all the creation of Allah, existing on a level of equal worth and value.
In some societies women are treated according to ancestral customs and tribal tradition, but in Islam they are treated with full respect and honor. Islam preserves women's honor and dignity, and requires that she must be treated with respect and honor. Her femininity should not be exploited in any way, rather she is to be regarded and treated as human individual whose sexuality does not enter into her relationship with any person other than her husband.
In Islam marriage cannot take place unless the female freely agrees to it and a dowry is given to her. Islam puts priorities for the husbands and wives. The responsibility for providing for the family is on the husband, while the responsibility to care for the house and raising the children is on the wife. These are the main priorities, but cooperation between the husband and the wife is required and highly recommended.
• Dress
For both males and females, Islam requires that they wear proper, decent, modest, and clean clothes.
Muslim women also are instructed by Allah in the Quran to wear as a minimum Hijab (head covering). At home, with her immediate family like her husband children, brothers, uncles, grandfathers and other males (family members who are forbidden to them to marry her), and with other women, a Muslim woman may take her outer garments off, and be free to beautify herself as she wants. Unlawful clothing and adornment:
-Tight clothing, transparent clothing, clothes that expose those parts of the body which are sexually attractive, extravagant clothes, swim suits, makeup or perfume in public, wigs and hairpieces, gold and silk prohibited to Men only, but lawful for Women.
Generally in Islam, women's beauty and sexual attributes are not for public display.
• Traditions Interfering with Islam
The adherence to Islam (as with other religions) varies with the strength of the beliefs of the people. Sometimes culture and traditions interfere with religion, or even overshadow the religion. Some people claim that something in their culture or tradition is part of the religion, when it is not. Or do things that have no justification in Islam and are prohibited; yet that gets portrayed by others as the tenets of the religion of Islam.
Also the beliefs and practices of Muslims should not be judged according to the beliefs and the laws of other religions since some lawful practices of one religion can be portrayed by other religion as unlawful or even wrong.
Sometimes a conduct of certain people can be offensive to others and vice versa in spite of the fact that this conduct is not meant to offend others. For example Islam commands Muslims to lower their eyes when they are talking to people out of respect and honor for the others. This can be offending to other cultures where eye contact is very important when communication.
To live in peace and harmony in this world, one should realize that people were created differently and vary in the colors of their skin, their languages, and in their religions, cultures, and traditions. Some people may be different, but it does not mean that they are bad or evil.
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Love in Islam


Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem
Praise be to Allah. We bear witness that there is only one god who has no partners beside Him, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
Praise be to Allah who blessed us with the guidance of His prophets and messengers. Praise be to Allah whose Mercy encompasses everything. Praise be to Allah who knows our needs and answers our calls and brings peace to our hearts.
Praise be to Allah who breathed into us of His Spirit and placed the light of His guidance in our inmost being. Whomever Allah guides, no one can misguide, and whomever Allah misguides, no one can guide. We put our trust in Allah and seek His forgiveness, aid, and support.
A man once came to the Prophet (puh) and asked him about the hereafter. The Prophet asked him, “And what have you prepared for that time?” The man replied, “Nothing, except that I love Allah and I love you.” The Prophet (puh) answered him, “You are with the ones you love.”
Dear brothers and sisters, the guidance of Islam is the guidance of love. The innate, natural and ancient religion that is Islam is the religion of love. The Prophet (puh) came to guide us to love and to make clear the love that is at the core of all religion. Our purpose as human beings is to consciously manifest Allah’s love in our lives. This is the most significant meaning of Khilafa and Ibada that can bring purpose to us and transform our lives. When we reflect upon the history of the Prophet (puh) and the spread of his message we will realize that Islam could not have taken root in the world without the love that filled the heart of the Prophet and was clearly manifest in his way of relating and interacting with people that brought out their own deep and profound love for him. Without this mutual and abiding love, none of us would be here today. Without this love Islam would not have been possible.
Today, it seems that we too often hear and read much that is harsh and heartless about Islam and not enough that is loving and beautiful. There seems to be too many messages of prejudice, literalism, legalism, violence, and oppression. The superficiality, ugliness and darkness that is too prevalent in today’s Islamic discourse is nothing like what the Prophet brought us.
I would like to share with you part of the first sermon ever given by the Prophet (puh) in Medina. This is what he had to say to his companions,
Verily, the best discourse is the Book of Allah. One is truly successful whose heart Allah has adorned with the love of His Book, and whom, after living in denial, Allah has caused to enter into submission to Him, and caused him to prefer His Book above any human discourse. The Book of Allah is the most beautiful and eloquent of discourses.
Love that which Allah loves! Love Allah with all your hearts! Grow not weary of hearing the Word of Allah. Do not stop remembering Him. Do not let your hearts grow hard toward Him. For verily, Allah has preferred His Book above all of Creation. Indeed, Allah has endowed it with guidance to the best of deeds, and made it an example for the elect of His servants, and filled it with righteous discourse, and has made clear in it what is lawful and unlawful for you.
So, serve Allah alone, and associate with Him no other. Be ever conscious of Him. Be truthful to Allah in what you utter from your mouths. Let the Spirit of Allah be the source of love between you.
Can you hear the love in his words? Can you hear his urgent call to our hearts? Can you sense the profound purpose in his teaching?
Love is so central to Islam that without it there can be no real faith. The Quran tells us clearly what following the Prophet is about,
3:31 Say, if you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you greatly and forgive your sins for Allah is forgiving and merciful.
And even more decisively it says to the people of faith that,
5:54 O you who have faith whoever among you turns back from his religion Allah will surely bring forth a people He loves and who love Him who are humble before the faithful and exalted before the deniers. They strive in the way of Allah and fear no blame from any blamers. This is the favor of Allah, He bestows it on whomever He wills. For Allah is all-encompassing, all-knowing!
In these two tremendous verses we can understand some remarkable things. We can understand that faith and faithfulness are defined as love between God and the people of faith. A Mu’min is one who is deeply and profoundly in love with God. It is this love that motivates us to strive, to seek, to turn back to Allah, to give up our worldly attachments and return to our Rabb. It is this love that gives us the power and strength to face the various trials of our faith throughout our lives. It is this love that teaches us humility, compassion, trust, obedience and honesty. It is this love that enables us to sacrifice, to give of ourselves and of our possessions for the sake of God. It is this love that opens us to submission, to Islam. We can also understand that this relationship of love is a special, precious gift bestowed by God upon us. Without His will and generosity we would be heedless of His love in our hearts. We can also understand that the abandoning of religion in the context of this Ayah is to turn away from love because the consequence of this abandonment is that God promises to replace us with people who have this relationship of love with Him. And we can understand that the way to God’s love is to follow the Prophet (puh), to be in his footsteps, to strive to be like him and in this striving our love is made greater and greater by God.
In a Sacred Tradition Allah says,
I was a hidden treasure and I loved to be known so I created heaven and earth that I may be known.
One of Allah’s names, one of His attributes, is Al Wajid. This word has several meanings among them is to bring into existence. It also has the meaning of intense, existential love. Reflecting upon this divine name, we can see that there is a relationship between love and creation. And reflecting upon the sacred tradition we can see that God’s love to be known is the primary reason for creation. In this way we can come to a truly profound insight; Allah’s love is the very cause of existence. We are alive today because of His love, the whole Universe is here because of His love.
The relationship of love between us and Allah, between us and others, and between us and all of creation is essential to reaching our full potential as human beings. When we nourish our hearts with love, when we manifest Allah’s love in our lives; with our families, with our friends, in our work, in our prayers, in everything that we do, the entire meaning of life changes for us and our own experience of our humanness is transformed; we become adorned with the beautiful characteristics of the Prophet.
This is the meaning of following in the footsteps of the Prophet (puh); we follow him by adorning ourselves with the qualities of his noble character. We follow him by striving to become like him in our humanness, in our quality of relationships, in our conduct in society, in our service to humanity.
The noble character of the Prophet (puh) has been best explained by his cousin, Jaffar Ibn Abu Talib, when he was asked by the King of Abbysinia to explain his religion. Jaffar replied:
We were a people lost in ignorance. We worshipped idols, we back-stabbed one another in gossip, we committed sins without shame, we severed the bonds of mercy among us, and we were unkind neighbors. The strong among us devoured the weak. Thus we were until Allah sent to us a messenger from among ourselves, well-known to us in his nobility, honesty, trustworthiness, and tenderness. He called us to unity and to devoting our worship to Allah alone and to removing the idols from our hearts. He commanded us to be truthful when we spoke, and to fulfill our trust, and to preserve the bonds of mercy among us, and to be kind neighbors, and to desist from violating what is sacred. He called us to turn back from our sins, and from falsehood, and from devouring the wealth of orphans, and from defaming honorable women. So we believed in him and in his message and we followed what he received from his Lord.
Brothers and sisters, the Sunnah of the Prophet is about the kind of character that manifests God’s love in existence. His Sunnah is that which ennobles us, that which transforms us into better human beings. It’s about becoming kind and tender human beings who are deeply and profoundly in love with God.
The Prophet’s love, awe, and longing for Allah comes through with overwhelming clarity when we reflect upon his prayers. Here is just one example:
O my God, make me love You, make me love those who love You, make me love all things that bring me closer to loving You. O my God, make me love You, and Your angels, and Your prophets, and all of Your creation. O my God, make my love for You dearer to me than myself, and my family, and my wealth, and my children, and from cool, pure water to the thirsty.
May Allah bless us with His love, and the love of those who love Him. May Allah fill our hearts with love. Allah bless Prophet Muhammad, his family, and companions. Peace be with you and Allah’s mercy.

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem
Praise is to Allah the Merciful, and the Compassionate. I bear witness that there is only one God and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Prophet. Peace and blessing upon him, his family and companions. We bear witness that he fulfilled his mission and delivered his trust and made the path of surrender clear to us.
In the Quran it says,
2:165 Among people there are those who take others as equal besides Allah. They love them as they would love Allah. But those who have faith love Allah more than anything else.
You remember in the first part of this Khutba that the Prophet (puh) told the man who came to him, “You are with those you love.” The Prophet wasn’t just being nice to this man, he was teaching him and us something very important. He was making clear that love is the ultimate test of our worthiness as human beings. And he was giving us a way to understand about our own love. To know what it is that we really love.
We are with what we love. Whatever we love is what is closest to us. What is most often thought of and remembered by us, what is most sought by us, that’s what we love. So, what is it that we remember the most? What occupies our attention the most? What do we wish for the most? Let us be honest with ourselves, do we think of Allah most of the time? Or are we thinking of other things most of the time. Where is our attention? Is it on God or is it on the countless other things that occupy us and distract us from our real purpose?
If we can examine ourselves honestly and know what we love then we have taken a major step forward. If we find that what we love is Allah then we are blessed with a great gift for which all praise is due to Allah. But if what we love is other than Allah, then at least we know and we have the opportunity to seek to change what is in our hearts.
A reliable test of how true our love is for Allah is to see how much we are able to serve others and to give of ourselves generously and openly for Allah’s sake. This is one of the most important truths: The quality of our faith is reflected in our intention, attitudes, and behavior.
How do we do this? How do we clear our hearts of our love and attachment for all these things that are other than Allah? How do we get rid of our pre-occupation with all the other captivating distractions that compete for our attention? How do we become among those who love Allah more than anything else ? We can find the answer in the Quran and the way of our Prophet (puh) and it is the remembrance of God because it is in the constant remembrance of God that our hearts can find stillness and intimacy can develop. As we are guided in the Quran:
13:28 It is through remembrance of God that hearts find rest.
In the Quran Allah promises us,
2:152 Remember Me, I shall remember you.
Our remembrance of Allah is His remembrance of us. Our call to Him is His answer to us. Remembrance is the way of intimacy with Allah.
In a Sacred Tradition, Allah says, “I am as my worshipper thinks I am. I am with him when he remembers Me if he seeks closeness to Me by as little as an inch, I come closer to him by a yard. And if he seeks closeness to Me by a yard, I come closer to him by a mile. And if he comes to Me walking, I come to him running.”
In another Sacred Tradition Allah says, “My worshipper can get close to me with nothing better than what I have made obligatory. And as he continues to get closer with selfless acts of giving I love him. And when I love him, I become his hearing, his sight, his hands, and his feet. And whatever he asks of Me, I shall give him and whatever aid he seeks of Me, I shall aid him.”
So, Allah’s grace multiplies with our sincere efforts and honest intention to come closer to Him. Whatever we give to Him comes back manifold to us. In this way, little by little, our love for Allah grows and develops and it transforms us into loving, noble human beings.
We get close to Allah by serving Him, by being for His sake, by learning to make our intentions purely for Him, by learning to become a little less selfish and a lot more giving.
The Prophet (puh) once told his dear companion, Muazh Ibn Jabal, “Muazh, I do love you!” Muazh replied, “And I love you, Messenger of Allah, more dearly than my own father and mother!” The Prophet then instructed Muazh, “Do not end a prayer without asking Allah to help you remember Him, to be thankful to Him, and to serve Him in the best of ways.”
As we continue to live our lives in remembrance of Allah our capacity for love will grow, our hearts will expand and we will reach our full human potential inshallah.
The intimacy and love that develops in us with our remembrance and other selfless acts of service is a mystery and a wonder.
Allah says in a Sacred Tradition, “I have prepared for my righteous servants what no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor been imagined by any human heart.”
May Allah bless us with His merciful guidance to His straight path. May He bless us with His love. Allah we seek refuge in You from hearts that are not humble, and egos that are never satisfied, and eyes that do not weep, and prayers that are not answered, and works that are not elevated.
Allah, bless us with wholesome hearts, grateful tongues, and obedient bodies. Do not let us forget You. Do not deny us loving You. Allah, preserve us and protect us. Be merciful with us. Increase our blessings and support us. O You who has ability over all things.
Allah, bless Your beloved servant, and the light of our hearts, our master and friend Muhammad, the noble and pure Prophet and bless his family, companions, and followers. May we become his companions in this world and in the other world, and peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
Rise to prayer that Allah may have mercy on us all.
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