Status of Neighbor in Islam

Islam came to refine and raise feelings to maintain harmony and love among the members of society. Doing this, Islam pointed out a package of rights some of which are general and others are specific. The Status of Neighbor in Islam is very strong.

The general rights involve all categories whether Muslims or the Dhimmis who are the non-Muslims who had the privilege to be under the protection of Islamic rule and who live among us or the states with which we had covenants and agreements. Some of these rights are illustrated in the Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) which was narrated by Abu Huraira “Five are the rights of a Muslim over his brother: responding to salutation, visiting the sick, following the bier, accepting his invitation to a feast and saying, Yarhamuk Allah, when anybody sneezes and says alhamdulillah”

Some of these rights are also displayed in what was narrated by Al Barra Ibn Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, when he said: “the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) ordered us to observe seven things and to avoid seven things. He ordered us to follow the funeral procession, to visit the sick, to accept invitations, to support the oppressed, to help others to fulfill their oaths, to respond to salutation and saying, Yarhamuk Allah, when anybody sneezes and says alhamdulillah”. In addition to some other rights aimed at being kind to people and avoid harming them.

Specific rights are those involving a particular category of people. The rights of the neighbor come within this concept. A neighbor is everyone whose house is adjacent to you up to forty houses far away from your house in all directions. Narrated Ibn Shihab that the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: a neighbor is up to forty houses away from one's house. It was said to Ibn Shihab, and how is that? He said “forty on the right, forty on the left, forty on the back and forty in front of him.

All Ulama stated that is the word (Neighbor) covers both Muslims and Kafirs, the religious and irreligious, friends and enemies, foreigners and fellow-countrymen, those who treat you well and those who would do you harm, relatives and strangers, those whose house is nearer to yours and those who are further away.

Shari ‘ah ordered to do good to neighbors, and observe the rights of Non- Muslims who live near Muslims. Thus, it represents an ideal approach in dealing tolerantly with other religions. It also acts as a vehicle to entice Kaffirs to embrace this tolerant religion...

Those deserving such an attention are those who do not harm Muslims nor harbor enmity against them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) set a good example in good treatment with his non-Muslim neighbors. Al Bukhari in his Sahih narrated on the authority of Anas Ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: A Jewish boy, who used to serve the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) once fell ill. The Messenger of Allah visited him and sat near his head and said to him: Embrace Islam. The boy looked at his father who was there. The father said to his son: obey the father of Al Qassim (who is the Messenger of Allah peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). The Prophet went out saying: praise be to Allah Who saved him from the Hell Fire.

To know what is obligatory regarding the rights of neighbor to gain Allah’s pleasure, it becomes mandatory to mention a number of noble qualities with which neighbor need to be treated. The Messenger of Allah pointed them out singularly at times and attached them to others at other times. Some of them are as follows:

• A person should allow his neighbor to stick his wooden posts on his wall.
• A person should give his neighbors form his food if they saw or smell it. And should satisfy their hunger if he knows that and could afford it so that they do not get harmed by seeing their neighbor live better than them.
• Has to accept his invitation. If his two neighbors invite him, he should accept the invitation of the closest to him, and if one of them invites him before the other, he has to accept the invitation offered by the first one.
• The Giving gift to the closest neighbor, in conformity with the saying of the Messenger of Allah to ‘Ayisha when she asked him: O Messenger of Allah, I have two neighbors, to whom I have to give a gift? He answered: to the one who is closer to you.
• Offering help to him when he seeks his help.
• Lending him when he asks him for a loan.
• helping him if he becomes in need.
• Visiting him if he fells ill.
• congratulating him on good occasions.
• Offering condolences to him if he is afflicted by a calamity.
• Following his funeral procession when he demises.
• Avoid constructing tall buildings near hid neighbor so as not to obstruct air from him unless his consent is obtained.
• Avoid hurting him with the smell of his food without giving him of it.
• If he buys fruits, let him give his neighbor out of it, otherwise, he should do that secretly and his son should not take it outside to irritate his son.

There are many other rights which may be learned from the general texts of the Quran and Sunnah.

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source: islamicstudies.islammessage.com

The spirit of volunteering

To be an upright and productive Muslim, there is more we must do than listening to lectures, attending seminars, and going to the masjid. A Muslim must have a positive impact on his/her community.

Volunteerism is not a new concept in Islam.

We can start our discussion by examining the word ‘volunteering’ as used in the Holy Qur’an, referring to the voluntary or supererogatory acts of worship.

“And whoever volunteers well [i.e. excess] – it is better for him” (Holy Qur’an 2:184)

“And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allah is Appreciative and Knowing.” (Holy Qur’an 2: 158)

Every Muslim will be rewarded for fulfilling their obligatory acts of worship, such as fasting Ramadan. In fact, it is forbidden to abandon the obligatory acts of worship; fasting Ramadan, praying 5 times a day, and paying the zakat. However, when Muslims take an extra step to perform voluntary fasts, such as fasting every Monday and Thursday or fasting the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah, their rewards are bountifully multiplied. Allah loves to see His faithful servants performing voluntary acts of worship.

In an authentic Hadith, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Allah says: ‘My slave does not draw closer to Me by anything more beloved to Me than that which I have made obligatory upon him, and My slave continues to draw closer to Me by doing nawafil (supererogatory or voluntary) deeds until I love him, and if I love him I will be his hearing with which he hears, his vision with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. If he were to ask of Me, I would surely give to him; if he were to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.’” (Al-Bukhari)

Allah loves to see the believers doing more and above what is commanded upon them. That includes volunteering your time, money, skills, and efforts to serve your community.

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an, “So race to [all that is] good.” (Holy Qur’an 2:148)

Try to be the best, and to be the first one to do good and to help others. Be proactive.

Allah says in the following verse, “O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good – that you may succeed.” (Holy Qur’an 22:77)

Islam teaches us to spread goodness.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to the people.” (Al-Mu`jam Al-Awsat)

This is a wide gate open for us to earn immense rewards from Allah. Muslims before us in history understood the value of giving, of serving others, and expending themselves and their wealth for the benefit of their communities.

It was a common practice of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to rally the Muslims in Madinah to work together to support a noble cause, to help the poor, and to donate generously. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked the wealthy Muslims to give to the people of As-Suffah, the poorest of Al-Madinah. Upon his initial arrival in Madinah after his migration, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked the Muslims for donations to build the masjid.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) constantly inspired his companions to develop a spirit of giving and helping.

He (peace be upon him) said, “The most beloved deed to Allah is to make a Muslim happy, or to remove one of his troubles, or to forgive his debt, or to feed his hunger. That I walk with a brother regarding a need is more beloved to me than that I seclude myself in this mosque in Al-Madinah for a month. Whoever walks with his brother regarding a need until he secures it for him, then Allah the Exalted will make his footing firm across the bridge on the day when the footings are shaken.” (Al-Mu`jam Al-Awsat)

There are many brothers and sisters who need the help and support of the Muslim community. Some people living in our community have no family or alternate support network, and they need us to be by their side.

Another act of goodness that many of us may be unaware of is to help make peace between people, to reconcile between quarreling people in the community, or to help family members resolve their disputes, or bring reconciliation and forgiveness between a husband and wife.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked his companions, “Shall I not tell you something that is better than the status of (voluntary) fasting, prayer, and charity?” They said, “Yes.” He (peace be upon him) said, “Reconciling in a case of discord.” (At-Tirmidhi)

An integral part of your faith is to have good, harmonious relationships with your brothers and sisters in Islam.

“The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.” (Holy Qur’an 49:10)

I would like to conclude with a story. Many of us know this story but how many of us implement the lessons learned from this story?

It is the story of Umm Mihjan, a poor, black-skinned woman who had no place to stay, so she lived in the Masjid of Al-Madinah and she used to clean the masjid and look after its upkeep.

Aby Hurayrah reported, “A black woman used to clean the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) missed her and asked about her. He was told that she had died. He (peace be upon him) said, “Why did you not inform me?’” (It seemed as if) they (Companions) considered the matter insignificant. Then he (peace be upon him) said, “Show me her grave.’” When it was shown to him, he offered Janazah (funeral) prayer over it and said, “These graves cover those in them with darkness, and Allah illumines them for the inmates as a result of my supplication for them.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

As Muslims, we should look out for one another. We need to be active and we need to serve our communities.

Imam As-Suyuti commented that when you do something for the sake of Allah, you will receive the rewards and taste its pleasantness not only in the Hereafter but also in this life. This black woman who served her community by cleaning the masjid was honored by the Prophet of mercy; he visited her grave to pray for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for her.

Allah says in the Qur’an, “Is the reward for good [anything] but good?” (Holy Qur’an 55:60)

When you sow the seeds of goodness, you will reap goodness.

source: saudigazette.com.sa

Moderate Islam

Moderate Islam

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, pledged on 24th October 2017 that he will bring back the moderate Islam that has existed in the Middle East in the pre-1979 era.

The word ‘moderate’ Islam has caused huge hue and cry among Muslims across the globe because the Western media has misinterpreted the term ‘moderate Islam’, and this term has been widely misunderstood.

According to the Western media, moderate Islam means that a Muslim can drink alcohol, go to clubs, dance, and basically do whatever he/she wants, and at the same time claims to be a Muslim. In the Western media, a regular, peaceful practicing Muslim man who prays 5 times a day and grows a beard, or a regular Muslim woman who wears the hijab is looked at as an extremist.

The Western standards for extremism and moderation do not apply to our standards.

The Islamic traditional definitions of extremism and moderation have existed for long in the Islamic history. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explicitly warned Muslims against extremism and he called towards moderation.

Islam is indeed a moderate faith as it calls towards moderation in every aspect. For instance, monasticism is practiced in other faiths, but Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) prohibited his followers to practice it, as it deprives family and worldly rights of others.

Human rights activists in Madhya Pradesh protested against the couple who abandoned their 3-years old daughter and 100-crores property to attain Jain monasticism. Such extreme practices are prohibited in Islam.

Celibacy is seen as holy in some faiths, but it’s seen as deviation in Islam as it leads to corruption in the society.

While dealing with the status of Jesus Christ, Muslims stay moderate by calling Jesus Christ as one of the mightiest and most revered Prophets of Allah. Muslims do not degrade his position as Israelis do nor do they exaggerate it as some Christians do, claiming that Prophet Jesus is a God or son of God.

Coming back to Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s statement, he alluded to the extremist movements that are instigating violence and terrorism; it is these movements which he hopes to stamp out. They changed the course of thought processes in the Middle East through the advocacy towards revolutions, protests, coups, and overthrowing authorities, that has resulted in the loss of innocent lives and an absolute catastrophe in the Middle East.

In fact, Allah refers to the Muslim community as the ‘moderate’ and just community in the world.

(And thus we have made you a moderate community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.) – Quran 2:143

The Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) ordered his companions to never go near extremism.

It was narrated that Abu Al-Aliyah said: “Ibn Abbas said: “On the morning of Al-Aqabah, while he was on his mount, the Messenger of Allah said to me: “Pick up (some pebbles) for me.” So I picked up some pebbles for him that were the size of date stones or fingertips, and when I placed them in his hand he said: “Like these. And beware of going to extremes in religious matters, for those who came before you were destroyed because of going to extremes in religious matters.” (An-Nisai)

The companions of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) describe his actions and religiosity to be moderate.

Jabir ibn Samurah said, “I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and his prayer was of moderate length and his sermon was of moderate length.” (Sahih Muslim)

Abdullah ibn Amr reported, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me, “O Abdullah, I am told you fast all day and pray all night.” I said, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet said, “Do not do so. Fast and break your fast, pray in the night and sleep. Verily, your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, and your wife has a right over you. (Sahih Bukhari)

The above Hadith is an indication that the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught moderation and practicality in terms of worldly matters and religious actions.

The scholars have many explanations for what is meant by extremism and those who go to extreme. It may be summed up as overburdening oneself and being too strict in matters where strictness is inappropriate.

The scholar, Wahb ibn Munnabih, said, “Verily, everything has two ends and a middle. If you hold one of the ends, the other will be skewed. If you hold the middle, the two ends will be balanced. You must seek the middle ground in all things.”

Moderation in Islam means following the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Extremism means trying to do more than he did, and negligence means not reaching that level.

Scholars have aptly described moderation, extremism, and negligence with a befitting example:

Three men are faced with an immoral man. One of them says, “I will not greet this immoral man and I will boycott him, keep away from him and not speak to him.”

The second one says, “I will go with this immoral man, greet him and smile at him. I will invite him to my place and accept his invitation. He is just like any righteous man to me.”

The third one says, “I hate this immoral man for his immoral actions, but I love him for his faith. I will not boycott him unless doing so is in his best interests. If there is nothing to be gained by boycotting him, and if that will only increase him in his immorality, then I will not boycott him.”

We say that the first man is going to extremes, the second is negligent, and the third is moderate.

The same applies to all other acts of worship and dealings with others. People vary between extremism, negligence, and moderation.

Imam An-Nawawi said that going to extremes in worship leads to excessive hardship. Islam does not enjoin anything but that in which there is ease and tolerance. It forbids excessive strictness in religion.

The Mother of the Believers, the Prophet’s wife, A’isha, said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was never given the choice between two things but he would choose the easier of the two, so long as it was not a sin; if it was a sin he would be the furthest of the people from it. (Sahih Bukhari)

It is obvious and apparent that Islamic teachings have never been the source of extremism and terrorism; Islam calls towards mercy, tolerance, moderation, fairness, and justice. For this very reason, it won the hearts of millions of people in South-East Asia who accepted Islam through the passive call of Arab merchants and through observing their honest and noble character.

It is important to learn the Islamic traditional definitions of extremism and moderation and it is incumbent upon Muslims to practice moderation and teach it to non-Muslims.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Father and Husband

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Father and Husband

Although Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) carried the world’s weight of responsibility on his shoulders, calling people to Allah and teaching Islam, he (peace be upon him), valued family and cared deeply about his family members. To learn how women are viewed in Islam or how women should be treated, one is to look at the Prophet (peace be upon him), and how he interacted with his daughters, wives, and the women in his community.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) loved his daughters dearly and he never made them feel marginalized or unimportant because they were women, or because they were daughters not sons. He loved his daughters, took pride in them, and he was never ashamed to show his affection towards them in public.

Although the youngest of his daughters, Fatima had always been a source of comfort, support, and strength for her father in those early difficult days in Makkah, when the men of Quraysh scorned and hurt the Prophet (peace be upon him). She was never intimidated or afraid to defend her father in public, and he never reprimanded her for her strength and outspokenness when it came to speaking the truth and defending justice.

After the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his family migrated to Madinah, Ali bin Abi Talib, the Prophet’s cousin asked for Fatima’s hand in marriage. Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) approved of Ali, he consulted with Fatima to make sure that she consented to the marriage. He never forced any of his daughters into marriage against their will.

Whenever Fatima visited the Prophet (peace be upon him), he would stand up for her to greet her, and give her his place to sit. She, in turn, would kiss his forehead. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) loved Fatima and he loved her sons, and he was often seen kissing and playing with his grandsons. He (peace be upon him) was kind and gentle with his family.

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was preparing for the Battle of Badr against the disbelievers of Quraysh, the Prophet’s daughter, Ruqayyah fell ill. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked her husband, Uthman bin Affan to remain with Ruqayyah to tend to her and care for her, rather than leaving her and participating in this extremely decisive battle. Uthman obeyed the Prophet and stayed with his wife during her illness, and she died later in the month, before the Muslim army returned to Madinah from the Battle of Badr.

In his entire life, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never struck or even raised his hand to hit a woman or a child, ever.

When calling his daughter or wife, he chose beautiful nicknames to make them feel special. He called Fatima Al-Zahraa, meaning the shining one. He called Aisha, his wife, Al-Homairaa, due to her red, rosy cheeks.

After the death of Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) remarried, and Allah gave special permission only to the Prophet to marry nine wives, and each marriage was for a very specific reason. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) respected each of his wives, treated them justly, listened to their grievances and opinions, and cared about their feelings. No matter what ordeals he may have been going through outside the home, he always took the time to talk to his wives, console them, and show them that he loved them.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was sensitive to the feelings of his wife, Aisha. He recognized when Aisha was upset, what upset her, what made her sad, and he tried to cheer her up.

Aisha reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said to her, “I know well when you are angry or pleased with me.” I said, “How do you know that?” He replied, “When you are pleased you say ‘By the Lord of Muhammad’ but when you are upset, you say ‘By the Lord of Abraham.’” I said, “Yes, I do not desert except your name.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

That is our Prophet, making light of an agitated situation, making his wife smile when she is upset.

In the home, he helped with household chores. Aisha, his wife, stated, “He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes, and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) respected his wives, acknowledged the wisdom of the women in his life, and went to them for advice.

When a group of Muslims along with the Prophet (peace be upon him) trekked to Makkah intending to perform the pilgrimage, Quraysh prevented them from proceeding. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) signed the treaty of Hudaibiyah and Quraysh promised to allow the Muslims to perform the pilgrimage the following year. Some of the companions disagreed with the terms of the treaty and they were disappointed that they were unable to perform the pilgrimage. When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed them to shave their heads and discard their pilgrimage clothes and return to Madinah, at first the companions did not follow the Prophet’s instructions.

Umm Salama, the Prophet’s wife, was intelligent and she advised the Prophet to go out in front of his companions and have his head shaved. She figured that if they saw him shaving his head, they would follow his actions, and that would be better than simply telling them to do so. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took Umm Salama’s advice, and she was right.

In Madinah, the women of his community complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the men spent more time with him and they learned directly from him, and the women wanted to learn and they had questions to ask. The Prophet (peace be upon him) assigned a day of every week for the women to gather for a lecture at his mosque, and he would give them time to ask their questions.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) even knew and appreciated the woman who had no place but the mosque to live and she was responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the masjid. One day, he noticed she was not at the masjid; he was concerned so he asked his companions about her. When they told him she died at night, he asked why they had not informed him. He asked where her grave was so he could offer the funeral prayer for her.

The Messenger of Allah did not swear, cuss, use profane language, curse others, or spread obscenity. The Prophet’s character can be summarized in the eloquent verse in the Holy Qur’an which describes him, “You are of the highest noble character.” (Chapter 68, verse 4)

It is no wonder why his wives, his daughters, his companions, and his servants loved him so much, more than they loved their own souls.

source: saudigazette.com.sa

Signs leading to faith

Signs leading to faith

The concept that great Islamic scholars refer to as “signs leading to faith” involves all facts of creation, knowledge and evidence of all kinds that lead people to faith concerning the existence and oneness of Allah and revealing His sublime might, wisdom and artistry.

Signs leading to faith are important means whereby people come to believe. Allah notes the danger of “irreligion” when He says in one verse that “most people have no faith.” Someone who does not believe is unaware of much and cannot see the proofs of creation all around. Due to the irreligious nature of the society in which he lives, his mind is smothered in day-to-day details, and his understanding and perceptions are weakened to the innumerable signs of creation around. Yet it may be hoped that if such a person is sincere and of good conscience and is told of the signs leading to faith he can come to believe in the existence and oneness of Allah and the fact that He created all things, living or not, and will see His infinite might and omniscience. Signs leading to faith are means whereby good people unaware of the truth due to irreligious indoctrination can, by Allah’s leave, come to have faith.

It is not only important for unbelievers to reflect on these signs, but also for believers. In the Qur’an Allah commands believers to reflect deeply on the signs He has created in the universe.

A believer must reflect deeply, as well as praying, fasting and performing the other observances. Reflecting on the proofs of creation “in the heavens and earth” stressed in the Qur’an will increase the believer’s faith with certain knowledge. Verses in which Allah reveals that reflection on these proofs increases one’s faith read: “There are certainly signs in the earth for people with certainty; and in yourselves as well. Do you not then see?” (Qur’an, 51:20-21)

These verses explicitly state that the signs leading to faith in a person’s own body and self, and on the earth will lead to faith based on certain knowledge. And that will increase one’s fear of Allah, so one will be even more punctilious about obeying Allah’s commands and prohibitions. Someone who reflects on the signs of creation will be assured that Allah sees his observances and will reward him for his good deeds. In the same way, knowing that Allah will see his slightest error will encourage him to repent and abandon those errors very quickly. Allah calls on believers as follows:

“You who have faith! Have fear of Allah and seek the means of drawing near to Him, and strive in His Way, so that hopefully you will be successful.” (Qur’an, 5:35)

As revealed in this verse, seeking means to draw closer to Allah is a means whereby one may hope for salvation. Signs leading to faith bestow a deeper understanding of the presence and titles of Allah and are means of drawing closer to Him. For example, examining the life forms created by Allah, seeing and reflecting upon their perfect structures and systems, will enable one to witness His might and omniscience from a much closer perspective.

“It is He Who sends down water from the sky. From it you drink and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds.” (Qur’an, 16:10)

Reflecting on signs leading to faith and seeing the manifestations of Allah therein will allow one to know Allah better. Thanks to this virtue acquired by someone who begins to know Allah and see His manifestations, one will properly appreciate His might.

For instance, as a result of deep reflection on and knowledge of signs leading to faith, one will better understand this fact; all the billions of people on Earth are known to and under the control of Allah at every moment. The trillions of cells in a body, the billions of human bodies in the world and all the living things in the universe exist and survive by Allah’s choosing; this will obviously require an infinite might, knowledge, wisdom and intelligence to survive. Reflecting on that fact alone will allow one to closely witness the infinite attributes of Allah and properly appreciate His omnipotence.

Allah cites in the Qur’an a tiny fly as an example for people to reflect on, and then reveals that those who are heedless of these facts have failed to properly appreciate His might:

“Mankind! An example has been made, so listen to it carefully. Those whom you call upon besides Allah are not even able to create a single fly, even if they were to join together to do it. And if a fly steals something from them, they cannot get it back. How feeble are both the seeker and the sought! They do not measure Allah with His true measure. Allah is All-Strong, Almighty.” (Qur’an, 22: 73-74)

It is revealed in other verses of the Qur’an that people who do not reflect on signs leading to faith do not fear Allah: “Say: ‘Who provides for you out of heaven and earth? Who controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who directs the whole affair?’ They will say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘So will you not have fear?’ That is Allah, your Lord, the Truth, and what is there after truth except misguidance? So how have you been distracted?” (Qur’an, 10:31-32)

The importance of constant reflection on signs leading to growing in faith and closeness to Allah is emphasized in many verses. For example, it is revealed in the Qur’an that believers think long and hard about the creation of the earth and sky:

“In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for people with intelligence: those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire’.” (Qur’an, 3:190-191)

As can be seen from these verses, investigating and learning about signs leading to faith, and thinking properly about them, must be a means whereby one can understand with sure and certain knowledge that all things, living or otherwise, are under the absolute control and dominion of Allah and that understanding will bring with it full submission to Allah.

A believer who knows and thinks about the complex systems in the body and their delicate balances will also realize that the mind that produced these flawlessly functioning systems are not his own; he will know that what he calls his body is a collection of cells made up of atoms with no consciousness, sensory organs or ability to think. As a result of that reflection he will definitively conclude that every cell, and even every atom in his body acts by the will and command of Allah. He will see that there is no room for chance anywhere.

source: arabnews.com

Who decides what beauty is?

Who decides what beauty is?

“Everyone is beautiful,” a mother often tells her child, but the moral and meaning of this sentence is compromised when that same mother sitting amongst her friends comments about someone’s height being too short or color being too dark.

Beauty standards are the socially constructed perfect model of physical appearance that if achieved by someone will qualify as “beautiful”. These standards are impossible to achieve by one person. They often ask for fair skin, slim and fit body, perfect hair, flawless skin; and anyone with one less quality is constantly reminded of that lack of quality. Although we claim that we do not judge people based on their physical appearance, racism still exists; it still lingers in our countries and is nowhere near to becoming extinct.

Girls and boys are equally affected by such norms. Youngsters have become so occupied with becoming popular and socially accepted that they spend less time working on their character and inner strength, and more time working on their attire and outward appearance.

Besides, who is to say who is beautiful? Who is to overlook Prophet Muhammad’s statement when he said, “There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab nor for a non-Arab over an Arab. Neither is the white superior to the black nor is the black over the white except by piety,”?

By constructing these standards of beauty, we are not just destroying our own youth we are also going against the teachings of our Prophet (peace be upon him) and inviting Allah’s disappointment upon us.

Because of the preferences of the media and what the media dictates as beauty, we are becoming judgmental of the looks of other people. We were all created by the same Creator. He was the one who decided which color, size or feature were meant to for whom. He also gave personalities, talents, and many good qualities worth appreciating. Sadly, many of us are only able to look at the people’s exterior shells and not what’s inside, not the things that actually matter, not the things that are going to improve our world.

In the medical field, many young doctors are deciding to be cosmetic surgeons. The trends of cosmetic surgery have increased in the last couple of years. All the cosmetic surgery clinics have advertisements that say things like “become beautiful”, “have more confidence and transform yourself”, implying that everyone else is not beautiful unless they look like the model in the picture. These messages are telling young women that they should not be confident if they have a round nose instead of a pointed one. People pay enormous amounts of money to change the things they do not like about their body.

People decide that what Allah gave them was not good enough so they change it with Botox, lip fillers, cheek fillers, eye lift, and they are willing to go through the painful procedure of those surgeries. Although, there are risks of infection or something going wrong and permanently damaging the part of the body intended to change, these days the majority of women want pouting lips, pointed noses, and fuller cheeks. So much so, that almost all the ladies in the media look the same; they all have the same faces and the same porcelain skins.

As Muslims we should be active against racism and fighting this social plague.

Lupita Nyong’o an Oscar winning actress tries to spread the message against racism whenever she gets a chance.

The Union of European Football Associations launched a campaign to combat and spread awareness against racism. “No to racism” banners are prominently displayed during matches, and team members wear arm bands with the same slogan. The No to Racism message aims to increase public awareness of intolerance and discrimination in football, as well as developing ideas and strategies on how to fight them.

Barbie dolls used to have fair skins and skinny perfect bodies, but it is comforting to see that these days the dolls come in all colors and sizes.

In this era of technology and revolution I think we should all broaden our minds and try to see the true beauty in people.

Who is to say that black eyes are mediocre and blue eyes are more beautiful or that milky skin is prettier than dark skin?

All of us as humans are absolute equals. How can we judge that one person is superior to another when we were created by the same Creator? Allah created everything within this world and around it. How can we call someone ugly based on personal preferences?

We are all beautiful; we all are different flowers of the same garden. We have our different shapes and colors and sizes and different beautiful fragrance and none under any circumstances is allowed to stomp on a flower that they personally think is not beautiful.

souce: saudigazette.com.sa

The day of Ashura

The day of Ashura

The first month of the Hijri calendar is the month of Muharram which is one of the four sacred months.

{Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve (lunar) months in the register of Allah (from) the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous (who fear Him)}. (Chapter 9, verse 36)

Abu Bakr reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The year is 12 months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhu al-Qa’dah, Dhu al-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab, which comes between Jumada al-Akhirah and Shaban.” (Al-Bukhari)

The 10th day of Muharram, the day of Ashura (means tenth in Arabic) is a significant day for all Muslims. On this day of Ashura Allah accepted the repentance of Adam after his exile from Paradise. Allah saved Prophet Nuh and his believing companions in the ark on this day. Also, it is the day when Allah saved Prophet Musa from his enemies; Pharaoh and his army.

The companion of the Prophet, Ibn Abbas, said, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He said, ‘What is this?’ They said, ‘This is a righteous day, it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Musa fasted on this day.’ He said, ‘We have more right to Musa than you,’ so he fasted on that day and commanded (the Muslims) to fast on that day.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Fasting on Ashura, expiates for the sins of the past year.

As it is obligatory for all Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan, we are recommended to practice some other voluntary fasts during the year, such as fasting the 13th, 14th and 15th days of the lunar months. Fasting on the day of Arafat and fasting on the tenth of Muharram, along with fasting a day before and a day after the tenth, are among the best types of voluntary fasting.

Abu Hurairah, the well-known companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The Messenger of Allah said, “The best of fasting after Ramadan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.” (Muslim)

Therefore, fasting during the month of Muharram is highly recommended in Islam. For this reason, fasting on the Day of Ashura is greatly rewarded because first it falls in the month of Muharram and second it has a special significance.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Fasting the day of Ashura (is of great merits). I hope that Allah will accept it as an expiation for (the sins committed in) the previous year.” (Sahih Muslim and Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Ibn Abbas reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “I never saw the Prophet more keen to fast on any day other than the day of Ashura and any month than the month of Ramadan.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: ‘It is the day of Ashura. Allah has not made fasting obligatory for you. But I am fasting. He who likes to observe fast among you should do so, and he who likes not to observe it, does not have to observe it.’” (Sahih Muslim)

Fasting on Ashura was a gradual step in the process of introducing fasting as a prescribed obligation in Islam and the fourth pillar of Islam. Fasting appeared in three forms. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to Madinah, he told the Muslims to fast on three days of every month and on the day of Ashura, and then Allah made fasting obligatory. The obligation was transferred from the fast of Ashura to the fast of Ramadan.

When Allah commanded Muslims to fast the month of Ramadan, the fasting of Ashura became optional.

It is reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) intended to fast on the ninth and tenth of Muharram. Ibn Abbas reported, “The Messenger of Allah fasted on the day of Ashura and ordered the people to fast on it. The people said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that the Jews and Christians honor.’ The Prophet said, ‘When the following year comes, Allah willing, we shall fast on the ninth (and tenth).’ The death of the Prophet came before the following year.” (Sahih Muslim and Abu Dawud)

The practice of fasting on Ashura was known even in the pre-Islamic days, before the Prophet’s mission. It was reported that A’ishah (wife of the prophet) said, “The people of Jahiliyyah used to fast on that day.”

In Sahih Al-Bukhari and other authentic collections of Hadith, it was reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram while they were in Makkah, even before migration.

Neither the Prophet (peace be upon him) nor his successors made Ashura a day of mourning or a day of celebration.

Fasting on the day of Ashura is a way to follow the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and to expiate our sins of the past year.

source: saudigazette.com.sa

Two million faithful throng Holy Mosques

source: saudigazette.com.sa

Two million faithful throng Holy Mosques

Around two million Haj pilgrims and visitors thronged the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to offer Friday prayers. All the floors and courtyards and King Abdullah Expansion Project in the Grand Mosque were full of worshipers and their rows spilled over to the courtyards, adjacent streets and terraces of buildings. In an unparalleled spiritual ambience that the annual pilgrimage witnessed, more than one million Haj pilgrims gathered at the Islam’s holiest shrine seeking the blessing and forgiveness from the Almighty Allah. In his Friday sermon, Sheikh Khaled Al-Ghamdi, imam and khateeb of the Grand Mosque, emphasized that absolute surrender to Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in tranquility and joy without any objection and boredom, is the main purpose of making Haj an obligatory ritual. In Madinah, where imam and khateeb Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Qassim delivered the Friday sermon, the worshipers included around 155,000 Haj pilgrims who arrived to visit the Prophet’s Mosque and greet the Prophet (pbuh) after completing their Haj rituals. — SPA

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source: saudigazette.com.sa

The keepers of the Kaaba key

 source: saudigazette.com.sa

The keepers of the Kaaba key

THE guardianship of the Kaaba is still inherited by the sons of Shaybah and their successors — a tradition that has been instituted by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) after the conquest of Makkah the eighth year after Hijrah. Following the Muslim victory, the Prophet entrusted the key of the city to Uthman Bin Abi Talha and deemed the caretaking of the Kaaba to be uniquely and eternally bestowed upon the line of the sons of Shaybah.

The prophet’s words were: “Take it, Oh Bani Talha, eternally up to the Day of Resurrection, and it will not be taken from you unless by an unjust, oppressive tyrant.” This explains why this tradition has been inherited by the sons of Shaybah and their successors till present times.

The first caretaker

Islamic researcher Mohi Eddin Al-Hashemi, who specializes in the two holy mosques, notes that the story of the guardianship of the Holy Kaaba had been first instituted during the times of the Prophet Ibrahim, who with his son Ismail (peace be upon them) were ordered by Allah to raise the foundations of the Kaaba, initiating the tradition of the guardianship of the Kaaba.

The latter includes the maintenance of all matters related to the Al-Musharrafah (Holy Kaaba) ranging from its opening and closing, to preserving its immaculacy as well as monitoring its visitors. Monitoring all affairs related to the Holy Kaaba also comprises the supervision of the mausoleum of the Prophet Ibrahim.

Al-Hashimi adds that the Prophet Ibrahim entrusted the guardianship of the Kaaba to his son Ismail, who continued it until his passing. Afterward, the tradition was taken over from the sons of Ismail against their will by the tribe of Jarham (Banu Jarhma). Later on, it came also to be forcibly passed over to the tribe of Khuzaah (Banu Khuzaah), but its possession was regained by Qusai Bin Kilab Bin Murrah, who was the third great grandfather of the Prophet and a descendent of Ismail, the first to serve as the Kaaba’s caretaker.

Subsequently all matters related to the latter were entrusted to Qusai Bin Kilab. The latter had three sons namely Abd-Al-Dar the eldest (great-great grandfather of Shaybah Bin Hashim, Abd Manaf (great-great grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad) and Abd-Al-Uzza. Abd Manaf was highly honored among the tribes for his wisdom and sound discernment during his lifetime, which prompted Qusai to entrust the caretaking of the Kaaba to Abd Manaf. However, shortly before Qusai’s death as a way of honoring his eldest Abd-Al-Dar, he entrusted to him all his rights and powers including the caretaking of Kaaba.

As stated by Mohi Eddin Al-Hashimi, the caretaking of the Kaaba is inherited by the eldest son of each family and it was passed until it transferred to Uthman Bin Talha who lived during the Prophet’s times. As reported by Uthman Bin Talha on the day of victory of Islam over Makkah in the eighth year of Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah entered the city. When the Muslims were about to enter the Kaaba they found it locked. They asked who was keeping the key and they found out it was with Uthman Bin Talha. The latter was a non-believer so upon knowing about the arrival of the Prophet in Makkah, he locked the door of the holy sanctuary.

As the Prophet entered Makkah, its people accepted Islam, but Uthman was hiding. The Prophet ordered Ali Bin Abi Talib to take the key from Uthman.

Ali went to find Uthman and asked for the key but Uthman did not give it to him. Ali then snatched the key from him for the Prophet to enter the Kaaba. They opened the door and the Prophet entered the Kaaba where he prayed two rakaas.

At that time, Abbas Bin Abd Al-Muttalib, an uncle of the Prophet, was there and requested that the key must be kept with the family and then Gabriel came down with a verse, which revealed inside the Kaaba.

The Shaybah family are the keepers of the Keys, and they are the keepers because Allah desired so by revealing the only verse that was revealed inside the Kaaba. “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are belong to .....” ( 4:58).

Soon as that verse was revealed, the Prophet ordered Ali to return the key to Uthman Bin Talha and excuse themselves. Ali then went to Uthman and gave back the key and presented their apologies for the wrong he had done to him by forcibly taking the key. The latter shocked Uthman, who could not believe Ali was giving back the key to him as instructed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the conqueror of Makkah. Ali explained to him that a verse was revealed for him in which Allah instructed the Prophet to return the trust to whom it belongs to.

Al-Hashemi points out that the guardianship of the Kaaba remained with Bani Shaybah, which is bestowed upon the elders of the family until today.

The functions of the ancient caretaker were to open and lock the door of the Kaaba and to oversee its maintenance, assisting in the washing, the cleaning and supervision of the station of Abraham.

At the present time, the guardianship belongs to the sons of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zine Al Abidine Bin Abdul-Maati Al-Shaibi, who kept the honor for 43 years. When Sheikh Mohammed passed away in 1253 AH, his eldest son Abdul Kader inherited the guardianship after him, then his brothers Solomon, Ahmed and Abdullah.

Al-Hashemi says the guardianship was transferred to the next generation to Sheikh Abdul Qadir Bin Ali Bin Mohammed Bin Zine Al Abidine Al Shaibi, who died in 1351 AH after witnessing the unification of the Kingdom.

Then Mohammed Bin Mohammed Saleh Al-Shaibi became the caretaker of the Kaaba. Upon falling ill, he transferred the guardianship to Sheikh Abdullah Bin Abdul Qadir Al-Shaibi, who was succeeded by his sons Amin, Taha and then Assem.

Their cousin Talha Bin Hassan Al-Shaybi received the guardianship followed by Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Bin Qadir Al-Shaybi who died in the month of Dhul Hijjah in 1431 AH. The guardianship moved to Sheikh Abdul Qadir Bin Taha Al-Shaybi who served the Kaaba for four years. His reign witnessed the change of the Kaaba’s lock by the order of King Abdullah.

Prince Khaled Al-Faisal handed Sheikh Abdul Qadir the lock on behalf of the King on the occasion of the cleaning of the Kaaba. He witnessed the installation of a lock for the inner repentance door of the Kaaba. When Sheikh Abdul Qadir died after a long battle with disease, his cousin Dr. Saleh Bin Zain Al-Abidine Al-Shaybi became the caretaker.

At present, the functions of the caretaker were limited to the opening and closing of the Kaaba. The Royal Court and the Ministry of the Interior and emergency forces coordinate with him if there are any state guests.

The Kaaba is cleaned annually on the 15th of Muharram each year. After the issuance of a Royal Order, the Emirate of Makkah coordinates with the caretaker about the arrangements.

In addition, the head caretaker receives the new cladding of the Kaaba on the first of Dhul Hijjah to be installed on the day of Arafat by the tailors and specialists of the King Abdul Aziz Complex for cladding.

The ceremony of handing over the cladding of the Kaaba takes place at the King Abdul Aziz Complex and is held in the presence of the head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs alongside the director of the Complex and a large gathering of officials.

source: saudigazette.com.sa

Hajj 2017: Tent City of Mina

Tent City of Mina

In this album are images of the Tent City of Mina, which is all set to receive more than two million Muslims performing Hajj 2017 starting Wednesday, August 30, 2017.

Made of fire-resistant materials, the air-conditioned tents are spread over an area of 2.5 million square meters, divided into several camps and bordered by walls linked to each other by coordinated corridors, which include public services. In the center of the camp are a series of toilets and ablutions. (SPA photos)

source: arabnews.com

The History of Haj

The History of Haj

and those who bow and prostrate.} (Chapter 22, Verse 26)

After building the Kaaba, Prophet Ibrahim would come to Makkah to perform Haj every year, and after his death, his son continued this practice. However, gradually with the passage of time, both the form and the goal of the Hajj rituals were changed.

In pre-Islamic time, the Kaaba was surrounded by idols and people from Makkah and outside Makkah used to visit Kaaba during the annual pilgrimage season. Shibli Nomani mentions that the Arabs at that time did not walk between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah nor gather at Arafat. But they used to spend a day in the plain area outside Makkah and return to Makkah circumambulating Kaaba.

During the pre-Islamic period, Haj became an occasion for several festivals and activities like poetry competitions, and the most famous poems used were hung up on the Kaaba walls. Other unacceptable activities and performances also took place during Haj time.

This sad state of affairs continued for nearly two and a half thousand years. But then after this long period, the whole scene changed

The present steps and rituals of Haj were established by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

In 630 AD, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Muslims came back from Madinah to Makkah and claimed Makkah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Muslims cleansed the Kaaba and destroyed all idols.

The following year, Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s companion, led 300 Muslims to perform Haj in Makkah. Ali ibn Abi Talib addressed the people, specifying the new rituals of Haj. He declared that no disbeliever or naked man would be allowed to circumambulate the Kaaba from the following year.

In the tenth year after Hijrah (632 AD), Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed his only and last Haj with a large number of Muslims, and he taught them the rituals of Haj and the manners of performing these rituals.

In the plain of Arafat, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his famous speech (The Farewell Sermon) to those who were present there.

{This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} (Chapter 5, Verse 3)

During the Islamic time and the Middle Ages, pilgrims used to gather in caravans in main cities of Syria, Egypt, and Iraq to go to Makkah. Caravans had tens of thousands of pilgrims. Military groups and physicians accompanied Haj caravans for the reason of protection, security, and care of pilgrims. All these precautions were taken to protect the caravan from any natural risks, dangers or robbers and to ensure that the pilgrims were supplied with the necessary facilities.

Muslim travelers like Ibn Jubayr and Ibn Battuta have recorded that the Hajj caravans followed well-established routes called in Arabic, Darb al-Hajj, (pilgrimage road).

Today the Haj scene has been transformed. We see a multitude of facilities provided to pilgrims for healthcare and support. Permanent and mobile hospitals are set up in Mena and Arafat. The train cuts the time short for pilgrims to move from Makkah to Mena and is being expanded to Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah. Hotels and restaurants work 24/7 to serve pilgrims. Can you imagine how it was like in the olden times?

source: saudigazette.com.sa