Glorify your Lord“”
رببك ف ك ببر = “Rabbaka Fa Kabbir”
Palindrome (a word or sentence which will read the same when read left
to right or right to left) in the Qur’an we need to stress just how
special that is. Examples in English are, Dad, Mum, racecar , madam, nurses run.
The largest palindrome in English is one word made up of 11 letters,
detartrated which means: something from which the tartrates (salts or
ester of tartaric acid) have been removed.
As you will note these
are quite trivial or simple examples, however looking at the Qur’an we
find something exceptional, a whole sentence profound in meaning and
wording in chapter 74 verse 3.
“Glorify your Lord”
رببك ف ك ببر = “Rabbaka Fa Kabbir”
You will note that the verse also starts (not shown here) with the
letter wow. In this context and instance this letter wow is used to
signify a new sentence as opposed to the usual meaning of “and”.
Therefore the verse reads beautifully the same forwards and backwards.
Want to read more then download 'The methodology of da'wah ' free at http://www.justdawah.org/index.php/resources/training-material
Monday, 23 December 2013
Monday, 4 November 2013
GRADES Training Manual
The GRADES training manual is a body of work that has been developed to outline a focused and structured roadmap to effective Da’wah. Here we have Level 1 of the GRADES curriculum which has been taught in many Da’wah training workshops and seminars and is currently used by a variety of teams to develop professional Du’aat as part of their Da’wah training and development.
Level 1 of GRADES is freely available to anyone around the globe, in order to help them develop their Da’wah skills. The training manual is freely available; to be copied, distributed, translated or hosted on websites for the promotion and development of Da’wah.
The latest version of the manual (version 2.2) can be downloaded
absolutely free by clicking here and going to Just Dawah's website
Friday, 18 October 2013
Monday, 14 October 2013
Eid Mubarak
"Taqaballa Allahu mina wa minkum Al-'Amal Al-Saliha" (may Allah accept from you and us the good deeds)
Saturday, 12 October 2013
The Journey of Life | Establishing the Foundations
The 'Manchester New Muslim Network' have partnered up with the 'Myriad Foundation' to present the latest round of introductory courses for new & recently practising Muslims
'The Journey of Life | Establishing the Foundations'
The Journey of Life | Establishing the Foundations Series is a course that we have devised to help New & Newly practising Muslims understand and practise some of the core foundations of Islam.
The series has been split into two modules, with each module lasting 10 weeks with a mid term break in between.
The sessions run once a week for 2 hours, with a break included.
Module 1:
Module 1 covers some of the very foundations that a Muslim must familiarise themselves with. It deals with the doubts that one may come across regarding Allah, the Messenger of Allah, the Religion, and it then progresses through the 5 Pillars of Islam.
Attending the classes will give you the answers to the some of the questions that weigh heavily on your mind as a new Muslim such as:
- What is Islam?
- Why does it make sense to believe?
- Who is Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him)
- Why do we need revelation?
- What does the testimony of faith (Shahadah) really mean?·
- So why are we really here?
- What is my Creator expecting from me and how do I please Him?
- The 5 Pillars of Islam
- Why do Muslims face challenges?
- Satan – the declared enemy and his cunning traps
Module 2:
In Module 2, we start to look into the sources in Islam in a little more detail, exploring the role of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace & blessings be upon him) and his Sunnah, as well as the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad and their role in the religion. We then progress to an explanation of the 6 articles of faith.
Attending the classes will give insight into:
-Introduction to Hadeeth science.
- The role of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him)
- A study of the 6 Articles of faith
- How to maintain and strengthen your faith
- What is expected from me in this life?
Course starts on Friday 1st November 2013.
Time: 19:30 - 21:30
Every Friday for 10 weeks.
Venue: Manchester English School. 149 Oxford Road. Manchester. M1 7EE
The course is FREE.
Course notes will be emailed to all of the attendees, therefore online registration is mandatory.
Register at:
www.ManchesterNewMuslimNetwork.co.uk/Courses
Find us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/ManchesterNewMuslimNetwork
This course will be delivered in partnership with the 'Myriad Foundation'.
W: www.MyriadFoundation.org
F: www.facebook.com/MyriadFoundation
The Journey of Life | Establishing the Foundations is supported by:
- The Muslim Youth Foundation New Muslim Group
- Didsbury Mosque
- Cheadle Muslim Association
- Prophetic Guidance
- Affirming the Foundations
- Just Daw'ah
- The Oak Tree Initiative
Friday, 6 September 2013
Different Strokes For Different Folks : Da'wah To Christians
“O People of the Book! Come to common terms between us. That we worship none but Allaah, that we associate no partners with Him and we do not take any other as Lords instead of Him” (Qur’aan 3:64)
Jesus in Islaam
What this actually means is that the very first thing we should do when engaging in Da’wah with Christians is address the common love that we both share for Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him). It is a Divine command after all. And what better way is there than reciting or at least relaying the verses from Surah Maryam which detail both his miraculous virgin birth and the first miracle he performed from his cradle, defending the honour of his virgin mother Maryam (Mary) (may peace and blessings be upon her). This is exactly what the close cousin and companion of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him), Jaffar ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him did) did when he addressed the Christian King, Negus of ancient Abyssinia. On hearing the verses from Surah Maryam, the King was moved to tears.
“And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.
She said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah .”
He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy.”
She said, “How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?”
He said, “Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.’ “
So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.
And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.”
But he called her from below her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.
And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.
So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, ‘Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.’ “
Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented.
O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.”
So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?”
[Jesus] said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allah . He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.
And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive
And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant.
And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.”
It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.
[Jesus said], “And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.”
Then the factions differed [concerning Jesus] from among them, so woe to those who disbelieved – from the scene of a tremendous Day.” (Surah Maryam – Qur’aan – 19:16-37)
As Muslims, we do not believe that the Prophet Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) was crucified or killed. We believe he is living, raised up and in the company of his Lord, Allaah. This is explained to us in the Qur’aan, that a man took his resemblance who was tortured and killed on the cross. Death by crucifixion was the method of public execution for crimes mainly against the state.
“And (for) their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allaah.” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but they (another) was made to resemble him to them. And Indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allaah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allaah Exalted in Might and Wise.” (Qur’aan 4:157-158)
The identity of the substitute has been a source of great interest among Muslims. One proposal is that Allaah used one of Jesus’ enemies. Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ traitor, is most often cited, including by the medieval Gospel of Barnabas. The second proposal is that Jesus asked for someone to volunteer to be crucified instead. The following narration recorded in the Tafseer of ibn Katheer provides a plausible explanation for the verse related to the substitution of Jesus. The cousin and companion of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) Ibn Abbaas said;
“Just before Allaah raised Jesus to the Heavens, Jesus went to his disciples, who were twelve inside the house. When he arrived, his hair was dripping with water (as if he had just had a bath) and he said, ‘There are those among you who will disbelieve in me twelve times after you had believed in me.’ He then asked, ‘Who among you will volunteer for his appearance to be transformed into mine, and be killed in my place. Whoever volunteers for that, he will be with me (in Paradise).’ One of the youngest ones among them volunteered, but Jesus asked him to sit down. Jesus asked again for a volunteer, and the same young man volunteered and Jesus asked him to sit down again. Then the young man volunteered a third time and Jesus said, ‘You will be that man,’ and the resemblance of Jesus was cast over that man while Jesus ascended to Heaven from a hole in the roof of the house. When the Jews came looking for Jesus, they found that young man and crucified him. Some of Jesus’ followers disbelieved in him twelve times after they had believed in him. They then divided into three groups. One group, the Jacobites, said, ‘Allaah remained with us as long as He willed and then ascended to Heaven.’ Another group, the Nestorians, said, ‘The son of Allaah was with us as long as he willed and Allaah took him to Heaven.’ Another group, the Muslims, said, ‘The servant and Messenger of Allah remained with us as long as Allaah willed, and Allaah then took him to Him.’ The two disbelieving groups cooperated against the Muslim group and they killed them. Ever since that happened, Islam was then veiled until Allaah sent Muhammad.” (Nasai’i)
This belief that someone else resembling Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) took his place for crucifixion can also be found in the Gospel of Basilides. Unfortunately, this view is disregarded by the Christians who only accept the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament.
As Muslims, we believe that the Prophet Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) will play a major role in fighting the Anti-Christ, the Dajjal. We believe that Allaah will allow him to return back to Earth towards the end of time to fight this evil fake impostor.
There are numerous ahadith where the Prophet Mohammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) relates to us the major role of Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him):
“In the meantime, while the Dajjal will be busy doing this and this, Allaah will send down the Messiah son of Mary (Jesus). He (Jesus) will descend in the eastern part of Damascus, near the white minaret (tower), dressed in the two yellowish garments, with his hands resting on the arms of two angels. When he will bend down his head, water drops will appear trickling down, and when he will raise it, it will appear as though pearl–like drops are rolling down. Any disbeliever whom the air of his breath reaches, and it will reach up to the last limit of his sight, will fall dead. Then, the son of Mary will go in pursuit of the Dajjal, and will overtake him at the gate of Lud and will kill him.” (Muslim, Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah).
“Then Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) will descend, and Allaah will cause the Dajjal to be killed near the mountain pass of Afiq [in Palestine, few miles from Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) ] .” (Ahmad).
Thereafter, he will live as a follower of the Final Messenger of Allaah, Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him).
Taking this angle in explaining the role of Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) has a direct effect on the heart of a sincere Christian. Many are unaware and presenting it to them is probably one of the best gifts you can give. If you can do this whilst linking it in with the miraculous nature and inimitability of the Qur’aan, then explaining Tawheed from the Qur’aan becomes an easy matter.
For some, this may be enough, but for others, you may need to use the other tools at your disposal.
The concept of God, the Trinity and Original sin makes little sense
A believer in the divinity of Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) may argue: Why can’t God be a man and God? A man can be a brother to a sibling, and at the same time, a father to a child; the same person but two roles. He doesn’t stop being one just because he is also the other. Hence God can be Jesus & God at the same time.
Unfortunately what they fail to appreciate is that the man, in the case of their analogy, will always a man. He does not forgo the fundamental qualities which make him a man. Therefore if we compare some of the attributes that make up the entity we call a man, we can say: He eats, sleeps, is born, and dies. In contrast to attributes of God: He does not eat or sleep and has no beginning or end since He is Eternal. Therefore for one to become the other they must relinquish their own and absorb the fundamental attributes of the other and therefore no longer be the entity they were; which in and of itself is problematic.
Therefore we reply with the analogy and inform them that what they are proposing is akin to saying that a circle becomes a square but keeps the fundamental properties of a circle at the same time. This is clearly irrational and outright impossible. The fundamental aspects that define what each are are totally different.
Does this make sense? Original Sin
An armed robber enters the home of the Prime Minister whilst he is out of the country on national duty. He kills the security guard, beats, rapes and then kill the maid, and then leave with the belongings.
The Prime Minister hears of the news. He holds the whole nation accountable for this heinous crime. They bare this sin. He summons his only son to return home.
Though the Prime Minister holds the nation accountable, he chooses not to punish them. He chooses instead to torture & kill his only son. The whole nation (though they committed no crime) will be forgiven if they believe that the son died for their sin. The future progeny of the nation are also sinful. To avoid punishment you must accept that the Prime Minister tortured and killed his son for their sins. The Father is also the son by the way.
The concept of the Original Sin is unjust. How can a Loving and Merciful God ever do this?
Externally Inconsistent (Paul & Constantine)
The Bible can not be substantiated for it’s authenticity or preservation. The oldest Bible we can find is in the Greek language but Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him) never spoke Greek. It appeared four hundred years after his death. So not only is it in a language other than what Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him) spoke, it appeared centuries after his death.
The Bible was actually written many years after the death of Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him). It was never confirmed by him. Although it has remnants of the Gospels of Jesus and some of his recorded sayings, the Bible is actually a collection of books, and the word itself is derived from Latin word meaning collection of books. Much of the religion that remains of Christianity is that of Paul. Paul is the author of Colossians and further significant portions of the Bible. Paul, a clear enemy of Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him)during his lifetime, suddenly had a vision on the road to Damascus of Jesus and had accepted the faith that he had previously tried to extinguish.
How can someone rely on an individual who was clearly an enemy of Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him) during his lifetime for crucial creedal matters of the religion, creedal matters that are solely based on his testament? The Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) also had many ardent enemies who later embraced Islaam and were at the forefront of the religion, most notably the second Khaliph ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allaah be pleased with him), but the difference however is that the previous opponents of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) had been approved by the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) as true believers during his own lifetime. Paul on the other hand had no such validation by Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him). To take him as one of the most if not the most pivotal figure of Christianity is quite frankly nonsensical.
Within the Bible you also have the famous collections of the Gospels. The famous other Gospels are that of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but who is John? And for that matter who are Mark, Matthew and Luke? The common response is “Disciples” of Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him); however there is not a consensus on this from the Christian scholars themselves. The exact identities of these four individuals is unclear as is the time frame in which they lived. The majority opinion is that these individuals lived 40-160 years after the death of Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him). With so much confusion on the identities of these individuals how can anyone take them as legitimate historical or religious sources?
In comparison, in Islaam, our secondary source which are the reported saying, actions and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) known as the Hadith are much stronger than the Bible, which is the primary source in Christianity. In the science of Hadith, we know of all the individuals in the chain of a hadith. We know their full names, their lineage, their character, where they lived, when they lived, who the interacted with etc. In comparison, the Bible which is supposedly the “Word of God” according to many, has unknown and ambiguous sources.
Early Christianity was also heavily influenced by Paganism, hence why we have the concepts of the Trinity & Christmas. There are no original sources to date these back to the life of Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him). They were included some time after, after the counsels at Nicea. By the year 1300, there were hundreds of different Gospels in circulation. The Trinity was formulated by Anthanasius, an Egyptian deacon from Alexiandria at the Council of Nicea, organized by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 325 CE (or approx) to settle doctrinal disputes. The emperor was from a pagan background and favoured the Trinitarian view of Christianity, thus the four Gospels which supported his desires were chosen by a majority vote. The Sabbath was shifted from Saturday to Sunday.
The real history of Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity. Many of the traditions such as decorating Christmas trees and giving gifts are rooted in the traditions of non-Christian religions. Observing Christmas on December 25th because it was the date in history when Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) was born are far of the mark. Nobody knows exactly what that date was, but references in the Bible show it most likely did not take place in winter. Rather it is because this was the date that the Romans historically celebrated the winter solstice. This celebration was about dies natalis solis invicti: the day of the birth of the unconquerable sun, which took place on December 22nd. The winter solstice held the promise of the return of springtime and earthly renewal. In Roman history, this was the time of Saturnalia, honoring the God of Agriculture, for the week before the solstice, and Juvenalia, a feast in honor of the children of Rome, around the same time. On the 25th of the month they celebrated the birth of the sun-god Mithra. Masters and servants traded places temporarily, and everybody had a good time. It was during Saturnalia that the tradition of exchanging gifts was established. They gave one another Stenae or fruits which were intended to bring good luck. The Romans placed an enormous amount of pressure on the early Christians to rejoice along with them, and around the time of the fourth century, they began to celebrate Christmas around the same time.
As for the preservation of the Bible; as mentioned earlier, the earliest traceable Bible we can find is a Greek Bible which surfaced four hundred years after the death of Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him). There are no originals. There have been numerous different translations and copies of the Bible and until this day, we find many different versions saying completely different things. How can we rely on a book that has no record of preservation as the way to live one’s life?
If the truth be told, the preservation of the Bible was never meant to be. There was never a promise of it’s preservation. Allaah, our Lord sent nation upon nation Prophets for their given time. But these scriptures all contained details prophesizing the coming of the Final Messenger & the Guidance that shall be given to him which would be to last until the end of time for the whole world and this is something exclusive only for the revelation revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him)
Internal Incosistencies
There are numerous internal inconsistencies within the Bible. You’d think that the core doctrinal tenants would be explained outright, but you’ll actually find a lack of evidence in the categoric manner that you would expect. Take for example the worship of Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him). There is not a single verse in the Bible where Jesus (may peace & blessings be upon him) says “worship me”. There is not a single verse in Bible where Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) says, “I am God”. If you were to also look for the word “Trinity”, you wouldn’t find it.
What you will find in the Bible are numerous verses that contradict the notion that Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) is a Deity. Instead, you will find much to support his role as a slave and a Messenger of Allaah and that God is One.
“…and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” (John 14:24)
“And this is life eternal, that thru might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent” (John 17:3)
“But of that day or that hour knows no man, neither the angels, nor the son, but only the father” (Mark 13:32)
“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” (Mark 12:29)
“My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28)
“My father is greater than all” (John 10:29)
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:30)
“And behold, one came and said unto him, ‘Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” And he said unto him, ‘why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:16-17)
“Ye men of Israel hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” (Acts 2:22)
“When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds answered, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’” (Matthew 21:10-11)
“But of that day or that hour knows no man, neither the angels, nor the son, but only the father” (Mark 13:32)
“Jesus as Son and Lord?
Many Christians will try and justify their belief that Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) is God the Son and God outright by the numerous verses found throughout the Bible that address him as both the son and lord.
Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) is sometimes referred to as ‘Lord’ in the Bible and at other times as ‘Son of God’. God is called the ‘Father’, so putting these names together it could be claimed that Jesus is the son of God. But if we look at each of these titles in context we will find that they are symbolic and not to be taken literally.
‘Son of God’ is a term used in ancient Hebrew for a righteous person. God calls Israel his ‘son’: This is what the Lord says: Israel is my oldest son.[Exodus 4:22]. Also, David is called the ‘Son of God’: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ [Psalm 2:7]. In fact anyone who is righteous is referred to as God’s ‘son’: All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters. [Romans 8:14].
In the same way, when the word ‘Father’ is used to refer to God it shouldn’t be taken literally. Instead it’s a way of saying God is the creator, sustainer, cherisher etc. There are many verses for us to understand this symbolic meaning of the word ‘Father’, for example: one God and Father of all. [Ephesians 4:6].
Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) is sometimes called ‘Lord’ by the disciples. ‘Lord’ is a term used for God and also for people who are held in high esteem. There are many examples of the word ‘Lord’ being used for people in the Bible: So they (Joseph’s brothers) went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said. [Genesis 43:19-20]. Also, in other parts of the Bible, Jesus is even called a ‘servant’ of God by the disciples: the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. [Acts 3:13]. This clearly shows that when ‘Lord’ is used to refer to Jesus, it is a title of respect not of divinity.”
In summary, there are four ways by which you can engage with a Christian:
1. Clarifying the position of Jesus (may peace and blessings be upon him) and using the Qur’aan as the criterion for the truth.
2. Logical reasoning. The key concepts in Christianity simply do not make sense
3. The lack of authenticity and preservation of the Bible. The sources can not be ascertained or are problematic.
4. There are far too many internal verses that are inconsistent with the core tenants of Christianity .
If you have found this article beneficial, remember to make du’a for me, Ghulam Esposito Haydar and share it with others who may benefit.
By Ghulam Esposito Haydar
Visit Ghulams website
Sunday, 4 August 2013
Imam Yahya Davis
As he sat in the back of the mosque, he listened to the mosque announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new Imam of the mosque to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Imam Yahya Davis"....The jammat looked around filled with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down.....the happiness stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the memba and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited
"Verily, Allah will say to his slave when He will be taking account of him on the Day of Judgement, 'O' son of Adam, I was hungry and you did not feed me.' He will answer: 'How could I feed you? You are the Lord of the worlds!' He will say: 'Did you not know that my slave so and so who is the son of so and so felt hunger, and you'did not feed him. Alas, had you fed him you would have found that (i.e. reward) with Me.' 'O' son of Adam, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink.' He will reply: 'How could I give You drink? You are the Lord of the worlds!' He will say: 'Did you not know that my slave so and so, the son of so and so felt thirsty and you did not give him drink. Alas, if you had given him, you would have found that (i.e. reward) with me.' 'O' son of Adam, I became sick and you did not visit Me.' He will answer: 'How can I visit You? You are the Lord of the worlds!' He will say: 'Did you not know that my slave so and so, the son of so and so became sick and you did not visit him. Alas, had you visited him, you would have found Me with him."
After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a community of Allah. The world has enough people, but not enough true Muslims...when will YOU decide to become Muslims? He then asked the Muadhan to call the iqamaat for salat...
Just Dawah
Saturday, 27 July 2013
Every Soul Shall Taste Death
same in that they have no plan or means of escaping it, no power, no means of intercession, no way to prevent it, nor to delay it, which shows that indeed it comes from One having tremendous power-so that the human is helpless in this regard and can only submit to it.
Indeed, when a loved one dies, the affair of death is given more attention and the world becomes tasteless for some time. This is the way it should be whether someone dies or not, in order that we may make more effort in preparing for the meeting with our Lord.
Buraidah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “ I forbade you to visit the graves, but now visit them for that makes you mindful of the hereafter.” Narrated by Imams Ahmad and Al-Tirmithi, and the latter also declared it sahih (authentic).
And let us not be deceived by this worldly life and its glitter.
Allah says:
'O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers. And spend (in charity) of that with which We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he says: "My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while (i.e.return to the worldly life), then I should give Sadaqah (i.e.Zakaat) of my wealth, and be among the righteous [i.e. perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)]. And Allaah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes. And Allaah is All-Aware of what you do.'
Qur'an 63:9-11 (Surat Al-Munāfiqūn)
Just Dawah
Monday, 22 July 2013
Haman and Pharaoh
The Qur'an relates the life of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) with great clarity. As it tells of the conflict with the Pharaoh and his dealings with the Children of Israel,
the Qur'an reveals a wealth of information about ancient Egypt. The significance of many of these historical points has only recently come to the attention of the learned people of the world. If one considers these points with reason, it quickly becomes clear that the Qur'an, and the fountain of information contained within it, has been revealed by the All-Wise Allah for it correlates directly with all major scientific, historic and archaeological finds in recent times.
One such example of this wisdom can be found in the Qur'anic references to Haman: a character whose name is mentioned in the Qur'an, along with the Pharaoh. He is mentioned in six different places in the Qur'an, in which it informs us that he was one of Pharaoh's closest allies.
The name "Haman" was not known until the decoding of Egyptian hieroglyphics in the 19th century. When the hieroglyphics were decoded, it was understood that Haman was a close helper of the Pharaoh and was "the head of the stone quarries." (Above are shown ancient Egyptian construction workers). The most important point here is that Haman is mentioned in the Qur'an as the person who directed construction work under the command of the Pharaoh. This means that information that could not have been known by anybody else at that time was given in the Qur'an, a point most worthy of note.
Surprisingly, the name "Haman" is never mentioned in those sections of the Torah pertaining to the life of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). However, the mention of Haman can be found in the last chapters of the Old Testament as the helper of a Babylonian king who inflicted many cruelties on the Israelites approximately 1,100 years after the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him).The Qur'an, far more in tune with recent archaeological discoveries, does indeed contain the word "Haman" in reference to the life of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him).
The criticisms thrown at the book of Islam by some non-Muslims have disappeared by the wayside as an Egyptian hieroglyphic script had been deciphered, approximately 200 years ago, and the name "Haman" discovered in the ancient scripts. Until the 18th century, the writings and inscriptions of ancient Egypt could not be understood. The language of ancient Egypt was made up of symbols rather than words: hieroglyphics. These pictures, which tell stories and keep records of important events in the same way that modern words do, was usually engraved on rock or stone and many examples survived through the ages. With the spread of Christianity and other cultural influences in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Egypt forsook its ancient beliefs along with the hieroglyphic writing which was synonymous with that now defunct belief system. The last known example of the use of hieroglyphic writing was an inscription dated 394. The language of pictures and symbols was forgotten, leaving nobody who could read and understand it. Naturally, this made historical and archaeological study virtually impossible. This situation remained-until just over two centuries ago.
In 1799, much to the delight of historians and other learned people, the mystery of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics was solved by the discovery of a tablet called the "Rosetta Stone." This amazing find dated back to 196 B.C. The importance of this inscription was that it was written in three different forms of writing: hieroglyphics, demotic (a simplified form of ancient Egyptian hieratic writing) and Greek. With the help of the Greek script, the ancient Egyptian writings were decoded. The translation of the inscription was completed by a Frenchman named Jean-Françoise Champollion. Hence, a forgotten language and the events related in it were brought to light. In this way, a great deal of knowledge about the civilization, religion and social life of ancient Egypt became available to mankind and this opened the way to greater knowledge about this important era in human history.
Through the decoding of hieroglyph, an important piece of knowledge was revealed: The name "Haman" was indeed mentioned in Egyptian inscriptions. This name was referred to in a monument in the Hof Museum in Vienna. This same inscription also indicated the close relationship between Haman and the Pharaoh.
In the dictionary of People in the New Kingdom, that was prepared based on the entire collection of inscriptions, Haman is said to be "the head of stone quarry workers."
The result revealed a very important truth: Unlike the false assertion of the opponents of the Qur'an, Haman was a person who lived in Egypt at the time of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). He had been close to the Pharaoh and had been involved in construction work, just as imparted in the Qur'an.
(Pharaoh said, "Council, I do not know of any other god for you apart from Me. Haman, kindle a fire for me over the clay and build me a lofty tower so that perhaps I may be able to climb up to The God of Moses ! I consider him a blatant liar.") (Qur'an, 28:38)
The verse in the Qur'an describing the event where the Pharaoh asked Haman to build a tower is in perfect agreement with this archaeological finding. Through this brilliant discovery, the irrational claims of the opponents of the Qur'an were demonstrated to be false and intellectually worthless.
In a miraculous way, the Qur'an conveys to us historical information that could not have been possessed or understood at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Hieroglyphics could not be deciphered until the late 1700s so the information could not have been ascertained from Egyptian sources. When the name "Haman" was discovered in the ancient scripts, it was further proof of the infallibility of Allah's Word.
References
1. Walter Wreszinski, Aegyptische Inschriften aus dem K.K. Hof Museum in Wien (Egyptian Inscriptions from the K.K. Hof Museum in Vienna) (Leipzig: J C Hinrichs’sche Buchhandlung: 1906).
2. Hermann Ranke, Die Ägyptischen Personennamen, Verzeichnis der Namen (The Egyptian Family Names, Listing of the Names), Verlag Von J J Augustin in Glückstadt, Band I,1935, Band II, 1952.
Just Dawah
Pagan Origins of Birthdays
The following is a list of quotes from writings and writers, ancient and modern, religious and secular, attesting to the Pagan origins and nature of celebrating one’s supposed day of birth. Of course many contemporary, secularized people will object and say that “birthdays” no longer have any religious significance(despite the fact that all the ancient pagan rituals are maintained and preserved in the modern celebrations). However if you profess to be a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian, you should not be doing this; Especially after you become aware that the word “secular” has the same definition as `irjaa(separating beliefs from actions, i.e. separating public actions from privately held beliefs(religion)). Yet “religion” is, from the Latin “religare”, “that which binds”, thus making Secular Humanism a religion in its own right.
“Shaytan has gained the mastery over them, and caused them to forget Allah’s Remembrance. Those are Shaytan’s party; why, Shaytans party, surely, they are the losers!,” –[Qur'an: Surah al-Mujadilah: 58:19].
Say: O Kafirun! (disbelievers), I do not worship what you worship, and you do not worship what I worship. Nor will I worship what you worship, nor will you worship what I worship. You have your religion and I have my religion.´ —[Qur'an: Surah al-Kafirun: 109:1-6]
“Whoever imitates a people is from them,” –[Sunan Abu Dawud]
“Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: ‘You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also. We said: Allah’s Messenger, do you mean Jews and Christians (by your words)” those before you”? He said: ‘Who else (than those two religious groups)’?,” –[Sahih Muslim].
“The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) also said: ‘The Day of Judgment will not come until my Nation closely imitates the nations before them.” It was asked: “Like the PERSIANS and ROMANS, Messenger of Allah?” He (may peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “Who are the nations (I could mean) except those?” [Sahih Bukhari].
“Originally the idea [of birthday greetings and wishes for happiness] was rooted in magic. The working of spells for good and evil is the chief usage of witchcraft. One is especially susceptible to such spells on his birthday, as one’s personal spirits are about at that time. Dreams dreamed on the birthday eve should be remembered, for they are predictions of the future brought by the guardian spirits which hover over one’s bed on the birthday eve. Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day. Good wishes bring good fortune, but the reverse is also true, so one should avoid enemies on one’s birthday and be surrounded only by well-wishers. “Happy birthday” and Many (more) happy returns of the day” are the traditional greetings”, -[The Lore of Birthdays, Linton, p. 20]…
“The giving of birthday gifts is a custom associated with the offering of sacrifices to pagan gods on their birthdays. Certainly the custom was linked with the same superstitions that formed the background for birthday greetings. The exchange of presents is associated with the importance of ingratiating good and evil fairies on their or our birthdays [ibid].
“The traditional birthday cake and candles also have their origin in ancient pagan idol worship. The ancients believed that the fire of candles had magical properties. They offered prayers and made wishes to be carried to the gods on the flames of the candles. Thus we still have the widely practiced birthday custom of making a wish, then blowing out the candles. The Greeks celebrated the birthday of their moon goddess, Artemis, with cakes adorned with lighted candles…” -[Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays?: Do Birthdays Have Pagan Origins?, Bob Theil].
“The Egyptians discovered to which of the gods each month and day is sacred; and found out from the day of a man’s birth, what he will meet with in the course of his life, and how he will end his days, and what sort of man he will be,” [Herodotus, Persian Wars, Book II, ch. 82].
“Since it was believed that the positions of the stars at the time of birth influenced a child’s future, astrological horoscopes came into being, purporting to foretell the future, based on the time of birth. “Birthdays” are intimately linked with the stars, since without the calendar, no one could tell when to celebrate his birthday. They are also indebted to the stars in another way, for in early days the chief importance of birthday records was to enable the astrologers to chart horoscopes,” [The Lore of Birthdays, p. 53].
Rawlinson’s translation of Herodotus includes the following footnote: “Horoscopes were of very early use in Egypt and Cicero speaks of the Egyptians and Chaldeans predicting a man’s destiny at his birth”…
Furthermore, the book “The Lore of Birthdays” (New York, 1952) by Ralph and Adelin Linton, on pages 8, 18-20 had this to say:
“The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or DAEMON(jinn) who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born”.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, radyAllahu anhu:
“Allah’s Apostle, may Allah’s peace and blessings be on him said: ‘There is none amongst you with whom is not an attache from amongst the jinn (devil). They (the Companions) said: Allah’s Apostle May Allah’s peace and blessings be on him with you too? Thereupon he said: Yes, but Allah helps me against him and so I am safe from his hand and he does not command me but for good’”, –[Sahih Muslim 6757, similar narration 6759 by 'Aisha, radyAllahu anha].
“The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . . This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the “guardian angel”, the “fairy godmother” and the “patron saint”(the dead Sufi master for the Sufis). . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . *”Birthday” candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes*. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune…”
Thus birthdays had their origin in mythology and magic, with horoscoping also playing a role.
“Nay, indeed, the law does not permit us to make festivals at the birth of our children, and thereby afford occasion of drinking to excess,” [Josephus. Translated by W. Whiston. Against Apion, Book II, Chapter 26. Extracted from Josephus Complete Works, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids (MI), 14th printing, 1977, p. 632].
In their essay titled “Birthdays, Jewishly,” Lisa Farber Miller and Sandra Widener point out that the Encyclopedia Judaica is very blunt on this topic:
“The celebration of birthdays is unknown in traditional Jewish ritual.”
“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD,” [Deuteronomy 18:10-12].
“You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, And the monthly prognosticators Stand up and save you From what shall come upon you. Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame” [Isaiah 47:13-14].
“But some have felt, basically by seeing certain alleged manger scenes, that the Magi/wise men came from the East and gave Jesus presents on the day of His birth,” -[Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays?: Do Birthdays Have Pagan Origins?, Bob Theil].
Well, there are a few issues with this.
First, the wise men definitely were not with `Isa, alayhi salam, on the day of His birth. The Bible is clear that he had already been born:
1 “Now AFTER Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” [Matthew 2:1-2].
“Furthermore, notice that they came to worship Him, not celebrate His birthday. It was customary in those times (and still is today) to provide gifts when meeting royalty. Thus, the wise men meeting Jesus and providing presents should not be construed as a birthday celebration”.
Late, Orthodox Catholics were against the celebration of birthdays. The Catholic Encyclopedia states:
“Origen, glancing perhaps at the discreditable imperial Natalitia, asserts (in Lev. Hom. viii in Migne, P.G., XII, 495) that in the Scriptures sinners alone, not saints, celebrate their birthday [Martindale C. Christmas, 1908].
Here is some of what Origen wrote:
“…of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world below” -[Origen, in Levit., Hom. VIII, in Migne P.G., XII, 495) (Thurston H. Natal Day. Transcribed by Thomas M. Barrett. Dedicated to Margaret Johanna Albertina Behling Barrett. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Copyright 1911 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York].
History of celebration of birthdays in the West:
“It is thought that the large-scale celebration of birthdays in Europe began with the cult of Mithras, which originated in Persia but was spread by soldiers throughout the Roman Empire. Before this, such celebrations were not common; and, hence, practices from other contexts such as the Saturnalia were adapted for birthdays. Because many Roman soldiers took to Mithraism, it had a wide distribution and influence throughout the empire until it was supplanted by Christianity.”
“Christmas is also relevant because December 25th was the day of celebration of the birthday of the sun-god Mithra. Perhaps it should also be mentioned that one of the key features of Mithraism was Sunday observance. The reason that this seems to be relevant is that the Roman Emperor Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to make a profession of Christ, was also the first Emperor to make Sunday laws–which he began to do on March 7, 321. Also, a few years later, the Council of Nicea that Constantine convened in 325 A.D. declared Sunday to be the “Christian day” of worship (for more information, please see the article Europa and the Book of Revelation).”
“According to the fourth century historian Epiphanius, some who observed Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, claimed that Emperor Constantine mandated a Sunday observance of it in the Council of Nicea in 325 in order to somehow honor his birthday,” -[Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays?: Do Birthdays Have Pagan Origins?, Bob Theil]:
“You changed the Passover to Constantine’s birthday” -(Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verse 9,4. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp. 410-411).
The World Book Encyclopedia notes:
“Christmas…In 354 A.D., Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun (Sechrist E.H. Christmas. World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 3. Field Enterprises Educational Corporation, Chicago, 1966, pp. 408-417).
“Hence, it would seem to follow that since those who professed Christ as late as the third century did not celebrate birthdays, that it was not after a Roman Emperor implemented Sunday, that perhaps he and others were amenable to adopting other practices of Mithraism–one of which was birthday celebrations. This is apparently how birthdays became to be celebrated amongst those that professed Christianity. A celebration for the date of Jesus’ birth in Rome probably began near this time, but was mandated no later than 354 A.D.”
“Thus the “birthday of the sun” festivities were a major factor in the date chosen for followers of Greco-Roman Christianity to celebrate. And once those that professed Christ began to widely celebrate that “birthday”, other birthday celebrations became more common,” -[Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays?: Do Birthdays Have Pagan Origins?, Bob Theil].
“Back in 1969 Anton Lavey wrote The Satanic Bible.
On page 96 on the 1976 version, it mentions birthdays: “THE highest of all holidays in the Satanic religion is the date of one’s own birth. This is in direct contradiction to the holy of holy days of other religions, which deify a particular god who has been created in an anthropomorphic form of their own image, thereby showing that the ego is not really buried.
The Satanist feels: “Why not really be honest and if you are going to create a god in your image, why not create that god as yourself.” Every man is a god if he chooses to recognize himself as one. So, the Satanist celebrates his own birthday as the most important holiday of the year. After all, aren’t you happier about the fact that you were born than you are about the birth of someone you have never even met? Or for that matter, aside from religious holidays, why pay higher tribute to the birthday of a president or to a date in history than we do to the day we were brought into this greatest of all worlds?
Despite the fact that some of us may not have been wanted, or at least were not particularly planned, we’re glad, even if no one else is, that we’re here! You should give yourself a pat on the back, buy yourself whatever you want, treat yourself like the king (or god) that you are, and generally celebrate your birthday with as much pomp and ceremony as possible”"-[Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays?: Do Birthdays Have Pagan Origins?, Bob Theil].
CONCLUSION: Celebrating “Birthdays” originated in magic and Pagan mythology. Besides the fact that we humans are spiritual beings having a human experience and not vice versa, and thus do not know the date of our actual birth, rather what we know is our “earth” day, “birthdays” were traditionally celebrated by followers of Mithra. After a sun-worshiping emperor(Constantine) made a profession of Christ and passed the first Sunday law, he did not consider that there were problems with celebratory aspects of Mithraism/Saturnalia as long as Christ and believers, and not Mithra, were the focus of the celebrations.
“But should we be following the example of the Romans who mixed practices of Mithraism into their religion or of those who first accepted Christ?, “-[Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays?: Do Birthdays Have Pagan Origins?, Bob Theil]
“Whoever imitates a people is from them,” -[Sunan Abu Dawud].
And Allah knows best.
By Yusha Evans
Monday, 10 June 2013
New Muslim Support
For any new Muslim it is essential to grasp the basic knowledge about prayer and how to perform it, as well as to allso try to understand what our Creator is saying to us.
With this in mind we are pleased to be able to offer any english speaking New Muslims in Manchester a gift pack consisting of the english translation of the meaning of The Qu'ran as understood by the translator (produced by The Quran Project) & My Prayer Booklet and DvD set (by Iman Projects) absolutely free of charge.
So If you are a english speaking New Muslim living in Manchester then please get in touch with us. Only available whilst stocks last !
For many New Muslims after accepting Islam it can be difficult to know what they are required to do next. They are left with very little support or contact from a Muslim or can be given a bucket full of information which can be confusing or over-burdening. If you are a New Muslim and just want some freindly advice or want to go to the mosque or just want to be able to talk to someone over a coffee , then why not get in touch ?
Just Dawah
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Tayammum ( Dry Ablution )
In Arabic, the word Tayammum literally means an 'aim' or 'purpose.' In Islamic Law, it refers to: 'Aiming for or seeking soil to wipe one's face and hands with the intention of purification and preparing oneself to pray, and so on."
Proof of its Legitimacy
This act of ritual cleansing is proven by the Quran, Sunnah (prophetic tradition) and Ijmaa' (consensus of Muslim scholars). The Quran says (what means):"…And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women [i.e., had sexual intercourse] and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving." [Quran 4:43]
From the Sunnah, we have the Hadeeth (prophetic statement) related by Abu Umaamah in which the Prophet said: "All of the earth has been made a pure place of prayer for me and my nation. Whenever a person from my nation wants to pray, he has something with which to purify himself, that is, the earth." [Ahmad]
Finally, there is a consensus that Tayammum forms a legitimate part of the Sharee'ah (Islamic Law), as it replaces ablution with water or Ghusl (ritual bathing), under specific circumstances.
A Blessing from Allah
This form of ablution is viewed as a blessing from Allah to the Muslims. Jaabir related that the Prophet said: "I have been given five things that were not given to anyone before me: I have been made victorious due to fear of a distance of one month's journey; the earth has been made a place of prayer for me and a source of purification - wherever and whenever any member of my nation wants to pray, he may pray; and the war booty has been made lawful to me, and this was not lawful to anyone before me. I have been given permission to intercede. Prophets before me used to be sent to their own people only, but I have been sent to all of mankind." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
When to Make Tayammum
One is permitted to make Tayammum in any of the following cases:
1- If one cannot find water or the amount one finds is insufficient for ablution
'Imraan Ibn Husayn said: "We were with the Messenger of Allah during a journey. When he led the people in prayer, one man stayed apart. He asked him: "What prevented you from praying?" He replied: 'I need a ritual bath (because of having a wet dream) and there is no water.' The Messenger said: 'Use the soil, for it is sufficient (i.e. Tayammum).''' [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
2- If one is injured or ill
If one is in this condition and thinks that using water will worsen it (he does not have to be absolutely sure, but may base his assumption on past experience or what a knowledgeable person has told him), he may perform Tayammum.
Jaabir said, "We were on a journey and one of us was injured. Later, he had a wet dream. He asked his companions, 'Can I perform Tayammum?' They said, 'No, not if you have water.' He performed Ghusl, which caused him to die. When news of this came to the Messenger of Allah he said: "They killed him! May Allah kill them! Do you not ask if you do not know? The remedy for ignorance is to ask. He could have performed Tayammum and not dropped water on his wound, or wrapped it with something, then wiped over the wrapping, and then washed the rest of his body.""
3- If water is cold enough to physically harm the user
Tayammum is allowed when water is available but is too cold and cannot be heated, or there is no public bathroom available. 'Amr Ibn Al-'Aas narrated that he was once participating in a military expedition. He had a wet dream during an extremely cold night, and was afraid that if he performed Ghusl he would die. He prayed the morning (Fajr) prayer with his companions. He then went to the Messenger of Allah to ask him about this. The Messenger said: "O 'Amr! Did you pray with your companions while you needed a ritual bath?" 'Amr said to the Prophet the verse (which means):"…Do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful." [Quran 4:29] The Prophet smiled at this and did not say anything. [Al-Bukhaari]
4- If water is nearby, but one cannot fetch it due to fear
If one fears for his life, family, wealth, [for example, if an enemy (beast or human) is nearby or if one is a prisoner, and so on], he may perform Tayammum. This is also allowed if there is water but one lacks the proper means to get it, or if one fears some accusation against him if he gets it.
5- If one is saving his water for later use
This could be for dough, cooking, or to remove an impurity that is not pardonable. Imaam Ahmad said: "Many of the Companions performed Tayammum to save their water for drinking." 'Ali said: "A man who is traveling and becomes unclean because of sexual intercourse, or a wet dream, can perform Tayammum if he fears he will go thirsty. He should perform Tayammum and not Ghusl." [Ad-Daaraqutni]
6- If one can get water, but fears that the prayer will be over by the time he gets it
He can perform Tayammum and pray, and does not need to repeat his prayer (after he gets water).
The Soil Used for Tayammum
It must be pure soil: this can be sand, stone, gypsum, and so on. Allah Almighty Says in the Quran (what means): "…Perform Tayammum with pure soil..." [Quran 5:6] and all scholars of the Arabic language agree that 'soil' (in Arabic) is whatever covers the earth, dirt or otherwise.
How to Perform Tayammum
First, one must have the intention to perform ablution and purifying himself, then he mentions Allah's name, strikes the soil with his hands, and wipes his face and hands up to the wrist, starting with the right hand. Nothing is more authentic and clear than what 'Ammaar related. He said: "I once became sexually impure and had no water, so I rolled in the dirt and prayed. This was mentioned to the Prophet who said: "This would have been enough for you," and he struck the earth with his hands, blew in them and then wiped his face and hands with them." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
This Hadeeth shows that one strike of the earth is sufficient, and one only wipes the arms to the wrists. It is an act of Sunnah that one who makes Tayammum with dirt should blow into his hands first and not make his face dusty or dirty.
What Tayammum Makes Permissible
After performing Tayammum, one is pure and may perform any of the acts requiring prior ritual purification, such as praying and touching the Quran. He does not have to perform it during the time of prayer, and he may pray as many prayers as he wishes (unless he nullifies it), exactly as it is the case with regular ablution. Abu Tharr reported that the Prophet said: "The soil is a purifier for a Muslim, even if he does not find water for ten years. Then, if he finds water, that is, to make ablution, and so on, it becomes incumbent upon him to use it." [Ahmad & At-Tirmithi]
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Source: Fiqh Us-Sunnah, Volume 1
Written By: Sayyid Saabiq
Monday, 20 May 2013
How To Set Up A Dawah Table
As with starting any endeavour, the most important thing is the intention behind it. As the Prophet (SAW) said: "Indeed, actions are based on intentions. For every person is what he intended." (Bukhari and Muslim) First make sure that the intention for this effort is only to please Allah (SWT). We need to ask ourselves this question again and again.
Dua to Allah
While we may have many shortcomings, still, the power of dua is great. Imagine our humble, but sincere dawah effort turning into a major dawah movement in this country! Just imagine it! And us, reaping the reward of everyone who accepts Islam through this movement, through years to come... Think and plan big: Allah's powers are not to be underestimated:
"And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them); I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me; let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in me; that they may be rightly guided."(Qur'an 2:186)
"O Allah, bestow on us, mercy from Yourself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way." (Qur'an 18:10)
Step 1 - Preliminary fundraising
Asking family and friends, Food sales, Collecting money after Friday prayers, Fundraising lectures and dinners ,T-shirts and poster sales, Direct funding from your university. You would need from about £50 to £250 to start up.
Step 2 - Obtaining the dawah literature and Qurans
Start the search for dawah literature and Qur'ans early, so that there is enough time for materials to be sent to you. If you want to start a table right away, you may want to photocopy what you can for a start. Dawah literature and further information sources are also available here. You will also need to buy a dawah table, a couple of chairs and a banner. Dawah tables and chairs can be purchased online, at Argos or other DIY stores. You can contact other local dawah teams to get information on where they printed their banner.
Step 3 - Reserving the table and obtaining peripherals
Contact your local council to inform them of what you are doing, they may give you some locations to put your stall. If you want to put the stall on private property then ask the permission of the owner of the property. If organising the stall for your university contact the appropriate department office in your university in advance to find out their deadlines if any for reserving a table for daw'ah purposes. Reserve your table early for the whole semester. This is to ensure getting a good spot for your table. You may also want to reserve or purchase two or three stands or easels to mount posters as well as have some business cards printed so that interested people have a contact to follow up later. From a coordinator's point of view, it is convenient to have a weekly table consistently on the same day of the week. However, in order to reach the maximum number of people, switching to another day in the middle of the semester may not be a bad idea.
Step 4 - Getting the Volunteers
Getting volunteers requires creating a motivating vision for your table and good man management. You will need minimum two people however a good number would be to have around 10 volunteers so that two different people can manage the table each week with 2 for backup. The amount of volunteers you will need depends on how often you want to have the dawah table running. As mentioned you also may need some back up volunteers encase some volunteers are unable to attend a specific day.
Make a signup sheet and pass it around at your university or mosque. Have one person in charge of calling or texting all the volunteers a few days before the dawah table every week to remind them of their shifts. Arrange for wake-up calls if needed and encourage people to find a backup if they cannot make their shift. However, the coordinator should be prepared to deal with occasional absenteeism and be available on call (if possible) for the duration of the table.
Step 5 - Making signs and posters
Attractive signs and posters can go a long way in encouraging people to stop by the table. Also, putting up posters with Quranic verses and other information about Islam is dawah in itself, as people who don't stop by the table will also learn something about Islam. Short Qur'anic verses and a hadith written clearly and attractively seem to be the most beneficial.
Political issues also attract attention, but are NOT good dawah tools. It is advisable to keep the dawah table away from politics as the goal is to call people towards Islam with hikmah (wisdom), which will be better achieved by removing the focus from political issues and bringing it to Tawheed.
Step 6 - Advertising for the table
It may be a good idea to put up posters and use email and other means available for advertising the dawah table. Encourage people to tell their non-Muslim friends about the table. You could even find facebook pages focused on your area and use that to invite non muslims to the table.
Step 7 - Procedural meeting of volunteers
Before starting the table, have a meeting where the volunteers are informed of policies concerning the daw'ah table and also given a briefing on the basics of doing daw'ah. Procedural things to go over may include the following among others:
The use of a log book. This should contain the names and particulars of the volunteers along with their assigned shifts, any specific instructions that you may want to give them, and a section for special requests, such as if someone wants to be informed of Islamic events, or wants a copy of the Qur'an, or anything that you can provide but may not have handy at the table. It can also be used to keep track of how much literature is being given out and how many people are stopping by the table. Delegate responsibilities. Have specific people in charge of photocopying, calling up the volunteers, following up on special requests, ordering Qurans and daw'ah material as needed etc. Organise a dawah training course for all the volunteers. Contact us to organise a dawah course.
Step 8 - Ready to go
The procedural meeting should mark the completion of the preparations for the table. The night before the table, tie up any loose ends, make sure all materials are packed ready to go and call up volunteers to reconfirm their shifts. The materials you will typically need are: Dawah brochures; Qur'ans; Selected Posters; and basic information for the Da'ees; Tape and scissors (or something to put up the posters); Stands or easels (if needed); Log Book; Chairs. Insha Allah, have a successful dawah table the next day.
Just Dawah
A Brief History Of Christmas
In ancient pagan times, the last day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere was celebrated as the night that the Great Mother Goddess gives birth to the baby Sun God. It is also called Yule, the day a huge log is added to a bonfire, around which everyone would dance and sing to awaken the sun from its long winter sleep.
In Roman times, it became the celebrations honouring Saturnus (the harvest god) and Mithras (the ancient god of light), a form of sun worship that had come to Rome from Syria a century before with the cult of Sol Invictus. It announced that winter is not forever, that life continues, and an invitation to stay in good spirit.The last day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere occurs between the 20th and 22 December. The Roman celebrated Saturnalia between 17 and 24 December.
The early Christians to avoid persecution during the Roman pagan festival, early Christians decked their homes with Saturnalia holly. As Christian numbers increased and their customs prevailed, the celebrations took on a Christian observance.
But the early church actually did not celebrate the birth of Christ in December until Telesphorus, who was the second Bishop of Rome from 125 to 136AD, declared that Church services should be held during this time to celebrate "The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour." However, since no-one was quite sure in which month Christ was born, Nativity was often held in September, which was during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (modern-day Rosh Hashanah). In fact, for more than 300 years, people observed the birth of Jesus on various dates.
In the year 274AD, solstice fell on 25th December. Roman Emperor Aurelian proclaimed the date as "Natalis Solis Invicti," the festival of the birth of the invincible sun. In 320 AD, Pope Julius I specified the 25th of December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christmas official, but not generally observed
In 325AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced Christmas as an immovable feast on 25 December. He also introduced Sunday as a holy day in a new 7-day week, and introduced movable feasts (Easter). In 354AD, Bishop Liberius of Rome officially ordered his members to celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December.
However, even though Constantine officiated 25 December as the birthday of Christ, Christians, recognising the date as a pagan festival, did not share in the emperor's good meaning. Christmas failed to gain universal recognition among Christians until quite recently. In England, Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas festivities between 1649 and 1660 through the so-called Blue Laws, believing that Christmas should be a solemn day.
When many Protestants escaped persecution by fleeing to the colonies all over the world, interest in joyous Christmas celebrations was rekindled there. Still, Christmas was not even a legal holiday until the 1800s. And, keep in mind, there was no Father Christmas (Santa Claus) figure at that time.
Christmas becomes popular
The popularity of Christmas was spurred on in 1820 by Washington Irving's book The Keeping of Christmas at Bracebridge Hall. In 1834, Britain's Queen Victoria brought her German husband, Prince Albert, into Windsor Castle, introducing the tradition of the Christmas tree and carols that were held in Europe to the British Empire. A week before Christmas in 1834, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol (in which he wrote that Scrooge required Cratchit to work, and that the US Congress met on Christmas Day). It was so popular that neither the churches nor the governments could not ignore the importance of Christmas celebrations. In 1836, Alabama became the first state in the US to declare Christmas a legal holiday. In 1837, T.H. Hervey's The Book of Christmas also became a best seller. In 1860, American illustrator Thomas Nast borrowed from the European stories about Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, to create Father Christmas (Santa Claus). In 1907, Oklahoma became the last US state to declare Christmas a legal holiday. Year by year, countries all over the world started to recognise Christmas as the day for celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Have a merry Christmas
Today, many of the pagan uses are reflected in Christmas. Jesus was born in March, yet his birth is celebrated on 25 December, the time of solstice. The Christmas celebrations end the 12th day of Christmas (6 January), the same amount of days that the return of the sun was celebrated by ancient and Roman pagans. It thus is no surprise that Christian puritans - or even conservative Christians - often are upset that Christmas "is not as religious as it was meant to be," forgetting that Christmas was not celebrated at all until fairly recently.
Does Christmas have Biblical Evidence?
The word 'Christmas' does not exist in the Bible. The Bible has closed lips on the entire feast of Christmas, with one exception, the decoration of a tree. The Bible itself criticizes the decoration of the (Christmas) trees:
"The customs of the people are worthless, they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel, they adore it with silver and gold, they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter" (Jeremiah 10-3,4).
European Pre-Christian pagans superstitiously believed that the green trees had special protective powers. In fact the use of the Christmas tree began only in the 17th century in Strasbourg, France and from there it spread to Germany, Britain and then to the U.S. "Tree worship was a common feature of religion among the Teutonic and Scandinavian peoples of northern Europe before their conversion to Christianity…German settlers brought the Christmas tree custom to the American colonies in the 17th century. By the 19th century its use was quite widespread". (Compton's Encyclopedia, 1998 Edition)
Was Jesus born on Dec. 25?
Neither the date 25th Dec. nor any other date on Jesus' birth is mentioned in the Bible. It was not until the year 530 C.E. that a monk, Dionysus Exigus, fixed the date of Jesus' birth on Dec. 25th. . "He wrongly dated the birth of Christ according to the Roman system (i.e., 754 years after the founding of Rome) as Dec. 25, 753". (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 ed.) This date was chosen in keeping with the holidays already indoctrinated into pagans beliefs.
Roman pagans celebrated Dec. 25th as the birth of their 'god' of light, Mithra.
"In the 2nd century A..D., it (Mithraism) was more general in the Roman Empire than Christianity, to which it bore many similarities" (The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia, 1995 ed.)
Other pagan 'gods' born on Dec. 25th are: Hercules the son of Zeus (Greeks); Bacchus, 'god' of wine (Romans); Adonis, 'god' of Greeks, and 'god' Freyr of Greek-Roman pagans.
What about Santa Claus?
If aliens descended on earth during the Christmas season, they would undoubtedly believe Christmas as being Santa's birthday. The words 'Santa Claus', appear nowhere in the Bible.
However, Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was a real person, a bishop, who was born 300 years after Jesus. According to legend, he was extremely kind and set out at night to bring presents to the needy. After his death on 6th of Dec., school boys in Europe began celebrating a feast day each year.
Queen Victoria later changed the celebration date from Dec. 6th to Dec. 24th eve.
Did Jesus or his Companions Celebrate Christmas?
If Jesus meant his followers to celebrate Christmas, he would have practiced it himself and enjoined it on his followers. There is no mention in the entire Bible that any of his followers ever celebrated Jesus' birthday like Christians do today.
"The church did not observe a festival for the celebration of the event of Christmas until the 4th century" (Grolier's Encyclopedia)
Thus we see that neither the Bible nor Jesus and his companions say anything about the celebration of Christmas which currently involves fanfare, commercialization, and extravagant spending, devoid of any spiritual relevance.
Just Dawah
Shahadah Count & Pictures
As much a satisfaction we get when Allaah chooses us as a means for a brother or sister to become a Muslim, we get just as much satisfaction just speaking to a member of the public who leaves understanding why Islaam is the truth; but needs a little more time to digest and further research. We have even trained our du'aat to figure out the level where a person may be, as to advise further reading around the subject rather than asking them to become a Muslim (though of course we always invite them to Islaam, but do it for example like when;
"We have rationally agreed that Islaam makes sense, that it is the Guidance from the Creator informing us of His Oneness, His Ever-Living nature, His Uniquness, His Perfection, the Purpose of Life, How to live Life, how to attain closeness to Him etc. It is the criterion by which you will be judged, this life being a test. I realise it's a lot to take in, and I would love for you to be a Muslim, I really would as I want what is good for me to also be for you and the rest of mankind. If you need a little time, here are some pamphlets you can have a read through, some website addresses where you can learn more, the address of our Mosque if you ever want to pop in to our weekly open days and we are here every Saturday too. But don't leave it too long, as we never know when our time in this world will come to an end"
i.e. we really don't push for a Shahadah. What is a Shahadah if the person is not certain, doesn't love it, and doesn't yearn for it? The Shahadah has conditions, and merely professing to it isn't enough. Don't get us wrong, we are not advocating that you shouldn't ask for a Shahadah or be discouraged if you believe the person is ready and thereafter strengthening their yaqeen (certainty) and building muhabba (love) for it, but we really shouldn't set the number of Shahadas as the criterion..
'Some people have been asking why we are not uploading pictures of the brothers & sisters taking their Shahada or not mentioning them as much..
2 reasons:
1- We do not want to inspire people to give Dawah by the Highlighting the Shahada count. We at Team Dawah Manchester believe that giving Dawah is much much more than that. It is about several different things, such as;
- going out in the first place, making the effort even if you are ignored by the majority
- exercising patience & kindness when people reject or even ridicule the message
- having some great rationale conversations where we challenge the minds of the people we speak to, generating thoughts on the logic and truthfulness of Islaam
2- In the past we did take pictures of our new Muslim brothers & sisters taking their shahada & uploading them onto our facebook, but upon advice from a new Muslim group, we decided that we would no longer upload them as it can potentially damage the new Muslim brother's/sister's life. How? Well, we & they don't really know how their friends, family, colleagues, neighbours etc will react with the news that they are Muslim. They may want to keep it a secret for a while and sharing them on facebook can cause some problems..
we've taken these pictures that we have in the past and they have been shared, so we will keep them up, but will not be adding to them.."
So, be satisfied in making the effort in the first place, be satisfied that you are developing your Dawah skills (over time) and using this in trying to bring people back to Allaah. Be satisfied in trying your upmost best, and do not ever view a low Shahadah count as something negative? Who is to say that you didn't have a great conversation with this man/woman, articulated your points clearly in an inviting manner and some time later they decided to become a Muslim?
Remember, there are two types of Hidayat.
1- We we can guide someone to the truth by presenting it to them, but the most important is point 2
2- Hidayat from Allaah (Glorified be HE), which is based upon the Tawfique He gives to this individual, and this is ONLY from Allaah azzawajal!!
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