A short refutation of the false theory of evolution of man from ape.
Just
as in the entire universe, miraculous systems that are created by our
Lord also exist within the human body.Just as in the entire universe,
miraculous systems that are created by our Lord also exist within the
human body. One of these systems, the voice box or larynx is one of
these superior miracles of creation. The voice box is the name given to
the part of the windpipe, or trachea, that opens to the mouth, or oral
cavity. Right at the entrance of the larynx are located the vocal cords.
Thanks to the muscles that govern them, these cords can assume
different shapes and as a result, we can make various sounds, including
speech.One
reason why other living beings can not make sounds like human beings is
that their voice boxes are located at a higher part of the mouth cavity
than in human beings. The human larynx is lower in the windpipe than in
any other animal, including monkeys. Thanks to this position, the
breath coming out of the lungs is transformed by the voice box into a
wide variety of different sounds.Evolutionists
fail to answer many questions. But when they try to explain them by
offering the thesis of selection of advantageous traits through natural
selection,it is at this point, they face another deadlock for the lower
position of the voice box is by no means a physical advantage. Due to
this position, the food we eat may easily get into the windpipe and
choke us, or the liquids we drink may accidentally get into the lungs.
In
order to prevent this, while we are eating or drinking anything, a
little tongue has been created that closes the voice box. When we try
to eat or drink something and speak at the same time, these two actions
interfere with each other and as each of you have certainly experienced
during your life we develop an immediate cough. But animals have a
different system. The windpipes of animals including monkeys for
instance are higher up in their throat. For this reason, whatever food
they swallow never gets into their windpipe and consequently, they do
not run the risk of choking.Despite
our dangers and difficulties in taking nutrition, our unique voice box
structure allows for speech. The constant risk of getting food into the
windpipe, on the other hand, is eliminated by reflexes gained during
infancy and by an organ called the uvula, which is a little flap of
tissue. Briefly the lower position for the voice box's structure is
unique to human beings.Evolutionists
of course assert that natural selection has chosen the more
advantageous structure over time, but the more advantageous larynx
would only result in incoherence. But the true situation is exactly the
opposite, and entirely at variance with the evolutionary rationale. This
odd fact is something that Charles Darwin tried to explain away"
..it is an odd fact that every food and liquid we swallow has to pass
over the opening to the windpipe with the risk of slipping into our
lungs." (Darwin C.1859 On the Origin of Species, Facsimile edition.
Cambridge: Harvard University Press, p. 191.)When
we examine the features of the voice box, we discover a miracle of
creation with details that have been meticulously calculated. The voice
boxes of babies are positioned higher up in the throat than in adults.
This way, the infants can breathe while suckling, without running the
risk of getting their mothers milk down into the windpipes and lungs.
Yet before the infant gains the ability to speak, this voice box which
has up until now been a hindrance for speech lowers itself in the
throat. In other words, it develops in the right way just at the right
time.This
example once again reveals that human beings enjoy a perfect creation.
Allah, the Lord of all the universes, the One Who creates man, grants
him a body proper for its needs, protects babies against choking, and
lets them speak by placing their voice box at the right position with an
ideal timing.In one verse, Allah proclaims: "He created Man and taught him clear expression." (The Quran 55:3)
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Unlike
the descriptions of the devil in Christian doctrine, Shaytan (Satan:The
Devil) is not a fallen angel; rather he is a Jinn (A creation of Allah
that was created before humankind from smokeless flame. They are
referred to at times as spirit beings, banshees, poltergeists, phantoms
and so forth) who can think, reason and has free will.Allah
allowed him to reside amongst the Angels, but because of his pride and
arrogance he despairs of ever knowing Allah's mercy and has vowed not to
inhabit the depths of Hell alone. Satan's wish is to take as many human
beings with him to the Hellfire as he can. Make no mistake about it;
Satan is mankind's mortal enemy. He is cunning, crafty and supremely
arrogant.
The Qur'an warns us of his enmity over and over "O children of Adam. Let not Shaytan deceive you..." (Quran 7:27)"Surely Shaytan is an enemy to you so take him as an enemy..." (Quran 35:6)"...And whoever takes Shaytan as a protector or helper instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss." (Quran 4:119)
It
is important to understand that even Satan himself recognises the
Oneness of Allah and His right to be worshipped. Allah has informed us
that the promises of Satan are nothing but deceptions and lies, and
Satan concurs, for he can offer nothing.
"And
Shaytan will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allah
promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed
you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you
responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves..." (Quran
14:22)
Every
act of disobedience that is hated by Allah is loved by Shaytan, he
loves immorality and sin. He whispers into the ears of the believers, he
disrupts prayer and the remembrance of Allah. One of Islam's greatest
scholars, Ibn ul Qayyim, may God have mercy on him, said: "One of his
(Satan's) plots is that he always bewitches people's minds until they
are deceived, he makes attractive to the mind that which will harm it".
Satan
has wide-ranging experience in the field of deception; he has tricks
and temptations and he whispers relentlessly. Satan is able to pinch and
poke, implanting thoughts and desires. However Allah has not left
humankind defenseless. He has provided us with weapons and one of the
greatest is information. Satan is our mortal enemy and in order to
combat his tricks and illusions we need to know him well. The long term
goal of Satan is to deprive as many people as possible of Paradise and
to lead them to Hell. To achieve this aim he has set many short term
goals. Being aware of these goals means we are able to arm ourselves
with weapons of defence.
Short Term Goals:
1.To
cause people to commit the great sin of shirk. Everyone who worships
something other than Allah, be it an idol, a statue, the sun, the moon, a
person or a principle, is in essence worshipping Satan.[Sh.Omar al
Ashqar in The world of the Jinn and Devils.]
2.To
encourage people to commit sins and acts of disobedience. When Satan
despairs of ever being worshipped he is content with being obeyed in
matters that seem insignificant.[At-Tirmidhi, Saheeh Muslim] He loves
immorality and sin because it has a direct effect on a person's
religious commitment.
3.To
prevent people from doing good deeds. Satan not only causes people to
commit sin and acts of disobedience, he is also content with preventing
them from doing acts of good. Satan is patient; he lays in wait, filling
our minds with doubts, and superstitions. When a person is planning on
doing a good deed or action, he whispers to them to avoid it and plants
small nagging doubts in their mind.
4.To
damage acts of worship. If Satan is not able to prevent people from
obeying Allah and performing righteous actions, he strives to corrupt
their acts of worship. When a person is praying he whispers and
distracts him. Satan's desire is to prevent a person from taking their
reward for praying with kushoo and eventually to lead him or her away
from Allah altogether.
5.To
cause mental and physical harm. In addition to causing believers to
commit acts of shirk, Satan also aims to cause physical and mental harm.
For instance he sends bad dreams to cause a person distress and fear.
He disturbs people from the time they are born right up until the moment
of death. In their final moments, he continues his whispering and
harassment to prevent a person from calling on Allah and confirming
their belief in God alone.
The means used by Shaytan to misguide people
Making
lies and deceptions appear attractive. Shaytan makes falsehood appear
in the guise of truth and truth appear in the guise of falsehood. He
does this by planting doubts in people's mind in exactly the same way as
he tempted our Father and Mother Adam and Eve. Whispers, doubts and
delusions are all part of his bag of tricks. Nowadays we see unlawful
activities being practiced by many; they are made to appear attractive
and are given names that draw a person towards it. God has given us a
great line of defense; once we equip ourselves with the knowledge of the
laws of Islam, this will unveil the plots of Satan and make it clear to
us his intent.
Tempting
people to extremism or negligence. If Satan finds a person is serious
and cautious, always trying to do the right thing, he tempts him to
strive to excess. He whispers, do not sleep when others sleep, do not
break your fast when others do and so on. If Shaytan sees that a person
is lazy or prone to look for the easy way he will tempt him to be
indifferent or negligent. He encourages procrastination and laziness. To
protect oneself from this, one should stay close to the Sunnah of
Prophet Muhammad, may Allah praise him.
Making
false promises. Quran stresses this evil ploy several times with great
emphasis. "Shaytan makes promises to them, and arouses in them false
desires; and Shaytan's promises are nothing but deceptions."(Quran
4:120) Satan fills people's heads with vain desires and wishes and keeps
them busy working on false dreams and rewards. This distracts them from
the more important things and working for the Hereafter. He calls
humankind to sin and transgression yet he claims to be giving sincere
advice.
Gradually
misleading people. Satan makes minor sins appear to be nothing until
they are piled high upon one another. Whenever Satan tricks a person
into committing a sin, he leads him straight on to another sin, and then
another and each time the sins become greater until finally he causes a
person to commit the greatest sin of all, disbelieving in Allah, or
ascribing partners to Him.
Causing
people to forget what is in their best interest. Human beings are
forgetful. It is a trait that in all of us and Our creator knows this
very well. "And indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he
forgot, and We found on his part no firm will-power." (Quran 20:115)
Satan takes this a step further by whispering until a person forgets
exactly what is good for him and what things will lead to sin. One
example where this could happen is where the religion of Allah is being
mocked in a light-hearted way. Allah cautions us not to take part in
such conversations. He says:
"And
when you see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses
(of the Quran) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to
another topic. And if Satan causes you to forget, then after the
remembrance sit not you in the company of the wrongdoing people." (Quran
6:68)
Making
people afraid of his allies. Another way Satan misguides people is to
make them afraid of his (Satan's) troops and allies. He has surrounded
himself with evil minions, jinn and human beings. He instills the
thoughts that they are powerful and fearsome, and if not obeyed they can
harm us.
"It
is only Shaytan that suggests to you the fear of his supporters and
friends; so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers."
(Quran3:175)
Satan
misguides a person through what he loves and desires. Satan finds out
what we love or desire and uses it against us. He also passes this
information on to his helpers and they attack us with the very things we
are attached to. How often are our prayers disturbed by thoughts of our
children or spouse? Are we guilty of shopping and delaying our prayer?
Satan senses what we like and then sets about to twist our thoughts.
By
instilling doubts. Satan does not want anyone to turn to Allah in
repentance, regretting (past mistakes) and turning towards what is right
and good.Instead he wants to divert people away from Allah by using
many kinds of temptations and baseless arguments. He instills doubts to
make a person feel anxious and uncertain.
Through
alcohol, gambling, idolatry, witchcraft and fortunetelling. Although
Allah warns us against these practices, human beings are weak and Satan
takes advantage of this by making these practices look attractive or
worthwhile. He encourages people to engage in these practices because
they can easily lead to evil consequences and bad results. People may
engage in this sort of behavior thinking it will be fun or interesting
and they soon find that the consequences are neither of those things.
Gambling is a serious addiction that destroys wealth and lives; alcohol
makes people behave like fools and encourages one to engage in risky
behaviour; idolatry is fraught with evil consequences, the worst being
the sin of worshipping something other than Allah; believing in
witchcraft and fortunetelling is a sign of irrational thinking and an
irrational person has no control over himself. He could easily be led
into evil situations that pull him further and further away from Allah.
"Oh
you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and
gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and
Al-Azlam are an abomination of Shaytan's handiwork. So avoid (strictly
all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful." (Quran
5:90)
Encouraging
negligence.If the believer adheres firmly to the straight path and
calls on Allah to protect himself, Shaytan is prevented from leading him
astray or misguiding him.However, if he is negligent or lazy Shaytan
takes full advantage to attack while the believer's defenses are
down.Immersing oneself in all the aspects of Islam is the way to be safe
from Shaytan. Being negligent about our Islamic obligations keeps one
away from the constant flow of Allah's mercy. When a person grows strong
in Islam and his faith is firmly entrenched in his heart, Shaytan is
the one who is afraid.
Arabic Terms:
Shaytan-
sometimes spelled shaitan or shaytaan.It is the word used in Islam and
the Arabic language to denote the devil or Satan, the personification of
evil.
Al-Azlam
- is the practice of casting featherless arrows to predict situations.
It was prevalent in pre Islamic Arabia (includes such things as drawing
lots, and trying to predict the future
Jinn
- A creation of Allah that was created before humankind from smokeless
flame. They are referred to at times as spirit beings, banshees,
poltergeists, phantoms and so forth.
Shirk
- a word that implies ascribing partners to Allah, or ascribing divine
attributes to other than Allah, or believing that the source of power,
harm and blessings comes from another besides Allah.
Kushoo - the act of being completely solemn, submissive and humble towards Allah during the prayer.
source newmuslims.com
Do
you sometimes feel that your Salah [prayer] is not quite having the
effect it is supposed to on you and your life? Have you ever considered
that perhaps it is because we are not giving it its due importance? It
seems we have lost [or were never taught] that ability to 'connect' in
Salah that makes all the difference in its effect on us.
Consider the following examples of those who came before us:
The
Muslims once headed out with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) on way to battle. During the trip the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) ordered two companions, one of the Ansar [helpers] and one
of the Muhajireen [emigrants], to stand guard over them. As they did the
Muhajir decided to rest while the Ansari chose to stand in prayer.
Along came a disbeliever and cast an arrow striking the Ansari in the
chest. The Ansari pulled out the arrow and continued in prayer. The
disbeliever struck him with a second arrow.Again the Ansari removed it
and continued his prayer. A third arrow was cast but now the Ansari
could no longer stand and finally fell bleeding into his Ruku [bowing
position] and Sujood [prostration]. The aggressor fled as the Muhajir
rushed to his brother's aid, "Subhanallah! Why didn't you alert me from
the first arrow?" The Ansari replied, "I was in the middle of a
[beautiful] Surah and didn't wish to interrupt my recitation of it."
Imam
Bukhari was once stung by a wasp 17 times while standing in prayer.
When he finished, he felt some discomfort and asked if anyone was aware
of what caused it.
Ibn
Zubair (May God be pleased with him) stood firm and unflinching in his
prayer while catapults fired upon the ground he stood on.
It
was said that when Ali (May God be pleased with him) washed in
preparation for prayer, he always went pale and trembled with anxiety as
he thought of himself about to stand before his Lord.
Another companion needed an amputation. He requested that it be performed while he was engaged in Salah.
An
entire wall collapsed in the mosque that one companion was praying in,
but he was too engrossed to realize what happened till his prayer was
completed.
How
did they attain that level of pleasure and inner peace that Salah is
meant to inspire? Is it possible for us to reach that level too? How can
we make our Salah effective?
To
read more and learn how we too can try to achieve this download 'Love
of Allah Experience The Beauty of Salah' (you can also order a free copy
of this book from The Quran Project).
One
of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity is that Jesus had died and
allowed for the shedding of his blood for the sake of granting
forgiveness to people. In other words Jesus had died on the cross as a
sacrifice for our sins. Let us investigate this topic from the Bible,
and find out whether Jesus was sent to be crucified or that he was
crucified:
1. Willingness of Jesus Christ to Die for Our Sins:
Peter
and the two sons of Zebedee were with Jesus Christ before the elders of
the people and the chief priests came to take him to crucify him. Jesus
at this point talked to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee as in Matthew
26:38 " Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even
unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me". Then Jesus went a little
further way from them and prayed to God as in Matthew 26:39 " And he
went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not
as I will, but as thou wilt".
It
is very clear from the above verse in Matthew 26:39 that Jesus had no
intention of dying. In this verse it is shown that Jesus was praying
strongly (Matthew mentions that Jesus repeated these prayer three time)
to have this death removed from him.
Had
Jesus Christ been sent to be crucified he would not have hesitated to
be killed at all. When I relate this to my Christian brothers, they tell
me that this hesitation comes from the flesh side of him (in other
words he was tempted), and that his soul which is godly does not have
this hesitation at all. When we look at Matthew 26:38 we see that Jesus
is contradicting this idea by saying, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful,
even unto death" (Matthew 26:38). He himself says that it really his
soul that is hesitating and not his body. These are Jesus' own words.
2. God Answered the prayers of Jesus Christ:
After
Jesus made the above mentioned prayer he was answered by God according
to Hebrews 5:7 " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up
prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was
able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared". These
words clearly show that when Jesus was praying strongly to God, God
would grant him his request.
The
word " heard in that he feared" (Hebrews 5:7) mean that God granted him
what he requested. So the above verse shows that when Jesus asked of
God to " let this cup pass from" (Matthew 26:39) him, God respond to his
prayer and saved him from death or crucifixion.
3. The Post Crucifixion Prophesied Events never happened:
When
the people were asking Jesus Christ if he was going to show them a
sign, He replied by saying that the only sign that they should expect is
the sign of Jonas. Jesus also made sure to specify what exactly this
sign was. The details are shown in the following verses:
- Matthew 12:38 " Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee".
-
Matthew 12:39 " But he answered and said unto them, An evil and
adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be
given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas".
-
Matthew 12:40 " For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the
whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth".
Jesus
here emphasized what will happen to him by specifically saying that he
will be like Jonas in terms of the number of days and nights he will be
in the heart of the earth, " For as Jonas was three days and three
nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and
three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40). Now let us see
if this prophecy came to pass.
Jesus
was crucified on Friday, this is certainly known among all Christians,
and that is the reason for calling that Friday by "Good Friday". Jesus
was buried on Friday night. Now let us start counting:
1. Friday night Jesus was buried. This is night number 1.
2. Saturday day Jesus was still in the grave. This is day number 1.
3. Saturday night Jesus was still in the grave. This is night number 2.
Mary
Magdalene, very early in the morning before sun rise and after the
Sabbath (Saturday), went to the see Jesus, and he was not there. The
following verses relate this event:
*
Mark 16:1 " And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might
come and anoint him".
* Mark 16:2 " And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun".
* Mark 16:3 " And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?"
* Mark 16:4 " And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great".
*
Mark 16:5 " And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they
were affrighted".
*
Mark 16:6 " And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of
Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the
place where they laid him".
The
number of days and nights that Jesus had spent in the heart of the
earth is 1 day and 2 nights. This clearly challenges what Jesus had
prophesied. When I tell this to my Christian brothers, some of them
responded by saying that what Jesus wanted to really say was that he
will be gone for a while, and not that he will be in the heart of the
earth for three days and three nights. This is clearly not the case. Had
Jesus meant that, he would have said it, but it is clear that he wanted
the people to know that this was a sign (miracle) and that it will be
like Joans' sign, and that he will be in the heart of the earth for
three days and three nights. These were his own words.
Why Would Jesus Have to Die on the Cross?
According
to the Christian doctrine, Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for
our sins. The idea here is that every human is born with sins, or that
all humans will sin, and therefore it was necessary that someone as pure
as Jesus would be the crucified to nullify these sins. The question is;
why does anyone have to die for our sins when God, the All-Merciful,
could as easily give us forgiveness if we ask for it? Isn't God the one
who makes the rules? Why does He have to make someone suffer for our
sins or for someone else's sins? Isn't that unjust of Him? According to
the Bible the way to redemption could be obtained without the need for
sacrifice. The Bible says:
*
Ezekiel 18:20 " The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not
bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the
iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon
him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him".
*
Ezekiel 18:21 " But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he
hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful
and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die".
Clearly
the soul that sins shall die. Clearly that no one shall bear the
iniquity (sins) of others. So Jesus cannot bear the sins of others
either. If one is righteous then it shall be upon him, and if one
commits a sin then it shall be upon him, and not on Jesus. Finally, the
way to repentance and forgiveness is by turning from all sins, doing
what is right, and keeping the commandments.
Also
we see the same message given by Solomon. He says in the book of
Ecclesiastes 12:13 " Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man".
This is the whole message, and this is the conclusion of messages. It
is that one should fear God, and keep the commandments, and nothing
else.
Again
in 2 Chronicles 7:14 " If my people, which are called by my name, shall
humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land". This clearly states that to seek forgiveness
from God we have to humble ourselves, pray and seek God, and turn away
from wickedness.
Finally
the Bible says in Samuel 15:22 " And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as
great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice
of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken
than the fat of rams". This clearly states that obeying God is better
that sacrifice whether this sacrifice is of objects, animals, or humans,
or any other type. What God likes is for us to heed and obey Him, and
if that is what God likes then it is not of Him to come later and change
his mind, and change his ways. God says in the Holy Quran," Verily God
is All-Knowing, All-Wise" (Ch 9: Vr 28).
Now
that we have seen this, Christians say that Jesus has changed some of
these laws. Let's look at what Jesus says. In Matthew 5:17 " Think not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil".
Jesus
clearly states that he was not sent to abolish the law, the law of
which had already existed. So what is mentioned above cannot be
discounted. Then Jesus continues to say, in Matthew 5:18 and 19 " For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle
shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever
therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach
men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but
whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven". Jesus here states that not even as much as a dot
(tittle) shall not pass from the law.
Every
thing is kept the way it was. That is why the previous laws cannot be
removed or discarded, and those who willfully change these laws " he
shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven".
More articles at Just Dawah
Allah
has described Himself in the Quran through His Names and Attributes.
Muslims believe that studying these Names and Attributes is one of the
most effective ways of strengthening one's relationship with God. Each
Name and Attribute nourishes a kind of consciousness and humility in man
and their study leads one to constantly better their actions.
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ
The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on Him by them.
[Surah Al-A'raf 7:180]
Muslims
are asked to call upon God during their supplications by the most
appropriate names that relate to what they are asking for. For example,
if one is seeking forgiveness from God for a sin they have committed,
they would call upon Him by His name "Al-Ghaffar," meaning "The Ever
Forgiving." If one is asking for peace and tranquility in their life
while experiencing a period of tension, they would call on God by His
name "As-Salaam," meaning, "The Source of Peace."
The
table below captures an approximate translation of a selection of
Allah's names as found in the Quran. We have chosen to provide some
commentary on His names relating to Mercy. However, each of the names
listed could be the subject of its own article.
Names Relating to Mercy
The
primary Names of Allah specifically dealing with mercy are "Ar-Rahmān"
and "Ar-Rahīm." These two names frequently occur together in the Qur'an.
They are both derived from the same root word rahmah which means mercy
and also has elements of sympathy, kindness, gentleness, compassion and
love intertwined with it. As with all the Names of Allah, these are
Names of majesty and perfection. Allah therefore manifests these
qualities to the most perfect level with His Creation. Ar-Rahman
signifies a flood of mercy that covers us and is endless.
The
mercy we see in this world which Allah has put among His creation is
just a hundredth of all His mercy. Examples of mercy that we see in His
creation includes the love a mother has for her child, human and
otherwise, the eyes with which we are able to see, the food which we are
provided to consume, the generosity and kindness we show to others. Can
we image what life would be like if these things, that we often take
for granted, did not exist? When we realize that this is only a small
portion of His Mercy, we learn to better appreciate, although we cannot
comprehend, the extent of His mercy. The other 99 parts are for the Day
of Judgment and the Hereafter, when God provides shade for the
believers, makes their accounting easy, and admits them to Paradise.
Allah's mercy comes before and prevails over His Anger. We take refuge in His mercy from His wrath.
قُلْ
يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا
مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ
إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Say:
O My servants who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do
not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults
altogether. Surely, He is the Forgiving the Merciful.
[Surah Az-Zumar 39:53]
Allah's
name "Al-Ghaffar", meaning "The Ever Forgiving", is related to His
Mercy. If one is sincere in asking for forgiveness from Allah, there is
no sin that it too great for Him to forgive. When asking for
forgiveness, a person would ask directly of God and there is no
intermediary or religious cleric that would intervene. Islam has the
principle that one has a direct relationship with God and one should
learn to have dependence, faith and trust in Him for all their affairs.
The
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is reported to have said that no
man's good deeds are alone enough to get him admitted into Paradise, but
it is only by the mercy of Allah that people will enter Paradise. Our
deeds are a tool to get close to Allah to a place where we can be
hopeful of His mercy.
Some
other Names of Allah that are related to His Mercy (with rough
translations) are Al-Karīm (the Generous), Al-Halīm (the Forbearing),
Al-Barr (the Generous), Al-Jawwād (the Bestower of Good), Ar-Rauf (the
Kind) and Al-Wahhāb (the Bestower).
# Arabic Transliteration Translation (can vary based on context) Qur'anic Usage
1
الرحمن Ar-Rahman The All Beneficent, The Most Merciful in Essence, The
Compassionate, The Most Gracious Beginning of every chapter except one,
and in numerous other places2
الرحيم Ar-Rahim The Most Merciful, The Most Merciful in Actions
Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places3 الملك Al-Malik The King, The Sovereign, The True and Ultimate King 59:23, 20:1144 القدوس Al-Quddus The Most Holy, The Most Pure, The Most Perfect 59:23, 62:15 السلام As-Salaam The Peace and Blessing, The Source of Peace and Safety, The Most Perfect 59:236 المؤمن Al-Mu'min The Guarantor, The Self Affirming, The Granter of Security, The Affirmer of Truth 59:237 المهيمن Al-Muhaymin The Guardian, The Preserver, The Overseeing Protector 59:238 العزيز Al-Aziz The Almighty, The Self Sufficient, The Most Honorable 3:6, 4:158, 9:40, 48:7, 59:239 الجبار Al-Jabbar The Powerful, The Irresistible, The Compeller, The Most Lofty, The Restorer/Improver of Affairs 59:2310 المتكبر Al-Mutakabbir The Tremendous 59:2311 الخالق Al-Khaliq The Creator 6:102, 13:16, 39:62, 40:62, 59:2412 البارئ Al-Bari' The Rightful 59:2413 المصور Al-Musawwir The Fashioner of Forms 59:2414 الغفار Al-Ghaffar The Ever Forgiving 20:82, 38:66, 39:5, 40:42, 71:1015 القهار Al-Qahhar The All Compelling Subduer 13:16, 14:48, 38:65, 39:4, 40:1616 الوهاب Al-Wahhab The Bestower 3:8, 38:9, 38:3517 الرزاق Ar-Razzaq The Ever Providing 51:5818 الفتاح Al-Fattah The Opener, The Victory Giver 34:2619 العليم Al-Alim The All Knowing, The Omniscient 2:158, 3:92, 4:35, 24:41, 33:4020 القابض Al-Qabid The Restrainer, The Straightener 2:24521 الباسط Al-Basit The Expander, The Munificent 2:24522 الخافض Al-Khafid The Abaser 95:523 الرافع Ar-Rafi'e The Exalter 58:11, 6:8324 المعز Al-Mu'ezz The Giver of Honour 3:2625 المذل Al-Mudhell The Giver of Dishonour 3:2626 السميع As-Sami'e The All Hearing 2:127, 2:256, 8:17, 49:127 البصير Al-Basir The All Seeing 4:58, 17:1, 42:11, 42:2728 الحكم Al-Hakam The Judge, The Arbitrator 22:6929 العدل Al-'Adl The Utterly Just 6:11530 اللطيف Al-Lateef The Subtly Kind 6:103, 22:63, 31:16, 33:3431 الخبير Al-Khabeer The All Aware 6:18, 17:30, 49:13, 59:1832 الحليم Al-Haleem The Forbearing, The Indulgent 2:235, 17:44, 22:59, 35:4133 العظيم Al-Azeem The Magnificent, The Infinite 2:255, 42:4, 56:9634 الغفور Al-Ghafoor The All Forgiving 2:173, 8:69, 16:110, 41:3235 الشكور Ash-Shakoor The Grateful 35:30, 35:34, 42:23, 64:1736 العلي Al-Aliyy The Sublimely Exalted 4:34, 31:30, 42:4, 42:5137 الكبير Al-Kabeer The Great 13:9, 22:62, 31:3038 الحفيظ Al-Hafeez The Preserver 11:57, 34:21, 42:639 المقيت Al-Muqeet The Nourisher 4:8540 الحسيب Al-Hasib The Reckoner 4:6, 4:86, 33:3941 الجليل Al-Jaleel The Majestic 55:27, 39:14, 7:14342 الكريم Al-Karim The Bountiful, The Generous 27:40, 82:643 الرقيب Ar-Raqib The Watchful 4:1, 5:11744 المجيب Al-Mujib The Responsive, The Answerer 11:6145 الواسع Al-Wasse'e The Vast, The All Encompassing 2:268, 3:73, 5:5446 الحكيم Al-Hakeem The Wise 31:27, 46:2, 57:1, 66:247 الودود Al-Wadud The Loving, The Kind One 11:90, 85:1448 المجيد Al-Majeed The All Glorious 11:7349 الباعث Al-Ba'ith The Raiser of The Dead 22:750 الشهيد Ash-Shaheed The Witness 4:166, 22:17, 41:53, 48:2851 الحق Al-Haqq The Truth, The Real 6:62, 22:6, 23:116, 24:2552 الوكيل Al-Wakeel The Trustee, The Dependable 3:173, 4:171, 28:28, 73:953 القوى Al-Qawee The Strong 22:40, 22:74, 42:19, 57:2554 المتين Al-Mateen The Firm, The Steadfast 51:5855 الولى Al-Walee The Protecting Friend, Patron and Helper 4:45, 7:196, 42:28, 45:1956 الحميد Al-Hamid The All Praiseworthy 14:8, 31:12, 31:26, 41:4257 المحصى Al-Muhsi The Accounter, The Numberer of All 72:28, 78:29, 82:10-1258 المبدئ Al-Mubdi' The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of All 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:1359 المعيد Al-Mu'id The Reinstater Who Brings Back All 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:1360 المحيى Al-Muhyi The Giver of Life 7:158, 15:23, 30:50, 57:261 المميت Al-Mumit The Bringer of Death, The Destroyer 3:156, 7:158, 15:23, 57:262 الحي Al-Hayy The Ever Living 2:255, 3:2, 25:58, 40:6563 القيوم Al-Qayyum The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All 2:255, 3:2, 20:11164 الواجد Al-Wajid The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing 38:4465 الماجد Al-Majid The Illustrious, The Magnificent 85:15, 11:73,66 الواحد Al-Wahid The One, The Unique, Manifestation of Unity 2:163, 5:73, 9:31, 18:11067 الاحد Al-Ahad The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible 112:168 الصمد As-Samad The Self Sufficient, The Impregnable,The Eternally Besought of All, The Everlasting 112:269 القادر Al-Qadir The All Able 6:65, 36:81, 46:33, 75:4070 المقتدر Al-Muqtadir The All Determiner, The Dominant 18:45, 54:42, 54:5571 المقدم Al-Muqaddim The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward 16:61, 17:34,72 المؤخر Al-Mu'akhir The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away 71:473 الأول Al-Awwal The First 57:374 الأخر Al-Akhir The Last 57:375 الظاهر Az-Zahir The Manifest, The All Victorious 57:376 الباطن Al-Batin The Hidden, The All Encompassing 57:377 الوالي Al-Waali The Patron 13:11, 22:778 المتعالي Al-Muta'ali The Self Exalted 13:979 البر Al-Barr The Most Kind and Righteous 52:2880 التواب At-Tawwab The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting 2:128, 4:64, 49:12, 110:381 المنتقم Al-Muntaqim The Avenger 32:22, 43:41, 44:1682 العفو Al-'Afuww The Pardoner, The Effacer of Sins 4:99, 4:149, 22:6083 الرؤوف Ar-Ra'uf The Compassionate, The All Pitying 3:30, 9:117, 57:9, 59:1084 مالك الملك Malik-al-Mulk The Owner of All Sovereignty 3:2685 ذو الجلال والإكرام Dhu-al-Jalaliwa-al-Ikram The Lord of Majesty and Generosity 55:27, 55:7886 المقسط Al-Muqsit The Equitable, The Requiter 7:29, 3:1887 الجامع Al-Jami'e The Gatherer, The Unifier 3:988 الغني Al-Ghani The All Rich, The Independent 3:97, 39:7, 47:38, 57:2489 المغني Al-Mughni The Enricher, The Emancipator 9:2890 المانع Al-Mani'e The Withholder, The Shielder, the Defender 67:2191 الضار Ad-Darr The Distressor, The Harmer, The Afflictor 6:1792 النافع An-Nafi'e The Propitious, The Benefactor93 النور An-Nur The Light 24:3594 الهادي Al-Hadi The Guide 25:3195 البديع Al-Badi The Incomparable, The Originator 2:117, 6:10196 الباقي Al-Baqi The Ever Enduring and Immutable97 الوارث Al-Warith The Heir, The Inheritor of All 15:2398 الرشيد Ar-Rashid The Guide, Infallible Teacher and Knower 2:25699 الصبور As-Sabur The Patient, The Timeless.
Our
Dawah Method represents a core concept in Dawah. It highlights how the
greatest evidence for the existence of God is the Qur'an itself. By
means of what is known as "The Miraculous Argument" it
allows the Da'ee to delve straight into a Qur'an focused Dawah
conversation; overruling any need to resort to complex and digressive
philosophical arguments. It is a manual that offers a structured
approach to delivering the message of Islam while detailing practical
steps of implementation. It is without doubt useful to both the beginner
and seasoned practitioner.
The
manual is freely available to anyone around the globe, in order to help
them develop their Dawah skills. The methodology of dawah manual is
freely available; to be copied, distributed, translated or hosted on
websites for the promotion and development of Dawah.
Unfortunately
when giving Da’wah we not only have to face apparent opposition but
also covert opposition. There are deviated people who under the guise of
Islam try to promote and argue the Islamic viewpoint from a view that
is not consistent with the Qur’an, Sunnah or with the position of the
pious predecessors. You may come across some of the folllowing deviants!
1. Ahmadis / Qadiyanis - Ahmadis
or Qadiyanis are a missionary-oriented sect of Indian origin, founded
by The Apostate Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1839-1908) who claimed to be a
prophet. The Qadiyanis currently have a presence in many countries,
including most Western countries. Their world wide numbers are estimated
as high as 10 million. Even though their headquarters are in Pakistan,
they have a strong presence in Manchester & London, UK.The Qadiyanis also known as Ahmadis and Mirzais, have been declared as non-Muslims by thousands of Muslim scholars.
The following statement was issued by the Islamic Fiqh Council:The
claim that Mirza Ghulam Ahmed was a Prophet and that he received
revelation makes him and anyone who agrees with him an apostate, who has
left the folds of Islam. As for the Lahoris, (Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement
for the Propagation of Islam) they are like the mainstream Qadiyanis.
The same ruling of apostasy applies to them as well, in spite of their
claim that Mirza was a 'shadow and manifestation of Prophet
Muhammad'.[Majma' al-Fiqh al-Islami, p. 13]This
was also mentioned in the World Muslim League Conference, held in
Makkah, Saudi Arabia, from the 14th to the 18th of Rabi al-Awwal 1394H
(April 1974) wherein the members unanimously reached the conclusion that
the Ahmadi/Qadiyanis are not MuslimsAlthough the followers of the heretic ‘Ghulam Mirza Ahmed’ vary – they also argue that the Prophet Jesus (AS) died.Therefore firstly we present 3 verses to show that Jesus (AS) has not died but has been risen up alive.Verses highlighting that Jesus (AS) didn’t die:“And
there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely
believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he
will be against them a witness.” (Noble Quran 4:159)“And
indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in
doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.” (Noble Quran
43:61)“And
[for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son
of Mary, the messenger of Allah." And they did not kill him, nor did
they crucify him; but [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.” (Noble Quran 4:157)Below
we will highlight this personality, Mirza Ghulam, in and of himself; we
know he cannot be a prophet but even as claiming himself some form of
messiah we deduce that he was either deluded or a liar.Liar:
We find a prophecy of his in his book ‘Tadhkirah’ page 784, (2009
English rendering). “I shall die in Mecca or in Medina.” – He died in
Lahore. Some followers try to explain his comments as him being
victorious – He was never victorious.Deluded:
In his book Nur-ul-Haq, volume 8 of Roohani Khazain. From pages 158 –
162 he has cursed his opponent a thousand times but instead of saying
for example ‘a thousand curses on you’ he instead wrote it LITERALLY
word for word, writing CURSE1 CURSE2 CURSE3....to CURSE1000; dedicating 5
pages to this.2. Ismailis - Also
known as "Sevener Shi'ites." The Ismailis reject the Quran and all
forms of prayers found in the main Sunni Islamic tradition. This frees
them from obligations such as prayer, fasting, and hajj. They are mostly
located in Pakistan, North-west India and the Chinese province of
Sin-Kiang. The Khojas, a sub-sect, are mainly to be found in Gujarat,
India. There are also Khoja communities in East and South Africa. They
are also found in the Western countries. Most Ismaili businesses put the
picture of Prince Karim Agha Khan, their leader, at a prominent place
in their shop.3. Bahais - Bahais
follow the teaching of Bahaullah ('splendor of God') (1817-1892). They
attract followers by speaking of unity of humanity and the absolute
equality of men and women. Bahais see themselves working towards the
establishment of a world government which will eradicate extremes of
wealth and poverty. The writings of Bahaullah are treated as sacred. It
is estimated that there are between 3 to 4 million Bahais in the world
today, spread in most countries of the world with the largest
concentration in India. In Iran the Bahais remain the largest minority
group with about 300,000 adherents. The international Baha'i center is
in Israel.Their
leaders have made extraordinary claims to divinity similar to other
religious cults. Although they seem to preach peace and unity, their
history has been marred by violence. Their history and original
teachings also contradict their averred concept of world peace and
gender equality.4. Shias - Also
spelled "Shi'ites." The "Twelver Shias" believe that, after the death
of the Prophet, the Imamate (the political and religious leadership of
the Muslim community) should have gone to 'Ali - the cousin and
son-in-law of the Prophet - and his descendants as a divine right.Unlike
the Sunnis, who perform prayers five times a day, the Shi'ites pray
three times a day. The Twelver Shias population in 1980 was estimated to
be 73,000,000. They are dominant in Iran, but are also found in
Pakistan, India, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and
Syria. There are also small Shia communities in the West, one of the
largest in Dearborn, Michigan.A
religion based upon a claimed love of the family of Prophet Muhammad
has lead them to beliefs contradicting the very essence of the message
brought by him, the message of Islam5. Nation of Islam - The
Nation of Islam was founded by Wallace Muhammad in Detroit in 1930. The
group believes that a person called Fard Muhammad was "God on earth."
It sees Elijah Muhammad as the "Messenger of Truth." Warith Deen
Mohammed, the son of Elijah Muhammad, brought the group closer to
mainstream Sunni Islam. Some dissatisfied members were led by Louis
Farrakhan, who revived the group in 1978 with the same teachings of
Elijah. They only allow people of black ethnicity in and believe they
are the original race on earth. They are especially popular in the
prison system in the US.6. Submitters - Founded
by Dr. Rashad Khalifa, an Egyptian computer scientist. Submitters
consider Rashad Khalifa to be a Messenger of God. They reject two verses
of the Quran, preach the "miracle of 19," and reject the hadith and
Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. They are based in Tucson, Arizona, US, and
are prominent on the Internet. They are considered completely out of the
folds of Islam, due to their erroneous beliefs.7. Sufis - The
most controversial and confusing "sect" would be the Sufis. In the West
alone, there are more than 1000 Sufi sects. They are a very diverse
group. Some Sunni Muslims adopt certain Sufi ideas, while other sufi
orders have close links to ancient mystical orders. Yet, others have
developed their own teachings and adapted them to a Western audience.
Still others just use the term "sufi" but declare they have no relation
to Islam or any religion whatsoever.Generally
speaking, they misunderstand Islamic spirituality and make errors in
many key Islamic concepts like proper trust in God, love for the
Prophet, and exaggerate the position of pious deceased Muslims. In terms
of rituals, some will hold "Islamic chanting circles" ("zikr" circles),
religious dancing like the whirling dervishes of Turkey, and keenly
celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
Learn how to do da'wah. Get your free manual at Just Dawah
Definition:
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 AllahThis
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 illIf
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 userTayammum
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 fearIf
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 useThis
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 itHe can perform Tayammum and pray, and does not need to repeat his prayer (after he gets water).The Soil Used for TayammumIt
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 TayammumFirst,
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 PermissibleAfter
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]------------------------------------------Source: Fiqh Us-Sunnah, Volume 1By: Sayyid Saabiq
The fundamental message of Islam is simple: To worship God (Allah) alone.
The Quran (the revealed scripture of Islam) states: “Say,
He is Allah, (who is) One, Allah , the Eternal Refuge. He neither
begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him anyequivalent.” [Qur'an chapter
112]The
first part of the Muslim testament of faith forms the basis for the
concept of God in Islam. Muslims bear witness that: “There is no Deity
worthy of worship but Allah”. The concept of deity is strictly
monotheistic and Unitarian. God alone has absolute being, totally
independent and totally self-sufficient. Whatever exists or ever could
exist does so by His will. He has no ‘partner’ either in creating the
universe or in maintaining it in existence. He is not only the ‘First
Cause’ but also ultimately, the only cause and He is Himself uncaused.The second part of the testament of faith is: “Muhammad (peace be upon Him) is the final Messenger.”Muslims
hold in high esteem all the previous Prophets and messengers including
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus
and many more (peace be upon them all); all of whom submitted and
surrendered themselves to the One God who created them and chose them to
be the bearers of His message.
As the Quran states: “Say, (O believers), “We have believed in Allah
and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham
and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given
to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord.
We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims (in
submission) to Him.” Quran chapter 2 verse 136
Muhammad, the last Messenger: The
last and final Prophet in a long chain of prophets and messengers was
the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was sent to the lands of
Arabia and thus spoke the language of Arabic. Muhammad (peace be upon
him) was sent to re-affirm the message that all the previous prophets
and messengers were sent with; i.e. calling to the worship of One God.Michael
Hart, in his book ‘The 100: a ranking of the most influential people in
history’ states: “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s
most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be
questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who
was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels. Of
humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world’s
great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader.
Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still
powerful and pervasive.”Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a prominent figure is universal not
only because of his message of equality, but because of his altruistic
character. He constantly helped the poor and anyone who needed
assistance of any kind. His teachings apply to any timeframe, to people
from any part of the world, be they rich or poor. Amongst his many wise
teachings was: “Do not belittle even the smallest act of kindness, even
if it were no more than greeting your brother with a smiling face”.The following story demonstrates the Prophets altruism. An old woman had a habit of throwing rubbish on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
whenever he passed by her house. When the old woman threw rubbish on
him, he would pass silently without showing any anger or annoyance and
this happened on a regular basis.One
day when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was passing by, the woman was
not there to throw the rubbish. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked
permission to visit the woman. He found that she was actually ill. She
thought that he had come to take revenge when she was unable to defend
herself. But the Prophet (peace be upon him) assured her that he had
only come to see her and to look after her needs, as it was the command
of Allah that if anyone is sick, a Muslim should visit and help them if
their help is needed.The
old woman was greatly moved by this kindness and love of the Prophet
(peace be upon him). By this example, she understood that he was truly
the Prophet of God and Islam was the true religion. She subsequently
embraced Islam.In
this manner, (before the Prophet (peace be upon him) died at the age of
63,) most of the people of Arabia had embraced the message of Islam,
and in less than a century the message had spread to Spain in the west
and as far east as China.In
the Islamic view, the ‘message’ transmitted through the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon Him) represented, not a completely new religion,
but a corrective to the falsifications and distortions which had taken
place and at the same time, an uncompromising re-assertion of the pure
doctrine of the One God.
The Qur'an:
Just as the Prophets Moses, Jesus and David (peace be upon them) were
given books of revelation so too was the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him). The message brought by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
was consolidated through successive revelations collectively known as
the Qur'an. The Qur'an contains guidance for the whole of humankind and
exists in exactly the same form today as it did when it was revealed
over 1400 years ago.“O
mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you
peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble
of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed,
Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” [Qur'an chapter 49 verse 13]The
guidance contained in the Qur'an enables all of us to live a life in a
way that God loves and is pleased with. As the Creator, God knows us
best and is therefore best placed to guide us on how to “function
optimally”. Suppose you bought an iPhone, would you read an instruction
manual produced by Sony Ericsson? Logically, no! The rationale is quite
simple; the company that produces the phone knows its product inside out
and so is best placed to write an instruction manual for its users.The
same is true of us. God created us, therefore knows us better than we
think we know ourselves. The Qur'an is therefore a instruction manual,
from the Creator to the created. Allah says: “This (Qur'an) is
enlightenment for mankind and guidance and mercy for a people who are
certain (in faith).” [Qur'an chapter 45 verse 20] And in another
verse: “O mankind! there hath come to you a direction from your Lord
and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts,- and for those who
believe, a guidance and a Mercy.” [Qur'an chapter 10 verse 57]
The Muslim: A Muslim enjoys two very specific relationships:1.
A relationship with his/her Creator. This essentially strengthens one’s
faith and enables one to draw closer to Allah through engaging in acts
of worship.2.
A relationship with the society within which he/she resides. Muslims
have a responsibility to uphold basic moral values like enjoining good,
forbidding evil, enjoining justice, fulfilling trusts, being kind to
neighbours, helping those less fortunate etc. There are numerous
Qur'anic verses to this effect, for example:“Righteousness
is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but (true)
righteousness is (in) one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the
angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love
for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask
(for help), and for freeing slaves; (and who) establishes prayer and
gives zakah; (those who) fulfil their promise when they promise; and
(those who) are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those
are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the
righteous.” [Qur'an chapter 2 verse 177]“Indeed,
Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you
judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which
Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.” [Qur'an
chapter 4 verse 58]“Indeed,
Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and
forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you
that perhaps you will be reminded.” [Qur'an chapter 16 verse 90]
Articles of Faith & Five Pillars of Islam:
Besides believing in One God, belief in all the previous prophets and
messengers, and revealed scriptures, Muslims also believe in the
existence of angels (for example, the archangel Gabriel responsible for
bringing revelation), and a final day of reckoning (i.e. Judgement day)
when every individual will be held to account for their actions. Their
deeds will be judged by Allah and they will consequently enter paradise
or hell. Allah is just and rewards and punishes fairly, however, one of
His magnanimous qualities is that He is the most merciful of those who
show mercy. Muslims also believe in the Divine decree or predestination;
that all good and evil has been proportioned and that Allah has full
knowledge of all things. However, every individual has free will within
the realm of responsibility and is not pre-destined against their will,
therefore is able to make choices in life.Apart
from the above six tenets of faith, there are five fundamental duties
that a Muslim willingly practices which are known as the 5 pillars of
Islam. Allah says in the Qur'an: “This is the Book about which there is
no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah, Who believe in the
unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for
them, And who believe in what has been revealed to you, (O Muhammad),
and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain
(in faith). Those are upon (right) guidance from their Lord, and it is
those who are the successful.” [Qur'an Chapter 2 verses 2-5]Practicing
Muslims follow the commandments of Allah in order to seek His pleasure.
But in addition to this, the commandments themselves contain certain
inherent wisdoms. The five pillars of Islam thus form the basis of
Muslim life.The
first pillar as mentioned previously is to testify that there is no God
worthy of worship except Allah, and that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) is the final messenger. This is in fact is the essence of
Islam.The
second pillar is to establish the five daily prayers. Allah says:
“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and
establish prayer for My remembrance.” [Qur'an chapter 20 verse 14] And
in another verse: “Recite, (O Muhammad,) what has been revealed to you
of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality
and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows
that which you do. [Qur'an chapter 29 verse 45]Prayer
is a time to stand before Allah and express faith, give thanks for the
blessings He has bestowed upon us as well as to seek guidance and
forgiveness. Through bowing and prostrating to the ground, Muslims
express their utmost humility before the Almighty.If
we look at the concept of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) we see
that there is a two-directional relationship between our thought
processes (Neuro), our communication (Linguistic) and our behavior
(Programming). If you change one, it has a knock on effect on the other
two variables. So if you change your behavior to perform prayer (which
is a physical action as well as verbal communication with Allah) it will
naturally affect your thought processes- increasing your faith as well
as inspiring you to want to draw closer to Allah by performing righteous
deeds.The
third pillar is to fast during the month of Ramadhan (the ninth month
of the Islamic calendar) from dawn till sunset every day. Allah says: “O
you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed
upon those before you that you may become righteous.” [Quran chapter 2
verse 183]Fasting
enables a person to develop self control and frees them to devote their
body and soul to worship. Ramadhan is also a great opportunity to
appreciate the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us and gives us a
taste of what the poor and hungry across the globe experience; often on a
regular basis.The
fourth pillar is ‘Zakah’ or giving 2.5% of ones surplus wealth to those
ordained by Allah to receive it. One of the most important principles
of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore
held by human beings in trust. The word Zakah means both ‘purification’
and ‘growth’. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion
for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back
balances and encourages new growth. Allah says:“Zakah
expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those
employed to collect (zakah) and for bringing hearts together (for Islam)
and for freeing captives (or slaves) and for those in debt and for the
cause of Allah and for the (stranded) traveler – an obligation (imposed)
by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.” [Qur'an chapter 9 verse 60]The
active practice of zakah demonstrates that love for Allah in following
His commandments is greater than the love for wealth. It also serves to
help the poor, those in debt and protects the nation as well as
strengthening one’s faith.The
fifth pillar incumbent upon a Muslim is that he/she performs the Hajj
or known in English as the pilgrimage, at least once in their lifetime
if they are financially able to do so. Allah says: “Indeed, the first
House (of worship) established for mankind was that at Makkah – blessed
and a guidance for the worlds. In it are clear signs (such as) the
standing place of Abraham. And whoever enters it shall be safe. And
(due) to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for
whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves – then
indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.” [Qur'an chapter 3 verses
96-97]On
average, approximately 3 million people attend the Hajj every year and
it is an amazing spectacle for all of humanity. It demonstrates unity
despite multiplicity, inculcates a sense of humanity, and for the
individual pilgrim, inspires patience and tolerance. The journey itself
is wholly a spiritual one, incomparable to any other on earth.Although
the dictionary defines Islam as ‘the religious faith of Muslims’ it is
in fact much more than that. Islam is a way of life; an entire system of
living that permeates every aspect of an individual’s day to day
activities. Practising Islam is truly fulfilling and enables one to be
at peace with oneself, one’s Creator, one’s family, neighbours and with
society at large. The universe is filled – like a great picture book –
with ‘signs’ which bear witness to its Creator and which reminds us, if we have pure hearts and seeing eyes, of God’s power, majesty and His beauty.The
Quran states: “Indeed, within the heavens and earth are signs for the
believers. And in the creation of yourselves and what He disperses of
moving creatures are signs for people who are certain (in faith). And
(in) the alternation of night and day and [in] what Allah sends down
from the sky of provision and gives life thereby to the earth after its
lifelessness and (in His) directing of the winds are signs for a people
who reason.” [Qur'an chapter 45, verses 3-5]“In
summary, the God of Islam is transcendent, the All Powerful, All
Knowing Creator and Lawgiver, though at the same time Infinitely
Merciful, Generous and Forgiving. The human, His creature and servant,
stands before Him without intermediary or intercessor, meeting Him
through prayer during this brief life on earth, and meeting Him face to
face when life is over. In Islam God is nothing like a human being and
doesn’t make Himself accessible through idols or images. He is what He
is, Absolute and Eternal, and it is as such the Muslim worships Him”
Edited and sourced from works of Hassan Gai Eaton – The concept of God in Islam
