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Monday, January 04, 2010
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Current mood:  happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Description: What is Islamic monotheism?
The religion of Islam is based on one core belief, that there is no god but God. When a person embraces Islam or a Muslim wants to renew or confirm his or her faith, they profess their belief that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His final messenger. Ashadu an la ill laha il Allah wa Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, Saying these words, the testimony of faith, is the first of five pillars or foundations of the religion of Islam. Belief in God is the first of six pillars of faith.[1]
Muslims believe that there is only One God. He alone is the Sustainer and Creator of the universe. He is without partners, children, or associates. There is no power or strength in this world that does not belong solely to Him. He is the Most Merciful, the Most Wise, and the Most Just. He is the all hearer, all seer, and the all knowing. He is the beginning , He is the end.
“Say (O Muhammad), He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” (Quran 112) “He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything. Such is Allah, your Lord! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, over all things. No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous, Well Acquainted with all things.” (Quran 6:101-103)
This belief is sometimes called Monotheism and it is derived from the Greek words monos meaning only and theos meaning god. it is a relatively new word in the English language and it is used to denote a supreme being, all-powerful, the one who is responsible for life, the one who rewards or punishes. Monotheism is directly opposed to Polytheism, which is belief in more than one god , and to Atheism, a disbelief in no deity whatsoever.
If we adhere to a strict interpretation of the word monotheism Judaism, Christianity , Islam and Zoroastrianism, and some Hindu philosophies could all be interpreted as belief in One God. However it is , more commonplace to refer to the religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as the three great monotheistic religions and group them together as if their beliefs were all the same. This is not strictly true. Although all three hold the belief in one God as their first principle there are quite glaring differences between Christianity and Islam.
The concept of a trinity inherent in most Christian denominations ostensibly includes aspects of plurality. The belief that one God is some how three divinities (father, son, and holy spirit) is far removed from the concept of Monotheism inherent in Judaism and Islam, where the Oneness of God is unquestionable. Some Christian groups, including those known as Unitarians believe that God is One and cannot be God and human at the same time. They take the words of Jesus in John 17:3, “the One True God” literally. This however is not commonplace in Christianity.
In the religion of Islam belief in One God, without partners or associates is essential. It is the focal point of the religion and it is the essence of Quran. Quran calls on humankind to worship God alone and to give up worshipping false gods or associates. Quran urges us to look at the wonders of creation and understand God’s greatness and power, and it speaks directly of His names, attributes, essence, and actions. Quran commands us to reject anything that is worshipped instead of , or along with God.
“And I (God) created not the jinns and humankind except they should worship Me (Alone).” (Quran 51:56)
Islam is often called pure monotheism. It is not adulterated with strange concepts or superstitions. Belief in One God entails certainty. Muslims worship God alone, He has not partners, associates, or helpers. Worship is directed solely to God, for there is no help except His help. There is no power or strength except through Him. There is nothing greater than God Alone.
“Praise and thanks be to God, and peace be on His slaves whom He has chosen (for His Message)! Is God better, or (all) that you ascribe as partners (to Him)?” (Of course, God is Better) Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends down for you water (rain) from the sky, whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. Is there any god with God? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him)! Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water).Is there any god with God? Nay, but most of them know not. Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations. Is there any god with God? Little is that you remember! Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain)? Is there any god with God? High Exalted be God above all that they associate as partners (to Him)! Is not He (better than your so-called gods) Who originates creation, and shall thereafter repeat it, and Who provides for you from heaven and earth? Is there any god with God? Say, “Bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful.” (Quran 27:59-64)
Footnotes:
[1] The six pillars of faith are belief in God, His angels, His prophets and messengers, all His revealed books, the Day of Judgement, and divine decree.
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Monday, January 04, 2010
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Description: What Islam teaches about the origin of life. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Creationism, natural selection, intelligent design, the theory of evolution. Thinking about the creation of the world, the universe, and humankind can be confusing. There are theories, opinions, and beliefs. The creation of the universe was a random act, humankind evolved from apes, living creatures climbed out of the primordial swamp, science proves some sort of intelligence designed the universe.
Confused? You should be, because that is not all. There is also neo creationism , old earth creationism, flood geology, the big bang theory, evolutionary biology, the common descent theory, and macroevolution. What does it all mean?
For many people it must be a kind of lottery, or a theory of the year choice. Each group has its evidence, some believe in God, others do not. Some use science to prove their opinions, others use the book of Genesis or other creation myths. In Islam, the story of creation is clear. There are no partly formed theories or strange opinions to add to the confusion. The creation of the world and all that exists is attributed to God. The most merciful, most wise, most forgiving.
“God created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in six days.” (Quran 7:54) “Then He completed and finished from their creation seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.” (Quran 41:12) “And indeed, We created man from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud.” (Quran 15:26) “And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: “I am going to create a man (Adam) from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud.” (Quran 15:28)
God created Adam the father of humankind from mud (clay, soil, earth, or dust mixed with water), he created his wife Eve from a rib bone. The traditions of Prophet Muhammad relate that God created Eve while Adam was sleeping, from his shortest left rib and that, after sometime, she was clothed with flesh. God then endowed Adam and Eve with the ability to procreate.
“God has created every moving (living) creature from water. Of them, some creep on their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. God creates what He wills. Verily! God is Able to do all things.” (Quran 24:45) “And God said: ‘O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) and from Him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women.’” (Quran 4:1) “And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth). Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge) (and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman). Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So blessed be God the Best of creators.” (Quran 23: 12 -14)
In Islam, unlike other religions there are no great debates involving the separation of science and religion. Islam teaches us that great scientific discoveries and break throughs are simply evidence of the existence of God. If scientific theories conflict with the Quran and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad Muslims simply reject them. However apart from the premise in Darwin’s theory of evolution, that man is descended from apes, Quran, and modern science are remarkably in accord.
“Indeed, the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of mankind do not realize it.” (Quran 40:57)
More than 14 centuries ago the Quran mentioned scientific facts that have only recently been discovered using modern scientific methods and advanced equipment.
The development of scientific disciplines, such as cosmology and astrophysics have explained some of the mysteries of God’s creation. Cosmic events that were previously part of the unseen now make sense according to modern scientific theory.
“Then He rose over towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: ‘Come both of you willingly or unwillingly.’ They both said: ‘We come, willingly.’” (Quran 42:11)
Modern cosmology indicates that, at one point in time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of ‘smoke’, an opaque highly dense and hot gaseous composition. It is now possible for scientists to observe new stars being formed out of the remnants of the ‘smoke’. Dr. Loretta Dunne from Cardiff University, says that “Cosmic dust consists of tiny particles of solid material floating around in the space between the stars. It is not the same as house dust but more akin to cigarette smoke.”[1] Astronomers studied supernovae SN 2003gd using the Spitzer space telescope, and found that it had produced tremendous amounts of dust.
In the creation of humankind we are also now able to see modern scientific evidence that seems to be in accord with the words of God in Quran. Many elements present in the earth are also contained in the human body. The most critical component to land-based life is the top soil; that thin layer of dark, organically rich soil in which plants spread out their roots. It is in this thin, vital layer of soil that microorganisms convert raw resources, and make them available to the myriad forms of life around and above them.
The Quran instructs Muslims to “contemplate the wonders of creation” (3:191) Imagine the precision and timing that allows the world and all that is in it to function. Complex systems run perfectly. The earth is specifically designed for human life and life on earth is a delicate balance, from the lofty skies to the depths of the ocean.
“The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each (for reckoning, etc.)... And the heaven He has raised high, and He has set up the Balance... And the earth He has put for the creatures.” (Quran 55:5-10)
God created the universe, God created humankind. Certain sections of all the theories and opinions that abound agree with the words found in Quran and the authentic traditions of prophet Muhammad, but really that is of no consequence. Nor is it important when theories try to disprove the existence of God.
The sun and the moon are fixed in their orbits, life evolves, life continues. Muslims know with certainty that the world and all that exists was created by God. When new discoveries prove this beyond doubt, believers smile enigmatically and wait for the other miracles of God to reveal themselves. The complexity of life is almost to simple to grasp. God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.
Footnotes:
[1] Smoking supernova; Science daily (July 24, 2003)
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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
The Authorship of the Quran : The Words of a Human?
A look into whether the Quran could have been written by Muhammad himself.
Although it is proven that the text of the Quran has remained intact till today, how are we sure that the words actually originated from God and not some other source? This takes us to look at the authenticity, authority, or source of the Quran.
Concerning the authorship of the Quran, Muslims believe that it was revealed verbatim (i.e. word for word) by God, to Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. Non-Muslims, however, who do not support this view, can have no differences with Muslims concerning the fact that the Quran was at least first witnessed to be uttered by Muhammad, a Meccan Arab in the 7th century CE and, as proved above, there have been no changes to the records of his utterances since then.
Muslims’ claim of “internal evidence” for the divine authorship of the Quran, i.e. from statements to that effect in the Quran itself (e.g. Quran 4:82; 6:19; 6:92; 27:6; 45:2, etc.), is understandably looked upon with skepticism, as nearly anyone can quote passages from his or her scripture that claim the scripture in question is revelation from God. We are therefore forced by reason and objectivity to look elsewhere for “external evidence” of the Quran’s divine source or authority.
The simple proposed structure for the presentation of this “external evidence” is an elimination process, where we get to the answer of the question – “Who is the author of the Quran?” – by eliminating all alternative answers to this question which are definitely implausible. In other words, the definite or (at least) most probable author or source of the Quran is identified by eliminating unacceptable alternative candidates.
There are various contradictory views and opinions held by some non-Muslims as to the source of the Quran.
The following list of “possible” authors reflects the main theories:
1)Muhammad.
2)Some other Arab poet(s), scholars, etc.
3)Some non-Arab scholars, or poets or religious personalities.
4)Monks or Rabbis (i.e. from the Bible or Judeo-Christian sources).
5)Satan (or other deceitful “spirits” or “aliens”, etc.).
6)God.
We may now proceed to examine from a closer study of the Quran and history how plausible these theories are.
Muhammad: Unlettered and Had No Teachers
The fact that Muhammad could neither read nor write (Quran 29:48) is well known and uncontested by even his non-Muslim contemporaries and present day historians. He had no schooling or teacher of any kind. He had never been known to compose oral poetry or prose. The Quran, with its all-embracing laws and freedom from all inconsistencies, has its greatness acknowledged even by non-Muslim scholars.[1] Its contents treat social, economic, political and religious legislation, history, views of the universe, living things, thought, human transactions, war, peace, marriage, worship, business, and everything relating to life - with no contradicting principles. The Quran has never been edited or revised as it was never in need of any revision or correction. How were such vast subject areas expounded upon with such precision by a 7th century Arab with no formal education or even the ability to read what scant material there may have been in his environment on such topics? Where and when has history ever produced an illiterate author of such a scripture?
Muhammad’s Known Integrity
Muhammad’s sincerity, truthfulness and integrity were so well known that he was even nicknamed “Al-Ameen” (The Trustworthy) by his pre-Islamic community. Not a single lie is recorded against him, and many modern Western Orientalists have themselves admitted that contrary to any deliberate deception, that the Prophet had a profoundly sincere conviction that it was revealed to him by God Himself is undeniable.[2]
If his integrity had been in question, and he was supposed to have been motivated by the desire for personal glory to produce the Quran, why then would he disclaim authorship and instead claim it was from God, especially when the pagan Meccans had conceded that no one could produce such a scripture (Quran 2:23-24, 17:88, etc.), but only marvel at it? His enemies even offered him kingship over Mecca and any riches he desired if only he would stop reciting. If it was true that he desired his personal glory and leadership, why would he decline the offer when it was presented to him and instead prefer a life of humility, simplicity, persecution, sanctions, and even hostile attack by those who felt threatened by the Message of One God?
In addition, how reasonable is it to believe that unlettered Muhammad would author the Quran for personal benefit and then within the Quran correct and reprove himself? For example:
“He frowned and turned away when the blind man came to him…”
(Quran 80:1-2)
And also,
“…And you did fear men, though God is more deserving that you should fear Him” (Quran 33:37)
There are other verse you may refer to, such as chapter18,verse 23-24, and others. Why would he embarrass himself when he could simply omit or favorably modify such verses in the Quran? They were certainly not to his advantage if his goals were power and prestige. The existence of such verses only proves that Muhammad was indeed a truthful and sincere Messenger of God!
The Authorship of the Quran : The Words of a Poet or a Teacher?
Could the Quran have been orated to the Prophet Muhammad by others?
The Style of the Quran
There is a world of difference between the style of the Quran and Muhammad’s own style as recorded in the books of Ahadeeth. The differences between the two in every respect – style and contents – are immediately evident. The sayings of Muhammad (Ahadeeth) are conversational, oratorical, and expository, of a kind the Arabs were already familiar with. By contrast, the style of the Quran is authoritative:
“We created the heavens and the earth…” (Quran 15:85, 44:38, 46:3, 50:38)
Also,
“Say!...”[3]
Also,
“… had it (the Quran) been from any other than God, they would have found therein much discrepancies.” (Quran 4:82)
Also,
“… Say then: ‘Bring a chapter like it and call, if you can, on other than God…’”(Quran 10:38)
Also,
“… then bring a chapter like unto it… and if you can not — for surely you cannot, then…” (Quran 2:23-24)
Which fallible human being would write a book and challenge humanity to find discrepancies in it, as does the author of the Quran (Quran 4:82)? Would any sensible student after writing an exam paper add a note to the lecturer saying “Read my answers with care and find any discrepancies or mistakes in it if you can!”? The style of the Quran is simply that of the All-Knowing Creator.
Furthermore, the Quran is a literary masterpiece of Arabic which was and remains unrivaled in its eloquence. Its rhythmic style, rhyme, near-haunting depth of expression, majesty, and “inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy”[4], shook the foundations of a society which had prided itself on its oratory skills. Contests were held every year in Mecca for who could recite the longest and most eloquent pieces from memory. When the Quran was revealed, all such contests were brought to a halt, as there was no more competition.
Like the miracle of Moses’ stick turning into a real snake which outdid the ability of all the Pharaoh’s magicians at a time when the Egyptians were noted for their mastery of sorcery and magic, and the miracle of Jesus’ healing of the blind and bringing the dead back to life which outdid the ability of all the doctors at a time when the Jews were noted for their mastery of medicine, the Quran was the Prophet Muhammad’s own miracle.[5] How could such magnificent and unrivaled expressions emanate from a man who, for 40 years, was never known for any such ability?
Similarities and Discrepancies between the Quran and the Bible
The mere existence of similarities between any two books is insufficient to prove that one must have been copied from the other. Both could have drawn information from a third common source, thus accounting for some similarities between them. This, in fact, is the argument of the Quran that God is the Source of all authentic revelation (Quran 4:47).
Some scholars have noted that the only Christians the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him,, is recorded as having been personally introduced to prior to his mission did not spend long enough time with him to teach him of their scripture, and no other historical record mentions anyone who taught the Prophet from among the Jews and Christian.[6] Furthermore, the Arabs of his time were very eager to discredit him. Hence, if there was any secret teacher, he would most likely have been exposed by them then.
Furthermore, could the Quran have been copied from the Bible if they exhibit serious creedal differences? Regarding doctrines such as the concepts of God and prophethood, sin and forgiveness, the Quran differs significantly with the Bible. The Quran in fact addresses Jews and Christians directly when correcting what it states are corruptions in their own scriptures. Interestingly, Quranic revelations of doctrinal problems with Christianity were sent largely in the Meccan period, prior to the Prophet’s migration to Medina, where he would have encountered many more Jewish and Christian scholars.
Even in the case of narration common to both scriptures, vital discrepancies can be
observed. For example, the Quran, unlike the Bible:
— does not blame women for the mistake committed by Adam and Eve (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) in disobeying God in the Garden of Eden. (Compare Genesis 3:12-17 with Quran 91:7-8 and 2:35-37);
— emphasizes that Adam and Eve repented to God (Quran 7:23) and were forgiven by Him (Quran 2:37);
— mentions that the eventual dwelling of Adam and Eve on Earth was already part of God’s plan even before He created them (Quran 2:30), and not a sort of punishment (Genesis 3:17-19).
Other significant variations can be seen in the stories of Solomon[7], Abraham[8], Ishmael and Isaac, Lot, Noah[9], Moses and Jesus[10] (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him).
The Quran also mentions a good amount of historical information about which the Bible is completely silent. From which portion of the Bible were the following copied?
•The stories of the people of ‘Ad and Thamud, and their Prophets, Hud and Saleh.
•The dialogue between Prophet Noah and his son before the flood (Quran 11:42-43).
•The dialogue between Abraham and his father (Quran 6:74), as well as between he and a king (Quran 2:258), and between he and his people (Quran 22:70-102; 29:16-18; 37:83-98; 21:57).
•The mention of the city of Iram (Quran 89:7).
•The Pharaoh of the Exodus having drowned, with his body preserved as a sign for people of future generations (Quran 10:90-92).
•Jesus’ miracles of speaking from the cradle (Quran 3:46), and his producing (by God’s will) a bird from clay (Quran 3:49), etc.
For further examples, see the following references from the Quran: 21:69, 2:260, and 3:37.
The Authorship of the Quran : Was it the Words of Satan or God?
Quranic Teachings about Satan and about Morality
Some claim that the Quran was the work of the devil.[11] Let us examine how much sense (or non-sense) this allegation makes.
If he authored or inspired the Quran, why would Satan curse himself and call himself the worst enemy of man (Q.35:6; 36:60)? Why would Satan command that before reciting the Quran, one must first say:
“…I seek refuge in God from Satan the accursed.” (Quran 16:98)
How could Satan so vehemently condemn himself? Is it really acceptable to common sense to hold the view that Satan would ask people to do good, to be moral and virtuous, to worship none but God, to not follow Satan or his whispers, and to avoid and struggle against evil?
To hold such a view is clearly repugnant to reason, as Satan has only undermined himself through this means if he is the author. Even the Bible attests:
“And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.” (Mark 3:26)[12]
This argument applies to any “Satanic forces”, be they “evil spirits”, “deceitful aliens”, etc.
The Quran’s Factual Contents and Scientific Information
Within the Quran are recorded facts about ancient times that were unknown to Muhammad’s contemporaries and even to historians in the first half of the 20th century. In scores of verses, we also find references to scientific wonders, some only recently discovered or confirmed, regarding the universe, biology, embryology, astronomy, physics, geography, meteorology, medicine, history, oceanography, etc. Below are some examples of modern scientific discoveries mentioned in the Quran.
•The Lost City of Iram. (Quran 89:7)
•Worker bees being female. (Quran 16:68)
•Mountains as “stakes” and stabilizers. (Quran 78:6-7)
•The spherical shape of the Earth. (Quran 7:54; 36:37; 31:29)
•The expanding universe. (Quran 51:47)
•The “Big Bang”. (Quran 21:30)
•That at one point in time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of “smoke”. (Quran 41:11)
•The Quranic description of the development of the human embryo. (Quran 23:12-14)
Readers who are interested in further examples, are referred to “The Bible, the Quran and Science” by Maurice Bucaille[13], “Struggling to Surrender” p.33-38, by Jeffery Lang[14], “The Quranic Phenomenon” by Malik Bennabi[15], “The Developing Human”, 3rd edition, by Keith L. Moore[16], “A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam”, by I. A. Ibrahim[17], “The Sources of the Quran” by Hamza Mustapha Njozi[18], “The Basis of Muslim Beliefs”[19] and “The Amazing Quran” by Gary Miller[20], etc.
How many well trained modern scientists and geniuses with the aid of hi-tech equipment, satellites, telescopes, microscopes and computers were required to discover the scientific facts mentioned in the Quran, and over what time span? Is it even conceivable that any human being over 1,400 years ago could have produced a scripture with such information in it, let alone a person who had never been educated?
Although the inability of man to encompass all the mysteries and complexity of creation is mentioned in the Quran (67:3-4), the revelation nevertheless seems to point to various natural phenomena as if urging human beings to enquire and verify what is said – again, with such an attitude of confidence that one can only assume the author is indeed challenging our disbelief. To be generous to the skeptic, perhaps one or two of the scientific revelations were the result of nothing more than a good guess or coincidence, but how probable could it have been that they all were?
Comparing Quranic statements that deal with the physical universe with certain scientific notions leads us to discover profound similarities. But, more notably, as Dr. Maurice Bucaille observes, the Quran is distinguished from all other works of antiquity that describe or attempt to explain the workings of nature in that it avoids mistaken concepts. For in the Quran, many subjects are referred to that have a bearing on modern knowledge without a single statement contradicting what has been established by present-day science.21]
Dr. Bucaille goes as far as to conclude his study with the following remark:
“In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad’s day, it is inconceivable that many statements in the Quran which are connected with science could have been the work of a man. It is, moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Quran as an expression of Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.”[22]
Conclusions
In examining the possible source of the Quran we have covered the following points:
•Muhammad’s being unlettered
•Muhammad’s integrity
•The Style of the Quran
•Discrepancies between the Quran and the Bible
•Quranic teachings about Satan and about morality, and
•The Quran’s factual contents and scientific information
These points were presented to aid us in our “elimination process” of unacceptable sources or authors of the Quran, as follows:
Muhammad : We might start by eliminating Muhammad from the list of possible authors of the Quran. There is just no way that he could have authored the Quran in view of points 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 presented above.
Other Arab Poet(s), Scholar(s), etc.: We can also eliminate any other Arab from the list of possible authors in view of points 2, 3 and 6 (at least).
Some non-Arab: The reasons for the elimination of any Arab from the list also eliminate any non-Arab scholar, poet or religious personality.
Christian Monks or Jewish Rabbis (i.e. Judeo-Christian sources): This alternative source of the Quran is unreasonable in view of points 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.
Satan (or other deceitful spirits or aliens, or anyone on his side, etc.): This option is also unacceptable in view of the points discussed, especially under 5.
God: In the absence of any more acceptable alternative as source and author of the Quran, one is more or less forced by reason to accept the Quran for what it claims to be – revelation from God through His Prophet Muhammad. This position seems reasonable not just because it is the only option that cannot be objectively eliminated, but because it is only reasonable to expect that a book with such qualities and contents would come from man’s Creator and Guide. Of all the possible sources of the Quran, it is only the last alternative – God – who even claims in the Quran itself to be the author of the scripture, for the Quran is truly the spoken word of God.
The position, therefore, which holds that God is the author and source of the Quran still stands, and the challenge (or falsification test, Q.4:82) remains open to anyone to disprove the Quran’s claim to being revelation from God. Having undertaken this task ourselves, the Muslim’s contention that the Quran is the Word of God appears not just a product of blind faith but, in fact, a product of very sound and reasoned judgment in light of all the available evidence. Indeed, after having assessed the evidence, it would be blind faith to contend otherwise!
Note that the evidence for the Divine Authorship of the Quran is also evidence for the existence of the Divine. God must exist, unless a more reasonably acceptable author of the Quran can be found!
Footnotes:
[1] See Fredrick Denny, Islam, NY: Harper & Row, 1987, p.88; Dr. Maurice Bucaille, The Bible, the Quran and Science, Indianapolis: American Trust Publications, 1983, p.163; and H.A.R. Gibb, Wither Islam, NY: A.M.S. Press, 1932, p.350; etc.
[2] See for example, H.A.R. Gibb, Mohammedanism, London: Oxford University Press, 1962, p.25
[3] This is mentioned in too many places in the Quran to mention here. See. Quran 112,113,114 for an example (E).
[4] Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Quran, New York: The Muslim World League, 1977, p.vii.
[5] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadeeth No.504; Saheeh Muslim Vol.1, Hadeeth No.283.
[6] Bilal Philips, Usool at-Tafseer, Sharjah: Dar al-Fatah, 1997, p.127-128.
[7] eg. the Quran rejects that this Prophet was ever a worshipper of idols – compare Quran 2:102 with 1 Kings 11:4.
[8] eg. the Quran describes the account of the story of God’s command to sacrifice his son as occurring in a dream with his son as a willing participant before being saved by God’s intervention, while the Bible speaks of God speaking directly to him and his son as unaware of his plans - compare Quran 37:99-111 with Genesis 22:1-19
[9] The Bible describes the Great Flood as covering the entire Earth whereas the Quran describes the flood as a local event only, a description which is more consistent which scientific evidence - compare Quran 25:37 with Genesis 7:23.
[10] A critical difference is the Quran’s insistence that Jesus was never truly crucified.
[11] See Norman Daniel’s Islam and the West: the Making of an Image, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1989, p.83, 94, etc.
[12] Cited in H.M. Njozi, The Sources of the Quran: A Critical Review of the Authorship Theories, Saudi Arabia: WAMY Publications, 1991, p.96
[13] Maurice Bucaille, The Bible, the Quran and Science, Indianapolis: American Trust Publications, 1978
[14] Jeffrey Lang, Struggling to Surrender, Maryland: Amana Publications, 1994
[15] Malik Bennabi, The Quranic Phenomenon, transl. A.B. Kirkary, Indianapolis: American Trust Publications, 1983
[16] Keith Moore, The Developing Human, 3rd edition, Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co., 1982
[17] I.A. Ibrahim, A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Houston: Darussalam Publishers, 1997
[18] H.M. Njozi, The Sources of the Quran: A Critical Review of the Authorship Theories, Saudi Arabia: WAMY Publications, 1991
[19] Gary Miller, The Basis of Muslim Beliefs, Kuala Lampur: Prime Minister’s Department - Islamic Affairs Division, 1995
[20] (http://users.erols.com/ameen/amazingq.htm)
[21] Maurice Bucaille, The Bible, the Quran and Science, Indianapolis: American Trust Publications, 1978
[22] [76] ibid., p.163.
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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Description: The Quran is the final and authentic book revealed by God Al-Mighty.
The Quran, sometimes called the Holy Quran or the Noble Quran is the holy book or sacred text of the religion of Islam. Muslims believe that the Quran is the literal word of God. A book revealed to God’s final messenger Muhammad, to bring humankind forward, from darkness into light. Quran confirms the books that went before it, including the Jewish Torah and the gospels of Jesus. It became the book of guidance for all humankind. Quran supersedes all scriptures before it. It contains signs of God’s greatness, miracles, parables, and lessons. The Quran explains the names and attributes of God and His creation. It calls us to believe in God, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and in in fate and the divine decree.
“And We have sent down to you the Book (the Quran) as an exposition of everything, guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves.” (Quran 16:89)
“The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in God, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’ — and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)’”. (Quran 2:285)
“And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Quran) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and trustworthy in highness and a witness over it (old Scriptures).” (Quran 5:48)
Quran is the greatest of all books. Through it, God speaks to humankind. He shows us His mercy, His love, His justice, and His wisdom. It is guidance, a light in the darkness, and a comfort to the heart. It is a most important book indeed. How then can we be sure that God’s words have not be changed or lost? How can we be sure that the Quran we hold in our hands today is authentic?
Muslims have no doubt that Quran is exactly the same today as it was more than 1400 years ago when it was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. The authenticity of Quran is established in several ways. The most important way we can be sure that Quran is authentic is the fact that when God revealed the Quran, He promised to preserve it.
“It is We Who have sent down the remembrance (i.e. the Quran) and surely, We will guard it from corruption.” (Quran 15:9)
In the time of Muhammad, the Arabs, although predominantly illiterate, were masters of the spoken word. Their poetry and prose were considered outstanding, and a model of literary excellence. When Prophet Muhammad recited the Quran – the words of God – the Arabs were moved tremendously by its sublime tone, eloquence, and extraordinary beauty. The Quran was Prophet Muhammad’s miracle from God.
Quran was also preserved by the people around Prophet Muhammad, they memorised the words of Quran as they were revealed and paid careful attention to each word. In the first days of Islam the emphasis was on memorization, however those who were literate soon began to write down the words of Quran on whatever writing material available. They wrote on flat stones, bark, bones, and even animal skins.
Prophet Muhammad himself supervised the memorisation and writing of the Quran. The preservation of Quran was also a major priority for the four men destined to follow Muhammad as leaders of the Muslim nation. Through their extraordinary effort and by the permission of God the Quran came to be written in book form. Generation after generation, one after the other, went to great lengths to preserve the word of Quran exactly as they were revealed.
This process is called Tawatur in the Arabic language. It means that historical continuity and perpetuation is achieved by transfer from one generation to the next. What is implied is that so many people in each generation conveyed it that there can be no doubt about its authenticity. Quran was not transmitted by a handful of people in one generation to a few persons in the next. It was passed by each entire generation to the next generation.
One of Quran’s most remarkable qualities and another reason for believing its authenticity is the complete consistency between the Quran and many of the discoveries of modern science. Quran even pre-empts facts only discovered in the last 50 years or less. More information about the marvellous symbiotic relationship between the Quran and scientific discoveries can be found on this website in the section entitled The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Quran. Dr Maurice Bucaille, a French medical doctor specialising in gastroenterology had the following words to say about the scientific information contained in Quran.
“The Quran follows on from the two Revelations that preceded it, and it is not only free from contradictions in its narrations, but provides a quality all of its own for those who examine it objectively and in the light of science, i.e. its complete agreement with modern scientific data. What is more, statements are to be found in it (as has been shown) that are connected with science: and yet it is unthinkable that a man of Muhammad’s time could have been the author of them. Modern scientific knowledge therefore allows us to understand certain verses of the Quran which, until now, it has been impossible to interpret.”
The Quran used by more then 1.5 billion Muslims throughout the world today is known as the Uthmani Quran. It was compiled by the third leader of the Islamic nation, Uthman ibn Affan, and copies were distributed throughout the Empire. Each book is a copy of the original and it is believed that two of these original copies exist to this day in Turkey and Uzbekistan.
The words of Quran have remained unchanged and is rarely disputed even by scholars and academics, archaeologists and historians. Over the centuries Muslims and non Muslims alike have examined copies of Quran more than 1000 years old and found that they are all identical, apart from the introduction of vowel marks in the 7th century CE. These marks were introduced to further guard the authenticity of Quran by demanding strict adherence to pronunciation rules.
The preservation of Quran is a tale of wonder and amazement. It is a testament of God's love for humankind, a book of guidance and a source of comfort. Muslims around the globe bear witness that it is the divinely revealed words of God. Words from the Most Merciful to His slaves. From the moment it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad it has been protected and preserved by God from the corruption of mankind and generations of men, women, and children have stood guard over Quran with their hearts, minds and lives.
Preservation of the Quran :Memorization
The Glorious Quran, the Muslims’ religious Scripture, was revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, through the angel Gabriel. The revelation occurred piecemeal, over a period of twenty-three years, sometimes in brief verses and sometimes in longer chapters.[1]
The Quran (lit. a “reading” or “recitation”) is distinct from the recorded sayings and deeds (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad, which are instead preserved in a separate set of literature collectively called the “Ahadeeth” (lit. “news”; “report”; or “narration”).
Upon receiving revelation, the Prophet engaged himself in the duty of conveying the message to his Companions through reciting the exact words he heard in their exact order. This is evident in his inclusion of even the words of God which were directed specifically to him, for example: “Qul” (“Say [to the people, O Muhammad]”). The Quran’s rhythmic style and eloquent expression make it easy to memorize.
Indeed, God describes this as one of its essential qualities for preservation and remembrance (Q. 44:58; 54:17, 22, 32, 40), particularly in an Arab society which prided itself on orations of lengthy pieces of poetry. Michael Zwettler notes that:
“in ancient times, when writing was scarcely used, memory and oral transmission was exercised and strengthened to a degree now almost unknown.”[2]
Large portions of the revelation were thus easily memorized by a large number of people in the community of the Prophet.
The Prophet encouraged his Companions to learn each verse that was revealed and transmit it to others.[3]
The Quran was also required to be recited regularly as an act of worship, especially during the daily meditative prayers (salah). Through these means, many repeatedly heard passages from the revelation recited to them, memorized them and used them in prayer. The entire Quran was memorized verbatim (word for word) by some of the Prophet’s Companions. Among them were Zaid ibn Thabit, Ubayy ibn Ka’b, Muadh ibn Jabal, and Abu Zaid.[4]
Not only were the words of the Quran memorized, but also their pronunciation, later which formed into a science in itself called Tajweed. This science meticulously elucidates how each letter is to be pronounced, as well as the word as a whole, both in context of other letters and words. Today, we can find people of all different languages able to recite the Quran as if they are Arabs themselves, living during the time of the Prophet.
Furthermore, the sequence or order of the Quran was arranged by the Prophet himself and was also well-known to the Companions.[5] Each Ramadan, the Prophet would repeat after the angel Gabriel (reciting) the entire Quran in its exact order as far as it had been revealed, while in the presence of a number of his Companions.[6] In the year of his death, he recited it twice.[7] Thereby, the order of verses in each chapter and the order of the chapters became reinforced in the memories of each of the Companions present.
As the Companions spread out to various provinces with different populations, they took their recitations with them in order to instruct others.[8] In this way, the same Quran became widely retained in the memories of many people across vast and diverse areas of land.
Indeed, memorization of the Quran emerged into a continuous tradition across the centuries, with centers/schools for memorization being established across the Muslim world.[9] In these schools, students learn and memorize the Quran along with its Tajweed, at the feet of a master who in turn acquired the knowledge from his teacher, an ‘un-broken chain’ going all the way back to the Prophet of God. The process usually takes 3-6 years. After mastery is achieved and the recitation checked for lack of errors, a person is granted a formal license (ijaza) certifying she has mastered the rules of recitation and can now recite the Quran the way it was recited by Muhammad, the Prophet of God.
A.T. Welch, a non-Muslim orientalist, writes:
“For Muslims the Quran is much more than scripture or sacred literature in the usual Western sense. Its primary significance for the vast majority through the centuries has been in its oral form, the form in which it first appeared, as the “recitation” chanted by Muhammad to his followers over a period of about twenty years… The revelations were memorized by some of Muhammad’s followers during his lifetime, and the oral tradition that was thus established has had a continuous history ever since, in some ways independent of, and superior to, the written Quran… Through the centuries the oral tradition of the entire Quran has been maintained by the professional reciters (qurraa). Until recently, the significance of the recited Quran has seldom been fully appreciated in the West.”[10]
The Quran is perhaps the only book, religious or secular, that has been memorized completely by millions of people.[11]
Leading orientalist Kenneth Cragg reflects that:
“…this phenomenon of Quranic recital means that the text has traversed the centuries in an unbroken living sequence of devotion. It cannot, therefore, be handled as an antiquarian thing, nor as a historical document out of a distant past. The fact of hifdh (Quranic memorization) has made the Quran a present possession through all the lapse of Muslim time and given it a human currency in every generation, never allowing its relegation to a bare authority for reference alone.”[12]
Preservation of the Quran : The Written Quran
The entire Quran was however also recorded in writing at the time of revelation from the Prophet’s dictation, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, by some of his literate companions, the most prominent of them being Zaid ibn Thabit.[13] Others among his noble scribes were Ubayy ibn Ka’b, Ibn Mas’ud, Mu’awiyah ibn Abi-Sufyan, Khalid ibn Waleed and Zubayr ibn Awwam.[14]
The verses were recorded on leather, parchment, scapulae (shoulder bones of animals) and the stalks of date palms.[15]
The codification of the Quran (i.e. into a ‘book form’) was done soon after the Battle of Yamamah (11AH/633CE), after the Prophet’s death, during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr. Many companions became martyrs at that battle, and it was feared that unless a written copy of the entire revelation was produced, large parts of the Quran might be lost with the death of those who had memorized it. Therefore, at the suggestion of Umar to collect the Quran in the form of writing, Zaid ibn Thabit was requested by Abu Bakr to head a committee which would gather together the scattered recordings of the Quran and prepare a mushaf - loose sheets which bore the entire revelation on them.[16]
To safeguard the compilation from errors, the committee accepted only material which had been written down in the presence of the Prophet himself, and which could be verified by at least two reliable witnesses who had actually heard the Prophet recite the passage in question[17].
Once completed and unanimously approved of by the Prophet’s Companions, these sheets were kept with the Caliph Abu Bakr (d. 13AH/634CE), then passed on to the Caliph Umar (13-23AH/634-644CE), and then Umar’s daughter and the Prophet’s widow, Hafsah[18].
The third Caliph Uthman (23AH-35AH/644-656CE) requested Hafsah to send him the manuscript of the Quran which was in her safekeeping, and ordered the production of several bounded copies of it (masaahif, sing. mushaf). This task was entrusted to the Companions Zaid ibn Thabit, Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair, Sa’eed ibn As-’As, and Abdur-Rahman ibn Harith ibn Hisham.[19]
Upon completion (in 25AH/646CE), Uthman returned the original manuscript to Hafsah and sent the copies to the major Islamic provinces.
A number of non-Muslim scholars who have studied the issue of the compilation and preservation of the Quran also have stated its authenticity. John Burton, at the end of his substantial work on the Quran’s compilation, states that the Quran as we have it today is:
“…the text which has come down to us in the form in which it was organized and approved by the Prophet…. What we have today in our hands is the mushaf of Muhammad.[20]
Kenneth Cragg describes the transmission of the Quran from the time of revelation to today as occurring in “an unbroken living sequence of devotion.”[21]
Schwally concurs that:
“As far as the various pieces of revelation are concerned, we may be confident that their text has been generally transmitted exactly as it was found in the Prophet’s legacy.”[22]
The historical credibility of the Quran is further established by the fact that one of the copies sent out by the Caliph Uthman is still in existence today. It lies in the Museum of the City of Tashkent in Uzbekistan, Central Asia.[23]
According to Memory of the World Program, UNESCO, an arm of the United Nations, ‘it is the definitive version, known as the Mushaf of Uthman.’[24]
A facsimile of the mushaf in Tashkent is available at the Columbia University Library in the US.[25]
This copy is proof that the text of the Quran we have in circulation today is identical with that of the time of the Prophet and his companions. A copy of the mushaf sent to Syria (duplicated before a fire in 1310AH/1892CE destroyed the Jaami’ Masjid where it was housed) also exists in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul[26], and an early manuscript on gazelle parchment exists in Dar al-Kutub as-Sultaniyyah in Egypt. More ancient manuscripts from all periods of Islamic history found in the Library of Congress in Washington, the Chester Beatty Museum in Dublin (Ireland) and the London Museum have been compared with those in Tashkent, Turkey and Egypt, with results confirming that there have not been any changes in the text from its original time of writing.[27]
The Institute for Koranforschung, for example, in the University of Munich (Germany), collected over 42,000 complete or incomplete ancient copies of the Quran. After around fifty years of research, they reported that there was no variance between the various copies, except the occasional mistakes of the copyist which could easily be ascertained. This Institute was unfortunately destroyed by bombs during WWII.[28]
Thus, due to the efforts of the early companions, with God’s assistance, the Quran as we have it today is recited in the same manner as it was revealed. This makes it the only religious scripture that is still completely retained and understood in its original language. Indeed, as Sir William Muir states, “There is probably no other book in the world which has remained twelve centuries (now fourteen) with so pure a text.”[29]
The evidence above confirms God’s promise in the Quran:
“Verily, We have revealed the Reminder, and verily We shall preserve it.” (Quran 15:9)
The Quran has been preserved in both oral and written form in a way no other book has, and with each form providing a check and balance for the authenticity of the other.
Footnotes:
[1] Muhammad Hamidullah, Introduction to Islam, London: MWH Publishers, 1979, p.17.
[2] Michael Zwettler, The Oral Tradition of Classical Arabic Poetry, Ohio State Press, 1978, p.14.
[3] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith No.546.
[4] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith No.525.
[5] Ahmad von Denffer, Ulum al-Quran, The Islamic Foundation, UK, 1983, p.41-42; Arthur Jeffery, Materials for the History of the Text of the Quran, Leiden: Brill, 1937, p.31.
[6] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith No.519.
[7] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith Nos.518 & 520.
[8] Ibn Hisham, Seerah al-Nabi, Cairo, n.d., Vol.1, p.199.
[9] Labib as-Said, The Recited Koran, translated by Morroe Berger, A. Rauf, and Bernard Weiss, Princeton: The Darwin Press, 1975, p.59.
[10] The Encyclopedia of Islam, ‘The Quran in Muslim Life and Thought.’
[11] William Graham, Beyond the Written Word, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1993, p.80.
[12] Kenneth Cragg, The Mind of the Quran, London: George Allen & Unwin, 1973, p.26.
[13] Jalal al-Din Suyuti, Al-Itqan fee ‘Uloom al-Quran, Beirut: Maktab al-Thiqaafiyya, 1973, Vol.1, p.41 & 99.
[14] Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani, Al-Isabah fee Taymeez as-Sahabah, Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1978; Bayard Dodge, The Fihrist of al-Nadeem: A Tenth Century Survey of Muslim Culture, NY: Columbia University Press, 1970, p.53-63. Muhammad M. Azami, in Kuttab al-Nabi, Beirut: Al-Maktab al-Islami, 1974, in fact mentions 48 persons who used to write for the Prophet (p).
[15] Al-Harith al-Muhasabi, Kitab Fahm al-Sunan, cited in Suyuti, Al-Itqan fi ‘Uloom al-Quran, Vol.1, p.58.
[16] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.6, Hadith Nos.201 & 509; Vol.9, Hadith No.301.
[17] Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, Vol.9, p.10-11.
[18] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith No.201.
[19] Saheeh Al-Bukhari Vol.4, Hadith No.709; Vol.6, Hadith No.507
[20] John Burton, The Collection of the Quran, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977, p.239-40.
[21] Kenneth Cragg, The Mind of the Quran, London: George Allen & Unwin, 1973, p.26.
[22] Schwally, Geschichte des Qorans, Leipzig: Dieterich’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung,1909-38, Vol.2, p.120.
[23] Yusuf Ibrahim al-Nur, Ma’ al-Masaahif, Dubai: Dar al-Manar, 1st ed., 1993, p.117; Isma’il Makhdum, Tarikh al-Mushaf al-Uthmani fi Tashqand, Tashkent: Al-Idara al-Diniya, 1971, p.22ff.
[24] (http://www.unesco.org.)
I. Mendelsohn, “The Columbia University Copy Of The Samarqand Kufic Quran”, The Moslem World, 1940, p. 357-358.
A. Jeffery & I. Mendelsohn, “The Orthography Of The Samarqand Quran Codex”, Journal Of The American Oriental Society, 1942, Volume 62, pp. 175-195.
[25] The Muslim World, 1940, Vol.30, p.357-358
26] Yusuf Ibrahim al-Nur, Ma’ al-Masaahif, Dubai: Dar al-Manar, 1st ed., 1993, p.113
[27] Bilal Philips, Usool at-Tafseer, Sharjah: Dar al-Fatah, 1997, p.157
[28] Mohammed Hamidullah, Muhammad Rasullullah, Lahore: Idara-e-Islamiat, n.d., p.179.
[29] Sir William Muir, Life of Mohamet, London, 1894, Vol.1, Introduction.
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Monday, December 21, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Al salam alikum wa rahmit allah wa barakato
I noticed that new convert to islam talk about celebrate CHRISTMAS
I tell all my brothers and sisters in islam you shouldn't celebrate CHRISTMAS
If you new convert to islam and live with non muslim family you can ATTEND
Celebration with family in conditions
Not to drink wine or any alcohol drinks or eat pig's meat
I hear some muslims scream
We celebrate Prophet Jesus' birthday.
Let me ask you that questions ..Why you celebrate Jesus' birthday?
Why not the birthdays of the other prophets and messengers who are mentioned in the Qur'an by name?
Read more about why muslim shouldn't celebrate CHRISTMAS in my Blog
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=143191470&blogId=451113803
Christmas and Islam Description: Christmas, Halloween, and Easter are all commonly practiced festivals by thousands in various countries across the world. In this video Dr. Quick unveils the polytheistic nature of these events.
Main Speaker: Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick
Key Points of This Video
Introduction [start time ..00:00..] About me [start time ..02:15..] Historical background of December 25 [start time ..05:39..] Was Jesus born on December 25 About Santa Claus [start time ..11:55..] About Easter [start time ..13:40..] About Halloween [start time ..15:19..] Valentines Days [start time ..16:09..] Is Valentines Day an innocent day? [start time ..18:24..] Trick or Treat (I just want some candy) [start time ..19:50..] I just want to see my family and it's the season to be jolly! [start time ..22:00..] Advice for the viewers [start time 24:40] Monotheism is the call of every messenger [start time 26:58] Extremism is found in every faith [start time 28:11] Conclusion [start time 30:13]
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Sunday, December 20, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar.
That year first Muharram was in 18 Dec 2009 .the new hajric 1431.
It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, Muharram moves from year to year when compared with the Gregorian calendar. Muharram is so called because it was unlawful to fight during this month; the word is derived from the word ‘haram’ meaning forbidden. It is held to be the most sacred of all the months, excluding Ramadan. It is highly meritorious to fast on the ninth and tenth of Muharram [optional not obligatory].
So don't forget my brothers & sisters in islam to fast in that days
Inshaallah next Saturday and Sunday (26 and 27 Dec)
Islamic Event
•01 Muharram, the Islamic New Year is observed by Muslims.
•01 Muharram, Martyrdom of Sayyidunaa Umar Farooq [2nd Caliph of Muslims] Radhi ALLAHu TA'ALA Anhu
•02 Muharram, Husayn bin ‘Alī enters Karbala and establishes camp. Yazid's forces are present.
•07 Muharram, access to water was banned to Husayn by Yazid's orders.
•10 Muharram, referred to as the Day of ‘Āshūrā' was the day on which Husayn ibn ‘Alī was killed in Karbalā'.
virtue and blessing for the fasting person
There are innumerable Ahaadeeth of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam which illustrate great virtue and blessing for the fasting person.
•Sahl Ibne Sa'd radhiyallahu anhu narrates from our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam that he said, "Verily! In Jannah, there is a door called ‘Ar Rayyaan’, through which will enter the fasting people on the Day of Judgement. No one will enter through this door besides them. It will be announced, 'Where are the fasting people?' They will stand (and enter). No one will enter besides them. Once they will enter, the door will be locked so no one can enter through it (after them)."
(Bukhaari, Muslim)
Aboo Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu reports from our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, that he said, 'Allah says, 'Every deed of Ibne Aadam (son of Aadam) is for him, except for fast. Verily, fasting is for me, and I shall (personally) apportion out the reward for it."' It is further said, "For a fasting person, there are two pleasures, which please him. When he eats upon completing the fast, he becomes happy, and when he will meet his Lord he will be pleased due to his fast."
(Bukhaari)
Aboo Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu narrates from our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam that he said, "One who keeps the fast of Ramadhaan with Imaan (faith) and longing for reward, all his previous sins are forgiven."
(Bukhaari, Muslim)
For the acquisition of the numerous virtues and benefits of fasting, there is however, one essential condition: a person takes extra precaution in making sure he abstains from sin and futility. A person should spend much of his time in the recitation of the Qur'aan and also engage himself in the constant Remembrance of Allah. If one does not abstain from sin and futility then his fasting will merely be staying hungry and thirsty, without any reward or spiritual upliftment.
A few common evils, which are regarded lightly, but are very detrimental to a fasting person, should be taken into consideration and avoided totally:
1.Telling lies.
2.Backbiting.
3.Quarrelling.
4.Eating haraam items.
5.Earning through unlawful means.
6.Any act which may harm or cause grief to a person.
In short, a person should try to refrain from all kinds of sins - protecting his ears, eyes, tongue and all other organs from indulging in unlawful activities.
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Saturday, December 19, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
“So do not weaken and do not grieve, for you will indeed be superior if you are truly believers.” [Al-Quran 3:139]
This verse was revealed to the Messenger (SAS) by Allah The Almighty from above the Seven Heavens, soon after the Muslims suffered a defeat in the Battle of Uhud and returned to Al-Madinah dejected and downtrodden. It was revealed as an encouragement to the believers after a victory that was in their grasp, was snatched away from them and turned into a defeat. And why should the Companions (RA) not have felt devastated at this defeat? Seventy of the best human beings on Earth at the time were killed and countless others were injured. Even the Messenger (SAS) himself was seriously wounded until blood flowed from his face and he said in great anguish whilst wiping the blood from his noble cheeks: “Allah’s Wrath is Great upon the people who besmeared His Messenger’s face with blood.”
However, this defeat was only a temporary setback so that the believers could reflect upon the reasons for the defeat, described in successive verses of Surah Ale-Imran. The mistakes and sins of a few believers had deprived the whole army of victory. When Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) despatched the army of Saad bin Abi Waqqas (RA) to the Battle of Al-Qadisiyyah, he advised him: “Fear your sins more than you fear the enemy as your sins are more dangerous to you than your enemy. We Muslims are only victorious over our enemy because their sins outnumber ours, not for any other reason. If our sins were equal to those of our enemy, then they would defeat us due to their superior numbers and resources.”
And so Saad (RA) proceeded to fight the Persians and, sticking to the advice of his leader, he imprisoned the alcoholic Abu Mahjan Ath-Thaqafi lest his presence in the army delays the victory. Until, Abu Mahjan lamented in his shackles and composed verses of poetry that touched the wife of Saad (RA) to temporarily release him so that he could participate in the battle with his brothers. Abu Mahjan thus went out riding the horse of Saad (RA) (as Saad (RA) was bedridden with fever) and performed unmatched feats of valour before returning to his cell in the evening and wearing his shackles back by himself. This continued for three days until, when Saad (RA) found out about the heroics of Abu Mahjan, he untied his shackles with the words: “By Allah! I will never imprison you again for drinking alcohol!” Upon this, Abu Mahjan replied, “By Allah! I will never again touch alcohol after this day!” The army was victorious and Saad (RA) appointed the ascetic Companion Salman Al-Farsi (RA) as the new ruler of Persia, who lived on a meagre salary of one dirham per day.
Victory and defeat, gains and losses, and successes and setbacks are not decided by money, resources, numbers or skills. Rather, they are decided by the balance of obedience and disobedience of Allah The Exalted. The more we obey Allah, both individually and collectively, the more we hasten His Victory. The more we disobey Allah, the more we delay the arrival of His Victory. One Muslim’s sins can delay the victory for everyone. It is very easy to blame Bush and Blair, the ‘West’, the ‘kuffar’ or simply ‘them’ for all our woes and worries. But it is not so easy to look in the mirror and point the finger at ourselves.
Look at us and our pathetic state. We have abandoned Salah or we delay it or rush through it. We are too stingy to give Zakah, let alone optional charity. We prefer to go on holiday than to go for the obligatory Hajj. We drink alcohol, we use and supply drugs (Muslims are amongst the biggest suppliers of drugs in the world today), we cohabit outside wedlock, we steal, we cheat. We eat haram, earn haram and sell haram. We beat our wives and force our daughters into marriages then use Islam to justify it. We are quick to spend on fashion and luxuries but slow to spend on orphans and the needy.
We fail to utter a single word, let alone raise a finger, when we see our fellow Muslims imprisoned , tortured, house-arrested, extradited or slain for fear of being ‘linked’ to them. We waste our lives watching television and playing computer games then complain that we don’t have enough time to become better Muslims. We are too addicted to music to find time to listen to or memorise the Quran. We are too busy in fun and games to fulfil our responsibilities as vicegerents on Allah’s Earth. And after all this (and more), we have the audacity to wonder why Allah’s Victory has not yet arrived. With our paltry state, we should more likely expect Allah’s Wrath and Punishment rather than His Victory.
Every sin we commit delays the arrival of Allah’s Victory. Every Salah we delay extends the incarceration of a captive at Guantanamo Bay. Every drug we take allows another Quran to be flushed down the toilet. Every hour we waste watching TV allows another Muslim to be kidnapped and extradited into the hands of savage beasts. Every time we gaze at something forbidden, we place an obstacle in the path of Allah’s Victory. A sin is not a ‘private matter between me and Allah’ but one sin can make the difference between victory and defeat. Every sin we commit is one more reason why Allah should not grant us relief, safety and victory.
Allah has made us a Promise in the aforementioned verse: “So do not weaken and do not grieve, for you will indeed be superior if you are truly believers.” He promises us relief, assistance, superiority and victory on the condition that we are true believers. If we suffer defeats today then it does not mean that Allah’s Promise is false. Instead, the question we must ask ourselves is: are we truly believers?
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Muslims measure the passage of time using the Islamic (Hijrah) calendar. This calendar has twelve lunar months, the beginnings and endings of which are determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. Years are counted since the Hijrah, which is when the Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Madinah (approximately July 622 A.D.).
The Islamic calendar was first introduced by the close companion of the Prophet, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab. During his leadership of the Muslim community, in approximately 638 A.D., he consulted with his advisors in order to come to a decision regarding the various dating systems used at that time. It was agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was the Hijrah, since it was an important turning point for the Muslim community. After the emigration to Madinah (formerly known as Yathrib), the Muslims were able to organize and establish the first real Muslim "community," with social, political, and economic independence. Life in Madinah allowed the Muslim community to mature and strengthen, and the people developed an entire society based on Islamic principles.
The Islamic calendar is the official calendar in many Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Other Muslim countries use the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes and only turn to the Islamic calendar for religious purposes.
The Islamic year has twelve months that are based on a lunar cycle. Allah says in the Qur'an:
"The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year) - so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth...." (9:36).
"It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory, and the moon to be a light of beauty, and measured out stages for it, that you might know the number of years and the count of time. Allah did not create this except in truth and righteousness. And He explains His signs in detail, for those who understand" (10:5).
And in his final sermon before his death, the Prophet Muhammad said, among other things, "With Allah the months are twelve; four of them are holy; three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumaada and Sha'ban."
Islamic months begin at sunset of the first day, the day when the lunar crescent is visually sighted. The lunar year is approximately 354 days long, so the months rotate backward through the seasons and are not fixed to the Gregorian calendar. The months of the Islamic year are:
1. Muharram ("Forbidden" - it is one of the four months during which it is forbidden to wage war or fight)
2. Safar ("Empty" or "Yellow")
3. Rabia Awal ("First spring")
4. Rabia Thani ("Second spring")
5. Jumaada Awal ("First freeze")
6. Jumaada Thani ("Second freeze")
7. Rajab ("To respect" - this is another holy month when fighting is prohibited)
8. Sha'ban ("To spread and distribute")
9. Ramadan ("Parched thirst" - this is the month of daytime fasting)
10. Shawwal ("To be light and vigorous")
11. Dhul-Qi'dah ("The month of rest" - another month when no warfare or fighting is allowed)
12. Dhul-Hijjah ("The month of Hajj" - this is the month of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, again when no warfare or fighting is allowed)
p.s
i am so Happy that year cause My Birthday will come in the same day islamic new year
yeah and in the most precious day in week (jumah or Friday )
Yeah my Birthday in 18 Dec .
Wish me happy birthday and islamic new year and nice jumah . i will complete 32 years old.
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Medicine and Knowledge of God*
*It is an English translation of an Urdu article published in the monthly al-Ma'arif, Lahore, for April, 1978. - Ed The question often arises in the minds of men: However could man see God? Now for seeing a thing the following predicates are essential: the thing to be seen, directions and dimensions, some spatial fixity, hue and appearance. It is also necessary that the rays of light should fall upon it and, having fallen upon it, they should hit the retina. Further, the image has to be transmitted through the optic nerve upon the image-making screen of the brain. Is God to be visualized like, this? No, never. Is He to be found fixed spatially? Does He have dimensions? Certainly not. If then man thinks God can be seen in this manner it only shows his ignorance. But God and His Divinity can be seen in many ways, through which reflect His Epiphany, His Light and His Manifestation. The Qur’an says: "And God is the Light of the heavens and the earth; the likeness of His Light is as a niche in which there is a lamp." Qur'an 24:35
It is beyond any argument that the Epiphany of God is manifest in everything in the cosmos. All these manifestations lead one towards an understanding of God and serve as guidance to man. But this guidance is only comprehensible if the perception of His Attributes is taken to be equivalent to the comprehension of His Essence (Dhat). If the Attributes of God are regarded qua Attributes only, then this concept that separates His Essence from His Attributes would rather clog understanding. For what are these plants and minerals, the sky and the earth, in fact, all the things of beauty which we see in the universe? Are they not the manifestations of His Essence? God Himself has said: "If ye wish to enumerate the favours of Allah ye will not be able to count them." Qur'an 16:18 Creation of Man
Eminent scientists and scholars who, on the basis of teleology ontology, constructed philosophical premises, and biologists, physicists, mathematicians who reflected upon the nature of creation, the place of man in the Animal Kingdom, and the relation of man to the other living beings, have at last admitted this much that the world must have a Prime Mover from whom all motion derives, that the universe is subject to certain laws which are marked by remarkable precision, and, finally, that the structure and functioning human body itself has more to offer than the accumulated wisdom contained in the books of all the libraries of the world. The birth of man is not only the apogee of the creation of the cosmos but is, theologically speaking, the finale of genesis. That is why he has been designated as the Khalifat Allah fi’l-ard (the Vicegerent of God on earth). And if we keep all the causes and reasons before us we could legitimately call man the manifestation of the Grace of God. From the Qur’anic point of view, man, both spiritually and physically, is the best of creation. "And we have created man in the best of moulds." Qur'an 95:4 Creating man in the best of moulds means that he has been granted a body that has not been given to any other creature, and that he alone has been endowed with heights of wisdom and thought, perception and grasp, among the living creatures. Man begins his life from material elements and gradually climbs up till he is measured through perception and wisdom. Therefore God in His Wisdom and Omnipotence created man from clay, as He Himself says: "And we have created man from the ringing loam from thin mud moulded into shape." Qur'an 15:26
The ancient Greek physicians believed the corporeal part of man to comprise four elements (clay, water, fire, and air) and the Arabs followed them. The latter also regarded these four elements to be the basic constituents of the human body. Towards the end of the 18th century Western scientists showed that earth and water are compounds, and within a short while some 80 elements like oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, silicon, etc., were discovered and details about their properties worked out. The analysis of the human body has shown that some of these elements are present in the body, out of which nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, calcium, sulphur, and phosphorus stand out. Besides, other elements like iron, manganese, zinc, cobalt, and copper are also to be found. These elements are not found as simples within the body. Simples of these elements are resolved within the body during the function of digestion and are then resynthesised. They thus become part of the body. This is known as the process of compounding. The conversion of carbon dioxide into smoke, and urea into ash leads to the release of energy and this is the process of separation. In other words, the process of synthesis, which requires energy, is anabolism, while that of breakdown is catabolism. The sum total of these two processes is metabolism. The formula is: catabolism + anabolism = metabolism. It is this metabolic process that is another name for life. Life is the proportional arrayment of the (five) elements, while, death is their disintegration. The Qur’an while explaining the Divine Attribute of Cherishing through the manifestation of existence and the occurrence of phenomena, describes the beauty of the universe, unity within multiplicity, and the benefits that man derives from existence. "Verily, there is great wisdom in this for him who has a heart in his side and an ear to hear, and earnestly witnesses (the truth)." Qur'an 50:37 The Mind
The mind has, in many respects, superiority over the other organs. It will not be remiss to call it the repertory of secrets. It is the mind that decides between the appetitive soul and the censuring or reproaching soul. This wonderful instrument of Nature, because of its biological function, keeps us balanced in the face of possible external accidents and occurrences. The continuity of existence, in the midst of the endless chain of sharp physiological, chemical and psychological changes, rests upon the mind. The mind controls cooperation and coordination between our conscious deeds and acts and the movements of our muscles and ligaments as well as the functions of other organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, kidneys, and glands. The main function of the brain is, therefore, to coordinate. The muscular, vascular and the neuromotor systems are connected with each other through the medium of the brain. Let us see what the brain is like. It weighs about one kilogram and is safely fortified by means of various membranes. It is joined through the neuromotor system with each and every cell of the body. This is indeed miraculous workmanship. The brain comprises minute nerve-cells known as neuron's which, on a conservative estimate, number 13,500,000. From the functional point of view, the neuron's are the centres for receiving, sorting, and dispatching information, and the work does not take more than 1/1000th of a second. Digestion, respiration, and circulation of the blood are conducted by the neuron's. This is the reason why the brain is regarded as evolution-prone, since it is the brain that makes the distinction between man and animal. It harbours centres for coordinating movements of the legs and the hands and other organs. Besides, it has centres that trigger the sensations of smell, taste, sight, hearing, and thought and the body is controlled from here. Billions of neurones thus act through their particular organs extremely swiftly. Near the temples is the centre for memory. It intervenes in diseases like apoplexy and adversely affects memory of past events. The centre for sight is situated posteriorly. Likewise, there is a site for controlling the auditory function. Very often the capacity and strength of the upper brain decline; and this is manifested through the low capacity for mental work and consequent enervation. This is either due to the shrinkage of the brain arteries or advanced age. On the lower surface is situated a wonderful gland which is the size of a pea. It is round and is enclosed in a membrane. It is called the pituitary gland. It is a proof of the indescribably clever Workmanship of God. It is, comparatively speaking, the smallest of the body’s glands, but God has granted it characteristics which determine man’s external appearance, his growth, and certain physiological functions. Its poor functioning leads to dwarfism, and an adult attains a height of 2½-3 feet, with his growth coming to a stop. Together with reduction in size, man also is mentally retarded. If, on the other hand, this gland grows and functions immoderately, it generates a remarkable change in man, e.g. tallness up to 7-8 feet, with the limbs becoming disproportionate, the face becoming oblong and the body misshapen. It also exercises a remarkable effect upon lactation and sex. Secretions from the posterior part of this gland join up with the blood and mix up with secretions from the ductless glands. It thus keeps the blood pressure and the peristaltic movement of the intestines in a proper state. Besides secretions from it control the functioning of the other glands. From this point of view, the pituitary gland is called the "band master" of the glands.
The Tongue
Sound is the prerogative of other animals also, but their sounds express crude emotions, eg. the desire to mate, calls sent to the companions, asking for food etc. The art of articulation, ie. the expression of inner feelings, is particular to man only. In the Surah al-Balad (90:9) God says He has granted the tongue to man. But if is not merely an instrument of speech. If voice were the measure, then the beasts of pray and fowls also give out sounds. But in man we find language and sound as the articulation of his inner self. This makes man superior to the other creatures. In the Surah al-Rahman God has said: "That is, He has taught man to speak." Qur'an 55:4 This is to say, speech is a gift valuable beyond measure from God. God has gifted man with other characteristics as well. Let us see what wonders the gift of the tongue has. The tongue basically comprises muscular textures, and we can, therefore, turn it any way we like. The upper layer of the tongue is made up of a salivary membrane which has innumerable small raised structures running into several hundreds of thousands. These are called the taste buds. Within the cavities of these raised structures are groups of cells having sensation, for taste buds are not affected if a thing is not a fluid. If the object is not a fluid, the taste buds make it so through the release of saliva. If the tongue is entirely cleansed of the saliva, and, if salt or sugar is placed upon it, no taste will be produced. Although there are different kinds of food, with each food having a particular taste, there are four basic kinds of taste–sweet, sour, saltish, and bitter. Of these the extremity of the tongue feels the taste of the sweet and saltish edibles very sharply. The bitter edible is tasted by the posterior extremity of the tongue, while the sour sensation is felt by the edges of the tongue. It is indeed nothing short of wonder that taste and smell are closely inter-related. If a foul tasting medicine, e.g. castor oil, has to be drunk, the nose is usually covered. Colds also mask taste and the degree of enjoyment is reduced. The good taste of biryani (rice cooked with spices and meat), for instance, is due to its flavour. Can any one else but God create so many diversification's in this barely 4-inch long piece of flesh? Certainly not! The Eye The creation of the eye and the ratio and proportion which we find in it are something which on reflection, defy description. What would have the human face been like if there were one eye in place of the two or if they were on the back of the head. God says: "And all that we have created is in measure." Qur'an 54:49 The eye is a wonderful gift (from the Creative Attribute) of God. The eye has been fixed in a socket within the skull. All the bones around it, except for the front, guard it. Frontal protection is provided by the eye-lid, which has numerous glands secreting a lubricating fluid. This secretion keeps the surface of the eye smooth and lubricated, so that the eye can move easily. The extremities of the eyelids have long hairs–the eye lashes, which protect the eye from foreign matter. The eye has six muscles, which make it possible to turn the eyeball in all directions. The eye is connected with the brain through the optic nerve. It has several coats, and one innermost coat, which is called the retina, is situated at the uttermost extremity of the optic nerve. The surface of the retina does not absorb the rays of light uniformly. In between the external coats is the lens, which is enclosed, in a transparent membrane. In form it is convex, and the coatings outside the lens reduce or increase its thickness, resulting in increase or decrease in the focal length. This is called the dioptre. We can thus see distant and close objects within clear focus. When the rays of light pass through the lens, through refraction they converge at one point, making the image of the object clear. The optic nerve transmits the image to the brain, and therein produces a sense of sight. The images, which form in the eye, persist for l/8th of a second, and pictures, as on the cinema screen, are formed to make the sight linger for longer periods. Eyes have been given to the beasts of burden also. But in man the eye performs the role of bringing the phenomenal changes of the universe within the purviews of perception and comprehension and of doing numerous other things. More other they extract work from the eyes of the other animals also. The Qur’an has: "Indeed, have We not given two eyes to man." Qur'an 90:l0 And further: "Say: It is God who has created you and given you ears and eyes and heart." Qur'an 67:23 The Heart
Although each cell of the body is a manifestation of Creation, yet the beauty of the heart is that it keeps the organisation of the body and the pulsation of life functioning until the time fixed by its Creator. The hand of man is totally incapable of imitating it. The heart is a kind of pumping machine whose function is, on paper, the simplest, ie. it takes the blood from one side and pumps it on to the other. But it is a wonderful creation, for no machine of this size can perform such a gigantic task. It is situated between the lungs and is carrot-like in appearance. It is hollow from inside and is encased in a two-layer membrane, which is full of liquid. The heart can accommodate blood up to 140 cc and has only four chambers. The heart has holes between the right and the left chambers. Likewise there are holes between the upper and lower chambers. In between these chambers are valves which regulate the follow of blood in and out in one direction only.
An insight into these Divine handiwork's sets the train of one’s suspicions on the line that it is the heart which is the seat of all appetites and where plans spelling virtues like ethics, honesty, trust-worthiness, nobility, justice and compassion, love, and sympathy–and evils like meanness, mental depravity, cruelty, polytheism gnosticism, sin and deviation from faith, are formed, but which we cannot feel or know. During the incipient stages of circulation the impure blood while being transmitted through the lungs by way of capillaries is cleansed by the oxygen, which has been breathed in. The purified blood is sent back to the heart by a vein wherefrom it is retransported to the body through the different branches of the aorta. The arteries become branched off and form into very thin arteries which further subdivide into arterioles thinner than the hair; these are the capillaries. The latter are so thin that they can be seen only with the aid of a microscope. It is through the agency of the capillaries that the nutritious material and gas are exchanged between the bodily texture and the blood. After the exchange has been effected, these capillaries join together and form veins, which are larger. These veins turn into bigger ones, until only two veins remain, which open into the ascending vanacava and postcava. These transport the used impure blood to the lungs and continue the cycle. If all the blood vessels are stretched lengthwise, they would be so long as to cover the distance between Lahore and Multan!
The expansion and contraction of the arteries–the pulse and the palpitation if the heart are in unison. The rate of cardiac palpitation is 72 times per minute, but with physical labour and fever it increases. Faster palpitation leads to a fast pulse. The velocity of the circulation of the blood determines, amongst other things, heart-beat and pulse.
It would perhaps be in order to speak a little about blood. Blood is one of the most important ingredients in the process of creation. It is nearly 1/12th the weight of the body. If we see blood with a microscope, we would see innumerable corpuscles, which are globular in shape swimming in a colourless liquid. The corpuscles are red and white, and each drop contains more than 5,000,000 corpuscles whose function is to supply energy to the body and to send the absorbed oxygen to every part of it. This process generates energy in the body. You must have seen people dying through excessive loss of blood in accidents. The red corpuscles within the body are reduced, as is the energy to that extent, and consequently death results.
The Kidneys
The kidneys appear insignificant objects but are a miraculous piece of God’s craftsmanship. Their functioning is among the prime manifestations of the Creative Powers of God Almighty. Although man has, through remarkable ingenuity succeeded in making artificial kidney, nevertheless anyone who has seen the artificial kidney, which measures 15sq ft as against the natural kidney which measures only 5sq in could easily see how superior the natural kidney is to the artificial kidney which functions on a limited scale, its task being, like the natural kidney’s, to flush off waste matter from the body. But the dialyzer has nothing to offer the natural kidney’s beauty of operation. The two kidneys are situated within a cavity in the stomach on the right and left of the spinal chord. If the kidney is dissected vertically, two layers will be seen, the outer layer being known as the cortex and the inner layer the medulla. Urine is transported from the medulla to the gallbladder through a long slender canal. There are empty spaces within the cortex. These empty spaces have tapering surfaces, which, on being out, would reveal several curved canals. The function of these canals is to absorb the waste matter and to transport it to the void spaces where the tapering surfaces are situated. These canals fan out towards the external surfaces of the kidneys and become spheroid. Here they form a collection of capillaries. These spheroids form the units of the kidney’s mechanism. In a kidney there are more than a million nephrons or spheroidal bodies, each of them being an independent machine, having different parts geared to different functions. The kidney has a 3cm long canal. If the length of the canals within both kidneys is measured, it comes to 40 miles! The working of the kidneys is really amazing. Blood courses through the kidneys at the rate of 1,300 cu cm per minute. The aim is to pass through the bunch of these slender canaliculi, where the waster matter of the blood is passed out through the medium of urine. Within a period of 24 hours thus, on average, 170 litres blood passes through the kidneys. When the kidneys are subject to some kind of disease, it is the basic unit of kidneys that is affected, with the result that the particles of blood together with a few essential items of energy e.g. sugar and fat, begin to be discharged along with the urine and deleterious substances like urea, uric acid, and several salts which ought to have been discharged, return to the blood.
Food and Nutrition
The second Law of Thermodynamics states that it is impossible to construct a perpetual machine that would function without fuel. This law is true of the human body also. Machines run on fuel–solar energy, kerosene, gasoline or water to drive a turbine, etc. Man’s fuel is his food. We eat all kinds of good food and send it as fuel to the body. And just as the parts of a machine wear out so do our organs. Our sources of energy are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They provide growth to the young and repair the bodies of the old. Salts and vitamins in themselves do not provide any energy, but their presence is necessary to our bodily metabolism. And the metabolic process is a constant one. All these phenomena are the miracles wrought by God and manifestations of His Creative Attributes. Meditation of these wonders affords us a remarkable insight into our knowledge of God, the best of the Creators.
Surah 23:14
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Monday, December 14, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
There are more than 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, and each time they pray, they turn their faces in one direction, towards Mecca. The Islamic term for this direction is qibla. When a Muslim prepares to pray, no matter where he is, he turns towards the qibla, the direction facing the Kaba. The Kaba is a small cube shaped building in the courtyard of the mosque known as Masjid Al Haram, in the city of Mecca, in the country of Saudi Arabia.
“For every nation there is a direction to which they face (in their prayers). So hasten towards all that is good. Wheresoever you may be, God will bring you together (on the Day of Resurrection). Truly, God is Able to do all things. And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Mecca), that is indeed the truth from your Lord. And God is not unaware of what you do.” (Quran 2:148-149)
Muslims do not worship the Kaba, or its contents, it is simply a focal point. Muslims worship One God, the Most Merciful, and the Most Wise. God decreed that when Muslims pray they all face one direction. It is a sign of unity that encapsulates the unity embedded in the religion of Islam. When believers pray towards the qibla, they connect with all other Muslims along invisible lines to the spiritual centre of Islam.
The Arabic word for prayer is salah and it demotes a connection between the believer and God; when all believers face the same direction it adds an extra dimension to the connection. The prayer connects the believers to God and the qibla connects the believers to one another. It has been said that if one could observe all the Muslims at prayer we would be able to see lines of worshippers bowing and prostrating like the petals of a flower opening and closing in unison.
The qibla was not always oriented towards Mecca. The first Muslims prayed towards the al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Around sixteen months after Prophet Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to the city of Medina, the qibla was changed to the Kaba. According to accounts by Prophet Muhammad's companions, the change happened very suddenly. During the noon prayer, Prophet Muhammad received a revelation from God instructing him to, "Turn your face towards the Masjid al Haram".
“Thus, we have made you real believers in Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his legal ways, a just nation, witnesses over mankind and the Messenger a witness over you. And We made the Qibla (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed, it was great (heavy) except for those whom God guided. And God would never make your prayers to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, God is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards humankind.” “Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qibla (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- al-Haram (at Mecca). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction...” (Quran 2:143-144)
Changing the qibla from the al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem to the Holy mosque in Mecca represents a significant step in establishing the religion of Islam. Islam is the final step in completing the religion of humankind. The message as taught by Prophets, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus finds its final form in Islam thus changing the direction of prayer establishes Mecca as the fixed central point for worship. It establishes a common sense or purpose.
Throughout the centuries, mathematicians and astronomers have established correct ways to determine the qibla (direction) from any point on the earth’s surface. There are two precise moments each year when the sun is directly above the Kaba, thus the direction of shadows in any sunlit place will point away from the qibla. There are also two moments per year when the sun is directly over the exact opposite position of the Kaba, thus pointing towards the qibla.
The Mosque Department at the Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments identified the Qibla as follows; for those who are in Mecca or near it, the qibla lies in the middle of the Kaba, or its parallel sphere from above or below. Therefore, a Muslim living in this area should direct himself to the middle of the Kaba or at least try hard to do so. For those not in Mecca, the Qibla lies in the direction of the Kaba. They may move a little to the right or left of the Kaba. If they are slightly deviant from this direction, there is no harm because they are still directed towards the Kaba.
It is important the Muslims make every effort to face the right direction when praying; however, slight deviations do not invalidate a person’s prayer. Prophet Muhammad said, “What is between the east and the west is qibla”.[1] Now days it is easy to locate the qibla. It is a simple matter to look at a map and draw a line between your location and the city of Mecca. Compasses and computer programs that locate the qibla are readily available and most mosques throughout the world have a niche in the wall to indicate the qibla.
Islam is a religion of unity. Muslims are united by their belief in One God. They are one brotherhood united in the language and ritual of prayer and united by the direction of their worship. The qibla is not only about degrees of latitude or longitude it is about unity. It is about humankind united in the worship of the One God, Creator, and Sustainer of the universe. Footnotes:
[1] At Tirmidhi, classified as hasan (good) by Sheikh al Albanee.
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Muslims are one. Their geographical differences are for their identity. In Islam our borders are open to each other. We live on the land of Allah. We are one Umma with different languages and race. No matter who we are, we recognize Allah as our means of sustenance on earth as Arafa means recognition of this fact.
Arafat is the name of the desert and day of Arafa is the ninth day of the month of Zul-Hajja, the day that everyone meets at this desert only to see each other, to live together a day to recognize each other as Arafa means to know - to be acquainted with Allah in being with each other. It is the place of every Muslim in the simple clothing of two pieces of white material. We know each other with the name of "Hajj" or one who is intending, not by title or rank. It is the land of equality, no boundary but different nations. No restriction of moving from one part to another. All the nations are brothers and are together in this vast desert. In the end of the day of Arafa, we all move to the valley of Muzdalifa or Mash'ar (awareness).
If in the vast desert of Arafat we were separated and each group and nationality were by themselves, the valley of Mash'ar brings everyone together because we are in Mash'ar (awareness) .
Hajj gives us a lesson of unity and togetherness and confrontation against evils and those who are against the unity of mankind. We can be united if we come together in Arafat (recognition) and reject evils in Mina and follow the law of Allah in Mecca as the rejection of any Deity is required to achieve Allah's will.
The reality we see is that Muslims are one "Ummah" and one nation with different languages and cultures and from different races and boundaries.
In this desert, Muslims are neighbors to each other and spend a full day together as the World of Islam is one. We are not divided and the line of Allah is extended to hold firm on it and be not divided. The "Dzikr" and the words prayer chanted by different groups of races makes you of them. They may not speak your language but it shows and express clearly that the Quran is our constitution and the tradition of our beloved Prophet is our way of life.
It is recommended to fast on this day. Muslim narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet said: Fasting the Day of Arafa (the ninth day of Zul Hijjah) will be credited with Allah by forgiving one's sins of the previous year and the following year. As well, we should sincerely ask Allah for forgiveness for mistakes on this day as the Prophet said: Allah sets more people free from Hell on the Day of Arafa than on any other day (Muslim). Have a big family Iftar. The 9th of Zul everyone should try to get home from work or school early, if possible, to enjoy Iftar together. Also, read the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him)'s last Sermon that day, since it was on the 9th of Zul Hijjah that it was delivered.
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Description: Hajj is one of the five main pillars of Islam. In this episode of "TheDeenShow" Yusuf Estes takes the viewers through a tour of Hajj on-site from Saudi Arabia!
Main Speaker: Yusuf Estes Key Points of This Video
Introduction [start time 00:00]
On the way to Makkah [start time 02:10]
Putting on the Pilgrim Dress
About the Kabah [start time 11:18]
"Here I am Allah!"
The Mountain of Light [start time 14:08]
The first revelation: "Read..!"
Where did the pilgrimage come from? [start time 17:30]
The story of the well of Zamzam
Is there any other events in the world on the same magnitude as Hajj? [start time 22:53]
Muslims have to perform Hajj [start time 26:53]
Starting the Hajj [start time 31:42]
In Mina [start time 33:55]
Conclusion [start time 37:53]
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
The Blessed Days of Dhul-Hijjah
The month of Dhul-Hijjah is a season of worship, and seasons of worship bring along blessings, benefits and opportunities to correct one's faith and make up for shortcoming. Every one of these special opportunities involves some kind of worship, which brings the slave closer to his Lord. And Allah bestows His blessings and Favors on whom He wills. The fortunate person is he who makes good use of these special months, days, and hours, while worshiping Allah. He is most likely to be touched by the blessings of Allah. [Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa'if pp. 8]
The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are marked blessed for both, the pilgrims and the non-pilgrims. Rewards of good deeds are multiplied in these days. Imaam Ibn Qayyim (rahimahullah) (d. 751H) said: “Indeed, its days are the most excellent of all the days with Allah.
It has been confirmed in Saheeh al-Bukharee from Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “No deed are more virtuous than deeds on these days.” The companions asked: 'Not even Jihad (fighting in Allah's Cause)?' He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) replied: “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out risking himself and his wealth for the sake of Allah, and does not come back with anything.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee vol: 2, no: 457] And it is these ten days, of which Allah takes an oath saying: “By the dawn; by the ten nights.” [Soorah al-Fajr (89): 1-2] This is why it is recommended to increase in making Takbeer, Tahlil and Tamhid during these days.” [Zaad al-Ma'aad vol: 1, pp: 56]
Yawm al-Arafat: The 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of Arafat. It is this day when the pilgrims gather on the mountain plain of Arafat, praying and supplicating to their Lord.
The day of Arafat holds great importance in Islam since this is the Day when Allah completed his revelation on His Messenger (sallahu alaihe wa-sallam). It is reported in the Saheehayn (i.e. Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim), from Umar Ibn al-Khattab (radhi allahu anhu) that a Jewish man said to him: “O Ameer al-Mumineen (O head of the Muslims)! There is a verse in the Qur'aan, which if was revealed on us, the Jews, we would have taken that day as an Eid (festival).” Umar asked: “Which verse?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Soorah al-Maidah (5): 3] Umar (radhi allahu anhu) said: “We know on which day and in which place was this verse revealed to Allah's Messenger (sallahu alaihe wa-sallam). It was when he was standing in Arafat on a Friday.”
Arafat is the day on which Allah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam (alaihis-salaam), it was reported that Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) related: “(When Allah created Adam (alaihis-salaam) Allah took covenant from him in a place Na'maan on the day of Arafat, then He extracted from him all the descendants who would be born until the end of the world, generation after generation, and spread them out in front of Him in order to take a covenant from them also. He spoke to them face to face saying: “Am I not your Lord?” and they all replied: “Yes, we testify to it.” Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He was their Creator and only true God worthy of worship. He said: “That was in case you (mankind) should say on the Day of Resurrection, 'Surely, we were unaware of this. We had no idea that You, Allah, were our Lord. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship You.” …” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah vol: 4, no: 1623] Indeed, the day of Arafat is a blessed day and there is no other covenant greater than this covenant!
Arafat is a day of Forgiveness from sins, freedom from the Hell-Fire for the people who are present in the plain of Arafat. Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) narrated the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying: “There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the day of Arafat. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels saying, 'What do these people (the Hajis) want?'” [Saheeh Muslim]
This Haadeeth mentions forgiveness for the pilgrims. In addition to this, fasting on the day of Arafat is a Sunnah and an expiation of sins for the residents.
Hunaydah ibn Khaalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, on the day of Aashoorah, on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and Thursdays of each month.” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Saheeh Abi Dawood vol: 2, no: 462]
It is reported in Saheeh Muslim that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) was asked about the fasting on the day of Arafat, he said: “It expiates the sins of the previous year and that of the following year.” [Saheeh Muslim] This fasting is Mustahabb only for the non-pilgrims and not for the Hajis (the pilgrims) because it was not the practice of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) to fast on the day of Arafat during pilgrimage and in a narration he also forbade doing so. Imaam at-Tirmidhee (rahimahullah) (d. 275H) said: “The People of Knowledge consider it recommended (Mustahabb) to fast on the day of Arafat, except for those at Arafat." [Jaami'ut-Tirmidhee (3/377)]
Yawm an-Nahr: The tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the greatest day of Hajj. It is known as Yawm an-Nahr (the day of Sacrifice), since it marks the ending of the major rite of Hajj - the Sacrifice. And it is on this day that the Muslims commemorate the bounties and blessings of Allah.
It was recorded in a Hadeeth by Imaam Ahmad (in his Musnad vol: 4, no: 350) that the day of Nahr is the most virtuous day to Allah. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The greatest day of Hajj (Pilgrimage) is the Day of an-Nahr (Slaughtering).” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Irwa al-Ghaleel (no: 1101). Abu Dawood no: 1945]
Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H) said: “The most excellent day of the week is the day of Jumuah (Friday), by the agreement of the Scholars. And the most excellent day of the year is the day of an-Nahr. Some of them said that it is the day of Arafat. However, the first opinion is the correct one, since it is related in the Sunan collections that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The most excellent days with Allah is the day of an-Nahr, then the day of al-Qarr (the day that the Muslims reside in Mina).” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Irwa al-Ghaleel (no: 2018). Related by Abu Dawood no: 1765].” [Majmoo al-Fatawa vol: 25, pp. 288]
The day of An-Nahr is also known as 'Eid al-Adhaa' meaning the festival of Sacrifice and it is one of the two festivals which Allah has granted to the Ummah of Prophet (sallahu alaihe wa-sallam). Anas (radhi allahu anhu) narrated, “Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) came to Medina and the people of Medina in the days of Jahiliyyah had two days of play and amusement. So, Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said:
“I came to you and you had in Jahiliyyah, two days of play and amusement. Allah has replaced something better for you. The Day of an-Nahr and the day of al-Fitr.” [(Saheeh) by Haafidh Ibn Hajr in Buloogh al-Maraam. Related by Musnad Ahmad vol: 3, no: 103]
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The day of al-Fitr, and the day of an-Nahr, and the days of at-Tashreeq (the three days after an-Nahr) are our days of Eid (festivity); and they are days of eating and drinking.” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Saheeh al-Jamee (no: 8192). Related by Musnad Ahmad (no: 1945)]
Glorifying Allah with Takbeer: (Takbeer al-Muqayyid): From the day of Arafat until the Asr prayer of the 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah, one should make Takbeer after every obligatory Salaat. Ibn Abee Shaybah relates that Alee (radhi allahu anhu) used to make the Takbeer beginning after the Fajr prayer on the day of Arafat, until after the Asr prayer on the last day of at-Tashreeq.” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in al-Irwa. Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf]
Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said: “The most correct saying concerning the Takbeer - that which the majority of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors), and the Scholars from the Companions and Imams were upon - is to begin making the Takbeer from Fajr (dawn) on the day of Arafat up until the last day of at-Tashreeq (the thirteenth of Dhul-Hijjah), after every Prayer.” [Majmoo al-Fatawa (24/220)]
Imaam al-Khattaabee (rahimahullah) (d. 456H) said: "The wisdom behind saying the Takbeer in these days is that in the times of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance), they used to slaughter for their Taaghoots (false objects of worship). So the Takbeers were prescribed in order to indicate that the act of slaughtering is directed to Allah alone, and by mentioning only His Name.” [Fath al-Baree]
As regards to the actual wording of the Takbeers, then nothing authentic has been related from the Messenger of Allah. However, the following have been reported from the Sahabah:
1. Ibn Mas'ood (radiyallahu anhuma): “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahil-Hamd.” [(Saheeh) Irwaa al-Ghaleel (650), Daraqutne, Ibn Shaibah] (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, There is none worthy of worship except Allah. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and to Allah belongs all praises)
2. Ibn Abbas (radiyallahu anhuma): “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahil-Hamd; Allahu Akbar wa-ajal, Allahu akbaru ala mahadana.” [(saheeh) - Bayhaqee (3/315)] (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and to Allah belongs all praises. Allah is the Greatest to that which He has guided us to)
3. Salman (radhi allahu anhu) : “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar kabeera.” [(saheeh) - Bayhaqee (3/316)] (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest)
“Increase in these days you Tahlil, Takbeer and Tamhid.” (Takbeer al-Mutlaq)
“...And mention the name of Allah on the appointed Days...” [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 28] This verse has been explained (by some) to mean the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Scholars consider it desirable to increase Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) in these days, because the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) is reported to have said:
“There are no days that are greater to Allah or in which deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so increase your Tahlil, Takbeer and Tamhid during these days.” [Musnad Ahmad] Tahlil, Takbeer and Tamhid mean saying 'La ilaha illa Allah', 'Allahu Akbar' and 'al-Hamdu lillah', respectively.
Ishaaq narrates from the scholars of the Taabi'een that in these ten days they used to say: Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar; Laa-ilaaha-ill-Allah; waAllahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar; Wa-lillaahil-hamd.
It is a beloved act to raise the voice when saying the Takbeer in the markets, the houses, the streets, the masjids and other places, because of the saying of Allah Most High in Soorah al-Hajj verse 37: “...that you may magnify Allah for His Guidance to you...”
Imaam Bukharee (rahimahullah) said in the book of al-Idayn in the chapter of the Virtue of good) deeds during the days of Tashreeq, Ibn Umar and Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhuma) would go out in the marketplace during the ten days and say Takbeer, and the people would say Takbeer when they said Takbeer.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
The Sunnah is to say the Takbeer individually. The saying of Takbeer in congregation, i.e., everyone pronouncing the Takbeer with one voice, is not permissible since this has not been transmitted (to us) from the early generations of the Sahaabah and those who followed their ways. .This is applicable for all Dhikr and supplications, except if the person doesn't know what to say. In that case he may repeat after someone else until he learns (the words to be said).
What You Can Do in these Blessed Days of Dhul-Hijjah?
The days of Dhul-Hijjah are the most blessed ones; therefore every Muslim should make much from this opportunity. Among the blessings of Allah is that He has given us many ways to perform good deeds and to worship Him, so that the Muslim may be constantly active and consistent in his worship of his Lord. Here are some out of many good deed, which you can perform in these days.
Remember, deeds, which are less preferred are made superior and more beloved to Allah in these days, than the superior deeds performed at other times!! This is indicated in the Hadeeth where the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said regarding Jihad which is the most superior of all deeds to be less superior than the voluntary fast in these days, except that the Mujahid, “goes out risking himself and his wealth for the sake of Allah, and does not come back with anything.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
· Hajj and Umrah are the best deeds performed in Dhul-Hijjah.
Fasting as many days as possible, especially the day of Arafat, which is a Sunnah. Fasting is one of the best of deeds. Allah chose fasting for Himself from all the good deeds, as is stated in the Hadeeth Qudsee: “All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except for fasting, which is for Me and I am the One Who will reward him for it.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (1085)]
Takbeer al-Muqayyid: The Takbeer, which is restricted to the time after the five obligatory Salaat. This begins from after Fajr prayer of the day of Arafat (for the non-pilgrims) until the Asr prayer of the last day of Tashreeq.
Takbeer al-Mutlaq: The unrestricted Takbeer; ‘Allahu Akbar’, at all times of night and day until Eid al-Ahda.
Perform plenty of Nafl (voluntary) prayers.
Recite and Memorize the Qur'aan.
Abstain from disobedience and sins, because disobedience is the cause of Allah's Anger. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Verily Allah has a sense of Ghayrah (honor, prestige and anger over it's violation), and Allah's sense of Ghayrah is provoked when a person does that which Allah has made prohibited.” [Saheeh Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] Whereas, obedience and abstaining from all those things, which Allah has prohibited, is a form of worship and a means to achieve Allah's Love.
Hasten to make Sincere Tawbah (Repentance) to Allah because repentance means coming back to Allah. It is forgoing all those deed, which Allah dislikes in open and in secret, out of regret for what has passed, abandoning them immediately and being determined not to return to it again. When a Muslim combines repentance with good deeds during the most virtuous days, this is a sign of his success. Allah says: “But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful.” [Soorah al-Qasas (28): 67]
Give Charity
Attend Salaat al-Eid and the Khutbah.
Slaughter Udhiyah (Sacrifice) on the day of Eid al-Adha is another good deed which brings the slave closer to his Lord.
There is much to be gained, so make the most of this these invaluable and irreplaceable days.
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Current mood: happy
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Misconceptions about Allah: Is Allah God? Yes, Allah is God. He is Allah, the One and Only. He is the same God worshipped in the Jewish and Christian faiths and is recognisable as such. Across the globe and throughout history people of all faiths and beliefs have turned towards God, or a supreme deity, the Creator of the universe. He is Allah. Allah is God. God the Creator. God the Sustainer..... The word God is spelled and pronounced differently in many languages: the French call him Dieu, the Spanish, Dios and the Chinese refer to the One God as Shangdi. In Arabic, Allah means the One True God, worthy of all submission and devotion. Jewish and Christian Arabs refer to God as Allah, and He is the same One True God referred to in the Biblical passage,.... “Hear O ....Israel...., the Lord your God is One”. (Deuteronomy 6.4 & Mark 12.29).... In all three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) God and Allah are the same. However, when asking the question, Is Allah God, it is equally important to understand who Allah is not..... He is not a man, nor is He an ethereal spirit, therefore when Muslims talk about Allah there is no concept of a trinity. He was not begotten nor does He beget, therefore He does not have sons or daughters. He does not have partners or underlings; therefore, there are no demi gods or minor deities inherent in the concept of Allah. He is not part of His creation and Allah is not in everybody and everything. Consequently, it is not possible to become allahlike or attain allahhood..... “Say (O Muhammad): He is Allah, (the Unique) One. Allah, the Eternal (Foundation). He begets not, nor was He begotten; and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” (Quran 112).... The Quran, God’s book of guidance for all of humankind was revealed in Arabic; therefore, non-Arabic speakers can become confused about terminology and names. When a Muslim says the word Allah, he is talking about God. God the Supreme, God the Magnificent, God the Omnipotent. The Creator of all that exists..... “He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. High be He Exalted above all they associate as partners with Him.” (Quran 16:3).... Muslims believe that Islam is the completion of God’s message to humankind, and they believe in the books sent to Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe the original forms of Judaism and Christianity. In fact, one of the tenants of Islam is to believe in all of God’s revealed books. The Prophets of Islam include the same Prophets present in Jewish and Christian traditions; they all came to their people with the same message – to recognize and to worship the One God. .... “...were you witnesses when death approached Jacob? When he said unto his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They said, ‘We shall worship your God, the God of your fathers, Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, One God, and to Him we submit (in Islam).” (Quran 2:133). It is easy to connect the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by a common thread; they have a well-documented shared history. Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus; when they worshipped God, they worshipped Allah. Muslims love and respect these men too. However, Muslims believe that the Quran contains the only concept of God that has not been tainted by man made ideas and idolatrous practices..... It would be true to say that in all religions and faiths, God is God, and God is Allah. He, Allah/God made it very clear in Quran that He had sent messengers to every nation. We do not know all the names, or the dates; we do not know all the stories or the calamities, but we do know that God did not create even a single person and then abandon him. God’s message of mercy, love, justice, and truth was made available to all of humankind..... “And verily, We have sent among every community or nation, a Messenger (proclaiming), "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid all false deities... ". (Quran 16:36).... “And for every nation there is a messenger...” (Quran 10:47).... For thousands of years humankind has lived and died across this wide earth. Every time a woman looks towards the sky in search of a Creator, she is turning to Allah. Every time a man buries his face in his hands and begs for mercy or relief, he is asking Allah. Every time a child crouches fearfully in a corner, his heart is searching for Allah. Allah is God. Whenever a person is thankful for the bright new day, or the cool refreshing rain, or the wind whispering in the trees, he or she is thankful to Allah, thankful to God..... Humankind has taken the purity of God and mixed it up with wild imaginings and strange superstitions. God is not three, He is One. God does not have partners or associates; He is Alone in His majesty and in His dominion. It is not possible to become godlike because there is nothing comparable to God. God is not part of His creation; He is beyond it. He is the first, and the last. God is Allah, the Most Merciful..... “… There is nothing like unto Him…” (Quran 42:11).... “And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” (Quran 112:4).... “He is the First (nothing is before Him) and the Last (nothing is after Him), the Most High (nothing is above Him) and the Most Near (nothing is nearer than Him). And He is the All-Knower of every thing.” (Quran 57:3).... Yes! God is Allah..... Allah – the One and OnlyAllah is God. He is the one you turn to in your hour of need. He is the one you thank when the miracles of this life become clear. Allah is a word that contains many layers of meaning. It is the name of God (the master of the universe) and it is the foundation of the religion of Islam. He is Allah, the One worthy of all worship.
“”He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything. Such is Allah, your Lord! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, over all things. No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous, Well Acquainted with all things.” (Quran 6:101-103)
In the Arabic language, the word for God (Allah) comes from the verb ta’allaha (or ilaha), which means, “to be worshipped”. Thus, Allah means, the One, who deserves all worship. There are no capital letters in the Arabic language, consequently the word God (Allah) is formed by adding the equivalent to the English word the, al to the Arabic word for “god/God” (ilah). Therefore, the Arabic word “Allah” literally it means “The God.”
Allah is God, the Creator, and Sustainer of the world, but differences and confusions arise because the English word god is able to be made plural as in gods, or change gender, as in goddess. This is not the case in Arabic. The word Allah stands alone, there is no plural or gender. The use of the words He or Him are grammatical only and in no way indicate that Allah has any form of gender that is comprehensible to us. Allah is unique. In the Arabic language, His name is unchangeable. Allah describes Himself to us in the Quran:
“Say (O Muhammad), He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” (Quran 112)
This short chapter of the Quran is known as the chapter of purity, or sincerity. In just a few short words, it sums up the Islamic belief system; that Allah or God is One. He is alone in His majesty; He is alone in His omnipotence. He has no partners or associates. He was there in the beginning and He will be there in the end. God is One. Why then does Quran use the word We?
In the English language we understand the use of the royal “we”, or the grammatical construction known as the majestic plural. Many other languages use this construction including Arabic, Hebrew, and Urdu. We hear members of various royal families or dignitaries using the word we, as in “we decree”, or “we are not amused”. It does not indicate that more than one person is speaking; rather it denotes the excellence, power or dignity of the one who is speaking. When we hold that concept in mind, it is obvious that there is none more worthy to use the royal we than Allah – God.
“(This is) a Book, which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad) in order that you might lead humankind out of darkness into light (of belief in the Oneness of Allah)...” (Quran 14:1)
“And indeed, We have honoured the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, have provided them with lawful good things, and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment.” (Quran 17:70)
“And if We willed, We could surely take away that which We have revealed to you (i.e. this Quran). Then you would find no protector for you against Us in that respect.” (Quran 17:86)
“O humankind! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then verily We have created you (i.e. Adam) from dust...” (Quran 22:5).
Respected Islamic scholar of the 13th century, Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said that, “Every time Allah uses the plural to refer to Himself, it is based on the respect and honour that He deserves, and on the great number of His names and attributes, and on the great number of His troops and angels”.[1] When Allah uses the word We, the most dominant opinion is that it is used as an indication of His majesty and His dominion over all that exists. The use of the words we, nahnu, or verily we, inna, in no way indicate that there is more than one god. They have no correlation at all to the concept of a trinity. The entire foundation of the Islamic religion rests upon the belief that there is only One God, and Muhammad is His final messenger.
“And your god is One God; there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.” (Quran 2:163).
The moon god Misinformed people sometimes refer to Allah as a modern interpretation of an ancient moon god. This gross misrepresentation of Allah is often combined with strange unsubstantiated claims that Prophet Muhammad resurrected this god and made him the focal point of the religion of Islam. This is categorically untrue. Allah is God, the One, and Only, the Most Merciful. Allah is the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, and the God of Jesus. “There is no god but Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, the One and the only True God, Who has neither a wife nor a son). And indeed, Allah is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (Quran 3:62) Very little is known about the religion of the Arabs before Prophet Abraham. There is little doubt that the Arabs wrongly worshipped idols, heavenly bodies, trees, and stones, and that some of their idols even had animal characteristics. Although a number of minor deities across the ..Arabian Peninsula.. may have been associated with the moon there is no evidence of the Arabs ever worshipping a moon god above other gods. On the other hand there is evidence that the sun, constructed as a feminine god was worshipped throughout ..Arabia... The Sun (Shams) was honoured by the several Arabian tribes with both sanctuaries and idols. The name Abdu Shams (slave of the sun) was found in many parts of ..Arabia... In the North the name Amr-I-Shams, “man of the Sun” was common and the name. Abd-al-Sharq “servant of the Raising one” is evidence for the worship of the rising sun. One of Prophet Muhammad’s great uncles was named Abdu Shams, so to was the man nicknamed Abu Hurairah , a renowned Islamic scholar from the first generation of Muslims. When Abu Hurairah converted to Islam, Prophet Muhammad changed his name to Abdu Rahman (slave of the Most Merciful). Muslims believe with complete certainty that, since the beginning of creation, Allah has sent prophets and messengers to guide and teach humankind. Therefore, humankind’s original religion was submission to Allah. The first Arabs worshipped Allah, however, over time their worship became corrupted by man made ideas and superstitions. The reason for this is shrouded in the mists of time but they may have fell into the practice of idolatry in much the same way as the people of Prophet Noah. The descendents of Prophet Noah were one community, believing in the Oneness of Allah, but confusion and deviation crept in. Righteous men tried to remind the people of their obligations to Allah but time passed and Satan saw an opportunity to lead the people astray. When the righteous men died, Satan suggested to the people that they build statues of the men to help them to remember their obligations to Allah. The people built statues in their meeting places and their homes, and Satan left thm alone until everyone had forgotten the reason the statues existed. Many years later, the devious Satan appeared amongst the people again, this time suggesting that they worship the idols directly. An authentic narration of Prophet Muhammad sums up the beginning of idolatry in the following way. “The names (of the idols) formerly belonged to some pious men of the people of Noah, and when they died Satan inspired their people to prepare and place idols at the places where they used to sit, and to call those idols by their names. The people did so, but the idols were not worshipped till those people (who initiated them) had died and the origin of the idols had become obscure, whereupon people began worshipping them.” When prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael rebuilt the Holy House of Allah (the Kaba) most of the Arabs followed his example and returned to the worship of the One God, however as time passed the Arabs fell into their old habit of worshipping idols and demi gods. There is little doubt and much evidence to suggest that in the years between Prophets Abraham and Muhammad the religion of ..Arabian Peninsula.. came to be dominated by idol worship. Each tribe or household had graven images and statues, the Arabs believed in seers, used divining arrows to predict future events and performed animal sacrifices and rituals in the name of their idols. It is said that the principle idols of Noah’s people were found buried in the area of present day ....Jeddah.., ..Saudi Arabia.... and distributed amongst the Arabian tribes. When Prophet Muhammad returned triumphantly to ....Mecca...., the Kaba contained more than 360 different idols. The most well known idols that existed in pre Islamic Arabia were ancient goddesses known as Manat, al Lat, and al Uzza. There is no evidence linking any of these idols with moon gods or moon worship, they were however, known as the daughters of Allah, praise be to Allah. The Arabs worshipped these goddesses and called on them for intercession. Allah repudiated this false idol worship. “Have you then considered al-Lat, and al-’Uzza (two idols of the pagan Arabs). And Manat (another idol of the pagan Arabs), the other third? Is it for you the males and for Him the females? That indeed is a division most unfair! They are but names, which you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely come to them the Guidance from their Lord!” (Quran 53:19-23) In the midst of overwhelming paganism and polytheism the pre Islamic Arabs never called upon a moon god as a supreme deity, in fact there is no evidence that they ever called upon a moon god. For generation after generation they did not loose their belief in One supreme ruler of the universe (even though most of the time they held the wrong concept of belief in Allah). They were aware of His blessings and His punishment and believed in a Day of Judgement. Poets of the time referred to Allah regularly. Nabigha, a well-known poet of the 5th century CE said, “I took an oath and left no margin of doubt for who else can support man, besides Allah, and Zahir b. Abi. Salma affirms his faith in the Day of Judgement by saying “The deeds are recorded in the scroll to be presented on The day of Judgement; Vengeance can be taken in this world too”. Quran also testifies to the fact that the pre Islamic Arabs were aware of Allah –God – the One. “If you were to ask them “Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?” They will surely reply, “Allah.” How then are they deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)? Allah enlarges the provision for which He wills of His slaves, and limits it for whom (He wills). Verily, Allah is the All Knower of everything. If you were to ask them, “Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death?” They will surely reply, “Allah.” Say: “All the praises and thanks be to Allah!” Nay! Most of them have no sense.” (Quran 29: 61-63) Footnotes:
[1] Al-‘Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, p. 109
[2] http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/31651/Arabian-religion/68308/Pre-Islamic-deities[3] Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, Article “Ancient Arab”, Vol. 1, p. 661.
[4] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[5] Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarkpur, (2002) The Sealed Nectar, revised 2nd edition. Darussalam, Riyadh.
[6] The cube shaped building, in the centre of the Holy Masjid, in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
[7] Hisham Ibn Al-Kalbi, Kitab al-Asnam, edited by Ahmad Zaki Pasha. (Cairo, 1927), pp. 9-14.
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