The Effects of ‘Laa Ilahah Illallaah’

The kalimah (word), ‘Laa ilahah illallaah’ (that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah), if it said with truthfulness and sincerity from the heart, and acted upon in that which it necessitates – outwardly and inwardly – then its effect will indeed be praiseworthy upon both the individual and the society.

Laa Ilaha Illallaah Muhammadur Rasullullah

From the most important of its effects are:

1. Uniting the word of the Muslims:

This will result in strengthening the Muslims and assisting them in defeating their enemies – as long as they continue to follow and practice the same single religion, and as long as they adhere to the same single ‘aqeedah (belief). Allah – the Most High – said:

“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves;…” [Surah Ali 'Imran 3:103]

“…He it is That hath strengthened thee with His aid and with (the company of) the Believers; And (moreover) He hath put affection between their hearts: not if thou hadst spent all that is in the earth, couldst thou have produced that affection, but Allah hath done it: for He is Exalted in might, Wise.” [Surah Al Anfal 8:62-63]

And differing in matters of ‘aqeedah (beliefs) is the cause for splitting, disunity and hostility, as Allah – the Most High – said:

“As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah:…” [Surah Al An'am 6:159]

“But people have cut off their affair (of unity), between them, into sects: each party rejoices in that which is with itself.” [Surah Al Mu'minun 23:53]

So people cannot truly be united except upon the correct concept of imaan (faith) and the correct ‘aqeedah of Tawheed, which are both direct implications of Laa ilahah illallaah. One need only consider the condition of the Arabs before and after Islam.

2. Prevalence of safety and peace in a unified society, which believes in and abides by Laa ilahah illallaah. Since the individuals in such a society will take care in doing only that which Allah has made halaal (lawful) and abandoning that which Allah has made haraam (unlawful) – acting in accordance with what the ‘aqeedah necessitates upon them. So this will prevent people from enmity, oppression and injustice, whilst directing them towards co-operation, love and deep brotherhood for the sake of Allah, acting upon His – the Most High’s – saying:

“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood:…” [Surah Al Hujurat 49:10]

This is clearly reflected in the life of the Arabs before and after believing in Laa ilahah illallaah. Before Islam, they lived in hostility and insecurity, constantly fighting and killing each other. However, when they embraced Islam this all changed, and the same people lived with each other in peace and an atmosphere of love and brotherhood prevailed, as Allah – the Most High – said:

“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other…” [Surah Al Fath 48:29]

“…and remember with gratitude Allah’s favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren;…” [Surah Ali 'Imran 3:103]

3. Achievement of happiness, attainment of the khilaafah (succession of power and authority) in the earth, maintaining purity of the religion and being steadfastness against the onslaught of false beliefs and foreign ideologies. Allah said:

“Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion – the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: ‘They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. ‘If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked.” [Surah Al Nur 24:55]

So Allah – the Most Perfect – has made achievement of these lofty goals conditional upon worshipping and obeying Him and not associating any partners with Him. And this is the true meaning of Laa ilahah illallaah.

- By Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan
Al-Istiqaamah, Issue No. 1

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Salman, the son of Islam from the children of Adam

This is the story of the pious, mystic, Faqhi, intellectual and ascetic, Salman the Persian. He grew up in the town of Isfahan in Persia, in the village of Jayyan. His father was the Dihqan (chief) of the village. He was the richest person there and had the biggest house. His father loved him, more than he loved any other. As time went by, his love for Salman became so strong and overpowering that he feared to lose him or have anything happen to him. So he kept him at home, a virtual prisoner, in the same way that young girls were kept.

Salman became devoted to the Magian religion, so much so that he attained the position of custodian of the fire, which they worshipped. His duty was to see that the flames of the fire remained burning and that it did not go out for a single hour, day or night.

Salman’s father had a vast estate, which yielded an abundant supply of crops. He himself looked after the estate and gathered harvest. One day as he went about his duties as Dihqan of the village, he said to Salman, “My son, as you see, I am too busy to go out to the estate now. Go and look after matters there for me today.”

On the way to the estate, Salman passed a Christian church and heard voices raised in prayer, which attracted his attention. He did not know anything about Christianity or, for that matter, about the followers of any other religion. His father had kept him in the house away from people. When he heard the voices of the Christians, he entered the church to see what they were doing. He was impressed by their manner of praying and felt drawn to their religion. He said, “This religion is better than ours. I shall not leave them until the sunsets.”

Salman’s inclination to Christianity

Salman asked and was told that the Christian religion originated in Syria. He did not go to his father’s estate that day and at night, he returned home. His father met him and asked where he had been. Salman told him about his meeting with the Christians and how he was impressed by their religion. His father was dismayed and said: “My son, their is nothing good in that religion. Your religion and the religion of your forefathers is better.”

“No, their religion is better than ours,” he insisted. His father became upset and afraid that Salman would leave their religion. So he kept Salman locked up in the house and shackled his feet. Salman managed to send a message to the Christians, asking them to inform him of any caravans going to Syria. Before long they contacted him with the information he wanted. He broke the fetters and escaped his father’s estate to join the caravan to Syria. When he reached Syria, he asked regarding the leading person in the Christian religion and was directed to the bishop of the church. He went up to him and said: “I want to become a Christian and would like to attach myself to your service, learn from you and pray with you.”

The bishop agreed and Salman entered the church in his service. Salman soon found out, however, that the bishop was corrupt. He would order his followers to give money in charity while holding out the promise of blessings to them. When they gave the bishop anything to spend in the way of Allah, he would hoard it for himself and not give anything to the poor or needy. In this way, he amassed a vast quantity of gold. When the bishop died and the Christians gathered to bury him, Salman told them of his corrupt practices and, at their request, showed them where the bishop had kept their donations. When they saw the large jars filled with gold and silver they said, “By God, we shall not bury him.” They nailed him on a cross and threw stones at him. Not long after, the local people appointed another man in place of the first. Salman stayed on, in the service of this person who replaced him. The new bishop was an ascetic who longed for the Hereafter and engaged in worship day and night. Salman was devoted to him and spent much of the time in his company.

Before he passed away, Salman said to him, “O so and so Priest! The time has come for you to witness God’s decision (meaning death). I swear by God, I have never adored anyone as much as I have adored you! So what would you instruct me to do? And who can you recommend for me to see?”

He replied, “O son! I do not know of anyone except for a certain man living in the city of Mosul. Go to him, for you will find that he is similar to me.”

A short while after he passed away, Salman arrived at Mosul and found the priest he had been sent to, and indeed, he was very much like the one before him in terms of simplicity and striving. After he passed away, Salman was referred to another priest who in turn sent him to a priest in Ammuriyah (Ameria, near Rome), before his demise. Salman stayed by this Roman priest, and decided to make a living. Eventually hemanaged to acquire some sheep and cows.

When his death was near, Salman told him of my story and asked him for his advice just as he had asked those before him. He said: “There is nobody following our ways of life I can send you to. Nevertheless, your life seems to coincide with the era of the predestined Prophet who will arise from the Haram. His migration will be to a city full of date trees. Moreover, he will certainly have some distinct features: Between his shoulder blades, there will be the Seal of the Prophethood. He will eat food, provided it is a gift and not a donation (sadaqah). If you can reach that city, then do so, because you are very close to his era.”

Salman’s inclination to the Arabs and Islam

A group of Arab leaders from the Kalb tribe passed through Ammuriyah. Salman asked them to take him with them to the land of the Arabs, in return for whatever money he had. They agreed to take him along. When they reached Wadi al-Qura (a place between Syria and Madinah), the Arabs broke their agreement and made him a slave, then sold Salman to a Jew. Salman worked as a servant for him but he eventually sold him to a nephew of his, belonging to the tribe of Banu Qurayzah. This nephew took Salman with him to Yathrib, the city of palm groves, which is how the Christian at Ammuriyah had described it.

At that time the Prophet was inviting his people in Makkah to Islam but Salman did not know of this because of the harsh duties slavery imposed upon him. When the Prophet reached Yathrib after his hijrah from Makkah, Salman was on top of a palm tree doing some work. Salman’s master was sitting under the tree. A nephew of Salman’s master came up and said, “May God declare war on the Aws and the Khazraj (the two main Arab tribes of Yathrib). By God, they are now gathering at Quba to meet a man, who has just today, arrived from Makkah and who claims to be Prophet.”

Salman felt light-headed upon hearing these words and began to shiver so violently that he had to climb down, in fear that he may fall. He quickly swung down from the tree and spoke to his master’s nephew. “What did you say? Repeat the news for me.”

Salman’s master grew angry at this breach of protocol and struck him a terrible blow. “What does this matter to you’? Go back to what you were doing,” he shouted.

Hazrat Salman himself narrates:

I left the house for a while, making inquiries. I asked a woman I met from the city whose entire family had become Muslim. She showed me the way to the Prophet.

When it was evening, I took some food with me and went to the Prophet. The Prophet was in Quba at the time. I said, “Word has reached me that you are a very pious man, and that you have some travellers in your company. I had some charity (sadaqah) and thought that you would be most deserving of it. This is it; you may have some to eat.” The Prophet withdrew his own hand, not eating from it, but told his Companions to eat. At the time, I thought, “This is one of the characteristics my Mentor told me of.”

On my way back, I saw that the Prophet was heading to Madinah. Thus, I took the food to him, saying, “I saw that you were not eating from this charity. As a matter of fact, I presented it as a gift and not charity.” This time, the Prophet also ate with his Companions. “That makes two signs,” I thought.

Later on, I approached the Prophet as he was walking behind the corpse in a funeral. I remember that at the time, he was covered in two sheets, and that his Companions were with him.

I was trying to steal a look at the Seal on his back, when the Prophet saw me glancing. Realising that I wanted to verify what someone had told me, he let his cloak drop a little, and I managed to see that the Seal between his shoulder blades was exactly the way my Mentor had described it. I threw myself down before the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) kissing (his blessed hands/feet) and started to cry. The Holy Prophet said, “O Salman! Reveal your story.”

So I sat in front of him, relating my story to him and hoping that his Companions could also hear it. When I had finished, the Prophet said, “O Salman! Make a deal with your owner to free you.”

Consequently, my master did agree to free me, but in exchange for the following: “Three hundred date trees, as well as one thousand, six hundred silver coins.” Hence, the Sahaba (Radhiallahu anahum) helped by providing around twenty to thirty date plants each, and a tenth of every man’s land in accordance to how much he owned. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said to me, “Dig a hole for each date-plant. When you are finished, let me know so that I can personally fix all the date-plants into place with my own hands.” Thus, with the help of my friends, I dug holes wherever the date-plants were to be put.

Later on, the Prophet came. We stood by his side holding the plants as he fixed them into the ground. I swear by The Being Who sent the Prophet with the Truth, not a single plant died out.

Nevertheless, I still had the silver to pay. A man came to the Prophet bringing from the mines some gold which was roughly the size of a pigeon’s egg. The Prophet said, “O Salman! Take this and pay off whatever you have to.”

I replied, “O Messenger of Allah! How will this be enough for my debt?”

He said, “Allah will surely make it sufficient for your debt.”

As a result to this statement, I swear By Allah, it outweighed the one thousand, six hundred coins. I not only paid off my dues, but what I had left with me was equivalent to what I had given them.

The strict honesty of the Prophet was one of the characteristics that led Salman to believe in him and accept Islam. Salman was released from slavery by the Prophet, who paid his Jewish master a stipulated price, and who himself planted an agreed number of date palms to secure Salman’s manumission. After accepting Islam, Salman would say when asked whose son he was, “I am Salman, the son of Islam from the children of Adam.”

Salman’s role in islam

Salman was to play an important role in the struggles of the growing Muslim State. At the battle of Khandaq, he proved to be an innovator in military strategy. It was he who suggested digging a ditch or khandaq around Madinah to keep the Quraysh army at bay. When Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Makkans, saw the ditch, he said, “This stratagem has not been employed by the Arabs before.”

Salman participated in all of the other campaigns of the Prophet thereafter. He was also with Saad in the conquest of Iraq. After the grand victory, the Caliph Umar chose him because of his knowledge of the terrain, to select the land upon which Kufa was to be built.

Salman became known as ‘Salman the Good’. Salman was a scholar who lived a rough and ascetic life. He had one cloak, which he wore and slept on. He would not seek the shelter of a roof but stayed under a tree or against a wall. A man once said to him: “Shall I not build you a house in which you may live?” “I have no need of a house,” he replied. The man persisted and said; “I know the type of house that would suit you.” “Describe it to me,” said Salman. “I shall build you a house which if you stood up in, the roof would hurt your head and if you were to stretch your legs, the wall would hurt them.”

Later, as a governor of Al-Madain (Ctesiphon) near Baghdad, Salman received a stipend of five thousand dhirhams. This he would distribute as sadaqah. He lived from the work of his own hands. When some people came to Madinah and saw him working the palm groves, they said, “You are the leader here and your sustenance is guaranteed and yet you do this work?” “I like to eat from the work of my own hands,” he replied.

Salman however was not extreme in his ascetism. It is narrated by Abu Juhaifa:

“The Prophet made a bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu Ad-Darda’. Salman paid a visit to Abu Ad-Darda’ and found Um Ad-Darda’ dressed in shabby clothes and asked her why she was in that state. She replied, “Your brother Abu Ad-Darda’ is not interested in (the luxuries of) this world.” In the meantime Abu Ad-Darda’ came and prepared a meal for Salman. Salman requested Abu Ad-Darda’ to eat (with him), but Abu Ad-Darda’ said, “I am fasting.” Salman said, “I am not going to eat unless you eat.” So, Abu Ad-Darda’ ate (with Salman). When it was night and (a part of the night passed), Abu Ad-Darda’ got up (to offer the night prayer), but Salman told him to sleep and Abu Ad-Darda’ slept. After sometime Abu Ad-Darda’ again got up but Salman told him to sleep. When it was the last hours of the night, Salman told him to get up then, and both of them offered the prayer. Salman told Abu Ad-Darda’, “Your Lord has a right on you, your soul has a right on you, and your family has a right on you; so you should give the rights of all those who has a right on you.” Abu Ad-Darda’ came to the Prophet and narrated the whole story. The Prophet said, “Salman has spoken the truth.”" (Sahih Bukhari, Book #31, Hadith #189)

Salman as a scholar

As a scholar, Salman was noted for his vast knowledge and wisdom. Ali said of him that he was like Luqman the Wise. And Kab al-Ahbar said: “Salman is bursting with knowledge and wisdom. He is an ocean that does not dry up.” Salman had knowledge of both the Christian scripture and the Quran in addition to his earlier knowledge of the Zoroastrian religion. Salman in fact translated parts of the Quran into Persian during the lifetime of the Prophet. He was thus the first person to translate the Quran into a foreign language.

According to the most reliable account, he died in either 31 or 34 A.H, at the age of 250 years, during the caliphate of Uthman, at Ctesiphon.

Narrated by Abu Huraira: “While we were sitting with the Prophet Surah Al Jumu’ah was revealed to him, and when the Verse, “And He (Allah) has sent him (Muhammad) as well as (to confer all these benefits upon) others of them, who have not already joined them: And He is exalted in Might, Wise.” (Surah Al Jumu’ah 62:3) was recited by the Prophet, I said, “Who are they, O Allah’s Apostle?” The Prophet did not reply till I repeated my question thrice. At that time, Salman Al-Farsi was with us. So Allah’s Apostle put his hand on Salman, saying, “If Faith were at (the place of) Ath-Thuraiya (pleiades, the highest star), even then (some men or man from these people (i.e. Salman’s folk) would attain it.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #60, Hadith #420)

Who were the people of Kufa and Iraq? Who was Imaam Abu Hanifah? They were all Persians. The divinely chosen denizens of Kufa were Persians. Their spiritual teachers were Persians and so were the three about whom the Prophet said, ‘Paradise longs for three people. Ali, Amar and Salman.’ (Tirmidhi)

Time bore witness to the realisation of the Prophet words. The progeny of the Persians spread their knowledge and populated the world.

‘A’idh b. Amr reported that Abu Sufyan came to Salman, Suhaib and Bilal in the presence of a group of persons. They said: “By Allah, the sword of Allah did not reach the neck of the enemy of Allah as it was required to reach.” Thereupon Abu Bakr said: “Do you say this to the old man of the Quraish and their chief?” Then he came to Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon’him) and informed him of this. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: “Abu Bakr, you have perhaps annoyed them and if you annoyed them you have in fact annoyed your Lord.” So Abu Bakr came to them and said: “O my brothers, I have annoyed you.” They said: “No, our brother, may Allah forgive you.” (Sahih Muslim, Book #031, Hadith #6097)

The annoyance of Salman is the annoyance of Allah. Even the likes of Abu Bakr fear to offend him. This was Salman Farsi, the Persian who’s quest for the true faith lasted almost all of his 250 years of life. As Muslims and as students, it should be our point of aspiration to achieve at least some of the dedication of Salman Farsi to faith and the gaining of knowledge.

What is Backbiting?

What does Allah and and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) say about Backbiting?

Allah says in Quran:

“O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: And spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs (backbiting). Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it… But fear Allah: For Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.” [Surah Al Hujurat 49:12]

“Behold, ye received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things of which ye had no knowledge; and ye thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of Allah.” [Surah Al Nur 24:15]

A hadith from Sahih Muslim:

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: “Do you know what is backbiting?”

They (the Companions) said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”

Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: “Backbiting implies your talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like.”

It was said to him (the Holy Prophet): “What is your opinion about this that if I actually find (that failing) in my brother which I made a mention of?”

Messenger of Allah said: “If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander.” [Sahih Muslim, Book #032, Hadith #6265]

May Allah (SWT) forgive our sins and have mercy on us. Ameen!

Think twice before back-biting! Watch the video about back-biting – named “Al-Ghiba” :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uplCCixqZrE

Picture Perfect : It is your Piety that reaches Him

The Holy Quran, Surah Al Hajj, 22:36-37

“The sacrificial camels we have made for you as among the symbols from Allah: in them is (much) good for you: then pronounce the name of Allah over them as they line up (for sacrifice): when they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat ye thereof, and feed such as (beg not but) live in contentment, and such as beg with due humility: thus have We made animals subject to you, that ye may be grateful. It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right.”

Picture Perfect : Eminence

Courtesy : http://www.flickr.com/photos/8354235@N05/763933346/

Wathila b. al-Asqa’ reported:

“I heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying : “Verily Allah granted eminence to Kinana from amongst the descendants of Ismail and He granted eminence to the Quraish amongst Kinana and He granted eminence to the Quraish amongst Banu Hashim and He granted me eminence from the tribe of Banu Hashim.”"

(Sahih Muslim, Book #030, Hadith #5653)

Friday Khutbah (Sermons) : Lessons from the Farewell Pilgrimage

Friday Khutbah (Sermons) : Lessons from the Farewell Pilgrimage
- by Imam Al-Haramain ‘Abdul-Bari ibn ‘Awad ath-Thubayti
from the Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah, Dhul-Qa‘dah 18, 1422 (February 2, 2002)

The Transcript:

All praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Each time the month of Dhul-Hijjah approaches, a page in Islamic History glitters and a stance of the Messenger of Allah comes to limelight.

Among the major landmarks of Hajj are those comprehensive principles that the Prophet Muhammad announced in his sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage. The Prophet proclaimed these concepts that were far from mere slogans but formed part of his call right from the onset of his mission and it was never change nor altered by any circumstances. He impressed these principles in the hearts of his companions in order that they could convey them to the mankind, and those principles were made to survive many generations because of their veracity and efficiency.

In that historical sermon, the Messenger of Allah warned against associating any partner to Allah in worship which is a disease that has almost destroyed the humanity, nearly severed man’s relationship with the source of his good and his very existence and dragged him into the abyss of whimsical desires. So, the fundamental meaning upon which the rules of Hajj as well as the rules of acts of worship revolve is Oneness of Allah. Islam is a religion of Monotheism and the House of Allah was specifically built for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone. He says in His Glorious Book,

“And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim the site of the (Sacred) House (the Kaaba at Makkah, saying): ‘Associate not anything in worship with Me and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it and those who stand up for (prayers) and those who bow (submit themselves with humility and obedience to Allah) and make prostration (in prayer).” (Surah Al Hajj, 22:26)

Hajj is but a manifestation of Oneness of Allah in its brightest form and the Muslim nation has never been in need of re-establishing the essentials of faith as they are during Hajj. There are some people among the Muslims who have bargained the pure faith of Islam with erroneous ideologies, there are some who spread the poison of atheism with their pens; there are some who have conferred some Divine attributes on their leaders who claim to know the hidden things and receive revelations from heaven and there are some who have introduced the idolization of individuals, exempted some people from religious obligations and taken men as intermediaries between themselves and Allah; not to mention those who worship saints, build domes on graves, circumambulate round them, invoke their owners and slaughter for them, thereby causing proliferation of mausoleums and sects.

In the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allah said,

“It is unlawful for you to shed the blood of one another, to take unlawfully the properties of one another or to violate the honour of one another. They are as unlawful as shedding blood on such a day as today, in such a month as this and in such a sanctified city as this (Makkah).” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

These are everlasting basics for fundamental human rights which are unequalled by any man-made system or statute. In protecting human life, Allah says,

“And there is in Law of Equality in punishment, a (saving of) life for you.” (Surah Al Ma’idah, 5:38) In order to preserve people’s honour, He says, “The female and male fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes.” (Surah Al Nur, 24:2)

This punishment is for unmarried man or woman. As for the married, his or her punishment is stoning to death. There should therefore, be no regard for falsehood or immunity for anarchy.

Islam highly respects man’s right to live. It respects the pure and righteous life, not a life of obscenity and crisis nor that of injustice and aggression.

There is no value in the respect for man’s right to live if that respect is not accompanied by a just law and regulation for that life. Islam takes care of man’s right to protect his life in order to make it an honoured one, rich in security, stability and tranquillity.

Islam builds security in the minds of the Muslims then in his life, in order that he may establish justice – based on the Law of Allah – between people, establish power and authority with which the Law of Allah can be consolidated in the earth, promote good relationship between people under the banner of Islamic brotherhood and strengthen the ties of the kith and kin for the sake of Allah.

Among the fundamental human rights in Islam is that, no man should harm another nor backbite him either with word or deed. It is on account of this that Islam prohibits slandering, calumny, ridiculing others and insulting them. The following story illustrates how this principle was applied during the time of the Messenger of Allah, a man was penalised repeatedly for his continuous alcoholic drinking. On an occasion, he was brought before the Messenger of Allah and flogged. A man among those present said,

“May Allah curse him! How many times has he been brought for this same offence!” Upon hearing that, the Messenger of Allah got angry and said, “Do not curse him. By Allah, I know that he loves Allah and His Messenger.” (Al-Bukhari)

Islam not only protects and honours man during his life, it also guarantees honour for him after his death by commanding that he be bathed, shrouded and prayed for after his death. It also prohibits braking of his bones or assaulting his dead body.

As for the present material civilization, it only proclaims ineffective and lame fundamental human rights in the sense that it is influenced and controlled by disgusting racialism as it also has no faith or correct belief. That is why human rights are being violated in the so-called most developed countries.

Where are fundamental human rights where the Quds is being continuously desecrated, when its lands are being wrongfully occupied and the blood of its rightful owners being shed with impunity?! Where are the claimed fundamental human rights when man’s moral values are being systematically destroyed and his humanity being dishonoured?! The Messenger of Allah in his Farewell Pilgrimage said,

“All matters of the time of ignorance have been put under my feet.” (Muslim)

During the time of ignorance (pre-Islamic period), Human life was very cheap, murder becomes widespread and wars and bloodshed were order of the day. This was because those people had no faith that could protect them from their filthy behaviours. Then, Islam came to change this unenviable situation and established basics for the respect of human life and declared unwarranted and illegal killings as crime. Allah says,

“If anyone kills a person – unless it be in retaliation for murder or (by way of punishment) for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed the whole mankind.” (Surah Al Ma’idah, 5:32)

Before the advent of the Prophet, tribalism was deeply rooted but the Messenger uprooted it. He (SAW) said,

“You are all from Aadam and Aadam was created from clay. The most honourable of you is the most pious. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, or for a non-Arab over an Arab, neither is there any superiority for a red-skinned over a white-skinned or for a white-skinned over a red-skinned except by piety.”

It is by this golden statement that Islam cancelled all human differences. Islam makes it meaningless to evaluate man with the colour of his skin, his lineage, wealth or worldly position, for all this is conferred by Allah upon His slaves with no choice of theirs. There is only one criterion for evaluating man that Allah explains in this verse,

“Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is (that believer) who has piety.” (Surah Al Hujurat, 49:13)

So the strongest in faith and best in deeds is the most honourable. When the strange seed was nearly sowed among the pure Muslim society during the Battle of Banee Al-Mustaliq, the Messenger of Allah quickly nipped it in the bud with his famous saying,

“Are you raising the slogans of the time of ignorance while I am still in your midst?”

He was never pleased to see signs of racialism or tribalism among his companions even in utterances. Abu Dharr once insulted a man and called him, “You son of a black woman!” The Messenger of Allah angrily told him,

“Are you insulting him on account of the origin of his mother? You are indeed a man on whom there is a trait of the time of ignorance.”

He also said in another occasion,

“He is not of us, the one who calls to nationalism, fights for nationalism and dies for nationalism.” (Abu Dawood)

It is therefore disappointing to find some Arabs these days calling to nationalism and being proud of that in total disregard for the saying of the Messenger of Allah,

“Keep away from that (racialism), for it is stinking.” (Muslim)

In the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet said,

“The first usury to be cancelled is our own usury: that of ‘Abbaas son of Abdul Muttalib. All of it is cancelled.” (Muslim)

Allah prohibits usury because of its grievous harm. It destroys the conscience, ruins human life with covetousness, greed and selfishness. It kills collective spirit, causes enmity and sows hatred among people. Allah declares war on its practitioners in this life through economic crises and psychological disturbances, and in the Hereafter with a painful torment. He says,

“Those who eat usury will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Satan leading him to insanity.” (Surah Al Baqarah, 1:275)

The usury-based economic system is responsible for many financial crisis and woes that confront individuals, societies and nations.

In the Farewell pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allah said,

“Fear Allah as regards women, for you married them on a covenant from Allah.”

This saying highlights the protection and the respect that Islam has for woman’s rights either in her capacity as a mother, wife or daughter. It takes care of her rights from the beginning till the end of her life. It makes her body forbidden to the glances of strangers and gives her the right to inherit and acquire knowledge. It also makes no distinction between her and man in reward and religious obligations. Allah says,

“Whoever works righteousness – whether male or female – while he (or she) is a true believer, verily to him We will give a good life and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they do.” (Surah Al Nahl, 16:97)

In Islam, we do not talk of rights of woman through empty theories and useless conferences. But we invite every body to read the history of the past women believers like Khadijah, Sumayyah, Asmaa’, A’ishah, Hafsah and Al-Hansaa’. We are opening for the humanity the shining pages from the history of the Muslim women so that they can see the living example of their feats. We invite the mankind to understand how Islam elevates woman, purifies her feelings, refines her character and takes her to the high aims and aspirations. The human history has recorded for them glowing and everlasting achievements that testify to their nobility and excellence.

As for those who appointed themselves as reformers and claim that they are leading women to the right path, they accuse others who admonish women to maintain their modesty and chastity with stupidity and backwardness. But when you look deeply into what they proclaim, you will find that their thoughts and behaviours are abnormal, that they have naturally perverted and have become captives to their lusts. These people have been surrounded by insinuations, so their aim is to deprive the Muslim nation of its values, deprive the free women their glory and the chaste her chastity.

In the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allah said,

“I have left for you that which if you hold fast unto it you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.” (Muslim)

It is the Creator of man who knows best what is of benefit for man and makes him achieve happiness; and that is holding fast unto the Rope of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Allah says,

“Verily, this Quran guides to that which is most just and right.” (Surah Al Isra’, 17:9)

That means it guides man to that which is just in matters of interactions, law, politics, finance, economics, science, education and morals. Allah says,

“He has neglected nothing in the Book.” (Surah Al An’am, 6:38)

Further, whoever wants glory and honour, he can only found that in the guidance of the Quran,

“Whoever desires honour, (power and glory let him know that) to Allah belong all honour power and glory.” (Surah Fatir, 35:10)

Whoever is seeking for security and peace, let him seek for that in the Quran,

“It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah) and confuse not their belief with wrong (by worshipping others beside Allah), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.” (Surah Al An’am, 6:82)

Whoever desires economic prosperity should look for that in the guidance of the Quran,

“And if the people of the towns had believed and had the piety, certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth.” (Surah Al A’raf, 7:96)

Also, let those who want power follow the Quranic injunction on the means of power,

“And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy.” (Surah Al Anfal, 8:60)

As regards the foundations of human honour and fundamental human rights, Allah says,

“And indeed We have honoured the children of Aadam, and We have carried them on land and sea and have provided them with lawful good things and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment.” (Surah Al Isra’, 17:70)

There is also in the Quran a promise of prosperity in this world and everlasting bliss in the Hereafter for those who do good deeds.

Since the first generations of Muslims and the righteous predecessors followed the teachings of the Quran, they became leaders who guided mankind by the will of Allah and established a compassionate Islamic state. But when the later generations of Muslims abandoned these pure teachings, they became divided into factions and sects that killed one another and cursed one another. And this is an act that the Messenger of Allah strongly warned against when he said,

“Do not turn back after me into disbelievers, striking the necks of one another.”

It therefore, becomes clear that it is the abandonment of this noble directive that caused what the Muslims are suffering from in our contemporary time.

Dear Brethren, Farewell Pilgrimage is a reawakening call to the entire Muslims on the occasion of the Hajj in order to achieve the desired self-examination, staying upright on the true guidance in response to the call of the leader of the Messengers – peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all.

Friday Khutbah (Sermons) : Hajj – A Symbol of Tawheed

Friday Khutbah (Sermons) : Hajj – A Symbol of Tawheed
- by Imam Al-Haramain Husayn ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Aal Sheikh
from the Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah, Dhul-Qa’dah 29, 1421 (February 23, 2001)

The Transcript:

 

All praise is due to Allah. May His peace and blessings be upon the Prophet saws, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! The greatest issue and the obligation upon every human being is At-Tawheed (to have belief in the oneness of Allah and to act in accordance to it.) It is only with Tawheed that one attains good and comfort and without it one’s lot will be misery and hardship. That is why no stage of the Prophet’s (SAW) mission was devoid of calling into Tawheed and waging war against Shirk and its manifestations. All pillars of Islam confirm the importance of Tawheed and embody it, for it is the root of those pillars, while the pillars are its branches and fruit.

Hajj, which is one of the pillars of Islam, is a great symbol of the actualisation of Tawheed in one’s worship, direction and aim. Allah says:

“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your Ilah (God) is one Ilah, so you must submit to Him alone (in Islam). And (O Muhammad (SAW)!) give glad tidings to the Mukhbitin (those who obey Allah with humility and are humble from among the true believers of Islamic Monotheism).” (Surah Al Hajj, 22:34)

Dear brothers, let us now study some illustrations that reveal the spirit of Hajj in the light of these points:

1. The Prophet (SAW) entered into the state of Ihraam with At-Tawheed. Jaabir (RA) said,

“And he started his Ihraam with At-Tawheed when he said:

Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Innal-hamda wan-ni’mata laka wal-mulk, laa shareeka lak.

(Meaning: I respond to Your call, O Allah I respond to Your call. I respond to Your call, You have no partner. I respond to Your call. Indeed, the praise and grace are yours as well as sovereignty. You have no partner.)”

One must raise his voice with it for, the Prophet (SAW) said,

“The best Hajj is the one in which the voice is raised with Talbiyah and blood of sacrificial animals flow.”

It is a talbiyah of the one who feels that all acts of worship should compulsorily be directed to Allah alone and realises the danger of shirk and other destructive sins; a talbiyah of the one who sacrifices to none but Allah, calls none but Allah and seeks relief from none except Allah. The pilgrim keeps on reciting this talbiyah until he casts the pebbles of Jamratul-’Aqabah.

2. It is authentically reported from the Prophet (SAW) that during his Tawaaf he only touched the Yamanee Corner and Al-Hajar Al-Aswad. If the pilgrim however finds difficulty in touching them he should point to Al-Hajar Al-Aswad and say, “Allahu Akbar” once as he passes by it. As regards the Yamanee Corner, he should not point to it if he cannot touch it. This is done in order to come closer to Allah, and carry out His commandments. Allah says:

“So let them worship the Lord of this House.” (Surah Quraysh, 106:3)

The Prophet (SAW) also said,

“Circumambulation of the House; running between Safaa and Marwa, and casting the pebbles is only ordained for establishment of the remembrance of Allah.”

These rites were performed by the Prophet (SAW) solely for the purpose of worshipping Allah, and not for the purpose of seeking blessings therefrom. That is why ‘Umar (RA) said when kissing Al-Hajar Al-Aswad,

“By Allah! I know that you are only a stone. You neither benefit nor harm. If it were not that I saw the Prophet (SAW) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

Scholars have agreed that it is not permissible to touch or kiss other than what is reported in the Sunnah that the Prophet (SAW) has touched or kissed. Al-Athram -a companion of Imaam Ahmad-said,

“I saw that people of knowledge among the inhabitants of Madinah did not use to touch the Prophet’s (SAW) grave, they would only stand at a corner and say their salaam to him.”

Abdul-Hasan said,

“Under Islamic Law, the touching and kissing of graves are regarded to be abominable innovations.” He further said, “The Khuraasaanee Jurists said, “Graves should not be rubbed, kissed or touched for that is the practice of Christians.”

At-Tahaawee -the Hanafite scholar- said,

“Graves should not be touched nor kissed for that is the custom of the People of the Book.”

In Islam, nothing is known to be touched except Al-Hajar Al-Aswad and the Yamanee Corner.

3. The running between As-Safaa and Al-Marwa has been prescribed as a pillar of Hajj and ‘Umrah. This is so that pilgrims may be reminded of Hajar and her son (Prophet Ismail (AS)) and the hardship they experienced and how Allah caused Zamzam water to gush forth for them to quench their thirst and as a healing for the sick. Thereby making Muslims believe that refuge should be sought with Allah alone. Allah says:

“Is not He Who responds to the distressed one when he calls Him and Who removes the evil (better than their gods).” (Surah Al Naml, 27:62)

It also makes him know definitely that sincere dependence on Allah coupled by making use of the means is the gateway to success and attainment of desired things.

4. That there is no prosperity or success in this world except through following the path of Prophet (SAW), having faith and doing good deeds. It is in the light of this that he said,

“Take from me your Hajj rites.”

The eagerness of the Companions was embodied in this saying of Ibn Abbaas (RA):

“Do your Hajj as the Prophet (SAW) did his, and do not say: This is sunnah and this is compulsory.”

One of the greatest aims of Hajj is to remember his guidance and to adhere to his path without negligence or exaggeration. The Prophet (SAW) said,

“Whoever performs a deed on which there is no order from us will have it rejected.”

To emphasise the importance of moderation and shunning of exaggeration and negligence in everything, Ibn Abbaas (RA) narrated that:

The Prophet (SAW) told him to fetch his pebbles on the morning of ‘Aqabah (i.e. the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah) while he was on his camel. He said, “I fetched him seven throwing-pebbles. He started sorting them out in his fingers saying, ‘Throw ones like these.’ He then said, ‘O you people! Keep away from extremism in religion, for that which destroyed those who came before you was extremism in religion.’”

Dear brothers, let this great occasion be an avenue for self-examination. Let it be an opportunity for renewing ones allegiance to the book of Allah and the sunnah of His Prophet (SAW). Let it be a time when one shuns exaggerations and negligence in all sorts of worship. Let it also be known that Hajj should not be an occasion where one accuses his brother of abominable things without clear evidence.

Brothers in faith! Adhere to the guidance of the Leader of the Messengers, Muhammad (SAW). Whoever follows his path shall prosper and achieve everlasting happiness. Further, only when this ummah recognises the true guidance of its religion and the path of its Prophet in its true sense that it will attain glory and might. It was said,

“Islam shall become a hard rock upon which the evangelical ships are crumbled as long as the pillars; Al-Quran, Friday Prayers and the Hajj gathering, remain firm.”

Fellow Muslims! Some highly important days have come upon us. They are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Allah swore by them as a token of their importance and merit and to stress the great reward of those who do righteous deeds in them. He says,

“By the dawn! By the Ten Nights!” (i.e. the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah).  (Surah Al Fajr, 89:1-2)

The Prophet (SAW) also said,

“There are no days in which good deeds are more loved by Allah than these days.”

Meaning the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. The Companions (RA) said, “Even jihad in the way of Allah?” He replied, “Even jihad in the way of Allah, with the exception of a man who goes out for jihad with his soul and his wealth, and does not return with either.” (Al-Bukhari)

Good deeds, dear brothers, include righteous sayings, actions and behaviour. An important aspect of that is to visit Muslims wherever they may be, to feel concerned about their affairs, to alleviate their sufferings and to pray for them.

Brothers in Islam! It is recommended to do a lot of Tahleel (saying ‘La ilaha illa Allah’), Takbeer (saying ‘Allahu Akbar’) and Tahmeed (saying ‘Al-hamdu lillah’) in these days. Also, if anyone wants to make a sacrifice for ‘Eid, and it is already in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, he should not cut his hair or nails. The Prophet (SAW) said,

“When you see the moon of Dhul-Hijjah let any one of you who intends to sacrifice an animal for ‘Eid not take anything from his hair or nails until he has made the sacrifice.” (Muslim)

This prohibition is only binding on those who want to sacrifice. As for those on whose behalf a sacrifice is to be made, they are not included in this prohibition.

On this great occasion, we sincerely appeal to eminent Muslim personalities to recognise the enormous responsibilities they have to shoulder so that they can make use of these noble days to propagate Islam and spread the good virtues that Islam promotes in accordance with the commandments of Allah and respect to His limits and injunctions. We should always follow this method, be it during Hajj or other days.

Picture Perfect : Supplications of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)

The Holy Quran, Surah Ibrahim, 14:35-41

14.035 Remember Ibrahim said: “O my Lord! make this city one of peace and security: and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols.”

14.036 “O my Lord! they have indeed led astray many among mankind; He then who follows my (ways) is of me, and he that disobeys me,- but Thou art indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.”

14.037 “O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks.”

14.038 “O our Lord! truly Thou dost know what we conceal and what we reveal: for nothing whatever is hidden from Allah, whether on earth or in heaven.”

14.039 “Praise be to Allah, Who hath granted unto me in old age Isma’il and Isaac: for truly my Lord is He, the Hearer of Prayer!”

14.040 “O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring O our Lord! and accept Thou my Prayer.”

14.041 “O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness – me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!”

Picture Perfect : NO COMPULSION

Hajj – The Largest gathering in the world each year!

It is the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah, which remains the ultimate symbol of the oneness and brotherhood of man.Here, rich and poor from all nations stand and bow in unison before God in what is the largest gathering of humanity; testifying to the Prophet’s words when he said:

‘There is truly no excellence for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab; nor for a white man over a black man, nor for a black man over a white man; except through piety.’ (Ahmad)

Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah, Ch. 2, Verse 25:

“There is no compulsion in Religion, truth stands out clear from error…”

Picture Perfect : We Came

“And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways;” [Al Quran, Surah Al Hajj, 22:27]

And yes indeed we came. We came from every remote corner of the world. We came from the different economic levels, different education background, different races and different skin colors. We, a blue collar worker from Kerteh, a clove grower from Central Java, a rust engineer from Belgium, a mining worker from South Africa, a factory hand from UK, a surgeon from Cheras, a teacher from Egypt, a civil contractor from Algiers, an onions exporter from Mumbai, a lecturer from Karachi and so on and so forth flocked to the Holy Lands of Madinah and Makkah, as to fulfill the Calling.

We came, brought along with us, the Faith, of however minutes that we have, hoping that it will be increased. The hearts with the black spots of however dirty it were hoping that will be cleaned and the sins will be Forgived, and the Hopes of however high it were and still are, hoping that it will be Granted.

We arrived, at Madinah with tears. We walked the roads of Madinatul Munawarrah, the City of RasulAllah, with all the tender loves that we have for our Prophet. We prostrated at the Raudah with humble hearts that our Prayers will be answered. We visited the Maqam RasulAllah SAW, delivered Salams, as he was sitting there smiling, receiving us. We wet our cheeks in the Masjid-il Nabawi in hoping that we will be accepted as his Ummah and receive his Safaat, in the Days of Resurrection. We were there, silently or openly, crying expressing our never ending loves to the Prophet.

We arrived, at Makkatul Mukarammah with tears and with fears. We were at the House of Allah with other millions yet we felt only us alone there prostrating to the Creator. And everybody felt the same.

“Is not Allah, as our Quran says, Nearer to thee than the vein in thy neck?”

Source: Road To Mecca, Muhammad Assad, pg 127

Hajj : Islam has no Racism

Islam – The Cure for Racism

When he was in Makkah, Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X) wrote a letter to his loyal assistants in Harlem… from his heart:

America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem.

“Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors.

“I have been blessed to visit the Holy City of Makkah, I have made my seven circuits around the Kaaba, led by a young Mutawaf named Muhammad, I drank water from the well of the Zam Zam. I ran seven times back and forth between the hills of Mt. Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. I have prayed in the ancient city of Mina, and I have prayed on Mt. Arafat.

“There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.

“America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white – but the white attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.

“You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth.

“During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept on the same rug – while praying to the same God – with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the white Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana.

“We were truly all the same (brothers) – because their belief in one God had removed the white from their minds, the white from their behaviour, and the white from their attitude.

“I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man – and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their ‘differences’ in color.

“With racism plaguing America like an incurable cancer, the so-called ‘Christian’ white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Perhaps it could be in time to save America from imminent disaster – the same destruction brought upon Germany by racism that eventually destroyed the Germans themselves.

“Each hour here in the Holy Land enables me to have greater spiritual insights into what is happening in America between black and white. The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities – he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism of the American whites. But as racism leads America up the suicide path, I do believe, from the experiences that I have had with them, that the whites of the younger generation, in the colleges and universities, will see the handwriting on the walls and many of them will turn to the spiritual path of truth – the only way left to America to ward off the disaster that racism inevitably must lead to.

“Never have I been so highly honored. Never have I been made to feel more humble and unworthy. Who would believe the blessings that have been heaped upon an American Negro? A few nights ago, a man who would be called in America a white man, a United Nations diplomat, an ambassador, a companion of kings, gave me his hotel suite, his bed. Never would I have even thought of dreaming that I would ever be a recipient of such honors – honors that in America would be bestowed upon a King – not a Negro.

“All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds.

Sincerely, Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz” (Malcolm X)

(From the “Autobiography of Malcolm X” with assistance from Alex Haley, the author of ROOTS)

STRENGHTHEN in the WORD of ALLAH

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. “Are you a good farm hand?” the farmer asked him. “Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.

The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!”

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.” Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you’re prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by strenghthening ourselves in the Word of Allah.

Being Thankful to Allah

From the very beginning of Man’s creation, the issue of gratefulness and thankfulness to Allah has been debated. After refusing to bow to Adam, Satan said, “”Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt Thou (Allah) find, in most of them, gratitude (for thy mercies).”” [Surah Al A'raf 7:17] This statement from the worst of liars has proven to be true, not only among the disbelievers, but also among the Muslims.

Unfortunately, we Muslims have fallen into the trap of Satan, and have gotten so caught up in our comings and goings, that we very rarely take the time to reflect on the favours of Allah, and to thank Him with the thanks that is due Him. We are so busy conducting our daily lives that we forget who is really incharge, and from where our sustenance comes. This is not the way, for Allah says, “Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith.” [Surah Al Baqarah 2:152]

The problem that most of us face is what I call the, “if I only…” syndrome. If I only had a better wife, I would be grateful. If I only had sons instead of daughters, I would be grateful. If I only had a bigger house, a better car, more money, a better job, and the list goes on and on. We are constantly focused on the things we don’t have, instead of being grateful to Allah for the things we do have.

This is a very serious illness, for which the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, has given the cure. He, sallallah alayhi wasallam, admonished us, in terms of worldly things to always look to those beneath us, to those less fortunate than us, for this will keep us thankful. Allah says about the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, that in him we have the best of examples. In terms of showing us how to be thankful to Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, he is as Allah says. It is narrated by al-Mughira that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, used to stand (in the salah) or performs salah until both his feet or legs swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable Salah) he said, “Should I not be a thankful slave.” (Bukhari)

As the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, advised us, the best way to stay thankful to Allah is to count His favours in our lives everyday For Allah says, “And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favours of Allah, never will ye be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude.” [Surah Ibrahim 14:34] This statement of Allah is so true, yet we put so little value on it, and do not take heed.

The very fact that we got up this morning, that we can offer the salah, that we had breakfast, that we have clothes to wear, water to bathe ourselves, that we have homes to shelter us from the elements, that we have our health, our families, etc., etc., etc., are all favour from Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala. We should take none of it for granted, or become arrogant enough to believe that we attained any of it because of our own efforts alone.

Thankfulness frees the heart from greed, jealousy and envy. When we are thankful to Allah, we remain mindful of Him and His continues Mercy toward us, and this in return humbles us and improves our characters. The very fact that Allah has guided us to Islam and the sunnah of His Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, in itself should be a source of continual praise. Allah says, “We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).” [Surah Al Insan 76:3]

Allah also says that only few of His servants thank Him. Let us then strive to be among these few by keeping our tongues wet with His remembrance and hearts soft with His praise.

Tawaaf Is a Cosmic Law

Tawaaf Is a Cosmic Law
By Prof. Dr. Ahmad Fouad Pasha (Professor at Cairo University)

Allah Almighty says: “It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.” (Surah Al Anbiya 21:33)

This glorious verse refers to a scientific fact concerning the system of the universe. Scientific discoveries have proved that we live in a huge universe that depends on revolution. The earth revolves round the sun once a year, the moon revolves around the earth once per lunar month, and the other planets of the solar system also revolve round the sun, each in its own orbit. Besides, most of these planets have moons that revolve around them, each, also, in its own orbit. Astronomers have discovered more than 60 of these moons so far.

The solar system, likewise, orbits a center of our galaxy, the Milky Way. This galaxy consists of more than 130 billion stars. Galaxies, in turn, revolve round a center that only Almighty Allah knows.

The law of revolution applies also to atoms, the smallest units of elements that cannot be seen even by microscopes. An atom is composed of a nucleus whose diameter is less than a millionth of a millimeter. An atom is surrounded by electrons that move round the atom in an orbit. Since all matter in the universe-whether solid, liquid, or gaseous-consists of atoms, this means that the law of revolution applies to everything: stars, planets, moons, animals, plants, sand, seas, air, and so on.

This includes cells as well. The cytoplasm in the cell moves around the nucleus.

There is a common factor between the orbital movements of all the objects referred to above, this is, their revolution is counterclockwise.

Contemplating the above lines, we come to realize that revolution is a cosmic law.

With a believer’s meditation upon such a scientific fact, another image of revolution is brought to one’s mind: the pilgrims’ circumambulation of the Kaaba, which is a basic ritual of Hajj in Islam.

Circumambulating the Kaaba is a symbolic act of worship, whose wisdom may be hidden form some. It indicates the believers’ utter submission to Almighty Allah alone. The pilgrims go to Hajj in response to the divine order that Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) conveyed to people. Allah Almighty says:

“Behold! We gave the site, to Ibrahim, of the (Sacred) House, (saying): “Associate not anything (in worship) with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer).” And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways;” (Surah Al Hajj 22:26-27)

This signifies that the Kaaba is the spiritual center of the believers. It refers to the close bond that should be between a believer and his Lord. A believer turns toward the Kaaba five times a day during the prescribed ritual Prayers.

A pilgrim circumambulates the Kaaba as if he or she is a celestial body orbiting another greater body. Circumambulation of the Kaaba is to be performed counterclockwise. This indicates that there is a joint factor between a pilgrim’s expressing his ultimate faith in Almighty Allah by circumambulating the Kaaba in that way and between the cosmic law of revolution discussed above. This indicates that there is consistency between the obligations of worship in Islam and the natural laws that govern the universe, which indicates that they all belong to only one source, that is, Almighty Allah.

This proves the truthfulness of the call of Islam that there is no god but Almighty Allah. Thus, Islam is the true religion that provides humankind with a comprehensive view in conformity with the divine truth that is apparent in the natural laws of the universe.