The Aqeedah and Manhaj of AhlusSunnah wal Jamah

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The ruling on Ghusl and circumcision for those who embrace Islam – Permanent Committee

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Q 1: A Christian couple came to me and showed interest to embrace Islam, I requested them to perform Ghusl (ritual bath), to pronounce Shahadah (Testimony of Faith) in consent, and to get circumcised. Is what I did correct? Please provide in writing the statements of Salaf (Righteous Predecessors) in this regard and the procedures the new converts are advised to follow at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

A: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to call the disbelievers to Islam by asking them to testify that there is no deity [worthy of worship] but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they accepted this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would ask them to apply the rest of the tenets of Shari`ah depending on the circumstances and the importance of these tenets. Among the reports mentioned in this regard is the one narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Mu`adh to Yemen (as governor) the Prophet said to him, “You will reach a community of the People of the Book, the very first thing to which you should call them is to testify that there is god but Allah. Another wording is, First call them to Tawhid (monotheism), and if they accept this, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers during the day and the night. If they accept it, then tell them that Allah has made Zakah obligatory on them; it should be collected from the rich and distributed among the poor. If they agree to it, do not take (as a share of Zakah) the best of their wealth. Beware of the supplication of the oppressed for there is no barrier between him and Allah.

Moreover, it was narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from Sahl ibn Sa`d Al-Sa`idy The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to `Aly (may Allah be pleased with him) when he handed him the banner on the day of Khaybar, “Go to them patiently and calmly until you enter the land. Then, invite them to Islam, and inform them of what has been enjoined upon them; by Allah, if He gives guidance to somebody through you, it is better for you than possessing red (precious) camels.” Another wording is, Invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.

The Salaf disputed over the necessity of Ghusl for new Muslim converts.Among the scholars who believed it was obligatory were Malik, Ahmad, and Abu Thawr (may Allah be merciful with them) because of the report related by Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa’y from Qays ibn `Asim (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, I came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) with the intention of embracing Islam. He commanded me to perform Ghusl with water (boiled with) the leaves of the lote-tree. Using the verb “commanded’ implies the obligation of this act.

On the other hand, Al-Shafi`y and some Hanbaly scholars stated that this act is Mustahab (desirable) unless the new Muslim convert becomes Junub (in a state of major ritual impurity) shortly before converting to Islam, in which case they are obliged to perform Ghusl. Abu Hanifah stated that a new Muslim convert is not obliged to perform Ghusl in all cases. Therefore, the couple mentioned above may perform Ghusl on the basis the cited Hadith, as well as other similar Hadith.

With regard to circumcision, it is obligatory for men but only recommended for women. However, it could be delayed until Islam is firmly established in their hearts, lest it should induce their aversion to Islam.

On the basis of the above-mentioned points, all that you required the couple to do who newly converted to Islam is correct. May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions!

Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’

Member                      Member                      Deputy Chairman          Chairman
`Abdullah ibn Qa`ud     `Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan     `Abdul-Razzaq `Afify     `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz

Internet Source : http://alifta.com/

The ruling on changing one‎s name after accepting Islam – Ibn Baaz

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Question:

“Is it obligatory upon new Muslims to change their previous names such as George, Joseph, and others?”

Answer:

“It is not obligatory to change the name unless it means worshipping other than Allah. However, changing one‎s name to something better is permissible. Accordingly, changing one‎s name from a foreign name to an Islamic name is proper and good, but as to whether it is obligatory, no it is not.

But if a person‎s name is Abd Al-Masih (slave of the Messiah) or similar names that indicate servitude to other than Allah, it becomes obligatory to change it. It falls under the ruling of worshipping other than Allah by the Ijma‎ (consensus) of scholars as reported by Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm (may Allah be merciful to him). Allah is the Grantor of success.

Answered by Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz
Reference: Volume 4, question 3.
www.alifta.com

 

Eating collectively from a single plate – Shaykh Ibn al-’Uthaymeen

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Al-Wahshiyyi ibn Harb radiallaahu ‘anhu related that some of the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

O Messenger of Allaah! We eat, but do not become satisfied.

So he said to them: “Perhaps you eat separately?”

So they replied: Yes.

So he said: “Eat your food collectively, mention the Name of Allaah upon it, then there will be blessings for you in it.”[1]

Shaykh Ibn al-‘Uthaymeen said:

“This indicates that it is essential to eat collectively from a single plate. So if there are five or ten people, they should eat collectively from a single dish, depending upon the situation. Indeed, doing so is a cause for barakah (blessings) to descend, whilst eating separately is a cause for barakah to depart.”[2]

[1] Hasan: Related by Abu Daawood (no.3764). It was authenticated by al-Haafidh al-‘lraaqee in his Takhreejul-lhyaa (214).
[2] Sharh Riyaadhus-Saaliheen (7/231) of Ibn al-‘Uthaymeen.

Source for the above: Al-Istiqaamah Newsletter, Shawwaal 1418H / February 1998 ,Issue No.8

The following is taken from Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen – Chapter 107 :

745. `Abdullah bin Busr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) had a large bowl called Al-Gharra’, which would be carried by four men. One day, when the Companions finished their Duha (forenoon optional) prayer, Al-Gharra’ was brought full of sopped bread, meat and broth, and they sat down around it. When their number increased, Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) sat down on his knees and rested on the soles of his feet. A bedouin said to him: “What sort of sitting is that?” Thereupon Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Verily, Allah has made me a courteous slave not a fierce tyrant.” Then he said, “Eat from the sides of the bowl and leave the central part of it so that your food will be blessed.” [Abu Dawud].

Dua during Sujud for worldly matters – Shaykh Abdil-‘Azeez Aali Shaikh

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Du`a’ during Sujud for worldly matters

Q: Is it permissible to supplicate during Sujud (prostration) for worldly matters?

A: The Sunnah (supererogatory act of worship following the example of the Prophet) for the praying person is to start Sujud with the Adhkar (invocations) reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Subhana Rabbiya Al-A`la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High)” ten times as this is the perfect number of glorification. Scholars maintain that the less perfect number of glorification is three time, and what is sufficient is one time.

This is supported by the evidence reported by the Five Compilers of Hadith (Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa’y, and Ibn Majah) save Al-Tirmidhy on the authority of Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Hadith about his Salah (Prayer) with the Prophet (peace be upon him) at night, in which he said: I offered Salah along with the Prophet (peace be upon him). In his Ruku` (bowing), he would say: “Subhana Rabbiya Al-`Azhim (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great),” and in his Sujud, he would say: “Subhana Rabbiya Al-A`la.” It was reported on the authority of `Uqbah ibn `Amir that he said: When the Ayah (Qur’anic verse) Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Make it in your Sujud.”

The evidence that the perfect number of glorification is ten times is what was reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Al-Nasa’y from Sa`id ibn Jubayr on the authority of Anas that he said: After the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) passing away, I have not prayed behind anyone whose Salah is more similar to the Messenger’s Salah (peace be upon him) than this boy, meaning `Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz. We estimated the number of the glorifications that he made during his Ruku` to be ten and in his Sujud also to be ten.

However, if – after that – a person adds a Du`a’ Ma’thur (supplication based on transmitted reports) or Adhkar prescribed in Sujud, this is good.

This includes saying:

“Subbuhun quddusun Rabbul-mala’ikati war-ruh (Glorified, Holy, Lord of the Angels and the Ruh (Gabriel)”,

“Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika. Allahumma ighfir li (Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You, O Allah, forgive me)”,

“Allahumma ighfir li dhanbi kullahu, diqqahu wa-jillahu, wa-awwalahu wa-akhirahu, wa-`alaniyatahu wa-sirrahu (O Allah forgive me all my sins, slight and grave, first and last, open and secret thereof).”

It is permissible for people to ask their Lord for whatever they need, as asking Allah and humiliating oneself to Him is in conformity with the meaning of Al-Uluhiyyah (Allah’s Exclusive Right to be worshipped) and answering the seekers accords with the meaning of Al-Rububiyyah (Oneness of Allah’s Lordship). Whenever a person perceives this, the light of Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/monotheism) and Iman (faith/belief) will fill their hearts and they will resort to their Lord in all their worldly and religious affairs. In this case, a person is given glad tidings and should hope for the best.

Sujud is a position where Du`a’ (supplication) is more likely to be answered, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: As for Sujud, strive hard in Du`a’ therein because it is more likely that your Du`a’ will be answered.

Fatwas by His Eminence Shaykh `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah Al Al-Shaykh 

Source : http://alifta.net

Ruling on invalidation of Wudu upon touching the private parts – alifta

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Q: Someone from Al-Sharqiyyah governorate, the Arab Republic of Egypt, asks: If a man touches his private parts or the private parts of one of his children, or if the mother touches the private parts of one of her children, must they renew their Wudu’ (ablution)?

A: Yes, if a man touches the private parts without a barrier; namely, the skin of the hand touches the skin of the private part, penis or anus, his ablution will be nullified. Similarly, if a woman touches her private parts or the private parts of her children, her ablution will be nullified.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: He who touches his penis should perform ablution. He (peace be upon him) also stated: He who touches his private parts without a barrier should perform ablution.

Therefore, if someone touches their private parts without a barrier, their ablution will be nullified. But if they do this over a barrier of clothing, loincloth or pants, there is nothing wrong with this and their Wudu’ remains valid. What invalidates Wudu’ is the bare hand touching the skin of the private parts without a barrier between them.

Source for above:  http://alifta.net/ – Fatwas of Nur `Ala Al-Darb

Abu Hurayrah (radhi-yAllaahu ‘anhu) said: Rasoolullaah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

«If one of you touches his penis and there is no veil between him and it nor any cover, then wudhoo has become obligatory for him.» [al-Haakim (1/138) and others]. (al-Albaanee says: hadeeth Saheeh.)

Secularity, reality and danger – Sheikh Farkûs

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Secularity, reality and danger

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

The word “Secularity” – (Al-`Ilmâniyya) in the Arabic language – is a term that has absolutely no relation with the word “Science” (`Ilm) or its derivations. From the political point of view, secularity means “Irreligious power” (i.e. religion should not be involved in power). It is commonly defined in many Islamic books as “The separation of religion from the state”. However, this meaning is limited and does not state the reality of secularity, which involves the individual and the behavior that have no relation with the state. This is why we can express it differently in a more conformable way to the reality of secularity, which is “The establishment of an irreligious life”. Regardless the fact that secularity, whose doctrine and philosophy emerged under the protection of the western civilization, was influenced by the falsified Christianity[1] and socialism, the irreligious secularity is a worldly ideology aiming at isolating the religious influence on life. It calls to set up life on material basis in its different domains: political, economical, social, ethic, judicial and others, also on the bases of the absolute worldly knowledge, under the power of reason and experimentation, taking into consideration interest, by adapting the principle of utilitarianism over all the domains of life, in power, politics and ethics based on the Machiavellian principle “The end justifies the means”. Thus, far from the religious recommendations and prohibitions which are restricted in the individual’s mind and do not go with them beyond his personal and private relation between him and his Lord. Furthermore, he is not allowed to express himself, but only in matters of religious rituals and ceremonies, which consist of weddings, festivals, funerals and others.

Secularity, which is based on the materialistic tendency, is soon emanated from the irreligious doctrine, whose utmost aim is fighting religion and removing it from all fields of the public life, in addition to excluding people of religion and its protectors and limiting their influence by isolating them from educational domains, institutions and scientific institutes, and preventing religious knowledge. So, its highest aim is to establish a state and a society where religion is confined to the individual level, and make people of the Islamic society feel brotherhood in state, regardless the fact that they are not brothers in religion.

Nevertheless, the truth is not really perceived by those who divide secularity, on the one hand, into atheistic one, which radically denies the existence of the Creator and does not at all recognize something in matter of religion, and on the other hand, into non-atheistic secularity that believes, theoretically, in the Creator but rejects any relation between Allah عز وجل and the men’s life. It calls to isolate religion from the world and life, and rejects, explicitly or implicitly, the legislation of Allah. Because atheism is the nature of secularity in all its forms since atheism is to depart and to deviate from Allah’s religion and legislation including all leaning or tendency towards religion. This is what essentially leads to incredulity in Allah, the association to Him in what is illicit, transgress something forbidden by Him, and leave any of the recommendations of Allah[2].

Besides, the origin of atheism is all what contains the association to Allah in His general Lordship, and denying Allah’s Names, attributes or Acts.

The predication of secularity represents a huge danger to the religion of Islam and to Muslims, and the majority of the Muslims are not aware of its reality because it disguises behind different masks such as patriotism, socialism, nationalism, and others. As well as, it hides behind destructive theories like Freudianism, Darwinism, or Evolutionism[3] and others. Its partisans pretend relying on attested scientific arguments whereas they are just weak, deficient and specious arguments rejected by reason and reality:

﴿كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [العنكبوت: 41].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾As the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider’s house did they but know﴿ [Al-`Ankabût (The Spider): 41].

Especially, the one that gives the appearance of a partisan to the religion in order to confuse and to lead ordinary Muslims astray. In fact, it does not prevent the pilgrimage and prayer in the mosques. On the contrary, it contributes in their construction, it takes part in celebrations and festivals, it offers rewards and gifts for the imams and those who learn the Koran by heart, and show neither struggle nor antagonism against religion but with very fervent attempts to restrict religion in mosques and isolate it from the domains of life.

Among the aspects and domains of secularization which are kept off from religion:

– Politics and power, the adaptation of secularization in these fields is apparent and not hidden from the observers.

– Secularization of teaching and its methods, a fact not refuted by those who are reasonable.

– Secularization of economy and financial structures, clearly known by experts.

– Civic, social and ethic laws are undoubtedly secularized.

In fact, secularism makes of the spiritual values negative ones. In this manner, it makes the way free to the spread of atheism, westernization, libertinism and ethic anarchy. It calls for the women’s liberation according to the western style that does not condemn illegal relations between the two sexes. This is what helps to open widely the doors to shameful practices that, consequently, lead to the destruction of the family’s existence and to its disunion. Thus, with such practices, generations are formed with an irreligious education, in a society where neither an impediment or a religious barrier nor a voice of a living consciousness exist, which are substituted by agitations of worldly passions like interest, covetousness, the struggle for life, and other material hopes regardless of spiritual values.

It is this kind of secularity that is spread in the Muslim and Arab world, through the effect of colonialism and the campaigns of Christianization and evangelization. Also, because of the improvidence of our compatriots, deluded with illusions, who brandished its slogan, and executed the plans of those who have drawn them and supported them to confuse ordinary people with specious arguments and pretensions of extreme disorientation that founded their predication, which consists of:

– Slandering the Noble Quran and making the prophecy doubtful.

– Pretending that the revelation is inactive and unable to adapt itself with civilisation, and Europe progressed only after getting rid of religion.

– Pretending that Islam neglects the pursuit of the evolution of life, calls for repression, and persecutes the freedom of thought.

– Pretending that Islamic religion has already completed its aims and remains in it only a set of rituals and spiritual practices.

– Pretending that the Arabic language lacks or takes a long time to adapt itself with science and progress, and it is unable to pursuit civilization and development process. However, even if Arabic is the official language in Muslim countries, but still it is marginalized in the majority of administrative institutions, in universities and medical fields, especially in North African countries where the French language has replaced it and really becomes the practiced language of speaking and of communication. Nevertheless, the Arabic language has gradually regressed and loses ground according to plans already prepared and studied after knowing that Arabic is the language of the Quran and the key of the revelation sciences.

– Pretending that the revelation has already been practically applied at the level of politics, power, and in other domains. Because, they pretend that the Islamic jurisprudence draws its prescriptions from the Roman law.

– Pretending the harshness of the revelation in its retributions such as: lex talionis, amputation, being stoned to death, flagellation … and decide on retributions that are more appropriate by taking irreligious laws and methods from the West, by imitation, which are considered more clement and more lenient.

Eventually, these are the set of pretensions that secularists rely on, who work in order to interrupt the revelation of Allah عز وجل by different means such as personalities, magazines, journalism, and other plans. In addition to this, they want to separate the authentic religion from the social life, and reduce it in the narrowest limits and domains according to the leanings and practices of the West who aims at breaking the commandments of Islam and releasing it from all its obligations and values. Besides, they want to alter the Muslim identity, cut them off from their religion, and lose their loyalty to it and membership to their community through the alliance to the West full of hatred, and by interchanging the values, notions, terms and authentic Islamic conceptions with western ones, in a manner that the lifestyle will be changed to that of the West, and by changing the way of thinking and acting so that it suits the thinking and deeds of the West. They also aim at changing the ethical and social behavior with the allegation that it is a modernization of the legislative, juridical and penal systems; and this in a manner that goes with the civilizational way, by imitating the western systems and legislations, all this under the banner of development and renewal.

Many individuals of the Islamic nation were deeply influenced by secularity, and this is obvious in the fields of institutions, power, Sharia, jurisprudence and education. This influence is due to what was spread of ambiguities around Islam, its language, Quran and Prophet, as we previously mentioned.

Many social and political institutions were influenced by these pernicious notions and proceeded to develop their countries by focusing on secularizing the state, whether under the guise of nationalism, socialism, patriotism or others. As for the other institutions with Islamic tendency, they are also influenced by secularity – save those whom Allah Has protected by His mercy – they have of religion a limited conception since they restrict it to its civilizational aspect.

Islam, religion and state rejects categorically this duality, which consists of making a strong barrier between the material and the spiritual world; it is considered an apostasy. Moreover, Islam, within its sane and pure nature, its correct dogma and morality, does not accept the spread of the western social evils such as atheism, libertinism, ethic anarchy, and other vices, ideological and moral impurities which bring the destruction of the doctrine’s unity, the family and the society existence.

In fact, Islam commands to Muslim to be entirely to Allah in all domains of life: his deeds, his words, and his behaviors. His life as well as his death belongs to the Allah عز وجل:

﴿قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ﴾  [الأنعام: 162-163].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): “Verily, my Salât (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists) He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims﴿ [Al-An`âm (The Cattle): 162-163].

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, his Family, his Companions and Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

[1] One of the Christian proclamations: Give to Caesar the power of state and to God the power of the church. Starting from this, it has emerged the principle of “The separation of religion from the state”, a principle attributed to `Issa (Jesus) عليه السلام when he said: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Gospel of Luke 20:25) It is in this way that Christianity agrees with secularism. However, religion and power, in Islam, are made originally to Allah عز وجل and devoted to Him. They do neither admit the separation between religion and State, nor between religion and society, because Islam, as religion and system, is different in its origin from Christianity, which is a set of testaments, and it is also different from it when applied in the Roman societies where religion were for God and power for Caesar.

[2] See “Adhwâ’ Al-Bayân” of Ash-Shanqîti (5/59-58).

[3] The Darwinist theory, in reference to Charles Darwin, a British researcher, who published the book “On the origin of species” in 1859, which deals with a series of assumptions. He supported his theory of apparition and evolution which assumes that the evolution of life in organic creatures is that it evolved from a simple and primitive life to a more complex and subtle one and that it graduated from archaic to more sophisticated life. He considered that the origin of life is a cell which was in a swampy marsh some million years ago, then it had developed and had undergone many steps, among them, that of the ape which became a human. Darwin thus, considered the human as being close to the ape; he even assumed that the real ancestor of the human race is a small cell that lived in a swampy marsh. His aim by this is to eliminate the creed of the people of the truth, that the human race is descended from Adam and Eve.

This theory caused general discomfort and a feeling of upset and perdition. Distraught and disarrayed generations who were characterized by spiritual vacuum have appeared then. Among the results of this theory, the materialistic and Marxist theory which proclaimed the materialistic aspect of the human being who is subjected to the laws of matter, thus neglecting the spiritual aspects. This theory has also an effect on the birth of Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis. Freud drew from the theory of Darwin the idea of the animality of the human being, that he is an animal guided by the sex drive; otherwise he will be in the grip of a harmful inhibition with bad effects on the nervous system.

That is how Freud considered the evolution theory as an explication of the existence of religion by linking it to sexual urges.

Many theories drew from the theory of Darwin destructive ideologies, as the existentialism of Sartre and the contemporary parapsychology of Bergson; they based their theories upon that of Darwin in its explication of the human race, life and behavior.

The experimental sciences proved that Darwin’s theory is false with irrefutable proofs. His theory is not even considered a scientific theory, especially after the discoveries of Mendel’s law on inheritance and genes.

The Quran establishes that the human being is created out of an extract of clay, then he was placed as a drop (of seed) in a safe lodging (womb of a woman).

So, the matter of creation of all creatures at the origin is water.

﴿وَاللَهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِن مَاءٍ﴾ [النور : 45].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾Allâh has created every moving (living) creature from water. Of them there are some that creep on their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. Allâh creates what He wills. Verily! Allâh is Able to do all things.﴿ [An-Nûr (The Light): 45].

The human stays a human, with all his constituents, his form, his characteristics and his mind, without evolution or change. This fact is a proof that the Creator is one.

﴿الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنسَانِ مِن طِينٍ. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلالَةٍ مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ﴾  [السجدة : 7-8].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾Who made everything He has created good, and He began the creation of man from clay. Then He made his offspring from semen of worthless water (male and female sexual discharge).﴿ [As-Sajda (The Prostration): 7-8].

Source : http://ferkous.com – Sheikh Abu `Abd-El-Mu`iz Muhammed `Ali Farkûs

The Status of Jesus in Islam – by Shaykh Rabee bin Hadee Al-Madkhalee

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The Status of Jesus in Islam  – by Shaykh Rabee bin Hadee Al-Madkhalee

About the Book:

This is a translation of a short essay “Makaanatu ‘Eesaa fil-Islaam” (The Status of Jesus in Islaam) written by Dr. Rabee’ bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee, a Muslim religious scholar from Saudi Arabia. The source used for this translation was the on-line version of the book, which can be found on http://www.rabee.net.

Since the book, for the most part, is geared towards non-Muslim readers, particularly Christians, names of prophets and other righteous believers of the past are presented here in their standard English version, even though, they are pronounced differently in Arabic by Muslims. This was done to make it easier for the non-Muslim audience, who are not accustomed to the Arabic versions of these names, to read the treatise.

Also, in many instances, the word “Allaah” was translated as God, in order to assist non-Muslim readers understand the subject at hand more clearly. However, the proper name of God, Allaah, was left as is in other parts where deemed appropriate.

It is hoped that this treatise may serve as a means to invite and call the Christian community to develop an understanding of how Jesus is viewed in the eyes of the Muslims and what we believe concerning him, as revealed to us by Allaah in the Qur’aan and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

Quotes from the Book:

“The story of Mary begins with this great connection of mentioning those whom God chose over mankind, which included the family of ‘Imraan, who were the parents of Mary. This is done in order to make it clear that Mary came from a righteous and noble family, and that she was part of the offspring of chosen prophets, and that her mother was a pious woman. An example of her piety and righteousness was that she vowed to offer what was in her womb to the services of God. She was hoping that it would be a boy, but instead she gave birth to a girl. So she returned this matter back to God, seeking His pardon and asking Him to protect her daughter and her offspring from the outcast Devil. So her Lord answered her supplication and warmly accepted Mary, causing her to be raised in a good manner and placing a righteous and merciful prophet, Zachariah, in charge of caring for her. This shows that the mother of Jesus had a tremendous upbringing.”

“God is not in need of begetting a son. Attributing a child to Him is from the greatest forms of disbelief and misguidance, since it constitutes the highest level of insult and deficiency being ascribed to His Honor, Greatness and Lordship. This is since everything apart from God (the Creator) can only be one of His creations, and all of His creations submit themselves to His Honor and Grandness and are mandated to worship Him, whereas God is divine and free of begetting a child. This is why Allaah says to those who ascribe a child to Him, and His speech is the truth: ‘You have indeed brought forth something very terrible (i.e. an evil statement) – due to which the heavens are ready to tear apart, the earth split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins. It is that they ascribe a child to the Most Merciful (i.e. God). However, it is not befitting for the (Majesty of the) Most Merciful that he should beget a child. There is none in the heavens and the earth except that he comes unto the Most Merciful as a servant. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And each one of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone (and without any helpers).’”

“6. In Chapter 21 of the Gospel of Matthew, verse 46, it states: ‘But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, since they held him to be a prophet.’There is proof in this verse that the masses of people who believed in God and in Jesus were monotheists with pure and sincere faith, and that they believed that Jesus was a messenger and a prophet. This proves that their prophet, Jesus, had taught them this and cultivated them to believe in that. So they did not used to believe that he was God or the son of God, since he would not teach the people these things.”

“Has not the time come for the Christians, after hearing all of this, to hasten and rush to Islaam, especially the intellectual, educated and free thinking ones amongst them? We call them again to stand up before God in pairs and individually, then to reflect on this tremendous matter – of which there is no matter greater than it – with firm determination and impartiality and earnestly seeking to attain the truth and the reality, for it is indeed a crucial matter, which can either lead one to Paradise, the size of which spans the heavens and the earth, or to the Hellfire, whose fuel will be men and stones and which is prepared for those who disbelieve to reside therein forever. This is a matter that all of the messengers agreed on and which is contained in their revealed books, including Jesus, the servant and messenger of God. At this point, it is appropriate for us to honestly tell you: ‘O People of the Scripture! Come to a word that is just between us and you – that we worship none but God alone and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides God.’ Then if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’”

About the Author:

Dr. Rabee’ Ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee is one of the well-known scholars of Saudi Arabia. He is a former graduate and professor at the renowned Islamic University of Madeenah. He has authored numerous books and treatises about Islam which clarify misconceptions and false notions concerning it.

[Read the Book : The Status of Jesus in Islam ]

The Below Short Articles are extracted from the above Book:

Verily, the example of Jesus in the sight of Allaah is like the example of Adam – Shaykh Rabee

The texts of the Bible are in conformity with the fact that Jesus was a servant and messenger of Allah – Shaykh Rabee

Wisdom behind deeming pork as unlawful to eat – Permanent Committee

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Q: What is the wisdom behind prohibiting the flesh of swine?

A: Allah’s knowledge encompasses all things and His mercy, wisdom and justice embrace all things. Allah (Glorified be He) knows best what benefits His servants. He shows them mercy. He conducts all His affairs with wisdom. He commands His servants to do what brings felicity to them in this life and the life to come. He makes lawful all good things which benefit them and makes unlawful to them all harmful things.

Allah has declared the flesh of swine as prohibited and stated that its flesh is impure.

Allah (Exalted be He) states:

Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): “I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maitah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that surely is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allâh (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allâh’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering).

Allah (Exalted be He) also states:

and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabâ’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods)

  • Factual evidence has proved that pigs feed on dirt and impure things which they eat avariciously.
  • Medical experts state that worms are formed in the abdomen of eaters of the flesh of swine.
  • It also weakens the human sense of honor and destroys chastity.
  • Other harmful effects include indigestion and the inability to secrete digestive juices.

If their findings are proven true, then the flesh of swine is as an evil and impure substance. But if their findings are proven false, one of sound mind must still trust in Allah’s statement in the Qur’an which judges swine as impure. One must also believe in the prohibition of eating its flesh and submit entirely to Allah’s judgment.

It is Allah (Glorified be He) Who created it and He alone knows best its inherent harms. Does He know not that which He created while He is the Subtle, the All-Aware?

May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!

Permanent Committee for Scholary Research and Ifta’

Member     Member     Deputy Chairman     Chairman
Abdullah ibn Qa`ud     Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan     Abdul-Razzaq `Afify     `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz

Source : http://alifta.com

Wisdom behind Prophet Muhammad’s marriages

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Source: General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta (alifta.net)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married to several wives following his migration to Madinah. His practice of polygyny was not something novel, as polygyny was widely practiced by all people and nations. Some societies allowed unlimited number of wives until some men had more than seven hundred wives, not including slave women. Some Arabs were reported to have taken in marriage more than ten wives. When Ghilan ibn Salamah Al-Thaqafy embraced Islam, he was married to ten wives. The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed him, saying: Choose four of them (and divorce the rest).

Polygamy was also practiced by the ancient Greeks in Athens, China, Babylonia, Assyria, ancient Egypt, and the Jews were also polygamous. Prophet Sulayman (Solomon, peace be upon him) had seven hundred free women as wives and three hundred slave women. Al-Bukhari related in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith: Sulayman (the son of) Dawud (David) said, ‘Tonight I will go to a hundred women, each of whom will give birth to a boy who will fight in the Cause of Allah.’ The Angel said to him, ‘Say: In sha’a-Allah (If it be the Will of Allah).’ But he did not say so, as he forgot. He went to them but none of them gave birth, apart from one woman who gave birth to half a child. The Prophet (peace be upon him) further said, ‘Had he said: In sha’a-Allah, he would not have broken his oath and he would have had more hope of fulfilling his wish.’ The Christian church also permitted polygyny and did not object to it.

The Prophet’s marriage to nine wives at the same time was merely an implementation of Divine Instructions and Wisdom. Allah (may He be Exalted) states:
So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in the future) there may be no difficulty for believers in respect to (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allâh’s Command must be fulfilled. There is no blame on the Prophet (peace be upon him) in that which Allâh has made legal for him. That has been Allâh’s Way with those who have passed away of (the Prophets of) old.

Stating the fact that it is Allah Who made it lawful for His Messenger to marry several wives, He revealed:
O Prophet (Muhammad peace be upon him)! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possesses – whom Allâh has given to you Allah then limited the number of the Messenger’s wives to nine, all of whom he was forbidden to divorce. Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) states:

It is not lawful for you (to marry other) women after this, nor to change them for other wives even though their beauty attracts you

Therefore, the marriages of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were all necessitated by Divine Command. It is not permissible to compare other cases with that of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This matter was restricted to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) alone. None among the Muslim Ummah (nation) is permitted to marry beyond four women under the pretext that the Prophet (peace be upon him) married nine women.

Those who criticize the Prophet of Islam and brand Muslims as lustful are in manifest error. Worse still, we find Muslims who level blasphemous charges at the Prophet (peace be upon him) and take the subject of his marriages in jest. Had true faith entered their hearts, they would not have allowed such thoughts to occupy their minds. Had they carefully examined the circumstances that surrounded each marriage, they would have thought otherwise. The Prophet (peace be upon him) contracted marriages either to protect and support a widowed woman, or bring comfort to the families whose hearts were broken by the death of their beloved father, or to cement the bonds of love with the clan of his wives, or to honor a free woman who fulfilled Allah’s Command and went against the traditions of her society by marrying a slave rather than a master seeking the Good Pleasure of Allah.

Had the Prophet (peace be upon him) been lustful, he would have opted to marry when he was in his prime youth, a period when desire for sexual gratification is at its peak. However, he married several wives only after he had grown into old age, when his desire for women had weakened. At the young age of twenty-five, he was married to only one wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her), who was fifteen years older than him. She was forty while he was only twenty-five. He remained with her until she died.

It should also be noted that all the women whom he (peace be upon him) married had been married previously, except ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). The wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were:

1- Sawdah bint Zam‘ah ibn Qays Al-Qurashiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) got married to her following the death of her husband, Al-Sakran ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd Shams. This took place after the death of his wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, in Makkah and before his migration to Madinah. When
she grew old, she gave up her day and night to ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her).

2- ‘Aishah bint Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet (peace be upon him) contracted marriage with her before Sawdah. However, he did not consummate marriage with her until after its consummation with Sawdah. Among all his wives ‘Aishah was the only virgin whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) married. His marriage to ‘Aishah was meant to strengthen the bonds of kinship with Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, the first man to embrace Islam and to support and believe in every word the Prophet (peace be upon him) uttered. He also sacrificed all his wealth for the sake of Allah.

3- Hafsah bint ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took her in marriage although she was a previously married woman who lacked feminine charm. The Prophet (peace be upon him) married her because of the close relationship he had with her father.

4- Umm Salamah Hind bint Suhail Al-Makhzumiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet (peace be upon him) married her following the death of her husband, Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd Al-Asad. His intention was to support her children. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) proposed to marry her, she said: “A woman like me is not suitable for marriage. I have become a barren woman, and I am jealous and have children.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: I am older than you; as for jealousy, Allah will remove it, and as for children Allah and His Messenger are responsible for them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then married her.

5- Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her after she was divorced by her husband Zayd ibn Harithah, the freed slave (and adopted son) of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) was rewarding her compliance with Allah’s Command. It was through this marriage that Allah established the permissibility of marrying the wife of one’s adopted son, a matter which was difficult for the community at that time to undertake. Allah (may He be Exalted) states:
So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in the future) there may be no difficulty for the believers in respect to (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allâh’s Command must be fulfilled.

6- Umm Habibah bint Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her after her husband, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh, apostatized from Islam. She stayed away from him until he died.
She was in her thirties when the Prophet (peace be upon him) married her. He contracted the marriage while she was in Abyssinia (Ethiopia). The Prophet (peace be upon him) authorized Al-Najashy to conclude the marriage contract. Her authorizer was Khalid ibn Sa‘id ibn Al-‘As. Al-Najashy gave her four hundred Dinars as Sadaq (mandatory gift to a bride from the groom). This took place in the seventh year of Hijrah (the Prophet’s migration to Madinah).

7- Juwayriyyah bint Al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her after her husband Musani‘ ibn Safwan was killed on the Battle of Al-Muraysi‘. The Prophet (peace be upon him) intended to honor her people by this marriage relationship with them, especially after they had been taken as war captives in the Battle of Banu Al-Mustaliq.

8- Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her to bring solace to her broken heart following the murder of her father, paternal uncle and husband.

9- Maymunah bint Al-Harith Al-Hilaliyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her following the death of her husband, Abu Rahm ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Uzza Al-‘Amiry. This marriage took place in the seventh year of Hijrah. She (may Allah be pleased with her) was approaching forty by that time.

Source: alifta.net

why does Islam not prohibit slavery? – Permanent Committee

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Q: It is said: why does Islam not prohibit slavery?

A: Allah (Exalted be He) has the perfect knowledge, wisdom, kindness and mercy. He is All-Knowing with the matters of His creation, Compassionate with His servants and Wise in His creation and legislation. Therefore, He legislated for people that which makes them good in the world and in the Hereafter and that which will guarantee their real happiness, freedom and equality in fair circumstances, comprehensive guidance and within limits that do not transgress the rights of Allah and that of His servants. He sent this legislation with His Messengers as announcers of glad tidings and warners. So he who follows His path and follows the guidance of His Messengers, deserves dignity and attains success and bliss. Whoever refuses to follow the straight path, he deserves to be killed or enslaved in order to establish justice, maintain security and peace and safeguard lives, honor and properties.

For these mentioned causes, Jihad (striving for the cause of Allah) was legislated to deter the oppressors and eliminate the corruptors and clean the earth from the wrongdoers.

Whoever among them is captured by Muslims, the ruler has the choice either to kill him if his evil is eminent and he will not be corrected, or forgive him and accept a ransom from him if he can be deterred by that or lead him to goodness.

The ruler may take him as a slave if he believes that holding him among Muslims will correct him, rectify him and cause him to find the way to guidance, believe in and submit to it due to what he can see of Muslims’ justice, their kindness and good treatment. He may also listen to the texts of legislation and morals. Accordingly, his heart may be opened to Islam, Allah will make faith dear to him and make disbelief, transgression and disobedience unpleasant to him. Then, he will start a new life with Muslims to gain his freedom by an agreement of freedom.

Allah (Exalted be He) says:

And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allâh enriches them of His Bounty. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), give them such writing, if you find that there is good and honesty in them. And give them something (yourselves) out of the wealth of Allâh which He has bestowed upon you.

[Noble Qur’an 24:33]

This also may be achieved through the expiation for false oath, Zhihar (a man likening his wife to an unmarriageable relative), vow or the like. It also may be achieved through the way of emancipation for the sake of Allah, seeking His reward and other kinds of emancipation. Therefore, it will be known that the origin of slavery is the capturing in Jihad against the disbelievers to correct those who were captured by isolating them from the evil environment they lived in and starting a new life in a Muslim community to guide them to the path of goodness, save them from evil, purify them from the effects of disbelief and error and make them deservea better life in which they enjoy security and peace.

Slavery in Islam is like a purifying machine or sauna in which those who are captured enter to wash off their dirt and then they come out clean, pure and safe from another door.

May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!

Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’

Member                 Member                     Deputy Chairman        Chairman
Abdullah ibn Qa`ud     Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan     Abdul-Razzaq `Afify    Abdul-`Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz

Source: http://alifta.com/

Biblical evidence of Jesus being a servant of God and having no share in Divinity

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Jesus and  Muhammad (peace be upon them) in the BIBLE and the QUR’AN
Biblical evidence of Jesus being a servant of God and having no share in Divinity

by Dr. M. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali, Ph.D.
Professor of Islamic Faith and Teachings, Islamic University, Al-Madina

INTRODUCTION

All praise be to the One to Whom all Dignity, Honour and Glory are due; the Unique with perfect attributes, Who begets not, nor is He begotten. He has no equal but He is the Almighty, Omnipotent. He sent His Messengers and Prophets to guide humanity towards monotheism; to worship Him Alone, the only One Worthy of worship, and to warn them of the eternal dire consequences of polytheism; associating partners with One Allah and the worship of creatures.

Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon all the Prophets and Messengers, especially on Muhammad, the last of the Prophets, and on all who follow him in righteousness until the Day of Recompense.

CHRISTIANITY: MEN WITHOUT RELIGION

ISLAM: RELIGION WITHOUT MEN

A Muslim never lacks proofs about the purity and truthfulness of his religion, but what he lacks are those truthful brothers who stand for Allah and His Prophet SAW testifying to the truth. Indeed, in this age, Islam is a religion without men (custodians and propagators) whereas Christianity is men without a religion; yet, by their endeavour, adventurous spirit, patience and monetary contributions they are able to falsify truth and make falsehood appear true. In this materialistic age most of humanity have become slaves to wealth, fashions, and mansions.

There is none worthy of worship but Allah and in Him (Alone) do I put my trust, and towards Him am I destined.

JESUS AND THE DEVIL IN THE BIBLE

In the New Testament of the Bible, in the fourth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, the sixth and seventh verses clearly indicate that Jesus is an obedient mortal and God is the Master and Lord according to his saying in the seventh verse:

“It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God.”

In this chapter we read that the Devil actually carried the Messiah, and took him from place to place. How can the Devil carry God? Glory be to Allah; He is above such blasphemy!

Then the Devil orders him to prostrate before him and worship him, even tempting him with worldly possessions. How can the Devil even dare such an audacity with God? When the Devil wanted Jesus to comply with his orders, he (Jesus) replied by saying that it was written (in the previous Books):

“Thou shalt worship the Lord, thy God; And Him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10.

CHILDREN OF GOD

Jesus never called himself Son of God as far as I know but he used to call himself the ‘Son of Man’ (ref. Mark 2:10) although he heard himself being called by that name he did not object as assumed in the Bible and did not consider the title exclusively for him.

According to the Biblical term in the Old and New Testaments, every God- fearing righteous person is called ‘Son of God’. In Matthew 5:9 we read:

“Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God.”

In Matthew 5:45 –

“That ye may be children of your Father which is in heaven…”

GOD THE FATHER

In Matthew 5:48 –

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

In Matthew 6:1 –

“… otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 7:21 –

“Not every one that sayeth unto me (Jesus), Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven.”

N.B. The word ‘Lord’ here was translated as Rabb in the Arabic version of the Bible so that people may be convinced that Jesus is God! But if one studies the rest of the verse, one will note that the verse bears testimony to the subservience (to God’s Will) of the Messiah (Jesus). Therefore the correct translation should be:

“Not every one that sayeth to me, O my Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

It is obvious from the above readings from the Bible that the term ‘Father’ is used for God in numerous places in the Bible. It is never used exclusively for the Messiah (Jesus).

Matthew 11:25 –

“At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and has revealed them unto babes.'”

JESUS THE WORSHIPPER

Matthew 14:23 –

“And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray…..”

I say: If he (Jesus) is God or a part of God then why did he pray? In fact, prayer is always from a submitting, needy and dependent one for the Mercy of Almighty Allah as mentioned in the Qur’ân. (V. 35:15):-

“O mankind! it is you who stand in need of Allah but Allah is Rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of all praise” (35:15).

And in (V. 19:93) of Qur’ân:-

“There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) as a slave.”

A BIBLICAL STORY

Matthew 15:22-28 –

“And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cried unto him, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying; ‘Send her away, for she crieth after us.’ But he answered and said, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’

Then came she and worshipped him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ But he answered and said, ‘It is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs.’

And she said, ‘Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.’ “

In this story about a woman from Canaan there are noteworthy points:

(1) Lack of mercy and love charged against Jesus (if the incident is reported correctly).

(2) Degraded discrimination in regard to the uplifting of his tribe and not for the others.

(3) Tribal pride of descendance and prejudice against others and calling them dogs.

(4) An ignorant polytheist woman debated with him and won him over.

JESUS: A PROPHET OF ALLAH.

Matthew 19:16-17 –

“And behold, one came and said unto him, ‘Good master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ And he said unto him, ‘Why callest thou me good? (There is) none good but one, (i.e.) God, but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.’ “

In the above verses we note this acknowledgment of his submissiveness (to Allah’s Will).

Matthew 21:45-46 –

“And when the chief priests and pharisees had heard his parable, they perceived that he spoke of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude because they took him for a Prophet.”

Here it is proved that all those who believed in Jesus during his life-time did not believe in him being God or the Son of God or one in the doctrine of Trinity; but they believed in him as being a Prophet only. This is indeed one of the strongest points of evidence against those who believe in the Divinity of Jesus (Incarnation of God) if only they pondered.

JESUS: A SERVANT OF ALLAH.

Matthew 23:8 –

‘But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, even Jesus, and all ye are brethern.”

Here it is clearly proved that Jesus was servant of Allah, and that there is only One Master and He is Allah. In the Arabic version of the Bible this verse has been translated so that Jesus is meant to be the master whereas the English rendering is nearer the original sense.

Matthew 23:9 –

“And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father which is in heaven.”

From this you will note that fatherhood and sonship is meant to be the relationship between the Lord and His servants: it is meant in a general sense and not specifically for Jesus.

Matthew 24:36 –

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

This is a definite proof that the Final Hour is unknown to any but Allah, thus Jesus’ knowledge is imperfect like all other men; Allah Alone is All-Knowing, Omniscient.

Matthew 26:39 –

“And he (Jesus) went a little farther, and fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.’ “

We note here that the person speaking is unaware of Allah’s Will and realizes the fact that he is a servant of Allah. He (Allah) Alone can cause the change.

THE COMPILATION OF THE BIBLE

Matthew 27:7-8 –

“And they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called the Field of Blood, unto this day.”

From these verses we understand that the Bible (the New Testament) was not written during Jesus’ life-time but long after the occurrence of the events described, having been retained in the memory of the people.

Matthew 27:46 –

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli,Eli, lama sabachthani? (My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?’)”

This is according to their (Christians’) assumption that Jesus cried in a loud voice saying the above words while he was being crucified. This is a great insult as such words could only come from unbelievers in Allah. Further, it is incredible that such words should come out from a Prophet of Allah because Allah never breaks His Promise and His Prophets never complained against His Promise.

JESUS: PREACHER OF MONOTHEISM (TAUHID)

In John 17:3 –

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent.”

In Mark 12:28-30 –

“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, ‘Which is the first commandment of all?’ And Jesus answered him: ‘The first of all the commandments is; hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is One Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord, thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.’ “

In Mark 12:32 –

“And the scribe said unto him, ‘Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is One God; and there is none other but He.’ “

In Mark 12:34 –

“…he (Jesus) said unto him, ‘Thou art not far from the kingdom of God…’ ”

In these verses, Jesus (peace be upon him) himself had testified that Allah is the One God, there is none other than Him, and that whoever believes in His Oneness, he is near the Kingdom of Allah. Therefore whoever associates partners with Allah or believes in the Trinity is far away from the Kingdom of Allah, and whoever is far away from the Kingdom of Allah he is the enemy of Allah.

In Matthew 24:36 –

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of the heaven, but my Father only.”

I say: A similar text was quoted from S.Matthew which is exactly as proclaimed by the Qur’ân in that none knows when the Hour will come except Allah. This establishes the fact that Jesus was subservient to Allah and that he had no share in Divinity: that he was an incarnation of God, was an innovation by the people of Canaan.

In John 20:16 –

“Jesus said unto her, ‘Mary’. She turned herself, and sayeth unto him, ‘Rabboni’, which is to say, Master, Jesus saith unto her, ‘Touch me not: For I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she has seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto her.”

In the above narrative Jesus clearly testified that Allah is his God and their God, making no difference between him and them in the worship of the One Allah. Whoever believes that Jesus is God has indeed blasphemed against Allah and betrayed the Messiah (Jesus) and all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah.

BIBLICAL PROPHECY ON THE ADVENT OF MUHAMMAD (peace be upon him)John 14:15-16 –

“If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever.”

Muslim theologians have said that “another Comforter” is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah; and him to “abide forever” means the perpetuity of his laws and way of life (Sharia’) and the Book (Qur’ân) which was revaled to him.

John 15:26-27 –

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”

John 16:5-8 –

“But now I go my way to Him that sent me and none of you asketh me ‘Whither goest thou?’ But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and approve righteousness and judgment.”

John 16:12-14 –

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. How be it when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and he shall shew it unto you.”

John 16:16 –

“A little while and ye shall not see me: and again a little while, ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.”

Muslim theologians have stated that the person who is described by Jesus to come after him in the above verses does not comply with any other person but Muhammad (peace be upon him) the Messenger of Allah. This ‘person’ whom Jesus prophesied will come after him is called in the Bible ‘Parqaleeta’ This word was deleted by later interpreters and translators and changed at times to ‘Spirit of Truth’, and at other times, to ‘Comforter’ and sometimes to ‘Holy Spirit’. The original word is Greek and its meaning is ‘one whom people praise exceedingly.’ The sense of the word is applicable to the word ‘Muhammad’ (in Arabic).

FINALITY ON PROOFS ON THE FABRICATION OF THE STORY OF THE CROSS

(1) The Bible testifies to the fact that Jesus was known among the Jews; he used to preach and deliver sermons in the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. It was therefore, unnecessary to hire a Jew for thirty pieces of silver to direct them to him as related in S. Matthew.

(2) It is related that one of the twelve disciples named Judas Iscariot was hired to direct the Jews to Jesus. They then sentenced him after which Judas was greatly ashamed and dissociated himself from their act and then committed suicide. All this took place within twenty four hours. The contradictions are obvious.

(3) The clearest proof which alone is sufficient to discredit this story is when the Jews passed the sentence of death against Jesus and intended to get the approval of the governor, Pontious Pilate.

Matthew 27:11-14 –

‘And Jesus stood before the governor: The governor asked him, saying, ‘Art thou the king of the Jews!’ And Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou sayeth (sayest)’: And when he was accused of (by) the chief priests and elders. He answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, ‘Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?’ And he answered him never (to) a word…”

The Christians will interpret the above verse to mean that Jesus wanted to die on the Cross for the redemption of mankind and for the forgiveness of their sins: if so, then why did he ask to turn away that cup from him (i.e. death)? Why did he cry out while on the Cross (as they assume): “O Lord, why hast thou forsaken me?” How could he have remained silent when the truth was being challenged? He was known for his soul-inspiring sermons challenging the learned Jewish Rabbis. No sane person can believe in this. If the story of the Cross is disproved then the very foundation on which Christianity is based, will be demolished.

Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified by the Jews as revealed in the Holy Qur’ân by Allah in a crystal clear manner: V. 4:157,158.-

“And because of their saying (in boast): ‘We killed Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’; – but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him not (i.e., Jesus, son of Mary). But Allah raised him (Jesus) up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he alai-hiss-salaam is in the heavens).. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.”

The Jews themselves, together with the entire Christian world, believe that he was crucified. As proofs against their views and to prove the truth of the Muslim verdict through the Bible, I prepared the following set of questions based on the Book of S. Matthew in the New Testament of Bible. (Chapters 26 and 27):

(1) Did those who captured Jesus (according to their assumption) know him in person? or did they not know him?

S. Matthew testifies that they did not know him.

(2) Was it during the day or night that he was captured?

S.Matthew says it was during the night.

(3) Who was the one that directed them to him?

S. Matthew says: He was one of his twelve disciples called Judas lscariot.

(4) Did he direct them free of charge or for a fixed reward which they specified, for him?

S. Matthew says: He directed them to him for a fixed reward of thirty pieces of silver.

(5) What was the condition of Jesus during that night?

S. Matthew says: He was fearful and prostrated in prayer saying: “O God, if it is possible for You to let this cup pass from me, then let it pass.” It is incredible that such words could come from a believer in God, let alone a Prophet of God, because all believers believe that God has power over all things.

(6) What was the condition of his eleven disciples?

S. Matthew says: Sleep overcame them that night together with their teacher (according to their assumption) out of fear.

(7) Was Jesus contented with their condition?

S. Matthew says (verses 40-46): He was not satisfied. He used to come to them to wake them up saying: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.” Then he would come again to find them asleep and he would again wake them up and say the same thing. This weakness could not have been spoken of righteous pupils even if they were pupils of an ordinary pious teacher, let alone the disciples of Jesus, son of Mary.

(8) Did they help him when those ruffians captured him?

S. Matthew says: They forsook him and fled.

(9) Did Jesus have confidence in his disciples that night?

S. Matthew says: Jesus informed them that they will all forsake him. Then Jesus said unto them: “Verily I say unto thee that this night before the cock crows, thou shall deny me thrice.” Peter said unto him, “Although I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.” Likewise also said all the disciples. And so it happened.

(10) How did those ruffians capture him?

S. Matthew says: They came to him with swords and staves after they were directed to him by a Jew, then they captured him as described in verse 57:

“And they that had laid hold on Jesus, led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the elders were assembled.”

There they passed the sentence of death on him. The ruffians then took him away, spat on his face and struck him with their hands after which they stripped him of his clothes and clad him in scarlet robes, then placed a crown of thorns on his head and took him about, teasing and mocking him. They said to him: ‘You are the king of Israel according to your claim.’ They severely degraded him.

(11) Who finally decided to pass the death sentence against him?

S. Matthew says: He was Pontious Pilate, a Greek Roman, who was at that time the governor of Palestine.

(12) When the ruffians brought that man before the governor and informed him that the priest of the Jews passed the sentence of death by crucifixion according to their law (Torah), did he believe in them without investigation?

S. Matthew says: He did not believe them but asked that man: “Is it true what they have said?” He remained silent. The question was repeated and he continued to remain silent. He remained silent in view of the truth; it was essential for him even if he was not a Prophet to clarify the truth and deny the false accusation of the Jews. The governor’s wife went to the governor and she said to him: “Have thou nothing to do with that just man? for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.”

The Bible states that Jesus delivered lengthy speeches to the Jews rebuking and warning them which amounted to defaming them. Then why was he silent that day? The governor’s intention for asking him was to stand for the truth.

(13) How was he crucified according to their assumption?

S. Matthew says: They crucified him between two thieves both of whom abused him by saying to him, “If you are truthful then save yourself.”

(14) This was a great calamity. What did he say while on the cross (according to their assumption)?

S. Matthew says (27:46):

Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, Iama sabachthani? (that is to say,) my God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?”

This is a blatant declaration of disbelief according to all theological authorities. Whoever relates it to a Prophet is a disbeliever according to the revealed religions.

Almighty Allah, in the Qur’ân warns, the Jews and the Christians against their blasphemy; that Jesus is an incarnation of God (Allah) or the son of God (Allah) or in rejecting him totally; and that they must believe in him as a Messenger of Allah only:

“And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him (Jesus, son of Mary, as only a Messenger of Allah and a human being), before his (Jesus alai-hiss-salaam or a Jew’s or a Christian’s) death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he (Jesus) will be a witness against them.” (V.4:159).

 Dr. M. Taqî-ud-Din Al-Hilâlî
Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khân
Islamic University, Al-Madina Al-Munawwara

Why Allah sent Prophets and Messengers ? – Muhsin Khan & Hilaali

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Why Allah sent Prophets and Messengers ?
Source:  Appendix II from  ‘Interpretations and Meanings of the Noble Qu’ran’
By Dr. Muhammad Taqiuddeen al-Hilaalee, Ph.D. and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan

Ever since people innovated the dogma of joining others in worship along with Allah, Allah had been sending Prophets and Messengers to His devotees in order to invite them to the worship of Allah and Allah Alone, to order them not to ascribe partners unto Him and bring them out of the darkness of polytheism and into the light of Monotheism. All the Prophets preached the belief in the Oneness of Allah. The following verses from the Noble Qur’an illustrate this fact:

“Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people and he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a great Day!'” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:59)

“And to ‘Aad (people, We sent) their brother Hood. He said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Will you not fear (Allah)?'” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:65)

“And to (the people of) Madyaan (Midian), (We sent) their brother Shu’ayb. He said: ‘O my People! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you, so give full measure and full weight and wrong not men in their things, and do not make mischief on the earth after it has been set in order, that will be better for you, if you are believers.'” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:85)

“And to Thamood (people, We sent) their brother Saalih. He said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah).'” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:73)

“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): Worship Allah (Alone) and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities etc. do not worship Taaghoots besides Allah).” (An-Nahl, The Bee 16:36)

Every Prophet was sent unto his own nation for their guidance, but the Message of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam – peace be upon him) was general for all mankind and jinn (a being created from smokeless flames).

“Say [O Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)]: ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.'” (Al-A’araaf, The Heights 7:158)

So the aim of sending these Prophets and Messengers to mankind and jinn was only that they should worship Allah Alone, as Allah said:

“And I (Allah) created not the jinn and men except they should worship Me (Alone)” (Adh-Dhaariyaat, The Winds that Scatter 51:56)

And to worship Allah means to obey Him and to do all that He has ordained, – and to fear Him by abstaining from all that He has forbidden. Then those who will obey Allaah will be rewarded in Paradise, and those who will disobey Him will be punished in the Hell-fire.

The Qur’an and Noah’s Ark

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The Qur’an and Noah’s Ark
Source: The Observer (by Martin Wroe)

Martin Wroe, LONDON – Noah’s Ark has been found on the Turkish-Iranian border, 32 kilometres from Mount Ararat, according to the leader of a team of scientists that has been investigating the site for six years.

The Turkish government is so convinced by the findings that, after years of intransigence, it has designated the site one of special archaeological interest and agreed to its excavation next summer.

The remote site contains a buried, ship-like object, resting an altitude of 2,300 metres. At 170 metres long and 45 metres wide, it conforms almost exactly to the 300 cubit by 50 cubit boat that God told Noah to build, according to Genesis 6 in the Bible.

On surrounding terrain, the American and Middle Eastern scientists have identified huge stones with holes carved at one end, which they believe are “drogue-stones,” dragged behind ships in the ancient world to stabilise them. Radar soundings indicate unusual levels of iron-oxide distribution.

Salih Bayraktutan, head of geology at Turkey’s Ataturk University, estimates the age of the ‘vessel’ at more than 100,000 years. “It is a man-made structure and for sure it is Noah’s Ark.” The site is directly below the mountain of Al Judi, named in the Koran as the Ark’s resting place.

David Fasold, an American shipwreck specialist with no religious affiliation, has led the investigation. He says subsurface radar surveys of the site have produced “very good pictures.” “The radar imagery at about 25 metres down from the stern is so clear that you can count the floorboards between the walls.”

He believes the team has found the fossilised remains of the upper deck and that the original reed substructure has disappeared. But the findings have infuriated the scores of Christian Ark-hunters who travel to Turkey, convinced the Ark will only be found on Mount Ararat.

Fasold, who calls himself an “Arkologist,” also argues that it was not a great flood that pushed the Ark into the mountains. He says it was “an astronomical event causing a tectonic upheaval, a tidal bore causing gravitational pull in the ocean waters that forced the boat into the mountains.”

Some of Fasold’s team of geophysicists and geologists are reserving final judgement until the excavation and carbon-dating. But in a British TV series on the environment next month, team member Vendyl Jones, a Middle East archaeologist and inspiration for film character Indiana Jones, says it is “between maybe and probably” that they have found Noah’s Ark.

The Observer newspaper, 16 January 1994

Prologue: The Quranic verse detailing about the resting place of the Noah’s Ark is found in Chapter Hood, verse 44 (Qur.aan 11:44). The verse says:

{When the word went forth: “O earth! swallow up thy water and O sky! withhold (thy rain)!” and the water abated and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi and the word went forth: “Away with those who do wrong!”}

The 49th verse of the same Chapter says:

{Such are some of the stories of the Unseen which We have revealed unto you: before this neither you nor your people knew them. So persevere patiently: for the end is for those who are righteous}

Khaula’s Story with the Hijab – Dr. Saleh As-Saleh – Inspirational Read !!

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A View Through Hijaab – Story of a Sister – Saleh-As-Saleh

A View through Hijab – By Sister Khaula From Japan 10/25/1993 [57]

“A view through Hijaab” is an informative account of life in Hijaab. Written by Khaula Nakata, it is the experience of Hijaab as seen through the eyes of a Japanese woman who embraced Islam.

My Story To Islam :

As most of the Japanese, I’d followed no religion before I embraced Islam in France. I was majoring in French Literature at the university. My favorite thinkers were Sartre, Nietchze and Camas, whose thinking is atheistic. At the same time, however, I was very interested in religion, not because of my inner necessity but of my love for the truth. What was waiting for me after death did not interest me at all; how to live was my concern(58). For a long time I had a sort of impression that I was not doing what I should do and I was wasting my time. Whether God existed or not was the same to me; I just wanted to know the truth and choose my way of life-to live with God or without God.

I started to read books on different religions except Islam. I had never thought that Islam was a religion worth studying. It was for me, at that time, a sort of primitive idolatry of the simple mind (how ignorant I was!). I made friends with Christians, with whom I studied the Bible, to come to realize a few years later the existence of God. But then I had to face a dilemma because I could not “feel” God at all, in spite of my conviction that he should exist. I tried to pray in church, but in vain. I felt nothing but the absence of God.

I then studied Buddhism, hoping I would be able to feel God through Zen or Yoga. I found as many things in Buddhism that seemed to be true as I had in Christianity, yet there were many things I could not understand or accept. In my opinion, If God exists, He should be for everyone(59) and the truth should simple and clear to everyone. I could not understand why people should abandon ordinary life to devote themselves to God.

I was really at a loss for what to do to reach the end of my desperate quest for God. It was then that I met an Algerian Muslim. Born and raised in France, he didn’t even know how to pray and his life was quite far from the ideal of a Muslim; nevertheless, he had very strong faith in God. However, his belief without knowledge irritated me and made me decide to study Islam. To start with, I bought a French translation of the Qur’an, but I could not read more than two pages. It seemed so strange and boring. I gave up my effort to understand it alone and went to the mosque in Paris to ask someone to help me. It was a Sunday and there was a lecture for women. The sisters welcomed me warmly. It was my first encounter with practicing Muslim women. To my surprise, I felt myself very much at ease with them, although I’d always felt myself a stranger in the company of Christians. I started to attend the lecture every weekend and to read a book given to me by one of the Muslim women. Every minute of the lecture and every page of the book were, for me, a revelation, giving me great spiritual satisfaction I’ve never known before. I had an excited feeling that I was being initiated into the truth. What was wonderful, Subhaanallah (Praise be to Allaah), was my feeling the presence of God very close to me while in the posture of Sajdah (prostration).
__________
(57) Sister Khaula visited the Women’s Office of The Islamic Guidance Center in Buraidah, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia on 10/25/1993. She shared this information with other Muslim Sisters in the Office. 1 found it important to share with our Muslim brothers and sisters the Story of Khaula’s coming to Islam followed by her experience and advice concerning the Hijab.

(58) This is the concern of so many people in the World and especially in the West or in countries dominated by Western culture. People become “workaholic” to keep up with more and more of what they want to have. The secondary things of today are the necessities of tomorrow! The Medium way described by the Creator, Allah, is ignored except by the few.(Dr.S. As-Saleh)

(59) Allah is the God of everyone. This thought translates that God must be one. There is no nationalistic belonging to God! Being the God of everyone, He does not command some people to worship Him alone while at the same time makes it permissible for others to set up rivals with Him in worship. This means that His worship must be one and that it is not up to us to define this type of worship. The way of worship belongs to the One and Only One True God, Allah. This constitutes His religion and He had named this way: Islam.

Khula’s Story with the Hijab :

“Two years ago when I embraced Islam in France, the polemic around the wearing of the hijab at school was very hot. The majority of people thought it was against the principle of the public school which should keep its neutrality towards the religion. I, who was not yet Muslim then, could hardly understand why they were worried over such a tiny thing as a small scarf put on the head of Muslim students…but, apparently, French people who had faced the serious problem of the increasing non-employment rate and the insecurity in big cities became nervous over the immigration of workers from Arab countries. They felt aggrieved by the sight of the hijab in their town and in their school.

In Arab countries, on the other hand, a great wave of coming back of the hijab was being observed especially among the young generation, against the expectation, shared by some Arab people and the most of Western people, of its passing away from the scene as Westenerization took root.

The Islamic revival symbolized by the current resurgence of the hijab is often considered as an attempt of Arab Muslims to restore their pride and identity which have been repeatedly undermined by colonization and economic retardation. For Japanese people, the actual adherence of Arab people to Islam may seem a kind of conservative traditionalism or antiwesternism, which (the) Japanese knew themselves in the Meiji era at the first contact with the Western culture, and because of which they reacted against the Western life-style and the Western way of dressing. Man has always had a conservative tendency and reacts against which is new and unfamiliar without realizing whether it is good or bad for him. Some people still think the Muslim women insist on wearing hijab which is the “very symbol of the oppressed situation because they are enslaved by the tradition and are not sufficiently aware of their lamentable situation. If only, they probably think, the movement of the women’s liberation and independence awakes those women’s mind, they will take away the hijab.”

Such a naive point of view is shared by the people who have little knowledge of Islam. They, who are so accustomed to the secularism and the religious eclecticism, are simply unable to understand that the teaching of Islam is universal and eternal. Anyway, there are more and more women, beyond the Arab Nationality, all over the world embracing Islam as the true religion and covering the hair. I am but an example of these women. The hijab is surely a strange object for non-Muslim people. For them, the Hijab does not cover the woman’s hair but also hides something to which they have no access, and it’s why they feel uneasy. From the outside, effectively, they can never see what is behind the Hijab. I have kept the hijab since I became Muslim in Paris two years ago…In France, soon after my conversion, I put a scarf, matched in color to the dress, lightly on the head, which people might think a sort of fashion(60). Now in Saudi Arabia, I cover in black all my body from the top of my head till the tip of my toes including my eyes…At the time I decided to embrace Islam, I did not think seriously about whether I would be able to make the five prayers a day or put the hijab. May be I was afraid that I might find the negative answer, and that would affect my decisions to be Muslim. I had lived in a world which had nothing to do with Islam until I visited, for the first time, the Mosque of Paris. Neither the prayer nor the hijab were yet very familiar to me. I could hardly imagine myself making the prayer and wearing the hijab. But my desire to be a Muslim was too strong to worry about what was waiting for me after my conversion. Indeed, it was a miracle that I embraced Islam, Allah Akbar.

In hijab I felt myself different. I felt myself purified and protected. I felt the company of Allah. As a foreigner, I felt sometimes uneasy in a public place, stared by men. With hijab, I was not seen. I found that the hijab sheltered me from such impolite stares. I was also very happy and proud in hijab which is not only the sign of my obedience to Allah but also the manifestation of my faith…besides, the hijab helps us to recognize each other and to share the feeling of sisterhoods. The hijab has also the advantage of reminding the people around me that God exists and reminding me of being with God(61). It tells me: “be careful. You should conduct yourself as a Muslim” As a policeman becomes more conscious of his profession in his uniform, I had a stronger feeling of being Muslim with hijab.

Soon, I started to put the hijab before my going out from the house whenever I went to the Mosque. It was a spontaneous and voluntary act and no body forced me to do so. Two weeks after my conversion, I went back to Japan to attend the wedding ceremony of one of my sisters, and decided not to go back to France, Now that I became a Muslim and found that I’d been looking for, the French literature did not interest me any more. I had rather an increasing passion for learning the Arabic(62).

For me…it was a trial to live in a small town in Japan, isolated completely from Muslims, But such isolation helped me to intensify my consciousness of being a Muslim. As Islam prohibits the women to disclose the body and to wear clothes which accentuate the body line, I had to abandon many of my clothes such as mini-skirts and half-sleeve blouses. Besides, the Western style fashion does not match with the hijab. I decided, therefore, to make a dress by myself. I asked a friend of mine who knew dress-making to help me, and in two weeks I made a dress with a “pantaloon” after the model of a “Pakistani dress”. I did not mind people looking at my strange “fashion”.

Six months had past since I went back to Japan, when my desire to study the Arabic and Islam in a Muslim country grew so intense that I decided to realize it. I went to Cairo where I knew only one person.

I was at a loss to find none of my host family spoke English. To my great surprise, furthermore, the lady who took my hand to lead me into the house covered herself all in black from top to toe including the face. Such a “fashion” is now familiar to me and I adopt it for myself in Riyadh, but at that time, I was quite surprised at the sight.

I attended once in France a big conference for Muslims, and in that occasion I saw for the first time a woman in black dress with a face-cover. Her presence among the women in colorful dress and scarf was very strange and I said myself: ” there she is, a woman enslaved by the Arabic tradition without knowing the real teaching of Islam”, because I knew few things of Islam at that time and thought the covering of the face was but an ethnical tradition not founded in Islam.

The thought which came to me at the sight of a face-covered woman in Cairo was not very far from that. She’s exaggerating. Its unnatural…Her attempts to try to avoid any contact with men seemed also abnormal.

The sister in black dress told me that my self-made dress was not suitable to go out with. I was not content with her because I thought my dress satisfied the conditions of a Muslima’s dress…I bought a black cloth and made a long dress and a long veil called “Khimar” which covers the loins and the whole of the arms. I was even ready to cover the face because it seemed good “to avoid the dust”, but the sister said there was no need. I should not put the cover-face for such a reason while these sisters put it because they believed it a religious duty. Although most of sisters whom I got acquainted with covered the face, they constituted but a small minority in the whole city of Cairo, and some people apparently got shocked and embarrassed at the sight of black Khimar. Indeed the ordinary more or less westernized young Egyptians tried to keep a distance from those women in Khimar, calling them “the sisters”. The men also treated them with a certain respect and a special politeness on the street or in a bus. Those women shared a sisterhood and exchanged the salaam (the Islamic greeting) on the street even without knowing each other… Before my conversion I preferred an active pants-style to a feminine skirt, but the long dress I started to wear in Cairo got to please me very soon. It makes me feel very elegant as if I had become a princess. I feel more relaxed in long dress than in a pantaloon …

My sisters were really beautiful and bright in their Khimar, and a kind of saintliness appeared on their faces…Every Muslim devotes his life to God. I wonder why people who say nothing about the “veil” of the “Catholic Sisters” criticize the veil of the Muslima, considering it as a symbol of “terrorism” or “oppression”.

I gave a negative answer when the Egyptian sister told me to wear like this even after my return to Japan….If I show myself in such a long black dress on the street in Japan, people might think me crazy(63). Shocked by my dress, they would not like to listen to me, whatever I say. they would reject Islam because of my appearance, without trying to know its teaching(64). Thus I argued with her.

Sixth months later, however, I got accustomed to my long dress and started to think I may wear it even in Japan. So, just before my return to Japan, I made some dresses with light colors and white Khimars, thinking they would be less shocking than the black one.

The reaction of the Japanese to my white Khimar was rather good and I met no rejection or mockery at all. They seemed to be able to guess my belonging to a religion without knowing which it is. I heard a young girl behind me whispering to her friend that I was a “Buddhist nun”…

Once on a train I sat beside an elderly man who asked me why I was in such a “strange fashion”. I explained him that I was a Muslim and in Islam women are commanded to cover the body and their charm so as not to trouble men who are weak to resist this kind of temptation. He seemed very impressed by my explanation, may be because he did not welcome today’s young girls’ provocative fashion. He left the train thanking me and saying he would have liked to have more time to talk with me on Islam.

My father was sorry that I went out even on the hottest day in summer with a long sleeve and a head-cover, but I found the hijab convenient for avoiding the direct sunlight on the head and the neck… I felt rather uneasy in looking at the white thigh of my younger sister who wore short pants. I’ve often been embarrassed even before my conversion by the sight of a woman’s busts and hips traced by the shape of her tight thin clothes. I felt as if I had seen something not to be seen. If such a sight embraces me who is of the same sex, it is not difficult to imagine what effect it would give to men.

Why hide the body in its natural state?, you may ask. But think it was considered vulgar fifty years ago in Japan to swim in a swimming suit. Now we swim in a bikini without shame. If you swim, however, with a topless, people would say you are shameless, but go to a South-France’s beach, where many women, young and old, take a sun-bath in a topless. If you go to a certain beach on the west coast in America, the nudists take a sun-bath as naked as when they are born. On the other side, at the medieval times, a knight trembled at a brief sight of a shoe of his adoring lady. It shows the definition of women’s “secret part” can be changed. How you can answer to a nudist if she asks you why you hide yours busts and hips although they are as natural as your hands and face? It is the same for the hijab of a Muslima. We consider all our body except hands and face as private parts because Allah defined it like this(65). Its why we hide them from male strangers. If you keep something secret, it increases in value. Keeping woman’s body secret increases its charm. Even for the eye of the same sex, the nape of a sister’s neck is surprisingly beautiful because it is normally covered. If a man loses the feeling of shame and starts to walk naked and excrete and “make love” in the presence of other people, he would then become no different than an animal. I think the culture of men started when men knew the sense of shame.

Some Japanese wives (put their) make up only when they go out, never minding at home how they look. But in Islam a wife tries to be beautiful especially for her husband and a husband also tries to have a nice look to please his wife. They have shame even between themselves and towards each other. You may say why we are “over-sensitive” to hide the body except the face and the hands so as not to excite men’s desire, as if a man looks always at a woman with a sexual appetite.

But the problem of sexual harassment so much talked about recently shows how men are weak to resist to this kind of attraction. We could not expect prevention of sex harassment only by appealing men’s high morality and self-control…As a short skirt might be interpreted by men to say: ” if you want me, you may take me”, a hijab means clearly, “I am forbidden for you. “

Three months after coming back from Cairo, I left Japan to Saudi Arabia, and this time with my husband. I had prepared a small black cloth to cover the face with…Arriving at Riyadh, I found out that not all the women covered the face. The non- Muslim foreigners of course put only a black gown nonchalantly without covering the head, but the Muslim foreigners also uncovered the face(66). As for the Saudi women, all of them seemed to cover perfectly from top to toe. On my first going out, I put the niqab and found out (that) it (was) quite nice. Once accustomed to it, there is no inconvenience. Rather, I felt quite fine as if I became a noble and special person. I felt like the owner of a stolen masterpiece who enjoyed the secret pleasure: I have a treasure that you don’t know and which you are not allowed to see. A foreigner might see a couple of a fat man and a woman all covered in black who follows him in the street in Riyadh as a caricature of the oppressing-oppressed relationship or the possessing-possessed relationship, but the fact is that the women feel as if they were queens guarded and lead by servants.

During the first several months in Riyadh, I covered only the part beneath the eyes. But when I made a winter cloth, I made on the same occasion a thin eye-cover. My armament then became perfect and my comfort also. Even in a crowd of men, I felt no more uneasiness. I felt as if I had become transparent before the eyes of men. When I displayed the eyes, I felt sometines uneasy when my eyes met a man’s eye accidentally, especially because the Arab people have very keen eyes. The eye-cover prevents, like black sun-glasses, the visual intrusion of strangers.

Khaula further says that the Muslim woman “covers herself for her own dignity. She refuses to be possessed by the eyes of a stranger and to be his object. She feels pity for western women who display their private parts as objects f or male strangers. If one observes the hijab from outside, one will never see what is hidden in it. Observing the hijab from the outside and living it from inside are two completely different things. We see different things. This gap explains the gap of understanding Islam. From the outside, Islam looks like a ‘prison’ without any liberty. But living inside of it, we feel at peace and freedom and joy that we’ve never known before…We chose Islam against the so-called freedom and pleasure. If it is true that Islam is a religion that oppresses the women, why are there so many young women in Europe, in America, and in Japan who abandon their liberty and independence to embrace Islam? I want people to reflect on it. A person blinded because of his prejudice may not see it, but a woman with the hijab is so brightly beautiful as an angel or a saint with self-confidence, calmness, and dignity. Not a slight touch of shade nor trace of oppression is on her face. ‘They are blind and cannot see’, says the Qur’an about those who deny the sign of Allah, but by what else can we explain this gap on the understanding of Islam between us and those people.” (3/1993)

Note: Khula’s article was sent (late 1993) to the Women’s Office of the Islamic Guidance Center, Buraidah, Al- Qassim, KSA.

Source : The Hijab Why ?  (pg 43-55) – by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)

Sincere Advice to Every Christian – Dr. Saleh As-Saleh

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The Qur’an, being Allah’s Word, confirms and attests to the true nature of Jesus, and this is not known by many people. This book will introduce the reader to the Qur’anic texts related to Jesus, peace be upon him, hoping that the truth regarding the personality of Jesus becomes clear.

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Sincere Advice to Every Christian – Dr. Saleh As-Saleh

House Fly – One Wing Carrying Disease and the Other Carrying the Cure – Dr. Saleh as Saleh

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“If a housefly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in thedrink), for the one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure of the disease.” [Bukhari, vol. 4: 537].

Student Research @ Qassim University under the supervision of Dr. Saleh as-Saleh (rahimahullah)

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The Hadeeth on the Fly – Dr Saleh as Saleh [PDF]

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