UNJUST KILLING IS STRONGLY DENOUNCED BY THE GLORIOUS QUR’AN AND THAT IS THE TRUE ISLAM

For nearly one billion Muslims the Glorious Qur’an has

the Revealed Words of the Almighty Most Merciful

and Eternally Gracious Allah Himself.

Here are a few selected verses from the Qur’an on the subject.
Please read all the verses to get the true picture
and thereafter do contemplate upon the

Eternal, Unchanging Commands.

“…if anyone slew a person unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” Qur’an 5: 32 “…take not life which Allah hath made sacred except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you…”   Qur’an  6: 151

“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.” Qur’an  49: 13

For those who do read the above but follow not:

“And if any fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed they are the evil-doers.”     Qur’an  5 : 45

“Nor be of those who reject the Signs of Allah or thou shalt be of those who perish.”    Qur’an   10: 95

“And there are among us some who have surrendered (to Allah) and there are among us some who are unjust. And whoso hath surrendered to Allah, such have taken the right path purposefully. And as for those who are unjust, they are firewood for hell.”  Qur’an 72 : 14 – 15

Defending against transgressions and oppressions

is a blameless act:

“But indeed if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong (done) to them against such there is no cause of blame. The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land defying right and justice: for such there will be a Penalty grievous.” Qur’an  42: 41-42

“…persecution is worse than slaughter.”   Qur’an  2: 191

The persecutors who do not turn in repentance,

will have the Burning Fire:

And they witnessed (all) that they were doing against the Believers. And they (the persecutors) ill-treated them for no other reason than that they believed in Allah, Exalted in Power, worthy of all Praise! — Him to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth! And Allah is Witness to all things. Those who persecute the Believers, men and women, and do not turn in repentance, will have the Penalty of Hell: they will have the Penalty of the Burning Fire.  For those who believe and do righteous deeds, will be Gardens. Beneath which Rivers flow: that is the great Salvation (the fulfillment of all desires).    Qur’an  85: 8 to 11

Allah is the Master Planner, and He grants the persecutors the respite for a while As for them they are but plotting a scheme. And I am planning a scheme. Therefore grant a delay to the unbelievers: Give respite to them gently (for a while).    Qur’an  86 : 15 to 17

What do Muslims think about Jesus?

Muslims love and respect Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of God’s prophets and messengers to humankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as “Jesus,” but always adds the phrase “may the peace and blessings of God be upon him.” The Quran confirms his virgin birth, and a special chapter of the Quran is entitles “Mary.” The Quran describes the Annunciation as follows:

“The Angels said, ‘O Mary! God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations…’ ‘O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near God. He shall speak to the people in infancy and in old age, and shall be of the righteous.’ She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said: ‘Even so; God creates what He wills. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, “Be” and it is.’” (Quran 3:42,45-7)

Just as God created Adam without a mother or father, He caused Jesus to be conceived without a father:

“Truly the example of Jesus in relation to God is as the example of Adam. He created him from dust and then said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was.” (Quran 3:59)
During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The Quran tells us that he said: “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, a figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God’s leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God’s leave.” (Quran 3:49)

Jesus, like Muhammad, came to confirm and renew the basic doctrine of the belief in One God brought by earlier prophets. In the Quran, Jesus is reported as saying the he came: “To attest the Torah that was before me. And make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord; so be conscious of God and obey me.” (Quran 3:50)

The Prophet Muhammad said: “Whoever believes in that there is no deity except God, and with no partners, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God; His word which He bestowed upon Mary and a spirit proceeding from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven.”

Jesus is not only central to Christianity; he is also venerated throughout Islam. Christians may be surprised to learn that Muslims believe in the Virgin Birth and Jesus’ miracles. But this shared interest in his message goes much further.

In the Muslim view, Jesus’ essential work was not to replicate bread or to test our credulity, but to complement the legalism of the then original Torah with a leavening compassion rarely expressed in the older testament. His actions and words introduce something new to monotheism: They show the mercy of God.

Jesus confirmed the Torah, stressing the continuity of his lineage, but he also developed the importance of compassion and self-purification as crucial links between learning the words of God’s message and possessing the wisdom to carry it out. Oddly enough, some of the recent work by New Testament scholars seems to have reached a view of Jesus not all that different from Muslims’. For them, Jesus appears not as a literal son of God in human form, but as an inspired human being, a teacher of wisdom with a talent for love drawn from an unbroken relationship to God. Both versions present him as a man who spoke to common people in universal terms.

Two events in the life of the Prophet Muhammad may help explain why Muslims revere the Christian Jesus. The first event involves an elder resident of Mecca named Waraqa bin Nawfal. This man was an early Arab Christian and a cousin of Muhammad’s wife, Khadija. He could read Hebrew and was mystical by nature. He attended Khadija and Muhammad’s wedding in about 595 CE.

Fifteen years later, a worried Khadija sought Waraqa out and brought her husband to him. At the time, Muhammad was a 40-year-old respected family man. He was frightened. He had been meditating one evening in a cave on the outskirts of town. There, he had experienced something so disturbing that he feared he was possessed. A voice had spoken to him.

Waraqa listened to his story, which was Muhammad’s first encounter with the angel Gabriel. When it was finished, Waraqa assured him he was not possessed. “What you have heard is the voice of the same spiritual Messenger God sent to Moses. I wish I could be a young man when you become a Prophet. I would like to be alive when your own people expel you.”

“Will they expel me?” Muhammad asked.

“Yes,” the old man said. “No one has ever brought his people the news you bring without meeting hostility. If I live to see that day, I will support you.”

Christians will recognize in Waraqa’s remarks an aphorism associated with Jesus: “A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country.” But that a Christian should first have verified Muhammad’s role as a Prophet may come as a surprise.

The second important event concerning Islam and Christianity dates from 616, a few years after Muhammad began to preach publicly. This first attempt to reinstate the Abrahamic tradition in Mecca met (as Waraqa had warned) with violent opposition. Perhaps the Meccans resented Muhammad’s special claim. Perhaps his message of a single, invisible, ever-present God threatened, in addition to their inherited traditions, the economy of their city. A month’s ride south from the centers of power in Syria and Persia, poor remote Mecca depended on long-distance trade and on seasonal pilgrims who came there each year to honor hundreds of pagan idols, paying a tax to do so.

At any rate, Muhammad’s disruptive suggestion that “God was One” and could be worshipped anywhere did not sit well with the businessmen of Mecca.

Many new Muslims were being tortured. Their livelihoods were threatened, their families persecuted. As matters grew worse, in 616 Muhammad sent a small band of followers across the Red Sea to seek shelter in the Christian kingdom of Axum. There, he told them, they would find a just ruler, the Negus, who could protect them. The Muslims found the Negus in his palace, somewhere in the borderland between modern Ethiopia and Eritrea.

After one Muslim recited to him some lines on the Virgin Mary from the Quran, the Negus wept at what he heard. Between Christians and Muslims, he said, he could not make out more difference than the thickness of a twig. These two stories underscore the support Christians gave Muhammad in times of trial.

The Quran distils the meaning from the drama: “And you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say: We are Christian. That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud. And when they listen to what has sent down to the Messenger (Muhammad), you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognized.” (Quran 5:82-83)

Even today, when a Muslim mentions Jesus’ name, you will hear it followed by the phrase “peace and blessings be upon him,” because Muslims revere him as a Prophet. “Say (O Muslims): “We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Isahq (Issac), Ya’qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat (the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya’qub (Jacob), and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and ‘Isa (Jesus) and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).” (Quran 2:136)

As these lines from the Quran make clear, Muslims regard Jesus as one of the world’s great teachers. He and his mentor John the Baptist stand in a lineage stretching back to the founder of ethical monotheism. Moreover, among Muslims, Jesus is a special type of prophet; a Messenger empowered to communicate divinity not only in words but by miracles as well.

Muslims believe that certain fictions were developed and added in the fourth and fifth centuries to Christianity and the portrait of Jesus. Three of these come in for special mention: First, Muslims consider monastic asceticism a latter-day innovation, not an original part of Jesus’ way. Second, the New Testament suffers from deletions and embellishments added after Jesus’ death by men who did not know him. Third, Muslims consider the description of Jesus as God’s son a later, blasphemous suggestion.

Muslims venerate Jesus as a divinely inspired human but never ever as “the Son of God”. In the same vein, they treat the concept of the Trinity as a late footnote to Jesus’ teachings, an unnecessary “mystery” introduced by the North African theologian Tertullian two centuries after Jesus’ death. Nor do Muslims view his death as an act of atonement for mankind’s sins. Rather, along with the early Christian theologian Pelagius, Islam rejects the doctrine of original sin, a notion argued into church doctrine by St. Augustine around the year 400.

Islam holds the true view of Jesus that was refused and condemned by the fourth-century Byzantine Church . Once Constantine installed Christianity as the Roman Empire’s state religion, a rage for orthodoxy followed. The Councils of Nicaea (325), Tyre (335), Constantinople (381), Ephesus (431), and Chalcedon (451) were official, often brutal attempts to stamp out views of Jesus held by other theologians whom the Byzantine Church called heretical.

Rulings by these councils led to the persecution and deaths of tens of thousands of early Christians at the hands of more “orthodox” Christians who condemned them. Most disputes have centered until today on divergent interpretations of the Trinity and the very nature of Jesus. Then and now, no more dangerous religious mistake exists for a Muslim than dividing the Oneness of God by twos or threes.

Despite these important differences, however, the Quran repeatedly counsels Muslims not to dispute with other monotheists over matters of doctrine except in a good manner and with respect and good words.

“And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: ‘We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God

and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender.’” (29:46)

What Does the Quran Say about Jesus ?
In His infinite Wisdom, Almighty God has not only measured and defined succinctly the nature and role of every creation on earth, but has included all human beings as well as His prophets and messengers.

The Islamic view of Jesus (peace be upon him) lies between two extremes. On one hand, the Jews rejected him as a Prophet of God and called him as impostor. On the other hand, the Christians consider him to be the Son of God and worship him as such. Islam considers Jesus (peace be upon him) to be one of the great Prophets of God and respects him as much as Ibrahim (Abraham), Moses, and Muhammad (peace be upon them). This is in conformity with the Islamic view of the Oneness of God, the Oneness of Divine Guidance, and the complementary role of the subsequent mission of God’s messengers. (Islamic Future, March/April 1997 issue vol. XII, No. 67).

In Surah “Maryam” (Chapter Mary), the Quran tells us how Mary gave birth to Jesus (peace be upon him), and how the Jews accused Mary of blasphemy when she brought home her child. The home folks were amazed and thought the worst of her. They accused her that she disgraced the house of Aaron, the fountain of priesthood. The Quran provided the dialogue between her and her people:

“At length she brought the (babe) to her people carrying him (in her arms), they said: “O Mary! Truly a strange thing has thou brought! “O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!” But she pointed to the babe. They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?” He said: “ I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a Prophet. “And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me prayer and zakat as long as I live. “(He hath made me) kind to my mother, and not overbearing or unblest; so peace on me the day that I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)” (Quran 19: 27-33)

Jesus is not the Son of God: he was, obviously enough, the son of Mary. The verses continue:

“Such (was) Jesus, the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that he should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, “Be” and it is.” (Quran 19: 34-35).

The rejection of the idea of God having a son is re-stated with even stronger words:

“They say: “The Most Gracious has betaken a son!” Indeed ye have put forth a thing most monstrous! At it the skies are about to burst, the earth to split asunder, and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin, that they attributed a son to the Most Gracious. For it is not consonant with the majesty of the Most Gracious that He should beget a son. Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to The Most Gracious as a servant.” (Quran 19:88-93)

Jesus had no human father, but this does not make him the Son of God, or God Himself. By this criterion, Adam would have been more entitled to be the son of God, because he had neither a father nor a mother, so that the Quran draws attention to the miraculous creation of both in the following verse:

“The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: “Be”, and he was.” (Quran 3:59, The Quran)

The Quran rejects the doctrine of the Trinity, (e.g., God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) as strongly as it rejects the concept of Jesus (peace be upon him) as the Son of God. It also, rejects the doctrine of Crucifixion. Jesus (peace be upon him) was not crucified but was raised to heaven. It was certainly the plan of his enemies to put him to death on the cross, but God saved him and someone else was crucified. The Holy Quran is clear on this:

“That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”, but they killed him not, nor crucified him. Only a likeness of that was shown to them. And those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge. But only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not: -Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, wise; – And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them.” (Quran 4:157-159).

The Quran went on in explaining the role of Jesus (peace be upon him) as only a Messenger of Allah, being His Word and a Spirit proceeding from Him. It explained further that Allah alone is One God and he alone is the Supreme Ruler of the entire Universe.

“O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and his Messengers. Say not “Three”: desist: it will be better for you, for Allah is the only one that (God), Glory be to Him: (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.” (Quran 4:171)

Here are some Quranic confirmations regarding Who God is and what Jesus (peace be upon him) says about Allah (God). All prophets advocated the absolute Oneness of God. He alone is worthy of worship, to whom all heads should bow down in submission and adoration. He alone is the Omnipotent Being and that all are in need of His favor and obliged to solicit His help.

“Certainly they disbelieved who Says: “Allah is Christ, the son of Mary.” But said Christ: “O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Whoever joins other gods with Allah, – Allah will forbid him the Garden and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.”

“They disbelieve who say: Allah is one of three (in a Trinity): for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous chastisement will befall the disbelievers among them.”

“Why turn they not to Allah and seek His forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-forgiving, most Merciful.”

“Christ, the son of Mary was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!”

“Say: Will ye worship, besides Allah something which hath no power either to harm or benefit you? But Allah, – He it is that hearth and knoweth all things.” (Quran 5:72-76)

“And behold! Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, ‘take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah’/”. He will say: “Glory to Thee. Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For thou knowest in full all that is hidden.”

“Never said I to them aught except what thou didst command me to say, ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’”. (Quran 5: 116-117).

God Almighty having the absolute power without limit over all things may create anything He wishes. These Quranic verses below may enlighten us about Him and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him).

“Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. It is not befitting to the majesty of Allah that He should beget a son. Glory is to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, “Be”, and it is. Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord; Him therefore serves ye: this is a Way that is straight.” (Quran 19: 34-36).

“If you disbelieve, then verily,Allah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves.And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith you. No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then to Your Lord is your return …” (Quran 39:7).

Mary never claimed that she was a mother of God, or that her son was God. She was a pious virtuous woman. And Jesus disclaims here any knowledge of the sort of things that are attributed to him by those who take his name. The worship of Mary, though repudiated by the Protestants, was widely spread in the earlier churches, both in the East and the West.

Some more reference about what Jesus (peace be upon him) says concerning God and himself:

In (Matthew 4:10) where Jesus (peace be upon him), reproves Satan for desiring the worship of other than Allah (God): “Begone, Satan! For it is written ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.” Jesus (peace be upon him) stressed the point that God alone should be worshipped.

In (John 20:17) where he says to Mary Magdalene, “… Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Jesus (peace be upon him) wanted to convey that he is no different from us with regards to our relationship with the Almighty God called by him as “Father”. Hence, he urged his disciples to pray the “Lord’s Prayer”: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9)

In (Luke 18:19) where he rebukes a ruler for calling him God Master: “Why do you call me god? No one is god but Allah (God) alone.” Godness is one of God’s exclusive attributes and Jesus (peace be upon him) emphasized to his listeners that no creator can arrogate to himself anything that belongs to God.

In (John 14:1) Jesus (peace be upon him) says: “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.” In giving assurance of glad tidings to his disciples, Jesus made it a point that in believing in God, his disciples should also believe in him, which implies that he was indeed separate and distinct from God.

And in (Mark 12:29-32), he says, “The first commandment is, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Do Islam, Christianity and Judaism have different origins?

No. Muslims believe that the original, unchanged message given to Muhammad, Jesus, Moses and all the other prophets came from the One same God. This common origin explains their similarities in many beliefs and values.

“Say: We believe in God and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him (God) do we wholly give ourselves.” (Quran 3:84)

Jews, Christians and Muslims all consider Abraham their Patriarch. Abraham is mentioned in the Quran as one of the great prophets. He was blessed by God to be the father of many nations. From his second son, Isaac, descended the tribe of Israel, and through them, Moses and Jesus; and from his first son, Ishmael, came Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon all His messengers).

Abraham was commanded by God to rebuild the place of worship that Adam first built – the Kabah, in Makkah (Mecca). The Kabah is a simple stone structure, erected as a sanctuary for the worship of the One God. Muslims do not worship the Kabah; the cubical building is simply the unified direction towards which all Muslims face in prayer to God Almighty.

THOSE WHO LOVE THE PROPHET ‘ISA (AS) ARE CHARGED WITH LOVE, NOT WAR

The wars and conflicts that left their mark on the 20th century are continuing to threaten all humanity in the new century. The threat of war, which is rising every day, and international terror targeting all of innocent humanity, making no allowances for women, children or the elderly, may lead to very serious material losses. However, despite the need for increased international solidarity felt in the face of this, certain circles are engaging in activities aimed at spreading conflict still further. In the light of the clash of civilizations thesis, attempts are being made to lay the ground for a plan aimed at bringing two great civilizations, the Christian West and Islam, into conflict with one another. These circles, which intend to achieve their aims by benefiting from the climate on chaos that will arise, sadly fail to think that such a measure will also result in terrible disaster for themselves.

In such a state of affairs, a great responsibility falls onto the shoulders of members of the two great faiths, the foundations of both civilizations, in order for world peace to be established. Rather than engaging in conflict, both parties need to increase the co-operation between them as a requirement of the peace and love that form the essence of both divine faiths.

Believers in the One Allah (God) Should Strive against Atheism, Not against One Another

It is a fact that a big intellectual struggle is still taking place in the world, and that the world is divided into two poles. However, it is not Muslims and Jews/Christians who are the supporters of these poles. On the one side are those who believe in the existence and oneness of Allah (God), and on the other are deniers; to put it another way, we have the proponents of religious moral values on one side and the proponents of ideologies opposed to such values on the other.

It is also a fact that the opponents of religious moral values and those forces which target those values have combined the broad means at their disposal and are acting in alliance against sincere believers. In order to eliminate this evil alliance on the intellectual plane, to do away with the negative, destructive consequences of atheistic, materialist indoctrination and to establish societies in which moral virtues, happiness, peace, security and well-being prevail, the three major forces on the other side of the equation, Muslims and sincere Christians and devout Jews need to come together in the light of this common objective.

The holy scriptures of the three Revealed religions describe how Jews, Christians and Muslims share common bases of belief, worship and moral values. The responsibility of true Christians, Jews and Muslims possessed of faith, conscience and common sense is to engage in a joint intellectual struggle against wickedness and the evil, to assist one another, and to work in unity and unison. This union must be constructed on the basic principles of love, respect, tolerance, understanding, harmony and cooperation. They need to bear in mind the urgency of the situation and strongly avoid anything that might lead to disputes, argument or division.

There may have been various misunderstandings among the members of these faiths in the past; that is a historical truth. But these stemmed, not from the essence of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but from mistaken decisions and ideas on the part of states, communities and individuals, and usually from economic or political interests and expectations. Otherwise, one of the common aims of all three Revealed religions is for everyone to live in peace, security and happiness, and conflict violating this is wrong in the eyes of all three faiths.

When we look at the New Testament, the foundation of Christianity, at the Torah, the basis of Judaism, and at the Qur’an, on which Islam is founded, we see that pleasant speech and behavior is recommended in mutual relations.

A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend. (Surah Fussilat, 34)

The kind of behavior that people should adopt towards one another is described in these terms in the Bible:

“…always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”  (1 Thessalonians, 5/15)

In the Torah, the way that Jews must behave well towards other people is set out as follows:

“Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts…” (Amos, 5:14-15)

In the Qur’an, our Lord has revealed the importance of good moral values, goodness, and of responding to evil with good. He has commanded Muslims to treat Jews and Christians, the Peoples of the Book, with good intentions and tolerance. It is revealed in the Qur’an that the Peoples of the Book, Christians and Jews in other words, are much closer to Muslims than are pagans or atheists. The Peoples of the Book possess moral criteria and the concepts of lawful and unlawful, based on the revelation of Allah. For that reason it is lawful for Muslims to eat food prepared by a member of the Peoples of the Book. In the same way, Muslim men are permitted to marry women from the Peoples of the Book. These are foundations that will permit the construction of warm human relations and a peaceful common life.

Since thus a moderate and tolerant attitude is recommended in the Qur’an it is impossible for a Muslim to hold any ideas to the contrary.

In the Qur’an, Allah has told Muslims to speak pleasantly to the Peoples of the Book. The most important element that Muslims and the Peoples of the Book hold is without doubt faith in the one Allah:

Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way–except in the case of those of them who do wrong–saying, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him.’ (Surat al-‘Ankabut, 46)

Muslims’ Love of the Prophet ‘Isa (as)

One of the most important and unifying elements between Christianity and Islam is the love that the members of both faiths feel for the Prophet ‘Isa (as). The Qur’an describes how all the prophets have communicated the same Divine message, that they have imparted glad tidings to and warned people, and have also been the best role models for their communities. It is for that reason that Muslims believe in all the prophets, and make no distinction between them. Muslims believe in the Prophet ‘Isa (as) as they do in the Prophet Muhammad (saas), and feel great love and respect for him. In the Qur’an, the Prophet ‘Isa (as) is described as “The Messenger of Allah and His Word” (Surat an-Nisa’, 171); and it is revealed in verse 91 of Surat al-Anbiya’ that he was made a sign for humanity. Very important information about his struggle, miracles and life is also provided. The superior moral values of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) is praised as follows in the Qur’an:

When the angels said, ‘Maryam, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, ‘Isa, son of Maryam, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near.’ (Surah Al ‘Imran, 45)

Muslims believe that the Bible is a Divine text sent down from the Presence of Allah (but that it was subsequently corrupted by human beings but that it still preserves various divine stipulations). They know that the Bible was sent down to Christians by Allah as a guide, with features distinguishing between right and wrong, lawful and unlawful. The qualities of the Bible given to ‘Isa are revealed in these terms in one verse of the Qur’an:

And We sent ‘Isa son of Maryam following in their footsteps, confirming the Torah that came before him. We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light, confirming the Torah that came before it, and as guidance and admonition for those who guard against evil. (Surat al-Ma’ida, 46)

It is also noted in the Qur’an that Christians will enjoy a special friendship with Muslims in comparison to other communities of believers. The way that it is Christians who are closest to Muslims and the reason for this is set out as follows in one verse:

.. You will find the people most affectionate to those who believe are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because some of them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant. (Surat al-Ma’ida, 82)

The first examples of this closeness and these warm relations revealed in this verse took place in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). A number of oppressed Muslims migrated, at the direction of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), to Abyssinia, ruled by the Christian king Ashama, where they lived in peace and security. In the early years of Islam excellent relations founded on toleration peace, love, co-operation, solidarity and the principle of freedom of religion, belief and worship were established among Christians and Muslims. Again during that time, aspects of social life such as marriage, trade and neighborliness were practiced in an exemplary manner by all Muslims and Christians.

Moreover, the scriptures of both faiths contain the principle of treating those people not of their numbers with friendship and allying themselves with them in goodness, rather than treating them as enemies. One important passage in this regard can be found in the gospels of Mark and Luke in the New Testament. The Prophet ‘Isa warned his disciples against treating anyone who was not one of them coldly, and said “he who is not against us is from us,” an expression of a most significant perspective. These statements in the Bible must serve as a guide for Christians in the way they look at Muslims. Muslims think differently to Christians on certain subjects; yet they are never opposed to Christianity. On the contrary, Muslims are a community who love the Prophet ‘Isa (as) as well as Christians do, who regard him as an envoy of Allah, and who wait his return to Earth with great excitement and enthusiasm.

The Virtues of the Prophet ‘Isa (as), a Messenger of Peace and Love, Must Serve as a Role Model for Christian Leaders

The New Testament states many times that the Prophet ‘Isa (as) will return again to Earth. According to Hebrews in the Bible, “To those who eagerly wait for Him (Christ) He will appear a second time … for salvation.” (Hebrews, 9:28)

The glad tidings of the second coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) are imparted in many other passages in the Bible, as well.

Muslims are people who have a profound love for the Prophet ‘Isa (as), who believe in his miracles and superior virtues, that he will return to Earth and, with the Mahdi, cause religious moral values to prevail over the world, and who are awaiting this with great enthusiasm. Both Muslims and the Christian world need to make preparations for the return to Earth of the Prophet ‘Isa (as).

We can learn what kind of preparations need to be made before the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) from the verses of the Qur’an, from the hadiths of our Prophet (saas), and from the side interpretations by such great Islamic scholars as Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. The most important phase of this preparation is the joint intellectual struggle to be waged against systems that are incompatible with religious moral values. All believers must unite in an intellectual struggle against atheist ideologies such as Darwinism and materialism that turn people away from such values. They must work together for such ideologies to be eliminated from the world. The Prophet ‘Isa (as) will establish such an alliance when he returns once again to Earth and will prepare a climate of love, peace and well-being.

Both the Christian world and Muslims need to make wide-ranging preparations for the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (as), and must await this worthy guest with enthusiasm and excitement. Failure to make preparations for the coming of this holy prophet, making concessions or being apathetic about it, failing to attach the requisite importance to this great event, may be a cause of terrible disgrace when the Prophet ‘Isa (as) returns.

It must not be forgotten that the return of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) is not an event that will affect only some regions of the world. His return will be powerful and miraculous enough to affect the entire planet. With the coming of this holy individual, there will be radical, global changes in the social and political spheres, and the whole world will combine around the Prophet ‘Isa (as) and the Mahdi, the other holy personage of the End Times.

The day, hour and place of the return of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) are set out in the Sight of Allah. No earthly event can either delay or hasten his coming.

Some circles today are mistakenly attempting to establish a connection between the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) and the climate of chaos in the world, especially with the war and confusion in the Middle East, and are even making various concrete efforts in that regard. The fact is, however, that the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) is Divinely appointed and both Muslims and the Christian world must await the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) with peace and in a climate of love.

Those who love and follow the Prophet ‘Isa (as) must, like him, treat people with love. True Christians must not espouse war and bloodshed against Muslims, who also believe in Allah and love ‘Isa (as) as a great prophet. What they must do, as true believers, is to adopt an attitude of love, peace, friendship and reconciliation.

Terrible experiences in world history have witnessed over again that the results to be obtained from peace and reconciliation cannot be obtained by people being killed in war. The world of the 21st century must be one that has learned from the deaths of millions of people in wars, one constructed by civilized people. Politicians and the leaders of all countries in the world we are currently living in must be people who resolve problems by civilized and peaceful means.

Since all Christians and Muslims, who believe in the Prophet ‘Isa (as), will combine in a common belief when he returns, efforts must be made right from the present moment to overcome prejudices and distrust among Christians and Muslims.

The Prophet ‘Isa (as) Commanded Peace

Great respect has to be shown for differences of faith in the knowledge that the Prophet ‘Isa (as) will teach people the truth. A great effort has to be made in order to fill the world with the peace, brotherhood, compassion and love that he will wish to see.

There is no doubt that we all of us hope that the Middle East can become a secure land in which Jews, Muslims and Christians can all live together in peace. To that end, first and foremost, all sides must lay aside their prejudices and evaluate events in a sound manner and come together for the sake of a bright future as befits people of conscience. For that reason, Christians have an important responsibility to world peace as one party to this alliance.

In conclusion, true Christians must never forget the word of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) “Blessed are the peacemakers.” (Matthew 5:9) in which he commands them to be ambassadors of peace.

The advent of the Prophet Isa (pbuh) is not an event that will affect only some regions of the world. His advent is a miraculous event, powerful enough to impact the entire world. With the coming of this blessed Prophet (pbuh), there will be radical social and political changes all around the world and the entire world will join together around the Prophet Isa (pbuh).

How to make your Wife happy ?

Beautiful Reception

After returning from work, school, travel, or whatever has separated you:

• Begin with a good greeting.

• Start with Assalamau ‘Aliaykum and a smile. Salam is a sunnah and a du’aa for her as well.

• Shake her hand and leave bad news for later!

Sweet Speech and Enchanting Invitations

• Choose words that are positive and avoid negative ones.

• Give her your attention when you speak of she speaks.

• Speak with clarity and repeat words if necessary until she understands.

• Call her with the nice names that she likes, e.g. my sweet-heart, honey, saaliha, etc.

Friendliness and Recreation

• Spend time talking together.

• Spread to her goods news.

• Remember your good memories together.

Games and Distractions

• Joking around & having a sense of humor.

• Playing and competing with each other in sports or whatever.

• Taking her to watch permissible (halal) types of entertainment.

• Avoiding prohibited (haram) things in your choices of entertainment.

Assistance in the Household

• Doing what you as an individual can/like to do that helps out, especially if she is sick or tired.

• The most important thing is making it obvious that he appreciates her hard work.

Consultation (Shurah)

• Specifically in family matters.

• Giving her the feeling that her opinion is important to you.

• Studying her opinion carefully.

• Be willing to change an opinion for hers if it is better.

• Thanking her for helping him with her opinions.

Visiting Others

• Choosing well raised people to build relations with. There is a great reward in visiting relatives and pious people. (Not in wasting time while visiting!)

• Pay attention to ensure Islamic manners during visits.

• Not forcing her to visit whom she does not feel comfortable with.

Conduct During Travel

• Offer a warm farewell and good advice.

• Ask her to pray for him.

• Ask pious relatives and friends to take care of the family in your absence.

• Give her enough money for what she might need.

• Try to stay in touch with her whether by phone, e-mail, letters, etc..

• Return as soon as possible.

• Bring her a gift!

• Avoid returning at an unexpected time or at night.

• Take her with you if possible.

Financial Support

• The husband needs to be generous within his financial capabilities. He should not be a miser with his money (nor wasteful).

• He gets rewards for all what he spends on her sustenance even for a small piece of bread that he feeds her by his hand (hadeeth).

• He is strongly encouraged to give to her before she asks him.

Smelling Good and Physical Beautification

• Following the Sunnah in removing hair from the groin and underarms.

• Always being clean and neat.

• Put on perfume for her.

Intercourse

• It is obligatory to do it habitually if you have no excuse (sickness, etc.)

• Start with “Bismillah” and the authentic du’a.

• Enter into her in the proper place only (not the anus).

• Begin with foreplay including words of love.

• Continue until you have satisfied her desire.

• Relax and joke around afterwards.

• Avoid intercourse during the monthly period because it haram

• Do what you can to avoid damaging her level of Hiyaa (shyness and modesty) such as taking your clothes together instead of asking her to do it first while you looking on.

• Avoid positions during intercourse that may harm her such as putting pressure on her chest and blocking her breath, especially if you are heavy.

• Choose suitable times for intercourse and be considerate as sometimes she maybe sick or exhausted.

Guarding Privacy

Avoid disclosing private information such as bedroom secrets, her personal problems and other private matters.

Aiding in the Obedience to Allah

• Wake her up in the last third of the night to pray “Qiyam-ul-Layl” (extra prayer done at night with long sujood and ruku’ua).

• Teach her what you know of the Qur’an and its tafseer.

• Teach her “Dhikr” (ways to remember Allah by the example of the prophet) in the morning and evening.

• Encourage her to spend money for the sake of Allah such as in a charity sale.

• Take her to Hajj and Umrah when you can afford to do so.

Showing Respect for her Family and Friends

• Take her to visit her family and relatives, especially her parents.

• Invite them to visit her and welcome them.

• Give them presents on special occasions.

• Help them when needed with money, effort, etc..

• Keep good relations with her family after her death if she dies first. Also in this case the husband is encouraged to follow the Sunnah and keep giving what she used to give in her life to her friends and family.

(Islamic) Training & Admonition

This includes:

• The basics of Islam

• Her duties and rights

• Reading and writing

• Encouraging her to attend lessons and halaqahs

• Islamic rules (ahkam) related to women

• Buying Islamic books and tapes for the home library

Admirable Jealousy

• Ensure she is wearing proper Hijab before leaving house.

• Restrict free mixing with non-mahram men.

• Avoiding excess jealousy.
  Examples of this are:
  1- Analyzing every word and sentence she says and overloading her speech by meanings that she did not mean
  2- Preventing her from going out of the house when the reasons are just.
  3- Preventing her from answering the phone.

Patience and Mildness

• Problems are expected in every marriage so this is normal. What is wrong is excessive responses and magnifying problems until a marital breakdown.

• Anger should be shown when she exceeds the boundaries of Allah SWT, by delaying prayers, backbiting, watching prohibited scenes on TV, etc..

• Forgive the mistakes she does to you.

Correcting her Mistakes

• First, implicit and explicit advice several times.

• Then by turning your back to her in bed (displaying your feelings). Note that this does not include leaving the bedroom to another room, leaving the house to another place, or not talking with her.

• The last solution is lightly hitting (when allowable) her. In this case, the husband should consider the following:

• He should know that Sunnah is to avoid beating as the Prophet PBUH never beat a woman or a servant.

• He should do it only in extreme cases of disobedience, e.g. refusing intercourse without cause frequently, constantly not praying on time, leaving the house for long periods of time without permission nor refusing to tell him where she had been, etc..

• It should not be done except after having turned from her bed and discussing the matter with her as mentioned in Qur’an .

• He should not hit her hard injuring her, or hit her on her face or on sensitive parts of her body.

• He should avoid shaming her such as by hitting her with a shoe, etc.

Pardoning and Appropriate Censure

• Accounting her only for larger mistakes.

• Forgive mistakes done to him but account her for mistakes done in Allah’s rights, e.g. delaying prayers, etc..

• Remember all the good she does whenever she makes a mistake.

• Remember that all humans err so try to find excuses for her such as maybe she is tired, sad, having her monthly cycle or that her commitment to Islam is growing.

• Avoid attacking her for the bad cooking of the food as the Prophet PBUH never blamed any of his wives for this. If he likes the food, he eats and if he doesn’t then he does not eat and does not comment.

• Before declaring her to be in error, try other indirect approaches that are more subtle than direct accusations

• Escape from using insults and words that may hurt her feelings.

• When it becomes necessary to discuss a problem wait until you have privacy from others.

• Waiting until the anger has subsided a bit can help to keep a control on your words.

The following is a summary of the book “How to make your wife happy”

Things To Remember For Eid Day

If the focus of Eid this year for you and your family is making it special, emphasizing the build-up to and the actual Eid prayer also requires preparation.

Here are some tips, etiquettes and points to remember for Eid day to make it happy and comfortable for all.

1. Prepare all clothes, maps, etc. one day in advance

Looking for the map of how to get to the Eid prayer area once you’re in the car headed there is not a good idea. You may discover it’s missing. That’s why you need to check that you have all the necessary information about how to reach your destination one day in advance. This way, you have enough time to call for directions or buy a map.

Similarly, all clothes should be ironed the night before, since there may not be time the day of Eid, or there may be too much of a rush for the iron.

Setting the Eid table should also be done in advance, especially considering it’s Eid and you want the table to look nice. It’s hard to do that when you’re in a rush to get to Eid prayers on time.

2. Share children’s responsibilty

Decide which kids will go with which parent the day before Eid prayers. Too often, fathers dump the entire responsibility for taking care of the children on mothers’ shoulders. The situation often becomes unmanageable as moms may not be able to watch all of the kids. Fathers need to take some of this responsibility.

One way of doing this is by separating the siblings who fight the most. Another is by keeping the girls with mom and the boys with dad. Or babies (birth to three years) with mom and kids (four to seven-years-old) with dad. Every family is unique so parents will have to decide how to split up the kids. Regardless of how it’s done, the point is to reduce disruption for parents and for others and to keep the kids in tow.

3. Talk to the kids about proper behavior

Explain to them before going that while Eid is a time of happiness, fun and celebration, it is not appropriate to run, jump, shout and play hide-and-seek with other kids at the prayer place. Throw in an enticing reward (i.e. a promise to go out for ice cream or the park later that day if they behave) may also encourage kids to save the fun and games for after prayers.

Also explain that they must sit still and be quiet during the explanation of the prayer, during the prayer (if they are not praying) and the Khutbah that follows. Advise them to whisper in Mommy or Daddy’s ear if they need anything and must talk to them.

4. Take a bag to put your shoes in

This way, you can freely move around if necessary to straighten up your line in prayer, since you won’t be worrying about where you’ve put your shoes. Have each family member make their own bag if there’s time, and get the younger kids to decorate theirs. Everyone should put their initials on the bag and remember to carry it with them at all times.

5. Take your Musallas with you to pray

Although arrangements are usually made to have a sheet or paper to pray on, encourage everyone in your family to bring their own, just in case.

6. Say the Takbirat in the car

In particular, have the younger kids lead it with everyone else following. This way, their energy and excitement will dissipate and they won’t be so hyper at the Eid prayer place.

7. Go in the first line of prayer

For men, this is the best place to be if you want to catch the Imam’s explanation of prayers, his Khutbah, as well as any other announcements.

Sadly, it’s also the place where there is a greater chance prayer lines will be straight (things just start to deteriorate further down in the back).This is a tendency in both the men and women’s sections.

8. Be quiet while the Imam is explaining how to pray

If Maryam, a new Muslim sister, is trying to understand how to do the Eid prayer, she can’t exactly do that if Hafsa on her right is gabbing incessantly with her friends. Out of respect for others, we should be silent or at least whisper if necessary so we don’t disturb others who are trying to understand how to do the Eid prayer.

9. Straighten your lines in prayer

Make sure to stand shoulder to shoulder and in straight lines facing the Qibla for the Eid prayer.

10. Be quiet during the Khutbah

After the Eid prayer, the Imam will give a brief Khutbah. It is highly encouraged to stay and listen to it. Even if we do have to get up and leave, we should do so as quietly as possible so as not to disturb those who are listening.

11. Greet those whom you know and those you don’t

Say Salam and hug the person next to you once the Khutbah is over. Isn’t it ironic that we stand so physically close to someone in prayer (shoulder to shoulder) but completely ignore them once it’s over? Hug your prayer neighbor and at least wish them Eid Mubarak.

If they are alone, invite them over or get their phone number and inform them of any Eid activities that are coming up in your community. They may be new to the community and know nobody, so be as open and friendly as possible.

Abdullah ibn Amr narrated that a man once asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) what aspect of Islam was the best, and he said: You should provide food, and greet both those you know and those you do not (Bukhari, Muslim).

12. Contribute to the arrangement of the Eid prayers

Some places may pass around a box or bag seeking donations to cover the cost of renting the Eid prayer place. Give generously, since it normally costs thousands of dollars and the more the Muslim community gives, the faster Eid prayer organizers can pay back the amount.

13. Look for the Muslim leadership and congratulate them

How often do you see Muslims thanking their leaders, those poor people who work so hard for the community with minimal to no pay. Seek these people out and give them your Eid greetings. Thank them for all of their hard work for the community.

14. Get the family to help out with clean up

See if the family can volunteer to help clean up the prayer area after everyone has left. This is also a time when you may see Muslims who don’t have family in the community or are new Muslims. Greet them and invite them over or at least inform them of any upcoming Eid activities.

Islam and Iman

Both the words, Islam and Iman, are used synonymously. Allah Ta’ala says:

“Verily (the true) Deen by Allah is Islam.”

(Aayat No. 19 Surah A’ale Imran)

“Whoever searches for a Deen other than Islam, never will it be accepted from him. (i.e. His adoption of any other religion will never be acceptable to Allah Ta’ala). And, in the Akhirah he (the one who chooses another religion) will be ruined.”

(Aayat No. 85, Surah A’ale Imran)

“Whoever among you turns away from his Deen (Islam) and then dies being a kaafir, his good deeds will be ruined in this world and the Aakhirah. Such people are the inmates of the Fire; therein will they remain forever.”

(Aayat 217, Surah Baqara)

The ruin of one’s deeds in this world is the nullification of one’s Nikah. By renegading reneging from Islam, the renegade’s (murtad’s) wife falls out of his Nikah. He is also deprived of inheritance. He will not inherit in the estate of any Muslim. After death there is no Janaazah Salaat for him. The ruin of one’s deeds in relation to the Aakhirah is the everlasting residence in Jahannum.

If a murtad (one who renounced Islam) returns to the fold of Islam, he will have to renew his Nikah with the woman who was previously his wife. This renewal will be with her consent and approval. If she refuses, it cannot be imposed on her and she cannot be compelled to marry him. Allah Ta’ala says:

“O People of Iman! Believe in Allah, His Rasool, in the Kitab which He has revealed to His Rasool and in those Kitabs which were revealed before (Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Whoever commits kufr (i.e. disbelieves) with Allah, with His Angels, with His Books, with His Rasools and with the Day of Qiyaama, verily, he has gone far astray. Undoubtedly, those who were (first) Muslims then became kaffir; then again Muslims; then again kaafir (and remained so to the last), have gone multiplying in kufr. Allah will never forgive such people nor will He show them the Road (of Jannat).”

(Aayat No. 136-137 Surah Al-Nisa)

Allah Ta’ala says:

“Verily, those who have rejected Our laws, soon will We enter them into a dreadful Fire. Therein (there condition will be such that) when their skins have become scorched (and burnt out), We will immediately replace the skin so that they suffer the punishment (forever). Verily, Allah is most Powerful and the Wise.

(Aayat No. 56, Surah Al-Nisa)

Those who have adopted Iman and practiced righteousness, soon will We enter them into such Paradises under which flow rivers. They will dwell therein forever. Therein will be pure wives for them. We will enter them into a dense shade (of coolness).

(Aayat No. 57 – Surah Al-Nisa)

In these aayaat some of the bounties of Jannat for the people of Islam and some of the terrors and hardships of Jahannum are mentioned for the rejectors of Islam. Other aayaat and ahadith explain these in greater detail.

O Muslims! The life of this world is insignificant. If you remain steadfast on Islam irrespective of whether you have to suffer some hardship, the comforts and luxuries which you will experience and enjoy immediately after death, will obliterate the memory of any difficulty or hardship which you had undergone here on earth.

If due to some baneful motive, greed, fear or hardship you turned away from Islam Allah forbid! You will experience and suffer such terror and punishment immediately after death that you will forget whatever comfort and luxury you had enjoyed here on earth. You will never be able to escape that misfortune and dread which will overtake you after death. Hence, a person with the least amount of understanding will not renounce Islam for the sake of even the kingdom of the whole world.

O Allah! Guide our brethren and straighten their intelligence.

What Is Tasawwuf ?

by Khalid Baig, Albalagh “Verily, he who has purified the heart is successful and he who has despoiled it has lost.” A lot of people have misunderstandings about tasawwuf. Many think that it is something beyond Qur’an and Sunnah. Errant Sufis as well as the superficial ulema, although on the opposite ends of the spectrum, are together in holding this mistaken notion. Consequently the first group has shunned the Qur’an and Hadith while the second group has shunned tasawwuf. Actually, although the term tasawwuf, like many other religious terms in use today, evolved later, the discipline is very much part of the Shariah. The department of the Shariah relating to external deeds like salat and zakat is called fiqh while the one dealing with the internal feelings and states of the heart is called tasawwuf. Both are commanded in the Qur’an. Thus while commanding Salat and Zakat, the Qur’an also commands gratefulness and love of Allah and condemns the evil of pride and vanity. Similarly, in the books of hadith, along with the chapters on Ibadat, trade and commerce, marriage and divorce, are to be found the chapters on riya (showoff) takabbur, akhlaq, etc. These commands are as much a mandatory requirement as the ones dealing with external deeds. On reflection it will be realized that all the external deeds are designed for the reformation of the heart. That is the basis of success in the hereafter while its despoiling is the cause of total destruction. This is precisely what is known technically as tasawwuf. Its focus is tahzeebe akhlaq or the adornment of character; its motive is the attainment of Divine pleasure; its method is total obedience to the commands of the Shariah. Tasawwuf is the soul of Islam. Its function is to purity the heart from the lowly bestial attributes of lust, calamities of the tongue, anger, malice, jealousy, love of the world, love of fame, niggardliness, greed, ostentation, vanity, deception, etc. At the same time it aims at the adornment of the heart with the lofty attributes of repentance, perseverance, gratefulness, fear of Allah, hope, abstention, tauheed, trust, love, sincerity, truth, contemplation, etc. To diagnose and treat the diseases of the heart normally requires the help of an expert mentor or Shaikh. Here are the qualities of a good Shaikh. He possesses necessary religious knowledge. His beliefs, habits, and practices are in accordance with the Shariah. He does not harbor greed for the worldly wealth. He has himself spent time learning from a good Shaikh. The scholars and good mashaikh of his time hold good opinion about him. His admirers are mostly from among the people who have good understanding of religion. Most of his followers follow the Shariah and are not the seekers after this world. He sincerely tries to educate and morally train his followers. If he sees anything wrong in them, he corrects it. In his company one can feel a decrease in the love of this world and an increase in the love for Allah. He himself regularly performs dhikr and shughal (spiritual exercises). In searching for a Shaikh, do not look for his ability to perform karamat (miracles) or to foretell the future. A very good Shaikh may not be able to show any karamat. On the other hand, a person showing karamat does not have to be a pious person — or even a Muslim. Prominent Sufi Bayazid Bistami says: “Do not be deceived if you see a performer of supernatural feats flying in the air. Measure him on the standard of the Shariah.” When you find the right Shaikh, and you are satisfied with his ability to provide spiritual guidance, you perform baya or pledge. This is a two-way commitment; the Shaikh pledges to guide you in light of Shariah and you pledge to follow him. Then the Shaikh will give his mureed (disciple) initial instructions. They include the following: Perform repentance for all the past sins and take steps to make amends, e.g. if any salat has been missed so far in the life, you start making up for it. If you have any unmet financial obligations toward another person make plans to discharge them. Guard your eyes, ears, and tongue. Perform dhikr regularly. Start a daily session of self-accounting before going to bed. Review all the good and bad deeds performed during the day. Repent for the bad ones and thank Allah for the good ones. Perform muraqaba-maut (meditation over death) every night before going to bed. Just visualize that you have died. Reflect upon the pangs of death, the questioning in the grave, the plain of Resurrection, the Reckoning , the presence in the Court of Allah, etc This helps bring softness to the heart and break the tendency to commit sins. Develop humility. Even if you observe another individual committing the worst of vices you should not despise him/her, nor should you consider yourself nobler. It is very much possible that the perpetrator of the vice may resort to sincere repentance while the one who despised the sinner become ensnared in the traps of nafs and Shaitan. One has no certainty regarding one’s end. One, therefore has no basis for regarding another with contempt. The essential idea of tahzeebe akhlaq is to bring our natural faculties in a state of balance. The three basic faculties are anger, desires, and intelligence. Anger: When in equilibrium it results in valor, forbearance, steadfastness, the ability to restrain anger, and dignity. Excess will result in rashness, boastfulness, pride, inability to restrain anger, and vanity. A deficiency will result in cowardice, disgrace, and feeling of inferiority. Desires: Equilibrium here results in chastity, generosity, haya (decency), patience, and contentment. Its excess leads to greed and lust. The other extreme results in narrow-mindedness, and impotence, etc. Intelligence: Equilibrium here makes man wise, sharp-witted and one with great insights. Excess here makes one deceptive, fraudulent and imposture. Its lack results in ignorance and stupidity with the consequence that such a person is quickly misled. A person will be considered as having a beautiful seerah (character) only when these faculties are in the state of balance and equilibrium. Internal beauty varies with people just as external beauty does. The possessor of the most beautiful seerah was Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. The beauty of our seerah is based on its closeness to his seerah. [Condensed from writings of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi]

Source  www.yahya-al-noor.blogspot.com

 

Your Heart is the Pillar of Your Worship

by ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam (may Allah have Mercy upon him)

“…the heart is the machine that drives all acts of worship. It is what moves the entire body! As long as the heart is alive, then the limbs will be alive, and the soul will open itself up to worship. However, if the heart becomes diseased, then worship will become too heavy on the soul, leading to it eventually disliking and hating – and we seek refuge with Allah from this – worship. Because of this, Allah – the Glorified and Exalted – said, regarding the prayer:

{“…and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except on those who are submissive…”} [al-Baqarah; 45]

The prayer is heavy, because one’s legs and hands are not what get up for the prayer. What gets up for the prayer are the heart and the soul.

{“Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for the prayer, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.”} [an-Nisa'; 142]

Because of this, it is the heart that stands up for worship. The limbs are simply slaves of this heart, carrying out what it commands them. If the heart is alive, then the soul will be alive, and worship will become beloved and sweetened to the hearts and the souls, and they will open up for it.

However, if the heart becomes diseased, then worship becomes too heavy on it. The heart is like the digestive system: right now, the most beloved thing to you is meat. However, if you develop an ulcer somewhere in your digestive system, then the meat – along with its fat and oil – becomes the most hated thing to it, since it is diseased. Sweets are also something that are beloved to the soul. For example, if you were fasting right now and were to break your fast on some desserts, then your soul would become satisfied with that, right? However, if one were to be stricken with diabetes, then he would not be able to handle these sugary foods, even if they were beloved to him.

The heart is like this: it must be strong so that it can handle worship that is strong. The stronger your heart becomes, then throw as much worship upon it as you wish. You would get up to pray at night, and you would cherish this prayer and consider sleep to be your enemy:

{“Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope…”} [as-Sajdah; 16]

He begins to forsake it because an enmity develops between him and his bed. He prays behind the imam, and he says to himself: “If only he would make the prayer longer,” so that he would increase in his opening up to this worship, and his tasting of its sweetness.

At times, I would pray a normal prayer with the people behind me, so I would elongate the prayer. The youth would then come to me and say (the hadith): “Whoever leads the people in prayer should go easy on them,” – the youth! And there was an old man behind me who was between 90 and 100 years of age – his face filled with light – and he would say to me: “Keep making the prayer long and do not answer them.” A man of 90 years getting pleasure out of a long prayer, and a youth of 20, who probably practices karate and judo, cannot handle the same prayer.

Why?

If he went to the soccer field and spent two hours playing there without becoming bored, then why would he become bored from hearing the Qur’an for five minutes? The difference between a short prayer and a long prayer is simply five minutes, so why does he become bored from these five minutes of Qur’an, yet he does not become bored from two hours of soccer? Why does he not get bored from standing for two hours staring at an inflated piece of leather, his heart attached to it?

Because, what stands up to pray is the heart, and what stands up for sports are simply the body and muscles.”

[From a lecture given by 'Abdullah 'Azzam on June 15, 1988 entitled 'The True Preparation,' found in the collection 'at-Tarbiyyah al-Jihadiyyah wal-Bina''; 1/220]

 

Maps of the early spread of Islam

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Maps of the Umayyad Caliphate in the Second Half of the 9th and the Second Half of the 10th Centuries

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Map of the Empire of Sultan Salah Al-Din (1171-1193) and Map of the Crusaders’ Principalities in Syria and Palestine

 

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Map of Spain in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Reconquest by the Christian Kingdoms of the North. The Kingdom of Granada.

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Maps of Spain after the Fall of the Umayyad Caliphate in the Periods of the Party Kings and of the Almoravids

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Map of the Growth of the Ottoman Empire From the Early 14th Century Till 1512

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Map of The Ottoman Sultanate in the 16th and 17th Centuries

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Map of the Later Timurid Period; and Map of Safawid Persia in the 16th and 17th Centuries

 

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Map of the Muslim East in the First Half of the 13th Century

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Map of Muslim Expansion in the West in the Umayyad Period (661-750)

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Map of Muslim Expansion until C.E. 661

 

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Map of the Umayyad Empire C.E.750

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Map of the Late Abbasid Caliphate C.E. 900

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Map of Almoravid, Saldjuk, and Ghaznavid Expansion C.E 1100

 

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Map of the Muslim World C.E.1500

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Map of the Muslim World C.E. 1300

Source load-islam.com

WE ALWAYS REMEMBER – AMERICAN TERRORISM

Tuesday, 11 September 2007

Bismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim
Innal-Hamdalillah was-Salaatu was-Salaam `alaa Rasoolillah

And when it is said to them: “Make not mischief on the earth,” they say: “We are only peacemakers.”
Verily! They are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not.
And when it is said to them: “Believe as the people (followers of Muhammad Peace be upon him, Al-Ansâr and Al-Muhajirûn) have believed,” they say: “Shall we believe as the fools have believed?” Verily, they are the fools, but they know not. [Quran 2:11-13]

As Americans prepare to mourn the loss of three thousand plus civilians on September 11th. We call attention again this year to the utter hypocrisy and despicable exceptionalism displayed by these ignorant, patriotic buffoons. It is in fact, U.S. government and military terrorism that has directly slaughtered literally millions of civilian people in the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Russia (the civil war, 1918-1920), Japan, France, Germany, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Panama, Grenada, Libya, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Bosnia and Yugoslavia. In addition, the terrorist U.S. military and CIA have trained armed, funded, provided intelligence and direct military support for fascist puppet-regimes and right-wing death-squads around the world. America’s servant-states have carried out appallingly vicious campaigns of state terrorism. With the direct support of the U.S. government they have committed the torture and genocide of additional millions of helpless, civilian people in Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, China, the Philippines, East Timor, Indonesia, the Congo, Angola, Zaire, Mozambique, Palestine, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Iraq, Pakistan and Iran .

Take notice to these cattle as they debate like sophists the latest bin Laden tape, conversing over whether or not the latest release from Osama Bin Laden was real or whether or not his beard were dyed or fake. Never will they (or can they) refute the very straightforward accusations and content of the tape. Never mind having the administration of the world’s most dominant power respond in any type of intellectual form so as to prove to the people that they are clear of the accusations. The American dream is dead, they simply haven’t told the world and on this September 11th, 2007 the Islamic Thinkers Society would like to declare that we not only believe but are certain that the pure Islamic ideology(socio-economic-politico system) laid down by the Quran and the actions and sayings of Prophet Muhammad(saw) is the only way out of this mess.

Yesterday 11 Americans were killed in Iraq, its bloodiest day yet. In totality they are now claiming nearly 4,000 American soldiers are dead (and this is an extreme under-estimation). American soldiers have come home and committed suicide because of what the world’s most moral military force’s commanders have instructed them to commit. The stock market is vulnerable for crash. The sub prime housing market is influencing the global economy. And America with its wonderfully civilized culture sits back and races onward as the deaf, dumb, and blind consumerist ignore that the end is near: Passing record new defense budgets and bulging the US trade deficit to above $800 billion and rising; this means that Americans consume $800 million more than they produce. The greatest threat to the American homeland is the American people. Al Qaeda can sit back as a spectator and watch you destroy yourselves. The problem is that as you REMEMBER 9/11, and watch your global hegemony crumble around you, your immediate response is to fight and utilize the weapons you have accumulated, the weapons that may destroy the world one thousand times. Islam tells us to call you to the ideology with intellectual and rational discourse, to challenge you to observe the nature of your wrongs. But American People begin with an assumption that they can do no wrong. On this September 11, 2007, we request that you reflect not on the civilians that “you lost” six years ago, but on WHY you lost them and what you can do to prevent Allah’s wrath from overcoming you tomorrow. American hegemony is coming to an end.

ISLAM IS THE ONLY SOLUTION!

It is Allah Who has created you: further, He has provided for your sustenance; then He will cause you to die; and again He will give you life. Are there any of your (false) “Partners” who can do any single one of these things? Glory to Him! and high is He above the partners they attribute (to him)!
Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil).
Say: “Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before (you): Most of them worshipped others besides Allah.”
But set thou thy face to the right Ideology before there come from Allah the Day which there is no chance of averting: on that Day shall men be divided (in two).
(Quran 30: 39-43)

WE REPORT: YOU DECIDE

The recent report by Osama bin Laden has been released and he has placed a direct challenge for all American intellectuals and dupes to refute. Unfortunately, few of them will ever hear but small excerpts from the tape. In it, he makes it clear that this war is being waged in defense and not offense. Certainly North American imams will rush to the aid of the kuffar and defend the American position still trying to claim that what Bin Laden claims has nothing to do with Islam, but many intellectuals in the West would have a hard time refuting a single word of the speech’s content. We will like Osama to speak for himself and we call you to the attention of the ignorant response of your commander in chief and challenge any and all viewers to refute any of what he says.

source :  http://www.islamicthinkers.com