Women in the Qur’an and the Sunnah’

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Women in the Quran and the Sunnah

In Islam there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to Allah is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good conduct and the same punishment for evil conduct.

The Quran says:

“And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women.”

[Noble Quran 2:228]

The Quran, in addressing the believers, often uses the expression, ‘believing men and women’ to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their respective duties, rights, virtues and merits. It says:

“For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.”

[Noble Quran 33:35]

This clearly contradicts the assertion of the Christian Fathers that women do not possess souls and that they will exist as sexless beings in the next life. The Quran says that women have souls in exactly the same way as men and will enter Paradise if they do good:

“Enter into Paradise, you and your wives, with delight.”

[Noble Quran 43:70]

“Who so does that which is right, and believes, whether male or female, him or her will We quicken to happy life.”

[Noble Quran 16:97]

The Quran admonishes those men who oppress or ill-treat women:

“O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given them – except when they have become guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike something and Allah will bring about through it a great deal of good.”

[Noble Quran 4:19]

Considering the fact that before the advent of Islam the pagan Arabs used to bury their female children alive, make women dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka’bah during their annual fairs, and treat women as mere chattels and objects of sexual pleasure possessing no rights or position whatsoever, these teachings of the Noble Quran were revolutionary. Unlike other religions, which regarded women as being possessed of inherent sin and wickedness and men as being possessed of inherent virtue and nobility, Islam regards men and women as being of the same essence created from a single soul.

The Quran declares:

“O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over you.”

[Noble Quran 4:1]

The Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Women are the twin halves of men.” The Quran emphasizes the essential unity of men and women in a most beautiful simile:

“They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them.”

[Noble Quran 2:187]

Just as a garment hides our nakedness, so do husband and wife, by entering into the relationship of marriage, secure each other’s chastity. The garment gives comfort to the body; so does the husband find comfort in his wife’s company and she in his. “The garment is the grace, the beauty, the embellishment of the body, so too are wives to their husbands as their husbands are to them.” Islam does not consider woman “an instrument of the Devil”, but rather the Quran calls her Muhsana – a fortress against Satan because a good woman, by marrying a man, helps him keep to the path of rectitude in his life. It is for this reason that marriage was considered by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as a most virtuous act. He said: “When a man marries, he has completed one half of his religion.” He enjoined matrimony on Muslims by saying: “Marriage is part of my way and whoever keeps away from my way is not from me (i.e. is not my follower).” The Quran has given the raison d’être of marriage in the following words:

“And among His signs is this, that He has created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them; and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect.”

[Noble Quran 30:21]

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was full of praise for virtuous and chaste women. He said:

“The world and all things in the world are precious but the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman. He once told the future khalifah, ‘Umar: “Shall I not inform you about the best treasure a man can hoard? It is a virtuous wife who pleases him whenever he looks towards her, and who guards herself when he is absent from her.”

On other occasions the Prophet said:

“The best property a man can have is a remembering tongue (about Allah), a grateful heart and a believing wife who helps him in his faith.”

And again:

“The world, the whole of it, is a commodity and the best of the commodities of the world is a virtuous wife.”

Before the advent of Islam women were often treated worse than animals. The Prophet wanted to put a stop to all cruelties to women. He preached kindness towards them. He told the Muslims:

“Fear Allah in respect of women.”

And:

“The best of you are they who behave best to their wives.” And:

“A Muslim must not hate his wife, and if he be displeased with one bad quality in her, let him be pleased with one that is good.”

And:

“The more civil and kind a Muslim is to his wife, the more perfect in faith he is.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was most emphatic in enjoining upon Muslims to be kind to their women when he delivered his famous khutbah on the Mount of Mercy at Arafat in the presence of one hundred and twenty-four thousand of his Companions who had gathered there for the Hajj al-Wada (Farewell Pilgrimage). In it he ordered those present, and through them all those Muslims who were to come later, to be respectful and kind towards women. He said:

“Fear Allah regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of Allah, and made their bodies lawful with the word of Allah. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means.”

In Islam a woman is a completely independent personality. She can make any contract or bequest in her own name. She is entitled to inherit in her position as mother, as wife, as sister and as daughter. She has perfect liberty to choose her husband. The pagan society of pre-Islamic Arabia had an irrational prejudice against their female children whom they used to bury alive. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was totally opposed to this practice. He showed them that supporting their female children would act as a screen for them against the fire of Hell:

It is narrated by the Prophet’s wife, Ayshah, that a woman entered her house with two of her daughters. She asked for charity but Ayshah could not find anything except a date, which was given to her. The woman divided it between her two daughters and did not eat any herself. Then she got up and left. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to the house, Ayshah told him about what had happened and he declared that when the woman was brought to account (on the Day of Judgment) about her two daughters they would act as a screen for her from the fires of Hell.

The worst calamity for a woman is when her husband passes away and, as a widow, the responsibility of maintaining the children falls upon her. In the Eastern World, where a woman does not always go out to earn her living, the problems of widowhood are indescribable. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) upheld the cause of widows. Most of his wives were widows. In an age when widows were rarely permitted to remarry, the Prophet encouraged his followers to marry them. He was always ready to help widows and exhorted his followers to do the same.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said:

“One who makes efforts (to help) the widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) in the path of Allah, or like one who stands up for prayers in the night and fasts in the day.”

Woman as mother commands great respect in Islam. The Noble Quran speaks of the rights of the mother in a number of verses. It enjoins Muslims to show respect to their mothers and serve them well even if they are still unbelievers. The Prophet states emphatically that the rights of the mother are paramount.

Abu Hurayrah reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked:

“O Messenger of Allah, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?”

He replied, “Your mother.” “Then who?” He replied, “Your mother.” “Then who?” He replied, “Your mother.” “Then who?” He replied, “Your father.”

In another tradition, the Prophet advised a believer not to join the war against the Quraish in defense of Islam, but to look after his mother, saying that his service to his mother would be a cause of his salvation. Mu’awiyah, the son of Jahimah, reported that Jahimah came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “Messenger of Allah! I want to join the fighting (in the path of Allah) and I have come to seek your advice.” He said, “Then remain in your mother’s service, because Paradise is under her feet.”

The Prophet’s followers accepted his teachings and brought about a revolution in their social attitude towards women. They no longer considered women as mere chattels, but as an integral part of society. For the first time women were given the right to have a share in inheritance. In the new social climate, women rediscovered themselves and became highly active members of society rendering useful service during the wars which the pagan Arabs forced on the emerging Muslim Ummah. They carried provisions for the soldiers, nursed them, and even fought alongside them if it was necessary. It became a common sight to see women helping their husbands in the fields, carrying on trade and business independently, and going out of their homes to satisfy their needs.

Ayshah reported that Saudah bint Zam’ah went out one night. ‘Umar saw her and recognized her and said, “By God, O Saudah, why do you not hide yourself from us?” She went back to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him about it while he was having supper in her room, and he said, “It is permitted by Allah for you to go out for your needs.” The predominant idea in the teachings of Islam with regard to men and women is that a husband and wife should be full-fledged partners in making their home a happy and prosperous place, that they should be loyal and faithful to one another, and genuinely interested in each other’s welfare and the welfare of their children. A woman is expected to exercise a humanizing influence over her husband and to soften the sternness inherent in his nature. A man is enjoined to educate the women in his care so that they cultivate the qualities in which they, by their very nature, excel.

These aspects were much emphasized by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He exhorted men to marry women of piety and women to be faithful to their husbands and kind to their children.

He said:

“Among my followers the best of men are those who are best to their wives, and the best of women are those who are best to their husbands. To each of such women is set down a reward equivalent to the reward of a thousand martyrs. Among my followers, again, the best of women are those who assist their husbands in their work, and love them dearly for everything, save what is a transgression of Allah’s laws.”

Once Mu’awiyah asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “What are the rights that a wife has over her husband?” The Prophet replied, “Feed her when you take your food, give her clothes to wear when you wear clothes, refrain from giving her a slap on the face or abusing her, and do not separate from your wife, except within the house.” Once a woman came to the Prophet with a complaint against her husband. He told her: “There is no woman who removes something to replace it in its proper place, with a view to tidying her husband’s house, but that Allah sets it down as a virtue for her. Nor is there a man who walks with his wife hand-in-hand, but that Allah sets it down as a virtue for him; and if he puts his arm round her shoulder in love, his virtue is increased tenfold.” Once he was heard praising the women of the tribe of Quraish, “…because they are the kindest to their children while they are infants and because they keep a careful watch over the belongings of their husbands.”

The Shari’ah regards women as the spiritual and intellectual equals of men. The main distinction it makes between them is in the physical realm based on the equitable principle of fair division of labor. It allots the more strenuous work to the man and makes him responsible for the maintenance of the family. It allots the work of managing the home and the upbringing and training of children to the woman, work which has the greatest importance in the task of building a healthy and prosperous society.

It is a fact, however, that sound administration within the domestic field is impossible without a unified policy. For this reason the Shari’ah requires a man, as head of the family, to consult with his family and then to have the final say in decisions concerning it. In doing so he must not abuse his prerogative to cause any injury to his wife. Any transgression of this principle involves for him the risk of losing the favor of Allah, because his wife is not his subordinate but she is, to use the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), ‘the queen of her house’, and this is the position a true believer is expected to give his wife. In contrast to these enlightened teachings of Islam in respect of women, Western talk of women’s liberation or emancipation is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her honor, and degradation of her soul!

Prof. ‘Abdur Rahman I. Doi

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Thing Called Love

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Allah, Beauty, God, Heart, Human, Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya, Islam, Last Judgment, Life, Love, Maulana Jalaludin Rumi, Men, Muslim, Peace, Poetry, Qura'n, Relationship, religion, Sufi's, Wisdom, Women, World, Youth

I’ve been looking for a long, long time,

for this thing called love,

I’ve ridden comets across the sky,

and I’ve looked below and above.

Then one day I looked inside myself,

and this is what I found,

A golden sun residing there,

beaming forth Allah’s (God’s) light and sound.

Maulana Jalaludin Rumi

..

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Islamic Beliefs About Angels

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Angels (Arabic: ملائكة‎ malāʾikah; singular: ملاك malāk) are heavenly beings mentioned many times in the Quran and hadith. Unlike humans or jinn, they have no free will and therefore can do only whatGod orders them to do. An example of a task they carry out is that of testing of individuals by granting them abundant wealth and curing their illness. Believing in angels is one of the six Articles of Faith in Islam. Just as humans are made of clay, and jinn are made of smokeless fire, angels are made of light. Reality of Angels In common folklore, angels are thought of as good forces of nature, hologram images, or illusions.  Western iconography sometimes depicts angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a halo surrounding their head.  In Islamic doctrine, they are real created beings who will eventually suffer death, but are generally hidden from our senses. They are not divine or semi-divine, and they are not God’s associates running different districts of the universe.  Also, they are not objects to be worshipped or prayed to, as they do not deliver our prayers to God.  They all submit to God and carry out His commands. In the Islamic worldview, there are no fallen angels: they are not divided into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ angels.  Human beings do not become angels after death.  Satan is not a fallen angel, but is one of the jinn, a creation of God parallel to human beings and angels. Angels were created from light before human beings were created, and thus their graphic or symbolic representation in Islamic art is rare.  Nevertheless, they are generally beautiful beings with wings as described in Muslim scripture. Angels form different cosmic hierarchies and orders in the sense that they are of different size, status, and merit. The greatest of them is Gabriel.  The Prophet of Islam actually saw him in his original form.  Also, the attendants of God’s Throne are among the greatest angels.  They love the believers and beseech God to forgive them their sins.  They carry the Throne of God, about whom the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: “I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of God who carry the Throne.  The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.” (Abu Daud) They do not eat or drink.  The angels do not get bored or tired of worshipping God: “They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever slacken.” (Quran 21:20)

The Number of Angels

How many angels there are? Only God knows.  The Much-Frequented House is a sacred heavenly sanctuary above the Kaaba, the black cube in the city of Mecca.  Every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, followed by another group.

The Names of Angels

Muslims believe in specific angels mentioned in the Islamic sources likeJibreel (Gabriel), Mika’eel (Michael), Israfeel, Malik – the guard over Hell, and others.  Of these, only Gabriel and Michael are mentioned in the Bible.

Angelic Abilities

The angels possess great powers given to them by God.  They can take on different forms.  The Muslim scripture describes how at the moment of Jesus’ conception, God sent Gabriel to Mary in the form of a man: “…Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” (Quran 19:17) Angels also visited Abraham in human form.  Similarly, angels came to Lot to deliver him from danger in the form of handsome, young men.  Gabriel used to visit Prophet Muhammad in different forms.  Sometimes, he would appear in the form of one of his handsome disciples, and sometimes in the form of a desert Bedouin. Angels have the ability to take human forms in some circumstances involving common people. Gabriel is God’s heavenly messenger to mankind.  He would convey the revelation from God to His human messengers.  God says: “Say: whoever is an enemy to Gabriel – for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by God’s will…” (Quran 2:97)

Tasks of the Angels

Some angels are put in charge of executing God’s law in the physical world.  Michael is responsible for rain, directing it wherever God wishes.  He has helpers who assist him by the command of his Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as God wills.  Another is responsible for blowing the Horn, which will be blown by Israafeel at the onset of the Day of Judgment.  Others are responsible for taking souls out of the bodies at the time of death: the Angel of Death and his assistants.  God says: “Say: the Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls, then shall you be brought back to your Lord.” (Quran 32:11) Then there are guardian angels responsible for protecting the believer throughout his life, at home or traveling, asleep or awake. Others are responsible for recording the deeds of man, good and bad.  These are known as the “honorable scribes.” Two angels, Munkar and Nakeer, are responsible for testing people in the grave. Among them are keepers of Paradise and the nineteen ‘guards’ of Hell whose leader is named ‘Malik.’ There are also angels responsible for breathing the soul into the fetus and writing down its provisions, life-span, actions, and whether it will be wretched or happy. Some angels are roamers, traveling around the world in search of gatherings where God is remembered.  There are also angels constituting God’s heavenly army, standing in rows, they never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads, always worshiping God. As we learn from above, the angels are a grandiose creation of God, varying in numbers, roles, and abilities. God is in no need of these creatures, but having knowledge and belief in them adds to the awe that one feels towards God, in that He is able to create as He wishes, for indeed the magnificence of His creation is a proof of the magnificence of the Creator. Islam is clear on the nature of angels. The functions that the angels perform vary, one of the most prominent of these functions is their function as messengers. The angel Jibraaiyl (Gabriel) is the most important (prominent) messenger angel, as in Islam, he delivers the message of God (Allah) to theIslamic prophets. Angels cannot be seen as they are heavenly beings but that can take on different forms, including human. One well known example is when God sent the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) to Maryam (Mary) in the form of a man, as God says in the Quran:

…then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. —Quran, sura 19 (Maryam), ayat 17

Similarly, angels also came to Abraham (ʾIbrāhīm) in human form, and he was not aware that they were angels until they told him so. Lot (Lūṭ) also had angels come to him to warn him of the impending doom of his people. All angels praise and glorify God and they never become tired of doing this.

They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit. —Quran, sura 21 (Al-Anbiya), ayah 20^[9]

…for in the presence of thy Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day. And they never flag (nor feel themselves above it). —Quran, sura 41 (Fussilat), ayah 38

There are angels standing in rows, who never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads. Abu Dharr al-Ghifari is quoted as saying:

“The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘I see what you do not see and hear what you do not hear. The heaven makes a noise like groaning, and it has the right to (or it is no surprise), for there is no space in it the width of four fingers, but there is an angel there, placing his forehead in sujood(prostration) to Allaah. By Allaah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much, you would not enjoy your relationships with women and you would go out in the street praying to Allaah.'” —Abu `Isa Muhammad ibn `Isa at-Tirmidhi, Jami` at-Tirmidhi

No angel is able to disobey God due to the way God created angels. For this reason, Islam does not teach that Iblīs or Shayṭan (the Devil or Satan) was a fallen angel, rather he was one of the jinn.

O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded. —Quran, sura 66 (At-Tahrim), ayah 6

The Quran also mentions that angels have qualities that may be typified by the word wings:

Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels, messengers with wings,- two, or three, or four (pairs):… —Quran, sura 35 (Fatir) ayah 1

The preceding sentence does not imply that all angels have two to four wings. Most notably, archangels (namely Gabriel and Michael) are described as having thousands of wings.^{[citation needed]} However, according to hadith collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari, Muhammad said that Gabriel had 600 wings;

Narrated Abu Ishaq-Ash-Shaibani: I asked Zir bin Hubaish regarding the Statement of Allah: “And was at a distance Of but two bow-lengths Or (even) nearer; So did (Allah) convey The Inspiration to His slave (Gabriel) and then he (Gabriel) Conveyed (that to Muhammad). (53.9-10)^[13] On that, Zir said, “Ibn Mas’ud informed us that the Prophet had seen Gabriel having 600 wings.” —Muhammad al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 455

The angels also accompanied Muhammad up to Jannah (Heaven) when he received commands from God. Instead of riding on an angel, Muhammad rode a creature called a Buraq whose stride spans from horizon to horizon. Angels are not equal in status and consequently they have been delegated different tasks to perform. The names and roles of some angels have been mentioned to us:

• The angels of the Seven Heavens.
• Hafaza, (The Guardian Angel):Jundullah, those who help Muhammad in the battlefield
  • Kiraman Katibin (Honourable Recorders), two of whom are charged to every human being; one writes down good deeds called Raqib, and the another one called Atid writes down evil deeds.
  • Mu’aqqibat (The Protectors) who keep people from death until its decreed time and who bring down blessings.
• The angels who violently pull out the souls of the wicked,
• Those who gently draw out the souls of the blessed,
• Those angels who distribute (provisions, rain, and other blessings) by (God’s) Command.
• Those angels who drive the clouds.
• Hamalat al-‘Arsh, those who carry the ‘Arsh (Throne of God), comparable to the Christian Seraph
• Arham, those that give the spirit to the foetus in the womb and are charged with four commands: to write down his provision, his life-span, his actions, and whether he will be wretched or happy.^[22]

• The Angel of the Mountains
• Munkar and Nakir, who question the dead in their graves.
• Darda’il (The Journeyers), who travel in the earth searching out assemblies where people remember God’s name.
• The angels charged with each existent thing, maintaining order and warding off corruption. Their number is known only to God.
• Ridwan is the angel who is responsible for Jannah (Paradise)
• Maalik is the chief of the angels who govern Jahannam (Hell)
• Zabaniah are 19 angels who torment sinful persons in hell

These angels take no pity on punishing them as they do what the Lord has commanded them to precisely and perfectly. A verse stipulates this:

O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded. —Quran, sura 66 (At-Tahrim), ayah 6

The following is a Quranic verse that mentions the meeting of an angel with Mary, mother of Jesus (ʿĪsā):

Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah; —Quran, sura 3 (Ali-Imran), ayah 45

Muhammad, speaking of the magnitude of the angel Gabriel, has said that his wings spanned from the eastern to the western horizon.

Narrated Aisha: Whoever claimed that (the Prophet) Muhammad saw his Lord, is committing a great fault, for he only saw Gabriel in his genuine shape in which he was created covering the whole horizon. —Muhammad al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 457

Verses in the Quran that directly name angels Gabriel (Jibreel) and Michael (Mikaa’eel) are mentioned early on the Quran in sura Al-Baqarah:

Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel-for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah’s will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe,- Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and messengers, to Gabriel and Michael,- Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith. —Quran, sura 2 (Al-Baqara) ayat 97-98

Another angel, Maalik is defined in the Quran as a being who is the warden of Hell. However Maalik is not an evil angel, nor a fallen one, a notion Islam rejects, rather Maalik is merely doing what he is commanded to do by God. In Islam, Iblīs or Shayṭan (the Devil or Satan) is considered by many to be a jinn rather than a fallen angel, since he questioned God when He ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam, an act that suggested he possesses free will. An alternative view holds that rather than “defying” God, Iblis was acting in a manner predetermined by God.

They will cry: “O Malik! would that thy Lord put an end to us!” He will say, “Nay, but ye shall abide!” —Quran, sura 43 (Az-Zukhruf ) ayah 77

Two other angels are also mentioned directly in the Quran: Haaroot and Maaroot (Harut and Marut):

…and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. —Quran, sura 2 (Al-Baqara) ayah 102

Several angels such as Azrael, Israfil, Munkar and Nakir are not mentioned directly in the Quran but are explained further in the hadiths of Muhammad.

Pray For GAZA

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Pray For GAZA

Oh Allah!!!

Oh Allah,

be for them a guardian and helper

Our Lord,

strong are those who are near to you

Glorious is your praise And sanctified are your names

Oh Allah no one can abolish your command

And no one can defeat your army

Praise and glory to you

Oh Allah revealer of the book

Mover of the clouds,

Defeater of the armies

Crush them down and shatter them

Oh Allah show us in them signs of your might

Murderers of the messengers and prophets

Tyrants of the innocents

Oh Allah free the Muslims of Gaza,

Oh magnificent,

oh honored one,

Oh Allah loose their chains

Heal their sickness,

And uncover their torture,

Oh Allah replace their fear with safety

Oh magnificent,

oh honored one

Oh Allah strengthen Islam and the Muslimeen

Lower and shirk and Mushrikeen,

Destroy the enemies 

of the religion,

And protect the territories of Islam

And unite the word of the Muslims in truth,

oh lord of the worlds, 

Oh Allah saves the weak

and powerless of the Muslimeen everywhere.

Ameen

”’

Playing The Feeling Of Other’s And Hurting Someone!

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Playing The Feeling Of Other’s And Hurting Someone!

Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem

Nawaytu’l-arba`een, nawaytu’l-`itikaaf, nawaytu’l-khalwah, nawaytu’l-riyaada, nawaytu’s-salook, nawaytu’l-`uzlah lillahi ta`ala fee hadha’l-masjid

They say that if speaking is from silver, if you like to talk, it is equal to silver, then to be silent is equal to gold because we cannot as a human being control our tongues. And the biggest problem in this world is that people are not able to control their tongues from talking. And the Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad he said, in the meaning of his hadith, tradition, part of the hadith is that “anyone who can guarantee for me,” he is saying, “can guarantee for me his tongue,” he didn’t say “his tongue” but he said, “what is between his jaws, I will guarantee for him Paradise.” Because you don’t know how you might address people and you hurt their feelings.

I heard my master in his teachings to many Muslim and non-Muslim. …As I said, “the place is small but the hearts are big.”

So… the Prophet , I heard my teacher many times was saying that “people might commit sins, too many and they might do things that are not allowed.” It means they might lie or they might cheat or they might because of their greediness, they might raise prices more than it should be, or they might do other things, not listening to the mother or the father or the elders, or not following what they need to follow in their beliefs, all that if you ask repentance, Allah will forgive you. God will forgive you. Anything that is between you and God, Allah swt, you do something wrong and you might take something to your advantage from the rights of your Lord, you repent, Allah is merciful He will forgive you.

As it is said in the Holy Qur’an, “Say [O Muhammad] to the people, ‘If they were oppressors to themselves, let them not lose hope of My forgiveness. I will forgive them, just let them repent.”

God is always merciful. But the problem is that when we hurt the feeling of someone else or we backbite someone else or we spread a bad rumor about someone else, the problem is not that you repent and god will forgive. The problem is that the person you hurt you must ask forgiveness. So there is a problem there. Might be the person you ask will not forgive you. So what happens? You are falling into a valley that has not bottom.

When the Prophet asked his companions about the meaning of bankruptcy, and we have lot of bankruptcy going around today. He asked them, “who is the bankrupt one?” They said, “whoever loses his wealth.” He said, “No, this is not the real meaning of bankrupt.” Although that is what we understand, bankruptcy is whoever lost all his wealth. He said, “No, the bankrupt one is the one who has no good deeds to present to God on Judgment Day.” And the companions said, “even if he is praying and fasting?” and he said, “even if he is praying and fasting, he might not have any good deeds.” They were surprised.

So it means on the Day of Judgment, and it is called judgment like you are judged here in a court, one person accuses the other. So on the Day of Judgment whoever has been harmed he will give from his good deeds to give to you. If he hurt you a lot then all the good deeds he did in his life will be transferred to you. Then he will be left with nothing, bankrupted.

So we said at the beginning that the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus and Moses and Abraham and Noah , all these heavenly religions came to discipline us and to teach how to behave with each other and to be relate with each other. That is the message that we have to carry with us.

Unfortunately many of us they try to hurt the others… in different ways. Look. Some Muslims hurt the majority of Muslims. Why? Because they thought this is their way, so even though they prayed and fasted, as the prophet said, because they hurted the other they are bankrupted in the presence of Allah they have nothing, they deserve punishment. Those who blended or branded or labeled the name of Islam and Muslim as terrorists because of their actions that they killed innocent people, they hurt the whole Muslim community. And not only the Muslim community, but they hurt the whole human race. What do you think the punishment will be on them. It is not going to be an easy punishment.

Antichrist, and we know in the Holy Bible and in the Torah of Moses and in the Holy Qur’an and the holy hadith of the prophet, about the last days we know that Antichrist is coming. Antichrist means the one who does not accept Jesus coming back on earth .it means he does not accept except his own belief. How many Antichrist we now have around this world?

Prophet Muhammad came 1400 years ago and delivered his message and he said, “Tis message will go to the Day of Judgment and in the Last Days Jesus will come back, and him and one of my grandchildren, Mahdi , will come to eliminate injustice.” But before that a lot of confusion that Antichrist will bring on earth before Jesus comes. So Jesus will come to eliminate what the Antichrist is doing.

So how many nowadays can be called “Antichrist on earth” that they are damaging the reputation of Islam and Muslims and against all heavenly messages? And they are coming against all messages and they are coming against every one who doesn’t accept them and the Antichrist will come against the whole world because they don’t accept him, and he will come and conquer one land after another. You found this in Bible in and in the hadith of the Holy Prophet . So he will establish himself in one place and then use that place to take over other places. That is the point of departure, intilaq in Arabic, to take over different places in order to take over the whole world.

And the Prophet said, “His evil power will move from one place to another.” Look today you see these circles of evilness, they are forming circles of evilness and they are doing all kinds of miseries around the world, problems around the world; terrorism around the world; fighting around the world; hijacking now, vessels and boats around the world. All kinds of evil work they are doing and this is because they are inheritors of what the Antichrist is coming with, they are paving the road for Antichrist. That means they are his supporters and we are looking and we are surprised how many of them coming around the world, destroying all kinds of beliefs.

“Antichrist,” the Prophet said, “he will not accept except his own beliefs.” He will say to you “if you accept me ok, if you don’t accept me…” he will eliminate them. And he will eliminate anyone who does not accept his belief and he will use massive elimination. And are we not seeing massive eliminations? Yes, look in Iraq, with suicide bombings. In other countries. And 911, after 911, before 911. Look in Africa how they are fighting. All of that is like a collection of different places around the world, with the same behavior and same ideology. Even if their belief is not Muslim but they are from different religions, but their focus, their belief, is to create confusion on earth either by their speeches or by their actions. Listen to what they say in their speeches. They are fiery speeches. And the Prophet said, “Anyone who can guarantee what is between his jaws … I will guarantee for him Paradise.”

These people we don’t hear from them except threatenings and Antichrist comes with threatenings, he cannot come with other than that. He comes before Jesus , before `Isa . And as I said, he has supporters. These supporters are coming out of their caves now and are spreading this earth with all these kinds of confusion. Unfortunately there is no end for it. The end will come with arrival of Antichrist. Because the evil power always going to be from century to century And in this century it is increasing a lot.

So what we have to do then is, as the Prophet said, “There will coming a time that there will be huge confusions around the world. Like chunks,… You know how you look at the sky at night and you don’t see any stars, there are huge chunks of dark night. He said, “Confusions will be so dark and so huge,” as if someone looking in the sky and seeing huge darkness there, no light. So at that time he said, “there will be lot of confusions around the world.” He said, “the one sitting, the one who is sitting, means sitting at home or sitting looking after his work, and sitting looking after his children and his family is better than the one standing and looking from the window.” He might receives something that might hurt him. The one looking is exposed. The one who is sitting on his chair, he is not looking outside there is no exposure for anything. He is not going to be exposed. He said, “the one who is sitting, is better than the one who is standing the one who is standing better than one walking the one walking on the street is better…?

And he said, “If you get angry at that time, then hit on a stone.” Hit your hand or your stick, it means get your anger out on that stone, until you break your stick. At that time “take your bow and arrow and hit it on the rock.” Don’t involve with anyone as something might hurt you. We are in such days.

That is why one of the companions of the Prophet , Sayyidina `Ali (r), karam-Allahu wajha, wa , he said, “you have to be careful what you are saying and what you want to say.” Today what makes people falling into problems is they have to know what they have to speak and what they have to say. He said, “before you speak judge yourself before you talk anything.”

Does anyone judge himself before he speaks? Look today these talk shows. Did you see any show they didn’t criticize each other? This one criticize this one and that one criticize that one. They say two opinions. What is the benefit? You are making more confusion with two opinions that one says something and that one says another: Who is right and who is wrong? Both consider they are right.

So the best is to keep silent. Study, learn, raise a family. Look at your work and don’t involve yourself too much with issues that don’t concern you. I don’t want to be long, but as he said, Sayyidina `Ali (r):

اعمل لدنياك كأنك تعيش أبداً ، و اعمل لآخرتك كأنك تموت غدا

A`amal li-dunyaka ka-annaka ta`ayshu abadan wa a`amal li akhiratika ka-annaka tamootu ghaddan – do for you lifetime that you are living on this earth as if you are living forever.”

It means be ambitious do what you want to do, but check what you want to say, but try to do the maximum, No problem. But make sure you do for your other life, the afterlife, as if you are dying tomorrow.

So look at the both sides. He said, “look at this world as if you are living forever. But keep in mind you might die tomorrow. You have to keep both sides, as any time you might be called and asked.

So the best in this time is to raise good children and a good family and to as soon as possible to get them married. You cannot leave your children without marriage. Too much temptations. Too much unacceptable acts that might make your children to fall down, as we are seeing outside in the streets, too much between girls and boys with drugs that are ruining their lives. Why? Because we are delaying their studies and we are delaying, we are not encouraging them to finish as quick as possible and then get married. Everyone is saying to wait and wait and wait, until they become 60 years old. Like Sayyid `Ali (r). Are you married.

Just To Have Better Understanding

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ISLAMIC EXPRESSIONS

There are a number of different collections

of Islamic terms and common expressions. Here is a collection that I

have found to be most useful to explain common expressions and

terminology used by Muslims.

 

ALAYHIS SALAM-

‘Peace be upon him’, a formula used after the name of a prophet

 

AMEEN-

The Arabic expression meaning ‘Please accept.’ Used at the end of prayers and supplictions.

 

ASSALAMU ALAYKUM

‘Peace be upon you’ the greeting of the muslim

[the

reply is ‘wa alaikumus salam’ which means ‘and peace be upon you. The

fuller version reads, ‘assalam u alaikum wa rahmatulahi wa baakatuhu’

which means ‘peace be upon you and the blessings and mercy of Alllah’

the reply is ‘wa alaikumus salam wa rahmatulahi wa baakatuhu’]

 

ALLAHU AKBAR

The Arabic expression meaning ‘Allah is greater.’ Also called the takbir

 

ALLAHU ALAM-

An Arabic expression meaning ‘Allah knows best’

 

AL HAMDU LILAH WA SHUKRU LILLAH-

The Arabic expression meaning which means ‘Praise belongs to Allah and all thanks to Allah’

 

ASTAGFURALLAH-

The Arabic expression meaning ‘I ask forgiveness of Allah’

 

AUDHU BILLAHI MIN ASH SHAYTAN AR RAJIM-

The Arabic expression meaning ‘I seek protection in Allah from the accursed satan.’

 

BARAKALLAH FIK-

An

expression which means ‘May the blessings of Allah be upon you.’ When a

muslims wants to thank another person, he uses different statements to

express his thanks, appreciation and gratitude. One of them is

BarakAllah

 

BISMILLAH AR RAHMAN AR RAHIM-

The basmala. ‘In the name of Allah, the all Merciful the all Compassionate.’

[this is also translated as in the name of Allah most gracious most merciful]

 

Bi’idhnillah

“With Allah’s Permission”

similar to previous

 

FI AMAN-ALLAH-

Valedictory phrase meaning ‘In Allahs protection’

 

FI SABIL-ALLAH-

The Arabic expression meaning ‘In the way of Allah’, ‘For the cause of Allah’ [also used to mean ‘for the love of Allah’]

 

INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAYHI RAJIUN-

This

is something which a muslim expresses when he is afflicted by a

misfortune, the meaning of which is ‘We are from Allah and to Him are

we returning.’ It is taken from an ayat (verse) from the Quran (ch 2 vs

156).

[this is usually said upon hearing of the death of an individual]

 

INSHALLAH-

The Arabic expression meaning ‘If Allah wills’

[this is usually said when referring to a situation in the future e.g. inshAllah I will go to the grocery shop tomorrow etc]

 

JAZAK ALLAHU KHAIRAN-

This

is a statement of thanks and appreciation to be said to a person who

does a favour. Instead of saying ‘shukran’ (thanks), this phrase is

used. It means ‘May Allah reward you with good.

 

Jihad

Striving/Struggle for Islam, (NOT holy war!)

 

LA HAWLA WALA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH-

The

meaning of this expression is ‘There is no power nor strength save in

Allah’. This is said by a muslim when he is struck with calamity, or is

taken over by a situation beyond his control.

 

La Ilaha Illallah

“There is no God except Allah.”

 

 

Lihub-bullah

“For the love of Allah”

When having love for someone

 

MA SALAMA-

‘With peace’, a formula for ending letters

 

MA SH’ALLAH-

A phrase literally meaning ‘What Allah wishes’, and it indicates a good omen

[example of usage, I get an A in a test, my mother would say MashAllah]

 

Na-uzu-billah

I seek refuge with AllahWhen unpleasantness occurs

 

RADIYALLAHU ANHA-

The formula ‘May Allah be pleased with her’ used after a female companion

[usually abbreviated as RA or RAA]

 

RADIYALLAHU ANHU-

This

is an expression to be used by muslims whenever a name of a companion

of the Prophet Muhammed is mentioned or used in writing. IT means ‘May

Allah be pleased with him’ [usually abbreviated as RA or RAA]

 

RADIYALLAHU ANHUM-

The formula, ‘May Allah be pleased with them’, used after a group of companions [usually abbreviated as RA or RAA]

 

RAHIMAHULLAH–

The formula, ‘May Allah have mercy on him’

 

SALLAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM-

‘May Allah bless him and grant him peace‘, the formula spoken after the mentioning of the Prophet Muhammed

[usually

the following two sets of abbreviations are used for this phrase (pbuh)

which means ‘peace be upon him’ and is the technical reply for all

Prophets or (saws) the correct suffix when referring to the Prophet

Muhammed ]

 

SAMI ALLAHU LIMAN HAMIDAH-

‘Allah heard him

who send praise to Him’, said by someone praying when he rises from

ruku (unless he is following an imam in prayer)

[if he is following an imam in prayer he says ‘Rabana wala kalhamd’ only]

 

SUBHAN’ALLAH–

‘Glorified

is Allah.’ To honour Allah andmake Him free from all (unsuitable evil

things) that are ascribed to Him, (or ‘Glorified be Allah’)

 

SUBHANAHU WA TA’ALA–

‘Glorified

is He and exalted,’ an expression that muslims use when the name of

Allah is pronounced or written [this us usually abbreviated as (swt)]

 

TA’ALA-

‘Exalted is He’, an expression used after the name of Allah is mentioned

[i.e. Allah Ta’ala meaning, Allah, exalted be He]

 

TABARAKALLAH-

The formula ‘Blessed is Allah’ [usually used in the context of when one hears good news]

 

Wassalaam

“And peace”

used when leaving/departing from someone

 

Wa iyyakum

“And you too”

response to ‘jazak Allahu khairan’

 

Yar-hamok-Allah

 

“Allah have mercy on you”

Say this when someone else sneezes, after

you hear them say “Alhamdulillah”

Women Are Precious

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How to deal with women if you are a man enough;

When she hits you or pushing you … (hold her hands)
When she get angry ( just hug her )
When she be silent (ask her what is problem)
When she Ignore you (Give her attention)
When she asked you about something (don’t neglected her)
When she want to get away from you ( do not agree with her opinion)
When you see her in the worst situations (Tell her you are beautiful
when you see her Cry( kiss her head and tell her i love you a lot)
When you feel her scared (protect her )
When you see her jealous (that’s mean she love you more than you imagine )
When she say to you i love you that’s mean she have feelings to you more than you think)
When she look into your eyes don’t turned your eyes until she turned it first.

… They are a garment for you and you are a garment to them …

Qur’an [2 : 187]

By getting married you are not just getting a wife, you are getting your whole world. From now until the rest of your days your wife will be your partner, your companion, and your best friend.

She will share your moments, your days, and your years. She will share your joys and sorrows, your successes and failures, your dreams and your fears. When you are ill, she will take the best care of you; when you need help, she will do all she can for you;

When you have a secret, she will keep it; when you need advice, she will give you the best advice. She will always be with you: when you wake up in the morning the first thing your eyes will see will be hers; during the day, she will be with you, if for a moment she is not with you by her physical body, she will be thinking of you, praying for you with all her heart, mind, and soul; when you go to sleep at night, the last thing your eyes will see will be her; and when you are asleep you will still see her in your dreams. In short, she will be your whole world and you will be her whole world. ♥

It requires that a husband and wife should be as garments for each other. Just as garments are for protection, comfort, show and concealment for human beings, Allah expects husbands and wives to be for one another.

‘And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends of one another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger; as for those, Allah will have mercy on them; Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise. Allah hath promised to believers – men and women – gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss; but the greatest bliss is the good pleasure of Allah: This is the supreme felicity.’ Qur’an [9 : 71 – 72]

Related articles

• The Hijab (justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com)
• Various Constructive Roles Of A Women (justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com)
• Equality Of Men and Women In Religious Obligations (justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com)
• Scientific Miracles Of Islam (STRESS AND DEPRESSION: THE RESULTS OF NOT ABIDING BY THE RELIGION) (justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com)
• Qur’an Quiz 43 to 49: Answers (standup4islam.wordpress.com)
• Good Wives and Husbands.. by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala (xeniagreekmuslimah.wordpress.com)
• Islamic Reminders (standup4islam.wordpress.com)
• The Million Dollar Question: Why the Hijab?? (thebeautifulsisterhood.wordpress.com)
• The Question of Hijab: Suppression Or Liberation? (muhumin.wordpress.com)
• Women Are Precious (justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com)
• Women Are Precious (justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com)
• Keeping the Right Friends (syedaslaveofallah.wordpress.com)

Love Between Spouses Pleases Allah!

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Love between spouses pleases Allah!

 

HAYA (Shyness)

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What is Hayaa?

Hayaa itself is derived from the word hayaat which means life. But that is something that we will get into later on in this essay. This term covers a large number of concepts. In English, it may be translated as modesty, shyness, self-respect, bashfulness, shame, honour, etc. The original meaning of Hayaa according to a believer’s nature, refers to a bad and painful feeling accompanied by embarrassment, caused by one’s fear of being exposed or censured for some unworthy or indecent conduct.

According to Islam, Hayaa is an attribute which pushes the believer to avoid anything distasteful or abominable. It keeps him/her from being neglectful in giving everyone what is due upon them, and if for any reason he/she is not able to keep up with his/her commitment then they will feel extremely bad and ashamed about this. The reason being that he/she will have displeased Allah by breaking a commitment.

Hayaa plays a huge role in the lives of Muslims because it is a very important part of our emaan (faith/belief). If we do not have any form of hayaa in us then it is most likely that our eeman is very weak. For as it states in the following hadith:

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu):

The Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said, “Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Hayaa (This term “Hayaa” covers a large number of concepts which are to be taken together; amongst them are self respect, modesty, bashfulness, and scruple, etc.) is a part of faith.” [Bukhari]

We also learn from the Prophet (sal-Allahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) the importance of having hayaa and how it is not something to be ashamed about, but instead one should be ashamed if they do not have it.

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu):

The Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding Hayaa and was saying, “You are very shy, and I am afraid that might harm you.” On that, Allah’s Apostle said, “Leave him, for Hayaa is (a part) of Faith.” [Bukhari]

Now the above hadith is also a form of proof that “shyness” is not just something regarding women but also an attribute that believing men should have, for it is an indication if their fear of Allah and an indication of the value of their deen.

Now to discuss the different types of hayaa. How many types of hayaa are there?

Hayaa’ is of two kinds: good and bad

The good Hayaa’ is to be ashamed to commit a crime or a thing which Allah and His Messenger (sal-Allahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) has forbidden, and bad Hayaa’ is to be ashamed to do a thing, which Allaah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) ordered to do.

Firstly, to talk about the types of Good hayaa.

For example, anyone who is a believer, he/she should build their personalities and their character with the good dimensions of hayaa. The most important is that he/she must be shy of doing ANYTHING displeasing to Allah, with the belief that he/she will have to answer to all their deeds. If one develops a sense such as this one, it will help the believer to obey all of Allah’s command and to stay away from the sins. Once the believer realizes that Allah is watching us all the time and we will have to answer for every move we make in this dunya, he/she would not neglect any order from Allaah or His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). So the stronger this sense of hayaa becomes, the more it motivates one to make sure that Allah doesn’t see him/her doing anything forbidden. The way to develop this hayaa is that one must keep learning and absorbing more and more knowledge of our deen.

Another type of hayaa is more of a social aspect concerning others besides Allah. Normally these things often come in regard with ones relationship with family. For instance a child not wanting to do something displeasing to his mother, or a wife not wanting to do something displeasing to her husband or even a student who is careful about saying something incorrect infront of his teacher (daa’ee). Last but not least is the type of hayaa in which the believers become shy of themselves. This is when they have reached the peek of their emaan. What this means is that if they do, or say, or see, anything wrong or even commit the tiniest sin, they start to feel extremely bad and embarrassed or they feel extreme guilt in their heart. This builds a high degree of self-consciousness and that is what strengthens the believers commitment to Allah.

After discussing the various types of “beneficial” hayaa, it is time to discuss the type of hayaa which is not only against the teachings of our Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) but it is also solid proof of the weakness of someone’s eeman. This negative aspect revolves around a person’s shamefulness or shyness of doing something that Allaah has ordered us to do through the Qur’aan or our Prophet’s (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) sunnah. This constitutes the shamefulness or embarrassment of doing a lawful act or something that is ordered upon us from Allaah. Meaning for someone not to follow an obligation of Islaam, due the fact of being shy infront of others about it. This is totally forbidden because then one is giving the people of this dunya more respect than the One who Created this whole universe. It also means if someone is shy or afraid to seek knowledge of Islaam for worldly reasons, because they do not want others to see them or to know of their ignorance. This once again goes contrary to what Allaah has told us in the Qur’aan, which is to seek knowledge and preach it to others.

In this society there are many examples. People will go out an get degrees in law schools, or science, or engineering and they will put four to six years of their lives studying for this stuff that will only benefit them in this world. Why? You ask? Well most likely, in this society people including Muslims, choose their careers according to how much money they will make and what status they will have in this society as to being a lawyer or a doctor etc. They do not realize that in Islaam the BEST stature of a Muslim is that of a “daa’ee” or a teacher of Islaam. These Islaamic teachers and scholars are even higher in the eyes of Allaah then one who only sits at home and preaches or does ibaadah. If they want to study law, why not Islaamic Shariah? If they want to study science, why not Islaamic Science? So this explains how people consider the worldly careers to be of higher value and are embarrassed to even express an interest in Islaamic Studies. Only because they will not be considered as high as the other “educated” people. This is having the bad hayaa or “shame” of something that is encouraged to us by Allaah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam).

Another proof of bad hayaa is that which is extremely popular amongst our sisters in this western society. That is what the rest of this essay will be focused on. One of the most important aspects of hayaa, for women, is that of guarding their chastity and their modesty. To do this they must follow the order from Allaah telling them to keep hidden themselves and their adornments from all men unlawful to them in marriage. Now this order involves all the aspects of hayaa for those who do follow it. The believing and following women are ashamed of disobeying Allaah. They are shy of the opposite gender in this society because of what they might experience if strange men look at them and lastly they have hayaa because they are ashamed of going out in public and committing this grave sin of displaying their beauty is public. There are many women in this society who claim that they have hayaa but to follow the order of hijab is backwards and that women in this society shouldn’t have to cover, is obviously disbelief. For if someone really had hayaa they would never contradict ANYTHING that Allaah has ordained upon us even if they did not exactly like the idea. A women’s hayaa comes from her modesty and her shyness and her fear of Allaah, so how can she have hayaa if she walks around in public un-veiled? Proof lies in the following hadith.

Abdullah Ibn Umar (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“Indeed hayaa (modesty) and Iman are Companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well.” [Bayhaqi]

There are many verses in the Qur’aan and many ahadeeth explaining the reasons behind observing Hijab. The Islaamic Shariah has not stopped at giving the Commandments of Hijab, it has also clarified every such thing which directly relates to these commandments and, with the slightest carelessness, may result in vulgarity and immodesty. In other words such things have also been forbidden in order to close the doors to indecency and lewdness, in return providing a stronger pillar for hayaa. Modesty (hayaa) and maintaining one’s honor are of primary importance in preserving the moral fiber of any society. This is why modesty has been called the ornament of a woman, which protects her from many sins and which prevents ill-intentioned men from daring to have bad thoughts about her. This hayaa has been made a part of her nature to safeguard her from being abused by immoral men.

Narrated on the authority of Anas Ibn Malik (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu), that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“When lewdness is a part of anything, it becomes defective; and when hayaa is a part of anything it becomes beautiful.” [Tirmidhi]

So it is only obvious that Hijab plays and extremely important role in regards to Hayaa. For Hijab prevents lewdness and Hayaa backs this up and then person’s eeman becomes even stronger. So both things work together in a partnership. At the time of our beloved Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) as soon as the verses of Hijab were revealed, all the Quraish and Ansar ran home to their wives and daughters and close female relatives to tell them to cover themselves. The ones who had veils used them and the ones who did not have veils made some right away. For instance the following hadeeth tells us:

Narrated by Aa’ishah (radi-Allaahu ‘anhaa):

“May Allaah have mercy on the early immigrant women. When the verse “That they should draw their veils over their bosoms” was revealed, they tore their thick outer garments and made veils from them. And when the verse “That they should cast their outer garments over themselves” was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments.” [Abu Daawood]

This indicates that all these women wanted to guard their modesty which is why they followed out the orders of Allaah. Yet, another verse talk about the level of modesty in Aa’ishah (radi-Allaahu ‘anhaa).

Narrated Aa’ishah (radi-Allaahu ‘anhaa):
“I used to enter my house where Allaah’s Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) was and take off my garment, saying that only my husband and my father were there; but when Umar was buried along with them, I swear by Allaah that I did not enter it without having my clothes wrapped round me owing to modesty regarding Umar.” [at-Tirmidhi and Ahmad]

If women in today’s society choose not to wear the veils, but some belief in their hearts, than they might be categorized as Muslim women but not Mumineen. The truth is that Hayaa is a special characteristic of a Mu’min. People who are ignorant of the teachings of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) do not concern themselves with Hayaa and Honour. Hayaa and Iman are interdependent; therefore either they both exist together or they both perish.

Thus, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) has said in one hadith,

“When there is no hayaa left, then do as you please.”

Today vulgarity and all its ingredients have become a common place even among well-known Muslims in the zeal of imitating the non-believers. It is these people who have been struggling to bring Muslim women out of Hijab into immodesty “be’hayaai” and indecency. They have adopted the lifestyles of the Christians more than the traditions of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). Such people are in a dilemma. On the one hand, they desire to freely look at the half-clad bodies of the wives and daughters of other Muslims on the streets; and on the other hand, they do not have the courage to deny the teachings of the Holy Qur’aan and the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). Neither can they say they have given up Islaam, nor can they bear to see Muslim women wear Hijab and showing some Hayaa. Actually the fact is, indulging in indecency for so long has killed the sense of modesty (hayaa) which Islaam had commanded them to preserve. It is this natural desire of maintaining one’s honor which compels men to protect the respect and honor of their women. What these men and women do not understand is that if the women do not observe Hijab and do not develop Hayaa inside of them, they will be entertaining those who have taken the path of shaitaan. Such as the following hadeeth:

Malik Ibn Uhaimir (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu) reported that he heard the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) saying,

“Allaah will not accept any good deeds or worship of an immodest and vulgar person.” We asked, “Who is a vulgar and immodest person?” He replied, “A man who’s wife entertains Ghair-mahram men.”

Now the word “entertains” implies that she is showing off her beauty instead of keeping herself covered up. If the Muslim brothers of today’s society knew the benefits of hayaa and hijab hey would definitely not tolerate the opposite. At the time of our beloved Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) the husbands could not even imagine their wives leaving the houses un-veiled let alone go out and beautify themselves for other men to get “free looks”. The following hadeeth shows this fact clearly:

Narrated by Al-Mugheera (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu):

Sa’d Ibn ‘Ubada said, “I will not hesitate killing my wife with a sword if I see her with another man” This news reached Allaah’s Apostle who then said, “You people are astonished at Sa’d’s Ghira (self-respect, honor). By Allaah, I have more Ghira than he, and Allaah has more Ghira than I, and because of Allaah’s Ghira, He has made unlawful shameful deeds and sins done in open and in secret. And there is none who likes that the people should repent to Him and beg His pardon than Allaah, and for this reason He sent the warners and the givers of good news. And there is none who likes to be praised more than Allaah does, and for this reason, Allaah promised to grant Paradise (to the doers of good).” ‘Abdul Malik said, “No person has more Ghira than Allaah.” [Sahehi Bukhari]

So this should be enough to understand why Hijab is so important for women to establish Hayaa in themselves and live the lives of true mu’mineen. Sometimes the situation becomes a such that people will have done wrong/sins for such a long period of time that they will not be able to differentiate between right and wrong. Another way to put this is that, a person’s exceeding indulgence in indecency results in the loss of wisdom and the ability to see good deeds from bad deeds.

As the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“I have a sense of Honour (a part of hayaa). Only a person with a darkened heart is deprived of Honour.”

So one wonders….what if this observing of Hijab and maintaining Hayaa is so important then how come we have nothing to show us the merits? Well the answer to that question clearly lies in the Qur’aan and ahadeeth.

There are many merits of Hayaa if one wants to know. Here are some just to list a few.

Allaah loves Hayaa. We know this by the following hadith:
“Surely Allaah (is One who) has hayaa and is the Protector. He loves hayaa and people who cover each others faults.” [Bukhari]

Hayaa itself is a Greatness of Islaam as our Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) indicated:
“Every way of life has a innate character. The character of Islaam is hayaa.” Or “Every deen has an innate character. The character of Islaam is modesty (hayaa).” [Abu Daawood]

Hayaa only brings good and nothing else. Our Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:
“Hayaa does not bring anything except good.” [Bukhaaree]

Hayaa is a very clear indication of our eeman. As the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) had mentioned to the Ansar who was condemning is brother about being shy:
“Leave him, for Hayaa is (a part) of Faith.” [Bukhaaree]

Last but not least, Hayaa leads us to PARADISE. As the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) told us:
“Hayaa comes from eeman; eeman leads to Paradise. Obscenity comes from antipathy; and antipathy leads to the fire.” [Bukhaaree]

The actual word Hayaa is derived from Hayaat. This means life. It is only obvious that when someone has Hayaa in them, they will LIVE a life of Islaam. On the other hand if they do not have Hayaa they are living a life that is Dead “Islaamically” but alive according to this dunya.

The Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“Hayaa and Trustworthiness will be the first to go from this world; therefore keep asking Allaah for them.” [Bayhaaqee]

In conclusion to this essay we must understand that Hayaa is important for both men and women. Men are to control themselves by getting married as young as possible or if they cannot afford that they should fast.

Women are told to conceal themselves so that the men will not be over taken by the whispers of shaitaan and will not disrespect or take advantage of the women. There are many verses in the Qur’aan that have clearly explained how we have to behave and Allaah is All-Knowing therefore He knew that we would face these problems living in this society, and that is no excuse to change Islaam and only practice what we feel is right. Allaah has told men how to guide their modesty and has told women how to guide their modesty. If either one of them refuse to follow the commandment of their Lord, may Allaah have mercy on them and may He guide them to the straight path.

“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allaah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty…”
Soorah an-Noor (24) : 30-31

ALL PRAISE BE TO ALLAH (All Mighty Lord)

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Prayers Do Work

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Sahih Muslim, Book 4: The Book of Prayers (Kitab Al-salat) INTRODUCTION Prayer is the soul of religion. Where there is no prayer, there can be no purification of the soul. The non-praying man is rightly considered to be a soulless man. Take prayer out of the world, and it is all over with religion because it is with prayer that man has the consciousness of God and selfless love for humanity and inner sense of piety. Prayer is, therefore, the first, the highest, and the most solemn phenomenon and manifestation of religion. The way in which prayer is offered and the words which are recited in it explain the true nature of religion of which it is the expression of man’s contact with the Lord. Prayer in Islam gives in a nutshell the teachings of Islam. The very first thing which comes into prominence in Islamic prayer is that it is accompanied by bodily movements. It implies that Islam lifts not only the soul to the spiritual height, but also illuminates the body of man with the light of God-consciousness. It aims at purifying both body and soul, for it finds no cleavage between them. Islam does not regard body and soul as two different entities opposed to each other, or body as the prison of the soul from which It yearns to secure freedom in order to soar to heavenly heights.” The soul is an organ of the body which exploits it for physiological purposes, or body is an instrument of the soul” (Iqbal, Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, p 105), and thus both need spiritual enlightenment. Secondly, Islamic prayer does not aim at such a spiritual contact with God in which the world and self are absolutely denied, in which human personality is dissolved, disappears and is absorbed in the Infinite Lord. Islam does not favour such a meditation and absorption in which man ceases to be conscious of his own self and feels himself to be perfectly identified with the Infinite, and claims in a mood of ecstasy: My” I” has become God, or rather he is God. Islam wants to inculcate the consciousness of the indwelling of the light of God in body and soul but does allow him to transport himself in the realm of lnfinity. It impresses upon his mind that he is the humble servant of the Great and Glorious Lord and his spiritual development and religious piety lies in sincere and willing obedience to Allah. The very first step towards the achievement of this objective is that man should have a clear consciousness of his own finiteness and Infiniteness of the Lord, and clearly visualise and feel that he is created as a human being by the Creator and Master of the universe, and he cannot, therefore, become demi-god or god. His success lies in proving himself by his outlook and behaviour that he is the true and loyal servant of his Great Master. Islamic prayer is, therefore, the symbol of humble reverence before the Majesty of the Glorious Lord.

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