Hazrat Jibrail [Alayh Salam] once came to Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم and said "Allah Almighty has given me the knowledge to count every leaf on earth, every fish in the sea, every star in the sky and every particle of sand on earth, but there's only one thing I cant count." Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked "What is it?", Jibrail(A.S) replied, "When one of Your (PBUH) )Ummati recites Durood or Salaams to You (PBUH), the blessings Allah Almighty showers upon him become impossible for me to count." SubhanAllah
Sayyiduna Abu Dardah ( Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu ) reported: the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "Whoever recites durood on Me in the morning
ten times and in the evening ten times, for him shall be My intercession on the day of Qiyamah."
"By Him in whose Hands My life is, none of you will have faith till he loves Me more than his father and children."
-- Prophet Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم ), narrated by Abu Huraira (RaziAllahu Anhu)
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January 7, 2012
January 5, 2012
Surah Yasin (Full) with Kanzul Iman Urdu Translation Complete Quran
(Arabic: سورة يس) is the 36th 'chapter' of Qur'an with 83 ayat, and was revealed in the Islamic holy city of Mecca. It is given the honorary title of "the Heart of the Qur'an".
January 4, 2012
Dua best Times
Best Times to make Dua
There are certain times dua (supplication)
is more likely to be accepted by Allah (SWT)
as mentioned by Prophet (SAW). These
times are as follows:
1. The Last Third Of The Night
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) said: 'In the last third
of every night our Rabb (Cherisher and
Sustainer) (Allah (SWT)) descends to the
lowermost heaven and says; "Who is
calling Me, so that I may answer him?
Who is asking Me so that may I grant
him? Who is seeking forgiveness from
Me so that I may forgive him?."'
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith Qudsi]
Amr ibn Absah narrated that the
Prophet said: 'The closest any
worshipper can be to His Lord is
during the last part of the night,
so if you can be amongst those
who remember Allah at that time,
then do so.'[at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i,
al-Hakim - Sahih]
2. Late at night
When people are sleeping and busy
with worldly pleasures Allah (SWT)
gives the believers an opportunity,
or an answer hour if they can fight
sleep and invoke Allah (SWT) for
whatever they need. The Prophet
(SAW) said: 'There is at night an
hour, no Muslim happens to be
asking Allah any matter of this world
or the Hereafter, except that he will
be given it, and this (occurs) every night.'
[Muslim #757]
3. Between Adhan and Iqamah
Anas (RA) narrated that Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) said: 'A supplication
made between the Adhan and Iqama
is not rejected.'
[Ahmad, abu Dawud #521, at-Tirmidhi
#212, Sahih al-Jami #3408, an-Nasai
and Ibn Hibban graded it sahih (sound)]
4. An Hour On Friday
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA): Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) talked about Friday
and said: 'There is an hour on Friday
and if a Muslim gets it while offering Salat
(prayer) and asks something from
Allah (SWT), then Allah (SWT) will definitely
meet his demand.' And he (the Prophet (SAW)
pointed out the shortness of that
particular time with his hands.
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
Some have said that this hour is from
the time the Imam (prayer’s leader)
enters the mosque on Friday’s prayer
until the prayer is over (ie between the
two khutbahs), whereas others have
said that it is the last hour of the day
(ie after the Asr prayer until the
Maghrib prayer).
5. While Drinking Zamzam Water
Jaber (RA) narrated that Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) said: 'Zamzam
water is for what it is drunk for.'
[Ahmad 3: 357 and Ibn Majah #3062].
This means that when you drink Zamzam
water you may ask Allah (SWT) for anything
you like to gain or benefit from this water
such as healing from illness.... etc.
6. While Prostrating
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that
Allah’s Messenger (SAW), said:
'The nearest a slave can be to his Lord
is when he is prostrating, so invoke
(supplicate) Allah (SWT) much in it.
[Muslim, abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i and others,
Sahih al-Jami #1175]
When a Muslim is in his Salat (prayer)
he is facing Allah (SWT) and when
he prostrates he is the nearest
he can be to Allah (SWT) so it is
best to invoke Allah (SWT) at this time.
It is said that while in prostration,
one should not ask for worldy needs
(ie a nice car, a new job, etc),
but for the Hereafter.
7. When Waking Up at Night
Narrated Ubada Bin As-Samit that
Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said:
'Whomever wakes up at night and
says La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la
shrika lahu lahulmulku, wa lahul hamdu,
wa huwa ala kulli shai'in qadir.
Alhamdu lillahi, wa subhanallahi
wa la ilaha illallahu, wallah akbir,
wa la hawla wala quwata illa billah
(none has the right to be worshipped
but Allah (SWT) He is the only one who
has no partners. His is the kingdom and
all the praises are for Allah (SWT)
All the glories are for Allah (SWT)
And none has the right to be worshipped
but Allah (SWT) and Allah (SWT)
is the most Great and there is neither
might nor power except with Allah (SWT)
and then says, Allahumma ighfir li
(O Allah! Forgive me) or invokes Allah
(SWT), he will be responded to and
if he makes ablution and performs
Salat (prayer), his Salat (prayer) will
be accepted. [Sahih al-Bukhari]
8. At The End Of The Obligatory Salat:
Narrated Abu Omamah (RA): that
Allah’s Messenger (SAW) was asked,
O Messenger of Allah, which supplication
is heard (by Allah (SWT), he said the end
of the night and at the end of the obligatory
Salat (prayer) [at-Tirmidhi].
This time is after saying 'At-tahyat' ,
and before making Tasleem (finishing prayer)
9. The Night Of 'Qadr' (Decree)
This night is the greatest night of the year.
This is the night which the almighty
Allah (SWT) said about it,
"The night of Al-Qadar (Decree) is better
than a thousand months." [Surah al-Qadr, 97: 3]
The Night of Decree is one of the odd
nights of the last ten nights of the blessed
month of Ramadan. The angels descend
down to the earth, and the earth is
overwhelmed with peace and serenity
until the break of dawn and when he
doors of Paradise are opened, the
worshipper is encouraged to turn to Allah
to ask for his needs for this world
and the Hereafter.
10. During The Rain
Narrated Sahel Ibn Sa'ad (RA):
that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'Two will not be rejected,
Supplication when the Adhan
(call of prayer) is being called,
and at the time of the rain'.
[Al-Hakim 2: 114, and Abu Dawud
#2540, ibn Majah]
'Seek the response to your du'as
when the armies meet, and the prayer
is called, and when rain falls'
[reported by Imam al-Shafi' in al-Umm,
al-Sahihah #1469]. The time of the
rain is a time of mercy from Allah (SWT)
so, one should take advantage of
this time when Allah (SWT) is having
mercy on His slaves.
11. At the Adhan
'Seek the response to your du'as
when the armies meet, and the prayer
is called, and when rain falls'
[reported by Imam al-Shafi' in al-Umm,
al-Sahihah #1469]
In another hadith; 'When the prayer is
called, the doors of the skies are opened,
and the du'a is answered'
[al-Tayalisi in his Musnad #2106,
al-Sahihah #1413]
12. The One Who Is Suffering
Injustice and Opression
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said
to Mua'ad Ibn Jabal (RA),
'Beware of the supplication of the
unjustly treated, because there is
no shelter or veil between it
(the supplication of the one who is
suffering injustice) and Allah (SWT)'
[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The prophet (SAW) declared,
'Three men whose dua is
rejected (by Allah) are: the fasting
person until he breaks his fast
(in another narration,
when he breaks fast), the just ruler
and the one who is oppressed.
'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
In another hadith; The Prophet (SAW)
declared: 'Three du'as are surely answered:
The du'a of the oppressed, the du'a
of the traveler, and the du'a of the
father/mother (upon their child)'.
The One who is suffering injustice
is heard by Allah (SWT) when he
invokes Allah (SWT) to retain his
rights from the unjust one or oppressor.
Allah (SWT) has sworn to help the one
who is suffering from injustice sooner
or later as the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said.
13. The Traveler
The Messenger of Allah
(SAW) said; Three supplications
will not be rejected (by Allah (SWT)),
the supplication of the parent for his child,
the supplication of the one who is fasting,
and the supplication of the traveler.
[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
During travel supplication is heard by
Allah (SWT) if the trip is for a good reason,
but if the trip is for a bad intention
or to perform illegal things (making sins)
this will not apply to it.
14. The Parent's Supplication for their Child
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said;
Three supplications will not be rejected
(by Allah (SWT)), the supplication
of the parent for his child, the supplication
of the one who is fasting, and the
supplication of the traveler.
[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
15. Dua after praising Allah and
giving salat on the Prophet (SAW) in the
tashahhud at the end of salat.
Narrated Faddalah ibn Ubayd (RA):
that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'When anyone of you makes du'a,
let him start by glorifying his Lord
and praising Him, then let him send
blessings upon the Prophet (SAW),
then let him pray for whatever he wants'
[abu Dawud #1481, at-Tirmidhi #3477]
In another hadith; Baqiy ibn Mukhallid
(RA) narrated that that the Messenger
of Allah (SAW) said: 'Every du'a is not
responded to until one sends
upon the Prophet (SAW)' [al-Bayhaqi]
In another hadith; Umar (RA) narrated
that the Prophet (SAW) said: 'Du'a is
detained between the heavens and
the earth and no part of it is taken up
until you send blessings upon
Prophet (SAW)' [at-Tirmidhi #486]
After a person has finished his tashahhud
and before saying the 'salam',
at this time is one likely to be responded to.
Ibn Mas'ud narrates: I was once praying,
and the Prophet (SAW), Abu Bakr and
(were all present). When I sat down
(in the final tashahhud), I praised Allah,
then sent salams on the Prophet,
then started praying for myself.
At this, the Prophet (SAW) said:
'Ask, and you shall be given it! Ask,
and you shall be given it!'
[at-Tirmidhi #593 - hasan,
Mishkat al-Misbah #931]
16. The dua of a Muslim for his absent
brother or sister Muslim stemming from the heart.
The prophet (SAW) said:
'There is no believing servant who
supplicates for his brother in his
absence where the angels do not say,
'the same be for you'' [Muslim]
17. Dua on the Day of Arafat
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'The best supplication is the supplication
on the day of Arafat'. [at-Tirmidhi and Malik]
The day of Arafat is the essence
and pinnacle of Hajj. On this great
and momentous day, millions of worshippers
gather together on one plain, from every
corner of the world, with only one purpose
in mind - to respone to the call of their Creator.
During this auspicious day, Allah does
not refuse the requests of His worshippers.
18. Dua during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan is month full of many blessings,
thus the du'a of Ramadan is a blessed one.
This can be inferred from the
Prophet (SAW) saying: 'When Ramadan comes,
the Doors of Mercy
(another narration says Paradise) are opened,
and the doors of Hell are closed,
and the Shaitans are locked up'
Thus, it is clear that du'a during Ramadan
has a greater chance of being accepted,
as the Gates of Paradise and Mercy are opened.
[Sahih al-Bukhari #1899, Muslim #1079 and others]
19. Dua when the Armies meet
When the Muslim is facing the enemy
in battle, at this critical period,
the du'a of a worshipper is accepted.
Sahl ibn Sa'd (RA) narrtaed the the
Prophet (SAW) said: 'Two duas are never rejected,
or rarely rejected: the du'a during the
call for prayer, and the du'a during the
clamity when the two armies attack each other'
[Abu Dawud #2540, ibn Majah, al-Hakim]
20. When Muslims gather for the
purpose of invoking and remembering
Allah (Dhikrullah).
The Prophet (SAW) said: If a group
of people sit together remembering Allah,
the angels will circle them, mercy
will shroud them, peace will descend
onto them and Allah will remember
them among those with Him. [Muslim]
21. First Ten days of Dhul-Hijjah
The Prophet (SAW) said:
'There are no days during which good
deeds are more beloved to Allah
than during these ten days'
[Sahih al-Bukhai #969 and others]
22. Dua when the heart reaches
out to Allah and is ready to be totally sincere
23. At Midnight
Abu Umamah (RA) said,
the Prophet (SAW) was questioned;
'Which du'a is heard (by Allah)?'
He answered, 'At midnight and at the
end of every obligatory prayer.
' [at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
25. Dua of people after the death of a person
In a long hadith, Umm Salamah (RA)
narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said,
when Abu Salamah had just passed away,
and had closed his eyes, 'Do not ask
for yourselves anything but good,
for the angels will say 'Ameen' to all
that you ask for. O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah,
and raise his ranks among those
who are guided.'
[Muslim, abu Dawud, Ahmad]
26. Dua of the one fasting until
he breaks his fast.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said;
Three supplications will not be
rejected (by Allah (SWT)), the supplication
of the parent for his child, the
supplication of the one who is fasting,
and the supplication of the traveler.
[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
27. Dua of the one fasting at the
time of breaking fast
The prophet (SAW) declared,
'Three men whose dua is never rejected
(by Allah) are: when a fasting person
breaks fast (in another narration,
the fasting person until he breaks his fast),
the just ruler and the one
who is oppressed.
'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
29. Dua of a justice Ruler
The prophet (SAW) declared,
'Three men whose dua is never rejected
(by Allah) are: the fasting person
until he breaks his fast
(in another narration,
when he breaks fast),
the just ruler and the one
who is oppressed.
'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
30. Dua of a son or daughter
obedient to his or her parents
It is well known in the story
narrated in hadith os three men
who were trapped by a huge stone in a cave.
One of them who was kind to his parents
asked Allah to remove the stone,
and his du'a was answered.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 3:36 #472]
31. Dua immediately after wudu
Umar ibn Al-Khattab reported
that the Prophet (SAW) said:
'There is not one of you that makes wudu,
and does it perfectly, then says:
I testify that there is no diety worthy
of worship except Allah. he is Alone,
having no partners.
And I bear witness that Muhammad is His
slave and messenger',
except that the eight gates of Paradise
are opened for him, and he can enter
into it through whichever one he pleases'
[Muslim #234, abu Dawud #162,
Ahmad, an-Nasa'i] Saying
what has been mentioned in the hadith
that is directly related to it (ablution)
32. Dua after stoning the Jamarat at Hajj
The stoning of the small Shaitan
(jamrat sugra), or the middle Shaitan
(jamrat wusta) pillars during Hajj.
It is narrated that the Prophet (SAW)
would stone the small Jamarah
(one of the three pillars that is
stoned in the last days of Hajj),
then face the qiblah, raise his hands,
and make du'a for a long time.
He would then stone the middle
Jamarah and do the same.
When he stoned the large Jamarah,
he would depart without making any
du'a. [Sahih al-Bukhari
#1753 and others]
33. At the Crowing of a Rooster
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated
that the Prophet (SAW) said:
'When you hear a rooster crowing,
then ask Allah for His bounties,
for it has seen an angel, and
when you hear a donkey braying,
then seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan,
for it has seen a Shaitan'
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim,
Ahmad, Sahih al-Jami #611]
34. Du'a made inside the Ka'bah
The Ka'bah is a sanctuary that has
no comparison in the entire world.
The du'a of one who prays inside
the hijr is considered as being made
inside the ka'bah, as it is part
of the house (Baitullah).
[This is the semicircle to the right
of the Ka'bah if you face the door,
opposite to the Yemeni corner
and the Black stone wall.]
Usamah ibn Zayd narrated,
'When the Prophet (SAW) entered
the House (Ka'bah), he made du'a in
all of its corners
[Muslim 2: 968 and others]
35. Du'a on the mount of Safa
or Marwah during Umrah or Hajj
It is narrated that the Prophet (SAW)
would make long du'as at
Safa and Marwah.
[Muslim #1218 and others]
36. Dua at any of the holy sites.
37. While reciting Surah al-Fatihah
The Prophet (SAW) said that
Allah the Exalted had said:
'I have divided the prayer into
two halves between Me and My servant,
and My servant will receive
what he asks for. When the servant says:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe,
Allah the Most High says:
My servant has praised Me.
And when he (the servant) says:
The Most Compassionate, the Merciful,
Allah the Most High says:
My servant has lauded Me. When he
(the servant) says: Master of the Day
of Judgment, He remarks:
My servant has glorified Me,
and sometimes He will say:
My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me.
When he (the worshipper) says:
Thee do we worship and of
Thee do we ask help, He (Allah) says:
This is between Me and My servant,
and My servant will receive what he asks for
. Then, when he (the worshipper) says:
Guide us to the straight path,
the path of those to whom
Thou hast been Gracious --
not of those who have incurred
Thy displeasure, nor of those who have
gone astray, He (Allah) says:
This is for My servant, and
My servant will receive what he asks for.
[Muslim 4: 395]
38. Saying 'Ameen' during prayer
After finishing the recitation of al-Fatihah,
the saying of'Ameen' in congregation.
The Prophet (SAW) said:
'When the Imam says 'Ameen',
then recite it behind him (as well),
because whoever's Ameen coincides
with the Ameen of the angels
will have all of his sins forgiven.'
[Sahih al-Bukhari #780,
Muslim #410 and others]
39. While visiting the sick,
and dua made by the sick
Umm Salamah narrated that
the Prophet (SAW) said: 'When you
visit the sick, or the dead then say good,
because the angels say 'Ameen'
to whatever you say [Muslim #2126]
Ali (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW)
said: 'When a Muslim visits his sick
Muslim brother in the morning,
seventy thousand angels make dua
for his forgiveness till the evening.
And when he visits him in the evening,
seventy thousand angels make dua for
his forgiveness till the morning, and
he will be granted a garden for it in Jannah.'
[at-Tirmidhi, abu Dawud]
There are certain times dua (supplication)
is more likely to be accepted by Allah (SWT)
as mentioned by Prophet (SAW). These
times are as follows:
1. The Last Third Of The Night
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) said: 'In the last third
of every night our Rabb (Cherisher and
Sustainer) (Allah (SWT)) descends to the
lowermost heaven and says; "Who is
calling Me, so that I may answer him?
Who is asking Me so that may I grant
him? Who is seeking forgiveness from
Me so that I may forgive him?."'
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith Qudsi]
Amr ibn Absah narrated that the
Prophet said: 'The closest any
worshipper can be to His Lord is
during the last part of the night,
so if you can be amongst those
who remember Allah at that time,
then do so.'[at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i,
al-Hakim - Sahih]
2. Late at night
When people are sleeping and busy
with worldly pleasures Allah (SWT)
gives the believers an opportunity,
or an answer hour if they can fight
sleep and invoke Allah (SWT) for
whatever they need. The Prophet
(SAW) said: 'There is at night an
hour, no Muslim happens to be
asking Allah any matter of this world
or the Hereafter, except that he will
be given it, and this (occurs) every night.'
[Muslim #757]
3. Between Adhan and Iqamah
Anas (RA) narrated that Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) said: 'A supplication
made between the Adhan and Iqama
is not rejected.'
[Ahmad, abu Dawud #521, at-Tirmidhi
#212, Sahih al-Jami #3408, an-Nasai
and Ibn Hibban graded it sahih (sound)]
4. An Hour On Friday
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA): Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) talked about Friday
and said: 'There is an hour on Friday
and if a Muslim gets it while offering Salat
(prayer) and asks something from
Allah (SWT), then Allah (SWT) will definitely
meet his demand.' And he (the Prophet (SAW)
pointed out the shortness of that
particular time with his hands.
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
Some have said that this hour is from
the time the Imam (prayer’s leader)
enters the mosque on Friday’s prayer
until the prayer is over (ie between the
two khutbahs), whereas others have
said that it is the last hour of the day
(ie after the Asr prayer until the
Maghrib prayer).
5. While Drinking Zamzam Water
Jaber (RA) narrated that Allah’s
Messenger (SAW) said: 'Zamzam
water is for what it is drunk for.'
[Ahmad 3: 357 and Ibn Majah #3062].
This means that when you drink Zamzam
water you may ask Allah (SWT) for anything
you like to gain or benefit from this water
such as healing from illness.... etc.
6. While Prostrating
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that
Allah’s Messenger (SAW), said:
'The nearest a slave can be to his Lord
is when he is prostrating, so invoke
(supplicate) Allah (SWT) much in it.
[Muslim, abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i and others,
Sahih al-Jami #1175]
When a Muslim is in his Salat (prayer)
he is facing Allah (SWT) and when
he prostrates he is the nearest
he can be to Allah (SWT) so it is
best to invoke Allah (SWT) at this time.
It is said that while in prostration,
one should not ask for worldy needs
(ie a nice car, a new job, etc),
but for the Hereafter.
7. When Waking Up at Night
Narrated Ubada Bin As-Samit that
Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said:
'Whomever wakes up at night and
says La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la
shrika lahu lahulmulku, wa lahul hamdu,
wa huwa ala kulli shai'in qadir.
Alhamdu lillahi, wa subhanallahi
wa la ilaha illallahu, wallah akbir,
wa la hawla wala quwata illa billah
(none has the right to be worshipped
but Allah (SWT) He is the only one who
has no partners. His is the kingdom and
all the praises are for Allah (SWT)
All the glories are for Allah (SWT)
And none has the right to be worshipped
but Allah (SWT) and Allah (SWT)
is the most Great and there is neither
might nor power except with Allah (SWT)
and then says, Allahumma ighfir li
(O Allah! Forgive me) or invokes Allah
(SWT), he will be responded to and
if he makes ablution and performs
Salat (prayer), his Salat (prayer) will
be accepted. [Sahih al-Bukhari]
8. At The End Of The Obligatory Salat:
Narrated Abu Omamah (RA): that
Allah’s Messenger (SAW) was asked,
O Messenger of Allah, which supplication
is heard (by Allah (SWT), he said the end
of the night and at the end of the obligatory
Salat (prayer) [at-Tirmidhi].
This time is after saying 'At-tahyat' ,
and before making Tasleem (finishing prayer)
9. The Night Of 'Qadr' (Decree)
This night is the greatest night of the year.
This is the night which the almighty
Allah (SWT) said about it,
"The night of Al-Qadar (Decree) is better
than a thousand months." [Surah al-Qadr, 97: 3]
The Night of Decree is one of the odd
nights of the last ten nights of the blessed
month of Ramadan. The angels descend
down to the earth, and the earth is
overwhelmed with peace and serenity
until the break of dawn and when he
doors of Paradise are opened, the
worshipper is encouraged to turn to Allah
to ask for his needs for this world
and the Hereafter.
10. During The Rain
Narrated Sahel Ibn Sa'ad (RA):
that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'Two will not be rejected,
Supplication when the Adhan
(call of prayer) is being called,
and at the time of the rain'.
[Al-Hakim 2: 114, and Abu Dawud
#2540, ibn Majah]
'Seek the response to your du'as
when the armies meet, and the prayer
is called, and when rain falls'
[reported by Imam al-Shafi' in al-Umm,
al-Sahihah #1469]. The time of the
rain is a time of mercy from Allah (SWT)
so, one should take advantage of
this time when Allah (SWT) is having
mercy on His slaves.
11. At the Adhan
'Seek the response to your du'as
when the armies meet, and the prayer
is called, and when rain falls'
[reported by Imam al-Shafi' in al-Umm,
al-Sahihah #1469]
In another hadith; 'When the prayer is
called, the doors of the skies are opened,
and the du'a is answered'
[al-Tayalisi in his Musnad #2106,
al-Sahihah #1413]
12. The One Who Is Suffering
Injustice and Opression
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said
to Mua'ad Ibn Jabal (RA),
'Beware of the supplication of the
unjustly treated, because there is
no shelter or veil between it
(the supplication of the one who is
suffering injustice) and Allah (SWT)'
[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The prophet (SAW) declared,
'Three men whose dua is
rejected (by Allah) are: the fasting
person until he breaks his fast
(in another narration,
when he breaks fast), the just ruler
and the one who is oppressed.
'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
In another hadith; The Prophet (SAW)
declared: 'Three du'as are surely answered:
The du'a of the oppressed, the du'a
of the traveler, and the du'a of the
father/mother (upon their child)'.
The One who is suffering injustice
is heard by Allah (SWT) when he
invokes Allah (SWT) to retain his
rights from the unjust one or oppressor.
Allah (SWT) has sworn to help the one
who is suffering from injustice sooner
or later as the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said.
13. The Traveler
The Messenger of Allah
(SAW) said; Three supplications
will not be rejected (by Allah (SWT)),
the supplication of the parent for his child,
the supplication of the one who is fasting,
and the supplication of the traveler.
[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
During travel supplication is heard by
Allah (SWT) if the trip is for a good reason,
but if the trip is for a bad intention
or to perform illegal things (making sins)
this will not apply to it.
14. The Parent's Supplication for their Child
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said;
Three supplications will not be rejected
(by Allah (SWT)), the supplication
of the parent for his child, the supplication
of the one who is fasting, and the
supplication of the traveler.
[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
15. Dua after praising Allah and
giving salat on the Prophet (SAW) in the
tashahhud at the end of salat.
Narrated Faddalah ibn Ubayd (RA):
that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'When anyone of you makes du'a,
let him start by glorifying his Lord
and praising Him, then let him send
blessings upon the Prophet (SAW),
then let him pray for whatever he wants'
[abu Dawud #1481, at-Tirmidhi #3477]
In another hadith; Baqiy ibn Mukhallid
(RA) narrated that that the Messenger
of Allah (SAW) said: 'Every du'a is not
responded to until one sends
upon the Prophet (SAW)' [al-Bayhaqi]
In another hadith; Umar (RA) narrated
that the Prophet (SAW) said: 'Du'a is
detained between the heavens and
the earth and no part of it is taken up
until you send blessings upon
Prophet (SAW)' [at-Tirmidhi #486]
After a person has finished his tashahhud
and before saying the 'salam',
at this time is one likely to be responded to.
Ibn Mas'ud narrates: I was once praying,
and the Prophet (SAW), Abu Bakr and
(were all present). When I sat down
(in the final tashahhud), I praised Allah,
then sent salams on the Prophet,
then started praying for myself.
At this, the Prophet (SAW) said:
'Ask, and you shall be given it! Ask,
and you shall be given it!'
[at-Tirmidhi #593 - hasan,
Mishkat al-Misbah #931]
16. The dua of a Muslim for his absent
brother or sister Muslim stemming from the heart.
The prophet (SAW) said:
'There is no believing servant who
supplicates for his brother in his
absence where the angels do not say,
'the same be for you'' [Muslim]
17. Dua on the Day of Arafat
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'The best supplication is the supplication
on the day of Arafat'. [at-Tirmidhi and Malik]
The day of Arafat is the essence
and pinnacle of Hajj. On this great
and momentous day, millions of worshippers
gather together on one plain, from every
corner of the world, with only one purpose
in mind - to respone to the call of their Creator.
During this auspicious day, Allah does
not refuse the requests of His worshippers.
18. Dua during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan is month full of many blessings,
thus the du'a of Ramadan is a blessed one.
This can be inferred from the
Prophet (SAW) saying: 'When Ramadan comes,
the Doors of Mercy
(another narration says Paradise) are opened,
and the doors of Hell are closed,
and the Shaitans are locked up'
Thus, it is clear that du'a during Ramadan
has a greater chance of being accepted,
as the Gates of Paradise and Mercy are opened.
[Sahih al-Bukhari #1899, Muslim #1079 and others]
19. Dua when the Armies meet
When the Muslim is facing the enemy
in battle, at this critical period,
the du'a of a worshipper is accepted.
Sahl ibn Sa'd (RA) narrtaed the the
Prophet (SAW) said: 'Two duas are never rejected,
or rarely rejected: the du'a during the
call for prayer, and the du'a during the
clamity when the two armies attack each other'
[Abu Dawud #2540, ibn Majah, al-Hakim]
20. When Muslims gather for the
purpose of invoking and remembering
Allah (Dhikrullah).
The Prophet (SAW) said: If a group
of people sit together remembering Allah,
the angels will circle them, mercy
will shroud them, peace will descend
onto them and Allah will remember
them among those with Him. [Muslim]
21. First Ten days of Dhul-Hijjah
The Prophet (SAW) said:
'There are no days during which good
deeds are more beloved to Allah
than during these ten days'
[Sahih al-Bukhai #969 and others]
22. Dua when the heart reaches
out to Allah and is ready to be totally sincere
23. At Midnight
Abu Umamah (RA) said,
the Prophet (SAW) was questioned;
'Which du'a is heard (by Allah)?'
He answered, 'At midnight and at the
end of every obligatory prayer.
' [at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
25. Dua of people after the death of a person
In a long hadith, Umm Salamah (RA)
narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said,
when Abu Salamah had just passed away,
and had closed his eyes, 'Do not ask
for yourselves anything but good,
for the angels will say 'Ameen' to all
that you ask for. O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah,
and raise his ranks among those
who are guided.'
[Muslim, abu Dawud, Ahmad]
26. Dua of the one fasting until
he breaks his fast.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said;
Three supplications will not be
rejected (by Allah (SWT)), the supplication
of the parent for his child, the
supplication of the one who is fasting,
and the supplication of the traveler.
[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
27. Dua of the one fasting at the
time of breaking fast
The prophet (SAW) declared,
'Three men whose dua is never rejected
(by Allah) are: when a fasting person
breaks fast (in another narration,
the fasting person until he breaks his fast),
the just ruler and the one
who is oppressed.
'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
29. Dua of a justice Ruler
The prophet (SAW) declared,
'Three men whose dua is never rejected
(by Allah) are: the fasting person
until he breaks his fast
(in another narration,
when he breaks fast),
the just ruler and the one
who is oppressed.
'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]
30. Dua of a son or daughter
obedient to his or her parents
It is well known in the story
narrated in hadith os three men
who were trapped by a huge stone in a cave.
One of them who was kind to his parents
asked Allah to remove the stone,
and his du'a was answered.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 3:36 #472]
31. Dua immediately after wudu
Umar ibn Al-Khattab reported
that the Prophet (SAW) said:
'There is not one of you that makes wudu,
and does it perfectly, then says:
I testify that there is no diety worthy
of worship except Allah. he is Alone,
having no partners.
And I bear witness that Muhammad is His
slave and messenger',
except that the eight gates of Paradise
are opened for him, and he can enter
into it through whichever one he pleases'
[Muslim #234, abu Dawud #162,
Ahmad, an-Nasa'i] Saying
what has been mentioned in the hadith
that is directly related to it (ablution)
32. Dua after stoning the Jamarat at Hajj
The stoning of the small Shaitan
(jamrat sugra), or the middle Shaitan
(jamrat wusta) pillars during Hajj.
It is narrated that the Prophet (SAW)
would stone the small Jamarah
(one of the three pillars that is
stoned in the last days of Hajj),
then face the qiblah, raise his hands,
and make du'a for a long time.
He would then stone the middle
Jamarah and do the same.
When he stoned the large Jamarah,
he would depart without making any
du'a. [Sahih al-Bukhari
#1753 and others]
33. At the Crowing of a Rooster
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated
that the Prophet (SAW) said:
'When you hear a rooster crowing,
then ask Allah for His bounties,
for it has seen an angel, and
when you hear a donkey braying,
then seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan,
for it has seen a Shaitan'
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim,
Ahmad, Sahih al-Jami #611]
34. Du'a made inside the Ka'bah
The Ka'bah is a sanctuary that has
no comparison in the entire world.
The du'a of one who prays inside
the hijr is considered as being made
inside the ka'bah, as it is part
of the house (Baitullah).
[This is the semicircle to the right
of the Ka'bah if you face the door,
opposite to the Yemeni corner
and the Black stone wall.]
Usamah ibn Zayd narrated,
'When the Prophet (SAW) entered
the House (Ka'bah), he made du'a in
all of its corners
[Muslim 2: 968 and others]
35. Du'a on the mount of Safa
or Marwah during Umrah or Hajj
It is narrated that the Prophet (SAW)
would make long du'as at
Safa and Marwah.
[Muslim #1218 and others]
36. Dua at any of the holy sites.
37. While reciting Surah al-Fatihah
The Prophet (SAW) said that
Allah the Exalted had said:
'I have divided the prayer into
two halves between Me and My servant,
and My servant will receive
what he asks for. When the servant says:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe,
Allah the Most High says:
My servant has praised Me.
And when he (the servant) says:
The Most Compassionate, the Merciful,
Allah the Most High says:
My servant has lauded Me. When he
(the servant) says: Master of the Day
of Judgment, He remarks:
My servant has glorified Me,
and sometimes He will say:
My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me.
When he (the worshipper) says:
Thee do we worship and of
Thee do we ask help, He (Allah) says:
This is between Me and My servant,
and My servant will receive what he asks for
. Then, when he (the worshipper) says:
Guide us to the straight path,
the path of those to whom
Thou hast been Gracious --
not of those who have incurred
Thy displeasure, nor of those who have
gone astray, He (Allah) says:
This is for My servant, and
My servant will receive what he asks for.
[Muslim 4: 395]
38. Saying 'Ameen' during prayer
After finishing the recitation of al-Fatihah,
the saying of'Ameen' in congregation.
The Prophet (SAW) said:
'When the Imam says 'Ameen',
then recite it behind him (as well),
because whoever's Ameen coincides
with the Ameen of the angels
will have all of his sins forgiven.'
[Sahih al-Bukhari #780,
Muslim #410 and others]
39. While visiting the sick,
and dua made by the sick
Umm Salamah narrated that
the Prophet (SAW) said: 'When you
visit the sick, or the dead then say good,
because the angels say 'Ameen'
to whatever you say [Muslim #2126]
Ali (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW)
said: 'When a Muslim visits his sick
Muslim brother in the morning,
seventy thousand angels make dua
for his forgiveness till the evening.
And when he visits him in the evening,
seventy thousand angels make dua for
his forgiveness till the morning, and
he will be granted a garden for it in Jannah.'
[at-Tirmidhi, abu Dawud]
Islam Hadees
Islamic Hadees
Farmaya NABI_E_KAREEM (SAW)ne.qabr ka azaab barhaq hai.insaan ke paida hone se pehle uski maut muqarrer kardi jati hai.din me 4 martaba hamari qabr hame pukarti hai lakin ham maut ko kabhi yaad nahi karte.har momin ko chahia ke woh maut ko yaad kare.gunahaw se perhazz kare,maafi mange aur her din yeah dua 25 martaba padhe.Allahumma baarikli filmauti wafeema baadal maut.InshaAllah maut ki saqti aasan hogi ....
To protect yourself from the darkness of grave, read this dua as many times as possible through out the day "Inni Aamantu bi rabbikum fasmaoon".
Hadith Qudsi 25:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.
When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.
Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.
I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.
Farmaya NABI_E_KAREEM (SAW)ne.qabr ka azaab barhaq hai.insaan ke paida hone se pehle uski maut muqarrer kardi jati hai.din me 4 martaba hamari qabr hame pukarti hai lakin ham maut ko kabhi yaad nahi karte.har momin ko chahia ke woh maut ko yaad kare.gunahaw se perhazz kare,maafi mange aur her din yeah dua 25 martaba padhe.Allahumma baarikli filmauti wafeema baadal maut.InshaAllah maut ki saqti aasan hogi ....
To protect yourself from the darkness of grave, read this dua as many times as possible through out the day "Inni Aamantu bi rabbikum fasmaoon".
Hadith Qudsi 25:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.
When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.
Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.
I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.
The Seven Phases of Prophet Muhammad's Life
Traditional scholarship's divides Prophet Muhammad's life into Makkan and Madinahn phases. This is chronologically valid and represents the two broad aspects of his life before and after the watershed event of the Migration. It is historically important and marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
Additionally I believe Muhammad's struggle can be naturally divided into seven phases. Each phase brings forth a different aspect of his personality and highlights a different facet of his mission. Studying the Messenger's mission for its various phases and analyzing its internal dynamics is important as it gives the narrative relevance for today. Since his life is better documented than the lives of other prophets and leaders of major world religions, it is possible to build this analysis on a historical foundation.
The Search for Light in a Period of Darkness: The Seeker of Truth
As his biography (Seera) is recorded we find Prophet Muhammad pondering over societal ills for years. The society he was born in was in a state of moral, religious, economic and social chaos. It is difficult to resist drawing analogies between the seventh century world and the state of the human morality in today's world at the beginning of the new millennium. The nuclear man-woman two-parent family, as a core unit of society has eroded seriously in the West. Brazen sexual exploitation in the media is commonplace and illicit sex condoned and even accepted. Violence at home, against women, children, and violence in the streets, is frightfully routine. Substance abuse is widespread, with United States as the largest consumer of drugs in the world. Alcoholism is rampant, especially among college students, with only feeble attempts being made to address the problem. African- Americans have been liberated as slaves for a century and a half, yet many are still trapped in an unending cycle of poverty and discrimination, which is in a way a form of economic slavery. Because of a system that allows unrestrained growth of wealth without encouraging proper redistribution, economic disparities and injustices continue to grow at an alarming rate.
There are many excellent characteristics in Western societies, especially in the US that include the freedom of thought, speech and assembly, a tolerant attitude toward eccentricities in human nature and an ambition to be a just and compassionate society. These qualities of the ordinary American however are not always reflected in the policy makers and political leaders.
The unraveling of the moral fabric in today's society must weigh heavily on the minds of individuals with insight. They can draw personal solace and inspiration from the Prophet's life. The Arab tribal society of the Seventh century, whose structure was based on greed, debauchery, and violence, was changed in a very short time, by the Prophet, into a society with one of the highest moral standards in history. Compassion, humility, devotion to God and egalitarianism replaced the old well-entrenched tribal attitudes of pride in wealth, family and class and self-centered behavior. Women, for the first time in history, had rights and dignity, and the vulnerable and weak sections of the society were protected. Sexuality was removed from public prurience and became private and wholesome. Wealth was re-circulated so that even the poorest segments of the society were infused with energy and indigence became nearly extinct.
The Warner and Exhorter
During one his meditative trips to a cave near Makkah, Prophet Muhammad receives the revelation. Divine revelation is the reaffirmation of the fact that celestial knowledge is essential in guiding the inherently limited human intellect. The profundity of this realization that he is the recipient of this divine revelation and the enormity of the task ahead overawes him. Initially he shares the message only with his closest family and a few loyal supporters. It is both fascinating and revealing that even the individual who would later be rated as the most influential man in human history had these initial periods of doubt and uncertainty about his mission. It was the reassurance from the Quran and the confidence and support of his wife Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), and his close companions which provided him the support he needs-surely a lesson for us lesser mortals!
The Stoic Optimist
The next facet of his life is of bringing about proactive change by inviting people (Dawa) to Islam. With it comes the inevitable hostility of the entrenched powers in the society. Change is always threatening, and the greater the change, the more threatening it is. This would be true of the change against any established system of practices, whether it be economic, social or behavioral. It would also be true for change in personal behavior like wearing immodest clothing, promiscuity, and consumption of intoxicants. Changing attitudes that valued pride in wealth and country or class and color of the skin over all else would also be difficult. Not surprisingly the struggle for change becomes life threatening. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had to lay his life on the line and on several occasions the nascent Muslim community faced the possibility of total extinction. Fortitude in the face of adversity is the salient feature of this phase. The patience and stoicism Muhammad displays during this phase has been a source of strength to many a Muslim who has found himself beleaguered by apparently hopeless circumstances
The Pluralistic Leader
The Migration, which marks the beginning of the next phase, involves careful planning and meticulous execution. He demonstrates that self-help and reliance on Allah go together and are both essential for success. With his nomination by the community in Madinah to a position of leadership, he shows another facet of his personality: the capacity to create a truly pluralistic society with equity and dignity for all religious and ethnic groups. In a very short period after the Migration to Madinah, Muhammad proves he is capable of uniting various factions and setting exemplary standards of cooperation between them. He makes a seamless switch from being a person under constant persecution to a leader with a large administrative and judicial responsibility. The "Covenant (Constitution) of Madinah" that lays out the rules of living in a pluralistic society is a document that needs to be studied carefully and implemented to the fullest extent in today's inescapably multi-religious and multi-cultural world.
The Courageous Yet Reluctant Warrior
After a brief respite, his mission is consumed by the need to fight wars of survival. These three wars in four years, Badr, Uhad and Ahzab, besides posing a physical threat, must have been extremely distracting and demanding of his time and energy. Yet the work of building the community goes on.
It is important to remember that even though faced with very aggressive proponents the Prophet and his followers never initiated or instigated any wars. Muhammad and the Muslims engaged in these battles with great discipline, avoiding injury to the innocent and using only the minimum force needed. Women, children and non-combatants were not to be harmed. When the enemy stopped fighting, he was to be given immediate sanctuary. Striking a blow in anger, even in battle, was prohibited. He uses innovative strategies in the battles, which include the use of the trench as a defense. During the digging of the trench he is an active participant. He consults frequently (Shura) with his companions and follows the majority opinion (Ijma'), even when it sometimes goes against his own judgment.
The Statesman Par Excellence and Teacher
During the next phase, he shows the capacity to compromise and demonstrates the foresight and wisdom to realize that peace, even at seemingly unfavorable terms, is better than hostility. The "Treaty of Hudaybia" also needs to be studied and emulated by all who negotiate with their opponents. The peace dividend, following this treaty with the Quraysh, is huge and results in an exponential increase in the number of Muslims.
This also allows the building of a model and just society that functions in a coherent manner. Wealth is allowed to be accumulated but has to be circulated fairly into even the tiniest capillaries of the community's economic system. It is an egalitarian society with equity and justice for all, governed by mutual consultation, equality before the law and protection of its most vulnerable members, women, children, orphans, indigents and slaves.
As illustrated by many incidents from this phase of his life, the Prophet proves to be an exemplary statesman. He mediates disputes, defuses potentially explosive situations with ease, allowing the parties to the conflict to walk away as friends and allies. He is unafraid to take risks but is never reckless and compromises for the sake of peace. His emissaries to other nations bring with them a message of cooperation seeking common ground. When he gives a pledge, he always keeps it. If the other party breaks the pledge, he does not flinch from measures that are appropriate to maintain the sanctity of the pledge.
The Compassionate Ruler and Spiritual Leader.
The final phase begins with the conquest of Makkah, which is a demonstration of meticulous planning and the use of overwhelming force to achieve a victory with practically no loss of life on either side of the battle front. The stunning magnanimity and humility shown during victory by Muhammad and his companions is unmatched in history. He is humble in victory, compassionate, and forgiving to even his most intractable opponents.
The final sermon consolidates the social, economic, and moral changes that have been brought about in the society. It is time to prepare for the end.
The anatomy of the mission, its growth and evolution in some ways parallels the various stages of human life itself. These various phases reflect not only the growing sophistication of the message but also the increasing maturity of the audience to whom the message is directed. The audience grows in its understanding of what it would take to bear the burden of passing on the message to posterity. The Prophet's mission in its most fundamental analysis was to interpret and spread the Quranic ideology. This Quran centered spirituality remains the constant theme through all of the phases of his life. The Quran says about him "Indeed there is for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern" (Quran 33:21). His wife Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) calls him the living embodiment of the Quran. It is this complementary bequest of the Quran and Sunna that is our special blessing.
Over time, many differences based on dogma, politics, personality cults and egos have emerged amongst the followers of Islam. In spite of many heterodox sects, the core messages of Quran, and its realization in the life of the Prophet are alive and potent, and continue to provide spiritual solace, intellectual satisfaction and societal discipline to many making Islam the fastest growing religion in the world
Additionally I believe Muhammad's struggle can be naturally divided into seven phases. Each phase brings forth a different aspect of his personality and highlights a different facet of his mission. Studying the Messenger's mission for its various phases and analyzing its internal dynamics is important as it gives the narrative relevance for today. Since his life is better documented than the lives of other prophets and leaders of major world religions, it is possible to build this analysis on a historical foundation.
The Search for Light in a Period of Darkness: The Seeker of Truth
As his biography (Seera) is recorded we find Prophet Muhammad pondering over societal ills for years. The society he was born in was in a state of moral, religious, economic and social chaos. It is difficult to resist drawing analogies between the seventh century world and the state of the human morality in today's world at the beginning of the new millennium. The nuclear man-woman two-parent family, as a core unit of society has eroded seriously in the West. Brazen sexual exploitation in the media is commonplace and illicit sex condoned and even accepted. Violence at home, against women, children, and violence in the streets, is frightfully routine. Substance abuse is widespread, with United States as the largest consumer of drugs in the world. Alcoholism is rampant, especially among college students, with only feeble attempts being made to address the problem. African- Americans have been liberated as slaves for a century and a half, yet many are still trapped in an unending cycle of poverty and discrimination, which is in a way a form of economic slavery. Because of a system that allows unrestrained growth of wealth without encouraging proper redistribution, economic disparities and injustices continue to grow at an alarming rate.
There are many excellent characteristics in Western societies, especially in the US that include the freedom of thought, speech and assembly, a tolerant attitude toward eccentricities in human nature and an ambition to be a just and compassionate society. These qualities of the ordinary American however are not always reflected in the policy makers and political leaders.
The unraveling of the moral fabric in today's society must weigh heavily on the minds of individuals with insight. They can draw personal solace and inspiration from the Prophet's life. The Arab tribal society of the Seventh century, whose structure was based on greed, debauchery, and violence, was changed in a very short time, by the Prophet, into a society with one of the highest moral standards in history. Compassion, humility, devotion to God and egalitarianism replaced the old well-entrenched tribal attitudes of pride in wealth, family and class and self-centered behavior. Women, for the first time in history, had rights and dignity, and the vulnerable and weak sections of the society were protected. Sexuality was removed from public prurience and became private and wholesome. Wealth was re-circulated so that even the poorest segments of the society were infused with energy and indigence became nearly extinct.
The Warner and Exhorter
During one his meditative trips to a cave near Makkah, Prophet Muhammad receives the revelation. Divine revelation is the reaffirmation of the fact that celestial knowledge is essential in guiding the inherently limited human intellect. The profundity of this realization that he is the recipient of this divine revelation and the enormity of the task ahead overawes him. Initially he shares the message only with his closest family and a few loyal supporters. It is both fascinating and revealing that even the individual who would later be rated as the most influential man in human history had these initial periods of doubt and uncertainty about his mission. It was the reassurance from the Quran and the confidence and support of his wife Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), and his close companions which provided him the support he needs-surely a lesson for us lesser mortals!
The Stoic Optimist
The next facet of his life is of bringing about proactive change by inviting people (Dawa) to Islam. With it comes the inevitable hostility of the entrenched powers in the society. Change is always threatening, and the greater the change, the more threatening it is. This would be true of the change against any established system of practices, whether it be economic, social or behavioral. It would also be true for change in personal behavior like wearing immodest clothing, promiscuity, and consumption of intoxicants. Changing attitudes that valued pride in wealth and country or class and color of the skin over all else would also be difficult. Not surprisingly the struggle for change becomes life threatening. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had to lay his life on the line and on several occasions the nascent Muslim community faced the possibility of total extinction. Fortitude in the face of adversity is the salient feature of this phase. The patience and stoicism Muhammad displays during this phase has been a source of strength to many a Muslim who has found himself beleaguered by apparently hopeless circumstances
The Pluralistic Leader
The Migration, which marks the beginning of the next phase, involves careful planning and meticulous execution. He demonstrates that self-help and reliance on Allah go together and are both essential for success. With his nomination by the community in Madinah to a position of leadership, he shows another facet of his personality: the capacity to create a truly pluralistic society with equity and dignity for all religious and ethnic groups. In a very short period after the Migration to Madinah, Muhammad proves he is capable of uniting various factions and setting exemplary standards of cooperation between them. He makes a seamless switch from being a person under constant persecution to a leader with a large administrative and judicial responsibility. The "Covenant (Constitution) of Madinah" that lays out the rules of living in a pluralistic society is a document that needs to be studied carefully and implemented to the fullest extent in today's inescapably multi-religious and multi-cultural world.
The Courageous Yet Reluctant Warrior
After a brief respite, his mission is consumed by the need to fight wars of survival. These three wars in four years, Badr, Uhad and Ahzab, besides posing a physical threat, must have been extremely distracting and demanding of his time and energy. Yet the work of building the community goes on.
It is important to remember that even though faced with very aggressive proponents the Prophet and his followers never initiated or instigated any wars. Muhammad and the Muslims engaged in these battles with great discipline, avoiding injury to the innocent and using only the minimum force needed. Women, children and non-combatants were not to be harmed. When the enemy stopped fighting, he was to be given immediate sanctuary. Striking a blow in anger, even in battle, was prohibited. He uses innovative strategies in the battles, which include the use of the trench as a defense. During the digging of the trench he is an active participant. He consults frequently (Shura) with his companions and follows the majority opinion (Ijma'), even when it sometimes goes against his own judgment.
The Statesman Par Excellence and Teacher
During the next phase, he shows the capacity to compromise and demonstrates the foresight and wisdom to realize that peace, even at seemingly unfavorable terms, is better than hostility. The "Treaty of Hudaybia" also needs to be studied and emulated by all who negotiate with their opponents. The peace dividend, following this treaty with the Quraysh, is huge and results in an exponential increase in the number of Muslims.
This also allows the building of a model and just society that functions in a coherent manner. Wealth is allowed to be accumulated but has to be circulated fairly into even the tiniest capillaries of the community's economic system. It is an egalitarian society with equity and justice for all, governed by mutual consultation, equality before the law and protection of its most vulnerable members, women, children, orphans, indigents and slaves.
As illustrated by many incidents from this phase of his life, the Prophet proves to be an exemplary statesman. He mediates disputes, defuses potentially explosive situations with ease, allowing the parties to the conflict to walk away as friends and allies. He is unafraid to take risks but is never reckless and compromises for the sake of peace. His emissaries to other nations bring with them a message of cooperation seeking common ground. When he gives a pledge, he always keeps it. If the other party breaks the pledge, he does not flinch from measures that are appropriate to maintain the sanctity of the pledge.
The Compassionate Ruler and Spiritual Leader.
The final phase begins with the conquest of Makkah, which is a demonstration of meticulous planning and the use of overwhelming force to achieve a victory with practically no loss of life on either side of the battle front. The stunning magnanimity and humility shown during victory by Muhammad and his companions is unmatched in history. He is humble in victory, compassionate, and forgiving to even his most intractable opponents.
The final sermon consolidates the social, economic, and moral changes that have been brought about in the society. It is time to prepare for the end.
The anatomy of the mission, its growth and evolution in some ways parallels the various stages of human life itself. These various phases reflect not only the growing sophistication of the message but also the increasing maturity of the audience to whom the message is directed. The audience grows in its understanding of what it would take to bear the burden of passing on the message to posterity. The Prophet's mission in its most fundamental analysis was to interpret and spread the Quranic ideology. This Quran centered spirituality remains the constant theme through all of the phases of his life. The Quran says about him "Indeed there is for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern" (Quran 33:21). His wife Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) calls him the living embodiment of the Quran. It is this complementary bequest of the Quran and Sunna that is our special blessing.
Over time, many differences based on dogma, politics, personality cults and egos have emerged amongst the followers of Islam. In spite of many heterodox sects, the core messages of Quran, and its realization in the life of the Prophet are alive and potent, and continue to provide spiritual solace, intellectual satisfaction and societal discipline to many making Islam the fastest growing religion in the world
Determination of the true age of Aisha (ra)
Determination of the true age of AishaIt appears that Maulana Muhammad Ali was the first Islamic scholar directly to challenge the notion that Aisha was aged six and nine, respectively, at the time of her nikah and consummation of marriage.
This he did in, at least, the following writings: his English booklet Prophet of Islam, his larger English book Muhammad, the Prophet, and in the footnotes in his voluminous Urdu translation and commentary of Sahih Bukhari entitled Fadl-ul-Bari, these three writings being published in the 1920s and 1930s.
In the booklet Prophet of Islam, which was later incorporated in 1948 as the first chapter of his book Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad, he writes in a lengthy footnote as follows: “A great misconception prevails as to the age at which Aisha was taken in marriage by the Prophet. Ibn Sa‘d has stated in the Tabaqat that when Abu Bakr [father of Aisha] was approached on behalf of the Holy Prophet, he replied that the girl had already been betrothed to Jubair, and that he would have to settle the matter first with him.
This shows that Aisha must have been approaching majority at the time. Again, the Isaba, speaking of the Prophet’s daughter Fatima, says that she was born five years before the Call and was about five years older than Aisha. This shows that Aisha must have been about ten years at the time of her betrothal to the Prophet, and not six years as she is generally supposed to be.
This is further borne out by the fact that Aisha herself is reported to have stated that when the chapter [of the Holy Quran] entitled The Moon, the fifty-fourth chapter, was revealed, she was a girl playing about and remembered certain verses then revealed. Now the fifty-fourth chapter was undoubtedly revealed before the sixth year of the Call.
All these considerations point to but one conclusion, viz., that Aisha could not have been less than ten years of age at the time of her nikah, which was virtually only a betrothal. And there is one report in the Tabaqat that Aisha was nine years of age at the time of nikah.
Again it is a fact admitted on all hands that the nikah of Aisha took place in the tenth year of the Call in the month of Shawwal, while there is also preponderance of evidence as to the consummation of her marriage taking place in the second year of Hijra in the same month, which shows that full five years had elapsed between the nikah and the consummation.
Hence there is not the least doubt that Aisha was at least nine or ten years of age at the time of betrothal, and fourteen or fifteen years at the time of marriage. (Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad, 1992 U.S.A. edition, p. 30, note 40.)
To facilitate understanding dates of these events, please note that it was in the tenth year of the Call, i.e. the tenth year after the Holy Prophet Muhammad received his calling from God to his mission of prophethood, that his wife Khadija passed away, and the approach was made to Abu Bakr for the hand of his daughter Aisha.
The hijra or emigration of the Holy Prophet to Madina took place three years later, and Aisha came to the household of the Holy Prophet in the second year after hijra. So if Aisha was born in the year of the Call, she would be ten years old at the time of the nikah and fifteen years old at the time of the consummation of the marriage.
Research subsequent to the time of Maulana Muhammad Ali has shown that she was older than this. An excellent short work presenting such evidence is the Urdu pamphlet Rukhsati kai waqt Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa ki umar (‘The age of Lady Aisha at the time of the start of her married life’) by Abu Tahir Irfani. 1
Points 1 to 3 below have been brought to light in this pamphlet.
1. The famous classical historian of Islam, Ibn Jarir Tabari, wrote in his ‘History’:
“In the time before Islam, Abu Bakr married two women. The first was Fatila daughter of Abdul Uzza, from whom Abdullah and Asma were born. Then he married Umm Ruman, from whom Abdur Rahman and Aisha were born. These four were born before Islam.” (Tarikh Tabari, vol. 4, p. 50.)
Being born before Islam means being born before the Call.
2. The compiler of the famous Hadith collection Mishkat al-Masabih, Imam Wali-ud-Din Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Khatib, who died 700 years ago, has also written brief biographical notes on the narrators of Hadith reports. He writes under Asma, the older daughter of Abu Bakr:
“She was the sister of Aisha Siddiqa, wife of the Holy Prophet, and was ten years older than her. … In 73 A.H. … Asma died at the age of one hundred years.” Mishkat al-Masabih, Edition with Urdu translation published in Lahore, 1986, vol. 3, p. 300–301. (Go here to see an image of the full entry in Urdu.)
This would make Asma 28 years of age in 1 A.H., the year of the Hijra, thus making Aisha 18 years old in 1 A.H. So Aisha would be 19 years old at the time of the consummation of her marriage, and 14 or 15 years old at the time of her nikah. It would place her year of birth at four or five years before the Call.
3. The same statement is made by the famous classical commentator of the Holy Quran, Ibn Kathir, in his book Al-bidayya wal-nihaya:
“Asma died in 73 A.H. at the age of one hundred years. She was ten years older than her sister Aisha.”Vol. 8, p. 346.
Apart from these three evidences, which are presented in the Urdu pamphlet referred to above, we also note that the birth of Aisha being a little before the Call is consistent with the opening words of a statement by her which is recorded four times in Bukhari. Those words are as follows:
“Ever since I can remember (or understand things) my parents were following the religion of Islam.”Those four places in Sahih Bukhari are the following: Kitab-us-Salat, ch. ‘A mosque which is in the way but does not inconvenience people’; Kitab-ul-Kafalat, ch. ‘Abu Bakr under the protection of a non-Muslim in the time of the Holy Prophet and his pact with him’; Kitab Manaqib-ul-Ansar, ch. ‘Emigration of the Holy Prophet and his Companions to Madina’; and Kitab-ul-Adab, ch. ‘Should a person visit everyday, or morning and evening’.
This is tantamount to saying that she was born sometime before her parents accepted Islam but she can only remember them practising Islam. No doubt she and her parents knew well whether she was born before or after they accepted Islam, as their acceptance of Islam was such a landmark event in their life which took place just after the Holy Prophet received his mission from God.
If she had been born after they accepted Islam it would make no sense for her to say that she always remembered them as following Islam. Only if she was born before they accepted Islam, would it make sense for her to say that she can only remember them being Muslims, as she was too young to remember things before their conversion. This is consistent with her being born before the Call, and being perhaps four or five years old at the time of the Call, which was also almost the time when her parents accepted Islam.
This he did in, at least, the following writings: his English booklet Prophet of Islam, his larger English book Muhammad, the Prophet, and in the footnotes in his voluminous Urdu translation and commentary of Sahih Bukhari entitled Fadl-ul-Bari, these three writings being published in the 1920s and 1930s.
In the booklet Prophet of Islam, which was later incorporated in 1948 as the first chapter of his book Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad, he writes in a lengthy footnote as follows: “A great misconception prevails as to the age at which Aisha was taken in marriage by the Prophet. Ibn Sa‘d has stated in the Tabaqat that when Abu Bakr [father of Aisha] was approached on behalf of the Holy Prophet, he replied that the girl had already been betrothed to Jubair, and that he would have to settle the matter first with him.
This shows that Aisha must have been approaching majority at the time. Again, the Isaba, speaking of the Prophet’s daughter Fatima, says that she was born five years before the Call and was about five years older than Aisha. This shows that Aisha must have been about ten years at the time of her betrothal to the Prophet, and not six years as she is generally supposed to be.
This is further borne out by the fact that Aisha herself is reported to have stated that when the chapter [of the Holy Quran] entitled The Moon, the fifty-fourth chapter, was revealed, she was a girl playing about and remembered certain verses then revealed. Now the fifty-fourth chapter was undoubtedly revealed before the sixth year of the Call.
All these considerations point to but one conclusion, viz., that Aisha could not have been less than ten years of age at the time of her nikah, which was virtually only a betrothal. And there is one report in the Tabaqat that Aisha was nine years of age at the time of nikah.
Again it is a fact admitted on all hands that the nikah of Aisha took place in the tenth year of the Call in the month of Shawwal, while there is also preponderance of evidence as to the consummation of her marriage taking place in the second year of Hijra in the same month, which shows that full five years had elapsed between the nikah and the consummation.
Hence there is not the least doubt that Aisha was at least nine or ten years of age at the time of betrothal, and fourteen or fifteen years at the time of marriage. (Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad, 1992 U.S.A. edition, p. 30, note 40.)
To facilitate understanding dates of these events, please note that it was in the tenth year of the Call, i.e. the tenth year after the Holy Prophet Muhammad received his calling from God to his mission of prophethood, that his wife Khadija passed away, and the approach was made to Abu Bakr for the hand of his daughter Aisha.
The hijra or emigration of the Holy Prophet to Madina took place three years later, and Aisha came to the household of the Holy Prophet in the second year after hijra. So if Aisha was born in the year of the Call, she would be ten years old at the time of the nikah and fifteen years old at the time of the consummation of the marriage.
Research subsequent to the time of Maulana Muhammad Ali has shown that she was older than this. An excellent short work presenting such evidence is the Urdu pamphlet Rukhsati kai waqt Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa ki umar (‘The age of Lady Aisha at the time of the start of her married life’) by Abu Tahir Irfani. 1
Points 1 to 3 below have been brought to light in this pamphlet.
1. The famous classical historian of Islam, Ibn Jarir Tabari, wrote in his ‘History’:
“In the time before Islam, Abu Bakr married two women. The first was Fatila daughter of Abdul Uzza, from whom Abdullah and Asma were born. Then he married Umm Ruman, from whom Abdur Rahman and Aisha were born. These four were born before Islam.” (Tarikh Tabari, vol. 4, p. 50.)
Being born before Islam means being born before the Call.
2. The compiler of the famous Hadith collection Mishkat al-Masabih, Imam Wali-ud-Din Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Khatib, who died 700 years ago, has also written brief biographical notes on the narrators of Hadith reports. He writes under Asma, the older daughter of Abu Bakr:
“She was the sister of Aisha Siddiqa, wife of the Holy Prophet, and was ten years older than her. … In 73 A.H. … Asma died at the age of one hundred years.” Mishkat al-Masabih, Edition with Urdu translation published in Lahore, 1986, vol. 3, p. 300–301. (Go here to see an image of the full entry in Urdu.)
This would make Asma 28 years of age in 1 A.H., the year of the Hijra, thus making Aisha 18 years old in 1 A.H. So Aisha would be 19 years old at the time of the consummation of her marriage, and 14 or 15 years old at the time of her nikah. It would place her year of birth at four or five years before the Call.
3. The same statement is made by the famous classical commentator of the Holy Quran, Ibn Kathir, in his book Al-bidayya wal-nihaya:
“Asma died in 73 A.H. at the age of one hundred years. She was ten years older than her sister Aisha.”Vol. 8, p. 346.
Apart from these three evidences, which are presented in the Urdu pamphlet referred to above, we also note that the birth of Aisha being a little before the Call is consistent with the opening words of a statement by her which is recorded four times in Bukhari. Those words are as follows:
“Ever since I can remember (or understand things) my parents were following the religion of Islam.”Those four places in Sahih Bukhari are the following: Kitab-us-Salat, ch. ‘A mosque which is in the way but does not inconvenience people’; Kitab-ul-Kafalat, ch. ‘Abu Bakr under the protection of a non-Muslim in the time of the Holy Prophet and his pact with him’; Kitab Manaqib-ul-Ansar, ch. ‘Emigration of the Holy Prophet and his Companions to Madina’; and Kitab-ul-Adab, ch. ‘Should a person visit everyday, or morning and evening’.
This is tantamount to saying that she was born sometime before her parents accepted Islam but she can only remember them practising Islam. No doubt she and her parents knew well whether she was born before or after they accepted Islam, as their acceptance of Islam was such a landmark event in their life which took place just after the Holy Prophet received his mission from God.
If she had been born after they accepted Islam it would make no sense for her to say that she always remembered them as following Islam. Only if she was born before they accepted Islam, would it make sense for her to say that she can only remember them being Muslims, as she was too young to remember things before their conversion. This is consistent with her being born before the Call, and being perhaps four or five years old at the time of the Call, which was also almost the time when her parents accepted Islam.
Importance of Patience
Importance of Patience
O you who believe, be steadfast; be supreme in steadfastness... (Surah Al 'Imran, 200)
Allah has revealed in a verse, "This is a Book We have sent down to you so that you can bring mankind from the darkness to the light, by the permission of their Lord, to the Path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy" (Surah Ibrahim, 1), thus drawing attention to the Qur'an's attribute of bringing people from darkness to light.
The Qur'an defines patience as one of the paths that lead people from darkness to light and as an attribute of morality that is superior to, wide-ranging, and very different from the daily behavior of many people. True patience is a moral characteristic displayed in the face of difficulty and in every moment of life. Moreover, it requires the demonstration of determination and consistency during times of ease and hardship, and is a lifelong endeavor that never goes astray, even for a moment.
Allah gives the most striking examples of patience in the lives of the Prophets, because they showed patience while teaching Allah's religion and leading a moral life. They never deviated from their devotion to Allah, and were patient people who sought only Allah's approval.
This book will define this high moral virtue taught by the Qur'an and invite people to acquire true patience. Inaccurate understandings of patience will be explained along with the kind of patience Allah requires, how Allah may test people so that they can acquire a more perfect patience, and the great return Allah promises to those who exhibit great patience.
Examples of how the Prophets showed patience in every area until the end of their lives will be presented in the hope that people will "be steadfast for our Lord" until the end of their own lives. (Surat al-Muddaththir, 7)
This book also will give the good news that Allah provided for those who respond to this call with the verse, "give good news to the steadfast" (Surat al-Baqara, 155). Moreover, emphasis will be placed on the facts that Allah is "with the steadfast" (Surat al-Baqara, 153) and that patience is a matchless key that opens doors to many fine things for the faithful. As Prophet Muhammad (saas) states:
Whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. obody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience. (Bukhari)
THE QUR'ANIC DEFINITION OF PATIENCE
THE QUR'ANIC DEFINITION OF PATIENCE
O you who believe, seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Allah is with the steadfast. (Surat al-Baqara, 153)
Allah, Who has defined the best way of life for people and the most appropriate moral conduct for their nature, announces in "We send down in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers" (Surat al-Isra', 82) that patience is a mercy for the faithful.
People can gain Allah's approval and love by fully applying the Qur'an's truths in their lives. Allah requires the faithful to adhere to the Qur'an's morality as long as they are alive, without showing any weakness. To carry out this task successfully, the faithful must acquire the supreme characteristic of patience, which is the result of faith. Those who learn the secret of patience can demonstrate the required steadfastness in every act and prayer.
Attaining this secret is extremely easy. Allah manifests His attribute "Al-Sabur" (The Patient) on those who believe in Him and helps perfect the determination in their hearts.
The real source of this lifelong true patience is the believers' faith in Allah. They know that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge, that everything occurs only with His permission, and that He hides thousands of blessings and benefits behind all events. In addition, they do not forget that Allah is the Friend, Guardian, and Helper of the faithful. Thus, although it may not seem so at first glance, all events are arranged to somehow benefit the believers. For this reason, patience is not a moral characteristic that makes life difficult for the faithful; rather, it is a form of worship that they accept wholeheartedly and with joy. Here is one point of difference between true patience and the view of patience as commonly understood in society.
Many people do not know the true meaning of patience, how truly patient people are required to behave, or how important this is in Allah's sight. They regard patience more as holding up one's head when faced with difficulties and problems, either overcoming or enduring them. Thus, they consider patience as the ability to withstand something, up to a certain point, and that an occasional loss of patience is quite normal. Moreover, according to this non-Qur'anic understanding, it is utterly futile to show patience in a matter from which no concrete benefit can be derived. And so when faced with such a situation, they give way to frustration and believe that being patient is useless.
The Qur'anic concept of true patience is quite different from this understanding of endurance. In the first place, people experience patience as the instruction of Allah and so can neither exhaust nor lose it. They carry out this form of worship joyfully and fervently and expect no concrete benefit in exchange for it, because they are patient solely to earn Allah's approval. What matters for them is the knowledge that they will earn His approval with their superior morality. For them, such a reward is enough.
Furthermore, the patience recommended by the Qur'an is not a moral characteristic employed only in times of hardship. True patience is shown in fully applying all of the Qur'an's teachings, in being scrupulous in guarding against all behavior that Allah warns against, and in being determined to live according to the Qur'an's morality as long as one is alive and with no thought of deviating from it, regardless of circumstances.
In "But, in your Lord's sight, right actions that are lasting bring a better reward and are a better basis for hope" (Surat al-Kahf, 46), Allah points out that proper behavior carried on with determination is regarded with approval and invites the faithful to be patient under all circumstances.
Therefore be patient with a beautiful patience. (Surat al-Ma'arij, 5)
"It may be that you hate something when it is good for you, and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know" (Surat al-Baqara, 216).
Those who are steadfast and put their trust in their Lord. (Surat an-Nahl: 42)
No matter what hardship they encounter, the faithful know that such hardship is a test from Allah and so do not lose their patience. How could they, knowing that they will face the Day of Judgment and receive their reward for their fine morality? Allah's Messenger (saas) also mentions that the believers remain patient when faced with calamity, since they always trust Allah, as follows:
The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant. From whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it. But when the wind becomes quiet, it becomes straight again. Similarly, a believer is afflicted with calamities (but remains patient until Allah removes the difficulty).
O you who believe, seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Allah is with the steadfast. (Surat al-Baqara, 153)
Allah, Who has defined the best way of life for people and the most appropriate moral conduct for their nature, announces in "We send down in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers" (Surat al-Isra', 82) that patience is a mercy for the faithful.
People can gain Allah's approval and love by fully applying the Qur'an's truths in their lives. Allah requires the faithful to adhere to the Qur'an's morality as long as they are alive, without showing any weakness. To carry out this task successfully, the faithful must acquire the supreme characteristic of patience, which is the result of faith. Those who learn the secret of patience can demonstrate the required steadfastness in every act and prayer.
Attaining this secret is extremely easy. Allah manifests His attribute "Al-Sabur" (The Patient) on those who believe in Him and helps perfect the determination in their hearts.
The real source of this lifelong true patience is the believers' faith in Allah. They know that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge, that everything occurs only with His permission, and that He hides thousands of blessings and benefits behind all events. In addition, they do not forget that Allah is the Friend, Guardian, and Helper of the faithful. Thus, although it may not seem so at first glance, all events are arranged to somehow benefit the believers. For this reason, patience is not a moral characteristic that makes life difficult for the faithful; rather, it is a form of worship that they accept wholeheartedly and with joy. Here is one point of difference between true patience and the view of patience as commonly understood in society.
Many people do not know the true meaning of patience, how truly patient people are required to behave, or how important this is in Allah's sight. They regard patience more as holding up one's head when faced with difficulties and problems, either overcoming or enduring them. Thus, they consider patience as the ability to withstand something, up to a certain point, and that an occasional loss of patience is quite normal. Moreover, according to this non-Qur'anic understanding, it is utterly futile to show patience in a matter from which no concrete benefit can be derived. And so when faced with such a situation, they give way to frustration and believe that being patient is useless.
The Qur'anic concept of true patience is quite different from this understanding of endurance. In the first place, people experience patience as the instruction of Allah and so can neither exhaust nor lose it. They carry out this form of worship joyfully and fervently and expect no concrete benefit in exchange for it, because they are patient solely to earn Allah's approval. What matters for them is the knowledge that they will earn His approval with their superior morality. For them, such a reward is enough.
Furthermore, the patience recommended by the Qur'an is not a moral characteristic employed only in times of hardship. True patience is shown in fully applying all of the Qur'an's teachings, in being scrupulous in guarding against all behavior that Allah warns against, and in being determined to live according to the Qur'an's morality as long as one is alive and with no thought of deviating from it, regardless of circumstances.
In "But, in your Lord's sight, right actions that are lasting bring a better reward and are a better basis for hope" (Surat al-Kahf, 46), Allah points out that proper behavior carried on with determination is regarded with approval and invites the faithful to be patient under all circumstances.
Therefore be patient with a beautiful patience. (Surat al-Ma'arij, 5)
"It may be that you hate something when it is good for you, and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know" (Surat al-Baqara, 216).
Those who are steadfast and put their trust in their Lord. (Surat an-Nahl: 42)
No matter what hardship they encounter, the faithful know that such hardship is a test from Allah and so do not lose their patience. How could they, knowing that they will face the Day of Judgment and receive their reward for their fine morality? Allah's Messenger (saas) also mentions that the believers remain patient when faced with calamity, since they always trust Allah, as follows:
The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant. From whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it. But when the wind becomes quiet, it becomes straight again. Similarly, a believer is afflicted with calamities (but remains patient until Allah removes the difficulty).
Names of ALLAH with Meanings
ALLAH- The proper name of ALLAH.
Whoever reads this name of ALLAH 1000 times daily, all doubts and uncertainities will be removed from his heart and instead, determination and faith will become inborn in him- Insha-ALLAH
AR-RAHMAN- The Compassionate.
AR-RAHMAN- The Compassionate.
If this Ism is recited 100 times daily after ever salah, if ALLAH wills, hard-heartedness and negligence will be removed from the reciter's heart.
AR-RAHEEM- Most Merciful.
AR-RAHEEM- Most Merciful.
If recited 100 times daily, the reciter will be safeguarded from all calamities and the entire creation will become affectionate to him Insha-ALLAH
AlMalik- THE SOVEREIGN. If recited abundantly after Zawaal, the reciter will be given abundant wealth Insha-ALLAH.
AL-QUDDUS- THE HOLY ONE AND THE ONE WHO IS FREE FROM ALL BLEMISHES.
AlMalik- THE SOVEREIGN. If recited abundantly after Zawaal, the reciter will be given abundant wealth Insha-ALLAH.
AL-QUDDUS- THE HOLY ONE AND THE ONE WHO IS FREE FROM ALL BLEMISHES.
ALLAH will cure all spiritual sicknesses from the one who recites it abundantly daily Insha-ALLAH.
AL-SALAM- GIVER OF PEACE OR THE ONE WHO IS IMMUNED FROM ALL DISTRESS.
AL-SALAM- GIVER OF PEACE OR THE ONE WHO IS IMMUNED FROM ALL DISTRESS.
Anyone who recites this Isma continually, ALLAH will protect him from all calamities. If reace 115 times and blown on a sick person, Insha-ALLAH his health will be restored.
Al-MU'MIN- GIVER OF PEACE.
Whoever says this Ism 630 times in times of fear, ALLAH will protect him from all calamities, mishaps and losses.
AL-MUHAYMIN- THE GIVER OF PROTECTION.
AL-MUHAYMIN- THE GIVER OF PROTECTION.
Anyone who offers 2 rakaat salaah and reads this Ism sincerely for 100 times, ALLAH will purify him physically and spiritually. It is also said by some scholars that ALLAH wil acquaint one with the unseen if one reads it 115 times.
AL-AZIZ- THE MIGHTY.
AL-AZIZ- THE MIGHTY.
Anyone who says this name 40 times each day for 40 days, ALLAH will grant him honour and self-sufficient.
AL-JABBAR- THE COMPELLER, THE OVER POWERING LORD.
AL-JABBAR- THE COMPELLER, THE OVER POWERING LORD.
Anyone who recites this name 226 times each morning and each evening, will be safe guarded from oppression of tyrants and despots Insha-ALLAH.
AL-MUTAKABBIR- THE SELF-GLORIOUS.
AL-MUTAKABBIR- THE SELF-GLORIOUS.
The constant reciter of this name will be granted honour and greatness.
Al-KHALIQ- THE CREATOR.
Al-KHALIQ- THE CREATOR.
If one forms a habit of reciting it, ALLAH appoints an angel who will worship on his behalf.
ISLAM AT A GLANCE
ISLAM AT A GLANCE
The Arabic word "Islam" means peace, submission, and obedience. The religion of Islam consists of the complete acceptance of the teachings and guidance of God as revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
A Muslim is one who believes in God and strives for the total reorganization of one's life according to the guidance revealed by God-the Qur'an-and sayings of the Prophet. A Muslim also works to create a human society on the same basis. "Muhammadanism" is a misnomer for Islam and offends its very spirit, for it implies that Muslims have deified and worship Muhammad, as the Christians did with Jesus Christ. This practice is condemned in the Qur'an and is totally foreign to the Islamic belief structure.
The word "Allah" is the proper name of God in Arabic. It is a unique term and has no plural or feminine forms.
CONTINUITY OF MESSAGE
Islam is not a new religion, but a re-presentation of the same message and guidance that Allah revealed to all of His prophets. In Qur'an (3:3), we read :
Say, we believe in Allah and that which has been revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to other Prophets, from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit.
The message revealed to Prophet Muhammad is Islam in its comprehensive, complete, and final form.
MAN: THE FREE AGENT
Man is the highest creation of God. He has the most potential of any part of Gods creation and is left relatively free in his will, actions, and choice. God has revealed the right path, and the life of Prophet Muhammad provides a perfect example. Man's success and salvation lie in following both. Islam teaches the sanctity of the person and confers equal rights upon all regardless of race, gender, color, or other external differences. The law of God, as enunciated in the Qur'an and exemplified in the life of the Prophet is supreme in all cases. It applies equally to the highest and the lowest, the prince and the peasant, the ruler and the ruled .
THE QUR'AN AND HADITH
The Qur'an is the last revealed word of God and the basic source of Islamic teachings and laws. It deals with the foundations of creeds, morality, the history of humanity, worship, knowledge, wisdom, the relationship of God to man and man to God, and all aspects of interpersonal relationships. Its comprehensive teachings are meant to be used to construct sound systems of social justice, economics, politics, legislation, junsprudence, law, and international relations, and represent important sections of the Qur'an.
Muhammad (PBUH) could not read or write. This did not represent an obstacle, for the Qur'an was committed to memory and writing by his followers during his lifetime and under his supervision. The original and complete text of the Qur'an is available to everybody in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed. Translations of the meaning into many languages are widely used. The hadith, a term which covers the literature dealing with the Prophet's teachings, sayings, and actions, was reported and collected with great care by his devoted companions. Its main function is to explain and elaborate the Qur'anic verses.
CONCEPT OF WORSHIP
Islam does not teach or accept mere ritualism, but rather emphasizes intention and action. To worship God is to know and to love Him, to obey His law in every aspect of life, to enjoin goodness and forbid wrong-doing and oppression, to practice charity and justice, and to serve Him by serving mankind. The Qur'an presents this concept in the following sublime manner:
It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East or the West, but righteous is he who believes in God and the Last Day and the Angels and the Books and the Prophets; and gives his wealth for love of Him to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask; and to set slaves free; and observes proper worship and pays the Zakat. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress, such are those who are sincere. Such are the God fearing. (Qur'an 2: 177).
THE ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE
Islam provides specific guidelines for all people to follow in their daily lives. Its guidance is comprehensive and includes the social, economic, political, moral, and spiritual aspects of life. The Qur'an reminds man of the purpose of his life, of his duties and obligations toward himself, his family and relatives, his community, his fellow human beings, and his Creator. Man is given fundamental guidelines about a purposeful life and then confronted with the challenges of human existence so that he may put these high ideals into practice. In Islam, a person's life is regarded as a holistic and integrated unity and not a collection of fragmented and competitive parts. There are no separate "sacred" and "secular" realms, for all are united within the nature of the individual.
The Arabic word "Islam" means peace, submission, and obedience. The religion of Islam consists of the complete acceptance of the teachings and guidance of God as revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
A Muslim is one who believes in God and strives for the total reorganization of one's life according to the guidance revealed by God-the Qur'an-and sayings of the Prophet. A Muslim also works to create a human society on the same basis. "Muhammadanism" is a misnomer for Islam and offends its very spirit, for it implies that Muslims have deified and worship Muhammad, as the Christians did with Jesus Christ. This practice is condemned in the Qur'an and is totally foreign to the Islamic belief structure.
The word "Allah" is the proper name of God in Arabic. It is a unique term and has no plural or feminine forms.
CONTINUITY OF MESSAGE
Islam is not a new religion, but a re-presentation of the same message and guidance that Allah revealed to all of His prophets. In Qur'an (3:3), we read :
Say, we believe in Allah and that which has been revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to other Prophets, from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit.
The message revealed to Prophet Muhammad is Islam in its comprehensive, complete, and final form.
MAN: THE FREE AGENT
Man is the highest creation of God. He has the most potential of any part of Gods creation and is left relatively free in his will, actions, and choice. God has revealed the right path, and the life of Prophet Muhammad provides a perfect example. Man's success and salvation lie in following both. Islam teaches the sanctity of the person and confers equal rights upon all regardless of race, gender, color, or other external differences. The law of God, as enunciated in the Qur'an and exemplified in the life of the Prophet is supreme in all cases. It applies equally to the highest and the lowest, the prince and the peasant, the ruler and the ruled .
THE QUR'AN AND HADITH
The Qur'an is the last revealed word of God and the basic source of Islamic teachings and laws. It deals with the foundations of creeds, morality, the history of humanity, worship, knowledge, wisdom, the relationship of God to man and man to God, and all aspects of interpersonal relationships. Its comprehensive teachings are meant to be used to construct sound systems of social justice, economics, politics, legislation, junsprudence, law, and international relations, and represent important sections of the Qur'an.
Muhammad (PBUH) could not read or write. This did not represent an obstacle, for the Qur'an was committed to memory and writing by his followers during his lifetime and under his supervision. The original and complete text of the Qur'an is available to everybody in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed. Translations of the meaning into many languages are widely used. The hadith, a term which covers the literature dealing with the Prophet's teachings, sayings, and actions, was reported and collected with great care by his devoted companions. Its main function is to explain and elaborate the Qur'anic verses.
CONCEPT OF WORSHIP
Islam does not teach or accept mere ritualism, but rather emphasizes intention and action. To worship God is to know and to love Him, to obey His law in every aspect of life, to enjoin goodness and forbid wrong-doing and oppression, to practice charity and justice, and to serve Him by serving mankind. The Qur'an presents this concept in the following sublime manner:
It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East or the West, but righteous is he who believes in God and the Last Day and the Angels and the Books and the Prophets; and gives his wealth for love of Him to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask; and to set slaves free; and observes proper worship and pays the Zakat. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress, such are those who are sincere. Such are the God fearing. (Qur'an 2: 177).
THE ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE
Islam provides specific guidelines for all people to follow in their daily lives. Its guidance is comprehensive and includes the social, economic, political, moral, and spiritual aspects of life. The Qur'an reminds man of the purpose of his life, of his duties and obligations toward himself, his family and relatives, his community, his fellow human beings, and his Creator. Man is given fundamental guidelines about a purposeful life and then confronted with the challenges of human existence so that he may put these high ideals into practice. In Islam, a person's life is regarded as a holistic and integrated unity and not a collection of fragmented and competitive parts. There are no separate "sacred" and "secular" realms, for all are united within the nature of the individual.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Muhammad (blessing and peace be upon him) was born to a noble family in the year 570 AC in Makkah, a trading center located in the Arabian peninsula. He received the first revelation when he was forty years old. As soon as he started calling his people to Islam, he and his followers were persecuted and forced to undergo severe hardship. After a while, God commanded him to migrate to the nearby city of Madinah. Over the next twenty-three years he completed his mission of prophet hood. He died at the age of 63. He led a perfect life, as he was the physical embodiment of all that the Qur'an teaches, and thus set an example for all human beings.
ISLAM'S RATIONAL APPEAL
Islam, with its clear and direct expression of truth, has a great appeal to anyone seeking knowledge. It has a solution for all problems that arise during the course of one's life. It is a guide toward a better and complete life.
ISLAM - THE SOLUTION FOR MODERN PROBLEMS
The Brotherhood of Man: A major problem facing mankind today is racism. The developed world can send a man to the moon but cannot stop man from hating and fighting his fellow man. Ever since the days of the Prophet Muhammad fourteen centuries ago, Islam has given a vivid example of how racism can be ended: the annual pilgrimage to Makkah reveals the Islamic miracle of the real brotherhood of all races and nations.
The Family: The family, which is the basic unit of civilization, is disintegrating in all western countries. Islam's family system brings the rights of the husband, wife, children, and relatives into a fine equilibrium. It nourishes human unselfishness, generosity, and love in the framework of a well-organized family system.
UNFRAGMENTED VIEW OF LIFE
Human beings live according to their view of life. The tragedy of secular societies is that they fail to connect the different aspects of life. The secular and the religious, as well as the scientific and the spiritual seem to be in conduct. Islam puts an end to this conflict and brings harmony to mans vision of life.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
1. The Declaration of Faith: to bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger to all humanity until the Day of Judgment. The prophet hood of Muhammad obliges Muslims to follow his exemplary life as a model.
2. Prayers: Daily prayers are offered five times a day as a duty toward Allah. They strengthen and enliven ones belief in Allah and inspire individuals to develop a higher morality They purify the heart and help one to resist giving into temptation.
3. Fasting the Month of Ramadan: During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and all sexual activity from dawn to sunset. In addition, they must strive to abstain from evil intentions and desires. This communal fast seeks to instill within the individual feelings of love, sincerity, devotion, patience, unselfishness, and will-power as well as to develop a sound social conscience.
4. Zakat: An annual payment of 2.5% of ones net savings that has been in ones possession for one year. This is a religious duty and purifies ones money It must be given to those who are poor and in need.
5. Pilgrimage to Makkah: This must be performed once during one's lifetime, provided that one can afford it financially and withstand it physically.
Besides these pillars, every action done with the awareness that it fulfills the will of Allah is also considered an act of worship.
Islam enjoins faith in the oneness and sovereignty of Allah, for this makes an individual aware of the meaningfulness of the universe and of his or her place in it. This belief frees one from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of the presence of Allah and of mans obligations toward Him. This faith must be expressed and tested in action, faith alone is not enough. Belief in one God requires that we look upon all human beings as one family under the universal omnipotence of Aliah, who has created and nourishes all parts of His creation. Islam rejects the idea of a chosen people by stating clearly that one must have faith in God and do good works in good action in order to gain entrance to heaven. Thus, a direct relationship between God and each individual is established, a fact that also makes an intercessor unnecessary
Muhammad (blessing and peace be upon him) was born to a noble family in the year 570 AC in Makkah, a trading center located in the Arabian peninsula. He received the first revelation when he was forty years old. As soon as he started calling his people to Islam, he and his followers were persecuted and forced to undergo severe hardship. After a while, God commanded him to migrate to the nearby city of Madinah. Over the next twenty-three years he completed his mission of prophet hood. He died at the age of 63. He led a perfect life, as he was the physical embodiment of all that the Qur'an teaches, and thus set an example for all human beings.
ISLAM'S RATIONAL APPEAL
Islam, with its clear and direct expression of truth, has a great appeal to anyone seeking knowledge. It has a solution for all problems that arise during the course of one's life. It is a guide toward a better and complete life.
ISLAM - THE SOLUTION FOR MODERN PROBLEMS
The Brotherhood of Man: A major problem facing mankind today is racism. The developed world can send a man to the moon but cannot stop man from hating and fighting his fellow man. Ever since the days of the Prophet Muhammad fourteen centuries ago, Islam has given a vivid example of how racism can be ended: the annual pilgrimage to Makkah reveals the Islamic miracle of the real brotherhood of all races and nations.
The Family: The family, which is the basic unit of civilization, is disintegrating in all western countries. Islam's family system brings the rights of the husband, wife, children, and relatives into a fine equilibrium. It nourishes human unselfishness, generosity, and love in the framework of a well-organized family system.
UNFRAGMENTED VIEW OF LIFE
Human beings live according to their view of life. The tragedy of secular societies is that they fail to connect the different aspects of life. The secular and the religious, as well as the scientific and the spiritual seem to be in conduct. Islam puts an end to this conflict and brings harmony to mans vision of life.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
1. The Declaration of Faith: to bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger to all humanity until the Day of Judgment. The prophet hood of Muhammad obliges Muslims to follow his exemplary life as a model.
2. Prayers: Daily prayers are offered five times a day as a duty toward Allah. They strengthen and enliven ones belief in Allah and inspire individuals to develop a higher morality They purify the heart and help one to resist giving into temptation.
3. Fasting the Month of Ramadan: During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and all sexual activity from dawn to sunset. In addition, they must strive to abstain from evil intentions and desires. This communal fast seeks to instill within the individual feelings of love, sincerity, devotion, patience, unselfishness, and will-power as well as to develop a sound social conscience.
4. Zakat: An annual payment of 2.5% of ones net savings that has been in ones possession for one year. This is a religious duty and purifies ones money It must be given to those who are poor and in need.
5. Pilgrimage to Makkah: This must be performed once during one's lifetime, provided that one can afford it financially and withstand it physically.
Besides these pillars, every action done with the awareness that it fulfills the will of Allah is also considered an act of worship.
Islam enjoins faith in the oneness and sovereignty of Allah, for this makes an individual aware of the meaningfulness of the universe and of his or her place in it. This belief frees one from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of the presence of Allah and of mans obligations toward Him. This faith must be expressed and tested in action, faith alone is not enough. Belief in one God requires that we look upon all human beings as one family under the universal omnipotence of Aliah, who has created and nourishes all parts of His creation. Islam rejects the idea of a chosen people by stating clearly that one must have faith in God and do good works in good action in order to gain entrance to heaven. Thus, a direct relationship between God and each individual is established, a fact that also makes an intercessor unnecessary
Islam Principles and characteristics
ISLA M BASIC PRICIPALS AND CHARACTERISTICS
Islam is the religion of truth. It is the embodiment of the code of life which God, the Creator and Lord of the universe, has revealed for the guidance of mankind.
For the proper development of human life, man needs two elements: (a) the resources to maintain life and to fulfill the material needs of the individual and society, and (b) knowledge of the principles of individual and social behavior to enable man to fulfill himself and to maintain justice and tranquillity in human life. The Lord of the universe has provided for both of these in full measure. To cater to the material needs of man, He has put all of nature's resources at his disposal. To provide for his spiritual, social, and cultural needs, He has raised His prophets from among men and has revealed to them the code of life that can guide man's steps to the right path. This code of life is known as Islam, the religion preached by all of the prophets of God.
God said:
Say, "[0 Muhammad] we believe in God and in the Revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac Jacob and the Tribes. We believe in the Revelation that was sent to Moses, Jesus and all other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between them, and to Him we surrender." (3:83; 2:136)
For the proper development of human life, man needs two elements: (a) the resources to maintain life and to fulfill the material needs of the individual and society, and (b) knowledge of the principles of individual and social behavior to enable man to fulfill himself and to maintain justice and tranquillity in human life. The Lord of the universe has provided for both of these in full measure. To cater to the material needs of man, He has put all of nature's resources at his disposal. To provide for his spiritual, social, and cultural needs, He has raised His prophets from among men and has revealed to them the code of life that can guide man's steps to the right path. This code of life is known as Islam, the religion preached by all of the prophets of God.
God said:
Say, "[0 Muhammad] we believe in God and in the Revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac Jacob and the Tribes. We believe in the Revelation that was sent to Moses, Jesus and all other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between them, and to Him we surrender." (3:83; 2:136)
He has revealed to you (O Muhammad) the scripture with truth, confirming that which was revealed before it even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel before as a guide to mankind and has revealed the Criterion (for judging between right and wrong). (3:3-4)
All of them called humanity to the way of the Lord, the way of submission to God. All of them gave the same message, and all of them stood for the same cause: Islam.
The Meaning of Islam
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission, surrender, and obedience. As a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allah - that is why it is called Islam. The other literal meaning of the word "Islam" is "peace." This signifies that one can achieve real peace of body and of mind only through submission and obedience to Allah. Such a life of obedience brings peace of the heart and establishes real peace in society at large.
Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of God-indeed it is in the remembrance of God alone that the heart of man finds rest-those who believe and act righteously, joy is for them, and a blissful home to return to. (13: 28-29)
This message was preached by all the Prophets of God, who guided man to the right path. But man not only veered away from the right path again and again, but also lost or distorted the code of guidance that the prophets had bequeathed. That was why other prophets were sent to restate the original message and guide man back to the right path. The last of these prophets was Muhammad, who Presented God's guidance in its final form and arranged to preserve it for all time. It is this guidance that is now known as Islam and is enshrined in the Qur'an and the life-example (Sunnah) of the Prophet.
The basic Islamic concept is that the whole universe was created by God, whom Islam calls Allah, and who is the Lord and the Sovereign of the universe, which He Alone sustains. He created man and appointed for each human being a fixed period of life that he is to spend upon the earth. Allah has prescribed a certain code of life as the correct one for mankind, but has, at the same time, conferred upon man the freedom of choice as to whether or not he adopts this code as the actual basis of his life. One who chooses to follow the code revealed by God becomes a Muslim (believer) and one who refuses to follow it becomes a kafir (disbeliever).
A man joins the fold of Islam by honestly believing in and professing faith in the oneness of God and the prophet hood of Muhammad. Both of these beliefs are epitomized in the kalimah (the article of faith):
La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah. (There is no god except Allah; Muhammad is His Prophet.)
The first part of the kalimah presents the concept of tawhid (the oneness of God) and its second part affirms the prophet hood of Muhammad.
Tawhid: The Bedrock of Islam
Tawhid is a revolutionary concept and constitutes the essence of the teachings of Islam. It means that there is only one supreme Lord of the universe. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and the sustainer of the world and of mankind.
Now can one observe the inexhaustible creativity of nature, its purposefulness, its preservation of that which is morally useful and destruction of that which is socially injurious, and yet fail to draw the conclusion that behind nature there is an all-pervading mind of whose incessant creative activity the processes of nature are but outward manifestations? The stars scattered through infinite space, the vast panorama of nature with its charm and beauty, the regular waxing and waning of the moon, the astonishing harmony of the seasons - all of these point towards one fact: there is a God. We witness a superbly flawless plan in the universe - can it be without a planner? We see great enchanting beauty and harmony in its workingÑcan they be without a creator? We observe wonderful design in natureÑcan't be without a designer? We feel a lofty purpose in physical and human existence - can it be without a will working behind it? We find that the universe is like a superbly written, fascinating book - can it be without an author? Truly, God said:
O, Mankind: worship your Lord, Who created you and those before you, so that you may ward off evil; Who has made the earth a resting place for you, the sky a canopy and Who causes water to pour down from the heavens, thereby producing fruits as food for you. So do not set up rivals to God, when you know better. (Qur'an 2:21-22)
This is the basic tenet to which Muhammad asked humanity to adhere. It is an important metaphysical concept and answers the riddles of the universe. It points to the supremacy of law in the cosmos and the all-pervading unity behind the manifest diversity. It presents a unified view of the world and offers the vision of an integrated universe. It is a mighty contrast to the piecemeal views of the scientists and the philosophers and unveils the truth before the human eye. After centuries of groping in the dark, man is now coming to realize the truth of this concept, and modern scientific thought is moving in this direction.
But it is not merely a metaphysical concept: it is a dynamic belief and a revolutionary doctrine. It means that all men are the creatures of one God and that they are therefore all equal. Any discrimination based on color, class, race, or territory is unfounded and illusory. It is a remnant of the days of ignorance that chained men down to servitude. Humanity is one single family under God, and there can be no sanction for those barriers. Men are one - and not bourgeois or proletarian, white or black, Aryan or non-Aryan, westerner or easterner. Islam gives us a revolutionary concept of the unity of mankind. The Prophet came to unite humanity on the word of God, which says:
Cling firmly together by means of God's rope, and do not be divided. Remember God's favor towards you when you were enemies; He united your hearts so that you became brothers because of His favor. (Qur'an 3:103)
This concept also defines the true position of man in the universe. It says that God is the Creator and the Sovereign, while man is His vicegerent on the earth. This exalts man to the noble and dignified position of being God's deputy on earth and endows his life with a lofty purpose: to fulfill the will of God on earth. This will solve all the perplexing problems of human society and establish a new order wherein equity and justice, as well as peace and prosperity, will reign supreme.
The starting point of Islam is the belief in the oneness of God (tawhid).
Prophet hood and Life after Death
The second part of the kalimah, on the other hand, signifies that God has not left man without any guidance for the conduct of his life. He has revealed His guidance through His prophets, and Muhammad was the last prophet. To believe in a prophet means to believe in the revelation that he has received, to accept the law that was transmitted to him by God, and to follow the code of conduct that he was instructed to pass on to humanity. Thus the second basic postulate of Islam is to believe in the prophet hood of Muhammad, to accept the religion that he presented, and to follow his commands and his example.
Every prophet of God, according to the Qur'an, strove to build man's relationship with God on the principle of His sovereignty and the individual's acknowledgment of the authority of the Prophet as a source of divine guidance. Every one of them said: "I am to you God's apostle, worthy of all trust. So be committed to God, heed Him, and obey me."
The guidance is revealed through the prophets. It is a part of their mission to translate it into practice in their own lives and in the society they try to reform. All of the prophets are representatives of God, but they are human beings and their lives are models for mankind. Muhammad, since he was the last prophet, is the final model for mankind. To believe in him as a prophet of God means to accept his authority as representative of the Supreme Ruler and to follow his example in thought and behavior. The code of behavior, the standard that determines rightness or otherwise (halal or haram) of any particular thing, was revealed to the Prophet and is known as the Shari'ah (the path). Belief in the Prophet involves acceptance of the Shari'ah and the attempt to implement it in all matters of daily life. This is how the will of God is fulfilled on earth. The Qur'an says:
We have not sent any Messenger but that he was to be obeyed with God's permission. (4:64)
And about the Prophet, it is explicitly stated that:
Yet by your Lord, they will never believe until they make you a judge concerning what they are disputing among themselves; then they will find no inconvenience for themselves concerning whatever you have decided and submit completely. (4:65)
The test of one's acceptance of God and His Prophet lies in conducting all human affairs in accordance with the Law revealed to them:
And those who do not judge by what God has sent down are disbelievers. (5:44)
Thus belief in God and His Prophet means commitment to obey them and to fashion individual and collective life in the light of the law and the guidance that God revealed to His Prophet.
This automatically raises the question: Are those who follow the law and those who refuse to accept or abide by it on the same level of existence? Are they going to be treated in the same way? What are the consequences of differing attitudes and behaviors? This brings us to the third basic postulate of Islam: belief in the Hereafter.
The world, according to Islam, is a place of trial, and man is being judged in it. One day, he will have to give an account of all that he did during his lifetime. After his death, he will be resurrected in a new world, and it is here that he will be rewarded or punished for his deeds and misdeeds. Those who live a life of obedience to the Lord in the present world will enjoy eternal bliss in the Hereafter, and those who disobey His commands will have to face the bitter fruits of their disobedience. According to the Quran:
And every man's deeds have We fastened around his neck, and on the day of resurrection will We bring forth a book which shall be proffered to him wide open: (It will be said to him) "Read your record: This day there need be none but yourself to make out an account against you." (17: 13-14)
Whoever comes with a good deed, for him there shall be the like of it tenfold, while whoever comes with an ill-deed, he shall be required with only one like it, and they shall not be treated unjustly. (6:160)
Thus the basic articles of Islamic faith are: (a) belief in the oneness of God, (b) belief in the prophets and in the guidance that they bequeathed, (c) belief in the angels, (d) belief in the books, (e) belief in the Day of Judgment, and (f) belief in fate. Whoever professes these beliefs is a Muslim. And all of these concepts are epitomized in the kalimah: There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is His Prophet.
Some Basic Characteristics of Islam
George Bernard Shaw is reported to have said:
"I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phases of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him - the wonderful man - and in my opinion far from being an Antichrist, he must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness. I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today."
The question is, what are those characteristics of Islam which have won millions of followers to the Faith in the past and which make it so appealing to the modern age? Some of the major characteristics of Islam are given in the following pages.
Simplicity, Rationality and Practicality. Islam is a religion without any mythology. Its teachings are simple and intelligible. It is free from superstitions and irrational beliefs. The oneness of God, the prophet hood of Muhammad, and the concept of life after death are the basic articles of its faith. They are based on reason and sound logic. All of the teachings of Islam flow from those basic beliefs and are simple and straightforward. There is no hierarchy of priests, no farfetched abstractions, no complicated rites and rituals. Everybody may approach the Qur'an directly and translate its dictates into practice. Islam awakens in man the faculty of reason and exhorts him to use his intellect. It enjoins him to see things in the light of reality. The Qur'an advises him to pray: O, my Lord! Advance me in knowledge (20:1 14). It asserts that those who have no knowledge are not equal to those who have (39:9), that those who do not observe and understand are worse than cattle (7:179), that the meanings of revelation become manifest to those who have knowledge (6:97) and who have understanding (6:98), that whosoever has been given knowledge indeed has been given an abundant good (2:269), that the basic qualifications for leadership are, among other things, knowledge and physical strength (2:247), and that of all things it is by virtue of knowledge that man is superior to angels and has been made vicegerent of God on earth (2:30).
The Prophet of Islam said: "He who leaves his home in search of knowledge walks in the path of God" (Tirmidhi and Darimi) and "To seek knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim" (Ibn Majah and Bayhaqi). This is how Islam brings man out of the world of superstition and darkness and initiates him into the world of knowledge and light.
Again, Islam is a practical religion and does not allow indulgence in empty and futile theorizing. It says that faith is not a mere profession of beliefs, but rather that it is the very mainspring of life. Righteous conduct must follow belief in God. Religion is something to be practiced and not an object of mere lip-service.
The Qur'an says:
Those who believe and act righteously, joy is for them, and a blissful home to return to. (13: 29)
And the Prophet Muhammad said:
"God does not accept belief if it is not expressed in deeds, and does not accept deeds if they do not conform to belief." (Tabarani)
Thus Islam is a simple, rational and practical religion.
Unity of Matter and Spirit. A unique feature of Islam is that it does not divide life into watertight compartments of matter and spirit. It stands not for denial of life but for the fulfillment of life. Islam does not believe in asceticism. It does not ask man to avoid material things. It holds that spiritual elevation is to be achieved by living piously in the rough and tumble of life, not by renouncing the world. The Qur'an advises us to pray as follows:
"Our Lord! Give us something fine in this world as well as something fine in the Hereafter." (2:201)
God strongly censures those who refuse to benefit from His blessings. The Qur'an says:
Say: "Who has forbidden God's finery which He has produced for His servants and the wholesome things from (His) provision?" (7:32)
Islam's injunction is:
Eat and drink, but do not be extravagant. (7:31)
The Prophet said:
"A Muslim who lives in the midst of society and bears with patience the afflictions that come to him is better than the one who shuns society and cannot bear any wrong done to him."
And:
"Keep fast and break it (at the proper time) and stand in prayer and devotion (in the night) and have sleep - for your body has its rights over you, and your eyes rights over you, and your wife has a claim upon you, and the person who pays a visit to you has a claim upon you."
On another occasion he said:
"These three things are also enjoined upon the faithful: (a) to help others, even when one is economically hard-pressed, (b) to pray ardently for the peace of all mankind, and (c) to administer justice to one's own self."
Thus Islam does not admit any separation between "material" and "moral," "mundane" and "spiritual" life, and enjoins man to devote all of his energies to the reconstruction of life on healthy moral foundations. It teaches him that moral and material powers must be welded together and that spiritual salvation can be achieved by using material resources for the good of man in the service of just ends and not by living a life of asceticism or by running away from the challenges of life.
The world has suffered at the hands of the one-sidedness of many other religions and ideologies. Some have laid emphasis on the spiritual side of life but have ignored its material and mundane aspects. They have looked upon the world as an illusion, a deception, and a trap. On the other hand, materialistic ideologies have totally ignored the spiritual and moral side of life and have dismissed it as fictitious and imaginary. Both of these attitudes have resulted in disaster, for they have robbed mankind of peace, contentment, and tranquillity. Even today, the imbalance is manifested in one or the other direction. The French scientist Dr. De Brogbi rightly says: "The danger inherent in too intense a material civilization is to that civilization itself; it is the disequilibrium which would result if a parallel development, of the spiritual life were to fail to provide the needed balance."
Christianity erred on one extreme, whereas modern western civilization, in both of its variants of secular capitalistic democracy and Marxist socialism, has erred on the other. According to Lord Snell:
"We have built a nobly-proportioned outer structure, but we have neglected the essential requirement of an inner order; we have carefully designed, decorated and made clean the outside of the cup; but the inside was full of extortion and excess; we used our increased knowledge and power to administer to the comforts of the body, but we left the spirit impoverished ."
Islam seeks to establish an equilibrium between these two aspects of life - the material and the spiritual. It says that everything in the world is for man, but man was created to serve a higher purpose: the establishment of a moral and just order that will fulfill the will of God. Its teachings cater to the spiritual as well as the temporal needs of man. Islam enjoins man to purify his soul and to reform his daily life - both individual and collective - and to establish the supremacy of right over might and of virtue over vice. Thus Islam stands for the middle path and the goal of producing a moral man in the service of a just society.
A Complete Way of Life. Islam is not a religion in the common and distorted sense, for it does not confine its scope to one's private life. It is a complete way of life and is present in every field of human existence. Islam provides guidance for all aspects of life - individual and social, material and moral, economic and political, legal and cultural, and national and international. The Qur'an enjoins man to embrace Islam without any reservation and to follow God's guidance in all areas of life. In fact, it was an unfortunate day when the scope of religion was confined to the private life of man and its social and cultural role was reduced to naught, as has happened in this century. No other factor, perhaps, has been more important in causing the decline of religion in the modern age than its retreat into the realm of private life. In the words of a modern philosopher:
"Religion asks us to separate things of God from those of Caesar. Such a judicial separation between the two means the degrading of both the secular and the sacred ... That religion is worth little if the conscience of its followers is not disturbed when war clouds are hanging over us all and industrial conflicts are threatening social peace. Religion has weakened man's social conscience and moral sensitivity by separating the things of God from those of Caesar."
Islam totally denounces this concept of religion and clearly states that its objectives are the purification of the soul and the reform and reconstruction of society. As we read in the Qur'an:
We have sent our messengers with explanations, and sent the book and the balance down with them, so that mankind may conduct themselves with all fairness. We have sent down iron wherein is great violence as well as benefits for mankind, so that God may know who is supporting Him and His messenger even though (He is) unseen. (57:25)
Discretion belongs only to God. He has ordered you to serve Him alone; such is the right religion, even though most men do not realize it. ( 1 2: 40)
(Muslims are) those who, if We establish them in the land will keep up prayer (salah) and pay the welfare due (zakah); command what is proper and forbid what is improper. (22:40-41)
The Holy Prophet said:
"Each of you is a keeper or a shepherd and will be questioned about the well-being of his fold. The head of the state will be questioned about the well-being of the people of the state. Each man is a shepherd to his family and will be answerable about every member of it. Each woman is a shepherd to the family of her husband and will be accountable for every member of it. And each servant is a shepherd to his master and will be questioned about the property of his master." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Thus even a cursory study of the teachings of Islam shows that it is an all-embracing way of life and does not leave out any field of human existence to become a playground for the forces of evil. Balance between the Individual and Society. Another unique feature of Islam is that it establishes a balance between individualism and collectivism. It believes in the individual personality of man and holds everyone personally accountable to God. It guarantees the fundamental rights of the individual and does not permit anyone to tamper with them. It makes the proper development of the personality of man one of the prime objectives of its educational policy. It does not subscribe to the view that man must lose his individuality in society or in the state.
According to the Qur'an:
Man shall have nothing but what he strives for. (53:39)
And whatever suffering you suffer, it is what your hands have wrought. (42:30)
God does not change what any people have until they change what is in themselves. (13:11)
God only assigns to a soul what it can cope with: in its favor stands whatever it has earned, while it is held responsible for anything it has brought upon itself. (2:286)
For us are our deeds and for you are yours. (28:55)
On the other hand, it also awakens a sense of social responsibility in man, organizes human beings in a society and a state, and enjoins the individual to subscribe to the social good. Prayer, in Islam, is offered in congregation, a situation that inculcates social discipline among Muslims. Everyone is enjoined to pay zakah, and it has been laid down in the Quran that:
The beggar and the destitute have due rights in their (i.e., the rich man's) wealth. (51:19)
Jihad has been made obligatory, which means that the individual should, when the occasion arises, offer his life for the defense and protection of Islam and the Islamic state. The Prophet said:
"All mankind is a fold, each member of which shall be a keeper or shepherd to every other, and be accountable for the entire fold."
"Live together; do not turn against each other; make things easy for others and do not put obstacles in each other's way."
"He is not a believer who takes his fill while his neighbor starves. "
"The believer in God is he who is not a danger to the life and property of any other."
In short, Islam neglects neither the individual nor society - it establishes a harmony and a balance between the two and assigns to each its proper due. Universality and Humanism. The message of Islam is for the whole of the human race. God, in Islam, is the God of all the world (Qur'an 1:1) and the Prophet is a Messenger for the whole of mankind. In the words of the Quran:
O People! I am but a Messenger from God to you all. (7:158)
We have sent you only as a mercy for everybody in the universe. (21:107)
In Islam, all men are equal, regardless of color, language, race, or nationality. It addresses itself to the conscience of humanity and banishes all false barriers of race, status, and wealth. There can be no denying the fact that such barriers have always existed and continue to exist today in the so-called enlightened age. Islam removes all of these impediments and proclaims the ideal of the whole of humanity being one family of God.
Islam is international in its outlook and approach and does not admit barriers and distinctions based on color, clan, blood, or territory, as was the case before the advent of Muhammad. Unfortunately, these prejudices remain rampant in different forms even in this modern age. Islam wants to unite the entire human race under one banner. To a world torn by national rivalries and feuds, it presents a message of life and hope and of a glorious future.
The historian, A. J. Toynbee, has some interesting observations to make in this respect. In Civilization on Trial, he writes:
"Two conspicuous sources of danger - one psychological and the other material - in the present relations of this cosmopolitan proletariat, i.e., [westernised humanity] with the dominant element in our modern Western society are race consciousness and alcohol; and in the struggle with each of these evils the Islamic spirit has a service to render which might prove, if it were accepted, to be of high moral and social value.
"The extinction of race consciousness between Muslims is one of the outstanding moral achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue ... It is conceivable that the spirit of Islam might be the timely reinforcement which would decide this issue in favor of tolerance and peace.
"As for the evil of alcohol, it is at its worst among primitive populations in tropical regions which have been 'opened up' by Western enterprise ... the fact remains that even the most statesmanlike preventive measures imposed by external authority are incapable of liberating a community from a social vice unless a desire for liberation and a will to carry this desire into voluntary action on its own part are awakened in the hearts of the people concerned. Now Western administrators, at any rate those of 'Anglo-Saxon' origin, are spiritually isolated from their 'native' wards by the physical 'color bar' which their race-consciousness sets up; the conversion of the natives' souls is a task to which their competence can hardly be expected to extend; and it is at this point that Islam may have a part to play.
"In these recently and rapidly 'opened up' tropical territories, the Western civilization has produced an economic and political plenum and, in the same breath, a social and spiritual void ...
"Here, then, in the foreground of the future, we can remark two valuable influences which Islam may exert upon the cosmopolitan proletariat of a Western society that has cast its net around the world and embraced the whole of mankind; while in the more distant future we may speculate on the possible contributions of Islam to some new manifestation of religion."
Permanence and Change. The elements of permanence and change coexist in human society and culture and are bound to remain so. Different ideologies and cultural systems have erred in leaning heavily towards one or other of these ends of the equation. Too much emphasis on permanence makes the system rigid and robs it of flexibility and progress, while a lack of permanent values and unchanging elements generate moral relativism, shapelessness, and anarchy.
What is needed is a balance between the two-a system that could simultaneously cater for the demands of permanence and change. An American judge, Mr. Justice Cardozo, rightly says "that the greatest need of our time is a philosophy that will mediate between conflicting claims of stability and progress and supply a principle of growth." Islam presents an ideology which satisfies the demands of stability as well as of change.
Deeper reflection reveals that life has within it elements of permanence and change - it is neither so rigid and inflexible that it cannot admit of any change even in matters of detail, nor it is so flexible and fluid that even its distinctive traits have no permanent character of their own. This becomes clear from observing the process of physiological change in the human body, for every tissue of the body changes a number of times in one's lifetime even though the person remains the same. A tree's leaves, flowers, and fruits change but its character remains unchanged. It is a law of life that elements of permanence and change must co-exist in a harmonious equation. Only such a system of life that can provide for both these elements can meet all of the cravings of human nature and all of the needs of human society. The basic problems of life remain the same in all ages and climes, but the ways and means to solve them as well as the techniques of handling the phenomenon undergo change with the passage of time. Islam brings to focus a new perspective on this problem and tries to solve it in a realistic way.
The Quran and the Sunnah contain the eternal guidance given by the Lord of the universe. This guidance comes from God, Who is free from the limitations of space and time and, as such, the principles of individual and social behavior revealed by Him are based on reality and are eternal. But God has revealed only broad principles and has endowed man with the freedom to apply them in every age in the way suited to the spirit and conditions of that age. It is through ijtihad (intellectual effort to arrive at the truth) that people of every age try to implement and apply the divine guidance to the problems of their times. Thus the basic guidance is of a permanent nature, while the method of its application can change in accordance with the peculiar needs of every age. That is why Islam always remains as fresh and modern as tomorrow's morn.
Complete Record of Teachings Preserved. Last, but not least, is the fact that the teachings of Islam have been preserved in their original form. As a result, God's guidance is available without adulteration of any kind. The Qur'an is the revealed book and word of God, which has been in existence for the last fourteen hundred years. It is still available in its original form. Detailed accounts of the life of the Prophet and of his teachings are available in their pristine purity. There has not been even one change made in this unique historic record. The sayings and the entire record of the life of the Prophet have been handed down to us with unprecedented precision and authenticity in works of the hadith and the sirah. Even a number of non-Muslim critics admit this eloquent fact. Professor Reynold A. Nicholson, in his A Literary History of the Arabs, says:
"The Koran is an exceedingly human document, reflecting every phase of Muhammad's personality and standing in close relation to the outward events of his life; so that there we have materials of unique and incontestable authority for tracing the origin and early development of Islam, such materials as do not exist in the case of Buddhism or Christianity or any other ancient religion."
These are some of the unique features of Islam that establish its credentials as the religion of man the religion of today and the religion of tomorrow. These aspects have appealed to millions of people in the past and the present and have made them affirm that Islam is the religion of truth and the right path for mankind. There is no doubt that these aspects will continue to appeal to even more people in the future. Men with pure hearts and sincere longing for truth will always continue to say:
"I affirm that there is none worthy of worship except God, that He is One, sharing His authority with no one, and I affirm that Muhammad is His Servant and His Prophet."
Those who believe and act righteously, joy is for them, and a blissful home to return to. (13: 29)
And the Prophet Muhammad said:
"God does not accept belief if it is not expressed in deeds, and does not accept deeds if they do not conform to belief." (Tabarani)
Thus Islam is a simple, rational and practical religion.
Unity of Matter and Spirit. A unique feature of Islam is that it does not divide life into watertight compartments of matter and spirit. It stands not for denial of life but for the fulfillment of life. Islam does not believe in asceticism. It does not ask man to avoid material things. It holds that spiritual elevation is to be achieved by living piously in the rough and tumble of life, not by renouncing the world. The Qur'an advises us to pray as follows:
"Our Lord! Give us something fine in this world as well as something fine in the Hereafter." (2:201)
God strongly censures those who refuse to benefit from His blessings. The Qur'an says:
Say: "Who has forbidden God's finery which He has produced for His servants and the wholesome things from (His) provision?" (7:32)
Islam's injunction is:
Eat and drink, but do not be extravagant. (7:31)
The Prophet said:
"A Muslim who lives in the midst of society and bears with patience the afflictions that come to him is better than the one who shuns society and cannot bear any wrong done to him."
And:
"Keep fast and break it (at the proper time) and stand in prayer and devotion (in the night) and have sleep - for your body has its rights over you, and your eyes rights over you, and your wife has a claim upon you, and the person who pays a visit to you has a claim upon you."
On another occasion he said:
"These three things are also enjoined upon the faithful: (a) to help others, even when one is economically hard-pressed, (b) to pray ardently for the peace of all mankind, and (c) to administer justice to one's own self."
Thus Islam does not admit any separation between "material" and "moral," "mundane" and "spiritual" life, and enjoins man to devote all of his energies to the reconstruction of life on healthy moral foundations. It teaches him that moral and material powers must be welded together and that spiritual salvation can be achieved by using material resources for the good of man in the service of just ends and not by living a life of asceticism or by running away from the challenges of life.
The world has suffered at the hands of the one-sidedness of many other religions and ideologies. Some have laid emphasis on the spiritual side of life but have ignored its material and mundane aspects. They have looked upon the world as an illusion, a deception, and a trap. On the other hand, materialistic ideologies have totally ignored the spiritual and moral side of life and have dismissed it as fictitious and imaginary. Both of these attitudes have resulted in disaster, for they have robbed mankind of peace, contentment, and tranquillity. Even today, the imbalance is manifested in one or the other direction. The French scientist Dr. De Brogbi rightly says: "The danger inherent in too intense a material civilization is to that civilization itself; it is the disequilibrium which would result if a parallel development, of the spiritual life were to fail to provide the needed balance."
Christianity erred on one extreme, whereas modern western civilization, in both of its variants of secular capitalistic democracy and Marxist socialism, has erred on the other. According to Lord Snell:
"We have built a nobly-proportioned outer structure, but we have neglected the essential requirement of an inner order; we have carefully designed, decorated and made clean the outside of the cup; but the inside was full of extortion and excess; we used our increased knowledge and power to administer to the comforts of the body, but we left the spirit impoverished ."
Islam seeks to establish an equilibrium between these two aspects of life - the material and the spiritual. It says that everything in the world is for man, but man was created to serve a higher purpose: the establishment of a moral and just order that will fulfill the will of God. Its teachings cater to the spiritual as well as the temporal needs of man. Islam enjoins man to purify his soul and to reform his daily life - both individual and collective - and to establish the supremacy of right over might and of virtue over vice. Thus Islam stands for the middle path and the goal of producing a moral man in the service of a just society.
A Complete Way of Life. Islam is not a religion in the common and distorted sense, for it does not confine its scope to one's private life. It is a complete way of life and is present in every field of human existence. Islam provides guidance for all aspects of life - individual and social, material and moral, economic and political, legal and cultural, and national and international. The Qur'an enjoins man to embrace Islam without any reservation and to follow God's guidance in all areas of life. In fact, it was an unfortunate day when the scope of religion was confined to the private life of man and its social and cultural role was reduced to naught, as has happened in this century. No other factor, perhaps, has been more important in causing the decline of religion in the modern age than its retreat into the realm of private life. In the words of a modern philosopher:
"Religion asks us to separate things of God from those of Caesar. Such a judicial separation between the two means the degrading of both the secular and the sacred ... That religion is worth little if the conscience of its followers is not disturbed when war clouds are hanging over us all and industrial conflicts are threatening social peace. Religion has weakened man's social conscience and moral sensitivity by separating the things of God from those of Caesar."
Islam totally denounces this concept of religion and clearly states that its objectives are the purification of the soul and the reform and reconstruction of society. As we read in the Qur'an:
We have sent our messengers with explanations, and sent the book and the balance down with them, so that mankind may conduct themselves with all fairness. We have sent down iron wherein is great violence as well as benefits for mankind, so that God may know who is supporting Him and His messenger even though (He is) unseen. (57:25)
Discretion belongs only to God. He has ordered you to serve Him alone; such is the right religion, even though most men do not realize it. ( 1 2: 40)
(Muslims are) those who, if We establish them in the land will keep up prayer (salah) and pay the welfare due (zakah); command what is proper and forbid what is improper. (22:40-41)
The Holy Prophet said:
"Each of you is a keeper or a shepherd and will be questioned about the well-being of his fold. The head of the state will be questioned about the well-being of the people of the state. Each man is a shepherd to his family and will be answerable about every member of it. Each woman is a shepherd to the family of her husband and will be accountable for every member of it. And each servant is a shepherd to his master and will be questioned about the property of his master." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Thus even a cursory study of the teachings of Islam shows that it is an all-embracing way of life and does not leave out any field of human existence to become a playground for the forces of evil. Balance between the Individual and Society. Another unique feature of Islam is that it establishes a balance between individualism and collectivism. It believes in the individual personality of man and holds everyone personally accountable to God. It guarantees the fundamental rights of the individual and does not permit anyone to tamper with them. It makes the proper development of the personality of man one of the prime objectives of its educational policy. It does not subscribe to the view that man must lose his individuality in society or in the state.
According to the Qur'an:
Man shall have nothing but what he strives for. (53:39)
And whatever suffering you suffer, it is what your hands have wrought. (42:30)
God does not change what any people have until they change what is in themselves. (13:11)
God only assigns to a soul what it can cope with: in its favor stands whatever it has earned, while it is held responsible for anything it has brought upon itself. (2:286)
For us are our deeds and for you are yours. (28:55)
On the other hand, it also awakens a sense of social responsibility in man, organizes human beings in a society and a state, and enjoins the individual to subscribe to the social good. Prayer, in Islam, is offered in congregation, a situation that inculcates social discipline among Muslims. Everyone is enjoined to pay zakah, and it has been laid down in the Quran that:
The beggar and the destitute have due rights in their (i.e., the rich man's) wealth. (51:19)
Jihad has been made obligatory, which means that the individual should, when the occasion arises, offer his life for the defense and protection of Islam and the Islamic state. The Prophet said:
"All mankind is a fold, each member of which shall be a keeper or shepherd to every other, and be accountable for the entire fold."
"Live together; do not turn against each other; make things easy for others and do not put obstacles in each other's way."
"He is not a believer who takes his fill while his neighbor starves. "
"The believer in God is he who is not a danger to the life and property of any other."
In short, Islam neglects neither the individual nor society - it establishes a harmony and a balance between the two and assigns to each its proper due. Universality and Humanism. The message of Islam is for the whole of the human race. God, in Islam, is the God of all the world (Qur'an 1:1) and the Prophet is a Messenger for the whole of mankind. In the words of the Quran:
O People! I am but a Messenger from God to you all. (7:158)
We have sent you only as a mercy for everybody in the universe. (21:107)
In Islam, all men are equal, regardless of color, language, race, or nationality. It addresses itself to the conscience of humanity and banishes all false barriers of race, status, and wealth. There can be no denying the fact that such barriers have always existed and continue to exist today in the so-called enlightened age. Islam removes all of these impediments and proclaims the ideal of the whole of humanity being one family of God.
Islam is international in its outlook and approach and does not admit barriers and distinctions based on color, clan, blood, or territory, as was the case before the advent of Muhammad. Unfortunately, these prejudices remain rampant in different forms even in this modern age. Islam wants to unite the entire human race under one banner. To a world torn by national rivalries and feuds, it presents a message of life and hope and of a glorious future.
The historian, A. J. Toynbee, has some interesting observations to make in this respect. In Civilization on Trial, he writes:
"Two conspicuous sources of danger - one psychological and the other material - in the present relations of this cosmopolitan proletariat, i.e., [westernised humanity] with the dominant element in our modern Western society are race consciousness and alcohol; and in the struggle with each of these evils the Islamic spirit has a service to render which might prove, if it were accepted, to be of high moral and social value.
"The extinction of race consciousness between Muslims is one of the outstanding moral achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue ... It is conceivable that the spirit of Islam might be the timely reinforcement which would decide this issue in favor of tolerance and peace.
"As for the evil of alcohol, it is at its worst among primitive populations in tropical regions which have been 'opened up' by Western enterprise ... the fact remains that even the most statesmanlike preventive measures imposed by external authority are incapable of liberating a community from a social vice unless a desire for liberation and a will to carry this desire into voluntary action on its own part are awakened in the hearts of the people concerned. Now Western administrators, at any rate those of 'Anglo-Saxon' origin, are spiritually isolated from their 'native' wards by the physical 'color bar' which their race-consciousness sets up; the conversion of the natives' souls is a task to which their competence can hardly be expected to extend; and it is at this point that Islam may have a part to play.
"In these recently and rapidly 'opened up' tropical territories, the Western civilization has produced an economic and political plenum and, in the same breath, a social and spiritual void ...
"Here, then, in the foreground of the future, we can remark two valuable influences which Islam may exert upon the cosmopolitan proletariat of a Western society that has cast its net around the world and embraced the whole of mankind; while in the more distant future we may speculate on the possible contributions of Islam to some new manifestation of religion."
Permanence and Change. The elements of permanence and change coexist in human society and culture and are bound to remain so. Different ideologies and cultural systems have erred in leaning heavily towards one or other of these ends of the equation. Too much emphasis on permanence makes the system rigid and robs it of flexibility and progress, while a lack of permanent values and unchanging elements generate moral relativism, shapelessness, and anarchy.
What is needed is a balance between the two-a system that could simultaneously cater for the demands of permanence and change. An American judge, Mr. Justice Cardozo, rightly says "that the greatest need of our time is a philosophy that will mediate between conflicting claims of stability and progress and supply a principle of growth." Islam presents an ideology which satisfies the demands of stability as well as of change.
Deeper reflection reveals that life has within it elements of permanence and change - it is neither so rigid and inflexible that it cannot admit of any change even in matters of detail, nor it is so flexible and fluid that even its distinctive traits have no permanent character of their own. This becomes clear from observing the process of physiological change in the human body, for every tissue of the body changes a number of times in one's lifetime even though the person remains the same. A tree's leaves, flowers, and fruits change but its character remains unchanged. It is a law of life that elements of permanence and change must co-exist in a harmonious equation. Only such a system of life that can provide for both these elements can meet all of the cravings of human nature and all of the needs of human society. The basic problems of life remain the same in all ages and climes, but the ways and means to solve them as well as the techniques of handling the phenomenon undergo change with the passage of time. Islam brings to focus a new perspective on this problem and tries to solve it in a realistic way.
The Quran and the Sunnah contain the eternal guidance given by the Lord of the universe. This guidance comes from God, Who is free from the limitations of space and time and, as such, the principles of individual and social behavior revealed by Him are based on reality and are eternal. But God has revealed only broad principles and has endowed man with the freedom to apply them in every age in the way suited to the spirit and conditions of that age. It is through ijtihad (intellectual effort to arrive at the truth) that people of every age try to implement and apply the divine guidance to the problems of their times. Thus the basic guidance is of a permanent nature, while the method of its application can change in accordance with the peculiar needs of every age. That is why Islam always remains as fresh and modern as tomorrow's morn.
Complete Record of Teachings Preserved. Last, but not least, is the fact that the teachings of Islam have been preserved in their original form. As a result, God's guidance is available without adulteration of any kind. The Qur'an is the revealed book and word of God, which has been in existence for the last fourteen hundred years. It is still available in its original form. Detailed accounts of the life of the Prophet and of his teachings are available in their pristine purity. There has not been even one change made in this unique historic record. The sayings and the entire record of the life of the Prophet have been handed down to us with unprecedented precision and authenticity in works of the hadith and the sirah. Even a number of non-Muslim critics admit this eloquent fact. Professor Reynold A. Nicholson, in his A Literary History of the Arabs, says:
"The Koran is an exceedingly human document, reflecting every phase of Muhammad's personality and standing in close relation to the outward events of his life; so that there we have materials of unique and incontestable authority for tracing the origin and early development of Islam, such materials as do not exist in the case of Buddhism or Christianity or any other ancient religion."
These are some of the unique features of Islam that establish its credentials as the religion of man the religion of today and the religion of tomorrow. These aspects have appealed to millions of people in the past and the present and have made them affirm that Islam is the religion of truth and the right path for mankind. There is no doubt that these aspects will continue to appeal to even more people in the future. Men with pure hearts and sincere longing for truth will always continue to say:
"I affirm that there is none worthy of worship except God, that He is One, sharing His authority with no one, and I affirm that Muhammad is His Servant and His Prophet."
Introduction to Islam
The Core Beliefs of Islam
1. Belief in God – That Allah is one and that there is none like Him; He has no partner; He neither begets nor is He begotten; He is indivisible in person; He is eternal; He is infinite; He has neither beginning nor end; He is All-Mighty, the All-Knowing; the All-Just, the Cherisher of all worlds, the Patron, the Guide, the Helper, the Merciful, the Compassionate, etc.
2. Belief in Angels – That Angels are spiritual creatures of Allah, ever obedient to Allah to His Will and Commands. They are neither males nor females; they have neither parents, nor wives, nor husbands, nor sons, nor daughters. They have no material bodies, but can assume any form with His permission
3. Belief in the revealed Books of God – That Allah revealed Commandments and Codes of Religion to various Prophets at different stages of history for the guidance of mankind. Taurat was revealed to Prophet Musa (Moses), Zaboor to Prophet Dawood (David), Injeel (New Testament) to Prophet ‘Esa (Jesus), and the Qur’an (Quran) to Prophet Muhammad (Mohammad). Taurat, Zaboor, and Injeel do not exist in their original forms. The present-day editions are only interpretations by their respective followers of later ages. Qur’an is the Gospel of the Religion of Islam. The previous Commandments and the Codes of Religion are also incorporated in it. Its verses were inspired and revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad through Angel Jibraeel and they are still preserved in their original form in the Arabic language. The verses of Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad either singly or in batches during the last twenty-three years of his life, and were written down at his dictation and arranged under his direction during his lifetime.
4. Believe in God's many Prophets – That at different stages of the history of mankind, Allah sent Prophets as His Messengers for the guidance of mankind. To believe in all of them in general, and in those whose names are mentioned in the Qur’an in particular. Cannot personify anyone as a Prophet if his name is not mentioned in the Divine Book, nor can deny the prophethood of anyone whose name is so mentioned in the Divine Book. Muslims do not know the names of all the Prophets who delivered the Message of Allah to mankind, but the names of some of the Prophets are mentioned in the Qur’an. Among the Prophets whose names are mentioned n the Qur’an are: Adam, Idris (Enoch), Nuh (Noah), Hud, Salih, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Is-haq (Isaac), Lut (Lot), Ya’qub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Ayyoub (Job), Shu’aib, Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Dhul Kifl (Ezekiel), Dawud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ilyas (Elias), Al-Yasa’ (Elisha), Yunus (Jonah), Zakariyyaa (Zachariahs), Yahiya (John the Baptist), ‘Esa (Jesus), and Muhammad. Muslims do not worship any of the Prophets, but only love and revere them as well as consider them as models of conduct for humanity. The Prophets themselves worshipped Allah and taught the same. None of the Prophets can be called God, for they were all created by Allah Who is Self-Existing and has no partner. None of the Prophets claimed Divinity, for, besides being Messengers and Servants of Allah, they were human beings. As all the nations of the world had either lost or forgotten the Messages delivered by the Prophets sent to them, Prophet Muhammad proclaimed the Message of Allah to all lands and to all nations. His prophethood is, therefore, not confined to any one land or one nations, but is universal, i.e., for the whole world and for all the nations. There is no need of a Prophet after Prophet Muhammad, for the Message, i.e., the Qur’an is the final and the complete Code of Religion, and is and will be preserved for all time absolutely intact in its original form; besides the authentic record of the Prophet’s eventful life covering all human activities is also extant, and will always remain as a Model for mankind. Hence no Prophet either with code and commandments, or without, is required after him, and therefore, the Qur’an says that Prophet Muhammad is the last and the Seal of all Prophets.
5. Accepting that there will be Last Day of Resurrection and Judgment - It is the Day on which Allah will resurrect the dead, i.e., make the dead alive again. He will then judge each person according to his good or bad actions on earth. He will reward those who have led a righteous life and pleased Him, by sending them to Heaven, and punish those who have disobeyed His commands and incurred His displeasures by committing sins and bad actions, by consigning them Hell. Heaven is an abode of peace and happiness where every wish is fulfilled. Hell is a place of torture, pain and agony. A person who dies with complete Faith in the Oneness of Allah and in the Prophets of Allah will remain in Heaven for ever, while a person who dies without having any belief in the Oneness of Allah or having disbelief in others as partners of Allah will remain in Hell for ever. Those who have firm belief in the Oneness of Allah and in the Prophets of Allah, but die without atoning for an repenting sins they have committed in this world, will be sent to Hell for a time, from where, after receiving due punishment, they will be liberated by the Mercy of Allah and sent to Heaven, where they will live for ever.
2. Belief in Angels – That Angels are spiritual creatures of Allah, ever obedient to Allah to His Will and Commands. They are neither males nor females; they have neither parents, nor wives, nor husbands, nor sons, nor daughters. They have no material bodies, but can assume any form with His permission
3. Belief in the revealed Books of God – That Allah revealed Commandments and Codes of Religion to various Prophets at different stages of history for the guidance of mankind. Taurat was revealed to Prophet Musa (Moses), Zaboor to Prophet Dawood (David), Injeel (New Testament) to Prophet ‘Esa (Jesus), and the Qur’an (Quran) to Prophet Muhammad (Mohammad). Taurat, Zaboor, and Injeel do not exist in their original forms. The present-day editions are only interpretations by their respective followers of later ages. Qur’an is the Gospel of the Religion of Islam. The previous Commandments and the Codes of Religion are also incorporated in it. Its verses were inspired and revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad through Angel Jibraeel and they are still preserved in their original form in the Arabic language. The verses of Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad either singly or in batches during the last twenty-three years of his life, and were written down at his dictation and arranged under his direction during his lifetime.
4. Believe in God's many Prophets – That at different stages of the history of mankind, Allah sent Prophets as His Messengers for the guidance of mankind. To believe in all of them in general, and in those whose names are mentioned in the Qur’an in particular. Cannot personify anyone as a Prophet if his name is not mentioned in the Divine Book, nor can deny the prophethood of anyone whose name is so mentioned in the Divine Book. Muslims do not know the names of all the Prophets who delivered the Message of Allah to mankind, but the names of some of the Prophets are mentioned in the Qur’an. Among the Prophets whose names are mentioned n the Qur’an are: Adam, Idris (Enoch), Nuh (Noah), Hud, Salih, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Is-haq (Isaac), Lut (Lot), Ya’qub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Ayyoub (Job), Shu’aib, Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Dhul Kifl (Ezekiel), Dawud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ilyas (Elias), Al-Yasa’ (Elisha), Yunus (Jonah), Zakariyyaa (Zachariahs), Yahiya (John the Baptist), ‘Esa (Jesus), and Muhammad. Muslims do not worship any of the Prophets, but only love and revere them as well as consider them as models of conduct for humanity. The Prophets themselves worshipped Allah and taught the same. None of the Prophets can be called God, for they were all created by Allah Who is Self-Existing and has no partner. None of the Prophets claimed Divinity, for, besides being Messengers and Servants of Allah, they were human beings. As all the nations of the world had either lost or forgotten the Messages delivered by the Prophets sent to them, Prophet Muhammad proclaimed the Message of Allah to all lands and to all nations. His prophethood is, therefore, not confined to any one land or one nations, but is universal, i.e., for the whole world and for all the nations. There is no need of a Prophet after Prophet Muhammad, for the Message, i.e., the Qur’an is the final and the complete Code of Religion, and is and will be preserved for all time absolutely intact in its original form; besides the authentic record of the Prophet’s eventful life covering all human activities is also extant, and will always remain as a Model for mankind. Hence no Prophet either with code and commandments, or without, is required after him, and therefore, the Qur’an says that Prophet Muhammad is the last and the Seal of all Prophets.
5. Accepting that there will be Last Day of Resurrection and Judgment - It is the Day on which Allah will resurrect the dead, i.e., make the dead alive again. He will then judge each person according to his good or bad actions on earth. He will reward those who have led a righteous life and pleased Him, by sending them to Heaven, and punish those who have disobeyed His commands and incurred His displeasures by committing sins and bad actions, by consigning them Hell. Heaven is an abode of peace and happiness where every wish is fulfilled. Hell is a place of torture, pain and agony. A person who dies with complete Faith in the Oneness of Allah and in the Prophets of Allah will remain in Heaven for ever, while a person who dies without having any belief in the Oneness of Allah or having disbelief in others as partners of Allah will remain in Hell for ever. Those who have firm belief in the Oneness of Allah and in the Prophets of Allah, but die without atoning for an repenting sins they have committed in this world, will be sent to Hell for a time, from where, after receiving due punishment, they will be liberated by the Mercy of Allah and sent to Heaven, where they will live for ever.
6. Belief in the Divine measurement of human affairs - To believe in the power of doing all actions (whether good or bad) proceeds from Allah, but that we are responsible for our actions – That Allah has given the human being the power of action (good or bad), but He has also given him reason and a code of life to choose between good and evil, and therefore, he is responsible for his actions. For example, Allah has given him the power of speaking, it is for him to use his tongue for speaking the truth or abuse its power by speaking lies. Any action against the Commands of Allah is a sin. Allah and Allah alone can forgive sins. In order that a person’s sins can be forgiven, one must pray to Allah with all his heart and, atoning for all his evil deeds, resolve never to commit any such or other misdeeds again.
7. Belief in a life after death
7. Belief in a life after death
Declaration of Faith –
1. Tayyab (Declaration) - “La ilaha ill-Allah Muhammad ur Rasool ul Allah” meaning “There is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah”.
2. Shahadah (Submission of Evidence) - "Ash-hadu anla ilaaha il-lalaahu wahdahu la shariika lahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammada 'abduhu wa rasuuluhu" meaning "I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, the One, Who is without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Apostle."
3. Tamjeed (Glory of Allah) - Subhaan Allaahi wal hamdu lil-laahi wa la ilaaha il-lalaahu wal-laahu Akbar. Wa la hawla wa la quw-wata il-la bil-la hil 'aliyyil Azeem." Meaning "Glory be to Allah and praise; there is no deity but Allah; Allah is the Greatest, and there is no power, no might but from Allah, the Highest, the Greatest.
4. Tauheed (Oneness of Allah) – "Laa ilaaha il-lalaahu wahdahu la sharika lahu lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu yuhyii wa yumiitu wa huwa Haiyyun la yamutu abadan abadaa. Zul jalali wal ikram. Biyadi hil khair. Wa huwa 'alaa kul-li shai-'in qadiir." Meaning "There is none worthy of worship but Allah; He is One and has no partner; His is the Kingdom (of the whole universe) and unto Him is due all Praise; He gives life and He causes death; In his hand is all good; and He has power over all things".
5. Astaghfaar (Seek Forgiveness) - "As-taghfi rul-laaha rab-bii min kul-li zam-bin az-nabtu-hu 'ama-dan aw khataa'n sir-ran aw 'alaa-niya-tan wa-atubu ilaihi minaz zabmi al-lazi 'alamu wa minaz zambi la a'lamu in-naka anta 'al-laamul ghuyubi wa sit-taarul 'uyuubi wa ghaf-faaruz zunubi wa la hawla wa la quw-wata il-la bil-la hil 'aliyyil Azeem." Meaning "I seek forgiveness from Allah, who is my sustainer, for all of my sins which I committed intentionally or mistakenly, covertly or overtly. I repent from Him for those sins which I am aware of, and also of those sins which I am not aware of. Certainly you are best aware of matters of Unseen. And You are ---
6. Raddil-Kufr (Refutation of Disbelief) – "O Allah! Verily do I seek refuge in Thee from associating any partner with Thee knowingly; I beseech Thy forgiveness for the sins which I am not aware of; verily, Thee are the Best Knower of all secrets. I repent for all the sins and make myself proof against all teachings except the teachings of Islam. I have entered the fold of Islam, and I hereby declare: - There is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah."
Fundamentals Principles of Islam
1. Tayyab (Declaration) - “La ilaha ill-Allah Muhammad ur Rasool ul Allah” meaning “There is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah”.
2. Shahadah (Submission of Evidence) - "Ash-hadu anla ilaaha il-lalaahu wahdahu la shariika lahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammada 'abduhu wa rasuuluhu" meaning "I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, the One, Who is without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Apostle."
3. Tamjeed (Glory of Allah) - Subhaan Allaahi wal hamdu lil-laahi wa la ilaaha il-lalaahu wal-laahu Akbar. Wa la hawla wa la quw-wata il-la bil-la hil 'aliyyil Azeem." Meaning "Glory be to Allah and praise; there is no deity but Allah; Allah is the Greatest, and there is no power, no might but from Allah, the Highest, the Greatest.
4. Tauheed (Oneness of Allah) – "Laa ilaaha il-lalaahu wahdahu la sharika lahu lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu yuhyii wa yumiitu wa huwa Haiyyun la yamutu abadan abadaa. Zul jalali wal ikram. Biyadi hil khair. Wa huwa 'alaa kul-li shai-'in qadiir." Meaning "There is none worthy of worship but Allah; He is One and has no partner; His is the Kingdom (of the whole universe) and unto Him is due all Praise; He gives life and He causes death; In his hand is all good; and He has power over all things".
5. Astaghfaar (Seek Forgiveness) - "As-taghfi rul-laaha rab-bii min kul-li zam-bin az-nabtu-hu 'ama-dan aw khataa'n sir-ran aw 'alaa-niya-tan wa-atubu ilaihi minaz zabmi al-lazi 'alamu wa minaz zambi la a'lamu in-naka anta 'al-laamul ghuyubi wa sit-taarul 'uyuubi wa ghaf-faaruz zunubi wa la hawla wa la quw-wata il-la bil-la hil 'aliyyil Azeem." Meaning "I seek forgiveness from Allah, who is my sustainer, for all of my sins which I committed intentionally or mistakenly, covertly or overtly. I repent from Him for those sins which I am aware of, and also of those sins which I am not aware of. Certainly you are best aware of matters of Unseen. And You are ---
6. Raddil-Kufr (Refutation of Disbelief) – "O Allah! Verily do I seek refuge in Thee from associating any partner with Thee knowingly; I beseech Thy forgiveness for the sins which I am not aware of; verily, Thee are the Best Knower of all secrets. I repent for all the sins and make myself proof against all teachings except the teachings of Islam. I have entered the fold of Islam, and I hereby declare: - There is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah."
Fundamentals Principles of Islam
1. The declaration of kalimah
2. The observance of the obligatory salat (prayers) five times a day.
3. Distribution of Zakat (Islamic alms-fee) among the deserving amounting to one fortieth in one’s possession for a complete year.
4. The observation of sawm (fast) during the day time in the month of Ramadhan.
5. The performance of Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, at least once in a lifetime, if circumstances permit.
2. The observance of the obligatory salat (prayers) five times a day.
3. Distribution of Zakat (Islamic alms-fee) among the deserving amounting to one fortieth in one’s possession for a complete year.
4. The observation of sawm (fast) during the day time in the month of Ramadhan.
5. The performance of Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, at least once in a lifetime, if circumstances permit.
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