Dajjal: The False Messiah

Imam Ibn Kathir
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 51 | Size: 25 MB

The Prophet not only warned his Ummah against Dajjal; the false Messiah, but stated in detail his colour, height, width, eye-shape, inscriptions on his forehead, his seductions, his method of aberrance, how to escape from his temptations, his current location, and so on. All the details about Dajjal are here in this book.

Imam Ibn Kathir

He was Emaad Ed-Deen Isma’eel Ibn ‘Umar Ibn ibn Katheer , originally from Busra (Syria) – and raised in Damascus. He followed the Shafi`ee school of thought. Ibn Kathir was born in the year 700 AH or little later in an area called Majdal, near Busra, west of Damascus. His father died when he was only four years old and was taken in by his brother and moved to Damascus in 706. Here, he learned from great scholars such as Ibn Asakir, Ishaq ibn Yahya al-Amudi and the great Ibn Taymiyyah who was extremely close to him. He also studied under various other sheikhs who gave him permission in fiqh and Hadith. He made many academic contributions to Islamic sciences.

He made many academic contributions to Islamic sciences. The following are amongst his most prominent:

Tafseer of the Qur’an, Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah: a history of Muslims from Adam until Ibn Kathir’s time, At-Takmeel: a book on the science of Asmaaul Rijal (profiles of transmitters of Hadith), Jami`ul Masaneed: a book that collects the Hadith from ten major books of Hadith, , The classes of Shafi`ee scholars: a list of scholars following the Imam, Extraction of the traditions of Tanbeeh (a Shafi`ee book of jurisprudence), The commentary on al-Bukhari (which he did not finish), The book of laws (again, he did not complete it), The summary to the science of Hadith; a synopsis to the introduction of Ibn Saah’s work, Extraction of the traditions to the summary of Ibn Hajib, Musnad of the two sheikhs (Abu Bakr and Umar), Biography of the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, The epistle of Jihad.

Many of These have been translated into the English Language (Even though some are Abrdged Translations),

Al-Hafiz Ibn hajar Al-Asqalani said,”Ibn Kathir lost his sight just before his life ended. He died in Damascus in 774A.H. May Allah grant him Mercy and make him amongst the residents of Jannah (Heavenly Garden).

If My Lord Asks Me

Download If My Lord Asks Me as MP3

Imam Ahmad (ra)

A man once came to Imām Ahlus-Sunnah, Ahmad bin Hanbal and asked him, “O Imām, what is your opinion on poetry?”

He replied, “Which poetry is this?” to which the man responded by reciting the following couplets:

إذا ما قال لي ربي اما استحييت تعصيني
If my Lord asks me, “Have you shyness in disobeying me?

وتخفي الذنب عن خلقي وبالعصيان تأتيني
You conceal your sins from my creation – and with sins you come to me.”

Imām Ahmad took these lines and repeated them over and over again, and wept profusely to such an extent that one his students said that he almost perished due to him crying so much.

“If my Lord asks me…”

إذا ما قال لي ربي اما استحييت تعصيني

If my Lord asks me, “Have you shyness in disobeying me?

وتخفي الذنب عن خلقي وبالعصيان تأتيني

You conceal your sins from my creation – and with sins you come to me.”

فكيف أجيبُ يا ويحي ومن ذا سوف يحميني؟

So how will I answer? O woe to me – and who shall protect me?

أسُلي النفس بالآمالِ من حينٍ الى حيني

I keep averting my soul with thoughts of hope – from time to time.

وأنسى ما وراءُ الموت ماذا بعد تكفيني

And I forget what is to come after death – and what is to come after I am shrouded.

كأني قد ضّمنتُ العيش ليس الموت يأتيني

As if I am guaranteed life (eternally) – and that death will not come to me.

وجائت سكرة الموتُ الشديدة من سيحميني

And when the severe stupor of death overtakes me – who will protect me?

نظرتُ الى الوُجوهِ أليـس منُهم من سيفدينـــي

I looked at the faces; is there not from amongst them who will ransom me?

سأسأل ما الذي قدمت في دنياي ينجيني

I will be asked regarding what I have prepared in my life to save me (on the Day of Judgement).

فكيف إجابتي من بعد ما فرطت في ديني

Then how will I answer – after I have neglected my religion.

ويا ويحي ألــــم أسمع كلام الله يدعوني

Woe to me! Did I not hear the Speech of Allāh inviting me?

ألــــم أسمع لما قد جاء في قاف ويسِ

Did I not hear what came in (the chapters of) Qāf and Yā-Sīn?

ألـــم أسمع بيوم الحشر يوم الجمع و الديني

Did I not hear about the Day of Gathering, the Day of Assemble and the Day of Judgement?

ألـــم أسمع مُنادي الموت يدعوني يناديني

Did I not hear the crier of death inviting me, calling me?

فيا ربــــاه عبدُ تــائبُ من ذا سيؤويني

So O my Lord, a slave (turning to you) I have repented – so who then shall shelter me?

سوى رب غفور واسعُ للحقِ يهديني

Except a Lord extensive in forgiveness – to the truth He will guide me.

أتيتُ إليكَ فارحمني وثقــّـل في موازيني

I have come to you (in repentance) – so have mercy on me, and make heavy my scales (with good deeds).

وخفَفَ في جزائي أنتَ أرجـى من يجازيني

And lighten my account – You are the best of who will bring me to account.

Sickness: Regulations And Exhortations

Muhammad al-Jibaly
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 177 | Size: 5 MB

The Inevitable Journey, We inevitably go through the journey starting in this life and extending into the grave, before our final abode in the hereafter. In the process, we pass through stages of sickness, death, and the intermediate life in the grave (al-Barzakh). These are the subjects that “The Inevitable Journey” discusses over a sequence of tides:

1. Sickness, Regulations & Exhortations

2. The Final Bequest, Islamic Inheritance and Will

3. Funerals, Regulations & Exhortations

4. Life in al-Barzakh

5. Dreamer’s Handbook

This book is the first in the series. It deals with sickness, which continues to afflict human beings from birth until death. Sickness strikes as light as a simple cold or allergy, and as hard as a plague or cancer. It keeps the human being under check, reminding him of his weakness and giving him a chance to turn to the One who possesses to afflict and cure. This book deals with sickness, its regulations, and lessons associated with it. It presents the Islamic stand toward a number of modern medical issues, and also discusses important regulations relating to those with disabilities.

Sunan Ibn Majah (5 Vol. Set)

Imam Muhammad Bib Yazeed ibn Majah Al-Qazwini
Language: Arabic-English | Format: PDF | Pages: 2678 | Size: 92 MB

Sunan Ibn Majah is one of the six most authentic collections of the Ahadith and contains 4,341 total Ahadith. Like the other translations of the six books of hadith, Dar-us-Salam Publications, has taken great care in correct translation, simple and clear modern English language, and high quality publishing.

Ahadith in the book are followed by comments to explain issues and to help readers derive lessons. To aid readers further, Dar-us-Salam, has added several features like section on how to benefit from Sunan Ibn Majah, about the Arabic and technical terms used, information about the hadith compilations and a glossary of Islamic terms in the last volume.

Each hadith is also followed by its status in regards to the authenticity. The status is explained more in detail in the Arabic text. The chain is also complete in the Arabic text while it is removed from the English to reduce the length and not being of much benefit to the English readers.

Compiled by: Imam Muhammad Bib Yazeed ibn Majah Al-Qazwini
Ahadith edited and referenced by: Hafiz Abu Tahir Zubair Ali Zai
Translated by: Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Canada)
Final Review by: Abu Khaliyl (US)

Publisher’s Forward

The Abbasid caliph Harun Rashid (170-193 AH) had a disbeliever arrested for fabricating Ahadith and ordered his execution. The disbeliever said to the king: “Oh Commander of the Faithful, how will you deal with those four thousand Ahadith I have already fabricated, making lawful things unlawful, and the unlawful lawful, although not a word in those ‘Ahadith was ever spoken by Allah’s Messenger (S). Thereupon, the king retorted: “O enemy of Allah, how can you escape from Abu Ishaq Fazari and ‘Abdullah bin Mubarak? They will seize them out and eliminate them letter by letter.”

It is a well-known fact that the painstaking efforts of scholars gave Ahadith a high degree of reliability next to Qur’an. When the Ahadith had been read over carefully, revised, corrected and expounded in the light of the principles of Hadith sciences like Jarh (invalidation), Ta’dil (validation), and Asma’ur-Rijal, the stage for the recording of Ahadith was set. Thanks to the exhausting efforts of Hadith scholars and their deep sense of responsibility, the Muslim nation got, in addition to Sihah Sittah (the Sound Six books of Hadith) a vast treasure that included Musannafat (Hadith compilations according to subject-headings), Jawdmi’ (comprehensive books of Ahadith), Sunan (collections of legal and doctrinal Ahadith), Masanid (Hadith compilations according to complete chains), Ma’ajim (compilations arranged according to names of Companions or regions or names of teachers of compilers), Mustadrakat (compilations of Ahadith meeting the conditions of other compilers but not found in their books), and Mustakhrajat (compilations containing Ahadith of other compilers with different chains of narration), the manuscripts of which numbering in thousands researched, edited and furnished with explanatory and marginal notes, exist even today in international libraries attracting the attention of research scholars. Anyhow, among those compilations, the six canonical books of Ahadith (Sihah Sittah) rank as the centerpiece.

I have a wish since long to present the Sound Six (Sihah Sittah) translated into modem English in such a way as to list the inferences and gainful conclusions drawn from each Hadith, to remove any misgiving and misunderstanding, satisfying the mind and soul, and reinforcing the faith. With this noble cause in view, Darussalam has solicited the services of several learned scholars and researchers who are working with zeal on the translation of the Sound Six and writing commentaries on them.

All the Ahadith of this collection have been documented, referenced and traced by the great research scholar, Hafiz Zubair ‘Ali Za’i.

One thing I want to mention is that in these collections, the original Arabic texts of the Ahadith contain complete chain of narrators while in translation, for the sake of simplicity, only the name of the first narrator is mentioned who narrated the Hadith from the Prophet.

‘Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Servant of Qur’an and Sunnah
Director Darussalam
Riyadh and Lahore.

Ibn Majah’s Book: As-Sunan

Ahadith began to be put down in writing even during the era of the Prophet (S), but these Ahadith were no better than compilations individuals. Their purpose was just to put them down in writing, with: regard for order or sequence. Later, during the caliphate of ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul-’Aziz (99 AH-101 AH), the state undertook this task but most of the works in this field were the products of individual labor. During the second century of the Hijra calendar, famous books like Muwatta’ of Imam Malik and Musnad of Imam Shafi were prepared but the third stage recording Ahadith, known as the Golden Age, came only in the third century AH. Many collections were made in this age. These included the Six Books (Kutub Sittah), popularly known as the Sound Six (Sahah Sitta), Sunan of Ibn Majah being one of them and considered the last of them.

Sunan Ibn Majah began to be included in the Six Books by the end of the fifth century AH. Since then, in every succeeding age, it kept on growing value and importance. With respect to soundness and strength, Sunan Ad Darimi, Sunan Ad-Daraqutni and other books of Sunan were superior Sunan Ibn Majah but they did not gain popularity like Sunan Ibn Majah.

It is to be noted that Sunan is a technical term used by scholars of Had sciences to denote a book of Ahadith relating to legal rulings, from the Chapters of Purification down to the Chapter on Wills in the same order as followed in books of Islamic jurisprudence.

How important and useful the Sunan Ibn Majah is, can also be gauged the fact that when Ibn Majah showed his work to Imam Abu Zar’ah, the latter remarked: ‘If this book reached the public, all or most of the existing  Jawami would cease to be used. The words of Imam Abu Zar’ah proved be true to the last letter. Several Jawami, Musnads and Sunan were eclipsed by Ibn Majah’s Sunan.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar termed the book Jami’ Jaiyid (a good, comprehensive Hadith collection).

The book, As-Sunan by Imam Ibn Majah was an excellent and beneficial work that stunned the scholars of his time.

He himself said about the book: “I showed this book to Abu Zur’ah Razi. He checked it and said, ‘I think if people lay their hands on this book, all or most of other great compiled works will become unnecessary.”

Just Five Minutes: Nine Years In The Prisons Of Syria

Heba Dabbagh
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 260 | Size: 2 MB

Like the color wheel, the days of our lives feature different colors. Some days bring splashes of glorious white. Other days are stained with the darkest of hues.

My life began as bright and lively as a budding flower and the days of my childhood were filled with love from my beloved parents and feelings of belonging and warmth from my family. I flourished lifted by this love and goodness and grew to become my father’s favorite, my mother’s confidant and a princess among my seven brothers and four sisters, the one they went to for help. Most nights I went to bed thinking about my dreams, fell asleep trusting that my dreams would come true and awoke feeling safe and serene.

I took no part in any political activities. Although I loved my faith and spent much of my time studying it, that did not make me a political activist. My lack of affiliation with political organizations did not mean that I was blind to the injustice and cruelty of the government and its oppression of all factions of the Syrian population. When I became a hostage in the hands of the government, I saw first hand the evil that ruled my country. I shared cells and stories with people like me and others who came from a variety of different backgrounds and faiths, some from the sect of the ruling party itself.

I lived a happy, carefree life until I went to university and faced the difficulty of parting with my family. It pained us to part, but it was a parting of our choosing, a decision we arrived at together, unlike the forced parting that came later. That parting separated me from my family and landed me in the prisons of oppressors and in the depth of darkness. Then came a final parting, a permanent one. The oppressors killed my parents and eight of my brothers and sisters and forced my remaining three brothers to flee the country and live far away from home.

The picture I had created of my life blurred and darkened. The buds of all my hopes and dreams never bloomed. I sat in the depth of prisons, a hostage for my “politically active” brother, the years of my life slipping away, my heart breaking and my soul withering.

Everything that happened to me was based on informant lies. The government knew well that the allegations against me were baseless. They chose to ignore the truth. They did not want to waste the efforts of their paid informants and their mob of agents who screeched onto my street, ripping through the silence of the night to capture me. They did capture me and they dragged me from one prison to another for nine fruitless years, slamming every door of mercy and humanity shut in my face.

Nine years were long enough to kill every last one of my dreams and any hope I had in any human being. During those nine years, I had but one ray of light in my heart, my hope in God. No matter how much that hope dimmed, it never died. My hope in God knew no limits, although pains did obscure it for short periods of time. My pleas to God were my only comfort. They saved me.

When people slept and the whips retired, I prayed to God. Oh God, the only one who can, when nightly despair overcomes us, shine upon us from His light and ease our sorrows; God, who when tragedy befalls us, can bring relief; God, who when all roads for help are blocked, can send ships of rescue through means unbeknown to the oppressors; God, who in Him is safety and comfort and stability and under his protection we find peace. I prayed to God to grant me the patience to bear any test that he gives me. I prayed to Him, to conform my will to His and to fill my heart with acceptance for the path He chooses for me. I prayed to God to assist me in His praise during times of ease and strain. Oh God, in patience we grow and in your praise and acknowledgement of your blessings we rid ourselves of selfishness and pride. In hardship we find virtue. Grant us good character and peaceful hearts. Your power encompasses everything.

The Kind and the Almighty bestowed upon me invaluable blessings. He grounded me, protected me and sent to me from amidst the blur of sticks and whips that which eased my pains and sorrows. He gifted me with my cellmate and soul mate, Majida. Majida always found more patience and peace than I could muster and was always more ready to give and sacrifice.

God showered his mercy upon us both in the form of our other cellmates, a group of women with many virtues. We will never forget their goodness, their love and their open arms. We were partners in our imprisonment, our worries and our suffering. I would like to thank them here and ask God to grant all of us his forgiveness and his blessings. I would also like to ask for their forgiveness and pardon if I mentioned anything in this book that may hurt them in any way. But the duty I feel to speak out against the oppression of the Syrian regime overpowers my worries of the consequences of doing so. I feel entrusted with the task of documenting these events. As painful as it is to bring the past to light, it seems easy in comparison to keeping the secrets of the oppressors and allowing all of our suffering to be in vain.

I lived in the hell of Syrian prisons for nine years, a hostage. The pen would tire before I could describe every detail of what took place and every pain I felt while I was imprisoned by this evil regime. But I lived through it all and in the end I can say that the days of our lives come in black and white and every shade in between. Some days are easy; others are hard. Some days pass with ease; others with friction. But all of our days are products of a predetermined destiny.

While the ruling dictators thought that they held the reins over the land and people, it was, and still is, God’s will that holds ultimate power and final say. Today the rulers of our lands use their power to oppress. Tomorrow they will stand with the rest of us in the hands of the Ultimate and Just Ruler.

Although my unjust imprisonment and the loss of nine years of my life pain me, today I live in the midst of God’s bounties. God’s kindness has healed my wounds and replaced anxiety with peace and deprivation with blessings. I feel these blessings in my beloved husband who planted hope in the hearts of the deprived and kept his promises. My husband is a light and hope that shines in my soul and makes up for all I lost. I also feel these blessings in our lovely daughter Wafa, who introduced new happiness to our lives, and in our other two children Jabir and Sarah. Jabir and Sarah’s mother, Hanan, left her children in our care for she had taken under her care the fight for justice and honor. Although she is gone, her life remains a shining example for the rest of us.

I feel now, as I felt before, that thffe end of my story has not come. The chapter of accountability is yet to come. The oppressors who rule the land today will stand in the hands of God in this final chapter. I put my trust in God and there I find comfort.

Purification Of The Soul: Concept, Process And Means

Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 360 | Size: 29 MB

For a number of reasons, this is a very important time to be writing a book of this nature. First, the concept of purification of the soul as a whole is and always will be central to the message of Islam and to the welfare of humans, both in this life and the Hereafter. Indeed, it was a main mission of the messengers and prophets themselves.

Second, there is a very strong need to shed light on the correct path of purification as delineated by the Quran and Sunnah- free of the foreign influence, deviations and heresies that have found their way into the realm of the religion and have caused a great deal of harm. The path described by the Quran and Sunnah is the only path that can result in a true purification of the soul. Indeed, it is the only path that is truly consistent with the purpose for which humans were created. Hence, any discussion of purification of the soul must rely heavily and exclusively on the Quran and Sunnah and what can be correctly derived from those two sources.

Third, many Muslims themselves are today being influenced by secular, materialistic psychology, leading them to neglect the spiritual side of humans and to ignore the guidance that Islam offers for the purification of the soul. This influence often occurs at a level wherein the person himself may not be completely aware that it is occurring.

Fourth, for some time now, there has been an Islamic revival spreading throughout the Muslim world. Upon closer inspection, it seems that this revival is somewhat tenuous and delicate, in the sense that for many Muslims it is more of an ‘emotional’ phenomenon. In order for this revival to be truly successful and lead to what it needs to lead to, it must be guided by the comprehensive teachings of Islam. First and foremost among those teachings is what is related to the purification of the soul. Without the purification of the souls, the revival will only be on the outer shell and will, in fact, be a “deceptive” revival, in the sense that the inner consciousness will not have been reformed and the lapse back to the pre-revival times may be very close at hand. Indeed, without the purification of the souls, the very goals of the revival from the outset may be wrong.

The Biography Of Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq

Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabee
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 773 | Size: 19 MB

From the day he embraced Islam until the day he died, Abu Bakr As-Siddique أبو بكر الصديق (Radhi Allahu Anhu – May Allah be Pleased with Him) was the ideal Muslim, surpassing all other Companions in every sphere of life. During the Prophet’s lifetime, Abu Bakr was an exemplary soldier on the battlefield; upon the Prophet’s death, Abu Bakr (R) remained steadfast and, through the help of Allah, held this nation together. When others suggested keeping Usaamah’s army back, Abu Bakr insisted – and correctly so – that the army should continue the mission which the Prophet (S) had in mind. When people refused to pay Zakaat, and when the apostates threatened the stability of the Muslim nation, Abu Bakr was the one who remained firm and took decisive action against them. These are just some of the examples of Abu Bakr’s many wonderful achievements throughout his life. I have endeavored to describe all of the above in a clear and organized manner. But more so than anything else, I have tried to show how Abu Bakr’s methodology as a Muslim and as a ruler helped establish the foundations of a strong, stable, and prosperous country – one that began in Al-Madeenah, extended throughout the Arabian Peninsula, and then reached far-off lands outside of Arabia.

Throughout the brief period of his caliphate (about 2 years), Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (R) faced both internal and external challenges; the former mainly involved quelling the apostate factions of Arabia and establishing justice and peace among the citizens of the Muslim nation; and the latter mainly involved expanding the borders of the Muslim nation by spreading the message of Islam to foreign nations and conquering those nations that stood in the way of the propagation of Islam.

During the era of his caliphate, Khalifah Abu Bakr As Siddeeq (R) sent out armies that achieved important conquests; for example, under the command of Khaalid ibn Al-Waleed (R) the Muslim army gained an important victory in Iraq. And the Muslim army achieved other important victories under the commands of Al-Muthannah ibn Haarithah (R) and Al-Qa’qaa ibn ‘Amr (R). In short, the victories achieved during the era of Abu Bakr’s Caliphate paved the way for victories that later took place after Abu Bakr’s death. I have tried to analyze the above-mentioned conquests and to break down the reasons why they were such monumental successes. I particularly pointed out Abu Bakr’s contributions to those conquests: His military strategy, the leaders he chose, the letters through which he communicated with them, and so on.

Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabee is famous for his detailed books of history and biography that bring the past to life for modern readers. Dr. Sallabi was born in Libya in 1383 H/1963 CE, and earned a bachelor’s degree at the Islamic University of Madinah, graduating first in his class. He completed his master’s and doctorate degrees at Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan.

Embryology In The Qur’an

Hamza Andreas Tzortzis
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 60 | Size: 8 MB

This paper is an analysis of chapter 23 verses 12 to 14 of the Qur’an in light of modern embryology. This study will provide a linguistic breakdown of the relevant verses and correlate these linguistic items to modern science. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of this study, an overview of qur’anic exegesis will be provided to appreciate how the Qur’an is made accessible and intelligible to the reader. This study will also address various contentions, which attempt to challenge the credibility of the qur’anic discourse and its concurrence with modern embryology. Among these responses will be a refutation of both the ancient Greek plagiarisation thesis and the accusation that al-Harith bin Kalada, a 7th century physician, was the source of the Prophet’s (PBUH) medical knowledge.

In chapter 23 verses 12 to 14 the Qur’an provides eight meaningful points describing the process of the developing human embryo:

We created man from an essence of clay, then We placed him as a drop of fluid in a safe place. Then We made that drop of fluid into a clinging form, and then We made that form into a lump of flesh, and We made that lump into bones, and We clothed those bones with flesh, and later We made him into other forms. Glory be to God the best of creators. 1

WHAT IS THE QUR’AN?

Linguistically the word Qur’an means ‘reading’ and came to be referred to as ‘the text which is read’. The Qur’an also calls itself al-kitab, which lexically implies a written book. Thus the significance of writing, reading and reflecting upon the Qur’an has been emphasised from the very beginning of Islam. The qur’anic material is divided into suwar2, meaning ‘chapters’ in Arabic. According to the historian Phillip Hitti, the collected written text of the Qur’an is one of the youngest epoch-making books and the most widely read book ever written.3

The Qur’an is the supreme authority in Islam as it is the fundamental and essential source of the Islamic creed, ethics, laws, and guidance. For Muslims, the Qur’an is of Divine origin. It is the speech of the Creator and not the word of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)4. Rather, it was revealed to him, and through him to mankind, in word and meaning. Az-Zarqani, a 9th century scholar of the Qur’an, summarises the description of the book. He writes:

The Qur’an is the Arabic speech of God, which He revealed to Muhammad (PBUH) in wording and meaning, and which has been preserved in the compiled written pages of the Qur’an, and has reached us by recurrent reporting.5

THE SCIENCE OF QUR’ANIC EXEGESIS

The Qur’an, like any other legislative and spiritual book, requires exegesis. Qur’anic exegesis, known as tafsir in Arabic, is essentially the knowledge through which one increases an understanding of the Qur’an and a comprehension of its commandments and wisdom.6 Qur’anic exegesis is a branch of knowledge dealing with “the method of the delivery of the words of the Qur’an, their interpretation, their individual and composite forms and expediencies.” 7 It is this science by which the Qur’an is understood, its meanings explained and its rulings derived. Thus the Qur’an is made accessible and intelligible to the reader.

What follows are the sources of qur’anic exegesis used by exegetes to interpret the Qur’an:

1. THE QUR’AN: The first source of exegesis is the Qur’an itself. Many verses in the Qur’an compliment and clarify the meaning of other verses8. This use of intertextuality is considered significant in the study of linguistics9. The following is an example of the Qur’an explaining itself through relevant verses:

a. “The path of those you have favoured” is here unexplained but then elaborated upon in a verse elsewhere in the Qur’an. 10 [See below]

b. “Those whom God has favoured, such as the Prophets, loyal persons, martyrs and honourable men. How fine are such companions”

2. THE PROPHETIC TRADITIONS: The second source is the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).12 The Qur’an often mentions the Prophet’s (PBUH) role of expounding upon the Qur’an in word and deed. 13

3. THE STATEMENTS OF THE COMPANIONS: The third source is the explanations of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH), who learnt the Qur’an directly from him. Many of them devoted their entire lives to studying the Qur’an, its exegesis and related knowledge.14

4. THE ARABIC LANGUAGE: Another source of exegesis is the Arabic language in which the Qur’an was revealed. A verse is interpreted using the Arabic language as a tool for analysis if the other sources do not offer an interpretation.

SCIENCE IN THE QUR’AN

The Qur’an’s relationship with science has been discussed for centuries, with scholars debating whether to use science as an exegetical tool to elucidate its meanings.

The 14th Century scholar Al-Shatibi was against using science. He argues the Qur’an is a religious book which is mainly focused on the manifestation of the Divine will in the human sphere of existence. Al-Shatibi writes:

Many people have overstepped all bounds and made undue claims about the Qur’an when they assigned to it all types of knowledge of the past and the present such as the natural sciences, mathematics and logic.15

However, the 11th Century theologian and philosopher, Al-Ghazali advocates using science to elucidate the meanings of the Qur’an. Al-Ghazali views the Qur’an as providing the foundations to all types of knowledge. He states, for example, that all knowledge is implied “in the signs and indications in the Qur’an”16 and in his book The Jewels of the Qur’an he argues that the principles of various sciences “are not outside the Qur’an.” 17

Scholars also claim the Qur’an is an intrusive text engaging with the inner dimensions of man. Communicative strategies employed by the Qur’an to achieve this include the technique of asking questions and referring to sign-posts to God i.e. its allusions to the natural world. There are an estimated 750 verses concerning science and natural phenomena.18

Why I Ask People To Become Muslims: A Few Of The Reasons

Yahya George Maxwell
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 19 | Size: 1 MB

Many people have asked me, to tell them how I became a Muslim, and the truth is, I really didn’t know. I know now that Allah gave me mercy and let me become a Muslim.

About three years after I became Muslim, I received a phone call from my father telling me my mother was dying from cancer. I was told that if I wanted to see her before she dies, I should hurry. Unfortunately, she died before I got there.

I made a decision not to tell my family that I have become Muslim until I learn enough about Islam to explain it to them. I have regretted ever since that my mother died before I could talk to her. My father however is a different story.

When my father picked me up, I told him I had become Muslim. He had a look on his face like he wasn’t happy; then, he asked me: “Why?” I don’t know why I said what I said then; I told him it was his fault. He looked at me and said: “My fault?!” I said: ‘Yes, it’s your fault’, and he asked: ‘How is it my fault?’

I began to explain: ‘When I was a child, you use to tell me not to listen to other people, and to make my own choices; not to look at the color of peoples’ skin; not to care how much money they have, to judge people for what they do, not for what they say. So, that’s what I did. Nobody asked me to become a Muslim; nobody gave me any books, I studied the religion on my own, and I found it to be the Truth, and it’s your fault!’ He said: ‘Yes it’s my fault’.

Although my father has chosen not to become a Muslim, he still respects my decision. He also made the comment that I have improved; I’m not as shy and afraid to talk to people anymore. I know since I have become a Muslim, I feel happier than I ever did before. There were some really good examples of Muslims that I met in my life before embracing Islam.

I have a Saudi friend who is paralyzed from the neck down. This man is confined to an electric wheelchair. At the time I met him, his wheelchair was broken and there was no one who knew how to fix it. I tried and got it fixed, and fixed it many times afterwards. He tried to pay me but I refused. One day, he gave me a gift of a pen set. The next time I went on vacation, I brought him back a gift which was a knife. We became good friends and he always called me his brother and treated me as one of his family members. He invited me to all of his daughters’ weddings and I always sat in the most honored spot.

One day while I was fixing his wheelchair, he told me he was going to Pilgrimage. He was going to use the wheelchair I was fixing. I was very amazed that a man in his condition would even try to make Pilgrimage but he did and came back in a good condition. I always noticed this man prayed even though he was confined to his wheelchair. He never missed a prayer that I saw. Whenever he went to prayer, he left me alone in his house and this showed me that he trusted me. The attitude and kindness that this man showed towards me, though non-Muslim, was one of the reasons why I became a Muslim; may Allah reward him. So you see all of us, Muslims, are preaching Islam, even if they don’t mean to, or want to. Muslims should think about what they are doing at all times, because the non-Muslims are watching and listening.

I arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1986. In 1991, I moved to Khamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia. Before I became a Muslim, no one ever asked me to become a Muslim, or told me something about Islam, or even gave me a book.

One day, a Saudi, who worked with me, owed me a favor and asked me if I needed anything, I asked him to buy me a Qur’an in English and he did. It laid on my desk at work all the time.

I used it to teach English to my trainees. I made them read the English translation of the meaning of the Holy Qur’an and when they didn’t understand, I made them read the Arabic Holy Qur’an, next to it. I also read it alone in my spare time. I actually waited for a long time for someone to ask me if I wanted to become a Muslim.

Eventually, I decided to leave Saudi Arabia for another job. I went to my Supervisor and said: “I want to go to Makkah before I leave.” He was surprised but he said: “You have to be a Muslim to go to Makkah.” I told him I was a Muslim, I believe in only One God and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of God.

He took me to the Da’wa Center to announce the Two Testimonies (Shahada) formally on April 16, 2000. I tell people I am a Y2K Muslim. When People ask me: ‘How old are you?’ My immediate answer in 2007 was: ‘Seven years.’ I changed my mind and stayed in Saudi Arabia. I wanted to learn more about Islam.

The following pages relates about the experiences that led me to start making Da’wa or asking people to become Muslims. It is my hope and reason for writing this book, to inspire others to do the same.

The Authority And Importance Of The Sunnah

Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 249 | Size: 20 MB

This book deals with the following topics: the meaning of “Sunnah,” evidence for the authority of the Sunnah, the roles of the Prophet, the status of the sunnah vis-a-vis the Quran demonsrtating that the two go hand and hand as the foundation of Islam, ruling concerning one who rejects the authority of the Sunnah, the preservation of the sunnah and what it truly means to be following the Sunnah. This book is meant to clarify a number ofcommon misconceptions and encourages the correct following of the sunnah.

The word “sunnah” is defined in detailed as it is used by scholars of different disciplines. The authority and importance of the Sunnah is determined via a discussion of about fifty verses of the Qur’an. The roles of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the indispensability of this Sunnah are clearly spelled out. The Position of the Sunnah vis-a-vis the Qur’an is dealt with in detail, demonstrating that the two go hand in hand as the foundation of Islam. Allah’s promise to preserve the Sunnah and the ways and means by which the sunnah was preserved is also discussed. The ruling concerning one who denies the place of the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is given. It is shown herein that the sunnah-which is the true implementation of the Qur’an-is the only real “version and way of Islam. The final chapter discusses the real meaning of “adhering to the Sunnah” as well as a discussion of what a commitment that truly is.

Ten Days Of Dhul Hijah (Book And Brochure)

Website of Rasoulullah (peace be upon him)
Language: English | Format: PDF | Items: 2 | Pages: 17+2  | Size: 15 MB

In the name of Allah, All praises be to Allah, All Prayers and Blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.

Election is one of Allah’s enactments in this universe. Allah (SWT ) elected some prophets, angels, months and days to be better than others. For example, Allah (SWT) elected the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah to be better than any other days. Let us know their virtues and the best righteous deeds we can do during them.

First: Their virtues mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah

1) Allah (SWT)1 says in the Noble Qur’an what can be translated as:

“And (by) the dawn and (by) the ten nights .” (TMQ , Surat al-Fajr 1-2) Ibn-Kathir said: “The ten nights are the first ten nights of Dhul-Hijjah as stated by Ibn-Abbas, Ibn-al-Zubair, Mujahid, and many others scholars, both past and present.”

2) Ibn-Abbas reported that the Prophet (SAWS )2 said:

“No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah).” Then some companions of the Prophet (SAWS) said, “Not even jihad (struggle)?” He replied, “Not even jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah’s sake) and does not return with any of those things.” (Related by al-Bukhari)

3) Jabir reported that the Prophet (SAWS)3 said: “The best days are the (first) ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah).” (Related by Ibn- Habban and Abu-Ya’la and ranked as hadith sahih by al-Albani)

Second: Recommended Righteous Deeds

There have been many narrations that indicate the worshipping efforts exerted by our predecessors during these days. Said ibn-Jubair “exerted his best efforts in worship once the first ten days Dhul-Hijjah started until he almost could not.” He used to advise people not to sleep a lot during these nights and spend them in prayer.

The following are the most important righteous deeds that can be done during these days:

1) Fasting

Hunaydah ibn-Khalid reported from his wife on the authority of one of the wives of the Prophet (SAWS) who said, “The Prophet of Allah (SAWS) used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, the Day of `Ashura’ (10th of Muharram) and three days of every month, that is, the first Monday (of the month) and Thursday.” (Related by Abu-Dawud and ranked as hadith sahih by al-Albani)

Fasting on the Day of `Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah) is particularly important:

Abu-Qatada al-Ansari (RA ) reported that the Prophet of Allah (SAWS) was asked about … fasting on the Day of `Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah), whereupon he said, It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year.” (Related by Muslim)

2) Remembrance of Allah

Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Qur’an what can be translated as: “That they may witness (things) profitable to them and mention the Name of Allah on days well-known.” (TMQ, Surat al-Hajj 28) Ibn-Abbas said that the “days well-known” are the first ten days of Dhul- Hijjah while the “prescribed number of days” are the Days of Tashriq (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah). Ibn-Omar and Abu-Hurairah used to go to the marketplace reciting takbir (saying: “Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]”) and people followed their example.

3) Sacrifice

Abu-Hurairah reported that the Prophet (SAWS) said, “The one who is able to offer a sacrifice but he does not should not attend our mosque.” (Related by Ibn-Majah and ranked as hadith hasan by al-Albani)

4) `Umrah (lesser pilgrimage)

In his tafsir (interpretation) book, Ibn-Jarir mentioned that Ibn-Omar said he would like to perform `umrah in Dhul-Hijjah better than in the twenty (that is the last ten days of Ramadhan and the first ten days of Muharram).

5) Du`a’ (supplication)

In his book The Two Eids al-Firyabi mentioned that Abu-Musa al-Ash’ari said that the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are the “days well-known” mentioned in the Noble Qur’an and supplications are granted during them.

The Prophet (SAWS) said, “The best thing Allah likes is supplication.” (Related by at-Tirmithy and ranked as hadith hasan by al-Albany)

One should be certain that he will never be deprived of the goodness of supplication. The Prophet (SAWS) said, “The Muslim whose supplication does not include sin or break of kinship ties shall be granted one of three things: his supplication is granted, kept for him in the hereafter or protects him of bad things the equal of which.” The companions then said, “We shall supplicate more and more.” “Allah is more,” said the Prophet (SAWS). (Related by Ahmad and ranked as hadith hasan sahih by al-Albany)

Commanders Of The Muslim Army: Among The Companions Of The Prophet (PBUH)

Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 396 | Size: 3 MB

This book is about the lives of those noble Companions and Commanders who led the Islamic forces in the violent and strife-torn arenas of conflict against the Kuffar (disbelievers). They struck terror in the hearts of the enemy and the strong forts and palaces of Caesar and Chosroes trembled before their might. However in this compilation, there are not only the stories of the battlefields but also the stories of bravery and courage, valor and piety, austerity and simplicity. These stones describe the true circumstances that led the Muslims to fight snore powerful enemies than they were at that time.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

مُّحَمَّدٌ۬ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُ ۥۤ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلۡكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيۡنَہُمۡ‌ۖ تَرَٮٰهُمۡ رُكَّعً۬ا سُجَّدً۬ا يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلاً۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٲنً۬ا‌ۖ سِيمَاهُمۡ فِى وُجُوهِهِم مِّنۡ أَثَرِ ٱلسُّجُودِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ مَثَلُهُمۡ فِى ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةِ‌ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡإِنجِيلِ كَزَرۡعٍ أَخۡرَجَ شَطۡـَٔهُ ۥ فَـَٔازَرَهُ ۥ فَٱسۡتَغۡلَظَ فَٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِۦ يُعۡجِبُ ٱلزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِہِمُ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ‌ۗ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِنۡہُم مَّغۡفِرَةً۬ وَأَجۡرًا عَظِيمَۢا

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

“Muhammad (S) is the Messenger of Allah. And those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking Bounty from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of prostration (during prayers). This is their description in the Taurat (Torah). But their description in the Injeel (Gospel) is like a (sown) seed which sends forth its shoot, then makes it strong, and becomes thick and it stands straight on its stem, delighting the cowers, that He may enrage the disbelievers with them. Allah has promised those among them who believe (i.e. all those who follow Islamic Monotheism, the religion of Prophet Muhammad till the Day of Resurrection) and do righteous good deeds, forgiveness and a mighty reward (i.e. Paradise).” (The Noble Qur’an 48:29)

____________________________________________

Publisher’s Note:

All Praises are due to Allah the Almighty, the Lord of all that exists. May Allah’s peace and blessing be upon His final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, his family and his Companions.

Darussalam is pleased to present this valuable book, ‘Commanders of the Muslim Army (Among the Companions of the Prophet (S))’ compiled in the Urdu language, by a great scholar and a compiler of Islamic books, Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar and translated by our Islamic sister Jamila Muhammad Qawi.

This book is about the life stories of the Prophet’s Companions who led the Muslim army that was trained by the Messenger of Allah (S)”. Once during the training when the Prophet asked about the strategy to adopt in the battle, one of his Companion, ‘Asim bin Thabit (R) had stood up with his bow in his hand and replied:
“When the enemy is a hundred yards away, we will use our bows and arrows; when the enemy comes closer, we will fight with our spears; when the spears break, we will have a hand to hand combat with our swords.”

When the Prophet (S) heard this, he said:
“Doubtless this was the way to fight a battle. Whoever wishes to take part in a battle should adopt the strategy of ‘Asim bin Thabat.”

These great martial Commanders improved upon and developed the strategies and principles first enunciated by the Prophet (S). They loved death more than life in their pursuit of the righteous and true religion, therefore sometimes the opposing forces were ten times larger than the Muslim army and with superior arms, yet most often it were the forces of Islam which were victorious. Therefore the Prophet (S) gave some of them the title of Saifullah (Sword of Allah) and the title of Lion of Allah.

After the death of the Prophet (S), the empire of Islam spread over an area of ten hundred thousand square miles. We should have to study inevitably the lives of these remarkable military leaders if we are deeply interested in learning about the Islamic history.

Pray to Allah the Almighty that He grants them all – the writer, translator and editor and everyone else who participated by any means – the best reward in this world and in the Hereafter, for having supported in the completion of such a valuable book. Ameen.

Smoking: An Islamic Perspective

An Islamic centre of Qatar
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 12 | Size: 1 MB

Smoking is a modern day catastrophe. It is harmful in all aspects, for it is a waste of money, an unnecessary destruction of health and it can disturb the social balance of the family. The smoker breathes harm with every cigarette he lights, because both nicotine and tar mix with his blood which ultimately poisons his health  and life. Smoking is the quickest way to contract various diseases, some of which include cardiac disease, respiratory problems, and lung cancer.

Historical Notes:

Tobacco derived from Tubago, which is an island in the Gulf of Mexico where this plant was found. It was carried to Spain then to Europe.It was introduced to the Muslim world intentionally by tobacco companies, who encouraged its spread together with all types of in toxic ants. Nowadays smoking is decreasing in the industrial countries while it is highly increasing in the poor developing countries.

Modern Statistics:

It is reported by the World Health Organization that: At least a million people die annually prematurely‘ all over the world of the 50% adults in the developing countries smoke tobacco. Smoking and chewing tobacco lead to 90% of lung cancer cases 75% of atherosclerosis and 25% of heart diseases. In America approximately 84% of laryngeal cancer patients were smokers Mouth cancers were 13 times more common in smokers Researchers proved that smokers might have 65 times the chance of contracting lung cancer than non-smokers Cancer of the esophagus was 11.5 times more common in smokers than others The newborn babies of smoking mothers are weaker and weighed 200 grams less in weight.

The view upon smoking within Islam:

«Tobacco is a foul thing. » Dr. Yusuf Al Qaradawi in his book «The Lawful and Prohibited In Islam.»

A general rule of the Islamic Shari’ah is that it is haram for the Muslim to eat or drink any thing which may cause his death, either quickly or gradually, such as poisons or substances which are injurious to health or harmful to his body. It is also haram to eat or drink large quantities of a substance if large quantities of it cause illness For the Muslim is not entirely his own master; he is also an asset to his religion and his community, and his life,health wealth and all that Allah has bestowed upon him are a trust with him which he is not permitted to diminish Allah says:

«And do not kill yourselves; indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you.» (4,29)

He also says:

«And do not be cast into ruin by your own hands …» (2, 195)

And His Messenger (peace be on him) said:

« Do not harm yourself or others.»

As an application of this principle, we may say that if it is proved that the use of tobacco is in injurious to health it is prohibited especially for a person whose physician has advised him to stop smoking. Even if it is not injurious, to health it is still a waste of money, spent neither for religious nor for secular benefit and the Prophet (peace be on him) forbade wasting of wealth This becomes the more serious when the money is otherwise needed for the sustenance of oneself or one’s family.

Help your loved ones stop smoking:

A fifth of the world’s population is Muslim, and most Muslims live in areas where the prevalence of smoking is high and increasing by the day. According to statistics, it is estimated that out of the five million people who die due to smoking related causes every year, one million are Muslims. Yet, thanks to media influences and advertising, which erroneously portray smoking as part of a glamorous lifestyle, many Muslims, both men and women, are prompted to take to the habit themselves. In response to the growing trend, health and religious authorities across the world have launched anti-smoking drives, to deter people and raise awareness of the harmful effects of smoking. Besides the mandatory health warning on cigarette packets, it has been proposed that the pack should carry graphic images of the diseases that can be contracted by smoking, to drive the point home to smokers.

In another official initiative, many cities and public places around the world have designated areas as «non-smoking», to make it difficult for people to smoke. Recently the holy cities of Makkah and Madeenah have been declared no-smoking zones, and smoking or even selling cigarettes has been made a punishable offence there.

Similarly, mosques and religious leaders across the world have taken it upon themselves to educate people about the harmful effects of smoking, which is considered a prohibited act in Islam. The Qur’an says (what means):

“…make not your own hands contribute to your destruction” (2, 195)

“…nor kill or destroy yourselves” (4, 29)

Say As Universe Says Laa ilaaha illa Allaah

Sheikh Ameen El-Ansary
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 163 | Size: 4 MB

Allaah The Almighty has created all of His worshipers as Muslims, testifying the Oneness of Allaah The Almighty; however, the devils came to them and changed their  religion and corrupt their faith. Allaah The Almighty says in Al-Hadeeth Al-Qudsi: ‘I have created all My slaves with the inclination to worship Me alone, but the devils come to them and turn them away from their religion. They forbid to them that which I have permitted to them, and they tell them to associate others with Me,  for which I have not sent down any authority.”1

So whenever people commit any form of Shirk, Allaah The Almighty sends His Prophets, peace be upon them, with the suitable forms of Tawheed.

Some of them have disbelieved in the Lord, the Creator such as Thamood and Fir‘awn… so Allaah The Almighty sent the Prophets, peace be upon them, to inform them about their Lord and their Creator as Moosa (Moses), peace be upon him, said to Fir‘awn (as Allaah The Almighty says on his behalf):

وَأَهۡدِيَكَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَتَخۡشَىٰ

{“And let me guide you to your Lord so you would fear [Him]?”} [An-Naazi‘aat 19]

Some of them disbelieved in the matter of the Names and Attributes of Allaah The Almighty such as the Jews and the Christians who said: “Allaah is the third of three” And that “ He has a wife and a child.” Exalted is He and High above what they say by great sublimity. Allaah The Almighty says:

قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (١) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (٢) لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (٣) وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

{Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One, Allah , the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.} [Al-Ikhlaas 1-4]

Although most of them know that Allaah The Almighty is the Lord and know some of His Names and Attributes, they committed Shirk by associating others in worshiping Allaah The Almighty and taking them as their gods as Allaah The Almighty says:

وَمَا يُؤۡمِنُ أَڪۡثَرُهُم بِٱللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشۡرِكُونَ

{And most of them believe not in Allah except while they associate others with Him.} [Yoosuf 106]

Therefore, Allaah The Almighty sent all the Prophets, peace be upon them, and the last of them, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, to call and invite them to worship Allaah The Almighty alone and renouncing worshiping others than Him and taking Him as their One worshiped God Who has no partner. Allaah The Almighty says:

وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِى ڪُلِّ أُمَّةٍ۬ رَّسُولاً أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ‌ۖ

{And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], “Worship Allah and avoid Taghut (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah).} [An-Nahl 36]

As our time has a lot of Fitan (Tribulations and trials), the three different categories of Shirk have occurred; rather, the Satanism also has appeared ‘Sufficient for us is Allaah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.’ Ignorance has become widespread and all the matters have changed. That is exactly what the infallible Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Tribulations will come like patches of dark night, when a man will wake up as a believer and by evening he will be a Kaafir (disbeliever), or in the evening he will be a believer and by morning he will be a Kaafir, selling his religion for some worldly gains.”2

No one will be saved from them except by the sound knowledge and good deeds as it is mentioned in the narration reported by Ibn Maajah: “There would be tribulations, when a man will wake up as a believer and by evening he will be a Kaafir (disbeliever), except the one whom Allaah The Almighty endowed with knowledge.”

We ask Allaah The Almighty earnestly to protect us from the Fitan, what is apparent of them and what is concealed.

A Calm Dialogue Between Sunnah And Shia

Abdur-Rahman Demashqeyyah
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 132 | Size: 1 MB

In this book, Dr. Abdur-Rahman Dimashqeyyah shows and discusses the wrong believes in Shii doctrine. He said in his introduction, “… My intention is simply to make clear to every Shia what the books of their religious leaders contain. These are things that many people still do not realize. My intention is to maintain an objective position, far from bigotry and blind allegiance to traditions. My only reason for writing it is to earn the pleasure of Allah and to clarify the truth to all who are interested to hear it. We should all free ourselves from prejudice and wild ideas, and avoid making inflammatory and insulting charges that fuel the emotions, block the path to truth, and widen the chasm between us. These things do nothing but dissipate the spirit of peace and harmony.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the most noble of the Messengers, Muhammad,1 and upon his family and Companions.

I dedicate this paper to every Shia who is willing to listen to constructive criticism with an open heart and an enlightened mind. This research is, in fact, a survey of the literature about the rise and spread of Shiism and its fundamental principles. Much of what follows is taken directly from Shia sources. Details of all the sources I have used are recorded in footnotes where interested readers will find page and volume numbers of the works cited. Anyone who wishes may then refer to the original Shia works and check what I have said.

I would like to stress that I do not intend to imply that every Shia must necessarily believe everything that I have reported about their beliefs and doctrines. My intention is simply to make clear to every Shia what the books of their religious leaders contain. These are things that many people still do not realize. My intention is to maintain an objective position, far from bigotry and blind allegiance to traditions. My only reason for writing it is to earn the pleasure of Allah and to clarify the truth to all who are interested to hear it. We should all free ourselves from prejudice and wild ideas, and avoid making inflammatory and insulting charges that fuel the emotions, block the path to truth, and widen the chasm between us. These things do nothing but dissipate the spirit of peace and harmony.

I am firmly convinced that we must begin with a sincere commitment to truth and believe that the struggle between truth and falsehood will continue until the Day of Resurrection. I am also convinced that truth must be presented without recourse to insults, curses or profanity. Allah has commanded us to observe the highest standards of dignity and self-respect when we argue with the “People of the Book.”2 Therefore, it is fitting for us to show even more respect to the people of our Book when we come to disagree with them and discuss these disagreements.

I look forward to the day when Allah joins our two communities with His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger. May Allah hasten the day when He binds our hearts together again, after this long and bitter separation that has only benefited the enemies of the Muslims, and given them an ugly advantage from the beginning of our estrangement right up to today.