In The Shade Of The Qur’an – Fi Dhilal Al Qur’an – Sayyid Qutb (18 Volumes)

Sayyid Qutb
Language: English | Format: PDF | Volumes: 18 | Size: 236 MB

Ever since its revelation 1400 years ago, the Qur’an has been a book of guidance and inspiration, a reference point, and a rich source of social and moral dynamism for hundreds of millions of people throughout the world who believe it to be immutable word of God. Hardly a generation passes without a fresh attempt to unravel the meanings of the Qur’an and gain deeper insight into its universal message within a contemporary perspective.

In The Shade Of The Qur’an is more than ‘just another’ commentary; yet it is not too over-reaching or outlandish to be a completely new interpretation. It is an earnest, sincere and sober look at man’s contemporary achievements and difficulties in the light of the message of the Qur’an. It is an effort to vigorously explore its rich wisdom, and expand its invaluable guidance for the benefit of an increasingly ’sophisticated’ , yet highly perplexed modern society.

The work, which is by far Sayyid Qutb’s largest and most profound, spans the whole of the text of the Qur’an. It was written, and partly re-written, over a period of more than 15 years, most of which the author had spent in Egyptian prisons, during the 1950s and 1960s. In it is embedded Sayyid Qutb’s insight, highly esteemed intellectual vigor, and his widely-acclaimed literary prowess.

In The Shade Of The Qur’an has been universally recognized as an outstanding contribution to Islamic thought and scholarship, to which students and scholars, as well as contemporary Islamic revivalist movements all over the world, owe a great deal. Now that it is available in English, it will continue to enlighten and inspire millions more. It will take its rightful place as an indispensable work of reference for a proper understanding of contemporary Islamic thinking.

Women In Islam

Aisha Lemu – Fatima Heeren
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 53 | Size: 2 MB

During the last fifteen years since I came to accept Islam, I have been asked many questions about the Muslim way of life by non-Muslim friends and acquaintances. The ignorance of the ordinary educated Westerner about Islam is almost total; but the area where the vacuum of knowledge has been most effectively filled with misinformation is possibly concerning the role of women in Islam. Some non-Muslims ask such questions as “In Islam do you believe that women have souls?” and “Muslim women do not pray or go to Makka, do they?” and “Paradise is only for men in Islam, isn’t it?”

Fantasy and Escape

According to these assumptions, the Muslim woman is spiritually a non-person, existing in a world of shadows, oppressed and suppressed, from which she will at death pass into a sort of limbo for soulless non-entities. This impression has in the past often been fostered by Christian missionaries, some of whom may even have actually believed it to be true. Side by side with this image In the Western mind is another one projected by the entertainment media, that of the Muslim woman as a member. of the harem in the Hollywood versions of the Arabian Nights. Here she forms a unit in a flock of scantily-clad and birdwitted young ladies who lie around in palaces awaiting the opportunity to be noticed by their lord and master, the sultan.

These images are of course very appealing to the Western imagination-firstly of the mysterious and chaste veiled woman, living in fear of her jealous and brutal husband; she is the traditional maiden in distress, waiting for St. George to slay the dragon and rescue her; and secondly of the slave-girl, dazzling in silks and jewels, awaiting her master’s pleasure. Which Western man or woman has not at one time or another indulged in a fantasy in which he or she plays one of these roles? This is doubtless why the fantasy lingers so long. We want to believe that these women exist so that we can weave these day-dreams about them, though publicly we must condemn a situation so obviously contrary to the principles of women’s liberation.

This then is the fantasy, and as long as we recognise it as such, it is a pleasant form of escapism. But we are here to discuss women in Islam and to outline what is the role expected of a Muslim woman. Th& best source of information on this must be not tales of imagination and Hollywood’s choicest offerings but the source-book of Islam-that is the Qur’an, and the hadTth, the recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.

My intention is to bring to your notice some of those verses of the Qur’an and sayings of t~e Prophet Mu~ammad which relate to women, and to try to draw some conclusions about what these mean-or should mean-in practice, with regard to a woman’s life. I do not intend to describe the status of Muslim women In individual countries past or present, however, since this varies considerably from one period to another and one place to another due to the influence of regional customs stemming from pre-Islamic or modern cultural factors…

Foreword:

The West has known Islam for over thirteen centuries now, but it has generally known it in antagonistic terms as an enemy and as a threat. It is not surpri’sing therefore that our religion has been portrayed as a hostile, tyrannical, violent and even idolatrous religion and our culture has been painted in dark and dismal colours. This state of affairs cannot be allowed to persist and disfigure relations between Islam and the Western world. With the advance of knowledge and a greater contact between Europe and the Muslim world, intellectual, social, cultural and political and economic, we hope the old attitudes will change, giving place to better understanding and closer co-operation based on loyalty to facts, honest appreciation of areas of agreement and disagreement between us, and respect for differences. where we may disagree.

The International Islamic Conference held in London from 3rd to 12th April, 1976, has no parallel in the history of Europe for never before have so many distinguished Muslim scholars and statesmen been brought together in one place in Europe to explain before the world the teachings of Islam as Muslims understand. them. A major aim of the Conference was the development of a better understanding of Islam and Muslim Culture in the West, with a view to improving relations between Muslims and the followers of other faiths and ideologies.

One of the most memorable sessions was the one devoted to themes relating to woman in Islam. It was addressed by two Muslim women, both coming from the Western background, one English and the other German. As such the Western audience had a chance to listen to the Islamic viewpoint from those who, although coming from a different background, had accepted the Islamic social framework out of conviction and were prepared to share their experience and its intellectual appreciation with others. I am glad that these lectures are being published in the form of a separate book even before they appear in the voluminous proceedings of the Conference. I am thankful to the Islamic Foundation for producing this book so quickly and efficiently.

Al-Ghurabah In Light Of Ash-Shaam

Ustadh Uthman Lateef

Who are the Ghurabah (Strangers)?

Amidst the current crisis in Syria, who are the Ghurabah?

How can we aid those who are suffering?

How can we become amongst the Ghurabah?

The Prophet SAW said “Islam began as something strange, and it will return as something strange the way it began. So Tooba for the Strangers”.

The Rights Of Non-Muslims In The Islamic World

Salih ibn Husain Al-‘Ayid
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 81 | Size: 24 MB

In this study titled The Rights of non-Muslims in the Islamic World, to discuss this issue in depth, so that non-Muslims can know what Islam guarantees them, and not go to extremes in making demands that have no basis in truth. At the same time, Muslims can learn about the rights of others, and not oppress them by denying them some or all of their rights.

A Message To Who Does Not Believe In Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Website of Rasoulullah (peace be upon him)
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 31 | Size: 2 MB

A Scientific and Material Speech to this who does not believe in Muhammad the Messenger of Allah

Mocking Allah, His verses and His Messenger has become a normal thing nowadays and it comes in most cases from abroad, where atheists claim that Islam is a religion of underdevelopment, terrorism and ignorance. That›s why the enemies of Islam continued to mock its teachings, claiming that they have become out of date and do not fit the times!

Glorified be Allah! Has freedom of expression become, from their point of view, their freedom to mock the greatest creature of Allah (PBUH)? However, apparently, those have not found any scientific thing to criticize Islam for; thus, they tended to use these desperate cartoons. They failed to extract any scientific or linguistic mistake from the Noble Qur›an or the ahadith (speeches) of the greatest Messenger to convince their followers about it, except these cartoons, which reflect their bankruptcy.

We have the right to express our opinion about such things, but, we do not mock their prophets, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, as they are quit of them and their deeds and because we do not differentiate between these honored prophets, as they are all messengers from Allah (Exalted be He). But, before doing so, let›s listen to this saying of Allah (Exalted be He) about those people and the like of them:

«Surely the ones who hurt Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in the present (life) (Literally: the lowly (life), i.e., the life of this world) and the Hereafter, and He has prepared for them a degrading torment *** And the ones who hurt male believers and female believers, without that they have earned it, then they have readily burdened themselves calumny and evident vice» [Surat Al-Ahzab: 57-58].

These cartoons hurt Allah and mock His Messenger and represent a severe hurt to every male and female believer. That›s why the likes of those are promised a painful torment on the Day of Judgment, if they do not stop doing such act.

Our style of expression will be more severe and enduring than theirs, which is no more than cartoons that do not reflect anything except illusions existing no where but in the imagination of their author. We will address those (people) in the language of science, which they failed to use in addressing us! And we will tell them the reality of that merciful Prophet (PBUH).

I am not going to talk about the good manners and the wonderful attributes that the final Prophet had, because those do not have these manners and do not recognize it, but, we will direct a scientific and material speech to them, including the facts that this honored Prophet brought with him and are present in the Qur›an and recited fourteen centuries ago and up till now. I tell those, who are proud of science and justice, because they represent technically advanced countries and they are democratic countries that believe in justice and rights, we say: the Qur’an, which you mock, was the first book to call for science and justice, and these two are the measures of success and continuity of any civilization.

Indeed, the first word sent down to that honored Prophet was «read» and this proves that Islam is the religion of science. While, the last word sent down of the Qur’an was «they will not be done injustice» and this proves that Islam is the religion of justice. Thus, what you boast today, our Prophet (PBUH) preceded you to it long centuries ago.

You say that you are the first to call for searching the history of universe and creatures and you are proud of this, but we ask you to read the saying of Allah (Exalted be He) in the Noble Qur›an, about an explicit and direct call to investigate the beginning of creation: «Say, “Travel in the earth, then look how He began creation. Thereafter Allah brings into being the last bringing up. Surely Allah is Ever-Determiner of everything» [Surat Al-Ankabut: 20]. This proves Qur›an›s interest in investigation, contemplation, research and study.

Indeed, our Prophet (PBUH) has set a scientific basis for astronomy and cosmic phenomena, when people thought the sun eclipsed for the death of Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet (PBUH), so he said: (the sun and the moon are two signs of Allah’s (Exalted be He) and they do not eclipse for the death or life of anybody). [Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

These words of the Prophet of mercy (PBUH) came at a time when you used to believe that eclipse is an indication of the birth of a great person or his death, the fall of a governor or the loss of a battle.

At a time when Europe was full of priests, astrologers and charlatans and those were believed by most people then. At this time, our Prophet (PBUH) prohibited such acts as he said: (anyone who goes to a priest or a fortuneteller and believes him in what he says, he has disbelieved in what was sent down to Muhammad) [narrated by Ahmad].

At the time when you thought that the earth is stable and immobile, the Qur’an set a scientific fact confirming that everything in universe rotates in a specific orbit and this fact was not discovered except recently. He (Exalted be He) says about the earth, the sun and the moon: «and each is swimming in an orbit» [Surat Ya-sin: 40].

Understand Arabic In 12 Colored Tables

Linguistic Miracle http://www.linguisticmiracle.com/
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 42 | Size: 2 MB

These lessons are created for people who already know how to read Arabic with vowel markings – but can’t understand it, and will allow you to understand Arabic within 2 weeks (if you\’re a really good memorizer), or a month (if you\’re a slower memorizer) inshaa\’ Allah. However you will continuously have to refer to these tables for revision for maximum benefit.

The Civilized Principles In The Prophet’s Biography

Website of Rasoulullah (peace be upon him)
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 40 | Size: 4 MB

Thanks are due to Allah, the One, and peace and blessings be upon his final Prophet (PBUH ), his family and his Companions.

Allah the Almighty created both humans and the jinn for a great objective, that is, the realization of voluntary worship and servitude to Him alone. Allah says in the Noble Qur’an what can be translated as «And in no way did I create the jinn and humankind except to worship Me.» ( 51:56) As human minds are short of knowing the attributes of the Creator, their duties towards Him, His rewards for the obedient, and His punishments to the disobedient, He chose the perfect persons, both physically and morally, to deliver His Message and guide the people to His right Way. Allah says in the Noble Qur’an what can be translated as «Allah knows best where He makes His Message.» (6:124)

Allah has not sent an angel who always worships or another creature that is always playful and self-indulgent. The reason is that the objectives of the divine Message are the rehabilitation of man to be able to carry out his task as a successor on Earth, that is, to worship Allah and cultivate the Earth according to the divine method.

Therefore, Allah’s Messengers and Prophets (PBUH) were humans who eat food and walk in the markets, who marry and have children, who are perfect but human. Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) was in no way an innovation among the Messengers and was no exception. Allah says in the Noble Qur’an what can be translated as «Say, ‘ Surely I am only a mortal the like of you: it is revealed to me that surely your God is only one God « (18:110) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was endowed with unique attributes so that he taught humanity how to worship Allah, guided them to abide by the best of morals, and showed them, through his good policy and justice, how to navigate their worldly interests.

However, media may mislead some people who believe in the veracity of everything written or broadcast while it is devoid of any fairness or objectivity. These misleading media may cause people to believe what is being said about the so-called demerits of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is the duty of every person not to take this misleading information for granted and to ask the true scholars and refer to the historical facts that prove the true image of the Prophet (PBUH).

The reason for writing this research is the phenomenon of insulting Islam and Muslims and debasing their sacred symbols, rituals, and legislations. This comes in the form of systemized fierce campaigns led by politicians and religious scholars and supported by media. The cause of these campaigns was the abusive caricatures published by the Danish newspaper Jyllads-posten . These caricatures depicted Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a lascivious person or a bloody killer who is devoid of any of the values of humanity or civilization. The same caricatures were later published in French and Norwegian newspapers.

The reaction was an uncontrolled anger on the part of Muslims all over the world. Demonstrations were organized, speeches were delivered, conferences were convened, and flags were burnt. Despite our objection to any form of violence, all these activities lack the simplest criteria that the true support of the Prophet (PBUH) must have. Supporting him is not a matter of temporary anger and aimless demonstration; it is not cursing those who insulted him or those who did not support him. To really vindicate the Prophet (PBUH) we should follow a scientific methodology that addresses both the minds and the hearts.

This methodology should benefit from the effective ways that aim to maximize the interests and minimizes the negative points. It should not be an idealistic methodology in an ivory tower that does not abide by any shariah rule or a human interest and the result would be it fires against us before the enemy.

This vindication should be comprehensive to include every fair person from among Muslims and non-Muslims. Scholars, rulers, traders, etc shall each has his own rule. Vindicating the Prophet (PBUH ) is an obligation.

This vindication should continue during our life. First, we should support him within ourselves through following his instructions and sunnah and leave all bid ’ ahs in order to be gathered with him and his great Companions on the Day of Judgment, to have his intercession, and to drink from his hand for one time after which we shall never be thirsty again.

This scientific research regarding the doubts about his polygyny, jihad, and attributes is a humble contribution to the vindication of the Prophet (PBUH). I ask Allah, the Ever-Exalted and the Omnipotent, to accept this and make our scales weigh heavy on the Day of Judgment.

Importance Of Ethics And Values In Islamic Civilization

Ragib Al-Sarjani
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 103 | Size: 5 MB

Human rights in Islamic civilization

Introduction

Western philosopher Nietzsche says: «The weak and failures should perish: first principle of our love of humanity. And they should be helped to do this»[1]! But the philosophy of Islam and its law have never deviated from the values and ethics, which were represented in a set of rights that included all human beings without distinction between colors, races or languages, and also included the human behavior in dealing with each other. These values and ethics were also represented in maintaining and applying these rights with the authority of Islamic law and imposing sanctions upon offenders.

Islam’s view for humans

Islam treats man with honor and esteem out of Allah›s saying: {We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of our creation.}[Al-Isra: 70]. This view gives special characteristics and features for human rights in Islam. The most important feature is the comprehensiveness of these rights.These rights include political, economic, social and intellectual rights. They are also common for Muslims and non-Muslims without distinction between colors, races or languages. They are not subject to cancellation or change, as they are linked to the teachings of the Lord of the worlds.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) reported this in his farewell address, which was a comprehensive report on human rights, as he said: «… No doubt, your blood and your properties are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this town of yours, till the day you meet your Lord..[2]». This prophetic address asserted a set of rights, the most important of which is the sanctity of blood, money, honor, and others.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also magnified the human psyche in general, preserving its greatest right, namely the right to life. Asked about great sins, he (peace be upon him) said: «Polytheism and killing a soul…[3]». The word soul was generalized to include any soul killed without right.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) went further as he ordered man to preserve his own life by prohibiting suicide. He (peace be upon him) said: «Whoever purposely throws himself from a mountain and kills himself, will be in the (Hell) Fire falling down into it and abiding therein perpetually forever; and whoever drinks poison and kills himself with it, he will be carrying his poison in his hand and drinking it in the (Hell) Fire wherein he will abide eternally forever; and whoever kills himself with an iron weapon, will be carrying that weapon in his hand and stabbing his abdomen with it in the (Hell) Fire wherein he will abide eternally forever.»[4]

Islam prohibits any action that diminishes the right to life, whether through intimidation, insult, or beating. Hisham ibn Hakim said he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him saying: «Allah would torment those who torment people in the world.»[5]

Equality among people

After honoring man in general and stipulating the sanctity of blood, honor and money, and the right to life, the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the right of equality among all people; between individuals and groups, between races and peoples, between rulers and the ruled, and between governors and the governed. So, there are no restrictions or exceptions; no difference in legislation between Arabs and non-Arabs, or between white and black, or between rulers and the ruled. Rather, people are differentiated according to piety. He (peace be upon him) said: «O people! Verily your Lord is one and your father is one. All of you belong to one ancestry of Adam, and Adam was created out of clay. Verily the noblest among you in Allah›s view is he who is the most pious. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab except in piety.»[6]Let›s look at how the Prophet handled the principle of equality in order to realize his greatness. Abu Umamah reported: Abu Dhar taunted Bilal about his mother and said: You son of a black woman. Bilal went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and told him the story. The Prophet got angry. Abu Dhar came and did not know what happened. The Prophet turned his face away from Abu Dhar. Abu Dhar said: There should be something that made you turn your face away from me. The Prophet said: «Are you taunting Bilal about his mother?»and then said: «By the One Who revealed the book to Muhammad – or any other oath he wanted, God willing – one is not preferred to another except by work. You are all equal.»[7]

Justice in Islam

Another right is linked to the right to equality, namely the right to justice. One of the masterpieces in this regard is the Prophet›s saying to Usama ibn Zayd when the latter wanted to intercede for the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft: «By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off.»[8]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also banned the confiscation of one›s right to self-defense in order to observe justice. He says: «… no doubt, for he (the creditor) has the right to demand his debt (harshly)….»[9]. He says to those who take over governance and judiciary: «…When two litigants sit in front of you, do not decide till you hear what the other has to say as you heard what the first had to say; for it is best that you should have a clear idea of the best decision.»[10]

Right to sufficiency in Islam

The right to sufficiency is a unique right stipulated in the Islamic law. It was not stipulated in any positive system or a human rights charter before. The right to sufficiency means that everyone shall live within the confines of the Islamic state on the adequate needs of life, on condition that he shall lead a decent life, having appropriate standards of living. This right is different from the bare subsistence level stipulated in positive systems, which means the minimum limit that maintains life.[11]

The right to sufficiency is achieved through work. If one is unable to do this, Zakat (alms) can do it; and if Zakat is unable to pay to the poor, the state budget shall pay. The Prophet (peace be upon him) expressed this when he said: «…he who left behind property that is for his family, and he who dies under debt or leaves children (in helplessness), the responsibility (of paying his debt and bringing up his children) lies on me.»[1212]He asserted this right when he said: «The one who sleeps with a full stomach knowing that his neighbor is hungry doesn’t believe in me.»[13]Lauding Ash›arites, he (peace be upon him) said: «When the Ash›arites run short of provisions in the campaigns or run short of food for their children in Medina they collect whatever is with them in the cloth and then partake equally from one vessel. They are from me and I am from them.»[14]

50 Questions And Answers In Faith

A Dawah website Wathakker http://www.wathakker.net
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 28 | Size: 2.5 MB

Q1. What are the three basics that every Muslim should know?

A. The knowledge of the slave of his Lord and his religion and his Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him.

Q2. Who is your Lord?

A. My Lord is Allah who graced me and all the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists) by His bliss, He is my Lord and I have no other Lords but Him. The evidence is the words of Allah Almighty: {All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)}. [Al-Fatiha 1:2]

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

Transliteration: Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena

And anything other than Allah, including me, is one of the ‘Alamin.

Q3. What is the meaning of the Lord?

A. The Owner, the deity, the Administrator, the worthy of worship.

Q4. How do you know your Lord?

A. I know Him through His Signs and His creatures. From His signs are night and day, sun and moon; and from His creatures are the seven heavens and the seven earths and all that which lie therein and between them. The evidence is the words of Allah Almighty: {And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allâh Who created them, if you (really) worship Him.} [Surat Fussilat 41:37].

وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِ ٱلَّيۡلُ وَٱلنَّهَارُ وَٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ‌ۚ لَا تَسۡجُدُواْ لِلشَّمۡسِ وَلَا لِلۡقَمَرِ وَٱسۡجُدُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن ڪُنتُمۡ إِيَّاهُ تَعۡبُدُونَ

Transliteration: Wamin ayatihi allaylu waalnnaharu waalshshamsu waalqamaru la tasjudoo lilshshamsi wala lilqamari waosjudoo lillahi alathee khalaqahunna in kuntum
iyyahu taAAbudoona

And His words: {Indeed your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawâ) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)!} [Surat Al-A‘râf 7:54].

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ۬ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ يُغۡشِى ٱلَّيۡلَ ٱلنَّہَارَ يَطۡلُبُهُ ۥ حَثِيثً۬ا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٲتِۭ بِأَمۡرِهِۦۤ‌ۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلۡخَلۡقُ وَٱلۡأَمۡرُ‌ۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

Transliteration: Inna rabbakumu Allahu allathee khalaqa alssamawati waalarda fee sittati ayyamin thumma istawa AAala alAAarshi yughshee allayla alnnahara yatlubuhu hatheethan waalshshamsa waalqamara waalnnujooma musakhkharatin biamrihi ala lahu alkhalqu waalamru tabaraka Allahu rabbu alAAalameena

Q5. What is your religion?

A. My religion is Islam: it is to surrender to Allah by believing in His oneness and by following only His orders in obedience. The evidence is the words of Allah Almighty: {Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm} [Surat Al-’Imran 3:19].

إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمُ‌ۗ

Transliteration: Inna alddeena AAinda Allahi alislamu

Another evidence is His words: {And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers} [Surat Al-’Imran 3:85]

وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ دِينً۬ا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ

Transliteration: Waman yabtaghi ghayra alislami deenan falan yuqbala minhu wahuwa fee alakhirati mina alkhasireena

Another evidence is the words of Allah almighty: {This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion.} [Surat Al-Mâ‘idah 5:3]

ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينً۬ا‌ۚ

Transliteration: alyawma akmaltu lakum deenakum waatmamtu AAalaykum niAAmatee waradeetu lakumu alislama deenan

Q6. on what basis is this religion established?

A. Islam is based on five principles: the first is to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is His slave and Messenger; to offer the prayers dutifully and perfectly; to pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory alms-giving), to observe fast during the month of Ramadan, and to perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca) if you can afford it.

Love In Islam

Yusuf Estes

Shaikh Yusuf Estes talks on the topic of “Love In Islam” in which he explains the real meaning of Love and the relation between Love in Allah and Love in Islam, whatever we love for ourselves we should love for our brothers and sisters and we have to Love Allah the most and then the Love of Our Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him, and this is the real love in Islam.

Truly And Falsely Jesus In The Bible

Saleh Ali Alsobiyl
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 195 | Size: 1.5 MB

There is a biblical verse which clearly indicates that there was no unanimous agreement about Jesus, his reality and message, among those who went to preach about him after his ascension. Rather, there was substantial dispute among them to the point that one of those preachers announced his worry to his followers, and warned them from the deception of another preacher, who may come to them and preach a different Jesus to the one he had presented to them. This preacher depicted his counterpart as the Devil who deceived Eve by his lies, afraid that the minds of his followers may be corrupted, and that they would gladly tolerate the one who comes to them and preaches another Jesus. This is in a clear text, thus: ―I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and that you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ, in the same way that Eve was deceived by the serpent’s lies. For you gladly tolerate the one who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus not the one we preached.‖ (2 Corinthians 11: 3-4)

This verse clearly speaks about two different, alternative images of Jesus were preached to people after his ascension. These two different images found their way to the New Testaments, and their pieces scattered into many chapters. These two different depictions cannot, of course, both be concurrently authentic. But one must be for Truly Jesus, and the other one is for Falsely Jesus. Both images cannot meet in one heart. Surely, Jesus cannot be the source of both different images. This book brings together these two biblical images of Jesus, examines them, explores their difference and answers the questions that may rise regarding them such as:

- What are the sources of Truly and Falsely Jesus?
- Why and how did Falsely Jesus appear?
- What title can be given to those who hang the image of Falsely Jesus in their hearts?
- When does the truth come out and falseness come to an end?
- Can the faith in Falsely Jesus benefit the one who believe in such Jesus?
- What is the relation between salvation and Jesus?
- What is the destiny of a person who relies on this false understanding?
- How can we find the correct way to God, And how can we be sure of it?
- What are the conditions of Salvation?

Can we really grasp the genuine reality of Jesus? Surely. But we risk the danger of being misguided by false information unless we purify our intention and seek the proven truth. And at this point, God will not let down his servant. Rather will guide him to the truth. Truly Jesus will remain as will as Falsely Jesus, until the Second Coming of Christ, when the truth will become clear and falsehood will be destroyed.

I pray to God to accept this effort as a sincere one, and to provide my dear readers with both clarity of intention and the ability to distinguish between the two readings of Jesus as presented in this book.

Salvation, the Goal

People of all geographic and religious backgrounds, throughout history, who believe in an afterlife, define salvation as a state of being saved from Hell. And who would not want to attain that goal? Only on the Day of Resurrection shall we be paid our recompense in full. Whosoever is removed from Hell and admitted to Paradise is indeed successful. The life of this world is but the enjoyment of illusion. Surely there can be only one true formula for salvation, but what is it? Is it a mystery or is it obvious? The followers of each religion claim that their understanding of salvation is correct. Of course there can be only one correct religion and, therefore, one correct understanding of salvation. And this must be the same conceptual understanding as taught by all the true messengers, since the first contact between heaven and earth.

We therefore need to be sure that our formula for salvation is correct before facing death. And for this purpose, with mercy, love, and care, I am writing this piece of research for you, my dear reader. I hope and pray that you will find the answers that you are looking for.

Why Jesus?

Many people believe that Jesus is the key to their salvation, their savior. Surely, he was a unique being because of his miraculous birth, his ascension and Second Coming. However, significant disputes remain about his reality and mission.

The message of God about faith and salvation was always the same throughout history. It was always based on ―submission‖ to the one and only true God, by complete obedience with devotion. This message of true faith was revealed to Adam who passed it to his children. Then it was confirmed by Noah and all the messengers and prophets of God who came after him. And it was sent throughout human history to various societies and nations, whenever they needed guidance, or when had strayed from the true path. So, the religion of God which came with all the messengers, contains the same pillars of faith even if there were different legal systems and patterns of worship from one prophet or messenger to another. That is until God chose to send the final revelation, with the final Law and the final salvation’s formula to all mankind for the remainder of human history.

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.

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

Human Rights In Islam And Common Misconceptions

Abdul-Rahman Bin Abdulkarim Al-Sheha
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 180 | Size: 1 MB

All Praise is due to Allah and may Allah exalt the mention of His Prophet and render him and his household, his Companions, and those who follow their way safe from every evil, and grant them security on the Day of Resurrection. Every society must ensure for its citizens the rights that guarantee for them their basic needs and security, and enable them to feel a sense of belonging and attachment to the larger social group. Individuals need to feel security and a sense of belonging in order to perform their tasks and duties in a satisfactory manner.

Presently, three distinct trends are discernable in our global society. The first trend exaggerates the right of the individual over the society. This trend gives the individual full freedom to do as he pleases with minimal restrictions. Unfortunately this leads to a chaotic social situation because when unlimited freedom is granted to the individual, selfish desires predominate and bring conflicting results. The entire society suffers immensely from greed and selfishness. This trend is found in the liberal democratic capitalist society.

The second trend, contrary to the above, advocates the rights of the society over the individual. The latter is stripped of his individual rights. Only rights that serve the ruling regime are granted to the individuals, according to the dominant ideology of the ruling class or group. This trend is prevalent in communist and totalitarian societies.

The third trend, ideally neither emphasizes the right of the society over the individual, nor the right of the individual over the society. Each is given its due right in life according to the given system. Rights and obligations are governed and controlled by strict rules and conditions. In this trend, the public interest is given priority over the interest of an individual only in case of a serious conflict.

In this booklet we shall address human rights in the light of perfectly balanced system of laws and principles of Islam. These rights are based on revelations from the Divine Book of Muslims, the Glorious Qur’an and from the Sunnah, the practice of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) the two main sources of Islamic life and jurisprudence. Both the Glorious Qur’an and the Sunnah aim to produce an ideal individual in an ideal society: all interact with each other to produce the harmony of the individuals with Allah their Lord and Creator, with themselves, others, the society in general, and other societies all over the globe.

We firmly believe that the application of the individual and social principles of the third trend, when guided by the perfect revealed law from Allah in the Qur’an and Sunnah, will definitely make humanity happier and more prosperous. The application of these principles will enable the society to achieve peace and security. These social rights and principles are not a result of previous experiences, social ideologies, temporary and immediate needs and/or political drives and motives: rather they are from the Beneficent and the Omniscient for man’s progress to happiness in this life and salvation in the Hereafter.

Our firm belief in the truth and justice of the Islamic rights and principles is due to the fact that Allah, the Most Merciful and only Creator of man, reveals them. He knows well what suits His creation at all times, what benefits or harms man, what makes him happy or sad, what makes him successful or miserable. By His knowledge and beneficence He has legislated what suits best and fulfills the essential needs of all His creatures on earth and makes their lives successful, secure and joyful.

The Glorious Qur’an, which was revealed and sent down unto Muhammad (PBUH) is the everlasting miracle that contains the basics of these essential rules. The Sunnah, the practices of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) which is the second source of Islamic law, contains the detailed revealed guidance. These rules and principles were set forth by Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) some fourteen hundred years ago in the best form and manner and will remain relevant forever. Both, the Glorious Qur’an and Sunnah (practices of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH)) honor man and his individual rights in the society. These sources of Islamic law did not overlook the needs and rights of the society and the public interest. In fact, The Almighty Allah states in the Glorious Qur’an:

وَلَقَدۡ كَرَّمۡنَا بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ وَحَمَلۡنَـٰهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ وَرَزَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَفَضَّلۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَىٰ ڪَثِيرٍ۬ مِّمَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَا تَفۡضِيل

{We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of Our Creation.} (The Noble Qur’an 17:70)

Man will only gain this honor and privileges when he fulfills his obligations and renders the rights due to their owners.

In order to execute the role of the special place on earth, there is a need for specific tasks to be performed by specific individuals. This concept is illustrated by the Almighty Allah in the Glorious Qur’an:

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُڪِّرُواْ بِهِۦۤ أَنجَيۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ يَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلسُّوٓءِ وَأَخَذۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ بِعَذَابِۭ بَـِٔيسِۭ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ

{So when they forgot the remindings that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel against Allah’s command (disobey Allâh).} (The Noble Qur’an 7:165)

Some nations and international organizations, like the United Nations, call loudly to principles that seek to guarantee human rights. Islam established, within its enlightened Shari’ah (law and jurisprudence) many of these human rights some fourteen centuries ago. The rights enumerated by modern international organizations are characterized with deficiencies in conceptualization, flaws in formulation, and injustices in application. They are subject to political agendas, economic pressures and culturally biased viewpoints. They carry the residues of colonialism and imperialism. Such rights are often enumerated and established not for the interests of all humans, rather, to the benefit of certain governments, organizations and powerful special interest groups. This becomes more evident when, as we see all over the world, many of our fellow humans suffering from the worst atrocities, and yet, there is no organization to truly defend the poor and the weak. Glaring inequalities and abuses between nations and within nations are growing worse and worse even before our eyes, and the prescriptions for aid and development mire them deeper into misery as if they were meant to perpetuate their misery and servitude.

Principles Of The Salafi Manhaj In Dawah

Shaikh Saleh aal-Shaikh
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 49 | Size: 1.5 MB

This is a time, in which we hope that Mercies (of Allah) descend upon us, Angels honor us, and Allah mentions us in the presence of those who are with Him – because this effort of ours;

# to listen to the Speech of Allah and the sayings of His Messenger
# to understand (to have the Fiqah*1 of) them,
# to know what as-Sabiqoon al-Awwaloon from the Muhajireen and the Ansaar (i.e., the Sahabah), and those who followed them in good were upon,

is in a time when the Fitan (trials, tribulations) are setting off, the day and night are unsettled, the (Straight) Path has become vague for many people, and many have been deviated from it.

It is therefore, necessary that there be constant reminders of the Order of Allah and His Manhaj, which He has assigned for His Messenger (PBUH), the Sahabah and those who followed them in their Manhaj.

What You Should Do In The Following Situations…

Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 45 | Size: 1 MB

Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most noble of the Prophets and Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.

The Muslim may be faced with a number of emergency situations in his life, where he needs an immediate answer as to how he should act in that particular situation. In most cases, however, it is not possible to look for or ask about the appropriate Islamic rulings at that time.

This proves the importance of learning about Islam and knowing the rules of sharee’ah, so that when a Muslim needs this information, he will have it at hand and will thus be able to save himself or his Muslim brother from doing something haraam or making a mistake. In so many cases, ignorance can lead to corruption of worship or – at the very least – acute embarrassment. It is unfortunate that an imaam may mistakenly stand up for a fifth rak’ah, and there may be nobody in the congregation or the mosque who knows what the rulings of sharee’ah say should be done in such a situation. Or a traveller who is intending to perform ‘umrah may come to the airport at the last minute, and suddenly discover that he has forgotten his ihraam garments, but he has no time to do anything about it, and there is nobody among the Muslim in the airport who can tell him what he should do in this emergency. Or a man may come to the mosque on an occasion when the prayers have been joined together because of rain: the congregation is already praying ‘ishaa’ but he has not yet prayed maghrib, so he is confused as to what he should do. In such a situation the people may embark upon a debate based only on ignorance, and so confusion will reign in the mosques. In many individual and personal matters, ignorance may lead to embarrassment and even sin, especially when a person is in the position of having to make a decision and he does not have sufficient knowledge on which to base that decision.

People in this world have prepared information telling people how to behave in emergency situations: what to do if fire breaks out, if someone is drowning, if a scorpion bites, if there is a car accident, if someone is bleeding or has broken a bone… All of these first aid procedures are well known; they teach them to people and hold special courses. How much more important is it, then, that those who are concerned with the Hereafter should learn and teach the rules of this religion!

At this point, we should note the importance of differentiating between hypothetical matters which rarely, if ever, happen, and matters which we know from experience do happen to people and are asked about.

With regard to the first type (hypothetical situations), asking about them is a fruitless waste of time, which is not allowed in Islam. The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) warned us against this when he said: “Accept what I have left you with, for the people who came before you were only destroyed because of their excessive questioning and their disputing with their Prophets…” (Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim; this version was reported by Muslim, no. 1337, vol. 2, p. 975)

Commenting on this hadeeth, Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “These ahaadeeth indicate that it is forbidden to ask questions unnecessarily… or to ask questions out of stubbornness or an intention to mock.” (Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukm by Ibn Rajab, 1/240, edited by al-Arna’oot)

This is how we interpret the words of a group of the salaf, such as the report that when Zayd ibn Thaabit, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about something, he would say, “Has it really happened?” If they said “No,” he would tell them, “Leave it until it really happens.” (Reported by Ibn Rajab, op. cit., 1/245; see also similar reports in Sunan al-Daarimi, 1/49, and Jaami Bayaan al-‘Ilm by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, 2/174).

With regard to the second type, matters that really happen, then it is good to ask about them. The Companions of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sometimes asked him about things before they happened, but it was so that they could act accordingly when these things did happen. For example, they asked him: “We are going to meet with the enemy tomorrow, and we do not have knives, so should we use dried sugar canes as weapons?” They asked him about the rulers who he had told them would come after him, and whether they should obey them or fight them. Hudhayfah asked him about al-fitan (times of tribulation) and what he should do at such times. (Jaami’ al-‘Uloom al-Hukm, 1/243). This indicates that it is permissible to ask about things which are expected to happen.

There follows a discussion about some issues that people are likely to face in real life. These are practical matters which have happened and could happen to some people. In each case, the answer is accompanied by a reference to the sources in the work of trustworthy scholars. There may be differing opinions in some cases, but the answer has been limited to one viewpoint, the one based on the soundest evidence, for the sake of brevity and ease of understanding. I ask Allah to benefit me and my brothers in Islam in this world and on the Day of Judgement. May He reward with good all those who share in this endeavour, for He is the Most Kind and Generous. Allah knows best.

How Do We Believe In The Last Day?

Shaikh Muhammad ibn Saleh al-Uthaimeen
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 33 | Size: 1 MB

This booklet is part of the Arabic book ‘Sharh Hadeeth Jibra’eel’ by Shaikh Muhammad ibn Saleh al-Uthaimeen

“Faith in the Last Day is to believe that mankind will be resurrected and recompensed for their deeds.

It is to believe in everything that has come to us in the Book and the Sunnah concerning the description of that Day.

Allah has vividly described that Day such as the following verse:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّڪُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ زَلۡزَلَةَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ شَىۡءٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ – يَوۡمَ تَرَوۡنَهَا تَذۡهَلُ ڪُلُّ مُرۡضِعَةٍ عَمَّآ أَرۡضَعَتۡ وَتَضَعُ ڪُلُّ ذَاتِ حَمۡلٍ حَمۡلَهَا وَتَرَى ٱلنَّاسَ سُكَـٰرَىٰ وَمَا هُم بِسُكَـٰرَىٰ وَلَـٰكِنَّ عَذَابَ ٱللَّهِ شَدِيدٌ۬

“O mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgment) is a terrible thing. The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling and every pregnant one will drop her load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state. Yet they will not be drunk but severe will be the Torment of Allah.”  [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 1-2]

There are numerous descriptions of the Last Day in the Quran and the Sunnah that testify to the horror and terrible nature of this Day.

Faith in the Last Day is not limited to believing in the Day that will be established after resurrection, as Shaikhul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) writes in Aqeedah al-Wastiyyah, “Faith in the Last Day includes believing in everything that the Messenger has informed us about that will happen after death.”

The first stage after death is the fitnah of the grave. The people will face trial or will be tested in their graves regardless of whether one is buried in the ground or is thrown in the sea or is eaten by a lion or (his ashes are) dispersed in the wind. He will face this fitnah and he will be asked about three matters;

a) Who is your Lord?
b) What is your Religion?
c) Who is your Prophet?

A believer will reply, ‘My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam and my Prophet is Muhammad .’ Then a caller will call from the heavens thatmyslave has spoken the truth. His gravewill then bewidened for him as far as his eyes can see. It will be furnished with furnishings from Paradise. A door will be opened into Paradise through which will come its fragrance and blessings. This condition is without doubt more complete than his condition in the world.

A disbeliever or hypocrite will say upon being asked about his Lord, Religion and Prophet, ‘Oh, Oh, I don’t know. I heard the people say something and I said it.’

Reflect upon what, ‘Oh, Oh,’ means. It indicates that the slave recollects something, tries to recall it but is unable to remember.

One’s inability to recall is more distressing than being completely unaware. If you are asked about something and you are unaware of it, you will say, ‘I don’t know.’ This is without doubt deficiency but it does not cause grief – but if you are asked about something and you knew it but you are incapable of recalling it – this causes grief. So the disbeliever will say, ‘Oh, Oh.’ – as if he remembers something – “I don’t know. I heard the people say something and I said it.”

The disbeliever will then be hit with a large iron hammer whereupon he will let out a scream the sound of which will be heard by everything except the jinn and mankind – because if they were to hear it, they would be struck dumb. It is narrated that if all the people of a city like Mina were to gather together to carry this hammer, they would not be able to.

It is obligatory to believe in the Fitnah of the grave because believing in it is part of faith in the Last Day.

We Believe In All The Prophets And The Messengers

Shaikh Saleh ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 97 | Size: 2 MB

Proofs of Prophet-hood:

- The Truthful Prophet is distinguished from a false claimant in many ways

- Differentiating between Miracles and unusual acts of the sorcerers

Infallibility of the Prophets:

- Refuting those who say that the Prophets are liable to approve sins

- Refuting those who say that the Prophets are infallible from committing any form of sins

Al-isra wal-Me’raaj:

- Description of al-Isra wal-Me’raaj from the texts

- Did the Prophet travel (al-isra) with his body and soul or his soul only?

- Was al-Me’raaj (Prophet’s Ascension) repeated?

Universality of the Message of Prophet Muhammad and refuting those who deny it.

The Madhhab Of Ahl Ul-Hadeeth In Fiqh

Shaykh Mashhur bin Hasan Al Salman
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 43 | Size: 1 MB

Unto Ahl ul-Hadeeth is a Madhhab which is mentioned within the compendiums, it is a Madhhab which has distinguishing characteristics and particularities. Between it and the madhhab of the fuqaha, and the Dhahiri Madhhab, are signs which are hidden from some students. There are indications, and actually clear texts, within the hadeeth and narrations, which contain a clear mention of the madhhab of Ahl ul-Hadeeth. The madhhab of Ahl ul-Hadeeth and the Madhhab of Ahl us-Sunnah, the Madhhab ul-Athar, is the Salafi Madhhab. ‘Salafiyyah’ and ‘Ahl ul-Hadeeth’ are two synonymous terms, however the terms ‘Ahl ul-Hadeeth’ and ‘Ahl us-Sunan’ are relayed in some Prophetic texts and in some narrations from the Companions and the Successors. The good starts off altogether then its components split up like material objects. During the first illustrious era all of the people were like police and security officers and the ’Ulama were Khutaba’, Qudat (judges) and Imams of Masajid. Knowledge and action, the rulers and the people were all united and undivided, then the reasons for strength within the Ummah became scattered and divided, and as is said this was in regards to concrete matters of life as it was also for matters of fiqh.

The Sahabah (radi Allahu ’anhum) have the most knowledge among the people headed by the four rightly guided Caliphs especially Abu Bakr and ’Umar, may Allah be pleased with all of them. Fiqh is not merely babbling statements and then expounding and verifying them, rather fiqh is to achieve the truth which Allah loves. If we are to look within the compendiums of lengthy fiqh works and we tried to find the fiqh of Abu Bakr and ’Umar with a fine tooth comb we would only find but a little. This is as opposed to the fiqh that we find for example from the younger Sahabah like Ibn ’Abbas, Ibn ’Umar, Jabir and others. This is because momentous events constantly crop up and matters arise which were not found among those people before, so the Sahabah needed to express their views and clarify what was obligatory upon them. Abu Bakr and ’Umar were the way of living during their era as they were during the era of Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ’alayhi wassallam), and the slogan of Abu Bakr, despite the emergence of Ridda during his time, “I will send forth Usamah’s army”2 which raised the banner of following (the Prophet, sallallahu ’alayhi wassallam) and not to estimate the benefits and harms based on what opposes the instructions which are sensed or based on the text. So from the beginning the banner of following (Ittiba’) was raised because in following the guidance of the Prophet (sallallahu ’alayhi wassallam), his heart and mind became open to the blessing of the Revelation. Abu Bakr believed in al-Isra wa’l-Miraj while the minds of the disbelievers became narrow in regards to it, to the extent that Abu Jahl said to Abu Bakr, after being informed of the Miraj: “If I were to gather all of the kuffar of Quraysh in front of you would you tell them what you told me?” Abu Jahl found Abu Bakr’s (radi Allahu ’anhu) affirmation strange, yet this was the Companions manner.

The Companions dispersed into different countries and the Sunnah which was in their chests also disseminated within the different countries and some countries are distinguished with some aspects of the Sunan. To the extent that Muhammad ibn ’Abdullah al-Hakim an-Naysaburi,3 the author of al-Mustadrak, authored a work on the regions which were distinguished by the Sunan of the Prophet (sallallahu ’alayhi wassallam). When the Companions dispersed throughout the lands the Sunnah also became dispersed on account of their diffusion. Imam ash-Shafi’i acknowledges in his book Jami’ ul-’Ilm that it is difficult for one man to compile all the hadeeth of Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ’alayhi wassallam), due to the dispersal of the Sunnah at that time. Hadeeth was fiqh and fiqh was hadeeth and there are tens of events about issues in which the Sahabah and Tabi’in were asked and they did not say a word except that they traced a hadeeth back to the Prophet (sallallahu ’alayhi wassallam) and this is a very important.

What I Witnessed In England

Shaikh Yahyaa bin ‘Alee Al-Hujooree
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 39 | Size: 1 MB

Allaah, through his Grace, Generosity, Bounty and Kindness, granted us the ability to visit our brothers in England. Mentioning everything that took place there from the beginning to the end would take a long time, so I will just extract the important parts from my journey.

Before I begin I would like to remind you and myself of something important – and it is what Allaah has blessed the Muslims with generally and the Students of Knowledge with specifically from the blessing of Islaam. Allaah says concerning it:

ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينً۬ا‌ۚ

“Today I have perfected your Religion for you and I have completed My Blessing on you and I am pleased with Islaam as a Religion for you.” [Surah Al-Maa’idah: 3]

And He says about it:

وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ دِينً۬ا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ

“Whoever takes other than Islaam as a Religion it will never be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he will be from among the losers.” [Surah Aali ‘Imraan:85]

And He says about it:

إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمُ‌ۗ

“Verily, the (only true) Religion in the sight of Allaah is Islaam.” [Surah Aali‘Imraan: 19]

This is the Islaam, of which whoever dies upon it, is enacting the Commandment of Allaah, where He says:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ

“O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He ought to be feared and do not die except while you are Muslims.” [Surah Aali 'Imraan: 102]

Whoever dies upon Islaam will be from those who are successful. “Successful is the one who accepts Islaam. He is granted sufficiency and Allaah makes him content with what He has given him.” [Reported by Muslim from the narration of ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr]

This Islaam, which many people have abandoned, and which some do not know anything about except the fact that they call themselves Muslims, is a blessing, O servants of Allaah. If there were no merit to it other than that the one who dies on it will be from the people of Paradise, (it would be sufficient). It is a blessing that will bring you happiness in both this world and the next:

مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا مِّن ذَڪَرٍ أَوۡ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ۬ فَلَنُحۡيِيَنَّهُ ۥ حَيَوٰةً۬ طَيِّبَةً۬‌ۖ وَلَنَجۡزِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡرَهُم بِأَحۡسَنِ مَا ڪَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

“Whoever does a good deed – whether male or female – while he or she is a true believer, indeed, to him We will give a good life (in this world), and (in the Hereafter) We will surely give them their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” [Surah An-Nahl: 97]

One cannot be a “true believer” unless he accepts Islaam. So this is a promise from Allaah, Lord of the Worlds – that the person that adheres to this Islaam will have a good and pleasant life.

Faith In The Angels

Shawana A. Aziz
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 93 | Size: 4 MB

Faith in the Angels: and People who deserve the Salaat of Allah’s Angels and those who deserve their La’nah

Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan (hafidahullah) writes in his treatise, al-Eeman bil-Malaaikah wa-Athruhu fi-Hayatil-Ummah,

“Belief in the Angels has a tremendous effect on human life because if one is aware of their presence (around him), he becomes alert.

If he knows that there are angels assigned to watch over him day and night, he becomes cautious that they may write something (that he says or does) which is not befitting (and not in the best interest of his well-being in the hereafter.

If he were to know that investigators were following him, would he not be cautious – fearing that they might take hold of some speech or action which might lead to a harmful outcome? So why is he not cautious of the Angels? You see the humans who may be following you and you can hide from them… but Angels see you while you do not see them. It is possible to escape (from the eyes) of humans by taking cover in your house, or hiding yourself in an unknown place and they will not know about you. But the Angels enter every place with you. Allah has bestowed upon them the ability to access any place that He orders them to reach and it is for this reason that Allah admonished us and said:

وَإِنَّ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَحَـٰفِظِينَ – كِرَامً۬ا كَـٰتِبِينَ – يَعۡلَمُونَ مَا تَفۡعَلُونَ

“But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you, Kiraman (honorable) Katibeen (writing down your deeds). They know all that you do.” [Soorah al-Infitar (82): 10-12]

This is the fruit of Eeman (belief) in Angels – that the person safeguards himself from sinful sayings and actions that will be recorded (in his book of deeds) and he will be accountable for them on the Day of Judgement.” [end quote]

This booklet comprehensively covers all four aspects of Belief in Angels; belief in their existence, functions, names and attributes. Additionally, important points of Tawheed are highlighted by refuting incorrect understandings, for example the false claims of contemporary grave-worshippers that are similar to those made by the pagan Quraish during the time of Allah’s Messenger.

In the course of the booklet, clarification of a number of doubts have also been included such as explaining Qur’aanic verses like, “We are nearer to him than his jugular vein…” This refers to the Angels of Allah and does not indicate that Allah is present amongst His creation.

The booklet also compares the likeness in the thinking of those who claim that Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) was created from Nur (i.e., light, which is a characteristic of the Angels) and the mentality of the disbelievers who demanded that an Angel be sent as a Messenger.

The latter section of the booklet enumerates characteristics of those fortunate people, on behalf of whom the Angels seek forgiveness and supplicate for their well-being in this world and the Hereafter. It also lists those unfortunate people, against whom the Angels invoke Allah.

This part of the book is mainly based upon the book, ‘Fariston ka Darood panewale aur Lanat panewale’ (Urdu) by Dr. Fazl-e-Ilahi.

Numerous other original Arabic books were referred to in the compilation of this booklet, mainly; al-Eeman bil-Malaaikah wa-Athruhu fi-Hayatil-Ummah by Shaikh Salih Ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan, Aalam al-Malaai’kah al-Abrar and ar-Rusul war-Risalaat by Shaikh Umar al-Ashqar, beneficial lectures of Shaikh (Dr.) Abdullah al-Farsi, Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Riyadus-Saliheen and others.

The Man In The Red Underpants

Abdur-Raheem Green
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 51 | Size: 12 MB

Who is the man in the red underpants?
What does he want and why are his pants red and not pink? Did he really get his red underpants from Agent Provacateur and what does he want anyway?

None of these questions are dealt with in this book! Rather this book asks you to think about how you would deal with the man in the red underpants. It will take you on a journey in which you will encounter some startling conclusions. If you believe in unbelievable things without proof, then put this book down now, and if you think that you’re a thinker, think again!

The man in the Red Underpants will make sure your life is never the same again…

Chapter 1:

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

I’m pretty sure you’re not going to like this. Probably not one bit. It talks about all sorts of things that a lot of us spend a lot of time trying to avoid. Like death! Yes, that’s right, death. Death, judge­ment, hellfire and paradise (or is it all pie in the sky?), the meaning of life and of course, the big one – is there really a God, or is it all a delusion? Just the sort of things you’d try your utmost to avoid thinking about. And what has this got to do with the man in the red underpants anyway?

I want you to come with me on a journey. It’s not a long one, but on the way we are going to encounter some very interesting and probably scary things, and things that you won’t want to believe even though they make sense. Some of you are chickening out already; some of you will put this down and not even finish it, and some of you will turn you noses up in disgust, and that is very, very sad because you’ll miss out on the most important thing in your life ever!

There are some of you who will read the whole thing and perhaps even agree with it, but never get round to doing anything about it, and that is both really sad and really bad. Well, I told you this is going to have stuff you won’t like! But somewhere, some of you will see it all through. You’ll think a little, or a lot, and then you’ll do something truly amazing with your life, you’ll accept the inevi­table conclusions of reason, take a deep breath (at least mentally) and decide to make a commitment that will transform you in wonderful ways. As scary as it seems, and once you do that, things will make even more sense.

OK, enough of the hype, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Let’s begin the journey and step aboard our vehicle; reason and common sense.

Religious Freedom In Saudi Arabia

Salih Al-Husayyin
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 69 | Size: 1 MB

Thirty hours had not passed since the shocking, unlawful events of September 11, 2001, before television screens across the United States and the world were saturated with the images of two ‘pilots’ – two young men from Saudi Arabia, Amir Bukhari and Adnan Bukhari. These images, repeatedly flashed in the global media, suggested the American authorities had discovered the identities of two of the pilots, both Saudi nationals, who had crashed their respective aircraft into the World Trade Centre towers in New York, as well as the Pentagon in Washington. When it subsequently came to light that Adnan Bukhari was in fact alive and well, and that his brother Amir Bukhari had actually died in the United States a year prior to the attacks, few learned the truth. Fewer people still knew that at as the image of Adnan Bukhari were flashing across the screen, he was in the custody of American intelligence services and incapable of defending himself until long after the presumption of guilt was firmly established.

Shortly after 9/11, the world also came to ‘know’ that American authorities had identified the hijackers – nineteen Muslims, eleven of whom were Saudi nationals. Thereafter, their full identities were revealed, alongside their photographs, in the media and posted on the walls of all international airports. However, many of these suspects managed to rebut these reports by contacting newspapers and announcing that they were still very much alive. Within ten days, it emerged that at least eight of the suspected identified as participants in the attacks were actually still alive!

The passport of a ninth suspect was presented by the American administration as proof that a Saudi national had been amongst the hijackers. This despite the fact that it was highly unlikely for a passerby to discover an intact, unblemished passport in the debris of an incinerated aircraft several days after it crashed. As this official account gradually faded, the mystery of how this sole passport of a missing passenger, who was Muslim and a Saudi national, reached the American authorities remains an enigma.

Nevertheless, the walls of international airports in the U.S. continued to be decorated with the photographs of these “living dead” for a remarkable length of time. The news media remained silent, despite its responsibility for propagating misinformation about these individuals. The media was fully capable of rectifying these errors, though that may have led to questions about the American administration’s ability to handle the incident.

Less than a month after 9/11, letters laced with artificially synthesized anthrax germs, featuring the message ‘Death to Israel! Death to America! Allah is the Greatest!’, were sent to members of Congress and journalists. Thereafter, American politicians and journalists professed that terrorists had the ability to manufacture biological weapons, and had begun to use them. Fear entered into every home in North America, relevant vaccines ran short, and the postal system was altered.

However, an expert on biological weapons, Barbara Rosenberg, would not be the first to discover that the powder enclosed in the envelopes was actually a product of an American military laboratory. This was a fact the American administration of George W. Bush knew full well from the time that the letters first surfaced.

So what was the motive behind the Bush Administration deluding the world into believing that it was Saudi pilots who had been responsible for this crime while it knew the truth? What was the motive behind the American administration hoodwinking the world into believing that it was eight or more Saudis that were responsible for this crime when, in fact, they were still alive? The American administration did not revise their initial official account about the 9/11 tragedy event even after certain facts later came to light. If their account was based on factual evidence, why was false evidence needed to support it?

The reputations of the 9/11 “living dead” were tarnished internationally in a manner unprecedented in history. The presence of the definitive evidence mentioned above establishes various aspects of governmental liability, enough for any fair minded judge to order compensation or damages to the accused. So why wasn’t the conscience of a single American stirred enough to remedy the harm caused by this injustice by, at the very least, apologising?

Is it because the honour of a Muslim is not respected on the same level as other human beings? Or is it because an apology would have drawn attention to the reality behind the whole sordid affair? Moreover, why did the Bush Administration leave the American public in a state of panic and terror for a more than a month, and not disclose to them the reality it knew from day one? They, in fact, continued to embellish facts so every American citizen came to believe they were at risk of an impending act of ‘Islamic biological terrorism.’

In a democratic country, is it not strange that not a single citizen out of 300 million questioned the government regarding the potential harm they faced due to their leaders penchant for suppressing the truth? Is not an examination of this depressing public response regarding these facts enough to show us how, at the end of time, people will believe in the anti-Christ and concur with him without the benefit of an accurate assessment revealing the truth?

I had initially embarked on this work in the wake of a report that was issued by the U.S. State Department on International Religious Freedom for the year 2005. Later, certain additions were included and, as the reader will see, the initial input of the author and his specific opinions has largely disappeared.

I have limited myself to citing specific, documented facts. It is hoped that this will help the reader assess the credibility of the State Department’s religious freedom reports, and that readers might find answers to other questions periodically raised in examining similar reports.

Religious Police In Saudi Arabia

Prof. Mohammed Al-Bishr
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 149 | Size: 1 MB

Recent reports in the Western media and political and humanitarian organizations can be classified into four major categories:

1- Religious police, Wahhabism and allegations of religious extremism.
2- The situation of Christians in Saudi Arabia and how the religious police is dealing with them.
3- Alleged violent and cruel behavior of the religious police.
4- The status of Saudi women and how the religious police deal with them.

These are the four issues often referred to by the Western media, particularly American, the reports of the US State Department, Human Rights Watch, the press reports released by the United Nations and American research institutes concerned with Middle East studies and others.

It is not our concern in this book to dwell on everything that has been written on the Saudi religious police or try the magnitude of the subject. What we can do, however, is to pick out the general viewpoints and major trends which represent the main ingredients of this mental picture about the Saudi religious police; a picture which has been distorted by those press releases and reports. Before discussing these three categories, we would like to emphasize the following points:

1- Much of what has been written about the religious police represents only a unilateral point of view. Such representation is often devoid of truth, either because credible information on any reported adverse incident is lacking or because the person reporting the incident is ignorant of the nature of Saudi society, its values, culture and the systems prevalent in it.

2- Some of what has been written on the religious police concerned only individual cases in which Saudis or non-Saudis (Muslims or non-Muslims) may have been involved, but were made to appear representative of the entire Saudi society. We would like to cite here those cases in particular in which non-Muslim residents in Saudi Arabia were involved in breaking the law and were caught red-handed by the religious police. Those individuals later instigated the sources mentioned earlier to malign the religious police and, in the process, protect their own selves.

3- We notice that when these Western sources talk about the religious police in Saudi Arabia, they concentrate on only one aspect of the case discussed (such as, for example, apprehending an individual for a moral violation). The discussion, however, fails to mention the religious, cultural and legal considerations that had led to the apprehension. Consequently, several important aspects of the case were misconstrued and a major party to the case – the religious police – had been ignored. We can therefore claim that, in such cases, these sources are guilty of a deliberate misrepresentation of facts to meet the malicious ends of vested interests.

4- We have not come across a single piece of news, or a single political or humanitarian report in all the Western sources that mentions the positive impact of the religious police on Saudi society. This is a clear indication of the injustice and prejudice against a religious organization that is genuinely concerned with reform and with preserving and safeguarding moral values in Saudi society.

5- What is being written on the religious police in Saudi Arabia derives from a purely Western cultural approach to the concept of religion, life, behavior and morals. Such an approach, inevitably, clashes with the culture of other societies. The political, religious and cultural standards by which these Western sources judge the actions of the religious police in Saudi Arabia are, thus, wrong and unacceptable.

These five points are conclusions based on observing and following all that has been published on the religious police by Western sources, particularly the print media in the United States. These conclusions are the result of an in-depth reading of the topics discussed or the cases argued concerning the functions and duties of the religious police in Saudi Arabia.

The Dreamer’s Handbook: Sleep Etiquette And Dream Interpretation In Light Of The Sunnah

Muhammad Mustafa Al-Jibaly
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 363 | Size: 4 MB

Our soul inevitably passes though a route starting from birth, passing through death and ending with our resurrection in the next life. This route revolves around death and is strongly marked with events that precede and succeed it. These events include sickness, Pre-Death and Post-Death actions, the intermediate life in the grave (al-Barzakh}, and periods of sleep that count as “minor death”. These, and related issues of the Soul, are the subjects that “The Inevitable Journey discusses over a Sequence of Titles:

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

Sleep can be a welcome occasion of pleasurable rest, or a hateful predicament of fear and terror. Islam, praise be to Allah, presents a clear understanding of sleep and dreams, and provides a complete code of Sleep etiquettes and extolments. This can help make sleep a rewarding experience that brings useful rest and pleasant dreams.

This book starts by presenting a spiritual understanding of sleep from the Islamic viewpoint, which is followed by guidelines for recommended evening, pre-sleep, night, and morning acts of worship. The conceptual understanding of dreams is laid out next, followed by an analytical study of dreams in the Quran, and of dreams seen by the Prophet Muhammad and by his companions. The rest of the book deals with dream interpretation, its correct rules and procedures, drills to help understand these rules, and a large glossary of interpreted dream symbols.

This, we hope, fulfils two important goals regarding sleep and dreams: It establishes their understanding upon the strong foundation of the Quran and Sunnah, and it eliminates a great deal of superstition that surrounds them. Indeed, from Allah alone we seek help and acceptance.

At-Tadhkirah Fiahwalil-Mawta Wal-Akhirah: In The Remembrance Of The Affairs Of The Dead And Doomsday

Imam Al-Qurtubi
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 404 | Size: 33 MB

Death is not the absolute end. It is just the discontinuation of unity between the body and soul. It is a change from one state to another and a transition from this present life to that of the hereafter. “Allaah takes souls at the time of their death and [the souls] of those that do not die during their sleep. He retains those souls for which He has ordained death, whereas He releases the rest for an appointed term” [Qur'an 39:42] – ‘Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception’ {Qur’an 3:185}.

Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Bakr al-Ansari al-Qurtubi, was born in Cordoba, Spain, at the summlt of Its great period of Islamic civilisation. He was an eminent Maliki scholar who specialised in fiqh and Hadith. The breadth and depth of his scholarship are evident in his writings. The most famous of then is his twenty-volume tasfir al Jami’ li-ahkam al-Qar’an,

Imam al-Qirtubi was a man of great modesty who disdained worldly honours and throughout his life wore the simple gown and cap of the ordinary Muslin. He traveled from Spain to the East and settled in Munya Abi’l-Khusavb. in Upper Egypt. where he died in 671H/ 1273

Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Bakr al-Ansari al-Qurtubi, was born in Cordoba, Spain, at the summlt of Its great period of Islamic civilisation. He was an eminent Maliki scholar who specialised in fiqh and Hadith. The breadth and depth of his scholarship are evident in his writings. The most famous of then is his twenty-volume tasfir al Jami’ li-ahkam al-Qar’an, (The first three volumes have been translated into english ).

Imam al-Qirtubi was a man of great modesty who disdained worldly honours and throughout his life wore the simple gown and cap of the ordinary Muslin. He traveled from Spain to the East and settled in Munya Abi’l-Khusavb. in Upper Egypt. where he died in 671H/ 1273

Saudi Arabia In 100 Questions

Ghainaa Publications
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 72 | Size: 1 MB

Despite the huge number of foreigners who come to Saudi Arabia every year, many were overwhelmed by the developments in the different spheres and they rarely try to examine or understand customs, traditions and the cultural and social aspects of the Saudi society or other aspects that form the identity of this society. Thus foreigners are unable to portray the real image of Saudi Arabia to the outside world. Even Saudis themselves are unable to convey an accurate portrait of the country, due to the paucity of knowledge to enable them to fulfill this role.

Emanating from a full conviction of the importance of knowledge in intermingling and communication between nations and people and due to the keenness of portraying the true image of our country to others, we have come up with the idea of this book “Saudi Arabia in 100 Questions.” The book aims at presenting a simple, comprehensive and objective picture of the various aspects of life in Saudi Arabia. We have been keen to simplify these answers to cover political, economic, cultural and social aspects and have it reach the reader without boring elaboration or inconsistent abridgement.

Some numbers of Questions:

- Is Wahabism an Islamic doctrine or a reform call?

Wahabism is not an Islamic or political doctrine as some may think. It is a reform call initiated by the late sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab, a Muslim scholar whose efforts were to purify Islam from the deviations that had crept into the practices of some of its adherents. What is known in the Western media as “wahabism” is a latterly-created name that does not express the reality of this reformatory call. This call is not an Islamic or political doctrine as some believe. It is a call that demonstrates Islam’s stand vis-à-vis some violations committed by some Muslims. The call has urged Muslims to resort to the true path of religion according to the teachings of the holy Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah.

- What are the official days celebrated in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia celebrates only two occasions which are Eid Al-Fitr which comes after the fasting month of Ramadan and Eid Al-Adha during the annual Hajj season. Saudi Arabia also celebrates its National Day which falls on September 23. The National Day is observed as a holiday in Saudi Arabia.

- What is the official religion of Saudi Arabia and what is its stance vis-à-vis the followers of other religions?

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and the land where the Holy Quran was revealed. The Kingdom is also the custodian of the most sacred Islamic shrines “The holy Haram of Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah”. All Saudis are Muslims and Islam is a religion that respects the followers of other heavenly religions “Christianity and Judaism”

Islam recognizes the Prophethood of Jesus and Moses and that a Muslim’s faith is considered incomplete if he does not believe in all the Prophets sent by God. Islamic teachings promote non compulsion of others to embrace Islam. The rights of non Muslims, who come to work in Saudi Arabia, are respected just as the rights of Muslims coming from other countries.

Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) In The Torah And Gospel

Daar Al-Watan
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 32 | Size: 1 MB

All praise is due to Allah alone, and may Allah praise Muhammad and render him safe from every evil.

One of the distinguishing Characteristics of a Mus1im is that they believe in all Prophets and Messengers whom Allah the Exalted, sent from Adam to Muhammad, may Allah praise them all and render them safe from all evil.

Islam commands Muslims to love and believe in all Messengers and Prophets, for they were the best of mankind.

Islam clarifies that disbelieving in one of them is tantamount to disbelief in all of them. When a Muslim believes in Muhammad (PBUH) but disbelieves in Jesus (PBUH) he is not considered a Muslim, even if he believes in Muhammad (PBUH). Similarly, if one disbelieves in Muhammad (PBUH) but believes in other prophets, he is a disbeliever in all the Prophets.

Allah informs us in the Qur’an that Muhammad (PBUH) is mentioned in the Torah and Gospel, through his description and actions.

Allah says:

ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلۡأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُ ۥ مَكۡتُوبًا عِندَهُمۡ فِى ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةِ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلِ يَأۡمُرُهُم بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡہَٮٰهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡخَبَـٰٓٮِٕثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنۡهُمۡ إِصۡرَهُمۡ وَٱلۡأَغۡلَـٰلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ‌ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ ۥۤ‌ۙ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

{Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel he commands them for Al-Ma’roof (i.e. Islamic monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful all good and lawful things and prohibits them as unlawful all evil things. He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the fetters that were upon them. So those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful.} [The Noble Qur'an 7: 157]

Allah mentions in the Qur’an that Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham) supplicated Allah to send a Prophet to mankind.

Allah says:

رَبَّنَا وَٱبۡعَثۡ فِيهِمۡ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيہِمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ

{Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own who shall recite unto them Your verses and instruct them in the Book and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence) and Purify them. Verily, You are the All- Mighty, the All-Wise.) [The Noble Qur'an 2: 129]

Jesus gave glad-tidings of the coming of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Allah, the Exalted, says:

وَإِذۡ قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيۡكُم مُّصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةِ وَمُبَشِّرَۢا بِرَسُولٍ۬ يَأۡتِى مِنۢ بَعۡدِى ٱسۡمُهُ ۥۤ أَحۡمَدُ‌ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ قَالُواْ هَـٰذَا سِحۡرٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬

{And (remember} when Jesus, son of Maryam said: ‘O children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Torah which came before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed. But when Ahmed came to them with clear proofs, they said: (‘This is plain Magic’.) [The Noble Qur'an 61: 6]

Christ In Islam

Ahmed Deedat

This is an interesting lecture in which Sh. Ahmad Deedat talks about prestige of Jesus Christ in Islam, miracles of his birth, message and death. Sh. Deedat shows the Islamic creed’s attitude towards Jesus Christ and refutes the allegations of those who have been trying to distort Jesus Christ’s image in Islam. At the end, Sh. Deedat answers some questions of the viewers. Note: Sh. Ahmad Deedat depends on Quran’s translation by Yousuf Abdullah Ali. At that time of delivering this lecture, there were not the good translations we have in nowadays. Therefore we advise our readers to see the small attached research about comparison among the different translations of the Quran below this page.

Your Day In Ramadan

Website of Rasoulullah (peace be upon him)
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 16 | Size: 1 MB

This is a useful book talks about how a fasting Muslim should spend his day in Ramadan. This is regarding deeds by which he abides during his day. No doubt he should be eager to instill the good morals into himself while performing this great rite. He should not forget to ask Allah when he breaks his fasting, for Allah promised that he answers the fasting Muslim’s invocation when he breaks his fast. He should remember that it is highly recommended to perform Qiyam (supererogatory prayers at night) to get his sins forgiven.

Contents:

Al Fajr prayer
Invocations and Glorifications after Fajr Prayer
Going to Work
Dohr Prayer (Noon Prayer)
Asr Prayer (Afternoon)
Before Maghrib Prayer
Maghrib Prayer
Isha’ Prayer (Night Prayer)
After Tarawih
Sleeping
Tahajjud (Late Night Prayer)
Sahour (Last Night Meal)
some things to bear in mind (Niyyah) and the proof of each Niyyah

Family System In Islam

Zinat Kauther
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 24 | Size: 1 MB

A comprehensive and scholarly look at the family unit in Islam, from its conception via marriage to rights and roles of the partners that make for a successful team. The learned author also squarely confronts more touching issues such as polygamy, modes of divorce, and social equality.

A Guide To Prayer In Islam

Muhammad Abdul Karim Saqib
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 65 | Size: 3 MB

A Guide to Prayer in Islam: Each worship has a quality and manner demonstrated by Allah or by His prophet peace be upon him. So the writer of this message said in the introduction: “This is a brief about the manner of praying of the prophet introduced to each Muslim to try hard to follow him.

Life In Al-Barzakh – From Death Till Resurrection

Dr. Muhammad Al-Jibaly
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 118 | Size: 1 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
6. The Moment of Death
7. The Soul’s Trip to the Heavens
8. The Final Test
9. The Righteous and the Sinful in al-Barzakh
10. Saviors from the Grave’s Punishment
11. Communications with al-Barzakh
12. Things That Benefit the Dead

This book is the fourth in the series. It deals with many important matters that have always perplexed the human minds, but that, as is shown in this book, have been clearly explained in the authentic Texts from Allah’s Book and His Messenger’s Sunnah. Among the subjects covered are the following: The Moment of Death, The Soul’s Trip to the Heavens, The Final Test, The Righteous and the Sinful in al-Barzakh, Saviors from the Grave’s Punishment, Communications with al-Barzakh and Things That Benefit the Dead.

A Model For A Muslim Youth In The Story Of Yusuf (PBUH)

Mahmood Shaker Saeed
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 60 | Size: 2 MB

The story of Joseph, peace be upon him, represents the peak of all. The Qur’anic stories with regard to its topical unity’ and is artistic appeal, and also with regard to the lessons of faith which the story contains.

The General Prescripts Of Belief In The Qur’an And Sunnah

Abdur-Rahman Abdul-Khaliq
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 45 | Size: 2 MB

Allah Almighty ordered all his servants to enter Islam and adhering to it and warned them of disobeying him. Also he sent His messenger to call to this. Allah told us that the one who follows him is the rightly guided and the one who turns away from his call goes astray. He warned us in many ayahs of apostasy, polytheism and disbelief.

Modesty & A Sound Heart In The Last Days

Abdullah Hakim Quick

IISNA 2010 Islamic Revival Tour, Melbourne, Australia. Modesty in Islam is known as haya, a word which describes both shyness and a deeper modesty that is based on faith. A sense of haya should affect a Muslim’s conduct before God, before others and even when one is alone. In the Holy Qur’an, God says: “O children of Adam, We have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God’s signs, that they may take heed.” (Al-A`raf 7:26)

Nurturing Eeman In Children

Dr. Aisha Hamdan
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 225 | Size: 5 MB

A plethora of parenting books on the market these days covers every aspect of dealing with your children. From the terrible twos to the troublesome teens, you will have no problem finding multitudes of books claiming to point you in the right direction when it comes to raising your children.

Whether you’re aiming to raise a baby Einstein, or just looking for some hints on how to handle an unruly tyke or teen, you will no doubt find plenty of advice.

Nurturing Eeman in Children, however, addresses an aspect of child-rearing that is vitally important, and is not touched upon in the mainstream selections that we are so familiar with. In her book, Dr. Hamdan clearly and in no uncertain terms explains the importance of instilling in our children a strong connection to their Creator and a love for the religion that He has chosen for us and them. From this book, you will learn the what, why, and the how of raising a righteous and faithful Muslim child.

The focus on this book will be on nurturing the next generation and installing Islamic values and eeman (faith) in them from a very young age. Those who have taken the remedy from the time of birth will find it less difficult or strange to continue it throughout their lifetime. It will naturally flow and progress as the person develops and grows through each phase of life. In actuality, children have within them a very special seed known as the fitrah. The fitrah is the innate, inborn tendency to know Allah., to believe in the oneness of Allah , and to develop eeman. The seeds of eeman are already planted and only need to be nurtured lovingly in order to grow beautiful, flowering plants.  For this reason, the book in entitled Nurturing Eeman In Children.

About The Author:

Dr. Aisha Hamdan is an Assistant Professor of Behavioural Sciences in the College of Medicine at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. She has a PhD in clinical Psychology from West Virginia University and a Bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies from the American Open University.

A Hand Through The Door For My New Sister [In Accordance With The Qur'an And Authentic Sunnah Of The Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)]

Yasmin bint Ismail
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 258 | Size: 5.5 MB

This book, A Hand Through the Door for my New Sister, written by an American Muslimah (female Muslim), is a reference work covering numerous aspects of the religion which are of concern to the sea of new sisters whom Allah has guided to be members of the religion of truth and guidance, Islam. It also, however, equally concerns Muslim ladies of all backgrounds and levels who desier to learn various aspects of their religion.

Of the matters this book discusses are the pillars of Islam, the articles of faith, tawhid (monotheism), and its opposite (shirk), the dress of a believing lady, rulings pertaining to mense, assocations and interaction with family members, marriage, divorce, the food of the believers, repentance, death, paradise and hell, and a number of other aspects of the religion.

A significant feature of this book is that the author has relied on and provided textual evidence from the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah for the many rulings presented throughout the discourse. We pray that Allah rewards the author for her work and concern and may this book of good use to all those who read it.

Fasting In Ramadan According To The Qur’an And The Authentic Sunnah

Abdul Karim Awad
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 133 | Size: 6 MB

With the advent of another Ramadan, a mixture of feelings overwhelm the hearts of Muslims all over the world. The hearts are full of hope, based on trithful promises and glad tidings given by Allah and his Messenger, of great bounties and endless bliss.

The past sins would be forgiven for those who fast, based on belief (Emaan) and truly expecting the reward of Allah (Ihtisaab).

The previous sins will be forgiven for those who offer night prayers (Qiyaam) during this month, and who do this with the 2 conditions of Emaan (belief) and Ihtisaab.

There is a night on this month which is better (in rewards) than a thousand months of worship, and all sins will be forgiven for those who spend this night in offering prayer with both Emaan (belief) and Ihtisaab.

The devils will be chained down, the gates of Hell will all be shut and the gates of paradise will alll be open throughout this month. Allahj will free (from punishment) some of his Ibaad (worshippers) on every night of this month of Ramadan.

Allah answers the du’aa (suplications) of the fasting person at the Iftaar (fast- breaking). Allah multiplies the reward of fasting beyond the limits of imagination. The fasting person will be joyous and happy when he meets his Lord.

Faith In Predestination

Dr. Suhaib Hasan
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 15 | Size: 1 MB

Belief in pre-destination (Qada wa Qadar) is an undisputed article of faith in Islam. For some people, this belief leads to contentment and satisfaction, even in the face of hardship and adversity. But for others, it provides justification for their wrongdoings: how often do we hear people arguing that they should not be blamed for their disobedience since it has already been decreed by Allah that they will sin?

The following two articles in this booklet attempt to answer those people who genuinely wonder whether Man has any control over his actions in this life or whether he is forced to do everything that he does. The first article was originally compiled in Arabic by Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaimin, a renowned scholar from Saudi Arabia ; the second was a reply by Mr. Adil Salahi to a question which appeared on the religious pages of the daily “Arab News” of Jeddah.

It is hoped that this booklet will help to clarify the difficult issue of pre-destination.

Pre-destination and the Responsibility of man

In this article, we want to deal with an important matter that concerns all Muslims: decree and pre-destination by Allah (Qada and Qadar), a subject which has been a point of contention for scholars throughout the ages. It has been reported that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) once found his Companions arguing about Qadar. He forbade them from indulging in such a debate and told them that communities before them had been destroyed for that reason[1].

However, by the grace of Allah, our pious ancestors were able to understand the issue and form a moderate view based on equity and justice. In their understanding, the issue of Qada and Qadar stems from the Unity of Allah’s attribute of Cherishing (Tawhid ar-Rububiyah). This is one of three kinds of Allah’s Unity:

Unity of Divinity (Tawhid Al-Uluhiyah), which is to direct all forms of worship to Allah alone.

Unity in the matter of Cherishing the whole universe (Tawhid ar-Rububiyah), which means to believe that all creation, sovereignty and planning belong to Allah.

Unity in the matter of Allah’s names and attributes.