27 February 2011

What some wise people had said about Quran

The French philosopher Alex Lawazon wrote, “Mohamed (Peace be upon him) left to the world a Book that is a miracle of eloquence; it is a holy Book that is repository of lofty manners and teachings. Nothing that has been discovered in modern day knowledge contradicts the fundamental teachings of Islam; in fact, there is complete harmony between the teachings of the Qur’an and the laws of nature.”
(Bil-Qur’an Aslama Haaulaa by ‘Abdul –‘Azeez Sayyid Al-Ghazzaawee Page 47, 48)

“…the rhetoric and rhythm of the Arabic of the Qur’an are so characteristic, so powerful, and so highly emotive, that any version whatsoever is bound by the nature of things to be but a copy of the glittering splendor of the original”
(The Qur’an Interpreted by Arthur Arberry Page 24)

Louis Saydayyo said, “It is important to point out that, despite the many languages that are spoken by the Asia…and of Africa, there is a Book that they all understands and that united them in spite of the diffrenet natures; and the book is Qur’an.
(Taareekh Al-‘Arab Al-‘Aam Page 458)

Dr. Shoombas, a German Orientalist, said, “Perhaps you will be amazed to hear this confession from a European such as myself. But I cannot help myself: I have studied the Qur’an myself and have found in it great eloquence and profoundly wise teachings, such as I have never come across throughout my entire life. One line from the Qur’an is worth volumes. Without a doubt, therefore this Qur’an is the greatest miracle that Mohamed (Peace be upon him) came with from his Lord."
(Bil-Qur’an Aslama Haaulaa by ‘Abdul –‘Azeez Sayyid Al-Ghazzaawee Page 49)

"...the Meccans still demanded of him a miracle, and with remarkable boldness and self confidence Mohammad (Peace be upon him)appealed as a supreme confirmation of his mission to the Koran itself. Like all Arabs they were the connoisseurs of language and rhetoric. Well, then if the Koran were his own composition other men could rival it. Let them produce ten verses like it. If they could not (and it is obvious that they could not), then let them accept the Koran as an outstanding evident miracle
(Islam - A Historical Survey, by H A R Gibb Page 28)

The French scholar Count Henri D. Castarey wrote, "It boggles the mind to contemplate how those Verses (of the Qur’an) could have come from an illiterate man. The entire population of the East agrees that the human mind is incapable of producing Verses that cam match either its wordings or meanings."
(Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem Min Mandhoor Gharbee by Dr. ‘Imadud-Deen Khaleel Page 18)

"The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of the Qur'an untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature? How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed at that time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?"
("The Bible, the Qur'an and Science" by Dr. Maurice Bucaille Page 125)

James Matchins said, “Perhaps no book is read more widely throughout the world than the Qur’an; at any rate, it is surely the easiest to memorize, and has more of an impact than any other book on the day-to-day lives of those who believe in it. Among its qualities is that no sooner do it’s Versus come into contact with man’s heart than he feels a sense of spirituality, a sense that is accompanied by an increase of Faith.”
(Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem Min Mandhoor Gharbee by Dr. ‘Imadud-Deen Khaleel Page 18)

The Orientalist Sail said, “The style of the Qur’an is truly beautiful…especially when it discuses the Greatness and Majesty of Allah. One of the most amazing qualities of the Qur’an is that it enraptures the heart of any person who listens to it being recited, regardless of whether that person believes on it or rejects it.”
(Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem Min Mandhoor Gharbee by Dr. ‘Imadud-Deen Khaleel Page 61)

23 February 2011

Inspiring incidents in the event of Umar's(RA) visit to Jerusalem

The Patriarch of Jerusalem, a man by the name of Sophronius, offered to surrender Jerusalem and pay the Jizya, but only on condition that the Caliph himself would come and sign the pact with him and receive the surrender. When the Patriarch's terms became known to the Muslims, Sharhabeel suggested that instead of waiting for Umar to come all the way from Madinah, Khalid should be sent forward as the Caliph. Umar and Khalid were very similar in appearance; and since the people of Jerusalem would only know Umar by reports, they could perhaps be taken in by a substitute. The Muslims would say that actually the Caliph was already there-and lo, he comes!

On the following morning the Patriarch was informed of the Caliph's presence, and Khalid, dressed in simple clothes of the poorest material, as was Umar's custom, rode up to the fort for talks with the Patriarch. But it did not work. Khalid was too well known, and there may have been Christian Arabs in Jerusalem who had visited Madinah and seen both Umar and Khalid, noting the differences. Moreover, the Patriarch must have wondered how the great Caliph happened to be there just when he was needed! Anyhow, the trick was soon discovered, and the Patriarch refused to talk. When Khalid reported the failure of this mission, Abu Ubaidah wrote to Umar about the situation, and invited him to come to Jerusalem and accept the surrender of the city. In response the Caliph rode out with a handful of Companions on what was to be the first of his four journeys to Syria.

Umar first came to Jabiya, where he was met by Abu Ubaidah, Khalid and Yazeed, who had travelled thither with an escort to receive him. Amr bin Al Aas was left as commander of the Muslim army besieging Jerusalem. Khalid and Yazeed were magnificently attired in silk and brocade and rode gaily caparisoned horses-and the sight of them infuriated Umar. Dismounting from his horse, he picked up a handful of pebbles from the ground and threw them at the two offending generals, "Shame on you", shouted the Caliph, "that you greet me in this fashion ! It is only in the last two years that you have eaten your fill. Shame on what abundance of food has brought you to! By Allah, if you were to do this after 200 years of prosperity, I should still dismiss you and appoint others in your place."

Umar was dressed in simple, patched garments as he was wont to wear in the time of the Holy Prophet(Peace be upon him). Becoming Caliph had made no difference to his austere and unspoiled way of life, and he continued to abhor luxury and ostentation.

Recovering from their discomfiture, Khalid and Yazeed hastily opened their robes and showed the armour and weapons which they wore underneath. "O Commander of the Faithful!" they cried. "These are only garments. We still carry our weapons". Umar was sufficiently mollified by this reply. Now Abu Ubaidah walked up, dressed as simply and unaffectedly as always, and the Caliph and the Commander-in-Chief shook hands and embraced each other.

From Jabiya, Umar proceeded to Jerusalem, accompanied by his generals and the escort. His arrival at Jerusalem was a great moment for the Muslim soldiers, and they rejoiced at the sight of their ruler.

Next day, at about noon, Umar sat with a large group of Companions, talking of this and that. Soon it would be time for the early afternoon prayer. Bilal the Negro was also present. Bilal, who has been mentioned in the second chapter of this book, had suffered many tortures in the early days of Islam at the hands of the unbelieving Qureish, but had remained steadfast in his faith. When the institution of the Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer) was adopted in 2 Hijri, the Prophet(Peace be upon him) appointed Bilal as the Muazzin; and thereafter, five times a day, the powerful and melodious voice of Bilal could be heard at Madinah, calling the Faithful to prayer. Over the years Bilal had risen in stature as a saintly Muslim, and had become one of the closest and most venerated Companions of the Prophet(Peace be upon him). But on the death of the Holy Prophet(Peace be upon him), Bilal had fallen silent; he would not call the Adhan any more.

It now occurred to some of the Companions that perhaps the conquest of the holy city of Jerusalem was an important enough occasion for Bilal to break his silence. They asked Umar to urge him to call the Adhan, just this one time! Umar turned to Bilal: "O Bilal! The Companions of the Messenger(Peace be upon him) implore you to call the Adhan and remind them of the time of their Prophet, on whom be the blessings of Allah and peace." For a few moments Bilal remained lost in thought. Then he looked at the eager faces of the Companions and at the thousands of Muslim soldiers who were gathering for the congregational prayer. Then he stood up. Bilal would call the Adhan again!

The glorious voice of the illustrious Muazzin beat upon the vast multitude. As he called the opening words, Allah is Great, the minds of the Faithful turned to memories of the dearly loved Muhammad(Peace be upon him) and tears welled up in their eyes. When Bilal came to the words, Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, his audience broke down and sobbed.

On the following day the pact was drawn up. It was signed on behalf of the Muslims by Caliph Umar and witnessed by Khalid, Amr bin Al Aas, Abdur-Rahman bin Auf and Muawiyah. Jerusalem surrendered to the Caliph, and peace returned to the holy city. This happened in April 637 (Rabi-ul-Awwal, 16 Hijri). After staying 10 days at Jerusalem, the Caliph returned to Madinah.

Source: "The Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Al-Waleed, His Life and Campaigns" by Lieutenant-General A.I. Akram

21 February 2011

A list of minor Signs before the Hour comes

1. The disappearance of knowledge and the appearance of ignorance (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Ahmad).
2. Books/writing will be widespread and (religious) knowledge will be low (Ahmad).
3. Adultery and fornication will be prevalent (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this has never happened without new diseases befalling the people, which their ancestors had not known.) (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Al-Haythami).
4. When fornication becomes widespread among your leaders (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this will happen when the people stop forbidding evil) (Ibn Majah).
5. Adultery and fornication will be performed in the open.
6. The consumption of intoxicants will be widespread (Bukhari & Muslim).
7. Women will outnumber men......eventually 50:1 (Bukhari, Muslim, & Ahmad).
8. Killing, killing, killing (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Ahmad).
9. The nations of the earth will gather against the Muslims like hungry people going to sit down to a table full of food. This will occur when the Muslims are large in number, but "like the foam of the sea.”
10. People will beat others with whips like the tails of oxen (Muslim) ?The Slave Trade.
11. The children will be filled with rage (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
12. Children will be foul (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
13. Women will conspire (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
14. Rain will be acidic or burning (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
15. Children of fornication will become widespread or prevalent (at-Tabarani, al- Hakim).
16. When a trust becomes a means of making a profit (at-Tirmidhi, Al-Haythami).
17. Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor (at- Tirmidhi).
18. Paying zakat becomes a burden and miserliness becomes widespread; charity is given reluctantly (at-Tirmidhi & Al-Haythami).
19. Miserliness will be thrown into the hearts of people (Bukhari).
20. Episodes of sudden death will become widespread (Ahmad).
21. There will be people who will be brethren in public but enemies in secret (He was asked how that would come about and replied, "Because they will have ulterior motives in their mutual dealings and at the same time will fear one another.") (at- Tirmidhi).
22. When a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly while shunning his father (at-Tirmidhi).
23. When voices are raised in the mosques (at-Tirmidhi).
24. People will walk in the marketplace with their thighs exposed.
25. Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time.
26. The people of Iraq will recieve no food and no money due to oppression by the Romans (Europeans) (Muslim).
27. People will hop between the clouds and the earth.
28. A tribulation will enter everyone’s home (Ahmad).
29. The leader of a people will be the worst of them (at-Tirmidhi).
30. Leaders of people will be oppressors (Al-Haythami).
31. People will treat a man with respect out of fear for some evil he might do (at Tirmidhi).
32. Men will begin to wear silk (at-Tirmidhi).
33. Female singers and musical instruments will become popular (at-Tirmidhi).
34. When singers become common (Al-Haythami).
35. People will dance late into the night.
36. When the last ones of the Ummah begin to curse the first ones (at-Tirmidhi).
37. People will claim to follow the Qur'an but will reject hadith & sunnah (Abu Dawood).

20 February 2011

Who was Dhul-Bijadain

Dhul-Bijadain was an orphan boy, whose uncle took care of him. But he was obsessed by the idea of following the Messenger (peace be upon him). Upon his decision to follow the Messenger, his was afflicted with a disease, so he waited for his uncle.

When he was cured, he lost patience so he told his uncle, "0 Uncle! I waited a long time hoping that you might embrace Islam but in vain." His uncle replied, "By Allah! If you embrace Islam, I shall deprive you of all that which I granted you." He (Dhul- Bijadain) said, "Just one look at Muhammad(peace be upon him) is preferable to me than all this worldly life, and everything therein."

When Dhul-Bijadain decided to follow the Messenger (peace be upon him), his uncle deprived him of everything even his clothes, so his mother gave him a piece of cloth. He cut it in two pieces, one of which he wrapped himself with, and the other he used as a garment.

When Jihad (fighting for the cause of Allah) was prescribed, he decided to join the believers, regardless of the long journey he would have to undertake.When he passed away, the Messenger (peace be upon him) descended to prepare his grave by himself, and he used to say, "0 Allah! I am satisfied with him, so I beg You to be satisfied with him." Upon that, Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I wish I were him (he meant Dhul-Bijadain)."

Source: Al-Fawaid (P:70) by Imam ibn Al Qayyim

15 February 2011

What some great people said about Mohamed (Peace be upon him)

"Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?"
(Alphonse Lamartine,'Historie De la Turquie')

"Mohammad never assigned himself a status more than a common man and a messenger of God. People had faith in him when he was surrounded by poverty and adversity and trusted him while he was the ruler of a great Empire. A man of spotless character who always had confidence in himself and in God's help. No aspect of his life remained hidden nor was his death a mysterious event."
(M.H. Hyndman, The Awakening of Asia)

"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission.
These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
(Mahatma Gandhi, Young India)

"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Mohammad, the Prophet. There is Mohammad, the Warrior; Mohammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Mohammad, the Orator; Mohammad, the Reformer; Mohammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Mohammad, the Protector of Slaves; Mohammad, the Emancipator of Women; Mohammad, the Judge; Mohammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."
(Prof. K. S. Ramarishna Rao, Mohammed The Prophet)

"He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness."
(George Bernard Shaw, The genuine Islam)

“It is a great shame for any one to listen to the accusation that Islaam is a lie and that Muhammad was a fabricator and a deceiver. We saw that he remained steadfast upon his principles, with firm determination; kind and generous, compassionate, pious, virtuous, with real manhood, hardworking and sincere. Besides all these qualities, he was lenient with others, tolerant, kind, cheerful and praiseworthy and perhaps he would joke and tease his companions. He was just, truthful, smart, pure, magnanimous and present-minded; his face was radiant as if he had lights within him to illuminate the darkest of nights; he was a great man by nature who was not educated in a school nor nurtured by a teacher as he was not in need of any of this.”
(Thomas Carlyle, The heroes)

12 February 2011

Hasan al basri and Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyyah

It is related that when the husband of Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyyah died, al-Hasan al-Basrî ( رحمه لله)and his companions asked for permission to visit her. She gave them permission to come in and let down a curtain and sat behind it. Al-Hasan and his companions said,

“Your husband has died. You should have someone to replace him.”
“All right,” she said, “but which of you has the most knowledge, so that I may marry him?”
“Al-Hasan al-Basrî,” they replied.
“If you can answer me four questions, I am yours,” she said to al-Hasan.
“What do you say to this,” she asked, “when I die and leave this world, will leave with belief or not?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh.”
“What about this, then? When I am put into the grave and Munkar and Nakîr question me, will I be able to answer them or not?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” replied al-Hasan a second time.
“When people are gathered together on the Day of Rising and the books are distributed, will I be given my book in my right hand or my left hand?”
“That too is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” came the reply again.
“When people are called: ‘One group in the Garden and one group in Blaze!’ which of the two groups will I be in?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” responded al-Hasan for the fourth and last time.
“How is it possible,” she retorted, “for someone who is suffering the grief of ignorance about these four things to think of marriage?”
“O Hasan,” she continued, “in how many parts did Allâh create the intellect?”
“In ten parts,” he replied, “nine for men and one for women.”
“O Hasan, in how many parts did Allâh create appetite?”
“In ten parts: nine for women and one for men.”
“O Hasan,” she concluded, “I am able to contain nine part of appetite with one part of intellect whereas you cannot even guard one part of appetite with nine parts of intellect!” Thereupon al-Hasan wept and left her.

Source: “Dealing With Lust and Greed according to Islam”(P:42) By Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hamid Kishk

09 February 2011

How the pious predecessors disciplined their selves

Umar(رضى لله عنه) donated a piece of land worth 200,000 dirhams when he missed Asr prayers in congregation.

Ibn Umar(رضى لله عنه) used to stay awake the whole of the night if he miised a prayer in congregation and then he would free two slaves.

Tameem Dari (رضى لله عنه) failed to wake up for tahajjud prayers one night. He stayed awake the whole of the next year.

Talha (رضى لله عنه) became preoccupied with a bird on his wall (of an orchard) while in prayer. He donated the wall in charity as compensation for that mistake.

Hassan ibn Sinan ( رحمه لله) passed by an apartment and asked when it was built. He deliberated for a moment and realized he had asked about something that did not concern him. He disciplined him self by fasting for a whole year.

Abdullah bin Qais (رضى لله عنه) says: We were in a battle with the enemy in our midst and people screaming (on a very hot day). A man from the tribe of Ummama was talking to him self: Did I not witness this battle and that battle. You reminded me about my family so I listened to you and returned home. By Allah I will punish you by either having you taken to task or leaving you.
I observed this man on that day and saw that he was leading people to the enemy who then dispersed. The enemy countered and we dispersed but this man held his ground the whole time until he was martyred. I found on his body and on the body of his mount more than sixty stab wounds.

Source: Taqwa, the provision for believers.

07 February 2011

About Ibn Seerin

He is Muhammad Ibn Seerin Al-Basri. Born in the city of Basra in Iraq the year 33 A.H. (653 A.D.) Imam Ibn Seerin was a renowned writer and a respected religious scholar of his time. He lived during the first century of the Islamic caliphate and studied the Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) and the science of prophetic sayings (Hadith) at the hand of the early followers of the companions of God's Messenger (upon whom be peace). Among his contemporaries were Imam Anas Bin Malik, Al-Hassan Al-Basri,Ibn 'Aown, Al-Fudhayl Bin 'Iyadh, and others.

Mouriq Al-'Ujali once said: "I have not seen a man who is more sagacious in his piety or more pious in his knowledge than Muhammad Ibn Seerin."

In his biographical dictionary, Khairu-Deen AI-Zerekly describes Imam Muhammad Ibn Seerin as a pious, God fearing, and a strong believer, who was a generous host and a trustworthy friend.

Al-Hassan Al-Bagri once said: "There was a time when, if a man sought knowledge, you could see its effects in every aspect of his life, including his piety, conduct, speech, sight, and hearing." Imam Muhammad Ibn Seerin used to say: "When Allah Almighty wills to bless His servant, He will direct him to a wise man to admonish him." He also used to say: "If a man wishes to benefit in this world and in the hereafter, he must seek the company of someone who will command him to do what is good and to disuade him from doing evil."

Imam Ibn Seerin used to fast every other day of his life. The day when he did not fast, he used to have lunch, omit his dinner, and take a bite during the Suhur meal, before the dawn prayers. He used to stand up all night in prayers during the entire month of Ramadan, and he used to say: "One must pray during the night and at least for the time it takes to milk a goat." Once Hisham Bin Hassan stayed overnight at Imam Ibn Seerin's house and commented to a friend, saying: "I used to hear his weeping during the night, though he was a most cheerful host during the day."

Hafsaa Bint Seerin, sister of Imam Ibn Seerin, once said: "When Muhammad entered before our mother, he used to stand before her with modesty and refrain from speaking to her with his whole tongue." Once, someone visited Imam Ibn Seerin in the presence of his mother and remarked about his outstanding respect for her. When the man left, he asked: "Is Muhammad not feeling well?" Someone replied: "He is well, but he reveres his mother so much that he nearly melt away in her presence."

A man asked Imam Ibn Seerin about his opinion on dream interpretation. Ibn Seerin replied: "Fear God when you are awake, and do not worry about what you see in a dream." Whenever he is asked to give a religious opinion about two similar interpretations, he took the closest one to Quran. He once said: "In essence, this knowledge is taken from our religion. Thus, consider carefully from whom you learn it!"

Once Musa Bin Al-Mughirah said: "I saw Muhammad Ibn Seerin entering the marketplace in the middle of the day. He was totally absorbed in his prayers, glorifying and celebrating Allah's praises. Someone asked him: "0 Abu Bakr (that is his patronym), is this the time to engage in such invocations?" Ibn Seerin replied: "In a marketplace, one may be distracted by its glitters and become negligent of his devotion."

06 February 2011

Some sayings of Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah

"Every punishment from Him is pure justice and every blessing from Him is pure grace"

"Whoever desires everlasting bliss, let him adhere firmly to the threshold of servitude"

"The Lord loves to be loved"

"Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience"

"In this world there is a paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter"

"The one who is [truly] imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allah and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him"

"This whole religion revolves around knowing the truth and acting by it, and action must be accompanied by patience"

"Worship is founded upon the Legal Law and following it, not upon ones base desires and innovation"

"If you do not taste the sweetness of an action in your heart, suspect it, for the Lord, Exalted is He, is the Appreciative"

"The more the servant loves his Master, the less will he love other objects and they will decrease in number. The less the servant loves his Master, the more will he love other objects and they will increase in number"

"Perpetually is the servant either the recipient of a blessing from Allah, in which case he is need of gratitude; or he is the perpetrator of a sin, in which case he is in need of repentance; he is always moving from one blessing to another and is always in need of repentance"

"Sins cause harm and repentance removes the cause"

"Bearing witness to tawhid opens the door of good and repentance from sins closes the door of evil"

"The Jihad against the soul is the foundation for the Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites"

"A man will never fear something besides Allah unless it be due to a disease in his heart"

"Trials and tribulation are like feeling the heat and cold, when one knows that they cannot be avoided, he will not feel anger at their onset, nor will he be distressed or disheartened"

"The perfection of tawhid is found when there remains nothing in the heart except Allah, the servant is left loving those He loves and what He loves, hating those He hates and what He hates, showing allegiance to those He has allegiance to, showing enmity to those He shows enmity towards, ordering what He orders and prohibiting what He prohibits"

"In this world, man finds in the remembrance of Allah, praising Him and worshipping Him, a delight that is incomparable to anything else"

"The objective of asceticism is to leave all that harms the servants Hereafter and the objective of worship is to do all that will benefit his Hereafter"

"Sins are like chains and locks preventing their perpetrator from roaming the vast garden of tawhid and reaping the fruits of righteous actions"

"What can my enemies do to me? I have in my breast both my heaven and my garden. If I travel they are with me, never leaving me. Imprisonment for me is a chance to be alone with my Lord. To be killed is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey"

Source: "Diseases of the hearts & their cures"

05 February 2011

Al-Baraa Ibn Malik Al-Ansari

His hair looked dishevelled and his whole appearance was unkempt. He was thin and wiry with so little flesh on his bones that it was painful to look at him. Yet in single- handed combat he defeated and killed many opponents and in the thick of battle he was an outstanding fighter against the mushrikeen. He was so courageous and daring that Umar once wrote to his governors throughout the Islamic state that they should not appoint him to lead any army out of fear that he would have them all killed by his daring exploits. This man was al-Baraa ibn Malik al- Ansari, the brother of Anas ibn Malik, the personal aide of the Prophet.

If the tales of Baraa's heroism were to be told in detail, pages and pages could be written. But let one example suffice.

This particular story begins only hours after the death of the noble Prophet when many Arabian tribes took to leaving the religion of God in large numbers, just as they had entered it in large numbers. Within a short space of time only the people of Makkah, Madinah and Taif and scattered communities here and there, whose commitment to Islam was unwavering, remained within the religion.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, the successor to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم , stood firm against this blind and destructive movement. From the Muhajireen and Ansar, he mobilized eleven armies each under a separate commander and dispatched them to various parts of the Arabian peninsula. Their purpose was to make the apostates return to the path of guidance and truth and to confront the leaders of the rebellion.

The strongest group of apostates and the greatest in number were the Banu Hanifah among whom Musaylamah the Imposter arose, claiming that he was a prophet. Musaylamah managed to mobilize forty thousand of the best fighters among his people. Most of these however followed him for the sake of asabEyyah or tribal loyalty and not because they believed in him. One of them in fact said, "I testify that Musaylamah is an imposter and that Muhammad is true but the imposter of Rabi'ah (Musaylamah) is dearer to us than the true man of Mudar (Muhammad). "

Musaylamah routed the first army sent against him under the leadership of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl. Abu Bakr despatched another army against Musaylamah led by Khalid ibn al-Walid. This army included the cream of the Sahabah from both the Ansar and the Muhajireen. In the front ranks of this army was Baraa ibn Malik and a group of the most valiant Muslims.

The two armies met in the territory of the Banu Hanifah at Yamamah in Najd. Before long, the scale of battle tilted in favour of Musaylamah and his men. The Muslim armies began to retreat from their positions. Musaylamah's forces even stormed the tent of Khalid ibn Walid and drove him from his position. They would have killed his wife if one of them had not granted her protection.

At that point, the Muslims realised in what a perilous situation they were. They were also conscious of the fact that if they were annihilated by Musaylamah, Islam would not be able to stand as a religion and Allah with whom there is no partner would not be worshiped in the Arabian peninsula after that.

Khalid mustered his forces once more and began reorgamsing them. He separated the Muhajireen and the Ansar and kept men from different tribes apart. Each was put under the leadership of one of its own members so that the losses of each group in the battle might be known.

04 February 2011

The Night: Sufyan Ath-Thawri's favourite time

During the day, Imam Sufyan was preoccupied in a myriad of ways. He sought out knowledge, he imparted knowledge to others, he worked in order to earn a living, and so on. Most of his day time activities had one thing in common: he was around other people. In this regard , night time was different: no human eye could see him, and he could therefore concentrate with all his mind and heart on worship.

Imam Sufyan longed for and loved the solitude of the night, and he especially loved to wait for that part of the night when Allah Subu'haanahu wat'ala desends to the lowest heaven and asks, " Is there anyone who is asking for forgiveness? Is there anyone who is repenting? Is there anyone who is asking (Me for something)? Is there anyone who is supplicating (to Me)?"

Abu Yazeed Al-Ma'na said," In the morning, Sufyan Ath-Thawri would extend his legs to the wall and place his head on the ground, so that he could regain blood circulation after having spent the night standing and praying. " Yazeed ibn Thubah related that sufyan once said to him, "Iam overjoyed with coming of the night only because I can relax and know that no human eye is watching me (and I can therefore be at peace while I worship Allah.)

While a group of people were gathered together, Fudail came, stood over Sufyan's head and recited this Verse

" Say: In the bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e.,Islam and the Qur'an); -That is better than what (the wealth) they amass.(Qur'an 10:58)

"Say (O Muhammad) : He is Allah, (the) One." ( Qur'an 112:1)

Sufyaan said, "O Abu 'Alee (i.e Fudail), by Allah, we will never be able to rejoice until we take the cure of the Qur'an and place it over the disease of our hearts."

Sufyaan advised young people not to waste the time of their youth, but to spend it usefully by worshiping Allah. Muhammad ibn Yousuf said, "Sufyaan Ath-Thawri would make us stand up (to pray at night , and he would say, 'Stand up, O young people, and continue to pray throughout the years of your youth (so that you will have become accustomed to worship in your old age)."

Furthemore, sufyaan advised others on how to gain the physical strength they needed to sleep less so that they could work during the day and pray during the night. 'Uthmaan ibn Zaaidah reported that Sufyaan Ath-thawri wrote him a letter that continued this message: "If you want to maintain a healthy body, and if you want to sleep only a little, then eat only a little." Imam Sufyan followed his own advice, eating only enough to help him keep his strength, no more and no less. If someone came and asked sufyan for food, he would give him a share of his own food and keep just enough to keep his body strong enough to worship.

Source: The biography of Sufyan Ath-Thawri compiled by Salaahud-Deen ibn 'Alee ibn 'Abdul-Maujood/Translated by Faisal ibn Muhammad shafeeq.

01 February 2011

Doing without the pleasures of the world

Abu' l-Abbas as-Sa'idi said :
“A man came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and said, 'Oh Messenger of Allah! Guide me to such an action, that when I do it, Allah will love me and the people will love me. He said, be detached from this world and then Allah will love you and do not be attracted to what people have and then the people will love you".
(related by Hasan, ibn Majah kitab az-Zuhud 2/1373)

This hadith shows that Allah loves those who live simply in this life. It has been said that if having love for Allah is the best state to be in, then living simply is the best condition to be in.

Living simply means that you should restrain your desire for worldly things in the hope of receiving something better instead. In order to achieve this more easily you should first realise that the things which people yearn for in this world are infact worthless when compared with what we hope for in the next world.

If we know that what Allah has will remain and that the life to come is better and more lasting, then we realise that this world is really like a piece of ice left out in the sun - it soon melts and vanishes . The akhirah , however, essentially never vanishes. The desire one has to exchange this life for the one to come is strengthened by the certainty that there is no comparison between this life and the next.

In the Qur'an we find this world and the next world described in the following terms:

"Yes you prefer the life of this world, but the next world is better and more lasting."
(Qur’an 87:16-17)

"You desire the attractions of this world, but Allah desires the next world for you"
(Qur’an 8: 67)

“And they are happy with the life of this world, but the life of this world is small comfort compared to the next world.
(Qur’an 13:26)

The ahadith which scorn worldly goods and describe how worthless they are in the sight of Allah are many:

Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) happened to walk through the market place. Some people were gathered on either side of him. There he came across a dead goat with very short ears, of which he took hold saying,
"Who among you would like to have this for a dirham?" They said, "By Allah, not even if it were alive, because its ears are too short; and now it is also dead." Thereupon the messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, " By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the sight of Allah than this in your eyes."
(Related by Sahih Muslim, Kitab az-Zuhud 18/93)

It has been related by Ibn Shaddad al-Fahri that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,
"This world, in comparison with the world to come, is the same as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean. Consider how much you would have when you pulled it out.
(related by Sahih Muslim Kitab al-jannatu wa Na'imuha,17/191).

It has been related by Ibn Sahl ibn Sa'ad that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,
"Had the world been worth even the wing of a gnat to Allah, He would not have even given a drink of water from it to a kaffir (non-believer)."
(Related by Sahih gharib, at-Tirmidhi, Kitab az-Zuhud, 6/611).

Living simply means turning away from the things of this world because they are so worthless. You do not bother with them and remain detached from them

Yunus ibn Maisarah said, "Being detached from this world does not mean that you should forbid what Allah has permitted, nor that you should squander money. Rather, it is a state in which you are more certain of what is in the hand of Allah than you are of what is in your own hands: your state in misfortune is the same as your state at other times; your attitude towards those who quite rightly criticise you and those who quite rightly praise you is the same."

He has explained this in three stages, or stations, all of which are concerned with the heart rather than with physical action. This is why Abu Sulayman used to say that you should not call anyone a zahid (the one who practices zuhud, someone whose heart is not attached to the pleasures and distractions of this world).

The first stage is that of a servant who is more certain of what is in the hand of Allah than he is of what is in his own hands. This stage arises from a healthy and strong conviction.

Abu Hazim az Zahid was asked, "What is your wealth?" he said, "Two kinds of wealth dispel all fear of poverty trust in Allah and not being attached to what people have." He was asked, "Don't you fear poverty?" He said, "How can I fear poverty when my lord owns all that is in the heavens and on the earth and all that is between them and all that is beneath the ground?"

Al-Fudayl said. "The essence of living simply is being content with Allah Mighty and Exalted is he."

He also said, "The one who is content is the one who lives simply, and it is he who is rich."