Asserting the Greatness of the Qur'an

Allah the Exalted emphasizes the greatness of the Qur'an, its high status and of being worthy of making hearts humble and rent asunder upon hearing it, because of the true promises and sure threats that it contains,

[لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَـشِعاً مُّتَصَدِّعاً مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ]

(Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear of Allah.) If this is the case with a mountain which is hard and huge, that if it was made able to comprehend and understand this Qur'an, will feel humble and crumble from fear of Allah the Exalted, then what about you -- O mankind Why do your hearts not feel softness and humbleness from the fear of Allah, even though you understand Allah's command and comprehend His Book. This is why Allah said,

[وَتِلْكَ الاٌّمْثَـلُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ]

(Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect.) There is a Hadith of the Mutawatir grade that states that the Messenger of Allah had someone make him a Minbar. Before that, he used to stand next to a tree trunk in the Masjid to deliver speeches. So, when the Minbar was made and placed in the Masjid, the Prophet came to deliver a speech and passed the tree trunk, headed towards the Minbar, the tree trunk started weeping, just like an infant. The tree trunk missed hearing the remembrance of Allah and the revelation that were being recited next to it. In one of the narrations for this Hadith, Al Hasan Al Basri said after narrating the Hadith, "You - mankind -- are more worthy to miss the Messenger of Allah than the tree trunk!'' Likewise, this honorable Aayah asks that if the solid mountains feel humble and are rent asunder from the fear of Allah, if it heard Allah's Speech and comprehended it, what about you -- O mankind -- who heard the Qur'an and understood it Allah the Exalted said in another Aayah,

[وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآنًا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الاٌّرْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَى]

(And if there had been a Qur'an with which mountains could be moved, or the earth could be cloven asunder, or the dead could be made to speak.)(13:31) We mentioned the meaning of this Aayah as stating that, if there were a Qur'an that has these qualities, it would be this Qur'an. Allah the Exalted said in another Aayah,

[وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الأَنْهَـرُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَآءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ]

(And indeed, there are stones out of which rivers gush forth, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which split asunder so that water flows from them, and indeed, there are of them which fall down for fear of Allah.) (2:74)

Source: tafsir.com

((إن أول بيت وضع للناس للذي ببكة مباركا و هدى للعالمين))
سـورة آل عـمران ٩٦

The Ka3bah is the First House of Worship

Allah said,

[إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ]

(Verily, the first House appointed for mankind) for all people, for their acts of worship and religious rituals. They go around the House [in Tawaf], pray in its vicinity and remain in its area in I`tikaf.

[لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ]

(was that at Bakkah,) meaning, the Ka`bah that was built by Ibrahim Al-Khalil, whose religion the Jews and Christians claim they follow. However, they do not perform Hajj to the house that Ibrahim built by Allah's command, and to which he invited the people to perform Hajj. Allah said next,

[مُبَارَكاً]

(full of blessing), sanctified,

[وَهُدًى لِّلْعَـلَمِينَ]

(and a guidance for Al`Alamin.)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said; "I said, `O Allah's Messenger! Which Masjid was the first to be built on the surface of the earth' He said, `Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said, `Which was built next' He replied `Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said, `What was the period of time between building the two' He said, `Forty years.' He added,

«ثُمَّ حَيْثُ أَدْرَكْتَ الصَّلَاةَ فَصَلِّ، فَكُلُّهَا مَسْجِد»

(Wherever (you may be, and) the prayer becomes due, perform the prayer there, for the whole earth was made a Masjid.)'' Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected this Hadith.

The Names of Makkah, Such As Bakkah

Allah said,

[لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ]

(was that at Bakkah), where Bakkah is one of the names of Makkah. Bakkah means, `it brings Buka' (crying, weeping) to the tyrants and arrogant, meaning they cry and become humble in its vicinity. It was also said that Makkah was called Bakkah because people do Buka next to it, meaning they gather around it. There are many names for Makkah, such as Bakkah, Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq (the Ancient House), Al-Bayt Al-Haram (the Sacred House), Al-Balad Al-Amin (the City of Safety) and Al-Ma'mun (Security). Makkah's names include Umm Rahm (Mother of Mercy), Umm Al-Qura (Mother of the Towns), Salah, [as well as others].

Source: tafsir.com

Man's Best Kept Secret: Revealed

By: Aaron Greenwich, 17, e-mail address unknown

I'm real mad. Because ever since March 3rd 1998, I've been searching for a point in my life. That day in March, I went to this party..you know, one of those parties with high power music rockin the house, plenty of booze and endless variations of drugs, and plenty of (well, to put it mildly) shameless girls and drunk boys equals? So I guess I smoked too many joints, and I ended up in the hospital for three weeks. That gave me time to think over life.

Okay, we are born, grow older, wiser, and each of us develops our own personalities for better or worse. We all try to reach the top of the world and either we do or we spend our lives trying to. Basically we live to have more, always. Don't u see? You wake up, get dressed make yourself look good, go to school come back do your homework, have some fun and to sleep. And it never changes. All right, then u graduate and go to work or raise some kids.

But it keeps repeating. U know that saying, "History repeats itself?" It does, but then we die. Now for some reason humans spend so much time pondering over every single atom on earth except death.

I know it scares them. Why wouldn't it? It happens to everyone and no one knows why. Well, MOST people don't know why. But I do. You think all those d*** cruel people who lived on this earth (I can name millions) will get away with everything they did? And those few good will go un-rewarded?

So anyway we die. We leave behind everything. EVERYTHING. You think that the Porsche u spent your whole life trying to get is going with u? The only things that're going with u are your burial clothes and coffin, if that even. And there is one other thing, but it's unseen. Your deeds. ALLLL the things u did in this life, good and bad, go with you. And so we're in the grave. What happens to you in the grave is another story but basically your body rots. I mean your "this life" body. The body that we had for (if we are lucky) 80 years is gone and with it our doings!

Alright so you're out of the picture. Gone. Then, fellow Americans, if we are not here to live life like a party....whats the point? WHY DO WE LIVE?

Why do so many people commit suicide? Because they never had the answer to the above question. Some people know. Some. And its man's best kept secret.

I know what your thinking. "Oh god he's gonna preach us on religion." Not exactly ;)

It's a WAY OF LIFE, and what if I told u its called ISLAM? I'm Christian. But Christianty is a RELIGION not a WAY OF LIFE. 80% of Americans are "Christians", but sad to say, look at them. Homosexuality, suicide, drugs, adultery, even among their own preachers is common. I should know.

The old pastor at my church got kicked out for molesting a child. I'm not attacking anyone. I'm saying the facts. Besides that, it doesn't make sense. Neither do the other million "religions" found on this earth. They all claim to be simple religions, usually claiming belief in one god.

But they are lacking in on truth, the facts.

Alright, Aaron get on to your point. Sure. What was my 1st sentence? I'm real mad. Why? Cause everyone knows about Islam. And they ignore it, hide it. Why did I learn everything in school except Islam? From Greek God sh** to Buddha.

If u read one verse of Islam's book you will believe me. Guaranteed. Because it is the Truth. And its man's best-kept secret. They hide it because it reminds them of the TRUE PURE REAL point of life....They want us to be just like them, monsters in disgiuse, filthy, do every sin under the sun and call it a "life". I will not fall again into that trap most of us fell into. I have a life. I have Islam.

I'm sorry Jean, Dad and mostly Gramps, a pious Christian who tried to change my views. Im stepping down from my old way of life AND my old religion. I started this letter as a Christian but I end it as a Muslim.

"I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the last messenger."

Always,
Aaron

pen-marks.blogspot.com جزاك الله الجنة

جزاء المؤمنين والمؤمنات في الآخرة



44:51. Verily! The Muttaqun, will be in place of Security(Paradise).

44:52. Among Gardens and Springs;

What is their situation like?

44:53. Dressed in fine silk and (also) in thick silk, facing each other,

44:54. So (it will be), and We shall marry them to Houris (female fair ones) with wide, lovely eyes

Some of the sisters ask: don’t we have 7ooral 3ayn in Paradise?

Ali ibn Abi Taalib, radiallahu 3anh, says: Verily, the righteous woman (of this world) in Paradise will be more beautiful than 70.000 Hooris. And know (O sister) that on the day of Judgment if Allah has described them with beauty that has never before existed and unlike you, they do not get up for Qiyamul Layl, or fast, or be insulted/degraded for wearing the 7ijaab and be patient as you have done, and she hasn’t lowered her gaze as you have done. Whatever her situation was of trials, she hasn’t remained patient, for she has been created in Jannah. So how about you since Allah has heard your tears in the night and has seen your fast during the day and has heard your du3a and your tears and has seen the trials around you whilst you hold your Nafs. No doubt your situation is far greater than hers..

44:55. They will call therein for every kind of fruit in peace and security;

44:56. They will never taste death therein except the first death (of this world), and He will save them from the torment of the blazing Fire,

44:57. As a Bounty from your Lord! That will be the supreme success!

I ask Allah Ta3aala to make us all of those who are al Muttaqeen and to gather us also of those who are al Mutaqqeen as Saabiqeen now in jannaatin wa 3oyoon.

May Allahs peace and blessings be upon Mohammad

Intention to do good deeds

What should one's intention be while commiting a good deed? Should one commit a good deed for the sake of Allah and the Holy Prophet , should one commit his good deed for the sake of Allah and out of love of the Holy Prophet or his Sunnah, or should one commit a good deed for the sake of Allah alone?

Praise be to Allah.

When doing acts of worship, they should be done sincerely and purely for the sake of Allah alone, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As Salaah (Iqaamat as Salaah) and give Zakaah, and that is the right religion”

[al Bayyinah:5]

“And who has (in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back,

Except to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High”

[al Layl:19-20]

And the Prophet (salla Allaho 3alaihi wasallam) said: “Allah does not accept any deed except that which is done only for Him and to seek His Countenance.”

Narrated by an Nasaa’i, 3140; classed as saheeh by al Albaani in aSilsilah aSaheehah, 52.

Think about what Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Would that they were contented with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and had said: “Allah is Sufficient for us. Allaah will give us of His Bounty, and so will His Messenger (from alms). We implore Allah (to enrich us)”

[at Tawbah:59]

Note how this verse ascribes the giving to Allah and His Messenger, and sufficiency to Allah alone. The verse does not say “Allah and His Messenger are sufficient for us”. And it describes the imploring as being to Allah alone, as He said, “We implore Allah”, and does not say “we implore Allaah and His Messenger.” This is like the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So when you have finished (your occupation), devote yourself for Allah’s worship.

And to your Lord (Alone) turn (all your) intentions and hopes”

[al Inshiraah:7-8]

See Zaad al Ma’aad, 1/36

So worship should be devoted to Allah alone; it is not permissible to do any act of worship with the intention of drawing closer to any created being.

With regard to loving the Prophet (salla Allaho 3alaihi wasallam), that means following him and venerating him, not by worshipping him.

Worship can only be acceptable to Allah if it meets two conditions:

1 – It is done sincerely for Allah alone

2 – It follows the Sunnah of Prophet (salla Allaho 3alaihi wasallam) and is in accordance with his sharee’ah.

These two conditions are indicated by the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord”

[al Kahf:110]

Ibn Katheer (ra7imahullah) said: “ ‘Let him work righteousness’ means, that which is in accordance with the laws of Allah. ‘And associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord’ means, worship in which he seeks the Countenance of Allah alone, with no partner or associate.’ These are the basis of acceptable deeds: it must be sincerely for the sake of Allah alone, and correct according to the sharee’ah of the Messenger of Allah (salla Allaho 3alaihi wasallam).”

So when you worship you must seek the Countenance of Allaah alone, and strive to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (salla Allaho 3alaihi wasallam). We ask Allah to help us to do righteous deeds.

And Allah knows best.

IslamQA

Shaitaan's 7 strategies

Imaam Ibn al Qayyim, ra7imahullah, said: ‘Shaitan tries to destroy the son of Adam in one of seven phases. Some of them are more intense than others. Shaitan would not try to destroy him in the next phase until he fails to destroy him in a previous one. These phases are:

1st Phase: The phase of disbelief in Allah, His Deen, His perfect attributes, and in what the Prophet,, informed us about, and the fact that we will be resurrected. If Shaitan is successful in misleading the slave in this phase, his enmity towards him would diminish and he would take rest. If the slave succeeds, and survives in this phase, Shaitan would try to destroy him in the next phase.

2nd Phase: The phase of Bid’ah (religious innovation); whether it pertains to believing in other than the truth which the Messenger,, was sent with or by worshipping other than Allah; such as worshipping idols, and the like. Shaitan enjoys that one succumbs in this phase, for Bid’ah conflicts with the nature of the Deen and compels one to reject it. Furthermore, the one who observes innovated religious practices would not repent from his actions; rather, he would invite people to his Bid’ah! Observing innovated religious practices would compel one to forge lies against Allah and speak without knowledge; thus it openly clashes with the Sunnah. Observing minor Bid’ah practices would lead one to observing major Bid’ah practices. In this manner, a person would eventually exit the folds of Islam. Scholars and people of knowledge alone know the real dangers of Bid’ah practices. If a person succeeds and survives in this phase by adhering to the Sunnah, and understanding its texts as the Pious Predecessors understood them, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

3rd Phase: The phase of major sins. If he is able to destroy the slave in this phase, he would beautify the deed that he is doing and probably compel him to say the following: ‘No sin would harm the Tawheed (creedal belief) as no good deed would benefit a man who has committed Shirk (i.e. to associate partners with Allah).’ If the person is successful and survives this phase, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

4th Phase: The phase of minor sins. Shaitan would compel a person to belittle these sins, by whispering to him: ‘There is no fear upon you as long as you keep away from major sins “do you not know that the minor sins are expiated by abstaining from major sins?’ In this manner, Shaitan would convince the individual that there is no harm in doing minor sins, until he regularly practices it. The person who has done a major sin, and has repented and is fearful of what he has done, would be better off than him; for regularly doing a minor sin would change it to a major sin! Constant repentance eliminates major sins; and on the same token, no minor sin remains a minor sin if one does it constantly. The Prophet,, said: ‘Beware of minor sins; its likeness is like a people who stopped over in a valley, they spread out in search of fire wood, and each brought a stick; they were able to make a fire and cooked their bread. Whenever a person practices a minor sin regularly it would destruct him.’(Ahmad #22860) If the slave succeeds and survives in this phase, by being careful and repenting continuously to Allah, and observing righteous deeds, Shaitan seeks to destroy him in the next phase.

5th Phase: Satan entices the individual to excessively indulge in lawful things in order to keep him away from worshipping Allah. In this manner, Satan aims to make one abandon Sunnah practices, and later lead him to abandoning the obligatory practices. If the slave succeeds and survives in this phase by understanding the greatness of the acts of worship, he would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

6th Phase: The phase of busying the slave with deeds which are less rewarding. Shaitan encourages the slave to observe certain acts of worship and beautifies them to him, and shows him the great reward of doing those acts of worship in order to keep him away from deeds which are more beneficial and rewarding. When Shaitan fails to mislead the slave, he tries to deprive him from receiving the full reward; therefore, he busies him with lesser rewarding deeds.

7th Phase: If Shaitan fails in the above six phases, he would resort to harming the person in any way possible; by summoning his men and followers and riling them against this individual. The Prophets and Messengers were not left unharmed by this. One should bear patiently, for victory and success are tied with patience.”

source: islamnewcastle.wordpress.com

I often see in chat rooms pages that are just for condolences on the death of one of the relatives of the member in the chat room. What is your opinion?

Praise be to Allah.

It seems to us that it is permissible to announce the death in a chat room of one of its members or one of his relatives for the purpose of receiving condolences and so that people may pray for mercy if it is the member who is deceased, or offer condolences to the one who has lost a family member. This does not come under the heading of the kind of death announcements that are forbidden, so long as it is free from exaggeration in praising the deceased and it does not involve the forbidden matter for which those scholars who forbade it, forbade making announcements in newspapers, namely undue expenses.

Shaykh ‘Abd al Azeez ibn Baaz (ra7matullahi 3alayh) was asked:

What is the ruling on offering condolences in newspapers? Is it regarded as a kind of death announcement that is forbidden?

He replied:

That does not come under the heading of death announcements that are forbidden, although not doing it is preferable, because it costs a lot of money.

Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 13/408.

There are interests to be served by announcing the death before the burial such as: supplication may be offered for mercy for him and for him to be made steadfast during the questioning in the grave; the numbers of good people who offered a funeral prayer for him can be increased; the grief of his family may be reduced by these who are close to him. As for announcing the death after the burial, interests are also served by this, among the most important of which are: condolences to the member who has lost one of his family or one of his relatives.

Among the evidence which points to the principle that we have mentioned here, which is that it is permissible to announce the death of a Muslim, especially before the burial, without any exaggeration in praise of the deceased, is the fact that the Prophet (salla Allaho 3alaihi wasallam) announced the death of the Negus, the King of Abyssinia.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu 3anh) said: the Messenger of Allah (salla Allaho 3alaihi wasallam) announced to us the death of the Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia, on the day on which he died, and he said: “Pray for forgiveness for your brother.”

Al Bukhaari (1263) and Muslim (951).

In the hadeeth there is a mention of the deceased so that others are encouraged to pray for him as he deserves and to offer the funeral prayer for him, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer in absentia with his companions.

Ibn Qudaamah (ra7matullahi 3alayh) said:

Al Kharqi said, it is recommended to offer condolences to the family of the deceased.

We do not know of any difference of opinion concerning this matter.

The purpose behind offering condolences is to console the family that has been bereaved, to fulfil their rights and to draw closer to them; the need for that after the burial is the same as the need for it before the burial.

Al Mughni, 2/408

Al Nawawi (ra7matullahi 3alayh) said:

It should be noted that offering condolences is recommended before the burial and afterwards.

al Adhkaar, p. 148, 149.

There is no specific time for offering condolences and no specific place. Simply announcing a death in a chat room is not contrary to any text or any of the aims of sharee’ah.

The Scholars of the Standing Committee said: there is no specific time or place for offering condolences.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 9/134.

For more details please see the answer to question number 119130.

For information on the haraam type of kind of death announcements, and that simply announcing the death is permissible in and of itself, and for information on the words of the scholars and what they quoted as evidence of the hadeeth about the Negus and others, please see the answer to question number 60008.

And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A