Thus, what is Islam? How does one become a Muslim?

Every creed, whether it is based on truth or falsehood; every society, good or bad and even every party, whether its intentions are noble or not, operates on the basis of certain principles and percepts that define their goal and chart out their course of action. These principles and precepts are put together in the form of a constitution that guides all members and followers.

Whoever wants to become a member of such an organization will, at the outset, study its principles and guidelines. If he finds that they satisfy his conscious thinking and subconscious mind, and believes in their ultimate validity, then he will apply for membership to that organization. Thus, he becomes one of its members and supporters. From then on, he has to obey its laws, to pay the membership fee, and prove in due course his sincerity to the principles and precepts of the organization. This means that he has to remind himself of those principles and avoid doing anything that contradicts them. In fact, he has to set the best example of one who adheres to those principles and as an ardent supporter of them, in word and in deed.

Thus, membership to a society means:
Knowledge about its system;
Adherence to its regulations;

To conduct oneself in everyday life in accordance with those principles and regulations.


These are accepted conventions which are all applicable to Islam. Whoever wants to embrace Islam has to, at the outset accept its intellectual principles firmly and fully. He will thus have developed the faith in himself.

The principles that he has to accept can be briefly stated as follows:

This material world is not the be-all and end-all of existence and this worldly life is only a stage of life.
Man existed even before he was born and will continue to exist after death: he did not create himself but he had been created before he could know himself.

The inanimate objects around him did not create him because he is a rational being whereas they are not.

Everything in this universe has been created from nothingness by one God, Allah the Al-mighty.

Allah, subhanahu watala, is the only One Who grants life and causes death. It is He Who has created everything, and if He wishes He will destroy and obliterate it.

Allah (SWT) has no resemblance with any of His creation. He is the infinitely pre-existent, the eternal, the omnipotent and the omniscient.

He is fully just and His justice cannot be assessed on the norms of human justice.

It is He Who has laid down the rules, which we call the laws of nature.

He has created everything according to a well-defined measure since eternity. Thus, all the phenomena of activity and inactivity, consistency and inconsistency that take place in animate and inanimate beings have been clearly defined and demarcated.

Man has been bestowed with the power of intellect with which he can think and decide on whatever matters that are subject to his disposal and he has been granted the power of reasoning with which he can make his own choice and will-power by which he can achieve what he wants.

Allah, (SWT) has created an eternal life beyond this temporary life, wherein the welldoers will be rewarded with a life in paradise and the evildoers will be punished and exist in Hell-fire.

This God is one only: Allah. He has no partner to be worshipped with Him; no intermediary can take us nearer to Him to plead on our behalf without His permission. Thus, He and only He is to be worshipped in all sincerity and purity.
He has created all the material beings that we can see and feel. He has also created unseen beings, some animate and others inanimate, which we cannot see. Among the unseen beings are the angels, who have been created for absolute good, and then, the Satans, who have been created as totally evil beings. Apart from these, there is a third category of unseen beings who have in them both the elements of good and evil; they are at once virtuous and wicked i.e. the Jinn. And from amongst human beings Allah (SWT) selects certain people to whom the Shari'a is revealed so that they can guide humanity to it. Such people are the Prophets and Messengers.

This Shari'a is contained in all the books revealed from the Heavens. Every successive book abrogates or amends the preceding book; the Holy Qur'an is the last of these books. All the books that preceded it were either distorted or got lost and forgotten. The Holy Qur'an has remained intact.

The last of these Prophets is Muhammad Ibn ‘Abullah, an Arab of the Quraish tribe. With him came an end to all the Divine Messages and Religions. There is no Prophet after him.

The Holy Qur'an is the constitution of Islam. Whoever endorses the fact that it is has been revealed by Allah and believes in completely is a Mu'min (believer). Iman in this sense is something that can only be seen by Allah the Almighty because human beings cannot penetrate into human hearts and know what is in them. Therefore it is essential, in order to be accepted in the fold of Islam, that one should declare his faith by pronouncing the two statements of faith, namely ‘I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger. The moment one pronounces this statement of faith, he/she becomes a Muslim, who is entitled to all the rights enjoyed by Muslims and he also agrees to perform all the duties enjoined upon him by Islam.

These duties are the prescribed forms of worship. They are only a few and easy to perform and do not require much effort nor exertion. They are as follows:

First: One has to perform the prescribed Salah at Dawn-2 Rak'as, Midday-4, Later afternoon-4, After sunset-3, and at night-4 Rak'as during which one has communion with his Lord. One asks for His goodness and seeks refuge in Him from His punishment. Before offering Salah one has to perform Wudu (washing of the hands up to the elbows, face, rubbing head and washing feet) or take a bath if he is in a state of ritual impurity.

These are the obligatory times of Salah (prayers), the performing of which will not, on the whole, take more than half an hour everyday. There is no particular place or person required for the performance of Salah neither does it need any intermediary between a Muslim and his Lord.

Second: In the month of Ramadan of every year, Muslims have to change their normal daily routine of meals: breakfast is eaten before dawn and then meal is taken after sunset, and during the day they abstain from food and water and sexual intercourse. It is the month of self-purification for every Muslim in body and soul. It is also the month which represents the human desire to do good, to be generous and to reflect the brotherhood of man in the material life.

Third: A Muslim has to render 2.5% of his wealth as Zakah to the poor and needy. He has to do this yearly whenever a certain amount of saved money remained with him after his own needs and those of his family have been met. This financial support comes as a great source of comfort to the poor, the sick and the needy. It thus helps to alleviate poverty and to establish a form of social security.

Fourth: Islam has devised certain periodical gatherings for Muslims. Every day they get together five times in order to offer Salah in a congregation. This gathering is similar to a quarter meeting, which is held five times a day like school teaching hours. That is the congregational Salah through which Muslims can reap the reward of virtue.

There is no disruption of work for anyone, whatever the career. Those who miss the congregation, can offer Salah at home even though they will deprive themselves of the reward of performing Salah in a congregation.

Then there is the weekly congregation on Fridays for Jum'a Salah. It lasts less than one hour and it is compulsory for all male Muslims to attend.

Besides the above, there are mass congregations held twice a year on the occasion of the Two Eids. Attendance is not compulsory and they last less than an hour.

Finally, there is the annual world congregation known as Hajj. It is a kind of mammoth public gathering, held once a year in a certain place and time. This congregation, in fact, provides guidance in all aspects: spiritual, physical and intellectual. A Muslim is required to partake in it only once in his lifetime if he can afford.

These are the acts of ‘Ibadah enjoined upon every Muslim, male or female.

Apart from the above, abstention from certain action is also considered as ‘Ibadah. These are actions which are deployed by all sensible people and condemned as evil actions. They are such as: killing without a valid reason, encroachment and aggression on others; all forms of injustice, all intoxicants which affect the brain, Zina, since it destroys honour and dignity and violates the sanctioned forms of blood relationship; Riba, utterance of lies cheating, betrayal and deserting military service which seeks to further the cause of Allah; and above all, disobedience to one's parents and making false oath and producing false witness. These are some of the vile deeds that are condemned by all sensible persons.

However, if a Muslim fails to do some of his duties or commits some actions that are not permissible, and then, repents and seeks pardon from Allah, verily He will pardon him. But, if he does not repent, he shall still be considered a Muslim–but a disobedient one who will be punished in the next world. This punishment will however, be only temporary and will not be equal to that of a Kafir.

As for a Muslim who denies some of the basic beliefs of Islam or expresses doubts regarding them, or refuses to perform a duty enjoined upon him and ignores Islamic regulations, or even renounces one single word of the Holy Qur'an, he will be considered as an apostate deprived of his Islamic identity. Apostasy is a crime in Islam. It is like the crime of high treason in contemporary law. And the punishment for it is death if the apostate does not give up his wrong beliefs and repent.

A Muslim may not perform some of the duties or he may commit some impermissible acts but if he acknowledges what is enjoined upon him and what is not permissible for him, he will still continue to be a Muslim i.e. a disobedient Muslim. As regards faith, it is something to be accepted in totality and therefore a denial of any aspect (of it) is deemed as a denial of the whole. Thus, if one accepts 99% of the faith and refuses 1%, one is considered a Kafir.

A Muslim may be a hypocrite like a person who joins a political party or a society, attends its meetings, duly pays the subscriptions and does all that is required of a member, but refuses its principles and remains unconvinced. He has joined the party only for the purpose of spying or creating disorder in that organization. Such a Muslim is a hypocrite. He pronounces the two statements of faith. Hypocrisy is defined as: outward profession of the faith and concealment of disbelief. He also performs the forms of ‘Ibadah but remains unconvinced about them in his inner self. Such a person has no salvation from Allah's punishment although, in our eyes, he may be considered a Muslim. People judge the outward appearances whereas Allah the Almighty alone is aware of what is hidden in the hearts and innermost beings.

The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: "A hypocrite can be recognized in three ways: failure to keep his promise, lying and betraying anyone's trust".

If a person believes in the intellectual principles of Islam, he becomes a true Muslim. And these intellectual principles are:

-Having sheer belief in the Tawhid;

-Belief in the Revealed Books;

-Belief in Prophets and Messengers;

-Belief in the hereafter;

-Belief in Destiny;

-Expression of the two statements of Faith;

-Performance of the obligatory Salah;

-Fasting in the month of Ramadan;

-Payment of Zakah;

-Performance of Hajj;

-Abstention from all that is forbidden by Muslim consensus. But he will not reap the fruits of Iman nor be blessed by its bounty or be a complete Muslim unless he adapts the life style of a true Muslim.

Our Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihi Wasallam) has summed up the characteristics of a true Muslim in one eloquent sentence which states the essence of faith and action in a nutshell: "You should worship Allah as though He is watching you: If you do not see Him, He sees you". This is the essence of Islam. It enjoins upon every Muslim to be God-conscious in all his actions, seen or unseen, serious or non-serious. Verily Allah (SWT), is watching us constantly and is aware of our every move. Therefore, every person who is God-conscious will not embark on any act of disobedience nor will he despair because he will realize that Allah is with him. Thus, a person who is fortified with such a consciousness will not cringe for help from anybody, because he will ask of Allah what he needs. And if a person commits an act of disobedience to Allah – it is human nature to disobey–he shall repent his action and Allah will pardon him.

Introducing Islam

The name of this religion is Islam, the root of which, Silm or Salam, means peace. Salam is also part of the greeting of peace among Muslims.

I. Islam and Muslims

The name of this religion is Islam, the root of which, Silm or Salam, means peace. Salam is also part of the greeting of peace among Muslims. In addition, one of the beautiful names of God is As-Salam, meaning "The Peace". The word, however, means much more than just "peace". It means submission to the One God, as well as to live in harmony with other people and with the environment. A Muslim is, therefore, any person, anywhere in the world, whose obedience, allegiance and loyalty are to God, Lord of the Universe, and who strives to live in accordance with God's laws.

II. Muslims and Arabs

The followers of Islam are called Muslims. We should not confuse Muslims with Arabs. Muslims may be Arabs, or they may be Turks, Persians, Indians, Pakistanis, Indonesians, Europeans, Africans, Americans, Chinese, or any other nationality. Islam is not limited to any nationality or race.

Arabs, also, are not limited to only one religion. An Arab may be a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian, an atheist, or part of any other belief system. Any person who adopts the Arab language as his or her mother tongue is called an Arab.

While there are over one billion Muslims in the world, there are about 200 million Arabs, among whom about ten percent are not Muslim. Thus, Arab Muslims constitute only about twenty percent of the Muslim population of the world.

The language of the Qur'an, the Holy Book of Islam, is Arabic. Muslims all over the world try to learn Arabic so that they may be able to read the Qur'an and understand its meaning. They pray in the language of the Qur'an, but supplications to God may be in any language.

III. Allah, the One and the Only God

Allah is the name of the One and Only God. Allah has ninety-nine beautiful names, such as: The Gracious, The Merciful, The Beneficent, The Creator, The All-Knowing, The All-Wise, The Lord of the Universe, The First, The Last, and many others.

He is the Creator of all human beings. He is the God for the Christians, the Jews, the Muslims, the Buddhists, the Hindus and all others, including those who do not even believe in Him. Muslims worship God, and put their trust in Him as they seek His help and guidance.

IV. Muhammad

Muhammad was chosen by God to deliver His Message of Peace, namely Islam. He was born in 570 C.E. (Common Era) in Makkah, Arabia. He was entrusted with the Message of Islam when he was at the age of forty years. The revelation that he received is called the Qur'an, while the message is called Islam.

Muhammad is the very last Prophet of God to mankind. He is the final Messenger of God. His message was and still is to all of mankind, including the Christians and Jews. He was sent to those religious people to inform them about the true mission of Jesus, Moses, David, Jacob, Isaac and Abraham.

Muhammad is considered to be the summation and culmination of all the prophets and messengers that came before him. He purified the previous messages from adulteration and completed the Message of God for all humanity. He was entrusted with the power of explaining, interpreting and living the teachings of the Qur'an.

V. Sources of Islam

The legal sources of Islam are the Qur'an and the Hadith. The Qur'an is the exact words of God; its authenticity, originality and totality are intact. The Hadith are the reports of the sayings, deeds and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet's sayings and deeds are called Sunnah. The Seerah is the writings of followers of Muhammad about the life of the Prophet. Hence, it is the life history of the Prophet Muhammad which provides examples of daily living for Muslims.

VI. Some Islamic Principles

A. Oneness of God
He is One and the Only One. He is not two in one or three in one. This means that Islam rejects the idea of trinity or such a unity of God which implies more than one God in one.

B. Oneness of mankind
People are created equal in front of the Law of God. There is not superiority of one race over another. God made us of different colors, nationalities, languages and beliefs so as to test who is going to be better than others. No one can claim that he is better than others. It is only God Who knows who is better. It depends on piety and righteousness.

C. Oneness of Messengers and the Message
Muslims believe that God sent different messengers throughout the history of mankind. All came with the same message and the same teachings. It was the people who misunderstood and misinterpreted them. Muslims believe in Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad. The Prophets of Christianity and Judaism are indeed the Prophets of Islam.

D. Angels and the Day of Judgment
Muslims believe that there are unseen creatures such as angels created by God in the universe for special missions. Muslims believe that there is a Day of Judgment when all people of the world throughout the history of mankind till the last Day of life on earth, are to be brought for accounting, reward and punishment.

E. Innocence of Man at Birth
Muslims believe that people are born free of sin. It is only after they reach the age of puberty and it is only after they commit sins that they are to be charged for their mistakes. No one is responsible for or can take responsibility for the sins of others. However, the door of forgiveness through true repentance is always open.

F. State and Religion
Muslims believe that Islam is a total and a complete way of life. It encompasses all aspects of life. As such, the teachings of Islam do not separate religion from politics. As a matter of fact, state and religion are under the obedience of Allah through the teachings of Islam. Hence, economic and social transactions, as well as educational and political systems, are a part of the teachings of Islam.

VII. Practices of Islam

God instructed the Muslims to practice what they believe in. In Islam there are five pillars:

A. Creed (Shahadah)
The verbal commitment and pledge that there is only One God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God, is considered to be the Creed of Islam.

B. Prayers (Salat)
The performance of the five daily prayers is required of Muslims.

C. Fasting (Saum)
Fasting is total abstinence from food, liquids and intimate relations from dawn to sunset during the entire month of Ramadan.

D. Purifying Tax (Zakat)
This is an annual payment of a certain percentage of a Muslim's property, which is distributed among the poor or other rightful beneficiaries.

E. Pilgrimage (Hajj)
The performance of pilgrimage to Makkah is required once in a lifetime if the means are available. Hajj is, in part, a memorial to the trials and tribulations of Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and his eldest son, Prophet Ishmael.

VIII. Other Related Aspects

A. Calendar
Islamic practices are based on the lunar calendar. However, Muslims also use the Gregorian calendar in their daily religious lives. Hence, the Islamic calendar includes both the common era and the migration (Hijra) year of the Prophet of Islam from Makkah to Madinah in the year of 623 C.E.

B. Celebrations (Eid)
Muslims have two celebrations (Eid): the Eid of Sacrifice and the Eid of Fast-breaking. The Eid of Sacrifice is in remembrance of the sacrifice to have been made by Prophet Abraham of his son. The Eid of Fast-breaking comes at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

C. Diets
Islam allows Muslims to eat everything which is good for the health. It restricts certain items such as pork and its byproducts, alcohol and any narcotic or addictive drugs.

D. Place of Worship
The place of worship is called the Mosque or Masjid. There are three holy places of worship for the Muslims on the world. These are the Mosque of the Kaabah in Makkah, the Mosque of Prophet Muhammad in Madinah, and Masjid Aqsa, adjacent to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

A Muslim may pray anywhere in the world, whether in a Mosque, a house, an office, or outside. The whole world is a place of worship. It is preferable that Muslims pray in a congregation, but he/she may pray individually anywhere.

E. Holiday
The holy day of the Muslims is Friday. It is considered to be sacred, and the Day of Judgment will take place on Friday. Muslims join together shortly after noon on Friday for the Friday congregational prayer in a Mosque. A leader (Imam) gives a sermon (khutbah) and leads the congregational prayer.

F. Distribution of Muslims in North America
There are approximately seven million Muslims in North America and are distributed all around the continent, including major cities.

G. Contributions in North America
Muslims are now established in North America. The Sears Tower and John Hancock buildings in Chicago were designed by a Muslim chief architect, Fazlur Rahman, originally from Bangladesh. Muslims have established academic institutions, community centers and organizations, schools and places of worship. They live in peace and harmony among themselves and among other groups of people in the society. The rate of crime among Muslims is very minimal. Muslims in North America are highly educated and have added to the success of American scientific and technological fields.

The Muslims of the early period of the Islamic era were pioneers in medicine, geography, navigation, arts, poetry, mathematics, algebra, logarithms, calculus, etc. They contributed to the Renaissance of Europe and world civilization.

IX. Non-Muslims

Muslims are required to respect all those who are faithful and God conscious people, namely, those who received messages. Christians and Jews are called People of the Book. Muslims are asked to call upon the People of the Book for common terms, namely, to worship One God, and to work together for the solutions of the many problems in the society.

Christians and Jews lived peacefully with Muslims throughout centuries in the Middle East and other Asian and African countries. The second Caliph, Umar, did not pray in the church in Jerusalem so as not to give the Muslims an excuse to take it over. Christians trusted the Muslims, and as such, the key of the Church in Jerusalem is still in the hands of Muslims.

Jews fled from Spain during the Inquisition, and they were welcomed by the Muslims. They settled in the heart of the Islamic Caliphate. They enjoyed positions of power and authority.

Throughout the Muslim World, churches, synagogues and missionary schools were built within the Muslim neighborhoods. These places were protected by Muslims even during the contemporary crises in the Middle East.

If ONLY .....

If ONLY

Hearts had DOORS and Souls had KEYS

If ONLY

PEACE knew NOT WAR knew NOT DISEASE

If ONLY

DREAMS had PURPOSE DREAMS had MEANING

If ONLY

WORK was a PASSION a WEANING

If ONLY

NATIONS opened up their BORDERS opened up their SEAS

If ONLY

the DEAF could HEAR and the BLIND could SEE

If ONLY

WONDERS were in our AGE not MAKES of TECHNOLOGY

If ONLY

WONDERS would awake within us PARABLES and ANALOGIES

If ONLY

PARENTHOOD was an IDEAL a SOUGHT AFTER CAREER

If ONLY

HOPE had an AGENT a PIONEER

If ONLY

GLORY had an AUTHOR who wrote; “HE RECEIVED THE MERITS of GLORY; FOR LOOKING AFTER HIS AGING MOTHER”

If ONLY

MARRIAGE was PRISON BREAK a Release

If ONLY

MARRIAGE was a GARDEN of MYSTIQUE

If ONLY

WISDOM was an ART a MASTERPIECE

If ONLY

WISDOM knew more POETS then PRODIGIES

If ONLY

TERMS were REINVENTED REVERSED

If ONLY

RELIGIOUS was a SLOGAN of the YOUTH

If ONLY

every HIGH SCHOOL KID had a plan

If ONLY

TO PLEASE ALLAH THE RAHMAN…..

Fateha and Esaale Sawaab is permissible in Islam

1. All the Ulama-e-Haq and the Buzrugaan-e-Deen hold the belief that to send Esaale Sawaab to the souls of the deceased is permissible.

2. It is permissible for a Muslim to send the Sawaab of his deeds, such a Salaah, Saum, Zakaah, Hajj, Sadaqa, etc. to others. (Hidaya)

3. If a person kept Fast, performed his or her Salaah, or gave Sadaqa and then sent this Sawaab to another person, either living or deceased, then to do so is permissible, and that Sawaab reaches the said person. (Bahrur Raa'iq)

4. Hazrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) asked the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam): "If we send Sawaab to the deceased, give Sadaqa and Khayraat and ask Du'a for them, does this reach them?" The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Verily it reaches them. Read Salaah for them as you read for yourself and fast for them as you fast for yourself. In other words, make Esaale Sawaab of Salaah and Saum for them." The meaning of this Hadith Shareef is that we should send the Sawaab of our actions to the deceased, since in reality one cannot perform Salaah and keep fast for another person or on his behalf, but we can send the Sawaab of our actions to them.

5. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) has stated: "On the Days of Eid, the 10th of Muharram, the first Friday of Rajab, on Shabbe Baraat, and on Thursday nights, the souls of the deceased are left free to go to their homes, wherein they go and ask for Sadaqa and Khayraat. If they do not receive any Du'a or Fateha, then they return to their graves saddened and disappointed and they say, 'O Allah! They have deprived us, You deprive them'".

6. The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) as said: "When a person passes away and the family of the deceased gives Sadaqa, Khayraat and makes Du'a for him, then Sayyiduna Jibraeel (alaihis salaam) takes it to them in their graves on a tray that is beautifully decorated. When they receive this, they become so pleased as if someone in the world becomes pleased on receiving a gift, and his neighbour who has not received any Sawaab becomes sad".

7. Hazrat Sa'ad ibn Ubaadah (radi Allahu anhu) once came to the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and said: "Ya Rasoolallah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)! My mother has passed away. What can I do for Esaale Sawaab?" The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Prepare a well for water". When the well was prepared, Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) went close to the well and made Du'a: "This is for the Esaale Sawaab for the mother of Saad". While making this Du'a, he raised his hands high, and after Du'a, he turned his hands over his blessed face.

8. For those who object to Fateha and Du'a, the following is for their perusal:-

8.1 It is allowed to make Du'a in front of the Niyaz (offering), as this is what the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) did by coming close to the well to make Du'a.

8.2 It is allowed to lift up the hands for Du'a and to end the Du'a by turning the hands over the face.

8.3 It is preferable to call a pious person to make the Du'a.

8.4 To make Fateha on Niyaz is allowed. If it were not, then the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) would not have made Du'a near the water, but would have said that the intention was sufficient.

8.5 For the person to obtain the Sawaab, it is not necessary to feed the Niyaz first, but Du'a can be made before this since the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) made Du'a even before any person drank out of the well.

9. Whosoever makes Khatam of the Holy Quran and then makes Du'a, 4 000 Angels say Aameen on his Du'a. They then continue making Du'a for him and they continue asking blessings for him until the morning or afternoon. (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan)

10. At the time of Khatam Shareef, there is a flow of mercy and to make Du'a after completing the Quran is Mustahab.

11. When Hazrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) used to complete the Holy Quran, then he would call all his family and friends and make Du'a. (Jila'ul Afhaam)

12. When making Fateha, one should follow the proceedure of the pious Saints. When making the Fateha, send the Sawaab to the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), the pious servants, the Companions, and then through their blessing, ask for it to be sent to the soul of the deceased. This is the prescribed method, and this is the method that the Ahle Sunnah has always followed.

13. By making Esaale Sawaab, it gives comfort to the deceased, pleases them, saves them from the torment of the grave, elevates their status and causes benefit to the sender as well as the receiver.

(Islamic Academy)

Auliya Allah - Friends of Allah (Azzo Jal)

TYPES OF Auliya (Friends, Protectors, Helpers, Supporters) According to Quran and Sunnah:

"O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as 'Auliya' (friends, protectors, helpers etc.), they are but 'Auliya' to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as 'Auliya' then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)." 5:51

"O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists, etc.) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism, this Qur'ân, and Muhammad ), and have driven out the Messenger (Muhammad ) and yourselves (from your homeland) because you believe in Allâh your Lord! If you have come forth to strive in My Cause and to seek My Good Pleasure, (then take not these disbelievers and polytheists, etc., as your friends). You show friendship to them in secret, while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. And whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far) astray, (away) from the Straight Path. 60, 1.

"Should they gain the upper hand over you, they would behave to you as enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil, and they desire that you should disbelieve". 60, 2.

"Neither your relatives nor your children will benefit you on the Day of Resurrection (against Allâh). He will judge between you. And Allâh is the All-Seer of what you do". 60, 3.

Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhim (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allâh Alone," except the saying of Ibrâhim (Abraham) to his father: "Verily, I will ask for forgiveness (from Allâh) for you, but I have no power to do anything for you before Allâh ." Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return, 60, 4.

Certainly, there has been in them an excellent example for you to follow, for those who look forward to (the Meeting with) Allâh (for the reward from Him) and the Last Day. And whosoever turn away, then verily, Allâh is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all Praise. 60, 6.

Perhaps Allâh will make friendship between you and those whom you hold as enemies. And Allâh has power (over all things), and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 60, 7.

Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity. 60, 8.

It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allâh forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are the Zâlimûn (wrongdoers those who disobey Allâh). 60,9

O you who believe! Take not as friends the people who incurred the Wrath of Allâh (i.e. the Jews). Surely, they have been in despair to receive any good in the Hereafter, just as the disbelievers have been in despair about those (buried) in graves (that they will not be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection). 60, 13.

Disbelieving Relatives

O you who believe! Take not for 'Auliya' (supporters and helpers) your fathers and your brothers if they prefer disbelief to Belief. And whoever of you does so, then he is one of the Zalimun (wrongdoers, etc.) 9:23 Hypocrites.

Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties about the hypocrites? Allah has cast them back (to disbelief) because of what they have earned. Do you want to guide him whom Allah has made to go astray? And he whom Allah has made to go astray, you will never find for him any way (of guidance). They wish that you reject Faith, as they have rejected (Faith), and thus that you all become equal (like one another). So take not 'Auliya' (protectors or friends) from them, till they emigrate in the Way of Allah (to Muhammad ). But if they turn back (from Islam), take (hold) of them and kill them wherever you find them, and take neither 'Auliya' (protectors or friends) nor helpers from them. 4:88-89

Those who take disbelievers for 'Auliya' (protectors or helpers or friends) instead of believers, do they seek honour, power and glory with them? Verily, then to Allah belongs all honour, power and glory. 4:139

O you who believe! Take not for 'Auliya' (protectors or helpers or friends) disbelievers instead of believers. Do you wish to offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? 4:144

Awliya for Muslims

Muslims Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear nor shall they grieve. 10.62; Those who believe and (constantly) guard against evil. 10,63.

As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah His Apostle and the (fellowship of) believers it is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph. 5, 56.

Those who believed and adopted exile and fought for the faith with their property and their persons in the cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid these are (all) friends and protectors one of another. As to those who believed but came not into exile ye owe no duty of protection to them until they seek your aid in religion it is your duty to help them except against a people with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance: and (remember) Allah seeth all that ye do . 8, 72.

Let not the believers take for friends or helpers unbelievers rather than believers; if any do that in nothing will there be help from Allah; except by way of precaution that ye may guard yourselves from. 3, 28.

Verily, your Walî (Protector or Helper) is Allâh, His Messenger, and the believers, - those who perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, and they bow down (submit themselves with obedience to Allâh in prayer). 5:55 What hadith says about Awliya Allah

The Prophet (s) said, "'ulama ummati ka anbiya'i Bani Isra'il" which means "the scholars of my Nation are like the prophets of the Bani Isra'il." And the Prophet (s) said in another hadith "al-'ulama warithat ul-anbiya," (Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi) which means "the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets." Therefore it is difficult to see a way in Islam which allows one to discard scholars and scholarship.

Abu Hurayra narrated that Rasool Allah (saw) said (hadith Qudsi), " Whoever harms any of my Deputies, I shall declare war on him. The striving of my Servant to please Me does not receive a reward greater than that of fulfilling what I have commanded him to do. My servant volunteers in his perseverance, offering supererogatory devotion to please Me and to earn my Love. Once I cast My love upon him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he exacts justice, and his foot that carries him. Should my servant pray for something, I will answer his prayers and should he seek refuge in me, I will protect him. Indeed, there is nothing that I have decreed, which I hesitate to do for the sake of a believer except causing him to experience death. He dislikes it, and I hate to displease him, but I have thus ordained."

`Umar ibn Al-Khattaab once found Mu`adh ibn Jabal (ra) sitting and crying near the Grave of RasuuluLLah (saw). He asked him, " Why are you crying?" Mu`adh said, " I remember something RasuuluLLah said : "The slightest ostentatiousness is Shirk, and whoever harms any of Allah`s Deputies has surely earned Allah`s Wrath."

`Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (ra) said, " Some of Allah blessed servants are neither Prophets nor Martyrs, they are special People, who on the Day of Reckoning, the Prophets and the Martyrs will envy them for their ranks and nearness to their Lord. " Someone asked, " O RasuuluLLah , who are they, and what kind of deeds do they perform so that we may love Them as well?" RasuuluLLah said, " They are People who love one another in Allah, even though they have no consanguineous ties, money to exchange or worldly business to barter with. I swear by Allah on the Reckoning, their faces will be effulgent lights and they will be raised on Pulpits of Light. They will not be subject to fear when the creation is seized by the awesomeness of the Day of Resurrection, nor will they be subjected with sorrow when the rest of creation will be seized by it." He then recited << Surely, Allah`s Deputies are not subject to fear nor shall they grieve>> (Quran 10:62).

No Muslims in Town to be Friends With?

Or have they taken (for worship) Auliyâ' (guardians, supporters, helpers, protectors, etc.) besides Him? But Allâh, He Alone is the Walî (Protector, etc.). And it is He Who gives life to the dead, and He is Able to do all things. 42:9 And whoever takes Shaitân (Satan) as a Walî (protector or helper) instead of Allâh, has surely suffered a manifest loss. 4:119

(Courtesy....Islamic Academy)

The Life of the Butterfly

STOP for a Second.

It is Perhaps, one of Man's most amateur and most repeated errors; the effortless distraction; Man's Great Race. It is to be so consumed by the world; yet so lost of its countless wonders and lessons. It is perhaps; the Greatest Irony that the only time Man breaks away from this great race; is at his sudden and abrupt END.

Allow yourself to reflect on LIFE.

Reflect on the Life of the Butterfly.

As Subtle, as Enchanting and Breathtaking of a creature, as it maybe; it holds a simple yet Awesome lesson of LIFE.

The Butterfly is nothing special at first. It hatches from an egg; almost no different then the manner that a fly does. It hatches into Caterpillar endeavoring and surviving the harsh elements that it must undertake in the world that it now must call home. After a specific period of time; it builds for itself a cocoon, much like a coffin maker building a coffin, and it remains within it for a period of time; until one day, it emerges from its cocoon: a Butterfly.

Still have not noticed the Lesson behind the Butterfly?

From Winter comes to us what appears to be the Death of many plants and vegitation; and with Spring comes the springing of New Life. With the Life of the Butterfly; it is NO DIFFERENT.

It is a Sign. A Sign of the Afterlife.

We come into this World; without a single clue. But before long we become temporary or permenant admirers and slaves of it; yet when we ask ourselves what lies beyond the apparent, we have not a single idea? Look to the Butterfly; therein lies a intricate set of lessons that have astonished and fascinated beduoin storytellers and philosophers alike for millenia. So much of our next life depends on what we choose to do in this life. The Cocoon is only but a stage in our existence; and the Grave is only the beginning of something far greater then we can imagine.

After all; we are all living the Life of the Butterfly...

I Love Allaaah: But you are Distant

Perhaps,

you are at a point in your life where you are not too proud of what you have slowly become as a result of your actions and your day to day routine. Perhaps you are someone who has grown up in the Masjid, perhaps you one who grew up memorizing the Quran surrounded by the Righteous servants of the Most High.

Perhaps,

you have fallen away from the path that you deep down inside LOVE and adore. Well Allaah SWT is MOST FORGIVING, MOST MERCIFUL.

Its never too late. and Guess what, Allaah SWT LOVES you as well. He awaits your return; as the Prophet pbuh mentioned in a Qudsi Hadith:

Allah the Almighty said:

I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.

(As Related in Al Bukhaari and Muslim)

You know life is difficult away from Allaaah and you HATE it. Then make Tawbah today. Cry unto your LORD, open up to him. For you've already began the Journey of Change.

Because the first step of Tawbah and Change is REGRET.

Now your JOURNEY begins, if YOU LOVE ALLAAAH, then RETURN TO HIM, FOR HE WANTS YOU CLOSE, AFTER ALL; HE BREATHED LIFE INTO YOU AND GUIDED YOU DID HE NOT?

I Love Allaaah:

Perhaps one of the Greatest Dilemma's amongst Mankind is the fact that many of Allaah's servants LOVE Him. But they do not end up in Jannaah except if he later choses to forgive them.

the Dilemma is that of Hypocrisy. One will say; Can a Hypocrite LOVE Allaah? Is there not two types of Hypocrites? One who has two faces, but intends evil for the Believers, and one who has two faces, but intends good for the Believers.

I will try to put emphasis on the second, who LOVES Allaah and LOVES the Believers. He himself believes in all that he is commanded but does not follow up his belief with action, but advises the people of Good conduct but does not allow himself nor pushes himself or herself in acting upon the actions he advises or enjoins upon others.

Will this PERSON somehow hold onto the thread of Allaaah's infinite Mercy and expect Allaah to simply forgive him, yet knowingly does evil in secret and does not do good himself?

Allaaah warns these PEOPLE more then any other! As was his saying with the Children of Israel:

( Do you enjoin upon people godliness and virtue but forget your own selves, (even) while you recite the Book (and see therein the orders, prohibitions, exhortations and warnings)? Will you not understand and come to your senses?) Surah Baqarah 2:44

Allaaah SWT LOVES for you; Jannaaaah and He loves for you, his BLESSINGS and his MERCY; YET you avoid it and you cut yourself off from his Rahma? You direct others to the Gates of Heaven and you walk to the Gates of Hell? DO YOU HAVE NO SENSE?

Allaaah SWT dislikes you to be CONSUMED by the FIRE, ALLAAH does not want that fate for you, Allaaah dislikes to punish his servants ESPECIALLY the one who directs others to his Remembrance and his Abode.

So Dearest brother and sister; IF YOU TRULY LOVE ALLAAH then PLEASE DO NOT FORGET YOURSELF and SAVE YOUR OWN SOUL AS WELL....

Charcoal Letterhead: Ramadhan

Audhu Billahi Min Ash Shaydani al rajeem

{O people! The promise of Allah is surely true so do not let the life of this world deceive you nor be deceived by the Deceiver.} Faatir:5

O Son of Adam, it is yet another Ramadhan and I am going away. You will miss me. You will concern yourself with the instruments that I have left you with, which I have accustomed you with and Ramadhan will pass you and you will not have noticed it at all. You will gossip and backbite, you will listen to music and you will flirt. You will glare at what you should not, and you will not lower your gaze. You will refrain yourself from food and water but you will bask and indulge in the sour fruits of fitna and corruption and you will think you are fasting. I will return to my work as usual as if, I took a short break, only to tell you you’ve accomplished so much, so why do you not reward yourself? Go out and have some fun, you’ve been holding yourself back this whole Ramadhan right? A little indulgence never hurt anyone.

Again I’ve doomed you. Again I’ve caused you to lose everything. Again I’ve held you back from the Gates of Paradise yet another time, and you stand there, not knowing exactly what you’ve lost. God has redeemed you, yet you have stood idle, and you have plundered another blessing, but do you know what stands out most of all Son of Adam? I did not have to do a single thing. After all, you’re naturally inclined to oppressing and wronging your own soul. I’m just complimentary. The Gates of Hell were shut, and you knocked upon them to open, and the Gates of Heaven were waiting for you to enter them, yet you refused even its fragrance and you turned away in despair. I always find pleasure in seeing you be blind of your blessings. If you did a deed, this month it would be doubled and tripled, but instead you either did evil or you chose to do absolutely nothing at all. If you asked for forgiveness, this month, your request would have been answered, yet I made you beforehand procrastinate on your prayers and become lazy on your duties to Allah, so you would rather sleep or lay down instead only to see the next day come and go.

How about charity? I’ve already caused your heart to be stiff and paralyzed with adoration of money, and the complications of its worship and you do not desire to give a penny this Month when a single penny would translate into your salvation. By this one penny, Allah would free you from all your bondage for as long as your intention is to receive reward only from him but that too you have polluted. I have made this your Christmas Son of Adam, after all, its all about food, shopping and celebration right? All you look forward to is the end of this Month, when Son of Adam, you should have cried at the thought of every day you have missed out of forgiveness, reward and mercy. Generations before have escaped my treachery and have prayed months in advance that they should live to see another Ramadhan, and you Son of Adam pray that it should end, and you can continue to do evil as usual, and I, O Son of Adam, am at your service. I will lead you straight into the hills of temptations, corruption and destruction. After all we’re friends right?

Love, your ENEMY

Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Prophet said:"... whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

"Every action of the son of Adam is given manifold reward, each good deed receiving then times its like, up to seven hundred times. Allah the Most High said, 'Except for fasting, for it is for Me and I will give recompense for it, he leaves off his desires and his food for Me.' for the fasting person there are two times of joy; a time when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets his Lord, and the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better with Allah than the smell of musk." [al-Bukhaaree]

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all." [Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah]

Kafir: Ungrateful One

“And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day. And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor [i.e., blessings] of Allaah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful (Kafura).” (Quran, 14th Surah, verse 32.34)

“Therefore, remember Me (by praying, glorifying, etc.). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me (TaKfurun).” (Quran 2:152)

{I will lie and wait for them (human beings) on your straight way. Then I will assault them from in front of them and behind them, from their right and their left. And You will not find, in most of them, gratitude (for your mercies)’} (Qur'an 7:16-17)

And when your Lord made it known: If you are grateful, I would certainly give to you more, and if you are ungrateful (Kafartum), My chastisement is truly severe. (Quran, 14:7)

To Most people, the word Kafir, refers only to Non-Muslims and Disbelievers...But according to the Quran, it also refers to one who is Ungrateful to Allah.

The Shaitan, upon swearing to mislead Adam and his Offspring, promised, that he would make us "ALL UNGRATEFUL" and that if God gave us anything, he would make us blind of it. He promised to make us, blind of all of God's blessings, and Allah says, if we desired to count, all of his BLESSINGS, we would not be able to.

The First of which being, LIFE.

One of the many ways to be ungrateful to Allah is disobedience, another is disregarding his guidance. Allah promises that if he blesses you, and each blessing is a test, if you will be grateful, and if you are, ALLAH PROMISES TO GIVE YOU EVEN MORE!

and in the end, when you are thankful, you are thankful for your own good..

He says [translation of meaning: “And He is not pleased with ingratitude "KUFR" in His servants; and if you are grateful, He is pleased with this in you.” [Sûrah al-Zumar: 7]

So, Be thankful and Be aware of Kufr.....

Concept of God in Islam

Introduction to what Muslims believe about the Creator, known by Muslims as Allah...

It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word "god," which can be made plural, as in "gods," or made feminine, as in "goddess." It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.

The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing, and nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Qur'an, which is considered to be the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112, which reads:

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Say (O Muhammad), He is God, the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone.

Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully and is not loving and kind. Nothing could be farther from the truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Qur'an begins with the verse, "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we are told that "God is more loving and kind than a mother to her dear child."

On the other hand, God is also Just. Hence, evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment, and the virtuous must have God's bounties and favors. Actually, God's attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His sake should not receive similar treatment from their Lord as people who oppress and exploit others their whole lives. Expecting similar treatment for them would amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negate all the incentives for a moral and virtuous life in this world. The following Qur'anic verses are very clear and straightforward in this respect.

Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin? What is the matter with you? How judge you? (68:34-36)

Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created the human-beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.

The concepts that God rested on the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, and that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.

The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam's emphasis on the purity of the belief in God that is the essence of the message of all God's messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin that God will never forgive, despite the fact that He may forgive all other sins.

The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if He is of the same nature as they are, He will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing caused Him to come into existence, nothing outside Him causes Him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if He does not depend on anything for the continuance of His own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: "He is the First and the Last."

He is Self-sufficient or Self-subsistent, or, to use a Qur'anic term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.

God is the Creator of everything. He is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. (39:62-63)

No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodging place and its repository. (11:16)

God's Attributes

If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, then his attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one Creator with such absolute attributes? Can there be, for example, two absolutely powerful Creators? A moment's thought shows that this is not feasible.

The Qur'an summarizes this argument in the following verses:

God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him: for then each god would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others. (23:91)

And why, were there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin. (21:22)

The Oneness of God

The Qur'an reminds us of the falsity of all alleged gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects it asks:

Do you worship what you have carved yourself? (37:95)

Or have you taken unto yourself others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves? (13:16)

To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story of Abraham:

When night outspread over him, he saw a star and said, "This is my Lord." But when it set, he said, "I love not the setters." When he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my Lord." But when it set, he said, "If my Lord does not guide me, I shall surely be of the people gone astray." When he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my Lord; this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not one of the idolaters." (6:76-79)

The Believer's Attitude

In order to be a Muslim, that is, to surrender oneself to God, it is necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc. But this belief, later called Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah, is not enough. Many of the idolators knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this. But this was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyyah, one must add tawhid al-'uluhiyyah, that is, one acknowledges the fact that it is God alone who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being.

Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.

When faith enters a person's heart, it causes certain mental states that result in certain actions. Taken together, these mental states and actions are the proof for the true faith. The Prophet said, "Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds."

Foremost among those mental stated is the feeling of gratitude towards God, which could be said to be the essence of ibada (worship).

The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called 'kafir', which means 'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is ungrateful'.

A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to Him and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.

The Qur'an tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of the Qur'an:

He is God; there is no god but He. He is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the All-Holy, the All-Peace, the Guardian of the Faith, the All-Preserver, the All-Mighty, the All-Compeller, the All-Sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (59:22-24)

There is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them, and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and earth. The preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-High, the All-Glorious. (2:255)

People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not "Three". Refrain; better it is for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him – (He is) above having a son. (4:171)

Humbling One's Self in Prayer

Prayer is very important since it is the visible expression of man’s being a Muslim. However, The Qur’an expresses disapproval of such prayer as is offered without sincerity...

Prayer is very important since it is the visible expression of man’s being a Muslim. However, The Qur’an expresses disapproval of such prayer as is offered without sincerity:

“ Woe to the praying ones, who are unmindful of their prayers; Those who (want but) to be seen (of man).” (Surat al-Maun, 107:4-6)

That means that what makes our regular prayers proper is not the actual movements, e.g. bowing, prostrating oneself, etc., but their aim and the kind of thought given to them. Some people pray just to show others that they are “Muslims,” but instead of gaining ground with Allah, they are committing a great transgression.

What gives our prayers rectitude is our consciousness that we are prostrating ourselves before Allah only in order to express our devotion to Him. That is why Allah commands believers to “stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind.)” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:238)

Another verse describes the believers as "those who offer their prayers with all solemnity and submissiveness.” (Surat al-Mumenoon, 23:2).

Solemnity in this verse means experiencing fear accompanied by deep respect and having one’s heart filled with awe. Such a prayer increases one's faith and closeness to Allah. It keeps man standing firm.

In another verse regular prayers are described:

“Recite the what is sent of the Book by inspiration to you, and establish regular prayer: for prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that you do.” (Surat al-Ankaboot, 29:45)

The Muslim World

Nearly one in five people in the world today claims the faith of Islam...

Information and statistics about the Muslim population of the world

Nearly one in five people in the world today claims the faith of Islam. A diverse community of believers spans the globe. Over fifty countries have Muslim-majority populations, while other groups of believers are clustered in minority communities on nearly every continent.

Although Islam is often associated with the Arab world and the Middle East, fewer than 15% of Muslims are Arab.

Distribution of Muslims

Africa 308,660,000 27.4%

Asia 778,362,000 69.1%

Europe 32,032,000 2.8%

Latin America 1,356,000 0.1%

North America 5,530,000 0.5%

Oceania 385,000 0.0%

World 1,126,325,000 100%

Source: Britannica Yearbook, 1997

Countries with Muslim Populations of 10% or more (1996)

Country # in millions

Indonesia 182.2 m

Pakistan 136.9 m

Bangladesh 115.0 m

India 108.6 m

Iran 63.9 m

Turkey 61.0 m

Egypt 51.6 m

Nigeria 40.2 m

Algeria 29.1 m

China * 29.1 m

Morocco 29.1 m

Iraq 21.4 m

Sudan 20.4 m

Ethiopia 18.3 m

Afghanistan 18.0 m

Yemen 16.1 m

Saudi Arabia 16.0 m

Uzbekistan 15.9 m

Malaysia 10.5 m

Mali 9.4 m

Tunisia 9.0 m

Somalia 8.5 m

Senegal 7.7 m

Niger 7.5 m

Kazakhstan 6.9 m

Guinea 6.5 m

Azerbaijan 6.1 m

Cote d'Ivoire 5.9 m

Libya 5.2 m

Tajikstan 5.2 m

Burkina Faso 5.0 m

Jordan 3.6 m

Syria 3.5 m

Cameroon 3.1 m

Turkmenistan 3.1 m

Chad 2.9 m

Ghana 2.8 m

Kyrgyzstan 2.8 m

Israel (Palestine) 2.4 m

Mauritania 2.3 m

Mozambique 2.3 m

Sierra Leone 2.0 m

Bosnia 1.8 m

Serbia 1.8 m

United Arab Emirates 1.8 m

Lebanon 1.7 m

Oman 1.7 m

Malawi 1.5 m

Tanzania 1.5 m

Albania 1.4 m

Bulgaria 1.3 m

Brunei 1.2 m

Kuwait 1.2 m

Benin 0.95 m

Gambia 0.94 m

Togo 0.85 m

Macedonia 0.59 m

Bahrain 0.51 m

Comoros 0.51 m

Guinea Bissau 0.49 m

Qatar 0.47 m

Djibouti 0.45 m

Singapore 0.44 m

Liberia 0.40 m

Maldives 0.25 m

Mauritius 0.19 m

Sahara 0.13 m

Suriname 0.10 m

Cyprus 0.04 m

Gibraltar 0.003 m

* Muslims in China represent 2.4% of the population.

Considerate with Young and Old

How cheated you feel and how you complain if your watch is broken and you take it to a watch-maker to repair...

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reportedly quotes from the Prophet:

"Whoever has no pity for the young and does not respect the old is not one of us."

When you see a baby crying, your heart is sympathetic and you feel kind. You begin to joke and play with the baby in order to stop its crying.

It may also happen that you help and be kind to a small child who is lost in the market or cannot find its family.

Surely, these moral attitudes are among those of the faithful whom Allah and His Messenger love most. The believer is the one whose heart is full of mercy for people, especially the needy and the oppressed, and small children, as they are the most vulnerable and weak and are in need of our help. So, if we give them our help and assistance, surely Allah will be pleased with us and will help us in this world by making our lives successful, and will also have mercy upon us in the Hereafter.

Our Prophet [s] teaches us to be kind to the young, and respect the old.

You may have your grandfather, grandmother or one of your relatives living in your home, and see that they have grown old and are unable to do much, and are in need of help and assistance. Our Prophet enjoins us to respect such people and if they are in need of something to help them. If they ask us, we should bring them food and drink, help them reach where they want to go, and get the things which they need.

When we sit with old people, we should sit properly and leave a comfortable place for them. When we speak to them, we should not raise our voice nor talk before they start speaking, nor interrupt them. If we walk with them on the street, we should take care that their way is easy and make sure to walk at their pace.

Tabrasi, Mashkat al-Anwar, a chapter on respecting the old.

Cheating And Deceit in Islam

Thus if one of us does something or carries out a task, it is obligatory for him to do it with sincerity and without deceiving people...

The Messenger of Allah [s] says:

"Whoever deceives another Muslim or harms him or even dislikes him is not one of us."

Deceiving is strictly forbidden

Like other acts it harms others as well as the deceiver.

How cheated you feel and how you complain if you buy food and then discover that it is bad and the seller has deceived you and has benefited himself at your expense!

How cheated you feel and how you complain if your watch is broken and you take it to a watch-maker to repair, but he deceives you about fixing it and after a few days it breaks down again with the same fault!

Indeed, you feel that these people are mischievous and troublesome and have misled you by taking your money in an unlawful (haram) way and by deceiving you and causing annoyance to you. You have the right to return the bad food to the one who cheated you and get your money back; and you have the right to return the watch to the watch-maker to repair it again because both tried to deceive you.

Surely, deceiving is unlawful and an immoral deed, so believers never do it.

Among our Islamic morals is to advise others both in speech and action on what is correct. Thus if one of us does something or carries out a task, it is obligatory for him to do it with sincerity and without deceiving people. If someone asks for advice, a believer should advise him truly without deceiving him.

Surely, the Holy Messenger [s] says: He who deceives Muslims is incomplete in belief and is not one of us!

Causing Harm is Forbidden

As the Messenger of Allah [s] warned us against deceiving people through this hadith, he also warned us against any deed which causes harm and hurts others. Whoever causes harm to others intentionally is not a believer, so it is obligatory for a believer to indemnify people for any harm caused by him to them.

For example, the farmer who prevents water from reaching other farmers in order to destroy their crops is surely a destructive man who deliberately wants to cause harm. Whoever deliberately damages a footpath indeed causes harm to other people. These acts and others like them are intentionally damaging and cause destruction to society. A faithful should avoid doing anything which harms others. A Muslim is a useful man, who does good actions, tries to benefit others and never thinks of just himself.

Cunning is Forbidden

Indeed, the Islamic religion wants a Muslim to deal with people in a straight manner - not to deceive or cheat them. Indeed, neither the cheater nor the deceiver are believers.

Among the examples of deceiving is the way some traders behave in order to cheat each other, such as one who goes to another trader and tells him: Surely, this product is no good, so do not buy it. He says this so that no one competes with him in buying that product, and if others listen to him, he can buy it in order to obtain maximum profits for himself.

Verily, this act of cunning and the like are forbidden, as it is a form of deceiving, which a Muslim with true belief never does.

Indeed, a Muslim does not cheat another Muslim nor does any act which causes harm to him.

Harrani; Tuhaf al-Uqul an aal al-Rasul, Prophet's Sermons.

What is Hijab..Really??

Hijab is a highly misunderstood word, but it is a word that many people are interested in. If one is not Muslim, she'll most likely have a few (or many) misconceptions about what hijab is and about why Muslim women wear it. The misconceptions range from the idea that Muslim women are forced to wear hijab, to the idea that hijab is hot and restrictive, to the idea that hijab must be comprised of a specific color or specific clothing from, typically, an eastern region.

When I try to explain to someone about what hijab really is, I like to break the word down letter by letter.

H is for Headscarf.

This may or may not be an obvious answer because some people think that proper hijab includes a face veil. That couldn't be farther from the truth. In order to properly observe hijab, a Muslim woman must ensure that her hair, neck, and bosom are completely covered, but she is free to leave her face open. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Muslim women are to cover their faces, and some would say that it's against Islam to do so.

I is for Intentions.

What good is it to do something that you don't believe in doing? Muslim women wear hijab primarily because we believe that God (Allah in Arabic) tells us to do so. But, we should also have good intentions behind wearing it. When wearing hijab, we should know that by doing so, we are pleasing God (hopefully), we are guarding our modesty, and we are respecting ourselves and our communities by not showing off body parts that nobody should see unless that person is our husband or very close relative.

J is for Jilbab.

Now we are getting into the clothing part of hijab. It is important to understand that hijab is not just a headscarf, it is a complete way of covering your entire body. The only parts of a woman's body that should show are her hands, face, and some say, feet.

A jilbab is an outer garment. Contrary to popular belief, a jilbab does not describe any particular style of clothing. Rather, it describes a garment that we wear on top of our underclothes. Prophet Muhammad (may God's peace be upon him) preferred that Muslim women and men wear two layers of clothing. In essence, if you're wearing leggings and a tank top underneath your clothing, you can put on any other set of garments (i.e. a long dress, a shirt and pants, a jacket and long skirt, etc.) over top of that and completely meet the Prophet's preferred method of dressing.

It is important to note, however, that while two layers of clothing is a preferred method of dressing, it is not a requirement. But if you have ever seen someone's body-shape through their clothes (due to the lack of an undergarment), you can probably appreciate why the Prophet preferred that a person wears two layers of clothing rather than one.

A is for Attire.

Well as we stated in the paragraphs above, hijab is not just about covering your hair. It's about the way you cover your body as well. A Muslim woman's attire must meet four requirements primarily. 1. Her clothing must not be tight. 2. Her clothing must not be sheer. 3. Her clothing must not reveal the shape of her body. 4. Her clothing must not resemble clothing that is primarily worn by men.

If a woman meets these basic requirements and makes sure that only her face, hands, and feet are visible to outsiders, she is meeting the requirements of hijab.

B is for Beauty.

Some people would have you think that Muslim women are supposed to be completely hidden from men so that they do not attract men to them. This is not the case. A Muslim woman should not go to extremes to beautify herself, but Muslim women know that God loves beauty and so a Muslim woman can do things to make herself feel beautiful and look presentable to the outside world. She can wear clothing that is colorful (although it shouldn't be extravagant), she can wear jewelry that pleases her (although she should make sure that her jewelry isn't so noisy that it attracts attention), and she can use beauty products that give her a polished look. A Muslim woman should always look neat, clean, and beautiful. Not for the purpose of attracting men, but for the purpose of being a wonderful example of what a Muslim woman is and in my opinion, she will also feel uplifted in presenting herself this way.

Righteous Deeds

Righteous deeds" (amelunsalihan) are one of the key concepts of the Qur'an. In Arabic, the word "righteousness" comprises the meanings

"Righteous deeds" (amelunsalihan) are one of the key concepts of the Qur'an. In Arabic, the word "righteousness" comprises the meanings of good, beneficial and right. In Arabic, the verb "to amend"(islah) is also derived from the same root. Consequently, in English, every type of beneficial and good work or action done for the good of religion is expressed by the word "righteous deed." In terms of the Qur'an, on the other hand, each act and all behaviour designed to seek the favour of God is a "righteous deed".

The salvation of an individual is not attained only through faith; righteous deeds, the signs of sincere faith, also save the soul. Saying "I believe" yet failing to comply with the commandments of religion does not lead man to salvation. In the Qur'an God states the following about this issue:

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested? We tested those before them, and God will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. (Al-Ankabut, 2-3)

The way a believer does righteous deeds proves his mettle. His deeds indicate his perseverance, stability, determination and loyalty-in other words the depth of his faith.

In the Qur'an God informs us about the various kinds of righteous deeds. Communicating the message of Islam to people, striving for the prosperity and the benefit of the Muslims, trying to attain a better understanding of the Qur'an, solving every kind of personal and social problem of the Muslims; all these are important righteous deeds. The fundamental Islamic forms of worship, such as saying prayers to God, fasting, spending for the cause of God, and the pilgrimage to Mecca are also among the important righteous deeds:

Righteousness does not consist in whether you turn your faces towards the east or the west; what is righteous is to believe in God and the last day, and the angels, and the Book, and the messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practise regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which you have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and in times of war. Such as do so are people of truth. Such are the God-fearing. (Al-Baqara, 177)

Yet there is another point that deserves mention: what makes an act a righteous deed is not its result but the "intention" behind it. That is why for an act to be a righteous one, it should be done purely to seek the approval of God. This is what really distinguishes a "righteous deed" from "charity", a concept prevalent in the ignorant society. A righteous deed is done to seek the approval of God; on the other hand, the concept of charity in an ignorant society, is based on a spirit of social solidarity and a personal desire to make a reputation as a "charity lover".

The verses below explain why the deeds of believers are by no means similar to alms-giving.

They perform (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil flies far and wide. And they feed, for the love of God, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive, (Saying)"We feed you for the sake of God alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks." "We only fear a day of distressful wrath from our Lord." (Al- Insan 7-10)

If any acts ostensibly complying with the definition of "righteous deeds" are not intended to seek the good pleasure of God, they cease to be "righteous deeds." This is simply because they are done to please other people. This is, in terms of the Qur'an, "associating partners with God", which is a great sin. In the following verse, God explains how an act of worship done to attain not the approval of God, but other people loses its value and becomes an ordinary act.

Woe to the worshippers, who are neglectful of their prayers; who only want to make a show of piety. (Al-Maun, 4-6)

Similarly, spending, which is a righteous deed in the presence of God, becomes an ordinary act if done to demonstrate one's generosity in order to impress people. God describes the difference between spending to gain His approval and to satisfy one's own desires:

O you who believe! Do not cancel out your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury,- like those who spend their substance to be seen by others, believing neither in God nor in the last day. They are in parable like a hard, barren rock, on which there is little soil: on it falls heavy rain, which leaves it just a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with anything they have earned. And God does not guide those who reject faith. Those who spend their substance, seeking to please God and to strengthen their souls, are like a garden, high and fertile: heavy rain falls on it, and makes it yield a double harvest, and if it does not receive heavy rain, light moisture suffices it. God sees well whatever you do. (Al-Baqara, 264-265)

We have prepared a shameful punishment for those who spend their wealth for the sake of ostentation but who have no faith in God and the last day: If any take the evil one for their intimate, what a dreadful intimate he is! And what burden would it be on them if they had faith in God and in the last day, and they spent out of what God has given them for sustenance? For God has full knowledge of them. (An-Nisa, 38-39)

In brief, what turns an act into a righteous deed is the intention behind it. If the intention is a righteous one, then the deed also becomes righteous, even if the desired result is not attained. For instance, with the intention of seeking the approval of God, a believer may work hard towards a desired end, yet his efforts may not fructify. However, this is not important; he shall still have his reward from God. Every believer should acknowledge that there is a reason why God does not always let the individual reach his goal: "It is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But God knows, and you do not know." (Al-Baqara, 216) Only God knows if the desired end will have beneficial consequences for man.

Hence, the result of each deed always rests with God. Each task should be done solely to please Him.

As stated above, intention is the essence of a righteous deed. This is due to the fact that God is free of all needs. Consequently, He actually does not need any of the acts that His servants perform. God states the following in one of His verses:

O you men! It is you that have need of God: but God is the One free of all wants, worthy of all praise. If He so pleased, He could destroy you and replace you with a new creation. Nor is that (at all) difficult for God. (Fatir, 15-17)

He can do anything He wills when He wills it. He does not need the deeds and efforts of believers to make His religion prevail:

Do not the Believers know, that, had God (so) willed, He could have guided all mankind (to the right)? (Ar-Rad,31)

In brief, if a man does righteous deeds, it accrues to his personal benefit. Right action is surely the way to attain an eternal salvation. As the Qur'an, puts it:

If any strive (with might and main), they do so for their own souls: for God is free of all needs from all creation. (Al-Ankabut, 6)

One who says prayers, fasts, spends in the cause of God, or supports Islam, becomes himself the beneficiary. It is he himself who needs to do good works; surely he shall have forgiveness and a great reward in return.

For the same reason, in the presence of God, a righteous deed is acceptable only when it is the expression of a good intention:

It is not their meat nor their blood, (i.e. of camels which have been sacrificed) that reaches God: it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, so that you may glorify God for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right. (Al-Hajj, 37)

Therefore, while performing a righteous deed, it is of vital importance to keep oneself occupied with the remembrance of God. To this end, a believer should pray to God for the acceptance of his services. The prayer of the Prophet Abraham and Ismail sets a good example for all believers.

Remember Abraham and Isma'il raised the foundations of the House (with this prayer):"Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For You are the All-Hearing, the All-knowing. Our Lord! make of us Muslims, bowing to Your (Will), and of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Your (will); and show us our place for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn to us (in Mercy); for You are the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. (Al-Baqara, 127-128)

The address of God to David and his people also stresses the significance of prayer, and of giving thanks to God during the performance of a righteous deed:

They worked for him as he desired (making) arches, image, basins as large as reservoirs, and cooking cauldrons fixed (in their places ) : "Work, sons of David, with thanks ! But few of my servants are truly grateful !" (Saba, 13)

This is surely the type of service that strengthens one's faith in God: One's statement of "I believe" is reinforced with this service and mount to God:

"To Him mount up (all) words of purity: It is He Who exalts each deed of righteousness." (Fatir, 10)

A devoted believer who performs righteous deeds all throughout his life will surely attain the gardens of heaven and will be rewarded most generously by God in the hereafter:

As for those who believe and do good works no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear,- they will be companions of the Garden, therein to dwell (for ever). And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury; beneath them will be rivers flowing; and they shall say: "Praise be to God, who has guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found the right path, had it not been for the guidance of God: indeed it was the truth, that the messengers of our Lord brought to us." And they shall hear the cry: "Behold! the garden before you! You have been made its inheritors, for your deeds of righteousness." (Al-Araf, 42-43)