Where Does Halloween Come from?

Halloween has evolved and been influenced by a number of different cultures and religions, the most important of which are paganism, the Romans, the Celts (the people of Ireland, Scotland, Britain, Wales) and Christianity.

However, almost all of the traditions surrounding Halloween as we know it today can be traced back to the Celtic Day of the Dead, a pagan holiday.

Samhain was the name of the Druid god of the dead. The Druids were a religious order amongst the Celts. On this day, they would try to appease their Lord of Death. These Druids also believed that witches rode on broom sticks and that ghosts were the cause of supernatural occurrences.

The belief was that on the eve of the Celtic New Year (which for them was October 31), the souls of the dead people roamed the land of the living. The Devil, spirits and witches were also believed to be moving about and at the height of their power.

Halloween was also a time for MAJOR Shirk (making partners with God).

There were games and rituals which involved fortune-telling Young people, for instance, would try to see what their marriage prospects were using omens like apple pairings that were thrown over their shoulders, or nuts being burned in a fire.

The Pope, in the eight century, decided to Christianize this pagan holiday since he wanted people to abandon the occult and idolatrous practices associated with it, and made November 1 All Saints' Day or All Hallows' (Holy) Day. This is a day to remember all of the Christians who died for their faith. October 31 was then considered All Hallow's Eve, and this word later evolved into the modern day Halloween.

Some reasons behind certain Halloween traditions:

Most of the Halloween activities participated in today can be traced back to occult symbolism. For example:

1. Dressing up in costumes: This was done so that the spirits of the dead would not recognize people. The Druids would actually sacrifice animals and sometimes humans and dress in these animal skins. Wearing these clothes, the would engage in fortune-telling

Another explanation is that today, children who dress up represent these spirits.

2. Trick-or-treating: The Druids would go from house to house on October 31 and demand specific types of food. If their demands were not met, it was believed the people and their homes would be cursed with trouble, sickness and death. Prosperity was promised to those who generously donated.

Today, when kids are offered treats by neighbors, this goes back to the time people would offer food to appease the spirits.

3. Jack-o'-lantern: This started off as a legend associated with a man of Irish origin named Jack who supposedly enjoyed playing pranks on the Devil. After his death, Jack did not go to Heaven or Hell and therefore, had to wander the earth carrying a lantern which gave him some light to see where he was going. Pumpkins that were hollowed out and had candles lighted inside did the job and they were also supposed to scare evil spirits away.

Some consider them as symbols of torches of Halloweens past.

Br. Abdullah Hakim Quick's advice on Halloween:

Abdullah Hakim Quick is an Islamic scholar and an historian featured in the video documentary Holiday Myths, which discusses the origins of Halloween and a number of other holidays and celebrations common in Western culture.

This is his advice to Muslims for Halloween.

1. Avoid it, it's a night of evil. Satan is our open enemy and we do not play with evil.

2. Trick-or-treating is really kids begging for candy. Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked and discouraged begging.

3. Remember that some Satanic movements have engaged in dangerous acts, like rape and kidnapping on Halloween.

4. Despite our position regarding this holiday, we must respect the rights of those who believe it is a part of their religion or consider it to be just a little fun.

thanks to: http://blog.iloveallaah.com/

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Compilation of Duas for Fasting (Ramadan)

Following is a compilation of Duas for Fasting (Ramadan)

- Dua for keeping a fast at the time of Sehar (Niyaat)

Wa bisawmi ghadinn nawaiytu min shahri ramadan

- Dua for breaking a fast at the time of Iftaar

Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu [wa 'alayka tawakkaltu] wa 'ala rizq-ika aftarthu

OR

dhahabadh-dhama'u wab-tallatil 'uruuqi, wa thabatal arju inshaAllah

Allaahumma inni as�aluka birahmatika al-lati wasi'at kulli shay�in an taghfira li

- Dua for breaking a fast at a friends house

Aftara 'indakumus saa'imuna, wa akala ta'aamakumul-abraaru, wasallat 'alaikumul mala'ikat

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The Descent Of Jesus Son Of Mary, As Portrayed In The Quran

Shaykh `Abdul `Aziz Al-Humaydi
The Final Conflict Between the Messiah of Guidance and The False Messiah

The Quran makes three references to the return of Jesus son of Mary (may peace be upon him) to the earth - i.e. his descent from the sky - in order to accomplish various tasks.

THE FIRST REFERENCE : is in Surah Nisaa’, verses (156-159). As for the context of these verses, Allah, the Exalted, mentions the fabrications of the Jews, their slander of Mary, their rejection of Faith, and claim that they killed Jesus son of Mary - the Messenger of Allah. Thereupon Allah, the Exalted, declares the falsity of these claims and says, "And because of their saying (boasting), ‘We killed Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah,’ - but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it was made to appear to them so." [an-Nisaa’ 4:157] We have learned from the preceding sections about the disciple who resembled Jesus and voluntarily sacrificed and ransomed himself, as has been specifically stated by the leading scholars of Islam.

SO WHAT EXACTLY HAPPEDNED THEN? Allah, the Exalted, raised Jesus son of Mary to the sky. His enemies, the Jews, failed to harm him, let alone kill and crucify him. This is a clear and unambiguous text that carries no room for another interpretation. It states clearly that Allah, the Exalted, raised Jesus to Himself - bodily and his soul - in order to save him from the Jews murdering and crucifying him. Allah, the Exalted, says in the Quran, "But Allah raised him up (with his body and soul) unto Himself; and Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise." [an-Nisaa’ 4:158]

So, if anyone claims that only the soul was raised, it would be incorrect, as is shown from the two following perspectives.

FIRSTLY , Allah made a mention of this raise in the context of refutation of the claim of the Jews that they killed the Christ. So, if it were that only the soul was raised, then that would actually mean an acknowledgment of the claim of the Jews that they killed the Christ - which is to remove his soul!

SECONDLY , if it were true that only his soul was raised, there would remain no distinction for Jesus above the rest. For all Prophets (peace be upon them), and in fact all believing Muslims, have their souls raised to the sky upon their death. So, does there remain anything that distinguishes Jesus, for which Allah makes a special marked mention in the Quran that He raised him?

After establishing this point, another Quranic verse follows in the same context of the ones that preceded. This one clearly bears evidence on another return of the Christ (peace be upon him) to the earth and that he will descend from the sky. The purpose of this is the crucial role he will play upon his return to the earth. Allah, the Exalted, says, "And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) but must believe in him (Jesus son of Mary as a Messenger of Allah and a human being) before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them." [an-Nisaa’ 4:159]

The verse presents the message in a future tense, so it is with regards to the events to come after the raising of the Christ. It informs that some of the People of the Book will believe in the Christ. But when will that be? It will be upon his descent, his return and coming onto the earth once again. Imam Tabari, the renowned scholar of the Quranic exegesis (may Allah cover him in mercy), explained this. He said, “The meaning of the verse ‘And there is none of the people of the Scripture but must believe in him’, that is: in Jesus, ‘before his death’, that is: before the death of Jesus. It is explained as follows: that all of them will affirm and acknowledge him when he descends to kill the Antichrist, thereafter, all the religion will give way to only the one, which is the pure upright religion of Islam - the religion of Abraham (may the peace be him)." [See Tafsir at-Tabari 4:356-357].

THE SECOND REFERENCE in the Noble Quran to the imperative nature of the descent of Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, in order to complete the task that must be done on the earth, is found in Surah Zukhruf in the Quran. Allah, the Exalted, says in it, "And when the son of Mary is quoted as an example (i.e. Jesus worshipped like their idols), behold, your people cry aloud (laugh out at the example). And say: Are our gods better or is he (i.e. Jesus)? They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. He (i.e. Jesus) was not more than a slave. We granted Our Favor to him, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel (i.e. his creation without a father). And if it were Our Will, We would have (destroyed you all, and) made angels to replace you on the earth. And he (i.e. Jesus) shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour (i.e. Day of Resurrection) . Therefore have no doubt concerning it. And follow Me (i.e. Allah)! This is the Straight Path." [az-Zukhruf 43:57-61] . In another recitation, it is recited as "And he shall be a mark". It means, a symbol, a portent, a sign of the Hour. [See Fat hu-l Qadeer of Shawkaani, (4/562) for references of those who read it so.]

How can Jesus son Mary, be a sign of the Hour (Doomsday)? It cannot be except with his descent being in the last stage and period. His descent would then be a great sign and one of the major portents of the Hour - a sign that announces the closeness of its occurrence. This is how the verse has commonly been explained by the scholars of Tafsir (exegesis of the Quran). Amongst them are Mujahid, Suddee, Qatada, Hasan al-Basri, Dahhaak and Ibn Zayd. It is also the saying of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). They all have stated this explicitly, that Jesus son of Mary is one of the signs of the Hour in the sense that he will descend and rule the earth and dwell therein for forty years, as is mentioned in the authentic hadith, that will be mentioned shortly. And his descent will be one of the great signs of Allah and one of the supreme portents of the Hour.

THE THIRD REFERENCE TO IT IN THE QURAN The deduction from this text is indeed remarkable. One notes that there is hardly ever a mention of the story of Jesus (in the Quran) except that it is mentioned along with it that, "He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood" [Aal `Imraan 3: 46 , and al-Maa’ida 5:110] . In this, Allah mentioned two remarkable and rare events, that are also two dazzling signs (proofs) of Allah found in the character of Jesus Christ.

THE FIRST MATTER is that he spoke in the cradle while still an infant. This does not occur except as a miracle from Allah, the Mighty, and the Magnificent. That is why it has never occurred except with three people as has been established in the authentic hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). [See Saheeh Bukhari (4/201-202)] . So the speaking of Jesus (peace be on him) in the cradle was indeed a sign, and there was a need, and the circumstance called for it as the mother of Jesus came to be held in suspicion due to the birth, `how can a woman give birth without a husband?' They even voiced this explicitly, as reported in the Quran, "Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman." [Maryam 19:28]

So, a miracle was required to prove her innocence and to prove that the birth was another such a miracle. Thus the infant spoke in the cradle, an extraordinary, unaccustomed event. But the verse couples this miraculous event, with the mention of another event - of him speaking as a middle-aged adult. But every one speaks at that age. So where is the miracle in that? The Arabic word used in the verse that refers to that stage of his life, is Kuhoola, which is used for a person past the age of forty and up to the age of fifty or sixty years. Is it at all remarkable that one speaks at the age of sixty or even seventy?! So where is the miracle that is alluded to in this section of the verse which mentions that Jesus speaks as a middle aged man?

This shows that just as his speech in the cradle as an infant was a miracle, likewise he will descend and speak to the people as a middle aged man in the last stages of this world, making his descent and speech thereupon, also a miracle. Otherwise, there is no miracle in a sixty or seventy year old communicating by speech!

So the evidence from this section of the verse in the Quran that he will speak to the people as a middle-aged adult is from the following two perspectives.

FIRSTLY , some of the scholars of Islam, amongst them is ibn Musayyab, stated that Jesus son of Mary, was raised to the sky while he was at an age of thirty three years, in the prime of his youth (referred to in Arabic as Shabaab, which is a stage prior to the one mentioned in the Quran, Kuhoola). So he had not yet reached the stage of Kuhoola.

SECONDLY , here comes the aspect of amazement, marvel and the miracle. The aspect, which bears evidence on the point, is that he speaks to the people as a middle-aged man (in Kuhoola) after having been raised, and his being raised is indeed an astonishing event. And he will descend, and his descent is also another astonishing, remarkable event. He will then speak to the people and will live after his descent for forty years. This forty added to the thirty years makes him someone who would have reached the age of Kuhoola, and having spoken at that age. He will then have spoken to the people as he spoke to them in the cradle. This is a clear and unambiguous indication that he (peace be upon him) will certainly complete his role and his part, and will descend towards the last stages and speak to the people as a middle-aged man, just as he spoke miraculously as an infant. Imam Tabari related from Abdurahman ibn Zayd that he said, ‘Jesus did indeed speak to them in the cradle, and he will speak to them when he kills the Antichrist, he will then be a kahl (middle-aged person)." [Tafsir Tabari 3/271]

Transl. A. Abu Ismail
© Islaam.com
http://islaam. com/

ABDUL WAHID OSMAN BELAL

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Global Muslim population hits 1.57 billion

Global Muslim Population hits 1.57 billion

By ERIC GORSKI

New York - Oct 8: The global Muslim population stands at 1.57 billion, meaning that nearly 1 in 4 people in the world practice Islam, according to a report Wednesday billed as the most comprehensive of its kind. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life report provides a precise number for a population whose size has long has been subject to guesswork, with estimates ranging anywhere from 1 billion to 1.8 billion.

The project, three years in the making, also presents a portrait of the Muslim world that might surprise some. For instance, Germany has more Muslims than Lebanon, China has more Muslims than Syria, Russia has more Muslims than Jordan and Libya combined, and Ethiopia has nearly as many Muslims as Afghanistan. "This whole idea that Muslims are Arabs and Arabs are Muslims is really just obliterated by this report," said Amaney Jamal, an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University who reviewed an advance copy.

Pew officials call the report the most thorough on the size and distribution of adherents of the world's second largest religion behind Christianity, which has an estimated 2.1 billion to 2.2 billion followers. The arduous task of determining the Muslim populations in 232 countries and territories involved analyzing census reports, demographic studies and general population surveys, the report says. In cases where the data was a few years old, researchers projected 2009 numbers.

The report also sought to pinpoint the world's Sunni-Shiite breakdown, but difficulties arose because so few countries track sectarian affiliation, said Brian Grim, the project's senior researcher. As a result, the Shiite numbers are not as precise; the report estimates that Shiites represent between 10 and 13 percent of the Muslim population, in line with or slightly lower than other studies. As much as 80 percent of the world's Shiite population lives in four countries: Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq.

The report provides further evidence that while the heart of Islam might beat in the Middle East, its greatest numbers lie in Asia: More than 60 percent of the world's Muslims live in Asia. About 20 percent live in the Middle East and North Africa, 15 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2.4 percent are in Europe and 0.3 percent are in the Americas. While the Middle East and North Africa have fewer Muslims overall than Asia, the region easily claims the most Muslim-majority countries.

While those population trends are well established, the large numbers of Muslims who live as minorities in countries aren't as scrutinized. The report identified about 317 million Muslims - or one-fifth of the world's Muslim population - living in countries where Islam is not the majority religion. About three-quarters of Muslims living as minorities are concentrated in five countries: India (161 million), Ethiopia (28 million), China (22 million), Russia (16 million) and Tanzania (13 million).

In several of these countries - from India to Nigeria and China to France - divisions featuring a volatile mix of religion, class and politics have contributed to tension and bloodshed among groups. The immense size of majority-Hindu India is underscored by the fact that it boasts the third-largest Muslim population of any nation - yet Muslims account for just 13 percent of India's population. "Most people think of the Muslim world being Muslims living mostly in Muslim-majority countries," Grim said. "But with India ... that sort of turns that on its head a bit."

Among the report's other highlights:

- Two-thirds of all Muslims live in 10 countries. Six are in Asia (Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Iran and Turkey), three are in North Africa (Egypt, Algeria and Morocco) and one is in sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria).

- Indonesia, which has a tradition of a more tolerant Islam, has the world's largest Muslim population (203 million, or 13 percent of the world's total). Religious extremists have been involved in several high-profile bombings there in recent years.

- In China, the highest concentrations of Muslims were in western provinces. The country experienced its worst outbreak of ethnic violence in decades when rioting broke out this summer between minority Muslim Uighurs and majority Han Chinese.

- Europe is home to about 38 million Muslims, or about five percent of its population. Germany appears to have more than 4 million Muslims - almost as many as North and South America combined. In France, where tensions have run high over an influx of Muslim immigrant laborers, the overall numbers were lower but a larger percentage of the population is Muslim.

- Of roughly 4.6 million Muslims in the Americas, more than half live in the United States although they only make up 0.8 percent of the population there. About 700,000 people in Canada are Muslim, or about 2 percent of the total population.

special thanks to:

www.vobd.com

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Conditions of Hajj being obligatory

Conditions of Hajj being obligatory*

Praise be to Allaah. The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) have
stated the conditions of Hajj being obligatory, which, if they are met, make
it obligatory for a person to perform Hajj, and without them Hajj is not
obligatory. There are five such conditions: being Muslim, being of sound
mind, being an adult, being free and being able to do it.

If a person is physically and financially able to do Hajj, then he is
obliged to hasten to do Hajj.

If he is not physically and financially able, or if he is physically able
but he is poor and has no wealth, then he is not obliged to do Hajj.

If a person is financially able but he is not physically able, then we look
at the matter further.

If his problem is something that he hopes will disappear, such as a sickness
from which he hopes to recover, then he should wait until Allaah heals him,
then do Hajj.

If his problem is one for which there is no hope that it will disappear,
such as a person with cancer or an old person who cannot do Hajj, then he
has to appoint someone to do Hajj on his behalf, and the duty to perform
Hajj is not waived because of his physical inability if he is financially
able. The evidence for that is the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (1513)
according to which a woman said: O Messenger of Allaah, Allaahs command to
the people to perform Hajj has come when my father is an old man and cannot
sit firmly in the saddle. Can I perform Hajj on his behalf? He said:
Yes.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) agreed with her
comment that Hajj was obligatory for her father even though he was
physically unable to perform Hajj. In order for Hajj to be obligatory for a
woman, it is essential for her to have a mahram with her, and it is not
permissible for her to travel for Hajj, whether that is obligatory or naafil
Hajj, without a mahram, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: No woman should travel except with a mahram. Narrated
by al-Bukhaari, 1862; Muslim 1341.

The mahram is her husband or one whom it is permanently forbidden for her to
marry because of blood ties, breastfeeding or ties through marriage. The
husband of a sister, maternal aunt or paternal aunt is not a mahram. Some
women take this matter lightly and travel with their sister and sisters
husband, or with a maternal aunt and the aunts husband, but this is haraam,
because the sisters husband or the maternal aunts husband is not a mahram,
so it is not permissible for her to travel with him. So there is the fear
that her Hajj is not proper, for the proper Hajj (Hajj mabroor) is that
which is not mixed with any sin, but this woman is sinning throughout her
journey until she returns home. It is also essential that the mahram be an
adult of sound mind, because the aim of the mahram is to protect the woman,
and a child or one who is insane cannot do that.

If a woman does not have a mahram, or she has one but he is unable to travel
with her, then she is not obliged to do Hajj.

www.islamicknowledg e.co.uk

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Muhammad A – Z

Muhammad A – Z

May Allah Exalt his Mention
By Yusuf Estes, Former Christian Preacher

Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib
Born 570 C.E. (Christian Era); died 633 C.E.

The following is based on books, manuscripts, texts and actual eyewitness accounts, too numerous to mention herein, preserved in original form throughout the centuries by both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Many people today are discussing Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention. Who was he exactly? What did he teach? Why was he loved so much by some and hated so much by others? Did he live up to his claims? Was he a holy man? Was he a prophet of God? What is the truth about this man?You be the judge.

Here are the facts as narrated by thousands of people, many of whom knew him personally.

*He was born to a noble tribe to the lineage of the leaders of Makkah.

*His name comes from the Arabic root "hamd" and literally means "praised one." People at his time and until this very moment, praise him many times per day, may Allah exalt his mention.

*He never fell into the common practice of his tribesmen to worship statues, idols or man-made "gods."

*He believed that God was truly One God, and as such, He was to be worshipped alone, without any other "gods" beside Him.

*He held the Name of God in the highest of reverence and never took God's Name in vain or for any vain glorious purpose.

*He despised false worship and all of the complexities and degradation to which it leads.

*He adhered to the Commandments of Almighty God, just as prophets of old had done in the past.

*He never committed adultery, and he forbade others from doing it.

*He forbade usury and interest on money lending, as Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, had done centuries before him.

*He never gambled and did not allow it.

*He never drank alcohol or strong drink; even though it was a very normal thing for people of his time and place.

*He did not engage in gossip and used to turn away from hearing anything related to it.

*He fasted for days at a time to be closer to Almighty God and away from the narrowness of worldly attractions.

*He taught that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was the immaculate conception and miracle birth of Mary, and that she was among the best creation of Almighty God.

*He insisted even to the Jews of Medina, that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was the Messiah, the Christ, the one predicted to come in their Torah (Old Testament).

*He said Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, did many miracles by the permission of Almighty God, curing the lepers, restoring sight to the blind and even bringing a dead man back to life.

*He stated clearly that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was not dead, rather Almighty God had raised him up.

*He foretold that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, is going to return again in the Last Days to lead the true believers in a victory over the evil and unrighteous people, and he will destroy the Anti-Christ.

*He commanded the payment of charity to the poor and he was the defender and protector of widows, orphans and the wayfarers.

*He ordered people to unite with their families and honor the ties of kinship and he restored relationships between family members.

*He required his followers to engage only in lawful marriage relationships with women, and forbade sex outside of Almighty God's Ordinance.

*He insisted on giving women their proper rights, dowries, inheritance and property.

*His patience and humble attitude were exemplary and all who knew him had to admit to these virtues.

A. He never lied, never broke a trust never bore false witness, and he was famous with all the tribes in Makkah and was known as: "The Truthful" (Al-Ameen).

B. He never once engaged in sex outside of marriage, nor did he ever approve of it, even though it was very common at the time.

C. His only relationships with women were in legitimate, contractual marriages with proper witnesses according to law.

D. His relationship to Ayesha was only that of marriage. Their relationship is described in every detail by Ayesha herself in the most loving and respectful manner as a match truly made in heaven. Ayesha is considered as one of the highest scholars of Islam and lived out her entire life only having been married to Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention. She never desired any other man, nor did she ever utter a single negative statement against Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention.

E. He forbade any killing until the orders came from Allah. Even then the limits were clearly spelled out and only those engaged in active combat against the Muslims or Islam were to be fought in combat. And even then, only according to very strict rules from Allah.

F. Killing any innocent life was forbidden.

G. There was no genocide of Jews. He offered mutual protection and forgiveness to the Jews even after they broke their covenants with him many times. They were not attacked until it was clearly proven they were traitors during time of war and tried to bring down the prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and the Muslims at any cost. Retaliation was only to those Jews who had turned traitor and not others.

H. Slaves were common in those days for all nations and tribes. It was Islam that encouraged freeing of the slaves and the great reward from Allah for those who did so. Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, gave the example of this by freeing slaves and encouraging all of his followers to do the same. Examples include his own servant (who was actually considered like a son to him) Zaid ibn Al Haritha and Bilal the slave who was bought by Abu Bakr only for the purpose of freeing him.

I. While there were many attempts of assassination made on Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, (most famous was the night that Ali took his place in bed while he and Abu Bakr escaped to Madinah), he did not allow his companions to slaughter any of those who had been involved in these attempts. Proof for this is when they entered Makkah triumphantly and his first words were to command his followers not to harm such and such tribes and so and so families. This was one of the most famous of his acts of forgiveness and humbleness.

J. Military combat was forbidden for the first thirteen years of prophethood. The desert Arabs did not need anyone to tell them how to fight or do combat. They were experts in this area and held feuds amongst tribes that lasted for decades. It was not until the proper method of warfare was instituted by Allah in the Quran, with proper rights and limitations according His Commandments, that any retaliation or combat was sanctioned. Orders from Allah made it clear who was to be attacked, how and when and to what extent fighting could take place.

K. Destruction of infrastructures is absolutely forbidden except when it is ordained by Allah in certain instances and then only according to His Commands.

L. Cursing and invoking evil actually came to the prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, from his enemies, while he would be praying for their guidance. Classic example is that of his journey to At-Taif where the leaders would not even hear him out nor offer so much as the normal courtesy called for and instead they set the children of the street against him, throwing rocks and stones at him until his body was bleeding so much, blood filled his sandals. He was offered revenge by the angel Gabriel, if he would give the command, Allah would cause the surrounding mountains to fall down upon them destroying them all. Instead of cursing them or asking for their destruction, he prayed for them to be guided to worship their Lord alone, without any partners.

M. Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, claimed every person who is born is born in a state of ISLAM (submission to God), as a Muslim (MU-Islam means; "one who does ISLAM" i.e.; submits to God's Will and obeys His Commandments). Then as they grow older they begin to distort their faith according to the influence of the prevailing society and their own prejudices.

N. Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, taught his followers to believe in the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them all, and to believe in them as true prophets, messengers and slaves of Almighty Allah. He insisted on ranking all the prophets up at the highest level without any distinction between them.

O. He also taught the Torah (Old Testament), Zaboor (Psalms) and Injeel (Gospel or New Testament) were originally from the very same source as the Quran, from Allah.

P. He prophesied and foretold of events to come and they happened as he had said. He even predicted something from the past that would come true in the future, and it has.

The Quran states pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea while chasing after Moses and Allah said He would preserve Pharaoh as a sign for the future. Dr. Maurice Bucaille in his book, "Bible, Quran and Science" makes it clear this has happened and the very person of Pharaoh has been discovered in Egypt and is now on display for all to see.

This event took place thousands of years before Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, and it came true in the last few decades, many centuries after his death.
There has been more written about the prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, than any other person on earth. He has been praised very high even by famous non-Muslims for centuries. One of the first examples we quote from is from the Encyclopedia Britannica, as it confirms (regarding Muhammad)”

". . . a mass of detail in the early sources shows that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were likewise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12)

Another impressive tribute to Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention is in the very well written work of Michael H. Hart, "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History." He states that the most influential person in all history was Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, with Jesus second. Examine his actual words:

"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level."

Michael H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York : Hart Publishing Company, Inc., 1978, page. 33.

While we are reviewing statements from famous non-Muslims about Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, consider this:

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

Lamartine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris , 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-277.

George Bernard Shaw, a famous writer and non-Muslim says:

"He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness."

(The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)

K.S. Ramakrishna Rao, an Indian (Hindu) professor of Philosophy, in his booklet "Muhammad the Prophet of Islam" calls him the "perfect model for human life." Professor Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying:

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

Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, says in 'YOUNG INDIA ':

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

Thomas Carlyle in his 'Heroes and Hero Worship', was simply amazed as to:

"How one man single handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades."

Diwan Chand Sharma wrote in "The Prophets of the East":

"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him"

(D.C. Sharma, The Prophets of the East, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12)

Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, was nothing more or less than a human being, but he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He always described himself as, 'A Slave and Messenger of God' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be.

Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India , Sarojini Naidu says:

"It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God Alone is Great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother."

(S. Naidu, Ideals of Islam, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169)

In the words of Professor Hurgronje:

"The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues, "the fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations ."

Edward Gibbon and Simon Ockley, on the profession of ISLAM, writes in "History of the Saracen Empires":

"I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion."

(History of the Saracen Empires, London, 1870, p. 54)

Wolfgang Goethe, perhaps the greatest European poet ever, wrote about Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention. He said:

"He is a prophet and not a poet and therefore his Koran is to be seen as Divine Law and not as a book of a human being, made for education or entertainment."

(Noten und Abhandlungen zum Weststlichen Dvan , WA I, 7, 32)

People do not hesitate to raise to divinity and even make 'gods' out of other individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity – but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad’s, may Allah exalt his mention, followers, but the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.

Now it is up to you.

You are a rational thinking, concerned human being. As such, you should already be asking yourself:

"Could these extraordinary, revolutionary and amazing statements, all about this one man, really be true?

What if this is all true?

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Reaping the Benefits of Ramadan

Reaping the Benefits of Ramadan
By Ali Al-Timimi

In the month of Ramadan it is very important that
we spent a few moments to understand some of the wisdoms and lessons that we can learn from this month of fasting. Unfortunately, many Muslims come in to this month and they are as a companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Let it not be that the day that you fast and the day that you break fast be equal." Meaning, one's behaviour, attitude and outlook are the same whether one fasts or not, i.e. fasting has no effect upon that person. This is why we need to reflect on some of these lessons.

LESSON 1: Gaining Taqwa (piety)

Allah legislated fasting for gaining Taqwa, "O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain Taqwa." (meaning of Soraatul Baqarah (2):183) Taqwa in this case means to make a shield between oneself and Allah's anger and Hellfire. So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fasts, 'Has this fasting day made us fear Allah more? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire or not?

LESSON 2: Drawing closer to Allah

This is achieved by reciting and reflecting on the Qur'an during night and day, attending the taraaweeh prayers, remembering Allah, sitting in circles of knowledge and, for those who can, making `umrah. Also for those who can, making I`tikaaf (seclusion) in the last ten nights of Ramadan, so as to leave all worldly pursuits and seclude oneself in a masjid just thinking of Allah, so as to bring oneself closer to Allah . When one sins, one feels distant from Allah. That is why one might find it heard to read the Qur'an and come to the masjid. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to Allah and wants to worship Allah more, because he is not shy from his sins.

LESSON 3:Acquiring patience and strong will

Allah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Qur'an and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one's food and drink, and one's marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. This Ummah needs man and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the Sunnah and the Book of Allah and not waver in front of the enemies of Allah. We do not need emotional people, who just raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver.

LESSON 4: Striving for Ihsaan (righteousness and sincerity) and staying away from riyaa' (showing off)

Ihsaan means to worship Allah as if one seeks Him, and even though one does not see Him, He sees all. Hasan al-Basree said, "By Allah, in the last twenty years, I have not said a word or taken something with my hand or refrained to take something with my hand or stepped forth or stepped back, except that I have thought before I have done any action, 'Does Allah love this action? Is Allah pleased with this action?' So when one is fasting, one should gain this quality of watching oneself and also staying away from riyaa' (showing off). That is why Allah said in a hadeeth qudsee, "Fasting is for Me and I reward it." (al-Bukhaaree) Allah singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying, "Fasting is for Me", because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except Allah. For example, when one is praying or giving charity or making tawaaf, one can be seen by the people, so one might do the action seeking the praise of the people. Sufyaan ath-Thawree used to spend the nights and the days crying and the people used to ask him, "Why do you cry, is it due to the fear of Allah? He said, 'No.' They said, "Is it due to the fear of the Hellfire?" He said, 'No. It is not the fear of Hellfire that makes me cry, what makes me cry is that I have been worshipping Allah all these years and doing scholarly teaching, and I am not certain that my intentions are purely for Allah.'"

LESSON 5: Refinement of manners, especially those related to truthfulness and discharging trusts.

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah has no need that he should leave his food and drink." (al-Bukhaaree) What we learn from this, is that we must pay attention to the purification of our manners. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "was sent to perfect good manners." (Maalik) So we must check ourselves, are we following the behaviour of the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him)? For example: Do we give salaam to those we don't know and those we do know? Do we follow the manners of Islam, by telling the truth and only telling the truth? Are we sincere? Are we merciful to the creation?

LESSON 6: Recognizing that one can change for the better

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those who repent." (Ibn Maajah) Allah provides many opportunities to repent to Him and seek His forgiveness. If one was disobedient they can become obedient.

LESSON 7: Being more charitable

Ibn `Abaas said, "The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) was the most charitable amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month." (al-Bukhaaree) The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person's reward." (at-Tirmidhee)

LESSON 8: Sensing the unity of the Muslims

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, ".Those of you who will live after me will see many differences. Then you must cling to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khaleefahs. Hold fast to it and stick to it." (Aboo Daawood) In this month we sense that there is a possibility for unity, because we all fast together, we break fast together, we all worship Allah together, and we pray Salaatul-`Eid together. Therefore we sense that the unity of possible. It is possible for Muslims to be a single body, but this will only be achieved when obedience is only to Allah and His Messenger.

LESSON 9: Learning discipline

The Prophet (ma Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) made us adhere to discipline and strictness, strictness that does not lead to fanaticism or going outside the bounds that Allah has laid down. One cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mold their lives around.

LESSON 10: Teaching the young to worship Allah

It was the practice of the people of Madina that during the fast of `Aashooraa (which is now a recommended fast of one day) to get their children to fast with them. When the children would cry of hunger and thirst, their parents would distract their attention by giving them some sort of toy to play with. The children would break their fast with their parents. (as mentioned in al-Bukhaaree) . So the young should be brought to the masjid and they should pray with their parents, so that they are able to get into the habit of becoming worshippers of Allah. If one does not encourage children to fast when they are young, they will find it very difficult to fast for thirty days at the age of puberty. This is why the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Command your children to pray at the age of seven and beat them at the age of ten (if they do not pray." (Haakim)

LESSON 11: Caring for one's health

Fasting has many medical benefits and it teaches Muslims to take care of their health and too build strong bodies. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone." (Muslim)

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