23 January 2011

23 January 2011

Seerah of Muhammed*

*: May the Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him

TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

Banu Qaynuqa Breach The Covenant

Seeing that Allah sided with the believers and granted them a victory and perceiving the Muslims’ awesome presence in Madinah, the Jews of Medina could no longer contain themselves or conceal indignation. They started a series of provocative and harmful deeds publicly. The most wicked amongst them were the tribe of Banu Qaynuqa, who lived in quarters within Madinah named after them. As for jobs, they took up goldsmithery, blacksmithing and crafts of making household instruments, that is why war weaponry was available in large quantities in their houses. They counted 700 warriors, and were the most daring amongst the Jewish community in Arabia, and now the first to breach the covenant of cooperation and non-aggression which they had already countersigned with the Prophet*. Their behaviour grew too impolite and unbearable. They started a process of trouble-making, jeering at the Muslims, hurting those who frequented their bazaars, and even intimidating their women. Such things began to aggravate the general situation, so the Prophet* gathered them in assemblage, admonished and called them to be rational, sensible and guided and cautioned against further transgression. Nevertheless they remained obdurate and paid no heed to his warning, and said: “Don’t be deluded on account of defeating some Quraishites inexperienced in the art of war. If you were to engage us in fight, you will realize that we are genuine war experts.”

In this regard, the Words of Allah were revealed saying: “Say [O Muhammad] to those who disbelieve: ‘You will be defeated and gathered together to Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest.’ There has already been a Sign for you (O Jews) in the two armies that met (in combat — i.e. the battle of Badr): One was fighting in the cause of Allah, and as for the other (they) were disbelievers. They (the believers) saw them (the disbelievers) with their own eyes twice their number (although they were thrice their number). And Allah supports with His Victory whom He pleases. Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand.” [3:12,13]

The answer of Banu Qaynuqa amounted, as seen, to war declaration. The Prophet* suppressed his anger and advised the Muslims to be patient and forbearing and wait for what time might reveal.

Uncovering the Muslim Sister

One day a Jewish goldsmith provoked a Muslim woman whose lower body become uncovered when he had tied the edge of the garment to her back whilst she was sat in his shop on the floor. A Muslim man happened to be there and killed the man; the Jews retaliated by killing that Muslim. The man’s family called the Muslims for help and war started. On Saturday, Shawwal 15th, 2 A.H., the Prophet* marched out with his soldiers, Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib, carrying the standard of the Muslims and laid siege to the Jews’ forts for 15 days eventually forcing them to surrender after Allah cast fear into their hearts. Now, Abdullah Ibn Ubay was allied to the Qaynuqa and appealed to the Prophet* for leniency to be shown to them. Ibn Ubay grabbed hold of the top of Muhammad's* breast plate as he turned away, provoking his anger. "Let me go," the Prophet* said. Ibn Ubay replied: "No! [...] I will not let you go, until you have compassion on my friends; 300 soldiers armed in mail, and 400 unequipped, -- they defended me on the fields of Hadaick and Buath from every foe. Wilt thou cut them down in one day, O Muhammad’ As for me, I am one verily that fears the vicissitudes of fortune." At the same time, Ubadah ibn al Samit announced that he was disowning his Jewish allies in favour of Allah and His Messenger: “O Messenger of Allah, I have many close friends among the Jews, but I am disowning the friendship of the Jews and turning to Allah and His Messenger. I take only Allah and His Messenger for close friends.” After this, the Prophet* agreed to his request, and gave the Banu Qaynuqa three days to leave the city.

The Prophet* ordered that they should be expelled from Madina, and the one responsible for carrying out this order was Ubadah ibn al Samit. There is a clear difference between Abdullah ibn Ubay, whose heart was full of hypocrisy, and Ubadah ibn al Samit, whose personality had been refined under the teaching of the Prophet*, which had rid him of all traces of pre-Islamic tribal loyalty, Jahili Asabiyyah desires, and personal interests. He considered the interests of faith and gave them priority over his own interests. He was a good example of the conscientious and committed believer.

Banu Qaynuqa handed over all materials, wealth and war equipage to the Prophet*. The one responsible for seizing their wealth was Muhammad ibn Maslamah al Ansari. It was shared among the companions as booty, after one-fifth of it had been taken for the Messenger. After that they were banished out of all Arabia to Azru‘a in Syria where they stayed for a while and soon perished away. Some members of the tribe chose to stay in Medina and convert to Islam, possibly more out of opportunism than conviction. One man from the Banu Qaynuqa, Abdullah ibn Sailam, became a devout Muslim. 

The following verses were revealed concerning this affair:

Surah al-Maida: O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliya of each other. 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 wrong-doers and unjust). (51) And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy), they hurry to their friendship, saying: "We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us." Perhaps Allah may bring a victory or a decision according to His Will. Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves. (52) And those who believe will say: "Are these the men (hypocrites) who swore their strongest oaths by Allah that they were with you (Muslims)’" All that they did has been in vain (because of their hypocrisy), and they have become the losers. (53) O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allah, and never fear of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower. (54) Verily, your Wali (Protector or Helper) is none other than Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, - those who perform As-Salat, and give Zakat, and they are Rakiun (those who bow down or submit themselves with obedience to Allah in prayer). (55) And whosoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed, as Protectors, then the party of Allah will be the victorious. (56) O you who believe! Take not as Auliya (protectors and helpers) those who take your religion as a mockery and fun from among those who received the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before you, nor from among the disbelievers; and fear Allah if you indeed are true believers. (57)

Hadith

Number 17 of Nawawi's 40 Hadith

Abu Ya'la Shaddad ibn Aus, reported that the Messenger of Allah*, said: "Verily, Allah has enjoined excellence (ihsan) with regard to everything. So, when you kill, kill in a good way; when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way; so everyone of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably." [Muslim]

This is a very important hadith about how to be a good Muslim. It encourages us to be the best we can be. It is not simply about treating animals with compassion or being efficient in slaughtering them, it contains much deeper meanings. Slaughter is chosen by the Prophet* to use as an example that people can relate to. However, we mustn’t forget the important rules of slaughter when searching for the deeper meanings: such as being good in every deed/action, perfecting our Islam and having good conduct at all times.

The hadith contains a principle and provides an example of applying that principle. This is a Prophetic method to enable Muslims to apply the same principle to other similar situations. It can also be said that providing the example is a way of explaining the principle so it is easily understood. Most of the forty hadiths collected by Imam Nawawi are of this nature. It was also previously mentioned that Muslims have a tendency of taking the example and forgetting about the principle. This may explain why Muslims are reminded of this hadith only once a year, during Eid ul-Adha.

The concept of ihsan was mentioned in Hadlth No. 2. Its general meaning is "doing something well" or "as well as possible." Several rulings are inferred from the opening statement: first, that Allah has made ihsan a duty incumbent upon all creation; second, that He has made it a duty toward all things and all creatures; and third, that He has made ihsan an obligation in all things, i.e., in every job or deed one performs.

Treating anmals well

Good treatment is ordained by Allah toward any person or animal that is to be killed lawfully, which means making the death as swift and easy as possible, sparing any unnecessary pain and anguish. After the mention of killing in general, the Prophet* specifically ordered ihsan in the slaughter of animals for food. The Prophet* gave various details concerning the proper way to slaughter in several narrations:

- The animal should be led gently to the place of slaughter, without frightening it or pulling it roughly.

- It should be offered water to drink if thirsty.

- The knife should be well sharpened to cause the least amount of pain, and it should be concealed from the animal before the moment of use.

- The slaughter should not take place in the presence of other animals, for even a dumb animal is aware of two things: its Lord and death, which it fears.

- It should be turned toward the qiblah if possible and the name of Allah mentioned over it at the time of slaughter.

- The throat should be cut with one stroke and deeply through the jugular veins so that death will come quickly. Then the animal should be left to toss about freely while the blood drains and should not be cut again before it is dead.

It is reported that a man said to Allah's Messenger*, "When I slaughter a sheep, I am merciful to her." He* replied, "If you are merciful to the sheep, Allah will be merciful to you.". ln a hadith related by al-Jabarani it is reported that once the Prophet* came across a man holding a sheep to the ground with his foot and sharpening his blade while the sheep looked at him. He* addressed him, saying, "Couldn't you have done it [i.e., the sharpening] before this? Do you want to cause her numerous deaths?!"  In another hadith the Prophet*, said: “Whoever shows mercy even when slaughtering a bird, Allah will have mercy on him on the Day of Judgement.” [Bukhari]  In another hadith, the Prophet*, related this story: “While a man was travelling, he felt very thirsty. He found a well and went down to have a drink. When he came out he found a thirsty dog. He said to himself, "This dog is as thirsty as I was." He then went back inside the well and used his shoe to bring out some water for the dog. Allah was pleased with him and forgave his sins because of he had done." [Bukhari]  The Prophet*, warned Muslims not to harm animals. He said: “A lady was put into the hellfire because of a cat. She tied up the cat and did not give her anything to eat nor did she allow it to look for food.” One more ruling concerning dealing nicely with animals is not to abuse the animals we use for achieving certain work (i.e. carrying things) and not to overburden them. The Prophet* was passing by a farm in Medina when he came across a camel. The camel approached the Prophet*, as if it was telling him something. The Prophet* asked about the owner of the camel and called upon him and told him, “Your camel is complaining that you overburden him with work, and gives him too little to eat.” [Abu Daud, Imam Ahmad]

Ihsan: Be the Best

Ihsan is a comprehensive concept. It denotes doing things completely, nicely and in a tasteful manner. It comprises four parts:

1. Sincerity (Ikhlas)

2. Completeness

3. Tastefulness (doing things in a nice manner), and

4. Correctness (doing things in the right way).

This concept is translated by commentators and interpreters as Excellence. Being a comprehensive concept, the term Ihsan cannot be translated word for word because there is no word in the English language that gives its exact meaning. Therefore, it is better to use it as it is.

Islam commands Muslims to practice and apply Ihsan in all that they do - hence it is an obligation.It has been mentioned in the Qur’an as well. Allah the Almighty says: "Verily, Allah enjoins Justice, and Ihsan and giving help to kith and kin,..." [16:90]  In Surah Al-Mulk (67), ayat 2 this concept is mentioned as one of two main purposes of human creation, Allah the Almighty says: "The One Who created death and life so that He may test you which of you is best of conduct." The concept of Ihsan means that a Muslim is a responsible person and a person of quality where he does things in a very good manner, in a complete sense, in a nice and tasteful way and is never satisfied with anything other than a quality job in all that he/she does, motivated by realizing that Allah prescribed Ihsan to everything and to all deeds.

The term ‘amalan in its selected form as mentioned in Surat Al-Mulk ayat implies any kind of deeds. It is not just the religious deeds (ibadah), but also all that we do which is lawful. It should be done according to the concept of Ihsan and we should exert our efforts to live up according to its implications. Hence, if we exert our effort to do / be the best in all things for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, we can get rewarding for our actions, such as:

- the way we look or dress

- the way we eat or sleep

- the way we form and keep relations with our friends & family

- the way we spread Islam (Dawah) or teach others

- the way we learn or do our homework !

These actions and good deeds can be considered as ibadah. The superlative form of the verb used in the same verse (ahsan) implies that all good deeds and actions that we do should be done in a competitive way. However, competition in Islam is not for achieving personal interest but rather for seeking the pleasure of Allah.

News Topic

Various News topics were touched upon, in brief, including stories about:
- A Cola company getting into trouble about its advertising and how it was misleading people
- A prominent British politician said that Islamophobia was now acceptable in Britain, and people would openly criticise Islam & the Muslims. This is wrong and people should be aware of its dangers
- The oppressive leader of Tunisia (a small Muslim country in North Africa) fled the country after people took to the streets against him
- Manchester University library says that it will digitally scan an old but very large copy of the Qur'an for people to access online

16 January 2011

16 January 2011

Seerah of Muhammed*

*: May the Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him

TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

The Jews of Medina plot against the Prophet*

We have already spoken about the treaty that the Prophet* signed with the Jews of Medina. He was very careful to abide by it to the letter and the Muslims did not show the least violation of any of its provisions. The Jews of Medina, however, enjoyed their status of being the controlling group in Medina ans profited from the in-fighting among the Arabs, and were linked to treachery, betrayal and covenant-breaching to maintain their dominance. Hence, they started a process of intrigues and troublemaking with the aim of producing schism in the growing solid Muslim ranks.

In Medina there was a considerable number of Jews. They were wealthy, controlled the trade, and commanded great influence. The Prophet* followed the policy of 'live and let live'. He accordingly entered into a treaty with the Jews. According to the terms of the treaty the Jews were to enjoy religious freedom and there was to be no interference in religious affairs. The Muslims and the Jews were to be on friendly terms, and were to help each other in the promotion of objects of mutual interest. It was stipulated that Muslims and the Jews would help each other in case of an attack by an enemy. No party was to give protection to the Quraish, and in case the Quraish invaded Medina, both the Muslims and the Jews were to join hands in the defence of the city.

The Jews of Medina knew that in their holy books there were references to the advent of a prophet in Arabia. They were however under the impression that the prophet would rise from their midst. When the Prophet* rose from the ranks of the Quraish in Mecca, the Jews recognized in him all the signs of prophethood foretold in their sacred books. When the  Prophet* came to Medina the Jews thought that he would be subservient to them and would acknowledge their supremacy. When the Prophet* followed an independent policy, the Jews followed the policy of betrayal and embarked on a campaign of ridicule.

As Muslims, we should not be racist or prejudiced against other people based on race, colour or ethnicity. Muslims are not anti-semitic, and infact, the arabs are cousins of the Jewish nation. Muslims should not think of themselves as superior due to their ethnicity or birth but due to their piety. It may not be politically correct to talk about Jews and how the Prophet* dealt with them but these are historical facts and the coming study circles will highlight these. The Prophet* started out treating the Jews of Medina as near-equal citizens of the state but they chose to break that agreement and worked against the Prophet* by word and deed.

Shas bin Qais and dividing the Muslims

Shas bin Qais, an elderly Jew, passed by a group of Muslims from Aws and Khazraj. He perceived a prevalent spirit of reconciliation and an atmosphere of rapport and friendship enveloping the whole group; an unusual scene categorically in conflict with the animosity and hatred that characterized their pre-Islam behaviour. He, therefore, sent a youth of his to sit among them, remind them of Bu‘ath war between them and recite some of their verses which they used to compose satirizing each other; all of this with the intention of sowing the seeds of discord and disagreement and undermining the new Islamically-orientated inter-tribal relations. The youth did in fact succeed and the two parties at no time recalled the old days and pre-Islam tribal fanaticism sprang to the front to bring about a state of war. They were reaching for their weapons and appointed a time to meet.

The Prophet* heard about this and immediately, at the head of some Emigrants, set out to see to the situation. He began to rebuke them but in the manner of the great instructor and the tolerant spirit of the understanding guide: “O, Muslims! Do you still advance pre- Islamic arguments after I have been sent to you (as a Messenger). Remember that it is not rightful for you to turn backward after Allah has guided you to the Straight Path, delivered you from disbelief and created amity between you.” The Muslims readily realized that it was a Satanic whim and a plot hatched by the enemies. They directly embraced each other and went back home quite satisfied and in full obedience to the Messenger of Allah*.

Such were the practices of the Jews of Medina: trouble-making, dissension-sowing, falsehood-fabrication, faking belief in the day, and practising disbelief at night. In everyday life, they used to tighten the ropes of financial dealings on the Muslims. If they happened to owe a Muslim something, they would shirk their obligations on grounds that he had converted into a new religion and they would allege the basis of agreement was no longer valid. If it was the other way, they would never cease to harass him day and night to pay back the debt, all of which in a desperate attempt to demolish the great edifice of the new religion that was rapidly gaining ground and speedily towering up skyward.

Abu Bakr and Finhas the Rabbi

One day Abu Bakr came across Finhas, one of the Jewish rabbis. Abu Bakr invited him to Islam, but Finhas ridiculed the offer. The Prophet* had enjoined on the Muslims to spend in the way of Allah, and according to the Quran this was to be a loan against God repayable manifold the original amount. The Muslims were forbidden to charge interest. According to the religion of the Jews, interest was permissible. In this context Finhas argued: "We are rich, but your Allah is poor for He asks loan of us. Had He been independent of us He would not have given us interest, which He has denied to you."

Abu Bakr felt outraged at this blasphemy. In a fit of anger Abu Bakr slapped him in the face and said: "Were it not for the treaty between the Muslims and the Jews, I would have cut off your head, you enemy of Allah." Finhas went to the Prophet* and complained that Abu Bakr had struck him on the face. When put to explanation, Abu Bakr said, "This enemy of Allah spoke blasphemy. He alleged that Allah was poor and they were rich. At such insolence against Allah I could not control myself, and I hit him."

Finhas denied the charge levelled against him by Abu Bakr. A revelation, however, confirmed what Abu Bakr had alleged. According to the revelation it was said that Allah had heard the speech of those who had said that Allah was poor and they were rich. About Abu Bakr's anger, the following verses were revealed:

"And you will certainly hear from those Who received the Book before you and from the polytheists much that is wrong, But if you preserve and fear God, That is the steadfastness of things.

Indeed, Allâh has heard the statement of those (Jews) who say: "Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!" We shall record what they have said and their killing of the Prophets unjustly, and We shall say: "Taste you the torment of the burning (Fire)."

This is because of that (evil) which your hands have sent before you. And certainly, Allah is never unjust to (His) slaves.

Hadith

Number16 of Nawawi's 40 Hadith:

Abu Hurairah reported that a man said to the Prophet*: "Advise me! "The Prophet said, "Do not become angry and furious." The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, "Do not become angry and furious." [Bukhari]

Some scholars say that the Prophet* knew that the man who asked him used to get angry often and that is why the Prophet* gave him that particular advice. This view may lead to narrowing down and limiting the benefit of the hadith, whereas it is very comprehensive, far-reaching and applicable to all Muslims because everyone is subject to anger. There are other Qur'anic verses and hadith that emphasize the need to avoid getting angry. Allah mentions the qualities of the muttaqin:

“Those who spend (in Allah’s cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress their anger, and who pardon men, verily, Allah loves the al-Muhsinun (the good-doers).” [3:133-134]

In another hadith, Abu Hurairah related that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said: "A strong person is not the person who throws his adversaries to the ground. A strong person is the person who contains himself when he is angry."

And from the du'a (supplications) of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam: "I ask you O Allah, for truthful speech during times of pleasure and anger" [Nasaai and Ahmad]

Definition of anger or temper:

The feeling one has toward something or someone that hurts, opposes, offends, or annoys, strong displeasure. (Example: In a moment of anger I hit my brother.)

Islamic definition: It is a destructive fire! Prophetic hadith: “Anger is a burning coal ...”

Man in weak

Allah says in the Holy Qur'an: "Man was created weak." During the moment of weakness, we succumb to the designs of our enemy, that is, the devil, who "will attack us from front, from behind, from the side," in order to divert us from God consciousness and return to our animistic nature. Thus anger by itself is not unnatural; it is the expression of anger which is done wrongfully, can lead to problems. The difference between the wild beasts and wild humans is the difference of free will.

When a lion or a wolf is angry, he does not think. When a man becomes angry as a result of provocation, he has a choice to control his anger or to respond to it as he has learned from the Qur'an and from Prophet Mohammad's* teachings, or forget all that and become a wild animal. Thus anger takes place when we are not in control of ourselves, but the devil is controlling us. Anger in itself is a natural feeling, Allah has put such feeling inside us to react against what's harming us, for instance to protect our lives, our properties, and our families. Yet we shouldn't over do that. Meaning it is ok to feel angry, but it is dangerous and forbidden by Allah to surrender to your anger and follow it to as far as it takes you (for it might drive you to killing somebody).

Controlling our Anger

Some of the ways in which we can control our anger – as discussed in the study circle, suggestions from the children:

- sit down if standing, or lie down

- listen to calming music

- use stress-relieving balls or toys, or squeeze a lemon

- perform wudu, or drink water

- talk to someone else

- take deep breaths, or hold it for 30 seconds

- walk away, leave the room, go to a quiet room, or scream in another room

- think before you speak, or stop shouting

- count or read alphabet, eg., from 50 – 1, or backwards

- write an angry letter

- be patient

- take frustration out on a pillow

- smile

- pinch your hand

The Prophet in Ta’if

The best example of this was when the Prophet* went to a Ta'if. This was at the time when the followers of Islam were at their weakest and the Prophet* himself had suffered the loss of both his wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib. He went to this town in the hope that they would listen to what he had to say. Instead he was insulted and chased out of the town by the children who threw stones at him till the blood flowed from his body to his feet making his sandals sticky with his own blood. The Prophet was so depressed that he prayed to Allah, who then sent down the Angel of the mountains who asked for the Prophet's permission to fold the mountains together and crush to death all those that lived there. But what was the prophet's reply? "Yes, kill them all as they did not listen to me"? No, off course not! His answer was "No, I hope Allah will bring from them people who will worship Allah alone, associating none with Him." This was the example of the Prophet, even though he felt bitterness and was very angry with them, he had the discipline and control to not let his emotions control his actions and he forgave them realizing that they were merely misguided.

Righteous anger

We need to mention that not all anger is sinful. Anger that inspires a person to avenge his own personal feelings is indeed blameworthy. However, anger can also be felt for the sake of Allah and for His religion. This is the anger that a Muslim should feel when his religion is attacked, his beliefs blasphemed, and the honour and lives of the people are transgressed against. However, this anger, if it is truly and sincerely for Allah's sake, will only inspire us to noble deeds and to personal sacrifice, and never to base, unjust, or ignoble actions.

The Companions relate that the Prophet* would never became angry for anything. However, if the sanctity of Allah was profaned, then nothing could assuage his anger. The Prophet* never acted angrily for personal reasons. He never once so much as raised his voice to his servants or his family. Anas relates that he worked as the Prophet's servant for ten years, and not once did the Prophet* so much as say “uff ” to him, or ask him when he did something “Why did you do that?” or ask him when he neglected something: “Why didn't you do that?” The Companions relate: “The Prophet* exhibited more shyness than a maiden in seclusion. If he saw something that he disliked, we would see it in his face.” [Bukhari]

Caliph Ali was once fighting in a war imposed on Muslims, and the chief of the Unbelievers confronted him. During the fight, the Ali was able to overcome him, who fell down on the ground and Ali was about to kill him. This person, knowing his fate now, had no choice so he spit on the face of Ali. Ali immediately got up and left him alone. The man came running to him and asked, "You had a chance to kill me since I am a Polytheist; how come you didn't use your sword?" Ali said, "I have no personal animosity toward you. I was fighting you because of your disbeliever, on behalf of God. If I had killed you after you spat on my face, then it would have become my personal revenge which I do not wish to take." That Unbeliever chief became a Muslim immediately and testified that 'There is no god but Allah, and that Prophet Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah'.

However, if we want to get angry for the sake of Allah, then we need to be careful that we:

- are really not getting angry for ourselves or for our own interests.

- need to do it in the right way, like not committing wrong actions or saying vulgar words while getting angry.

- can achieve the benefit as intended by the shari’ah.

Top Tips from the Prophet* to control our anger

From Hadith Qudsi: ‘O son of Adam, when you get angry remember me’

The Prophet* says about anger:  “Anger is the effect of shaytaan and shaytaan was created from fire. And water extinguishes fire." It is narrated in Bukhari that two people were arguing in the presence of Rasulullah*. One of the two became so angry that his face went red and his veins swelled.  Rasulullah* lifted his face towards that person and said to him that I know a sentence if you were to say it your anger will go away. The sentence is: “I Seek Allah's Protection From The Cursed Devil" (Autho’billah Min-ee-Shaithaa Nirra-Jeem) [Known as ta'awuz]

The Prophet* said: “If a man gets angry and says, ‘I seek refuge with Allah,’ his anger will go away.”

The Prophet* said: “The strong man is not the one who can throw another down. The strong man is the one who can keep hold of himself when he is angry.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet* advised us not to speak when we are angry. He said: “If one of you gets angry, he should be quiet.” [Ahmad ]

The Prophet* gave us other practical advice. He said: “If one of you gets angry and he is standing, then he should sit down until his anger subsides. If it does not, then he should lie down.” [ Sunan Abi Dawud ]

The narrator of this hadeeth is Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), and there is a story connected to his telling of it: he was taking his camels to drink at a trough that he owned, when some other people came along and said (to one another), “Who can compete with Abu Dharr (in bringing animals to drink) and make his hair stand on end?” A man said, “I can,” so he brought his animals and competed with Abu Dharr, with the result that the trough was broken. (i.e., Abu Dharr was expecting help in watering his camels, but instead the man misbehaved and caused the trough to be broken). Abu Dharr was standing, so he sat down, then he laid down. Someone asked him, “O Abu Dharr, why did you sit down then lie down?” He said: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: . . .” and quoted the hadeeth.

He also said: “Anger is from Satan, and Satan was created from fire. Fire is but extinguished by water, so if one of you gets angry, he should perform wudu'.” [Abu Dawud and Ahmad]

When you're angry, think of Allah. Think of Allah's anger and punishment. Is Allah's wrath less than your wrath? And what happens when He expresses His wrath? We humans who seek forgiveness from Allah must forgive others first. When one forgives someone else, it establishes peace and tranquility in one's heart.

In another hadith, the Prophet* said: “If one of you becomes angry then he should be silent.” This is an important advice because during anger, most of our actions and speech may not be correct.

Narrated 'Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakra: Abu Bakr wrote to his son who was in Sijistan: Do not judge between two persons when you are angry, for I heard the Prophet* saying: "A judge should not judge between two persons while he is in an angry mood." [Al-Bukhari]

The Prophet* said: “Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah will fill his heart with contentment on the Day of Resurrection

Another great reward is described in the Prophet’s* words: “Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah will call him before all of mankind on the Day of Resurrection, and will let him choose of the Hoor al-‘Ayn whoever he wants.”

The Prophet* is our leader and has set the highest example in this matter, as is recorded in a number of ahadith. One of the most famous was reported by Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (saws), and he was wearing a Najraanee cloak with a rough collar. A Bedouin came and seized him roughly by the edge of his cloak, and I saw the marks left on his neck by the collar. Then the Bedouin ordered him to give him some of the wealth of Allaah that he had. The Prophet* turned to him and smiled, then ordered that he should be given something.”

It is mentioned in the Qur’an: “spend (in Allah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, [they] repress anger, and [they] pardon men; verily, Allah loves al-muhsinoon (the good-doers).” [3:134], and (interpretation of the meaning) “. . . when they are angry, they forgive.” [42:47]

Du'a’ is always the weapon of the believer. One of the du‘aa’s of the Prophet* was: “O Allah, by Your knowledge of the Unseen and Your power over Your creation, keep me alive for as long as You know life is good for me, and cause me to die when You know death is good for me. O Allah, I ask You to make me fear You in secret and in public, and I ask You to make me speak the truth in times of contentment and of anger. I ask You not to let me be extravagant in poverty or in prosperity. I ask You for continuous blessings, and for contentment that does not end. I ask You to let me accept Your decree, and for a good life after death. I ask You for the joy of seeing Your face and for the longing to meet You, without going through diseases and misguiding fitnah (trials). O Allah, adorn us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who are guided. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”

News Topic

There was no time to discuss any news topic this week

Homework from 16 January 2011:

1. Research the story of how some Jews of Medina reacted to the Prophet* entering Medina - the story is narrated by Saffiya (later wife of the Prophet*)?

2. What do you understand from the next (number 17) of Nawawi's 40 Hadith: Abu Ya'la Shaddad ibn Aus, reported that the Messenger of Allah*, said: "Verily, Allah has enjoined excellence (ihsan) with regard to everything. So, when you kill, kill in a good way; when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way; so everyone of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably." [Muslim]

3. News Topics from this week: Any interesting news articles from the week that relate to Islam or the Muslims? Bring a clipping or print out if you can...

9 January 2011

9 January 2011

Seerah of Muhammed*

*: May the Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him

TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

Ahl us-Suffa

Part of one of the long colonnades in the Mosque was now reserved for those newcomers who had nowhere to live and no means of sustenance. They were known as "the People of the Bench", Ahl a-Suffah, on account of a stone bench which had been placed there for their benefit; and since the Mosque was a prolongation-of-the Prophet's own dwelling, he and his household felt especially responsible for this growing number of impoverished refugees who lived at their very door, whose plight they witnessed daily and who came in ones and twos from all directions, drawn by the message of Islam and the reports of him and his community which had by now reached the tribes all over Arabia.

When the Qibla was towards the north, the people had built a shed to provide shade, and the place underneath it, was called As-Suffa. The definition of As-Suffa according to Ibn Hajr is that As-Sufa is a place at the back of the Masjid-e-Nabi, it is shaded and it was prepared for the foreigners. The ones who don’t have any family or any place to stay. Abu Huraira, who was also an ahl al-Suffa says (in Bukhari) about Ahl us-Suffa that, Ahl us-Suffa are the guests of Islam, they are the ones who don’t have any family or wealth to fall back on. So they live in this place called As-Suffa. Now not everyone who lived there was forced to live there, because of their condition.

Abu Huraira

Some of them volunteered to join Ahl us-Suffa like Abu Huraira, who had enough wealth, but he chose to devote his time to studying and therefore he lived with the people of As-Suffa. He sais about himself that, some people comment that ,how come Abu Huraira narrates more hadith than the muhajireen and the ansar? They wondered this because Abu Huraira was late in becoming a muslim. Abu Huraira narrated more hadith than anyone else. So Abu Huraira explains how the brothers from the muhajireen were busy with business, while he used to follow RusoolAllah* with an empty stomach. He said that he was poor and had nothing but he would follow Rusool Allah (saw) all the time. So he would attend when the muhajireen were absent and he would remember, when they would forget. Then he would explain that the ansar were busy with their farms. He said that he was a poor man and that he would remember what they wouldn’t. Because Abu Huraira devoted all his time to studying he had time to review all the hadith of the Prophet (saw). Infact Abu Huraira said that he splits the night into three parts. One part for sleeping, one for praying, and one for reviewing the ahadith of RusoolAllah* that he would hear throughout the day.

One source of livelihood for As-Suffa was the sadaqat that the Prophet* sent to them. When the Prophet* receive sadaqat he would send it to them. Also when he would receive a gift he would take some of it and give them the rest. The Prophet* did not accept sadaqat for himself. The Prophet* would encourage the sahabah who are well-off to invite the people of As-Suffa. One of the Ansar said that his father was among the people of As-Suffa. The Prophet* ordered the sahaba to invite the Ahl us-Suffa to their houses and so the sahabah came and invited some until 5 of them were left. Then the Prophet* told them to go to that ansar’s house and he fed them. The Prophet* says that whoever has food enough for two people should take a third and whoever has food enough for four people, such a person should take a fifth of sixth person with him. These sahaba, who were told to invite these people, were not millionaires.  This tells us that sacrifice and generosity has been part of Islam since the beginning.

Allah has repeatedly revealed ayats be kind to the orphans, the poor, the needy, being generous towards guests etc. All of these are ibadaat that have been encouraged from day one. So we should accept that being a muslim does demand sacrifice, and this we have to do, to seek the pleasure of Allah.

Something better than slaves...

Fatima (ra) was the daughter of the Prophet*, the most beloved to the messenger of Allah (saw). Fatima had to do all of the hard work at home. Fatimah before her marriage had been as it were hostess to the People of the Bench. But despite the sacrifices that were part of the daily life of the Prophet's household, her life after her marriage seemed even more rigorous on account of a lack which she had not yet experienced. There had never been, for her, any shortage of helping hands. But now Fatimah had no one in the house to help her. This even caused her hands to become injured and coarse. Ali ibn Talib told her that her father has received slaves, and then he advised her to go ask the Prophet* for a servant. So Fatima (ra) goes to the Prophet* and asks for a servant, the Prophet* responded to his daughter, that I am not going to give you and leave the people of As-Suffa with hungry stomachs, because they don’t have any money. I don’t have any money to spend on them, so I’m going to sell these slaves and use that money to give to Ahl us-Suffa. This tell us how much concern the Prophet* had for Ahl us-Suffa.

Fatima returned home in some disappointment but that night, after they had gone to bed, they heard the voice of the Prophet asking permission to enter. Giving him words of welcome they both rose to their feet, but he told them: "Stay where you are," and sat down beside them. "Shall I not tell you of something better than that which ye asked of me?" he said, and when they said yes he said: "Words which Jibreel taught me, that ye should say Glory be to God ten times after every prayer, and ten times Praise be to God, and ten times God is most great. And that when ye go to bed ye should say them thirty-three times each." 'Ali used to say in after years: "I have never once failed to say them since the Messenger of God taught them to US."

Other graduates

It should not be thought that Ahl us-Suffa would just sit and eat free food, and that they don’t do any work. These were actually very active people in ibadat, these were true monks. They had immense knowledge, who were scholars, mujahideen, many of them became Shuhadah. For example one of the scholars who graduated from among the ranks of Ahl us-Suffa was Abu Huraira (ra), the most prolific narrator of the hadith of Rusool Allah (saw). Another member of Ahl us-Suffa was Huzafia ibn Yamaan (ra), who narrated most of the ahadith about the end of time. Shuhada from among Ahl us-Suffa were Sufwan, Habib bin Isaaf, Hareem , Harifa ibn Nauman, Sarem bin Umair were shuhadah at the battle of Badar. Hanbala the one who was washed by the angels was a shaheed in Uhud. There were also some shuhadah from As-Suffa in Hudaibiyah and various other battles. They would also try to earn for a living my collecting date seeds and selling them as animal feed. They would try to make a living, but due to the difficult conditions in Medina they were forced into poverty.

The number of Ahl us-Suffa rose and decreased depending on the conditions. But on average they were 70. They used to live 24 hours at the back of Masjid-e-Nabi. They were obvioulsy active in studying because they were close to the center of learning, Masjid-e-Nabi, which was the university of islam. That is why these people have narrated a lot of ahadith.

The is a lot of importance of having a social welfare system in islam. People would stay at As-Suffa and eat at the houses of al-Ansar. To take care of social needs is also a part of da’wa.

Ubadah ibn us-Samet (ra)  said that, “The Prophet* would become busy, so he would turn over the new muslim to us.” He also said,  “If a new muhajir (new muslim) would come to Rusool Allah (saw), and if the Prophet* is busy then  he would send him over to one of us to teach him Quran., Rusool Allah sent to me a man, he stayed with me at home, and I would feed him as a member of my own family and then I would teach him Quran.” Da’wa to them includes feeding and taking care of the muhajir. They were aware that these muhajir had left everything they own behind, thus were in need of help.

The Prophet* wanted the muslim society to become organized, so he appointed representatives over these groups. Abu Huraira (ra) was Areef, areef is someone who represents people and would express, or convey the people’s need to the leader. So Abu Huraira (ra) was the representative of Ahl us-Suffa. If the Prophet* wanted to give a message to Ahl us-Suffa, then he would convey it through Abu Huraira (ra).

Hadith

Number15 of Nawawi's 40 Hadith: Good Manners in Speech

Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:  "Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day either speak good or be silent. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his neighbour. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his guest."  [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

This hadith contains the rulings concerning the tongue and the behaviour of Muslims towards others. It also emphasises that we are responsible for what we say.

Imam Haithami points out that this hadith is very similar in meaning to Hadith 13 that says: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." He says that everyone is a neighbour to someone else. Therefore if this hadith is properly practiced and applied, then there will be a strong bond and love within the society or community.

The responsibility of the Muslim regarding what he says is mentioned in the Qur'an: "Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him ready to record it" [ TMQ 50:18].

There are also other hadiths which state that the Muslim should be careful about what he says. His words can either, if they are pleasing to Allah, raise him to a higher level; or if his words displease Allah, they may cause him to be thrown into the Hellfire - as stated in a hadith recorded by Imam al-Bukhari. This shows that what we say can have a direct effect on whether it will benefit us or not.

One hadith (which illustrates the example of a bad consequence resulting from what a person says) states that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said that a pious man from Bani Israel use to see his fellow man always committing sins. On day the pious man swore to the sinner: "By Allah, He will never forgive you." Allah was displeased with what the pious man said because only Allah knows what is our destiny, whether someone will end up in Paradise or Hell. Because of this, when the two men died, the pious man was punished and put into Hell and the sinner was forgiven by Allah.

What we can learn here is that either we say something beneficial and good or else we should keep silent. There are many Islamic guidelines which help us to say good things and to refrain from saying bad things, or things which displeases Allah subhana wa ta'ala. When we talk to others, whether it is relatives, friends, neighbours, etc., we should select the best terms/words and say them in a nice way. We should ensure that what we say is clear and easily understood. If we are not careful and we do not choose the right words, what we say may be misinterpreted and may lead to conflicts. As a listener, we have to listen positively and interpret what we hear in a good way. We should not 'over interpret' what we hear; we should not try to 'read between the lines'. Thus, as a speaker we say things in a positive manner and as a listener we interpret things in a positive manner. By doing so Islam encourages us to minimise disputes and conflicts.

If we find ourselves in the middle of a dispute between two people, e.g. between relatives, we should not take sides. We should try to help and reconcile the differences; try to resolve the problems and end the dispute.

If we are being consulted by someone and asked for our advice, we should try our best to give good advice. What we say should help the person and not add to his confusion or doubt. If we do not have enough knowledge and we cannot provide proper advice, then we should keep silent. Even if we have information which, as a result, may add to the person's confusion, we should keep it to ourselves.

We should keep away as best as we can from unnecessary or non-beneficial talk. People can talk or chat for hours but a lot of what is said is unimportant or trivial and does not benefit anyone. It wastes our time and this continuous talking may even lead us into areas where we might say something which displeases Allah.

When it comes to saying good things, there are many examples available: dzikrullah (remembrance of Allah), reciting the Qur'an, du'a, giving advice, etc. These are all things which are pleasing to Allah. When we meet people who are sick, sad, feeling down, in a low frame of mind, etc., we should say things that will make these people feel better, have patience in facing their calamity, be positive, be strong, etc. This is known as al-muasah - to say good things of encouragement to help those facing problems; to not make them panic. The scholars have defined sabr (patience) as 'to refrain from panicking' - to refrain from being out of control - and to refrain the tongue from complaining.

Complaining, e.g. simply saying that the weather is hot, will lead us to impatience; it can affect our attitude and hence our work. If we want to lament we should lament only with Allah. If we do it with Allah it is munajah - it will turn into ibadah. If we do it with others it will be complaining (tashakki) - we will be violating the ibadah itself, which is sabr. So we should learn to minimise and ultimately eliminate the act of complaining. We should refrain from saying bad things or things which may be untrue. When we hear some news, we shouldn't simply repeat it or spread it without first verifying if the news is true. This could lead to us spreading lies or rumours. We must refrain from:

- spreading rumours, especially those that will cause harm to the community.

- slandering, back-biting, etc.

- sarcasm and making fun of others - this is one of the most common social ills today. It is a sin to make fun of others.

Sometimes we may encounter a situation which involves fitnah or al-fitan. We have to be careful of what we say. There are people who will take advantage of the situation and they may say things which may worsen the situation. When there is fitnah, people are in a panic and might believe anything. That's why we have to be careful of what we say because it may add to the people's fears and problems. What we should do is to help by saying positive things that will give the people hope; to uplift them and motivate them to face the problems; and not to make it worse.

The second part of this hadith stresses on being courteous and generous to our neighbours and guests. This is stated in the Qur'an [4-36]: "…do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possess." In one hadith, the Prophet*, said: "Jibril kept advising me concerning the neighbour to the point that I thought that he would inherit from his neighbour." In another hadith it is stated: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour."

Another hadith records the Prophet*, as saying that the person who does not have complete faith (iman) is the one from whose affairs the neighbour is not safe. Al-Bukhari and Muslim also records another hadith which states that when you cook stew, you should add a little bit more water and give some to your neighbours. This sharing of food between neighbours can strengthen the relationships between them. We should be nice to our neighbours and share our food even if they are not Muslims.

We should be patient with our neighbour even if he causes annoyance to us. In a hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said that there are three types of people whom Allah loves. One of them is a person who has a neighbour who causes him harm or annoyance but he remains patient and tolerates the neighbour.

The 'guest' mentioned in the last part of the hadith is generally interpreted as a travelling visitor who has come to stay for a short while. One hadith states: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be generous to his guest. His special gift (to the guest) is one day and night. He (the guest) is to be entertained for three days. Whatever is beyond that is an act of charity. It is not lawful for a guest to stay with his host to the extent that he makes things difficult for him (the host)." Thus, the visitor should not take advantage of a generous host.

According to many scholars, the recommended act of hosting does not extend to evildoers or heretics.

News Topic:

Cops Say Firewood Chore May Have Prompted Boy to Murder Mom

An angry argument over a boy's firewood chore is believed to have triggered a 10-year-old Ohio boy to shoot and kill his mother, police indicated today.

"Apparently there was a verbal argument about the mother wanting the boy to bring firewood into the house, which may have had a bearing on what happened," Holmes County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Nathan Fritz told ABC News. "Apparently the tenor of the argument was very heated."

Deborah McVay, 46, was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head Sunday night in the family's home – an apartment converted from a two-car garage - in the tiny town of Big Prarie.

[See links above for more of the story]

Some of the points discussed included:

- How Islam focuses on the relationship between parents and children

- 'Paradise lies under the feet of your mother'

- Children should listen to the parents

- Parents should be mindful of their duties to children

- There are too many guns in USA but this is enshrined in their constitution

Homework from 09 January 2011:

1. Research what Aishah said to some Jews in medina when they insulted the Prophet*, and what the Prophet said in rebuke?

2. What do you understand from the next (number 16) of Nawawi's 40 Hadith: Abu Hurairah reported that a man said to the Prophet*: "Advise me! "The Prophet said, "Do not become angry and furious." The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, "Do not become angry and furious." [Bukhari]

3. Research some ways in which we can control our anger.

4. News Topics from this week: Any interesting news articles from the week that relate to Islam or the Muslims? Bring a clipping or print out if you can...

02 January 2011

02 January 2011

Seerah of Muhammed*

*: May the Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him

TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

Challenges after Badr

The battle of Badr was the first armed encounter between the Muslims and Quraish. It was in fact a decisive battle that gained the Muslims a historic victory acknowledged by all the Arabs, and dealt a heavy blow to the religious and economic interests of the polytheists. There were also the Jews who also used to regard each Islamic victory as a heavy blow to their religio-economic entity. Both parties were burning with rage and fury since the Muslims had achieved that great victory:

“Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and Al-Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolators and disbelievers, etc.).” [5:82]

Both resentful parties were joined in their hatred if Islam by the hypocrites who faked Islam just to save their faces; at the head of whom came ‘Abdullah bin Ubai (more about him later).

The whole cause of Islam was thus at stake with four furious parties laying ambushes against the new religion, each in its style:

- Hypocrites pretending to be Muslims so as to be involved in conspiracy plots and provocative deeds within Madinah

- Jews hating that the Prophet* was an Arab

- Quraish in Mecca bend on revenge

- Other Arabs waiting to take advantage of the new Islamic Sate in Medina

The Muslims were always obliged to be on the lookout for any hostile movements, and it was imperative on them to launch pre-emptive strikes in all directions in order to enjoy a reasonable degree of security in this great instability-provoking ocean of unrest.

As Muslims, we should not be racist or prejudiced against other people based on race, colour or ethnicity. Muslims are not anti-semitic, and infact, the arabs are cousins of the Jewish nation. Muslims should not think of themselves as superior due to their ethnicity or birth but due to their piety. It may not be politically correct to talk about Jews and how the Prophet* dealt with them but these are historical facts and the coming study circles will highlight these. The Prophet* started out treating the Jews of Medina as near-equal citizens of the state but they chose to break that agreement and worked against the Prophet* by word and deed.

Al-Kudr Invasion

Seven days after the event of Badr the Muslims wre on the march again to defend themselves. The scouting body of Madinah reported that Banu Saleem of Ghatafan were engaged in mustering troops to invade the Muslims. The Prophet* took the initiative himself and mounted a surprise attack on them in their own homeland at a watering place called Al-Kudr. Banu Saleem, on receiving the news, had fled before he arrived. He stayed there for three days, took their 500 camels as booty and distributed them to the fighters after he had set aside the usual one-fifth; each one gained two camels. This invasion took place in Shawwal in the year 2 A.H.

As-Sawiq Invasion

Two-pronged hostile activities were being independently conducted against the Prophet*; plots and intrigues being hatched by Safwan bin Omaiyah, the hypocrites and Jews on the one hand, going on and on parallel lines with military hostilities being prepared by Abu Sufyan aiming at saving the face of his people and impressing on the other Arabs that Quraish was still a military power to be counted for. In the aftermath of Badr, Abu Sufyan was burning for revenge and took a solemn vow he would never bathe off impurity unless he had avenged himself on Muhammad* and his followers. He set out at the head of 200 men towards Madinah but was not brave enough to attack it in broad daylight. He, instead resorted to acts of piracy that are performed in the dark. He infiltrated into the Prophet ’s town and went to see an old ally Huyai bin Akhtab, who was too cowardly to let him in, so he left for Salam bin Mashkam, chief of Bani Nadeer, a tribe of Jews. The Jew entertained and gave him a full account of the situation therein. Late at night he despatched a group of his men to raid Al-‘Uraid, a suburb of Madinah. There, the men felled and burnt the palm trees, killed two Muslims and then took swiftly to their heels.

On hearing the news, the Prophet* gathered his men and set out at their heels, but could not catch them. The Muslims brought back the provisions (Sawiq, a kind of barley porridge) which the polytheists had thrown aside in order to lighten their loads and hasten their escape; hence this campaign was called As-Sawiq Invasion. It took place in Dhul-Hijjah 2 A.H., two months after the event of Badr.

Hadith

Number 14 of Nawawi's 40 Hadith: The value of Life

On the authority of Ibn Mas’ud who said The Messenger of Allah* said: "The blood of a man who is a Muslim is not lawful (i.e. cannot be lawfully shed), save if he belongs to one of three (classes): a married man who is an adulterer; life for a life (i.e. for murder); one who is a deserter of his religion, abandoning the community.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

Before the arrival of Islam, human life had no value. A person can easily be killed for many different reasons, e.g. revenge, to show the superiority of a tribe, killing a newborn baby girl because it was considered a shame, etc.

When Islam arrived, it stressed on the value and importance of human life. A life must not be threatened unless it is lawful, i.e. where a serious violation of the shariah had occurred. Islam also made it clear that the taking of a human life is the responsibility of the highest authority, i.e. the judge. This is to prevent this practice from being abused for personal interests.

Islam has established rules and regulations for the community that minimise the need to carry out the execution of a man or woman as allowed by the three cases defined in the hadith. Islam is a peaceful religion and it has established rules where people respect each other and live together peacefully, without lives being threatened.

This hadith should be seen and understood from a positive viewpoint – it is not legal to kill a Muslim except in one of three cases. Because these three cases are exceptional, it shows that the Muslim blood is valued and treasured and is blessed by Allah.

In the last sermon of the Prophet* during his farewell Hajj (which was a few months before he died), he* re-emphasised the principle of this hadith which is the sanctity of a Muslim’s blood. Islam encourages Muslims to avoid any kind of act, e.g. violence, injustice, etc. that will lead to violating this principle. All this shows just how important it is not to shed the blood of a Muslim.

In Islam what is seen as punishment are actually measures put in place to protect the Muslim society and community. Islam takes precautions to ensure that these evil acts (or the violations of these principles) are minimised. In other words, Islam promotes good values and chastity; it encourages marriage, i.e. the legal relationship between man and woman; Islam also discourages acts that might lead to the violations of this principle, e.g. zina (adultery).

The sanctity of a Muslim life is confirmed by the Prophet in this hadlth. The three stated exceptions are those where legal execution is carried out by the state to protect society from the spread of corruption. It may be compared to the surgical removal of a hopelessly diseased limb or organ which, although painful, restores the rest of a body to health. The death penalty, like the lesser prescribed (hadd) punishments, may only be carried out after a conviction completely free of the least doubt. It must further be established that the accused had reached puberty, was in full mental capacity at the time of the crime, and did not act under any form of coercion.

1) Adultery

Marriage is the cornerstone of society and a very important part of Islam. Hence, Islam does its utmost to protect this as society would begin to crumble if marriage is not protected. In the Western countries we see many social problems and some could be attributed to the lack of a strong family structure and systems of support that arise from marriage. Indeed, western society often glorifies adultery (and violence, murder and rebellion against religion) in its TV shows, films, books and how people live.

Hence, modern technology, e.g. the media, Internet, entertainment, etc., is being misused to promote the three negative cases mentioned: adultery, violence/murder, and apostasy. These are shown as being normal and acceptable for the sake of entertainment. The world today has made bad, unacceptable behaviour and negative elements appear as good and vice versa.

In the case of zina, Islam has rules for the Muslim society that regulate relationships. Hence, it is very difficult for the cases mentioned to occur if these rules and regulations are observed. These truly are exceptional cases because during the time of the Prophet* (and later during the era of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs) there were only a few cases where such violations or problems occurred.

Actually implementing the law (stoning to death) is difficult as the criteria for successful prosecution are so strict – which include a confession, or 4 witnesses to the actual act (and not circumstantial evidence).

Execution by stoning for the married adulterer is established in the sunnah beyond any doubt. It was carried out by the Prophet* on a few conspicuous occasions but is admittedly a rare occurrence due to the strict conditions that must be fulfilled. First, the offender must be of legal age, sane, free (not a slave), and bound within a marriage where there is no impediment to normal sexual relations. Then it must be proven conclusively that the person committed the crime of his own free will while knowing that it is unlawful. This necessitates either the testimony of four trustworthy male Muslim witnesses that they actually saw the act taking place at a specific time and location (circumstantial  evidence is not acceptable) or explicit confession by the guilty party, who should be encouraged at the outset to repent privately to Allah and  reform rather than condemn himself to sentence.   A confession later retracted prevents the execution, as does the denial of a person named as the partner of a confessing party. Thus, the harshness of this prescribed penalty serves mainly as a practical deterrent and can rarely be carried out.

Muslim has related the speech of 'Umar bin al-Khattab in which he said: "Allah sent Muhammad with the truth and sent down to him the Book. And included in what Allah sent down to him was the verse of stoning. We recited it, memorized it and understood it. The Messenger of Allah* had people stoned to death, and we have done ii after him. I fear that if time is prolonged for people, someone may say, 'We do not find stoning in the Book of Allah,' and they would go astray by abandoning an obligation revealed by Allah. And stoning is a true obligation in the Book of Allah, the Exalted, for those who commit adultery when married, of men and women."

By putting such a harsh penalty (death) on this it forces people to take the matter seriously.

2) Murder

"A life for a life" means that the life of one who deliberately kills another without right will be taken in turn. Hence, it is not lawful to kill anyone other than the murderer himself, as had been done in the pre-Islamic wars of tribal vengeance. Again, the matter of justice is not left to the victim's family directly but must be referred to the legal authority of the judge and the Islamic State.

The ruling is clearly stated in the Qur'an in verses 178 of Surah al-Baqarah and 45 of Surah al-Ma'idah, where it is shown that this law was also revealed in the Torah and then upheld in Islam. However, Allah has honoured the nation of Prophet Muhammad* by permitting the acceptance of payment (diyah) to the heirs of the victim should choose that option over execution of the murderer.

Some exceptions to the general law of a life for a life have been cited by scholars, such as the father who kills his son, the master who kills his slave, and the Muslim who kills a non-Muslim, although there is no consensus on these matters and differences remain based upon various interpretations of the Qur'anic verses. It is conceded by all, however, that the sex of both the killer and the victim is irrelevant.

Any case in which a judge rules against execution requires payment to the deceased's heirs of the diyah. Besides the possible exceptions mentioned above or the willingness of the heirs to forego the death penalty, it will not be carried out in case of doubt about the killer's intention, even when he has been convicted of the deed by definite proofs. If wilful intent cannot be proved, the diyah must be accepted rather than execution, just as in clear cases of accidental killing. Proper legal measures recognized by all serve to put an end to further bloodshed by those who would otherwise seek revenge through acts of violence, perhaps against innocent persons.

3) Apostasy

The meaning portrayed in this hadlth is that of riddah (reversion) of a sane, mature Muslim from Islam to disbelief of his own free will and his insistence upon it. This must be expressed clearly by him, either by word or deed. Scholars have also stipulated that the Muslim must once have been conscious of the truth of Islam, not unaware or ignorant. To completely dispel any doubt, the apostate is allowed a period during which Islam is presented to him anew with the best methods of da' wah in the hope that he will return to the religion and to the community, thus sparing his life. He is executed by the state government only upon adamant and rebellious persistence in kufr. This differs from the case of a non-believer who has never entered Islam because the apostate, through betrayal from within, poses a greater danger to society. A Muslim does not become an apostate by disobedience or sin; rather, only by denial of divine ordinances or by open claims contrary to the basic tenets of aqeedah.

Some examples are: denial of Allah's oneness; the assertion I hat some human or other beings have something of divinity within them or have divine attributes; denial of the prophethood of Muhammad* or claiming there has been a prophet after him; assertions by a person that he has received revelation from Allah; denial of the Hereafter or anything clearly stated in the Qur'an; ridicule, abuse or denial of any of Allah's prophets, of the Qur'an or of the sunnah and declaration of one's preference for humanly devised systems of government or legislation over the divine shari'ah. A recent convert to Islam would be excused if he made such claims out of ignorance and accepted correction of his views. In addition, anyone forced to save himself by the pronouncement of such statements, his inner faith being unaffected, cannot be regarded as an apostate.

Certain crimes, mentioned in the Qur'an, for which the death penalty may be inflicted (namely, "causing corruption in the land" and "waging war against Allah and His Messenger*), generally coincide with the above.

When Muslims turn away from Islam it is a sad reflection upon the whole Muslim community ans means that we need to have better education and support for each other. In these sorts of situations, it is the Muslims themselves who are responsible for this apostasy because they do not look out for one another.

Many Muslims today are victims of mind-manipulation where misconceptions created by, for example, Western Orientalists and Christians have influenced their perception and attitude. This results in the Muslim being less careful about his Islam, living a double-standard life – looking at him from one angle, he looks like a Muslim but looking at him from another angle, he doesn’t seem to have the Muslim identity.

This leads to another problem which is the lack of the Muslim identity among the Muslims. There are Muslims today who are promoting non-Muslim identities or speaking highly of other cultures which in the Islamic view may have negative elements. We should maintain and promote our own identity. We can still benefit from progress of the West, e.g. technology advancement, but we should do so in a positive way, without jeopardising the image and values of Islam.

We need to discuss these issues which are the real challenges faced by the Muslim community today. We should not just talk about Islamic concepts without putting them in context with reality. We should not just talk about these issues theoretically, simply stating what the rulings on Islam are on this or that matter. We need to have an approach that goes deeper and considers the challenges and strategies we need to put in place in order to help the Muslim community to be positive, confident and proud of their Muslim identity. We need to help them so that they do not become trapped by the challenges they face today.

We need to create awareness among the Muslim community so that they are aware of their roles and responsibilities. We need to see how we can revive the original concepts of Islamic values and behaviour in a way that will work today.

Conclusion

This hadith needs to be looked at in the positive light where the emphasis is on the value of the human life and not on the punishments permissible for the three cases mentioned. Islam has put in place a system which leads to minimising the occurrences of the three cases. There are strategies, obligations, etc., which help the Muslims to avoid these acts.

Opponents of Islam look at the hadith in a negative way where they accuse Islam of being murderous and barbaric. But the truth of the matter is Islam values human life, just as it values chastity (iffah or taharah) - a virtue which has lost its value in these contemporary times because of the evil being promoted by the opponents via the media and negative side of technology. These negative influences have also caused some Muslims to interpret this hadith negatively.

One of the biggest problems today is that with there being more and more challenges, the explanation of the hadith should take into account what the problems are that are facing the Muslims today that violate the principles set up by the hadith. We should look into what we can do to promote the principles and virtues mentioned in the hadith (e.g. to uphold chastity, valuing human life, that killing is a crime, etc.) and to minimise their violations.

News Topic

There was no time to discuss any news topic this week

Homework from 02 January 2011:

1. Read about the People of as-Suffa, who lived in the Prophet's mosque?

2. What do you understand from the next (number 15) of Nawawi's 40 Hadith: Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah* said: "Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day either speak good or be silent. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his neighbour. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his guest." [Bukhari and Muslim]

3. News Topics from this week: Any interesting news articles from the week that relate to Islam or the Muslims? Bring a clipping or print out if you can...