20 February 2011

20 February 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 Quraish Preparing for Battle

In the wake of Badr event, Quraish was in common consent and started fresh preparations to launch an overall war against the Muslims in order to restore their blemished prestige and wounded pride. The most enthusiastic polytheists desiring to go into a new battle were ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, Safwan bin Omaiyah, Abu Sufyan bin Harb, and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi‘a. They were determined to crush the commonwealth of Islam once and for all. Emissaries were sent to all the tribes to make common cause against the rising Faith. As a consequence of this, they managed to enlist the support of two well-known tribes Kinana and Tihamah besides some desert bedouins Ahabish. It was also decided that the profits of the escaped caravan headed by Abu Sufyan, which amounted to 1000 camels and 50 thousand Dinars, should be devoted for providing equipment to the army. The Noble Qur’ân has alluded to this decision of theirs in the following words: "Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcomed." [8:36]

They also devised other ways of recruitment including hiring poets to entice the tribes into fighting the Muslims. Safwan bin Umaiyah allured Abu ‘Azza, the poet to work in this context in return for riches after the war or supporting his daughters if killed. Incidentally, this poet was prisoner of war (in the context of the Badr events) in the hands of the Muslims and the Prophet* was gracious enough to release him unransomed provided he would not engage in fight against him. The general leader was Abu Sufyan bin Harb, the cavalry under the leadership of Khalid bin Al-Waleed assisted by ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, and Bani ‘Abd Ad-Dar were entrusted with the flag.

The Prophet Responds.

Ascending the pulpit at the Friday congregational prayer, the Prophet [pbuh] urged the people in his sermon to fight courageously. "If you remain steadfast," he said "you will be helped by the Power of the All- Mighty." Then he commanded his men to make ready for the battle. Most of them rejoiced greatly.

He led the afternoon prayer with crowds of people. Then he entered his house accompanied by his two friends Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. They helped him dress and wear his headcloth. He armed himself and wore two armours one over the other. He wore his sword and went out to meet people. People were waiting for him impatiently. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh and Usaid bin Hudair blamed people for pressing on the Prophet*. They said: "You have forced the Messenger of Allah* to fight the enemy outside Madinah." Therefore they were determined to leave the whole matter to the Prophet*, and blamed themselves for what they had already done. When the Prophet* came out, they said: "O Messenger of Allah, we should have not disagreed with you. So, you are free to do what you desire. If you prefer to stay inside Madinah we will stay with you. Upon this the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] remarked: "It does not become a Prophet that once he had put on armour, he should take it off, until Allah has decided between him and the enemy."

The Prophet* divided his army into three battalions:

1. Al-Muhajireen battalion, under the command of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al- ‘Abdari.

2. Al-Ansari-Aws battalion was commanded by Usaid bin Hudair.

3. Al-Ansari-Khazraj battalion with Al-Hubab bin Al- Mundhir to lead it.

The army consisted of a thousand fighters; a hundred of them armoured; another fifty horsemen. He appointed Ibn Umm Maktum to lead the people in prayer in Madinah. Departure was announced and the army moved northwards with the two Sa‘ds, who were armoured, running in front of the army. Upon passing along Al-Wada‘ mountain trail he saw a well-armed battalion, which were detached from the main body of the army. The Prophet* inquired who they were and he was told that they were Jews and were allies of Al-Khazraj. They told him that they wanted to contribute to the fight against the idolaters. "Have they embraced Islam?" The Prophet* asked. "No," they said. So he refused admitting them and said that he would not seek the assistance of disbelievers against the idolaters.

Hanzalah and Jamilah get married
After the friday prayer two men waited behind to speak to the Prophet, each having an urgent decision to make, One of them was Hanzalah - it was Hanzalah's wedding day -a day which had been chosen some weeks in advance. He was betrothed to his cousin Jamilah, the daughter of Ibn Ubai, and he didn’t want to postpone the marriage, yet determined to fight. The Prophet* told him to celebrate his marriage and spend the night in Medina. There could be no fighting before sunrise, and Hanzalah would have ample time to join him on the battlefield early the next morning. He could find out by inquiry which way the army had passed. In Medina that night Hanzalah and Jamilah had consummated their marriage; and in her sleep, during the small hours, Jarnilah had a dream in which she saw her husband standing at the outside of Heaven; and a door opened for him and he entered through it, whereupon it closed behind him. When she woke, she said to herself: "This is martyrdom." They performed their ablutions and prayed the dawn prayer together, after which he bade her farewell. But she clung to him, and would not let him go, and again he lay with her. Then he tore himself from her embrace, and not even staying to repeat his ablution, he put on his coat of mail, seized his weapons, and hastened from the house.

Parading the Army

As soon as he reached a location called Ash-Shaikhan, he paraded his army. He dismissed those whom he considered to be disabled or too young to stand the fight. Among them were ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab. Usama bin Zaid; Usaid bin Zaheer, Zaid bin Thabit, Zaid bin Arqam. ‘Araba bin Aws, ‘Amr bin Hazm, Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri, Zaid bin Haritha Al-Ansari, Sa‘d bin Habba and Al- Barâ’ bin ‘Azib, Sahih Al- Bukhari pointed out that he had shared in the fight that day. The Messenger of Allah* allowed both Rafi‘ bin Khadaij and Samura bin Jundub to join the army — though they were too young. The former proved to be skillful at shooting arrows; the latter wrestled the former and beat him. The admission of Rafi‘ made Samura say: "I am stronger than him, I can overcome him." When the Prophet* heard this saying he ordered them to wrestle. They did. Samura won so he was also admitted.

Passing the Night between Uhud and Madinah

As night fell upon them there, they performed both the sunset and the evening prayers and spent the night there as well. Fifty people were chosen to guard the camp and go round it. Muhammad bin Maslama Al-Ansari, the hero of the brigade of Ka‘b bin Al-Ashraf, was in charge of the guards. Whereas Dhakwan bin ‘Abd Qais undertook the responsibility of guarding the Prophet*, in particular.

The Rebellion of ‘Abdullah bin Ubai and his Followers

At the end of the night and just before it was daybreak, the Prophet* moved and when he got to Ash-Shawt he observed the dawn prayer. There he was close enough to the enemy that they could see one another. It was there that ‘Abdullah bin Ubai — the hypocrite — rebelled against the Muslims. One-third of the army withdrew with him — that is to say three hundred fighters. He said, "We do not know why we shall kill ourselves." He claimed that his withdrawal was no more than showing protest against the Messenger of Allah* who had already refused his opinion and accepted that of the others.

Undoubtedly that was not the real cause of his detachment. If it had been the refusal of his opinion — as the hypocrite claimed — there would have no sense whatsoever for his joining the Prophetic army. If it had been so, he would have refused to go out with the army from the very beginning of the march. As a matter of fact the real purpose of this rebellion, withdrawal and detachment — at this delicate and awkward position and time — was to produce bewilderment, confusion of mind, and disorder in the Muslims army who were within the sight and hear range of the enemy who were also looking forward to seeing more and more dissension on the side of the Muslims, like themselves. They also aimed at breaking the high morale of the believers. That would accelerate — in their opinion — the breakdown and consequently the death of Muhammad, his faithful Companions and Islam as a whole. The way would then be clear for the reclaim of presidency, which that hypocrite had lost on the advent of Islam into Madinah.

Short of Allah’s Care, the hypocrite’s plot would have been successful. Banu Haritha of Al-Aws and Banu Salama of Al-Khazraj were partially impressed by the hypocrite’s behaviour. Both of them were overwhelmed by confusion and they had almost started to withdraw, but Allah’s Care saved them from that disgrace. About their incident Allah says: "When two parties from among you were about to lose their heart, but Allah was their Wali (Supporter and Protector). And in Allah should the believers put their trust." [3:122]

‘Abdullah bin Haram — the father of Jabir bin ‘Abdullah — attempted to stop their withdrawal. He reminded the hypocrites of their duty at this delicate and awkward condition, but in vain. He followed them, reproached them and urged them to go back saying: "Come and fight in the way of Allah or at least be defenders." They said: "If we had known that you would really fight we would have not gone back." Having despaired of them, he addressed them saying: "May Allah cast you away, you enemies of Allah. Allah will certainly suffice His Prophet." Allah says about those hypocrites: "And that He might test the hypocrites, it was said to them: ‘Come, fight in the way of Allah or (at least) defend yourselves.’ They said: ‘Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you.’ They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to Faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah has full knowledge of what they conceal." [3:167]

Hadith

Hadith 21 of Nawawi's 40 Hadith:

On the authority of Abu 'Amr, though others call him Abu 'Amrah Sufyan bin 'Abdullah who said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam which I could not ask anyone about save you." He answered: "Say: 'I believe in Allah', and then stand firm and steadfast." [Muslim]

The literal meaning of "Istiqamah": to go straight into the right direction, acting rightly, allowing no deviation. It is derived from the stem "Qiyyam", which implies the continuity of doing something, following up with it and making sure that it is done in the right way and there is neither deviation nor swerving.

The term has been used by the Qur'an in many verses. Allah the Almighty says: "Therefore, stand firm (on the straight path) as you are commanded and those who turn in repentance with you. And do not transgress, for He (Allah) sees well all that you do." [11:112]

Ibnu Abbas said that this verse was the hardest and most difficult verse of the Qur'an on the Prophet*. Indeed it is a difficult task to achieve Istiqamah, hence, the Prophet* said; "Be straight on the path or be close to it." In another verse, Allah the Almighty says: "So unto this (religion) invite (the people). Stand steadfast as you are commanded and do not follow their desires....." [42:15] Based on these two verses, it can be inferred that Istiqamah is to stand firm and steadfast to what we have been commanded by Allah, i.e. to fulfill obligations and to avoid prohibitions. Also, we should not allow ourselves to follow or be mislead by desires (whether it is our desires or the desires of others) as it will cause deviation and lead us astray.
There are five conditions to achieve Istiqamah in performing required deeds:

• The act should be done for the sake of Allah alone (ikhlas).
• It should be done on the basis of knowledge ('ilm).
• Performing ibadah should be in the same manner that they have been commanded.
• To do it in the best way possible.
• Restricting oneself to what is lawful while performing those deeds.

According to other scholars of suluk, i.e. behavior, there are certain steps to be followed in order to achieve Istiqamah :
Always being aware of the final destination, i.e. the Day of Judgment (Akhirah). And to use this awareness in a positive way as a motive to do good deeds. One way to do it is through remembering that a person's journey towards Akhirah starts the minute he / she passes away and leaves this world. One of the Salafs said: "If you live until the morning do not wait for the evening and if you live until the evening do not wait for the morning."
Commitment (Musharatah). One has to make a commitment that he/she will be steadfast and will do things in the right way and in the best way possible, and to adhere to conjunctions of Islam. Unfortunately many Muslims are being lenient in making such a commitment.
To make continuous efforts (Mujahadah) to bring that commitment to reality. Some Muslims dare to make the commitment, but dare not to make the effort to make the commitment a reality.
Continuous checking and reviewing of one's deeds (Muraqabah). Being honest with oneself so as not to give false excuses for failing to fulfill a commitment.
Self accountability (Muhasabah). This should be done twice: Firstly, before we start doing something, ensuring that it pleases Allah, that we do it for His sake only, realizing the right way it should be done. Secondly, after the action has been done, to check whether we have achieved what we aimed for, and to check for defects and shortcomings, and that we still could have done it better by not being satisfied with our action.
Blaming oneself for not doing it perfectly after it has been done. Self blaming here is a positive one by using it as a motive, and by aiming for improvement and having the intention of doing things better next time. This leads to making another commitment and continual commitments to improve our performance.
Striving for improvement (Tahsin). We have to make improvements in all that we do (daily activities, work, actions, good deeds, ibadah, etc.) as one of our objectives.
To be humble towards Allah, realizing that no one is perfect except Him, seeking His forgiveness, guidance and support.
It should be emphasized that these steps/conditions apply to worldly matters as well as ibadah and good religious deeds.

News Topics
Egypt, Bahrain and other people power movements
There has been continued unrest throughout many countries in the Muslim world (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, Morocco, Algeria, Iraq and Iran) with many people demonstrated in the streets.  In many of the countries the demonstrators tend to be younger people.
It is a shame that despite all the wealth that these countries have, it is kept by a small corrupt ruling elite who are actively supported by Western governments.  As part of this support the leaders of these countries are actively encouraged not to invest in the wealth they have for the benefit of their own population -- in terms of building infrastructure and industry that will give jobs to the population and empower them.  Much of the wealth flows out of the country for investment in western economies.  Part of the frustration behind the demonstrations is the lack of opportunities for young people in these countries.
There are also political reasons as people are fed up of being oppressed (and tortured) by their own governments and not having any meaningful say in how the country is run.  The leaders of these countries are unlikely viewed as puppets of Western governments.  In western countries the people have sovereignty -- which means they have the right to make the laws by which they live.  Muslims believe that only Allah has the right to make laws and so only Allah is sovereign.  It is not allowed for Muslims to make their own law when we have the Quran & Sunnah. Authority rests with the people.  This means that it is a right of people to decide how they are governed.  In Western countries this authority is exercised through representative government where the people elect persons from among themselves to rule over them as long as they rule by democratic values.  The structure could be presidential or prime ministerial.  In Islam, the authority also rests with the people and they give their pledge of allegiance to the rulers who will apply Islam on them.

Homework from 20 February 2011:

1. Seerah: We all know that the archers deserted their post during Uhud. What lessons can we learn from this event? 
2. What do you understand from the next (number 22) of Nawawi's 40 Hadith: Abu ‘Abdullah Jabir bin ‘Abdullah al-Ansari reported that a man questioned the Messenger of Allah* saying: "Do you see, if I pray the prescribed (prayers), fast during Ramadhan, treat the lawful as permissible and treat the forbidden as prohibited, but do nothing more than that, shall I enter Paradise?” He*(the Prophet) answered: “Yes.” [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...

13 February 2011

13 February 2011

Seerah of Muhammed*

*: May the Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an


Pre-emptive warfare
During the next months the Prophet had warning of three projected raids on the eastern fringes of the oasis, two by Sulaym and one by Ghatafan, In every case he pre-empted them by marching out at once into their territory, and in every case they had news of his approach and vanished before he reached their point of gathering. But one of these expeditions was none the less remarkably successful. It was against the Ghatafani tribes of Tha'labah and Muharib, and this time the Prophet decided to follow the elusive Bedouin into their half hidden fastnesses in the hills to the north of Najd, with the help of a man of Tha'labah who entered Islam and offered his services as a guide. From the plain they ascended into the Muharib territory, and a sudden fall of rain drenched some of the men, including the Prophet, before they could take shelter. The Prophet withdrew a little from the others, removed his two wet garments and hung them on a tree to dry, while he himself lay down under the tree and was soon overcome by sleep. But all their movements and his in particular had been watched by many unseen eyes; and he woke to find a man standing over him with a drawn sword. It was none other than Du'thur, the chief of Muharib, who had himself been largely responsible for planning the projected raid of which the Prophet had had warning. "O Muhammad," he said, "who will protect you from me this day?" "Allah," said the Prophet, whereupon Gabriel, clothed all in white, appeared between them and, placing his hand on the man's chest, he thrust him backwards. The sword fell from his grasp, and the Prophet seized it. Gabriel vanished from Du'thur's sight and he realised that he had seen an Angel. "O Du'thur - Who will protect you from me?" said the Prophet. "Nobody," said Du'thur. "I testify that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God." The Prophet handed him back his sword, which touched the man deeply. They went together to the camp, and Du'thur was instructed in the religion. Then he returned to his people, and began to summon them to Islam -which astonished his tribe as he had gone to kill the Prophet* and now began preaching Islam!

Hasan is born
Fatimah gave birth to a son. The Prophet spoke the words of the call to prayer into the ear of the new-born babe. The Prophet* asked Ali what he was going to call his son. "Harb" replied Ali - which means 'war'. The Prophet* did not like harsh names like this and named him al-Hasan, which means "the beautiful" and "kind".

News of the Meccan Army
The moon reached its full, after which, a day or two later, came the anniversary of Badr; and in the last days of the month a sealed letter was brought to the Prophet by a horseman who had ridden from Mecca to Medina in three days. It was from his uncle 'Abbas, warning him that an army of three thousand men was on the point of marching out against Medina. Ubai bin Ka‘b read the letter to the Prophet*, who asked him to keep its serious contents secret. Seven hundred of the men were mailed, and there was a troop of horse two hundred strong. The camels were as many as the men, not counting the transport camels and those which carried howdahs for the women. The Prophet* dispatched other Muslims to verify this news. He hurried back to Madinah, convened a meeting with the Helpers and Emigrants and conducted with them serious consultations as regards the measures to be taken.
The whole of Madinah was put on the alert and all men were heavily armed even during prayer in anticipation of any emergency. A group of Helpers volunteered to guard the Prophet* and kept watchful eye all night at his door, amongst whom there were Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh, Usaid bin Hudair and Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah. Lest they should be taken by surprise, armed groups of the Madinese began to police the entrances and roads leading to the city. To reconnoitre the movements of the polytheists, Muslim platoons began to patrol the routes for any probable enemy raids.

A Consultation Assembly for a Defence Plan
The scouting party of Madinah conveyed the news of the Makkan army step by step. Then the Prophet* held a head military consultation assembly to exchange views about the situation. He told them about a dream he had. He said: "By Allâh, I have dreamt of — I implore Allah to be a dream of bounty — cows slaughtered and that there was a groove at the pointed top of my sword, and that I had inserted my hand into an immune armour."
The interpretation of ‘the cows’ was that some of his men were killed, and ‘the groove at the pointed top of his sword’ was that a member of his House would be hurt. As for ‘the armour’ it was Madina. Then he offered a suggestion that his Companions should not go out of Madina and that they should encamp themselves within the city. He was of the opinion that the enemies should be left in the open to exhaust themselves and thus the Muslims would not risk a battle. But if they thought of attacking Madinah, Muslim men would be ready to fight them at the mouths of lanes; whereas Muslim-women would help from over the house roofs." ‘Abdullah bin Ubai — the head of the hypocrites; who attended the meeting as a chief of Al-Khazraj — supported the Prophet's* plan.
As a matter of fact his agreement was not based on the righteousness of the plan but rather on personal benefit. He did not want to fight. On the contrary he secretly aimed at being far away from fight. However it was Allah’s Will that he should be disclosed and disgraced in public — for the first time. It was His Will that the curtain which concealed their disbelief behind should be uncovered and pulled down. Allah’s Will enabled the Muslims to recognize the reality of those snakes that were creeping within their garments and inside the sleeves of their clothes. Thanks to Allah they recognized them in one of the most critical times of their lives.
Some of the best honourable Companions, who had missed Al-Jihad in Badr invasion, suggested that the Prophet* should go out of Madina and urged him to accept their point of view. One of them said: "O, Messenger of Allah*, for long time we have been looking forward to this day; and we have implored Allah to make such a day draw near. Thanks to Allah it is time to fight. So let us go out and fight our enemies lest they should think that we have lost heart and do not dare to fight them." Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib the paternal uncle of the Prophet*, who had already covered the ornaments of his sword with idolaters’ blood in Badr Battle, was ahead of those enthusiastics who urged him to go out and meet the disbelievers. He said to the Prophet*: "By Allâh, Who has sent the Book down unto you, I will not taste food till I fight them with my sword outside Madina." After weighing carefull the pros and cons of the issue, it was decided that the enemy should be resisted outside the city at Uhud. Although the Prophet had wanted to fight from within Medina - the decision was not one of strategy, revelation but choice. Hence it was the legitimate right of the people to exercise that choice and they did that in the Shura (Consultation) with the Prophet*. They were asked to fight from within the city walls or outside.

Hadith:
Hadith no 19 of Nawawi’s 40 Hadith
Uqbah bin Amri Al-Ansari narrated that the messenger of Allah* said: "Among the words people obtained from the previous Prophets are: If you feel no shame, then do as you wish." [Bukhari]
Haya' can be translated as: modesty, shame, shyness or bashfulness. The word haya' is derived fro m the word "al-hayah", which means life, as if the person who has no haya'(modesty) is like a dead person. Islam encourages and treasures al-haya' or modesty. It is one of the most important characteristics that each and every Muslim should acquire and posses. The Prophet* mentioned that Haya was a unique characteristic of his Ummah.
The following are some hadiths which emphasize this great quality:
"Haya' (modesty) and Iman (faith) are two that go together. If one is lifted, the other is also lifted." [al-Hakim]
"Al-Haya' is part of Iman." [Bukhari and Muslim]
"Haya' does not produce but goodness." [Bukhari and Muslim]
3 interpretations
Due to the form of the text, it may be interpreted in many possible meaningful ways:
First interpretation: If you have no modesty, then do whatever you wish and Allah will punish you for what you do. This mode of expression is well known in the Arabic language, and it is used for threatening someone. See Qur'an in Surah Fussilat: ayat 40.
Second interpretation: If you are contemplating an act and it is an act such that there is no reason to be ashamed of doing it before Allah or the people, then you may do that act. Modesty is used as a criterion over whether or not to do a certain act. The command here is in the form of displaying permission.
However, there is a valid third interpretation that the command is not what is meant by this statement. Instead, it is a statement of fact. The meaning is: If a person does not have any modesty, then there is nothing to prevent him/her from doing anything.
Haya' is one of the most important factors that keeps a person from committing a sinful act. If a person has no haya', he/she will do almost anything. There are two aspects of haya': Natural haya' and acquired haya'. The later is attained as a result of knowing and realizing the Glory of Allah and His attributes.
There are many manifestations of haya':
- Having haya' towards Allah - a Muslim should feel ashamed to have Allah see him doing - or hear him saying - something that displeases Allah, especially when that Muslim is alone and out of the view of humankind.
- Haya' towards the angels - as they are noble and dignified creatures who witness the acts performed by humans.
- Haya' towards other humans - an essential characteristic that keeps people from harming one another and from performing indecent acts.
- Haya' towards the person him/herself - a person should be ashamed of him/herself when he/she performs acts that are shameful. If he/she notices that his/her haya' level is low he/she should improve it by remembrance of Allah, getting closer to Him, and fearing Him.
This great concept of haya' or modesty should be promoted through all possible means and at all levels and by everyone: educators, teachers, lecturers, parents, and du'at (preachers).
In today's society we see the opposite of Haya' in these Western countrues that we live in. Here the media is entertainment oriented. Entertainment is taking new destructive directions which negatively affect the concept of haya' a great deal. Reality TV shows (such as Big Brother, or I'm a Celebrity, even Strictly Come Dancing and other Talent Shows) intrude on the privacy and bare all to the viewing public. The newspapers and magazinews sensationalise all the private lives of people in details that are unnecessary - just to entertain. Then the society accepts these norms and even expects to intrude and strip away people's modesty. Unfortunately, Muslim societies are now following this trend...slowly.

Haya is not an excuse
Haya' can sometimes be abused as a justification for not doing something or giving up an obligatory act. For example, being silent or passive in the presence of falsehood or oppression for no reason except claiming haya'. Or using haya' as an excuse for not encouraging good or discouraging evil. Unless, for both of the above mentioned cases, there is another good reason for not doing these acts such as considering the most likely expected harmful consequences.
Another example of abusing haya' is to use it as an excuse for not seeking knowledge. In many Muslim cultures this matter is confused and misunderstood where there is a proverb or cliché that says: "There is no modesty in asking questions in religious matters". But this cliché is only practiced in a few certain sensitive issues. However when it comes to seeking knowledge in a classroom, the situation is different. Most Muslims become shy and use modesty as an excuse. Parents at home, teachers at school, even lecturers at Universities add to the problem where they may treat asking questions as a sign of not being modest. This attitude needs to be changed to the right, positive one.
Another example is using haya' as an excuse for not doing what is correct and allowed. You know that something should be done and it is good and allowed or is even a recommended or obligatory act. However, you simply give up and do not do it because of a claimed haya'. Not giving sadaqah (charity) to a needy in front of others, not taking away a harmful material from the street or the path of the Muslims, or not helping or giving a hand to a disabled or an elderly person to cross the street are some good examples of this phenomenon.


News Topics:

~ Some people had broken into the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and stolen some rare antiquities / treasures about a month ago. Many of these people had been caught but the treasures seemd to be lost. There were over fifty treasures missing. Why this happened is unclear at the moment due to the reports we have. However, as Muslims, stealing is forbidden. There are harsh punishments for people who steal and the Shariah (Islamic Law) is strict on the conditions when these laws can be applie. People will not usually be sent to jail for stealing food to feed themselves. This compares with the shocking statistic that a quarter of all prisoners in the world are in jails in USA. The USA jails about 1% of its population - and some people are in jail for 25 years for stealing cookies or a DVD (thanks to their 3-strikes-and-your-out rule). Islamic Law is far more just thatn this.
~There has been continued unrest in some Muslim countries - the most significant this week was the ousting out of power of Hosni Mubarak from the government of Egypt. Finally, the Western-backed corrupt ruler of Egypt (known as the Pharaoh to many of his people) left power to the military that he appointed and that is funded by USA. Let's hope the people get a better government now. We also talked about how the Prophet* took power in a bloodless coup in Medina:
- he planned the takeover carefully after Aqaba and staying in Quba
- had appointed 12 leaders from the tribes
- was escorted by military guards on entering Medina
- Tribal leaders had their (ceremonial) fighting gear on when he entered
- no blood was spilled and he took power
- then many of the people of Medina rejoiced by singing and dancing

06 February 2011

06 February 2011

Seerah of Muhammed*

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

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

Zaid Bin Harithah Leads A Campaign On The Trade Routes Of Quraish:

This was the most successful campaign prior to Uhud Battle. It took place in Jumada Ath-Thaniyah, the year 3 A.H. Summer approached and it was high time for the Meccan trade caravans to leave for Syria. The people of Quraish whose lives depended mainly on a mercantile economy consisting of summer caravans to Syria and winter caravans to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), were now at a loss as to what route they would have to follow in order to avoid the backbreaking military strikes that the Muslims successfully inflicted on the polytheists.

Allah mentioned the journeys of the Quraish in a Surah (revealed in Mecca) about them: (It is a great Grace and protection from Allâh), for the taming of the Quraish, (1) (And with all those Allâh's Grace and Protections for their taming, We cause) the (Quraish) caravans to set forth safe in winter (to the south), and in summer (to the north without any fear), (2) So let them worship (Allâh) the Lord of this House (the Ka'bah in Makkah). (3) (He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear. (4)

The Quraish held a meeting to discuss the chances of escaping the economic blockade and decided to go along a trade route across Najd to Iraq. Furat bin Haiyan was appointed as a guide for the caravan. Safwan bin Omaiyah led the caravan along the new route. News of the meeting leaked out and it flew fast to Madinah by Sulit bin An-Nu‘man. The Prophet* immediately mustered 100 horsemen under the leadership of Zaid bin Harithah Al-Kalbi and despatched them to intercept and capture the caravan. They caught up with the camels at a place called Al-Qaradah. They took the polytheists by surprise and arrested their guide and two other men. Safwan and his guards fled away without showing the least resistance. The caravan was carrying silver and wares whose value amounted to 100 thousand dirhams. The booty was distributed among the Muslim warriors after one-fifth had been set aside for the Prophet*. Furat bin Haiyan embraced Islam out of his own free will. By blocking off the route to Syria this affected their trade to Yemen too as they had less goods to trade.

As a result of this episode, the Muslims foiled Quraish’s plans to find a new trade route. The economic siege laid to Mecca was thus consolidated and had a great impact on the trade economy of Mecca. The Meccans were terribly anxious and worried about their prospects of life now at stake with no hope whatsoever for any possible rehabilitation of commercial life or redemption of former prestige at the socio-political level except through two avenues categorically contrasting: Relinquishing all symbols of arrogance and all attitudes of haughtiness through reconciliation with the new status quo, and peaceableness with the Muslims; or launching a decisive overwhelming war with the aim of crushing down the military forces of Medina. It was apparent through the process of events that Quraish had opted for the second alternative. Loud cries were being heard everywhere in Mecca demanding immediate vengeance and quick retaliatory action. These movements on all levels constituted the direct preliminaries to the battle of Uhud.

Hence, some of the reasons for Uhud were:

Religious – Quraish wanted to stop the advance of Islam, and stop people becoming Muslims. The disbelievers ‘spend their wealth to avert people from the path of Allah’…The non-Muslims did that at the time of the Prophet* and are still doing it today!

Political – the status & reputation of Quraish was weakened. They had been very revered and looked up to by all other Tribes and so they wanted to regain that authority and respect

Social – Quraish wanted to wash away the shame of Badr

Economic – Pressure being but on Quraish to earn their living more creatively. They felt they were being under siege and all their money would dry up with time.

Hadith:

Hadith no 19 of Nawawi’s 40 Hadith: 

Abu al-Abbas Abdullah bin Abbas reported: One day I was behind the Prophet* and he said to me: "O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]:
- Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you.
- Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you.
- If you (have need to) ask, ask of Allah;
- and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.
- Know that even if the Nation (or the whole community) were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded for you,
- and that if they gather together to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." [Al-Tirmidhi]
In a version other than that of al-Tirmidhi it reads: "..Be mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity. Know that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship." [at-Tirmidhi]

This hadith implies a very important advice and general ruling in Islam: Allah’s protection. Ibnu Rajab quoted one scholar as saying: “What a pity for the one who is ignorant of this hadith and has little understanding of its meaning.”

The Prophet* starts the hadith by getting the attention of Ibn Abbas by saying “O young man, I shall teach you some words of advice”. By saying “O young man”, Ibn Abbas knows that the Prophet* is talking specifically to him. And by following it with “I shall teach you…” Ibn Abbas knows how important the next words of the Prophet* are going to be. Hence, these words at the beginning have attracted the undivided attention of Ibn Abbas. This teaches us that when we give a talk or speech, it is important that we start with words that will grab the attention of the audience. This is to ensure that our words of advice (contained in our speech) do not fall on ‘deaf ears’.

The phrase “Be mindful of Allah” means:

- To observe or fulfil Allah’s obligations

- To adhere to His commandments

- To avoid His prohibitions

Some of the things we have to fulfil - to attain Allah's protection - include:

- The daily prayers (salah) – by praying in the best way we can and by performing it on time.

- Maintaining cleanliness and purity.

- Observing our oath – we have to be careful if we swear by Allah that we will do something, because we have to abide to this commitment we make.

- Guarding our senses – we should ensure that what we see or hear or say pleases Allah. We should fear Allah and not use these senses in the wrong manner.

- Ensuring that we do not consume, via food or drink, anything that is not halal.

- Observing that our dealings and transactions are halal.

If we are “mindful of Allah”, i.e. we observe and fulfil His obligations/commandments, “Allah will protect us”. There two kinds of protection from Allah:

1. Allah will protect or look after His servants in this world / in worldly matters. For example, our health and our senses. We will be enjoying Allah’s mercy and bounty for our sight, hearing and speech all of our lives – even as we grow old, Allah will still allow us to see and hear properly, or he will take care of our intellect and mental health. Another example is Allah will protect our family and our property, belongings and money. Also, if one is mindful of Allah during his youth, Allah will protect him during his adult years.

2. Allah will protect His servants’ deen (religion) and iman (faith). He will protect us from misunderstandings and being misled or influenced by misconceptions and self-desires. He will help us and give us guidance so that we are protected from negative influences. Allah will also protect our deen when we leave this world. When we leave this world, we will leave with iman for being a mua'min (believer). We will be protected from shaitan’s influence to lead us astray right at the very last moment in our life. We may not be aware of when Allah is protecting our deen. It may even cause us to be unhappy. There may be a situation where Allah prevents us from doing something (something which we want to do) – this is actually a protection from Allah, preventing us from a disaster or problem or from committing a sin.

If we are mindful of Allah, we will find Him close to us or beside us or in front of us. Allah is close to His servants (the mua'minin) by giving them guidance, support, help, protection, victory, etc. The other narration of this hadith states that if we become beloved to Allah during times of ease, He will know us during times of hardship. During our times of ease or prosperity, if we use it for the pleasure of Allah, He will be with us to look after us in our times of hardship, weakness, sickness, etc. Even in terms of receiving reward from Allah. If we are sick and are no longer able to do something which we used to do during our times of ease, we will be given the reward for that act.

Seeking Help from Allah

The statement in which the Prophet* tells Abdullah bin Abbas to “ask of Allah” and to “seek help from Allah” is the fundamental basics of Tawhid. This is something we say in every salah (“iyya ka na’budu wa iyya ka nasta’in”). This shows us the importance of du’a, the importance of continuously asking Allah for His support and guidance. We need to show our need for Allah and our total dependency on Him by performing such forms of ibadah.

Qadr

Allah has already written in Al-Lauhulmahfuz what is going to take place. There are events or occurrences that happen which we have no control over (e.g. being sick, losing someone we love, falling into hardship, etc.) and to face these events correctly we need to practice contentment (redha) which is the highest level of action required where we are pleased or contented with whatever Allah has chosen for us, whether it is positive or negative. The second highest level is tolerance (sabr), where we need to be patient and not panic or say anything that displeases Allah.

Al-qadar can be broadly broken down into two categories:

1. There are actions that take place which we do not have any control over. We have to surrender to the will of Allah and be patient.

2. There are actions that take place which we had control over. These events happen as a result of our recklessness, laziness, of not being alert, etc. Even though the minute these things happen they already become qadar, those who are responsible for the actions will be held responsible. Thus, whatever we do, we should do it carefully, completely and to the best of our abilities. For example, construction workers building a site, doctors taking care of patients, driving, etc.

Generally speaking, we are responsible for what we do, whether it is in worldly matters or whether it is in our ibadah. We should always strive to improve ourselves and to constantly tell ourselves that we can do better. Also, we should avoid things that can be avoided, e.g. avoiding disasters, avoiding trouble, etc. It doesn’t contradict with qadar if someone is sick that he seeks treatment. If we are faced with a problem, we should try our best to solve it or minimise it and not do things which will worsen the situation. Many Muslims tend to interpret this hadith (on qadar) negatively. We should understand qadar in a positive sense. We should differentiate between things which we don’t have control over and things which we do. Instead of just accepting things that happen as qadar, we should see how we can improve the situation and how we can avoid things which can be avoided. We should accept the fact that we are responsible for whatever we do and the choices we make.

News Topic:

Multiculturalism

We discussed David Cameron’s speech in Munich to the European Leaders where he criticised multiculturalism and Muslim extremists, and tried to connect terrorism with multiculturalism. Most people have criticised the Prime Minister for this speech, especially on the same day as the EDL march in Luton –and the fact that he did not criticise the EDL. A few points we talked about:

- What is multiculturalism? Britain has previously had a proud tradition of allowing people from overseas come to the UK and would not force them to give up their culture and way of life

- Some of the reasons why people criticise multiculturalism – include people living together and not mixing or understanding other communities

- Exploring the concept of a ‘melting pot’ where all cultures are mixed and the predominant one ‘wins’

- How people don’t criticise British or American people for setting up their own communities and not integrating into society when they live abroad, like in Spain, or Dubai or Iraq. Yet these same people criticise Muslims who have their halal shops in Small Health !

Conclusion: Muslims in the UK should do more to interact with other communities whilst maintaining their unique identity and view of life.

 

30 January 2011

30 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

Kaab Bin Al-Ashraf

Kaab bin Al-Ashraf was one of the most resentful Jews in Medina at Islam and the Muslims, and the keenest on inflicting harm on the Messenger of Allah* and the most zealous advocate of waging war against him and the Muslims. He belonged to Tai’ tribe but his mother to Banu Nadir. He was a wealthy man known for his handsomeness, and a poet living in luxury in his fort south east of Medina at the rear of Banu Nadir’s habitations, not far from the outskirts of Medina. Among the Arabs he was a gifted poet was like a multitude of men, for his verses were repeated from mouth to mouth. On hearing the news of Badr, he got terribly exasperated and swore that he would prefer death to life if the news was true. When this was confirmed he wrote poems satirising Muhammad*, eulogizing Quraish and enticing them against the Prophet*. He then rode to Mecca where he started to trigger the fire of war, and kindle rancour against the Muslims in Medina. When Abu Sufyan asked him which religion he was more inclined to, the religion of the Meccans or that of Muhammad* and his companions, he replied that the pagans were better guided. With respect to this situation, Allah revealed His Words: “Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They believe in Jibt and Taghut, and say to the disbelievers that they are better guided as regards the way than the believers (Muslims).” [4:51]

Poetry was the main media of the day (no TV, radio or newspapers!). He then returned to Medina to start a fresh campaign of slanderous propaganda that took the form of obscene songs and verses with a view to defaming the Muslim women – often by name. At this stage, the situation became unbearable and could no longer be put up with. The Prophet prayed: "O Lord, deliver me from the son of al-Ashraf howsoever Thou wilt, for the evil he declares and the poems he declaims." The Prophet* gathered his men and said to those who were present: "Who is for me against the son of al-Ashraf, for he hath done me great injury?" “Who will kill Kaab bin Al-Ashraf? He had maligned Allah, and His Messenger.” The first to volunteer was a man of Aws, Muhammad ibn Maslamah, of the clan of Saad ibn Mu'adh, The Prophet told him to consult Saad, and four more volunteers were found (Abbad bin Bishr, Al-Harith bin Aws, Abu ‘Abs bin Hibr and Salkan bin Salamah, Kaab’s foster brother, volunteered to do the job). But they realised that nothing could be achieved without deception and lies, and they knew that lying was abhorrent to the Prophet; so they went to him and told him what was in their minds. He said that they were free to say whatever would serve their purpose, for deception was legitimate in warfare, being a part of its strategy, and Kaab had declared war on them. Muhammad bin Maslamah said: “O Messenger of Allah, do you wish that I should kill him?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “Permit me to talk (to him in the way I deem fit).” He said: “Talk (as you like).”

So, Muhammad bin Maslamah came to Kaab and talked to him, saying: “This man (i.e. the Prophet*) has made up his mind to collect charity (from us) and this has put us to a great hardship.” When he heard this, Kaab said: “By Allah you will be put to more trouble by him.” Muhammad bin Maslamah answered: “No doubt, now we have become his followers and we do not like to forsake him until we see what turn his affairs will take. I want that you should give me a loan.” He said: “What will you mortgage (give in security)?” Muhammad answered: “What do you want?” Kaab demanded women and children as articles of security against the debt. Muhammad said: “Should we pledge our women whereas you are the most handsome of the Arabs; and the son of one of us may be abused by saying that he was pledged for two wasq (measurement unit of weight) of dates but we can pledge you (our) weapons.” Kaab agreed.

Salkan bin Salamah, Abu Na’ilah, at another time, went to see Kaab for the same purpose and there were more or less the same subjects, only that Abu Na’ilah would bring him some companions. The plan was successful and provided for the presence of both men and weapons.

On Rabi‘ Al-Awwal 14th, at night, the year 3 A.H. the people said good bye to the Prophet* and set out in the Name of Allah to implement the carefully drawn plan. The Prophet* stayed back praying for them and supplicating Allah to render them success. The men went and called upon him at night. He came down although his wife warned him not to meet them alleging that: “I hear a voice which sounds like the voice of murder.” He said: “It is only Muhammad bin Maslamah and my foster brother Abu Na’ilah. When a gentleman is called at night even if he be pierced with a spear, he should respond to the call.” Abu Na’ilah said to his companions: “As he comes down, I will extend my hand towards his head to smell and when I hold him fast, you should do your job.” So when he came down, they talked together for about an hour. They then invited him to go out and spend a nice time in the moonlight. On the way out, Abu Na’ilah remarked: “I smell the nicest perfume from you.” Kaab said: “Yes, I have with me a mistress who is the most scented of the women of Arabia.” Abu Na’ilah again said: “Allow me to smell (the scent on your head)”. He said: “Yes, you may smell.” So he caught it and smelt. Then he said: “Allow me to do so (once again).” He then held his head fast and said to his companions: “Do your job.” And they killed him. The group of men came back after fulfilling their mission. One of them Al-Harith bin Aws was wounded by mistake with the swords of his men, and was bleeding badly. When they reached Baqi Al-Gharqad, they shouted, “Allah is Great”. The Prophet* heard them and realized that they had killed the enemy of Allah. As they saw him, he said: “Cheerful faces are yours.” In reply, they said: “And yours, O Messenger of Allah.” They handed the head of the tyrant over to him. He entertained Allah’s praise for their success. He then applied his saliva to Al-Harith’s wound and it healed on the spot.

When the Jews of Medina learned about the death of their tyrant, Kaab bin Al-Ashraf, they were scared and even their stonelike hearts were in the grip of inexpressible panic. They realised that the Messenger of Allah* would thenceforth never hesitate to use force when good words and admonition failed. The Prophet knew well that most of them were as hostile to Islam as Kaab had been, and with great disappointment he had come to accept this. But it was vital to show them that if hostile thoughts were tolerable, hostile action was not. "If he had remained as others of like opinion remain," he said, "he would not have been killed by guile. But he did us injury and wrote poetry against us; and none of you shall do this but he shall be put to the sword."! He then invited them to make a special treaty with him in addition to the covenant, and this they did.
The Prophet* would only ask his companions to undertake these special operations in very specific instances, which included the defamation of the Messenger and Islam (not a constructive dialogue or discussion but outright lies and slander) and if a charismatic leader was preparing an army to fight the The Prophet* and the Muslims, an operation like this would prevent much needless bloodshed.

Hadith:

On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junaada, and Abu Abdur-Rahman Mu'adh bin Jabal that the Messenger of Allah* said: Have Taqwa (Fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people. [at-Tirmidhi]

Taqwa

Taqwa is one of the most important and comprehensive Islamic concepts. The term is derived from its root "waqayya" which means “to protect.” Taqwa therefore means to protect one own self from the severe punishment of Allah by following His guidance. Some translate Taqwa as “to fear Allah” or to have “God Consciousness”. However, fearing Allah is only one aspect of this comprehensive concept. Ali ibn Abi Talib defines it as: “Fearing Allah, adhering to His commandments, being content with what He provides one with, and getting ready for the Day of Judgement.”

Mohammad Asad translates it as “to be conscious of Allah.” The term has been mentioned many times both in Qur’an and Sunnah. Allah the Almighty says: "O believers! Have Taqwa of Allah as is His right to have Taqwa. And die not except while you are Muslims" [3:102]

By realisation of Taqwa a Muslim is granted many bounties and blessings which he/she may gain. Among them are: the Love of Allah, a criterion by which to judge and distinguish between right and wrong, a way out of difficulties, matters will be made easier for him/her, sins will be remitted, guidance, help to acquire beneficial knowledge, prosperity and success.

This hadith contains comprehensive instruction concerning the rights of Allah and rights of people. The first of these is an admonition to fear Allah at every time and place, whether among others or alone; more specifically, to fear the displeasure and anger of Allah and to fear His punishment. The general meanings embodied in the verb "ittaqa" are protection and prevention, caution and avoidance; thus, the believer is advised to prevent and protect himself from the consequence of unlawful deeds by avoiding them altogether. It is accomplished by obeying Allah conscientiously and constantly, remembering that He sees everything one does and is aware of his innermost secrets. Taqwa in itself is commanded repeatedly by Allah in the Qur'an and is therefore a primary obligation upon every Muslim.

The righteous caliph, 'Umar bin 'Abdul-'Azeez, said, "Taqwa is not fasting by day, praying by night and other such things, but taqwa is refraining from what Allah has prohibited and doing what Allah has commanded. And whoever has been provided with good beyond that - it is additional good." And he wrote to someone, saying, "I recommend to you the fear [taqwa] of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, who accepts only that, has mercy upon its people, and rewards for it; for those who advise it are many, and those who practice it are few. May Allah make us and you among those who have taqwa."

Many scholars say that Taqwa is to fulfil obligations and avoid prohibitions and doubtful matters. It is the advice of Allah to all humankind, and it is the advice of all prophets to their people. The Prophet* used to advise and continuously remind his Companions about Taqwa in all his talks and on different occasions. Those who define Taqwa as “fearing Allah” look at the concept as a motive, because according to early scholars the minimum level of fearing Allah is what motivates a Muslim to fulfil obligations and keeps him/her away from prohibitions.

Doing Good

Taqwa does not imply perfection. Those who have Taqwa are subject to commit sins. However, if they do so, they repent right away and follow up the bad deed they have done with a good deed to wipe the bad one out as mentioned in this hadith. This clarifies the debatable issue between some scholars: whether or not avoiding minor sins is considered an aspect of Taqwa. Allah the Almighty and all Merciful has left the door of forgiveness opened to many means by which the punishment for a sin might be removed. Since every servant of Allah is ordered to have taqwa both openly and privately in spite of the fact that he is bound to commit sins, the Prophet* directed the believer how to eliminate his misdeeds by following them with good ones, primarily, repentance as soon as one realises his error and apology to Allah. Hence, taking account of the self continuously is also prescribed so that one may rectify his condition before it is permanently inscribed in his record. To do good deeds right after bad ones to wipe them out is one mean. This is mentioned in Surah Hud, ayat 114: "Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds."
There are other ways and means by which sins are forgiven as stated in the Qur’an and Sunnah such as:

- Istighfar (seeking forgiveness by supplication)

- Tubah (repentance)

- Du'a’ of Muslims for one another

- The intercession by the Prophet

- Performing the daily five prayers regularly and on time

- Afflictions

- The torment in the grave

- The horrible scenes and events of the Last Day

- The mere Mercy and Forgiveness from Allah

It is possible that in this hadith the Prophet* was referring to other good deeds beyond repentance or to the acts of worship, such as performance of ablution and prayer, praising Allah, going for hajj and 'umrah, fasting, etc., which serve as a kaffarah (expiation for sins). He* stipulated in several other narrations, however, that such deeds remove the errors and lesser sins for those who avoid all the major sins. A major sin can be annulled only by immediate, complete and sincere repentance, which is in itself ordained by Allah for every believer. This consists of intense regret and the realisation that one has angered his Lord, immediate cessation of the transgression, and earnestly seeking the forgiveness of Allah through prayer, supplication and the performance of additional good deeds. Allah has confirmed: "Indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then remains rightly guided."[20:82]

If we do a good deed, Allah will reward us by guiding us to do another good deed. Hence, doing a good deed will lead to doing another good deed. Doing a bad deed without regretting it or without istighfar or wiping it out by doing a good deed will most likely lead to doing another bad deed, whether of the same type or of a different type. By doing a bad deed with that attitude makes the person subject to repeat it again and again and doing other bad deeds becomes possible until the heart of that person is “sealed” and the person turns into a transgressor.

Treating others well

It is an obligation that every Muslim should treat others, deal with them, and interact with them in a good manner. Ibn Rajab says in his commentary: “Having good character is a characteristic of Taqwa. Taqwa cannot be complete without it. It was mentioned here by itself due to the need for explicitly explaining that point. Many people think that Taqwa implies fulfilling the rights of Allah without fulfilling the rights of humans. Therefore, the Prophet* explicitly stated that he/she must deal with people in a kind manner.” This ruling is stressed in many other hadith, of which the following are some:

- “Piety and Righteousness is being of good character.” [Muslim]

- “The believer with the most complete Iman (faith) is the one with the best behavior.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawud]

- “There is nothing heavier in the scales than good character.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawud]

- The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, made Iman (faith) and good character as the main basic criterion whether or not to accept a man for marriage.

Behaving well toward people is in reality one aspect of taqwa; indeed, without it taqwa is deficient. Allah has described people with taqwa as: "...Those who spend [on others] during ease and hardship and restrain anger and pardon the people." [3:134]

The Prophet* mentioned good behaviour separately in this hadith because there is a need to emphasize this particular aspect of taqwa, for many people are of the opinion that righteousness means attention to Allah's rights alone. Thus, they devote themselves to worship while often neglecting the rights of their fellow men. Therefore, on numerous occasions the Messenger* stressed the importance of good character, saying, "The best of the believers is the best of them in character," and "Indeed, the believer, through good character, reaches the ranks of one who fasts (by day) and prays (by night).”

News Topic

Demonstrations in Egypt - People's Revolution ?

When a young graduate, trying to sell fruit on the street was pushed around and told he can’t sell here by the police, he lit himself on fire which echoed the sheer frustration of daily life in Tunisia. It was this which broke the final straw in the camel’s back and sparked thousands to get onto the streets. The ruler had no choice but to leave the country in humiliation.
In the Glorious Qur’an Allah (swt) refers to the drowning of Pharaoh and his army as follows: And neither heaven nor earth shed a tear over them. [44:29]  And neither did the Muslims of Tunisia shed any tear on the leaving of this tyrant from their land.
Witnessing this, Muslims in Egypt, Jordan, Syria. Kuwait and Libya rose with this momentum against their regimes which have denied them their rights and distances them from Islam and brought them much harm.

These protests in the Arab World need to have a clear vision for change. It’s not just any change with a new face, but a radical change in system where Islam should be the guiding force for the politics and not Western inspired slogans.

Homework from 30 January 2011:
1. Explore some of the reasons why the Battle of Uhud happened?
2. What do you understand from the next (number 19) of Nawawi's 40 Hadith:
Abu al-Abbas Abdullah bin Abbas reported: One day I was behind the Prophet* and he said to me: "O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]:
- Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you.
- Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you.
- If you (have need to) ask, ask of Allah;
- and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.
- Know that even if the Nation (or the whole community) were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded for you,
- and that if they gather together to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." [Al-Tirmidhi]
In a version other than that of al-Tirmidhi it reads: "..Be mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity. Know that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship." [at-Tirmidhi]
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...