27 May, 2012

Belief (part 4): Proof of Allah (continued)

No Seerah, or Fiqh for the Study Circle this day as we all talked about the Existence of Allah, and what 'Belief' really means. Trying to clear up some of the questions from the previous week(s). Some of the main points that we covered, and re-covered included:

Limited nature of the Universe
When we look around us at everything we can sense one factor is shared by these things, and that is that they are all limited. By limited we mean that they have restrictions, a starting point and an ending point, and they have definable attributes i.e. they are all finite. Man is born and he dies. There is no-one alive who will not die. During his life span, he will grow to a certain height, weight and volume. The universe (cosmos) is defined as all the celestial planets. All these objects have certain mass, shape, volume and so on. The life span of a star may be very long, but a point in time will come when it will cease to exist.
The universe is large, but still a finite space. No scientist could ever prove using hard facts that the universe has no bounds. In fact when we say that the universe arose from the Big Bang and expanding they inherently admit it is finite in size, otherwise it could not expand! There is nothing in reality which is unlimited. No matter how hard we try, man is unable to find anything unlimited around him. All he can perceive is the finite and limited. A further attribute of everything around us is that they are all needy and dependent in order to continue existing. They are not self-sustaining or independent.
Thus what we see is that everything around us is limited and finite. Everything that is limited and finite is dependant and everything that is dependant is dependant upon something greater than itself.
Applying this to everything we see will bring us to a conclusion. If everything in the universe is dependant because it has not the power of being in existence on its own accord, and is also finite and limited, then what is everything dependant upon for its existence? Hence, two possibilities exist:
•    That is either all finite and limited objects depend upon each other in an infinite chain of inter dependencies (infinite regression). Or,
•    There is a first cause a sole Creator upon which everything depends.
To explain this further we can understand this by way of analogy. Consider a set of dominoes for example, for the final domino to fall it is dependent upon the domino before it, and for that domino to fall over it is dependent upon the domino before it. Now imagine if there was an infinite number of dominoes…… would any of the dominoes fall over? The answer is no, none of the dominoes would fall over. Now to view any aspect of the universe we would see that something is already in existence in essence the last domino has fallen over. Thus meaning that finite things are not dependent upon each other in an infinite chain. Therefore, there needs to be a first cause or a sole Creator upon which everything depends and itself being independent.
Now, we have noted that everything that is finite and limited is also dependant, hence, for something to be independent it would need to be infinite and unlimited. This is whom we Muslims call Allah the sole Creator, self subsistent, and completely unique and different from creation.
The only rational and intellectual solution to the question of creation is that there is a Creator that has accounted for all that we see and perceive. Ration tells us that nothing can be created without a creator. Ultimately, there must be a Creator who is unlimited in every aspect. Hence, we cannot ask if Allah can build a wall over which he cannot jump, or make a stone that he cannot lift or make a square-circle – as these would be putting limits onto Allah and confining Him to our limited understanding of the universe and its laws. Allah is beyond this and not subject to these laws as He created them. So the questions do not make sense.
Belief in Allah is not a superstition nor a mythology, but is a definite fact that is established upon the use of the mind and is felt within every person. Hence, looking at any planet in the universe, contemplating on any phase of life, or comprehending any aspect of man provides a conclusive evidence for the existence of a Creator. "Verily in the Creation of the heavens and the Earth and the alternation of the night and the day the are indeed signs for a people who depth and thinking" Quran [TMQ 3:190] We cannot try to limit Allah with our limited understanding of the Universe

Who Created Allah?
When we ponder on the limited things all around us, we see that it is not azali (eternal - limitless), otherwise it would not have been limited! Therefore, it must be created by something else, which is the Creator of all things (that include man, life and the whole universe/cosmos). This “Creator”, is either:
i.    created by someone else,
ii.    creator of himself, or
iii.    azali (eternal - limitless) whose existence is indispensable (wajib ul-wujood).
It is absolutely false that he is created by someone else (as in option i), because he would then be limited. Also, he would not be the creator and would have been created. Who created him would be like the question of the dominoes we already talked about. This who-created-who (like chicken & egg) could not go on for infinity and must have a start point. Hence, we can exclude this option that Allah was created by someone else.
It is also false that he is the creator of himself (as option ii) and could not be rationally considered as the Creator. As for being self-created, the ramification of which would be he is created by himself and creating himself at the same time (simultaneously). This is simply absurd. He cannot be both existing and not-existing at the same time (simultaneously) in order to create himself! Hence, we can exclude this option that Allah created himself. Hence, the creator must be azali (eternal - limitless) whose existence is indispensable (option iii – nothing else fits rationally). He is Allah.

To 'Know' as a command on every soul
The Islamic Belief (Aqeeda) and subsequently the Islamic way of life has an intellectual basis – based on thinking and the mind. Therefore, Islam is neither a religion nor a set of values and rituals that arise from Blind Faith. Rather, Islam is an intellectual belief from which emanates a comprehensive system of life, be it for individuals or society.

Firm Conviction in belief in Allah and hope / leap of faith in Allah
Muslims should have a belief in Allah that is beyond superstition and ‘leap of faith’. Allah talks about this type of belief in the Qur’an: "Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay they have no firm belief." [TMQ 52:35-36]
Anyone who has a mind (the mental faculty) can comprehend from things that can be sensed that they have a creator. This is because what is noticed in all of them is that they are imperfect, weak and dependent, so they are definitely created. Therefore, it is sufficient to draw one's attention to anything in the universe, life and humankind to conclude from that the existence of the Creator and Organiser. Hence, looking at any celestial body of the universe, contemplating upon any facet of life, or comprehending any aspect of man, indicates definitely of the existence of Allah. Therefore, we see that the Qur’an draws attention to these things and orders humans to ponder upon them, their surroundings, and what is related to them, and to conclude from his pondering the existence of Allah. Thus man looks at things how they are in need of other things, so he definitely concludes from this the existence of Allah, the Creator. There are hundreds of Qur’anic ayat expressing this meaning:
"Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of night and day, these are indeed signs for men of understanding." [Aali-Imran: 190]
"And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Behold! herein indeed are signs for men of knowledge." [Ar-Rum: 22]
"Will they not look at the camels, how they are created! And the heaven, how it is raised! And the mountains, how they are set up! And the earth, how it is spread!" [Al-Ghashiya: 17-20]
"So let man reflect, from what he is created. He is created from a gushing fluid, that is issued from between the loins and ribs." [At-Tariq: 5-7]
"Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the difference of night and day, and the ships which run upon the sea with that which is of use to men, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after its death, and dispersing all kinds of beasts therein, and in the ordinance of the winds, and the clouds obedient between heaven and earth are signs (of Allah's sovereignty) for people who have sense." [Al-Baqarah: 164]
In addition, there are so many ayat that call upon man to ponder deeply upon things and their surroundings and that which is related to them, thereby concluding from that the existence of the Creator, the Organiser. Thus belief in Allah is firmly established through reason and clear evidence.
Hence, there should be no element of ‘leap of faith’ or ‘blind faith’ like the people at the time of Ibrahim or the Quraish at the time of the Prophet. As Muslims, we should think and come to a rational conclusion in the existence of Allah and this should be done by everyone who can think!

Nature of Proof: Rational Proof and the limitations of Logic / Scientific Method
Scientific (empirical) evidence is one type of evidence, but not the only type. Other types include the likes of logic, reports and conceptual analysis. Logical approaches are based on sound premises and a valid structure to argument (like mathematics). For example, the statements that all men are mortal combined with the observation that Abdul is a man rationally means that necessarily Abdul is mortal. Our acceptance of the concept that human beings are the product of a mother and father, allows us to establish, on analysis of this concept and its rational extension, that Aisha had a great-great-grandfather. None of these conclusions are scientific, for they do not involve the application of the scientific method (observation, experimentation and deduction). Yet all of them are rational.
We discussed evidence and Proof and why rational thinking is superior to scientific thinking – as we can not always measure things so it does not mean things do not exist. Humans made inferences and deduce things from what we see and weigh things up. Not everything is testable!

Value of Actions
We very briefly talked about what is considered ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and where these concepts come from. But we mainly chatted about praying (or doing any good action or deed) with or witho  ut belief. Hence, a Muslim who believes in Allah and does good deeds requested by Him will get huge reward (i/A) but another person without belief in Allah may do the exact same action / deed but get no reward as they lack belief. So, all actions should be related to and stem from the belief. This is what Allah will be looking for first after we die – WHAT DID WE BELIEVE IN!!
Therefore, we are spending so much time talking about our belief and why this should be firm and unshakeable. When we do get tested by Allah, some people who do not have firm belief may have greater doubts about life & Allah if their belief is based upon a hereditary system (from their parents). It doesn’t necessarily mean their actions will be less rewarded by Allah but having a firm foundation for belief (upon which the five pillars of actions are built) could mean the actions are done with greater conviction.

Design Theory
We then explored the second strand of evidence (proof) of the existence of Allah (Creator). This is based on the theory of Divine Knowledge or Divine Design behind existence.

The story of Abu Hanifah and the boat
Imam Abu Hanifa (a great scholar of Islam) was known for his intelligence and so there came to him a group of atheists asking him to prove the Existence of Allah. Imam Abu Hanifa said, "Let me think," then he remarked, "I am thinking about a loaded ship that was tied to a port. The cargo unloaded itself without porters and the ship sailed away without a captain from port to port.” (Upon hearing this,) the atheists declared, "How can you say something like this! This is impossible. We cannot believe in it.” Imam Abu Hanifa replied, "If you do not believe in this then how do you believe in the sun, the moon, the stars, the sky and the earth – how can you believe that all these came into existence without an Originator?" Allah points out this intellectual proof in His Saying, "Were they created by nothing or were they themselves the creators?" [TMQ 52: 35]

The knock on the door
When we hear a knock on a door there are so many things we can learn from that, which include:
•    The wooden door makes a sound when it is knocked
•    Someone is likely knocking
•    Someone is likely knocking for a reason
•    Sound from the door travels
•    We can’t see the person knocking but believe they are there
•    Hard objects are good at knocking and making sound
•    The knocking attracts our attention
•    People usually respond to the knock
…And many more things
But the essence for this discussion is that the knocking gives us an indication that someone is making the sound. By contemplating on the Universe, our existence and mortality we can reasonably assume that we have been created by Allah. Not such a huge jump.

The pile of stones on the beach
Likewise, we talked about walking along the beach and finding a neat pile of stones stacked upon each other. Reason would tell us that this is unlikely to occur purely by chance but that someone constructed it in that fashion. Who is this Constructor or Designer – Muslims would call Him Allah. This is a rational conclusion not a far-fetched obscure unlikely theory…like what the atheists have.

Footprints and the sky and mountains
A further simple example was a story of a Bedouin who was asked, "How do you know your Lord?" The Bedouin could only reply with (the example of) that which was before him, so he said, "Droppings tell of a camel. Foot-prints tell of a traveller. The sky, the earth with mountain passes, seas with waves -do they not tell of the All-Hearer, the All-Seer?"

Homework:
- What did Khalid bin Walid do that caused the Prophet* to disown his actions
- Where is Allah and What was there before Allah

20 May 2012

Conquest of Mecca (3); Linguistic Meaning (4) and Limited Creation (3)

Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

Umm Hani gives limited protection
Two persons took refuge in the house of Umm Hani, the sister of Ali. Ali, fully armed, besieged her house. On coming face to face with an unidentified officer, she introduced herself immediately and said: "In the capacity of a Muslim woman, I have given asylum to two persons and the asylum provided by a Muslim woman is respected like that provided by a Muslim man". At this moment, in order to make himself known to her, Ali pulled off his helmet from his head. The sister saw the brother whom the vicissitudes of time had separated from her for so many years. Her eyes were immediately filled with tears and she put her arms round Ali's neck. Thereafter both of them went before the Prophet* and he too approved the asylum provided by Umm Hani. Umm Hani noted that she saw the Prophet* praying 8 rakah (separated every 2 rakah) during the time Dhoha and some scholars say this was the prayer of victory and others conclude this is just the Dhoha prayer.

Bilal Pronounces Adhan and Returning the keys to the Kaaba
The time for noon prayers arrived. Bilal, the official mu'azzin of Islam, went on the roof of the Ka'bah and announced, with loud voice, the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad, making it reach the ears of those present in the general gathering. The obstinate idolaters were saying all sorts of things. One of them said: "Such and such person was lucky, because he died earlier and didn't hear adhan". It is mentioned that the Prophet* intended Bilal to make the Adhan to demonstrate the new system of Islam and to irritate / agitate the Quraish.
The Prophet* offered the noon prayers. Ali had asked that the honour of the keys to the Kaaba now be kept with the family of the Prophet*, but the Prophet* called Uthman bin Talhah and, returning the key of the Kaaba to him, said: "This position belongs to you and will remain safe in your family!" And nothing else could me expected from the Prophet* of Islam - the Prophet*, who takes orders from Allah and conveys the people: Allah commands you to return the things entrusted to you to the rightful owners. (Surah al-Nisa, 4:58) he should certainly precede others in returning such a big trust. He does not trample upon the rights of the people means of military strength. Hence he announces in open terms: "Custodianship of the key of the Kaaba is the admitted right of the son of Talhah and nobody shares this right with him." 

The Prophet*'s Speech to the People of Mecca
The Prophet* made clear that the old ways were gone and the new era of Islam cancelled all the old traditions. The rules of the game had changed and now Islam was in charge. He condemned every discrimination and laid stress upon the necessity of justice and equality between all classes, and said: "O Children of Hashim and Muttalib! I have been sent to you by Allah as His Messenger and the ties of love and kindness between you and myself are also unbreakable. You shouldn't, however, think that only relationship with me will ensure your salvation on the Day of Judgement. All of you should understand that my friend from amongst you and others is he who is pious and virtuous, and my connection with those, who come before Allah with a heavy burden of sins is cut off. I shan't be able to do anything for you on the Day of Judgement. (On that day) I and you will be responsible for our respective actions".
The Prophet* himself was an inhabitant of the same environments and knew fully well the ailments of the Arab society and their remedy. He knew the reason for the decline of the people of Mecca. Hence, he decided to look into the social ailments of the Arab society and to remedy them fully. The question of self-glorification on account of one's family, household or tribe was one of the deep-rooted ailments of the Arab society and the greatest pride for a person was that he should belong to a branch of a well-known tribe like Quraish. The Prophet* condemned this imaginary basis of superiority. He said, "O people! Allah has abolished from amongst you, under the tenets of Islam, the bases of pride of the Age of Ignorance and self-glorification on account of lineage. All are the descendants of Prophet* Adam and Adam was created with clay. The best person amongst you is he who refrains from sin and disobedience". In order to make the people understand that the criterion of superiority is only piety, he, in one of his sermons, divided all human beings into two groups, and declared only pious persons to be entitled to honour and superiority. By means of this division and classification, he nullified all imaginary standards of rank and position and said: "Before Allah, people consist of only two groups; one of those groups is that of the pious people, who are honourable before Allah, and the second group is that of the transgressors and the sinners, who are abject and humble before Him".

Superiority On Account Of Being An Arab
The Prophet* knew that the Arabs considered being of Arabian descent to be a great honour for themselves; they were proud of being of Arabian lineage. This spirit was like a contagious disease in them. To remedy this ailment and to do away with the conception of this superiority he turned to the people and said: "O people! Being an Arab is not the criterion of your personality or a part of your being, but only a mode of expression. The genealogical pride is not of any use to a person who does not carry out his duties properly, and it does not make amends for deficiency in his performances". "All persons have been equal in the past and are also equal at present like the teeth of a comb and an Arab does not enjoy any superiority over a non-Arab, nor is a red-coloured person superior to a black one. The criterion of superiority is piety".
The Hundred Years' Wars And Old Grudges
Owing to internal wars and continued bloodshed the people of Arabia had become a revengeful nation and they were constantly at war with one another. He then asked the people to ignore the entire bloodshed which had taken place during the Period of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah), and to treat all such dossiers as sealed. In this manner he prevented bloodshed which disturbed peace and order, and made the people forget transgression, plundering and murder, which could result in claims of blood-money or in confrontation. To achieve this end he declared: "I reject all claims relating to life and property and all imaginary honours of the past, and declare them to be baseless".
Islamic Brotherhood
A part of what the Prophet* said on that day related to the unity of the Muslims and the rights which a Muslim has on his brother Muslim. His aim in mentioning these advantages was that by maintaining such ties of friendship and unity, as well by honouring the rights enjoyed by the Muslims over one another, the non-Muslims might be inclined towards Islam and might join the ranks of the Muslims: "A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim and all the Muslims are brothers of one another and constitute one hand as against the non-Muslims. The blood of every one of them is equal to that of others and even the smallest among them can make a promise on behalf of others''.

Forgiving Safwan bin Umayyah
Safwan was the son of Umayyah, who had been killed in the Battle of Badr. Besides his other crimes and felonies he had hanged a Muslim in Mecca in broad daylight, to take revenge for the treatment meted out to his father. Fearing punishment, he decided to leave the Hijaz by sea. 'Umayr bin Wahab (who was once sent to assassinate the Prophet*) requested the Prophet* to forgive Safwan. The Prophet* accepted his recommendation and, as a token of protection given to Safwan, gave 'Umayr the turban which he was wearing at the time of his arrival in Mecca. 'Umayr went to Jeddah with that turban and brought Safwan to Mecca. When the Prophet*'s eyes fell on the greatest criminal of the time, he said to him with great magnanimity: "Your life and property are guaranteed. However, it will be better if you embrace Islam". He requested for two months time to think over the matter. The Prophet* said: "I am prepared to give you four months time instead of two months, so that you may choose this religion with thorough understanding". The period of four months had not yet passed when he embraced Islam.

Main Topic: Fiqh 4
(Linguistic and Shariah Meanings)
In previous study circles we have briefly mentioned that words can have more than 1 meaning. We have talked about Linguistic Meanings and Shariah/Islamic Meanings of words. To explain further:

• A linguistic meaning is the original meaning of the word in Arabic or where the word was derived from, and how this was originally used before Islam.
• A Shariah/Islamic Meaning is the new meaning to the word or phrase that is given to it by Islam (the Qur’an, the Prophet* or the scholars). Hence, when the word is commonly used now it is due to the new Islamic meaning of the word as this is the one related to reward and punishment from Allah.

Using some examples already mentioned: Linguistically, Fiqh implies having knowledge in depth. As a legal (Shariah/Islamic) term, Fiqh has two meanings: Having the knowledge of the rulings of Shariah (Islamic Law) which are extracted from the legislative sources; or all the Islamic laws. This definition is synonymous to the term Shariah.
The linguistic meaning of the word Shariah is a non-exhaustive source of water with which people satisfy their thirst. The term Shariah can also mean all the Islamic laws (ie., all the laws derived from the legislative sources of Islam), and so is also interchangeable with Fiqh.
Linguistically abrogation means cancelling (Izaalah) or changing the thing and transforming it from one state to another while it still exists in essence. Its Shariah meaning is the address (Khitaab) of the legislator (Allah) which prevents the continuation of a Hukm Shar’i (laws) of a previous address (Khitaab).
This is like Salah (prayer), whose linguistic meaning is du'a (suplication), and Islam gave it a new meaning (transferring it from the linguistic meaning to the divine/Shariah meaning) which then dominated its use. Thus, the Arabs used it a divine/Shariah meaning other than its linguistic meaning, and the linguistic meaning was abandoned while the divine/Shariah meaning dominated.
The word Sunnah originally means ‘path’ along which one travels. However, Muslims now use it to refer to either the example of the Prophet* or a recommended action from the Prophet*.
Another common term whose meaning has changed is that if Jihad. The linguistic meaning is that of ‘struggling or striving’, whereas the Shariah gave is a meaning related to fighting for Islam (in various manners). It is only the latter term that carries specific rewards in Islam according to the knowledgeable scholars.

Aqeeda: How strongly do we believe in Allah? Myth or reality?
We started off the study circle by talking about Superheroes, like Captain America, Batman, Superman, Spiderman; or the recent TV series Heroes; even touching upon mythical gods of previous cultures (Hindus & Greeks). There is often a need for limited humans like us to project power onto other beings – and super-powers to other super-beings. This reflects our own limitations – something we will come back to later. We recapped how Muslims should have a belief in Allah that is beyond superstition and ‘leap of faith’. Allah talks about this type of belief in the Qur’an: "Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay they have no firm belief." [TMQ 52:35-36]
 
Logical, Scientific & Rational thought
Scientific (empirical) evidence is one type of evidence, but not the only type. Other types include the likes of logic, reports and conceptual analysis. Logical approaches are based on sound premises and a valid structure to argument (like mathematics). For example, the statements that all men are mortal combined with the observation that Abdul is a man rationally means that necessarily Abdul is mortal. Our acceptance of the concept that human beings are the product of a mother and father, allows us to establish, on analysis of this concept and its rational extension, that Aisha had a great great grandfather. None of these conclusions are scientific, for they do not involve the application of the scientific method. Yet all of them are rational.

Arguments about the nature of matter, universe and Allah: The limited nature of existence
When we look around us at everything we can sense one factor is shared by these things, and that is that they are all limited. By limited we mean that they have restrictions, a starting point and an ending point, and they have definable attributes i.e. they are all finite. Man is born and he dies. There is no-one alive who will not die. During his life span, he will grow to a certain height, weight and volume. The universe is defined as all the celestial planets. All these objects have certain mass, shape, volume and so on. The life span of a star may be very long, but a point in time will come when it will cease to exist. The universe is large, but still a finite space. No scientist could ever prove using hard facts that the universe has no bounds. In fact when we say that the universe arose from the Big Bang and expanding they inherently admit it is finite in size, otherwise it could not expand! There is nothing in reality which is unlimited. No matter how hard we try, man is unable to find anything unlimited around him. All he can perceive is the finite and limited.
A further attribute of everything around us is that they are all needy and dependent in order to continue existing. They are not self-sustaining or independent. Man has needs he has to satisfy in order to survive. He has organic needs - must eat and drink if he is to survive, and if he does not he will die. We see the need and dependency in plants and animals. They depend on other parts of the food chain for their existence. The water cycle is dependent on the sun, which is dependent on the laws of the galaxies and of burning mass, and so on... Nothing man can perceive is self-subsistent. So things exist, but do not have the power of existence. They cannot control when they die or when other bodies die.
Thus what we see is that everything around us is limited and finite. Everything that is limited and finite is dependant and everything that is dependant is dependant upon something greater than itself.
Applying this to everything we see will bring us to a conclusion. If everything in the universe is dependant because it has not the power of being in existence on its own accord, and is also finite and limited, then what is everything dependant upon for its existence? Hence, two possibilities exist:

• That is either all finite and limited objects depend upon each other in an infinite chain of inter dependencies (infinite regression). Or,
• There is a first cause a sole Creator upon which everything depends.

To explain this further we can understand this by way of analogy. Consider a set of dominoes for example, for the final domino to fall it is dependant upon the domino before it, and for that domino to fall over it is dependant upon the domino before it. Now imagine if there was an infinite number of dominoes…… would any of the dominoes fall over? The answer is no, none of the dominoes would fall over. Now to view any aspect of the universe we would see that something is already in existence in essence the last domino has fallen over. Thus meaning that finite things are not dependant upon each other in an infinite chain. Therefore, there needs to be a first cause or a sole Creator upon which everything depends and itself being independent. Now, we have noted that everything that is finite and limited is also dependant, hence, for something to be independent it would need to be infinite and unlimited. This is whom we Muslims call Allah the sole Creator, self subsistent, and completely unique and different from creation. Allah says "Declare, Allah is one and only, Allah is self sufficient (needy of nothing but upon which everything depends), Neither Allah begets nor was he begotten, And there is nothing equal to or comparable unto Allah" [TMQ 112]

Science cannot prove the existence of God. Not because it requires ‘faith’ but because of the limitations of the scientific method itself. As for rational evidence for the existence of God, that has been furnished, debated, refined and presented centuries ago. The Kalam Cosmological argument for example – was developed by Muslim scholars as early as the 11th century CE. The argument is profound yet simple: the material world we sense around us comprises of things (temporal phenomena) that depend for their existence on other things (temporal phenomena) and so forth. Such a series cannot continue to infinity, for if it did no one thing  would satisfy its dependence and nothing would exist. The fact that things do exist necessarily implies a finite series and, in turn, the existence of a being who determined both the existence of this series and the specific attributes or properties that define it. By rational extension, this being must be eternal and without beginning, otherwise it is temporal and forms part of the series. It must also be sentient for a timeless cause producing a temporal effect requires an independent will. Finally, effecting so grand a creation as the universe and all that it contains necessitates knowledge and power. Thus, by use of reason alone – no reference to scripture, ‘leaps of faith’ or assumptions – we deduce the existence of an eternal, necessary and transcendent being attributed with knowledge, power and sentience, otherwise known in the English language as ‘God’.
The idea and question of ‘God’ has serious implications because the answer obtained becomes the very basis by which we understand the creation and purpose of man, life round us and the whole existence of the universe. Therefore, the method used should not only be the rational thought but the comprehensive and agree with reality. Anything hypothetical or emotional should be rejected since their basis disagrees with ration and reality.
The Islamic Belief and subsequently the Islamic way of life has an intellectual basis. Therefore, Islam is neither a religion nor a set of values and rituals that arise from Blind Faith. Rather, Islam is an intellectual belief from which emanates a comprehensive system of life, be it for individuals or society. To understand the unique system that Islam offers necessitates the explanation of the Islamic belief i.e. the belief in God, Allah in Arabic, and the Word of God, the Qur’an.

We cannot try to limit Allah with our limited understanding of the Universe
The only rational and intellectual solution to the question of creation is that there is a Creator that has accounted for all that we see and perceive. Ration tells us that nothing can be created without a creator. Ultimately, there must be a Creator who is unlimited in every aspect. Hence, we cannot ask if Allah can build a wall over which he cannot jump, or make a stone that he cannot lift or make a square-circle – as these would be putting limits onto Allah and confining Him to our limited understanding of the universe and its laws. Allah is beyond this and not subject to these laws as He created them. So the questions do not make sense.
Belief in Allah is not a superstition nor a mythology, but is a definite fact that is established upon the use of the mind and is felt within every person. Hence, looking at any planet in the universe, contemplating on any phase of life, or comprehending any aspect of man provides a conclusive evidence for the existence of a Creator. "Verily in the Creation of the heavens and the Earth and the alternation of the night and the day the are indeed signs for a people who depth and thinking" [TMQ 3:190]

Children's Feedback:

The King and the Poor Person

Homework~

What did Khalid bin Walid do that caused the Prophet* to disown his actions

Where did Allah come from - Who created Allah?

13 May 2012

Cleaning the Kaaba, granting immunity; Fiqh (3) and Belief (2)

Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

Military Forces Of Islam Enter The City
Before the forces of Islam reached the main roads of the city of Mecca, the Prophet* summoned all the commanders of the army and said to them: "It is my earnest desire that Mecca should be conquered without any bloodshed. Killing of non-combatant persons should, therefore, be avoided. However, ten persons namely 'Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl, Habbar bin Aswad, Abdullah bin Sa'd Abi Sarah, Miqyas Subabah Laythi, Huwairath bin Nuqayd, Abdullah Hilal and four women who have been guilty of murder or apostasy or blasphemy, whenever they are captured". This order was notified to all the soldiers through their commanders. Notwithstanding the fact that the mental attitude of the people of Mecca towards the Prophet* was very clear, he did not ignore military precautions at the time of entry into Mecca. His plan was as follows: All the units forming one line reached Zi Tuwa (an elevated point from where the houses of Mecca as well as the Kaaba and the Masjidul Haram can be seen), while the Prophet* was encircled by a regiment consisting of five thousand soldiers.
When the Prophet*’s eyes fell on the houses of Mecca, tears of joy gathered in his eyes and as a mark of thanksgiving for the victory which he had gained without any resistance on the part of Quraish, he, while riding the camel, bent himself so much that his beard touched the saddle fixed on the back of the camel. As a precautionary measure, he divided the army and sent a part of it from the upper side and another part from the lower side of Mecca. He did not content himself with only this and also sent units by all the routes which led to the city.
All the units entered the city without any fighting and the gates of the city were opened for them, except the unit which was commanded by Khalid bin Walid. The camel of the Prophet* entered the city with great dignity and grandeur from the highest point of Mecca (Azakhir). He alighted in Jahoon by the side of the grave of his dear uncle, Abu Talib, and a special tent was pitched for him.

The Prophet* cleanses the Kaaba of idols
The city of Mecca, which had been the centre of idol worship for a very long time, surrendered before the army of Islam and all the points of the city came under the control of the Muslim soldiery. The Prophet* took rest for some time in the tent. Thereafter he mounted a camel and proceeded to the Masjidul Haram for pilgrimage and tawaf (circumambulation) of the Kaaba. He had put on military dress, was wearing a helmet on his head and the Muhajirs and the Ansar encircling him reflected his greatness. The reins of the camel of the Prophet* were being held by Muhammad bin Maslamah, and the Muslims and some of the idolaters had lined up on his route. Some of them were astonished and over-awed whereas others were expressing their joy. For some good purposes the Prophet* did not alight from his camel and arrived in Masjidul Haram mounted on it and halted opposite the Black Stone. Instead of kissing the Black Stone he pointed towards it with a special stick which he was carrying in his hand and uttered Takbir. Imitating the Prophet, his companions, who were gathered round their illustrious leader uttered Takbir with a loud voice. The voice of Takbir reached the ears of the idolaters of Mecca, who had taken refuge in their houses or at elevated places.
A strange tumult prevailed in the mosque and the hue and cry of the people prevented the Prophet* from performing tawaf peacefully. The Prophet* made a sign to the people to remain quiet. Perfect silence prevailed immediately and all those within and outside the mosque began looking at the Prophet. He began performing tawaf and during the first round of tawaf, turned towards the three big idols named Hubal, Isaf and Na'ilah which had been installed above the gate of the Kaaba. He knocked them down with a stick or a spear which he was carrying in his hand and recited this verse: Say: Truth has come and falsehood has been banished and falsehood is certainly doomed to banishment. (Surah Isra, 17:81) As ordered by the Prophet, Hubal was broken to pieces before the very eyes of the idolaters.
In those days Uthman bin Talhah was the custodian of the keys of the Kaaba and this office of his was hereditary. The Prophet* asked Bilal to go to Uthman's house and bring the key of the Kaaba from him. Bilal conveyed the Prophet*’s message to the custodian. However, his mother prohibited him from surrendering the key and said, "Custodianship of the Kaaba is our hereditary honour and we should not lose this honour". Uthman caught the hand of his mother and took her into a closet and said, "If we don't give the key voluntarily, you should rest assured that they will take it from us forcibly''. The custodian unlocked the Kaaba and the Prophet* entered the Kaaba. Usamah bin Zayd and Bilal and the custodian himself followed him in. As ordered by the Prophet* the gate of the Kaaba was closed and Khalid bin Walid stood outside it to restrain the people from swarming towards the gate. He went in and saw images of Prophets Ibrahim and Ishmael, throwing divination arrows. He denounced these acts of Quraish and ordered that all idols be dismantled, images and effigies deleted. As ordered by the Prophet, the walls were washed with the water of the well of Zam Zam and the pictures were rubbed off by Umer. The Prophet* ordered the gate of the Kaaba to be opened. Then, placed both of his hands on the wooden frame of the gate and the people could see his sacred and luminous face, he addressed them thus: "Praised be Allah, Who has fulfilled His promise and helped His servant and routed the enemies"'.
The Almighty Allah had promised the Prophet* through revelation that He would make him return to his birth-place: (Muhammad) Allah who has commanded you to follow the guidance of the Qur'an will certainly return you victoriously to your place of birth. (Surah al-Qasas, 28:85).

The Prophet* grants general immunity
Complete silence prevailed over the precincts of the mosque and outside it. The people, holding their breath, were thinking different things. At this hour the people of Mecca were reminded of the cruelty, oppression and injustice which they had perpetrated and various other thoughts came to their minds. The people, who had risen a number of times to fight bloody battles against the Prophet, had wounded and killed his friends and companions, and had decided to conduct a night attack on his house and to cut him to pieces, were now in his control and he could take any sort of revenge on them. These people, while mentioning the big crimes committed by them, were saying to one another: "He will certainly put us to the sword or will kill some of us and detain others and will make our women and children prisoners". They were absorbed in different satanic thoughts when suddenly the Prophet* broke the silence and said, "What are you saying and what are you thinking about me?" The astonished and frightened people, keeping in mind the past favours of the Prophet, said with broken voice: "We are not thinking of anything about you except kindness and goodness. We consider you to be our honourable brother and the son of our honourable brother." When the Prophet, who was inherently kind and forgiving, heard these emotional sentences from them, he said in reply: "I too say to you the same thing, which my brother Yusuf said to his unkind brothers i.e., "Have no fear this day! May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful". While granting general amnesty the Prophet* addressed the people of Mecca thus: "You have been my very unreasonable countrymen. You refuted my prophethood and turned me out of my house. And when I took refuge in a far-off place, you rose to fight against me. However, inspite of all these crimes of yours, I forgive all of you and make you free and declare that you may go after the pursuits of your life."

The Blacklist
Shedding blood of the arch-criminals was declared lawful even under the curtains of Al-Kaaba. As for those who were killed, mention could be made of Abdul 'Uzza bin Khatal who had become a Muslim and then deputed to collect alms-tax in the company of a Helper. They had also a slave with them. Abdullah, in a fit of rage, killed the Helper's slave on account of a mere trifling dispute, and joined the pagan Arabs as an apostate. He was never repentant at this heinous crime but rather employed two women singers and incited them to sing satirically about the Prophet* peace be upon him. The other man who was put to death was Miqyas bin Sababa. He was a Muslim. A Helper accidently killed his brother Hisham. The Prophet* peace be upon him had arranged the payment of blood money to him, which he had accepted. His revengeful nature, however, was never appeased, so he killed the Helper and went to Mecca as an apostate. Similarly, Huwairith and one woman singer went to death. Abdullah bin Sa'd bin Abi Sarah, who embraced Islam but became apostate later, was one of the ten persons who were to be killed. The reason he ordered him to be killed was that he had been a Muslim and used to write down revelation; then he apostatized and returned to Quraysh [Mecca] and fled to Uthman Affan whose foster brother he was. The latter hid him until he brought him to the apostle after the situation in Mecca was tranquil, and asked that he might be granted immunity. The apostle* remained silent for a long time till finally he* said yes [granting Abdullah immunity from the execution order]. When Uthman had left he* said to his companions who were sitting around him, "I kept silent so that one of you might get up and strike off his head!" One of the Ansar said, "Then why didn't you give me a sign, O apostle of God?" He answered that a prophet does not kill by signals’.
On the other hand, every attempt was made to grant pardon to the people. 'Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl, who had attacked Khalid's detachment at the time of the entry into Mecca, was forgiven. To Wahshi, the murderer of Hamzah, the Prophet*’s uncle, and to Hind, who had chewed his liver, was also extended his generous clemency. The same generous treatment was accorded to Habar who had attacked the Prophet*’s daughter with a spear, while on her way from Mecca to Medina, so grievously that she ultimately died of the fatal injuries. In the same context of magnanimity peculiar to Muhammad peace be upon him, two chiefs of Quraish were pardoned once they had embraced Islam. They were Safwan bin Omaiyah and Fudalah bin 'Umair. The latter had attempted to assassinate the Prophet* peace be upon him while circumambulating in the Holy Sanctuary. The Prophet*’s matchless tolerance and broad-mindedness instigated by his mission as 'A mercy to all people', converted a terrible hypocrite into a faithful devout believer.

Fiqh Topic: Meccan & Medinan Verses, Abrogation / Cancellation

Types of Hukm Shara’i  
A. Fard (Compulsory):
B. Mandub, Mustahab, Sunnah or Nafilah (Recommended)
C. Mubah (Permissible)
D. Makruh (Disliked)
E. Haram (Prohibited)

The four definitive sources of Hukm Shar’i are;
•    the Qur’an
•    the Sunnah
•    Ijma’ as-Sahabah 
•    Qiyas

Linguistically, Fiqh implies having knowledge in depth. As a legal term, Fiqh has two meanings: Having the knowledge of the rulings of Shariah (Islamic Law) which are extracted from the legislative sources; or all the Islamic laws. This definition is synonymous to the term Shariah.

Usul al-Fiqh is the collection of principles relating to the methodology for the extraction of Fiqh or Islamic Laws: “the principles by which the mujtahid derives the legal rules of conduct from the specific evidences”.  

Within the Arabic language, there are rules for understanding the structure of an Ayah or Hadith. The rules of grammar in the Arabic language define the meaning of the Ayah or Hadith.  Unless the text of the Qur’an and Sunnah is correctly understood, no laws can be deduced from it. Examples of Qur’anic linguistic styles are:
•    Thanniy (speculative text),
•    Qatai (definitive text),
•    Amm (general text),
•    Khass (specific text),
•    Haqiqi (literal text), and
•    Majaazi (metaphorical text).

The linguistic meaning of the word Shariah is a non-exhaustive source of water with which people satisfy their thirst. The term Shariah is also interchangeable with Fiqh.

Qur’anic Verses: Meccan & Medinan verses
The commentators on the Qur’an divide the verses (and chapters) into two broad categories depending on when the Surah (or most of the verses in the Surah) were revealed. It doesn’t refer specifically to where the verses were revealed. Hence, they are defined and Mecca verses (if revealed when the Prophet* was in Mecca) and Medinan verses to describe those revealed when the Prophet was ruling in his Islamic State in Medina. Commentators have mentioned some other characteristics of these different verses / Surahs, namely:

Meccan Surahs: There are 86 chapters
Talks mostly on subjects related to faith and morals (Such as assigning partners to Allah, idol worship, life in the hereafter, good deeds and sins)
Verses that start with “Ya ayyuhan-nas (O people!)”
Verses are short.
Talks about mushriks (polytheists), does not mention Jews and Christians.
There is no verse about jihad (struggle)

Medinan Surahs: There are 28 chapters
Talks mostly on worships and practices meaning legal issues.
(Practices in exchange, murder, adultery, punishment of theft and slander, marriage and divorce methods)
Verses start with “Ya ayyuhal-lazina amanu (O believers)”
Verses are long.
Talks about Jews, Christians and hypocrites.
There are verses about jihad (struggle)

This is why Meccan surahs are focused on belief and building the strength of the Muslims because prior to migration the Muslims belief had to be made firm, but after the migration there was an Islamic State in Madinah which needed laws and regulation so most Medinan surahs are focused on that along with reminding Muslims the same message in Meccan surahs to keep their faith firm.

Abrogation / Cancellation
An essential aspect involved in interpreting the text of the Qur’an and Sunnah are issues surrounding abrogation of rulings from the Qur’an and Sunnah. The study of abrogation involves issues such as, what constitutes abrogation, how to understand it in relation to other Ayahs or Ahadith, and how to reconcile these differences. Linguistically abrogation means cancelling (Izaalah) or changing the thing and transforming it from one state to another while it still exists in essence. Technically, it is the address (Khitaab) of the legislator which prevents the continuation of a Hukm Shar’i of a previous address (Khitaab).
The abrogated (Mansookh) it is the Hukm which has been lifted, like the Hukm of waiting for complete year in respect to the widow. Allah has informed us of the occurrence of abrogation and the Ahkam which have been abrogated show us its true occurrence. “Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 106)  “And when We change a Verse in place of another, and Allah knows the best of what He sends down, they (the disbelievers) say: you (O Muhammad [saw]) are but a liar. Nay but most of them know not.” (TMQ An-Nahl: 101)
Hence, these or not contradictions in the text, nor inconsistencies. The verses were revealed and were correct for their time but were superseded later on with other rules. We will discuss this in more detail in future weeks, I/A.

Review of the Survey Results

See blog post below

Aqeeda Topic: How strongly do we believe in Allah? Myth or reality?

As Muslims, Allah commands us in the Qur’an to ‘KNOW’ that there is but one Allah. We must be sure individually for ourselves – it is not good enough to just hope in Allah without certainty. The five pillars of Islam are built upon the firm foundations of the Aqeeda – a rock solid belief. How do we get at this belief? Are there any questions that we shouldn’t ask in Islam and how inquisitive should we be in search for the Truth?

Being sure of Allah
Are we following the belief of our forefathers and older generations, much like people in the time of Ibrahim, and the time of the Prophet*, where the Quraish would say that they are merely following the religion of their ancestors. This was their excuse. What is our reason for believing in Allah – is this an active firm belief or a sense of hope, faith and trust? How we can know that Allah truly exists, or is our belief in Him like a superstition – a level of belief or ‘faith’ similar to believing in ghosts or aliens.

Language of Maths
We also talked about assumptions we make about what we see around us and the language we use. Using the example of apples we explored whether 1 + 1 = 2. According to Mathematics is does but are there real life situations where this is true?

Attributes of Allah
Many people consider their concept of ‘God’ or Allah as a being that can do anything. There are many terms to address the attributes of Allah including Omnipotent (All-Powerful), Omniscient (All-Knowing), Omnipresence (being present everywhere).

We posed the question that is often used by atheists and non-believers in a Divine Creator that, if God can do anything, can He:
- build a wall over which he cannot jump
- make a stone that he cannot lift
- make a square-circle

It is important that Muslims know how to address these and other related questions. People attending the Study Circle were encouraged to think about these topics over the next week and we shall, by the Grace of Allah, start to address these points in coming weeks…

Aqeeda = Belief in Allah (Tawhid), The Angels, The Books of Allah, The Messengers of Allah (Muhammed* is the final one), Day of Judgement, and Divine Fate & Destiny

Children's Feedback:

Practice what you preach
5 senses
The company you keep (Good & Bad friends)
How we should spend our time

Homework:

Seerah ~ Why were the Ansar anxious after the Prophet conquered Mecca and how did he reassure them?

Belief ~ Can Allah do anything? Can Allah build a wall over which He cannot jump or can He make a square-circle?

Harborne Islamic Study Circle Survey 2012 Results (33 Responses)

The Top Twenty:

1	Birthdays
2	The creation of a happy daily balance for children – prayer, entertainment, schoolwork and family interaction
2	Main criticisms of Islam and how to challenge these
4	Life of other Prophets (Ibrahim and Isa)
5	Music and clapping
6	The relationship between teenage children and their parents – the importance of rules, respect, etiquette in the family
7	Signs of the End of the World
8	Unifying the Muslims
8	Real meaning of ‘Jannah is under the mother’s feet’
10	The rewards of charity and Zakat; how to set up a charity
11	Celebrating our Deen – why we should be happy and proud
12	Halal marriage
12	The role of Women in Islam
12	Transplants
12	Basics of Belief
12	Stories and interpreting them
17	Evolution and Big Bang
17	Responsibilities for actions
19	Discussing other main religions – similarities and differences with Islam
20	Tafsir of some Surahs

Other Topics

stories of prophets (2)

history of islam-child friendly (2)

clothes in sports/uniforms/daily life (2)

haircuts/hijab/beards (2)

Having a possible 'closed' session with just teenage boys to discuss their physical development stage and how to deal with any 'new' experiences in the right halal way

how to ignore bad TV programmes,

Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Chat etc

Dinosaurs

Importance of good companion

Modern Politics

how to stay safe on internet

Mobile Phones

who was the first person to use a pen

Science and religion

what things to avoid on internet

What is Jannat and Jahannam, in detail

Spirituality

how to integrate in school with friends without losing ethos of islam

The importance and meaning of Halaal in everything, Food, Marriage etc

Why are we really in this world, the Islamic reason/perspective

Full Results:

	Don't want to do at all (1)	Not very interested (2.5)	Don't mind doing (4)	I would like to know more about this (6)	Really, really want to do (10)	Rating	Number of Responses	Rank
Birthdays	3	2	3	9	16	7.1	33	1
The creation of a happy daily balance for children – prayer, entertainment, schoolwork and family interaction	6	1	1	10	15	6.7	33	2
Main criticisms of Islam and how to challenge these	4	2	5	7	15	6.7	33	2
Life of other Prophets (Ibrahim and Isa)	4	3	3	9	14	6.6	33	4
Music and clapping	3	2	7	8	13	6.5	33	5
The relationship between teenage children and their parents – the importance of rules, respect, etiquette in the family	6	1	3	10	12	6.3	32	6
Signs of the End of the World	4	3	5	9	12	6.2	33	7
Unifying the Muslims	5	3	6	7	11	5.9	32	8
Real meaning of ‘Jannah is under the mother’s feet’	5	2	4	13	9	5.9	33	8
The rewards of charity and Zakat; how to set up a charity	4	1	9	10	9	5.8	33	10
Celebrating our Deen – why we should be happy and proud	3	2	10	10	8	5.7	33	11
Halal marriage	3	4	10	8	8	5.5	33	12
The role of Women in Islam	5	1	10	8	8	5.5	32	12
Transplants	5	3	7	10	8	5.5	33	12
Basics of Belief	5	3	9	7	9	5.5	33	12
Stories and interpreting them	3	3	6	15	5	5.5	32	12
Evolution and Big Bang	6	4	7	6	9	5.3	32	17
Responsibilities for actions	4	5	5	13	6	5.3	33	17
Discussing other main religions – similarities & differences with Islam	4	2	13	7	7	5.2	33	19
Tafsir of some Surahs	7	1	7	12	6	5.1	33	20
Bad language and cursing	9	3	5	8	8	5.0	33	21
How difficult is it for a Muslim to practice their religion today compared with when Islam began	3	5	9	12	4	5.0	33	21
Was Islam spread by the sword	6	3	11	6	7	5.0	33	21
Medical dissection	6	3	9	10	5	4.8	33	24
Death and funerals	7	4	8	9	5	4.6	33	25
Famous Converts	6	8	8	6	5	4.4	33	26
Age certificated video games	9	7	5	6	6	4.3	33	27
Bullying	9	3	12	6	2	3.8	32	28