11 November 2012

Seerah: Delegation of Musailima (the Liar)
Lots of leaders and tribes became Muslim
Many from Bani Haneefa became Muslim
Musailima al-Khathhab (the Liar) wanted to lead the Muslims after the death of the Prophet and asked for this right but the Prophet refused
The Prophet refused to kill the messengers of Musailima
Musailima then launched a war against the Muslims after the Prophet died but he was killed by the spear of Wahshi – who had killed Hamzah

Compilation of the Qur’an:
The Prophet* himself supervised and authenticated the written texts of the Qur’an after receiving a revelation by memorising then having it written down.
Order and sequence of Qur’an is divinely inspired as instructed to the Prophet* through Jibreel. The Prophet would revise the revealed Qur’an every Ramadhan.
Later the Qur’an was copied on to one common material/sheets after many Sahabae died in battle against Musailima after the death of The Prophet* by Abu Bakr.
Uthman made copies of the Qur’an (led by Zaid bin Thabit) from the original manuscript and sent these to various cities.
The original fragments of written Qur’an and the original manuscript were destroyed to protect the Qur’an.
Diacritical marks were added for non-Arabs.
Allah Himself has promised to guard the Qur’an

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

The Delegation of Musailima (the Liar)
Bani Haneefa Delegation: They arrived in Medina in the ninth year of Al-Hijra. They were 17 in number and included the Master of Liars, Musailima bin Thumamah bin Kabeer bin Habeeb bin Harith of Bani Haneefa. The group of delegates were housed in a Helper’s house. They came to the Prophet* and declared their Islamization. As for Musailima the liar, versions vary concerning his embracing Islam. Contemplation of all these versions shows clearly that Musailima expressed disapproval and revealed haughtiness, boastful spirit and expectations to be a prince.
At first the Prophet* attempted going on well with him. He* dealt with him nicely and charitably but that did not do with him. The Prophet* perceived evil in his soul and recognized that he was one of those three evils he dreamt of while asleep. The Prophet* had already dreamt that he had been granted the treasures of earth. His hand fell upon two golden bracelets, which distressed and worried him a lot. He was taught by inspiration to blow them off, so he did that and they were gone off. They were interpreted to be two liars who would turn up after the death of Muhammad*. So when Musailima acted that way and showed disapproval, he realized that he would be one of the two liars. However Musailima used to say, "If Muhammad appointed me a successor of his, I would be a Muslim. Later on the Prophet* came to him, with a piece of palm leaf in his hand, and in the company of his orator, Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas. He was among some of his friends. The Prophet* talked to him but Musailima addressed him saying: "If you agree to transfer the whole thing to me after your death, I will not stand in your way." The Prophet* replied: "If you asked me to give you this (i.e. a piece of a palm leaf), I would not grant it to you. You are doomed. Even if you repented and stopped what you were doing, Allah appointed that you would be slain. By Allah, I swear, that I see you now in the very state that has been revealed to me. Here is Thabit! You will hear my answer (from him)." Then he went away.
Finally, the Prophet’s predictions of Musailima came true; for when Musailima returned to Yamama, he kept on thinking about the Prophet* and how he would be his partner. His dreams and thoughts went so far as to claim that he himself was a prophet. To confirm his prophecy he started uttering rhymed statements. He said that it was lawful to drink wine and commit adultery. He, however, bore witness that the Prophet* was a real Prophet. His people, who were fascinated by what he allowed them to do, followed him and made bargains with him. He grew so prominent among them that they called him the beneficent of Al-Yamama. He wrote to the Prophet* saying: "I have been appointed an associate with you, so I will have a half and Quraish will have the other half of the people’s affairs." The Prophet’s reply was a letter saying that: "Verily, the earth is Allah’s. He gives it as a heritage to whom He will of His slaves, and the (blessed) end is for the Muttaqoon (pious)." [TMQ 7:128]
On the authority of Ibn Mas‘ud, he says: When the two messengers of Musailima — Ibn An-Nawaha and Ibn Athal — came to the Prophet*, he asked them: "Do you bear witness that I am the Prophet?" Their reply was "We testify that Musailima is the Prophet." "I believe in Allah and in His Messenger," said the Prophet*, "If I had ever thought of killing a messenger I would have killed you both." Musailima’s pretence to Prophethood was in the tenth year of Al- Hijra. But he was killed in Al-Yamama war during Abu Bakr As- Siddeeq era, in Rabi‘ Al- Awwal, in the twelfth year of Al- Hijra. He was killed by Wahshi, the killer of Hamzah.
The second person who claimed to be a prophet was Al-Aswad Al- ‘Ansi who was in Yemen. He was killed by Fairuz. His head was cut off a day and a night before the Prophet’s death. So when the delegates came he told them the news that reached him through Divine Revelation. News about his death reached Abu Bakr from Yemen.

Main Topic: Compilation of the Qur’an
Compilation of the Qur’an
It has been proven by decisive and definite evidence that when the Prophet* died the whole Qur’an had been written and all of it was preserved in the hearts of the Sahabah. An verse or verses would be revealed and so he* used to order that they be written down before him at once. He* did not prevent the Muslims from writing the Qur’an other than what he used to dictate to the scribes who wrote down the revelation.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet* said:  “Do not write down anything from me, whosoever writes anything I have said other than the Qur’an let him erase it.” (Muslim) What the scribes used to write of the revelation was collected on sheets (Suhuf). He said:  “A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified pages (Suhuf) (of the Qur’an).” (TMQ Al-Bayyinah: 2)
 “Nay, indeed it (verses of the Qur’an) are an admonition. So whoever wills, let him pay attention to it. (It is) in Records held (greatly) in honour. Exalted (in dignity), purified. In the hands of scribes, Honourable and obedient.” (TMQ Al-Abbasa: 11-16)
An Ijma' (consensus) has taken place on the fact that all of the verses of the Qur’an in their respective chapters  had been written down directly in front of the Prophet* when the revelation was revealed to him, and that they were written on sheets (Suhuf). The greatest of Messengers died content about the Qur’an, his greatest miracle which established the proof for the Arabs and the world. He did not fear for the verses of the Qur’an that they would be lost because Allah has preserved the Qur’an with an explicit text: “Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Zikr (the Qur’an) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).” (TMQ Al-Hajj: 9)
Due to the preservation of the Qur’an in its written form and in the memory of the Sahabah after the death of the Messenger the Sahabah initially did not feel the need to compile the Qur’an in one book. This was the case until many of the Huffaz (memorisers of the Qur’an) had been killed in the Riddah (apostasy) wars. Due to this Umer feared for the loss of certain sheets and death of the Qurra' (Those who had committed the whole of the Qur’an to memory), thereby causing some verse to be lost. So he thought about bringing the written sheets together (in one compilation). He presented his idea to Abu Bakr who eventually accepted this and ordered for the compilation of the Qur’an.
It has been narrated by 'Ubayd b. al-Sibaq that Zayd b al-Thabit Al-Ansari said: “Abu Bakr sent for me after the (heavy) casualties among the warriors (of the battle) of Yamama (where a great number of Qurra' were killed). Umer was present with Abu Bakr who said, “Umer has come to me and said, ‘The people have suffered heavy casualties on the day of (the battle of) Yamama, and I am afraid that there will be more casualties among the Qurra' at other battle-fields, whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost, unless you collect it. And I am of the opinion that you should collect the Qur’an.’” Abu Bakr added, “I said to Umer, 'How can I do something which Allah's Apostle has not done?' Umer said (to me), 'By Allah, it is (really) a good thing.' So Umer kept on pressing, trying to persuade me to accept his proposal, till Allah opened my bosom for it and I had the same opinion as Umer.” Zayd b al-Thabit added: “Umer was sitting with him (Abu Bakr) and was not speaking to me. “You are a wise young man and we do not suspect you (of telling lies or of forgetfulness) and you used to write the revelation (Wahy) for Allah's Apostle. Therefore, look for the Qur’an and collect it (in one manuscript).” “By Allah, if he (Abu Bakr) had ordered me to shift one of the mountains (from its place) it would not have been harder for me than what he had ordered me concerning the collection of the Qur’an. I said to both of them, ‘How dare you do a thing which the Prophet has not done?' Abu Bakr said, 'By Allah, it is (really) a good thing. So I kept on arguing with him about it till Allah opened my bosom for that which He had opened the bosoms of Abu Bakr and Umer. So I started locating Quranic material and collecting it from parchments, scapula, leaf-stalks of date palms and from the memories of men (who knew it by heart). I found with Khuzaima two Verses of Surah Al-Tawbah which I had not found with anybody else (in terms of the written form), (and they were): “Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty.” (TMQ At-Tawbah: 128) until the end of Bara’ah.”
The manuscript of the Quran which was collected, remained with Abu Bakr until Allah took him, and then with Umer during his lifetime, and finally it remained with Hafsa, Umer's daughter. Zayd's compilation of the Qur’an did not consist of what he wrote down from the Huffaz. Rather his compilation brought together what he had written himself in front of the Prophet*.
He did not place one sheet with another sheet in order to compile them unless two witnesses testified for that sheet that it was written in the presence of the Prophet*. Furthermore, he did not accept a sheet unless it met two conditions. Firstly, that it was present in written form with one of the Sahabah. Secondly, that it has been memorised by one of the Sahabah. When the written and memorised forms concurred with the sheet that was intended to be compiled, he took it, otherwise he did not accept it. That is why he refrained from taking the end of Surah al-Bara'ah until he found it in written form with Abu Khuzayma even though Zayd could himself recall and remember it. It has been narrated via Yahya b 'Abd al-Rahman b. Hatib that he said: “Umer stood up and said; whosoever has received anything of the Qur’an from the Prophet*, let him bring it forth. They used to write that on sheets, tablets and palm risp.” Ibn Hatib said: “He (Zayd) did not accept anything from anyone until two witnesses had given testimony. This shows that Zayd was not satisfied by merely finding something in a written form until the one who received it testified that he had heard it from the Prophet, despite the fact that Zayd already had it memorised. He did this due to his extreme caution.”
Thus, the process of compilation was nothing other than the bringing together of sheets that had already been written in the presence of the Prophet* into one book between two covers. The Qur’an used to be written down on sheets but they were separately kept. So Abu Bakr assembled them in one place. That is why Abu Bakr's order to compile the Qur’an was not an order to write it down in one Mushaf, rather it was an order to bring the sheets that had been written in the Messenger's presence together in one place. This was an order to make certain that they are in the same original form by supporting them with the testimonies of two witnesses that they had been written in front of the Prophet*, also that they were in the possession of the Sahabah in written form and they had memorised them. These sheets remained preserved in the possession of Abu Bakr during his life and then with Umer during his lifetime and them with Hafsa the daughter of Umer, the mother of the believers in accordance with Umer's bequest. From this it becomes clear that Abu Bakr's compilation of the Qur’an constituted only the bringing together of sheets that had been written in the presence of Allah's Messenger and it was not an actual compilation of the Qur’an.
This was regarding the compilation of Abu Bakr. As for the compilation of Uthman, in the third or some say the second year of his Khilafah, in the year 25 AH, Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman approached Uthman in Madinah at the time when the people of al-Sham and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Armenia and Azerbijan. Hudhayfa was afraid of the people of al-Sham and Iraq’s differences in the recitation of the Qur’an. He saw that the people of al-Sham reading according to the recitation of Ubay b. Ka'b, and they were coming with readings the people of Iraq had not heard of. Also he saw the people of Iraq reading according to the recitation of Abdullah b. Mas'ud and so they had certain readings that the people of al-Sham had not heard of. Thus, they began to charge each other of Kufr (disbelief). They both disagreed about a verse in Surah al-Baqarah.
One read: “And perform properly the hajj and 'Umra for Allah (wa atimmul hajja wal 'umrata lillah).” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 196)
The other read: “And perform properly the hajj and 'Umra to the House (of Allah) (wa atimmul hajja wal 'umrata lil bayt).”
So Hudhayfah became angry and his eyes went red with rage. It has been narrated about Hudhayfah that he said: “The people of Kufah adhere to the recitation of Ibn Mas'ud and the people of Basra adhere to the recitation of Abu Musa. By Allah! If I go to the Leader of the Believers I will order him to make it a single recitation.” So he travelled to Uthman. It has been reported by Ibn Shihab that Anas b. Malik narrated: Hudhaifa bin al-Yaman came to Uthman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Armenia and Azerbijan. Hudhayfa was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur’an, so he said to Uthman, “O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Qur’an) as Jews and the Christians did before.” So Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, “Send us the manuscripts of the Qur’an so that we may compile the Qur’anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you.” Hafsa sent it to Uthman. Uthman then ordered Zayd bin Thabit, 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubair, Said b. al-'As and 'Abd al-Rahman b. Harith b. Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, “In case you disagree with Zayd b. al-Thabit on any point in the Qur’an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, the Qur’an was revealed in their tongue.” They did so, and when they had written many copies, Uthman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsa. Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. The number of copies made was seven. The seven Mushafs were sent to Mecca, al-Sham (Syria), Yemen, Bahrayn, Basra, Kufa, and one copy was kept in Madina.
Therefore, Uthman's action was not the compilation of the Qur’an. Rather it constituted in only the copying and transcription of the same thing transcribed from the Prophet* as it was. He did not do anything other than make seven copies from the preserved copy in the possession of Hafsa, mother of the believers and unite the people on this single script and forbade any other script or dictation other than it. The matter became settled on this copy as a script and dictation. It is the same script and dictation in which the sheets were written in the presence of Allah's Messenger* when the revelation was sent down, and it is the same copy which Abu Bakr had compiled. Then the Muslims began to make copies from this copy and not any other copy. Nothing remained except the Mushaf of Uthman in its script. When printers came about the Mushaf was printed from this copy with the same script and dictation.
The difference between the compilation of Abu Bakr and that of Uthman is that the compilation of Abu Bakr took place due to the fear that something would be lost from the Qur’an if any of its memorisers died out.
As even though it was written on sheets it had not been collected in one place in a single book, thus it was compiled. The compilation of Uthman took place because differences increased regarding aspects of the Qur’an when they read it due to the expansion of the language. This led some to accuse others of making an error. It was feared that the matter would escalate and become seriously worse. So the original compilation was copied seven times and sent to the different Muslim provinces. The Mushaf that we now have before us is the same Mushaf revealed to the Prophet*. It is the same Mushaf that Abu Bakr brought together when the sheets were compiled in one place. And it is the same one from which Uthman transcribed the seven copies and ordered for the rest to be burned. It is the same noble Qur’an in its verse arrangement in relation to each other and their arrangement in their respective Surahs, script and dictation.
As for the original copy dictated by the Prophet* from the revelation, those sheets were compiled together and then copied. It remained protected in the possession of Hafsa, mother of the believers until Marwan became the Wali (governor) of Medina and he tore it up. Since it was not considered binding because copies of the Mushaf had spread everywhere. Ibn Shihab narrated that Salim b. 'Abdullah b. Umer informed him: That Marwan used to send for Hafsa – i.e. when he was the Amir of Medina via Mu'awiyya - asking her for the sheets from which the Qur’an was written. She refused to give him it. Salim said: When Hafsa died, while we were returning from her burial Marwan communicated his firm decision to 'Abdullah b. Umer that he send him that mushaf. So 'Abdullah b. Umer sent it to him. Marwan ordered it to be destroyed. He said: “I did this because I feared that if it remained with people for a long time then people will have doubts regarding these sheets.”

In summary:
1. The Prophet* himself supervised and authenticated the written texts of the Qur’an that whenever the Prophet* received a revelation, he would first memorize it himself and later declare the revelation and instruct his Companions. The Prophet* would immediately ask the scribes to write down the revelation he had received, and he would reconfirm and recheck it himself. The Prophet* was an Ummi who could not read and write. Therefore, after receiving each revelation, he would repeat it to his Companions. They would write down the revelation, and he would recheck by asking them to read what they had written. Similarly he would even recheck and authenticate the portions of the Qur’an memorized by the Companions. In this way, the Qur’an was written down under the personal supervision of The Prophet*.
2. Order and sequence of Qur’an is divinely inspired. The complete Qur’an was revealed over a period of nearly 23 years portion by portion, as and when it was required. The Qur’an was not compiled by the Prophet in the chronological order of revelation. The order and sequence of the Qur’an too was Divinely inspired and was instructed to the Prophet by Allah* through archangel Jibreel. Whenever a revelation was conveyed to his companions, the Prophet* would also mention in which surah (chapter) and after which ayat (verse) this new revelation should fit.
Every Ramadhan all the portions of the Qur’an that had been revealed, including the order of the verses, were revised and reconfirmed by the Prophet with archangel Jibraeel. During the last Ramadhan, before the death of the Prophet*, the Qur’an was rechecked and reconfirmed twice. Hence, the Qur’an was compiled and authenticated by the Prophet* himself during his lifetime, both in the written form as well as in the memory of several of his Companions.
3. Later the Qur’an was copied on one common material. The complete Qur’an, along with the correct sequence of the verses, was present during the time of The Prophet*. After the death of The Prophet*, Abu Bakr ordered that the Qur’an be copied from the various different materials on to a common material and place, which was in the shape of sheets. These were tied with strings so that nothing of the compilation was lost.
4. Uthman made copies of the Qur’an from the original manuscript and sent these to various cities. Many Companions of the Prophet used to write down the revelation of the Qur’an on their own whenever they heard it from the lips of The Prophet*. However what they wrote was not personally verified by the Prophet and thus could contain mistakes. All the verses revealed to The Prophet* may not have been heard personally by all the Companions. This gave rise to disputes among Muslims regarding the different contents of the Qur’an during the period of the third Caliph Uthman. Hence, Uthman borrowed the original manuscript of the Qur’an from Hafsa and ordered four Companions who were among the scribes who wrote the Qur’an when the Prophet* dictated it, led by Zaid bin Thabit to rewrite the script in several perfect copies and these were sent to the main centres of Muslims. Two such copies of the copied text of the original Qur’an authenticated by the Prophet are present to this day, one at the museum in Tashkent in erstwhile Soviet Union and the other at the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.
5. Diacritical marks were added for non-Arabs. The original manuscript of the Qur’an does not have the signs indicating the vowels in Arabic script. These vowels are known as tashkil, zabar, zair, paish in Urdu and as fatah, damma and qasra in Arabic. The Arabs did not require the vowel signs and diacritical marks for correct pronunciation of the Qur’an since it was their mother tongue. For Muslims of non-Arab origin, however, it was difficult to recite the Qur’an correctly without the vowels. These marks were introduced into the Qur’anic script during the time of the fifth ‘Umayyad’ Caliph, Malik-ar-Marwan (66-86 Hijri/685-705 C.E.) and during the governorship of Al-Hajaj in Iraq.
6. Allah Himself has promised to guard the Qur’an: "We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly Guard it (from corruption)." [TMQ 15:9]

Children’s Feedback & News Topic:
Nil

Bank of Akhirah:
Parents and Children were asked to think about anything they have done over the past week purely for the sake of Allah, with Ihsaan and sincerity. Thus seeking the pleasure of Allah alone. Then put these on a piece of paper and put it in the cardboard Kaaba at the start of the next Study Circle.
Please write them anonymously.

This week some people shared the following ~ Smile at a fellow Muslim Stranger, read Qur'an, read Qaa'ida

Homework
Seerah ~ Nil
Belief ~ Name some Miracles that occurred which were not performed by Prophets or Messengers?

06 March 2011

06 March 2011

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

Surah al-Imran (verses related to Uhud in Qur'an)

And (remember) when you (Muhammad SAW) left your household in the morning to post the believers at their stations for the battle (of Uhud). And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower (121) When two parties from among you were about to lose heart, but Allah was their Walî (Supporter and Protector). And in Allah should the believers put their trust. (122) And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force. So fear Allah much that you may be grateful. (123) (Remember) when you (Muhammad SAW) said to the believers, "Is it not enough for you that your Lord (Allah) should help you with three thousand angels; sent down?" (124) "Yes, if you hold on to patience and piety, and the enemy comes rushing at you; your Lord will help you with five thousand angels having marks (of distinction)." (125)

Allah made it not but as a message of good news for you and as an assurance to your hearts. And there is no victory except from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (126) That He might cut off a part of those who disbelieve, or expose them to infamy, so that they retire frustrated. (127) Not for you (O Muhammad SAW, but for Allah) is the decision; whether He turns in mercy to (pardons) them or punishes them; verily, they are the Zâlimûn (polytheists, disobedients, and wrong-doers). (128) And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (129)

O you who believe! Eat not Ribâ (usury) doubled and multiplied, but fear Allah that you may be successful. (130) And fear the Fire, which is prepared for the disbelievers. (131) And obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) that you may obtain mercy. (132) And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2). (133) Those who spend [in Allah's Cause] in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinûn (the good - doers). (134) And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; - and none can forgive sins but Allah - And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.. (135) For such, the reward is Forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (Paradise), wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds according to Allah's Orders). (136)

Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced by nations (believers and disbelievers) that have passed away before you (as you have faced in the battle of Uhud), so travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allah, and disobeyed Him and His Messengers). (137) This (the Qur'ân) is a plain statement for mankind, a guidance and instruction to those who are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2). (138) So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers. (139) If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allah may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allah likes not the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong¬doers). (140)

And that Allah may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and destroy the disbelievers (141) Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are As-Sâbirun (the patient)? (142) You did indeed wish for death (Ash¬Shahâdah - martyrdom) before you met it. Now you have seen it openly with your own eyes. (143) Muhammad (SAW) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful. (144) And no person can ever die except by Allah's Leave and at an appointed term. And whoever desires a reward in (this) world, We shall give him of it; and whoever desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give him thereof. And We shall reward the grateful. (145)

And many a Prophet (i.e. many from amongst the Prophets) fought (in Allah's Cause) and along with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allah's Way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves. And Allah loves As-Sâbirun (the patient). (146) And they said nothing but: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk." (147) So Allah gave them the reward of this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. And Allah loves Al-Muhsinûn (the good-doers - see the footnote of V.3:134 and of V.9:120). (148)

O you who believe! If you obey those who disbelieve, they will send you back on your heels, and you will turn back (from Faith) as losers. (149) Nay, Allah is your Maulâ (Patron, Lord, Helper and Protector), and He is the Best of helpers. (150) We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they joined others in worship with Allah, for which He had sent no authority; their abode will be the Fire and how evil is the abode of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong¬doers). (151) And Allah did indeed fulfil His Promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His Permission; until (the moment) you lost your courage and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you (of the booty) which you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them (your enemy), that He might test you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is Most Gracious to the believers. (152) (And remember) when you ran away (dreadfully) without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) was in your rear calling you back. There did Allah give you one distress after another by way of requital to teach you not to grieve for that which had escaped you, nor for that which had befallen you. And Allah is Well¬Aware of all that you do. (153)

Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you, while another party was thinking about themselves (as how to save their ownselves, ignoring the others and the Prophet SAW) and thought wrongly of Allah - the thought of ignorance. They said, "Have we any part in the affair?" Say you (O Muhammad SAW): "Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah." They hide within themselves what they dare not reveal to you, saying: "If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here." Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death," but that Allah might test what is in your breasts; and to purify that which was in your hearts (sins), and Allah is All¬Knower of what is in (your) breasts. (154) Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts met (i.e. the battle of Uhud), it was Shaitân (Satan) who caused them to backslide (run away from the battlefield) because of some (sins) they had earned. But Allah, indeed, has forgiven them. Surely, Allah is Oft¬Forgiving, Most Forbearing. (155)

O you who believe! Be not like those who disbelieve (hypocrites) and who say to their brethren when they travel through the earth or go out to fight: "If they had stayed with us, they would not have died or been killed," so that Allah may make it a cause of regret in their hearts. It is Allah that gives life and causes death. And Allah is All¬Seer of what you do. (156) And if you are killed or die in the Way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all that they amass (of worldly wealths). (157) And whether you die, or are killed, verily, unto Allah you shall be gathered. (158) And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh¬hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allah's) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). (159) If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let believers put their trust. (160)

It is not for any Prophet to take illegally a part of booty (Ghulul), and whosoever deceives his companions as regards the booty, he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that which he took (illegally). Then every person shall be paid in full what he has earned, - and they shall not be dealt with unjustly. (161) Is then one who follows (seeks) the good Pleasure of Allah (by not taking illegally a part of the booty) like the one who draws on himself the Wrath of Allah (by taking a part of the booty illegally - Ghulul)? - his abode is Hell, - and worst, indeed is that destination! (162) They are in varying grades with Allah, and Allah is All¬Seer of what they do. (163) Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur'ân), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur'ân) and Al¬Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship)], while before that they had been in manifest error. (164) (What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us?" Say (to them), "It is from yourselves (because of your evil deeds)." And Allah has power over all things. (165)

And what you suffered (of the disaster) on the day (of the battle of Uhud when) the two armies met, was by the leave of Allah, in order that He might test the believers. (166) 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. (167) (They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say: "Avert death from your ownselves, if you speak the truth." (168) Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision- (169) They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty, rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve. (170) They rejoice in a Grace and a Bounty from Allah, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers. (171)

Those who answered (the Call of) Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) after being wounded; for those of them who did good deeds and feared Allah, there is a great reward. (172) Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them." But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: "Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)." (173) So they returned with Grace and Bounty from Allah. No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty. (174) It is only Shaitân (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliyâ' [supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger, Muhammad SAW)], so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers. (175)

And let not those grieve you (O Muhammad SAW) who rush with haste to disbelieve; verily, not the least harm will they do to Allah. It is Allah's Will to give them no portion in the Hereafter. For them there is a great torment. (176) Verily, those who purchase disbelief at the price of Faith, not the least harm will they do to Allah. For them, there is a painful torment. (177) And let not the disbelievers think that Our postponing of their punishment is good for them. We postpone the punishment only so that they may increase in sinfulness. And for them is a disgracing torment. (178) Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghaib (unseen), but Allah chooses of His Messengers whom He wills. So believe in Allah and His Messengers. And if you believe and fear Allah, then for you there is a great reward. (179)

Assassination of Asadullah (the Lion of Allah) and Master of the Martyrs: Hamzah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib:

Hamzah’s assassin, Wahshi bin Harb, described how he killed Hamzah. He said: “I was a slave working to Jubair bin Mut‘im, whose paternal uncle Tu‘aimah bin ‘Adi was injured at Badr Battle. So when Quraish marched to Uhud, Jubair said to me: ‘If you kill Hamzah, the uncle of Muhammad, stealthily you shall be manumitted.’ ”

“So I marched with the people to Uhud.” He used to describe himself as, “I am a picaro good at spearing.” “So when the two parties fought, I set out seeking Hamzah. I saw him amidst people fighting. He was like a white and black striped camel, striking severely with his sword and no one could stand on his way. By Allah! When I was getting ready and trying to seize the fit opportunity to spear him, hiding sometimes behind a tree or a rock hoping that he might draw nearer and be within range — at that moment I caught sight of Siba‘ bin ‘Abd Al-‘Uzza going closer towards him. When Hamzah observed him, he said: ‘Come on!’. Then he struck one strong stroke that could hardly miss his head.”

Wahshi said: “Then I balanced my spear and shook it till I was content with it, then I speared him and it went down into his stomach and issued out between his legs. He attempted moving towards me but he was overcome by his wound. I left him there with the spear in his entrails till he died. Then I came to him, pulled out my spear and returned to the encampment place. I stayed there and did not go out, for he was the only one I sought. I only killed him to free myself. So as soon as I got back to Makkah, I became a free man.”

The Story of Wahshi

Wahshi relates his story of conversion: "After the Battle of Uhud, I continued to live in Makkah for quite a long time until the Muslims conquered Makkah. I then ran away to Ta'if, but soon Islam reached that area as well. I heard that however grave the crime of a person might be, [Muhammad] forgave him. I, therefore, reached [Muhammad] with Shahadatayn on my lips. Muhammad saw me and said "Are you the same Wahshy, the Ethiopian?" I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon he said: "How did you kill Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib?" I gave an account of the matter. Muhammad was moved and said: "I should not see your face until you are resurrected, because the heart-rending calamity fell upon my uncle at your hands".

Wahshi says: "So long as Muhammad was alive I kept myself hidden from him. After his death the battle with Musaylimah took place. I joined the army of Islam and used the same weapon against Musaylimah and succeeded in killing him with the help of one of the Ansar. If I killed the best of men (Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib) with this weapon, the worst man, too, did not escape its terror."

Hadith

Hadith 23 of Nawawi's 40 Hadith:

On the authority of Abu Malik al-Harith bin 'Asim al-Ash'ari who said: The Messenger of Allah* said: "Purification is half of iman (faith). Saying 'Al-Hamdulillah' (Praise be to Allah) fills the scales. Saying 'Subhanallah wa al-Hamdulillahi' (Exhalted be Allah and Praise be to Allah) fills the space between the heavens and the earth. Salah (prayer) is a light. Sadaqah (charity) is a proof. Sabr (patience) is a shining glory. The Qur'an is an argument either for you or against you. Everybody goes out in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves."  [Muslim]

This hadith is a Principle from amongst the Principles of Islam, and it encompasses within it many important matters and fundamental principles of the Deen.

Purity

As for 'Purity' then what is intended here is the action. There are different views and interpretations of the term 'al-tuhur' or purification. He says that some scholars have interpreted al-tuhur as to mean 'avoiding sins'. Others say that wudu' or ablution is a 'half of iman'. The term shatr or "half" (as mentioned in the sentence: "Purification is half of iman") also had different interpretations among the scholars: shatr means "part" and not "half; al-tuhur means the reward of ablution will be multiplied to the half of the reward of iman; iman nullifies all major sins while wudu' nullifies minor sins. So in this regard, wudu' is equal to half of iman; al-tuhur means iman along with wudu' eliminate and nullify sins; the meaning of iman in the hadith is salah (prayer) as mentioned in the Qur'an, in Surah al-Baqarah, Ayah 143. In this ayah Allah called salah 'iman' and the salah will not be accepted unless there is a wudu'. So that is why ablution can be considered as half of salah; or indeed the parts that constitute iman such as words and actions are all to purify and clean the heart or the inner parts of the body. And there is also a purification of the external body by using water and ablution and this is specific to the body only. Hence, there are two divisions of iman; the first division purifies the heart and the internal body and the second division purifies and cleans the external body. So in this regard, both divisions are two equal parts of iman."

Praise be to Allah

And as for his* statement "'al-Hamdu lillah' [Praise be to Allah] fills the scales" then its meaning is that due to the great reward for reciting the Praise of Allah, the scale of good deeds of the worshipper is filled. And it is apparent from the texts of the Qur'an and the Sunnah that the deeds of the slave will be weighed on the Day of Judgement, and will either be heavy or light.

Glory be to Allah

And similar to this is his* statement "and 'SubhanAllah' [Glory be to Allah - How far is Allah from every imperfection] and 'al-Hamdu lillah' fill that which is between heaven and earth" and the reason for its great virtue is that it combines within it the denial for Allah of all forms of deficiency and imperfection, and establishes our complete dependence upon Him and need of Him.

The hadith mentions that the phrase al-Hamdulillah fills the mizan (scales) and Subhanallah and al-Hamdulillah each fills (or both together fill) the space between the heavens and earth. The hadith shows the importance, greatness and significance of dhikr Allah or remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. For example, merely reciting one phrase such as Subhanallah gives rewards that fill the heavens! It shows just how important these phrases are for every Muslim. Some scholars stated that the full reward of reciting dhikr will be given to the person who recites them while thinking of their meaning and submitting to their implication. The hadith actually indicates the greatness of these phrases: al-Hamdulillah, Subhanallah wa al-Hamdulillah. The phrase Subhanallah can be recited alone or together with al-Hamdulillah as stated in the text of this hadith. This shows the worthiness of what is called al-Tasbih, glorifying Allah and al-Tahmid, praising and thanking Allah. Ibn Rajab stated that al-Tahmid is greater than al-Tasbih. It means that to be grateful and thankful to Allah is better than being in a state of Tasbih or glorifying Him and denying imperfection towards Him. The phrase 'al-Hamdulillah' shows gratitude and thankfulness to Allah. It is a positive concept while al-Tasbih is to deny any negative traits towards Almighty Allah and so al-Tahmid is better than al-Tasbih. Also, al-Hamdulillah is not just thankfulness to Allah. It involves more general aspects because it can be expressed both in words and actions. For example, when you do good deeds, it means al-Hamdulillah, just as when you say good words.

Prayer

And his* statement "the Salah (Prayer) is a Light" means that it prevents a person from sin, forbids him from fahsha' (lusts) and guides him towards that which is Right, just as one uses a light to illuminate ones way. And it has also been said that it means that its reward will be a light for the worshipper on the Day of Resurrection, or that it will be a clear and apparent light on the face of the worshipper on the Day of Resurrection, and also in this life in the form of beauty and radiance in his face. And this is the opposite of those who do not Pray, and Allah knows best.

Charity

The hadith further explains the role of sadaqah (charity) in our lives. It says charity is a burhan (proof) for the Muslim. Burhan literally means 'sunlight' in Arabic. This emphasises that charity is a bright and clear proof like the sunlight. It is a proof that reflects the iman of the believer. People who pay charity regularly for the sake of Allah express a strong iman. They feel the pleasure of iman in their hearts. Imam Ibn Rajab says that the reason why charity is an evidence of iman is that people usually love wealth and money and if they challenge this love and overpower their greed for the sake of Allah, they indeed have strong iman. And when the slave will be asked on the Day of Resurrection about how he spent his wealth, then his spending in charity will be a proof for him in answering that question, so he will say "I spent it in charity". And others have said that its meaning is that charity is a proof showing the Iman of the giver, since the hypocrite does not give charity as he does not believe in its prescription or benefit. So whoever spends in charity, then this is an indication of the strength of his Iman.

Patience

The hadith says "Patience is a dhiya' or brightness". According to Ibn Rajab, linguistically al-dhiya' (brightness) is different from al-nur (light). Al-dhiya' is more powerful than al-nur, because it not only gives out light but also heat, while al-nur gives out only a shining light. That is why in the Qur'an the term dhiya' is used for sunlight which, beside its light, has heat or high temperature, but the term al-nur is used for the moonlight which gives out only light and does not emit heat. Being patient is a very difficult and painful experience. It requires a lot of effort and struggle within. So when people control themselves and overcome impatience, they develop a good habit of self-control and become masters of their own selves. This is the real meaning of al-sabr or patience. Al-sabr literally means to 'withhold' or control something. It means to control the nafs and prevent it from being in a state of panic or impatience. It also means to prevent the tongue from complaining or saying negative things. People do not practice this value. They become impatient for minor reasons. They seem to be against the qadar and plans of Allah in their lives.

Imam Ibn Rajab says that there are three kinds of al-sabr or patience in Islam:

1. Al-Sabru ala da'ati allahi - to be patient in performing the acts of worship or ibadah of Allah.

2. Al-Sabru an ma'asi allahi - to be patient in the acts of avoiding sins (ma'asi) or disobedience of Allah.

3. Al-Sabru ala aqdari allahi - to be patient with the Qadar of Allah or His plans which are predestined by Him and happens to us in our lives.

Qur'an is a Proof

And as for his* statement "and the Qur'an is a Proof either for you or against you" then its meaning is clear that if one recites it and acts upon it, then one will attain great benefit from it, and if not then it will be a proof against us. So people who recite the Qur'an, learn it and practice its rulings are people who become the people of the Qur'an and it (the Qur'an) will be a proof for them. But those who ignore the Qur'an and never read or practice it in their lives, then the Qur'an will stand against them during the Day of Judgment. One of contemporary scholars observed that people do not read the Qur'an except when someone dies. They recite the Qur'an on a dead body but this is not the aim of the Qur'an. The Qur'an is revealed for the living and not for those who have passed away.

Selling your Soul

And his* statement "Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or causing its ruin" means that every person strives for his soul, so amongst mankind are those who sell themselves for Allah through their obeying Him, and thus free their souls from the Punishment, as Allah ta'ala has said : "Verily, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be Paradise". And whoever sells his soul for Shaytan and his desires through his following them, then he has destroyed his soul. The person who struggles to worship Allah and obeys Him is the one who frees himself and the person who indulges in sins is the one who destroys himself. According to the hadith, every morning when people go out of their houses they are either gaining rewards and profit or getting losses. If they work for Allah and obey Him they are winners, but if they violate the rules of Allah and disobey Him then they gain nothing but loss after loss.

News

Saudi Scholars ban marches

Saudi Arabia bans all marches as mass protest is planned for Friday
[see link above - click on it]
The Saudi Interior Ministry said the kingdom has banned all demonstrations because they contradict Islamic laws and social values. The ministry said some people have tried to get around the law to "achieve illegitimate aims" and it warned that security forces were authorised to act against violators. By way of emphasis, a statement broadcast on Saudi television said the authorities would "use all measures" to prevent any attempt to disrupt public order. 

As mentioned the Saudi Kings and princes are getting nervous because the Muslim Ummah is waking up and realising that they do not want to live under oppression and injustice. These puppet rulers will do anything, it seems, to stay in power and maintain their control over the Ummah and her wealth. They will use the army and media to stay in power. The kings in Arabia are also now claiming that it is unislamic to demonstrate – as they fear the will of the people. Hence, they have asked their ‘government scholars’ to come up with a fatwa to support their views. Muslims should be aware and very suspicious of scholars who are paid by the government as their loyalty will often be to the ruler and not to Allah.

Even a brief examination of the life of the Prophet* shows emphatically that demonstrations are permissible in Islam and were even used in the time of the Prophet*. Children in the Study Circle gave the example when Umer & Hamza marched around the Kaaba in two columns with the Prophet.  Also, the public gathering of Hasan bin Thabit when he demonstrated against the Quraish by reciting publicly his poems was a demonstration.

Homework from 06 March 2011: 

1. Seerah: What injuries happened to the Prophet* during Uhud and who injured him? 

2. What do you understand from the next (number 24) of Nawawi's 40 Hadith:

It was relayed on the authority of Abu Dhar al-Ghifari that the Prophet* said, of what he related from his Lord, magnified and exhalted be He, Who said: "O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit oppression against one another. O My servants, all of you are liable to err except for those whom I guide on the right path, therefore seek guidance from Me so that I should direct you to the right path. O My servants, all of you are hungry (needy) except for those whom I feed, therefore seek food from Me so that I may feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked (need clothes) except for those whom I provide garments, therefore seek clothing from Me so that I should clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day and I am there to pardon your sins, therefore seek forgiveness from Me so that I should grant you pardon. O My servants, you can neither do Me any harm nor can you do Me any good. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns become as pious as the most pious heart of any one amongst you, it will not add anything to My Power or Kingdom. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns become as wicked as the most wicked heart of anyone amongst you, it will not decrease anything from My Power or Kingdom. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns gather together on a sector of land and all ask of Me and if I were to give everyone of them what they asked, that will not in any way decrease what I have anymore than a needle decreases what is in the ocean when it is put into it. O My servants, these deeds of yours which I am recording for you I shall reward you for them, so he who finds good should praise Allah and he who finds other than that should not blame anyone but himself." [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...