Showing posts with label courtroom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label courtroom. Show all posts

Friday, 10 April 2015

Answers



5 April Quiz Answers

Starter

Where is Jannah / Paradise?
  • Under the feet of your mother

Five Pillars of Islam
  • Shahada / Kalima
  • Prayer
  • Fasting (Ramadhan)
  • Zakat
  • Hajj

6 Articles of Faith / Belief (Aqeeda)
  • Belief in Allah.
  • Belief in the Angels.
  • Belief in Divine Books.
  • Belief in the Prophets.
  • Belief in the Day of Judgment.
  • Belief in al-Qadhaa Wal-Qadr.


Main Answers

1. What type of bird is this
Hud Hud (Hoopoe) Bird

2. Fill in the missing word
“The parable of those who disbelieved in their Lord is that their works are as XXXXXXXXX, on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day; they shall not be able to get anything of what they have earned. That is the straying, far away [from the Right Path].” (TMQ 14: 18)
“The parable of those who disbelieved in their Lord is that their works are as ASHES (mountain of Ash), on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day; they shall not be able to get anything of what they have earned. That is the straying, far away [from the Right Path].” (TMQ 14: 18)

3. How long between the 2 shouts (2 blows of the Trumpet)
40

4. Fitna al-Qabr (Trials in the Grave) - What are the 3 questions the angels first ask?
“Ma rabbuk? Wa ma deenuk? Wa man nabiyuk?”
Who is your Lord?
What is your religion?
And who is your Prophet?

5. Exodus: Gods and Kings - In the film ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ Musa* left Egypt in a parade. According to the Qur’an, when did Musa* actually set off ?
In the middle of the night after marking the houses.
We revealed to Moses: "Travel with Our servants by night. You will certainly be pursued." (Surat ash-Shu'ara: 52)

6. Who did Prophet Adam give 40 years of his life to?
Allah drew from Adam's back his descendants and showed him the Prophets among them, Adam saw amongst them a light shining brightly (man with a shining face), so he asked, 'O my Lord! Who is this man'?' Allah said, 'This is your son, Dawud.' He asked, 'O my Lord! How old will be he?' Allah said, '60 years.' He said, 'O my Lord! Increase his age.' Allah said, 'I will not increase it except out of your own age.' (Adam had known from Allah that his own age would be one thousand years) so he granted Dawud* 40 years of his age. When Adam's life came to an end, the angel of death came to take his soul. Then (Adam) said, 'There still remain 40 years of my age.' He forgot that he had gifted Dawud* with them.

7. What is the name of the monk / worshipper (Aabid) who diverted from the path of Islam and killed a mother & child to hide his crime and eventually bowed down (sujood) to Shaytan
The Story of Barsisa 
(summary)
Three men from the children of Israel had to go for a battle and left their sister under his care because he is the most righteous and trustworthy.
He said no then Shaytan said an evil person might corrupt her so he agreed.
She stayed in a separate house.
Barsisa would bring food and leave it on his doorstep (temple).
Then he left it on her doorstep.
“She’s coming out to get the plate and somebody can still see her. You have to deliver the plate into her own room.”
“it’s like she’s in prison, speaking to no one. Why don’t you take that responsibility and speak to her a little”
“Why don’t you make it a little convenient for each other? Don’t scream to each other. Sit in the same room.”
They started getting closer and closer until the great ‘aabid committed zina
She became pregnant. She delivered a child
“The only solution is that you murder the child and bury it.”
“Do you think the mother will keep the secret after you have killed her son? You’re a fool if you think so. You should kill her too”
The brothers came back and Barsisa said she died of an illness.
Brothers saw a dream. Shaytaan said, “Did you believe Barsisa? He’s lying! She is buried in her room, under the rock”
They took him to the king.
Barsisa said, “Please save me!” Shaytaan said, “Make sujood for me.”  Then was killed.
That is the danger of following desire. Sometimes we feel confident because of our knowledge or the Qur’an that we know or the ‘ibadah that we do. We should always be afraid and never be over confident.

8. What were the 3 things al-Khidr did that upset Musa*
Al Khidr took an axe and pulled up a plank (made a hole) in the boat
Al Khidr took a hold of the boy's head and plucked it with his fingertips as if he were plucking some fruit.
Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse and Al Khidr repaired it just by touching it with his hands.
Al Khidr said: "This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient."

9. What is this sin regarding Punishment in the Grave:
And so we proceeded and came across a river.” I think he said, “…. red like blood.” The Prophet added, “And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold, while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. He returned and every time the performance was repeated, I asked my two companions, ‘Who are these (two) persons?’ They replied, ‘Proceed! Proceed!’
..And the man whom you saw swimming in the river and given a stone to swallow, is the eater of usury (Riba / interest)

10. List ALL 9 signs (ayat) given to Musa* in dealing with Pharaoh according to Islam?
Snake / Staff
White Hand
Years of drought / Scarcity of fruits*
Floods
Locusts
Lice / ticks / fleas
Frogs
Blood
Splitting of the sea*

11. After the Sun rises from the West, the beast will appear. What is he carrying in his hands?
The Prophet* said, “The beast would come out carrying the seal of Suleiman [Solomon] and the stick of Musa [Moses]. It would mark the face of the believer with Musa and would stamp the face of the nonbeliever with the seal of Suleiman. People would be eating together and they would say, ‘Give me this, believer’ or ‘Hand me this non-believer.’” [at-Tarmidhi]

12. To Pharaoh, Musa* was a terrorist and was challenged to a competition with which people?
He said, "Have you come to us to expel us from our land by means of your magic, Moses? We will bring you magic to match it. So fix a time between us and you which neither we nor you will fail to keep at a place where we can meet halfway."
He (Moses) said, "Your time is the day of the festival. The people should gather in the morning." (Surah Ta-Ha: 57-59)
(They said) "To bring you all the skilled magicians."
The magicians came to Pharaoh and they asked, "Will we receive a reward if we are the winners?"
He (Pharaoh) said, "Yes, and you will be among those brought near." (Surat al-A'raf: 112-114)

13. In Summary, what is the secret for individual Muslims to be happy
Find pleasure in doing things that Please Allah.



Hence Allah alone decides what is ‘Right’ and ‘Wrong’, what is ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’, what makes Him ‘pleased’ and what ‘angers’ Him, and so what should make us ‘Happy’ and ‘Sad’

Our priority as Slaves of Allah is to make Allah Pleased with us (like the yearning of a child to his mother)

‘In Truth, In the remembrance of Allah do the hearts find rest/tranquillity’ [TMQ 13:28] and focus on pleasing Allah for our own happiness as He knows what is best for us as He created us that way


14. What is the name of the Night which is better than a thousand months
Lailat al-Qadr
"Verily, We have sent it down in the Night of Al-Qadr.
And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr is
The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.
Therein descend the angels and the Ruh by their Lord's permission with every matter.
There is peace until the appearance of dawn.“
Surah al-Qadr [97]


15. Who was the King when Dawud* killed Jalut (Goliath)
Talut  (Saul)


16. In the famous hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (transmitted in Abu Dawud) what did the Prophet* describe a Muslim is to his brother? "A believer is a xxxxxxx to another believer"
In the famous hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (transmitted in Abu Dawud) what did the Prophet* describe a Muslim is to his brother?
"A believer is a mirror to another believer"


17. Who did Musa* slap in the face so hard his eye came out?
Abu Hurairah narrated: "The Angel of Death was sent to Moses*. When he came to Moses, Moses slapped him on the eye. The Angel returned to his Lord and said: 'You have sent me to a slave who does not want to die.' Allah said: 'Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life.' Moses said: 'O Lord! What will happen after that?' Allah replied: 'then death.' Moses said: 'Let it come now!' Moses then requested Allah to let him die close to the Holy Land so that he would be at a distance of a stone's throw from it."


18. What is a Mihrab?
Prayer niche showing direction of prayer


19. In Surah al-Baqarah, why were Bani Israel ordered to slaughter a cow?
A wealthy man died, leaving behind an only son, who inherited his father's wealth. His cousins envied his good fortune and secretly killed him so that they could inherit it.
The dead boy's other relatives came to the Prophet Moses and asked his help in tracing the boy's murderer.
Moses instructed them to slaughter a cow, remove part of it and place it on the corpse. This would reveal the murderer, he told them.


20. What were the 3 Darknesses that Prophet Yunus/Jonah* was in when he made the Du’a to Allah
Darkness of the Belly of the whale
In the Darkness of the bottom of the ocean
In the Darkness of the night

21. ‘Freedom of Speech’ - 'Charlie Hebdo Magazine'  itself censored, apologised and then fired long-time cartoonist Siné for a caricature insulting who?
'Charlie Hebdo Magazine'  itself censored, apologised and then fired long-time cartoonist Siné for a caricature insulting the son of former president Nicholas Sarkozy and his wife Jessica Sebaoun-Darty, while staunchly standing on their 'right' to repeatedly troll Muslims, minorities & immigrants e.g. by showing Muhammad naked and bending over—which tells you something about the brand of satire they practice and that they’d rather be aiming downward towards minorities than upward

22. Who built the barrier that has trapped Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog & Magog)
They will ask thee of Dhul-Qarnayn. Say: "I shall recite unto you a remembrance of him. Lo! We made him strong in the land and gave him unto every thing a road. And he followed a road. Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word. They said: “O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily! Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog) are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?” He said: “That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier. Give me pieces (blocks) of iron,” Then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: “Blow,” till when he had made it (red as) fire, he said: “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.” So they [Ya'juj and Ma'juj] were made powerless to scale it or dig through it. Dhul-Qarnain) said: “This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true.” And on that Day [i.e. the Day Ya'juj and Ma'juj will come out], We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another, and the Trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together.”

23. Courtroom cases: Missing case
Case 1:  The case of 99 Sheep and a good talking man with one man and his only sheep
Case 2:  The case of Sheep grazing in neighbours field destroying his livelihood
Case 3:  The case of a worshipper admiring horses and missing their prayer
Case 4:  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Case 5:  Mothers disputing about whose child survived the wolf attack
Case 1:  The case of 99 Sheep and a good talking man with one man and his only sheep
Case 2:  The case of Sheep grazing in neighbours field destroying his livelihood
Case 3:  The case of a worshipper admiring horses and missing their prayer
Case 4:  The case of what to do with the first batch of Prisoners of War
Case 5:  Mothers disputing about whose child survived the wolf attack

24. The Prophet*’s birthday happens in which month (according to most authentic sources)?
Rabi’ul-Awwal - (3rd month)

Islamic months:
  1. Muharram
  2. Safar
  3. Rabia Awal  
  4. Rabia Thani (Rabiul-Akhir)
  5. Jumaadil Awal (Jumaada al-Ula)
  6. Jumaada at-Thani
  7. Rajab
  8. Sha‘ban
  9. Ramadhan
  10. Shawwal
  11. Dhul-Qa'dah
  12. Dhul-Hijjah


25. When was Musa* made a Prophet by Allah
Burning Bush
"Moses! I am your Lord. Take off your sandals. You are in the holy valley of Tuwa. I have chosen you, so listen well to what is revealed. I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me and establish prayer to remember Me." [TMQ 20:11-14]
"Take hold of it and have no fear. We will return it to its original form." [TMQ 20:21]
"Have no fear, Moses. In My Presence the Messengers have no fear." [TMQ 27:10]


Thank you and Well Done

Tuesday, 7 April 2015

5 April 2015: Quiz

5 April 2015: Quiz

Here are the Quiz Questions - Answers will be uploaded shortly (inshaAllah)




Harborne Islamic Study Circle Quiz

Topics from May 2014 – March 2015


Starter Questions

  • Where is Jannah / Paradise?
  • Five Pillars of Islam
  • 6 Articles of Faith / Belief (Aqeeda)


Main Questions

1. What type of bird is this




2. Fill in the missing word

“The parable of those who disbelieved in their Lord is that their works are as XXXXXXXXX, on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day; they shall not be able to get anything of what they have earned. That is the straying, far away [from the Right Path].” (TMQ 14: 18)


3. How long between the 2 shouts (2 blows of the Trumpet)


4. Fitna al-Qabr (Trials in the Grave) - What are the 3 questions the angels first ask?


5. Exodus: Gods and Kings - In the film ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ Musa* left Egypt in a parade. According to the Qur’an, when did Musa* actually set off ?


6. Who did Prophet Adam give 40 years of his life to?


7. What is the name of the monk / worshipper (Aabid) who diverted from the path of Islam and killed a mother & child to hide his crime and eventually bowed down (sujood) to Shaytan


8. What were the 3 things al-Khidr did that upset Musa*


9. What is this sin regarding Punishment in the Grave:

And so we proceeded and came across a river.” I think he said, “…. red like blood.” The Prophet added, “And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold, while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. He returned and every time the performance was repeated, I asked my two companions, ‘Who are these (two) persons?’ They replied, ‘Proceed! Proceed!’


10. List ALL 9 signs (ayat) given to Musa* in dealing with Pharaoh according to Islam?


11. After the Sun rises from the West, the beast will appear. What is he carrying in his hands?

 
12. To Pharaoh, Musa* was a terrorist and was challenged to a competition with which people?


13. In Summary, what is the secret for individual Muslims to be happy


14. What is the name of the Night which is better than a thousand months


15. Who was the King when Dawud* killed Jalut (Goliath)


16. In the famous hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (transmitted in Abu Dawud) what did the 
Prophet* describe a Muslim is to his brother? "A believer is a xxxxxxx to another believer"


17. Who did Musa* slap in the face so hard his eye came out?


18. What is a Mihrab?


19. In Surah al-Baqarah, why were Bani Israel ordered to slaughter a cow?


20. What were the 3 Darknesses that Prophet Yunus/Jonah* was in when he made the Du’a to 
Allah


21. ‘Freedom of Speech’ - 'Charlie Hebdo Magazine'  itself censored, apologised and then fired long-time cartoonist Siné for a caricature insulting who?


22. Who built the barrier that has trapped Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog & Magog)


23. Courtroom cases: Missing case

Case 1:  The case of 99 Sheep and a good talking man with one man and his only sheep
Case 2:  The case of Sheep grazing in neighbours field destroying his livelihood
Case 3:  The case of a worshipper admiring horses and missing their prayer
Case 4:  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Case 5:  Mothers disputing about whose child survived the wolf attack


24. The Prophet*’s birthday happens in which month (according to most authentic sources)?


25. When was Musa* made a Prophet by Allah

Monday, 16 March 2015

15 March 2015: Prophet Suleiman and The Hour

15 March 2015: Prophet Suleiman and The Hour


Lives of the Prophets - Prophet Suleiman*


Life of Suleiman*


Suleiman's* Understanding of the Speech of Birds and other animals

Allah says, "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds." (AI Naml: 16) That is to say Suleiman* managed to understand the language of birds and used to express to people whatever they wished to convey. Ibn Kathir states: Suleiman* was able to comprehend not just the language of birds, he could also understand the language of other animals as well as different kinds of creatures. To prove this, he next says, " 'And on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things' " i.e. he was granted everything that a king would need namely, soldiers, equipment, Jinns, people, birds, beasts, science, and expression "And this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah)" which means Allah's Grace on us is evident and obvious.

Suleiman* heard the ant warning his colony about the approaching army of Suleiman* and he understood its speech, and smiled out of joy and happiness for being solely chosen by Allah to be let in on this.


Some other gifts of Suleiman*

InshaAllah, we will detail these more in coming sessions but Suleiman* also had command over the wind (that enabled swift travel) and was blessed with a fountain of molten brass.


Masjid / Temple of Suleiman

A brief mention about the ‘Temple of Suleiman*’. As Muslims we do not recognise this because any Prophet of Allah would not build a ‘Temple’ but would rather be instructed to develop a Mosque / Masjid as a place of prayer and remembrance. We already learned that Dawud* was praying in his Mihrab. Bani Israel was using the ‘Farthest Masjid’ that our beloved Prophet* referred to.

The Kaaba was built by Ibrahim* / Ismail* in Mecca as the first House of worship and the second masjid / mosque was built by Yaqub* (Jacob) 40 years later. It was upon these foundations that Dawud* would pray and later Suleiman* would extend. This is where our Prophet* lead the prayer of all the Prophets during his night journey.


The Wisdom of Suleiman*

Suleiman* was granted wisdom from Allah and would brought up in the special household of Dawud* under his expert guidance. We already did some of the stories of his wisdom during the ‘Courtroom Session’ where Dawud* would pass judgement on a matter and he would be right in that judgement. However, Suleiman* would also make a suggestion to the same case and come to a slightly different conclusion and this would also be a correct interpretation of the Law but would be a better solution which his father would accept.

One of the learning points from this for us today is that not many laws in Islam are monolithic and only interpretable in one fashion, but that there is always a flexibility in how to interpret the Shariah on many issues and this necessarily leads to Muslims being tolerant an able to accept other ways of doing things. The only necessities are that the intention is correct and the method to derive the laws / interpretations are correct and not subject to whim – something Allah mentioned to Dawud*.

There are many examples in Islam and the life of our Prophet* about this – hence we should not obsess about far apart feet are in prayer or the exact position of the hands, etc.


Suleiman* considers the evidence

"And remember Dawud* and Suleiman*, when they give judgment in the matter of the field into which the sheep of certain people had strayed by night: We did witness their judgment. To Suleiman* We inspired the (right) understanding of the matter: to each (of them) we gave Judgment and Knowledge."
It was recounted by many narrators that those people had a vineyard, wherein the sheep of the other people had spread, i.e. trespassed on by night and ate up all its plants.
They raised their case to Dawud* and he awarded the owner of the field the sheep themselves in compensation for his damage.
When they went out and met Suleiman*, he asked them, "what did the Prophet of Allah rule?" They answered, "He ruled so and so."
He said, "Had it been up to me, I would have ordered the sheep to be handed to the owners of the vineyard to benefit from its yield and profit until the owners of the sheep have restored the vineyard of the other people to its previous condition, and then they could have their sheep back."
When Dawud* was informed of this, he approved it.

*Hence – both judged with the facts and made correct decisions but one was closer to justice than the other. It is important not just to have a Just Law (Shariah) but also a Just Judge (with Iman) who applies the Law appropriately. Throughout the many centuries of Islam and the Islamic State Muslims have grown up with the idea of variations in application of the Shariah and this has led to tolerance of different opinions as Islam is not a monolith and Shariah is more than simply the Hudood. There is no territory today that applies Islam even though they may claim to.


The child to be chopped in half

Abu Huraira said, that the Messenger of Allah* said, "Two women had their sons with them, and suddenly a wolf passed by snatching one of the two boys.
Thus they fought over the other.
The elder said, 'The wolf took your son', and the younger said, 'No, it took yours.'
They raised their case to Dawud*, who ruled that he was the elder's.
They went out and met Suleiman*, who said, 'Bring me a knife and I will cut him into two, for each to take a half.
'The younger thereupon said, 'Do not, may Allah have mercy on you, he is her son.
Thus, he ruled that the child was hers. " [Bukhari, Muslim]

*Hence – the element of surprise from Suleiman* allowed him to assess who really loved the child and would rather give him up than have him killed.


The Story of Suleiman* with the Horses

Allah says in Surah Saad: "To Dawud* we gave Suleiman* (for a son)" and he was a Prophet "how excellent in Our service! Ever did he tum when (to Us)!"
"Behold, there were brought before him, at eventide, horses of the highest breeding, and swift offoot; And he said, 'Truly do I love the love of Good, with a view to the glory of my Lord '-until (the sun) was hidden in the veil (of Night):" (Saad: 32)
Some scholars say that Suleiman* was so engrossed in the inspection of his fine horses that he completely forgot to perform his Asr prayer before the sunset (not deliberately).
Upon missing the 'Asr prayer, he said, " 'Bring them back to me.' "Then he fell to slashing (their) legs and their necks with his sword. Some scholars say that there is no fault in the horses for Suleiman* to miss his prayer so he may not have killed the horses but merely passed his hand over them and vowed never to be distracted again.


Main Topic: The Hour


The Coming of the Hour Is Sudden

A moment will come when every living thing will cease to exist. All forms of life will end. Allah says, “everything on it will perish.” Everything on the face of the earth will die.
And Allah says: “They await only but a single shout which will seize them while they are disputing.” It will come so suddenly that while people are discussing and disputing, everything will stop. Now there’s no time to advise your family or take care of unfinished business.

Allah says, “Then they will not be able to make bequest, nor will they return to their family.
It comes so suddenly that The Prophet* says in the hadith, “The Hour will arrive when two men are discussing a deal. One man will be selling a piece of cloth to the other, but the Hour will arrive and they will not even have time to wrap up that piece of cloth or sell it. The Hour will come when a man is going back home with fresh milk from his camel, but he will not be able to taste it. And the Hour will arrive when one will raise the food to his mouth, but he will not be able to put it in his mouth.


As Soor

How will it happen? It will be blown with as-soor.

It is mentioned in the Qur’an in many places. It is a trumpet or a horn. The Angel Israfeel is holding it.

The Prophet* said, “The eyes of the angel are fixed on the throne of Allah, because he is afraid the command will come and he will not have time to turn his sight. So he has fixed his eyes on the Throne, waiting for the command to come. His eyes are like two bright stars.” When The Prophet* saw this with his own eyes, he lost any appetite for this world. So he said, “How can I enjoy myself? How can I have any entertainment in this world when the angel has put the horn in his mouth and he has leaned his head forwards, and he has opened up his ears, waiting for the moment when the command will come, so he will blow in the horn?


When will the Horn be Blown?

The Prophet* says, “The greatest and the best day the sun has risen over is the day of jumu’ah (Friday). In that day, Adam was created. In that day, he entered into Jannah. And in that day, he was driven out of Jannah. And on that day the Hour will occur.” The Hour is the day of judgement.

The Prophet* says in another hadith, “All of the days were presented to me. So I saw the day of Friday, it looked like a white mirror – very bright and clean – but in the middle there was a dark spot. So I asked what was the dark spot and I was told that it was the Hour.”

The best day the sun has risen over is Friday. On that day, Adam was created. On that day, he came down to earth. On that day, Allah accepted his repentance. On that day, he died. On that day the Hour will occur.” What’s new in this hadith? The rest of the hadith tells the response of the animals. The Prophet* says, “Every animal is worried on the day of jumu’ah – from the time of fajr because they know that is when the Hour will occur, except Jinn and humans.

We are the only creation that is asleep and unaware. We are heedless and continue to do everything on Jum’ah as if this Hour is something that will never occur.


How many Times will the Horn be blown?

Some scholars say that there will be two shouts. One shout that will destroy everything that is living (as sa’aq), and then another shout that will revive everything again (al ba’ath).

Some scholars say that there are three blowings. One is al faza – it will strike fear in all of the hearts. The second is sa’aq and the third is al ba’ath.


The Exceptions – those that will not perish with the trumpet

Allah says, “And the trumpet will be blown, and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown a second time and behold, they will be standing, looking on.

The ayah gives an exception. Some scholars say hoor al-ayn; some say the servants in jannah; some say jibra’eel, mika’eel and israfeel; some say the angels who are carrying the throne; some say the shuhadaa`; and on and on. Al-Qurtubi says, “The right opinion is that there is no evidence to support any of this. All of them are possible.” We don’t need to dwell too much on this. What we need to know, we already know – we are not one of those who are excluded. We don’t need to theorize and hypothesize, because we don’t need to know. This is a very, very important principle in Islam – we should always be practical and know the information that will help us.

When a Bedouin came into the masjid and asked the Prophet*, “When is the Hour?” He came in and interrupted the Prophet* when he was giving a speech. The Prophet* kept on going and didn’t give him any attention. The man insisted and asked a second and a third time. By now, the sahabah are upset and want him to calm down. They thought that The Prophet* is not responding because he doesn’t like the question. When The Prophet* was done with his speech, he said, “Where is the one who was asking about the Hour?” He then asked the Bedouin, “What have you prepared for it?” The man then said, “I did not prepare for it a lot of fasting and prayer, but I have prepared for it with love for Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet* said, “You will be with the ones that you love.

Why do we want to know? We should know the information that will help us. A lot of times, we waste our times on issues that will not benefit us or add to our good deeds. That is knowledge that does not benefit. The Prophet* said, “O Allah, we want from You knowledge that will benefit us and we seek refuge in You from the knowledge that does not benefit us.”

InshaAllah, we make du’a that we also have love for Allah and the Prophet* and are also with the ones we love on the Day of Judgment. Ameen