Thursday, 8 January 2015

28 December 2014 - The Death of Musa

28 December 2014 - The Death of Musa

 The Slander, the Death and the Greatness of Musa* (Moses).
 
The Jews breach the Sanctity of the Sabbath
And ask them (O Muhammad SAW) about the town that was by the sea; when they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday): when their fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the day they had no Sabbath. Thus We made a trial of them, for they used to rebel against Allah’s Command (disobey Allah). And when a community among them said: "Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy or to punish with a severe torment?" (The preachers) said: "In order to be free from guilt before your Lord (Allah), and perhaps they may fear Allah."  So when they forgot the remindings that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel against Allah's command (disobey Allah). So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected." (TMQ 7:163-166)‬
And (O Children of Israel, remember) when We took your covenant and We raised above you the Mount (saying): "Hold fast to that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein so that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious). Then after that you turned away. Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allah upon you, indeed you would have been among the losers. And indeed you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday). We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected." So We made this punishment an example to their own and to succeeding generations and a lesson to those who are Al-Muttaqoon (TMQ 2:63-66)
This relates to Allah sending His torment on the village that disobeyed Him and broke their pledge and their covenant to observe the sanctity of the Sabbath. They began using deceitful means to avoid honouring the Sabbath by placing nets, ropes and artificial pools of water for the purpose of fishing before the Sabbath. When the fish came in abundance on Saturday as usual, they were caught in the ropes and nets for the rest of Saturday. During the night, the Jews collected the fish after the Sabbath ended. When they did that, Allah changed them from humans into monkeys, the animals having the form closest to humans. Their evil deeds and deceit appeared lawful on the surface, but they were in reality wicked. This is why their punishment was compatible with their crime. These people were turned into howling monkeys with tails, after being men and women‬. However, the monkeys and pigs (swine) that exist now are not the descendants of those that were transformed‬! ‫Those who violated the sanctity of the Sabbath were turned into monkeys, then they perished without offspring. Hence, today it is not appropriate for one to call people of the Jewish tradition “pigs and apes” or “sons of pigs and apes” since, besides being extremely rude, it is not correct.

Moses' Suffering
Moses* suffered terribly from his people and endured much for the sake of Allah. Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated: "Once the Prophet Muhammad* distributed something (among his companions). A man said: "This distribution has not been done (with justice) seeking Allah's Countenance.' I went to the Prophet* and told him of that. He became so angry that I saw the signs of anger on his face. Then he said: 'May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses, for he was harmed more (in a worse manner) than this; yet he endured patiently.'" (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
The children of Israel mistreated Moses* a lot. His agony was not limited to mutiny, stupidity, chattering, ignorance, and idolatry; it exceeded this and went as far as inflicting personal harm on him. Almighty Allah commanded: "O you who believe! Be not like those who annoyed Moses, but Allah cleared him of that which they alleged, and he was honorable in Allah's sight! (TMQ 33:69). This is explained below:

Allah Clears Moses of False Rumors
Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah's Messenger Muhammad* said: "Prophet Moses was a shy person and used to cover his body completely because of his extensive shyness. One of the children of Israel hurt him by saying: 'He covers his body in this way only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.'
Allah wished to clear Moses of what they said about him, so one day while Moses was in seclusion, he took his clothes and put them on a stone and started taking a bath. When he had finished the bath, he moved towards his clothes so as to take them, but the stone took his clothes and fled. Moses picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying: 'O stone! Give me my garment!' till he reached a group of children of Israel who saw him naked then, and found him in the best shape of what Allah had created, and Allah cleared him of what they had accused him of. The stone stopped there, and Moses took and put on his garment and started hitting the stone with his stick. By Allah, the stone still has some traces of the hitting, three, four, or five marks. In another narration it is stated that the stone began to cry!

The Death of Harun* (Aaron)
Aaron* died shortly before Moses*. His people were still wandering in the wilderness when he died.
 
The Death of Musa* (Moses)
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." Abu Hurairah added: "Allah's Messenger* said: 'If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sandhill on the side of the road.'" (Sahih Al Bukhari)
An-Nawawi said: "It is also possible that Allah did not send the angel of death when he wanted to terminate his life. It might have been only a test. Prophet Musa might have slapped the man because he was a stranger who got into his house without his consent, ignoring that he was in fact the angel of death. It is lawful in Sharia to take out the eye of the person who looks inside your house without your consent. It is known that the angels came in the form of men to Prophets Ibrahim* and Lut* and they did not recognize them. Prophet Ibrahim* presented them something to eat before they told him who they were. Prophet Musa* also might not have recognized the Angel. But when he come the second time with his eye in its place Prophet Musa* recognized him and submitted himself to Allah's Will.
It is also suggested that Prophet Musa* was wanting to fulfil his mission to take his people to the Promised Land and so felt unfulfilled and honestly believed he would be given the honour to take them there. But then he realised that is was not Allah’s plan so he accepted Death on his second visit.
Moses*, Prophet of Allah and the one to whom Allah spoke to directly, met his death with a contented soul and a faithful heart that looked forward to righteousness and made haste to meet with Him Who bore tidings of peace.
We also talked about the virtues and greatness of Prophet Musa* and how we should, as Muslims, respect and honour all Prophets. Although our Prophet is the greatest we should not enter into competitions with other people about who is the best Prophet in case they say bad about our Prophets, or they become tribal and don’t listen to reason.

Isra and Mi'raj
During his Night Journey, Prophet Muhammed* is known to have led Musa* along with Jesus*, Abraham* and all other prophets in prayer. Musa* is mentioned to be among the prophets which Prophet Muhammed* met during his ascension to heaven (Mi'raj) alongside Jibreel. Musa* and Prophet Muhammed* are reported to have exchanged greeting with each other and he is reported to have cried due to the fact that the followers of Prophet Muhammed* were going to enter Heaven in greater numbers than his followers. When Allah enjoined fifty prayers to the community to Prophet Muhammed* and his followers, Prophet Muhammed* once again encountered Musa, who asked what had been commanded by Allah. When Musa* was told about the fifty prayers, he advised Prophet Muhammed* to ask a reduction in prayers for his followers. When Prophet Muhammed* returned to Allah and asked for a reduction, he was granted his request. Once again he met Musa, who again inquired about the command of Allah. Despite the reduction, Musa* again urged Prophet Muhammed* to ask for a reduction. Prophet Muhammed* again returned and asked for a reduction. This continued until only five prayers were remaining. When Musa* again told Prophet Muhammed* to ask for a reduction, Prophet Muhammed* replied that he was shy of asking again. Therefore, the five prayers were finally enjoined upon the Muslim community.
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21 December 2014 - Guest Speaker Journey to Heaven

21 December 2014 - Guest Speaker Journey to Hellfire
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14 December 2014 - Musa and al-Khidr

14 December 2014 - Musa and al-Khidr

 The Prophet Musa* and al-Khidr
(A Wise Man)
 
Another story about the Prophet Musa* is related in the Surat al-Kahf. At the beginning of the story, Allah relates a journey the Prophet Musa* makes with his young assistant:

Who is the most Knowledge?
Ibn Abbas said that the Prophet* said: "Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said: "I." Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him: "Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a slave of Mine who is more learned than you." Moses said; "O my Lord! How can I meet him?" Allah said: "Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish."
Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his servant boy, Joshua (Yusha Ibn Nun), till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea straight as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy servant: "Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours." Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy said to him: "Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell you about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?" So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said: "That was what we were seeking after." So both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man lying covering with a garment.
 
Moses Talks to Al-Khidr
Moses greeted him, and he replied saying: "How do people greet each other in your land?" Moses said: "I am Moses." The man asked: "Moses of Bani Israel?" Moses said: "yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you." He said: "O Moses! I have some of the knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me and which you do not know, you have some of the knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know." Moses asked: "May I follow you?" He said: "But you will not be able to remain patient with me, for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?" Moses said: "You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught."

The Boat, The Boy and The Wall
So both of them set out walking along the seashore. A boat passed by them, and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khidr, so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al Khidr said to Moses: "O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak." Then suddenly Al Khidr took an axe and pulled up a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had pulled up a plank with the axe. Moses said to him: "What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you have intentionally made a hole in their boat as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing." Al Khidr replied: "Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?" Moses replied: "Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault." So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten.
When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys. Al Khidr took a hold of the boy's head and plucked it with his fingertips as if he were plucking some fruit. Moses said to him: "Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing." Al Khidr said: "Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?" Moses said: "If I ask you about anything after this, don't accompany me. You have received an excuse from me."
Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitants for food but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse and Al Khidr repaired it just by touching it with his hands. Moses said: "These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it."
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."

The Explanation
“As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king after them, who seized every ship by force.” – These were believers and poor and would have suffered greatly if the king confiscated their boats. So the damage was just enough for the king to reject them but small enough for them to fix.
"And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief. So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness and near to mercy.” – This boy would have grown up to oppress his parents and may have become a disbeliever and Allah wanted to replace him with a better son because the parents were strong believers.
"And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there was under it a treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous man, and your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure as a mercy from your Lord.” – Again, the parents were strong believers and Allah wanted to look after the children because of the belief of the parents by protecting their wealth. This wealth would have been taken by selfish and ungrateful people had the wall not been fixed. Hence, if parents want to protect their children they should be strong believers.
“And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those (things) over which could not hold patience.” – Finally, al-Khidr was acting under orders and doing as he was commanded. This was his gift / knowledge and he was not doing it of his own accord otherwise he would have been subject to the Law of Moses.
The Prophet* added: "We wish that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story." (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, said that the Prophet* said: "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
As related in the above story, there is good and wisdom behind these events ordained by Allah, which are neither obvious nor immediately comprehensible. People should think about the good inherent in everything that befalls them in their every-day lives. Behind many events considered to be evil by people in our day, there are surely Divine purposes created by Allah. If a person remains patient and strives sincerely to grasp their Divine purposes, Allah may well make him comprehend their hidden meanings.

Allah the Almighty narrated in Surah Kahf:
"And remember when Moses said to his boy servant: "I will not give up (traveling) until I reach the junction of the two seas or until I spend years and years in traveling." But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish, and it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel. So when they had passed further on (beyond that fixed place), Moses said to his boy servant: "Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey." He said: "Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the dock? I indeed forgot the fish, none but Satan made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a strange way!" Moses said: "That is what we have been seeking." So they went back retracing their footsteps. Then they found one of Our slaves, unto whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.
Moses said to him (Khidr) "May I follow you so that you teach me something of that knowledge (guidance, and true path) which you have been taught by Allah?" He (Khidr) said: "Verily! You will not be able to have patience with me! And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not?" Moses said; "If Allah will, you will find me patience, and I will not disobey you in aught." He (Khidr) said: "Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I myself mention it to you." So they both proceeded, till, when they were in the ship, he (Khidr) scuttled it. Moses said: "Have you scuttled it in order to drown its people? Verily, you have done Imra- a Munkar (evil, bad, dreadful) thing." He (Khidr) said: "Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with me?" Moses said: "Call me not to account for what I forgot, and be not hard upon me for my affair with you."
Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, he (Khidr) killed him. Moses said: "Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have done Nukra a great Munkar (prohibited, evil dreadful) thing!" Khidr said: "Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?" Moses said: "If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me."
Then they both proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight. Moses said: "If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it!" Khidr said: "This is the parting between me and you, I will tell you the interpretation of those things over which you were unable to hold patience.
"As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king after them, who seized every ship by force. "And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief. So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness and near to mercy. "And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there was under it a treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous man, and your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those (things) over which could not hold patience. (TMQ 18:60-82)
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7 December 2014 - Guest Speaker on Syrian Refugee Camps

7 December 2014 - Guest Speaker on Syrian Refugee Camps From Islamic Relief UK

[Unable to Share slides due to copyright issues]

 Talk focused on:
- The history of the conflict in Syria
- The Rise of ISIS
- The condition of Internally Displaced Refugees
- Refugee Camps in neighbouring countries (Turkey / Lebanon)
- Collaborative working between major UK Charities (Islamic Relief, Save the Children, Oxfam)
- Collaborative working of Islamic Relief with the UK Government's PREVENT and anti-terrorism agencies
- Discouraging individuals organising small convoys but rather using main charities
- Personal experiences of conditions in Refugee Camps
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