KHUT.AB I

i

S E L E C T E D

K H U T. A B I

(SERMONS & SPEECHES)

&

W R I T I N G S

*

BY

MUHAMMAD AMIN A.SAMAD

ii

CONTENTS

Contents

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION ....................................................................................... iv

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE KHUT.BAH ....................................................................................... vi

HOW TO PERFORM THE FIRST KHUT.BAH .................................................................................. vii

HOW TO PERFORM THE SECOND KHUT.BAH .............................................................................. ix

1. THE TRUTH ...................................................................................................................................1 2. YAQĪN (CERTAINTY) ................................................................................................................3

3. THE SECOND VIEW ......................................................................................................................7

4. ‘UMAR, THE SECOND CALIPH ................................................................................................8 5. HUMAN SOULS (SPIRITS) ...................................................................................................... 10

6. GOOD CONDUCT ........................................................................................................................ 13

7. ARROGANCE ............................................................................................................................... 16 8. SOUND HEART ............................................................................................................................ 19

9. AS.H...ĀB AL-UKHDŪD ................................................................................................................. 21

10. THE POSITION OF FUQAHĀ’ (MUSLIM JURISTS) ............................................................ 24

11. BALĀ’ (TEST) ........................................................................................................................ 29

12. KUFR (INFIDELITY)................................................................................................................. 33 13. FITNAH ....................................................................................................................................... 39

14. SALMĀN AL-FĀRISĪ (THE PERSIAN) ..................................................................................... 45

15. ‘ABD ALLĀH BIN UBAY ..................................................................................................... 48

16. THE BATTLE OF UH...UD (1) ...................................................................................................... 53

17. THE BATTLE OF UH...UD (2) ...................................................................................................... 55

18. THE BATTLE OF UH...UD (3) ...................................................................................................... 58

19. PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S MIRACLES .............................................................................. 60 20. THE QUR’ĀN, THE LIVING MIRACLE .................................................................................... 64

21. THE QUR’ĀN’S PROPHECY (1) .......................................................................................... 68

22. THE QUR’ĀN’S PROPHECY (2) .......................................................................................... 72 23. THE CONSTRICTED BREAST .................................................................................................. 75

24. WATER CYCLE ......................................................................................................................... 77

25. ISRĀ’ AND MI’RĀJ ...................................................................................................................... 79 26. FASTING IN ISLAM (1) ........................................................................................................ 84

27. FASTING IN ISLAM (2) ............................................................................................................. 86

28. FASTING AND HEALTH ............................................................................................................ 93

29. ‘ĪD AL-FIT.R ................................................................................................................................ 97

30. ‘ĪD AL-AD.HYĀ ........................................................................................................................... 100

31. ENGAGEMENT & MARRIAGE .............................................................................................. 107 الرحيم الرحمن اهلل بسم .............................................................................................................................. 107

iii

INTRODUCTION

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

This booklet Khut.ab (sing. Khut.bah) is intended to assist our

readers who are preparing their khut.bah (sermon) or speeches and to

those who are interested in learning more about Islam. It contains a

collection of selected khut.ab (sermons) and speeches delivered at Lac

la Biche, Alberta—where I became an imām (minister) from December 1982 till June, 1983—and Edmonton, Alberta—where I became a

secretary of the Canadian Islamic Centre (al-Rashid Mosque) from

June 1985 till October, 1988, and where I assisted Imam Youssef Chebli and took his place during his absence.

Originally, the khut.ab were divided into two parts: the first part

was in Arabic, while the second part was in English. Since I do not

include the Arabic texts in this booklet, the English texts can be used in the first khut.bah (sermon), while the second one is used from the du‘ā’

(supplication) only.

Some of my articles in the newsletter of the Canadian Islamic

Centre are also included in this booklet. Hopefully they will be useful to the readers.

I admit that this booklet is far from being perfect. Hopefully, the

improvement will be made in the near future. Your suggestion and advice will be highly appreciated.

My gratitude and appreciation go to Br. Axel Mohamed

Knoenagel and Br. Abu Dhar Parry for their help in correcting and proofreading the manuscript. May Allah reward them for their help.

Finally, as I am leaving for Australia on October 27, 1988, I take

this opportunity to say “good bye” to all my friends and colleagues whose companionship I enjoyed. I shall miss you all, but you will

remain in my heart. May Allah reward your kindness to me during my

stay with you in this beautiful country, Canada, and in this beautiful province, Alberta.

May Allah accept this humble service to Islam, āmīn!!!

Edmonton, October 1988/Rabī‘ al-Awwal, 1408

Muhammad Amin Abdul-Samad

iv

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful This is the second edition of the booklet Khut.ab printed a decade

ago. In this edition some corrections and revision have been made.

Like in the first edition the translation of Qur’ānic verses in this second

edition is also based mainly on that of Abdullah Yusuf Ali and occasionally on that of Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. However, as

A.Y. Ali’s translation of the Qur’ān has been revised I have followed

this revised translation. A.Y. Ali’s translation of the Qur’ān was edited and revised by

the Presidency of Islamic Researches, IFTA Call and Guidance in

Saudi Arabia (ca. 1980 C.E.) where a group of Muslim scholars were involved in this task. One of the most conspicuous revision was the

replacement of the word “God “ with “Allah”. This is probably to

emphasize that the proper name of God among Muslims is “Allah”, and therefore should not be translated. This is one view among

Muslim scholars.

Another view says that “Allah” is the Arabic name for “God” in English. The Christian Arabs, for example, use the term “Allah” in

their language. So the Jews worship “Elohim”, the French people “le

Dieu”, the Germans “der Got”, and the Italians “il Dio”. This might be the reason why some translators of the Qur’ān translate the name Allah

into the languages they are using in their translation.

The Arabic word for “son of” is (ibn) or (bin, which is

spelled Ben in English) and abbreviated as “b.” are all used in this booklet. For example, ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar, Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, and

Ibn ‘Umar are used. The term Ibn is used when the father’s (or

forefather’s) name is used only without mentioning the personal name, such as Ibn ‘Umar, mentioned above.

In this edition I use transliteration of the Arabic words and names

based on combination of two slightly different systems of teransliteration: the one used by the Library of Congress in

Washington, D.C., U.S.A. and the other by the Institute of Islamic

Studies at McGill university in Montreal, Canada. For example, the

term is transliteraterd as islāmiyyah (with double y and h

representing the tā’ marbūt.ah) rather than islāmīyah (McGill), or

islāmiyya (Library of Congress). Some exceptions, however, are given

v

to names which are too familiar in the English language spelling, such

as “Abdullah”, which can be also written and transliteraed as ‘Abd Allāh, “Omar” with ‘Umar, “Ali” with “‘Alī”. Both are still used in this

edition.

Since the Muslims do not believe in the divinity of Jesus, although they believe him as one of the great prophet of God, C.E.

(Christian Era) is used rather than A.D. (Anno Domini, in the year of

the Lord, meaning Jesus). B.C. (Before Christ) is still used, and for the Islamic calender, A.H. (Anno Hijrah, in the year of the Prophet’s

migration to Madinah). If both Christian and Islamic calendars are used, the Islamic calender is used first without mentioning A.H. or C.E.

For example, Abū Hurayrah (d. 58/677), means that the Prophet’s

companion Abū Hurayrah died in 58 A.H. corresponding to 677 C.E. The abbreviation p.b.u.h. (peace be upon him) is ued after the

name of Allah’s prophets to show love and respect towards them. In

Arabic, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is

used after ther Prophet’s name, whereas after other prophets it is used

(peace be upon him).

It is unfortunate that the Arabic texts in this booklet cannot be easily vowelized (vocalized) in the computer. To do it manually would

not be very clear and efficient. Therefore, I highly recommend you to

refer the Qur’ānic texts to the Qur’ān itself if you have difficulty in reading these divine texts in this booklet. Otherwise, just read the

translation. With regard to other Arabic texts you can skip them if you

cannot get any help from anywhere. To err is human, and nobody is perfect. I know that this booklet

is far from perfect, even in its second editon. But if you are satsified

with the basic information you get from it and happy to pass it to others in you sermon or in any occasion, I would think that I have achieved

my goal through this booklet.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and high appreciation to Mrs. Clare Bailey of the WISE employment office at

Camberwell for her asistance, expecially in proofreading this revised

booklet. I also appreciate the friendship and companionship of many of Indonesians students as well as residents in Melbourne. Thank you all

for your kindness.

Melbourne, September, 2000 Muhammad Amin A. Samad

vi

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE KHUT.BAH

Khut.bah literally means a speech. Technically, it is a sermon

delivered at the congregation in the mosque, especially on Friday

before performing the congregational prayer. The khut.bah is a part of

the prayer and therefore it has to be performed properly. It is divided into two parts. The first part contains exhortation to the Muslims to

stick to their religion, to do good and to avoid evil. It also contains

teachings about Islam and contemporary issues concerning Islam and the Muslims. The second khut.bah contains du’a (supplication) for all

Muslims.

Khut.bah is also delivered after performing the ‘Īd prayer: ‘Īd al-

Fit.r (festival of break-fasting) and ‘Īd al-Ad.h.ā (festival of sacrifice).

However, this khut.bah is not a part of the id-prayer. Therefore, people

who cannot stay because of extreme necessity to leave can go, although this practice is not recommended.

Contrary to the Friday khut.bah, ‘Īd khut.bah is neither started

with the ādhān (calling for prayer) nor concluded with iqāmah (calling

to start praying). After all, there is no prayer after the ‘Īd khut.bah.

The prayer has been done before the khut.bah. This is the main

difference between the Friday khut.bah and the‘Īd khut.bah .

Since the introductory part of the ‘Īd khut.bah is different from

that of the Friday khut.bah I am including one khut.bah for the ‘Īd al-

Fit.r and ‘Īd al-Ad.h.ā with its introductory section in this booklet. You

will notice that the introductory section starts with takbīr, namely, glorifying Allah by saying Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)

With regard to the ordinary khut.bah, if you like to have an

introductory section, the common pattern used after saying the greeting

assalāmu ‘alaykum, which means “peace be upon you”; if you like, you can add with wa rah.matullāh wa barakātuh, which means “and the

mercy of Allah and His blessings,” is as follows:

If you want to conclude your speech it is sufficient to repeat the same

greeting mentioned above, namely, assalāmu ‘alaykum.

vii

Having this booklet in your hand, you will have no excuse any

longer in not performing the congregational Friday and ‘Īd prayers in your area.

HOW TO PERFORM THE FIRST KHUT.BAH

If you are in charge of performing the khut.bah come to the pulpit

(or the place where you should stand) and say the greeting,

(assalāmu ‘alaykum wa rah.matullāh wa barakātuh).

Then sit down. Somebody will do the the ādhān (call for prayer).

From now on, everyone should listen to your khut.bah. Nobody is

allowed to talk to each other or to start any prayer. However, those who have not completed their prayers should continue and those who

just arrive should perform their tah.iyyat al-masjid prayer, except if

they are following the H...anafī or the Mālikī school. The new comers

should say the greeting assalāmu ‘alaykum slowly to themselves only so that not to disturb the audience who are listening to the khut.bah.

When the ādhān is over, stand up and say the introductory section

of the first khut.bah which should contain: tah.mīd (praise), i.e., saying

(praise be to Allah), the shahādatayn, i.e.,

(I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear

witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah), and s.alāwah, i.e.,

asking the blessing of Allah on Prophet Muhammad by saying

(O Allah, give Your blessing on Prophet Muhammad). The

shortest introductory section of the khut.bah (the first or the second)

will be as follows:

For your convenience I give seven examples of the introductory

khut.bah. The last one deals with the birthday of the Prophet.

viii

ix

You may add the word ammā ba‘d ("now to the point") after saying he

introductory khut.bah as mentioned above.

As the khut.bah should contain a Qur’ānic verse and advice

(was.iyyah) to the Muslims many people say after the introductory

khut.bah the following:

The meaning: “O believers, I advise you and myself to fear Allah,

for those who fear Him will prosper. Allah says, ‘O ye who believe!

Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam’” (Qur’ān, Āl-‘Imrān 3:102).

Now, you can choose a suitable topic in this booklet. Then read

the following supplication and then sit down.

While you are sitting about one minute or so you can read a short du’a for yourself slowly, then stand up again. Now you are ready for

the second khut.bah.

HOW TO PERFORM THE SECOND KHUT.BAH

After performing the first khut.bah stand up again and say again

the introductory section of the khut.bah. You can continue with your

topic if you like, but it should be short to make room for the

supplication.

x

You can choose any supplication you like, but it should contain a

supplication for the Muslims or the believers also instead of just praying for yourselves. Some of these supplications are as follows:

After citing the du‘ā’ (supplication) you conclude the khut.bah with the

following (optional):

After citing this conclusion, step down the pulpit and your khut.bah

becomes complete.

1

1. THE TRUTH

There is a story about four blind men who wanted to know about

the elephant. An elephant was brought to them. The first person came

forward and touched the animal’s tail. He thought that the elephant is like a rope. The second person touched its leg and thought that it is

like a tree. The third person touched its ivory and thought that it is like

a spear. The fourth person touched its trunk and thought it is a moving round tube.

Since each of them used one sense only, namely, the sense of

touch, each one had a limited perception of the elephant. Each of them

would hold his opinion and would say that others are wrong. Had they possessed the sense of sight, they would have seen that each of them

had touched only a small part of the animal and did not have a full

concept of the elephant. With the help of another sense, in this case, the sense of sight, they will have a broader understanding than by using

one sense only, here, the sense of touch. The more senses we use the

more understanding we shall have.

If we compare our senses to the notes of a musical instrument, such as a piano, we have five notes only. Some people are said to

possess a kind of mysterious ability called ‘the sixth sense”. Their

brains are said to have the ability to perceive the message transmitted by the brain waves of others. However, we have not heard a person

who claimed to possess the seventh sense. Compared to the piano, our

”instrument” is very poor, since it has no more than six notes only, if the sixth sense it accepted as genuine.

Our senses are not fully reliable. They can make mistakes. Therefore, they have to pass the test called the judgement of reason.

Our sense of sight, for example, tells us that the moon is much bigger

than the stars, but our reason holds the opposite view. When we become ill, everything tastes bitter, even honey.

The language we use to express our judgement and ideas is very

limited. How can we explain the colour to the blind and the sound to

the deaf, not to mention the beauty of the Rocky Mountain scenery and the melody of a Mozart symphony? We cannot even explain the

sweetness of honey.

2

We may speak the same language, but this does not guarantee

that we understand each other properly. We may feel that we are speaking in different languages because of our different level of

knowledge and understanding. Let us suppose that an astronaut is

landing on a certain planet silimar to the earth somewhere in this universe inhabited by primitive beings. Let us imagine a conversation

between the astronaut and an intelligent being on that planet which

runs as follows:

Astronaut: “Hello, sir, I come from a planet in the solar system called the earth, its population is over five billions. It was the 21th

century when I left it”

Primitive being: “I am from a cave over there, and I have no idea

as to the earth, population and century. What are you wearing?”

Astronaut: “It is a space suit.”

Primitive being: “What kind of animal skin was it made from?”

Astronaut: “It is not made of animal skin, but of a synthetic fabric

manufactured in the factory. Its safety and durability have been tested

using the most modern technology of the twenty first century.”

The primitive being could not stand the conversation any longer, because he did not understand what the astronaut was talking about. He

said to the astronaut, “Excuse me, Iam going to my cave,” and left.

There are many things in this world which are like the elephant to

the blind in the story mentioned above. They are mysterious because of

our lack of sense and knowledge. They are, for example, the Heaven, the Hell, the Resurrection and the Judgement Day. Prophets who were

sent by Allah the Almighty to guide the human beings described these

mysterious things in allegorical ways because of the limitation of our languages. In Paradise, for example, we are told that people will eat

and drink, even “wine” which will bring them into ecstasy without

being drunk. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that in Paradise people would find things which no eye has seen, no ear has

heard and no mind has imagined.

No matter how intelligent we are, our knowledge of the unseen is very limited. Our sense, languages and understanding are very limited.

Answering the question of a Bedouin about the spirit, Allah said:

3

“They ask thee concerning the spirit. Say: ‘The spirit is

of the command of my Lord: Of knowledge it is only

a little that is communicated to you (O man).’” 1

As Muslims we accept the description of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) about the unseen, believing in the Heaven, the Hell, and the

Resurrection Day, and we humbly acknowledge our frailty, weakness, and ignorance. In the meantime, we ask Allah to increase our

knowledge and give us wisdom.

2. YAQĪN (CERTAINTY)

Allah says in the Qur’ān:

“And serve thy Lord until there comes unto

thee the Hour that is certain”2

What does the yaqīn, “the certainty” mean here? It is death. This is the translation given by Mujāhid, al-H...asan and Qatādah. They were

the Qur’ānic commentators among the tābi’īn, people who were

contemporary to the companions of the Prophet.

In another Qur’ānic verse, yaqīn also means “death”, when the people who are to enter Hell will say in the Hereafter:

“And we used to deny the Day of Judgment, until there

came to us (the hour) that is certain.” 3

In one tradition the Prophet entered into the house of ‘Uthmān ibn Maz.‘ūn who was passing away, and said,

1 Qur’ān, al-Isra’ [17]:85

2 Qur’ān, al-H...ijr [15]:993 Qur’ān, al-Muddaththir [74]:46-47

4

“As for him, the hour of certainty (meaning “death”) has come to him, and I hope he will be well.”

4

Death is something of whose coming we are certain. According to the verse mentioned before, every Muslim has to serve and worship

Allah until the imminent death comes.

Speaking about prayer, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said,

جنب فعلى تستطع لم فإن فقاعدا تستطع لم فإن اقائم صل

“Pray standing; if you can’t, pray sitting;

and if you can’t, pray laying down.”5

This means, there is no excuse for not doing the prayer (except women in their period).

However, there is misinterpretation of the word yaqīn (certainty) in the verse mentioned before among people who claimed to be

knowledgeable. They said that yaqīn in this verse means ma‘rifah

(gnosis) or h.aqīqah (truth, reality). Therefore, they interpreted the

verses mentioned above as “Worship your Lord until ultimate truth comes to you.” So, when this happens, sharī‘ah or religious obligations

would not apply to them any longer. They would not have to pray any

more, for every movement of their bodies, even the beat of their hearts would be prayer and dhikr (remembrance to Allah), h.ajj (the

pilgrimage to Mecca) would not apply to them any longer, for their

hearts would have become the qiblah (direction in praying) and the

Ka‘bah itself, and the t.awāf (the circumambulation around the Ka‘bah)

would be around their hearts.

This interpretation is not only misleading, but also leads astray. Prophets, peace be upon them, were the chosen people who knew more

about Allah and His injunctions than others, and yet, they were people

who followed the most religious obligations. Who are we to claim to know something which allows us to be exempted from these religious

obligations?

4 Reported by Bukhārī and Amad ibn anbal

5 Reported by Bukhārī, Abū Dā’ūd, Ibn Mājah and Amad

5

The other meaning of yaqīn is “the truth”. The lapwing (hoopoe)

said to Prophet Sulaymān (Solomon, p.b.u.h.),

“And I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true”6

All truth is in itself certain. Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728/1328) divided

yaqīn into three categories:

1. ‘Ilmu’l-Yaqīn, certainty by reasoning or inference. For example, if somebody told you that there is honey at a certain place and the

informer is a reliable person, this is ‘ilmu’l-yaqīn, certainty by

reasoning.

2. ‘Aynu’l-Yaqīn, certainty by personal inspection, namely, certainty of

seeing something with our own eyes. This belongs to the category of “seeing is believing.” If you come to the place and see the honey by

yourself, this is ‘aynu’l-yaqīn, certainty by personal inspection.

3. H...aqqu’l-Yaqīn, absolute truth, no possibility of error of judgement

or error of the eye. If you taste the honey and find it genuine honey,

your certainty is called h.aqqu ’l-yaqīn, absolute truth.

People around the world knew through the media that a tornado

disaster occurred here at Edmonton last week (July 31, 1987). For

them, this is ‘ilmu’l-yaqīn, certainty by reasoning. To people who come to see this disastrous area, it is ‘aynu’l-yaqīn, certainty by personal

inspection. To the victims, it is h.aqqu’l- yaqīn, the absolute truth.

Before, they had homes, now, they don’t.

You know that fire burns; this is ‘ilmu’l-yaqīn. If you see fire

burning, this is ‘aynu’l-yaqīn. But if you feel the heat of fire, or burn your finger, this is h.aqqu’l-yaqīn, the absolute truth. Allah says in the

Qur’ān,

“Nay, were ye to know, with certainty of mind

(you would beware), ye shall certainly see Hellfire!-Again,

ye shall see it with certainty of sight! Then shall ye be

questioned that day about the joy (ye indulged in)!”7

6 Qur’ān, al-Naml [27]:22

6

H...aqqu’l-Yaqīn is also mentioned in the Qur’ān. Allah says:

“And We certainly know that there are amongst

you those that reject (it) [namely, revelation]. But truly

(revelation) is a cause of sorrow for the unbelievers. But is truth of assured certainty.”

8

Whoever rejects Revelation, the Qur’ān, will be made sorrowful

on the Judgement Day, and this is the absolute certainty.

Īmān (faith) and yaqīn (certainty) are closely related. Like yaqīn,

Ibn Taymmiyyah divided faith into three degrees:

1. Faith gained through study and investigation, but having no effect in one’s daily life.

2. Faith accompanied with good deed, as one starts feeling the effect of faith in one’s daily life.

3. Faith in which one tastes its sweetness.

With regard to the sweetness of faith () a tradition

says:

“It was narrated by Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: ‘Whoever possesses three things

will taste the sweetness of faith: that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than any other; that he loves someone for the sake of Allah alone; and that he hates to return to infidelity as he hates to be

thrown into the Hellfire.’”9

7 Qur’ān, al-Takāthur, [102]:5-8 8 Qur’ān, al-H...āqqah [69]:49-52

9 Reported by Bukhārī and Muslim

7

3. THE SECOND VIEW

About a century ago (perhaps even earlier), somewhere in the world, one day an exited schoolboy came home and said to his

grandfather: “Grand-pa, my teacher said that the earth is round.”

“Impossible,” said his grand-father, “your teacher did not know what he was talking about; he must have been too full when he said such a

nonsense.”

Three “smart” gentlemen were discussing about the telephone. “It

must be invented by the English, because telephone is an English word.” “Not at all,” said the other, “telephone is a Malay/Indonesian

word: it comes from “tali” meaning “rope” or “wire”, and “pohon” or

“puhun” meaning “a tree”. “Not at all,” said the third person; “telephone is a Greek word; it comes from “tele” meaning “far”, and

“phone” meaning “sound”. It was the Greeks who invented it.” 10

There is a story that an alien from the outer space landed with his

flying saucer (UFO) on the earth. His way of speaking and producing sound was different from that of human beings. Therefore, he wanted

to know how the human beings produce sound when they speak, but he

did not have a chance to observe closely a human being, especially while speaking. Suddenly, the wind blew and he observed the

branches of trees rubbing each other and producing sound. He nodded

and made his conclusion that human beings speak by rubbing their upper jaws with their lower jaws.

An other story is that a scientist was studying the behaviour of the fleas. He trained a flea to jump over a matchbox every time he said

“jump”. After the flea responded the command, the scientist pulled off

two of its six legs and said “jump”. The flee jumped again, but not so successfully as before. The scientist nodded; then he pulled off two

more of its legs and said, “jump” The flea jumped again, but with less

successfully than before. The scientist nodded again. Then he pulled off the remaining two legs of the flea and said again, “jump”, but the

flea with no more leg did not move and did not obey the order,

10 It was invented by Philipp Reis in Dec. 1861, and called it in German,

Telephon. It was applied to the electrical speaking telephone of Alexander

Graham Bell who introduced it in 1876, and to its various modification by Elisha

Gray, Edison, Hunnings, etc. See Oxford English Dictionary, at the Clarendon

Press, 1933, vol. 11, p. 150, s.v. telephone.

8

although it was repeated several times, “jump, jump, jump”. This

“smart” scientist was happy with his new finding. He came to the following conclusion and wrote it in his notebook. “The flea’s hearing

lies in its legs. If it loses two legs, it cannot hear so well and cannot

jump very high. The more it loses its leg, the more it loses its hearing. When it loses all of its legs it becomes completely deaf and therefore, it

cannot respond to any command.”

You, dear readers, are well aware that none of the above

conclusion is correct. You have a second view, which is probably right. You may have the right statement. But could you leave a room—if

there is any—for a second view for your statement whenever you draw

a conclusion from your observation? In this way, you open your heart and broaden your mind.

Prejudice is generally the result of lack of knowledge or

experience, misconception, misjudgment and wrong conclusion. A

teacher does not have to be talkative, although his or her job needs him or her to talk. A policeman (woman) does not have to be haughty,

although he or she has to be authoritative in dealing with a culprit. A

person who does not believe in the divinity of Jesus (peace be upon him) does not have to consider him an impostor. Hābīl (Abel) did not

have to be a coward if he refused the challenge of his brother Qābīl

(Cain). A person who does not share your view does not have to be your enemy and does no have to be unintelligent. We have to avoid

suspicion. Allah said in the Qur’ān:

12

“O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as

possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin…” 11

4. ‘UMAR, THE SECOND CALIPH

‘Umar (Omar) bin (son of) al-Khat.t.āb was the second among the

four rightly-guided caliphs. His long rule lasted for more than ten

years. During his rule there lived a prince called Jabalah bin Ayham.

11 Qur’ān, al-H...ujurāt, [49]:12

9

He was the last prince of the Ghassanide dynasty. Losing hope for

victory against the Muslim army under Abū ‘Ubaydah, he came to the Muslim general and embraced Islam.

Accompanied by followers, Jabalah visited Madinah where he

was received with peculiar honours. Then he accompanied ‘Umar the

caliph on pilgrimage to Mecca. While he was performing his pilgrimage a Bedouin accidentally trampled his flowing robe which

caused him to tumble and fall. The proud prince struck the Bedouin on

the face. To his amazement, he was summoned by the caliph who ordered, under the law of retaliation, that the Bedouin had the right to

return the blow.

“What!” cried Jabalah, “I, the prince of Ghassān, and he, a

common Bedouin of the desert!”

“Yes,” said ‘Umar, “for in Islam all are equal.”

The affronted Jabalah returned at once to Constantinople, the

capital of Byzantine empire. Being a Christian again, he was hospitably entertained at the Byzantine court.

‘Umar used to walk around the city at night to see the condition of his people. One night he saw light in a house late at night.

Accompanied by ‘Abd Allāh bin Mas‘ūd, he approached the house. He

entered the house and asked ‘Abd Allāh to stay at the door. When he saw an old man drinking alcohol, he said:

“I have never seen anything worse than what I am seeing now;

an old man approaching death drinking alcohol!”

“O Prince of the Believers,” said the old man raising his head,

“there is something worse than this. What you are doing now is worse.

You are spying, which is prohibited by Allah, you are entering a house without permission.”

“You are right,” said ‘Umar sadly and left.

”May your mother be breaved of you [an expression of displeasure among the Arabs], O ‘Umar,” ‘Umar said to himself, “if

Allah does not forgive you! The man was drinking secretly, and now

you saw him. He will continue drinking.” He did not tell ‘Abd Allāh bin Mas‘ūd what he had seen in the house that night.

The old man stopped attending ‘Umar’s court. However, one day

‘Umar saw him coming and sitting at the far corner of the court. He

11

looked very shy. ‘Umar called him. The man approached him

expecting to be reproached and humiliated.

“Come closer,” said ‘Umar. The man came and sat down near him. “Bring your ear closer,” said ‘Umar. Then he whispered to him:

“By Allah who sent Muhammad as a true messenger, I have never told anybody of what I have seen from you.” The old man said:

“Bring your ear closer to me, O Prince of the Believers!” ‘Umar

did and the man whispered to him:

“By Allah who sent Muhammad as a true messenger, I have

stopped drinking since you saw me that night.” ‘Umar was overwhelmed, raised his voiced and shouted: “Allāhu Akbar” (Allah is

Great!, Glory to Allah!).

5. HUMAN SOULS (SPIRITS)

Human beings consist of body and soul or spirit. Without soul we

do not live. The spirit is the engine, the motor, and the mover of the

body. Our action is controlled by our soul or spirit, and is motivated by it. Good spirits create good deeds, and bad spirits create bad deeds.

The Sufis (Muslim mystics) list four stages or stages of the

development of the human spirit:

1 (al-nafsu’l-ammārah), the spirit which is prone to do evil

(in seeking satisfaction). It cannot make distinction between good

and evil. It is uncontrollable by our reason. It is most evident among children. This spirit is mentioned in the Qur’ān when Prophet Yusuf

(Joseph, p.b.u.h.) according to the majority of Qur’ānic

commentators (or Zulaykhā’, according to A. Yusuf Ali) said:

“Yet I do not absolve myself (of blame):

the (human) soul certainly incites evil.”12

12 Qur’ān, Yūsuf [12]:53

11

2. (al-nafsu’l-lawwāmah), the self-reproaching spirit which

feels conscious of evil. It is an inner voice, which is usually suppressed by selfishness. This kind of spirit is mentioned in the

Qur’ān when Allah says,

“And I do swear by the self-reproaching soul.”13

This spirit may be compared to the conscience, except that the conscience is a faculty, not a stage of spiritual development. The

conscience, the “guilty feeling”, tortures many criminals with blame

until they surrender to punishment. When they are punished, they feel relieved.

3. (al-nafsu’l-musawwalah): This spirit knows what is good

and what is bad, but it is still unable to conquer evil, because of

external factors, such as jealousy and hatred. The example in the

Qur’ān is the hatred and jealousy of Yusuf’s brothers when they threw him into the well. Allah said,

.

“They said: ‘O father! We went racing with one

another, and left Joseph with our things; and the

wolf devoured him. But thou wilt neverbelieve us even

though we tell the truth.’ They stained his shirt with

false blood. He said:‘Nay, but your minds [or spirits]

have made up tale(that may pass) with you. (For me)

patience is most fitting: against that which ye assert,

it is Allah (alone) Whose helpcan be sought.’”14

4. (al-nafsu’l-mut.ma’innah): the soul in complete rest and

satisfaction. This is the final stage of spiritual development. Your spirit becomes tranquil, no matter what happens around you:

13 Qur’ān, al-Qiyāmah [75]:214 Qur’ān, Yūsuf [12]:17-18

12

calamity, disaster, etc. you do not panic because you trust in Allah.

Allah will say to this kind of spirit:

“(To the righteous soul will be said, ‘O (thou)

soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back

thou to thy Lord,--well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing

unto Him! Enter thou,then, among My devotees!

Yea, enter thou My heaven.”15

This state of spiritual tranquility is one of the four fundamentals of happiness. In a tradition, the Prophet taught a man to say this

supplication: “O Allah, give me a tranquil spirit, faith (īmān) when I

meet you, satisfaction with your creed, and contentment with your providence.”

The second fundamental of happiness is having faith when one is

dying. When one is on the finish line of life one should be in the state

of iman. A person who is not a mu’min (a believer) while one is dying will be doomed to punishment although one is pious in one’s early life.

The third fundamental of happiness is satisfaction with Allah’s

creed. However, this does not mean fatalism. On the contrary, it is the

acceptance of whatever the outcome of our utmost effort without blaming anybody and without saying “if I did such-and-such, this

would not have happened”. Remember, man proposes and Allah

disposes.

The fourth fundamental of happiness is contentment with Allah’s

providence. Do not envy people for what they have. Perhaps they are not happier than you are. The English proverb says “The key to

happiness is contentment.”

The meaning of h.ayāt t.ayyibah (good life) according to ‘Alī

(may Allah be pleased with him) as mentioned in the following verse is

“content”. The verse runs as follows:

15 Qur’ān, al-Fajr 89:27-30

13

“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman,

and has faith,verily, to him will We give a life

that is good and pure, and We will bestow

on such their reward according

to the best of their actions.”16

6. GOOD CONDUCT

Islam deals with man’s relationship with Allah which is called

‘ibadah (worship) and his relationship with his fellow creatures which is called mu‘āmalah (behaviour towards others) or akhlāq (good

conduct). These two kinds of relationship have to go hand-in-hand in

proper balance and proportion. Ignoring any one of them is wrong. It is not right to say that as long as I am good with others I do not have to

observe prayers and fasting. It is also wrong to say that as long as I do

my prayers I should not care for others. A tradition dealing with mu‘āmalah is as follows:

“It was narrated by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah

be pleased with her) that a man said to the Prophet: 16 Qur’ān, al-Nah.l [16]:97

14

‘O Messenger of Allah, I have slaves who belie me, betray me

and disobey me. So I beat them and insult them. What will happen

between me and them?’ The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said to him:

‘Their belying, betrayal and disobedience to you will be compared with

your punishment against them. If your punishment is below their bad deeds

to you, it will be merit for you. If your punishment is equal to their bad deeds

to you, then there will be neither merit nor sin. But if your punishment is

beyond their bad deeds to you, the merit you have before will be cut from

you.’ On hearingthis, the man started weeping and crying. The Messenger

of Allah said:‘Haven’t you read the Book of Allah which said, “We [i.e.,

Allah] shall set up scales of justice for the day of Judgement, so that

not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be

(no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to

account): and enough are We to take account.”’ [Qur’ān, al-

Anbiyā’ [21]:47). The man said: ‘O the Messenger of Allah,

I don’t find anything better than to be separated from

these people. I bear witness that they are free’”17

The man freed his slaves, got rid of them, for fear of committing sin in

abusing them.

So, if you yell at your Muslim brother or sister, if you assault, abuse and humiliate him or her and he or she does not fight back, do

not think this person is coward, stupid weak, and worthless. He or she

might be a smart one, collecting merits from you. If you want to be smarter, ask forgiveness from him or her, and do not repeat the same

mistake. If somebody wrongs you, cheats you, try hard to get back your right. But if you cannot get it back for any reason, because the person

disappears, for example, do not be upset and lose hope. You will get it

back in the Hereafter. The cheater will realize that he is cheating himself unknowingly.

In this world people wrong each other, cheat each other suck each other’s blood, become “wolves to each other”. People could be worse

than wolves. The wolves themselves are not wolves to each other; they

are gentle to each other, they work and hunt together in a pack; they are even one of the most faithful animal species to their mates.

In the Hereafter none will be wronged. This is Allah’s promise.

He said:

17 Reported by Ah.mad and al-Tirmidhī

15

“And fear the day when ye shall be brought back

to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what it earned,

and none shall be dealt with unjustly.”18

Allah also said:

“…. And if any person acts dishonestly,

he shall, on the day of Judgement, restore what he

misappropriated; then shall every soil receive

its due whatever it earned, and none

shall be dealt with unjustly.”19

Everything, however small it is, will be brought and shown in the

Hereafter. Allah said:

“Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s

weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done

an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it!”20

In one tradition the Prophet said that the real bankrupt is the

person who lost his merits and rewards as payment to the person he had wronged in this world. If he has no more merit left and still has to pay,

he has to take the demerits of those whom he had wronged.

The Prophet was asked about the case of a woman who was pious, but used to hurt the feelings of her neighbours, and a woman

who was not so pious, but did not hurt others' feelings,what would

happen to them in the Hereafter. It was narrated byAbū Hurayrah that someone asked the Prophet:

إ

»

18 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:28119 Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:161

20Qur’ān, al-Zilzāl [99]:7-8

16

"So-and-so used to do the (recommended) fasting in the day time

and (recommended) prayers at night but hurts her neighbours with

her tongue"; he (the Prophet) said, "There is no goodness with her,

she will go to Hell."; it was told to him, "So-and-so prayed the obligatory prayers (only), fasted (only)in the month of Ramadan,

and used to give charity with her dried milk, but she did

not hurt anyone with her tongue"; he said,

"She will go to Heaven."21

»

In another tradition the Prophet warned us against mistreating our

neighbours. Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said:

“By Allah he does not believe [perfectly],

by Allah he does not believe [perfectly],by Allah he

does not believe [perfectly].” He said it three times. They

[i.e., his companions] asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who is that?”

He said: “The neighbour who does not make his neighbour

safe from his annoyance.” They asked, “What is his

annoyance?” He said, “His wrong-doings”22

7. ARROGANCE

A good Muslim cannot be arrogant. How could you imagine a Muslim is prayer bowing down and prostrating himself before Allah in

humiliation, then all of a sudden, after prayer, he turns to be arrogant,

putting himself up and putting other people down? Ignorance is another problem. The worst is when arrogance and ignorance are

combined in one person. Open any discussion, and this kind of person

21Reported by al-ākim, Amad, and al-Bayhaqī

22 Reported by Bukhārī and Amad

17

turns into “a scholar”. As for scholars, they are modest and humble,

because they know their limitations. The more they know, the more they realize that there are more things they do not know. The late Arab

immigrant poet Ilyā Abū Mād.ī said in the last line of his poem al-

T.alāsim ( , Mysteries) as follows:

“Do not argue, the man of understanding

is the one who says ‘I do not know.’”

Allah says in the Qur’ān:

“And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge

[i.e., avoid idle curiosity]; for surely, the hearing, the sight,

the heart, all of those shall be questioned of. And do not walk

on the earth in insolence. You cannot penetrate the earth

and your height will not reach that of the mountains."23

He also says:

“The most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is

(he who is) the most righteous of you”24

Luqmān the sage advised his son as follows:

“And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men.Nor

walk in insolence through the earth.For

Allah loves not any arrogant boaster.”25

The Prophet said:

“He who has the weight of a dust particle of

23 Qur’ān, al-Isrā’ [17]:37-38 24 Qur’ān al-H...ujurāt [49]:13

25 Qur’ān, Luqmān [31]:18

18

arrogance in his heart will not enter Heaven.”26

This means that Allah will punish him first before he enters Heaven if

he deserves it. Allah alone deserves this haughtiness and calls Himself al-Mutakabbir (literally means “the Haughty”, “the Arrogant, or “the

Insolent”) which is one of His ninety-nine names. He said about

Himself when he says:

“Allah is He, than there is no god other Allah;

the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace

(and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver

of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the

justly Proud: glory to Allah! (High is He) above

the partners they attribute to Him”27

The Western Orientalist D.B. Macdonald translates the word al-Mutakabbir as “the Haughty”, but the Muslim translators Abdullah

Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, due to their modesty,

translate it respectively as “the Supreme” (“the justly Proud” in the revised translation, as above), and “the Superb”.

Allah is the greatest and we say it several times in our prayer when we say Allāhu Akbar. The late Lebanese poet Ilyā Abū Mād.ī said

to the arrogant:

“O brother, do not turn your head away

from me (out of arrogance), I am not a lump of

coal and you are not a bright star; the stars you see

I also see, whether they are twinkling (among

clouds) or radiant (in the clear sky)."

As we know, the first creature who disobeyed Allah was Iblīs

(devil) who refused to bow in respect to Adam (p.b.u.h.) because of his arrogance. Allah says in the Qur’ān:

26 Reported by Muslim, Abū Dā’ūd, Tirmidhī, and Ibn Mājah

27 Qur’ān al- H...ashr [59]:23

19

.

“And behold, We said to the angels:

‘Bow down to Adam’ and they bowed down:

not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: he

was of those who reject Faith.”28

8. SOUND HEART

Among the du‘ā’ (supplication) of Prophet Abraham (Ibrāhīm,

p.b.u.h.) mentioned in the Qur’ān is:

“And let me not be in disgrace on the day when

(men) will be raised up;--the day whereon neither wealth

nor sons will avail, but only he (will prosper)

that brings to Allah a sound heart;”29

According to Qur’ānic commentators “sound heart” means “free

from shirk (associating Allah with anything), hypocrisy, and envy”. Imām al-T.abarī said that “sound heart” means "free from doubt of

Allah’s oneness and of the resurrection”. On the Judgement Day wealth

and children would not avail, and those who have “sound heart” is the

person mentioned in the following h.adīth:

28 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:34

29 Qur’ān, al-Shu‘arā’ [26]:87-89

21

“Anas b. Mālik related that while he and other companions

were sitting with the Prophet, the Prophet said: ‘A man promised with

Paradise (Heaven) will come suddenly upon you’. Then a man among the

ansar [lit. “the helpers”, i.e., the people of Madīnah who helped the muhājirīn,

the Muslim emigrants from Mecca] appeared, his beard was clean from wud.ū'

ablution) and his sandals were hung at his left hand. The next day the Prophet

said the same thing, and the same person appeared. The third day the Prophet

said thesame thing, and the same person appeared. When the Prophet left

Abdullah b.‘Umar b.‘Umar followed the man and said to him: ‘I am on bad terms

with my father and I have sworn that I would not come to him for three days. I

wish you would let me be your guest for that period.’ The man agreed. Anas said

that then Abdullah b.‘Umar reported what he had seen from his host. In these

three nights said that the man did not even perform night sunnah (recommended)

prayers other than that he mentioned Allah whenever he turned in his bed until he

got up for fajr (dawn) prayer. ‘Abd Allāh said further that the man had never said

anything except good things [i.e., never said bad things]. After the third night

‘Abd Allāh almost looked down on what the man had done. He asked him: ‘Abd

Allāh, [it was common among the Arabs in the past to call anybody whose name

was unknown “‘Abd Allāh” which means“the servant of Allah”, like what ‘Abd

Allāh did to this person] I heard the Messenger of Allah said three times that a

person promised with Paradise would appear suddenly, and and you appeared

each time. So I would like to know what you did so that I could follow it, but I

have not seen you doing something great. What makes you reach this high

honour which has been mentioned by the Prophet?’ the man said: ‘Nothing

but what you have seen.” ‘Abd Allāh said: ‘When I turned away he called

me and said: “Nothing except what you have seen. Only that I never

cheat any Muslim, and I never envy anybody of what Allah has given

him”. ‘Abd Allāh b. ‘Umar said: ‘That is what makes you attain

21

what the Prophet had said which we are unable to stand.”30

9. AS.H...ĀB AL-UKHDŪD

(THE MAKERS OF THE PIT OF FIRE)

There were three babies who talked miraculously in their

childhood. One of them was in the story reported by Imām Ah.mad b.

H...anbal in a long tradition narrated by S.uhayb al-Rūm [the Roman,

being from the Eastern Roman empire], that Prophet Muhammad

(p.b.u.h.) said a story the summary of which is as follows:

“There was a king in the past who had an old magician. Being old and feeling that his death was approaching, the magician asked the

king to give him a boy whom he could teach his magic. He found the boy, but the boy also learned secretly from a monk whom he admired.

Therefore, he always came late to the magician and came home late.

He was beaten by the magician and was asked, ‘What makes you late?’. At home he was beaten by his parents and was asked, ‘What

makes you late?’ When he complained to the monk, the monk advised

him to say to the magician, when he wanted to beat him for being late, that he had been detained by his parents, and to his parents, when they

wanted to beat him for coming home late, that he had been detained by

the magician.

“One day a huge animal [it was not mentioned what kind of animal it was] prevented people from passing by. The boy said to

himself: ‘Today I shall see which of the two, the monk of the magician,

is loved by Allah.’ He took a stone, saying, ‘O Allah, if You prefer the monk to the magician, kill this monster, so that people can pass by.’

Then he threw the stone at it. The monster was killed and the people

could pass by. He told the monk what had happened. The monk said to him: ‘Now you become better than me, and you will be tested. When

this happens don’t tell people about me.’

“The boy became a healer. He healed the blind and the lepers,

and other ill people. The king had an associate who heard about the

30 Reported by Amad, al-Nasā’ī, and al-Bayhaqī

22

boy. He was blind, so he told him: ‘Cure me and I’ll give you a

present.’ The boy said: ‘I don’t heal anybody. It is Allah who heals. If you believe in Him, He will heal you.’ The man did, and he was

healed.

‘The king was surprised to see that his friend could see again.

‘Who healed you?’ asked the king. ‘My Lord,’ said the man.

‘Me?’, asked the king.

‘No, Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ ‘Is there any Lord other than me?', asked the king.

‘Yes, my Lord and your Lord is Allah,’ said the man.

“The man was tortured until he mentioned the boy. The boy was summoned and was interrogated. He, too, was tortured until he

mentioned the monk. The monk was summoned, interrogated, and

asked to abandon his religion, or he would face persecution. He refused. He was persecuted in a terrible way. His head was cut off with

a saw. The king’s associate, refusing to abandon his faith, was also

persecuted in the same way.

“Now it was the boy’s turn. He was to receive a special treatment. He was sent to a high mountain where he would be dropped from a

cliff. But his prayer was accepted. The mountain shook, and the people

who where assigned to carry the persecution perished. The boy was saved. He told the king that Allah had saved him.

“The king sent the boy to the sea where he would be dropped and drowned. Again Allah saved him. The waves drowned the king’s men.

The boy said the to king: ‘You cannot kill me until you do what I say’.

‘What is that?' asked the king.

‘Collect people, crucify me on a trunk of the tree, take an arrow

from my quiver, and say [before shooting me] (“In

the name of Allah, the Lord of this boy”).

“The king did what the said. He hit the boy in his temple with his arrow. He felt the wound with his fingers and died. The crowd cried,

‘We believe in the boy’s Lord’. The king’s adviser said to him: ‘I have

warned you not to do what the boy had suggested. Now it has happened. You see, all people have become believers.’

“So the king blocked the road with a huge pit, put fire in it, and

said: ‘Whoever abandons his faith will be spared. But nobody listened

23

to him. They had solid faith. They pushed each other into the burning

pit. A woman with a baby in her arms looked hesitant to jump. Her baby suddenly talked to her: ‘Be patient, mom, you are on the right

way.’” (A similar version was also reported by Muslim and al-Nasā’ī).

This is one of many examples of solid faith. This reminds us of

Bilāl, ‘Ammār b. Yāsir, and the magicians of the Pharaoh who defied threat and punishment.

Allah said in the Qur’ān:

“By the sky, with its constellation; by the promised day

(of judgement); by one that witnesses and the subject of the witness,

woe to the makers of the pit (of fire), the fire supplied (abundantly)

with fuel; Behold! They sat over against the (fire)and they witnessed

(all) that they were doing against the believers. And they ill-treated

them for no other reason than that they believed in Allah exalted in

power, worthy of all praise! Him to Whom belongs the dominion

of the heavens and the earth! And Allah is witness to all things.

Those who persecute [i.e., burning alive] the believers, men

and women, and do not turn in repentance, will have

chastisement of the burning fire.”31

Another interpretation is that the above verses referred to the

following story: One of the kings of the Himyarite dynasty in Yemen was Dhū Nuwās (490-525 C.E.). After visiting Yathrib (now called

Madinah) where many inhabitants were Jews, he converted to Judaism.

Then he invaded Najran (now a small town in Saudi Arabia located near the border with Yemen), to crush the flourishing Christianity

there. He made a trench filled with fire and threw the Christians into it.

The Orientalist historian Sir William Muir said that there were no less than twenty thousand Christians perished.

Then persecution of the Christians in Yemen (not only in Najran)

made the prince of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), who was a Nestorian, to 31 Qur’ān, Burūj, [85]:1-10

24

revenge. He sent an expedition in 525 C.E. ending with the death of

Dhū Nuwās and the subjection of Yemen. However, in general sense, the above verses refer to any people who tortured and burned the

believers alive, Allah will punish them in the same way, with fire,

unless they repent.

10. THE POSITION OF FUQAHĀ’ (MUSLIM JURISTS)

During my stay in this city (Edmonton) I notice that

disagreements and discussions among our Muslim brother sometimes occurred which led to hot debates. Fortunately, the issues did not deal

with the essence of Islam, namely, the faith. I wonder why we do not

consult the fuqahā’ (Muslim jurists) in the Islamic world instead of leading a discussion which does not lead anywhere.

It is normal to have different views. It is natural to be different. There is no harm in being different as long as we are tolerant and

broad-minded. The following h.adith will hopefully give us a lesson.

After the campaign of al-Azāb the Prophet on his way to

Madinah Jibrīl (Gabriel) came to him and told him that Allah ordered

him to march towards Banī Qurayz.ah. He asked Bilāl to announce it to

people which he did and said:

"Whoever heard this (announcement) should not

pray ‘As.r until he reaches Banī Qurayz.ah”32

Some companions, by using ijtihād and reasoning, prayed on the way before ‘As.r time was over and said that the Prophet merely

wanted them to arrive early at Banī Qurayz.ah, not to delay the ‘As.r

prayer. In other words, they did not stick to the text of the Prophet’s

order, but followed what they thought the Prophet meant by his order.

The other group stuck to the literal meaning of the Prophet’s order,

32 Reported by al-abrānī and al-Bayhaqī

25

namely, whatever happened they should not pray ‘As.r until they

reached Banī Qurayz.ah. When the Prophet heard this discrepancy,

what did they say to them? He did not blame any of the two groups. He

did not say that one of the two groups was right and the other was wrong. Why? Both groups were obeying the Prophet according to their

understanding.

Dr. Muhammad ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Jazā’irī told us the following story: Sufyān b. ‘Uyaynah said: “Abū H...anīfah and al-Awzā‘ī met each

other at (the barn) at Mecca. Al-Awzā‘ī asked Abū H...anīfah:

‘Why don’t you raise your hands when you bow down and when you raise from bowing in your prayer?’ Abū H...anīfah answered: ‘Because

there is no sound report stating that the Prophet did it.’ Al-Awzā‘ī

asked: ‘How? Al-Zuhrī narrated to me from Sālim from his father (Ibn

‘Umar) from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) that he raised his hands when he started the prayer, when he bowed down and when he raised from

bowing.’ Abū H...anīfah said: ‘H...ammād narrated to me from Ibrāhīm al-

Nakhā‘ī from ‘Alqamah and al-Aswad that the Messenger of Allah

(p.b.u.h.) did not raise his hands except in starting the prayer.’ Al-Awzā‘ī said: ‘I told you about the h.adīth narrated by al-Zuhrī from

Sālim from his father, and you told me the h.adīth from H...ammād from

Ibrāhīm.’ Abū H...anīfah said: ‘H...ammād knew more about fiqh (Islamic

law) than al-Zuhrī; Ibrāhīm knew fiqh more than Sālim; al-‘Alqamah

was not less knowledgeable in fiqh than Abdullah ibn ‘Umar; if ‘Abd

Allāh had a merit of being a companion of the Prophet, al-Aswad had also many merits. ‘Abd Allāh is ‘Abd Allāh.’ So, al-Awzā‘ī kept

silent.”

Another story is found in Qād. ī ‘Iyād. ’s book al-Ghunyah related

by ‘Abd Allāh b. ‘Umar who said: “We were with al-A‘mash when he

asked Abū H...anīfah about his judgement on certain legal issues. When

Abū H...anīfah gave him his legal judgments, al-A‘mash asked: ‘Where

did you get these answers from?’ Abū H...anīfah said: ‘From the h.adīth

narrated by Ibrāhīm you have told me, and from the h.adīth narrated by

al-Sha‘bī you have also told me.’ Al-A‘mash then said: ‘O Muslim jurists, you are the physicians and we [the traditionists] are the

druggists.

26

These two stories indicate the prominence of the Muslim jurists

over the traditionists. The h.adīths in solving legal issues are like

medicines in curing diseases. The use of medicine without the physician’s prescription could be dangerous. A h.adīth without a jurist

could lead us astray.

Knowing the different kinds of medicine does not make you a

physician, and knowing many h.adīths does not make you a jurist. You

could kill a patient if you are not a physician, and you could make

h.alāl (something permissible) h.arām (prohibited) and vice-versa. Let

us have a moral lesson from the following German story:

A medical student was having an oral-examination. His professor asked him the symptoms of a certain disease and the medicine to cure

it. The student answered correctly. But when he was asked the amount

of medicine he should give to the patient he said “one tea-spoon”. On his way out of the room he remembered that he was giving a wrong

answer. He came back and said to the professor: “Professor, the

patient should be given three drops of the medicine instead of one-tea-spoon.” The professor said: ‘Es tut mir leid, der Patient ist schon

gestorben” (I am sorry, the parent has passed away). The student

failed. Had he been a physician he could have killed his first patient.

Many commercial advertisements of TV mislead people. For

example, it was said that such-and-such medicine is stronger than the others. But this does not necessarily mean that it is better than the

others, because it is stronger. On the contrary, it could be worse if your

body cannot tolerate it. Physicians know this trick. That is why we consult them. If you want to kill a mouse, for example, a small stone

could be sufficient. You do not have to use a bomb or dynamite, which

is much stronger than a piece of stone.

In one tradition the Prophet said that having a bath on Friday is wājib (obligatory), but the jurists say it is recommended strongly as if it

were obligatory. They interpret (obligatory) as (like

obligatory), something necessary. So, if you have not taken your bath this week, it is time now to have it, because you will go to the mosque

for the Friday prayer and mingle with people and we do not want

people to be disturbed with your odour.

27

According to the Arabic language, the expression wājib could

mean “highly recommended”, while h.arām could mean “strongly

disproved”. The late Sayyid Darwīsh in his song said:

which means “visit me once each year, it is h.arām to forget me

completely.”

A traditionist (a h.adīth collector) is like a food supplier, and the

faqīh (a jurist) is like a cook. He cooks the traditions supplied by the

traditionist and makes his legal judgement out of them. He knows the tradition in which the Prophet prohibited people from drinking while

standing, and in the meantime he knows also that it happened that the

Prophet himself drank while he was standing.

Dr. Muhammad ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Jazā’irī said that there are some h.adīths which are temporary and deal with a particular time, such

as the h.adīth narrated by ‘Abd Allāh b. ‘Umar that the Prophet said:

“Do not imitate the idolaters, let your beard

grow and clip your moustaches.”33

In his commentary on this h.adīth ‘Abd al-Wahhāb Khallāf (d.

1375/1955), the former professor of Islamic Law at the Faculty of

Law, Cairo University, in his article “Mas.ādir al-Tashrī‘ al-Islāmī

Marinah” at Majallat al-Qānūn wa ’l-Iqtiād (May, 1945), as follows:

“The construction of the text itself indicates that this h.adīth is about

temporal law when the dress of idolaters was respected, the intention of

which is to be different from them, while people’s dress changes continually.” However, many Muslim scholars consider that growing

beards and clipping moustaches remains obligatory or highly

recommended for Muslim males till the Judgment day, and Muslims should tolerate this difference of opinion.

Another temporal h.adīth is narrated by Ya‘lā b. Shaddād that the

Prophet said:

33Reported by Bukhari and Muslim

28

“Do not imitate the Jews, they pray with

their shoes and slippers off.”34

This tradition indicates that Muslims are enjoined to pray with their footwear on if they are clean. The reason is clear, to be different

from the Jews in their prayers, even though the Jews were following

Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h.) in taking off his shoes. Allah says in the Qur’ān:

.

“Verily I am your Lord! Therefore put off thy shoes:

thou art in the sacred valley of Tuwa.”35

In another h.adīth Abū Sa’īd al-Khud.arī said:

“While the Prophet was praying with us he took off

his shoes and put them on his left side. Seeing that, people

also took off their shoes. After the prayer the Prophet asked:

‘Why did you take off your shoes?’ They said: ‘We saw you

taking off you shoes.’ The Prophet said: ‘Gabriel came to me

and told me that my shoes were dirty, so I took them off.

Therefore, if any of you come to the mosque, he has

to look at his shoes. If they are dirty he should

wipe them and pray with them on.’”36

The jurists did not stop here and stick to this h.adīth without

further study and say that wearing shoes is obligatory in prayer, in

order to be different from the Jews who prayed barefoot. The Prophet himself sometimes prayed barefoot and sometimes with his shoes on.

34 Reported by al-H...ākim, al-Bayh.aqī and Abū Dāwūd35 Qur’ān, T.āhā, [20]:12 36 Reported by Amad, Abū Dāwūd, al-Bayhaqī, Ibn H...uzaymah and Ibn ibbān

29

He used to put them on his left side. Narrated by Abū Hurayrah the

Propet said:

“If anyone of you prays he should put his shoes

neither on his right nor on his left; otherwise [if he puts

them on his left]they will be on somebody else’s right,

except if nobody is on his left.Therefore,

he should put them between his legs.”37

The above h.adīth is supported by the following h.adīth, narrated by

Abū Hurayrah, that the Prophet said:

“If any of you prays he should put his shoes on,

or take them off and put them between his

legs so that not to disturb others”38

These temporal h.adīths are for the Muslims’ benefit as

individuals as well members of the community. When the reason for

the ruling does not exist any longer the ruling also does not exist. This

kind of traditions deal with mu‘āmalāt (behaviour towards others) and ethics only, and not with īmān (faith) and ‘ibādāt (worship).

Therefore, the rulings of these temporal h.adīths do not always apply

permanently. They have, according to Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah’s

term, tashrī‘ ‘ām (general ruling).

11. BALĀ’ (TEST)

Allah says in the Qur’ān:

37 Reported by Abū Dāwūd, al-Bayhaqī, al-ākim, Ibn ibbān, and Ibn

H...uzaymah

38 Reported by al-ākim, Ibn ibbān, and Ibn uzaymah

31

.

“Be sure We shall test you with something

of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, or lives and

the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently

preserve,--who say, when afflicted with calamity: ‘to Allah we belong,

and to Him is our return.’-- They are those of whom (descend)

blessings from their Lord, and mercy, and they are

the ones that receive guidance.”39

Balā’ literally means “test” either with good or with bad things. In the Qur’ān, it has two meanings: test and blessing. Balā’ as a test is

in the verse we have just mentioned before. Another example is in the

following verse:

“… and We test you by evil and good by way

of trial. To Us must ye return.”40

Balā’ which means “blessing” is found also in the following

verse:

“And remember, We delivered you [i.e., the Israelites] from

the people of Pharaoh: they sent you hard tasks and chastisement,

slaughtered your sons and let your women-folk live: therein was

a tremendous trial [here means “blessing”] from your Lord.”41

The Pharaoh of the oppression, Ramses II, had a dream that fire came from Jerusalem entering the houses of the Egyptians but not

those of the Israelites. Therefore he knew that one of the Israelites was

born and would threaten his kingdom. So, he killed the babies, and gave hard labour to the Israelites. But through Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h.)

39 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:155-157

40 Qur’ān, Hud [21]:35

41 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:49

31

Allah delivered the Israelites from Pharaoh’s hard labour and this was a

tremendous blessing.

A test is not easy, either good or evil. A man can lose hope

because of a test. He might say like the atheists used to say: “If there is

any god who is kind, merciful, why did He let this disaster happen? The prolific writer Mah.mūd Must.afā gives us the following answer:

1. Judging a play by watching only one act of it is misleading. A boy will cry when his father takes him to the hospital for an operation

and will consider it an evil deed. But when the boy grows up he will

understand that behind this accidental evilness there is a permanent goodness, for the sake of which forbearance is necessary. Man’s life

is similar to this. His life is still going on, and his death does not

unveil the curtain, because the play goes on after his death where there are still other acts. Therefore, the play of life cannot be judged

by witnessing only one act of it, i.e., the presence of evil in this

world.

2. Man’s personality, character, firmness ( ) , and determination

( ) , are firmly related to his suffering. Without wrongdoing () ,

hurting () , and injustice ( ) , there would be respectively no

forgiveness, mercy and justice.

3. A thing which seems to be a defect in a partial view is actually a

blessing and goodness in the whole sight. What seems to be a dirty spot in a picture might in fact, looked at very closely, be a shadow

without which the picture will not appear beautiful. Earthquakes,

volcanoes’ eruptions and other natural disasters, in spite of destroying thousands of people, have a good function in keeping the

balance between the disrupting and boiling inner part of the earth and its stable hard peel. Earthquakes restore mountains to their

proper places after they have slowly moved. And mountains are like

props protecting the peel of the earth from exploding, because of the hard pressure of the inner part of the earth.

4. Evil is one aspect of the nature of freedom given to man by Allah. Freedom of will has no significance if it is exclusively for doing

good. Man will become compelled to do good things only.

Therefore, doing evil is another aspect of man’s freedom of will. Allah says:

32

“Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?--And a tongue,

and a pair of lips? And shown him two highways?” 42

The two highways of life, as explained by A.Y. Ali, are: (1) the steep and difficult path of virtue, and (2) the easy path of vice.

5. Good and evil are two sides of one coin. Floods and wars, for example, are evil on one side, but they mean life on the other. Wars

divided people into families, clans, tribes, nations, and finally

brought them to one international table in the Security Council of the United Nations. Through scientific research during the war

people made discoveries and inventions: penicillin, blood

transfusion, atomic energy, rockets, jet engines, submarines, radar, etc.

6. Evil in its pure origin does not exist. There is only absence of

goodness, the absance that accompanies the limitations of man as

well as of other creatures. Otherwise, man will become free from defect, and in turn, will become god, i.e., every man is created to be

a god, and this is impossible.

In one tradition narrated by Suhayb the Prophet said:

“How amazing the condition of a believer

Is! If good fortune befalls him, he thanks Allah and this is

good for him. And if ill-fortune befalls on him, he becomes

patient and this is [also] good for him.”43

But for people who lack faith, let us hear what Allah says:

“If We give man a taste of mercy from Ourselves, and then withdraw 42Qur’ān, al-Balad [90]:3

43 Reported by Muslim

33

it from him, behold! he is in despair and (falls into) ingratitude. But

if We give him a taste of (Our) favours after adversity hath touched

him, he is sure to say, ‘All evil has departed from me.’ Behold!

He falls into exultation and pride. Not so do those who show

patience and constancy, and work righteousness; for

them is forgivenes(of sins) and a great reward.”44

12. KUFR (INFIDELITY)

There is a story about a hunter and his bear. One day the hunter

went hunting. When he became tired he took rest under a tree and fell

asleep. His bear watched and guarded him. A fly started disturbing the hunter and stayed on his forehead. The bear wanted to kill it and took a

piece of stone. Fortunately the hunter had woken up before the bear hit

the fly on his forehead. The moral lesson in this story is that good action with good intention but with ignorance could end with an

undesirable consequence.

Speaking about people who are extremely enthusiastic about

Islam but with lack of knowledge and understanding of this religion,

the prominent Egyptian scholar Shaykh (Sheikh) Muhammad al-Ghazālī tells us the following story:

It happened that the chief of a village sent a message to the imam

of a mosque asking him to tell the people in the mosque that an

agricultural engineer was coming, and a meeting would be held with him, so that he could give them important directions concerning

agriculture. When the imam took the microphone, a pious student

protested and said that the Prophet had prohibited people from asking about straying camels in the mosque, and argued that the mosque was

exclusively for the purpose of praying; he prohibited the imam from

using the microphone. When the dispute became intensified, the student grabbed the microphone and said, “The microphone can be

taken from me only after my dead body.”

Shaykh al-Ghazālī’s comment on this incident is that the use of

analogy by comparing the agricultural directions with looking for a

44 Qur’ān, Hūd [11]:9-11

34

straying camel is not correct. Even if it were correct, it would be easier

than sacrificing a person. He said further that strangely enough, this extremity occurs in covetousness and disputable matters, such as being

fastidious on where and how you put your hands and legs in praying,

instead of being active in social services which will give more benefit to the community. When religious extremists find any wrong-doing

with people, they hasten to brand them with rebellion (fisq) or

infidelity (kufr) as if they consider a person to be sinful until he is proved to be innocent which is contrary to the Islamic law.

The extremists say that whoever leaves the obligatory prayers

becomes kāfir (infidel), citing many h.adīths (traditions) from the

Prophet, such as: “Prayer is the prop of the religion (of Islam); whoever

leaves it is kāfir.” Arguing with them, Shaykh al-Ghazālī said that the person who leaves the obligatory prayers commits a great sin, but he

becomes a infidel only if he denies what is known in religion by

necessity, such as the oneness of Allah, the messengership of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), and the obligation of fasting in the month of

Ramadan. With regard to those who leave the obligatory prayers out of

negligence, they are not infidels because they affirm the injunction of these obligatory prayers.

Rejecting the extremists’ view that the neglectors of prayers

should be treated as apostates, al-Ghazālī said that we should not forget

the tradition reported by h.adīth collectors that the Prophet said about a

person who left his prayers out of negligence, that he had no‘ahd (covenant, protection) with Allah; Allah might forgive or punish him.

Al-Ghazālī contends that this is also the view of the majority of the

Muslims, and the H...anafīs (followers of the H...anafī school of law) do

not persecute this kind of people. We should be kind to him, give him advice and lead him to the mosque.

The word (kafara) literally means “to cover”. The expression

means “he covered his coat of arms with his dress (robe)”.

The expression means, “the night covered the thing”. The

pre-Islamic poet Labid said in his poetry which

means “in a night when its cloud covered the stars.” The word

(kāfir), infidel, originally means “a coverer”, namely, something that covers; it could also mean: a dark night, a sea, a grand valley, a big

river, a distant place, a dark cloud, a coat of arm, a plant, a person who

35

covers his coat of arm under his garment, a farmer, and many other

meanings. In the following Qur’ānic verse the word ار فك (kuffār, pl. of kāfir) means “farmers, the tillers.”

“(It is) as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof

the growth is pleasing the tillers.”45

Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s comment on this verse is as follows:

“Kuffār is here used in the unusual sense of ‘tillers or husbandmen’,

because they sow the seed and cover it up with soil. But the ordinary

meaning,‘Rejecters of the Truth’, is not absent.

The allegory refers to such men”

So, here the word kuffār means “farmers”. However, in another verse, the word kuffār means “infidels”, “unbelievers”, namely “coverers of

the truth.” Allah said:

“… But their description in the Gospel is like a (sown) seed

[of Islam] which sends forth its shoots, then makes it strong, and

becomes thick and its stands straight on its stem, delighting

the sowers[i.e., the Prophet and his companions], that

He may enrage the disbelievers with them…”46

There are four meanings of (kufr) and its derivatives in the

Qur’ān: (rejection), (denial), (ungratefulness), and

disown). The examples in the Qur’ān are as follows:

1. Kufr which means “rejection” is as in the following verse:

“As to those who reject faith it is the same to them whether thou

warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe.”47

Kufr which means “denial” is as in the following verse:

45 Qur’ān, al-H...adīd [57]:20

46Qur’ān, al-Fath. [48]:29

47Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:6

36

“And when there comes to them a Book from Allah [i.e., the Qur’ān],

confirming that is with them [i.e., the Torah]—although from the

old they had prayed for victory against those without faith

—when there comes to them that which they (should)

have recognized, they refused to believe in it; but

the curse of Allah is on those without faith.”48

The occasion which led to the revelation of the above verse is as

follows: The Jews of Madinah used to threaten the Arab idolaters,

saying: “A prophet will come at the end of time and will assist us fighting against you.” But when Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) came

they denied him, although they knew him as they knew their own sons.

Allah says:

“The People of the Book [i.e., the Jews of Madinah] know this

[Prophet Muhammad] as they know their own sons, but some

of them conceal the truth which they themselves know.”49

A.Y. Ali’s commentary on this verse is as follows:

“The People of the Book know Muhammad

as they know their own sons: they know him to be true

and upright: they know him to be in the line of Abraham: they know

him to correspond to the description of the prophet foretold among

themselves: but the selfishness induces some of them to act

against their own knowledge and conceal the truth.”

Mu‘ādh bin Jabal told the Jews: “O Jewish people, fear Allah and become Muslims; when we were still idolaters you used to threaten

us with Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) whom you told us about his characters

and traits. Now he has come.” One of the Banū al-Naz.īr Jewish tribe

48 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:89

49 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah ]2]:146

37

said: “The one we know has not come yet, and Muhammad is not

the one we mentioned to you.” So Allah revealed the above verse.

2. Kufr, which means “ungratefulness”, is as in the following verse:

“Then do ye remember Me; and I will remember you. Be grateful

to Me and reject not faith [namely, do not be ungrateful.”50

In another verse Allah says:

“We bestowed (in the past) wisdom on Luqman: ‘Show (thy)

gratitude to Allah’. Any who is (so grateful does so to the

profit of his own soul: but if any is ungrateful, verily

Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praise.”51

Kufr which means “disown” is as in the following verse:

“But in the day of judgment ye shall disown each other.”52

These are some examples in the Qur’ān where the term and

its derivatives should be understood and translated in its contextual

meanings rather than its literal, basic, or textual meanings. Failing to

do this could mislead people. Moreover, the term which means

“unbelief” and its derivatives is divided into major kufr and minor

kufr. In his book (The Ways of Path Followers) Ibn al-

Qayyim al-Jawziyyah of the H...anbalī school divided kufr into two

categories: the major kufr, namely, rejecting and denying Allah and

His Messenger, and the minor kufr, namely, committing sins,

disobedience without rejecting Allah and His Messenger. The example of minor kufr is as in the following verse:

.

“If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what

Allah hath revealed, they are unbelievers.”53

50Qur’ān al-Baqarah [2]:152

51 Qur’ān, Luqmān [31]:12

52 Qur’ān, al-‘Ankabūt [29]:25

38

A group of people called (a party which charge

people of being unbelievers and departing from Islam) whose leader is Shaykh Shukrī considers whoever commits a major sin as a kāfir, an

unbeliever. In his book (My

Reminiscence with the Muslim group al-Takfīr wa 'l-Hijrah) ‘Abd al-Rah.mān Abū al-Khayr says that according to these people the Muslim

rulers are unbelievers because they do not judge according to what

Allah has revealed, as mentioned in the above verse: the people (the Muslim rulers’ subjects) are also unbelievers, because they obey the

rules which are not revealed by Allah. The ‘ulamā’ (Muslim scholars)

are also unbelievers, because they do not condemn their rulers as unbelievers. Those who reject their views are also unbelievers, even if

they accept their view but do not pay allegiance to their emir, are still

unbelievers. Those who accept the view of the founders of the Islamic schools of law, ijmā' (the consensus of opinions of Muslim scholars),

qiyās (analogy), istih.sān (the method of finding the law which for any

reason is contradictory to the usual qiyās), and other sources of the

Sharī‘ah are all unbelievers.

This is extremity in branding the Muslims with infidelity. Prophet

Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) had warned us against practicing this kind of accusation when he said:

“Whoever says to his brother ‘O kāfir’ it [i.e., being

kāfir or the accusation of it] will go to one of them."54

Therefore, since the accused is not a convicted apostate then the

accusation will turn back to the accuser. This is the danger of having insufficient knowledge of Islam and making fatwā (a personal legal

judgement, which should be given exclusively by Muslim judges and

scholars) out of it. An unqualified physician is dangerous to his patients, and an unqualified ‘alim is dangerous to the Muslims.

53 Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah [5]:44

54 Reported by Amad

39

13. FITNAH

The Qur’ānic science has many branches, among which are:

(Arabic grammar), (Rhetoric), (the occasion which

led to the occurrence of revelation), and (al-wujūh wa’l-

naz.ā’ir), usually translated, although not very accurately, as

Homonyms and Synonyms.

Wujūh is the plural of wajh which has many meanings, among which are: face, aspect, sense, meaning, intention, side, way, method, reason, etc. Naz.ā’ir is the plural of naz.īr, which has also many

meanings, among which are: matching, equivalent, compensation, and

exchange. The expression means “unequalled, matchless,

unparalleled, or unique of his (its) kind". Therefore al-wujūh wa ‘l-naz.ā’ir can also be translated as Meanings and Equivalents.

Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) in his book

(Meanings and Equivalents in the Qur’ān) mentions fifteen meanings of the term fitnah and its derivatives. They are: test, burning with fire,

infidelity, killing, straying from the right path, madness, torture,

hindrance, example, punishment, disease, decree, sin, excuse and idolatry. The details and examples are as follows:

1. (test). This is the literal meaning of fitnah. he expression

means “I tested the gold with fire.” We remember the

English proverb, “Gold is tested with fire, women with gold, and

men with women.” The goldsmith in Arabic is called (fattān, a

tester), and the stone used to test the gold is called (fattānah, a

tester). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“A.L.M. Do men think that they will be left alone on saying

‘we believe’ and that they will not be tested? We did test

those before them, and Allah will certainly know

those who are true from those who are false.”55

55 Qur’ān, al-‘Ankabūt [29]:1-3

41

2. (burning with fire). The expression means “burned

gold.” Speaking about (the makers of the pit of fire)

who burned the believers alive, Allah says:

“Those who persecute [here A. Yusuf Ali translates as ‘persecute’

while it means more specifically ‘burn alive’] the believers, men and

women, and do not turn in repentance, will have the chastisement

of Hell; they will have the chastisement of the burning fire.”56

Why did Allah mention “the chastisement of burning fire” in this

verse? Because the word fitnah here means ‘burning with fire” and

Allah wanted to inflict the same kind of chastisement they had done to the believers.

3. (unbelief, infidelity). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“…. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that

is not entirely clear, seeking discord [here A. Yusuf Ali translates

fitnah as “discord”, whereas according to Ibn al-Jawzi it means

“unbelief”], andsearching for its interpretation…”57

Al-Dāmaghānī in his book mentions the following verse

where the word means “unbelief”:

“Indeed they [i.e., the hypocrites of Madinah who made

an excuse for not joining the campaign of Tabuk

had plotted sedition [i.e., unbelief] before.”58

4. (killing). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

56 Qur’ān, al-Burūj [85]:1057 Qur’ān, al-‘Imrān [3]:7

58 Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:48

41

“And when ye travel through the earth, there is no blame

on you if ye shorten your prayers, for fear the

unbelievers may attack [i.e., kill] you.”59

Here A. Yusuf Ali translates fitnah as “attack”, while according to Ibn al-Jawzī and al-Dāmaghānī it means “killing.” A question arises

here: If no more danger of killing or attack, are we still allowed to

shorten our prayers? Imām Ah.mad b. H...anbal reported that Ya‘lá b.

Umayyah asked ‘Umar b. Khat.t.āb about this issue. ‘Umar, not

knowing the answer, asked the Prophet who said: “It is a gift from Allah to you, so accept His gift.” The distance of journey, which

entitles us to shorten the prayer, is about 85 km (some scholars say

shorter).

5. (straying from the right path). The example in the Qur’ān is as

follows:

“If any one’s trial [i.e., straying from the truth] is intended by Allah,

thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah.” 60

This verse dealt with the hypocrites and the Jews who were eager to

catch up any lies against the Prophet.

6. (madness). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“Soon wilt thou see, and they will see, which

of you is afflicted with madness.”61

7. (torture, persecution). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“Then there are among men such as say: ‘We believe in Allah’, but

when they suffer affliction in (the cause of) Allah, they treat men’s

oppression [i.e., torture] as if it were the wrath of Allah.”62

59 Qur’ān, al-Nisā’ [4]:401

60 Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah [5]:41

61 Qur’ān, al-Qalam [68]:5-6

62 Qur’ān, al-‘Ankabūt [29]:10

42

8. (hindrance). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

.

“But beware of them lest they beguile [i.e., hinder] thee from any

of that (teaching) which Allah hath sent down to thee…”63

9. (example). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“O Lord! Make us not a trial [i.e., an example]

for those who practise oppression.”64

This was the supplication of the Israelites who followed Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h). They prayed to Allah that they would not be

conquered and oppressed by the Pharaoh and his followers, so that

they would not become an example for the oppressors by thinking that since they had conquered the Israelites, the victor was on the

right side and the conquered was on the wrong way.

10. (punishment). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“Let those beware who withstand the Messenger’s order,

lest some trial [i.e., punishment] befall them, or

a grievous chastisement be inflicted on them.”65

Here A. Yusuf Ali translates fitnah as “trial”, while according to

Ibn Kathīr, it means “unbelief, hypocrisy and heresy”.

11. (disease). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“See they not that they [i.e., the hypocrites] are tried

[with disease] every year once or twice? Yet they

turn not in repentance, and they take no heed.”66

According to Ibn al-Jawzī the fitnah is “disease”, because the

previous verse mentions “the disease of the heart”, while

63 Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah [5]:49

64 Qur’ān, Yūnus [10]:85

65Qur’ān, al-Nūr [24]:63 66 Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:126

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according to Mujāhid and Qatādah it means respectively

“hunger” and “invasion”.

12. (decree). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“And Moses chose seventy of his people for Our place of meeting:

when they were seized with violent quaking, he prayed: ‘O my Lord!

If it had been Thy will Thou couldst have destroyed, long before,

both them and me: wouldst Thou destroy us for the deeds of

the foolish ones among us? This is no more than Thy trial

[i.e., decree]: by it Thou causest whom Thou wilt stray,

and Thou leadest whom Thou wilt into the right path.

Thou art our protector: so forgive us and give us Thy

mercy; for Thou art the best of those who forgive.’”67

However, according to Ibn Kathīr fitnah here means “test”.

13. (sin). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“Have they not fallen into trial [i.e., sin]already?”68

It means that they have fallen into sin. However, according to al-

Dāmaghānī the word fitnah here means kufr (unbelief).

14. (excuse). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

“One day shall We gather them together:

We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us):

‘Where are the partners whom ye (invented and) talked

67 Qur’ān, al-A‘rāf [7]:155 Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:49

68Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:49

44

about?’There will then be (left) no excuse for thembut

to say: ‘By Allah our Lord, we were not those

who joined gods with Allah.’”69

This is also the interpretation of ‘At.ā’ and Qatādah. However,

according to Ibn ‘Abbās, the expression here means

(their argument) which was adopted by A.Y. Ali who translated it as “subterfuge” before the revision of his translation.

15. (idolatry). The example in the Qur’ān is as follows:

‍

“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do

not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. And

slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from

where they have turned you out; for persecution

[i.e., idolatry] is worse than slaughter.”70

Beside Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Dāmaghānī al-Tiflisī, Abū al-‘Āliyah, Mujāhid, ‘Ikrimah, al-T.abarī and Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūt.ī all say that the

fitnah which is worse than killing is shirk (idolatry). So it is not

“denouncing against someone” as we used to hear people say, but

idolatry. Ibn Kathīr says: “Idolatry, unbelief and turning away from Allah’s way are worse than killing.” Sayyid Qutub says: “Fitnah in

religion is an attack against the most sacred thing in human life, and

therefore, is worse than killing … whether it is in the form of threat and infliction, creation of bad condition which will lead people astray …

such as the teaching of atheism, legalizing the prohibited things such as

adultery and alcohol.”

With regard to the fitnah which means “informing about or

against somebody” which is a common meaning of fitnah in Egypt, or

the fitnah which means “slandering, backbiting” a common meaning of fitnah in Indonesia, this is not the kind of fitnah which is worse than

killing, but rather the shirk, idolatry, polytheism. Here lies the danger

of interpreting Allah’s words without sufficient knowledge. A. Yusuf

69 Qur’ān, al-An‘ām [6]:22-23

70 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:190-191

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Ali did mention the various meanings of fitnah, namely, trial or

temptation, punishment, tumult or oppression, discord, sedition, and civil strive.

By learning in the Qur’ān we have a better

understanding of the verses of the Qur’ān. Further study of this branch

of the Qur’ānic science is extremely needed for those who want to learn more about the Qur’ān.

14. SALMĀN AL-FĀRISĪ (THE PERSIAN)

One of the famous seekers of truth in Islamic history was Salmān

al-Fārisī (the Persian). He was the one who suggested to the Prophet to dig a trench around Madinah to protect the city in the Battle of

theTrench. How he became a Muslim, the famous historian and

mufassir (commentator of the Qur’ān), Ibn Jarīr al-T.abarī (the native of

Tabaristan) told us about this s.ah.ābī (companion of the Prophet) as

follows:

Salmān was a soldier of the Sassanian empire and a close friend of the prince. One day they went for hunting and found a man in an

isolated house weeping while reading a book. He told them that he was

reading a Bible (Injīl) revealed to Prophet ‘Īsā (Jesus, p.b.u.h.) [not the kind of Bible we are having now]. They were interested to learn its

contents. They learned them from the man and became believers. He

told them that the dhabīh.ah (slaughtered animals) of their people were

prohibited for them.

One day the king made a feast, but the prince refused to attend.

When his father insisted to know the reason, he said the it was because they were infidels and their slaughtered animals were forbidden for

him.

“Who told you this?”, asked the king.

“The monk”, said the prince. The king called the monk who

confirmed what the prince had said.

“If killing were not a big thing for us,” said the king, “I should

have killed you. Leave the country!”

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The monk told Salmān and the prince that he was leaving for his

church at Mosul (in Iraq) where sixty monks were worshipping Allah, and that they should go there, too, if they had really become believers.

The prince sold his belongings before leaving, but Salmān could not

wait for him. He left alone and went to the church at Mosul.

Salmān worshipped very hard in this church. His host monk wanted him to take it easy. Salmān asked him: “Which is better, the

hard worship that I am doing or the easy worship you are suggesting?”

When the monk said that his hard worship was better, Salmān kept it.

When the monk offered to move with him to another church where easy worship was offered, Salmān asked him again which

church would be better for him. When the monk told him that the

present one was better, Salmān kept staying in it. Before leaving, the monk entrusted Salmān to a learned monk.

The new monk wanted to go to Jerusalem and told Salmān that it would be better for him to accompany him to Jerusalem. So he went. In

Jerusalem the monk told him to go to seek knowledge from learned

people. He did, and one day he came home very sad.

“What happened?”, asked the monk.

“All good things have been taken by prophets before us and his

followers,” said Salmān.

“O Salmān, don’t be sad,” said the monk. “There is still a new prophet left who is the best one to follow. The time of his coming is

approaching. I don’t think I shall live long enough to see him. You are

still young. I hope you can see him. He will appear in the Arab land. If you see him, believe and follow him…. There is a seal of prophethood

on his back. He will refuse charity but will accept gift.”

Salmān lost the monk on the way back to Mosul. He was

betrayed by Bedouins of the Kalb tribe who took him to Madinah. This

made him very sad. Then he was bought by a woman from Juhaynah tribe. With another young man he tended her sheep in turn, one day for

himself, the next day for the young man.

While Salmān was tending the sheep, the young man came and

said: “Today a man who claimed to be a prophet is coming to Madinah.” Salmān asked him to tend the sheep until he came back. He

went to the city to see the Prophet. He tried to see the seal of

prophethood on his back. When he saw it, he bought food with one dinar and presented it to the Prophet.

47

“What is this?”, asked the Prophet.

“Charity,” said Salmān.

“I don’t need it, give it to the Muslims,” said the Prophet. Salmān

went to buy food again and presented it to the Prophet.

“What is this?”, asked the Prophet.

“A gift,” said Salmān

“Sit down,” said the Prophet and ate the food and talked.

While talking to the Prophet, Salmān remembered his friends whom he left behind. He talked to the Prophet about them, saying:

“They prayed, fasted, believed in you, and witnessed that you would be appointed a prophet.” To answer this question, Allah revealed to the

Prophet the following verse:

“Those who believe (in the Qur’ān), and those who

follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and

the Sabians, any who believe in Allah and the Last

Day, and work righteousness, shall have their

reward with their Lord, on them shall be

no fear, nor shall they grieve.”71

This means that the Jews who followed Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h.)

and kept the Torah until the advent of Prophet Jesus (p.b.u.h.) will be safe. But those who still kept the Torah and did not want to follow

Prophet Jesus (p.b.u.h.) after that will be damned. The Christians who followed Prophet Jesus (p.b.u.h.) and kept the Injil until the advent of

Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) will be safe. But those who did not want

to follow Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) after that will be damned.

There are many views about the Sabians. Some scholars said that

they were angel worshipers. According to the Qur’ānic commentator Ibn Kathir they were people who had no religion. The Orientalist B.

Carra de Faux divided the Sabians into two groups: the followers of

Prophet Yah.yā (John the Baptist) and the pagan Sabians who lived

under the Muslim rule.

71Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:62

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According to Ibn ‘Abbās, the Prophet’s cousin and the famous

Qur’ānic commentator, the next verse revealed was:

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah),

never will it be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be

in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual) good.”72

15. ‘ABD ALLĀH BIN UBAY

While the Prophet was resting after the campaign of Banī al-

Mus.t.aliq which took placed in 6/ca. 628 he heard somebody fighting.

It was Jahjāh b. Sa‘īd al-Ghaffārī, a muhājir (an emigrant) fighting over water against Sinān b. Wabr al-Jahnī, of the ans.ār (“the helpers”,

the native of Madinah). Sinān shouted: “O ans.ār, help me!” and

Jahjāh also shouted: “O muhājirīn, help me!” The Prophet said to

them: “Are you still practising the jāhiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance)

while I am among you? Stop this jāhiliyyah practice, because it is disgusting.”

When the leader of the hypocrites, ‘Abd Allāh bin Ubay heard

this, he said to his people around him:

“Now, they did it: they have created

aversion against us, they have outnumbered us

in our own country. By Allah, we are now with these

rugs of the Quraysh [meaning the ompanions of the Prophet

who protected him like a dress] who are like what the saying

said, ك لكأيل كبلك نمس (‘Fatten your dog so that it will

eat you [in the end”]). By Allah, when we return to

Madinah the honourable element [meaning his

people] will expel the meaner [meaning the

muhājirīn, the emigrants] from it.”

He blamed his people further, saying,

72 Qur’ān, Al ‘Imrān [3]:85

49

“This is what you have done to yourselves.You

let them come to your land and you let them share with

you your property. Had you prevented them from

all these, they would have never come here.”

A boy called Zayd b. Arqam heard these words, told his uncle

who, in turn, told the Prophet who was with ‘Umar. ‘Umar said to the

Prophet: “You better tell ‘Ubbad to kill him.” [In another version, ‘Umar said: “Let me kill him.”] The Prophet said: O ‘Umar, how if

people say that Muhammad has killed his own companion? No, never,

but tell people that we are leaving for home.” So people started moving.

When ‘Abd Allāh b. Ubay heard that the Prophet had been told

what he had said, he came to him to apologize, swearing that he had

never said what Zayd had told him. One of the ans.ār told the Prophet

that Zayd might have not quite remembered what he had heard from ‘Abd Allāh b. Ubay. When the Prophet believed him instead of Zayd,

Zayd became very sad. He had never been so sad before, and stayed at

home. Then Allah revealed the beginning of the Chapter of Hypocrites (Surat al-Munafiqin) as follows:

“When the hypocrites come to thee, they say,

’We bear witness that thou art indeed the Messenger of

Allah’ Yea, Allah knoweth that thou art indeed His Messenger,

and Allah beareth witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.They

made their oaths a screen (for their misdeeds): thus they obstruct (men)

from the path of Allah; truly evil are their deeds. That is because they

51

believed, then they rejected faith; so a seal was set: therefore they

understand not. When thou lookest at them, their bodies please thee;

and when they speak, thou listenest to their words. They are as (worthless

as hollow) pieces of timber propped up, (unable to stand on their own).

They think that every cry is against them. They are the enemies; so

beware of them. The curse of Allah be on them! How are they deluded

(away from the truth)! And when it is said to them, ‘Come, the Messenger

of Allah will pray for your orgiveness,’ they turn aside their heads, and

thou wouldst see them turning away their faces in arrogance. It is equal

to them whether thou pray for their forgiveness or not. Allah will not

forgive them. Truly Allah guides not rebellious transgressors. They

are the ones who say, ‘Spend nothing on those who are with Allah’s

Messenger, till they disperse (and quit Madinah).’ But to Allah

belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the

hypocrites understand not. They say, ‘If we return to

Madinah, surely; the more honourable (element) will

expel therefrom the meaner.’ But the honour

belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to

the believers; but the hypocrites know not.”73

The Prophet summoned Zayd, the boy. He told him that Allah was on his side, that he had said the truth, and cited the verses to

him.

On the way back to Madinah the Prophet met the leader of the Aws tribe, Usayd b. H...ud.ayr who advised him to be gentle with ‘Abd

Allāh b. Ubay who felt that the Prophet had taken his power from him.

‘Abd Allāh’s son was also called ‘Abd Allāh. He was a very

pious companion of the Prophet. When he heard a rumor that the

Prophet wanted to kill his father, he came to him requesting him to carry out the execution. He said:

“If you really wanted to, let me do it, I’ll bring his head to you. By Allah, the Khazraj tribe knows that nobody among them who is

more dutiful and obedient to his father than I am. I am afraid, if

somebody else killed him I might not be able to stand seeing the killer of my father, and I might kill him, so that I would kill a believer for the

sake of an unbeliever, and this act would lead me to Hell.”

“We shall treat him well as long as he remains with us,” said the

Prophet.

73Qur’ān, al-Munafiqūn [63]:1-8

51

At the gate of Madinah ‘Abd Allāh the junior stood with his

sword unsheathed in his hand. He let everybody pass except his father.

“Get back,” he said.

“What is this, what is the matter with you?,” asked his father.

“I will not let you pass, unless the Messenger of Allah gives you

permission, for his he the honourable and you are the meaner.” [In another version, he said: “You will never enter Madinah until you say

that the Messenger of Allah is the most honourable and you are the

meanest.”]. Abdullah the senior waited the Prophet and complained to him against his son. The Prophet gave him permission to enter

Madinah.

The Prophet lived among the hypocrites in Madinah for almost

ten years without knowing them one by one except through their acts and behaviour. He knew them all only through revelation shortly

before his death. When he knew them he did not kick them out of the

Muslim community since they, like the Muslims, did their religious duties. The only person whom the Prophet told the identity of the

hypocrites was H...udhayfah al-Yamānī.

‘Umar worried about himself. He came to H...udhayfah who told

him: “You are not one of them, ‘Umar,” and no further explanation. Who are we, then, to point our index finger to somebody and say that

he is infidel or hypocrite through guessing and gesture, when the

Prophet himself and H...udhayfah who knew the identity of the

hypocrites but kept them secret and did not expel them from the Muslim community?

When Abdullah b. Ubay passed away, his son Abdullah came to

the Prophet and asked him to give him his shirt to make a shroud for

his father. When the Prophet gave him his shirt, he asked the Prophet

to perform the funeral prayer ( ) for his father. When the

Prophet stood to perform the prayer, ‘Umar held his dress, saying: “O

Messenger of Allah, are you going to pray for him when your Lord forbids you to?” (In another version ‘Umar said: “O Messenger of

Allah, are you going to pray for the enemy of Allah who said such-and-

such thing on such-and-such day?” and ‘Umar kept counting the days, and the Prophet smiled and said: “Even if you say more against him. O

‘Umar, stay back!”). Then the Prophet said: “Allah has given me a

choice only when He said,

52

“Whether thou ask for their forgiveness

or not (their sin is unforgivable): if thou ask

seventy times for their forgiveness,

Allah will not forgive them…”74

I have made my choice. I shall ask for his forgiveness more than

seventy times.” [In another version the Prophet said: “If I knew that he would be forgiven if I prayed for his forgiveness more than seventy

times, I would do.”]. So the Prophet prayed for Abdullah b. Ubay, went

to and stood at his grave. It is said that later ‘Umar wondered how dare he try to prevent the Prophet from doing something he knew better than

‘Umar.

Then Allah revealed the following verse:

“Nor do thou ever pray for any of them [i.e., the hypocrites]

that dies, not stand at his grave; for they rejected Allah and His

Messenger, and died in a state of perverse rebellion.”75

Since then the Prophet never prayed for any hypocrite or stood at his

grave. (The story is from a tradition reported by al-Bukhārī and

Muslim; the other version is by Ah.mad and al-Tirmidhī). If somebody

asked him to pray for a hypocrite he just said, “This is your

business”.

This showed how the Prophet treated his archenemy in disguise.

He prayed for him and asked Allah’s forgiveness for him at his death.

He showed his mercy to him, despite what he had done in his lifetime. It should not be misinterpreted that the Prophet had acted against the

will of Allah. Prohibition from praying funeral prayer for non-

believers was revealed later, allowing him to do so for the leader of the hypocrites of Madinah, but not to the rest of them.

74 Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:80 75 Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:84

53

After the death of the Prophet, H...udhayfah also refrained from

praying for the dead body of a person that he knew to be a hypocrite.

‘Umar also would not stand up to pray for a dead person unless he saw H...udhayfah standing there. Otherwise, if H...udhayfah was not there,

‘Umar would not pray for the dead person without giving any reason or

comment. This is one of many examples of Islamic behaviour how to

treat the hypocrites, the enemy in disguise.

16. THE BATTLE OF UH...UD (1)

One of the famous battles in Islamic history is the battle of Uh.ud.

Uh.ud is a hill north of Madinah where the battle took place between

the Muslims, led by Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) and the infidel

Quraysh tribe of Mecca. (Makkah). led by Abū Sufyān. The Meccans wanted to take revenge for their defeat and the loss of face at the battle

of Badr the year before. In this battle they were one thousand in

number but were defeated by three hundred Muslims.

After a journey of about ten days from Mecca, the Meccan army consisted of three thousand men, each with a camel for the journey,

and two hundred horses. They reached the oasis of Madinah on

Thursday in the month of Shawal 3/21 March, 625. Two days later, on Saturday 23 March, 625 C.E. the battle took place. The victory was

almost within the Muslims’ hand, but soon turned to be a defeat.

Khālid b. al-Walīd, who led the Meccan calvary observed some disorder in the Muslim advance. He overran the archers and attacked

the Muslim flank and rear. The Prophet received two or three wounds

on his face and leg. He himself wounded one Meccan who died from it.

The Muslim army retreated to the slopes of the hill. The

casualties: 27 of the Meccan and 75 of the Muslims, 70 of them were the ans.ār, whereas among the muhājirīn was the Prophet’s uncle

H...amzah.

Why the defeat? Because the archers, who had been told by the Prophet not to leave their posts to protect the Muslim infantry against

the attack from the rear, left their posts. Why did they leave their posts?

54

Because they saw the infantry was advancing and thought that the

battle was over. On the other hand, the Muslim casualties were mostly due to the Quraysh calvary. The Muslims themselves were too poor

and could not afford to have a calvary of their own.

Was the defeat of the Muslims in this battle a serious defeat? No,

from the military standpoint. The Meccan victory was not great. Although the Meccans had successfully avenged their defeat and

bloodshed of the battle of Badr, they failed in many of their objectives.

They failed to destroy the Muslim community in Madinah and remove the Prophet from his position and influence. They also failed to get

northern Arabia under their control. They could not destroy

completely the Muslim army, because they had a number of wounded and most of their horses had received arrow wounds. We see how

important it was to obey the commander

Why did Allah let the Muslims be defeated? Because Allah

wanted to give us Muslims a lesson. After the battle of Uh.ud Allah

revealed to the Prophet the following verse:

“So lose not heart. Nor fall into despair: for ye must

gain mastery if ye are true in faith. If a wound hath touched you,

be sure a similar wound hath touched the others. Such days (of varying

fortunes) We give to men and men by turns: that Allah may know those

that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks martyr-

witness [shuhada’, i.e., martyrs] to truth. And Allah loveth not those that

do wrong. Allah‘s object also is to purge those that are truth in faith and

to deprive of blessing those that resist faith [‘The purge or purification was

in two senses, (1) It cleared out the Hypocrites from the ranks of the Muslim

warriors, (2) The testing-time strengthened the faith of the weak and

wavering: for suffering has its own mission in life. The Prophet’s

example—wounded but staunch, and firmer than ever—put new life into

the Community.’ A.Y. Ali’s commentary]. Did ye think that ye would enter

Heaven without Allah testing those of you whofought hard (in His cause)

55

and remained steadfast? Ye did indeed wish for death before ye

encountered it [i.e., at the battle of Badr]: now ye have seen it with your

own eyes [i.e., in the battle of Uhud], (and ye flinch!).”76

What about the Muslims now? We are humiliated everywhere.

Why? Because we do not stick to our faith. We do not have strong faith. Allah says, “Ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith” as

mentioned above. He also says:

“The desert Arabs [i.e., Bedouins] say ‘We believe’. Say: ‘Ye have no

faith; but ye (only) say ’We submitted our wills to Allah [aslamna, we

become Muslims]’; for not yet has faith entered your hearts.”77

In another verse He says:

“The Bedouins are worst in unbelief and hypocrisy, and most fitted

to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down

to His Messenger: but Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise”78

Al-A‘rāb means “the Bedouins”. people living in the desert under their tents and under the burning sun. They were blamed for their

infidelity, hypocrisy and lack of faith. But now, are we Muslims better

than they were? The whole world knows how weak we are. We are still Bedouins in mentality and faith although we live in cities and

palaces—as comfortable a life technology can give.

17. THE BATTLE OF UH...UD (2)

Abu Sufyān was the brother of Ummu Jamīl who was the wife of Abū Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle. His name was Sakhr b. H...arb b. 76 Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān[3]:139-14377 Qur’ān, al-H...ujurāt [49]:14

78 Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:97

56

Umayyah. He was a leader of the aristocratic party in Mecca. He was a

respected merchant and led the great Meccan caravan several times. His eldest son H...anzalah was killed in the battle of Badr. His other son

‘Amr was taken prisoner, but afterwards he was exchanged for one

Muslim who was fallen into Abū Sufyān’s hands when going to Mecca

as pilgrim. His daughter Ramlah married a Muslim and emigrated with him to Abyssinia where she bore her daughter H...abībah. She was then

called Umm (Mother of) H...abībah.

In Abyssinia Ramlah’s husband converted to Christianity leaving her and her family without provider. When the Prophet learned about

her condition he sent a letter to the emperor of Abyssinia asking to

marry her. In this way she would remain Muslim and would find a protector when she returned to Mecca. Thus the Prophet was Abu

Sufyān’s enemy and son-in-law at the same time.

Abū Sufyān wanted to take revenge for the Meccan defeat at the

battle of Badr a year before. The size of his army was one thousand men. At the Battle of Uh.ud the Meccan army became three thousand

men. His wife Hind promised her slave Wah.shī to free him if he killed

H...amzah, the Prophet’s uncle. He did and was later set free. The

Prophet was hurt, and there was a rumour that he had been killed.

The battle of Uh.ud is so important in Islamic history. It was the

second battle in Islam and the first Muslims’ defeat. There were many Qur’ānic verses revealed to the Prophet after the battle of Uh.ud

concerning this battle, although it was not mentioned by name in the

verses. Some of these verses are as follows:

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“Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers

[i.e., Abu Sufyān and his followers for departing away from the

battle of Uhud], for that they joined partners with Allah, for which

He had sent no authority [i.e., proof]: their abode will be the Fire:

and evil is the home of the wrong-doers! Allah did indeed fulfil His

promise to you when ye with His permission were about to annihilate

your enemy [i.e., in the battle of Uhud]—until ye flinched and fell to

disputing about the order [i.e., not to leave the post and maintain

discipline], and disobeyed it after He brought you in sight (of the

victory) which ye covet. Among you are some that hanker after this

world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then did He divert you

from your foes in order to test you. But He forgave you [i.e., for

not annihilating you because of your sin]: for Allah is full of grace

to those who believe. Behold! Ye were climbing up the high ground,

without even casting a sideglance at any one, and the Messenger

in your rear was calling you back. There did Allah give you one

distress after another by way of requital [the first distress was that

many of them were killed and wounded and they lost booty: the second

grief was the news that the Prophet was killed], to teach you not to

grieve for (the booty) that had escaped you and for (the ill) that had

befallen you. For Allah is well aware of all that ye do. After (the

excitement) of the distress, He sent down calm on a band of you

overcome with slumber. [i.e., to the believers, so that they did not

suffer the distress], while another band [i.e., the hypocrites] was

stirred to anxiety by their own feelings, moved by wrong suspicion

of Allah—suspicions due to ignorance. They said: ‘Have we any

hand in the affair?’ Say thou: ‘Indeed, this affair is wholly Allah’s.’

They hide in their minds what they dare not reveal to thee. They

say (to themselves): ‘If we had had anything to do with this affair,

we should not have been in the slaughter 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 (all this was) that Allah might test what is in

your breasts and purge what is in your hearts.”79

So the battle of Uh.ud was a test who was truly a Muslim and who

was a hypocrite. Those who did not want to fight were not true

79 Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:151-154

58

believers. There is an English proverb saying, “A friend in need is a

friend indeed.” If a Muslim is called to fight in the way of Allah and does not hesitate to answer the call for Allah’s sake, he is a Muslim.

What have these verses to do with us? Well, we have fought

many battles and we have been defeated several times worse than the battle of Uh.ud, but we never learn from the battle of Uh.ud. Hopefully,

one day we shall learn.

18. THE BATTLE OF UH...UD (3)

Last Friday I talked about some Qur’ānic verses revealed after the battle of Uh.ud. Today I want to explain the rest of the verses dealing

with the battle of Uh.ud. Allah said:

“Those of you who turned back on the day of the two hosts met,

--it was Satan who caused them to fail, because of some (evil)

they had done. But Allah has blotted out (their fault):

for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing.”80

This verse talks about the hypocrites led by Abdullah b. Ubay.

Allah says further:

“O ye who believe! Be not like the unbelievers, who say of their

brethren, when they are travelling through the earth or engaged

80Qur’ān, Al ‘Imrān [3]:155

59

in fighting: ‘If they had stayed with us, they would not have died,

or been slain.’ This that Allah may make it a cause of sighs and

regrets in their hearts. It is Allah that gives life and death, and

Allah sees well all that ye do. And if ye are slain, or die, in the

way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better

than all they could amass. And if ye die or are slain, lo!

it is unto Allah that ye are brought together.”81

These verses mean that believers should not be like unbelievers

who said about people travelling for business or fighting for Islam. “If

they had been with us, not in their travel or in expedition, they would not have died or been killed, they would have been alive.” Allah does

not want us to say so, because He Himself is the One Who gives life

and takes life; wherever we go we would not die before its time. Moreover, dying in the way of Allah is better than the wealth we

collect, for Allah will reward us. In other words, travelling for business

is better than staying at home, but going out and fight in the way of Allah is the best, because Allah will forgive and have mercy on us.

When the Muslims wanted to know the condition of their brothers who fell martyrs in the battle of Uh.ud, Allah revealed:

“Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead. Nay,

they live, finding their sustenance from their Lord. They rejoice

in the bounty provided by Allah. And with regard to those who

left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the

(martyrs’) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have

they (cause to) grieve. They rejoice in the grace and the

bounty from Allah, and in the fact that Allah suffereth

not the reward on the faithful to be lost (in the least).”82

Therefore the martyrs are alive, rejoicing the bounty of Allah, living on

a different plane of life in a different world.

The Meccan army retreated to H...amrā’ al-Asad about 12 km

outside Madinah. The next day the Prophet and his companions who

81 Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:156-15882 Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:169-171

61

joined him in the battle of Uh.ud set out in pursuit of the retreating

enemy. When they reached the place the enemy had already left.

However, they remained nearby to avoid the impression that they were actually fleeing from the Prophet and the Muslims. During the day the

Muslims collected wood and lit many fires at night so that that their

force looked larger that it really was. The purpose was to lower the spirit of the enemy. It worked and Abu Sufyān and his army returned

Mecca within a day or two. On this occasion Allah revealed the

following verse:

“Of those who answered the call of Allah and the Apostle,

even after being wounded, those who do right and

refrain from wrong have a great reward.”83

Long before reaching Mecca, the Meccan leaders must have

realized their difficult position, despite their recent victory in the battle

of Uh.ud. They had collected all their forces, even with the support of

neighbouring tribes. The only way they could raise a stronger army was through the assistance of some nomadic tribes in the east and the

northeast. For this purpose, they used any means, such as making

propaganda about the Prophet’s weakness, mentioning memories of the prominence of Mecca, promising booty, even giving bribes. These

means worked, and with their huge army they attacked Madinah known

as the battle of the Trench.

19. PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S MIRACLES

Like other prophets before, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) was also endowed with miracles. The miracles of Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h.)

were turning his stick into a serpent and splitting the sea; the miracles 83 Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:172

61

of Prophet Jesus (‘Isā, p.b.u.h.) were speaking in his cradle defending

his mother’s honour, healing the sick and the blind, bringing a dead person back to life, and many others.

These are among Prophet Muhammad’s miracles: when he was

nursed by H...alīmah in the desert, he used to play and tend sheep with

H...alīmah’s son Abdulllah. One day two men wearing white dress came

and took him away, opened his breast and cleaned his heart. Abdullah

ran home and told his mother what had happened. H...alīmah worried

about Muhammad, so she brought him back to his mother in Mecca. At that time, he was four years old. These two people in white dress

were angels. This kind of heart cleaning operation by angels occurred

only to the Prophet, although the appearance of angels as human beings occurred also to Prophet Abraham (Ibrāhīm, p.b.u.h.), Maryam (Mary,

Prophet Jesus’ mother), and later Gabriel appeared to the Prophet and

his companions as a handsome man resembling Duh.yat al-Kalbī.

On the 27th of Ramadan, the Prophet received the first revelation

at Mt. H...irā’. The revelation continued for 23 years. He was ordered by

Allah to call people to Islam. In the beginning, he called people secretly for three years. Then, when he called them openly, the people

of Mecca were against him. In the seventh year of his mission, they

boycotted him, the Muslims, and the Banī Hāshim clan for assisting him. They wrote the ban on a piece of parchment and put it in the

Ka‘bah. The Prophet, the Muslims and the Banī Hāshim clan took

refuge to the mountain near Mecca where they lived in a very poor condition. After three years, Allah informed the Prophet that the

parchment had been destroyed by termites except the word

(“In Your Name, O Lord!”). The Prophet told this to his uncle Abū T.ālib who told the people. They opened the Ka‘bah and found what

Abū T.ālib had told them was true. So, they stopped the boycott.

When Sūrat al-Masad (Qur’ān, chapter 111) was revealed to the

Prophet and was heard by Abū Lahab’s wife, Ummu Jamīl, she was very angry. The surah runs as follows:

62

“Perish the hands of the Father of Flame! Perish he! No profit

to him from all his wealth, and all his gains! Burnt soon

will he be in a fire of blazing flame! His wife shall carry

the (crackling) wood—as fuel—A twisted rope of

palm-leaf fibre round her (own) neck!”84

Abū Lahab (“Father of Flame”) was the nickname of the

Prophet’s uncle for his fiery hot temper and ruddy complexion. His

wife, Ummu Jamīl was also cruel to the Prophet. She used to carry a bundle of thorn tied with ropes of twisted palm-leaf fibre and scattered

them at night in the paths where he used to take to injure him. After

hearing the revelation concerning her and her husband she went to the Ka‘bah and took a piece of stone to throw at the Prophet. Abū Bakr

was there. Although the Prophet was near her she did not throw the

stone at him. Later he told Abū Bakr that Allah had made him invisible to her.

When Allah ordered the Prophet and the Muslims to immigrate to Madinah, the Prophet, Abū Bakr and Ali were the last to leave. The

Meccans did not want Madinah to become a centre of Islamic call that would compete for the position of Mecca. They sent their young men,

each representing a clan, to kill the Prophet, so that all clans would be

responsible for the assassination. The Prophet’s clan would not be able to retaliate against them. They surrounded the Prophet’s house to kill

him while he was asleep. But Allah informed him about this scheme.

So he asked his cousin Ali to sleep on his bed and cover himself with the Prophet’s green garment. In the dark the Prophet came out of the

house citing Surat Yāsīn (Qur’ān, chapter 36) until he reached

“And We have put a bar in front of them and a bar behind

them, and further, We have covered them up;

so that they cannot see.”85

those those young men who intended to kill him felt drowsy. The

Prophet even put dust on their heads to humiliate their scheme. In the morning they found Ali instead of the Prophet.

84 Qur’ān, al-Masad [111]:1-5

85 Qur’ān, Yāsīn [36]:9

63

The Prophet and Abū Bakr hid at Thawr Cave for three days. The

searchers did not enter the cave because they found a spider web covering its entrance and a dove and its nest with its chicks at the

entrance. In the cave a scorpion stung Abu Bakr’s foot, and the

Prophet, by Allah’s permission, cured him with his saliva and by massaging it with his hands.

After failing to assassinate the Prophet, the Meccans announced a

reward of one hundred camels to anyone who could find him. Surāqah

found him, but when he approached, his horse stopped suddenly and threw him down. He became a Muslim and the Prophet told him:

“What do you think if you wore the armlet (bracelet) of Chosroes, the

Emperor of Persia?’ This happened later, after the conquest of Persia.

Miracles also took place in the battles of Badr and Uh.ud as well

as prior to the battle of the Trench. In the battle of Badr Allah sent angels to assist the Muslims who were small in number. In the battle of

Uh.ud the Prophet cured the eye of Qatādah b. al-Nu‘mān. Prior to the

battle of the Trench, the Prophet and the Muslims worked in the

daytime digging a trench as suggested by Salmān and went home in the evening. One evening Jābir b. Abdullah approached the Prophet and

invited him for supper, for he had slaughtered a small sheep. The

Prophet not only accepted the invitation but also invited those who were digging the trench. Jabir did not know what to do. The food was

brought to the Prophet. He said the basmalah, namely,

“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”

and ate with a group of people. Then they went out and another group

came in and ate, until all of them had their supper and there was

enough food for everyone.

While digging the trench, Salmān was not able to break a hard

rock with his axe. The Prophet who was near him took the axe and broke the rock with three strokes, each with a strange sparkle. When

Salmān asked what these three strokes and strange sparkles mean, he

said that the first one was the prediction that Allah would make for him the conquest of Yemen, the second for the conquest of Syria and North

Africa (Morocco), while the third for the conquest of the East. All

these actually happened during the reign of the four rightly guided

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caliphs, Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī (may Allah be pleased

with them).

20. THE QUR’ĀN, THE LIVING MIRACLE

The Qur’ān is the only living miracle which remains and seen by people. Other miracles of the Prophet and previous prophets can only

heard from people and read from books. But the Qur’ān remains and

challenges people to produce the like of it. At the beginning, the Qur’ān challenged the Meccan infidels to produce a Scripture like the

Qur’ān and the Torah. Allah said:

“But (now) when the Truth has come to them from

Ourselves, they say, ‘Why are not (signs) sent to him, like those

which were sent to Moses?’ Do they not then reject (the signs) which

were formerly sent to Moses? They say: ‘Two kinds of sorcery [i.e.,

Prophet Moses was called a sorcerer by the Egyptians for doing miracles,

such as turning his staff into a serpent and turning his hand into radiant-

white, and Prophet Muhammad’s miracle of the Qur’ān and its wonderful

words were called sorcery by the Meccan idolaters], each assisting the

other!’ And they say: ‘For us, we reject all (such things)!’ Say, then

bring ye a Book from Allah, which is a better guide than either of them,

that I may follow it! (Do) if ye are truthful! ’But if they hearken not

to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts: and who is

more astray than one who follows his own lusts, devoid of

guidance fromAllah? For Allah guides not

people given to wrong doing.”86

86Qur’ān, al-Qas.as. [28]:48-50

65

The challenge to produce a Book similar to the Qur’ān might be

too hard for the Meccans. Then the challenge was reduced into ten chapters. Allah says:

“Or they may say: ‘He forged it’. Say: ‘Then bring ten surahs

[i.e., chapters] forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever

ye can, other than Allah!-- if ye speak the truth.’”87

Then the Qur’ān made the challenge for one chapter only. Allah

says:

“And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time

to time to Our servant then produce a surah (a chapter) like thereunto,

and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah,

if ye are truthful. But if ye cannot—and of a surety ye cannot—

then fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones,--which

is prepared for those who reject faith.”88

This is a test and a challenge to the Meccans to produce a chapter

similar to a chapter in the Qur’ān. They could ask any help from

anywhere other than Allah, to inspire spiritual truth in such a noble and beautiful language in one chapter as evidence that they could also

produce something similar to the Qur’ān. The challenge is repeated in

another verse as follows:

“Or do they say, ‘He forged it!’? Say: ‘Bring then a surah

[a chapter] like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone

87 Qur’ān, Hūd [11]:13

88 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:21-24

66

you can, besides Allah, if it be ye speak the truth!’”89

The shortest chapter in the Qur’ān consists of three verses only,

namely, Sūrat al-Kawthar, as follows:

“To thee have We granted the abundance.

Therefore, to thy Lord turn in prayer and sacrifice.

For he who hatest thee, he will be cut off

(from future hope).” 90

The challenge of the Qur’ān (tah.addī) is an amazing challenge; it

challenges not only the poets of Mecca in the time of the Prophet, but also the people of our present time and of the future, so that they can

prove that the Qur’ān is the product of Muhammad and not revelation

from Allah. Many tried but failed, among them: Musaylimah b. H...abīb,

T.ulayh.ah b. Khuwaylid al-Asadī, al-Nad.r b. al-H...ārith, Abū ’l-H...asan

Muh.ammad b. Yah.yā known as “Ibn al-Rawandī”, Abu ’l-T.ayyib al-

Mutanabbī, Abū l-‘Alā’ al-Ma‘arrī, Labīd and Ibn al-Muqaffa‘. The style of the Qur’ān is beyond their reach.

Labīd became Muslim in the year 9 A.H. One day ‘Umar asked

him to cite some of his poems. Instead, he read Sūrat al-Baqarah (chapter 2 of the Qur’ān) and said that after Allah had taught him that

surah and Surat Al ‘Imrān (chapter 3 of the Qur’ān) he stopped citing

poetry.

Ibn al-Muqaffa‘ (d. 727 C.E.), the famous prose writer of Persian origin, was asked one day to challenge the Qur’ān for hearing that

many people would convert to Islam. He promised to do it in one year.

After six months his friends came to see what he was doing. He was sitting at his desk, a pen in his hand, pieces of paper scattered on the

floor, and confessed he could not produce a single sentence to

challenge the style of the Qur’ān. Allah says:

89Qur’ān, Yūnus [10]:38

90 Qur’ān, al-Kawthar [108]:1-3

67

“Say: ‘If the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather

together to produce the like of this Qur’ān, they could

not produce the like thereof, even if they backed

up each other with help and support.”91

The infidel of Mecca would have taken the shortest way in fighting the Prophet and the Muslims if they could, by producing three

verses (in one chapter) similar to those of the Qur’ān. But because they

could not, they took the long way by fighting them with swords.

In conclusion I would like to cite a short surah and one of my

favourites, Sūrat al-D.uh.ā. Whenever I read it I feel as if it were

revealed to me. It exhibits a simple but perfect rhetorical balance: an opening oaths by contrasted light and darkness, introduces three triplets

matching exactly together.

When revelation stopped for a period of time the Meccan infidels

said: “Muhammad’s Lord has forsaken him.” So Allah revealed the following surah:

“By the glorious morning light, and by the night when it is

still,-- [This is the opening with contrasting light and darkness,

two oaths]. Thy Guardian-Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is

He displeased. And verily the Hereafter will be better for thee

than the present. And soon will thy Guardian-Lord give thee

(that wherewith) thou shalt be well-pleased. [This is the first

triplet. It contains two negations and two promises]. Did He

not find thee an orphan and give thee shelter (and care)? And

He found thee wandering, and He gave thee guidance? And

He found thee in need, and made thee independent? [This is

91 Qur’ān, al-Isrā’ [17]:88

68

the second triplet. It contains three rhetorical questions].

Therefore treat not the orphan with harshness, nor repulse

him who asks. But the bounty of their Lord—rehearse and

proclaim!”. [This is the third and the last triplet. It

contains three commandments of which two

prohibitions and one injunction]. “92

21. THE QUR’ĀN’S PROPHECY (1)

The first proof of the authenticity of the Qur’ān as the words of

Allah is its inimitability through its eloquence. The second is its

prophecy, and the third is its scientific expression.

We have seen in history many prophecies that did not come true.

The Communist Manifesto stated in 1848 that Germany would be the first country that will lead Communist revolution. More than 130 years

have passed and the revolution has not taken place in Germany. Karl

Marx predicted that the sun of the Red Republic would rise in the sky of Paris, and until now this has not yet occurred. Hitler stated in a

speech in Munich in March 14, 1931 that victory would be on his side,

and the whole world knows that his end was defeat and suicide. But the prophecy of the Qur’ān has been proved by history to become true.

The Prophet and early Muslims were facing three groups of

potential oppositions: the Meccan idolaters, the Jewish capitalists, and

the hypocrites. When the situation at Mecca became worse, the Prophet and his followers migrated to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and then to

Madinah. They were in great difficulties for they had left their property

at Mecca. They lived at the courtyard of the mosque at Madinah, for they had no place to live. They were about 400 in number. Among

them was Abū Hurayrah, who said: “You saw me staggering between

the pulpit of the Prophet and the room of ‘Ā'ishah [the Prophet’s wife], and people said that I was mad. I was not mad, but I was hungry.”

In this worse condition of Muslims the Qur’ān repeatedly

promised and prophesized the victory on their side. Allah says:

92 Qur’ān, al-D.uh.ā [93]:1-11

69

“Allah decreed. It is I and My messengers who must

prevail. For Allah is Strong, Mighty.”93

Again Allah says:

“Their intention is to extinguish Allah’s light (by blowing) with

their mouths: but Allah will complete His light, even though the

unvelievers may detest (it). It is He Who has sent His Messenger

with the guidance and the religion of truth, that he

make it prevail over all religion, though

the unbelievers be averse.”94

This prophecy came true later when the whole of Arabia came under

Muslim rule.

The use of singular in the verse “over all religion” instead of

using “over all other religions” in plural in the above verse, A.Y. Ali gives us his commentary as follows:

“There is really only one true Religion,

the Message of Allah submission to the will of Allah:

this is called Islam. It was the religion preached by Moses and

Jesus; it was the religion of Abraham, Noah, and all the prophets,

by whatever name it may be called. If people corrupt that pure

light, and call their religions by different names, we must

bear with them, and we may allow the names for

convenience. But Truth must prevail over all.”

The second prophecy was the victory of the Romans over the Persians a few years after they have been defeated. Allah says:

93Qur’ān, al-Mujādilah [58]:21

94 Qur’ān, al-S.aff [61]:8-9

71

“A.L.M. The Romans have been defeated—in a land close-by

[i.e., Syria and Palestine]: but they (even) after (this) defeat of

theirs,will soon be victorious—within a few years. With Allah

is the command,in the past and in the future: on that day

shall the believers rejoice—with the help of Allah. He

gives victory to whom He will, and He isExalted in

Might, Most Merciful.(It is) the promise of Allah.

Never does Allah depart from His promise:

but most men understand not”95

These verses were revealed in 616 C.E., the seventh year of the

prophetic mission, shortly after the defeat of the Romans. The Persians

were Magians, sun and fire worshippers with whom the Meccan idolaters took side, while the Romans were Christians, People of the

Book, with whom the Muslims took side. When the Persians defeated

the Romans, the Meccan idolaters wanted to ridicule the Muslims and said: “Our friends, the Persians, are defeating your friends, the

Romans. In the same way we shall defeat and crush you if you do not

give up your new religion.” But the Muslims told them that the Romans would be the victors in a few years. They made a bet. At that

time making a bet was not yet prohibited. Ten camels for every year passed. If the Romans were not the victors within three years, the

Meccans would win the bet and take thirty camels from the Muslims.

The Prophet told Abū Bakr to extend the time of the bet to nine years,

because the word (a few) in Arabic means the number between 3 to

9, and the Romans would be victorious in 9 years at the latest

according to Qur’ānic prophecy. The Meccans agreed to extend the time to nine years.

This is what happened: The Roman emperor at the end of the 7th century was Maurice, but he neglected the political condition of the

empire. He was dethroned by Phocas. But Maurice had helped

Chosroes II of Persia to regain his throne, had even given him his daughter to marry. Chosroes was angry and attacked Phocas. Antioch

and Jerusalem fell to the Persians in 614-5 C.E.

At the same time, a son of the governor of the Roman colony in

North Africa, Heraclius, secretly dispatched his force by sea and succeeded in killing Phocas. But he could not resist the Persians.

95 Qur’ān, al-Rūm [30]:1-6

71

Chosroes destroyed the churches, killing nearly 100 thousand peaceful

Christians, built temples for worshipping fire, forced people to convert to Magian and worship the sun and fire, and took the cross to his

capital Madā’in (Ctesiphon) in Iraq. From Jerusalem he wrote to

Heraclius asking him why he did not ask his God to help him to take Jerusalem back from his (Chosroes’) hand.

Heraclius sent a messenger and sued for peace, but Chosroes was

angry and said: “I want Heraclius to be brought and chained under my

throne. I will not make peace with the Romans until they abandon their religion and worship the sun, our god.”

After six years of fighting, Chosroes agreed to make peace on

condition that the Roman emperor paid him: 100 talents of gold (one

talent equals to 26 kg), 1000 talents of silver, 1000 horses, 1000 cloth of silk (one cloth equals to appr. 30 m), and 1000 slave girls.

Heraclius was desperate. He fought and won in six battles using his sea force in which his enemy was weak. The fourth battle occurred

in 624 C.E., the same year of the battle of Badr, the eighth year of the

bet. The Muslims were very happy for their victory at Badr and the Romans’ victory in Syria. This was meant by the Qur’ān ic verse:

“…on that day the believers shall rejoice in Allah’s help.”

The fifth battle occurred in 625 C.E., the same year in which the

battle of Uh.ud occurred where the Muslims were defeated. The

Romans succeeded in freeing all territories captured by the Persians. It was also the ninth year of the bet. The Meccans should have paid 90

camels to the Muslims for their lost in the bet, but this did not happen.

The last battle between the Romans and the Persians took place in

Iraq in December 627 C.E. A few months earlier Chosroes had torn

the Prophet’s letter asking him to accept Islam. On this, the Prophet said that in the same way the Persian empire would be torn into pieces.

Chosroes was arrested and imprisoned in his palace by his own

son who had killed eight of his brothers. Chosroes died on his fifth day

in the prison, while his son, after eight months rule, was killed by his own brother who sued later for peace with the Romans. In March 628

C.E. Heraclius entered his capital Constantinople welcomed by

thousands people of the inhabitants of the city.

The comment of the great historian Edward Gibbon on this event is that the Qur’ānic prophecy was the remotest one to come true

72

because the first decade of Heraclius’ rule indicated the fall of the

Roman empire.96

22. THE QUR’ĀN’S PROPHECY (2)

When the verse “And admonish thy

nearest kinsmen“97

was revealed the Prophet gathered his kinsmen and said to them: “If I tell you that a horseman in the valley is going to

attack you, will you believe me?” They said: “Yes, for we have never

found you lying.” “Well,” said the Prophet, “I am warning you of an impending punishment.” He asked them to follow him and become

Muslims. But his uncle Abu Lahab threw stone at him and said; “May

you perish the whole day, O Muhammad! Are you gathering us just to tell us this?” He told people that the Prophet was a liar and that they

should not believe him. Then Allah revealed Surat al-Masad (Qur’ān,

chapter 111) as follows:

“Perish the hands of the Father of Flame! Perish he! No

profit to him from all his wealth, and all his gains! Burnt

soon will he be in a fire of blazing flame! His wife shall

carry the (crackling) wood—as fuel—A twisted rope

of palm-leaf fibre round her (own) neck!”98

This is one of many examples in the verses of the Qur’ān which speak

profusely about various events which came true in later times.

96E. Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. 5, p.

74, quoted by Wahiduddin Khan, al-Islām Yatah.addā, p. 117

97 Qur’ān, al-Shu‘arā’ [26]:214

98 Qur’ān, al-Masad [111]:1-5

73

We see from Islamic history that many archenemies of the

Prophet changed into staunch supporters of Islam. Such persons deserved to be forgiven and rewarded, such as Khālid b. Walīd who

fought the Prophet in the battle of Uh.ud, and ‘Umar who had even

wanted to kill the Prophet. Abū Lahab, the nickname of the Prophet’s

uncle ‘Abd al-‘Uzzā (lit. “servant of the idol ‘Uzzā”) was singled out. The Qur’ān had passed its judgement on him, and so he died accursed a

week after the battle of Badr. He is the only enemy of the Prophet

mentioned by name in the Qur’ān. Allah did not care whether a man was the Prophet’s own uncle or not.

Strangely enough, Abū Lahab had loved the Prophet when he was

still young. He freed the slave-girl who reported to him the birth of the

Prophet. The Prophet and his uncle Abū Lahab were neighbours, and earlier, before Muhammad became a prophet, his uncle’s son ‘Atabah

and ‘Utaybah married his daughters Ruqayyah and Umm Kalthūm.

After the prophetic mission, they became divorced. Ruqayyah married to ‘Uthmān, and when she died he married Umm Kalthūm.

As promised in the Qur’ān, the Prophet remained under divine

protection against the innumerable dangers that threatened him from all

quarters. The verse runs as follows:

“And Allah will defend thee from men

(who mean mischief)”99

By this verse, the Prophet had been protected against assassination.

The promised was fulfilled, for he died in his bed at the age of 63

among his family, in spite of the numerous plots against his life and the 23 years he spent in continuous armed conflict.

Other Qur’ānic verses promised the protection of the Qur’ān itself

against loss and dispersion; this promised was fulfilled. Allah said in

the Qur’ān:

“Move not thy tongue concerning the (Qur’ān) to make

haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to recite it.”100

99 Qur’ān [5]:67 100 Qur’ān, al-Qiyāmah [75]:16-17

74

Allah also reassures:

.

“We have, without doubt, sent down the message;and

We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).”101

The Prophet had a vision that he and his companions entered the

Holy Mosque at Mecca where they circumambulated the Ka‘bah,

shaved and cut their hair. As we know, prophets’ visions are true visions. But when they tried to enter the Holy City, they were stopped

by the Meccan infidels at H...udaybiyyah in 6 A.H. In order to avoid

unnecessary bloodshed the Prophet signed the Treaty of H...udaybiyyah

and postponed his pilgrimage to the next year. Some people started

doubting the vision of the Prophet, saying: “We have neither shaved nor cut our hair, not even seen the Ka’bah. Where is, then, the vision?”

Then Allah revealed the following verse:

“Truly did Allah fulfil the vision for His Messenger;

ye shall enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, with

minds secure, heads shaved, hair cut short, and without

fear. For He knew what ye knew not, and He

granted, beside this, a speedy victory.”102

Again this prophecy came true when the Muslims set out for Mecca with the objective of performing pilgrimage without difficulty

in 7 A.H. Among them was Walīd Jr., Khālid’s brother. During his

stay in Mecca, Walīd looked for his brother. He could not find him, so he wrote him a letter. The letter said: “It is so strange that you do not

know the truthfulness of Islam. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon

him, asked me about you and said: ‘Where is Khālid?’ I told him, ‘Allah will bring him.’”

After reading the letter Khālid went to Madinah to see the

Prophet and embraced Islam. The Prophet said to him,

101 Qur’ān, al-H...ijr ]15]:9

102 Qur’ān, al-Fath. [48]:27

75

“Praise be to Allah Who has guided you. I know you are a bright

man.”

“O Messenger of Allah,” said Khālid, “pray to Allah that He may forgive me for what I did against you. I did not know any better.”

“Islam washes away the sins done before becoming a Muslim,” said the Prophet. “O Allah, forgive Khālid for what he did.”

In the same year, 8 A.H., a year after he received his brother’s

letter inviting him to Islam, Khālid became a general of his former

enemy, one of the leaders of the Muslim army that conquered Mecca, the conquest that had been prophesized by the Qur’ān.

At the fare-well pilgrimage in 10 A.H. the Prophet recited to the

Muslims the last Qur’ānic verses revealed to him, as follows:

“This day I have perfected your religion for you,

completed my favour upon you, and have

chosen for you Islam as your religion.”103

This verse had, in fact, been a prophecy of the end of the

Prophet’s message. A year after making this announcement, the

Prophet left the wordily life, after discharging the Trust and delivering the Message. He died on Monday 12 Rabī‘ al-Awwal 11 A.H., the

same day and date where he had been born 63 years before.

23. THE CONSTRICTED BREAST

If we ponder the Qur’ānic verses and study them carefully we

shall find them enchanting to our mind. Allah urges us to study the Qur’ān carefully, and said:

103Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah [5]:3

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“Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur’ān,

or is that there are locks upon their hearts?” 104

Again He said:

“(Here is) Book which We have sent down unto thee,

full of blessings, that they may meditate on its

signs, and that men of understanding

may receive admonition.”105

Now let us ponder the following verse:

"Those whom Allah willeth to guide,--He openeth

Their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth

to leave straying,--He maketh their breast

close and constricted, as they had

to climb up to the skies…"106

Earlier commentators said that the meaning of the above verse is

that the hearts of those whom Allah leaves straying will be so narrow

that iman (faith) will not enter into it, like the impossibility of ascending to the sky. But in fact, this verse has a deeper and scientific

meaning.

People in ancient time believed that the outer space had an

atmosphere like the earth. It was said that the Greek emperor Alexander the Great wished to ascend to the sky in a carriage flown by

birds.

The air consists of 20 % oxygen that is very important for our

lives. Without oxygen men, animals and plants cannot survive. When

people invented the balloon, they ascended to the sky until they reached a height of 30 km; when they used rockets and planes so that

they reached higher altitude, they found out that even a single foot

raised in the sky caused the decrease of air pressure and oxygen. It is

104 Qur’ān, Muhammad [47]:24

105Qur’ān, S.ād [38]:29106 Qur’ān, al-An‘ām [6]:125

77

known that after the altitude of 10 km suffocation occurs because of

lack of oxygen.

24. WATER CYCLE

For every nation Allah sent a prophet, and to every prophet Allah gave a miracle as evidence of his prophethood, such as the staff of

Prophet Moses (Musa, p.b.u.h.), or the revival of the dead by Prophet

Jesus (‘Īsā, p.b.u.h.). But the miracles of earlier prophets were only heard and not witnessed by us. As for the greatest miracle of the last

prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), namely, the Qur’ān, we hear it, we see

it, we read it. Its eloquence is inimitable. It is a miracle for Arabs and non-Arabs, for the laymen and the genius.

Until the 16th century, people still believed that the waters of the

oceans, under the effect of winds, were driven toward the inner parts of

the continents. Then they returned to the oceans through the great abyss called the Tartarus which has been known since Plato’s time.

According to Aristotle (Plato’s student) water was condensed in cool

mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. In the 16

th century, Bernard Palissy described for the first time the

coherence of the water cycle. Today, we know that it is the infiltrated

rainwater that feeds the springs. But the Qur’ān has described it long time ago:

“Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from

the sky, and leads it through springs in the earth?

Then He caused to grow, therewith,

produce of various colours.” 107

In another verse of the Qur’ān, the formation of a cumulus cloud

which contains hails and causes rain, storm of thunder and lightning,

107Qur’ān, al-Zumar [39]:21

78

and which causes pilots as well as those who are near to it to be

temporarily blind is mentioned. Allah says:

“Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently,

then joins them together, then makes them into a heap?—then

wilt thou see rain issue forth from their mist. And He sends

down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is

hail: He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns

it away from whom He pleases. The vivid flash of

its lightning well-nigh blinds the sight.”108

The type of the cloud expressed in the above verse is the one that

grows vertically. It is called cumulus because of the vertical accumulation of clouds. It can reach the height of 15 km or even more.

Therefore it looks like a mountain. It consists of three parts: the higher

part consists of white crystal ice; the middle part (layer) consists of the mixture of the falling crystal ice from above and drops of cold water

which is below zero; the lowest part consists of mostly drops of water

or ice crystals and is on the point of falling down to the earth. This type of cloud, the cumulus, is the only one that contains ice crystals, or hail.

This is the scientific interpretation of the verse: “And He sends down

from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein hail.”

After the Second World War, scientists used radar to take pictures showing the gradual formation of the cumulus cloud. They

found that it started with some small clouds being driven upwards by

air currents. Then every two or more small clouds are being bound together. This is the scientific interpretation of the verse: “Seest thou

not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together,

then makes them into a heap?” “Heap” means “accumulation” and this type of cloud is called cumulus.

Strangely enough, this is the only type of cloud that produces storms of thunder and lightning which can temporarily blind our eyes.

108 Qur’ān, al-Nūr [24]:43

79

This is the scientific interpretation of the verse: “The vivid flash of His

lightning almost blinds the sight.”

There is another type of cloud which forms itself horizontally so that it covers the sky. It does not produce thunder or lightning or hail. It

is called stratus cloud. It is from the word stratum meaning “level”.

This type of cloud has been referred to by the Qur’ān as follows:

“It is Allah Who sends the winds, and they raise

the clouds: then does He spread them in they sky as

He wills, and break them into fragments, until thou seest

rain-drops issue from the midst thereof: then when

He has made them reach such of His servants

as He wills, behold, they do rejoice!”109

If you are on board a plane you can easily distinguish between

these two types of cloud: one is like a mountain, and the other is like a

carpet and is closer to the surface of the earth; planes usually fly above it. The Arabs call this flat cloud the “autumn cloud”.

25. ISRĀ’ AND MI’RĀJ

On the 27th of Rajab every year Muslims all over the world

commemorate Isrā’ (the night journey of the Prophet from Mecca to

Jerusalem) and mi’rāj (the Prophet’s ascension to the heaven and beyond).

Before isrā’ and mi’rāj the Prophet had suffered much: after three years of boycott by the Quraysh, his wife Khadījah and his uncle Abū

T.ālib died. After the death of Abū T.ālib, the pagan Quraysh tribe

became bolder to torment the Prophet. They put a camel’s uterus on his

shoulder while he was prostrating in prayer by the Ka‘bah. They threw

109 Qur’ān, al-Rūm [30]:48

81

dust on him. ‘Uqbah bin Mu‘īt. strangled him while he was praying;

fortunately, Abū Bakr came to rescue, throwing down the man, saying,

“Are you going to kill a man just because he says that Allah is his Lord?” When the Prophet went to T.ā’if, 60 km east of Mecca with

Zayd bin H...ārithah to call people to Islam, they threw stones at him. His

absence from Mecca was known by the Meccans, and they did not

want him to come back to Mecca. Fortunately, a neighbour called

Mut.‘im bin ‘Adī, one of the Meccan chiefs, wanted to protect him, so

he and his man came to the Prophet outside the city and escorted him into the city. The Prophet stayed the night at his cousin’s house Ummu

Hāni’ (the daughter of his uncle Abū T.ālib) who was also his nursing

sister. The Prophet was so humiliated and annoyed on earth, yet he received the greatest honour a human being had ever had in heaven.

After all these miserable conditions, it was time for Allah to console the Prophet and to show his exalted position. One night, the

angel Gabriel and Michael came to the Prophet, opened his breast and

cleansed his heart with the water of Zamzam (the well-known well inside the Holy Mosque in Mecca), then made him ride on a mysterious

animal called Burāq. They went to al-Masjid al-Aqs.ā (the Farthest

Mosque) in Jerusalem where they had been awaited by the prophets

before him, such as Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them. They had been sent by Allah to receive and to

welcome the Prophet there.

After leading the prayer with those prophets and thanking them

for their greetings, the Prophet said to them: “All of you praise your Lord and I also praise my Lord.” Then he said: “Praise be to Allah who

has sent me as a blessing to the whole world and to the whole mankind

as an announcer of good news ( ) and as a warner ( ), Who has

revealed to me the Furqān (i.e., the Qur’ān which makes the distinction

between right and wrong) wherein the explanation of everything, Who

made my community the best one among the people, Who made my community the middle one, the first and the last, Who made me

pleased, Who put away my burden, Who raised my esteem and Who

made me a conqueror and a last prophet.” On hearing this, Prophet Abraham told other prophets, “Muhammad has the merits over you in

these things.” Then the Prophet was given wine and milk, choosing

milk. Gabriel told him, had he chosen wine, his followers would go astray.

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Then the Prophet ascended with Gabriel to the seventh heaven

and beyond. In he first heaven he met Adam, in the second John (Yah.yā) and Jesus (‘Īsā), in the third Joseph (Yūsuf), in the fourth

Enoch (Idrīs), in the fifth Aaron (Hārūn), in the sixth Moses (Mūsā),

and in the seventh Abraham (Ibrāhīm), peace be upon them. They went

further up to Sidrat al-Muntahā (Lotus Tree Heaven) where Gabriel said to the Prophet: “O Muhammad, ascend alone. You are the one

who is wanted. Every one of us has his own rank (position), and here is

the end of my position. If I step further I will be burned.” This indicates that a human being can have higher position than the angel.

The Prophet came forward, greeted Allah and said:

“All reference, all worship and all sanctity are due to Allah.”

Allah said:

“Peace be upon you, O Prophet, the mercy of Allah and His blessing.”

The Prophet joined his brothers among prophets in saying:

“Peace be upon us, and upon he righteous servants of Allah.”

The angels said:

“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.”

The whole world said:

“O Allah, give blessing upon Muhammad his

household, his companions, his descendants and those

who follow them well among his followers.”

This indicates that what we used to say in the tah.iyyāt (i.e.,

greetings we cite while sitting) in our prayer is the exchange greetings

between Allah and the Prophet, the angels and others. The Prophet said

that prayer is the mi‘rāj (ascension) of the believers. The Prophet’s heart was cleansed before mi‘rāj, while we perform wud.ū’ (ablution)

before praying.

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Allah enjoined fifty prayers, but following the advice of Prophet

Moses, fifty prayers were reduced to five with the same merit and the reward of fifty prayers. If it were not for the advice of Prophet Moses,

we would have to pray fifty times a day.

In his mi‘rāj the Prophet encountered many symbolic actions as warnings and lessons to us. For example, he saw people breaking their

heads with rocks symbolizing those who neglect their obligatory

prayers. In one tradition a man asked the Prophet what Allah loved most in Islam, he said:

“Prayer on its time, whoever leaves it (abstain from

doing it) he has no [practised] religion for him,

prayer is the pillar of religion.”110

If we compare the meeting between Allah and the Prophet and

between Allah and Prophet Moses, we find that:

1. In the mi‘rāj the Prophet met Allah in Sidrat al-Muntahā, beyond the seventh heaven, while Prophet Moses met Allah on the earth, in the Sacred Valley of T.uwā’ in Sinai. These two places do not imply

fixing a place for Allah, because He is beyond the limitation of time

and space. The places were fixed only for the two prophets,

Muhammad and Moses respectively. Allah mentions the place where His signs appeared for Prophet Moses in a burning bush in

the following verses:

“Has the story of Moses reached thee: Behold, he saw a fire:

so he said to his family, ‘Tarry ye; I perceive a fire; perhaps I

can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance

at the fire.’ But when he came to the fire, he was called: ‘O Moses!

Verily I am thy Lord! Therefore put off thy shoes: thou art in 110 Reported by al-Bayhaqī

83

the sacred valley of Tuwa’. I have chosen thee: Listen, then,

to the inspiration (given to thee). Verily, I am Allah:

there is no god but I: So serve thou Me (only)

and establish regular prayer

for My remembrance.”111

In other verses Allah specified the place more clearly, as

follows:

“Now when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was

travelling with his family, he perceived a fire in the direction of

Mount Tur. He said to his family: ‘Tarry ye; I perceive a fire; I

hope to bring you from there some information, or a burning

firebrand, that ye may warm yourselves. But when he came

to the (Fire), he was called from the right bank of the valley,

from a tree in hallowed ground: ‘O Moses! Verily

I am Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”112

The meeting in mi‘rāj was with preparation. Allah sent Gabriel

and Michael to accompany the Prophet to heaven, while Prophet

Moses’ meeting with Allah was without preparation: he saw fire at night, told his wife to stay and went to the fire where Allah talked

to him. He did not come to talk to Allah, but to take some fire or to

find guidance at the fire. He might have lost his way, he wanted physical guidance, and instead, he got spiritual guidance.

2. Prophet Muhammad went to heaven on the Burāq, while Prophet

Moses walked when he entered the sacred valley T.uwā’. He was

ordered by Allah to take off his shoes when he entered the valley, according to some commentators, symbolizes leaving the material

world behind when he entered the spiritual one.

3. Both meetings ended with the injunction of prayers, which indicates

the importance of prayers.

111 Qur’ān, T.āhā [20]:9-14

112 Qur’ān, al-Qas.as. [28]:29-30

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The heaven that is spoken about here is not the outer space, the

stars and galaxies, but far beyond. The Prophet was not sent to teach astronomy, but to give spiritual guidance, to show the right path, the

way to salvation. Man discovered the universe later by himself. We

know that the nearest star (sun) to us is Alpha Centauri which is 4.3 light years. Until the 1920s, man knew one galaxy only, the Milky

Way, in which the sun is one of the stars. About fifty years later, the

astronomers said that the universe contains about five billion galaxies, each with approximately 100 billion stars.

With regard to the isrā’, the mi’rāj, the seven heavens, and the

Sidrat al-Muntahā, they are mysteries. We believe in them as we

believe in the Resurrection, the Judgement Day, Paradise and Hell.

26. FASTING IN ISLAM (1)

The Muslims of Edmonton and elsewhere are observing the

fasting of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year.

Fasting ( ) technically means to abstain completely from food,

drink, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn

till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan.

Fasting is the third pillar of Islam after the shahādah (bearing

witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger) and the five daily prayers. Other pillars of Islam are zakāh

and h.ajj. Zakāh is an annual tax of 2.5 % of one’s net savings as a

purifying sum to be distributed among the poor in the community. H...ajj

is the pilgrimage to the Ka‘bah in Mecca, once in a lifetime, to those

who are healthy and have the means to do so.

The prescription of fasting was revealed by Allah to Prophet

Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) in the second year of Hijrah (migration of the Prophet and his followers from Mecca to Madinah in 622 to avoid the

persecution of the Meccan infidels). The Qur’ān, the very words of Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) says:

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“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to

you as it was prescribed to those before you,

that ye may (learn) self-restraint.”113

As the Muslim calendar is based on lunar calendar, Ramadan can

be in any season of the year. As Ramadan this year (1986 here in

Edmonton) is in late spring, the Muslim community of this area is fasting about 18 hours (in summer, about 19 hours). Before dawn

Muslims are highly recommended to have their light meal so that

fasting will not be too hard for them.

Very old people, pregnant women and the sick are exempt from

fasting. Old people have to pay a sum of money or food to feed the poor. Pregnant women and sick people fast respectively after delivery

and recovery. To healthy people fasting is far from being dangerous.

Man can survive without food for several weeks. Without water in normal condition he can survive not more than 70 or 80 hours, i.e.,

about 3 days. However, it was reported that a baby survived miraculously after being trapped in a collapsed building for one week

in Mexico City when this city was being devastated by earthquake last

year (1985).

Abstaining from water in 18 or 19 hours is only one-fourth of the

length of time that can cause death from starvation. Allah says in the Qur’ān:

“On no soul doth Allah placed a burden

greater than it can bear”114

Beside spiritual advantage such as patience, self-restraint, sympathy with the poor and sincere and deep love for Allah, fasting

has also its physical advantages. It has a healing power. The fact that

hunger is the best cure to many ailments has been proved and defended by many medical authorities. The historian Herodotus described the

early Egyptian who fasted three days a month as extremely healthy

people. The Arab and Muslim physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) 113 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:183114Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 286

86

prescribed fasting for all ailments. The Nobel Prize winner Dr. Alexis

Carrel described important hidden phenomena in fasting when he said:

The sugar of the liver and the fat

of the subcutaneous deposits are mobilized,

and also the proteins of the muscles and the glands.

All the organs sacrifice their own substances in

order to maintain blood, heart and brain in

a normal condition. Fasting purifies and

profoundly modifies our tissues.

We Muslims are recommended to break our fast with dates or

water. The Prophet said: “Break your fast with a date, for it is

blessing; if you have no date, then with water, for it is pure.” According to late Dr. Anwar al-Mufti sweet liquid is absorbed by the

intestine in less than five minutes eliminating the symptom of sugar

deficiency; sugar in food is absorbed within three or four hours, so that the symptom of sugar deficiency still remains in a person who

breaks his fasting with solids rather than sweet liquids as if one is still

fasting. Dr. Allen Scott said: ‘Water is a faster’s best friend. It facilitates the flushing or toxins and waste materials that accumulate

when fatty tissues are being burned.’” Our beloved Prophet

Muhammad had said thirteen centuries ago: “Fast so that

you will be healthy.”

27. FASTING IN ISLAM (2)

a. The Meaning of (Fasting)

The root-meaning of is “to abstain (from doing something), to

stand still” . It includes being silent,

as it is abstention from talking. The example from the Qur’ān is when

Mary said:

“I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious,

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and this day will I enter into no talk

with any human being.”115

When the wind stops blowing it is called doing s.awm

When the sun is at the zenith, the highest point in the

sky, it is called doing sawm, as if it is standstill, not moving. In Islamic

law, s.awm means abstaining from those which will break the fast from

dawn to sunset.”

Allah says in the Qur’ān:

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as

it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn)

self-restraint. (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if

any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number

(should be made up) from days later. For those who can

do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that

is indigent.; but he that will give more of his own free

will it is better for him and it isbetter for you

that ye fast if ye only knew.”116

Explanation of the verse:

“ as it was prescribed to those before you”

Several interpretations are given by Qur’ānic commentators on this expression, among which are as follows:

1. The similarity is in the time and the quantity of fasting

according to al-Sha‘bī and Qatādah. Muh.āhid states that

fasting in the month of Ramad.ān was prescribed to every nation.

115 Qur’ān, Maryam [19]:26

116 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 183-4

88

2. The similarity is in being prescribed , not in its

time and nature.

3. The similarity is in the nature of fasting, namely, the abstention from eating, drinking and sex until one is asleep, according to al-Suddī,

Abū ’l-‘Āliyah and al-Rabī‘. This was later abrogated with the verse

that follows, namely,

“Permitted to you on the night of the fasts

is the approach to your wives…”117

4. The similarity is in the time and nature of fasting in the beginning,

namely, three days every month and the day of ‘Āshūrā’ (10th of

Muh.arram, from sunset to sunset), according to Mu‘ādh bin Jabal.

Then it was abrogated with the prescription of fasting in the month

of Ramad.ān, as mentioned in the next verse, namely,

“Ramadan is the( month) in which was sent down

the Qur’an as a guide to mankind…”118

“but if any of you is ill…”

It means that a person who cannot fast because of his illness he is allowed to abstain from fasting, but if he can fast with hardship, he is

recommended to abstain from fasting.

“For those who can do it (with hardship) is

a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent.”

According to Ibn ‘Abbās it is a permission ) for old people,

pregnant and nursing women, if they are anxious about their babies, to

abstain from fasting, and feed a poor person (a day). According to Imām Mālik a woman who is sick in pregnancy has to make up the

fasting she is missing (without feeding a poor person a day), whereas a

woman who is sick in nursing has to make up the missed fasting and to feed a poor person. According to al-Shāfi‘ī and Ah.mad ibn H...anbal, the

sick and pregnant women have to make up their missed day of fasting

as well as to feed a poor person a day.

117 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 187118 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:185

89

“but he that will give more of his own free will it is

better for him”

Some interpretations of this part of the verse:

1. Feeding a poor person as well as fasting according to Ibn Shihāb.

2. Increasing the food according to Mujāhid.

3. Feeding another poor person according to Ibn ‘Abbās

“and it is better for you that ye fast”

It means that fasting is still better than breaking the fast by paying

fidyah (redemption) from the omission of fasting for travelling or non-serious sickness.

Then Allah said:

“The month of Ramadan in which was sent down the Qur’an as

a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment

(between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present (at his

home) during that month should spend it in fasting but if anyone is ill

or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days

later. Allah intends every facility for you. He does not want to put

you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed

period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you;

and perchance ye shall be grateful.”119

Names of the Months

The names of the months in Arabic are originally taken from the

time it occurred. For example, Rabī‘ means “spring”.

(Muh.arram, 30 days) means “inviolable, cannot be violated” as

this month was one of the four month where the pre-Islamic Arabs stopped fighting.

(S.afar, 29 days) means “hunger, emptiness”; the word cipher,

(s.afr) or (s.ifr) means “zero”. It was the time when the city of

119 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:185

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Mecca (Makkah) became vacant, because its people at this month

were travelling. It is also said that people in this month attacked other tribes taking their possessions and making them empty-

handed , as they had nothing left. The two S.afars means

Muh.arram and S.afar.

(Rabī‘ al-Awwal, 30 days) means “the first spring” and

(Rabī‘ al-Ākhar, Rabī‘ al-Ākhir or Rabī‘ al-Thānī, 29

days) “the other spring,” “the last spring” or “the second spring”

(Jumādā ‘l-Ūlā or Jumādī ’l-Awwal, 30 days) “the first

freezing” month, and

(Jumādā ’l-ākhirah, Jumādī ’l-Ākhir or Jumādī ’l-

Thānī, 29 days) “the other freezing”, “the last freezing” or “the

second freezing” month. These two names of the two months were

given while water was freezing at that time.

(Rajab, 30 days) The verb means “to be ashamed,

to be shy”. The word means “the man

respects and glorifies it (something)”, as this month of Rajab was

glorified in pre-Islamic Arabia (Jāhiliyyah period), they did not go

to war in this month. The expression “the two Rajabs means

Rajab and Sha‘bān.

(Sha‘bān, 29 days) means “scattered”. means “people

dispersed”. The word shu‘bah originally means “a group of

people, ”. Now it means “section, division, department.” In this

month the Arabs scattered searching for water.

(Ramad.ān, 30 days) is from the word (al-ramd.ā’),

meaning “the sun-baked ground”. The name was given to this

month when it was so hot that the ground became sun-baked. It is also said that in this month people heat (sharpened) their weapons

to fight with it in the month of Shawwāl before the arrival of the

inviolable months where fighting was not allowed by their traditional law. These months were Dhu ’l-Qi‘dah, Dhu ’l-H...ijjah,

Muh.arram and Rajab. Another view says that in this month the

sins will be heated (burned) with good deeds. Al-Māwardī said

that the name of this month in pre-Islamic time was Nāt.iq ( ).

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(Shawwāl, 29 days) was called so when the camels raised their

tails ( ), probably, the mating season.

(Dhu ’l-Qi‘dah, 30 days) (lit. “time for sitting down”), it was

the time where the Arabs avoid raiding, looking for supply and

searching for pasture. It was the month of relaxation.

(Dhu ’l-H...ijjah, 29 days) the month of pilgrimage. H...ajj had been

practised by the pagan Arabs in pre-Islamic Arabia. Upon their return from their travel, they did not go directly home and changed

their clothes; instead, they took them off, and went to make t.awāf

around the Ka‘bah, naked, at night. At the early period of Islam the

Muslims performed the h.ajj with them but in Islamic way.

The meaning of the verse:

“The month of Ramadan in which was sent

down the Qur’ān”

1.The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’ān was

revealed.

2. (The month in which you are enjoined to fast is) the month of

Ramadan in which the Qur’ān was revealed.

3. (It is prescribed to you) the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’ān

was revealed.

“So everyone of you who is present (at his home)

during that month.”

The word means, “to see, to witness” either with eyesight or

with insight. The word means “the month” not “the crescent”

which is in Arabic. Therefore, the verse means, if we just stop

here, lit. “Whoever witness the month (of Ramadan) with his insight”

and in a better expression “whosoever is present in this month.”

However, in pre-Islamic poetry, the word (month) could also mean

(crescent). An unidentified poet says:

"The coming of two brothers from Najd is certain

when the crescent [lit. ‘the month’] is like the cutting

92

of the nail until it becomes completely round

at the 14th

(of the month)".

The Significance of Fasting

Al-Ghazālī says that hunger produces the following beneficial

results: (a) Purification of the soul and illumination of the mind; (b) the

capacity to employ spiritual pleasures; (c) humility (d) remembrance of the poor; (e) freedom from all sinful desires; (f) resistance to the

temptation to sleep, and a stimulus to vigils; (g) the affording

opportunity for the ritual of worship; (h) gaining physical health; (i) the reduction of expenses; and (j) provision of means to feed the poor.

There are three levels of fasting:

1. The fasting of the ‘awām, the common people: abstaining from food

and sexual passion.

2. The fasting of the khawās., the elect: abstaining from seeing, hearing,

speaking, and committing sin with hands, legs and the rest of the

limbs.

3. The fasting of the khawās, al-khawās., the elect of the elect:

abstaining from bad intention and from thinking of worldly things.

Ramad.ān in the month of patience , the month of self

control: controlling our emotion by avoiding bad intentions, controlling

our tongue from saying bad things, and controlling our actions from doing bad things. Junayd was asked about patience. He said,

“Swallowing something bitter without wrinkling your face.” Dhū 'l-Nūn

al-Mis.rī said: “Patience is avoiding what is against religion, and being

calm, not being upset or complaining in the face of calamity, poverty and the hardship of life.” An unidentified poet says:

“If you complain to the son of Adam (i.e., a human being), you

actually complain to a non-mercufil against the Merciful”

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28. FASTING AND HEALTH

Sometimes we are in a situation where we are compelled to fast. For example, we are on a journey and suddenly stranded in a foreign

land and are short of food. Yet, we survive. In winter 1963, two people

survived from a plane crash on a mountainside in Northern British Columbia in Canada. For over one month they lived on water only

without food. They had been very fat. When they were rescued 49 days

after the crash they were found in good condition.

In the animal kingdom, fasting, lack of food, even famine are common. Yet, the animals survive. They rarely die of starvation. The

hibernating bear, for example, without taking any food for long periods,

will give birth to her cub and secrete milk for her young. It is said that the starfish may grow a new stomach, new tube feet and new arms while

fasting. The same with the salamandar. Without taking any food its lost

tail will grow a new one. In spite of temporal lack of food life continues in the animal world.

Fasting ( موالص ) is one of the fundamentals of Islam. By showing

our devotion to Allah in fasting, we get spiritual and physical benefits

from it. Physicians throughout history hhave confirmed the truth of the statement of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he said:

"Fast, so that you will be healthy."120

The Greek historian and traveler Herodotus (484-420 B.C.) described the early Egyptians who fasted three days a month as

extremely healthy people. This type of fasting was prescribed in Islam

shortly after the Prophet's emigration from Mecca to Madinah. Allah says: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was

prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint, -

(Fasting) for a fixed number of days;..." 121

"A fixed number of days" means three days a month.

122 This type of fasting was later replaced

with the fasting in the month of Ramadan. Allah says: "Ramadan is the

(month) in which was sent down the Qur’ān, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So

120 Reported by al-abrānī 121 Qur’ān, [2]:183-184 122 See Ibn Kathir's Tafsir on these verses.

94

every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should

spend it in fasting,..."123

The Muslim physician and philosopher Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980-

1037 C.E.) was said to have prescribed fasting for all ailments. Fasting

has been used in the treatment of patients suffering from metabolic disorders, allergic diseases, skin diseases, asthma, etc., in clinics and

sanitariums in Switzerland, France, Russia, India, and Germany since

the mid-19th century. Dr. Edward Dewey wrote a century ago:

"I contend that during illness feeding

becomes a burden to the sick. It uses energy that

otherwise would be used to fight illness."

The French Noble Prize winner in 1912, Dr. Alexis Carrel (1837-1944

C.E.) described the important phenomena in fasting when he said:

"The sugar of the liver and

the fat of subcutaneous deposits are

mobilized, also the proteins of the muscles

and the glands. All the organs sacrifice their

own substances in order to maintain blood,

heart and brain in a normal condition.

Fasting purifies and profoundly

modifies our tissues."

Among the 27 benefits of fasting mentioned by Dr. Allan Cott in

his Fasting: the Ultimate Diet are to lose weight, to give the whole

system a rest, to clean out the body, to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, to cut down on smoking and drinking, to let the body

heal itself, to relief tension, to sleep better, to digest food better, to

regulate bowels, to learn better eating habits, and to slow the aging process.

In the animal world animals use nature's way to heal themselves.

When they are ill, they find a quiet place where they rest and stop

eating. Even domesticated animals such as cats and dogs and even "dumb" cows are smart enough to stop eating when they are ill. By

fasting the animal creates within its body a biochemical state which help

it to quick recovery. But man acts on the opposite direction of the animal law when he is ill. Man and only man who persists and insists in

eating when he is ill, although his body rejects food, when sweets taste

bitter, and even when he has no appetite.

123 Qur’ān, [2]:185

95

An article in the Health magazine stated that if the average person

were to fast one day out of every week for the whole year "he would be no older in body at the year's end than in the beginning." In other words,

although his chronological age continues, his physical age stops with

fasting. This is very good news for us Muslims. If we fast every Monday or every Thursday, or every Monday and Thursday of the week as

recommended by our religion, we shall not only get reward from Allah,

but also slow the process of our aging.

Prof. C.M. Child of the University of Chicago reveals in his over fifteen years of research on aging in animals that periodic fasting is

generally conductive to rejuvenescence. He found that in certain species

of insects, insects with abundant food live in three to four weeks. But if the food is greatly reduced or the insects are forced to fast, they may

continue to be active and young for at least three years. This statement

reminds us of the swarm of locusts that suddenly appeared and multiplied in millions and devastating crops in Africa and Asia, but

suddenly disappeared. Why? Being overfed, they killed themselves by

eating too much. However, some were not overfed, and therefore, were not completely destroyed, and had chance to survive longer and to breed

and to threaten us again in the future. Overeating is dangerous, but

fasting could maintain your health. Let us learn from nature. Nature is a book, and to read it nobody is illiterate.

Fasting is not starving. It takes a long fast to come to starvation.

Doctors say that man can survive without food for several weeks, but

can survive without water for about three days only. However, an exception did occur when a baby was reported to have survived

miraculously after being trapped in a collapsed building for one week in

Mexico city when this city was being devastated by earthquake in 1985. Abstaining from water in 18 or even 19 hours of fasting in summer for

Muslim people living near the northern or the southern pole is only one-

fourth on the length of time that can cause death from starvation. Even if they fast without having their suhur (pre-dawn meal) and fast 24 hours,

this is still only one-third of the length of time that can cause them die of

starvation. Therefore, fasting on the longest day of Ramadan in summer is far from being dangerous to healthy people. Allah Himself says:

( :البقرة ) وسعها إلا نفسا الله يكلف لا

96

"Allah asketh not a soul beyond its scope..."124

In order to make fasting easier, the Prophet recommends us to

have our pre-dawn meal (suh.ūr). Mālik b. Anas reported the Prophet

said: "Have your pre-dawn meal for it is blessing." He also recommends

us to break our fasting with dates or water. He said: "Break your fast with dates, for they are a blessing; if you do not have dates, then with

water, for it is pure." The late Dr. Anwar al-Muftī gives us his comment

on the last h.adīth, saying that sweet liquid is absorbed by the intestines

in less than five minutes, eliminating the symptom of sugar deficiency in a short time; sugar in food is absorbed within three or four hours, so

that the symptom of sugar deficiency still remains in a person who

breaks his fasting with solids rather than sweet liquids as if one is still fasting.

We have one teaspoonful of sugar in our blood. If the amount of

sugar in our blood increases, we may have sugar problem, diabetes,

namely, the pancreas cannot properly absorb sugar and starchy foods. If the amount is reduced a little, we may feel tired, but if it is reduced to

half, we shall lose consciousness. This is the importance of sugar. The

fastest way of supplying our blood with sugar is by drinking sweet liquids, and the best sweet liquid for our blood is honey. It is because

honey contains 40 % dextrose which is quickly absorbed into our blood,

and 34 % levulose which is slowly absorbed into our blood, so that with honey the supply of sugar into our blood lasts longer.

With regard to the benefit of water for breaking the fast, Dr. Allan

Cott said: "Water is the faster's best friend. It facilitates the flushing of

toxins and waste materials that accumulate when fatty tissues are being 'burned.'"

Wild animals know by instinct how to live, what to eat and drink. But man, the most intelligent being on earth, eats the food that is most

difficult to digest and drink unhealthy, "poisonous" drinks. The caffeine

in coffee, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks like coca-cola, and the nicotine in tobacco are all "poisons," not the lethal poisons that kill instantly, but

the legal ones. They are stimulants that just tickle our body. When our

body cries for sleep and rest, instead of giving what it wants, we say: "No, this is no time for sleep and rest." So, we take these stimulants and

feel "fresh" again, an artificial freshness. Stimulating our nervous

124 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:286, M.M. Pickthall's translation

97

system the caffeine makes us feel more awake and encourages activity

and conversation. And we do this everyday throughout our lives. No wonder if man does not live long enough and reach easily the age of 100

years.

The animal's minimum life span is said to be five times the period

required for it to mature. For example, the chicken matures at the age of six months, easily lives to be two and a half years old; the dog matures

at the age of one, easily lives to be five; the calf matures at two, easily

lives to be twelve; the horse matures at four, easily lives to be twenty. Man matures at the age of twenty, and is supposed to be able to live

easily to be one hundred years old, but, alas, at the age of sixty he has

already become semi-invalid.

Fasting is the key to health. It purifies every cell in our body. Fourteen centuries ago our beloved Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) had

said: "Fast, so that you will be healthy."

May this little information be helpful in strengthening our faith

and heightening our spirit in performing the obligatory fasting in this

holy month of Ramadan as well as the recommended fasting on other days of the year, amin!!!

29. ‘ĪD AL-FIT.R

9

Brothers and sisters in Islam:

98

Today is ‘Īd al-Fit.r, the feast day of fast breaking, celebrated by

Muslims all over the world as a sign of thanks and appreciation to

Allah Who gave them the ability to endure hunger and thirst for His sake alone. Today is the day of happiness and therefore we shall make

other people happy: our children, our spouses, our brothers and sisters,

our parents, our relatives, friends, neighbours, any Muslim. To those who fast out of faith Allah will forgive their sins, minor sins. With

regard to major sins, such as killing and drinking alcohol, one has to

repent to Allah in order to be forgiven.

Brothers and sisters in Islam

To err is human, nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes. Sometimes we hurt other people’s feelings, intentionally or

unintentionally. We might have quarreled, fought and resented each

other. This is the time for forgiving each other, for the sake of keeping the unity among us and strengthening our relations. This is the time to

erase any bad feeling among us. Without doing this we are not going to

be happy on this day, we are just pretending to be happy.

Let us take away from us any idea of revenge. The Prophet as our

model never took revenge for himself. He did not revenge for the killing of his uncle by al-Wahshi. After the death of the Prophet, al-

Wah.shī killed Musaylimah who claimed to be a prophet at the battle of

Yamamah. Al- Wah.shī then said: “I have killed the best man (meaning

the Prophet’s uncle Hamzah) and the worst man (meaning

Musaylimah). Listen to the following h.adīth:

“It was narrated by Ibn Mas‘ūd, may Allah

be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of

Allah said: Shall I tell you the thing which is prohibited

from Hellfire, or the person who is prohibited from

Hellfire? It is prohibited to every simple,

gentle and easy person.”125

125 Reported by al-Tirmidhī

99

In another tradition the Prophet said: “There are three kinds of

persons who are decreed to enter Heaven: the just ruler, the compassionate tender-hearted person, and the modest and honest

person.” Isolating oneself from the community because of one’s

inability to stand other people’s wrongdoing is not recommended by the Prophet. Listen to the following tradition:

“It is narrated by Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet

said: ‘The Muslim who mingles with people and is patient

with their wrong-doings has more recompense than a Muslim

who does not mingle with people because he cannot

tolerate their wrong-doings.”126

Brothers and sisters in Islam:

Whoever among you is able to fast six days after Ramad.ān, let

him do it, for the Prophet said that those who do it will have the

reward of fasting the whole year. As the reward of one good deed is ten-fold, the reward of 36 (or 35) days of fasting is that of 360 (or

350) days of fasting, namely, one year.

Let us celebrate this day with full of joy and happiness by

forgiving each other and visiting each other. Visit the Muslims whom you have not visited.

(THE SECOND KHUT.BAH)

9

126Reported by Ibn Mājah, Amad, al-Bayhaqī, and al-abrānī

111

Brothers and sisters in Islam:

Let us forgive each other and shake hands. Now let us pray

together:

.

(You can cite any other du‘a you know or remember, even in English

or other language understood by the congregation). Then conclude

the khut.bah with the following takbir, i.e., glorification of Allah, but

it is only optional).

,

30. ‘ĪD AL-AD.HYĀ

9

Brothers and sisters in Islam

Today we are celebrating ‘Īd al-Ad.h.ā, the Feast of Sacrifice.

Two important events occur on this day. The fist is that Muslims in

various parts of the world are performing their pilgrimage a Mecca. It

111

is an international convention for mankind where over two million

people get together in one place at one time once a year. They come irrespective of their colour, nationality, social status or language. It is a

journey where you can see your brothers and sisters in faith coming

from every corner of the world. It is the most significant journey for a Muslim, as Qbū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said:

“The reward of accepted pilgrimage

is nothing but Paradise.”127

Pilgrimage is a kind of jihād. A tradition runs as follows:

“‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: I said ‘O Messenger of Allah, since jihād

is the best work, why don’t we (women) go for

the jihād?’ He replied: ‘But the best

jihad is doing the pilgrimage’”128

The second event is that Muslims all over the world go to the

mosque or the field to perform the ‘Id al-Adha prayer and listen to the

khut.bah (sermon).

When Prophet Abraham (Ibrāhīm, p.b.u.h.) became old and still

had no son, his wife Sarah permitted him to marry his servant Hajar.

From Hajar, Ishmael (Ismā‘īl) was born. The Old Testament said that Abraham was 86 years old at that time. Fourteen years later, Isaac

(Ish.āq) was born from Sarah. Before Isaac was born Allah had ordered

Prophet Abraham through a dream to sacrifice his only son Ishmael. It

is mentioned in the Qur’ān as follows:

127 Reported by Amad, al-Bayhaqī, and al-abrānī128 Reported by al-Bukhārī and al-Bayhaqī

112

(- :الصافات)

“Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work

with him, he said: “O my son! I have seen in a dream that I

offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!’ (The son) said:

‘O my father! Do as thou art commanded: Thou will find me, if Allah

so wills one of the steadfast.’ So when they had both submitted (to

Allah) and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice)

We called out to him, ‘O Abraham! Thou hast already fulfilled the

dream! Thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For

this was a clear trial—and We ransomed him

with a momentous sacrifice.”129

Satan had tried to persuade Prophet Abraham to disobey Allah,

not to sacrifice his son, but Prophet Abraham was firm in his decision

to obey Allah. He threw stones at Satan. Following this example of not listening to Satan and obeying Allah completely, even to sacrifice one’s

own son, Muslims at Mina threw pebbles at stones symbolizing Satan

in three places where Satan appeared to Prophet Abraham.

This is the Qur’ānic version which we believe. The other version is that of the Old Testament. In Genesis 16:16 it is said: “And Abraham

was fourscore and six years (namely, 86 years) old when Hajar bare

Ishmael to Abraham.” In the Genesis 21:5 it is said “And Abraham was an hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him.” This is

comfirmed with Genesis 17:24-25 in which it is stated that Ishmael was

thirteen years old when Abraham was ninety-nine. Notice the difference between those two verses: In the first verse it is mentioned “Hajar bare

Ishmael to him,” namely his son through implication, not explicitly,

while in the other verse it is said ”his son Isaac was born” where Isaac is mentioned explicitly the son of Abraham. From these two Biblical

verses we also learn that Ishmael was fourteen years older than his

younger brother Isaac. But Genesis chapter 22 that mentions this story said in verse as follows: ‘[God told Abraham]: Take now thy son, thine

129Qur’ān, al-S.āffāt [37]:102-107

113

only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into land of Moriah.”

This verse implies, either Prophet Abraham had one son only (Isaac) whom he loved, which is contradictory to the previous verse,

130 or he

had another son (Ishmael) but he loved Isaac only, an attitude which

should not be attributed to a great prophet of Allah who was a model to

his people. Moreover, Ishmael was the answer of Prophet Abraham’s prayer for a son. He prayed:

“O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son).

So We gave him the good new

of a forbearing son.”131

It is unthinkable that a chosen person like Prophet Abraham did not

love his righteous and forbearing son Ishmael. He took his baby

Ishmael and wife Hajar to the valley of Mecca, not because he did not love them, but because it was the command of Allah.

Prophet Abraham showed his happiness and gratitude to Allah for

having two sons, as mentioned in the Qur’ān,

. “Praise be to Allah, Who hath granted

unto me in old age Isma‘il and Isaac: for truly my

Lord is He, the Hearer of prayer.”132

He also prayed for himself and his offspring, as follows

“O my Lord! Make me one who establishes regular

prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring.

O my Lord! And accept my prayer.”133

130 Genesis 16:16 and 21:5

131 Qur’ān, al-S.āffāt [37]:100-101132 Qur’ān, Ibrahim [14]:39

133 Qur’ān, Ibrahim [14]:40

114

In Mecca Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael built the

foundation of the Ka‘bah. Allah says:

“And remember Abraham and Isma‘il raised

the foundations of the House (with this prayer): ‘O our Lord!

Accept (this service) from us: for Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-

Knowing. Our Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy (will), and

of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Thy (will); and show

us our places for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us

(in mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Relenting, Most Merciful. Our

Lord! Send amongst them a messenger of their own, who

shall rehearse Thy signs to them and instruct them in

scripture and wisdom, and purify them: for

Thou art the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”134

This prayer was accepted with the advent of Prophet Muhammad

who said, as narrated by Abū Ummamah,

“(I am the answer of) the prayer of my forefather

Abraham and the good tidying of Jesus”135

Unlike the Qur’ānic version where Prophet Abraham told his son

Ishmael about his dream and, Genesis chapter 22 says that Abraham did not tell his son Isaac that God wanted him to be sacrificed. He kept it

secret when Isaac asked: “… but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering…”

136 He did not tell his son Isaac that God wanted him to be

sacrificed, and did not ask his view. Isaac knew only that he was “the

lamb” to be sacrificed when he was bound as mentioned in Genesis 22:9.

134Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:127-129 135

Reported by Amad, al-Bayhaqī and al-abrānī 136 Genesis 22:7-8

115

As mentioned in the Qur’ān, Ishmael was consulted, informed

that he was to be sacrificed by the command of Allah. He told his father: “Do as you are commanded, I shall be patient”. He was not

bound. Both the father and the son were obeying Allah’s command, a

tremendous test for both. A man approaching his 100 years longed for a son, but when he was blessed with a son, an only son, he had to

sacrifice him.

Following the example of Prophet Abraham we Muslims perform

the pilgrimage at Mecca, we throw pebbles at the stone pillars symbolizing Satan and sacrifice a lamb at Mina near Mecca. The ritual

is much easier than what Prophet Abraham and Ishmael had gone

through.

(THE SECOND KHUT.BAH)

,

Brothers and sisters in Islam

Satan always tries to lead us away from the right way and from obeying Allah. Allah says:

“Verily Satan is an enemy to you:

so treat him as an enemy.”137

There are two kinds of Satan: Satan which we cannot see, among

the jinn (genie); the other is Satan from among human beings. They

whisper to man’s heart to do bad things.

There is a story of a pious scholar who was lying on his deathbed

and was surrounded by his disciples. They asked him to say the

shahādah, namely, lā ilāha illallāh, muhammadun rasūlullah (“there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”), as a

Muslim is recommended to say. But the scholar said, “No, I won’t.”

The disciples started doubting the piety of their teacher who was semi-

137Qur’ān, Fāt.ir [35]:6

116

conscious. Suddenly, he became conscious and asked: “Did anything

happen?” They said, “yes” and told him what happened. He said: “This is the work of Satan. As he could not deceive me, he was trying

to deceive you and make you doubt of my teaching. When you asked

me to say the shahādah at the same time Satan asked me to say that there are two gods (meaning god of light and that of darkness). I told

Satan ‘No, I won’t,’ I was not talking to you.

In a tradition narrated by H...udhayfah b. al-Yamān the Prophet

said:

“After me there will be people who do not follow

my way and guidance, and there will be people who have

the hearts of Satan in the body of human beings.”138

In another tradition Abī Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet

said:

“At the end of time there will be crooked

people, wearing the skin of goat in tenderness,

having tongues sweeter than sugar,

but have the hearts of wolves.”139

Let us be careful so that Satan would not be able to lead us away from the right path, and let us make of supplication together.

138 Reported by Muslim

139 Reported by al-Tirmidhī

117

(You can cite any supplication you know, even in English or the

language known by the majority of the members of the congregation)

,

31. ENGAGEMENT & MARRIAGE

Brothers and sisters in Islam,

Today one of our lucky brothers and our lucky sisters are proclaiming their intention to end their solitary lives. Br. … and Sr.

… are lucky because they have finally found each other.

Br. … and Sr. ..., you are lucky to find what is called “the life

companion” You are lucky to find your other

half. You are lucky for yoAu are going to fulfil the other half of your

religion. Anas b. Mālik narrated that Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)

said,

“If the servant (of Allah) gets married, half of

his religion is completed; then he should

fear Allah with the other half.”140

No matter how hard one practices Islam, without marriage one cannot

make it complete. You see how important marriage is for a Muslim?

Through marriage you are expected to have children. Having

children is an investment. How? By raising your children properly and

140Reported by al-Bayhaqī

118

in Islamic way they will be expected to pray for you when you die, and

their prayer will be accepted by Allah. In one tradition narrated by Abū Hurayrah that the Prophet says:

“When the son of Adam dies his deed ceased

except in three things: perpetual charity, knowledge

from which people get benefit, or a pious son

[or daughter] who prays for him.”141

This decision you are taking is one of the most important events in

your lives. If you see a person more handsome or more beautiful, do not be tempted by Satan into saying that you should have married that

person. No! One does not marry for beauty alone. One marries

personality, character, and now you have found someone you have already trusted, loved, and respected.

In Indonesia we have a proverb saying “Open your eyes before marriage, and after marriage close your eyes.” It means, before

marriage you can look around and try to find the right person. Once

you have found her, close your eyes for other girls.

It is sad to know that one-third of all marriages in North America [as well as in Australia] end with divorce. Although it is permitted in

Islam, divorce is discouraged. Abdullah ibn ‘Umar narrated that

Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said:

“The most detested permitted thing

according to Allah is the divorce.”142

Now, why are there so many divorces? There are many factors. One of them is the lack of mutual understanding. A person you think

you have known very well before marriage suddenly becomes a

stranger after marriage. If your wife does not work, but stays at home as a housewife, this does not mean that she just stays at home without

141 Reported by Muslim

142 Reported by Abū Dā’ūd, Ibn Mājah, and al-Bayhaqī

119

doing anything. Therefore, do not be surprised to find your wife tired

of working. The following stories may explain my point:

A businessman, as usual, came to his office in the morning. He

was busy reading a newspaper. In the afternoon he called his secretary

to whom he dictated a letter. His wife at home was working hard cooking, washing dishes, cleaning the house and many other tasks until

she became tired. In the evening her husband came and found her tired.

He said to her: “It is unfair! I am the one who works, and you are the one who is tired.” His wife said: “Yes, it is unfair, indeed!” What she

means is that although she works hard but because she is not paid, she is considered doing nothing.

A couple went to a marital counselor for advice. They were complaining against each other. The husband claimed that he worked

hard in his office while his wife did not do her work well at home. His

wife claimed that housework is very hard, harder than her husband’s work in the office. Each claimed to have harder job. The marital

counselor suggested to exchange jobs: the wife to go to her husband’s

office and the husband to stay at home cooking, baby sitting, washing dishes and cleaning the house. Amazingly, both the husband and the

wife rejected the idea. They knew that each of them had hard work.

Brothers and sisters

Allah says in the Qur’ān:

“Glory to Allah, who created in pairs all

things that the earth produces, aswell as their

own (human) kind and (other) things of which

they have no knowledge.” 143

Allah created human beings in pairs: man and woman, identical,

yet different, and none of them is more human than the other. It is said that men follow reason, while women follow intuition. They are more

often right than men in spite of men’s research and fact finding. “In

sailing the matrimonial bark,” said Dr. Peck in his book Life with Women and How to Survive It, “always point the ship in the direction

143 Qur’ān, Yāsīn [36]:36

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you do not want to go.”144

What he means is that your spouse will

argue with you and will point to another direction. Once she points to the direction you want to go, then agree, or least, you will not go where

you really do not want to go.

Husband and wife relationship is metaphorically portrayed in the

Qur’ān as a garment to each other:

"… they are your garments and ye are their garments."145

It means that, they are fitting to each other as a garment to the body.

Like garments which are for show and concealment, they are each

other’s show and concealment. They conceal each other’s secret, (except for consultation, such as to a marital councelor for solving any

marital problem). They support, comfort and protect each other. Our

garments protect us from hot and cold temprature, and our spouses protect us from commiting indecency and immorality.

It is oftenly said that for men, love is only a small part of their

lives. For women, it is their whole lives. How? Men go to work and become busy, so busy that they do not remember their wives at home.

For women at home, they remember their husbands most of the time.

They cook for their husbands, and so they remember them. They wash their husbands’ clothes and so they remember them. Everything at

home will remind them of their husbands. However, nowadays, women

also work, especially if they work full time, there is possible danger of neglecting their husbands. Harmonious marriage life is much better

than wealth that could become a threat to this peaceful life.

Allah created men and women with their pluses and minuses.

Men have stronger muscles, are usually taller and have bigger brains. This does not mean that men are more intelligent than women. Cows

have even bigger brains. Men are created to be the protectors of their

family. That is why they are created with stronger muscles and bigger brains, to act more reasonably rather than following their emotion and

intuition. In general men choose women, but women choose men

among those who choose them.

144 Dr. Joseph H. Peck, M.D., Life with Women and How to Survive It. Englewood

Cliffs, N.J.: PrenticeHall, Inc., 1961, p. 82. 145 Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:187.

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But women in general are healthier than men, although

apparently women see the physicians more than men, probably for general checkup. They live longer statistically, probably because their

natural hormones, the estrogens, seem to protect them from the most

common form of heart disease. Their response to stress chemically and behaviourally is different from that of men.

At birth and in infancy male babies who are born dead are more

than female ones. In the first month of their lives thirty percent of male

babies die more than female ones. It is said that thirty percent of major birth defects are related to males. Why? Because male babies have to

go through more elaborate transformation in the womb. More things

can go wrong with them than with female babies.

The slightest brain damage occurring during or after birth often affect the behaviour and language skills of the baby boys in the left

hemisphere of their brains. Therefore, they are four or five times more

likely to suffer from language disorders and disabilities than girls. They are more likely to suffer difficulty learning to talk than girls (5 to 1),

and with reading and writing (4 to 1). We have just heard (in 1988 in

Edmonton) from the radio and watched on TV a two year old girl saved the life of her baby-sitter who suddenly became unconscious. The little

girl tried to call the telephone operator. The operator tried to locate the

house from which she was calling, then called the police and the ambulance.

In any community or nation violent crime are mostly committed by men rather than women. Apart from their environment, they have

most probably something wrong with the left hemisphere of their

brains, which governs their behaviour.

Another disadvantage of men but an advantage for women is that men are less resistant to disease than women, and therefore, as

mentioned earlier, are healthier. When a woman became pregnant, she

has to defend and support the fetus, not to reject or destroy it. In the meantime she has to defend herself against infection. Therefore, she

must have inherited an extremely sophisticated immune system more

than man. But this advantage for women could turn into disadvantage. This sophisticated immune system sometimes becomes over-efficient

or over-active and attacks the body it is supposed to protect. Therefore,

women suffer from certain auto immune disease more than men do.

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In conclusion, there are pluses and minuses, advantages and

disadvantages making us complementary and necessary to one another. Neither is better, neither is worse. They are equal although

not the same. Allah has no preference in matter of gender, either male

or female. He says:

“Whoever works righteousness, man or

woman, and has faith, verily, to him will We give

a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow

on such their reward according to the

best of their actions.” 146

In one tradition narrated by Abū Hurayrah the Prophet says:

“Allah does not look at your body nor your

appearance, but He looks at your heart

[and he pointed his fingers at his breast].”147

Now let us pray for the (future) bride and groom, may Allah bless

their marriage and give them happy and harmonious life.

[Any prayer for the prosperity of both the bride and bridegroom can be cited together].

146Qur’ān, al-Nahl [16]:97147Reported by Muslim

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