Islamic Finder - Lectures Khutbas: Prophets

Showing posts with label Prophets. Show all posts

The Faith And Legacy Of Prophet Abraham ( PBUH) Through The Qur'an

The Faith And Legacy Of Prophet Abraham ( PBUH) Through The Qur'an

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Atheism Explained in 45sec

Atheism Explained in 45sec

Atheism Explained in 45sec. Is Atheism a religion? Religion = "a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importanc...

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Hadiths from Prophet Muhammad (saw) about Fatimah al-Zahra (as) - Shia and Sunni refs

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Fatimah (sa) is the leader of women in Paradise 
 
    9. عن حذيفة رضي الله عنه، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن هذا ملك لم ينزل الأرض قط قبل هذه الليلة استأذن ربه أن يسلم عليّ و يبشّرني بأن فاطمة سيدة نساء أهل الجنة، وأن الحسن والحسين سيدا شباب أهل الجنة. 
 
Hudhaifah (ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet (saw) said, “There is an angel who before tonight had never come down to earth, asked permission from his Lord to offer slam (salutations) to me and to deliver the good news to me that Fatimah (sa) is the leader of all women of Paradise and Hasan (ra) and Husain (ra) are the leaders of all the youngsters in Paradise.” 
 
    10. عن علي ابن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لفاطمة رضي الله عنها: ألا ترضين أن تكوني سيدة نساء أهل الجنة و ابناك سيدا شباب أهل الجنة. 
 
Ali (as), the son of Abu Talib, narrates that the Holy Prophet (saw) said to Fatimah (sa), “Are you not happy that you are the leader of all women in Paradise and both of your sons are leaders of all youth in Paradise.” 
 
    11. عن بن عباس رضي الله عنه، قال: خط رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في الأرض أربعة خطوط. قال: تدرون ما هذا؟ فقالوا: الله و رسوله أعلم. فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أفضل نساء أهل الجنة: خديجة بنت خويلد، و فاطمة بنت محمد، و آسية بنت مزاحم امرأة فرعون، و مريم ابنة عمران رضي الله عنهن اجمعين. 
 
Abdullah bin Abbas (ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet (saw) drew four lines in the ground and asked, “Do you know what this is?” The companions replied, “Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (saw) know better.” Then the Holy Prophet (saw) said, “From the women of Paradise four are superior to others: Khadijah the daughter of Khuwaylid, Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad, Asiyah the daughter of Mazahim the wife of Pharaoh and Maryam the daughter of Imran (ra).” 
 
    12. عن صالح قال: قالت عائشة لفاطمة بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ألا أبشرك أني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: سيدات أهل الجنة أربع: مريم بنت عمران، و فاطمة بنت رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم، خديجة بنت خويلد، و آسية أمرأة فرعون. 
 
Salih (ra) narrates that Ayeshah (ra) said to Fatimah (sa), “Shall I not tell you some good news? I have heard the Holy Prophet (saw) say that only four women are the leaders of the women of Paradise: Maryam bint Imran, Fatimah bint Messenger of Allah (saw), Khadijah bint Khuwaylid and Pharaoh’s wife, Asiyah.” 
 
 
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Hadiths from Prophet Muhammad (saw) about Fatimah al-Zahra (as) - Shia and Sunni refs

Fatimah (sa) is the leader of women in Paradise 9. عن حذيفة رضي الله عنه، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن هذا ملك لم ...

Saturday, May 13, 2017

In the Footsteps of the Prophet (pbuh) by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

This is one of the most comprehensive and thought provoking lecture by Hamza Yusuf. In this lecture, he implores the audience to consider the major crisis of our time: the disillusion of the human soul itself. He then presents a program based on a hadith in which the Prophet (PBUH) said, “I was sent to perfect noble character.” In this context, he outlines the two primary concerns of the Muslim, the heart and the limbs, and the need to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (PBUH) by utilizing his divinely-inspired methodology to guard them. 
 
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In the Footsteps of the Prophet (pbuh) by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

This is one of the most comprehensive and thought provoking lecture by Hamza Yusuf. In this lecture, he implores the audience to consid...

Monday, May 08, 2017

The Lives Of The Prophets by Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki

The Lives of the Prophets is a series of lectures delivered by Anwar Al-Awlaki. It is the first such series produced in the English language. The author has done extensive research in the original Arabic resources. The series is based primarily on Ibn Kathir¦s ” Al-Bidayah wa-nihayah (The Beginning and the End)”. Br. Al-Awlaki has done an excellent job of relying almost completely on the Quran, Hadith and statements of the Noble Companions. 
 
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The Lives Of The Prophets by Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki

The Lives of the Prophets is a series of lectures delivered by Anwar Al-Awlaki. It is the first such series produced in the English lan...

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

The Creation & Knowledge of Prophet Adam (pbuh)

Beginning and End is a video series based on the book بداية و نهاية‎,. Sheikh Omar Suleiman goes through this entire text weekly to bring stories and reminders to you. For more lectures with Shaykh Omar Suleiman visit <a class="yt-uix-redirect-link" dir="ltr" href="http://bayyinah.tv/" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #167ac6; cursor: pointer; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="http://bayyinah.tv">http://bayyinah.tv</a> 
 
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Islam provides us with the astonishing details of the creation of Adam.  Both Christian and Jewish traditions are remarkably similar yet importantly different to the Quran.  The Book of Genesis describes Adam as being made from “the dust of the earth,” and in the Talmud, Adam is described as being kneaded from mud. 
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And God said to the angels: 
 
“‘Verily, I am going to place mankind generations after generations on earth.’  They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.’  God said: ‘I know that which you do not know.’” (Quran 2:30) 
 
So begins the story of Adam, the first man, the first human being.  God created Adam from a handful of soil containing portions from all its varieties on Earth.  Angels were sent to earth to collect the soil that was to become Adam.  It was red, white, brown, and black; it was soft and malleable, hard and gritty; it came from the mountains and the valleys; from infertile deserts and lush fertile plains and all the natural varieties in between.  The descendants of Adam were destined to be as diverse as the handful of soil from which their ancestor was created; all have different appearances, attributes and qualities. 
 
Soil or Clay? 
 
Throughout the Quran, the soil used to create Adam is referred to by many names, and from this we are able to understand some of the methodology of his creation.  Each name for soil is used at a different stage of Adam’s creation.  Soil, taken from the earth, is referred to as soil; God also refers to it as clay.  When it is mixed with water it becomes mud, when it is left to stand the water content reduces and it becomes sticky clay (or mud).  If it is again left for some time it begins to smell, and the colour becomes darker – black, smooth clay.  It was from this substance that God moulded the form of Adam.  His soulless body was left to dry, and it became what is known in the Quran as sounding clay.  Adam was moulded from something akin to potter’s clay.  When it is rapped it produces a ringing sound.[2] 
 
The First Man is Honoured 
 
And God said, to the Angels: 
 
“And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am going to create a human (Adam) from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud.  So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him.” (Quran 38:71-72) 
 
God honoured the first humman, Adam, in countless ways.  Allah blew his soul into him, He fashioned him with His own hands and He ordered the Angels to bow down before him.  And God said to the Angels: 
 
“....Prostrate to Adam and they prostrated except Iblees (Satan)....” (Quran 7:11) 
 
While worship is reserved for God Alone this prostration by the Angels to Adam was a sign of respect and honour.  It is said that, as Adam’s body trembled into life, he sneezed and immediately said ‘All praise and thanks is due to God;’ so God responded by bestowing His Mercy upon Adam.  Although this account is not mentioned in either the Quran or the authentic narrations of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, it is mentioned in some commentaries of the Quran.  Thus, in his first seconds of life, the first man is recognized as an honoured creature, covered with the infinite Mercy of God.[3] 
 
It was also said by the Prophet Muhammad that God created Adam in His image. This does not mean that Adam was created to look similar to God, as God is unique in all His aspects, we are unable to comprehend or form an image of Him.  It does mean, however, that Adam was given some qualities which also God has, although incomparable.  He was given qualities of mercy, love, free will, and others. 
 
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The First Greeting 
 
Adam was instructed to approach a group of Angels sitting near to him and greet them with the words Assalamu alaikum (May God’s peace be upon you), they answered ‘and also upon you be God’s peace, mercy and blessings’.  From that day forward these words became the greeting of those submitted to God.  From the moment of Adam’s creation, we his descendents were instructed to spread peace. 
 
Adam, the Caretaker 
 
God told mankind that He did not create them except that they should worship Him.  Everything in this world was created for Adam and his descendants, in order to aid us in our ability to worship and know God.  Due to God’s infinite Wisdom, Adam and his descendants were to be the caretakers on earth, so God taught Adam what he needed to know to perform this duty.  God mentions: 
 
“He taught Adam all the names of everything.” (Quran 2:31) 
 
God gave Adam the ability to identify and designate names to everything; He taught him language, speech and the ability to communicate.  God imbued Adam with an insatiable need for and love of knowledge.  After Adam had learned the names and uses for all things God said to the Angels... 
 
“‘tell me the names of these if you are truthful.’  They answered ‘Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what You have taught us.  Verily it is You the All Knower, the All Wise.’” (Quran 2:31-32) 
 
God turned to Adam and said: 
 
“‘O Adam!  Inform them of their names,’ and when he had informed them of their names, He said:  Did I not tell you that I know the unseen in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been hiding?” (Quran 2:33) 
 
Adam tried to speak with the Angels, but they were occupied worshipping God.  The Angels were given no specific knowledge or freedom of will, their sole purpose being to worship and praise God.  Adam, on the other hand, was given the ability to reason, make choices and identify objects and their purpose.  This helped to prepare Adam for his coming role on earth.  So Adam knew the names of everything, but he was alone in Heaven.  One morning Adam awoke to find a woman gazing at him. 
 
Article: <a href="http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1190/story-of-adam-part-1/" target="_blank">http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1190/story-of-adam-part-1/ </a> 
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The Creation & Knowledge of Prophet Adam (pbuh)

Beginning and End is a video series based on the book بداية و نهاية‎,. Sheikh Omar Suleiman goes through this entire text weekly to ...

Thursday, February 11, 2016

I have only been sent to perfect good moral character.

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Abū Hurayrah relates that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “I have only been sent to perfect good moral character.” [Musnad Ahmad (8595)] 
 
The purpose of all the revealed books has always been inner purification. Abraham prayed to his Lord to send to his descendants a Messenger who would recite His signs to them, teach them the scripture, and purify them. Allah answered his prayer by sending Muhammad . Allah says: “It is He who has sent amongst the unlettered people a messenger from among themselves, to rehearse to them His Signs, to purify them, and to instruct them in the scripture and wisdom,- although they had been, before, in manifest error.” [Sūrah al-Jumu`ah: 2] 
 
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He also says: “Likewise, We have sent unto you a messenger from among yourselves, who recites unto you Our revelations and purifies you, and teaches you the scripture and wisdom, and teaches you that which you did not know.” [Sūrah al-Baqarah: 151] 
 
This great purpose is what Prophet Muhammad declared when he said: “I have only been sent to perfect good moral character.” [Musnad Ahmad (8595)] 
 
The “good moral character” referred to here is comprehensive. It includes how we conduct ourselves with our Lord, how each of us relates to his or her self, and how we treat other people. 
 
The Prophet’s statement implies there are two types of good moral conduct. The first is common knowledge. People know it instinctively. The other type is that which completes and perfects it. This cannot be known without Allah’s guidance through revelation. The Prophet was sent to teach it to the people as part of the message he brought. 
 
The Prophet’s guidance in this matter is vast. Many books have been written about it. One of the most famous hadith in this regard is where the Prophet said: “Nothing weighs heavier in the balance on the Day of Judgement than good character. Allah hates that which is wanton and base.” [Sunan al-Trimidhī (2002) and Sunan Abī Dāwūd (4799)] 
 
The Prophet was asked what causes the most people to enter paradise. He said: “Fear of Allah and good character.” He was then asked what brought the most people to the Hellfire. He said: “The tongue and the private parts.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī (2004)] 
 
The Prophet’s servant Anas observed: “Allah’s Messenger had the best character of all people.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī (6203) and Sahīh Muslim (2150)] 
 
He also said: “I have never touched silk of any quality that was softer than the hand of Allah’s Messenger. I never smelled a scent that was sweeter than his.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī (1973, 3561) and Sahīh Muslim (2330)] 
 
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He said: “I served the Prophet for ten years and he never once rebuked me. He never once said about something I did: ‘Why did you do that?’ and he never said about something I didn’t do: ‘Why didn’t you do that?’” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī (6038) and Sahīh Muslim (2309)] 
 
Al-Nawwās b. Sam`ān asked the Prophet about righteousness and sin. He replied: “Righteousness is to exhibit good character. Sin is what disturbs your heart and you hate for others know about it.” [Sahīh Muslim (2553)] 
 
`Abd Allah b. `Amr b. al-`Ās said: “Allah’s messenger was not a crude man and he did not behave crudely. He used to say: ‘Among the best of you are those with the best character.’” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī (3559) and Sahīh Muslim (2321)] 
 
The Prophet also said: “The believers who have the most perfect faith are those who have the best character, and the best of them are those who are best to their womenfolk.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī (1162) and Sunan Abī Dāwūd (4682)] 
 
He also said: “A believer can attain though good character the blessings and rewards of fasting and prayer.” [Sunan Abī Dāwūd (4798)] 
 
He said: “The most beloved and nearest of you in proximity to me on the Day of Judgement will be those of you with the best character. The most detestable and remote form me on the Day of Judgement will be those who are babblers, ranters, and vainglorious.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī (2018)] 
 
It is enough for us to look at the Prophet’s life and observe how he treated people of all walks of life, how he behaved with his household, his relatives, his Companions, and his enemies. 
 
Once the Prophet borrowed money from a man, and the man came demanding payment, speaking very harshly. The Companions wanted to respond to the man’s harshness, but the Prophet said: “leave him alone. The one who has a right to something is allowed to speak.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī (2306) and Sahīh Muslim (1601)] 
 
Whenever the Prophet borrowed something from someone, he would always return it with more and pray for that person. He used to say: “The only reward for a loan is complete repayment and praise.” [Musnad Ahmad (16410)] 
 
A Jewish rabbi, Zayd b. Sa`nah, came to the Prophet demanding repayment. He grabbed the Prophet by the front of his shirt, scowled in his face, and said: “Muhammad, aren’t you going to pay me my due? By Allah! I did not know the family of `Abd al-Muttalib to be late in paying their debts. I have dealt with them before and know them.” 
 
`Umar grabbed the man and said: “Enemy of Allah! Do you speak these words I hear to Allah’s Messenger and behave towards him like this! I swear by the One who sent him in truth, if I did not fear the consequences, I would strike your neck with my sword.” 
 
The Prophet watched `Umar quietly and deliberately. Then he said: “I we need something entirely different from you, `Umar. You should be telling me to repay the debt well, and telling him to ask nicely. `Umar, go with him and pay him what is due to him and increase it by twenty sa` measures, for your upsetting him.” [Sahīh Ibn Hibbān (288)] 
 
`Abd Allah b. Salām was one of the leading Jewish scholars in Madinah. He was just-minded and a seeker of the truth. When he heard about Prophet Muhammad’s arrival, he went to have a look at him. When he saw the Prophet’s face , he knew that it was not the face of a liar. The first thing he heart the Prophet say was: “O people! If you spread the greeting of peace among you, feed those who need food, uphold kinship ties, and pray at night while people are sleeping, you will enter Paradise with ease.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī (2485)] 
 
`Abd Allah b. Salām was able to read from the Prophet’s countenance the signs that he was honest, trustworthy, and pure-hearted. Such a countenance is only for people whose hearts are truly pure, whose conduct is righteous, and who devote themselves to Allah. 
 
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The Four Foundations of Good Character  
 
There are many ways to exhibit good character. However, it all goes back to four essentials. 
 
1. Patience: It takes patience to be gentle and kind under trying circumstances. It takes patience to swallow back anger and exercise self-restraint. It is necessary for the qualities of forgiveness, pardon, and self-restraint. 
 
Fasting is the companion of patience. The month of Ramadan is an invitation to forgive, forget, and renew our relationships with family, co-workers, and neighbours with whom our affections have become strained Allah says: “Let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Sūrah al-Nūr:22] 
 
2. Decency: This is the quality that helps people abstain from base and ignoble behaviour and turns their hearts to that which is noble and high-minded. 
 
3. Courage: This is the quality that inspires people to greatness and generosity and prevents them from succumbing to anger and rash behaviour. 
 
4. Justice: This quality applies to dealing with oneself as well as others. This includes being moderate in behaviour. Every noble character trait stands between two ignoble traits at opposite extremes. If people becomes neglectful of the noble trait, they fall into one of the bad ones. If they go to excess in it, it brings them to the other bad quality. 
 
For instance, gentleness is a good character trait, akin to kindness. However, taking it to an excess leads to indignity and humiliation, while being neglectful of it leads to harshness, cruelty, and severity. Generosity is another good and desirable character trait. Taking it too far leads to reckless spending and wastefulness, while neglecting it makes one a greedy, envious miser. 
 
People naturally possess many good qualities and character traits, some of which they learned from their parents or picked up from their social environment. These qualities become part of their personalities. Prophet Muhammad said to Ashajj `Abd al-Qays: “You possess two qualities that Allah loves: gentleness and forbearance.” [Sahīh Muslim (170] 
 
In some narrations of this event, Prophet Muhammad goes on to tell Ashajj that Allah made these traits part of his natural disposition, to which Ashajj replied: “Praise be to Allah who placed within me two qualities that Allah and His Messenger love.” [Sunan Abī Dāwūd (5225)] 
 
How to Develop Good Character  
 
1. Striving within yourself to exhibit good character traits and refrain from bad ones. Allah says: “Those who strive for Our sake, We will guide them to Our paths.” [Sūrah al-`Ankabūt: 69] Good character is part of Allah’s guidance. 
 
2. Self-assessment. This means to look back on one’s behaviour. Those who call themselves to account benefit from it in all aspects of their lives. This is why Allah swears by the “self-reproaching spirit” in the Qur’an. Al-Hasan al-Basrī explains that the self-reproaching spirit describes the spirit of the believer. 
 
3. Aspiring for the best. We should aspire to be the best we can be , and this includes our behaviour. We should seek out and even create opportunities to exhibit good behaviour. 
 
4. Substitution. We should find alternatives to the bad behaviour that we exhibit, alternatives that allow us to express and develop our good traits. 
 
We are influenced by the people around us, by our families, classmates, colleagues, and friends. However, the greatest influence over us is the influence we have upon our own individual selves, in how we approach and understand ourselves , train ourselves and censure ourselves. This means we need to recognise our faults and our weaknesses as well as our virtues and strengths. 
 
O Allah! Help us to see the weaknesses within ourselves and help us to overcome them. Do not leave us without Your assistance for a moment. 
 
Source: http://en.islamtoday.net/artshow-427-4838.htm</div>

I have only been sent to perfect good moral character.

Abū Hurayrah relates that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “I have only been sent to perfect good moral character.” [Musnad Ahmad...

Sunday, February 07, 2016

Do you Know The Prophet?

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Muhammad, Rasoolullah 
 
Prophets in Islam (Arabic: الأنبياء في الإسلام‎) include "messengers" (rasul, pl. rusul), bringers of a divine revelation via an angel;12 and "prophets" (nabī, pl. anbiyāʼ), lawbringers that Muslims believe were sent by God to every people, bringing God's message in a language they can understand.13 Belief in prophets is one of the six articles of the Islamic faith, and specifically mentioned in the Quran.4 
In Islamic belief the first prophet was the first human being, Adam (Adem). Many Jewish and Christian prophets and revelations they delivered are mentioned in the Quran as prophets and revelations but usually with different names, (the Jewish Elisha is called Alyasa, Job is Ayyub, Jesus is Isa, etc.; The Torah given to Moses (Musa) is called Tawrat, the Psalms given to David (Dawud) is the Zabur, the Gospel given to Jesus is Injil). 
 
Unique to Islam is Muhammad (Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdullāh), who Muslims believe is the "Seal of the Prophets" (Khatam an-Nabiyyin, i.e. the last prophet); and the text revealed to him (the Quran), which Muslims believe is unique among divine revelations as the only one protected by God from distortion or corruption,5 destined to remain in its true form until the Last Day. 
 
In Muslim belief, every prophet preached the same main Islamic beliefs, the Oneness of God, worshipping of that one God, avoidance of idolatry and sin, and the belief in the Day of Resurrection or the Day of Judgement and life after death. Each came to preach Islam at different times in history and some told of the coming of the final prophet and messenger of God, who would be named "Ahmed" commonly known as Muhammad. Each prophet directed a message to a different group of people, and thus would preach Islam in accordance with the times. 
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophets_and_messengers_in_Islam 
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Do you Know The Prophet?

Muhammad, Rasoolullah Prophets in Islam (Arabic: الأنبياء في الإسلام‎) include "messengers" (rasul, pl. rusul), bringers of ...

Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Holding to the Sunnah in the 21st Century

Holding to the Sunnah in the 21st Century

Holding to the Sunnah in the 21st Century by Abdur Raheem McCarthy, Ismail Bullock and Gabriel Al Romaani (icraa.org) http://icraa.org...

Wednesday, February 03, 2016

French TV documentary explores Christianity and Islam.

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A French television documentary has explored the close relationship between Christianity and the emergence of early Islam. Further research could lead to a wider reinterpretation of its founding texts by Akram Belkaïd 
 
Jesus in the Quran, 
It is not easy to tackle Islam and its origins without mentioning current events, yet Gérard Mordillat and Jérôme Prieur have done just that in their recent French television documentary on the influence of Christianity on early Islam (1). Credit to them for showing that a multi-disciplinary study of the Quran — going beyond theological commentary — is the scholarship of the future. Islam’s holy book is often presented as a text without context because of its complex literary structure and the impossibility of dating the suras (chapters) or even of determining the chronological order of their revelation. Such a study is important because better knowledge of the historical and social context in which Islam, the last of the three great monotheistic religions, emerged would help overcome some of today’s political and religious challenges. 
 
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The dialogue between Christians and Muslims, like the separation between the temporal and the spiritual, can only benefit from being reminded of the original proximity between the cross and the crescent. The documentary includes contributions by scholars from different countries and backgrounds, who point out that in Islam Jesus was as important a figure as Adam, the first man, since Muslims believe that Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary) will return at the end of the world to kill the Antichrist. Muslims know that the figure they call masih (the Messiah) is a prophet, but many are not aware of his fundamental and unique role in the Quran, where he is called the spirit, breath or word of God, and described as a handsome, unusual man who can perform miracles. The Quran is far more laconic about Muhammad who, as an ordinary man (no miracles performed), is no more than Allah’s messenger (rasul) and a prophet (nabi) among others. The importance of Mary is another indication of the proximity between the religions. She is mentioned several times in the Quran (the only woman named in it) and sura XIX is devoted to her. 
 
Revealing the close relationship may ease tensions in face of an increasingly divisive vocabulary — particularly radical Islamists’ designation of Christians as “crusaders”, the failure of many westerners to distinguish between Islam the faith and (political) Islamism. Religion is gradually disappearing in western European society, and noting the Christian-Islamic kinship might discredit the prevailing line about the “otherness” of Islam in relation to Judeo-Christian references. There are considerable theological differences: the Quran refutes the divine nature of Jesus and asserts that God is “neither born nor gives birth”. It also denies that Jesus died on the cross. The documentary gives considerable time to this, mentioning verses which state that those who thought they had seen the Messiah on the cross were deluded. Islam denounces Christianity for having broken with strict monotheism through shirk (idolatry) by associating Jesus and the Holy Ghost with God (2). 
 
An interesting aspect of the documentary is the scholars’ claim that Islam was not born in opposition to Christianity, but as a continuation of it, or even as an attempt to reform it. Islam used or reformulated Christian doctrines prevalent in the 7th century. That happened with Docetism, an early Christian heresy that held it impossible for Christ to have died on the cross. Mary’s role in the Quran becomes far clearer after reading apocryphal Christian texts that disagree with the canonical ones recognised by the Church, which hardly mention her. 
 
Early Islam knew about the Christian theological debates of the time, and in a way closed their disputes about the nature of Christ. The pre-eminence of Jesus in the Quran even leads to the supposition that Muhammad was not only addressing the polytheists of Mecca and the Arabian peninsula, but also Middle Eastern Christians, to win them over to his cause. That would be a reason, though not the only one, for the astonishing speed with which Christians in the Levant adopted this new religion. Was Islam an offshoot of Christianity? A reply based on historical evidence is impossible. Nevertheless, as the experts interviewed in the documentary admit, there was a sharing of texts between early Islam and 7th-century Christianity. 
 
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Reform of Judaism? 
The documentary also mentions another factor that might help to consolidate a more urgent inter-religious dialogue. Anti-Jewish sentiment in the Muslim world today is fuelled by the fate of the Palestinians, but is also based on a certain reading of the Quran (3), which makes it important to consider the context in which the relevant verses appeared. The accusation in them that the Jews demanded the death of Christ reflected Christian beliefs widespread in the 7th century, and well beyond — not until 1963 did Pope John XXIII publish his Prayer for the Jews: “Forgive us Lord, for the curse we unjustly placed on their name as Jews. Forgive us for crucifying Thee a second time in their flesh. For we knew not what we did” (4). The experts point out that the dispute between Muhammad and the two Jewish tribes of Medina, where he found refuge after his flight from Mecca (hijra) in 622, was not only political but theological. Historically, Muhammad probably came into conflict with Medina’s rabbis because he followed in the line of Moses and Jesus, and intended to reform both Judaism and Christianity, which is viewed in the Quran as a distortion of the original religion. Hence the experts’ view that the Quran is not anti-Judaic but anti-rabbinical. 
 
A century after its creation, Islam was in full territorial expansion, had been gradually freed from the tutelary figure of Jesus and had given a predominant role to Muhammad. The divergence with Christianity grew over centuries. Today we can see the value of rereading the Quran in the light of its original historical and social context. That is an essential step for the ambitious critical interpretation needed to renew Islamic thought. Ijtihad, or interpretation of the texts, was immensely rich in the centuries after the Prophet’s death in 632, but has stagnated since the 11th century, often now amounting to an endless repetition of commentaries on the Quran. 
 
Fields of study such as anthropology and linguistics — for the detailed study of Quranic Arabic and its many borrowings from other languages (notably Syriac, a Semitic language derived from Aramaic) — would be invaluable for this much-needed revision of the texts. And fresh archaeological discoveries would give a better understanding of the historical context — on condition that Saudi Arabia authorises many more excavations. The lessons learnt from the reinterpretation of the Quranic texts must be made accessible to the public — and that is no easy task. 
 
Source: <a href="https://mondediplo.com/2016/01/14islam">https://mondediplo.com/2016/01/14islam</a> </div>

French TV documentary explores Christianity and Islam.

A French television documentary has explored the close relationship between Christianity and the emergence of early Islam. Further research...

Saturday, January 09, 2016

Jesus (peace be upon him) - Muslim & Christian Common Beliefs

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Isa (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_language" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Arabic language">Arabic</a>: عيسى‎, ʿĪsā; pronounced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Arabic" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none !important;" title="Help:IPA for Arabic">[ʕiːsɑ]</a>) is an Arabic name corresponding to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_(name)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Jesus (name)">Jesus</a> in English. It is a common male given name for <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_people" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Arab people">Arabs</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslims" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Muslims">Muslims</a>.</div>
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Arabic-speaking Muslims refer to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Jesus">Jesus</a> as ʿĪsā, while Arabic-speaking Christians refer to Jesus as Yasūʿ (يسوع).<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_(name)#cite_note-1" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_(name)#cite_note-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a> The name for Jesus is used in these two forms in the <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qur%27an" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Qur'an">Qur'an</a> and in Arabic versions of <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bible" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="The Bible">the Bible</a>, respectively.</div>
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Jesus (peace be upon him) - Muslim & Christian Common Beliefs

Isa ( Arabic : عيسى ‎, ʿĪsā ; pronounced [ʕiːsɑ] ) is an Arabic name corresponding to Jesus in English. It is a common male give...

Wednesday, January 06, 2016

Emulating The Akhlak of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Honouring The Rights of Fellow Muslims

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Blessed Friday Jemaah, 
Let us strive hard to increase our taqwa to Allah s.w.t., to the highest level of taqwa, by obeying all of His commands and abstaining from His prohibitions. May Allah s.w.t. grant us taufiq and consistency in strengthening the ties of kinship among us, insyallah, Amin. 
 
Jemaah, Last Friday, we discussed the importance of making the Prophet s.a.w. as our role model. The sermon touched on the need to emphasise on the manners or adab that were upheld by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. with Allah s.w.t. The sermon today will touch on keeping relations between humankind, because our belief (iman) is only complete when we fulfil both the rights of Allah and the rights of fellow mankind. 
 
Beloved Jemaah, 
We cannot downplay the importance of observing good manners and ethics when interacting with others. Take some time to reflect upon the lesson in a hadith from Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. about the different states of humankind in the hereafter. There will be those who come to meet Allah s.w.t. with rewards from all sorts of acts of worship, but his deeds have been taken by those whom he have wronged and oppressed in this world. Rasulullah s.a.w. said: 
“If his deeds have been used up before he can repay those whom he oppressed, then the sins of the person he oppressed will be given to him, and he will then be thrown into the hellfire.” [Hadith reported by Imam Muslim] 
 
This hadith also emphasizes the need to fulfil the rights of others and keep good relations with others, and how it is tied to one’s faith (iman). Let us spend some time to understand what Allah s.w.t says in surah At-Tahrim verse 6: 
“O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.” 
 
In explaining the verse, Saiyidina Ali bin Abi Talib r.a. said: “Teach them (your family) manners and equip them with knowledge.” This is what we need to instil in our family members, especially our children, to groom them to become the “Rabbani” generation – a generation that will heed all of Allah’s commands and keep good relations with one another. Hence, this is where our responsibility lies: to ensure that we watch our manners and ethics when interacting with our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. 
 
The need for good manners and ethics becomes even more critical in today’s world of advanced technology. It has now become easier for us to communicate with each other. With increased communication, the probability of hurting each other in our interactions increases as well. It is a religious duty for Muslims to ensure that no matter the platform of interaction, we need to uphold the rights of others to the best of our abilities. 
 
Jemaah, 
What are these rights of our fellow Muslims that we need to honour? There are many lessons contained in the hadith of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. that we can refer to. 
First: Always hope for the best for our brothers and sisters. This is an excellent trait of a true believer (mukmin). Just look at our beloved Messenger, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. when he interacted with his companions. Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. always encouraged and supported his companions, and always wanted the best for them. Rasulullah s.a.w. said, in a hadith: 
“A Mukmin is a mirror for another. And a Mukmin is a brother to another; he helps (his brother) better his mistakes and watches him from behind.” [Hadith reported by Abu Daud] 
 
This was how the Prophet s.a.w. emphasised on the importance of maintaining good ties among fellow Muslims. We should help another Muslim to be a better individual, whether or not he knows of it. 
 
Do not be like some individuals who are jealous and envious of others who possess more, and hold ill feelings toward them. These feelings will cause one to be unhappy and hope for the worst upon his brother, Nauzubillah! Pay attention to what Rasulullah s.a.w. said, in a hadith, : “Whoever eats food at the expense of another Muslim, Allah s.w.t will feed him with the same from Jahannam. Whoever wears clothes at the expense another Muslim, then Allah will give him clothes from Jahannam. And whoever treats another Muslim with arrogance and pride, then Allah will treat him with arrogance and pride on the day of judgement.” [Hadith reported by Abu Daud] 
 
Beloved Jemaah, 
The second trait that we should observe: Loving your brother just as how you love yourself. One can only wish for the best for another when one loves the other. Just as how we love every individual in our family, we should have the same feelings of love toward every Muslim. 
 
Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said: “None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.” [Hadith reported by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim] 
And so, a believer will always love his brother. He will always ask himself: How is his brother doing? Are his needs met? How is the state of his deen? How can he help to ease his burden and worries? 
 
It is on this basis that our beloved messenger, Rasulullah s.a.w. spread the message of Islam. The Prophet s.a.w. wanted the best for his ummah. He always prayed for, and was concerned about the prosperity of his ummah. 
 
In a hadith reported by Ibn Hibban, once when Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was making du’a for Saidatina Aisyah he recited: 
 “Ya Allah! Forgive Aisyah’s past sins, her future sins, those that she has kept hidden and those that she has made known.” He then said to Saidatina Aisyah: “Verily this is my du’a for all of my ummah, at every solah.” 
 
Thus, as the ummah of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. we should love and care for one another, instead of using harsh words – especially when there are disagreements – whether the issue of contention is a religious one or otherwise. This is not the manner and character taught by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. May Allah s.w.t. grant us taufiq to emulate the Prophet s.a.w. May we be blessed with the ability to fulfil our responsibilities toward Allah s.w.t. and to His servants, to the best of our abilities. 
 
Amin ya Rabbal Alamin. 
 
Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura 
Friday Sermon
11 December 2015 / 28 Safar 1437 
 
http://www.officeofthemufti.sg/documents/E15Dec11-Emulating_The_Akhlak_of_Prophet_Muhammad_Honouring_The_Right_of_Fellow_Muslims.pdf</div>

Emulating The Akhlak of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Honouring The Rights of Fellow Muslims

Blessed Friday Jemaah, Let us strive hard to increase our taqwa to Allah s.w.t., to the highest level of taqwa, by obeying all of His c...

Saturday, January 02, 2016

Noble Values From The Life of Rasulullah s.a.w.

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Respected jemaah, 
 
Let us strive together to increase our taqwa to Allah s.w.t. Obey all of His commands and abstain from His prohibitions. May we become a better Muslim than we were yesterday. 
 
Friday jemaah, 
We are still in the blessed month of Rabiulawal, the month that was graced by the birth of our beloved messenger, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Hence, it is fitting for us to continue to be grateful to Allah s.w.t. for making us among the ummah of Rasulullah s.a.w. - the most noble of all the Prophets. The ummah that has been bestowed with many blessings simply because of Rasulullah’s noble standing in the sight of Allah s.w.t. 
 
Our gratitude to Allah s.w.t. for this gift should not just be expressed with words, supplications and praises. A true servant of Allah and an ummah that is truly grateful will reflect upon and understand the main objective for which Allah s.w.t. sent Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Let’s begin this reflection by understanding the objective as explained in the Quran. For example, Allah s.w.t. says in surah At-Taubah verse 128: 
“There has certainly come to you a Messenger  
from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.” 
 
Allah s.w.t. also says in surah Al-Maidah verse 15 and 16: 
“There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book. By which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace and brings them out from darknesses into the light, by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.” 
 
Allah says in surah Al-Anbiya’ verse 107: 
“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” 
 
Blessed jemaah, 
These verses explain that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was sent as a light to guide us on the path of safety and bring happiness to all aspects of life. In fact, Rasulullah’s entire life is an example of it. If we study the sirah or history of the Prophet s.a.w. we will find that every aspect of his life was filled with lessons and guidance for us, from the Prophet himself. It encompasses his relationship with the Creator, his relationships with other people including his family, followers, neighbours, companions, those who were hostile toward him, and even with the environment. 
 
Allah s.w.t. mentions in Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 21: 
“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” 
 
Thus, we have to truly understand and reflect upon the values taught to us by Rasulullah s.a.w., and how they can be applied in our daily lives. 
 
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For example, it was reported that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said in a hadith: 
“My Lord has commanded me nine qualities: Fear of God in private and in public; to be Just, whether in anger or in calmness; Moderation in both poverty and affluence;  That I should join hands with those who break away from me; And give to those who deprive me; And forgive those who wrong me; And that my silence should be meditation; And my words remembrance of God; And my vision a keen observation.” 
[Hadith reported by Imam Al-Tabrizi in the book Misykat Al-Masabih] 
 
These qualities taught by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. will only bring about lasting benefits to one. These qualities can help a person overcome differences and disputes. In fact, these qualities taught by Rasulullah s.a.w. will increase our standing in the sight of Allah s.w.t., as well as in the eyes of other humankind. These values are relevant perpetually, and withstand the test of time- applicable in any era whether we interact with others in person or online, through skype or other social media platforms. 
 
Remember jemaah, the platforms and mediums of communication will always change, in line with advancements in technology. It will be more sophisticated offering instant communication. But what remains the same is the users, which are humans, us. Therefore it cannot be void of the values of humanity. And so, we truly need to embody the ethical values displayed by our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. 
 
These values will help to develop good moral and strong spirituality, thus building our resilience to face a challenging and rapidly changing world. The aim is to develop a Muslim community with a strong belief (aqidah), noble character (akhlak), educated and knowledgeable, true to principles, are good neighbours, tolerant, confident of diverse views and opinions, and always contributing positively toward community and nation building. InshaAllah, in 2016, the mimbar will discuss values taught in Islam and demonstrated by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., and we will start with forgiving others. 
 
May this sermon revive our spirit to enliven noble Islamic values in our lives. And hopefully by doing so, our beliefs are manifested, our good deeds and service highlighted and our standing raised in the sight of Allah s.w.t. and other humankind. 
 
Amin Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin. 
 
Friday Sermon 
Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura 
01 January 2016 / 20 Rabiulawal 1437 
 
http://www.officeofthemufti.sg/documents/E16Jan01-%20Noble%20Values%20From%20The%20Life%20of%20Rasulullah.pdf  </div>

Noble Values From The Life of Rasulullah s.a.w.

Respected jemaah, Let us strive together to increase our taqwa to Allah s.w.t. Obey all of His commands and abstain from His prohibiti...

Saturday, January 02, 2016

Love for the Prophet

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Love for the Prophet Muhammad is a measure of one's iman (faith and inner conviction) and our iman is completed and perfected only when our love for the Prophet exceeds our love for everything else in this world, including our own lives. The Holy Qur`an says: 
 
        "The Prophet is preferable for the believers even to their own selves..." (33:6) 
 
This is a definitional sentence which tells us what it takes to be a believer: preferring the Prophet even to one's own life. In confirmation of this the Prophet is reported in Hadith to have said: 
 
"None of you becomes a believer until I am dearer to him than his children, his parents and all mankind." (as reported by Bukhari and Muslim) Some versions add: "his life, his wealth and his family". 
 
 
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The best of believers, the suhaba (companions of the Prophet), did show such love for the Prophet, especially the noblest of them. Hadhrat Ali, speaking on behalf of all the community of suhaba in Medina, is reported to have said: 
 
"The Holy Prophet is dearer to us than our wealth, our children, our fathers, our forefathers, our mothers and cool water at the time of severe thirst." 
 
The firmly established principle in Islam that our iman is as good as our love for the Prophet is fairly and accurately expressed by an Urdu poet when he says: 
 
    "Without love for the Prophet it is difficult to find God; 
 
    He who is not of the Prophet's cannot be of God. 
 
    Without love for Muhammad faith cannot be complete; 
 
    To be a Muslim it is not enough to believe in God. 
 
    Daily prayers, charity, fasting and hajj are fine; 
 
    But despite these I cannot be among the faithful. 
 
    Unless I am ready to be sacrificed for the honour of Muhammad; 
 
    God is witness - my faith cannot attain perfection." 
 
Love of the Prophet breathes life into our practice of religion. Without it our religion reduces to an empty adherence to a set of dead rules and rituals. 
 
("Soul of iman, essence of the Qur`an and life of religion - all these are love of Muhammad, the Mercy to All Creation.") 
 
THE MEANING OF THIS LOVE FOR THE PROPHET 
 
At one level it seems clear why the faithful should love the Prophet: he is their teacher, guide and leader and it is impossible for him to teach, guide and lead them if they don't love him. But there is a deeper meaning in the principle that love for the Prophet is essential for iman. 
 
Love of the Prophet is love of all the beauty and nobility of character, truthfulness, justness, humility and inner strength of which man is capable and which the Prophet as al-insan al-kamil (the Perfect man) possessed in the utmost degree. Love for the Prophet means to acknowledge, cherish and glorify all the potential of goodness and greatness that God has created within Man. 
 
It also means love of humanity, not just in regard to its potential for perfection but also despite its general inability to realize that potential and despite all kind of imperfections and weaknesses from which it suffers. For the Prophet is not only the Perfect Man but also the Representative Man who on the day of judgment will represent mankind and plead on their behalf for their imperfections and weaknesses before the throne of God. 
 
Thus love of the Prophet, on the one hand puts us on the road to perfection by making us cherish it dearly and on the other hand it helps us accept our imperfect humanity and in this way to live in peace with ourselves as repentant servants of God hopeful of His mercy. This is why love for the Prophet is a condition of iman, for what is iman if it is not to acknowledge and repent for one's imperfections and weaknesses and to cherish and strive for - even as an unachievable ideal - the perfection of which man is potentially capable? 
 
There are two closely interconnected sides of iman. One is divine and consists of recognizing God and being at peace with Him. The other is recognizing one's own self and being at peace with oneself. The two sides are like two sides of a coin, none of which can exist without the other. This is shown by numerous verses in the Qur`an and ahadith of the Prophet. For example, the Prophet is reported to have said that he who recognized his own self recognized his Lord. Approaching the same principle from the other direction, the Qur`an says: 
 
        "that those who forget God are made to forget their own selves" (59:19). 
 
The word Islam means being at peace with God and this is linked in the Qur`an with being a self at peace with itself. 
 
The love of the Prophet represents the human side of faith. as man the Prophet represents a believers own true self. His love for the Prophet means that he has recognized his own true self and is at peace with himself which in turn means that he has recognized his Lord and made peace with Him by surrendering to Him. 
 
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THE PROPHET ALSO LOVED US 
 
If the faithful love the prophet, they are not the first to do so. The Prophet loved the faithful first. The Qur`an testifies to this when it says: 
 
        "(The Prophet) is greatly grieved at your loss and extremely anxious for your good. For the believers he is full of kindness and rahmah (mercy, love)." (9:128) 
 
The Prophet's love was not limited just to the believers. In a way he loved all of God's creation. God says in the Qur`an: 
 
        "We have not sent you (O Prophet) but as rahmah to all the worlds." (21:107) 
 
It is true that the Prophet had to battle those who were bent on doing zulm (injustice) on their own selves and to remind them of the bitter reality of hell. But this too was out of rahmah (mercy and love), not out of enmity or hate. It is always an easy thing to do to leave alone those of one's fellow human beings who choose the path that leads to their destruction. In contrast, it takes a tremendous amount of love and courage to try to help them, which is exactly what the Prophet tried to do, successfully as it turned out towards the end of his life. That the Prophet was motivated by rahmah even for his opponents is shown by the ease with which he forgave them all at the time of Makkan conquest. 
 
 
HOW THE PROPHET SUFFERED FOR MANKIND 
 
Among the indications of the Prophet's love for mankind is the untold sufferings he endured at the hands of his opponents whom he forgave with such ease after his victory. 
 
When the Holy Prophet started his work almost all the people of his city opposed him even though they had known him for all of his life as a man of exceptional integrity and intelligence. They at first subjected him to verbal attacks, jeers and insults. But later they started to combine verbal attacks with physical aggression. They would lay thorns in his way and throw garbage and dust on him. On one occasion he returned with dust still on his head. One of his daughters rose, with tears in her eyes, to wipe it off. The Prophet was more hurt to see tears in his daughter's eyes than the treatment he himself received from his fellow citizens. He comforted her, saying: "My daughter, weep not, for verily the Lord will be your father's helper." 
 
Once the city populace tried to inflict a different type on injury on the Prophet. When one day he went out for an errand, not one of the people in the streets looked at him or spoke to him or jeered or insulted him. This, their silent way of saying to the Prophet, "You are not one of us because you speak against our traditional ways" hurt the Prophet more than the jeers and insults he was used to hearing before. 
 
When the Prophet felt that he was not getting anywhere with the Makkans, he started to turn more and more to outsiders who came to Makkah for pilgrimage. But his efforts among the pilgrims were frustrated by men like Abu Lahab who would follow the Prophet and cry aloud: "Believe him not, he is a lying renegade". One day this especially grieved the Prophet. But all he did was to look upward and say, "O Lord if You will it would not be thus!". 
 
In the year 620 C.E., the Prophet decided to travel outside Makkah, so that he could preach his message without being followed by his Makkan enemies. The city of Al-Tayf was the natural first choice. Situated about sixty miles east of Makkah, it was the nearest city of importance. Accompanied only by Zayd, the Prophet made a tiring journey through barren rocky defiles. He spent ten days in Al-Tayf preaching to the tribal chiefs as well as common people. But they all rejected him saying they did not want to spoil relations with the Makkans for the sake of a new religion. As the days passed, the people of Al-Tayf became more and more hostile, until the tenth day they began to hoot him through the streets and pelt him with stones. Even as he fled the city, a relentless mob pursued him and did not desist until they had chased him two or three miles across the sandy plain to the foot of the surrounding hills. There, tired and with blood flowing from both his legs, the Prophet took refuge in one of the orchards. Zayd who had endeavored to shield the Prophet against the stones thrown at him was wounded in the head. 
 
After a couple of years the Prophet managed to get sufficient support in one Arabian city - Medina - and decided to move there. But his enemies in Makkah plotted to murder him before he could emigrate to Medina, a plot that came very close to being successful. 
 
Even after his escape from hostile Makkah to the relatively friendly Medina the suffering of the Prophet continued. The Quraysh and other Arab tribes under their influence frequently waged battles against him and his followers. In Medina itself the Jews vexed and frustrated the Prophet with their wily plots and at one time even tried to poison him. The hypocrites, the secret enemies of the Prophet who pretended to be Muslims, were also busy in intrigues and whisper campaigns against the Prophet, a particularly nasty example of which is provided by their accusations against the Prophet's wife Ayesha which were as painful for the Prophet as for Ayesha herself. Sometimes even the believers unintentionally caused pain to the Prophet. They would, for example, sometimes impolitely walk away from him leaving him alone standing by himself, as is witnessed by the following verse in the Qur`an: 
 
"When they see some (opportunity of) trade or some amusement they rush headlong towards it and leave you standing alone..." (62:11) 
 
These and many other things did the Holy Prophet suffer over a period of many years. He did not have to. Just before he started his mission he had everything that men generally hope for: health, a prosperous business, a loving wife, fine children, faithful relatives and friends as well as the trust and respect of his fellow citizens. If he wanted he could have led as comfortable a life as any in Makkah. But he chose the road of suffering and hardship. He did so for the love of the very people who ignorantly persecuted him and for the welfare of the whole of mankind. 
 
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THE MEANING OF THE PROPHET'S SUFFERING 
 
Like all aspects of the Prophet's life, his suffering has profound lessons for us. It teaches us that this world is a battlefield between good and evil, truth and falsehood, justice and oppression and that although God has willed that in the long run goodness, truth and justice will always be victorious. He has also willed that this victory will not be made too easy. 
 
The suffering of the Prophet is also a vivid reminder for us that whereas man has tremendous potential for goodness he also has an enormous potential for evil. The Prophet represents the ultimate in human potential for goodness while the opposition that his work inspired in his countrymen and which he gradually conquered by his love and wisdom represents the ultimate in human potential for evil. But we must not condemn those who persecuted the Prophet. For the Prophet's suffering was caused by that potential for ignorance and obstinacy that is found in all of us. Who knows that some of us would not have thrown garbage on the Prophet or persecuted him in some other way if we had been living in Makkah of his time? After all, men far greater than us, e.g. Hadhrat 'Umar and Hadhrat Khalid bin Walid at one time persecuted the Prophet. No, the Prophet did not suffer in order that we may condemn anyone. He suffered so that we may have hope and humility. He suffered so that we may find out how much potential there is within us for goodness and how much potential there is within us for ignorance and obstinacy - the root causes of all evil. We need to see both potentials within us. The first one gives us hope in our destiny and in the destiny of man generally and the second one gives us humility. And humility and hope is what we need in order to prosper. 
 
Thus the Prophet's suffering should make us think of the potential of evil that we all have within us and make us determined to overcome that evil. The best way to overcome evil is to love the Prophet, for the more we love the Prophet the more we will strengthen the element of goodness in us and the more capable we will become to overcome evil. 
 
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GLORIFYING AND BLESSING THE PROPHET 
 
Our love for the Prophet can be expressed by glorifying and blessing him. A verse in the Holy Qur`an mentions the three aspects under the single term salat `ala an-nabi. 
 
The Arabic phrase salat `ala has three meanings: 
 
1) Turning to someone with love and affection. 
 
2) Glorifying or praising someone. 
 
3) Blessing or favoring someone. 
 
In the above verse all three meanings can be applied so that the verse can be translated as follows: 
 
        "Undoubtedly, God and His angels love, glorify and bless the Prophet. O believers! You (too) love, glorify and bless the Prophet and salute him with all due respect." (33:56) 
 
How do God and His angels love, glorify and bless the Prophet and how can we do the same? 
 
The least way in which God loves the Prophet is that He makes His beloved anyone who follows him, as it is said in the Qur`an: 
 
        "Say (to mankind O Muhammad), If you love God, follow me (and) God will love you..." (3:31) 
 
God alone knows how else he loves the Prophet. 
 
The way God glorifies the Prophet is that He has given him the name Ahmad or Muhammad, which means the Glorious, the Admirable, that He has been giving it to mankind the good news of his coming through earlier prophets (3:81, 7:157, 61:6) and that He raises his mention among those on earth and those in heaven, as He says: "We have raised your mention" (94:4) 
 
God blesses the Prophet by continually raising his station. The least of God's blessing on the Prophet is that He has made him the leader and representative of all mankind. 
 
Angels love the Prophet as the completely faithful servants of a king would love those whom the king loves. They glorify the Prophet by singing his praises in heaven and they bless him by asking God to bless him more and more. 
 
The least of the ways the believers can love the Prophet is to love him the way all people love their leaders. The best way they can love him is by being willing to sacrifice all that they have for his name's sake. 
 
The way the believers can glorify the Prophet is to praise him through poetic and prose expressions, in writings and in speeches, on radio and on television [and now on the Internet], in the gatherings of Muslims and in the gatherings of non-Muslims. 
 
The way the believers can bless the Prophet is by reciting one of the several forms of durud that are traditional and that pray to God to keep blessing the Prophet more and more. 
 
(Some fuqaha (Muslim jurists) say that the verse under consideration puts an obligation on the Muslims which is dispensed with if one recites a durud at least once in his lifetime. Others say that it obliges Muslims to recite durud each time the name of the Prophet is mentioned. But such dry legalistic interpretations do not do justice to the spirit of the verse. If faith requires preferring the Prophet over our own lives and loving him more than our children, parents and all mankind, then what is the value of uttering now and then a ritual formula as an obligation?) 
 
Salutations. The verse also tells the believer to salute the Prophet with all due respect. We can salute the Prophet by reciting durud, since all forms of durud contain salutations. This, however, is the least of the ways of saluting the Prophet. The best of the ways is to wholeheartedly accept him as our leader, teacher and guide and to obey him in the spirit. 
 
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HOW FAR CAN WE GO IN GLORIFYING THE PROPHET 
 
All praises are fit for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) if they do not raise him beyond the level of a man and a creature of God. We can, for example, declare him to be the greatest of all the prophets and messengers of God and the crown of all creation. That this praise is applicable to the Prophet is shown by the way the Holy Qur`an presents him as a messenger and mercy of God to all mankind and for all times to come, in contrast to other prophets and messengers whose missions were limited to particular periods and regions. It is also clear from the Islamic belief that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) completed and perfected the work of earlier prophets who brought partial revelations. Hadith also supports the position that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the greatest of all Prophets (and therefore the crown of all creation, since man is God's best creation and the prophets are the best of men, so that the best of the prophets is the best of God's creation). Thus in almost all books of hadith we find the tradition that when during mi'raj the Prophet was taken from the mosque in Makkah to the mosque in Jerusalem he met all the earlier prophets and led them in prayer as their imam. Also, in Sahih Muslim, one chapter in entitled: "The Superiority of the Prophet over all creation" and contains the following hadith: 
 
Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet as saying: "I will be the leader of all the children of Adam on the day of judgment. My grave will be the first to open. I will be the first to intercede and my intercession will be accepted first." 
 
Some Muslims hesitate to declare the Prophet as the greatest of all the Prophets because the Qur`an says: 
 
        "(The believers) make no distinction between any of His messengers." (2:285) 
 
But the Holy Qur`an also says: 
 
        "Some of these messengers have We favoured more than others..." (2:253) 
 
If we do not concentrate on the first verse in disregard of the other, then it becomes clear that the Holy Qur`an is making a distinction between the nature of the prophets and their stature. The first verse is telling us that in nature there is no distinction between the various prophets: they were all sent by the same true God, they were all serving one and the same plan of God and they were all human beings and part of a single brotherhood of righteous servants of God. The second verse is telling us that in stature or rank some prophets were superior to others. 
 
Let the Muslims therefore have not the slightest hesitation in declaring the Prophet Muhammad to be the greatest of all prophets and thus the noblest of men and the crown and pride of the whole of God's creation. 
 
Some Muslims try to dampen love and admiration for the Prophet in other Muslims and in themselves on two other grounds. First, they fear that "too much" expression of love and admiration for the Prophet can lead to his deification and therefore to shirk. Second, they fear that expressing love and admiration for the Prophet somehow means ignoring his message and commandments of God. 
 
The second fear is without any basis. For one thing expressing love and admiration for the Prophet is itself a commandment of God, as God says: 
 
        "Love, glorify and bless him and salute him with all due respect." 
 
For another, love and admiration for the Prophet and their expression cannot by themselves lead to disobedience. Indeed, as we have seen earlier, they are necessary for iman, which in turn is necessary for true obedience. 
 
The first fear does have some basis. In fact, the Prophet himself cautioned us against following the footsteps of the adherents of other religions who exaggerated in praise of their prophets, raising them to the level of God and thus falling into shirk, the most deadly sin of all. But it would be a mistake to fight shirk by putting cold water on the fire of our love and admiration for the Prophet. For that would be like destroying shirk by destroying iman, which is clearly a very unwise strategy. 
 
On 'id milad an-nabi (birthdate of the Prophet) and other occasions let us therefore wholeheartedly and generously and without any bukhl (misery, what miser people do) express all the love and admiration for the Prophet that can be expressed for someone other than God. 
 
By: Dr. Ahmad Shafaat -1986 
http://www.islamicperspectives.com/LoveForTheProphet.htm</div>

Love for the Prophet

Love for the Prophet Muhammad is a measure of one's iman (faith and inner conviction) and our iman is completed and perfected only ...

Monday, December 07, 2015

Loving the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and Following Him

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All praise is due to Allaah, Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer)  of all the worlds. May peace and blessings of Allaah be upon the Messenger, his family and companions. 
 
Fellow Muslims! In the days that tribulations and crisis have overwhelmed the Muslims, that sorrow has clouded its pure sky and guidance has become confused with error and falsehood with truth, the only way out is the fear of Allaah. Fear of Allaah illuminates the way to guidance and removes the darkness of ignorance and error. Whoever Allaah endows with piety has been endowed with a light by which he can march to salvation and has been saved from erroneous beliefs, thoughts and manners, for Muslims are in need of piety and certainty of faith more than ever before in order to attain victory by the permission of Allaah. 
 
The Muslims have never been in need of piety and certainty of faith as they are to attain victory by the permission of Allah.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a> 
 
Fellow Muslims! There is an important factor that we must not forget in spite of the challenges that we are facing today; a factor upon which the victory, glory and civilization of Islaam are built and that can rescue us from the abyss of dissention. The factor is that we are a nation of pure faith, universal message and Tawheed (Islaamic Monotheism) that is based on sincerity to Allaah and following the way of Muhammad –peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him. This factor is an all important one that must be an topic of every place and time till the Day of Resurrection. The best thing that Muslims can be concerned about and which the reformers can talk of is the matter of Islaamic belief, the Sunnah of the Messenger and the Prophetic history. This is the best source of education for the Ummah; for nothing pleases man better than speaking about the one he loves, especially if the beloved is the Messenger of Allaah, the leader of all men and a mercy to mankind. It is through Allaah and then through Muhammad that this guided nation was built on the Islaamic belief of Monotheism. This is the truth that wise men called unto. There is not a single man in the history who attained what the Messenger of Allaah has attained in terms of honour and glory. His name is mentioned by millions of people and millions of hearts shake at the mention of his name. However, the important thing is to convert this love into pure and subtle following of him in all that he has brought from Allaah. Allaah says, 
 
“If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me, Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:31) 
 
Brethren in faith! Muslims are presently in need of deriving lessons from the light of the Prophet, the blessed Sunnah and outstanding history of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) more than ever before. Because it is in this age that the ummah faces waves of tribulations and overwhelmed by whims and different ideologies. It is in this age that the Muslims face most grievous challenges and conspiracies of their enemies whose leaders are those whom Allaah has caused and made of them monkeys and pigs and worshippers of false gods who are the Jews and the Zionists. They are supported in this unholy war by the worshippers of cross and most unfortunately, the secularists among those who claim to be Muslims. The matter however becomes worse when many Muslims are ignorant of their religion and only move along with the trends unquestionably or follow inherited innovations without any verification, though the Messenger of Allaah has said, “Whoever does a deed over which there is no command from us, it will be rejected.” (Muslim) 
 
Brethren in Islaam! O lovers of the Prophet! The following are important aspects of the Prophet’s manners. They are sources of bliss and pure fountains for all those who want to free themselves from idolatry, ignorance and darkness. If many of those who love the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) have missed seeing him with their eyes, there is certainly consolation for them in reflecting over his manners and qualities. 
 
Brethren in faith! We need to march strictly according to the Sunnah and we need to correct our stances according to the way the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) had lived. We need to examine and review ourselves, and take from the Sunnah and the Prophet’s life history what can increase us in faith and purify our minds. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) of Islaam was not like any other great man as some may wrongly think. He rather possessed all aspects of human greatness. He should not be taken as a Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer)  but believed as only a Messenger and a Prophet. He himself said, “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians have done of the son of Mary. I am only a slave of Allaah and His Messenger.” (Al-Bukhaaree) 
 
It is however saddening that some Muslims do not properly esteem the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) when they have a negative love for him, a love that has no positive impacts on their lives or behavior. 
 
Dear Muslims! Reflect over his guidance in all aspects of religion and life. In area of Tawheed (Islaamic Monotheism), he called unto belief in the Oneness of Allaah for thirteen years in Makkah and ten years in Al-Madeenah. He was the one whom Allaah commanded thus, 
 
“Say: Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer)  of the worlds. He has no partners. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” (Al-An ‘aam 6:162-163) 
 
The first obligation of the Muslim who love the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is to emulate him in calling to Islaamic Monotheism and beware of all acts of innovation and shirk that could negate that. He should also emulate him in his manners of worship. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) would stand up in prayer during the night so long that his feet would become swollen and when he was asked, ‘Has Allaah not forgiven you your past and future sins?’ He would say, “Shouldn’t I be a grateful slave of Allaah?” 
 
In the area of good conduct, you will find the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) as the exemplar par excellence in generosity, good nature and uprightness. He was always good-tempered, gentle, lenient and never took revenge for himself. That was why Allaah praised him thus, 
 
“And verily, you are on and exalted (standard of) character.” (Al-Qalam 68:41) 
 
He also addressed him saying, 
 
“And by the Mercy of Allaah you dealt with them gently. Had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:159) 
 
Anas (the Messenger of Allaah’s house help) said, “I have never touched a brocade nor a silk softer than the palm of the Messenger of Allaah, neither had I smelt anything more pleasant than the Prophet’s odour. I have served him for ten years and he never rebuked me once, or told me about something I had done, ‘Why have you done this’, or something I had not done, ‘Why have you not done this’. ” These are the great characters and sublime manners! Would Muslims then not follow his example? 
 
In aspects of dealing with his companions and family members he said, “The most-perfect believers in faith are the best among them in morals. And the best among you are those who treat their women in the most perfect manner.” 
 
Also, in his administration of Islaamic state, in his acts of worship, in his jihaad and in his endeavour to convey the message of his Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) , he is the best example for all Muslims. 
 
An example of his wisdom in calling to the truth and his gentleness with people vividly shows in the story of the Bedouin man who urinated in a corner of the mosque. When his companions shouted at him he said, “Leave him alone and do not shout at him” . He then told his companions, “You are sent as bearers of glad tidings and not as those who make things difficult for people.” He then gently directed the man and corrected him with wisdom. The Bedouin was so impressed by this act that he said, “O My Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer)! Have mercy on me and Muhammad and do not have mercy on anyone besides us.” (Al-Bukhaaree & Muslim) 
 
Another example was the story of Thumaamah bin Uthaal who was captured in a battle and tied to a pillar in the mosque while he was still a polytheist and the leader of his people. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) passed by him and said, “What do you have, O Thumaamah?” He said, “I have good. If you kill me, you would kill a distinguished person and if you would show mercy on me, you would show mercy to a thankful person. And if you need money, ask for whatever you want, it would be given to you.” The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) then said, -after having honoured him and dealt with him in the best form- ‘Release Thumaamah!’ Thumaamah then went away, took a bath and came back to the Mosque and said, ‘I testify that there is no Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer)  worthy of worship but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. O Muhammad! By Allaah, there was nothing on the face of the earth that was more detestable to me than your face but now your face is the most beloved face to me on the earth. There was no religion on the face of the earth more detestable to me than your religion but now, your religion is the most beloved to me. There was no land more detestable to me than your land but now your land is the most beloved land to me.’ 
 
When the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was asked to curse the polytheists, he said, “I am not sent as a curser, I am only sent as a mercy to mankind.” When he conquered Makkah, he told the disbelieving inhabitants of that city who had been his tormentors, “How do you think I am going to treat you?” He said,  “Well, for you are a generous brother and a son of a generous brother.” He then said, “O Allaah, forgive my people for they know not what they are doing. ” He then faced the Makkans and said, “Go home, you are free.” 
 
Let the whole humanity therefore know this bright pages of the history of the mercy of Islaam and that of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) of Islaam which can be found in the Torah and Injeel (of Prophet (s.a.w.s.) Eesaa). Let this be known, to all those who attack Islaam and its Prophet, that Islaam is full of good and noble traits. Let the whole world recognize the difference between the noble universality of Islaam and their own globalisation that is based on the destruction of all human values. Would the Muslims then not recognise the best way to practically revive their religion and the Sunnah of their Prophet? They should learn lessons from past events and their own experiences especially in these days that the Ummah is undergoing crises. Also, they should not only speak of the qualities of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) but act positively through these qualities to stop those Zionist Jews who desecrate their holy places and commit all kinds of vicious crimes against the rightful owners of Palestine, under the nose of the whole world. 
 
Brethren in Islaam! How can we be speaking about the virtues of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) only when the enemies of Islaam among the atheists insist on their aggression against the Muslims of Chechnya and the idolater Hindus commit their heinous crimes against our Kashmir brothers and other Muslims of sub-Indian continent? 
 
How can we feel satisfied while our situations are becoming worse day in day out. Muslims therefore, should hold fast unto their religion and the Sunnah of their Prophet (s.a.w.s.) with all love, sincerity, cooperation and mutual magnanimity. It is then that they can be united under the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. For the latter part of his ummah cannot be put aright except by that which put their predecessors right. Allaah says, 
 
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allaah, you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day and remembers Allaah much.” (Al-Ahzaab 38:21) 
 
Brethren in Faith! Fill your hearts with the qualities of the Prophet, reflect over them and teach it to your children and households. It should not only be recited at occasions, it should rather be put into practice in reforming your ways and your lives. In these days that there are many new inventions, the Sunnah is the best protection against the evil effect of this inventions. You are in need – more than ever before – of unity under the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah so that the goal of the Ummah can be attained. Every Muslim is manning a strategic position for Islaam according to his ability. So let him take care of his duty as it is due. Show Allaah the best of you and move forward in a balanced way through sure knowledge upon which awareness is based, so that the Ummah can take up her leading role among mankind. 
 
By Shaykh Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sudays 
Khutbah (Friday Sermon) in Makkah Al Mukkaramah 
Rabee ‘ul awwal 19, 1423 (May 31, 2002) 
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Loving the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and Following Him

All praise is due to Allaah, Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) of all the worlds. May peace and blessings of Allaah be upon the Messenger,...

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Hadith

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What is Hadith? The Hadith is the record of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The sayings and conduct of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) constitute the Sunnah. Hadith online text and search engine - <a href="http://ahadith.co.uk/" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none;" target="_blank">click here</a> The Hadith has come to supplement the Holy Qur’an as a source of the Islamic religious law. The Hadith is the second pillar after the Qur’an upon which every Muslim rests his faith. Hadith consists of Mat'n and Isnad. Mat'n means the text of the Hadith, while Isnad means the chain of transmitters to that Hadith. The scholars of the Hadith literature divided the Traditions into categories according to the degree of authenticity and reliability, each category had to meet certain criteria. Hadith categories are as follows: 1. Sahih: The genuine Traditions, the authentic ones. 2. Moothaq: Almost like the Sahih but the narration is not as strong as those of the Sahih. 3. Hassan: The fair Traditions although inferior in matter of authenticity. 4. Dha'eef: The weak Traditions which are not so reliable. In Shari'ah (Islamic Constitution) deeds and actions are divided into five classes: 1. Fardh or Wajib: An obligatory duty the omission of which is Islamically punishable. 2. Mustahab: An action which is rewarded, but whose omission is not punishable. 3. Mubaah: An action which is permitted but legally is indifferent. 4. Makrooh: An action which is disapproved by the Shari'ah but is not under any penalty. 5. Haram: An action which is forbidden, and Islamically punishable. Hadith online text and search engine - <a href="http://ahadith.co.uk/" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none;" target="_blank">click here</a></div>

Hadith

What is Hadith? The Hadith is the record of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The sayings and conduct of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) c...

Wednesday, October 28, 2015