KHUT.AB I

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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
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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
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم .............................................................................................................................. 107
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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“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,
1Qur’ān, al-Isra’ [17]:85
2Qur’ān, al-H...ijr [15]:99
3Qur’ān, al-Muddaththir [74]:46-47
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“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,
صَلِّ قَائِمًا فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَقَاعِدًا فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَى جَنْبٍ
“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?
4Reported by Bukhārī and Amad ibn anbal
5Reported by Bukhārī, Abū Dā’ūd, Ibn Mājah and Amad
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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
6Qur’ān, al-Naml [27]:22
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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
8Qur’ān, al-H...āqqah [69]:49-52
9Reported by Bukhārī and Muslim
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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.
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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:
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“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
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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
12Qur’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:
13Qur’ān, al-Qiyāmah [75]:2
14Qur’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:
15Qur’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:
16Qur’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:
17Reported 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
»
18Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:281
19Qur’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, Amad, and al-Bayhaqī
22Reported by Bukhārī and Amad
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
23Qur’ān, al-Isrā’ [17]:37-38
24Qur’ān al-H...ujurāt [49]:13
25Qur’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:
26Reported by Muslim, Abū Dā’ūd, Tirmidhī, and Ibn Mājah
27Qur’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:
28Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:34
29Qur’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
30Reported by Amad, 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
31Qur’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-Azāb 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,
32Reported 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.
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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-Iqtiād (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.
34Reported by al-H...ākim, al-Bayh.aqī and Abū Dāwūd
35Qur’ān, T.āhā, [20]:12
36Reported by Amad, 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:
37Reported by Abū Dāwūd, al-Bayhaqī, al-ākim, Ibn ibbān, and Ibn H...uzaymah
38Reported 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.)
39Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:155-157
40Qur’ān, Hud [21]:35
41Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:49
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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:
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“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
43Reported 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
44Qur’ān, Hūd [11]:9-11
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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 كُفَّار (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:
45Qur’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
48Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:89
49Qur’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
51Qur’ān, Luqmān [31]:12
52Qur’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.
53Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah [5]:44
54Reported by Amad
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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
55Qur’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:
56Qur’ān, al-Burūj [85]:10
57Qur’ān, al-‘Imrān [3]:7
58Qur’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
59Qur’ān, al-Nisā’ [4]:401
60Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah [5]:41
61Qur’ān, al-Qalam [68]:5-6
62Qur’ān, al-‘Ankabūt [29]:10
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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
63Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah [5]:49
64Qur’ān, Yūnus [10]:85
65Qur’ān, al-Nūr [24]:63
66Qur’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
67Qur’ān, al-A‘rāf [7]:155 Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:49
68Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:49
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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
69Qur’ān, al-An‘ām [6]:22-23
70Qur’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 learningin 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.
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“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, سَمِنْ كَلْبَكَ لَيْأُكَلَك (‘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,
72Qur’ān, Al ‘Imrān [3]:85
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“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
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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
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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,
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“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.
74Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:80
75Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:84
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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?
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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)
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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.
76Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān[3]:139-143
77Qur’ān, al-H...ujurāt [49]:14
78Qur’ān, al-Tawbah [9]:97
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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
79Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:151-154
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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
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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
81Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:156-158
82Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:169-171
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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
83Qur’ān, Āl ‘Imrān [3]:172
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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:
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“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.
84Qur’ān, al-Masad [111]:1-5
85Qur’ān, Yāsīn [36]:9
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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
87Qur’ān, Hūd [11]:13
88Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:21-24
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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
90Qur’ān, al-Kawthar [108]:1-3
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“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
91Qur’ān, al-Isrā’ [17]:88
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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:
92Qur’ān, al-D.uh.ā [93]:1-11
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“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
94Qur’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.
95Qur’ān, al-Rūm [30]:1-6
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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
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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
97Qur’ān, al-Shu‘arā’ [26]:214
98 Qur’ān, al-Masad [111]:1-5
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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
99Qur’ān [5]:67
100Qur’ān, al-Qiyāmah [75]:16-17
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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,
101Qur’ān, al-H...ijr ]15]:9
102Qur’ān, al-Fath. [48]:27
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“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
76
“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
104Qur’ān, Muhammad [47]:24
105Qur’ān, S.ād [38]:29
106 Qur’ān, al-An‘ām [6]:125
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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 16th 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
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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.
108Qur’ān, al-Nūr [24]:43
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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
109Qur’ān, al-Rūm [30]:48
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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
110Reported by al-Bayhaqī
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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.
111Qur’ān, T.āhā [20]:9-14
112Qur’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)
113Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:183
114Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 286
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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.
115Qur’ān, Maryam [19]:26
116Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 183-4
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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.
117Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]: 187
118Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:185
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“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
119Qur’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’ā n”
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
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of the nail until it becomes completely round
at the 14th (of the month)".
The Significance of Fasting
Al-Ghazālīsays 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 ( الصَ وْم ) 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
120Reported by al-abrānī
121 Qur’ān, [2]:183-184
122See Ibn Kathir's Tafsir on these verses.
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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.
123Qur’ān, [2]:185
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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:
لَا يُكَلِفُ اللَهُ نَفّْسًا إِلَا وُسْعَهَا )البقرّة : (
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"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
124Qur’ān, al-Baqarah [2]:286, M.M. Pickthall's translation
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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:
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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
125Reported by al-Tirmidhī
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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, Amad, al-Bayhaqī, and al-abrānī
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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).
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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
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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:
127Reported by Amad, al-Bayhaqī, and al-abrānī
128Reported by al-Bukhārī and al-Bayhaqī
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)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
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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
130Genesis 16:16 and 21:5
131Qur’ān, al-S.āffāt [37]:100-101
132Qur’ān, Ibrahim [14]:39
133Qur’ān, Ibrahim [14]:40
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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 Amad, al-Bayhaqī and al-abrānī
136Genesis 22:7-8
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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
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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.
138Reported by Muslim
139Reported by al-Tirmidhī
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(You can cite any supplication you know, even in English or the language known by the majority of the members of the congregation)
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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
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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
141Reported by Muslim
142Reported by Abū Dā’ūd, Ibn Mājah, and al-Bayhaqī
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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
143Qur’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]:97
147Reported by Muslim
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