Sisters' Halaqah

June 26th: Prophet Muhammad (Part 3)

2008-07-02T10:16:00.001-05:00

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)- Part 3

The year of the elephant:
- Meanwhile, in Yemen. Abrahah (the governor) had a goal to build a church to rival the Kaabah. He said to his king, I’m going to build you a beautiful church that will actually divert the people while their on their way to the Kaabah.
- So he constructed this church.
- One of the Arabs vandalized the church, when abrahah found out about it he decided to go and destroy the kaabah.
- He collects a massive army and the began heading towards the Kaabah to level it. The army was led by an elephant.
- When they reached the kaabah, Abrahah asked them to speak to their chief. They had no chief though at that time so they chose to send Abdul-Muttalib.
- Abrahah is impressed by the way Abdul-Muttalib looks so he actually stand up for him. He explains to him that he’s not there to fight and that he only needs to level the Kaabah and leave.
- Abdul Muttalib says, on your way here there was a pasture and in that pasture there were two hundred camels which you took, can Ihave them back?
- Abrahah is shocked at this response and says that he lost all the respect he had for him.
- Abdul Muttalib said, I’m the owner of the 200 camels and so I’m worried about them. Allah is owner of the Kaabah and He will take care of it.
- Abrahah gives him bag the camels and says we’ll see what your Lord will do.
- Abdul Muttalib orders everyone to exit the city and so they head to the mountains. Abdul Muttalib makes dua at the Kaabah before he leaves “oh Allah protect your house”
- The next morning Abrahah wakes up and he decides to go ahead with the plan. The elephant however won’t move except when they turn him towards Yemen.
- They’re wondering what’s going and instead of turning back while they had the chance they kept forcing the elephant to turn back towards the kaabah. Allah of a sudden the sky turns pitch black and all these birds cover the entire sky and each bird had three pebbles… one in each claw and one in the beak. They start to drop the pebbles and the army starts to die… some died there, some died on the way to Yemen and some died in Yemen. Abrahah also died.
- The Arabs realized that there was a special characteristic about Quraish.
- It was referred to as the year of the elephant.
- Abdullah was not in Makkah during this time, he was in a caravan heading to Syria. Abdullah became sick in Yathrib on his way back and he passed away.
- Aamenah received news that her husband passed away and she was devastated. She was a pregnant newlywed.
- She had a special pregnancy though. She saw a light emanating from her womb. She had a very easy pregnancy.
- The Prophet was born in Makkah. Abdul Muttalib took the baby to the kaabah and made dua for him
- The custom among Quraish was to send the baby to the desert to be nursed, weaned , and then raised.
- This is because the desert is a very natural environment, and to teach their kids the purest Arabic language. Arabic was their pride… the ability to speak it in the most eloquent way. Someone who is eloquent is considered noble.
- Desert tribes would come to Makkah to seek babies they could take care of
- This was not done for money but for connection, the baby would become a link between them and a tribe in Makkah.
- One of the tribes that had the highest reputation for the ability to raise children was called bani saad.
- Aamenah wanted her son to be taken by the tribe of bani saad. However, all the women kept refusing taking her baby because her father died young… which means he had little to give as far as power…
- The poorest amongst the wet nurses was called Haleemah. She was so poor that as she traveled to makkah her own baby was crying all night because of hunger. She wasn’t even producing milk.
- She and her husband came on a donkey and the donkey was starving as well, it was thin and very slow. All the wet nurses got there before her and all the babies were taken.
- Aamenah then approaches Haleema to take her baby. Haleema refuses because the baby is an orphan, etc.
- After she says no, she realizes that there aren’t any other babies left. She tells her husband that they should take the baby because it’s better to go back with something than to go back empty handed.
- That simple decision changed Haleema’s life.
- As soon as Haleema takes the Prophet (pbuh) she becomes filled with milk. The Prophet would eat and sleep and she would be able to feed her own child as well.
- The milkless camel and donkey they had also had milk now…both her and her husband drank milk and went to sleep as well.
- Now they got on the donkey and donkey is twice the speed of a normal donkey, they were now faster than the whole tribe.
- When they got home it was barakah upon barakah for them.
- Her animals were always filled with milk…
- The story about the man, the dream and the 1000 dirhams (barakah)
- Anytime you carry on anything associated with the Prophet (his sunnah), there’s barakah.
- The Prophet grew up and he was a healthy baby, at 2 he was weaned and that’s when they usually return the baby to the mother. Haleemah asked Aamenah to keep the baby a little longer and she agreed.
- One day he was playing behind the tent with his foster brother. Haleemah’s son comes running to her and tells her that two men came to the Prophet, they took him and opened his chest. She got worried, ran to see what happened. She saw that he was ok… but there was an obvious mark on his chest.
- She asked the Prophet about what happened and he said the two men opened his chest and they seemed to be looking for something but he didn’t know what it was.
- Later on the Prophet tells us that those angels took out his heart, washed it, and removed a tiny black clot from it.
- After this Haleema got worried and wanted to return him to his mother. They go back and tell the mother, expecting her to panic. Aamenah reassures them, she says… don’t worry, this is a really special baby. She told them how a light that came out of her womb while she was pregnant allowed her to see very far distances. However, she still chose to keep him with her.
- At 6 yrs old he was taken to Yathrib to visit his relatives. There he learned how to swim and he learned how to fly a kite.
- On the way back, his mother died.
- Abdul-Muttalib was now taking care of the Prophet (pbuh).
- He had a very special place in the heart of his grandfather. He would take him with him to important meetings he would have with Quraish and he would ask for his opinion and take it into consideration.
- 2 years later his grandfather passes away.

June 19th: Short halaqah and a special surprise! :)

2008-06-24T10:12:00.000-05:00

Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wasallam)- Part2

Abdullah's Marriage:
- When Abdullah turned 25, Abdul-Muttalib started to arrange for his marriage
- Abdullah was very very handsome, people could see a certain nur on his face that they couldn’t place
- Abdul-Muttalib selected an honorable woman named Aamenah.
- Abdul-Muttalib and Abdullah were walking hand in hand on the day of the marriage towards the marriage ceremony.
- On their way they passed by Abdullah’s cousin Kutailah (the sister of Waraqah, he was one of the main representatives of the Hunafa.. the people who worshiped only one God).
- The hunafa believed that a Prophet would come to revive their religion.
- Kutaliah was very knowledgeable about this and she was always on the lookout for this coming Prophet.
- When they pass by Kutailah, she looks at Abdullah and sees this light on his face. She stops her cousin, she calls his name. Abdul_muttalib tells him to go and talk to her.
- Abdullah turns around and she says “Marry me and I will give you 100 camels that were offered to save you”
- Abdullah says “I cannot disobey my father, he already arranged for my marriage”. Again, this was one of the Arab’s key characteristics. Obedience and respect to their elders.
- He turned away and walked with his father towards the marriage.
- So Abdullah goes on and marries Aamenah. One day he sees his cousin Kutailah again and this time she acts differently towards him, so he wonders why and asks her.
- She says “On that day you had a nur that you no longer have”. That nur had been transferred to the womb of Aamenah.

June 12th: Prophet Muhammad pbuh-Part1

2008-06-16T15:15:00.001-05:00

Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him

His noble lineage (the history prior to his coming into this life):
- Why is knowing this important?
B/c he (pbuh) mentions that he’s from a noble lineage. He’s from the best tribe, from the best house, and he’s is the best from his household.
Realizing the characteristics of these human beings that Allah chose for the Prophet to come from within them. What was special about Quraish?

- He was the result of the dua of Prophet Ibrahim

- The tribe of jurhum came to zamzam and populated the area of makkah. Jurhum worshiped Allah.

- After a while some of those people started to move away from the Kaabah… they would take something from them to remember the kaabah. This caused idol worship to be introduced to them. Slowly, idol worship surrounded the Kaabah…they still believed in Allah but they had idols that they claimed to represent Allah (the idol of rain, idol of the sun, etc).

- The more they worshipped idols, the ore sins they started to commit. Jurhum lost the barakah of Allah and they were defeated by the tribe of Khuza3ah. Khuza3a took over makkah and they brought in their own vice.

- Before Jurhum left Makkah, they buried the well of zamzam along with their treasure.

- Khuza3ah were content with the other wells available and they never tried to find zamzam.

- Zamzam became the hidden treasure.

- Khuza3ah allowed idol worship to surround the kaabah.

- Years later a man named Qusay from Quraish married the daughter of the chief of Khuza3ah. Quraish was not located in Makkah yet, they were a nomadic tribe in the dessert.

- The chief of Khuza3ah was so impressed by Qusay that he eventually made him the chief of Makkah and the kaabah. (note he was from another tribe and he was still given this honor).

- Qusay had a son named Abdu Manaf and a son named Abdu-Dar. Abdu manaf was loved by the Arabs, he had a great character, he was very noble, wise and generous. However, Qusay preffered his youngest son Abdu-Dar and gave him power after he passed away. Abdu manaf respected his father’s wishes and did not go against them.

- Note: The opinion of the elders had a lot of weight for them and they respected it. Keep this in mind.

- Abdu Manaf had a son named Hashem (he had many sons but Hashem was the imminent star). Hashem was popular and the people wanted him to become their leader. This caused problems with the clan of Abdu-Dar… the two groups split up and they were about to fight each other. The clan of Hashem dipped their hands in 3itr and wiped their hands on the kaabah before the fight. They made an allegiance to themselves saying that they would support Hashem and establish his leadership. They became called the scented ones.

- The elders stopped the fight and wanted to compromise. The clan of Hashem had the right of levying the tax, and the right of feeding and watering the pilgrims (two great honors-the pride of the Arabs was that they hosted the visitors of the kaabah). Hashem established new routes of trade to Yemen and Syria. He became very wealthy.

- During Hashem’s trade trips to Syria he would stop to rest at Yathrib where he married Salma, who was one of the most influential women in Yathrib. Her condition was that she had to remain in Yathrib, he didn’t mind. They had a son named Shaybah. Hashem died at a young age. His brother al-Muttalib took over his brother’s responsibilities in Makkah.

- When Al-Muttalib became old he gave the responsibility to Shaybah b/c he found him the most like his father. Shaybah goes back to Al-Muttalib to Makkah after Salma agreed.

- They go back to Makkah together, Shaybah sits on the back of the horse behind Al-Muttalib. They were sitting on the horse the way a master and his servant would sit on it. As they entered Makkah people assumed that Shaybah was the servant of Al-Muttalib because they had never seen him before, so they called him Abdul-Muttalib (servant of al-Muttalib).

- Abdul-Muttalib took the responsibility of levying the tax, feeding and watering the pilgrims. He becomes very well known between the Arabs as well.

- Abdul-Muttalib was very attached to the Kaabah. His habit was to sit on a chair and just look at the Kaabah, sometimes he used to fall asleep there.

- One night while sleeping infront of the kaabah, he has a similar dream 4 nights in a row and he is told to dig up the well of zamzam, and the dream leads him to the place.

- He takes his only son at the time (Harith) and they start to dig up the well of zamzam. People crowd around them and they say “how could you dig near our idols and disturb them, etc…”

- Abdul-Muttalib continues to dig even though the people were trying to stop him, all of a sudden the water starts to gush out and the people see the treasure… now they start to dig and they want to take the treasure.

- They draw lots to decide who keeps the treasure and they finally divide it between Abdul-Muttalib and the Kaabah.

- Next issue: who should control Zamzam? They agreed that Abdul-Muttalib should take that responsibility.

- After the incident of the well, Abdul-Muttalib felt lacking because he only had one son. AbdulMuttalib went to the kaabah and made dua. That Allah bless him with 10 sons. He says “Oh Allah if you give me 10 sons and those ten sons grow up to be mature individuals I will sacrifice one of them for your sake” (no one in the lineage of the Prophet worshipped idols).

- He did have 10 sons and they started to grow up he kept remembering his vow in the back of his mind. When his youngest son reached 6 years old, he gathered his sons and told them about the vow. As part of their good character the respected the vow. He takes all 10 sons at the kaabah… he took out his sword, they drew lots and the choice comes to Abdullah, his youngest and dearest.

- Abdul-Muttalib turns pale, b/c Abdullah is his favorite and he’s very young. As he walks towards his son with his sword, his mother and her clan stands up to defend him. The clan tells him to take all their wealth and give it for the sake of Allah but not to sacrifice his son. He refuses, now they convince him to see if he can exchange this sacrifice for something else.

- Abdul-Muttalib goes to Yathrib and he goes to ask this older lady who was known to be wise. He tells her the story and she tells him to come back tomorrow. He comes back and she tells him, put ten camels on one side and Abdullah on the other and draw lots between them. If Abdullah’s name comes out then ad 10 more camels, if the camels are chosen then sacrifice them. This is done several times until 100 camels are chosen (equal to 100 BMWs in our time). He wants to make sure that this is what Allah wants so he repeats it 3 times and the camels are chosen in all 3 times. (note how much commitment the Arabs had. That’s why after they became Muslims they truly committed to the deen and went into it all the way)

- Abdullah lives.

June 5th: Prophet Jesus

2008-06-16T15:11:00.000-05:00

Prophet Jesus
(please excuse any typos)

- Aya: “Indeed Allah chose Adam and Noah, the family Ibrahim, and the family of Imran above the worlds.”
- The family of Imran is from the descendants of Prophet Ibrahim, and Prophet Ibrahim is a descendant of Prophet Noah, and Prophet Noah is a descendant of Prophet Adam.
- Aya: “When the wife of Imran said: ‘My Lord! I have dedicated to You what is in my womb as a gift, so please accept this from me, indeed, You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing’“
- Imran is the father of Mary.
- The family of Imran is from prophet David’s progeny.
- Imran and Hannah (the mother of Mary) were pious and righteous people.
- Zakariya was the prophet of that time and he was also married to Mary’s sister.
- Mary’s mother could not have children. One day she watched a bird feeing its young ones, so she desired a baby, and made a vow that if she had a son, she will dedicate him in the service of Allah and he would live in al-Masjid al-Aqsa.
- It was a custom at that time for men and boys to serve in the masjid. It was an honor for them.
- When she delivered it was a girl, she remembered her vow to Allah and said in disappointment:
- Aya: “My Lord! I have delivered a female, and Allah knows best what she delivered, and the male is not like the female, and I have named her Mary, and commend her and her offspring to your protection from Satan the outcast’” (3:33-36)
- Hadith: “No baby is born except that it is touched/stabbed by Satan at the time of its birth, and it comes out screaming from the touch of Satan, except Mary and her son Jesus”
- This is because her mother made dua that Allah would protect Mary and her progeny from Satan.
- Aya: “So her Lord accepted her with gracious acceptance, and made her grow in purity and beauty, and entrusted her to the care of Zakariya”
- When Hannah to her daughter to the masjid, she needed to entrust her in someone’s care.
- The men who served the masjid disputed over who would have this great honor. They agreed to cast lots among each other and Zakariya was chosen 3 times. (they were allowed to cast lots, we don’t need to do that as Muslims because Allah has replaced it with salat al-istikharah)
- Aya: “This is form the tidings of the Unseen which We reveal to you, and you were not with them when they case their lots with their pens, to decide which of them should be the guardian of May, and you were not with them when they disputed (with one another)” (3:44)
- They collected their pens and put them in a particular place, then they sent a child to go and bring one of them and the pen the boy brought was that of Zakariya.
- Aya: “Whenever Zakariya entered the chamber, he found her provided with sustenance. He said: ‘O Mary! Where did you get this from?’ She replied: ‘It is from Allah, surely, Allah bestows sustenance upon whom He pleases without measure’” (3:37)
- Zakariya built a separate room for Mary inside the masjid, which was forbidden for anyone else except her.
- She worshipped Allah day and night in her solitude, and looked after the masjid whenever it was her turn to look after it.
- Her piety became so known that people used her an example.
- Whenever Prophet Zakariya entered her chamber to see after her needs, he found special fresh fruits that were out of season.
- That is when Prophet Zakariya made dua to Allah to be blessed with a righteous child and Allah answered his dua immediately.

Allah chooses Mary out of all women:
- Aya: “When the angels said: ‘O Mary! Allah has chosen you and purified you, chosen you above the women of the worlds, O Mary! Pray to your Lord devoutly, and prostrate yourself, and bow down with those who bow down’” (:42-43)
- Allah tells us in the Quran that the angels came to Mary and gave her the glad tidings of being chosen by Allah from among all women of her time. It was about her being chosen for a very special purpose.
- Hadith: “The best women of the world are four: Mary the daughter of Imran, Asiyah the wife of Pharaoh, Khadjiah the daughter of Khuwaylid, and Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah” (ahmad, tirmithi)
- Aya: “When the angels said: ‘O Mary! Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name is the Messiah Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and of those nearest to Allah. He shall speak to the people when in the cradle and in manhood, and he shall be from the righteous.’”
- The angel informed her about the miraculous birth she will be giving, a baby born without a father.
- A baby who will speak in his infancy, calling people to the way of Allah.
- She was then asked to intensify her devotion and worship, as to pay her gratitude to Allah for this great miracle.
- Mary would go out from the masjid to get water or food. One day she went out for some of her needs, as she went further Garbiel appeared in front of her in the guise of a man.
- She was frightened to see him and said: “I seek refuge in the Most Gracious from you, if you fear Him”
- Gabriel comforted her not get frightened of him, as he was not an ordinary man, but he was Gabriel, the messenger of her Lord, and sent by Him. He told her that was to conceive a boy.
- Aya: “She said: ‘My Lord! How can I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said (the angel): ‘Even so, Allah created what He pleases. When He decrees a matter, He says to it: Be.– and it is. And He will teach him the Book and the wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel’” (3:47-48)
- She was thinking logically as a human being, how could I conceive without being with a man?
- However, the angel reminded her that Allah can do whatever He wills.
- Allah created Adam without a father or mother.
- Allah created eve from the rib of Adam, from a man without a mother.
- And now Allah was creating Jesus from a woman without a father.
- Aya: “And we shall make a him a sign to people, and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter which has been decreed” (12:21)
- Aya: “And Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her through Our Spirit (The angel Gabriel)” (66:12)

The birth of Jesus the son of Mary:
- This was a great test for Mary because her piety and righteousness was known to every one, and she was aware of the fact that people would raise the finger of blame and slander her.
- Joseph the carpenter (Mary’s cousin) was astonished to find out that Mary is pregnant even though he knew her well and knew that she was pious. One day he said to her: “O Mary! Will a plant grow without a seed?” She replied: “Yes, who has created the first plant?”. Then he said: “Will a child be born without a man?”. She said: “Yes, Allah has created Adam with no man and woman”. He said: “Then tell me about yourself”. She said: “Allah has given me glad tidings of a Word from him, his name is Messiah Jesus the son of Mary, held in honor in the world and in the Hereafter, and of those nearest to Allah. He shall speak to people when in the cradle and in manhood, and shall be from the righteous”
- Mary went to see her sister one day, and her sister said to her: “I feel that I am pregnant”. Mary said: “And I feel as well that I am pregnant”. So both hugged each other. Then her sister said: “I feel that what is in my womb bows down to what is in yours” (referring to Yahya and Jesus).
- Yahya and Jesus were cousins and they were conceived at the same time.
- May was pregnant for 9 months.
- The news of her pregnancy spread far and wife, and some people slandered her of being pregnant from Joseph the carpenter
- Mary went to a far place and isolated herself from people.
- She cried of her pain and mental stress, she said: “Would that I had died before this, and become a thing forgotten!” (19:23)
- People didn’t believe her story, she was stressed and wished for her death.
- Aya: “But a voice cried to her from beneath” (19:24)
- Who’s voice was this? Some say it was Jesus and some say it was Gabriel.
- Aya: “But a voice cried to her from beneath: ‘Grieve not, your Lord has provided you a spring beneath you. And shake towards you the trunk of the palm-tree, and it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. So eat and drink, and be comforted, and if you see any human, say: “I have vowed a fast to the Most Gracious, and today I shell speak to no human”
- She was told to eat and drink and be comforted, and if someone spoke to her she should indicate that she was fasting. (in their shariah, fasting consisted of refraining from food and drink as well as speech)
- She came back to her people with jesus in her arms. “O Mary! Truly, a strange thing you have brought!” (19:27)
- She pointed to the baby to speak and respond to people.
- They said: “What! Are you telling us to speak to this suckling baby to tell us the truth about you? Do you think of us as mad people?” (19:29)
- When they were still arguing with her about the child, and thinking of it as a joke, the baby spoke to them miraculously.
- Aya: “I am indeed a slave of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet, and He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined upon me prayers, and to pay the alms, as long as I live, and (He has made me) kind to my mother, and He has not made me insolent unblessed. And peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and on the day I shall be raised to life’” (19:30-33)
- This was the first speech Jesus ever spoke. The first thing he said was that he is a “slave of Allah”.
- This is the only true story of the birth of Jesus, we refute the claims done by Christians and Jews.
- Aya: “Such is Jesus son of Mary, this is a statement of Truth about which they dispute. It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son, Glory be to Him! When He decrees a matter, He only says to it: Be! And it is” (19:34-35)
- After this the jewish community was divided into 3 groups:
1) Jews who said Jesus was a child born out of wedlock
2) Jews who said that Jesus was the son of Allah
3) Jews who believed in the true message
- The Prophet described him to be of moderate height, and to be red faced.

Does God need a son?
- Aya: “O people of earlier Scripture! Do not go to extremes in your religion, nor say of Allah anything but the truth, most surely, Jesus the son of Mary was no more than a Messenger of Allah, and His word which He bestowed on mary, and a spirit created by Him. So believe in Allah and His Messengers, and do not say: ‘trinity’, desist, it is better for you, most surely Allah is One God, glory be to Him! High Exalted is he above having a son. What is in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Allah, and Allah suffices as a Trustee” (4:171)
- Aya: “Indeed they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is the Christ, the son of Mary’. Say: ‘Who has the power to prevent Allah if He chose to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, and his mother, and all the dwellers of the earth? And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens, the earth, and what is between them. Allah created what He pleases, and Allah has power over all things’” (5:17)
- Aya: “Most certainly they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is the Christ, the son of Mary’, but the Christ said: ‘O children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord, whoever ascribes partners with Allah, Allah will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire will be his abode, and wrongdoers will have no protectors.’ Most certainly they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is one of Three’/ for there is no God but one God, and if they do not desist from what they say, surely, a painful chastisement shall befall the disbelievers among them” (5:17)
- Aya: “Will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is All-forgiving, all-Merciful. Most surely Christ, the son of mary was no more than a messenger, many were the messengers that have passed away before him, his mother was a woman of truth, they both are food. See how we make Our signs clear to them, and yet see how they are deluded away from the truth” (5:74-75)
- Aya: “And when Allah will say: ‘O Jesus! Son of Mary, did you say to the people: take me and me mother as gods besides Allah?’ He will reply: ‘Glory be to You! It is not fitting for me to say that which I have no right to say. Had I said it You most surely would have known it, for You know what is in my inner self, and I do not know what is in Yours. Indeed, You are the all-knowing of the unseen. I did not say to them anything except what You commanded me to say, that: ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’. And I was a witness over them while I lived among them. But when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are the Witness over all things. If You chastise them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, indeed, You are the all-might, all-Wise” (5: 116-118)
- This conversation will take place on the Day of Judgment.
- Hadith: “No one is more tolerant with an insult which he hears, then Allah. They ascribe to Him a son, while He provides them with their provision and healing” (bukhari and muslim)

Miracles of Jesus:
- Some of his miracles:
1) He was begotten without a father
2) His spirit was breathed into the womb directly by Gabriel
3) He spoke to people in his infancy
4) He was given revelation and wisdom
The Gospel was given to Jesus when he was 30 years old, and he lived till he was taken up to the heaven at age 33.
5) He would create out of clay a figure of a bird, then breathe into it and it would become a real bird.
6) He would cure the ill. Curing the blind and people who had leprosy.
7) He would bring the dead back to life.
8)He walked on water.
- The miracle of every Prophet was in conformity with what their people of that time excelled in. In the time of Jesus, people excelled in medicine.
- Most people did not follow him, they rebelled against him and rejected him.
- A small group responded to his call and became his followers.
- Some of the Israelites viciously opposed him and plotted to kill him.

Prophecies of Jesus about our Prophet:
- Jesus was the last of Israelite Prophets. He told them of the coming of the last of all Prophets, after whom the Prophethood would be sealed.
- Aya: “And when Jesus, son of Mary said: ‘O children of Israel! Surely, I am the Messenger of Allah to you, verifying that which was revealed before me in the Torah, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad’. (61:6)

The Story of the Ma’idah:
- Prophet Jesus commanded his disciples to fast for 30 days. When they finished their fasting they asked Jesus to bring a table spread with food from heaven, so they may eat of it, and know that Allah has accepted their fasting.
- Jesus admonished them for their demand and feared that they might not show their gratitude or fulfill its conditions. But they persisted in their demand
- Jesus prayed to Allah to send a table spread with food for them from heaven.
- So Allah sent it down, and people watched descend from the sky.
- Jesus watched it coming and kept praying to Allah that He may make it a mercy and blessing of Him, and nor a punishment for them.
- It slowly came down, and was covered till it landed in front of Jesus.
- He uncovered the table, saying: “In the name of Allah, who is the best of providers”
- The table had fish, bread, and fruits.
- Jesus asked them to eat, but they refused to eat until he ate. So he fed the poor first.
- The table would come down everyday and everyone would eat from it. It was eventually restricted only to the poor. When the people complained and spoke against Jesus, Allah transformed them into pigs.
- Aya: “Allah said: ‘I will send it down to you, but if any of you disbelieves thereafter, I will chastise him with a chastisement with which I have chastised no one among all the people”

Elevation:
- Aya: “And when they (the disbelievers) plotted (to kill Jesus), Allah planned too. And Allah is the Best of those who plot. And when Allah said: ‘O Jesus I will take you and lift you up to Me, and purify you of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who followed you above those who disbelieved.”
- Aya: “And for their saying (in boast): ‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’: but they killed him not nor crucified him. Only a likeness of that was shown to them.”
- The jews plotted to kill Jesus
- Jesus came to his companions, they were 12 people from among his disciples.
- He said to them: “There are those among you who will disbelieve in me after he has believed in me”
- Then he said: “Who from among you will take my likeness and be killed in my place, so will reach a high rank?”
- A youth came forward, but Jesus said to him “sit down”. He repeated the same question and the same youth stood up and came forward, and said: “I”. Jesus said: “you are the one”.
- And then he was made to look like Jesus. And Jesus was elevated up to the heaven.
- The jews came looking for him. They took the youth and killed him and then crucified him.
- After this many of believers disbelieved and many of them claimed that it was Allah who was amongst them and that he left the earth.
- Mary lived for 5 years after Jesus was elevated. She died at the age of 53.
- Prophet Jesus will return to earth before the day of judgment. He will kill the swine and break the cross.
- Aya: “And there is none of the people of the Book, but will believe in him before his death, and on the day of judgment, he will be a witness against them”
- Between Prophet Jesus and Prophet Muhammad is 600 years.

May 29: Prophets Sulaiman, Zackariya, & Yahya

2008-05-28T10:25:00.003-05:00

Prophet Solomon
- Aya: “And Solomon was David’s heir, and said: ‘O people! We have been taught the speech of the birds, and we have been given from everything: indeed this is a manifest bounty’”(27:16)
- Solomon inherited David in Prophethood and kingdom. He didn’t inherit the wealth because the wealth of Prophets is not inherited.
- Solomon understood the language of all kinds of birds and ants and spoke to them in their language.

Solomon’s wisdom:
- Aya: “And remember David and Solomon, when they gave judgment concerning the tillage, when the sheep of the people had strayed there, and We did witness their judgment. And We inspired Solomon the right understanding of it, and We gave each of them wisdom and knowledge” (21:78-79)
- The story of the two neighbors, one had a flock of sheep and the other had a farm. One day the man who owned the sheep forgot to close the gate and the sheep went to the farm during the night and ate all the crops. The two men came to Prophet David for his judgment (this was obviously before Prophet David died). He ruled that the owner of the sheep should compensate the owner of the farm with an equal value to the lost crops. When Prophet Solomon heard this he interjected with his opinion. He said: “Were it I to be the judge, I would have decided to surrender the sheep to the owner of the farm, so they could benefit from the sheep until the owner of the sheep fixes the farm and returns it to its previous state”
- When Prophet David heard this, he canceled his previous ruling and ordered the new one.
- Another incident…
- This story is narrated in Bukhari and Muslim. Two women shepherds were tending to their flocks while they left their two newborn sons behind. When they came back they found that the wolf had attacked and eaten one of the boys. Both of them claimed that the boy who was still alive was hers. They went to Prophet David and he ruled that the boy belonged to the eldest of them. When they passed by Solomon, he said: ‘Bring me a knife and I will cut this boy into two pieces, a half for each of you.’ The younger woman said: ‘No, may Allah bestow His Mercy on you, this is her son.’ So Solomon changed the verdict in the favor of the younger woman.
- Allah gave both David and Solomon knowledge and wisdom.

Solomon is tested:
- Aya: “And we granted to David, Solomon, how excellent a slave, indeed he was penitent. When in the evening he was presented with horses of the highest breeding; and he said: ‘It seems I have preferred the enjoyment of the good things more than the remembrance of my Lord, until it (the sun) set behind the veil. Bring them back to me.’ And he began to stroke them on their necks and legs.”
- Solomon was presented one evening with horses of fine breeding, and he became distracted in admiring them that the time for asr prayer passed and the sun set.
- He asked for the horses to be brought back to him and he stroked over their legs and necks… this either means that he passed hand over the horses to honor them for jihad. Other scholars say that this means that Solomon slaughtered all the horses.
- Another test happened to Prophet Solomon…
- Aya: “Certainly We tried Solomon, and We cast upon his throne a mere body, and he repented”
- Hadith: “Once Solomon said: ‘I would sleep tonight with seventy women, who will all bear a child who will fight in the way of Allah.’ His companion said: ‘InshaAllah’. But he did not say so. So only one woman got pregnant and she gave birth to a child who only had half a body (deformed).” The Prophet (pbuh) said: “If he had said that (InshaAllah), all would have been born and fought in the way of Allah” (Bukhari)
- Prophet Solomon was tested here, he forgot to say “InshaAllah”. This is a reminder for us all to always say “inshaAllah”.
- Aya: “ He said: ‘My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom that will not be given to anyone after me, surely. You are the Giver.’ So We subjected the wind to his power which blew gently by his order wherever he desired. And the satans, every kind of builder and diver, and others fettered in chains. ‘These are Our Bounties, whether you bestow them or withhold them, no account will be asked.’ And he enjoyed nearness with Us, and a fair return.” (38: 35-40)
- Solomon asked for a kingdom to be his miracle. A kingdom that is different than any other. No other person was ever given a kingdom like the kingdom of Solomon.
- Allah subjected to him the wind, it blew gently to his order wherever he willed.
- He controlled wind for a distance of a month.
- Allah made the devils servants to Prophet Solomon. Some would dive in the oceans and some would build for him.
- Allah also taught him the language of birds and ants.
- Allah also made a fountain of brass to flow for him.
- The jinn also were his servants, they would build for him rooms, images, basins, cooking, etc.
- Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had the choice of being a kind Prophet or a slave prophet and he preferred to be a slave prophet.
- Aya: “And to Solomon We subjected the wing, its going was month’s journey, and its return was a month’s journey. And we made a fountain of molten brass to flow for him, and of the jinn there were those who roked for him by the Command of his Lord, and if any of them swerved away from Our Command, We made them taste the chastisement of the Blazing Fire. They made for him whatever he desired: arches, images, basis as large as wells, and fixed cauldrons: ‘Work thanks, O family of David, only few of My slaves are grateful”
- Notice that Allah says here “work thanks”, because thanking Allah is not just through our tongues but also through our actions.
- Hadith: “The Prophet once started the prayer. Then we heard him saying: ‘I seek refuge in Allah from you I curse you with the curse of Allah.’ He said that three times. And then spread out his hand as though he was trying to hold something. When he finished his prayer, we said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! We heard you saying something in your prayer which we had never heard you saying before, and we also saw you stretching out your hands.’ The Prophet replied: ‘The enemy of Allah, Iblis, came to me with a blazing fire, so that he may throw is in my face. So I said: I seek refuge in Allah from you three times, then I said: I curse you with the curse of Allah three times, but he did not go back. Then I wanted to capture him, but had it nor been for the prayer of our brother Solomon, he would have been fastened (to one of the pillars in the masjid), and the children of Al-Madinah would have played with him”
- The Prophet (pbuh) didn’t want to share one of the special miracles that Prophet Solomon had because he wanted his brother Solomon to be unique.

The valley of ants:
- Aya: “And for Solomon were assembled his hosts of jinn, men and birds, and they were ranged in order and rank. When they came to the valleys of the ants, an ant said: ‘O you ants! Enter your dwelling places, lest Solomon and his hosts trample you without noticing.’ So he smiled, amused at her speech, and said: ‘My Lord! Inspire me that I may be grateful for Your favors which You bestowed on me and my parents, and that I may do righteous deeds as may please You, and admit me by Your Mercy, among Your righteous slaves” (27:17-19)
- Solomon heard the ant and understood what she said to the other ants. He smiled at hearing what others couldn’t hear.
- When Allah blessed you with a special skill, use it to obey Him and be thankful for it.

Hoopoe and Belqis:
- Allah mentions the story of hoopoe, when it was found absent from the army.
- All sorts of birds in Solomon’s army had their commanders and leaders who would come to him to report to him regularly about everyday matters.
- The duty of hoopoe was to find out the source of water.
- Hoopoe has the ability to discover the water from beneath the earth and take the water out.
- When Solomon ordered it to come to his presence, it was found absent.
- Solomon said: “How is it I do not see the hoopoe bird? Or is he not here? I will punish him severely, or even slaughter him, unless he brings me an acceptable excuse”
- Solomon threatened to discipline it for its absence without any notice, unless it has an excuse.
- The hoopoe soon came back and said: “I have come to know something that you do not know, and I have come from Sheba with sure news for you. There I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given abundance of everything, and she has a magnificent throne”
- The kingdom of Sheba ruled the lands of Yemen.
- The Queen has an abundance of everything that kings and queens typically possess.
- Her throne was adorned by all kinds of precious stones and pearls, and was made of gold.
- The hoopoe then mentioned that those people, though granted such vast bounties of Allah’s Mercy, did not worship Him. They worshipped the sun.
- After what Solomon heard from the hoopoe, he sent a letter to the queen of Sheba inviting her to the way of Allah and His worship, and to merge her kingdom in his kingdom.
- Aya: “Solomon said: ‘We will see whether you have told the truth, or whether you have lied. Go with this letter of mine and deliver it to them, then stand aside and see what answer they return’” (27:27-28)
- When the ltter was delivered to Queen Belqis by the hoopoe, she read it, and then summoned all her ministers and advisors for consultation regarding the contents of that letter.
- She said: “There has been thrown onto me (she didn’t even know who delivered it) an honorable letter (she called it honorable because it was from Solomon the most honorable of his time), it is from Solomon, and it is ‘In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Do not be arrogant, and come to me in submission (to the true religion)’”
- She sought their advice on the matter and said: “O chiefs! Counsel me on this matter, no affair have I decided before but after I had consulted you”
- They said: “If you require an army to fight against him, here we are in your service with all the might of his kingdom. Nontheless, we leave the matter on your discretion and will, and we will obey whatever you may command us to do”
- She said: “Surely, when kings enter a town, they ruin it, and make the noblest of its people abased, and thus do they behave”
- She told them in her opinion that is Solomon conquered their kingdom, they would be humiliated.
- She then said: “I am sending them a gift to see what my emissary brings back”
- She wanted to bribe Solomon and sway their attention away from her and her kingdom by sending a gift and establishing a friendship.
- She didn’t know that Solomon was a Prophet and he would never compromise.
- Aya: “So when her emissary came to Solomon, he said: ‘Are you sending us wealth? What Allah has bestowed on me is better than what he has bestowed on you. It is you who rejoice in your gifts”
- He commanded the emissary to go back and threatened to send a huge army that they would not be able to handle.
- When the emissary came to the queen with this threat, they did not find any option but to surrender themselves to Solomon.
- They went with their queen to meet Solomon.
- When Solomon came to hear the news of their coming, he addressed the jinn in his presence, saying:
- Aya: “’O congregation! Which one of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?’ A cunning jinn said: ‘I will bring it to you before you rise from your council, indeed I have full strength and I am trustworthy.’ One who possessed the knowledge of the scripture said: ‘I will bring it to you in the wink of an eye.’ So when he saw it placed before him, he said: ‘This is from my Lord’s Bounty, to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is ungrateful. Indeed my Lord is All-Sufficient, the Generous’. He said: ‘Disguide her throne for her, and we will see whether she recognizes it or if she is unable to’” (27: 38-41)
- Aya: “So when she came, it was said: ‘Is your throne like this?’ She said: ‘It just seems the same.’ ‘And we were given the knowledge in advance of it, and had submitted to Allah.’ And that which she worshipped other than Allah, had diverted her (from the Right Path), surely, she was from pagan people. It was said to her: ‘Enter the palace.’ And when she saw it, she through it was a pool of water, and uncovered her legs. He said: ‘It is a palace paved with crystal glass.’ She said: ‘My Lord! I have wronged myself, and I now submit myself together with Solomon, to the Will of Allah, the Lord of the worlds’” (27: 42-44)
- Then Solomon ordered the ornaments of that throne to be changed, so that it is disguised for her test whether she could recognize it or not.
- She didn’t think it was her throne because it was changed, and because she didn’t think it would be possible that her throne would be there, as she left it behind in her palace.
- Solomon had a grand palace built of crystal glass, and throughout the passages inside the palace, there were water streams covered with crystal glass.
- In those water streams there were kept fish and other water creatures, looking like an aquarium throughout the palace.

Building Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa:
- It was first built by Prophet Jacob.
- The first masjid to be build was the Kaabah (by Prophet Ibrahim), and the second was Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.
- Prophet Solomon expanded the masjid. We don’t believe that he built it as the Jews do.
- After Solomon finished the building he made dua and asked for 3 things.
- Hadith: “When Solomon completed the building of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, he asked Allah for 3 favors, of which he was given only two, and we hope that the 3rd favor will be for us. Solomon asked for judgment that could correspond to the judgment of Allah (so that whatever he ruled would please Allah), and Allah accepted his prayer. He also asked for a kingdom which nobody could be given after him, and this prayer was also accepted. He also asked Allah that any one who leaves his home only for the purpose of prayer in his mosque, all his sins may be forgiven to become like the day he was born. We hope that Allah may grant it to us” (Ahmad)

The Death of Solomon:
- Aya: “Then when We decreed his death, nothing indicated to them that he was dead, except the worm of the earth which kept gnawing away at his staff, so when he fell down, the jinn realized that if they had known the unseen, they would not have abided in the humiliating chastisement” (34:14)
- After Solomon died, the wood worm kept eating his staff for one year till he fell down.
- Solomon ruled as a king for 20 years, after his death his son succeeded him as king and ruled for 17 years, then the kingdom of Israel disintegrated.

Prophets Zackariya and Yahya:
- Prophet Zackariya was a carpenter.
- He reached old age without having any children. His wife was barren.
- Aya: “This is a mention of the mercy of your Lord to his slave Zackariya, when he called upon his Lord secretly. Saying: ‘My Lord! My bones within me are feeble, and my head has gone grey, and in calling on you my Lord, I have never been unblessed. And now I fear for my near kin after I am done, and my wife is barren, so grant to me an heir from You; who shall be my inheritor (in Prophethood), and the inheritor of the House of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, one with whom you are well pleased’” (19: 1-6)
- He also made the dua:
- Aya: “My Lord! Leave me not without offspring, though You are the best inheritors.” –rabbi la tatharni fardan wa anta khayrul waritheen.
- Notice how Prophet Zackariya made dua to Allah secretly.
- Prophet Zackariya also mentioned how he never invoked Allah for any thing but He accepted his prayer.
- The reason he came to pray for a son was that whenever he entered the chamber of Mary, of whom he was a guardian, he always found fruits of various kinds without any season for them. It then occursed to him that Allah, the Provider, Who can provide fruits without seasons, can grant him a child in his old age and even though his wife is barren.
- Aya: “And she (Mary) was assigned to the care of Zackariyya, and whenever Zackariyya entered her chamber, he found her provided with sustenance. He said: ‘O Mary! Where did you get this from?’ She said: ‘It is from Allah, surely, Allah bestows upon whom He pleases without measure.’ Then Zackariya prayed to his Lord, saying: ‘My Lord! Grant to me from You righteous progeny, surely, You are All-hearing of prayers.” (3: 37-38)
- Allah accepted his prayer.
- Aya: “Then angels called to him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber: ‘Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, confirming the truth of a Word from Allah, and noble, chaste and righteous Prophet” (3:29)
- Aya: “O Zackariya! We give you glad tidings of a boy whose name is Yahya, no namesake have We given him before (no one else had this name before).’”
- Zackariya was very surprised at the good news, he was 77 years old at that time.
- Aya: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son, seeing that my wife is barren, and I have reached to the extreme old age” (19:8)
- The angel told him…
- Aya: “So shall it be. Your Lord says: ‘That is easy for me, and I have created you before when you were nothing’” (19:9)
- Allah healed his wife for him and granted him a righteous son.
- Zackariya asked Allah for further sin that he may really assure himself, so he prayed to Allah to make some sort of a sign to know that his wife has become pregnant.
- Allah said to him: “Your sign will be that you will not be able to speak for 3 days, except by signals and sign language. However, it will not affect your health or limbs. You will be perfectly healthy in all aspects”.
- Aya: “O Yahya! Take hold of the Book with firmness.’ And we granted him wisdom while he was yet a child”
- Now Allah addresses Yahya (John) and tells us that he granted him knowledge and wisdom in his childhood.
- He was also granted tenderness, especially with his parents.
- Aya: “So peace upon him the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and the day he shall be raised to life” (19:15)
- These are the three major stages of life, when one moves from one kind of world to another, totally different than the previous one.
- We are not sure how Prophet Zackariya died, though there is an opinion that Bani Israel sawed him in half.
- Hadith: “Allah commanded Yahya to fulfill five duties, and to command Bani Israel to carry them out as well. But Yahya held up for a while, so he was told by Jesus (his cousin): ‘You have been commanded to act according to 5 teachings, and to command them to Bani Israel. So would you tell them yourself or shall I convey it to them?’ yahya said: ‘My brother! I fear that if you do it, I may be punished or swallowed by the earth’. Then yahya gathered Bani Israel in the Masjid til the Masjid became full. Then he sat on the elevated place, praised Allah and glorified Him, and said: ‘Allah the Almighty has commanded me 5 things that I do them personally and that I shall command you to carry them out.

First: You should not worship other than Allah without associating with Him any partner. Because its similitude is like the one who bought a slave with the best of his wealth, silver or gold, but the slave started working for others. Tell me who will like his slave to act in this manner and serve other than him. Allah has created you and gave you provision, so worship Him alone, and do not associate any partner with Him.

Second: I command you to pray. Allah turns His Face towards His slave as long as the slave does not distract himself. So once you are in prayer, do not let yourselves become distracted towards other things.

Third: I command you of fasting, because its similitude is like a man who has got a bad of musk among a multitude of people, of whom every one enjoys its fragrance. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is purer to Allah than the fragrance of musk.

Fourth: I command you to give out in charity. Because its parable is like the one who was captured by an enemy, and they tied his hand up with his neck, and then wanted to behead him. The man at this point asked his enemy: ‘Is it possible that I pay ransom and free myself?’ After they agreed, he starts paying his ransom with everything, small or big, till he has freed himself.

Fifth: I also command you to remember Allah frequently. The similitude of this is of a man whom his enemy chased him, but he found a fortified castle and entered it. The man is more protected from his enemy (Satan) when he is in Allah’s remembrance’” (Ahmad)

The murder of Yahya:
- Different reasons are given regarding his murder.
- Most popular reason: one of the kinds of that time in Damascus wanted to marry one of his close relative (and it was forbidden in their shariah to do so). Yahya forbade him from marrying her. The woman hid her resentment against Yahya. At some occasion, when the kind desired for her to fulfill his lust, the woman asked him the head of Yahya. The kind at once agreed to her demand, and sent soldiers to kill him and bring his head in a bowl.
- The woman died at once when the head of Yahya was delivered to her.
- There is a difference of opinion regarding where he was killed, some say he was killed in Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and some say that he was killed in Damascus.

May 22nd: Prophets Joshua, Samuel, and David

2008-05-28T10:16:00.001-05:00

Prophets Joshua, Samuel, and David

Joshua
- He is from the lineage of Prophet Yusuf and Ibrahim.
- He was mentioned in Quran as a servant with Prophet Musa, his name is not mentioned in Quran however it is mentioned in sahih hadith.
- He was a righteous student of his teacher, Prophet Musa
- When Prophet Musa passed away Prophethood was passed along to him
- He became the leader of the children of Israel
- They were delivered to the holy land under his leadership, they were victorious
- The Prophet (pbuh) tells us why this victory was delayed
- Bani Israel were raised in servitude and slavery. when they left Egypt they were not fit to fight
- In the 40 years of wilderness, the elders died and the youth were raised by Musa and Harun.
- Musa was the most important and best Prophet sent to bani Israel, but victory did not happen on his hands
- Prophet Musa organized bani Israel according to their tribes, he was getting them ready to fight after they come out of the wilderness.
- Aya: “And Allah had taken the covenant from the Children of Israel, and We appointed from among them twelve chieftains. And Allah said: ‘I am with you, only if you establish prayer, pay the alms, believe in my Messengers and stand with them, and lend to Allah a good loan. So I will expiate your sins, and I will admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow, so whoever of you disbelieves after that, surely, he has gone astray from the Right Way’” (5:12)
- Joshua was fighting with the people Jerusalem (al-jababirah). The sun was about to set while they were fighting, he knew that they needed more time.
- Joshua pointed to the sun and said “You are receiving orders and I am receiving orders so stop”
- Allah made the sun stop until they finished fighting the enemy and then it set
- If you have Allah on your side then that’s all you need
- Hadith: “The sun has never been held back for a human being from setting except for Joshua” (Ahmad)
- Hadith: “One of the Prophets went for a battle, so he said to his people: ‘No one should come with me who has just had a wife but has not yet slept with her, no one who has built a house but did not yet put its roof up, nor the one who has bought goats or pregnant camels and is waiting for them to deliver.’ So the Prophet went for the battle, and approached a town after he had prayed the Asr prayer. Then he said to the sun: ‘You are commanded and I am commanded. O Allah hold it back for a while.” So Allah held it back, till the conquered the town. Then they all gathered what they found as spoils of the war. The fire then came to eat the spoils, but did not eat it. The Prophet then said: There is some one who has cheated from the spoils. So he asked one man from every tribe to come forward and pledge to him. They all came to pledge to him, but the hand of one man stuck with the hand of the Prophet. He said: ‘The cheat is from among you, so now let every one of your tribe come forward and pledge to me.’ They came and offered their pledge to him, and so the hands of two or three people for stuck with his hand, and he said: ‘You are the cheaters, you took the spoils of the war.’ So they took out gold equivalent to the head of a cow. They put the gold together with other spoils, and the fire came and are it. The spoils of war were not allowed for anyone before us. This is because Allah saw our weakness and incapacity, so He purified it for us” (Ahmad)
- He wanted the people who came with him to have sincerity, and not to be distracted. Their hearts shouldn’t be attached to something else.
- They won and started to establish their nation under the banner of “la ilaha illa Allah”
- Bani Israel continued to fight many wars.

Samuel:
- Aya: “Have you not seen the chiefs of the Children of Israel, after Musa, when they said to a Prophet of theirs: ‘Appoint for us a king that we may fight in the cause of Allah.’ He said: ‘Is it not possible that if fighting is prescribed for you, you may not fight?’ They said: ‘How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, when we have been turned out of our homes and separated from our children?’ Yet when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away, except a few of them, and Allah is All-Knowing of those evildoers” (2:246)
- He said you’re asking for fighting, but when fighting is prescribed for you will you fight
- They said of course. But Allah tells us that when fighting was ordered for them, they turned away, except for a few of them
- Aya: “And their Prophet said to them: ‘Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king for you.’”
- So their Prophet tells them, ok your wish has been granted but they were not pleased.
- Aya: “They said: ‘How is he entitled to be a king over us, when we are better fitted than him, and he is not even gifted with wealth in abundance?’”
- He was from a lower race or class, and he wasn’t wealthy. Their hearts were diseased: they were arrogant.
- Aya: “He said: ‘Allah has chosen him above you, and has gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily strength. Allah bestows sovereignty on whom He pleases, and Allah is Alla-Sufficient, All-Knowing’”
- Their Prophet gave them the answer “Allah commanded it”. He didn’t need to say anything else. But since they gave two reasons why they didn’t want Talut as their leader, he gave them two reasons why he should be their leader.
- He gave them two reasons: he had knowledge (this doesn’t mean knowledge of fiqh, but knowledge in what is appropriate in his case which is fighting), and he also had strength (he was physically strong).
- Aya: “And their Prophet said to them: ‘Indeed the sign of his kingship is that the ark (tabut) shall come to you, in it is serenity from your Lord, and the relics left by the families of Musa and Harun, carried by angels.’ Surely, in this there is a sign for you, if you are believers” (2:247-248)
- Allah wanted to appoint Talut as their king through a ceremony.
- Allah wanted to strengthen their hearts in order to accept him as their leader, so a miracle was going to happen.
- When Bani Israel were at work with the Philistines and were defeated, their “Ark of Covenant”, which they had brought to the battlefield, to bless the war in their favor, was captured by their enemy and taken away. Now Allah is promising the return of this treasure and it will be carried by angels which they will see.
- Now Talut was appointed as their king.
- Aya: “So when Talut went forth with the army, he said: ‘Allah will test you at the river, whoever drinks of its water will not be my companion, and whoever does not taste it, he is surely my companions, and he who takes but a mere sip.’”
- He left the children, women and elderly and took only the soldiers. They numbered 80,000.
- Talut is not looking for numbers, he knew that what they will face ahead needs an iron will. So he wanted to take them through a series of tests so only the strong soldiers will be with him.
- Weak soldiers will cause more harm than benefit.
- He told them about the test.
- He made them march in the desert, he made them thirsty, exhausted and tired.
- When they reached the river (it’s said that it’s the River Jordan), he told them not to drink from it. And whoever drinks from it cannot continue with them.
- If one drank a handful then they could still remain as part of the group (it’s probably easier not to drink than to take that one sip)
- 80,000 went through the test and only 4,000 passed the test.
- 76,000 were left behind.
- Aya: “But they all drank of it, except a few of them. So when he crossed it (the river), he and the believers with him, they said: ‘We have no power this day to fight against Jalut (Goliath) and his armies.’ Those who had firm belied that they will meet Allah, said: ‘How often has a small company overcome a big company by Allah’s Will, and Allah is with those who are patient’”
- They said we have no way of fighting Jalut, they were a small amount compared to Jalut and his army.
- The believers disagreed and told them that they could win by Allah’s will.
- The other didn’t believe in the unseen, so they also failed.
- In the end Talut was left with 314 soldiers, our of 80,000.
- Hadith: The companions said: “We the companions of the Propeht were discussing that the number of those who attended Badr Battle was the same number of those who participated with Talut”
- Aya: “And when they advanced against Jalut and his army, they prayed: ‘Our Lord! Pour out upon us constancy (sabr) and make our foothold firm, and help us against the disbeliever people.’ So they rooted them by Allah’s Will.”
- After we do our part in preparation, we put our trust in Allah and we make dua for Him to help us. That is what they did.
- They asked Allah to pour patience over them, because they knew that they needed a lot of it.
- The battle started, a huge army was fighting this small army.
- Jalut was the kind of the enemy, a powerful, huge, strong, arrogant man. He was challenging Talut’s army to fight him.
- Talut asked: who will go and fight him?
- A young, short man said I will go.
- Talut asked again when he saw the young man, but no one came forward except this young man.
- This young man had courage, he went up to Jalut with a sling shot.
- Jalut said: “Go back, I don’t want to fight you, I don’t want to kill you, send someone else”
- But the young man said: I want to kill you.
- The young man fired his sling shot and he killed Jalut.
- The young man was David.
- Now Bani Israel will enter into their golden age. Just like the Muslims entered their golden age after the battle of badr.
- This was the best era for Bani Israel, after that it was their downfall as the curse of the Prophets was over them.

Dawud:
- He was from the progeny of Ibrahim.
- David was short with blue eyes, of little hair.
- After David killed Jalut, he became a hero overnight, and Israelites loved him.
- David was now their king and it was the first time that Prophethood and kingship came together. Allah gave him a strong kingdom.
- Allah also taught him wisdom (good judgment and the ability to run the affairs of his people) and other things that he willed.
- Aya: “And David slew Jalut, and Allah gave him sovereignty and wisdom, and taught him of what he pleased” (2:251)
- Miracles of Dawud:
-He was given a very beautiful voice,
-He was able to interpret the speech of animals (this was also given to his son Sulaiman),
Aya: “And we bestowed upon David bounty from Us: ‘O mountains and birds, echo Allah’s praise with him’” (34:10)
-When he made dhikr the birds and mountains would make thikr with him,
-Iron would be soft in his hands (without fire or hammers),
Aya: “And We softened the iron for him”
-He improved the making of armor.
Aya: “Make coats of mail, and set the links in even measure (not too large and not too small)”
Aya: “and it was We Who taught him the making of garments (armor) for you, to fortify you in your wars, so will you then be thankful?”
- People had iron but it was hard for them to use it.
- Allah also taught him how to make armory in a new way. Before that they would make it in the form of iron plates (heavy solid plates, not flexible). Prophet Dawud would make armory out of rings of iron which was light and flexible.
- Hadith: “The best food a man could eat is what is earned by him, and the Prophet of Allah David are from what he earned from his own handwork” (Ahmad)
- Allah granted him extraordinary resolve for devotion.
- Hadith: “The best prayer to Allah is the prayer of David, and the best fasting to Allah is the fasting of David: he slept for the first half of the night, then woke up for one third and prayed, and then he slept for the rest of one-sixth. He fasted one day and broke fast one day” (Bukhari and Muslim)
- Hadith: “Recitation has been made easy for David: he would ask for his horse to be saddled, then he would start recitation of the Quran, and would finish before the horse is saddled. And David would not eat except from what he earned from his own hands”
- It is said that his book was revealed during Ramadan.
- Allah gave him decisiveness. Aya: “And We strengthened his kingdom, and bestowed on him wisdom and sound judgment” (38:20)
- Hadith: “Two people took their case to David about a cow. One of them claimed that the other person seized the cow from him by force. But the defendant denied the claim. So David postponed the case till night. When it was night, Allah revealed to him to kill the claimant. When it was morning, David said to him: “Allah has revealed to me that I should kill you, so I am going to kill you without any doubt. Now tell me what is the truth about your claim?’. He said: ‘By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I am true in what I claimed, but I had murdered his father before it.’ David therefore ordered him to be killed. After this case, David’s authority was greatly recognized among Bani Israel, and they obeyed him thoroughly.”
- Allah tests Dawud:
- Aya: “Had the story of the disputant come to you? When they climbed over the wall of the private chamber: when they entered before David, and he was terrified of them, and they said: ‘Do not dear, we are two disputants, one of us has wronged the other, so judge between us justly, and do not do injustice, and guide us to the right way. This man is my brother, and he has ninety-nine sheep, and I have one sheep. But he said to me: Entrust it to me, and he prevailed over me in the argument’”
- Aya: “David said: ‘Surely, he has been unjust to you in demanding your sheep in addition to his sheep, and surely many partners do wrong to each other, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and how few are they?’ And David realized that We had tried him, so he sought forgiveness from his Lord, and fell, bowing, and turned in repentance. So we forgave him that, and he has a place of nearness with Us, and a fair return”
- Aya: “Oh David! We have appointed you as a khalifah on the earth, so judge between the people with justice, and do not follow vain desires, lest it leads you astray form the way of Allah. Surely, those who go astray from the way of Allah, for them awaits a severe chastisement, as they forgot the Day of Reckoning” (38: 21-25)
- Allah is addressing David in this verse, however it is intended for the rulers and those who are in authority. Allah has commanded them to be just, and to be followers of the truth revealed from Allah, not the kind of truth based on traditions and personal opinions. Those who follow a path other than that are threatened with a severe punishment.
- Death of David:
- When Allah created Adam, He took out all his progeny from his back, and there were Prophets among them clearly distinct from others. Adam saw among them one who was glowing. Adam said: “O my Lord! Who is this?” Allah replied: “He is your son David.” Adam said: “what is the age of him?” Allah said: “60 years”. Adam said: “My Lord increase his age!”. Allah said: “No, except that I may take from your age and increase his age”. Adam’s life span was 1000 years, so he gave him forty years out of his own age. So when the age of Adam came to end, the angel of death approached him. Adam said: “Is not there 40 years left from my age?” So Adam forgot what he had granted his son David out of his age. So Allah out of His Mercy granted Adam his original age of 1000 years and to David 100 years.
- Hadith: “David took great care of guarding his family. So when he went out, he locked the door, so nobody could enter his house until he returned. One day he went out, and locked the door. Suddenly his wife came to see a man in the middle of his house, so she said to the members of the family in the house: ‘How has this man entered the house when the door was locked? By Allah! David is going to feel disgraced.’ When David came back, he saw the man standing in the middle of the house, so he asked him: ‘Who are you?’ He replied: ‘I am the one who does not fear any king, neither could be barred by any hurdle’ David said: ‘So you could not be but the angel of death, so welcome to Allah’s command’. Then he stayed till he took his soul out of his body. When he was washed, and wrapped in the Kafan, the sun came up shining. So Sulaiman said to the birds: ‘Provide shade to David’, so when they did, it became dark, Sulaiman commanded the birds again: ‘Contract one wing each’” (Ahmad)

May 15th: Prophet Musa (part3)

2008-05-15T09:14:00.001-05:00

Prophet Musa (part 3)

Israelites after destruction of Pharaoh:
- Aya: “So We took Our vengeance on them and drowned them in the sea, because they had disbelieved in Our signs, and were heedless of them. And we gave heritage to those who had been abased, the eastern and the western parts of that land that We had blessed, and perfectly fulfilled the most fair Word of your Lord upon the Children of Israel, due to what they endured patiently: and We destroyed completely the works of Pharaoh and his people and what they had constructed. And We crossed the Children of Israel through the sea, and then they came upon a people devoted to their idols. They said: ‘O Moses! Make for us a god like the gods they have’. He said: ‘You are surely most ignorant people’” (7:136-138)
- Aya: “Surely, that which they are engaged upon shall be shattered, and false is that they have been doing. He said: ‘How can I seek for you a god other than Allah. Who has preferred you above the worlds?’ And when We rescued you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with the worst torment, slaughtering your sons, and sparing your women, and in this was a great test from your Lord” (7:139-141)
- Allah saved Bani Israel from the biggest tyrant that every existed.
- They saw the miracle of Allah infront of their own eyes: the sea split, Pharaoh and his army drowning, how Allah delivered them to safety.
- What was the first thing after they reached to safety?
- They found a group of people worshipping idols and wanted to imitate them.
- It was only part of Bani Israel who made this request, not all of them.
- This was clearly an ignorant demand after they had just seen Allah’s great signs.
- Bani Israel believed in Allah. But when they saw what the other people were doing they wanted to copy them.
- They thought that the idols would bring them closer to Allah.
- This action was an act of kufr.
- Musa excused them with their ignorance, he didn’t call them kuffar. He taught them.
- He told them that those people are in ignorance and what their doing is an act that they will be punished for.
- He reminded them of the favors of Allah upon them.
- He explained to them that no worship should be offered to anyone but Allah, without associating any partner with Him.

After this incident, Musa and Bani Israel travel in the direction of Jerusalem:
- When they reached Jerusalem, which was ruled by non-believers. Musa commanded them to attack those people so they can have the land that Allah has promised them.
- Aya: “And when Musa said to his people: ‘O my people! Remember Allah’s blessing upon you when He appointed Prophets from among you, and appointed you kings, and gave you such as He had never given to any of the worlds. O my people! Enter the sacred land, which Allah has prescribed for you, and do not turn back or you will become losers.’” (5:20-21)
- Retreating from the battle field is one of the biggest sins. Bani Israel didn’t retreat… they didn’t even want to fight.
- They refused to fight them, and disobeyed Allah’s command.
- Aya: “They said: ‘O Musa! Surely, there is a people of exceeding strength in that land, never shall we enter it until they depart from it, so if they depart from it, then shall we enter” (5:22)
- They said, those people are powerful and strong so we’re not going to enter it until they leave.
- How did they expect those powerful and strong people to leave without them fighting them first?
- They didn’t want to sacrifice or put in any effort.
- There was still some good amongst them so two men from them said:
- Aya: “Two men of those who feared Allah, whom Allah had blessed said: ‘March on them through the gate, so if you enter it, surely, you will have the upper hand, and put all your trust in Allah, if you are believers’”
- These two men told them, all you need to do is enter the gate. Was this another miracle that would happen? Allah knows best. But this was the advice they gave.
- Allah described these two men to have fear of Him. You cannot conquer the enemy if you are not afraid of Allah first not the enemy.
- Aya: “They said: ‘O Musa! We shall never enter it as long as they are there, so go you and your Lord and fight, surely we will be sitting here’.”
- They showed cowardice. They were afraid of those people when they just saw how Allah freed them from Pharaoh who was more powerful!
- When the Prophet (pbuh) asked the companions if they should fight in the battle of Badr, the companions said: “We are not going to say what Bani Israel said to Musa, we are going to say: Go and fight with your Lord we will be there fighting with you”
- This was a grim moment for Prophet Musa, he raised his hands and said:
- Aya: “Musa said: ‘My Lord! I control no one except myself and my brother, so separate us from these wicked people.’”
- Allah punished them.
- Aya: “Allah said: ‘So it shall be forbidden to them for 40 years, while they shall be wandering about in destitution in the land, so grieve not for those wicked people’”
- As a punishment Allah left them in wandering for 40 years in the desert (Sinai) with no destination, in a total state of bewilderment. They were lost in the desrt.

- Even though Bani Israel were being punished by their wandering in the desert. He is so merciful and he was answering their dua.
- He gave them food and shade.
- Aya: “And We shaded you with cloud and sent down on you [Al-Mann] and [Assalwa]”
- Mann is a kind of sweet or honey, salwa is a kind of bird.
- They needed water, so Musa made dua for them
- Aya: “And Musa prayed for water for his people, so We said: ‘Strike the rock with your staff’, whereupon twelve springs gushed forth, each tribe knew its own spring. ‘Eat and drink of Allah sustenance, and do not act wickedly, corrupting the earth’”
- So Allah gave them, food, shade and water.
- They went again to Musa and asked him to make dua, they said:
- Aya: “O Musa! We cannot bear one kind of food, so pray to your Lord for us to produce of that which the earth grows its herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions’”
- Allah provided them with mann and salwa, special good. Yet they were still not pleased.
- They asked for lentils, onions, garlics, and herbs. They wanted vegetarian food, even though Allah blessed them with special meat.
- The issue here is not the particular type of food that they were asking for, the issue here is that they refused to sacrifice.. and now they’re not even willing to give up the type of food that they grew up with. The food they asked for was the food that they were used to eating in Egypt.
- Aya: “He (Musa) said: ‘Will you exchange the better for the worse? Go down to Egypt and you will find what you demand’. And disgrace and humiliation were stamped upon them, and they drew on themselves the Wrath of Allah. That is beccause they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah”
- Musa refused to fulfill their demans, he told them, go back to Egypt then… go back to your life of humility and disgrace.
- They weren’t willing to do anything for Allah’s sake. Not even sacrifice the type of food they liked.
- How about us? Do we give up the things we like for Allah’s sake? Do we break our habits for Allah’s sake?

Allah wanted to meet with prophet Musa and he gave him an appointment to meet after 30 days next to the mountain of Tur
- Aya: “And We appointed for Musa 30 nights, and added to them 10, this he completed the term appointed by his Lord, of 40 nights”
- Musa was commanded to fast for 30 days before the meeting, because fasting is purification.
- Because of the smell of his mouth Musa used miswak to change that smell and he went to he meeting.
- Allah told him: Don’t you know that I love the smell of the person who is fasting more than the smell of musk.
- So Allah added 10 more days. Which made is a total of 40 nights.
- Aya: “ Musa said to his brother Harun: ‘Stand in my place among my people and do right, and do not follow the way of the corrupt’”
- Musa left his brother Harun in charge after he left.
- Musa was “kaleemu-llah”. He spoke to Allah, not once or twice but many times.
- Musa wanted to reach a higher state or closeness to Allah so he made a special request.
- Aya: “My Lord! Show Yourself to me, that I may look upon You”
- Musa didn’t have any doubts or weakness of faith, he just wanted to be closer to Allah and desired to see Him.
- Aya: “Allah said: ‘You cannot see me, but look upon the mountain. If it remains firm in its place then you shall see Me’”
- Allah revealed part of Himself to the mountain while Musa was staring at the mountain.
- The mountain was destroyed, crushed down, and it turned into dust. It vanished.
- When Musa saw the mountain, he fell down in a state of shock unconscious.
- This happened to him just by staring at the mountain, what would happen to him if he has seen Allah.
- Aya: “When his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, it crumbled to fine dust, and Musa fell down in shock. When he regained his consciousness, he said: “Glory be to You! I repent to You, and I am the first of the believers” (7:143)
- All mankind will lose their consciousness on the Day of Judgment.
- The Prophet said that when he wakes up after that state of unconsciousness he will find that Musa is already awake. He said it might be that Musa is not affected by this because he already was affected in this lifetime.
- Did anyone see Allah in this life? No, except for Prophet Muhammad.
- Will anyone see Allah on judgment day? Only the believers, after they enter jannah.
- Aya: “Allah said: ‘O Musa! I have chosen you above all people for My messages and to speak with Me, so take what I have given you and be grateful’ (meaning, don’t ask me for more than what I have already blessed you with). And we inscribed for him on the Tablets the admonitions and explanation of all things (and said): ‘Take them with strong will, and command your people to follow it according to their best sense. Soon I shall show you the abode of the wicked people’” (7:144-145)
- It was on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah (eid al-adha), when this meeting took place. It’s the same day that Allah completed the religion Islam for us.
- The tablets were made with precious jewels.

- Allah tells Musa about what’s going on in his absence from his people…
- Aya: “We have pur your people to trial in your absence, and Samiri has led them astray” (20: 85)
- Samiri was able to see something that no one else saw on the day that Pharaoh was drowned. He saw Jibril and picked up some dust from where Jibril’s horse was walking.
- He told the women of Bani Israel to bring the jewels they had (which they took from the Egyptian women), they felt guilty for having the jewels.
- He suggested they burn the jewels, they mixed it with the dust and he molded it into a calf. He made it hollow and is would make a sound when air would pass through it which sounded like a mooing cow.
- Aya: “And the people of Musa made in his absence out of their ornaments, a calf, which made a sound like a cow (mooing)”
- Samiri told them, this is your god so they started worshipping it.
- Musa had told his people that he would be gone for 30 days. However, the appointment was extended and Bani Israel didn’t know what was going on.
- They claimed that Musa couldn’t find his Lord because his lord is right there with them.
- Musa went back to his people, angry, upset, and sorry.
- As soon as Musa got there and saw them making sujood to the calf, he threw the tablets from his hand. He was in a state of shock that the tablets just fell from his hands.
- He already knew what was happening, but hearing is not like seeing.
- Aya: “And when Musa returned to his people full of anger and sorrow, he said: ‘Evil it is that you have done in my absence. Did you make haste to bring on the Judgment of your Lord?’ And he cast down the tablets, and took hold of his brother’s head, dragging him towards himself. Harun said: ‘O son of my mother! The people overpowered me, and almost killed me. So do not make the enemies rejoice over me, nor regards me as one of these evil doers’” (7:150)
- Harun had advised them, he told them that this is a trial, he reminded them that Allah is one, and he asked them to follow him. Yet they did not listen to him.
- This calf was so attractive to them that their “hearts absorbed it”
- They had told Harun: We will not stop worshipping the calf until Musa comes back.
- Musa grabbed Harun by his head and beard and pulled him towards himself. He wanted to know why Harun didn’t go and tell him what was happening..
- When Harun responded to him, first he reminded him that they’re brothers so he would have more mercy on him.
- Bani Israel had threatened Harun that they would kill him. Harun told Musa, don’t let those enemies rejoice because of this issue you have with me. (be private about your disagreements and personal matters)
- Harun explained to Musa that he didn’t want the problem to get out of hand in his absence and that’s why he chose to wait for him.
- Musa said: “O Allah! Forgive me and my brother and include us both in Your mercy because You are the Most Merciful”
- Musa then said to his people:
- Aya: “O my people! Did not your Lord make a handsome promise to you? Did the time seem too long to you? Or did you wish that Allah’s anger should alight upon you, and so you broke your promise to me?’. They said: ‘We have not failed in our promise to you of our own doing, but we were made to bear the burdens of the ornaments of the people, and we threw them into the fire as Samiri suggested” (20: 86-87)
- There’s two problems here: 1) They had guilt in their hearts because of having this gold even though Allah made is halal for them. Yet they didn’t have guilt for committing shirk with Allah. Their scales are reversed.
- Aya: “Did they not see that it could not return them a word and that it had no power to do them any harm or any good”
- Musa now addresses Samiri:
- Aya: “What then is your case O Samiri?”
- The Samiri said:
- Aya: “I saw what the people did not see, and I grasped a handful of dust from the track of the messenger, and threw it into it, thus my inner self prompted me”
- Musa punished Samiri by telling him to go, he cannot be part of their ummah anymore.
- Aya: “Musa said: ‘Then go away! Surely, it will be for you, in this life, to say: Touch me not. And surely, there is a threat for you that you cannot escape”
- Notice that Musa first spoke to his people, then to Harun, then to Samiri… even though Samiri was the cause of the problem.
- Then Musa said to Samiri: “And look at your god to which you have been devoted, we will certainly burn it and scatter its particles in the sea. Verily your God is only Allah, He has full knowledge of all things” (20: 97-98)
- Now Bani Israel realized their mistake and wanted to repent.
- Aya: “And when they repented, and saw that they had gone astray, they said: ‘If your Lord does not have mercy on us, and does not forgive us, we shall be among the losers” (7: 149)
- Not all of Bani Israel worshipped the calf but they ALL had to pay the price because it happened infront of their eyes and they did not stop it.
- Aya: “Musa said to his people: ‘O my people! Surely, you have wronged yourselves by your worship of the calf, so repent to your Creator, and slay yourselves, this will be better for you with your Creator and He will relent towards you’”
- Their punishment was to kill themselves. However, this wasn’t literal. It meant that the people who didn’t worship the calf would kill the ones who did. Which is like killing themselves because they were all related.
- 70,000 people were killed. This was the hefty price they had to pay for the big sin they committed.
- Allah accepted their repentance from them even though they committed shirk. This is out of His mercy.

- Musa chose 70 men from amongst the best of Bani Israel, their religious scholars. They went to meet with Allah along with Musa.
- They went to apologize for the sin that was committed.
- They were commanded to wash their clothes, have a bath, and perfume themselves.
- When they reached the mountain it was covered with a thick cloud. Musa entered it and went to speak with Allah.
- When Allah had finished speaking to Musa, the clouds scattered and he came back to his people.
- They said: “O Musa! We will not believe in you until we see God openly” (2:55)
- These are the BEST from amongst Bani Israel… they came to apologize for a sin and now they are committing one.
- As they demanded that, a thunderbolt seized them, and they all fell dead.
- Now Musa is in a dilemma. These are the best 70 people amongst his people. If he returns back without them, the rest of Bani Israel will be in a state of dispare.
- If Allah doesn’t accept from the best of them then how will the rest feel.
- Musa then prayed to Allah “My Lord! If it has been Your Will, You could have destroyed them and me before this. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done?”
- He asked Allah to forgive them.
- Allah said: “My punishment I afflict with it whom I will, and My Mercy encompasses everything. And so I will ordain it (My Mercy) for those who are pious and pay the alms, and those who believe in Our Revelations. Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet” (7:156-157)
- This makes it clear that Prophet Muhammad was mentioned to the Jews and they were commanded to follow him when he came along.
- Aya: “Then we raised you up after your death so that you may be grateful”

- When Musa came with the Tablets that contained the Torah, he commanded them to receive it with firmness and good will. But they said: “Show them to us, if its injunctions and teachings were easy, then we will take it”
- Musa said to them: No, take it with all its injunctions.
- They repeated the same argument many times.
- Allah then commanded the angels to raise the mountain above their heads, until it was like a cloud over their heads, and then it was said to them: “There is no choice except to accept it, otherwise this mountain will fall upon your heads”
- So they accepted it, then they were commanded to bow down in prostration which they did. This story is known amongst the Jews as well.
- It’s said that they made sujood on their cheeks so they could look up at the mountain with one eye.

The Story of the Cow:
- A very wealthy man from among Bani Israel was murdered.
- He was very old and had nephews who wished he would die so they could inherit him
- One night someone murders him and his body is found in the middle of the way in the morning
- No one knew who killed him
- Bani Israel came to Musa and asked him to help them find the killer.
- Musa asked Allah and Allah commanded them to slaughter a cow.
- Bani Israel took it as a joke. “We’re coming you about a murder and we want you to help us find the killer, and you’re telling us to slaughter a cow?”
- They said to Musa: “Do you mock us”
- He said: “I seek refuge in Allah from being ignorant”
- It would be ignorance of him to attribute something to Allah which Allah did not say.
- This also shows the rudeness of Bani Israel, that they would question the truthfulness of their prophet.

- Had Bani Israel followed the order and slaughtered a cow it would have been accepted from them. But they kept arguing and their mission was made harder each time.
- They finally believed that this is a command of Allah.
- They said: “Ask your lord to clarify what kind it should be”
- They were commanded to slaughter a cow of middle age, not young and not old.
- They said: “Ask your lord to clarify what color it is”
- Musa told them that it should be a yellow cow, so deep and bright in color that it delights the people looking at it.
- However, these specification didn’t seem enough for them… they asked for more.
- They said: “Ask your lord to tell us what it is because cows look alike and we aren’t able to find it”
- Musa said: “He says it is a cow which does not plough the spoil, nor water the fields, sound without a blemish on it:
- They finally said: “Now you have told us the truth”
- The chances of them finding such a cow were very slim so it took them a while to find it.
- They finally found that it was owned by an orphan..
- They asked him to buy the cow from him, but he refused.
- They offered him a lot of money but he refused.
- They offered him gold in its weight but he refused.
- He finally agreed to a price of 10 times its weight in gold.
- Then they slaughtered it and Musa commanded them to hit the dead man with a portion of its meat.
- Allah brought the man to life, he stood up and Musa asked him: Who killed you. He said: My nephew and then he fell dead again.
- Aya: “This Allah brings the dead to life, and shows you His signs so that you may understand”
- This was another miracle for Bani Israel.
- Yet Allah says that after that their hearts were hardened… Allah says in the Quran that they were harder than rocks. Allah says that there are stone out of which rivers gush forth, and stones that water flows from them, and stones that fall down out of fear of Allah. Yet their hearts were harder than stones that did nothing.
- This story teaches us not to ask too many questions that have no benefit to us.

The Story of Qarun:
- Qarun was a cousin of prophet Musa.
- He was called “Munawwar”, the enlightened one, because he read the Torah with a beautiful voice.
- Allah mentions in the Quran the abundance of Qarun’s treasures.
- The keys for those treasures needed to be carried by a group of heavy-built men.
- He was very arrogant and some people admonished him for his behaviour.
- They would say: “Do not exult, indeed Allah does not love the exultant”
- Exult means: to feel triumphantly happy and powerful.
- They advised him to seek the hereafter, and said: “But seek, in that which Allah has given you the Home of the Hereafter” (28:76)
- They advised him to use his wealth and spend it in the ways of Allah
- They also told him that it’s ok for him to enjoy some of it in this life
- They said “Do good, as Allah has been good to you”
- Qarun was proud of his immense wealth and authority and he payed no attention to all the advise he was getting.
- He said: “All that I have is due to a knowledge that I possess”
- He claimed that the wealth he had was due to his knowledge, he wasn’t thankful for it.
- He claimed that he deserved his wealth.
- He claimed that if he wasn’t so dear to Allah, then Allah wouldn’t have granted him this wealth.
- Aya: “Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations of people who were mightier than him in strength and greater in riches. And the sinners shall not be asked about their sins (they will enter hellfire without reckoning)” (27:78)
- Being wealthy is not a sign of Allah’s love. Allah gives dunya to the believers and the non-believers.
- One day Qarun came out in a big procession, displaying all the wealth and glitter he had.
- The people who wanted to be like him were looking and wishing they had the same.
- The religious scholars among them said: “Woe to you! The reward of Allah is better for the one who believes and does righteous deeds, and none shall attain it except the steadfast” (28:80)
- Allah punished Qarun by having the earth swallow him
- Aya: “So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place, and there was none to protect him from Allah, nor could he help himself” (28:81)
- Hadith: “While a man was walking, dragging his lower garment in arrogance, Allah caused him to be swallowed by the earth, and so he will be sinking into the earth until the Day of Judgment”
- When the one who were just desiring his wealth witnessed this horrific scene, they said: “And if Allah had not been Gracious to us, He would surely have caused us to be swallowed up also. Indeed, the ungrateful never prosper” (28:82)
- The life of there hereafter is the real life that will be a cause of celebration and pride
- Hadith: “Whoever was mindful of his prayer, it will be a light, a proof and salvation for him on the Day of Judgment, and whoever disregarded it, he will not have a light, a proof and salvation; and will be raised together with Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, and Ubai bin Khalaf”

The excellence of Musa:
- 1) He will not lose consciousness on judgment day.
- 2) Allah spoke to Musa directly
- 3) He was very bashful and modest
- 4) He was so honorable before Allah that when he interceded for his brother to be made a Prophet, Allah accepted his prayer.
- 5) He was very patient with all the troubles and trials he was put through
- 6) He was there during isra and mirage when prayers were prescribed for us, he helped reduce the number of prayers from 50 to 5. And we still get the reward of 50.
- Hadith: “All nations have been shown to me, and I saw a Prophet and with him was only a small group, and another Prophet with only one or two people, and another Prophet with no believers at all. Then I came to see a great multitude of people, and so I asked: ‘Are they the people of my ummah?’ It was said to me: ‘No, it is Musa and his people. But look up in the horizon.’ And I saw a huge multitude of people. Then I was told: ‘Look this side’. And there I saw a huge multitude of people. Then I was told: ‘They are your ummah, and from among them seventy thousand who will enter the Paradise with no reckoning or punishment”

Musa and His Pilgrimage:
- Hadith: “When the Prophet passed by the valley of Azraq, he asked: ‘Which valley is it?’ They replied: ‘The valley of Azraq’. The Prophet said: ‘As though I am looking at Musa and he is descending from the mountain trail, praying to Allah with his talbiyah’”
- This is proof to us that Prophet Musa went and made hajj.

The death of Musa:
- Hadith: “The angel of death was sent to Musa. When he came to him, Musa beat him and pushed him away. The angel went back to his Lord and complained: ‘You have sent me to a slave who does not want to die’. Allah said: ‘Go back to him, and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox, and whatever he covers with his hand, of the hair of that ox, he will be granted a year for every hair.’ Musa said: ‘O my Lord! Then what will happen?’ He replied: ‘Death’. Musa said: ‘Then why not now’” (Bukhari)
- The angel of death came to Musa in a form of a man and asked him if he’s ready to die… Musa slapped him in the face and knocked his eye out.
- Musa and Harum died before the Israelites were taken out of their wandering in the dessert.
- Musa requested that he would die near Jerusalem, which is an indication that they hadn’t entered it.

May 8th: Prophet Musa (Part 2)

2008-05-09T16:44:00.001-05:00

Prophet Musa (Part 2)

Musa goes to Pharaoh:
- When Musa came back from Madyan, he went to his mother and brother Harun. They were having their dinner, he ate with them. Then he said to Harun “O Harun! Allah has commanded me and you that we should go to Pharaoh and invite him to His worship”.
- They arrived at the gate but it was closed. Musa said to this gatekeepers and doormen “Go and tell him that the Messengers of Allah are at the door”. The doormen started mocking them.
- Musa moved forward and he started banging on the door with his staff. Pharaoh was disturbed and he asked them to be brought in, and so they stood infront of him and invited him to the way of Allah.
- Aya: “Go both of you to Pharaoh, for he is an insolent tyrant. Then speak to him gently, that he may be mindful, or perhaps he may fear. Both said: Our Lord! We fear that he may exceed in insolence against us. Allah said: Fear not, for I am with you, I hear and see” (20:40-46)
- -Allah first reminded them to remember Him often so He will give them strength to stand infront of Pharaoh.
- “Speak to him gently”, this is Allah’s mercy with His creatures.. even the one’s who disobey Him. It’s a sign that Allah is closer to mercy and forgiveness than to wrath and revenge.
- “We fear lest he may exceed in insolence against us”. They expressed their fear from Pharaoh because they are human, but Allah comforted them.
- Aya: “Go both of you, with Our Signs. We shall be with you, listening to your call. So go to Pharaoh and say: ‘We are the Messengers of the Lord of the worlds. You must send the Children of Israel with us’. He said: ‘Did we not raise you up among us as a child, and you stayed among us for many years of your life? And then you did that deed which you did while you were of the ungrateful?’” (26:10-19)
- They first invited Pharaoh and his people to the way of Allah and to worship Him Alone, without association any partner with Him. They also asked him to release the children of Israel from their captivity.
- They told Pharaoh the consequences of following the guidance (and peace to all those who follow guidance”. They also told him the consequences of rejecting the truth (Surely, it has been revealed to us that the chastisement shall befall him who rejects and turns away)
- Pharaoh showed his arrogance with his response. He tried to embarrass Prophet Musa with his unintentional murder.
- Musa responded: “I did it, then, when I was in error, then I fled from you when I feared you, but my Lord granted me wisdom and make me one of the Messengers” (26: 20-21)
- Then Musa commented on Pharaoh’s claim to have done him a favor by raising him. He said: “And what favor do you mention? That you enslaved the Children of Israel?” (26:22)
- Then Pharaoh asked Musa: “And who is the Lord of the worlds?. He said: The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, if you could have a firm belief. He (Pharaoh) said to those around him: Did you hear that?. Musa said: Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. Pharaoh said: Surely, youe Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman. Musa said: The Lord of the east and the west and what is between them, if you have understanding” (26: 23-28)
- But Pharaoh continued in his denial of the existing of Allah and he claimed it for himself. Aya: “Then he gathered his people and proclaimed, saying ‘I am your lord, the most high’” (79:23-24)
- Musa tried to bring Pharaoh’s attention to the signs of Allah’s existence all around him but Pharaoh was stubborn and arrogant.
- Aya: “Allah is the One Who has made for you the earth as a cradle, and has opened roads for you therein, and sent down water from the sky”.. then Allah says “Out of the earth did We create you, and We shall return you to it, and from it shall We bring you forth a second time” (20:49-55)
- Pharaoh said: “If you take a god other than me, I will certainly imprison you. Musa said: Even if I bring you a clear proof. Pharaoh said: Show it then if you are truthful. So he threw down his staff, and it became a large snake. And he drew his hand, and it was shining white to the onlookers” (26:29-33)
- Pharaoh claimed that what Musa showed was nothing but a trick of magic and sorcery.
- Pharaoh said: “O Musa, Have you come to drive us out of our land by your magic? We shall also bring you magic to match yours, so set an appointed time between us and you which we shall not fail to keep, in an open wide place where both shall have equal and just opportunity”.
- Musa said: “Let the encounter be on the day of the Festival of Adornment, and let the people be assembled at high noon” (20: 56-59)
- Pharaoh asked Musa to pick a place and time so that everyone can attend and see who is right. This is exactly what Prophet Musa wanted.
- Musa, without any delay, named the day of a famous festival which he knew everyone would attend.

Musa and the Magicians:
- Aya: “So Pharaoh withdrew and mustered his plot, and then came back. Musa said to them: “Woe to you! Forge not a falsehood against Allah, lest He destroy you with a severe chastisement. The one who forges falsehood must perish”
- Pharaoh gathered all the great magicians of Egypt, his ministers, dignitaries and all the people. It was Pharaoh’s command to attend, so no one dared not to.
- Before starting, Musa went to the magicians and rebuked them for practicing magic against Allah’s signs and threatened them with a Divine punishment.
- Aya: “So they disputed among themselves concerning the issue”
- Some said it seems like it’s a call of a Prophet, and others said no he’s just a magician. They finally agreed that Musa and Harun were magicians who want to take away their land.
- Pharaoh promised the magicians a great reward if they were successful.
- The magicians said: “By th might of Pharaoh, we are certainly the victorious”
- They asked Musa if he would like to go first but he told them to go ahead.
- Aya: “So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of people and struch terror into them, and produced great magic” (7:116)
- Aya: “And so it appeared to him by their magic, that their ropes and sticks were moving. So Musa conceived a fear within himself”
- Musa feared that the people would be bewitched by their spell before he could throw his stick.
- Aya: “Fear not, certainly you have the upper hand. And throw down what is in your right hand, and it shall devour all they have faked, for they have faked only with the magician’s plot, and the magician will never succeed, wherever he goes”
- So Musa threw his stick on the ground and said: “What you have brought is sorcery, Allah will surely render it vain”
- When Musa threw his stick, it turned into a huge snake. It started devouring their ropes and sticks one by one.
- People were astonished, and the magicians were in bewilderment. They couldn’t believe their eyes. They knew their profession very well and they knew that this was NOT magic.
- So they all fell in prostration to their Lord, the Lord of the world. They announced their belief openly without fearing Pharaoh.
- Aya: “So the magicians threw themselves down prostrating, and said: ‘We believe in the Lord of Harun and Musa’. Pharaoh said: ‘You believed in Him before I gave you permission, surely, he is your chief who taught you the magic. Therefore, I shall cut off your hands and legs on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on the trunks of palm trees, and you will know most certainly which of us is more severe in chastisement, and more lasting’. They said: ‘Never shall we prefer you to what has come to us of the clear signs and above He Who created us. Do decree whatever you desire to decree, for you only decree concerning the life of this world’” (20:70-72)
- Aya: “For us, we have believed in our Lord, may He forgive us our sins, and the magic which you have compelled us to practice”
- It is said that when the magicians fell down in prostration they saw the palaces and houses in paradise being prepared and decorated for them. That’s what strengthened their iman against Pharaoh’s threat.
- Pharaoh was of course frightened by this and he was afraid that other people will believe as well.
- Pharaoh accused Musa of being their master magician and teacher. Which was a clear lie. Everyone knew very well that Musa had never met the magicians before, plus it was Pharaoh who chose the magicians himself.
- The magicians also made dua saying: “Our Lord make us patient and cause us to die as Muslims”- this is so they won’t reject belief when the punishment is being performed.
- Pharaoh wanted their punishment to be a deterrent and example for all those who incline to believe.
- However, the magicians had tasted the sweetness of faith. They wanted Allah’s reward.
- SubhanAllah, how their situation changed in moments. In the first part of the day they were magicians and by the end of the day they were shudaha’.

Chiefs encourage Pharaoh to Kill Musa:
- The leaders and chiefs and dignitaries of the society encouraged Pharaoh to harm Musa and his people, and said: “Would you leave Musa and his people to work corruption on the land, and to forsake you?”
- However, Pharaoh said that he was not going to let them do that and he would start by killing their sons and sparing their women.
- Musa had no choice but to ask his people to be patient and seek Allah’s help against Pharaoh. He assured them that the end was for them, if they were patient and righteous.
- Aya: “And Musa said: ‘O my people! If you believe in Allah, then put your trust in Him, if you are Muslims’. So they said: ‘In Allah we trust.”
- However, they still complained to Musa that they were harmed twice. Once before he was born and now by the killings of their sons.
- Musa comforted them that after this trial they will inherit the land from their enemy.
- The killings of their sons was to make them feel helpless, humiliated and to reduce their number.
- Aya: “And Pharaoh said: ‘Let me kill Musa, and let him call on his Lord. I fear he will change your religion, or spread mischief in the land’”

The believer:
- Aya: “And a believer from among Pharaoh’s people who concealed his faith said: Will you kill a man because he said My Lord is Allah? And indeed he has brought to you clear signs from your Lord, and if he is a liar, on him will be his lie, and if he is truthful, there will befall you some of what he threatens you with. Surely, Allah does not guide any excessive liar. O my people! Today sovereignty is yours, you have the upper hand in the land. But who will help us from the punishment of Allah if it befalls us?. Pharaoh said: I only point out to you what I see myself, and I only guide you to the right path”
- This man was Pharaoh’s cousin. He had until that moment concealed his belief.
- Hadith: “The best of Jihad is to speak out about justice and truth in the presence of a tyrant ruler”
- The man asked Pharaoh, are you going to kill him just because he chose to believe in Allah? What crime is that?
- Then he pointed out that Musa did bring proofs to support his claim. So why not reflect on the message he is bringing, or at least leave him alone so you won’t be punished.
- He warned them that they might be deprived of their land and wealth if they keep opposing Musa.
- Of course Pharaoh didn’t want to hear this voice of reason, as he claimed that he knew everything.
- Pharaoh knew deep down in his heart that Musa was telling the truth, yet he was too arrogant to admit it.
- Aya: “So when Our sins came to them visibly, they said: This is nothing but magic. And they rejected them, though their souls were convinced of them, wrongfully and out of pride” (27:13-14)
- The man also reminded them of the end of the people who came before them. Like the people of Noah, Hud, Lot, etc.
- He also reminded them of Prophet Joseph and his mission in Egypt, and how he benefited them in this world and in the Hereafter, and how Musa is from his progeny.
- He reminded them how they were in doubt about Yusuf’s message: “But you persisted in doubt concerning what he came to you with, until when he perished, you said: Allah will never send a Messenger after him”
- Yet Pharaoh’s response was: “O Haman! Build for me a tower that I may have access to the heavens and may see the God of Musa, and I think he is a liar”
- He also said: “O chiefs! I do not know of any god for you other than myself, burn for me bricks of clay, O Haman, and build for me a tower, that I may climb up to the god of Musa, for I consider him to be a liar”
- Pharaoh wanted to distract his people from the truth.
- The believer said: “O my people! Follow me, and I will guide you to the right way. O my people! The life of this world is but a fleeting enjoyment, and surely the hereafter is the enduring home. Whoever does an evil deed, shall be recompensed only with the like of it, and whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, and is a believer, these shall be admitted to the Gardens, there they will be provided abundantly without reckoning”
- They argued with him and asked him to remain on Pharaoh’s religion.
- He responded: “Oh my people! How is is that I call you to deliverance and you call me to the Fire? You call me t disbelieve in Allah and to associate with Him that which I have no knowledge of, and I call you to the Almighty, the Forgiver. No doubt that those you call me to cannot be called upon in this world or in the Hereafter, and to Allah is out return, and the transgressors and the inhabitants of the fire”
- They again were too arrogant and did not listen to the believer amongst them. Allah protected the believer and they did not harm him.

Signs and Trials:
- When the message was very clear to them and they saw the signs and both prophets did their efforts in calling them to Allah, Allah put them to through trials of different kinds.
- Aya: “And certainly we seized Pharaoh’s people with years of scarcity and a reduction of fruits, that they might be mindful. SO when good came to them, they said: This is our due. But if evil afflicted them, they would ascribe is to Musa and those with him. Whereas, surely their misfortune was with Allah, but most of them do not know. And they said: Whatever sign you bring to us to enchant us, we will not believe in you. So We sent on them the flood and the locusts, the lice and the frogs, and the blood, self-explained signs, but they were arrogant and were sinful people.”
- The first thing was that they suffered from a drought which lasted for years. The purpose of this trial was to force them to realize their limits and the real Lord who handles this life.
- The second sign was the flood. An abundance of rain which destroyed their crops.
- Third was the locusts which ate all of their crops and fruits
- Fourth was the lice-black tiny insects that attacked them everywhere
- Fifth: Frogs. Frogs were EVERYWHERE. Even if one opened his mouth to drink or eat a frog would jump into it.
- Sixth: Blood. Their water was mixed with blood.
- All of these trials were for the Egyptians. Even though the children of Israel still lived in the same land, they did not suffer from any of this. Another miracle of Musa.
- Aya: “And when the plague fell upon them, they said: O Musa! Pray for us to your Lord in the name of the covenant He has made with you, if you remove the plague from us, we will surely believe in you, and we will send forth the Children of Israel with you” (7:134)
- Musa prayed to Allah to remove their suffering. But they did not fulfill their promise… then they were afflicted with locusts, and so on….
- They broke their promise every time, and so the punishment would get harsher every time.
- Pharaoh said: “Am I not better than this one, who is despicable, and who can hardly express himself? Why were not then the bracelets of gold bestowed upon him, or angels come with him as companions?. Thus did he make fools of his people, and they obeyed him, indeed they were wicked people” (43: 46-56)

The destruction of Pharaoh and his army:
- It was now time for their punishment. They were given enough chances.
- Other than the magicians, tt’s said that only 3 Egyptians believed in Musa. Pharaoh’s wife, his cousin, and the man who warned Musa to get out of town after the killing.
- Aya: “And We inspired Musa and his brother: Make separate dwellings for your people in Egypt, and make your dwellings places of worship, and establish prayer, and give glad tidings to the believers”
- This is in order for the believers to be distinguished and so they would be able to find each other quickly.
- Musa finally made a prayer against Pharaoh, he said: “Our Lord! You have given Pharaoh and his chiefs the glitters and wealth of this worldly life. Our Lord! They misled people from Your way. Our Lord! Obliterate their wealth, and harden their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous punishment”
- Allah answered his prayer, as he accepted the prayer of Noah against his people.
- The Children of Israel asked Pharaoh for his permission to go to one of their festivals. He granted his permission to them unwillingly. But when the Israelites prepared themselves for this festival, they actually prepared to depart from Egypt forever.
- The Children of Israel left Egypt at once heading towards the land of Syrian. When Pharaoh came to know about their departure, he became extremely angry, and asked his army chiefs to get ready to follow them and punish them.
- Allah revealed to Musa to depart with Bani Israel at night, and He told them that Pharaoh would follow them.
- Pharaoh was enraged and wanted to punish them. He looked at them as a small number and he was sure that they would be victorious.
- Pharaoh had an army which exceeded one a half million.
- Bani Israel were about half a million, they were finally leaving Egypt after 426 years.
- Pharaoh finally caught up to Bani Israel. There was no way out for them, the sea was infront of them and Pharaoh and his army were behind them.
- They found no escape and complained to Musa. He assured them that Allah is with them.
- Musa came to the sea, and looked at it with its huge waves. He was saying: here is where I was commanded.
- Harun and Yusha’ bin Nun were with him.
- The believer from the house of Pharaoh was also with him, he actually tried to enter the sea with his horse but he couldn’t. He said to Musa: “O Messenger of Allah, where you commanded to come here”. Musa said: “Yes”
- When Pharaoh got closer and closer, people started to panic.
- Revelation came to Musa: “Strike the sea with your stick”. So he struck it.
- And so the sea parted and each part stood like a huge mountain.
- Allah created dry paths for Bani Israel so they can pass through the sea.
- When the last person of Bani Israel exited the sea, Pharaoh and his army started entering it.
- Musa wanted to strike the sea again so it would block their way, but Allah commanded him to leave it so Pharaoh and his army could enter it.
- At this point Pharaoh was frightened but he still wanted to prove himself to his army so he said: “Look how the sea has split apart for me so that I could catch my servants”
- When his army saw him entering the sea, they followed him.
- When all of them were in the sea, Allah commanded Musa to strike it with his stick and so they were all drowned.
- Aya: “And We took Bani Israel through the sea. Then Pharaoh and his soldiers perused them in insolence and hostility, until when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god except the one whom Bani Israel believed in. And I am one of the Muslims. Now you believe, after you rebelled before and caused corruption. This day We shall save you in your body so that you may be a sign for those who come after you. But surely many among mankind are heedless of Our signs” (10:90-92)
- As soon as Pharaoh realized that he was helpless he proclaimed his belief in Allah… but it was too late.
- Hadith: “When Pharaoh said: ‘I believe that there is no god except He whom Bani Israel believed in’. Jibril said to me: If you could have seen me when I took the mud from the sea and shoved it into his mouth, fearing that the mercy of God might save him”
- Aya: “Rather, that which they before concealed appeared to them, and even if they were returned, they would commit again the very thing they were prohibited, surely they are liars” (6:28)
- Some of Bani Israel were doubtful of Pharaoh’s death, so Allah commanded the sea to raise his body high on the wave. He was wearing his armor with which he was recognized, and so his death was confirmed.
- Pharaoh and his army were drowned on the day of Ashura.
- Hadith: “when the Prophet came to Madinah, he found the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked them: What is this day that you are fasting on?. They answered: this is a day when Musa gained victory over Pharaoh. So the Prophet said to his companions: “You are more deserving of Moses then them, so you fast as well” (Bukhari)

May 1st: Prophet Musa (Part 1)

2008-05-02T08:24:00.002-05:00

Prophet Musa (Part 1)

Birth:
- Mentioned in more than 30 surahs and he was mentioned 124 times.
- From the lineage of Ibrahim
- Aya: “We relate to you the story of Moses and Pharaoh in truth, for people who believe. Surely, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided its people into sections , one of which he oppressed , killing their sons and sparing their women, indeed, he was a corruptor. And We wish to be gracious to those who were oppressed in the land, and to make them leaders, and to make them inheritors. And to establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers what they feared” (28: 1-6
- The dream: A fire coming out from Jerusalem and this fire swept through Egypt and destroyed everyone except for the children of Israel.
- His people used to spy on any pregnant woman from the children of Israel… if she delivered a boy he would be slaughtered right away.
- Eventually the people complained to Pharaoh because the children of Israel were getting less in number and soon there would be no one to serve them. So Pharaoh decided to spare the boys one year and slaughter them in the next one.
- Haroon was born in a year when the males were spared.
- When Musa’s mother became pregnant with him, it was during a year that the boys would be killed. She concealed her pregnancy.
- After she delivered Musa.
- Aya: “ And We inspired the mother of Musa: ‘Suckle him, and when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear nor grieve, We shall return him to you, and We shall make him one of the Messengers’
- This is a strong inspiration because no mother would throw her newborn child into a flowing river. (The Nile river is very wide and strong).
- She put her trust in Allah and she believed that He will take care of her child more than she will.
- The above verse has 2 dos, 2 don’ts and 2 promises: breastfeed him, throw him in the river. Don’t be afraid, don’t have any sorrow. Promise: We will return him to you, and We will make him a messenger.
- She breastfed her child, she put him in a wooden box into the river and she let him go. Just to fulfill the promise of Allah.
- She followed Allah’s orders to attain His promise. What about us? Do we fulfill Allah’s orders in order to receive what He has promised us?
- People used and still do live on the banks of the Nile river. Egypt is a desert and has no rain so people would live next to the river.
- Out of all the houses that were around, the wooden box stops at the Palace of Pharaoh.
- She threw him into the river to get him away from Pharaoh, yet Allah wants this baby to go right to the palace of Pharaoh.
- Aya: “the family of Pharaoh picked him up, that he may become for them an enemy and a cause of sorrow”
- Some servants found the box, they took him not Pharaoh but to Asiya, his wife.
- She fell in love with the child. Allah put the love of this righteous child into the heart of this righteous woman.
- It is said that Asiya and Maryam will be amongst the Prophet’s wives in jannah.
- When Pharaoh came and saw him, he wanted to kill him but she asked him if she could keep the boy and she said he will be “a comfort of the eye for me and you, don’t kill him perhaps he can be of benefit for us or we can adopt him as a son”.
- Allah put support for Musa in Pharaoh’s palace. Allah can do whatever He wants.
- Pharaoh said “he will be a comfort for your eyes but I don’t want him to be a comfort for my eyes”.
- Aya: “And the heart of the mother of Musa became empty”
- She was drained, she didn’t know where her son was.
- Aya: “She (the mother of Musa) was about to disclose her case”…. She was about to go and look for him…
- Aya: “But We strengthened her heart so she might remain as one of the believers”… nothing can fill an empty heart but iman… that kept her quiet.
- Musa’s mother asked his sister to go and follow the box to see where it ends up. She knew where it was.
- Allah didn’t allow Musa to suckle from any woman…Aya: “And We had ordained that he would refuse to be suckled by any foster mother…”
- Musa’s sister goes to the Palace and she tells them “Shall I show you to a family who will look after him for you and look after him sincerely”
- They said ok we’ll try.
- They took the child to the mother of Musa and he immediately started to breastfeed.
- Asiya invites Musa’s mother to come live in the palace and feed Musa.
- Musa’s mother now sets the terms… she said no I have a husband and home to take care of so you have to bring the child to me so I can breastfeed him.
- Musa is now leaving the palace of Pharaoh with royal guards and going to the house of his parents and his mother is being paid to take care of her child.
- If she had kept the child with her, he would have been killed. But because she fulfilled Allah’s command, her child is now protected and he’s become a source of income for his family.
- “So did We return him to his mother that she might be delighted and that she might not grieve, and so that she might know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of them don’t know”
- When you depend on Allah, no matter how weak you are He can provide you with the most strength.

Musa Kills:
- Musa is now a grown young man and Allah has blessed him with knowledge and wisdom.
- Musa was described as being very large, well built, dark skinned, curly hair, had a very strong presence and personality.
- Aya: “…he entered the city at a time when its people were at noon rest”… “and he found two people fighting there, one of them from his own people and the other from his enemy. The one from his own people leaded for him to help against his enemy”
- Musa went to help the man and all he did was push the other one with his stick. But the other man fell dead. Musa didn’t mean to kill him. It was unintentional murder.
- The next day Musa saw the same man from the children of Israel fighting with another Egyptian.
- Musa rushed ahead… the man got scared and he said “do you want to kill me like you killed someone yesterday”
- Until that moment no one knew who killed the Egyptian.
- This wasn’t a regular murder, it was a political issue… someone from the high class was killed in defense of someone from the low class.
- Pharaoh was angered by this issue and wanted to kill Musa.
- Aya: “A man came running from the farthest part of the city, saying: ‘O Moses! The chiefs are conspiring to slay you, so depart this place, I am your sincere advisor”

Musa goes to Madyan:
- Musa left immediately without packing or taking anything with him
- He walked until his shoes fell apart and he ate anything he found.. tree leaves, etc.
- He finally arrived at Madyan.
- He saw a group of men standing by some wells, drinking and giving water to their cattle while two women were standing with their cattle on the side.
- Musa is tired and in bad shape yet he cannot see something wrong taking place without helping out.
- He went up to the women and asked them what’s the matter.
- They said: “We cannot draw water until the shepherds have gone away, and our father is a very old man”
- So he drew water for them
- Then he went and sat in the shade and said: “My Lord! I am in need of any good that You may send to me”
- He’s asking Allah to give him anything… “Oh Allah whatever You can bestow on me, I need it”
- When the two women came home their father was surprised at their early return, they told him what happened and he sent one of them back to get him.
- Aya: “Then one of the two women came to him, walking shyly. She said: “My father invites you that he may reward you for drawing water for us”
- Allah describes her as having “7aya2”… a quality that is needed in both men and women…
- Musa went back with her… he walked infront of her and told her to toss him a rock to let him know if she wanted him to move left or right.
- Musa started narrating the story of his life. The old man told him not worry anymore, because he was now outside of Egypt and safe from them.
- One of the daughters went to her father and said “O my father, hire him. The best man to hire are the strong and trustworthy”.
- Her father asked her how did you know that he is strong and trustworthy and she told him about his physical strength that she saw while he watered their cattle. And she knew he was trustworthy because he walked infront of her…
- The father said to Musa: “I intend to give you one of these two daughters of mine in marriage, provided you serve me for eight years. However, if you complete ten, that will be from your grace. I do not want to place any hardship upon you. If Allah wills, you shall surely find me a righteous man”
- So the dowry for the marriage was that he’d work for him for 8 years.
- Musa clarified that the deal is settled and that he is free to fulfill either of the terms.
- Musa fulfilled the term of ten years.
- Up until this point Musa is not a prophet yet.
- We learn that Musa was a shepherd.. the Prophet told us that every Prophet was a shepherd.
- Being a shepherd teaches patience, it also makes the shepherd alert so he can guard the weak sheep.

Musa and Mount Tur:
- After Musa fulfilled the term of ten years, he left with his wife heading back to Egypt.
- He was feeling homesick and wanted to see his family in Egypt and decided to go visit them secretly.
- The journey happened to be in the night while it was cold.
- They lost their way and they couldn’t see anything.
- Musa spotted a fire near mount Tur. He said to his wife: “Stay here, I see a fire”
- It seems like he was the only one who was able to see the fire.
- “I hope that I can bring you from there some directions or some burning fire so that you may warm yourself”
- He went to receive guidance and so he did…
- He got there and now Allah tells us about the amazing conversation that took place.
- Aya: “So when he came to it, he was called: ‘O Moses! Indeed I am your Lord, take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed. Indeed I am Allah, there is no God worthy of worship but I, therefore worship Me, and establish prayer for My remembrance. Certainly the Hour is coming, I have almost concealed it so that every soul may be recompensed for its deeds. Therefore, let not him who disbelieves in it, and follows his own lusts divert you from it lest you perish”
- When Musa got to the valley he saw a green tree, with a fire burning inside of it… and the more the fire burned the greener the tree became… it was actually not fire but a light. The light was extending up to the heavens.
- Allah spoke to Musa directly.
- Musa went to the fire because he wanted guidance… a direction to Egypt… but he received guidance for humanity.
- The first order was tawheed… the oneness of Allah
- The second order was to establish prayer.
- The third thing was that people need to believe in the after life.
- Aya: “And O Moses! What is this in your right hand?”
- Musa knows his stick very well… so he answered according to his knowledge
- Aya: “This is my stick, whereon I lean and I beat down leaves with to feed my sheep, and in it I fend other uses”
- Allah tells Musa to throw the stick
- Musa throws his stick and it started to shake and turned into a huge snake, with a big jaw and it was moving very quickly.
- Allah is the creator of everything…
- This is unusual for Musa so when he saw that he started running and did not look back… he had a normal human reaction.
- Allah wants to train Musa to get rid of this natural human fear because he is going to have to face many difficult situations in his life.
- Allah stopped him saying: “O Moses! Come back and fear not, for you are secure”
- Musa came back and Allah commanded him to hold the snake saying: “Take it, and do not fear, We shall restore it to its former state”
- As soon as Musa held the snake it turned back into the stick.
- Then Allah tells him: “And put your hand underneath your arm, and it will come out shinning white without stain, and draw your hand close to your side to be free from fear”
- Musa was dark skinned… when he pulled out his hand it was white and shinning like the moon. When he put it back it returned to its natural color.
- These are 2 of nine signs that Allah gave to Musa.
- The first action that Musa is ordered to do is “Go to Pharaoh, for he is a tyrant.”
- Musa was chosen by Allah for his strength and iman.
- He asked Allah to help him, he said: “Oh Allah open up my chest, and make my mission easy, and make loose the defect from my tongue so they may understand what I see”
- Musa had a problem with speech.
- “…and give me a helper from my family, Harun my brother, add to my strength through him, and make him share my task, so that we may glorify You and remember You frequently, surely, You are All-Seeing of us’ Allah said: ‘You are granted your request O Musa”
- Aishah heard a man saying to people while they were on their way to hajj: “who did the greatest favor to his brother?”. Aishah responded and said “Musa, he did the biggest favor upon his brother Harun because he asked Allah to make his brother a prophet”
- Musa said to Allah “My Lord! I have killed one of them, and I fear that they will kill me. And my brother Harun is more eloquent in speech than I. So, send him with me so he may support me. Surely, I fear they will reject me.’ He said: ‘We will certainly strengthen your arm with your brother, and We shall give you both such an authority that they will not be able to harm you.”
- Allah says : “Go both of you to Pharaoh… and speak to him softly...”
- Allah wants them to be gentle with Pharaoh.

April 17th: Prophets Ayyub and Yunus

2008-04-19T14:04:00.004-05:00

The stories of Prophets Ayyub (AS) and Yunus (AS)

Prophet Ayyub:
- Allah mentions the dawah of prophets Nuh, Hud, Saleh, etc. But He does not mention the dawah of Prophet Ayyub.
-The story of Prophet Ayyub is different, it's an incredible example of patience. It's mentioned twice in the Quran.
- His story became a proverb "The patience of Ayyub"
- Prophet Ayyub was a Roman, he was from the progeny of Prophet Ibrahim.
- He received revelation from Allah.
- His wife's name was Leah.
- Prophet Ayyub was blessed with alot of wealth, bodily strength, and many children.
-Suddenly, he lost EVERYTHING. He lost his wealth, his health and all of his children.
- He basically lost everything that a person loves in dunya.
- He had different kinds of diseases. No part or limb of his body was free from disease except for his tongue and his heart.
- Despite all of this he was patient and did not complain once.
- His illness continued for so long that even his relatives and friends deserted him.
- He was taken out of his town and thrown unto a trash dump.
- The only one who stayed by his side was his wife. She was also patient in the test of losing her children and wealth.
- She started working in order to feed herself and her husband.
- All these tests made Ayyub stronger in religion, patience, and gratitude to Allah.
- Hadith: "The people who are tested most severly are Prophets, then the righteous, and then the likes of them"
- The stronger you are in deen, the tougher the test.
- Hadith: "A man is put to trail according to the strength of his religion. If he was strong in his religion, his trial is increased"
- There's a difference of opinion in regards to how long prophet Ayyub suffered. Some scholars say it was 3 years, some say 7, and some say 18 years.
- His flesh started falling off of his body until nothing remained but his muscles and bones.
- His wife finally asked him to pray to Allah so He would relieve him from his suffering.
- He said: "I had lived for 70 years in a healthy condition, so could I not bear all this pratiently for Allah for another 70 years?"
- Eventually people no longer employed his wife out of fear of illness.
- She had to shave her head and sell her hair in order to buy food.
- When Prophet Ayyub saw this he finally made dua to Allah and Allah cured him.
- Not only did Allah cure him, but Allah doubled the wealth he lost and He also doubled the number of children he had.
- Ayyub's story is a lesson for all t hose who are afflicted in their bodies, wealth, or children.

Prophet Yunus:
-He was sent to the people of Ninawah in Iraq.
- They rejected his call and disbelieved.
- Yunus was irritated and agitated by their response. He thought he'd go make dawah somewhere else.
- He left his people in a state of anger and warned them of a punishment that would come to them.
- He went to the ocean and got on a ship with some people in order to get away from his town as far away as possible. While on the ship, there was a very bad storm and they had to throw away all of their luggage. Eventually they realized that they have to throw one of the people off the ship. They decided to draw lots and Prophet Yunus was chosen 3 times.
- Prophet Yunus realized that it was Allah decree for him to be thrown into the ocean and so he jumped in.
- Allah commanded a whale to swallow Yunus without harming him.
- He was unconsious. When he woke up he thought he was dead and in his grave.
- He started to feel around him and realized he was in the stomach of the whale.
- He prostrated to Allah and said "O Allah! I have made a place of prayer where no one has ever worshiped you before"
- While he was in the depths of the sea, he heard the whale and all other creatures of the ocean glorifying Allah.
- Prophet Yunus started making his famous supplication "There is no god but You, transcendent are You, indeed I have been one of the wrong doers"
- Hadith: "No Muslims will make any supplication with this call about anything, but Allah will accept from him"
- He made this dua in the darkness of the whale's stomach, in the darkness of the ocean, and in the darkness of the night.
- Angels see circles of remembrance of Allah just like we see the stars in the sky. They saw a light coming from the ocean and they recognized the voice of Yunus.
- The Angels asked Allah: "Isn't this the voice of your righteous servant who used to do good by day and night?"... The angels then made dua for Yunus that Allah would release him.
- Allah says: "If it wasn't for the fact that he used to remember us, he would have remained in the stomach of the whale until the day of judgment"
- We need to remember Allah in moments of goodness so He would remember us in our times of need.
-Hadith: "Know Allah in the times of comfort, Allah will know you in the time of your hardship"
- The angels said: "Oh Allah will you not bestow Your mercy upon him from this distress?"
- Allah then commanded the whale to throw Prophet Yunus onto the shore.
- Aya: "So We cast him out upon the bare shore..."
- Allah sent Yunus back to his people and Yunus found that all of his town had become Muslim.

April 10th: Prophet Lut

2008-04-19T14:03:00.003-05:00

The story of Prophet Lut (AS)

- Lut was the nephew of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)
- He lived in the town of Sodom.
- The people of Sodom were robbers, murderers, rapists, and they were most famous for their homosexuality. (They were the first people to commit this sin)
-They would rape and sodomize the men who would pass through their town
- Lut tried to call them to the straight path, but NO ONE believed in him.
- They responded to him: "Bring us the chastisement of Allah if you are truthful"
- Allah sends angels to Prophet Lut in the form of men.
- When they approach the town of Sodom, Lut's daughter sees them on the outskirts of the town. She fears that they will be harmed by the people and she asks them not to enter the town until she returns.
- Lut's daughter goes back to her father and tells him about those men, she describes them as being very handsome.
- Lut goes at night time to bring the guests into his home, hoping that no one will see them.
- He walks infront of the men and he starts to say bad things about the people of Sodom. He's hoping that they would leave the town because he didn't want to turn them away.
-The angels were instructed not to destroy the people of Sodom until their prophet witnesed against them.
- They arrive at Lut's house and all of a sudden the people of the town come rushing to them. How did they find out that Lut had guests? His wife told them. She was corrupt and therefore she was punished along with the people of Sodom because she sympathized with them.
-Lut was trying to hold the people back, now the angels tell him "O Lut! We are the Messengers of Your Lord, by no means shall they reach you"
-Gibril came out to the people and struth their faces with the tip of his wing, causing them all to become blind.
-Lut was ordered to leave the town with his family, leaving his wife behind. The angels told him that the people of Sodom will be punished in the morning.
-Aya: "Allah has set forth an example for the disbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut, who were under two of our righteous slaves, yet they betrayed them, so they availed them nothing before Allah, and it was said: 'Enter the fire, with those who enter it"
-Allah sent the punishment down upon the people of Sodom. First it was a loud cry, they Gibril came and raised the whole town with his wing and flipped it upside down smacking it back into the ground.
-This punishment of Allah to the people of Sodom is not far fetched from the people who commit the sin of homosexuality in our day and time. May Allah protect us and all the Muslims from this sin.

April 3rd: Mawlid celebration

2008-04-19T14:02:00.000-05:00

No notes available.

March 13th: Prophet Ibrahim (part 2)

2008-04-19T13:59:00.001-05:00

The Sacrifice:
- When Ismael was about 13 years old. Prophet Ibrahim kept having a dream that he is sacrificing his son. His only son.
- Prophet Ibrahim told Ismael: “O my son, I see in a dream that I offer you in sacrifice, so tell me what is your view?”
- This is to make Ismael ready and to make him share in the reward.
- Ismael responds: “O my father! Do as you are commanded, you will find me, inshaAllah, one of the patient” 37:102
- So now they both prepare for this moment.
- “So when they had both submitted to the will of Allah, and he laid him down upon his brow”
- Ibrahim made him lay face down so he would not look him in the eye.
- They both submitted to the will of Allah and this is true Islam.
- Ibrahim tried to pass the knife through his neck, but it did not cut.
- Then a call came from Allah “O Ibrahim! You have indeed fulfilled the vision, this was indeed a manifest trial”
- He was replaced with a great sheep that was white and that had grazed in jannah for 40 years.
- After this, Allah gives Ibrahim the glad tidings of a second son, Isaac.
- Isaac had Jacob who is also a Prophet.
- Ismael is the father of Arabs who lived in Hijaz, from which out Prophet came

Building the Kaabah:
- Allah asked Ibrahim to build the Kaabah, and guided him towards it.
- The spot where the kaabah was built was sacred since the time of Adam, though the Kaabah was not built yet.
- Hadith: “This city has been made sacred by Allah the Day He created the heavens and the earth, and it will remain so till the day of judgment”
- It was the first mosque to be built
- Aya: “Indeed the first Hour appointed for people is the one at Bakkah. Blessed and a guidance for the worlds” 3:96
- The first house built for the purpose of guidance and blessings
- Aya: “in it are clear signs, the place of Ibrahim” 3:97
- refers to the stone which Ibrahim stood on while building the kaabah.
- Ismael brought him the stone so he could stand on it while building the walls.
- Aya: “and take the place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer” 2:125
- The footprints of his feet were visible on it until the earlier time of Islam
- Ibrahim and Ismael raised the foundations of the Kaabah only for the sake of Allah.
- Aya: “And when Ibrahim and Ismael raised the foundations of the House, praying: ‘Our Lord! Accept this from us, surely You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Our Lord! Make us submit to Yout Will, and raise from our offspring a nation which will submit to Your Will….Our Lord! Send to them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your Verses, and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them’” 2:127-129
- Allah accepted their dua and he sent to them the seal of the Prophets, the best of creation.
- When they completed the foundation and built the corner, Ibrahim said to Ismael: “Son! Find me the best stone that I could lay here in this corner,
- When Ismael went to look for the stone, Jibril came and brought Ibrahim the Black stone. It was white and transparent. Adam brought it from Paradise with him, but the sons of people have blackened it.

- The Kaabah remained for a long time in the same shape with the same structure built by Ibrahim. Then it was rebuilt by Quraish. However, they shortened the building from the foundations of Ibrahim from it’s North side and it remained so until today.
- Hadith: The Prophet said to Aisha: “Don’t you know that when your people built the Kaabah, they shortened if from the foundations of Ibrahim?” So I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Then why do you not return it to its original foundations of Ibrahim?” The Prophet said: “Were it not for the fact that they only recently left disbelief (and entered Islam). I would have changed it”

- Abdullah bin Azubair built the kaabah during his rule, according to what the Prophet said. When he was killed (by Hajjaj), the Caliph at the time thought that he built it according to his own desire so they demolished it and built it according to its previous building.
- When they discovered that he was right, they wanted to rebuild it again. But Imam Malik said: “I fear that kinds may start playing around with it. Whenever a new king comes he may build it as he wanted it”
- So it remained from that day until today.

Afterward:
- Aya: “And we granted Isaac and Jacob to Ibrahim, and we ordained the Prophethood and the Book to be among his progeny, and We gave him his reward in this life, and in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous” 29:27
- He had two sons, Ismael from hajar and then Isaac from Sarah.
- Isaac had his son Jacob, who was called Israel and to whome all Israeli tribes relate to.
- Their chain of PRophethood ended with Jesus. The last Prophet of the Children of Israel.
- Ismael was the forefather of all Arabs. He had no Prophet in his progeny except the seal of them, The Prophet Muhammad.
- Aya: “Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was truly a Muslim, and never was he of the polytheists” 3:67
- His religion was to submit himself to the Will of Allah
- Aya: “And who can be better in religion than he who submits his whole self to the Will of Allah, and does good and follows the religion of Ibrahim, a man pure in faith. Allah took Ibrahim as a friend” 4:125
- The Prophet met Ibrahim in the seventh heaven on the journey of Isra and Miraj.
- Hadith: On the Day of Judgment people will be resurrected naked. The first to be provided with cloth is Ibrahim”
- Since Prophet Ibrahim was the greatest Prophet after Prophet Muhammad, we are instructed to send Salawat upon him in every prayer.
- He resembled Prophet Muhammad.
Hadith: “I have seen Jesus son of Mary, and Moses and Ibrahim. As for Jesus, he was red of curly hair and broad chest. Moses was of tanned skin and big body.” The companions asked: “What about Ibrahim”. He said: “Look at your companion-meaning himself” ahmad

Age and death:
- His wife Sarah died before him in a village near Hebron.
- After Sarah, Ibrahim married Qanturah who had 6 children, then he married Hajun who had 5 children.
- Ibrahim fell ill and died after he lived for 175 yrs.
- He was buried near his wife Sarah in Hebron, by his sons Ismael and Isaac.
- His grave is situated in the square which was built by Solomon in Hebron, known as the city of “Khalil”
- The exact place of the grave is not known in this square.

Ismael:
- Prophet Ibrahim had many children but only 2 of them became famous because Prophethood was bestowed upon them, Ismael and Isaac.
- Ismael was a Messenger to his people. He married from the tribe of Jurhum.
- He was buried beside his mother inside the compound known as Al-Hijr. He died at 137.

Isaac:
- When Isaac was born, Ibrahim was 100 yrs old.
- He married Rifqa (Rebecca), she was barren but he made dua for her and she had two sons. One of them was Jacob.
- He died at the age 180 and was buried close to his father.
- Jacob married his cousin Leah and then his cousin Rachel. Leah had 6 children and Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin.
- He also had 3 other sons from 2 other wives.

March 6th: Prophet Ibrahim

2008-04-19T13:47:00.008-05:00

The story of Prophet Ibrahim (part 1)

-He is from the lineage of Prophet Nuh
-Born in Babylon, modern day Iraq

Why is Prophet Ibrahim special? Why do we mention him every prayer?
-He is: the father of the prophets
-He is from “ulil azm min arrusul”
-He is Khalil arrahman: the Prophet was “habibullah”. Allah loves us as much as we love Him.
-Allah described him in the Quran as being “an ummah”
-Mentioned in 73 places in the Quran, in 25 surahs.
-Aya: “Ibrahim allathee waffa”
-Also described as “awwahun 7aleem”, which means “tender-hearted and forebearing”
-He resembeled the Prophet the most.

Dawah to his father: (how do we make dawah to our parents?)
-Some people backbite their parents and they try to give them dawah in a tough way.

-Who was his father”
His name was Azar, he was old, stubborn, a kafir, and his profession was to make idols.
-How old was Ibrahim? 16 (never too young to give dawah)
-Ibrahim was so afraid for his father, he loved him.
-He said: “And mention in the Book Ibrahimg, surely he was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: ‘Ya abati! Why do you worship that which can neither see or hear, nor can avail you to anything?, Ya abati! I have received knowledge that has not come to you, so follow me, and I will guide you to the Straight Path. Ya abati! DO not worship Saran, surely Saran is rebellious to Allah, the Most gracious. Ya abati! I fear that you will be punished by the Most Gracious, and so you become a companion of Satan” Maryam 19: 41-45
- Ibrahim made it clear to his father in a gentle way that the idols he worships cannot benefit or harm him… he tried to open his father’s eyes to the truth. Yet his father was stubborn.
-His father “do you reject my gods O Ibrahim, if you don’t stop I will stone you (I’ll kill you)”. His father was willing to kill him… that’s how deep he was into his ignorance.

How will Ibrahim respond to this? Will he yell at his father at this point?
-Ibrahim responded with peace.. and he said he’d ask Allah to forgive him: “Peace be upon you. I will pray to my Lord to forgive you; indeed, He is to me the Most Gracious. And I am leaving you and those whom you invoke besides Allah”
- We’re not allowed to make istighfar to non-believers.
-When it became clear to Ibrahim that his father is an enemy of Allah, he disassociated himself from him.
-Ibrahim and his father on judgment day: (hadith from Bukhari) Ibrahim will meet his father on the day or judgment, his father will tell him ‘Today I shall not disobey you’ So Ibrahim would say ‘O Lord, you rpomised me that You shall not disgrace me on the Day of Judgement. So today there is no disgrace greater than the disgrace of my father being in hellfire. Allah would say: ‘I have made Paradise forbidden for the disbelievers’ Then Ibrahim will look at his father and find him in the form of a hyena.. and then he’ll be thrown into the hell fire.

Ibrahim makes dawah to his people: don’t forget how young he is
-Do something in your young age so when you die and people are carrying you to your grave, they actually have something good to say about you
- Aya (Ashuara 26: 69-76): “And relate to them the story of Ibrahim, when he said to his father and to his people: ‘What is it that you worship?’ They said: ‘We worship idols, and we worship them with devotion.’ He said: ‘Do they hear you when you call, or do they benefit you or harm you?’ They said: ‘No, but we found our fathers doing the same’”
-They had no evidence for that they worshipped except the blind following of their parents. Do we blindly follow ours?
-He tried to call them to worship only one God.
-“Uffin lakum, indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error”
-They couldn’t believe this statement…
-He said between him and himself that he’s going to destroy their idols. (notice the toughness comes out now)
-They go out of town for their festival. Ibrahim doesn’t join them, he says he is sick. Meaning that he is sick of their doing.
- He was all alone in the town. He found their idols surrounded with food of every kind, so he said to them: “Why don’t you eat? What’s the matter with you that you don’t speak?”(37: 91-93) and he started smashing them into pieces.
-He hung the ax in the neck of the biggest idol.
-They came back and discovered what happened to their gods, they said: “Who has done this to our gods? Surely he is one of the most unjust” 21:59
-“ we heard a young man mentioning them, he’s called Ibrahim” he wasn’t known to the society…
-They said “Bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness” 21:61. So people could witness what’s going to happen to him.
-They asked him: “Have you done this to our gods O ibrahim?”
-He said “It was the biggest of them that did it. So ask them if they are able to speak” this was the point he wanted to get to.
-Ibrahim woke them up for a moment… “they turned to their own conscience and said: Surely, you are yourselves unjust” but shaytan made them go back to their ignorance.
-They said “you know that they don’t speak”
-“do you then worship other than Allah what can’t benefit you? Or defend their own selves?”
-They lost the dialogue and now they resulted to force. So they said “burn him”.

The fire: (16 years old): an example of tawakkul
-They said: “prepare for him a furnace and cast him into the blaze”
-It took them a long time to prepare this fire.
-Women would vow to collect wood for the fire when they got ill.
-Birds that flew over the fire would fall into it dead.
-Everyone came out to witness this event.
-How would they throw him in the fire when no one could even walk near it?
- They made a catapult.
-The man who made it was swallowed by the earth as a punishment from Allah.
-They shackled Ibrahim with chains.
-He said “7asbiyaAllah wa ni3mal wakeel”. Which means: “Allah is sufficient for us, and how good a Protector He is”
-After Ibrahim was thrown and he was in midair. Jibril came to him and asked “Do you need any help?. And Ibrahim said: “If from you, then no”
-Allah created the fire and gave it it’s characteristics.. so Allah made the fire cool and comfortable. Allah said: “Ya naru kooni bardan wa salaman 3ala ibrahim”.
-The only thing the fire burned was the shackles.
-JIbril was with him wiping his sweat. That was the only “suffering” he faced in there.
-His father said when he say this: “How good a Lord is your Lord, O Ibrahim!”
-His mother:
She said: O Ibrahim, I want to come to you. So pray to Allah so He could save me from the fire around you.
He said: Yes.
His mother came to him without being harmed, she embraced him, kissed him and left.
-The Prophet ordered us to kill lizards because they were the only animal to help flare up the fire.
-Later in life Prophet Ibrahim would describe the days he spent in the fire as the best days of his life.
-Allah said: “They wanted to harm him but we made them the worst losers”
-His people saw him come out of the fire unharmed, yet they still did not believe.

Nimrod: He’s not going to be tough or gentle with the king. Just strong and firm.
- The kindgof Bayblon. Ruled for about 400 years, he was arrogant and rebellious.
- Heard about the story and he wanted to meet Ibrahim
- Ibrahim came to him and immediately called him towards the worship of one God without associating any partners with him.
- The king claimed lordship for himself.
- Ibrahim: “Allah is the one who gives life and the one who takes it away, can you do that?”
- Nimrod says yes. (two prisoners)
- Ibrahim didn’t mean this foolish shallow meaning of giving life and death. Allah gives life and death in every single moment of this life.
- When he found his opponent trying to trap him in an insignificant fact he left it and he wanted to get him from another angle.. he didn’t go down that road with him..
- Ibrahim “Allah brings the sun from the East, so bring it from the West”
- Nimrod could not respond to this… he was dumbfounded.

Nimrod’s punishment:
- Allah sent an angel commanding him to believe in Allah but he refused.
- He challenged the angel and said: You call forth and gather your people and I will gather mine.
- Nimrod gathered his army at sunrise and Allah sent an army of mosquitos that overshadowed the sun.
- They are their flash and drank their blood and left a structure of bones.
- One of mosquitos entered the nose of Nimrod and stayed inside. He was so bothered by it that to relieve himself from the pain he kept hitting himself in the head with a hammer until he died.

Bringing life to the dead:
- Ibrahim asks Allah: “My lord show me how you give life to the dead”
- It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t believe in it, of course he does. He just wanted to see it.
- Allah asked him “Do you not believe?”
- He said “I do but to be stronger in faith”
- 4 birds, chopped, meshed flesh, placed a quarter of the amount on the tops of 4 mountains. Then he called them and all of the birds came together alive.

Migration:
Syria:
- No one believed in Ibrahim, even after they witnessed the miracle of the fire.
- The only one who believed in him was his nephew Lot (AS).
- He first went to Syria, he passed the town of Harran and he met the people who worshipped the stars.
- He made dawah to them in his own way.
- First they see Venus (looks like a star). Ibrahim says: this is my Lord.
- The planet set and then he said “I do not like those that set”
- Then he saw the moon and said “The moon is my lord”
- The moon set, and he said “If my Lord does not guide me I will amongst the misguided”
- The sun came up, He said “This is my Lord, it’s the biggest”
- The sun set and then he said “I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah and I have turned my face to the one who created the heavens and the earth on the straight path and I am not one of those who associate others with Allah”

Egypt:
- Prophet Ibrahim lied three times in his life: “I am sick”, “It was the biggest one that did it”, and the third one was when he and Sarah passed by the tyrant ruler, and he said that he is her brother and not her husband.
- Sara was the second most beautiful woman to be created after Eve.
- The king heard that this man is coming and he has a very beautiful woman with him so he wanted her to himself.
- He said if the man with her is her husband we will kill him.
- He asked Ibrahim: “Who is this woman?” and Ibrahim said “She is my sister”
- Ibrahim told Sara: We are the only believers here so I told the king that you are my sister.
- She made dua: “O Allah, if you know that I believed in You and in Your Messenger, and I kept myself chaste except for my husband, so do not let this disbeliever overpower me”
- The ruler sent for Sara. He tried to touch her but he was paralyzed. He asked her to help him.
- She made dua: “O Allah if he died, people would say she killed him” and he was returned back to normal. This happened three times and then the kind told her to go and gave her gifts and along with them was Hajar.
- Allah tells us in the Quran: “And seek help in patience and prayer”
Palestine:
- After living in Palestine for 20 years. Ibrahim is now in his 80s.
- Sarah asks him to marry Hajar since she could not have any children.
- He does and she becomes pregnant with Ismael.
- Shortly after the birth, Allah commands Ibrahim to take Hajar and Ismael to Mecca.
- Mecca was empty, no people, no life whatsoever.
- When Ibrahim left them and walked back. Hajar clinched his cloth and said “Ibrahim! Where you going, leaving us here here alone? We do not have sufficient food and drink”
- Ibrahim did not answer her. She asked him three times but no answer.
- Finally she said: “Has Allah commanded you to do this?”
- He said: “Yes”
- She said: Then Allah will not leave us to perish (another example of tawakkul)
- He left them there, all they had was some dates and a little bit of water.
- When Ibrahim reached a place where they couldn’t see him, he looked back and made dua: “Our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a valley without any cultivation, by your Sacred House, Our Lord! So they may establish regular prayers. So make the hearts of people yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits that they may be grateful”
- Hajar runs out of water and starts to look for it.
- Her running between safa and marwa
- Finally the angel comes and strikes his wing by Ismael’s foot for Zamzam water to come out.
- She started to dig around the water so she would trap it, she kept saying “zam.. zam..”
- Hadith: “May Allah bestow His mercy ipon the mother of Ismael. Had she let Zamzam flow the water would have been a flowing stream”
- The angel then told her: “Don’t be afraid… The House of Allah is here, which this child and his father will build. Allah certainly does not neglect His people”
- The tribe of Jurhum

February 28: Prophets Saleh and Hud

2008-04-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

The Sotires of Prophets Saleh and Hud

February 21st: Prophet Noah

2008-04-19T13:41:00.001-05:00

Prophet Noah (AS)

Hadith: "There were 10 centuries between Adam and Noah"
-The word "Qarn" used in the hadith translates as century but it could be a period of 100 years or it would mean a generation of people.

-He was the first Messenger to be sent.

-His story is mentioned in the following surahs:
7: 59-64
10: 71-73
11:25-49 (longest version)
21:76-77
23: 23-30
26: 105-112
29: 14-15
37: 76-82
54: 9-17
71 (the whole surah)

February 14th: Prophet Adam (part 2)

2008-04-19T13:39:00.001-05:00

Prophet Adam (AS)-Part 2

February 7th: Prophet Adam (part 1)

2008-04-19T13:37:00.000-05:00

Prophet Adam (AS)
by sister Hajira Ali

Sister Hajira gave a general introduction to the story of Prophet Adam (AS).

January 31st: Surat Al-Kahf (part 4)

2008-04-19T13:34:00.000-05:00

The story of Dhul-Qarnain

notes will be added soon

January 24th: Surah Al-Kahf (part 3)

2008-04-19T13:33:00.000-05:00

Prophet Musa & Al-Khidr

notes will be added soon

January 17th: Surah Al-Kahf (Part 2)

2008-04-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

The man and the two gardens
halaqah by sister Hajira Ali

notes will be added soon

January 10th 2008: Surah Al-Kahf (part 1)

2008-04-19T13:28:00.000-05:00

The people of the cave

notes will be added soon

Sunday, November 4th

2007-11-07T20:00:00.000-05:00

Regular Devotions: having a wird...

-We must fill up our time with acts of worship so no period of time passes without being used in some act of goodness.
-This is how we put baraka in our time.
-Imam Al-Ghazali said: "You should structure your time, arrange your regular devotions, and assign to each function a set period of time during which it is given first priority but which it does not overstep. For if you abandon yourself to neglect and purposelessness, as the cattle do, and just do anything that may occur to your at any time it happens to occur to you, most of your time will be the basis of your transactions, and the means to attain to everlasting felicity, in the proximity of God the Exalted. Each of your breaths is a priceless jwel, and when it passes away it never returns"
-Have more than one wird. When you move from one wird to another you escape becoming bored.

-Ibn Ata'illah said: "Because Allah knew of the presence of boredom in you. He created a variety of acts of obedience"

-Being persistent with a wird and repeating it everyday results in illumination of the heart.

-Shaykh Abdur-Rahman As-Saqqaf said: "Whoever has no wird is a qird [moneky]!"

-When choosing a wird one should be moderate and take on something that one can keep up with. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "The acts most pleasing to Allah are the most constant even if few"

-It is Satan's way to entice the seeker at the beginning of his quest to be excessive in his devotional activities, the purpose being to make him retreat. either by giving up acts of goodness altogether, or performing them incorrectly.

-A wird can take the form of:
supererogatory prayers
Quran recitation
aquisition of knowledge
invocation [dhikr]
reflection [fikr]

Thursday October 25th

2007-10-26T08:59:00.000-05:00

Following the Sunnah (Taken from the book of assistance)

-Adhere to the sunnah, outwardly and inwardly.
-Make the sunnah habitual to you so you will get rewarded for the small actions you do every day, like brushing your teeth, etc.

Some sunnahs we can adhere to in our daily life:

1) Begin everything with "bismillah"

2) Always form a good intention:
-When putting on clothes:
-intend to cover what Allah ordered you to cover.
-Put on your right sleeve first, always start with the right. When taking off clothes start with the left.
-Say: "Praised and thanked be Allah, who clothed me in this garment and granted it me without any ability or power on my part"

3) Utter only words of goodness:
- Everything that's forbidden to say is forbidden to listen to.
-Do not interrupt anyone, unless what they are speaking is a sin: backbiting, etc.
-If someone says something you already know, don't tell them you know it and let them continue their speech.
-Don't get into what doesn't concern you.
-Don't swear by Allah too much, only when necessary.
-Don't say anything ugly.
-Think before you speak. If it's good then say it, if not then stay silent.

Hadith: "Everything that the son of Adam says is against him, not for him, except if it be remembering Allah, enjoining good, or forbidding evil."

4) Walking:
-Walk only to something good or necessary.
-Walk humbly, not too fast and not too slow. The Prophet (pbuh) used to walk powerfully, as if going down hill, he walked with a purpose.
-When called, the Prophet (pbuh) would stop but he wouldn't turn around.

5) Sitting:
-Try to sit in the direction of the Qibla
-Make sure your private parts are covered
-Refrain from fidgeting, excessive scratching, or yawning in people's faces.
-If you do yawn, cover your mouth with your left hand.
-Too much laughter kills the heart, try to convert your laughter into smiles.
-Before you get up say:
"Subhanak Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu an la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk"
"Transcendent are you, O Allah, and praised by Your praises, I bear wintess that there is no God but You, I seek Your forgiveness and repent onto you"
-Whoever says so is forgiven anything sin they may have done while sitting.

6) When sleeping:
-Lay down on your right side
-Face the Qibla
-Repent from the sins of your day
-Intend to wakeup for worship
-Say: "In your name of Allah, my Lord, do I rest my side, and in Your name do I raise it, so forgive me my sin. O Allah, protect me from your chastisement on the day when you gather your servants" (3 times)
-Say: "SubhanAllah" (33 times), "Alhamdulillah" (33 times), and "Allahu Akbar" (34 times).
-Make wudu before you go to bed.
-Don't get use to comfortable beds so you don't sleep too much.
-Take a nap during the day (for 20 minutes or so).
-Avoid sleep after fajr, after asr, and before isha.
-When you see a good dream, thank Allah for it.
-When you see a bad dream: Ask Allah for His protection from evil, spit 3 times to your left side, turn over to your other side, and don't speak about it.
-Recite ayat al-kursi

7) Eating and drinking:
-Always begin with "bismillah"
-Conclude with "Alhamdulillah"
-Eat and drink with your right hand
-Wash your hands before and after eating
-Eat small bites
-Chew well
-Don't read for more food before you swallow what's in your mouth
-Eat from the sides of the bowl and not from the middle
-If you drop food, pick it up, clean it and eat it. Don't leave it for the devil.
-Use your index finger, middle finger and thumb
-Lick your fingers when you're done eating
-Eat from what's infront of you
-Don't speak while food is in your mouth.
-If you need to spit or blow your nose do somewhere else, or at least turn your head away from others.
-When you eat at someone's house praise them and make dua for them
-NEVER criticize food, no matter how bad it is
-Don't make food your prime concern
-Hadith: "The worst of my nation are those who eat luxurious food and their bodies grow on it. Their concern lies only in the different kinds of food and clothing, and they speak pretentiously"

-Sayydina Ali said: "The one whose main concern is what enters his belly is as valuable as that which comes out of it"

-Strive to only eat halal food
-Don't over eat
-Don't eat too often, only eat when you are hungry

When drinking...
-Sip water and don't gulp it down
-Always drink while sitting
-Stop to breathe 3 times while drinking
-Don't breathe into the cup
-Don't drink from a cracked cup
-Don't drink water that was uncovered overnight

8) When using the bathroom:
-Wear shoes when you enter the bathroom
-enter with your left foot, and exit with your right foot
-When entering, say: "In the name of Allah. O Allah, I seek Your protection from male and female demons"
-When exiting, say: "I seek Your forgiveness! Praised be Allah who removed harm from me and make me healthy"
-Do not say Allah's name except in your heart
-Do not take anything with you which has Allah's name
-Speak only when necessary
-Clean yourself with your left hand

Thursday October 18th

2007-10-23T15:32:00.000-05:00

Scrupulousness

-Somebody who is scrupulous is someone who is very concerned to avoid doing wrong.

Hadith:
Bukhari and Muslim relate on the authority of Ibn Bashir (r) that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "The lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clear. But between the two are ambiguous matters not known to many people. Whosoever avoids these matters, has preserved his honour and his religion intact. But whosoever falls into them shall fall into the unlawful..."

The Prophet (pbuh) was the most scrupulous:
On the authority of Aba Hurayra that the Prophet said: "Sometimes when I return to my family, I find a date on my bed or elsewhere in my house, and raise it to my mouth, but then fear that it might be from someone's charity, so I put it aside." [Despite his absolute poverty, the Blessed Prophet was not permitted to accept charity.]

-The works of those who live on unlawful resources are rejected because Allah is Good and accepts only that which is good.

-Hadith:
"The prayers of a man who buys a garment for ten dirhams one of which is unlawful will not be accepted by Allah as long as he is wearing any part of it"
-If this is the case when it comes to a garment in which 10% of it is bought with unlawful money, what's the case when all of the money used is unlawful?
-And if this is a case with something that is worn, what is the case with the unlawful food we eat that becomes part of our bodies and runs through our veins?

2 categories of the prohibited:
1) Things prohibited in themselves: alcohol, pork, etc.
2) Things that are lawful but are owned by other people, they are prohibited unless given or sold to one.

Degrees of doubtful things:
1) Something you are almost convinced is prohibited but there is a slight chance that it might be lawful. (ex. a turkey sandwich that your classmate gives you. Most likely the turkey is not halal because your friend is not Muslim, but there is a slight chance that it may be halal)
-In this case one must consider the thing prohibited.

2) Something you are almost convinced is lawful but there is a slight chance that it might be prohibited. (ex. some chocolate that you are about to enjoy that has a creamy filling. Most likely the chocolate is halal, however their is a very slight chance that the filling might have alcohol in it. However, you can't check it and you are pretty sure it's safe)
-In this case you are allowed to eat the chocolate. However, it is best to avoid it out of scrupulousness.

3) Something that can be equally halal or haram (50-50 chance). About this the Prophet (pbuh) has said:
"Leave that which is suspect in favor of that which is not".

3 kinds of people we run into:
1) People we know to be good and virtuous, trust them.
-you may eat their food and deal with them without asking

2) People you know nothing about.
-When you deal with such people you should try to ask and inquire about the things they give you, yet you should do it gently. If you feel that they will get hurt by your question then you should avoid it.

3) People you know are wrongdoers.
-You should avoid dealing with such people and if they happen to give you something you should reject it.

This is a quick summary of what we spoke about. Feel free to ask any questions if anything is unclear.

October 10th: Iftar & halaqah at Ferozan's

2007-10-19T09:43:00.000-05:00

Major signs of the day of judgment

-We started by briefly mentioning some of the minor signs of the day of judgment. We also mentioned how all of the minor signs have happened already and we are waiting for the major signs.

-With the start of the first major sign repentance is no longer accepted. So someone who wants to become Muslim after that point cannot do it, someone who wants to start praying, or someone who wants to start wearing hijab also cannot because the door for repentance will close.

The 6 Major Signs:
1) The sun:
-One day people will wait for the sun to rise as it does every morning but it won't.
-There will be 3 days of complete darkness and eventually the sun will rise from the west.
-This is most likely the first major sign.
-After the sun rises from the west it will remain up for 1 whole year, it will finally set and then rise again and remain for 1 month, then it will set and rise to remain for one whole week after which it will set and then rise for normal length days.
-When the Prophet (pbuh) told this to the sahabah, they asked "How will we pray when the sun remains for a year?". The Prophet told them to estimate the prayer times for each day and pray.
-HADITH: "The day of judgement will not arise until the sun rises from the west. When it rises from the west and people see it, they will all believe. Yet that is when belief will not benefit a person if they hadn't believed before then..." (paraphrased)
-This first sign will happen all of a sudden, no previous warnings.

2) The beast:
-This is an animal that walks on four, it has a lot of hair that people cannot tell its front from its back. It also speaks to people. It is large in size, one of its footsteps goes as far as its eyes can see.
-It comes carrying the stick of Prophet Musa and the ring of Prophet Sulaiman.
-It will touch the disbelievers with Prophet Sulaiman's ring and mark their foreheads with the word "Kafer/non-believer".
-It will touch the believers with Prophet Musa's stick and mark their foreheads with the word "Mu'min/Believer"
-People will refer to each other with their new names at that time. They will call each other: "O Mu'min", or "O Kafir"

3) The smoke:
-The smoke appears everywhere and it hovers over people's heads
-For the disbeliever the smoke will make their heads burn
-For the believers the effect of the smoke will be like they have slight congestion/cold
-Read Surat "Addukhan"

4) The Dajjal:
-He is a human being, said to be Jewish
-He is very tall, has long curly hair
-His right eye is wiped
-His left eye budges out like a grape
-Only the believers see the word "Kafer/non-believer" written on his forehead.
-Reciting the first 4 verses of surah al-Kahf will protect the believers from him
-He will come out during a tough time when there is no food or drink, everyone is hungry... even the believers.
-He will provide food and drink for people and ask them to worship him and they will.
-Only the firm believers will disbelieve in him
-This is a great fitna/tirbulation. Imagine being so hungry and someone comes along and tells you: "I'll give you all the food you need but you have to believe that I am your Lord"... who will stand this test?
-The true believers will refuse to believe in him and their food will be the remembrance of Allah. That's why it's important for us to remember Allah often at times of ease. We cannot all of a sudden start remembering Allah when we need him, it doesn't work that way.
-He will last on earth for 40 days. The first day will be a year long, the second day will be a month long, the third day will be a week long and the rest of the days after that will be normal days.
-He can only be killed by Prophet Isa.

5) Prophet Isa:
-Prophet Isa will descend from the sky in Syria
-He will enter the masjid while the believers are praying the fajr prayer
-He will refuse to lead the people in prayer as it may symbolize that he should be followed. He comes down as a follower of Prophet Muhammad.
-The dajjal will die from smelling Prophet Isa. Prophet Isa's pure and beautiful smell is not something that the dajjal can survive, he will melt like salt when he smells him.
-Prophet Isa will rule the earth for 40 years after the Dajjal.

6) Gog and Magog:
-Gog and Magog are two large tribes of people.
-They have been trapped beneath a wall since the time of Dhul-Qarnayn (Read the story in Surat al-Kahf)
-When they come out their number will be in the millions. They will destroy and eat everything in their way
-No one can stand in their way or fight them
-The only way to get rid of them is by Prophet Isa and the believers dua
-They will make dua on the mountain of "Tur" until Allah sends down a disease that will kill them all
-Allah will then send down birds that have necks that are as long as the necks of camels. These birds will pick up all of the bodies and throw them in the sea.
-Allah will then make the sky rain until the earth is purified from the filth of Gog and Magog

After Gog and magog, people will live peacefully on earth for a while. Children will play with snakes and they will not be harmed, sheep will graze with lions peacefully. Eventually a beautiful smell will come down that will take the souls of all of the believers. Only the non-believers will survive and that is when the day of judgment will occur.

September 28th

2007-09-29T13:41:00.000-05:00

Explanation of Surat al-Qadr (from the tafsir of Ibn Kathir)
Iftar & halaqah at Qudsia & Rubina's house

Surah #97

1. Verily, We have sent it down in the Night of Al-Qadr.
--(We sent it down on a blessed night.) (44:3) This is the Night of Al-Qadr and it occurs during the month of Ramadan.

2. And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr is
--Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah "When Ramadan would come, the Messenger of Allah would say, (Verily, the month of Ramadan has come to you all. It is a blessed month, which Allah has obligated you all to fast. During it the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are shackled. In it there is a night that is better than one thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good, then he has truly been deprived.)'' An-Nasa'i recorded this same Hadith.

3. The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.
--Aside from the fact that worship during the Night of Al-Qadr is equivalent to worship performed for a period of one thousand months, it is also confirmed in the Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said, (Whoever stands (in prayer) during the Night of Al-Qadr with faith and expecting reward (from Allah), he will be forgiven for his previous sins.)

4. Therein descend the angels and the Ruh by their Lord's permission with every matter.
--meaning, the angels descend in abundance during the Night of Al-Qadr due to its abundant blessings. The angels descend with the descending of blessings and mercy, just as they descend when the Qur'an is recited, they surround the circles of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and they lower their wings with true respect for the student of knowledge. In reference to Ar-Ruh, it is said that here it means the angel Jibril.

5. There is peace until the appearance of dawn.
--"It is security in which Shaytan cannot do any evil or any harm.'' Qatadah and others have said, "The matters are determined during it, and the times of death and provisions are measured out (i.e., decided) during it.''

Specifying the Night of Decree and its Signs

This is supported by what Imam Ahmad recorded from `Ubadah bin As-Samit that the Messenger of Allah said:

(The Night of Al-Qadr occurs during the last ten (nights). Whoever stands for them (in prayer) seeking their reward, then indeed Allah will forgive his previous sins and his latter sins. It is an odd night: the ninth, or the seventh, or the fifth, or the third or the last night (of Ramadan).)

The Messenger of Allah also said:
(Verily, the sign of the Night of Al-Qadr is that it is pure and glowing as if there were a bright, tranquil, calm moon during it. It is not cold, nor is it hot, and no shooting star is permitted until morning. Its sign is that the sun appears on the morning following it smooth having no rays on it, just like the moon on a full moon night. Shaytan is not allowed to come out with it (the sun) on that day.)

The Messenger of Allah also said "It (laylatul qadr) is in every Ramadan".

Supplication during the Night of Decree

It is recommended to supplicate often during all times, especially during the month of Ramadan, in the last ten nights, and during the odd nights of it even more so. It is recommended that one say the following supplication a lot: "O Allah! Verily, You are the Oft-Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon me.'' This is due to what Imam Ahmad recorded from `A'ishah, that she said, "O Messenger of Allah! If I find the Night of Al-Qadr what should I say'' He replied, (Say: "O Allah! Verily, You are the Oft-Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon me.'') At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah have all recorded this Hadith.

September 20th

2007-09-29T13:28:00.000-05:00

Dunya vs. the Hereafter
Halaqah & iftar at sr. Komila's house.

We made a quick comparison between this temporal world and eternal world in jannah or the hellfire. We also spoke about the people of al-Aaraf. Here's an explanation of the verses:

Surah # 7: Al-Aaraf. Verses 46-48 (taken from tafsir of ibn Kathir)
46. And between them will be a (barrier) screen and on Al-A`raf will be men, who would recognize all, by their marks. And they will call out to the dwellers of Paradise, "Peace be on you'' and at that time they will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but they will hope to enter (it).

--(And between them will be a screen) "It is the wall, it is Al-A`raf.'' Mujahid said, "Al-A`raf is a barrier between Paradise and the Fire, a wall that has a gate.'' Ibn Jarir said, "Al-A`raf is plural for `Urf, where every elevated piece of land is known as `Urf to the Arabs.'' As-Suddi said, "Al-A`raf is so named because its residents recognize (Ya`rifun) the people. Al-A`raf's residents are those whose good and bad deeds are equal, as Hudhayfah, Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and several of the Salaf and later generations said.'' Ibn Jarir recorded that Hudhayfah was asked about the people of Al-A`raf and he said, "A people whose good and bad deeds are equal. Their evil deeds prevented them from qualifying to enter Paradise, and their good deeds qualified them to avoid the Fire. Therefore, they are stopped there on the wall until Allah judges them.''

47. And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire, they will say: "Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are wrongdoers.''

--Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "When the people of Al-A`raf look at the people of the Fire and recognize them, they will supplicate, `O Lord! Do not place us with the people who are wrongdoers.''

48. And the men on Al-A`raf will call unto the men whom they would recognize by their marks, saying: "Of what benefit to you was your gathering, and your arrogance'') (49. "Are they those, of whom you swore that Allah would never show them mercy (Behold! It has been said to them): `Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.'

--Allah states that the people of Al-A`raf will admonish some of the chiefs of the idolators whom they recognize by their marks in the Fire, saying, ("Of what benefit to you was your gathering...'') meaning, your great numbers.

--(Are they those, of whom you swore that Allah would never show them mercy) refers to the people of Al-A`raf who will be told when Allah decrees: "Behold! It has been said to them): "Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.''

__________________________________________
The people of al-Aaraf will be eventually entered into Jannah out of Allah's mercy.

September 15th

2007-09-29T13:24:00.000-05:00

Halaqah, iftar, & taraweeh at sr. Alema's house. If you have notes from this halaqah please send them to me and I will post them.

jazakumAllah khair!

Dana

September 6th: Ramadan

2007-09-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

Preparation for Ramadan

Aya: 'O you who believe, prescribed for you is the Fast, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that haply you will have taqwa.' Qur`an 2:183

Hadith: 'A great month, a blessed month, a month containing a night which is better than a thousand months has approached you people. Allah has appointed the observance of fasting during it as an obligatory duty, and the passing of its nights in prayer as a voluntary practice. If someone draws near to Allah during it with some good act he will be like one who fulfills an obligatory duty in another month, and he who fulfills an obligatory duty in it will be like one who fulfills seventy obligatory duties in some other month. It is the month of endurance, and the reward of endurance is paradise. It is the month of sharing with others, and a month in which the believer's provision is increased. If someone gives one who has been fasting something with which to break his fast it will provide forgiveness of his wrong actions and save him from the Fire, and he will have a reward equal to the fasting man's reward without his reward being diminished in any way... Allah gives this reward to anyone who gives one who has been fasting some milk mixed with water, or a date, or a drink of water with which to break his fast, and anyone who gives a full meal to one who has been fasting will be given a drink by Allah and will not thirst until he enters Paradise. It is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is freedom from the Fire. If anyone makes things easy for his slave during it, Allah will forgive him and free him from the Fire.'

From a khutba (sermon) given by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, on the last day of Shaban. - Reported by Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi (Mishkat al Masabih).

-The gates of the Garden are open
-The gates of the Fire are shut
-The devils are shackled
-Our soul is imprisoned by hunger and thirst. There are no distractions from worship.
-Every night a herald calls out at Allah’s command: “O you who wish for goodness, hasten (come forth)! And O you who wish for evil, halt!”
-What’s our response to this call?

-Increase your good works. The reward of a sunna/extra act of worship is equal to an obligatory act performed outside of Ramadan.

-Ramadan is a time when good deeds are easy to do and one has much more energy for them than during any other time of year.

-During this month try to dedicate all of your extra time to worship. Everything you do should be an act of worship, even your studying and your work. Refrain from worldly matters unless absolutely necessary.

-Prepare yourself in these last few days for worship.

-Try your best to pray taraweeh every night.

-Watch carefully for laylatul Qadr (the night of destiny) which is better than a thousand months.
-some scholars say it’s the night of the 27th
-others say it’s the 17th
-more commonly it’s said to be in the last 10 nights,
especially on an odd night.
-The point is to worship Allah every night of the month in hopes to find this blessed night.

Some sunnahs to observe:
-Hasten to break your fast when you are sure the sun has set
-Delay your suhur til about 15 minutes before fajr
-Feed the people who are fasting at the time they break their fast (even if it’s just a date!)
-Do not eat much because the purpose of fasting is to subdue our desires for food, not to indulge them.

Hadith: “The one who fasts has two joys, one when breaking his fast, the other when meeting his Lord”

Hadith: “The odor of the fasting man’s mouth is more fragrant to Allah than that of musk”

Six benefits of Ramadan:
1) Forgiveness of all previous sins
2) Freedom from the hellfire. The Prophet said that there are people freed from the hellfire every night in Ramadan.
3) Dua is answered.
4) The night of power (laylat al-qadr)
5) Allah’s happiness with His servants. Hadith: “All good deeds of the son of Adam are multiplied ten to seven hundredfold, except fasting, for it is Mine, and I shall reward a man for it, for he has left his appetite, his food and drink for My sake!”
6) Multiplied rewards: sunnah counts as fard. And the fard counts as 70 times.

Six ways to attain Ramadan benefits:
1) The Quran: every single letter is a reward. Ramadan is the month of the quran.
2) Sadaqah: The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wasallam) was the most generous in Ramadan.
3) Maintaining kinship ties.
4) Dua: Prepare 5-6 duas and repeat them every day.
5) Taraweeh and qiyam
6) Salah in the masjid

-Use your youth and energy to make this the best Ramadan you ever had. We never know what’s going to happen to us by next year.

August 30th: Canceled

2007-09-11T10:20:00.000-05:00

August 23rd: Fasting

2007-08-28T15:32:00.000-05:00

by sr. Hajira Ali

Does anyone have good notes from this halaqah? Please email them to me so I can post them inshaAllah...

salam,
Dana

August 16th: Verses from Surat Al-Furqan

2007-08-21T08:22:00.000-05:00

Surat Al-Furqan (63-77)

The Attributes of the Servants of the Most Gracious

Verse 63:
-And the servants of the Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth Hawna, and when the foolish address them they say; "Salama.''

-Those are the beloved servants to Allah

-meaning that they walk with dignity and humility, not with arrogance and pride.

-Aya: (And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance...) (17:37)

-Hadith: (When you come to the prayer, do not come rushing in haste. Come calmly and with tranquility, and whatever you catch up with, pray, and whatever you miss, make it up.)

-If the ignorant people insult them with bad words, they do not respond in kind, but they forgive and overlook, and say nothing but good words. This is what the Messenger of Allah did: the more ignorant the people, the more patient he would be.

Verse 64:
-And those who spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrate and standing.

-Notice that prostration is mentioned before standing because it’s more superior.

-Notice that they are always in a state of worship, day and night.

-Aya: (They used to sleep but little by night. And in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness) (51:17-18).

Verse 65:
-And those who say: "Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment.''

-“gharamaa” meaning, ever-present and never ending.

Verse 66:
-Evil indeed it is as an abode and as a place to rest in.

Verse 67:
-And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, but are in a just balance between them.

-They are not extravagant (in food, drink, clothing, etc), spending more than they need, nor are they miserly towards their families, not spending enough on their needs. But they follow the best and fairest way. The best of matters are those which are moderate, neither one extreme nor the other.

-Aya: (And let not your hand be tied to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach.)(17:29)

Verse 68:
-And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah

-Hadith: "The Messenger of Allah was asked which sin is the most serious'' He said: (That you appoint a rival to Allah when He has created you.) He asked, "Then what'' He said: (That you kill your child for fear that he may eat with you.) He said, "Then what'' He said: (That you commit adultery with your neighbor's wife.) Then this aya was revealed.

-nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause,

-nor commit illegal sexual intercourse -- and whoever does this shall receive Athama.

-“aathama”: could be a valley in hellfire for the punishment of adulterers, or it could just refer to punishment in general.

Verse 69:
- The torment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace

Verse 70:
- Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

-those who repent in this world to Allah from all of those deeds, for then Allah will accept their repentance. This is evidence that the repentance of the murderer is acceptable.

-Aya: (Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him, but He forgives except that to whom He wills) (4:48)

Verse 71:
- And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds; then indeed he has repented to Allah Mataba.

-Hadith: (I know the last person who will be brought forth from Hell, and the last person who will enter Paradise. A man will be brought and it will be said, "Take away his major sins and ask him about his minor sins.'' So it will be said to him: "On such and such a day, you did such and such, and on such and such a day, you did such and such.'' He will say, "Yes, and he will not be able to deny anything.'' Then it will be said to him: "For every evil deed you now have one good merit.'' He will say: "O Lord, I did things that I do not see here.'') He (Abu Dharr) said: "And the Messenger of Allah smiled so broadly that his molars could be seen.'' Muslim recorded it.

-Aya: (And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) (4:110).

Verse 72:
- And those who do not bear witness to falsehood, and if they pass by some evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity.

- refers to giving false testimony, which means lying deliberately to someone else.

- They do not attend where falsehood occurs, and if it so happens that they pass by it, they do not let it contaminate them in the slightest.

Verse 73:
-And those who, when they are reminded of the Ayat of their Lord (when advice is given to them), fall not deaf and blind thereat.

-Aya: (Those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord.) (8:2)

-Unlike the disbelievers. When they hear the Words of Allah, they are not affected by them or moved to change their ways. They persist in their disbelief, wrongdoing, ignorance and misguidance.

Verse 74:
-And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of those who have Taqwa.''

-means those who ask Allah to bring forth from their loins offspring who will obey Him and worship Him and not associate anything in worship with Him. Ibn `Abbas said, "This means (offspring) who will strive to obey Allah and bring them joy in this world and the Hereafter.

-Hadith: (When a son of Adam dies, his deeds cease apart from three: a righteous child who will pray for him, knowledge from which others may benefit after him, or ongoing charity.)

Verse 75:
-Those will be rewarded with the highest place because of their patience. Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect.

-“Al-ghurfah”: is jannah, the high place.

-Kinds of patience:
1) with tests
2) avoiding sin
3) doing good

-This means that they will be greeted first with words of welcome and honor. Peace will be theirs and they will be wished peace. And angels shall enter unto them from every gate, saying, "Peace be upon you for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!''

Verse 76:
- Abiding therein -- excellent it is as an abode, and as a place to rest in.

Verse 77:
-Say O Muhammad: "My Lord pays attention to you only because of your invocation to Him. But now you have indeed denied. So the torment will be yours forever.''

-meaning, He would not care to pay attention to you if you did not worship Him, for He only created mankind to worship Him Alone and to glorify Him morning and evening.

-then Allah addresses the disbelievers: So your denial will remain with you forever, i.e., it will lead to your punishment, doom and destruction in this world and the Hereafter.

August 9th: Surat Al-Qiyamah

2007-08-15T12:43:00.000-05:00

Surat Al-Qiyamah

Verse 1:
-Nay! I swear by the Day of Resurrection

Verse 2:
-And nay! I swear by An-Nafs Al-Lawwamah
-This is the nafs of the believer, the nafs that blames oneself for leaving an act of worship or committing a sin.

Verse 3:
-Does man think that We shall not assemble his bones

Verse 4:
-Yes, We are able to put together in perfect order the tips of his fingers.
- One of the kuffar came to the Prophet (pbuh) and told him: How does Allah re-assemble bones?!
-This aya came as an answer to him. Not only is Allah capable of re-assembling bones but He will resurrect the smallest details like out finger prints (each person has a unique finger print).

Verse 5:
-Meaning that indeed the human being wants to continue with his unrighteousness with this denial of resurrection.
-He wants to set out like an animal, following his desires. That’s why he denies the day of judgment.

Verse 6:
-He asks: "When will be this Day of Resurrection''
-Their question is one of mockery here.

Verse 7:
-So when their eyesight strayed in all directions
-Meaning when they see the horrors of judgment day.

Verse 8:
-And the moon will be eclipsed.

Verse 9:
- And the sun and moon will be joined together.

Verse 10:
- On that Day man will say: "Where (is the refuge) to flee''
- This is said in desperation because it’s obvious that there’s nowhere to flee.

Verse 11:
- No! There is no refuge!

Verse 12:
- Unto your Lord will be the place of rest that Day.
- There’s no where to run from Allah but to Him.

Verse 13:
- On that Day man will be informed of what he sent forward, and what he left behind.
-Meaning that we will be told of all our deeds, small and big… the ones we did while alive and the ones we attained after death (because of a good or bad sunnah we started).

Verse 14:
- Nay! Man will be a witness against himself.
-It will be said to us: "Read your book. You are sufficient as a reckoner against yourself this Day.'' (al-isra 14)

Verse 15:
- Even if he put forth any excuse he could think of.
- "This means, even though he argues in defense of it, he is a witness against it.''

How the Prophet received the Revelation

Allah is teaching His Messenger how to receive the revelation from the Gibril. For verily, he (the Prophet ) was rushing in his attempts to grasp the revelation and he would be reciting the revelation with the angel while he was reciting it. Therefore, Allah commanded him that when the angel brings some revelation to him he should just listen. Allah would make sure to collect it in his chest, and He would make it easy for him to recite it in the same way that it was revealed to him. Allah would explain it, interpret it and clarify it for him. So the first phase was gathering it in his chest, the second phase was recitation and the third phase was its explanation and clarification of its meaning.

Verse 16:
-Don’t move your tongue by repeating the revelation to hasten your memorization to it

Verse 17:
-It is upon Us to gather it in your chest so you memorize it

Verse 18:
-And when We have recited it to you, then follow its recitation.
-Meaning that when Jibril is reciting it upon you, listen until he is done and pay attention.

Verse 19:
-Then it is for Us to make it clear.
-Allah here is telling the Prophet (pbuh) that He will make the Quran clear to him afterwards.

-After this, the Prophet (pbuh) would listen quietly and then he’d be able to recite the verses just as Allah promised him.
-Al-Bukhari's wording says, "So whenever Jibril would come to him he would be silent, and when Jibril had left he would recite it just as Allah, the Mighty and Sublime had promised him.''

The Cause of rejecting the Day of Judgement is Love of the World and Heedlessness of the Hereafter:

Verse 20:
-But no! Rather you love the present life of this world,

Verse 21:
-And neglect the Hereafter.
-meaning, the only thing that has caused them to reject the Day of Judgement and oppose the true revelation and the Mighty Qur'an Allah revealed to His Messenger is that their only concern is the present worldly life. They are preoccupied and distracted from the Hereafter.

Verse 22:
-Some faces that Day shall be Radiant

Verse 23:
-Looking at their Lord
-Al-Bukhari in his Sahih: (Verily, you all will see your Lord with your own eyes.)
-Recorded in Sahih Muslim: (When the people of Paradise enter the Paradise, Allah will say, `Do you want me to give you anything extra' They will say, `Haven't you whitened our faces Haven't you entered us into Paradise and saved us from the Fire' Then He will remove the veil and they will not be given anything more beloved to them than looking at their Lord, and that will be the extra (Ziyadah).)

Verse 24:
-And some faces that Day will be gloomy
-Faces of the sinners

Verse 25:
-Thinking that some calamity is about to fall on them.
- “tathunnu”: they are certain that they will be destroyed.
-Allah (swt) says in surat Al-Imran: (On the Day when some faces will become white and some faces will become black.) (3:106)

Certainty will occur at the Time of Death:

Verse 26:
-Nay, when it reaches to the collarbones

Verse 27:
-And it will be said: "Who can cure him''
-This marks the beginning of eternal life

Verse 28:
-And he will think that it was the parting
-Meaning, that the person will know that their time of death has come.

Verse 29:
-And one shank will be joined with another shank.
-Meaning that one leg will wrap around the other one. This could be out of fear of what’s going to happen.. or it could be referring to how the legs are wrapped in the shroud.

Verse 30:
-The drive will be on that Day to your Lord!
-Meaning that everyone will be brought for judgment infront of Allah (swt).

Mentioning the Case of the Denier:

Verse 31:
-So, he neither believed nor prayed!
-This is to inform about the disbeliever who used to deny the truth in his heart in the abode of this worldly life, and he used to turn away from acting according to its way.

Verse 32:
-But on the contrary, he denied and turned away!

Verse 33:
-Then he walked in conceit to his family admiring himself!
-Allah also says: (Verily, he was among his people in joy! Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!) (84:13,14)
-“yatammatta”: some scholars say that these verses refer to abu Jahl, he used to walk very arrogantly.

Verse 34:
-Woe to you! And then woe to you!

Verse 35:
-Again, woe to you! And then woe to you!
-This is a definite warning and threat from Allah to those who disbelieve in Him and strut about when walking.
-The Prophet (pbuh) said this to abu Jahl..then the verses were revealved.
-Abu Jahl’s response: `Are you threatening me, O Muhammad By Allah! Neither you nor your Lord are able to do anything, and verily, I am the mightiest person walking between its (Makkah's) two mountains.'

Now the surah goes back to it’s beginning topic, the resurrection:

Verse 36:
-Does man think that he will be left neglected
-Meaning, not resurrected? Not commanded during life and prohibited, etc?
-We’re not left alone even in the grave.

Verse 37:
-Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted
-meaning, was not man a weak drop of sperm from a despised fluid known as semen, that is emitted from the loins into the wombs
-reflect on our origin.

Verse 38:
-Then he became an `Alaqah; then shaped and fashioned in due proportion.

Verse 39:
-And made of him two sexes, male and female.)
-meaning, he became a clot, then a lump of flesh, then he was formed and the soul was blown into him. Then he became a perfect creation with healthy limbs, as either a male or a female by the permission and decree of Allah.

Verse 40:
-Is it not so then, that He would be able to give life to the dead
-meaning, is not He Who made this perfect creation from this weak drop of sperm able to repeat that as He did originally
-At this, the Prophet (pbuh) used to say:`Glory to You, of course.'

August 2nd: Anger Management

2007-08-15T12:41:00.000-05:00

by sr. Hajira Ali

Notes will be posted by Homa inshaAllah.

July 26th: Trustworthiness

2007-07-31T07:51:00.000-05:00

Trustworthiness (al-Amanah)

-It’s one of the two characteristics that the Prophet (may Allah bless him) was known for even before he became a prophet.

Hadiths:
"Five prayers, from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer and rendering trusts are an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals)."

"Guarantee for me to do six things and I shall guarantee for you paradise; be truthful if you speak, keep your word when you promise, render whatever you are entrusted with, protect your private parts (from sin), lower your gaze and do not harm anyone”
-How many of those six do we do?

"Three are the signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks he tells a lie, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays."

“'There is no faith for he who lacks trustworthiness and there is no religion for he who can't keep a vow.”
-This hadith is extremely alarming!
-Does this mean that an untrustworthy person has no faith? Of course not. It means that unless he becomes trustworthy, his faith will never be complete.
-Let’s all vow that we’ll never break a promise or be disloyal.

“Pay the deposit to him who deposited it with you, and do not betray him who betrayed you”

-so where’s that bracelet you borrowed a couple of months ago from your friend? Did you ever return it?

-Did you know that the lack of trustworthiness is a sign of the day of judgment?

Types of Trusts:
1) Money and Deposits:
-hadith: "A Muslim is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe"

-Before he starts his hijra (the migration from Makkah to Madinah) journey, Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) cared very much for returning the deposits he had to their owners!

2) Honesty in Selling, Buying and Doing one's work:
-hadith: "The truthful and honest tradesman is with Prophets, truthful persons and martyrs in the Day of Judgment".
-Nowadays, a doctor might ask his patients to do unnecessary x-rays or tests only because there are mutual interests between him and the x-ray labs.
-The mechanic, who replaces parts of your car with new ones, though the old ones are still valid

3) Keeping secrets:
-hadith: "If a man talks to another, and he looks around him to make sure no one else hears what he says, then what he says is a trust"

4) Trustworthiness in gender relations:
-The example of Sayyidna Musa and his modesty in dealing with the two ladies he helped out.
-Don't use excuses to talk to people of the opposite gender. Interaction should be limited and for a purpose.

5) Trustworthiness with Wives:
-husbands do not own their wives
-The wife is a trust that the husband has, hence the marriage contract.
-Aya: Allah says what can be translated as, "…and they have taken from you a strong pledge?" (TMQ, 4:21).

6) Children’s Trustworthiness:
-Young men or women who take money from their parents behind their back are being untrustworthy.
-A girl who makes a relation with a man behind her parents back is betraying them.
-Aya: "…and you reckoned it was a simple thing, and in the Reckoning of Allah it is a tremendous thing" (TMQ, 24: 15).

So, let us extend our definition a bit and say, "Trustworthiness is to preserve all the blessings that were granted to you by Allah".

-Your children are a trust: raise them well, not just by buying them everything they need.
-your health: don’t smoke, etc.
-your eyes: look out: wear hijab to preserve that trust that Allah has given you.
-your fortune
-your knowledge
-your family

Hadith: “A servant of Allah will remain standing on the Day of Judgment till he is questioned about his age and how he spent it; and about his knowledge and how he utilized it; about his wealth from where he acquired it and in what (activities) he spent it; and about his body as to how he used it.”

7) The Trust of Protecting Islam:
-This is the greatest trust of all.
-You are responsible for Islam as you will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment.
-Do you really recite the Qur'an?
-Do you attend those lessons instructing you about your religion?
-Do you work on guiding your dear ones to the path of Allah?

-Aya: "You have been the most charitable nation brought out to mankind: you command good, and forbid evil, and believe in Allah" (TMQ, 3: 110)
- Don’t ever think that it is the responsibility of scholars only. You are responsible for passing along the knowledge we learn here.

8) Lost & Found:
Scroll down to the end of this entry for the "Fiqh of lost and found", taken from SunniPath.com answers.

These are some of the trusts we have to take care of. It is such a heavy burden, isn’t it?

-Aya: "Surely We presented the to the heavens, the earth and mountains. Yet they refused to carry it and were afraid of it (of the responsibility), and man carried it/assumed it. Surely he has been constantly unjust, constantly ignorant" (TMQ, 33: 72).
-The heavens, the earth and the mountains refused to bear the trust because it is too heavy of a burden!

I hope that our concept of trustworthiness has now broadened and that we will be more careful about keeping our trusts. May Allah help us all to keep what we are entrusted with.

_______________________________________________________

The Fiqh of Lost & Found: What are the rules pertaining to lost and found goods?

Answered by Sidi Sohail Hanif

What are the rules pertaining to lost and found goods?

There are a number of rules concerning lost and found goods. In fact, books of fiqh normally have an entire chapter devoted to the topic.

The basic rules can be understood from the following points. These are summarised from Ibn ‘Abidin’s Radd al-Muhtar [3:317, Bulaq] and Shaykh ‘Ali Haydar’s extensive commentary on Majalla al-Ahkam al-‘Adaliyya, the Ottoman law code [articles 769 and 770].

If somebody finds an item, it can fall into one of the following categories: An item known to be purposely discarded by its owner. A perishable item deemed customarily to be of no value and concerning which one is reasonably sure that the owner will not care to look for it. e.g. a lone pear found floating in a stream, or a walnut found on the pavement. An item deemed to be of value to its owner. If i or ii above, then one can use it as one wishes without having need to announce that one has found the item in question. If iii then the item is termed a ‘lost and found good’ (luqata). It is impermissible to take the good for ones own consumption. One may either take it to return it to its owner or leave it in its place. The particular circumstances dictate which is superior, taking or leaving.

If one is able to announce the lost item and undertake the search for the owner then it is superior to pick it up. Imam al-Sarakhsi mentions in al-Mabsut that in taking it and returning it to it’s owner is fulfilling a trust which is a praiseworthy act in accordance with the noble verse ‘Indeed Allah commands you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due’ [4:58] If one suspects that one will fall short in the fulfilling the legal requirements of handling a lost and found item then it is superior to leave it. If one fears that if one does not take it somebody else will steal it then it is obligatory to take it. If one feels certain of oneself that one can not fulfil the rules pertaining to lost and found goods then one it is forbidden for one to take it. If one does take it then one must take the following measures: o Announce to those in the vicinity that one is taking this item to return it to its owner. If one is unable to announce one’s intent (ishhad) when taking the item due to the absence of witnesses, then one should do so when able.

o Undertake a general announcement (ta`rif) concerning the found item so as to locate the owner. This can take any means necessary and should be widespread enough so as to locate the owner.

o After having undertaken the above steps one has fulfilled the conditions of the lost and found good and it is considered entrusted to one’s care (amana) meaning that one is not liable to cover the costs for any accidental damage or destruction that may befall the item when in one’s care.

If a person comes and claims that he is the owner then one may hand it over to him if he provides evidence that it is his, or is able to describe it exactly or if one just feels certain in ones heart that he is the owner.

If one were to give it to someone, being convinced by his claim and thereafter the real owner were to come with a clear proof that the item found belonged to him then he takes the item from the false claimer if it is still in one piece. If it has been destroyed he is given its value from either the finder or the false claimer.

To facilitate this process the scholars mention that it is often better to describe the object only in general terms, for example ‘a wallet’, and then let someone claiming to be the owner to describe it in detail.

One keeps announcing the good and searching for its owner until a sufficient amount of time has passed such that one does not believe that the owner is still looking for it and cannot be located. In the case of perishable goods such as food items one keeps announcing until one fears that they will rot. One may then either,

i. keep holding on to it with the intention of returning it to the owner. This of course is only an option with non perishable goods.

ii. give either the item or it’s value in charity with the intention of donating the reward to the owner,

iii. sell it with the intention of giving the money to the owner.

If the owner should present himself thereafter:

o If one had given it in charity, the owner can either approve of the charity in which case he has the reward for the charity or demand the value of the good from the person who had given it in charity.

o If one had sold it, then the owner can either take the money from the sale or cancel the transaction and demand the original item from person who had bought it.

These are the main rules mentioned concerning this quite taxing responsibility. Further details may be found in books of fiqh such as the two aforementioned sources. What can be learnt from this is the great emphasis that Islam places on fulfilling and safeguarding the rights of our fellow human beings. People freely indulging in other people’s property and disregarding their rights are quite far from the high, noble ideals of the religion. May Allah give us tawfiq in giving all people their due rights.

Sohail Hanif

"Rights of Neighbors" 7/12/07

2007-07-23T20:26:00.000-05:00

"Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;"Qur'an (Surah Nisaa, 4:36)
the Prophet (S) said that angel Jibril (AS) continued to advise him at one point about neighbors until he thought they'd inherit from him
narrated by Abu Dharr (RA): 'if you make soup, put extra water in it and be considerate of your neighbors' [hadith paraphrased]
narrated by Abu Huraira: 'by Allah he does not believe whose neighbors aren't safe from him' [hadith paraphrased]
entering jannah will be delayed if you were bad to your neighbors
'anyone who believes in the Last Day and in Allah should not harm his neighbors' [hadith paraphrased]
'the best of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is best to their neighbors' [hadith paraphrased]
'the most important thing with neighbors is keeping harm from them and being patient with their harm' [hadith paraphrased]
the rights of neighbors:

be friendly/nice to them
protect the honor of their family, especially the women
occasionally send them gifts
don't cause them harm, help them when needed, visit them when they're sick

forgiving someone is more rewarded than keeping a grudge

The Rights of Brotherhood (Imam Ghazali)

material assistance

brotherhood is like 2 hands washing each other, helping one another out; why? because they have the same goal: submission
there are 3 degrees of brotherhood

1) treating them like servants (e.g.: if there is extra food, you give them the leftovers)
2) equal treatment (e.g.: eating at the same time, from the same pot)
3) putting your brother or sister before you (e.g.: making them eat before you do)

the third level is undoubtedly the best to be at, and is the most selfless
example of Umar's (RA) son: when offered meat, he refused it on account of his neighbors, told the man to offer it to them first; everyone in the neighborhood was so selfless, eventually the meat came back to him (subhanallah!)
the dearer to Allah swt is the nicer of the friends

2. personal aid

your fellow Muslims' needs are more important than your own

3. holding one's tongue

you shouldn't mention others' faults
don't contradict others or argue with them
don't quiz them about affairs (e.g.: where were you last night, I saw you come home at 2 am!)
stay silent about their secrets
don't hide praises about them (just keep it modest)
be tolerant of others, observe silence in your heart, and give up suspicion
conceal others' faults <-- **this is the mark of religious people** <--
staying silent when you're right is harder on the soul, but more rewarded

4. speaking out to defend each other

mutual love is necessary by sacred law
praise each others good qualities (don't forget to say "mashaa'Allah")
genuine Islam (submission) is to not love what's not what you'd love for yourself (so basically if you don't love for muslims what you love for yourself, you haven't attained true faith yet)

5. forgiving failures in (1) religion and (2) in your rights

advise against sinning against Allah, but with the proper adab and attitude
accept others' apologies, whether it's real or fake!!!

6. prayer

make du'a for your Muslim brothers and sisters
remember that the angels around you say 'ameen! may the same be for you' (i.e.: make good du'as!!)

7. loyalty/sincerity

even in their absence we should be loyal and sincere, as if they were present
loyalty to your br or sr means NOT listening to gossip or ill talk about them

8. relief from discomfort

ease each others' discomforts; why? for the sole reason of love for Allah!

There are 3 types of people:

those you benefit from
those benefitting someone else but not receiving benefit
those you can't get benefit from and cannot help you and will actually hurt you

July 5th: Selflessness

2007-07-06T08:31:00.000-05:00

selflessness (al-eethar)

Hadith: “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself.”

Meaning of Al-Eethar: giving preference to others over yourself and considering their happiness and welfare before your own for the sake of Allah.

Examples of Al-eethar:
In a severe winter's night in Al-Madinah, a woman of the Ansar (The Muslims of Madinah who sponsored and defended the Call to Islam) brought a woven velvet cloak to the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet (PBUH) took it, as he was in need of it to protect himself from the severe cold. Then, the Prophet (PBUH) came out wearing it for the first time, just as you would buy a new suit and wear it for the first time. One of the Companions from the Ansar looked at him and said, “How nice it is! O Messenger of Allah, give it to me”. What would your reaction be if you were in the place of the Prophet? The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Yes” and gave it to him on the spot. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Do you realize the meaning of al-’eethar now? The Companions became angry with the Ansari and told him, “the Prophet is in need of it!” The man replied, “I am in need of it more than he is. I want to make it my shroud when I die”.

Another example:
Twenty three years after the mission of the Prophet (PBUH) had started, Makkah and Khaibar were opened (to Islam) and booty was gained. During this period of the mission, the Prophet and the Companions were suffering hardships and poverty to the extent that the Prophet (PBUH) used to fasten two stones against his stomach out of hunger. After Allah had granted Muslims victory, the Prophet's share of booty was a number of sheep enough to cover the space between two mountains. Imagine! Such a huge number of sheep became the possession of a poor man who had experienced poverty for such a long time. However, the Prophet (PBUH) sought the reward of the hereafter. An Arabian came to the Prophet and looked at the booty. The Prophet asked him, “Do you like it?” The Arabian answered, “Yes.” The Prophet said, “It is yours.” The Arabian wondered, “O Muhammad! Are you serious? The Prophet said, “Yes, take it if you wish”. Do you imagine to what extent one can prefer others to himself? The Arabian ran to the sheep and looking all around him took them all. Then he returned to his people, saying, “Embrace Islam. I have just been with the best man that ever has been. Muhammad gives with the generosity of a person who has no fear of poverty”.

Another example:
A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and told him that he had nothing to eat. The Prophet sent a messenger to ask his wives if they had food. However, when they were asked, each replied, “No, by Allah I have nothing except water.” The Prophet stood and called his Companions, “Who will entertain this man as a guest?” An Ansari said, “I will, O Messenger of Allah.” Afterwards, the man took the guest and went quickly to his wife and asked her, “Do you have food?” She replied, “We have nothing except the food of my children” - that is to say, the remaining food that could only suffice their children. Then, he told her, “Make your children forget the food, put them to sleep if they ask for supper, and turn the lamp off when the guest comes so that he would think that we are eating and would eat like us.”
-Nowadays we hide food from each other

There are other examples of the Companions' ‘eethar towards the Prophet (PBUH) in which they were ready to give away their souls not just their money:

On the day of the battle of Uhud, while arrows were shot towards the Prophet (PBUH) from every direction, Abu-Dogana gave preference to the Prophet over himself and hugged him in order to protect him from arrows. Abu-Bakr said, “When I looked at the back of Abu-Dogana, it was pierced by so many arrows that he looked like a hedgehog.” He gave preference to the Prophet over himself and went on doing that although he was wounded. Where is our ‘eethar towards the Prophet? Do we foster his Sunnah?

Examples of the Ansar’s ‘eethar to the Muhajireen:
Sa’d Ibn-Al-Rabi (an Ansari) hosted Abdur-Rahman Ibn-Ouf, a Muhajir (an emigrant). The former said to the latter, “Here is my money. I will divide it between you and me. This is your share and this is mine. Here is my property. I will divide it equally between you and me. I have two wives. See which of the two you like so that I may divorce her and you can marry her after she completes her Iddah (prescribed retreat)”. Can you see to what extent they were practicing al-’eethar? However, Abdur-Rahman Ibn-Ouf was decent and did not make use of this opportunity. He replied, “May Allah grant you good reward. Where is the market?”

-How much clothes do we have? Do we wear all of them or do some still have the tags on them? Why can’t we give them away?
-When we do give away something, do we give from the best that we have? Or do we give our old things that we no longer need?
-The ansar would give from their best.

Benefits of eethar:
-it promises jannah
-it cleans our hearts from its diseases: such as envy, miserliness, jealousy, love of the world.

The eethar of Ikrimah ibn abi jahl at the battle of Yarmuk:
All the wounded were gathered in a certain area until the battle was over. Ikrima's cousin was one of the water carriers i.e. those who were giving the wounded water to drink. He narrates, “I was searching for Ikrima and found him among the injured, wounded, in pain and about to die. He was surrounded by ten other wounded Muslims. I ran to give him water, but when he took the waterskin and was just about to drink he heard a Muslim brother saying, “I am thirsty!” He said “No, I swear by Allah I shall not drink unless my brother drinks first.” I moved to the second. When he was about to drink he heard another brother saying “Ah!” Then he said, “No, I swear by Allah I shall not drink.” Then I went to the next, and the next, and so on, until I reached the tenth soldier, who said “No, I swear I shall not drink unless Ikrima drinks.” I went back to Ikrima to find that he has already passed away as a martyr. He practiced 'eethar even when he was wounded and dying.”

The eethar of Aisha:
W when Omar Ibn-Al-Khattab (RA) was dying after being struck by Lo’lo’a Al-Majoosi, he asked his son Abdulla Ibn-Omar to go to Um al-Mo'mineen, Aisha (RA) and tell her, “Omar Ibn-Al-Khattab, and don’t tell her Amir Al-Mo'mineen for I am not so any more, tell her Omar Ibn-Al-Khattab is requesting your permission to be buried beside his friends (the Prophet (PBUH) and Abu-Bakr (RA)) in her room. She replied, “I wanted that place for myself, but I shall offer it to Omar”. Imagine that she was going to be buried beside her husband and father, i.e. the Prophet (PBUH) and Abu-Bakr (RA). What an honorable burial place! Despite this, the great lady agreed to be buried in the Baqee (a graveyard in Al-Madinah) and offered that place to Omar.

Eethar of Abdullah Ibn-Omar:
Abdullah Ibn Omar used to like the ayah, which can be translated as, “By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness - here it means Allâh’s Reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allâh’s Cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allâh knows it well.”(TMQ 3:92).
-He gave away his fish dinner (nice story)

Imam al-Ghazaly says in his book Al-Ihyaa (The Revival), that there are three levels/grades of al-'eethar:
- First- to give your brother what you would give to a servant, i.e. you eat and give him your leftovers.
- Second- to treat him just like yourself i.e., you give him what you would take for yourself.
- Third- to prefer him over yourself, i.e. provide his needs before yours. His children, for example, will enter school and have no clothes, so before buying clothes for your own children you buy for his.

When we live only for ourselves, we live a short life where we are born small and die small! However when we live for each other we live as great people whose lives would last as long as humanity exists. If you live for others not only yourself, you will find your happiness in other peoples' smiles, your opportunities will be in other peoples' opportunities. You will be extremely happy when you find someone asking Allah (SWT), “May Allah be pleased with him, as he pleased me.” It is a strange yet a great feeling! Try it, and you will feel much more satisfied than you would have been if you had reaped all the benefits for yourself.

To conclude, a good man once said at the moments of his death, “My daughter I don’t fear death any more, even if it came now. I took a lot from life I mean I gave a lot! Sometimes my daughter it is very hard to differentiate between taking and giving, because for a believer they carry the same meaning. Every time I gave, I took. Actually I took more than I gave.”

-Let’s try to do an act of selflessness today

June 28, 2007 Da'wah/Naseeha Halaqah

2007-07-01T18:13:00.000-05:00

given by: Hajira Ali

- "istiqaamah" = calling Muslims to Islaam
- when you're counseling others, don't hide anything, be honest and the rest is up to Allah swt
- don't love people more with your words than your heart (don't exaggerate)
- be good to people and don't backbite -->this is how you can be a good counsel to others, how it'll build trust between people
- the absence of good counsel is indicative of envy; so if you don't advise someone in a matter that needs to be addressed, it probably means you're envious of her/him
=============================
Envy consumes good deeds like fire burns up dry wood (hadith)
=============================
- as sincere Muslims, we should dislike all praise, both for dunya and deen; liking praise can sometimes mean that you think you earned whatever it was that they people praise you for = pride develops

- when someone praises you, you should make the du'a : 'O Allah, do not hold me accountable for what this person has said about me and make me better than that.' (It was narrated that Sayidna Ali would make this dua)

- don't say explicitly what you can say implicitly; this is the more gentle approach, just like how the Prophet (S) was in everything

- hadith: the Prophet (S) said, "He who cannot keep a trust has no faith."

- there are 3 things that are beneath the throne of Allah
1)benefaction
2)kinship ties
3)trust

- be wary of argumentation and wrangling
- when a person starts to argue, shaytan is with him/her

- Story of man who was cursing Abu Bakr (RA) and he stayed quiet until the man said something that really got under his skin, so he replied with a simple refutation; at this point the Prophet(S) left; Abu Bakr (RA) became scared that he did something wrong and asked the Prophet (S) what he did wrong; he (S) replied that the moment he opened his mouth, shaytan came and the Prophet (S) left to get away from shaytan

- it is sufficient evil that at Muslim despises his brother
- humility is the characteristic of the believers
- pride is to deny the truth (and there was another part to this statement that i didn't get)

- signs of a true believer:
>like obscurity (meaning not being famous)
>love the poor
>take advice from any rank; just because a person is poor, it doesn't mean their knowledge is questionable
- these are signs of humility
- we should excuse those who are amiss and give each his right

*anything good that's written is from Allah, and may HE swt forgive me for any mistakes I may have made*

June 21st: Surat An-Nour (part 4)

2007-06-25T11:36:00.000-05:00

Surat An-Nour (53-end)

Verse 53:
- “wa aqsamu billahi jahda aymanahum…”: They swear by Allah their strongest oaths

- “la in amartahum layakhrujun…”: that if only you would order them, they would leave

- “Qul: la tuqsimu ta3atun ma3roofah…”: Say: "Swear you not; obedience is known.

- “inna ALlaha khabeerun bima ta3maloon”: Verily, Allah knows well what you do.

Verse 54:
- “qul atee3u Allaha wa atee3u arrasool…”: Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger

- “fa in tawallaw…”: but if they turn away

- “fa innama 3alaiyhi ma 7ummila wa 3alaykum ma 7ummiltum”: he is only responsible for the duty placed on him (conveying the Message and fulfilling the trust) and you for that placed on you (accepting that, and venerating it and doing as it commanded.)

- “wa in tutee3oohu tahtadu”: If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance, because he calls to the straight path.

- “wama 3ala arrasuli illal-balaghul mubeen”: The Messenger's duty is only to convey (the Message) in a clear way.

Verse 55:
- “wa3ada Allahu allatheena aamanoo minkum wa3amilu assali7at…”: Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds

- “layastakhlifannahum fil ard…”: that He will certainly grant them succession in the land

- “kamas-takhlafa allatheena min qablihim..”: as He granted it to those before them

- “wala yumakinnana lahum deenahum allthee irtada lahum..”: and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion which He has chosen for them

- “wala yubaddilannahum min ba3di khawfihim amna…”: And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear

- “ya3budoonani la yushrikoona be shay2a…”: if they worship Me and do not associate anything with Me

- “waman kafara ba3da thalika fa 2ula2ika hum al-fasiqoon”: But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the rebellious.

Verse 56:
- “wa aqeemu assalata wa ataw azzakata wa atee3u arrasula la3allakum tur7amoon”: And perform the Salah, and give the Zakah and obey the Messenger that you may receive mercy.

Verse 57:
- “la ta7sabanna allatheena kafaru mu3jizeena fil ard…”: `do not think, O Muhammad,' that: the disbelievers can flee from Allah. No, Allah is able to deal with them and He will punish them most severely for that.

- “ma2wahumu annaru wala bi2sal maseer”: Their abode (final destination, place of rest) shall be the Fire -- how terrible the consequences will be for the disbelievers, how evil a place to stay in and how awful a place to rest!

Verse 58: Another command.. The Times when Servants and Young Children should seek Permission to enter
- “ya ayyuhal latheena aamanu..”: O you who believe!

- “liyasta2thinakumu allatheena malakat aymanukum wallatheena lam yablughu al7uluma minkum…”: Let your slaves and slave-girls, and those among you who have not come to the age of puberty ask your permission

- “thalatha marrat”: on three occasions

- “min qabli salatil fajri, wa7eena tada3oona thiyabakum min ath-thaheera, wa min ba3di salatil 3siha2…”: before the Fajr prayer, and while you put off your clothes during the afternoon, and after the `Isha' prayer.

- “thalthu 3awratin lakum…”: (These) three (times) are of privacy for you

- “laysa 3alaykum wala 3alayhim juna7un ba3dahunn, tawwafoona 3alaykum ba3dukum 3ala ba3d…”: other than these times there is no sin on you or on them to move about, attending to each other.

- “yubayyinu Allahu lakum al-ayat wallahu 3aleemun 7akeem”: Thus Allah makes clear the Ayat to you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Verse 59:
- “wa itha balagha al-atfalu minkum al-7uluma…”: And when the children among you come to puberty

- “falyasta2thinu..”: then let them (also) ask for permission

- “kamas-tha2thana allatheena min qablihim…”: as those senior to them (in age) ask permission

- “kathalika yubayyinu Allahu lakum ayatih…”: Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat for you

- “wallahu 3aleemun 7akeem”: And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Verse 60:
- “wal qawa3idu min annisa2i allati la yarjoona nika7an..”: And the Qawa`id among women who do not hope for marriage

- “fa laysa 3alayhinna juna7un an yada3na thiyabahunna ghara mutabarrijatin bizeenah..”: it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment

Meaning, they do not have to cover themselves in the same way that younger women have to.

- “wa an yasta3fifna khayrun lahun..”: But to refrain is better for them. Not removing their outer garment, even though that is permissible for them, is better for them.
- “wallahu samee3un 3aleem…”: And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Verse 61: Eating from One's Relatives' Houses
- “laysa 3alal a3ma 7araj, wala 3alal a3raji 7araj, wala 3alal mareedi 7araj, wala 3ala anfusikum…”: There is no restriction on the blind, nor any restriction on the lame, nor any restriction on the sick, nor on yourselves

- “an ta2kulu min buyootikum…”: if you eat from your houses

- “aw buyooti aba2ikum aw buyooti 2ummahatikum..”: or the houses of your fathers, or the houses of your mothers

- “aw buyuti ikhwanikum aw buyuti akhawatikum…”: or the houses of your brothers, or the houses of your sisters

- “aw buyuti a3mamikum aw buyuti 3ammatikum…”: or the houses of your father's brothers, or the houses of your father's sisters,

- “aw buyuti akhwalikum aw buyuti khalatikum…”: or the houses of your mother's brothers, or the houses of your mother's sisters

- “aw ma malaktum mafati7ahu..”: or (from that) whereof you hold keys

- “aw sadeeqikum..”: or (from the house) of a friend

- “laysa 3alaykum juna7un an ta2kulu jamee3an aw ashtata…”: No sin on you whether you eat together or apart

-Hadith: a man said to the Prophet , "We eat but we do not feel satisfied.'' He said: (Perhaps you are eating separately. Eat together and mention the Name of Allah, and He will bless the food for you.)

- “fa itha dakhltum buyuta…”: But when you enter the houses

- “fasallimu 3ala anfusakum ta7iyyatan min 3indillahi mubarakatan tayyibatan..”: greet one another with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good

-We are commanded to say salam when we enter a place even if it’s empty, the angels will respond.

- “kathalika yubayyinu Allahu lakumul ayati la3allakum ta3qiloon”: Thus Allah makes clear the Ayat to you that you may understand

Verse 62: Asking Permission to leave
- “Innamal mu2minunal latheena 2amanu billahi warasulihi..”: The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger

- “wa itha kanu ma3ahu 3ala amrin jami3in…”: and when they are with him on some common matter

- “lam yath-habu 7atta yasta2thinooh…”: they go not away until they have asked his permission

- “innal latheena yasta2thinoonaka…”: Verily, those who ask your permission

- “2ula2ikal latheena yu2minoona billahi warasulihi…”: those are they who (really) believe in Allah and His Messenger

- “fa ithasta2thanooka li ba3di sha2nihim…”: So if they ask your permission for some affairs of theirs

- “fa2than liman shi2ta minhum…”: give permission to whom you will of them

- “wastaghfir lahum Allah..”: and ask Allah for their forgiveness

- “inna Allaha ghafurun ra7eem”: Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Verse 63: The Etiquette of addressing the Prophet
- “la taj3alu du3a2a arrasuli baynakum kadu3a2i ba3dakum ba3da…”: Make not the calling of the Messenger among you as your calling one of another

- “qad ya3lamu Allahu alltheena yatasallaloona minkum liwatha..”: Allah knows those of you who slip away under shelter.

- “falya7thar allatheena yukhlifuna 3an amrihi…”: And let those beware who oppose the Messenger's commandment.

- “an yuseebahum fitnatun aw yuseebahum 3athabun aleem”: lest some Fitnah should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.

Verse 64:
- “ala inna lillahi mafissamawati wal ard…”: Certainly, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth

- “qad ya3lamu ma antum 3alayh…”: Indeed, He knows your condition

- “wa yawma yurja3una ilyhi..”: and the Day when they will be brought back to Him

- “fa yunabbi2uhum bima 3amilu…”: then He will inform them of what they did.

- “wallahu bikulli shay2in 3aleem”: And Allah is All-Knower of everything.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists, and we ask Him to help us achieve perfection. The end of the Tafsir of Surat An-Nur, to Allah be praise and thanks.

June 14th: Surat An-Nour (part 3)

2007-06-18T11:33:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum wrahmatullah,

this week we covered verses 35-52 of Surat An-Nour, here's a quick summary:

Verse 35:
- “Allahu nurus-samawati wal ardh…”: Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.

- “Mathalu noorihi…”: The parable of His Light…

- “kamishkatin…”: as (if there were) a niche.

- “feeha misba7…”: and within it a lamp.

- “almisba7u fee zujajah…”: the lamp is in clear glass

- “azujajatu ka2annaha kawkabun duriyy…”: the glass is as if it were a shining bright star made of pearls…

- “Yuwqadu min shajaratin mubarakah…”: lit from a blessed tree

- “zaytunatin…”: an olive tree

- “la sharqiyatin wala gharbiyyah…”: neither of the east nor of the west
-means, it is not in the eastern part of the land so that it does not get any sun in the first part of the day, nor is it in the western part of the land so that it is shaded from the sun before sunset, but it is in a central position where it gets sun from the beginning of the day until the end, so its oil is good and pure and shining.

- “yakadu zaytuha yudhee2u walaw lam tamsashu nar…”: whose oil would almost glow forth (by itself), though no fire touched it.

- “nurun 3ala nur…”: Light upon light.

- “yahdillahu linoorihi man yasha2…”: Allah guides to His Light whom He wills.

- “wa yadribullahul-2amthala linnasi wallahu bikulli shay2in 3aleem”: And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.

Verse 36:
- “fee buyutin athina Allahu 2an turfa3a…”: In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised

- “wa yuthkara feeha ismuh..”: in them His Name is remembered.

- “yusabbi7u lahu feeha bilghuduwi wal asali rijal.”: Therein glorify Him in the mornings and in the evenings.

Verse 37:
- “Rijalun la tulheehim tijaratun wala bay3un 3an thikr Allah wa eeqam assalati wa 2eeta2i zzakati…”: Men whom neither trade nor business diverts from the remembrance of Allah nor from performing the Salah nor from giving the Zakah

- “yakhafoona yawman tatawallabu feehil qulubu walabsar”: They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned.)

Verse 38:
- “liyajziyahumu Allahu ahsana ma 3amiloo…”: That Allah may reward them according to the best of their deeds…Meaning that their evil deeds will be overlooked.

- “wa yazeedahum min fadhlih…”: and add even more for them out of His grace. Meaning that Allah will even multiply their good deeds.

- “Wallahu yarzuqu man yasha2u bighayri 7isab.”: And Allah provides without measure to whom He wills.

Verse 39: Two Parables of Disbelief
- “wallatheena kafaroo a3maluhum kasarabin biqee3ah…”: As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage in a vast flat land

- “ya7sabuhu atham2anu ma2a..”: The thirsty one thinks it to be water

- “7atta itha ja2ahu lam yajdhu shay2a…”: until he comes to it, he finds it to be nothing

- “wawajada Allaha 3indahu…”: but he finds Allah with him

- “fawaffahu 7isabah”: and Allah reckoned his actions and gave him his due

- “wallahu saree3ul 7isab”: and Allah is swift/quick in taking account.

1) This is the parable of the righteous works of a disbeliever, they are like a mirage.
The disbeliever thinks that he is doing something good and that he has achieved something, but when Allah judges him on the Day of Resurrection, and brings him to account and examines his deeds, he will find that nothing has been accepted at all.

Verse 40:
- “aw kathulumatin fee ba7rin lujjiyyin…”: Or like the darkness in a vast deep sea

- “yaghshahu mawjun min fawqihi mawjun min fawqihi sa7ab…”: overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by dark clouds

- “thulumatun ba3dhuha fawqa ba3d…”: layers of darkness upon darkness

- “itha akhraja yadahu lam yakad yaraha…”: if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it!

- “wa man lam yaj3al Allahu lahu nouran fa malahu min nour”: And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light

2) This is the parable of the heart of the disbeliever heart is so dark and just has darkness upon darkness.

Verse 41:
- “Alam tara anna Allaha yusabbi7u lahu man fissamawati wal ardh”: didn’t you see how Allah is glorified by remembrance from everything that is in the heavens and the earth

- “wattayru saffatin…”: and the birds with wings outstretched

- Meaning, while they are flying they glorify their Lord and worship Him with the glorification with which they are inspired and to which they are guided.

- “kullun qad 3alima salatahu watasbee7ah…”: meaning, He has guided every creature to its own way of worshiping Allah

- “wallahu 3aleemun bima yaf3aloon”: and Allah is All-Aware of what they do

Verse 42:
- “wa lillahi mulku assamawati wal ardh wa ila Allah almasseer”: And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the return (on the day of judgement).

Verse 43: The Power of Allah to create the Clouds and that which comes from Them
- “alam tara anna Allaha yuzjee sa7aban…”: See you not that Allah drives the clouds gently

- “thumma yu2allifu baynahu…”: then joins them together after they have been scattered

- “thumma yaj3alhu rukama…”: then makes them into a heap of layers, He piles on top of each other.

- “fataral wadqa yakhruju min khilaleh..”: and you see the rain come forth from between them

- “wa yunazzilu min assama2i min jibalin feeha min barad…”: and He sends down from the sky, from mountains in it of ice..this is a metaphor for the clouds in the sky that bring down the hail.. they are great as mountains.

- “fa yuseebu bihi man yasha2…”: and strikes therewith whom He wills

- “wa yasrifhu 3amman yasha2…”: and averts it from whom He wills

-Allah lets the blessing of rain/ the punishment of hail reach whomever He wills, and it will not reach whoever He wills.

- “yakadu sana barqihi yath-habu bil absar”: The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.

Verse 44:
- “yuqallibu Allahu allayla wannahar..”: Allah causes the night and the day to succeed each other

- “inna fee thalika la3ibratan li2ulil absar.”: Truly, in this is indeed a lesson for those who have insight.

Verse 45: Allah's Power in His creation of the Animals
- “wallahu khalaqa kulla dabbatin min maa2…”: Allah has created every moving creature from water

- “faminhum man yamshee 3ala batnihi..”: Of them there are some that creep on their bellies (like snakes)

- “waminhum man yamshee 3ala rijlayn…”: and some that walk on two legs (like humans)

- “wa minhum man yamshee 3ala arba3…”: and some that walk on four (like cattle)

- “yakhluqul Allahu ma yasha2…”: Allah creates what He wills

- “Inna Allaha 3ala kulli shay2in qadeer”: Verily, Allah is able to do all things

-So everything was created from water, yet look at the vast differences of species that exist.

Verse 46:
- “laqad anzalna ayatin mubayyinatin wallahu yahdee man yasha2u ila siratin mustaqeem”: We have indeed sent down manifest Ayat. And Allah guides whom He wills to the straight path

Verse 47: The Treachery of the Hypocrites and the Attitude of the Believers
- “wa yaqooluna 2amanna billahi warrasuli wa ata3na..”: They say: "We have believed in Allah and in the Messenger, and we obey,''

- “thumma yatawalla rafeequn minhum min ba3di thalika…”: then a party of them turn away thereafter

- “wa ma 2ula2ika bilmu2mineen..”: such are not believers..those are the hypocrites who say what they don’t believe.

Verse 48:
- “wa itha du3oo ila Allahi warasulihi liya7kuma baynahum..”: And when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them

- “itha fareequn minhum mu3ridhoon”: a party of them refuses and turns away.

Verse 49:
- “ wa in yakun lahumul-7aqqu ya2tu ilayhi muth3ineen”: But if the truth is on their side, they come to him willingly with submission

Verse 50:
- “afee qulubihim maradun am irtabu…”: Is there a disease in their hearts Or do they doubt The Prophet?

- “am yakhafoona an ya7eefa Allahu 3alayhim warasuluhu..”: or do they fear that Allah and His Messenger should wrong them in judgment

- “bal 2ula2ika hum atthalimoon”: no, it is they themselves who are the wrongdoers.

Verse 51: on the other hand look at what the believers do…
- “innama kana qawla almu2mineena itha du3oo ila Allahi warasulhi liya7kuma baynahum..”: The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger, to judge between them

- “an yaqoolu sami3na wa ata3na…”: is that they say: "We hear and we obey

- “wa 2ula2ika humul mufli7oon”: And such are the successful

Verse 52:
- “wa man yuti3 Allaha warasoolahu…”: And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger

- “wa yakhsha Allaha…”: fears Allah..from the past sins one has committed

- “wa yattaqihi…”: and has Taqwa of Him in being careful not to commit anymore sins

- “fa 2ula2ika huml fa2izoon”: such are the successful in this world and the next one.

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

June 7th: Surat An-Nour (part 2)

2007-06-11T15:35:00.000-05:00

Surat Annour (verse 21- 34 )

Verse 21:
- “ya ayyuha Allatheena aamanu la tattabi3oo khutuwat Ashaytan…”: This aya is calling those who believe in Allah and His messenger, it’s telling them not to follow the footsteps of Shaytan (like listening to the story of al-ifk and then spreading it)..

- “wa man yattabi3 khutuwat Ashaytan…”: and whoever follows the footsteps of shaytan

- “fa innahu ya2muru bil fa7sha2i walmunkar…”: then he commands ugliness and evil deeds.

- “wa lawla fadlu Allahi 3alaykum wara7matuhu..”: and if it wasn’t for Allah’s grace and mercy…

- “ma zaka minkum min a7adin abada…”: not one of you would have ever been pure from sin…but by His mercy He facilitated the road to repentance…

- “wa lakinna Allaha yuzakee man yasha2..”: But Allah purifies whom He wills..meaning that Allah guides whomever He wills to repent and He accepts this repentance. So Allah purifies us by His generosity and mercy…

- “wallahu samee3un 3aleem”: and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.. meaning that He hears what we say and He knows our intentions, He knows who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be misguided.

Verse 22:
- “wala ya2tali ulul fadhli minkum wass3ah…”: and let not those amongst you who are blessed with wealth…

- “ an yu2too ulil qurba wal masakeena wal muhjireena fee sabeel Allah..”: swear not to give their relatives, the poor, and those who left their homes for Allah’s cause.

- “walya3foo walyasfa7oo…”: and let them forgive this sin and forget the bad that was committed towards them and return back to giving…

- “ala tu7iboona 2an yaghfira Allahu lakum…”: don’t you love for Allah to forgive you for forgiving the person who has wronged you…

- “wallahu ghafoorun ra7eem”: meaning that Allah is ever-forgiving, ever-merciful.
This Ayah was revealed concerning As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, when he swore that he would not help Mistah bin Uthathah after he said what he said about `A'ishah, as we have already seen in the Hadith. When Allah revealed the innocence of the Mother of the believers, `A'ishah, and the believers were happy and content with the outcome of this incident, and those believers who had talked about the matter repented, and the prescribed punishment had been carried out upon those on whom it was carried out, then Allah started to soften the heart of As-Siddiq towards his relative Mistah bin Uthathah. Mistah was the cousin of As-Siddiq, the son of his maternal aunt, and he was a poor man with no wealth except whatever Abu Bakr spent on him. He was one of those who had migrated for the sake of Allah. He had invented the lies and the slander, but then Allah accepted his repentance from that and the prescribed punishment was carried out on him. As-Siddiq was known for his generosity and he did favors to his relatives and strangers alike. When this Ayah was revealed: As-Siddiq said, "Of course, by Allah, we love -- O our Lord -- that You should forgive us.'' Then he resumed his spending on Mistah and said, "By Allah I will never stop spending on him.'' This was to counteract what he had said previously, "By Allah I will never spend on him.'' This proves that he deserved to be called As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him and his daughter.

Then Allah warned those who accuse pure chaste women of sin…

Verse 23: this aya is a warning and threat to the ones who accuse chaste women (especially the mothers of the believers)
- “inna allatheena yarmoonal mu7sanatil ghafilatil mu2minati…”: Verily, those who accuse chaste believing women...

- “lu3inoo fiddunya wal akhirah…”: They have been cursed out of Allah’s mercy in this life and in the hereafter…

- “wa lahum 3athabun 3atheem.”: and for them will be a great torment.

Verse 24:
- “yawma tashhudu 3alayhim 2alsinatuhum wa 2aydeehim wa 2arjuluhum bima kanu ya3maloon”: On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their legs will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.

Verse 25:
- “yawma2ithin yuwafeehum Allahu deenahum Al-7aq”: On that Day Allah will pay them the recompense of their deeds in full

- “waya3lamoona anna Allaha huwal 7aqul mubeen”: and then they will know that Allah is the manifest truth. That His punishment and reckoning are real.

Verse 26:
- “alkhabeethatu lil khabeetheena walkhabeethoona lil khabeethat. Wattayibatu littayyibeena watayyiboona littayyibat…”: evil women are for evil men and evil men are for evil women. And righteous women are for righteous men, and righteous men are for righteous women.

- “2ula2ika mubarra2oona mimma yaqooloon”: such (good people) are innocent of (every) bad statement which is said about them.

- “lahum maghfiratun”: for them is forgiveness, they are forgiven because they were accused of lies (it’s a purification process for their hearts).

- “wa rizqun kareem”: and honored provision.) meaning, with Allah in the Gardens of Delight. This is also a promise for Aisha to be the Prophet’s wife in jannah.

Seeking Permission and the Etiquette of entering Houses…

Verse 27:
- “ya ayyuha latheena 2amanoo la tadkhulu buyootan ghayra buyootikum”: O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own…

- “ 7atta tasta2nisoo wa tusallimoo 3ala ahliha”: until you have asked permission and greeted those in them

- “thalikum khayrun lakum”: that is better for you

- “la3allakum tathakkaroon”: in order that you may remember

One should seek permission three times, and if permission is given, (he may enter), otherwise he should go away.

Verse 28:
- “fa 2in lam tajidoo feeha a7adan…”: and so if you don’t find anyone at home.

- “fa la tadkhulooha 7atta yu2thana lakum…”: so be patient and do not enter until you have been given permission

- “wa in qeela lakum irji3u farji3u”: and if it is said to you go back, so then go back

- “huwa azka lakum”: that is better and purer for you

- “wallahu bima ta3maloona 3aleem”: and Allah has knowledge of what you do

That was regarding homes that are occupied.. how about homes that abandoned?...

Verse 29:
- “laysa 3alaykum juna7un…”: There is no sin on you

- “an tadkhuloo buyootan ghara maskoonnatin…”: that you enter houses uninhabited.. (so here you don’t have to ask permission)

- “feeha mata3un lakum…”: (when) you have any interest in them.. or need..
-like you want to stand in the shade, or shelter yourself from a storm, etc.

- “wallahu ya3lamu ma tubdoona wama taktumoon”: and Allah knows what you reveal and what you conceal. Meaning that if you enter this home to commit a sin then Allah knows it…

Verse 30:
- “wa qul lilmu2mineena yaghuddoo min absarihim..”: and tell the believing men to lower their gazes. Meaning not to look at anyone who is not a mahram…because one look can plant a seed of desire, lust and love in the heart…

- “wa ya7fathoo furoojahum…”: and protect their private parts. Since looking provokes the heart to evil, Allah commanded (the believers) to protect their private parts just as he commanded them to protect their gaze which can lead to that

- “thalika azka lahum”: That is purer for them. means, it is purer for their hearts and better for their commitment to religion, as it was said: Whoever protects his gaze, Allah will illuminate his understanding, or his heart.

- “inna Allaha khabeerun bima yasna3oon”: Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do

Verse 31: The command of Hijab
-“wa qul lil mu2minati yaghdudna min absarihinna wa ya7fathna furoojahunna…”: and tell the believing women to lower their gaze, and protect their private parts (from being seen and from committing sin)

meaning, from that which Allah has forbidden them to look at, apart from their husbands. [Some] scholars said that it is permissible for women to look at non-Mahram men without desire, as it was recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah was watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the Masjid on the day of `Id, and `A'ishah the Mother of the believers was watching them from behind him and he was concealing her from them, until she got bored and went away.

And the women have an added special command…

- "wala yubdeena zeenatahunna illa ma thahara minha…”: and not to show off their adornment except that which is apparent.. meaning the face and hands which are apparent.

- “wal yadribna bi khumurihinna 3ala juyoobihin…”: and to draw their veils that they use to cover their heads all over their chests

- “wa la yubdeena zeenatahunna illa libu3oolatihinna..”: and let them not show their adormnets except to their husbands

- “aw aba2ihinna a2 aba2i bu3oolatihin…”: or to their fathers or the fathers of their husbands…

- “aw abna2ihin aw abna2i bu3oolatihin, aw ikhwanihin, aw bani ikhwanihin aw bani akhawatihin”: or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or the sons of their sisters.
-These are all people that a woman cannot marry..(mahram) but a woman should still not make a display out of herself infront of them..

- “aw nisa2ihin..”: meaning the Muslim women.
-Because non-Muslim women cannot be trusted.. as Muslim women have been forbidden from describing each other to men..

HADITH: (No woman should describe another woman to her husband so that it is as if he is looking at her.)

- “aw ma malakat aymanuhunna..”: or their slave girls, even if they are not Muslim. (slave girls do not exist now)

- “awittabi3eena ghayri 2ulil irbati mina rijali…”: men who have no desires.. mentally challenged.. etc.

- “awitifli allatheena lam yathharoo 3ala 3awratinnisa2…”: or children who are not aware of the nakedness of women.

- “wala yadribna bi arjulihinna liyu3lama ma yukhfeena min zeenatihin…”: And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment

- “wa tooboo ila Allahi jamee3an ayyuhal mu2minoona la3allakum tufli7oon”: And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.

Verse 32: The command to marry
- “wanki7ul ayama minkum…: And marry those among you who are single..meaning help them get married

- “wassali7eena min 3ibadikum wa 2ima2ikum…”: and the pious of your servants and maidservants

- “in yakoonoo fuqara2a yughnihimu Allahu min fadhlih..”: If they are poor, Allah will enrich them out of His bounty.

- “wallahu wasi3un 3aleem”: And Allah is All-Sufficent, All-Knowing. This is a promise for the ones who marry to stay chaste and to please Allah that He will make them happy and He will provide for them

Verse 33: The command to keep chaste if one cannot marry
- “wal yasta3fif allatheena la yajidoona nika7an…”: And let those who can’t find the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste

- “7atta yughniyahum Allahu min fadhlih..”: until Allah enriches them of His bounty

- “wallatheena yabtaghoonal kitaba mimma malakat aymanukum..”: And such of your servants as seek a writing (of emancipation)

- “fa katiboohum in 3alimtum feehim khayra..”: give them such writing, if you find that there is good and honesty in them

- “wa aatoohum min mali Allahi allathee atakum..”: And give them something (yourselves) out of the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you

- “wala tukrihoo fatayatikum 3alal bigha2i”: And force not your slave-girls to prostitution

- “in aradna ta7asunnan..”: if they desire chastity

- “li tabtaghoo 3aradal 7ayati dunya..”: in order that you may make a gain in the goods of this worldly life.

- “wa man yukrihunna fa inna Allaha min ba3di ikrahihinna ghafoorun ra7eem”: But if anyone compels them, then after such compulsion, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

---Prostitution is a major sin and forcing someone to commit it is another sin. However, if one is forced into committing prostitution then Allah (swt) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful to those who are being forced.

Verse 34:
- “walaqad anzalna ilaykum ayatin mubayyinat…”: And indeed We have sent down for you Ayat that make things clear

- “wa mathalan minallatheena khalaw min qablikum…”: and the example of those who passed away before you

- “wa maw3ithatan lil muttaqeen”: and an admonition for those who have Taqwa.

May 31st: Surat An-Nour (part 1)

2007-06-01T09:28:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

This week we started the tafseer of surat An-Nour. Here's a quick summary of what was covered:

About the Surah:
1- It’s a Medinan Surah
2- Contains a lot of guidelines for Muslims and everyone should learn it.
3- Discusses social manners such us lowering our gaze, how we should seek permission before entering someone’s house or room, chastity, etc.
4- It also mentions some of the punishments required by sacred law for some sins, such as adultery.

The name:
-It’s called surat An-nour because of all the guidelines that it has, they light up our path in this life and make it easier.
-It’s also called An-nour because of the aya that says “Allahu Nourus-samawati wal-ardh”.

Reasons for revelation:
1- It was narrated that a woman called “Um Mahzoul” used to be an adulteress, and a man amongst the Muslims wanted to marry her. He approached the Prophet (s) and told him, then Allah (swt) revealed the verse “the adulteress shall only marry an adulterer or an idolater.” Verse #3

2- One of the companions “Helal bin Umayyah” came to the Prophet and accused his wife of committing adultery. The Prophet (s) told him, you either bring proof or you will be punished for what you say, the man said: Oh Prophet of Allah, what if one of us saw his wife with another man and has no other proof? By Allah, I am speaking the truth, and Allah will reveal what will save me from punishment. So then the verse was revealed: “And those who accuse honorable women but bring not four witnesses…”

3- Al-Ifk: The crime that took place at the time of the Prophet (alayhi assalatu wassalam), when some people accused his chaste and pure wife Aisha of adultery. Allah (swt) revealed verses 11-20 to prove her innocence.

__________________________________________________________________

Note: In the transliteration of the verses, I used the number 7 to refer to the letter "haa" in Arabic, as in the word "hubb" meaning love. And I used the number 3 to refer to the letter "ain" in Arabic as in the word "Arabi". And I used the number 2 to refer to the letter hamza in Arabic as in the word "Iqra2" meaning read.

Verse 1:
-“Suratun anzalnaha”
This is a great surah that we have revealed onto you oh Muhammad (s)
- “wa faradnaha”: We made what’s in it of guidelines an obligation
- “wa anzalna feeha ayatin bayyinat”: we have revealed in it clear and important guidelines.
- “laalakum tathakkaroon”: That you may take heed. And now Allah (swt) starts telling us those guidelines…

Verse2:
-“azzaniyatu wazzani fajlidoo kulla wa7idin munhama mi2ata jaldah”: The adulterers (both man and woman, who are not married) should be whipped 100 times as a punishment for them from this ugly crime/sin.

-“ wa la ta2khuthkum bihima ra2fatun fee deen Allah”: and don’t let your pity for them withhold you from the command of Allah, so don’t whip them lightly because of the mercy in your hearts, or whip them a less number than Allah wants.

-“in kuntum tu2minoona billahi wal yawm al-Akher”: This is if you believe in Allah and in the last day. This is said to encourage the people to do this because of their faith. Don’t pity adulterers because their crime is a lot greater than the mercy you feel.

-“wal yashhad 3athabahuma ta2ifatun min almu2mineen”: meaning, and let a group of the believers attend and witness this punishment while it’s going on. This is so the people who are punished will be even more ashamed of what they did and it will help them not go back to it again.

Verse3:
-“Azzani la yanki7u illa zaniyatan aw mushrikah”: The adulterer will not marry except an adulteress or an idolatress. Meaning that it doesn’t suit an adulterer to marry a chaste woman, he only deserves to marry the one who is like him or even worse than him. Either an adulteress or an idol worshiper.

-“wassaniyatu la yanki7uha illa zanin aw mushrik”: meaning that it doesn’t suit the adulteress to marry a chaste believer, but she should marry the one who is like her or even worse than her (the idol worshiper).

-“wa 7urrima thalika 3alal-mu2mineen”: and adultery has been forbidden for the believers, and the aya could also be addressing that it’s haram for a believer to marry an adulterer.

Now we move on to the next guidelines…

Verse 4:
-“wallatheena yarmoon al-mu7sanat”: Meaning the ones who accuse their wives or chaste women of adultery.
-Notice the use of the word “yarmoon” whish usually refers to throwing stones… here Allah uses this word because this is what this act is similar to.
-Also notice that the word “mu7sanat” refers to someone who is chaste. So the verses are not talking about someone who is openly doing everything that’s bad. Because there’s no punishment for someone who accuses such a person…

-“thumma lam ya2too bi arba3ati shuhada2”: and then they didn’t bring along 4 other witnesses to testify to seeing the same thing.

-“fajlidoohum thamaneena jaldah”: so whip each one who claims this 80 lashes, because they have accused the innocent and spread rumors.

-“wa la taqbaloo lahum shahadatan abada”: and don’t ever accept their testimony. This is to increase their punishment, so not only are they punished physically but they are also humiliated in the community. This is as long as they are insisting on their lie and they are not backing off.

-“wa 2ula2ika hum al-fasiqoon”: and indeed those are the evil-doers. This is because they have committed a huge sin. So not only is this person whipped, but they are also never to testify and they are considered a fasiq. A fasiq is someone who has gone outside of obedience to Allah.

Verse 5:
-“illa allatheena taboo min ba3d thalika”: Except for those who repent and regretted what they have done.

-“wa asla7u”: and they have corrected their wrong by not committing the same sin again.

-“fa inna Allaha ghafoorun ra7eem”: and so here Allah is telling us to accept their repentance, and to allow them to testify and to trust them again, because Allah has forgiven the one who repents. However, the physical punishment must still be carried out.

Next guideline:

Verse 6:
-“wallatheena yarmoona azwajahum”: and the ones who accuse their wives of committing adultery…

-“wa lam yakun lahum shuhada2 illa anfusuhum…”: and they have no witnesses besides themselves.

-“fashahadatu a7adihim arba3u shahadat billah”: his testimony will take the place of 4 witnesses.

-“innahu lamin assadiqeen”: He will actually testify 4 times and restate that he is telling the truth.

Verse 7:
- “wal khamisatu anna la3nata Allahi 3alayhi in kana minal kathibeen”: And in the fifth testimony he will say: may Allah curse me if I am lying.

Verse 8:
-“wa yadra2u 3anhal-3athaba”: and the punishment for this accusation is lifted from the wife if…
-“an tashhada arba3a shahadatin billahi innahu laminal-kathibeen”: she swears or testifies 4 times that her husband is lying in what he says.

Verse 9:
-“ wal khamisata anna ghadaba Allahi 3alayha in kana minas-sadiqeen”: she will testify a fifth time saying: May Allah’s wrath be upon me if he is telling the truth.

Verse 10:
-“wa lawla fadhlu Allahi 3alaykum wa ra7matihi”: meaning and if it wasn’t for Allah’s mercy your situation would have not been concealed. Meaning that Allah knows the truth, and if one lies then they will not be punished in this life but they will be punished in the hereafter.

-“ wa anna Allaha tawwabun 7akeem”: this is an exaggeration of Allah’s acceptance for repentance.. meaning that He accepts it even in this bad situation. And Allah is Hakeem, He is wise and He is giving us this wisdom through those guidelines.

If these guidelines weren’t revealed, then in such a situation, the husband who doesn’t have witnesses would be punished for this accusation. Even though it would seem that he is truthful because he is disgracing himself by making this accusation. And if the husband’s testimony was enough then the woman would be punished for adultery and not have a chance to defend herself. Yet Allah (swt) here gives both husband and wife the chance to prove what they are saying...

The next verses talk about “Al-Ifk”:
Verse 11:
-“inna allatheena ja2oo bil ifki”: the ones who have brought about the “ifk”…the “ifk” is the worst lie, or the worst accusation. And it is the accusation of our mother Aisha may Allah be pleased with her.

-“3usbatun minkum”: meaning that they are a group from amongst you oh Muslims. And the head of the them was the biggest hypocrite at the time “Ibn Salool”

- “La ta7sabuhu sharran lakum”: this part of the aya is addressing the household of sayyidna Abu Bakr, it’s telling them, don’t think that this is a bad thing.

-“bal huwa khayrun lakum”: indeed it is something good for you. Because this matter was so important that sayidna Gibreel was sent especially by Allah to reveal those verses that will prove our mother’s innocence.

-“lukil imri2in minhum ma iktasaba minal-ithm”: to each one in the group of liars a punishment for their sin for as much as they participated in it.

-“wallathee tawalla kibrahu minhum”: and the one who started this accusation and helped spread this rumor “Ibn Salool”

-“lahu 3athabun 3atheem”: will have a great punishment in hellfire on the day of judgment.

Verse 12:
-“lawla ith sami3tumoohu”: when you heard this “oh believers” when you heard these lies about your mother…

-“thannal-mu2minoona wal mu2minati ba anfusihim khayran”: if only you assumed good and did not believe the rumor and pass it on. Because a Muslim shouldn’t believe anything bad about his brother/sister. Here Allah (swt) is scolding the Muslims for taking part in this ugly crime. It’s telling them to put themselves in our mother’s place… wouldn’t they assume good about themselves and refute the lies? And if they think that they are pure and they refute lies from themselves, wouldn’t our mother who is more pure be more eligible for this?

One of the companions “Um ayoub” told her husband” did you hear what people are saying about Aisha?. He said: yes and it’s all lies, would you do that Umm Ayoub?, and she said: No!, by Allah I wouldn’t!. So he said: And Aisha is better than you.

- “wa qalu hatha ifkun mubeen”: this is telling the believers that they should have said that this is a clear lie.. as soon as they heard it.

Verse 13:
- “lawla ja2u 3alayhi bi 2arba3ati shuhada2”: if only the accusers had brought 4 witnesses for what they say…

-“fa ith lam ya2tu bishuhada2”: and if they couldn’t even bring witnesses

- “fa 2ula2ika 3inda Allahi hum al-kathiboon”: so those are the liars, the corruptors… in this aya there is a scolding for whoever heard of the ifk and didn’t refute it as soon as they heard it.

Verse 14:
- “wa lawla fadhlu Allahi 3alaykum wa ra7matihi fiddunya wal akhirah”: and if it wasn’t for Allah’s abundant generosity over you in this life and the next life.
- “lamassakum feema afadhttum feehi 3athabun 3atheem”: you would have gained a great punishment because of your participation in spreading the rumors of ifk.
Yet through Allah’s mercy He has concealed you in this life and forgiven those who repented in the next life.

Verse 15:
- “Ith talaqawnahu bi alsinatikum”: you ask about it with your tongues and then you say so and so told me so and so…
- “wa taqooloona bi afwahikum ma laysa lakum bihi 3ilm”: and you say what has no truth in reality, in fact it’s purely a lie.
- “wa ta7saboonahu hayina”: and you think that it’s a small thing, no big deal...
- “wa huwa 3inda Allahi 3atheem”: and the truth is that to Allah it’s one of the worst and greatest crimes. This is not only because it’s about our mother Aisha, but in general it’s a great sin because you are ruining your Muslim brother/sister’s reputation.

So if we look back, Allah is scolding the people about three things in this aya:
1) asking about it
2)Talking about it
3) thinking it a small matter

Verse 16:
- “wa lawla ith sami3tumoohu qultum ma yakoona lana an natakallama bihatha”: here Allah is blaming all the believers, He’s telling them…that you should have denied it as soon as you heard it and say: we shouldn’t allow our mouths to talk about something like this or repeat it to anyone…
- “Sub7anak hatha buhtanun 3atheem”: …sub7an Allah, how can this be said about our pure and innocent mother, the wife of the Prophet (s) this is a clear crime and lie.
-We’re supposed to say “subhanAllah” when we see something out of the ordinary that surprises us or shocks us.. and this is one of those situations.. how could anyone say this about our mother, subhanAllah! What a shock, of course it’s a lie!

Verse 17:
- “ya3ithukum Allah an ta3oodoo limithlihi abada”: Allah reminds you and advises you not to ever do something like this again.
- “in kuntum mu2mineen”: if you were truly believers. Because true iman will keep one away from sin.

Verse 18:
- “wa yubayinu Allah lakum Al-ayat”: Allah is making those guidelines clear for you.
- “wallahu 3aleemun 7akeem”: Allah is All-Knowledgeable, All-Wise and knows what will help His creation to stay on the right path.

Verse 19:
- “Inna allatheena yu7iboona an tashee3a al-fa7ishata”: the ones who love to spread such rumors.
- “ fillatheena aamanu”: about the believers.
- “lahum 3athabun aleem fiddunya wal akhirah”: they have a painful punishment in this life by getting the penalty for it in this life (lashes), and a painful punishment in hell fire.
-This verse is addressing the hypocrites who started the rumor because they wanted to harm the Prophet (s).
- “wallahu ya3lamu wa antum la ta3lamoon": meaning that Allah knows people’s intentions, He knows the truth in their hearts and you don’t know.

Verse 20:
- “wa lawla fadhlu Allahi 3alaykum wara7matuhu wa anna Allaha ra2oofun ra7eem”: If it wasn’t for Allah’s mercy, He would have made them perish.
-Note here that the aya doesn’t tell us the answer to “lawla” because of how bad it is.. it’s so bad that it shouldn’t be mentioned.

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

May 24th: Sunnah Prayers

2007-05-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

In this week's halaqah we spoke about the confirmed sunnahs of prayer:
-2 before fajr
-4 before dhuhr, and 2 after dhuhr
-2 after maghrib
-2 after isha

We also spoke about the unconfirmed sunnahs of Prayer, such as:
-2 or 4 before Asr
-2 before Maghrib
-2 before Isha

We also spoke about the importance of praying
1) salat Adduha: This prayer is prayed after sunrise, it's prayed in pairs of 2 rakaas and one may pray a minimum of 2 rakaas and a maximum of 12.

2)Salat al-Istikhara: This is a prayer that is performed when one is about to make a decision in one's life, be it big or small. One would pray 2 rakaas and then recite the following dua:
“Oh Allah, I ask of You the good through Your knowledge and I ask You to grant me ability through Your power and beg Your favor of infinite bounty, for surely, You have power and I have none, You know all and I know nothing, and You are the knower of all that is hidden. O Allah if, in Your knowledge, this matter (mention the matter here) be good for my faith, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs in the world and the Hereafter, then ordain it for me and facilitate it for me and grant me blessing in it. But, if in Your knowledge this matter (mention it here) is bad for my faith, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs in the world and the Hereafter, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain for me the good wherever it be, and cause me to be pleased with it”

3)Salat al-Hajah (The prayer of need): When one is in need of something one must first ask Allah. One is recommended to pray the prayer of need by praying 2 rakaas and then reciting the following dua:
“There is no god but Allah, the Most Forbearing and Generous. Exalted is Allah the Lord of the Great Thron. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I ask of You those things which will procure Your mercy, and Your immense forgiveness, a full share of virtuous deeds, and complete safety from iniquity. Do not let any sin of mine to be left unforgiven, nor any worry and pain unrelieved, nor any need which is a source of pleasure for You unfulfilled, O Most Merciful of the merciful.”

Finally we ended our halaqah by speaking about some sunnahs regarding sleep, such as:
-Making wudu before sleeping
-Sleeping on one's right side
-Reciting ayat al-Kursi as well as the dua of sleep, which is: “O Allah, I have surrendered my life to You and turned my face toward You and entrusted all my affairs to You and wholly placed my reliace in You. All this I do to gain Your mercy and due to fear of Your punishment. There is no protection from Your wrath except through Your mercy. I believe in the Book You have revealed and in the Prophet You have sent.”
-Staying awake after fajr
-waking up in the middle of the night to pray Qiyam ul-layl

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

May 17th: Prayer (Part 2)

2007-05-18T20:44:00.000-05:00

Presence of heart in prayer (khushoo'):

How do we attain presence of heart in our prayer?
1) Realize that presence of heart is not just during prayer but it’s in everything we do, doing lots of thikr helps us achieve this realization.
2) remove the love of the world from your heart
3) Avoiding the haram outwardly and inwardly.
4) Don’t “jump” into prayer: focus your heart on Allah before saying Allahu akbar.

May 10th: Prayer (Part1)

2007-05-18T20:38:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum,

In this week's halaqah we spoke about the importance of prayer. Here are some hadiths that we mentioned:

Abu Hurayra said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'What do you think would happen if there was a river by someone's door in which he washed five times every day? Do you think that any dirt would remain on him?' They said, 'Not a scrap of dirt would remain on him.' He said, 'That is a metaphor of the five prayers by which Allah wipes out wrong actions.'" [Agreed upon]

Ibn Mas'ud reported that a man received a kiss from a woman and went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him about it. Allah sent down, "Establish the prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first part of the night. Good actions eradicate bad actions." (11:114) The man said, "Messenger of Allah, is this for me?" He said, "It is for every single one of my community." [Agreed upon]

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The five prayers, and Jumu'a to Jumu'a is expiation for what is between them as long as a man has committed no major sins." [Muslim]

'Uthman ibn 'Affan said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "There is no Muslim man who attends a prescribed prayer and does wudu' for it well and is humble in it and in its bowing, without that being expiation for the sins before it as long as he did not commit any major sin. This will always apply." [Muslim]

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

May 3rd: Patience

2007-05-04T08:29:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

for those of you who couldn't make it last night, here's a quick summary of what we spoke about:

-The optimal patience is the one descirbed in the Quran in surah Yusuf as a "beautiful patience". That is patience that is not coupled with complaints, annoyance, worry, or frustration.

-There are three kinds of patience:

1- Patience with afflications: this is the patience we have with illness, death, disaster, loss of money, etc. This kind of patience has no reward, yet it will erase your sins. (So while your good deeds aren't increasing, your bad deeds are being erased)

2-Patience with abstaining from sin: This is the patience needed to stay away from the haram and not fall into it. It's the patience you have when your friends are trying to convince you to go to that party, yet you stay firm and resist.

3-Patience with obedience: This is the best of all three kinds as it is the hardest and most rewarded. This is the patience you have while staying up at late hours of the night to pray to Allah, it's the patience you have when you fast on a long, hot summer day, etc.

Why is this the best kind of patience?
Because patience with affliction is nothing we have control over. The disaster/event happens without our control and all we have to do is be patience. When it comes to falling into sin, you'll find it easier to stay away from sin than to pray for example. Alot of Muslims never pray, but they don't drink for example.
Also, it's the best kind of patience because you are rewarded for your obedience. One sin is equal to one bad deed, yet one act of obedience is equal to 10 good deeds.

And lastly we talked about the conditions of patience, these are the conditions that make your patience rewarded:
1- To be patient at the first shock. So you're patient as soon as you hear the bad news...not after you react and show your anger/frustration, that's when the patience counts.
2-You have a "beautiful patience" that is not accompanied by any complaint.

I hope to see you all next week inshaAllah. Please let me know if you have any questions on Patience! :)

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

A parable

2007-04-29T11:47:00.001-05:00

This is a very meaningful story, please read: http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/nuh/parable.htm

Description of the Righteous.

2007-04-29T11:40:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

During our last halaqah on April 26th, we spoke about Taqwa. We gave a description of the people of taqwa through using a text provided by Zaytuna institute.

If you'd like a copy of this text please email me and let me know.

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

The last three weeks

2007-04-23T09:51:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

Here's what we did in the last three weeks:

April 5th: Description of the Prophet's Physical Characteristics (pbuh)
Summary: We spoke about the way the Prophet looked (pbuh). Including: How his hair was, his eyes, his height, his nose, his mouth, the way he ate, the way he spoke, the way he walked, the way he drank, and much more.

We learned how beautiful the Prophet is physically and in characteristically. May Allah bless him with peace inshaAllah.

April 12th: The Death of The Prophet (pbuh), by Hajirah Ali
Summary: Sr. Hajirah gave a beautiful talk mashaAllah which included dhikr and an explanation of some verses from the burdah and finally it ended with the description of the Prophet's death (pbuh).

April 19th: Reliance on Allah (Topic suggested by Ferozan)
Summary: we spoke about how important it is to truly rely on Allah. However, that is under one condition. One must do everything they can first and then put their trust and reliance on Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) was once asked by a man: Should I tie my camel or should I rely on Allah?. The Prophet (pbuh) said: Tie the camel and then rely on Allah.

This week inshaAllah (April 26th) we will be talking about "Taqwa".

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

Shaykh Ninowy

2007-04-02T13:04:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

I hope you are all doing well inshaAllah.

For those of you who couldn't make it to the halaqah on Thursday, here's a summary of what Shaykh Ninowy spoke about:

-The Shaykh explained how pleasing people is impossible, yet pleasing Allah will cause people to be pleased with us.

-The word "Aqeedah" is actually not mentioned in the Quran or sunnah. It comes from the Arabic word "Aqada" which means to tie. Aqeedah is what you tie your heart on believing.

-The word "Assamad" in surat Al-Ikhlas means: the one who is not in need of anything, yet everything in creation is in need of Him.

-"need" usually implies imperfection and dificiency, our creator is not in need of anything. We are in need of Him.

-Another attribute of Allah (swt) is that He is not subject to change.

-The Shaykh mentioned that the most two famous schools of Aqeedah are "Al-Ashari" and "Al-Matureedi". It's important for us to study one of them.

-The attributes of Allah have no beginning, no end, and are not suject to change.

-The Shaykh also gave some advice on how we shouldn't "label" people, we are all Muslim. He also mentioned how we should worry about our own faults, not the faults of others.

-He also said that the best way to learn sacred knowledge is from a shaykh who studied with a shaykh who studied with a shaykh...Reading books without someone explaining them to us is not recommended.
The Shaykh said: "learn from someone who is authorized, trustworthy, and knowledgeable".

-Finally the Shaykh gave advice on how to speak to non-Muslims who approach us with endless questions regarding hijab, why men can marry more than one wife, etc. He said we should talk to them about Aqeedah first, then we can answer their other questions.

I'm sorry that my notes are not that detailed. For anyone else who did attend, please post any additional notes you may have! :)

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

The Tongue

2007-03-26T15:12:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

In our last halaqah on March 22nd, we spoke about the importance of guarding the tongue. We discussed some of the things that we should watch out for. If anyone has good notes please do post them here for people who couldn't make it. Also, if anyone would like to add any comments or reflections on the topic please do share!

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

Obedience to parents

2007-03-13T18:36:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum girls :)

I hope you enjoyed our last halaqah with sr. Hajira. I would like you to share your feedback here, what did you think of the halaqah? did it help you change towards your parents?

The halaqah reminded me of how important our parents are, it made me realize that we should listen to them no matter how hard it is for us (as long as they are not telling us to do something against our religion of course! :)). The amount of rewards we get for listening to our parents and making them happy is better than attending a lecture or halaqah that they might prevent us from going to, subhanAllah!

InshaAllah I will try to ask sr. Hajira to join us again next month for another talk. Please don't forget to suggest more topics for our upcoming halaqahs.

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana

Topic Suggestions...

2007-03-01T14:41:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum girls :)

Please feel free to suggest any topics you'd like us to discuss in the future, we already have two topics for the next coming weeks:
-How to treat our parents
-Controlling our tongues

what else would you like to learn more about?

love and salams,
Dana

Welcome!

2007-02-26T12:48:00.000-05:00

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

My dear sisters in Islam,

Welcome to our blog! isn't this exciting! :)

I thought this would be a neat way for us to discuss our halaqahs, suggest topics for future halaqahs, recommend books, links, articles, plan events, and much more!

I'd love to hear from you so please go ahead and share your thoughts!

love and duas...

your sister,
Dana