Islam is a religion based on knowledge. What our Ummah absorbed from the Prophet’s (PBUH), early ethic was that, learning was the fundamental building block. And learning is what liberates the mind. And that’s why Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
“… Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?”…” (39:9)
What this means for us today is that each and every single one of us has to be on a critical journey of learning that must become the fundamental building block that we turn to when trying to engage our day to day journeys.
This is what the Prophet (PBUH) did, and this is what the Ummah absorbed from him (PBUH).
We built these wonderful institutions, such as Al-Azhar and Qarawiyyin and Zaytuna, and otherwise that became the beacons of light for the intellectual civilization.
When Islam was at its prime, and when it truly became engendered in the hearts and minds of its followers, it produced the likes of Imam Al-Ghazali, the likes of Imam Al-Razi.
These were the polymaths of their time, who really were able to begin to deal with the particular challenges of their time.
What is one of our fundamental struggles today?
It’s our inability, or lack of capability to engage our society.
A lot of times, (you hear) “Islam is under critical threat.” “Islam is irrelevant.” “Religion is irrelevant.” “God is irrelevant.”
“These things are useless.” “What we need is sophistication. We need technology.”
“We need philosophies that will liberate the mind.”
“We need to move away from this dogma, this simplistic dogma of religion.”
This is what I know a lot of us are dealing with on campus.
The power of an intellectual ethic that is rooted in Islam is its capability of elevating us beyond the simplistic discourse that has come to be what many religious circles have. - aboutislam.net
A fire that tore through a condo complex in Archdale on Sunday left more than 20 people displaced and six units destroyed, reducing almost everything to ashes.
Among the devastation, one object remained unscathed—a Quran belonging to Umar Khan, a resident whose home was destroyed in the blaze, WFMY News reported.
The fire broke out at the West Brook Condominiums, consuming everything from furniture to clothing across the six affected units. Fortunately, all residents escaped unharmed, a silver lining amid the destruction.
“I smelled something burning,” said Khan, a native of Pakistan who immediately knew something was wrong.
Glancing out his bedroom window, he noticed smoke rising and sprang into action. He quickly evacuated his family and alerted his neighbors, ensuring their safety.
“I kept kicking on the door and woke them up,” Khan recounted. “I took them out—everyone. My neighbor has four kids and her parents, so I got all of them out, and we were outside together.”
Amy Reid, whose mother lives in a nearby unit, witnessed the chaos unfold.
“At first, I thought my windows were dirty, but then I saw smoke coming from my mom’s building,” she said. “I called 911 immediately.”
The Guil-Rand and High Point Fire Departments worked for hours to contain the fire, which left the complex in ruins.
Quran Miracle
Khan later returned to his charred home, where nearly everything was reduced to rubble. However, a remarkable discovery awaited him: his Quran remained untouched, shielded by a blackened dresser.
“That’s the holy book—the Quran,” Khan said, expressing a mix of relief and gratitude. Despite the loss of his possessions, he remains thankful for what truly matters.
“I really feel bad, but I feel good, too. I saved my family and others. We’re sad, but we’re safe. We can replace things, but not lives,” he reflected.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Meanwhile, the Red Cross is providing assistance to displaced families, including temporary shelter and food. - aboutislam.net
We have to say that some people are definitely sending you an incorrect vibe.
So, let’s analyze this issue briefly here.
Are women bad and evil?
Absolutely not! This isn’t the Islamic view, anyway.
It was narrated by Abdullah bin Amr that the Messenger of Allah said:
“This world is but provisions, and there is no provision in this world better than a righteous wife (woman).” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
Women are “the counterparts of men,” as the Prophet said. [Sunan Abi Dawud]
Allah honored women; we have discussed this on the website repeatedly.
There is an entire chapter in the Qur’an called “The Women”, and another titled after a noble woman “Mary” (peace be upon her).
Allah says about her:
“O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds. O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer].” (Qur’an 3: 42-43)
However, it is a fact that women are more beautiful; Allah honored them with a special beauty.
He says:
Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire – of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return. (Qur’an 3:14)
As a result of this beauty, it is not a hidden fact that women are exploited and abused by those who don’t fear Allah.
You can read tons of research and books on how women are objectified, sexualized, exploited and demeaned in the mainstream media.
The American Psychological Association (APA) recently released a report on the sexualization of women in media and found that “massive exposure to media among youth creates the potential for massive exposure to portrayals that sexualize women and girls and teach girls that women are sexual objects.”
Sadly, you can see women’s hips, waists, chests, legs or lips being discussed in the media.
And those identified as celebrities are known for their bodily features, which is utterly demeaning and disgraceful to human dignity.
Women’s beauty is used to sell products and market commodities.
You can read how one of the biggest industries in the world, the unfortunate and utterly disgracing porn industry, is based on exploiting women.
The origin of the word actually means “prostitute” or female slave, and hardly anyone is actively working on stopping this evil humiliation of human beings.
This is the real evil, deluding women and exploiting them in this manner.
Allah created women beautiful, but He asked them to cover their beauty where appropriate, be modest, and not expose their beauty except in the right context.
This is why He ordinated hijab (women covering) and modesty in physical appearance and behavior.
O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (Qur’an 33:59)
So what is the Fitna?
Fitna means a trial or a test.
Women are beautiful, and if women don’t have taqwa (God-consciousness that affects their looks and behavior) it becomes a big test for men.
Will they obey God and lower their gaze? Or will they give into their lust and allow their nafs to control their behavior?
Narrated Usama bin Zaid: the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said,
“After me, I have not left any trial more severe to men than women.” [Sahih Al Bukhari]
But, this isn’t to say that “women are evil,” just that they need to observe Islamic modesty in their dress.
Believing men need to lower their gaze and observe their modesty, as well.
If they do so, there is no problem. But if women are immodest/immoral and men are weak/immoral, then this is the disastrous combo.
We are simply meant to help one another, not destroy one another.
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those – Allah will have mercy on them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. (Qur’an 9:71)
Are you a Muslim reading the Quran for the first time as a believer to apply it to your life and recite it in prayer, or reading just for research or comparison to other Scriptures. The difference lies in the angle from which you choose to see the text, and the senses you choose to engage while reading.
You are right that if you search the Quran more carefully you’ll find a lot of very moving beautiful verses. You are also right about translations not doing the Quranic text justice. You can try reading M.A.S. Abdel Haleem’s modern English translation for a clearer picture.
The Quran is not only a book of prayer; it’s a unique book chartering a complete system for a human’s life, so it contains a wide array of information, from creed to legislation, to historic lessons, to scientific phenomena, to rules for handling domestic, social, and business affairs, thus giving Muslims a practical manual of how to run their lives according to God’s laws in the universe.
However, all of these topics are woven with fantastic literary brilliance into one solid and mesmerizing text, touching the depths of the soul, and speaking both to the mind and the heart of the reader. It’s important to engage your senses in exploring the Quran in order to get the full scale of the experience.
What About Love in the Quran?
Love is definitely one of the prominent topics of the Quran, although it is illustrated in a highly evolved, sophisticated manner, both linguistically and intellectually.
According to dictionaries, the verb “to love” in English means:
1- To have a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward (a person):We love our parents. I love my friends.
2- To have a feeling of intense desire and attraction toward a person.
3- To have an intense emotional attachment to something or someone.
In Arabic, the same verb carries more than just the simple emotional meanings illustrated above, as Arabic is a very rich and complex language. Moreover, the deep shades of love could be expressed very eloquently without mentioning the word “love” at all in the way we do in English.
Expressing the manifestations of love and its obligations and responsibilities of compassion, care, esteem, respect, self sacrifice, humbleness, forgiveness, and so on, is a very beautiful form of expressing love in Arabic, the original language of the Quran.
God’s love for His creation, and of believers’ love for God
The Quran is full of verses with practical manifestations of God’s love for His creation, and of believers’ love for God. In Islam, faith is a practical deed, not just an emotion. It has to be expressed practically in deeds as well as verbally in prayers. Consequently, you will find that in the Quran whenever faith is mentioned, it will always be coupled with “doing good deeds”.
Similarly, whenever God’s love is mentioned, it’s coupled with the practical gifts this love will bestow on believers, as the practical application of their love for God brings them closer to Him.
The Quran’s approach to human nature is balanced: it recognizes that emotions sway between positive and negative, and people are not expected to be angels who do not know weakness or negative feelings. Consequently, the Quran regulates emotions and disciplines manners, while rewarding the reader with amazing tenderness, hope, and soft emotions interwoven into the text.
Some of the most beautiful verses of the Quran that can be recited as prayers are those spoken by the prophets to invoke God, and those spoken by God to the believers detailing His rewards promised to them in this life and the next, and even to the wrongdoers, promising them forgiveness and limitless mercy if they repent and return to His path.
There are also magnificent verses with the beautiful names of God, recited to sing His praises and exalt His grace.
Prayers
When a Muslim meets God in prayer, this is seen as the ultimate expression of love through humbleness and obedience from a loving respectful creature to his or her exalted Creator.
It is also seen as a chance to “talk” to God directly five times a day through reciting the Quran, as well as one’s own simple, honest, and spontaneous words pouring straight from the heart during prostration.
The same applies to all the forms of practicing Islam, whether mandated or optional, rituals or conduct. God’s answer and rewards to such honesty of feelings and sincerity of deeds is detailed in the Quran, and felt daily by millions of worshipers. What more would one need to prove a mutual love relationship?
Jeffrey Lang addressed this subject in his book Losing My Religion: A Call for Help, so let me borrow so me of his thoughts:
Worship in Islam is holistic. Self-surrender to God is revealed more by our day-to-day conduct toward others than only by our practice of religious rites. Righteous living enhances our relationship with God.
The Quran frequently speaks of the love of God for the good-doers (2:195; 3:134; 3:148; 5:13; 5:195) the repentant (2:222), those that purify themselves (2:222; 9:108), the God-conscious (3:76; 9:4; 9:7) the persevering ones (3:146), those that put their trust in God (3:159), the upholders of justice (5:42; 49:9; 60:8), and those who struggle in the path of God (61:4).
God’s names and attributes mentioned in the Quran sum up the virtues that enable us to attain His love. The most frequently occurring names are associated with God’s attributes of mercy, compassion and forgiveness: the purest manifestations of love. Therefore, we find the relationship between the sincere believer and God consistently characterized as a bond of love.
Since God is the perfection of the virtues we should acquire, the more we grow in them, the greater our ability to get closer to Him. The more we grow in mercy, the greater our ability to experience God’s infinite mercy. The more we develop compassion, the greater our ability becomes to know God’s infinite compassion. The same could be said of love. (90;295)
In the Biblical verse you quoted, it’s clearly stated that love is an absolute, greater in value than deeds, however good, and that it is more important than faith.
In Islam, this doesn’t hold true, since faith is the supreme source of everything related to a human’s relationship with God.
Faith, therefore, is where love comes from, blooming to generate and strengthen faith, thus producing more love to fortify faith even more, and so on, in an eternal golden circle.
Works Cited:
Lang, Jeffrey. Losing My Religion: A Call for Help. Beltsville, MD: Amana Publications, 2004.
I often wonder whether people see me as a radical fundamentalist and terrorist Muslim who hides an AK-47 assault rifle underneath her jean jacket. Perhaps, they see me as the poster girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere. I am not sure which of the two it is. I get the whole gamut of strange looks, stares, and covert glances.
Hijab covers my head, my neck, and my entire body except my face and hands. I wear it because I am a Muslim woman who obeys the commands of her Lord and believes that her body is her own private concern. Young Muslim women are reclaiming the hijab, reinterpreting it in light of its original purpose, and restoring their ultimate control over their own bodies.
The Noble Qur’an teaches us that men and women are equal and that individuals should not be judged according to their gender, beauty, wealth, or privilege. The only thing that makes a person better than another is his or her character.
Nonetheless, people have a difficult time relating to me. After all, I am a young university graduate who was born and raised in Canada. “Why should you wear the hijab?” they ask.
People who do not know me speak to me in loud, slow English and often appear to be playing charades. They politely inquire whether I like it here or not and whether the cold weather bothers me or not. If I am in the right mood, it can be very amusing.
But, why would I, a woman with all the advantages of a North American upbringing, suddenly at 21 want to cover myself with the hijab and the modest clothes, letting only my face and hands show? The answer is simple: Because it gives me freedom.
Women are taught from early childhood that their worth is proportional to their attractiveness. They, therefore, feel compelled to pursue the abstract notions of beauty, half realizing that such a pursuit is futile and endless.
Strangely, when women reject this form of oppression, they face ridicule and contempt. When they refuse to wear makeup or expose their bodies, the entire society has some trouble dealing with them.
In the West, many people regard the hijab as a symbol of either forced silence or radical, unconscionable militancy. Actually, it is neither. It is simply a woman’s assertion that judgment of her physique plays no role in social interaction.
Wearing the hijab has given me freedom from constant attention paid to my physical self. My appearance is no longer subjected to public scrutiny; my beauty, or perhaps lack of it, has been removed from the realm of what can legitimately be discussed. No one knows whether my hair looks as if I have just stepped out of a hair salon, whether I can pinch an inch, or even whether I have unsightly stretch marks. And because no one knows, no one cares.
Feeling that one has to meet the impossible male standards of beauty is tiring and often humiliating. I spent my entire teenage years trying to do it, until I was a borderline bulimic. Needlessly, I spent a lot of money I did not have on potions and lotions in hopes of becoming the next Cindy Crawford.
The definition of beauty is ever-changing: waifish is good, waifish is bad, athletic is good — sorry, athletic is bad. Narrow hips? Great. Narrow hips? Too bad. In fact, women are not going to achieve equality through the “right” to show of their bodies what men can show, as some people would like to have us believe. On the contrary, such conduct would only make women party to their own objectification. True equality will be had only when women abstain from displaying themselves to get attention and when they do not need to defend their right to keep their bodies to themselves.
This article was published in 2009. It has been taken with modifications from Geocities.com.
In his well-known book, Al-Hikam (Words of Wisdom), sheikh Ahmad Ibn `Ataa’illah As-Sakandari says:
Your obedience does not benefit Him, and your sins do not harm Him. He ordered you to this and forbid you from this only for what benefits you.
It is a fact that Allah the Almighty does not benefit from anyone’s obedience, for He is the Most Wealthy and the Most Gracious.
No one’s sins do harm Him neither do the sins of all people, for He is dignified beyond any harm from anyone because of His unreachable Glory.
He ordered obedience and forbade sin for reasons that only bring man limitless benefit and profit. One should always be thankful for this blessing and always be mindful of it.
The legislations sent by Allah the Almighty upon His servants and worshippers were and still are the best means for them to ensure a good life – as described in the Quran (An-Nahl 16: 97).
These legislations do regulate the relationship of the individual with his own self, his fellow Muslims and the human society.
The legislations sent by Allah the Almighty upon His servants and worshippers were and still are the best means for them to ensure a good life – as described in the Quran (An-Nahl 16: 97).
As for the Legislator Himself, Allah the Almighty, He was, still is, and will be in no need of any of His creation. It is beyond imagination that the Creator be in need of what He has created or originated; rather, the contrary is what can be understood and digested as rational and logical.
Allah the Almighty says in His Ever-Glorious Quran what may mean,
{I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me. I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Lo! Allah! He it is that giveth livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable Might.} (Adh-Dhariyat 51: 56-58)
Allah the Almighty originated the universe and subjugated it to the service of man in a way that cares about and caters for his existence, interests and needs. If I give my pen free rein, it will need to write volumes and volumes on the details of creation and neither it, nor I or anyone else will ever be able to count or calculate the marvels of Allah’s Creation in the seen universe; then, what about the unseen universes and worlds?!
All that lies in the heart of the earth and all that grows on it are designated to fulfill man’s needs and wishes. Similarly, the space and skies and what is therein are designed to help man arrange his time and seasons in a way that may help him; without which he may get lost in certain circumstances such as when he is in either the desert or sea. In short, Allah the Almighty made this whole universe a sincere servant of man; acting as man may demand, need, or even wish for.
Likewise, Allah the Almighty sent man a legislation system regulating his relationship with the whole universe which He created and subjugated for man to ease his life on earth. Through that legislation system, one is shown how to deal with himself, his fellow human beings, and the whole universe; it is Allah Who commands, rather than advises, us to observe that system for our own good and benefit.
Hence, we should understand that Allah’s orders and prohibitions are nothing but a gift from Him to us; through which we can attain happiness and prosperity in both this present life and the hereafter.
The Ever-Glorious Quran explains to us that Allah the Almighty does not – through these legislations – want us to go through any hardship or difficulty; rather, He wants us to gain all goodness and welfare as much as we can depending on our obedience to Him and excellence in carrying out His Orders. He says in His Ever-Glorious Quran what may mean,
{…This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My Favor unto you, and have chosen for you as religion AL- ISLAM.} (Al-Ma’idah 5: 3),
{Whosoever doeth right, whether male or female, and is a believer, him verily We shall quicken with good life, and We shall pay them a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do.} (An-Nahl 16: 97),
{…Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you.} (Al-Baqarah 2: 185), and
{…He hath chosen you and hath not laid upon you in religion any hardship.} (Al-Hajj 22: 78)
Consequently, Allah the Almighty revealed to us the creed (`aqidah) to help us know something about His Divine Self and to assure us that everything lies in His Hand and that He is the Only One Who can cause benefit or harm to anyone.
As for the Acts of Worship (`ibadat), we need them as they are the food needed for strengthening the (`aqidah) within the self, mind, and heart and to come to the level of certainty (yaqin) through it.
We ask Allah the Almighty to grant us a degree of certainty that does not involve the slightest sign of doubt or suspicion. Amen!
Now, let us summarize the above word of wisdom by Ibn `Ata’illah as follows: Your obedience does not benefit Allah and your disobedience does not harm Him. He has only ordered you to do this and prohibited you from doing that for your own gain; you have to be a hundred percent quite sure of this!
Finally, let us live for a few minutes with the following lengthy and beautiful Qudsi Hadith that is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (May Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) as he relates from his Lord (May He be glorified) the following:
“O My servants, I have forbidden injustice for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not wrong one another.
O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you.
O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you.
O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you.
O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.
O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than that a needle decreases the sea if put into it.
O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good praise Allah and let him who finds otherwise blame no one but himself.” (Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
Are you aware of the warning signs of a marriage in danger? There are 4 communication habits that lead to divorce. Test yourself in this video to see if you have any of these communications styles. - aboutislam.net
