Muhammad & the Last Monotheists of Old

 

When Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was sent with God’s Message to humanity, his mission was not only to bring the truth to a world steeped in ignorance and idolatry, but also to come to the aid of those few people who still clung to true monotheism.  Some of them were from the People of the Scripture.  Others were from among the Hanifs[1] of Arabia who remained upon the true teachings of Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them both). 

The message of Islam also came in support of all the previous messengers of God (peace be upon them).  This is part of the meaning of God’s statement: "We will without doubt help Our messengers and those who believe both in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth." (Quran 40:51)  When Prophet Muhammad was sent by God in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula – the stronghold of idolatry and paganism – he was a lone man standing on one side with all of humanity standing on the other.  He was a stranger whose estrangement was total and absolute. 

The difference between the severe estrangement that he faced and the estrangement experienced by the Hanifs like Zayb ibn Amr ibn Nufayl and those that remained of the People of the Scripture is that they were the remnants of what was before.  They were like the last golden rays of sunshine before the sunset that show from the tops of trees and buildings for a few fleeting moments before disappearing for good.  

Prophet Muhammad on the other hand started out as a stranger but was a portent of the great good that was to come and of the success that truth and Islam were going to have.  He was like the first rays of sunshine that appear right before sunrise, foretelling growth, life, renewal, and glad tidings that after a few fleeting moments fill the sky with light. 

Those monotheists that lived during the age of ignorance had resigned themselves to the way things were and despaired of effecting any reform.  The most any one of them could hope to do was to keep aloof from the customs, practices, and beliefs of the times of ignorance and possibly mention some point of truth to an assembly of people or maybe protect some oppressed person from injury.  This was definitely not a common practice of theirs, nor did they entertain in their hearts any notion of standing in the midst of their people and calling them to monotheism. 

They cannot be faulted for this.  Anyone who studies their lives, their circumstances, and their poetry cannot help but to feel their greatness and hold them in the highest esteem for their probity and their willingness to seek out the truth and follow it in the dark and ignorant age in which they lived.  They were people who had the willingness to break free from and reject the norms and constraints of their environment. 

And what a hostile environment it was.  Prophet Muhammad indicated how universal and absolute the corruption was at that time, encompassing all peoples and every aspect of life without exception.  Iyad ibn Hammar al-Mujashii relates that Prophet Muhammad said in one of his sermons:

Verily God looked at the denizens of the Earth and despised them, the Arabs among them and the non-Arabs, except for a few people who remained of the true People of the Scripture.[2]

In the face of such universal ignorance, true reform required a new divine message, a new mission and a new undertaking.  It needed a generation willing to make sacrifices to spread this message and the dedication to further what they believe in.  It needed a unique and extraordinary leadership possessing all the necessary and rare qualities to carry out such an endeavor. 

That leadership came in the form of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and his Companions who came after him.  Their generation was unparalleled, as it was molded by the guidance and teachings of God’s Messenger.  Their legacy is ours.  No matter how difficult our circumstances become in calling people to the truth, we are supported by God’s final Message, which He has preserved for humanity.

- islamreligion.com

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Footnotes:

[1]Pre-Islamic non-Jewish or non-Christian monotheists who rejected idolatry in their society.

[2]Saheeh Muslim

The Quran Honors the Prophet

 

God talks in the most glowing of terms about all of His Prophets, peace be upon them all.  However, there is a certain way that God mentions Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  He is mentioned in a way that is different from all else, in spite of his name only being mentioned four times.  So how does God talk about the Prophet?

Mercy to the Universe

The first that comes to mind is this oft-quoted verse of the Quran: "And we have not sent you except as a Mercy to the Universe." (Quran 21:107)  It is among the highest of praise ever given to a human being.  God has named Himself as the Most Merciful, and He has named His most beloved slave a mercy to the universe.  This summarizes what the Prophet brought to this world—mercy—and what his mission promises in the hereafter—mercy again.

The highest standard of character

Another unbelievable praise that God makes about the Prophet, peace be upon him, comes in one of the earliest surahs (chapters) in the Quran.  While people called him mad and questioned his intelligence and motives, God consoled him.  The Quran says: "And you are on the highest standard of character." (Quran 68:4)—an emphatic verse signifying how the Prophet was destined to be the best human being ever to live on Earth.

He was on the highest standard of character—the most virtuous, the most patient, the most loving, the most courteous, the most merciful among men, the best to his wife, the best to his friends, the best to his family, honest, trustworthy, and so much more.  Even his enemies testified to it.  His character was of such a level that God Himself mentioned of its greatness.

He looked up, and a verse was revealed

When the Prophetfirst moved to Madinah, the qiblah (direction of prayer) was still towards Jerusalem and not towards Makkah.  The Prophet found it hard to turn his back on the Kabah as he prayed.  One day he looked up to the sky.  He didn’t make a dua (supplication) or a request, he just looked up.  God not only responded to what his heart sought, but mentioned it in the Quran.  God is openly declaring His love for the Prophet in His book.

"We have certainly seen the turning of your face, towards the sky, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased.  So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque.  And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces towards it [in prayer].  Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord.  And God is not unaware of what they do." (Quran 2:144)

God consoles him

Multiple times when the Prophet was distressed, sad, or affected by the death of a near relation, God sent down verses to console him.  Numerous surahs like Surah Duha, Surah Taha, Surah Yusuf, Surah Sharh, Surah Maryam, etc.  were revealed specifically to soothe his heart.  Such was the honor of the Prophet, that his heart was soothed by God’s own words from above the seven heavens.

He never calls him by name

Among the marvels of the Quran is how God never addressed the Prophet directly as Ya Muhammad (O Muhammad) like he does multiple times for other Prophets like David, Moses, Zechariah, etc.  Rather God uses terms of endearment, such as "O you who is a Prophet", "O you who wraps himself", "O you who covers himself," etc.  Out of honor to the Prophet, he is never called by his own name but only by various titles and by his states which show how much God cares about him.

Defends his family and followers

God defends the Prophet from false accusations multiple times in the Quran, but not only that, He also defends and mentions his family and friends.  There are passages in the Quran directed at his wives, with the honorable term of "Mothers of the believers." His adopted son Zayd was mentioned by name.  When some people spread rumors about Aishah, may God be pleased with her, God responded to their accusations by revealing Surah Noor, in which over 20 verses are sent to defend Aisha.

These are just a few examples of how God defended His Prophet and our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.  The Prophet was a guiding light for all of us, and the more we know about him, the more we will love him.  Let us strive to learn more of the Quran and more about our Prophet.  - islamreligion.com

Death in the Context of Faith

 

In the old days, when a woman saw in a dream a man extinguish the lantern in the house, or when she saw that a great house has collapsed on its foundations, she would be told by a dream interpreter that the man of the house was going to die!

One person said: "I saw in a dream that I was walking with crutches in the morning, and an hour later I was informed that my father had passed away."

The Arabs of old thought the crow was an evil omen.  This was all superstition stemming from the days of ignorance before Islam. 

Prophet Muhammad said in a sermon: "God gave a servant of his a choice between being given the flower of the Earth and between what He had in store for him, and he chose what He had in store for him." The people were bewildered, but Abu Bakr began to weep, understanding that the Prophet was telling the people his life was coming to an end."[1]

A little girl was asked: How many children are in your family?"

She replied: "We are seven."

He asked: "Where are they?"

She said: "Five of us are here, and two of us are beneath the tree over there."

He looked in the direction she was pointing and saw two small gravestones under the tree. 

"You are five, then." "No," she said, "We are seven."

Death is neither obliteration nor is it the end.  It is a transition from one state of being to another.  It is being born anew into another world.  Though it looks like the plug has been pulled on an electrical appliance, it is a fleeting, transitory state.  We say to children that the deceased "has gone to their Lord".  It is a good way to describe it.  It is a positive way of looking at it and it accords well with our faith. 

The Meaning of Life

Albert Camus, the French existential philosopher, said that since we all must die, nothing has any meaning. 

Much earlier, al-Khayyam said: "This glass was made in this exquisite form, so why must it succumb to destruction?"

These are destructive, nihilistic thoughts.  In contrast, Prophet Muhammad said: "be in this world as a stranger or a wayfarer."

Ibn Umar used to say: "When you go to sleep at night, do not await the dawn, and when you wake up, do not wait for night to come.  Take advantage your health for your times of sickness and take advantage of your life before your death."[2]

Life is like an airport; it is merely a preparation for the long journey to come. 

God says: "He it is who created death and life to test you as to which of you are best in deeds." (Quran 67:2)

This is a positive way of looking at it.  Instead of being seen as a cessation of activity, this inevitable event is seen as a catalyst for activity.  We need to get things done and make our mark while we still can. 

When we appreciate that life is short, it will help us to be more forgiving people.  We will be willing to set personal grudges aside, knowing that our time with others is limited. 

We are forced to ask ourselves three crucial questions:

1.    How can we live happy, productive lives?

2.    What will people say after we are gone?  What inspiration will they find in our life stories?

3.    What will our good deeds be like when we move on to the Hereafter?  

One of the Pious Predecessors said: "There are people who are doing so many good deeds, that if they knew they were going to die tomorrow, they would not be able to increase what they are doing."

Ali ibn Abi Talib said: "With every breath, a person’s comes that much closer to death." He also said: "Work in this world as if you are going to live forever, but work for the Hereafter as if you are going to die tomorrow."

Steve Jobs gave a commencement address where he described how he used to have to sleep on the floor in friend’s rooms, how he had to walk for miles to get a free meal, how his young mother had to struggle to find people to adopt him when he was born, how he was so easily pushed out of the company he established, and how he felt when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  He then said: "if you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right."

How to Look at Death Positively

1.    It is enough to think of it as a journey to a place without oppression or injustice.  On the Day of Judgment, it will be said: "Today, each soul will be recompensed according to what it has earned.  There is no injustice today." (Quran 40:17)

2.    It is a reunion with our loved ones who have passed away.  Right before he died, Muadh ibn Jabal said: "Tomorrow, I will meet with those I love, Muhammad and his Companions."

3.    It is liberation from the prison of material existence.  The Prophet said: "The world is the believer’s prison."[3]

4.    It is a mercy for those whose lives are strained by debilitating illness, deprivation or incapacity or when a person’s mind deteriorates so much that they can no longer interact with their loved ones.

5.    Death is akin to sleep.  Both are a change in our state of existence.  One is a permanent move to another life, and the other foreshadows it.

6.    Knowing that we are going to die one day helps us to hold on to our values when facing the tribulations of life, and makes it easy for us to make the right decisions when we are confronted with unethical but appealing choices.

- islamreligion.com

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Footnotes:

[1]Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim

[2]Saheeh Al-Bukhari

[3]Saheeh Muslim

“Rely on God, and do not give up...”

 

Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: "Strive for what benefits you and rely on God, and do not give up.  If something befalls you, do not say: ‘If I had only done such and such.’ Instead say: ‘It is as God decreed and He does what He pleases’."[1]

When Prophet Muhammad said: "Strive for what benefits you…" he was encouraging us to hasten in seizing the positive opportunities that come our way. 

When he added: "… and rely on God…", he was showing us that we should draw upon our faith in order to strengthen ourselves in our efforts. 

This is why the Prophet did not stop there.  He continued by saying: "… and do not give up."

How can anyone give up on the fuel of one’s spirit and the embers of one’s faith?

Finally, he concluded by saying: "If something befalls you, do not say: ‘If I had only done such and such.’ Instead say: ‘It is as God decreed and He does what He pleases’."[2]

Faith is not blind, nor is it a form of resignation and a denial of our great human potential.  It does not mean we should spend our time lamenting in the ruins of the past and reject change.  Instead, faith is our certainty that good is wherever God places it, and that every day you bring forth a new dream, a new hope, and a new success. 

A young man once asked me about a book entitled The Secret by Australian author Rhonda Byrne.  His question compelled me to buy it and read it.  I took it with me and read it on some of my travels.  It presents the idea that we must encourage ourselves to be optimistic, proactive, and believe that what we want can happen; indeed that it will be reality as soon as we utter it, believe it in our hearts, and rid ourselves of our pessimistic thoughts.  People have to focus their minds and thinking on what they want and what must be, instead of on what they fear and detest. 

This idea reminded me of something that Ibn al-Qayyim said: "If a servant relies on God as He ought to be relied upon regarding moving a mountain off its base, then if that person is required to move a mountain, he will do so."

I found that the basic idea of The Secret is one that we need to instil in ourselves, without dissipating its spirit by debating its finer details.  This is because the book’s basic idea is in reality one of the prime motivators for productive work and fortitude. 

She says hundreds of things in her book trying to explain the detailed implications and patterns of her ideas, but they really introduce only two or three new concepts.  One of these concepts is reflected in something Prophet Muhammad quotes his Lord as saying: "I am as my servant thinks of Me, so think of Me how you wish." In some narrations, it continues: "If he thinks well of Me, it is for his benefit, and if he thinks ill of Me, it is to his detriment."

The expectations being referred to here pertain to this world as well the Hereafter.  Good thoughts lead to good actions and good expectations lead to productive work.  When we want to take hold of a new idea, we do not want to undermine it by over-thinking it, dissecting it, and qualifying it with exceptions.  If we do that, it will sputter away and die.  Once the idea is firmly in mind, it becomes easier to modify it and improve upon it. 

The second new idea she introduces is expressed in the hadith where the Prophet said: "When you beseech God, you should be certain that He will answer."[3]

What this means is that when we call upon God in prayer, we should know in our hearts that He will answer us.  We should not supplicate with an attitude of experimentation or with feelings of doubt and skepticism. 

`Umar used to say: "I do not worry about my prayers being answered, but about what I am going to pray for, because if I pray for something, its answer comes with it."

These are among `Umar’s many inspired words.  He is not only referring to deciding what to say in his supplications, which is in itself a good and blessed concern; he is speaking about something more profound: the need for our hearts and minds to have full trust in God and His promise. 

God says: "Call upon me; I will answer you." (Quran 40:60)

And He says: "Who is it that answers the one in need when he calls out?" (Quran 27:62)

And He says: "When my servant asks you about me, I am near.  I answer the supplications of those who beseech me." (Quran 2:186)

Dark thoughts are enough to hurl us into dark places, as dank and stifling as we can imagine.  It is as is we are hastening on death with our pessimistic thoughts.  It is no surprise that pessimistic people in their psychological isolation, often appeal for death to hasten itself, and they lash out those who prevent them from attaining the only "relief" they can see in their lives. 

The Prophet was once asked: "Who are the best people?" He replied: "Those who live long and do the best deeds."[4]

He also said: "None of you should ever wish for death.  Never pray for it before it comes to you of its own accord.  When you die, your deeds come to an end, and a believer’s life is never prolonged except for good."[5]

Life is a blessing which God bestows upon the living.  It was the Prophet’s habit that when he woke up, he would thank God and say: "Praise be to God who revived us after causing us to die and to Him is the final gathering."[6]

The Prophet’s guidance is not just a provision for the next life, but for this one as well.

- islamreligion.com

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Footnotes:

[1]Saheeh Muslim

[2]Saheeh Muslim

[3]Sunan al-Tirmidhi

[4]Sunan al-Tirmidhi

[5]Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim

[6]Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim

What Does the Quran Teach

 

There is a profound question that each and every one of us reflects on at some point during our lives:

"Why am I here, what is my purpose?"

The Quran puts forward a simple but powerful argument with regards to our origins:

"Were they created without any agent? Were they the creators?" (Quran 52:35)

The Quran engages its audience by inviting us to ponder some rational, logical questions which we can use to arrive at a conclusion about our origins.  The first question that the Quran poses to us is: were we created by nothing? Can something really come from nothing?   This is impossible, as we know from our own personal experiences of life as well as the laws of the universe that we couldn’t have come out of nothing, because out of nothing, nothing comes!

This leads us to the next possibility that the Quran proposes: did we create ourselves? Can something create itself?  This is a self-contradiction, because for you to create yourself you would have to already exist, and you can't exist and not exist at same time.  This would be like saying that your mother gave birth to herself!

Since something cannot come from nothing, and self-creation is absurd, this leaves one final possibility: we have a creator.  This is the best explanation not only for our origins but also the universe and everything in it, because it is intuitive and also agrees with reality: whatever begins to exist has a cause or a creator.

This cause or creator must itself be uncaused due to the absurdity of a never-ending chain of causes.  To illustrate this better, if the cause of the universe had a cause and that cause had a cause and so on and so forth forever, then there wouldn’t be a universe to talk about.  For example, imagine if you were told that you couldn’t read this book until you handed it to someone else, and then this other person would also have to give it to someone else, and this went on forever, then would anyone ever read this book? The answer is no.  If we apply this principle to the universe then we would have to conclude that the cause behind it is uncaused out of rational necessity.  The Quran confirms the uncreatedness of the creator:

"He begot no one nor was He begotten." (Quran 112:3)

Now, having a creator is one thing, but how do we know we have a purpose? Everything in this universe has a purpose.  Even simple things like a chair, a bowl and even the book you are holding in your hands serves a purpose.  Wouldn't it be sad if we didn't too have a purpose? If we reflect and look at the world around us, we can easily come to the conclusion that we must have a purpose.  Think about the vastness of our universe with all its billions of galaxies and trillions of planets.  The Qur'an tells us that God did not create all this for no reason:

"We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them playfully." (Quran 21:16)

The sun gives us warmth, the clouds give us rain and the trees and animals give us food.  Since a lot of the systems that God has put in place in our universe are to ensure our survival and wellbeing then God must have a purpose in mind for us, too.  This is what the Quran tells us:

"It is God who created the heavens and earth, who has sent down water from the sky and with it brought forth produce to nourish you; He has made ships useful to you, sailing the sea by His command, and the rivers too; He has made the sun and the moon useful to you, steady on their paths; He has made the night and day useful to you and given you some of everything you asked Him for.  If you tried to count God’s favours you could never calculate them" (Quran 14:32–34)

So that nagging question comes up again, what is our purpose?  Again the Qur'an has the answer:

"I created jinn (Quran spirits) and mankind only to worship Me" (Quran 51:56)

Now, what do you understand about 'worship'? Most will say prayer.  This is correct, however in the Qur'an, worship is much more comprehensive than just praying.  It includes all acts of obedience that are pleasing to our Creator.  Even exercise and eating can be an act of worship if our intention is to stay healthy as we can’t stand up and pray if we are ill!

Why perform worship? It's important to understand that our Creator does not need our worship.  In fact the Qur'an tells us this; it is us who are in need of worship.  We as human beings are more than just flesh and bone, we have a spiritual side that also needs nourishing.  Many people are wealthy materially speaking but unhappy with their lives because they neglect their spiritual wellbeing.  In order for us to experience true peace both our bodies and souls need to be in tune with our Creator:

"Truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace." (Quran 13:28)

So by converting every aspect of our lives into pleasing our Creator, then we will be in a state of constant remembrance of God and our hearts will be at peace.  This is a revolutionary way of thinking but practically, if someone were to do this, a lot of their actions wouldn’t change; however their thought process behind their actions would and they would find the inner peace so needed in today’s society!

So, the question arises - what is the best way to worship God? Let's think about mobile phones.  Mobile phones are obviously not as sophisticated as human beings, but we share many things in common.  We both have a life span, we both require energy to function correctly, and we can both be damaged if we are not taken care of properly.  When mobile phones develop a problem, the first thing most people do is to refer to the instruction manual for the mobile phone.  Why? Because it has been made to show us the best way of using it and we rightly listen to the experts! The creator of the phone knows the best way to use that phone and they have imparted their knowledge to us in the form of instruction manuals.  Similarly then, the Quran is like an instruction manual for humanity as it is from the one who made us.  God, our Creator, knows us better than we know ourselves and this is why His knowledge, His guidance for how we should live will always surpass any human invented philosophies and ways of life. - islamreligion.com

First Chapter of the Quran

 

“I begin with the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All praise is to God, Lord of all the worlds

Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Master of the Day of Judgment

You Alone do we worship and You Alone do we ask for help

Guide us to the straight path

The Path of those on whom You bestowed Your bounties

Not the path of those who incurred Your wrath or those who went astray.” (Quran 1:1-7)

Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, told us, that this chapter in the Quran is unlike any other. Nothing like it was revealed in any previous scripture. When one recites this chapter sincerely they would be professing their belief as a true Muslim.

All praise is to God

When you state that all praise is due to God alone, you are in fact acknowledging that only He has all the attributes of perfection and that only He is the bestower of all the bounties that any of His creation enjoys.  And since gratefulness is the essence of worship, you are also acknowledging that He is the only one who deserves to be worshipped.

Lord of all the worlds

The Arabic word for Lord, Rubb, conveys a number of meanings that are not accurately captured by the English word Lord. It means that He is the one who owns, who creates, who sustains and who looks after all that exists.  The only relationship between Him and all creation is that He is the creator of all that exists.  He cannot therefore be the father of anyone in any real sense! To say that He is the Creator and yet the father of some of His creation is a contradiction in terms.  You don’t create your child, you beget him.  It is because of this that the Quran keeps reminding those who claim that God has children (the Arabs who used to say that the angels are the daughters of God, the Christians who say that Jesus is the son of God, and a Jewish sect who used to believe that Ezra is the son of God) that God is the Creator and Owner of everything.    

Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The two Arabic words, Rahman and Raheem, for which these English phrases stand, are two intensive forms of a root word which conveys the meaning of mercy.  Rahman is more intensive than Raheem, and refers to God’s all-encompassing mercy, His mercy to all His creation in this life and the life to come.  Raheem refers to His special mercy to the faithful.  No created being can therefore be Rahman, but created beings can be described as Raheem in a limited and special sense of the word. 

Master of the Day of Judgment

God is the Master of all days and all things, but while some people can have some limited mastership or even falsely claim to have it, no one can be, or claim to be master in any sense on the Day of Reckoning.  On that Day God will ask all of His creation: “To whom is sovereignty today?” And the answer will be “To God, the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists”.  This reminds us of the fact that this world is only a transient station on the road to the final abode where we shall either be rewarded or punished for what we do here. 

You Alone do we worship and You Alone do we ask for help

The foregoing verses were like an introduction to this one.  It is as if you are saying: because we acknowledge the fact that all praise is to You, that You are the Lord of all the worlds, that You are Most Gracious and Most Merciful, and that You Alone are the Master of the Day of Judgment, we hereby declare that we worship none but You and seek help from none except You.   This verse emphasizes the fact that what is important is not only that You worship God, but that you worship none besides Him, because none except Him deserves to be worshipped.  Worship in the broader sense of the word includes that you obey none but Him in any absolute sense, love no one as or more than you love Him and pray to no one except Him. It also includes that you seek help from none but God; this doesn’t mean that you don’t extend or accept any help from any of God’s created beings in matters in which they have the power to help.  It only means that you believe that even when you give or receive such help that it is ultimately coming from God because nothing in this world happens without His will and power.  So it is from Him alone that you are ultimately turning for help, and it is on Him that you ultimately and absolutely depend. 

Guide us to the Straight path

Having acknowledged all those truths about God, and having declared to Him that it is He Alone that we worship and ask for help, we now go on to ask Him to grant us the thing that we need most: knowing and taking the shortest path that leads to Him.  Having known who God is we are convinced that such guidance must come from Him, that it must be available to all who want to follow it, and that there must be no doubt about the fact that it is from Him.  That guidance, we know, is no where to be found in any complete way except in God’s words, the words that He revealed to His chosen Prophets like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, may God praise them all.  But we also know for sure that none of the books that contain that guidance is now at our disposal except one - the Quran.  It is to this Divine book that we must turn for a detailed description of the Straight Path that leads to our Lord.  This path is an absolute path that was given to each Prophet and Messenger of God and it does not change over the passage of time.

The Path of those on whom You bestowed Your bounties

The straight path described in the Quran is not a theoretical path; it is an actual path that some people before us have taken.  As Muslims, we believe every Prophet and Messenger of God preached the belief in the Oneness of God and that all worship was to be dedicated to Him alone.

Not the path of those who incurred Your wrath or those who went astray

Just as the Straight Path is described above in a positive way, the paths of those who deviated from it are described in a negative manner. We always ask our Lord to keep us away from the paths taken by two kinds of deviant people: those who knew the truth about religion and yet refused to act according to it, and there brought upon themselves the wrath of God. The second group of people were those who made their religion suit their whims and desires and are thus went astray.  The Quran tells us in some detail about their main deviations, among the greatest of which is that they have no great respect for God or His words: they ascribe to Him imperfect, even insulting attributes; they distort His words at will to make them suit their own wishes or preferences and they commit immoralities in the name of religion. - islamreligion.com

What Is the Meaning of “Yaum Al-Hajj Al-Akbar” in Quran?

 

Initially Al-Hajj Al-Akbar means the major pilgrimage, which is Hajj performed in the month of Zul-Hijjah; while the minor pilgrimage is Umrah that is performed at any other time of the year:

Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“You have been ordered to establish four things – establish prayers, give alms, establish Hajj and Umrah to the House; and Hajj is the major pilgrimage while Umrah is the minor pilgrimage” (Al-Haithami in Mojmaa Al-Zawaid – Hasan)

There are many other authentic hadith relating the same information; therefore, every Hajj is Al-Hajj Al-Akbar, unlike the common misconception that when Arafah coincide on a Friday then it is called Al-Hajj Al-Akbar.

The translation of the verse you quoted is:

{And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the greatest day (the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah – the 12th month of Islamic calendar)…} (At-Taubah, 9:3)

Maududi explained the above statement as follows:

“Yaum Al-Hajj Al-Akbar refers to the 10th of Zul-Hijjah and is also known as Yaum-un-Nahr (day of sacrifice). This has been explained by the Holy Prophet in an authentic Tradition. On the 10th of Zul-Hijjah, during the last Haj of the Holy Prophet, he asked the people, “What is this day?” The people answered, “It is the day of Sacrifice.”

The Holy Prophet said, “This is the day of Al-Hajj Al-Akbar” (Al-Bukhari).

Here the word Al-Hajj Al-Akbar (Great Pilgrimage) has been used in contrast to Al-Hajj Al-Asghar which the Arabs used for ‘Umrah’. Thus, the Hajj which is performed in the prescribed dates of Zul-Hijjah is called Al-Hajj Al-Akbar.”

Ibn Al-Qayyim also mentioned in his book Zad Al-Miaad:

“The day of the major pilgrimage is the day of sacrifice”

As for Arafah falling on a Friday, there is nothing in authentic Islamic sources that suggests that the Hajj is more rewarding. However, scholars have concluded that because two blessed days have coincided then there is more blessings due to the following facts:

Arafah is the best day of the year and Friday is the best day of the week based on the following hadith; Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On it Adam was created, on it he was admitted to Paradise, on it he was expelled therefrom, and on it the Hour will begin. On that day there is an hour when no Muslim slave asks Allah for something good but He will grant it to him.” (Sahih Muslim)

The prophet’s only hajj also happened to have fallen on a Friday. On that day, he (peace be upon him) received one of the most important verses in the Quran; Narrated Umar Ibn Al-Khattab:

Once a Jew said to me, “O chief of believers! There is a verse in your Holy Book which is read by all of you (Muslims), and had it been revealed to us, we would have taken that day (on which it was revealed as a day of celebration.”

Umar bin Al-Khattab asked, “Which is that verse?” The Jew replied, {This day I have perfected your religion For you, completed My favor upon you, And have chosen for you Islam as your religion.} (Al-Maeda, 5:3) Umar replied, “No doubt, we know when and where this verse was revealed to the Prophet. It was Friday and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was standing at Arafah (i.e. the Day of Hajj)” (Sahih Al-Bulhari)

- aboutislam.net

About Maen Khalifa

Maen has many years of experience in dawah work. He formerly worked as the Ask About Islam Editor and a consultant.