How Was the Quran Collected?

 

How Was the Quran Collected?

Muslims believe that the Quran we have to today is the same Quran that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Quran was not subject to any sort of distortion or change.

We read in the Quran what means:

*{It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.}* (Quran 15:9)

We also read:

*{The Word of your Lord has been perfected in truth and justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearing, All- Knowing.}* (Quran 6:115)

The Collection of the Quran by Abu Bakr

The Prophet’s Companions preserved the Quran in their hearts. They also preserved the Quran on the trunks of trees and thin white stones. This was the case until Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) consulted the senior companions about the idea of compiling the entire Quran in one book so that it would be preserved and would not be lost. 

Zaid ibn Thabit reported that:

Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me when the people of Yamama had been killed (i.e., a number of the Prophet’s Companions who fought against Musaylimah the Liar). (I went to him) and found Umar ibn Al-Khattab sitting with him.

Abu Bakr then said (to me), “Umar has come to me and said: “Casualties were heavy among the Qurra’ of the Quran (i.e. those who knew the Quran by heart) on the day of the Battle of Yamama, and I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra’ on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Quran may be lost.

Therefore I suggest, you (Abu Bakr) order that the Quran be collected.” I said to Umar, “How can you do something which Allah’s Messenger did not do?” Umar said, “By Allah, that is a good project.” Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my chest for it and I began to realize the good in the idea which Umar had realized.”

Then Abu Bakr said (to me). ‘You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah’s Messenger. So you should search for (the fragmentary scripts of) the Quran and collect it in one book.”

By Allah if they had ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Quran.

Then I said to Abu Bakr, “How will you do something which Allah’s Messenger did not do?” Abu Bakr replied, “By Allah, it is a good project.” Abu Bakr kept on urging me to accept his idea until Allah opened my chest for what He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and Umar.

So I started looking for the Quran and collecting it from (what was written on) palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart, till I found the last Verse of Surat At-Tawbah (Repentance) with Abi Khuzaymah Al-Ansari, and I did not find it with anybody other than him.

The Verse is: ‘Verily there has come unto you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. (till the end of Surat Bara’ah (At-Tawbah 9:128-129).

Then the complete manuscripts (copy) of the Quran remained with Abu Bakr till he died, then with Umar till the end of his life, and then with Hafsah, the daughter of Umar. (Al-Bukhari)

Did Other Companions Know about the Last Two Verses of Surat At-Tawbah?

Based on the above narration and as you mentioned in your question, some claimed that how was it possible that Abu Khuzaymah had two verses that nobody else had? How can we be totally sure of these verses if only one man noted it down? Did any other companions memorize these verses?

The answer to these claims can be summarized in the following points:

1- In another narration, there is a reference to another verse that was found with Khuzaymah ibn Thabit Al-Ansari. The verse reads: 

*{Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pledge ‘with their lives’, others are waiting ˹their turn˺. They have never changed ˹their commitment˺ in the least.}* (Quran 33:23)

Zayd ibn Thabit

Zayd ibn Thabit had knowledge of the verse of Surat Al-Azhab and by way of analogy he had knowledge of the last two verses of Surat At-Tawbah. 

He narrated:

When we collected the fragmentary manuscripts of the Quran into copies, I missed one of the verses which I used to hear Allah’s Messenger reading. Finally I did not find it with anybody except Khuzaymah Al-Ansari, whose witness was considered by Allah’s Messenger equal to the witness of two men. (And that verse was:) ‘Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah.’ (Al-Bukhari)

Other Companions Heard These Verses as well

2- Scholars of Tafseer agreed that Umar ibn Al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan and Ubaby ibn Ka`b heard these verses from the Prophet. It is reported that Al-Harith ibn Khuzaymah came with the last two verses of Surat At-Tabah and said:

‘I testify that I heard them from the Prophet.’ Umar ibn Al-Khattab said: ‘I testify that I heard them also from the Prophet.’ In another version, Uthman said: “I also testify that I heard them from the Prophet’

Imam Al-Khattabi said:

‘These verses were memorized by Zayd ibn Thabit, Abu Khuzayman and Umar.’ (Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari)

Extra Caution 

3- As for Zayd’s words: ‘and I did not find it with anybody other than him’, this means that Zayd did not find the verses written down with anyone else except Abu Khuzaymah. That didn’t mean that no one else knew about the verses. Scholars said that the collectors of the Quran did not rely on what the Companions learned by heart, but they collected what was written on different fragments.

Ibn Hajar commented in his Fath al-Bari:

The Prophet permitted the writing of the Quran and prohibited the writing of anything else along with it. So, Abu Bakr did not order anything to be written down except what has already been written down, and that is the reason why Zayd bin Thabit refrained from writing the last verses from Surat Bara’ah until he found it written, for he already knew it and had people who remembered it along with him.

The Obligatory Presence of Two Witnesses For Any Verse Collection

During the collection process, the Companions were very cautious not to accept any verse until two people testified that they heard it from the Prophet. 

Umar ibn Al-Khattab said: 

Who ever received anything regarding the Quran from the Prophet, then let him bring it. And they used to write it on the manuscripts and boards and date palmed stalks. He said that nothing would be accepted from anyone until two witnesses testify to it. (Ibn Hajar, Fath Al-Bari)

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Mohsen Haredy

Dr. Mohsen Haredy holds a PhD in Hadith literature from Leiden University, the Netherlands. He is the former Executive Manager and Editor-in-Chief of E-Da`wah Committee in Kuwait, and a contributing writer and counselor of Reading Islam. He graduated from Al-Azhar University and earned his MA in Hadith literature from Leiden University.

Virtues of Reciting Surat Al-Kahf on Friday

 

There are sound hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) concerning the virtues of reciting Surat Al-Kahf during the day or night of Jumu`ah (Friday). These include:

“Whoever reads Surat Al-Kahf on the night of Jumu`ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Kabah).” (Ad-Darimi)

“Whoever reads Surat Al-Kahf on the day of Jumu`ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.” (Al-Haakim and Al-Bayhaqi)

Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: ‘Whoever reads Surat Al-Kahf on the day of Jumu`ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’” (Al-Targheeb wal-Tarheeb 1/298) 

Allah Almighty knows best.

Source: www.islamqa.info.

About Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid

ًA well-known Saudi lecturer and author.

An Islamic Thanksgiving?

 

Allah Almighty says:

So remember Me and I shall remember you; give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me for My favours. (Al-Baqarah 2: 152)

And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): “If you are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you; but if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed. (Ibrahim 14: 7)

We bestowed Wisdom on Luqman: “Show (your) gratitude to Allah.” Any who is (so) grateful does so to the profit of his own soul; but if any is ungrateful, verily Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praise. (Luqman 31: 12)

The National Day of Thanksgiving in America, (Canada, etc.) is a beautiful holiday. It contains a good spirit and noble message.

It is not a holiday of any particular religion. It is not a Christian or Jewish holiday but it has many deeply religious and spiritual meanings.

America at thanksgiving is America at its best.

It is unfortunate that like many other moral and spiritual things, this holiday is also turned nowadays into too much indulgence and commercialism.

It is important that we remember and remind others about the spirit of thanksgiving.

The Qur’anic word for thanks is “shukr.” It is mentioned in the Qur’an many times. It is the quality of human beings and it is also the quality of Allah.

According to scholars shukr means:

“It is the consideration of the favor and its acknowledgment. Shukr from the human means the recognition of the favor. Shukr from Allah means the reward and appreciation.”

Shukr is a very important principle in Islam.

It is a quality of the believers, and it is a source of all goodness. Shukr is used in the Qur’an sometimes as an equivalent to faith.

The faithful are thankful people, and the unfaithful are ungrateful people.

Allah has described His prophets and messengers among those who were thankful:

“Prophet Nuh was a grateful servant of Allah” (Al-Israa’ 17: 3).

“Prophet Ibrahim used to thank Allah for His many blessings“(An-Nahl 16:121).

“Prophet Dawud and his family were told to be grateful to Allah” (Sabaa’ 34:13).

Allah told His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):

Nay, but worship Allah, and be of those who give thanks. (Az-Zummar 39: 66)

Allah also promised:

Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave, the term being fixed as by writing. If anyone desires a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if anyone desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that who are thankful. (Aal `Imran 3: 145)

In Islam, thanksgiving is not only a particular religious act or service; it is the whole life.

The whole life should be lived in obedience to our Ultimate Benefactor, Allah. God has been good to us, and so in our thankfulness we should worship Him and obey His commands and orders.

Our daily prayers, our fasting during Ramadan, our zakah, and our Hajj are all acts of thanksgiving. We should do them not only as duties that must be performed but as our gratitude to our Lord and Creator.

Furthermore, we should remind ourselves that we are constantly under Allah’s favors and blessings.

When we eat, he told us that we should say: “When the Prophet used to eat or drink, he used to say,

“Thanks be to Allah Who gave us food and drink and made us Muslims.” (At-Tirmidhi, 3379)

There are many special prayers that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us to keep us on the path of gratitude and thankfulness.

Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) put on any new dress, he would say its name ‘Amamah or shirt or shawl, then he would say,

“O Allah, Thanks be to You, You gave me this to wear. I ask You to give me the good of this dress and the good for which it is made and I ask You to protect me from the evil of this dress and from the evil of that for which it is made.” (At-Tirmidhi, 1689)

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to mount his camel going on a journey, he used to say “Allah Akbar” (God is the greatest) three times, and then he would say,

“Glory to Him Who has subjected these to our (use), for we could never have accomplished this (by ourselves). And to our Lord, surely, must we turn back!” (Az-Zukhruf 43:13)

“O Allah, we ask you this journey righteousness and piety and the deeds that are pleasing to you.“

“O Allah, make this journey easy for us and shorten its distance.“

“O Allah, You are the Companion in journey and You are the Guardian for the family (left behind).”

“O Allah, We ask you to protect us from the exhaustion of journey, from bad scenes and from bad return to our property and family.”

When he used to return, he used to say,

“Returning, repenting, worshiping and praising our Lord.” (Muslim, 2392)

Islam does not only teach us to thank Allah, but we are also told to thank our parents, our spouses, our friends, our neighbors, and all those who do any good to us.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Those who do not thank people, they do not thank Allah.” (At-Tirmidhi, 1878)

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi

Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi is the Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America

4 Benefits of Giving Charity

Charity is an essential part of Islam. But only a few of us realize the benefits of giving, both in this life and in the Hereafter. Just as the Prophet as said ”Charity doesn’t decrease wealth” Click here to find out 4 benefits of giving charity! - aboutislam.net

Can Men and Women Joke in Islam?

 Sheikh Waleed Basyouni answers your question in the following video:

Almighty Allah knows best.

Source: FaithIQ

About Sheikh Waleed Basyouni

A graduate with a Bachelors in Islamic Sciences from Al-Imam Muhammad University, KSA. He did his Masters in Islamic Theology, World Religions and Modern Religious Sects from Al-Imam Muhammad University; and PhD in Theology from Graduate Theological Foundation, Mishawaka, Indiana, USA.

Can a Non-Muslim Doctor Perform Circumcision?

 

Any certified doctor can do circumcision. It does not matter whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims; it is a simple procedure. So, any legitimate physician can perform it.

We cannot forbid things based on our personal opinion or speculations. In Islam, permission is the rule, and prohibition is an exception. We don’t need any proof for the former; we need evidence for the latter: i.e., prohibiting something.

So, I would advise not to bother with people who project their personal opinions as Islamic rules.

Almighty Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Why is Mahr a Must in Marriage? How Much to Give?

 

An Islamic marriage clearly defines the primary roles and responsibilities of both partners – husband and wife – and accordingly demarcates the rules regarding the earning and spending of wealth.

This blessed marital union, known in Islam as nikah, has a few essential components, without which it is not considered complete. One of these is the payment of the mahr or dowry, which is an amount of wealth that the husband pays to his wife.

Paying this mahr is obligatory, because Allah has called it “fareedah” in the Quran and commanded Muslim men to pay it “happily” to their wives.

Mahr in the Light of Quran and Hadith

The question arises, as to why Allah has made it obligatory upon Muslim men who wish to marry a woman, to first stipulate and eventually pay a specified amount of wealth in order for them to be able to acquire her as a lawful wedded wife?

The necessity of paying mahr as a strict pre-condition for marrying a woman is indicated by the fact that whenever a single man would express his desire to get married in front of Allah’s messenger‎, or inform him that he had recently got married, the Prophet would ask him what he could give, or what he’d already given, to his wife as mahr.

This indicates the absolute importance of paying mahr to the bride as soon as the nikah is done.

The Quran mentions mahr using the Arabic word “ujoor”, which is the plural of the word “ajr”. This Arabic word means ‘compensation, recompense, or reward for what someone has done’.

A narration recorded (with slight differences) in two of the 6 authentic books of hadiths, Sunan Ibn Majah and Jami` Al-Tirmidhi, further provides explanation of the wisdom behind ordaining mahr as a pre-condition of Islamic nikah.

In this hadith, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) clearly described the reason for paying the mahr as:

“If he entered into her, then the Mahr is for her in lieu of what he enjoyed from her private part.”

Therefore, in the light of the Quran and Hadith, it can safely be said that the mahr is the amount of wealth that a Muslim man must pay in order to be able to start to, and continue to, enjoy a Muslim woman’s private parts in the way sanctioned by Allah i.e. through halal conjugal relations.

Furthermore, Allah has ordained patience in striving to remain chaste in the Quran for those single Muslim men who desire to get married, but do not possess enough wealth to pay as mahr.

Why Give Mahr at All?

At this point, the question that pops up into one’s mind is: Why would Allah make mahr obligatory?

Why should a lawfully wedded Muslim wife ‘be paid’ something by her husband for him to start to enjoy physical intimacy with her?

I have heard some indiscreet and blunt critics even compare this ‘payment’ of mahr at the time of nikah, as being seemingly akin to — in their perception — the payment given by male customers to women who need to sell their bodies, for their services (I seek refuge with Allah!).

The more we have to pay for, sacrifice, spend, or work hard to acquire something, the more we value it and treat it well when it actually comes into our lives.

In order to further understand the concept, ask yourself: What is your attitude towards something that you get for free?

Is it not true that we all tend to undermine, waste, ignore or even misuse the things that we get easily, without any effort or monetary payment?

Just compare how you treat anything that you paid a large amount of sweat, toil or money to acquire, and something that you got for free. You will be able to see the difference.

Well, Allah wants men to maintain, protect, honor, and value their wives because a wife is the only woman on earth that a Muslim man is allowed to enjoy sexually.

To prevent women from being acquired very easily for marriage (without any struggle or sacrifice), or to be cheapened, undermined, abused, and discarded at will by men, Allah made it obligatory upon the latter to pay something to them (anything of value, small or large), when they get married to them, even after obtaining their guardians’ consent for the marriage.

Along the same lines, Allah also obligated Muslim men to financially provide for their wives’ basic food, clothing, shelter, and maintenance needs on a continuous basis after the marriage.

How Much? Mahr at the Time of the Prophet

Incidents from the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions provide various examples about the types and value of the mahr that were given by husbands to wives during his life. The amounts and values of mahr varied from little to a lot.

Prophet Muhammad said regarding the value of mahr:

“Go and look for something, even if it is a ring of iron.” (Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet was also known to encourage keeping the mahr simple and easy to give:

“The best of dowers is the simplest.” (Al-Hakim, Al-Bayhaqi)

From a simple iron ring, to a piece of gold as big as a date-stone, to the knowledge of the Quran, Prophet Muhammad approved of several kinds of mahr when he conducted or facilitated marriages of his companions.

It is also known from a particular case of khul’ (divorce that is initiated by the wife), that one man had given an entire garden to his wife as mahr.

This indicates that if a man wants to provide his wife with a mahr that is high in value, it is permissible, as long as he doesn’t do it to show off his wealth, and his resources do not become depleted as a result.

The Quran also allows a high amount of mahr, by mentioning the Arabic word “qintar”, which means ‘a large weight or measure (of property), heaped up property’.

However, the most important question that remains is: how much mahr did the Prophet give to his own wives?

According to a hadith, narrated from his wife Aisha, Prophet Muhammad gave “twelve uqiyah and a nashsh” as mahr to his wives, which amounts to 500 dirhams. According to the calculations and conversions to modern-day global currency carried out by qualified scholars, the value of this mahr amounts to between $300-400.

- aboutislam.net

About Sadaf Farooqi

Sadaf Farooqi is an author, blogger and freelance writer based in Karachi, Pakistan. To date, Sadaf has authored over 300 original articles, most of which can be accessed on her blog, "Sadaf's Space" (sadaffarooqi.wordpress.com). She has recently started self-publishing her past articles as non-fiction Islamic books, which are available on Amazon and Kindle (www.amazon.com/author/sadaffarooqi)

Be Proud and Say: Indeed I Am a Muslim

 

The strangest things have been happening to you lately, and you have no idea why.

Suddenly, you feel you live in a fishbowl where your every move is watched, where you are being studied from afar and from close by.

Where your taste in clothes, music, food, books, art, etc., is being analyzed, where your “Muslim-ness” is of concern to people, and where you, my friend, can choose to either sink or swim.

It was not always like this, but, regrettably, you are growing up at a time when the most commonly used terms to describe your religion and the people who belong to it range from backward, anti-progress, and oppressive to extremists, fundamentalists, and violence-prone.

The idiom “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is false, because words do hurt, and sometimes the sting of words remains long after the physical wounds from an assault by sticks or stones have healed.

With every major conflict in the world today being of direct or semi-direct concern to Muslims, it seems like life will get a lot worse before it gets better.

Will you continue to identify yourself with Muslims? So what will it be? Will you sink or will you swim against the tide of negativity being directed at Islam and Muslims?

Be Proud, and If and When Needed, Say It Out Loud

Well, that might be easier and more manageable for the young men who have not yet matured enough to have facial hair and can really blend with a baseball cap on backwards, baggy jeans drooping, and sports jerseys.

But is that really a solution? Is it even fair for our young sisters who wear hijab and are, therefore, recognized as Muslims from the moment an onlooker is able to discern the head covering?

And perhaps it would be idealistic to say that all young women wear hijab and so it is just as possible that those women who do not wear hijab can and do blend in by wearing whatever it is that the non-Muslims are wearing, imitating their hairstyles, and applying makeup like them.

Let’s be clear that blending in to the point of being unable to be discerned as a Muslim is not an acceptable option for us.

So what happens when people know that you are a Muslim?

Nothing needs to happen really, other than the fact that you have the internal pride in admitting to yourself and to everyone else around you that you are a Muslim.

Not just as a slogan, but because of your beliefs, your practice, your character, and, most of all, your inclination to be of service to Allah by serving others.

We are reminded in the Qur’an by Allah Almighty, who distinguishes between believers, stating,

“And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.” (Fussilat 41:33)

It is important that we study this verse, especially in the context of living in the West, among mostly people of faiths other than Islam.

The main point here is the conversation, the dialogue that will take place more and more often between you and young people of other faiths or adults of other faiths.

As we noted above, among young people and adults alike, there has been constant and consistent pressure to condemn the actions of those fringe Muslims who choose to commit acts of violence and terror in the name of Islam.

Don’t Shy Away

Regrettably, along with the way of condemning these acts that violate the teachings of Islam, some of us find it difficult to maintain an attachment to the religion.

We opt instead to shy away from admitting to being Muslims.

This shyness comes in various forms. One might be fasting during Ramadan and be offered food by a non-Muslim.

The best response, in the spirit of calling people to Allah, meaning, informing people about the teachings of Islam, would be to say, “No, thank you. I am fasting.”

Regrettably, more often than not, the response from young Muslims is “No, thanks.” Period.

No further conversation, no dialogue, no indication that a spiritual experience is in progress via a day of fasting.

Such a response yields no further potential for informing others about our faith and about the beautiful and life-transforming experience of fasting.

With more and more people becoming familiar with Islam and Islamic teachings, there is a chance, however, that the inquisitive person is likely to ask, “Are you fasting?”

Or if the person knows that Muslims fast but is unsure that you are a Muslim, he or she might say, “Oh, I didn’t know you were Muslim.”

Or if the person is unsure what it means to fast, he or she might ask, “What is fasting?”

No matter what, the goal should be some level of interaction to increase the exposure and understanding of other people about Islam and Muslims.

Final Thoughts

With each day, a new event unfolds on the international stage, and by the will and plan of Allah, Muslims are almost always implicated as the main actors, supporters, or sympathizers.

As young people, you will bear the brunt of the ambassadorial responsibilities of bridging the gap between Muslims and people of other faiths.

We need you to be knowledgeable about Islam, to be strong in your faith, to be proud of your Islamic tradition, and to be articulate in your presentation of Islam.

You do not have the choice, nor can the Muslim community afford, to shy away or worse yet, feel as if you want to hide your Islamic identity.

With the help and guidance of Allah, in sha‘ Allah, you will help to integrate Islamic teachings into your life and be proud to say to people, for example,

“I am fasting because it is a part of my religious teachings,” or “I wear hijab because I am asked to do so by my Lord,” and “I pray five times a day because I am asked to do so by my Lord and because Prayer helps me maintain a close relationship with my Lord.”

The key here is not to lose heart, not to fear the blame of other people as they continue to associate violence and other false notions with Islam.

Be confident in what you believe, who you are, and that you are on earth to serve Allah by serving the society in which you live.

We make du`aa’ for every one of you in sha’ Allah to be among those described in the verse, 

“And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.” (Fussilat 41:33)

- aboutislam.net

What Is Your Objective in Life?

 

When the lifestyle of one who is working solely for the material gains of this world is compared with that of a person who is striving for the everlasting rewards of the Hereafter, there is seemingly very little difference. In both cases, each person seems to be striving to maintain a quality life.

The Qur’an , however, states that the two parties are far from equal:

{Is then the one who believes equal to the man who is a transgressor and wicked? Not equal are they.} (As-Sajdah 32: 18)

What Is the Difference?

It is clear that the non-believer, limited to himself and feeding upon his own desires, cannot compare with the true believer.

The non-believer may fulfil all his worldly desires, but his accomplishments will only bring temporary satisfaction;

{To him who desires only this fleeting life, We grant him only here and only as much as We please, only to whomever We will: but in the end We consign him to Hell.} (Al-Israa’  17: 18.)

The true believer on the other hand, may achieve worldly gains but he realizes that true contentment will only come when the ultimate reward of Paradise and the pleasure of his Lord is achieved.

{Verily, that which is with Allah is best for you, if you but knew. All that which is with you is bound to end, whereas all that which is with Allah is everlasting.} (An-Nahl 16:95-96.)

This understanding of life and its true objective is the secret of the believer’s strength and support. This makes him the most powerful and resourceful person to walk upon the earth.

The Qur’an continues in Al-Israa’:

{But, as for those who desire the life to come, and strive for it as it ought to be striven for, and are true Believers- they are the ones whose strivings find acceptance and reward.} (Al-Israa’  17: 19)

Start, then, to prepare for the Aakhirah today!

Why waste your time and energy on what will perish when you can use the same to earn the delights and pleasures of the life to come?

Everything you have must be put forward as an investment for that life, but you must keep in mind that the investment is not the objective.

All that Allah has bestowed on you -body, mind, faculties, and property -are valuables for investment, but the real objective is to earn the pleasure of Allah and the rewards of Jannah.

Remember that your personal destiny and, therefore, the end of all your life’s pursuits, lie in the Hereafter, but the road to that destiny lies in Dunya, in this world. Indeed the achievements made during the time of the Prophet were the results of full participation in this world – neither withdrawing nor retiring from it – for the sake of the life to come.

The Prophet and his Companions planned for this world as though they were going to stay here forever but equally they sought the rewards of the Hereafter as though death was close at hand. It is this delicate balance that you must strive to achieve in your approach to life.

The reality of the hereafter

For those who sat and listened to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Hereafter became almost a living reality to the extent that they could almost visualize it with their own eyes.

On some occasions, during the Prophet’s descriptions of the Aakhirah, they observed him going forward as if to grasp something while on other occasions he would withdraw as if to save himself.

When questioned about those unusual movements the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that as he spoke, he saw the fruits of Jannah in front of him.

He reached out wanting to seize some so that he could show them. He said that, had he done so, it would have provided enough food for the entire world in all times to come.

Similarly, when he withdrew, he saw the Hell-fire in front of him and wanted to save himself from it.

It was this and other similar experiences witnessed by the companions which were responsible for reforming their lives so completely that all their morals, manners, activities, goals in life – indeed, their entire purpose of existence – was determined by their awareness of their meeting with Allah.

It is this reality and conviction in our ultimate fate – repeatedly emphasized in the Qur’an  and in the life example of the Prophet – that we must continuously refer to for inspiration in conducting life’s activities.

References

Taken with slight modifications from the author’s book: In the Early Hours

- aboutislam.net

Look After Your Parents In Old Age

Mufti Abdur-Rahman in this video emphasises the importance of taking care of ones parents when they reach old age. Old age is going to happen to the vast majority of us. We have to repay our parents for bringing us up. - aboutislam.net

When Should I Start Teaching Qur’an to My Kids?

As parents, most of us, if not all of us, want our kids to memorize the Quran.

It is a dream that each and every Muslim parent has.

What is the right time to start teaching Quran to them? At what age?

Is there any specific technique to it?

Source: Faith IQ

Marital Home: Who’s the Boss Here?

 

There has been an argument on the issue of marital home leadership, who is in charge ? Sheikh Yahya Ibrahim makes it clear that it’s important to understand the balance of responsibilities in the family circle, at home, between husbands and wives. So this shouldn’t lead to a leadership crisis at home; it’s a division of labor.

-aboutislam.net

The beauty of Islam as seen by others

American poet, critic and author Colonel Donald S. Rockwell writes: "The simplicity of Islam, the powerful appeal and the compelling atmosphere of its mosques, the earnestness of its faithful followers, the confidence inspiring realization of millions throughout the world who answer the five daily calls to prayer, these factors attracted me from the first.

But after I had determined to become a follower of Islam, I found many deeper reasons for confirming my decision. The mellow concept of life -- fruit of the combined course of action and contemplation, the wise counsel, the admonitions to charity and mercy of the Prophet, , (may Allah exalt his mention).

The broad humanitarianism, the pioneer declaration of women's rights, these and other factors of the teachings of the man of Makkah, were to me among the first obvious evidence of a practical religion so tersely and so aptly epitomized in the cryptic words of Prophet Muhammad, : 'Trust in God and tie your camel.' He gave us a religious system of normal action, not blind faith in the protection of an unseen force in spite of our own neglect, but confidence that if we do all things rightly and to the best of our ability, we may trust in what comes as the Will of God...

When I stood in the inspiring mosques of Istanbul, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, Algiers, Tangier, Fez and other cities, I was conscious of a powerful reaction -- the potent uplift of Islam's simple appeal to the sense of higher things, unaided by elaborate trappings, ornamentation, figures, pictures, music and ceremonial ritual. The mosque is a place of quiet contemplation and self-effacement in the greater reality of the true God.

The democracy of Islam has always appealed to me. Potentate and pauper have the same rights on the floor of the mosque, on their knees in humble worship. There are no rented pews or special reserved seats.

The Muslim accepts no man as mediator between himself and his God. He goes direct to the invisible source of creation and life -- God -- without reliance on a saving formula of repentance of sins and belief in the power of a teacher to afford him salvation. The universal brotherhood of Islam, regardless of race, politics, color or country, has been brought home to me most keenly many times in my life, and this is another feature which drew me towards the Faith."

The baseless claim that Islam converted the peoples it had 'conquered by force' has also been refuted by prominent non-Muslims.

Mahatma Gandhi, for instance, writes in Young Indian, 1924:

"I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, , the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble."

James A. Michener writes in the Reader's Digest, under the title Islam: The Misunderstood Religion: "No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam. The West has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern scholar accepts that idea, and the Quran is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience."

Laurence E. Browne writes in The Prospects of Islam: "Incidentally, these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings about the Muslims, that wherever they went, they forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword."

De Lay O'Leany also writes in Islam at Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fanatically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated."

It is worth mentioning here that it is absolutely wrong to judge Islam by the deteriorating condition of Muslims and the blatant corruption that pervades the Muslim world. What Islam preaches is one thing, and what so many Muslims nowadays practice is something else.

The only way whereby we do justice to Islam is to find out about its noble teachings, which are clearly set out at length in the Holy Quran and the Prophetic traditions. The famous popular singer, Cat Stevens, who later embraced Islam once observed: "It will be wrong to judge Islam in the light of the behavior of some bad Muslims who are always shown on the media.

It is like judging a car as a bad one if the driver is drunk and he bangs it into a wall. Islam guides all human beings in daily life -- in its spiritual, mental and physical dimensions. Nevertheless, we must find the sources of these instructions -- the Quran and the example of the Prophet, . Then we can see the idea of Islam."

What is generally said about Islam in the media and in many academic circles can also give a wrong idea about it. As Maurice Bucaille put it: "The totally erroneous statements made about Islam in the West are sometimes the result of ignorance, and sometimes of systematic denigration.

The most serious of all the untruths told about it are, however, those dealing with facts, for while mistaken opinions are excusable, the presentation of facts running contrary to reality is not. It is disturbing to read blatant untruths in eminently respectable works written by authors who a priori are highly qualified."

[From: A Glimpse at the Beauty of Islam]

- islamweb.net