We often run after the money, the houses, the cars, the degrees, and forget about our salah’s, reciting the Qur’aan, taking care of our parents, and the needy, take part in spreading the (true) message of Allah and time for spenting, taking count of our ownself.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, we often run after the money, the houses, the cars, the degrees, and forget about our salah’s, reciting the Qur’aan, taking care of our parents, and the needy, take part in spreading the (true) message of Allah and time for spenting, taking count of our ownself. This verse is a great reminder for myself and all of us to make sure we don’t neglect the important things that count…..

The Miracle of Miracles

 Say: If the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur`an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.

What is a miracle? I think it is necessary that we have a clear picture of what we mean by a miracle. Here are some definitions:-

"An event that appears so inexplicable by the laws of nature, that it is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God." "A person, thing or event that excites admiring awe." "An act beyond human power, an impossibility."

It is logical that greater the impossibility, greater the miracle. For example, should a person expire before our very eyes and is certified dead by a qualified medical man, yet later on a mystic or a saint commands the corpse to 'arise!', and to everybody's astonishment the person gets up and walks away , we would label that as a miracle. But if the resurrection of the dead took place after the corpse had been in the mortuary for three days, then we would acclaim this as a greater miracle. And if the dead was made to arise from the grave, decades or centuries after the body had decomposed and rotted away, then in that case we would label it the greatest miracle of them all!

A Common Trait: It has been a common trait of mankind since time immemorial that whenever a guide from God appeared to redirect their steps into the will and plan of God; they demanded supernatural proofs from these men of God, instead of accepting message on its merit.

For example, when Jesus Christ (pbuh) began to preach to his people - "the children of Israel" - to mend their ways and to refrain from mere legalistic formalism and imbibe the true spirit of the laws and commandments of god, his 'people' demanded miracles from him to prove his bona fides ( his authenticity , his genuineness), as recorded in the Christian scriptures:

Then certain of the scribes and the Pharisees answered, saying master, we would have a sign ( miracle ) from thee. But he answered and said unto them, "an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign (miracle) and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas ( Matthew 12:38-39 holy bible)

Though on the face of it, Jesus (pbuh) refuses to pamper the Jews here, in actual fact, he did perform many miracles as we learn from the gospel narratives.

The holy Bible is full of supernatural events accredited to the prophets from their Lord. In reality all those 'signs' and 'wonders' and 'miracles' were acts of God, but since those miracles were worked through his human agents, we describe them as the miracles of prophets (i.e. Moses or Jesus (pbuh) by those hands they were performed).

Quirk Continues: Some six hundred years after the birth of Jesus (pbuh), Muhammad (pbuh) the messenger of God was born in Makkah in Arabia. When he proclaimed his mission at the age of forty, his fellow countrymen, the mushriks of Makkah made an identical request for miracles, as had the Jews, from their promised Messiah. Text book style, it was as if the Arabs had taken a leaf from the Christian records. History has a habit of repeating itself!

And they say: why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord? (Holy Quran 29:50)

SIGNS! WHAT SIGNS!! "Miracles ? Cries he, what miracles would you have? Are not you yourselves there? God made you 'shaped you out of a little clay.' Ye were small once; a few years ago ye were not at all. Ye have beauty, strength, thoughts, 'ye have compassion on one another.' Old age comes-on you, and gray hairs; your strength fades into feebleness: ye sink down, and again are not. 'Ye have compassion on one another': This struck me much: Allah might have made you having no compassion on one another, how had it been then! this is a great direct though, a glance at first-hand into the very fact of things...." "(On heroes hero-worship and the heroic in history,") by Thomas Carlyle.

"This Struck Me Much" This, that "ye have compassion on one another", impressed Thomas Carlyle most from his perusal of an English translation. I presume, there verse that motivated this sentiment is:

1. And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them. and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are signs for those who reflect. (emphasis added) Translation by A Yusuf Ali (Quran 30:21)

2. And one of His signs it is, that He hath created wives for you of your own species that ye may dwell with them, and hath put love and tenderness between you. herein truly are signs for those who reflect (emphasis added) Translation by Rev. J.M. Rodwell (M.A.)

3. By another sign He gave you wives from among yourselves, that ye might live in joy with them, and planted love and kindness into your hearts. surely there are signs in this for thinking men(emphasis added) Translation by N.J. Dawood.

The first example is from the translation by Yusuf Ali, a Muslim. The second is by a Christian priest the rev. Rodwell and the last example is by an Iraqi Jew, N.J. Dawood.

Unfortunately Thomas Carlyle had no access to any one of these because none of them had seen the light of day in his time. The only one available to him in 1840 was as he said on page 85 of his book under reference - "We also can read the Koran; our translation of it, by sale, is known to be a very fair one."

Taint Is In The Motive:
Carlyle is very charitable to his fellow countryman. The motives of George sale, who pioneered an English translation of the Holy Quran, were suspect. He makes no secret of his antagonism to the holy book of Islam. In his preface to his translation in 1734 he made it known that it was his avowed intention to expose the man Mohammad and his forgery. He records: "who can apprehend any danger from so manifest a forgery?... The protestants alone are able to attack the Koran with success; and for them, I trust, providence has reserved the glory of its overthrow." George Sale, And he set to work with his prejudiced translation. You will be able to judge how 'fair' and scholarly George sale was from the very verse which 'struck' (Carlyle) 'much!' Compare it with the three example already given by a Muslim, a Christian and a Jew: And of his signs another is, that he had created you , out of yourselves, wives that ye may cohabit with them, and hath put love and compassion between you .

I don't think that George sale was a 'a male chauvinist pig' of his day to describe our mates, wives or spouses as sexual objects. He was only keeping to his promise, which Carlyle overlooked. The Arabic word which he (sale) perverted is 'li-tas-kunoo' which means to find peace, consolation, composure or tranquility; and not 'cohabit' meaning 'to live together in a sexual relationship when not legally married' (the reader's digest universal dictionary.)

Every word of the Quranic text is meticulously chosen, chiseled and placed by the All-Wise himself. They carry God's 'fingerprint', and are signs of God. And yet, the spiritually jaundiced....

Ask For A Sign: What signs?? They mean some special kinds of signs or miracles such as their own foolish minds dictate. Everything is possible for God, but God is not going to humor the follies of men or listen to their false demands. He has sent his messenger to explain his signs clearly, and to warn them of the consequences of rejection. Is that not enough? The trend of their demand is generally as follows:

In specific terms they asked that he - Muhammad (pbuh) - 'Put a ladder up to heaven an bring down a book from God in their very sight' - "Then we would believe," they said. Or "ye see the mountain yonder, turn it into gold' - "then we would believe." or 'make streams to gush out in the desert' - "then we would believe."

Now listen to the soft, sweet reasoning of Muhammad(pbuh) against the unreasonable and skeptical demands of the mushriks - "Do I say to you, verily I am an angel? Do I say to you, verily in my hands are the treasures of God? Only, what is revealed to me do I follow." Listen further to the most dignified reply he is commanded by his Lord to give the unbelievers.

Say (O Muhammad): 'The signs (miracles) are indeed with Allah: And most certainly I am only a clear warner.!'

In the following ayah the holy prophet is made to point to the holy Qur`an itself as an answer to their hypocritical demand for some special kind of 'sign' of 'miracle' for which their foolish pagan mentality craved. For indeed all miracles are 'signs'; and it is their disbelief, their skepticism, their lack of faith which motivates their request for a sign. They are asked to - 'look at the Qur`an' and again, 'look at the Qur`an!'

It is not enough for them that we have sent down to thee (O Muhammad) the book(al-Qur`an) which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in it (this perspicuous book) is a mercy and reminder to those who believe. (Qur`an 29:51).

Two Proofs: As a proof of the divine authorship and the miraculous nature of the Qur`an, two arguments are advanced by the Almighty Himself:

1. 'that we' (God Almighty) have revealed to you (O Muhammad!) 'the book to you' who art absolutely an unlearned person. An 'ummi' prophet. One who cannot read or write. One who cannot sign his own name. Let Thomas Carlyle testify regarding the educational qualifications of Muhammad -

'one other circumstance we must not forget: that he had no school learning; of the thing we call school-learning none at all.'

Moreover the divine author(God Almighty) himself testifies to the veracity of Muhammed's(pbuh) claim that he could never have composed the contents of the holy Qur`an; he could not have been its author:

And thou (O Muhammad) was not (able) to recite a book before this (book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand:

In that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted (Qur`an 29:48).

The author of the Qur`an is reasoning with us, that had Muhammad(pbuh) been a learned man, and had he been able to read or write, then in that case the babblers in the market places might have had some justification to doubt his claim that the holy Quran is God's word. In the event of Muhammed(pbuh) being a literate person, the accusation of his enemies that he had probably copied his book (Qur`an) from the writings of the Jews and Christians, or that perhaps he had been studying Aristotle and Plato, or that he must have browsed through the 'Torat,' the 'Zabur' and the 'Injeel' and had rehashed it all in a beautiful language, might have carried some weight. Then, 'the talkers of vanities' might have had a point. But even this flimsy pretence has been denied to the unbeliever and the cynic: a point hardly big enough to hang a fly upon!

2. 'The book'? Yes, the 'book' itself, carries its own evidence proving its divine authorship. Study the book from any angel. Scrutinize it. Why not take up the author's challenge if your doubts are genuine? Do they not consider the Quran (with care) had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.

Consistency: It is inconceivable that any human author would remain consistent in this teachings and his preaching for a period of over two decades. From the age of forty, when Muhammad (pbuh) received his first call from heaven to the age sixty-three when he breathed his last, for twenty-three years the holy prophet practiced and preached Islam. In those twenty-three years, he passed through the most conflicting vicissitudes of life. Any man, during the course of such a mission, would be forced by circumstances to make 'honorable' compromises, and cannot help contradicting himself. No man can ever write the same always, as the message of the holy Quran is: consistent with itself, throughout! Or is it that the unbelievers objections are merely argumentive, refractory, against their own better light and judgment.? Furthermore, the holy Quran contains or mentions many matters relating to the nature of the universe which were unknown to man before but which subsequently through evolution and discoveries of Science have fully confirmed - a field where an untutored mind would have most certainly lost in wild and contradictory speculations!

Self-Evident Proof: Again and again when miracles are demanded from the prophet of God by the cynical and frivolous few, he is made to point to the Quran - message from high - as 'the miracle.' The miracle or miracles! And men of wisdom, people with literary and spiritual insight, who were honest enough to themselves, recognized and accepted al-Quran as a genuine miracle.

Says the holy Qur`an: Nay here are signs self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge: And none but the unjust reject our signs. (The Holy Qur`an 29:49).

- islam101.net

The Price of Freedom

My son bought a cage full of birds. He doted on them, giving them fresh seeds sand water every day. One day, he forgot to close the cage door and when he returned home, he found to his dismay that the birds had forsaken their seeds and water in exchange for the sweet freedom of the open sky. It was as if the birds were saying to him: “Freedom is more precious to us than life itself!” 

Liberation must be achieved against the negative forces that prevent a person from realizing hs or her true self -- both those forces that emerge from within one’s own mind as well as external influences and pressures. People who claim they free in an absolute sense are merely fooling themselves. We are all bound by restrictions, some of which are visible and others that we cannot see. People’s movements are sometimes shackled by their own choices and at other times they are restricted against their will. Some people realize how their freedom is limited and are able to address the matter with clarity and awareness and . Other people are clueless. Still others choose to live in denial. 

Freedom is subjective. The real difference is between those who strive to attain it and exercise it in their lives by asserting their identity and voicing their own opinions, and others who unquestioningly follow a path pre-determined for them and say what others expect them to say. There are even people who desire being restricted. They not only subsume their identities to the will of others, but who celebrate their doing so. Such people are able to accept the representation of good as bad and bad as good, however circumstances dictate. 

Restraints on our actions come in many ways: family, friends, vested interests, memories, hopes, expectations, wealth, career, government, need… Restrictions encompass our lives, narrowing our scope of behavior, making us hesitate and equivocate. The only people who are completely free from these restraints are those who have passed on from this world. As for the living, we are subjected to them to one degree or another. 

A person finds he has lost valued relationships with people from various walks of life as well as many golden opportunities, but in the end this person accepts the loss, because he sees he has gotten something else in return: a greater scope to be himself! He does not claim to have earned himself completely, but merely to have broadened his potential for personal freedom. He is willing to bear the narrowing circle of of friends, loved-ones, supporters, and sympathizers. Indeed, he may weed some of them out himself so he can have a chance to hear his own voice. 

He has accustomed himself to tasting a bit of bitterness, confronting a few surprises, and accepting a lot of disappointments. Naturally, he hates these things, but he deals with them because they are easier to bear than losing his connection with himself and his self-expression. 

Sensible people has a store of “wisdom” to draw upon, allowing them to exercise prudence, decorum and delicacy in what they say. They know when to refrain from taking a stand. Another aspect of this wisdom enables them to recognize the truth in the words and deeds of others, to praise that truth, adopt it and build upon it. They can do so without denying the disagreements and differences that they have. 

Freedom is not brazenness. It does not mean to confront people at every turn and dispute with them for the sake of disputation. It does not mean to overturn everything that is familiar or to embrace that which is new just because it is new. It does not mean to take a stand against the government just because it happens to be in power. It is also not a quest to expose the errors and shortcomings of others as if their faults are some sort of currency to traffic in. 

However, experience shows that many people do not want you to conform with them on one or two positions, they want you to conform with them unconditionally in every way at all times. 

There are so many relationships that demand conformity from you: marriage, employment, ideological schools, society at large, trends, governments, the will of the majority, business partners, and even one’s followers. Beneath all of these demands are the restrictions that come from within our own psychological makeup. These are the hardest to identify and the hardest to break free from. Allah says: “And whoever is protected from the stinginess of their soul - it is those who will be the successful.” [Sūrah al-Hashr: 9] 

It seems like the people who make the most noise about freedom are those who have the least appreciation of it. Abū Sa`īd Ahmad b. Dāwūd once visited the great imam Ahmad b. Hanbal in prison during his persecution for refusing to proclaim that the Qur;an was created. He tells us the following:

I entered Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal’s cell during his incarceration before the time he was flogged. I said a lot of things to him to get him to publicly recant his views and go free, like: “You have a family depending on you. You have kids. You have an excuse.” 

It was as if I made his resolute answer all the easier for him. He said: “If that is your mindset, Abū Sa`īd, then you’ve taken it easy.”

This attitude can place you in situations and junctures where you will be tested and tried. Will you seek the easy way out unconditionally, even if it means sacrificing your own identity? Or will you hold onto what Allah has given you that makes you unique and bear the responsibility of your personal vision, even if it means you will have to give up some of the things you hope for and desire? 

I am not speaking here about being right or wrong. Making mistakes is also part of what it means to be right if we learn from our mistakes. Indeed, they are an inevitable consequence of living, of constituting our experience, and realizing our potential. -islamtoday.net

The Final Revealed Text from God

The Holy Quran (also written as Koran) is the eternal and literal word of God. Prophet Muhammad ( an Arab and a descendant of Abraham) received these divine revelations (The Holy Quran) over a period of 23 years in the seventh century of the Common Era (C.E.). Each revelation was written down by the Prophet's scribes according to the Prophet's instructions. The current order and organization into the 114 chapters (surahs) of the entire revelations were therefore given to us by the Prophet himself. Additionally, the Prophet and many fellow Muslims (sahabah) had committed the entire Quran to memory. The practice of memorizing the whole Quran continued throughout the centuries. There are thousands of such Muslims, known as Huffaz, usually one for each Mosque in Muslim countries. 

In order to gain a proper understanding of many verses in the Holy Quran, it is important to understand and know the historic context of the revelations. So many revelations in the Holy Quran came down to provide guidance to Prophet Muhammad and the fellow Muslims based on what they were confronting at that time. 

     "Alif, Lam, Meem. This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil). Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them; And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter.  These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.  As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not.  Allah hath sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom." (Surah Al-Baqarah, Chapter 2)

Calling the Quran amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the book and who are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. In fact, even people who hate Islam very much have still called it amazing. One thing which surprises non-muslims who are examining the book very closely is that the Qur'an does not appear to them to be what they expected.

        This page contains a list of articles about the Holy Quran (Koran), the Holy Book of Muslims. The original text of the Quran, in Arabic, is widely available throughout the world. The Holy Quran is the only revealed text still extant today in its original language and form.

      The Quran has been translated into every major language. The English translations by Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Pickthall are two popular translations.  We have made these translations available to our readers on this page. We recommend the translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali with commentary as a first reading.

      Maulana Maududi's translation and commentary on the Qur'an "The Meaning of the Qur'an" ranks as one of the best such works in existence today. Unlike many early translators, Syed Maududi uses the standard technique of providing an explanation of the Qur'anic verses from the Sunnah of the Prophet including the historical reasons behind the verses.  -islam101.com

Why Does a Man Look for a Second Wife?

An old Arabic proverb goes: “Homes are secret places.” It is a proverb that we still hear quite often. However, it does not seem to ring true any more. The private concerns of home and family are so quickly publicized these days. What used to be kept quiet is now discusses in the street. 

One thing we hear on the streets these days that used to be a very private concern in Arabian culture is that someone’s father is looking for a second wife – or a third – or a fourth. From what we hear, it seems that many of these men justify their decision on the grounds that “Islam allows it.” 

They all seem to have memorized the portion of the verse that reads: “…marry women of your choice, two, three, or four...” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 3] 

They can certainly recite it from memory without a problem. However, most of them are reluctant to complete the verse: “…but if you fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one, or what your right hands possess. That will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.”” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 3] 

On other occasions we hear a man saying without any inhibitions whatsoever: “I am not content with my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life contented.” 

We hear another man express that it is his right to experience sexual pleasure with more than one wife. 

In this article, we will investigate what is going on in the minds of men who seek to marry more than one wife. What are their views on the matter? We also want to know what their wives think about their husbands’ looking to marry again.

Boredom is the Reason

One man we interviewed, Mahmûd, had no qualms telling us that his reason for seeking a second wife was “boredom”! 

He adds: “I love my first wife a lot, but I could not help but feel that nothing in my life had changed since I got married to my first wife. Everything was the same. The faces around me were the same. She was the same. I wanted to alleviate my boredom by marrying a second wife.” 

Three years into his second marriage, we ask Mahmûd: “Do you feel bored with your second wife now?” 

He replied: “I must admit that, yes, I do feel bored.” 

We asked: “So, do you wish to marry a third?” 

He answered: “Not right now, but maybe in the future I will want to.”

Islamic Law

`Umar is forty-five years old. He feels that he has resorted to marrying a second time because Islam made it permissible for him to do so. He defends his opinion by saying: “I am – and let Allah be praised – a man of sufficient financial means. Therefore, I find there is nothing to prevent me from taking on a second wife. I am quite capable of supporting two households. They everything they want, without worries. They feel want for nothing.” 

When asked about being just in his dealings with his two wives, he replied: “Yes, I am just to both of them. Both have homes of equal merit. Whatever I buy for one wife I buy for the other. At the same time, I can’t deny that I love one of them more. No one can control his heart. Unfortunately, I am unable to hide my feelings. Some of the problems that I have with one of my wives is due to the fact that I love the other one more.”

Discontentment

Another man justifies his decision by saying that he is “not content” with his first wife. He blames her for not taking care of their home life as she should. We tried to speak to her about the matter to hear what she had to say, but he would not allow us to do so. He only allowed us to speak to him under the condition that we did not publish his name. 

He said: “I have not been for a single day contented in my married life. Usually, the house is in disarray. She does not care about her appearance. The children are also disorderly. All of these things pushed me to look for another wife who would provide me with what I was not experiencing with my first.

The Wives Defend Themselves

The wives did not concede to their husbands’ claims and justifications. They describe their husbands’ excuses as being lame. 

Fâtimah says that she has never fallen short in her duties to her husband, her home, and her children. 

She says: “My husband told me that he wants more children after I ceased being able to get pregnant due to my age. You must know that I have given birth to eight children – five boys and three girls.” 

Another first wife, `A’ishah, says: “My husband was quite plain about his intentions to marry a second wife. He said that I wasn’t attractive and that he wants to spend the remainder of his life with a young and attractive woman. He forgot all the years that we have spent together, since he has grown bored with me and wants a change.”

Islam Demands Justice

Islam is emphatic about the need for justice. It is justice that forms the basis for polygamy in Islam. Islam does not permit a man to marry a second wife unless he is absolutely certain that he will be able to be just. 

Sheikh Salmân al-Oadah, the General Supervisor of IslamToday, speaking on NBC’s Hijr al-Zâwiyah explains that “the many marriages of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were due to necessity. It was needed for him to do so in order to convey Islam’s message to all of the people. For polygamy to be allowed in an Islamic context, it is essential that the rights of the women are safeguarded and that justice is guaranteed. Allah says: ‘…if you fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one’.” 

He adds: “Polygamy in Islam is limited by a legal framework and bythe dictates of justice and rights.” 

Islamic legal scholars have written about polygamy, explaining that these dictates include financial ability, physical ability, and the ability to act justly with more than one woman. 

This is in consideration of the role that polygamy plays in fulfilling the needs of women who would otherwise not find opportunities for marriage. Also, in many societies, it plays an important role in cementing social ties and provides for children. There are many ways that polygamy can be beneficial. 

As for a man marrying more than one wife as a status symbol, this is excessive behavior, and is censured by the verse of the Qur’ân that says: “Do not act extravagantly. Allah does not love those who are extravagant.” [Sûrah al-An`âm: 141] 

Ibn Kathîr in his commentary in the Qur’ân says: “Whoever fears that he will not be able to act justly should marry only one wife.” -islamtoday.net

Where is the Mercy of Allah? (Part 2)

When we turn to Him in true submission His tranquility descends upon us and we are able to feel the quality of His mercy.

Part 1

In the name of God (Allah), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

This article begins in the same way Muslims begin with many undertakings.

Before commencing even the most mundane tasks of life, eating, drinking, dressing, or bathing, a Muslim will turn his efforts into worship by mentioning the name of God.

He (God) is the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful, His mercy encompasses all things, and is the source of all the compassion and mercy that exist. God says to us in the Quran:

{My Mercy embraces all things…} (7:156)

“…and My Mercy overcomes My Wrath.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)From the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, we know that when God decreed the creation He said:

What exactly is mercy?

The dictionary defines it as disposition to be kind and forgiving, and the feeling that motivates compassion. The Arabic term for mercy is rahmah and two of the most important names of God derive from this root word.

Ar Rahman – the Most Gracious and Ar Raheem – the Most Merciful. The Mercy of God is that ethereal quality that embodies gentleness, piety, care, consideration, love and forgiveness. When these qualities are observable in this world, they are a mere reflection of God’s mercy towards His creation.

Prophet Muhammad informed us that God is more merciful to His creatures than a mother is to her child, and in fact, the Arabic word for womb, rahem, is derived from the same root word as mercy -rahmah.

All of creation shows love and compassion towards one another with just this one portion of mercy.

It is significant that there is a unique connection between God’s mercy and the womb. God nurtures and shelters us, just as the womb nurtures and shelters the unborn child.

Prophet Muhammad explained the quality of mercy to his companions, telling them God has one hundred parts of mercy, and has sent down one part to be shared amongst the creation.

This is why people are compassionate and kind towards one another and wild animals treat their offspring with gentleness. However, God withheld the other 99 parts to be bestowed upon the believers on the Day of Judgment.

All of creation shows love and compassion towards one another with just this one portion of mercy. Humans give willingly to the poor and needy, families support and love one another, and animals protect their young.

Mercy and compassion generally take into account the need to alleviate suffering and to spread kindness and joy. Even though this world sometimes appears to be a dark and gloomy place, the Mercy of God can be seen and felt by those who ponder and reflect.

The rain falls, the sun shines, a child reaches for her father’s hand and the kitten snuggles into the protective warmth of its mother. God’s mercy is strong and visible all around us, yet on the Day of Judgment He will complete this mercy by adding the final 99 parts and bestowing mercy, love and compassion upon those believers who did righteous deeds and tried to please God in all their affairs. This concept is awe inspiring; the mercy of God knows no bounds.

As a sign of God’s infinite mercy towards mankind, He sent Prophets and Messengers to guide us and help us to remain on His straight path leading to eternal Paradise. God said He did not send Prophet Muhammad to the whole of mankind, except as a mercy.

{And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the all that exists.} (Quran 21:107)

Prophet Muhammad was the embodiment of mercy; he showed compassion to those around him, his family, orphans, friends and strangers. God spoke to him saying:

{And by the Mercy of God, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh­ hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (God’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs.} (Quran 3:159)

Prophet Muhammad could often be heard invoking God’s Mercy on the believers, and Muslims greet each other by saying Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah (May God’s Peace and Mercy be upon you.). Mercy and all it involves is a very important concept in Islam because from it stem generosity, respect, tolerance and forgiveness, all qualities that a Muslim is expected to cultivate in this life.

God’s mercy is the source of all that is good, gentle, or pious.

As frail human beings we often feel lost and alone in a world that seems bereft of mercy and it is in those times that we need to turn to God and seek His Mercy and Forgiveness.

When we turn to Him in true submission His tranquility descends upon us and we are able to feel the quality of His mercy and see it manifest in the world around us.

The hand that reaches out to you in the darkness is a reflection of God’s mercy, so too is the kind word from a stranger, the rain that falls on parched earth and the laughter in the eyes of a child.

God’s mercy is the source of all that is good, gentle, or pious. God has enabled us to understand some measure of His Magnificence by revealing His Most Beautiful Names to us, He has several that indicate His Mercy and we are encouraged to call upon Him by these names.

Al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Al-Raheem (the Most Merciful), Al-Barr (the Source of Goodness), Al-Kareem(the Most Generous), Al-Jawaad (the Generous), Al-Ra’oof(the Compassionate), Al-Wahhaab (the Bestower).

{And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to God so call on Him by them…} (Quran 7:180)

We can call upon Him by these names when we feel the need to give thanks for the countless blessings God has bestowed upon us, or in our hour of need. We crave for the Mercy of God most keenly when we are in need of comfort and security.

When the transience of this world appears to have rendered us powerless, the Most Powerful (God) will always, and forever cover us with His Mercy and He asks in return only that we believe in Him and worship Him alone.

To be continued…

-onislam.net

Who is Allah? (Part 1)

A Muslim is one who has surrendered to God and is in no doubt that He is the One and Only Creator.

In any discussion about the Names of God, it is important to understand that Muslims believe in One True God, the only Creator, the one who has dominion over all that exists, has ever existed or will come to exist.

A Muslim worships the same One God whom all the Prophets worshipped.

{…were you witnesses when death approached Jacob? When he said unto his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They said, ‘We shall worship your God, the God of your fathers, Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, One God, and to Him we submit (in Islam).} (Quran 2:133)

The Prophets of Islam include the same Prophets present in Jewish and Christian traditions; they all came to their people with the same message – to recognize and to worship the One God.

After realizing this, it becomes equally important to understand that Islam totally rejects any notion that God has partners or associates, or that He in some way combines with men or animals to form a deity of any sort. God is God, the One, the Only. {…there is nothing like Him.} (Quran 42:11)Judaism and Christianity in their original form and also Islam, as we know it today, altogether are all from this One True God. However, Islam revealed to the Prophet Muhammad is the completion of God’s revelations to all of mankind.

Muslims believe in the One Unique, Merciful God, the sole Creator and Sustainer of the Universe and they call him by His revealed Name – Allah.

In this age of mass communication and unfettered technological advancement, there is scarcely a single human being who has not heard this word and understood that it forms part of the belief system that is Islam. However perhaps some confusion arises, and people may wonder who Allah is.

The word Allah stands alone, there is no plural or gender

In Arabic, Allah means the One True God worthy of all submission and devotion. Jewish and Christian Arabs refer to God as Allah, and He is the same One True God referred to in the Biblical passage:

“Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is One”. (Deuteronomy 6:4 & Mark 12:29)

The word God is spelled and pronounced differently in many languages: the French call him Dieu, the Spanish, Dios and the Chinese refer to the One God as Shangdi; nevertheless, the God of the monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) is the same.

The differences and confusions arise because the word “God” can be made plural as in gods, or change gender, as in goddess. This is not the case in Arabic. The word Allah stands alone, there is no plural or gender.

The use of the words He or Him are grammatical only and in no way indicate that Allah has any form of gender that is comprehensible to us. Allah is unique and He does not share His name with what can describe idols. His name is unchangeable. Allah describes Himself to us in the Quran:

{Say (O Muhammad): He is Allah, (the Unique) One. Allah, the Eternal (Foundation). He begets not, nor was He begotten; and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.} (112)

A Muslim is one who has surrendered to God and is in no doubt that He is the One and Only Creator. A Muslim is grateful for all the bounties and blessings bestowed upon him by God, he looks around and observes the wonders of the universe. A Muslim marvels at the depth of the oceans and the delicate petals of a flower.

However, this belief is not the only thing required by a Muslim, he must also know with certainty it is God alone that deserves to be worshipped. He has no partners, no equals, and no sons or daughters.

All of creation is in need of Him, yet He is in need of none.

He is God – Allah. The entire universe bears witness to His Oneness. Indeed when contemplating the universe, from the lowliest grain of sand to the mighty and majestic mountains, one can see the Magnificence of God.

This vast universe is running according to a precise system, everything in its correct place, created in the right proportions. The sun rises and casts its glow upon us, the flowers bloom and life springs from tiny inanimate seeds. God has given every part of creation what it needs, and He has guided it to what is most suitable.

All of creation is in need of Him, yet He is in need of none. Every creation has a purpose and fulfilling that purpose acknowledges the rights of the Creator. God said in the Quran that He did not create us except that we should worship Him and that is His right over us.

The first principle and focal point of Islam is this belief in God, and the whole of the Quran is dedicated to this. It speaks directly about God and His Essence, Names, Attributes and Actions. God is mentioned in the Quran, by one or another of His Names or Attributes, 10,062 times. The greatest of God’s names is Allah.

{Allah! (None has the right to be worshipped but He)! To Him belong the Best Names.} (Quran 20:8)

{And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names.} (Quran 7:180)

To worship God one must know God.

A Muslim is encouraged to remember God and be grateful to Him at all times and one easy, yet beneficial way of doing this, is to contemplate and understand His Beautiful Names.

Through these names, we are able to know our Creator and learn how to praise and worship Him, and to call on Him by the Names that are indicative of our needs.

When making supplication, the Prophet Muhammad is known to have said:

“O God, I ask you of you by every name that You have named yourself, or that You have revealed in Your book, or that You have taught any of Your creation or that You have kept hidden in the unseen knowledge with Yourself.”

Thus, His Names are not limited to what He has revealed in the Quran or to the traditions of Prophet Muhammad.

God says in the Quran:

{Verily! I am Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me…} (Quran 20:14)

To worship God one must know God. We gain real and everlasting benefit from this knowledge. It increases faith and allows one’s heart to become attached to the Most Powerful, the Most Wise, the Most Merciful and the Most Just, Allah.

To be continued…

-onislam.net