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The people of the
“Return”. -
Part 1 of 3
By:
Ali
Ja’afary
Introduction
I have
come to realise in the past few years that the perception of
Islam and its faithful Muslims is greatly misunderstood, by not
only the western societies and their many different ideology,
but in fact is greatly misunderstood by our own brethren. Since
this situation saddens me greatly and is perhaps one of the main
factors in many of the adversities we face by the different
societies surrounding us, I have decided to write this brief
study on the issue of our true identity. By the Power and
Guidance of ALLAH (swt) I hope not only to offer a proper
portrait of the essence of the faithful believers in Islam to
these diverse societies, but also to refresh our own minds and
hearts with the true beauty and love of Islam.
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The Art of Dawah
By: Brother Hanif Mohamed
Invite (all) to
the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and
reason with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for
thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who
receive guidance. (H.Q. 16:125)
Advertisement
and marketing are two areas that are focused heavily on in the
west. You see that businesses devote a great deal of their
profits in these fields. These companies have come to an
understanding that the key to success in business is proper
presentation. They know that the more alluring a product or
service is made to appear the more in demand it will become. No
one wants a product that is ragged, torn down, or unattractive.
This approach of putting forth a good product with good
presentation has to be employed by the Muslims.
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The
Holy Month of Sha’ban
After
Rajab, Sha'ban is the second month of
'Ibadah
(worship)
in order to make preparations for the grand and majestic month of Holy
Ramadhan - the month of Allah (SWT).
The Holy
Prophet (saw) has said:
"Sha'ban is my
month".
This is
the month of asking for forgiveness of sins, giving alms & charity and
fasting. The Holy Prophet (saw) used to observe fasts during the whole
month. Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein (as) has said:
"Whosever is in
love with prophet,
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‘AL-SADAQAH’ : FRIENDSHIP
Waqidi
who was one of the great scholars during the time of Mamun al-Rasheed,
the Abbasid Caliph narrates the following incident:
[I
had two friends, one of whom was a Hashemite. Our friendship was so
sincere that we were in fact one soul in three bodies.
Once
during ‘Idd season, I had no money. My wife said to me, “You and I
can tolerate all these hardships. However, I am very much grieved
because our children see other children wearing new dresses and adorning
themselves for ‘Idd whereas their own clothes are old and torn. See if
you can get some money so that I can make new clothes for them”.
I could
not think of any solution to the problem so I wrote a letter to my
Hashemite friend and requested him to assist
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INVESTING
FOR THE HEREAFTER
Zubaydah
was the wife of Haroon al-Rasheed, the Abbasid Caliph and also a secret
follower of Imam Musa ibn Ja’ffar al-Kadhim (a.s.). Being the wife of
the caliph and by virtue of being a queen, she was the most important
woman of her time.
It is
related that:
One day
Zubaydah was reciting the Holy Quran when she came across the verse
which reads: “You shall never attain
righteousness until you spend (in the cause of Allah) of what you love
(most)…” (3:92)
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STEADFASTNESS ON THE PATH OF ALLAH (SWT)
Aasiyah,
the daughter of Muzahim and the wife of Firo’un (the cruel ruler during
the time of Moses) is regarded as one of the four best women who will
enter the Paradise before everyone else. The other three are:
Maryam
(Mary, the mother of Jesus), Khadeejah (the wife of the Holy Prophet)
and Fatima (the one and only beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet) –
Peace be upon them all.
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“AL-FARAAGH” –IDLENESS:
In the
days of ‘Allama Majlisi (a.r.), there live a very pious and God-fearing
man. One day, a group of some elderly people, who were known for their
idleness, cornered him and demanded to be invited to his place for a
night of sitting and chatting. The man thought to himself, “If I
invite them, they will spend the whole night in useless talks thereby
earning displeasure of Allah (SWT). But should I refuse them, then they
will use this as an excuse to harass and humiliate me”. Not knowing
what to do, the pious man pleaded for some time to think over it. He
then proceeded to ‘Allama Majlisi (a.r.) to seek his guidance in this
matter.
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ALL PRAISE IS DUE TO ALLAH (SWT)
Prophet
Sulaiman (as) was the son of Prophet Dawood (as). He was the only
prophet and human being who was granted with a huge and vast kingdom on
this earth.
He said: “O my Lord, forgive me, and give me such a dominion as no one
after me shall have the like. Verily, You are the great bestower”.
Then We made the wind subservient to him, to flow gently at his command
whither-soever he desired;
And the devils-the builders and divers of all kinds.
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THE HOLY
MONTH OF SHA'BAN
After Rajab, Sha'ban is the
second month of
'Ibadah
(worship)
in order to make preparations for the grand and majestic month of Holy
Ramadhan - the month of Allah (SWT).
The Holy Prophet (saw) has
said:
"Sha'ban is my
month".
This is the month of asking
for forgiveness of sins, giving alms & charity and fasting. The Holy
Prophet (saw) used to observe fasts during the whole month. Imam Ali ibn
al-Hussein (as) has said:
"Whosever is in
love with prophet, wishes to seek nearness to Allah (SWT) and receive
His bounties, favours and rewards in this world and in the hereafter,
must connect Sha'ban with Holy Ramadhan in the matter of fasting and
special prayers".
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There is a whole Surah (chapter) by the name of Luqman in
the Holy Quran. This is chapter no.31.
Who was Luqman?
Aqa Mirza Mahdi Pooya, in his Tafseer (commentary) states:
Luqman, it is said, was not a prophet of Allah but was blessed with
wisdom. He was the nephew of Prophet Ayyub (as). He lived for one
thousand years, from the time of Dawood (as) to the time of Yunus (as).
Once, when he was asleep, angels came and asked if he would like to be
Allah’s deputy on the earth. To this, he replied that if it was the
command from Allah, he would accept it, however, if Allah asked his
desire he would like to be excused because it was a great responsibility
to dispense justice among men, and he could not bear the burden.
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Journey
Towards Perfection
Ayatoullah As - Sayyid Dr
Fazel H Milani
The world in which we are
living is witness to eternal motion and it is consistently and
persistently moving towards a goal. Contrary to what the ancient
thinkers and philosophers have maintained, motion and change from
one state to another is evident in every thing. However, in the
material world motion necessitates annihilation. The objects that
are confined in the prison of measures and limits, 1 are
in continuous motion, and this motion is all the time creating new
forms. It is this factor that has led the Muslim philosophers to
define motion in the following terms: "Motion is a gradual exit of
potential to action." 2
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By Shaikh Michael Mumisa
Lecturer:
Al-Mahdi Institute for Islamic Studies, Birmingham.
The discourse of pluralism is an issue of
increasing concern to a wide range of contemporary disciplines. For
theologians, philosophers, and social scientists the clarification of
such an issue has become an urgent and inescapable task. For Muslims,
however, the pursuit of this task remains hindered by both an
institutionalised respect for disciplinary boundaries and a
long-standing insularity with regard to contemporary traditions of
thought. However, the twentieth century has been witness to great
changes within Islamic theology. The phenomenon of globalisation as a
significant feature of the post-industrial era is a key process that has
generated renewed focus on the issue of cultural and religious
diversity.
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Sincerity 101
1.
Do you seek fame and reputation?
A sincere person abhors and fears fame and reputation, especially if he
or she possesses different talents, and firmly believes that Allah [swt]
will hold people to account according to their inner conscience and not
the outer appearance, and that frame will be of no avail before Allah
[swt] is man meets Him with a corrupted intention. However, we should
bear in mind that, these instructions do not recommend isolation or
loneliness. These instructions, of course are an alarm to the danger of
the concealed desires, and a caution against the means by which Satan
makes use of to creep into the heart of man. Undoubtedly, there is no
wrong in fame itself, for the Prophet [pbuh] and the Imams [a] are the
most famous men. Wrong is to make it ones aim in life.
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A Message to
consider as a warning!
My Dear Slaves,
Servants, and Soldiers:
I first would
like to greet you with my curse that I wish all calamities to come your
way. I hope that your life is filled with misery and look forward to
seeing you fall in all your good works. If you are wondering who I am,
then think again. I am your eternal enemy but at times, seem to be your
friend through your excessive desires. I am the devil, your worst
nightmare.
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The Journey of Life
Khurram Murad The Islamic Foundation
The Eternal, Living Reality
The Qur'an is the word of the
Ever-living God; it has been sent down to guide man for all times to
come. No book can be like it. As you come to the Qur'an, Allah speaks to
you. To read the Qur'an is to hear Him, even to converse with Him, and
to walk in His ways. It is the encounter of life with the Life-giver.
'God - there is no god but He,
the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting (by whom all subsist). He has sent
down upon you the Book with the Truth ... as a guidance unto mankind
...' (Al 'Imran 3: 2-3).
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Meaning of Islam
Taking the term "Islam," it is
important to emphasize that it is not derived from the name of any
particular person, race, or locality. A Muslim considers the term used
by some writers, "Mohammedanism," to be an offensive violation of the
very spirit of Islamic teaching. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon
him, is not worshipped, nor is he regarded as either the founder of
Islam or the author of its Holy Book, the Quran.
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Disbelievers
A Shaykh by the name of Abu Ja'ar has
said: Our belief concerning them (thalimun) is that they are accursed
[145] and dissociation from them is necessary. Allah the Mighty and
Glorious says; "For evil-doers
there will be no helpers"
[2,270;3,192;5,72]. And Allah says, Exalted is He:
"Who doeth greater wrong than he who
inventeth a lie concerning Allah? Such will be brought before their
Lord and witnesses will say: These are they who lied concerning their
Lord. Behold! The curse of Allah is upon the wrong-doers, who debar
(men) from the way of Allah, and would have it crooked, and who are
disbelievers in the Hereafter"
[11,18-19].
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Jinn’s
And on the day when He
shall gather them all together (and say): "O’ assembly of jinn! Ye
increased your strength (by seducing a great number) from men;" And
will say their friends among the men: "O’ Our Lord! Some of us
profited by others and We have reached our term which Thou didst appoint
for us;" He shall say: "The (Hell) fire is your abode, be ye
the dwellers therein, save what pleaseth God; "Verily thy Lord is
All-Wise, All-Knowing." 6:129
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An
Introduction to ISLAM
Sayyid
Muhammad Rizvi
In
the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
WHAT
IS ISLAM?
Islam is a religion which guides its followers in every aspect of their
lives. It is a way of life. Islam is the modern or latest
version of the message sent by God through Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses
and Jesus, Islam was sent to mankind through Prophet Muhammad. Islam is
"modern" in the sense that it has come to complement the teachings which
were introduced through Moses and Jesus.
Islam
is a religion which seeks to give a meaningful purpose to our life on
this earth. It seeks to guide us in fulfilling that purpose by creating
harmony between ourselves, our Creator and fellow human beings.
What
you will read below are some of the basic features of Islam.
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“Repentance:
A Key To Paradise”
A brief study on: Repentance according to our Islamic belief.
By: Brother Ali Ja’afary Stump.
“In the Name of ALLAH the Merciful, the Compassionate”
“Except those who repent and amend and hold fast to ALLAH and are
sincere in their religion to ALLAH; these are with the believers, and
ALLAH will grant the believers a mighty reward”.
(The Holy Qur’an 4 An-Nisa’- 146)
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Knowledge and
Faith
A
brief study by: Ali Ja’afary Stump
“In
the Name of ALLAH the Merciful, the Compassionate”
“The likeness of the two parties is as the blind and the deaf and the
seeing and the hearing: Are they equal in condition? Will you not then
mind?
(The
holy Qur’an 11-Hud-24)
The
Gift of Knowledge:
The
Messenger of ALLAH (saww) said: “To
acquire knowledge is obligatory to every Muslim. Lo! ALLAH (swt) loves
those who have longing for knowledge”.
(Al-Kafi, Shaykh Kulayni (r-a) vol. 1 – Pt.1 – Al-Usul, chpt. 1, Hadith
1)
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The word "Islam" bears, within
its meaning, the following two definitions:
1. Linguistic Meaning:
This is the general meaning in Arabic usage, implying absolute
submission, surrender and obedience that is obeying the injunctions of
the ruler without objection. Before Islam came as a formal religion .
The word was used to denote the above meaning, without attaching to it
any ideological or conventional context.
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There are no exact figures for the
number of Muslims in the world today. It seems clear, however, that in
terms of numbers Islam at least matches those of Christianity, the other
most widespread religion today.
From its heartlands in the Middle East
and North Africa the religion spread before the modern period to many
parts of sub-Saharan Africa, to central Asia, to the Indian
subcontinent, and to East and South East Asia. In Europe, Sicily and
most of Spain were part of the Islamic world during the Middle Ages, and
most of the Balkans came to be ruled by the Muslim Ottoman Empire, with
its capital at Istanbul, at various times between about 1300 and the end
of World War I. In modern times Islam has spread as a result of
emigration so that there are now large Muslim communities in parts of
western Europe, North America, South Africa, and Australia.
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The Power of Thought
By Sister Zahra Al-Raweshidy
Special thanks to Sr. Maryam Hilli &
Br. Ladislav Rezac
“Therefore remember Me, I will remember you” 2:152
Ponder upon the ayah above. Glory be to
Allah (swt) who has given us the Holy Quran so that it may be a guide to
the hearts of mankind.
“In the heavens and in the earth there are
signs for the believers” 45:3
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True
Vision
Seeking not
only the ability to see with eyes….
Sr. Maryam Al-Haydari
“Does a person who knows
that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like the blind!
Only those who have brain heel”
[13:19] When Reading this verse, it seems like there are two different
things being compared; knowing the truth and vision or perhaps it might
be thought that it is just a simile—that those who do not know the truth
are blind. It is not a simile! Nor a comparison of two different thinks.
Rather, it is for us to know that eyes are not the only mean of vision,
eyes are only one.
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IMAAN
Prescription for Our Time
Days of Tragedy, Tyranny,
and Corruption
Brother Ali Saeed
Imaan—this word in Arabic
literally means faith, and trust in Allah (swt). In today’s rapidly
changing world, Muslims are facing more and more challenges and
tragedies, and to some, they are more than they can bear. When we think
of the meaning of Imaan, often we are quick to ascertain that it is a
quality that is indeed with us all, for we are called Muslims, isn’t
that a quality that is usually default in those that carry such an
honorable title? However, when one truly ponders this thought, does the
evidence and knowledge exist in each of our own hearts to confirm the
presence of such a powerful and reassuring quality?
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The
dummies' guide to parenting
Educator Haya Al-Hashimi talks about parenting strategies, needs of
children, prepared environments and how to deal with disobedient
children.
“Stop
it please!” Farah said as calmly as she could to her 5 year old son
Hamza. “No mummy I want that candy!” he shouted at his mother as he
began to cry and scream drawing unnecessary attention to himself and his
mother.
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Social System of
Islam
By Ayatullah
Muhammed Beheshti
"We have made you (the true Muslims) a
balanced nation, so that you could be an example for mankind" (Surah al-Baqarah,
2:142).
What the Qur`an expressly desires is
that the Islamic society should be a model for all those who want to
lead a healthy and happy life. It should be a living testimony for the
exalted principle that the way to live a healthy life and secure justice
and fair play is not closed to human beings. It is they themselves who
should find it and follow it with consciousness, faith and persistence.
Society Man is a being that has for long been social and has been living
a collective life. A group of persons living together is called society.
Society may be defined as a group of individuals whose life is
correlated with each other because they have common desires or common
interests for the realization of which they work together. The formation
of such a group is sometimes accidental and sometimes intentional. In
the former case it is technically called Accidental Society and in the
latter Intentional Society.
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