The Pious "Drunkard" and "Fornicator"

Sultan Murad IV, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623-1640, would often anonymously go into the midst of the people and see their state. One evening, he felt an uneasiness in himself and the urge to go out. He called for his head of security and out they went. They came to a busy vicinity, and found a man lying on the ground. The Sultan prodded him but he was dead and the people were going about their own business. Nobody seemed to care about the dead man lying on the ground.

The Sultan called upon the people. They didn't recognise him and asked him what he wanted. He said, "Why is this man lying dead on the ground and why does no one seem to care? Where is his family?"

They replied, "He is so and so, the drunkard and fornicator!"

The Sultan said, "Is he not from the Ummah of Muhammad (saw)? Now help me carry him to his house."

The people carried the dead man with the Sultan to his house and once they reached, they all left. The Sultan and his assistant remained. When the man's wife saw his dead body, she began weeping. She said to his dead body, "May Allah have mercy on you! O friend of Allah! I bear witness that you are from the pious ones."

The Sultan was bewildered. He said, "How is he from the pious ones when the people say such and such about him? So much so that no one even cared he was dead!"

She replied, "I was expecting that. My husband would go to the tavern every night and buy as much wine as he could. He would then bring it home and pour it all down the drain. He would then say, 'I saved the Muslims a little today.' He would then go to a prostitute, give her some money and tell her to close her door till the morning. He would then return home for a second time and say, 'Today, I saved a young woman and the youth of the believers from vice.'"

The people would see him buying wine and they would see him going to the prostitutes and they would consequently talk about him. One day I said to him, "When you die, there will be no one to bathe you, there will be no one to pray over you and there will be no one to bury you!"

He laughed and replied, "Don't fear, the Sultan of the believers, along with the pious ones shall pray over my body."

The Sultan began to cry. He said, "By Allah! He has said the truth, for I am Sultan Murad. Tomorrow we shall bathe him, pray over him and bury him."

And it so happened that the Sultan, the scholars, the pious people and the masses prayed over him.

We judge people by what we see and what we hear from others. Only if we were to see what was concealed in their hearts, a secret between them and their Lord. If Allah knows, why does it matter who knows and who doesn't know?!

"O you who believe, abstain from many of the suspicions. Some suspicions are sins. And do not be curious (to find out faults of others), and do not backbite one another. Does one of you like that he eats the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor it. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful." (49:12)

Source:- islamcan.com

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Malik Bin Dinar and the Thief

A burglar scaled the wall of Maalik Bin Dinar's house one night and easily managed to get inside. Once inside the house, the thief was disappointed to see nothing worth stealing. Maalik was busy performing prayer. Realizing he was not alone, he quickly ended his prayer and turned around to face the thief.

Without showing any signs of shock or scare, Maalik calmly extended greetings of peace and said, "My brother, may Allah forgive you. You entered my home and found nothing worth taking, yet I do not want you to leave without taking away some benefit."

He went in another room and came back with a jug full of water. He looked into the eyes of the burglar and said,

"Make ablution and perform two units of prayer, for if you do so, you will leave my home with a greater treasure than you had initially sought."

Humbled by Maalik's manners and words, the thief said, "Yes, that is a generous offer indeed."

After making ablution and performing two units of prayer, the burglar said, "O Maalik, would you mind if I stayed for a while, for I want to stay to perform two more units of prayer?"

Maalik said, "Stay for whatever amount of prayer Allah decrees for you to perform now."

The thief ended up spending the entire night at Maalik's house. He continued to pray until morning. Then Maalik said, "Leave now and be good."

But instead of leaving, the thief said, "Would you mind if I stayed here with you today, for I have made an intention to fast?"

"Stay as long as you wish," Maalik said.

The burglar ended up staying for a number of days, praying during the late hours of each night and fasting in the day. When he finally decided to leave, the burglar said, "O Maalik, I have made a firm resolve to repent for my sins and for my former way of life."

Maalik said, "That is in the Hand of Allah."

The man did mend his ways and began to lead a life of righteousness and obedience to Allah. Later on, he came across another burglar who asked him, "Have you found your treasure yet?"

He replied, "My brother, what I found is Maalik Bin Dinar. I went to steal from him, but it was he who ended up stealing my heart. I have indeed repented to Allah, and I will remain at the door (of His Mercy and Forgiveness) until I achieve what his obedient, loving slaves have achieved."

[Al-Mawaa'idh wal-Majaalis: 85]

Source:-islamcan.com

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‘Umrah during the months of Hajj

Is it permissible to do ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, on the basis that I will not do Hajj in the same year? For example, if I go to Makkah about half a month before Hajj, and I do the rituals of ‘Umrah, then I leave – is that permissible?.

Published Date: 2010-10-16

Praise be to Allaah.  

It is permissible to do ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, and there is no difference of opinion amongst the scholars concerning that. And it makes no difference whether you intend to do Hajj in the same year or not. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did ‘Umrah four times, all of which were in the month of Dhu’l-Qi’dah, which is one of the months of Hajj, which are Shawwaal, Dhu’l-Qi’dah and Dhu’l-Hijjah. And he did not do Hajj except along with his last ‘Umrah, in the Farewell Pilgrimage. 

Al-Bukhaari (4148) and Muslim (1253) narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did ‘Umrah four times, all of them in Dhu’l-Qi’dah except for the one which he did with his Hajj. His ‘Umrah from al-Hudaybiyah or at the time of al-Hudaybiyah was in Dhu’l-Qi’dah, his ‘Umrah in the following year was in Dhu’l-Qi’dah, his ‘Umrah from Ji’raanah when he divided the spoils of Hunayn was in Dhu’l-Qi’dah, and his ‘Umrah which he did with his Hajj (was also in Dhu’l-Qi’dah).” 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary: 

The conclusion we draw from the reports of Anas and Ibn ‘Umar is that they both indicate that (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) did four ‘Umrahs. The first was in Dhu’l-Qi’dah in the year of al-Hudaybiyah, 6 AH, when they were prevented from going further so they exited ihraam, but this was counted as an ‘Umrah for them. The second was in Dhu’l-Qid’ah in 7 AH, which was to make up for the previous year. The third was in Dhu’l-Qi’dah of 8 AH, which was the year of the Conquest (of Makkah). And the fourth was with his Hajj, when he entered ihraam for it in Dhu’l-Qi’dah but did the actions of ‘Umrah in Dhu’l-Hijjah. 

And he said: 

The scholars said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did ‘Umrah in Dhu’l-Qi’dah because of the virtue of this month and to go against the ideas of the Jaahiliyyah, because they used to think that this was one of the worst of evil actions. So he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it many times in these months to make it explicitly clear that this was permissible and to demonstrate clearly that the beliefs of the Jaahiliyyah were false. And Allaah knows best.

Source:-islamqa.info

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If he did ‘umrah during the months of Hajj, intending to do Hajj in the same year, is he doing tamattu‘ even if he intended to do ifraad?

I am from Riyadh, and my mother and father were staying with me for a two-month visit in Riyadh, and we intended to do Hajj this year. We went to Makkah on the first day of Dhu’l-Qa‘dah to do ‘umrah, and we are going to stay in Makkah until Hajj, in sha Allah. We entered ihram for ‘umrah from the miqaat of as-Sayl, and I asked them not to say that it was ‘umrah as part of Hajj tamattu‘, because I cannot afford to pay the price for the hadiy (sacrificial animal), and we are going to do Hajj ifraad. Now they are in Makkah. What is the solution? Can they enter ihram for Hajj ifraad from Makkah on the day of at-Tarwiyah (the eighth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah), or do they have to complete it as Hajj tamattu‘? Or do they have to offer a hadiy? Please note that they are not able to go back to the miqaat. 
The second question is: I am going to go and join them in Makkah one week before Hajj. Do I have to do Hajj tamattu‘, or can I intend to do Hajj ifraad?

Published Date: 2017-07-27

Praise be to Allah

Whoever comes to Makkah for ‘umrah during the months of Hajj and intends to stay there until the time of Hajj is doing Hajj tamattu‘ and therefore must offer a sacrifice.

The intention (niyyah) for tamattu‘, as explained by the scholars, is when a person does ‘umrah during the months of Hajj and – at the time of doing ‘umrah – also intends to do Hajj in the same year. Whoever does that is doing tamattu‘.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If you enter ihram for ‘umrah during the months of Hajj, having intended to also perform Hajj in the same year, then you are doing tamattu‘, so long as you do not go back to your own city. But if you go back to your city, then come back from your city and enter ihram for Hajj on its own, then you are not doing tamattu‘, so you do not have to offer a hadiy.

End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa al-‘Uthaymeen(24/191)

He also said:

So long as you came from your country, intending to do Hajj, and you entered ihram for ‘umrah during the months of Hajj, then you are doing tamattu‘ regardless of whether or not you intended to do tamattu‘, because what you have done is tamattu‘.

End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa al-‘Uthaymeen.

He (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:

I came in Ramadan to perform ‘umrah and I intended to remain there until Hajj. On the fourth day of Shawwaal I did ‘umrah on behalf of my deceased sister. Please note that I was not aware that the one who does ‘umrah during the months of Hajj is regarded as doing tamattu‘. Do I have to offer a hadiy now, because I am doing tamattu‘?

The shaykh replied: The one who does tamattu‘ is the one who enters ihram for ‘umrah during the months of Hajj, after the month of Shawwaal begins, with the intention of doing Hajj in the same year, then he does Hajj. The one who is doing tamattu‘ must offer whatever hadiy he can afford, such as a sheep, a goat or a lamb that is older than six months and is free of any defects that would prevent it from being acceptable as a sacrifice. If you are not able to do that, then you must fast for three days during Hajj and seven days after you return home, making a total of ten. The three days during hajj begin from the time the pilgrim enters ihram for ‘umrah. In other words, for example, a person may do tamattu‘ now, when he has no money. In this case we say: Fast from now; fast three days during Hajj and seven days when he goes back to his family and his journey is over. And if he says: I cannot fast on consecutive days, we say: Let him fast for one day and not fast for one or two days. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “then a fast of three days during hajj” [al-Baqarah 2:196]; He did not stipulate that they be consecutive. If Allah had wanted us to fast these days consecutively, He would have stated that. And if a person says: I cannot fast, because I have diabetes and I need water, and I cannot fast for three days or even for one day, then in that case he does not have to do anything, because Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity” [al-Baqarah 2:286].

End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa al-‘Uthaymeen(22/42).

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen also said:

Should he say, “Labbayk ‘umaratan mutamatti‘an biha ila al-hajj [Here I am for ‘umrah, joining it to Hajj (tamattu‘)]”?

The answer is: No, there is no need for him to say this, because simply intending to do Hajj in the same year is in effect tamattu‘. Tamattu‘ means entering ihram for ‘umrah during the months of Hajj, and finishing it [and exiting ihram], then entering ihram [again] for Hajj in the same year. There is no need to say “joining it to Hajj”. Rather the pilgrim should simply say “Labbayka ‘umratan [Here I am for ‘umrah], and if he has the intention of doing Hajj, this is tamattu‘.

End quote from Jalasaat al-Hajj.

Conclusion:

Both your father and your mother must sacrifice a hadiy for their tamattu‘. You do not have to offer the sacrifice on their behalf; rather if they cannot afford a sacrifice, then they have to fast three days during Hajj and seven days when they return home. They can start to fast this three days from the time when they enter ihram for ‘umrah. And if they are not able to fast, then they do not have to do anything.

As for you, it is permissible for you to enter ihram for Hajj ifraad [Hajj on its own] when you set out for Makkah, and you do not have to offer a hadiy, because even though you intended to do Hajj in the same year, the fact that you travelled to your city of residence, namely Riyadh, cancelled out your tamattu‘.

But you should enter ihram for Hajj before reaching the miqaat, and not pass the miqaat except in a state of ihram. When you have entered ihram for ifraad, it is not permissible for you to exit from it or to wear ordinary clothes; rather you must remain in your ihram until the pilgrims exit ihram on the day of sacrifice (yawm an-nahr).

And Allah knows best.

Source:-islamqa.info

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Obligation of performing Hajj straightaway Is it permissible for a person who is able to do Hajj to delay Hajj for a number of years?.

Praise be to Allaah.

If a person is able to do Hajj and meets all the conditions of it being obligatory, then he must do Hajj straight away, and it is not permissible for him to delay it. 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni: 

If a person is obliged to do Hajj and is able to do it, he must do it straight away and it is not permissible for him to delay it. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and Maalik. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allaah], then Allaah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:97] 

The command is to do it straight away. 

And it was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever wants to do Hajj, let him hasten to do it.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Ibn Maajah. According to a version narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah: “…for he may fall sick or be faced with some need.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. End quote. 

What is meant by “let him hasten to do it” is that a person who is accountable must do what is enjoined upon him as soon as he becomes able to do it, and it is not permissible for him to delay it with no excuse. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Does the command to do Hajj mean that it must be done immediately or may one do it at one's leisure? 

He replied: 

The correct view is that it must be done straight away and it is not permissible for a person who is able to go on Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah to delay it. The same applies to all the duties enjoined by sharee’ah: if there is no set time or reason, they must be done immediately. End quote. 

Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 21/13

Source :-islamqa.info

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How many times did the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) perform ‘Umrah?

Praise be to Allaah.

It was narrated from Qutaadah that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) told him that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) performed ‘Umrah four times, all of them in Dhu’l-Qi’dah apart from the ‘Umrah which he performed with his Hajj: (he did) ‘Umrah from al-Hudaybiyah or at the time of al-Hudaybiyah in Dhu’l-Qi’dah; (he did) ‘Umrah the following year in Dhu’l-Qi’dah; and (he did) ‘Umrah from Ja’raanah when he shared out the booty of Hunayn in Dhu’l-Qi’dah. 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Hajj, 1654; Muslim, al-Hajj, 1253 

Ibn al-Qayyim said: 

He did ‘Umrah four times after the Hijrah, four ‘Umrahs, all of them in Dhu’l-Qi’dah. 

The first was the ‘Umrah of al-Hudaybiyah, which was the first of them, in 6 AH, but the mushrikeen prevented him from reaching the House (the Ka’bah), so he offered the sacrifice (of camels) when his way was blocked at al-Hudaybiyah, and he and his companions shaved their heads and exited the state of ihraam, and went back in the same year to Madeenah. 

The second was the Fulfilled ‘Umrah in the following year, when he entered Makkah and stayed there for three (days), then he left after completing his ‘Umrah. 

The third was the ‘Umrah which he did along with his Hajj. 

The fourth was his ‘Umrah from al-Ja’raanah, when he went out to Hunayn then he came back to Makkah and performed ‘Umrah from al-Ja’raanah. 

He said: there is no (scholarly) dispute concerning the fact that he did no more than four ‘Umrahs. 

See Zaad al-Ma’aad, vol. 2, p. 90-93 

Al-Nawawi said: 

The scholars said:  the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) performed these ‘Umrahs in Dhu’l-Qid’ah because of the virtue of this month and in order to go against the (ways of) Jaahiliyyah, because they used to think that this (i.e., doing ‘Umrah in Dhu’l-Qi’dah) was one of the most evil of evil actions, as stated above. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did that several times in this month as this was the most eloquent way of explaining that it was permissible and of demonstrating the beliefs of Jaahiliyyah to be false. 

And Allaah knows best. 

Sharh Muslim, 8/235

Source:-islamqa.info

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Islam In Persia

While the Ottomans were concerned mostly with the westem front of their empire, to the east in Persia a new dynasty called the Safavids came to power in 1502.

The Safavids established a powerful state of their own which flourished for over two centuries and became known for the flowering of the arts. Their capital, Isfahan, became one of the most beautiful cities with its blue tiled mosques and exquisite houses.

The Afghan invasion of 1736 put an end to Safavid rule and prepared the independence of Afghanistan which occured fommally in the 19th century. Persia itself fell into tummoil until Nader Shah, the last Oriental conqueror, reunited the country and even conquered India.

But the rule of the dynasty established by him was short-lived. The Zand dynasty soon took over to be overthrown by the Qajars in 1779 who made Tehran their capital and ruled until 1921 when they were in turn replaced by the Pahlavis.

Source: islamcan.com

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Islam In India

As for India, Islam entered into the land east of the Indus River peacefully. Gradually Muslims gained political power beginning in the early 13th century.

But this period which marked the expansion of both Islam and Islamic culture came to an end with the conquest of much of India in 1526 by Babur, one of the Timurid princes. He established the powerful Mogul empire which produced such famous rulers as Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan and which lasted, despite the gradual rise of British power in India, until 1857 when it was officially abolished. 

In India Muslims participated in the freedom movement against British rule along with Hindus and when independence finally came in 1947, they were able to create their own homeland, Pakistan, which came into being for the sake of Islam and became the most populated Muslim state although many Muslims remained in India. In 1971, however, the two parts of the state broke up, East Pakistan becoming Bangladesh.

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Jesus said that he is the way and that no one can come to God except through him. What do Muslims say about that?

Muslims believe that Jesus, on whom be peace, was indeed the way. This means that he showed the way by which people should approach God. He expected that people should follow him and imitate him. His early followers were called followers of the way because, obviously, they followed Jesus, and Jesus was the way (see Acts 9:2; 18:25; 19:9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14; 24:22). They were also called Christians, which means 'imitators of Christ' (see Acts 11 :26). This shows that the early followers of Jesus copied and imitated him.

Jesus had said that his true followers will hold on to his teachings, then they will know the truth, and the truth will set them free (see John 8:31-32). God did reveal His truth in these last times. And true followers of Jesus will readily accept that truth, for they will find it in agreement with the unadulterated teachings of Jesus. In these last times God has sent a messenger and declared that anyone who claims to love Him must follow His messenger, on whom be peace. God directs His messenger as follows:
Say! If you love Allah then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive your sins. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful (Qur'an 3:31).

Now this messenger, Muhammad, on whom be peace, has brought God's final message for all of humankind. If we love God we must follow him. He brought the truth which Jesus said his true followers will recognize. The truth sets people free from unreasonable doctrines and dogmas.

Confusion arises in the minds of some who imagine that Jesus is the only way for peoples of all times and all places. Clearly, the Old Testament prophets directed people to Yahweh, the only God. They showed therefore the way to Yahweh. In fact, people were calling on the name of Yahweh since the time of Adam (see Genesis 4:1).

Jesus was the way for his time; now Muhammad is the way. We believe in both of them, and we worship the one God whom they both worshipped. These men showed us the way to worship God. Jesus, for example, fell on his knees and worshipped God (see Luke 22:4 1). He also fell on his face and worshipped God (see Matthew 26:39). Muhammad too adopted similar postures of humility in worshipping God. Likewise is the practice of the true imitators of Jesus and Muhammad, peace be upon both of them.

Finally, we should recall that Jesus is the way, not the destination. He spoke of one who is greater than himself (see John 14:28). And he said that, that one alone is the only true God (see John 17:3).

God has sent numerous prophets and messengers. Each in his time was the way to God. No one can approach God in a way contrary to the way of God's messenger. This is why God said that He will call to account anyone who does not listen to His prophet who will speak in His name (see Deuteronomy 18:19).

Source:- islamcan.com

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Muhammad is dead. But Jesus is alive. Doesn't that mean that Jesus Is superior to Muhammad?

Muslims believe that Jesus and Muhammad were both prophets and messengers of Allah. Peace be upon both of them. Muslims will not belittle any of God's prophets or reject their message. The Qur'an tells us to declare our faith in all of the prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, and that we should make no distinction among them (see Qur'an 2:136; 3:84; 2:285). This means that since each of them preached the true message of God, it would be wrong to say we believe in some but not in others.

The prophets themselves were humble servants of God. They did not try to prove themselves superior to others. It would be wrong for their followers to argue over who is superior. Once a Muslim and a Jew were arguing. The Muslim said that Muhammad is superior over all the people. The Jew said that Moses is superior over all the people. When this was related to the prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, he said:
Do not give me superiority over Moses (This is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.4, p.410, Arabic- English edition).
He also said "None should say that I am better than Jonah, son of Matta" (ibid, p.413).
He also instructed,"Do not give superiority to any prophet among Allah's prophets" (ibid, p.414).

Once the prophet was asked, "Who is the most honorable among the people?" He replied, "The most God-fearing". When he was asked to name a specific individual, he replied:
The most honorable person is Joseph (i.e. the son of Jacob) (ibid, p.390).

This humility was shared by other prophets too. The prophet Jesus, on whom be peace, is reported to have said:
I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11).

But John the Baptist was also humble. He did not claim that greatness for himself. He spoke of a greater one who was to come after him. He is quoted as saying:
After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie (Mark 1:7).

When God sent the angel Gabriel to take the prophet Muhammad to the Aqsa Mosque one night, the prophet, on whom be peace, led the prayers there, and the other prophets followed his lead. He also related the truth that on the Day of Judgement he will lead the banner of Praise under which will be all the other prophets. But the prophet Muhammad did not boast about this. He instructed Muslims that they should not praise him as the people praised Jesus, son of Mary. He said:
Call me a slave of Allah and His Messenger (Bukhari, vol.4, p.435).

What is important is not to try and prove one prophet superior over another, but to believe in both of them. The prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, said:
If a man believes in Jesus and then believes in me, he will get a double reward (ibid. p.435).

Source:- islamcan.com

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What does Islam say about Domestic violence?

Islam condemns domestic violence. Once a number of women came to the prophet, on whom be peace, to complain that their husbands had beaten them. The prophet announced that men who beat their wives are not good men. The prophet also said: Do not beat the female servants of Allah.

Allah knows that life is not always a bowl of cherries. And so He stipulates that a man must be kind to his wife even if he happens to dislike her (Qur'an 4:19). Allah offers a good reason as to why men should not dislike their wives. Allah says that He has placed much good in women (Qur'an 4:19). In this regard the prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, said that no believing man should hold a grudge against a believing woman. So what is a husband to do if he dislikes some things about his wife? This is bound to occur, since no human being is perfect. The prophet instructed that men should look for the agreeable traits in their wives rather than focus on their faults. (See Saheeh Muslim, chapter on advice relating to women).

The prophet also advised men that if they wish to benefit from marriage they should accept their wives as they are rather than try to straighten them out and thus end up in divorce. In the following verse of the Qur'an, Allah warns men that if they retain their wives in marriage it should not be to take advantage of them. The verse reads:
Retain them in kindness or release them in kindness. But do not retain them to their hurt so that you transgress (the limits). If anyone does that he wrongs his own soul. Do not take God's instructions as a jest (Qur'an 2:231).

Once the prophet, on whom be peace, was asked what are the obligations of husbands toward their wives. He replied:
Feed her when you eat, and provide her clothing when you provide yourself. Neither hit her on the face nor use impolite language when addressing her (See Mishkat, chapter on the maintenance of women).

The prophet equated perfect belief with good treatment to one's wife when he said:
The most perfect believer is one who is the best in courtesy and amiable manners, and the best among you people is one who is most kind and courteous to his wives (see Tirmidhi, chapter on the obligations of a man to his wife).

Finally, the prophet, the best example of conduct said:
The best among you is the one who treats his family best.

Some of the last words of the prophet delivered during the farewell pilgrimage enjoins that men should hold themselves accountable before Allah concerning the question of how they treat their wives. Therefore his advice to all men, is as follows:

You must treat them with all kindness.

Source:- islamcan.com

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What are some of the rights given to women in Islam?

The Qur'an places men and women on a similar relationship before God, and promises both the final goal of paradise for those who believe and do right (see Qur'an 3:195; 4:124; 16:19; 40:40). The Qur'an also speaks of similarity in terms of creation. God tells us that He created a single soul and from it its mate, then He made countless men and women from those two (see Qur'an 4:1) The Qur'an does not contain the belief that the man alone is created in the image of God. Because of this fundamental similarity between men and women, the Qur'an declares that women have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable (see Qur'an 2:228).

In a time when women were devalued and female infants were buried alive, the Qur'an raised the value of women and prohibited female infanticide. Due to the Qur'an, this practice was abolished, but in recent times advances in the science of genetic selection has encouraged some unbelievers to practice a modern form of female infanticide.

The Qur'an also abolished the practice whereby inheritance went to only the oldest male heir. Instead, a woman can inherit from her father, her husband, and her childless brother (see Qur'an 4:7, 32, 176).

In Islam when a woman gets married she does not surrender her maiden name, but maintains her distinct identity. Some Muslim women have adopted the surnames of their husbands, but this is due to cultural influence, not Islam.

In a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowry to the bride, not to her father. This becomes her private property to keep or spend, and is not subject to the dictates of her male relatives. Any money she earns or receives is similarly her very own.

Under Islamic Law a woman cannot be married without her consent. She has final approval on a marriage partner and she can repudiate a marriage arranged without her consent. She also has the right to initiate a separation from marriage if her rights under marriage are not being granted. Widows have the right to remarry, and they are in fact encouraged to do so.

The Qur'an places on men the responsibility of protecting and maintaining their female relatives. This relieves women of the need to earn their own living. It also means that a man must provide for his wife even if she has money of her own. She is not obligated to spend her money in the maintenance of her family. Incidentally, a woman is also not required to cook for her family, although she may do so out of love and compassion. The example of our noble prophet, on whom be peace, is that although he was such a great leader, he assisted in the housecleaning and mended his own clothes.

In return for the added responsibility, the Qur'an gives men the degree of leadership (see Qur'an 2:228; 4:34). This does not mean that men should dominate women, but rather that they should deal with them in kindness, mercy, and love (see Qur'an 4:19; 30:21).

Source:- islamcan.com

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He missed Jumu‘ah and prayed Zuhr, then he found a mosque where they were praying Jumu‘ah

I missed Jumu‘ah prayer in my usual mosque, and I prayed Zuhr instead of Jumu‘ah. But on my way back to work, I came across a mosque where they had not yet prayed Jumu‘ah. My question is: should I pray Jumu‘ah with them and cancel my Zuhr prayer, or is the Zuhr prayer that I did before that sufficient? Please advise me, may Allah reward you.

Published Date: 2015-04-16

Praise be to Allah.

We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Barraak (may Allah preserve him) and he said: 

What appears to be the case – and Allah knows best – is that if a person comes to the mosque where he usually prays and finds that the people have left, and he thinks that people in other mosques are about to finish and leave, and he does not think that there is any mosque nearby in which Jumu‘ah prayers are still going on, if he is in that situation, and he prays Zuhr, then he hears another mosque praying Jumu‘ah, he does not have to pray with them, because he has not been negligent. 

But if he does pray with them, that is better for him and is more on the safe side, and there is the hope that he will attain the virtue of Jumu‘ah thereby. 

But if he knew that the mosque where he usually prays does the prayer before other mosques, and they pray early, and he missed the prayer in that mosque, but he knows that there are other mosques where he could catch up with the prayer, then in that case he must pray Jumu‘ah with them.

And Allah knows best.

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He wants to do Hajj first and his father wants him to get married first

Will I be disobeying my father because of the following? 
1.  My father (may Allah have mercy on him) wanted me to start looking to get married, but I refused because I wanted to complete my postgraduate studies.
2.  The money that I saved was sufficient to get married (the marriage contract only). Please note that I have a job.
3.  Then I was not able to travel in order to complete my postgraduate studies, so I decided to start a small business in the hope that I could earn some money with which to do Hajj. This project was a partnership between me and him; it was a piece of land (the price of which was not enough to do Hajj). We were planning to change the house in which we live because of the annoyance caused by the neighbours, may Allah guide them.
4.  My father refused to do Hajj  with this money because he said that it was my money, not his.
5.  After a discussion which did not lead anywhere, I said: I am going to do Hajj, but he told me to get married first.
6. Now – after he died in Ramadan – they are asking me to do what he wanted me to do, but I am telling them that I want to do Hajj first.
7. The land is now yielding enough money to perform the obligatory Hajj; he and I paid off the debt (the price of the land) before he died.

Published Date: 2013-09-07

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly: 

Hajj is obligatory and should be done at the earliest opportunity according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. This has been discussed in the answer to question no.41702. 

If the available money is sufficient for either doing Hajj or getting married, then precedence should be given to marriage if there is a need for that and there is the fear of falling into haraam. If there is no (urgent) need for marriage, then Hajj should be given precedence. 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (5/12): If (the individual) needs to get married and fears that he may encounter hardship, then he should give precedence to marriage, because it is obligatory in his case and he cannot do without it, so it is like spending on his maintenance. If there is no such fear, he should give precedence to Hajj, because marriage is voluntary and should not be given precedence over the obligatory Hajj. End quote. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible to delay Hajj until after getting married for one who is able to do it? That is because of what the youth are facing nowadays of temptation, both great and small. 

He replied: 

There is no doubt that marriage, for one who has the desire and urgent need for it, takes precedence over Hajj, because if an individual has overwhelming desire, in that case marriage becomes one of the necessities of life, like eating and drinking. Hence it is permissible for one who needs to get married and does not have any money to be given zakaah funds with which to get married, just as the poor person may be given food to suffice him and clothes with which to cover his ‘awrah out of the zakaah funds. 

Based on that, we say: if he needs to get married, then he should give marriage precedence over Hajj, because Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, stipulated that in order for Hajj to be obligatory, one must be able to do it, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence)”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:97].

In the case of one who is young and it does not matter for him whether he gets married this year or next year, then he should give precedence to Hajj because it is not necessary for him to give precedence to marriage.

End quote from Fataawa Manaar al-Islam, 2/375 

Based on that, if you do not have any fears (of falling into haraam) if you delay marriage, then you should hasten to do Hajj first, and Allah will compensate you with good, because Hajj is one of the important obligatory duties and rituals of Islam. 

You do not have to carry out your father’s wishes with regard to this matter, either during his lifetime or after his death, because that would result in your delaying Hajj when there is no need to do so. 

Secondly: 

You should have tried to please your father by giving precedence to marriage over completing your postgraduate studies. It was narrated from Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) that marriage is obligatory if either of the parents tell you to get married. 

Al-Mirdaawi said: Is it (marriage) obligatory if the parents, or one of them, tell the son to get married? Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If he has parents who are telling him to get married, then I tell him to get married. Or if he is a young man who fears that he may commit sin, I tell him to get married. 

By saying this, he made the parents’ instructions to get married equivalent to fearing that one may commit sin.

End quote from al-Insaaf, 8/14 

Thirdly: 

There is nothing wrong with a father doing Hajj with his son’s wealth; in fact there is nothing wrong with a person doing Hajj with another person’s wealth in general. But if a person was not able to do the obligatory Hajj because he could not afford the expenses, then he became able to afford it if someone else pays for it, does he have to accept this money in order to do Hajj? There is a difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ concerning that. 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He is not obliged to do Hajj if someone else spends on it, and he does not become able to do it thereby (and thus it does not become obligatory for him), whether the one who gives him the money is a relative or otherwise, and whether he gives him a means of transportation and provisions, or he gives him money. However, it was narrated from ash-Shaafa‘i that if a person’s son gives him money that enables him to do Hajj, then he is obliged to do it, because he has enabled him to do Hajj without feeling that he owes a favour to anyone, and no harm or annoyance will result from that. Therefore he is obliged to do Hajj, as would be the case if he possessed sufficient provisions and a mount. 

In our view, the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) make Hajj binding on one who has a means of transportation and sufficient funds to cover the costs of the journey. However, in the case where someone else offers to over these costs, he is not regarded as having the means or the money to obtain the means, so Hajj is not obligatory for him. The same applies if his father offers to help him, because we do not think that the father will not feel that he owes him a favour in this case. 

End quote from al-Mughni, 3/87 

To sum up: it is obligatory for you to hasten to do Hajj, so long as you do not think that you will fall into haraam as a result of delaying marriage, and you should ask Allah, may He be exalted, for forgiveness for having gone against your father’s instructions when he told you to get married first. 

We ask Allah to help and guide you. 

And Allah knows best.



Source :- islamqa.info

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The True Religion of God By Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips- Part 2

Part 2

Recognition Of God 

The question which arises here is : How can all people be expected to believe in the one true God, given their varying backgrounds, societies and cultures? For people to be held responsible for worshipping the one true God, they all need to have access to knowledge of Him. The final revelation teaches that all humans being have the recognition of the one true God imprinted on their souls as a part of their very nature with which they are created. 

In the seventh chapter of the Qur’an (Al-A’raaf, verses 172-173), God explained that when He created Adam He caused all of Adam’s descendants to come into existence and He took a pledge from them saying: 

“‘Am I not your Lord?’ To which they all replied, ‘Yes, we testify to it’” 

Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and the only true God worthy of worship. He said: 

“That was in case you (mankind) should say on the day of Resurrection, ‘Verily we were unaware of all this’” [Qur’an 7:172] 

That is to say, we cannot claim on that day that we had no idea that Allah, was our God and that no one told us that we were only supposed to worship Allah alone. Allah went on to further explain that: 

“It was also in case you should say, ‘Certainly it was our ancestors who made partners (with Allah) and we are only their descendants; will you then destroy us for what those liars did?’” [Qur’an 7:173] 

Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in God and an in-born inclination to worship Him alone. This in-born belief and inclination is called in Arabic the “Fitrah“. 

The Prophet Muhammad reported that Allah said, “I created my servants in the right religion, but devils made them go astray.” The Prophet also said, “Each child is born in a state of Fitrah. Then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian.” If the child were left alone, he would worship God in his own way, but all children are affected by the environment. So, just as the child submits to the physical laws, which Allah has imposed on nature, in the same way his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator. But, if his parents try to make him follow a different path, the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. In such cases, the religion, which the child follows, is one of custom and upbringing, and God does not hold him to account or punish him for his religion up to a certain stage of his life. 

The Signs Of God 

Throughout people’s lives, from childhood until the time they die, signs of the one and only true God are shown to them in all regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true God (Allah). God says in the Qur’an: 

“We will show them our signs In the furthest regions (of the earth) and in their souls, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth.” [Qur’an 41:53] 

The following is an example of God revealing by a sign to one man the error of his idol-worship. In the south-eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their man-idol Skwatch, representing the supreme God of all creation. The following day a young man entered the hut to pay homage to the God, and while he was in prostration to what he had been taught was his Creator and Sustainer, a mangy old flea-ridden dog slunk into the hut. The young man looked up in time to see the dog lift his hind leg and pass urine on the idol. 

Outraged, the youth chased the dog out of the temple; but when his rage died down he realized that the idol could not be the Lord of the Universe. God must be elsewhere, he concluded. As strange as it may seem, the dog urinated on the idol was a sign from God for that young man. This sign contained the divine message that what he was worshipping was false. It liberated from slavishly following his traditionally learned worship of a false god. As a result, this man was given a choice: either to seek the true god or to continue in the error of his ways. 

Allah mentions Prophet Abraham’s quest for God as an example of how those who follow His signs will be rightly guided: 

“So also did we show Abraham the power and the Laws of the heavens and the earth that he might (with understanding) have certitude. When the night covered him over, he saw a star. He said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said: ‘I love not those that set’ When he saw the moon rising in splendor, he said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when the moon set, he said: ‘Unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray.’ When he saw the rising sun in splendor, he said: ‘This is my Lord this is the greatest (of all).’ But when the sun set, he said; ‘O my people I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah. For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah” [Qur’an 6:75-79] 


As was mentioned earlier, prophets have been sent to every nation and tribe to support man’s natural belief in God and man’s in-born inclination to worship Him, as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by God. Although much of these prophets’ teachings became distorted, portions revealing their God-inspired messages have remained untainted and have served to guide mankind in the choice between right and wrong. The influence of God-inspired messages down through the ages can be seen in the “Ten Commandments” of Judaism’s Torah which were later adopted into Christianity’s teachings, as well as in the existence of laws against murder, stealing and adultery in most societies throughout the ancient and modern world. 

As a result of God’s signs to mankind through the ages combined with His revelation through His prophets, all mankind has been given a chance to recognize the one only true God. 

Consequently, every soul will be held accountable for its belief in God and its acceptance of the true religion of God, namely Islam, which means total submission to the will of Allah. 

Conclusion 

The preceding presentation has demonstrated that the name of the religion of Islam expresses Islam’s most central principle, submission to God, and that the name “Islam” was chosen not by man, but by God, according to the holy scriptures of Islam. It has also been shown that Islam alone teaches the uniqueness of God and His attributes and enjoins the worship of God alone without intermediaries.

 
Finally, due to the divinely instilled inclination of man to worship God and the signs revealed by God throughout the ages to each individual, Islam may be achieved by all men at all times. 

In short, the significance of the name Islam (submission to God), Islam’s fundamental acknowledgment of the uniqueness of God and Islam’s accessibility to all mankind at all times convincingly support Islam’s claim that from the beginning of time in whatever language it was expressed, Islam alone has been, and will be the true religion of God. 

In conclusion we ask Allah, the exalted, to keep us on the right path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us His blessings and mercy, for He is indeed the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be on prophet Muhammad and on all the prophets of God and their righteous followers.

Source:- islamcan.com

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The True Religion of God By Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips.- Part 1

Which Is The True Religion Of God? 

Part 1

Each person is born in a circumstance which is not of his own choosing. The religion of his family or the ideology of the state is thrust upon him from the very beginning of his existence in this world. By the time he reaches his teens, he is usually fully brain-washed into believing that the beliefs of his particular society are the correct beliefs that everyone should have. However, when some people mature and are exposed to other belief-systems, they begin to question the validity of their own beliefs. The seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion upon realizing that each and every religion, sect, ideology and philosophy claims to be the one and only correct way for man. Indeed, they all encourage people to do good. So, which one is right? They cannot all be right since each claims all others are wrong. Then how does the seeker of truth choose the right way? 

God gave us all minds and intellects to enable us to make this crucial decision. It is the most important decision in the life of a human being. Upon it depends his future, Consequently, each and every one of us must examine dispassionately the evidence presented and choose what appears to be right until further evidence arises. 

Like every other religion or philosophy, Islam also claims to be the one and only true way to God. In this respect it is no different from other systems. This booklet intends to provide some evidence for the validity of that claim. However, it must always be kept in mind that one can only determine the true path by putting aside emotions and prejudices, which often blind us to reality. Then, and only then, will we be able to use our God-given intelligence and make a rational and correct decision. 

There are several arguments, which may be advanced to support Islam’s claim to be the true religion of God. The following are only three of the most obvious. The first argument is based on the divine origin of the names of the religion and the comprehensiveness of its meaning. The second deals with the unique and uncomplicated teachings concerning the relationship between God, man, and creation. The third argument derives from the fact that Islam is universally attainable by all men at all times. These are the three basic components of what logic and reason dictate necessary for a religion to be considered the true religion of God. The following pages will develop these concepts in some detail. 

The Religion’s Name

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word ‘Islam” itself means. The Arabic word “Islam” means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true God, known in Arabic as “Allah”. One who submits his will to God is termed in Arabic a “Muslim”. The religion of Islam is not named after a person or a people, nor was it decided by a later generation of man, as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gautama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, Marxism after Karl Marx, Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam (submission to the will of God) is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of God, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. Further its name was chosen by God Himself and clearly mentioned in the final scripture which He revealed to man. In that final revelation, called in Arabic the Qur’an Allah states the following:

“This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Qur’an 5:3] 

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to God), never will it be accepted of Him.” [Qur’an 3:85] 

Hence, Islam does not claim to be a new religion brought by Prophet Mohammed into Arabia in the seventh century, but rather to be a re-expression in its final form of the true religion of Almighty God, Allah, as it was originally revealed to Adam and subsequent prophets.

At this point we might comment briefly on two other religions that claim to be the true path. Nowhere in the Bible will you find God revealing to Prophet Moses’ people or their descendants that their religion is called Judaism, or to the followers of Christ that their religion is called Christianity. In other words, the names “Judaism” and “Christianity” had no divine origin or approval. It was not until long after his departure that the name Christianity was given to Jesus’ religion.

What, then, was Jesus’ religion in actual fact, as distinct from its name? (Both the name Jesus and the name Christ are derived from Hebrew words, through Greek and Latin. Jesus is the English and Latin form of the Greek Iesous, which in Hebrew Is Yeshua or Yehoshua’ (Joshua) [messiah], which is a title meaning ' the anointed'.) His religion was reflected in his teachings, which he urged his followers to accept as guiding principles in their relationship with God. In Islam, Jesus is a prophet sent by Allah and his Arabic name is Eesa. Like the prophets before him, he called upon the people to surrender their will to the will of God (which is what Islam stands for). For example, in the New Testament it is stated that Jesus taught his followers to pray to God as follows:

“Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” [Luke 11:2/Matthew 6:9-10] 

This concept was emphasised by Jesus in a number of his statements recorded in the Gospels. He taught, for example, that only those who submitted would inherit paradise. Jesus also pointed out that he himself submitted to the will of God.

“None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” [Matthew 7:21] 

“I cannot do anything of myself I judge as I hear and my judgment is honest because I am not seeking my own will but the will of Him who sent me.” [John 5:30] 

There are many reports in the Gospels which show that Jesus made it clear to his followers that he was not the one true God. For example, when speaking about the final Hour, he said:

“No-one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the son, but only the Father.” [Mark 13:32] 

Thus, Jesus like the prophets before him and the one who came after him, taught the religion of Islam: submission to the will of the one true God. 

God And Creation 

Since the total submission of one’s will to God represents the essence of worship, the basic message of God’s divine religion, Islam, is the worship of God alone. It also requires the  avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than God. Since everything other than God, the creator of all the things, is God’s creation, it may be said that Islam, in essence, calls man away from worship of creation and invites him to worship only his Creator. He is the only one deserving of man’s worship, because it is only by His will that prayers are  answered.

Accordingly, if a man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it is not the tree which answers his prayers but God, who allows the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, “That is obvious”. However, to tree-worshippers, it might not be so. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna or Saint Christopher, or Saint Jude or even to Muhammad, are not answered by them, but are answered by God. Jesus did not tell his followers to worship him but to worship God, as the Quran states:

“And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus, the son of Mary! Did you say to men, worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah?, He will say: “Glory to you, I could never say what I had no right (to say).” [Qur’an 5:118] 

Nor did Jesus worship himself when he worshipped, but rather he worshipped God. And Jesus was reported in the Gospels to have said,

Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” [Luke 4:8] 

This basic principle is contained in the opening chapter of the Qur’an, known as Soorah alFaatihah, verse 4:

“you alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help.” 

Elsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the Quran, God also said:

“And you Lord says: ‘Call on Me and I will answer your (prayer).’” [Qur’an 40:60] 

It is worth emphasizing that the basic message of Islam (namely, the worship of God alone) also proclaims that God and His creation are distinctly different entities. God is neither equal to His creation nor a part of it, nor is His creation equal to Him or a part of Him.

This might seem obvious, but man’s worship of creation, instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance, or neglect, of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of God is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some parts of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of God’s creation and naming it the worship of God. However, the message of Islam, as brought by the prophets of God, is to worship only God and to avoid the worship of His creation either directly or indirectly.

In the Qur’an God clearly states:

“For we assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet, with the command Worship Me and avoid false Gods.” [Qur’an 16:36]

When idol worshippers are questioned as to why they bow down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but God who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for God’s essence and is not in itself God! One who has accepted the concept of God being present in any way within His creation will be obliged to accept this argument for idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never agree to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized.

Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that God is present in man. Taking one step further, they claim that God is more present in them than in the rest of us, and that other humans should therefore submit to them and worship them as God in person or as God concentrated within their persons. Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their deaths have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God’s presence in man.

It should be abundantly clear by now that one who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstance. God’s religion, in essence, is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam: 

“Laa Ilaaha Ill Allah” (there is no God but Allah) 

The sincere declaration of this phrase and the acceptance of prophethood automatically bring one within the fold of Islam, and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise. Thus, the final Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h) is reported to have said, “Any one who says: There is no God but Allah, and dies holding that (belief) will enter paradise.” 

Belief in this declaration of faith requires that one submit his/her will to God in the way taught by the prophets of God. It also requires the believer to give up the worship of false gods. 

The Message Of False Religions 

There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, and movements in the world, all of which claim to be the right way or the only true path of God How can one determine which one is correct or whether, in fact, all are correct? One method by which the answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and identifies the central object of worship upon which they call, directly or indirectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept with regard to God they either claim that all men are gods, or that specific men were God, or that nature is God, or that God is a figment of man’s imagination.

Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of false religion is that God may be worshipped in the form of His creation. False religions invite man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspect of it God. For example, prophet Jesus invited his followers to worship God, but those who claim to be Jesus’ followers today call people to worship Jesus, claiming that he was God.

Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles in the religion of India. He did not claim to be God, nor did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of worship. Yet today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of India have taken him to be God and they prostrate themselves to idols made in their perception of his likeness.

By using the principle of identifying the object of worship, we can easily detect false religions and the contrived nature of their origin. As God said in the Qur’an:

“That which you worship besides Him are only names and you and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no authority: the command belongs only to Allah He has command that you worship Him; that is the right religion, but most men do not understand.” [Qur’an 12:40] 

It may be argued that all religions teach good things, so why should it matter which one we follow? The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil the worship of creation. 

Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contradicts the very purpose of his creation. Man was created to worship God alone as Allah has explicitly stated in  the Qur’an:

“I have only created jinns and men, that they may worship Me” [Qur’an 51:56] 

Consequently , the worship of creation, which is the essence of idolatry is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in this state of idolatry, has sealed his fate in the next life. This is not an opinion, but a revealed fact stated by God in his final revelation to man:

“Verily Allah will not forgive the joining of partners with Him, but He may forgive (sins) less than that for whomsoever He wishes.” [Qur’an 4:48 and 116] 

Universality Of God’s Religion 

Since the consequences of following a false religion are so grave, the true religion of God must have been universally understandable and universally attainable in the past and it must continue eternally to be understandable and attainable throughout the entire world. In other words, the true religion of God cannot be confined to any one people, place, or period of time. Nor is it logical that such a religion should impose conditions that have nothing to do with the relationship of man with God, such as baptism, or belief in man as a savior, or an intermediary. Within the central principle of Islam and its definition (the surrender of one’s will to God) lie the roots of Islam’s universality. Whenever man comes to the realization that God is one and distinct from His creation, and submits himself to God, he becomes a Muslim in body and spirit and is eligible for paradise.

Consequently, anyone at any time in the most remote regions of the world can become Muslim, a follower of God’s religion, Islam, by merely rejecting the worship of creation and turning to God alone. It should be noted, however, that in order to actually submit to God’s will, one must continually choose between right and wrong. Indeed, man is endowed by God with the power not only to distinguish right from wrong but also to choose between them. These God-given powers carry with them an important responsibility, namely, that man is answerable to God for the choices he makes. It follows, then, that man should try his utmost to do good and avoid evil. These concepts are expressed in the final revelation as follows:

“Verily, those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians (angel-and-star-worshippers) -- any of these who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord. They will not be overcome by fear or grief.” [Qur’an 2:62] 

If, for whatever reason, they fail to accept the final message after it has been clearly explained to them, they will be in grave danger. The last Prophet said:

“Whoever among the Christians and Jews hears of me but does not affirm his belief in what I brought and dies in this state will be among the inhabitants of hell.” (Sahih Muslim [English Translation], Vol.1 P.91 No, 284) 

To be Continued...........

Source:- islamcan.com

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