Teen crisis is Societal crisis

On the 1st September, the NSPCC released a new condemning survey spelling out the reality of teenage relationships in the UK. The survey explored the lives of 13-17 year olds where alarmingly 1 in 6 teenage girls felt pressured to sleep with their boyfriends and 1 in 16 had been raped. Violence is also an increasing factor in the lives of the young girls as one quarter said they had been slapped, punched or beaten by their boyfriends.
Unsurprisingly three quarters of girls found their experiences harmful. Sadly this is just one aspect of the prolific teenage dating scene. Sexually transmitted diseases (STI’s) which affect fertility and even life expectancy have only increased, despite government initiatives. STI’s have increased by a whopping 58% between 2003 and 2007 amongst under-16s. Additionally the much debated issue of teenage pregnancies is rarely out of the news, recently punctuated by the 13 year old boy who fathered a child with his 15 year old girl friend. Over the years the government has ploughed millions of pounds into numerous initiatives to curb the rise of these problems. Blame is put down to numerous issues, Pat Troop, chief executive of the Health Protection Agency cited mediums like television programmes as a source of influence since they encouraged unsafe sex. To curb these and other influences the call from bodies like the NSPCC and the government is to increase sexual education. In a bid to catch them as young as possible the controversial SRE lessons has been working its way into UK schools. These lessons are aimed at teaching children as young as 5 a range of issues from different ‘kinds’ of relationships to the names of intimate body parts.
In trying to protect the youths right to choice the government initiatives are aimed at helping them make an informed decision whilst providing them with facilities like sexual health clinics to allow them to do what they wish as long as its ‘safe’. Despite many attempts the government continues to fail to make any major dent in these problems. The recent £250 million Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was deemed “absolutely disastrous” by David Paton, a professor at Nottingham University Business school at a meeting with government officials. It is clear that the strategy to solve and cater to the results of a certain kind of behaviour has failed and will continue to fail. Despite the government’s best efforts it is clear that the problem is not a lack of knowledge amongst teenagers, since no matter how much money, education and facilities are offered, the quality of teenagers lives are getting increasingly worse. One aspect of the lives of youth which is never under discussion is what really drives them to ignore education or even common sense and to act in a potentially harmful way. The values these teenagers learn from society is to live life in any way they want, to think only of themselves and their enjoyment in their daily decisions.
The idea of personal freedom means that regardless of abundant education and publicity rigorously depicting the horrors of their actions, the individual is still free to do as they wish regardless of how it affects them and the society they live in. A lack of accountability accompanies this value leading to irresponsible behaviour, leading to insecure relationships, the spreading of STI’s and babies being born to children.
Problems relating to teenagers are the tip of the western secular society’s iceberg. However instead of considering their own issues, the western governments, politicians, and media have taken it upon themselves to be saviours of Muslims, calling for us to change (or rather distort) our deen and to come to the “light” of their values of freedom. Last month, UK minister Jim Fitzpatrick accused the segregation of men and women at Islamic weddings as a sign of increasing radicalisation amongst Muslims in Britain.
This August, Sayeda Versi, the Conservative Party representative for Community Cohesion attacked the issue of polygamy in the Muslim community in the UK.
As the ummah of the Prophet (saw) who have been ordered to protect our deen at all times and spread the dawah of Islam we should not allow these attacks to shame us into the changing and reforming of our deen. We need to make the carriers of backward ideas such as “freedom” think first about their values and way of life and present Islam as having real solutions for the misery sown within societies by the Western liberal system.

DOES ISLAM ENSLAVE THE WOMAN?

Mr. Sarkozy says that the burqa or niqab makes the woman a slave to the man. No-one is arguing that Mr. Sarkozy doesn’t know a thing or two about “Female enslavement” – he is after all married to Carla Bruni – a former nude model. However, Muslim women do not need lessons in how to dress from the husband of a woman who earnt her fame from showing the world how to undress. Nor do we need lessons in female enslavement from the leaders of any secular liberal state where the enslavement of women is legal under the law, with the existence of brothels, pornography, and lap-dancing clubs – all under the premise of liberty, of sexual freedom – women who serve no other purpose but to service the desires of men.

Some argue that freedom in the West brings the dignity of women. If so, what dignity has it brought the 1 in 4 women who are victims of domestic violence in the UK; what respect did it bring to the 2 women killed each week in Britain by their partners or husband; what dignity has it brought to the 28 million women battered by their husband or partner in the US – the Land of freedom where a woman is beaten every 9 seconds and where battery is the single major cause of injury to women between the ages of 15-44 – more than car accidents, mugging, and rape combined.

If freedom has brought dignity to the woman, then why have 1 in 20 women been raped in the UK; and why is a woman sexually assaulted every 2 and ½ minutes in the US according to the US justice department? What has freedom brought to the 1000’s of women who face sexual harassment in the workplace in Western societies – 50% of women in the UK according to an Equal opportunity commission report in 2000.

So when people say that the woman in Islam is not free to dress how she likes – I say Yes, you’re right, we are not free, we dress according to the Commands of Our Creator – hijab, jilbab, the One who gave us life, the One to whom we will return, the One to Whom we will forever be grateful? He (swt) says, “… let them draw their head-coverings (khumur) over their necks and bosoms (juyub).” [An-Nur 31]

“When a young girl begins to menstruate, it is not correct that anything should be seen of her except her face and hands up to the wrist.” (Hadith Reported by Abu Dawud) “Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (Jalabeeb) all over their bodies.” [Al-Ahzab:59]

We embrace a religion, Islam, that says a man is not free to view a woman as he likes, nor use the woman to sell a product – no amount of money in the world will let you buy the respect of the woman.Why? Because in Islam her honour, her respect is priceless.

The Prophet (saw) said, “The world and all things in the world are precious but the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman.”

As Muslim women, we embrace a dress that says – we refuse to be an ornament for public display.A dress that says – we demand to be respected as a woman for what we can give to society rather than what fulfillment we can give to men. This is the liberation that Islam and this dress brings to the woman.

The coming of the Mahdi is one of the major signs of Judgement Day. Unlike the minor signs his appearance will signal that the Final Hour is near and that believers must ensure that they are ready to endure its trials and tribulations (fitan).The Mahdi will come at a time when Muslims will have become disunited and where tyranny and corruption will have prevailed.The situation will be so bad that a person would wish he was not born or that if someone died he would wish that it was him.
The story of al-Mahdi, as recounted in the sunnah, is a story of hope where the struggle between Haqq and Baatil results in the believers gaining victory over the disbelievers, where the earth is filled with peace and justice due to the just rule of al-Mahdi. It is narrated by Abu Said al-Khudri (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) said: “At the end of the time of my ummah,the Mahdi will appear. Allah will grant him rain, the earth will bring forth its fruits, he will give a lot of money, cattle will increase and the ummah will become great.” (Reported by al-Haakim in his Mustadrak, 4/557-558).The story of mahdi is one that encourages the believers to work for the unity of Muslims and the justice of Islam via the establishment of the Khilafah and the application of the Shariah as the believer knows that one day the whole world will be enlightened by the light of Islam and falsehood shall vanish. But until that day comes he must take encouragement from the bashaarat (glad tidings) of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) and strive and work for Islam following the Sunnah of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam).
So it is sad to hear sometimes that some find in the story of Mahdi an excuse and justification for inaction, taking the fatalistic view that we as an Ummah cannot, and even should not, do anything about the corrupt situation until the Mahdi appears at the end of time and establishes the Khilafah. Clearly, this is not the message the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) took when they heard the story directly from the lips of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam). They heard this story and they took its lessons and they worked tirelessly, first in Makkah in order to establish dar al-Islam and then after its establishment in Madinah to consolidate and extend the influence of the Islamic state.After the death of al-Mustafa (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) the Sahabah appointed Khulafah who extended the authority of Islam even further until the light of Islam had spread to a large part of the world. So how can it be that the coming of the Mahdi has become an excuse for the resignation to the corrupt reality? Indeed, if we analyse the authentic reports about the coming of Mahdi from both a prophetic and legal point of view we can conclude the following:
The Khilafah will not be established by the Mahdi but he will be a Khaleefah coming after the death of the Khaleefah before him. In other words the Khilafah will have been established by the Muslims before the coming of the Mahdi.This can clearly be seen in the hadith narrated by Umm Salamah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) said: “Disagreement will occur at the death of a caliph and a man of the people of Medina will come flying forth to Mecca. Some of the people of Mecca will come to him, bring him out against his will and give bay’ah to him between the Rukn and the Maqam. An expeditionary force will then be sent against him from Syria but will be swallowed up in the desert between Mecca and Medina. When the people see that, the God fearing people of Syria and the best people of Iraq will come to him and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. Then there will arise a man of Quraysh whose maternal uncles belong to Kalb and send against them an expeditionary force which will be overcome by them, and that is the expedition of Kalb. Disappointed will be the one who does not receive the booty of Kalb. He will divide the property, and will govern the people by the Sunnah of their Prophet (peace be upon him) and establish Islam on Earth. He will remain seven years…” (Reported by at-Tabarani in al-Awsat.According to Ibn Hajar in his Majma’ az-Zawaid the transmitters in at-Tabarani’s narration are sound and authentic.)
Notice the above hadith states that disputes will take place at the death of the Khaleefah and consequently a man will come forth who after being given bay’ah as the khaleefah will declare himself to be the Mahdi. So clearly Mahdi will not establish the Khilafah Rashidah that will return as foretold in the ahadith, and as well he will not be the first Khaleefah after the destruction of the Khilafah and nor will he be the last Khaleefah. Rather, he will be a just Khaleefah who will establish the justice of Islam on earth.This is from the perspective of the account of the story as prophesised by the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam).
From a shar’I or legal perspective the hadith which detail the emergence of the Mahdi do not establish any Shariah rules for the reality of Muslims of today, as they relate to a different situation when the Khilafah exists.A Hukm Shar’i or divine rule comes for a manaat (reality to which the hukm pertains) which requires a ruling, which is our current reality and not the end of time which will be signaled by the major signs of the day of judgment.A hukm shar’i essentially is a request to do an action or refrain from it whether by way of obligation (wujoob), prohibition (tahreem), encouragement (nadb) or discouragement (karaaha).Although the hadiths about the Mahdi do not request the obligation to establish the Khilafah, as they are largely ikhbari (informative) in nature and as the Khilafah will already exist when the Mahdi comes (which is why we say this reality is inapplicable), but they certainly do NOT say it is not obligatory to work for a Khilafah when it does not exist. Indeed the Shariah rules established at the time of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) are applicable till the end of time as long as they pertain to the reality for which they came. So not only must the Muslims abide by them, so must the Mahdi and so did ‘Isa (Alaihi as salam) who came not as a Prophet but as a follower of the Shariah of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam). So if the coming of a great Prophet like Isa (as), after the prophethood of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam), cannot suspend the rules of the Shariah, how can the coming of the Mahdi suspend them?
As for the hukm shar’i on what to do when the Khilafah does not exist, as we see in our situation today, we need to refer to the following hadith of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) as it addressed that very manaat (reality): “Whosoever dies without a bay’ah on his neck dies the death of Jahiliyyah.” (Reported by Muslim in his Sahih).This hadith clarifies by its implied meaning (mafhum) that it is not permitted for a Muslim to live without the presence of a Khaleefah as it censures the one who dies without his presence. Consequently, it becomes obligatory on the Muslim to work for the presence of a Khaleefah who will rule justly and work to remove, through only da’wah and political struggle, the Ruwaibidah that are our current despicable rulers.This is our reality today and the work to establish the Khilafah is the vital issue that the Muslims cannot neglect.
Whilst the coming of the Mahdi is an important subject in the books of hadith, it is almost as though some have taken the subject as a “get-out” clause to not work for the return of the Khilafah and the giving of bayah to the next Khaleefah.As though the mere mention of Khilafah in the time of Mahdi in some way excuses Muslims from their obligation of removing the corrupt regimes of today.Yes, there will be a Khilafah again inSh’Allah, but will we all be of the ummah that lived in darkness and did nothing to change that situation? And wait for Allah (SWT) to bring a people that loved him and He (SWT) loved.
“O you who believe! If you ever abandon your faith, Allah will in time bring forth (instead of you) people whom he loves and who love Him – humble towards the believers, strong towards all who deny truth: [people] who strive hard in Allah’s cause, and do not fear to be censured by anyone who might censure them” [5:54]

Blogspot: Hizb ut-Tahrir: Constitution Will Lose (Homegrown Terrorism) by IPT

Blogspot: Hizb ut-Tahrir: Constitution Will Lose (Homegrown Terrorism) by IPT

HADITH :The Ruler who does not rule justly will be in chains on the Day of Judgement

The Ruler who does not rule justly will be in chains on the Day of Judgement ما من أحد يؤمر على عشرة فصاعدا لا يقسط فيهم إلا جاء يوم القيامة في الأصفاد و الأغلال No one who is placed in leadership over 10 or more, then does not act justly between them, except that on the Day of Judgement he is brought in shackles and chains (Hakim) Commentary a. The hadith is general for anyone in a position of leadership, whether someone appointed as a leader with limited responsibility, or a governor, or the Imam of all the Muslims. b. To be brought forward on the Day of Judgement in chains and shackles is to be brought forward in the same position as the disbelievers and hypocrites who are likewise chained and shackled on the Day that each will be accounted for their actions. c. The meaning to act justly is to act according to the Quran and Sunnah, and correlates to the various

Are you brave enough to think about Death?

How many people think about the reality of death? Most people hold the idea that they will for a very long time-maybe 20, 30 or 40 years more to live. 

 Each one of us is busy planning and organizing our lives with the view that we will live for a very long time. If we are young we are busy with our friends enjoying ourselves and

seeking more enjoyment and fun. The rest of our time is filled studying, going to coaching centers and doing various courses.

 If we are older our whole life is consumed in applying for jobs or working day and night.

What Is The Role Of The Muslim Woman In Carrying The Islamic Message?

In Principle, the Sharia'a duties are for both men and women alike, and there is no difference between them in terms of duties, except where the Sharia'a texts have listed these differences. Whenever the phrase of "Ya Ayyuhal Latheena Aamanou" i.e "O you who believe" is mentioned, this refers to males and females alike, hence there is no need for the Phrase "O you female believers". The principle in the Arabic language is that whenever the address is to the male, this means that it also includes the female; whereas whenever the address is to the female, this does not include the male as well, but rather confined to the female. Therefore, phrases found in the Holy Qur'an such as: T.M.Q. "O you who believe...", "O you people...." , "And do not kill the soul...." , "And who would say something better than he who calls to Allah, performs the good deed..." , And obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those in authority amongst you...", "And establish prayer and
perform Zakat...", or phrases from the Ahadith of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) such as: "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim...", "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him say something good or keep silent.", "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.", "Spread the Salam amongst yourselves.." etc.., all these phrases have come in Arabic in the masculine form, but they also include the feminine form as well, and there is a general agreement about this. There are certain rules specific to men, where conjunctions have been mentioned that they do not include women, and also rules specific to women, where conjunctions have been mentioned to indicate that they do not include men. Men are protectors and maintainers of women. Men pay the dowry and the alimony, and they hold the tie of divorce. Men do not have to wait a period of time (Iddat) after death or divorce, while women do. The "Awrah" of the woman is different to that of the man. The testimony of the woman is different to that of a man. the woman would have to stop praying and fasting, while the man would not. A man's share of inheritance is different to that of a woman etc... We go back to the question, which is the role of the Muslim woman in carrying the Da'awa of Islam. Truly the carrying of the Da'awa is not just the one single action in order for us to search for one single Sharia'a rule for it, nor is it one single matter (Mas'alah), but rather a large group of actions, hence the carrying of the Da'awa has many Sharia'a rules attached to it, and we are about to mention some of these Inshallah. 1- the Iman (belief) and the adherence to Halal and Haram are obligatory upon women as they are obligatory upon men. 2- Seeking knowledge about the Shari'a rules related to the woman's actions is an obligation upon her, and for the man it is an obligation upon him in relation to his actions. 3- Enjoining Ma'aruf and forbidding Munkar is a duty upon woman as it is a duty upon men, each according to their own capabilities. 4- Bringing the rulers to account is part of the enjoinment of Ma'aruf and the forbidding of the Munkar. It is compulsory upon men and women alike. 5- The teaching of the rules of Islam to the Muslims, and the struggle against the concepts of Kufr (disbelief) and misguidance are obligatory actions upon men and women alike. 6- Working towards the establishment of the Islamic state and the return of the Khilafa to the rule by what Allah has revealed, these are actions which must be undertaken by men and women alike. 7- The establishment of a group or a party which works towards the return of the Khilafa, which enjoins Ma'aruf and forbids Munkar and to participate in the activities of such a group would be a duty of sufficiency (Fardhu Kifaya) upon men and women alike. We have gathered that all these matters listed above have been listed in Sharia'a texts which include both men and women in their address. In addition to these general rules in which men and women are equally obligated, we have found within these general matters a host of cases which would be specific to men, to the exclusion of women. some of these cases are: 1- It is forbidden for a woman to leave her home without the permission of her guardian, whether the guardian happened to be the father, the brother, the husband or the uncle, etc.. This would restrict her activity and her mobility. 2- A woman is forbidden from going to private places where strange men are present, if she is not accompanied by a husband or a "Mahram" (unmarriageable relative). This would also restrict her activity and her mobility. 3- If a woman joins a party, and the party leader ordered her to perform an action, and her guardian ordered her to perform another action, she must in this case obey the order of her guardian, as long as he does not order her to perform an action that is decisively sinful, or known to him to be sinful. More generally, we know that the obedience of the Amir is obligatory within the boundaries of his Imara (leadership), whether he happened to be an army chief, or a ruler, or Amir of a journey or a party leader. We know as well that the obedience of the father and the obedience of the husband is obligatory, all this in other than any disobedience to Allah (SWT), hence if the obedience of the father or the husband were to clash with the obedience of the Amir, which one should the woman prioritise? In such case she should obey her father or her husband, because the Sharia'a texts have explicitly been firm about this matter, i.e. this obedience more than the obedience of the Amir. The most important issue when carrying the Islamic Da'awa would be to abide by its rules. The adherence of the person, man or woman, to the rules of Islam would be in itself a Da'awa to Islam. When the woman's dress is according to the Sharia'a, and when her behaviour within her family, her friends and her relatives, and when her moral conduct is islamic, and when she scorns the foreign customs and foreign aspects and when she prides herself amongst her acquaintances with Islam, the Islamic thoughts and the Islamic rules, when these qualities become embodied in her personality and reflected in her actions, she would become a Da'awa carrier. The righteous example would therefore be the first basis in the Da'awa especially for the Muslim woman. May Allah's Peace and Mercy be upon our master Mohammed, his family and Sahaba.

Age of Disorder

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Age of Disorder

Age of Disorder: The effects of communism, nationalism and capitalism in the 20th Century and the remedy.

The world is led to believe by the so-called civilised Western nations to fear the return of Islam as a way of life. Offering nothing but darkness, backwardness and poverty; barbaric and intolerant the Khilafah state we are told when it is re-established will be the embodiment of all these characteristics, incapable in the modern era of providing any intellectual leadership for mankind.

Yet it is the 20th Century, a period which saw the absence of the Khilafah, and which has been dominated by secular ideologies and not Islam, that has entered the history books as the darkest, bloodiest and most intolerant ever witnessed.

This documentary explores the effects of the false and incorrect ideologies of capitalism and communism and the shallow and inhumane bond of nationalism. The misery, pain and suffering they were responsible for. So that it can be understood these ideas and not Islam have posed the greatest threats to mankind and if left unchallenged will continue to plunge the world into further turmoil and chaos.

Married life in Islam

ِﻢ ﻴ ِﺣ ﱠﺮ ﻟ ا ِﻦﻤْﺣﱠﺮﻟا ِﷲ ا ِﻢ ْﺴ ِﺑ
Married life in Islam
Family life plays a very important role in the life of the Muslim community
as a whole. The family unit comes into being when a man and woman
decide to get married. Islam recognises man and his instinct and provides
answers to the questions that arise as a result of his instincts. How should
the furthering of the human race take place? How should the innate
attraction between men and women and the need for companionship, love
and affection be satisfied? In Islam, marriage is the primary relationship by
which many of these issues are addressed. 

Attack on marriage within the Muslim community 

After the September 11th attacks in America, Muslims have borne the brunt

of a military attack on Afghanistan as well as an impending attack on Iraq.

There has also been an intensification of the intellectual attack on the
values, concepts and the sharee’ah rules of Islam. Islamic marriage is one of
the institutions that have been attacked intellectually. Ann Cryer, a British
Labour MP, attacked the practice of Muslims in Britain marrying Muslims
from the Islamic lands. She said; "It just happens that the Bangladeshi and
the Pakistani community are Muslims and they happen to be the people
who persist in the practice of bringing in husbands and wives from the
subcontinent. The Sikhs and Hindus are doing extremely well both
academically and economically and I think that it is due to the fact they
don't pursue this practice. It would be better if they selected the partners for
their children from the sort of home-grown variety of Muslim Asians - that's
what I would prefer to see." (BBC Online, 13/06/02) 

 Some may see this as a well- intentioned observation, however closer
scrutiny reveals many hidden dangers in her statement. She tries pushing the
idea of “home grown” ie British Muslims being different from Muslims from
the Islamic lands. This is part of an attempt to divide the Muslims in Britain
from the global Islamic ummah. Islam says that all Muslims are part of one
ummah without differentiation. So Muslims can marry other Muslims
regardless of race, or nationality. If Muslims want to marry Muslims brought
up in Britain, fine. If they want to marry Muslims from back home, that is
also fine. Marrying people from the Islamic lands is one way Muslims here
can maintain a link with those lands. Why has this politician focused on the
Muslim community? When a non-Muslim from London marries a non-
Muslim from Asia, Ann Cryer and others see it as an interesting cultural
exchange, not a source of economic and academic backwardness. David
Blunkett, the British Home Secretary also recently called on immigrants “…
to learn to speak English and adopt ‘British norms,’” including the norms
regarding marriage. Also, recent discussion in the media about forced
marriages has only focused on Muslim marriages, often portraying all
Muslim marriages as ones in which all women are oppressed. 

Having portrayed Muslims marriages as problematic and leading to the
abuse of women, the same western politicians, journalists and
commentators have also offered us their solutions in order for us to leave
the Islamic values for western values. These are some of the manifestations
of the intellectual attack on marriage amongst Muslims. 

How the West regulates relations between men and women 

What are the norms the capitalist West invites us to adopt? Looking at
Britain or any other western society, you do not have to go far to see the
state of relations between men and women. The relationship is generally
reduced to one where the focus is on sex and enjoyment. The evaluation of
partners comes down to how ‘sexy’ he\she is. The demand for sexual
gratification is a constant and absorbing pursuit. Coupled with this is their
belief that variety is indeed the spice of life, so whilst with one girlfriend or
wife, they are always on the look out for other partners with whom they
hope to have better sex and enjoyment. So people have countless affairs, and multiple sexual partners. Indeed, tabloid newspapers provide a daily
diet of the latest man\woman found cheating on a partner, whether these
are politicians, celebrities or common people. Bill Clinton and Monica
Lewinsky, John Major and Edwina Currie are classic examples of this from
both sides of the Atlantic. For many westerners, adultery is not a matter to
be ashamed off. 

Capitalism promotes the idea that people should be free to enter into any
type of relationships provided sex and enjoyment is attained. So casual
affairs, one night stands, cohabiting, same sex relationships as well as
marriage between men and women are all acceptable forms of
relationships. Inevitably people look for enjoyment without responsibilities.
Many men will desert the woman if she gets pregnant, because after they
have had their fun, the burden of rearing children is not on their agenda. 

As a consequence, thousands of children in the UK grow up only knowing
one of their parents. Many women are left emotionally hurt after being
dumped for a woman who wears a shorter skirt. Many men are
emotionally hurt when dumped for a man who is better looking. This
makes mutual distrust the norm between men and women, leading to the
breakdown in social relations in western capitalist societies that we are all
witnessing. 

When westerners attack the concept of marriage in Islam, we should remind
them of the chaos and corruption that has been created by western ideals of
freedom and sexual liberation. We must reject these capitalist ideals as they
contradict the sharee’ah rules that came to regulate man’s relationships. 

Islam is a deen that solves problems between men and women 

The fact is that men and women have a natural attraction for each other;
this is the nature that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'aala) created them with. In
this issue, like all other matters, Islam came to regulate this relationship and
provide rules for all of the issues that stem from it. 

 Allah says; 
ُمﺎَﻠْﺱِﺈْﻟا ِﻪﱠﻠﻟا َﺪ ْﻨ ِﻋ َﻦ ی ﱢﺪ ﻟ ا ﱠن ِإ
“The deen before Allah is Islam.” [TMQ Al-Nisa:19]
In Islam, marriage is the stipulated relationship within which the human
need for procreation is satisfied. We therefore need to clarify the exact
reality of marriage in Islam and the Islamic solutions to the many problems
that can occur in marital life. This ensures we protect ourselves from the
freedom-inspired solutions of the capitalist way of life. It also enables us to
reject the un-Islamic customs and traditions related to marriage within the
Muslim community which themselves lead to many family problems. 

What to look for when seeking a marriage partner 

With respect to marriage, finding a partner is the first issue we face. For
some Muslim brothers, the most important criterion when looking for a
wife is that she must be as beautiful as a supermodel. This is the effect of the
shallow western popular culture which places great emphasis on looks and
beauty. In the West (and in many Muslim countries) women in adverts are
beautiful, movie stars are beautiful, and women who are not so beautiful
are always being pushed to find ways to be beautiful. For some Muslim
sisters, the most important criterion is the partner’s wealth and status. So she
may reject a teacher or restaurant worker (who has taqwa) because he earns
less than £25,000 and is not a lawyer or a doctor. This is because society
places great emphasis on wealth and status. For some parents, the most
important criterion for a partner for their son or daughter is that he comes
from the same tribe or country. So some Pakistanis would refuse a Bengali,
some Bengalis would refuse a Pakistani, some Arabs would refuse Africans,
some Africans would refuse Arabs and some Mirpuris would refuse Jhelumis.
The ideas of nationalism and tribalism rear their ugly heads at these times
even though Islam made them haram. Parents who refuse prospective
partners on this un-Islamic basis cause immense corruption and frustration in
the lives of this noble ummah. More often each year we see young Muslim
men and women who are attracted to each other running away from home, or having haram relationships. Facing this form of oppression caused
them to stop trusting their parents and respecting their feelings, so they even
lost their respect for the Islamic rules about these issues. Such parents should
remember the warning of our Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam). Abu
Hatim al-Muzni (ra) narrated; 
 “When someone proposes for your daughter and his character and morals
are agreeable to you, then give to him in marriage. If you do not there will
be tribulation and immense corruption in the earth.”
Islam made clear what we should look for in a partner. Abu Hurayrah (ra)
reported that the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) said; 
 “A woman is married for four things; her wealth, lineage, beauty and
Islamic character (deen). So gain success with the one who possesses a good
character (deen).” 

So the most important thing to look for in a partner is their Islamic
character, though that is not the only thing one can look for. After all,
which man will care for his wife properly except the one who has taqwa?
Which woman will raise pious Muslim children except the one who has
taqwa? We are allowed to seek beautiful women or men from good family
backgrounds who are wealthy, but the most important factor is their deen.
What a bonus it is if one finds a partner with good deen, wealth, lineage
and beauty? 

Married life in Islam 

Once a partner has been found and married life begins, the husband and
wife are faced with a whole new set of issues. What is each partner’s role
and what rights does each one have over the other? To answer these
questions, we need to look to the Prophet Muhammad (Sall’Allahu Alaihi
Wasallam) and how he resolved the issues that arose between him and his
wives. 

 Within a Muslim marriage, both partners should seek to create love,
affection and mercy as this leads to tranquility for both partners. 
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'aala) said; 
ﺎَﻬْﻴَﻟِإ َﻦ ُﻜ ْﺴ َﻴ ِﻟ ﺎَﻬَﺟْوَز ﺎَﻬْﻨِﻡ َﻞ َﻌ َﺟ َو ٍة َﺪ ِﺣ ا َو ٍﺲْﻔ َﻥ ْﻦ ِﻡ ْﻢ ُﻜ َﻘ َﻠ َﺧ يِﺬﱠﻟا َﻮ ُه 
“It is He Who has created you from a single person, and He has created
from him his wife, in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with
her." [TMQ Al- Araf: 189] 
 ْﻢ ُﻜ َﻨ ْﻴ َﺑ َﻞ َﻌ َﺟ َو ﺎَﻬْﻴَﻟِإ ا ﻮ ُﻨ ُﻜ ْﺴ َﺘ ِﻟ ﺎ ًﺟ ا َو ْز َأ ْﻢ ُﻜ ِﺴ ُﻔ ْﻥ َأ ْﻦ ِﻡ ْﻢ ُﻜ َﻟ َﻖ َﻠ َﺧ ْن َأ ِﻪ ِﺗ ﺎ َی ﺁ ْﻦ ِﻡ َو
َنوُﺮﱠﻜَﻔَﺘَی ٍم ْﻮ َﻘ ِﻟ ٍت ﺎ َی ﺂ َﻟ َﻚ ِﻟ َذ ﻲِﻓ ﱠن ِإ ًﺔ َﻤ ْﺣ َر َو ًة ﱠد َﻮ َﻡ 
"And among his signs is this, that he created for you wives from among
yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and he has put between both
of you affection and mercy." [TMQ Ar- Rum: 21].

Rights of husbands and wives 

What are the rights due to the wife from the husband? What are the rights
due to the husband from the wife? Islam resolves this by stipulating the
rights of either partner. 
ٌﺔ َﺟ َر َد ﱠﻦ ِﻬ ْﻴ َﻠ َﻋ ِل ﺎ َﺟ ﱢﺮ ﻠ ِﻟ َو ِفوُﺮْﻌَﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ ﱠﻦ ِﻬ ْﻴ َﻠ َﻋ يِﺬﱠﻟا ُﻞ ْﺜ ِﻡ ﱠﻦ ُﻬ َﻟ َو 
"And they (women) have rights (over their husbands) similar (to those of
their husbands) over them, in reasonable terms." [TMQ Al- Baqarah: 228]
This means women have marital rights over men and men have rights over
women. That is why Ibn 'Abbas said; “Indeed I spruce myself up for my wife
and she adorns herself for me, and I love that I should redeem all the rights
I have over my wife, so that she should redeem all the rights she has over
me.” 
 Women have the financial right to maintenance from their husbands, but
they also have the right of good companionship and intimacy as 
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'aala) has ordered; 
ِف و ُﺮ ْﻌ َﻤ ْﻟ ﺎ ِﺑ ﱠﻦ ُه و ُﺮ ِﺷ ﺎ َﻋ َو 
"And live with them honourably". [TMQ An- Nisa: 19]
On the other hand men have the right to be obeyed by their wives. Bukhari
reported that the Prophet said; 
 “It is not allowed for a woman to fast without the permission of her
husband whilst he is present, nor admit someone to his house without his
permission and whatever she spends of his wealth (on charitable purposes)
without his permission, half the reward will go to him.”
The man also has the right that she does not mix with those of whom he
does not approve. 

Part of the woman’s right to intimacy is that her husband should not frown
at her without reason, he must be cheerful when speaking to her and not
rude or harsh, nor should he show attraction to other women. 

It has been narrated from the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) that he
had a close relationship with his wives, he would play with them, be mild-
mannered toward them and have fun with them to the extent that he used
to race with 'A'isha (ra), the mother of the believers, and with that win her
love. She said; “Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) raced me
and I beat him, that was before I gained weight. Later I raced him when I
had put on some weight, so he beat me and said; “This was (in return) for
that (time when you had beaten me).” The Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi
Wasallam) after praying 'Isha would spend a short part of the evening
chatting with his wives before sleeping, thereby creating a friendly
atmosphere. So a husband should be a friend to his wife, and kind when he
requests something from her, to the extent that if he desires her he should
choose the best situation and condition suitable for her.  Ibn Majah reported that the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) said; 
 “The best amongst you are the ones who are best to their wives.” 
Unfortunately, nowadays some men have adopted some non-Islamic
traditions with regards to the treatment of their wives. They believe that the
fact that they paid a dowry and that they earn money to maintain their wife
gives them the right to treat them harshly and rudely. They criticize their
wife over any little mistake instead of overlooking it. This leads to a married
life devoid of intimacy and affection, which contradicts what we learnt from
our Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam), who had a close relationship with
his wives. 

Husbands and wives must find time and ways to build and grow a close
relationship. They must find time to share their day’s experiences. For
example, on returning from work the husband should enquire about her
day. How did she cope with looking after the children that day? How did
she deal with the cleaning, cooking and all other tasks? What do they both
need to do in order to develop the Islamic understanding of their children?
How can he help with any of her tasks? Wives should also ensure that they
take an interest in the issues the husband is facing at work or elsewhere, as
she may be able to console or help him. The sharing of each other’s joys,
anxieties and problems leads to a cementing of the bonds of love between
husbands and wives. He should also compliment her often and dress smartly
to impress her. She should also keep herself attractive for him so their love
for each other is rekindled again and again. They should also make efforts
to strengthen each other’s Iman by praying tahajjud together, as well as
sharing Islamic articles and books that broaden their understanding of the
Islamic culture. 

Leadership has been granted to the husband 

Who should have the final say? Who is the leader in this relationship? Since
things may happen in married life that may disturb the order, Allah has
granted the leadership of the home to the husband over the wife, ie he has
been made a guardian over her.  He (Subhanahu Wa Ta'aala) said; 
ِء ﺎ َﺴ ﱢﻨ ﻟ ا ﻰَﻠَﻋ َن ﻮ ُﻡ ا ﱠﻮ َﻗ ُل ﺎ َﺟ ﱢﺮ ﻟ ا 
"Men are the protectors and guardians over women." [TMQ An- Nisa: 34]
Guardianship of the husband over the wife and his leadership of the house
does not mean being domineering or being its ruler such that no issue is
opposed. Rather the leadership of the husband over the house is the looking
after its affairs and administering it and there is no domination or
commanding in it. Therefore, the woman has the right to answer back to
her husband and debate with him and criticise what he says because they
are companions and not a commander and commanded, or a ruler and a
ruled. On the contrary they are two companions, one of whom possesses
leadership in terms of running the house and looking after its affairs. In his
house, the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) was likewise a
companion to his wives, not a domineering ruler over them, in spite of his
being the leader of the Islamic state and in spite of being a Prophet. 'Umar
ibn al-Khattab said in a Hadith reported by him; “By Allah, during the days
of Ignorance we ignored women until Allah the Exalted revealed about
them what He has revealed and gave them a share.” He said; “It so
happened that I was thinking about some matter when my wife said; 'I wish
that you had done so and so'. I said to her; “It does not concern you, and
you should not interfere in what I intend to do.” She said to me; 'How
strange is it that you, son of Khattab, do not like anyone to answer you
back, whereas your daughter answers back Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu
Alaihi Wasallam) until he spends the day in vexation'. Umar said; “I took
hold of my cloak, then came out of my house until I visited Hafsa and said
to her; Oh daughter, (I heard) that you answer back to Allah's Messenger
(Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) until he spends the day in vexation.” Hafsa
said; 'By Allah, we do answer him back'. From this it becomes clear that the
meaning of the man's guardianship over the woman is that the command
should rest with him, but it should be a command borne out of
companionship and not domination and control. Thus she can answer back
to him and discuss with him. 

 The fact that Islam grants guardianship to the man over the woman is one
of the issues over which Muslims are often attacked. Westerners champion
the idea of total equality between men and women in every sense. Some
Muslims have been affected by this capitalist idea, so some so-called
modernists argue that obedience to the husband is an old-fashioned idea
that is not suitable for 2003. So we find that they either seek complete
sexual freedom with no regard to marriage, or end up in marriages where
the partners constantly quarrel over who has the final say in resolving issues. 

Roles of husbands and wives 

What tasks is a husband primarily responsible for? What tasks is a wife
primarily responsible for? This is another issue that can be a bone of
contention between husband and wife, especially in the west. The Western
definition of the roles men and women should have is forever changing. So
in the 40s and 50s, the woman was expected to be a housewife and rear
children, while the man would have a career at work. In the 80s and 90s
we then had the advent of the career woman who has the right to a full-
time career, just like the man. This has lead to many arguments over the
responsibility for rearing children. Some babies are left with nannies two
weeks after being born, hardly knowing the warmth of a mother, because
she has to return to work to further her career. In Islam, the roles of the
husband and wife are not defined, by men, or by women. The rules related
to this aspect of life come from Allah. Islam resolved this issue by stipulating
that any work that needs to be carried out inside the house the woman
must undertake, whatever the type of work. Any work that needs to be
carried out outside the house the man must undertake. This is due to what
has been narrated from the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the
story of 'Ali and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with them); He (Sall Allahu
Alaihi Wasallam) imposed on his daughter Fatimah the duty of working in
the house and imposed on 'Ali whatever was outside the house in terms of
work. Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to order his
wives to serve him. He said; 
 “O ‘A’isha, bring us some water. Oh ‘A’isha bring us food to eat. O ‘A’isha
bring me the razor and sharpen it against a stone.”  It has been reported that Fatimah came to the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi
Wasallam) complaining to him about her difficulty in working a hand-mill,
and she asked if she could get a servant to save her from that. All of this
indicates that serving the husband in the house and looking after the house
is one of the obligations of the wife that she must undertake. However, the
performance of such work is subject to her ability. If there is a lot of work
to be done which would put her in hardship, then it is incumbent on the
husband to provide her a servant or any other form of help (e.g. a washing
machine) that will enable the work to get done, and she has the right to
demand this. However, if the work is not overwhelming and she is capable
of doing it, then the husband is not obliged to provide a servant. In this
case, she is required to undertake the work by herself as evidenced by what
the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) imposed on his
daughter Fatimah in tending to the house. Both partners should fulfil their
responsibilities to each other, but this does not mean that the wife cannot
work outside the home, or that the husband should not help with
housework. 

Relation with in-laws 

How should a married couple relate to their in-laws? This is one of the
issues that sometimes cause problems in our community. Some mothers-in-
law have the idea that the daughter-in-law is like a slave who must serve the
mother-in-law as she sees fit. This is due to un-Islamic customs. Some wives
react to this by demanding to have nothing to do with their mother-in-law.
So although the newly married couple cannot afford their own
accommodation, the wife may insist that she cannot live with her in-laws
who may have ample space for them. Some married couples move far away
from both of their families, effectively breaking the relationship with them.
This type of individualism stems from Capitalism, which leads families to
live far apart and only call each other on Christmas day. All of these
standpoints are far from Islam. The responsibility of looking after the
parents rests primarily with their children, not their children’s wives.
However, Islam encourages co-operation within the extended family and
rewards the helping of other Muslims. So though the daughter in-law is not
a slave to the mother-in-law, she should help out the duties if she lives with her in-laws, the couple must do their best to keep good relations with both
sets of in-laws. The in-laws should also avoid interfering in every detail of
their children’s marriage as this often exacerbates any problems rather than
ending them. 

The attack on the Islamic view of marriage is part of the attempt to get
Muslims to leave the Islamic values and sharee’ah rules, adopting the
western concepts about personal relationships in their place. The capitalist
ideals of freedom and sexual liberation have resulted in nothing but misery
for millions throughout the world. Muslims must understand the Islamic
solutions to the issues that arise in marriages, so we have the Islamic
marriage and the tranquility it brings, whilst avoiding the misery caused by
Western ideals or non-Islamic traditions. 
Taji Mustafa 
  

miracle of Allah

97. Qadr

Name The Sura has been so designated after the word al-qadr in the very first verse. Period of Revelation Whether it is a Makki or a Madani revelation is disputed. Abu Hayyan in Al-Bahr al-Muhti has made the claim that the majority of scholars regard it as a Madani Surah. All bin Ahmad al-Wahidi in his commentary says that this is the first Surah to be sent down in Madinah. Contrary to this, Al Mawardi says that occording to the majority of scholars it is a Makki revelation, and the same view
has Imam Suyuti expressed in Al-Itqan. Ibn Mardayah has cited Ibn Abbas, Ibn Az Zubair and Hadrat Aishah as saying that this Surah was revealed at Makkah. A study of the contents also shows that it should have been revealed at Makkah as we shall explain below. Theme and Subject Matter Its theme is to acquaint man with the value, worth and importance of the Quran. Its being placed just after Surah Al-Alaq in the arrangement of the Quran by itself explains that the Holy Book, the revelation of which began with the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq. was sent down in a destiny making night. It is a glorious Book and its revelation for mankind is full of blessings. At the outset, Allah says: "We have sent it down." That is, it is not a composition of Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessing) himself, but We Ourself have revealed it. Then, it is said that "We sent it down in the Night of Destiny." Night of Destiny has two meanings and both are implied here. First, that it is the night during which destinies are decided; or, in other words, it is not an ordinary night like the other nights, but a night in which destinies are made or marred. The revelation of this Book in this night is not merely the revelation of a book but an event which will change the destiny of not only the Quraish, or of Arabia, but of, the entire world. The same thing has been said in Surah Ad-Dukhan for which please see Introduction to that Surah and E. N. 3 thereof. The other meaning is that this is a night of unique honour, dignity and glory; so much so that it is better than a thousand months. Thus, the disbelievers of Makkah have been warned, as if to say: "You on account of your ignorance regard this Book, which Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) has presented, as a calamity for yourselves and complain that a disaster has befallen you, whereas the night in which it was decreed to be sent down was such a blessed night that a task was accomplished in it for the well being of mankind, which had never been accomplished even during a thousand months of history. This also has been said in verse 3 of Ad-Dukhan in another way, which we have explained in the introduction to that Surah. In conclusion, it has been stated that in this night the angels and Gabriel descend with every decree (which in verse 4 of Surah Ad-Dukhan has been described as arm-hakim: wise decree) by the leave of their Lord, and it is all peace from evening till morning; that is, there is no interference of evil in it, for all decrees of Allah are intended to promote good and not evil. So much so that even if a decision to destroy a nation is taken, it is taken for the sake of ultimate good, not evil

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The systematic torture meted out by the corrupt Karimov regime against the Shabab of the Hizb ut-Tahrir in Uzbekistan has intensified greatly in recent times. We have received the following update from Central Asia.

"Indeed this oppressive ruler has instructed his cronies to imprison further Shabab and intensify their punishment and prolonging their prison sentences to a minimum of 10 years and over. Recently, 18 Shabab from Karasawa have been imprisoned, a further 10 from Tashkent and 15 from the North, all receiving sentences ranging from 10-13 years. This is on top of the many thousands of Muslims which already languish in the prisons. As a result of the torture, 3 shabab were recently martyred who include: Ghalib Malajanoth from the city of Andijan, Shadman from the city of Nahayat Asaka and Abdulraheem from the city of Karasawa.

Not withstanding the oppressive imprisonment of the Shabab, the corrupt regime has resorted to new tactics by imprisoning their relatives, some even under 15 years old! They have also imprisoned some of the wives and daughters of the Shabab, including some under the age 15! They have also imprisoned women whom their husbands are either already imprisoned or previously martyred! All this pressure is a result of the Shababs' refusal to surrender and leave their Deen!

Oh Brothers and Sisters! Please make dua for us against this corrupt ruler and his oppressive regime by asking Allah سبحانه وتعالى to strike him down and humiliate him in this dunyah before the Hereafter. Pray to Allah سبحانه وتعالى to relieve the pain and suffering of our brothers and sisters and to retaliate against the oppressors and humiliate them so that everything between the heavens and earth curse them - Oh Allah the All-Mighty.

Please make dua for us during these last 10 blessed days of Ramadan; and Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty."

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 1: Tayammum, the dry ablution

Definition. Literally tayammum means "aim, purpose." In Islamic law, it refers to "aiming for or seeking soil to wipe one's face and hands with the intention of preparing oneself to pray, and so on."

Volume 1, Page 63a: Proof of its legitimacy

This is proven by the Qur'an, sunnah and ijma' (consensus). The Qur'an says, "And if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from relieving himself, or you have touched women, and you do not find water, then go to high clean soil and rub your face and hands (therewith). Lo, Allah is Benign, Forgiving" (an-Nisa': 43). From the sunnah we have the hadith related by Abu Umamah in which the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "All of the earth has been made for me and my nation a pure place of prayer. Whenever a person from my nation wants to pray, he has something with which to purify himself, that is, the earth." (Related by Ahmad.) Finally, there is a consensus that tayammum forms a legitimate part of the shari'ah, as it replaces ablution or ghusl under specific circumstances

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 1: Ghusl, the complete ablution

Ghusl means to wash the entire body with water. Says Allah in the Qur'an, "If you are sexually impure, purify yourselves." And, "They question you concerning menstruation. Say: It is an illness, so let women alone at such times and do not have sex with them until they are cleansed" (al-Baqarah 222).

Volume 1, Page 49a: Actions requiring Ghusl

The actions that require Ghusl are:

Volume 1, Page 49b: Discharge of al-Mani owing to stimulation while asleep or awake

The opinion of the jurists in general is that ghusl is a must should one have a discharge of al-mani (sperm) owing to stimulation while asleep or awake. Abu Sa'eed reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, say, "Water (washing) is (needed) after (ejaculation of) sperm." (Related by Muslim.)

Umm Salamah reported that Umm Sulaim said, "O Messenger of Allah, Allah is not ashamed of the truth. Does a woman have to perform ghusl if she has a wet dream?" He said, "Yes, if she sees the liquid." (Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim and others.)

Bangla: go against dresslin

কিছুদিন আগেও পত্রিকার সম্পাদক সমীপেষূ কলামগুলোতে চোখে পড়ত কোন এক মফস্বল শহরের কোন এক বিবেকতাড়িত ব্যক্তির চিঠি। চিঠিগুলোর মর্ম এমন - অশ্লীল পোস্টারে স্কুল-কলেজের দেয়াল ভরে গেছে, এক টিকিটে দুই ছবি দেখে ছাত্ররা চরিত্র হারাচ্ছে, উপযুক্ত কর্তৃপক্ষ এই অশ্লীলতা বন্ধ করুন। বলা বাহূল্য উপযুক্ত কর্তৃপক্ষের টনক নড়েনি। স্কুল-কলেজ-বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ছাত্ররা চরিত্র হারিয়েছে। কেউ কেক কেটে শততম শিকার উদযাপন করেছে, কেউ ভিডিও করে বাজারে বিক্রি করেছে। নীলখেতে বই কিনতে গিয়ে দেখেছি হকারের হাতে সিডি, মুখে প্রশ্ন “ঢাকা ইউনিভার্সিটি লাগবে?”

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2: Supererogatory Prayers

Volume 2, Page 1a: Their significance

At-tatawwu', or nawafil or supererogatory prayers, have been legislated to make up for any deficiencies left in the performance of fard salah (obligatory prayers). In salah, there are virtues that are not found in any other form of worship. Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said: "The first thing that the people will be called to account for on the Day of Resurrection will be the prayers. Our Lord will say to the angels although He knows better: 'Look into the salah of my servant to see if he observed it perfectly or been negligent in it. So if he observed it perfectly it will be recorded to his credit, but if he had been negligent in it in any way, Allah would say: See if My servant has any supererogatory prayers. Then if he has any supererogatory prayers, Allah would say: Make up the deficiency in My servant's obligatory prayer with his supererogatory prayers.' Thereafter all his actions will be examined in like manner" (Abu Dawud).

Al-Quds: Don't Visit Us - Liberate Us

Umar Bin Al-Khattab (ra) in the year 636 was the first to do so. Under his command as Khaleefah, the armies of Islam, after their continued expansion outside the Arabian Peninsula, had reached the gates of Jerusalem (Al Quds) and had the city surrounded. Partly because of the city's immense importance - it is home to Masjid-Al-Aqsa (the third holiest mosque in Islam) and had been the first Qibla for the Muslims - Umar (ra) himself journeyed to the land and oversaw the liberation of this sacred city.

The second to do so was none other than Salahuddin Al-Ayubi in the year 1187 following the brutal period of conquest by the crusading forces from Europe. Western historians themselves account that the streets of Jerusalem flowed knee-deep in Muslim blood when the crusaders overran and ransacked the city. But it was Salahuddin that finally rallied the various Muslim regions together to unite as one army and under one leader that would confront the crusader forces and eventually expel them from the holy land, liberating it and Masjid Al-Aqsa in the process and bringing the area back into the Islamic state's rule.

AL-KUFR :DISBELIEF AND ITS VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS

Kufr is basically disbelief in any of the articles of Faith in Islam.

The articles of Faith are: To believe in -

(1) Allah,

(2) His angels,

(3) His Messengers,

(4) His revealed Books,

(5) The Day of Resurrection, and

(6) Al-Qadar, Divine Preordainments (Fate i.e. whatever Allah SWT has ordained must come to pass).

There are two aspects of disbelief:

(1). The major disbelief (Al-Kufr-al-Akbar): This aspect excludes one completely from the fold of Islam. There are five types (of this major disbelief):-

(a) Kufr-at-Takdhîb. This implies disbelieving the divine truth or denying of any of the articles of Faith.

Almighty Allah says:

ASH-SHIRK: POLYTHEISM AND ITS VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS

Definition: Shirk basically is polytheism, i.e., the worship of others along with Allah. It also implies attributing divine attributes to any other besides Allah. It particularly implies associating partners in worship with Allah or to believe that the source of power, harm or blessings is from others besides Allah.

Types: There are three types of Shirk, namely:

(1) Ash-Shirk-al-Akbar, i.e. major Shirk

(2) Ash-Shirk-al-Asghar, i.e. minor Shirk

(3) Ash-Shirk-al-Khafi, i.e. inconspicuous Shirk.

Manifestations: (1) Ash-Shirk-al-Akbar (The major Shirk): The major and serious polytheistic form, it has four aspects:

(a) Shirk-ad-Du'â, i.e. invocation.This aspect implies invoking, supplicating or praying to other deities besides Allah.

Almighty Allah says

POLYTHEISM AND DISBELIEF

Salvation of all mankind from the greatest sin against Allah

(Shirk and Kufr i.e. polytheism and disbelief)

I consider it essential to mention here some details of the greatest sin which will not be forgiven by Allah. This unpardonable sin is Shirk

Shirk implies ascribing partners to Allah or ascribing divine attributes to others besides Allah and believing that the source of power, harm and blessings comes from another besides Allah.

Almighty Allah says:

"Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin."(V. 4:48).

Almighty Allah says:

"Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.

"Then those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, - these! they are the successful.

"And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light, - they are those who lose their ownselves; in Hell will they abide."

"The Fire will burn their faces, and they will grin with disfigured lips (disfigured)."

"(It will be said) 'Were not My Verses (this Qur'ân) recited to you and then you used to deny them?'

"They will say: 'Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us and we were (an) erring people.

"Our Lord! Bring us out of this; if ever we return (to evil) then indeed we shall be Zâlimûn (polytheists, oppressors, unjust, and wrongdoers etc.).'

"He (Allah) will say: 'Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!' (V. 23:101-108).

"And whoever invokes (or worships) besides Allah, any other îlâh (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kafirûn (disbelievers in Allah and in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, pagans, idolaters, etc.) will not be successful." (V. 23:117).

SHAHADA CONFESSION OF A MUSLIM

SHAHADA CONFESSION OF A MUSLIM

Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh, Muhammad-ur- Rasûl-Allâh

(None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,

and Muhammad SAW is the Messenger of Allah).

I have noticed that most of the mankind, who embrace Islam, do not understand the reality of the meaning of the first fundamental principle of Islam, i.e. Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh, Muhammad-ur-Rasûl-Allâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad SAW is the Messenger of Allah). So I consider it essential to explain something of the meanings of this great sentence (i.e principle) in some detail:

Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh, Muhammad-ur- Rasûl-Allâh

"None has the right to be worshipped but Allah... and Muhammad SAW is the Messenger of Allah" has three aspects: A,B and C.

A. It is that, you have to pledge a covenant with (Allah), the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Ruler of all that exists, the Lord of Majesty and Highness, on four points (or conditions):

TAUHID - (ISLAMIC MONOTHEISM)

Tauhîd (Islamic Monotheism) has three aspects:

(A) Oneness of the Lordship of Allah; Tauhîd-ar-Rubûbiya: To believe that there is only one Lord for all the universe, its Creator, Organizer, Planner, Sustainer, and the Giver of security, etc., and that is Allah.

(B) Oneness of the worship of Allah; Tauhîd-al-Ulûhiya: To believe that none has the right to be worshipped [e.g. praying, invoking, asking for help (from the unseen), swearing, slaughtering sacrifices, giving charity, fasting, pilgrimage, etc.] but Allah.

(C) Oneness of the Names and the Qualities of Allah: Tauhîd-al-Asmâ was-Sifât: To believe that:

(i) We must not name or qualify Allah except with what He or His Messenger SAW has named or qualified Him;

(ii) None can be named or qualified with the Names or Qualifications of Allah; e.g. Al-Karîm;

(iii) We must confirm all of Allah's Qualifications which Allah has stated in His Book (the Qur'ân) or mentioned through His Messenger (Muhammad SAW ) without changing them or ignoring them completely or twisting the meanings or giving resemblance to any of the created things [e.g. Allah is present over His Throne as mentioned in the Qur'ân (V. 20:5):-

"The Most Beneficent (Allah) Istawa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne," over the seventh heaven; and He only comes down over the first (nearest) heaven to us on the day of 'Arafât (Hajj, i.e. the 9th of Dhul-Hijja), and also during the last third part of the night as mentioned by the Prophet SAW , but He is with us by His Knowledge only, not by His Personal-Self (Bi-Dhâtihi).

Also Allah said:

"There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer" (V.42:11).

This holy Verse confirms the quality of hearing and the quality of sight for Allah without resemblance to others, and likewise He SWT also said:

"To one whom I have created with Both My Hands," (V.38:75);

and He also said:

"The Hand of Allah is over their hands." (V.48:10).

This confirms two Hands for Allah, but there is no similarity for them. This is the Faith of all true believers, and was the Faith of all the Prophets of Allah, from Nûh (Noah), Ibrâhim (Abraham), Mûsa (Moses) and 'Iesa (Christ) till the last of the Prophets, Muhammad SAW. [It is not like as some people think that Allah is present everywhere - here, there and even inside the breasts of men].

These three aspects of Tauhîd are included in the meaning of Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah).

It is also essential to follow Allah's Messenger, Muhammad SAW : Wajûb al-Ittebâ' and it is a part of Tauhîd-al-Ulûhiya.

This is included in the meaning, "I testify that Muhammad SAW is Allah's Messenger," and this means, "None has the right to be followed after Allah's Book (the Qur'ân), but Allah's Messenger SAW".

Allah said:

"And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad SAW ) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)." (V.59:7)

And also Allah said:

"Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind), 'If you (really) love Allah then follow me [i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah (legal ways of the Prophet SAW)], Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins.' " (V.3:31)

WHY ALLAH SENT PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS ?

Ever since people innovated the dogma of Shirk, (i.e. joining others in worship along with Allah), Allah had been sending Prophets and Messengers to His devotees in order to invite them to the worship of Allah and Allah Alone, to order them not to ascribe partners unto Him and bring them out of the darkness of polytheism into the light of Monotheism. All the Prophets preached Tauhîd (i.e. Monotheism, the Belief in the Oneness of Allah, the Glorious, the Elevated). The following Verses from the Noble Qur'ân illustrate this fact:

"Indeed We sent Noah to his people, and he said: 'O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilâh