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| The importance of 'ilm |
| 04.28.04 (4:25 am) [edit] |
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Why is al-'ilm (knowledge) is so important to us? Remember the story of the devil and Adam (the 1st man created by God)? Why should the devil prostrate to man (ie. Adam)? What is the major different between the two? Is it because devil was created from fire yet man was created by clay? If that is the reason, then devil would be superior to man (!!?) The true reason is explained in the glorious Quran, surah 2 (AL-Baqarah) verse 31-34. What is the reason? [b]Al-'Ilm[/b] That is why knowledge is very important to all human beings. When man do not seek for knowledge, the devil can take over our mind at any time and make decisions for us. Better be careful guys... seek for the true knowledge (al-'ilm) so that we will be safe from the devil's plan. When we have good intention in learning.. God (Allah) will make it easy for us. Insha Allah. |
| Abdullah ibn Umm Makhtum -Final Part |
| 04.25.04 (6:34 pm) [edit] |
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Final Part In spite of thus being excused from jihad, the soul of Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum refused to be content with staying among those who remained at home when an expedition was in progress. Great souls are not content with remaining detached from affairs of great moment. He determined that no campaign should by-pass him. He fixed a role for himself on the battle field. He would say: "Place me between two rows and give me the standard. I will carry it for you and protect it, for I am blind and cannot run away. " In the fourteenth year after the hijrah, Umar resolved to mount a major assault against the Persians to bring down their State and open the way for the Muslim forces. So he wrote to his governors: "Send anyone with a weapon or a horse or who can offer any form of help to me. And make haste." Crowds of Muslims from every direction responded to Umar's call and converged on Madinah. Among all these was the blind mujahid Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. Umar appointed Saud ibn Abi Waqqas commander over the army, gave him instructions and bade him farewell. When the army reached Qadisiyyah, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was prominent, wearing a coat of armor and fully prepared. He had vowed to carry and protect the standard of the Muslims or be killed in the process. The forces met and engaged in battle for three days. The fighting was among the most fierce and bitter in the history of the Muslim conquests. On the third day, the Muslims achieved a mighty victory as one of the greatest empires in the world collapsed and one of the most secure thrones fell. The standard of Tawhid was raised in an idolatrous land. The price of this clear victory was hundreds of martyrs. Among them was Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. He was found dead on the battlefield clutching the flag of the Muslims. |
| Abdullah ibn Umm Makhtum - Part III |
| 04.20.04 (9:51 pm) [edit] |
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Part III One of the responsibilities that the Prophet placed on Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was to put him in charge of Madinah in his absence. This was done more than ten times, one of them being when he left for the liberation of Makkah. Soon after the battle of Badr, the Prophet received a revelation from God raising the status of the mujahideen and preferring them over the qaideen (those who remain inactive at home). This was in order to encourage the mujahid even further and to spur the qaid to give up his inactivity. This revelation affected ibn Umm Maktum deeply. It pained him to be thus barred from the higher status and he said: O messenger of God. If I could go on jihad, I would certainly do." He then earnestly asked God to send down a revelation about his particular case and those like him who were prevented because of their disabilities from going on military campaigns. His prayer was answered. An additional phrase was revealed to the Prophet exempting those with disabilities from the import of the original verse. The full ayah became: "Not equal are those who remain seated among the believers, except those who possess disabilities, and those who strive and fight in the way of God with their wealth and their persons . . ." (Surah an-Nisaa, 4: 95). |
| Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum -Part II |
| 04.15.04 (5:27 am) [edit] |
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Part II "He frowned and turned away when the blind man approached him ! Yet for all you knew, (O Muhammad), he might perhaps have grown in purity or have been reminded of the Truth, and helped by this reminder. Now as for him who believes himself to be self-sufficient, to him you gave your whole attention, although you are not accountable for his failure to attain to purity. But as for him who came unto you full of eagerness and in awe of God, him did you disregard. Nay, verily, this is but a reminder and so, whoever is willing may remember Him in the light of His revelations blest with dignity, lofty and pure, borne by the hands of messengers, noble and most virtuous.' (Surah Abasa 8O: 116). These are the sixteen verses which were revealed to the noble Prophet about Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, sixteen verses that have continued to be recited from that time till today and shall continue to be recited. From that day the Prophet did not cease to be generous to Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, to ask him about his affairs, to fulfill his needs and take him into his council whenever he approached. This is not strange. Was he not censured by God in a most severe manner on Abdullah's account? In fact, in later years, he often greeted Ibn Umm Maktum with these words of humility: "Welcome unto him on whose account my Sustainer has rebuked me." When the Quraysh intensified their persecution of the Prophet and those who believed with him, God gave them permission to emigrate. Abdullahs response was prompt. He and Musab ibn Umayr were the first of the Companions to reach Madinah. As soon as they reached Yathrib, he and Musab began discussing with the people, reading the Quran to them and teaching them the religion of God. When the Prophet, upon whom be peace, arrived in Madinah, he appointed Abdullah and Bilal ibn Rabah to be muadh-dhins for the Muslims, proclaiming the Oneness of God five times a day, calling man to the best of actions and summoning them to success . Bilal would call the adhan and Abdullah would pronounce the iqamah for the Prayer. Sometimes they would reverse the process. During Ramadan, they adopted a special routine. One of them would call the adhan to wake people up to eat before the fast began. The other would call the adhan to announce the beginning of dawn and the fast. It was Bilal who would awaken the people and Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum who would announce the beginning of dawn. |
| Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum -Part I |
| 04.13.04 (3:40 pm) [edit] |
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Part I Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was a cousin of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Mother of the Believers, may God be pleased with her. His father was Qays ibn Said and his mother was Aatikah bint Abdullah. She was called Umm Maktum (Mother of the Concealed One) because she gave birth to a blind child. Abdullah witnessed the rise of Islam in Makkah. He was amongst the first to accept Islam. He lived through the persecution of the Muslims and suffered what the other companions of the Prophet experienced. His attitude, like theirs, was one of firmness, staunch resistance and sacrifice. Neither his dedication nor his faith weakened against the violence of the Quraysh onslaught. In fact, all this only increased his determination to hold on to the religion of God and his devotion to His messenger. Abdullah was devoted to the noble Prophet and he was so eager to memorize the Quran that he would not miss any opportunity to achieve his hearts desire. Indeed, his sense of urgency and his insistence could sometimes have been irritating as he, unintentionally, sought to monopolize the attention of the Prophet. In this period, the Prophet, peace be upon him, was concentrating on the Quraysh notables and was eager that they should become Muslims. On one particular day, he met Utbah ibn Rabiah and his brother Shaybah, Amr ibn Hisham better known as Abu Jahl, Umayyah ibn Khalaf and Walid ibn Mughirah, the father of Khalid ibn Walid who was later to be known as Sayf Allah or 'the sword of God'. He had begun talking and negotiating with them and telling them about Islam. He so much wished that they would respond positively to him and accept Islam or at least call off their persecution of his companions. While he was thus engaged, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum came up and asked him to read a verse from the Quran. "O messenger of God," he said, "teach me from what God has taught you." The Prophet frowned and turned away from him. He turned his attention instead to the prestigious group of Quraysh, hoping that they would become Muslims and that by their acceptance of Islam they would bring greatness to the religion of God and strengthen his mission. As soon as he had finished speaking to them and had left their company, he suddenly felt partially blinded and his head began to throb violently. At this point the following revelation came to him: |
| MSA East Conference |
| 04.12.04 (11:49 am) [edit] |
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I just came back from MSA East Conference in Richmond, Virginia. It was a great eperience. The best was to meet a few famous speakers such as Imam Mukhtar Maghroui, Imam Zaid Shakir, Muhammad Al-Shareef, Altaf Husain. I missed Husain Abd Sattar though.. I also met the current president.. Tareq El-Ghawry in the elevator.. but I didn't know he is THE president.. huhu The topics given were great.. and the speakers elaborated well. I had to miss a few sessions because there were some parallel sessions that required me to cut myself into 4 if I would like to join all of them. One of the most interesting speaker is sister Merve Kavacki. I still remember once upon a time I used an example of how a lady had to resigned from her post in the Turkey Goverment/Parliament because she had to remove her hijab if she would like to stay. She is Merve Kavakci and she was there in the convention to talk about hijab banning in a few countries.. and how muslimat nowadays should face it with eeman.. not with the love for the world. some articles about her: http://www.inminds.co.uk/hijab-ban/kavakci.html" title="http://www.inminds.co.uk/hijab-ban/kavakci.html" target="_blank"http://www.inminds.co.uk/hija... http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/symposium/kavakcibio.html" title="http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/symposium/kavakcibio.html" target="_blank"http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/sym... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3336 41.stm" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3336 41.stm" target="_blank"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wo... http://www.whyislam.org/aa/summer00/index.asp?article_id=7" title="http://www.whyislam.org/aa/summer00/index.asp?article_id=7" target="_blank"http://www.whyislam.org/aa/su... There were a lot more great issues and also some parts of the convention that i didn't like. I'll write more if Allah permit. |
| Things to ponder upon |
| 04.09.04 (5:48 am) [edit] |
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--this is not written by me-- It's so unfornate that our family and friends and those around us are so unaccepting of Islam. It's not so much that we want to force them to convert, but at least to try to understand. They are not even interested in understanding what we believe. They'd rather stay in darkenss and keep their prejudices because it works for them. People hate us because others tell them to hate us--truth is most people probably don't even know why they hate Islam. They hate Islam because it popular or the "Christian/Jewish thing to do." People see the hijab as a symbol of "evil" thing or a prison for women made of cloth. Not only do they not understand the hijab, they don't want to understand. They want to assume the worst and they are happy thinking the worst of Islam instead of trying to learn what the Religion is about. People do not want to learn about Islam. I don't understand why Islam is hated so much in comparison to other religions. We live in a world that people are unaccepting of things they veiw as different. If it's not what they believe then it is wrong. I have recently started wearing hijab again. I don't wear it every single day but I am working my way back slowly but surely. I used to wear hijab every single day. Inshallah I will go back to the dedicated Muslim I used to be. I'm often confused as to where I want to be, but I am making some efforts, alhamdulillah. I have my own personal theories as to why so many people hate Muslims. Outside of the negative press Islam receives and the stereotypes, many people (Christians)feel that because we do not worship Jesus, we are not believers of God. Many people don't want to learn about Islam because they want to keep their prejudices. People are afraid that if they learn about Islam, their negative ideas will be squashed and they will no longer have a valid reason to hate Islam. Many also fear that if they read the Qur'an they will find some truth and convert. They don't want to believe in something that's not "traditional." Many that say they are Christians don't even really know why they are Christians or what they truly believe as Christians. They are the ones that the Qur'an refers to as those that only believed because it is what their forefathers believed. They don't even realize that if they truly followed their Bible, they would be living like Muslims. Hijab respresents people's worst fears--the fear of an Islamic world. People say the hijab represents the oppression of women, when in truth they live in a society that has no respect for women. They think that a woman is free because she can wear whatever she wants. They think freedom and liberation for a woman is the right to publicly expose her body. Where is the freedom in that? How can a woman be truly free if she feels that in order be beautiful or attract male attention, she has to walk the streets half nude? I know it is hard for many of us that are new to Islam, especially when our own familes are often-times our worst enemies through our transition. When your families or so-called friends or peers make negative comments about your hijab, simply smile and say, "Everyone has a right to their beliefs and opinions," and walk away. Smile to yourself knowing that you are the one that is truly liberated and they are the ones that are truly oppressed. Walk away from them knowing that you are making the right choice--Allah's choice. The Qur'an tells us that there are those whose hearts Allah chooses to open, and there are those whom Allah chooses to leave a seal around their hearts because they refuse to accept the truth. It's hard but don't debate with them. Just walk away and continue to live your life. You will eventually learn to not care what other people think. People stare at me when I wear hijab and I could really care less. Those of you whose parents that want to continually argue about hijab, pull out their Bible and go to the book of Corithians and show them where it says that women are to cover their hair. Of course they will make excuses as to why that is no longer valid. I've just found the best way to defeat people is with their own Bible. When you debate or try to prove your points, people want to entice you to fight with them to try and prove their point that Muslims are violent and evil. Just go in peace. When you do that they will look like the fools in the end. |
| Abu Ayyub al-Ansari - Part V |
| 04.06.04 (7:06 am) [edit] |
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Part V When they had eaten and were satisfied, the Prophet said reflectively: "Bread and meat and busr and rutb!" Tears began to flow from his eyes as he continued: "This is a bountiful blessing about which you will be asked on the Day of judgment. If such comes your way, put your hands to it and say, Bismillah (In the name of God) and when you have finished say, Al hamdu lillah alladhee huwa ashbana wa anama alayna (Praise be to God Who has given us enough and Who has bestowed his bounty on us). This is best." These are glimpses of Abu Ayyub's live during peace time. He also had a distinguished military career. Much of his time was spent as a warrior until it was said of him, "He did not stay away from any battle the Muslims fought from the time of the Prophet to the time of Muawiyah unless he was engaged at the same time in another." The last campaign he took part in was the one prepared by Muawiyah and led by his son Yazid against Constantinople. Abu Ayyub at that time was a very old man, almost eighty years old. But that did not prevent him from joining the army and crossing the seas as a ghazi in the path of God. After only a short time engaged in the battle, Abu Ayyub fell ill and had to withdraw from fighting. Yazid came to him and asked: "Do you need anything, Abu Ayyub?" "Convey my salaams to the Muslim armies and say to them: "Abu Ayyub urges you to penetrate deeply into the territory of the enemy as far as you can go, that you should carry him with you and that you should bury him under your feet at the walls of Constantinople." Then he breathed his last. The Muslim army fulfilled the desire of the companion of the Messenger of God. They pushed back the enemy's forces in attack after attack until they reached the walls of Constantinople. There they buried him. |
| Abu Ayyub al-Ansari - Part IV |
| 04.04.04 (4:47 am) [edit] |
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Part IV Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, once left his house in the burning heat of the midday sun and went to the mosque. Umar saw him and asked, "Abu Bakr, what has brought you out at this hour? Abu Bakr said he had left his house because he was terribly hungry and Umar said that he had left his house for the same reason. The Prophet came up to them and asked, "What has brought the two of you out at this hour?" They told him and he said, "By Him in Whose hands is my soul, only hunger has caused me to come out also. But come with me." They went to the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. His wife opened the door and said, "Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is with him." "Where is Abu Ayyub?" asked the Prophet. Abu Ayyub, who was working in a nearby palm grove, heard the Prophet's voice and came hurriedly. "Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is with him," he said and went on "O Prophet of God, this is not the time that you usually come." (Abu Ayyub used to keep some food for the Prophet every day. When the Prophet did not come for it by a certain time, Abu Ayyub would give it to his family.) "You are right," the Prophet agreed. Abu Ayyub went out and cut a cluster of dates in which there were ripe and halfripe dates. "I did not want you to eat this," said the Prophet. "Could you not have brought only the ripe dates?" "O Rasulullah, please eat from both the ripe dates (rutb) and the half ripe (busr). I shall slaughter an animal for you also. " "If you are going to, then do not kill one that gives milk," cautioned the Prophet. Abu Ayyub killed a young goat, cooked half and grilled the other half. He also asked his wife to bake, because she baked better he said. When the food was ready, it was placed before the Prophet and his two companions. The Prophet took a piece of meat and placed it in a loaf and said, "Abu Ayyub, take this to Fatima. She has not tasted the like of this for days. |
| Abu Ayyub al-Ansari - Part III |
| 04.02.04 (10:56 am) [edit] |
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Part III The couple became very worried not knowing what to do. They only got some peace of mind when they moved to the side of the building which did not fall directly above the Prophet. They were careful also only to walk on the outer parts of the floor and avoid the middle. In the morning, Abu Ayyub said to the Prophet: "By God, we did not sleep a wink last night, neither myself nor Umm Ayyub." "Why not, Abu Ayyub?" asked the Prophet. Abu Ayyub explained how terrible they felt being above while the Prophet was below them and how they might have interrupted the Revelation. "Don't worry, Abu Ayyub," said the Prophet. "We prefer the lower floor because of the many people coming to visit us." "We submitted to the Prophet's wishes," Abu Ayyub related, "until one cold night a jar of ours broke and the water spilled on the upper floor. Umm Ayyub and I stared at the water We only had one piece of velvet which we used as a blanket. We used it to mop up the water out of fear that it would seep through to the Prophet. In the morning I went to him and said, 'I do not like to be above you,' and told him what had happened. He accepted my wish and we changed floors." The Prophet stayed in Abu Ayyub's house for almost seven months until his mosque was completed on the open space where his camel had stopped. He moved to the roots which were built around the mosque for himself and his family. He thus became a neighbor of Abu Ayyub. What noble neighbor to have had! Abu Ayyub continued to love the Prophet with all his heart and the Prophet also loved him dearly. There was no formality between them. The Prophet continued to regard Abu Ayyub's house as his own. The following anecdote tells a great deal about the relationship between them. |