Islam and Muslim

SHEIKH SALEH IBN FAWZAN AL-FAWZAN

2006-05-08T03:02:00.000-07:00

He is the noble Sheikh Dr. Saleh Ibn Fawzan Ibn Abdullah from the family of Fawzan from the people/tribe of ash-Shamaasiyyah. He was born in 1354H (1933 AD). His father died when he was young so he was brought up by his family. He learned the Noble Qur'ân, the basics of reading and writing with the Imaam of the masjid of the town, who was a definitive reciter, Sheikh Hamood Ibn Sulayman at-Talal, who was later made a judge in the town of Dariyyah (not Dar'iyyah in Riyadh) in the region of Qaseem.
He later studied at the state school when it opened in ash-Shamaasiyyah in the year 1369H (1948). He completed his studies at the Faysaliyyah school in Buraydah in the year 1371H (1950) and was then appointed a school teacher. Then he joined the educational institute in Buraydah when it opened in the year 1373H (1952), and graduated from there in the year 1377H (1956).
He then joined the Faculty of Sharee'ah at the University of Imaam Muhammad in Riyadh and graduated from there 1381H (1960). Thereafter he gained his Masters degree in fiqh, and later a Doctorate from the same faculty, also specializing in fiqh.

After his graduation from the Faculty of Sharee'ah, he was appointed a teacher within the educational institute in Riyadh, then transferred to teaching in the Faculty of Sharee'ah. Later, he transferred to teaching at the Department for Higher Studies within the Faculty of the Principles of the Religion (usool ad-deen). Then he transferred to teaching at the Supreme Court of Justice, where he was appointed the head. He then returned to teaching there after his period of headship came to an end. He was then made a member of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa, where he continues to this day.

The noble Sheikh is a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, and member of the Fiqh Committee in Makkah (part of ar-Raabitah), and member of the Committee for Supervision of the Callers (du'aat) in Hajj, whilst also presiding over (his main role) membership of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa. He is also the Imaam, khateeb and teacher at the Prince Mut'ib Ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez Masjid in al-Malzar.

He also takes part in corresponding to questions on the radio program "Noorun 'alad-Darb" (Light along the Path), as he also takes part in contributing to a number of Islamic research publications at the Council for Islamic Research, Studies, Theses and Fataawa which are then collated and published. The noble Sheikh also takes part in supervising a number of theses at the Masters degree and Doctorate level. He has a number of students of knowledge who frequent his regular gatherings and lessons .
He himself studied at the hands of a number of prominent scholars and jurists, the most notable of whom were: Sh, Abdul-Azeez Ibn Baz (d. 1420H), Sh. Abdullah ibn Humayd (rahimahullaah), Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shanqeetee (d. 1393H), Sheikh Abdur-Razzaq 'Afeefee (rahimahullaah), Sheikh Saleh Ibn Abdur-Rahman as-Sukaytee, Sh. Saleh Ibn Ibraaheem al-Bulayhee, Sh. Muhammad Ibn Subayyal, Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Saleh al-Khulayfee, Sh. Ibraaheem Abdul-Muhsin, and Sh. Hamood Ibn Aqlaa, Sh. Saleh Ali an-Naasir.

He also studied at the hands of a number of scholars from al-Azhar University (Egypt) who specialized in hadeeth, tafseer and Arabic language.

In Da'wah Sh. Saleh Fawzan has played a major role in calling to Allah and teaching, giving fatwa, khutbahs and knowledgeable refutations. His books number many, however the following are just a handful which include:
- Kitab Tawhid,
- Al-irshaad ilas-Saheehil-I'tiqaad,
- al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhee,
- Foods and the Rulings regarding Slaughtering and Hunting, which is part of his Doctorate.
- At-Tahqeeqaat al-Mardiyyah in inheritance, which is part of his Masters degree.
- Rulings relating to the Believing Women, and
- A refutation of Yusuf Qaradawi's book 'al-Halaal wal-Haraam'.

Source: http://www.famousmuslims.com

SHEIKH MUHAMMAD IBN SALEH AL-UTHAYMEEN

2006-05-08T02:59:00.000-07:00

He was, Rahimahu Allah, Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Saleh ibn Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymeen at-Tamimi an-Najdi. Sh. Uthaymeen, as he was most known, was born in the city of Unayzah, Qaseem Region, Saudi Arabia, on 27th Ramadhan 1347H in a famous religious family.

He got his education from many prominent scholars like Sheikh 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa'di (1307H - 1376H), Sheikh Muhammad Ameen ash-Shanqeeti (1325H - 1393H), and Sheikh Abdul-Azeez Bin Baz (1330H - 1420H), along with many more.

When he entered into teaching, a great number of students from inside and outside Saudi Arabia benefited from him. He was known for his own unique style of interpretation and explanation of religious points. He is from among those scholars who served Islam without any type of religious prejudice and kept themselves away from the limitations of blind-following. He is distinguished in his great exertion of effort in religious matters and analogical deductions which clearly prove the religious understanding he possessed, and the correct usage of the principles of religion he adopted.

Along with Sh. Nasiruddin Albaani (d. 1420H), Sh. Abdul-Azeez Bin Baz (d. 1420H), and Sheikh Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi'i (d. 1422H), are the era of 1400H top Ahlu Sunnah scholars so far, although many more deserve to be mentioned in the strive for this Diin of Islam also, such as Sh. Abdullah ibn Abdur-Rahman al-Jibreen, Sh. Saeed ibn Ali ibn Wahf Al-Qahtaani, Dr. Saleh ibn Fawzan ibn Abdullah Al-Fawzan, Sh. Muhammad bin Jameel Zainoo, Sh. Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid, Sh. Saifur-Rahman Mubarakpooree, among others.

In giving religious verdicts, Sh. Uthaymeen Fataawa (i.e, rulings/verdicts) are based on the Manhaj of Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah which is evidenced from Qur'an and Sunnah. He has about fifty compilations to his credit. Recently before his death, he was teaching religious Fundamentals at the Sharee'ah Faculty of Imam Muhammad ibn Sa'ud Islamic University, Qaseem Branch. He was also a member of the Senior Scholars Committee of the Kingdom, and was the Imaam and Khateeb of the big Mosque of Unayzah city.

Among his well-known works in Da'wah:
- Tafsir Ayatul Kursi.
- Sharh Riyadh Saleheen.
- Musdhalihah Hadeeth.
- Kitab ul Ilm.
- Qawaa'id Muthla fi Sifaati Allah wa Asmaa'ihil Husna.
- Aqeedah Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah.
- Sharh Usool Thalaathah.
- Qawl Mufiid ala Kitab Tawhid.
- Sharh Usool Iman.
- Sharh Lum'atul I'tiqad.
- Sharh Aqeedatu Waasiti.
- Sharh al-Mumti' ala zaadil Mustaqni'.
- Fataawa Arkan Islam.
- Majmoo' Fataawa on many topics of Islamic Aqeedah and Fiqh.

Sh. Uthaymeen's works can be found comprehensively at :

http://www.ibnothaimeen.com

Sh. Uthaymeen was famous for his simplicity, modesty, along with exceptional mannerisms towards all those he encountered, as well as his exceptional mannerisms in approach to topics free of dogmatic arguments. He is among the pre-eminent scholars of the era after 1400H. Sh. Uthaymeen passed away on Wednesday 15 Shawwal, 1421H. He was buried in Makkah along with his peers among the scholars Sh. Bin Baz, while Sh. Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi'i

Source: http://www.famousmuslims.com

SHEIKH NASIRUDDIN ALBANI

2006-05-08T02:57:00.000-07:00

Sheikh Muhammad Nasiruddin, al-Albani as he was most famously known, was born in the city of Ashkodera, then the capital of Albania in the year 1332H (1914 AD) into a poor family. His father al-Haaj Nooh Najjaatee al-Albani had completed Sharee'ah studies in Istanbul and returned a scholar to Albania. After Albania was taken over by atheism the family made Hijrah to Damascus. In Damascus, al-Albani completed his initial education and was then taught the Qur'an, Tajweed, sciences of Arabic language, fiqh of the Hanafee madhab and further branches of the Deen by various Sheikhs and friends of his father.

He also learnt from his father the art of clock and watch repair - and became highly skilled in that and famous for it and derived his earnings through it.

He began to specialise in the field of Hadeeth and its related sciences by the age of 20, being influenced by articles in 'al-Manaar' magazine. He began to work in this field by transcribing al-Haafiz al-Iraaqee's monumental 'alMughnee an-hamlil-Asfaar fil-Asfaar fee takhreej maa fil-lhyaa minal-Akhbaar' and adding notes to it. He delved further into the field of Hadeeth and its various sciences despite discouragement from his father. Furthermore, the books he needed were not to be found in his father's library which was composed mainly of various works of Hanafee Fiqh - and since he could not afford many of the books he required he would borrow them from the famous library of Damascus - "al-Maktabah at-Thaahiriyyah", or sometimes from book sellers.

He became engrossed with the science of Hadeeth to the extent that he would sometimes close up his shop and remain in the library for up to twelve hours - breaking off his work only for prayer - he would not even leave to eat, but would take two light snacks with him. Eventually the library authorities granted him a special room to himself for his study and his own key for access to the library before normal opening time. Often he would remain at work from early morning until after 'Ishaa. During this time he produced many useful works - many of which are still waiting to be printed.

The Sheikh's studies of Hadeeth of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) had a great effect on him and resulted in his turning away from blind-following of his former madhab and instead to accept and act upon the Book and the Sunnah - with the understanding of the pious predecessors (i.e, As-Salafu Saaleh) of the Ummah. This naturally meant he was sometimes at variance with some of the local Sheikhs who blindly followed their Madhab, and likewise with the local Sufi Imaams and innovators who began to oppose him and incite the common people against him by calling him a 'Wahhaabi deviant'. He was, however, encouraged by some of the noble Sheikhs of Damascus who urged him to continue, amongst them Sheikh Bahjatul Baijaar, Sheikh Abdul-Fattah, the Imaam, and Tawfeeq al-Barzah, Rahimahum Allah.

The Sheikh faced much opposition in his efforts to promote Tawheed and the Sunnah but he bore this with patient perseverance. After some time he started giving two weekly classes attended by students of knowledge and university teachers - in which he taught various books of 'Aqeedah, Fiqh, Usool and Hadeeth sciences.

He also began organised monthly journeys for Da'wah to the various cities of Syria and then Jordan. After a number of his works appeared in print the Sheikh was chosen to teach Hadeeth in the new University in Madeenah, Saudi Arabia, for three years from 1381 to 1383 Hijrah, where he was also a member of the University board.

After this he returned to his former studies and work in "al-Maktabatu at-Thaahiriyyah" leaving his shop in the hands of one of his brothers. He visited various countries for Da'wah and lectures - amongst them Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, the Emirates, Spain and England. He was forced to emigrate a number of times moving from Syria to Jordan, then Syria again, then Beirut, then the Emirates, then again to 'Ammaan, Jordan.

Sheikh Nasiruddin Albani became the pre-eminent scholar of Hadeeth (Al-Muhaddith) in recent era. His works - mainly in the field of Hadeeth and its sciences - number over 100. Among his gems beneficial for the whole Ummah include:
- Sifatu Salaatu Nabi mina takbiri ila taslimi ka annaka taraaha, the most widely distributed and printed book on 'How to' in Salaah according to the Sunnah of our Prophet (PBUH);
- Silsilah Saheehah, and Silsilah Dhaeefah wa Maudhucah, on Ahadith;
- Saheeh wa Dhaeef Jaami Sagheer, authenticated works originally compiled by Suyuti;
- Al Irwa' Ghaleel;
- Saheehs of Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasaa'i, and Ibn Maajah.
- Saheeh wa Dhaeef Adabul Mufrad of Bukhari.
- Mishkaat Masaabih, the authenticated version of the original hadeeth collection.

His students are many and include many prominent Sheikhs of the present day amongst them: Shaykh Hamdi Abdul-Majeed, Shaykh Muhammad 'Eed Abbaasi, Dr. Umar Sulayman al-Ashqar, Shaykh Muhammad lbrahim Shaqrah, Shaykh Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi'i, Shaykh Ali Khushshaan, Shaykh Muhammad Bin Jameel Zainoo, Shaykh Abdur-Rahmaan Abdus-Samad, Shaykh Ali Hassan Abdul-Hameed al-Halabi, Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaali, and Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Abdul-Khaaliq.

The Sheikh passed away on Saturday 22 Jumaada Thaaniyah 1420 H (2 October 1999).

Muhammad Ilyas

2006-05-08T02:56:00.000-07:00

Mawlana Muhammad Ilyas, the founder of the Tablighi Jama’at of South Asian subcontinent, is arguably one of the most influential, yet least well-known , figures of the twentieth century Islam. Despite his enormous contribution towards the development of a powerful grass root Islamic Da’wah movement, Mawlana Ilyas has not received much attention in the literature on modern Islamic movements. Most of the Western, and even Muslim, scholarships have remain occupied with the more spectacular and dramatic manifest ions of Islamic revivalist upsurge. The available literature on Maulana Ilyas and his Tablighi movement is mostly in Urdu and that too consists mainly of inspirational works by its leaders and devotional writings by its followers and supporters.

Mawlana Ilyas was born in 1885 in a small town in the United Province of British India in a family of religious scholars. He received his early religious education at home and later went to the famous center of Islamic education in Deoband where he studied the Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh and other Islamic sciences under the early Deoband luminaries. After completing his education at Deoband, Mawlana Ilyas took up a teaching position at another famous Madarsah Mazaharul Uloom in Saharanpur (U.P., India)

It was at this point in his life that Mawlana Ilyas became aware of the "dismal Islamic situation" in the Mewat region near Delhi where majority of Muslims were living a life that had very little to do with Islamic teachings and practices. Mawlana Ilyas sent several of his disciples to Mewat to survey the situation and later himself undertook many Da’wah trips there. Mawlana Ilyas met Mewati Muslims who could not even recite Shahadah and who had not prayed even once in their life because they did not know how to pray. He saw Muslims greeting each other in a typical Hindu manner; some had even adopted Hindu deities and visited Hindu temples to participate in devotional practices.

Mawlana Ilyas fully aware of the difficult task ahead was, nevertheless, determined to bring the Meo Muslims back to the fold of true Islam. In the early 1920s, he prepared a team of young Madrasa graduates from Deoband and Saharanpur and sent them to Mewat to establish a network of Masajid and Madrasas throughout the region. He soon realized, however, that the Madrasa ulama trained in the Deoband tradition were simply reproducing their prototypes and had no significant impact on society at large. Mawlana Ilyas concluded that these Madrasas were ill-equipped to produce Muslim preachers who would be willing to go door to door and remind people of their Islamic obligations. These institution were good only for producing religious functionaries, not Da’wah workers.

It was because dissatisfaction with the Madrasas that Mawlana Ilyas resigned from a prestigious teaching position at Madrasa Mazaharul Uloom in Saharanpur and came to Basti Nizamuddin in the old quarters of Delhi to begin his Da’wah. The Tablighi movement was born in this place in 1926. Basti Nzamuddin became his permanent residence as well as the headquarter of the Tablighi movement.

The new movement met with dramatic success in relatively short period of time, thanks to Mawlana Ilyas’s utmost devotion, untiring efforts and sincerity of purpose. As a result many Muslims joined Mawlana Ilyas to preach the message of Islam in every town and village of Mewat. The rapid success of his efforts can be seen from the fact that the first Tablighi conference held in November 1941 in Mewat was attended by 25,000 people many of them had walked on foot for ten to fifteen miles to attend the conference. Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi, the founder of the Jama’at-e-Islami paid glowing tribute to the spectacular successes of the Da’wah efforts of Mawlana Ilyas in Mewat and elsewhere in India and described the Tablighi movement as a major step toward the Islamization of Indian Muslim society.

Mawlana Ilyas was neither a charismatic leader like Mawlana Mohammad Ali Jauhar of the Khilafat movement, nor an outstanding religious scholar like Abul Kalam Azad of the Indian National Congress. He was not even a good public speaker like Ataullah Shah Bukhari of the Ahrar movement. Unlike Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi of the Jamaat –e-Islami who was a prolific writer and a systematic thinker, Mawlana Ilyas did not author a single book in his life.

Physically frail and intellectually unassuming, Mawlana Ilyas was, nevertheless, enthused with the zeal of a dedicated Da’wah worker. His passion to reach out to the Muslim masses and touch them with the message of the Qur’an and Sunnah knew no bounds.

Like a true missionary, he was persistent, untiring, and whole-heartedly devoted to his cause. During one of his many missionary tours of Mewat, he was once hit with a stick by a peasant upon whom he was impressing the importance of leading a religious life. The Mawlana, already physically frail, fell on the ground and collapsed. When he regained consciousness, he got up and, holding his assistant affectionately, said: "Look, you have done your job. Now would you let me do my job and listen to me for a little while?" As one of his colleague put it, "Mawlana Ilyas, though a mere skeleton, can work wonders where he takes up anything."

His eagerness and indomitable determination to reach every Muslim and remind him of his obligations as a believer took precedence on every thing else. His passionate concern for the spiritual welfare of his fellow Muslims caused him great anguish. A friend once came to visit him while he was on his deathbed. Mawlana Ilyas greeted his friend by telling him. " People out there are burning in the fire of ignorance and you are wasting your time here inquiring after my health!"

He wanted every Muslim to be on his feet, preaching the message of Islam to others. He exerted his friends and followers to dedicate their lives to this cause. Once when he was trying to peruse his audience to volunteer for a missionary trip to Kanpur, U.P. India, not a single person responded to his call. Spotting one of his friends in the audience, Mawlana Ilyas asked him what prevented him from going to Kanpur. His friend was suffering from serious ailment and was obviously too weak to travel. He told Maulana Ilyas that he was "almost dying" and there was no way he could travel. The Mawlana said, "If you are dying already, you had better die in Kanpur."

It is important to note that while Mawlana Ilyas kept himself completely aloof from politics of the day and focused his program of action exclusively on making the Muslims aware of their religious obligations, he did not, at any time, criticized those Islamic groups which were actively engaged in politics. On the contrary, he maintained extremely cordial relations with Hussain Ahmad Madani and other Ulama of Deoband school whose political organization, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, a pro-Indian National Congress group, was very much active in Indian politics. Mawlana Ilyas had equally warm relation with pro-Pakistan faction of the Deoband school led by Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi and Mawlana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani. However he refused to take any position on the issue of united India vs. a separate Muslim state of Pakistan for the obvious reason that this would distract his movement from its main religious tasks, and would also create dissensions within its ranks. Mawlana Ilyas was of the view that the Tablighi movement and the politically-oriented Islamic groups, although operating in two different spheres, were complementing each other’s work and hence there should be no competition and rivalry between them.

Once when someone pointed out that his movement was "too narrowly focused" and did not address the larger issue of socio-political reforms in Muslim society, the Mawlana responded that this narrow focus in the initial phase of the movement was necessitated by the available manpower and that the movement could grow to encompass a larger and more comprehensive program in the future. It is unfortunate that those who succeeded Mawlana Ilyas did not realize his larger vision and saw the Mewat model of Da’wah as eternally fixed. Nevertheless, the fruits of Mawlana Ilyas’s efforts are visible all over the world today.

Ibn al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyya

2006-05-08T02:54:00.000-07:00

He is Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr, known as Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya, named after his father who was an attendant (Qayyim) at a local school named Al-Jawziyya. He was born in Damascus, Syria in 1292 C.E. (691 A.H.), and he studied under his father, the local attendant (Qayyim) of the al-Jawziyya school. Later on, he pursued his quest for knowledge at the hands of renowned masters and scholars of his epoch, as well as he studied the works and teachings of sufi masters known in his time. His schooling centered around Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and the science of prophetic traditions. He finally joined the study circle of Imam Ibn Taimiyyah (1262-1329 C.E.), who kept him in his company as his closest student and disciple, who later on became his successor.

Ibn al-Qayyim was fervent in his devotion to his teacher, and he was an excellent student and disciple of the great Muslim scholar Imam Taqiyyu-Deen Ahmad Ibn Taimiyyah. He defended his religious opinions and approaches, and he compiled and edited most of his works, and taught the same.

Because of their perception and opinions, both the teacher and the student were unjustly persecuted, tortured by unjust rulers at the time, and humiliated in public by the local authorities, and they were imprisoned in a single cell, while the other disciples were kept separate in the central prison of Damascus, still known to-date as al-Qal‘a. Among the imprisoned scholars, students of Ibn Qayyim, included a young man by the name of Ibn Kathïr (1302-1375 C.E.), who later on became a most renowned Muslim scholar and compiler of the most comprehensive Qur’anic commentaries ‘Tafsïr Ibn Kathïr.’

Upon the death of Imam Ibn Taimiyyah, the disciples were set free from prison, and Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya furthered his studies, and held study circles and classes for his own students. Ibn Jawziyya taught Islamic Jurisprudence at al-Sadriyya school, in Damascus, before he held the position of the Imam of the Jawziyya school for a long period. Most of his writings were compilations, although he authored several books himself, and manuscripts with his own handwriting are preserved today in the central Library of Damascus.

In fact, it was considered an honour and a privilege to study in his circle. Among the renowned Muslim scholars who studied under him, we mention Ibn ‘Abd al-Hãdï (1305-1345 C.E.), and Ibn Rajab (1337-1396 C.E.), and others who oft-frequented his circles, and sought his company, such as Imam Ibn Kathïr. Most scholars of the time have acknowledged the author’s excellence, and profound knowledge of Qur’anic interpretation, commentaries on the prophetic traditions, and theology. His extensive knowledge and understanding of Qur’anic commentaries surpassed even some renowned theologians in Islamic history.

Ibn Kathïr spoke of him in his book ‘Al-Bidãya wa-’Nihãya, saying: “He was most friendly and kindhearted, he never envied anyone, he never caused harm to anyone, he never bore prejudice against anyone, and I was the closest to his heart. Furthermore, I do not know anyone who is more devout in his worship than him in our time.” A similar opinion also was quoted by Ibn Hijr.

Ibn al-Qayyim catered to all the branches of Islamic science, and was particularly known and commended for his commentaries. Al-Hãfiz Ibn Rajab spoke of his teacher, saying: “He was an accomplished scholar of Islamic science, and no one could rival him in his deep understanding of the Qur’an and prophetic saying, and his interpretations were unique in accuracy.”

Ibn Rajab narrated that his teacher Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya learned the science of prophetic sayings (Hadïth) from al-Shahãb al-Nãbulsi, Qãdhï Taqiyyu-Deen Sulaimãn, and Fãtima Bint Jawhar, among others. During his early student life, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim sought the company of most shaikhs of his period, and he was particularly proficient in interpreting the Hanbali Muslim school of thoughts.

His Spiritual Life

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya was an avid and a resolute worshipper. He devoted long hours to his supererogatory nightly prayers, he was in a constant state of remembrance (zikr), and he was known for his extended prostrations. One could see on his face the clear expressions of piety, and constant solicitation of God’s bounty and favors.

During Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s imprisonment in al-Qal‘a prison in Damascus, he was constantly reading the Qur’an, and studying its meanings. Ibn Rajab noted that during that period of seclusion, he gained extensive spiritual success, as well as he developed a great analytical wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the prophetic traditions.

Upon his release, he performed the pilgrimage to Mecca several times, and sometimes he stayed in Mecca for a prolonged period of devotion and circumambulation of the holy Ka‘aba.

His Works

Al-Nu‘mãn al-Alüsï al-Baghdãdï once said: “His interpretations are unique in accuracy.” The renowned Muslim scholar at-Thahabi once said about him: “He gave great attention to details and references of the prophetic traditions.” Furthermore, Shaikh Burhãn al-Deen al-Zãri’ spoke of him saying: “No one is as cognizant as Ibn al-Qayyim was in his time.”

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s contributions to the Islamic library are extensive, and they particularly deal with the Qur’anic commentaries, and understanding and analysis of the prophetic traditions (fiqh-u Sunnah).

He compiled a large number of studies besides his own books, including:

Tahthïb Sunan Abi Dãwoud (Emendation of Sunan Abu Dãwoud); 2- Al-Kalãm al-Tayyib wa-al-‘Amal al-Sãlih (The Essence of Good Words and Deeds); 3- Commentaries on the book of Shaikh ‘Abdullãh al-Ansãri: Manãzil-u Sã’ireen (Stations of the Seekers); 4- Zãd al-Ma‘ãd (Provisions of the Hereafter), from which the famous book Natural Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet is extracted. 5- Tafsir Mu'awwadhatain (Tafsir of Surah Falaq and Nas); 6- Fawaa'id; 7- Ad-Daa'i wa Dawaa' ; 8- Al-Rooh; 9- Al Waabil Sayyib minal kalim tayyib; 10- Haadi Arwah ila biladil Afrah; 11- Al Jawaabul kaafi liman sa'ala 'an Dawaa'i Shaafi; 12- Ighadatu lahfan fi masayid shaytan; and many more gems of works well-preserved up to this day.

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya died in the city of Damascus on Rajab 751 A.H.,1350 C.E., at the age of sixty-two, and was buried besides his father at al-Sagheer Cemetery there

Source: http://www.famousmuslims.com

Dr. Bilal Philips

2006-05-08T02:50:00.000-07:00

“There is no time for holidays”, says Bilal Philips, “when you realise how little time there is, and how much work has to be done for Islam.”Bilal Philips, once a Christian, is now an Renowned Islamic scholar. He received his B.A. degree from the Islamic University of Madina and his M.A. in Aqeedah (Islamic Philosophy) from the King Saud University in Riyadh. His deep study and understanding of Islam has won him the respect of ordinary Muslims as well as many learned scholars of Islam.

Born in Jamaica in 1947, he comes from a family of educationists. Both his parents are teachers, and one of his grandfathers was a church minister and Bible scholar.Bilal came from a broad-minded family, and though he went to church regularly every Sunday with his mother, he was never forced to go. He says: “Going to church was a social event, more than a religious one. What was being taught went right over my head.” When Bilal was eleven, his family migrated to Canada and for the first time the sensitive boy began to feel that all was not right with the world.

“Most of the Canadians at that time were Euro-Canadians”, he says, “and the Europeans, of course, had an idea of their own superiority. They had gone around and smashed up everybody else's society, so they had to justify the destruction of human civilisation by promoting their own superiority over others. Those feelings are expressed in much of their literature, in films, on television and so forth.” Growing up in an environment where one is different from everyone else and trying to rationalise it was hard for a little boy. Little discrimination hurt more as he became a teenager. “Later on”, he says, “my parents told me about the struggle they had to go through; they had to face much more in society than I had to as a child at school.”

Bilal's first contact with a Muslim society came when his parents moved to Malaysia in the capacity of teachers and advisors to the ministry of education under the Canadian Colombo Plan.Though much happier there, Bilal hardly noticed that he was in a Muslim country. The British had been in Malaysia and had left their traces behind. His friends were either Euro-Asians or anglicised Muslim Malaysians. Bilal formed a rock group and began to play the guitar professionally. He had a motorbike and was quite popular and consequently his A-level studies suffered. While in Malaysia Bilal's parents adopted an Indonesian boy who happened to be a Muslim. Mrs. Philips was quite aware of Islam and made it easy for him to fast and pray. Bilal understood that this boy was different once when opening the door to his new brother's room and he bumped his brother on the head as he prostrated himself in prayer. Not being interested in religion at that time, he did not pursue the issue.

Bilal's parents felt there were too many distractions in Malaysia for him, so they decided to send him back to Canada to the Simon-Frazer University in Vancouver.Back in Canada, Bilal stepped right into the volatile student movements of the late sixties and early seventies. The drug culture and hippy movement was being propagated by such prestigious persons as Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary. In certain classes the lecturers would pass marijuana cigarettes to the students. They would smoke together and then start the classes.At this time Bilal's goal was to become a medical artist and thus combine his love for science and art. To this end, he had taken up biochemistry and had also received a scholarship from an art university. Before he could fully pursue his goals, he found himself getting deeply entrenched in student politics. The seed sown during his childhood, the idea that something was amiss with Western society and things needed to be changed, bore fruit now. He began to get involved with student movements. There were sit-ins and strikes, sometimes there were more violent protests and the police would be called in.Professors were introducing socialism into their classes. Impressed by this, Bilal began a detailed study of the work of Marx, and soon considered himself to be a Marxist-Leninist. “Socialism was presented as a programme for change of society”, he says “rectifying injustices and making sure there are equal rights for all. This change was to be brought about by revolution.” His search for a political solution led him to California. Here he worked with black activist movements like the Black Panthers. “These movements were all black movements, the figures in the forefront were mostly blacks. Since the blacks were the most oppressed group at that time, naturally their voice was the loudest. However, they were widely supported by white college kids. Eventually everybody got on the bandwagon. There was a women's liberation.Soon disillusion set in. “Many of these people were deep into drugs. They collected money for what they called defence committees and used much of the money to pay for their parties, their rents and their drugs. They were like leeches living off the people's donations.” During this period there also existed a “black movement known as the Nation of Islam” or, more popularly, the Black Muslims, founded by Elijah Muhammad, who concocted a religion called Islam but which was totally different from the real thing. He taught that all black men were gods and all white men were devils. There was one major god who had come and taught Elijah, and Elijah was his prophet. At that time the autobiography of a former follower of Elijah, Malcolm X, was very popular. Malcolm X had left the Black Muslims after being its leading spokesman and had found real Islam. He was assassinated within six months of his conversion and had little time to use his rhetorical skills to promote the real Islam. Thus only a few who read his autobiography grasped the significance of his journey. Bilal, who had read Malcolm X's autobiography, visited one of the temples of the Black Muslims. Though impressed by their organization and the fact that their women dressed modestly, he found their ideology useless.After the death of Elijah Muhammad in 1975, many fundamental changes were brought about by his son Imam Warith Deen Muhammad. These gradual changes transferred the organization from a nationalistic cult into an Islamic movement close to the mainstream Islam.Finding the movements in the States not relevant to the goals which he had in mind, Bilal returned to Canada.

By now he had dropped out after completing only two years of university and had linked up with a socialist-oriented group in Toronto. In the early seventies there was an influx of blacks from the States and from the West Indies into Canada. Bilal and his group were trying to educate the blacks as to their position in society and motivate them to make efforts to change the laws on discrimination. Bilal taught African history and social movements in the community centre organised by the group. He used his musical abilities to collect donations for the center. His art too followed the direction in which he was heading; he drew political cartoons for movement newspapers and posters for rallies. In accordance with his desire to help society, he took up a job as a councellor for delinquent children. At the same time, the young idealist was getting deeper into communism. The prevailing political theory at that time was that in an industrialised country like North America the revolution would have to take a different form from that of China and Russia. In these countries the impetus has come from the countryside and was composed mainly of peasants. But in North America the struggle would have to come from within the city and take the form of urban guerrilla warfare. To be successful as an urban guerrilla warfare, one had to develop cells within the city and be mobile. In this kind of warfare the car was an essential instrument, and thorough knowledge of its working was a must. To this end, Bilal went back to a technical college to learn car mechanics.

Bilal's parents were opposed to the political direction in which their son was going and he and his father had many heated discussions about politics while his mother tried to keep the peace. Bilal, who had been staying temporarily with his parents, moved out and started living in a commune with like-minded youths.After sometime he began to see a difference between himself and the people he was working with, and these differences were mostly in moral concepts. They wanted to build a new society but were not willing to change themselves.Certain questions about socialism were beginning to trouble him, especially its ability to build a new society. “There seemed to be no moral foundation for communism and socialism”, says Bilal. “If the masses of the people consider alcoholism, homosexuality, child abuse or whatever to be moral, then it is okay. In New York, it is now legal to possess marijuana, although its sale is still prohibited. In England homosexuals can now marry, this bothered me.”

At this point Bilal contemplated going to China to learn guerilla warfare. But he learned that one of the ladies in the central committee of the group to which he belonged, who had been a very hardcore Communist, had accepted Islam. As Bilal had been an admirer of her previous Marxist-Leninist convictions, he decided to study some books on Islam to see what had swayed her. The first was ‘Islam, The Misunderstood Religion’ by Muhammad Qutub. Muhammad Qutub was the brother of Syed Qutub, one of the leaders of the Ikhwan movement of Egypt. This movement had come in conflict with Gamal Abdul Nasser and his Socialism. Nasser hanged Syed Qutub and other Ikhwan leaders for their Islamic beliefs. Many other Ikhwan leaders fled to Saudi Arabia and settled in Makkah and Madina. “In fact”, says Bilal, “many of the Islamic scholars in the universities of Saudi Arabia today come from that era.” Muhammad Qutub is at present teaching in the University of Umm-Al-Qura in Makkah.

Muhammad Qutub's book was a comparison of Islam, Socialism, Communism and Capitalism from a social, economic and moral point of view. For a more spiritually-minded person it might seem a bit dry, but since Bilal was politically oriented it was right for him.

He became convinced that Islam was the best way to bring about an economic and social revolution in Western society. As he avidly read all that was available on Islam in English, another point began to impress him the revolution began not with the toppling of the existing socio-economic order but with the change of the individual himself. Bilal had decided that if he became a Muslim he would do so totally; there would be no half measures for him. “My life at this time was already quite restrained, and the discipline of Islam did not present a major problem. However, it is standard that before one converts, Satan makes a great effort to dissuade one. By this time I smoked and drank only on rare occasions; however a voice inside me would say, ‘are you ready to give up all these pleasures, you mean to say you'll never touch them again?’ This put doubts in my mind and made me hesitate to declare my conversion.”

From a political point of view Bilal was convinced, but from a spiritual point of view he found the idea of God, jinns and angels difficult to accept.

“In my heart a vague idea of God was still there”, he says, “though it had been crushed by Communist philosophy, which demands total denial of God's existence. My scientific background also tended to hold me back from really accepting the concept of God.” Then Bilal had what may be termed as a spiritual experience. “I was lying down in my room and some friends were sitting at my desk reading. I was half awake, half asleep and then I began to dream. I dreamt I was riding my bicycle into a warehouse. The further I went inside, the darker it got. I began to get worried. I felt I had gone as far as I could. When I turned around I couldn't see the exit. I was in total darkness. At that time real fear came over me, a feeling of fear I had never experienced before. When I look back at it, I realise that it was the fear of dying. The feeling was that if I didn't get out of here, I would never get out. It was the end.”

“I began to scream, help! Help me! I tried to shout at the top of my lungs, but the words would not come out, they just gurgled in my throat. My mind was screaming, there were people sitting in the room, yet nobody heard me.”

“I continued to try for a while, until I realised that there was no hope. There was no one to help me. At that moment I gave up and resigned myself to death. When I gave up I immediately woke up.”

This dream left a heavy impression on Bilal's mind. “Nobody could have taken me out of that situation, it was only God who took me out of that state of absolute despair, and brought me back.”

Later he found confirmation of his belief when he read the following verse in the Noble Quran: “He is the one who takes your life in sleep. To some of you he gives it back when you awake, to some of you he does not.” The dream left a strong impression on Bilal that God was real, and he consequently accepted Islam in February 1972.He stopped playing music and gave up art, and went full-time into the study of Islam. He began the study of Arabic and soon learned to recite the Quran.Bilal now began a study of Arabic and Fiqh (Islamic Law) with an Egyptian whose father had been a scholar and a follower of the Ikhwan Muslimoon movement.Bilal had picked up so much information about Islam from different directions that he was confused and in order to resolve this conflict of information he decided he must go to the East, to the actual source of Islam, and immerse himself in Arabic and Islamic studies.So he applied for a scholarship from the Islamic University of Madina. He was accepted and left for Saudi Arabia.Living conditions in the University of Madina were quite primitive at the time. The students lived in abandoned army barracks. There was no hot water in the freezing winter and no air conditioning in the blistering summer. Twice Bilal was bitten by scorpions. He put his trust in God and went on with his studies.

From the point of view of learning all aspects of Islam, Bilal had come to the right place. “In terms of Islamic knowledge, the education in Madina University is more extensive than at any university in the West”, he says. “In the west the method of education emphasises understanding, research and interpretation, whereas in the East emphasis is placed on memorisation and verbatim quotation.”

For six years Bilal studied in Madina. The first two years were spent learning Arabic. He also gave lessons in English and in karate to Arab students.In his final year he saw an advertisement for teachers at the Minarat-ul-Riyadh International School and sent a cutting to his parents, who had recently returned to Canada after teaching in South Yemen. They applied and were immediately accepted.After completing his B.A. Bilal applied to the King Saud University in Riyadh for his Master's program and was accepted. As most of his classes were in the evening, he began to teach Islamic education at the Minarat-ul-Riyadh school's English section.It was suggested that he translate the curriculum used in the Arabic section, but mere translation was not suitable as it was based on learning by rote. Most of Bilal's students were from a Western background and they questioned everything. He wanted to provide material based on reasoning and investigation in order to attract the students to Islam. With this in mind over the following years he wrote five textbooks.This was the first attempt to make a curriculum for Islamic education in English. The need for it was urgent because of the large number of Muslim expatriate children in the Kingdom who could only be reached through the medium.Though the basic syllabus consists of Quran, Fiqh, Hadith, Tafseer and Tawheed. Sometimes Bilal spends three-quarters of his class discussing questions, which are of great importance to a young Muslim generation caught up in the mores of the West. The young students want to know why dating, drinking and dancing are okay for their counterparts in the West but not for them. Bilal then uses a relevant Quranic verse, Hadith, statistics and logic to explain the Islamic stand.“About 15 to 20 percent of my students graduate seriously committed to Islam. They go back to Pakistan, England or the States and do serious work for Islam.” Some of the boys he has taught were confirmed atheists, although from Muslim homes. It is gratifying to Bilal when these boys later, through teaching, become very active Muslims. “This makes all the headaches and trials of teaching worth it”, he says.Bilal has translated three books on Shiism from Arabic to English because he feels that there are not enough books on the subject in English from a Sunni point of view.He has co-authored a book ‘Polygamy In Islam’ because he says, “This is an area in which non-Muslims often like to criticise Islam. Also many Muslim modernists, due to the influence of colonialism, deny this aspect of Islam. In fact, in some Muslim countries there is legislation against it.”He has also written a ‘Tafseer on Soorah-ul-Hujuraat (No. 49)’. Among his works under publication is ‘The Evolution of Fiqh’ about the historical development of the different schools of law in Islam, the reason for their differences and how may they be resolved. Another is ‘Usool At-Tafseer’. He is also pondering another refuting the theory of Rashad Khalifa that 19 is the miraculous numerical code of the Quran. Under revision is a book on Tawheed (Islamic unitarianism).His interest in art has again surfaced and he has begun to explore the world of Arabic calligraphy.Bilal feels there is still a lot of work to be done for Islam, especially in the West. His summers are spent teaching Islam and Arabic in the U.S.A. and Canada. He has also travelled extensively in Central and South America and the West Indies to teach Islam in the many Muslim communities scattered throughtout the region.

Bilal feels that Muslims can safeguard themselves and their religion in the West by setting up their own Islamic schools within Islamic communities. These days most Muslims in the States are busy chasing the American dream, their children are going to public schools where indirectly the principles of Islam are constantly under attack. Very few children, probably less than 10 percent, who go through the American school system remain practising Muslims.

Hijra (immigration to a Muslim environment), he believes is compulsory for Muslims if they cannot live like Muslims, and to stress this point he quotes from the Quran: “Those who died in a state of self-oppresion, the angels asked them, ‘well, couldn't you migrate? Allah's earth is expansive’, and these people will go to the hell.”

“The priority of every Muslim”, he says, “should be not where can I best find work, but where can I best practise Islam and find work.”

Bilal's goal is still to change society for the better but the revolution must come through the spread and practise of Islam by each individual, and to this end he has devoted his life.

Source: Saudi Gazette

Personal website: http://www.bilalphilips.com

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan

2006-05-08T02:48:00.000-07:00

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, born at Delhi, India on 17th October, 1817, Muslim educator, jurist and author, founder of the Anglo-Mohammedan Oriental College at Aligarh, UP, India, and principal motivating force behind the revival of Indian Islam in the late 19th century. His works, in Urdu, include Essays on the Life of Muhammad (PBUH) (187) and commentaries on the Bible and on the Quran. In 1888 he was made a Knight Commander of the Star of India.

Syed’s family, though progressive, was highly regarded by the dying Mughal dynasty. His father, who received an allowance from the Mughal administration, became something of a religious recluse; his maternal grand father had twice served as prime minister of the Mughal emperor of his time and had also held positions of trust under the East India Company. Syed’s brother established one of the first printing press at Delhi and started one of the earlier newspapers in Urdu, the principal language of the Muslims of northern India.

The death of Syed’s father left the family in financial difficulties, and after a limited education Syed had to work for his livelihood. Starting as a clerk with the East India Company in 1938, he qualified three years later as a sub-judge and served in the judicial department at various places.

Syed Ahmed had a versatile personality, and his position in the judicial department left him time to be active in many fields. His career as an author (in Urdu) started at the age of 23 with religious tracts. In 1847 he brought out a noteworthy book, Athar Assandid ("Monuments of the Great"), on the antiquities of Delhi. Even more important was his pamphlet "The Causes of the Indian Revolt". During the Indian Mutiny of 1857 he had taken the side of the British, but the weakness and errors of the British administration that had led to dissatisfaction and countrywide explosion. Widely read by British officials, it had considerable influence on British Policy.

His interest in religion was also active and lifelong. He began a sympathetic interpretation of the Bible, wrote Essay on the Life of Muhammad (PBUH) (translated into English by his son), and founded time to write several volumes of a modernist commentary on the Quran. In these works he sought to harmonise the Islamic faith with scientific and politically progressive ideas of his time.

The supreme interest of Syed’s life was, however, education – in its widest sense, He began establishing schools, at Muradabad (1858) and Ghazipur (1863). A more ambitious undertaking was the foundation of the Scientific Society, which published translations of many educational texts and issued a bilingual journal – in Urdu and English

These institutions were for the use of all citizens and were jointly operated by the Hindus and Muslims. In the late 1860s there occurred developments that were alert the course of his activities. In 1867 he has transferred to Benares, a city on the Ganges with great religious significance for Hindus. At about the same time a movement started at Benares to replace Urdu, the language cultivated ,.by the Muslims, with Hindi. This movement and the attempts to substitute Hind for Urdu publications of the Scientific Society convinced Syed that the paths of the Hindus and the Muslims must diverge. Thus, when during a visit to England (1869-70) he prepared plans for a great educational institution, they were "a Muslim Cambridge." On his return he set up a committee for the purpose and also started an influential journal, Tahdhib al-Akhlaq "Social Reform"), for the "uplift and reform the Muslim". A Muslim school was established at Aligarh in May 1875, and after his retirement in 1876, Syed devoted himself to enlarging it into a college. In January 1977 the Viceroy laid the foundation stone of the college. In spite of conservation opposition to Syed’s projects, the college made rapid progress. In 1886 Syed organised the All-India Muhammadan Educational Conference, which met annually at different places to promote education and to provide the Muslims with a common platform. Until the founding of the Muslim League in 1906, it was the principal national centre of Indian Islam.

Syed advised the Muslims against joining active politics and to concentrate instead on education. Later, when some Muslims joined the Indian National Congress, he came out strongly against that organisation and its objectives, which included the establishment of parliamentary democracy in India. He argued that, in a country where communal divisions were all-important and education and political organisations were confined to a few classes, parliamentary democracy would work only inequitably. Muslims, generally, followed his advice and abstained from politics until several years later when they had established their own political organisation i.e. Muslim League.

This great scholar and leader died on 27th March, 1898, at Aligarh, India

JALAL AL-DIN RUMI

2006-05-08T02:46:00.000-07:00

Jalal-Al-Din Rumi full name(Jalal al-Din Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Husain al-Rumi) was born in 604 A.H. (1207/8 C.E.) at Balkh (now Afghanistan). His father Baha al-Din was a renowned religious scholar. Under his patronage, Rumi received his early education from Syed Burhan-al-Din. When his age was about 18 years, the family (after several migrations) finally settled at Konya and at the age of 25, Rumi was sent to Aleppo for advanced education and later to Damascus. Rumi continued with his education till he was 40 years old, although on his father's death Rumi succeeded him as a professor in the famous Madrasah at Konya at the age of about 24 years. He received his mystical training first at the hands of Syed Burhan al-Din and later he was trained by Shams al-Din Tabriz. He became famous for his mystical insight, his religious knowledge and as a Persian poet. He used to teach a large number of pupils at his Madrasah and also founded the famous Maulvi Order in Tasawwuf. He died in 672 A.H. (1273 C.E.) at Konya, which subsequently became a sacred place for dancing derveshes of the Maulvi Order.

His major contribution lies in Islamic philosophy and Tasawwuf. This was embodied largely in poetry, especially through his famous Mathnawi. This book, the largest mystical exposition in verse, discusses and offers solutions to many complicated problems in metaphysics, religion, ethics, mysticism, etc. Fundamentally, the Mathnawi highlights the various hidden aspects of Sufism and their relationship with the worldly life. For this, Rumi draws on a variety of subjects and derives numerous examples from everyday life. His main subject is the relationship between man and God on the one hand, and between man and man, on the other. He apparently believed in Pantheism and portrayed the various stages of man's evolution in his journey towards the Ultimate.

Apart from the Mathnaui, he also wrote his Diwan (collection of poems) and Fihi-Ma-Fih (a collection of mystical sayings). How- ever, it is the Mathnawi itself that has largely transmitted Rumi's message. Soon after its completion, other scholars started writing detailed commentaries on it, in order to interpret its rich propositions on Tasawwuf, Metaphysics and Ethics. Several commentaries in different languages have been written since then.

His impact on philosophy, literature, mysticism and culture, has been so deep throughout Central Asia and most Islamic countries that almost all religious scholars, mystics, philosophers, sociologists and others have referred to his verses during all these centuries since his death. Most difficult problems in these areas seem to get simplified in the light of his references. His message seems to have inspired most of the intellectuals in Central Asia and adjoining areas since his time, and scholars like Iqbal have further developed Rumi's concepts. The Mathnawi became known as the interpretation of the Qur'an in the Pahlavi language. He is one of the few intellectuals and mystics whose views have so profoundly affected the world-view in its higher perspective in large parts of the Islamic World.

Sheikh Yusuf Estes

2006-05-08T02:42:00.000-07:00

Yusaf Estes is a prominent Scholar who travels around the Globe Spreading the message of God, he also distributes video and audio lectures. Below is a very interesting short autobiography of how he converted from a Christian Preacher to a Muslim Chaplin, Yusuf Estes has written a short biography of himself and published it on his website http://www.islamtomorrow.com and www.islamtoday.com.

"My name is Yusuf Estes and I am the National Muslim Chaplain for American Muslims, sponsored by a number of organizations here in Washington, DC. As such, I travel around the entire world lecturing and sharing the message of the Christ of the Quran in Islam. We hold dialogs and discussion groups with all faiths and enjoy the opportunity to work alongside of rabbis, ministers, preachers and priests everywhere. Most of our work is in the institutional area, military, universities and prisons. Primarily our goal is to educate and communicate the correct message of Islam and who the Muslims really are. Although Islam has grown now to tie Christianity as the largest of religions on earth, we see many of those who claim Islam as Muslims, that do not correctly understand nor properly represent the message of "Peace, Surrender and Obedience to God" (Arabic = 'Islam').

Dear me, I am afraid that I got a bit ahead of myself, I was trying to give a bit of background on my own personal experience to see if it would in anyway benefit you in your ministry. This may seem quite strange that I would offer to help you, while we perhaps share a few different perspectives and concepts of God, Jesus, prophet hood, sin and salvation. But you see, at one time I was in the same boat as you. Really, I was. Let me explain.

I was born into a very strong Christian family in the Midwest. Our family

Christian Musician Minister - 1988

and their ancestors not only built the churches and schools across this land, but actually were the same ones who came here in the first place. While I was still in elementary we relocated in Houston, Texas in 1949 (I'm old). We attended church regularly and I was baptized at the age of 12 in Pasadena, Texas. As a teenager, I wanted to visit other churches to learn more of their teachings and beliefs. The Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Charismatic movements, Nazarene, Church of Christ, Church of God, Church of God in Christ, Full Gospel, Agape, Catholic, Presbyterian and many more. I developed quite a thirst for the "Gospel" or as we say; "Good News." My research into religion did not stop with Christianity. Not at all. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Metaphysics, native American beliefs were all a part of my studies. Just about the only one that I did not look into seriously was "Islam". Why? Good question.

Anyway, I became very interested in different types of music, especially Gospel and Classical. Because my whole family was religious and musical it followed that I too would begin my studies in both areas. All this set me for the logical position of Music Minister in many of the churches that I became affiliated with over the years. I started teaching keyboard instruments in 1960 and by 1963 owned my own studios in Laurel, Maryland, called "Estes Music Studios."

Over the next 30 years my father and I worked together in many business projects. We had entertainment programs, shows and attractions. We opened piano and organ stores all the way from Texas and Oklahoma to Florida. I made millions of dollars in those years, but could not find the peace of mind that can only come through knowing the truth and finding the real plan of salvation. I'm sure you have asked yourself the question; "Why did God create me?" or "What is it that God wants me to do?" or "Exactly who is God, anyway?" "Why do we believe in 'original sin?" and "Why would the sons of Adam be forced to accept his 'sins' and then as a result be punished forever. But if you asked anyone these questions, they would probably tell you that you have to believe without asking, or that it is a 'mystery' and you shouldn't ask.

And then there is the concept of the 'Trinity.' If I would ask preachers or ministers to give me some sort of an idea how 'one' could figure out to become 'three' or how God Himself, Who can do anything He Wills to do, cannot just forgive people's sins, but rather and had to become a man, come down on earth, be a human, and then take on the sins of all people. Keeping in mind that all along He is still God of the whole universe and does as He Wills to do, both in and outside of the universe as we know it.

Then one day in 1991, I came to know that the Muslims believed in the Bible. I was shocked. How could this be? But that's not all, they believe in Jesus as:

* a true messenger of God;

* prophet of God;

* miracle birth without human intervention;

* he was the 'Christ' or Messiah as predicted in the Bible;

* he is with God now and most important;

* He will be coming back in the Last Days to lead the believers against the 'Antichrist.'

This was too much for me. Especially since the evangelists that we used to travel around with all hated Muslims and Islam very much. They even said things that were not true to make people afraid of Islam. So, why would I want anything to do with these people?

My father was very active in supporting church work, especially church school programs. He became and ordained minister in the 1970s. He and his wife (my stepmother) knew many of the TV evangelists and preachers and even visited Oral Roberts and helped in the building of the "Prayer Tower" in Tulsa, OK. They also were strong supporters of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker, Jerry Fallwell, John Haggi and the biggest enemy to Islam in America, Pat Robertson.

Dad and his wife worked together and were most active in recording "Praise" tapes and distributing them for free to people in retirement homes, hospitals and homes for the elderly. And then in 1991 he began doing business with a man from Egypt and told me that he wanted me to meet him. This idea appealed to me when I thought about the idea of having an international flavor. You know, the pyramids, sphinx, Nile River and all that. Then my father mentioned that this man was a 'Moslem.'

I couldn't believe my ears.

A 'Moslem?'

No way!

I reminded my dad of the various different things that we had heard about these people, how they are -

Terrorists; hijackers; kidnappers; bombers and who knows what else?

Not only that but:

They don't believe in God

They kiss the ground five times a day and

They worship a black box in the desert.

No!

I did not want to meet this 'Moslem' man. No way!

My father insisted that I meet him and reassured me that he was a very nice person. So, I gave in and agreed to the meeting.

But on my terms.

I agreed to meet him on a Sunday after church so we would be all prayed up and in good standing with the Lord. I would be carrying my Bible under my arm as usual. I would have my big shiny cross dangling and I would have on my cap which says: "Jesus is Lord" right across the front. My wife and two young daughters came along and we were ready for our first encounter with the 'Moslems.'

When I came into the shop and asked my father where the 'Moslem' was, he pointed and said: "He's right over there."

I was confused. That couldn't be the Moslem. No way.

I'm looking for a huge man with flowing robes and big turban on his head, a beard half way down his shirt and eyebrows that go all the way across his forehead.

This man had no beard. In fact, he didn't even have any hair on his head at all. He was very close to bald. And he was very pleasant with a warm welcome and handshake. This didn't make sense. I thought they are terrorists and bombers. What is this all about?

Never mind. I'll get right to work on this guy. He needs to be 'saved' and me and the Lord are going to do it.

So, after a quick introduction, I asked him:

"Do you believe in God?"

He said:

"Yes."

(Good!)

Then I said:

"Do you believe in Adam and Eve?"

He said:

"Yes."

I said: "What about Abraham? You believe in him and how he tried to sacrifice his son for God?"

He said:

"Yes."

Then I asked:

"What about Moses?"

"Ten Commandments?"

"Parting the Red Sea?"

Again he said:

"Yes."

Then:

"What about the other prophets, David, Solomon and John the Baptist?"

He said:

"Yes."

I asked:

"Do you believe in the Bible?"

Again, he said:

"Yes."

So, now it was time for the big question:

"Do you believe in Jesus? That he was the Messiah (Christ) of God?"

Again the said:

"Yes."

Well now:

"This was going to be easier than I had thought."

He was just about ready to be baptized only he didn't know it.

And I was just the one to do it, too.

I was winning souls to the Lord day after day and this would be a big achievement for me, to catch one of these 'Moslems' and 'convert' him to Christianity.

I asked him if he liked tea and he said he did. So off we went to a little shop in the mall to sit and talk about my favorite subject: Beliefs.

While we sat in that little coffee shop for hours talking (I did most of the talking) I came to know that he was very nice, quiet and even a bit shy. He listened attentively to every word that I had to say and did not interrupt even one time. I liked this man's way and thought that he had definite potential to become a good Christian.

Little did I know the course of events about to unravel in front of my eyes.

First of all, I agreed with my father that we should do business with this man and even encouraged the idea of him traveling along with me on my business trips across the northern part of Texas. Day after day we would ride together and discuss various issues pertaining to different beliefs that people have. And along the way, I could of course interject some of my favorite radio programs of worship and praise to help bring the message to this poor individual. We talked about the concept of God; the meaning of life; the purpose of creation; the prophets and their mission and how God reveals His Will to mankind. We also shared a lot of personal experiences and ideas as well.

One day I came to know that my friend Mohamed was going to move out of the home he have been sharing with a friend of his and was going to be living in the mosque for a time. I went to my dad and asked him if we could invite Mohamed to come out to our big home in the country and stay there with us. After all, he could share some of the work and some expenses and he would be right there when we were ready to go to out traveling around. My father agreed and Mohamed moved in.

Of course I still would find time to visit my fellow preachers and evangelists around the state of Texas. One of them lived on the Texas -- Mexico border and another lived near lived Oklahoma border. One preacher liked to a huge wooden cross that was bigger than a car. He would carry it over his shoulder and drag the bottom on the ground and go down the road or freeway hauling these two beams formed in the shape of a cross. People would stop their cars and come over to him and ask him what was going on and he would give them pamphlets and booklets on Christianity.

One day my friend with the cross had a heart attack and had to go to the Veterans Hospital where he stayed for quite a long while. I used to visit him in the hospital several times a week and I would take Mohamed with me with the hopes that we could all share together in the subject of beliefs and religions. My friend was not very impressed and it was obvious that he did not want to know anything about Islam. Then one day a man who was sharing the room with my friend came rolling into the room in his wheelchair. I went to him and asked him his name and he said that it didn't matter and when I asked him where he was from he said he was from the planet Jupiter. I thought about what he said and then began to wonder if I was in the cardiac ward or the mental ward.

I knew the man was lonely and depressed and needed someone in his life. So, I began to 'witness' to him about the Lord. I read to him out of the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. I shared the story of the prophet Jonah who had been sent by the Lord to call his people to the correct way. Jonah had left his people and escaped by boat to leave his city and head out to sea. A storm came up and the ship almost capsized and the people on board threw Jonah over the side of the ship. A whale came up to the surface and grabbed Jonah, swallowed him and then went down to the bottom of the sea, where he stayed for 3 days and 3 nights. Yet because of God's Mercy, He caused the whale to rise to the surface and then spit Jonah out to return back home safely to his city of Nineveh. And the idea was that we can't really run away from our problems because we always know what we have done. And what is more, God also always knows what we have done.

After sharing this story with the man in the wheel chair, he looked up and me and apologized. He told me he was sorry for his rude behavior and that he had experienced some real serious problems recently. Then he said that he wanted to confess something to me. And I said that I was not a Catholic priest and I don't handle confessions. He replied back to me that he knew that. In fact, he said: "I am a Catholic priest."

I was shocked. Here I had been trying to preach Christianity to a priest. What in the world was happening here?

The priest began to share his story of being a missionary for the church for over 12 years to south and Central America and Mexico and even in New York's 'Hell's Kitchen.' When he was released from the hospital he needed a place to go to recover and rather than let him go to stay with a Catholic family, I told my dad that we should invite him to come out and live with us in the country along with our families and Mohamed. It was agreed by all that he would so, he moved out right away.

During the trip out to our home, I talked with the priest about some of the concepts of beliefs in Islam and to my surprise he agreed and then shared even more about this with me. I was shocked when he told me that Catholic priests actually study Islam and some even carry doctors degrees in this subject. This was all very enlightening to me. But there was still a lot more to come.

After settling in, we all began to gather around the kitchen table after dinner every night to discuss religion. My father would bring his King James Version of the Bible, I would bring out my Revised Standard Version of the Bible, my wife had another version of the Bible (maybe something like Jimmy Swaggart's 'Good News For Modern Man." The priest of course, had the Catholic Bible which has 7 more books in it that the Protestant Bible. So we spent more time talking about which Bible was the right one or the most correct one, than we did trying to convince Mohamed about becoming a Christian.

At one point I recall asking him about the Quran and how many versions of it there were in the last 1,400 years. He told me that there was only ONE QURAN. And that it had never been changed. Yet he let me know that the Quran had been memorized by hundreds of thousands of people, in it's entirety and were scattered about the earth in many different countries. Over the centuries since the Quran was revealed millions have memorized it completely and have taught it to others who have memorized it completely, from cover to cover, letter perfect without mistakes.

This did not seem possible to me. After all, the original languages of the Bible have all been dead languages for centuries and the documents themselves have been lost in their originals for hundreds and thousands of years. So, how could it be that something like this could be so easy to preserve and to recite from cover to cover.

Anyway, one day the priest asked the Mohamed if he might accompany him to the mosque to see what it was like there. They came back talking about their experience there and we could not wait to ask the priest what it was like and what all types of ceremonies they performed. He said they didn't really 'do' anything. They just came and prayed and left. I said: "They left? Without any speeches or singing?" He said that was right.

A few more days went by and the Catholic priest asked Mohamed if he might join him again for a trip to the mosque which they did. But this time it was different. They did not come back for a very long time. It became dark and we worried that something might have happened to them. Finally they arrived and when they came in the door I immediately recognized Mohamed, but who was this alongside of him? Someone wearing a white robe and a white cap. Hold on a minute! It was the priest. I said to him: "Pete? -- Did you become a 'Moslem?'

He said that he had entered into Islam that very day. THE PRIEST BECAME A MUSLIM!! What next? (You'll see).

So, I went upstairs to think things over a bit and began to talk to my wife about the whole subject. She then told me that she too was going to enter into Islam, because she knew it was the truth. I was really shocked now. I went downstairs and woke up Mohamed and asked him to come outside with me for a discussion. We walked and talked that whole night through. By the time he was ready to pray Fajr (the morning prayer of the Muslims) I knew that the truth had come at last and now it was up to me to do my part. I went out back behind my father's house and found an old piece of plywood lying under an overhang and right there I put my head down on the ground facing the direction that the Muslims pray five times a day.

Now then in that position, with my body stretched out on the plywood and my head on the ground, I asked: "O God. If you are there, guide me, guide me." And then after a while I raised up my head and I noticed something. No, I didn't see birds or angels coming out of the sky nor did I hear voices or music, nor did I see bright lights and flashes. What I did notice was a change inside of me. I was aware now more than ever before that it was time for me to stop lying and cheating and doing sneaky business deals. It was time that I really work at being an honest and upright man. I knew now what I had to do. So I went upstairs and took a shower with the distinct idea that I was 'washing' away the sinful old person that I had become over the years. And I was now coming into a new, fresh life. A life based on truth and proof.

Around 11:00 A.M. that morning, I stood before two witnesses, one the ex-priest, formerly known as Father Peter Jacob's, and the other Mohamed Abel Rehman and announced my 'shahadah' (open testimony to the Oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad, peace be upon him).

A few minutes later, my wife follow along and gave the same testimony. But hers was in front of 3 witnesses (me being the third).

My father was a bit more reserved on the subject and waited a few more months before he made his shahadah (public testimony). But he did finally commit to Islam and began offering prayers right along with me and the other Muslims in the local masjid (mosque).

The children were taken out of the Christian school and placed in Muslim schools. And now ten years later, they are memorizing much of the Quran and the teachings of Islam.

My father's wife was the last of all to acknowledge that Jesus could not be a son of God and that he must have been a mighty prophet of God, but not God.

Now stop and think. A whole entire household of people from varying backgrounds and ethnic groups coming together in truth to learn how to know and worship the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Think. A Catholic priest. A minister of music and preacher. An ordained minister and builder of Christian schools. And they all come into Islam! Only by His Mercy were we all guided to see the real truth of Islam without any blinders on their eyes any longer.

If I were to stop right here, I'm sure that you would have to admit that at least, this is an amazing story, right? After all, three religious leaders of three separate denominations all going into one very opposite belief at the same time and then soon after the rest of the household.

But that is not all. There is more! The same year, while I was in Grand Prairie, Texas (near Dallas) I met a Baptist seminary student from Tennessee named Joe, who also came to Islam after reading the Holy Quran while in BAPTIST SEMINARY COLLEGE!

There are others as well. I recall the case of the Catholic priest in a college town who talked about the good things in Islam so much that I was forced to ask him why he didn't enter Islam. He replied: "What? And loose my job?" - His name is Father John and there is still hope for him yet.

More? Yes. The very next year I met a former Catholic priest who had been a missionary for 8 years in Africa. He learned about Islam while he was there and entered into Islam. He then changed his name to Omar and moved to Dallas Texas.

Any more? Again, yes. Two years later, while in San Antonio, Texas I was introduced to a former Arch Bishop of the Orthodox Church of Russia who learned about Islam and gave up his position to enter Islam.

After accepting Islam-Year 2000

And since my own entrance into Islam and becoming a chaplain to the Muslims throughout the country and around the world, I have encountered many more individuals who were leaders, teachers and scholars in other religions who learned about Islam and entered into it. They came from Hindus, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Greek and Russian Orthodox, Coptic Christians from Egypt, non-denominational churches and even scientists who had been atheists.

Why? Good question.

May I suggest to the seeker of truth do the following NINE STEPS to purification of the mind:

1.) Clean their mind, their heart and their soul real good.

2.) Clear away all the prejudices and biases

3.) Read a good translation of the meaning of the Holy Quran in a language that they can understand best.

4.) Take some time.

5.) Read and reflect.

6.) Think and pray.

7.) And keep on asking the One who created you in the first place, to guide you to the truth.

8.) Keep this up for a few months. And be regular in it.

9.) Above all, do not let others who are poisoned in their thinking influence you while your are in this state of "rebirth of the soul."

The rest is between you and the Almighty Lord of the Universe. If you truly love Him, then He already Knows it and He will deal with each of us according to our hearts.

So, now you have the introduction to the story of my coming into Islam and becoming Muslim. There is more on the Internet about this story and there are more pictures there as well. Please take the time to visit it and then please take the time to email me and let us come together to share in all truths based on proofs for understanding our origins and our purpose and goals in this life and the Next Life.

And once again I thank you for your email today. If you hadn't sent it, I probably would still not have completed this task of putting down the story once and for all of how "Priest and Preachers Are Coming to Islam."

May Allah guide you on your journey to all truth. Ameen. And May He open your heart and your mind to the reality of this world and the purpose of this life, ameen.

Peace to you and Guidance from Allah the One Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of all that exists.

Your friend,

Chaplain Yusuf Estes

SOURCE:http://www.famousmuslims.com

ABU AL-HASAN AL-MAWARDI

2006-05-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Habib al-Mawardi was born at Basrah in 972 C.E. He was educated at first in Basrah where, after completion of his basic education, he learned Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) from the jurist Abu al-Wahid al-Simari. He then went to Baghdad for advanced studies under Sheikh Abd al-Hamid and Abdallah al-Baqi. His proficiency in jurisprudence Ethics, Political science and literature proved useful in securing a respectable career for him. After his initial appointment as Qadi (Judge), he was gradually promoted to higher offices, till he became the Chief Justice at Baghdad. The Abbasid Caliph al-Qaim bi Amr Allah appointed him as his roving ambassador and sent him to a number of countries as the head of special missions. In this capacity he played a key role in establishing harmonious relations between the declining Abbasid Caliphate and the rising powers of Buwahids and Seljukes. He was favoured with rich gifts and tributes by most Sultans of the time. He was still in Baghdad when it was taken over by Buwahids. Al-Mawardi died in 1058 C.E.

Al-Mawardi was a great jurist, mohaddith, sociologist and an expert in Political Science. He was a jurist in the school of Fiqh and his book Al-Hawi on the principles of jurisprudence is held in high repute.

His contribution in political science and sociology comprises a number of monumental books, the most famous of which are Kitab al-Ahkam al-Sultania, Qanun al-Wazarah, and Kitab Nasihat al-Mulk. The books discuss the principles of political science, with special reference to the functions and duties of the caliphs, the chief minister, other ministers, relationships between various elements of public and govemment and measures to strengthen the government and ensure victory in war. Two of these books, al-Ahkam al-Sultania and Qanun al-Wazarah have been published and also translated into various languages. He is considered as being the author/supporter of the 'Doctrine of Necessity' in political science. He was thus in favour of a strong caliphate and discouraged unlimited powers delegated to the Governors, which tended to create chaos. On the other hand, he has laid down clear principles for election of the caliph and qualities of the voters, chief among which are attainment of a degree of intellectual level and purity of character.

In ethics, he wrote Kitab Aadab al-Dunya wa al-Din, which became a widely popular book on the subject and is still read in some Islamic countries.

Al-Mawardi has been considered as one of the most famous thinkers in political science in the middle ages. His original work influenced the development of this science, together with the science of sociology, which was further developed later on by Ibn Khaldun.

Source: http://www.famousmuslims.com/ABU%20AL-HASAN%20AL-MAWARDI.htm

The Story of Adnan Oktar's Life

2006-05-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Adnan Oktar, who writes his books under the pen-name "Harun Yahya", is an idealist person who devoted his entire life to share his views on the existence and unity of God and the graces of the Quranic morals with other people. Starting from his university years, he has spent every moment of his life, serving to this cause and never dreaded facing difficulties. There has been several campaigns of persecution against Mr. Oktar because of his faith and ministry. He has been arrested many times, kept in custody, tortured by Turkish authorities for many months, but always found innocent at the end. Today, he still stands firmly against all the pressure and slanders that he confronts by displaying the same patience and fortitude.

Below, you will find the brief biography of Adnan Oktar, whose works you will find on website listed at the end of the page.

Adnan Oktar was born in 1956 in Ankara and spent his life in Ankara until the end of high school. His commitment to Islam got even more steadfast during high school years. Reading various religious books during this period, he gained profound knowledge about Islam. Moreover, he himself grasped important facts and decided to share these with the people surrounding him. In 1979, Adnan Oktar moved to Istanbul to attend Mimar Sinan University. It was by this time that he undertook the mission to call people to the faith and morals of Islam.

Years in Mimar Sinan University

By the time Adnan Oktar entered Istanbul Mimar Sinan University, the school was already under the influence of various illegal Marxist organizations and militantly atheistic views were prevalent in the university. Everyone, be him a faculty member or a student, was a materialist adhering to the atheist way of thinking. Indeed, instructors took every opportunity to propagate the materialistic philosophy and Darwinism in their lectures albeit irrelevant with their topic.

In an environment where each and every religious and moral value was disrespected and outright rejected, Adnan Oktar started to call the people around him to the unity and existence of God. As may be understood, under such circumstances, any theistic idea was not given an opportunity to gain ground. As Mediha Oktar, his mother, relates, during that period he only had a few hours sleep each night, spending his time reading, taking notes and keeping files. He read hundreds of books, including the basic works on Marxism, communism and materialistic philosophy and thoroughly studied the books on secular ideologies, both classical works and rarely-read ones. He worked on them, marking the significant sections and taking notes at the back. He became highly knowledgeable about these philosophies and ideologies, far better than their own advocates. He also made extensive research on the evolutionary theory, the allegedly scientific basis of these ideologies, and gathered documents and information about it.

Having gathered ample information on deadlocks, contradictions and lies inherent in these philosophies and ideologies based on the rejection of God, Mr. Oktar used this accumulation to tell the facts. He told the existence and unity of God and the truth of the Qur'an in the light of rational and scientific evidence almost to everyone, including the students and instructors in the university. In the course of a conversation in the school cafeteria, on the corridors or during breaks, one could see him refuting the materialist philosophy and Marxism, quoting from these ideologies' own reference books.

He particularly gave emphasis to the theory of evolution, i.e. Darwinism. This theory, advanced against the fact of creation, was widely adopted by university students.

His First Booklet on Darwinism

With this purpose in mind, Adnan Oktar primarily concentrated his efforts on proving the invalidity of this deception. As Darwinism was advanced in the name of science, he thought science would serve as the best means to disclose its fallacy. He wrote a booklet titled The Evolutionary Theory, which was a summary of his extensive researches and studies. He, himself, paid all costs of this booklet by selling some of the estates he inherited from his family. Then, he started distributing free copies of this booklet to university students and discussed it with anyone he met. This booklet was indeed a comprehensive work revealing that the evolution theory was a fraud which had no scientific and rational value whatsoever. Furthermore, some militant students at the university were straightforwardly threatening Oktar stating that he would put his life to risk if he did not stop his activities. Yet, all these pressures and threats made Oktar even more committed and resolute.

In a university under the Marxists' domination where terror was reigning, the religious people were harassed because of their beliefs. At that time in Turkey, many young people were murdered because of the ideological tension. Under such circumstances, Adnan Oktar was openly preaching the existence and the unity of God, and the righteousness of the Qur'an. In a school where people never dared to disclose their faith, he regularly went to the Molla Mosque and fulfilled his prayers, never being intimidated the reactions and threats he encountered.

The Anxiety of the Atheist Instructors

Adnan Oktar always entered the lectures with scientific documents and research files he always kept with him and had discussions with the instructors about the materialist philosophy and the evolutionary theory. At that time, there were two well-known faculty members who were continuously talking about evolution and making atheist propaganda. Thus, they were popular among Marxist students and earned their respect. However, their desperate efforts to defend their ideas throughout the discussions they had with Adnan Oktar, and the illogical answers they provided revealed the futile and unrealistic nature of their ideologies.

One day after the lecture, one of these instructors made a brief, yet efficient discussion about the deadlocks of the evolutionary theory with Adnan Oktar. This person could bring no reasonable explanation and answer to the scientific and rational arguments provided by Adnan Oktar. All he could do was to leave that place immediately.

However, that he met such a defeat before the very eyes of the students was what most distressed him. From that time on, this person, who used to wander around the corridors and hold serious lengthy philosophical conversations with his students after the lectures, started to hastily run to his room all alone to avoid Adnan Oktar.

Alone for Three Years

Adnan Oktar was alone when he started communicating Islam at Mimar Sinan University. For more than three years, there was no one supporting his views. However this lack of support did not change his commitment. He knew that God was his sole Companion and he did all this to earn the good pleasure of God.
Adnan Oktar made a remarkable exam score in the entrance exams of the Mimar Sinan University. He had an exceptional ability in drawing. If it was what his goal, he could easily have a degree in fine arts and make a brilliant career. He could normally think, "First let me make my career and then I can start communicating Islam"; but he didn't. He devoted all his time, energy and means to only one purpose.

Having no support throughout these years, Adnan Oktar could simply think his efforts to be vain and simply give up. But he did not. With determination and commitment, he continued to convey the words of God to people around him. Keeping in mind the words of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, "The skill is not to have many listeners but to earn the good pleasure of God", he went on.

In 1982, for the first time, a few young people who were new at Mimar Sinan University, decided to support Mr. Oktar in his ideological struggle. As months and years passed by, the number of young people embracing the same views increased. The evidence for creation, the invalidity of Marxism and materialist philosophy, which was then a dominant ideology, were the major subjects of Adnan Oktar's conversations with these young people. His main ambition was to guide them in being honorable people. From 1982 to 1984, a group of 20-30 young people was formed.

During the two years following 1984, conversations held with young people, who were then attending private high schools in Istanbul, were about moral values. During these years, Oktar did not attend Mimar Sinan University. He enrolled to a new faculty, Istanbul University, Philosophy Department.

His name appeared in Nokta (The Point) magazine for the first time in 1986 and this was the first time he became to be known by the general public.

First impression in the press

The news about Adnan Oktar appeared as the cover story of Nokta (The Point) magazine after the visit of Rusen Cakir, a correspondent for the Nokta (The Point) magazine, to the mosque where Adnan Oktar gathered with his friends and held conversations. The story published under the headline "Disciples from Colleges" covered basically Adnan Oktar and the way he communicated the message of Islam to the young people who shared his ideas. During this period, many university students, mostly from Bosphorus University, one of the most prestigious universities of Turkey, started to participate in the conversations of Adnan Oktar.

Until the beginning of the summer of the same year, press organs made a full coverage of Adnan Oktar almost everyday. Many newspapers carried his name to the headlines. Adnan Oktar, who spread the message of Islam into the section of society which seemed to be the most secularized, was understandably startling for the media.

The First Persecution

The powers in the Turkish society who are at odds with Islam, which are traditionally organized under the banner of Freemasonry, were greatly disturbed by the ministry led by Adnan Oktar. On the other hand, some distinguished families of Istanbul were concerned about their children who changed their way of living and started to observe their religious duties. Essentially these two factors initiated a campaign of persecution to halt the activities of Adnan Oktar.

In the summer of 1986, Adnan Oktar was arrested for a crime he never had the chance to know. As was related later, he was arrested because of his words "I am from the nation of Abraham and Turkish ethnicity." This statement appeared in an interview which was published in a newspaper. This was also the time when false reports, unfounded information and slanders started to appear in the media.

Torture in the Mental Hospital

Adnan Oktar was first arrested and imprisoned. Then, he was transferred to Bakirkoy Mental Hospital and placed under observation on the pretext that he was mentally unwell. In the hospital, he was placed in the "14A" ward, a special section where only very dangerous patients who were immune to punishment were kept. Since murders were very ordinary incidents among these mentally sick people, Oktar was expected to be murdered. For a certain period of time, he was chained to bed by his ankles and exposed to cruel treatments. By force, he was given drugs blurring consciousness. Meanwhile, his young friends who had the chance to secretly visit and see him witnessed that he never lost his commitment and enthusiasm in the meanwhile. Moreover, all the things he went through added more to his commitment.

Oktar was held in prison and mental hospital for a total of 19 months and then acquitted and released by the court since his statements were found to be inoffensive. After his release, he saw that during the time he was in the mental hospital, the number of his young supporters increased dramatically. Since visiting him was prohibited they could only see him behind the hospital bars. A few minutes talk they had with Adnan Oktar behind these bars -one could only go to this place by jumping over the hospital fences- made these young people have a profound and everlasting love and respect for him.

Darwinism

Since 1979, the year he started to communicate his views about religion, disclosing the real face of the Darwinism had been the major goal of Adnan Oktar. This subject never lost its importance throughout the years however. The theory of evolution always had priority for Oktar. With resoluteness, he carried out his studies on Darwinism. In 1986, he compiled all his valuable researches on Darwinism in his book Living Beings and Evolution. In the light of scientific sources, this book showed the impasse of the theory of evolution and revealed the fact of creation.

During those years, the friends of Adnan Oktar also concentrated their efforts on the evolutionary theory. They put forth a great effort to tell people the groundless nature of the theory. In colleges and high schools, scientific arguments were carried out among students. This was a total surprise to some instructors blindly attached to Darwinism. In their lifetime, this was the first time they met such students, who were very knowledgeable about the theory. To their surprise, they actually knew more than themselves and defended creation eloquently.

These were actually the preliminary works of the campaign which would be launched in 1998. The goal of the campaign was already set: to eradicate the evolution theory and materialism from the Turkish society.

By the time Adnan Oktar was released in 1988, most of his friends were in the university. Mr. Oktar's efforts to spread the message of Islam and moral values were no longer limited to schools. It was the time when different sections of society were informed about these views. Adnan Oktar and his friends took upon themselves the responsibility to remind young people, who aimed nothing but to make the most of their life, that they will be hold responsible for their acts and thoughts and that they will be ultimately judged in the presence of God. Accordingly, they recommended them to reorient their lives and submit to the Will of God. Indeed, some of those who were indulged in extremes as a way of life abandoned this degenerate life style and became conscientious and responsible people.

The Science Research Foundation

During the two years following his release in 1988, Adnan Oktar laid the ideological basis of the Science Research Foundation which was founded in 1990. He held conversations over moral values with his friends who shared his views. It was during this period that the intellectual groundwork of the Science Research Foundation was shaped by the contribution of Adnan Oktar.

Finally, in January 1990, Adnan Oktar and his young friends founded the Science Research Foundation to carry out their services under the name of an institution and to address to larger masses. Adnan Oktar was declared the Honorary President of the foundation. The Foundation carried out several activities; the members of the foundation published books and conducted cultural studies, held panels, discussions and conferences to cherish and revive moral values.

After the establishment of the foundation, a great police raid was made to a regular meeting in which more than 100 members participated. More than a hundred members were taken into custody and were interrogated by the police. The following day, some newspapers covered the story of this operation as if a big crime ring was caught. Majority of the members were released in 3-4 hours. However the slander campaign launched by the press continued for days. The press wrote incredible scenarios about Adnan Oktar and the members of the foundation. The main purpose of the subjective news was to mislead the security and judicial institutions by these imaginary accusations. Yet all these efforts were in vain. Adnan Oktar who was kept in custody and interrogated for a week was released, as there was no element of crime in the incident. It was evident that the same circles were trying to give a message in their own way.

Cocaine Plot

During 1990, activities of the Science Research Foundation continued with an even stronger determination. In the midst of 1991, two foundation members officially married. However, the families of these young people filed complaints against this marriage. What is more, Adnan Oktar was surprisingly blamed for this ordinary marriage, which had by no means any illegitimate aspect. Accordingly, Adnan Oktar was once again arrested. However, this time, the existence of a more inclusive plot was evident. Officers who broke into the house of Mr. Oktar in Ortakoy where he lived with his mother found a packet of cocaine in a book. There were some thousand books over the bookshelves covering two walls, and the officers found the cocaine in a few minutes as if they had just left it there.

Just after this event Adnan Oktar, who was then in Izmir with a couple of his friends, was arrested. He was then transferred to Istanbul Security Headquarters, where he was detained for 62 hours. After 62 hours, he was sent to Forensic Medicine Institution for a cocaine test. The result was very interesting indeed! Very high doses of a by-product of cocaine were detected in Adnan Oktar's blood!

Yet subsequent evidences proved that this was merely a plot. Firstly, it was found out that the cocaine alleged to be found in Mr. Oktar's house was part of the plot. A short while before this plot, Adnan Oktar felt that a stealthy plan was being hatched against him and left his house in Ortakoy, Istanbul. Then, he called his mother and said that it was likely that a plot was being hatched against him and he wanted his mother to clean and check the house thoroughly with a couple of other people so that they could be witnesses. Upon this, Mr. Oktar's mother Mediha Oktar called one of her neighbors and the doorkeeper and they all together thoroughly cleaned the house, dusted one by one all the books over the bookshelves. Despite the fact that Adnan Oktar had never been at home after this cleaning, 16 police officers raided the flat and suddenly found a "a packet of cocaine" in one of the books. The neighbor of Mediha Oktar and the doorkeeper gave their individual testimonies before the notary public stating "We cleaned Adnan Oktar's books thoroughly one by one; and there was not such a packet there."

The second part of the cocaine plot was the cocaine by-product detected in Adnan Oktar's blood. Scientific and judicial evidences disproved this allegation. Adnan Oktar had been in the Security Headquarters for 62 hours and the test was conducted after 62 hours. Normally, by looking at the amount of the by-product of cocaine detected in the blood, one can scientifically calculate the exact amount of cocaine taken. This calculation can also indicate how many hours ago the cocaine was taken. The dose of the cocaine detected in Adnan Oktar's blood was, however, at a fatal level, had it been taken 62 hours ago. In other words, such a high dose of cocaine would kill him if he had taken it 62 hours ago. This result clearly revealed that the cocaine detected in Adnan Oktar's blood was given to his body during those 62 hours. In other words, he was given cocaine during the time he was detained in the security headquarters. The cocaine was actually mixed to his food when he was under police detainment.

This fact was also confirmed by 30 international forensic medicine institutions, including Scotland Yard. They all examined the file sent to them about the case. Their conclusive view was the following: "Cocaine was mixed to his food when he was under police detainment. The event is a plot. "

The Secluded life of Adnan Oktar

After Mr. Oktar shaped the mission of the Science Research Foundation, he closely monitored the activities of the foundation for an uninterrupted two years and then by 1991, he devoted all his time to work on his books. Especially after the cocaine plot made against him, he retreated into a secluded life in order both to prevent similar plots and assaults and to have time for his books. He spent all his time in his house. He occasionally visited his friends and participated in discussions. He constantly refused to give interviews to newspapers and TV channels despite their insistent requests.

During this time, Adnan Oktar's involvement in the activities of the Science Research Foundation was limited to giving ideas at the stage of laying down the general principles of the foundation. Meanwhile, he was only giving some recommendations to the members of the foundation about the principles of the Qur'an and good manners. This period lasted until November 12, 1999, the day a police operation was conducted against the SRF community.

Communicating Islam to the Prominent People

One of the major goals of Adnan Oktar was to make a radical change in society's firm conviction about religion that "religion is a phenomenon that addresses merely to elderly people or a particular section of society." This conviction utterly hampered the penetration of the Qur'anic truth to a considerable part of society. Those who were to set examples for the young people were homosexuals, forgers, indecent people etc. Degenerate masses, totally bereft of their religious and moral values, were committing themselves to more destruction each day. However, there might be a hope to save majority of these people if they were told the truth.

In order to eliminate this prejudice prevalent in society, Adnan Oktar took the initiative to contact people who could make a "symbolic" impact over society and inform them about moral values. This was why some SRF members contacted celebrities like models, singers and movie stars. This is explained in the press release of the SRF as follows:

Gulay Pinarbasi is a notable example of this spiritual awakening. She was a model before she met the SRF community; but then she decided to change her entire life. Soon she abandoned her old way of living and started a decent life. She devoted all her time to scientific and religious studies and after a while she started her career as a columnist in a conservative newspaper. Meanwhile, some male models who were also impressed by the truths told by the SRF members quit their career and started to reorient all their lives in a totally different way.

Unrelenting Struggle against Darwinism

In early 1998, Adnan Oktar and his friends launched a great intellectual campaign against Darwinism. To start with, thousands of free copies of Adnan Oktar's book, The Evolution Deceit and the booklets based on this book were distributed in every corner of Turkey. The Science Research Foundation started to hold a series of conferences "The Collapse of the Evolution Theory and the Fact of Creation" all around Turkey. The first three of these conferences which were held in Istanbul and Ankara hosted world renowned American scientists as lecturers.

Then similar conferences were held in 120 different cities and towns of Turkey. In these conferences, the SRF members, each an expert in his own field, delivered lectures. The purpose was to scientifically disprove Darwinism, a fallacy propagated under the guise of science, and thus to bring the materialist thought and moral understanding to ruin.

These activities carried out by the Science Research Foundation in the leadership of Adnan Oktar proved to be a great success. People, who were not knowledgeable about the theory of evolution until then, had the opportunity to learn the real truth about the evolutionary theory and the dimensions of the scientific forgery it committed worldwide. Turkish people acknowledged the fact that the education system, based on the indoctrination of the evolutionary theory to the young brains, was a part of the stealthy plan against the social and moral values and our future generations.

Publication of books, organization of conferences, production of videotapes and CDs were the basic activities carried out by the contribution of the Science Research Foundation. These productions were essentially about the scientific invalidity of the evolutionary theory, the ideological background of the theory and the fact of creation.

The books written under the pen name "Harun Yahya" and the productions made by the contribution of the Science Research Foundation include more than 190 books on political, scientific and religious issues, 14 documentaries, dozens of tape-cassettes and interactive CD on the collapse of the theory of evolution and the fact of creation. This collection of high quality works with aesthetic appeal and well-founded content is an important source.

And Pressure Again...

All these committed activities highly annoyed and disquieted some particular centers. With the provocation of materialist centers and Mason circles, they launched a campaign against these activities. The circles in question made declarations like "Conferences held by the Science Research Foundation must absolutely be stopped." The aim was to prevent any scientific study refuting evolution. They were enraged by the deathblow these activities gave to their philosophy they could hardly sustain. Unable to provide any scientific response, they only claimed that these activities had to be stopped as soon as possible. They could not stand the total rebuttal of the theory they were blindly attached to before the very eyes of the Turkish Public. These efforts of Adnan Oktar and his young friends to prove the scientific invalidity of the theory of evolution continued until the fall of 1999. This was exactly the time when the news about the Global Freemasonry, a great book by Harun Yahya in three volumes, spread. All these laid the ground for the greatest police operation of the Turkish Republic.

Surely Adnan Oktar was not openly accused of "inviting people to the true path of God, reminding them God, religion and the good morals of Islam, and standing against materialism, disbelief and immorality."

By November 12, 1999, some media organs, which had enmity against Adnan Oktar, employed their usual methods to produce groundless slanders, scenarios and lies. Inconceivable lies and slanders appeared in the press every day, all of which, interestingly, contradicted with one another.However, as Adnan Oktar always states, they, too, have inevitably submitted themselves to the Will of God and, albeit unknowingly, they perform the duty assigned to them in the best manner possible since this is what is predestined for them by God.

They are not aware but they actually served to the purposes of Muslims in the sense that Muslims were tested and they earned the good pleasure of God by means of these incidents. Furthermore, by this way, those who tell the truth became apparent so that everyone could recognize them.

In accordance with the verse, "Repel (Evil) with what is better" (Surah Fussilat: 34), Adnan Oktar always has a peaceful and tolerant approach to those who bear enmity against him. He underlines the fact that "The fate God creates is always perfect and there is goodness in all".

Adnan Oktar's website- www.harunyahya.com

Email- info@harunyahya.com

Source : http://www.famousmuslims.com/harunyahya.htm

Renowned female Scholar: Aminah Assilmi

2006-05-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

Aminah is a renowned female scholar of Islam she travels around the United States to give lectures , her personal story has admired hundreds of individuals ,she is also President of International Union of Muslim Women , the organization that has many achievements under its belt.

"I am so very glad that I am a Muslim. Islam is my life. Islam is the beat of my heart. Islam is the blood that courses through my veins. Islam is my strength. Islam is my life so wonderful and beautiful. Without Islam I am nothing, and should Allah ever turn His magnificent face from me, I could not survive." Aminah

It all started with a computer glitch.

She was a Southern Baptist girl, a radical feminist, and a broadcast journalist. She was a girl with an unusual caliber, who excelled in school, received scholarships, ran her own business, and were competing with professionals and getting awards – all these while she was going to college. Then one day a computer error happened that made her take up a mission as a devout Christian. Eventually, however, it resulted into something opposite and changed her life completely around.

It was 1975 when for the first time computer was used to pre-register for a class in her college. She was working on her degree on Recreation. She pre-registered for a class and then went to Oklahoma City to take care of a business. Her return was delayed and she came back to college two weeks into the class. Making up the missed work was no problem for her, but she was surprised to find that the computer mistakenly registered her for a Theatre class, a class where students would be required to perform in front of others. She was a very reticent girl and she was horrified to think about performing in front of others. She could not drop the class for it was too late

Failing the class was also not a choice, for she was receiving a scholarship that was paying for her tuition and receiving an ‘F’ would have jeopardized it.

Advised by her husband, she went to her teacher to work out some other alternative to performing, such as preparing costumes, etc. Assured by the teacher that he would try to help her, she went to the next class and was shocked by what she saw. The class was full of Arabs and “camel jockeys”. That was enough for her. She came back home and decided not to go back to the class anymore. It was not possible for her to be in the middle of Arabs. “There was no way I was going to sit in a room full of dirty heathens!”

Her husband was calm as usual. He pointed out to her that God has a reason for everything and that she should think about more before quitting. Besides, there was the scholarship that was paying her tuition. She went behind locked doors for 2 days to think about. When she came out, she decided to continue the class. She felt that God gave her a task to convert the Arabs into Christianity.

Thus she found herself with a mission to accomplish. Throughout the class, she would be discussing Christianity with her Arab classmates. “I proceeded to explain to them how they would burn in the fires of hell for all eternity, if they did not accept Jesus as their personal savior. They were very polite, but did not convert. Then, I explained how Jesus loved them and had died on the cross to save them from their sins. All they had to do was accept him into their hearts.” They still did not convert, and so she decided to do something else: “I decided to read their own book to show to them that Islam was a false religion and Mohammed was a false Prophet”.

At her request, one student gave her a copy of the Qur’an and another book on Islam. With these two books she started on her research, which she was to continue for the next one and half years. She read the Qur’an fully and another fifteen books on Islam. Then she came back to the Qur’an and re-read it. During her research, she started taking notes that she found objectionable and which she would be able to use to prove that Islam was a false religion.

Unconsciously, however, she was changing from within which did not escape the attention of her husband. “I was changing, just in little ways but enough to bother him. We used to go to the bar every Friday and Saturday, or to a party, and I no longer wanted to go. I was quieter and more distant.” She stopped drinking and eating pork. Her husband suspected her of having an affair with another man, for “it was only for a man that a woman changes”. Ultimately, she was asked to leave, and she soon found herself living in a separate apartment

"When I first started to study Islam, I did not expect to find anything that I needed or wanted in my personal life. Little did I know that Islam would change my life. No human could have ever convinced me that I would finally be at peace and overflowing with love and joy because of Islam."

Throughout these times, she continued studying Islam and although she was changing subtly from within, she remained a devout Christian. Then one day, there was a knock on her door. It was a man in traditional Muslim robe, who appeared to her as a “man in a long white night gown with a red and white checkered table cloth on his head”. His name was Abdul-Aziz Al-Sheik and he was accompanied by three other men in similar dress. She was very offended by Muslim men coming to her in nightgowns and pajamas. She was further shocked when Abdul-Aziz told her that he understood that she waited to be a Muslim. She replied that she was a Christian and she did not have any plan to become a Muslim. However, she had some questions to ask if they had the time.

At her invitation, they came inside. She now brought up the questions and objections that she noted down while she was researching. “I will never forget his name”, she said of Abdul-Aziz who proved to be a very patient and soft-mannered person. “He was very patient and discussed every question with me. He never made me feel silly or that a question was stupid.” Abdul-Aziz listened to every question and objection and explained it within the proper context. “He explained that Allah had told us to seek knowledge and questions were one of the ways to accomplish that. When he explained something, it was like watching a rose open – petal by petal, until it reached its full glory. When I told him that I did not agree with something and why, he always said I was correct up to a point. Then he would show me how to look deeper and from different directions to reach a fuller understanding.”

It would not be long before she would externally submit to what she had already been submitting to internally during the last one and half years. Later in that same day, this Southern Baptist girl would declare in front of Abdul-Aziz and his companions: “I bear witness that there is no god but God and Mohammed is His Messenger.” It was May 21, 1977.

Conversion to Islam, or to any other religion for that matter, is not always a simple thing to do. Except for a few fortunate ones, a new Muslim usually face consequences. The convert may face isolation from family and friends, if not pressure to go back to the family faith. Sometimes, a convert may even face sever economic hardship, as in the case of those who are asked to leave the house because of converting to Islam. Some converts are fortunate to continue to be well respected by family and friends, but most of them face minor to severe hardship especially during the first few years after the conversion.

But the difficulty that Aminah Assilimi had to go through and the sacrifice that she had to make for the sake of her conviction and faith is almost unheard of. There are few who could rely so much on Allah as she did, standing firm and meeting the challenges, making sacrifices, and yet maintaining a positive posture and influencing people around with the beauty of what she found and believed in.

She lost most of her friends, for she was “no fun anymore”. Her mother did not accept her becoming a Muslim and hoped that it was a temporary zeal and that she would soon grow out of it. Her “mental health expert” sister thought that she lost her mind. She attempted to put her in a mental health institution.

Her father was a calm and wise man. People would come to him for advice and he could comfort anyone in distress. But when he heard that his daughter became a Muslim, he loaded his double-barrel shotgun and started on his way to kill her. “It is better that she be dead rather than suffering in the deepest of Hell”, he said.

She was now without friends and without family.

She soon started wearing hijab. The day she put it on, she was denied her job. She was now without family, friends, and job. But her greatest sacrifice was yet to come.

She and her husband both loved each other very much. But while she was studying Islam, her husband misunderstood her for her apparent changes. She became quieter and stopped going to the bar. Her changes were visible to him and he suspected her of having affair with another man, for whom she must have been changing. She could not explain to him what was happening. “There was no way to make him understand what was changing me because I did not know.” Eventually he asked her to leave and she started living separately.

After she openly accepted Islam, it went worse. A divorce was now inevitable. This was a time when Islam was little known, much less understood for what it is. She had two little children whom she loved dearly and whose custody should have rightfully be given to her. But in a grave violation of justice, she was denied their custody just because she became a Muslim. Before giving the formal verdict, the judge offered her a harsh choice: either renounce Islam and get custody of the children, or keep Islam and leave the children. She was given 20 minutes to make a decision.

She loved her children very dearly. It is perhaps the worst nightmare that a mother can have: asked to willfully leave her child - not for one day, month, or year, but forever. On the other hand, how could she keep the Truth away from her children and live as a hypocrite? “It was the most painful 20 minutes in my life”, she said in an interview. Those of us who are mothers and fathers, especially of young children, little imagination is needed to feel the pain and torment that she must have passed every second in those 20 minutes. What added further to her pain was that according to doctors, she could never bear another child because of certain complications. “I prayed like I had never done before … I knew that there was no safer place for my children to be than in the hands of Allah. If I denied Him, there would be no way in the future to show my children the wonders of being with Allah.”

She decided to retain Islam. Her two dear children – one little boy and one little girl – were taken away from her and given to her ex-husband.

For a mother, is there a sacrifice greater than this – a sacrifice that is done for no material reason but only for faith and conviction?

“I left the court knowing that life without my babies would be very difficult. My heart bled, even though I knew, inside, I had done the right thing” . She found comfort in the following verse of the Qur'an:

There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory). (Quran 2: 255)

Perhaps the air of Colorado was too thin for justice. Or perhaps there was a plan in Allah’s greater scheme of affairs. Aminah Assilimi later fought back and took her case to the media. Although she did not get custody of her children again, a change was made in the Colorado law that one cannot be denied child custody on the basis of his or her religion.

Indeed Allah’s love and mercy engulfed her so much that, as if, she has been granted the touchstone of Islam. Wherever she goes, people are touched by her beautiful words and Islamic manners and become Muslim.

By accepting Islam, she became a changed person, and a much better person. So much so that her family, relatives, and people around her started appreciating her mannerism and the faith that brought about such changes in her. Despite her family’s initial reaction, she remained in touch with them and addressed them with respect and humility, just as the Qur’an enjoins the Muslims to do. She would send cards to her parents on different occasions, but she would always write down a verse from the Qur’an or the Hadith without mentioning the source of such beautiful words of wisdom. It was not long before she started making a positive influence among her family members.

The first to become Muslim was her grand mother. She was over 100 years old. Soon after accepting Islam, she died. “The day she pronounced Shahada, all her misdeeds had been erased, while her good deeds were preserved. She died so soon after accepting Islam that I knew her “book” was bound to be heavy on the good side. It fills me with such a joy!”

Next to become Muslim was her father, the one who wanted to kill her after she became Muslim. Thus he brought alive the story of Umar ibn Khattab. Umar was a companion of the Prophet who persecuted the early Muslims before he converted to Islam. When he heard one day that his sister became a Muslim, he went out with an open sword to kill her. But upon hearing some of the verses from the Qur’an that his sister was reciting, he recognized the truth and went straight to the Prophet and accepted Islam.

Two years after she (Assilmi) accepted Islam, her mother called and said that she appreciated her faith and hoped that she would keep it. Couple of years later, she called again and asked her about what one would need to do to become a Muslim. Assilmi replied that one had to believe that there is only One God and Muhammad was his Messenger. “Any fool knows that. But what do you have to do?”, she asked again. She replied that if that is what she believed, then she was already a Muslim! At this, her mother said, “Well … OK. But let’s not tell your father just yet”.

She was not aware that her husband (Assilmi’s step father) had the same conversation with her a few weeks earlier. Thus the two lived together as Muslims for years in secret without knowing that the other was also a Muslim. Her sister who wanted to put her in mental institution accepted Islam as well. She must have realized that becoming Muslim is indeed the most healthy and sound thing to do.

Her son, upon becoming adult, accepted Islam. When he turned 21, he called her and said that he wanted to become a Muslim.

Sixteen years after the divorce, her ex-husband also accepted Islam. He said that he had been watching her for sixteen years and wanted his daughter to have the same religion that she had. He came to her and apologized for what he had done. He was a very nice gentlemen and Assilimi had forgiven him long ago.

Perhaps the greatest reward for her was yet to come. Assilmi later married another person, and despite the doctors’ verdict that she could never conceive another child, Allah blessed her with a beautiful boy. If Allah (swt) makes a gift to someone, who can prevent Him? It was truly a wonderful blessing from Allah (swt), and so she named him “Barakah

The sacrifice that Assilmi made for the sake of Allah (swt) was tremendous. And so Allah (swt) turned in mercy to her and rewarded her with enormous blessings. Her family discarded her after she accepted Islam, and now by Allah’s mercy, most of them are Muslim. She lost her friends because of Islam, and now she is being loved by so many. “Friends who loved came out of nowhere”, she said. Allah’s blessings came upon her so much that wherever she goes people are touched by the beauty of Islam and accept the Truth. Both Muslims and non-Muslims now come to her for advice and counseling.

She lost her job because of wearing hijab, and now she is the President of the International Union of Muslim Women. She delivers lectures nationwide and is on high demand. It was her organization that successfully lobbied for the “Eid Stamp” and had it approved by the United States Postal Service, but it took many years of work. She is now working on making the Eid Day as a national holiday.

She has tremendous trust on Allah’s love and mercy and she never looses faith on Him. She was once diagnosed with cancer some years ago. Doctors said that it was in an advanced stage and that she would live for another year. But her faith in Allah (swt) remained strong. “We must all die. I was confident that the pain I was experiencing contained blessings.” As a brilliant example of how much one can love Allah, she mentions about a friend of her named Kareem Al-Misawi who died of cancer when he was in his 20’s:

"Shortly before he died, he told me that Allah was truly Merciful. This man was in unbelievable anguish and was radiating with Allah’s love. He said: “Allah intends that I should enter heaven with a clean book.” His death experience gave me something to think about. He taught me of Allah’s love and mercy."

All praise is due to Allah, she continues to live in good health. She now thinks that having cancer was the greatest blessing that she ever had.

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi

2006-05-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

Abul Ala was born on Rajab 3, 1321 AH (September 25, 1903 AD) in Aurangabad, a well-known town in the former princely state of Hyderabad (Deccan), presently Maharashtra, India. Born in a respectable family, his ancestry on the paternal side is traced back to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be on him).

The family had a long-standing tradition of spiritual leadership and a number of Maududi’s ancestors were outstanding leaders of Sufi Orders. One of the luminaries among them, the one from whom he derived his family name, was Khawajah Qutb al-Din Maudud (d. 527 AH), a renowned leader of the Chishti Sufi Order. Maududi’s forefathers had moved to the Subcontinent from Chisht towards the end of the 9th century of the Islamic calendar (15th century of the Christian calendar). The first one to arrive was Maududi’s namesake, Abul Ala Maududi (d. 935 AH).Maududi’s father, Ahmad Hasan, born in 1855 AD, a lawyer by profession, was a highly religious and devout person. Abul Ala was the youngest of his three sons.

Educational & Intellectual Growth:

After acquiring early education at home, Abul Ala was admitted in Madrasah Furqaniyah, a high school which attempted to combine the modern Western with the traditional Islamic education. After successfully completing his secondary education, young Abul Ala was at the stage of undergraduate studies at Darul Uloom, Hyderabad, when his formal education was disrupted by the illness and eventual death of his father. This did not deter Maududi from continuing his studies though these had to be outside of the regular educational institutions. By the early 1920s, Abul Ala knew enough Arabic, Persian and English, besides his mother-tongue, Urdu, to study the subjects of his interest independently. Thus, most of what he learned was self-acquired though for short spells of time he also received systematic instruction and guidance from some competent scholars. Thus, Maududi’s intellectual growth was largely a result of his own effort and the stimulation he received from his teachers. Moreover, his uprightness, his profound regard for propriety and righteousness largely reflect the religious piety of his parents and their concern for his proper moral upbringing.

Involvement in Journalism:

After the interruption of his formal education, Maududi turned to journalism in order to make his living. In 1918, he was already contributing to a leading Urdu newspaper, and in 1920, at the age of 17, he was appointed editor of Taj, which was being published from Jabalpore, a city in the province now called Madhya Pradesh, India. Late in 1920, Maududi came to Delhi and first assumed the editorship of the newspaper Muslim (1921-23), and later of al-Jam’iyat (1925-28), both of which were the organs of the Jam’iyat-i ‘Ulama-i Hind, an organisation of Muslim religious scholars. Under his editorship, al-Jam’iyat became the leading newspaper of the Muslims of India.

Interest in Politics:

Around the year 1920, Maududi also began to take some interest in politics. He participated in the Khilafat Movement, and became associated with the Tahrik-e Hijrat, which was a movement in opposition to the British rule over India and urged the Muslims of that country to migrate en masse to Afghanistan. However, he fell foul of the leadership of the movement because of his insistence that the aims and strategy of the movement should be realistic and well-planned. Maududi withdrew more and more into academic and journalistic pursuits.

First Book:

During 1920-28, Maulana Maududi also translated four different books, one from Arabic and the rest from English. He also made his mark on the academic life of the Subcontinent by writing his first major book, al-Jihad fi al-Islam. This is a masterly treatise on the Islamic law of war and peace. It was first serialised in al-Jam’iyat in 1927 and was formally published in 1930. It was highly acclaimed both by the famous poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal (d. 1938) and Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar (d. 1931), the famous leader of the Khilafat Movement. Though written during his ’20s, it is one of his major and most highly regarded works.

Research & Writings:

After his resignation from al-Jam’iyat in 1928, Maududi moved to Hyderabad and devoted himself to research and writing. It was in this connection that he took up the editorship of the monthly Tarjuman al-Qur’an in 1933, which since then has been the main vehicle for the dissemination of Maududi’s ideas. He proved to be a highly prolific writer, turning out several scores of pages every month. Initially, he concentrated on the exposition of ideas, values and basic principles of Islam. He paid special attention to the questions arising out of the conflict between the Islamic and the contemporary Western whorl. He also attempted to discuss some of the major problems of the modern age and sought to present Islamic solutions to those problems. He also developed a new methodology to study those problems in the context of the experience of the West and the Muslim world, judging them on the theoretical criterion of their intrinsic soundness and viability and conformity with the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. His writings revealed his erudition and scholarship, a deep perception of the significance of the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and a critical awareness of the mainstream of Western thought and history. All this brought a freshness to Muslim approach to these problems and lent a wider appeal to his message.

In the mid ’30s, Maududi started writing on major political and cultural issues confronting the Muslims of India at that time and tried to examine them from the Islamic perspective rather than merely from the viewpoint of short-term political and economic interests. He relentlessly criticised the newfangled ideologies which had begun to cast a spell over the minds and hearts of his brethren-in-faith and attempted to show the hollowness of those ideologies. In this connection, the idea of nationalism received concerted attention from Maududi when he forcefully explained its dangerous potentialities as well as its incompatibility with the teachings of Islam. Maududi also emphasised that nationalism in the context of India meant the utter destruction of the separate identity of Muslims. In the meantime, an invitation from the philosopher-poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal persuaded him to leave Hyderabad and settle down at a place in the Eastern part of Punjab, in the district of Pathankot. Maududi established what was essentially an academic and research centre called Darul-Islam where, in collaboration with Allama Iqbal, he planned to train competent scholars in Islamics to produce works of outstanding quality on Islam, and above all, to carry out the reconstruction of Islamic Thought.

Founding the Party:

Around the year 1940, Maududi developed ideas regarding the founding of a more comprehensive and ambitious movement and this led him to launch a new organisation under the name of the Jamaat-e-Islami. Maududi was elected Jamaat’s first Ameer and remained so till 1972 when he withdrew from the responsibility for reasons of health.

Struggle & Persecution:

After migrating to Pakistan in August 1947, Maududi concentrated his efforts on establishing a truly Islamic state and society in the country. Consistent with this objective, he wrote profusely to explain the different aspects of the Islamic way of life, especially the socio-political aspects. This concern for the implementation of the Islamic way of life led Maududi to criticise and oppose the policies pursued by the successive governments of Pakistan and to blame those in power for failing to transform Pakistan into a truly Islamic state. The rulers reacted with severe reprisal measures. Maududi was often arrested and had to face long spells in prison.

During these years of struggle and persecution, Maududi impressed all, including his critics and opponents, by the firmness and tenacity of his will and other outstanding qualities. In 1953, when he was sentenced to death by the martial law authorities on the charge of writing a seditious pamphlet on the Qadyani problem, he resolutely turned down the opportunity to file a petition for mercy. He cheerfully expressed his preference for death to seeking clemency from those who wanted, altogether unjustly, to hang him for upholding the right. With unshakeable faith that life and death lie solely in the hands of Allah, he told his son as well as his colleagues: "If the time of my death has come, no one can keep me from it; and if it has not come, they cannot send me to the gallows even if they hang themselves upside down in trying to do so." His family also declined to make any appeal for mercy. His firmness astonished the government which was forced, under strong public pressure both from within and without, to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment and then to cancel it.

Intellectual Contribution:

Maulana Maududi has written over 120 books and pamphlets and made over a 1000 speeches and press statements of which about 700 are available on record.

Maududi’s pen was simultaneously prolific, forceful and versatile. The range of subjects he covered is unusually wide. Disciplines such as Tafsir, Hadith, law, philosophy and history, all have received the due share of his attention. He discussed a wide variety of problems C political, economic, cultural, social, theological etc. C and attempted to state how the teachings of Islam were related to those problems. Maududi has not delved into the technical world of the specialist, but has expounded the essentials of the Islamic approach in most of the fields of learning and inquiry. His main contribution, however, has been in the fields of the Qur’anic exegesis (Tafsir), ethics, social studies and the problems facing the movement of Islamic revival. His greatest work is his monumental tafsir in Urdu of the Qur’an, Tafhim al-Qur’an, a work he took 30 years to complete. Its chief characteristic lies in presenting the meaning and message of the Qur’an in a language and style that penetrates the hearts and minds of the men and women of today and shows the relevance of the Qur’an to their everyday problems, both on the individual and societal planes. He translated the Qur’an in direct and forceful modern Urdu idiom. His translation is much more readable and eloquent than ordinary literal translations of the Qur’an. He presented the Qur’an as a book of guidance for human life and as a guide-book for the movement to implement and enforce that guidance in human life. He attempted to explain the verses of the Qur’an in the context of its total message. This tafsir has made a far-reaching impact on contemporary Islamic thinking in the Subcontinent, and through its translations, even abroad.

The influence of Maulana Maududi is not confined to those associated with the Jamaat-e-Islami. His influence transcends the boundaries of parties and organisations. Maududi is very much like a father-figure for Muslims all over the world. As a scholar and writer, he is the most widely read Muslim writer of our time. His books have been translated into most of the major languages of the world C Arabic, English, Turkish, Persian, Hindi, French, German, Swahili, Tamil, Bengali, etc. C and are now increasingly becoming available in many more of the Asian, African and European languages.

Travels & Journeys Abroad:

The several journeys which Maududi undertook during the years 1956-74 enabled Muslims in many parts of the world to become acquainted with him personally and appreciate many of his qualities. At the same time, these journeys were educative for Maududi himself as well as they provided to him the opportunity to gain a great deal of first-hand knowledge of the facts of life and to get acquainted with a large number of persons in different parts of the world. During these numerous tours, he lectured in Cairo, Damascus, Amman, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Kuwait, Rabat, Istanbul, London, New York, Toronto and at a host of international centres. During these years, he also participated in some 10 international conferences. He also made a study tour of Saudi Arabia, Jordan (including Jerusalem), Syria and Egypt in 1959-60 in order to study the geographical aspects of the places mentioned in the Qur’an. He was also invited to serve on the Advisory Committee which prepared the scheme for the establishment of the Islamic University of Madinah and was on its Academic Council ever since the inception of the University in 1962.

He was also a member of the Foundation Committee of the Rabitah al-Alam al-Islami, Makkah, and of the Academy of Research on Islamic Law, Madinah. In short, he was a tower of inspiration for Muslims the world over and influenced the climate and pattern of thought of Muslims, as the Himalayas or the Alps influence the climate in Asia or Europe without themselves moving about.

His Last Days:

In April 1979, Maududi’s long-time kidney ailment worsened and by then he also had heart problems. He went to the United States for treatment and was hospitalised in Buffalo, New York, where his second son worked as a physician. Even at Buffalo, his time was intellectually productive. He spent many hours reviewing Western works on the life of the Prophet and meeting with Muslim leaders, their followers and well-wishers.

Following a few surgical operations, he died on September 22, 1979 at the age of 76. His funeral was held in Buffalo, but he was buried in an unmarked grave at his residence (Ichra) in Lahore after a very large funeral procession through the city.

May Allah bless him with His mercy for his efforts and reward him amply for the good that he has rendered for the nation of Islam (Ummah).

Online Books
Ethical Viewpoint of Islam
Four Basic Quranic Terms
Hidayat
Human Rights in Islam
Islam and Ignorance
Islam Today
Islamic Way of Life
Let Us be Muslims
Towards Understanding Islam
Witness unto Mankind

Sheikh Mustafa Abdel-Razeq: eminent Muslim scholar and thinker

2006-05-07T06:09:00.000-07:00

Egypt, People, 2/15/2000

Sheikh Mustafa Abdel-Razeq is a prominent Muslim scholar and thinker who made significant contributions to Islamic studies. His major field of study was Islamic philosophy.

Origin:
Sheikh Abdel-Razeq was born in an Upper Egyptian village called Abu Gerg, to a family whose members were mostly judges. The family's prestigious social position was further reflected in their house in Cairo, which almost looked like a cultural and intellectual forum. It was the hub of students of Al-Azhar, law colleges and others interested in public matters, in addition to students of European universities.

After completing his studies at the village's Kuttab (Quranic school), where he learned reading and writing and committed the Holy Quran to memory, he joined Al-Azhar at the age of six. His teacher at Al-Azhar was the eminent scholar (Imam) Mohammed Abdou, with whom he developed a genuine friendship based on mutual respect.

After obtaining the "Alamia" degree ( equivalent to BA) in July 1908, he obtained a Ph.D. for a thesis entitled "Imam Al-Shafie: the most prominent legislator in Islam".

Career:

1908 Teacher at the School of Shari'a Judicature.

1909 Lecturer at the Sorbonne and Leon universities France.

1915 Member of Al-Azhar Supreme Council.

1920 Judge at Shari'a Courts.

Wrote articles in to "Al- Gareeda" and "Al-Sofor" newspapers calling for progressive ideas consistent with the Arab and Islamic heritage.

1927 Assistant professor of Islamic philosophy at the Faculty of Arts, Fouad I University (now Cairo University).

1935 Chair professor of philosophy. According to him, Education is a two-way interactive communication process between the professor and his students.

1930-1945 The first Azhari to assume the post of Minister of Endowments for eight times.

Two years before his death, he was appointed Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar.

Writings:

He was the first to introduce Islamic philosophy as part of the university syllabus and taught it at the Faculty of Arts, Fouad I University.

Translated into French, with writer Bernard Michael "The Message of Monotheism" by Imam Mohammed Abdou.

Co-authorized, with the same writer, two books on Imam Mohammed Abdou.

Wrote "An Introduction to the History of Islamic Philosophy".

Wrote "Al-Farabi, Arabs' Philosopher and second Instructor".

He was the first to shed light on the significant contributions of earlier Muslim scholars such as Al-Bahaa Zahair, Fakhr- Eddin Al-Razi, and Al-Farabi among others.

Sheikh Mustafa Abdel-Razeq believed that the emergency of an Islamic culture and revival of the nation could be achieved only through openness to new ideas and thought, while still maintaining contact with tradition. He warned against attempts to distract our Islamic heritage, calling for publishing those works that had remained, thitherto, unpublished.

A Short Biographical Sketch of Imam An-Nawawi

2006-05-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

Compiler of Riyad-us-Saliheen and Forty Hadith

Birth and Birth place:

The complete name of Imam Nawawi is Abu Zakaria Mohiuddin Yahya, son of Sharaf An-ÄNawawi, son of Murry, son of Hassan, son of Hussain, son of Muhammad, son of Juma, son of Hazam. Nawawi refers to Nawa, a place near Damascus, in the suburb of the city of Howran. One of his ancestors named Hazam had settled at this place. Imam Nawawi was born at Nawa in the year 631 A.H. His father, a virtuous and pious man, resolved to arrange for proper and befitting education as he had discovered the symptoms of heavenly intelligence and wisdom in his promising child at an early stage.

Shaikh Yasin bin Yousuf Marakashi, a saintly figure of Nawa says: "I saw Imam Nawawi at Nawa when he was a youth of ten years of age. Other boys of his age used to force him to play with them, but Imam Nawawi would always avoid the play and would remain busy with the recitation of the Noble Qur'an. When they tried to domineer and insisted on his joining their games, he bewailed and expressed his no concern over their foolish action. On observing his sagacity and profundity, a special love and affection developed in my heart for young Nawawi. I approached his teacher and urged him to take exceptional care of this lad as he was to become a great religious scholar and most pious saint of future. His teacher asked whether I was a soothsayer or an astrologer. I told him I am neither soothsayer nor an astrologer but Allah caused me to utter these words." His teacher conveyed this incident to Imam's father and he keeping in view the learning quest of his son, decided to dedicate the life of his son for the service and promotion of the cause of Islamic Faith. In a short period, Nawawi learnt to read the Holy Qur'an and by that time he nearly had attained puberty. Nawa had no academic or scholarly atmosphere and there were no religious academies or institutes where one could earn excellence in religious learning, so his father took him to Damascus, which was considered the center of learning and scholarship, and the students from far and wide gathered there for schooling. During that period, there were more than three hundred institutes, colleges and universities in Damascus. Imam Nawawi joined Madrasah Rawahiyah which was affiliated with the Ummvi University. The founder and patron of this Madrasah was a trader named Zakiuddin Abul-Qassim who was known as Ibn Rawahah. Madrasah was named after him. Noted and eminent teachers of the period taught in that Madrasah. Imam Nawawi says, "I studied in this institution for two years. During my stay in Madrasah Rawahiyah, I never had complete rest and lived on the limited food supplied by the institution." As a routine he used to sleep very little at night. When it became irresistible as a human being, he would lean and slumber for a while against the support of books. After a short duration he would again be hard at his scholastic pursuits.

His Teachers and Guides:

During his stay at Damascus, he studied from more than twenty celebrated teachers. These teachers were regarded as masters and authority of their subject field and disciplines they taught. Imam studied Hadith, Islamic Jurisprudence, its principles, syntax and Etymology from great scholars of his time. Abu Ibrahim Ishaq bin Ahmad AI-Maghribi, Abu Muhammad Abdur-Rahman bin Ibrahim Al-Fazari, Radiyuddin Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin Abu Hafs Umar bin Mudar Al-Mudari, Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin Isa Al-Muradi, Abul-Baqa Khalid bin Yusuf An-Nablusi, Abul-Abbas Ahmad bin Salim Al-Misri, Abu Abdullah Al-Jiyani, Abul-Fath Umar bin Bandar, Abu Muhammad At-Tanukhi, Sharafuddin Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad Al-Ansari, Abul-Faraj Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Al-Maqdisi, Abul-Fada'il Sallar bin Al-Hasan Al Arbali etc.

There were hundreds of Imam's students, among them some notables are: Alauddin bin Attar, Ibn Abbas Ahmad bin Ibrahim, Abul-Abbas Al-Ja'fari, Abul-Abbas Ahmad bin Farah, Rashid Ismail bin Mu'allim Al-Hanafi, Abu Abdullah Al-Hanbali, AbulAbbas Al-Wasti, Jamaluddin Sulaiman bin Omar Az-Zar'i, AbulFaraj Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Abdul-Hamid AlMaqdisi, Badr Muhammad bin Ibrahim, Shamsuddin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr, Ash-Shihab Muhammad bin Abdul-Khaliq, Hibatullah Al-Barizi, Abul-Hajjaj Yusuf bin Az-Zaki etc.

His Desire and Crave for Learning:

Imam Nawawi had endless thirst for knowledge, and it can be guessed from his daily practice of studies. He used to read daily twelve lessons and write explanation and commentary of every lesson and also made important additions. Whatever the book he read, he put down the marginal notes and explanations on that book. His intelligence, hard work, love, devotion and absorption in his-studies amazed his teachers and they become fond of him and began to praise and admire him. According to Imam Dhahabi, Imam Nawawi's concentration and absorption in academic love gained proverbial fame. He had devoted all his time for learning and scholarship. Other than reading and writing, he spent his time contemplating on the interacted and complex issues and in finding their solutions. Allah had also conferred upon him the gift of fast memory and depth of thought, and he who makes the right use of this boon, there remains no doubt in his sagacity and discernment. Imam Nawawi made full benefit of his God given qualities and potentialities and earned the highest degree of honor.

Imam's Simplicity and Niceness of Manners:

The learned persons, elite of the society and the public greatly respected the Imam on account of his piety, learning and excellent character. He used simple dress and ate simple food. Devout scholars do not care about worldly chattels, they give preference to religious and academic pursuits, propagation of Faith etc. They experience more heavenly delight and joy in such activities than those who seek satisfaction in luxurious foods, precious clothes and other worldly things. Imam Nawawi had a prominent place among the erudite notables of his age. He was God-fearing person having illustrious and glorious aims regarding propagation of Faith. Celebrated Sheikh Mohiuddin expresses his impression about Imam Nawawi as thus:

"Imam Nawawi had three distinctive commendable qualities in his person. If anybody have only one out of these three, people return to him in abundance for guidance. First, having knowledge and its dissemination. Second, to evade completely from the worldly inclinations, and the third, inviting to all that is good (Islam) enjoining Al-Ma'ruf [i.e., Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do] and forbidding Al-Munkar [polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden]. Imam Nawawi had all three in him."

His works and his death:

The learned Imam had a very short life but even during this short period, he had written a large number of books on different subjects. Every work of the Imam is a masterwork and a treasure of knowledge. Hundreds and thousands of people benefit from these works.

Some of the Prestigious Works of Imam Nawawi are:

Commentary on Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Minhaj fi Sharh Sahih Muslim, Riyad-us-Saliheen, Kitab-ur-Raudah, Commentary on Mohadhdhab, Tahdhib-ul-Asma was-Sifat, Kitab-ul-Adhkar, Arba'een, At-Taqreeb fi Ilmil-Hadith wal-Irshad fihi, Kitab-ulMubhamat, At-Tibyan, Al-Idah fi Manasikil-Hajj, Sharh Sahih AlBukhari (Naqis), Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud (Naqis), Tabaqat Ash Shafi'iyah, Muhimmatul-Ahkam, Manaqib-ush-Shafi'i, Bustan-ulArifeen, Al-Khulasatu fil-Hadith, Mukhtasar At-Tirmidhi, A1Masa'il Al-Manthurah, Al-'Umdah fi Tashihit-Tanbih and others.

After spending 28 years of age, Imam Nawawi returned to his hometown. Soon after his arrival at Nawa, he felt ill and died. Imam Nawawi is still living in the hearts of Muslims. His works are of everlasting value. May Allah bless him.

Biography of Ibn al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyya

2006-05-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

1292-1350 C.E.
(God bless his soul)
He is Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr, son of Ayyoub, son of Sa‘ad al-Zar‘i, al-Dimashqi, patronymed as Abu ‘Abdullãh Shamsu-Deen, and known as Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya. He was born in Damascus, Syria in 1292 C.E. (691 A.H.), and he studied under his father who was the local attendant (qayyim) of al-Jawziyya school. Later on, he pursued his quest for knowledge at the hands of renowned masters and scholars of his epoch, as well as he studied the works and teachings of sufi masters known in his time. His schooling centered around Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and the science of prophetic traditions. He finally joined the study circle of Imam Ibn Taimiyyah (1262-1329 C.E.), who kept him in his company as his closest student and disciple, who later on became his successor.
Ibn al-Qayyim was fervent in his devotion to his teacher, and he was an excellent student and disciple of the great Muslim scholar Imam Taqiyyu-Deen Ahmad Ibn Taimiyyah. He defended his religious opinions and approaches, and he compiled and edited most of his works, and taught the same.

Because of their perception and opinions, both the teacher and the student were unjustly persecuted, tortured, and humiliated in public by the local authorities then, and they were imprisoned in a single cell, while other disciples were kept separate in the central prison of Damascus, still known to-date as al-Qal‘a. Among the imprisoned scholars, there also was a young man named Ibn Kathïr (1302-1375 C.E.), who later on became as the most renowned Muslim scholar and compiler of the most comprehensive Qur’anic commentaries ‘Tafsïr Ibn Kathïr.’

Upon the death of Imam Ibn Taimiyyah, the disciples were set free from prison, and Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya furthered his studies, and held study circles and classes for his own students. Ibn Jawziyya taught Islamic Jurisprudence at al-Sadriyya school, in Damascus, before he held the position of the Imam of the Jawziyya school for a long period. Most of his writings were compilations, although he authored several books himself, and manuscripts with his own handwriting are preserved today in the central Library of Damascus.

In fact, it was considered an honor and a privilege to study in his circle. Among the renowned Muslim scholars who studied under him, we mention Ibn ‘Abd al-Hãdï (1305-1345 C.E.), and Ibn Rajab (1337-1396 C.E.), and others who oft-frequented his circles, and sought his company, such as Imam Ibn Kathïr.
Most scholars of the time have acknowledged the author’s excellence, and profound knowledge of Qur’anic interpretation, commentaries on the prophetic traditions, and theology. His extensive knowledge and understanding of Qur’anic commentaries surpassed even some renowned theologians in Islamic history.

Ibn Kathïr spoke of him in his book ‘Al-Bidãya wa-’Nihãya, saying: “He was most friendly and kindhearted, he never envied anyone, he never caused harm to anyone, he never bore prejudice against anyone, and I was the closest to his heart. Furthermore, I do not know anyone who is more devout in his worship than him in our time.” A similar opinion also was quoted by Ibn Hijr.

Ibn al-Qayyim catered to all the branches of Islamic science, and was particularly known and commended for his commentaries. Al-Hãfiz Ibn Rajab spoke of his teacher, saying: “He was an accomplished scholar of Islamic science, and no one could rival him in his deep understanding of the Qur’an and prophetic saying, and his interpretations were unique in accuracy.”

Ibn Rajab narrated that his teacher Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya learned the science of prophetic sayings (Hadïth) from al-Shahãb al-Nãbulsi, Qãdhï Taqiyyu-Deen Sulaimãn, and Fãtima Bint Jawhar, among others. During his early student life, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim sought the company of most shaikhs of his period, and he was particularly proficient in interpreting the Hanbali Muslim school of thoughts.

His Spiritual Life
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya was an avid and a resolute worshipper. He devoted long hours to his supererogatory nightly prayers, he was in a constant state of remembrance (zikr), and he was known for his extended prostrations. One could see on his face the clear expressions of piety, and constant solicitation of God’s bounty and favors.
During Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s imprisonment in al-Qal‘a prison in Damascus, he was constantly reading the Qur’an, and studying its meanings. Ibn Rajab noted that during that period of seclusion, he gained extensive spiritual success, as well as he developed a great analytical wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the prophetic traditions.

Upon his release, he performed the pilgrimage to Mecca several times, and sometimes he stayed in Mecca for a prolonged period of devotion and circumambulation of the holy Ka‘aba.

His Works
Al-Nu‘mãn al-Alüsï al-Baghdãdï once said: “His interpretations are unique in accuracy.” The renowned Muslim scholar al-Thahabi once said about him: “He gave great attention to details and references of the prophetic traditions.” Furthermore, Shaikh Burhãn al-Deen al-Zãri’ spoke of him saying: “No one is as cognizant as Ibn al-Qayyim was in his time.”
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s contributions to the Islamic library are extensive, and they particularly deal with the Qur’anic commentaries, and understanding and analysis of the prophetic traditions (fiqh-u Sunnah).

He compiled a large number of studies besides his own books, including: 1- Tahthïb Sunan Abi Dãwoud (Emendation of Sunan Abi Dãwoud); 2- Al-Kalãm al-Tayyib wa-al-‘Amal al-Sãlih (The Essence of Good Words and Deeds); 3- Commentaries on the book of Shaikh ‘Abdullãh al-Ansãri: Manãzil-u Sã’ireen (Stations of the Seekers), which is considered the epitome of knowledge of sufi books; and, Zãd al-Ma‘ãd (Provisions of the Hereafter), from which this book on the medicine of the prophet is extracted, besides other manuscripts copied with his own handwriting, and which are preserved in the Central Library in Damascus, Syria.

Shortly before his death, Ibn al-Qayyim saw his teacher Taqiyyu-Deen Ibn Taimiyyah in a dream and asked him about what Allah has reserved for him in the hereafter. Ibn Taimiyyah pointed for his student an exalted station that excels those of many renowned shaikhs, then added: “You had nearly reached our company, but for now, your station is equivalent to that of Ibn Khuzaimah.”

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya died in the city of Damascus the year 1350 C.E., at the age of sixty-two, and was buried besides his father at al-Sagheer Cemetery there.

IBN RUSHD (1128-1198 A.D-)

2006-05-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

Abu'l Waleed Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Rushd, known as Averroes in the West, was born in 1128 A.D. in Cordova, where his father and grandfather had both been judges. His grandfather was well versed in Fiqh (Maliki School) and was also the Imam of the Jamia Mosque of Cordova. The young Ibn Rushd received his education in Cordova and lived a quiet life, devoting most of his time to learned-pursuits. He studied philoso- phy and law from Abu J'afar Haroon and from Ibn Baja; he also studied medicine.

Al-Hakam, the famous Umayyad Caliph of Spain, had construc- ted a magnificent library in Cordova, which housed 500,000 books, He himself had studied many of these and made brief marginal comments on them. This rich collection laid the foundation for intellectual study in Spain and provided the background for men like Ibn Rushd, who lived 2 centuries later.

Abu Yaqub, the Caliph of Morocco, called him to his capital and appointed him as his physician in place of Ibn Tufail. His son Yaqub al-Mansur retained him for some time but soon Ibn Rushd's views on theology and philosophy drew the Caliph's wrath. All his books, barring strictly scientific ones, were burnt and he was banished to Lucena. However, as a result of intervention of several leading scholars he was forgiven after about four years and recalled to Morocco in 1198; but he died towards the end of the same year.

Ibn Rushd made remarkable contributions. in philosophy, logic, medicine, music and jurisprudence. In medicine his well- known book Kitab al-Kulyat fi al-Tibb was written before 1162 A.D Its Latin translation was known as 'Colliget'. In it, Ibn Rushd has thrown light on various aspects of medicine, including the diagnoses, cure and prevention of diseases. The book concentrates on specific areas in comparison of Ibn Sina's wider scope of al-Qanun, but contains several original observations of Ibn Rushd.

In philosophy, his most important work Tuhafut al-Tuhafut was written in response to al-Ghazali's work. Ibn Rushd was criticised by many Muslim scholars for this book, which, neverthe- less, had a profound influence on European thought, at least until the beginning of modern philosophy and experimental science. His views on fate were that man is neither in full control of his destiny nor is it fully predetermined for him. He wrote three commenlaries on the works of Aristotle, as these were known then through Arabic translations. The shortest Jami may be considered as a summary of the subject. The intermediate was Talkhis and the longest was the Tafsir. These three commentaries would seem to correspond to different stages in the education of pupils; the short one was meant for the beginners, then the intermediate for the students familiar with the subject, and finally the longest one for advanced studies. The longest commentary was, in fact, an original contribution as it was largely based on his analysis including interpretation of Qu'ranic concepts.

In the field of music, Ibn Rushd wrote a commentary on Aristotle's book De Anima. This book was translated into Latin by Mitchell the Scott.

In astronomy he wrote a treatise on the motion of the sphere, Kitab fi-Harakat al-Falak. He also summarised Almagest and divided it into two parts: description of the spheres, and movement of the spheres. This summary of the Almagest was translated from Arabic into Hebrew by Jacob Anatoli in 1231.

According to Ibn al-Abbar, Ibn Rushd's writings spread over 20,000 pages, the most famous of which deal with philosophy, medicine and jurisprudence. On medicine alone he wrote 20 books. Regarding jurisprudence, his book Bidayat al-Mujtahid wa-Nihayat- al-Muqtasid has been held by Ibn Jafar Thahabi as possibly the best book on the Maliki School of Fiqh. Ibn Rushd's writings were translated into various languages, including Latin, English, German and Hebrew. Most of his commentaries on philosophy are preserved in the Hebrew translations, or in Latin translations from the Hebrew, and a few in the original Arabic, generally in Hebrew script. This reveals his wider acceptance in the West in comparison to the East. The commentary on zoology is entirely lost. Ibn Rushd also wrote commentaries on Plato's Republic, Galen's treatise on fevers, al- Farabi's logic, etc. Eighty-seven of his books are still extant.

Ibn Rushd has been held as one of the greatest thinkers and scientists of the 12th century. According to Philip Hitti, Ibn Rushd influenced Western thought from the 12th to the 16th centuries. His books were included in the syllabi of Paris and other universities till the advent of modern experimental sciences.

Source: http://members.tripod.com/~wzzz/RUSHD.html

BILÃL BIN RABÃH

2006-05-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

Also among the blessed companions was we must cite the name of Bilãl bin Rabãh, the devout and oft-forgiving sire, who was free from abstractness or illusion about this world. Born to a woman in bondage called Rabãh, Bilãl became free from slavery at the hand of Abu Bakr al-Siddïq, God be pleased with him, the truthful and benevolent, the trustworthy and blessed bosom friend of God’s messenger h, upon whom be peace.

Bilãl had an exceptional noble character. He taught the believers who suffered at the hands of the pagans great lessons in faith and piety through his endurance and steadfastness. In fact, throughout his life, and even to this day, Bilãl always remains a school of piety and a great source of inspiration and spirituality for all Muslims, Bilãl was a pioneer among the early believers, and he was a tender-hearted loving man of Allah, and he placed his entire trust in Almighty Allah, depended solely on Him for all his needs, and finally, he was most trusted by God’s messenger h, upon whom be peace.
315- Abu Bakr al-Talhi narrated that Omar bin al-Khattãb, God be pleased with him, said: “Abu Bakr is our sire, and he freed our second sire from bondage.”1
316- Zaid bin al-Arqam narrated that God’s messenger h said: “Bilãl is a most blessed man, and he is the sire of the callers to prayers.”
317- Hishãm bin ‘Urwa, the son of al-Zubair, narrated that Waraqa bin Nawfal once passed by Bilãl during his bondage while he was being tortured. When Waraqa saw the bitter torture dispensed to Bilãl, he became alarmed, and he went to Umayya bin Khalaf, Bilãl’s master then, and addressed him, saying: “I swear by Almighty Allah, should he die because of your torture, I will make his case a reason for my relentless wrath upon you all.”
318- Hishãm bin ‘Urwa continued: “One day, Abu Bakr al-Siddïq, God be pleased with him, passed by Umayya bin Khalaf and his ring as they were torturing Bilãl to force him to renege his faith. With every blow he received, Bilãl, gasped for air as he cried loud from his harrowing pain: “Ahadun Ahad! Ahadun Ahad!” (There is only one God, and only He is Allah!) When Abu Bakr saw that, he addressed Umayya bin Khalaf, saying: “Why wouldn’t you try to be smarter and guard yourself against the wrath of Almighty Allah? For how long will you keep subjecting this poor man to such unbearable torture, don’t you fear God Almighty?” Umayya replied angrily: “You are the cause that turned this salve rotten, and now, redeem him if you can afford it!”1 Abu Bakr replied: “I will. Listen, I have a slave who is stronger and wieldier than he, and he follows your religion as well. If you want, I will trade him for this man.” Umayya instantly answered: “I accept.”
Hence, Abu Bakr traded his salve for Bilãl, and he freed Bilãl from bondage. It is also narrated that prior to his migration from Mecca to Medina, Abu Bakr also bought additional six slaves who had secretly embraced Islam, and he freed them from bondage, and Bilãl was their seventh.
319- Muhammad Bin Ishãq narrated that Bilãl was born to a slave woman belonging to the Arab Tribe of Bani Jamh, a woman prisoner (Arb. mawãli) they captured during a tribal feud, and they turned her into a slave. Her name was Rabãh, and she begot a son whom she named Bilãl, and a highborn from among the Meccans named Umayya bin Khalaf, bought Bilãl.
In Mecca, Bilãl knew God’s messenger h, upon whom be peace, and he became Muslim from the early days of hearing about the divine message, and his Islam proved to be true and sincere. Bilãl had a pure heart and noble qualities, he readily accepted God’s message, proclaiming the divine Oneness, and he wholeheartedly followed the guidance of His messenger h upon whom be peace. When Umayya learned that his slave had embraced Islam, he became outraged, and he inflicted upon him all kinds of torture, including, exposing him unclothed to the heat of the midday desert sun, and then placing a giant sun-heated rock on his chest. Other slaves would carry out Bilãl’s torture to force him to renege his faith. Bilãl would be gasping for air, as he cried loud from his agonizing pain: “Ahadun Ahad! Ahadun Ahad!” (There is only one God, and only He is God!). Every day, Umayya, in his exasperation, would personally administer the castigation of his slave, and seeing Bilãl suffering in agony under the giant sun-heated rock, Umayya would scourge him, saying: “You will keep suffering until either you die, or you refute what Muhammad brought and return to worship our idols Lãt and Uzzah!”
Despite his ordeal and harrowing pain, Bilãl, who had testified that lordship belongs solely to God Almighty, would keep on crying loud: “Ahadun Ahad! Ahadun Ahad!” (There is only one God, and only He is Allah!)

Source: http://www.pearlpublishing.com/hilyabilal2.shtml

Al-Ghazali

2006-04-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Biography

Abu Hamid Ibn Muhammad Ibn Muhammad al-Tusi al-Shafi’i al-Ghazali was born in 1058 AD, in what is now Khorasan, Iran (then called Tus). He was formally schooled in his early adulthood, studying under al-Juwayni, a prominent theologian located in Nishapur. During this period, the young al-Ghazali produced various texts on Islamic law and theology, which are still used to this day. Al-Ghazali then moved on to writing religious treatises that were used in the political struggles of his time. At the age of 34, however, he accepted a position as rector and professor of the Nizamiya madrasa, located in Baghdad. It was during this period that he produced two of his most important texts, “The Intentions of the Philosophers,” and its companion piece, “The Incoherence of the Philosophers.” At this point, al-Ghazali left his position, ostensibly for the purposes of making various pilgrimages, and spent the next ten years in or between the cities of Damascus, Mecca, Medina, and Tus (his birthplace). During this period, he wrote the seminal “Revivification of the Religious Sciences,” a massive work containing 40 books, in which he outlined the meanings behind the practices of Islam. At this point, al-Ghazali returned to teaching. Synthesizing jurisprudence, philosophy, theology, and Sufism in an attempt to teach the totality of proper Muslim belief and practice, he was known for tailoring his lessons to his students, offering spiritual guidance to logicians, and teaching rhetoric to mystics. Abu Hamid Ibn Muhammad Ibn Muhammad al-Tusi al-Shafi’i al-Ghazali died in 1111 AD.

An extremely influential figure with respect to both philosophy and religion, al-Ghazali was known in his own time as “the Proof of Islam,” as well as “the Renewer of the Religion.” (Buchman, xix). He was also known to be a challenger to philosophy’s dominance of religion, questioning the former’s failure to explain many matters of faith, such as the state of the soul, and the nature of infinity. Al-Ghazali thought it was imperative that a true Muslim not lose sight of the reasons for his practice. Sufism, at its root, concerns one’s own relationship with Allah, and he wanted to communicate his belief that the restrictions and practices of Islam were next to meaningless without a proper understanding of their meaning. By utilizing the forms and language of philosophy, al-Ghazali was able to present his own views in the scholastic language of his opponents. It is because of this combination of faith and logic that al-Ghazali’s writings survived, remaining important to this day.

Bibliography

Ahmed, Monzur. "Abu Hamid al-Ghazali." Muslim Gateway. http://www.ummah.org.uk/history/scholars/GHAZALI.html. July, 1998.

Buchman, David, trans. The Niche of Lights by al-Ghazali. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1998.

Hyman, Arthur and James J. Walsh, Philosophy in the Middle Ages 2nd ed. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 1973).
author unspecified. "Ghazali, Al." Funk and Wagnalls Encyclopedia. http://www.funkandwagnalls.com/encyclopedia/low/articles/g/g010000033f.html. 1999.

Source : http://mdhd.tripod.com/ghazali2.html

IBN SINA

2006-04-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

(980-1037 A.D.).

Abu Ali al-Hussain Ibn Abdallah Ibn Sina was born in 980 A.D. at Afshana near Bukhara. The young Bu Ali received his early education in Bukhara, and by the age of ten had become well versed in the study of the Qur'an and various sciences. He started studying philosophy by reading various Greek, Muslim and other books on this subject and learnt logic and some other subjects from Abu Abdallah Natili, a famous philosopher of the time. While still young, he attained such a degree of expertise in medicine that his renown spread far and wide. At the age of 17, he was fortunate in curing Nooh Ibn Mansoor, the King of Bukhhara, of an illness in which all the well-known physicians had given up hope. On his recovery, the King wished to reward him, but the young physician only desired permission to use his uniquely stocked library.

On his father's death, Bu Ali left Bukhara and travelled to Jurjan where Khawarizm Shah welcomed him. There, he met his famous contemporary Abu Raihan al-Biruni. Later he moved to Ray and then to Hamadan, where he wrote his famous book Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb. Here he treated Shams al-Daulah, the King of Hamadan, for severe colic. From Hamadan, he moved to Isphahan, where he completed many of his monumental writings. Nevertheless, he continued travelling and the excessive mental exertion as well as political turmoil spoilt his health. Finally, he returned to Hamadan where he died in 1037 A.D.

He was the most famous physician, philosopher, encyclopaedist, mathematician and astronomer of his time. His major contribution to medical science was his famous book al-Qanun, known as the "Canon" in the West. The Qanun fi al-Tibb is an immense encyclo- paedia of medicine extending over a million words. It surveyed the entire medical knowledge available from ancient and Muslim sources. Due to its systematic approach, "formal perfection as well as its intrinsic value, the Qanun superseded Razi's Hawi, Ali Ibn Abbas's Maliki, and even the works of Galen, and remained supreme for six centuries". In addition to bringing together the then available knowledge, the book is rich with the author's original eontribution. His important original contribution includes such advances as recognition of the contagious nature of phthisis and tuberculosis; distribution of diseases by water and soil, and interaction between psychology and health. In addition to describing pharmacological methods, the book described 760 drugs and became the most authentic materia medica of the era. He was also the first to describe meningitis and made rich contributions to anatomy, gynaecology and child health.

His philosophical encyclopaedia Kitab al-Shifa was a monu- mental work, embodying a vast field of knowledge from philosophy to science. He classified the entire field as follows: theoretical knowledge: physics, mathematics and metaphysics; and practical knowledge: ethics, economics and politics. His philosophy synthesises Aristotelian tradition, Neoplatonic influences and Muslim theology.

Ibn Sina also contributed to mathematics, physics, music and other fields. He explained the "casting out of nines" and its applica- tion to the verification of squares and cubes. He made several astronomical observations, and devised a contrivance similar to the vernier, to increase the precision of instrumental readings. In physics, his contribution comprised the study of different forms of energy, heat, light and mechanical, and such concepts as force, vacuum and infinity. He made the important observation that if the perception of light is due to the emission of some sort of particles by the luminous source, the speed of light must be finite. He propounded an interconnection between time and motion, and also made investigations on specific gravity and used an air thermo- meter.

In the field of music, his contribution was an improvement over Farabi's work and was far ahead of knowledge prevailing else- where on the subject. Doubling with the fourth and fifth was a 'great' step towards the harmonic system and doubling with the third seems to have also been allowed. Ibn Sina observed that in the series of consonances represented by (n + 1)/n, the ear is unable to distinguish them when n = 45. In the field of chemistry, he did not believe in the possibility of chemical transmutation because, in his opinion, the metals differed in a fundamental sense. These views were radically opposed to those prevailing at the time. His treatise on minerals was one of the "main" sources of geology of the Christian encyclopaedists of the thirteenth century. Besides Shifa his well-known treatises in philosophy are al-Najat and Isharat.

Dr Zakir Naik

2006-02-24T23:23:00.000-08:00

A medical doctor by professional training, Dr. Zakir Naik is renowed as a dynamic international orator on Islam and Comparative Religion. Dr. Zakir Naik clarifies Islamic viewpoints and clears misconceptionsabout Islam, using the Qur'an, authentic Hadith and other religious Scriptures as a basis, in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts. He is 40 years old.

Dr. Zakir is popular for his critical analysis and convincing answers to challenging questions posed by audiences after his public talks. In the last 10 years (by the year 2006), Dr. Zakir Naik has delivered more than 1000 public talks in the U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, South Africa, Mauritius, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand, Guyana (South America) and many other countries, in addition to numerous public talks in India.

He has successfully participated in several symposia and dialogues with prominent personalities of other faiths. His public dialogue with Dr. William Campbell (of USA), on the topic, “The Qur’an and the Bible in the light of Science” held in city of Chicago, U.S.A., on April 1, 2000 was a resounding success.

Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and Comparative Religion, who had called Dr. Zakir, "Deedat plus" in 1994, presented a plaque in May 2000 awarded to Dr. Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Da’wah and the study of Comparative Religion with the engraving "Son what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhamdullilah.”

Dr. Zakir Naik appears regularly on many international T.V. Channels in more than 100 countries of the world. He is regularly invited for T.V. and Radio interviews. More than a hundred of his talks, dialogues, debates and symposia are available on video cassettes, video CDs and audio cassettes. He has authored books on Islam and Comparative Religion.

One example of his abilities was revealed during an airport incident in Los Angeles.

Where the security precaution post-9/11 has spawned complaints by visiting Muslims about harassment, especially over their inability to express themselves well enough to give convincing answers. But not for Dr. Zakir Naik, , who landed in Los Angeles airport on October 12 for a day's visit to receive an award for Service to Islam and humanity given by the International Islamic Internet University in Los Angeles.

When he was asked about his treatment by immigration officers he replied

“For me there was no problem and the people's behaviour was very nice”

Well when a Saudi newspaper interviewed him and investigated further, it was found that With his beard and Islamic skullcap, Dr. Naik did not escape notice at Los Angeles airport and so was immediately hauled in for questioning. After he was taken to the investigation room for question and answers, the custom officers started asking the question about different topics and also asked about his views on Sep 11 attacks he condemned the attacks ,then the officers asked about the Word “JIHAD”, he started quoting from several versions of the Bible, the Holy Quran, the Talmud and the Torah (the Jewish scriptures), the Mahabharata and the Bhagwat Gita (the Hindu holy books), and other scriptures he know by heart. And he proved that the concept of true “JIHAD” is not only Islamic but universal. Custom officers became curious and started putting more and more question, he continued to reply with his wisdom, knowledge and Logic, an hour passed, a long line of people were waiting for questioning ,so he was allowed to go and when he got up and left room about 70 officers from the airport surrounded him started following him to know about their own religion and Islam. After wards custom officers told that they were just astonished and they had never seen a person with so much knowledge.

Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and Comparative Religion, who had called Dr. Zakir, "Deedat plus" in 1994, presented a plaque in May 2000 awarded to Dr. Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Da’wah and the study of Comparative Religion with the engraving "Son what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhamdullilah.”

Zakir continues to amaze people, with his Genius Personality, and continues to travel around the word giving lectures, conducting Da’wah training programs including international training Programs for training Muslims to effectively convey the message of Islam.

Bio-Data

DR. ZAKIR ABDUL-KARIM NAIK

ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION
56/58 Tandel Street (North), Dongri, Mumbai - 400 009 (India)
Tel : (0091-22) 23736875 (8 lines) Fax : (0091-22) 23730689
website : http://www.irf.net

BIRTH DATE & PLACE: October 18, 1965 in Mumbai, India

OCCUPATION : Islamic Da'wah (Propagation of Islam)
1. President, Islamic Research Foundation, Mumbai
2. Chairman, I.R.F. Educational Trust, Mumbai
3. President, Islamic Dimensions, Mumbai

EDUCATED AT : 1. St. Peter's High School (I.C.S.E.), Mumbai
2. Kishinchand Chellaram College, Mumbai
3. Topiwala National Medical College, Nair Hospital, Mumbai

UNIVERSITY DEGREE : M.B.B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery),University of Mumbai

PUBLIC LECTURES : Hundreds of Public Lectures (usually followed by Open Question and Answer Sessions) given internationally, of which more than a 100 are available on audio and video cassettes

DA'WAH TRAINING PROGRAMMES : Conducted several Da'wah Training Programmes including International Da'wah Training Programme for training Muslims to effectively convey the message of Islam

FIELDS OF INTEREST: * Studies in Comparative Religion * Medicine * Humanitarian, Social, Moral, Educational and Economic Welfare activities

DA'WAH LECTURE TOURS ABROAD TO : U.S.A., Canada, Britain, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, U.A.E., South Africa, Botswana, Singapore, Guyana, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and Other Countries

BOOKS AUTHORED BY DR. ZAKIR NAIK :
1. REPLIES TO THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED BY NON-MUSLIMS
2. QUR'ÂN AND MODERN SCIENCE - Compatible Or Incompatible
3. CONCEPT OF GOD IN MAJOR RELIGIONS
4. ISLAM AND TERRORISM
5. WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN ISLAM - Protected Or Subjugated?
6. AL-QUR'ÂN - Should it be Read with Understanding?
7. IS THE QUR'ÂN GOD'S WORD?

Source http://www.drzakirnaik.com/

JABIR IBN HAIYAN

2006-02-01T00:45:00.000-08:00

(Died 803 C.E.)

Jabir Ibn Haiyan, the alchemist Geber of the Middle Ages, is generally known as the father of chemistry. Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan, sometimes called al-Harrani and al-Sufi, was the son of the druggist (Attar). The precise date of his birth is the subject of some discussion, but it is established that he practised medicine and alchemy in Kufa around 776 C.E. He is reported to have studied under Imam Ja'far Sadiq and the Ummayed prince Khalid Ibn Yazid. In his early days, he practised medicine and was under the patronage of the Barmaki Vizir during the Abbssid Caliphate of Haroon al-Rashid. He shared some of the effects of the downfall of the Barmakis and was placed under house arrest in Kufa, where he died in 803 C.E.

Jabir's major contribution was in the field of chemistry. He introduced experimental investigation into alchemy, which rapidly changed its character into modern chemistry. On the ruins of his well-known laboratory remained after centuries, but his fame rests on over 100 monumental treatises, of which 22 relate to chemistry and alchemy. His contribution of fundamental importance to chemistry includes perfection of scientific techniques such as crystalization, distillation, calcination, sublimation and evaporation and development of several instruments for the same. The fact of early development of chemistry as a distinct branch of science by the Arabs, instead of the earlier vague ideas, is well-established and the very name chemistry is derived from the Arabic word al-Kimya, which was studied and developed extensively by the Muslim scientists.

Perhaps Jabir's major practical achievement was the discovery of mineral and others acids, which he prepared for the first time in his alembic (Anbique). Apart from several contributions of basic nature to alchemy, involving largely the preparation of new compounds and development of chemical methods, he also developed a number of applied chemical processes, thus becoming a pioneer in the field of applied science. His achievements in this field include preparation of various metals, development of steel, dyeing of cloth and tanning of leather, varnishing of water-proof cloth, use of manganese dioxide in glass-making, prevention of rusting, letterring in gold, identification of paints, greases, etc. During the course of these practical endeavours, he also developed aqua regia to dissolve gold. The alembic is his great invention, which made easy and systematic the process of distillation. Jabir laid great stress on experimentation and accuracy in his work.

Based on their properties, he has described three distinct types of substances. First, spirits i.e. those which vaporise on heating, like camphor, arsenic and ammonium chloride; secondly, metals, for example, gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, and thirdly, the category of compounds which can be converted into powders. He thus paved the way for such later classification as metals, non-metals and volatile substances.

Although known as an alchemist, he did not seem to have seriously pursued the preparation of noble metals as an alchemist; instead he devoted his effort to the development of basic chemical methods and study of mechanisms of chemical reactions in themselves and thus helped evolve chemistry as a science from the legends of alchemy. He emphasised that, in chemical reactions, definite quantities of various substances are involved and thus can be said to have paved the way for the law of constant proportions.

A large number of books are included in his corpus. Apart from chemistry, he also contributed to other sciences such as medicine and astronomy. His books on chemistry, including his Kitab-al-Kimya, and Kitab al-Sab'een were translated into Latin and various European languages. These translations were popular in Europe for several centuries and have influenced the evolution of modern chemistry. Several technical terms devised by Jabir, such as alkali, are today found in various European languages and have become part of scientific vocabulary. Only a few of his books have been edited and published, while several others preserved in Arabic have yet to be annotated and published.

Doubts have been expressed as to whether all the voluminous work included in the corpus is his own contribution or it contains later commentaries/additions by his followers. According to Sarton, the true worth of his work would only be known when all his books have been edited and published. His religious views and philosophical concepts embodied in the corpus have been criticised but, apart from the question of their authenticity, it is to be emphasised that the major contribution of Jabir lies in the field of chemistry and not in religion. His various breakthroughs e.g., preparation of acids for the first time, notably nitric, hydrochloric, citric and tartaric acids, and emphasis on systematic experimentation are outstanding and it is on the basis of such work that he can justly be regarded as the father of modern chemistry. In the words of Max Mayerhaff, the development of chemistry in Europe can be traced directly to Jabir Ibn Haiyan.

http://www.ummah.net

Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi

2005-12-11T03:05:00.000-08:00

Examplar of IslamicLiving, Exponent of Islam, Defender of Islamic Identity (1914 – 31 December, 1999).

During the twentieth century, Muslim India has produced great Islamic theologians,interpreters of the Quran, scholars of Hadith, Islamic jurists, historians, propagators of the faith, social reformers and educationists, but one cannotname another Islamic scholar whose concerns covered the entire spectrum of the collective existence of the Muslim Indians as a living community in thenational and international context, who, for decades, enjoyed universalrespect, and who was accepted by the non-Muslims, at the highest level, as the legitimate spokesman for the concerns and aspirations of the entire community.

Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi was indisputably one of the greatest exponents ofIslam in the second half of the twentieth century and because of his commandover Arabic, through his writings and speeches, he had a wide area of influenceextending far beyond the Sub-continent, particularly in the Arab World.

His exposition of Islam was marked by moderation. He was not a fanatic in any senseof the term but he believed in Islam as a blessing for mankind and as apositive and creative factor in human history. In a sense Islam was perceivedby him as a civilizational force which retained its relevance in the modern ageas a viable counterpoint to the Western civilization with all its excesses.

The Maulana’s forte was his extraordinary grasp of Islamic history. It is thishistoric sense of the rise and fall of Islam in different ages and regions,which prompted him ever to take a long-term rather than a short-term, a broadrather than a narrow, view of the problems the contemporary community faced.

The Maulana was the very anti-thesis of the media image of the fire-eating, narrow-mindedMullah. Orthodox as he was, he was far from being conservative in his approach.Umma-conscious as he was, his love for the motherland knew no bounds. He neverpreached ‘Jihad’ to restore Muslim dominance; He stood for mutual respect, forpeaceful coexistence, for human values, for establishing a social ambiencebased on tolerance and harmony in India and in the world at large.

The Maulana understood the spirit of the age. He appreciated the role of Democracyand Nationalism. With his deep insight into the Quran and his understanding ofthe personality of the Holy Prophet, he understood the implications of amulti-religious world, a global village divided into multi-religious States.

Scion of an illustrious family which has produced scholars and spiritual preceptors likeShah Alamullah Naqshbandi and Syed Ahmad Shaheed, the Maulana’s father, HakimSyed Abul Hai, was an eminent scholar of his time, immortalised by hisencyclopaedic work, Nuzhatul Khawatir, (in eight volumes) containing about5,000 biographical notes on Muslim scholars, theologians, jurists, etc. ofIndia, apart from other notable works.

Syed Abu lHasan Ali was born in 1333 A.H. (1914 A.D.). Having lost his father at the ageof nine, he was brought up by his elder brother, Dr. Syed Abul Ali Hasani whopractised medicine at Lucknow. He specialised in Arabic literature at NadwatulUlema, Lucknow, studied Hadith under Sheikh Husain Ahmed Madani at Darul Uloom,Deoband and Tafsir under Maulana Ahmad Ali of Lahore where he came in touchwith Iqbal whose poetry left an abiding impression on him. Besides literary andtheological studies, Maulana developed keen interest in Islamic history andalso learnt English in order to keep himself abreast of contemporary thought.He taught Arabic literature and Tafsir at the Nadwatul Ulema for ten years.

After the demise of his elder brother, he became the Secretary of Nadwatul Ulema andsubsequently as Rector he supervised both its academic and administrativemanagement.

In 1947,the Maulana could have followed his mentor Syed Sulaiman Nadvi and migrated toPakistan but he did not.

In hisformative years, the Maulana was associated with the Jamaat-e-Islami for a fewyears after its establishment by Maulana Abul Ala Maudoodi. Then he turned tothe Tablighi Jamaat founded by Maulana Ilyasi’s. But the Maulana’s geniusdemanded a wider horizon for its unfolding.

Spirituallya disciple of Maulana Abdul Qadir Raipuri, the Maulana belonged to the SufiSilsila Qadiriya Naqshbandia.

Apart from his long association with Nadwa (as student, teacher, Secretary andNazim), he served on the Shura of the Darul Uloom, Deoband, chaired theManaging Committee of Darul Musannefin, Azamgarh and established the Academy ofIslamic Research and Publications at Lucknow.

A prolific writer his works have been prescribed in the courses of study in anumber of Arab Universities. His notable Arabic work Maza Khasera al-Alamb’inhitat-il-Muslimeen was not only widely acclaimed but also carved out aplace for him in the literary circles of the Arab world. Several of his workshave since been translated into Arabic, English, Turkish, Bhasha Indonesia,Persian, Tamil and some other languages.

Karvaan-e-Zindagi,his autobiography in 8 volumes, and Purane-Chiragh (life sketches ofcontemporary personalities), his biography of Syed Ahmad Shaheed, his biographyof Hazrat Ali (KW) and his Tarikh-e-Dawat-o-Azimat are his permanentcontribution to Urdu literature.

He was anHonorary Member of the Academy of Arts and Letters, Damascus and Academy ofArabic Language, Amman and served as Visiting Professor in a number of Arabuniversities.

Internationally recognised, he was one of the Founder Members of the Rabita at-Alam-al-Islami,Makka, (1963), and served on the Higher Council of the Islamic University,Medina, the Executive Committee of the Federation of Islamic Universities,Rabat, and as the Chairman of the Board for the Centre of Islamic Studies ofthe Oxford University. The lectures he delivered at Indian, Arab and WesternUniversities have been highly appreciated as original contribution to the studyof Islam and on Islam’s relevance to the modern age.

In 1980,he received the Faisal International Award, followed by the Brunei Award andthe UAE Award in 1999.

A greatscholar, the Maulana was not confined to the cloister. Not involved in activepolitics, he never participated in party or electoral politics. He did not evenjoin the All India Muslim Majlis, established by his protégé Dr. A.J. Faridi in1967, as it took to electoral politics. The Maulana was one of the founders ofthe All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (1964), the All India Muslim PersonalLaw Board (1972) and the All India Dini Talimi Council. He presided over theMilli Convention in 1979. He also extended his patronage to the Islamic FiqhAcademy and the All India Milli Council when they were established.

Topromote communal harmony, the Maulana became one of the founders of FOCUS whichwas later transformed into Society for Communal Harmony. He also established amovement ‘Pyam-e-Insaniyat’ to preach the gospel of universal love andbrotherhood.

TheMaulana valued the Constitution and the secular order as a guarantor of theIslamic identity of the Muslim community and of non-discrimination against themin various spheres of life. But he clearly saw the historic process ofassimilation at work in India and the long-term objective of Hindu Nationalismto absorb the Muslim Indians into the Hindu fold. That explains his firm standon the question of Muslim Personal Law against any interference throughlegislation or through judicial pronouncement and on introduction of SaraswatiVandana in Schools in UP.

The greatpolitical battles of the Muslim community during the last decades of thecentury were fought under his guidance. The A.I. Muslim Personal Law Boardlaunched in 1985 the movement for legislative nullification of the SupremeCourt judgement in the Shah Bano Case which the Muslim Indians saw as the thinend of the wedge for interference with the Shariat and for distorting theIslamic identity of the community. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights onDivorcees) Act, 1986 was its fruit; though it had several inbuilt flaws whichhas landed the community subsequently in endless litigation.

With theMaulana’s consent in 1986, the AIMMM and the AIMPLB took up the question ofrestoration of the Babari Masjid when the unlocking of its doors in January1986 for regular darshan and puja converted it into a de-facto temple. Thoughhe did not directly involve himself in the Babari Masjid Movement (whoseCoordination Committee was later split to form the A.I. Babari Masjid ActionCommittees), he guided it at all critical points and participated innegotiations with the government as well as Hindu representatives. Subsequentto the Demolition, the AIMPLB, under his presidentship took the question in itsown hands including the direction of the proceedings in the title suit, thecriminal case and the inquiry.

In thelast decade of his life the Maulana served as the final arbiter, the last word,the Marja’, the ultimate point of reference, on any intra-communal differences,even if he did not play any active role in resolving them. He counselledcommitment with patience and wisdom, movement within the framework of democracyand rule of law, and dignity and not rhetoric in utterances.

With hisoff-repeated commitment to the principles of Democracy, Secularism andNon-violence as the only viable foundation for the Indian polity, his constantendeavour for inter-religious dialogue and for reconciliation and harmony, hecommanded universal respect for his moderation, learning and integrity, for hisinfluence in the Muslim community and for his outreach in the Islamic world,

Assiduouslysought by eminent political personalities from Indira Gandhi to Atal BehariVajpayee, the Maulana acted as the bridge between the government and thenational parties, on one hand, and Muslim community, on the other.

TheMaulana, it has been correctly observed, stood for social reform, religiousrevival and political awakening but not for Islamic Revolution. He wasrealistic enough not to chase mirages or instant solutions. He saw clearly thatthe destiny of Muslim Indians was intertwined with that of the Indian people asa whole and that, in the age of democratic pluralism, an Islamic Revolution orthe restoration of Islamic power was out of the realm of possibility but it waspossible for the Muslim Indians to lead an Islamic life and at the same time participatein managing the affairs of the country and contribute to its progress anddevelopment. This was the basis of his efforts to reduce the distance betweenthe Muslims and the Hindus, to demolish the wall of distrust between them andto create bonds of understanding and cooperation in rebuilding relations on theterms of common moral values of the society which he saw as being engulfed bydark forces of hatred and violence.

All hisactive life, with Lucknow as his base, he wandered ceaselessly, not only withinthe country but in the Arab-Islamic world and the West, in a constant search,it seems to me, for reconciliation between Islam and the West, between rivalideologies in the Arab-Islamic world, between India and Pakistan and betweenthe Hindu and Muslim Indians. Cautious in taking positions, he always lookedbeyond the turbulence of the time, through the flames of the currentcontroversy. Even when he took part, his role was that of a mediator, ofcounselling patience, of avoiding confrontation, of appealing to reason.

A man whopersonified Islamic values, soft-spoken, cultured and courteous to the core,humility and modesty, patience and tolerance, moderation and balance,generosity and compassion – all Islamic values – marked his personality. Neithera politician, nor a publicist, essentially a scholar, a man of religion, aspiritual person, a modern Dervish, a Mard-e-Momin who combined in himself thehighest values of the Shariat and the Tariqat, of orthodoxy and Sufism and whocommanded respect for his transparent sincerity, for his simple living and forhis selfless devotion to the common cause of the Community and the Nation, aman who lived for Allah alone and who wanted nothing but the good of all is nomore.

Hisdemise is the end of an era in the history of the Muslim India and has createda void impossible to fill in the foreseeable future.

May hissoul rest in eternal peace, Ameen!

http://www.muslimindiajournal.com/ShowArticles.asp?Path=/articles/Editorial/February2000.html

Biography of Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri

2005-12-11T02:54:00.000-08:00

2.1 FAMILY BACKGROUND

Anwar Shah Kashmiri's (hereinafter referred to as Shah Sahib) forefathers migrated to India from Baghdad (`Iraq) some two hundred and fifty years ago. They travelled through different regions in India before they finally chose to settle in Kashmir. Shah Sahib's great grandfather, Shaykh Mas`ud Narwar, was a saintly figure in Narwara, a suburb of Sri Nagar, capital of Kashmir. He was a master tradesman and was called malik al-tujjar (king of tradesmen). In 1568, his grandfather took bay`ah (allegiance) in the Naqshband order on the hands of Shah Kirman Abu al-Fiya who was known as ra's al-awliy ' (head of the saints).

Shah Sahib's genealogy can be traced back to al-Imam al-Akbar Abu Hanifah. This genealogy is mentioned in Shah Sahib's two works, namely, Nayl al-Farqadayn and Kashf al-Satr.

Shah Sahib's father, Shaykh Mu`aam ibn shah `Abd al-Karim ibn Shah `Abd al-Khaliq ibn Shah Muhammad Akbar ibn `Arif ibn Shah Haydar ibn Shah `Ali ibn Shaykh `Abd Allah ibn Shaykh Mas`ud Narwa al-Kashmiri, was born in the district of Muaffar Nagar, in a place called Kirnaw. He too was of a saintly nature and was the follower of the Suhraward silsilah (a order). Many inhabitants of Kashmir are known of have benefited spiritually from Shah Sahib's father who passed away at the ripe age of 115 and is buried in Wirnu, Kashmir.

2.2 BIRTH AND EDUCATION

Shah Sahib was born in the beautiful valleys of Kashmir on 27 Shawwal 1292/26 November 1875 in a village called Dudwan which is near Kapwara in the valley of Lawlab. His parents were practising Muslims and thus he grew up in a religious environment. At the tender age of five, his father taught him the recitation of the Holy Qur'aan and at the age of seven he instructed him in Fars (Persian language).

After completing his Farsi studies, he studied Arabic grammar, fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) and usul al-fiqh (Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence) under Mawlana Ghulam Muammad Rasunipura. Shah Sahib was so motivated in his intellectual pursuits that within two years he completed his studies in these subjects.

It was during this early period of his life that his unusual talent and memory were manifested. For example, his father stated that while his son was studying Mukhtasar al-Qudur (an abridged version of ahanaf manual on Islamic Jurisprudence), he would ask such fiqh-related questions that necessitated his consulting other voluminous books on Islamic Jurisprudence before he could finally find the appropriate answers to son's questions.

In 1887, after completing his primary Islamic education in Kashmir, Shah Sahib travelled to Hazarah in quest of higher Islamic learning. Since he was only 13 at that time, his physical separation from his parents were extremely hard upon them.

Hazarah was then considered to be the centre for higher Islamic education. It was here that some prominent Islamic scholars conducted classes in the different branches of learning which were related to the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah (Traditions of the Prophet Muammad - s.a.w.s.). Shah Sahib studied in that district for a period of three years, but his great thirst for knowledge could not be fulfilled here. Thus, once he learnt from some of his teachers about the Dar al-`Ulum in Deoband, U.P., India, he decided to further his studies there.

In 1889, he arrived in Deoband. During the early years of the establishment of the Dar al-`Ulum in Deoband, there were no boarding and lodging facilities for the students. Shah Sahib had no acquaintance in the city of Deoband and thus he had no other option but to reside temporarily in Masjid Qaa, a mosque near the Dar al-`Ulum. While staying at the mosque, he lead the salaah (the daily five compulsory prayers), cleaned this place of worship and looked after its general affairs. It was while residing at the mosque that one of the trustees of the mosque, namely, Qari Amad Husayn, introduced him to Mawlana Mamood Hasan. This is how he became the student of this renown Muslim scholar who had pursued his education under the guidance of two notable scholars, namely, Mawlana Qasim Nanawtwi and Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. Mawlana Mamood Hasan completed his studies at Deoband in 1873 and joined the staff at the Dar al-`Ulum in Deoband. In all he spent 40 years at this institution where he played an important role in its teaching programme as well as in its administrative affairs. He passed away in Delhi in 1919 and lies buried in Deoband.

Besides studying under Mawlana Mamood Hasan, Shah Sahib also studied under Mawlana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, Mawlana Ishaq Amratsar and Mawlana Ghulam Rasool. It was only in 1894 that he was exposed to the classical works of Hadith literature like Al-Jami` al-a of Imam al-Bukhari, and al-Jami` al-Tirmidhi, and Tafsir (exegeses) works like al-Jalalayn and other important literary works in other branches of Islamic knowledge.

After his formal education at Deoband, Shah Sahib moved to Ganghohi where he continued his studies in Hadith. It was here that he received spiritual guidance from Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Ganghohi. In all, Shah Sahib spent ten years of his life acquiring knowledge in Islamic sciences.

2.3 TEACHING CAREER

Shah Sahib taught Islamic sciences at Madrasah Aminiyah founded in 1897 and named after its founder Mawlana Amin al-Din, a close friend of his. This institution was located at the Sunahr Masjid, Delhi. Mawlana Amin al-Din was its first principal and Shah Sahib was its first adr al-mudarrisin (head of the teachers).

In 1901, his mother passed away and Shah Sahib returned to Kashmir and seeing the pathetic conditions and plight of the Muslims in Kashmir, he decided to serve the Muslims of his birth place. He taught at Madrasah Fay`m in Bara Mawla, for three years. It was in 1905 that he, for the first time, travelled abroad with a large group of Muslims for the purpose of performing the Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah).

During this sojourn in the holy cities i.e. Makkah and Madinah, he visited the libraries and the various institutions of Islamic learning and met some notable scholars like `Allamah Shaykh Hasan Tarablis.

It was in 1908 that Shah Sahib decided to migrate from Kashmir to the holy city of Madinah. However, before undertaking this journey, he thought it to be appropriate to visit his teacher, Mawlana Mamood Hasan in Deoband. Mawlana Mamood Hasan did not encourage him to migrate to Madinah and insisted that Shah Sahib should rather settle in Deoband and take up a lecturing post at the Dar al-`Ulum. Shah Sahib finally, out of respect for his teacher, reluctantly accepted the post. During his first year as a teacher at the Dar al-`Ulum, he was assigned with the task of teach the three Authentic Collections of Hadith, namely, Al-Jami` al-Hadith of Imam Muslim, Sunan al-Nasai', and Sunan ibn Majah.

Within a few months after Shah Sahib began teaching at the Dar al-`Ulum in Deoband, his teacher, Mawlana Mamood Hasan became more involved in politics and this took its toll on the Mawlana who was forced to migrate to Madinah. The teachers felt that during the absence of Mawlana Mamood Hasan, Shah Sahib should be given the added responsibility of teaching Al-Jami` al-Hadith of Imam al-Bukhari and Al-Jami` Imam al-Tirmidhi. This gave Shah Sahib an ideal opportunity to effect a change in the methodology of teaching the science of Hadith. His innovative method attracted a large number of students from all parts of India. He was then accredited as Shaykh al-Hadith. It was in that same year (1908) that Shah Sahib got married. His wife was belonged to a respectable family in Ganghoh.

During the eighteen years that he spent teaching at Deoband, he was instrumental in producing some prominent scholars in the field of Hadith. Some 2 000 students qualified under him. Some of them are: Mawlana `Abd al-Qadir Raipur, Mufti Muammad Shafi` Uthmani, Mawlana Manazir Asan Jilan, Mawlana Idris Khandelwi, Mawlan Badr al-`Alam, Mawlana Yusuf Binori, Mufti `Atiq al-Rahman, Mawlana Mansur Nu`man, and Qari Tayyib.

While engaged in teaching, Shah Sahib also devoted his time propagating Islam. He was thus noted for giving public lectures on Islam within India and also produced some literary works in defence of Islam. His involvement in the Qadiyani issue will be discussed at a later stage in this dissertation.

In 1927 a problem arose in the management of Dar al-`Ul m of Deoband and this caused Shah Sahib and some of the other prominent teachers like `Allamah Shabbir Amad Uthmani, Mawlana Badr-i-`Alam, and Mawlana Siraj Amad and Mawlana if al-Raman to leave Deoband and to settle in Dhabel, Gujerat, India.

Mawlana Muhammad ibn Musa Mia Afriqi was instrumental in convincing Shah Sahib to take up a teaching post at the Islamic Institution in Dhabel. Henceforth, students started to flock from all parts of the world to Dhabel and within a short period, Dhabel became a famous Dar al-Ulum. When Shah Sahib came to Dhabel, he observed that Muslims in the Gujerat were engaged in some practices that were not in conformomity with the Islamic concept of tawhid (Oneness of Allah). Thus, he spent his spare time teaching the lay Muslims and enlightened them on the sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.).

2.4 HIS DEMISE

It was in Dhabel where Shah Sahib had spent five years teaching that he became very ill. He took leave of absence to return to his old home in Deoband, where a handful of doctors attended to his medical condition. Notable among them were Hakim Nabina ib (a blind physician) and Hakim Muammad Amad and Dr. Anwar.

After the `asr Salaah on Sunday 2nd Safar 1352/27 May 1933, Qari Tayyib and a group of students visited the ailing Shah Sahib at his home. The students were eager to learn from him and although they noticed that he was very sick, they nevertheless posed a number of questions to him on many an issue. Shah Sahib obliged and responded to their questions satisfactorily. On that same night, his condition worsened and breathed his last at midnight.

News of Shah Sahib death spread like wild fire throughout India. The following morning Mawlana `Abd al-Aad, a teacher at the Dar al-`Ulum of Deoband and Mufti Muammad Sharif gave him the ceremonial bath (ghusl) and after the Zuhr salah his janazah (funeral) prayer was performed by Mawlana Asghar Husayn.

Shah Sahib lies buried in an orchad which belonged to his wife in the outskirts of Deoband, close to the `Eid Ghah (the place where Muslims congregate to perform the festival prayers). It was Shah Sahib’s wish that he be buried at that particular place because it was there that he often came to eat the fruits from the orchard.

This particular orchard was purchased by Shah Sahib's wife on the morning of his demise. She sold some of her valuables in order to fulfil the dying wish of her husband. A room exists near his tomb and it was rumoured that he used to study in it while he was a student at Deoband. However, this is not authentic. Mawlana Muhammad Mia of South Africa who was one of his close students and associates financed the building of that room after the passing away of Shah Sahib. The purpose for constructing that room was to house the caretaker of the new graveyard. Today, several other members of Shah Sahib's family lay buried in this graveyard.

It is also alleged that he was buried in that particular place and not in the Qasim graveyard where the other `ulama of Deoband are buried because of his differences with them. This view is not tenable in view of the fact that he requested that he be buried at this place because when he was alive he used to enjoy eating the fruits of this orchard.

The following day following his demise, all major newspapers carried articles in which condolences were expressed to the Muslim world for the loss of this great scholar.

2.5 Eulogies

Upon Shah Sahib's demise, `Allamah Muammad Iqbal said, "Muslims have not seen the like of this great scholar during the last five hundred years."

Mawlana Shabbir Amad `Uthman said, "Not only have the students been deprived of a great teacher but the learned ones too have lost a great guide."

Mawlana Husayn Amad Madani was asked to speak at a gathering after his death and he could not compose himself and broke down in tears and was unable to speak. The only words that he could utter were, "the `Ulama and students have become orphans today."

Poems composed in Shah Sahib's praise and the many messages of condolences received after his demise have been recorded in the work entitled Naqsh-i-Dawam, written by his son, Mawlana Anwar Shah.

2.6 His Children

Shah Sahib had five children, three boys and two girls. The eldest daughter died at the the age of twenty five in Bijnor where she was married. His eldest son Mawlana Azhar Shah is the editor of the periodical Dar al-`Ulum of Deoband. His second daughter is married to Mawlana Amad Ri of Bijnor who is the author of Anwar al-Bir (a commentary on a al-Bukhari). His second son passed away at a young age and his youngest son is Mawlana Anwar Shah who lectures at the Dar al-`Ulum of Deoband and is the author of many books.

2.7 His Character

Shah Sahib was of medium height and strong built. He had a thick beard which covered his entire face. His forehead was broad and on the whole, he had pleasant features.

He was utterly simple in his manners and honest in his dealings. Eloquent in speech, he truly was and he had a warm personality which was a source of inspiration for everyone who came into contact with him. People from all walks of life loved and respected him.

Shah Sahib possessed many good qualities. Throughtout his life, he tried to uphold the teachings of the Prophet Muammad (s.a.w.s.). Mawlana Qari Muammad Tayyib noted that practical application of many of the sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) could only be understood after observing Shah Sahib putting them into practice.

For many years, he was paid for his teaching services at the Dar al-`Ulum in Deoband in the form of receiving two meals from the principal's house. Never did he once complain about the food, nor did he ever request any special meal. He led a very pious and humble life.

He held the rich and the poor on equal footing. He refused to accept any position of leadership. Although Shah Sahib possessed so much knowledge, he was devoid of any streak of pride. Everyone could meet him without having to make prior appointment.

Shah Sahib was endowed with a special gift of communicative power and the aptitude to illustrate his stance on any particular issue. His contemporaries, therefore, often turned to him for guidance in resolving some important religious problems that they encountered. While it is true that an individual's fame rests upon one's good deeds and noble qualities, Shah Sahib's fame rests primarily upon his dedication to knowledge and his literary works. He has left his name embossed on the pages of history like many other classical Muslim scholars, some of whom were Imam al-Razi, ibn al-`Arab, Imam al-Bukhari, and Shah Wali Allah.

Shah Sahib showed reverence and respect for religious literature. From the very tender age of seven, he did not touched them without first performing the wudhu (ablution).

He had profound reverence for all his teachers. He often said that he considered himself a slave of that person who taught him something, even if it was only one word.

2.8 Views of Scholars

Mawlana A`tiq al-Allah Shah Bukhari was asked how he could best describe Shah Sahib and he replied that the caravan of the Companions (r.a.) of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was passing by and Shah Sahib was left behind. Thus indicating that Shah Sahib possessed their qualities.

Mawlana Amad Ri of Bijnor who spent sixteen years with Shah Sahib and is his son-in law acknowledges that Mawlana Shabbir Amad `Uthman was the one who benefitted the most from Shah Sahib's knowledge. According to him, the tafsir (exegesis of the Holy Qur'an) written by `Uthman is replete with Shah Sahib's opinions.

Mawlana Ashraf `Ali Thanwi remarked that after having listened to a discourse of Shah Sahib he had no doubt that books could be compiled on every sentence that was uttered by Shah Sahib. Although Mawlana Thanwi was Shah Sahib's senior, he would attend Shah Sahib's lectures, whenever he came to Deoband. Mawlana Thanwi was so moved by the personality of Shah Sahib that he once mentioned that by virtue of the fact that Shah Sahib was a Muslim it was ample proof that Islam is a true religion.

Whenever Shah Sahib's teacher, Mawlana Mamood Hasan, noticed Shah Sahib sitting in his gathering he would make him sit near him and have all the questions directed to Shah Sahib or, on the other hand, he would request that his answers be verified by this particular student of his.

Mawlana Shah `Abd al-Qadir Raipuri, says that he studied a few days under Shah Sahib and he found him to an 'aayat i.e. `a sign of Allah'.4

Mawlan Husayn `Ali Naqshbandi, who was a student of Mawlana Ganghohi, was of the opinion that if anyone wanted to specialise in Hadith then that person would have to study under Shah Sahib.

`Allamah Rashid Ri al-Masr of Egypt was invited to the Dar al-`Ulum of Deoband while he was visiting Lucknow in 1913. He complied to the invitation and after spending a few days in Deoband he returned to Cairo and wrote in his periodical al-Manar that he had never before met a greater scholar in Hadith than Shah Sahib.

`Allamah Muaddith `Al Hanbal al-Masr, was considered to be the fi (memoriser) of the a ayn during his time. While he was visiting Deoband, he sat in the lectures that were being given by Shah Sahib on a al-Bukhari. During the course of the lectures he questioned Shah Sahib on many issues. Shah Sahib promptly answered his questions in the Arabic language. After the lesson was over, he remarked that he had travelled widely throughout the Arab world and in Egypt and he himself had taught Hadith al-Bukhari for ten years but he had not met such a great scholar of Hadith as Shah Sahib. He further said that he tried in many ways to test the knowledge of Shah Sahib by asking him some difficult questions but was amazed by Shah Sahib's wealth of knowledge.

Once `Allamah Shabbir Amad `Uthman said that if someone were to ask him if he had seen `Allamah Taqi` al-Din ibn Daqiq al-Din or if he had seen ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani then he would reply in the affirmative because his having seen Shah Sahib was the same as having seen these two personaltities.

`Allamah Sayyid Sulayman Nadwi was full of praise for Shah Sahib. He mentioned that Shah Sahib was highly educated, had great insight, a powerful memory, was a Hafidh of Hadith, very pious and that Shah Sahib continued to preach Hadith until his passing away.

Mawlana Husayn Amad Madani said that he had met many great scholars in India and in the Arab World, including Iraq and Syria, and had lengthy intellectual discussions with them, but he was not quite impressed with their line of argument while answering many of his questions. However, he remarked, that Shah Sahib outshone all of them.

Mufti Kifayat Allah mentioned that he was not sure whether he would ever meet any scholar who would be a match to Shah Sahib.

Mawlana Sayyid Asghar Husayn said that while trying to solve a juridical problem, he would first consult the authoritative works in the libraries and it was only after his failing to find an appropriate answer, would he then seek guidance from Shah Sahib.

Moreover, Mawlana Sayyid Asghar Husayn would add that if Shah Sahib were to tell him that he would not be able to find an answer to his particular question in any source work, then Shah Sahib who was an avid reader was always correct.

`Allamah Kawthar of Cairo, Egypt, read and studied some articles written by Shah Sahib. When Shah Sahib visited Egypt, `Allamah Kawthar met him and conceded to the fact that he thought that Shah Sahib was the most qualified scholar in deducing the laws of Islamic Jurisprudence from Hadith and that Shah Sahib ranked second only to Hammam ibn Munabbih, the author of Fath al-Qadir.

Mawlana Khalil Amad Saharanpuri, while compiling his famous Bazal al-Majhud (a commentary on Sunan Abu Da'ud), sought the advice of Shah Sahib. Likewise, `Allamah Nimw compiled his famous 'Athar al-Sunan under the guidance of Shah Sahib.

The renown poet `Allamah Muhammad Iqbal, derived immense spiritual and intellectual benefit through his association with Shah Sahib. When Shah Sahib finally decided to leave Deoband, he tried to persuade him to migrate to Lahore.

5.1 SHAH SAHIB'S SCHOLARSHIP

Shah Sahib had profound knowledge of Islam and specialised in various fields of Islamic Studies. He was an authority on the Qur'an and Hadith and mastered the Arabic language. He visited most of the libraries in India and in the Arab world in order to acquaint himself with the available Islamic literature. It is mentioned that once he remarked that he had read all the Arabic literature that had been produced in Egypt and was available in the libraries. Furthermore, he also stated that he found nothing stimulating and original in the newly published works.

Shah Sahib was an avid reader and his reading speed was far above average in that he would daily scan through two hundred pages of Musnad Amad ibn Hanbal. While teaching, Shah Sahib would qoute the Hadith from this work without having to open it. He also managed to read the entire Fath al-Qadir (a commmentary on the Hidayah, a legal manual of the Hanafi School of Islamic Jurisprudence) in twenty days, and did not need to physically consult this work whenever he was asked to shed light on the various issues that were discussed in it.

Shah Sahib was acclaimed as a great Muslim scholar even while he was alive.

Mawlana Habib al-Raman `Uthman used to refer to Shah Sahib as a mobile library.

Many of the `ulama included Shah Sahib's views in their literary works. For example, Mawlana Shabbir Amad `Uthmani has in his two works, namely, Fath al-Mulim (a commentary on a Muslim) and Fawa`id al-Qur'aan (an exegesis of the Holy Qur'aan) made mention of Shah Sahib's opinions on several matters.

Mawlana Yusuf Binnori ranked Shah Sahib among the classical scholars like Imaam al-Ghazali, Ibn Hajar, Ibn Taymiyah, and Imaam al-Razi.

Shah Sahib spent his entire life in the service of Islamic education and his service in this domain was fully acknowledged. In his teachings and writings he tried to dispel the misconceptions that people had about Islam. His primary objective was to unify Muslims and to inspire them with a sense of discipline.

5.2 HIS WRITINGS

In the Indian Subcontinent where Shah Sahib was born and bred, the general conditions were appalling. Political instability prevailed and a state of insecurity was rife. People did not enjoy peace of mind and safety of life.

Muslim disunity existed as a result of lack of true Muslim leadership. Consequently, they suffered much at the hands of the Sikhs, Hindus and British.

Thus, Shah Sahib resolved to dedicate his entire life in the service of his religion. Through his writings, he managed to clarify certain issues which kept on puzzling many a Muslim scholar, and he also touched upon specific topics so as to steer Muslims safely through the religious controversies that prevailed. His literary contributions brought about far reaching consequences and left a deep impression upon Muslims.

Most of his literary works were published under the auspices of Majlis-i-`Ilm. This educational academy was established by Mawlana Ibn Musa Mia in Delhi in 1929. Its primary objective was to gather all of Shah Sahib's manuscripts and to publish and distribute them for wider readership. Mawlana Amad Bijnur and Mawlana Yusuf Binuri served this academy until it was finally transferred to Karachi in 1946.

Shah Sahib's literary works covered a wide range of subjects pertaining to the Qur'aan, `Aqaa'id (Fundamental Beliefs), Metaphysics, Islamic Jurisprudence and Zoology, Poetry and Politics. His works under these broad headings are hereunder discussed:

I. THE QUR'AAN

5.2.1 Mushkilat al-Qur'aan (Difficulties Found in the Qur'aan)
Shah Sahib would, on a daily basis, spend hours studying the Holy Qur'aan. However, despite possessing a remarkable memory, Shah Sahib did not memorize the Holy Qur'aan. A plausible reason for this is that whenever he engaged himself in the recitation of the Holy Qur'aan he would become so engrossed in its rhetorics, style and meanings and which caused him to ponder and reflect upon a single verse at a time.

In his Mushkilat al-Qur'aan, Shah Sahib interprets those verses of the Holy Qur'aan which are considered to be difficult to understand. Thus, while analysing these verses, he would begin by discussing the opinions of some notable mufassirin (exegetists) and thereafter touched upon the views of other scholars before giving his own opinion. Shah Sahib was of the view that the exegesis of the Holy Qur'aan should be made in the light of the causes (asbab al-nuzul) of the revelation of its verses.

The special feature of this work is that the author has also discussed 190 verses, which in his opinion, needed to be further clarified. He made full use of Arabic, Urdu and the Persian languages throughout the book.

Mushkilat al-Qur'aan was re-arranged and published after his demise by Majlis-i-Ilm, Dhabel. In this particular edition, Mawlana Amad Bijnuru has, in the footnotes, listed the entire sources which Shah Sahib had made reference to.

This 228-page book was re-published by one of Shah Sahib's renowned students, namely Mawlana Yusuf Binuri with a 48-page introduction. In his introduction, Mawlana Yusuf Binuri touches briefly upon Shah Sahib's life and his involvement in the study of the Holy Qur'aan. This book was also published by Majlis al-Ilm , Delhi, by Jamal Press (1937).2

It seems that there was another copy of the same book printed in Maligo (a village in Surat, India) by Majlis-i-Ilm (1937). In this edition, both the introductions of Binuri and Bijnuru have been included. The writer of this dissertation has not had access to this particular edition but reference to it can be found in the journal, al-Khayr (July 1993).

II. METAPHYSICS

5.2.2 Darb al-Khatim `ala udath al-`alam (Final Decision on the Creation of the Universe)
This work is a philosophical discussion on the existence of God. Shah Sahib wrote this work in 1926 while he was teaching in Dhabel in order to refute the atheistic stance of Lenist's and Marxist's ideologies that were influencing Muslim youth and students at secular institutions. This work was written in the Arabic in poetry form, consisting of 400 stanzas.

In its introduction, Shah Sahib mentions that he would make use of modern scientific and old philosophical arguments in order to prove his case and he further states that he had read a number of books on the subject discussed in his work, especially the acclaimed al-Zawrah of Jalal Dawwan , but found them all to be inconclusive. He felt that his contribution would be unique. Darb al-Khatim `al udath al-`Alam was published by Majlis-i-`Ilm , Karachi (1962).

5.2.2.1 Mirqat al-Tarim li uduth al-`Alam (Proofs Leading to the Creation of the Universe)
Like the previous work, this work is a further elaboration on the creation of the universe. This 62-page work was written in 1932 while Shah Sahib was teaching in Dhabel and was published by Majlis-i-Ilmi in that same year. In 1938, Mawlana Yusuf Binuri presented a copy of this book to Shaykh Mutaf abr , an Egyptian philosopher, who expressed his admiration at Shah Sahib's profound philosophical insight.

III. AL-`AQAA'ID (FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS)

5.2.3 Sahm al-Ghayb i Kab Ahl al-Rayb (Enlightening the Sceptics About the Unseen)
Shah Sahib had been fervently appealing to his co-religionists to live in peace and harmony with each other and to keep away from all forms of hatred. He felt deeply grieved whenever he heard that Muslim scholars were fighting and arguing on religious matters, because he was of the view that the fundamentals of religion had already been clearly laid down, practised and explained.

Shah Sahib undertook to write this 66-page book while he was teaching at Madrasat-i-Aminiyah. He was then 22 years old. In this work, he attempted to explain the thoughts and beliefs of Mawlana Qasim Nanotwi and Mawlana Khalil Amad Saharanpuri. It was published by Majlis-i-`Ilm , Karachi (1932).

5.2.3 Ikfar al-Mulidin (Denouncing the Apostates)
Shah Sahib was concerned about the influence that materialism was having on the Muslims in India and he thus felt that it was imperative for him to write on the basic fundamental beliefs (`aqaa'id) of one who claims to be a Muslim. In his Ikfar al-Mulidin, Shah Sahib touches upon those acts and beliefs which could result in one's exclusion from the fold of Islam. This book was written in 1924. In its introduction, Shah Sahib mentions that he hoped that this work would serve as guidance to the correct beliefs and that it would equally assist his students to lead a meaningful life.

This 132-page book was published by Majlis-i-Ilm , Delhi (1960). It was translated from Arabic into Urdu by one of Shah Sahib's noted students, namely, Mawlana Muammad Idris Mirth and re-published in Karachi (1967).

5.2.3.1 Kitab f al-Dhaba`an Qurrat al-'Aynayn (The Book In Defence of the Delight of the Eyes)
The Shi`a sect came into existence during the early stages of the Islamic era and the 'Ithna `Ashara sect was formulated in the beginning of the 4th century Hijri. One of their beliefs is that arat `Ali (r.a.) is superior than all other sahabah (Companions (r.a.) of the Prophet - s.a.w.s.) and that he was cheated out of being the first khalifah (Caliph of Islam). It, therefore, became common practice among the Shi`ites to degrade the Companions (r.a.), especially, the first three Pious Caliphs.

Followers of Shi`ism were and are still found in the Indian Subcontinent. In order to educate his students and Muslims in general on the issue of Shi`ism, Shah Sahib, in his Kitab f al-Dhaba`an Qurrat al-'Aynayn discusses the virtues of the three most illustrious Companions (r.a.), namely, Hadrat Abu Bakr, Hadrat `Umar and Hadrat `Uthmaan (r.a.). In order to lend support to his claim, Shah Sahib quotes extensively from the Hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and from the reports of other Companions (r.a.). This book was written in Persian while Shah Sahib was teaching in Delhi.

5.2.3.2 `Aqadat al-Islam fi ayat `Eesa (Islamic Belief on the Life of Jesus)
The 1857 struggle for independence was supressed and the British launched a vigorous campaign to spread their culture and Islam was regarded to be the greatest threat. The British therefore, went out of their way to support Mirza Ghulam Amad Qadiyani to create a rift among Muslims. Born a Muslim, Mirza Ghulam Amad studied Islam and Comparative Religion. Later on, he began, through his teachings, to erode the very foundation of Islamic belief by preaching that divine revelation had not ceased and that he too had been a recipient of this phenomenon. He began his movement by first claiming to be a mujaddid (religious reformer). In 1891 he went further and claimed that he was the Promised Messiah and in 1902 he went to the extent of claiming to be the best and most perfect Prophet. His British masters assisted him in promoting his teachings. In order to curtail this heresy, Ulama throughout India launched a concerted campaign to refute and denounce this un-Islamic sect, both in their speeches and writings.

In 1924 when Mirza Ghulam Amad claimed to be the Promised Messiah, Shah Sahib undertook to write `Aqidat al-Islam fi hayat `Eesa in Arabic. In this work, Shah Sahib refutes Mirza Ghulam Amad's claim and since this imposter also held the view that Hadrat `Isa (Jesus - a.s.) died a natural death and is buried in Srinigar, occupied Kashmir, Shah Sahib found it relevant to also discuss in the same work the second advent of Hadrat `Isa (r.a.) before the Day of Judgement. This work was also entitled ayat al-Masih bi Matan al-Qur'aan wa al-Hadith al-asah (The life of the the Messiah in the light of the Qur’aan and Authentic Traditions). Mawlana Yusuf Binur wrote a 32-page forward to this 340-page book and re-published it in Karachi (1960).

5.2.3.3 Taiyat al-Islam fi hayat `Isa (Salutations of Islam on the Life of Jesus)
Shah Sahib wrote Taiyat al-Islam fi hayat `Isa while he was teaching at Dhabel (1932). This 150-page work, like the previous one, deals with the same subject matter of the Prophet Jesus (a.s.), but contains additional information and arguments.

In its introduction, Shah Sahib justifies writing this work and states that in the previous book on the same subject, he had omitted to discuss some important issues and that the ummah needed to be further warned about the kufr (blashphemous) beliefs of Mirza Ghulam Amad Qadiyani. Majlis al-Ilm, Karachi, published this work along with `Aqidat al-Islam fi hayat `Isa in one volume.

5.2.3.4 Al-Tasr `bi m Tawatur fi Nuzul al-Masih (Explanation of the Traditions which Discuss the Return of the Messiah)
In this work, Shah Sahib quotes seventy authentic Hadith which have direct import on Hadrat `Isa (a.s.) and his return to this earth. He also quotes the opinions of the sahabah (r.a.) on this issue. This work was first published in Beirut with two forwards one by `Abd al-Fattah Abu al-Ghuddah and the other by Mufti Muammad Shafi`. Its second edition was published by Jam`iyat Taaffu Khatm-i-Nubuwat in Multan, Pakistan and the date is not mentioned. The only other book written on this very topic is by Qazi al-Shawkani, the author of Nayl al-Awtar.

5.2.3.5 Khatm al-Nabiyin (Finality of Prophethood)
The Qadiyani faith and the propagation of its teachings in Kashmir during the early part of the 20th century pained Shah Sahib and he chose to write this work in the Persian language and it was his wish to dedicate it to the people of Kashmir. Khatm al-Nabiyin deals with the whole concept of the finality of Prophethood as viewed by Islam and also touches upon the qualities of the Prophets (a.s.) of God in general.

Some of Shah Sahib's students, such as Mawlana `Aziz al-aq Bihari, Mawlana Manazir Isan Ghaylan and Hakim `Aziz al-Raman, attempted to translate this manuscript into the Urdu language but none of them were able to accomplish this task.

This 304-page book in Persian was finally published two years after the demise of Shah Sahib by Majlis-i-`Ilm, Karachi. Its Urdu translation by Mawlana Yusuf Ludhyanwi was also included in the same publication. Mawlana `Atiq al-Raim `Uthman and Mawlana Yusuf Binuri wrote its foreword.

5.2.3.6 Da`wat if al-iman (Invitation Towards the Preservation of Faith)
Three days before Shah Sahib's demise, Imdad-i-Islam organised an Islamic conference at the Jami` Masjid, Deoband. The proceedings began after the Friday Congretional Prayer. Shah Sahib was asked to present a paper on the threat of Qadiyanism, but could not could not physically attend it due to ill health. He, therefore, requested that his Urdu paper entitled Da`wat if al-iman be read out to the participants.

In it, Shah Sahib discusses certain strategies that could be used to effectively counteract the spread of this new un-Islamic sect. The paper also touched upon a number of topics such as what constitutes correct beliefs, the concept of iman (faith) and khatm al-nubuwwah (finality of Prophethood) etc. Imdad-i-Islam Anjuman published the manuscript after Shah Sahib's demise throught Madinah Press, Bijnor.

IV. AL-FIQH (ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE)

In so far as his legal writings are concerned, it ought to be mentioned here that Shah Sahib was very impressed with the works Imam Muammad bin al-asan al-Shayban such as the Muwaa', al-Athar and al-Hujjah. However, although Shah Sahib was a scholar expounding and researching the Hanaf School of Islamic Jurisprudence, he equally read the major works of every other juridical school. He had great regard and respect for Imam al-Shafi` and he was of the view that no one could be qualified as a mufti (i.e. one who pronounces legal verdicts) unless and until that person had also studied Ibn Nujaym's al-Bahr al-Ra'iq.

5.2.4. Fal al-Khiab (Final Decision)
Fal al-Khiab is the first book written by Shah Sahib on the law pertaining to the recitation of the muqtad (one who follows the imam in the congretional prayer) of Surat al-Fatiah. This 106-page work was completed in two days while Shah Sahib was teaching in Deoband and was published for the first in 1918. In this work he collated all the Ahadith which of relevance to the issue in question.

In its introduction Shah Sahib states that the Hadith of Muammad ibn Ishaq which pertains to the issue of reciting Surat al-Fatihah behind the Imam in the congretional prayers needed greater clarity and that this was the aim of this particular work. He further discusses at length the other Ahadith which concern this ruling. In its conclusion mention is made that the aim in writing this book was in no way meant to refute the ruling of any particular School of Islamic Jurisprudence, but rather just to expound upon the Hanaf opinion.

5.2.4.2 Khatimat al-Khiab fi Fatiat al-Kitab (Conclussive discussion on the opening verses of the Quran)
This is Shah Sahib's second work on the above subject. It was written in the Persian language and published in Deoband with a forward by one of his prominent teachers, namely, Mawlana Mamood al-Hasan.

5.2.4.1 Al-Nur al-Fai `ala Nam al-Far'idh (Enlightenment on the Sequence of the Laws of Inheretance)
This work which is also in the Persian language deals with the intricasies of Islamic inheritance. Its unique feature is that it consists of a simplified version of the laws of Islamic inheritance written in a poetic form consisting of 192 stanzas. He chose to write it in poetry form so as to make it easy for the students to memorize these laws. One of Shah Sahib's students, namely Mawlana Fakhr al-Din Amad Murabadi published this work in Murabad (1936).

5.2.4.3 Nayl al-Firqadayn fi Ma'alah Raf` al-Yadayn (Clarity on the Ruling of Lifting of the Hands)
The ruling pertaining to the lifting of both hands at the time of going into ruku` (the bowing position in Salah) and sujud (prostration) has been a matter of contention from the very early stages of Islam.

In this work Shah Sahib explains all the Ahadith which are apparently for and against such a practice and concludes by pointing out that the Hanafi view ought to be upheld in this regard i.e. that the hands should be raised only once at the time of the commencement of the salah and that would be in conformity with the sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)

Shah Sahib wrote this 145-page book in Arabic while he was teaching in Deoband. In its introduction he states that his intention for writing this book was not to prove that lifting of the hands in salah is correct or incorrect, since there were Ahadith that justify both such practices. However, in this work, he made an attempt to elaborate upon the preferred opinion on this matter.

5.2.4.5 Bas al-Yadayn (Spreading of the Hands)
This is work contains additional research on the ruling pertaining to the lifting of one's hands while in salah. This 63-page work was in Arabic and can be said to be a supplement to the previous work on the same specific ruling.

5.2.4.6 Kashf al-Satr `an salat al-Witr (Revealing the Secrects of salat al-Witr)
This work deals with all the stipulations which pertain to the witr salah. How it ought to be performed, how many raka`t it consists of, etc. In this 100-page work, Shah sahib refutes the opinions of Muslims jurists of other Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence and provides proof as to why the Hanaf School's stipulations on this particular prayer are most plausible.

V. ZOOLOGY

5.2.4.6 Khaza'in al-Asrar (Treasures of the Secrets)
This work was in effect Shah Sahib's notes on `Allamah Dumayri's book on Zoology entitled ayat al-ayawan. This 65-page work was first published by Majlis-i-`Ilm , Delhi (1979). Subsequently, it was translated into Urdu by Dr Muaffar al-asan Monghar who had it published by Idarat-i-Islamiyah Press, Lahore.

VI. POETRY

Shah Sahib was exposed to poetry from a very young age since his three brothers namely, Yasin, `Abd Allah and Sulayman, were very keen in poetry and composed their own in the Persian language.

Many of the booklets written by Shah Sahib were in poetry form. Q Zayn al-`abidin Mirth, has in his possession a collection of Shah Sahib's poems, both in Fars and Arabic. The daily newspaper (which one?), 21 December 1927, published several of Shah Sahib's poems. However, Shah Sahib's unpublished poems in praise of his teachers can be found in Mawlana `Abd al-Hayy Nuzhat al-Khawair.

VII. POLITICS

Like the economic conditions, the socio-religious conditions of his time were far from satifactory. In general, Muslims led their lives in such a manner which was radically opposed to the spirit of Islamic teachings. Total absence of unity and lack of research and investigation was apparent even among the learned ones.

Muslims were stuck to blind imitation with the result that they failed to face the hard realities. Hindu Vedantism, Shi`ite tendencies and vile innovations prevailed upon them.

The speeches of the preachers were always blended with unsuitable hints of mysticism which led them astray from the right path. The Holy Qur'aan was recited simply for attaining blessings and was kept covered inside precious cloth.

Serious thinking and independent approach to the law were recklessly ignored, with the result that they fell an easy prey to superstitions and innovations. Shah Sahib maintained that this situation was due to political instability and personal Insecurity.

Shah Sahib did not confine his activities to preaching and writing of books only. He remained vigilant and watchful of the changes that were taking place in the political arena. He always maintained that Islam could only flourish if a strong political power stood behind it.

From the time his teacher, Mawlana Mamood, was imprisoned in Malta by the British and since the establishment of Jam`iyat `Ulama-i-Hind in 1914, Shah Sahib kept close contact with the political structures of the country. On several occasions he addressed Jam`iyat `Ulama-i-Hind and assisted in the formulation of policies and strategies against British rule. His address to Jam`iyat `Ulama-i-Hind in 1927 in Peshawar, present day Pakistan, was published in the daily newspapers. An extract of this entire speech can be found in Naqsh-i-Dawam.

He supported the ideologies of the Indian National Congress. In his letters addressed to different political leaders of his time, he expressed his reservations about a separate Muslim state. These letters can also be found in Naqsh-i-Dawam.

VIII. HADITH

In chapter four of this dissertation Shah Sahib contributions in the field of Hadith will be discussed.

VI. UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS

Shah Sahib wrote several manuscripts and articles which remain unpublished and covers a wide range of topics. Some of them are as as follows:

1. A commentary on Sunan Abu Da'ud.
2. Human Resources and Culture.
3. Metaphysics: Analysing the Thoughts of al-Khatib al-Baghdad.
4. Tasawwuf (Islamic Mysticism).
5. Sacrifice offered to someone other than the Almighty.
6. A commentary on Kitab Sibawai and Al-Kashshaf.
9. A commentary Uris al-Farrah of Bahr al-Din al-Subuki.
10. A commentary on al-Ashbahqat al-Naza'ir of ibn Nujaym.
11. Additional notes on the works al-Qubiyah
12. Additional notes Ibn Hummam's Fath al-Qadir upto Kitab al-Hajj.

Moulana Yunus Osman
Secretary General – Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
Ex-Senior Lecturer – Dar al-Ulum (Newcastle)
Ex-Senior Lecturer – Madrasah al-Sawlihaat, Asherville

50 Questions And Answers On Islamic Monotheism

2005-11-19T23:15:00.000-08:00

The Sunnah Islamic Page
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Q1 Who is your Rubb? (the Lord,the Creator etc).

A. My Rubb is Allah Who has created me and all that exists. He nourishes me and all creatures by His Bounties.

Q.2. What is your religion?

A. My religion is Islam, which is submission and obedience to the Order oF Allah and His Messenger with love, hope and fear.

Q.3. How did you know Allah?

I know Him by His signs and creation like the day and night; the sun and the moon; the heaven and the earth, and all that is there in and between them.

Q.4. Where is Allah?

A. Allah is above the heavens raised over the Throne and separated from His creatures.

Q.5. Is Allah with us (in person)?

A. Allah is settled over His Mighty Throne, but He is with us by His Knowledge, hearing ,seeing and other attributes. As He said: "Fear not verily! I am with you both hearing and seeing (V,20. :46)

Q.6. Who are the friends of Allah?

A. Those people are the friends of Allah who are pious and righteous, fear Him much abstain from all kinds of sins and perform all kinds of goods, and holdfast to the Qur`an and Sunnah.

Q. 7. How do you worship Allah?

A. I worship Allah in a manner in which all my ibadah is dedicated to Him Alone. I do not ascribe anyone with Him in worship.

Q-8. Why did Allah send Messengers?

A. Allah has sent Messengers so that they call the people to worship Him Alone, not ascribing any partner with Him, and in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah.

Q-9 What is the meaning of Islam ?

A. Islam means i.e. submission to Allah with Tawhid .

Q-10 What are the pillars of Istam?

A. 1. Testimony of Faith (There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah )

2. To establish Salat (prayers).

3. To pay Zakat.

4. To observe Saum (fasting) in Ramadan.

5. Hajj (pilgrimage to the Sacred House) if one can afford the journey.

Q-11 What is Iman?

A. Iman (Faith) means to believe in the heart, to confess by the tongue and to act with the parts of the body.

Q-12 Can there be any variation in Iman?

A. By some words and deeds it may increase and by some words and deeds it may decrease.

Q-13 What do you mean by increase and decrease in Iman?

A- Iman (Faith) increases by obedience to Allah and good deeds while it decreases by sins and evil acts.

Q-14 What are the pillars of Iman (Faith)

A. The pillars of Iman are six i.e. to believe in:

1. Allah.

2. His Angels.

3. His Messengers.

4. His Books.

5. The Last Day.

6. Divine Preordainments good or bad.

Q-15 What is Belief in Allah?

A. The Belief in Allahi is that you should believe that Allah is the Sole Creator Sustainer Provider and the One in Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs. Everything stands in need of Him, but He stands in need of none. He is the Only One Who is worthy of being worshipped. He has the Best Names and Perfect Attributes.

0-16 Who are the angels?

A. The angels are creatures of light. They are Allah's obedient slaves, they do that which they are commanded and are incapable of disobedience.

Q-17 What do you mean by Belief in the Book and the Messengers?

A. It means that Allah sent the Messengers like Moses, Jesus,Abraham. Noah etc. and sent down the books like the Torah, Injeel, Zaboor (Psalms) etc. to call the people to worship Allah Alone, associating nothing with Him. He sealed (finalized) the Messengers with Prophet Muhammed and abrogated all previous books with the Qur'an. Therefore the worship should be done according to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet .

Q-I8 What is meant by Belief in the Last Day?

A. The Belief in the Last Day means to believe that Allah has ordained a fixed term for everything, and a term for this world. He will assuredly raise the dead from their graves and will account for everyone their deeds in this world. On that Day of Resurrection, rewards and punishments will be assigned. Every one will be justly rewarded or punished.

Q-19 What is meant by Belief Preordainment (Qadar)?

A. The Belief in Preordainment (Qadar) means to believe that everything — good or bad — happens or takes place according to what Allah has ordained for it. He has created everything in due proportion.

Q-20 What is the cleaning of "There is no God but Allah"?

A. It means there is no true deity except Allah Alone, Negating all false gods and affirming that Allah is the only true God.

Q-21 What is the meaning of ^Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"?

A. It means total submission to him in whatever he ordered, and avoiding what he forbade and believing in all those matters he informed us about.

Q-22 What are the conditions of the testimony of Faith?

A. There are seven conditions of the testimony of Faith:

1- Knowledge whick negates ignorance.

2- Certainty which negates doubt.

3- Sincerity and purity of intent which negates Shirk.

4- Truthfulness which negates hypocrisy.

5- Love and devotion which negates disdain of Allah`s religion.

6- Submission which negates disobedince.

7- Acceptance which negates rejection or denial.

Q-23 What is the greatest thing that Allah has enjoined?

A. The greatest thing Allah has enjoined is Tauhid (Monotheism).

Q-24 What is Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism)?

A. Tauhid means declaring Allah to be the only God who deserves to be worshipped in truth and confirming all attributes with which He has qualified Himself or that are attributed to Him by His Messenger .

Q-25 What are the aspects of Tauhid?

A. There are three aspects of Tauhid:

1- Tauhid-ar-Rububiyah.

2- Tauhid-al-Uluhiyah.

3-Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat.

Q- 26 What isTauhid-ar-Rububiyah?

A. It is declaring Allah to be One and Unique in His work, Iike creation, sustenance, bringing to life and causing death etc.

Q-27 What is Tauhid-al-Uluhiyah?

A. It is declaring Allah as the Only God to whom all acts worship must be dedicated such salat (prayers), Zakat, Sawm(fasting), supplications vowing etc.

Q-28 What isTauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat?

A. It is an affirmation of all the Divien Names and Attributes of Allah in a manner that

suits His Majesty, as mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Q-29 How would you describe Ibadah?

A. It is a comprehensive word comprising deeds and words that Allah loves and is pleased with whether manifested or hidden,

Q-30 What are the conditions of Ibadah?

A. There are two conditions of Ibadah:

1. Sincerity to Allah.

2. Submission to Allah's Messenger i.e. to act according to his Sunnah.

Q-31 Write some types of Ibadah.

A. Some types of Ibadah are the prayers, the obligatory charity,

fasting, the pilgrimage, fear of Allah, hope in His Mercy, Seeking His aid. and other acts of worship which Allah has commanded and enjoined.

Q-32 What is the greatest thing Allah has forbidden?

A. The greatest thing Allah has forbidden is Shirk (polytheism).

Q-33 What is polytheism?

A. It means to believe that there is one who shares Allah in His acts i.e. ascribing partners or setting up rivals to Allah in His rights.

Q-34 What are the types of polytheism?

A. There are three types of polytheism:

1. The greater polytheism (Shirk Akbar).

2. The lesser polytheism (Shirk Asghar).

3. The inconspicuous polytheism (Shirk Khafi).

Q-35 What is greater polytheism?

A. The greater polytheism is to devote any form of worship to other than Allah Allah will never forgive one who dies upon Shirk,nor accept his good deeds, and he would be cast out from the folds of Islam.

Q-36 What are the types of greater polytheism?

A. There are four types of greater polytheism:

1- The polytheism in invocation i.e. involving supplications to other than Allah.

2. The polytheism in intentions i.e. purpose and intentions not for the sake of Allah but directed towards other deities.

3, The polytheism in obedience i.e. rendering obedience to any authority against the Order of Allah.

4. The potytheism in love i.e showing love to others which is due to Allah Alone.

Q-37 What is lesser polytheism?

A. The lesser polytheism is Ar-Riya, that means the acts of worship done to gain praise or fame rather than to please Allah, this type of polytheism, however, does not cast the person committing it out of the fold of Islam.

Q-38 What is inconspicuous polytheism?

A. The inconspicuous polytheism implies being dissatisfied with the conditions ordained by Allah.

Q-39 What is the proof of the inconspicuous polytheism?

A.The proof of the above Shirk is the saying of the Prophet "The inconspicuous polytheism is more hidden among this nation than the track of a black ant over a black stone on a dark night" (Musnad Ahmad)

Q-40 What are the types of Kufr (disbelief)?

A. There are two types of Kufr :

1. The majorKufr which cast its people out of Islam,

2. The lessor cr minor Kufr which does not cast the one who commits it out of Islam. It is Kufr of ungratefulness.

Q-41 What are the types of major Kufr?

A. There are five types of major Kufr :

1. The Kufr of denial.

2. The Kufr of arrogance associated with recognition of the truth.

3. The Kufr of doubt.

4-. The Kufr of disregard,

5. The Kufr of hypocrisy.

Q-42 What are the categories of hypocrisy ?

A. There are two categories of hypocrisy:

1. Hypocrisy in Belief.

2. Hypocrisy in deeds and actions.

Q-43 What is the hypocrisy in Belief?

A. Hypocrisy in Belief is of six types:

1. Denial of the Messenger .

2. Denial of the thing with which the Messenger is sent.

3. Hating the Messenger

4.Hating the thing with which the Messenger is sent.

5. Rejoicing at the disgrace of Islam.

6. Disliking the prevalence of Islam.

Q-44 What is the hypocrisy in deeds and actions?

A. The hypocrisy in deeds and actions is of five types:

1- When he speaks, he lies.

2- When he promises., he breaks it.

3. When he is entrusted, he betrays.

4. When he disputes, he acts immorally.

5. When he makes a pact, he makes acts treacherously.

Q-45 Are good deeds accepted (by Allah) with the polytheism?

A. Never! None of the deeds are accepted when mixed with polytheism.

Allah says: " If they had joined in worship others with Allah all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them" (V.6: 88)

"Verily! Allah forgives not setting up partners in worship with Him, but He forgives whom He pleases sins other than that" '(V.4:116)

Q-46 What are the nullifiers of Islam?

A. The nullifiers of Islam are ten:

1. Polytheism of worship.

2. He who does not believe that the polytheists are disbelievers, or doubts their infidelity or holds their belief to be valid.

3. He who sets up intermediaries between one's self and Allah, supplicating them, trusting them and asking them to intercede on his behalf.

4. He who believes that the guidance of others is more perfect than the Prophet .

5. He who hates anything that the Prophet was sent with.

6. He who denies the religion of the Prophet or ridicules its reward or punishment.

7. Sorcery.

8. Supporting the polytheists against the Muslims.

9. He who believes that some people are exempted from abiding by the Shari`ah as Khidr was exempted by the laws of Musa.

10. Turning away from the religion of Allah by neither learning nor applying it.

Q- 47 What are the three fundamentals that every Muslim must learn?

A. The three fundamentals are:

I, Knowing Your Rubb (the Lord, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the One in Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs).

2. Knowing your religion (Islam).

3. Knowing your Prophet Muhammad

Q-48 What is Taghut?

A. Everything that is worshipped. or followed or obeyed other than Allah is Taghut.

Q-49 How many Taghut are there and who are their leaders?

A. They are many but their leaders are Five:

Q. 50-Who are the leaders of Taghut ?

A. They are:

1. Satan, may Allah curse him,

2. Anyone who is worshipped with his consent.

3. A person who calls the people to be worshipped instead of Allah.

4. A person who claims the knowledge of Ghaib (unseen, hidden, invisible, absent etc).

5.The ruler who rules by laws other than the law sent down by Allah.

END

What is Islam?

2005-11-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

In Arabic, Islām means "submission" (understood as submission to God) and is described as a Dīn or Deen, meaning "way of life" and/or "religion." Etymologically, it is derived from the same root as, for example, Salām meaning "peace" (also a common salutation). The word Muslim is also related to the word Islām and means one who "surrenders" or "submits" to God.

The religion of Islam is the acceptance of and obedience to the teachings of God which He revealed to His last prophet, Muhammad (PBUH).

Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

1) Belief in God:
Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. In the Quran, God describes Himself:

Say, “He is God, the One. God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him.” (Quran, 112:1-4)

No one has the right to be invoked, supplicated, prayed to, or shown any act of worship, but God alone.

God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Sustainer of everything in the whole universe. He manages all affairs. He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His creatures depend on Him for all that they need. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. In a perfect manner, His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, what will happen, and how it will happen. No affair occurs in the whole world except by His will. Whatever He wills is, and whatever He does not will is not and will never be. His will is above the will of all the creatures. He has power over all things, and He is able to do everything. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent. In one of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad , we are told that God is more merciful to His creatures than a mother to her child.1 God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. If someone wants something from God, he or she can ask God directly without asking anyone else to intercede with God for him or her.

God is not Jesus, and Jesus is not God.2 Even Jesus himself rejected this. God has said in the Quran:

Indeed, they have disbelieved who have said, “God is the Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary.” The Messiah said, “Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates partners in worship with God, then God has forbidden Paradise for him, and his home is the Fire (Hell). For the wrongdoers,3 there will be no helpers.” (Quran, 5:72)

God is not a trinity. God has said in the Quran:

Indeed, they disbelieve who say, “God is the third of three (in a trinity),” when there is no god but one God. If they desist not from what they say, truly, a painful punishment will befall the disbelievers among them. Would they not rather repent to God and ask His forgiveness? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a messenger... (Quran, 5:73-75)

Islam rejects that God rested on the seventh day of the creation, that He wrestled with one of His angels, that He is an envious plotter against mankind, or that He is incarnate in any human being. Islam also rejects the attribution of any human form to God. All of these are considered blasphemous. God is the Exalted. He is far removed from every imperfection. He never becomes weary. He does not become drowsy nor does he sleep.

The Arabic word Allah means God (the one and only true God who created the whole universe). This word Allah is a name for God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and Arab Christians. This word cannot be used to designate anything other than the one true God. The Arabic word Allah occurs in the Quran about 2700 times. In Aramaic, a language related closely to Arabic and the language that Jesus habitually spoke,4 God is also referred to as Allah.

2) Belief in the Angels:
Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Quran to Muhammad .

3) Belief in God’s Revealed Books:
Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these books is the Quran, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . God has guaranteed the Quran’s protection from any corruption or distortion. God has said:

Indeed, We have sent down the Quran, and surely We will guard it (from corruption). (Quran, 15:9)

4) Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:
Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:

Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets... (Quran, 33:40)

Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.

5) Belief in the Day of Judgment:
Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.

6) Belief in Al-Qadar:
Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill. Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.

The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four things: 1) God knows everything. He knows what has happened and what will happen. 2) God has recorded all that has happened and all that will happen. 3) Whatever God wills to happen happens, and whatever He wills not to happen does not happen. 4) God is the Creator of everything.

Is There Any Sacred Source Other than the Quran?

Yes. The sunnah (what the Prophet Muhammad said, did, or approved of) is the second source in Islam. The sunnah is comprised of hadeeths, which are reliably transmitted reports by the Prophet Muhammad’s companions of what he said, did, or approved of. Belief in the sunnah is a basic Islamic belief.

What Does Islam Say about the Day of Judgment?

2005-11-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

Like Christians, Muslims believe that the present life is only a trial preparation for the next realm of existence. This life is a test for each individual for the life after death. A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and the dead will be resurrected for judgment by God. This day will be the beginning of a life that will never end. This day is the Day of Judgment. On that day, all people will be rewarded by God according to their beliefs and deeds.
Those who die while believing that “There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God” and are Muslim will be rewarded on that day and will be admitted to Paradise forever, as God has said:

And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they dwell therein forever. (Quran, 2:82)

But those who die while not believing that “There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God” or are not Muslim will lose Paradise forever and will be sent to Hellfire, as God has said:

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter. (Quran, 3:85)

And as He has said:

Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them if it were offered as a ransom. They will have a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers. (Quran, 3:91)

One may ask, ‘I think Islam is a good religion, but if I were to convert to Islam, my family, friends, and other people would persecute me and make fun of me. So if I do not convert to Islam, will I enter Paradise and be saved from Hellfire?’

The answer is what God has said in the preceding verse, “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.”

After having sent the Prophet Muhammad to call people to Islam, God does not accept adherence to any religion other than Islam. God is our Creator and Sustainer. He created for us whatever is in the earth. All the blessings and good things we have are from Him. So after all this, when someone rejects belief in God, His Prophet Muhammad , or His religion of Islam, it is just that he or she be punished in the Hereafter. Actually, the main purpose of our creation is to worship God alone and to obey Him, as God has said in the Holy Quran (51:56).

This life we live today is a very short life. The unbelievers on the Day of Judgment will think that the life they lived on earth was only a day or part of a day, as God has said:

He (God) will say, “How many years did you stay on the earth?” They will say: “We stayed a day or part of a day....” (Quran, 23:112-113)

And He has said:

Did you then think that We had created you in jest (without any purpose), and that you would not be returned to Us (in the Hereafter)? So, God is exalted, the True King. None has the right to be worshipped but Him... (Quran, 23:115-116)

The life in the Hereafter is a very real life. It is not only spiritual, but physical as well. We will live there with our souls and bodies.

In comparing this world with the Hereafter, the Prophet Muhammad said: {The value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like what your finger brings from the sea when you put it in and then take it out.}1 The meaning is that, the value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like a few drops of water compared to the sea.

How Does Someone Become a Muslim?

Simply by saying with conviction, “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah,” one converts to Islam and becomes a Muslim. This saying means “There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah),1 and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.” The first part, “There is no true god but God,” means that none has the right to be worshipped but God alone, and that God has neither partner nor son. To be a Muslim, one should also:

Believe that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God, revealed by Him.

Believe that the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) is true and will come, as God promised in the Quran.

Accept Islam as his or her religion.

Not worship anything nor anyone except God.

The Prophet Muhammad said: {God is more joyful at the repentance of someone when he turns to Him in repentance than one of you would be if he were riding his camel in the wilderness, and it runs away from him, carrying his food and drink, so that he loses all hope of getting it back. He comes to a tree and lies down in its shade (awaiting death), for he has lost all hope of finding his camel. Then, while he is in that state (of desperation), suddenly it is there before him! So he seizes its halter and cries out from the depth of his joy, “O God, You are my servant and I am Your Lord!” His mistake comes from the intensity of his joy.}

What Is the Quran About?

The Quran, the last revealed word of God, is the primary source of every Muslim’s faith and practice. It deals with all the subjects which concern human beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, transactions, law, etc., but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time, it provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, and an equitable economic system.

Note that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad in Arabic only. So, any Quranic translation, either in English or any other language, is neither a Quran, nor a version of the Quran, but rather it is only a translation of the meaning of the Quran. The Quran exists only in the Arabic in which it was revealed.

What Do Muslims Believe about Jesus?

Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him). They consider him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to mankind. The Quran confirms his virgin birth, and a chapter of the Quran is entitled ‘Maryam’ (Mary). The Quran describes the birth of Jesus as follows:

(Remember) when the angels said, “O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him (God), whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (to God). He will speak to the people from his cradle and as a man, and he is of the righteous.” She said, “My Lord, how can I have a child when no mortal has touched me?” He said, “So (it will be). God creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says to it only, ‘Be!’ and it is.” (Quran, 3:45-47)

Jesus was born miraculously by the command of God, the same command that had brought Adam into being with neither a father nor a mother. God has said:

The case of Jesus with God is like the case of Adam. He created him from dust, and then He said to him, “Be!” and he came into being. (Quran, 3:59)

During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. God tells us that Jesus said:

“I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you the shape of a bird out of clay, I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s permission. I heal the blind from birth and the leper. And I bring the dead to life by God’s permission. And I tell you what you eat and what you store in your houses....” (Quran, 3:49)

Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified. It was the plan of Jesus’ enemies to crucify him, but God saved him and raised him up to Him. And the likeness of Jesus was put over another man. Jesus’ enemies took this man and crucified him, thinking that he was Jesus. God has said:

...They said, “We killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of God.” They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but the likeness of him was put on another man (and they killed that man)... (Quran, 4:157)

Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in one God, brought by earlier prophets, but rather to confirm and renew it.

'How I Came To Islam' Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens)

2005-11-15T11:21:00.000-08:00

'All I have to say is what you know already, to confirm what you already know of the message of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as given by God – the Religion of Truth. As human beings we are given a consciousness and a duty that has placed us at the top of creation. Man is created to be God's deputy on earth and it is important to realize the obligation to rid ourselves of all illusions and to make our lives a preparation for the next life. Anyone who misses this chance is not likely to be given another, for it says in the Qur'an Majeed that when man is brought to account, he will say, "O Lord, send us back and give us another chance.' The Lord will say, 'If I send you back, you will do the same.'

My early religious upbringing

I was brought up in the modern world of all the luxury and the highlight of show business. I was born into a Christian home.

We know that every child is born in his original nature, and it is only his parents that turn him to this religion or that. I was given this religion (Christianity) and thought this way. I was taught that God exists, but there was no direct contact with God, so we had to make contact with Him through Jesus, and Jesus was in fact the door to Good. This was more or less accepted by me, but I did not swallow it all.

I looked at some of the statues of Jesus; they were just stones with no life. When they said that God is three, I was puzzled even more but could not argue. I believed it, simply because I had to have respect for the faith of my parents.

Pop star

Gradually, I became alienated from this religious upbringing, and started making music. I wanted to be a big star. All those things I saw in the films and on the media took hold of me, and perhaps I thought this was my god: the goal of making money. I had an uncle who had a beautiful car, and I thought "Well, he has it made". He had a lot of money. The people around me influence me though think that this was it, this world was their God.

I decided then that this was the life for me, to make a lot of money, to have a 'great life'. My examples were the pop stars, and so I started making songs. But deep down, I had a feeling for humanity, a feeling that if I became rich, I would help the needy. (It says in the Qur'an that we make a promise, but when we make something, we want to hold on to it and become greedy)

So it happened that I became very famous, as a teenager, and my name and photo were splashed in all the media. They made me larger than life, so I wanted to live larger than life, and the only way to do that was to be intoxicated (with liquor and drugs).

In the hospital

After a year of financial success and 'high' living, I became very ill, contracted TB and had to be hospitalized. It was then that I started to think: what was to happen to me? Was I just a body and my goal in life was merely to satisfy this body? I realized now that this calamity was a blessing given to me by Allah, a chance to open my eyes, 'why am I here, why am I in bed', and I started looking for some of the answers. At that time there was great interest in great interest in the Eastern mysticism. I began reading and the first thing I began to become aware of was of death, and that the soul moves on, it does not stop. I felt I was taking the road to bliss and high accomplishment. I started meditating and even became a vegetarian. I now believed in 'peace and flower power', and this was the general trend. But what I did believe in particular was that I was not just a body, this awareness came to me at the hospital.

One day when I was walking and I was caught in the rain, I began running to the shelter and I realized, 'wait a minute, my body is getting wet, my body is telling me I am getting wet.' This made me think of a saying that the body is like a donkey and it has to be trained where it has to go, otherwise the donkey will lead you where it wants to go.

Then I realized I had a will, a God given gift: follow the will of God. I was fascinated by the new terminology I was learning in the Eastern religion. By now I was fed up with Christianity. I started making music again and this time I started reflecting my own thoughts. I remember the lyric of one of my songs. It goes like this: 'I wish I knew, I wish I knew what makes the Heaven, what makes the Hell, do I get to know You in my bed or some dusty cell while others reach the big hotel?' and I knew I was on the Path.

I also wrote another song 'The way to find God out.' I became even more famous in the world of music. I really had a difficult time because I was getting rich and famous and at the same time I was sincerely searching for the Truth. Then I came to a stage where I decided that Buddhism is alright and noble, but I was not ready to leave the world, I was too attached to the world and was not prepared to become a monk and to isolate myself from society.

I tried Zen and Ching, numerology, tarot cards and astrology. I tried to look back into the Bible, and could not find anything. At this time I did not know anything about Islam, and then, what I regarded as a miracle occurred. My brother had visited the mosque in Jerusalem, and was greatly impressed that while on the one hand it throbbed with life (unlike the churches and synagogues which were empty), on the other hand, an atmosphere of peace and tranquility prevailed.

The Qur'an

When he came to London he brought back a translation of the Qur'an, which he gave to me. He did not become a Muslim, but he felt something in this religion, and thought I might find something in it too.

And when I received the Book, (a guidance that would explain everything to me: who I was, what the purpose of life was, what reality was, and where I came from), I realized that this was the true religion – religion not in the sense the West understands it, not the type for only your old age. In the West, whoever wishes to embrace a religion and make it his only way of life is deemed a fanatic. I was not a fanatic, I was at first confused between the body and the soul. Then I realized that the body and soul are not apart and you don't have to go to the mountain to be religious; we must follow the will of God, then we can rise even higher than the angels. The first thing I wanted to do now was to be a Muslim.

I realized that everything belongs to God, that slumber does not overtake Him. He created everything. At this point I began to lose the pride in me, because hereto I had thought the reason I was here was because of my own greatness. But I realized that I did not create myself, and the whole purpose of my being here was to submit to the teaching that has been perfected by the religion we know as Al-Islam. At this point I started discovering my faith. I felt that I was a Muslim, on reading the Qur'an. I now realized that all the Prophets sent by God brought the same message. Why then were the Jews and Christians different? I know now how the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Messiah and that they had changed His Word. Even the Christians misunderstand God's Word and called Jesus the son of God. Everything made so much sense. This is the beauty of the Qur'an: it asks you to reflect and reason, and not to worship the sun or moon but the One who has created everything. The Qur'an asks man to reflect upon the sun and moon and God's creation in general. Do you realize how different the sun is from the moon? They are at varying distances from the earth, yet appear the same size to us; at times one seems to overlap the other.

Even when many astronauts go to space, they see the insignificant size of the earth and vastness of space, and they become very religious, because they have seen the Signs of Allah.

When I read the Qur'an further, it talked about prayer, kindness and charity. I was not a Muslim yet, but I felt that the only answer for me was the Qur'an, and God had sent it to me and I kept it a secret. But the Qur'an speaks on different levels. I began to understand it on another level, where the Qur'an says "Those who believe don't take disbelievers for friends and the believers are brothers." Thus at this point I wished to meet my Muslim brothers.

Conversion

Then I decided to journey to Jerusalem (as my brother had done). At Jerusalem, I went to the mosque and sat down. A man asked me what I wanted. I told him I was a Muslim. He asked what was my name; I told him 'Stevens'. He was confused. I then joined the prayer though not so successfully. Back in London, I met a sister called Nafisa. I told her I wanted to embrace Islam and she directed me to the New Regent Mosque. This was in 1977, about 1½ years after I received the Qur'an. Now I realized that I must get rid of my pride, get rid of Iblis and face one direction. So on a Friday, after Jummah I went to the Imam and declared my faith (the Kalima) at his hands. You have before you someone who had achieved fame and fortune. But guidance was something that eluded me, no matter how hard I tried, until I was shown the Qur'an. Now I realize I can get direct contact with God, unlike Christianity or any other religion. As one Hindu lady told me, 'You don't understand the Hindus, we believe in one God, we use these objects (idols) to merely concentrate.' What she was saying was that in order to reach God one has to create associates that are idols for the purpose. But Islam removes all these barriers, the only thing that moves the believers from the disbelievers is the Salat. This is the process of purification. Finally I wish to say that everything I do is for the pleasure of Allah and pray that you gain some inspirations from my experiences. Furthermore I would like to stress that I did not come into contact with any Muslim before I embraced Islam. I read the Qur'an first and realized no person is perfect, Islam is perfect, and if we imitate the conduct of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him), we will be successful. May Allah give us guidance to follow the path of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Ameen!

PANDUAN HAJI JAMAAH BAITURRAHMAN KBRI NEW DELHI

2005-11-11T03:20:00.000-08:00

Bacaan Talbiyah

UMROH

DI JEDDAH >>>

Sebelum menuju ke Mekkah jamaah mandi, berwudhu dan kemudian berpakaian ihrom (bagi wanita boleh memakai pakaian yang ia sukai yang menutup aurat).
Melaksanakan sholat sunat ihrom dua rokaat.
Berniat umroh :

Artinya :

Sengaja aku mengerjakan umroh dan berihrom dengannya karena Allah Ta'ala.

4. Bersiap-siap menuju ke Mekkah.

MENUJU MEKKAH >>>

Setelah tiba di Mekkah laksanakan towaf di ka'bah sebanyak 7 kali putaran yang dimulai dari hajar aswad sambil bertakbir (membaca : Bismillahi Allahu Akbar). Pasang niat tawaf umrah apabila sudah hampir dengan garis Hajarul Aswad. Niat tawaf umrah:
Selesai tawaf, melaksanakan sholat dua rokaat di belakang Makam Ibrahim.
Keluar menuju bukit Safa untuk melaksanakan sa'i (Bergerak dari Safa ke Marwah dan balik ke Safa berulang alik sebanyak 7 kali).
Pasang niat sai dan bacalah doa dan bertakbir sambil mengangkat ke dua dua tangan ke arah Kaabah. Kemudian melangkah turun dari bukit Safa dan bergerak ke arah Marwah. Niat Sa'i :
Mencukur atau menggunting rambut (tahallul).

Catatan: Apabila anda telah selesai mencukur rambut, berarti anda telah melaksanakan tahallul, maka anda sudah dibolehkan memakai pakaian biasa serta melakukan hal-hal yang tadinya menjadi larangan ihrom.

HAJI

8 Zulhijjah

MENUJU ARAFAH UNTUK MELAKSANAKAN WUKUF >>>

Sebelum menuju ke Arafah jamaah berpakaian ihrom dan berniat untuk haji:

Artinya :

Sengaja aku mengerjakan haji dan aku berihram dengannya kerana Allah Taala

2. Wukuf di Arafah pada 9 Zulhijjah. Dan di Arafah lakukanlah sholat zuhur dan asar dengan jamak taqdim serta qasar.

9 Zulhijjah (Sebelum terbenam matahari)

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Berada di Muzdalifah pada malam hari (mabit)
Melaksanakan sholat magrib dan isya dengan jama' serta qasar.
Mengutip batu-batu kecil.
Melaksanakan sholat subuh jika sudah masuk waktu.

10 Zulhijjah (sebelum matahari terbit)

MENUJU KE MINA >>>

Melontar Jumrah Al Aqabah dengan tujuh tujuh batu kecil secara berturut-turut sambil bertakbir (mengucapkan Bismillahi Allahu akbar) pada setiap kali lemparan.
Menyembelih hewan dam jika berkewajiban melakukannya.
Mencukur atau menggunting rambut.

Catatan: Apabila anda telah selesai mencukur, berarti anda telah melaksanakan tahallu awal, maka anda sudah dibolehkan memakai pakaian biasa serta melakukan hal-hal yang tadinya menjadi larangan ihrom, kecuali berhubungan suami istri.

10 Zulhijjah (Selesai melaksanakan amalan di atas)

MENUJU MESJID HAROM >>>

Melakukan tawaf ifadhah.
Melakukan sa'i.

Catatan:

Jika anda telah melaksanakan tawaf ifadhah dan sai maka diperbolehkan bagi anda melakukan semua larangan ihrom termasuk berhubungan suami istri.
Tawaf Ifadhah dan sa'i ini boleh di akhirkan pelaksanaannya sampai lewat hari-hari mina.

10 Zulhijjah (Setelah tawaf ifadah dan sa'i)

KEMBALI DAN BERMALAM (MABIT) DI MINA <<<

Bermalam (mabit) pada malam 11 dan 12 Zulhijjah.
Pada siang harinya melontar 3 Jumrah dimulai dari jumroh Ula (pertama), kemudian jumroh Wusto (tengah) dan terakakhir jumrah Aqabah, masing-masing jumrah dilontar dengan tujuh batu kecil secara berturut-turut sambil mengucapkan takbir pada setiap kali lontaran.

12 Zulhijjah (setelah melontar 3 jumrah)

KEMBALI KE PENGINAPAN DI MEKKAH<<<<

Tawaf wada' (tawaf perpisahan) sebelum ziarah ke Madinah.
Ziarah ke Madinah Almunawwaroh.

13 Zulhijjah

KEMBALI KE JEDDAH & UNTUK KEMBALI KE INDIA<<<

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