The 15th of Shabaan (Shabe Baraat)

The virtue of this night established from Ahadith is that from the very beginning of the night Allah Ta’ ala turns with special mercy and attention towards the creation and forgives those who repent and seeks forgiveness. Every Muslim should therefore value this night. Turn towards Allah Ta’ ala with sincere regret and shame over sins committed and make a promise never to return to sin again and seek forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala. Seek forgiveness for oneself and all Muslims, living and deceased. Have firm hope and resolution in the heart that Allah Ta’ ala will surely show mercy and forgiveness.
It is understood from Ahadith that even on this great night, some unfortunate individuals are deprived of Allah’s forgiveness. They are:
1. Idolaters
2. Those that harbor enmity against others
3. Those who consume alcohol
4. Those that disobey their parents
5. Those who wear their trousers, kurtas, lungis, etc. below their ankles
6. Those who commit murder
7. Those that sever family ties.
We should make note of the fact that wearing our clothes below the ankles is a sin on par with kufr and drinking alcohol. This should be an eye-opener for those of us who are habitual in this sin.
The special virtues of the night of Bara’at are:
1. Contrary to other nights where the last third of the night has special blessings and Allah descends to the lowest Heaven during this section of the night, on the night of Bara’at the special rain of mercy and forgiveness of Allah Ta’ ala begins to shower down right from the beginning of the night and continues until dawn.
2. The sins of countless people are pardoned. As already mentioned, Allah Ta’ala’s descension during this night to the lowest Heaven occurs from the very beginning, unlike other nights. Furthermore, the number of pronouncements seeking forgiveness far supersedes those, which occur on other nights.
Fasting during the month of Sha’baan is Sunnah and clearly established practice of the Shariah. Fasting in the month of Shábaan, without the stipulation of any day, is proven from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. In fact, he used to fast excessively during this month. A Hadith of Hazrat Aisha (radiyallahu anha) wherein she describes the fast of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) substantiates this. She says that aside from the month of Ramadaan, he never used to fast for an entire month. However, of the remaining months, he would fast in Shábaan the most.


What should be done on this night?
In order to obtain maximum benefit from this auspicious night, one should allocate a specific portion of the night for solitude and close communion with Allah Ta’ala. Fervent dua and repentance should be priority and make the sole intention for Allah Ta’ala’s pleasure and reformation of the inner self. Other observances that may be practiced are:


(a) Salaah – Salaah is one the most preferable acts to be performed during this night. There is no particular number of Rak’ats but preferably it should not be less than eight. It is also advisable that each part of the Salaah like qiyam, rukoo’ and sajdah should be longer than normal. Also try and recite as much qiraat in salaah as possible.


(b) Tilawah – The recitation of the Holy Quran is another form of worship that is very beneficial on this night. After performing Salaah, or at any other time, one should recite as much of the Holy Quran as possible.


(c) Zikr – Engage ones heart in Zikr (remembrance of Allah Ta’ala).
One should also recite abundant durood on Rasulullah, (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Zikr can also be recited while walking, lying on bed and during other hours of work or leisure.


(d) Dua – The best benefit one can draw from the blessings of this night is prayers and supplications. Dua (supplication) itself is an ‘Ibadah, and Allah Ta’ala gives reward on each prayer along with the fulfillment of the supplicator’s need. Even if the purpose prayed for is not achieved, one cannot be deprived of the reward of the prayer, which is, sometimes more precious than the mundane benefits one strives for. The prayers and supplications also strengthen one’s relation with Allah Ta’ala, which is the main purpose of all kinds and forms of worship.


(e) There are some people due to circumstances will not be able to carry out any vigorous or lengthy Ibadah. Such people should not deprive themselves completely of the blessings of this night. They should attempt to fulfill the following:
(i) Perform Maghrib, Esha and Fajr with congregation in the Masjid, or at home in case of illness.
(ii) Keep ones tongue wet with Zikr, in whatever condition they are until they sleep.
iii) Plead to Allah Ta’ala for forgiveness and for their other objectives. One can do so even whilst one is lying in bed.
(f) Women during menstruation cannot perform salaah, nor can they recite the Quran, but they can recite any Zikr, tasbeeh, durood sharif and can pray to Allah for whatever purpose they like in whatever language they wish. They can also recite the Arabic prayers mentioned in the Quran or in the Hadith with the intention of supplication (and not with the intention of recitation).
(g) According to a Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) visited the graveyard of Baqi’ during this night where he prayed for the Muslims buried there. Hence, some of the fuqaha (jurists) are of the view that it is mustahab (advisable) to visit the graveyard during this night and pray for the dead. However, this act is neither obligatory nor should it be observed regularly as an obligatory act.


Some strange and innovative practices associated with Shabe Bar’aat
The occasion of Shabe Bara’at has become synonymous with some baseless beliefs and practices to mention just a few:

1. a) Burning Bright Lights and Candles: There is no substantiation for these acts, which are pure innovation. The Muslims of India being in close contact with the Hindus probably began imitating them in their practices, thus resulting in imitation of their celebration practices.
2. b) Preparing of Sweetmeats: Some consider this compulsory. Without it there can be no Shabe Bara’at. This is absolutely baseless. Some say that this act gains significance from the fact that on the occasion of Uhud when the blessed tooth of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi Wasallam) became Shaheed, he had some Halwa. Others say that Hazrat Hamza (Radiyallahu Anhu) was martyred on this day and the sweetmeats are in commemoration of him. These are fabricated and concocted theories. How can it ever be possible when it is a known fact that the battle of Uhud in which Hazrat Hamza was martyred took place in Shawwaal and not Sha’baan.
3. c) Souls visit families: Some people firmly believe that the souls of the deceased visit their families’ homes and see whether any food has been prepared in their honour or not. Some people feel that if a person dies before Shabe Bara’at, he is not counted amongst the dead. These are baseless ideologies that clearly contradict Ahadith.
4. d) Distribution of Food: Some feel that it is compulsory to distribute food on this night with the intention of Isale Sawaab. There is no link between this practice and the significance of the night. No special acts of charity, etc. have been prescribed for this night.
5. e) Hadith on Rajab, Shábaan and Ramadaan: Some people quote the following narration in their lectures: ‘Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Rajab is Allah’s month, Shábaan is my month and Ramadaan is the month of my Ummah.’
6. It should be noted that this ‘Hadith’ is a fabrication. (Akhbaare Mowdhoo p. 329)
7. ‘O Allah! Show us Haqq (the truth) and grant us ability to follow it and show us Baatil (falsehood) and grant us courage to refrain from it. May Allah Ta’ala shower His choicest blessings upon the best of His creation, Hazrat Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and upon his descendants and his entire Ummah. Aameen.
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Posted in: The 15th of Shabaan (Shabe Baraat)

EID UL AZHA

The preparation for the Eid day and salaat should begin the day befor Eid. Fasting on the day before Eid (9th Zulhijja) will fetch the reward of Allah removing our sins from the past year and the upcoming year. When maghrib arrives on that night, this represents the night of Eid. The night of Eid is an auspicious night. It says in hadith: “He who keeps alive the nights of both Eids (Eidul-Fitr and Eidul-Azha), convinced of its reward, then his heart will not die when hearts (of other people) will die.”

In another hadith it is stated: “If anyone keeps alive five nights (through zikr and other worship) then he is assured of entry into paradise. (the five nights are) eighth, ninth, and tenth of zul Hijja, the night of Eidul Fitr, and the fifteenth of Shabaan.”

So from these hadith we learn we must not go to sleep or waste our time on these nights but instead use these nights in a profitable manner. If we cannot keep awake the whole night then we must stay in worship as long as we can. If a chokie-dar can stay awoke the whole night for a small salary, then it should not be too difficult for us to do the same while seeking a larger reward from the Lord of All the Worlds. If we fight against our nafs we will be able to do it.


THE NIGHT OF EID IS UNDER ESTIMATED

Instead of worshipping the night of eid we spend our time:
1. Playing games like chess, dice, ludo, etc.
2. Spend the entire night glued to the television set. To watch TV in general is a major sin, and it is compounded on this auspicious night.
3. Some people spend the night shopping. The market places or bazaars are the worst and most cursed places on earth. They are centers of sin.
4. Some people waste a large amount of time in restaurants gossiping and backbiting and talking about other sinful matters.
5. Some businessmen understand that this is an auspicious night so they feel it would be better to conduct their business matters on this night to get more blessings. They spend so much time and effort in their business pursuits that they don’t have enough strength to come to fajr prayers the morning of Eid.


WHAT TO DO ON THE DAY OF EID?

The following are the sunnats for the day of Eid:

1. to perform ghusl
2. to use miswak
3. to dress within the rulings of the Shariah
4. to apply ittar (halaal non-alcoholic perfume)
5. not to eat anything before the Eid Namaz
6. to go to the eid gaah as early as possible
7. to perform the eid namaz at the eid gaah
8. to choose a different route when returning from the eid gaah
9. to go to the eid gaah walking
10. to recite the takbeer while walking to the eid gaah

SOME THINGS WE SHOULD NOT DO ON THE DAY OF EID?

There are some unislamic customs which have crept into our eid day celebrations nowadays. We must be on guard against them so they do not spoil the reward we hope to obtain on this occasion. For example:

1. Eid cards. The custom of sending eid cards is not prevalent in our society.

There are many sinful things that go along with sending eid cards, and a few are highlighted below:

A. many cards have pictures living things like animals and it is forbidden to snap animate beings, draw them, see them, like them and send them to each other.

B. some also carry nude or semi-naked pictures of women. It is a sin to see them, draw them, or make them and print them.

C. people compete with each other in sending a greeting card better than the other’s. They vie with each other in this way to be spoken of and this conduct is nothing but ostentation. Competition in sinful activities makes the sin graver.

D. if someone sends cheap eid cards then he is looked down upon and subject to taunts. Taunting anyone in itself is a sin and to compel or incite him to do a sinful thing is a more grave sin.

2.  Some people convey their greetings by telephone or telegram, email, sms,etc. this has nothing to do with religion but is  mere custom. No one should think that this is a sunnat or a part of the deen.

3. Many people embrace each other after the Eid salaat and think that it is sunnat or wajib to do so. This is incorrect, instead of it being a sunnat, it is in fact a bidat that must be avoided.

The fatwa of Mufti Muhammad Shafi (ra) the late mufti azam of Pakistan is:

To shake hands and embrace one another on eid day is a bidah and a symbol of the rawafid (shia). It must be given up.

The fatwa of Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani:

Handshake at the time of meeting of two Muslims is masnoon. Also, to embrace one who returns from a journey is sunnah apart from these two occasions it is not sunnat. However, if anyone does not regard it as sunnat but does so incidentally then it is not a sin. If he considers it a sunnat and does it then it is a bidat. Since in our times the handshake after fard salaat and embrace after eid salah are considered as sunnat though they are not known from the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) or the sahabah, so the ulema have declared them as bidat and urged that they should be shunned.

4. Mubarak (Congratulations)

There are several opinions on whether it is permissible to greet one another with the words “Eid Mubarak” or other expressions like this on the day of eid.  Some say it is allowed because it is a dua and a good expression.

Some say it is makrooh because it is a Jewish practice.

Some say it is advisable because it is dua and it is mustahab to make dua for your brother.

Some say one should not greet but if someone else greets first he should repeat what the first person said.

In short, greetings on Eid are not known from any hadith and opinions differ about it from early times. Ulema proclaim it to be mubah (permissible) provided it is not accompanied by any factor which transforms it into Makrooh and Bid’ah. In our day, this expression is bid’ah because it has developed into a grounded custom. People believe that it is among the Mustahabbat of Eid. The younger generation grows up with this custom.

But if it is free from all disallowed things then it will be allowed. The disallowed things being: to consider it as sunnat, to regard it as necessary like fard or wajib, to treat it as fard or wajib, not to condemn one who did not practice it, to say it not before but after the masnoon salaam on meeting and then say eid mubarak or similar words.

Only when all of these factors are in place can it be said that giving eid greetings are permissible.

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What is Zakat?

Lexically, the word Zakah covers two meanings.
1. Purification
2. Growth and increase
In the terminology of the Quran and Sunnah, Zakah is the portion of asset that is made mandatory to be spent in the ways specified by Allah Ta’ala.

Benefits of Zakah
Zakah has two straightforward benefits.
Firstly, the payer himself gets purified from inner germs of the spiritual diseases.
Secondly, Zakah helps those who are not able to fulfill their needs independently. For e.g. orphans, widows, handicaps, poor people etc.

Allah Ta’ala says in Surah Taubah:
Take sadaqah (obligatory alms) out of their wealth through which you may cleanse and purify them, and pray for them. Indeed, your prayer is a source of peace for them. And Allah is (All-) Hearing, (All-) Knowing. (103)

At-Taubah 9:103
This verse has explicitly mentioned the first benefit i.e. purification of inner self. The second benefit is not mentioned in this verse. It points to the fact that the real purpose and objective of paying Zakah is the purification of one’s own self, though the second benefit exists in its inference. (Ma’ariful Quran)
Retribution for not giving Zakah

Allah Ta’ala says in the Quran:
“As for those who accumulate gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them the ‘good’ news of a painful punishment” (34) on the day it (the wealth) will be heated up in the fire of jahannam, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it: “this is what you had accumulated for yourselves. So, taste what you have been accumulating.”(35)

At-Tawbah 9:34-35
The holy prophet (PBUH) said:
Every nation that does not give Zakah, Allah Ta’ala will afflict them with a drought.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said,
“The person whom Allah has bestowed with wealth, yet does not give its Zakah, on the Day of Judgment, his wealth will be turned into venomous bald serpent with two black spots over the eyes (or two poisonous glands in its mouth) which will wind around his neck and bite his jaws and say: ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure.’ “Then the Prophet (PBUH) recited the holy Verse: “Let not those who covetously withhold….” (to the end of the Verse).

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DUA FOR FINDING A SUITABLE SPOUSE

 Subhana allathee khalaqa alazwaja kullaha mimma tunbitu alardu wamin anfusihim wamimma la yaAAlamoona

“Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs all things that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge”. (Qur’aan: 36:36)

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DUA FOR PARENTS

 Rabbana ighfir lee waliwalidayya walilmumineena yawma yaqoomu alhisabu

“O our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!” (Qur’aan: 14:41)

This is a dua made by Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh). He had offered this dua for protection from Hellfire. This is an extraordinary dua where Ibrahim (pbuh) is not only asking for him and his parents, but for all the believers. This should be an example for us to include other believers in our duas so that Allah (SWT) grants His mercy to all Muslims.
 Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayanee sagheeran“My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.” (Qur’aan: 17:24)
 Rabbi awziAAnee an ashkura niAAmataka allatee anAAamta AAalayya waAAala walidayya waan aAAmala salihan tardahu waaslih lee fee thurriyyatee innee tubtu ilayka wainnee mina al(Muslimeena“O My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed on me and my parents, and that I should do good such as You are pleased and do good to me in respect of my offspring; surely I turn to You, and truly I submit (toYou) in Islam.” (Qur’aan: 46:15)
 Rabbi ighfir lee waliwalidayya waliman dakhala baytiya muminan walilmumineena waalmuminati wala tazidi alththalimeena illa tabaran“O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who enter my home as a believer, and (all) believing men and believing women: and to the wrong-doers grant You no increase but destruction!” (Qur’aan: 71:28)

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THE BELIEF IN THE PROPHETS

The fourth fundamental article of faith in Islam is belief in all the prophets. This article is in fact a logical conclusion to the third one. The same philosophy as underlies the belief in all books also necessitates belief in all the prophets. The Holy Quran speaks of the many prophets who mostly belong to the Middle Eastern line of prophethood, beginning with Adam upto the time of Muhammad, peace be upon him. But there are exceptions to the rule. There are two things which are specifically mentioned in the Quran relating to this issue:

(a) Although the names and short histories of some prophets were revealed to the Holy Founder of Islam, the list is in no way exhaustive. They are just specimen names, and there are a large number of prophets do not find mention in the Quran.
(b) In the list of prophets who are specifically mentioned, there are certain names which do not seem to belong to the prophets of Israel. Many commentators therefore are inclined to believe that they are non-Arab prophets who are included in the list just for the sake of representation of the outer world. For instance, Dhul-Kifl is one name in the list of prophets which is unheard of in the Arab or Semitic references. Some scholars seem to have traced this name to Buddha, who was of Kapeel, which was the capital of a small state situated on the border of India and Nepal. Buddha not only belonged to Kapeel, but was many a time referred to as being 'Of Kapeel'. This is exactly what is meant by the word 'Dhul-Kifl'. It should be remembered that the consonant 'p' is not present in Arabic, and the nearest one to it is 'fa'. Hence, Kapeel transliterated into Arabic becomes Kifl.
Apart from the evidence of the Quran, there is one reference which is controversial among the commentators. There is a tradition reported from the Holy Prophet (sa) which speaks of an Indian prophet by name. In his words:

There was a prophet of God in India who was dark in colour and his name was Kahan.

Now anyone acquainted with the history of Indian religions would immediately connect this description to Lord Krishna, who is invariably described in the Hindu literature as being dark of complexion. Also, the title Kanhaya is added to his name Krishna. Kanhaya contains the same consonants K,N,H as does the name Kahan -- in no way an insignificant similarity. But whether any non-Arab prophet was mentioned by name or not is only an academic discussion. There is no denying the fact that the Holy Quran makes it incumbent on every Muslim not only to believe in all the prophets, but it also clearly informs us that in every region of the world and in every age, God did raise messengers and prophets.

This belief in principle in the truth of the founding prophets and also the minor prophets of other religions is a unique declaration of the Quran, absent in all other divine books. It throws light on the universality of creation as well as on the universality of Islam itself. If the Quranic claim that the teachings of the Quran are for the entire world is true, then it has to recognise the truth of all prophets. Otherwise the followers of so many different religions will not find any connecting bridge between themselves and Islam.

The recognition of the truth of all books and the recognition of the truth of all prophets is a revolutionary declaration which has many benefits for man as a whole. Among other things, it powerfully paves the way for inter-religious peace and harmony. How can one be at peace with the followers of other religions if one considers them to be impostors and if one monopolises the truth only for the religious divines of one's own faith?

It is a universal observation that the followers of various religions tend to know very little about the doctrinal aspects of their own religions. It is the ordained priesthood or other leaders who seem to be the custodians of religious knowledge, and it is to them that the common people turn when they stand in need of religious guidance. Such people are far more sensitive to the question of the honour of their prophets and divines than they are even on the issue of God and His honour.

Apart from Islam, none of the divine books of religions bear testimony to the truth of the founders of other religions. The absence of any recognition of the truth of prophets other than their own has insulated religions from one another, each one claiming to monopolise truth, each viewing the prophets of other religions as impostors. Although in every day life we do not find this expressed in such strong terms, the hard reality remains, that if the followers of any religion take their beliefs seriously, they have to consider all other religions to be false, even at their sources. It is impossible to conceive a Christian, a true believer in Christianity as he understands it today, who would testify to the truth of Buddha, Krishna and Zoroaster. Particularly, the Christian stance against the Holy Prophet (sa) of Islam is exactly the one mentioned above; they have to denounce him as an impostor, otherwise the only alternative for them is to become Muslims. The orientalists discussing this subject have always maintained this position very clearly, many among them having gone to the extent of showing undisguised hostility towards the founder of Islam on the premise that he had to be false. The same applies to other religions alike.

Although in every day life we do not come across such glaring examples of discourtesy and insult, but whether one keeps one's views to oneself or expresses them openly, the barrier still remains. It is evident from this that the followers of all religions have compartmentalised themselves against all others, and the barrier between truth and falsehood, right or wrong does succeed in preventing the religious harmony so much needed by man today.

Of course, there are very civilised and educated Christians in the world, who out of courtesy would not offend the sensibilities of Muslims by denouncing the Holy Prophet (sa) of Islam as an impostor. However the Christians, in accordance with their beliefs, have no option but to reject the truth of the founder of Islam. In the case of a Muslim however, it is a completely different story. When he speaks of Jesus Christ or Moses or Krishna or Buddha with veneration and love, he does so because he has no other option. It is a part of the fundamental article of his faith to extend not just a human courtesy, but to genuinely believe in their truth and honour. In the light of this, this article of faith appears to hold an importance of global scale. It establishes inter- religious peace and harmony and genuinely creates an atmosphere of mutual trust and love. Like the Unity of God it holds the intrinsic quality of being irreplaceable -- there is no alternative.

The Promised Messiah, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, has summarised the Islamic belief in other prophets as follows:

One of the principles which forms the basis of my belief refers to the established religions of the world. These religions have met with wide acceptance in various regions of the earth. They have acquired a measure of age, and have reached a stage of maturity. God has informed me that none of these religions were false at their source and none of the prophets impostors.2

This is a beautiful principle, which promotes peace and harmony, and which lays the foundation for reconciliation, and which helps the moral condition of man. All prophets that have appeared in the world, regardless of whether they dwelt in India or Persia or China, or in some other country, we believe in the truth of them, one and all. 3

With the establishment of this fact that there had to be prophets all over the world in all ages who originated from God, the stage seems to be set for a universal prophet. The acceptance of a universal prophet requires a reciprocity. When you expect others to believe in someone you consider to be true, it would certainly help if you bear witness to the truth of such holy people in whom the other party has unshakeable faith.

Islam therefore lays down the foundation for the universality of a single prophet. As such the claim of the Quran -- that the Holy Prophet (sa) was raised not only for Arabia but for the whole of mankind -- is founded on a sound philosophy. We find mention in every religion of a utopian future or golden age when all mankind would be brought under the one flag. But there does not seem to be any foundation laid for the unification of man in his beliefs and dogmas. It was for the first time in the history of religion that Islam paved the way for a universal religion by the declaration that all the people of the world, at different times, were blessed with the advent of divine messengers.

According to the Holy Quran, the institution of prophethood is universal and timeless. There are two terms used to indicate the same office, each with slightly different connotations. The term An-Nabi has the connotation of prophecy. Those whom God chooses to represent Him are implanted with the knowledge of certain important events regarding the future. They are also told of things past, which were unknown to the people, and his knowledge of them stand as a sign of his being informed by an All-Knowing Being. Prophecy as such establishes the truth of the prophets, so that people may submit to them and accept their message.

The second term used in connection with prophets, is Al-Rasool or Messenger. This refers to such contents of the prophet's revelation as deal with important messages to be delivered to mankind on God's behalf. Those messages could be speaking of a new code of law, or they could simply be admonishing people for their past lapses in reference to previous revealed laws.

Both these functions unite in a single person, and as such all prophets can be termed as messengers, and all messengers as prophets.

According to Islam, all prophets are human beings and none bear superhuman characteristics. Wherever some miracles are attributed to prophets, which are understood to indicate their superhuman character, the categorical and clear statements of the Quran reject such a notion. Raising of the dead is one of such miracles attributed to certain prophets. Although similar descriptions are found in many divine scriptures or religious books, according to the Quran they are not meant to be taken literally, but have a metaphorical connotation. For instance, it is attributed to Jesus (as) that he raised the dead into a new life. But the Holy Quran speaks of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) in the same terms, with the same words being applied to his miracle of spiritual revival. Similar is the case of creating birds out of clay and causing them to fly in the name of God. These birds are only human beings who are bestowed with the faculty of spiritual flight, as against the earthly people.

No prophet is granted an exceptionally long term of life which makes him distinctly different and above the brotherhood of prophets to which he belongs. Nor is any prophet mentioned as having risen bodily to remote recesses of the universe. Wherever there is such mention, it is spiritual ascent which is meant, not bodily ascent, which the Quran categorically declares is against the character of prophets. When the Holy Founder of Islam was required by the People of the Book to physically ascend to heaven and bring back a book, the answer which God taught him was simply this:

Say to them: 'My Lord is far above (such childish conduct). I am no more than a human being and a prophet.' Surah Bani-Israel (Ch. 17: V.94)

This answer rejects all claims about other prophets who are understood to have ascended physically to heaven. The argument implied in this answer is that no human being and no prophet can rise bodily to heaven, otherwise the Prophet Muhammad (sa) could also have repeated the same miracle. The emphasis on the human characteristics of prophets and their human limitations is one of the most beautiful features of fundamental Islamic teachings. Prophets rise above their fellow human beings not because they were gifted with superhuman qualities, but only because they gave a better account of the qualities that they had been gifted with. They remained human despite having ascended to great spiritual heights, and their conduct as such is inimitable by other human beings.

On the issue of continuity of prophecy, Islam categorically declares the Holy Prophet (sa) of Islam to be the last of the law- bearing prophets and the Quran to be the last Divine book of law, perfected and protected till the end of time. Obviously a book which is perfect and also protected from interpolation transcends alteration. No change is warranted on both counts. As long as a book is perfect and protected from human interpolation, no change is justified.

As far as prophecy other than law-bearing prophecy is concerned, the possibility of its continuity is clearly mentioned in the Quran. Again there are clear prophecies about such divine Founder of Islam and the Holy Book -- the Quran. The following verse of Surah Al-Nisa leaves no ambiguity about this:

And whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger of His shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings, namely, the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous. Surah Al-Nisa (Ch. 4: V.70)

In short, Islam is declared in the Quran to be the last perfected religion for the benefit of mankind, after which no new teaching would be revealed to annul the teachings of Islam, nor would a new independent prophet be born outside the domain of Islam; any new prophet would be completely subordinate to the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa.

The prophets always came to deliver a message. That message was not confined to the areas of beliefs, but also covered the areasre of practices and implementation of the beliefs. The teachings are divided into two large categories:

(1)How to improve one's relationship with God.

(2)How to conduct oneself in relation to one's fellow human beings.

These two categories in fact cover all aspects of religious laws. We cannot enter into a lengthy discussion of how this task is carried out to perfection in Islam, but perhaps it would be appropriate to illustrate a few important features of this teaching of universal character.

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THE BELIEF IN THE ANGELS

The existence of angels is a universally accepted doctrine in different countries and different religions. However, they are sometimes discussed under other titles, the distinction being only one of nomenclature. Similarly, the nature of angels is understood differently among the followers of different religions. Islam speaks of angels as celestial beings of a spiritual nature who have their own entity as persons. The major role they play is the transmission of messages from God to human beings. But they are misunderstood by many, even within Islam, as having human shape or some shape and form, which in fact is an inseparable idea from that of material existence. Matter must have shape and a well defined boundary. But spirit lies beyond the five dimensions of man's understanding. One can only believe in the existence of spirit if he is a religious person; otherwise it is beyond his reach to conceive the shape and form of spirits. Perhaps to resolve this problem and to make it easier for man to visualise angels, they are sometimes mentioned in religious books as appearing to holy people in the form of human beings. Not only that; they are also known to have appeared to some messengers of God in the form of certain birds. The Holy Ghost appeared to Jesus in the form of a dove:


As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. (Matthew 3:16)


These various references found in religious books were perhaps largely responsible for the misperceptions about the form and nature of angels prevailing among the adherents of various religions. Out of angels, in some religions, deyotas and gods were created, while the original books may have only mentioned them as agencies specifically created by God for performing certain tasks in the universe; of this we have ample evidence in many divine books. So, it is not unlikely that some people misunderstand the significance of these statements and start treating angels as junior partners of God.


Let us now try to comprehend the nature of angels with reference only to the Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet of Islam, and not with reference to commonly held views. According to the Quran, the entire material universe as well as the entire religious universe is governed by some spiritual powers, which are referred to as angels. Although some angels are referred to as single persons -- such as Gabriel, Michael or Israel -- they in fact do not work alone. For each function there is one leader or one supreme angel who governs that function and under him work a host of angels, who are referred to in the Holy Quran as the Junood of the Lord. Whatever they do is completely subject to the will of God and the design that He has created for things. They cannot make the slightest deviation from the set course of functions allocated to them, or from the overall plan of things made by God.


According to the Quran, for each human being two angels are appointed to record good deeds and misdeeds, as the case may be. In this way the task of the angels is to organise the most intricate and profound system of recording. It does not mean that each has a book in his hand, jotting down in it whatever he observes. In fact, angels are responsible for a very complex system of registering the effect of man's deeds on his soul and personality so that a good man develops a healthy soul and a bad man breeds an unhealthy one.


The soul as it is takes shape in every man till his death, needs a conscious organiser who transfers the effects of human thoughts, actions etc. to the soul. This is an intricate process not fully comprehended by man. However, we do partially witness this in the case of criminals acquiring a different visage from those of noble conduct. It is not at all impossible for anyone to observe such a difference, although it cannot be described in terms of black and white or other material terms. In fact, the administration of the huge universe, right from its inception through the entire course of the billions of years of its evolutionary history, requires an enormous organisation of constant attention and control. This is performed by innumerable angels, who literally govern the vast universe and its intricate system of laws, as agents of God.


As far as the traditions go, we can comprehend to a degree the versatility of angels in being able to materialise in various forms or apparitions, which have no relation to their real form or existence, which is beyond man's comprehension and has different dimensions from those known to us.


Once it is reported that a stranger suddenly entered the mosque where the founder of Islam was sitting along with his companions. This man approached the assembly, sat respectfully in the front row, and started to ask questions regarding the nature of Islam. Having finished his list of questions, he took leave and departed. Those present were amazed because first this man was a complete stranger who must have travelled some distance to reach the mosque. In small townships the knowledge of such visits does not remain a secret, and everybody seems to know who has arrived and for what purpose. In his case, the arrival was so sudden that it appeared mysterious. Secondly, there were no marks of a journey on his bearing or his clothes. A fresh looking gentleman, he was of immaculately clean dress. Moreover the manner in which he began to ask questions without any introduction, and his abrupt departure, was extremely unusual to say the least.


Before the companions of the Holy Prophet (sa) could say anything, the Holy Prophet (sa) himself informed them that the person had actually been the angel Gabriel, who had asked the leading questions so that the companions become acquainted with the facts contained in the answers given. Some companions ran out of the mosque to meet the angel in disguise, as they thought, but there was no trace of him anywhere. No-one in the township admitted to seeing such a man. As this incident is reported in the highly authentic books of tradition, we can safely infer that angels sometimes appear in ordinary human form for the purpose of discharging sundry errands. We find mention of angels in many other traditions, particularly in relation to the battles of Badr and Uhad, but it would be inappropriate perhaps to enter into a lengthy discourse on this issue.


As against the Quranic view explained above, almost in every country the commonly held view about angels among followers of various religions is more on the pattern of fairy tales than of them belonging to a celestial form of existence. They are said to have wings like birds or fairies, flapping them about as they fly from place to place. This misconcept is perhaps born out of over- much literalising of religious terminology, which is cryptic and has, most often, metaphorical allusions. Thus we also find mention in the Holy Quran of wings in relation to angels, which speaks of them as having wings in twos, threes and fours:

All praise belongs to Allah the Maker of the heavens and the earth, Who employs the angels as messengers, having wings, two, three and four. Surah Al-Fatir (Ch. 35, v. 2)

The Holy Quran has a very special style of elucidating all such passages where there lies a danger of obscurity -- it does this with the help of other similar usages. About the wings, for instance, we also find these mentioned in relation to a son's attitude towards his elderly parents. Building this subject, the Holy Quran admonishes the son to lower his wing of mercy over his parents, as they brought him up from the time of his infancy. 'Wing' only means attributes and powers, and we believe it is in this sense that wings are attributed to angels, or to persons claiming divine manifestation from among the various religions. For instance, in Gita, Krishna is known to have possessed four arms instead of two. There the extra pair of arms serve the same purpose as the wings found in other divine books.

Angels are responsible for controlling and maintaining the laws of nature. Virus and bacteria are governed, organised and maintained by specific angels, who work in harmony with each other to maintain a perfect balance. Similarly, eco-systems are not accidental or chaotic, but are regulated by the invisible, spiritual beings that we call angels.

The Case of the Fallen Angel

There is another very much misunderstood episode concerning Satan. It is said, and it is believed, that prior to his fall he belonged to the category of angels. The Holy Quran rejects this view and presents Satan as possessing a fiery nature, thus belonging to such forms of life as are created from fire, for example the Djinn.

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Posted in: To believe in all His Angels.

THE BELIEF IN THE UNITY OF GOD

This seems to be a rather simple and elementary concept. It should not be difficult for anybody to understand the oneness of God, and there the matter seems to rest. But in fact there is far more to this than meets the eye. When one examines the concept of Unity in depth, the entire world of religion seems to revolve around this pivotal point. This belief influences man's life in all its aspects. It also implies the negation of all else but God. So belief in the oneness of God is not the end-all of belief, but all other beliefs spring from this fountain-head of eternal truth. This also delivers a message of liberation from all other yokes and releases man from all obligations except such as are born out of his submission to God.
This article has been further elucidated from different angles, both in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet of Islam. For instance, the declaration 'La houl wala quat illa Billah' (There is no all-encompassing power except Allah) opens up new windows for a deeper and wider understanding of Unity. It negates all fears other than the fear of God. The second part of the same brings to the focus of attention another very important aspect of Unity. i.e. that the power to achieve good is solely dependent on God, and that He is Master of all sources of strength and energy. Hence while the first part relates to the negative aspects of power, the second part relates to the positive.
In application to human actions, intentions and motivations etc., these two forces are all-encompassing. Man's intentions and his subsequent actions are always guided and controlled either by fear or hope, and there is no exception to this rule. Those who do good deeds do so out of fear and hope, and those who indulge in vices are motivated by the same. The fears of non-believers belong to the negative ungodly category, and they shape their lives in accordance with these worldly fears. Sometimes they are afraid of earning the displeasure of monarchs and authorities, sometimes they are afraid of society in general or of despots and bullies. Again, sometimes they act evilly out of a fear of poverty and loss etc. So, in a world full of vices, a large part of human actions can be explained with reference to these fears.
The belief in Unity dispels these fears altogether and brings to one's mind the importance of the fear of God, which means that one must not be afraid of the displeasure of the ungodly, but should always endeavour to avoid displeasing God, and shape one's life according to that fear alone. In the positive sense, the same applies to all human motivations and consequent actions. Man always lives by some motive to please someone, himself being no exception. In fact, more often than not, he works to please himself even at the cost of those who are otherwise dear to him.
A more exaggerated form of this attitude renders man a worshipper of his own ego. To achieve his purpose, man has to please those on whom his pleasures depend. As such, again he has to constantly strive to win the favours of monarchs, authorities etc. What we are describing is the worst form of slavery. The hopes and fears of a slave are completely dependent on the whims. pleasures and displeasures of his master. But a godless man has not one master alone. Every other human being in relation to his personal interests can play as God to him. If you analyse the ultimate cause of social, moral or political evils, it is such human worship which destroys the peace of man's mind, and society as a whole begins to deteriorate endlessly.
From this point of view, when you cast another glance at the fundamental declaration, that 'there is no God but Allah, the One and Only', all these fears and hopes relating to objects other than God are dispelled, as if by the waving of a magic wand. In other words, by choosing one master alone, you are liberated from slavery to all others. To be a slave of such others as are themselves slaves to numberless gods is a poor bargain indeed. But that is not all. The gods that such people worship are many a time products of their own imagination, which can do them neither good nor harm. Most men, on the other hand, worship nothing but mortals like themselves, their own egos being supreme among them all. Hence each of them bows to numberless egotistic gods, their interests being at clash with each other, creating a situation which is the ultimate of chaos.
The Islamic concept of Unity also inculcates in man the realisation of the oneness of the human species, and does away with all such barriers as divide man into racial, ethnic and colour denominations. This gives birth to the universal concept of equality in Islam, which is its distinctive feature. Hence from the vantage point of God, all human beings, wherever and in whichever age they were born, stand equal in His sight. As will be demonstrated shortly, it is this fundamental which gives rise to all other fundamental beliefs and doctrines in Islam. As briefly mentioned before, Islam's doctrine of Unity is absolute and unsplittable; it has no room for adding to the Godhead in any form. He has neither a father nor a mother, nor has He a spouse. For Him to give birth to sons and daughters is inconceivable.
Another important aspect of Unity of God as presented by the Quran relates to absolute harmony in His creation. It is this harmony concept which appealed so strongly to Einstein. He was compelled to pay tribute to the perfect symmetry in nature, which according to him required the oneness of creator. He was a scientist, and his perception of that harmony was limited to the material universe. But the Holy Quran speaks of the harmony in creation in all its possible applications. The Holy Quran claims that within nature, as created by God, and within the divine books revealed by God, there is no disharmony; that there is complete concurrence between one area of God's creation and another, and between one book and the other.
It goes further to declare that there is perfect consistency between the Word of God and the Act of God, and that there can be no contradiction between nature and the divine word as revealed to His prophets. This subject is beautifully expressed in the first five verses of Surah Al-Mulk, and is also taken up in many other verses of the Quran from various angles.
Coming to individuals, the belief in Unity plays a very important role in the education and upbringing of humans. It requires a consistency between man's views and actions, a consistency between his relationship with God and his fellow beings, thus binding creation in a single chain of unbreakable unity. This can be better understood by bringing to focus the practices of some so-called religious people, who preach hatred for one section of human society against another in the name of the one and only God. The principle of Unity of God is at variance with this practice, and as such does not permit people to create divisions between God and His creation and within the creation of God.

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Posted in: To believe in the Oneness of Allah.

islam

Islam, a name given by Allah to this religion (Quran 5:4), is an Arabic word which literally means obedience and peace. ISLAM is derived from the Arabic root "SALEMA": peace, purity, submission and obedience. So 'Islam' would mean the path of those who are obedient to Allah and who establish peace with Him and His creatures. Its follower are called Muslims.


Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all prophets before Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Allah says in the Qur’ân:


"Say, `We believe in ALLAH and that which has been revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and in that which was given to Moses and Jesus and other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and to HIM we submit." (Qur’ân 3-85)

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Posted in: islam