Easy guide for new muslims 2

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

المستوى الثاني من سلسلة منهجية تعليم المسلم الجديد اصول الدين

level 2-new muslims


Etiquette of the Ritual Bath (Ghusl)
Belief in Allah
Belief in Prophets
Belief in Angels
Belief in the Day of Judgment
Belief in Divine Decree (part 2 of 2)
Shirk, the Opposite of Tawheed
Sunan al-Fitrah
Manners of Relieving Oneself
Dietary Laws in Islam
Surah Al-Fatiha
Re questions the new Muslims
1-Keeping Good Company
Where Is Allah2
Love of God and How to achieve it
4 Love of God and How to achieve it



:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Etiquette of the Ritual Bath (Ghusl)

Introduction

For many people, the main purposes of bathing are to remove dirt and odors and slough off dead skin cells - basically, to maintain good hygiene. In addition, people bathe to feel clean, smell fresh, and revitalize or relax. Good hygiene helps promote health and prevents disease.

Islam is a comprehensive way of life and teaches us how to maintain and improve hygiene. Bathing etiquette is raised to the level of worship, and good hygiene is tied to spiritual purity. A new Muslim should learn the simple rules of bathing to maintain physical and spiritual cleanliness. Ghusl is the Arabic word for washing, specifically washing the entire body with water in a prescribed manner. Sometimes it is also called the ‘ritual bath’ or ‘major ablution’ to distinguish it from ‘minor ablution’ (wudoo’). When one seeks to purify themselves from major state of impurity, they should bathe keeping this intention in heart

Water as a purifying element is not unique to Islam, but is common to Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Shintoism, and others. In Judaism, water was traditionally used in the mikvah (Jewish bath) and in rituals of conversion. Also, the ritual bath (ghusl) should not be confused with Baptism, a ritual performed for admission into some Christian churches whose forms and rituals vary, such as by immersion in water or bathing the head, starting from the forehead. In contrast, the ritual bath (ghusl) is not associated with the removal of an inherited sin.

In this lesson, we will learn how and when to perform the ritual bath. We will also discuss the aspects of the ritual bath specific to Muslim women.



[COLOR="rgb(153, 50, 204)"]How is the Ritual Bath Performed?

It is sufficient in the ritual bath that a person wash all his body completely,[1] but the correct manner and order of performing the ritual bath, as did the Prophet, may Allah praise him, is as follows:

(1) the person must intend in their heart to purify themselves in a prescribed manner for Allah’s sake. The intention is a simple matter that changes regular bathing into an act of worship pleasing to Allah.

(2) say ‘Bismillah’ [meaning: (I begin) in the name of Allah]

(3) wash both hands three times.

(4) then wash the genitals with the left hand.

(5) make ablution (wudoo’) like the one made for prayer.

· wash the hands three times.

· rinse the mouth and nose.

· then wash the face three times.

· followed by washing the right hand and arm up to and including the elbow three times.

· then the left hand and arm likewise.

· wipe the entire head and ears (inside and out).

The Prophet, may Allah praise him, used to delay washing his feet until the end of his ritual bath. You may wash them now or delay till the end. Wash the right foot first.

(6) rub water through one’s hair three times, letting the water reach down to the roots of the hair.

(6) pour water over the entire body, beginning with the right side, then the left, washing under the armpits, inside the ears, inside the navel, between the toes and whatever part of the body that can be easily reached.[2]

When Does the Ritual Bath Become Required?

Without bathing, certain acts of worship cannot be performed. Negligence in these cases is sinful. The following situations require a Muslim to bathe and perform the ritual bath.

1. The emission of semen or orgasmic fluid.

If the discharge of semen or orgasmic fluid is accompanied by feelings of desire, the ritual bath is required. The ritual bath is not required if they are emitted unintentionally with no feelings of desire.

The ritual bath must be performed if the emission of sperm or orgasmic fluid:

(a) is due to stimulation while awake (like sexual intercourse and masturbation) resulting in ejaculation of semen or orgasmic fluid.[3]

(b) happens while one is asleep (like wet-dreams[4]). In other words, if one does not feel that they experienced a nocturnal emission but happens to find him or herself wet upon awakening, they must perform the ritual bath.

The ritual bath is not required in the following cases:

(a) If semen or orgasmic fluid is emitted unintentionally without stimulation with no feelings of desire, such as due to illness or cold weather.

(b) If they feel they had a nocturnal emission but find no traces, then they need not perform the ritual bath.



2. Penetration.[5]

If the penis enters the vagina, the ritual bath becomes obligatory on both spouses whether there is ejaculation or not and whether a condom is used or not. Mere rubbing or outward touching of genitals does not make the ritual bath necessary.

3. Menstruation and post-natal bleeding.

A woman must perform the ritual bath after her period ends, known by the white discharge generally recognized by women. She should also perform the ritual bath after post-natal bleeding following delivery. The ritual bath is required in both cases before she can resume the daily prayers (salah), fasting, and conjugal relations with her husband.[6]

4. Death.

The body of a deceased Muslim of either gender must be given the ritual bath (ghusl[7]), unless he or she died of wounds suffered in Jihad [8] (struggle or war in Allah’s cause)

5. On entering Islam.

Some scholars maintain that the ritual bath (ghusl) is required of a new Muslim on entering Islam[9], in order to purify oneself from the major state of impurity. Thus one should perform it to be on the safe side.

In subsequent lessons, you will learn more about other times when bathing is legislated, not in the obligatory sense rather encouraged.


Footnotes:
[1] Umm Salama reported that the Messenger of Allah told her that after sexual intercourse: ‘It is enough for you to throw three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over yourself, and you shall be purified.’ (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
[2] This account is based on a report from the Prophet’s wife, ‘Aishah: “When the Prophet, may Allah praise him, took his bath after sexual intercourse, he would begin by washing his hands. Then he would pour water from his right hand to his left and wash his sexual organs, make the ablution for prayer, take some water and put his fingers to the roots of his hair to the extent that he sees that the skin is wet, then pour water over his head three times and then over the rest of his body.” (Related by Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim)
[3] Messenger of Allah said, “Water (washing) is needed after ejaculation of sperm.” (Saheeh Muslim). Also, it is impermissible for a Muslim to resort to masturbation to satisfy sexual desires.
[4] A nocturnal emission is an ejaculation of semen experienced by males during sleep. It is also called a “wet dream”. Nocturnal emissions are most common during teenage and early adult years, and are the result of accumulated semen production. However, nocturnal emissions may happen any time after puberty, not just adolescence and early adulthood. They may or may not be accompanied by dreams. Some males will wake during the ejaculation, while others will sleep through the event.
[5] The Prophet said: “If one part enters the other part, then ghusl becomes obligatory.” (Musnad, Saheeh Muslim)
[6] Allah says in the Qur’an, “Do not approach them until they become pure. And when they have purified themselves, go to them as Allah has prescribed for you.” (2.222) Also, the Messenger of Allah told a female companion, “Do not pray during your period. After it has ended, perform the ritual bath and pray.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
[7] When Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet died, he said: “Wash her with water three or five times, or as many times as you see fit” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
[8] In an authentic hadeeth, Jabir ibn Abdullah said that the Prophet ordered the martyrs of Uhud to be shrouded, and buried, in pairs ‘with their blood on their bodies - and they were neither washed nor did he offer a funeral prayer for them.’ (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
[9] This is based on the Prophet commanding Abu Talha, a new Muslim, to perform ghusl on entering Islam (Ahmad).[/COLOR][/COLOR]

Belief in Allah

(a) Belief in Allah’s Existence

It is not required that Allah’s existence be proven by scientific, mathematical, or philosophical arguments. His existence is not a ‘discovery’ to be made by the scientific method or a mathematical theorem to be proven. Every human being has an innate belief in a Creator. This belief is not a result of learning or personal deductive thinking. It is outside influences that effect this innate belief and confuse a person as the Prophet said:

“There is no child who is not born with a natural belief in Allah, but his parents make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Also, mere common sense bears witness to Allah’s existence. From a ship one learns of the ship-builder, from the cosmos one learns of its Creator. Allah’s existence is also known by answers to prayers, the miracles of prophets, and the teachings of all revealed scriptures.

(b) Allah is the Lord

Allah is the only Lord of heaven and earth. He is the Lord of the physical universe and the Lawgiver for human life. He is the Master of the physical world and Ruler of the affairs of men. Allah is the Lord of every man, woman, and child.

(i) Allah is the sole Lord and Ruler of the physical world. The term ‘Lord’ here specifically means that He is the Creator, Controller; the Kingdom of the heaven and the earth belongs exclusively to Him, and He owns them. He alone brought existence out of non-existence and all depend on Him for their conservation and continuance. He did not create the universe and leave it to pursue its own course according to fixed laws and cease to take any further interest in it. His power is required at every moment to sustain all creatures. Creation has no Lord besides Him.

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?’ They will say: ‘Allah.’ Say: ‘Will you not then be afraid of Allah’s punishment (for setting up rivals with Allah)?’” (Quran 10:31)

He is the ever-ruling King and the Savior, the Living God, full of wisdom. No one can change His decisions. Angels, prophets, human beings, and the animal and plant kingdoms are under His control. Historically, few people have denied the existence of the Lord; throughout ages people for most part have believed in One God, a Supreme Being, a supernatural Creator.

(ii) Allah is the only Ruler of the affairs of men. Allah is the supreme Lawgiver[1], the Absolute Judge, the Legislator, He distinguishes right from wrong. Just like the physical world submits to its Lord, human beings must submit to the moral and religious teaching of their Lord, the Lord who sets apart right from wrong for them. In other words, Allah alone has the authority to make laws, determine acts of worship, decide morals, and set standards of human interaction and behavior. His is the command:

“His is the Creation and Command.” (Quran 7:54)

(c) Allah is Entitled to Worship

Allah has the exclusive right to be worshipped inwardly and outwardly, by one’s actions and by one’s heart. Not only can no one be worshipped apart from Him, absolutely no one else can be worshipped along with Him. He has no partners or associates in worship. Worship, in its comprehensive sense and in all its aspects, is for Him alone.

“There is no true god worthy of worship but He, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.” (Quran 2:163)

Allah’s right to be worshipped can not be over emphasized. It is the essential meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. A non-Muslim enters Islam by testifying to Allah’s sole right to be worshipped. It is the crux of Islamic belief in Allah, even all of Islam. It was the central message of all prophets and messengers sent by Allah. They all declared clearly:

“Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him.” (Quran 7:59, 60, 73, 85; 11: 50, 61, 84; 23, 32)

It was the central message of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, the Hebrew prophets, Jesus, and Muhammad, may Allah send His praises upon them all. If Allah alone creates, gives life and death, provides food and security, gives hearing and sight, then He alone must be worshipped.

Worship in Islam consists of every act, belief, statement, or sentiment of the heart Allah approves and loves, everything that brings a person closer to His Creator. It includes everything Allah has legislated in the Quran or through His Prophet’s Sunnah. It includes ‘external’ worship like the daily ritual prayers, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage as well as ‘internal’ worship such as faith in the six articles of faith, reverence, adoration, love, gratitude, and reliance. An act of worship is not accepted unless it conforms to the following:

(i) It is done exclusively for Allah and none should have any share in it, including one’s own self. Worship is not to be done even to satisfy the soul’s base desires, such as receiving praise or showing-off. This is the meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah.

(ii) It must conform with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. It must be performed in the exact manner performed by him, without any addition or omission. This is the implication of Muhammad Rasool-Allaah.

Allah is entitled to all types of worship, the worship of the body, soul, and heart. It remains incomplete unless it is done out of reverence and fear of Allah, divine love and adoration, hope in divine reward, and extreme humility. Giving anyone else - prophets, angels, Jesus, Mary, idols, or nature - a portion of worship due to Allah is called Shirk and is the most enormous sin in Islam.

(d) Allah is Known by His Most Beautiful Names and Attributes

Allah is known by His Most Beautiful Names and Attributes as they appear in the Quran and Sunnah, without corrupting or denying the obvious meaning, imagining their “how,” or thinking of them in human terms.

“And the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them.” (Quran 7:180)

Therefore, it is inappropriate to use First Cause, Author, Substance, Pure Ego, Absolute, Pure Idea, Logical Concept, Unknown, Unconscious, Ego, Idea, or Big Guy as divine names. Any name which one seeks to affirm for Allah must have been revealed in the Quran or Sunnah.

The Names of Allah indicate His perfection and freedom from deficiencies. Allah does not forget, sleep or get tired. His seeing, like all other attributes, is not like human sight. He is not unjust, and has no son, mother, father, brother, associate, or helper. He was not begotten and He begets none. He stands in need of none as He is perfect. He does not become or resemble humans and has no need to do so to “understand” human suffering. Allah is the Almighty (al-Qawee), the One Incomparable (al-’Ahad), the Acceptor of Repentance (al-Tawwab), the Compassionate (al-Raheem), Ever-Living (al-Hayy), All-Sustaining (al-Qayyoom), all-Knowing (al-’Aleem), All-Hearing (al-Samee’), All-Seeing (al-Baseer), the Pardoner (al-’Afuww), the Helper (al-Naseer), and the Healer of the Sick (al-Shaafi’). There are many other names mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.

All praise and glory is due to Him for His absolute perfection and majesty.


Footnotes:
[1] God’s existence proven by the existence of a supreme Lawgiver is called the ‘ethical’ argument by Western theologians.

Belief in Prophets

Belief in messengers is a required article of Islamic faith.



“The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’” (Quran 2:285)

Allah conveys His message to humanity through messengers. They form a link between the humans and the heavens, in the sense that Allah has chosen them to deliver His message to humanity. Divine messages were not conveyed to mankind except through the Messengers. It is the system of communication between the Creator and the created. Allah does not send the angels to every single individual, nor does He ‘open the skies’ so people can climb up to receive the message. His way of communication is through human messengers who receive the message through the angels. Allah only sent men as Prophets and Messengers. No angels were sent with a message to mankind. He, the Exalted, says:

‘And they say, “Why was there not sent down to him an angel? But if We had sent down an angel, the matter would have been decided; then they would not be reprieved. And if We had made him [i.e. the Messenger] an angel, We would have made him [appear as] a man, and We would have covered them with that in which they cover themselves.’ (6:8-9)

What Does the belief in the Messengers entail?

Faith in messengers is to firmly believe Allah chose morally upright men to bear His message and pass it on to humanity. Blessed were those who followed them, wretched were those who refused to obey. They faithfully delivered the message, without hiding, altering, or corrupting it. Rejecting a messenger is rejecting the One who sent him. Disobeying a messenger is disobeying the One who commanded to obey him.

Disbelieving in one Messenger is like disbelieving in all the Messengers. In the following verse, Allah, the Exalted, says that the people of Noah disbelieved in all the messengers, even though they were commanded only to follow Noah:

‘The people of Noah disbelieved in the Messengers.’ (Quran 26:105)

More specifically, belief in messengers means:

(1) Allah sent to every nation a prophet from amongst them, to call them to worship Allah alone and to shun false gods.

“And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: ‘Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful (that is Allah)?’” (Quran 43:45)

They did not add or omit anything from the Divine Message.

“Are the Messengers charged with anything but to convey clearly the Message?” (Quran 16:3)

(2) Belief in those have been specifically mentioned, such as Muhammad, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Noah, may Allah praise them all. We hold a general belief in those not mentioned by name as Allah says:

“And indeed, We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad); of some of them We have related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their story” (Quran 40:78)

We believe the final messenger was our Prophet Muhammad and there is no prophet or messenger after him as Allah has said in the Quran:

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All‑Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40)

The Prophet stated categorically:
“There will be no prophet after me.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Previous Prophets were sent with laws and commandments specific to that people in that time. Prophet Muhammad, may Allah praise him, however was sent with a message applicable for all time, people and places; thus, there is no need for more Prophets to come. Another important reason is that some nations were sent more than one prophet due to the changes they introduced into the religion. Since God has promised that the teachings of Prophet Muhammad will never undergo change and will always be preserved in the original language in their primary sources – the Quran and Sunnah, there is no need for another prophet. In the cases of earlier prophets, scriptures were lost or their message became corrupted to the point that truth was hardly distinguishable from falsehood. The message of Prophet Muhammad is clear and preserved till the end of times.

(3) Belief in the sound reports that have been narrated from the messengers. For instance, the teachings of Prophet Muhammad – the Sunnah - are preserved in the books of hadeeth.

(4) Following the laws of the messenger who has been sent to us, the final prophet Muhammad, who was sent to all of humanity. Allah says:

“But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission” (Quran 4:65)

The Purpose

What’s the purpose of sending messengers?

(1) Taking people from worship of other created beings to the worship of the Creator, from servitude of creation to the freedom of worshipping their Lord.

(2) Clarifying to people the purpose of their creation: worshipping and serving Allah, their Creator. There is no other definite way to find the true purpose of creation.

(3) Establishing proof against humanity by sending messengers, so people will not have an excuse when they will be questioned on the Day of Judgment. They won’t be able to say they did not know what they were to do in life.

(4) Uncovering the some of the ‘unseen world’ beyond the normal senses and the physical universe, like knowledge of Allah, the existence of angels, the reality of the Day of Judgment.

(5) Providing human beings practical examples to lead moral, righteous, purpose-driven lives free of doubts and confusion.

(6) Purifying the soul from materialism, sin, and heedlessness.

The Message

The single most important message of all prophets and messengers to their people was to worship Allah alone and none else, to submit to Allah’s will. All of them - Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Jesus, Muhammad, and those we do not even know - invited people to worship Allah and shun false gods.

Moses declared:

“Hear, O Israel The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

It was repeated 1500 years later by Jesus when he said:

“The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.’” (Mark 12:29)

Finally, the call of Muhammad some 600 years later reverberated across the hills of Mecca:

“And your God is One God: there is no god but He.” (2:163)

The Quran states this fact clearly:

“And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): ‘none has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.’” (21:25)

The laws they brought differed, each suitable for its own time and people:

“To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way”(Quran 5:48)

But the central, basic message was Allah’s oneness, tawheed, and worship. It was Islam; Islam in its broad, general sense of submission to Allah.

“Surely, religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” (Quran 3:19)

The Message Bearers

Allah chose the best among men to deliver His message. Prophethood is not earned or acquired like higher education. Allah chooses whom He pleases for this purpose.

They were best in morals and fit mentally and physically, protected by Allah from falling into major sins. They did not err or commit mistakes in delivering the message. They were many prophets and messengers sent to all mankind, to all nations and races, to all corners of the world. Some prophets were superior to others, some messengers excelled over the rest. The best among them were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

Some went to extremes in regards to the prophets. Some were rejected, and accused of being sorcerers, madmen and liars. Others were turned into gods by their followers by attributing to them powers only befitting for Allah or they were regarded as God’s son like what happened to Jesus.

In truth, they were fully human with no divine attributes or power. They were Allah’s worshipping slaves. They ate, drank, slept, and lived normal human lives. They did not have the power to make anyone accept their message or to forgive sins. Their knowledge of future was limited to what Allah revealed to them. They had no part in running the affairs of the universe.

Belief in Angels

Reality of Angels

Angels are not ‘good forces of nature’, hologram images, or illusions. Neither are angels like a fat cherubic baby with a halo on its head as often depicted in Christian illustrations. They are real, created but are generally hidden from our senses. They have no divine qualities and are not God’s associates running different districts of the universe. Also, they are not objects to be worshipped or prayed to as they do not intercede for us at our request, nor do they deliver our prayers to God. They all submit to God and carry out His commands. There are no fallen angels; they are not divided into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ angels. Human beings do not become angels after death.

Angels were created from light before human beings. The angels are beautiful beings with wings as described in the Quran.

Angels form different hierarchies and orders in the sense they are of different size, status, and merit. The best were those present at the battle of Badr who fought between the Prophet and the Meccan pagans.

They are of great size. The greatest of them is Gabriel. Our Prophet actually saw him in his original form. He had six hundred wings and blocked the horizon. Jewels, pearls, and rubies fell from his wings, in a form only Allah knows about . Also, the attendants of God’s Throne are among the greatest angels. They love the believers and beseech Allah to forgive them their sins. They carry the Throne of Allah, about whom the Prophet said:

“I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of Allah that carry the Throne. The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.” (Abu Daud)

They do not eat or drink. When Abraham placed a calf in front of the visiting angels who brought him the good news of a son, they refused to eat:

“He said, ‘Will you not eat?’ (When they did not eat), he conceived a fear of them. They said: ‘Fear not,’ and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge.” (Quran 51:26-28)

The angels do not get bored or tired of remembering and worshipping Allah:

“They exalt [Him] night and day [and] do not slacken.” (Quran 21:20)

The Number of Angels

How many angels there are? Only Allah knows. Al-Bayt al-Ma’moor is a sacred house in the heavens above the Ka’bah, the black cubical sacred house in Mecca. Every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, another group coming after them.[1]

The Messenger of Allah said:

“Hell will be brought forth that day by means of seventy thousand ropes, each of which will be pulled by seventy thousand angels.” (Saheeh Muslim)

The Names of Angels

We are required to believe in the names of the angels that have been mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah. They include:

Gabriel (Jibreel in Arabic), Michael (Mikaa’eel), Israfeel, Malik - the gatekeeper of Hell, Munkar and Nakeer, and Haarut and Maarut and others.

The names Raphael and Azra’eel are not furnished in Islamic texts. Of the above, only Gabriel and Michael are mentioned in the Bible.

Angelic Abilities

The angels have great powers given to them by Allah.

They have the ability to take on different forms other than their own. At the moment of Jesus’ conception, Allah sent Gabriel to Mary in the form of a man, as Allah says in the Quran:

“…Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” (Quran 19:17)

Angels also came to Abraham in human form, and he did not know that they were angels until they told him so. Similarly, angels came to Lot to deliver him from danger in the form of young men with beautiful faces. Gabriel used to come to Prophet Muhammad in different forms. Sometimes he would appear in the form of one of his handsome disciples, and sometimes in the form of a Bedouin.

Angels have the ability to take human forms in some circumstances involving common people, such as the ones who came to the man who killed a hundred people and those who came to the blind, the bald and the leper.

The greatest speed known to man today is the speed of light; the angels are able to travel much faster than this. Hardly had an enquirer completed putting a question to the Prophet, but Gabriel would bring the answer from Allah.

Gabriel is God’s messenger to mankind. He would convey the revelation from Allah to His Messengers. Allah says:

“Say, ‘Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel – it is [none but] he who has brought the Qur’an down upon your heart, [O Muhammad], by permission of Allah, confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers.’” (Quran 2:97)

Tasks of the Angels

Some angels are put in charge of executing God’s law in the physical world. Michael is responsible for rain, directing it wherever Allah wishes. He has helpers, who do what he tells them, by the command of his Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as Allah wills. Another is responsible for blowing the Trumpet, which will be blown by Israafeel at the onset of the Day of Judgment. Others are responsible for taking souls out of the bodies at the time of death: these are the Angel of Death and his helpers. Allah says:

“Say: ‘the Angel of Death put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls, then shall you be brought back to your Lord.’” (Quran 32:11)

Then there are personal guardian angels, responsible for protecting the believer throughout his life, when he stays home or travels, when he is asleep or awake. These are the “angels in succession” concerning whom Allah says:

“For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah.” (Quran 13:10-11)

Others are responsible for recording the deeds of man, good and bad. These are the “honorable scribes” (kiraaman kaatibeen).

Munkar and Nakeer are responsible for testing people in the grave.

Among them are keepers of Paradise and the nineteen ‘guards’ of Hell whose leader is ‘Malik.’

There are also angels responsible for breathing the soul into the fetus and writing down its provisions, life-span, actions, and whether it will be wretched or happy.

Some angels are roamers, traveling around the world in search of gatherings where God is remembered. There are also angels constituting God’s heavenly army, standing in rows, who never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads, always worshipping Allah.

As we learn from above, the angels are a grandiose creation of God, varying in numbers, roles, and abilities. God is in no need of these creatures, but having knowledge and belief in them adds to the awe that one feels towards God, in that He is able to create as He wishes, for indeed the magnificence of His creation is a proof of the magnificence of the Creator.




Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari

Belief in the Day of Judgment


Simply stated, there will be a Day when God will resurrect and gather the first and the last of His creation and judge everyone justly. People will enter their final abode, Hell or Paradise.

(A) Belief In Events Of The Grave

Muslims believe that after a person dies, the second, intermediate phase of life begins. Many events will take place in this new “world.”

One of the first events is the “trial” of the grave - everyone will be questioned by angels about their religion, prophet, and Lord.

Second, a Muslim should also believe in the punishment and the bliss of the grave. Basically a Muslim must believe in the details of the events that will take place in the grave as they have come in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

(B) Events Of The Day Of Judgment

After the duration of this earth is over, Allah will command a great angel named Israfeel to blow the Trumpet. At the first blowing, all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will fall unconscious, except those spared by God. The earth will be flattened and the mountains turned into dust.

The skies will rain for forty days, people will be resurrected into their original bodies from their graves, thereby entering the third and final phase of life.

Israfeel will blow the Trumpet for the second time upon which people will rise up from their graves, alive. The disbelievers and the hypocrites will be caught by surprise and regret, whereas the believers will find it exactly as they were told.

The angels will drive all human beings naked, uncircumcised, and bare-footed to the Great Plain of Gathering called Hashr. The first one to be dressed on that Day will be Abraham. At the Great Plain of Gathering, a re-created sun will shine close to their heads, and they will sweat according to their deeds. Some people will be sheltered under the shade of God’s Magnificent Throne.

When the conditions will become unbearable, people will request God to allow the Prophets and the Messengers to intercede on their behalf to save them from distress. All prophets will excuse themselves, until Prophet Muhammad will be allowed to intercede and thus Judgment will begin.

The Balances

The balances will be set and the deeds of men will be weighed. These balances will be real. God will give the deeds of His creatures a material existence with weight. Good deeds will be placed in one pan and the evil deeds will be placed in the other, as Allah has informed in the Qur’an.

The Records

Disclosure of the Records of the deeds performed in this life will follow. The person who will receive his record in his right hand will have an easy reckoning. He will happily go back to his family. However, the person who will receive his record in his left hand would wish he were dead as he will be thrown into the Fire. He will be full of regrets as will wish that he were not handed his Record or that he had not known it.

Then Allah will judge His creation. They will be reminded and informed of their good and evil deeds. The faithful will acknowledge their sins and be forgiven. The disbelievers will have no good deeds to declare because an unbeliever is rewarded for his good deeds in this life. Some scholars are of the opinion that the punishment of an unbeliever may be reduced in lieu of his good deeds, except the punishment of the great sin of disbelief.

The Prophet’s Pond

Every prophet will have a pond, but the Pond of our Prophet will be the largest, sweetest, and with the largest number of visitors. Its water will be sweeter than honey and whiter than milk; its utensils will be as numerous as the stars; and anyone who quenches his thirst once from it will never thirst again.

The Siraat

The Siraat is a real bridge that will be established over Hell extending between Paradise and the Fire. Anyone who is steadfast on God’s religion in this life will find it easy to pass it. It will be thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword! People will pass over it as fast as the blinking of an eye, lightening, wind, fast moving horses, running camels, or at a normal walking pace. Some will barely crawl over it. They will be grabbed by iron hooks and thrust into the Fire. The one who crosses the Siraat will get into Paradise.

Those who cross it will be assembled at a place between Paradise and Hell. They will get their mutual debts settled and then allowed to enter Paradise.

(C) Intercession Granted To The Prophets & The Righteous

Allah has clearly explained proper intercession:

a) He has to allow it, and

b) It will be allowed only to those He will be pleased with.

Types of Intercession

Three forms of intercession are special for the Prophet:

1) The Prophet will make the first intercession, called the Greatest Intercession, at the Great Plain of Gathering to get the Judgment started.

2) The second will be to gain permission for the people of Paradise to enter it.

3) He will be allowed to intercede on behalf of some pagans to get their punishment reduced in Hell.

4) The last type of intercession will be for those who deserve to be in Hell. The Prophet will share this intercession with other Prophets and some pious believers. This intercession will be for:

(i) those who will never enter Hell although they deserved it, and

(ii) those who will enter Hell, but will be taken out of it.

Finally, the Most Merciful Lord will take some people out of Hell Fire by His infinite Bounty.

After everyone has entered Paradise, there will still be some place left in it. Allah will create a special creation and enter them into Paradise.

(D) Paradise & Hell

Both are real, exist presently, and will continue to exist forever. The bliss of the people of Paradise shall never end and the punishment of unbelievers condemned to Hell shall never cease.

Paradise will have everything a person will desire. All wishes will be met. Palaces, servants, riches, streams of milk and honey, pleasant fragrances, soothing voices, pure partners for intimacy; a person will never get bored or have enough! The greatest bliss will be to see their Lord of which the unbelievers will be deprived.

Hell will be a place of punishment for unbelievers and purification for sinful believers. It will have many different types of torture and punishment: burning by fire, boiling water to drink, scalding food to eat, chains, and choking columns of fire. For unbelievers it will never end as they will stay in it forever. Sinful believers sent to it will be eventually taken out of Hell by one of intercessions mentioned above.

Shirk, the Opposite of Tawheed

The Arabic word shirk is the opposite of tawheed, Allah’s oneness, and is more inclusive than polytheism and idolatry. It means associating Allah with other deities. Shirk is to associate others with Allah in certain aspects designated as unique to Him and exclusively His in the Quran and Sunnah.

There is no issue upon which Islam is so strict as the one of monotheism (tawheed). Associating partners with God (Shirk) is the deadliest sin, the greatest violation with which the Lord of the heavens and the earth may be defied. Death in the state of shirk permanently severs a person from divine grace:

“Surely Allah forgives not that a partner be set with Him (i.e. the sin of shirk), and forgives all besides that to whom he pleases.” (Quran 4:48)

Shirk has many forms, some of which will be discussed below.

The Greater Shirk

Acts which fall under this category of shirk are regarded as unforgivable. Allah will not forgive them unless one repents.

“Verily, Allah does not forgive shirk, but He forgives other than that to whom He pleases”

This category contradicts the very purpose of creation, as expressed in Allah’s statement:

“I have not created jinn or mankind except to worship Me Alone.” (Quran 51:56)

In this category of shirk, acts of worship are directed to beings other than Allah or alongside Him, as is their rewards. Allah gives an example of this type in the Quran, in His saying:

“So when they ride in the ships, they call upon Allah, being sincerely obedient to Him, but when he brings them safe to the land, lo, they commit shirk with Him.” (Quran 29:65)

The Quran stresses in many verses that Allah does not share His powers with any partner. It warns those who believe their idols will intercede for them that they, together with the idols, will become fuel for Hellfire on the Day of Judgment.

The greater shirk includes invoking or supplicating to a false deity, prophet, angel, saint, idol, or anything besides Allah. Christians pray to a man who they believe to share divinity with Allah, the Prophet of Allah Jesus, may Allah praise him. Catholics direct certain types of worship to saints, angels, and Mary, which they regard as “veneration”. All these things are regarded as shirk.

It is also considered shirk to pray to Prophet Muhammad, may Allah praise him, or to graves of holy men.

Believing in the legislation of others, whether governments or religious leaders in opposition to the clear teachings of Islam is also a major form of shirk, as Allah says:

“They (referring to Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their Lords besides Allah.” (Quran 9:31)

They took them as lords besides Allah not by directly praying to them, but by willfully accepting their changing the lawful into prohibited and the forbidden into lawful in Allah’s religion. They gave them the authority that only Allah has - to legislate in divine law.

Another form of major shirk is giving any creation a portion of divine love reserved for Allah.

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe love Allah (more than anything else).” (Quran 2:195)

Lesser Forms of Shirk

Swearing by other than Allah and carrying out religious acts for worldly gain, like showing off or to win favors are two of the lesser forms of shirk. Allah’s Messenger said:

“The thing I fear for you the most is ‘lesser shirk.’ The companions asked ‘Oh! Messenger of Allah, what is “lesser shirk?” He replied showing off, for surely Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection when people are receiving their rewards, ‘Go to those for whom you were showing off in the material world and see if you can find any reward from them.’” (Ahmad, at-Tabarani, al-Baihaqi)

Once, the Prophet, may Allah praise him, announced:

“O people, beware of hidden shirk! The people asked, ‘O messenger of Allah, what is hidden shirk?’ He replied, ‘When a man gets up to pray and strives to beautify his prayer because people are looking at him; that is hidden shirk.’” (Ibn Khuzaymah)

Showing off (riyaa in Arabic) is the practice of performing any of the various forms of worship in order to be seen and praised by people. Doing religious acts to impress people destroys the spiritual benefits of righteous deeds and incurs sin on the person. Sometimes, even the most pious are not spared of it because it is so hidden and the motivating force behind it is so ingrained. Getting rid of it involves that one concentrate upon the fact that they are performing the worship for Allah’s pleasure alone, and not the pleasure of people.

A Muslim must take great care to ensure intentions begin pure and remain pure whenever righteous deeds are being done. In order to ensure this, the saying of Allah’s name is enjoined in Islam before all acts of importance. A series of informal prayers (du’as) have also been prescribed by the Prophet before and after all natural habits to turn them into acts of worship and develop awareness of Allah.

Everyday Examples of Shirk

Astrology and Horoscopes

Predicting the future by means of comparing the positions of stars and constellations, in conjunction with the time of year that a person was born is a type of Shirk. Only Allah knows the future, so it is impossible to predict future events by studying the stars. This is a form of shirk because belief in astrology credits astrologers with knowledge of the future, as well as the fact that they ascribe certain powers to created objects – stars – that neither Allah nor science has assigned.

Fortune-Telling

Reading palms, looking into a crystal ball, and other forms used to foretell the future are forms of shirk for the same reasons given above.

The Number 13

A common example of shirk is belief that the number thirteen is an unlucky number, especially in the West, where it is not uncommon for tall buildings not to have a thirteenth floor. It is shirk because it assigns the ability to bring bad fortune to a mere number!

Lucky or Unlucky Creatures

It has been a common custom for certain animals or objects to be associated with good or bad luck for many centuries in many parts of the world. For example, black cats, magpies, rabbits' feet, and horseshoes are thought to bring good luck. All of these examples are shirk because the ability to bring good or bad luck is assigned to Allah’s creation.

All Muslims should avoid all forms of shirk, and the only way one can be sure to do so is if they study its different forms and understand well the concept of Tawheed. Shirk is the gravest of sins in Islam, more severe than other grave sins such as murder and adultery, for it vies with the sole right of Allah to worship. Thus, it is worthy that Muslims do their best to avoid shirk and become eligible to enter the Gardens of Paradise.

Sunan al-Fitrah

Allah has chosen certain practices for His Prophets; Muslims are to follow these as well, they are known as Sunan al-Fitrah, or the Muslim's cleanliness obligations. Basically they comprise natural hygiene. They are:
1. Trimming the moustache. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
'Differ from the polytheists, grow the beards and trim the moustache.' (Bukhari & Muslim)
2. Growing beards. This is incumbent upon every male Muslim. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
'Grow the beards and trim the moustache.' (Bukhari).
Allah warns those who disobey His Messenger, saying:
(Let those who disobey his command beware lest they are subjected to a Fitnah or a painful torment.) (24:63).
3. The use of Siwak (tooth-stick). The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
'Had it not been for the fact that I would overburden my Ummah (nation) I would have ordered them to use the Siwak, as I ordered them to perform Wudhu.' (Silsilah as-Saheehah)
4. Sniffing water, which is a procedural step of Wudhu.
5. Clipping fingernails and toenails.
6. Washing the knuckles.
7 and 8. Removing hair from the armpits and pubic area (by plucking, shaving or cutting).
9. Istinja, which is the cleaning of the two exits with water.
10. The narrator of the Hadeeth said: 'I forget what the tenth
was, unless it is rinsing the mouth during Wudhu.'
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
Five acts are from the Fitrah:
1. Shaving off pubic hair.
2. Circumcision
3. Trimming the moustache.
4. Clipping fingernails and toenails.
5. Plucking or shaving off armpit hair.
Question: I have noticed that some people in the Masjid let their nails grow long and they are filled with dirt. Is this befitting for a Muslim? Is their Wudhu valid? Is there a specified time limit for cutting the nails, or for doing other things that are Sunan al-Fitrah (specific Sunnah connected to the natural disposition of man)?
Answer: Praise be to Allah. The nails must be cut at least once every forty days, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) specified a time limit within which people should cut their nails, shave their pubic hair, pluck their armpit hair and trim their moustaches, and not leave it for more than forty days.
This is affirmed authentically. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the servant of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) said: "He set a time for us to trim our moustaches, cut our nails, pluck our armpit hair and shave our pubic hair; we were not to leave that for more than forty days." (Muslim). It was also narrated by Imam Ahmad (11823) and by alNasaa'I (14) with the wording:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) set a time limit for us, we were not to neglect our nails and moustaches, and shaving the pubic hair and plucking the armpit hair beyond forty days."
Both men and women must pay attention to this matter and not leave the nails, moustache, pubic hair or armpit hair for more than forty days.
Wudhu is valid and is not affected by whatever dirt is under the fingernails, because it is a small amount and may be looked over. (Bin Baz).

اداب الخلاء
Manners of Relieving Oneself

Something as mundane as relieving oneself is tied to a Muslim’s sense of cleanliness and modesty. There is nothing odd or strange about it, as Islam literally is all encompassing, something that evokes a pleasant surprise in some people. Even in the time of the Prophet, there was a polytheist who exclaimed with astonishment to Salman, the Persian, “Your Prophet has taught you everything, even how to defecate!” Salman responded, ‘“Yes, he forbade us to face the direction of Mecca when urinating or defecating…”[1]

In this lesson we will detail the manners of relieving oneself, something apparently minor, but implies much about personal hygiene and religious observance.

(A) Supplications before Relieving Oneself

There are certain supplications one should recite when entering or leaving the place one relieves oneself, whether it be in a bathroom or in nature.

(a) One should say “Bismillaah” (I begin with the Name of Allah) before entering, because the Messenger of Allah said:

“The eyes of the jinn are blocked from seeing the nakedness of the sons of Adam when one of them says before entering the place for relieving oneself, ‘Bismillaah.’” (Al-Tirmidhi)

(b) Allah-humma innee a’oodhu bika min al-khubuthi wa’l-kha-baa’ith.

“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from male and female devils.” (Abu Daud, Al-Tirmidhi)

Enter with your left foot.

(B) Inside the Toilet

Facing the Qibla

Out of respect a Muslim should not face the qiblah[2] when urinating or defecating. The Messenger of Allah said:

“When any one of you sits down to answer the call of nature, he should not face the qiblah or turn his back towards it.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Concealment

We must conceal ourselves from the sight of others when answering the call of nature. The Messenger of Allah preferred to go behind a rise on the ground or a garden of date palms.[3] If a person is in the open and cannot find anything to conceal him when he needs to answer the call of nature, he should move away from public sight. One of the Companions described how he was with the Prophet on a journey, and when the Prophet felt the need to answer the call of nature, he went far away.[4]

When outdoors, one should not uncover their private parts until they squat close to the ground, as it is more concealing.[5] Indoors, first make sure you have closed the door and are out of sight.

(C) Relieving Oneself

Squatting

Outdoors, it is best to answer the call of nature sitting. It is better to adopt a posture that is more concealing, one which will cause no splash-back on yourself or your clothes. If there is a need and a person does not fear splash-back, it is permissible to urinate standing up.

Splash-Back

One must take great care to avoid the splash-back of urine, both on themselves and their clothes. If urine or stool soils some part of body or clothes, those areas must also be washed, and the impurity must be totally removed from them. The Messenger of Allah passed by two graves, and said:

“Indeed they are being punished, but for something which seemed trivial to them: this one used not to guard himself from urine, and the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Prohibited Places

Islam forbids urinating in places where people might pass by, or seek shade therein, such a park, because it is something disturbing to people. The Prophet said, “Fear the two things that bring curses.” They asked, “What are the two things that bring curses, O Messenger of Allah?” He said:

“When a person relieves himself in the road where people walk or in the place where they seek shade.” (Abu Daud)

Also, it is forbidden to urinate in stagnant water, as it was forbidden by the Messenger of Allah.[6] It obviously makes the water impure and will disturb those who use it.

Conversation

Don’t say, ‘As-Salamu ‘Alaikum’ to a person who is answering the call of nature, or reply with ‘Wa-’Alaikum us-Salam’ while relieving yourself, out of respect for God’s name. Al-Salaam is one of Allah’s beautiful Names.

A man passed by the Prophet while he was urinating, and greeted him with Salam. The Messenger of Allah said to him:

“If you see me in this state, do not greet me, because if you do, I will not respond.” (Ibn Majah)

It is disliked to speak while relieving oneself unnecessarily.

Urinals

Urinals should be avoided for four reasons. First, there is no privacy. Private parts are exposed, which is indecent and forbidden. Second, it is almost impossible to avoid splash-back. Third, there is no toilet paper. Fourth, people sometimes talk while urinating, an activity better left outside the toilet!

(D) Cleaning Method

(a) Using the Left Hand

The Prophet’s wife Hafsah reported that he used to use his right hand for eating, drinking, making wudoo, getting dressed, and giving and taking things; and that he used to use his left hand for other things.[7]

One should not touch the penis with the right hand when urinating, because the Prophet said:

“When any one of you urinates, he should not hold his penis in his right hand or clean it with his right hand.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

It is not allowed to wipe oneself with the right hand when cleaning stool or urine; the left hand should be used for this purpose, because the Prophet said:

“When any one of you wipes himself, he should not use his right hand.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

(b) Material

Toilet paper or water can be used. It is preferable to use both. Be careful to remove all impurities after answering the call of nature, because the Prophet warned against being careless in cleaning oneself after urinating:

“Most of the punishment of the grave will be because of urine.” (Ibn Majah)

(c) Any impurity should be washed or wiped thrice or more, and it is better that it be an odd number, according to whatever is needed to clean it, because the Prophet said:

“When anyone of you cleans himself do so an odd number.” (Ahmad)

A word on washing hands

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in four food-borne illnesses, among many other diseases, is caused by unwashed or inadequately washed hands. Not only is it an easy thing to do, but hand washing is considered the number one way to prevent the spread of infection. If health officials urge it, how much more should Muslims pay attention to it? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health, good hand washing requires three key elements: soap, running water, and friction. Actively rub your hands and fingers together with soap, producing a lather that covers all surfaces of your hands (including your fingers and under your fingernails), for at least ten to fifteen seconds. Follow that with a thorough rinse under running water. Pay attention to rings and long fingernails, both of which trap bacteria and dirt. To avoid recontamination of your hands, wash the faucet with water or a clean paper towel before turning it off. Better yet, one should not use the contaminated hand to turn it on in the first place. Then dry your hands with an air-dryer or new disposable towel.

(E) Supplication on Leaving the Toilet

When leaving the toilet, exit with right foot, and say:

Ghufraanak. “I seek Your forgiveness.” (Abu Daud, Al-Tirmidhi)


Footnotes:
[1] Al-Tirmidhi
[2] The direction of formal prayer and the Kabah, the House of Allah.
[3] Saheeh Muslim
[4] Al-Tirmidhi
[5] “When the Prophet wanted to answer the call of nature, he would not lift his garment until he had squatted close to the ground.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
[6] Saheeh Muslim
[7] Musnad.

اداب الاكل
Dietary Laws in Islam


The Quran and Sunnah have provided a number of guidelines for what is allowed for Muslims to eat and what is not, and thus, Muslim dietary practice is directly related to divine obedience. Practicing Muslims obey Allah by following these guidelines, and thus they are rewarded for this, as following the guidelines of the religion is considered worship.

Permitted food and drinks are called halal, while those forbidden are termed haram in Arabic. Since ‘you are what you eat’, Islam permits food deemed wholesome for the body and the soul and forbids what is detrimental to them, as the Quran declares:

“…all pure things are lawful to you.” (Quran 4:5)

Mainstream Christianity claims no dietary laws to speak of, whereas Judaism has numerous and rigorous dietary laws. In Hinduism, food is one of the principal indices of social status, as food observances help to define caste ranking. Islamic dietary laws, on the other hand, bond the community of faithful in one whole, and in their rigor they lie somewhere in between Judaism and Christianity.

In this lesson we will familiarize ourselves with basic rules of Islamic dietary law.

The Good and Permissible

Generally, every food and drink is permissible unless it is prohibited by Allah or His Messenger, may Allah praise him. What is halal is much more than what has been made haram, and thus discussion is often limited to what is haram. All vegetables, fruits, lentils and grains are permissible, and nothing has been explicitly forbidden in the Quran in their regards.

As for meat, all seafood has been made permissible, as are common meats like beef, chicken, and lamb. There is such a large variety of foods made permissible in Islam that it would be impossible to mention them all in this article. Thus, as is customarily done, we will mention the restrictions placed upon diet by Islam.

Prohibited Foods

1. Prohibition of Carrion

Allah says in the Quran:

‘Indeed, what He has forbidden to you is the flesh of dead animals…’ (Quran 2:173)

The first prohibited food is the flesh of “dead animals,” that is, the animal which dies of natural causes, without being slaughtered or hunted. There are many health hazards in carrion, details of which can be found here.

But Allah has created other beings in such a way that they are able to benefit from carrion as a source of sustenance.. An exception to this rule is sea-food. The Prophet, may Allah praise him, said of the sea:

‘Its water is pure and its dead are halal (to eat).’ (Musnad)

This maybe due to the preserving factor of salt coupled with the fact that it is next to impossible to catch live fish and “slaughter” them. It may be also due to the physiology of fish itself.

2. Prohibition of Flowing Blood[1]

The second prohibition relates to flowing or liquid blood which cannot be used as food or drink. It’s rare to find recipes using blood anyway!

3. Pork[2]

The third prohibited food is pork, that is, the flesh of swine. All pork products like sausage, pepperoni, salami, chops, ribs, lard, bacon, and ham are forbidden.

4. Animal Dedicated to Anyone Other Than Allah[3]

The fourth prohibition refers to animals[4] which are dedicated to anyone other than Allah, that is to say, those which are slaughtered with the invocation of a name other than the name of Allah, such as idols, celestial objects, prophets or saints. When slaughtering an animal, the Arab polytheists would invoke the names of their idols. In this case, the reason for the prohibition is entirely related to faith: to safeguard the belief in Allah, to purify worship, and to oppose shirk in matters of food consumption. Indeed it is Allah who created man and subjected the animals to him and permitted him to take its life for food on the condition that His name be pronounced at the time of slaughter. Pronouncing the name of Allah while slaughtering the animal is an announcement that one is taking the life of this creature by the permission of its Creator, while if one invokes any other name, he has forfeited this permission and must be denied the use of its flesh.

5. Slaughtering with means which does not properly allow the exit of Blood[5]

Allah in the Quran mentions various forms of this category:

- Strangulation: An animal which has been strangled, for example, by a rope around its neck, or suffocated is forbidden.

- Beaten to Death[6]

- A Fallen Animal[7]: An animal which dies as a result of a fall from a high place, or by falling into a gully or ravine.

- Gored[8]: An animal which dies as a result of being gored by the horns of another animal.

- Partly Eaten by Other Animals[9]:An animal partly consumed by wild beasts and dies as a result.

6. Other Animals

The Quran says concerning the Messenger of Allah:

“...(he) makes lawful to them what is good and makes unlawful what is foul...” (Quran 7:157)

In addition to the terrestrial animals prohibited by the Quran, the Prophet, may Allah praise him, also forbade the eating of any carnivorous animals with canine teeth, and any bird with talons.[10] Carnivorous animals denote those which prey on others and devour them by tearing them apart, e.g., the lion, leopard, wolf, and the like; birds with talons such as the hawk, eagle, and the falcon.

Animals Slaughtered by Jews and Christians

Islam emphasizes that animals must be slaughtered in a prescribed manner.[11] While Islam takes an uncompromising attitude towards meat slaughtered by polytheists, it is lenient in the case of meat of Jews and Christians, for they also have been ordered to slaughter in the name of God in their revelations.[12] Consequently, Islam permits meats slaughtered by them:

“…and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you.” (Quran 5:6)

Necessity Dictates Exceptions

“...He has explained to you what He has made haram for you, except that to which you are compelled...” (Quran 6:119)

In Islamic law, necessity is deemed to exist when one fears death or great harm. If one finds nothing else to eat except that which is prohibited, and the person fears death, he may apply this rule. One should, however, stay within the limits and eat only enough to keep him alive.

Vegetarianism and Other Diets

Many meats are halal, but a Muslim does not have to eat meat, it’s not part of faith! A Muslim can be vegetarian by choice. There are many foods which a Muslim can choose to eat from, and one should not feel that they must eat things they do not desire. The Prophet, may Allah praise him, himself preferred not to eat onions or garlic, nor desert-lizard, a type of meat some ate in his time. One should not think, however, that there is something ethically wrong with eating meat, or else they would in a sense be legislating ethics, which is a right of Allah alone.

Alcohol and other Mind Altering Drugs

The Arabs before Islam were fond of wine and drinking. Love of wine is reflected and seen in their language, which has nearly one hundred names for it, and in their poetry, which celebrates the praises of wine, goblets, and drinking parties.

To eradicate the evil of drinking from society, Allah prohibited it in measured stages. First, He made it clear to them that the harm of drinking wine is greater than its benefit. Next, He told them not to come close to salah while intoxicated; and finally, He revealed the verse that completely forbade alcohol.[13]

The response of the Muslims when the verse of prohibition was revealed was remarkable. People were drinking, with partly-filled cups in their hands. As soon as they heard someone shouting the verse to announce its prohibition, they poured the remaining drinks upon the ground and broke their fermentation pots.

The Prophet, may Allah praise him, declared all intoxicants to be completely forbidden:

“Everything which alters the mind is [like] alcohol, and every type of alcohol is haram.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium, and the like are definitely included in the prohibited category of alcohol and therefore are haram.

Islam forbids all intoxicants, regardless of the amount consumed. This is why the Prophet, may Allah praise him, said:

“Whatever intoxicates if consumed in a large amount, a small amount of it is haram.” (Abu Daud, Al-Tirmidhi)

A final word… adjusting diet is perhaps one of the major lifestyle changes a new Muslim has to go through after entering the fold of Islam. Many before you have done it, it’s an adjustment you will be able to make as well with some self-discipline and help from Allah. Lastly, it is perhaps safest to find halal meat stores in your area to buy meat from.


Footnotes:
[1] ‘…and blood…’ (Quran 2:173)
[2] ‘…and the flesh of swine…’ (Quran 2:173)
[3] ‘…and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.’ (Quran 2:173)
[4] And by analogy, anything edible or non-edible.
[5] ‘Forbidden to you are the flesh of dead animals and blood and the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to any other than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangling…’ (Quran 5:3)
[6] ‘…or by beating…’ (Quran 5:3)
[7] ‘…or by falling…’ (Quran 5:3)
[8] ‘…or by being gored…’ (Quran 5:3)
[9] ‘…and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild beast…’ (Quran 5:3)
[10] Saheeh Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
[11] Details of Islamic manner of slaughter is out of the scope of this lesson.
[12] "Blessed art Thou . . . who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning slaughtering." SHEIAH, Wilhelm Bacher, Julius H. Greenstone. The Jewish Encyclopedia. (SHEل¸¤Iل¹¬AH - JewishEncyclopedia.com)
[13] Quran 5:90.

حفظ (الفاتحة – الناس – الفلق – الإخلاص )


Surah Al-Fatiha

Surah al-Fatiha is the first surah of the Quran and is recited in each prayer as the Prophet, may Allah praise him, declared, “There is no salah (valid) without the opening chapter of the Book.”[1] On accepting Islam, a person should first memorize the Fatiha to be able to perform the prescribed prayers. Its meaning should be learnt and contemplated every time we offer salah.

Text, Transliteration, Translation, and Explanation

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِِ

1. Bismillahir rahmaanir raheem

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

The Quran begins with the proper, unique, and personal name of God – Allah. ‘I begin with the name of Allah’ means a Muslim begins his recitation seeking the help of Allah. Allah is the God of mankind who alone deserves worship. No one else can take the name ‘Allah.’ Allah is the Most Gracious (ar-Rahman) Lord whose mercy extends to all creation. He is also especially Merciful (ar-Raheem) to the faithful.

الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

2. Alhamdu lillahi rabbil Aalameen

(All) praise is (due) to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Allah deserves to be praised for the perfection of His qualities, material gifts, and spiritual blessings. Therefore, people should praise Him for everything He has given them. He alone deserves it. He is the Lord of the worlds, meaning He made everything that exists, maintaining it at every moment. He is the Lord who nourishes the believers with faith and good works.

الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

3. Ar rahmaanir raheem

The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

‘Most Gracious’ (Al-Rahman) and ‘Merciful’ (ar-Raheem) are two of the many names of Allah.

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

4. Maliki yawmid deen

Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.

Allah alone is the Master of the Day of Judgment, the Day when human beings will be rewarded for their deeds. Reciting this verse in every rak’ah of payer constantly reminds a Muslim of the coming Judgment, and encourages him to do good and stay away from sins.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

5. Iyyaka naabudu wa-iyyaka nasta-een

It is You Alone we worship and You Alone we ask for help.

We only submit to You in worship and seek only Your help in everything we do. Everything is in Your hands. The verse tells us that a Muslim is not allowed to direct any act of worship, like prayer and asking for supernatural, help to anyone other than Allah. The verse connects the heart with Allah and purifies it of pride and the desire to show-off.

اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ

6. Ih dinas siratal mustaqeem

Guide us to the straight path

Guide us and show us the straight path and make it easy for us. Make us firm on it till we meet You. The ‘Straight Path’ is Islam, the clear road leading to divine pleasure and Heaven shown by Muhammad, God’s last and final prophet. A slave of Allah cannot be happy and prosperous except by following it.

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ

7. Siratal latheena an Amta Alayhim ghayril maghdoobi alayhim walad daalleen

The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked (Your) anger or of those who are astray.

The path followed by those who were blessed – the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. They are the guided. Do not let us follow the path of two. First, those who earned divine anger because they knew the truth but did not act on it, and that is the example of the Jews and whoever is like them. Second, do not let us follow the path of those who lost their way and were not guided, and that is the example of the Christians and their like. This is a prayer from a Muslim to purify his heart of stubbornness, ignorance, and misguidance. The verse also shows Islam is God’s greatest blessing. Those who know the way and walk on it are guided and, after the prophets they were, without doubt, the companions of Prophet Muhammad. It is recommended to say ‘Ameen’ after reciting Fatiha in the prayer. ‘Ameen’ means ‘O Allah, please accept.’


Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim

Simple Explanation of Three Short Surahs of Quran

Surah Al-Ikhlaas

This short surah is equivalent in virtue to one third of the Quran, and is ideal to memorize for reciting in the salah. It is also recommended to say it after every prayer and before going to sleep at night.

Text, Transliteration, Translation, and Explanation

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

1. Qul huwallahu ahad

Say, “He is Allah, (who is) One.

Say, O Prophet, He is Allah, the only Lord, the only one Who deserves worship, and the only One who possesses Names and Attributes of beauty and perfection. No one shares with Him in these matters.

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

2. Allahus samad

Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

Allah alone is sought in times of need. Allah alone is the desire of the hearts. On Him all creation depends. This dependence is not reciprocal, however; He does not depend on His creatures.

لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

3. Lam yalid walam yoolad

He neither begets nor is born,

He has no son or daughter, father or mother, or companion.

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

4. Walam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad

Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”

Nothing in creation resembles Allah in any of His names, attributes, or actions.

Surah Al-Falaq

Surah al-Falaq is the second last chapter of the Quran. Both this surah and Surah an-Naas are man’s best protection against evil. It is also good to frequently recite them in salah. It is also recommended to say them after each obligatory prayer and before going to sleep at night.

Text, Transliteration, Translation, and Explanation

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

1. Qul aaoothu bi rabbil falaq

Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak

Say – O Prophet – I take the protection of the Lord of dawn.

مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

2. Min sharri ma khalaq

From the evil of that which He created

From the evil of every created being and its harm.

وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ

3. Wa min sharri ghaasiqin itha waqab

And from the evil of darkness when it settles

And from the evil of deep darkness when it settles and the creatures of the night.

وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ

4. Wa min sharrin naffathati fil uqad

And from the evil of the blowers in knots

From the evil of sorceresses who blow on knots to cast spells.

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

5. Wa min sharri haasidin itha hasad

And from the evil of an envier when he envies.”

And from the evil of the envious when he envies people for Allah’s gifts, wishing they be taken away, and desiring to hurt people.

Surah Al-Naas

Read introduction to Surah al-Falaq.

Text, Transliteration, Translation, and Explanation

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ

1. Qul aaoothu birabbin naas

Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,

Say – O Prophet – I take the protection of the Lord of mankind from other people, who alone is capable of repelling their evil suggestions.

مَلِكِ النَّاسِ

2. Malikin naas

The Sovereign of mankind.

The King of mankind who is not in need of man, but man is in need of Him – He is in control of all human affairs.

إِلَهِ النَّاسِ

3. Ilaahin naas

The God of mankind,

The God of mankind, beside whom there is no deity, no god, and no object fit to be worshipped.

مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ

4. Min sharril waswasil khannas

From the evil of the retreating whisperer

From the evil of the sneaky devil who whispers temptation in moments of heedlessness and goes in hiding when Allah is remembered.

الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ

5. Allathee yuwaswisu fee sudoorin naas

Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind

Those who spread evil and sow doubts in the hearts of men.

مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَ النَّاسِ

6. Minal jinnati wan naas

From among the jinn and mankind.”

From the devils among humans and the evil spirits among jinn.

رد استفسار المهتدين الجدد
1-Keeping Good Company

One of the best ways that the Muslim can preserve and safeguard their religion is that they be selective of who they take as friends and company. Without great effort, one can see the amount of influence peers have on each other. Sufficient is that saying of the Prophet, may Allah praise him:

“A person is on the way of life (deen) of his close friend, so let people look into whom they take as close friends.” (Abu Daawood)

An obvious fact is that close friends usually are so because of the things they have in common. They share the same interests and hobbies, relate to each other well, and try to please each other by fulfilling those things their friends like. For this reason, they are on the same deen, or way of life. If a person is a crook, he will have crooks as friends; if a person devotes their life to science, they will have other scientists as friends; and if one devotes their life to Islam, they will choose other good Muslims as friends.

When one chooses evil friends, they will encourage him to do evil deeds, or at the very least they will not encourage him to do righteous deeds. On the other hand, if a person carefully selects their friends and only accompanies the righteous, they will advise and enjoin each other with righteousness and piety, and prevent and warn each other from doing evil. A clear example of this is that if a Muslim who prays befriends a person who does not, when the time for prayer comes, their friend who does not pray will most likely not remind him that it is time for prayer. Rather, it may be that when the one who does pray wants to excuse himself to pray, their friend might even try to prevent him or tell him to pray later. Also, if one befriends a person that does not care much about committing sins, they might encourage their friends to commit the same sin. Allah mentioned what a person who had evil companions will say on the Day of Judgment in the following verse:

“And (remember) the Day when the wrong-doer will bite his hands and say: ‘Woe to me! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger. Woe to me! If only I had not taken so-and-so as a friend!’ He has led me astray from this Reminder (the Quran) after it had come to me. And Satan is ever a deserter to man in the hour of need.” (Quran 25:27-29)

The Prophet, may Allah praise him said in regards to the evil companion:

“The example of a righteous and evil companion is like one who carries perfume and another who is a blacksmith. As for the one who carries perfume, he will either give you some perfume, you might buy it, or [at least] you will find a pleasing scent with him. As for the blacksmith, either he (the blacksmith) will burn his clothes, or you will find a hideous odor coming from him.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

This is especially important to those Muslims who have recently embraced Islam, or those people born in Muslim families who have recently chosen to abide by the tenets of the religion. They may have many habits and may have become accustomed to various ways which are regarded as sins in Islam, and they need good company to help them in their struggle to put them aside. A good example may be smoking or drinking. If a person wants to “kick the habit” it would be detrimental for them to befriend those Muslims or keep company with previous friends who smoke or drink. Rather they should keep company with those who will remind them of Allah and involve themselves with learning and teaching the religion along with practicing its tenets.

Quite often, many of those who enter Islam face opposition, disagreement and harm, especially from those closest to them. You should keep this in mind and know that through this is an elevation of your level, a purification of sins, and a trial through which Allah is testing you, all to see the extent of your truthfulness and steadfastness on your religion. Having pious Muslims as friends will be an added support for you, and they will try to be there in your time of need.

There are many ways one can meet and befriend righteous people, and one of the best places is the mosque (masjid). There you will find the best of the Muslims. Allah said, describing those Muslims who frequent them often:

“The Mosques of Allah are frequented only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish the prayers, offer the obligatory charity (zakah) and fear none but Allah. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance.” (Quran 9:18)

If your mosque has classes, be sure to attend them, as the best of gatherings are those in which the religion of Allah is discussed. If you are a university student, a good place to meet good people may be the Muslims Students Association. If there is no mosque in your area and you live far from Muslims, you might consider moving to an area which has more Muslims. If not, you can at least try to attend a mosque in a larger town once a week. In the meantime, there are some beneficial groups and study circles you may find on the internet. At all costs, you should try your hardest to keep good company; people who will encourage and help you to practice your religion.

One may think that it is acceptable to keep close friends with those who practice other faiths believing them to be good people. We should know that the worst sin in Islam is that one follows a religion other than it. There is much harm in associating with people of other faiths. It is obvious that they do not follow the religion of Islam due to the doubts and confusion they might have about it. These people may openly discuss their doubts and confusion with Muslims, or try to convert them to their religion, either in an outright or in a hidden manner. Muslims who do not have enough knowledge about Islam may themselves start to doubt about the issues they raise. This is only one of the many detrimental effects which might result in frequent association with people of other faiths. This is not to say that you should cut off from all your past relationships, bur that you should be careful in who you mix with and to what extent.

It is not enough, however, that you befriend just any Muslim either. Rather, you should seek pious knowledgeable Muslims who themselves are trying their utmost to adhere to the tenets of the religion. You may see many Muslims falling short in fulfilling the obligations and refraining from the prohibitions of the religion. The extent to which one falls short differs from person to person, but it is all due to the fact that the Shaytaan (Satan) is trying his utmost to misguide people. Allah says:

“[Satan (Iblees)] said: ‘By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all.’” (Quran 38:82)

Do not let this discourage you; rather, let this be your greatest incentive to try your hardest in serving this religion and calling to it.

It is also of utmost importance that you understand your religion from its proper and trusted sources – the Book of Allah and the authentic teachings (Sunnah) of His Messenger. Let the Messenger of the religion, Muhammad, may Allah praise him, be your role model and leader, and learn his biography so you can pattern your life after him. Try as much as possible to accompany the knowledgeable people, and other good practicing Muslims who practice what they preach, and know that not all of those who say they are Muslims should be trusted in knowledge. Rather, you must make sure and carefully examine those who you take your knowledge from or what you read by comparing them with the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, Muhammad, and his rightly guided successors. Take whatever is in accordance with his Sunnah, and leave whatever opposes it.

We ask Allah that He keep our hearts firm upon the religion, and not lead us to misguidance after Guidance has been granted to us. May Allah make us see the truth as the truth and grant us the guidance to follow it, and may He make us see falsehood as falsehood and grant us the guidance to avoid it.

2-أين الله
Where Is Allah?


Meaning and Significance

The divine attribute ‘Uluw means Allah is above His creation, and nothing is above Him. He is neither within His creation, nor part of His creation. Creation cannot encompass Him. The Creator is completely separate and distinct from His creation.

Before Islam, Hindus believed God resided in animals, human beings and countless idols. The Jewish scripture stated that God came to earth in the form of a man and wrestled with Prophet Joseph who defeated Him (Genesis 32:24-30). Christians have claimed that God became flesh and came down to earth in the form of a man to be crucified. Some heretics also brought such ideas into Islam. For example, Hallaj, a deranged mystic, openly claimed he and Allah were one. These deviant ideas have become so widespread that if someone were to ask many Muslims today, ‘Where is Allah?’ they will say that He is everywhere.

The main danger of this thought is that it opens the door to the worship of creation. If God is everywhere, it means He is in His creation. If that is true, then why not worship the creation itself? It becomes especially easy for people to start saying God is in their own souls and accept worship. Countless kings, ordinary individuals like the Pharaohs of Egypt and Jesus were so worshipped, though the latter did not accept being worshipped by his followers.

The Evidence

Allah is not everywhere. There are five main proofs for it:

(1) Islam states that every human being is born with certain tendencies that are not the result of his environment. Human beings are born with a natural realization of a Creator who is separate and above His creation. The mere thought of God being in places of filth, which would be a natural consequence of God being everywhere, is repulsive to human nature.

(2) The salah prayer must be offered in a place clear of pictures or statues. A Muslim is forbidden to bend or prostrate in worship to any creation. If Allah were everywhere and in everything, people could worship other people or themselves. There would be no sense to bend or prostrate to creation if God were inside it.

(3) Two years before the Prophet, may Allah praise him, migrated to Medina from Mecca, he was taken on a miraculous journey to Mecca to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem up beyond the seven heavens to meet Allah. Allah spoke directly to Prophet Muhammad. There would have been no need for him to go up beyond the seven heavens to meet Allah if He were present everywhere.

(4) Many verses of the Quran tell us clearly that Allah is above His creation.

The Quran speaks of the angels rising up to Allah:

“They ascend up to Him in a day whose length is like a thousand years by your reckoning.” (Quran 32:5)

Prayers also rise up to Allah:

“Every good saying goes up to Him.” (Quran 35:10)

Allah describes Himself as above His servants:

“He is the Irresistible One above His creation.” (Quran 6:18, 61)

He describes His worshippers as:

“Those who fear their Lord who is above them.” (Quran 16:50)

One of Allah’s beautiful names is al-Aliy which means, ‘The Most High’; nothing is above Him.

(5) A companion of the Prophet, may Allah praise him, named Ibn al-Hakam had a slave who used to tend his sheep. One day, he came to see her and found out that a wolf had eaten one of the sheep from the flock she cared for. Learning this, he got angry and slapped her in the face, but later regretted doing so. So he came to Allah’s Messenger and told him the story, upon which the Messenger asked him to bring her.

When she came, the Prophet asked her, ‘Where is Allah?’ She answered, ‘Above the sky.’ The Prophet asked her, ‘Who am I?’ She said, ‘You are the Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘Free her, for she is a believer.’[1]

Here, the Prophet affirmed her statement that Allah was above the sky. Had Allah not been, the Prophet would have indeed reproached her as he reproached other false beliefs.

Is Allah Detached From His Creation?

Allah’s being above His creation does not mean He is isolated from His creation. He is aware of all that happens in the universe. Nothing escapes His vision, hearing, power, and ability. The following verses should be understood in this context:

“And We are closer to Him than his jugular vein.” (Quran 50:16)

“Be aware that Allah comes between a man and his heart.” (Quran 8:24)

These verses do not mean Allah is inside a man. They simply mean that nothing escapes Allah’s knowledge. He knows even the most innermost thoughts of man, as Allah says in another verse in the Quran:

“Do they not realize Allah knows what they hide and what they expose?” (Quran 2:77)

In summary, based on the Quran and Sunnah, Allah is above the universe in a manner befitting His greatness; the creation is not in Him, nor is He contained by His creation. However, He is all Aware and Able in His knowledge, power, and ability operate within every single particle of the universe.



Comment


Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Muslim

3- كيفية تحقيق محبة الله
Love of God and How to achieve it

Love is such a rich phenomenon that some scholars suggest that it has no definition, it is known only by its effects. Love is categorized into different types in Islamic worldview. Some forms of love are healthy and encouraged, yet others are blameworthy. Some people or things we love are natural and we have no control over, whereas others build over time and develop into strong relationships.

The first type of love is emotional love, such as the love for one’s parents, children, and spouse. However it may vary in a sense, for example, the love of a mother for her child will be different from the love one has towards his or her spouse. In married couples, the love will be stronger if the spouse has qualities valued by the other like beauty, wealth, stability, or religious commitment. This type of love is not within one’s control. One is not responsible in front of Allah for loving one child more than the others.[1]

Love for one’s parents is also natural since a child has an innate inclination to love his parents. A child gets love and security from them and realizes the hardship they went through to raise them. By extension, one also loves his relatives and family members.

The second type of love is romantic love which can further divided into two types. The first type is when someone is in love with another person, yet the person fears Allah, and does not indulge in anything Allah has forbidden and remains chaste. The best solution for someone genuinely in love is to get married to the person if possible. If it is not meant to be, one must turn away from them for fear of falling into something forbidden by Allah.

The second type is when romantic love turns into an obsession. Obsessions in most cases take control of the person and become their main purpose of existence. Thus obsessive ‘love’ is forbidden and sinful. Scholars consider it to be an ailment of the heart that afflicts a heart empty of Allah’s love. Islamic Law has laid many safety nets to protect people from such destructive emotions that they themselves can not control.

The last category is the most sublime and pure form of love, the love of Allah. A Muslim should keep a few simple points in their mind:

First, love of Allah is not optional; it is required of every Muslim. It is an integral component of one’s faith as Allah states in the Quran:

“…But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else)....” (Quran 2:165)

Second, love of Allah is different from all the above categories of love. Love of Allah is not a claim to be made; it is something that resides in the heart. The learned scholars of Islam consider love to be an ‘action’ of the heart, something that actually motivates the heart and moves a person to obey Allah and leave sins. Love of Allah is strongly related with the concept of worship in Islam and one’s faith. Worship is the fruit of a person’s love of Allah, and love of Allah in reciprocate is its aim Love is the fuel behind worship that keeps it from becoming a habit. ALL acts of devotion, worship, and obedience spring from its fountain. The very definition of worship states that it is everything Allah loves and is pleased with. Love enters every good work we do. When we offer salah, read Quran, fast, perform Hajj, give charity, or remember Allah, His love should be part of it.

Third, love of Allah is different from natural, emotional types of love described above. True love of Allah is always combined with a feeling of awe in front of divine majesty and glory, a feeling of insignificance in front of divine might. On the other hand, love for one’s spouse or child is not coupled with such feelings of awe. What this means is that a person does not just say, ‘I love God’ and leave it there, but actually carries out what Allah loves and leaves what Allah has forbidden, because a person realizes Allah’s might and ability to punish.

Fourth, love of Allah supersedes love for anyone else. Whenever there is a conflict between the two, a person must give precedence to what Allah loves.

Fifth, the more a person obeys Allah and worships Him the more his love for Allah will grow.


Footnotes:
[1] The parent is not, however, allowed to favor one child over another in terms of gifts or treatment. Islam requires that all children must be treated equally. Loving one child over another is simply a matter of the heart that one has no control over

Love of God and How to achieve it

Sixth, love of the Prophet, may Allah praise him, is part of loving Allah. All the world’s treasures and riches can not match the love for the Prophet. It needs to be discussed separately.

Seventh, following Prophet Muhammad is a true sign of loving Allah as He says in the Quran:

“Say [O Prophet]: ‘If you love Allah, follow me, [and] Allah will love you.’” (Quran 3:31)

A new Muslim should learn as much as possible about how the Prophet worshipped and prayed to Allah, his guidance and Sunnah in all matters of life and lovingly imitate him to earn divine love. There is nothing that Allah loves or with which one can come close to Allah, except that the Prophet of Mercy has informed us of it.

The next question for is, ‘how can I achieve the love of Allah?’

(a) the first and most important way to achieve the love of Allah is to understand the meaning of the Testimony of Faith and to commit oneself to live by it. Laa ilaha ill-Allah is the purpose of your creation, the definition of your relationship with Allah, and the key to Allah’s love and entry into Paradise. Anyone’s whose last words are Laa ilaha ill-Allah in this life will enter Paradise. One must also try to learn Allah’s beautiful Names and sublime Attributes. One cannot truly love someone they do not know.

(c) the second most important way to achieve the love of Allah is to perform the obligatory duties followed by voluntary ones. The most important of the obligatory duties is to learn the salah and to pray regularly. This is followed by fasting, paying zakah, and performing other obligations. Some scholars say that there is a Paradise on earth, if someone does not enter it, he shall not enter it in the afterlife. A person enters the Paradise on earth by enjoying God’s worship and obedience. With time, understanding the spiritual significance, and patience one will reap the greatest spiritual benefit of carrying out the obligations of Islam: the love of Allah. The Prophet, may God praise him, related:

“Allah the Mighty has said: ‘Whoever shows enmity to a beloved slave of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My slave does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. And My slave continues to draw near to Me by voluntary works till I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask of Me, I would surely give and were he to seek refuge in Me, I would surely grant it.”’ (al-Bukhari) [This Prophetic narration is not to be taken literally, rather what is meant is that the person will act according to that which pleases God. For example, he will not look at impermissible things, will only listen to that which is useful and beneficial such as listening to the Quran, Islamic lectures, etc.]

(d) to enjoy being alone with Allah in prayer, salah, reciting Quran, and meditating in isolation with the Creator. Call out to Allah by presenting your problems, ask for His assistance, and supplicate to Him in those specific areas in the prayer where this is to be done, such as the prostration. One does not reach this level immediately with the first prayer. A person has to struggle with distractions, one’s self, and the devil and patiently practice being attentive to reach the state in salah where she finds comfort in it.

(e) a person can achieve the love of Allah by developing the qualities Allah loves and avoiding those things he dislikes. These qualities are found in the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet, may Allah praise him. Some of them are:

Patience in face of religious prejudice and persecution:

“And Allah loves the steadfast.” (Quran 3:146).

A new Muslim should be patient when they face ridicule, lose friends, or are mocked for accepting Islam. They should endure in learning Islam and practicing it.

Doing good:

“Surely, Allah loves those who do good.” (Quran 3:134, 148).

Controlling your anger, spending more in charity, and learning the etiquette of supplicating to Allah all fall under this category.

Taqwa:

“Indeed, Allah loves those who fear Him.” (Quran 3:76).

Taqwa is to obey Allah’s commandments and to stay away from His prohibitions in dress, diet, behavior, personal relationships, and other aspects of life.

Continuously repenting to Allah and maintaining proper Hygiene:

“Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (Quran 2:222, 9:108)

Trusting Allah in all affairs especially in decisions made after consultation:

“Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].” (Quran 3:159)

Being fair:

“And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” (Quran 5:42)

Allah does not love:

Arrogance like rejecting the truth even after it has become clear:

“Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.” (Quran 16:23)

Transgression like speaking about Allah and His religion what one does not know:

“Surely, Allah does not love transgression.” (Quran 2:190, 5:87)

Wronging others:

“Indeed, He does not like the wrongdoers.” (Quran 3:57, 42:40)

Being excessive in eating, drinking, and clothing:

“And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.” (Quran 6:141, 7:31)

Spreading corruption like inciting wars:

“And Allah does not like corruption.” (Quran 2:205, 5:64)

Breaking treaties and covenants:

“Indeed, Allah does not like traitors.” (Quran 8:59)

Sins:

“And Allah does not like every sinning disbeliever.” (Quran 2:276)

Disbelief:

“Indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers.” (Quran 3:32)

Boasting and stinginess:

“Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful, who are stingy and enjoin upon [other] people stinginess and conceal what Allah has given them of His bounty.” (Quran 4:36-37)

Deceiving Allah and people:

“Indeed, Allah does not love one who is a habitually sinful deceiver. They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allah, and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they spend the night in such as He does not accept of speech.” (Quran 107-108)

Mentioning evil:

“Allah does not love the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged.” (Quran 4:148)