ummtaalib

O My Dear sisters, the Mother of Believers, The daughter of Lions of the Ummah, O the Queens of Islam! Know, my dear Muslim sister, that you are man’s sister and half of humanity. You are a mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grand daughter or grand mother. You are a member of the great nation of Islam, the best nation ever produced for mankind. No other nation on earth has more great men, leaders and conquerors than this nation. It is the nation of guidance and the straight religion, and it leads humanity to righteousness and truth. It transforms people from worshippers of slaves to worshippers of the Lord of slaves, from life’s pressures to the pleasures of the Life after, and from the injustice of other religions to the justice of Islam. Your ancestors, great women of Islam, were one of the main reasons for this great nation to take this great place among all nations. Allah, Who granted Islam to this nation, made a high place for Muslim women, and decreed that they share in the responsibilities of enjoining truth, forbidding evil and raising the flag of Islam. He said, what translated means, “The believers, men and women, are loyalists of one another, they enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, they offer their prayers perfectly and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will leave His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” [Noble Quran 9:71] Allah has given Muslim women what they can bare of orders and duties. “Should He not know what He created? And He is the Most Kind, All-Aware (of everything).” [Noble Quran 67:14] My dear sister, you are called upon today to truly become an active member of the Muslim nation, strive to establish victory for Allah’s Word, implement the Quran and help build the generation of Iman. O Sisters, What Do Your Enemies Want From You? There are those who want to distract you from doing your duty. They want to distract you from meeting your noble obligation, that is, to defend the religion of Allah and raise His Word high. Those enemies use many methods: First: They distract you from what Allah created you to perform of worship, belief and Da’wah (propagating Islam). They use this worldly life as their bate: Jewelry stores, fashions that originate in non-Muslim countries, new models all the time, desires raised, hunger that can never be satisfied, pleasures and competition for them and endless ways for joy. Allah did not create us for this. Indulging in these matters is usually accompanied by wasting time and money and igniting enmity and competition between the rich and the poor. Second: They ignite enmity between you and man. To those sinners, you are a daughter that is put down, a humiliated mother, an abused wife and an oppressed sister! Men are always unjust, hypocrites, dictators, freedom- preventers and suppressers, according to them. There is a fabricated war that those evil ones are starting for no reason other than to direct you to rebel against your father, be arrogant with your brother and disobedient to your husband. They do not call for justice, mercy and unity. They call for hatred, arrogance and destruction. Third: They do not stop at their call for rebellion against parents, brothers and husbands, rather, they plot against Islam. They call upon you to rebel against the obligations of Islam and the decrees of the All-Knowing King. Islam, to them, is unjust and Islamic laws are imperfect and restrictive. They call upon you, day and night, to rebel and insist on the disobedience of this religion. They try to rid you of your religion. They try to rid you of comfort and safety under generous parenthood, happy marriage and good brotherly relations. Those devils portray piety and honor as chains on freedom. To them, Hijab does not cover the head, but also covers the mind; prayer, fasting and Zakat are a waste of time and effort; and obedience to husbands is slavery and a return to the stone age. They distorted all facts and changed all truths, all to serve their evil goals. My Dear Sister, The goals that your enemies and the enemies of your religion are seeking to achieve are well known. They want you to be available for them to fulfill their evil desires whenever they wish. They want you to be a mistress that has no honor. They want you to be found everywhere, on roads and in places of sin, without honor, religion or manners. They seek for you only what they want you to do. The Western world has gone through this all. Women of the West are the part of society that is facing injustice and dishonor. They strive to please men who keep changing partners and seek pleasures but with no responsibility and no consideration of the evil consequences of their sinful actions. O Muslim sister, read and know about those women who discarded shyness and honor and followed their desires, what was the result of their deeds? Was their end honorable and desirable, or was it a shameful and hated end? Advice For My Sister In Islam Be proud of your religion and the religion of your ancestors. Be a good example for your sons and daughters and sincere in your belonging to this mighty nation. Know that honor is an honor to all wise people, and that adultery is dishonorable to all nations, even if some called it freedom. Know that adultery is also done with the eyes by seeing, with the ears by listening, and with the mouth by kissing, as was mentioned in a Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Your happiness is in being an obedient and believing daughter, a loyal and generous wife and a pious and merciful mother. Know that prayer is the cornerstone of Islam. Charity is a cause for gaining forgiveness and for repentance to be accepted. Hijab is an honor and protection for you. My Dear Sister, These are words from the heart. These are words of good and sincere advice. Beware of the loyalists of Shaytan who want to lead you astray. Be a slave of Allah, righteous and descendent of righteous women and know your role in building this great nation. Perform your duty and do not be a cause for destruction. Be a maker of righteous generation that will lead mankind, again, to what is right and proper, to the great religion of Islam. idealwoman

How beautifully Shaykh Yunus Patel (Raheemahullah) explained things!

Our eyes will only really open when the time comes for them to close. Open your eyes now, before it is too late! Extract from ‘Words to Treasure’

Duaa at the time of Sunrise One should recite the following Duaa at the time of sunrise: اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَقَالَنَا يَوْمَنَا هَذَا وَلَمْ يُهْلِكْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا All praise is due to Allah Ta’ala, who has removed our problems and difficulties on this day and did not destroy us due to our sins. عن أبي وائل قال غدونا على عبد الله بن مسعود يوما بعد ما صلينا الغداة فسلمنا بالباب فأذن لنا قال فمكثنا بالباب هنية قال فخرجت الجارية فقالت ألا تدخلون فدخلنا فإذا هو جالس يسبح فقال ما منعكم أن تدخلوا وقد أذن لكم فقلنا لا إلا أنا ظننا أن بعض أهل البيت نائم قال ظننتم بآل بن أم عبد غفلة قال ثم أقبل يسبح حتى ظن أن الشمس قد طلعت فقال يا جارية انظري هل طلعت قال فنظرت فإذا هي لم تطلع فأقبل يسبح حتى إذا ظن أن الشمس قد طلعت قال يا جارية انظري هل طلعت فنظرت فإذا هي قد طلعت فقال الحمد لله الذي أقالنا يومنا هذا فقال مهدي وأحسبه قال ولم يهلكنا بذنوبنا قال فقال رجل من القوم قرأت المفصل البارحة كله قال فقال عبد الله هذا كهذ الشعر إنا لقد سمعنا القرائن وإني لأحفظ القرائن التي كان يقرؤهن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ثمانية عشر من المفصل وسورتين من آل حم (مسلم رقم 822) Hadhrat Abu Waail (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that on one occasion he proceeded to the house of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (Radhiallahu Anhu) after the Fajr salaah… Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (Radhiallahu Anhu) continued to engage in zikr until the time came when he felt that the sun had rose. He thus asked his slave girl to check whether the sun had rose or not. When she had informed him that the sun had rose, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (Radhiallahu Anhu) recited the following duaa اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَقَالَنَا يَوْمَنَا هَذَا وَلَمْ يُهْلِكْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا Ihyaauddeen.co.za

عن ابن عمر قال قال رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم سنن أبي داود 2/55 Rasoolullah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said, "The one who emulates a people will be counted from amongst them" (in the court of Allah Ta’aala)

Concept of Marriage Anniversary and Happy Birthday in Islam Question Asslam u alaikum Mufti Sahab I want to calarify that. what is concept of Marriage Anniversary and Happy Birthday in Islam, we can celebrate these occassion, whehter sahriya can give any permissions to celebrates these occassions if yes then what is the limitation. please calarify me awaiting for your valuable suggestion Moahammed Imtiaz Ali Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu `alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. The celebration of wedding anniversaries and birthdays is the way of disbelievers. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Salam) stated one who imitates a nation is from them.[1] Almighty Allah commands us in His Quran to obey His Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Salam).[2] Attached is a detailed article prepared by Mawlana Abdul Hannan Nizami, a fellow student of the Darul Iftaa. And Allah knows best. Mawlana Saeed Ahmed Golaub Westmoreland, Jamaica, West Indies Student Darul Iftaa Checked and Approved Mufti Ebrahim Desai daruliftaa.net In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. There are major differences between the thinking of muslims and the non-muslims. The life of a non-muslim is confined to the pleasures and the luxuries of this world. A non-muslim is not concerned regarding the hearafter. Enjoyment, celebration etc. are the absolute objectives of their lives. The true purpose of their life has been forfeited. There remains nothing for the non-muslims in the hearafter. Contrary to that, while we as muslims mark happy occasions, that is not the end of it. Our greatest concern is the hearafter. True happiness and pleasure can only be achieved in the hearafter. When one completes a year of his life, that is a great bounty of Allah. It is a moment of happiness. For that, one should thank Allah and ask Allah for a long life span and barakah (blessings) in his life. This is how we should celebrate our birthdays. The happiness during ones birthday should not be expressed like the customary birthday celebrations in which there is only entertainment and merry. The prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam has mentioned in a Hadith: مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ) سنن أبي داود (4/ 44) “Whosoever emulates a nation is amongst them.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4/44) Let us examine the origin of birthdays: Development of Calendars Early people had no way of keeping track and marking time except by the moon, sun or by some important event. Little attention was paid to the anniversary of a person's birth. Everyone realized, of course, that people grew older as time passed; but they didn't mark any special milestone for it. Only when ancient people began taking notice of the moon's cycles, did they pay attention to the changing seasons and the pattern that repeated itself over and over and so they began to mark and note time changes. That's the beginning of birthday in history. Eventually, the first calendars were formulated in order to mark time changes and other special days. From this tracking system, came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant anniversaries the same day each year. Birthday History History of Birthday observance can be traced back before the rise of Christianity. Birthday celebrations began as a form of protection. In pagan culture, it was believed that evil spirits visited people on their birthdays. To protect the person from the evil effects, friends and family members used to surround him and make merry. Giving gifts brought even more good cheer to ward off the evil spirits. A lot of noise used to be created in such parties to scare away the evil spirits. In those times, there was no tradition of bringing gifts and the guests who attended the birthday parties would bring good wishes for the birthday person. However, if a guest did bring gifts, it was considered to be a good sign. Later, flowers became quite popular as a Birthday gift. Popular Birthday Celebrations in History Best known birthday in the history is that of Jesus Christ. For nearly 2,000 years since the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, Christians have been honoring the day as Christmas. About 4,000 years ago King Pharaoh used to celebrate his birthday by giving a feast to his court followers. King Herod is said to have celebrated his birthday by treating lords, high captains and special friends with a special supper party in Galiliee. Common people and especially children never celebrated their birth when the idea came about. This trend has been explained by a theory that noble ones were the only people wealthy enough to throw such celebrations, and quite possibly were the only ones thought to be important enough to have been written about or remembered. Some historians believe that these early birthday bashes resulted in the custom of wearing birthday "crowns" as time went on. History of Popular Birthday Traditions and Symbols Many of the popular Birthday traditions and symbols that we see today, originated hundreds of years ago. Some believe that the tradition of “Birthday Cake” was started by early Greeks who used to take a round or a moon shaped cake to the temple of Artemis (the Goddess of Moon). Others believe that the custom of Birthday cake initiated in Germany where people used to make bread in the shape of baby Jesus’s swaddling cloth. The popular custom of lighting candles on cakes is said to have originated from the Greeks since they used to light candles on the cake taken to Artemis to make it glow like a moon. Some believe that the custom originated from a religious belief that the gods lived in the sky and the lighted candles helped in sending signals or prayers to the god. Germans are said to have placed a big candle in the center of the cake to symbolize ‘the light of life’. Even today people make silent wishes as they blow out candles. It is believed that blowing out all candles in one breath brings good luck. More in birthday history: The song "Happy Birthday to You" was composed by two sisters, Mildred and Patty Hill, in 1893, but nobody really paid much attention to it until the original words "Good Morning to You" were changed to "Happy Birthday to You", words that are sung in virtually every home across the world at least once a the year.[ii] As muslims, we should endeavor to follow the lunar calendar as two tenets of Islam are based on the lunar calendar. Ramadan falls on the 9th month of the lunar calendar. Haj is performed in Zil-Hijjah which is the 12th month of the lunar calendar. Eid-ul-Fitr falls in Shawaal, the beginning of the 10th month of the lunar calendar. The calculation of Zakāt in 1 year will be calculated according to the lunar calendar and not the solar 1 year. The determination of a person’s age is according to the lunar calendar. When a child reaches the age of 15 years, according to the lunar calendar, he will be considered bāligh (mature) and obliged to adhere to the laws of Shari’āh. This is approximately 6 months earlier than the solar calendar since the lunar calendar is about 10-11 days shorter than the solar calendar. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Mawlana Abdul Hannan Nizami, Student Darul Iftaa USA Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. www.daruliftaa.net

A solution to make your entire day full of reward !! | Amazing Must Listen!

Imam al-Ghazali and the signs of the ‘Ulama Edited by Ismaeel Nakhuda Editor’s note – In his masterpiece, Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din, Imam al-Ghazali writes passionately about the evils of not acting on knowledge and the signs of the ‘ulama of the hereafter. A condensed version of this lengthy passage was rendered into Urdu by Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhalawi and produced in par two of Fada’il-i-Sadaqat, which was subsequently translated from Urdu into English by M. Tayyab Bakhsh Badayuni. These twelve signs have, under the instructions of Dr. Hanif Kamal, been edited and are now being reproduced on Deoband.org; this is primarily for the benefit of the editor, the ‘ulama in general, and — since we live in confusing and delicate times — for the general lay populace to allow them to identify the true inheritors of the prophets (peace be upon them). I pray Allah Most High grants us all, through His divine accordance, the correct understanding of His din, the ability to live according to His noble wishes and desires, and acceptance to serve His din with sincerity. Ismaeel Nakhuda. Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah mercy him) writes: An ‘alim who is enamoured of the world is meaner and lower in spiritual status than an ignorant person; he will be punished in the hereafter more severely. Successful indeed are the ‘ulama who have been favoured with nearness to Allah Most High and who are ever concerned about the hereafter. There are certain distinguishing signs of such ‘ulama: The First: an ‘alim is one who does not try to acquire wealth through his learning. The lowest of rank among the ‘ulama is one who is fully aware that this material world is despicable, mean, polluted and temporary; and that the life hereafter is vast, everlasting and glorious beyond imagination, the bounties whereof are absolutely pure. Besides, every true ‘alim fully understands that this world and the hereafter are opposed to each other. They are, so to say, like two wives married to one and the same husband — when one is pleased with him, the other is naturally displeased. To give another example, they are like two scales of a balance, when one goes down, the other goes up automatically. Indeed, the present world and the world hereafter are poles apart. They are like two wives of a person — if you seek to get closer to one, it will be at the expense of the other. He who does not realise that this material world is of low value and impure, the pleasures of which are gained at the cost of hardships in this world and in the hereafter, is not of sane mind. It is a common experience that all worldly joys involve taking pains in this world and unavoidable sufferings in the hereafter. How can a person of such insane mind become an ‘alim? Furthermore, a person who has no idea of the magnificence of the hereafter and its everlastingness is not a believer. How can such a person be an ‘alim? If a person does not realise that this world and the next have opposing interests and wishes to combine both, then he is trying to do something that is undesirable. Such people are in fact ignorant of the code of life of all of the prophets of Allah Most High. If a person knows all these facts and still gives preference to his worldly interests, he is a slave of Satan, ruined by lusts and facing an evil fate. Such a lost soul cannot, obviously, be counted among the ‘ulama. Sayyiduna Dawud (peace be upon him) relates that Allah Most High says, “If an ‘alim prefers worldly desires to My love, the least I do to him is that I deprive him of the bliss of having communion with Me, he cannot experience the sublime joys inherent in the remembrance of Allah Most High and in supplications to Him. O Dawud, have no regard for an ‘alim who has been intoxicated by his lust for this world, for he would lead you astray from My love. Such people are robbers. O Dawud, if you find someone who really seeks My countenance, become his servant. O Dawud, if anyone comes to me running, I record his name as a sane wise person and I do not punish such a man.” Yahya bin Mu’adh al-Razi (may Allah mercy him) said, “When knowledge and wisdom are employed for gaining worldly advantages, then they are divested of lustre and glory.” Sa’id bin al-Musayyib (may Allah mercy him) said, “If you find an ‘alim remaining constantly with princes, then consider him a thief.” Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “If you find an ‘alim enamoured of this material world, then he must be blameworthy in religious matters, for everybody occupies himself with things which are dear to him.” Someone asked a divine, “Can anyone who takes pleasure in sinful deeds become an ‘arif (a gnostic) of his Lord”? The divine replied, “I can say, without hesitation, that he who prefers this world to the next cannot be an ‘arif; relishing sins is a far greater evil.” It should also be borne in mind that no ‘alim can be regarded as one concerned about the hereafter merely due to his rejection of worldly wealth, unless he also has no ambition for worldly honour or status. For these ambitions are more harmful to the soul than the lust for wealth. In other words, all of those warnings that have been mentioned above about giving preference to the world and seeking it not only include earning wealth but also include even more the seeking of grandeur. This is because the pitfalls and harms of seeking glory are greater than seeking wealth. The Second distinguishing characteristic of a true ‘alim is that there should be no contradiction between his knowledge and his practice of din. He preaches good to others and does not practice himself. Allah Most High says: “Do you enjoin righteousness upon others while you ignore your own selves, although you keep reciting the Book?” (Al-Baqarah: 44) He says elsewhere: “It is severely hateful in Allah’s sight that you say what you do not do.” (Al-Saff: 3) Hatim al-Asam (may Allah mercy him) said, “On the day of Resurrection, none will be more grieved than an ‘alim who imparted knowledge to others which they acted upon and were granted eternal success, while he himself did not act upon his knowledge and, therefore, failed miserably.” Ibn Simak (may Allah mercy him) said, “There are many who enjoin the remembrance of Allah Most High upon others, but do not remember Him themselves; they admonish others to fear Allah, but they themselves disobey Him most audaciously; they persuade others to cultivate proximity to Allah, but are remote from Him themselves; they invite others unto Allah, but themselves flee from Him.” ‘Abd al-Rahman Ibn Ghanam (may Allah mercy him) said that ten Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) related to him the hadith, “We were once sitting in Masjid Quba and learning (religious) knowledge when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came and said to us, ‘Acquire as much knowledge as you will but Allah Most High will not reward you unless you act upon what you know.'” The third distinguishing characteristic is that he is always concerned with such branches of knowledge that are beneficial for the hereafter and which exhort one to perform good deeds. He is least interested in that branch of knowledge that has no or little use in the hereafter. In our foolishness, we also regard that type of knowledge as ‘ilm, the purpose of which is only earning the world, even though it is sheer ignorance for such a person to consider himself educated [of the religious sciences]; it is then the case that such a person is not particular about learning religious knowledge. An illiterate person, on the other hand, is in the least conscious of his ignorance and therefore tries to acquire religious knowledge. Great indeed is the loss of a man who believes himself to be an ‘alim though he is steeped in (sheer) ignorance. Hatim al-Asam (may Allah mercy him) was a renowned saint and favourite pupil of Shaqiq al-Balkhi (may Allah mercy him). Once the shaykh asked him, “Hatim, how long have you been here in my company?” He replied, “Thirty-three years.” The shaykh said, “What did you learn during these years from me?” Hatim (may Allah mercy him) replied, “I have learnt eight issues.” At this, Shaqiq (may Allah mercy him) out of sheer disappointment recited, “We are surely Allah’s and we shall surely return unto him.” He said regretfully, “You learnt only eight lessons during these long years of association with me? I have wasted all my life in associating with you.” Hatim (may Allah mercy him) said, “I have learnt only eight lessons — I cannot lie to you”. The shaykh said, “Tell me, what are those eight lessons?” Hatim (may Allah mercy him) answered: 1] “I have found that everybody loves someone or something (wife, children, property, friends, etc.), but I know that as soon as he is laid in the grave, the loved ones part company with him. Consequently, I have cultivated love for good deeds so that when I do pass into the grave my loved ones accompany me and after death I am not alone.” Shaqiq (may Allah mercy him) said, “You have done well.” 2] “I have read in the Holy Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘Whereas for the one who feared to stand before his Lord, and restrained his self from the (evil) desire, Paradise will be the abode.’ (Al-Nazi’at: 40-41) “I know that whatever Allah Most High says is true. Therefore, I have restrained myself from worldly desires until I became steadfast in devotion to Him. 3] “I saw in the world that those things which are most dearest and precious to men are preserved with great care and protected with diligence. “Then I read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘What is with you shall perish and what is with Allah shall last.’ (Al-Nahl: 96) “Accordingly, whenever I came by something which was of great value to me, or which I prized above other things, I consigned it to the custody of Allah (spent it for the cause of Allah Most High), so that it should be preserved forever. 4] “I have observed that (for honour and glory) some men turn to wealth, some to nobility of parentage and others to other things of pride. That is, they take pride in wealth, high parentage etc., and assert their superiority over others. “But I have read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘Surely the noblest of you, in Allah’s sight, is the one who is most pious of you.’ (Al-Hujarat: 13) “I have therefore cultivated piety in myself, so that I should become the noblest of men in the sight of Allah Most High. 5] “I have noticed that people upbraid others, revile them or find fault with them. This is all out of jealousy in that one is jealous of the other. “Then, I read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘We have allocated among them their livelihood in the worldly life, and have raised some of them over others in ranks, so that some of them may put some others to work.’ (Al-Zukhruf: 32) (That is to say, if all men were alike and equal in rank, no one would work for others or serve anybody and, consequently, there would be disorder and chaos in the affairs of the world.) “Therefore, I have restrained myself from jealousy and ceased to concern myself with other people’s affairs. I know for certain that the distribution of livelihood is entirely in the hands of Allah Most High and He grants as much as He pleases to whomsoever He likes. I therefore ceased to harbour enmity against anyone, realising that a man’s personal effort has little to do with his prosperity or adversity. It has rather been foreordained by Allah Most High Who is the Sovereign Lord of the worlds. So, I do not feel angry with anyone. 6] “I have observed that nearly everyone in this world is hostile to someone or the other. Having paid attention, I noticed that Allah Most High says in the Qur’an: ‘Surely Satan is an enemy for you. So, take him as an enemy. He only invites his group (to falsehood) so that they become inmates of the blazing fire.’ (Al-Fatir: 6) “So, I have directed all my hostilities against Satan alone and I try to keep away from him by all possible means. Since Allah Most High has commanded us to treat him as an enemy, I bear no enmity against anyone save Satan. 7] “I have observed that all people are struggling hard to seek livelihood, so much so that they disgrace or abase themselves before others and adopt unlawful means for procuring their daily bread. “But I have read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘There is no creature on earth whose sustenance is not undertaken by Allah.’ (Hud: 6) “Considering that I am also one of the creatures that move on earth whose sustenance depends upon Allah Most High, I occupied myself with paying what I owe to Allah Most High and ceased to worry about what Allah Most High has taken the responsibility to provide. 8] “I have observed that all men have faith upon and put their trust in things which have themselves been created by Allah Most High. Some have faith in their estates or businesses, others in their own craftsmanship, and there are still others who trust their health and strength. In short, all people have put their trust in things that are created like themselves. “I have read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘And whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him.’ (Al-Talaq: 3) “I have, therefore, put my trust and faith in Him alone.” Shaqiq (may Allah mercy him) thereupon said, “Hatim, may Allah bless you with tawfiq (divine aid for performance for good deeds). I have seen the teachings of the Torah, the Injil, the Zabur and the Holy Qur’an, and I believe that these eight moral lessons form a gist of all that is really good and beneficial for man. Therefore, anyone acting upon these precepts will be deemed to have practised the learning contained in all of the four scriptures revealed by Allah Most High.” Such learning can only be attained by those ‘ulama who are really concerned about the hereafter (‘ulama al-akhirah). These truths lie too deep for those (so-called) ‘ulama who are ambitious for material wealth and who hanker after worldly honour and recognition. The Fourth distinguishing characteristic is that ‘ulama of the hereafter are least interested in the elegance of dress or delicacies of food. Such an ‘alim should, rather, exercise moderation in these matters, and follow the example of his seniors. He should bear in mind that simplicity in dress and food will be helpful to him to advance in nearness to Allah Most High and place him at a high rank among the ‘ulama of the hereafter. Quite relevant here is an amazing episode about Shaykh Hatim al-Asam (may Allah mercy him) narrated by one of his pupils, Shaykh Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Khawwas (may Allah mercy him). He relates, “Once, we were with our shaykh in a village called Ray. There were three hundred and twenty persons with us and we were all going for the Hajj. We were a group of mutawakkilin[1] and we had no provisions or any kind of equipment but had faith in Allah to look after our needs. In the village, we came across an ordinary businessman who, though he looked rather an ascetic person, invited the entire group to dinner and we stayed there for the night. “The next morning he said to Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) that he was going to enquire about the health of an ‘alim who was ill, and that the shaykh could accompany him if he so wished. Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) said, ‘It is a blessed deed to enquire after an ailing person and visiting an ‘alim is an act of devotion; I would be pleased to accompany you.’ This ‘alim was Shaykh Muhammad bin Muqatil, the qadi of that area. When Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) reached his house and saw its magnificence, he was lost in thought. He exclaimed to himself, ‘Allahu Akbar! An ‘alim living in such a tall house?’ Anyhow, we requested permission to enter and when we walked in we saw that its interior was most magnificent — neat, clean and spacious, with curtains hanging all round. Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) gazed upon all these things and began to wonder. Soon we reached the qadi’s room; he was lying in an extremely soft bed. A slave stood at his head fanning him. “The businessman made salam, sat besides him and enquired about his health. Shaykh Hatim remained standing. The qadi motioned him to sit down, but the shaykh refused to take a seat. The qadi said, ‘Have you got anything to say?’ The shaykh said, ‘I want to ask you about a religious matter?’ The qadi said, ‘Say it.’ Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) said, ‘Sit up in bed?’ At this, the servants helped him and the qadi sat up in bed. “Shaykh Hatim: ‘From whom did you acquire your knowledge?’ “Qadi: ‘I learnt it from the reliable ‘ulama.’ “Shaykh Hatim: ‘Who did these ‘ulama learn from?’ “Qadi: ‘The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted it to them.’ “Shaykh Hatim: ‘Who imparted it to the Companions?’ “Qadi: ‘The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) imparted it to them.’ “Shaykh Hatim: ‘Who conveyed it to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace).‘ “Qadi: ‘Jibril (peace be upon him) conveyed it to him.’ “Shaykh Hatim: ‘Who revealed it to Jibril (peace be upon him)?’ “Qadi: ‘Allah Most High revealed it to him.’ “Shaykh Hatim: ‘Is there any indication, in the entire body of knowledge revealed by Allah Most High to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) through Jibril (peace be upon him) and transmitted to you through the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and reliable ‘ulama, to the effect that the taller a man’s house the more exalted he is in the sight of Allah Most High?’ “Qadi: ‘There is no such indication in that knowledge.’ “Shaykh Hatim: ‘If not, what occurs in that body of knowledge?’ “Qadi: ‘It occurs that, in the sight of Allah Most High, those are exalted to positions of honour who abstain from the world, desire the hereafter, love the poor, and spend for the cause of Allah, thereby treasuring up their charities with Allah Most High for the Hereafter.’ “Shaykh Hatim: ‘Then, whose example are you following? Are you following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace)? Are you imitating the Companions (may Allah be pleased with the) and god-fearing ‘ulama? Or, are you following in the footsteps of Fir’awn and Nimrud? O wicked ‘alims. The ignorant people of the world who are enamoured by it say when they see men like you, “If such is the plight of the ‘ulama, then it is normal for us to be worse than them.”‘ “Saying this, Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) went away. This severe admonition had a bad effect on the qadi’s health and he grew worse. There was much talk about this incident and someone told Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) that Shaykh Tanaffasi (may Allah mercy him), who lives in Qazwin (a city eighty-one miles from Ray) leads an even more luxurious life. So, Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) set out on a journey to Qazwin with a view to admonishing him. On reaching there, he said, ‘I am a man from a non-Arab country. I beseech you to instruct me in din, beginning with its rudiments. That is, I would like you to demonstrate to me how wudu is performed, for wudu is the key to Salah.’ Tanaffasi said, ‘With great pleasure,’ and asked someone to fetch water. He then performed wudu before the shaykh to show him how it is performed. “Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) said, ‘Allow me to perform wudu before you, so that I may learn it properly.’ At this, Shaykh Tanaffasi got up and the shaykh sat in his place. He began to perform wudu and washed his hands four times. Shaykh Tanaffasi said, ‘This is extravagance; you should wash every limb thrice only.’ At this Shaykh Hatim said, ‘Glory to Allah Most High. It is extravagant of me to use a little extra water for wudu, but is it not extravagant of you to make use of all these accessories and accoutrements that you possess?’ Then, of course, Shaykh Tanaffasi realised that Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) had not come to learn, but to admonish him. “After this, Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) went to Baghdad. When Imam Ahmad bin Hambal (may Allah mercy him) learnt about him and his affairs, he came to see him. The imam asked him, ‘How can one be safe from the taint of the world?’ Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him) replied, ‘You cannot protect yourself from the evil influence of the world unless you possess four qualities: you forgive people for their ignorant behaviour towards you, you do not behave towards them in the same manner they behave with you, you spend on others whatever you have, and you do not feel greedy for what other people possess.’ “Later, when Hatim (may Allah mercy him) reached Madinah Munawwarah, people who heard of him, came to see him and gathered around him. He said, ‘Which city is this?’ The people said, ‘It is the city of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).’ Shaykh Hatim said, ‘Which is the palace of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)? I would like to pray two rak’ahs in his palace.’ They said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not live in a palace, but in a humble low-roofed house. Shaykh Hatim (may Allah mercy him), ‘Show me then the palaces of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).’ The people said, ‘The Companions also had no palaces to live in; they lived in small houses with low roofs a little above the ground.’ Shaykh Hatim said, ‘Then this must be the city of Fir’awn.’ The people seized the shaykh and presented him before the ruler (because they thought he was guilty of sacrilege in calling Madinah Munawwarah the city of Fir’awn). When the ruler demanded an explanation, Hatim said, ‘Don’t be in such a hurry. Listen to what I say till I have finished. I come from a non-Arabic country. When I entered this city, I asked which city it was and they said that it was the city of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).’ The shaykh then repeated the entire conversation that had passed between him and the people of Madinah and thereafter recited the following verse from the Qur’an: ‘There is indeed a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah — for the one who has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah profusely.’ (Al-Ahzab: 21) (This verse means that, in all circumstances, one should follow the example of the Messenger of Allah [may Allah bless him and grant him peace]). “He then said, ‘Allah Most High commands us to follow in the footsteps of the Messenger of Allah. Now tell me whether you are following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah or the way of Fir’awn?’ At this the people released him.” Relating to this, it should be noted that it is not forbidden to enjoy things that are permissible (mubah), nor is it unlawful to have an abundance of such things in one’s possession. However, the affluence of such luxuries creates a strong liking for them to such an extent that it becomes difficult to do without them. One has to consequently busy himself in providing these things for oneself, and in increasing one’s means of income. And, the one who devotes himself to increasing his wealth often adopts a compromising attitude towards his religion. What is worse, such people often commit sinful deeds. If it had been easy to involve oneself in worldly affairs without getting contaminated, the Prophet of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would not have so seriously admonished his Ummah to abstain from absorption in worldly pursuits, nor would he have been so personally particular about avoiding worldly taint to the extent that he refused to wear an embroidered robe. In a letter to Imam Malik bin Anas (may Allah mercy him), Yahya bin Yazid al-Nawfali (may Allah mercy him) wrote, after praising Allah Most High and invoking His choicest blessings on the Prophet of Allah: “I have come to know that you put on fine clothes, take fine bread and sleep in a soft bed. You have also appointed a doorkeeper at your house. All this looks odd, considering that you are one of the great and renowned ‘ulama and people come to you from far off places to learn religious knowledge. You are our imam and preceptor and people follow your example. I suggest you should be very cautious in these matters. I am submitting these lines merely as a sign of my sincerest regards for you and no one except Allah Most High knows about this letter. The end. Wa al-salam.” In reply to this letter, Imam Malik (may Allah mercy him) wrote: “I received your letter, which contained much advice and admonition for me, besides being a sign of your kindest regard for me. May Allah bless you with piety and righteousness; may Allah grant you the best rewards for this advice; may Allah grant me tawfiq (divine aid) to act upon your advice. Indeed, nobody can perform good deeds or protect himself against bad deeds without help and favour from Allah Most High; what you have heard of me is true. I am in the habit of using all these things. May Allah forgive me. However, all these things are permissible under Shari’ah. Allah Most High says: ‘Say, “Who has prohibited the adornment Allah has brought forth for His servants, and the wholesome things of sustenance?” Say, “They are for the believers during this worldly life (though shared by others), while they are purely for them on the day of Resurrection. This is how We elaborate the verses for people who understand.”‘ (Al-‘Araf: 32) “I am fully aware that, notwithstanding their permissibility, it is far better not to make use of these adornments. I should hope that, in future, you would be kind enough to write to me from time to time. I shall also continue to write letters to you. With regards. Wa al-Salam.” Imam Malik (may Allah mercy him) has made a very subtle point. He has given a legal opinion (fatwa) about the religious permissibility for using the good things of life and, at the same time, admitted that it is better to abstain from them. The Fifth distinguishing trait of the ‘ulama al-akhirah is that they (without any necessity) keep away from sultans and rulers, and never visit them. Rather, if they do then they keep their meetings short, because their companionship may involve seeking their pleasure and winning their goodwill. Besides, such people are often involved in oppressive and impermissible deeds, the disapproval of which is necessary, along with exposing their oppression and admonishing their sinful deeds. Remaining silent in such matters amounts to compromising one’s religion. Furthermore, if one is obliged to praise them with a view to winning their favours, then this amounts to speaking lies; and if one feels inclined towards and a yearning for their wealth, then this is forbidden. In short, associating with them leads to several detrimental issues. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that whosoever lives in the wild becomes hardhearted; the one who is fond of hunting becomes neglectful (of everything else); and the one who visits the kings frequently falls into temptations. Sayyiduna Huzayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Beware of the places of temptation.” On being asked what they were, he said, “The doors to the houses of princes. Whosoever visits them will have to approve of their misdeeds and (by way of praise) he will have to attribute to them such qualities that they do not possess.” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) once said that the worst among the ‘ulama are those who visit princes and the best among the princes are those who visit the ‘ulama. Shaykh Samnun (may Allah mercy him) (one of the companions of Shaykh Sirri al-Saqati [may Allah mercy him]) narrates that if you hear about an ‘alim as being enamoured of the world, consider him at fault in his religion. I experienced it myself. Whenever I went to see the king, on coming back I looked within my heart and found the ill-effects of the visit affecting my soul even though I talk to the kings with severity, contradict their views sternly and do not partake of anything that belongs to them, to the extent that I abstain from even drinking plain water so long as I am with them. Our ‘ulama are worse than the rabbis of the Children of Israel. For they go to the rulers and show them dispensations, and seek to win their favours. If they were to tell the rulers about their responsibilities in plain words, they would feel them a burden and would not like their coming; whereas their truthfulness would be a means of eternal salvation. Indeed, for the ‘ulama to visit rulers is a major fitnah and a means of Satan leading them astray, especially in the case of those who can speak eloquently. Satan tells them, “Your visiting them will lead to their rectification, they will refrain from tyranny on account of this and the symbols of Islam (shi’ar) will be preserved.” Consequently, the said person will believe that visiting them is also an act of religion, though the fact is that visiting them leads one to compromise to win their hearts, and praise them unnecessary, which is fatal to one’s din. In a letter to Hasan al-Basri (may Allah mercy him), ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (may Allah mercy him) wrote, “Send me the names and addresses of suitable persons whom I should ask to assist me in the affairs of the caliphate.” Hasan al-Basri (may Allah mercy him) replied: “The people of religion will not come to you and you will not select worldly people (and, of course, the greedy and avaricious persons should not be entrusted with such tasks, for they will corrupt the affairs of the government). Because of this, I suggest you employ persons of noble descent because their sense of honour will not allow them to tarnish their inherited nobility with dishonest deeds.” This was the reply sent by Hasan al-Basri (may Allah mercy him) to ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (may Allah mercy him) whose piety, equity and justice are exemplary, so much so that he is known as the Second ‘Umar. This view is held by Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah mercy him), but this humble author (Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya) feels that unless it becomes necessary to decline such offers for religious reasons, there is no harm in accepting the responsibility (to assist the caliph) in the affairs of the caliphate, provided that one is watchful and capable of protecting one’s self. Rather, sometimes, it becomes imperative to accept such responsibilities in the interest of the din or because necessity demands it. However, it is very important that one does not accept such tasks for personal motives, personal interests, material gains or worldly honour and glory. One should, instead, keep in view the needs of the Muslim community. Allah Most High says: “Allah knows him who spoils (does not try to improve the lot of the people) from him who improves (the lot of the Muslims).” (Al-Baqarah: 220) The Sixth distinguishing sign of the ‘ulama al-akhirah is that they do not take hasty decisions when giving verdicts in religious law (fatwas) and are very careful in giving advice on religious matters. They refer, as far as possible, cases to someone else whom they consider to be capable of making such decisions. Shaykh Abu Hafs Nishapuri (may Allah mercy him) says, “A true ‘alim is one who, while giving an opinion in religious matters, is afraid and thinks that he will have to explain, on the Day of Resurrection, the authority on which he had given a decision in such and such a case.” Some of the ‘ulama have said that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would greatly avoid four things: 1] Becoming an imam (one who leads the obligatory prayers); 2] The guardianship of a deceased person (i.e. the responsibility to distribute his property according to the will made by him); 3] Accepting a trust; 4] Giving decisions (fatwas) in religious matters. And their five great interests in life were: 1] Reciting the Holy Qur’an; 2] Remaining in the masjids; 3] Remembrance of Allah Most High; 4] Enjoining what is good; 5] Forbidding evil. Ibn Husayn (may Allah mercy him) said, “Some people hurriedly pronounce a decision (fatwa) on religious law in such important matters which, if they had been presented to Sayydiuna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), then he would have gathered together all the leading Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who had participated in the Battle of Badr and consult them.” Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) is such an illustrious Companion that he spent ten years in the service of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Still, whenever he was asked regarding an issue of fiqh, he would say, “Ask Mawlana Hasan.”[2] (This Hasan al-Basri [may Allah mercy him] was from among the famous jurists, Sufis and Tabi’is.) When Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) (who was an illustrious Companion and was given the title ra’is al-mufassirin [Leader of the Commentators of the Qur’an]) would be asked his view, he would direct people to Jabir Ibn Zayd (may Allah mercy him) who was a Tabi’i well versed in issuing fatwas. Sayyiduna ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), himself an illustrious Companion and a profound scholar of fiqh, referred cases to the Tabi’i Sa’id Ibn al-Musayyib (may Allah mercy him). The Seventh distinguishing characteristic of the ‘ulama al-akhirah is that they are seriously interested in the esoteric science, in other words Suluk. They strive greatly in purifying their inner selves and hearts, as this is a means of progressing in the exoteric knowledge. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Whosoever acts upon what he knows, Allah Most High will grant him knowledge of that which he has not acquired.” It occurs in the scriptures of previous prophets (peace be upon them): “O children of Israel, say not, knowledge lies in the skies above; who can make it descend upon us? Nor should you say, knowledge lies in the bowels of the earth, too deep for us to dig out. Nor say, knowledge lies across the seas too far away for us to reach it. Knowledge lies within your own hearts. Remain in My presence, observing proper etiquette in the manner of great spiritual beings and cultivate the pious manners of the siddiqin; I shall cause knowledge to spring forth from your hearts, so much so that you will be overwhelmed by knowledge.” Experience shows that the pious beings who have attained nearness to Allah Most High are granted access to such knowledge and insight which cannot be found in books. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that Allah Most High said, “No means whereby My servant seeks My Favour are more pleasing to Me than the observance of the fard actions (such as Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Hajj etc.). My servant keeps coming closer to Me with nafl actions, until I make him My favourite, and when I make him My favourite, I become his ears with which he hears, his eyes with which he sees, his hands with which he holds, and his feet with which he walks. If he asks Me for something, I fulfil his desire, or if he seeks refuge against anything, I grant him refuge.” (Al-Bukhari) Meaning, his walking, seeing, hearing and all actions conform to the pleasure of Allah Most High. Some other versions of the hadith add: “Whosoever despises or bears enmity against any one of my friends has declared war against me.” Since the thoughts and contemplation of the walis of Allah are connected to Him, the subtle knowledge of the Holy Qur’an are revealed to them, and its secrets are made clear to them; this is especially the case with those who remain constantly engaged in the dhikr and meditation of Allah Most High. And each individual receives from this, with tawfiq from Allah Most High, an amount that is equivalent to his concern for good actions and efforts. In a lengthy hadith — quoted by Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah mercy him) in his book, Miftah Dar al-Sa’adah and by Abu Nu’aym (may Allah mercy him) in his book Al-Hilyah – Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have mentioned the qualities of the ‘ulama al-akhirah. Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said hearts are like vessels and the best hearts are those that preserve good as much as possible. He also said that gathering knowledge is better than accumulating wealth for knowledge gives you protection while wealth needs your protection, and knowledge increases through use while wealth decreases when spent. The benefits of wealth do not remain after it has been spent, but the benefits of learning are eternal. He then heaved a deep sigh and said, within my bosom, there is much knowledge. I wish I could find people who would be capable of receiving this knowledge. However, I find those who employ religious pursuits to amass wealth; or I find people who indulge in sensual pleasures, bound by the shackles of following their desires; or involved in amassing worldly wealth. Anyway, this is a long passage and I (Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhalwi) have only quoted a portion of it here. The eighth distinguishing characteristic is that their faith and belief in Allah Most High is ever increasing and they are always concerned about this — firm belief is [a believer’s] capital. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Firm belief (yaqin) is iman in its entirety.” He also said, “Learn how to believe truly.” The meaning of this hadith is that one should diligently sit with those who possess strong belief and follow their example so that, by virtue of their blessed companionship, one can attain perfect faith. He should have perfect belief in the absolute power and attributes of Allah Most High just like his belief in the existence of the sun and the moon. He should have perfect belief that Allah Most High alone is the doer of all things, all the various material means are under His sole control and He employs these means as He wills. This is like a stick in the hands of a person who beats someone with it, but nobody holds the stick responsible for it. When this belief becomes firmly rooted in the heart, it will become easy for him to cultivate the qualities of tawakkul (trusting in Allah alone), rida (willing acceptance of what has been decreed by Allah Most High) and taslim (submission to the supreme will of Allah Most High). He should also have perfect belief that Allah Most High is the sole individual responsible for providing sustenance (rizq), and that He has taken the responsibility for the rizq of every individual as has been predetermined; he will, under all circumstances, receive it. That which has not been predetermined will not reach him under any circumstance. When this belief becomes firm, one will exercise moderation in the struggle to earn one’s livelihood. Such belief checks greed and avarice and one will not feel grieved if one fails to achieve something. He should also have firm belief that Allah Most High is watching all deeds, good or bad, at all times; that even an iota small good or bad deed is in the knowledge of Allah Most High; and that reward or punishment will certainly reach him. He should strongly believe that all virtues are rewarded just as he believes that eating bread satisfies one’s hunger. Similarly, he should believe that evil has certain consequences, just like the bite of a snake (in short, he should be attracted by good deeds, as a hungry person is by food; and should feel afraid of sins, as he is scared of a snake or a scorpion). When he is firm in this, then he will have complete yearning to perform every type of good deed and total care to refrain from every type of evil deed. The ninth distinguishing characteristic of the ‘ulama al-akhirah is that, under all conditions, they should wear a true expression of being inspired with the fear of Allah Most High. His greatness, magnificence and fear should manifest from their every gesture — from the style of their dress, from their personal habits, from their speech and even from their silence. A mere look at such an ‘alim’s face will inspire one with the remembrance of Allah Most High. Calmness, serenity, modesty, and humbleness should have become his manner. He abstains from idle or meaningless talk, and his manner of speaking is natural and unassuming, as this is born of pride and haughtiness, and indicates a lack of fear of Allah Most High. Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Acquire knowledge, and acquire calmness, proper poise and gentleness for knowledge; behave modestly with those from whom you learn, and let those who learn from you be humble with you. Do not become one of the tyrannical ‘ulama for your knowledge cannot be based on ignorance.” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The best of my Ummah are those who in public look happy thinking of the infinite mercy of Allah Most High, but in private weep and cry for fear of His punishment. They are bodily on earth, but their hearts are absorbed in the heavens.” Someone asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), “Which is the best act of virtue?” He replied, “Abstaining from what is unlawful and keeping your tongue occupied continuously with the dhikr of Allah Most High.” Someone asked, “Who is the best companion?” He replied, “He who warns you of negligence in good deeds and aides you in performing them.” Someone asked, “Who is a bad companion?” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, “The one who does not warn you when you are negligent in your good actions, nor helps you when you want to do them.” Someone asked, “Who is the greatest ‘alim?” He replied, “The one who lives in greatest fear of Allah Most High.” Someone asked, “With whom should we associate most frequently?” He replied, “Those who inspire you with the dhikr of Allah Most High.” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The carefree person in the life Hereafter will be the one who remained concerned in this life; the one who will laugh the most in the Hereafter will be he who wept most in this life (for fear of Allah Most High).” The tenth distinguishing feature of the virtuous ‘ulama is that they are more concerned about those regulations of Islamic law which pertain to religious practices; to what is lawful and unlawful. That is to say, they are interested in actions that it is obligatory to perform and are very keen to know things that are necessary to avoid. Similarly, they are very particular in learning about things that may undo any virtue (for example things which make Salah invalid, the virtues of using a miswak etc.). They do not indulge in discussions relating to abstruse branches of knowledge for the sake of being regarded as a research scholar, a sage or great philosopher. The eleventh distinguishing characteristic of a virtuous ‘alim is that he has studied, with deep insight, various branches of knowledge. He does not accept the opinions of others, for we are bound to follow the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and seek guidance from his sayings alone. We follow the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) simply because they closely observed and followed the ways of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Since following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is of fundamental value, a true ‘alim should be very particular about collecting the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and should make them the object of his serious consideration. The twelfth distinguishing feature of the ‘ulama al-akhirah is that they are strict and stringent in their avoidance of bid’ah. Something becoming a common practice does not means that the thing is a reliable religious practice, for true religion consists in following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). It should be seen what the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did in such matters. Hence, it is imperative to undertake a thorough study of the ways and manners of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and to remain deeply involved in this. Hasan al-Basri (may Allah mercy him) said: “Two types of person are innovators and they have introduced two kinds of innovations in Islam: [1] He who thinks Islam is that which he understands, and only he who agrees with him will attain paradise, and [2] he who lives a life of comfort and worships the world, he likes those who struggle to achieve worldly things and dislikes those who do not try to earn worldly wealth. Leave both of them alone for the hellfire. As for him whom Allah Most High has protected from these people, he is following the footsteps of the pious predecessors. He has adopted their manners and practices. It is they who will be generously rewarded in the hereafter by Allah Most High.” Sayyiduna ‘Abd Allah Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Yours is the age in which desires are restrained by (religious) knowledge; a time will soon come when knowledge will be subservient to desires.” Meaning people will try to justify whatever pleases their fancy with their knowledge. Some Divines said, “During the times of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), Satan sent forth his detachments to all four corners of the world. They roamed the world and came back, disheartened and exhausted. Satan asked, ‘How did you fare?’ They said, ‘These people (the Companions) worry us. We cannot affect them in any way; we are in great difficulty because of them.’ Satan said, ‘Don’t worry. These people are the Companions of their Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace); influencing them is difficult. Soon, you will have people who will do what you desire.’ Then, once again, Satan sent forth his detachments in all directions during the times of the Followers (Tabi’in). Satan’s disciples again came back, worn out and cast down. When he asked them how they fared, they said, ‘They annoyed us; they are a strange people. During the day, we do succeed to a certain extent in tempting them. But as soon as the evening falls, they repent of their sins so sincerely that all our labours are lost.’ Satan again said, ‘Don’t worry. A time is soon coming when people will behave in a manner most pleasing to you. They will follow their own desires, taking them to be a religious duty. They will not think of repentance; they will rather give religious sanction to their irreligiousness.’ After some time, Satan introduced into Islam such innovations, which were accepted as a part of religion. How could they possibly repent from such sins when they believed themselves to be on the right path?” This is a brief account of the twelve distinguishing characteristics of the virtuous ‘ulama that have been thoroughly discussed by Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah mercy him). The ‘ulama should, therefore, particularly fear the Day of Reckoning because their reckoning will be severe and they have a greater responsibility. The Day of Resurrection, the day on which this reckoning will take place, is a difficult day. May Allah Most High, in His Infinite bounty and mercy, protect us all from the severity of that day. _____________________________ Sufis who placed their trust (tawakkul) in Allah Most High (editor). [↩] The word mawlana is used explicitly by Imam al-Ghazali in the Arabic of Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din. Sayyiduna Anas’ (may Allah be pleased with him) usage of the word to describe a man of learning is an early precedent for its use in this context (editor). [↩] Deoband.org

Map of the Old City...it is helpful to know the names of the gates so that one knows where one is when entering the Old City Many people book hotels outside the Old City area however they miss out on being close to and interacting with the local Palestinian people. Hotels within the Muslim quarter of the Old City are quite run down but comfortable with easy access to Masjidul Aqsa

List for the Al-Aqsa Site Plan Islamic Museum Baabal Maghaaribah/Morrocan Gate - Not accessible to Muslims Baabas Silsilah/Chain Gate Baabas Salaam/Tranquility Gate Silsilah/Chain Minaret Baabal Mataharah/Ablution Gate Baabal Qataaneen/Cotton Merchant Gate Baabal Hadeed/Iron Gate Baaban Naazir/Majlis /Council Gate Minaret of Ghawanimah Baabal Atim/Gate of Darkness Baabal Hittah/Gate of Remission Minaret al-Asbat Babal Asbaat/Gate of Tribes Babaz Zahabi/Golden Gate - 2 vaulted halls lead to Baabar Rahamah(15a), and Baabat Tawbah (15b). Imam Ghazali is said to have sat above these gates when writing Ihya Cradle of Jesus Al-Musallah al-Marwani/Solomon’s Stables-sub-structure Al Masjid al Aqsa Fakhriya Minaret Dome of Yusuf Agha Station of Buraaq Al-Kas/The Cup (place of ablution) Mimbar of Buran ad Deen Dome of Yusuf Dome of an Nahawiyyah Dome of Moses Fountain of Qasim Pasha Pool of Raranj Fountain of Qayt Bay Muezzin’s Dome Dome of The Chain/Silsilah Dome of the Rock/Qubatus Sakhra Dome of the Prophet Dome of the Me’raj Dome of al Khalili Mihrab of al Pasha Dome of al Khidr Dome of Ruh/Spirits Fountain of Sha’laan Solomon’s Dome Dome of the Lovers of the Prophets Fountain of Sultan Solomon Solomon’s Throne W. Wailing Wall

Al-Aqsa Site Plan ...inshaAllah will come in useful for future visitors to Al-Quds

Women’s Mosque? Women’s Empowerment? By Khalid Baig Posted: 11 Rabi al-Thani 1436, 1 February 2015 The Women’s Mosque of America has started operations in Los Angeles. It is not a mosque per se, but the name of a non-profit organization. It began with holding female only Jumuah prayers, in an old synagogue with Stars of David etched on the stained glass windows. The decision to use this venue was made to "promote peace." Creating a separate space for Muslim women is a noble idea. Unfortunately the organizers chose the one event for this project for which it has no basis in the Shariah. Muslim women are not required to offer Jumuah. They are allowed but not required. (They can offer the Dhuhr prayer instead.) Further by consensus of scholars of all schools, Muslim women are not allowed to lead Jumuah prayers or deliver Jumuah Khutbahs. Not surprisingly the project met with disapproval from the great majority of local Muslim scholars who objected exactly on this ground. The women who prayed there were advised to still offer their Dhuhr prayer as the prayer obligation remained undischarged.[1] But there is a larger issue that has not been discussed. One wonders what the officers of this corporation would think of establishing a women only school or women only college. Obviously if women need access to Islamic education in an exclusive space, then would not a daily regular school be far superior to a twenty minute sermon delivered once a month? Alas their future programs make no mention of such a plan. On the contrary other programs will be coed. It is also interesting to see the media reaction. This was a media event and all the big names were there. And they were excited. From the Los Angeles Times to the Wall Street Journal, from ABC news to Fox News, everyone praised this as a historic event. It was considered a key development in empowerment of Muslim women. “Maybe we could get a female Luther out of this,” Los Angeles Times reported an excited congregant as saying. The question that we must ask is what the media reaction would be if the organizers had opened a women’s only college instead. Would that be considered a historic event that would open the doors to scholarship for Muslim women? Would that be praised by the same media as a space “where Muslim women can 'bring their whole self,' learn more about their faith and foster bonds of sisterhood?” It is more likely that this would be ridiculed as a step backwards, as another sign of oppression of Muslim women. Why? Why the same act is praiseworthy in one case and blameworthy in the other? The answer may be that it is flouting the traditions and well established Islamic teachings in one case and complying with them in the other. The first act is therefore considered empowering and the other enslaving. The hypocrisy has a rationale! It may be therefore empowering to deconstruct the notion of "women's empowerment" itself. The sad fact is that we are caught up in the discourse of empowerment. Everyone these days is for "women's empowerment." And it is taboo to question this dogma. But let us ask, where does this word come from? Does it come from the Islamic discourse or its textual sources? The Qur'an does not talk about "women's empowerment." Neither does Hadith. Neither does the Islamic literature produced by authorities and scholars of varied persuasions over the centuries. If in doubt please tell me what is the Arabic term for "empowerment" and where do you find it in the Islamic textual sources? Women's empowerment is a term foreign to Islamic discourse. And like other foreign terms it has to be examined carefully before we start using it and submit to its dictates. Let us face it: It is a foreign term. And like other foreign terms it has to be examined carefully before we start using it and submit to its dictates. The term as used today comes from the feminist discourse. And it brings with it the entire feminist agenda. Simply stated, the ideology of women's empowerment means establishing an absolute-no-holds-barred-equality between men and women. Dozens of international organizations are devoted to promoting “women's empowerment” and use the term interchangeably with “gender equality” and “gender mainstreaming.” At a more basic level it means fighting for your rights. As American feminist Gloria Steinem said, “Power can be taken, but not given. The process of the taking is empowerment in itself.” Let us contrast this with Islamic history. The pre-Islamic Meccan society, like all Jahiliyya societies then and now, had its share of the weak and the downtrodden. Women were oppressed. So were slaves. Anyone belonging to another tribe was discriminated against. Did the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, go to them and say I have come to empower you? Did he invite them to start an empowerment movement? If he did, the seerah and Hadith books do not record it. Rather his message to everyone was, "Become a believer and you will be successful." The promise was falah, the eternal and ultimate success, to be achieved through iman (faith) and taqwa (righteous action performed with the fear of displeasing Allah). To men and women, to slaves and masters, the rich and poor, Arabs and non-Arabs, the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said one thing: يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ، قُولُوا : لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ تُفْلِحُوا "O people, say there is no god but Allah and you will be successful." Belief in Allah and submission to His commands were the road to falah. The society that was so built did eliminate the injustices to the slaves and women and the poor and all the downtrodden people. But the path to that uplifting was not through the talk of empowerment. Rather it was through an exactly opposite strategy. Islam did not urge women to fight for their rights; it urged the men to discharge their responsibilities toward the women, fearing Allah. It did not urge the poor to fight for their rights; it urged the wealthy to discharge their responsibilities toward the poor, fearing Allah. It also urged the women to discharge their responsibilities toward their husbands. In fact it changed the focus of everyone from their rights to their responsibilities. For in the Hereafter we'll be held accountable for our responsibilities, not our rights. If we were shortchanged on our rights here, we will be fully compensated there. But if we were negligent in discharging other’s rights on us, we will have to pay heavily for it there. Needless to say, with everyone concerned with their responsibilities, the rights of the others are automatically secured. Further, with justice being a supreme goal of Islam, redressing injustices becomes everyone’s job not just those of the victims. With this approach Islam obtained justice in the society but without the incessant friction and disharmony that is an essential result of an ongoing fight. It uplifted women without instituting a perpetual gender war. As Imam Zaid Shakir notes: “Islam has never advocated a liberationist philosophy.” Islam uplifted women without instituting a perpetual gender war. It never advocated a liberationist philosophy. The language of empowerment is diametrically opposed to it. It makes everyone focus on their rights, not their responsibilities. The battle cry is, watch out for yourself for no one else will. This then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. With no one being primarily concerned with discharging their responsibilities, securing your rights becomes a lifelong struggle. You will only get those rights for which you fight. Hence the perpetual campaign for women's empowerment. What has that led to? The exact opposite of what it aimed at. The empowerment rhetoric did not end exploitation of women; it actually has opened exciting new avenues for it. As Dr. Brooke Magnanti wrote in the Telegraph, “Too often the word is used as a smokescreen for increasing consumerism, a cousin of L'Oreal's 'because you're worth it' whereby you can presumably empower yourself by buying shoes and pretty little journals, which is somehow worthier than simply buying things because you need or like these things. Or worse still, by landing some 9-to-5 corporate grinding job.”[2] But it has done much more. It has destroyed the home and family beyond recognition. Even more, it has drastically changed men and women. Here are the words of Father John McCloskey, a Catholic priest lamenting the disaster that this world has faced. There is something radically wrong with the family and the relationship between the sexes in the West as we rapidly approach the third millennium of the Christian era... Indeed it would be hard to find similar situations in history, unless it be the pre-Christian paganism of the Roman Empire (cf. St. Paul's Letter to the Romans l: ll-20) or the behavior of the barbarian hordes of central Asia as they poured into a weak and decadent empire... Today, in societies that are nominally Christian, we witness the phenomenon of women who do not act like women, nor men like men, nor families like families. Codes of moral behavior that have made the family the central unit of society and have been the "guardrails" of civilization for centuries have been discarded as antiquated."[3] If we blindly follow the talk of women's empowerment, we will also be headed to this lizard's hole. Or we can follow the path of falah shown by the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam and say goodbye to the borrowed language and borrowed ideologies. The Women’s Mosque organization was started by two ladies, a comedy writer and a lawyer, as a reaction to their “mistreatment” at some other mosque. The “mistreatment” consisted in somebody in that mosque gently pointing them upstairs to a separate area for women. They apparently thought that the separate upstairs space that had been provided was beneath them. One wonders if that is the attitude of a humble servant of God. In reaction they organized an event that violated the commands of the same God whom they so desperately wanted to serve. And they started a first ever “protest mosque.” Among other firsts, it also encouraged women to “enter the mosque in the type and style of clothing in which they feel comfortable.” In other words it decreed that Islam does not prescribe any dress code for prayers. Anyone who thought otherwise was asked to keep their opinions to themselves. It asked that no woman should remind another woman to, say, cover her head while praying. If the mosque was a consecrated space which imposed its own rules of decorum and proper conduct, including dignified and modest attire, the “Women’s Mosque” had nothing to do with that. Such is the tragedy when we become consumed by our desires. These ladies and their sympathizers would do well to listen to the words of Imam Zaid Shakir: “Our fulfillment does not lie in our liberation, rather it lies in the conquest of our soul and its base desires. That conquest only occurs through our enslavement to God.” The empowerment rhetoric did not end exploitation of women; it actually has opened exciting new avenues for it. Does Islam ask the women to get sacred knowledge? Absolutely. And today, unlike the bleak picture painted by the marketing department of Women’s Mosque, women are very active in seeking religious knowledge. They are doing it from their homes over the phone and Internet; in gatherings arranged at private homes; in schools established for this purpose. And they are doing it in mosques as well. There are some institutions who have thousands of women studying with them from their homes. They are studying Arabic, Hadith, Fiqh, Qur’an, and so on. May Allah bless these efforts and multiply them. This is the right answer to the problem of women education. Not a Jumuah khutbah delivered by a woman once a month. The organizers of the Women’s Mosque are right that for proper education women need a safe space where they are by themselves. Where they can discuss their problems freely, get inspired by other sisters, and seek both emotional and intellectual fulfillment from them. Where they do not have to act like men or compete with them. Where women can be women. If one is guided by Islamic teachings and not the talk of empowerment then one could easily see that it should lead to the development of female only schools, colleges, and youth groups. [1] For a detailed discussion of the fiqhi ruling on women leading prayers, see Imam Zaid Shakir’s article at http://www.newislamicdirections.com/nid/articles/female_prayer_leadership_revisited. But the matter is simple to understand even without a detailed technical discussion. Dr. Salman Nadvi, who headed the Islamic Studies department at the University of Durban until his retirement and who is the son of the illustrious scholar Allama Sulaiman Nadvi, said: “If Allah wanted women to lead their own Jumuah prayers He would have asked the Prophet to order this and would have asked the Ummahat al-Mu’mineen to lead the prayers.” [2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/dr-brooke-magnanti/ [3] http://www.catholicity.com/mccloskey/singlesexedu.html al-balagh

Hazrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned after reciting the following couplet of Hazrat Moulana Rumi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih): ہم خدا خواہی وہم دنیاے دوں ایں خیال است و محال است و جنوں We desire the love of Allah Ta’ala, and yet we continue hankering after this insignificant world (expecting to be successful in our goal). Certainly this is a mere imagination, really impossible and illogical. O my beloved brothers, in order for one to become successful in anything, one is required to apply the formula of success. Through applying this formula, one will be successful in all fields of life. In the field of medicine, one will have to adhere to the various laws and principles laid down in order to acquire the necessary understanding of the field, and thereafter one will have to practice upon it. Similarly, in treading the path of love towards Allah Ta’ala, in order for one to be successful, one will be required to practice self-restrain in all aspects of life. One will have to regulate one’s speech, interaction with people, one’s eating and sleeping habits as explained by the Mashaayikh. (Suhbate Baa Awliyaa pg. 56) Ihyaauddeen.co.za

Q. Can you kindly explain in detail what our view is as Muslims, concerning the theory of Evolution please. We are interested in showing our non-Muslims accomplices evidences from the Quran and from science itself that refutes evolution A. The following is a beautiful article on this topic which has been written by a great scholar Shaikh Abdul Hamid. In it he has discussed the topic at length in a beautiful manner, which will be very easy for readers to understand. We hope that it will be helpful, Insha Allah. FALLACY OF EVOLUTION The theory of Evolution, or more precisely, Organic Evolution, is taught in our schools and colleges as an established fact and saturates our science; psychology, philosophy, history and, to some extent, even religion today. The sum and substance of the theory is that: (i) The animate species of nature are the result of a millennial evolutionary transformation from inanimate phenomenon of nature, which means that Man was not created by Almighty God but life on earth originated from lifeless matter in some mysterious way without any divine assistance and by means of ascending series of vegetable and animal organism – during incalculably long periods it prog-ressed and developed from one-celled organism to its highest state, the human being; (ii) Man is descended from brutes and to all intents and purposes he is a brute. Form ation of the human body and brain is the same as that of an animal. All human energy comes from animal instincts inhe rited by man from his animal ancestors; iii) There is no guiding light, no conscience, no moral principles, no sense of truth, justice, beauty, virtue and God-conscious-ness inborn and implanted in man. Human will-power is also not inborn but is derived from baser animal instincts. There is no God, no Soul, no after-life no revelation. Every prophet was only a social reformer. Nothing was revealed to him and conseq-uently every religion is a fake thing. In the words of Sir Julian Huxley, a prom-inent evolutionist “Evolution has no room for the Supernatural. The earth and its inhabitants were not created, they evolved.” (The New York Times, November 26, 1959) (iv) Man being a product of this long-process ed evolution, having no pre-destination and no life after death, is free to act on his own will; no social restrictions, no moral code, no religious guidance whatso ever is there to check this licencious freedom. This theory which strikes at the very root of religion and, tries to demolish the ideological basis of our faith permeates our educational institu tions, and our raw youth are made to go on repating that evolution, and not creation, is the true fact of our existence. The continuous indoctrination of this Godless mechanistic theory in the minds of our young scholar never acquainted with the opposite arguments, has led them away from Islam and has made them sceptics, delinquents, irreligious, immoral, sex-saturated and violent. Of course, there are honorable exceptions but they are due to healthy religious home influences. The alarming situation demands that this theory which does admit organisation, design, arrangement, plan and beauty in the universe, but unrea-sonably denies the existence of All-powerful Designer Planner, Beautifier God, Which agrees that man is made in the most wonderful fashion with a digestive system that converts masticated food into body nutrition, with a blood stream to distribute it, with a heart to pump the blood and lungs to purify it, with a nervous system to carry messages to and from the brain, with a brain to direct bodily functions and receive information from five senses, with eyes that see, ears that hear; but which illogic-ally refuses to admit that this body with absolute technologcal perfection was made by Supreme Almighty Maker; this theory which says that the unintelligent cells operating on blind-chance are automatically arranged into organs with definite shapes and patterns and that in the 266 days from conception to birth, the single fertillized egg-cell becomes a staggeringly complex organisation of some 200 million cells having increased the original weight a billion-fold with the purposive guidance of any Intelligent Power, the theory which, in short, tries to deprive existence of all purpose must be scrutin-ised in detail, cross-questioned and crossexamined. To begin with, it seems to be worthwhile to excavate the origins of this theory. The origin of cosmos had been an intellectual riddle to the thinkers and phillosophers for times immemorial, but the first landing on theoretical grounds could not be achieved until the eighteenth century. The first comprehensive idea of cosmological evolution was put forth by a philosopher, Immanuel Kant, in 1755, in his book Attempt to Conceive and to Explain the Origin of the Universe Mechanically, according to the Newtonian Laws. Kant was a thinker, whose inquisitive nature dissatisfied with Christian mythical orthodoxy, rebelled against the biblical exposition of origin of universe, which had quite illogically determined the time of all creation sometime in October 4004 B. C. On the one hand it was beyond his reason to accept this too short a span of time for this immense increase in human population and advancement of civilization, and on the other, the Church dogma that Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him) was from everlasting to everlasting had become for him too hard a nut to crack by his intellect. He, therefore, expounded that man (as also Jesus Christ) was the consequence of evolution from lifeless chemical elements comprising the strata of the earth He asserted that there was a time when there was no life, hence, no question of eternity of Jesus. He maintained that when a plant or an animal acquired a new characteristic from its environment, it could pass this on to its off-spring, resulting in changes that accounted for evolution. But this theory proved to be a cry in the wilderness and soon flowed away in the stream of time just like ashes thrown into a river. Forty years later the thread was picked up by Pierre Laplace. He revived Kant’s philosophic theory and tried to give it a scientific colour. His Exposition du Systems du Monde (1796) attempted to explain it in scientific terms and bitterly opposed the story of creation and refused any room for Godhead. He was so much allergic to the idea of Godhead that in the course of a discussion with Nepolean he went to the length of saying : “Sire, I have no need for that confounded hypothesis (the presence of God)”. Later on, a French Scientist Jean de Lamark, published his treatise Philosophic Zoologique in which he held that: ‘The primitive forms were developed out of lifeless matter by spontaneous generation. The resemblances of related groups of species are explained by inheritance from common stern-forms: their dissimil-arities are due to adaptation to different environments, and to variety in the action of modifiable organs. The human race has arisen in the same way, by transform-ation of a series of mammal ancestors, the nearest of which are apelike primates.”(Last words on Evolution Haeckle). He held that as an infant looks upon his elders and steadily learns how to walk or work, a similar desire was found in the baser forms of life at the early early stages of evolution, which consequently gave an impetus to them to develop further. He said that primitive giraffes did not have longer necks and soon, when ran short of vegetation on the surface of soil, the only foder available was the leaves of tree quite beyond their approach. Quite on the analogy of the infants, the desire to pluck leaves from higher trees resulted in the elongation of their necks, and their offsprings acquired the characteristic of longer necks. This he called the theory of “acquired characteristics.” Then came Charles Darwin, the atheist evolutionist. He propounded his own theory which was based partly on the findings of Lamarck and partly on those of his own He also played with the example of giraffes, but reached a different conclusion. According to him, the members of different species, when ran out of vegetation, comp eted with one another for life as a result of which only the fittest could survive. The survivors would pass on those advantageous variations which were instrumental in getting them upper hand over their rivals, to their offspring, which process eventually led to evolution of new forms of life. This process was given the name of natural selection. He was the first scientist to assert the descent of man from the ape. This theory caused no less havoc in the scientific as well as religious circle,s and arrested the attention of high and low alike. In order to ascertain the validity or otherwise of the Lamarckian theory of acquired characteristics, a German scientist August Wemsmann carried out an experiment to produce a breed of tailless mice by simply cutting off their tails before allowing them to mate. “He repeated this procedure for 20 successive generations The last generation proved to have tails as long as those of their ancestors. This was the first experimental proof that acquired charact-eristics, such as artificial taillessness, are not inherited.” (Review Text in Biology—Mark A Hall and Milton S. Lesser 1966 (p 304) This experiment rung the knell of Lamarckan theory. So far as the Darwinian theory of evolution is concerned, it also could not stand the test of advanced scientific experimentation. The theory of Natural selection was put to test by a Dutch Botanist, W. Johannsen. He carried out his experiment on the Princess garden-bean Phaseolus Vulgaris. After establishing 19 pure lines and propagating each of them in each generation by selecting the lightest and the heaviest seeds, he recovered seeds with about the same average weight from the two types of lines. He continued his experiment through several generations, but every time the same average weight was obtained. He thus reached the conclusion that be could not alter the average seed weight by selection and so he claimed in 1903 that Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection was utterly false. This declaration shook the foundations of Darwanian evolution. The Biology for Today records that scientists have raised a number of objections against complete acceptance of Darwin’s theory on the grounds that :- (a) The theory does not account for all the known facts of heredity. For example, the theory does not clearly explain why some variations are inherited and others not. Many variations are so trivial that they could not possibly aid an organism in its struggle for existence: and b) The theory does not explain how the gradual accumulation of trivial variations could result in the appearance of some of the more complex structures found in higher organisms (Biology for Today – Sayles B. Clark and 1. Albert Mould, 1964. P. 31) As Darwin’s theory also proved defective, efforts were made by some scientists to improve upon it. A Dutch botanist Dc Vries started his experimentation on the plants of primroses, He asserted that occasionally some plants appeared with some unusual structure which are inherited by their off-springs. This process he named as ‘mutation” But none of these principal theories could command acceptance and proved to be faulty. The Review Text in Biology (1966) has summarised these the ories in the following words:- “Since Lamarck’s theory (acquired characteristics) has proved false, it is only of historical interest Darwin’s theory (natural selection) does not satisfactorily explain the origin and inheritance of variations. Dc Vries theory (large mutations) has been shown to be weak because no single mutation or Set of mutations has ever been so large and numerous that it has been known to start a new species in one generation of off-springs.(Review Text in Biology, p. 363.) Neo-Darwinism The modern evolutionists combined some traits of Darwin’s theory with the findings of De Vries and hammered out a new theory which is called Neo-Darwinism. Natural selection coupled with large mutations were the main cause for evolu tion. But this Neo-Darwinism has not been able to quench the thirst of modern scientific mind and the controversy is still going on. The Neo-Darwinism can be illustrated in such way. In primitive times the ancestors of modern giraffes were short-necked. As they increased in number, they ran short of vegetation. The lush-green leaves of high trees were then the only substitute for the vegetational fodder. Occasionally, for unknown reasons, a sort of mutation occurred in the neck of a certain giraffe who had a comparatively longer neck, which enabled him to pluck higher leaves. This mutant giraffe passed on the slightly longer neck to its off-spring; the number of short-necked giraffes thinned out giving place to mutants. This process continued until the giraff’s neck reached its present length. If-rationally discussed, it transpires that in the same area where we find giraffes, we also come across flocks of pigmy sheep. How is it that sheep could survive without longer necks and could feed on the vegetation on the surface of the soil, while on the same soil short-necked giraffes could not survive and starved out. In an article “Should We Burn Darwin” published in Science Digest of January, 1961, the writer observes: “Perhaps the most significant single fact in last year’s development of French scientific thought is that the above orthodox explanation of evolution has been badly shaken. Often criticised in the past, it has now come under such heavy fire that the way seems to be open, in France at least, to a new theory of the origin of species…… “These are a few of the embarrassing questions asked by the French rebels : If the giraffe with its eight-foot neck is the product of natural selection and an example of the fittest, what about the sheep with its neck no longer than a few inches? Aren’t giraffes and sheep very close cousins almost brethren in the animal kingdom. But then can there live side by side two cousins, each of them fitter than the other, one because its neck is longer, the other because its neck is shorter.’ Another prominent evolutionist, Jean Rostand, challenged the verocity of Neo-Darwinism in the following words “The mutations which we know and which are considered responsible for the creation of the living world are, in general, either organic deprivations, deficiencies (loss of pigment, loss of an appendage), or the doubling of preexisting organs. In any case, they never produe anything really new or original in the organic scheme, nothing which one might consider the basis for new organ or the priming for a new function……I cannot make myself think that these ‘slips” of heredity have been able, even with the co-operation of natural selection, even with the advantage of the immense periods of time in which the evolution works on life, to build the entire world, with its structural prodigality and refinements, its astounding ‘adaptations’ I cannot persuade myself to think that the eye, the ear, the human brain have been formed in this way;….. I discern nothing that gives me the right to conceive the profound structural alterations, the fantastic metamorphoses that we have to imagine in evolutionary history when we think of the transition from invertebraters to verte brates, from fish to batrachians, from batrac hians to reptiles, from reptiles to mammals” Examination of the Principal Theories: Lamarck’s theory: As already stated, Lamarck held that evolution was the result of some in-born desire, or instincts, to get more perfect which actually resulted in the baser species’ evolution to higher and more perfect ones He says that when an infant looks at his parents walk and work, he also desires to do the same or get the same quality, by and by he acquires it. It means that such an evolution is subject to an example or a living pattern. Lamarck admits that man did not exist from the very beginning, then how the first plant life evolved into animate species when there was no example before them, because a desire occurs only when we have certain example before us. We can think of becoming a Governor because we have before us several precedents, and in case there had been no governorship before us, how can we aspire to. Secondly, our desires can be materialized only if we have the necessary means. An infant has a certain example of his parents who work or walk before his eyes. He also acquires those qualities because he has the example as well as means. He has hands to work with and legs to walk on. Why doesn’t a hen acquire the qualities of a man when it looks upon the man? The answer is that although she has an example before her, she lacks the means to do the same; mere desire cannot help her to acquire the necessary limbs by way of evolution. Thirdly, the example and mere means are not enough to enable a species to acquire the characteristic of another species An ape, although it looks upon man speaking and has also got a tongue, cannot speak like man. Some racial relation is also necessary. Fourthly, if we admit that evolution does not need any precedent, and it goes on automatically, it means that no creature, what soever, is perfect at any time including the homo sapiens. If so, why the evolution has suddenly stopped since times immemorial. The archaeological excavations and prehistoric arts show that man in the ancient times was the same as at present. The anthroplogists, are unanimous that there has been no change in human shape for 1,50,000 years. Why not a perfecter form of this so-called imperfect homo sapien creature. Darwin’s theory: As mentioned above, Darwin had modified the theory of Lamarck and had emphasised on the survival of the fittest, by way of natural selection. According to Darwin members of different species compete with one another for life, and in such struggle for existence any advantageous variation enables its possessor to gain the upper hand; the fittest survive and the others perish. The survivors pass on the beneficial variation to their off-spring which process eventually accounts for evolution of life. He calls this process. ‘Natural Selection.’ Ideologically spea-king, Darwin’s theory, was an off-shoot of a philoso-phical bickering rather than that of a scientific research. It had a cultural and philosophical back-ground. In the eighteenth century, Europe had full political sway over all the then known world. All the smaller nations of the world paid poll- tax to Europe because Europe was then in a profitably fitter position to dominate the other weaker nations, might is right being its only motto. This ideological background moulded the thought of her thinkers-and scientists alike at that time. Charles Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest was fully in keeping with this imperialistic trend of the West, and this is the only reason why this theory got an unswerving acceptance in the intellectual quarters of Europe and its echo is still reverberating in her colleges, and universities. Apart from this, if we analyze this theory scientifically, it equally proves to be faulty. The theory has not been able to answer the following questions - (i) Of course, there are variations among members of the same species with regard to colour, size etc. If they are inherited then all of them must be inherited; why are some inherited and others not? How and why do they originate? (ii) How do the gradual accumulation of trivial variations result in the appearance of complex structures? (iii) Any variation has to be of immediate value to its possessor if it is to give him a better chance of survival than his fellows. What is the survival value of the beginning of an eye, an ear, etc. (iv) If the giraffe with its eight-foot neck is the product of natural selection and an example of the survival of the fittest, what about the sheep with its neck not longer than a few inches? How has it survived without a long neck? (v) If sheep evolved horns because they aided survival, how can one account for the survival of varieties of sheep which sur vive just as well without them? Why were not the hornless ones eliminated by the process of natural selection? (vi) Of the 1,20,000 fertilized eggs of the green frog only two individuals survive. Are we to conclude that these two frogs survived because they were the fittest? (vii) Inanimate matter devoid of motion, energy and life stays, according to the principle of intertia, forever unless acted upon by a superior outside force that could give it direction and organisation. How did the first living cell evolve out of inanimate group of chemical substance without the direction of an Intelligent Mind? (viii) How was the gigantic gap between the inanimate elements of earth and a living cell filled-up? (ix) Can the most advanced laboraties of our time create a living cell which, according to scientists, is as complicated as New York city, out of some inanimate matter? (x) Is it not a fact that nearly all biologists are in virtually unanimous agreement that all life derives from preceding life? If so, how to solve the riddle of first life aided except through faith in the existence of the Creator? (xi) Why has evolution not continued to improve it? Was it just an accident that this infinitely complex mechanism was perfect to begin with? If it evolved upward, then how is that some of them evolved upward while others did not? (xii) How can a single celled organism such as amoeba initiate a new organ such as an eye? How could it know that eye would be an improvement if it had never seen before? How could it know that sight was even possible? Did all the complicated parts of an eye such as the cornea, pupil, iris, retina, optic nerves, muscles, veins etc., evolved simultaneously? If the answer be in the affirmative, then it would be admittedly an act of creation rather than evolution and if the answer be in the negative then a partial eye would be a serious disadvantage to the organism and would be eliminated in due course of time. Moreover, why do we not come across a single creature in the world with eyes in a transitional stage of development particularly when we find several types of apes which according to the evolutionists are in their transit to manhood ? Wherever there is an eye, it is a complete eye; why is it so? Where are the transitional stages? Has evolu-tion stopped to work? (xiii) One-celled orgnisms such as the amoeba reproduce asexually by dividing them selves into two. This system of repro duction is satisfactory because such organisms are still with us multiplying in the same way. What was the need of converting this asexual system into sexual one ? How could male and female sex organs that perfectly com plement each other evolve gradually by chane, by the method of trial and error, perallelling each other, yet useless and decidedly disadvantageous until comple ted ? It may be noted that half-completed useless organs cannot survive even accor ding to Darwin; (xiv) If the mammary glands in females came about by slow evolution, how did these females feed their young in the meantime? If they already had another satisfactory way to feed their young, then why deve lop breasts? If breasts developed because they were a superior way of feeding, then why do we still have animals that feed otherwise in a satisfactory way and survive just as well? (xv) Spiders have special organs for spinning web without which they could catch no food. How did they survive the millions of years when these organs were evolving? If they gained food in other ways, what was the need of spinning organs? (xvi) All the cosmologists agree that all the planets were once a compact whole and that they suddenly split up with a big explosion into several galaxies. Only recently, man has landed on the moon, the satellite and at one time a part of the earth. The American astronauts brought back large quantities of moon-rock, as also the Russian Luna-16. The researches carried out so far have not been able to prove that there is life on the moon, although they have discovered that a very slight quantity of water (water that originates all living cells) exists in the moon crust. Why is there no life on the moon; if the scientists of tomorrow are able to discover bacteria in the moon soil, why did then bacteria not evolve into more perfect forms?; why did they not evolve into homosapiens or any other perfect form on the surface of the moon? If the lifeless elements of the earth could originate living cells and produce homosapiens, why could the moon-soil not decorate itself with living phenomena? Act of a Creator: By examining all the questions posed above, we come to the conclusion that all living phenomena of the world are the result of spontaneous creation and in no way can it be attributed to organic evolu tion. E. C. Kornfeld, a research chemist of repute, has very ably demonstrated that— “So highly intricate are the organic bio-chemi cal processes functioning in the animal organism, that it is not surprising that malfunc tion and disease occasionally intervene. One is rather amazed that a mechanism of such intricacy could ever function properly at all. All this demands a planner and sustainer of infinite intelligence. The simplest man-made mechanism requires a planner and a maker. How a mechanism ten thousand times more involved and intricate can be conceived of as self-constructed and self-developed is comp letely beyond me. ( E C Kornfeld (The Evidence of God in an Expanding Universe). Even in this computer age, the most skilled computerists are inclined to assert that this orderly functioning of the universe and the living phenomena in it cannot go on automatically, the precise exactitude in its working points to its designer and planner which they have termed as super-master computer, who can be none else than the Creator and Controller of the universe, the Almighty God. A famous mathematician and chemist, John Cleveland Cothran, has very finely put forth his views in these words: “Chemistry discloses that matter is ceasing to exist, some varieties exceedingly slowly, others exceedingly swiftly. Therefore the existence of matter is not eternal. Consequently, matter must have had a beginning. Evidence from chemistry and other sciences indicates that this beginning was not slow and gradual; on the contrary, it was sudden, and the evidence even indicates the approximate time when it occurred. Thus, at some rather definite time the material realm was created and ever since has been obeying LAW, not the dictates of chance. “Now, the material realm not being able to create itself and its governing laws, the act of creation must have been performed by some non-material agent. The stupendous marvels accomplished in that act show that this agent must possess superlative intelligence, an attribute of mind. But to bring mind into action in the material realm, as, for example, in the practice of medicine and in the field of parapsychology, the exercise of WILL is required, and this can be exerted only by a PERSON. Hence our logical and inescapable conclusion is not only that crea tion occurred, but that it was brought about according to the plan and will of a Person possessing supreme intelligence and know ledge (omniscience), and the power to bring it about and keep it running according to plan (omnipotence) always and everywhere throughout the universe (omnipresence). That is to say, we accept unheistatingly the fact of the existence of “the supreme spiritual Being, God, the Creator and Director of the universe. Sir Isaac Newton once got a Skillful mechanic make him a miniature replica of our solar system with balls representing the planets geared together by cogs and belts so as to move in harmony when cranked. Later, Newton was visited by one of his atheist friend scientist who did not believe in God. The following was the conversation which took place between them: “The scientist slowly turned the crank, and with undisguised admiration watched the heavenly bodies all move in their relative speed in their orbits. Standing off a few feet, he exclaimed, ‘My! What an exquisite thing this is! Who made it? Without looking up from his book, Newton answered, ‘Nobody “Quickly turning to Newton, the atheist said, ‘Evidently you did not understand my ques tion. I asked who made this? Looking up now, Newton solemnly assured him that no body made it, but that the aggregation of matter so much admired had just happened to assume the form it was in. But the astonish ed atheist replied with some heat, ‘You must think I am a fool! Of course, somebody made it, and he is a genius, and I’d like to know who he is,’ “Laying his book aside, Newton arose and laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. ‘This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you know, and 1 am not able to convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker; yet you profess to believe that the great original form which the design is taken has come into being without either designer or maker? Now tell me by what sort of reasoning do you reach such an incongruous conclusion? Thus, Newton convinced his atheist friend that whatever is made does not evolve of itself without any maker and designer. Can any evolutionist ever say that a space satellite in orbit around the earth got there when a chance co-ordination of metal molecules formed a capsule on earth, which just happened to be connected to an evolved rocket and fuel tank and that all of this just chanced to go into perfect orbit with out any directing intelligence ? If not, then by what logic and by what reasoning can he claim that the most complex things of all living phenomena on our planet did not require the agency of a maker? Says Boyce Humann, famous biologist:- ‘Lifting our eyes to the heavens, we surely must exclaim with wonder at the orderly sweep of the stars. Night after night, season after season, year after year, century after century, the worlds of the outer space have followed their courses through the sky. They return so regularly in their orbits that eclipses may be predicted centuries in advance. Is anyone still asking whether they might be just accidental condensations of galactic materials, haphazardly wandering about?’ The missing links and the fossil records: The evolutionists claim that all living things gradually evolved from one-celled organisms into higher forms of life. This evolutionary process means that there is a chain-link between all the species. When the evolutionists say that man has descended from apes; then there must be several species interlinking both the apes and the homo sapiens. This interlinking species has been named as primates, which were a developed form of apes, but had not yet become man. In spite of their dogged search in the nooks and corners of the earth, the evolutionists have not been able to bring forth any such species which can be termed as ‘a creature below man but above apes. Helplessly, the poor supporters of evolution point out to the fos sillic finds. While on the one hand, it is interesting to observe that when the so-called fore-fathers (apes) and descendants (man) of this primate crea ture which was swallowed by the whale of time, are still alive the inter-linking creature withered away and became fossillised in the crusts of the earth; on the other it is still more interesting that these fossils provide no clue whatsoever to this missing link, and the fossils so far excavated have not proved to be of the so-called primates. This has baffled the evolutionists all along. Even Darwin had to humbly apologise in this matter. He said, “To the question, why we do not find rich fossiliferous deposits belonging to these assumed earliest periods prior to the cambrian system, I can give no satisfactory answer.” A modern evolutionist, writing in the ‘New- York Times’ of October 25, 1964, admitted that: “The chief puzzle of the record of life’s history on earth, is the sudden appearance some 600 million years ago, of most basic divisions of the plant and animal kingdoms. There is virtually no record of how these divisions came about.” In the face of all this, the devout evolutionists have tried to deceive the world by playing and improving upon the scanty fossil record. In 1891 a Dutch surgeon, Professor Dubois, found some fossils in Java and declared it to be remains of the so called horno-erectus primate. Later research on the fossils proved it to be a vile effort on the part of the said Professor to deceive the world. Encyclo-paedia Britannica remarks: “The five fossil fragments found were: a skull cap which outwardly had the form which might be expected in a giant form of gibbon, a left, thigh bone and three teeth. The most distant parts of the fragments were 20 paces apart. Later he added a sixth fragment – part of a lower jaw found in another part of the island but in a stratum of same geological age.” Thus this enthusiastic evolutionist, in order to support the theory bade farewell to the scientific method and deceived the world by placing together the scanty scraps of fossil bones excavated at diffe rent places (in the case of the sixth fragment, even miles away from the other finds) Similarly, in 1922 a fossil tooth was found in Nebraska and the evolu tionists hailed it to be belonging to an anthropoid ape, but the later research proved it to be that of a fossil peccary (a piglike animal). The Science News Letter of February 25, 1961, has exposed another fake “One of the most famous fakes exposed by scientific proof was Piltdown man found in Sussex, England—and thought by some to be 500,000 years old. After much ‘controversy, it turned out to be not a primitive man at all, but a composite of a skill of modern man and the jaw-bone of an ape. The jaw-bone had been ‘doctored with bichromate of potash and iron to make it look mineralized.” The present fossil record is, thus, nothing but a hoax, faked by the atheist evolutionists; the future also does not hold good promise. The true and best way for the evolutionists should have been to rely on scientific method of finding truth by supporting their conclusions with facts, otherwise reject the same. On the contrary, the evolutionists draw conclusions from the facts which do not exist from the fossil record which is missing. Is this science and logic? The above extracts prove beyond any shadow of doubt that the 3/4 fossil record of the earth is missing, and the remaining 1/4, in itself a hoax engineered by evolutionists, supports a sudden creation and in no case a slow evolution. It shows well-defined species and no transitio nal forms representing intermediate evolutionary form. Charles Drawin himself admits it in quite a humble apologetic tone: “Why, if species have descended from other species by fine gradations, do we not see everywhere innumerable transitional forms. Why is not all nature in confusion, instead of the species being as we see them well defined? “But as by this (evolution) theory innumera ble transitional forms must have existed, why we do not find them embedded in countless numbers in the crust of the earth. Geological research does not yield the infinitely many fine gradations between past and present species required”. To these he finds no answer, and in order to stave off humiliation, says “I believe the answer lies in the record being in comparably less perfect than is generally sup posed”. Then why to build a theory on a record that does not exist or is incomparably imperfect? It is admitted on all hands that the record of fossils in the rocks shows no slow evolving from family to family. Families remain constant. New families appear suddenly and there is no proof of their having undergone through long periods gradual deve lopment. No fossil has been found that clearly shows even one of the millions of transitional forms. Why so many fossils of existing families but no series of fossils showing evolution of new organs? Why does the fossil record suffer from extreme imperfection only at those critical points where families are being bridged, eyes, ears and other organs being gradually evolved and why it is so perfect within each family? It was perhaps this reason that compelled Dr. Clark, a Smithsomian Institute biologist to say in the ‘Quar terly Review of Biology’ that instead of evolution by process of gradual development, it has come about by a series of jumps from one major form of life to another?’ As for the group animals,” he says, “the creationsists seem to have the better of the arguments. There is not the slightest evidence that any one of the major groups arose from any other. Professor D’ Arey Thompson says in his book “On Growth and Forms’. ‘Eighty years study of Darwinian evolution has not taught us how birds descend from reptiles, mammals from earlier quadruped, quadrupeds from fishes, nor vertebrates from the invertebrate stock. A principle of discon tinuity then is inherent in all our classification. To seek for stepping stones between the gaps is to seek in vain forever” In spite of their best efforts, even the devout evolutionists have not so far been able to give any satisfactory answer to the following questions, nor there is any likelihood that the future will enable them to; (a) Where are all the’ in-between’ stages or links of the evolutionary chain in either the fossil record or in the record of living things today? (b) Why is it always the same story that the intermediate transitional links between major groups of plants animals are missing? Why do the major groups of complex organism always appear suddenly, separa-ted by structural gaps from members of other groups? © Why are such things as arms, legs, eyes and wings always found to be completely developed? Where are the various stages of development in different limb and organs? Is Man descended from Animals: The evolutionists are still harping on the same string and claim that man is descended from ani­mals, that he is essentially an animal and there is no basic difference between man and brute. But the following basic and fundamental differences do exist. How do the evolutionists account for them? 1) They say that all animals form the lowest worm to the highest form are the slaves of their innate instincts. These instincts compel them to perform certain specific actions in certain specific actions in certain specific situations: a hungry wolf will but pounce upon a weak lamb to satify his appetite. But what about man? A saint of Madina, Hazrat Ali, in spite of having remained without food for three days cheerfully afforded to give his loaf of bread to a needy person and himself remained con tent with only a cup of water for breaking fast. How can one account for this strange behaviour where the instinct of food-see king and self-preservation are ignored in favour of charity and self control? (2) The object and aim of all the activities of an animal life is self-preservation and race-preservation. By his very nature an animal can not do any thing which is likely to harm his being. If a man is nothing but an animal, then how can one explain cases of suicide and self-immola tion? (3) Man has got self-consciousness and free will which are absent in the whole terres tial creation. How do the evolutionists explain this phenomenon? (4) Animals respond instinctively in one way only. The beehive built by been ten thousand years ago, is exactly of the same pattern as today but man has steadily improved upon his knowledge and simple houses have progressed into sky- scrapers. Whence this basic difference? Is there a single instance of an animal building on accumulated knowledge? How do the evolutionists bridge the mental gulf that separates man from all animals. Why have all efforts to educate appreciably the chimpanzee or any other animal failed and why have all primitive people been able to receive the highest education? (5) Every person has got an inborn God-con sciousness and moral sense. Sense of justice and truth are found innate in every man without any exception. They are not the result of persuation of education. Animals have none of these noble attri butes, why this difference? (6) Animals have sensations, notions, impu lses etc. but thought in its true sense belongs to man and man alone. Human thought ranges from the lowest grades to the very highest. Could anyone explain this difference? (7) The innermost recesses of the human unconscious mind (Ba’tin) reveal future events in dreams and visions, Can this phenomenon be explained in any way except in the context of religion and spiri tualism? (8) Man is endowed with conscience, perfect intelligence and reason, but these things are absent in animal world: Why? The above points prove, beyond any shadow of doubt, that there is an unbridgeable gap between man and beast. The rational western mind, fed up with and frustrated by the Christian mythologies, enigmatic exposition of God and incarnation of Jesus Christ instead of rejecting christian dogma in par ticular, chose to defy the very basis of religion in general, and sailed in difficult muddy waters which obviously anchored them on atheistic shores. The philosophers like Kant and Hume first took the initiative and the thread was later on picked up by indignant scientists, who had been hitherto the oppressed victims of the Church. The wise path would have been for the scientists at least to adopt a scientific method and be rational in their approach to the problem, but, unfortunately prejudiced western scientists jumped at a conclusion, an imaginary and biased conclusion, before resorting to any scienti fic process and finding sufficient material to prove it. They asserted that man has descended from beasts, but have not so far been able to substantiate it with any solid proof. Thus, unproved and unprovable, evolution is a faith in fossils that do not exist, and faith in links that are still missing. It is a blind faith induced by a fear, fear of what a smart world saturated with evolution might think. It is a pity that some of our so-called modern minded Muslims are making an unholy alliance between the Holy Qur’an and this Darwinian Mechanistic Evolution and claim that this theory is in perfect consonance with the Quranic conception of creation. Evolution is negation of God; on the contrary the Quran puts emphasis on the unity and existence of God, the Almighty, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Director and Controller of the unive rse. There can be no convergence and confluence of these two different streams: The Quranic Version of Man’s Creation: The Holy Qur’an, the Mother of All-Knowledge, has very clearly explained the process of man’s creation and has left no uncertainty what-soever in this regard. Before Adam, the first man, was created, God disclosed to the angels that He was going to create His Viceroy on the earth (11: 30). ‘And remember when thy Lord said unto angels: Lo I am creating a mortal out of potter’s clay of black altered. So when I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit, do ye fall down prostrating your selves unto him’ (VI: 28-29). Then came the stage when man’s creation was actually taken up “And He began the Creation of man from clay.” (XXXEI) Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit and appointed for him hearing and sight and heart’ (XXXII-9) All this took place in the heaven and not on earth, as will be evident from the following verses:- “And We said: 0 Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Heaven and eat ye freely thereof where ye will, but come not nigh that tree, lest ye become wrong doers. But Satan caused them to deflect their cause and expelled them from the state in which they were and We said: Fall down one of you a foe unto other; THERE SHALL BE FOR YOU ON EARTH A HABITATION AND PROVISION FOR A TIME (II: 35-36).”. Thus Adam and his wife, Eve, were sent down on the earth complete in all respects, lacking no limb or sinew which would have been added later on through the process of evolution. Apart from the Holy Quran, the Tradi-tions of the Holy Prophet are so abundantly clear about the shape of Adam, that they have defined each and every limb of the first Man, Adam, to be in complete resemblance with those of the Last Prophet (Peace be upon him). It was only consequent upon the deviation of Adam from God’s command (not to touch the forbidden tree) that he was expelled from Heaven and descended on earth. It is wrong at this stage to think that on his expulsion from the Eden, the com-plete body of Adam might have been put into the embryo of some already existing creature (say, anthropoid apes, as held by some Muslims modernists) in order to carry it through the process of evolution. But on a careful study of the verses of the Holy Quran relating to the creation of Adam and Eve, this nation also shatters into pieces. If for a moment for the sake of argument, it is admitted that this is a true notion, then we are bound to admit that ‘THAT LUCKY CREATURE’ would have been parent of Adam. This is the law of anthropology and cannot bear any deviation or exception. But the holy Quran has emphatically rejected this idea. While referring to the case of Jesus Christ, the Holy Quran says that the FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST HOLD HIM EQUAL TO GOD for the simple reason that he was created without the agency of a father. Jesus case was quite identical to that of Adam. Let it not be forgotten that Adam was created without father and mother. Adam’s miraculous birth was more marvelous than that of Jesus Christ; if Adam cannot be God, how can Jesus be? Contextually, though this verse is not so relevant to the creation of man as to the non- Godhead of Jesus, yet this verse elucidates the fact that Adam had no parents. It is crystal clear from the above verses of the Holy Quran that man was created, complete in all respects, in the Heaven, was bestowed with the gift of speaking (Surah LV-4) and on account of his deviation was descended on the earth to live there for a period. In order to enable Adam to further reproduce his off-spring, God then equipped him with the necessary means. “Then he made his seed from an extract of despised fluid (XXXII : 8)” O mankind Be careful of your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women (4: 1) On the earth the process of reproduction, through sexual mating, went on and until the present moment no evolutionary development occurred in his form or manner. He has been complete in all respects ever since the day he was created “Surely we have created man in the best make (XCV : 4). Apart from the creation of Adam, the Holy Quran has also thrown a flood of light on the origin of fauna on the earth. “And Allah has created every animal from water: among them are some that go upon their bellies and among them are some that go upon two feet and among them are some that go upon four feet. Allah creates what He pleases. It means that every living phenomena of the universe was created by God in a separate and complete form, and there is no point in assuming that the fungi-like phenomena grew into reptiles, reptiles involved into mammals or quadruples. The whole universe was created with a set purpose and was not a result of purposeless evolution as erroneously held by the evolutionists, or their unfortunate followers. Says the Holy Quran “We created not the heaven and earth and all that is bet-ween the two in play: if We had ‘wished a pastime, we would have surely found it in what is with Us, if at all We were to do such a thing (XXI : 16)’. And a purposeful creation is not in need of any crutch of, evolution. The above scientific discussion coupled with theological exposition will be more than an eye opener for the misguided people whose eyes have been dazzled with the momentary light of baseless claims of evolutionists, and would be able to glance at the rightful, permanent Guidance of God, contained in the Holy Quran.’ “And our last call shall be; “Praise be to the Lord of all the worlds.” “And may Allah’s choicest blessings and peace be upon the most virtuous of all Rasuls upon his family, his Companions and his followers till the day of Qiyaamah. We beg this O Allah, through Your Mercy; O You Merciful One.” And Allah knows best. Darul Iftaa Source

Deep Love Once a person came to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and said: O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), my love for you is such that when I think of you, I am overwhelmed with your love, to the extent that I do not find any satisfaction until I see you. O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), the thought crosses my heart that if Allah Ta’ala has to bless me with Paradise, it will be very difficult for me to see you, for you will be in a lofty position high above where I will not be able to reach.” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) consoled him by reciting the foregoing verses in his reply. وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّـهَ وَالرَّسولَ فَأُولـٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذينَ أَنعَمَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيهِم مِنَ النَّبِيّينَ وَالصِّدّيقينَ وَالشُّهَداءِ وَالصّالِحينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولـٰئِكَ رَفيقًا ﴿٦٩﴾ All those who obey Allah Ta’ala and the messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah Ta’ala; the Ambiyaa, the Siddeeqeen, the martyrs, and the Righteous يَا رَبِّ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَدًا عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيرِ الخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ

The Perfect Example! The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam is the best example for us of how to treat our loved ones and those around us. Allah all-Mighty says in the Quran about the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam, “And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character." [al-Qalam: 4] The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam himself never hit a woman, a child, or an animal The Companion Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) helped serve the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam for 10 years during his youth. He described his personal experiences with the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam and said: “I served the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam for ten years. He never said to me ‘uff!’ (a word in the Arabic language used to express one’s annoyance). And he never said about a thing I did, ‘why did you do that?’ And he never said about a thing I left, ‘why did you leave that?’ The Messenger of God sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam was the best of people in character…” [Tirmidhi] Sayyiduna Mu’āwiyah ibn Hakam (radhiallaahu anhu) narrates, ‘I have never seen and will never see a teacher better than Rasulullah (salallahu alayhi wasallam). I take an oath in the name of Allah, he did not rebuke, hit nor reprimand me.’

Advices of Scholars I got angry at my kids because they were fighting and making a mess at home, so i hit them hard. How I can become a more gentle mother to my children and not hit The Ideal Case

Wise Advices Imam Ghazali on the ways of Disciplining Children The famous historian Allamah Ibn Khaldoon (R.A.A.) while very wisely discussing the nature of students and the unhealthy result of unnecessary harshness writes:

Hitting and Verbally Abusing Children Muslim parents have the duty to teach their children correct behavior, both by word and example. The issue of whether and when to use corporal punishment is important both because of the need to fulfill that duty and because corporal punishment is outlawed in some places in the West. Parents in those countries must be aware that if they hit their children, the authorities can take their children away. Thus it is imperative for Muslim parents to understand and use the Prophet’s method of teaching children, which condoned hitting only as a last resort. It was reported that he himself (peace and blessings be upon him) never hit a child. Focusing on the question in point, the eminent Muslim scholar Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Imam of Calgary Mosque, Alberta, Canada, and former professor at King Saud University, Riyad, Saudi Arabia, states: “This is a very important question. Actually, we are living today between two extremes: one group of people has gone to the extreme in the methods of discipline and punishment that they right away use beating as their first priority and the first way to discipline the child. On the other hand, another group of people has gone so loose in this regard that they ignore the issue of disciplining at all and they keep spoiling the child without giving him or her any kind of warning when he or she does a mistake. In Islam, both trends are not acceptable. As far as the stance of Islam on hitting children is concerned, Islam strikes a balance between the above mentioned trends. We have to understand two things in this respect: 1. Islam considers hitting the child as a form of discipline and not a form of punishment and show of resentment. 2. If one happens to use physical discipline, it has to be the last resort when all other means prove to be of no avail. One of the hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that talks about this issue reads as follows: "Teach your children to pray when they are seven; discipline them if they don't when they reach ten; and arrange their beds separately." So, it is clear that physical disciplining comes as a last resort in the method of teaching. Further, Islam instructs us about the way of using physical discipline. We have to avoid the face, sensitive areas, private parts; we have to use physical discipline very carefully in a way that does not leave any marks or causes any pain. It is just a symbol of warning and not a form of showing resentment, as we said. As for the second part of the question, verbal abuse is totally rejected in Islam. We are instructed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to mind our words and never insult any person or call him or her names. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: "I am not used to insulting people or calling them names." Source

Status of the Hadith: “My Companions are like the Stars” The following hadith is often quoted when discussing the topic of the rank of the Sahabah (radiyallahu’anhum). أصحابي كالنجوم بأيهم اقتديتم اهتديتم “My Companions are like the stars, whichever of them you follow you will be rightly guided” Although there exists numerous verses of the Quran as well as ahadith (plural of Hadith) on this matter, the following is a research into the authenticity of the narration in question. Original sources Hafiz ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has written the following while referencing this narration: “It has several chains and is reported by the following Sahabah (rahiyallahu’anhum): Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhu) -Musnad ‘Abd Ibn Humaid (see the Muntakhab, hadith: 781) Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu’anhu) –Jami’u Bayanil ‘ilmi wa fadhlihi, (vol.2 pg.181) Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu’anhuma) – Al-Madkhal of Baihaqi. Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhu) – Al-Madkhal of Bahaqi & Al-Kamil of Ibn ‘Adiy Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu’anhu) – Musnad Ibn Abi ‘Umar. He writes further: “The wordings for this narration vary, with the closest to the above being that of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhuma) and Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu’anhu)” (Muwafaqatil Khubr, pgs.86-88) The classification of this Hadith The authenticity of this Hadith has been debated extensively by the Muhaddithun. Some have classified it as weak, others have said it is Hasan (sound) and a small minority has exaggerated by considering it a fabrication. A common phenomena One of the reasons for such difference of opinion is the fact that at times, one Muhaddith (expert in Hadith), may regard a particular Hadith as weak due to the chain of narrators that was available to him, whilst another Muhaddith may have a totally different chain which may also be weak and so on. When all these chains are gathered, they could collectively gain the strength for credibility and acceptance. Hence, occasionally, one would notice that the earlier Muhaddithun may have classified a certain narration as weak, whilst some latter day Muhaddith who was able to gather the various chains, regards it as authentic or at least acceptable. Another scenario of the above could be that when all the various chains are gathered, some Muhaddithun still maintain that the narration is weak, whilst other experts conclude that it has gained enough strength for acceptance. This seems to be the case in the Hadith in question. Since the field of grading Ahadith is one that is based on analogical deductions, it is therefore prone to difference of opinion. My opinion Several Muhaddithun have ruled that this Hadith is weak, and some have stated that it is acceptable due to the collective strength that is acquired from the various chains. The writer concurs with the latter view based on the following: 10 Muhaddithun who authenticated this narration 1. Imam Bayhaqi (rahimahullah) has mentioned that though all its chains are weak, its subject matter is supported by other authentic Ahadith. (Kitabul I’tiqad; Tuhfatul Akhyar of Ml. Abdul-Hayy Laknawi, pg.57, Al-Badrul Muneer, vol.9 pg.588 and Talkhisul Habir of Hafiz ibn Hajar, vol.4 pg.464) 2. Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (rahimahullah) has also mentioned another authentic narration that implies the same meaning. (al-Amalil Mutlaqah pgs.59-62) 3. Furthermore, although Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal (rahimahullah) had refuted the authenticity of this narration at one stage of his life, in another instance, he actually accepted it. Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah (rahimahullah) has mentioned that, “Imam Ahmad had used these words as proof and this indicates that he regarded it as authentic.” (refer footnotes on Tuhfatul Akhyar pg.62) 4. Allamah San’ani (rahimahullah) has stated in his book entitled, ‘Tawdihul Afkar’: “As for ibn Abdil-Barr, he also used it as proof in his book, ‘Al-Tamhid’ and he did not comment on it. So, possibly, he considered the combination of all the chains a strengthening factor, or maybe he knew of other Ahadith that strengthen its meaning.” (Ibid pg.63) Furthermore, Hafiz ibn ‘Abdil Barr (rahimahullah) even clearly disagreed with those who completely deny its authenticity. See Jami’u bayanil ‘ilm, vol.2 pgs.180-181. 5. Imam Saghani (rahimahullah) has also classified it as Hasan. (Tuhfatul Akhyar, pg.54; Sharhut Tibi alal Mishkat) 6. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) writes: “The opening paragraphs of the book of ‘Uthman Al-Darimi can give the impression of it being a strong narration” (Tuhfatu Talib, pg.141) i.e. It seems like Imam ‘Uthman Al-Darimi was of the view of this narration being strong. 7. My Teacher, Al-Muhaddith Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (may Allah protect him) writes: “This hadith is debated extensively, but it does have several chains. Therefore Ibn Rajab (rahimahullah) chose to quote it and to support this issue with it.” (Footnotes on: Ma’alim Irshadiyyah, pg.56) 8. Allamah Qasim ibn Qutlubugha (rahimahullah) – a renown Hanafi Muhaddith and Faqih- has stated, “it’s chains have defects, but they strengthen each other.” (refer Tuhfatul Akhyar pg.134) 9. The learned Muhaddith and Shafi’i Faqih (jurist), Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Haytami (rahimahullah) has classified this Hadith as Hasan (soundly authentic). (Tuhfatul Akhyar, pg.63) 10. ‘Allamah Ibn ‘Allan (rahimahullah)- the acclaimed commentator of Riyadhus Saliheen- said: “The defect in this chain in such a situation is harmless” (i.e. since it pertains to virtue) (Daleelul Faliheen, vol.1 pg.410, hadith:192) Conclusion In light of the above ten quotations, it would be proper for one to quote the blessed Hadith in question. If an individual still maintains that it is a weak narration, then as mentioned earlier, this was also the view of some Muhaddithun and should therefore be respected. (Their quotations have been omitted for the purpose of brevity.) In such cases, it should be remembered that there is no need for vicious opposition because both sides have the support of great, eminent scholars and both views should be respected. However, the exaggeration of classifying it a fabrication is unacceptable. (See end of footnote on: Ma’alim Irshadiyyah, pg.56) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best al-miftah

Beating children to Teach the Qur'an Question Is it allowed in islam to beat childern to teach them quran. I was told by many people that it is allowed infact necessary to beat children to make them hafiz or teach quran. Once my cousin's son mulana punched him in the stomach when he made a mistake causing the child to vomit, when appoarched by his parents the mullana said that he did not do anything wrong infact the only way to make chilren hafiz is to beat the severely if they make a mistake and that this is alowed in islam. Are we allowed to hit chilren on head or face, or hit them in a manner that marks are left on their bodies or great pain is caused. please give me some references from prophet (saw) life & sayings Answer Bismillah Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance) Jabir (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) forbade (the animals to be beaten) on the face or cauterisation on the face. (Muslim) Jabir (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) reported that there happened to pass before Allah's Apostle (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) an ass the face of which had been cauterised, whereupon he said: Allah has cursed one who has cauterised it (on the face). (Muslim) It is understood from the above Hadiths that it is forbidden to beat an animal on the face, let alone a human. Also, Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "It is unlawful to inflict harm upon your self and others.� (Mustadrak of al-Hakim) 'Aysha (Radhiyallahu 'Anha) reports: ''Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam) did not hit anything with his hands, besides the time when he made Jihaad in the Path of Allah. He did not hit a servant nor a women (wife, slave girl etc.)''. (Shama'il) One should learn and teach the Quran with love, respect and patience, Du'a. Allah Ta'ala Says: "Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it; and whatever he forbids you, abstain. And fear Allah; surely, Allah is Stern in retribution." (59:7) And Only Allah Ta'ala Knows Best. Moulana Qamruz Zaman London, UK Source

Would it be correct to hit Madrasah Children in order to Discipline them? Question: Please advise me if it would be permissible to discipline a student for not following madrasah rules or for not working by slapping on the face and giving cuts on the knuckles? Will this method be correct or will it create disdain in the student’s heart? Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. The relationship between a teacher and his student should be one of respect which is founded on love and not fear. The teacher is the means to spiritually nurture the child. He equips his student with the core principles of Islam which will help him throughout his life. The student must value and appreciate his teacher who is teaching him the path to eternal success. Likewise, the teacher should appreciate the student for being a means of his salvation on the Day of Judgment. Why was the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) so successful as a teacher? What pulled the hearts of his Sahābah (students) towards him? Contemplate over the following statements: The Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Allah did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He sent me to teach and make things easy.” Sayyiduna Mu’āwiyah ibn Hakam (radhiallaahu anhu) narrates, ‘I have never seen and will never see a teacher better than Rasulullah (salallahu alayhi wasallam). I take an oath in the name of Allah, he did not rebuke, hit nor reprimand me.’ [ii] Rasulullah (salallahu alayhi wasallam)’s attitude towards his Sahābah (students) was of care and love. He said, ‘I am to you like a father to his son.’ [iii] He (salallaahu alayhi wasallam) also emphasised that a teacher should treat his students with care and respect. Sayyiduna Abu Sa῾īd Al-Khudrī (radhiallaahu anhu) narrates that the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) said, ‘People from far and wide will come to you in order to study and understand Deen. You should treat them kindly.’ [iv] If a student has improper conduct and it is effecting his education as well as the education of his fellow colleagues, the teacher should solve the situation with wisdom and diplomacy. The teacher should follow the way of the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) in all his affairs. He must feed love into the hearts of the students. Hitting children in this day and age has no positive outcome; it has the reverse effect. Children become rebellious and can confront the teacher. With all probability, one who resorts to hitting children can find himself in a legal battle. Some practical steps to discipline children: 1) Make dua to Allah Ta῾ālā for the success of the student 2) Speak to the child with love in seclusion. 3) Use the silent treatment. Do not give attention to the child. 4) Deprive misbehaving students of privileges. 5) Hand out detentions. 6) Speak to the parents of the misbehaving child. 7) Give sweets to those children who behave. This will be an incentive for all children to work. Once again, the best medium to discipline children is by winning their hearts. Win their heart over and they will submit to you. However, do keep in mind the nature of children. They all still young and like to play around. Even when we were children we were the same. We could not sit still for five minutes. Hence, give them time wherein they can play, talk and simply refresh themselves. It is vital we make madrasah fun for children. Devise various ways to teach them. Be creative in your presentation. We make dua to Almighty Allah He opens His doors of mercy for you. Āmīn. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Mawlana Faraz Ibn Adam, Student Darul Iftaa UK Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. www.daruliftaa.net صحيح مسلم رقم الحديث 707 [ii] عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ السُّلَمِيِّ، قَالَ: بَيْنَا أَنَا أُصَلِّي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، إِذْ عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ، فَقُلْتُ: يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ فَرَمَانِي الْقَوْمُ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاثُكْلَ أُمِّيَاهْ، مَا شَأْنُكُمْ؟ تَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَجَعَلُوا يَضْرِبُونَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ عَلَى أَفْخَاذِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُمْ يُصَمِّتُونَنِي لَكِنِّي سَكَتُّ، فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَبِأَبِي هُوَ وَأُمِّي، مَا رَأَيْتُ مُعَلِّمًا قَبْلَهُ وَلَا بَعْدَهُ أَحْسَنَ تَعْلِيمًا مِنْهُ، فَوَاللهِ، مَا كَهَرَنِي وَلَا ضَرَبَنِي وَلَا شَتَمَنِي، قَالَ: «إِنَّ هَذِهِ الصَّلَاةَ لَا يَصْلُحُ فِيهَا شَيْءٌ مِنْ كَلَامِ النَّاسِ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ التَّسْبِيحُ وَالتَّكْبِيرُ وَقِرَاءَةُ الْقُرْآنِ» صحيح مسلم رقم الحديث 33 [iii] وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «إِنَّمَا أَنَا لَكُمْ مِثْلُ الْوَالِدِ لِوَلَدِهِ، سنن إبن ماجه رقم الحديث 313 [iv] حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ وَكِيعٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ الحَفَرِيُّ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي هَارُونَ العَبْدِيِّ، قَالَ: كُنَّا نَأْتِي أَبَا سَعِيدٍ، فَيَقُولُ: مَرْحَبًا بِوَصِيَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ النَّاسَ لَكُمْ تَبَعٌ، وَإِنَّ رِجَالًا يَأْتُونَكُمْ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ الأَرَضِينَ يَتَفَقَّهُونَ فِي الدِّينِ، فَإِذَا أَتَوْكُمْ فَاسْتَوْصُوا بِهِمْ خَيْرًا» سنن الترمذي رقم الحديث 2650 Source

Children hit by Islamic Studies Teachers Question: What is Mufti Saheb’s view about hitting as a means of reforming naughty students? Answer: The core of Islam is respect for the Quran (being the word of Allah) and the Hadith ( being the word of Rasulullah (S.A.W). Islam teaches us to be respectful in all aspects of Life. The equivalent of respect in Arabic is Azmat which means to regard as great and with high esteem. A believer holds Allah, His Rasul (S.A.W), and all Islamic values in high esteem. The relationship between the Ustaad and Student should be a one of respect based on love and not on fear. The Ustaad is a means of cultivating the Azmat of Allah, His Rasul and all Islamic values in the heart of his students. The student will grow up with the Azmat in his heart and practice Islam with the respect and high esteem it deserves. The Ustaad will be rewarded for that and whatever good emanates from that, it will be a Sadaqa Jaariya (recurring reward) for the Ustaad. The Ustaad is also making an investment for himself for the Aakhira. The student is a means for that. He should also be thankful to the student for giving him the opportunity to sew his seed of knowledge in his heart. The Ustaad should value that and appreciate his student. He too stands to benefit by way of rewards from Allah. For that he too should sacrifice and bear with the student. He is an adult with more experience in life. He should contain himself against any odds emanating from his student. He must have the Azmat of Allah and the Quran in his heart at all times. To the extent that he has Azmat of Deen in his heart, that will be passed over to the student. It is also part of the Azmat of Deen to respect students of Deen. They are the visitors of Allah and His Rasul (S.A.W). The walk on the wings of angels. All the creations of Allah make dua for them. If an Ustaad is conscious of the lofty position of his students, he too will treat his students with respect. If by chance he witnesses anything unbecoming of his student, he guides his student. The student has placed his confidence in the Ustad to be guided. The student will appreciate that guidance. If that now he does not appreciate due to mental immaturity, he will recall it later in life and appreciate the advice. No advice and good character of the Ustaad goes in vain. It is sad to note the conduct of the Ustad in this email. According to Shariah it is haraam to hit a student of Deen. I have written about this before and attached is the article. It should also be remembered that Islam is also about respect and Azmat of Deen. The students and parents too should bear this in mind. The Ustaad is a human being. He is bound to err and an effort be made to correct him with respect. It is praiseworthy of him that he has apologized for his wrong. He has done that only because he realized his wrong. The parents will be placed in a situation of pain for their child and Azmat of Deen they should find it in their heart to forgive the Ustaad and appreciate the hardwork he has done for their child thus far. The pain for the abuse is another investment for them and the child in the Aakhirat. This by no means should be taken as covering up the wrong of the Ustaad. You should meet the ustaad in confidence and offer your help to him. He is engaged in a lofty service. Win his confidence and let him present to you his difficulties. You could offer him some skills of anger management which will be useful for him and enhance the good work he is engaged in. For that you will be greatly rewarded in all his future endeavors. And Allah knows best Wassalam Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In’aamiyyah Source

Explaining a Hadith on Disciplining Children Answered by Ustadha Naielah Ackbarali Question: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) advised parents to deter their children from doing wrong and there are many hadiths on how to do so. However, I came across this hadith and am wondering if it’s saheeh: It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hang your whip where the members of the household can see it, for that will discipline them.” Answer: Bismi Llahir Rahmanir Rahimi When properly understood, the meaning of this hadith is a shining light that illuminates the spirit of Islamic principles concerning child development. It in no way advocates for the maltreatment of children. Rather, it is a reflection of the dire need for parents to actively engage in their children’s lives and dedicate themselves towards cultivating ‘little people’ who embody superior manners and outstanding conduct. This hadith was originally related by the Companion ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him). Imam al-Tabarani included the narration in his al-Kabir and al-Awsat. The scholar al-Haythami classified both isnads as hasan (sound). [al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id] Other scholars considered it to be weak. [al-Sakhawi, al-Maqasid al-Husna] Scholars note that hasan hadiths are authentic enough to be acted upon and used as religious proofs, but they are not at the level of strength as a sahih (rigorously authentic) hadith. [al-Ghawri, al-Muyassar fi ‘Ulum al-Hadith] The Prophet’s Treatment Towards Children Many people take this hadith out of its context. The scholar ibn al-Abbari wrote, “The intent of this hadith is not about beating (children) with the whip because the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) never ordered anyone with that.” [al-Munawi; Fayd al-Qadir] The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “He is not of us (the one) who does not have mercy on our young children, nor honor our elderly.” [Tirmidhi] The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) himself never even hit a woman, a child, or an animal. The Companion Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) helped serve the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) for 10 years during his youth. He described his personal experiences with the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said: “I served the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) for ten years. He never said to me ‘uff!’ (a word in the Arabic language used to express one’s annoyance). And he never said about a thing I did, ‘why did you do that?’ And he never said about a thing I left, ‘why did you leave that?’ The Messenger of God (Allah bless him and give him peace) was the best of people in character…” [Tirmidhi] “I served the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) for years. He never insulted me at all. He never hit me at all. And he never scolded me. And he never frowned at me in my face…” [al-Baghawi, al-Anwar fi Shama’il al-Nabi al-Mukhtar] The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the best example for us of how to treat our loved ones and those around us. Allah all-Mighty says in the Quran about the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), “And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character. [al-Qalam: 4] Prohibition of Child Abuse In Islam As such, this hadith in no way encourages child abuse as it is unlawful in Islam. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “There shall be no harm and no reciprocating harm.” [ibn Majah] Similarly, it does not grant parents the permission to unload their anger upon innocent children. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) counseled a man who asked for his advice and he (Allah bless him and give him peace) told him three times “Don’t get angry.” [bukhari] Parents who surpass the limitations of the Sacred Law must repent for their wrongdoing out of fear for their Lord as He says, “But those who disobey God and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein: And they shall have a humiliating punishment…” [al-Nisaa: 14] and when He says, “By thy Lord, We shall question every one of them for what they used to do…” [al-Hijr: 92-93] Explanation of the Hadith In truth, this hadith demonstrates the depth of the Prophet’s wisdom, especially in knowing how to deal with children and their various inclinations. The act of hanging one’s belt where children can see it is a measure taken to hopefully prevent children from falling into the vices of their surrounding environment by instilling a sense of awareness in them before they act. [al-Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir] It is a symbol that prompts remembrance in the child’s mind that he/she has a choice between doing what is right and what is wrong. It is an incentive to urge them towards being well-mannered and to shape them with exceptional character and complete excellence. [ibid] This is one way, out of the many ways, to aid a child’s recognition in realizing the big picture of this Life. Allah has informed us of the wondrous, bountiful treasures of Paradise if we follow the straight path and the terrifying, eternal burn of the Hellfire if we deter from its course. We choose the lives we live, and our actions will determine how our fate will end. Teaching a child the principle that there are boundaries in this World is a duty upon all righteous, God-fearing parents. Children depend on their parents and family members to guide them. A child is similar to the blind person outstretching his hand in anticipation that someone will hold it and steer him in the right direction. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The ruler over the people is a shepherd and he is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of his family and he is responsible for his flock. A woman is the shepherd of her husband’s household and she is responsible for her flock…” [bukhari, Muslim] Rulings Related to Different Disciplinary Actions There are various opinions of how to discipline one’s children. Some groups advocate physical forms of disciplinary action, while other groups completely oppose of it. The Islamic way is a middle ground between these two ideologies. Parents are only given permission to lightly smack their children in certain circumstances and with restrictive conditions. [Mawsu’a al-Difa’ ‘an al-Rasul] For example, scholars note that it is permissible for parents to give their child a light smack if they’ve previously resorted to other methods of disciplinary action that proved unsuccessful. Or another example is if the child has reached the age of 10 years and refuses to pray, after the parents have attempted since the age of 7 to exhort and instruct the child to worship the Lord of the Worlds. [ibn Zayn, al-‘Uqubat al-Tarbawiyya al-Mufida] If giving a child a light smack, one should know that 1. one cannot hit his face; 2. it cannot be a harsh or severe hitting; 3. it must be done with the intent to discipline the child, not out of anger; and 4. one cannot insult, degrade, or verbally abuse the child. Scholars concur that the best place to lightly smack a child is on the two hands or the two feet. [Mawsu’a al-Difa’ ‘an al-Rasul] Finding the Right Balance In truth, each child’s reaction to a disciplinary action may be different, and therefore, parents should investigate which forms of discipline are successful for their particular child. One female scholar advised parents to find a method that shows the child that one loves them but wants the best for them at the same time. After living in the Middle East for almost six years, I have personally seen numerous examples of families who maintain the correct balance. Many of the religious, outwardly practicing Arabs are very forthright in correcting their child’s behavior, while at the same time accomplishing it in a manner that is still gentle and loving. Some use the alternatives of a stern glare, or a strong word, or a moderate spanking if the child is overly disruptive and has been forewarned on several occasions. Children grow up loving, admiring, and honoring their parents to an extent that I’ve never witnessed before in my life. AlhamduLlilah, it is important to always remember that parents not only receive the reward for rearing their own God-fearing, religious children, but they will also receive the reward for the devout progeny that follow from generation to generation, inshaAllah. May Allah give us success in raising a generation of righteous children with sound character who possess a strong love and desire to emulate the best of creation, the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). Naielah Ackbarali Ramadan 4, 1431 August 14, 2010 Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani Source