It is a duty upon every sane person to be prepared for his departure (from this world), for one does not know when he will be served by his Lord's commands (to take away his soul) nor does he know how long it is going to be before he will be summoned (for the Day of Judgment).
I have seen so many people enchanted by their youth. They have forgotten that their peers no longer exist, yet they are preoccupied with prolonged hopes (to stay alive).
A person in the process of acquiring knowledge may tell himself; 'I will acquire knowledge today and will adopt it the following day.' Such (postponement) may leave him in his deviation whilst giving himself a break (for the day)! Delaying his readiness to achieve repentance, whilst exposing himself to be indulged in (sins, such as) backbiting or listening to such (backbiting) or getting involved in a Shubhah (suspected, Halaal or Haraam) matters. He hopes to cancel it out (i.e. the bad deed/s) through his would be observance, the following day, forgetting that death may be sudden.
The wise one is he who values each and every moment of his life, observing one's due duties. Then, if death was to come suddenly, one would be ready (to face The Judge, Allaah subhanahu wata'aala). However, if one is granted his wish (in his life being prolonged) that would mean the increasing of (one's scale of) good deeds.
A media to have discussion in English atmosphere....
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Disease Of Envy
This introduction by islaam.com is intended to briefly describe envy as a disease of the heart, preceding the text below it by Ibn Taymiyyah.
Envy is one of the major sins which is bound to destroy good deeds as fast as the fire burns the wood and dry grass to ashes. “Jealousy eats away at good deeds, just as fire eats away at firewood.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
Envy was described as a sickness by the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam.
Envy is hating that good happens to others.
Envy is displeasure with Allah's decree and His granting blessings upon others.
"Faith and envy do not go together in the heart of a servant." [Ibn Hibban, saheeh]
"The people will be fine as long as they do not envy one another." [At-Tabarani with trustworthy narrators]
Envy is a characteristic the Jews displayed towards the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, causing them to inflict him harm.
Envy leads to hatred.
The Prophet, sallallahu `alahi w sallam, described envy as a shearer of the religion.
Muslims are commanded in Soorah al-Falaq to seek refuge from the evil of the envier when he envies.
Envy is worse than miserliness; this is because the miser only stops himself from having good but the envier dislikes the favours of Allah bestowed upon His servants.
No one attains true belief until one loves for one’s brother what one loves for oneself.
It is said that the people who have the greatest degree of restlessness are the envious. Such a person has no peace and is continuously grieved.
The greatest harm from envy comes to the envier, who with one’s displeasure with Allah’s decree attains a great loss to oneself.
Al-Mubarrad recited the following lines:
The eye of the envier always sees scandal,bringing out faults and hiding the good.
He meets you cheerfully, with a smiling face,while his heart conceals his true feelings.
The envier’s enmity comes without provocation,yet he accepts no excuses while he attacks.
The following is excerpted and adapted from Ibn Taymiyyah's "Diseases of the Hearts and Their Cures" [©1998 Al-Hidaayah]
Strictly speaking, envy (hasad) is hatred and disliking the good condition of the envied one. This is of two types:
1) The blameworthy type of envy is unrestricted dislike of the blessings bestowed upon the envied. This is the type of jealousy that incurs blame, so when one hates something he is then hurt and grieved by the existence of what he hates, and this becomes a sickness in his heart such that he takes pleasure in the removal of the blessings from the envied even if this does not result in any benefit to him except the single benefit of having the pain that was in his soul removed. But this pain is not removed except as a result of his continuously watching the envied so that the jealous person finds relief when the blessing is removed, but then it becomes more severe as is the case of the one who is sick, for it is possible that this blessing, or one similar to it, returns to the envied. This is why the second group said: 'It is a desire to have the blessings removed,' for indeed the one who dislikes the blessings bestowed upon other than him desires them to see removed.
2) That he dislikes the superiority of that person over him, and he desires to be like him or better, so this is jealousy and has been called ghubta, and the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, called it hasad in the hadeeth reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim from the hadeeth of ibn Mas`ood and ibn `Umar, radiyallahu `anhumaa, that he, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said, "There is no envy except in two cases: a person to whom Allah has granted wisdom, and he rules by this and teaches it to the people, and a person to whom Allah has granted wealth and property along with this the power to spend it in the cause of Truth."
This being the wording of Ibn Mas`ood. The wording of Ibn `Umar is, "A person to whom Allah has given the Qur'an and he recites it night and day, and a person to whom Allah has granted wealth and property from which he gives in charity night and day."
...So the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, forbade hasad, with the exception of two cases which are referred to as al-ghubta, meaning that a person love the condition of someone else and dislikes that this person be superior in this way (without his wishing that it be removed from that person).
So if it is asked: 'Then why is this (ghubta) called envy when he loves only that Allah bestow these blessings upon him?' It is said, 'The starting point of this love is his looking towards the favors Allah has bestowed upon someone else and his disliking that this person be favored over him. So if this other person were not present then he would not have desired these blessings. So because the starting point of this love is this dislike that someone else be made superior to him, then this is called envy due to the love following the dislike. As for desiring that Allah bestows favors upon him without consideration of people's material conditions then this is not envy at all.'
This is why the generality of mankind have been tried with this second type of envy that has also been called al-munaafasah (competition) because two people compete in a single desired matter, both of them trying to attain the same good. The reason for their trying to attain it is that one of them dislikes that the other be blessed with this matter over him just as any one of two competitors dislikes that the other beat him.
Competition is not considered blameworthy in general, rather it is considered to be praiseworthy when competing for righteousness. The Exalted said,
"Indeed the pious will be in delight. On thrones, looking on. You will recognize in their faces the brightness of delight. They will be given to drink pure sealed wine. The last thereof (that wine) will be the smell of Musk, and for this let those compete who want to compete." [Al-Mutaffifeen (83):22-26]
So one is commanded to compete for these delights and not compete for the delight of this fleeting world.
...The souls do not envy the one who is in severe hardship and this is why the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, did not mention it even though the mujaahid, fighting in the Way of Allah, is superior to the one who is spending wealth.... Similarly, the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, did not mention the one who prays, fasts and performs the pilgrimage, because there is no tangible benefit attained from the people for these actions by which the person can be exalted or disgraced, as can be attained in teaching and spending.
Fundamentally, envy occurs when someone else attains power and authority; otherwise the one who is performing these actions is not normally envied, even if this person be blessed with far more food, drink and wives than others, as opposed to these two blessings of power and authority, for they cause a great deal of envy.
..
Allah praised the Ansaar with His saying, "And they have no jealously in their breasts for that which they have been given (the muhaajiroon), and give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that." [Al-Hashr (59):9]
As for the jealousy that is totally blameworthy then Allah has said with regards to the Jews, "Many of the People of the Book wish that if they could turn you away as disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from their own selves even after the truth has become clear to them." [Al-Baqarah (2):109]
'They wish' meaning that they hope to make you aspostisise from your religion out of jealousy. So jealousy was the deciding factor behind their wish even after the Truth had been made clear to them. This because when they saw you attain what you attained of blessings - in fact they saw you attain that which they themselves had never attained - they became jealous of you. Similarly this is mentioned in another verse, "Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His bounty? Then We have already given the family of Abraham the Book of Wisdom, and conferred upon them a great kingdom. Of them were (some) who believed in him (Muhammad) and of them were some who averted their faces from him and enough is Hell for burning (them)..." [An-Nisaa' (4): 54-55]
"Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak. From the evil of what He has created. And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness. And from the evil of the witchcrafts when they blow in the knots. And from the evil of the envier when he envies." [Al-Falaq (113):1-5]
...So the one who is jealous, hating the favours bestowed by Allah upon someone else is an oppressor, going beyond bounds due to this. As for the one who dislikes that someone else be blessed and wishes to be blessed in the same way, then this is forbidden for him except in that which will bring him closer to Allah. So if he were to wish for something that has been given to someone else which would help bring him closer to Allah then there is no problem in this. However, his wishing for it in his heart, without looking to the condition of someone else is better and more excellent.
Then if this person were to act, dictated by this jealousy, he would be an oppressor going beyond bounds, deserving of punishment unless he repents...
Jealousy is one of the sicknesses of the soul, and it is an illness that afflicts the generality of mankind and only a few are secure from it. This is why it is said, "The body is never free from jealousy, but debasement brings it out, and nobility hides it." It was said to Al-Hasan Al-Basree, "Can a believer be envied?" He replied, "What has made you forget Yoosuf and his brothers, have you no father? But you should keep (this envy should it occur) blinded in your heart, for you cannot be harmed by that which you did not act upon in speech or action."
So the one who finds that he harbours jealousy in his soul towards someone else, then it is upon him to treat it with patience and taqwaa of Allah, and dislike it being in his soul... As for the one who actually takes a stance against the envied, either with words or actions then he will be punished for this, and the one who fears Allah and is patient and does not become one of the oppressors - Allah will benefit him for his taqwa.
...In the hadeeth there occurs, "There are three sins from which no one can be saved: jealousy, suspicion and omens. Shall I tell you of what will remove you from this: When you envy do not hate, when you are suspicious then do not actualise your suspicions, and when you see omens then ignore them." Reported by Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah.
In the Sunan from the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, "You have been afflicted with the illness of the nations that came before you - jealousy and hatred. They are the shearers, I do not mean the shearers of the hair, rather they are the shearers of the religion." [At-Tirmidhi, at-Tabaranee and al-Hakim who said it was saheeh].
So he called jealousy an illness just as he called miserliness an illness in his saying, "And what illness is worse than miserliness." [Ahmad, Hakim and others, saheeh]
...In the first hadeeth jealousy was mentioned along with hatred. This is because the envier, first of all dislikes the bounty bestowed by Allah upon the one who is envied, and then begins hating this person. This is because the hatred of the thing being bestowed leads to hatred of the one upon whom it is bestowed, for when the blessings of Allah are bestowed upon an individual, he would love that they go away, and they would not go away except by the one who is envied going away, therefore he hates him and loves that he not be there.
Jealousy necessarily leads to desire and hatred just as Allah informed us of those that came before us that they differed, "After there came to them knowledge out of mutual hatred and desire." [Aal `Imraan (3):19]
...
“Do not envy one another, do note hate each other, do not oppose each other…” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
“By the One in Whose Hands is my soul, none of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
…
Greed is a sickness as is miserliness, and jealousy is worse than miserliness, as occurs in the hadeeth, “Jealousy eats away at good deeds, just as fire eats away at firewood.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
This is because the miser only stops himself from having good but the envier dislikes the favours of Allah bestowed upon His servants.
Envy is one of the major sins which is bound to destroy good deeds as fast as the fire burns the wood and dry grass to ashes. “Jealousy eats away at good deeds, just as fire eats away at firewood.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
Envy was described as a sickness by the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam.
Envy is hating that good happens to others.
Envy is displeasure with Allah's decree and His granting blessings upon others.
"Faith and envy do not go together in the heart of a servant." [Ibn Hibban, saheeh]
"The people will be fine as long as they do not envy one another." [At-Tabarani with trustworthy narrators]
Envy is a characteristic the Jews displayed towards the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, causing them to inflict him harm.
Envy leads to hatred.
The Prophet, sallallahu `alahi w sallam, described envy as a shearer of the religion.
Muslims are commanded in Soorah al-Falaq to seek refuge from the evil of the envier when he envies.
Envy is worse than miserliness; this is because the miser only stops himself from having good but the envier dislikes the favours of Allah bestowed upon His servants.
No one attains true belief until one loves for one’s brother what one loves for oneself.
It is said that the people who have the greatest degree of restlessness are the envious. Such a person has no peace and is continuously grieved.
The greatest harm from envy comes to the envier, who with one’s displeasure with Allah’s decree attains a great loss to oneself.
Al-Mubarrad recited the following lines:
The eye of the envier always sees scandal,bringing out faults and hiding the good.
He meets you cheerfully, with a smiling face,while his heart conceals his true feelings.
The envier’s enmity comes without provocation,yet he accepts no excuses while he attacks.
The following is excerpted and adapted from Ibn Taymiyyah's "Diseases of the Hearts and Their Cures" [©1998 Al-Hidaayah]
Strictly speaking, envy (hasad) is hatred and disliking the good condition of the envied one. This is of two types:
1) The blameworthy type of envy is unrestricted dislike of the blessings bestowed upon the envied. This is the type of jealousy that incurs blame, so when one hates something he is then hurt and grieved by the existence of what he hates, and this becomes a sickness in his heart such that he takes pleasure in the removal of the blessings from the envied even if this does not result in any benefit to him except the single benefit of having the pain that was in his soul removed. But this pain is not removed except as a result of his continuously watching the envied so that the jealous person finds relief when the blessing is removed, but then it becomes more severe as is the case of the one who is sick, for it is possible that this blessing, or one similar to it, returns to the envied. This is why the second group said: 'It is a desire to have the blessings removed,' for indeed the one who dislikes the blessings bestowed upon other than him desires them to see removed.
2) That he dislikes the superiority of that person over him, and he desires to be like him or better, so this is jealousy and has been called ghubta, and the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, called it hasad in the hadeeth reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim from the hadeeth of ibn Mas`ood and ibn `Umar, radiyallahu `anhumaa, that he, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said, "There is no envy except in two cases: a person to whom Allah has granted wisdom, and he rules by this and teaches it to the people, and a person to whom Allah has granted wealth and property along with this the power to spend it in the cause of Truth."
This being the wording of Ibn Mas`ood. The wording of Ibn `Umar is, "A person to whom Allah has given the Qur'an and he recites it night and day, and a person to whom Allah has granted wealth and property from which he gives in charity night and day."
...So the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, forbade hasad, with the exception of two cases which are referred to as al-ghubta, meaning that a person love the condition of someone else and dislikes that this person be superior in this way (without his wishing that it be removed from that person).
So if it is asked: 'Then why is this (ghubta) called envy when he loves only that Allah bestow these blessings upon him?' It is said, 'The starting point of this love is his looking towards the favors Allah has bestowed upon someone else and his disliking that this person be favored over him. So if this other person were not present then he would not have desired these blessings. So because the starting point of this love is this dislike that someone else be made superior to him, then this is called envy due to the love following the dislike. As for desiring that Allah bestows favors upon him without consideration of people's material conditions then this is not envy at all.'
This is why the generality of mankind have been tried with this second type of envy that has also been called al-munaafasah (competition) because two people compete in a single desired matter, both of them trying to attain the same good. The reason for their trying to attain it is that one of them dislikes that the other be blessed with this matter over him just as any one of two competitors dislikes that the other beat him.
Competition is not considered blameworthy in general, rather it is considered to be praiseworthy when competing for righteousness. The Exalted said,
"Indeed the pious will be in delight. On thrones, looking on. You will recognize in their faces the brightness of delight. They will be given to drink pure sealed wine. The last thereof (that wine) will be the smell of Musk, and for this let those compete who want to compete." [Al-Mutaffifeen (83):22-26]
So one is commanded to compete for these delights and not compete for the delight of this fleeting world.
...The souls do not envy the one who is in severe hardship and this is why the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, did not mention it even though the mujaahid, fighting in the Way of Allah, is superior to the one who is spending wealth.... Similarly, the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, did not mention the one who prays, fasts and performs the pilgrimage, because there is no tangible benefit attained from the people for these actions by which the person can be exalted or disgraced, as can be attained in teaching and spending.
Fundamentally, envy occurs when someone else attains power and authority; otherwise the one who is performing these actions is not normally envied, even if this person be blessed with far more food, drink and wives than others, as opposed to these two blessings of power and authority, for they cause a great deal of envy.
..
Allah praised the Ansaar with His saying, "And they have no jealously in their breasts for that which they have been given (the muhaajiroon), and give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that." [Al-Hashr (59):9]
As for the jealousy that is totally blameworthy then Allah has said with regards to the Jews, "Many of the People of the Book wish that if they could turn you away as disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from their own selves even after the truth has become clear to them." [Al-Baqarah (2):109]
'They wish' meaning that they hope to make you aspostisise from your religion out of jealousy. So jealousy was the deciding factor behind their wish even after the Truth had been made clear to them. This because when they saw you attain what you attained of blessings - in fact they saw you attain that which they themselves had never attained - they became jealous of you. Similarly this is mentioned in another verse, "Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His bounty? Then We have already given the family of Abraham the Book of Wisdom, and conferred upon them a great kingdom. Of them were (some) who believed in him (Muhammad) and of them were some who averted their faces from him and enough is Hell for burning (them)..." [An-Nisaa' (4): 54-55]
"Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak. From the evil of what He has created. And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness. And from the evil of the witchcrafts when they blow in the knots. And from the evil of the envier when he envies." [Al-Falaq (113):1-5]
...So the one who is jealous, hating the favours bestowed by Allah upon someone else is an oppressor, going beyond bounds due to this. As for the one who dislikes that someone else be blessed and wishes to be blessed in the same way, then this is forbidden for him except in that which will bring him closer to Allah. So if he were to wish for something that has been given to someone else which would help bring him closer to Allah then there is no problem in this. However, his wishing for it in his heart, without looking to the condition of someone else is better and more excellent.
Then if this person were to act, dictated by this jealousy, he would be an oppressor going beyond bounds, deserving of punishment unless he repents...
Jealousy is one of the sicknesses of the soul, and it is an illness that afflicts the generality of mankind and only a few are secure from it. This is why it is said, "The body is never free from jealousy, but debasement brings it out, and nobility hides it." It was said to Al-Hasan Al-Basree, "Can a believer be envied?" He replied, "What has made you forget Yoosuf and his brothers, have you no father? But you should keep (this envy should it occur) blinded in your heart, for you cannot be harmed by that which you did not act upon in speech or action."
So the one who finds that he harbours jealousy in his soul towards someone else, then it is upon him to treat it with patience and taqwaa of Allah, and dislike it being in his soul... As for the one who actually takes a stance against the envied, either with words or actions then he will be punished for this, and the one who fears Allah and is patient and does not become one of the oppressors - Allah will benefit him for his taqwa.
...In the hadeeth there occurs, "There are three sins from which no one can be saved: jealousy, suspicion and omens. Shall I tell you of what will remove you from this: When you envy do not hate, when you are suspicious then do not actualise your suspicions, and when you see omens then ignore them." Reported by Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah.
In the Sunan from the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, "You have been afflicted with the illness of the nations that came before you - jealousy and hatred. They are the shearers, I do not mean the shearers of the hair, rather they are the shearers of the religion." [At-Tirmidhi, at-Tabaranee and al-Hakim who said it was saheeh].
So he called jealousy an illness just as he called miserliness an illness in his saying, "And what illness is worse than miserliness." [Ahmad, Hakim and others, saheeh]
...In the first hadeeth jealousy was mentioned along with hatred. This is because the envier, first of all dislikes the bounty bestowed by Allah upon the one who is envied, and then begins hating this person. This is because the hatred of the thing being bestowed leads to hatred of the one upon whom it is bestowed, for when the blessings of Allah are bestowed upon an individual, he would love that they go away, and they would not go away except by the one who is envied going away, therefore he hates him and loves that he not be there.
Jealousy necessarily leads to desire and hatred just as Allah informed us of those that came before us that they differed, "After there came to them knowledge out of mutual hatred and desire." [Aal `Imraan (3):19]
...
“Do not envy one another, do note hate each other, do not oppose each other…” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
“By the One in Whose Hands is my soul, none of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
…
Greed is a sickness as is miserliness, and jealousy is worse than miserliness, as occurs in the hadeeth, “Jealousy eats away at good deeds, just as fire eats away at firewood.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
This is because the miser only stops himself from having good but the envier dislikes the favours of Allah bestowed upon His servants.
The High Levels Of Those Who Show Leniency To Those Who Are In Difficulty
Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
“A man used to lend money to people, and he used to say to his servant, 'When you come to one who is in difficulty, let him off, perhaps Allah will let us off.' And when he met Allah, Allah let him off.” [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 2/108, hadith no. 2899.]
Nasaa'i, Ibn Hibbaan and Al-Haakim narrated with a saheeh isnaad from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
"There was a man who never did anything good. However, he used to lend money to people, and would say to his messenger, 'Take what they can afford to pay you, and forget about what they cannot afford, and let them off. Perhaps Allah will let us off.' When he died, it was asked, 'Have you ever done anything good?’ He said, 'No, but I had a slave and I used to lend money to people. When I sent him to collect the debts, I would tell him, 'Take what they can afford to pay you, and forget about what they cannot afford, and let them off. Perhaps Allah will let us off." Allah said: 'I will let you off.’” [Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 2/204, hadith no. 2073.]
In Mustadrak al-Haakim it is narrated with a saheeh isnaad from Hudhayfah, 'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir and Abu Mas'ood that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Allah will bring forth one of His slaves to whom He had given wealth, and will say to him, 'What did you do in the world?’ He will say, 'I did not do anything, O Lord, but You gave me wealth, and I used to engage in trade with people. One of the ways in which I treated people was that I would be easy-going with those who could afford it and I would postpone payment for those who were in difficulty.' Allah will say, 'I should be more tolerant than you; let My slave off.’” [Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 1/92, hadith no. 124.]
“A man used to lend money to people, and he used to say to his servant, 'When you come to one who is in difficulty, let him off, perhaps Allah will let us off.' And when he met Allah, Allah let him off.” [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 2/108, hadith no. 2899.]
Nasaa'i, Ibn Hibbaan and Al-Haakim narrated with a saheeh isnaad from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
"There was a man who never did anything good. However, he used to lend money to people, and would say to his messenger, 'Take what they can afford to pay you, and forget about what they cannot afford, and let them off. Perhaps Allah will let us off.' When he died, it was asked, 'Have you ever done anything good?’ He said, 'No, but I had a slave and I used to lend money to people. When I sent him to collect the debts, I would tell him, 'Take what they can afford to pay you, and forget about what they cannot afford, and let them off. Perhaps Allah will let us off." Allah said: 'I will let you off.’” [Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 2/204, hadith no. 2073.]
In Mustadrak al-Haakim it is narrated with a saheeh isnaad from Hudhayfah, 'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir and Abu Mas'ood that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Allah will bring forth one of His slaves to whom He had given wealth, and will say to him, 'What did you do in the world?’ He will say, 'I did not do anything, O Lord, but You gave me wealth, and I used to engage in trade with people. One of the ways in which I treated people was that I would be easy-going with those who could afford it and I would postpone payment for those who were in difficulty.' Allah will say, 'I should be more tolerant than you; let My slave off.’” [Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 1/92, hadith no. 124.]
Islam is Your Birthright
Mankind and the universe were not created by accident or chance, but according to the plan of the Creator, who is known as Allah (lit.: the one God) in Islam. The Qur'an states that it is the duty of all individuals to learn about Allah and to live according to His will. As we cannot accomplish this be ourselves, Allah has sent messengers and prophets to guide humanity All of these chosen individuals have brought the same message and have served as examples to their people of how Allah desires all human beings to live. Through these selected people, we have been told why mankind was created, what will happen to us after death, and what Allah expects of us. But most importantly, we have been told that Allah is unique-He has no partners, no sons or daughters, and no competitors, as so many other man-made religious systems have postulated. This message always remains the same, whereas the laws laid down for a particular might show some slight differences.
Muhammad, the last of Allah's prophets, was sent to present Allah's revelation in its final form and for the last time. This was necessary because the message delivered by the previous prophets and messengers had been corrupted or distorted by their followers. They had been mixed with philosophical speculations, superstitions, myths, and neglect. Therefore, Islam is not a new religion-it is a restatement of the original religion of Allah in its purest form and is designed to provide humanity with the uncorrupted message of Allah.
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience to Allah. It also means "peace," for it brings peace of mind as well as peace on the individual and the social levels.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
In Islam, the term "worship" covers any action that one does in accordance with the will of Allah. It can be mental, physical, spoken, or otherwise. All such actions will be rewarded.
There are five acts of worship that are so fundamental that the Prophet grouped them together as the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim is expected to fulfill these obligations. They are:
THE DECLARATION OF MONOTHEISM:
Recognizing and acknowledging the monotheistic nature of Allah stands at the core of Islam. This consists of a public affirmation that "there is no god but Allah (God), and Muhammad is His Messenger." One cannot be a Muslim until he states this fact in the presence of Muslim witnesses.
PRAYERS:
A Muslim must perform the five daily prayers. These must be performed at specific times, corresponding roughly with dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. The prayers can be made in any clean place, but it is preferable to pray them with others in a mosque, for this communal undertaking acts as a reminder that all Muslims are equal. When many people are praying together, it becomes clear that color, economic status, social position, and all other artificial distinctions have no importance to Allah, for all Muslims are commanded to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and prostrate themselves before Him. There are no exceptions. Prayers also elevated the individual to a higher level of morality, purifies his heart, and helps him to resist his desire to engage in forbidden activities.
FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN:
Every year during the Muslim month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. While this gives the body a much needed rest and improves ones health by getting rid of excess weight, it also increases ones commitment to Allah, develops his social conscience, and reminds him of how the less fortunate live every day In addition, it strengthens one's patience, self-restraint, will power, and sincerity.
CHARITY (Zakat):
Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified minimum must pay an annual
amount of 2.5% to the poor and needy This action purifies one's accrued wealth, fosters the quality of sacrifice, and rids him of selfishness and greed. It also helps to reduce resentment and envy between a society's poor and rich classes.
HAJJ (Pilgrimage to Makkah):
Hajj is an act of worship that is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, provided that one is physically and financially able to do so. During this time, Muslims meet from all corners of the world in an international congregation for the sole purpose of responding to the call of Allah. It also reminds the participants that all Muslims are equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural, or racial origins.
THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
All Muslims believe in:
. The oneness of Allah. Allah has no partner, son, daughter, helper, or competitor. There is nothing that even remotely resembles Him, for He is unique.
. All of the messengers and prophets of Allah. The Qur'an states that each people has received revelation from Allah in its own tongue so that all individuals know what is required of them. The Qur'an mentions twenty-five of them by name, among them Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John, Jesus, and Muhammad. There are, however, many others who are not named. Muhammad, the last prophet, was sent with a universal message meant for all of humanity The message revealed through him is the Qur'an, which is Allah's final presentation of the original revelation received by mankind in its purest form. A Muslim must accept all of Allah's prophets and messengers as legitimate, for denial of one means denial of all. For western readers who are not convinced that Muhammad is a prophet of Allah, proof of this claim can be found in the Bible (Deut. 18:15-18, 33:2-3; Isaiah 29:12; Songs of Solomon 5:16;John 14:1516, 16:12-14) as well as in the biographical accounts of Muhammad's life, which was lived in full view of his contemporaries.
. The original messages revealed through Allah's various prophets and messengers. The purest of these is the Qur'an, for it was recorded during the lifetime of the Prophet and under his direct supervision. The revelations mentioned in the Qur'an as having been received by other prophets, such as the Suhuf of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Zubur (Psalms) of David, and the Injeel (Bible) of Jesus, have all been either lost or corrupted.
. The existence of angels as part of the unseen world. They are spiritual beings who have no need for food, drink, or sleep.
. The Day of Judgment. The Qur'an teaches that life is a test for each individual, for everyone must choose whether he will or will not follow the commands of Allah. On this day, a person will be resurrected and asked to account for what he did while he was alive. Those with good records will be rewarded and enter paradise, while those with bad records will be punished by being sent to hell. This belief develops within the individual an awareness of Allah's presence and a desire to obey His laws sincerely and voluntarily
. A Muslim believes that nothing happens without the knowledge and permission of Allah. While we may not understand why certain things happens, it is part of the divine plan for our lives.
MUSLIMS: THE MODERATE NATION
Islam does not divide life into "spiritual" and "secular" realms. As all of life is thus unified and interconnected, Islam avoids the dangers of the extreme ritualism, secularism, or materialism that is found in other civilizations. Activities are not classified as belonging to the state or the individual, religion or daily life, but as belonging to Allah alone, Who has provided guidelines for individuals. These are to be followed in every aspect of their lives: individual, social, governmental, political, economical, spiritual, and otherwise Reflecting this moderation, the Qur'an has entitled the Muslims the "moderate nation. "
SOURCES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS
The Islamic way of life is based on the teachings and laws found in the Qur'an and the example (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Qur'an is the word of Allah and was revealed in potions to Muhammad, via the Angel Gabriel, over a twenty-three year period. Each portion was recorded in writing by his official scribes and memorized by thousands of his followers. After his death, the written collection was given to Abu Bark, the first caliph, who oversaw its collection into one volume. The third caliph, Uthman, prepared several copies and sent them to different Muslim territories. Ever since that time, the same version has been used by Muslims. The wording, order, and language have never been altered in the slightest manner. No other book claiming to be a divine revelation can make this claim, and no one has ever been able to refute the claim of the Qur'an to complete authenticity
The Sunnah consists of the teachings, sayings, and actions of Prophet Muhammad. This information was meticulously reported and collected by his Companions. It is essentially an elaboration of the Qur'anic verses that shows how they are to be implemented in one's daily life.
ISLAM: THE RELIGION OF EQUALITY
Islam recognizes no man-made artificial distinctions based on color, tribe, race, nationality, or otherwise. As all people come from the original couple-Adam and Eve-they are all one family and therefore equal before God. What distinguishes people from each other is their commitment to Islam: "The most honored in the sight of Allah is (he who is) most righteous." (Qur'an 3:86).
ISLAM IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT
Islam states clearly that everyone is born a Muslim and is therefore monotheistic by nature. We read in the Qur'an that humanity has been created with the natural disposition towards the unity of God. This is to be expected, for Allah, who has breathed His spirit into each of us, is Himself the example of perfect unity. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad: "Every person is born with the innate religious faith (to submit to God Almighty)." Thus when an individual accepts Islam, he is not turning his back on any prior revelation but rather is returning to the original and true revelation of Allah and to his own nature as a creation of Allah. This being the case, Islam is your birthright-other religious or ideological systems are either corruptions our outright denials of Islam.
CRITERIA FOR TRUTH
How do you know if your belief system is true? Take a moment to look at the following list.
. Are the teachings of your belief system rational? Do they conform to the norms of human reason and intellect?
. Is the creator of your belief system perfect? Allah, the creator of Islam, is. . Does your belief system contain superstitions or myths? Islam presents humanity with only true knowledge.
. Can your belief system withstand the discoveries and claims of modern science? Islam can and does.
. How accurate are your belief system's prophecies and predications? Islam's are always completely accurate.
. Could a person have devised your belief system? No one has ever been able to imitate the Qur'an, although many have tried over the centuries.
Islam is not a new religion founded by Muhammad, but a final restatement of the original revelation that has been conveyed to humanity by messengers and prophets sent by Allah for that very purpose: "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" (5:3). As the Qur'an is the final revelation and Muhammad is the final prophet, humanity is obligated to accept it: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good" (3:86).
Muhammad, the last of Allah's prophets, was sent to present Allah's revelation in its final form and for the last time. This was necessary because the message delivered by the previous prophets and messengers had been corrupted or distorted by their followers. They had been mixed with philosophical speculations, superstitions, myths, and neglect. Therefore, Islam is not a new religion-it is a restatement of the original religion of Allah in its purest form and is designed to provide humanity with the uncorrupted message of Allah.
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience to Allah. It also means "peace," for it brings peace of mind as well as peace on the individual and the social levels.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
In Islam, the term "worship" covers any action that one does in accordance with the will of Allah. It can be mental, physical, spoken, or otherwise. All such actions will be rewarded.
There are five acts of worship that are so fundamental that the Prophet grouped them together as the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim is expected to fulfill these obligations. They are:
THE DECLARATION OF MONOTHEISM:
Recognizing and acknowledging the monotheistic nature of Allah stands at the core of Islam. This consists of a public affirmation that "there is no god but Allah (God), and Muhammad is His Messenger." One cannot be a Muslim until he states this fact in the presence of Muslim witnesses.
PRAYERS:
A Muslim must perform the five daily prayers. These must be performed at specific times, corresponding roughly with dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. The prayers can be made in any clean place, but it is preferable to pray them with others in a mosque, for this communal undertaking acts as a reminder that all Muslims are equal. When many people are praying together, it becomes clear that color, economic status, social position, and all other artificial distinctions have no importance to Allah, for all Muslims are commanded to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and prostrate themselves before Him. There are no exceptions. Prayers also elevated the individual to a higher level of morality, purifies his heart, and helps him to resist his desire to engage in forbidden activities.
FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN:
Every year during the Muslim month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. While this gives the body a much needed rest and improves ones health by getting rid of excess weight, it also increases ones commitment to Allah, develops his social conscience, and reminds him of how the less fortunate live every day In addition, it strengthens one's patience, self-restraint, will power, and sincerity.
CHARITY (Zakat):
Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified minimum must pay an annual
amount of 2.5% to the poor and needy This action purifies one's accrued wealth, fosters the quality of sacrifice, and rids him of selfishness and greed. It also helps to reduce resentment and envy between a society's poor and rich classes.
HAJJ (Pilgrimage to Makkah):
Hajj is an act of worship that is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, provided that one is physically and financially able to do so. During this time, Muslims meet from all corners of the world in an international congregation for the sole purpose of responding to the call of Allah. It also reminds the participants that all Muslims are equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural, or racial origins.
THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
All Muslims believe in:
. The oneness of Allah. Allah has no partner, son, daughter, helper, or competitor. There is nothing that even remotely resembles Him, for He is unique.
. All of the messengers and prophets of Allah. The Qur'an states that each people has received revelation from Allah in its own tongue so that all individuals know what is required of them. The Qur'an mentions twenty-five of them by name, among them Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John, Jesus, and Muhammad. There are, however, many others who are not named. Muhammad, the last prophet, was sent with a universal message meant for all of humanity The message revealed through him is the Qur'an, which is Allah's final presentation of the original revelation received by mankind in its purest form. A Muslim must accept all of Allah's prophets and messengers as legitimate, for denial of one means denial of all. For western readers who are not convinced that Muhammad is a prophet of Allah, proof of this claim can be found in the Bible (Deut. 18:15-18, 33:2-3; Isaiah 29:12; Songs of Solomon 5:16;John 14:1516, 16:12-14) as well as in the biographical accounts of Muhammad's life, which was lived in full view of his contemporaries.
. The original messages revealed through Allah's various prophets and messengers. The purest of these is the Qur'an, for it was recorded during the lifetime of the Prophet and under his direct supervision. The revelations mentioned in the Qur'an as having been received by other prophets, such as the Suhuf of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Zubur (Psalms) of David, and the Injeel (Bible) of Jesus, have all been either lost or corrupted.
. The existence of angels as part of the unseen world. They are spiritual beings who have no need for food, drink, or sleep.
. The Day of Judgment. The Qur'an teaches that life is a test for each individual, for everyone must choose whether he will or will not follow the commands of Allah. On this day, a person will be resurrected and asked to account for what he did while he was alive. Those with good records will be rewarded and enter paradise, while those with bad records will be punished by being sent to hell. This belief develops within the individual an awareness of Allah's presence and a desire to obey His laws sincerely and voluntarily
. A Muslim believes that nothing happens without the knowledge and permission of Allah. While we may not understand why certain things happens, it is part of the divine plan for our lives.
MUSLIMS: THE MODERATE NATION
Islam does not divide life into "spiritual" and "secular" realms. As all of life is thus unified and interconnected, Islam avoids the dangers of the extreme ritualism, secularism, or materialism that is found in other civilizations. Activities are not classified as belonging to the state or the individual, religion or daily life, but as belonging to Allah alone, Who has provided guidelines for individuals. These are to be followed in every aspect of their lives: individual, social, governmental, political, economical, spiritual, and otherwise Reflecting this moderation, the Qur'an has entitled the Muslims the "moderate nation. "
SOURCES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS
The Islamic way of life is based on the teachings and laws found in the Qur'an and the example (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Qur'an is the word of Allah and was revealed in potions to Muhammad, via the Angel Gabriel, over a twenty-three year period. Each portion was recorded in writing by his official scribes and memorized by thousands of his followers. After his death, the written collection was given to Abu Bark, the first caliph, who oversaw its collection into one volume. The third caliph, Uthman, prepared several copies and sent them to different Muslim territories. Ever since that time, the same version has been used by Muslims. The wording, order, and language have never been altered in the slightest manner. No other book claiming to be a divine revelation can make this claim, and no one has ever been able to refute the claim of the Qur'an to complete authenticity
The Sunnah consists of the teachings, sayings, and actions of Prophet Muhammad. This information was meticulously reported and collected by his Companions. It is essentially an elaboration of the Qur'anic verses that shows how they are to be implemented in one's daily life.
ISLAM: THE RELIGION OF EQUALITY
Islam recognizes no man-made artificial distinctions based on color, tribe, race, nationality, or otherwise. As all people come from the original couple-Adam and Eve-they are all one family and therefore equal before God. What distinguishes people from each other is their commitment to Islam: "The most honored in the sight of Allah is (he who is) most righteous." (Qur'an 3:86).
ISLAM IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT
Islam states clearly that everyone is born a Muslim and is therefore monotheistic by nature. We read in the Qur'an that humanity has been created with the natural disposition towards the unity of God. This is to be expected, for Allah, who has breathed His spirit into each of us, is Himself the example of perfect unity. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad: "Every person is born with the innate religious faith (to submit to God Almighty)." Thus when an individual accepts Islam, he is not turning his back on any prior revelation but rather is returning to the original and true revelation of Allah and to his own nature as a creation of Allah. This being the case, Islam is your birthright-other religious or ideological systems are either corruptions our outright denials of Islam.
CRITERIA FOR TRUTH
How do you know if your belief system is true? Take a moment to look at the following list.
. Are the teachings of your belief system rational? Do they conform to the norms of human reason and intellect?
. Is the creator of your belief system perfect? Allah, the creator of Islam, is. . Does your belief system contain superstitions or myths? Islam presents humanity with only true knowledge.
. Can your belief system withstand the discoveries and claims of modern science? Islam can and does.
. How accurate are your belief system's prophecies and predications? Islam's are always completely accurate.
. Could a person have devised your belief system? No one has ever been able to imitate the Qur'an, although many have tried over the centuries.
Islam is not a new religion founded by Muhammad, but a final restatement of the original revelation that has been conveyed to humanity by messengers and prophets sent by Allah for that very purpose: "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" (5:3). As the Qur'an is the final revelation and Muhammad is the final prophet, humanity is obligated to accept it: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good" (3:86).
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