The root of this debate goes back to the original debate of Allah vs God (linguistically). The word Allah in arabic, the word means simply "the God". It is used primarily by Muslims, Arabic-speaking Catholic Christians, Orthodox Christians and Jews.It is related to Ĕlāhā in Aramaic. Which vividly outlines that Allah (linguistically) is not the Muslim hegemony. And also using any other synonym for Allah based upon its language and culture has same implicit meaning as it is expressed by word Allah, which is in fact the Al- Ilah. That is out of numerous Ilahs, there is one Al Ilah. Now English and Arabic have one grammatical commonality for articles (A, An and The) unlike Persian and Urdu. In Persian/Urdu when we do not have ‘The’ this does not mean that we cannot have Persian version of Al Ilah (linguistically). And the Persian version of Allah (i.e. Al Ilah) is Khuda or the Khuda. This has also been validated by Allama Iqbal in his work ( 1.“.Buton se hai tujhko ummeden aur Khuda se naummedi, yeh kafiri nahi to aur kya hai….” 2. “Khudi ko kar ke buland itna, Khuda bande se khud puchhe…” etc.)
One must make this clear in his/her mind that in the exact same manner the way we have in English so many gods and then one God, in Persian so many khudas and then our Islamic khuda is the one Khuda of all the khudas, In pre-Islamic Arabia, Allah was used by people of Mecca as a reference to the creator-god, but not considered the sole divinity; however, Allah was also considered the giver of rain. Allah was associated with companions, whom pre-Islamic Arabs considered as subordinate deities. People of Mecca held kind of kinship existed between Allah and the jinn (Astaghfirullah) . Allah was thought to have had sons and that the local deities of al-Uzzā, Manāt and al-Lāt were His daughters (Nauzubillah…). And the proof of this conclusion can be drawn from the fact that name of father of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)was Abdullah when there was no Islam in Arab at that time. Now this further clarifies that those who have started projecting word “Allah” as the only Islamic God are actually projecting their Arabic culture, names and grammars in the envelope of Islam.
It is never about the name and its dictionary meaning it’s always about the intention and its impacts. Same word with same meaning can be used with different intentions. Let us leave this issue right here in the light of first hadith of Sahi Al Bukhari (“1. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said on the minbar, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Actions are but judged according to intentions. Every man has what he intends. So whoever emigrates to gain something of this world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that to which he emigrated.'")
After exfoliating the layers of misunderstandings intentionally propagated for the word Allah (Why, how and when for this, is itself a huge subject), let us now look at the cultural practices associated with naming in the arab peninsula which actually have nothing to do with Islam. Two most prevalent practices in Arab even today are
1. Easy and consequently multiple marriages for men and women
2. Professional Breast feeders for new born.
These two cultural practices resulted into the current naming practices of new borns in the manner where every other name of Arabians irrespective of muslims, Christian and jews etc. will always have connectors in their names such as “ibn”,”abu”, “bint” and one more that is “abd” We have thousands of name known to us using these connectors including Abdullah, Abdumittalib Abd Manaf etc.
Now again the same principle applies here that those for whom Islam is their monopoly, they planned to spread their pattern of naming in the packet of Islam. This was a known fact that nobody will accept their claim for nothing so they started spreading the absolutely misguided and misleading notion of Allah’s characteristic name (Isme Sifati) to be considered as absolute. It appears that in their grammar books, they have clubbed noun and adjectives in the same chapters. To them Allah and Rahman are the same in its literal and objective sense. This is nothing but shear foolishness. Not less than 113 times, have bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ) and every, I repeat every translator of this world has always translated this as “In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the most Merciful." Now let us replace the word Allah with God for language consistency and read the whole line as “In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the most Merciful." What do you think the words God, Beneficent and Merciful can all these be put in the same category? If no, the how can we consider putting the Arabic words Allah, Al Rahman and Al Raheem in the same class?
Bismillah is just one example in this regard. Let us now take another example which is basically one of the most used phrase by Dr Zakir Naik which is in Surah Âl 'Imran (3:54) “Allah is the best of the planners” Here also, we can see that the act of planning is not only done by Allah but it is one of the characteristic of Allah, off course He is at its best, but Prophet of Allah did the planning during battles of Badr and Ohad. And also you and I as humans do plan. The quality of planning varies beyond doubt. The illustration is as same as The Allah is Al Rahman and Al Raheem, but Prophet of Allah has been declared by Allah himself as Rahemtullialemeen in Surah Anbiya (21:107). That again means being merciful is the characteristics of Allah and he is at its best. But Prophet of Allah has also been merciful as announced by Quran itself. Likewise let me tell that the extent of our muslimness depends upon how merciful we are. This can be seen in thousands of proves in Islam. Please find some evidences below in this regard
1."Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion. They are those on the Right Hand (i.e. the dwellers of Paradise)." [Al-Qur’ân 90:17-18]
2."Allâh is only merciful with those who show mercy to others." [Al-Bukhârî]
3. "Be merciful to those on the earth, so the One above the heavens will be merciful to you." [At-Tabarânî and al-Hâkim with a sahîh (authentic) chain]
4. "He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy." [Al-Bukhârî]
5. "Mercy is only removed from the miserable." [Abû Dâwûd and at-Tirmidhî]
Now when I have clearly proved you that 3(Al Rahman, Al Raheem, Al Khalique (meaningis taken in terms of Planner) out of 99 names of Allah are basically the characteristics of Allah and He himself has empowered some of his different attributes to his different creations. Nobody but it is only Allah how has this power, when he wants to make somebody Self-Sufficient and Independent, he makes him as Usman Ghani (RA) and when he wants to make somebody Highest and Exalted, he makes him as Ali ibn –e-Abu Talib(RA). Where both Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali beared the names of Allah (Al Ghani and Al Ali). Do you still think they did something wrong.
Let us move ahead, one of the names of Allah is Al Baqui. Now you tell me have you heard of Jannat ul Baqui. How will you explain this “apparent” fallacy where Jannat ul baqui is a graveyard?
Now before I move to Al Haq, I would like to give you two more examples in the same line.
Allah says in numerous places about his characteristic of being Creator. Open the Quran and keep verifying the following counts
1. Surah al-Mu'minun (23:14)
2. Surah as-Saffat (37:125)
3. Surah at-Tur (52:35)
4. Surah al-Fatir (35:3)
5. Surah ar-Ra`d (13:16)
Unquestionably he the Allah is the best of the best creators but the characteristic of being able to create is something which he the Allah himself has shared with his creations in various forms.
Last example in this regard would be another characteristic of Allah Jalla jalalhu that is Al Razaq.
If you read Quran you will definitely find that at one occasion Allah says that he is the Razaq. In Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:58) and then also Allah says in Quran in Surah Taha as “…and the sustenance (provided) by your Lord is better and more abiding. (20:131)”. So the conclusion is again the exactly same that no doubt that he is the final ultimate sustainer or provider but he has also shared this of his characteristic with other creations in this world. If you read the Quran, you will see that none of the 99 names that we have in Quran claims that they are Allah’s name to the extent that nobody can bear same characteristics, though in its miniature forms. We have clear exception with those names of Allah which are Allah’s proper names or Isme zaati.
Now let us come to our common last name with the Isme sifati of Allah (JJ) that is Al Haqq.
References
1. Surah 6:62- “Then they His servants are returned to Allah , their true Lord. Unquestionably, His is the judgement, and He is the swiftest of accountants.
2. Surah 20:6-“ That is because Allah is the Truth and because He gives life to the dead and because He is over all things competent
3. Surah 23:116- “So exalted is Allah , the Sovereign, the Truth; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Noble Throne.”
4. Surah 31:30-“That is because Allah is the Truth, and that what they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.
Now you know all Muslims recite their first Kalmah as La Ilaha IllAllah… which starts saying there is no Ilah but Allah. And there is no ambiguity about it. Could you find any reference in Quran which says there is not truth but Allah. Let me tell you my dear brother what Allah says in Quran, Quran says Surah Al Baqrah( Verses 2 to 6), being muslim we have to believe in 1. Quran 2. Books 3. Last Day 4.Hearafter. Can anybody say that these are not truth? Again the degree of truthfulness will vary for sure. Allah further says mankind is the ‘Ashraful makhluqat’. Everybody prostrated except Satan. Is this not true then and today?
The question comes of degree. Allah has always been and will always be. But everything else me, you, cricket match, Computer, feelings, politics will have a period of truthfulness and then die but He the Al Mighty will remain forever so his truthfulness is forever. But truthfulness is a characteristic. In its mightiest form it rests with Allah. But we all are true in our existence. When Allah says in Quran he is truth, he stresses not only about the truthfulness of his existence but also of his promises, intentions and accomplishments. We can be true for all these features as we have to be merciful being part of being Muslim. See below what the word Haqq has its sense in Arabic
From the root h-q-q which has the following classical Arabic connotations (Sources not mine)
-to be suitable to the requirements of wisdom, justice, truth or fact
-to be in accord with the needs of the situation
-to be true, right, correct, just, proper
-to be genuine, authentic, real, sound, substantial
-to be established, confirmed as fact
-to be necessary, requisite, justified
-to be unavoidable, inevitable, due
-to be binding, obligatory, incumbent upon
-to happen without doubt or uncertainty
Now tell me do we have any authentic or week references where we are prohibited from being striving to align ourselves with any of the above connotations of Haqq?
Then 1.why not we can be on the path of haq? 2. Why not we can be the light of haq
3. Why not we can be propagator of haq? 4. Why not we can be supporter of haq?
5. Why not we can be pupil of haq.
In all of its superlative form the haq will transform into Al Haqq. But your and my parents are haq. Our grandparents are haq.Then where is this wrong? Rather let me remind you of one more saying from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) where he says a muslim should practice the sunnah of Allah. Now please do not take it in otherwise, here also Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) intended to say that these entire good and pious characteristic for Allah is what Muslims and momins should try to practice.
Till here, I did not use the references of past generations as you outlined in our talk that if there is something wrong done by our past generation should be fixed. You are very correct but the actual intention should not be to be automatically critical to everything that has been so far in practice. The intention should be based upon the very first hadith of Sahi Al Bukhari, where Hazrat Umar says, that Prohet Muhammad (PBUH) said that it is your intention which matters.
Now I want to give you the list of people/places from our past generations whose name does not make any valid meanings however they hold highest positions in our faith from very early days and hold true even today.
1. Abu al-Dardaa (Sahabi RA)
2. Abu Hurairah (Sahabi RA)
3. Al-Ala'a Al-Hadrami (Sahabi RA)
4. Qatadah (Sahabi RA)
5. Salim Mawla Abu Hudhayfah (Sahabi RA)
6. Suhayb ar-Rumi (Sahabi RA)
7. Abul Qasim (Muhaddis AR)
8. Noorul Haque (Muhaddis AR)
9. Noorul Islam (Muhaddis AR)
10. Salman Al Farsi (Ahle Suffah)
11. Maulana Fazle haq Khairabaadi (Islamic scholar AR)
----Places----
1. Saudi Arab
2. Jannatul Baqi
3. Abu Dhabi
4. Muzdalifah
5. Majarr Al Kabsh
6. King Faisal bridge
7. King Fahd road
8. King Abdulaziz road
What I want to make you understand that name of an individual gradually takes its own place. There are people with name of mighty king who have been poverty driven throughout their lives and there are people with name of a poor person and been very rich. So your name is your name. I want to tell you now what has been my pain which compelled me to write down all these. There are two most important reasons which actually made me crying when I heard you changing your last name.
1. Do you know that it was Prophet Muhammad who gave the name to sons of his only daughter? I mean to say are you aware of the two facts that (1) name of Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain were given by Allah’s rasool and (2) Allah’s messenger has declared that Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain are his sons and His (Prophet Muhammad) generation will continue from them. And just to tell you both these information are available in Sunni books of hadiths in thousands. Do not think that I am speaking from any Shia’s book. Now see the lessons for us from this information. One, giving and approving the grandchildren’s name by grandparents has been Prophet’s sunnah. Two. Sahaba(RA) gave preference to the name given by prophet Muhammad not as prophet but as grandfather too. And third, you were telling me that day the people for first three generation never had the name like “FirstName Ul Haque”. As I have already explained you the right and wrong of this misconception above, let me ask you one more thing forget about first three generations, do we have any single account of first six(3+3) generations of Sahaba, tabyeen, tabetabayeen and others who advocated or changed their name from whatever they had since their birth. Let me add here that changing the name was only conditionally in practice when the new arrivals in Islam had their names same as the deities of their past faith. Otherwise if you read back you will see that the biblical names are continued, Torah’s name were in practice, Persian and Hindi names were even unaltered. You might be aware of the name of the first Indian/hindu with name of baba Rathan from Kerala coast who became Muslim but continued with same name. Objection to this practice for the first time innovated when a self proclaimed wealthy Islamic theologian proposed his version of Islam. I am talking about Ibn-e –Taymiyah (Born 1263 CE) . So if out of ignorance or out of some willingness anyone of us try to change our name, which had been chosen by our grandparents, we are basically going against preference of Prophet Muhammad and the practice of sahaba. It means you or I are putting ourselves before the first choices of rasool or Ahle baith or the sahaba.
2. The second reason of my dismay when I heard about you changing your name is that your and my first name is where we play our roles, but altering the last name means we are disassociating ourselves from our past generation, which has been yours and mine identities. I have my hindu and muslim friend who changed their first names for so many reasons, but if you change your last, your coming generations will find hard time in tracing back their lineage. Your own cousins will have different name and your will be different. Let me remind you two important points here. One, when Allah says in Surah AL Hujurat (49:13) “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! The noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware”. Read the above verses again. It is the will of Allah that the two nobles would be known among themselves based upon their nations and tribes and this is another truth. If we are damaging this link, we are actually doing something which Allah never preferred. Second, when Allah’s messenger says that my generation will continue from Hasan and Hussain, it manifests that basic principle that our generations and its pedigree is a reality, a truth. And none of us have right to jeopardize this.
With this I will conclude all that I had to say. I would again request you, if you can come back to your original name with which you had your dada (AR) preferred you and with which you had Aquiqa and your maktab.
You still hold legal and religious rights to change your first and last names. If you want to continue or if you cannot come back then go ahead without any feeling of guilt but please clean your mind in the light of all above justifications I gave you that your original complete name is the perfectly valid and absolutely correct name with no need of modification.
Wassalam
-Sharey
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
References of Sahaba (keep counting)
1. Sahih Muslim (Book 006, Number 2606) Abu Qatada Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me.
2. This Hadith is also reported in by Imam al-Bahayqi in his “Sunnan ul Kubra” (Vol. 4, pg. 300 Hadith no 8182, 8259), in the “Sunan” of Imam Nisai and the “Musnad” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.It is clear from this Hadith that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) was very happy about the day of his birth and so fasted out of gratitude. Fasting is a form of worship, so one can celebrate this day by any form of ibada. One can fast or hold gatherings or provide food to the poor, all being acts of worship.
3. Sahih Bukhari (Volume 7, Book 62, Number 38: )Narrated 'Ursa; Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahb whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, "What have you encountered?" Abu Lahb said, "I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba."
4. This hadith is mentioned in Bukhari in the book of Nikah, and Ibn Kathir mentions it in his books Sirat al-Nabi Vol.1, p. 124, Mawlid al-Nabi p. 21, and al-Bidaya p. 272-273.
5. Sahih Muslim, Dar ul Kutab al ILmiyyah (Volume 2, Page No. 147, Hadith No. 1130 )Ibn Abbas (RA) reported: The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him” came to Madina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram. They were asked about that. They replied: “This is the day, on which Allah made Moses and the children of Israel emerge victorious over Pharoah. So, we fast on it “OUT OF GLORIFICATION TO IT”. The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upin him” said: “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, he ordered Muslims to fast on it.
6. Sunnan an Nasai’i (Volume 1, Page No. 241, Hadith No. 448 )Hadrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw) while mentioning his journey of Miraaj said: Jibril (a.s) asked me to get off from Buraak at Bethlehem and told me to say the prayer there, after which he said: Do you know where you have prayed (O Messenger of Allah)? You prayed at Bethlehem where Isa (a.s) "was born".
7. Speaking of the greatness of the day of Jum`ah (Friday), the Prophet said in his hadith: "On that day [i.e. Jum`ah], Allah created Adam." This means that the day of Friday is emphasized because Allah created Adam on that day. That day is emphasized because it saw the creation of the prophet and father of all human beings. What about the day when the greatest of prophets and best of human beings was created? The Prophet said: "Truly Allah made me the Seal of prophets while Adam was between water and clay." This hadith is related by Ahmad in the Musnad, Bayhaqi in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa and others, and is sound and established as authentic.
8. Taareekh (Historians and Ulema)There are people who claim that the Milad is a new thing let us see what the history is.A) The 7th-century historians Abul `Abbas al-`Azafi and his son Abul Qasim al-`Azafi wrote in their Kitab ad-durr al-munazzam:"Pious pilgrims and prominent travelers testified that, on the day of the mawlid in Mecca, no activities are undertaken, and nothing is sold or bought, except by the people who are busy visiting his noble birthplace, and rush to it. On this day the Ka`ba is opened and visited."B.) Ibn Battuta's Account of the MawlidThe famous 8th-century historian Ibn Battuta relates in his Rihla, Vol. 1, p. 309 and 347, that on every Friday, after the salah, and on the birthday of the Prophet, the door of Ka`ba is opened by the head of the Banu Shayba, the doorkeepers of the Ka`ba, and that on the Mawlid, the Shafi`i qadi (head judge) of Mecca, Najmuddin Muhammad Ibn al-Imam Muhyiddin al-Tabari, distributes food to the shurafa' (descendants of the Prophet and to all the other people of Mecca.
9. Do not question about Imams of Fiqah. They never missed their Monday fasts. All 4 Imams were born and attained their wisal before Ibn Taymiya. See here what Ibn Taymiyya says in his book.
Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Celebration of MawlidThis is Ibn Taymiyya's opinion about Mawlid from Majma` Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, Vol. 23, p. 163 and his Iqtida' al-sirat al-mustaqim, p. 294-295, Section entitled: "The innovated festivities of time and place" (ma uhditha min al-a`yad al-zamaniyya wa al-makaniyya): And similarly what some people innovate by analogy with the Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus, or out of love for the Prophet and to exalt him, and Allah may reward them for this love and effort, not on the fact that it is an innovation... To celebrate and to honor the birth of the Prophet and to take it as an honored season, as some of the people are doing, is good and in it there is a great reward, because of their good intentions in honoring the Prophet.
10. Imam Mutawalli Sha`rawi said in his book, Ma'idat al-Fikr al-Islamiyya (p. 295), "If living beings were happy for his coming (to this world) and every inanimate creation was happy at his birth and all plants were happy at his birth and all animals were happy at his birth and all angels were happy at his birth and all believing jinn were happy at his birth, why are you preventing us from being happy at his birth?"
Now, let us analyze this misguidance in another manner.
1. Do we have any ayat in holy Quran which says we should not celebrate/commemorate birthday of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH)?
2. Do we have any single hadiths or one references from any Imams(not the self proclaimed leaders) of entire world till today which says we should not celebrate/commemorate birthday of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH)?
Now let me tell you what all we do not have in Quran/hadiths but we still believe.
1. Marriage is a sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Having children is also his sunnah but who are my and your fathers is only part of believe. Believe of Iman that mine and your mother show of having in Allah and his rasool. We never go for any authentic proof. What do you think aren’t you and I are Bidah?
2. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith if we should use facebook, created by a jew and profiting a jew to use for posting Quranic ayats and hadiths
3. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which says if we should use TV, Internet for learning Salat, listening Quarn, learning Haj etc.
4. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which allows Saudi government to ask for photo of our sisters and mothers in passport and visas?
5. Do we even have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which says we should memorize the Quran or hadiths
6. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which says we should complie hadiths books, Fiqah books.
You know what, but one thing which we have in abundance in Quarn is “Think”, “Learn”, “Verify”,”Look”, “Assess”. We are not living at the time of hazrat Nuh (PBUH) when Allah trained him even how to make a ship. We are ummat’s of Prophet Muhammad. ‘ijtehad’ under the guidance of basic principles of islam is part of our faith. And that is the only reason why we have answers to above 6 questions.
We who celebrate/commemorate birthday of Muhammad (PBUH) do not say anything to the people who do not do this, then why are these people doing this.
1. Sahih Muslim (Book 006, Number 2606) Abu Qatada Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me.
2. This Hadith is also reported in by Imam al-Bahayqi in his “Sunnan ul Kubra” (Vol. 4, pg. 300 Hadith no 8182, 8259), in the “Sunan” of Imam Nisai and the “Musnad” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.It is clear from this Hadith that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) was very happy about the day of his birth and so fasted out of gratitude. Fasting is a form of worship, so one can celebrate this day by any form of ibada. One can fast or hold gatherings or provide food to the poor, all being acts of worship.
3. Sahih Bukhari (Volume 7, Book 62, Number 38: )Narrated 'Ursa; Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahb whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, "What have you encountered?" Abu Lahb said, "I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba."
4. This hadith is mentioned in Bukhari in the book of Nikah, and Ibn Kathir mentions it in his books Sirat al-Nabi Vol.1, p. 124, Mawlid al-Nabi p. 21, and al-Bidaya p. 272-273.
5. Sahih Muslim, Dar ul Kutab al ILmiyyah (Volume 2, Page No. 147, Hadith No. 1130 )Ibn Abbas (RA) reported: The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him” came to Madina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram. They were asked about that. They replied: “This is the day, on which Allah made Moses and the children of Israel emerge victorious over Pharoah. So, we fast on it “OUT OF GLORIFICATION TO IT”. The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upin him” said: “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, he ordered Muslims to fast on it.
6. Sunnan an Nasai’i (Volume 1, Page No. 241, Hadith No. 448 )Hadrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw) while mentioning his journey of Miraaj said: Jibril (a.s) asked me to get off from Buraak at Bethlehem and told me to say the prayer there, after which he said: Do you know where you have prayed (O Messenger of Allah)? You prayed at Bethlehem where Isa (a.s) "was born".
7. Speaking of the greatness of the day of Jum`ah (Friday), the Prophet said in his hadith: "On that day [i.e. Jum`ah], Allah created Adam." This means that the day of Friday is emphasized because Allah created Adam on that day. That day is emphasized because it saw the creation of the prophet and father of all human beings. What about the day when the greatest of prophets and best of human beings was created? The Prophet said: "Truly Allah made me the Seal of prophets while Adam was between water and clay." This hadith is related by Ahmad in the Musnad, Bayhaqi in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa and others, and is sound and established as authentic.
8. Taareekh (Historians and Ulema)There are people who claim that the Milad is a new thing let us see what the history is.A) The 7th-century historians Abul `Abbas al-`Azafi and his son Abul Qasim al-`Azafi wrote in their Kitab ad-durr al-munazzam:"Pious pilgrims and prominent travelers testified that, on the day of the mawlid in Mecca, no activities are undertaken, and nothing is sold or bought, except by the people who are busy visiting his noble birthplace, and rush to it. On this day the Ka`ba is opened and visited."B.) Ibn Battuta's Account of the MawlidThe famous 8th-century historian Ibn Battuta relates in his Rihla, Vol. 1, p. 309 and 347, that on every Friday, after the salah, and on the birthday of the Prophet, the door of Ka`ba is opened by the head of the Banu Shayba, the doorkeepers of the Ka`ba, and that on the Mawlid, the Shafi`i qadi (head judge) of Mecca, Najmuddin Muhammad Ibn al-Imam Muhyiddin al-Tabari, distributes food to the shurafa' (descendants of the Prophet and to all the other people of Mecca.
9. Do not question about Imams of Fiqah. They never missed their Monday fasts. All 4 Imams were born and attained their wisal before Ibn Taymiya. See here what Ibn Taymiyya says in his book.
Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Celebration of MawlidThis is Ibn Taymiyya's opinion about Mawlid from Majma` Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, Vol. 23, p. 163 and his Iqtida' al-sirat al-mustaqim, p. 294-295, Section entitled: "The innovated festivities of time and place" (ma uhditha min al-a`yad al-zamaniyya wa al-makaniyya): And similarly what some people innovate by analogy with the Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus, or out of love for the Prophet and to exalt him, and Allah may reward them for this love and effort, not on the fact that it is an innovation... To celebrate and to honor the birth of the Prophet and to take it as an honored season, as some of the people are doing, is good and in it there is a great reward, because of their good intentions in honoring the Prophet.
10. Imam Mutawalli Sha`rawi said in his book, Ma'idat al-Fikr al-Islamiyya (p. 295), "If living beings were happy for his coming (to this world) and every inanimate creation was happy at his birth and all plants were happy at his birth and all animals were happy at his birth and all angels were happy at his birth and all believing jinn were happy at his birth, why are you preventing us from being happy at his birth?"
Now, let us analyze this misguidance in another manner.
1. Do we have any ayat in holy Quran which says we should not celebrate/commemorate birthday of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH)?
2. Do we have any single hadiths or one references from any Imams(not the self proclaimed leaders) of entire world till today which says we should not celebrate/commemorate birthday of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH)?
Now let me tell you what all we do not have in Quran/hadiths but we still believe.
1. Marriage is a sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Having children is also his sunnah but who are my and your fathers is only part of believe. Believe of Iman that mine and your mother show of having in Allah and his rasool. We never go for any authentic proof. What do you think aren’t you and I are Bidah?
2. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith if we should use facebook, created by a jew and profiting a jew to use for posting Quranic ayats and hadiths
3. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which says if we should use TV, Internet for learning Salat, listening Quarn, learning Haj etc.
4. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which allows Saudi government to ask for photo of our sisters and mothers in passport and visas?
5. Do we even have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which says we should memorize the Quran or hadiths
6. Do we have any Ayat in Quran or any authentic hadith which says we should complie hadiths books, Fiqah books.
You know what, but one thing which we have in abundance in Quarn is “Think”, “Learn”, “Verify”,”Look”, “Assess”. We are not living at the time of hazrat Nuh (PBUH) when Allah trained him even how to make a ship. We are ummat’s of Prophet Muhammad. ‘ijtehad’ under the guidance of basic principles of islam is part of our faith. And that is the only reason why we have answers to above 6 questions.
We who celebrate/commemorate birthday of Muhammad (PBUH) do not say anything to the people who do not do this, then why are these people doing this.
Please forgive me in case of any grammetical or typo errors.
Wasalm
-Sharey
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Milad- Celebrating Birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
This is in response to the Khutba that Brother Abdul hadi (Imam Masjid- Ebrahim, Delaware,US ) gave on November-11/2011. While speaking about Bidat, he said so many things. Most of his talk were positive and were part of advice what we all should do as part of human community and part of Muslim community. But while concluding he started pointing out some of our practices which we should not do. I was still in agreement with lot of things which he said but one point, which he clearly mentioned as a Bidat was celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). I am not sure what made him to conclude like this since when I read about him in IAD website, he is quoted as highly learned and educated Islamic scholar. Then how can he make such a remark.
What can be his response to the following justifications about Milad. (Celebrating Prophet Muhammad’s birthday) would actually guide my way as an individual. To start my viewpoints, I want to outline following stand very clearly.
Everything which can be categorized wrongful morally, lawfully or religiously is wrong no matter if it is part of Mildaunnabi or if it is EID Ul Azha or Eid Ul Fitr or if it is Muharram ul haram. And what is not wrong should definitely be discussed how good it is and what can be the best time to practice it.
1. What is Milad
Jashne-zikre-Miladunnabi is to express happiness for the Prophet coming to us. It is an obligation given by Allah through Qur'an, as Allah said in Qur'an: "Of the favor and mercy of Allah let them rejoice" (Yunus 58).
This order came because joy makes the heart grateful for the mercy of Allah. And what greater mercy did Allah give than the Prophet himself, of whom Allah says, "We did not send you except as a mercy to human beings" (Al-Anbiya' 107).
Because the Prophet was sent as a mercy to all mankind, it is incumbent not only upon Muslims, but upon all human beings to rejoice in his person.
Meaning of Milad ( Or Jashne-zikre-milad un nabi) is to feel, share and celebrate the happiness of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It never demands to wait for the establishment of a Muslim society and then only we will start. It also, never demands to show how much charity one can do on this day. But it is to feel a satisfaction and jubilation from our inside and we being thankful to Allah for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sending as us blessings.
2. Milad –From Quran and Hadith
Qur'an states(Al-Jumah:4)
ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ
That is the bounty of Allah; which He giveth unto whom He will. Allah is of Infinite Bounty (وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ )
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Radhi Allah) explains “Allah is of infinite bounty” as:
(Allah is of infinite bounty) by bestowing Islam and prophet hood upon Muhammad (PBUH); by sending the Messenger and Scripture to His created beings. [Tanwir al Miqbas Min Tafsir Ibn Abbas]
Qur'an states(Maryam:15) regarding Yahya (a.s):
وَسَلَامٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا
So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!
So the days when Anbiya are born are days of "Tranquility" in sight of Allah.
3. Sahih Muslim (Book 006, Number 2606 )
Abu Qatada Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me.
This Hadith is also reported in by Imam al-Bahayqi in his “Sunnan ul Kubra” (Vol. 4, pg. 300 Hadith no 8182, 8259), in the “Sunan” of Imam Nisai and the “Musnad” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.
It is clear from this Hadith that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) was very happy about the day of his birth and so fasted out of gratitude. Fasting is a form of worship, so one can celebrate this day by any form of ibada. One can fast or hold gatherings or provide food to the poor, all being acts of worship.
4. Sahih Bukhari (Volume 7, Book 62, Number 38: )
Narrated 'Ursa; Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahb whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, "What have you encountered?" Abu Lahb said, "I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba."
Abu Lahab freed Thuwaiba on joy at birth of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam), even the worst of Kufaar and greatest of enemies is given relaxation in his Adhaab due to freeing Thawaiba by pointing with his finger, so Imagine the situation of a momin who rejoices on Mawlid, detailed explanation of this hadith shall be given in the last section of Verdicts from classical scholars.
This hadith is mentioned in Bukhari in the book of Nikah, and Ibn Kathir mentions it in his books Sirat al-Nabi Vol.1, p. 124, Mawlid al-Nabi p. 21, and al-Bidaya p. 272-273. The hafiz Shamsuddin Muhammad ibn Nasiruddin ad-Dimashqi wrote on this the following verses in his book Mawrid as-sadi fi Mawlid al-Hadi: "If this, a kafir who was condemned to hell eternally with "Perish his hands" [surat 111], is said to enjoy a respite every Monday because he rejoiced in Ahmad: what then do you think of the servant who, all his life, was happy with Ahmad, and died saying, "One"?"
5. Sahih Muslim, Dar ul Kutab al ILmiyyah (Volume 2, Page No. 147, Hadith No. 1130 )
Ibn Abbas (RA) reported: The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him” came to Madina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram. They were asked about that. They replied: “This is the day, on which Allah made Moses and the children of Israel emerge victorious over Pharoah. So, we fast on it “OUT OF GLORIFICATION TO IT”. The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upin him” said: “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, he ordered Muslims to fast on it
6. Sunnan an Nasai’i (Volume 1, Page No. 241, Hadith No. 448 )
Hadrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw) while mentioning his journey of Miraaj said: Jibril (a.s) asked me to get off from Buraak at Bethlehem and told me to say the prayer there, after which he said: Do you know where you have prayed (O Messenger of Allah)? You prayed at Bethlehem where Isa (a.s) "was born".
The Prophet Emphasized the Birthday/Birth place of Prophets
The Prophet emphasized in his hadith both the day and the place of birth of previous prophets. Speaking of the greatness of the day of Jum`ah (Friday), the Prophet said in his hadith: "On that day [i.e. Jum`ah], Allah created Adam." This means that the day of Friday is emphasized because Allah created Adam on that day. That day is emphasized because it saw the creation of the prophet and father of all human beings. What about the day when the greatest of prophets and best of human beings was created? The Prophet said: "Truly Allah made me the Seal of prophets while Adam was between water and clay." This hadith is related by Ahmad in the Musnad, Bayhaqi in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa and others, and is sound and established as authentic.
7. Why Imam Bukhari Emphasized Dying On Monday?
Imam Qastallani said in his commentary on Bukhari: "In his book on Jana'iz (Funerals), Bukhari named an entire chapter "Dying on Monday." In it there is the hadith of `A'isha relating her father's (Abu Bakr as-siddiq) question: "On which day did the Prophet die?" She replied: "Monday." He asked: "What day are we today?" She said, "O my father, this is Monday." Then he raised his hands and said: "I beg you, O Allah, to let me die on Monday in order to coincide with the Prophet's day of passing."
Imam Qastallani continues, "Why did Abu Bakr ask for his death to be on Monday? So that his death would coincide with the day of the Prophet's passing, in order to receive the baraka of that day... Does anyone object to Abu Bakr's asking to pass away on that day for the sake of baraka? Now, why are people objecting to celebrating or emphasizing the day of the Prophet’s birth in order to get baraka?"
8. Taareekh (Historians and Ulema)
There are people who claim that the Milad is a new thing let us see what the history is.
A) The 7th-century historians Abul `Abbas al-`Azafi and his son Abul Qasim al-`Azafi wrote in their Kitab ad-durr al-munazzam:
"Pious pilgrims and prominent travelers testified that, on the day of the mawlid in Mecca, no activities are undertaken, and nothing is sold or bought, except by the people who are busy visiting his noble birthplace, and rush to it. On this day the Ka`ba is opened and visited."
B.) Ibn Battuta's Account of the Mawlid
The famous 8th-century historian Ibn Battuta relates in his Rihla, Vol. 1, p. 309 and 347, that on every Friday, after the salah, and on the birthday of the Prophet, the door of Ka`ba is opened by the head of the Banu Shayba, the doorkeepers of the Ka`ba, and that on the Mawlid, the Shafi`i qadi (head judge) of Mecca, Najmuddin Muhammad Ibn al-Imam Muhyiddin al-Tabari, distributes food to the shurafa' (descendants of the Prophet and to all the other people of Mecca.
C) Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Celebration of Mawlid
This is Ibn Taymiyya's opinion about Mawlid from Majma` Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, Vol. 23, p. 163 and his Iqtida' al-sirat al-mustaqim, p. 294-295, Section entitled: "The innovated festivities of time and place" (ma uhditha min al-a`yad al-zamaniyya wa al-makaniyya): And similarly what some people innovate by analogy with the Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus, or out of love for the Prophet and to exalt him, and Allah may reward them for this love and effort, not on the fact that it is an innovation... To celebrate and to honor the birth of the Prophet and to take it as an honored season, as some of the people are doing, is good and in it there is a great reward, because of their good intentions in honoring the Prophet.
D) Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Meetings of Dhikr
The following is the opinion of Ibn Taymiyya on meetings of dhikr. It can be found in the King Khalid ibn `Abd al-`Aziz edition of the Majmu`at fatawa Ibn Taymiyya:
Ibn Taymiyya was asked about people that gather in a masjid making dhikr and reading Qur'an, praying to Allah and taking their turbans off their heads (leaving their heads bare) and crying, while their intention is not pride nor showing off but seeking to draw closer to Allah: is it acceptable or not? He answered: "Praise to Allah, it is good and recommended according to Shari`a (mustahabb) to come together for reading Qur'an, making dhikr, and making du`a'."
So we have seen with the evidences from Quran, Hadis and from Ulema about our faith, need and duty about Milad. Last point which I want to make here is about sending Salam to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in standing position.
One hadis from Tirmidhi which is hasan and sahih ( fair and sound)(Birr wa silat 4:322 #28) and in Imam Ahmad’s book (2:185)
From `Amr ibn Shu`ayb from his father from his grandfather: The Prophet said: "He is not of us who did not show mercy to our young ones and ignored the honor of our elders.
So giving honors to our elders is a must for us as muslim and then when the time comes to honor Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), should our legs feel pain?
9. Let us now think intelligently
Quran ( Al-Imran:31)
Allah asks the Prophet, Peace be upon him, to remind his Nation that it is essential for those who claim to love Allah, to love His Prophet: "Say to them: If you love Allah, follow (and love and honor) me, and Allah will love you" (3:31).
Quran ( Al –Qalam:4)
The Celebration of the Holy Prophet's birth is motivated by this obligation to love the Prophet, Peace be upon him, to obey him, to remember him, to follow his example, and to be proud of him as Allah is proud of him, since Allah has boasted about him in His Holy Book by saying, "Truly you are of a exalted (Standard) character" (Al-Qalam 4).
To celebrate the Prophet's birthday is to celebrate Islam, because the Prophet is the symbol of Islam. Imam Mutawalli Sha`rawi said in his book, Ma'idat al-Fikr al-Islamiyya (p. 295), "If living beings were happy for his coming (to this world) and every inanimate creation was happy at his birth and all plants were happy at his birth and all animals were happy at his birth and all angels were happy at his birth and all believing jinn were happy at his birth, why are you preventing us from being happy at his birth?"
Quran (Al-Ahzab:56)
Perfection of faith is dependent on love of the Prophet because Allah and His angels are constantly raising his honor, as is meant by the verse. “Allah sends His Salat (Graces, Honors, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad PBUH), and also His angels (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad PBUH), and (you should) greet (salute) him with Islamic way of greeting.”
Qur'an states( Yunus, 58):
قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
Say: "In the bounty of God. And in His Mercy, in that "LET THEM REJOICE" : that is better than the (wealth) they hoard.
Some might think in their wildest of imaginations that birth and arrival of Prophet (PBUH) is not a mercy, some even falsely limit the Mercies of Allah by saying that mercy mentioned here does not refer to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) thus we should not rejoice, so in reply to such people the best answer is found in Tafsir of Qur'an through Qur'an itself.
Qur'an states at another place ( Al- Ambiya,107)
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ
We have not sent you but as a “Mercy to the worlds”
Hence without any shadow of doubt arrival of Prophet (Peace & Blessings be upon him) is a mercy not only upon us but all worlds and creations of Allah azza Wajjal, thus we should rejoice as ordered in Qur'an
Sahih Bikhari and Sahih Muslim quotes
Love of the Prophet is what differentiates the believers in the perfection of their iman. In an authentic hadith related in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people." In another hadith in Bukhari he said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself" and Sayyidina `Umar said: "O Prophet, I love you more than myself."
10. The legal and religious status of celebrating the birth of Holy Prophet (Peace & Blessings be upon him) in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah:
-And Indeed everyone rejoices except for Shaytan and his counterparts, because:
أن إبليس رن أربع رنات حين لعن وحين أهبط وحين ولد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وحين أنزلت الفاتحة
Translation: Iblis cried loudly four times, first when Allah declared him as cursed, second when he was thrown out, Third When Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) was born and fourth when Surah Fatiha was revealed [Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah wal Nihayah, Volume No. 2, Page No. 166]
So now the conclusive question arises that if we celebrate the arrival of Adam(PBUH) in terms of Jumah prayer, if we celebrate the arrival of our children in the terms of Aquiqua, if we celebrate their completion of their The Quran in terms of Aamin, if we celebrate the arrival of new member in our family in terms of walima (reception) if we celebrate our childern’s birthday (no matter how) , their graduation, their marriage we are expressing our happiness and we are inherently thanking Almighty Allah for granting us this happy moment. Is’nt the same thing we do when we go for Eid prayers after month of fasting or in haj? And also, all these events do not go unnoticed. For each of the above we select a particular day to commemorate and celebrate to make sure that people around us feel our happiness and gratitude. Then why we must not thank Allah (JJ) on the 12th of Rabi-awwal?
Let us think it other way, what would be our answer to Allah (JJ) if in case he asks us a question that who was more beloved to us our children or spouse or friends OR Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) . He is Allah he may not ask any questions and can find uncountable reasons to forgive us but in case he asks, then what would be our answer? If we say yes we loved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), then if He asks another question have we ever discussed/rejoiced with our family, friends, relatives, neighbors, countrymen about the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who is the slave of Allah as are we and who is the last messenger of Allah? Then what would be our answers.
Wasalam
-Sharey
What can be his response to the following justifications about Milad. (Celebrating Prophet Muhammad’s birthday) would actually guide my way as an individual. To start my viewpoints, I want to outline following stand very clearly.
Everything which can be categorized wrongful morally, lawfully or religiously is wrong no matter if it is part of Mildaunnabi or if it is EID Ul Azha or Eid Ul Fitr or if it is Muharram ul haram. And what is not wrong should definitely be discussed how good it is and what can be the best time to practice it.
1. What is Milad
Jashne-zikre-Miladunnabi is to express happiness for the Prophet coming to us. It is an obligation given by Allah through Qur'an, as Allah said in Qur'an: "Of the favor and mercy of Allah let them rejoice" (Yunus 58).
This order came because joy makes the heart grateful for the mercy of Allah. And what greater mercy did Allah give than the Prophet himself, of whom Allah says, "We did not send you except as a mercy to human beings" (Al-Anbiya' 107).
Because the Prophet was sent as a mercy to all mankind, it is incumbent not only upon Muslims, but upon all human beings to rejoice in his person.
Meaning of Milad ( Or Jashne-zikre-milad un nabi) is to feel, share and celebrate the happiness of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It never demands to wait for the establishment of a Muslim society and then only we will start. It also, never demands to show how much charity one can do on this day. But it is to feel a satisfaction and jubilation from our inside and we being thankful to Allah for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sending as us blessings.
2. Milad –From Quran and Hadith
Qur'an states(Al-Jumah:4)
ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ
That is the bounty of Allah; which He giveth unto whom He will. Allah is of Infinite Bounty (وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ )
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Radhi Allah) explains “Allah is of infinite bounty” as:
(Allah is of infinite bounty) by bestowing Islam and prophet hood upon Muhammad (PBUH); by sending the Messenger and Scripture to His created beings. [Tanwir al Miqbas Min Tafsir Ibn Abbas]
Qur'an states(Maryam:15) regarding Yahya (a.s):
وَسَلَامٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا
So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!
So the days when Anbiya are born are days of "Tranquility" in sight of Allah.
3. Sahih Muslim (Book 006, Number 2606 )
Abu Qatada Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me.
This Hadith is also reported in by Imam al-Bahayqi in his “Sunnan ul Kubra” (Vol. 4, pg. 300 Hadith no 8182, 8259), in the “Sunan” of Imam Nisai and the “Musnad” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.
It is clear from this Hadith that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) was very happy about the day of his birth and so fasted out of gratitude. Fasting is a form of worship, so one can celebrate this day by any form of ibada. One can fast or hold gatherings or provide food to the poor, all being acts of worship.
4. Sahih Bukhari (Volume 7, Book 62, Number 38: )
Narrated 'Ursa; Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahb whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, "What have you encountered?" Abu Lahb said, "I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba."
Abu Lahab freed Thuwaiba on joy at birth of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam), even the worst of Kufaar and greatest of enemies is given relaxation in his Adhaab due to freeing Thawaiba by pointing with his finger, so Imagine the situation of a momin who rejoices on Mawlid, detailed explanation of this hadith shall be given in the last section of Verdicts from classical scholars.
This hadith is mentioned in Bukhari in the book of Nikah, and Ibn Kathir mentions it in his books Sirat al-Nabi Vol.1, p. 124, Mawlid al-Nabi p. 21, and al-Bidaya p. 272-273. The hafiz Shamsuddin Muhammad ibn Nasiruddin ad-Dimashqi wrote on this the following verses in his book Mawrid as-sadi fi Mawlid al-Hadi: "If this, a kafir who was condemned to hell eternally with "Perish his hands" [surat 111], is said to enjoy a respite every Monday because he rejoiced in Ahmad: what then do you think of the servant who, all his life, was happy with Ahmad, and died saying, "One"?"
5. Sahih Muslim, Dar ul Kutab al ILmiyyah (Volume 2, Page No. 147, Hadith No. 1130 )
Ibn Abbas (RA) reported: The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him” came to Madina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram. They were asked about that. They replied: “This is the day, on which Allah made Moses and the children of Israel emerge victorious over Pharoah. So, we fast on it “OUT OF GLORIFICATION TO IT”. The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upin him” said: “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, he ordered Muslims to fast on it
6. Sunnan an Nasai’i (Volume 1, Page No. 241, Hadith No. 448 )
Hadrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw) while mentioning his journey of Miraaj said: Jibril (a.s) asked me to get off from Buraak at Bethlehem and told me to say the prayer there, after which he said: Do you know where you have prayed (O Messenger of Allah)? You prayed at Bethlehem where Isa (a.s) "was born".
The Prophet Emphasized the Birthday/Birth place of Prophets
The Prophet emphasized in his hadith both the day and the place of birth of previous prophets. Speaking of the greatness of the day of Jum`ah (Friday), the Prophet said in his hadith: "On that day [i.e. Jum`ah], Allah created Adam." This means that the day of Friday is emphasized because Allah created Adam on that day. That day is emphasized because it saw the creation of the prophet and father of all human beings. What about the day when the greatest of prophets and best of human beings was created? The Prophet said: "Truly Allah made me the Seal of prophets while Adam was between water and clay." This hadith is related by Ahmad in the Musnad, Bayhaqi in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa and others, and is sound and established as authentic.
7. Why Imam Bukhari Emphasized Dying On Monday?
Imam Qastallani said in his commentary on Bukhari: "In his book on Jana'iz (Funerals), Bukhari named an entire chapter "Dying on Monday." In it there is the hadith of `A'isha relating her father's (Abu Bakr as-siddiq) question: "On which day did the Prophet die?" She replied: "Monday." He asked: "What day are we today?" She said, "O my father, this is Monday." Then he raised his hands and said: "I beg you, O Allah, to let me die on Monday in order to coincide with the Prophet's day of passing."
Imam Qastallani continues, "Why did Abu Bakr ask for his death to be on Monday? So that his death would coincide with the day of the Prophet's passing, in order to receive the baraka of that day... Does anyone object to Abu Bakr's asking to pass away on that day for the sake of baraka? Now, why are people objecting to celebrating or emphasizing the day of the Prophet’s birth in order to get baraka?"
8. Taareekh (Historians and Ulema)
There are people who claim that the Milad is a new thing let us see what the history is.
A) The 7th-century historians Abul `Abbas al-`Azafi and his son Abul Qasim al-`Azafi wrote in their Kitab ad-durr al-munazzam:
"Pious pilgrims and prominent travelers testified that, on the day of the mawlid in Mecca, no activities are undertaken, and nothing is sold or bought, except by the people who are busy visiting his noble birthplace, and rush to it. On this day the Ka`ba is opened and visited."
B.) Ibn Battuta's Account of the Mawlid
The famous 8th-century historian Ibn Battuta relates in his Rihla, Vol. 1, p. 309 and 347, that on every Friday, after the salah, and on the birthday of the Prophet, the door of Ka`ba is opened by the head of the Banu Shayba, the doorkeepers of the Ka`ba, and that on the Mawlid, the Shafi`i qadi (head judge) of Mecca, Najmuddin Muhammad Ibn al-Imam Muhyiddin al-Tabari, distributes food to the shurafa' (descendants of the Prophet and to all the other people of Mecca.
C) Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Celebration of Mawlid
This is Ibn Taymiyya's opinion about Mawlid from Majma` Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, Vol. 23, p. 163 and his Iqtida' al-sirat al-mustaqim, p. 294-295, Section entitled: "The innovated festivities of time and place" (ma uhditha min al-a`yad al-zamaniyya wa al-makaniyya): And similarly what some people innovate by analogy with the Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus, or out of love for the Prophet and to exalt him, and Allah may reward them for this love and effort, not on the fact that it is an innovation... To celebrate and to honor the birth of the Prophet and to take it as an honored season, as some of the people are doing, is good and in it there is a great reward, because of their good intentions in honoring the Prophet.
D) Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Meetings of Dhikr
The following is the opinion of Ibn Taymiyya on meetings of dhikr. It can be found in the King Khalid ibn `Abd al-`Aziz edition of the Majmu`at fatawa Ibn Taymiyya:
Ibn Taymiyya was asked about people that gather in a masjid making dhikr and reading Qur'an, praying to Allah and taking their turbans off their heads (leaving their heads bare) and crying, while their intention is not pride nor showing off but seeking to draw closer to Allah: is it acceptable or not? He answered: "Praise to Allah, it is good and recommended according to Shari`a (mustahabb) to come together for reading Qur'an, making dhikr, and making du`a'."
So we have seen with the evidences from Quran, Hadis and from Ulema about our faith, need and duty about Milad. Last point which I want to make here is about sending Salam to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in standing position.
One hadis from Tirmidhi which is hasan and sahih ( fair and sound)(Birr wa silat 4:322 #28) and in Imam Ahmad’s book (2:185)
From `Amr ibn Shu`ayb from his father from his grandfather: The Prophet said: "He is not of us who did not show mercy to our young ones and ignored the honor of our elders.
So giving honors to our elders is a must for us as muslim and then when the time comes to honor Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), should our legs feel pain?
9. Let us now think intelligently
Quran ( Al-Imran:31)
Allah asks the Prophet, Peace be upon him, to remind his Nation that it is essential for those who claim to love Allah, to love His Prophet: "Say to them: If you love Allah, follow (and love and honor) me, and Allah will love you" (3:31).
Quran ( Al –Qalam:4)
The Celebration of the Holy Prophet's birth is motivated by this obligation to love the Prophet, Peace be upon him, to obey him, to remember him, to follow his example, and to be proud of him as Allah is proud of him, since Allah has boasted about him in His Holy Book by saying, "Truly you are of a exalted (Standard) character" (Al-Qalam 4).
To celebrate the Prophet's birthday is to celebrate Islam, because the Prophet is the symbol of Islam. Imam Mutawalli Sha`rawi said in his book, Ma'idat al-Fikr al-Islamiyya (p. 295), "If living beings were happy for his coming (to this world) and every inanimate creation was happy at his birth and all plants were happy at his birth and all animals were happy at his birth and all angels were happy at his birth and all believing jinn were happy at his birth, why are you preventing us from being happy at his birth?"
Quran (Al-Ahzab:56)
Perfection of faith is dependent on love of the Prophet because Allah and His angels are constantly raising his honor, as is meant by the verse. “Allah sends His Salat (Graces, Honors, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad PBUH), and also His angels (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad PBUH), and (you should) greet (salute) him with Islamic way of greeting.”
Qur'an states( Yunus, 58):
قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
Say: "In the bounty of God. And in His Mercy, in that "LET THEM REJOICE" : that is better than the (wealth) they hoard.
Some might think in their wildest of imaginations that birth and arrival of Prophet (PBUH) is not a mercy, some even falsely limit the Mercies of Allah by saying that mercy mentioned here does not refer to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) thus we should not rejoice, so in reply to such people the best answer is found in Tafsir of Qur'an through Qur'an itself.
Qur'an states at another place ( Al- Ambiya,107)
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ
We have not sent you but as a “Mercy to the worlds”
Hence without any shadow of doubt arrival of Prophet (Peace & Blessings be upon him) is a mercy not only upon us but all worlds and creations of Allah azza Wajjal, thus we should rejoice as ordered in Qur'an
Sahih Bikhari and Sahih Muslim quotes
Love of the Prophet is what differentiates the believers in the perfection of their iman. In an authentic hadith related in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people." In another hadith in Bukhari he said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself" and Sayyidina `Umar said: "O Prophet, I love you more than myself."
10. The legal and religious status of celebrating the birth of Holy Prophet (Peace & Blessings be upon him) in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah:
-And Indeed everyone rejoices except for Shaytan and his counterparts, because:
أن إبليس رن أربع رنات حين لعن وحين أهبط وحين ولد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وحين أنزلت الفاتحة
Translation: Iblis cried loudly four times, first when Allah declared him as cursed, second when he was thrown out, Third When Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) was born and fourth when Surah Fatiha was revealed [Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah wal Nihayah, Volume No. 2, Page No. 166]
So now the conclusive question arises that if we celebrate the arrival of Adam(PBUH) in terms of Jumah prayer, if we celebrate the arrival of our children in the terms of Aquiqua, if we celebrate their completion of their The Quran in terms of Aamin, if we celebrate the arrival of new member in our family in terms of walima (reception) if we celebrate our childern’s birthday (no matter how) , their graduation, their marriage we are expressing our happiness and we are inherently thanking Almighty Allah for granting us this happy moment. Is’nt the same thing we do when we go for Eid prayers after month of fasting or in haj? And also, all these events do not go unnoticed. For each of the above we select a particular day to commemorate and celebrate to make sure that people around us feel our happiness and gratitude. Then why we must not thank Allah (JJ) on the 12th of Rabi-awwal?
Let us think it other way, what would be our answer to Allah (JJ) if in case he asks us a question that who was more beloved to us our children or spouse or friends OR Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) . He is Allah he may not ask any questions and can find uncountable reasons to forgive us but in case he asks, then what would be our answer? If we say yes we loved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), then if He asks another question have we ever discussed/rejoiced with our family, friends, relatives, neighbors, countrymen about the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who is the slave of Allah as are we and who is the last messenger of Allah? Then what would be our answers.
Wasalam
-Sharey
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Kitab At-Tauhid and Mr Abdul Wahhab Najdi
Introduction.
This book ‘Kitab At-Tauhid’ (The Book of Monotheism) by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab was gifted to me by some of my friends . Giving book as gift is one of my favorite and preferred act, so I am really thankful to all my friends who instead of giving any thing else chose to give me a book. It was a collection of seven books, of which I happened to read only one yet. It is the English translation done by some Dar-us-salam publication in Saudi Arabia. This book contains immense quotes from Quran and variety of Hadiths and since I am not expert in the field of Islamic theology, I have taken the meanings and translation as same as it is done in this book.
Why I am writing this review.
I am compelled to write down my opinion about this book due to various reasons I observed and felt while reading this book, but before that, one very generic reason which could have cropped in the minds of many many Muslims across the globe, hit my mind also. And I would really appreciate if any body can answer this question. This book is about Tuahid (Monotheism) and the writer and the publication house all belong to the land of Suadi Arabia. The meaning of this word “Saudi Arab” is the Saud’s Arab.( This piece of land called Arab belongs to some Saud) and then it has the national flag which has kalema-e-Shahadat on its top. Now Kalema-e Shahadat can not belong to any Saud of the world that is for sure, then how the land can, which is getting represented by this flag belongs to any Saud or Dawood etc. This piece of land where Muhammad (PBUH) was born can either belong to Muhammad (PBUH) or to Allah, directly. Now my question to the writer, every publisher, seller, reader and propagator of this book is that is it not the biggest possible violation of basic principal of Tauhid . So does anybody who writes the book on Tauhid, publishes, sells, buys, gifts or propagate has ever questioned this to kingdom of Saud. Let us leave this question here only.
Positive points of this book
The best part of this book is that it has abundance of quotes from Quran and all possible varieties of hadiths. Using such a large number verses from Quran and quotes from Muhammad (PBUH) really add value to this book. And I truly appreciate writer’s stress upon Tauhid. Mr Abdul Wahhab has addressed the most significant part of Islamic thought and way of life. This is a very fragile but the most relevant subject of the Islamic era. The writer deserves congratulations for his hard work and its impact in contemporary society.
The way Mr Wahhab has addressed different issues of Islamic Monotheism, is very effective and concrete. I don’t think the writer has even missed a single verse or a part of any verse from The Holy Quran; irrespective of its context to be use to glorify tauhid in his own way.
My assessment.
Since, I was referring to the English translation of Kitab At Tauhid (Translated by some Dar-us- Salam publication). I have observed certain discrepancies and ideological conflicts in writing, fallacies in thoughts and bankruptcy in social approach in this book so I thought to pen them down.
1.As an ideology, Mr Wahhab appears to be against the system of intercession, as concluded by him on page number 73(Chapter 17) without solid proof , but then right on chapter 1, page 22 he validates imparting knowledge selectively to someone and not to others. Here he takes support from a very authentic Hadith from Bukhari and Muslim.
Question is how you can maintain the balance as explained in above referred hadith without having system of intercession. You can never stop books/blogs/websites from being accessed by anybody. You can only do it when you have valid system of transferring knowledge from a teacher to a student and henceforth. Then what else, if not intercession?
2.On page # 30, Chapter-3, writer himself says Allah praised all those Auliya for they did not make anyone with him as partner. Can anyone answer a simple question, if Allah himself praises so what is wrong if His slaves also praise the same? And the second part of this same question is what about those slaves of Allah, who do not praise those Auliya whom Allah praises. Can anybody answer which collection of slaves is better?
3. On Page# 37, chapter 5 writer accepts the superiority of Hazrat Ali quoting the hadith from Bukhari 1389/1425 and Muslim. This is related to battle of Khaibar. But writer missed/skipped to mention the superiority of Ali over whom? I would request readers to please investigate who all participated in Battle of Khaibar.
4. On page # 38 of same chapter Mr. Writer outlines as general rule called “Calling to Islam before waging war”. He failed to understand that it was a situational act by all companions of Muhammad (PBUH) and can not be practiced in all situations unless the specific one occurs. And the misguided people in today’s scenario are a trailing the writer only so when they call to Islam and then they lose the war, it is not that certain people lost the war. It is the Islam lost the war and then the winners continue history writing from there only.
5. In chapter 6, Mr. Abdul Wahhab takes help from The holy Quran (17:57, 42:26-28, 9:31) and the a hadith from Muslim to conclude that just like Jews and Christian, they forgot the teachings of their prophets and started worshipping the righteous ones in their religion as the time passed, we Muslims (or as per writer, certain section of Muslims) are also at the same risk.
I would like to argue with absolute humbleness with writer’s point of view that one point difference between any other religion on earth and Islam, that till that, no matter what subset of Islam one follows, is that the true and the very exact scriptures are preserved with us, which does not hold reality for any other religion as promised and protected by Allah itself. In that case, is it fair to speculate something out of nothing that those few Muslims are going away from the true message of Islam?
Writer feels they are just praising and glorifying the so called righteous religious personalities without knowing the fact about them. If we go little more rational on the scale of time and technology, it is always likely to be misinformed about what happened in the year of 600 than what has happened in the year of 1200. Please read the chapter 6 to feel the ambiguity of writer’s opinion.
6. On page number 43, chapter 7, writer quotes verses from The Holy Quran (39:38) and then jumps to hadith from Imam Ahmed bin Hambal
Imran bin Husain (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) once saw a man with a brass ring on his hand and asked him, "What is this?" The man replied, "To overcome the weakness of old age." He said, "Remove it, for, it can only add to your weakness. Should death overtake you while you are wearing it, you would never succeed?"
And then after taking support from few more hadiths, writer concludes the strict forbiddance from using rings and amulets. I guess writer was a great scholar of Islam, so it must be by mistake that he missed to ponder right in the same above hadith that instead of asking the man to remove the ring from his finger, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) first 1. Investigated about his intention and then 2. Instructed him to remove and then 3.Informed him about harmful effect of the ring. Well, why I am stressing upon the intention in this scenario can be answered in following one hadith which I am quoting from Sunan Abu Dawood, and then I won’t have to answer any thing.
Book 029- Chapter: Fashioning a seal in the form of a ring.
Hadith Number 4206.
Narated By Ibn 'Umar : The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) took a signet-ring of gold, and put the stone next the palm of his hand. He engraved on it "Muhammad, the Apostle of Allah." The people then took signet-rings of gold. When he saw that they had taken them (like his ring), he threw it away and said: I shall never wear it. He then fashioned a silver ring and engraved on it "Muhammad, the Apostle of Allah." Then Abu Bakr wore it after him, then 'Umar wore it after Abu Bakr, and then 'Uthman wore it after 'Umar till it fell down in a well called Aris.
Abu Dawud said: The people did not disagree on 'Uthman till the signet-ring fell down from his hand.
Then either the conclusion from Mr Wahab is wrong or the three caliphs of rushd committed sin/shirk? (The above hadith and more related hadiths from Abu Dawood is available in all books of Hadiths. Please refer to any of them. I have just provided book and Hadith number for reader‘s convenience.)
7. I failed to understand how come the same writer declares on page # 45(Chapter7) whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk, then on page# 48(Chapter8) he says Ulema have different opinions about using the amulets containing the verses of Quran.
First you compare a superset with the most heinous crime of mankind i.e. shirk and then you dilute your own statement by putting uncertainty on one of its subset.
8.Let us come to page 61(Chapter14) , Writer is a very great scholar of Islam so he picks up in very accurate quantity the verses from Quran and Hadiths and then declares attaching supplication or invocation with seeking assistance through conjunction as shirk.
9. Also on page 64 and 65 (Chapter 15) writer picks hadiths very efficiently and quotes them, but if you read the pages, the question would come in your mind that does writer want to prove that there is not use of dua? No Supplication and no invocation at all because it may interfere with Allah’s will or the supplicator or invocator is snooping into Allah’s will?
Now please read below the Hadiths from Sunan Abu Dawood
Book 014, Hadith Number 3215.
Narated By Uthman ibn Affan : Whenever the Prophet (pbuh) became free from burying the dead, he used to stay at him (i.e. his grave) and say: Seek forgiveness for your brother, and beg steadfastness for him, for he will be questioned now.
Can writer answer how can any body seek forgiveness and beg steadfastness for his brother without supplication or invocation? (Maaz- Allah), intention of writer appears as if he is proving Apostle of Allah was advocating for some kind of shirk. (Please correct me if being a primary school student of this field, my understanding of writer’s point of view is wrong)
10. The contradiction in Writer’s approach can again be observed, when on page number 73(Chapter 17) he out rightly rejects the Intercession comparing it with Shirk in his approach, but then in the same book and same chapter at Page 72, he quotes the Holy Quran at 34:22, 23 which clearly mentions with out any ambiguity that “… Intercession with Him profits not, except for him whom He permits” .
At 21:28 “They will not be able to intercede except for him with whom He is pleased”
So what makes writer to denounce and refuse Intercession in total when Allah himself declares that there are people whom He permits for Intercession? On page 73, Mr Wahhab is bounded to accept that Intercession is allowed if it does not violate the principle of Tauhid.
My comment: I don’t understand what this writer wants to prove in this whole book by comparing every act of human life with shirk? On the other hand, it can be observed in above example that Mr. Writer himself is concluding something which is going against The holy Quran.
11. Page 77, the writer very categorically applauds for the concluiosn about the harm of over praising ancestors and important personalities. Because as per him it leads to polytheism. My question is even if leads to polytheism, can one discourage any act if the Muhammad (PBUH) says Allah wants and does the same job.
As below hadith
Sunan AbuDawood : Book 035, Hadith Number 4735.
…My servant has spoken the truth, so spread a bed for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a door for him into Paradise. So some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him as far as the eye can see……
12.On page 80 (Chapter 19) writers has taken help of The Holy Quran and some very authentic hadiths to discard any kind of exaggeration in loving righteous people. I think there is nothing new into this. Every righteous person has always advised and practiced this important thing. When I am referring to righteous person, I am referring all those four founders of sufi Islamic streams. Internet is full of their biographies and their original books and literatures. I personally challenge any reader of this review page, if any of these personalities have ever crossed the limit of exaggeration in loving righteous persons in the light of Quran and Hadiths.
The Holy Qur'an explicitly mentions that the Believers have "levels" (darajaat), and that "He raises" (yarfa`u) some of the Believers above others, and that "above every knowledgeable one there is one more knowledgeable," and that "those whom Allah has particularly graced" are defined as "the Prophets, the Siddiqs, the Shuhada', and the Righteous" in that order, and that some Prophets were exalted above others. So we must all agree that there is a hierarchy of Believers in general, and hierarchies of Awliya and Prophets in particular.
As for a specific terminology for the Awliya. The Prophet (PBUH) did use certain terms such as Abdal (substitutes), or certain qualifications of intercession such as the hadiths in which he refers to certain arch-intercessors such as our liege lords `Uthman ibn `Affan and Uways al-Qarani. Ibn `Asakir in his Tarikh (51:282) narrates with his chain that when Imam al-Shafi`i finished memorizing the Qur'an he said to himself: "You have obtained the Qutb al-A`zam" i.e. the greatest axis or authority around which the Religion revolves.
Well, why I emphasized this point, is that writer appears very biased in this book in entirety while denouncing love and respect for righteous people, or the people whom ummah has always looked at with gratitude and source of knowledge and spiritual uplift. While on the other hand no where in this book writer has tried to balance his one sided assessment of our regards for Auliya –e- Allah.
The callousness of writer is even vivid on page # 112(Chapter 32) In the translation of the verse from The Holy Quran (3:175) he intentionally did not translate the word Auliya – as friend but left it as Auliya when it is referred to friends of Satan. Else everywhere, writer translated the word Auliya as friends whenever it is referred to friends of Allah. (As a matter of fact, we only use the term Auliya when we talk about Aulya-e-Allah, and for all other scenarios we simply use the word in the very language we write)
Writer appears to be great scholar of Islam, because he understands and translate each verse of the holy Quran very wittingly.
13. Let us come to page 89 Chapter 22 now. Mister so called Sheikh ul Islam again concludes a very ambiguously by saying “The Prophet (PBUH) forbade visiting his grave in a certain manner” and then he says “, though visiting his is grave is among the best of deeds.” Now he again conditions the deed which he himself assumes the best. I don’t see any thing new in his part because he appears to be very prejudiced for the act of visiting graves in total through out this book. However just to add to his knowledge and to provide little insight to the readers of this paper that it is Imam Bukhari who writes in his preface to the book Sahi - Bukhari that I started the work of compiling Sahi Bukahri from Masjid-e- Haram and I am finishing this work after 16 years at the grave of Prophet Muhammad. Imam Bukhari did not use the term like “Masjid-e- Nabavi” or Shahar-e- Medina. He clearly uses the term “Qabr-e- Anwar” or grave of Prophet Muhammad. If he had any doubt in his mind about this act, he must have avoided referring to the place as grave. Then how can Mr Wahab get right to condition this deed.
14. On the same page and chapter, Mr writer quotes a hadith from Imam Al-Maqdasi quoting from Ali, that Prophet Muhammad mentioned “ Do not take my grave as place of celebration, not your homes as graves, make salat upon me for your salutation conveyed to me from wherever you are” – Al Mukhtarah. (Same hadith is mentioned in Abu Dawood)
And then he concludes prophet forbade us making excessive visits to his grave.
Well I think excess of anything is wrong except the formal acts of worship for us .Excess of obeying your parents can go wrong. Excess of caring your kids can be wrong. Excess of loving your spouse can be wrong. Excess of loving your home and property can be wrong. Excess of charity can be wrong. And all these are wrong to the extent that they will lead to shirk. But the lack in the depth of understanding of the above hadith from writer’s part is as follow. (Please correct me if I am wrong.)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) very clearly says that do not make his grave as place of worship. Here prophet is very particular about his grave and in the second part of this hadith; he gives a general statement for all graves that don’t make your homes as graves. The only question I have from Mr Writer is who give him right to compare the prophet’s grave with graves of any other Muslims in the world. Prophet Muhammad himself gives two opposite guidance for two different categories of graves, where one category has only one grave of Prophet Muhammad and other category has the graves of all other Muslims. Although it is very and very clear that there must be two sub categories in the above second category also. One category of graves of Auliya’e Allah and the rest category for rest all Muslims. Source of this categorization is also the same The Holy Quran and Hadiths. (For any doubts please refer to Suraha Fatiha from The Holy Quran, which says
1:7 صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّين
Sirā tal-lazīna an'amta 'alayhim ġayril maġdūbi 'alayhim walād dāllīn
The path of those on whom You have bestowed your grace, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who go astray.
15.On page 115, chapter 31, writer quotes from Al-Bukahri and Muslim, narrated by Anas(RAA) “ Whoever possess the following three qualities will have the sweetness of faith. 1. The one to whom Allah and His Messenger are more beloved than anything. 2. The one who loves another only for Allah’s sake 3. The one who hates to convert to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, as he hates to be thrown into the fire.
Similar hadith, writer quotes from Ibn Abbas also.
Now I ask a very simple question why we love Hazrat Abu Bakar and hate Abu Jahal?
Answer lies in above hadiths. Right?
Now next question, why we love Imam Zain Ul Abedeen and Imam Jafer Sadiq and why we hate Yazeed?
Again answer lies in above hadiths. Right?
In general, from Sahaba to Tabayeen and Tab-e- tabayeen to all true muslims, we love only because of the above hadith.
Then why Mr Writer lacks motivation in encouraging today’s Muslims to love their teachers and mentors when it will add sweetness of their faith?
I don’t see Writer has scarcity of support in this regard, but writer’s approach toward this hadith itself is very questionable, because Mr .writer is propagating to remove the cancer patients (ideologically') rather than to remove the cancer.
16. Let us come to page 158 (Chapter 50), writer himself acknowledges that “The pious predecessors made a distinction between Shirk in obedience and Shirk in worship.”
17. Now just have look at one objection that Mr. Writer has on page 144(Chapter 45) for a piece of lines which somebody wrote as per his love and respect that “ O noblest of the creatures, there is none for me but you to seek refuge in distress” I am quoting writer’s words. He says how condemnable the poet is while he said this.
My question to Mr Wahab in support of this innocent poet is, the poet clearly mentions the noblest of creatures, and so what is wrong into it. Was prophet Muhammad not the noblest of all possible creatures in this whole universe? What is wrong in seeking his help and guidance from him, if he is the messenger of Allah itself.
We have to understand the difference between Iblees and Gabriele. In Surah Al Baqrah- Allah tells us that when he orders to bow down to humans, Iblees denied and Gabriele did. So when Angels are bound to bow down to humans in general, what is wrong even to slightest possible extent if anybody seeks Allah’s messenger’s help, guidance, support, refuge. Now please read the below lines and think about writer’s intention behind writing this book.
The holy Quran (Al –Araf/7:56) “And do not mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order…”
One hadith from Bukahri: “You should preach to the people in a way that they can easily understand. Would you like that Allah and His Messenger be denied?”
This all completes my review and opinion about this book as written by My Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab.
But I still have some thing to conclude.
This book begins with a biographical description of the writer. When I was going through this short biography, I guess probably written by translator/ or somebody from publication house. No name mentioned. But I could feel as if (Na-u-zobillaha) writer of this biography had biography of Prophet Muhammad in his hand, and he just kept on replacing (Istaghferullah) Allah’s apostle’s name with this writer’s name and then claiming him as reviver and reformer. I will provide you the link to this book if available on line, and request each one of you to read it to realize the junkness of this whole idea.
This writer (Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab an-Najdi (1703–1792)) is declared as reviver and reformer. And on page 15, the biographer mentions as “Thus a thorough revival of the complete religion came into existence.” And then he says after his expiry, “his sons, grandsons, disciples and supporters continued the work of Dawah and Jihad in the way of Allah.” And on the same page, at previous paragraph, Mr. Biographer says “Peace and Tranquility prevailed everywhere, in towns as well as in villages. People became safe even in deserts and on lonely ways”
I don’t deny with biographer, that it might be possible to establish such kind of peace at that time for a town or a small province, the ideology of Mr. Wahhab was not to establish peace across the world, rather his insistence was to establish uniformity, by treating humans as a factory made products, devoid of human feelings and cultures. And conclusively this terribly uniformed peace resulted in loss of unity between Muslims and Muslims and also between Muslims and non Muslims. And the worst out come of this loss of unity is what Muslims are suffering all over the world today. We are the least liked community on this earth. It is only because we failed to learn how to co exist and live cordially with other humans which are not Muslims. The greatest contribution of this monotheism propagated, practiced and pried by Mr. Abdul Wahhab from Najd.
Let us see the real part of this so called “reviver and reformer”.
It is said that this self proclaimed “reviver and reformer” came when Muslims were going away from their religion and goal. Please find below the list of top 13 Muslim personalities, who worked for Muslims’ spiritual, material and institutional upliftment before Mr. Writer was born, manifesting the truth that the Muslim world was never free from true Islamic scholars, thinkers and leaders . And this “reviver and reformer” not only reaped their crops but also consumed them for his ambitions. Following is the list of some very, very prominent Islamic scholars and leaders, who not only served for Islam but also were greatly successful in preserving Muslims dignity, respect, values and pride in the view of contemporary non Muslim world.
1. Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani(1077 - 1166 )
2. Abū Hamīd bin Abū Bakr Ibrāhīm (1145),
3. Shahāb ad-Dīn" Yaḥyá ibn Ḥabash as-Suhrawardī (1155 -1191)
4. Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki -(1173 C.E)
5. Hazrat Bābā Farīduddīn Mas'ūd Ganjshakar (1173 -1280)
6. Abu Yahya Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini (1203 -1283),
7. Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (1207 – 1273),
8. Hazrat Nasiruddin Mahmud Chirag-e-Delhi(1274-1356)
9. Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya (1238 -1325)
10. Hazrat Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gesu Daraz (1321 -1422),
11. Bin Muḥammad bin Khaldūn Al-Hadrami, (1332 -1406)
12. Imam-e-Rabbani Mujaddid Alf Sani Shaykh Ahmad al-Farooqi Sirhindi (1564–1624)
13. Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlavi (1703 -1762)
Mr Abdul Wahhab stressed for Jihad (Jihad bi-saif) to defeat the enemy, whosoever it may be. However he failed to do the bigger Jihad (Jihad bi-nafs) with himself else he would not have been the person with following traits
-The man who disrespected graves of families of prophet Muhammad
-The man who declared all Muslims as kafir till date including the above mentioned personalities. (However to add to reader’s knowledge, Mr.Abdul Wahhab was a Hambali and also Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was.)
-The man whose own father and brother warned other Muslims against him
-The man who was declared as British spy
-The man who was famous for his opportunism at times in order to acquire power and positions
-The man who forced uniformity over unity at the cost of human’s sufferings
-The man who had 20 wives
Now I ask this question from every reader to this page, is it still fair to consider this person as “reviver and reformer”.
Now at the last section of my write up, I would again quote for this book only.
On page 100, chapter 25, writer quotes a hadith from Muslim and Bukahri, reported by Ibn Umar (RAA) that prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said “Some eloquens can be sorcery”.
I leave upon readers to guess my intentions behind quoting this hadith here now.
Please find below the link to this book.
www.islamtomorrow.com/books/book_of_pure_monotheism/tawheed.pdf
I am adding freely available link of this book to all readers of this blog so that they can judge my comments in relation with the content of this book line by line. Page numbers may vary from this book slightly because I referred to the Hard copy therefore without a single exception I made sure to mention the chapter number while I referred to page. Your comments and opinions and suggestions are more than welcome in true spirit of exploring the Islamic Monotheism. May Allah bless all of us with His guidance and support. (Ameen)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Will Only Muslims go to Heaven?
This is a very common question cropping in most of Muslim minds and in the minds of Non Muslims as well. Once during discussion with my wife, this cropped up in our minds also that will only Muslims go to Heaven?
As part of our religious teaching from very early days, we have lived with the notion that being a Muslim we are the sole future resident of heaven or I would say, the purpose of existence of heaven at all is just to provide an everlasting shelter to all Muslims in the world sooner or later.
Being a Sufi Muslim in my faith, approach, practice and advocacy, the existing clear cut answer to this question has always pondered me because it does not sound just that any xyz can enjoy the greatest possible reward to mankind only because he/she xyz is born in a Muslim family.
No faith can survive unless it is dynamic. And the simplest parameter to judge the dynamism of any faith is to see how efficiently it allows you to welcome the changes with arms open and never lets your values go. I consider Islam as a very dynamic faith and so here is my understanding of Islam and its purpose.
It may have been possible that during the infancy of Islam, to born as Muslim was a great achievement, nevertheless the same rule can not hold true today at all . We will see the reasons for this purport below.
All sorts of criticism helping us in finding out the answer to this question are more than appreciated. Nevertheless, howsoever reads this paper, must not fall in the doubt about my faith, love and respect for prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Also, I do not want to declare who will not go to heaven but want to explore who all can go.
In early days of Islam, every Muslim had to pay the cost of being Muslim in one or other ways, even to those who where Muslim only by name or under some kind greed or for any other reasons. But in today’s scenario, your faith is no longer your accomplishment; it is a free gift to us. And Allah can not give us any reward to any human on the basis of gifts which he has bestowed. If He is Allah, then he can not have manly dictatorial attitude of sycophancy. He is bounded of not doing injustice with anybody.
Every age has its own demands, challenges, and milestones. Adam (PBUH) was a Muslim, but Haj was not obligatory to him. Abraham (PBUH) was a Muslim but he did not come with a book. Likewise there were different requirements during Jesus (PBUH) and further different during Mohammad (PBUH). So conclusively for the Muslims during early days of Islam must have been given advantages of entering into Heaven, if they are born Muslim and so all Quranic texts and Hadiths references, must remain true in the very sense they appear, but now since our faith is not an achievement, we need to understand that wherever Allah refers to Muslim in Quran, or Muhammad (PBUH) in any kind of Hadiths it means three things.
1. Those two billion people Muslim population who are Muslims by their birth, name and faith.
2. Men and women, child and old, healthy and sick, all those who submit their will to one ever existing power of the universe.
As part of our religious teaching from very early days, we have lived with the notion that being a Muslim we are the sole future resident of heaven or I would say, the purpose of existence of heaven at all is just to provide an everlasting shelter to all Muslims in the world sooner or later.
Being a Sufi Muslim in my faith, approach, practice and advocacy, the existing clear cut answer to this question has always pondered me because it does not sound just that any xyz can enjoy the greatest possible reward to mankind only because he/she xyz is born in a Muslim family.
No faith can survive unless it is dynamic. And the simplest parameter to judge the dynamism of any faith is to see how efficiently it allows you to welcome the changes with arms open and never lets your values go. I consider Islam as a very dynamic faith and so here is my understanding of Islam and its purpose.
It may have been possible that during the infancy of Islam, to born as Muslim was a great achievement, nevertheless the same rule can not hold true today at all . We will see the reasons for this purport below.
All sorts of criticism helping us in finding out the answer to this question are more than appreciated. Nevertheless, howsoever reads this paper, must not fall in the doubt about my faith, love and respect for prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Also, I do not want to declare who will not go to heaven but want to explore who all can go.
In early days of Islam, every Muslim had to pay the cost of being Muslim in one or other ways, even to those who where Muslim only by name or under some kind greed or for any other reasons. But in today’s scenario, your faith is no longer your accomplishment; it is a free gift to us. And Allah can not give us any reward to any human on the basis of gifts which he has bestowed. If He is Allah, then he can not have manly dictatorial attitude of sycophancy. He is bounded of not doing injustice with anybody.
Every age has its own demands, challenges, and milestones. Adam (PBUH) was a Muslim, but Haj was not obligatory to him. Abraham (PBUH) was a Muslim but he did not come with a book. Likewise there were different requirements during Jesus (PBUH) and further different during Mohammad (PBUH). So conclusively for the Muslims during early days of Islam must have been given advantages of entering into Heaven, if they are born Muslim and so all Quranic texts and Hadiths references, must remain true in the very sense they appear, but now since our faith is not an achievement, we need to understand that wherever Allah refers to Muslim in Quran, or Muhammad (PBUH) in any kind of Hadiths it means three things.
1. Those two billion people Muslim population who are Muslims by their birth, name and faith.
2. Men and women, child and old, healthy and sick, all those who submit their will to one ever existing power of the universe.
3. All those who appreciate practice and propagate peace on the earth.
Thousand and five hundred years ago, all three categories were mostly overlapped therefore no doubt to brood about their doorway into Heaven. In today’s scenario ironically all these three categories, they do overlap to certain percentages, but a big percentage of each category does not overlap with any of the other two. And therefore we don’t have any right to discard any of these groups from entering into Heaven. Now depending upon how truly and deeply one is dipped into his category of being Muslim he will go to Heaven. But all of them are Muslims beyond doubt. Those who doubt this they should question why the name of this religion is given as Islam and nothing else. It could have been any name related to Muhammad (PBUH), as it was a known figure from the time of Adam. Why the most basic name of this religion is never referred as like “ Deen –e Ilah” or any kind of its synonym? And I personally challenge any linguistic similarity between the word Islam and Allah. On the contrary this word Islam has more social value than theological.
Let us ask this question from ourselves, and see what answer we find. If two children get candies in a lottery out of three and then can we judge that those two are better than the third child? I would say our sympathy will go with the third child.And that is what exactly the Sufi spirit of Islam teaches.
Ok. Now let us ask from ourselves one more question, if we leave Muslim populations in Kashmir/Gujarat/Palestine etc. apart. Have we paid a single penny for being born in a Muslim family? When NO, then how can we expect be rewarded for any cost we have not paid?
Now let us see what Islam means. Islam does not mean to worship Muhammad (PBUH). Islam obligates to obey Muhammad (PBUH). Now the only minimum and sufficient requirement to testify that one is believing and obeying Muhammad (PBUH) is to worship one invisible and Omnipotent God. Nothing can surpass this requirement and every other requirement comes after this. I strongly believe that no Muslim can disagree this.
Now let us examine what Quran says in this regard. I have placed Quranic support to my answer at later part after the logical investigation of this vital question as this is the final verdict.My entire writing is a junk if we have single line in Quran against it or my entire writing is testimonial of exuberance, if I can get support of single line from Quran. Well but, I would like to tell you that I am just a primary school student in this field, and would like take the very simple meaning of these verses from Quran.
1. Allah says:"Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve." (2:62)
Here Allah says, those who believe in the words of God, and those who are Jews, Christian, Sabians (Followers of Zubur) , who ever believes in Allah, and believes in last day and does good work they have rewards. Now do we need any other decree to accept the fact Allah’s reward is never limited to only 2 billion Muslims of this world? Can Allah defy his promises? HE is Allah, HE can give more but not less for sure.Let us see another manifestation of the same idea.
2. Almighty Says:"O people, We have created you from a male and female and made you into races and tribes so that you may know each other. Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of God are those who are the most pious among you. And Allah knows every thing and is aware of every thing." (49:13)
Thousand and five hundred years ago, all three categories were mostly overlapped therefore no doubt to brood about their doorway into Heaven. In today’s scenario ironically all these three categories, they do overlap to certain percentages, but a big percentage of each category does not overlap with any of the other two. And therefore we don’t have any right to discard any of these groups from entering into Heaven. Now depending upon how truly and deeply one is dipped into his category of being Muslim he will go to Heaven. But all of them are Muslims beyond doubt. Those who doubt this they should question why the name of this religion is given as Islam and nothing else. It could have been any name related to Muhammad (PBUH), as it was a known figure from the time of Adam. Why the most basic name of this religion is never referred as like “ Deen –e Ilah” or any kind of its synonym? And I personally challenge any linguistic similarity between the word Islam and Allah. On the contrary this word Islam has more social value than theological.
Let us ask this question from ourselves, and see what answer we find. If two children get candies in a lottery out of three and then can we judge that those two are better than the third child? I would say our sympathy will go with the third child.And that is what exactly the Sufi spirit of Islam teaches.
Ok. Now let us ask from ourselves one more question, if we leave Muslim populations in Kashmir/Gujarat/Palestine etc. apart. Have we paid a single penny for being born in a Muslim family? When NO, then how can we expect be rewarded for any cost we have not paid?
Now let us see what Islam means. Islam does not mean to worship Muhammad (PBUH). Islam obligates to obey Muhammad (PBUH). Now the only minimum and sufficient requirement to testify that one is believing and obeying Muhammad (PBUH) is to worship one invisible and Omnipotent God. Nothing can surpass this requirement and every other requirement comes after this. I strongly believe that no Muslim can disagree this.
Now let us examine what Quran says in this regard. I have placed Quranic support to my answer at later part after the logical investigation of this vital question as this is the final verdict.My entire writing is a junk if we have single line in Quran against it or my entire writing is testimonial of exuberance, if I can get support of single line from Quran. Well but, I would like to tell you that I am just a primary school student in this field, and would like take the very simple meaning of these verses from Quran.
1. Allah says:"Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve." (2:62)
Here Allah says, those who believe in the words of God, and those who are Jews, Christian, Sabians (Followers of Zubur) , who ever believes in Allah, and believes in last day and does good work they have rewards. Now do we need any other decree to accept the fact Allah’s reward is never limited to only 2 billion Muslims of this world? Can Allah defy his promises? HE is Allah, HE can give more but not less for sure.Let us see another manifestation of the same idea.
2. Almighty Says:"O people, We have created you from a male and female and made you into races and tribes so that you may know each other. Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of God are those who are the most pious among you. And Allah knows every thing and is aware of every thing." (49:13)
Here also Allah has never conditioned Muslimness for nobility. It is the piousness and which Allah only knows covering entire mankind beyond the boundaries of people with/out books even.
3. Let us see one more verse from Quran (Al – Maidah) in this regard."If they had observed the Torah and the Gospel and that which was revealed unto them from their Lord, they would surely have been nourished from above them and from beneath their feet. Among them there are people who are moderate, but many of them are of evil conduct. (5:66)"
This verse of Quran is even announcing the fact that during the time this verse was revealed to prophet Muhhammad (PBUH), there were few people who were not of evil conduct. This is what Quran is declaring without any ambiguity to any mundane human.
4. Here is few more example of Allah’s will."God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleased; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. ( 4:48)"
Can anybody answer me if a person is innocent and always worshipped only one Almighty in his/her heart, but he never knew about prophet Muhammad (PBUH). What is the most likely situation for him, will he be forgiven by Allah or not?
5. One last support from Quran in this regard:" Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it". (99:7-8)"
As a matter of fact no body knows which sins will be forgiven and which won't. Every person Allah Almighty created will be judged uniquely. His life record will be played before him, and all of the good and bad deeds he committed will be pointed out for him. Allah Almighty will then decide on sentencing the person to Hell or Heaven: Then how can we live with presumption that only Muslim (Type1) will be forgiven and will be entered into Heaven.Above five verses are those which can be understood without any further deep study related to origin/time/ purpose of the verse when they were revealed to prophet Muhammad (PBUH).Although there is no need to provide any reference from Hadiths when we already have ample references from Quran to understand and conclude that Heaven is not reserved only for Muslims (Type1). Still let us take one well accepted hadiths from Sahi BukhariNarrated
Utban bin Malik Al – Ansari: who was one of the men of the tribe of Bani Salim: Allah’s Apostle came to me and said, “if anybody comes on the Day of Resurrection who has said: La ilaha illal-lah, sincerely, with the intention to win Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will make the Hell-Fire forbidden for him.” Page# 76: To make the Heart Tender ( Ar-Riqaq).Hadith No. 431
Now, what does this hadith means? First Allah declared now His messenger is again validating the exactly same thing and if we still live in the dream that we are the landlords of Heaven then are we not directly denying what Allah wants and what His all apostles including prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has advised and practiced?
Well now its time to address one more question which is very natural to reap in our minds. If Non Muslims ( Type1) can enter into Heaven then why do Muslims are taking pain and offer five times Namaz, Keep fasts for one moths, give zakat and then abstain from alcohol, and there are lot of other restrictions which they impose upon themselves?
Well to address this question,Firstly let us try to understand one very common saying like “my problems are the biggest problems”. Likewise we have to accept the reality that it may not be true that what we do being a normal Muslim is always the toughest process we follow. There are people from other communities who understands somewhere deep in their heart the realty of One God and then they practice something much harder than us (Type1). What we follow is no doubt the best one and we have to understand that in its inheritance it is the easiest one.Secondly, since by its nature Islam is a social religion with a very balanced way of life without any extremes, it expects its followers to abide by certain rules and discipline, which have more social and collective worldly but real benefits than any supernatural mileages. After all for supernatural mileages it is always more of your intentions than the action.
Ok, let us now just see one last aspect of answering this question “If only Muslims will go to Heaven?” and then I will sum up my writing.Most of the Type1 Muslims live in the world where they are not the only people living all around, now if you live with this notion that only you will go to heaven , you are going to transfer same ideology to your kids and your students and all younger generations. You are propagating something for which you yourself is not very clear, if not very sure that you will not be the only resident of heaven.
What is happening? At internal front you and your son will start developing antipathy for other humans around you and at external front this will be automatically getting reflected from your approach and attitude, which is actually happening everywhere because we are going away and far away from the real teaching of Islam which is the Sufi teaching. Now please don’t ask me to elaborate the far longing consequences of this feeling.
It is abundant every where in this world despite following facts.
1. Muslims as a community are more united and brotherly connected than any other community in the world.
2. Muslims as a community do maximum charity in terms of Zakat than any other community in the world.
3. Muslims as a community have the maximum number of non alcoholic in the world.
4. Muslims as a community have least adultery and dowry cases.
Yet we are the most hated community in the world today!!!!!
3. Let us see one more verse from Quran (Al – Maidah) in this regard."If they had observed the Torah and the Gospel and that which was revealed unto them from their Lord, they would surely have been nourished from above them and from beneath their feet. Among them there are people who are moderate, but many of them are of evil conduct. (5:66)"
This verse of Quran is even announcing the fact that during the time this verse was revealed to prophet Muhhammad (PBUH), there were few people who were not of evil conduct. This is what Quran is declaring without any ambiguity to any mundane human.
4. Here is few more example of Allah’s will."God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleased; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. ( 4:48)"
Can anybody answer me if a person is innocent and always worshipped only one Almighty in his/her heart, but he never knew about prophet Muhammad (PBUH). What is the most likely situation for him, will he be forgiven by Allah or not?
5. One last support from Quran in this regard:" Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it". (99:7-8)"
As a matter of fact no body knows which sins will be forgiven and which won't. Every person Allah Almighty created will be judged uniquely. His life record will be played before him, and all of the good and bad deeds he committed will be pointed out for him. Allah Almighty will then decide on sentencing the person to Hell or Heaven: Then how can we live with presumption that only Muslim (Type1) will be forgiven and will be entered into Heaven.Above five verses are those which can be understood without any further deep study related to origin/time/ purpose of the verse when they were revealed to prophet Muhammad (PBUH).Although there is no need to provide any reference from Hadiths when we already have ample references from Quran to understand and conclude that Heaven is not reserved only for Muslims (Type1). Still let us take one well accepted hadiths from Sahi BukhariNarrated
Utban bin Malik Al – Ansari: who was one of the men of the tribe of Bani Salim: Allah’s Apostle came to me and said, “if anybody comes on the Day of Resurrection who has said: La ilaha illal-lah, sincerely, with the intention to win Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will make the Hell-Fire forbidden for him.” Page# 76: To make the Heart Tender ( Ar-Riqaq).Hadith No. 431
Now, what does this hadith means? First Allah declared now His messenger is again validating the exactly same thing and if we still live in the dream that we are the landlords of Heaven then are we not directly denying what Allah wants and what His all apostles including prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has advised and practiced?
Well now its time to address one more question which is very natural to reap in our minds. If Non Muslims ( Type1) can enter into Heaven then why do Muslims are taking pain and offer five times Namaz, Keep fasts for one moths, give zakat and then abstain from alcohol, and there are lot of other restrictions which they impose upon themselves?
Well to address this question,Firstly let us try to understand one very common saying like “my problems are the biggest problems”. Likewise we have to accept the reality that it may not be true that what we do being a normal Muslim is always the toughest process we follow. There are people from other communities who understands somewhere deep in their heart the realty of One God and then they practice something much harder than us (Type1). What we follow is no doubt the best one and we have to understand that in its inheritance it is the easiest one.Secondly, since by its nature Islam is a social religion with a very balanced way of life without any extremes, it expects its followers to abide by certain rules and discipline, which have more social and collective worldly but real benefits than any supernatural mileages. After all for supernatural mileages it is always more of your intentions than the action.
Ok, let us now just see one last aspect of answering this question “If only Muslims will go to Heaven?” and then I will sum up my writing.Most of the Type1 Muslims live in the world where they are not the only people living all around, now if you live with this notion that only you will go to heaven , you are going to transfer same ideology to your kids and your students and all younger generations. You are propagating something for which you yourself is not very clear, if not very sure that you will not be the only resident of heaven.
What is happening? At internal front you and your son will start developing antipathy for other humans around you and at external front this will be automatically getting reflected from your approach and attitude, which is actually happening everywhere because we are going away and far away from the real teaching of Islam which is the Sufi teaching. Now please don’t ask me to elaborate the far longing consequences of this feeling.
It is abundant every where in this world despite following facts.
1. Muslims as a community are more united and brotherly connected than any other community in the world.
2. Muslims as a community do maximum charity in terms of Zakat than any other community in the world.
3. Muslims as a community have the maximum number of non alcoholic in the world.
4. Muslims as a community have least adultery and dowry cases.
Yet we are the most hated community in the world today!!!!!
My tryst with Siva's fort
All big decisions are made at once .Visiting Lohgarh fort was one such resolution, ‘locked in’ at 3:00 am among we four Infy employees (1.Saurabh, 2.Chatenya, 3.Anshul, 4.Sharey).The only clue we had on our way to an unseen destination was to get the local train form Khadki railway station by 4:30 am.‘Where there is will, there is way’. And so we landed at Khadki Railway station by 4:05 am and inquired about the place and train. Person at ticket window suggested for getting down at a small station called ‘Malvali’. We had no reason to disobey him. It was 5:45 am; we reached ‘Malvali’ and saw a board with ‘Lohegarh at 09 Kms’. We were stunned, how to cover this 09 Kms, and soon realized that there is only our foot we can use to fathom. It was a team spirit, weather and timing supporting us and so we extended our mission. Our mission to interact with Shivaji’s courage and his fellow men’s commitment to save their land from outsiders - Mughals.We trekked for at least 3hrs to reach the fort i.e. Lohegarh fort. On the way there were umpteen hotels offering their excellent hospitability with water, pohas, cold drinks, etc. and innocent smiles with a wish to see you again. The path was arduous but full of lush greeneries cocktailed in mango trees, cactus plants, Margosa and other innumerable variety of fauna. As we kept on going up, we could see back what is covered and what yet to. We could see express way and railway track like a set of toys placed on nature’s bosom. It was all so aesthetic and pure that we could never miss a chance to capture them in our camera. It was all adding a push to move a head but provoking a sense of hypsiphobia too. At every moment of our journey to most daring and tiring event of our life our team of four appeared to be divided in three mental stages. One of us appeared to be totally exhausted and pulling back and the next two in a confused state of mind, lacking in willpower but filled with enthusiasm to fetch the peak of mountain under our feet. And the last one enthralling and motivating us by singing the songs like “Who the is Alice” or by reciting Hindi poetries like ‘Woh pradip jo dikh raha hai jhilmil door nahi, thak kar kar baith gaye kya bhai, manzil door nahi’. There was round robin flow of these emotions among the team. Totally engulfed with all kinds of feelings, after a strenuous journey of over 3:30 hrs we reached the fort. It was an absolutely alien feeling we emoted when found our selves at the entrance of Lohgarh fort. Joy and excitement was all around us. Despite our journey was itself an homage to the legend of Indian history but we paid a tribute to Shivaji by discussing him for few minutes which filled in patriotic feelings and euphoric notions. Till date actual reminiscent of the history jelled in rusted Iron Gate exists. We can see windows and small holes on the wall which were so strategically built that they capture maximum possible view of the land in front. There are ‘Pravesh Dwar’, ‘Hanuman Dwar’, and ‘Maha Dwar’ made for different purposes. The most outstanding part of the fort is that the entire fort is built on an inclined plane of Lohegarh Mountain, where top of the fort is at the peak of the mountain. Another most scarce thing is a ‘Dargah’- A Muslim shrine at the heart of shivaji’s heart land. India is a land of cultural and religious harmony at every inch. Let us leave this subject here only but irrefutably this has added one more reason to my heart and soul to admire the legend.It was relentlessly charismatic view when we perched a top. We could see Lonavala, Khandala, ambey valley and much more unexplainable on one canvas .There was scintillating lake beneath and white clouds over us. There was a dargah, a hanuman temple and we in between. Awesome, unimaginable and auspicious. There was an unpredictable synergy of nature’s beauty and man’s determination. We were thirsty and empty stomach but delighted of what we have achieved. After staying for about 1 hr, and roaming around, we started our journey back. Now sun was hot and we were tired enough but because we were contented so we could finish our journey in ¾ th of uphill time. Not ready to let pass any thing, we cuddled with Bhaja caves. To reach this place we had to travel 2 Kms extra amidst the high temperature and we did. Caves appeared to be a depiction of some Buddhist work and it was superb. All carved with different kinds of sculptures, probably displaying the life of Buddhist monks. However we could not find any guide there.We were tired to our maximum extent but equally elated. We were feeling proud of ourselves and satisfactory of our willpower. We reached the same Malvali railway station back by 1:00pm. And our train back to Pune was at 2:10 pm so we had nice sleep for an hour and then at 2:10 pm we boarded into the slightly crowded train and finally returned back to bless Pune by 3:30 pm
My Visit to a Mandir!!!
Normally I avoid or to be more honest I ignore giving words to my every day experiences, may be because this IT industry has sucked us to such an extent that when we are not on work the only thing we tend to do is to relax and meditate and that to just to compliment each other . But at times like any human beings I too just go helpless to write down anything about some of my experiences. I actually do not know what I am writing but I am writing because my hands are following the commands of my heart and that too, to word out my experience to an orphanage!!! I have met the kids around me who fortunately or unfortunately HE knows better, do not have their parents. Some might have lost their father or mother or both in accidents, some due to diseases and some in communal riots or followed terrorist attacks. But I feel they are still fortunate enough at least to know who their parents were. Tomorrow when their kids ask them they can answer.But what about those toddlers who do not know who they belong too. What made their parents, their mother and father to throw these innocent lives out of their life. It was my very first experience to visit any orphanage. With some of my colleagues (I should rather say my friends, my own dear friends.) When we planned to do some charity work, obviously I should give credit of this notion to my company, which is worldwide known for its mentor and morals, Infosys. We tried to make some of collections among our project mates, and when we got some substantial amount with their above expectation participation, we finally prepared to realize our plan. Being a weekend it was not possible for most of us to get out of our houses and put some of our endeavors to the cause for which we do not see any materialistic gain in our account. I have seen people mingling their days and nights in stock trading and chain marketing because there they see benefits in fraction of minutes no matter how. But here, probably we five were trusting on Somebody invisible; for he promises to give hundred times of what we spend on His way .And this is the best preferred His way sans any exception. And so the initiative actually initiated and led by one of our friend Krishna(very much fulfilling the demand of his name), we rest four people Dattaprasad, Biswajit, Tusar and me were all set to meet at the gate of the orphanage ‘Preetmandir-A Balwant Kartar Foundation in Klyani Nagar- Pune’ It was 4:30pm, when we five gathered at the decided place, after buying some and as much as we could do, with our limited (Irony!!!) resources, we moved inside the orphanage. It is a registered charity organization so we could see lot of donations and contributions there but still we felt that all were insufficient. There was some kind of stinking environment inside the orphanage but it was better and much better than the places where the kids of below poverty lines live in India. I liked the way they checked our identities and verified the edibles that we brought for the kids. After getting through all the technical formalities, we were exposed to those kids who actually wanted nothing from us but just expected our love, our lap and our words with affection.We were in the orphanage’s park. We could see dozens of kids playing and running around the park. When we actually entered in the park at first, they were scared of the strangers entering in their area but as soon as we gave them sweets and chocolates, they felt relaxed and accepted us in their domain of joy and care freeness. It was actually filling my eyes with tears when I could see very categorically that the kids were not actually running after sweets or toys or chocolates but their eyes were silently requesting to embrace them, to hold their hands, to hug them and to play with them. They were not looking for fruits and crayons, we were carrying but they were looking for love, for attention. They wanted to make us realize their importance, their skills and their feelings.Their response to our love that we were trying to exhibit there was much more pure and true than ours.At the beginning of this tryst I was feeling uncomfortable to embrace them with my fullest, but soon I questioned me do they not belong to the same God as me.The answer was sufficient to change me from my innermost. When people can spend thousand of money and shower their love to animals, if I fail to love these real true, innocent children, who are deprived of their natural rights of being loved by destiny itself; I can not claim to be sensitive human to my inner most. It’s a week passed yet I can remember most of the kids name with their faces, not because I have good memory but shear because the way they cuddled me left profound impact upon my life.I have always trusted upon God like a damn illiterate superstitious person, but I can never figure out the secret behind His method of transferring punishments from parents to kids. For the mistakes (Or may not be too.), parents of these kids might have done but either it is He who punishes these kids or it is society which enjoys by punishing these innocent children. I remember Payal, Puja, Radha, Ankit, asking me speechlessly, will they ever get the flavor of mother’s warmth or father’s support. And I had no answer. From park we went to a classroom where there were kids with their teacher. Who was teaching them some thing, in her effort to make these parentless kids proud or petty citizens of this mighty country. And then we saw an infants section, where perhaps kids were yet to learn how to stand and walk but they have lost dad’s finger and mom’s hand for sure which my mom says I used to hold when I was trying to stand and walk, but I say I need and hold them even now.We spent around 2 hours with those kids, but they made us to flashback whole 20years that we have passed till now with our cognizance. My mom running after me with mug of milk, my dad analyzing my report cards after each test I gave during my school days, my mom and dad buying new uniforms and new dresses time to time and the kind of effort they used to spend on my future planning. What is the sin of these kids that they are deprived of all these. It is always easy to advise to anybody. But I strongly feel, If I could have stopped using deodorant and perfumes, I would have just saved 100 bugs from each of my dresses that I have bought till day or I would have watched movies just after 1week of its release, I feel I could have saved hell lot of money to help these heavenly kids who have to depend upon donations for every meal the take in. It is a questionable reality that when a country has 30 million working people, why can not they pledge to provide a better future for 12.44 millions orphans in India.The more questionable catastrophe is that the number of official adoptions in India is just 5000 as per the yesteryears’ data. I don’t know where the world is going. But I strongly feel, it is multifold better not to give birth rather than to give such a miserable future to those who are born. We are spending innumerous amount of money to stop child abortions. It is good and very applauding but what about those who are born??? Why do we want to give birth to the kids whose future moves around begging, pedophile, drug addiction, criminal activities, human trafficking, child labour etc. the list is perhaps never ending.Just have a look of the report published by government of India focusing upon child abuse in different forms in India.1. Where every fifth child of the world belongs to India, every third malnourished child also belongs to India.2. Every second child is underweight and every three out of four children are anaemic3. Every second new born has reduced learning capacity due to iodine deficiency4. Decline in female/male ratio is maximum in 0-6 years: 927 females per 1000 males5. Birth registration is just 62% (RGI-2004)6. Retention rate at Primary level is 71.01% and Girls’ enrolment in schools at primary level is 47.79% (Elementary Education in India Progress towards UEE NUEPA Flash Statistics DISE 2005-2006)7.1104 lakh child labour in the country (SRO 2000)8..IMR is as high as 58 per 1000 and MMR is equally high at 301 per 100,000 live births (SRS- 2005)See, this is the status of average kids of this country, so what future can we think of our country and our coming generations. At one hand we have people, those business tycoons having literally infinite amount of money and on the other hand the normal kids of the same country are having above statistics. Our population which used to be a global problem one upon a time has now been transformed into the biggest existing market. All those who were dropping their sincere tears a decade back for our population blasts and our pathetic conditions and now dried of their tears because it is this population who is their vast customer spectrum now. But the open secret is that today also, the problem of poor man remains equally poor rather it is actually creating more complicated predicaments like SEZs, Dams, AIDS,. All these issues are affecting those poor innocent people and their next generations very straightly. If we are not going to handle channel these people and provide a better future to their kids, it is but obvious that they are going to follow the path that is not socially acceptable.It is again ridiculous and I would say it is an outcome of present social setup that most of the scholarships, child rehabilitation programs and so called social initiative are mainly benefiting to those who are already benefited and those who are not they are the one still not. They are diseased, deprived and dying out of their ignorance. At times they become pray on the hands of missionary and anti missionaries. But at the end of the day they are left with nothing.
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