, ,

23:27

A common misconception is that Muslim women are the only ones who cover their hair. It may be true that Islam is the only religion in which most women follow its directives to cover the hair, but it is not the only religion to have such directives.

● Is covering hair a religious obligatory commandment for the Christian Women? Answer is simply Yes!

Paul has this to say in his letter in [1 Corinthians 11:3-10]

“But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered, disgraces his head. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is the same as if she were shaven. For if a woman is not covered, let her be shaven. But if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, ⇨ let her cover her head. A man indeed ought not to cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God. But woman is the glory of man. For man was not created for woman, but woman for man. This is why the woman ought to have ⇨ a sign of authority over her head, because of the angels.”

● The most clear example to Christians is Mary mother of Jesus we see her picture in the Christian churches and everywhere. How is she dressed? she was fully covered from head to toe except for the face and hands!

● The famous early Christian theologian, St. Tertullian, in his famous treatise, ‘On The Veiling of Virgins’ wrote, “Young women, you wear your veils out on the streets, so you should wear them in the church; you wear them when you are among strangers, then wear them among your brothers…”

● Biblical teachings: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jeweleries and fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your inner self , the unfading beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way, the holy women of the past, who put their hope in God, used to make themselves beautiful”. [1Peter 3 v 3-5]

● Hijab and Niqab (Veil) was a biblical custom of all pious women to represent modesty, bashfulness and good manners
[Genesis 24:64-65]
‘And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel, and said to the servant, “Who is the man yonder, coming to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my Master”. So she took her veil and covered herself’.
[Isaiah 3:18-19]
“In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,the earrings and bracelets and veils…”
[Isaiah 47:2]
Take millstones and grind flour; take off your veil. Lift up your skirts, bare your legs, and wade through the streams.
[Ezekiel 13:18]
and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?
● According to Rabbi Dr. Menachem M. Brayer, “…it was customary that Jewish women went out in public covering their heads. Some even covered the whole face, leaving only one eye free. He further stated that, “During the Tannaitic period, the Jewish women’s failure to cover her head was considered an affront to her modesty. When her head was uncovered she might be fined four hundred zuzim for this offence.”
, ,

22:55

Polytheism is a belief in and worship of many deities. Islam considers shirk illogical and totally unacceptable when referring to deity.
” If there were in the heavens and the earth other gods beside Allah, there would be confusions in both (heaven and earth) but glory be to Allah, the Lord of ,the throne; high is He above what they attribute to Him.” (Al Anbiya:22)..
• As the verse above makes very clear, the order of the universe, the ecological balance and the oneness of the Creator is more logical than many gods and indeed several wills and authorities.

In Islam, shirk is the greatest sin. It is the only sin that cannot be forgiven by Allah (s.w.t) on the Day of Judgment.
As said in the Qur’an:
“Verily, Allah forgives not that rivals should be set up in the worship with Him. He forgives save that (anything else) to whom He pleases and whoever set up rivals with Allah he has indeed done a tremendous sin. (Al Nisa:48)..
Why does shirk occupy such a serious position in Islam?
Several of the main reasons are:
1. Shirk causes the greatest downfall of human status and dignity.
“Man is the best creation of Allah (s.w.t) , created in ‘the highest of forms” (Al Tin:4 ).
He is the khalifatul fir ardh [the vicegerent of Allah (s.w.t)].
“He falls ‘to the lowest of the low.” (Al Tin:5 )
When he takes any other creation of Allah (s.w .t.) as deities or gods. 
“Turn unto Allah (only), not ascribing partners unto Him, for whoso ascribes partners unto Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky and the birds had snatched him or the wind had blown him to a far off place.” (Al Hajj:31)..
2. Shirk is the root of evil and superstition It is because of shirk that man can believe in the powers of jinn, spirits and particular human beings. Some believe that they can predict future events or cause an event to occur or not to occur. All these can give rise to various forms of evil or ignorant practices.

3. Shirk is tyranny and injustice
An injustice is to withhold someone’s rights or treat someone in an unfair manner. In praising and worshipping deities that have no power whatsoever to control his life, man forgets Allah’s (s.w .t.) sole right to be worshipped. He ignores his Creator, Who had given him his life and thus is ungrateful and unjust to Allah (s.w .t.) .
“When Luqman said to his son while advising him “Oh my son! Do not ascribe partners to Allah. Indeed shirk is a great injustice.” (Luqman:13)
4. Shirk is the cause of anxiety and fear Because the mushrik believes in the powers of his various deities, he is always living in constant fear, whereas the only one to be feared is Allah (s.w .t.) , as all other things are dependent upon Him.
“We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they ascribe partners unto Allah for which no warrant has been revealed.” (Al Nisa:151)
5. Shirk denies rewards in the hereafter For those who associate partners with Allah (s.w .t.) , heaven has been made haram for them.
“Indeed they do blaspheme those who say that Allah is Jesus, the son of Mary, but Jesus said “O children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord”. Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him heaven and the fire will be his abode.” (Al Maidah:72)

FORMS OF SHIRK
There are two forms of shirk. One is known as shirk akbar and another as shirk asghar. Shirk akbar is a ‘major’ act of shirk that cannot be forgiven by Allah (s.w .t.) and whoever dies while committing it will not be able to enter Jannah. Shirk asghar are ‘minor’, more unnoticeable acts of shirk that, if done continuously, might take one ‘out of’ iman.

SHIRK AKBAR

There are two kinds of shirk akbar –
1. Shirk akbar jali (clear), This type of shirk akbar is to worship a god or several gods besides Allah (s.w.t). These ‘gods’ can be in any kind of form, whether cosmic objects, animals, spirits, jinn or human beings such as priests, kings or rulers.

2. Shirk akbar khafi (subtle), These types of major shirk include:
• when one prays or supplicates to something other than Allah (s.w .t.) For example: pious ancestors, dead persons, saints etc. Some say that praying or supplicating to them does not necessarily mean worshipping them. However, Islam stresses that praying or supplicating to something or someone is actually worshipping.
(Refer to Tafsir Al Mu’ minum:60)

• when one takes a lawgiver or lawmaker other than Allah This includes all kinds of laws governing human life. The right to make something halal or haram, or to judge in human affairs belongs solely to Allah (s.w.t). This pertains to both ‘religious’ and ‘secular’ in life in Islam.
According to Islam, obeying someone while disobeying Allah (s.w.t.), even in the realm of mundane life, is like worshipping it.

SHIRK ASGHAR

There are many forms of shirk asghar or minor shirk. The term ‘minor’ here does not mean that they are not as grave or serious. Rather it means that these forms of shirk are more inconspicuous and unnoticeable compared to the others.
This form of shirk has been described by the Prophet (s.a.w.s.):
“Shirk in the Muslim nation is more inconspicuous than the creeping of the black ant on a black rock in the pitch darkness of the night. Hence, Muslims should shun and guard themselves very carefully from these kinds of shirk because the most ‘minor’ shirk may incur a heavier penalty than the most serious sin in Islam. Committing or practicing any act of shirk, whether major or minor, can make one’s deeds unacceptable by Allah (s.w.t)”.
Common forms of shirk asghar:

• To swear with names other than Allah, This was a common practice of the Arabs during the Prophet’s (s.a.w.s) time. They used to swear with the Ka’aba’s name, with a pious ancestor’s name, or more commonly, with the names of the idols they worshipped, e.g . Al-Latta, Az-Uzza etc. This is shirk because indirectly it gives some recognition of power or glorification to the being named.
Says the Prophet (s.a.w.s):
“Whoever swears with other than Allah, he has committed an act of shirk and kufr.”

• To adorn something that is believed to be a form of ‘protection from misfortune’ Again, this was a common practice of the early Arabs and is to some extent still prevalent today. Wearing certain bangles, necklaces and amulets was believed to be able to weaken jinn or evil spirits or protect oneself from ‘al-ain’, misfortune etc.
From Imam Ahmad, narrated by Umran bin Hussain:
“Once the Prophet (s.a .w.s .) saw a man wearing a yellow bangle and asked him, “What is this?” The man answered, “It is al-wahinah (that which weakens).” The Prophet (s.a .w. s.) said, “Take it off! Verily it will not increase you in anything, except sickness and if you die adorning it, no happiness will come to you forever.”
This emphasis and serious attention given by the Prophet (s.a.w.s) shows the need to shut all forms of shirk and close all doors that might lead to it.

•To practice, involve or believe in any form of sihir (sorcery) including charms, incantations, astrology etc.
This is stated in a Hadith:
“There are three kinds of people that will not enter paradise: the drinker, the one who acknowledges sorcery and the one who breaks silaturahim (kinship) . (Ahmad and Ibn Habban)
Astrology is said to be part of this because of the Hadith:
“Whoever partakes in one part of astrology (the art of the stars), verily he has partaken in sorcery.” (Abu Dawood)
This, however, does not include using the stars in navigation, traveling, etc.

• To believe in ‘fortune-telling’
From a Hadith by Muslim, the Prophet (s.a.w.s) once said:
“Whoever approaches a fortune-teller, inquires him/her and acknowledges him/her, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days.”
A Hadith by Abu Dawood relates:
“Whoever approaches a fortune-teller and acknowledges him/her that person has committed kufr to revelation from Allah.”
• To believe in evil omens This happens when a person intends to do something, but decides not to do it because of experiencing or ‘seeing’ certain evil signs or omens.
Says the Prophet (s.a.w.s):
“Whoever cancels one’s intention to do something because of attiyarah (an evil omen), that one has committed shirk”.
The companions asked, “What is its kafarah (penalty for repentance)?”
The Prophet (s. a.w .s.) answered, saying: 
“O Allah, there is no good except from You and there is no misfortune except from You. Indeed, there is no god but You”. (Imam Ahmad)
• To have riya This means to perform acts or to show off in order to gain praise or fame, or for worldly purposes.

• To have no redha, This implies being inwardly dissatisfied with an inevitable condition that has been ordained for one by Allah (s.w.t); to continuously lament that if one had not done such and such a thing, one would have had a better result.

• To be excessive in one’s reverence, respect and ‘glorification’ of prophets, pious leaders, sheikhs or imams. This has brought to the practice of rituals and ceremonies in glorification of these people and the act of beautifying, building upon, lighting up and even worshipping their graves.

•To use ambiguous words that might involve shirk. This includes phrases like ‘In the name of Allah and the name of so and so’ (e.g . a leader), or ‘if it was not for so and so’, or to use a name that is exclusively Allah’s (s.w .t.) in naming something or even to curse Allah’s creation.

Belief in monotheism and purification of one’s servitude to Allah (s.w.t) can be achieved by:

• Not worshipping anything or anyone other than Allah (s.w.t) nor glorifying something or someone as one glorifies Allah (s.w.t).
All that is worshipped and glorified other than Allah (s.w.t) should be ‘dethroned’.
From the Qur’an:
“That we do not worship other than Allah and we do not associate Him with any other and we do not make others as gods beside Allah.” (Al Imraan:64)

• Not taking anything besides Allah (s.w.t) as one’s protector and benefactor and loving it as one should love Allah (s.w.t).

“And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah . But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah . And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment..” (Al Baqara:165 )

The early Arabs, for example, had
loved and revered their idols and their leaders and had felt both fear and awe
towards them. This kind of love and glorification should be given only to Allah (s.w.t) .

• Not taking a lawgiver besides Allah
(s.w.t) nor giving obedience to any other as one obeys Allah (s.w.t). Verily, the decider for all human affairs should be Allah (s.w.t). He alone has the best knowledge about His creation; has the deepest love for them and has full knowledge of what is right and wrong, good and evil.

The Qur’an has stated that:
” whoever judges with other than Allah (s.w.t) and His Prophet (s.a.w.s) has actually fallen out of Iman into obedience to shaytan.” (See Al Nisa:60-61)
We must think and realize that there are many traps in our society which could lead us to all forms of shirk. As Muslims, we must also be careful not to follow the ways of the non- believers. We must lead our lives as true Muslims, following Islam as correctly as we can, being conscious of these traps of shirk that the world invites us to.
, ,

23:36

Islam, Muslims and The Quran have become a subject of major concern to the world media, religious groups and people, especially after the events of September 11th 2001 in the USA. Many articles and books have been written about a religion followed by over two billion people worldwide, some of which saw in Islam a separate civilization that will inevitably clash with the current dominant western civilization, but some were more optimistic, showing interest in a constructive debate, seeking understanding. However, many of these writings continued to perpetuate misinformation and repeat the same common misconceptions, thus giving a distorted picture of what islam is about, and what The Quran actually says.

For those interested in sincerely seeking the truth, here is an easy to read list prepared and verified using the book that Muslims regard as a divine guidance and final revelation to humanity: The Quran (sometimes referred to as 'The Koran'). It is the only undisputed source amongst muslims and it is important for the reader to be able to research and verify what is written and The Quran is a book that is widely available in many countries and in many different languages.

1) "Islam" means "surrender" or "submission". "Salam" (which means "peace") is the root word of "Islam". In a religious context the word "Islam" means "the surrendering of one's will (without compulsion) to the true will of God in an effort to achieve peace".

2) "Muslim" means "anyone or anything that surrenders itself to the true will of God". By this definition, everything in nature (trees, animals, planets, etc.) are "muslims" because they are in a state of surrender to God's will. In other words, they are fulfilling the purpose for which God created them.

3) Islam is not a new religion or cult. It is a universal way of life and civilization. Studies show that between 1.5 and 1.8 billion people in the world identify their religion as Islam. Along with Judaism and Christianity it traces its roots through Prophet Abraham and back to the first humans Adam and Eve.

4) Islam is a complete way of life that governs all facets of life: moral, spiritual, physical, intellectual, social, economical, etc.

5) Allah is not the God of Muslims only. He is the God of all people and all creation. Just because people refer to God using different terms does not mean there are different gods. Many Hispanics refer to God as "Dios" and many French refer to God as "Dieu" yet they mean the same God. Many Arab Jews and Arab Christians call God "Allah" and the word "Allah" (in Arabic script) appears on the walls of many Arab churches and on the pages of Arabic Bibles. Although the understanding of God may differ between the various faith groups, it does not change the fact that the One Lord and Creator of the Universe is the God of all people.

6) The Islamic concept of God is that He is loving, merciful and compassionate. Islam also teaches that He is just and swift in punishment. However, Allah once said to Muhammad, "My mercy prevails over my wrath". So Islam teaches a balance between fear and hope, protecting one from both complacency and despair.

7) Muslims believe in all of the true prophets that preceded Muhammad, from Adam to Jesus. Muslims believe they brought the same message of voluntarily surrendering to God's will (islam, in a generic sense) to different peoples at different times. Muslims also believe they were "muslims" (again, in a generic sense) since they followed God's true guidance and surrendered their will to Him.

8) Muslims accept the original unaltered Torah (as revealed to Moses) and the original unaltered Bible (as revealed to Jesus) since they were revealed by God. But none of these scriptures exist today in their original form or in their entirety. Therefore, Muslims follow the subsequent, final and preserved revelation of God, the Qur'an.

9) The Qur'an was not authored by Muhammad. It was authored by God, revealed to Muhammad (through angel Gabriel) and written into physical form by his companions.

10) The original Arabic text of the Qur'an contains no flaws or contradictions, and has not been altered since its revelation.

11) Some attribute the early and rapid spread of Islam to forced conversions by the sword. While it is accurate that the Muslim empire initially spread, for the most part, through battles and conquests (a common phenomenon for that time) the religion of Islam itself was never forced on anyone who found themselves living under Muslim rule. In fact, non-Muslims were afforded the right to worship as they pleased as long as a tax, called "jizyah", was paid. During the Dark Ages, Jews, Christians and others were given protection by the Muslims from religious persecutions happening in Europe. Islam teaches no compulsion in religion (Qur'an 2:256 and 10:99). For more, read "The Spread of Islam in the World" by Thomas Arnold.

12) Terrorism, unjustified violence and the killing of non-combatant civilians (or even intimidating, threatening or injuring them) are all absolutely forbidden in Islam. Islam is a way of life that is meant to bring peace to a society whether its people are Muslim or not. The extreme actions of those who claim to be Muslim may be a result of their ignorance, frustration, uncontrolled anger or political (not religious) ambitions. Anyone who condones or commits an act of terrorism in the name of Islam is simply not following Islam and is, in fact, violating its very tenets. These people are individuals with their own personal views and agendas. Fanatical Muslims are no more representative of the true teachings of Islam than fanatical Christians are of the true teachings of Christianity or fanatical Jews are of the true teachings of Judaism. The most prominent examples of such "religious" fanatics are Anders Behring Breivik, the 2011 Norwegian terrorist who claimed in his manifesto to be "100 percent Christian" and Baruch Goldstein, perpetrator of the 1994 Hebron massacre who is considered by some Jews to be a "hero" and a "saint". Extremism and fanaticism are problems not exclusive to Muslims. Anyone who thinks that all Muslims are terrorists should remember that the former boxer Muhammad Ali, perhaps the most celebrated person of our era, is a practicing Muslim.

13) The word "jihad" does not mean "holy war". It actually means "to struggle" or "to strive". In a religious context it means the struggle to successfully surrender one's will to the will of God. Some Muslims may say they are going for "jihad" when fighting in a war to defend themselves or others, but they say this because they are conceding that it will be a tremendous struggle. But there are many other forms of jihad which are much more relevant to the everyday life of a Muslim such as the struggles against laziness, arrogance, stinginess, one's own ego, or the struggle against a tyrant ruler or against the temptations of Satan, etc. Regarding the so-called verses of "holy war" in the Qur'an, two points:
A) The term "holy war" neither appears in the Arabic text of the Qur'an nor in any classical teachings of Islam.
B) The vast majority of verses in the Qur'an pertaining to violence refer to wartime situations in which Muslims were permitted to defend themselves against violent aggression. Any rational, intellectual analysis of the context and historical circumstances surrounding such verses, often ignored by pundits or violent extremists, proves this to be true. Other verses of violence deal with stopping oppression, capital punishment and the like.

14) Women are not oppressed in Islam. Any Muslim man that oppresses a woman is not following Islam. Among the many teachings of Muhammad that protected the rights and dignity of women is his saying, "...the best among you are those who treat their wives well."

15) Islam grants women many rights in the home and in society. Among them are the right to earn money, to financial support, to own property, to an education, to an inheritance, to being treated kindly, to vote, to a bridal gift, to keep their maiden name, to worship in a mosque, to a divorce, and so on.

16) Muslim women wear the head-covering (hijab) in fulfillment of God's decree to dress modestly. This type of modest dress has been worn by religious women throughout time such as traditional Catholic nuns, Mother Teresa and the Virgin Mary.

17) Forced marriages, honor killings, female genital mutilation and the confinement of women to their homes are all forbidden in Islam. These practices stem from deeply entrenched cultural traditions and/or ignorance of the true Islamic teachings or how to apply them in society. Arranged marriages are allowed in Islam but are not required. In fact, one of the conditions for a valid Islamic marriage contract is the mutual consent of both parties to the marriage. And divorce is permissible provided the Islamic guidelines are followed which protect the rights of all affected parties, especially women and unborn children.
, ,

06:34

HARAAM means forbidden, prohibited and unlawful. The word HARAAM is used for inviolable ordinances and prohibitions of Allah. In the following, some things that have been declared HARAAM by Quran, are given:

• Marrying a woman without her consent is not HALAAL..
“O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them – perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good.” [Al-quran 4:19]
• Killing anyone without HAQ [or just cause] is HARAAM.
“And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed unjustly – We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in [the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law].” [Al-quran 17:33]
“And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse.
And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.” [Al-quran, 25:68]
• Fawahish are HARAAM [Immodesty, Lewdness, Obscenity; Abominable, evil, bad, foul or unseemly things or acts; Excess, exorbitance, or transgression of the proper bounds or limits; (Things leading to) adultery or fornication; Niggardliness, tenaciousness, and avarice ]
“Say, “My Lord has only forbidden immoralities – what.is apparent of them and what is concealed – and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.” [Al-quran, 7:33]
• Adultery or fornication is HARAAM
“The fornicator does not marry except a [female] fornicator or polytheist, and none marries her except a fornicator or a polytheist, and that has been made unlawful to the believers.” [Al-quran, 24:3 ]
• Riba is HARAAM [interest or usury]
“Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, “Trade is [just] like interest.” But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allah . But whoever returns to [dealing in interest or usury] – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein”. [Al-quran, 2:275]
• Marrying with the following women is HARAAM: Your mothers, daughters, sisters, father’s sisters, mother’s sisters, brother’s daughters, sister’s daughters, foster-mothers who have ever nursed you, foster-sisters, your wives’ mothers, your step-daughters unless you have divorced their mother without being intimate with her. Also forbidden are women who have ever been the wives of your sons. You are not allowed to keep two sisters in wedlock at one time except what has already happened in the past. Also forbidden to you are women who are already married, except those women who have sought asylum with you against their disbelieving husbands at war with you..
“Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives’ mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful”
“And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse. So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.” [Al-quran, 4:23 -24]
• [Eating] any Animal that dies itself
“He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah . But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful”. [Al-quran, 2:173]
»Eating any Animal that has been strangled to death.
»Eating any Animal beaten to death.
»Eating any Animal that dies by falling from height.
»Eating any Animal gored to death by horns.
»Eating any Animal eaten by a wild animal unless you are able to slaughter it while it is still alive.
»Eating any Animal that which is sacrificed on altars (devotional stones or blocks in shrines considered sacred).
“Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah , and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head- long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin – then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Al-quran, 5:3]
• [Drinking] blood [Al-quran 2:173, 6:145, 16:115]

• [Eating] the flesh of swine [Al-quran, 2:173, 6:145 16:115].

• [Eating] anything (not just meat) that has been dedicated to anybody/anything other than Allah (such as an idol, grave or saint)..
“And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience. And indeed do the devils inspire their allies [among men] to dispute with you. And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him].” [Al-quran, 6:121]
• [Eating anything on which Allah’s name has not be pronounced [while slaughtering] is also forbidden.
“They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, “Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah .” Indeed, Allah is swift in account.” [Al-quran, 5:4]
• Dividing the meat through raffling and games of chance {Azlaam}. [Al-quran, 5:3 ]

Exceptions:
In cases when one is forced by necessity [and there is danger of death], those things which are HARAAM for eating in normal circumstance, can be eaten without wilful disobedience nor transgressing the limits [Al-quran, 2:173, 5:3, 6:145 ,16:115].
This exception is applicable only to eating and no other HARAAM thing is allowed in any circumstances.

Note : This is not the complete list of all forbidden things given in Quran.. And the above translation of Quran is copyed from sahih international translation of Quran..
,

06:16

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Title:

In this pamphet of mine I would try to enlighten the reader about some logical arguments which leads one to accept Islam. Islam is the most practised religion on the face of earth (practising muslims are more than practising Christians/Christian population is more than Muslim population). Before asking oneself the question ‘’Why should I accept Islam’’, one should already have asked himself “Why shouldn’t I accept Islam’’. If you start with ‘’Why should I accept Islam?’’ and do an unbiased research you will surely end with ‘’Why shouldn’t I accept Islam’’. This is an introductory article therefore in this article I wont be going into details.

One line sums it up:

The one line answer which I can give to this type of question is quoting the Glorious Quran from 3:19 which !reads,“…..the only religion in the sight of Allah is Islam……”

In this verse Allah swt says in a categoric statement that he wont accept any religion except Islam. Allah swt wont accept any other religion because He has chosen this religion for us. I quote from the glorious Quran Chapter 5 verse 3:
‘’(I) have chosen for you Islam as your religion……’’
Why do we accept Quran?

Now the question arises why should I accept that God said such and such things when I don’t believe in Quran. The Quran gives the reply to this query in Chapter 4 Verse 82:
‘’Do they not then consider the Quran carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradictions.’’
The Glorious Quran has given us various ways to chek if its God word. One of them is the test of contradictions. If Quran contains one such contradiction then it seizes to be the word of God. But what do we find is the fact that no one has been able to produce a serious contradiction in the glorious Quran (I know of many websites publising contradictions in Quran but they can be answered). The Quran gives us another test in chapter 2 verse 23, ‘
“And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah , if you should be truthful.’’
This challenge of producing a chapter which could be better than Quran in terms of elequence, rhythm, rhyme and literation has been standing since it was revealed 1400 years ago. No one has been able to and no one will ever be able to fulfill the challenge. Yet another test which Quran proposes is the test of authenticity which no religious scripture except Quran has passed. The Quran talks about it in chapter 15 verse 9:
‘’Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e, the Quran) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)”..
Reverend Bosworth Smith had to recognize this great reality. He said:
“… we have a book absolutely unique in its origin, in its preservation, and in the chaos of its contents, but on the substantial authenticity of which no one has ever been able to cast a serious doubt”.. (Mohammed and Mohammedanism, Darf Publishers, London 1986 pp.14-15)

While for other scriptures we find something different, e.g The Christian scholar, Professor Bart Ehran in his book “Misquoting Jesus” claims that we do not even have a “copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy” of anything from the original writings of any of the writers of the Old or the New Testament.
Not to forget the scientific accuracy of Quran. Not a single Quranic statement goes against any established scientific.fact. Scientists like Keith L. Moore, E. Marshall Johnso, T.V .N. Persaud, Joe Leigh Simpson, Gerald C. Goeringer, Alfred Kroner, Yushidi Kusan have commented on the scientific miracles of Quran.

Putting point one and point two together:

Now having reached a conclusion that Quran is the word of God one is left with no choice other than accepting Islam as the true religion because Allah swt clearly tells us that he has chosen Islam for us.

Islam gives solution to your problems:

G.B. Shaw writes in his book “The Genuine Islam”
“I believe that if a man like him (Muhammad) were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness.”
He must have been pointing towars the simplicity and assimilating power of Islam. And he does tell us what is he pointing towards. In the same book he writes.
“I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age.”
Islam not only tells you whats good and whats bad but it gives you instructions for making a society which has all good and no bad.
Most of the religions may claim that raping is a sin according to their scripture. But whats the use of this claim, every sensible human knows it. Islam moves a step further by showing us a way for making a society where no one rapes. Similarly, every religion claims to lable robbing as a crime. But here again Islam goes a step further and shows us a way to make a society where no one robs. (I wont be going into details of how, this is just an introductory article). Islam has been able to eradicate social evils like racism, gender bias, dowry, unlimited polygamy, prostitution, rape, porn, incest upto a conciderable height. Other religions have failed miserably on these grounds. No wonder USA has the highest rape count, followed by United Kingdom, France, Germany and Russia. In fact all the countries in top twenty are muslim minority. And the lowest rape count is found in Saudi Arabia followed by Azerbhaijan, Yemen and Indonesia which are all Muslim majority.

Your religion is your guide:

Your religion should be your guide. It should have answer to most of logical Dos and Don’ts. It should be a way of life for you and it should really touch all the major fields of life. So far as my study is concerned I havent found any religion having such a comprehensive system of laws. Sharia deals with many topics addressed by secular law, including crime, politics and economics , as well as personal matters such as sexuality, hygiene, diet, prayer, and fasting.
D.G. Hogarth writes in his book ‘Arabia’
‘’Serious or trivial, his daily behavior has instituted a canon which millions observe this day with conscious memory. No one regarded by any section of the human race as Perfect Man has ever been imitated so minutely. The conduct of the founder of Christianity has not governed the ordinary life of his followers. Moreover, no founder of a religion has left on so solitary an eminence as the Muslim apostle.’’ .
Your religious scripture should support what your Religion demands:

Did God declare/make your religion (Christianity/Judaism/Hinduism) perfect.

No BUT GOD DECLARED ISLAAM THE
PERFECT RELIGION:
Qur’aan 5:3 " … This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâam as your religion…"
Do the names like “Christianity” and “Judaism” have any divine inspiration.

No BUT GOD (Allah) DECLARED THE NAME OF HIS RELIGION IS ISLAAM
Qur’aan 5:3: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâam as your religion…
Did God promise to guard your religious book from corruption.

NO BUT GOD (Allah) PROMISED AND HAS BEEN PROTECTING NOBLE QURAN:
Quran 15:9: “Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e, the Qur’ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)..
Did God say the religion of God is Christianity/Judaism etc?

NO BUT GOD (ALLAH) DECLARED THE RELIGION OF GOD (ALLAH) IS ISLAAM:
Quran 3:19: “Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâam. Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh, then surely, Allâh is Swift in calling to account.”
Quran 5:3 !:  … This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâam as your religion…
Does the name(s) “Christian/Jew” have divine inspiration?

NO BUT NAME “MUSLIM ” HAS DIVINE INSPIRATION:
Quran 3:64: “Say (O Muhammad SAW) : ‘O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh[]. Then, if they turn away, say: “Bear witness that we are “Muslims .”
Your leader should be an ideal personality:

By ideal personality I mean you should be looking onto his example to how to lead_ your life. You are a student, he should be your role model. You are a teacher, he should be your role model. Whenever you have a problem you should have a solotion from him. He should really be a really diverse leader. I wont touch this point in detail myself but I would like to quote a historian and this will do it for me.
Alphonse de LaMartaine in ‘Historie de la Turquie,’ Paris, 1854. “Philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Conqueror of Ideas, Restorer of Rational beliefs… . The founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire that is Muhammad.’’

Conclusion:

When I am left with no reason to reject Islam, I ask myself one last question. Does Islam give me salvation and does god really forgive my sins. Qur’an ensures us forgiveness from all sins:
“Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” Qur’an 39:53.
In fact, the Qur’an tells us exactly what we need to attain salvation {freedom from sin and the punishment of sin} in the very second Surah of the Qur’an:
“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah -Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad],and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.” Qur’an 2:2- 5.
The Qur’an sums up what a Muslim needs to attain salvation within 4 ayats {lines} in the Qur’an. A fully comprehensive description of what entails one to salvation in Islam in the very second Surah.
To sum it all up Allah swt says in Chapter 48, Verse 28
“It is He Who has sent His Messenger.with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allah for a Witness.”
Thanks for reading.
, ,

06:05

Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil?, often asked by many non-Muslims.

The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The ‘hijaab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law. Before we analyze the reasoning behind the religiously mandated ‘hijaab’, let us first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam.

In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied basic human dignity:

1. Babylonian Civilization: The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife was put to death.

2. Greek Civilization: Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations. Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.

3. Roman Civilization: When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common amongst the Romans.

4. Egyptian Civilization: The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.

5. Pre-Islamic Arabia: Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive.

Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them to maintain their status Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.

Hijaab for men:
People usually only discuss ‘hijaab’ in the context of women. However, in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijaab’ for men before ‘hijaab’ for the women.

The Qur’an mentions in Surah An Noor:
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.” [Al Qur’an 24:30]

The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.

Hijaab for women:

The next verse of Surah An Noor, says: “ And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons…” [Al Qur’an 24:31]

Six criteria for Hijaab

According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing hijaab:
1. Extent: The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrists. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijaab’ All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.
2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3. The clothes worn should not be transparent or translucent such that one can see through them.
4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.
5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions.

~Hijaab includes conduct and behaviour among other things Complete ‘hijaab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijaab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijaab’ in a limited sense. ‘Hijaab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijaab’ of the eyes, ‘hijaab’ of the heart, ‘hijaab’ of thought and ‘hijaab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.

~Hijaab prevents molestation The reason why hijaab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verse of Surah Al Ahzaab: 
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Al Qur’an 33:59]

The Qur’an says that Hijaab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested.

Example of twin sisters Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijaab i.e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands upto the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a miniskirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijaab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini? Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini.
Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation.
The Qur’an rightly says that hijaab prevents women from being molested.

~Capital punishment for the rapists Under the Islamic Shari’ah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless and barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double standards?

~Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul and deprivation of her honour. Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers, hidden behind the colourful screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’.

~USA has one of the highest rates of rape United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the world. According to an FBI report, in the year 1990, everyday on an average 1756 rapes were committed in USA alone. Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolder’ in the following years. Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijaab is followed in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijaab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrists. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?

~Implementation of Islamic Shari’ah will reduce the rate of rapes Naturally as soon as Islamic Shari’ah is implemented positive results will be inevitable. If Islamic Shari’ah is implemented in any part of the world, whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe easier. Hijaab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity.
, ,

05:50

This is one of the most convincing things about Islam – the treatment of women in general and especially the high position mothers hold in Islam.

Amongst the clearest examples of Islam’s honoring women is the great status of the mother in Islam. Islam commands kindness, respect and obedience to parents and specifically emphasizes and gives preference to the mother as shall be shown in this article. Islam raises parents to a status greater than that found in any other religion or ideology.

The command to be good to one’s parents begins right from the Qur’an. Allah says:

“Worship God and join not any partners with Him; and be kind to your parents…” [Noble Quran 4:36]

The mention of servitude to parents follows immediately after servitude to God. This is repeated throughout the Qur’an.

“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say, “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” [Noble Quran 17:23-24]

The great scholar, Abu al-Faraj Ibn Al-Jawzî (d. 1201CE) explained:

To be kind to one’s parents is: to obey them when they order you to do something, unless it is something which Allah has forbidden; to give priority to their orders over voluntary acts of worship; to abstain from that which they forbid you to do; to provide for them; to serve them; to approach them with gentle humility and mercy; not to raise your voice in front of them; nor to fix your glance on them; nor to call them by their names; and to be patient with them. (Ibn al-Jawzî, Birr al-Wâlidayn)

The Qur’an emphasizes the great struggles the mother goes through for her child, to highlight the need for one to reciprocate their parents sacrifice for them:

“And We have enjoined on man [to be good] to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him and his weaning was over two years. Be thankful to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.” [Noble Quran 31:14]

The renowned exegete, Shaykh Abdur-Rahman As-Sa’di (d. 1956), says about this verse:

{And to your parents} meaning, be kind to your parents, shower on them love, affection and piety, both in words and deeds, treat them with tender humility, provide for them and never harm them verbally nor physically. […] Then, Allah mentions the reason why we should be kind to our parents, when He says {His mother bore him in travail upon travail}, that is, the mother bore constant suffering; in pain and hardship from the first moment she felt the child moving in her womb to the worst pangs during the time of delivery. And {his weaning is for two years}, that is, during these two years the mother breast-feeds her child and looks after him/her. So after all the years of suffering, hardship, love and care, could we not, at least, compensate our mothers for what they have done for us and pay them back their rights?
(Taysîr al-Karîm ar-Rahmân fî Tafsîr al-Kalâm al-Manân)

The Qur’an repeats its mention of the struggles of the mother in yet another passage:

“And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, “My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims.” [Noble Quran 46:15]

In connection to this passage, the late Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Shaykh Muhammad Shafy (d. 1976) wrote:

Mother has more rights than father

Although the first part of this verse is a command to do good to both the parents, the second sentence refers only to the hardships suffered by the mother, because they are unavoidable, and no child can be born without them. Every mother has to go through the problems of pregnancy and severe pains of delivery. As against this, it is not necessary for a father that he suffers any hardship in bringing up and educating the child, if he can afford to pay somebody else for these services. This is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has given more rights to the mother than anybody else. According to a hadîth he has said:

“Do good to and serve your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then the near relatives and then those who come after them.“[Mazhari]

“And his carrying and his weaning is in thirty months” [Noble Quran 46:15]

This sentence too describes the hardships suffered by the mother for her baby. It points out that even after suffering hardships during pregnancy and the severe labor pains, the mother does not get respite from toils, because the natural food of the infants is in her breasts, and she has to suckle them.
(Shafy, Ma’âriful Qur’ân [Eng. trans.], vol. 7, pp. 795-796)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) continually used to remind his followers of the status of the mother and the obligation of being good to one’s parents. The following narration is a beautiful example of the noble position of the mother:

A man came to the Prophet and said: O Messenger of Allah! Who from amongst mankind warrants the best companionship from me? He replied: “Your mother.” The man asked: Then who? So he replied: “Your mother.” The man then asked: Then who? So the Prophet replied again: “Your mother.” The man then asked: Then who? So he replied: “Then your father.”
(Sahîh Bukhârî 5971 and Sahîh Muslim 7/2)

Commenting on this hadith, Shaykh Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi notes:

This hadith confirms that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave precedence to kind treatment of one’s mother over kind treatment of one’s father (Al-Hashimi, The Ideal Muslimah, IIPH 2005, p. 165)

Likewise, the late Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh Abdul-Azîz Ibn Bâz (d. 1999) comments on this hadith saying:

So this necessitates that the mother is given three times the like of kindness and good treatment than the father. (Majmoo’ Fataawaa wa Maqalat Mutanawwi’ah)

He also writes: The secret of her importance lies in the tremendous burden and responsibility that is placed upon her, and the difficulties that she has to shoulder – responsibilities and difficulties some of which not even a man bears. This is why from the most important obligations upon a person is to show gratitude to the mother, and kindness and good companionship with her. And in this matter, she is to be given precedence over and above the father.[…] And I have no doubt that my mother – may Allah shower His mercy upon her – had a tremendous effect upon me, in encouraging me to study; and she assisted me in it. May Allah greatly increase her reward and reward her with the best of rewards for what she did for me. (Majmoo’ Fatawa wa Maqalat Mutanawwi’ah)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) also said in a famous narration:

‘Paradise lies at the feet of your mother‘ [Musnad Ahmad, Sunan An-Nasâ’i, Sunan Ibn Mâjah]

What can be greater evidence of honoring women than this? Islam has effectively placed the ultimate reward for human beings in their devotion to their mothers.

Shaykh Ibrahîm Ibn Sâlih Al-Mahmud writes:

Treat your mother with the best companionship, then your father; because paradise is under the mother’s feet. Never disobey your parents, nor make them angry, otherwise you will live a miserable life in this world and the hereafter, and your children will treat you likewise. Ask your parents gently if you need something. Always thank them if they give it to you, and excuse them if they do not, and never insist on a matter if they refuse to give you something. (Al-Mahmoud, How to be kind to your Parents, p.40)

It is related from Talhah ibn Mu’âwiyah as- Salamî who said: I came to the Prophet and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I want to perform Jihad in the way of Allah. He asked, “Is your mother alive?” I replied, “Yes.” The Prophet then said: “Cling to her feet, because paradise is there.”
(at- Tabarânî).

Shaykh Nidhaam Sakkijihaa comments:

Cling to her feet means to submit yourself to her, be close to her, protect her, serve her because in this is Paradise and with her satisfaction you will enjoy the good blessings of Allah. (Sakkijihaa, Honoring the Parents, p. 52)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) showed us the importance of serving one’s parents in the following narration reported by Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud: I asked the Prophet, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the best deed?’ He replied ‘Prayer offered on time.’ I asked, ‘What is next in goodness?’ He replied, ‘To be dutiful and kind to one’s parents.’ I further asked, ‘What is next in goodness?’ He replied, ‘Jihad in the Allah’s cause.
[Sahîh Bukhârî, Sahîh Muslim]

Just as the Prophet said that kindness to one’s parents was of the best deeds, he also said that disobedience to them was amongst the major sins:

“The greatest sins are to associate partners in worship with Allah, to be undutiful or unkind to one’s parents, to kill a soul forbidden by Allah and to bear false witness.”
[Sahîh Bukhârî]

Even after the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the Muslim scholars continued to stress the importance of being dutiful to one’s mother. By examining the conduct and teachings of the early Muslim scholars, one may see how the direct recipients of the Islamic message understood the command to be dutiful to one’s parents. Their behavior towards their parents shows Muslims how one is to implement the teachings of the Prophet on honoring parents.

Abdullah Ibn Abbâs (d. 687CE), a companions of the Prophet and a great scholar of Islam, considered kind treatment of one’s mother to be the best deed for strengthening or rectifying one’s relation with God. He said:

I know of no other deed that brings people closer to Allah than kind treatment and respect towards one’s mother.
[Al-Adab al- Mufrad Bukhârî 1/45]

An even more powerful example is found in the statement of another one of the Prophet’s companions, Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (d. 692CE), who was also a great scholar of Islam. It has been related that: Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar saw a Yemeni man performing Tawâf (circumambulating the Ka’bah) while carrying his mother on his back. This man said to Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, “I am like a tame camel for her! I have carried her more than she carried me. Do you think I have paid her back, O Ibn ‘Umar?” Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar replied, “No, not even one contraction!!”
[Al-Adab al-Mufrad Bukhârî 1/62]

SubhânAllah (Glory be to God)! The efforts of a man who carries his mother on his back while performing tawâf cannot even repay his mother for a single contraction that she went through for him. Wise indeed was Ibn ‘Umar’s reply to this man to show him how massively indebted he was to his mother. This is the tremendous value and prestigious position of mothers in Islam!

Yet another example is found in the following prophecy of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):

There will come to you with reinforcements from Yemen a man called Uways ibn ‘Âmir of the clan of Murâd from the tribe of Qaran. He had leprosy but has been cured of it except for a spot the size of a coin. He has a mother and he has always treated her with kindness and respect. If he prays to Allah, Allah will fulfill his wish. If you can ask him to pray for forgiveness for you, then do so. [Sahîh Muslim 16/95]

Indeed, later on ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb met Uways who was exactly as the Prophet described, and upon ‘Umar’s request Uways prayed for him. Commenting on this narration, Shaykh Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimî writes:

What a high status Uways reached by virtue of his kindness and respect towards his mother, so that the Prophet recommended his Sahabah [companions] to seek him out and ask him to pray for them!

All of this indicates the high status to which Islam has raised the position of motherhood, and given the mother precedence over the father. At the same time, Islam has given importance to both parents, and has enjoined kindness and respect to both. (Al-Hashimi, The Ideal Muslimah, IIPH 2005, p. 167)

So great was the Islamic emphasis on parents, that the Muslims considered a great opportunity to attain paradise in service to one’s mother. Iyâs Ibn Mu’âwiyah was a famous Islamic scholar from the second generation of Muslims. When his mother died, Iyâs Ibn Mu’âwiyah cried. He was asked, “Why do you cry?” He said, “I used to have two gates open to Paradise, now one of them is closed.”

Zayn al-‘Abidîn (d. 713CE) was the great grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and also a renowned scholar. He used to treat his mother with so much kindness and love as seen in the following narration:

Once he was asked, ‘You are the most kind person to his mother, yet we have never seen you eating with her from a single dish.’ He replied, ‘I fear that my hand would take the what her eyes have already seen in the dish, and then I would be disobeying her’.
[At- Tartushi, Birr al-Wâlidayn]

In other words, he was so careful not to disobey his mother that he would even avoid eating out of the same plate as her; He thought that she would see a morsel and intend to take it, but before she did he might unknowingly take that same morsel and eat it. This is how careful he was to obey his mother in the most minute details.

Another early Islamic scholar, Sa’îd Ibn Al- Musayyib (d. 709CE), was asked about the meaning of the verse “but address them in terms of honor” (17:23) . Sa’îd Ibn Al- Musayyib replied:

It means that you should address them as a servant addresses his master.

Muhammad Ibn Sirîn (d. 729CE) used to speak to his mother in a very soft voice, out of respect for her. He was also often seen in the company of his mother and looking after her. (Ibn al-Jawzî, Birr al-Wâlidayn)

All that has preceded shows how the status of mothers – and consequently that of women – is elevated to the highest position in Islam. The honor Islam has given to mothers is beyond that found in any other religion, ideology or culture. This is clear proof of the lofty status of Muslim Women.
, ,

05:26



In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Ever since the dawn of human life on this planet, Man has always sought to understand Nature, his own place in the scheme of Creation
and the purpose of Life itself. In this quest for Truth, spanning many centuries and diverse civilizations, organized religion has shaped human life and determined to a large extent, the course of history. While some religions have been based on books, claimed by their adherents to be divinely inspired, others have relied solely on human experience.

CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE: ‘THE BIG BANG’

The creation of the universe is explained by astrophysicists in a widely accepted phenomenon, popularly known as the ‘Big Bang’. It is supported by observational and experimental data gathered by astronomers and astrophysicists for decades. According to the ‘Big Bang’, the whole universe was initially one big mass (Primary Nebula). Then there was a ‘Big Bang’ (Secondary Separation) which resulted in the formation of Galaxies. These then divided to form stars, planets, the sun, the moon, etc. The origin of the universe was unique and the probability of it occurring by ‘chance ’ is zero. The Qur’aan contains the following verse, regarding the origin of the universe:
Al-Quran 21:30: “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?”

The striking congruence between the Qur’aanic verse and the ‘Big Bang’ is inescapable! How could a book, which first appeared in the deserts of Arabia 1400 years ago, contain this profound scientific truth?

THERE WAS AN INITIAL GASEOUS MASS BEFORE THE CREATION OF GALAXIES

Scientists say that before the galaxies in the universe were formed, celestial matter was initially in the form of gaseous matter. In short, huge gaseous matter or clouds were present before the formation of the galaxies. To describe initial celestial matter, the word ‘smoke’ is more appropriate than gas. The following Qur’aanic verse refers to this state of the universe by the word dhukhan which means smoke.
Al- Quran 41:11: “Moreover, He Comprehended In His design the sky, And it had been (as) smoke: He said to it And to the earth: ‘Come ye together, Willingly or unwillingly.’ They said: ‘We do come (Together), in willing obedience.”

Again, this fact is a corollary to the ‘Big Bang’ and was not known to the Arabs during the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh ). What then, could have been the source of this knowledge?

THE SPHERICAL SHAPE OF THE EARTH

In early times, people believed that the earth is flat. For centuries, men were afraid to venture out too far, lest they should fall off the edge. Sir Francis Drake was the first person who proved that the earth is spherical when he sailed around it in 1597. Consider the following Qur’aanic verse regarding the alternation of day and night:
Al- Quran 31:29: “Seest thou not that Allah merges Night into Day And He merges Day into Night?”

Merging here means that the night slowly and gradually changes to day and vice versa. This phenomenon can only take place if the earth is spherical. If the earth was flat, there would have been a sudden change from night to day and from day to night.
The following verse also alludes to the spherical shape of the earth:
Al- Quran 39:5: “He created the heavens And the earth In true (proportions) : He makes the Night Overlap the Day, and the Day Overlap the Night.”

Merging here means that the night slowly and gradually changes to day
and vice versa. This phenomenon can only take place if the earth is spherical. If the earth was flat, there would have been a sudden change from night to day and from day to night. The Arabic word used here is Kawwara meaning ‘to overlap’ or ‘to.coil’– the way a turban is wound around the head. The overlapping or coiling of the day and night can only take place if the earth is spherical. The earth is not exactly round like a ball, but geo-spherical i.e. it is flattened at the poles. The following verse contains a description of the earth’s shape:
Al- Quran 79:30: “And the earth, moreover, Hath He made egg shaped.” *

(* The Arabic word dahaha has been translated by A. Yusuf Ali as “vast expanse”, which also is correct. The word dahaha also means an ostrich-egg.
Consider the following verses related to the nature of light from the sun and the moon:
“It is He who made the sun To be a shining glory And the moon to be a light (Of beauty). ”

The Arabic word for egg here is dahaha, which means an ostrich-egg. The shape of an ostrich-egg resembles the geo-spherical shape of the earth. Thus the Qur’aan correctly describes the shape of the earth, though the prevalent notion when the Qur’aan was revealed was that the earth is flat.

THE LIGHT OF THE MOON IS REFLECTED LIGHT

It was believed by earlier civilizations that the moon emanates its own light. Science now tells us that the light of the moon is reflected light. However this fact was mentioned in the Qur’aan 1,400 years ago in the following verse:
Al- Quran 25:61: “Blessed is He Who made Constellations in the skies, And placed therein a Lamp And a Moon giving light.”
The Arabic word for the sun in the Qur’aan, is shams. It is referred to as siraaj, which means a ‘torch’ or as wahhaaj which means ‘a blazing lamp’ or as diya which means ‘shining glory’. All three descriptions are appropriate to the sun, since it generates intense heat and light by its internal combustion.
The Arabic word for the moon is qamar and it is described in the Qur’aan as muneer, which is a body that gives nur i.e . light. Again, the Qur’aanic description matches perfectly with the true nature of the moon, which does not give off light itself and is an inert body that reflects the light of the sun. Not once in the Qur’aan, is the moon mentioned as siraaj, wahhaaj or diya or the sun as nur or muneer. This implies that the Qur’aan recognizes the difference between the nature of sunlight and moonlight.
Consider the following verses related to the nature of light from the sun and the moon:
Al- Quran 10:5: “It is He who made the sun To be
a shining glory And the moon to be a light (Of beauty). ”
Al- Quran 71:15: 16: “See ye not How Allah has created The seven heavens One above another, “And made the moon A light in their midst, and made the sun As a (Glorious) Lamp?”
THE SUN ROTATES

For a long time European philosophers and scientists believed that the earth stood still in the centre of the universe and every other body including the sun moved around it. In the West, this geocentric concept of the universe was prevalent right from the time of Ptolemy in the second century B.C .
In 1512, Nicholas Copernicus put forward his Heliocentric Theory of Planetary Motion, which asserted that the sun is motionless at the centre of the solar system with the planets revolving around it.
In 1609, the German scientist Yohannus Keppler published the ‘Astronomia Nova’ . In this he concluded that not only do the planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun, they also rotate upon their axes at irregular speeds. With this knowledge it became possible for European scientists to explain correctly many of the mechanisms of the solar system including the sequence of night and day.
After these discoveries, it was thought that the Sun was stationary and did not rotate about its axis like the Earth. I remember having studied this fallacy from Geography books during my school days.
Consider the following Qur’aanic verse:
Al- Quran 21:33: “It is He Who created The Night and the Day, And the sun and the moon: All (the celestial bodies) Swim along, each in its Rounded course.”
The Arabic word used in the above verse is yasbahûn. The word yasbahûn is derived from the word sabaha. It carries with it the idea of motion that comes from any moving body. If you use the word for a man on the ground, it would not mean that he is rolling but would mean he is walking or running. If you use the word for a man in water it would not mean that he is floating but would mean that he is swimming. Similarly, if you use the word yasbah for a celestial body such as the sun it would not mean that it is only flying through space but would mean that it is also rotating as it goes through space. Most of the school textbooks have incorporated the fact that the sun rotates about its axis.
The rotation of the sun about its own axis can be proved with the help of an equipment that projects the image of the sun on the table top so that one can examine the image of the sun without being blinded. It is noticed that the sun has spots which complete a circular motion once every 25 days i.e . the sun takes approximately 25 days to rotate around its axis.
In fact, the sun travels through space at roughly 150 miles per second, and takes about 200 million years to complete one revolution around the center of our Milky Way Galaxy.
Al- Quran 36:40: “It is not permitted To the Sun to catch up The Moon, nor can The Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along In (its own) orbit (According to Law).”

This verse mentions an essential fact discovered by modern astronomy, i.e. the existence of the individual orbits of the Sun and the Moon, and their journey through space with their own motion. The ‘fixed place’ towards, which the sun travels, carrying with it the solar system, has been located exactly by modern astronomy. It has been given a name, the Solar Apex. The solar system is indeed moving in space towards a point situated in the constellation of Hercules (alpha Layer) whose exact location is firmly
established.
The moon rotates around its axis in the same duration that it takes to revolve around the earth. It takes approximately 29½ days to complete one rotation. One cannot help but be amazed at the scientific accuracy of the Qur’aanic verses. Should we not ponder over the question: “What was the source of knowledge contained in the Qur’aan?”

THE SUN WILL EXTINGUISH AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD

The light of the sun is due to a chemical process on its surface that has been taking place continuously for the past five billion years. It will come to an end at some point of time in the future when the sun will be totally extinguished leading to extinction of all life on earth.
Regarding the impermanence of the sun’s existence the Qur’aan says:
Al- Quran 36:38: “And the Sun Runs its course For a period determined For it; that is The decree of (Him) The exalted in Might, The All- Knowing.”**

(** A similar message is conveyed in the Qur’an in 13:2, 35:13, 39:5 and 39:21.)
The Arabic word used here is mustaqarr, which means a place or time that is determined. Thus the Qur’aan says that the sun runs towards a determined place, and will do so only up to a pre- determined period of time – meaning that it will end or extinguish.

THE PRESENCE OF INTERSTELLAR MATTER

Space outside organized astronomical systems was earlier assumed to be a vacuum.
Astrophysicists later discovered the presence of bridges of matter in this
interstellar space. These bridges of matter are called plasma, and consist of completely ionized gas containing equal number of free electrons and positive ions. Plasma is sometimes called the fourth state of matter (besides the three known states viz. solid, liquid and gas) . The Qur’aan mentions the presence of this interstellar material in the following verse:
Al- Quran 25:59: “He Who created the heavens And the earth and all That is between.”

It would be ridiculous, for anybody to even suggest that the presence of interstellar galactic material was known 1400 years ago.

THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE

In 1925, an American astronomer by the name of Edwin Hubble, provided observational evidence that all galaxies are receding from one another, which implies that the universe is expanding. The expansion of the universe is now an established scientific fact. This is what Al-Qur’aan says regarding the nature of the universe:
Al- Quran 51:47: “With the power and skill Did We construct The Firmament: For it is We Who create The vastness of Space.”

The Arabic word mûsi‘ûn is correctly translated as ‘expanding it’, and it refers to the creation of the expanding vastness of the universe. Stephen Hawking, in his book, ‘A Brief History of Time’, says, “The discovery that the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century.”
The Qur’aan mentioned the expansion of the universe, before man even learnt to build a telescope! Some may say that the presence of astronomical facts in the Qur’aan is not surprising since the Arabs were advanced in the field of astronomy. They are correct in acknowledging the advancement of the Arabs in the field of astronomy. However they fail to realize that the Qur’aan was revealed centuries before the Arabs excelled in astronomy. Moreover many of the scientific facts mentioned above regarding astronomy, such as the origin of the universe with a Big Bang, were not known to the Arabs even at the peak of their scientific advancement.
The scientific facts mentioned in the Qur’aan are therefore not due to the Arabs’ advancement in astronomy. Indeed, the reverse is true. The Arabs advanced in astronomy,
because astronomy occupies a place in the Qur’aan.
, ,

05:19




In the name of Allah, the Most Mercifull, the Most Beneficient

FINGERPRINTS

Al- Quran 75:3- 4 : “Does man think that We Cannot assemble his bones? Nay, We are able to put Together in perfect order The very tips of his fingers.”

Unbelievers argue regarding resurrection taking place after bones of dead people have disintegrated in the earth and how each individual would be identified on the Day of Judgment. Almighty Allah answers that He can not only assemble our bones but can also reconstruct perfectly our very fingertips. Why does the Qur’aan, while speaking about determination of the identity of the individual, speak specifically about fingertips?
In 1880, fingerprinting became the scientific method of identification, after research done by Sir Francis Golt. No two persons in the world can ever have exactly the same fingerprint pattern. That is the reason why police forces worldwide use fingerprints to identify the criminal. 1400 years ago, who could have known the uniqueness of each human’s fingerprint? Surely it could have been none other than the Creator Himself!

PAIN RECEPTORS PRESENT IN THE SKIN

It was thought that the sense of feeling and pain was only dependent on the brain. Recent discoveries prove that there are pain receptors present in the skin without which a person would not be able to feel pain. When a doctor examines a patient suffering from burn injuries, he verifies the degree of burns by a pinprick. If the patient feels pain, the doctor is happy, because it indicates that the burns are superficial and the pain receptors are intact. On the other hand if the patient does not feel any pain, it indicates that it is a deep burn and the pain receptors have been destroyed. The Qur’aan gives an indication of the existence of pain receptors in the following verse:
Al- Quran 4:56:

“Those who reject Our signs, We shall soon Cast into the Fire; As often as their skins Are roasted through, We shall change them For fresh skins, That they may taste The Penalty: for Allah Is Exalted in Power, Wise.”

Prof. Tagatat Tejasen, Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, has spent a great amount of time on research of pain receptors. Initially he could not believe that the Qur’aan mentioned this scientific fact 1,400 years ago. He later verified the translation of this particular Qur’aanic verse. Prof. Tejasen was so impressed by the scientific accuracy of the Qur’aanic verse, that at the 8th Saudi Medical Conference held in Riyadh on the Scientific Signs of Qur’aan and Sunnah he proclaimed in public: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger.”

Also Read Quran and Zoology, Quran and Astronomy

CONCLUSION

To attribute the presence of scientific facts in the Qur’aan to coincidence would be against common sense and a true scientific approach. The Qur’aan invites all humans to reflect on the Creation of this universe in the verse:
Al-Quran 3:190:

“Behold! In the creation Of the heavens and the earth, And the alternation Of Night and Day – There are indeed Signs For men of understanding.”

The scientific evidences of the Qur’aan clearly prove its Divine Origin. No human could have produced a book, fourteen hundred years ago, that would contain profound scientific facts, to be discovered by humankind centuries later. The Qur’aan, however, is not a book of Science but a book of ‘Signs’. These signs invite Man to realize the purpose of his existence on earth, and to live in harmony with Nature. The Qur’aan is truly a message from Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It contains the same message of the Oneness of God, that was preached by all prophets, right from Adam, Moses, Jesus to Muhammad (peace be upon them). Several detailed tomes have been written on the subject of Qur’aan and modern science and further research in this field is on. Inshallah, this research will help mankind to come closer to the Word of the Almighty. This booklet contains only a few of the scientific facts present in the Qur’aan. I cannot claim to have done full justice to the subject. Prof.Tejasen accepted Islam on the strength of just one scientific ‘sign’ mentioned in the Qu’ran . Some people may require ten signs while some may require hundred signs to be convinced about the Divine Origin of the Qur’aan. Some would be unwilling to accept the Truth even after being shown a thousand signs. The Qur’aan condemns such a closed mentality in the verse:
Al- Quran 2:18: “Deaf, dumb and blind, They will not return (To the path).”

The Qur’aan contains a complete code of life for the individual and society. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), the Qur’aanic way of life is far superior to the ‘isms’ that modern man has invented out of sheer ignorance. Who can give better guidance than the Creator Himself?

I pray that this humble effort is accepted by Allah, to whom I pray for mercy and guidance (Aameen).
, ,

05:13



In the name of Allah, the Most Mercifull, the Most Beneficient.

Zoology

ANIMALS AND BIRDS LIVE IN COMMUNITIES

Al- Quran 6:38 “There is not an animal (That lives) on the earth, Nor a being that flies On its wings, but (forms Part of) communities like you.”

Research has shown that animals and birds live in communities, i.e . they organize, and live and work together.

THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS

Regarding the flight of birds the Qur’aan says:

Al- Quran 16:79 “Do they not look at The birds, held poised In the midst of (the air And) the sky? Nothing Holds them up but (the power Of) Allah. Verily in this Are Signs for those who believe.”

A similar message is repeated in the Qur’aan in the verse:

Al- Quran 67:19 “Do they not observe The birds above them, Spreading their wings And folding them in? None can uphold them Except (Allah) Most Gracious: Truly it is He That watches over all things.”

The Arabic word amsaka literally means, ‘to put one’s hand on, seize, hold, hold someone back,’ which expresses the idea that Allah holds the bird up in His power. These verses stress the extremely close dependence of the birds’ behaviour on Divine order. Modern scientific data has shown the degree of perfection attained by certain species of birds with regard to the programming of their movements. It is only the existence of a migratory programme in the genetic code of the birds that can explain the long and complicated journey that very young birds, without any prior experience and without any guide, are able to accomplish. They are also able to return to the departure point on a definite date. Prof. Hamburger in his book ‘Power and Fragility’ gives the example of ‘mutton-bird’ that lives in the Pacific with its journey of over 15,000 miles in the shape of figure ‘8’ . It makes this journey over a period of 6 months and comes back to its departure point with a maximum delay of one week. The highly complicated instructions for such a journey have to be contained in the birds’ nervous cells. They are definitely programmed. Should we not reflect on the identity of this ‘Programmer’?

THE BEE
Al- Quran 16:68- 69 “And thy Lord taught the Bee To build its cells in hills, On trees, and in (men’ s) habitations; Then to eat of all The produce (of the earth), And find with skill the spacious Paths of its Lord. ”

Von-Frisch received the Nobel Prize in 1973 for his research on the Behaviour and communication of the bees. The bee, after discovering any new garden or flower, goes back and tells its fellow bees the exact direction and map to get there, which is known as ‘bee dance’. The meanings of this insect’s movements that are intended to transmit information between worker bees have been discovered scientifically using photography and other methods. The Qur’aan mentions in the above verse how the bee finds with skill the spacious paths of its Lord. The worker bee or the soldier bee is a female bee. In Soorah Al-Nahl chapter no. 16, verses 68 and 69 the gender used for the bee is the female gender (fa’slukî and kulî), indicating that the bee that leaves its home for gathering food is a female bee. In other words the soldier or worker bee is a female bee. In fact, in Shakespeare’s play, “Henry the Fourth”, some of the characters speak about bees and mention that the bees are soldiers and that they have a king. That is what people thought in Shakespearean times. They thought that the worker bees are male bees and they go home and are answerable to a king bee. This, however, is not true. The worker bees are females and they do not report to a king bee but to a queen bee. But it took modern investigations in the last 300 years to discover this.

LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNICATION OF ANTS

Consider the following Qur’aanic verse:

Al- Quran 27:17- 18 “And before Solomon were marshaled His hosts – of Jinns and men And birds, and they were all Kept in order and ranks. “At length, when they came To a (lowly) valley of ants, One of the ants said: ‘O ye ants, get into Your habitations, lest Solomon And his hosts crush you (Under foot) without knowing it.”

In the past, some people would have probably mocked at the Qur’aan, taking it to be a fairy tale book in which ants talk to each other and communicate sophisticated messages. In recent times, research has shown us several facts about the lifestyle of ants, which were not known earlier to humankind. Research has shown that the animals or insects whose lifestyle is closest in resemblance to the lifestyle of human beings are the ants. This can be seen from the following findings regarding ants:
•The ants bury their dead in a manner similar to the humans.
•They have a sophisticated system of division of labour, whereby they have managers, supervisors, foremen, workers, etc.
•Once in a while they meet among themselves to have a ‘chat’.
•They have an advanced method of communication among themselves.
•They hold regular markets wherein they exchange goods.
•They store grains for long periods in winter and if the grain begins to bud, they cut the roots, as if they understand that if they leave it to grow, it will rot. If the grains stored by them get wet due to rains, they take these grains out into the sunlight to dry, and once these are dry, they take them back inside as though they know that humidity will cause development of root systems and thereafter rotting of the grain.

Medicine

HONEY HAS HEALING PROPERTIES

The bee assimilates juices of various kinds of flowers and fruit and forms within its body the honey, which it stores in its cells of wax. Only a couple of centuries ago man came to know that honey comes from the belly of the bee. This fact was mentioned in the Qur’aan 1,400 years ago in the following verse:

Al- Quran 16:69 “There issues From within their bodies A drink of varying colours, Wherein is healing for men.”

We are now aware that honey has a healing property and also a mild antiseptic property. The Russians used honey to cover their wounds in World War II. The wound would retain moisture and would leave very little scar tissue. Due to the density of honey, no fungus or bacteria would grow in the wound. A person suffering from an allergy of a particular plant may be given honey from that plant so that the person develops resistance to that allergy. Honey is rich in fructose and vitamin K. Thus the knowledge contained in the Qur’aan regarding honey, its origin and properties, was far ahead of the time it was revealed.

Physiology

BLOOD CIRCULATION AND THE PRODUCTION OF MILK
The Qur’aan was revealed 600 years before the Muslim scientist Ibn Nafees described the circulation of the blood and 1,000 years before William Harwey brought this understanding to the Western world. Roughly thirteen centuries before it was known what happens in the intestines to ensure that organs are nourished by the process of digestive absorption, a verse in the Qur’aan described the source of the constituents of milk, in conformity with these notions. To understand the Qur’aanic verse concerning the above concepts, it is important to know that chemical reactions occur in the intestines and that, from there, substances extracted from food pass into the blood stream via a complex system; sometimes by way of the liver, depending on their chemical nature. The blood transports them to all the organs of the body, among which are the milk-producing mammary glands. In simple terms, certain substances from the contents of the intestines enter into the vessels of the intestinal wall itself, and these substances are transported by the blood stream to the various organs. This concept must be fully appreciated if we wish to understand the following verse in the Qur’aan:
Al- Quran 16:66 “And verily in cattle there is A lesson for you. We give you to drink Of what is inside their bodies, Coming from a conjunction Between the contents of the Intestine and the blood, A milk pure and pleasant for Those who drink it.”

Al- Quran 23:21 “And in cattle (too) ye Have an instructive example: From within their bodies We produce (milk) for you To drink; there are, in them, (Besides), numerous (other) Benefits for you; And of their (meat) ye eat.”

(Translation of this Qur’aanic verse is from the book “The Bible, the Qur’an and Science” by Dr. Maurice Bucaille.) The Qur’aanic description of the production of milk in cattle is strikingly similar to what modern physiology has discovered.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

MARI themes

Powered by Blogger.