Khawlah bint al-Azwar (ra)

“I swear by Allah, I will fight in the path of Allah and I will follow those people that turn to Allah. My Lord will never see me turn my back and flee from fighting. If I turn back then I will be disobeying Allah and then I will be from the sinful.”
With this, Diraar bin al Azwar (ra), saying the takbeer, jumped into the midst of the Roman soldiers and attacked.

Hearing the takbeer, the other Muslims followed suit, and the takbeer echoed on the battlefield and tore the hearts of the Kuffar with fear and ru`b. Diraar (ra) was fighting with such fervor and passion that he struck dead all that came in his way until he came to an enclosure at which the main soldiers were standing around.

He understood that this meant that Darwaan (the general of the Roman army) was going to be here. Knowing this, he charged at the group of soldiers. First he attacked the flag bearer and pierced him with such a blow that he fell there and then. Suddenly his eyes fell on Darwaan. He went towards him.

Near Darwaan was a soldier who was holding a prized ornamental cross. Diraar (ra) struck him with a lance which tore his side apart and the cross fell on the floor.

Darwaan on seeing this, sensed his last. He could not but interpret the falling of the cross as a sign of the destruction of him and his army. He got up from his horse, intending to pick the cross up but instantly some Muslims who were nearby got down from their horses to pick it up and encircled Darwaan.

Diraar (ra) was still occupied in fighting but when he saw the happenings he said, ‘O group of Muslims, nor is the cross my right, or your right. Hence have no desire of picking it up. When I finish with this Roman dog and his army, I myself will pick it up’.

Islamic Tawassul V/S unIslamic Tawassul !

Tawassul in Arabic means seeking to draw close. Allah says in the Qur’aan: “…[they] desire means of access to their Lord…” [17:57], i.e., means of drawing close to Him. There are two types of Tawassul, correct Islamic Tawassul and forbidden Tawassul.

Correct Islamic Tawassul:
This means seeking to draw close to Allah through acts of worship which He loves and which please Him; these may be waajib (obligatory) or mustahabb (encouraged), and may take the form of words, actions or beliefs. Some types are as follows:

- Seeking to draw close to Allah by means of His names and attributes. Allah says: “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His names. They will be requited for what they used to do.” [7:180]. So when a person makes du’aa’ to Allah, he begins by calling on Allah with the name that is most apt, such as “al-Rahmaan” (the Most Merciful) when seeking mercy and al-Ghafoor (the All-Forgiving) when asking for forgiveness, and so on.

- Seeking to draw close to Allah by means of faith and Tawheed. Allah says: “Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger, so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth).” [3:53]

- Seeking to draw close to Allah through righteous deeds, whereby a person asks Allah by virtue of the best deeds that he has done, such as Salaah, Fasting, reading Qur’aan, avoiding Haraam things, and so on. An example of this is the Saheeh Hadeeth narrated in the Saheehayn about the three people who entered a cave, and a rock fell and blocked their way out. They asked Allah by virtue of their best deeds (to save them). A person may also ask Allah by virtue of his total dependency upon Him, as Allah mentions in the Qur’aan: “(Ayyoob said:) ‘Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ [21:83]; or by admitting his own wrongdoing and his need for Allah, as Yoonus is described as saying: “ ‘None has the right to be worshipped except You (O Allah). Glorified (and exalted) are You. Truly I have been of the wrong-doers.’” [21:87]

ARTICLE: Torture, organ harvesting in Syria's prisons!

Omar al-Shogre was 17 when they came for him. That autumn day in 2012, as the olives were harvested and the apricot trees in the family garden shed their leaves, would be his last moment of freedom for nearly three years.
Omar would spend the rest of his adolescence in a total of 11 Syrian prisons, facing torture from a multitude of men belonging to the government’s elaborate, sinister security apparatus. "I could drink their blood," Omar told MEE from Stockholm, where he now lives, his voice full of vengeance.
His family had been part of the 2011 uprising against the government of Bashar al-Assad in Tartus province on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. They were part of a Sunni minority in the heartland of the government’s Alawi sect.
Omar did not know why he had been arrested. Interrogators would later force him into a false confession of forgery.
In Tartus he was tortured with electrocution – to his neck, arms, legs, and genitals. On another occasion, prisoners were force-fed salt before being offered water as a relief from the thirst.
But their penises were then tied up, preventing them from urinating and causing intense kidney pain.
He was then moved to Branch 215, known as the “Raid Brigade,” on 6 May Street in Damascus, less than 5km from the Umayyad Mosque and in an area surrounded by shopping centres and hotels.
Omar would spend the next year behind its walls.
Omar began to know the meaning of hunger: the prisoners often went without food for days; when it came it was a few potatoes and eggs, often covered in blood or mould. “It continued for months,” Omar said. “People were crying from hunger.”
There was always extra torture on celebratory days, such as the Muslim festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and Mother’s Day. Torture parties, Omar called them.
The boy’s father was killed in the al-Bayda massacre in May 2013, in which hundreds of Sunnis were murdered. Omar’s cousins Bashir and Rashad, who had been arrested alongside him, both died in prison.
But there was not the energy to be sad for their deaths. Instead, Omar created a family for himself in Branch 215. “It was the best university,” he said. 

MOSQUITO (GNAT), one of the Animal mentioned in Quraan

As people are invited to contemplate on their own creation, the Qur'an frequently calls people to investigate the nature and to see the signs of Allah therein. Since the whole universe, with all its living and non-living elements, consists of the signs revealing that they have been 'created'. And they exist just in order to demonstrate the power, knowledge and art of their 'Creator'. And mankind is responsible to know these signs and appreciate the Creator of all, Allah. All living things possess these signs, yet there are some specifically mentioned animals in the Qur'an. Mosquito is one of these. This is referred to in the Qur'an in the below verse:

"Surely Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable - (that of) a gnat or any thing above that; then as for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord, and as for those who disbelieve, they say: What is it that Allah means by this parable:

"He causes many to err by it and many He leads aright by it! but He does not cause to err by it (any) except the transgressors." [2:26]

When considering the life of the mosquito, we can say that it has a very extraordinary adventure. What is generally known about mosquitoes is that they absorb and feed on blood. Yet, this is not completely true. Because not all the mosquitoes, but only the female ones absorb blood. And their need for blood is not related to feeding at all. Actually, both male and female mosquitoes feed on nectar of flowers. The only reason that females, unlike males, do absorb blood is for their eggs which need to mature with the proteins contained in the blood. In other words, female mosquito absorbs blood just to ensure the survival of the new generation.

“Fifty of us or fifty of them?”

From the lecture Allah is Preparing us for Victory
By Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki (rahimahUllah)

“Fifty of us or fifty of them?”

A Reminder:

“So our time that we are complaining about, among all the other generations after the Sahabah, although our time is not exactly the same it is the most similar to the time of the Sahabah. Why? Because when the Sahabah came there was no Islamic authority and there is no Islamic authority today and this was not the case for fourteen hundred years. When the Sahabah came, they fought entire surroundings including the two super powers – the Persian Empire and the Roman Empire – and all the ‘Arabs around them that were against them. And this is similar to our situation today and this wasn’t the case in our history before. In our history before you would find Islamic authority, you would find people to assist you in Al-Haqq, and there was a place to make Hijrah to. Now we find that the whole world is waging a war against us and this is similar to time of the Sahabah, which means the ajr of the people today could be very great. We are not saying it is equal to the ajr of the Sahabah but it is going to be very great. This is why Rasoolullah (pbuh) has mentioned in a hadith that even though the best generation is of the Sahabah, then the Tabi’een, then the Taba Tabi’een, there will be a generation of people at the end of time and the ajr of one of them will be equal to the ajr of fifty! So the Sahabah asked, “Fifty of us or fifty of them?” Rasoolullah (pbuh) said, “Fifty of you.”

So the Salah will be like the Salah of fifty Sahabah. You fast one day and it will be like the fasting of fifty Sahabah. The ajr is multiplied by fifty, why? Because of the difficulty of that time.

NEWS: Iran ‘tortured’ prisoners before executions!

A human rights organization said the families of the Sunni-Kurdish prisoners whom Iran executed earlier this month revealed that Iranian intelligence members had tortured their sons prior to executing them by hanging. 

The Defenders of Human Rights Center in Kurdistan quoted the families of the executed prisoners as saying that they’ve seen torture marks on their son’s bodies in addition to broken legs and arms. 

On August 2, members of the intelligence and masked members affiliated with the Iranian special security units raided the political prisoners’ section in the Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran, and led 36 Sunni Kurdish activists, who were sentenced to death at the time, to an unknown location. The next day, news of executing 25 of them was released. 

The Defenders of Human Rights Center quoted an activist in Sanandaj, capital of the Kurdistan province, as saying that Iranian intelligence members threatened to arrest the family members of the executed men if they speak to the media about the torture marks on their children’s bodies. 

The activist added that security forces also warned them of holding funerals for those hanged.

A question posed to Shaykhul Islām Ibn Taymiyyah

Question: What do the scholars of the Deen have to say regarding those Mongols who invaded the Muslim lands of Shām in the year 699 Hijri, and who, as is well-known, killed many Muslims, took captive some of their children, and robbed the Muslims which they found. They violated what is inviolable and sacred in the Deen, by humiliating the Muslims and desecrating the masaajid, especially Masjid Al Aqsa, by taking from the personal wealth of the Muslims and from that of Baytul Maal enormous amounts, and by taking prisoner a great number of Muslims and removing them from their lands. Then, after all this, they claimed that they adhere to the Shahādatayn, and that it is harām for anyone to wage war on them, because they claimed to be adherents to the foundation of Islām and because they no longer persecuted the Muslims.

Is it lawful to wage war on them, or is it obligatory? If it is either, then what is the reason for it being so? Give us your opinion – may you be rewarded.” 

Answer: 
Alhamdulillāhi Rabbil  ‘Aalameen. 

Every group which leaves, changes, or refuses to implement any agreed upon, undisputed law of Islām, whether it is these people or others, must be fought until they adhere to all the laws of Islām. This is the rule even if they pronounce the Shahādatayn and adhere to some of the Islamic laws, as Abū Bakr as-Siddeeq and the Sahābah (radiAllahu ‘anhum) waged war on those who withheld the Zakāh. 

As well, the scholars who came after the Sahābah are in agreement about this principle. For, after the initial objection made by ‘Umar to Abū Bakr, the Sahābah (radiAllahu ‘anhum), agreed to wage war for the rights of Islām, and in this, they were adhering to the Qur’ān and Sunnah. 

Moreover, the Prophet’s Hadeeth about the Khawārij is established by ten chains of narration, and the Prophet, (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), said that they were the worst of the people, despite him saying, “You will look down on your prayers when you compare it with their prayers, and your fasting when you compare it with their fasting.” 

Thus, it became known that if some people simply cling to the label of Islām without adhering to its laws, then the obligation of fighting them is not cancelled.

The 4 Imams & other Ulama on Blind Following !

Imam Malik: "Indeed I am a human, I can make mistakes, and I can be correct, so look into my opinion, everything that is in agreement with the Book and the Sunnah, then take it, and everything that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah then leave it." [Jamia’ Bayyan al-Ilm’ 1/775]

Ash-hab, one of Imam Maalik’s students said: “Maalik was once asked whether one was safe to follow a ruling related to him by reliable narrators who had heard it from companions of the Prophet (saws). Imam Maalik replied, “No, by Allah, not unless it is correct, the truth is only one. Can two opposing opinions be simultaneously correct? The opinion that is correct can only be one.” [Jaami’ Bayaan al-‘Ilm pg. 82, 88, 89]

Imam Abu Hanifa said to his student Abu Yusuf: “Woe be to you Ya’qoob. Do not write down everything you hear from me, for surely I may hold an opinion today and leave it tomorrow, hold another tomorrow and leave it the day after." [at-Taareekh by Ibn Mu’een vol.6, p.88]

Imam Abu Hanifa: “If a hadeeth is found to be authentic, that is my madhhab.” [Ibn ‘Aabideen, al-Haashiyah vol. 1, p.63]

Imam Abu Hanifa: “Adhere to the athaar and the way of the Salaf and beware of newly invented matters, for all of it is an innovation.” [As-Suyootee, Sawn al-Mantaq, p.32]

Sa'd Ibn Mu'adh (ra)

These are some excerpts from the biography of one of the great figure, one of the heroes of Islam, one of its knights, and an honorable Companion of the Prophet (saws), the martyr Sa'd Ibn Mu'adh, let us excerpt lessons and examples from his biography. 

This honorable Companion fought in the Battle of Badr, Uhud, and in the Battle of the Trench and he did not fear anyone. The Prophet (saws) told the people that Sa`d shall be one of the people of Paradise, and told them also that the Throne of Allah has shaken to his death. He was a very fair, tall and handsome man. He had a radiant face, good eyes, and a full beard. He embraced Islam in Madinah at the hands of Mus`ab ibn `Umayr. 

Ibn Hajar said: He was one of the greatest people who benefitted Islam and he had many merits. [Al Isabah Fi Tamyiz As-Sahabah (86\3)]

Adh-Dhahabi said about his biography: The master, the great, and the martyr, Abu `Amr Sa`d ibn Mu`adh ibn An-Nu`man Al Ansary Al Awsy Al Ashhaly was white, tall, handsome, of nice face, and with good-looking beard. [Siyar A`lam An-Nubala’ (279\11)]

`Aishah said: There were three men in the tribe of Banu `Abdul-Ashhal who were better than anyone: Sa`d ibn Mu`adh, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and `Abbad ibn Bishr. [Siyar A`lam An-Nubala’ (279\11)]

Ibn Ishaq said: When he embraced Islam, he addressed his people saying: O people of Banu `Abdul-Ashhal, what do you say about me? They said: "You are our master and the best among us." He said: "I forbid myself to speak to any of you, men and women, until you believe in Allah and His Messenger." Sa`d said: "By Allah, there was neither a man nor a woman in Banu `Abdul-Ashhal but embraced Islam. [Sirat Ibn Hisam (40\2)] 

Ibn Shihab said: Sa’d bin Mu’adh witnessed the battle of Badr and he was shot with an arrow at the battle of Khandaq. He lived for a month after that, then his wound relapsed and he died. [Men and Women around the Messenger - By Sa’d Yusuf Abu Aziz, Darussalam publication]

Difference between Democracy & Shūrā?

Shaykh Nāsir ibn Hamd Al Fahd (fakk Allāhu asrahu) was asked, what is the meaning of Democracy? And what is the difference between Democracy and Shūrā? And what is the ruling regarding the entering of Parliaments?

 

The Shaykh responded by saying:

Democracy is the rule of the people, and it means that the legislation and permitting and prohibiting is for the population itself, and it was existent in Greece, before the Birth of ‘Īsa (as), then it developed further after the English Revolution, then the French (revolution), until it reached what it reached (i.e. Today).

And it’s purely kuffr, because the judgement/ruling is for Allāh with no partners ascribed to him, as Allāh says:

"He makes none to share in His Decision and His rule"

And it is differs to the Shūrā more than the differences between Fornication to Marriage, and that is because of (several) aspects:

1. The Shūrā is only for the Ijtihādī matters, where there is no explicit text regarding it, as for the ruling being clear/apparent, then there’s no Shūrā regarding it, but as for democracy, then it’s included into everything without exception.

2. The Shūrā is for a Group among the Ahl al-Hal wal-‘Aqd, who are well known for their justness and righteousness and religiousness. As for democracy, then it’s for a group of people who are elected by the people according to their desires, and what brings benefit to them, even if they were from the most evil of people.

3. The judgement made in the Shūrā is not compellable upon the correct view, so the just leader is not compelled to take it if he views benefit opposing it, as for democracy, it’s compellable.

4. In the Shūrā, they do not come up with rulings and laws which are imposed upon the population, as for democracy, they impose that by force.

Including other than that from the differences. There are books which aren’t that bad regarding this issue, which would be good to return back too.

And entering parliaments is a great Munkar (evil) from several aspects:

A) That there is acknowledgement for the judgement of the population, because parliament is a legislative gathering which comes up with laws, so by him entering it, he is acknowledging a Lawgiver besides Allāh and this is kuffr, and even if the Islamists rule over parliament for instance and they made the constitution islamic, then this is not the judgement of Allāh rather it’s the judgement of the population, that’s why if the members of parliament were changed, laws change and similar to this, so this isn’t ruling by Sharī’ah, the Sharī’ah rules by force, and whoever refuses it from the people is hit with a sword and thrown in the rubbish bin, and we do not look at the number of voters, the for and against.

B) That it’s obliged for the person entering parliament to take an oath to respect the constitution, and the constitution is originally kuffr, and it has many uncountable Mukaffīrāt, and respecting it is kuffr, so how can you take an oath by that!

C) Those that are called the Islamists step down on many things in their path to reach towards parliament, then they do not achieve a portion of what they provided from their stepping down, and look at our current situation today, you would know that very well.

And Shaykh Ahmad Shākir (rahimahullah) in ‘Umdat al-Tafsīr regarding Allāh’s statement:

"and consult them in the matter"

Has very beautiful words in comparing democracy and Shūrā together, and the reply against whoever considered democracy to be from the Shūrā and whoever calls towards the elections, so refer back to it, because it has words which should be written in gold ink.

[Fatāwā al-Hāiriyyah]