Rohingya Muslims - The Forgotten People...

Prophet's (saws) Birthday Celebration History - "AL-MAWLID"

The month of Rabi’ al-Awwal (the First Spring Season) of the Islamic Calendar is well known in the entire Muslim world as Shahr al-Mawhid (the Month of Birth) of the Prophet Muhammad (saws). The precise date of his birth is disputed among the historians, but 12 of Rabi’ al-Awwal is acknowledged in most places as national holiday.

As a matter of fact in Islam there are only two holidays: Eidul Fitri (the first day after the fasting month Ramadan) and Eidul Adha.

The question is: Why do the Muslim Ummah make other days during the year as the Islamic holidays? Why the Prophet’s (saws) birthday is celebrated and considered as a holiday?

Going deeply into the seerah (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad (saws), nobody can trace the tradition of Mawlid (the Prophet’s (saws) birthday) celebration or other celebrations of very important days in Islamic history. Never the Prophet (saws) nor his close companions or people who followed him and his companions encouraged people to make his birthday as a special day.

Nobody knows exactly when the first celebration of the Prophet’s (saws) birthday was celebrated or marked as a holiday. Noted in history that the celebration was found during the reign of Wazir al-Afdlal (487-515 AH/1095-1121 CE) of the Fatimite (extreme sect of Shi'a) regime in Egypt. The celebration was held during the day time and attended by government officials and spiritual leaders in town. The Fatimite amir as a head of state sat in the balcony of the palace and three speakers in sequence delivered their Mawlid speeches. They talked about Muhammad’s (saws) origin, his birthday and his life. Celebration was not only for the Prophet’s (saws) birthday but also the birthday of Ali (the Prophet’s (saws) cousin), Fatimah (his daughter) and the so-called Amir as the present imam of Shi’ite. The influence of the Shi’ite doctrine of the celebration of the Prophet’s (saws) birthday was very clear and is still eminence in modern Egypt even today. Foreign tourists who visited Cairo several times or anybody who ever stayed there for a long period will note that Husain’s birthday (the Prophet’s (saws) grandson) was celebrated more thoroughly and illimuniously than the Prophet’s (saws) birthday, in the meantime the majority of Muslims in Egypt today adhere to Ahlu as-Sunnah’s Islam.

What is the ruling on the Hukkam (Rulers)?

Answered by al-‘Allamah Hamud ibn ‘Uqla ash-Shu’aybi (rahimahUllah)

Question: As-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, as to what follows…

In this era it has spread that rulers in the Islamic world, Arabic world and others rely on ruling with man-made law instead of ruling with the Shari’ah of Allah, so what is the hukm on these rulers? We hope to see the answer being supported by Shari’ah evidences from the Kitab, Sunnah, and the statements of the ‘ulama.

Answer: All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alameen, and may the Salaah and Salaam be upon the most noble of Prophets and Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions. As to what follows:

When Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad (saws) with this honorable Deen, which led people from darkness to light, where people at that time were swinging in the darkness of ignorance and misguidance, sinking in the sea of myths and obsolete traditions which they inherited from their fathers and ancestors in every aspect of their lives, beliefs, worships, legal proceedings and judgments. Their beliefs and worships were based on shirk with Allah, as they associated partners and equals from trees, stones, angels, Shayateen, humans and others, approaching them with various types of approaches which are prohibited to be given to other than Allah; such as slaughtering, swearing oaths, and other than them.

As for legal proceedings and judgements, they are no less misguidance and corruption in comparison with their way in worship as they used to constitute Tawagheet, soothsayers and fortune-tellers who handle these proceedings between people in every dispute they have in aspects of wealth, blood, honor and other than that. They would establish one of these (Tawagheet) in every district, and if the sentencing is issued then it was applied with no objection or review in spite of it being oppressing. When Allah sent Muhammad (saws) with this pure Shari’ah he abolished these traditions and eradicated them and confined the worship to be to Allah and confined legal proceedings and seeking judgment to the Shari’ah of Allah. He said: “The hukm (ruling/judgment/legislation) is for none except Allah. He has commanded that you worship none except Him…al-Ayah”, and when He said: “The hukm (ruling/judgment/legislation) is for none except Allah”, (this) confines the hukm to the Shari’ah of Allah, and: “He has commanded that you worship none except Him”, means to confine worship to Allah with a way of confining the worship of Him in the most meaningful and stressed way, which is negation and exception.

Problem of lust (a dad-son dialogue)...

According to the teachings Islam, the desires and lusts play a vital part in the makeup of every human being; they cannot be ignored. Humans, unlike the angels, have to face the challenge in this life of mastering these forces within us. If we fail to do so, then we become enslaved by our desires and thus fall below the level of the animal kingdom.

The keys to a happy and fulfilled life are to be found in the guidance contained in the Quraan and in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) whose lifestyle embodied a perfect balance between permissible enjoyment and abstention from what is forbidden.

In this article, we will talk about the dangers of yielding to the unrestrained cravings of the soul through highlighting the problem of lust. Although man could be afflicted by lust at any age, young men are more susceptible. That is because between adulthood and childhood is adolescence, where a person undergoes great physical and psychological changes. During this stage, one’s decisions and experiences determine, to a great extent, the type of adult one will become. So, if a person succeeded in curbing his desires during this period, it would be easier for him to curb it for the rest of his life.

Sometimes, our children who are on the threshold of adolescence receive scant attention from parents regarding this matter; so, we preferred to tackle the issue of lust in the form of dad-son dialogue:

Son: Dad! You’ve told me a lot about the advantages and bright aspects of the period of entering manhood. Can you tell me about its problems and difficulties?

Kuffr that takes one outside Islam AND Kuffr duna Kuffr ?!?

[Answered by Shaykh ‘Ali al-Khudayr in as-Salafiyyeen forum] 

Question: Are there some actions of Kuffr which take the person out of the Millah and are there some which do not? Or are actions of Kuffr all classified as Kuffr duna Kuffr which do not remove the person from the Millah except if accompanied by a belief or Istihlaal or Juhood? 

Answer: Kuffr ‘amali (actions of Kuffr) are of two kinds:

First: From them is that which removes the person from the Millah. Such as Sujood to an idol and and sacrificing to other than Allah, tearing the Mushaf, allying with the Kuffaar and aiding them and giving them victory over the Muslimeen, legislating man-made laws, leaving the Salaah and the like. All these things are made Takfeer upon because of the action itself without having to look at the belief (of the person who does them). Also, from the actions of Kuffr are those connected to the tongue, like cursing Allah or His Messenger (as) or mocking the Deen or its clear symbols. This kind of speech is in itself Kuffr. Allah said: “…but really they said the word of disbelief, and they disbelieved after accepting Islam…"

The one who doubts their Kuffr & Shirk...

From Ayaat such as that in which Allah says: 
"and He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule" [18:26] 

It may be understood that the followers of those who promulgate laws other than those which Allah has ordained are committing shirk with Allah. This understanding is explained clearly in other Ayaat, such as the Ayaat which speaks of those who follow the laws of the shaytaan in permitting dead meat, claiming that it has been killed by Allah (and thus should be permitted): 
"Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which the Name of Allah has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal), for surely it is Fisq. And certainly, the shayātīn (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them [by making Al‑Maytah (a dead animal) legal by eating it], then you would indeed be mushrikūn" [6:121] 

Here Allah clearly states that they would be mushrikoon by obeying them. This is associating others with Allah in terms of obedience and following laws that are contrary to that which Allah has ordained — which is what is meant by worshipping the shaytaan in the Ayah in which Allah says: 
"Did I not command you, O Children of Ādam, that you should not worship shaytaan. Verily, he is a plain enemy to you. And that you should worship Me. That is the Straight Path" [36:60-61] 

And Allah tells us that His Prophet Ibrahim said: 
"‘O my father! Worship not shaytaan. Verily, shaytaan has been a rebel against the Most Gracious (Allah)’" [19:44]

Shaytaan's gateways to heart !

The heart is like a fort and Shaytaan the advancing enemy, who is intent on infiltrating and occupying it. Hence, only by guarding the gates, entrances and vulnerable positions, will it be impenetrable. Yet, a person who is unacquainted with the structure of the fortress, particularly its access points, cannot adequately defend it. By the same token, the obligation of guarding the heart from the whispers of Shaytaan cannot be fulfilled and he cannot be warded off, unless a person knows the gates to the heart that Shaytaan may take.
 
These gateways are, generally, personal characteristics, of which there are many, but, here, we will only refer to the ones that are so wide so as to accommodate all the numerous soldiers of Shaytaan. These include:
-      Anger and desire: Anger is the ghoul of the psyche; when it weakens the guards of one's mind, Shaytaan's soldiers immediately seize the opportunity to attack. Furthermore, when a person becomes enraged, Shaytaan toys with him in the same way children play with a ball.
-      Envy and greed: No matter how careful man is, his covetousness makes him deaf and dumb. The light of insight reveals the gates of Shaytaan; when envy and greediness mask this light, man becomes at risk. Hence, Shaytaan seizes that opportunity and adorns for an acquisitive person whatever leads to his or her desires, even if it is heinous and evil. The Prophet (saws), spoke of avarice: "If two starving wolves were left in a flock of sheep, they would not be as harmful (to them) as a person’s hunger for money and status is to his (or her) faith."  [At-Tirmithi, Hasan Saheeh]
-      Satiating oneself: This is one of Shaytaan's gateways to the heart; although lawful, eating in excess strengthens one's desires, which, in turn, are his weapons.
-      Impetuosity: Haste and recklessness are among the widest gates of Shaytaan to one's heart, as the Prophet (saws), said: "Hastiness is from Shaytaan and deliberateness is from Allah." [At-Tirmithi]
-      Miserliness and fear of poverty: They prevent a person from giving in charity, instead justifying hoarding, which only leads to a painful punishment.                                        
-      Bigotry toward a specific school of thought or an inclination toward a desire, bearing grudges against opponents or treating them with contempt: This destroys the immoral and pious alike. Defaming people and calling attention to their faults is one of the predatory characteristics inherent in human nature.
-      Thinking ill of Muslims: Allah says: "O you who have believed! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins." [49:12]. Indeed, only hypocrites seek out flaws in others, whereas believers seek excuses for them.

These... the Days of Patience !

MEANS the WEST use to SPREAD their IDEAS and THOUGHTS...

Question: What are the means which the west uses in order to spread their ideas and thoughts?

Answer: The means that the west employs in order to spread their thoughts and ideas are many, from them are: 

Firstly: The attempt to conquer the minds of the Muslim children. They do this by infusing in them western values and concepts so that they then believe that the best way to adopt in any matter is that of the west – whether it is with regards to what religion or sect they believe, or with regards to the languages that they speak, or the manners, customs and values with which they clothe themselves. 

Secondly: Custody of a large group of the children of the Muslims in every country, concern for them and bringing them up, so that when they absorb western thoughts, they return to their countries with a halo of praise and compliment, until they acquire position and authority in their countries by which they circulate western ideologies and establish learning centres conforming to western curriculum or are directly influenced by them. 

Thirdly: Their active drive towards promoting the learning of western languages in the Muslim lands, making them compete with the Muslims’ languages, especially the Arabic language, which is language of the Qur’an – by which this Book was sent and by which the Muslims worship their Lord;in their Salaah, their rites of Hajj, their forms of remembrances and glorifications, etc. From this is the encouragement of destructive propaganda that fights the Arabic Language and attempt to weaken the conformity to it in the Muslim lands. They do this by calling to using colloquialism, and by arranging numerous studies that intend to ‘develop’ grammar in order to corrupt it; as well as formalizing folk literature and and matters of national heritage. 
 

Fear of creation or Creator !?!

The Prophet (saws) is reported to have said: "No one of you should be prevented by fear from people from speaking the truth if he sees or witnesses it. Indeed, it does not bring his death closer or keep sustenance away that he speaks out the truth or reminds the people of something of which its mention causes them great discomfort." [Musnad Ahmad]

Abu Sa‘eed (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: "None of you should belittle himself. They asked: O Messenger of Allah! How can anyone of us belittle himself? He said:"He who sees a matter concerning which it is due upon him to say something for the sake of Allah, but he does not speak; Allah will ask him on the Day of Judgment: What prevented you from speaking the truth about such-and-such? He would say: Fear from people. Then Allah will say: Rather, it is I whom you should have feared more." [Ibn Majah]

These two Ahadith address the same topic; an extremely serious and important one, which is speaking the truth and testifying in its favor. Together, the two Ahadith define the reasons behind people's refrainment from saying the truth and provide the best remedy for this.

As the Messenger of Allah (saws) addressed his Ummah with these two Ahadith, he aimed at educating and preparing it in accordance with the divine methodology, so as to fulfill the sought after mission that is assigned to it on earth and in history. He (saws) also sought to commit them to a cohesive creedal structure. The problem in the Muslim Ummah is not 'knowing and searching for the truth', since Allah willed that this Ummah is never devoid of a group that knows the truth and demonstrates it to the people. The serious problem, however, is remaining silent in the face of falsehood and failing to declare the apparent truth openly, fearing harm or aspiring for some personal interest. These two things – fear and aspiration – are the two reasons for preventing the word of truth from reaching people's ears, and they remain an obstacle against people advising one another to hold onto the truth and be patient about it. However, fear remains the most significant factor in neglecting the duty of speaking out the truth and being satisfied with low aims and easy tasks. The person may fear the tyranny and the oppression of a tyrant, loss of sustenance, or hard living conditions.

"Allah will bring a people whom He will love, and they love Him!"

“Allah will bring a people whom He will love, and they love Him…” [5:54]

This is a follow up to the conditional clause that precedes, wherein He says:

"O you who believe, whoever from among you turns back from deen, Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him"

That is, if you turn back from the Deen of Allah, that will not harm Allah in any way:

"Allah will bring a people whom He will love, and they love Him…" [5:54]

This is like His statement:

"And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people, and they will not be your likes." [47:38]

Whoever turns back from the Deen of Allah, Allah is not concerned, because He has no need of him. Rather, He will eliminate them, and bring one who is better than him.

"Allah will soon bring" Instead of them:

"He will love them and they will love Him"

If they Allah, and He loves them, they will abide in His obedience. The completion of the Ayah:

"Humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers." [5:54]

They are humble before the believers, they lower their wings and are lenient with the believers, and they are peaceful with each other. But to the disbelievers, they are stern and strong. They never exhibit submissiveness before the disbelievers. 
 

What is the Asl (origin) of the people today?

Question: As-salamu ‘alaykum, what is the Asl (origin) of the people today? With mentioning of evidences…

 

Answer: wa ‘alaykum salam wa rahimahullah wa barakatuh.

 

It may be that the questioner asks with regards to the Asl of the people in the lands of apostasy, and we will answer this question in details by the permission of Allah. So know that, may Allah have mercy upon you, that the ruling of a land does not depend on who lives in it, rather the land is of two types:

 

Land of Islam (Darul-Islam): this is the one that the rulings and attributes of Islam have risen in and the people rule by the ruling of Allah.

 

Land of disbelief or land of war (Darul-Kuffr, Darul-Harb): This is the one that the rulings and attributes of the Shaytaan have appeared, and where the people rule with a ruling that is different to that of Allah.

Allah said proving the Islam of those who lived in the lands of disbelief (like Makkah before its conquering), “They are the ones who disbelieved and obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram while the offering was prevented from reaching its place of sacrifice. And if not for believing men and believing women whom you did not know – that you might trample them and there would befall you because of them dishonor without (your) knowledge – (you would have been permitted to enter Makkah). (This was so) that Allah might admit to His mercy whom He willed. If they had been apart [from them], We would have punished those who disbelieved among them with painful punishment” [48:25]

 

Who but a Fool turns away from Millah of Ibrahim !

CONTINUATION OF PREVIOUS ARTICLE, LINKED:

• The Mubtadi’ Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Hazimi

For Educational purpose only and to raise Intellectual and Political awareness!

Allah said, “And who turns away from the Millah of Ibrahim except him who fools himself?” [2:130]. Imaam ibn Kathir said it means, "one who commits injustice against himself by deviating from the truth, to wickedness. Such a person will be defying the path of he who was chosen in this life to be a true Imaam, from the time he was young, until Allah chose him to be His Khalil, and who shall be among the successful in the last life. Is there anything more insane than deviating from this path and following the path of misguidance and deviation instead? Is there more more injustice than this.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir] 

The Millah of Ibrahim is the path of guidance and the one who forsakes it is a fool with no comprehension. Two groups have gone against this Millah; one being lax and forsaking it and the other going to an extreme and consequently forsaking it while trying to claim it. Al-Hazimi and the ignorant Mu’tazilah Hazimiyyah who have propped up this ignorant head have exceeded  the bounds of the Shari’ah, innovated and went to extremes in declaring the people of Tawheed as Kuffaar, Mushrikeen Allahul-musta’an. The root from which these Mubtadi’ah (innovators) stem from is their unprecedented and innovated saying that “Takfeer is asl ad-Deen”, and then based on that they falsely made absolute Takfeer on everyone who refrains from Takfeer on some Mushrikeen based on their “intellect”, as well as different reasons and then followed the tracks of the Mu’tazilah of Baghdad in making chain Takfeer. 

Shaykh ‘Ubaydah al-Athbaji said, “They differed over the basis and main cause behind his Kuffr upon the following statements: Whoever does not perform Takfeer upon the Mushrikeen did not understand Tawheed, whoever does not perform Takfeer upon the Mushrikeen did not disbelieve in the Taghout, whoever does not perform Takfeer upon the Mushrikeen rejected what is known by necessity in the Deen.” 

So from here we will, bi-idhnillah, refute this bida’ and clarify the evidences that they distort to fit into their desires. But first, what is the definition of asl ad-Deen in general and what is meant by it? Asl ad-Deen is in four issues: believing in Allah, worshipping Him alone, leaving the worship of others and having bara’ah from those who commit shirk with Him. Shaykhul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah said, “Ibrahim and Musa established asl ad-Deen which is believing in Allah, worshipping Him alone with no partners and having animosity to whomever disbelieves in Allah.” [Majmu’ al-Fatawa]. Asl ad-Deen is that which is established before the coming of any message or a Prophet, like the Tawheed of Allah in His Rububiyyah and Ilahiyyah. It is established innately in man from the ‘aql and fitrah that Allah has created mankind upon. 

Practice of Tazkiyah (Self-Purification)

Lexically, the Arabic word `Tazkiyah' means purification and development—of anything—to the level of perfection. As a Quranic term, it expresses a way of ridding ourselves of flawed tendencies and leanings as well as providing one with the means to attain piety and to help our souls develop to become as perfect as humanly possible. In other words, the ultimate goal of Tazkiyah is for man to purify himself and prepare for his return back to his ‘original home’ and “final abode,” Paradise. Allah tells us in the Quraan: "By the soul and the proportion and order given to it; and its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right; truly he succeeds who purifies it and he fails who corrupts it!" [91:7-10]

These verses present a straightforward outline of Islam's notion of Tazkiyah. Allah has so created the soul that it has both inclinations—good and evil—and man has been endowed with the power to distinguish between the two. Therefore, the path of success for man, in this life and the one to come, involves choosing the side of good and striving to make it prevail—not just in the world and his surroundings, but first and as a pre-requisite for societal and environmental reform, within himself.
In this sense, the need for Tazkiyah is part of our innate nature—it is hardwired into our consciousness. Hence, man has always known and attempted to fulfill this innate need by seeking out all ways of contemplation, meditation, and worship. Yet, only the ways provided to him by the Creator, through the various revelations, have worked for him, and these revealed ways of self-reflection and change are the only ways of self-purification that can work for him. Moreover, they have worked only so long as man managed to keep these ways themselves pure and clean—something man has not always had success at doing.

Muslims are not exempt from this failure to keep the means purified. Like others, we have suffered at times from maintaining authentic and unadulterated ways of Tazkiyah. This is true for both Muslims of the past and Muslims today. Many of us have allowed ourselves to modify or deviate from the authentic modes of Tazkiyah delivered to us through revelation—in the Quraan and Sunnah. Part of the reason for this is definitely the increasing strain of outside influences, but this is not its main cause.

The primary source of our inconstancy is a basic and widespread lack of proper understanding of the Quraan and the Sunnah.
This is unfortunate because Allah says: "We have sent you a Messenger, from yourselves (Muhammad), reciting to you Our verses and purifying you (through tazkiyah) and teaching you the Book (Quraan) and wisdom (Sunnah) and teaching you that which you knew not." [2:151], and the Prophet (saws) himself said: "I have left you upon a clear proof." [Ahmad]