Article from islamonline.net Link Here!
By Dr. `Umar S. Al-Ashqar
Professor of Shari`ah—Jordan University
The first generations of the Muslims, the Salaf (pious predecessors), were undoubtedly the best of generations. Their character and way of life stand as witness to this fact.
This is further confirmed by the statement of Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
"The best of generations are my generation, then those which follow them, then those which follow them." (Muslim)
They were indeed, the best amongst those who implemented the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, we must follow their example in all matters and Ramadan is no exception. The Salaf were frugal with their own iftar meals but generous hosts towards others.
`Abdullah ibn `Umar, for example, would prefer to eat his iftar meal with the poor. Whenever he broke his fast at home, he never ate his fill, so that if a needy person visited, he could give him his iftar meal. Thus, he would end up virtually fasting that whole night as well! He used to give away sweets in charity saying, "I am aware of Allah's saying: (... you shall not attain piety until you spend out of that which is beloved to you) (Aal `Imran 3: 92) and Almighty Allah knows that I love sweets."
Once when Al-Imam Ahmad had prepared some bread for his iftar, a needy person called on him. Without hesitating he gave away all his bread, and went hungry. Ibn Al-Mubarak used to prepare sweets for his brothers, despite the fact that he was fasting.
Imam Ash-Shafi`i, once said, "It is beloved to me to see one increasing his acts of generosity during the month of Ramadan, following the example of Allah's Messenger, and for one's own good. There are many who become over-occupied with fasting and Prayers, forgetting the other benefits of the month of Ramadan [i.e. forgetting about the benefits and rewards of being generous to others]."
The acts of our pious predecessors came from their sincere hearts and firm belief in the sayings of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
"The best of deeds is that of keeping your believing brother happy, or that of paying off a debt of his, or that of feeding him." (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
The most beloved of people to Almighty Allah are those who are of most benefit [to others]. The most beloved actions to Allah the Almighty is when you make another Muslim happy, remove a hardship that has befallen him, pay off a debt or rid him of hunger. It was more beloved to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he walks with a Muslim brother to see to his need than performing i`tikaf (spiritual retreat) in a masjid for a month.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The best of people is the one who is of most benefit to them." (Authenticated by Al-Albani).
He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said:
"The likeness [i.e. in terms of rewards] of the one who comes to [the aid of] a widow and [the aid of] a destitute is like that of a Mujahid (striver) in the cause of Allah or that of someone who spends the night in prayers and the day in fasting." (Al-Mishkat, 4951)
These two hadiths tells us that piety is not only about performing acts of worship, but also by helping others and being supportive. How we deal with our family members, friends, and everyone we meet is something that we can obtain rewards for; moreover, we can reach high ranks in Paradise if we excel in doing these things.
`Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`Aas, narrated that a man once asked Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), "Which is the best [of actions] in Islam?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied,
"Feeding [others] and extending the Salam to those who you know and those you do not." (Al-Bukhari)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Once there was a dog wondering around, dying of thirst. When a prostitute saw it, she then took off her shoe and used it to give the dog water [out of a well]. She was granted forgiveness [i.e. for her sins of being a prostitute, when she repented]." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
If this huge reward was granted to a woman because of her kindness to a dog, even though she was involved in major sin, can we imagine the rewards of kindness for an obedient, fasting Muslim? Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), told us that Allah the Almighty has singled out certain people with abundance for the benefit of His other servants and He shall let it continue [i.e. their wealth] as long as they are persistent in benefiting others with it. If they cease to do so then He shall take it away from them and redirect it to others.
We should be most active in spending our wealth to help those who are less fortunate. This Ramadan, let us also remembers, the saying of `Ubaid Ibn `Umair (may Allah be pleased with him),"On the Day of Judgment people will be gathered as hungry as they have ever been and as thirsty as they have ever been and as naked as they have ever been. Then, he who has fed [others] for the sake of Allah the Almighty, Allah will feed him till he is full. He who has given water to others, for the sake of Allah the Almighty, Allah will give him water and he who has clothed others for the sake of Allah the Almighty, Allah will clothe him."
Ash-Sha`bi, once said, "He who does not consider himself in greater need of the reward for giving sadaqah, as compared to the need of the destitute for that sadaqah, will have corrupted his act of charity and have it flung in his face [on the Day of Judgment]."
Brothers and sisters! We should not shy away from performing even the smallest of good deeds, for the reward of Almighty Allah can be greater than Mount Uhud in size! Let us not forget that, the Messenger of Allah was the most generous of people and that he used to be most generous in Ramadan.
The next time we hear a call to help our needy fellow Muslims, let us respond with vigor and joy! Maybe this act is the one through which Almighty Allah bestows His pardon and everlasting bliss!
* Taken from the author's book "Paradise and Hell in the Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah", published by International Islamic Publishing House (IIPH), 2003.
Dr. `Umar S. Al-Ashqar is a professor of Shari`ah at the University of Jordan and the author of the Islamic Creed series.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Revisited..MWTI Forum review
Alhamdulillah.. had the opportunity to attend the forum on "Gejala Seks Luar Nikah - hukum dan penyelesaiannya dari sudut Islam" on Saturday night, then the seminar on "Imej Islam" on Sunday held at Madrasah Wak Tanjong al-Islamiah (MWTI).
I'm gonna focus on the former. Though the forum is more relaxed and casual event compared to the seminar, it is a serious issue focusing on how to deal with the rising trend of Malay Muslims youths being involved in sex before marriage and extends to the discussion of another rising trend of adultery after marriage.
Dr Juanda Jaya and Dr Asri provided advices, preventive measures and solutions, frequently quoting verses from the Quran and also prophetic traditions(hadith) and elaborating on them while Ustaz Abdul Jalil mainly gave a clear view of the current unhealthy trends that is befalling the Malay Muslim society in Singapore and its causes from a psychological aspect.
It began with the speakers explaining that this phenomena is not new. It has happened ever since before Islam came at an even worse state. Islam has managed to change many wayward behaviours of men and controlled the situation until generations later..
Why is this so?
MAIN CAUSE: (when) The 'Akidah' (Islamic belief) of a Muslim is not strong. If every single Muslim takes into consideration his/her relationship with Allah SWT and focuses on doing what pleases Him and hating to do anything that He forbids, there won't be a problem at all.
It is important to address the main issues first. As both Dr Juanda and Dr Asri agreed was to focus on instilling the love for Allah SWT and His messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the fear of nearing what Allah has forbid..
Dr Juanda said to impart the knowledge of Islamic belief as simple as possible.. he quoted part of a hadith, whereby Rasulullah s.a.w taught the basics of Islam to young Abdullah ibn Abbas radiallaahu'anhu "Wahai anak muda.. kamu jagalah Allah niscaya Allah akan menjaga kamu.."
Dr Asri stressed upon the need to focus on what's more important before tackling other issues. Why must we keep reminding the youths that "zina" is bad, that we shouldn't approach zina but at the same time they still don't practice the five daily prayers, don't fast during ramadhan or understand the concept of ibadah or are confused/clueless about the purpose of life?
Once these main issues are tackled, insya Allah the person will slowly change after he/she has understood the implications of his/her actions during the daily course of life in the Islamic context.
As what Ustaz Abdul Jalil said also, most of the cases involving the break-down of marriages are due to not having the values of Islam being the core of the marriage relationship.
The 2nd solution: Nowadays with the internet, at a click of a "button" it is so easy to find the sources that can lead to "zina". This is the reality of globalisation and it can't be prevented. Islam acknowledges the needs of humans.
It's natural that humans have sexual needs or a girl likes a guy or vice versa. As Dr Juanda said,
"Sesuatu perkara yang melanda remaja..Ustaz, saya tak boleh tengok perempuan, kalo tengok perempuan rasa lain macam je. Apa hukumnya? Jawapan saya kepada budak ni, Kalau lelaki tengok wanita rasa lain macam, awak lelaki sejati.. Tapi Kalo dia macam tak rasa apa-apa..Yang ni kena periksa kat hospital"
Islam recognises feelings and sexual needs but disciplines this by allowing it to happen only after marriage!
But the reality is, while it is so easy to reach the sources that lead to "zina", the current traditional practices make it harder for Muslims to be married. Both Dr Juanda and Dr Asri stressed on the importance of easing the process of marriage. There is little need to prevent or delay the process once a guy is known to be ready, being a good practicing Muslim and having good values.
Dr Juanda quoted a hadith, "Apabila datang kepada kamu seseorang yang kamu redhai agamanya, maka kawinkahlah dia..kalau tidak maka akan berlaku kerosakan di atas muka bumi"
A good point that was brought up by Dr Juanda was that everyone wants to find somebody who's a good practicing Muslim with good values. "Kalo kita tengok di akhbar, para artist pon, apabila ditanya, lelaki/perempuan macam mana yang menjadi pasangan idaman?.. mereka akan menjawab, saya harap dapat bertemu seseorang yang beriman..."
So instead of wanting to find somebody with good iman.. we ourselves have to strive to have such qualities ourselves, eventually insya-Allah, we will find someone with that same trait. We have to strive to be that type of person, instead of doing nothing and hoping for someone with good iman to help us be better.
As quoted by Dr Juanda,(translated) "... perempuan-perempuan yang baik untuk lelaki-lelaki yang baik, dan lelaki-lelaki yang baik untuk perempuan-perempuan yang baik..." [an-Nur 24:26]
In the marriage aspect, couples are reminded to take care of each others' needs. For example, one may have a stronger sexual desire than the other. And if this need is not met, then it there is a higher chance that the "partner in distress" will look for this extra need elsewhere.
Dr Asri joked,"Kekadang ada orang nie.. bukan setakat harimau.. hari-hari mauu!?"
The speakers said that while they don't promote poligamy, Islam gives an avenue for example, for guys with these extra needs. Which is better? To control the guy which may lead him to secretly search for an alternative to satisfy his needs in an unlawful manner or to encourage him to seek an alternative which is allowed in Islam by allowing him to marry another?
Of course these measures are only for special cases and are not encouraged. Nobody likes to be a wife of four or two. That is why Islam stresses for couples to keep each other happy and to take care of each others' wants and needs at all times.
Hadiths were mentioned on how romantic the Prophet(saw) was with his wives and how he's the best example of a caring and loving husband to his wives or parent to his children. How the Prophet(saw) reminded wives to dress up for their husbands and also for husbands to look good for their wives at all times! especially in the household!
The 3rd solution: Keeping a healthy environment at home. This was brought up by Dr Juanda then elaborated by ustaz Abdul Jalil. This is important as one of the main causes of youths rebelling is the lack of love and care by their parents and the lack of trust and respect is given to them. There is very little "quality family time". Every time they're at home, parents would nag, some even hurl condemning remarks, some parents even quarrel frequently in front of their children. When youths can't find peace and happiness at home, they will go outside and most turn to their friends instead in search of these traits.
Dr Juanda proposed a remedy,"Binalah keluarga yang soleh..keluarga itulah yang bertapaknya agama Islam yang terutama..keluarga itulah benteng terakhir, bagi menjaga keluarga, bagi menjaga keturunan, bagi menjaga ugama kita.. Bermula daripada suami yang soleh..disokong oleh isteri yang solehah..kemudian dibentuk oleh anak-anak yang soleh, barulah kita dapat lihat segala gejala maksiat yang wujud di luar rumah akan dapat kita jaga.."
4th solution: To keep oneself busy with time well spent on meaningful activities.
Dr Juanda quoted a hadith,"Dua nikmat yang manusia mudah tertipu yaitu, kesihatan dan masa lapang.."
And he continued,"Masa lapang adalah fitnah yang amat besar kepada manusia..bagaimana kita memanfaatkan masa lapang?"
then quoted a saying,"Orang yang sibuk, tidak akan disibukkan.."..and advised "kalau kita ada masa kosong..isikan masa kosong itu dengan perkara yang bermanfaat kalau tidak, maka akan datang perkara yang bermaksiat.. dan inilah yang banyak berlaku kepada generasi muda kita.."
As an Arabic saying goes;
"Air yang tidak mengalir akan merosakkan air itu, pemuda yang banyak masa kosong akan dibunuh oleh masa kosong itu.."
5th solution: Don't ever try to test our faith (iman)! Ouu.. saja je (mendekati apa bentuk zina pon) nak test iman aku kuat ke tak.. don't ever do that. Even when a person is a good Muslim, it does not guarantee how he/she behaves when overcome by lust and sexual desires.
As Dr Asri said,"ustaz tak ustaz, lebai tak lebai, Mufti tak Mufti...dalam hal nafsu nie kalau tak jaga, semua sama!"
We must strive to stay away from what may lead to zina. For example, freely mixing with those who are not of our mahram. It doesn't mean that we cant even interact but do it only when there is a need to.. Even with our close relatives like cousins or uncles and aunties.. always take care of our eyes from roaming and stay alert of what possibly may lead to flirting. Keep our activities and behaviours in check.
Dr Asri also gave a reality check on this summing up,"Kalo anak-anak kita tu, solatnya terjaga, menjauhi perkara yang berkaitan dengan dosa-dosa besar, jaga perhubungan dengan yang bukan muhrim..kita bagi "A" kat dia. Kalo dosa-dosa kecil insya-Allah akan terjaga.. Kekadang tuh.. ada yang comel-comel berlalu kat depan.. ustaz-ustaz pon tertengok juga!?" Again, he reiterated the importance of focusing on tackling big issues that we have before we tackle the smaller ones.
There was one important point that he brought up. No matter what, it is important by the age of 40 we should control our unnecessary worldly desires and revert more to healthier, Islamic activities. He proposed that we supplicate(doa) and renew our taubah at the age of 40 or even at any age for that matter as what is taught in the Quran..
(terjemahannya)... Setelah ia besar sampai ke peringkat dewasa yang sempurna kekuatannya dan sampai ke peringkat umur empat puluh tahun, berdoalah ia dengan berkata: "Wahai Tuhanku, ilhamkanlah daku supaya tetap bersyukur akan nikmat-Mu yang engkau kurniakan kepadaku dan kepada ibu-bapaku, dan supaya aku tetap mengerjakan amal soleh yang Engkau redhai; dan jadikanlah sifat-sifat kebaikan meresap ke dalam jiwa zuriat keturunanku. Sesungguhnya aku bertaubat kepadamu, dan sesungguhnya aku dari orang-orang Islam (yang tunduk patuh kepadamu)" [al-Ahqaaf 46:15]
Hmm, for now, this is some of what I've gathered from the forum to be shared. I hope that more of such forums involving speakers with such personality, credentials and vigour in their speech will continue for many years to come, insya-Allah. Do leave comments or thoughts if any..
Katakanlah kepada laki-laki yang beriman: Hendaklah mereka menahan pandangannya dan memelihara kemaluannya (an-Nuur: 30)
Janganlah salah seorang dari kalian berdua-duan dengan seorang wanita, kerana syaitan akan menjadi ketiganya (Hadis Riwayat Ahmad & Tirmidzi dengan sanad yang sahih)
Hai isteri-isteri Nabi, kamu sekalian tidaklah seperti wanita yang lain, jika kamu bertakwa. Maka janganlah kamu tunduk dalam berbicara (berkata-kata yang menggoda) sehingga berkeinginan orang yang ada penyakit di dalam hatinya tetapi ucapkanlah perkataan-perkataan yang baik. (al-Ahzaab: 32)
Allah Almighty knows best.
I'm gonna focus on the former. Though the forum is more relaxed and casual event compared to the seminar, it is a serious issue focusing on how to deal with the rising trend of Malay Muslims youths being involved in sex before marriage and extends to the discussion of another rising trend of adultery after marriage.
Dr Juanda Jaya and Dr Asri provided advices, preventive measures and solutions, frequently quoting verses from the Quran and also prophetic traditions(hadith) and elaborating on them while Ustaz Abdul Jalil mainly gave a clear view of the current unhealthy trends that is befalling the Malay Muslim society in Singapore and its causes from a psychological aspect.
It began with the speakers explaining that this phenomena is not new. It has happened ever since before Islam came at an even worse state. Islam has managed to change many wayward behaviours of men and controlled the situation until generations later..
Why is this so?
MAIN CAUSE: (when) The 'Akidah' (Islamic belief) of a Muslim is not strong. If every single Muslim takes into consideration his/her relationship with Allah SWT and focuses on doing what pleases Him and hating to do anything that He forbids, there won't be a problem at all.
It is important to address the main issues first. As both Dr Juanda and Dr Asri agreed was to focus on instilling the love for Allah SWT and His messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the fear of nearing what Allah has forbid..
Dr Juanda said to impart the knowledge of Islamic belief as simple as possible.. he quoted part of a hadith, whereby Rasulullah s.a.w taught the basics of Islam to young Abdullah ibn Abbas radiallaahu'anhu "Wahai anak muda.. kamu jagalah Allah niscaya Allah akan menjaga kamu.."
Dr Asri stressed upon the need to focus on what's more important before tackling other issues. Why must we keep reminding the youths that "zina" is bad, that we shouldn't approach zina but at the same time they still don't practice the five daily prayers, don't fast during ramadhan or understand the concept of ibadah or are confused/clueless about the purpose of life?
Once these main issues are tackled, insya Allah the person will slowly change after he/she has understood the implications of his/her actions during the daily course of life in the Islamic context.
As what Ustaz Abdul Jalil said also, most of the cases involving the break-down of marriages are due to not having the values of Islam being the core of the marriage relationship.
The 2nd solution: Nowadays with the internet, at a click of a "button" it is so easy to find the sources that can lead to "zina". This is the reality of globalisation and it can't be prevented. Islam acknowledges the needs of humans.
It's natural that humans have sexual needs or a girl likes a guy or vice versa. As Dr Juanda said,
"Sesuatu perkara yang melanda remaja..Ustaz, saya tak boleh tengok perempuan, kalo tengok perempuan rasa lain macam je. Apa hukumnya? Jawapan saya kepada budak ni, Kalau lelaki tengok wanita rasa lain macam, awak lelaki sejati.. Tapi Kalo dia macam tak rasa apa-apa..Yang ni kena periksa kat hospital"
Islam recognises feelings and sexual needs but disciplines this by allowing it to happen only after marriage!
But the reality is, while it is so easy to reach the sources that lead to "zina", the current traditional practices make it harder for Muslims to be married. Both Dr Juanda and Dr Asri stressed on the importance of easing the process of marriage. There is little need to prevent or delay the process once a guy is known to be ready, being a good practicing Muslim and having good values.
Dr Juanda quoted a hadith, "Apabila datang kepada kamu seseorang yang kamu redhai agamanya, maka kawinkahlah dia..kalau tidak maka akan berlaku kerosakan di atas muka bumi"
A good point that was brought up by Dr Juanda was that everyone wants to find somebody who's a good practicing Muslim with good values. "Kalo kita tengok di akhbar, para artist pon, apabila ditanya, lelaki/perempuan macam mana yang menjadi pasangan idaman?.. mereka akan menjawab, saya harap dapat bertemu seseorang yang beriman..."
So instead of wanting to find somebody with good iman.. we ourselves have to strive to have such qualities ourselves, eventually insya-Allah, we will find someone with that same trait. We have to strive to be that type of person, instead of doing nothing and hoping for someone with good iman to help us be better.
As quoted by Dr Juanda,(translated) "... perempuan-perempuan yang baik untuk lelaki-lelaki yang baik, dan lelaki-lelaki yang baik untuk perempuan-perempuan yang baik..." [an-Nur 24:26]
In the marriage aspect, couples are reminded to take care of each others' needs. For example, one may have a stronger sexual desire than the other. And if this need is not met, then it there is a higher chance that the "partner in distress" will look for this extra need elsewhere.
Dr Asri joked,"Kekadang ada orang nie.. bukan setakat harimau.. hari-hari mauu!?"
The speakers said that while they don't promote poligamy, Islam gives an avenue for example, for guys with these extra needs. Which is better? To control the guy which may lead him to secretly search for an alternative to satisfy his needs in an unlawful manner or to encourage him to seek an alternative which is allowed in Islam by allowing him to marry another?
Of course these measures are only for special cases and are not encouraged. Nobody likes to be a wife of four or two. That is why Islam stresses for couples to keep each other happy and to take care of each others' wants and needs at all times.
Hadiths were mentioned on how romantic the Prophet(saw) was with his wives and how he's the best example of a caring and loving husband to his wives or parent to his children. How the Prophet(saw) reminded wives to dress up for their husbands and also for husbands to look good for their wives at all times! especially in the household!
The 3rd solution: Keeping a healthy environment at home. This was brought up by Dr Juanda then elaborated by ustaz Abdul Jalil. This is important as one of the main causes of youths rebelling is the lack of love and care by their parents and the lack of trust and respect is given to them. There is very little "quality family time". Every time they're at home, parents would nag, some even hurl condemning remarks, some parents even quarrel frequently in front of their children. When youths can't find peace and happiness at home, they will go outside and most turn to their friends instead in search of these traits.
Dr Juanda proposed a remedy,"Binalah keluarga yang soleh..keluarga itulah yang bertapaknya agama Islam yang terutama..keluarga itulah benteng terakhir, bagi menjaga keluarga, bagi menjaga keturunan, bagi menjaga ugama kita.. Bermula daripada suami yang soleh..disokong oleh isteri yang solehah..kemudian dibentuk oleh anak-anak yang soleh, barulah kita dapat lihat segala gejala maksiat yang wujud di luar rumah akan dapat kita jaga.."
4th solution: To keep oneself busy with time well spent on meaningful activities.
Dr Juanda quoted a hadith,"Dua nikmat yang manusia mudah tertipu yaitu, kesihatan dan masa lapang.."
And he continued,"Masa lapang adalah fitnah yang amat besar kepada manusia..bagaimana kita memanfaatkan masa lapang?"
then quoted a saying,"Orang yang sibuk, tidak akan disibukkan.."..and advised "kalau kita ada masa kosong..isikan masa kosong itu dengan perkara yang bermanfaat kalau tidak, maka akan datang perkara yang bermaksiat.. dan inilah yang banyak berlaku kepada generasi muda kita.."
As an Arabic saying goes;
"Air yang tidak mengalir akan merosakkan air itu, pemuda yang banyak masa kosong akan dibunuh oleh masa kosong itu.."
5th solution: Don't ever try to test our faith (iman)! Ouu.. saja je (mendekati apa bentuk zina pon) nak test iman aku kuat ke tak.. don't ever do that. Even when a person is a good Muslim, it does not guarantee how he/she behaves when overcome by lust and sexual desires.
As Dr Asri said,"ustaz tak ustaz, lebai tak lebai, Mufti tak Mufti...dalam hal nafsu nie kalau tak jaga, semua sama!"
We must strive to stay away from what may lead to zina. For example, freely mixing with those who are not of our mahram. It doesn't mean that we cant even interact but do it only when there is a need to.. Even with our close relatives like cousins or uncles and aunties.. always take care of our eyes from roaming and stay alert of what possibly may lead to flirting. Keep our activities and behaviours in check.
Dr Asri also gave a reality check on this summing up,"Kalo anak-anak kita tu, solatnya terjaga, menjauhi perkara yang berkaitan dengan dosa-dosa besar, jaga perhubungan dengan yang bukan muhrim..kita bagi "A" kat dia. Kalo dosa-dosa kecil insya-Allah akan terjaga.. Kekadang tuh.. ada yang comel-comel berlalu kat depan.. ustaz-ustaz pon tertengok juga!?" Again, he reiterated the importance of focusing on tackling big issues that we have before we tackle the smaller ones.
There was one important point that he brought up. No matter what, it is important by the age of 40 we should control our unnecessary worldly desires and revert more to healthier, Islamic activities. He proposed that we supplicate(doa) and renew our taubah at the age of 40 or even at any age for that matter as what is taught in the Quran..
(terjemahannya)... Setelah ia besar sampai ke peringkat dewasa yang sempurna kekuatannya dan sampai ke peringkat umur empat puluh tahun, berdoalah ia dengan berkata: "Wahai Tuhanku, ilhamkanlah daku supaya tetap bersyukur akan nikmat-Mu yang engkau kurniakan kepadaku dan kepada ibu-bapaku, dan supaya aku tetap mengerjakan amal soleh yang Engkau redhai; dan jadikanlah sifat-sifat kebaikan meresap ke dalam jiwa zuriat keturunanku. Sesungguhnya aku bertaubat kepadamu, dan sesungguhnya aku dari orang-orang Islam (yang tunduk patuh kepadamu)" [al-Ahqaaf 46:15]
Hmm, for now, this is some of what I've gathered from the forum to be shared. I hope that more of such forums involving speakers with such personality, credentials and vigour in their speech will continue for many years to come, insya-Allah. Do leave comments or thoughts if any..
Katakanlah kepada laki-laki yang beriman: Hendaklah mereka menahan pandangannya dan memelihara kemaluannya (an-Nuur: 30)
Janganlah salah seorang dari kalian berdua-duan dengan seorang wanita, kerana syaitan akan menjadi ketiganya (Hadis Riwayat Ahmad & Tirmidzi dengan sanad yang sahih)
Hai isteri-isteri Nabi, kamu sekalian tidaklah seperti wanita yang lain, jika kamu bertakwa. Maka janganlah kamu tunduk dalam berbicara (berkata-kata yang menggoda) sehingga berkeinginan orang yang ada penyakit di dalam hatinya tetapi ucapkanlah perkataan-perkataan yang baik. (al-Ahzaab: 32)
Allah Almighty knows best.
Monday, September 15, 2008
For Reflection..
Here's a video one of my favourite Qaris reciting surah al-Qiyamah(the Day of Resurrection) with translations in English. Listen and reflect on the translations at the same time..Subhanallah..Allah is Almighty.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Caricature for Charity..
Stumbled upon this link.. http://pinkchuppachups.multiply.com/journal
Check out the caricatures done by the artist. If you're interested, you can order one for yourself or even the whole family. The best part is, it's all for Charity!
Check out the caricatures done by the artist. If you're interested, you can order one for yourself or even the whole family. The best part is, it's all for Charity!
Friday, September 12, 2008
About an article..
Reposted entry dated 12 May 2008..
I recently read an article in the "Nadi" magazine about Shi'aism or the Shi'ah sect. While I applaud the effort made to explain about the sect and highlight some of thier similarities with Sunnis, thus trying to bridge the gap between the two, there are many important points that the article didn't point out.
It's true that in a country such as Singapore, it is important to practice tolerance and respect for all in order to ensure a safe and healthy environment in the multi-religious society. I have no problems with Shi'ahs living in Singapore, in fact, once, I had a colleague who's a Shi'ah and despite our differences in the understanding and practice of Islam, we got along well as we share a common interest in Liverpool FC. It also helped that we viewed each other not as Sunni or Shi'ah but as fellow Muslims, colleagues and Singaporeans.
However, it is still important for Sunnis to know the truth about Shi'aism. That there exist many dangerous and resentful doctrines in Shi'ah books which are against the Sunnis and Islamic values itself. Sure, you may see on TVs, the political scene or on the surface that thier leaders, may appear friendly, welcoming and always propose the ideas that 'we are all brothers in Islam' but how does this tally with what is being taught by their Grand Mullahs in thier sacred books?
Behind all that, they slander, curse, acknowledge hatred and resentment for Sunnis and the Prophets' best companions, they promote racism towards others, they allow prohibited, immoral values and acts on top of fabricated traditions and misguided translations of the Quranic verses, they disrespect and dishonor the Qur'an and prophetic traditions of our Prophet (peace be upon him)... All these are taught in the main Shi'ah books.
To search for proof on these, just search the internet and you will find many sites of Sunnis and ex-Shi'ahs from Iran uncovering the dangers and evil of Shi'aism and the dismal reality about the state of Sunnis in Iran itself.
Think about it.. How can we support Shi'aism when they promote all these atrocities and while our fellow brothers in Iran and now Iraq are still suffering at the hands of blood thirsty Shi'ahs ever since the spread of Shi'aism took place in thier countries?
I'm not saying that by knowing all these we should start viewing any Shi'ahs we know or meet as enemies, there are Shi'ahs who practice thier views moderately. But this is the reality and we shouldn't hide it.
To conclude, YES, we should practice tolerance and respect for all religions, race, cultures to ensure a safe and healthy environment in Singapore but NO if we were to encourage Muslims to understand Shi'aism by the few similarities it has with Sunnis while neglecting the larger and more important aspects that exist within Shi'aism which are highly detrimental to the state of Sunnis and Islam itself.
And Allah SWT knows best.
Here's a couple of links..
shiaexposed.blogspot.com
sunnairan.wordpress.com
and here's a video by Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi on Sunnis and Shi'ahs (with Malay subtitles).
I recently read an article in the "Nadi" magazine about Shi'aism or the Shi'ah sect. While I applaud the effort made to explain about the sect and highlight some of thier similarities with Sunnis, thus trying to bridge the gap between the two, there are many important points that the article didn't point out.
It's true that in a country such as Singapore, it is important to practice tolerance and respect for all in order to ensure a safe and healthy environment in the multi-religious society. I have no problems with Shi'ahs living in Singapore, in fact, once, I had a colleague who's a Shi'ah and despite our differences in the understanding and practice of Islam, we got along well as we share a common interest in Liverpool FC. It also helped that we viewed each other not as Sunni or Shi'ah but as fellow Muslims, colleagues and Singaporeans.
However, it is still important for Sunnis to know the truth about Shi'aism. That there exist many dangerous and resentful doctrines in Shi'ah books which are against the Sunnis and Islamic values itself. Sure, you may see on TVs, the political scene or on the surface that thier leaders, may appear friendly, welcoming and always propose the ideas that 'we are all brothers in Islam' but how does this tally with what is being taught by their Grand Mullahs in thier sacred books?
Behind all that, they slander, curse, acknowledge hatred and resentment for Sunnis and the Prophets' best companions, they promote racism towards others, they allow prohibited, immoral values and acts on top of fabricated traditions and misguided translations of the Quranic verses, they disrespect and dishonor the Qur'an and prophetic traditions of our Prophet (peace be upon him)... All these are taught in the main Shi'ah books.
To search for proof on these, just search the internet and you will find many sites of Sunnis and ex-Shi'ahs from Iran uncovering the dangers and evil of Shi'aism and the dismal reality about the state of Sunnis in Iran itself.
Think about it.. How can we support Shi'aism when they promote all these atrocities and while our fellow brothers in Iran and now Iraq are still suffering at the hands of blood thirsty Shi'ahs ever since the spread of Shi'aism took place in thier countries?
I'm not saying that by knowing all these we should start viewing any Shi'ahs we know or meet as enemies, there are Shi'ahs who practice thier views moderately. But this is the reality and we shouldn't hide it.
To conclude, YES, we should practice tolerance and respect for all religions, race, cultures to ensure a safe and healthy environment in Singapore but NO if we were to encourage Muslims to understand Shi'aism by the few similarities it has with Sunnis while neglecting the larger and more important aspects that exist within Shi'aism which are highly detrimental to the state of Sunnis and Islam itself.
And Allah SWT knows best.
Here's a couple of links..
shiaexposed.blogspot.com
sunnairan.wordpress.com
and here's a video by Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi on Sunnis and Shi'ahs (with Malay subtitles).
Monday, September 08, 2008
Sejarah zaman Khulafa'ur Rasyidin
Download this e-book entitled 'Tartib wa Tahdzib al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah(Masa Khulafa'ur Rasyidin)' by Ibn Kathir, arranged by Dr Muhammad bin Shamil As-Sulami, Indonesian Edition from al-fikrah.net. However, before downloading, you need to register as a member.
Petikan dari buku 'Tartib wa Tahdzib al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah(Masa Khulafa'ur Rasyidin)' :
...Buku fenomenal yang memang perlu dibaca oleh kaum Muslimin yang mengungkapkan kepada kita masa-masa keemasan Islam dan kaum Muslimin. Semua cerita dirakam secara apik(apik?-rapi dan bersih serta sangat baik) oleh al-Hafiz Ibnu Kathir dalam bukunya ini. Beliau menyusunnya berdasarkan kronologi waktu dan peristiwa. Salah satu kelebihan kitab beliau ini daripada buku-buku sejarah lainnya adalah referansi dan sumber-sumber sejarah yang menjadi patokan(patokan?-dasar utk menjalankan sesuatu) beliau.
Beliau bersandar kepada referansi terpecaya dan sumber-sumber sejarah yang berasal dari riwayat-riwayat yang shahih dan bisa dipertanggungjawabkan. Beliau berkata,
"Kami tidak akan menyebutkan riwayat-riwayat israiliyyat(riwayat-riwayat bani Israil), kecuali yang telah diizinkan oleh syariat untuk dinukil yang tidak menyelisihi al-Qur'an dan sunnah RasulNya (s.a.w), dan inilah bagian dari hal-hal yang tidak boleh dibenarkan ataupun didustakan yang biasanya menceritakan secara lebih luas berita-berita ringkas yang terdapat dalam agama kita, seperti penyebutan nama yang tidak disebutkan dalam syariat kita, yang hakikatnya tidak begitu penting untuk kita ketahui detailnya, maka dalam hal ini kami akan sebutkan sebagai pelengkap saja bukan sebagai hujjah yang akan dijadikan sebagai landasan, sebab sandaran sebenarnya hanyalah al-Quran yang mulia dan riwayat-riwayat yang dinukil secara shahih ataupun hasan, ataupun riwayat-riwayat yang lemah akan kami jelaskan kelemahannya."
Petikan dari buku 'Tartib wa Tahdzib al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah(Masa Khulafa'ur Rasyidin)' :
...Buku fenomenal yang memang perlu dibaca oleh kaum Muslimin yang mengungkapkan kepada kita masa-masa keemasan Islam dan kaum Muslimin. Semua cerita dirakam secara apik(apik?-rapi dan bersih serta sangat baik) oleh al-Hafiz Ibnu Kathir dalam bukunya ini. Beliau menyusunnya berdasarkan kronologi waktu dan peristiwa. Salah satu kelebihan kitab beliau ini daripada buku-buku sejarah lainnya adalah referansi dan sumber-sumber sejarah yang menjadi patokan(patokan?-dasar utk menjalankan sesuatu) beliau.
Beliau bersandar kepada referansi terpecaya dan sumber-sumber sejarah yang berasal dari riwayat-riwayat yang shahih dan bisa dipertanggungjawabkan. Beliau berkata,
"Kami tidak akan menyebutkan riwayat-riwayat israiliyyat(riwayat-riwayat bani Israil), kecuali yang telah diizinkan oleh syariat untuk dinukil yang tidak menyelisihi al-Qur'an dan sunnah RasulNya (s.a.w), dan inilah bagian dari hal-hal yang tidak boleh dibenarkan ataupun didustakan yang biasanya menceritakan secara lebih luas berita-berita ringkas yang terdapat dalam agama kita, seperti penyebutan nama yang tidak disebutkan dalam syariat kita, yang hakikatnya tidak begitu penting untuk kita ketahui detailnya, maka dalam hal ini kami akan sebutkan sebagai pelengkap saja bukan sebagai hujjah yang akan dijadikan sebagai landasan, sebab sandaran sebenarnya hanyalah al-Quran yang mulia dan riwayat-riwayat yang dinukil secara shahih ataupun hasan, ataupun riwayat-riwayat yang lemah akan kami jelaskan kelemahannya."
Friday, September 05, 2008
A Historical Lie: The Stone Age
check out HarunYahya.com.
here is the Foreward of the book I'm currently reading "A Historical Lie: The Stone Age"..
"Did you know that 700,000 years ago, people were sailing the oceans in very well-constructed ships?
Or have you ever heard that the people described as “primitive cavemen” possessed an artistic ability and understanding just as refined as those of modern artists?
Did you know that the Neanderthals, who lived 80,000 years ago and whom evolutionists portrayed as “ape-men,” made musical instruments, took pleasure from clothing and accessories, and walked over painfully hot sands with molded sandals?
In all probability you may never have heard any of these facts. On the contrary, you may have been handed the mistaken impression that these people were half-ape and half-human, unable to stand fully upright, lacking the ability to speak words and producing only strange grunting noises. That is because this entire falsehood has been imposed on people like yourself for the last 150 years.
The motive behind it is to keep alive materialist philosophy, which denies the existence of a Creator. According to this view, which distorts any fact that stands in its way, the universe and matter are eternal. In other words they had no beginning, and thus have no Creator. The supposedly scientific basis for this superstitious belief is the theory of evolution.
This book reveals scientific proofs that the “evolution of human history” concept is a falsehood, and we shall show how the fact of creation is now supported by the latest scientific findings. Mankind came into the world not through evolution, but by the flawless creation of God, the Almighty and Omniscient."
to download the e-book Link Here!
Excerpt from book:
"..world-renowned British writer and philosopher Malcolm Muggeridge, who was an atheist defending evolution for some 60 years, but who subsequently realized the truth, reveals the position in which the theory of evolution would find itself in the near future in these terms:
'I myself am convinced that the theory of evolution, especially the extent to which it's been applied, will be one of the great jokes in the history books in the future. Posterity will marvel that so very flimsy and dubious an hypothesis could be accepted with the incredible credulity that it has.'
That future is not far off: On the contrary, people will soon see that "chance" is not a deity, and will look back on the theory of evolution as the worst deceit and the most terrible spell in the world. That spell is already rapidly beginning to be lifted from the shoulders of people all over the world. Many people who see its true face are wondering with amazement how they could ever have been taken in by it.
They said “Glory be to You! We have no
knowledge except what You have thought us.
You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
(Qur’an, 2: 32)
here is the Foreward of the book I'm currently reading "A Historical Lie: The Stone Age"..
"Did you know that 700,000 years ago, people were sailing the oceans in very well-constructed ships?
Or have you ever heard that the people described as “primitive cavemen” possessed an artistic ability and understanding just as refined as those of modern artists?
Did you know that the Neanderthals, who lived 80,000 years ago and whom evolutionists portrayed as “ape-men,” made musical instruments, took pleasure from clothing and accessories, and walked over painfully hot sands with molded sandals?
In all probability you may never have heard any of these facts. On the contrary, you may have been handed the mistaken impression that these people were half-ape and half-human, unable to stand fully upright, lacking the ability to speak words and producing only strange grunting noises. That is because this entire falsehood has been imposed on people like yourself for the last 150 years.
The motive behind it is to keep alive materialist philosophy, which denies the existence of a Creator. According to this view, which distorts any fact that stands in its way, the universe and matter are eternal. In other words they had no beginning, and thus have no Creator. The supposedly scientific basis for this superstitious belief is the theory of evolution.
This book reveals scientific proofs that the “evolution of human history” concept is a falsehood, and we shall show how the fact of creation is now supported by the latest scientific findings. Mankind came into the world not through evolution, but by the flawless creation of God, the Almighty and Omniscient."
to download the e-book Link Here!
Excerpt from book:
"..world-renowned British writer and philosopher Malcolm Muggeridge, who was an atheist defending evolution for some 60 years, but who subsequently realized the truth, reveals the position in which the theory of evolution would find itself in the near future in these terms:
'I myself am convinced that the theory of evolution, especially the extent to which it's been applied, will be one of the great jokes in the history books in the future. Posterity will marvel that so very flimsy and dubious an hypothesis could be accepted with the incredible credulity that it has.'
That future is not far off: On the contrary, people will soon see that "chance" is not a deity, and will look back on the theory of evolution as the worst deceit and the most terrible spell in the world. That spell is already rapidly beginning to be lifted from the shoulders of people all over the world. Many people who see its true face are wondering with amazement how they could ever have been taken in by it.
They said “Glory be to You! We have no
knowledge except what You have thought us.
You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
(Qur’an, 2: 32)
Thursday, September 04, 2008
"Al-Aqsa Guardian" Speaks Out
Learn more about the situation of Al-Aqsa mosque through Shiekh Raed Salah — President of Al-Aqsa Foundation.. dated Wednesday 3rd September 2008. Link Here!
Excerpt from page:
"Along with his active team of Al-Aqsa Foundation, Sheikh Salah was able to restore and archive big number of the most rare and important documents about the history of the mosques, Islamic endowments, and the history of Al-Aqsa Mosque inside historical Palestine; in addition, the foundation is running on-the-ground activities to restore the documented Islamic endowments. Recently, the Israeli forces shut down the foundation and confiscated all the documents on claims that its activities are not legal."
Excerpt from page:
"Along with his active team of Al-Aqsa Foundation, Sheikh Salah was able to restore and archive big number of the most rare and important documents about the history of the mosques, Islamic endowments, and the history of Al-Aqsa Mosque inside historical Palestine; in addition, the foundation is running on-the-ground activities to restore the documented Islamic endowments. Recently, the Israeli forces shut down the foundation and confiscated all the documents on claims that its activities are not legal."
Friday, August 29, 2008
Let’s try even harder this time! (Ramadhan)
The month of Ramadhan is coming and for Muslims, Ramadhan is a special month where the chances for reward from Allah are aplenty. It’s all up to the individual to seize it and do their best in making the month a fulfilling one.
The general idea behind it is to fast, pray as much as you can, read and ponder upon the Qur’an as much as you can and do lots of other good deeds. Here are some of the special characteristics of Ramadhan as compared to other months.
---> It is the month where observing fasting is prescribed to Muslims
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an
‘O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious) [surah al-Baqarah: 183]
In a hadeeth by Rasulullah (peace be upon him)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) : Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said,”As-Saum(fasting) is Junnah (protection or shield or a screen or a shelter from the Hell-fire*). So, the person observing Saum (fasting) should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if anybody fights with him or abuses him he should say to him twice, ‘I am fasting.’” The Prophet (peace be upon him) added,” By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better with Allah (ta'ala) than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), ‘He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The Saum (fast) is for Me**. So I reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times.’ “ [Sahih al-Bukhari, 3/1894 (O.P. 188)]
* See Fath Al-Bari, Vol. 5, Page 5
** Although all practices of worshipping are for Allah, here Allah (ta'ala) singles out Saum (fasting), because fasting cannot be practiced for the sake of showing off, as nobody except Allah can know whether one is fasting or not. Therefore, fasting is a pure performance that cannot be blemished with hypocrisy. (Fath Al-Bari)
---> It is the month when the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah says in the Qur’an,
‘The month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the Criterion (between right and wrong). [Surah al-Baqarah: 185]
---> It is the month where the Gates of Heaven are opened to provide endless rewards to those who are consistent in their worship and deeds for the sake of Allah. Prophet Muhammad said in one of his hadeeth:
”When the month of Ramadhan arrives, the gates of heaven will be opened.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
---> And in this month lies the Night of Al-Qadr(Decree) where a night is better than a thousand months.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’an) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree^). And what will you know about the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrail (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn."^^ (Surah Al-Qadr: 1-5)
^ Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments i.e. the matters of deaths, births, provisions, calamities, etc. for the whole (coming) year as decreed by Allah.
^^ Narrated A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) Allah Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Search for the Night of Al-Qadr in th odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadhan,” [Sahih al-Bukhari, 3/2017 (O.P.234)]
So with this little knowledge at hand, let us strive for the best! May Allah give us strength and motivation to do our best in the coming Ramadhan, and to maintain it after that.. May Allah protect us from the evil of our nafs, from Syaitan, his Army, those that are similar to it and other distractions that may lead us astray.. May Allah guide us to be sincere in our worship and deeds and perform our worship and deeds only for Allah.. May Allah accept our worship and deeds. Ameen.
Wallahu'alam.
The general idea behind it is to fast, pray as much as you can, read and ponder upon the Qur’an as much as you can and do lots of other good deeds. Here are some of the special characteristics of Ramadhan as compared to other months.
---> It is the month where observing fasting is prescribed to Muslims
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an
‘O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious) [surah al-Baqarah: 183]
In a hadeeth by Rasulullah (peace be upon him)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) : Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said,”As-Saum(fasting) is Junnah (protection or shield or a screen or a shelter from the Hell-fire*). So, the person observing Saum (fasting) should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if anybody fights with him or abuses him he should say to him twice, ‘I am fasting.’” The Prophet (peace be upon him) added,” By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better with Allah (ta'ala) than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), ‘He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The Saum (fast) is for Me**. So I reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times.’ “ [Sahih al-Bukhari, 3/1894 (O.P. 188)]
* See Fath Al-Bari, Vol. 5, Page 5
** Although all practices of worshipping are for Allah, here Allah (ta'ala) singles out Saum (fasting), because fasting cannot be practiced for the sake of showing off, as nobody except Allah can know whether one is fasting or not. Therefore, fasting is a pure performance that cannot be blemished with hypocrisy. (Fath Al-Bari)
---> It is the month when the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah says in the Qur’an,
‘The month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the Criterion (between right and wrong). [Surah al-Baqarah: 185]
---> It is the month where the Gates of Heaven are opened to provide endless rewards to those who are consistent in their worship and deeds for the sake of Allah. Prophet Muhammad said in one of his hadeeth:
”When the month of Ramadhan arrives, the gates of heaven will be opened.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
---> And in this month lies the Night of Al-Qadr(Decree) where a night is better than a thousand months.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’an) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree^). And what will you know about the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrail (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn."^^ (Surah Al-Qadr: 1-5)
^ Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments i.e. the matters of deaths, births, provisions, calamities, etc. for the whole (coming) year as decreed by Allah.
^^ Narrated A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) Allah Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Search for the Night of Al-Qadr in th odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadhan,” [Sahih al-Bukhari, 3/2017 (O.P.234)]
So with this little knowledge at hand, let us strive for the best! May Allah give us strength and motivation to do our best in the coming Ramadhan, and to maintain it after that.. May Allah protect us from the evil of our nafs, from Syaitan, his Army, those that are similar to it and other distractions that may lead us astray.. May Allah guide us to be sincere in our worship and deeds and perform our worship and deeds only for Allah.. May Allah accept our worship and deeds. Ameen.
Wallahu'alam.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Importance of Sunnah in Islam
Just to share about a video ceramah from DR MAZA about the importance of Sunnah and to stay away from what’s not sunnah. For the link to the video Click Here!
The ceramah begins with Dr Asri citing about two persons back in history that we can learn from. One is the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Thalib and the other, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay the head of Munafiqeen(Hypocrites).
Abu Thalib loved the prophet dearly, probably much more than most of us and would do anything to protect him from the Quraysh tribe. As a result, he was even deserted by the tribe. But in the end, he himself didn’t follow the Prophet’s teachings and call to Islam. On the other hand, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul, on the outside, followed the Prophets’ teachings and did everything the Prophet taught about Islam but in his heart lies a deep sense of hatred for the Prophet and Islam.
Both cannot be considered as Muslims, as merely the deep sense of love for the Prophet but not following his teachings(Sunnah) and also following the Sunnah of the Prophet without loving the Prophet is not enough. Therefore, it is imperative to love our Prophet and also to follow the teachings of the Prophet and to abide by it.
Dr Asri goes on to explain, that no Muslim will be safe even if he is termed as a Mufti, Imam, a King or Governer. It doesn’t constitute anything in Allah’s view. The only ones who would be safe would be those who follow the Sunnah.
The second point is about those who are inclined to religion and the wish to end up in heaven. It doesn’t just cater to Muslims only. All those of the other religions wish the same, be it they practice different forms of prayers and rituals. All of them are sincere in religious practices, hoping to go to Heaven. No sane person would go to extremes in their worship intending to go to Hell.
But in the Islamic context, sincerity is not enough. If a person is sincere but doesn’t follow the basis of Islam, the Qur’an and the Sunnah, then the person will not be safe from Hellfire. What’s the difference between Islam and other religions? Other religions innovate their form of worship and creed but Muslims practice Islam according to the words of Allah ‘Azza Wajalla,i.e. the Qur’an, through Allah’s messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Thirdly, he speaks about the basis of understanding Akidah or Creed in religion. It is natural for everybody to have an inclination for the belief that there is a Supreme Being out there, that there is a God. An simple example he brought forward was that even a tribe in a jungle that is secluded away from the civilised world , barring any influences would have a God that they belief in, according to how they justify God.
Even for a person who is only Muslim by name, and had never practiced Islam in his life, when he comes to a critical point in his life such as facing death, with the doctors saying that there were no possible causes for cure, he will search for Allah, hoping for his safety and possibly a cure through prayers.
Explaining the search for or belief of God is a natural thing, similar to a guy liking a girl or a mother caring for her child, Dr Asri described the situation during the days before Prophet Muhammad and Islam, where the people of Makkah had already believed in God and named God, Allah. Prophet Muhammad’s name is Muhammad ibn Abdullah. Abdullah, the name given by the Prophet’s grandfather to his father means ‘servant of Allah’.
He then related to an incident (citing from historian ibn Hisham) during a period of the Prophet’s grandfather, Abdul Muthalib’s where the Elephant Army under the command of Abrahah al-Ashram from Yemen intends to destroy the Ka’bah at Makkah. Abdul Muthalib’s camels had been seized by Abrahah’s army and he went to Abrahah to claim his camels. Abrahah was surprised at Abdul Muthalib’s request only for his camels and not for the safety of Ka’bah that he was about to destroy. Abdul Muthalib replied that he is the rightful owner of the camels and that Ka’bah belongs to Allah. Allah will take care of it Himself. And true enough the plan was foiled and Abrahah and his Army perished (ref to Surah al-Fil)
This proves that the Quraysh during the period before Islam already had a strong belief in Allah. They knew and believed that Ka'bah would be protected by Allah from the pending attack of Abrahah's Elephant Army. They named the Ka’bah ‘baitullah’ (House of Allah). But still, Allah sent Prophet Muhammad to them to enlighten them on the truth, as the basis of thier Creed is not right and they were not practicing their beliefs as Allah had wanted them to.
He then described how a secluded tribe in the jungle would probably get their ideas about how God would look like and how to pray to their God, without the guidance of Allah. And he sums up two important points at the end, which we shouldn’t practice in Islam. Firstly, not to try describe Allah without the guidance of Qur’an and Hadith(Prophets’ sayings). Secondly, not to think of any forms of worship other than what have been directed in the Qur’an and Hadith. Without the basis of this two, it would be similar as to how the secluded tribe would derive thier ideas about worshipping God.
He then brings up an athar sahih [athar - History about the actions and deeds of the Prophets' companions (may Allah be pleased with them)] riwayat Ad-Darimi about ibn Mas’ud stumbling upon an innovated practice, already happening just shortly after the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). [Read the full version in one of my previous posts] Link Here!
Dr Asri then described how people would react upon discovering that what they had previously practiced was termed as bid’ah(innovation). The person would probably think,” Hm, it can’t be that our leaders and ‘ulamas of the past had been wrong? How can they not know? Aren’t we supposed to follow ‘ijma ‘ulama?
And he explained what ‘ijma ulama means, differing from what most would have understood its meaning, assuming or understanding it as the views of ‘ulama. ‘Ijma ulama actually means the consensus and total agreement of all ‘ulamas in the world. If even one ‘ulama disagrees, it cannot be termed as ‘ijma ulama.
Then, he threw out a question. Is it true that each and every views of ‘ulamas are all correct? While respecting the past ‘ulamas in view of their tireless, extraordinary efforts and sincerity, still, they are unlike Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who are free from mistakes. If we find a view from an ‘ulama that is different from Qur’an and Hadith, are we suppose to accept the view on top of what is clearly from the Qur’an or Hadith?
And he explains that normally, it is hard to find any differences in ‘ulamas views on the Qur’an as it is quite clear. The difference in views is normally on the Hadith due to the existence of a large volume of collection of Hadith. And he explains that if an ‘ulama’s view is different from the Qur’an or Hadith, it doesn’t mean that he intended to go against them. He had probably made a mistake, forgot or he didn’t know about the existence of the Hadith that had been found many years later, after he had decided on his views.
This is because the total collection of Hadith had not been completed, unlike the Qur’an, perfect, all in one compilation. The Hadiths from the Prophet had been passed down to his companions and after the Prophets’ death, many companions migrated and dispersed to many different countries and continents along with the Hadiths that they had memorised or recorded. So it is not impossible that ‘ulamas have different views about a certain ruling in Islam, different from what is stated in a hadith. He may have yet to discover about the hadith during that time.
That is probably why Imam asy-Syafie adviced his student.. (translated)"Every word that I say and if it is found from what is sahih(agreed upon most or all scholars) that is said to have come from RasullulLah which is against my opinion, then that(Prophet's s.a.w Hadeeth) is to be placed first and foremost, don't you follow mine"- Al-Zahabi, Siyar 'Alam al-Nubala', 10/33 [i.e. dont follow him in his opinions which is not in accordance to RasululLah s.a.w. sunnah]
So, if we ever find a hadith that is different from the views of ‘ulama, we should put the view from hadith first and foremost. If we were to regard all the views and sayings of ‘ulama as perfect, in the end as a result, the Qur’an and Sunnah will be neglected.
Then, he discussed about the reality of the general forms of understanding and practicing Islam among all Muslims. If we were to ask Shi’ites or 'Sisters in Islam', or any Muslim political groups in Malaysia or Mu’tazilah or Jabariyyah or even different states in Malaysia, what’s the basis of their practice in Islam? Everyone would say, the Qur’an and Sunnah. But why are they different in some or many areas? That’s because, many of them interprete Qur’an and Sunnah according to how they think.
So, is there a way that we can possibly be safe from the wrong interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah? Yes, there is a way and that is described by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the following hadith,
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My Ummah (nation) will split into seventy three sects, all of which will go to Hellfire, except for one.” The companions asked: “Which one is that O Messenger of Allah?” He replied:”The one that will be upon the way of me and my companions.” (at-Tirmidhi and Ahmad)
So, to cease the disparity as to which group is correct according to each different version of interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah, we can take the way that is advised to be safe by our Prophet (peace be upon him), that we practice Islam according to the Qur’an and Sunnah, according to how it was practiced and understood during the time of the Prophet, the companions, at-tabi’in and atba’u tabi’in ('ulamas who lived shortly after). The companions and 'ulamas who lived shortly after had the best knowledge and understanding of Islam as they lived during or closest to our Prophets' time and they are mentioned by the Prophet himself.
Lastly, he reminded and explained the importance and responsibilities of ‘ulamas, Muftis, Imams in being truthful and careful in imparting the correct Islamic knowledge to the Muslims under them.
That’s about it, just a brief summary of the ceramah, for myself and to share with others. Click on the link above for the whole ceramah in Malay. Please correct me if I have erred in the post.
May Allah guide us all to the right path and to practice Islam according to the way that He would like us to. Ameen.
And Allah Almighty knows best.
The ceramah begins with Dr Asri citing about two persons back in history that we can learn from. One is the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Thalib and the other, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay the head of Munafiqeen(Hypocrites).
Abu Thalib loved the prophet dearly, probably much more than most of us and would do anything to protect him from the Quraysh tribe. As a result, he was even deserted by the tribe. But in the end, he himself didn’t follow the Prophet’s teachings and call to Islam. On the other hand, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul, on the outside, followed the Prophets’ teachings and did everything the Prophet taught about Islam but in his heart lies a deep sense of hatred for the Prophet and Islam.
Both cannot be considered as Muslims, as merely the deep sense of love for the Prophet but not following his teachings(Sunnah) and also following the Sunnah of the Prophet without loving the Prophet is not enough. Therefore, it is imperative to love our Prophet and also to follow the teachings of the Prophet and to abide by it.
Dr Asri goes on to explain, that no Muslim will be safe even if he is termed as a Mufti, Imam, a King or Governer. It doesn’t constitute anything in Allah’s view. The only ones who would be safe would be those who follow the Sunnah.
The second point is about those who are inclined to religion and the wish to end up in heaven. It doesn’t just cater to Muslims only. All those of the other religions wish the same, be it they practice different forms of prayers and rituals. All of them are sincere in religious practices, hoping to go to Heaven. No sane person would go to extremes in their worship intending to go to Hell.
But in the Islamic context, sincerity is not enough. If a person is sincere but doesn’t follow the basis of Islam, the Qur’an and the Sunnah, then the person will not be safe from Hellfire. What’s the difference between Islam and other religions? Other religions innovate their form of worship and creed but Muslims practice Islam according to the words of Allah ‘Azza Wajalla,i.e. the Qur’an, through Allah’s messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Thirdly, he speaks about the basis of understanding Akidah or Creed in religion. It is natural for everybody to have an inclination for the belief that there is a Supreme Being out there, that there is a God. An simple example he brought forward was that even a tribe in a jungle that is secluded away from the civilised world , barring any influences would have a God that they belief in, according to how they justify God.
Even for a person who is only Muslim by name, and had never practiced Islam in his life, when he comes to a critical point in his life such as facing death, with the doctors saying that there were no possible causes for cure, he will search for Allah, hoping for his safety and possibly a cure through prayers.
Explaining the search for or belief of God is a natural thing, similar to a guy liking a girl or a mother caring for her child, Dr Asri described the situation during the days before Prophet Muhammad and Islam, where the people of Makkah had already believed in God and named God, Allah. Prophet Muhammad’s name is Muhammad ibn Abdullah. Abdullah, the name given by the Prophet’s grandfather to his father means ‘servant of Allah’.
He then related to an incident (citing from historian ibn Hisham) during a period of the Prophet’s grandfather, Abdul Muthalib’s where the Elephant Army under the command of Abrahah al-Ashram from Yemen intends to destroy the Ka’bah at Makkah. Abdul Muthalib’s camels had been seized by Abrahah’s army and he went to Abrahah to claim his camels. Abrahah was surprised at Abdul Muthalib’s request only for his camels and not for the safety of Ka’bah that he was about to destroy. Abdul Muthalib replied that he is the rightful owner of the camels and that Ka’bah belongs to Allah. Allah will take care of it Himself. And true enough the plan was foiled and Abrahah and his Army perished (ref to Surah al-Fil)
This proves that the Quraysh during the period before Islam already had a strong belief in Allah. They knew and believed that Ka'bah would be protected by Allah from the pending attack of Abrahah's Elephant Army. They named the Ka’bah ‘baitullah’ (House of Allah). But still, Allah sent Prophet Muhammad to them to enlighten them on the truth, as the basis of thier Creed is not right and they were not practicing their beliefs as Allah had wanted them to.
He then described how a secluded tribe in the jungle would probably get their ideas about how God would look like and how to pray to their God, without the guidance of Allah. And he sums up two important points at the end, which we shouldn’t practice in Islam. Firstly, not to try describe Allah without the guidance of Qur’an and Hadith(Prophets’ sayings). Secondly, not to think of any forms of worship other than what have been directed in the Qur’an and Hadith. Without the basis of this two, it would be similar as to how the secluded tribe would derive thier ideas about worshipping God.
He then brings up an athar sahih [athar - History about the actions and deeds of the Prophets' companions (may Allah be pleased with them)] riwayat Ad-Darimi about ibn Mas’ud stumbling upon an innovated practice, already happening just shortly after the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). [Read the full version in one of my previous posts] Link Here!
Dr Asri then described how people would react upon discovering that what they had previously practiced was termed as bid’ah(innovation). The person would probably think,” Hm, it can’t be that our leaders and ‘ulamas of the past had been wrong? How can they not know? Aren’t we supposed to follow ‘ijma ‘ulama?
And he explained what ‘ijma ulama means, differing from what most would have understood its meaning, assuming or understanding it as the views of ‘ulama. ‘Ijma ulama actually means the consensus and total agreement of all ‘ulamas in the world. If even one ‘ulama disagrees, it cannot be termed as ‘ijma ulama.
Then, he threw out a question. Is it true that each and every views of ‘ulamas are all correct? While respecting the past ‘ulamas in view of their tireless, extraordinary efforts and sincerity, still, they are unlike Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who are free from mistakes. If we find a view from an ‘ulama that is different from Qur’an and Hadith, are we suppose to accept the view on top of what is clearly from the Qur’an or Hadith?
And he explains that normally, it is hard to find any differences in ‘ulamas views on the Qur’an as it is quite clear. The difference in views is normally on the Hadith due to the existence of a large volume of collection of Hadith. And he explains that if an ‘ulama’s view is different from the Qur’an or Hadith, it doesn’t mean that he intended to go against them. He had probably made a mistake, forgot or he didn’t know about the existence of the Hadith that had been found many years later, after he had decided on his views.
This is because the total collection of Hadith had not been completed, unlike the Qur’an, perfect, all in one compilation. The Hadiths from the Prophet had been passed down to his companions and after the Prophets’ death, many companions migrated and dispersed to many different countries and continents along with the Hadiths that they had memorised or recorded. So it is not impossible that ‘ulamas have different views about a certain ruling in Islam, different from what is stated in a hadith. He may have yet to discover about the hadith during that time.
That is probably why Imam asy-Syafie adviced his student.. (translated)"Every word that I say and if it is found from what is sahih(agreed upon most or all scholars) that is said to have come from RasullulLah which is against my opinion, then that(Prophet's s.a.w Hadeeth) is to be placed first and foremost, don't you follow mine"- Al-Zahabi, Siyar 'Alam al-Nubala', 10/33 [i.e. dont follow him in his opinions which is not in accordance to RasululLah s.a.w. sunnah]
So, if we ever find a hadith that is different from the views of ‘ulama, we should put the view from hadith first and foremost. If we were to regard all the views and sayings of ‘ulama as perfect, in the end as a result, the Qur’an and Sunnah will be neglected.
Then, he discussed about the reality of the general forms of understanding and practicing Islam among all Muslims. If we were to ask Shi’ites or 'Sisters in Islam', or any Muslim political groups in Malaysia or Mu’tazilah or Jabariyyah or even different states in Malaysia, what’s the basis of their practice in Islam? Everyone would say, the Qur’an and Sunnah. But why are they different in some or many areas? That’s because, many of them interprete Qur’an and Sunnah according to how they think.
So, is there a way that we can possibly be safe from the wrong interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah? Yes, there is a way and that is described by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the following hadith,
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My Ummah (nation) will split into seventy three sects, all of which will go to Hellfire, except for one.” The companions asked: “Which one is that O Messenger of Allah?” He replied:”The one that will be upon the way of me and my companions.” (at-Tirmidhi and Ahmad)
So, to cease the disparity as to which group is correct according to each different version of interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah, we can take the way that is advised to be safe by our Prophet (peace be upon him), that we practice Islam according to the Qur’an and Sunnah, according to how it was practiced and understood during the time of the Prophet, the companions, at-tabi’in and atba’u tabi’in ('ulamas who lived shortly after). The companions and 'ulamas who lived shortly after had the best knowledge and understanding of Islam as they lived during or closest to our Prophets' time and they are mentioned by the Prophet himself.
Lastly, he reminded and explained the importance and responsibilities of ‘ulamas, Muftis, Imams in being truthful and careful in imparting the correct Islamic knowledge to the Muslims under them.
That’s about it, just a brief summary of the ceramah, for myself and to share with others. Click on the link above for the whole ceramah in Malay. Please correct me if I have erred in the post.
May Allah guide us all to the right path and to practice Islam according to the way that He would like us to. Ameen.
And Allah Almighty knows best.
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