A Blind Boys Story..

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A Blind Boys Story..

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet.

He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help."

There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said, but in a different way."

I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it."

Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were blessed that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling.
And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it

The World of Jinn..Part 1 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

The World of Jinn..Part 1 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

 

Praise be to Allaah.

The Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that the jinn exist, and that there is a purpose for their existence in this life, which is to worship Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans, except they should worship Me (Alone).” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56].

“O assembly of jinns and mankind! Did there not come to you Messengers from amongst you, reciting unto you My Verses…?” [al-An’aam 6:130]

The world of the jinn is an independent and separate world, with its own distinct nature and features that are hidden from the world of humans. Jinns and humans have some things in common, such as the possession of understanding and the choice between the way of good and the way of evil. The word jinn comes from an Arabic root meaning “hidden from sight”. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“… Verily he [Shaytaan] and his qabeeluhu [his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe] see you from where you cannot see them…” [al-A’raaf 7:27]

 

Allaah has told us in His Book the essence from which the jinn were created. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame o fire.” [al-Hijr 15:27]

“And the jinns did He create from a smokeless flame of fire.” [al-Rahmaan 55:15].

According to a hadeeth narrated by ‘Aa’ishah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from fire, and Aadam was created from that which has been described to you.” (Reported by Muslim, 5314).

Types of jinn

Allaah has created different types of jinn. Among them are some who can take on different forms, such as dogs and snakes; some who are like flying winds with wings; and some who can travel and rest. Abu Tha’labah al-Khushani said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The jinn are of three types: a types that has wings, and they fly through the air; a type that looks like snakes and dogs; and a type that stops for a rest then resumes its journey.” (Reported by al-Tahhaawi in Mushkil al-Athaar, 4/95, and by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 22/214. Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Mishkaat (2/1206, no. 4148): al-Tahhaawi and Abu’l-Shaykh reported it with a saheeh isnaad).

The jinn and the sons of Aadam

Every individual among the sons of Aadam has a jinn who has been appointed to be his constant companion (qareen). Ibn Mas’ood said:

 “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘There is not one of you who does not have a jinn appointed to be his constant companion.’ They said, ‘And you too, O Messenger of Allaah?’ He said, ‘Me too, but Allaah has helped me and he has submitted, so that he only helps me to do good.’” (Reported by Muslim, 2814). Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on Muslim (17/175): “‘He has submitted’ … he became a believing Muslim. This is the apparent meaning. Al-Qaadi said: Know that the ummah is agreed upon the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was protected from Shaytaan, physically and mentally, and with regard to his speech. This hadeeth contains a reference to the warning against the fitnah (temptation, trial) and whispers of the qareen (constant companion from among the jinn). We know that he is with us so we should beware of him as much as possible.”

Their powers

Allaah has given the jinn powers that he has not given to humans. Allaah has told us about some of their powers, such as the ability to move and travel quickly. An ‘ifreet from among the jinn guaranteed to the Prophet Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) that he would bring the throne of the Queen of Yemen to Jerusalem in a moment faster than that needed for a man to get up from where he was sitting. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“An ‘ifreet (strong one) from the jinns said: ‘I will bring it [her throne] to you before you rise from your place (council). And verily, I am indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work.’ One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: ‘I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!’ – then when Sulaymaan saw it placed before him, he said, ‘This is by the Grace of my Lord…’” [al-Naml 27:39-40].

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The World of Jinn..Part 1 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

The World of Jinn..Part 1 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

 

Praise be to Allaah.

The Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that the jinn exist, and that there is a purpose for their existence in this life, which is to worship Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans, except they should worship Me (Alone).” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56].

“O assembly of jinns and mankind! Did there not come to you Messengers from amongst you, reciting unto you My Verses…?” [al-An’aam 6:130]

The world of the jinn is an independent and separate world, with its own distinct nature and features that are hidden from the world of humans. Jinns and humans have some things in common, such as the possession of understanding and the choice between the way of good and the way of evil. The word jinn comes from an Arabic root meaning “hidden from sight”. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“… Verily he [Shaytaan] and his qabeeluhu [his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe] see you from where you cannot see them…” [al-A’raaf 7:27]

 

Allaah has told us in His Book the essence from which the jinn were created. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame o fire.” [al-Hijr 15:27]

“And the jinns did He create from a smokeless flame of fire.” [al-Rahmaan 55:15].

According to a hadeeth narrated by ‘Aa’ishah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from fire, and Aadam was created from that which has been described to you.” (Reported by Muslim, 5314).

Types of jinn

Allaah has created different types of jinn. Among them are some who can take on different forms, such as dogs and snakes; some who are like flying winds with wings; and some who can travel and rest. Abu Tha’labah al-Khushani said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The jinn are of three types: a types that has wings, and they fly through the air; a type that looks like snakes and dogs; and a type that stops for a rest then resumes its journey.” (Reported by al-Tahhaawi in Mushkil al-Athaar, 4/95, and by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 22/214. Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Mishkaat (2/1206, no. 4148): al-Tahhaawi and Abu’l-Shaykh reported it with a saheeh isnaad).

The jinn and the sons of Aadam

Every individual among the sons of Aadam has a jinn who has been appointed to be his constant companion (qareen). Ibn Mas’ood said:

 “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘There is not one of you who does not have a jinn appointed to be his constant companion.’ They said, ‘And you too, O Messenger of Allaah?’ He said, ‘Me too, but Allaah has helped me and he has submitted, so that he only helps me to do good.’” (Reported by Muslim, 2814). Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on Muslim (17/175): “‘He has submitted’ … he became a believing Muslim. This is the apparent meaning. Al-Qaadi said: Know that the ummah is agreed upon the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was protected from Shaytaan, physically and mentally, and with regard to his speech. This hadeeth contains a reference to the warning against the fitnah (temptation, trial) and whispers of the qareen (constant companion from among the jinn). We know that he is with us so we should beware of him as much as possible.”

Their powers

Allaah has given the jinn powers that he has not given to humans. Allaah has told us about some of their powers, such as the ability to move and travel quickly. An ‘ifreet from among the jinn guaranteed to the Prophet Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) that he would bring the throne of the Queen of Yemen to Jerusalem in a moment faster than that needed for a man to get up from where he was sitting. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“An ‘ifreet (strong one) from the jinns said: ‘I will bring it [her throne] to you before you rise from your place (council). And verily, I am indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work.’ One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: ‘I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!’ – then when Sulaymaan saw it placed before him, he said, ‘This is by the Grace of my Lord…’” [al-Naml 27:39-40].

Muslims and Christmas: What they really think

http://www.theargus.co.uk/communitypages/hove_park_and_goldstone_valley/4804103.Muslims_and_Christmas__What_they_really_think/

By Kenton Hadley, community correspondent

It is the time of year for traditions, whether it be going to Church on a frosty Christmas morning or the almost cast-iron guarantee that there will be someone sitting on a plastic garden chair or similar around the festive dinner table.

Another tradition that has become popular in recent times, which isn’t quite as funny as having to put extra bacon across the part of the turkey that the cat bit into, is that of reading about or seeing a news report featuring someone accused of seeking to scrap everything Christmassy and replace it with their own beliefs and customs.

These days it seems to be something that is as popular as Father Christmas himself and the debate seems to centre around what some people seem to see as Christians being pushed out of the picture. Not only that but it is often Muslims that are in the firing-line as the ones doing all the pushing. Tariq Jung, who is the Chairman of the Brighton and Hove Interfaith Contact Group and a Muslim who in the dark days following 9/11 was called “Bin Laden” by total strangers, is far from wanting to cancel or interfere with people's Christmases. In fact he looks forward to this time of year as it is the only time of year he can get a Halal turkey before relaxing in of front what he calls the “old repeats on the television.”

Warming to his theme and seeming genuinely appreciative at the chance to try and balance out the scales, he said that “As Muslims we mustn’t forget that this is our adopted country. For those who are living in Britain we have to be very careful that we need to look after its needs. This is a Christian country and I’m quite annoyed at the fact that people want to try and correct things, like removing Bibles from hospitals or they don’t want Christmas decorations or that they don’t want to have Nativity plays in schools. It’s ludicrous because the majority of the children in most of our schools are Christian and their parents are presumably quite happy for them to go along and take part in all these activities. From a Muslim perspective I do look forward to Christmas. Just like anybody else we’re interested in the Queen’s speech and a little bit of a break. Many Muslims certainly look forward to that.”

However confusion over who thinks what and why seems to come from somewhere nonetheless. Tariq Jung can well understand why people can feel aggrieved with all the stories of a Muslim’s perceived offence over something as innocent as a school Nativity play or Christmas decorations. While not blaming all of the press, “some of the press are looking for headlines” he said and he expanded his point by saying further that “they (the press) pick things up here and there and put two and two together and make fifteen. Before you know it, the whole country is discussing some silly point, because it’s written in a way that perhaps upsets people and they should be upset because someone says that Christmas is cancelled. Who has the right to do this? Certainly not the newspapers.”

Despite the fact that Mr Jung’s wife and daughter have had what he describes as their “fair share” of hostility for wearing their hijabs (the traditional head covering worn by some Muslim women), he remains optimistic for the future and describes dialogue with one another as the “food for our growth”. He went onto say that “we mustn‘t be afraid of questioning one another as human-beings, but when that questioning is turned around as an attack and especially those who then use these without any knowledge or little knowledge of what they‘re talking about, then it is a real problem. People are not always aware what goes on in a Synagogue or perhaps in a Church or a Mosque and what they perceive is sometimes what‘s told to them by the press and the media and they take that as the Gospel, if I can use that terminology.”

The media’s “insatiable appetite for reporting things that shock” is the reason why, according to Tariq Jung, that the Muslim community does not always come across well in the national news. Mr Jung has never seen “the most important leaders” of his faith interviewed and says that when he or someone he knows has a question or needs clarification “we don’t go to Omar Bakri, we don’t go to Mr (Abu) Hamza, we go to the Sharia Council. Respected Elders, who through a chain have come through to us, being taught by their own religious important people and so we have a chain of elders who have learned from others just like any other faith. These are the people that the media never go to for clarification.”

As Brighton and Hove “develops and grows into a really important and multi-cultural city” Mr Jung sees it as even more important “that we accept each other for what they are, that we accept them for their faith and their belief and give them the leeway they need to worship their God or being in a way that befits their needs.”

It’s all about giving “equal respect to everyone” and endeavouring to “encourage people of faith” because, Mr Jung believes, that “it would be better if the churches were full, the synagogues were full and the mosques were full because what are they teaching? They’re teaching goodness, kindness, honesty, reliability, punctuality, all these things that would make our city of Brighton & Hove flourish and improve. So we want to see people of faith in their places of worship because this is where I believe whole heartedly that we can make a big difference.”

Poem - Experience - a gift of life:

What is life but an experience?

Experience of others and of our life.

Those who refuse to learn from experience,

the experience of themselves and that of others,

they are truly the walking dead, till they experience.

How can we let the baton of experience slip from our grasp?

How can we ignore the gift of experience?

But we do, again and again and we never learn.

Sad is the life that refuses to learn

Sad is the dead who died having refused to learn

When Abu Bakr, Umar nearly lost all

THE Prophet (peace be upon him) was once sitting with his companions when they were approached by some horsemen as delegates from the tribe of Banu Tamim. As with any tribe coming to accept Islam, the Prophet wanted to select a leader for them. Naturally, recommendations for the man best fit for this job came from his closest companions, Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them.

Abu Bakr recommended that the Prophet make Al-Qa‘qa‘ Bin Ma‘bad, member of Banu Mujashi‘, take the position. Umar disagreed, suggesting that the Messenger of Allah instead choose a man named Al-Aqra‘ Bin Habis. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Disagreement between the two turned to debate, debating turned to arguing, and soon the two began raising their voices so loud, they drowned out the voice of the Prophet.
Just then, Allah revealed the following verse to the Prophet (peace be upon him).

“O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet (peace be upon him), nor speak aloud to him in speech as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not.” (Qur’an, 49:2)

Respect for the Prophet
Allah was telling both Abu Bakr and Umar that what they were doing was uncalled for. When one speaks near the Prophet, they can’t speak louder than him, out of respect and reverence for the man who is the messenger of Allah himself.

This command from Allah goes beyond mere volume. When issues arise in matters of the Sunnah, we can’t speak out over or against it. As Ibn ‘Abbas said, this means do not contradict the Sunnah in your actions, statements, or even your intentions.

The attitude towards the Sunnah should be like that of Imam Malik’s. When students came to his house wanting to learn Fiqh or ‘Aqeedah, he would come out and teach them. If they wanted to learn Hadith however, he would make Ghusl before coming out and recite the verse,

“O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet (peace be upon him), nor speak aloud to him…” before he began his lesson, to remind himself and his students that what they were about to study has to be respected at the highest level.

How Umar reacted
After this verse was revealed, it was narrated that whenever Umar would speak to the Prophet, he would speak so quietly that you could barely hear him. In fact, Abdullah Bin Al-Zubair said the Prophet sometimes asked Umar to repeat himself because his voice was so soft.
With the coming of a commandment from Allah, Umar immediately followed it and practiced it in his daily life. He didn’t second guess it or try to just half-way act on it, nor did he delay it or temporarily follow it. He immediately acted on it in full permanently.

The Thabit approach
When Thabit Ibn Qays Al-Shammas, a Sahabi who used to speak in a loud voice because he was hard of hearing, heard this verse, he was devastated. Since the verse said that those who speak above the Prophet would lose all of their deeds without them even knowing it. Immediately Thabit went home in despair and didn’t come out to the point where the Prophet and Sahabah noticed his absence.

When they visited and asked him where he’d been, he said he had been terrified of losing all of his deeds because he, too, used to speak above the Prophet, even though he was only speaking loudly because of his hearing problem. Later the Prophet consoled him by telling him that he was a person of paradise.

How Satan exploits disagreements
When Abu Bakr and Umar were arguing, they were doing it at the worst time in the worst scenario. In front of them was the Prophet and around them were the delegates from a new tribe that wanted to accept Islam. Shaitan will do whatever it takes to destroy any chance of Islam prospering.

Here, he made two Muslim brothers escalate their disagreements to the point where an issue greater than choosing leadership, i.e. respecting the Prophet, was being ignored.
When things get heated in your disagreements with family, friends, or in da’wah work, never let Shaitan use your differences to his advantage.

Correcting ourselves
The Sahabah weren’t superhuman beings who didn’t make any mistakes whatsoever. What made them extraordinary and models for us, instead, was how they corrected their mistakes.
Imagine if you found out that you and your family lost everything you ever owned and went bankrupt. No more assets, no more house or cars, and no money.

Now imagine you lost all of your good deeds. Which of the two would you feel more devastated at?
The Sahabah thought of losing one’s deeds as one of the worst things that could ever happen to them.

The next time we fall into a dispute with our Muslim brothers or sisters, we should remember the way Abu Bakr and Umar acted and reacted, as well as make sure we respect the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Sunnah without becoming clouded by our situation.

The Smokescreen of Pakistan

Restoration of Judiciary Movement in Pakistan: A Smokescreen for Helping the Permanent Establishment Maintain Its Hegemony


Islam and Politics

Wednesday, Mar 25 2009

Restoration of Judiciary Movement in Pakistan: A Smokescreen for Helping the Permanent Establishment Maintain Its Hegemony

If the socio-economic background of Ajmal Qassab and other terrorists who brutalised Mumbai recently is anything to go by, the terror factories of Pakistan have an endless manpower resource available in the form of a vast army of rural and urban unemployed in Pakistan. A leadership committed to peace and prosperity of Pakistan would have utilised the recent opportunity provided by the freedom for judiciary movement to bring the permanent establishment of Pakistan to its knees. But alas, the middle class leadership that ran this movement merely brought people on the streets to effectively release the pressure from various social, political and economic pressure-cookers and thus only help the Permanent Establishment to maintain its hegemony.

Few people know that when the middle classes of Pakistan were organizing nationwide struggle in the name of restoration of the freedom of judiciary, Haaris (landless peasantry and women workers) were also on a long, barefoot march to Karachi. They walked on foot hundreds of miles from the interiors of Sindh to the state capital Karachi, demanding immediate disbursal of land and calling for change in tenancy laws. The middle class media ignored them completely and kept its focus on the extravagant show of shining cars in the cavalcade of top politicians and lawyers that was only meant to ultimately strengthen the permanent establishment of Pakistan.
Saddened by this missed opportunity which only rarely comes in the history of nations when they can bring their ruling classes to their knees and act as a catalyst for real change, Dubai-based Indian writer Shamshad Elahee Ansari quotes from Habeeb Jalib’s haunting poetry to express his own anguish.

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Islamic Sharia Laws
The question of Kafu in marriage: Casteism by back door?

The Role of Guardian in the marriage of a mature girl
The Fatawah of the invalidity of the Nikah of a mature girl with an out-of-caste boy without the guardian’s consent is considered invalid according to the book Dar Mukhtar Ma’al Shamee, in the same book before this, another Fatwah is written that the Nikah of a mature girl even without the guardian’s consent is considered valid and authentic. Maulana Khurram Ali writes after its translation, “It will be valid for both within-the-caste and out-of-caste, because the guardianship is optional, not mandatory and this is the rule of the religion. Syedna Imam-e-Azam Abu Haneefa, Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad (May Allah be pleased with Them) have also approached the same rule and opinion. – Maulana Abdul Hameed No’mani
Translated from Urdu by Syed Raihan Ahmad Nezami, Najran, Saudi Arabia

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Islamic Ideology
Islam's evolutionary legacy: Darwin and God

As we celebrate Darwin, let's not forget the unsung champions of evolution from the Muslim world

These ideas were later taken up in the writings of Indian-born philosopher-poet Muhammad Iqbal in the early 20th century. We also know that Iqbal had been reading Darwin and wanted to find a way of synthesising the latest ideas from biological science with earlier Islamic-era philosophy. Iqbal today is revered throughout South Asia and also happens to be Pakistan's national poet. Why is it important to emphasise links between Darwin, and thinking on evolution in other cultures? One reason is that in many developing countries today, Darwin – and by extension evolution – are seen as being in the service of imperialism. -- Ehsan Masood
Darwin and God: can they co-exist?

Muslim scientists must ensure that Islam's encounter with evolution does not turn out to be its Galileo moment. -- Inayat Bunglawala

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-- Syed M. Asadullah