With recent media coverage re terrorists and their plots I have posted excerpts from the advice of Shaykh Abu Umar al-Utaybi [hathidahullah]with regards to educating our children with regards to these affairs, so they have the correct outlook and do not feel sorrow for the capture or imprisonment of these people.
quote:
And remind for Verily a reminder benefits the Believer] (51:55)
From the Shaykhs speech: quote:
Each of you is a shepherd and each is responsible for his flock.
The leader is the shepherd and responsible for his flock.
A man is a shepherd over his family and responsible for his flock.
A woman is a shepherd at her husbandýs home and responsible for her flock.
A servant is a shepherd over the property of his landlord and responsible for his flock.
And a man is a shepherd over the property of his father and responsible for his flock.
So, each of you is a shepherd and responsible and will be questioned about his flock.1
Hatred for Terrorism & the Terrorists
One of the issues we are required to do is raise our children, cultivating within them abhorrence for terrorism and terrorists;exposing them, their plots, and their patterns.
And we must isolate our children from them and distance children from following their way and objective.
Also, they are advised to be glad when terrorists, even one of them, are stopped (arrested, etc.) and put away. Children should be taught that by even one terrorist's arrest or being stopped, this is a victory for Islam and Muslims; it is a relief and comfort to Muslims without the evil of such a destructive terrorist.
They are certainly days of happiness and joy when we hear of a terrorist's plot being exposed or a terrorist's crime prevented, or even if capital punishment is carried out upon a criminal terrorist.
We must neither display nor feel sympathy for terrorists when they are defeated so that our children see no contradicting behavior nor give terrorists the benefit of doubt.
And if they ever do see someone displaying any type of grief over the death of a terrorist, then it should be explained that such may be sadness in the sense remorse over their situation; how Satan deceived and destroyed them, and not in a sense of liking the terrorists.
Terrorist acts are to be taken very seriously (when discussing them with children) and treated with firm resolve and strictness as should the terrorists themselves. This is so that those who don't yet know the truth about them donýt begin to sympathize with them.
It's the obligation of every Muslim and to protect himself and those under his care from any means that could lead to extremism, intolerance, and terrorism. AllAh [subhanahu wa t'ala] says:
Oh believers, save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are (appointed) angels, harsh and severe. They don't disobey Allah in what He commands them, but do (everything) they are instructed.
[Surah al-Tahrim, verse 66:06]
I ask Allah to shelter us and our children from extremism and corruption and to make them righteous people encouraging others to righteousness.
And Allah knows best.
May Allah send peace and prayers upon our prophet, Muhammad [sallallahu alaihi was sallam]
1. Recorded by al-Bukhari (no. 893), Muslim (no. 1829), al-Tirmidhi (no. 1705), Abu Dawud (no.2928, and others.
The full article an be found here at
THE ARTICLE WAS TAKEN FROM ANSWERING EXTREMISM.COM
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
the difficult circumstances Yusuf faced at the time when he was being called to the evil act of Zinaa.
Imaam Sadi (rahimahullaah) mentioned :
[1] Firstly; Allaah has placed in man's nature an inclination towards a woman, just like the inclination of a thirsty person towards water and that of a hungry person towards food. And even though many people do exercise patience with regards to their (desire) for food and drink, but not with regards to their (desire) for women. This is not (something) blameworthy if it is in accordance with what is permissible, rather it is something praiseworthy.
[2] Yusuf (at the time) was a young man, and the sexual desire of a young man is much stronger.
[3] He was a bachelor.
[4] He was a slave of the Azeez's wife and was bought for a few dirhams. And a slave has no control over his affairs.
[5] He was a stranger in the land; a stranger in a strange land can fulfil desires, which he is not able to fulfil in his own land and in the presence of his family and those who know him well.
[6] The wife of the Azeez was a woman of high status and beauty; so one these two (affairs) calls one to agree with her request.
[7] The wife of the Azeez was not inaccessible.
[8] She sought after Yusuf; she desired him and was infatuated with him. Many many men become filled with vanity/pride when a woman (merely) waves or winks at them.
[9] Yusuf was living in her house. He was under her authority and would have feared being harmed for refusing to obey her in what she was calling him to.
[10] Yusuf was safe from being exposed; because she sought after him and locked the doors.
[11] She also appeared in her best adornment and said to Yusuf, 'Come on O you!'
[12] She also threatened Yusuf with imprisonment and belittlement.
[13] She sought the assistance of the rest of the women and Yusuf sought the assistance of Allaah against them. He said:
'Unless You (Allaah) turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant' [Surah Yusuf; Ayah: 33]
Despite all these difficult circumstances surrounding Yusuf (alayhis-salaam), he exercised patience and preferred obedience to his Lord. He preferred the pleasure of Allaah and fear of Him. His love of Allaah made him choose imprisonment over committing adultery. He said:
'He said: 'O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me.' [Surah Yusuf; Ayah: 33]
Yusuf knew that he could not avert what they were calling him to; and that if his Lord does not protect him and avert the plot of those women, he will be inclined towards them and become of the ignorant ones. This is from Yusuf's perfect knowledge about his Lord and himself.
[1] Firstly; Allaah has placed in man's nature an inclination towards a woman, just like the inclination of a thirsty person towards water and that of a hungry person towards food. And even though many people do exercise patience with regards to their (desire) for food and drink, but not with regards to their (desire) for women. This is not (something) blameworthy if it is in accordance with what is permissible, rather it is something praiseworthy.
[2] Yusuf (at the time) was a young man, and the sexual desire of a young man is much stronger.
[3] He was a bachelor.
[4] He was a slave of the Azeez's wife and was bought for a few dirhams. And a slave has no control over his affairs.
[5] He was a stranger in the land; a stranger in a strange land can fulfil desires, which he is not able to fulfil in his own land and in the presence of his family and those who know him well.
[6] The wife of the Azeez was a woman of high status and beauty; so one these two (affairs) calls one to agree with her request.
[7] The wife of the Azeez was not inaccessible.
[8] She sought after Yusuf; she desired him and was infatuated with him. Many many men become filled with vanity/pride when a woman (merely) waves or winks at them.
[9] Yusuf was living in her house. He was under her authority and would have feared being harmed for refusing to obey her in what she was calling him to.
[10] Yusuf was safe from being exposed; because she sought after him and locked the doors.
[11] She also appeared in her best adornment and said to Yusuf, 'Come on O you!'
[12] She also threatened Yusuf with imprisonment and belittlement.
[13] She sought the assistance of the rest of the women and Yusuf sought the assistance of Allaah against them. He said:
'Unless You (Allaah) turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant' [Surah Yusuf; Ayah: 33]
Despite all these difficult circumstances surrounding Yusuf (alayhis-salaam), he exercised patience and preferred obedience to his Lord. He preferred the pleasure of Allaah and fear of Him. His love of Allaah made him choose imprisonment over committing adultery. He said:
'He said: 'O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me.' [Surah Yusuf; Ayah: 33]
Yusuf knew that he could not avert what they were calling him to; and that if his Lord does not protect him and avert the plot of those women, he will be inclined towards them and become of the ignorant ones. This is from Yusuf's perfect knowledge about his Lord and himself.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Orientalism, Misinformation and Islam :
Any open-minded person embarking on a study of Islam, especially if using books written in European languages, should be aware of the seemingly inherent distortions that permeate almost all non-Muslim writings on Islam. At least since the Middle Ages, Islam has been much maligned and severely misunderstood in the West. In the last years of the Twentieth Century, it does not seem that much has changed—even though most Muslims would agree that progress is being made.
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QUESTIONABLE MOTIVES & GENERAL IGNORANCE
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I feel that an elegant summary of the West's ignorance of Islam and the motives of Orientalism are the following words by the Swiss journalist and author, Roger Du Pasquier: "The West, whether Christian or dechristianised, has never really known Islam. Ever since they watched it appear on the world stage, Christians never ceased to insult and slander it in order to find justification for waging war on it. It has been subjected to grotesque distortions the traces of which still endure in the European mind. Even today there are many Westerners for whom Islam can be reduced to three ideas: fanaticism, fatalism and polygamy. Of course, there does exist a more cultivated public whose ideas about Islam are less deformed; there are still precious few who know that the word islam signifies nothing other than 'submission to God'. One symptom of this ignorance is the fact that in the imagination of most Europeans, Allaah refers to the divinity of the Muslims, not the God of the Christians and Jews; they are all surprised to hear, when one takes the trouble to explain things to them, that 'Allaah' means 'God', and that even Arab Christians know him by no other name.
Islam has of course been the object of studies by Western orientalists who, over the last two centuries, have published an extensive learned literature on the subject. Nevertheless, however worthy their labours may have been, particularly in the historical and and philological fields, they have contributed little to a better understanding of the Muslim religion in the Christian or post-Christian milieu, simply because they have failed to arouse much interest outside their specialised academic circles. One is forced also to concede that Orientals studies in the West have not always been inspired by the purest spirit of scholarly impartiality, and it is hard to deny that some Islamicists and Arabists have worked with the clear intention of belittling Islam and its adherents. This tendency was particularly marked—for obvious reasons—in the heyday of the colonial empires, but it would be an exaggeration to claim that it has vanished without trace.
These are some of the reasons why Islam remains even today so misjudged by the West, where curiously enough, Asiatic faiths such as Buddhism and Hinduism have for more than a century generated far more visible sympathy and interest, even though Islam is so close to Judaism and Christianity, having flowed from the same Abrahamic source. Despite this, however, for several years it has seemed that external conditions, particularly the growing importance of the Arab-Islamic countries in the world's great political and economic affairs, have served to arouse a growing interest of Islam in the West, resulting—for some—in the discovery of new and hitherto unsuspected horizons." (From Unveiling Islam, by Roger Du Pasquier, pages 5-7) The feeling that there is a general ignorance of Islam in the West is shared by Maurice Bucaille, a French doctor, who writes: "When one mentions Islam to the materialist atheist, he smiles with a complacency that is only equal to his ignorance of the subject. In common with the majority of Western intellectuals, of whatever religious persuasion, he has an impressive collection of false notions about Islam. One must, on this point, allow him one or two excuses. Firstly, apart from the newly-adopted attitudes prevailing among the highest Catholic authorities, Islam has always been subject in the West to a so-called 'secular slander'. Anyone in the West who has acquired a deep knowledge of Islam knows just to what extent its history, dogma and aims have been distorted. One must also take into account that fact that documents published in European languages on this subject (leaving aside highly specialised studies) do not make the work of a person willing to learn any easier." (From The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, by Maurice Bucaille, page 118)
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ORIENTALISM:A BROAD DEFINITION
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The phenomenon which is generally known as Orientalism is but one aspect of Western misrepresentations of Islam. Today, most Muslims in the West would probably agree that the largest volume of distorted information about Islam comes from the media, whether in newspapers, magazines or on television. In terms of the number of people who are reached by such information, the mass media certainly has more of a widespread impact on the West's view of Islam than do the academic publications of "Orientalists", "Arabists" or "Islamicists". Speaking of labels, in recent years the academic field of what used to be called "Orientalism" has been renamed "Area Studies" or "Regional Studies", in most colleges and universities in the West. These politically correct terms have taken the place of the word "Orientalism" in scholarly circles since the latter word is now tainted with a negative imperialist connotation, in a large measure due to the Orientalists themselves. However, even though the works of scholars who pursue these fields do not reach the public at large, they do often fall into the hands of students and those who are personally interested in learning more about Islam. As such, any student of Islam—especially those in the West—need to be aware of the historical phenomenon of Orientalism, both as an academic pursuit and as a means of cultural exploitation. When used by Muslims, the word "Orientalist" generally refers to any Western scholar who studies Islam—regardless of his or her motives—and thus, inevitably, distorts it. As we shall see, however, the phenomenon of Orientalism is much more than an academic pursuit. Edward Said, a renowned Arab Christian scholar and author of several books exposing shortcomings of the Orientalist approach, defines "Orientalism" as follows: " . . . by Orientalism I mean several things, all of them, in my opinion, interdependent. The most readily accepted designation of for Orientalism is an academic one, and indeed, and indeed the label still serves in a number of academic institutions. Anyone who teaches, writes about, or researches the Orient—and this applies whether the person is an anthropologist, sociologist, historian, or philogist—either in its specific or its general aspects, is an Orientalist, and what he or she does is Orientalism." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 2)
"To speak of Orientalism therefore is to speak mainly, although not exclusively, of a British and French cultural enterprise, a project whose dimensions take in such disparate realms as the imagination itself, the whole of India and the Levant, the Biblical texts and the Biblical lands, the spice trade, colonial armies and a long tradition of colonial administrators, a formidable scholarly corpus, innumerable Oriental "experts" and "hands", an Oriental professorate, a complex array of "Oriental" ideas (Oriental despotism, Oriental splendor, cruelty, sensuality), many Eastern sects, philosophies, and wisdoms domesticated for local European use—the list can be extended more or less indefinitely." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 4) As is the case with many things, being aware of the problem is half the battle. Once a sincere seeker of the Truth is aware of the long standing misunderstanding and hostility between Islam and the West—and learns not to trust everything which they see in print—authentic knowledge and information can be obtained much more quickly. Certainly, not all Western writings on Islam have the same degree of bias—they run the range from willful distortion to simple ignorance—and there are even a few that could be classified as sincere efforts by non-Muslims to portray Islam in a positive light. However, even most of these works are plagued by seemingly unintentional errors, however minor, due to the author's lack of Islamic knowledge. In the spirit of fairness, it should be said that even some contemporary books on Islam by Muslim authors suffer from these same shortcomings, usually due to a lack of knowledge, heretical ideas and or depending on non-Muslim sources.
This having been said, it should come as no surprise that learning about Islam in the West—especially when relying on works in European languages—has never been an easy task. Just a few decades ago, an English speaking person who was interested in Islam, and wishing to limit their reading to works by Muslim authors, might have been limited to reading a translation of the Qur'an, a few translated hadeeth books and a few dozen pamphlet-sized essays. However, in the past several years the widespread availability of Islamic books—written by believing and committed Muslims—and the advent of the Internet have made obtaining authentic information on almost any aspect of Islam much easier. Today, hardly a week goes by that an English translation of a classical Islamic work is not announced. Keeping this in mind, I would encourage the reader to consult books written by Muslim authors when trying to learn about Islam. There are a wide range of Islamic book distributors that can be contacted through the Internet.
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IMPERIALISTIC AIMS & EAGER MISSIONARIES
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moving on to a more detailed look at the West's distorted view of Islam in general and Orientalism in particular . . . Edward Said, the Arab Christian author of the monumental work Orientalism, accurately referred to Orientalism a "cultural enterprise". This is certainly no distortion, since the academic study of the Oriental East by the Occidental West was often motivated—and often co-operated hand-in-hand— with the imperialistic aims of the European colonial powers. Without a doubt, the foundations of Orientalism are in the maxim "Know thy enemy". When the "Christian Nations" of Europe began their long campaign to colonize and conquer the rest of the world for their own benefit, they brought their academic and missionary resources to bear in order to assist in the task. Orientalists and missionaries—whose ranks often overlapped—were more often than not the servants of an imperialist government who was using their services as a way to subdue or weaken an enemy, however subtly: "With regard to Islam and the Islamic territories, for example, Britain felt that it had legitimate interests, as a Christian power, to safeguard. A complex apparatus for tending these interests developed. Such early organizations as the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (1698) and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (1701) were succeeded and later abetted by the Baptist Missionary Society (1792), the Church Missionary Society (1799), the British and Foreign Bible Society (1804), the London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews (1808). These missions "openly" joined the expansion of Europe." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 100) Anyone who has studied the subject knows that Christian missionaries were willing participants in European imperialism, regardless of the pure motives or naïveté of some of the individual missionaries. Actually, quite a few Orientalist scholars were Christian missionaries. One notable example is Sir William Muir, who was an active missionary and author of several books on Islam. His books were very biased and narrow-minded studies, but they continue to be used as references for those wishing to attack Islam to this very day. That Christians were the source of some of the worst lies and distortions about Islam should come as no surprise, since Islam was its main "competitor" on the stage of World Religions. Far from honouring the commandment not to bear false witness against one's neighbour, Christians distortions—and outright lies—about Islam were widespread, as the following shows: "The history of Orientalism is hardly one of unbiased examination of the sources of Islam especially when under the influence of the bigotry of Christianity. From the fanatical distortions of John of Damascus to the apologetic of later writers against Islam that told their audiences that the Muslims worshipped three idols! Peter the Venerable (1084-1156) "translated" the Qur'an which was used throughout the Middle Ages and included nine additional chapters. Sale's infamously distorted translation followed that trend, and his, along with the likes of Rodwell, Muir and a multitude of others attacked the character and personality of Muhammmed. Often they employed invented stories, or narration's which the Muslims themselves considered fabricated or weak, or else they distorted the facts by claiming Muslims held a position which they did not, or using the habits practised out of ignorance among the Muslims as the accurate portrayal of Islam. As Norman Daniel tell us in his work Islam and the West: "The use of false evidence to attack Islam was all but universal . . . " (p. 267)." (From An Authoritative Exposition - Part 1, by 'Abdur-Raheem Green) There is a great deal of proof that one could use to demonstrate that when it came to attacking Islam, even the Roman Catholic Church would readily embrace almost any untruth. Here's an example: "At a certain period in history, hostility to Islam, in whatever shape or form, even coming from declared enemies of the church, was received with the most heartfelt approbation by high dignitaries of the Catholic Church. Thus Pope Benedict XIV, who is reputed to have been the greatest Pontiff of the Eighteenth century, unhesitatingly sent his blessing to Voltaire. This was in thanks for the dedication to him of the tragedy Mohammed or Fanaticism (Mahomet ou le Fanatisme) 1741, a coarse satire that any clever scribbler of bad faith could have written on any subject. In spite of a bad start, the play gained sufficient prestige to be included in the repertoire of the Comédie-Française." (From The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, by Maurice Bucaille, page 118)
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WIDESPREAD LIES & POPULAR CULTURE
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The dedicated enemy of the church, referred to above, was the French philosopher Voltaire. For an example of what he thought of at least one Christian doctrine, read his Anti-Trinitarians tract. Also, the above passage introduces a point that one should be well aware of: the distortions and lies about Islam throughout the ages in Europe were not been limited to a small number of scholars and clergy. On the contrary, they were part of popular culture at the time: "The European imagination was nourished extensively from this repertoire [of Oriental images]: between the Middle Ages and the eighteenth century such major authors as Ariosto, Milton, Marlowe, Tasso, Shakespeare, Cervantes, and the authors of the Chanson de Roland and the Poema del Cid drew on the Orient's riches for their productions, in ways that sharpened that outlines of imagery, ideas, and figures populating it. In addition, a great deal of what was considered learned Orientalist scholarship in Europe pressed ideological myths into service, even as knowledge seemed genuinely to be advancing." (From Orientalism, by Edward Said, page 63)
"The invariable tendency to neglect what the Qur'an meant, or what Muslims thought it meant, or what Muslims thought or did in any given circumstances, necessarily implies that Qur'anic and other Islamic doctrine was presented in a form that would convince Christians; and more and more extravagant forms would stand a chance of acceptance as the distance of the writers and public from the Islamic border increased. It was with very great reluctance that what Muslims said Muslims believed was accepted as what they did believe. There was a Christian picture in which the details (even under the pressure of facts) were abandoned as little as possible, and in which the general outline was never abandoned. There were shades of difference, but only with a common framework. All the corrections that were made in the interests of an increasing accuracy were only a defence of what had newly realised to be vulnerable, a shoring up of a weakened structure. Christian opinion was an erection which could not be demolished, even to be rebuilt." (From Islam and the West: The Making of an Image, by Norman Daniel, page 259-260) Edward Said, in his classic work Orientalism, referring to the above passage by Norman Daniel, says: "This rigorous Christian picture of Islam was intensified in innumerable ways, including—during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance—a large variety of poetry, learned controversy, and popular superstition. By this time the Near Orient had been all but incorporated in the common world-picture of Latin Christianity—as in the Chanson de Roland the worship of Saracens is portrayed as embracing Mahomet and Apollo. By the middle of the fifteenth century, as R. W. Southern has brilliantly shown, it became apparent to serious European thinkers "that something would have to be done about Islam," which had turned the situation around somewhat by itself arriving militarily in Eastern Europe." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 61)
"Most conspicuous to us is the inability of any of these systems of thought [European Christian] to provide a fully satisfying explanation of the phenomenon they had set out to explain [Islam]—still less to influence the course of practical events in a decisive way. At a practical level, events never turned out either so well or so ill as the most intelligent observers predicted: and it is perhaps worth noticing that they never turned out better than when the best judges confidently expected a happy ending. Was there any progress [in Christian knowledge of Islam]? I must express my conviction that there was. Even if the solutions of the problem remained obstinately hidden from sight, the statement of the problem became more complex, more rational, and more related to experience." (From Western Views of Islam in the Middle Ages, by R. W. Southern, pages 91-92) Regardless of the flawed, biased—and even devious—approach of many Orientalists, they too can have their moments of candour, as Roger DuPasquier points out: "In general one must unhappily concur with an Orientalist like Montgomery Watt when he writes that 'of all the great men of the world, no-one has had as many detractors as Muhammad.' Having engaged in a lengthy study of the life and work of the Prophet, the British Arabist add that 'it is hard to understand why this has been the case', finding the only plausible explanation in the fact that for centuries Christianity treated Islam as its worst enemy. And although Europeans today look at Islam and its founder in a somewhat more objective light, 'many ancient prejudices still remain.'" (From Unveiling Islam, by Roger Du Pasquier, page 47 - quoting from W. M. Watt's Muhammad at Medina, Oxford University Press) source: islaam.ca
------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTIONABLE MOTIVES & GENERAL IGNORANCE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I feel that an elegant summary of the West's ignorance of Islam and the motives of Orientalism are the following words by the Swiss journalist and author, Roger Du Pasquier: "The West, whether Christian or dechristianised, has never really known Islam. Ever since they watched it appear on the world stage, Christians never ceased to insult and slander it in order to find justification for waging war on it. It has been subjected to grotesque distortions the traces of which still endure in the European mind. Even today there are many Westerners for whom Islam can be reduced to three ideas: fanaticism, fatalism and polygamy. Of course, there does exist a more cultivated public whose ideas about Islam are less deformed; there are still precious few who know that the word islam signifies nothing other than 'submission to God'. One symptom of this ignorance is the fact that in the imagination of most Europeans, Allaah refers to the divinity of the Muslims, not the God of the Christians and Jews; they are all surprised to hear, when one takes the trouble to explain things to them, that 'Allaah' means 'God', and that even Arab Christians know him by no other name.
Islam has of course been the object of studies by Western orientalists who, over the last two centuries, have published an extensive learned literature on the subject. Nevertheless, however worthy their labours may have been, particularly in the historical and and philological fields, they have contributed little to a better understanding of the Muslim religion in the Christian or post-Christian milieu, simply because they have failed to arouse much interest outside their specialised academic circles. One is forced also to concede that Orientals studies in the West have not always been inspired by the purest spirit of scholarly impartiality, and it is hard to deny that some Islamicists and Arabists have worked with the clear intention of belittling Islam and its adherents. This tendency was particularly marked—for obvious reasons—in the heyday of the colonial empires, but it would be an exaggeration to claim that it has vanished without trace.
These are some of the reasons why Islam remains even today so misjudged by the West, where curiously enough, Asiatic faiths such as Buddhism and Hinduism have for more than a century generated far more visible sympathy and interest, even though Islam is so close to Judaism and Christianity, having flowed from the same Abrahamic source. Despite this, however, for several years it has seemed that external conditions, particularly the growing importance of the Arab-Islamic countries in the world's great political and economic affairs, have served to arouse a growing interest of Islam in the West, resulting—for some—in the discovery of new and hitherto unsuspected horizons." (From Unveiling Islam, by Roger Du Pasquier, pages 5-7) The feeling that there is a general ignorance of Islam in the West is shared by Maurice Bucaille, a French doctor, who writes: "When one mentions Islam to the materialist atheist, he smiles with a complacency that is only equal to his ignorance of the subject. In common with the majority of Western intellectuals, of whatever religious persuasion, he has an impressive collection of false notions about Islam. One must, on this point, allow him one or two excuses. Firstly, apart from the newly-adopted attitudes prevailing among the highest Catholic authorities, Islam has always been subject in the West to a so-called 'secular slander'. Anyone in the West who has acquired a deep knowledge of Islam knows just to what extent its history, dogma and aims have been distorted. One must also take into account that fact that documents published in European languages on this subject (leaving aside highly specialised studies) do not make the work of a person willing to learn any easier." (From The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, by Maurice Bucaille, page 118)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORIENTALISM:A BROAD DEFINITION
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The phenomenon which is generally known as Orientalism is but one aspect of Western misrepresentations of Islam. Today, most Muslims in the West would probably agree that the largest volume of distorted information about Islam comes from the media, whether in newspapers, magazines or on television. In terms of the number of people who are reached by such information, the mass media certainly has more of a widespread impact on the West's view of Islam than do the academic publications of "Orientalists", "Arabists" or "Islamicists". Speaking of labels, in recent years the academic field of what used to be called "Orientalism" has been renamed "Area Studies" or "Regional Studies", in most colleges and universities in the West. These politically correct terms have taken the place of the word "Orientalism" in scholarly circles since the latter word is now tainted with a negative imperialist connotation, in a large measure due to the Orientalists themselves. However, even though the works of scholars who pursue these fields do not reach the public at large, they do often fall into the hands of students and those who are personally interested in learning more about Islam. As such, any student of Islam—especially those in the West—need to be aware of the historical phenomenon of Orientalism, both as an academic pursuit and as a means of cultural exploitation. When used by Muslims, the word "Orientalist" generally refers to any Western scholar who studies Islam—regardless of his or her motives—and thus, inevitably, distorts it. As we shall see, however, the phenomenon of Orientalism is much more than an academic pursuit. Edward Said, a renowned Arab Christian scholar and author of several books exposing shortcomings of the Orientalist approach, defines "Orientalism" as follows: " . . . by Orientalism I mean several things, all of them, in my opinion, interdependent. The most readily accepted designation of for Orientalism is an academic one, and indeed, and indeed the label still serves in a number of academic institutions. Anyone who teaches, writes about, or researches the Orient—and this applies whether the person is an anthropologist, sociologist, historian, or philogist—either in its specific or its general aspects, is an Orientalist, and what he or she does is Orientalism." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 2)
"To speak of Orientalism therefore is to speak mainly, although not exclusively, of a British and French cultural enterprise, a project whose dimensions take in such disparate realms as the imagination itself, the whole of India and the Levant, the Biblical texts and the Biblical lands, the spice trade, colonial armies and a long tradition of colonial administrators, a formidable scholarly corpus, innumerable Oriental "experts" and "hands", an Oriental professorate, a complex array of "Oriental" ideas (Oriental despotism, Oriental splendor, cruelty, sensuality), many Eastern sects, philosophies, and wisdoms domesticated for local European use—the list can be extended more or less indefinitely." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 4) As is the case with many things, being aware of the problem is half the battle. Once a sincere seeker of the Truth is aware of the long standing misunderstanding and hostility between Islam and the West—and learns not to trust everything which they see in print—authentic knowledge and information can be obtained much more quickly. Certainly, not all Western writings on Islam have the same degree of bias—they run the range from willful distortion to simple ignorance—and there are even a few that could be classified as sincere efforts by non-Muslims to portray Islam in a positive light. However, even most of these works are plagued by seemingly unintentional errors, however minor, due to the author's lack of Islamic knowledge. In the spirit of fairness, it should be said that even some contemporary books on Islam by Muslim authors suffer from these same shortcomings, usually due to a lack of knowledge, heretical ideas and or depending on non-Muslim sources.
This having been said, it should come as no surprise that learning about Islam in the West—especially when relying on works in European languages—has never been an easy task. Just a few decades ago, an English speaking person who was interested in Islam, and wishing to limit their reading to works by Muslim authors, might have been limited to reading a translation of the Qur'an, a few translated hadeeth books and a few dozen pamphlet-sized essays. However, in the past several years the widespread availability of Islamic books—written by believing and committed Muslims—and the advent of the Internet have made obtaining authentic information on almost any aspect of Islam much easier. Today, hardly a week goes by that an English translation of a classical Islamic work is not announced. Keeping this in mind, I would encourage the reader to consult books written by Muslim authors when trying to learn about Islam. There are a wide range of Islamic book distributors that can be contacted through the Internet.
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IMPERIALISTIC AIMS & EAGER MISSIONARIES
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Moving on to a more detailed look at the West's distorted view of Islam in general and Orientalism in particular . . . Edward Said, the Arab Christian author of the monumental work Orientalism, accurately referred to Orientalism a "cultural enterprise". This is certainly no distortion, since the academic study of the Oriental East by the Occidental West was often motivated—and often co-operated hand-in-hand— with the imperialistic aims of the European colonial powers. Without a doubt, the foundations of Orientalism are in the maxim "Know thy enemy". When the "Christian Nations" of Europe began their long campaign to colonize and conquer the rest of the world for their own benefit, they brought their academic and missionary resources to bear in order to assist in the task. Orientalists and missionaries—whose ranks often overlapped—were more often than not the servants of an imperialist government who was using their services as a way to subdue or weaken an enemy, however subtly: "With regard to Islam and the Islamic territories, for example, Britain felt that it had legitimate interests, as a Christian power, to safeguard. A complex apparatus for tending these interests developed. Such early organizations as the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (1698) and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (1701) were succeeded and later abetted by the Baptist Missionary Society (1792), the Church Missionary Society (1799), the British and Foreign Bible Society (1804), the London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews (1808). These missions "openly" joined the expansion of Europe." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 100) Anyone who has studied the subject knows that Christian missionaries were willing participants in European imperialism, regardless of the pure motives or naïveté of some of the individual missionaries. Actually, quite a few Orientalist scholars were Christian missionaries. One notable example is Sir William Muir, who was an active missionary and author of several books on Islam. His books were very biased and narrow-minded studies, but they continue to be used as references for those wishing to attack Islam to this very day. That Christians were the source of some of the worst lies and distortions about Islam should come as no surprise, since Islam was its main "competitor" on the stage of World Religions. Far from honouring the commandment not to bear false witness against one's neighbour, Christians distortions—and outright lies—about Islam were widespread, as the following shows: "The history of Orientalism is hardly one of unbiased examination of the sources of Islam especially when under the influence of the bigotry of Christianity. From the fanatical distortions of John of Damascus to the apologetic of later writers against Islam that told their audiences that the Muslims worshipped three idols! Peter the Venerable (1084-1156) "translated" the Qur'an which was used throughout the Middle Ages and included nine additional chapters. Sale's infamously distorted translation followed that trend, and his, along with the likes of Rodwell, Muir and a multitude of others attacked the character and personality of Muhammmed. Often they employed invented stories, or narration's which the Muslims themselves considered fabricated or weak, or else they distorted the facts by claiming Muslims held a position which they did not, or using the habits practised out of ignorance among the Muslims as the accurate portrayal of Islam. As Norman Daniel tell us in his work Islam and the West: "The use of false evidence to attack Islam was all but universal . . . " (p. 267)." (From An Authoritative Exposition - Part 1, by 'Abdur-Raheem Green) There is a great deal of proof that one could use to demonstrate that when it came to attacking Islam, even the Roman Catholic Church would readily embrace almost any untruth. Here's an example: "At a certain period in history, hostility to Islam, in whatever shape or form, even coming from declared enemies of the church, was received with the most heartfelt approbation by high dignitaries of the Catholic Church. Thus Pope Benedict XIV, who is reputed to have been the greatest Pontiff of the Eighteenth century, unhesitatingly sent his blessing to Voltaire. This was in thanks for the dedication to him of the tragedy Mohammed or Fanaticism (Mahomet ou le Fanatisme) 1741, a coarse satire that any clever scribbler of bad faith could have written on any subject. In spite of a bad start, the play gained sufficient prestige to be included in the repertoire of the Comédie-Française." (From The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, by Maurice Bucaille, page 118)
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WIDESPREAD LIES & POPULAR CULTURE
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The dedicated enemy of the church, referred to above, was the French philosopher Voltaire. For an example of what he thought of at least one Christian doctrine, read his Anti-Trinitarians tract. Also, the above passage introduces a point that one should be well aware of: the distortions and lies about Islam throughout the ages in Europe were not been limited to a small number of scholars and clergy. On the contrary, they were part of popular culture at the time: "The European imagination was nourished extensively from this repertoire [of Oriental images]: between the Middle Ages and the eighteenth century such major authors as Ariosto, Milton, Marlowe, Tasso, Shakespeare, Cervantes, and the authors of the Chanson de Roland and the Poema del Cid drew on the Orient's riches for their productions, in ways that sharpened that outlines of imagery, ideas, and figures populating it. In addition, a great deal of what was considered learned Orientalist scholarship in Europe pressed ideological myths into service, even as knowledge seemed genuinely to be advancing." (From Orientalism, by Edward Said, page 63)
"The invariable tendency to neglect what the Qur'an meant, or what Muslims thought it meant, or what Muslims thought or did in any given circumstances, necessarily implies that Qur'anic and other Islamic doctrine was presented in a form that would convince Christians; and more and more extravagant forms would stand a chance of acceptance as the distance of the writers and public from the Islamic border increased. It was with very great reluctance that what Muslims said Muslims believed was accepted as what they did believe. There was a Christian picture in which the details (even under the pressure of facts) were abandoned as little as possible, and in which the general outline was never abandoned. There were shades of difference, but only with a common framework. All the corrections that were made in the interests of an increasing accuracy were only a defence of what had newly realised to be vulnerable, a shoring up of a weakened structure. Christian opinion was an erection which could not be demolished, even to be rebuilt." (From Islam and the West: The Making of an Image, by Norman Daniel, page 259-260) Edward Said, in his classic work Orientalism, referring to the above passage by Norman Daniel, says: "This rigorous Christian picture of Islam was intensified in innumerable ways, including—during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance—a large variety of poetry, learned controversy, and popular superstition. By this time the Near Orient had been all but incorporated in the common world-picture of Latin Christianity—as in the Chanson de Roland the worship of Saracens is portrayed as embracing Mahomet and Apollo. By the middle of the fifteenth century, as R. W. Southern has brilliantly shown, it became apparent to serious European thinkers "that something would have to be done about Islam," which had turned the situation around somewhat by itself arriving militarily in Eastern Europe." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 61)
"Most conspicuous to us is the inability of any of these systems of thought [European Christian] to provide a fully satisfying explanation of the phenomenon they had set out to explain [Islam]—still less to influence the course of practical events in a decisive way. At a practical level, events never turned out either so well or so ill as the most intelligent observers predicted: and it is perhaps worth noticing that they never turned out better than when the best judges confidently expected a happy ending. Was there any progress [in Christian knowledge of Islam]? I must express my conviction that there was. Even if the solutions of the problem remained obstinately hidden from sight, the statement of the problem became more complex, more rational, and more related to experience." (From Western Views of Islam in the Middle Ages, by R. W. Southern, pages 91-92) Regardless of the flawed, biased—and even devious—approach of many Orientalists, they too can have their moments of candour, as Roger DuPasquier points out: "In general one must unhappily concur with an Orientalist like Montgomery Watt when he writes that 'of all the great men of the world, no-one has had as many detractors as Muhammad.' Having engaged in a lengthy study of the life and work of the Prophet, the British Arabist add that 'it is hard to understand why this has been the case', finding the only plausible explanation in the fact that for centuries Christianity treated Islam as its worst enemy. And although Europeans today look at Islam and its founder in a somewhat more objective light, 'many ancient prejudices still remain.'" (From Unveiling Islam, by Roger Du Pasquier, page 47 - quoting from W. M. Watt's Muhammad at Medina, Oxford University Press) source: islaam.ca
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
superstitions of new years.
'Good Luck' traditions of the Kufaar
to Beware of during the Christian New Year
Around the globe, people celebrate the coming of a new year with traditions specific to their country. Although the celebrations are not always held on the same day, they often include religious ceremonies, costume parties, parades, and good luck charms said to bring fortune, luck and love in the new year.
Good Luck Customs and Superstitions Around the World...
Venezuela:
Wear yellow underwear for good luck. Venezuelans also write wishes in a letter and burn it so they come true.
Brazil:
Jump seven ocean waves and your wishes may come true. Citizens of Rio de Janeiro also throw flowers into the water as an offering to the Goddess of the Seas.
Mexico:
Eat 12 grapes and make 12 wishes (one for each gong on the clock at midnight.) And if you're looking for love, Mexicans opt for red underwear.
Ecuador:
To forget the old year, people create a dummy and stuff it with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, each family lights the dummy on fire and as it goes up in smoke, the firecrackers also go off to add to the festivities.
South America:
On New Year's Day, most people make a habit of eating black-eyed peas and turnip greens (to bring good fortune and plenty of money.)
Lithuania:
Single women put 12 men's names on slips of paper, plus one blank slip of paper under the pillow. When they wake up the following morning, they select one of the slips of paper, which means that is the person they will marry.
Sicily, Italy:
Eating pasta in Italy doesn't sound very unusual, but many Sicilians ring in the new year with a plate of lasagna for good luck.
England:
The first visitor on New Year's Day will bring you luck — good or bad.
Denmark:
Many Danes horde old plates to throw at friends' houses. They believe that broken china means more friends.
France:
There's a fair amount of champagne drinking and screaming on New Year's Eve, but for many French people the new year officially begins by eating king cake, "Galette des Rois," on the holiday known as Epiphany. Epiphany, which celebrates the arrival of the Three Kings to pay homage to Baby Jesus, is honored in most parts of France on the first Sunday of January. The almond-paste round cake is cut into pieces and distributed by a child hiding under the table. Whoever finds "la fève" — the charm hidden inside —is king or queen for the day and can choose a partner.
Vancouver, British Columbia:
Take a dip in the English Bay with the Polar Bear Club to wash the year's sins away.
Japan:
On New Year's Eve, bells are rung 108 times to chase away 108 troubles. The Japanese all laugh after the gongs because it's believed that sharing a chuckle will drive away the bad spirits.
China:
The Chinese New Year (slated for Jan. 29, 2006) is the first day of the lunar calendar, so it is also called the Lunar New Year. This holiday trumps all other holidays in China, and the festivities last 15 days. New Year Eve's dinner has lots of symbolic meaning. Eating dumplings implies wealth because they have the shape of ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots. Everyone, even kids, drinks a little liquor, which is a symbol of longevity. People also give each other red envelopes with money in it, a symbol of luck and wealth.
United States:
Wild cheers at the stroke of midnight is believed to ward off evil spirits. Chase the bad away and ring in the new year. Kissing your loved one ensures that friendly ties will grace you and the person for the next 12 months.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Persistence in attaining Istiqaamah.
n the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful
Ash-Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez bin Baaz: Persistence in attaining Istiqaamah.
All praise is due to Allah and may peace and salutations be upon the messenger of Allah, his familiy, companions and whoever follows his guidance; as for what follows:
The topic of Istiqaamah (uprightness in the religion) is a magnificent topic. It is suitable for every male and female believer to have a great concern for it, strive in attaining it
at all times, to ask Allah the mighty and sublime (for it) and to implore oneself before him requesting success in achieving it.
And you! Oh slave of Allah, it is incumbent upon you to be dilligent with regards to good, to rush towards it and cling to it. And that you beware of evil and stay far away from it and the means and causes that bring it about. And it is on you to beseech your lord and beg him to grant you assistance and success (in that).
And this dunya (worldly life) is an abode of trials and tribulations. It is the abode of action and preperation for the Aakhirah (next life). So Allah created the creation to worship him, and sent to them messengers, and revealed to them books and has given them intellects, hearing and sight. And he tests them with shayaateen (devils) from mankind and jinn, and (tests them with) lusts and desires.
So that which is obligatory (for us to do) is to use what Allah has given us from protection in leaving off harmful matters from what Allah tests us with by way of callers to evil and from devils both jinn and men.
And this abode is the abode of action, it is not an abode of bliss, rather it is an abode of action and deceit. Allah says: (So do not let the worldly life decieve you, nor let the chief deciever (shaytaan) deceive about Allah) 31:33. The enjoyments therein are minute as Allah says: ( Are you pleased with the life of this world over the hereafter? Little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the hereafter) 9:38.
Therefore it is mandatory upon those who are responsible from the men and women to strive (to attain) Istiqaamah. It's compulsory to pay heed to the truth and act according to it in performing those obligatory duties and forsaking the prohibited ones and the legitimacy of increasing in those recommended acts, because they strengthen and increase one's Eeman. And remaining far from those affairs that could harm the slave even if they are allowed or disliked.
So the slave must work hard in leaving off everything that will harm him and everything that it is feared (from doing this thing) a decrease in righteous actions or negligence in performing them even though they may be mubaah (permitted).
The One free from all imperfections says: (Verily those who say: Our Lord is Allah (Alone)," and then they remain upright (Istiqaamah), on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised! "We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the Hereafter. Therein you shall have (all) that your inner-selves desire, and therein you shall have (all) you ask for. "An entertainment from (Allah), the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.") 41:30-32. Meaning at the time of death, the time of resurrection and in the graves as a favor from Allah to us.
And in Surah al-Ahqaf we read the statement of Allah the mighty and sublime: (Verily those who say: Our Lord is Allah (Alone)," and then they remain upright and firm (Istiqaamah), they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve. Those shall be the dwellers of Paradise, abiding therein forever, a reward for what they used to do.) 46:13-14. And the statement of Allah in Surah an-Nahl: (Whoever works rightousness, whether male or female, while he is a true believer, verily We will give him a good life and We shall certainly pay them a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do)16:97. A pleasant life in the dunya and bliss in the hereafter.
And may peace and blessings be upon our prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
Taken from: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/8624
Translated by: Abu Fouzaan Qaasim
Ash-Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez bin Baaz: Persistence in attaining Istiqaamah.
All praise is due to Allah and may peace and salutations be upon the messenger of Allah, his familiy, companions and whoever follows his guidance; as for what follows:
The topic of Istiqaamah (uprightness in the religion) is a magnificent topic. It is suitable for every male and female believer to have a great concern for it, strive in attaining it
at all times, to ask Allah the mighty and sublime (for it) and to implore oneself before him requesting success in achieving it.
And you! Oh slave of Allah, it is incumbent upon you to be dilligent with regards to good, to rush towards it and cling to it. And that you beware of evil and stay far away from it and the means and causes that bring it about. And it is on you to beseech your lord and beg him to grant you assistance and success (in that).
And this dunya (worldly life) is an abode of trials and tribulations. It is the abode of action and preperation for the Aakhirah (next life). So Allah created the creation to worship him, and sent to them messengers, and revealed to them books and has given them intellects, hearing and sight. And he tests them with shayaateen (devils) from mankind and jinn, and (tests them with) lusts and desires.
So that which is obligatory (for us to do) is to use what Allah has given us from protection in leaving off harmful matters from what Allah tests us with by way of callers to evil and from devils both jinn and men.
And this abode is the abode of action, it is not an abode of bliss, rather it is an abode of action and deceit. Allah says: (So do not let the worldly life decieve you, nor let the chief deciever (shaytaan) deceive about Allah) 31:33. The enjoyments therein are minute as Allah says: ( Are you pleased with the life of this world over the hereafter? Little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the hereafter) 9:38.
Therefore it is mandatory upon those who are responsible from the men and women to strive (to attain) Istiqaamah. It's compulsory to pay heed to the truth and act according to it in performing those obligatory duties and forsaking the prohibited ones and the legitimacy of increasing in those recommended acts, because they strengthen and increase one's Eeman. And remaining far from those affairs that could harm the slave even if they are allowed or disliked.
So the slave must work hard in leaving off everything that will harm him and everything that it is feared (from doing this thing) a decrease in righteous actions or negligence in performing them even though they may be mubaah (permitted).
The One free from all imperfections says: (Verily those who say: Our Lord is Allah (Alone)," and then they remain upright (Istiqaamah), on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised! "We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the Hereafter. Therein you shall have (all) that your inner-selves desire, and therein you shall have (all) you ask for. "An entertainment from (Allah), the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.") 41:30-32. Meaning at the time of death, the time of resurrection and in the graves as a favor from Allah to us.
And in Surah al-Ahqaf we read the statement of Allah the mighty and sublime: (Verily those who say: Our Lord is Allah (Alone)," and then they remain upright and firm (Istiqaamah), they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve. Those shall be the dwellers of Paradise, abiding therein forever, a reward for what they used to do.) 46:13-14. And the statement of Allah in Surah an-Nahl: (Whoever works rightousness, whether male or female, while he is a true believer, verily We will give him a good life and We shall certainly pay them a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do)16:97. A pleasant life in the dunya and bliss in the hereafter.
And may peace and blessings be upon our prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
Taken from: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/8624
Translated by: Abu Fouzaan Qaasim
Friday, November 20, 2009
What has happened to you is (nothing else), but as a result of your turning away ...
Sheikh Saaleh Al Fawzaan (hafidha-hullaah) stated:
The actions, disbelief and evil of the Yahood is well known, even (with regards) to (their relationship) with their Prophets. They killed their Prophets, and (also) is that which occurred with Kaleemul'laah- Moosaa (alayhis-salaam) such as what Allaah has related in the Qur'aan (regarding) the story of Moosaa and Haaroon (alayhimas-salaam).
The character, disbelief, misguidance and evil of the Yahood is well known, even towards their Prophets; but what is obligatory upon us (Muslims) is that we ponder and rectify our deviated affairs and repent to Allaah; because the Yahood have not gained the upper hand over us except due to our sins.
Why is it that we do not hear anyone addressing and admonishing the Muslims whilst saying to them: What has happened to you is (nothing else), but as a result of your turning away from the religion of Allaah and negligence in the affairs of the Deen. So repent to Allaah in order that Allaah may aid you and avert the plot of the plotters from you.
We do not hear except insult, abuse and supplication against the Yahood, but this should be substituted with supplicating to Allaah to rectify the Muslims and to make them steadfast. And to mention to the Muslims that they should repent and return to Allaah, and rectify their Deen for the sake of Allaah. This is the first obligation.
As for supplication against an oppressor-be it the Yahood or other than them, then there is nothing wrong with this. It is legislated to supplicate against the one who oppress you with the sharee'ah supplications-the supplications found in the Book and the Sunnah. But before supplicating against them, you should supplicate to Allaah to rectify the Muslims and to make the Muslims steadfast upon their Religion and return them to the truth. (And) advise, address and admonish (them) with regards to Allaah. This is what is obligatory. [1]
The actions, disbelief and evil of the Yahood is well known, even (with regards) to (their relationship) with their Prophets. They killed their Prophets, and (also) is that which occurred with Kaleemul'laah- Moosaa (alayhis-salaam) such as what Allaah has related in the Qur'aan (regarding) the story of Moosaa and Haaroon (alayhimas-salaam).
The character, disbelief, misguidance and evil of the Yahood is well known, even towards their Prophets; but what is obligatory upon us (Muslims) is that we ponder and rectify our deviated affairs and repent to Allaah; because the Yahood have not gained the upper hand over us except due to our sins.
Why is it that we do not hear anyone addressing and admonishing the Muslims whilst saying to them: What has happened to you is (nothing else), but as a result of your turning away from the religion of Allaah and negligence in the affairs of the Deen. So repent to Allaah in order that Allaah may aid you and avert the plot of the plotters from you.
We do not hear except insult, abuse and supplication against the Yahood, but this should be substituted with supplicating to Allaah to rectify the Muslims and to make them steadfast. And to mention to the Muslims that they should repent and return to Allaah, and rectify their Deen for the sake of Allaah. This is the first obligation.
As for supplication against an oppressor-be it the Yahood or other than them, then there is nothing wrong with this. It is legislated to supplicate against the one who oppress you with the sharee'ah supplications-the supplications found in the Book and the Sunnah. But before supplicating against them, you should supplicate to Allaah to rectify the Muslims and to make the Muslims steadfast upon their Religion and return them to the truth. (And) advise, address and admonish (them) with regards to Allaah. This is what is obligatory. [1]
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The Bible - Isaiah | verse 6
Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibnul Qayyim about:
The Bible - Isaiah | verse 6-9
6 For thus has the Lord said to me:
Go, set a watchman,
Let him declare what he sees.
7: And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen,
A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels,
And he listened earnestly with great care.
8 Then he cried, A lion, my Lord!
I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime;
I have sat at my post every night.
9 And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!
Then he answered and said,
Babylon is fallen, is fallen!
And all the carved images of her gods
He has broken to the ground.
Ibnul Qayyim:
"Both we and the Christians believe that the horseman(on donkey) is the Messiah, while the rider on the camel is Muhammad (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). He is more known to ride camels than what Messiah is known to ride on donkeys. And also, it was with Muhammad (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) the Babylon idols fell, not with the messiah. In Babylon have idols been worshiped since Ibraheem's time all the way until they fell with Muhammad (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
(Hidaayat-ul-Hayaaraa, p. 128)
Friday, October 9, 2009
Corruption of Mankind By: Sheikh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan
Allaah has created his creation so as to worship Him and has prepared for them that which will aid them in this from His provisions. He ta'ala says
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provision for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask that they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or My creatures). Verily, Allaah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong."[1]
The soul, if it is left upon its fitrah (natural state) affirms Allaah's divinity and has love for Allaah, worships Him alone, and does not ascribe partners to Him.
However the Shayaateen from the Jinn and the Ins (mankind) corrupts and deviates it from that with what they reveal to one another by way of beautification in speech and deceptions. Tawheed is centered in the fitrah. Shirk is foreign and inserted into it. Allaah ta'ala says:
"So set you (O Muhammad SAW) your face towards the religion of pure Islamic Monotheism Hanifa (worship none but Allaah Alone) Allaah's Fitrah (i.e. Allaah's Islamic Monotheism), with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalqilaah (i.e. the Religion of Allaah Islamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of men know not" [2]
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said "Every child born is born upon the fitrah, however his parents make him into a Jew or a Christian or a Pagan"[3] So the root of the children is Tawheed.
The religion was Islaam from the time of Aadam (alaihi salaam) and until those who came after him from his progeny for many generations.
Allaah ta'ala says:
"Mankind were one community and Allaah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings" [4]
The first occurrence of shirk and deviance upon the aqeedah was with the people of Nuh (alaihi salaam)
"Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad SAW) as We inspired Nuh (Noah) and the Prophets after him;" [5]
Ibnu Abbaas said "There was between Aadam and Nuh (alaihima salaam) ten generations, all of them upon Islaam"
Ibnul Qayyim said "This comment (of Ibnu Abbaas) is clearly correct for the reading of Abi ibn Ka'b of the verse "So they differed and then Allaah sent the Prophets"
Allaah's statement affirms this when He says
"Mankind were but one community (i.e. on one religion - Islaamic Monotheism), then they differed (later), and had not it been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, it would have been settled between them regarding what they differed" [6]
The sending of the Prophets was due to the differing from that which they were upon from the correct religion. Just as the Arabs were upon the religion of Ibraaheem (alaihi salaam) until 'Amru bin Lahee al-Khazaa'ee surfaced and changed the religion of Ibraaheem. He erected idols in the land of the Arabs and in the land of al-Hijaaz in a specific manner until they were worshipped besides Allaah and shirk began to spread in the Holy lands and its surrounding it until Allaah sent His Prophet Muhammad, the seal of the Prophets (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). He called the people to Tawheed and to following the path of Ibraaheem and fought the true Jihaad until the creed of Tawheed and the path of Ibraaheem was returned to and the idols were destroyed. Allaah completed with him His religion and completed His favor upon all of the worlds. This methodology continued through out the noble generations from the beginning of this Ummah until ignorance began to spread in the later generations. Many (false) ideologies infiltrated it and shirk returned to many of this Ummah because of callers to misguidance and building structures over the graves in an effort to glorify the Awliyyaa' and Saaliheen (righteous individuals) claiming love for them until monuments were built over their graves.
They were taken as idols of worship besides Allaah by many ways this included du'a, seeking assistance, slaughtering, and sacrifice at their locations.
They called shirk Tawassul (means of drawing closer to Allaah thru worship) with the righteous and expression of their love for them and not worship of them as they claimed.
They have forgotten that this was the excuse of the pagans before them when they said,
""We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allaah" [7]
Even with this shirk falling upon the mankind past and present you found the majority of them believing in Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah but ascribing partners to Allaah in their worship as Allaah ta'ala says:
"And most of them believe not in Allaah except that they attribute partners unto Him"
They do not deny the existence of their Lord; only a small number of mankind did, such as Phir'awn, atheists, and the communists present in this era. Their denial is from their being blatantly arrogant. They are still compelled to testify this inside (their hearts) as Allaah says:
"And they belied them (those Ayah) wrongfully and arrogantly, though their own selves were convinced thereof" [8]
Their intellects know full well that every creation has to have a creator, every thing in existence has to have one who brought it into existence, and the order of this great disciplined and complicated matter has to have one who has power over it , wise, and maintains its order possessing all knowledge of it. Whoever denies these facts then he is either void of any intellect or blatantly arrogant and has limited his intellect and suppressed himself and this of course has not goal to it. Kitaabut Tawheed
Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan bin Abdillaah al-Fawzaan
Originally Produced By Daru Ahlil Athar
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provision for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask that they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or My creatures). Verily, Allaah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong."[1]
The soul, if it is left upon its fitrah (natural state) affirms Allaah's divinity and has love for Allaah, worships Him alone, and does not ascribe partners to Him.
However the Shayaateen from the Jinn and the Ins (mankind) corrupts and deviates it from that with what they reveal to one another by way of beautification in speech and deceptions. Tawheed is centered in the fitrah. Shirk is foreign and inserted into it. Allaah ta'ala says:
"So set you (O Muhammad SAW) your face towards the religion of pure Islamic Monotheism Hanifa (worship none but Allaah Alone) Allaah's Fitrah (i.e. Allaah's Islamic Monotheism), with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalqilaah (i.e. the Religion of Allaah Islamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of men know not" [2]
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said "Every child born is born upon the fitrah, however his parents make him into a Jew or a Christian or a Pagan"[3] So the root of the children is Tawheed.
The religion was Islaam from the time of Aadam (alaihi salaam) and until those who came after him from his progeny for many generations.
Allaah ta'ala says:
"Mankind were one community and Allaah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings" [4]
The first occurrence of shirk and deviance upon the aqeedah was with the people of Nuh (alaihi salaam)
"Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad SAW) as We inspired Nuh (Noah) and the Prophets after him;" [5]
Ibnu Abbaas said "There was between Aadam and Nuh (alaihima salaam) ten generations, all of them upon Islaam"
Ibnul Qayyim said "This comment (of Ibnu Abbaas) is clearly correct for the reading of Abi ibn Ka'b of the verse "So they differed and then Allaah sent the Prophets"
Allaah's statement affirms this when He says
"Mankind were but one community (i.e. on one religion - Islaamic Monotheism), then they differed (later), and had not it been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, it would have been settled between them regarding what they differed" [6]
The sending of the Prophets was due to the differing from that which they were upon from the correct religion. Just as the Arabs were upon the religion of Ibraaheem (alaihi salaam) until 'Amru bin Lahee al-Khazaa'ee surfaced and changed the religion of Ibraaheem. He erected idols in the land of the Arabs and in the land of al-Hijaaz in a specific manner until they were worshipped besides Allaah and shirk began to spread in the Holy lands and its surrounding it until Allaah sent His Prophet Muhammad, the seal of the Prophets (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). He called the people to Tawheed and to following the path of Ibraaheem and fought the true Jihaad until the creed of Tawheed and the path of Ibraaheem was returned to and the idols were destroyed. Allaah completed with him His religion and completed His favor upon all of the worlds. This methodology continued through out the noble generations from the beginning of this Ummah until ignorance began to spread in the later generations. Many (false) ideologies infiltrated it and shirk returned to many of this Ummah because of callers to misguidance and building structures over the graves in an effort to glorify the Awliyyaa' and Saaliheen (righteous individuals) claiming love for them until monuments were built over their graves.
They were taken as idols of worship besides Allaah by many ways this included du'a, seeking assistance, slaughtering, and sacrifice at their locations.
They called shirk Tawassul (means of drawing closer to Allaah thru worship) with the righteous and expression of their love for them and not worship of them as they claimed.
They have forgotten that this was the excuse of the pagans before them when they said,
""We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allaah" [7]
Even with this shirk falling upon the mankind past and present you found the majority of them believing in Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah but ascribing partners to Allaah in their worship as Allaah ta'ala says:
"And most of them believe not in Allaah except that they attribute partners unto Him"
They do not deny the existence of their Lord; only a small number of mankind did, such as Phir'awn, atheists, and the communists present in this era. Their denial is from their being blatantly arrogant. They are still compelled to testify this inside (their hearts) as Allaah says:
"And they belied them (those Ayah) wrongfully and arrogantly, though their own selves were convinced thereof" [8]
Their intellects know full well that every creation has to have a creator, every thing in existence has to have one who brought it into existence, and the order of this great disciplined and complicated matter has to have one who has power over it , wise, and maintains its order possessing all knowledge of it. Whoever denies these facts then he is either void of any intellect or blatantly arrogant and has limited his intellect and suppressed himself and this of course has not goal to it. Kitaabut Tawheed
Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan bin Abdillaah al-Fawzaan
Originally Produced By Daru Ahlil Athar
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